Fanfic / Tomorrow's Romance Dawn

Tomorrow's Romance Dawn is a One Piece Fan Fiction detailing the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as they explore a mysterious new island, Kāla. When does it take place? Before Punk Hazard... AND before Alabasta. It's an adventure spanning two different timelines and involving two different sets of Straw Hats. After years of inactivity, the story is back, now being revamped its author, The Otaku With Hazel Eyes (formerly X-Chick303).

The Straw Hats have left Drum, ready to take on Baroque Works in Alabasta. However, upon making a pit stop at a fog-covered 'mystery island', they come across something they never expected to find, even on the Grand Line: an older Zoro! Now they must locate the rest of the future Straw Hats, as well as keep an ancient treasure out of the hands of bounty hunters. Can they come together despite the secrets between them, or will the crew be lost to the seas of time itself?

The original version can be found here.

The new, edited version can be found on AO3 and Fanfiction.

Hazel's OC drabble series, Before Dawn, can be found here, but the author has admitted she'll be editing it soon as well.

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Tomorrow's Romance Dawn contains examples of:

Original Version (SPOILERS!)

• Action Girl: Nami, Vivi, Future Nami, Future Robin, Erity, and Yari.
  • Siobhan can be considered one as well, since it is mentioned that she bit at the Carrion Bounty Hunters' boss several times before they locked her in her steel cage. Also, in Chapter 23, she claims she was the strongest in her village and her people are warriors born.
• Adaptation Expansion: In a review special, Runo and Yari are shown to have met Princess Vivi and King Cobra some time ago, the meeting having a large impact on their future.
  • Vaughan reveals he was present when the Straw Hats fought the Pacifista, but left after Kizaru showed up.
  • In recent chapters, it is hinted Erity had something to do with the two years Sanji spent training on Momoiro Island.
• And I Must Scream: Yari and Runo have a tendency to turn people into toys for themselves with their Devil Fruit powers. Now, for Runo, who uses his Hypno-Hypno Fruit powers, it's not really that bad; the victims aren't fully aware of the situation. The same cannot be said for Yari, who uses her Nerve-Nerve Fruit powers to put her victims in full-body paralysis.
• Answer Cut: Chapter 23 utilizes this as the Straw Hats discuss the bounty hunters. A character or the narrator will ask a question, and in a scene cut, one of the hunters or the narration will provide a response.
• Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: In the 200 Review Special, Vaughan at one point wants a distraction from remembering his past. His ideas are as follows: a pirate attack, a marine coup, or a flash mob.
• Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Vaughan, who wields the power of the Blood Blood Fruit, looks very similar to a vampire and is mistaken for one by Luffy. That doesn't make him a vampire, though. That's just being prejudiced about his appearance.
• A Taste of Their Own Medicine: Erity gets some long-desired "comeuppance" against Presley in The Blood and the Gauntlet by using the island's abnormality against him in the exact same way he did against her and Vaughan.
• Badass Normal: Erity, in the sense that she is the only member of the lieutenants without any Devil Fruit powers or Haki. She makes up for it with her Rokushiki, though.
• Berserk Button:
  • Yari's reaction when the past Zoro, Usopp, Vivi, and Future Brook managed to land the first cut she'd been given in the past three years. Extreme violence ensues.
  • For Erity, it's implying she's older than the age she claims to be.
  • When Luffy realizes that Vaughan almost killed Future Zoro.
  • Future Zoro's berserk button remains the same, that anyone hurting his crew will invoke his anger.
• Blood from the Mouth: Blood flies out of Vaughan's mouth when Past Luffy lands a lucky hit on his gut during their fight.
  • Nami as well when Erity knees her in the stomach.
• Bloody Murder: The Chi Chi no Mi, or Blood Blood Fruit. It allows Vaughan to manipulate blood, such as hardening spilled blood into weapons or hardening his own as a subdermal armor. He can even make people float by lifting them by their blood vessels, and use that same ability to make People Puppets. Given the diverseness of Devil Fruit abilities, this may only be the tip of iceberg for him.
• Boom Head Shot: How "Tattoos" dies. Granted, he was hypnotized and did it to himself, but still...
• Brainwashed and Crazy: Runo uses his Hypno-Hypno abilities to make several Future Straw Hats (Nami, Sanji, Chopper, and Franky) attack their comrades. So far, only Future Chopper has been freed due to a blow to the head, but it appears that Past Zoro has become a victim, too.
• Break the Cutie: Past Luffy. From his crewmates being viciously attacked to his Curb-Stomp Battle at the hands of Vaughan, the rubber man can't seem to catch a break.
• Bring My Red Jacket: Vaughan apparently has a reputation for causing disproportionate amounts of bloodshed, and given the nature of his powers, it's not surprising. But coincidentally, Vaughan does indeed wear a red leather jacket.
• Call-Back: With the past Straw Hats meeting their future selves, the story can feel like one big Call Back, but here are a few notable examples.
  • Vaughan rattles off Luffy's "rap sheet" in Chapter 13, mentioning overthrowing Crocodile, Enies Lobby, and taking World Nobles "hostage."
  • Zoro telling Runo in Camp Assault Part 1 that this wasn't the first time he'd been tied to a pole and had an idiot talk nonsense in front of him. Only difference here was he wasn't going to join his crew in the end.
  • In Chapter 14, Lysopp says it's like "the incident with the seahorse" all over again. This calls back to the Ocean's Dream filler arc.
  • Chapter 18 calls back to the Rainbow Mist and Goat Island filler arcs from the anime.
• Call-Forward: This being a time travel fanfic, there are many chances to do this. The best example is when Past Luffy claims he wants a zombie on the crew in the first chapter, and everyone shoots him down. He tries to argue that what if it was a musician, because they still needed one. Past Zoro replies:
  Past Zoro: Fine, Luffy. If we find one of the undead who just happens to be a musician, we'll take him into consideration.
  • Yari making an off-hand comment about Robin making a lovely doll. Cue the Dressrosa Arc...
