Dawn of Dreams- Chapter 1: Leaving Town

To whoever is reading this, I apologize for making you read such an awful story with your two eyes. Please enjoy. Lewush (talk) 01:23, June 23, 2016 (UTC)

Marine Officer: And are you sure that he’s leaving tomorrow morning?

Old Man: Yes sir, the pirate scum said so himself

The Marine Officer was sweating nervously. The fact that the nephew of Mihawk was becoming a pirate was a scary notion. The fact the pirate they would face also had a devil fruit power did not help alleviate her terrified demeanor. There was no backing out now, though. The plan was already in motion, and not even one slip would be permitted. In such a delicate operation, loose lips sink ships, and in this case, maybe even literally.

Marine Officer: Well, thank you for your help sir, we truly appreciate the information.

Old Man: It was my pleasure, these pirates need to know what’s coming to them if they spit on the law

[Old Man leaves and the Marine Officer sighs]

The old man sure liked to talk about the marines. Even as a marine himself, she couldn’t understand how someone could be so dedicated to an organization. The only possibility that she could think of was maybe he had lost a son or something to pirates, that would be the only explanation that seemed obvious.

[ Airashi Kokonattsu enters, beaming per usual]

Airashi: Did ya get any information?

Marine Officer: Yes, apparently he’s leaving tomorrow, and he has a devil fruit ability, but apparently the old man didn’t know what it was

Airashi: But that just makes it more interesting [grins]

Marine Officer: I suppose so...

But she didn’t really mean it at all. Airashi Kokonattsu was an interesting person to say the least. She was only 19 years old and already a Rear Admiral, along with being extremely powerful and temperamental when she needs it. But in the coconut head on her shoulders was absolutely no brain whatsoever, and that wasn’t a good thing for a mission where almost nothing is known of the person they were fighting.

Airashi: Ya want some left over mashed potatoes? I brought them for ya

Before the Marine Officer could ask where possibly she could’ve stored the mashed potatoes, she pulled a full sized lunch box out of her uniform.

Marine Officer: Wha-

Airashi: Here ya go [drops the lunch box on the table] I gotta get my rest for tomorrow, ciao!

[Airashi leaves while still beaming]

The Marine Officer sat there for a couple of seconds, but decided not to think anything of it, being that Airashi wouldn’t be able to explain how she did that anyhow. She just decided to live and let live, not needing to understand every odd thing that Airashi would do. She swept her pink hair out of her face and decided to open up her lunch box.

Yoru Michi: I hope these mashed potatoes are better than the ones from last night

Yoru Michi was a Marine Officer and head navigator for her ship mumbled to herself. The food over the last couple of days had been pretty bad, and she was quite frankly sick of it, both metaphorically and literally. Plenty of people have been vomiting because of it, and she wasn’t able to navigate the navy ship at its highest capacity if she didn’t have any food in her system. However, the food being bad wasn’t a problem for Airashi, being that she’d inhale anything plopped on a dinner plate and doused in barbecue sauce.

Yoru opened up the mashed potatoes and took a nervous bite.

Yoru: Hmm, they’re a little better

Or at least she thought so. Maybe it’s because she had already gotten used to the nasty food that the inexperienced chef that it didn’t affect her anymore. Whatever it was, at least she could keep it in her stomach. She finished up quickly and wiped her face.

Yoru: Now it’s back to work

She started to write her reports on the mission so far that would involve the very man who would change her life in the near future

*       *        *        *        *

Little Girl: Ooyyyyyyyyyy! Wake up!

The man lying in bed, however, was not intent on waking up, despite the loud child standing in the doorway.

???: Hm, 5 more minutes, alright?

Little Girl: Breakfast is ready dummy, it’s gonna get cold

???: Ugh, fine

[Little Girl leaves]

When the child left, the man rolled over in his bed, spread eagled, contemplating the journey he would go on starting today.

???: Has it really been 8 years since then?

