One Piece: Journey to the New Dawn

[Note:

" * " : Indicates abilities that can be upgraded with practice, experience, or unique opportunities.]

> System inner voice ["speaking"] <

> Ash inner speech "speaking" <

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Ash placed the suitcase on the table with a confident smirk, as if it alone was the answer to their question. However, other than Ash and the girls, no one could perceive its presence.

"You see, with this suitcase—" Ash began, but Genzo interrupted him, raising an eyebrow. "What suitcase?"

Ash blinked in confusion, then let out an exasperated sigh, slapping his forehead. "Ah, right, I forgot. This works like the tent; only we can see it initially." Calling Genzo forward, Ash took his hand and closed his eyes, concentrating to grant Genzo permission to perceive the suitcase. After stepping back, Genzo's eyes widened as the suitcase shimmered into visibility.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to this," Genzo muttered, shaking his head.

Ash then repeated the process for Kuma, Bellemere, Nami, and Nojiko, one by one, making sure each of them could see the suitcase. Once everyone could perceive it, Ash began explaining its functions, showcasing its incredible features. He then willed the suitcase to duplicate, creating three identical copies of the original.

To demonstrate, Ash opened one of the suitcases and, without warning, jumped in, disappearing entirely. The group gasped, eyes widening in shock, before Ash popped out of another suitcase besides it.

Lucy's eyes sparkled with awe. "Sugoi, Ash! That was amazing! Let me try!" she exclaimed excitedly, running toward the suitcase. Before Ash could respond, Lucy had already jumped in. Moments later, she emerged from another suitcase, giggling with excitement. She continued hopping between the suitcases like a game of whack-a-mole, each time popping up in a new spot.

Her antics left the others chuckling, though Ace quickly grew irritated. She stood by one of the suitcases, waiting for Lucy to emerge, and bonked her lightly on the head as she popped out. Grabbing her arm, dragged her out, much to Lucy's pouting protests.

The room erupted in laughter, the tension melting away as Lucy sulked. "It's not fair, I was having fun" she muttered, crossing her arms.

Ash turned to Bellemere with a confident smile. "So, Bellemere-san, with this suitcase, we can keep in contact with each other. We can send messages or even the money we planned to without anyone finding out. Nojiko can use it whenever she wants to meet you. What do you say?"

Before Bellemere could respond, Nami interjected with a pout, "Hey! Then what about me?"

Ash's expression shifted into a knowing look as his eyes glanced toward her left arm. "You know why you couldn't use this, right?" he said softly, his gaze lingering on her covered arm.

Nami stiffened, her face betraying unease as she instinctively moved her hand to cover her arm. She had been avoiding showing the mark ever since their arrival, but Ash's words made her self-conscious. Her actions didn't go unnoticed.

Bellemere narrowed her eyes, sensing something amiss. "Nami, what's he talking about?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Nami stammered, trying to dodge the question, her body visibly tense as she attempted to keep her arm hidden.

But Bellemere wasn't about to let it slide. With a determined look, she reached out, grabbing Nami's arm despite the girl's protests. In her effort to shield the mark, the fabric of Nami's sleeve tore slightly, exposing a part of her upper arm.

The room fell silent.

The unmistakable tattoo of the Arlong Pirates was now in plain view. Gasps filled the air from those who recognized the cruel emblem. Bellemere froze, her face a mix of shock and horror as her gaze fixed on the mark that marred her daughter's skin.

Ash and the girls remained composed, though the girls exchanged puzzled glances, unfamiliar with the significance of the tattoo. Ash, however, maintained a calm demeanor, silently observing the unfolding scene.

In the heavy silence that followed the revelation, Selina turned to Ash with a questioning look. "Ash," she asked softly, "what's so shocking about that tattoo?"

Ash's expression darkened slightly as he replied, "That's the crew symbol of the Arlong Pirates."