  • Lysopp complaining about not having Haki, and Tony telling him it might pop-up later. Again, cue Dressrosa Arc...

• Cliffhanger: The author seems to be getting kicks out of torturing her readers with these.
• Cloudcuckoolander: Vaughan shows signs of this, such as pondering over the origin of Whitebeard's epithet while Erity was trying to bash his skull in for letting hostages go.
• Comically Missing the Point: After Future Robin finishes telling the legend of the island in order for the group to better understand their situation, this is the first thing Sanji says:
  Past Sanji: ... So this whole time there's been a hot priestess somewhere on this island?!
  Tony and Lysopp: THAT'S WHAT YOU GOT OUT OF THAT STORY?!
  • Vaughan does this whenever someone calls him a bastard, immediately pointing out his parents were married. Though whether or not he's being serious or is just trying to irritate the speaker remains to be seen.
• Continuity Nod:
  • Erity claiming that she wouldn't perform a task even if offered the bounties of Monkey D. Dragon and his son combined. This nods to the fact their relation is common knowledge post-timeskip.
  • Future Nami receiving a physical from Tony in the first review special after being "re-aged", noting that the events of the story take place right after Film Z.
  • Similarly, Chopper expresses concern over Sanji's back when Roronoa knocks the latter into the Merry's mast. Sanji had injured his back on Drum Island, which is where the past crew is coming from.
  • In the second review special, Yari complains that the bounty-hunting business has plummeted thanks to "that annoying Warlord." This omake takes place around the time the drought in Alabasta was starting and Crocodile was putting himself in the country's good graces.
• Corner of Woe: Tony enters one when Vivi admits she can't tell the difference between him and his younger self.
  • Runo and Yari enter one whenever their childhood is brought up.
• Crazy-Prepared: Vaughan proves to be this in a way. He claims his mentor taught him that a wide skill set is crucial on the Grand Line, even something as simple as lock-picking. He also, after eating his devil fruit, immediately worked on gaining a tolerance for sea prism stone. It kind of worked.
• Covered in Scars: Roronoa is described to be as such when the Past Straw Hats see him after Chopper finishes examining him aboard the Merry.
• Cruel to Be Kind: Luffy contemplates at one point whether some of Vaughan's actions are this, such as tranqulizing Roronoa or the advice he gave during their duel. When he can't decide, the rubberman resolves to ask him about it after he kicks his butt.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: The authors uses these to emphasize the difference in power between those from the past and those post-3D2Y.
  • Vaughan vs Past Luffy. The former comes out with only minor injuries and the latter nearly dies. Luckily, Vaughan gave Luffy his blood back. Makes Sense In Context.
  • Yari's attack on the Merry is this initially. This changes when Franky arrives and Brook manages to land a critical blow on her.
  • Past Sanji's brief fight with Roronoa, if you want to call it that. The future swordsman never even had to draw his blades.
  • Zoro vs hypnotized Future Sanji. Zoro didn't even last thirty seconds.
• Dark and Troubled Past:
  • Vaughan definitely has one. He tells Erity in the main story his home island was attacked by pirates when he was kid, leading to his back scars. In The Blood and the Gauntlet Part 4, it is revealed that the White Rose Pirates were the culprits. A moment of the attack is shown, and it definitely puts the dark in dark and troubled past.
  • Runo and Yari have one, but it's played mostly for comedic effect. Whenever someone brings it up, they slump over with depression clouds over their heads.
• Deadpan Snarker: Pretty much everyone gets a chance to be this, though major offenders include Vaughan and Siobhan.
• Dragon with an Agenda: Vaughan is spelled out as this quite clearly from the start; easily the most competent and composed of all of the bounty hunters, but he doesn't seem to have much respect towards his boss. And Chapter 23 reveals that the masquerade of trust and respect that Vaughan shows him and the distrust that he hides are both reciprocated perfectly by Carrion.
• Dreaming of Things to Come: Several of the Past Straw Hats, once arriving on the island, have dreams of events that happen to their future selves. Or, in Vivi's case, someone who had a big impact of their future. It is still unclear what is causing this.
  • Luffy dreams of saying goodbye to Ace in Alabasta, being rescued by Ace at Marineford (though he doesn't know Ace was the one who saved him), and the Straw Hats' separation at Sabaody.
  • Usopp dreams of his duel with Luffy in Water 7 and the Going Merry arriving at the Bridge of Hesitation.
  • Vivi dreams of Luffy rescuing Robin from the royal tomb.
• Eldritch Location: Kāla Island. It can exist in two different time periods at the same time.
• Elegant Gothic Lolita: Yari. The narrator actually mentions this in the description of her.
• Even Evil Has Standards:
  • Runo on three accounts- when he tells Zoro that he's not so low as to do anything indecent to a hypnotized Future Nami and when he claims in an omake he wanted to send Crocodile that messenger's severed hand, not head. The third is that Runo does not like killing with his devil fruit powers- that is, hypnotizing people into killing themselves. One can presume this is because they are not aware it is happening and can't even defend themselves.
  • Erity does not approve of the way the Creepy Duo turns people into toys, and wishes their boss would make them stop.
• Every Scar Has a Story: Vaughan. He has thin one on his right cheek and a mass of third-degree-burn scars on his back. Though the latter is worse, he has no problem explaining to Erity how he got them. It's the one on his face he refuses to speak of. It may be revealed later on though.
• Everybody Smokes: Carrion, Erity, and Vaughan are all known to be smokers, though the latter two only do so occasionally.
• Experimental Archeology: It appeared that one of Vaughan's goals before the story's start was to prove the legends about Kāla Island's existence were true, but in recent chapters, it shows that there may be more to it.
• Extreme Doormat: Several of the Straw Hats become this due to Yari's Nerve-Nerve Fruit powers.
• Eyepatch After Timeskip: Roronoa, being the post-3D2Y Zoro (though he doesn't actually wear an eyepatch). The past crew in the earlier chapters really want to know how he lost his eye.
