"It happened two years ago." Dias began speaking.
Atoli began to tightly grab Dias' arm while Ann petted her head.
"I was the son of a fishermen called Mauro. My father had an uncurable illness and died two years ago." Dias.
"Sorry for your loss." Nami.
"Don't worry, he knew that he could've died any day at any time but he dedicated all his remaining time to raise me strong and healthy, which I'll forever be grateful." Dias.
"What about your mother?" Nami.
"Dad said that she had to leave shortly after I was born, he never dwelled in what happened to her but he guaranteed me that she's alive and that she loves me, he made me promise to forgive her if I ever see her again, not that I know how she looks to begin with." Dias.
"I know we're getting sidetracked but, do you hate her? Your mother." Nami.
"At first I used to but my father repeated over and over that she loved me at least ten times more than she loved my dad and that I should reciprocate said love." Dias.
"That's nice, I hope you can meet her." Nami.
"Me to." Dias' tone becomes serious.
"Going back to the story…" Dias.
I was fishing in the ocean as usual in the seas near Loguetown. Since my father's death, the townsfolk were nice enough to take care of me with several privileges but I wanted to earn my living just like my dad so, I would fish lots of fish everyday to make up for all my expenses.
"Quite the formidable kid you are, by the way, I never asked your ages." Nami.
"Well, Atoli and I are twelve and I suppose you must be the same age as Ann." Dias.
"Right." Nami.
Going back to the story. I was fishing when suddenly, my hook fished something out of the ocean, but it wasn't an animal, it was the Fishermen's Emblem. I didn't know squat about it so I kept it as decoration since it was shiny.
"Makes sense, what does this has to do with Atoli and Ann?" Nami.
Here's when things get weird. After finding the emblem, I began to get lost on the sea until I finally lost all sense of direction whatsoever. During my attempts to return home I found Ann and Atoli being harassed by pirates and I saved them with my heroic abilities.
"I remember that differently." Ann smirked.
"N-no telling, Ann-nee-san!" Dias.
Nami simply let out a small laugh at the interaction.
"W-well, after getting lost I met Ann-nee-san." Dias.
"How?" Nami.
"I met her at Mirror Ball Island." Dias.
"The island that's popular for their love of music and dance?" Nami.
"The very same, I was working as a notorious Bounty Hunter at the time and was taking a break in there." Ann.
I arrived at the island and decided to take a break from eating fish everyday and drinking sea water.
"What?! You mean that after getting lost, you never went ashore?!" Nami.
"Y-yeah. I never left the sea for all those weeks; did I say something wrong?" Dias.
"Yes! No matter how strong your physique is, or how good your immune system is, drinking sea water and only eating fish for weeks is bound to cause damage to your body." Nami.
"Well, I've got no answer for that. I've always been resilient to bad things that enter my body. From poisonous shrooms that I ate by mistake or dirt and mud that I ate while playing, nothing seemed to affect me. Even doctors said that I was okay." Dias.
"Hmm… that's weird…" Nami muttered.
"Shouldn't we focus back on the subject?" Atoli spoke.
"Ah! Right! Sorry, continue." Nami.
I was enjoying the simple life of walking the crowded streets once more when I heard a noise. It was a battle, a young woman with blue hair was fighting a group of pirates all by herself with just a pair of hand-axes, she was Ann.
I wanted to help her but she… managed to beat them all.
"Be truthful, Dias." Ann.
"Fine!" Dias.
I tried to help but got my ass handed to me by the pirates and Ann saved me, happy?
"Very much so." Ann.
Anyway, after seeing such badassery I, a very shocked kid, did the only thing I could think: I asked Ann to be my master. I know, I know, it seems too wuxia type of novel but I promise it's not.
She denied me immediately and I did the only reasonable thing possible: nag the heck outta her! And it worked! After she threw me into a bottomless pit out of spite for earlier and stealing her belongings.
"Yeah, I used to be a little moody back then." Ann.
'A little moody?' Dias and Atoli thought.