8 years since he ate a devil fruit. 8 years since he found his sword. 8 years since he lost connections with his entire family. So much happened between then and now that it was mind-boggling to even think about it. The man sighed and got up out of his bed.

???: Well, it’s time. Finally, time to start my adventure

He slipped on his jeans, buttoned up his shirt and wrapped his scarf around his neck. The man threw his glasses onto his face and buckled his sword to his waist.

Toshin: I think that’s everything

After giving one last glance at the room he’s been inhabiting for the last 7 and a half years, he walked out the bedroom door and slid down the banister, holding his sword in its sheath up over his head. The smell of pancakes immediately assailed his nose and the sound of bacon frying hit his ears a second later.

Old Man: It’s about time you woke up, lazybones

Toshin: Sorry geezer, I was up late last night

Old Man: Doing what exactly?

Toshin: Buying supplies for the journey maybe?

Old Man: What exactly did you get?

Toshin: Some rope, a bag, the basics, yaknow?

Old Man: Hm

Toshin sat down and started eating the tasty, but slightly overcooked, pancakes. The Old Man was in fact, Toshin’s teacher for all these 7 and a half years that he’s been on the island. He could be very irritable and insane at times, Toshin had discovered, but he overall was a thorough teacher and he cared about instructing Toshin correctly. In previous days, he would’ve been called Genji of the Iron Eye, but now that his glory days are finished, he retired that name along with his past. The name he currently goes by is Hanzo, and the little girl who lived with him and Toshin was his granddaughter, Elizayo. Elizayo is a tomboy to say the least, she insults whoever she pleases and isn’t really a fan of talking her way out of fights, and prefers just to duke it out. He had known Elizayo since she was 4 years old, and since then she’s become more and more like her grandfather every day. They were both similar to each other, being that both of them like to fight and neither of them are exactly what you’d call personable. ‘Like grandfather like granddaughter I suppose,’ Toshin thought to himself.

Hanzo: Do you have a boat

Toshin dropped his fork on the plate. He knew he was forgetting something yesterday, and now he knew.

Toshin: No I don’t, I forgot about it yesterday. Damn I’d better hurry up and ge-

Hanzo: Lucky for you, I still have my old fishing boat. It even has a Transponder Snail on it, so you can make calls. I even have oars and a sail

Toshin: You’re actually willing to give it to me?

Hanzo: My seafaring days are over boy, but yours have just begun. Make the most of that old vessel, she’s small but she’ll work for your purposes.

Toshin: I can’t thank you enough for this

Hanzo: Yeah yeah, just don’t flip it over, or you’re gonna have a bad time

*       *        *        *        * Elizayo: Byyyye Toshin! [waving]

Hanzo: If you ever reach Water 7, tell ol Kokoro that Genji says hi

Toshin: [waving] I’ll be sure to.

The ocean is crisp and the sky is clear. Overhead seagulls can be heard screaming, and the sun can be seen shining down. Hanzo and Elizayo aren’t the only ones saying goodbye to Toshin. Almost the entire town was waving and releasing their various farewells. Toshin looked forward, hoping to see the wide open ocean, but instead saw a sight that he didn’t particularly want to see. Coming towards him were 3 navy ships, all from different directions. It was also at that point when he realized his feet were soaked. It came to him that his boat was leaking.

Toshin: Damn, this sure was an interesting start to my day

Suddenly, Toshin heard the ringing of a Transponder Snail from inside the cabin. He walked in and picked up the receiver.

Toshin: Hello?

Hanzo: Hey kiddo, remember how I said that I was gonna give you one final test before you left?

Toshin grinned a wild grin. ‘This is exactly the thing he’d pull too,’ Toshin thought.

Toshin: Can I assume you also contacted the navy?

Hanzo: Yes you can assume so

Suddenly, a voice interrupted on the other end.

Elizayo: Grandpaaa, I thought you said you weren’t gonna do this

Hanzo: Never make a promise to a former pirate, Eli

The Transponder Snail was winking as he said this, signifying that Hanzo ran the idea by Elizayo before and she wasn't particularly a fan of it

Gryden: Hanzo, how could you do something like this to the boy

Gryden was the town mayor, and personal friend of Toshin’s despite their age differences.