• Fantastically Indifferent: When told that they are on an island with a version of the crew from two years in the past, most of the Future Straw Hats are rather indifferent. They simply claim that since joining the crew, they come to expect the unusual to happen and take it as it comes. Also, several admit this is not the weirdest thing Luffy's dragged them into.
• First Blood: When the Going Merry Retrieval and Shipwright Location group gangs up on Yari, they manage to cut her cheek. It bleeds after a delay, not only being the first wound in the fight, but also being the first wound Yari has received in three years. See Berserk Button above.
• Forgot I Couldn't Swim: Runo. He tried to jump into the ocean, despite the fact that he ate a Devil Fruit, after realizing Yari was in danger of drowning.
• Future Me Scares Me: While he's not explicitly scared of Roronoa and the rest of the future crew, Zoro admits that he doesn't like what they might represent. He especially doesn't like that Roronoa is definitely hiding something. Though, he has a bad reaction after looking Roronoa in the eye after calling him out on this. This causes him to be determined to learn the truth.
• Groin Attack: Vivi delivers one to hypnotized Franky in chapter 20. Though the author describes it as Vivi attacking a part of his "anatomy that had been viciously abused on at least one other occasion."
• Heavy Sleeper: Carrion. Vaughan states that the last time they accidentally woke him up it involved ten Thrust-Up Streams, a Sea King attack, and Runo blowing up their entire supply of gunpowder.
• I'm Not Here to Make Friends: Vaughan's initial attitude towards the Carrion Bounty Hunters in the prequel. But given the nature of the story and what happens in TRD, that's going to change.
• In Spite of a Nail: The author has stated that despite their impromptu time-travel adventure, the Straw Hats' history will not be altered, for events are progressing as they should.
• Insult to Rocks: In the third review special, Vaughan tosses Runo overboard. When reprimanded, he admits it may have been uncalled for. After all, the ocean hadn't done a single thing to deserve Runo being dunked into it.
• Ironic Name: In the second prequel chapter, Erity thinks about how islands in the New World are always given titles for a reason. Except, according to her, Styxus- the Island of Perpetual Suffering. Apparently it's actually a very nice place and she has no idea how it got that name.
• Jerkass Ball: Robin, surprisingly enough. When she meets the Past Straw Hats, she acts rather condescending to Vivi, much like her Ms. All Sunday persona. It is hinted by Roronoa that she did this in order to get Vivi to attack her, but Robin denies it.
• Jerkass Has a Point:
  • It has been noted several times that Vaughan is something of a jerk, but he has made several points that Luffy had to agree with, such as he would risk losing his crew if he persisted with his current impulsive behavior.
  • Future Zoro was harsh about it but he is absolutely right that the past Straw Hats aren't strong enough to fight the New World bounty hunters. He also snapped at Past Chopper who recklessly tried to stop his rampaging future self against his orders.
• Lampshade Hanging: The first two parts of the story is mostly the crew and the bounty hunters wandering around the island's jungle. Since this naturally gets repetitive, it results in this quote from Erity when Saffron suggests they use Siobhan to find the treasure:
  Erity: Ugh, can we please just do that! This whole "running around the jungle blindly" thing is getting old!
• Logical Weakness: Vaughan, when using Sanguine Armament (a technique that hardens his blood into a subdermal armor), cannot move. This makes sense in that hardening all the blood in his body would effectively lock all his limbs and joints into place. He gets around it by being able to deactivate it pretty quickly if need be.
  • Word of God states that Runo's hypnosis needs several factors to work properly- the intended target must be able to fully see and hear him. If they can't see the colors he uses or his movements, the most he can do is talk to them and plant suggestions. Blind people or even people missing one eye are not effected. Additionally, if they can only see him but not hear him, the most he can do is put them into a trance- he wouldn't be able to give them commands.
• Long List: The beginning of chapter 18 had Robin listing off basically everything that had happened in the story thus far. It takes up an entire paragraph.
• Major Injury Underreaction: Zoro after his arm is paralyzed. He does not react beyond commenting that it was "not good." Granted, he reasons that it was nothing to get worked up about because it was caused by Yari's Devil Fruit powers, therefore temporary.
• Meaningful Name: Averted, in the case of the lieutenants. The author openly admits that when choosing her OCs' names, she chose purely on the concept of how they sounded and only found out their true meanings later down the line.
  • Yari and Runo's surname, mentioned below in the Shout Out section, references 1001 Arabian Nights. This is meaningful in that the twins are from Alabasta, a country with Arabic and Egyptian elements in it. The twins' father, Baba Shar, was named after a character in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
  • The Sankalpa Tribe. 'Sankalpa" is a Hindu word meaning "willpower." And according to the writings Robin discovers in the Lesser Ruins, they appeared to have a proficiency with Haki...
  • "Kāla" in Sanskrit means "time."
  • Siobhan's surname, Piranha. In chapter 23, she explains that in her tribe, members are given individual surnames based on traits they exhibit as children. She got hers for being a biter.
  • It is revealed in the prequel that Carrion's surname is Savage. He is named after Thomas Savage, the man who discovered gorillas, which is the theme of Carrion's ship The Silverback.
• Minor Injury Overreaction: Yari. She receives a minor cut on her face after fending of Zoro's Ushi Bari attack. This prompts her to go all out on the pirates. This is not a good thing.
• Ms. Exposition: Since her formal introduction to the plot, Robin has provided a load of information about the island and the enemy.
• Mr Fan Service: The author seems to have just a little too much fun describing Vaughan as being muscled and shirtless in chapter 23.
  • Actually, Vaughan is said to rarely wear a shirt in general. He usually just wears his red jacket unzipped, showing off his chest.
• My Future Self and Me: Pretty much the premise of the entire story.
• Narrative Profanity Filter: In chapter 25 Runo is injured and proceeds to start cursing. The rant is cut off by this note:
  Note: The series of expletives and insults that spewed from his mouth with so crude and inappropriate that the author does not feel comfortable writing them out. Let's skip to the end.
