Disclaimer!: I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE! I own my OC(s), and that's just it, we are on a fanfiction site/ story site.
Time for the chapter!
Chapter 4: Marine Ship, Pirate Ship, Merchant Ship, Lots of Ships
~ I wonder…. Would they all be happier… if I wasn't here? ~
[ Location: New World; THAT Certain Island, Oro Jackson Docked; February 11th - Astrid: 2 years old ]
"EVERYONE, PREPARE YOURSELVES!"
"IT'S THE ROGER PIRATES!"
"ORO JACKSON SPOTTED, REPEAT, ORO JACKSON SPOTTED!"
The crew of the Oro Jackson, led by the man to be the King of the Pirates, had a great many experiences of running into marines….
…fellow pirates…..
….challengers asking certain members of the crew to a duel….
..a Davy Back Fight or two…..
…but to think that they would be getting a two for one that day, well…..it was an experience, to say the least.
The marines stood no chance against the Roger Pirates, as the mighty crew overpowered them as the sand parted ways when both sides engaged in fierce battle.
Being one sided, once the sand cleared to show the Roger Pirates unscathed and having dominated their opponent, the crew grew a bit lax.
Roger was still holding up a certain marine, higher ranking than the others, playfully saying "you should have brought a fleet admiral in order to stop us" with a big hearty laugh, was only a prelude.
Buggy spotted them.
On the other side of the island.
"CAPTAIN! On the other side of the island, we're in trouble, on the other side, the," the young cabin boy looked through his binoculars, as Shanks and Astrid continued to eat chocolate, Astrid fixing her glasses and looking up to her uncle, "..the WHITEBEARD PIRATES!"
Roger chuckled as he dropped the marine in his grasp, a glint in his eye as he ran past his arguing first and second mate.
"I don't want you guys to get hurt!"
"YOU JUST WANT TO FIGHT!" Gaban and Rayleigh shouted after him.
[ Location: New World; THAT Certain Island, Other Side of the Island, Whitebeard Pirates ]
"ODEN-SAN! WAIT FOR US!"
"SECOND DIVISION COMMANDER!"
Kozuki Oden, a man that has shown tenacity, loyalty, and a child-like wonder in exploring the world.
A married man, a father, a leader in the land of Wano, with the added responsibility of taking care of his people, his retainers.
Had one, last, selfish request.
He avidly expressed his desire to go beyond the borders of Wano, and explore what the world has to offer.
To bring back that knowledge to Wano, to be a better man, to give it his all in the limited time that he would have before he leaves this world for good.
As no one knows how much time they truly have, till it's gone for good.
The poor man, having been bested once already, was in for a second rude awakening after the passage of time had nearly healed the first, since the first was from his very own Captain, who was more like a brother, Whitebeard.
Roger did not hold back, especially against a challenger like Oden. To face against the samurai, they both had smiles as they clashed blades.
Well, one person kept their smile as they clashed blades.
Trees were toppled over, Oden went flying, and the grand three day fight commenced once Whitebeard and Roger faced each other.
The marines had left, not wanting to be in the cross hairs between the two mighty crews, as they tried to best one another.
If the gods looked down upon them, watching this fight, they must have had a laugh or two.
Buggy and Shanks took turns fighting and guarding Astrid, some of the pirates from the rival pirate crew were confused as to why such a young child was actively near the battlefield.
Some of the Roger crew suggested leaving her on the ship, even the Whitebeard Pirates suggested leaving her with Toki; both crews had a similar consensus on getting her away from the violence.
Well, the sane members of both crews came to that consensus.
The not so sane, on the other hand.
"LOOK AT MY PRECIOUS GRAND-DAUGHTER!"
Roger let out a laugh as he swung at Whitebeard, both men sweating but not yielding to the other as they continued their bout.
"WHY THE HELL IS SHE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!"
"ISN'T SHE PRECIOUS!?"
Roger, among the not-so-sane-members of both crews, gushed about the child.
And in all honesty, Astrid was all in for it.
She was cheering.
Laughing.
Having the time of her life while everyone was fighting amidst the chaos.
Mainly due to not understanding that these were semi-serious circumstances.
Such a happy-go-lucky child, being dragged back by the child who she recognized as her father while her uncle continued his bout.
