[IC] One Piece: Birth of a New Era (Daisuke & Winter)

[Daisuke]

It had been years since Monkey D. Luffy and his crew found the sacred One Piece and Luffy became the new King of the Pirates. Both him and his crew had been dead for years and the One Piece was hidden once again. Though the Pirate Age that they lived through was over, a new one had been born. Eager pirates of different shapes, sizes, ages and abilities set out once again for the chance to become the King of the Pirates. In order to find the One Piece, these pirates will have to venture through the dangerous Grand Line, a place that only Gold D. Roger and Monkey D. Luffy have conquered. Trying to stop these pirates, the World Government has long since expanded and gained strength both in numbers and in ability. In order to try to stop these pirates, various navy stations have been set up in both the Grand Line and in all four oceans; North Blue, South Blue, East Blue and the West Blue.

One of these stations was a gigantic ship that was docked in between Water 7 and Enies Lobby. The ship itself was about the width of a small island and stood as tall as at least twenty elephants that were standing on top of one another. The World Government's flag proudly flew outside the magnificent ship and in all corners of it as well. Guards were positioned all along the ship's exterior as well as its interior, though their forces were not prepared to take in extremely strong pirates. This base's job was to prevent weaker, amateur pirates from advancing forward in the Grand Line.

Working in this ship was a young red panda named Staz. He was the head chef of the ship's kitchen and he was in charge of ordering the other chefs around and preparing the more complicated meals. He had been in the ship for years and not once had he seen a pirate invasion. He was taught by the older men that pirates were evil and they were trying to destroy the peace of the world. Staz didn't know whether he should believe this fact without seeing a pirate for himself, but he doubted that a cook would ever be able to see one when he was slaving away in the kitchen, his home, all day. The kitchen had no windows, so he couldn't see the outside world though he wished that he could. He was unaware about any attacks unless they were announced on the loud speakers and yet, he wished he could do something about it. I wanna be helpful too, but not just in the kitchen. I love being a chef, but I wanna help my shipmates in other ways. Staz thought to himself while he was cutting up tomatoes. Letting out a loud sigh, he dismissed the thought and continued with his cutting.

[Winter]

To say that she was exhausted was an understatement. A ship this size was never meant to be sailed by a crew of one and to get it this far had taken a great amount of effort. Fortunately Alicia knew enough about the local waters to be able to get herself out of Water 7 and on her way towards the next island. She'd packed some previsions, just enough to get her to the next island where she could buy some more supplies for the ship. She'd taken her savings as well as some family ornaments which she could probably sell, it wasn't like she was planning to go back there any time soon anyway. Although the thought of her parents made a knot in her stomach, making her worry and question what it was she was doing. But then she knew there wasn't a life for her back there, she'd merely a live a life within the walls until she was too old to travel. Either that or be made to join the military and serve a career in the marines.

She exhaled a long breath at the thought before she looked ahead to the horizon, noticing a rather large ship which couldn't be missed. She spun the ship wheel, the Ocean Jay correcting her trajectory so that the bow faced towards it. If her thoughts were correct it was the large navel base her father had often mentioned, which of course also meant the opportunity for supplies. She'd not met many marines in her life and so she didn't really know what to expect upon her arrival. But she knew she wasn't guilty of any crimes... or so she thought, so there was no harm in visiting. The Ocean Jay eventually pulled up to the large naval ship which dwarfed her by comparison before her anchor dropped. Alicia then cast a rope to secure to the dock which thankfully was helped by the dockworkers who began securing the ship for her.