  • Said end involves mention of a transvestite and a sexually repressed sandora dragon.
• Never Split the Party: Luffy makes this decision in chapter 21 after they decide to follow a scent one of the reindeer found. Though, in chapter 23, when most of the future crewmates go into the hunter camp without the others, Luffy shows no issue with it. However, this is most likely because the future crewmates were still close by and he and the ones left behind were on standby.
• Noodle Incident:
  • The Carrion Bounty Hunters appear to have gone through several, including "that time on Visigoth Island" that Yari and Runo agreed never happened, and an occurrence when Erity and Vaughan captured a possum zoan.
  • Apparently Runo and Yari got caught in Lysopp's venus flytraps roughly ten more times after chapter 3, though how those went in comparison is unknown.
  • The bounty hunters have had to replace those chains before... frequently, too. As to why they had to is anyone's guess.
  • A purely in-universe example in Chapter 21. Shortly before meeting Robin, Tony brings up how dangerous it would be for them if Robin were hypnotized, bringing up when she did that to Franky. It terrifies both Lysopp and Roronoa, which consequently terrifies the rest of those present... except Luffy. That, of course, refers to the the end of the Enies Lobby arc, when she used her powers to squeeze Franky's testicles. Hard.
  • In Chapter 25, we get this gem:
  Erity: It's the middle of the night, there are pirates in the camp, Runo shot off a signal flare to inconsiderately wake us up, and we arrive to find him bleeding profusely. (side-glances at Yari) It's just like your last birthday, only there aren't any strippers.
  • Another pair of gems in Chapter 25, when they mention both the last time they woke Carrion up accidentally and the punishment they got; the former is under Heavy Sleeper above, and the latter... well, all four of them shiver, and the only hint we get is Yari whispering, "The brig was so cold."
• Not in the Face!: Though she never shouts the line explicitly, Yari does express extreme frustration that that's where people keeping aiming when they attack her.
  Yari: Why?! Why do people always go for my face?!
• Not So Stoic: As a certain stoic Supernova demonstrates in canon, there's only so much Luffy that a sane person can take. Vaughan proves this in Chapter 13:
  Vaughan: I AM NOT A VAMPIRE!
  • Proven again when it is shown that despite talking about them casually and being able to mock them when in their presence, Vaughan is scared to death of the Admirals.
• Oh, Crap!: One notable example that occurs includes during Vaughan's flashback to his Navy training, in which a Haki-coated punch he throws at Garp is easily caught. This is immediately Vaughan's reaction, because let's face it, this is Garp we're talking about.
• Old Maid: Erity is incredibly sensitive about her age, going as far as to beat the snot out of anyone who implies she's old. She also constantly claims she's still 29, but taking into account several conversations between her and Vaughan, it is hinted that she's already 30 and is just in denial. She claims she wants to get married some day and has mentioned having ex-boyfriends.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Following Vivi's return to the jungle group after Runo's cavern ambush, Luffy shows signs of depression and self-doubt. Since this is pre-Marineford Luffy we're talking about, this is extremely serious.
  • When it's revealed that Luffy is thinking his actions through in Chapter 22, the group knows he isn't quite back to normal.
  • Also, in Chapter 18, in a flashback, Future Sanji is openly hostile towards Erity, a beautiful woman. Subverted, however, when recent chapters have revealed that she's a newkama.
• Overly Long Name: The Luffy/Eventual Future Usopp/Roronoa's-Mystery-Kid-If-We-Happen-To-See-Her Search and Rescue Team.
• People Puppets: Vaughan is capable of doing this by controlling the blood in someone's body.
• Precision F-Strike: Vivi, of all people, delivers one after yelling at Yari for insulting Luffy's ability to care for his crew:

  "So if you think I'm just going to sit here and let you say such horrible things about such an amazing person and kill more of my friends, then you've got another thing coming, you pompous masochistic bitch!

• Pseudo-Canonical Fic: The story takes place between Drum Island and Alabasta for the Past!crew, and between Film Z and Punk Hazard for the 3D2Y!crew.
• Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: Vaughan does this when Runo attempts to jump into the sea to rescue his sister.
  Vaughan: Runo, you're a Devil Fruit user! You. Can't. Swim!
• Red Baron: The Straw Hats naturally have their epithets as pirates, but so do the OCs as bounty hunters:
  • Vaughan has two- "Blood King" and "Bloodbath".
  • Erity is known as "Gauntlet Erity," obviously due to the gauntlets she likes to wear.
  • Yari is known as "Last Nerve."
  • Runo was given the epithet "Dancing Haze", which for some reason he hates with a burning passion. He wanted to be called the "Snake Charmer", but by the time he thought of it the former title had stuck.
• Remembered Too Late: Vivi is the living personification of this trope. Just like in canon, there are instances where she forgets to give the crew what could be crucial information. Lysopp and Roronoa both end up calling her out on this, the former even going as far to beg her to remember this lesson when she finally arrives in Alabasta.
• Rhetorical Question Blunder: This applies to anyone who asks one around Vaughan, who acts almost obligated to answer any question he hears- even if the answer he gives isn't a real answer. When asked why he has to answer questions he knows are rhetorical, he simply replies that he had a strict upbringing.
• Running Gag: This story has several.
  • The past Straw Hats' various reactions to Lysopp's (Future Usopp's) "manliness"- and his reactions to their reactions. It comes full circle in chapter 25 when the two Usopps meet.
  • Vaughan is not a vampire.
  • Erity claiming she is still 29, not 30.
  • Yari and Runo getting depressed if their childhood is brought up.
  • Carrion doing the exact opposite of what he says.
• Saved for the Sequel: In the prequel, the Carrion Bounty Hunters are making their way to an island called Rose Quartz, which apparently houses a prominent shipyard run by an "ill-tempered tiger shark fishwoman" named Hilde. The author has stated that this character will be featured in a future story she has planned.
• Shout-Out:
  • The title of chapter 10 references an iconic quote from Alice in Wonderland.
