A/N: It took a while, but I finally have this alternate story, and chapter, ready. I know I already have one One Piece story, but this other one would take place in the Alabasta arc with a very special kind of Devil Fruit for a certain someone. I think you'll know who soon enough.
One Piece: The Serpent Princess of the Desert
Prologue: Close Encounter with the Roger Pirates
It all started one day in Onigoshima as a man named Junior was carrying a sleeping, little baby and running away as someone else was smashing up the island in a fit of anger. He was mad.
"WHERE IS HE?! AND WHERE DID HE TAKE THE FRUIT?! AND MY SON!", the being shouted as tree after tree crumbled.
"Don't worry, sis. I'm getting us out of here and somewhere safe where you can grow and one day be able to defeat Kaido.", Junior assured.
Soon, they both reached a small boat and managed to get on. Unfortunately, Kaido was not far behind.
"THERE YOU ARE! You two think you can escape from ME! WRORORORORORORORORORO, Laughable!", Kaido discouraged, reaching for both Junior and Yamato.
Luckily, before he could grab them, Junior sprayed out his venom spit at Kaido's hand with a hiss. This left Kaido reeling in agony and pain as he moved his hand back while Junior took a deep breath and blew into the sail as hard as he could, blowing the boat away from the island as fast as he can.
"RAGH! YOU FOOL! THERE IS NOWHERE THAT YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME! I'LL CHASE YOU DOWN TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD!", Kaido roared.
After a moment, Junior only had this to say to Kaido.
"Maybe, but I will make sure that you won't find her, at least until she's ready to take you down once and for all.", Junior vowed as he held out an Eternal Log Pose for Alabasta.
With this vow, Junior and Yamato had set sail across the sea. For the month that followed, there were no problems with the food supply. It was the next 3 weeks that were more perilous on account of the fact that they used up a month's worth of food. And it didn't help that while Junior was dying of starvation and exhaustion, little Yamato was crying up a storm. For those 3 weeks, to remedy this, Junior had sparingly used this one Devil Fruit to quench her thirst: the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Okuchi-no-Makami. With the Devil Fruit's juices steadily declining with each usage, it seems as though they'd never make it out alive. But then, one day, something miraculous happened... It was on the day when the Devil Fruit's juices had finally gone dry.
"I'm... I'm sorry..., Yamato... This is... all I can do for... for you...! You have t... you have to survive...! You... must...!", Junior spoke weakly before passing out.
Just then, a pirate ship suddenly arrived nearby. And who should it be but the Roger Pirates! Seeing them, the baby girl just laughed from seeing them.
"My word...", one roger pirate spoke.
"Who the heck is that?", a young Shanks asked.
"Never mind that. What's with that little puppy with him? And why is it in a swaddle?", a young Buggy puzzled as the baby was revealed to have morphed into a white wolf puppy hybrid form, giggling while unaware of what has happened to her.
"Ho, there, boys! Ship off the Port Bow!", Gol D. Roger, the captain of the Roger Pirates himself, shouted.
Moments later, the Roger Pirates were hard at work, tending to the weakened Junior as Shanks held Yamato.
"I still can't believe it.", one of them said.
"Yeah, I know. He's a man half as big as Kaido and yet, here he is nearly starved and dehydrated, let alone accompanied by a puppy wrapped in a swaddle.", another added.
A young Rayleigh turned and say Baby Yamato being held by Shanks, not to mention fed as well.
"I honestly don't know why you're doing it. It's not like that's your baby sister or anything.", Buggy commented.
"Say whatever you want, but I think she's cute.", Shanks responded while holding Yamato close to him, earning her happy giggle.
But Buggy felt otherwise as he backed away from her.
"Well, I think she's gross! And loud, too!", Buggy added.
"Well, I think that's a major case of Deja Vu.", Rayleigh thought.
Just then, Junior began to move his hands, attracting the roger pirates' attention and stunning them as he awoke and sat up.
"AAH! HE'S AWAKE!", the roger pirates shouted.
"Where am I...? And where's Yamato?", Junior asked before they pointed toward Shanks and Buggy, the latter of which was terrified the moment he turned to see them, although Shanks held onto Yamato, who was still joyful as ever.
