Kuina is the name given to him, and it’s one she’s happy to take. Her future as a wife, not so much. She vows to break any ties that threaten her freedom, but this Zoro guy won’t leave her alone. Maybe if she throws Wado Ichimonji at him?
A version of Kuina survives, and fate spins on. —story summary
Finding Your Wings
is a One Piece fanfic by Blazonix that features a genderfluid SI / OC hybrid character.
Keeping to the comedic adventurous tone of the original series, a man wakes up as a small Kuina, promptly changes pronouns for the sake of convenience, and decides to run for it. This new Kuina, having never heard of One Piece, holds no fear of stairs or any knowledge of what’s to come.
What Kuina does know is that she likes swords, winning, and traveling. Oh, and Zoro.
A fanfic that inserts new islands, new adventures, and new characters into the open seas of One Piece while asking, “Could Kuina have survived and made the same impact on Zoro?”
There is also a collection of random AUs, Crossovers, and general silliness related to Finding Your Wings, called The Silly and the Strange.
A FanFiction.net version can be found here, and a Podfic version can be heard here as voiced by MikiPierce.
Finding Your Wings contains examples of:
- Achievements in Ignorance: Kuina's "Haki" technique that mimics Luza's Devil Fruit ability can be considered this.
- Ascended Extra: Kind of inevitable that Kuina would be this, as she doesn't die while she and Zoro as still kids like in canon.
- Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Defeating the previous ruler, Luku, is how Kuina became King of Erel Kingdom.
- Badass Crew: Notably the Straw Hats, but any crew that can survive the Grand Line qualifies.
- Brutal Honesty: Kuina has no qualms about telling Clarence that the Wigrams are her bait to lure out Springy Jack.
- Childhood Marriage Promise: In order to give Zoro Wado Ichimonji, Kuina set up a betrothal contract between Zoro and her. Zoro didn't know that Kuina was not serious about the marriage.
- Companion Cube: Mini-Mihawk, originally created as a Voodoo Doll, turned into this the moment Kuina thought of it as cute.
- Criminal Doppelgänger: Kuina, and now Bon Clay, is this for Tashigi.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Mihawk tests Kuina’s resolve with a single swing of his sword, and Kuina barely survives it.
- Determinator: Nearly every canon and original character counts as giving up usually means death.
- Flaming Sword: Kuina's new ability learned in Thriller Bark.
- First Friend: Zoro is Kuina’s first friend, which causes Kuina to give him Wado Ichimonji in gratitude.
- Friendly Rivalry: While bitter in the beginning, Kuina and Zoro have changed into friendly rivals.
- Heroic Dog: Rex, after being rescued, leads Kuina to water as well as notifies her of the worst of the storms on the nameless island.
- Hollywood Healing: With the exception of the dramatic scars left by Mihawk, Kuina plays this straight just like everyone else in One Piece.
- Identical Stranger: Tashigi for Kuina and vice versa.
- Imaginary Love Triangle: Between Mihawk, Kuina, Zoro, and Tashigi.
- Implausible Fencing Powers: Typical for One Piece. Mihawk, with a single swing, is able to throw someone into a wall while leaving an indent.
- I Need a Freaking Drink: Kuina badgers Mihawk to buy her a bottle of wine after she manages to survive him.
- Katanas Are Just Better: While Kuina and Zoro both lean towards katana naturally, every high grade sword they manage to find happens to be one.
- Kill Steal: Tairona swoops in to break the necks of the slave master, Faine, and his underling. Kuina considers it a more fitting death than what she could give.
- Master Swordsman: Dracule Mihawk is the world’s greatest swordsman.
- Mistaken Identity: Kuina is dragged to a Marine outpost after being mistaken for Tashigi.
- My Name Is Inigo Montoya: Zoro always declared his name while challenging Kuina until she acknowledged him.
- No Antagonist: There is no overarching villain that requires being defeated.
- Pink Means Feminine: Tsubasa de Tobu, Kuina's katana, is an eye-searing pink, causing many to Fail A Spot Check on its quality.
- Rape, Pillage, and Burn: These are the kind of pirates that attacked Maze Village, and Faine’s crew is this as well.
- Something We Forgot: Having killed Gecko Moria, it takes a minute to remember that Thriller Bark is sinking.
- Spared by the Adaptation: The main premise of the fic is what would have happened in the story if Kuina never died.
- Surprisingly Sudden Death: Oars meeting his end is this for the Straw Hats.
- Thinks Like a Romance Novel: Kuina's boss on Amber Island, who happily lets Kuina terminate her contract early so she can chase after her true love.
- Walking the Earth: Rejecting the path of piracy, Marine life, or revolution, Kuina travels wherever the wind takes her.
- Weirdness Magnet: The Straw Hat Pirates attract the weirdest that the world has to offer. While Kuina is a magnet herself, she goes looking for trouble.
- Winged Humanoid: The Sky People of Cherub Island. Unlike the Shandians and Skypieans whose Wings Do Nothing, they have artificial wings that can glide.
"Kuina," she says, and I am going to fly.
