Hello everyone. Just some quick notes before I let you all get to the story. While this is the first chapter of my new series, I used to write fanfiction quite avidly. I've had an account here for a while, but I recently deleted my old story because I'd more or less given up on it & changed my username to have a brand new start. But it's been several years since I've written anything for the view of others, so any constructive advice you all can give on improving my writing is appreciated. And bonus points if you can guess the story I used to write (no cheating up looking up my email or anything).

Just a few housekeeping notes, I'm sure a lot of you have read these new-character stories before. The story won't be told exclusively from my OC's point of view, but it will focus on the story around her. If you're a fan of the show then I'm sure you're more concerned about the changes the OC brings than re-reading the story all over again if nothing changes. Also, while this will be closer to the manga version of One Piece, I may add things from the anime if I think the content interesting & suitable for the story. For example, I already plan to add the Warship Island arc because it fits with my OC.

I also don't know if I'll add any romance to the story. It'll depend on how the story develops as I write & what you guys think, so feel free to leave your input.

I think that's it for now, so enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or its character with the exception of my own original additions.

Warnings: none

Monkey D. Luffy was many things. He was strong. He was energetic. He was charismatic. But what he was not was a good planner. Luffy had a dream; a great dream. To become the Pirate King. But he wasn't quite so clear about the steps leading up to said goal. Sure, he knew what he wanted out of life. To travel the world, seeing all sorts of exciting things. To have grand adventures with his friends. To be free. But he wasn't so keen on making preparations for the journeys he was so eager to have. No, he was definitely more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of guy. Leave it to luck.

That's probably how he found himself in the trouble he was in now. He had been so amped at obtaining his very first crewmate (making him an official pirate captain now) that he'd completely forgotten one very important thing for their journey: Food.

Yes, in all the excitement of having the legendary pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro - granted he'd only known about Zoro's legend when Coby told him about it earlier the same day - beating up that dishonorable Marine Captain Morgan & giving Coby a shot at getting into the Marines, it had completely skipped their minds to grab any provisions. Just a slight oversight. After having been treated to such a grand feast as what Rika's mom had given them, it was understandable that food was the last thing on their minds when they boarded their tiny boat.

Of course, that didn't stop either man from complaining about it.

"Ugh..." Zoro groaned, leaning back against the side of the boat. His neck craned back almost painfully as he glared up at the sky. The cheerful blue seemed to mock them. "I'm starving." He looked up at his new leader, who looked just as thrilled about their situation as he was if the way he leaned lifelessly against the boat was any indication. "Don't you think it's strange that you can't navigate?"

"No," Luffy replied easily. Perhaps a bit too easily… "Drifting has worked pretty well for me. What about you? You're supposed to be the holy terror of the seas!"

"I don't recall ever calling myself that," Zoro protested, propping his head up with his hand. His eyes glazed over as he lost himself in thought. "I followed a pirate I was after out to sea. But I couldn't find my way back to my village. So I made the best of things. I went after pirates that were in the area. I had to earn money somehow..."

"So you got lost?"

"You don't have to put it like that!" Zoro snapped before sighing in defeat. Both men were really in the same boat... literally & figuratively. "Anyway..." he breathed. "What kind of a pirate doesn't know how to navigate a ship? It's ridiculous! At this rate, we'll never make it to the Grand Line. We've got to recruit a navigator as soon as possible."

"And we need a cook, and a musician, and-" Luffy began happily counting off all the "necessary" positions.

Zoro nearly popped a gasket. "Those can wait!"

There probably would've been more arguing if the two hadn't lacked the energy to go on. "I'm starving!" they both groaned as their stomachs rumbled loudly. They slumped down on the deck. Hopefully they would find something soon.

Neither was sure how long they lay there, staring at the sky while the wind blew their little ship wherever it desired, but eventually both drifted to sleep. When you're hungry and trapped on a ship, it's not like you can do much else. But the sounds of seagulls squawking loudly overhead roused Zoro. Shielding his eyes from the midday sun, he observed a flock of the noisy creatures swarming above them. With mild disinterest, he watched them swoop and dive down into the water, no doubt hunting for fish. Grumbling about how unfair it was that stupid birds could catch food when they couldn't, Zoro turned on his side, pillowing his head with his arm. Just as he was about the close his eyes to get some more sleep (to conserve resources, of course), he noticed something in the distance. A flash of green against the backdrop of blue. Zoro's eyes shot open and he sat up. There, only a few leagues away from them, was land. And even better, there was a large town along the shore.