The girls' eyes widened in realization. Though they hadn't known the details before, they now understood the weight of the situation. Lucy, as usual, remained unfazed, her casual demeanor standing out in the tense atmosphere.

Bellemere broke the silence, her voice trembling as she stepped closer to Nami. "Nami… what have you done? Are you okay? Did Arlong… do something to you?"

Nami's eyes filled with tears, her lips quivering as she looked at her mother. "Mom… are you not angry?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Bellemere, seeing the pain and fear in her daughter's eyes, pulled her into a tight hug. "I will never be angry with you, Nami," she said gently. "Never. No matter what."

Hearing this, Nami broke down, clinging to her mother as sobs wracked her body. Nojiko stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder. "We're here for you, Nami," she said softly, her voice steady and full of support.

After a few minutes, once Nami had calmed down slightly, Bellemere gently pulled back to look her in the eyes. "Now, tell me what happened," she said. "Why did you have to make this decision?"

Nami hesitated, her hands trembling as she struggled to find the words. Seeing her reluctance, Bellemere smiled softly, brushing her daughter's hair. "Whatever it is," she reassured her, "I'll support you. I'll never hate you, no matter what."

Genzo nodded firmly from his place. "We're all behind you, Nami".

Encouraged by their words, Selina and the other girls stepped forward, offering their own supportive gestures. Ash, standing slightly apart, gave Nami a small, reassuring smile. "You don't have to say it all at once," he said gently. "We're here when you're ready."

Kuma remained silent, as a quiet observer of the emotional scene unfolding before him. His calm gaze rested on Nami, offering an unspoken sense of solidarity and protection.

Nami's voice trembled as she began, "After you were… killed, Arlong took me to their base. I saw a Marine ship approaching the island, and I thought they'd save us. But… Arlong and his crew destroyed it so easily. After that, I knew the Marines wouldn't come back. Not after seeing how powerful Arlong was."

She paused, clenching her fists, her voice tightening. "Then he asked me to draw maps of islands for him. I didn't know what else to do, so I made a deal. He said if I could give him 100 million belis, he'd let me buy the village's freedom. Until then, I had to be his cartographer. I thought… this way, I could save everyone."

Bellemere and Kuma exchanged knowing looks, fully understanding the cruel game Arlong was playing. Bellemere's hands clenched as her heart ached for her daughter. Ash stepped forward, his expression firm. "Nami, you know he won't keep his promise, right? He's just using you."

Nami's lips quivered as she replied, "No… he promised. He said he would." But even as she spoke, doubt filled her voice.

Bellemere stepped closer; her voice gentle but firm. "Nami, Ash is right, Arlong won't fulfill his end of the deal. He's playing with you, knowing how much you want to protect the village. Seeing how you're talented at drawing maps, he's using that—and your heart—to get what he wants."

Nami's composure broke, tears streaming down her face. "I hate him, Mom! I hate him!" she sobbed, cursing Arlong and everything he had done. Bellemere, Nojiko, and the girls immediately moved to console her, offering comforting words and embraces.

After a moment, Ash spoke again, his tone determined. "Nami, how about we take revenge on him? You keep working with him, act as part of his crew."

Genzo and Nojiko immediately protested. "That's too dangerous!" Genzo exclaimed, but Ash held up his hand. "Hear me out. We're already planning to take him down in time. Nami is already in his crew, and Arlong doesn't know what's happened since then. Nami, you can act as a spy. Do what he says, gain his trust, and make him believe you're still under his control."

Ash turned to Nami; his eyes resolute. "When you go out to sea, you can visit our island occasionally. Train with us. Become stronger. You can do his work, but at the same time, prepare to fight back. What do you say?"

Nami hesitated, her mind spinning with the weight of the decision. Nojiko, standing beside her, spoke up. "I want to train too. I don't want to sit on the sidelines while everyone else fights to help. I want to protect my sister, our village. Mom, please!" Tears glistened in her eyes as she turned to Bellemere.