  • Chapter 18 is titled "Finding the Rainbow Connection".
  • Yari and Runo's surname, "Baba", is a reference to 1001 Arabian Nights.
  • "Yes, but a number of pirates I have encountered were quite taken with the concept. They act like the "magic" of "friendship" will lead them to the One Piece."
  • "By all means... give me some ideas."
  • Sanji has a bad feeling about this...
  • Vaughan couldn't have unlocked those chains at any time. Only when it was funny.
  • In the fourth part of The Blood and the Gauntlet, the vampire esque-Vaughan gets his red jacket, two revolvers, and sunglasses. Meanwhile, Erity gets a cannon, because apparently bitches love those.
• Sneeze Cut: Upon hearing Runo's epithet, both Sanji and Nami comment on how lame it is, the latter asking who came up with it and that they should get slapped for it. The scene quickly cuts to Spandam sneezing. This could count as Foreshadowing, because Spandam does indeed get the bitch-slap from hell from Robin later down the line.
• Sole Survivor: Siobhan. According to the legend of Kāla, she is the last of her race.
• Take That!: To whatever Zoro/Vivi shippers exist out there. When Franky asks if Zoro and Vivi are a thing, Zoro immediately says no.
• Talking Animal: Chopper and Future Chopper, who is also known as Tony.
• Technicolor Eyes: One Piece isn't known for it's abnormal eye colors, but it is emphasized heavily that Vaughan's eyes are red, adding to his vampire-esque appearance.
• Tempting Fate: Usopp does so when he asks if the island will blow up on top of everything else that had happened that day. See You Just Had to Say It below.
• That Came Out Wrong: When Roronoa is trying to explain that the Triple Pose belongs to his time's Nami, he refers to her as "his Nami." When he sees Past Zoro and Nami's (and Sanji's) horrified expressions, he immediately backpedals.
• There Is No Kill Like Overkill: The Baba siblings. Vivi admits that it was one of the main reasons why they were banished from Alabasta.
  • Yari apparently said the flood-lamp dials were in chapter 20.
• The Reveal: In the fourth The Blood and the Gauntlet installment it is revealed that Erity is one of Ivankov's newkama. Subverted slightly in that almost everyone had already guessed that.
• Time Travel: One the main plot devices of the story.
• Undying Loyalty: Brook and Roronoa accuse each other of this when discussing how Roronoa got suckered into letting the Past Straw Hats help in the search for the future crew.
• Urban Legend Love Life: Vaughan is implied to have had many relationships in the second review special, but it is confirmed in the prequel that he has had so many failed relationships that he owes many fathers and older siblings "favors" (for not killing him), to the point where Erity recognizes him as "The Crimson Heartbreaker."
  • What makes it funnier is that Vaughan appears to be well-aware of the nickname.
• Verbal Tic: In the third review special, Alpha Unit Leader Percy not only has a verbal tic, but it's shown he frequently changes the tic depending on how it sounds.
• Vitriolic Best Buds: Sanji and Zoro, for one thing.
  • Vaughan and Erity are shaping out to be this. Though known to insult each other and generally get on each other's nerves, they have moments of civility that show they at least tolerate each other more than everyone else in the Carrion Bounty Hunters.
• Waking Up Elsewhere: Roronoa, after being tranquilized in the jungle, wakes up aboard the Going Merry. He thinks he is on the Thousand Sunny until he recognizes the galley.
• Wants a Prize for Basic Decency: When discussing Vaughan in chapter 23, Robin mentions that never once in his career as a bounty hunter or a marine has the former killed anyone. Since Vaughan is still disliked heavily by the crew, Sanji comments that he should get the "Not as Big a Jerk as You Could Be" award.
• Would Hurt a Child: Carrion. He at one point punches Siobhan, who is twelve years old, in the face just for laughing at him. He also claims he plans to kill her once his plan has been carried out.
  • Averted with Vaughan, who claims in the prologue that killing Siobhan is all on the others, because he's not hurting a kid.
• You Just Had to Say It: When Usopp complains about everything the crew has gone through.
  Usopp: What's next? Is the island going to blow up?
  KABOOM!
  Sanji: You just had to jinx us, didn't you, Long Nose.
• You Meddling Kids: The phrase isn't said outright, but Vaughan recognizes this quality in the Straw Hats meddling habit of getting involved with any situation they come across. He is actually counting on it for the outcome of his ultimate goal.

Edited Version

• Adaptation Expansion: Vaughan reveals he was present when the Straw Hats fought the Pacifista, but left after Kizaru showed up.
  • A little scene at the beginning of chapter 10 reveals Chopper showed off his Rumble Balls to Nami while she was still recovering from Kestia... then was interrupted by Luffy bursting into the room and demanding he join the crew.
  • Chapter 14 reveals that Yari and Runo are from Alabasta. They were banished from the kingdom by King Cobra a few years ago. The second Omake Special goes into detail about this.
• Affectionate Gesture to the Head:
  • Roronoa (Future Zoro) does this to Nami in chapter 4, albeit a little condescendingly. Nami charges him for it.
  • The crew like to do this to Chopper, present or future.
• An Offer You Can't Refuse: How Vaughan framed his offer to join Carrion when they first met. Vaughan was freely offering to help, and going off Carrion's display, it was going to be a while before the ex-Marine was prominent enough to get anyone else to sign on. At that moment, Vaughan was all he had.
• Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: In the second Omake Special, Vaughan at one point wants a distraction from remembering his past. His ideas are as follows: a pirate attack, a marine coup, or a flash mob.
• Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Vaughan, who wields the power of the Blood-Blood Fruit, looks very similar to a vampire and is mistaken for one by Luffy. That doesn't make him a vampire, though. That's just being prejudiced about his appearance.
• Badass Normal:
  • Zoro and Sanji (present or future), in the sense they don't have Devil Fruit powers.
  • Erity, in the sense that she is the only member of the lieutenants without any Devil Fruit powers or Haki. She makes up for it with her Six Powers, though.