Anyway, Ann began to train me in the art of axes but that wasn't my thing, until I found the greatest weapon of all time: The Boomerang! Light, curved and versatile I fell in love with the weapon and…
Dias was interrupted.
"Sorry, I'd like to know more about the backstory but if there's no more sentimental luggage to unload, can you speed this up? We're kinda on a schedule here to go to the Grand Line." Nami.
"Well, you're no fun. Fine! It was after a month of training that we met Atoli." Dias.
Ann and I were dining at a restaurant when we saw her being chased down by some pirates. Ann and I interfered but the pirates were too strong for us.
(Flashback)
Ann and I were injured after fighting the hordes of pirates that were sent to get Atoli, and then, the main force of the crew had appeared.
"Who the hell are you?!" Flashback-Ann yelled with a murderous look.
The group is formed by: A blonde woman with red lipstick wearing a tight black and red neckline dress, a wolf skin in her shoulders, red skirt with a fluffy white belt, a scythe that she casually hangs around her shoulders and a long pipe that she uses as a hairpin. She's known as Reira the Scythe.
Next to her is a purple-haired girl wearing a flamboyant yellow dress with pink tones on the sides, pink gloves and wields guns. She's Dolce the Trigger Happy.
The guy next to her is a algae-teal colored pufferfish Fish-man, his entire body is full of poisonous spiked that paralyze its opponents, he also carries around an equally sharp and spiky chain and cuffs. He's Harry of a Thousand Needles.
Another member is a man wearing a lavender cowboy-ish outfit and always carries a rose in his mouth, he's armed with a type of sword that you need to carry with your single hand. A knuckle-sword? Sword-band?
"It's a knuckle duster sword." Ann corrected.
That. He's Garride of the Rose.
Next to him is a man with tanned skin and short blond hair. He has thick, white lips and large teeth that shine when he smiles. He wears a blue and white tennis shirt that has a long tail and a number "1" on the back. He also wears blue shorts, a golden chain necklace, and a golden beaded bracelet. He fights with a tennis racket and some tennis balls and I HATE THAT ASSHOLE!!!! The arrogant prick goes by "Leader" Kaabo.
$Nami was taken aback by Dias' sudden outburst and looked at Ann for answers.
"Long story short: He kicked Dias' ass and mocked him repeatedly before, during and after the battle." Ann.
"THAT MEANS WAR!!!!" Dias.
"I'll continue to explain since he gets worked up whenever Kaabo is brought up." Ann.
The first mate of the crew is a guy with ash-blue hair, round black glasses, a blue collar of sorts, I don't know what that's called, green shirt and white pants. He's "Endless Knives" Pesca. And I can confirm that I've got no idea how many knifes he can carry, "endless" does seem like an appropriate monicker.
And finally, the captain. He wears a long red coat in his back with dog-looking shoulder pads, red-wine pants, a blue undershirt with a green bow, he carries a long sword and wears the Nobles' Medallion in his neck. He has grey hair shaped like a half-moon, oh, and he's old as fuck. The Drayke Pirates: Drayke. As obvious as that was.
(Back with the flashback)
"Who we are? Chick, you're meeting the strongest pirate crew in the whole world: The Drayke Pirates!!!" Drayke announced.
$Kaizo was heard laughing in the background.
"Drayke Pirates!?" Ann.
I had been a bounty hunter for quite some time, so I know some of the big names of the sea. Drayke was once a powerful pirate that sailed through the Grand Line, until he was defeated by The Roger Pirates and lost all his crew.
Speculators thought that he was gathering his strength with a new and more powerful crew to wreak havoc in the Grand Line, until suddenly, all traces about him were lost.
$"We now know that he found the Noble's Emblem and decided to go after Rainbow Island." Ann.
"Give up the girl, or we'll kill you." Drayke declared.
"Yeah, no, trusting a pirate's word is asinine." P-Ann.
