A will of a giant| One Piece X Oc

What he left behind

PROLOGUE

They were running or rather she was being carried while he ran, the girl was tucked under his arm out of sight, his huge heavy foot steps thundered over the ground. Papi's face daunt, his deep wrinkles were making his eyes seem much deeper set then usual, teeth bared and drawn in a line of hard concentration.

The old giant had a tall lanky frame, his muscles were still present though they lacked the same definition as when he was young, still maintained from the constant work he did fixing ships. His long grey hair still had some black streaks, it was thick and heavy, much stragglier than it used to be, but still nice to Alexandra anyway. His beard hung low, tickling the blonde girls face as he ran.

A large open ravine was gaping dead in their path, however Papi did not slow, picking up surprising speed instead. No hesitation, she could hear his aged joints creaking as he launched himself forwards, Alex could feel the air whistling past her as she was forcefully clutched to his heaving chest. When they hit the mossy grass once more, a loud audible grunt escaped the old giants lips, while the sound of his leather boots smashing into the forest dirt made a loud boom, scattering various green shrubbery into the sky.

"Papi are you okay?" The young girl whispered, her face was drawn up in a terrified wide-eyed stare, she was very worried over her grandfather. Papi was not a young man, he was nearing his early eighty in human years, he should not of been running around like this, not that they had much of a choice but still...

The obvious exhaustion on his weathered face said it all, his deep blue eyes were tired and pain stricken, it made Alex's heart twist.

He smiled, a soft yet slightly stern expression danced across his features, Papi did not answer. They were carving a brutal path through the trees, bushes and foliage, he knocked over anything that was in his way. His breaths were slowly becoming more and more ruff, but he was not slowing down, they could hear their hunters not that far behind, their loud bellows encroaching on the pair.

Then suddenly the old man burst into a large grin, but most of all there was a look of utter relief. The blonde turned in his grip a little, she could just make out a beach just ahead of them, the sea rumbling as if in greeting, she couldn't help but smile too.

Alexandra had been to this cove many, many times, she knew every nook and crevice, how deep the water was and in which parts. Where the two twin intertwining cliffs went, the child had climbed them enough. This was where Papi spent his days building ships, or repairing shipwrecks, it was one of his passions.

Papi's old long boat 'Vætta' bobbed in the waves, it's old rugged wood well maintained, the sails tucked up neatly underneath their pins. But then Papi made a beeline away from his ship, towards the low cave under the chalky white cliffs covering it, where some of the much smaller boats were kept.

"Papi what you doing? We went past Vætta"

Her grandfather closed his eyes, nodding, ducking under the low cave ceiling, finally coming to a stop. The little family were out of sight for the moment, however this little shelter of theirs wasn't hard to find, this place only went out one way and that was out to sea.

The old giant slowly lowered his granddaughter to the cold wet ground, his gaze far off, pain was dug deep into his features, his breathing coming out in sharp deep pants. He knelt down low, leaning over her, his finger gently cupping the little girls chin, drawing her eyes up to meet his.