Steam Powered Pirate AU:
Synopsis – Aqours Pirates Desire, but steampunk.
This segment is part of the pirate AU from my other story, Phantom Thief on the High Seas. It's essentially a One Piece inspired AU with less magic and more technology.
Setting Sail Arc:
Chika took a deep inhale as she stepped out the door of her family's ryokan, savoring the crisp freshness of Mother Nature. Despite the gray clouds obscuring the normally bright sun, the biting press of the wind against her body, and the cold and misty rain lashing against her face, there was only one thought running through Chika's mind: it was good to be outdoors again.
The past week had seen quite the storm roll in over the coastal town of Uchiura, but today the elements had finally let up enough to allow the residents to leave their dwellings and travel to neighboring buildings in safety. Aside from the occasional fallen post or patch of rubble, the only obstacles were the puddles of mud that littered the streets, easily surmountable by someone as determined or as stubborn as the ginger. As she reached the town square, she saw that another had shared her thoughts and awaited her on the cobblestone ground.
"Chika-chan!" called out a brunette with a wave.
"You-chan!" returned Chika. She increased her pace, jumping over a pool of mud in her excitement before crashing into her friend with a hug.
You chuckled as she returned the affectionate gesture. "Geez, Chika-chan. I know it's been a week, but you're really excited, huh?"
"Of course I'm excited to see you!" replied Chika. "Besides, I had to spend all week cooped up inside with Mito-nee! You know how she can get." Chika frowned. "I wanted to see you so badly I even came out here yesterday to wait for you!"
"No you didn't," scoffed You with a smirk.
"Okay yeah, no I didn't," admitted the ginger, mirroring her friend's expression. "But I wanted to."
"Well, we're here now, so let's go do something!" enthused the brunette. "Did you want to go swimming, or take a boat out and fish?"
"We're already getting wet, and I don't really want to get wetter. And if the storm clears up in a day or two then we'll be back on your dad's boat fishing in no time."
You shrugged. "Fair enough." When the two weren't playing around together or pulling harmless pranks on the other townsfolk (according to Chika, You's signature prank was accidentally seducing innocent maidens), they helped crew You's father's fishing trawler, sailing up and down the Numazu Rim as they sought the best and largest catches. With how early they started learning the literal and metaphorical ropes, they practically grew up on that ship. "Then how about we head to the cliffs on the other side of the village and see if anything good washed ashore?" she suggested.
"Oh yeah! Your father always said the best flotsam pops up after a good storm."
"And a week long storm is more than good enough."
"After getting stuck in with Mito-nee for a week, it better be."
The journey to the cliffs was uneventful, save for a brief competition of 'who can catch the most rain drops in their mouth', soon followed by a round of 'who can shoot water out of their mouth the furthest'. Both incidents were instigated by Chika, and both incidents resulted in a tie as neither of them was able to agree on a winner.
It wasn't too long before they ground beneath their feet gave way to sand and rock, and the cliffs above began to stretch towards the sky in an endless expression of longing for the sunshine hidden behind the clouds.
"So what do you think we'll find this time, You-chan? Hmm? Hmm?" asked Chika eagerly as she clambered across a rocky path.
Behind her, You jumped over a small boulder in a casual show of athleticism. "Who knows? Could be anything from a broken telescope to a shredded flag."
"Or maybe we'll find another chest of silver!"
A chuckle fell from the brunette's lips. "Do you really think we'd be that lucky again?"
"Maybe, maybe not. But I bet we have a decent shot at it, with all the stuff that accumulates here."
"I don't know, I think we used up our store of good luck on finding the first chest."
Chika turned to reply, but a gleam of light from something jutting out from behind a large rock on the far side of the beach caught her eye, and she couldn't help but stare. Noticing her silence, You followed her friend's gaze and tilted her head in confusion.
"...Did you see something?" asked You.
"Yeah. Come on."
The two crossed the wet and sticky sand, their path a beeline towards the large rock that Chika had seen shine. As they approached, it became clear that whatever it was that had caught the ginger's attention, it was big. As they stepped around the large stone structure, their jaws dropped.
"Whoa..." breathed Chika.
Shoved up against the wall of rock and partially grounded on the shallow water of the beach was a ship. But it wasn't just an ordinary ship of wood and sails and cannons. No, this was a steamship, a true pinnacle of modern engineering as evidenced by the towering steamstacks, oversized port- and starboard-mounted waterwheels, and abnormal metal hull.
This... was beauty.
Though pressed up against the boulder and held in place by a smaller wedge of rock, the steamship still bobbed up and down with the gentle waves from the sea.
Chika ran her hand on the outside of the ship's hull, the feeling of corrugated metal cool on her skin. "How does a metal ship even float?" she asked in wonder.
Beside her, You hummed in thought. "I don't know. But Kanan-chan might. She works with machines all the time, so a ship made of metal shouldn't be so unusual to her, right?"
(After they explore the ship)
"Chika-chan, do you know what this means?"
Chika nodded. "We've got our own steamship!"
"You mean you've got your own steamship," corrected You.
"What?"
"You saw it, so by right of salvage, it's yours!"
"But You-chan! You've always wanted to captain your own ship," protested the ginger.
You shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure, but honestly? I'm more than happy to settle for first mate so long as we get to stick together."
Excitement began coursing through them. "Let's get Kanan-chan to help us with this," enthused Chika.
