The fog pressed thick against the waves, dulling even the crash of the restless sea. Somewhere in the distance, a massive shadow rose from the mist, its silhouette jagged and looming like a sleeping beast. The Robber Pirates' weathered ship groaned as it cut through the water, its sails taut against the fickle winds of the New World. Above the deck, a sharp call rang out.
"Captain Hoodie! I see it! The MADS ship, dead ahead!"
All eyes turned toward the crow's nest, where a wiry pirate clutched a battered telescope in one hand, the other gesturing wildly toward the horizon. On the deck below, the Captain of the robber pirates, Hoodie strode forward, the thump of his boots echoed across the ship's creaking deck. His sharp, calculating gaze locked onto the massive figure drifting through the fog, a derelict vessel of impossible proportions.
The wheels of the MADS ship rose like towering giants, their frames slowly weathered over the years. Flakes of rust clung to their metallic surfaces, but the underlying structure stood firm, a testament to its robust design. Its blades, broad and slightly warped from years of use, bore the marks of hard labor and adventure rather than neglect. Despite the signs of wear, the wheels exuded a sense of latent power, as if they could roar back to life at any moment to propel the ship forward once again.
"Full speed ahead!" Hoodie's voice cut through the murmurs of his crew like a whip. "That's treasure just waiting for us to claim it! Gear up and be ready to haul as soon as we board. Remember," his grin curled into a darker shade, "we're not alone in these waters. This is Punk Hazard's backyard, and the Navy won't be far behind. Move quick, or I leave ya behind!"
The crew erupted into a flurry of activity, ropes drawn, sails shifted, and anchors prepared as their ship neared its target. The MADS ship loomed larger with each passing moment, the fog peeling away to reveal more of its jagged lines and foreboding edges. By the time the pirates began clambering aboard, they were met with a strange, oppressive stillness that seemed to seep from the ship itself.
The corridors of the massive vessel stretched out like a labyrinth of forgotten metal, the air cold and stale from decades of disuse. Captain Hoodie waved his crew forward. "Anything shiny, anything that looks like it'll fetch a price... take it. And for the love of treasure, don't waste time figuring out what it does!" His boots clanged as he strode confidently into the belly of the beast. "We're not here to play scientists!"
Among the looters was Dolt, a hulking brute with broad shoulders that seemed to scrape the narrow walls of the ship's corridors. He ducked slightly as he moved, his eyes curiously scanned the rusted steel around him. Dolt's sheer size and strength alone made him out to be an imposing figure, though his intellect didn't quite match his brawn. When he stumbled upon a room filled with blinking lights, dials, and switches, his face lit up with childlike wonder.
"What's this, then?" he muttered to himself, stepping into the room. His eyes locked onto a particularly large lever marked boldly with "DO NOT TOUCH." For a moment, he tilted his head as if trying to make sense of the words. A smaller crewmate jogged into the room behind him, panting from the exertion.
"Dolt, you giant lug, get away from that!" the smaller pirate hissed, waving his arms frantically. "Can't you read? It says DO NOT TOUCH!"
Dolt squinted at the text, scratching the back of his head. "Can't read it," he rumbled simply, his massive hand reaching for the lever.
"Don't you dare!" the crewmate screeched, but it was too late. Dolt grinned as he yanked the lever with one swift motion.
The ship groaned beneath their feet, and then everything went dark. Lights blinked out across the corridors, plunging the entire vessel into an oppressive black void. Pirates' voices erupted in confusion and panic, shouts echoing from every direction.
"What happened?"
"Who shut it all off?"
"DOLT, YOU'VE DONE IT AGAIN!"
Amidst the clamor, the deep, booming voice of Captain Hoodie roared through the halls. "What is going on up there?!"
A faint hum reverberated through the walls, followed by the slow, methodical whir of ancient machinery coming to life. One by one, red emergency lights flickered on, bathing the ship in an eerie glow. The shadows they cast seemed to stretch and writhe as if the ship itself had awakened. Dolt blinked at the pulsing light and shrugged. "Guess I fixed it," he muttered, much to his crewmate's exasperation.
Deep below the chaos, in the bowels of the ship, a hidden chamber stirred. A blaring glow emanated from a screen, the text upon it sharp and mechanical:
[EMERGENCY PROTOCOL INITIATED]
- Subject: CHIMERA
- Stasis Integrity: CRITICAL FAILURE
- Vital Functions Destabilized
- Emergency Override Engaged
[SYSTEM OVERRIDE COMPLETE]
WARNING: Subject Release Imminent
The words pulsed in an alarming manner, almost as if they would jump off the screen. The hiss of pressurized air echoed through the room as the stasis pod at the center lost its ability to sustain the pressures within.
Slender, jointed wires clung to the figure submerged in vibrant green liquid. Bubbles clustered at their tips as they detached with a sharp hiss. The wires slackened and recoiled with a harsh, mechanical whir, slithering into the walls like sea serpents retreating to their lairs. The green liquid rippled briefly, sending faint waves across the glowing chamber before settling into stillness. The pod shuddered, cracks steadily spread across its surface before it gave in and shattered.
A wave of glass and fluid spilled onto the floor, carrying the figure with it. He landed heavily crashing against the cold floor, gasping and coughing as his lungs adjusted to the cold, unfamiliar air.