She screamed out, "fuck yeah!." when Buggy and Shanks switched, earning her a stern look from her uncle as the opposing crew looked on.
Some of the Roger pirates busting out laughing one second, and the next, continuing fighting while the opposing crew did the same.
"Astrid!" Buggy looked back and forth at both crews, "don't say that!"
Not much out of the ordinary, at the very least.
Over the three days and three nights that the battle took place, it was declared a draw.
The next day, the fourth day, was when things managed to settle down.
But just a little.
[ Location: New World; After the Battle: Fourth Day; February 14th - Astrid: 2 years old ]
"Hmmmmm." Astrid looked at the opposing crew, deep in thought as she slipped away from her family.
One part in sneaking away was because she didn't know any better. Well, she knew that she needed parental guidance, but this child knew no fear.
At least, not yet.
Another was that curiosity took the better of her.
"DO Y'ALL LIKE ORANGES!?" the young child looked at each of them, a sparkle in her eye as she was about to do something….strange.
About to do something that very few knew about.
"ASTRID, NO!" Shanks stopped her, right before she was about to do the 'strange' thing.
Astrid let out a pout, muttering under her breath, "meanie dad", before she was dragged off back to where Shanks and Buggy were standing earlier.
Which prompted a light scolding by the both of them to the youngest on the crew. The cabin boys then resumed their conversation from earlier as Shanks gave her half a chocolate bar.
Both cabin boys tried to look slightly menacing to the opposing crew, keeping conversation light as they looked serious, but to no avail.
Astrid climbed and latched onto Shanks, not stopping in eating her chocolate, as Buggy commented on one of the opposing crew members, and their inability to fall asleep due to the cold.
"Look at them-yoi."
A certain yellow-haired, pineapple-esque flow of hair of an apprentice motioned towards the trio in front of him.
"Why let a child experience and get used to battle in the first place? Why have her here, instead of the safety of the boat?" He looked worried, pensive on the unsung answer that he would find out many years later.
"Ne, ne, ne, dad, uncle, why are people looking at us like this?" Astrid widened her eyes, looking back and forth rather fast to prove her point, her glasses managing to stay on her face, all the while Shanks kept his balance as she had situated herself on his shoulders.
"They're curious about us." Buggy smirked one second, and tried to look serious the next.
Shanks looked more deep in thought, before answering, "they're probably wondering what all of us were thinking."
"What do you mean, Red-Hair?" Buggy questioned him, while Astrid began to play with Shanks' hair, fidgeting here and there.
"Why let Astrid watch up close in the fighting…" Shanks trailed off, staring ahead as the youngest crew member continued to play with his hair.
"Because she's one of us, she needs to experience this early on." Buggy reasoned.
Shanks side-eyed him, unspoken words that he wished he could tell Buggy wanting to burst forth.
One part being the truth that he knows about Astrid.
Another being, the events that she would have to experience later on in her life, where everyone would go their separate ways.
Good things, sometimes, don't last forever.
When a good thing lasts, it sometimes gets ruined, or crumbles, or even burns down to dust.
It is rare that a good thing lasts for so long, being untarnished, or fading away as a memory.
Being untainted or changed in some way.
"SHANKS! ASTRID! BUGGY!" Rayleigh called out to the three, prompting the other members of both crews to look at the trio. Both cabin boys started running, with Astrid getting some leaves and twigs in her hair as she wasn't let down from Shanks' shoulders in order to meet the first mate.
She giggled, having fun even when a leaf or two managed to get into her mouth.
"Rayleigh!" / "Why seems to be the matter, Rayleigh?"
"The Captain wants to see the three of you." He waved to the trio, "Follow me."
Trekking behind the first mate, the cabin-boys of the crew had mixed emotions about what their Captain could want, or why they would want to see them, since he was meeting with Whitebeard himself, and the mysterious samurai.
Once making it to the three men, Rayleigh took a good look at the three, bending down and smiling, as he got some of the left-over leaves out of Astrid's hair before making his way back to the rest of the crew down below.
[ Location: Unknown; Unknown - Sailing to a CERTAIN ISLAND ; XX/ XX/ XXXX]
"WHEN ARE WE GONNA SEE HER ACTUALLY BECOME STRONGER?! THIS IS TAKIN TOO FUCKIN' LONG! SHE HASN'T EVEN MET ANY OF US YET!"
