One Piece ... ummm ... Night

[Sally Talfourd]

[Sally Talfourd]

The camera opens to a distant and uncharted land, hidden beneath the embrace of an ancient and unfathomable jungle. Here, a tale of wonder and adventure unfolds! In the heart of this dense, tropical wilderness, the cries of unseen animals and the rustle of unseen movement is the only disturbance to the peace. Looking around reveals a wall of undergrowth, with a thick canopy above blocking out the sun bar the few streams of light that are lucky enough to find their way through.

Suddenly, the silence is broken (well and truly) by the ungainly, awkward and altogether uncoordinated collapse of a mysterious young girl falling through the thicket. There’s a thud to accompany the girl. Laying there, flat on her back, a tragic and lone leaf slowly trails through the air, landing gently on her nose. The girl’s eyes blink open. They look left. They look right. Then they cross, looking at the leaf. She quickly and deftly blows it away before rolling to her side.

Dusting herself off as she comes to her feet, we find her clad in ragged pirate attire. A maroon bandana covers her hair, a white flowing shirt tucked into a sash belt, with scrappy black pants and worn leather boots that come up to the knee. Despite having ventured deep into the verdant labyrinth – a journey that would challenge even the heartiest of men – one can’t help but wonder how such a young child has survived. Yet, on closer inspection, her youth is overshadowed by the fire of her determination and a glint in her. In her hand, she clutches a map, weathered and torn.

She pressed on, her journey fraught with the marvels of the jungle. Exotic butterflies, their iridescent wings aglow, fluttered like shards of jewels in the dappled sunlight. Lizards adorned in vibrant scales, blended seamlessly with the riotous flora. The lemurs, wise and watchful, observed her passage with curious eyes as the girl looked to the map, wiping her brow in the process with a ragged red rag wrapped round the wrist.

“The Broadcast Fruit,” She whispered to herself, “I'm so close.”

Through thickets and beneath towering canopies, the girl forged onward, the perspiration running down her face. Her relentless spirit mirrored the persistence of the jungle itself. Her destiny was now tightly intertwined with the mystical Broadcast Fruit.

At last, the dense foliage relented, and she stepped into a secluded clearing, surrounded by trees of immense stature. Their gnarled roots, like serpents of the forest floor, reached into a bed of soft moss. In the clearing's heart stood a tree, a magnificent specimen like no other, bearing a bounty of exotic fruits. Among them, a single fruit shimmered, its skin a captivating blend of deep gold, orange and maroon – the legendary Broadcast Fruit.

“I've found it...” The girl’s voice is faint, weak, but filled with awe.

The clearing came alive with a chorus of wondrous beings – birds with feathers of rainbow hues, insects that glowed like fireflies, and a jaguar, its sleek form gracing the ground nearby, indifferent to the girl’s presence.

“Relax,” The girl holds up a hand, palm out to the jaguar, “I mean no harm, my friend.”

With gentle reverence, the girl reached up to pluck the Broadcast Fruit from its branch. As she did, the ancient tree seemed to emit an ethereal glow, and the leaves rustled with a whispered approval. Clutching the fruit in her hand, a profound sense of fulfilment washed over her. The jungle, with its mystic creatures and surreal beauty, had tested her mettle. Yet she had emerged triumphant, cradling the legendary treasure.

With the mystical fruit in her grasp, the young girl turned to leave the enchanted clearing. Her eyes blazed with achievement, and she embraced the adventures that lay ahead, as they unfurled like the pages of a grand and ancient tome, written in the language of the jungle, and guided by the whispers of destiny.

“My journey is just beginning,” She said in hushed tones.