Blood, entrails, bones. All kinds of torn human parts were flying around, as Zhiki stood there witnessing how it all unfolded.
*Splater*
A splash of blood mixed with pieces of meat landed on his face. The wet sensation of the gore slithering down his face made him feel an itch he couldn't help but scratch as he raised his hand and wiped the blood from his scaly face, a face without eyes.
He could remember how it happened just like yesterday, the day the mad king captured the residents of Aile borough, where they had been unfit to live on his land.
And when they resisted, the king's words were that they were his property, and he could do whatever he pleased with them. Unfortunately, they had no strength or morale as they lived every day on the fringes of starvation.
The island was big enough to feed everyone. They had tried before to leave the city and live in the jungle; however, each attempt was met with tragedy as the king's army chased them through the forests, cutting them down like weeds.
They said it was the king's land; only the king could decide what to do with it. As for them, it was only because the king was merciful enough not to purge them yet.
Years passed, each resistance was futile and was met with even more cruelty than before. Till that day when the king's men rounded them up and presented them shackled like sheep to the horned men. That's where their nightmare began.
They gave them a fruit said to satisfy their hunger and give them powers to resist the king. It was a false Hope. he remembered the first bite he took and how he retched on the floor after.
He also remembered the wails and the sound of bones moving out of their place. The panicked eyes of his fellows and their slow transformation into abominations
He didn't register what happened next as waves upon waves of pain assaulted his body, skin and eyes. He remembered the painful tears he dropped, and the last image of light before he fell into the darkness.
'' Another failed batch. '' someone said as they kicked his frail body.
'' This happened twice in a row… what are Dofilamingo and Caesar doing? ''
'' Relay it to the captain… he'll deal with it. ''
'' As for these failed products… put them to work in the mines we are shorthanded with Caesar's increasing demands. ''
Zhiki remembered he was fourteen when it happened and he celebrated his fifteenth in chains.
He turned his eyeless scaly head around trying to sense what was happening around him.
Few could guess that ever since he lost his eyes he had developed another sense he could barely tell the silhouettes of others with.
He sensed people moving around him, moving so fast he could barely keep up with them.
However he focused on the one that passed him by, this presence did not move fast or anything like the rest. Yet anything that came its way would shatter like a glass jar.
—---------------------------------------------------
Alexander sat on a rock watching as the Kuja pirates went around breaking the chains around these people's limbs.
He turned around, to his wife who was looking at him with a worried face. He had to admit that he had let his rage consume him a bit.
'' What's wrong Hancock? '' He asked.
Hancock took a moment to reply, she too was upset as anything related to slaves would sour her mood. However, she didn't expect Alexander to descend into a fit of rage.
'' I don't know… you looked angry which made me feel worried. ''
Alexander shook his head, he stood up and patted her on the shoulder as he went past her.
'' Don't worry… I merely needed to vent my anger... But I'm afraid I'm not satisfied yet… ''
Hancock followed in his footsteps as he headed to where the Kuja warriors were breaking chains.
He entered the circle made by the numerous freed slaves and started helping with his wife.
'' Thank you. ''
Alexander silently looked at the woman he freed and her bird talons for a hand.
" You don't need to pity me," she said after sensing where his gaze lingered, she turned around and looked at the others.
" They have it worse than me. " Her eyes seemed to look around and stopped for a long time at the figure of Zhiki.
Alexander's chest felt heavy and weary as he looked at the atrocities committed on this island.
He had seen too much cruelty, too much blood and abominations that would make anyone's skin crawl, but he never felt comfortable with it.
" Your strength is admirable, woman. " He said, fully knowing that she was weaker than any man he could find in the streets.
Her strength came from her spirit that endured, refusing even during hardship to be altered by her circumstances.
" I only had to endure… and hope that one day there'll be salvation… There's nothing special about it… " she said and looked at him with her eerie yellow bird eyes.
" Still, you deserve praise… " he sighed and walked to the Scaly-faced kid.
The kid seemed to notice his approach which made Alexander raise his eyebrows for the boy had no eyes.
He stopped in front of the boy, silent for a few seconds then spoke.