When she climbed down the rope ladder she turned to be greeted by a squad of marines which marched up the dock towards her. "You there! state your business!" said the captain, or at least who she assumed was the captain of the unit. "Me?" she asked awkwardly, pointing a finger to her chest as she looked over her shoulder to check there wasn't someone else he was talking to you. "Yes you, who are you and what are you doing here" he said as they stopped in front of her. Alicia hesitated, unsure what to say or how to act before she eventually replied looking awkward and uncomfortable, "I-I am just... visiting, fooooor, supplies?" she said sheepishly, the captain raising his eyebrow before he gave a slow nod, "I see... and your name miss?" he asked. "Alicia... just Alicia" she replied thinking it might be better not to let on who her father was. The marine captain gave another nod before pointing to her ship. A small marine then popped out from behind the larger marines, correcting his glasses as he looked down at some kind of ledger. "The ship doesn't match any known vessels known of piracy sir" he said in a meek voice. "Very well then, please enjoy your stay ma'am" replied the captain before he and his men began to move away down the dock.

Alicia breathed out a sigh of relief before she began to walk down the dock herself. Her hair lightly kicked in the ocean breeze, catching the ribbon of her black bow which caused it to flutter gently. As she walked she felt her stomach rumble, placing a hand to it as she considered food. "Excuse me" she called to one of the dock workers who turned to look at her, when his eyes focused he blinked and smiled, "Well hey there little lady how can I help you?" he replied with a slight red hue to his cheeks. It was now Alicia's turn to raise an eyebrow, "I don't suppose you know a restaurant around here?", the man placed a hand on his chin, rubbing it as he thought "Well there's the restaurant up on the second level... guaranteed good food, some even say the best in these waters" he replied, "Up the stairs and straight ahead, you wont miss it" he said finally. Alicia smiled and thanked him before she'd make her way to the place. It looked nice, even nicer than allot of the places she'd seen in Water 7. She made her way over to a table before sitting down, picking up a menu. She couldn't help but notice she was getting allot of looks from the others in the room who mostly consisted of marines. She had to guess they didn't get many visitors here that weren't passing marine ships.

[Daisuke]

Staz was sautéing some meat when he heard the other chefs talking amongst themselves about a girl that suddenly appeared at the station. None of them knew where she came from nor who she was. They noted that her ship resembled a pirate's vessel and yet, there were no reports nor any bounties of a girl that looked like her. Curious, he quickly finished cutting up the meat and slid it into a pot before stepping down from the step stool he stood on and rushed over towards a group of men that were peeking out the door that led to the cafeteria. "Who is that? Is she the daughter of someone important?" Staz questioned, attempting to get a view but couldn't due to the men being in the way.

"We dunno. She just showed up outta nowhere and now she's demanding food. Someone go out there and ask her why she's here. She may as well be a pirate. They said that her ship wasn't a navy ship, right? So she's gotta be an enemy." One of the chefs, a large man with a short white beard proclaimed. The other men shouted in agreement and they were about to stomp out the door before Staz managed to get in front of them and held out a paw.

"I'll do it. If you guys do it, you'll end up scaring her. If she's here on business, then you'll get us in trouble." Staz said. The other men paused in their tracks and they watched the red panda walk over towards a table where pitchers of icy water were being kept. Using his strength, he climbed up onto the table, took a pitcher and slid down. Then, he proceeded out the door and used his tail to shut it behind him. He then made his way towards the girl and when he arrived, he hopped onto the empty chair across from her and then up onto the table. Pouring water into her empty glass, he smiled at her, "Did you decide what you wanted to order? Everything here is made to perfection, so if you don't like it, you don't have to give us a tip." he chuckled nervously.

[Winter]

Alicia continued to observe the menu as she sat at the table, her eyes moving back and forth between the small descriptions which explained each dish. She found it hard not to want them all as each sounded just as good as the next. She also couldn't help but keep a hold of the menu even after she had chosen her dish as it made for a good barrier between her and the marines who seemed way too interested in what she was doing here. At one point she wondered if she was in the right place or if she hadn't accidentally wondered into the mess hall of a marine ship or something. She placed the menu down and very lightly coughed into her hand, causing those who had been starting to quickly look away as they whistled to themselves. It was then that a voice stole her attention, causing her to look left to the source of the voice. Upon focusing she jumped, letting out a "Gah!!" as she raised her arm as a reaction as if shielding herself. When she recomposed she slowly relaxed, "Y-You're... a talking bear?" she stated almost too herself, seeming to need a moment to come to terms with what she was talking too. It took a minute for it to really sink in but when it did she couldn't help but slowly smile, leaning forwards a little as her eyes observed him curiously, "Well aren't you just the cutest thing" she said after realizing he was no threat to her. She looked briefly to the table and noticed he'd filled her glass. "And thank you for the water" she said, taking the glass and raising it to her lips to take a small sip. It had been a while since she'd drank anything after leaving Water 7.

