Lynn's Truth

With the sun breaking over the horizon, a new day had begun on Dineberg. The morning air was fresh with dew and the sound of seagulls waking to the light. Waves crashed on the small amount of shoreline that was still left. But those weren't the only things to be heard. Despite how early it was, men and women were already at work, hammering, sawing, and shouting instructions to each other. There was much to be done if the damage left by the Grizzly Pirates was to be repaired. The whole island would need to come together as one to right what had happened.

Yet the repairmen weren't the only ones yelling that morning.

"What do you mean I owe you for the flag!"

The shout cut through the relatively quiet morning inside the Schiff estate. Of the many that remained within the building, only a few stirred from the sudden commotion. Julia was one of these few. With a start, she popped her head up from the table she had been sitting at. She took a groggy scan of the room, barely aware of her surroundings. It was from this brief inspection that she realized someone had wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. Closing her eyes, she sent a silent prayer of gratitude to her caretaker.

Hearing more yells, she slowly rose from her chair. As her feet took more and more weight, the more she realized how bad her headache was. Sighing, she swore to herself to never drink again. And with every wobbly footstep towards the staircase, she laughed at how bad of a lie it was. Whether it was truth or fiction didn't matter, though, as halfway up the stairs she caught more of the conversation.

"Listen, I stopped Barboso because I owed the old man for getting us here. Now you owe me for catching that damn flag! What's so hard to understand?"

Julia let out another sigh. She could only hear the muffled version through the door. Even then, she could still tell it was Lynn. Julia shook her head and trudged up the last incline of stairs. At last, she had reached the top. With one last heave, she pushed past the door and into the ground floor. The sudden brightness nearly blinded her. Lifting a hand, she rubbed vaguely at her face until she could finally see.

"Looks like someone's finally up!" Isaac said with a smile.

Julia could hardly match the enthusiasm. She hobbled her way over to the new table and plopped herself down next to Lynn, who looked mildly annoyed. Not questioning the look, she turned to the numerous papers strewn across the surface. They were all blueprints. That was enough to hook her.

"Are these the plans for the ship?" she asked, looking up to Isaac.

He nodded back at her. "Yep! They're actually the ones for the ship you saw me working on yesterday. And, before you ask, I figured it'd be easy to let this one slip through the cracks... what with the pirate invasion and whatnot."

It was like music to her ears. Not only had she received an apology from Lynn, but now he had secured them a ship to sail on. At every word Isaac spoke, her smile had only grown. Now, eyes shimmering, she looked at Lynn, wondering if he would share in the excitement.

"What are you so giddy about? In case you forgot, I'm taking you and Bede back to your island where you belong," he said with a huff.

For a moment, Julia couldn't believe her ears. She thought the alcohol must have still been affecting her. She blinked a couple of times, but Lynn continued to give her that same exasperated look. Julia realized how serious Lynn was. Her lip quivered to match her insides beginning to boil. She tried to hold her voice level, but her balled fists betrayed her.

"The hell do you mean, 'where you belong'?" she said, speaking through gritted teeth, "Has what me and Bede have done since we met you mean nothing?"

Lynn just shrugged his shoulders, still using that same irritated tone. "I'll admit that you two've been useful, but that was all on you guys. I didn't ask you for anything. And even if I did owe you something, I'd consider delivering you back to your island a service since you wouldn't be getting yourselves killed."

Julia had to bite the insides of her cheeks to keep herself from screaming. "And what about that apology you gave last night, huh? Guess you don't remember that, then."

A blank look passed over Lynn's face. Behind his eyes, the annoyance was briefly replaced by a new emotion. Julia could have sworn it was fear. The moment passed, however, and Lynn was back to scoffing at her.

"If you're taking the words of a drunk man seriously, then you really would get yourself killed in the Grand Line, you anchor."

It had been almost one week since Julia Heilen had first met Lynn Tacken, and she had never felt the urge to deck him more. Not when he had insulted her, not when he had assaulted her brother, and certainly not when he had forced her to face death head-on in a gun-fight. Her fists were already shaking, as if anticipating the sudden release of all that potential energy into Lynn's face.

But the punch never came.

Instead, Julia could feel tears welling up. She was almost as shocked as Lynn appeared to be. Ever since she had hit the double digits, she had prided herself on being able to keep her emotions in check. Even Bede, who she held in such high regard, was able to let his feelings sway him. The number of times she did cry could be counted on one hand, and she always had some kind of logical explanation for it. Right now, though, she was at a loss. Lynn was just being an asshole again. Like he'd always been. Nothing had changed is what she thought. No, that's what she was realizing. This was the end that Lynn had always seen. With her and Bede left in the dust on the rock they called home. There would be no grand adventure. Not with Lynn, at least. Why did it always come back to that?