Bellemere struggled to respond, torn between her protective instincts and her daughters' determined resolve.

Before she could speak, Nami wiped her tears and stood straighter, looking at her mother. "Mom, you've always said we shouldn't let anyone beat us. If they do, they should be punished for what they've done. Arlong beat us. He played with our weaknesses. Why shouldn't we do the same to him? He's a bad guy, right?"

Her voice cracked, but she pressed on. "I don't want to lose you again, Mom. I don't want to feel that fear of being powerless. I want to become strong."

Bellemere's tears fell freely as she pulled both of her daughters into a tight embrace. "I understand," she whispered. "I'm so proud of you both."

Bellemere's voice rang with conviction as she declared, "I have decided. I won't let my girls face this alone. Kuma-san, I want to join the Revolutionary Army, Can I join? But I want to make one thing clear—this is my fight for my village. I don't want to drag revolutionary into it. All I ask is for your help to make me stronger. I can't let my daughters face that monster without me."

Her determination was palpable, and Genzo couldn't help but smile, though worry was etched across his face. Nami and Nojiko rushed forward, throwing their arms around Bellemere. She laughed warmly, hugging them back.

Kuma gave a thoughtful nod before replying, "Bellemere-san, the Revolutionary Army will welcome you with open arms."

Bellemere extended her hand, shaking Kuma's firmly as she nodded her thanks. Genzo, his voice heavy with concern, asked, "Bellemere, are you sure about this? You used to be a Marine. Are you really ready to take this path?"

Bellemere turned to him, a faint smile gracing her lips. "Genzo, don't worry. Justice isn't confined to the Marines. It's about doing what's right. There are so many villages and islands out there suffering like ours, under some kind of tyranny. I want to be part of the cause that helps them, just as I'll help take back Cocoyashi."

While the adults spoke, the girls stood together, murmuring among themselves. Suddenly, Lucy jumped up, her fist in the air. "Yosh! Let's do it!"

Ace turned to Nami and Nojiko with a serious expression. "Nami, Nojiko, we have discussed and decided that…"

Selina added with a grin, "We would like to officially invite you both to join…"

Uta followed suit, smiling warmly. "…as our navigator and vanguard fighter."

Lucy, ever enthusiastic, chimed in. "Join us! We'll have adventures together. What do you say?"

Nami, Nojiko, and the adults were stunned by the sudden proposition. Ash crossed his arms, feigning irritation. "Hey! I'm also the captain here. Don't you need my approval first?"

Lucy turned to him, puffing out her cheeks. "Meanie Ash! So, what! I'm also the captain! I've decided—they're joining whether you like it or not!" She stuck out her tongue, ran over to Nami and Nojiko, and hugged them tightly.

Ace smirked, crossing her arms. "What's wrong, Ash? You don't want them to join?"

Ash stammered, "No, it's not that…"

Selina interrupted, feigning disappointment. "Ash, I didn't know you were so heartless."

Uta added with a dramatic sigh, "I thought you were better than this, Ash."

Ash, flustered, tried to respond. "B-but…I…"

Genzo chuckled, patting Ash on the shoulder. "Leave it, Ash. You can't win against them."

Nami and Nojiko smiled warmly, their voices soft. "We don't know what to say. Thank you for inviting us."

Bellemere smirked and turned to Genzo. "Speaking of thanks… Genzo, I too didn't properly thank you for trying to protect my girls."

Nami and Nojiko turned to Ash with matching sly grins. "Yes, Ash, we also haven't thanked you for bringing back our mom."

Bellemere leaned in toward Genzo with a playful tone. "Should I repay you with my body?"

Nami and Nojiko echoed, "Should we thank you with our bodies, Ash?"

The teasing was too much for Genzo and Ash, who turned red, their jaws dropping as their shark-teeth expressions emerged. "DON'T SPOUT NONSENSE!" they yelled in unison.

Uta giggled, looking at Nami and Nojiko. "So, you're joining us, right?"