$Nami flinched and fell into a contradiction trance since she believed in both Arlong and Luffy's word and even though Luffy did followed through their deal, she still believed the word of a pirate.
But she snapped almost immediately after since it was no use to think in stuff like that.
"Ha! Good, we came here for a massacre anyway! Everyone! Kill those brats and bring me the girl!" Drayke.
Per his command, the named members of the Drayke Pirates jumped into the scene with swiftness. With no other choice, I grabbed Atoli and ran away with Dias following right behind us.
They attacked us relentlessly but Dias managed to fend them off with his boomerangs, I was amazed that such a kid had that kind of strength, but I'm sure glad that he had it back then, or we wouldn't be able to escape Drayke.
Dias told me that he would be the decoy and attract the pirates while I took Atoli to the boat. I was reluctant but at that point I still wasn't fond of him so I accepted while he took a doll similar to Atoli.
I hid in the trash and Dias ran while being chased, when I reached the boat and paddled away from there, I saw something incredible. I saw Dias Flying.
Well, not literally, he actually-
$Ann was cut off.
"I used my Special Move: Fake Sky!" Dias.
No one could see but they all heard Kaizo cringing at the technique's name, and then he yelled it.
"CRINGE!!!!!" Kaizo.
"Ah?! It's not cringe! It's awesome!" Dias.
"Kid, I know about awesome moves. That move, it aint have an awesome name for you to defend it." Kaizo.
"Oh, yeah?! I dare you to give it a better name!" Dias.
"What does the move do?" Kaizo.
"I throw a boomerang and I use it as a platform to jump in a fractal of a second. Or at least that's what Ann-nee-san told me I did." Dias.
"Fraction and I'll give you 10 names, you tasteless brat. Sky Rebound, Boomerang Spring, Aerial Step, Hawk Leap, Cyclone Jump, Boomerang Boost, Skywalk Slash, Rebound Rocket, Boomerang Bounce, Aero Ascend." Kaizo.
Everyone was in silent until Luffy yelled.
"SOOOO COOOOL!!!!!!" Luffy.
Nami got up and went towards the door and tried to whack Kaizo in the head and failed.
"SHUT UP AND LET THEM FINISH THE STORY!!!!!!" Nami.
Everyone flinched and let Dias continue.
Ahem! I used my "Boomerang Boost" (HA! (from Kaizo)) to escape the island and barely reached the boat with Ann and Atoli. Whom I think should continue the story from here.
$They all looked at Atoli and she sighed.
"It was just as your friend guessed. I'm from Rainbow Island." Atoli.
Nami looked shocked but quickly turned her attention to a more pressing matter.
"Which friend?" Nami.
"The blue-haired one, Kaizo I think that's his name." Atoli.
Nami went towards the door but couldn't open it due to Kaizo holding the doorknob shut.
"Before you rant on my ass, I want to be clear that I only had theories, nothing concrete. Go back and finish this not-so-secret-interrogation" Kaizo.
Nami grumbled but did as she was told and went back.
"Well, I'm actually the heir to the throne." Atoli.
"What!?" Nami.
"I left to try and prove that I could gather the emblems when the first ship sailed but, Drayke got to us first and killed everyone. I drifted into Silver Arrow Island where I found the King's Emblem being sold like a trinket." Atoli.
"Unfortunately, Drayke's informants had already given him the heads up about it and tried to take the emblem from me, due to some lucky moments and incompetence from Drayke's subordinates, I managed to escape until I snuck into a ship that took me from the Grand Line to Mirror Ball Island. But Silver Arrow Island was destroyed in one of Drayke's rage rampages." Atoli.
The little girl looked as if she was about to cry but Dias and Ann recomforted her.
"Ever since I met Ann and Dias, I managed to escape our captors and even strengthen myself to fight. But Drayke is too powerful." Atoli.
"If his and our crew fight, who would win?" Nami.
"His." Atoli answered truthfully.
Nami's face was filled with concern until Luffy bursts into the scene with his arms raised high.