Zoro grinned at their luck. "Luffy! Wake up!" Said rubber man groaned slightly, but made no other move to awaken. Zoro shook his shoulder vigorously. "Luffy!" he called again. The shaking seemed to work, and Luffy blinked up at the swordsman. He woke up a bit more when he noticed the grin on Zoro's face. "Look! Land!" Zoro eagerly pointed to the town.

Upon hearing this, Luffy sat up like a bolt, eyes wide as he beheld the most beautiful sight in the world - at least to two starving men. There was indeed a town in the distance. A huge grin stretched across Luffy's face. "Wa-hoo!" he shouted excitedly, almost jumping for joy. "Land! Food!" Gaining a sudden boost of energy from the promise of a good meal, Luffy scooped up the two oars and began rowing like a man possessed.

He propelled the ship so quickly, in fact, that Zoro's body jerked forward, almost braining him on the hull. Zoro scowled slightly, but didn't smack Luffy on the head like he probably deserved. The promise of food had him in too good a mood.

Thanks to Luffy's exuberant rowing, it didn't take the two long to moor their little boat at the harbor. Luffy was so giddy with excitement that he had a hard time concentrating on tying the boat up. Zoro had to snap at him a few times to calm him down so he could tie a half-decent knot. With that out of the way, Luffy was free to observe the town. It was a fairly large town, from what Luffy could see of it. If the amount of activity at the harbor was any indication, it seemed to have a bustling economy. Well-maintained cobblestone streets wound a path between old buildings made from dark masonry bricks. But oddly, there were large portions of the buildings that looked recent. Not like new buildings, but like repairs to whole sections of buildings had to be made frequently. The newer portions were obvious, the lighter and smoother stones standing out in sharp contrast to the more weathered stones around them. In fact, some buildings seemed to be in the process of being repaired, with wooden scaffolds lining the sides of the streets. But the seemingly constant repair didn't discourage people from bustling about town. Dozens of people were about, either working on construction or carrying about daily business.

"Alright!" Luffy exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "First, we eat! Then, we explore!" And before Zoro could protest, he went barreling through the town.

"Luffy! Wait!" Zoro had no choice but to give chase. But it was no easy task to keep up with his captain when he had food on his mind.

Unaware (or perhaps just unconcerned) that he was leaving his firstmate behind, Luffy ran through the streets. The buildings and people blurred past his vision. Fortunately, most people were able to get out of the way before being stampeded. Luffy had absolutely no idea where he was going. He was simply running through the streets, letting his nose guide him. 'Food, food, food, food...' Luffy mentally chanted like a mantra. Just then, the particularly succulent aroma of barbecuing pork reached his nose. Luffy inhaled deeply. "Food!" he shouted, practically drooling.

There, near the far end of the street, was a cozy little restaurant. By the entrance there was simply a sign with a pig with an apple in its mouth. It was a good bit smaller than the buildings surrounding it. It was only two stories. On the roof, Luffy could see a smoke stack with dark smoke rolling out. And it was from this smoke that the delicious smell was coming from. Luffy took another deep breath. It smelled so good. Grinning like a madman, Luffy plowed into the restaurant. And not figuratively. He just ran straight into the door, going beyond knocking the door of its hinges, bringing the whole frame in with him.

The waitress and owner of the restaurant, a plump, middle-aged woman with her blond hair up in a bun, gawked at the scene. She was unsure how to respond. She could only glance from where the door used to be to the boy sitting enthusiastically and innocently at her bar. Based on the expression on his face, he had no idea the sort of damage he'd just done.

"I'll have three orders of whatever smells so good!" the boy exclaimed, smiling warmly at the waitress. She was too stunned to do anything but nod and head to the back to retrieve his order.

Zoro found his captain already stuffing his face with (what admittedly looked tasty) barbecued pork. "You could've waited for me, Luffy," he scolded as he sat next to Luffy at the bar. In truth, Zoro had quickly lost sight of his captain as he went barreling through town. It wasn't until he heard the tell-tale sound of destruction that he was able to get back on track. Zoro may not have known Luffy for more than a few days, but it was quickly becoming apparent that the younger man had a natural penchant for destruction - especially when hungry. 'What have I gotten myself into?' he thought, not for the first time.

"Oh, Zoro!" Luffy managed around a huge chunk of meat. He took a second to swallow. "Sorry, but you were too slow. And this meat smelled sooo good."

Zoro glared at the boy, but figured it was pointless trying to argue. Instead, he went about flagging the waitress down.

