Daughter of the Sea (One Piece Live Action)

Episode 1 ROMANCE DAWN Part 2

10 YEARS AGO

The man sat perched by the pier's edge, his legs dangling and feet underwater. The wind played tricky notes, blowing tendrils of red strands into his eyes while he tried cleaning a rusty sword. He placed the small dagger he used to scrub the rust away between his teeth to adjust the straw hat on his head and tame the locks, when he sensed the movement of the wooden tiles behind him. Quiet steps, easily recognizable.

"Good morning." He smiled through his teeth at the sea without looking back. The girl lowered to sit next to him, her feet also dangling over the edge, but short enough to remain in the air. He took the dagger off his mouth and placed it down. He looked down at her, she stared back, a question obvious in her frown. "You're light as a feather." He explained pointing at her feet. The frown didn't disappeared from her face, the crashing waves in the distance a comforting background music in the otherwise silent pause.

"I want to be strong like you and Luffy."

"I'm a grown man." He irked his brows. She didn't bat an eye. "Luffy ate a Devil Fruit." He finished, going back to his work.

Then, the girl began to pant, stealing his attention again, rubbing silent tears off her eyes. He exhaled through his nose, placing the long blade and small dagger between them, before leaning on his hand to look down at her.

"What is it?" He asked with concern as she gasped for air. He tilted his head. "I'm not taking Luffy with me-"

"Can't you teach me to fight with a sword, Shanks? I promise I will not cut myself like Luffy did-"

"Coral."

"I will be good. I will never complain, not even if the crates are heavy and hurt my back."

He looked away to keep her from seeing the amused grin in his face, which would surely make her cry even more, before taking a deep breath and looking back with a serious face as she tried to contain the sobs.

"You won't ever need to fight-"

"I will. To become a pirate and join your crew too."

Shanks listened to her words. Surely she went around nodding at everything Luffy said, but this was the first time he'd heard her say that herself.

"And Luffy will become King of the Pirates, and I will defend him with my life because he's my little brother. He says he is."

"Alright." He groaned standing up in a swift motion. "Take it then." He pointed at the sword next to her.

That stopped her crying. She stared at the sword, her inner mind working miles per hour, before looking at the man, as if waiting for him to tell her he was joking. He waited patiently. She hurried onto her feet, rubbing her face.

She looked back down at the sword, her little jaw tightening at its sight, and rubbed her hands until they were as red as her cheeks. Then she knelt to retrieve it, grabbing the handle with both hands and beginning to raise it.

She remained in a squat, staring at it for a while. Her face contorted as her defeat settled in: it was too heavy. She let the handle drop with a big thud and covered her eyes.

The girl stood up and aimed to run away, but didn't advance much before she stumbled and fell on fours over the pier. She stayed there, hiding her face in her hair facing the humid wood, humiliated. The red haired man came to stand next to her and softly pulled her up from an arm. He knelt down to meet her distressed face.

"Beckman says it's because I'm a girl." She took the handkerchief he offered her and rubbed her wet cheeks. Shank cursed his crewmate under his breath, before smiling at the girl.