With renewed determination, Nami and Nojiko smiled. "Yes, we will!"

"But wait," Nami hesitated. "I'm still part of Arlong's crew."

Selina shook her head firmly. "Nami, don't forget—you're our navigator now. With Arlong, you're just a spy. Nothing more."

Uta stepped closer, her voice gentle. "You're part of our family now, our sister."

Ace clenched her fist. "If anyone messes with one of us—"

Lucy shouted, finishing the sentence, "—then they mess with all of us!"

Overwhelmed with emotion, Nami and Nojiko agreed wholeheartedly, "We'll join your crew!"

Lucy jumped with joy. "Yosh! We've got two more crew members!" She turned to Ash with a triumphant grin. "And now I don't need your boring navigation lessons anymore, Ash! Bleh! You always made my head hurt making me learn all that!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and even Ash couldn't help but smile. In the back of his mind, though, himself. "I already wanted Nami to join since she's meant to be part of the crew in the future anyways, but I didn't expect the girls to invite both her and Nojiko. Well… this might work out better than I thought."

Ash approached Nami and Nojiko with a wide grin, his tone playful. "Welcome aboard, ladies. So, how about a proper thank-you for your dashing rescuer?" he teased, leaning slightly closer teasingly.

Uta, not missing a beat, bonked him on the head. "Ash, behave!" she scolded, twisting his ear.

Selina joined in with a mock stern expression, grabbing his other ear. "Honestly, you never learn, do you?"

Ash winced in exaggerated pain, waving his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"

The entire group burst into laughter at his predicament. Even Nami and Nojiko couldn't help but giggle at the scene. After a few moments, everyone settled down, taking their seats again.

Ash placed one suitcase in his inventory from the table, "Alright, let's get down to business," he began. He then handed the remaining three one each to Genzo, Nojiko, and Kuma.

"Genzo-san, this is for you. Nojiko, this is yours. And Kuma-san, please deliver this to Dragon-san. It will make it easier for us to travel to base to get our training or to meet Bellemere-san or you guys can send money to Genzo for the village."

Ash then faced Nojiko. "Keep your suitcase somewhere safe at home. You can use it to reach us or visit Bellemere-san whenever you want."

He turned to Nami next. "You'll use ours when you come to train with us, for now don't use the one in your house. That way, Arlong and his goons won't get suspicious if you suddenly vanish from village."

Finally, he addressed Genzo. "Genzo-san, keep yours in a secure place where you can send messages or access money without anyone doubting you."

All three nodded in agreement, appreciating the thoughtful planning.

Ash reached into his inventory and pulled out a sleek vial filled with a shimmering glowing liquid. "And...Genzo-san, drink this," he instructed.

Genzo hesitated but eventually took a sip. Within moments, his wounds disappeared entirely, leaving him speechless. "W-What is this?"

"It's an advanced healing potion," Ash explained. "Don't worry, not even a scar will remain."

Bellemere, observing with a frown, asked, "But if the fishmen notice his sudden recovery, won't it seem suspicious?"

Ash smirked, pulling a small ring from his inventory. "I thought of that too, Bellemere-san."

Handing the ring to Genzo, Ash instructed, "Put it on and think about how you looked before drinking the potion."

Genzo complied, and to everyone's amazement, his old wounds and scars reappeared same as before. Nami and Nojiko gasped, astonished.

Ash reassured them with a chuckle. "Don't worry, it's just an illusion. He can dispel it at any time."

He then handed identical rings to Nami, Nojiko, and Bellemere.

"Bellemere-san," Ash continued, "if you're joining the Revolutionary Army, there's a chance the Marines might link your face to your past. That could compromise the plan if Arlong or his men finds out somehow. Use this ring to change your appearance."

Bellemere nodded gratefully. "I hadn't thought of that. Thank you, Ash."