"Julia?"

Recognizing the voice, she slowly turned back towards the stairwell. There, wrapped in his own blanket, was her brother. The look of concern in his eyes only made that word more bitter in her mind. During her and Lynn's argument, the room had gone dead silent. In that quiet place, you could even hear a needle drop. Or, in this case, a tear. Julia held her hand up to her face. She had started to cry. That was her limit. Without another word, she stormed into the foyer and threw open the door, slamming it shut as she passed the threshold. She was gone.

The three men could only watch. Bede and Isaac were left dumbfounded. Neither of them knew what to say or how to even react. Lynn, of course, was the first to fill the void.

"So, now that that's taken care of, how about this boat?"

There was no second glance, no acknowledgement, no... nothing. Bede's mouth dropped. It didn't stay open for long, though. He closed his teeth with a clomp. It was his turn to let his fire out. And there would be no tears this time. He cleared the room in only a few strides, and he now loomed over Lynn. He didn't look the least bit surprised. Every inch of Bede's face seethed hatred. He didn't bother keeping his voice level.

"What the hell did you say to my sister!"

Lynn's expression had turned to boredom, as if the situation was taxing on him. It just made Bede angrier, even before he began to speak. "I just told her the truth, doc: that you and her are just deadweights that would sooner die then actually accomplish any-"

Crack!

Lynn spilled onto the floor. On instinct, he touched a finger to his nose and pulled it back. He had started to bleed. That wasn't all Bede had in store for him.

"That was for insulting me."

He dragged Lynn back to his feet only to send him tumbling again with another hook.

"That was for punching me."

He launched a kick into Lynn's ribs.

"And that was for making my sister cry."

With every blow, Lynn reacted accordingly and recoiled from the hits. Never once, though, did he drop the bored and annoyed look. Bede didn't care if Lynn could feel it or not. It didn't matter. He was still taking the damage. Nobody could take that satisfaction away from him. Bede let out a heavy sigh. This wasn't making anything better, though. He looked back the way Julia had gone. He had to find his sister. But before he could take another step, Lynn had decided to open his big fat mouth again.

"So, that's it then? After everything Ichiro said about you?" Lynn said, crawling back to his feet, "You really don't have it in you, do you?"

Bede spun back to glare at Lynn. "I have enough to put you back on your ass."

"No, you don't!" Lynn roared. Bede stumbled in his stance. He glanced away for a moment, only to meet Lynn's gaze once more. He spit a clump of blood out of his mouth. "You don't know me... you don't know what's out there. And you've only known known me for a week! So, tell me, doc, is that enough time to think I'd keep you safe?"

The room was back to silence. Isaac, relegated to being a spectator, was left with a furrowed brow and his mouth slightly agape. His eyes gave furtive glances to the two, always on the move. The same couldn't be said for Lynn or Bede's eyes. Not once did the two drop the other's gaze. If it had been under better circumstances, one of them might have referenced the last time they were like this. Once again, it was Bede who finally broke the pause.

"Well, Julia thought so," he said, turning back to the door, "I guess she was wrong about you, though."

And just like that, Lynn was left alone with the flabbergasted shipwright. At least he thought they were alone.

"Heh heh, now if that wasn't the stupidest thing I'd seen in a hot minute, Tacken boy!"

Lynn turned with a start back to the staircase. There, in the doorway, stood an old man. He had a long, white, and bushy beard with a complete lack of hair on top to match. Although, he did have equally bushy eyebrows, which he held crookedly towards the young men. He was gangly in stature, and leaned against the doorframe to keep his balance. It looked like he had only stopped drinking an hour ago. Lynn had no idea who he was, but for some reason he seemed familiar to him. The puzzle pieces clicked together in his mind as soon as Isaac spoke.

"Dad?"

The old Isaac Schiff gave a cackle as the connection raced across Lynn's face. He managed to stumble his way over to their table. As he got closer, Lynn was able to get an exact read on what made him seem so recognizable: he had the same glint in his eyes as his son.

"Now then," Mr. Schiff said, taking Lynn's abandoned seat, "What's this I hear about you taking one of my ships to the Grand Line on your own?"