A certain man made a face, looking back at the heckler with red hair and orange-amber eyes, rolling his own beneath his trusted hat and bushy eyebrows. He paused the video, one in order to not miss anything, and the other to make his voice heard.
"Be patient," the bushy haired man looked back at the heckler and the rest of the people in the room, "each story needs a proper introduction, just that.."
"Her's is taking longer due to all that she's done, right, Bushy-ya?" the man with a hat with spots chimed in, while the rest of his crew looked on to the screen.
"Exactly," the Bushy haired man nodded, while some people shifted, some taking seats, others leaving to the washroom among other things, and others continued to eat and drink.
"When will we see Big-sis fight that sea serpent?" called out a Straw-hatted boy, somehow making the words understandable while he chewed and swallowed with reckless abandon.
"In due time." Bushy man motioned.
"What about her adventures with us-yoi?"
"In due time."
"When does she visit Wano?" called a young boy with peaches on his yukata.
"In due time."
"How does she manage to see with her adapted fighting style?" called a certain raven haired man with an orange hat. Seated next to his family and a certain pineapple.
Sigh. "In due time."
"Then how about the matter of finding the Revolutionaries?" called a blonde man with a scar on his face. Sat next to him was the rest of his associates, more like family.
"In due time."
"YUP, THAT'S MY DAUGHTER!." A red-haired man laughed holding his big jug of beer. Seated next to him is his trusty crew and a certain hawk-eyed swordsman who continued to drink his wine.
It was a feat in itself that they all were sailing together, it was another that all these grand people hadn't managed to try to kill each other.
Yet.
Many people were in the galley, young and old, notorious and nefarious individuals, and some people that others didn't even think that she knew, all of them agreeing to inhabit the bigger crew's ship to view segments of her life, all the while they all sailed the seas too.
ONE.
CERTAIN.
ISLAND.
"How about….."
The bushy man sighed, extinguishing the question. He looked to the screen, and then back to the viewers once more.
"We have a month before we reach her," he pointed to the screen, "so might as well see how she came to be where she is now, right?" The man grinned.
Everyone looked to one another, a silent understanding washing over the room, as they all finally nodded to the individual.
The video commenced once again.
"WE'RE GETTING A NEW GRANDPA!?"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A GRANDPA?!" Oden nearly shrieked, as he looked at the hyper-active child that stood in front of him.
While one cabin boy stood in his spot, gaping at the younger.
The other cabin boy, very much used to her antics, tried to drag her to their captain's side.
But children have death grips, and hers was worse still. She held onto Oden's robes till it nearly teared, causing the man to try to carry her gently, getting her away from her father.
Which was not going to fly by Shanks.
The other two men, the mighty Captains, were blatantly laughing as Oden was trying to carry her, while trying to placate Shanks.
"PRETTY HAIR!" Astrid ended up latching herself to Oden's head, patting his head as she was amazed by how soft it was.
With how Astrid described it though….
"IT'S AS SOFT AS DAD'S HAIR!"
Causing Shanks to laugh, blushing a little. He motioned for Oden to lend him an ear, and they made a small compromise.
Shanks soon had a place sitting on Oden's shoulder, near the youngest of the crew.
Laughing and talking, drinking and eating, both crews made merry as they saw the day slip away.
Some members of each crew, having some unsung questions.
Other members of one crew, having to come to terms about one of their own leaving and going to the opposing crew.
A swirl of emotions played a part, and this new journey for Oden, his family, his retainers, unfold as he aims to write of his adventures with both crews as they explore the unknown.
Now, onwards, to adventure!
The islands and crevices of the world that have been left unknown for too long!
To islands in the sky and islands deep, underneath the seas!
To meeting new people, to experiencing different cultures, to the events of the past!
The present!
The future!
To turning the world upside down!
TO FINDING THE ONE PIECE!
[ Location: New World; On the Seas; July 4th - Astrid: 3.75 years old ~ ]
"DAD! YOU PROMISED!"
"Astrid….."
"I WANNA START LEARNING HOW TO USE THE SWORD LIKE MOMONOSUKE!"
"But-"
Astrid pouted, holding a wooden katana that she received from Buggy some time ago, pointing to the certain child with the peach patterned yukata, as everyone looked on at the 'small' dilemma.