A loud clang reverberated throughout the workshop, undoubtedly the sound of a heavy metallic object dropping to the floor. Within, a ponytailed blunette cursed loudly as she shook out her hand to dissipate the pain. Kanan sighed in annoyance as she glared at the stubborn contraption.
She'd been working on it for the past few hours now, and most of that time had been devoted to taking the engine apart, a task made all the more difficult by the horrid condition the machine was in. Kanan reached for her signature oversized wrench and was about to apply some kinetic shock therapy to the broken machinery when the door to her work space opened widely.
"Kanan-chan! Kanan-chan!" called Chika as she ran inside, You hot on her heels.
"Oh? Chika-chan, You-chan... What's up?"
"Kanan-chan, we found something amazing by the cliffs! You have to see it, it's the find of a lifetime!"
Kanan frowned skeptically. "The last time you said that you had me and You-chan hauling broken chunks of cast-iron for hours. In case you don't remember, we ended up melting that stuff down for scrap. It wasn't worth it."
"But this time it really is!" piped up You encouragingly, "And there's no way we'd be able to carry it back here!" Chika nodded in agreement.
Kanan blinked noncommittally at their bright, pleading faces. Then she looked to the pile of misery she'd wasted the last few hours of her life on. "Okay, okay," she relented. "Give me a few minutes to get ready."
"Bring your tools too," said Chika.
"My tools...? What are you planning?"
"Trust us, you're going to want to bring them," said Chika.
"You'll probably be taking things apart for hours," added You.
"Hours? Hmm... If you say so. Well, let me just tell my grandfather I'll be disappearing for a bit then. Not that I really expect to stay there all day. I don't want to miss lunch."
"Lunch? Oh that's a great idea! I'll go make us a nice picnic while we're out there," volunteered You.
"And I'll grab some mikans from the inn!" cheered Chika. "Meet back here in an hour!"
The two raced off before Kanan could stop them.
She sighed. "What's gotten into those two today?"
(The trio go back to the ship, fix it up, and have a sleepover in their new club house. They are rudely awoken by their first antagonist, Naval Officer Dia.)
Dia: "The three of you are hereby charged with assaulting a top secret naval installation, thievery of a prototype warship, and treason. How do you plead?"
Chika, You, Kanan: "Innocent!"
Dia: "Your plea has been received. By my judgment, you are all guilty on all counts! I hereby subject you all to execution at dawn. Be thankful for the small mercy I have granted you, and use your last hours to make peace with your fate. May the rising sun grant you the forgiveness that the Nihon Imperial State will not."
But of course they escape and steal the experimental steamship, christening it the SS Aqours.
There's a brief naval combat on the way out but they manage to escape unscathed, Chika declaring it a victory for the Sunshine Pirates.
The sun beat down heavily on the three inadvertent shipjackers, the trio doing everything they could to ensure they had truly escaped the reach of the Imperial Navy. From her position in the crow's nest, Chika gave the horizon one final scan before climbing down to the deck to join her partners in crime.
"Still no sign of pursuit," she reported. "I think we're finally in the clear."
"With the speed this engine's been putting out, we've probably been in the clear since last night," said Kanan with a yawn. Though the trio had each taken time to sleep while the others kept watch, Kanan had taken the shortest rest, her logic being that only she could operate the engine properly.
The brunette nodded. "Yeah. Imperial Navy battleships may be intimidating, but they're also quite slow. They'd probably just blockade Uchiura while they wait for reinforcements."
"So going home isn't an option," frowned Kanan. "Well... now what?"
(Aimless, Chika recalls their childhood tales of noble pirates, and particularly of fabled clues said to lead to Pirate Queen Honoka's legendary treasure in the Grand Line. She makes this their goal, and both her friends are willing to go along with it.)
And with that, cue the One Piece intro:
.
There once was a woman named 'Gold' Honoka, who was Queen of the Pirates. She had fame, power, and wealth beyond your wildest dreams. Before they hung her from the gallows (allegedly), these were the final words she said:
"My fortune is yours for the taking, but you'll have to find it first. I left everything I own in One Piece."
Ever since, pirates from all over the world have set sail for the Grand Line, searching for One Piece, the treasure that would make their dreams come true!
.
YO!*
Ya-yo, ya-yo!
Dreamin'! Don't give it up, Chika!
Dreamin'! Don't give it up, You!
Dreamin'! Don't give it up, Kanan!
Dreamin'!
Don't give it- give it up give it up give it up give it up give it up give it up give it UP!
Here's how the story goes, we find out
'bout a treasure in the Grand Line, there's no doubt
The pirate whose eye is on it, she'll sing
I'll be Queen of the Pirates, I'm gonna be Queen!
Ya-yo, ya-yo, ya-yo... oh-ho...
Her name is Chika
(That's Takami Chika!)
Gonna be queen of the pirates!
She's made of rubber!**
(How did that happen?)
Yo-ho-ho, she took a bite of Kan Kan!
Ya-yo, ya-yo...
Her name is You, a sailor certified
And with a big ol' wrench, that Kanan's not shy
The pirate crew, comin' through, making a scene
With the Queen of the Pirates, she's gonna be Queen!
Ya-yo, ya-yo, ya-yo, oh-ho...
Set sail for One Piece!
It's the name of the treasure
In the Grand Line!
Ya-yo, ya-yo...
Set sail for One Piece!
.
* For once, not Watanabe.
** Okay, Chika's not actually made of rubber.