Pirates Dawn (A One Piece FanFic) *Discontinued for the time being*

Chapter 4~ Kana's Past

Dad would always tell us stories about mum, about how beautiful she was, or how talented she was. She had 'long fair hair that fell down to her hips', and 'majestic emerald eyes'. I don't remember much about her, but I do remember dad telling me and my older brother Nikko about the day she died.

'We used to live in a small country village, the kind of place where everybody was friendly and knew each other well, and they'd all help each other out. We were a isolated village but we got by somehow. It was two days until Nikko's 4th birthday and everyone was looking forward to it, there was to be a party on which the whole village would be invited. Celebrations like that were common, and very enjoyable.'

'It was all going just fine until the marine ships came, a dozen at least, all lined up at the shore. They invaded the village without a word of warning and started searching the houses, anyone who disobeyed were shot on the spot. They hadn't came to our house yet, so I decided that we should all escape through the back door before it's too late, so we did. But your mother stopped and told us to go on ahead, that she had to get something and that she'd catch up real fast. I tried to argue but she went anyway. Ten minutes later we were a safe distance from the village, but there was still no sign of your mother.'

'Bang. There was one loud bang and the house, the village, everything. Everything was destroyed. Everything was in flames. No survivors, the marines made sure of that before they left.'

'But why did Mom go back, what was so important that she needed to get?' I asked.

'I don't think she went back to get anything...' 

'But then why, didn't she know it was dangerous?' I continued to question.

'Kana, the reason I think she want back was the fact that nobody was in the house, and if nobody was in the house, the marines would be suspicious and hunt us down, but if your mother went back and said she was the only occupant of the house, the rest of us would be free. This is something I overlooked, and your mother was the one to pay for it...' he lowered his head.

~7 years Later~  

Nikko was outside in the forge crafting pieces of armour and weapons for the town not far from here as I wondered my way outside.

'Where's dad' I yawned rubbing my eyes.

'Look on the table' he replied bluntly. I turned back into the kitchen and spotted a note on the table that I must have missed when I came past. I opened it up to see that it was written by my dad. It said that he was going to be gone for a while, and that's all I read. I scrunched it up and threw it in the bin,

' yeah right' I said to myself angrily.

When my dad says he's gonna be gone for a while, you'd think he means a few days. But no. Of course not. MY dad means weeks, even months. He just packs up and leaves overnight no with no word of a warning, just a cheesy little note on the table. I mean it wouldn't really bother me, its just the fact he does it so often, and has been doing for so long. Nine years ago he left me and Nikko for five days when I was four and he was six, it was hard looking after yourself at that age, but then again we had no choice.

Nikko really dislikes dad, not hate, he couldn't hate his own father, probably more on the line of strongly dislikes. He believes it was dads fault mom died, and that if he actually cared about us, he's be here more often.

I made my way back outside and pointed out to Nikko, 'We don't need him anyway!'

'I'm sure we've already figured that out by now' he added,

'Just sayin'.'

'I know you are Kana.'

I sat down grumpily on the grass and folded my arms.

Nikko turned around to face me, 'Soo then shorty-'

'Not short.'

'What do you want for breakfast?'

'Not hungry.'

'Comon cheer up!'

'You cheer up.' I replied rather childishly.

'You can't stay moody forever!'

'Watch me.' I challenged.

 Nikko sighed in defeat and turned back to what he was doing.

'Your birthday present is nearly ready...' Nikko said smugly. I jumped up in excitement.

'Really?!' I exclaimed, Nikko nodded in reply. 'It's fire isn't it?!' 

'I'm not telling!'

'but whyyy!?'

'Because it's not your birthday yet!'

Nikko promised me a special present this year, I am going to be thirteen after all. Nikko's crafting speciality are blades, not just any blades, enchanted ones. I haven't explained this yet, but he ate a devil fruit a few years ago, he found it in the forest not far from here, in a chest guarded by the remains of a pirate, kinda weird, but yeah. So basically it can alter the properties of an object, let me put it simpler, say you had a cup of water, and a stone. With Nikko's power, he can make the water feel like a stone, you know, solid and rough. And the stone feel like water, a liquid, whilst still looking like a cup of water and a rock. It's an unusual power but can be very useful, yet very deadly.

*Later that night*

I was awoken to the sound of commotion outside, people talking in hushed tones and lots of footsteps.

What are people doing this far from the village at this time of night? I wondered untill Nikko burst through my door.  'Nikko whats going-'

'SHHH! Don't say anything! Just come with me' He said grabbing my hand,

'Nikko I-' 

'I'll explain later, we just need to get out of here'. He took me out the back door, past the stream and into the woods. 'And why exactly have you dragged me here?'

'Marines' He said, 'They were looking for us.'

'Looking for us? Why would they be looking for us?' I questioned, we weren't too far from the house, we were close enough to hear one marine shout, 'It's clear! Those damn kids aren't there. Burn it down just in case they decide to come back.'

I stared in disbelief, 'N-Nikko...'

'Whatever dad's doing he went too far this time' He said lowering his head. I watched as the the flames began to burst through the roof and windows, and the marines that were carelessly walking away.

'What are we gonna do now?' I asked

'I don't know...'