" You noticed my approach and the direction I was coming from. " He stated as a matter of fact.
He reached for the boy's chains and broke them with his bare hands.
" How did you do it? " He asked.
Zhiki felt a bit apprehensive, his transformation and his days in captivity clearly did a number on his psyche.
He hesitated to speak, a habit he had developed after countless whips struck his back when he innocently spoke instead of working.
Still, he knew the one asking was the one who broke his chains.
" I don't know how but I can sense your presence. "
Alexander nodded it was as he had expected.
' the loss of his eyes led him to unintentionally discover observational haki… '
He patted the boy's head and asked.
" You have good potential boy, where are your parents? Are they around here? "
Zhiki flinched at the mention of his parents, he vividly remembered their bloodied bodies hanging over the observation post.
" No… they died here. "
Alexander had to close his eyes and sigh once again.
" I'm sorry kid, I can't do much about what happened to you or your parents but I promise that you'll be safe from now on. "
" I can even teach you how to defend yourself so that this… won't ever happen again. "
" Really? B-but I'm blind. " Zhiki replied hesitantly, he felt that he wasn't worth such an offer when he couldn't even see the figure of his saviour.
Alexander smiled slightly then patted his head.
" I said you have a good potential boy, but let's talk about it at a later time. "
He turned around and found that all of the slaves had been unshackled. They were looking at him with gratitude in their eyes.
" Today, All of you are free. " He shouted out loud.
He waited for a moment expecting cheers at their salvation, but, no. No such thing happened as most of them broke into sobs.
Alexander bit his lips, it was clear to him that what they had experienced broke them apart. Perhaps they would never experience normalcy again.
" it seems I had underestimated their plight. " he murmured.
" They need time Alexander... Only time can heal them… " Hancock said as she moved to his side while casting a complicated look at the freed slaves.
" But how did this happen? " He intensely looked her in the eyes while asking.
" I don't know, but those men belonged to the beast pirates. "
" Kaido? "
" Yes, in the past few years, his Zoan devil fruit army had been increasing… if you look at the beast pirate's presence and the slave's bestial forms you could notice that there's a relation between all of this. It's just a hunch but I think that they may have been experimented on. "
Hancock gave her analysis, however there were some doubts lingering in her mind about how their transformation came to be.
" Can I speak? " A hesitant voice asked from the side. They both turned to Zhiki who spoke now.
" Go on, do you know something? " Alexander tried to smile a little to ease the boy, but soon he remembered that he couldn't see.
" They fed us a strange fruit…. That thing turned us into this. " His body shook as he pointed at his face.
At the mention of the fruits, Alexander became interested in what the boy had to say.
" Tell me everything that you know. "
And so he told him what happened between heavy chokes and stranded breath.
Alexander listened to the boy and the others who seemed to find an outlet for their misery, they spoke about the king, their previous living conditions, the fruits they ate. At the end of it all Alexander finalised a general idea about what happened.
'' it looks like you were right Hancock. The beast pirates and the king have a hand in this… '' He said to his wife, while silently praising her intelligence.
'' But this feels strange, if they had fed them devil fruits they would have taken a proper Zoan form, Unless.. ''
'' Unless they were defective fruits from the start. '' She continued his line of thought then calmly continued.
'' I don't see how this can be resolved easily. From one side we have the beast pirates and from the other, we have a king. ''
'' A petty king. '' Alexander scoffed. Despite his title, the island wasn't affiliated with the world governments but fell under the protection of the beast pirates.
While he was pondering what to do, both he and Hancock turned their head to the jungle as they sensed a familiar presence rapidly approaching.
Soon enough the person broke out of the jungle, jumping down the cliff and it turned out to be Rindo the ship's sniper as she was carrying a big harpoon canon over her shoulders.
'' Hibehime-sama, Alexander-sama '' She greeted once she arrived.
'' What made you rush here Rindo? '' Hancock asked, she instructed her to protect their ship in their absence.
'' A ship has docked on the other side of the island. ''
'' Pirates? '' Alexander asked.
'' I'm not sure, I didn't see any flag on their ship. ''
'' Hmm, from which direction did they come from? ''
'' The northeast. '' She replied.