"NOPE! Our crew will kick that Drac's crew!" Luffy.
"Oi, Luffy! The door!" Usopp.
"Looks like the interrogation is over. Let's beat some asses already." Kaizo.
"They can be good practice dummies." Zoro.
"I'll help Ann-swan in any way I can!" Sanji.
"Y-you guys can c-c-count on Captain U-Usopp…!" Usopp trembled.
The trio was taken aback by their calm demeanor about their targets.
"Hey! Aren't you listening?! They're very strong pirates with bounties of over 100 million Berries." Atoli.
"You hear that, Luffy? We have some real high rollers this time, better bring our A+ game to this." Kaizo.
"Yeah! Let's train and go to the Rainbow Island!" Luffy.
"Just to be clear: it IS in the Grand Line, right?" Zoro.
Atoli nods.
"Then it's decided. We'll help you guys with this while we explore the Grand Line." Sanji.
"O-oi! What about Drayke and his crew?!" Usopp.
"They're in the Grand Line waiting for us. Apparently, he joined forces with a notorious pirate from those seas." Ann.
"Which one?" Nami.
"Don't know, only heard that through rumors." Ann.
Atoli stepped up and looked at Luffy in the eyes.
"Why will you help us?" Atoli.
Atoli was born in a royal family. The family motto is: Trust can only be given as much as it's received. Due to that, Atoli was trained to know when people lie, facial expression, micromovements, everything to make sure to know what the other person's thinking and looking within their true self.
Everyone hide one part or another deep within themselves for various reasons, but Atoli's different, due to all that training, Atoli is essentially a live lie detector. So, imagine her surprise when she "saw" nothing in Luffy's true self.
Just a blank space with nothing hidden within. The only thing that was "inside" him was the same words he was saying.
"Because you guys seem like nice guys, and also because Nami's sister is asking for help." Luffy.
"She really didn't ask, perse, but is something along the lines. Our captain has trouble ignoring people in need. Except the hungry ones." Kaizo.
"I won't share my meat!" Luffy.
Atoli was flabbergasted. For such simple reasons are they willing to engage in such dangerous fight?! But Luffy's expression didn't lied to Atoli, and as such, she decided to put all her trust in her newfound allies.
With that, she got on her knees and yelled.
"Please! Help me protect my home!" Atoli.
There was a silence until Luffy smiled.
"Alright! Let's beat those guy's asses!" Luffy.
Atoli cried happily while Ann and Dias hugged her tightly. Kaizo gave them the Emblems back and they enjoyed the rest of the day.
[At night]
Luffy was on watch duty and was in the crow's nest looking at the south before hearing a noise coming from the mast, it was Kaizo calling him by tapping the mast.
"What's up?" Luffy.
"Why did you accepted to help them? You barely know them and there might be more cons that pros so, why?" Kaizo.
Luffy scratched his chin.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure myself but, *Luffy touched his chest* I felt a sense of knowing these guys and that I would regret not helping them. Ah! it's complicated." Luffy.
This made Kaizo's ears twitch as he heard Luffy's last sentence.
"And also, I felt their plead resonate with me and I just wanted to help them." Luffy smiled.
Kaizo knew that something was off, whether it was a twist of fate, his own interference, or the world's configuration itself, he saw for a brief, almost non-existent moment, Luffy's spiritual power turning from the usual light blue to white with a red borderline.
Kaizo only had one thought left afterwards.
'Nika.' Kaizo.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"This was a long chapter!" Luffy.
"Of course, we've been lazying our asses off for ages!" Kaizo.
"I hope we can see Rainbow Island! It sound like a fun place to explore!" Luffy.
"Same old Luffy, but I'm quite curious myself so, let's do it!" Kaizo.
"Yeah!" Luffy.
Next time in One Piece: Shinigami of the Strawhats.
"Another mysterious encounter? Apis: The Animal Whisperer."
"We'll see you next time!" Kaizo.
"Oi! Author! Write fast or I'll punch you!" Luffy.