Seeing this, Junior gave a soft grin.
"Oh, thank goodness... You're still alive...", Junior sighed in relief.
Then, he turned to Shanks and Buggy.
"And who, may I ask, are you two?", Junior asked, unintentionally frightening Buggy to the point that he whimpered and left Shanks alone.
"Hey, where ya goin'?!", Shanks shouted before sighing.
"Anyway, my name is Shanks. You've already met Buggy.", Shanks introduced to himself.
Shanks then glanced over to Buggy.
"Buggy, get over here, he's not gonna hurt ya, I don't think he even wants to.", assured Shanks.
"N-n-n-no, Shanks. I'm n-n-n-not taking... any ch-ch-ch-chances...!", Buggy quivered.
"Shanks is right, though. I'm just thankful that you were able to make sure Yamato is safe.", Junior thanked.
"Well, that's no problem. Right, Buggy?", Shanks asked, turning to him.
"Uh..., y-y-yeah...! Sure...! No pr-pr-pr-pr-problem...", Buggy quivered.
For the most part with the Roger Pirates, they just made merry and hung out together like friends. But one day, after arriving on an island and stopping some marines. Something big was coming, at least for Roger, who held up one of the vanquished marines by the collar.
"If you guys wanna catch me that bad, ya better bring Garp or Sengoku next time. Fighting you is no sport at all.", Roger said.
"Out of my way, you Government dogs! Before I tear you apart with my bare hands...", Junior threatened to the remaining marines who weren't as injured as the rest were.
Suddenly, though, Buggy yelled in fright and called out to Captain Roger.
"CAPTAIN! Whitebeard's ship just showed up! I think they know we're here!", Buggy shouted.
"Whitebeard?", Junior puzzled.
"Looks like they're on the other side of the island!", Buggy added as Yamato giggled while raising her arms up.
"We just finished one fight, Roger. What now?", Rayleigh asked.
Frankly, Roger was thrilled.
"Whitebeard, huh? Haven't seen him in quite a while.", Roger responded before Shanks bit into his chocolate bar with a chuckle.
Then, he noticed Yamato nearby, broke his chocolate in half, ground the other half into liquid in a jar, and handed it to Yamato, who drank it just as several birds started flying away from the island.
"If the birds are taking off, he must've come ashore. All right! Let's have a bout, then! You can only risk death while you're still alive.", Roger said, setting a defeated marine down.
"My end is coming soon, after all. Odds are, this is the last time you and I will ever cross paths, Whitebeard.", Roger smirked to himself.
"There's some weird guy in robes who's running crazy fast! A samurai!", Buggy reported with a shout.
Hearing this was enough to make Junior raise an eyebrow.
"He's here, too, huh? Lucky me.", Roger smirked.
Meanwhile, said samurai was running very fast while the rest behind him couldn't keep up.
"All of you are running too slow!", the samurai shouted eagerly.
"I think you're too fast, actually!", one crewmate shouted.
"I'm supposed to plunder their treasure first, right?!", the samurai shouted.
"This is totally different than our usual battles! The Roger Pirates are seriously tough!", the 2nd crewmate shouted.
But the samurai just yelled out with a dash, leaving the two crewmates behind in the dust.
"HE'S NOT LISTENING AT ALL!", the crewmate shouted, peeved at the samurai's hastiness.
Meanwhile, the samurai eagerly hopped from mushroom to mushroom before running ahead with a few Roger Pirates up ahead in front of him. Of course, this did not deter the samurai. Instead, he drew two swords and skipped toward the 3 pirates, surprising one of them.
"GUN... MODOKI!", the samurai shouted before launching himself toward the 3 pirates with his two swords in each hand, shoving them aside.
Seeing him in person, though, Junior was not as easily impressed as Yamato is.
"Look at him... He's a ridiculous fool who shouldn't be taken seriously...", Junior thought.
Of course, he still had Rayleigh and his fellow partner to deal with.
"He's as strong as they say he is. I think he's wreaked enough havoc for now.", the crewmate said.
"I agree.", Rayleigh agreed.
"Gaban, Rayleigh, wait! Allow me! I'd sure hate to see my crew get hurt!", Roger spoke before laughing as he zoomed past the two crewmates.
