A/N: I don't own One Piece, but I do own Nero Lich.
"HOGBACK!" commanded Moria, and as if by magic, the genius surgeon came running into Moria's room.
"Yes, Moria-sama?"
Moria raised an eyebrow at how fast he managed to get there.
"I have an important job for you. I want you to create a subordinate who will watch over you all while I am asleep."
Hogback scratched his chin. "I believe I have the perfect body in my freezer, Moria-sama. His name, in life, was Nero Lich. He was a demonic pirate captain who was the bane of the Marines and the World Government. He destroyed all who challenged him, and his bounty was over 200 million."
"I'm intrigued." said Moria. "What abilities does he have?"
"Well, right now his only weapon is the dual odachi he carries. However, I can give him Absalom's abilities, and perhaps some ones I haven't used yet."
"Excellent." smiled Moria. "Make him for me at once!"
"Yes, Moria-sama!" replied Hogback, running off to his lab.
Once he got there, he removed Lich's body from his freezer (or rather, the parts of it) and began sewing them back together. Lich had had his head, torso and hands cut off when he had tried to take over Thriller Bark- and now, he would be under Moria's direct control.
After an hour and a half of sewing, Lich's body was complete, along with his clothes: A long black cloak, a red scarf-thing that covered his mouth, black trousers and black boots. He also had messy black hair, and blue eyes.
Moria stood back to admire the body. Just then, Perona walked in.
"Hey Hogback, what you working on?" she asked, then her eyes fell on Lich's body.
"Woah. I think that is the sexiest thing you've ever created."
"He was like that when he was alive, Perona." replied Hogback, walking over to a large, complex looking machine. He attached the pads on the machine to Lich's limbs.
"What's that machine do?" asked Perona, looking at said machine curiously.
"It's a shadow-making machine. It allows me to create a personality of my own choosing, and it makes the zombie completely under Moria's control."
Hogback examined the personalities on offer. No…wiseguy? No…arrogant? No…oh, how about 'badass'?"
"Sounds good." said Perona. Hogback smiled, then flipped the switch.
It was as if a lightning storm was taking place inside the mansion. Electricity went everywhere (but mostly into Lich's body), and the machine exploded, smoke billowing out of it.
"Damn, it took me three years to build that!" said Hogback, as Perona coughed slightly.
"Ah well, it was for a good cause…" he turned to Lich's body.
Said body was now sitting up, rubbing his forehead. "Oh man, I feel like there's an earthquake going on in my brain…" Lich looked up, and saw Hogback.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked.
"I am Doctor Hogback, and I brought you back to life!" replied Hogback enthusiastically.
"I'm Perona." piped up Perona. Lich turned to face her.
"Well, hell-ooo, you sexy thing…." he said, looking her up and down. Perona blushed.
"Come on. We have to go see Moria-sama." said Hogback, handing Lich his odachi.
"Who's Moria?" asked Lich, still staring at Perona.
"You'll find out." replied Hogback, dragging Lich off to Moria's room.
They arrived in Moria's room, and Lich stared wide-eyed at the shadow Shichibukai.
"Woah. You are HUGE."
"This, Lich-sama, is Gecko Moria, master of this ship. He will be your superior, and you will be our superior."
Lich tore his eyes from Moria to look at Hogback. "What, you mean I get to order you guys around?"!
"More or less. Kishishishishi!" laughed Moria, and Lich looked back at him.
"You are AWESOME!" Lich said to Moria, and Moria laughed again.
"Kishishishi! I like you already!"
An hour later, after Lich and Moria had gotten to know each other and Moria had explained the ship, Lich returned to the mansion. This time, Lich ran into Absalom.
"So you're Thriller Bark's second-in-command…I'm Absalom. Nice to meet you." Absalom put out his hand for Lich to shake and Lich did so.
"Likewise. I'm liking this place. I was always a fan of horror stories. By the way, do you have any alcohol? I need a drink."
Absalom raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you a little too young to be drinking?"
"I'm a zombie. I can't die, so my liver won't be damaged."
Absalom shrugged. "Fair enough. I think Hogback's got some."
Hogback entered the dining room of his mansion later to find Lich and Absalom singing and laughing, and drinking the saké that Hogback had specially prepared for Lich's awakening. "I see you've fit in well." he said.
"Yep." replied Lich. "I think I'm going to like it here."