Alexander pondered for a second before looking at the Kuja pirates.
'' You should remain here and help clean this place. While me and Hancock will go and see who're the visitors. ''
'' Yes, captain. ''
'' Wil do. ''
'' Be careful. ''
Alexander nodded in acknowledgement then jumped up the cliff with Hancock, quickly traversing the jungle.
'' Do you think they are the beast pirates? '' He asked.
'' I don't think so, the beast pirates would never lower their flag to hide from people's eyes, they like to be open about their actions. ''
'' Then let's find out. ''
The jungle blurred before their eyes as they travelled with a speed most pirates wouldn't be able to match.
A few minutes later they arrived before a cliff, beneath them they could see how the ship already docked, and it seemed that there were a lot of people on board.
Alexander and his wife hid themselves among the trees as they watched the people below move around the boat.
They seemed to be from different places. He could spot different races mingling down there, they looked to be well-organised unlike how pirates usually operate.
'' Pirates? '' He asked.
'' I don't think so… '' She was a pirate herself so she knew how pirates looked and behaved, as for the ones on the ship they gave her a feeling of a military unit. As they moved the ordnance to disembark.
'' Who's that? '' Alexander noticed a blonde-haired man coming out of the captain's cabin. He wore a Victorian hat topped with goggles, a long black jacket over a blue shirt with a cravat.
The boy stopped once he was out of the cabin, he looked around and called for three people. They stood close to each other and conserved among themselves.
'' I don't know, however it looks like he noticed us. '' She pointed out that they were now looking directly towards them.
'' Looks like we have no need to hide, come let's see who they are. Alexander put his hand around her waist and picked her up in a princess carry making her blush and jump.
Down below, on the double-masted long ship, Sabo, just as he exited the cabin about to deliver the order of disembarkation, felt a gaze seemingly pass over his crew.
Alerted and trusting his senses, he looked around to his crew to the crates and barrels. He found nothing but the feeling still persisted.
" Hack, Koala, Bunny.. " he called out.
The ones called upon looked at their captain and noticed the wary look on his face.
Bunny Joe, the tall brown-haired man, was the first to approach his vice commander in the absence of Ivankov.
He wore a single feathered hat with a black cloak and a black shirt with red pants.
Following in his steps were Koala and Hack.
Koala wore a pink shirt and black pants covered with a brown cloak, on top of her head there was a red hat topped with golden goggles.
As for Hack, he was a fish-man with yellow-brown spotted skin. He wore an open white gi.
" Orders captain. " Bunny Joe asked.
Sabo casts his eyes around still trying to identify where it is coming from.
" Someone is watching us.. " he said.
Hack and Koala became alert as they looked toward the island.
" Have the beast pirates picked up on our arrival? " Hack asked.
" We don't know yet, but I'm afraid our informants on the island may have been compromised. " Sabo said as he tried to think about how to approach this situation.
" Captain, look up to the trees. " Koala said, noticing silhouettes standing under the shade behind the trees.
The rest of the group quickly looked up, and soon enough they came to the same realisation. Someone was watching from up above.
" Captain. " Koala called quietly.
Sabo shook his hesitation, he took a step forward but he stopped in the next second as he watched a shadow jump from over the cliff to their ship.
*Thud*
The shipwood groaned under his impact.
Sabo's eyes constricted as he prepared for any hostile act.
However, his eyes widened as soon as he saw the woman carried in the man's arm.
" Boa Hancock. " Sabo called while tensing his body.
The woman in question didn't answer his question because she seemed busy burying her head in the man's chest.
The young man gently put the Shichibukai down, looked at them and spoke.
" Apologies for intruding on your ship. "
" Who're you? " Sabo asked despite knowing who the woman was, but he needed to ask. He didn't know the young man and he was one to lead the conversation first.
" Me? " Alexander pointed at himself then continued.
" I'm Alexander and the one beside me is my wife Boa Hancock. "
He waited for no reply as he cast his gaze around the crew and spoke once again.
" Excuse me but I have to be blunt, who're you? Are you affiliated with the beast pirate's.? "
Sabo looked Alexander in the eye as he pondered the man's words and identity.