"You just want to fight him.", Rayleigh scolded.
Indeed, he did want to fight him. In fact, he welcomed this opportunity as the samurai laughed while charging ahead.
"I smell a beast...!", Oden spoke.
"Ahoy there, samurai.", Roger smirked before drawing his cutlass sword.
"DIVINE DEPARTURE!", Roger shouted, swinging his sword right into Oden.
Only thing was, while the strike did connect, it didn't cut him. Still, it was enough to make him cough up little bits of blood before Oden crashed through 7 trees with his back.
"Incredible...! He just sent him crashing through those trees with a single strike...! That's crazy...!", Junior thought.
Nevertheless, the samurai refused to quit as he sat up and recovered, shocked as he understandably is.
"What in the heck was that?!", the Samurai shouted before getting himself off a tree and rushing toward Roger.
"Listen up, pal, we can't have that!", the Samurai added.
But as he charged again, he looked up to see Whitebeard jumping up ahead and jumping up past a tree toward Roger himself.
"That's Whitebeard...?", Junior asked.
"There you are...", Roger grinned.
Whitebeard's weapon appeared to be coated by something as red electricity arced. Then, Roger's eyes turned red before he drew his own weapon, which was coated, too. He took a step forward and swung while Whitebeard swung down, both weapons clashing with each other. But the surprising thing was, they're not even touching each other. Instead, a red orb of energy appeared in-between the two blades, holding them back and causing the ground to quake and shatter into pieces. Even the samurai himself was dumb-founded by the sheer ferocity of it all as well as Junior.
"They aren't even touching...!", Oden stated.
"Impossible...! So, that's Captain Roger's true power?!", Junior thought while Yamato just laughed excitedly.
The two clashing pirates laughed to one another. Still, they held nothing back. The collision even caused a negative feedback discharge of power that sent one of the crewmates flying away into the ocean. When the clash was done, Roger and Whitebeard had held their weapons at the ready.
"You're looking well, Roger. Good to see you.", Whitebeard spoke with a smile.
"How many years has it been, Newgate? Too many, I say.", Roger responded, etching his sword onto the ground.
After a moment, Newgate and Roger each started laughing. But as they did, only Oden and Junior were shocked while Yamato just laughed. On the other hand, the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates, Marco, Vista, Jozu, Andre, Rakuyo, Fossa, Whitey Bay, and Teach, as well as the rest of the Roger Pirates, Rayleigh, Gaban, Nozudon, Sambel, Shanks, and Buggy all just stood ready to fight. Once another moment had passed, the two captains stopped laughing and glared at one another.
"Now, hand over all you've got...!", the two captains shouted.
Then, suddenly, the crewmates from both sides rushed to fight.
"MESS 'EM UP!", Marco shouted for the Whitebeard Pirates.
"LET'S GO!", Gaban shouted for the Roger Pirates.
It is a clash between the greatest crews of the age. The Roger Pirates VS. the Whitebeard Pirates. The intense battle lasted for 3 days and 3 nights! In fact, on the 2nd day, Marco flew toward Rayleigh.
"Time to get SERIOUS!", Rayleigh shouted, raising his talon-like feet toward him.
But much to his shock, Rayleigh stopped him with only his pointer finger.
"Sorry, kid, but I'm always serious. Tough break.", Rayleigh smirked.
Meanwhile, Rakuyo lurched his lion-shaped mace toward Shanks, who only dodged it before it could hit him while Buggy, on the other hand, ran from a couple of Whitebeard's pirates.
Then, came the 3rd Day. On that day, while Roger and Whitebeard continued to trade blows, the samurai was now fighting Junior, who clashed his club with the samurai's weapons. During this conflict, Yamato waddled around and wound up propelled into the air, which caught Junior's attention as he gasped right before he pushed the samurai aside, leapt up, and caught the girl safely.
"Really? You think you can fight me while holding onto a little baby?", the samurai asked.
But this angered Junior greatly, inadvertent as the remark was, as he set Yamato down on a rock for her to sit on.
"I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH A HAIR ON YAMATO'S HEAD!", Junior roared before charging toward the samurai.
Meanwhile, Roger and Whitebeard laughed with the latter yelling out seriously as Roger just laughed out of excitement.