Half of the crew believed that she was too young to be wielding a sword, to wait another year, some of them said.
While others in the crew, some giggling, others resisting the urge to offer to teach the way of the sword to her from themselves, and others nodding along to the young child's pleas to be trained.
The other half held the firm belief that she should be trained for what is to come.
"Have you been doing your exercises?"
"YES!" Astrid held a mock salute, a twinkle in her eye as she stared at the person she truly looked up to.
"Have you done your chores?"
"I did mine and Uncle Buggies!" she reported, without skipping a beat, the twinkle ever present.
"Did you…wait, YOU ALSO DID BUGGIES?!"
The whole crew looked at the blue haired cabin boy, who after being found out, decided to sneak away until he was caught by a certain cat-mink and dog-mink.
"I ALSO BRUSHED MY TEETH, CLEANED THE ROOM, AND HELPED POLISH." She smiled widely, the twinkle turning into full on stars.
"I'M READY TO BE TRAINED!" She was vibrating with energy and anticipation at this point.
"No."
And that caused her to deflate, both hands resting on either side as her face looked like she was told someone dear to her had just died.
Trying very hard not to cry.
While Buggy was being scolded, Momonosuke, with Toki holding Hiyori, walked over to try to comfort her.
But Astrid, being Astrid, decided to do something stupid.
She decided to go with Plan B, and Plan B was inspired by Oden himself.
With how he even got out of Wano in the first place.
She zoomed past everyone, barely managing to make it to the back of the ship with some of the crew behind her.
Some were curious about what she was about to do.
Others, having a feeling that she was going to prove her resolve to learn swordsmanship at a young age.
Added with the fact that she's been training in secret, and few of the crew members knew that if she had the proper training, she would be a force to be reckoned with.
And before anyone knew it, she was performing Plan B, with the rope tied around her torso three times, and a certain device that she fashioned herself to keep her glasses plastered on her head once in the water, she announced,
"If I can survive in the water without being eaten by a Sea King till the sun sets, you," she pointed at Shanks, who was about to have a mini-heart attack as his eyes bulged out, "HAVE TO TRAIN ME FOR REAL!"
Not exactly something that we would hear from a normal three-something-year old, but with this merry-reckless-myriad of characters of a crew, she picked up some things from each of them.
"ASTRID NO!" / "GAHHHH!" / "DON'T DO IT!" / "WE'LL TEACH YOU, DON'T JUMP!"
She jumped.
She didn't die, but she jumped, for everyone that thought that she died, shame on you.
[A certain being looks on]
Whoops.
[Certain being tsk's]
I know, unbiased narrator, sorry about that.
[Murmurs in distance]
I'll get back to it.
Luckily for her, some of the crew members can shave.
Which led to her being dangled on the side of the boat, and slowly drawn back up like a bucket of water, with a very worried and slightly angry crew.
She was scolded, told of many dangers, before Shanks caved in to teach her the basics of swordsmanship.
And after that day, the crew knew a few things about their reckless child.
One, being that she isn't afraid of a challenge.
Two, she has the resolve, if she wants something, she'll do what she can to fulfill her wish.
And three, she'll work without complaint, (which all the crew thought that was weird, even Momo and Hiyori and Toki, as well as others were concerned), as she would work till she collapsed.
Or forced into a mandatory break.
The motto the crew would hear from her, later down the line?
"There's so much to learn, and so little time to do it, so I'll learn till I can't learn anymore! Without complaint." (She muttered the last part rather fast). She would say matter-of-factly, both arms in the air as a mini-cheer to keep moving forward.
Many of the crew wondered how she came to that conclusion in the first place, at such a young age.
Which would have us go back in time, to a certain conversation between her and her grandpas', better known as Roger, Gaban, and even Oden himself.
[ Location: New World; On the Seas; A little ways in the past; November 20th, 10pm-
Astrid: 3.25 years old ]
"Astrid."
Astrid was situated at a table, another unfruitful effort in convincing her father, the young cabin-boy, in teaching her swordsmanship. Ever since seeing Momo start his sword training, the rest of the crew getting in playful bouts, and even Toki herself participating every so often, she too, wanted to start training.
To no longer be weak.