Isaac gave an audible gulp at this. It was obvious he hadn't discussed the proposition with Mr. Schiff. Before he could explain himself, however, his father began to waive off his excuses.

"I don't care if he's taking one of the ships," he spouted, "You owe him anyways for catching that flag, right?" He raised an eyebrow at Lynn. Mr. Schiff was odd, but Lynn was finally finding his balance.

On the other side of the table, Isaac shifted in his seat. A queasy look had settled over his face. "Dad, this is a little embarrassing."

Mr. Schiff snorted. "Why? Because I'm telling you off for not following protocol?"

"No, because you're still drinking."

Like magic, Mr. Schiff had produced a bottle of whiskey seemingly from thin air. Somewhere between breaths he had managed to down several shots worth of the stuff. Lynn would have been impressed with his ability to speak while drinking if he wasn't more impressed by how he had concealed the vessel somewhere on him. Either that, or it had been stashed under the table waiting to be reclaimed. But Lynn wouldn't remain dazzled by the old man for long.

"What are you smiling at, Tacken boy?" Mr. Schiff said, turning back to Lynn. He had his other brow raised this time. "You're not off the hook for an earful, ya know?"

It was Lynn's turn to not get a word in against the old Mr. Schiff. He tried stammering out some kind of objection, but Mr. Schiff was having none of it. Like a switch, he seemed very sober.

"I don't have a problem with you taking one of my ships. Even the best one on the docks as it would seem." He leaned towards Lynn, who absentmindedly stepped back. "My problem is that you want to take it to the Grand Line, the most dangerous sea in the world, by yourself. No crew, no hired hands, and certainly no friends. So, tell me Tacken: what reason could you possibly give for why I should put one of my ships in the hands of a reckless fool like you?"

Of all the things he had expected from Ichime's old partner, this was not it. Even in the fish-man's fury, Lynn had never felt such an intensity radiate off the old shipwright. Now he understood why the two had made such an unstoppable duo in the ship-building world. The fire didn't stay for long, though. Just as he was getting used to the new face of Mr. Schiff, Lynn blinked at the old man was back to his cheesy grin. Lynn shook his head, checking to see if it was still on straight. He glanced at Isaac, who nonchalantly rolled his eyes. It seemed that this was a normal occurrence. Lynn felt a shiver go down his spine. He wondered if this was anywhere close to the effect he had on people. He let out a deep sigh. He couldn't focus on Mr. Schiff's shift anymore. He had a question to answer.

Lynn let out a chuckle. "With those idiots, it would be worth more to me to leave them behind than to ruin my journey." He offered up a smirk. It never reached his eyes.

It was Mr. Schiff's turn to let out a guffaw. "Heh, and you call yourself a captain?" he asked between swigs, "You're supposed to inspire them to become greater. Plus, I'd say your friends have already proven themselves to be tough'ns."

"Well," Lynn coughed, "They're not even my friends, so... get your facts straight, old man."

Isaac immediately called out Lynn's shaky performance. "That's bull! You clearly care about them. Hell, I saw you throw those blankets on them last night after you woke up near the end of the party."

Slam!

Lynn drove his fist into the table. The two Schiff's stared at the pirate, not a word escaping either of their lips. Lynn looked back and forth between the two. Isaac's brow was furrowed and his lips were pursed. Mr. Schiff still wore the same drunken smile. His shoulders slumped and he turned away from the shipwrights. He let out a sigh and cast his gaze skyward.

"Fine. You're right, ok?" he said, trying to keep his voice steady, "I know it's stupid to go to the Grand Line alone, and I know that those two are... they really think I'm their friend. But, I can't let them go with me."

"Why not?" Isaac said, tilting his head.

Lynn let out another sigh. "Because if they're a part of my crew, then they're in danger. Not just because I'm a Tacken, but because of this one pirate... a guy by the name of-"

Crash!

An axe flew through the window. The trio barely had time to react. All they could do was watch as the weapon sailed towards them. The axe was not aimed for them, though. It slammed into the table with a thunk, piercing both the wood and the ship's blueprints. Isaac threw a glance to the ruined window and then back to the axe. He seemed to be much more annoyed about the blueprints than the smashed glass. Mr. Schiff was still wearing that same goofy grin. Lynn's eyes never left the axe. If looks could kill, then the two Schiff's might have died on the spot.

