Third person's point of view:
As byron watched the fight between Johnny and Lokni, he couldn't help getting lost in thought, reminiscing about the tall tales old, retired pirates used to tell on Toroa island.
The veteran pirates told stories of strange creatures, beautiful islands, storms that resembled the wrath of God, and men who were so strong they could destroy entire countries.
To the Byron from back then, these tall tales looked nothing but that, tall tales. He still loved the old pirates' stories and would listen to them with rapt attention whenever they spoke of them, but he thought of them as nothing but a fun distraction.
Still, Byron's perception of these stories slowly began to change since that fateful day when Jelly Bean Jack attacked his home island. Byron still remembers how he, along with Toroa's strongest fighters together and fought the pirates.
He could also remember the despair of fighting an opponent that was virtually impossible to defeat thanks to eating a fruit of all things, and he will never forget the pain as he lay on the ground, overwhelmed and helpless.
Though Jack's attacks landed on his body, it was his broken pride that caused him the most pain, numbing the ails of his flesh.
He also vividly remembered how Wilson charged the pirate captain with an eager grin and kept fighting him despite being unable to do any damage to the man.
Still, even that wasn't the highlight of the day, as another man showed up in the most ridiculous of ways. He actually flew down from the sky by jumping in the air.
The man then went to bash Jelly bean jack like he was nothing, promptly cutting off the pirate captain's head. It was then that Byron realized that the old pirates' tall tales might not be so tall after all and that he needed to get out of the island.
Still, he didn't have any money for a ship, and he didn't have the patience to gather a capable crew, so he made the most logical decision he could make at that time. Follow that man.
So Byron gritted his teeth and approached the black pearl with unwavering resolve and a do-or-die attitude, and it's a good thing he did as he almost died while enduring Johnny's test.
Although his captain's punch hurt much more than the many blows he suffered from Jelly bean jack, he endured them with a smile and a straight back, feeling pride in himself for surviving instead of shame.
His decision of following Johnny soon proved to be a wise one, as he began seeing the many wonders of the world while voyaging on the black pearl. Strange creatures, beautiful islands, storms that resembled the wrath of God, and men who were so strong they could destroy entire countries. He saw much of that, and they haven't reached the grand line yet.
Perhaps when he is old enough to retire from a hopefully, long and successful career of piracy, he would return to Toroa island and tell tall tales, like the old pirates from back then.
"Men who are so strong they could destroy entire countries, huh?" Byron murmured with a light smile on his face as he watched his captain's last attack that basically obliterated everything in its vicinity.
Byron shook his head, still smiling as he transformed into his hybrid form, quickly flying in his captain's direction.
-0-
Johnny's point of view:
"Hey, good job with the defense system," I exclaimed, waving my hand with a smile as I spotted Elly, followed by Laffite and Kozue, making their way towards me.
I was about to say something else, but I had to swallow my words, awkwardly smiling as Elly wrapped herself around me like an octopus. "That was great, captain," Elly said, hyperventilating in her excessive excitement.
"What was that attack at the end?" She asked with an eager smile, her face dangerously close to mine as she proceeded to barrage me with even more questions, leaving me speechless.
"The questions can wait, for now, Elly," Laffite said with a smile as he landed in front of me. "I'm sure the captain is pretty tired after such an intense battle," he added, picking up Elly from the scruff of her neck and dislodging her from me, causing me to sigh in relief while Elly pouted like an angry kitten.
Though I hate to admit, Laffite wasn't wrong. I was dead tired even though I didn't show it. Producing so much flames in such a short time has been draining, and the excessive amount of force I exhibited with my shock waves did a number on my muscles and bones as well.
I felt some broken bones and torn muscles as soon as the fight ended, and I couldn't just pop a poison vial and call it a day, as healing through poison requires stamina, which I don't currently have.
Still, it wasn't anything that a good meal and some rest wouldn't fix.
"Good fight, captain," Kozue said with a thumbs-up as she too arrived shortly after, followed by Law and Urouge. "You guys did well with the defense system, too," I replied with a thumbs-up of my own.
"The timing was immaculate," I added with a satisfied smile, causing them to smile as well.
"Oh, here comes Byron as well," I remarked as I turned to look at the sky after hearing some movement, waving my hands as soon as I noticed the blonde musician's hybrid form approaching us.
"It looks like you didn't get any action this time, Byron," Wilson said with a shit-eating grin as soon as Byron landed near us. "Everything went well, so I don't really mind," Byron replied with a smile, but I could tell he was slightly disappointed.
"Well, our journey is far from over," I said with a shrug, smiling as I put a hand on Byron's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll get more action than you bargained for sooner or later," I concluded in a joking manner, causing him to smile with a nod.
"At any rate," I said, clapping my hands to get everyone's attention. "We've taken care of the danger here on the island, but our work is far from over," I added with a serious look on my face.
"First of all, we need to get as many dials as we can," I explained, raising one finger. "Whether they are daily usage or fighting Dials, I want them all," I added while pointing at the palace.
"I also want the Dials-based weapons as well," I said, raising another finger. "And lastly, is Lokni's devil fruit. It should have reincarnated somewhere on this sky island," I added, lifting the third finger.
"We're not leaving this sky island without these three things, so everyone immediately get to work," I concluded, waving my hand for them to get going.
"You want to get the cloud fruit?" Urouge asked with a raised eyebrow, smiling broadly like he always did and causing me to be incapable of reading his expression.
"I am. What of it?" I replied, matching his raised eyebrow with one of my own. "And I don't care if it's a religious treasure or whatnot," I added as my lips thinned with my expression turning blank.
"Well, calm down. I don't really care about that fruit," Urouge said while shrugging his shoulders. "In fact, I have some pieces of information that could help you find it faster as thanks for taking care of Lokni," he added while waving his hands.
"Sure, go ahead," I said as the thin line on my lips disappeared, being replaced by my usual smirk.