Hanzo: [indignant] Hey he’s my student, and this is a pop quiz so don’t you-

Toshin had heard enough at that point and hung up the call, still smiling. He started to evaluate his options. There were two out of the bunch that stuck out to him. One, he could surrender, then escape, or two, he could do something insane. If given the choices 8 years ago, he would’ve gone with the intelligent levelheaded choice here, but 8 years can change a man, and today Toshin felt like taking a risk. Even under normal circumstances, he probably would’ve gone with the intelligent choice, but there was a certain taste to the air, a taste of ecstasy almost. Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from the center ship.

Loud Voice: ''Dracule Toshin, surrender now, and we will take you into custody and have a chance at living a decent life. However, fight back, and we will be sure to make this fight short and easy for us.''

It was here that Toshin would have to choose, surrender and escape, or fight and steal a ship. It wasn’t hard for him to make his choice here. He already knew what he was going to do.

Toshin: I wouldn’t be a man or a pirate if I gave myself up now would I?

Loud Voice: Then die, pirate scum

The central ship fired its cannons at Toshin’s ship, still a mile away. Toshin took a deep breath and prepared for his plan. 6 cannonballs were flying towards him, but he only needed one for his scheme.

Toshin: Let’s take care of those extras, shall we?

Toshin then stuck out his index finger and proceeded to loose 5 shots of light out of his finger. Every one of his shots hit their mark. At that point Airashi had hung up the transponder snail and was watching the fight.

Airashi: What? How is he doing that? Only Kizaru and the Pacifistas can do that.

But yet, Toshin did it anyways. Only one cannonball remained, still flying towards our teal haired protagonist. Thus started the next phase of his plan. He then took out his bag, emptied it, and then shook it, so that the bag could be big enough to hold a cannonball. Yoru was looking on from the ship furthest to the left and was confused.

Yoru: Does he think the bag will be able to hold out from that? I don’t see what he’s playing at here

Suddenly, the bag turned black, and both Yoru and Airashi realized he had hardened it with his Busoshoku Haki. The cannonball hit the interior of the bag like a baseball hit the inside of a glove, and Toshin didn’t give much of a give, despite the impact.

Yoru: The reports didn’t say anything of him being able to use Haki!

Airashi: Unbelievable!

Toshin may have heard what they said or he may not have heard. Either way, he gave a wicked grin and mentally crossed off stage 2 in his plan, leaving the way to go as moving to stage 3. Now that he had the weight on his boat, it started sinking even faster.

Toshin: I’d say I have around a minute before this gets to the point where I’m weakened by water

So he started working quickly, starting to tie a knot to the bag with the rope. As he did this, Yoru got to thinking.

Yoru: If he’s able to shoot beams just like Kizaru, then he must have a Light Light Fruit Paramecia of some sort. Unless the rule that there could only be one devil fruit of a certain power at any given time doesn’t hold true…

By that time, Toshin had tied his knot, a simple knot that would hold up. What he had done was tie the rope around the strap on the bag, which was still hardened.

Toshin: Alsen, you told me this rope was tough, let’s see if you’re right!

With no further thought, Toshin started swinging the rope above his head, like it was just a plain rope, not a rope attached to a 128 pound ball of metal.

Airashi: How can one man possibly do that?

Yoru: Either he is insanely strong, or I didn’t guess his fruit power correctly

At that point, Yoru noticed that his arms were glowing slightly, a circulating yellow aura surrounding both of them. She knew his power had something to do with light, but what could they possibly do if they didn’t know exactly what it does.

As Yoru finished her thought, Toshin released his grip on the rope, letting the cannonball fly towards the flagship

Random Marine: TAKE COVER!

Boom! The cannonball pierced the deck like a mosquito pierces skin. Everyone on the ship was shocked and they didn’t move until Airashi finally spoke.

Arashi: What are you guys waiting for, cut the rope before he gets here!

