Two Piece: A One Piece Story

Chapter 10 (Syrup Village Arc: Part 1)

In the village known as Syrup Village, a small white dog with brown ears darted across the town, barking as if warning everyone about something ominous. Its frenzied yelps echoed through the narrow streets and caught the attention of two young boys who came running through the alleys, shouting in alarm, "Pirates are coming! Run for your lives!"

"Run for your lives, these pirates are as tough as they come!" yelled a boy named Usopp, who appeared to be about 17 years old. His curly, long dark brown hair was covered in a checkered bandanna, and he wore brown overalls with no shirt. Usopp stood out, primarily because of his extremely long nose that somewhat resembled Pinocchio's.

Exhausted, Usopp reached the town's central area. "I have one more thing to say..." he began, pausing dramatically before concluding with a mischievous grin, "Kidding!"

The townspeople, already in a state of panic, erupted in anger. An enraged villager even hurled a frying pan at Usopp, narrowly missing him.

"Why, you little...!" shouted one of the townsfolk.

Usopp took off once more, dashing away from the furious villagers.

Meanwhile, aboard the ship...

"So, let me get this straight... your Devil Fruit not only grants you super strength but speed as well?" inquired Nami, trying to grasp the full extent of Shiki's abilities.

"Yes, and yes," replied Shiki casually, reclining on the boat with his hands behind his head.

"I've been wondering about this... the rumors about Devil Fruits and not being able to swim in the ocean after consuming one... are they true?" Nami asked, intrigued.

"Yes, it's said that Devil Fruits were created by the Sea Devils, and whoever consumes one would be despised and rejected by the sea," Shiki confirmed.

"So, the rumors weren't lies," mused Nami thoughtfully.

"Absolutely true," Shiki confirmed with enthusiasm.

Nami stood up, "Well, that's all I wanted to know," and went to check on her treasure.

Shiki rose and sat next to his brother, engaging him in conversation. After Luffy and Shiki finished their chat, Nami cleared her throat, bringing their attention back to her.

"If we're planning to venture into the Grand Line, there's something crucial we'll need," stated Nami.

"Meat?" Luffy queried eagerly.

"Dumplings?" Shiki chimed in.

"Grog?" Zoro questioned.

Nami shot them a pointed look.

"What we need is a ship. We're close to an island with a town, maybe we can find a ship there," Nami suggested, emphasizing the importance of their next step.

"And meat, right?" Luffy piped in optimistically.

"Don't forget about the grog!" Zoro added with a grin.

"And the dumplings!" Shiki exclaimed cheerfully.

Meanwhile, back in Syrup Village, the angry mob had lost track of Usopp, leaving the young boy with a bit of breathing room.

"We'll get you, punk!" threatened one of the villagers, their rage echoing in the air.

Usopp found refuge, hiding amidst the branches of a nearby tree.

"It just keeps getting funnier by the day," chuckled Usopp to himself.

"Good morning, Captain!" greeted two voices from beneath the tree.