• Berserk Button:
  • Carrion does not appreciate being laughed at.
  • As the damage to the Silverback shows, Roronoa does not appreciate his captain's experiences at Marineford being mocked.
  • A minor version of this, but Roronoa manages to snap the blood pressure cuff Chopper put on him after Vivi promises to be better about warning the crew about threats.
  • Vaughan has a lot of patience, but there's only so much of Luffy's stupidity or being called a vampire he can take.
  • Do not imply Erity is old.
  • For Tony (Future Chopper), lying to him about your sense of pain being magnified.
  • Do not bring up the fact Yari is from Alabasta. She's still holding a grudge.
• Blood from the Mouth:
  • Nami coughs up some blood after getting kneed in the stomach by Erity.
  • Blood flies from Lysopp's (Future Usopp) mouth when Erity does a drop-kick on him.
• Bloody Murder: The Blood-Blood Fruit. It allows Vaughan to manipulate blood, such as hardening spilled blood into weapons or making people float by lifting them by their blood vessels. He can use that same ability to make People Puppets. Given the diverseness of Devil Fruit abilities, this may only be the tip of iceberg for him.
• Bond One-Liner:
  • Roronoa after taking down Oakes:
    “My condition’s not the one you should be worried about.”
• Boom Head Shot: How Oakes almost dies. Granted, he was hypnotized and did it to himself, but still...
• Brainwashed and Crazy: Runo uses his Hypno-Hypno abilities to make control several Future Straw Hats and make them attack their comrades. So far, only Future Chopper has been freed due to a blow to the head.
• Bring It:
  • Yari does this to the unfortunate leader of Gamma Unit, Rico.
    Rico: DAMN YOU! STOP TREATING ME LIKE A JOKE!
    Yari (beckoning him with her fingers): Stop being funny and I will.
  • Vaughan does this to Luffy during their fight.
    "You’re gonna learn this lesson eventually, but you may as well learn it now,” Vaughan said, cracking his knuckles. He beckoned Luffy toward him. “So bring it on, rookie.”
• Bullying a Dragon: Sanji is essentially doing this whenever he argues with Roronoa, if the defeat he suffers indicates anything.
  • Siobhan in her disrespect towards Carrion and his lieutenants, seeing as three of them are willing to harm her.
• Call-Back:
  • Roronoa once again refers to Robin and Franky as a "gloomy woman" and "big robot thing."
  • Or a call forward, depending on how you look at it, but Vivi fails to recognize the island they are on in a similar manner as to how she fails to recognize Mr. 2 during the journey to Alabasta.
  • When taking on Monster Chopper, Roronoa notes that he will work with Sanji for two minutes, and that's it.
• Call-Forward: This being a time travel fanfic, it's only natural nods to the future occur.
  • When Luffy claims he wants a zombie on the crew in the first chapter, and everyone shoots him down. He tries to argue that what if it was a musician, because they still needed one. Zoro replies:
    "Fine. If we meet one of the undead who just happens to be a musician, we'll take him into consideration. Is that fair, Captain?"
  • Upon entering the fog surrounding the island, the Past Straw Hats are bombarded with the ethereal voices of people they'll encounter in the future, including but not limited to: Bellamy, Eneru, Crocodile, Robin, Montblanc Cricket, Iceburg, Franky, Hatchan, Brook, and Ace.
  • Usopp is one of the past crewmates getting a weird feeling off Kāla. Seeing as the only others are Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji, it's a nod to his future ability to use Observation Haki.
  • While trying to figure out who Roronoa is, it's theorized he's Zoro's brother. Zoro claims siblings don't look that much alike. Sanji mutters he'd be surprised.
  • After seeing what she did to Delta Unit and rattling off her stats, Yari makes a comment about Robin making a lovely doll.
  • Usopp claims Afros have untold power when Nami asks what they have to do with anything after Luffy expresses excitement that a certain skeleton has one.
  • In chapter 6, Zoro notes there's no use in getting bent out of shape over something that hasn't happened yet. He will say the same thing to Robin in the future during Skypeia.
• Calling Your Attacks: As can be expected in a fanfiction about One Piece.
• Cloudcuckoolander: Monkey D. Luffy, obviously.
• Comically Missing the Point: Vaughan does this whenever someone calls him a bastard, immediately pointing out his parents were married. Though whether or not he's being serious or is just trying to irritate the speaker remains to be seen.
• Continuity Nod:
  • The first chapter starts with Chopper giving Nami a final checkup following her bout of Kestia. Later, Chopper also expresses concern over Sanji's back and ribs when Roronoa knocks the latter into Merry's mast, as he had recently injured those.
  • Nami mentions to Luffy that Usopp hasn't finished a project she has him working on (her Clima-tact). She also notes that, while being chased by Erity, she told Usopp she wanted to fight and help Vivi with her own two hands.
  • When asked if there's a precedent for memory loss in the crew, Roronoa mentions a time where the crew woke up on an island with no memory of how they got there, except for Luffy, who refused to tell them what happened.
  • One of the shorts in the first omake special reveal how the Future Straw Hats came to the island, and starts off with Nami getting a check-up following her de-aging and re-aging courtesy of Ain.
  • After Sanji's frantic calls for Nami keep attracting animals to his group, Roronoa notes that he now knows why Lysopp refuses to pair up with the chef alone for anything.
• Contrived Coincidence: Usopp points this out, noting how weird it is the bounty hunters are also treasure hunters, and they just so happen to find the Future Straw Hats and the magic island they were looking for when it appeared out of nowhere.
• Corner of Woe: Yari and Runo enter one whenever their childhood is brought up.
• Covered in Scars: Roronoa is described as such when the Past Straw Hats see him after Chopper finishes examining him aboard the Merry.
• Curb-Stomp Battle:
  • Sanji's brief fight with Roronoa, if you want to call it that. The future swordsman never even had to draw his blades.
  • Yari and Runo vs. the mutinous Gamma Unit. It just goes to show that when someone is ranked higher than you, it's usually for a reason.