Baring his teeth, a low growl slipped from Lynn's throat. It looked like he was trying to melt the axe itself with his glare. Or maybe just the symbol carved into the blade. It was shallow, but it was easy to see what it represented. It was a skull and cross bones. It had what looked like a collar wrapped around the skull's base along with what appeared to be pointy ears. Isaac had never seen the pattern before, but he had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with what Lynn was just saying. Before he could say anything, though, a clap of thunder shook the room. Isaac recoiled at the sound. One second Lynn was there, the next he was gone. The doors to the manor had been blown open, allowing the faint smell of ozone to escape. Mr. Schiff let out another chuckle as he tipped back the last of the whiskey.

"Well, ain't that a kick in the pants?"

Everything around Lynn was a blur. He raced by workers and leaped over piles of lumber and bricks. A few of them called out to him, but their words couldn't keep up with the yellow blur he had become. All he was focused on was catching up to the axe-hurler. He managed to do it in a manner of seconds.

The pirate had probably been hauling ass the moment the weapon had left his hand. He had probably been cursing his captain for being a man of theatrics the entire time. Lynn honestly found it impressive he had gotten so far. He expressed this amazement as he crumpled the man's face into the pavement. A spurt of blood escaped from his broken nose. Screams erupted from around them. Lynn could tell from the air's smell that they were near the docks, now. There were probably so many people there because they were waiting for building materials to be shipped in from other parts of the West Blue. They probably hadn't expected to see such a violent display, especially not so soon after the battle.

Lynn could almost laugh. If only they knew what he was planning on doing to the man's captain. Even then it wouldn't have mattered. What did he care for the opinions of some lowly civilians? He was a pirate. He did criminal acts. And those criminal acts may or may not include killing the person who dared touch what he cared about. He growled and leaned into the axe-man's back. Sparks of electricity shot off him. They danced in the air as he lowered his mouth to his prisoner's ear. He was about to begin his interrogation when the hair on the back of his neck sprung to attention. The wind shifted behind him.

Bang!

The time between Lynn hearing the shot and leaping out of the way was almost instant. Electricity arced through his legs. He propelled himself off the pirate and into a nearby cart. More screams as he smashed the wagon to bits. He clambered to his feet, brushing splinters from his clothes and dulling the pain. Falling asleep that night would be a pain, but it was better than having a bullet lodged in his skull. He couldn't say the same about his would-be captive. The man's head had been blasted clean through. A puddle of blood grew from the man's remains. Lynn grimaced at the sight. Whoever had shot at them had intended for him to die, too. Apparently, they were also a perfectionist.

"Damn, I thought I wouldn't have to waste any bullets," said the mouth that materialized in thin air.

From the mouth the rest of his attacker's body came into being. It was like they were pulling their form out of the atmosphere itself. It didn't take long for Lynn to realize they were a woman. Her blood-red hair billowed from the sudden wind, putting her face on display. She was pale, like a porcelain doll, her lips stained red and curled into a grimace. In one of her eyes, a fire smoldered. In the other, a milky sea. The source of her blindness was obvious. A scar spanned her face, running from her hair line, down her eye, past her nose, and ending at the corner of her mouth. Paired with her all-black wardrobe, it was clear that she was trying to maximize her intimidation. An attempt that Lynn couldn't care less to humor.

"Get the hell out of my way."

A/N: So... where has this story been and why did I upload two chapters at once? Well, to answer both those questions: I am discontinuing One Piece: Storm... because I'm going to do a bit of a soft reset on this series. I have a bit of a habit with doing that for this potential universe, haha!

Over the years, I have gone back occasionally to read through it again and again, mostly because I think this series holds some of my strongest character writing, and it's a good way of reminding myself of that. Not to say I haven't progressed past that hurdle in writing, but more so that there isn't much I would really change. However, there is stuff that I do want to change. None of it would really change the plot as it is right now: a devil fruit swap here, more descriptions of environment there, less Author's Notes explaining the concept that fanfiction can ignore source materials if it feels like it sprinkled on top. The problems come with how I have set up the world itself.

I could ramble on and on in speculation about how One Piece will end and what the broader implications would be for any sequel series, fan-made or otherwise. However, that is pretty uninteresting to read if you're only here for story and not theory-crafting. And I am a story teller after all! So, I think I will leave off this iteration of Pirate Wars/Storm here on what is essentially the darkest hour for the crew. What will happen to Bede and Julia? Will Lynn be able to save them? Probably, but still very morbid of me!

In any case, I hope you readers who follow/favorited this story stick around for the new version that will eventually plop down onto this website!