Chapter Text
Chapter One: Morning Fog
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Deep in the Black forest a meeting is held. Fog filled the morning air. Many come, from lands near and lands beyond and all in between. The meeting is held due to change, change threatening and changing the world all around them. As verified the homes of those attending more so are they themselves varied. What these beings all hold in common is the change that they are meeting for.
Many speak, many are silent. Some voices ring loud and others are long to quiet to hear. Each thinks, knows that something must happen, something must
Change.
Then a conclusion is drawn. A law is made. A veil sewn.
By the time dawn drew. After hours (Or was it years?) A Change was made.
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A small young form wakes slowly as the foggy morning sun filters into their small room. They let out a groan as they move the thick hand sewn quilt of their body, exposing them to the harsh, cold morning air. Their body shivers as they quickly clean up their face in the nearby basin. They rush to pull out and on their clothing for the day. Nothing too fancy (not that they could afford anything fancy) just thick wool trousers, a simple shirt, vest and coat. All in all when dressed they didn't look like a street rat, though they didn't look well off either. They slip on their work boots and grab their cap, curling their waist length hair up into the hat and out of the way. (More than a few pins to ensure their hair stays put without the cap.
Not even ten minutes after dawn and their awaking, and they are off for the day.
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Riona Nic Canann had only been in the city for a few days, having immigrated to the country after their mother had passed back home. Leaving Riona's only living relative here in this large city. Larger than anything the poor farm kid had ever seen in their life.
I guess I should count myself lucky… They mused as they walked along the streets. Their uncle had agreed to take them in when they wrote to him about their mothers death, and had agreed to take the soon to be homeless farm hand in.
Their uncle ran a rather boisterous boarding house in the heart of the city and was more than happy to keep Riona around while they found their footing in the new environment.
Soon Riona a walked down the narrow stairs and hall to end up in the large kitchen of the town house. They could see their red haired uncle slumped over the counter barely balanced on his stool. They let out a sigh as they walk over and lean down, gently shaking then man's shoulder.
"Uncle, uncle wake, we need to make breakfast soon." When they speak their voice is soft and low, the accent of their home country thick in every word. "Come on uncle."
The man lets out a choked snore and soon sits upright, almost falling from his stool.
"I'm up! I didn't do it!" The man's own voice is deep and raged with sleep. He also carries the same accent as Riona, though his has been smoothed by years in the new country. The tall red head looks around for a bit, taking in the cup still in his hand and the sight of his kin smiling at him.
"Riona! Morning a stór!" He laughs, his ever present good cheer making what would be an intimidating man seem soft and kind. Even the three scars over his eye don't look so frightening when the hungover man smiles at them.
"Morn uncle, I need to cook, you are in the way you big lump." They tease returning the man's smile and gently shoving the man's shoulder.
"Oi!" He says feigning offense. "Is that any way to speak to your family!" He gets to his feet with surprising grace and wraps the younger in a tight hug. "Bahh, at least it's you cooking, Benn would have just dumped water on me." He smiles even wider at Riona.
"As he should, what do you feel like? Do we have any pork left?" Riona asks as they move out of the hug to begin cooking for the house, pulling an apron off a hook to tie on.
"I believe we do, are you making pork and eggs?" The man replies as he goes to lean on the wall watching his young charge who nods at his question. The sound of footsteps from upstairs alerts the two to the others waking in the house. And sure enough not long later another joins the two in the kitchen. The man is tall, though not quite the same height as the red head, with long dark hair pulled back and tied at his nape.
"Morning Shanks, Ri." The man minutes going to the cabinets and begins rifling around. Riona smiles at the man as they keep cooking. The amount of food they are prepping is rather ridiculous, though they know it will be gone by the meal's end.
"Morning Benn, I already got the water boiling for you, should be done soon." Benn nods in thanks, and waits for the water to boil.
The kitchen is quiet for a good while, the peace of the morning heavy in the air.
The peace is soon shattered.
"ACE! NOOO! Get-!"
The sound of shouting from the upstairs makes all three in the kitchen sigh.
"NOT MY-! FUCK! NOT MY FAULT YOU ASS!" The sound of thuds and slams echo through the house (and the distinct sound of laughter) and soon the sounds of others waking and moving about begin to fill the air.
"Hope you are almost done, a stór," Shanks smiles at his kin as they move around the room quickly.
"Yeh yeh, I will be done before those monsters don't worry." Riona smiles back, putting what was done out on the counters. Benn makes his tea and leaves for the dining room, taking what finished plates of food he could with him. Riona shouts a thanks at the man as he goes.
"You help too," they direct their uncle shoving a plate into his hands. Shanks doesn't complain and does his task. Riona is just putting out the last bits when two forms come speeding down the stairs a third not far behind. The three bodies rush into the dining room and descend onto the meal with the fervor of men dying of hunger.
The tallest and oldest of the group was Ace, a young man with chin length black hair and freckles adorning his cheeks. He was currently working for one of the wealthiest men of the city, doing what, Riona was unsure.
Next was Sabo, lean and well dressed with curly blonde hair, striking blue eyes and a burn scar over his left eye. He was currently an apprentice at the local paper.
And last, the youngest and smallest (though still taller than Riona) was Luffy. A thin and wiry thing, scrappy was a good word to describe the young man. He had a scar under his left eye and short, wild black hair. He tended to dress like it was still summer regardless of the season. Luffy was not currently working, though Riona had a suspicion that he might run with one of the many gangs of the city. Strange given how kind the younger man was.
The three were brothers and had been living in Shanks' boarding house for a few years. The three having known the red head as children meant that the man had no issues accepting the three into his home.
Between the brothers, Benn, Shanks and Riona there were only two other occupants of the house.
First was a young man named Zoro, a tall and fit man with green hair. He was some kind of swords man, from what Riona could gather, they didn't know much about him other than the fact that he was close with Luffy, who had been the one who asked Shanks if the swords-man could stay at the house.
The other was a mystery to Riona, Shanks said his name was Mihawk, and that the two had been friends for years, even before Shanks had come to the new country. But Riona had only seen the intimidating man once, right when they had moved in and their uncle had forced the reclusive man from his room to meet Shanks' 'a stór'. From what Riona could gather, they think the man does not like them much.
Sabo greeted Riona as he took his seat, already fighting his brothers away from his plate even as he was filling it.
"Good morning Riona, how did you sleep?" The blonde smiles even as he stabs his younger brother's hand as it reaches for his plate.
"I slept well, how about you three?" Riona smiles as they watch the war zone, glad they ate when cooking.
"It was-" the blonde's words are cut off as the youngest, spraying food from his mouth, speaks.
"Slept really good Ri!" The young man smiles widely at Riona before he returns to his meal, shoving more food into his mouth than one would think possible.
Riona can't help but giggle at their antics. Sabo lets out a sigh at his brother's lack of manners.
"Forgive him Riona, the barbarian means no offense."
"I understand Sabo no need to apologize, I am just glad you all seem to enjoy the meal." They smile at the three brothers. Ace begins to speak but soon slams his head on the table, deep asleep once again. Riona giggles and turns to look to their uncle.
'"Well I must be off, a job won't find itself."
"Stay safe, a stór," Shanks says earnestly as he pulls them into a quick hug.
"I will don't worry for me."
They leave the room with the gathered wishing them luck. They are quick to leave the house, tucking the key into their vest pocket. Riona pauses on the front step as they look up at the morning sun. They can't help but smile,
Truly lucky indeed...
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Translations
'A stór' = Meaning 'my treasure'