Then, on the 4th day, the fight was over. Everyone was now peacefully trading things in exchange.
"Cheers!", Roger and Whitebeard shouted in unison, banging their barrels against one another.
"How's 3 boxes of Turkey for 1 barrel?", one pirate asked.
"Good deal.", another replied.
Another pirate held up a shirt nearby.
"I like this shirt. Where'd you find this one?", a third pirate asked.
Meanwhile, the 4th pirate picked up some meat from the bag, much to the 5th's chagrin.
"Let me have more.", the 5th said.
"Hold it! You took too much. It's gotta be an even exchange, buddy.", the 5th warned.
"All right, fine...", the 4th sighed.
"Got somethin'. else to fork over, then?", the 5th asked.
"You betcha.", the 4th grinned as Rayleigh watched all this happening from above.
Meanwhile, Yamato played with her food as Junior and the samurai ate their lunch.
"I never imagined you would push me this far..., Oden.", Junior admitted.
"Nor did I even expect to face the great son of Kaidou! It's strange, but awesome!", Oden grinned.
Then, Roger spoke up to Oden.
"So..., Oden. Can you make any sense of this text?", Roger asked.
"Indeed, I can read it. But you must tell me why you possess this script. Knowledge of these writings have been passed down from generation to generation, exclusively in the Kozuki Clan.", Oden explained.
Hearing this made Junior gasp softly with widened eyes.
"Kozuki Clan... So, that's how he was so strong... He must've obviously come from Wano as a nomad. But I've mistaken him for a fool...! Certainly a mistake I won't soon forget to avoid.", Junior thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Roger drank from his bottle before he set it down and began his tale.
"It all started 13 years ago. We landed at the destination of the Final Log Pose and arrived at a place no man had ever set before: Lodestar Island. We disembarked with a smile! But our victory was an empty one, 'cause we learned that it wasn't the final island! The log pose needles were spinning out of control refusing to guide us further! That's when it dawned on me: THERE WAS ONE LAST DESTINATION! And once I visit there, I will be the first person to travel the entirety of the world! Look at this. These letters will show me the way. They're writings that my crew and I took from a huge red stone. There are 4 of those stones out there and the World Government has always forbidden anyone from deciphering them. They're called Poneglyphs, you see? I assumed they were just cultural relics, but as it turns out, they're part of a map that reveals the location of the last Legendary Island! Seems all the government prehibits us from looking into it. There must be a vast treasure there! How could I possibly resist? The crew who finds it will become the greatest pirates in the world! SO, LET'S GET OUT THERE, SHALL WE?!", Roger shouted, making the birds fly away from the island.
"The... greatest?", Oden asked.
"So, that's your aim?", Junior asked as he picked up Yamato, who was laughing giddily from hearing Roger's speech.
"You're lookin' a bit shocked over there, Newgate. So, then... we've got a lot to discuss, don't we?", Roger asked.
So, Roger proceeded to tell his tales. As he did, they were quite surprised, little Yamato only laughing excitedly as Junior held her.
"Tell me, Roger...! Are you always this surprising?", Junior thought to himself.
"I was frozen stiff...! But the 2nd time that day I found myself stunned! Who was this fellow?", Oden thought to himself.
After a moment, Newgate laughed and had another drink.
"Believing in old fairy tales now? You sound like a child, Roger.", Newgate said before he and Roger laughed together.
"But I'm being completely serious here, Newgate. Please. Just for one year. Allow me to borrow Oden! It's all that I'm asking. I need that man! With him, I can find the last island!", Roger said.
This left Oden and Junior completely shocked.
"Hey! Don't I get a say in any of this?!", Oden exclaimed puzzledly.
Suddenly, Roger even bowed before Newgate.
"Please, Newgate! I am begging you.", Roger said, much to the shock of his own crew.
"Captain, what are you doing?! Get on your feet! He's your enemy!", Gaban shouted.
The other crewmates murmured in surprise as well.
"Why would you bow your head like that? Have a bit of dignity, man!", Oden asked in surprise.
"I need you, Oden. You must join us! I only ask for a year of your time.", Roger pleaded.
But Whitebead was not pleased as he broke out of his bottle and then smashed his fist against a sort of glass window behind him.