In the corner of the chamber, a white coat hung over the back of a rusted chair. The boy's razor teeth bared briefly as he staggered toward it, driven by some instinctive need for shelter. He clutched the coat tightly, its oversized fabric draping awkwardly over his small frame as he clung to its faint semblance of warmth.
In a daze, the boy stumbled into the corridor, his legs trembled under the unfamiliar sway of movement. His shaky steps sent him lurching forward, the metallic floor rising up to meet him with a harsh clang. For a moment, he lay still, the pulsing red light flickering over him, casting his horned silhouette against the iron walls. Then, with a soft grunt, he pressed his hands against the cold surface and pushed himself back on his feet. This time, his fingers found the wall, clutching it tightly as he steadied himself.
His hand slid along the wall, fingers brushing over the bolts that lined its uneven panels. The boy's actions were fueled by a gnawing sense of wonder, tracing the cold metal with his hand as though searching for guidance. The pulsing red lights illuminated the corridor fascinated him.
Distant shouts and bursts of laughter rang out ahead, echoing with an infectious energy that seemed to dance through the corridor, pulling him forward with an almost magnetic force.
Rounding a corner, he halted as he came face-to-face with a group of pirates. They paused, their gazes drawn to him.
Among them, a shifty pirate stepped forward, walking towards the boy, his crooked grin revealing a glint of malice in his darting, untrustworthy eyes. With a hunched posture and restless, twitching hands, he carried the air of someone perpetually plotting, his scheming nature clinging to him like an unwelcome shadow. "Well, what do we have here?" he said, his voice carrying a faint edge of alarm that broke through the silence.
The boy took a hesitant step forward, but before he could react, the shifty pirate lunged at him, driving a heavy kick into his abdomen. Pain exploded through his body, and he crumpled to his knees, clutching at his midsection. A calloused hand of immense proportions clamped down on his head, gripping him tightly as he was yanked to his feet. "Oh, I've never seen one like him, he must be rare, hehehe the capn's gonna love this" The pirate's mocking laughter echoed around him as he dragged him across the deck, their jeers cutting through the cold air like blades.
"Kekeke, what's a fish-man doing in here anyway?" one of them sneered, his tone dripping with amusement at the boy's helplessness.
The boy groaned as they dragged him through the metallic corridors of the massive ship, his bare feet slid against the steel floor. The pirates' vice-like grip on his skull sent sharp jolts of pain through his head, but he offered no resistance, simply enduring it as though he knew nothing else. His jaded eyes dropped to the ground, watching the dull steel glide beneath him, faint streaks of rust tracing along its edges.
The boy barely registered the pirates' rough, taunting voices. Words like "Fish-Man" and "rare" floated past his ears, strange and unfamiliar, yet oddly intriguing. His white hair clung to his cerulean face as the pirate's firm grip kept his head in place.
"On your feet," one of the pirates growled as he released his grip and set the boy down roughly. The boy swayed slightly, his bare feet adjusting to the smooth floor beneath him. "Now move," the pirate barked, giving him a shove to start him forward. "The captain doesn't like to be kept waiting."
As they entered the expansive chamber, the air seemed to hum with an almost tangible energy. At its center stood Captain Hoodie, an imposing figure clad in a black leather jacket and a fur-lined cape. His shoulders were encased in massive metal armor, amplifying his already commanding presence. The boy's emerald gaze lingered on the enigmatic figure, his thoughts settling on a single word 'Captain.'
As the boy's mind raced, piecing together fragments of what had led him here, the shifty pirate abruptly shoved him forward, cutting off his thoughts. He dropped to his knees with a dull thud, echoing faintly against the steel floor.
The sound drew Captain Hoodie's attention "Ah, you're back already," he said, his raspy voice laced with hint of amusement as he turned toward them.
The pirate grinned nervously, shifting on his feet. "Y-you won't believe what we found, Cap'n."
The boy glanced upward as Hoodie began his approach, his boots striking the floor in a measured rhythm. "What've you brought me this time?... A Fish-Man?" he asked, his tone curious.
Hoodie crouched, reaching out to grasp the boy's chin. He tilted the boy's head slightly, turning it side to side, studying his features with keen interest—his white hair, blue skin, horns seamlessly blending with his complexion, and striking green eyes. "Haven't seen one quite like this before…" he muttered, his gaze intent as though unraveling a puzzle.
"Exotic," Hoodie murmured, mostly to himself. "Could be worth something. Very rare, I'd wager." He knelt slightly to meet the boy's confused gaze. "Hey, kid," he said, his tone uncharacteristically calm, "you got a name? Where'd you come from?"
The boy blinked, struggling to grasp the meaning behind Hoodie's words. Unable to piece it together, he pulled the coat tighter around himself and lowered his gaze. Hoodie chuckled, straightening to his full height.
"No answers, huh? Well, no matter," he said as he turned to one of his men. "Lock him up for now."
He shifted his gaze back to the boy, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "He'll give us some soon enough... and then a fortune when we reach Sabaody."
The boy was on the move once more as the sketchy pirate took hold of his arm, pulling him to his feet. He briefly glanced at Hoodie as they dragged him away, unsure of the man's intentions, not yet grasping the danger he was in.
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Hey this is red, leave a comment if you got a request or some ideas you want to share, feel free to ask questions and correct me when I'm wrong I can handle criticism. Oh and if you have some one piece fan art share it with me especially if it an OC, they don't need to look cool as long as they're built like a one piece character XD
Anyways hope you enjoyed, leave a powerstones and see you next time