All the marines suddenly shook off their confusion and started to run for the rope until a familiar voice spoke out 6 words calmly.

Toshin: Oh no, that won’t be necessary

All of the marines froze and started to sweat. They all slowly turned around to lo and behold, Dracule Toshin.

Airashi: Damn you! How have you been doing all this

Toshin just laughed and gave her a clear look

Toshin: [pointing at himself with his thumb] I ate the Photosynthesis Photosynthesis Fruit, making me a Photosynthesis Human

Toshin stood there beaming triumphantly while all the marines just stared at him.

All of the Marines in unison: How lame!

Toshin: [indignant] HUH?

Airashi: Photosynthesis Human or not, you can’t beat an entire navy ship!

Toshin: Oh really?

Rather than answering him, Airashi and all the rest of the marines charged at Toshin. Suddenly an aura emanated from Toshin, and everybody except for Airashi and a couple of marines fainted.

Toshin: Dangit, I knew I was rusty in that too, I should’ve practiced more

Airashi: Bastard! That was Conqueror's Spirit, wasn’t it?!

Toshin: Yup [dusting himself off]

Other Marines: How can he be so casual?

Airashi: What I said still stands from earlier, you can’t beat all of us. C’mon men, let’s show this pirate bastard what we’re made of!

Including Airashi there were a total of 9 marines, out of the 50 standing earlier, so for Toshin, he didn’t want to waste the effort on cleaning his sword afterwards.

Toshin: Wonderguard

The blade of Toshin’s sword, an exquisite claymore named Dreadsong, was suddenly covered with light.

Toshin: Let’s break some bones, eh? [raises one single teal eyebrow]

They all ran at him at once. Toshin sidestepped the first marine and bashed him on the back of his neck with his pommel. The next one, Toshin tripped and kicked overboard. The third marine got both of his hands sliced off, and then punched in the face with Toshin’s free hand.

Toshin: Paragon Crosscut!

Toshin sliced vertically and horizontally at a marine. He saw that he was unharmed and ran forward with a new confidence, only to fall into 4 cleancut pieces. At this point, all 4 remaining marines that weren’t Airashi were terrified.

Airashi: C’mon, you think you can stand up to the navy? Let’s go men!

Airashi turned around to find her men cowering behind the door to the kitchen, cheering her on quietly and slowly sliding into the kitchen and slowly closing the door.

Airashi: [tired sigh] Cowards…

Toshin: So is it just you and me?

Airashi: [grinning] It seems so

Airashi and Toshin ran at each other, but the exchange lasted less than a second. Before she knew it, Airashi was on the floor, and Toshin was holding the tip of his sword up to her throat, the light gone from the blade. Toshin was smiling a dark smile.

Airashi: Do it then [closes her eyes] You’ve beaten me

Toshin: [laughs] You’ve got spunk, I like that. How’s about becoming my first mate?

Airashi seriously considered it for a moment. A pirate as good as he could make for a good time, and she honestly wouldn’t mind being a pirate. However she told Toshin her choice.

Airashi: I have to refuse, my place is here in the navy. However, maybe one day, if we meet again, I may join your crew.

Toshin removed the sword from the place inches above her neck.

Toshin: So be it, I respect your choice

Toshin walked to the side of a ship, dropping a rowboat to the sea, and jumping down to it. Airashi walked to the back of the boat.

Toshin: Well, see ya [waves]

Airashi: Beat it already, punk [lightly smiling]

Toshin started to row away, not looking back, trusting Airashi to handle the situation at hand for his escape.

Marine: Rear Admiral, should we go after him?

Airashi: Fall back, we’ve done all that we could

*       *        *        *        *

The sun is setting in the sky and Toshin is still rowing while eating a piece of bread.

Toshin: She would’ve made an interesting pirate. Still, I may yet see her again on the seas.

The waves lightly lap at the sides of the rowboat, and the tiny wooden capsule floats onward into the orange sun

Toshin: Someday…

THIS CONCLUDES CHAPTER 1