"I FORBID IT!", Whitebeard shouted as this happens.
"Roger, are you trying to steal my family from me...?!", Whitebeard growled.
Meanwhile, Oden had his own thoughts to consider.
"I felt a bolt of excitement shoot down my spine. Why is it that only the Kozuki can read these letters. Was it fate that brought me together with this man and Kaidou's son and daughter? Before I knew it, the words were leaving my mouth without restraint!", Oden thought to himself.
"Please, White Kichi! I want to go. Will you please permit me?!", Oden requested.
Junior was surprised to hear him say so.
"Oden...", Junior gasped.
"It would be a dream to see the last island for myself.", Oden added.
But eventually, Whitebeard gave a look of anger mixed with annoyance.
"He's annoyed...!', Oden spoke in worry.
"Of course, I'm annoyed, you idiot! How can you do this?! We're practically like brothers!", Whitebeard scolded.
"It'll only be a year, White Kichi!", Oden responded.
Still furious, Whitebeard yelled out, unleashing another pulse of magic. But still, as Junior and Yamato watched, Oden stood his ground.
"I beg you...", Oden pleaded.
It was close, but Whitebeard had finally agreed to let Roger borrow Oden for one year. Of course, along the way, the group arrived at Alabasta with Roger hiding his ship in the Sandora River. It wasn't until first arriving in Nanohana that Junior found a couple of people. In other words, his contact. He then turned to Roger and the others.
"I'll need a moment with him.", Junior said.
"Well, all right. If you insist.", Roger responded.
Junior then rushed over to him while carrying Yamato.
"Ah, Junior. I trust that you were able to make it unharmed with the Eternal Log Pose I gave you?", Apep asked.
"Yes. Barely. All thanks to Captain Roger and his crew.", Junior responded. "And now that we're here, I have a favor to ask of you. Can you look after Yamato for me?"
Hearing this was enough to surprise Apep as he was handed both her and her birth weapon, her Kabano Club.
"I need her to be raised to be mighty and strong. Even more so against my father..., but I can't do that while I put her in danger just by having her with me. As we speak, my father's hunting us down like animals! It's only a matter of time before he finds us. But I refuse to let Kaidou win! If he gets Yamato back, it's all over...!"
After a moment, Apep gave a look of worry.
"I... understand. Very well. We shall look after Yamato as if she was the king's daughter.", Apep assured.
"Thank you..., Apep.", Junior grinned.
Then, he glanced down toward the sleeping Yamato.
"Goodbye, Yamato... Enjoy your new life and new family. Live long and protect the ones you love.", Junior spoke before turning and heading back to Roger and his crew, the ship leaving soon after.
16 years have passed since that day on Alabasta. Yamato has already grown into a young adult with Vivi now 10 years old. They were playing tag.
"Come on, Yamato! I bet you can't tag me!", Vivi teased.
"Oh, yeah? We'll see about that!", Yamato retorted with a smirk.
Of course, that was when she and Vivi, in the midst of their game, saw King Cobra and Apep walking up to the throne, sadly holding the Scale-Scale Fruit Model: Jörmungandr. Curious, she peeped past the wall and saw the King's guardians Pell and Chaka with him.
"Your Majesty, isn't this...?", Pell began.
"The Scale-Scale Fruit. Model: Jörmungandr.", the King responded.
"But isn't that Junior's Devil Fruit?", Chaka asked.
"Yeah. It was. And if it's here right now? Then, that means... that Kaidou must've finally found him and killed him like he said he would.", Apep explained sadly, making Yamato break down into tears.
"Oh. no... Brother...!', Yamato sobbed, struggling to hold in her sobs whilst covering her mouth.
Seeing this, Vivi was sad for her.
"Big sis...", Vivi said in worry.
Meanwhile, Apep continued on toward Pell and Chaka as the King stashed the devil fruit away in a vault.
"If what happened to him is anything to go by, there may be a time when this Devil Fruit does need to be used by someone else. Especially against Kaidou if it comes to that.", Apep said.
"But so far, the only question is... who?", the King responded.
"I suppose only time will tell.", Apep replied.
Indeed. Only time will tell... But little did they all realize that the time drew near...
TO BE CONTINUED