One Piece Zero- Prologue

Prologue: The Beginning of the Beginning
A large group of men and women had gathered at the shore of a small island located in the south blue. Mist surrounded them, and their figures were hard to make out because of this, though the various cloaks and other garments they wore didn't help much either. Just off the shore stood a large pirate ship of truly epic proportions, and it seemed that preparations to board were being made.

"Captain," one of the men whispered, "are you sure we should be leaving?"

"You didn't even go to the execution," another added.

The man at the lead of the group, his figure almost invisible due to the combination of the fog, night sky, and the black cloak he was wearing, shook his head slowly. "He wouldn't want me there."

"But Captain-"

"Enough!" the man barked, then relaxed slightly. "We're gonna shoot straight for the top now, boys, and if we're gonna get anywhere, we'd best start now." He paused, as if considering something, "but first..."

The man walked away from his men, making his way into the thicket of forest that had taken root just before the shore. He kept moving, pushing ever onward, until he reached a small clearing, with only a simple sapling growing in the middle. Reaching into the folds of his cloak, the man pulled out a brilliant white scarf, then leaned down. With great care he wrapped the scarf around the sappling.

Satisfied with his work, the man stood once more, then quickly made his way back to his men, heading towards the ship at a brisk pace. "Let's go," he said simply.

"What were you doing, Captain?" one of them asked.

Their Captain paused again, staring up at the ship, then turning his head to stare at the village in the distance.

"Entrusting my will."

---

3 days earlier...

Silence filled the large square at Loguetown as the Pirate King, Gold Roger himself, was led to the execution platform. The silence persisted as he was sat down, and the two soldiers on either side of him raised their blades, preparing to cleave his head from their shoulders. Den Den Mushis from various news sources and reporters awoke, broadcasting the execution to the other Blues.

The soldiers tensed slightly, then raised their blades. However...

"Hey, Pirate King!"

A small boy stepped out of the crowd, pointing up at the still-grinning Roger.

"Where'd you hide your treasure, huh? What happened to it?!"

The Pirate King let out a small chuckle, then spoke.

"You want my treasure? SURE! But first... you have to find it. I left everything I own-"

"Execute him!" one of the commanding officers yelled at the two soldiers, "hurry!"

"-IN ONE PIECE!" the Pirate King cried, only seconds before the two blades made contact with his neck.

---

Some time after Roger's execution...

The young boy grinned, as he leaped off the shores of his home island, landing smoothly in a small rowboat that he had been preparing for quite awhile. He had neon green hair, and wore a simple outfit consisting of a white tank-top with blue jeans and worn blue mocassins. Despite his hair, however, his other notable feature was a brilliant, long white scarf that hung around his neck.

The boy surveyed the wide, open expanse of ocean before him, and let his grin become larger. Throwing his arms up into the sky, he called out, as loudly as he could:

"I'M GONNA BECOME PIRATE KING! I'M REALLY REALLY GONNA DO IT!"

And thus, the pirate Dhahaka D. Knave set out on his journey.