  • Roronoa vs. the members of Oakes' unit, and Brook vs. the remaining members of Oakes' unit.
  • Erity vs. Past Nami. Nami gives it the old college try, but Erity quickly proves to be too much for her.
  • Vaughan vs. Past Luffy. Luffy is utterly thrashed by the New World bounty hunter, and realizes that he's still holding back.
• Dragon with an Agenda: Vaughan is still very much the Dragon he was in the original, and not only does he seem to want the Star of Kāla for his own reasons, but he purposely set his crew on a collision course with the Straw Hats by tranquilizing/almost killing Roronoa. He also keeps aiding the group in little ways, and Nami notes that he definitely has an ulterior motive.
• Dreaming of Things to Come: It's unclear what's causing it, but something about the island makes characters have dreams about future events.
  • In Chapter 4, Luffy dreams of saying goodbye to Ace in Alabasta, then being rescued by Ace at Marineford (though he doesn't know Ace was the one who saved him).
  • In chapter 5, Usopp reveals he dreamed about having a duel with Luffy over the Going Merry, and, on a lighter note, Zoro remarks he dreamed about being attacked by a stupid-looking bird in a gigantic forest.
  • Vivi has a dream about Luffy escaping from the collapsing tomb in Alabasta but for some reason, from the POV of Ms. All Sunday.
• Eldritch Location: Kāla Island. It can exist in two different time periods, as well as two different locations, at the same time. Day and night interchange at inconsistent times, and it has pink sand beaches and near-glittering trees. Additionally, Observation Haki users seem to find their "hearing" to be stunted outside of an immediate area, while future Haki users can't help but get a weird vibe off it.
• Even Evil Has Standards:
  • Vaughan is the only bounty hunter to argue against harming Siobhan.
  • Erity does not approve of the way Yari and Runo create their "toys"- or the fact they do so at all- given it's basically slavery.
  • Vaughan apparently had an argument with Boss Carrion over the hypnotic "security measure" he had Runo put in the grunts, which he lost.
• Everybody Smokes: Sanji, naturally. But Vaughan and Carrion are also shown to be smokers.
• Eyepatch After Timeskip: Roronoa, being the post-3D2Y Zoro (though he doesn't actually wear an eyepatch). Reactions from the past crew range from disturbed by the implications to impressed he can still fight even with a major sense hindered.
• Failed a Spot Check: Usopp and Vivi freak out and run upon meeting Brook, who had been randomly singing Bink's Brew and asked to see Vivi's panties- despite the fact they were told by Roronoa that one of the future crew members was an afro pervert and would probably be randomly singing that exact song. Roronoa calls them out on this.
  • Vivi once again does this when noting she'd read the tale of Kāla, noting she remembered the details of pink sand, sporadic night and day, and fog. But she had no idea that it was the island they'd arrived at! (The crew calls her out on this.)
• Fantastically Indifferent: Brook takes the fact the past crew time traveled without fanfare, stating that after all the insanity his own crew has experienced, there is very little that fazes him anymore.
• Foreshadowing:
  • Zoro is shown strange moments where he is in pain and his skin shimmers. It's revealed he is still under the effect of Yari's powers.
  • Yari and Runo are revealed to be from Alabasta. This is foreshadowed by Runo saying (or rather, thinking) the phrase "gods above and below." The only other character to use this phrase is Vivi.
• Future Badass: The entire Future Straw Hat Crew, with Roronoa being a prime example.
• Future Me Scares Me: While he's not explicitly scared of Roronoa, Zoro is shown to be uncomfortable with his future self and the strange, almost guilty looks he gives Luffy. He tries to confront Roronoa about it, but is shaken by the man's immense killing intent and steely gaze:
  It was the gaze of a man who'd been cracked and welded back together. A man who had nearly broken, but held on by a hair's breadth.
  It was a gaze that shook Zoro down to his very core.
• Genre Savvy: Chopper and Sanji note during the planning session in chapter 4 that sailing around in the highly visible Going Merry isn't a good idea- not when the bounty hunters are probably doing the same with their own ship in order to find Merry, and possibly sink her so the crew is trapped on the island. Vivi confirms it's a common tactic.
• Got Volunteered: Usopp during the first meal with Roronoa. He is selected to break the ice with the time traveler and gets kicked under the table when he doesn't comply, leading to an awkward question about Shusui.
• Head Desk: Nami bangs her head against a wall after the planning session in chapter 4, feeling the whole thing was a disaster.
• Heroic BSoD: Zoro has a brief one at the end of chapter 3 after his talk with Roronoa. What he sees in his future counterpart's gaze is enough to rock him down to his core.
  • Chopper has a brief one when he sees his older self's Monster Point.
• Jerkass Has a Point:
  • Roronoa was harsh about it but he is absolutely right that the past Straw Hats aren't strong enough to fight the New World bounty hunters. He also snapped at Past Chopper who recklessly tried to stop his rampaging future self against his orders.
  • Vaughan may have been a jerk about it during their fight, but he is correct that Luffy is not particularly creative at using his power quite yet, and that he shouldn't be so impulsive in fighting an enemy he genuinely can't beat.
• More Expendable Than You: The author notes that this is the reason in chapter Roronoa chose to leave Zoro on the Merry with Usopp and Vivi rather Sanji, who is unrecognizable from his future self's wanted poster. He'd rather risk his own younger self than the others. Zoro would agree.
• My Future Self and Me: Pretty much the premise of the entire story.
• My Life Flashed Before My Eyes: This happens to Omega Unit Leader Jan in chapter 5, who then immediately remembers someone named Monty owing him money.
• Mythology Gag: Lysopp at one point jokes that Nami is an inconsolable mess whenever she has the "One Piece was the friends we made along the way" nightmare. This is common theory among fans.
• Noodle Incident:
  • Apparently Runo and Yari got caught in the monster venus flytraps roughly ten more times after chapter 3, though how those went in comparison is unknown.