Or at least he would have, had a loud clanking sound not interrupted him. Zoro turned to face... well, the hole... to see what the commotion was. It was getting louder, indicating that the source was getting closer, and it had the distinct sound of metal. Instinctively Zoro's hand slid to his swords.

A man decked out in iron-plated armor came into view. Ever vigilant, Zoro assessed the man. The armor was made of several large plates of iron with chainmail around the joints to allow for some extra mobility. The armor covered all of his chest and back, with plates added to his shoulders, forearms, and legs. Based on the insignia carved into the chestplate, Zoro assumed this was a military uniform. But the obvious wear on the armor indicated that it wasn't just for show. The armor had saved this man's life more than once. At the distance between them, he couldn't be sure what the insignia was, but it looked a bit like a stag with a snake's tail rearing up on its hind legs,

As for the man himself, he had tanned and weathered skin, making it hard to tell his exact age. His black hair was cut in a simple short style. The stubble indicated he hadn't shaved this morning. And the girth of his chest suggested that the longsword at his side wasn't just an accessory. No, this man was clearly a soldier.

Zoro hadn't noticed any Marine presence on the island so far. There was no towering base like at the last island. So it made sense that there would be some sort of private military protecting it from pirates and other ne'er-do-well. As the soldier gaped at the hole, Zoro mentally sighed. He really hoped they weren't going to get into trouble this early. He hadn't even gotten anything to eat yet.

"Another attack? And so soon?" he soldier muttered to himself, catching Zoro's attention. Attack? The soldier looked at something out of view of the hole. "What do you think, Abel?"

"Not likely," a feminine voice answer. As the mystery person came into view to get a better look at the damage, Zoro got a good look at her. She wasn't wearing armor like the man, but her clothing did give an air some military authority. She wore a black, military-esque trench coat held closed by three gold buttons on the left side. It hugged tightly to her torso before sweeping out around her hips, hanging to just above her knees. The collar of the trench was turned down and Zoro could see a dark maroon scarf underneath. A pair of simple, dark-wash skinny jeans was tucked into knee-high black boots that laced up the front. And even though they had a slight heel, the fact it was a wedge made them seem more practical than most of the things Zoro saw women wearing. Despite the casual appearance, the outfit still gave the impression of being like a uniform. Zoro wondered if maybe she was an officer in whatever military this place had. Marine officers often wore clothing different from the uniforms of the regular rank-and-file.

The rest of her appearance seemed practical as well. Her hair was a sable color, medium brown with gray undertones, and was kept pretty short. She parted it on the left side, causing the majority of her bangs to swoop across her forehead and down the far corner of her eye, with both sides framing her face. A single strand broke off from the rest and fell along the bridge of her nose down past her cheekbone. Her hair was actually in two lengths: the back part was kept at hairline length while the front part was slightly longer, going down past her chin. Zoro couldn't see the rest of her features, as she was turned to face the hole, but he did notice she has slightly pale skin. Not deathly pale, but enough to indicate she didn't spend a lot of time in the sun.

Addressing the soldier, the woman, Abel, explained, "The basilisk would've made a more circular hole. And there's no exit." She turned to face the inside. "Plus, the fact that no one inside is a corpse or a statue is a dead giveaway." That last statement should've probably been sarcastic, but with the woman's tone it sounded like she was being serious. Large, keen hazel eyes (veering slightly more towards green) did a quick scan of the interior. Zoro noticed a scar on the right side of her mouth, clearly from where she's split both of her lips at some point in the past. She looked only a bit older than them, maybe in her early twenties. It was hard to tell with her jacket on, but she seemed to have a slender yet solid build. Zoro would guess she was roughly his height.

"Then what else could've done this?" the soldier asked, frowning. He clearly didn't like the idea that something unknown was causing trouble in his town.

"Oh, that was me."

The soldier, the woman and Zoro all snapped their heads around to stare at Luffy, who had just announced his guilt as casually as if he had told them what his favorite color was. Zoro sweatdropped, hoping Luffy hadn't just landed them in the big house.

"Oh?" Abel asked, not sounded angry or outraged or any of the things Zoro was expecting. Hands in her pockets, she took a few long strides over the bits of wood and stone on the floor. As she did, Zoro thought he saw a pair of leather straps on both of her thighs. They reminded him of gun holsters, but with the trench in the way he couldn't be sure.

Zoro and Luffy watched as the woman approached them, Zoro cautious and Luffy curious. Staring down at Luffy, Abel asked, "And why exactly did you feel so inclined to do such a thing?"