"For you two," Ash said, turning to Nami and Nojiko, "You two should also wear them. Training with us will bring noticeable changes, and this will help you avoid suspicion off any training or physical changes hidden from the fishmen. They won't suspect a thing."

Both girls nodded, thanking him sincerely.

Ash continued, addressing all four, "Also just know that these rings are indestructible, self-cleaning, and can't be removed unless you want them to be. Even if you're knocked out, the illusion stays active. You can also make them invisible—just imagine it disappearing."

They tried it, and the rings vanished from sight, surprising them again.

"Wow!" Lucy exclaimed. "It's just like my gauntlets!" Nojiko grinned. "That's so cool."

Ash laughed. "Now you don't have to worry about anyone discovering the rings."

Nami stepped forward, her expression warm. "Ash, I don't know what would've happened to us if you weren't here. Thank you."

Ash, the teasingly, smirks at her. "Oh, just a thank you? I was hoping for a kiss."

To his surprise—and everyone else's—Nami blushed but then darted forward, kissing him on the cheek. She quickly retreated, sitting beside Nojiko, her face crimson.

Ash touched his cheek in stunned silence as laughter erupted around him again.

Uta, noticing Ash's flustered reaction to Nami's kiss, wasted no time bonking him on the head again. "Idiot! How many times have I told you not to flirt? And now you even got a kiss—right in front of your girlfriend!"

Her words caused Nami and Nojiko to freeze, their eyes widening in shock. A faint blush crept up Nami's face as a tug of mixed emotions pulled at her heart. Nojiko, similarly affected, found herself turning red, a reaction which Bellemere noticed with a knowing smirk.

Ash, caught off guard, stammered, "Uta, I-I didn't expect her to actually kiss me!"

Uta huffed, crossing her arms and pouting as she turned away from him, refusing to meet his gaze. "Hmph, I don't want to hear it!"

Ash trying to appease her says "You'll always be my girlfriend…" and then leaned closer to her, whispering softly, "…and maybe even my wife one day."

Hearing this, Uta's cheeks turned bright red. She jabbed him lightly and muttered, "You... idiot…" before sitting down, still blushing.

Selina, with a sly smile grinned mischievously. "Oh? And what about us, Ash? Who are we to you?"

Ash froze, his face turning red as he tried to come up with an answer. Ace, blushing slightly, avoided his gaze, while Lucy, to his surprise, also turned red, fidgeting shyly.

Bellemere burst into laughter, seeing them. "Wow, Ash. I thought you were a good guy, but you turned out to be quite the playboy, aren't you? And now you're even eyeing my daughters! Should I expect some grandkids in the future? Just so you know, you've got my approval."

"MOM!" Nami and Nojiko yelled simultaneously, their faces crimson with embarrassment.

The adults—Bellemere, Genzo, and Kuma—laughed heartily at the kid's flustered reactions.

After the playful banter subsided, the conversation shifted to lighter topics. Lucy eagerly demonstrated her Devil Fruit abilities, showing off her abilities with enthusiasm.

Uta followed with a beautiful song, and at the girl's request, Ash joined in, harmonizing with her. The cheerful singing and laughter filled the tent as the night wore on.

Eventually, the group decided to rest. It was past midnight, and everyone found a place to sleep. The girls took the largest room with a big bed, where Bellemere joined them.

Kuma settled into another room surprisingly with a bed that suited his size. Genzo and Ash each took smaller rooms for themselves, enjoying the quiet after the lively evening.

The night ended on a warm, peaceful note, with everyone feeling weight of the day.

To be continued...

Hey everyone! I'm always looking for ways to make this story even better, and I'd love to hear your ideas. What powers do you think should be available in Ash's store? Maybe you have some cool concepts for abilities, weapons, or items that could make the adventure even more exciting!

Feel free to drop your suggestions in the comments, and if there's anything specific, you'd love to see in future chapters, let me know! I might even integrate your ideas into the story.

Also, don't forget to give some Power Stones if you're enjoying the journey! Your support means the world. 😊