And a step to no longer being just a helpless kid as they faced varying dangers sailing these mysterious seas.
She wanted to be depended on. To be relied upon.
She wants to make them all proud.
Astrid looks back, meeting Gaban's eyes as he takes a seat next to her. Her spectacles reflect a little from the light from the table, and also from the glass of juice that she has in hand. But anyone could tell, even if they can't see her eyes clearly, that she was crying a little.
She wipes her face, doing the 'strange' thing and taking out an orange from 'thin air', offering it to her grandpa. He gladly takes it, bringing her closer as he starts to rub gentle circles on her back with his free hand. Doing what he can to comfort her.
"I'm ready…" she starts coughing and sniffling a little, breaking the silence.
"..Astrid, there's a difference between feeling ready, and actually being ready." Gaban peeled his orange, taking a bit and offering one of the slices to her.
She gladly took it, not meeting his eyes as she thought on those words.
"Everyone is training."
"Hiyori isn't training."
"Too small."
"You're also too small."
"But Momo and I are same age." She pouted some more, sipping her juice some more.
"He trains, why can't I?"
"Astrid…," he looked to the side before looking back down at her, "there's a diff…"
That was when she looked up at him.
And she made a face that effectively cut him off.
It was the face that she wouldn't take no for an answer.
No half-baked excuses.
A face that showed frustration, resolve, and…
A lot of heart.
And the elder man would wonder, how does a small child, like her, like this, manage to show such resolve at such a young age?
The elder man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he contemplated what else he could say to placate her.
That was when Roger and Oden came into the galley, upping the count from two to four, as the rest of the crew was either asleep or performing their duties at this time of night.
Of course, both had tankards filled to the brim with some type of alcoholic beverage.
"To think that you would be zapped like that from the last island!," Roger let out a hearty laugh.
"I also can't believe that Neptune let us near the poneglyphs, much less warm up to Astrid!", Oden took a swing of his beer.
"First, she tries to eat him till she sees that he can talk."
"Then apologizes."
"Then calls him Honorary Grandpa, and starts to latch herself to him, much to his dismay."
"And finally, she whispers something, and causes him to be flustered, letting her cling to his hair as he goes around the island."
"She really went and…" / "She just…"
"STICKED TO HIM!" Each laughing, the laughter dying down as they soon see that they aren't the only ones in the room.
And feeling the unsaid tension in the room.
"Oh…what's wrong, my dear?" Roger had made his way across the room, the opposite side of Astrid as Oden went around the table, to be seated in front of her.
Her mouth was a straight line, as the lights overhead and the lantern on the table illuminated the galley rather well. She was only expecting the third grandpa, not her first grandpa and near last grandpa..
"Dad..won't…teach me…" She continued looking down at her drink, some of the good bits of the juice stilling and settling at the bottom of the cup.
"Do you want me to teach you?" Oden offered, reaching across the table to ruffle Astrid's hair.
Astrid pushed up her glasses, as she looked up at him.
"Dad had Grandpa Roger to teach him, and you are teaching Momo, so I want Dad to teach me…" She shook her head, in her mind she was constantly repeating.
It wouldn't be the same.
Roger chimed in, "how about we teach you basic training exercises to build up to swordsmanship training?" He patted her back.
"Hmmmmm, but…hmmm." She was finally taking something into consideration.
"How about analyzing the crew's moves and seeing what we do right and wrong, that's a form of training," Gaban ate another slice of his orange.
She was taking in so many things into consideration, that smoke was coming out of her ears, as all three were giving rapid-fire suggestions left and right.
It was a lot to take in.
When they cooled her down, she came to a realization.
Sometimes you have to seize the chance, the opportunity to make yourself better, to make yourself stronger, to be a better you. And sometimes, you can't wait for other people in order to seize that chance.
And Astrid wondered..how did she get to such complex thoughts…why did she remember some feelings, was relating and felt familiarity for some situations that she never encountered before…
Why was she able to do 'strange' things?
Why did she feel the need to do everything fast? Time is time, why does it wait for no one? How did that thought come to be in the first place?
She knew that she can't be annoying..that she can't complain when things get tough..but..how did that thought manifest to her understanding..in the first place?
Why?...