Luffy grinned cheekily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, it was an accident. I was just so hungry, and the food here smelled so good." Zoro wanted to groan, but the woman just looked amused by his response.

"Abel." The woman turned her head to look at the soldier out of the corner of her eye. "What should we do? I'm pretty sure most of the town's repair funds have been used on the last attack."

Abel hummed in thought for a moment before turning to face the two men again. "Since you've been such an upstanding citizen so far, I'm sure you won't mind paying for the damage you caused." It was a statement, not a question.

"Sure!" Luffy agreed. "But we don't really have a lot of money." It was true. Between the two of them, they'd probably be lucky if they had enough to pay for Luffy's stomach.

The corner of Abel's mouth twitched up into a full-blown grin. Again, not the reaction Zoro was expecting. "Then I guess you'll just have to work for Mrs. Min until you've paid her back."

"Sure!" Luffy happily agreed again. Zoro face-palmed, drawing a chuckle out of the woman. At the sound, he glowered at her between his fingers, but she still seemed unaffected.

Instead, she asked, "Since that's settled, why don't you boys tell me your names?"

Luffy grinned at her. "My name's Monkey D. Luffy, and this is Zoro!" He waved his hand towards Zoro before placing it down on the stool cushion. "And we're pirates!" A few of the patrons in the restaurant screamed and the soldier drew his sword, pointing it threateningly at the two pirates. Zoro drew one of his swords halfway, showing that he wasn't looking for trouble but he would defend himself.

However, both Luffy and Abel seemed unconcerned with the commotion. "Put that away, Evrett," Abel mildly chided, not even turning to face him.

The soldier, Evrett, looked confused. "But they're pirates."

"If they're going to so boldly announce what they are, then they either mean us no harm... or they're too stupid to be a real threat." All three men blinked a few times before realizing that there was some truth to her statement. With some reluctance, Evrett sheathed his sword, causing Zoro to do the same. Abel smiled, glad the situation had been defused. "Now then, Luffy the Pirate, what brings you to Labyrinthe Isle?"

Luffy's eyes started to sparkle, and Zoro already knew what he was about to say. He'd had the same look when he'd told him back in the Marine courtyard. "We're on our way to the Grand Line to find the One Piece."

More gasps all around, and he even got a reaction from Abel as her eyes widened slightly. "Really?" She sounded skeptical but at the same time admiring Luffy's enthusiasm. She glanced between the two men in front of her. "If this is all of your crew, then I'm guessing you're just started your journey." She tilted her head slightly, for the first time truly examining Luffy. He didn't look like much, yet... "But if you somehow convinced the Pirate Hunter to become a turncoat, then maybe you'll stand a chance. Provided you can convince enough people to join you on your foray."

Luffy stared up at Abel for a moment before deciding, "You talk weird."

She grinned. "Weird is a matter of perspective. For instance..." She glanced over her shoulder at the mess behind her. "I find it weird that a person would break a door down rather than just opening it as it was designed." Luffy laughed uproariously, clearly being entertained by this strange woman. Casting the duo one last grin, she turned to face Evrett, who'd been standing by looking very awkward. "If there's nothing else, I should get back home."

"Sorry for bringing you out here for nothing," Evrett apologized, bowing his head as if he expected to get slapped.

"Don't worry about it," Abel dismissed as she stretched over the debris again. "Better to be safe than sorry."

"Is the doctor any closer to developing an antivenom?"

"Mmm..." Abel didn't frown, but she didn't look pleased other. "There's not enough venom in the samples to really make a serum from." Evrett sighed dishearteningly. Abel looked down the street as she added, "The only way we'll be able to make a proper antivenom is if we get a fang from the beast, but it's too risky. Unless you'd like to volunteer to be an impromptu dentist."

Evrett sputtered in shock and outrage at the irreverent comment. "Don't be daft!" Huffily, the soldier stomped away, muttering something rude about crazy women.

With her job seemingly done, Abel began to walk away as well. "Hey!" Luffy called before she was out of sight. The woman turned to face them again. She didn't say anything (like a normal person would, Zoro thought) but her expression clearly showed she was waiting patiently for Luffy to continue. "You never told us your name."

The strange woman smiled. Bending at the waist, she gave a fluid and regal bow. "Bastion Abel, unofficial advisor of defense for this beleaguered town."

To Be Continued...

Hope you guys enjoyed it. I won't make any promises about when the next update will be, but I'll try to work on the story a bit every day.