He asked about the beasts' pirates, which made him a possible target for their mission, however, he soon ignored this idea. Boa Hancock was too far from Kaido's sphere of influence moreover she was known to be independent from any power.
He thought it would be wise to discern the man's intention first.
" We are not affiliated with Kaido.. however you intruded on our ship, and demanded answers… I think I'm indebted to answers from you as well. "
Alexander nodded his head, he could answer some questions and if something arose he'd deal with it instantly.
" Fair enough... You see the Island is having a delicate situation, where the inhabitants have been enslaved by their king and sold to the beasts pirates. "
" So I must ask if you are affiliated with either of them. "
Alexander answered then suddenly a suffocating presence descended on the ship.
It pressed down on with the weight of mountains.
' This man… Is dangerous. '
Sabo's easily withstood the pressure, but he became even more alarmed. The situation could develop into a crisis if he didn't handle it right.
He looked around at his crew members, most of them either had been rooted in place due to the pressure or to Hancock, who looked indifferently at the amorous eyes of his crew.
'' Wait! '' He shouted
'' We don't have any relation with them… we came to Sierta island when we heard about their people's plight. ''
'' We came to help! '' He said with deep conviction.
Alexander, after hearing Sabo's words exchanged a glance with his wife then asked.
'' You know what happened? " Alexander stated as a matter of fact.
'' They have been enslaved by their tyrant king. '' Sabo replied.
'' And how did you discover it? '' Alexander started having guesses about the group's identity but he didn't wish to open that subject right now.
'' We have our informants… that's all I can tell you. '' Sabo said while glaring at Alexander, he was starting to get annoyed with all the questions.
His identity was a delicate matter, if discovered he'd have to bear the pursuit of the world government alongside his crew.
In fact, Usually, their operations were built around trusted information, otherwise they wouldn't take action, and yet a variable appeared today.
Alexander looked at them, at their brown cloaks. With the different kinds of races and skin colours, he even spotted a fish-man among them.
He pondered on the man's words then finally came to a conclusion. He turned around, picked Hancock and left a few words before jumping up the cliff.
'' Very well, come with me and see the people you've been looking for. ''
Koala watched how the man easily scaled the cliff in a single leap, then turned to her captain worried.
'' Sabo, do you trust his words? ''
Sabo shook his head as he walked forward.
'' Not yet... But I have to see it with my eyes first. ''
He turned to the trio.
'' Bunny you'll remain on the ship. Koala, Hack come with me. ''
Quick to obey his orders, the trio climbed the cliff where they found Alexander and Hancock waiting for them.
'' Lead the way. '' Sabo said.
'' Alright. '' Alexander answered then led them through the jungle, he took a detour on purpose to see their reaction as they went past the pile of bones.
And sure enough, they reacted as he had expected. There was sadness in their eyes, there was anger and deep conviction at the righteousness of their cause.
Alexander sighed as he looked at the small skeletons he passed by, Children dying, honour fading, madness prevailing that's what was wrong in the world.
To shatter one's innocence is to kill the light from their soul, kindling a fire filled with vengeance and hate that would never die. Unearthed by the next person who shares the same fate.
And as long as Mary Geoise stood above the red line, there would be too many who share the same fate.
They continued in silence for a few minutes before finally descending the cliff arriving at the camp.
Sabo was greeted with the sight of the Kuja pirates treating the wounded Siertans. The mere sight of the deformation made his group flinch.
'' Tell me, Do they deserve it? '' Alexander stopped and asked without looking back.
'' How can anyone steep so low? How can they live without honour? '' he asked seemingly to no one.
Sabo's group remained silent as they gritted their teeth, they were late, they wished they had known about this sooner.
They turned their heads toward the pile of bodies and ripped body parts that were the beasts' pirates.
They understood the general situation and what happened here, even though the situation looked grim there was still gratitude in their eyes as they looked at Hancock and Alexander's group.
'' Thank you for your help, I wish we could have been here to aid you.. '' Sabo said his voice shaking.