[Daisuke]

The girl's scream made Staz stumble backwards and he nearly dropped the pitcher. He grasped onto the handle with one paw and held the bottom with the other while trying to reclaim his balance. Once he was settled, he placed the pitcher on the table and looked back at the girl. Her comments made him frown and he crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm not cute, yah bastard. I'm the head chef and I'm also a pretty good fighter too. Fighters aren't cute, okay?" he grumbled, "I'm also not a bear. I'm a red panda. There's a difference." He knew that he shouldn't be so rude to a customer, but he couldn't help it. He felt as if his pride as a man was on the line and he refused to let her get away with calling him "cute".

Staz nodded once she thanked him for the water and he stuck his paw inside his apron. He took out a small pad and a pencil and he placed the point of the pencil into the paper, "So, did you decide what you wanted? And also, um, it's not my place to ask, but the others were wondering who you were." He peered over at the kitchen door where a couple of the chefs' heads were peeking out. They had witnessed the entire thing and some of them were giggling to themselves, "Did the commander send you? Are you his fiancee or something? I know he's into younger girls, but not this young! Hmm, maybe you're his kid? I dunno if he was ever married, but I don't know much about him. I'm in the kitchen all day so I don't go out much." The red panda looked around his surroundings for a moment before leaning in towards her ear, "Are you a pirate? 'Cause if you are, you should leave as soon as possible. If anyone finds out you're a pirate, they'll capture you and hand you over to the Government." he asked softly, so the others wouldn't hear.

[Winter]

Alicia couldn't help but smile at the panda despite his protests of not being cute and being a good fighter. She couldn't help but give a small giggle as she held the glass between her hands. As the panda continued to speak her smile faded slightly, causing her to eventually place the glass back down on the table with a small 'thud'. She also couldn't help but raise her eyebrow as he mentioned about her being the commanders fiancee before then suggesting she was his daughter. She held up her hand before her smile returned, "None of those, I don't know the commander here at all... in fact I don't know that much about the marines" she lied. Well it was half true anyway, while she didn't know that much about the marines she knew a little from the stories her father bought home. Not that he ever really spoke to her or her mother openly about it, sometimes he would have friends over and she'd eavesdrop on their conversations. If not just to find out a little more about her father.

When the panda asked if she was a pirate she gave a small smirk, "Well what if I am? these guys don't look too tough" she commented as she rested her head in her hand which rested up upon the side of the table. Little known to many people and even those she'd call friends back home, Alicia was a user of a Devil Fruit, something her parents felt was necessary for when she'd join the marines. They thought it would help her assume a higher ranking position if she could demonstrate power and usefulness to the world Government. It was because of this that Alicia couldn't feel too threatened by those around her, but then she wasn't naive. There was every possibility that another on the ship was a user, especially since one was having a chat with her right now.

But as it was, Alicia wasn't looking for a fight and certainly wasn't looking for trouble. Although the mention of pirate intrigued her. She hadn't considered that when she set off from Water 7 and if she tried to pass herself off as a merchant vessel she'd draw in other pirates like a moth to a flame. Perhaps it might be best to run with the pirate thing after all. "I'll have your soup please, and a couple rice cakes" she said politely before she took out a small pouch, placing the berries on the table. "As for my reasons for being here, I'm looking to supply my ship before setting off to find a crew. After all my ship can't sail itself and I can't sail her alone across the Grand Line" she said casually. "When you're finished in the kitchen would it be ok if we spoke more? you've been very kind to me mister panda and I'd like to ask you some questions" she said, maintaining her smile. She thought it might be a good idea to learn about the local islands since she didn't have a navigator, but right now her stomach was growling.