[ Location: New World; On the Seas and on Land; Astrid: 4 years old ]
The tide rises, and the tide falls, days meshed together as the merry crew traveled the New World.
Singing Binks Sake in the hot spring, with Astrid stealing her Uncle's towel, running around with reckless abandon.
Hanging on for dear life, as they passed turbulent seas, and grand man-made structures.
Being gifted another wooden sword in secret, as she broke her first one in an accident, promising that she would do better this time.
To caverns and crevices of the New World that hardly anyone went to.
Meeting a giant elephant, and a young jaguar mink, making a promise that he's adamant to complete.
Going from island to island, a grand adventure where everyone managed to have fun…
As their journey, the adventure of the grand Roger Pirates, was nearing it's end.
The man, himself, nearing his end….
Arriving on a certain island, and her uncle falling ill, she did what she felt that she needed to do.
"I'm willing to wait with Dad! I also want to take care of Uncle Buggy! Besides, it's like Dad said, we can always go later." She held a big smile, looking at everyone.
She truly and fully held the belief, that one day, without the help of her grandpas'.
Potentially, without the help of her father, that she, too, would be able to find it…
To find the last island.
After her grandpas' came back from the last island, she asked one question.
"What's the name of the island?"
The crew all looked at each other, what started as a giggle became full-blown laughter, and that laughter was infectious, as the cabin-boys and Astrid joined in as well.
"LAUGHTALE! The last island's name is Laughtale." Roger picked up Astrid, chuckling as he carried her on his shoulders for the second to last time.
Before they all parted ways.
What could be said to a child when someone dear to them is about to die, right in front of their eyes?
Would you shield them?
Would you let them see the horrors of the world?
Would you lecture them on the dichotomy of good and evil?
How all pirates are evil, and all marines are good? That there is no gray area, no in-between?
That, even when Roger was a good man, a good Captain to his crew, that ultimately, the world saw him as evil.
As a challenge…
As an obstacle to keep the status quo.
The day of Roger's execution was like no other.
Marines, future marines, pirates, future Warlords, future Yonkos, among other individuals that would gain notoriety, attended the execution.
For a man that became the King of the Pirates, a title bestowed to the free-est on the sea, he was bound in chains.
In chains that he could break at any time, at any moment…
The sun shone so brightly, civilians feared of heat-stroke, no shade in sight in the crowded square in Loguetown. Astrid was standing next to her father, as he shed his silent tears, as no one else was crying except for the cabin-boys and the youngest of the crew. The fear of the marines stayed strong, as they were no longer all together as a crew anymore.
As a family.
Only those three came to the execution of their captain.
Of their patriarch.
Many tales would be said of that day, of the weather, of how Roger walked calmly, with conviction.
That people cheered, and others were shocked by the revelation made that day.
But the heralding of the era, of the new age…
So many lives were changed.
"WHERE DID YOU LEAVE IT?! WHERE DID YOU LEAVE YOUR GREAT TREASURE?!" A man managed to speak over the hushed crowd, as Roger was seated at the execution stand.
"WHERE DID YOU LEAVE THE ONE PIECE?!"
The man smiled, laughing for all to hear, as he faced the end.
He uttered, no, he projected his last words for all to hear.
"My treasure? If you want it, you can have it!"
"Find it!"
"I left everything this world has to offer there!"
Before he could say more…
…
…
The Pirate King met his end with a smile.
XoXoXoXoXoXo
[ Location: Loguetown; Land; Start of the Grand Pirate Era; Astrid: 5 years old ]
A/N: Y'all want to know what she whispered…huh?
Welp, not sayin' *Blows raspberries as I sit in my corner of my existence*
Imagine how Shanks felt…like, he is basically the primary, numero uno caretaker for her.
Another mini-heart attack…
Anyways, trying to be consistent for every two months, but I've been…
Playing games, reading (like y'all), studying for that one test I mentioned before, all that jazz.
So….It's takin' a while, to be fairly honest, I would write, stop, write, then stop again…
It's a process
Anywho, hope y'all are enjoying this still?! *Emphasis on hopeful*
Review and critiques appreciated, things will get better. ~ I choose to remain hopeful on that.
I got a new comment and that literally made my day and I just…finished the chapter….
Food for thought.
PEACE OUT WITH A FIST OF LOVE!
~ DH