  • Erity scolds Yari and Runo for wanting to circumvent orders, reminding them about the last time they tried to do so. They both shudder.
  • There was apparently an incident where Runo nearly sailed the Silverback into Emperor territory on accident.
    Runo: WELL WHAT WERE WE DOING SO CLOSE TO TOTLAND, ANYWAY?!
• Not So Stoic: As a certain stoic Supernova demonstrates in canon, there's only so much Luffy that a sane person can take. Vaughan proves this in Chapter 8:
  Vaughan: FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME, I AM NOT A FREAKING VAMPIRE!
• Obligatory Swearing: There is more of this in the edited version. The author herself admitted it's because she's more comfortable with cursing than she was when she originally started the story.
• Oh, Crap!: Roronoa has a moment of this when he realizes that the past crew heard things in the rainbow fog that they definitely shouldn't have heard.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business
  • The crew notes Luffy's extreme anger after leaving the fog is something they rarely see outside of fights against someone who hurt his friends, so they make the extra effort to see if he's okay.
  • Luffy realizes that, in Roronoa's scolding of the crew for wanting to help him against the bounty hunters, the time traveler sounds scared. It prompts the rubberman to order Roronoa to let them help.
  • Lysopp, Tony, and Future Nami are noticeably disturbed when Future Sanji acts hostile to Erity, a beautiful woman.
  • When Lysopp gives up on being called "Great Captain Usopp" too quickly, Nami recalls what he said to her about letting people down the previous chapter and wonders what happened to him.
• Overly Long Name: The Luffy/Future Usopp/Roronoa's-Mystery-Kid-If-We-Happen-To-See-Her Search and Rescue Team.
• People Puppets: Vaughan can do this by controlling the blood in people's bodies.
• Pseudo-Canonical Fic: The story takes place between Drum Island and Alabasta for the past crew, and between Film Z and Punk Hazard for the future crew.
• Red Baron: The pirates naturally have these, but so do the bounty hunters.
  • "Gauntlet" Erity.
  • "Bloodbath" Enoch Vaughan.
  • "Last Nerve" Yari.
• Running Gag:
  • Boss Carrion saying one thing, then immediately contradicting himself.
  • No one will tell Chopper who Crocodile is.
  • Members of the crew being surprised by Lysopp being "manly."
  • Erity using a weird-sounding word, then claiming it's a real word.
  • One of the future crew members referring to their past selves by name, and then commenting how weird it is.
  • Vaughan is not a vampire.
• Signature Laugh: As per usual in One Piece, certain characters have unique laughs.
  • Luffy and Brook have "Shishishi" and "Yohohoho" respectively.
  • Siobhan has "Nishishishi!"
  • Oakes has "Tattattatta!"
  • Carrion has "Duruhuhuhu!"
  • Erity has "Onanana!"
• Spared by the Adaptation: Oakes, or rather, Tattoos as he was known in the original, is spared from his grizzly fate in the original. The author noted she regretted the original death, saying she realized in retrospect it was unnecessary.
• Suddenly Shouting: Multiple characters do this, but it's a specific character quirk for the Silverback's Protection Unit Leader, Oakes.
  “My name is Oakes, leader of the Silverback’s Protection Unit, and I- WHY THE HELL AM I HAVING A FRIENDLY CONVERSATION WITH YOU?! YOU’RE A FILTHY PIRATE!”
• Talking Animal: Tony Tony Chopper, naturally.
• Technicolor Eyes: One of the hunter lieutenants, Vaughan, is described as having red eyes.
• Tempting Fate: Usopp does so when he asks if the island will blow up on top of everything else that had happened that day. See You Just Had to Say It below.
• That Came Out Wrong: When Roronoa is trying to explain that the Tri-Pose belongs to his time's Nami, he refers to her as "his Nami." When he sees Zoro, Nami, and Sanji's horrified expressions, he bonks them for having their heads in the gutter.
• Time Travel: One the main plot devices of the story.
• Undying Loyalty: Brook and Roronoa accuse each other of this when discussing how Roronoa got suckered into letting the Past Straw Hats help in the search for the future crew.
• Unwanted Assistance: The Past Straw Hats are this to Roronoa, who'd rather they leave the island than go anywhere near the Carrion Bounty Hunters. However, he's not about to go against captain's orders.
• Vitriolic Best Buds: Sanji and Zoro, naturally.
  • Vaughan and Erity once again are shaping out to be this. Though they insult each other and generally get on each other's nerves, they have moments of civility that show they at least tolerate each other more than everyone else in the Carrion Bounty Hunters.
• Waking Non Sequitur: Upon waking up from his tranquilizer-induced sleep, Roronoa shouts “BASTARD!” and tries to punch Luffy in the face. Considering he'd been in the middle of a fight before passing out, it's understandable.
• Waking Up Elsewhere: Roronoa, after being tranquilized in the jungle, wakes up aboard the Going Merry. He thinks he's on the Thousand Sunny until he recognizes the storeroom. After which he promptly freaks out.
• Would Hit a Girl: Roronoa. He fights Yari off-screen and later bonks Nami on the head during the That Came Out Wrong moment.
• Would Hurt a Child: Boss Carrion. He freely admits that once they have what they need, his crew will probably have to kill Siobhan.
  • Averted with Vaughan, who flat-out states they are not killing a twelve-year-old.
  • Played straight with Yari and Runo, who are willing to "convince" Siobhan to give them the information they desire.
• Wrecked Weapon: Roronoa destroys Oakes' giant broadaxe during their fight.
  • Nami's bo-staff is snapped in half by Erity's Iron Body technique. She holds on to the pieces though.
• Written Roar: This is done for a sabertooth cat at the beginning of chapter 5.
• You Just Had to Say It: Sanji essentially says this to Usopp when the latter wonders if the island is going to blow, only for there to be an explosion immediately after.
• You Meddling Kids: The phrase isn't said outright, but Vaughan recognizes this quality in the Straw Hats meddling habit of getting involved with any situation they come across. He is actually counting on it for the outcome of his ultimate goal.