'' You can still help… '' Alexander said then pointed at the Siertans while looking meaningfully at Sabo.
'' They need a place to stay, this island is no longer safe for them. ''
Sabo's eyes narrowed slightly, he figured that they might have discovered their identity but again considering their course of action they might be able to turn them into allies.
'' We have a place, where they can stay. We can also provide proper medical attention and salvage what we can from their… transformed bodies… ''
'' I'll owe you a great deal if you can help them. '' For the first time since they had met, Alexander smiled a little, seemingly now a bit at ease.
'' But there's something our group has to take care of too… '' Sabo replied while looking ominously at the distant city.
'' Indeed you have. '' Alexander replied, fully knowing what kind of undertaking they were about to do.
'' You don't have to join us Alexander-san, the people of this land need to rise and take their fate with their own hands... Otherwise, all will be nought… there are no eternal saviours. ''
'' This world compels us to persist, every day we live, every breath we take is a fight against life itself, against those who rule from the clouds. Arms might bleed, tears might fall and should we die in the evening, we die knowing that we didn't betray our cause. ''
'' May your cause be blessed.. '' Alexander replied, in his mind, the journey he took and the cause he fought for in the past flashed past his mind.
Honour in challenge and self-refinement, compared to what they fight for, Honor in a greater cause, a cause for the betterment of all.
It compelled him to think deeply about what he was fighting for and who was more honourable… He didn't take long to reach a conclusion.
'' Honor is where the heart leads. '' he didn't need to overcomplicate it, Honor encompasses all. Beyond labels and titles, only actions and intentions can determine its worth.
Everyone looked at him puzzled at the suddenness of his statement, no one understood his words or their meanings.
But there was a woman who took his hands in hers, fully believing his words. She knew him better than anyone else, She was his wife, Hancock.
Sabo and the rest looked at the couple wondering how did they end up together, especially with a woman like Hancock.
—-----------------------------------------------------
Time passed and soon two weeks went by, during this period The Kuja and the Revolutionary army worked in tandem to help the Siertans get up on their feet.
While the rest of Sabo and his crew would go to the city during the day and then come back and hold meetings in their tents every night.
They were planning something, everyone could feel the tension rising. And the expectations they had for the future.
The Siertans, or rather the able-bodied among them, integrated seamlessly into their ranks. Alexander helped Hack train them into at an acceptable shape.
Following his steps was the fifteen year old Zhiki who followed him from morning to night. Alexander accepted his presence around him, he reminded him of a young jar that used to call him Uncle.
However, peace didn't last long for they spotted a ship bearing the beast's pirate flag heading to the island.
They soon cleared out the area leaving only Alexander up the cliff sitting alone on a rock.
—--------------------------------------
Heavy footsteps rumbled across the forest as Jack the Drought and his crew numbering around thirty travelled the jungle.
Jack was a giant fish-man standing over eight meters tall with a tan skin tone you'd mistake him for a human.
He had long braided blonde hair, he wore a metallic jaw mask surrounded by two long horns jutting out from his temple.
He left his chest open, with only a brown fur sleeveless coat covering his upper body.
'' Why didn't they arrive on time? '' He asked his voice loud with a hint of irritation.
'' We don't know captain... We agreed on the time beforehand, but they could have been busy in the mines. ''
'' They'll pay for it. '' Jack scowled beneath his mask, he had a violent personality that often led to cities falling to his short temper.
'' Maybe there was a cause for their delay. '' Another crew member tried to ease the situation for his friends.
'' SHUT UP!! I WANT NO EXCUSES. '' He shouted, he didn't like it when things didn't go as planned, even the little things such as this.
'' Yes, captain. '' The one who spoke before immediately shut his mouth, he didn't want to lose his head, not to Jack at least, being torn from limb to limb was what he imposed on his enemies, he didn't want to have a taste of that.
They continued forward, their path through the jungle cut directly to the cliff; it was the fastest way to get there.
Once they arrived they stopped in their steps, looking puzzled at the young man fiddling with a stick on the rock seemingly not paying any attention to them at all.
'' Who are you? '' Jack asked while looking from the side down the cliff where no soul could be seen.