[Daisuke]

Staz was confused, "How can you know nothing about the marines when you're at a marine base?" He asked while he was writing down her order and scooping up the berries into his hand. Stuffing the berries into his apron, he let out a small gasp. This girl was a pirate? If she was, then how did she manage to get into the base? Wouldn't she have been captured by now? Staz was more than capable of taking her down and bringing her to the guards, but he didn't have enough proof to decide that she really was a pirate, "Even if the other marines aren't tough enough to beat you, I sure am! Look!" Staz hopped off the table and he immediately turned into his human-red panda form. His tail disappeared and his body grew in size as well as muscle. His ears were replaced with human ears and his paws were now human hands and included fingers and his barefoot feet had little toes on them. He was shirtless, so his muscular body could be visibly seen and his apron was covering his bottom half. Compared to Alicia, he was much taller and stronger. He loomed over and cracked his knuckles, "In this form, I can kick your ass in a millisecond." he snickered.

Hearing that she was looking for supplies, he let out another laugh, "Why would the marines aid a pirate? That doesn't make too much sense to me and I'm just a chef. If you're looking for a crew, then you shouldn't have come here. No one here is going to become a pirate, so you're outta luck. You're a funny woman, you know that? I've never heard of a pirate asking the marines for aid before. It's kinda funny." Staz chuckled, turning around to return to the kitchen, "Once I prepare your dish, I'll come back out and we can chat for a little bit." he told her, picking up the pitcher and padding back to the kitchen.

About a half hour passed and Staz returned, who was still in his human-red panda form, with a bowl of soup and a plate of rice cakes. He placed the food in front of the girl and he grabbed the other chair, pulling it out and sat down, "Before we talk, I wanna know what you think about the soup. I made it myself and though it's silly, the compliments of humans make me feel good." He nervously asked, gripping onto the table in anticipation.

[Winter]

Alicia beamed as he transformed, seeming more impressed than intimidated or frightened. She clapped her hands together once as she gave a wide smile, "That's amazing! I'm definitely impressed with your abilities" she commented. Even when the panda mentioned how quickly he could supposedly beat her she continued to smile, her eyes simply taking in the transformation. She'd only ever heard about Zoan Devil Fruits but never had actually seen one before. When the Panda began to go on about how pirates don't ask marines for aid she made a mental note of it, thinking it'll probably be important if she acted more like a pirate, but then... she didn't really know how pirates acted since she'd never even met one. She took another sip from her water as she thought it over, usually pirates were messy unkempt beings with rude behaviors and a tenancy to hurt others for fun. But she was everything but that, she liked to be neat, tidy and pretty hence her current appearance.

When the panda walked away to get her the food her attention was taken by a marine sitting a table across, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. He looked like a gruff man who probably wouldn't take nonsense without giving a consequence. He continued to stare for a moment before he spoke, "Did I overhear that you're a pirate..." he asked. Alicia thought about it before nodding, "Sure am, got a ship and everything" she replied, deciding to walk head first into this whole pirate thing. After all if she ever got that deeply in trouble she could maybe rely on her father. Though she really would rather not since she'd run away not three days before. The marine narrowed his gaze but seemed to remain silent after that, allowing Alicia to turn her attention to the room and the various painting on the walls. It seemed some of the captains had their faces on the walls here, and even some of the admirals judging by titles embedded into the bronze plate beneath the painting.

When the panda returned, asking if she would first try the soup she smiled softly, taking a spoon before dipping it onto the bowl. She lifted it to her lips before tasting it, her eyes opening wider as the flavors touched her palette, "This is delicious!" she said before taking another spoonful, "This is one of the tastiest soups I've ever had" she said before adding, "You really have a talent for food... I'd love to have food like this on my ship. Hey, actually what about that? why don't you join me?" she said enthusiastically as she looked at the panda. Despite her hunger she still ate at a polite pace, also being sure not to make a mess. She took another spoonful as she awaited the reply from the panda. .