Oo! I just thought of something terrible and compelling so I have to inflict it upon you all.
What if the people who tried to protect the kids while they were growing up, are the ones who survived and formed a pirate crew in honor of the kids that didn't make it? Not a fully fleshed out idea but just,
What if Sanji starved to death? And Zeff put off his peace in the east blue to carry a little boy's dream to the All Blue?
What if Heriluk cheated death one more time and Choper died from the injuries he got when retrieving the mushroom.
What if Arlong killed the girls anyway because an adult woman can go to work now and earn them money but kids won't do him any good for years. Bellemare becomes a pirate hunter.
Usopp never gets to meet his father. He got sick and his mother sets out to sea to find his father.
Kuina lives and Zoro dies, but he believed in her and she's not going to let his faith be for nothing. Zoro was going to be the first person to beat her. He's gone now but no one is ever going to take his spot.
Big Tom is an old man and he hates that Franky died under his train right before the Fishman escaped. That boy never got to sail a ship across the world, so he and Iceberg will go for him.
Nico Robin burned with Ohara, but her mother carries her memory, and the memory of all the citizens with her as she continues her mission to uncover the truth.
And Dadan hadn't planned to be king of the pirates but what else could she do?
OR