He felt something was amiss when the young man didn't respond, the young man in question wore a black shirt and black pants with a golden sash around his waist, he appeared muscular to a degree, as he looked at the stick with his black hair covering most of his face.
'' YOUR NAME!! '' He shouted and drew two long Shotel blades.
The young man seemingly only now realised their presence as he raised his eyes and peered at them with eerie-looking golden eyes.
'' Do you believe in justice? '' he asked a question.
Jack's eyes narrowed as he let out hot breath from his metallic mask, the sound of it resembling a beast about to be unleashed from its cage.
The young man paid it no attention, twirling the stick between his fingers, he opened his mouth and asked once again.
'' What justice do you believe in? of king, Queens, Yonkos? Iron cold bars justice? ''
'' THERE'S NO JUSTICE OVER MY HEAD. '' He shouted, he was Jack the Drought, he was a destruction incarnate.
'' I see… it seems that tyranny has become your absolute law… '' He stood up.
'' You know the World Government might like to entertain you and clear out of your path, but… ''
Jack was about to end this farce of words exchange, however his eyes constricted as every inch of his being screamed for him to move, move faster.
But he couldn't as the young man appeared before his eight-meter-tall body, his golden eyes looking at him, far behind the earth cracked as part of the cliff hung in the air about to fall down, then he heard it.
A voice in his ears.
'' My justice is written in blood. ''
*BOOM*
Alexander grabbed his head then smashed a straight line through the forest while holding his head on the ground. The pirates were left shaken, everything changed in an instant.
They travelled for hundreds of meters before stopping, Alexander didn't wait as he kicked his body up into the sky.
Then jumped, appearing above Jack who didn't even realise what was happening, he heard the roar of a beast as two golden fists smashed into his stomach, sending him close to the cliff where they disembarked.
*BOOM*
The ground split apart for tens of metres, while parts of the cliff crumbled into the ocean; some of it even fell into the beast's pirate ship, heavily damaging it.
Alexander lightly landed on the ground and walked toward the dust-laden pit.
From where he stood he could see blood seeping into the ground but he felt no movement.
'' Did he die? '' Alexander looked puzzled.
*RUMBLE*
He smiled as he heard the trumpet of an elephant, the dust floating in the air was pushed and a ten-metre tall mammoth came out chagrin with eyes madened with rage.
Alexander, instead of retreating, advanced forward, picking up speed and clashed hard against the rock-like head of Jack.
*BOOM*
The air split apart, Jack's eyes widened noticeably when he felt a pair of hands wrap around his trunk, and then his world turned upside down as he was smashed into the ground.
*BOOM*
Once again the cliff couldn't handle the impact, a long fissure spread dangerously close to where they fought.
Alexander didn't care he picked Jack once again and smashed him down.
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
Blood splattered and Alexander from head to toe became bathed in it.
He picked him up for the last time and threw him hard against the ship they came with. Jack smashed the ship into the ocean sinking with his ship.
Alexander took a deep breath and wiped the blood from his eyes.
'' Honorless mongrel. '' He spat on the ground and stepped inside the jungle knowing that his crew had already dispatched the others who came with Jack.
______________________________________________
On a rock that juts out of the sea cliff hundreds of metres away, a figure wearing a white suit and coat stood carrying a den den mushi.
His face was covered with a round light-coloured mask with a red cylindrical mouth.
'' Maha. '' a voice came from the den den mushi.
'' Yes. '' The masked figure replied, his voice muffled behind his mask.
'' Did they finish? ''
'' Yes, that boy sank Jack and his ship down. ''
'' Hmm, this may complicate things… We must keep looking at how doflamingo's artificial fruit develops. ''
'' What should we do about Hancock and those revolutionary army operatives? ''
'' Withdraw, don't engage they won't be staying at the island for too long, they'll move out soon enough. ''
'' Alright, we have some precious information. This should suffice for now. Leave and don't get caught. ''
'' Affirmative. '' Maha replied and turned around quickly leaving the scene. He had been following the movement of the beast pirates, and now it had even provided more precious information than they expected.
Soon enough that information will reach the higher up and a decision will be made.