Phoenix One Piece x Reader

1 - It Could Have Been Me

"The outside world is a dangerous, mean, and cruel place y/n, being here is not supposed to feel like a cage. We just want you and all our people safe. Sometimes no adventure is okay. Please understand honey, we don't want you to feel like you can't spread your wings." That's what mom always tells me when I ask to go outside these red walls. Yet I still feel like I'm confined in this place, not able to breathe or spread my wings. When I ask why all I ever get as a response is, "it's better to not know," which doesn't satisfy me.

I want to see the world and not just through my imagination.

Today I decided to venture past where I normally go. Right now, I could see the ocean from where I stood behind my hiding spot. It's nice to smell the fresh ocean breeze every once in a while. It reminds me that the world is so much bigger than what I'm living in. Using my Chikara, I could sense people under me. Being the curious child that I was, I flew down, slowly, using the fog to hide me. Pirates! I instantly knew they were pirates by their flag.

The storybooks Sierra, my twin sister, and I read said that pirates fly black flags with skulls. How lucky, they get to go on adventures while I'm stuck here. I watch them move around their ship saying how they were close to 'The Calm Belt' and a 'Poneglyph' should be somewhere nearby. What's a poneglyph, I wonder.

I looked up at the small hole I came out of and decided I should head back home before mom realizes I'm gone. Getting to the city I was greeted by the many people living in the small Pile dwellings. Because of how often it rained and stormed outside, the cavern-like city we lived in had a waterfall creating a decently deep lake throughout most of it. It was fine though, we are bird people after all. There is no need for boats. We all just fly, or for those annoying penguins and ducks, swim, to each other's homes and businesses.

I can dive into the water pretty well but swimming with wings is pretty annoying, so when the penguins and ducks talk about their swimming skills they're annoying. The whole city agrees with me on that.

I passed the waterfall and I got home to the biggest Pile dwelling in the city, dad was saying something about a 'News Coos' that came in. I was never allowed to read them so when they realized I was about to enter the room they came to a stop in their conversation.

"Hey kiddo, I haven't seen you all day! Where've you been?" My dad asked with a bright smile, the wrinkles around his eyes showing. I smiled at him, "The edge of town." His smile instantly left. "You do know you're not supposed to go there, right?" Sierra asked coming in from behind me. I nod, "ah, kid, your mom and I told you. So please stop going there, we want you to stay safe." I didn't need Chikara to tell he was worried.

"Y/N, are you listening to us? You're seven years old, you need to listen to us. We know what is best for you honey," mom tried to reason with me. I just stared at her, "mom, have you ever been outside?" She flinched at the question. "H-Honey, I-" I interrupted her, "Because when I'm old enough, I'm going out. And when I do come back, I'll tell you and dad all about my adventures! I could even tell Joey and Sierra!" I explained my plan with excitement and bright eyes. Mom looked away from me, her hair shadowing her eyes.

"You are never leaving these red walls." I paused, "to answer your question, yes, I did go outside, with my brother." Brother? I never knew she had a brother. "Canary, maybe you shouldn't tel-"

"She'll have to know if she is ever going to learn!" Mom interrupted, a deep frown settled on my face. "Y/N when I was 15, my brother and I left the walls. During our trip, we landed on a... specific island. My brother saved me and was taken, all because of selfish people in power who thought that because we had wings it meant that we could be pets." Tears were starting to stream down her cheeks. "If you go out there you could never come back, you're too weak, too young, too naïve to ever survive out there!" She was screaming now, I want to defend myself, the words I wanted just didn't come to mind. Instead, I held eye contact with her, challenging her.