A/N: Ah, I started watching One Piece Again and I felt the urge to start up writing again, you know? Ahhh... But this is just the beginning/opener. Let's see what's going to happen...

The Beginning

There is a laboratory somewhere in the world.

The floors are sterile and the walls display a fine polish. Where this laboratory was, in the end, not important. Yet, what was, was the events transpiring inside.

It all starts in a room.

The purpose of this room is not known. But with one look, one finds themselves wary. The room is spacious with grid-like walls tainted with scratches and claw marks. They are large and savagely placed by furious hands—hands not of a human. The lights are dim and with lights so low and the room so close to a darkness, one would deem the area unfit for working.

Despite this, the occasional spark of light goes off in the room signify a life. Soon, a second one follows. And another—

"Alright, one more adjustment... and we. are. done!"

—A cheerful voice belonging to one of the two figures rings throughout the room. It belongs to a young looking woman in blonde pigtails and with spectacular eyes. They were blue of course, but were ridiculously so. It was the kind of blue that even in the dark of the room held the sky in them. The kind of sky blue eyes that held youth, and made their owner look younger. More filled with energy. If one were to take in her appearance, you'd think of someone who made daily trips to the local cafe. Not the smart, science-y type that stood before an immaculate machine.

Gods be stricken that she did both.

"Yeah, looks like we're done here." And to contrast the woman, there was a man. He was much taller than the woman, so tall that it was as if he was there to punctuate her height's shortcoming. And while she began to stretch for her break, he continued to crouch over it as if to continue working. He's a quiet one with purple hair and thick glass that refused to show his eyes. His rarely smiling face said it all, 'less fun, more work' and it was from there a wonder how they worked together.

"Finally. Now we can start the testing. Where is-"

He stops speaking has as a huff of breath and swish of clothing is hear in the distance. It's accompanied by a frantic thumping of feet on the pathways coming to their direction. He hadn't even said a name, but low and behold, speak of the devil and they will come. It's not too long from then that a blur of black opens the door, filling it with light. It, the blur, then stops with a screeching halt, arms filled with big bags, something akin to snacks. Finally stationary, the blur is recognizable. It the talks between labored breaths. The newcomer's voice is deep and feminine. "Hey! How's it going? Rosey, Maverick: Where's everyone else?"

"Oh hello, Jones! They're running a little late." The young woman, Rosey, asks while dusting off her lab coat.

She only pauses for a moment to drag her fingers over the embroidered lace at the bottom of her coat. Her own work of course. "Oh, are those for us?" She asks, eyeing the bags.

"Mhm, sure are! I thought you guys could use a little something-something for your break." They laugh. "How's it going? Almost done?"

"We actually just finished." Maverick interjects before Rosey can even speak. He's not the type for idle chit-chat. "All we have to do is test it out now."

"Seems like a plan to me." A new figure says, slipping into the room. His hands are in his lab coat's pockets, papers stuffed between the gap of his arm and side. He's a little above average size, tall and sickly pale. His hair is white and wavy covering half of his face, the rest being slung into a ponytail over his shoulder. His appearance up and down was striking almost. It was almost as if you were looking at the depressed, personification of the color white.

"Ah, David! Hello~!" Jones chimes before giving him a smile. "How you doin'?"

That icy blue, almost white eye, looks over at the speaker. He doesn't show much of any emotion of course—"Just fine, thank you for asking, Jones."—but just from that response alone, they could tell he was in a good mood.

"No problem, Darling!" They sing. "So what are we going to do? Everyone else is late, are we going to get the show on the road without them?"

"I suppose so," David comments, looking over at the other two who nod in agreement. "We can always filled them in once they come in."

"Maverick, start up the machine then, we're starting!" Rosey chirps.

"Right."

Behind the thick, bullet proof glasses of Maverick's did his two eyes blink. There is a pause. And when nothing happens as they look at the machine, frustration sets in the man. Pressing the keys a little harder, Maverick enters in the commands to start the machine. Pressing enter, the screen displays miles of code before it stops all at once.

There is another pause, the atmosphere a bit more heavy now.

They all eye the machine, Jones albeit more excited than the others. In response the machine sparks ominously and then settles down. It was as if they watched a dying man's cough. And all that did was emphasized humorous pity of the scene.

"… Ah, it's a bust." David's eye never left the machine as he spoke, "So, will we scrap it? Or will we keep working on it?"

The small group immediately goes into conversation of this troublesome machine. On and on they went from start to finish of the plan and machine and it's next steps. While they continued their discussion, Jones—who was gaining a headache from listening— stepped away. They were smart, yes, but was nowhere near the level of the Scientists. Acknowledging and admitting to their shortcomings, Jones did what only a Jones would do.

Step towards the machine. Feet light, they slipped from the conversation and began to inspecting it. Of course they wouldn't be able to do anything for it, but they saw nothing wrong with taking a closer look. After all, what was the worse that could happen?

—So when the machine sparked again, it was already too late.

David was the first one to notice and heart already leaping to his chest, the man did something he rarely did. He yelled. "Jones! Get away from that!"

With an alarmed shout, they jump away from the now glowing and sparking machine on cue. From the archway, a portal began to come to life, colors of all hues swirling from within. It captivates the person and immediately they're stuck, peering into it's possible wonders unknowing—

"Don't get distracted, move!" Rosey shouts. "Oh god, Maverick, turn off the machine!"

"I'm trying!"

The warning is too late as the colors swirl and swirl. Jones stands there as if hypnotized and it isn't until David yells once more, that they come back to reality. A fear, the fear of the unknown, comes in as the machine begins to rattle. Sparking once more, electricity comes begins coming from the portal. Anything it touches breaks apart and then is swiftly sucked in, much to their horror.

"Maverick, the machine..!"

"I know, I'm trying!"

Jones is now stuck for a different reason. Fear. Over riding fear paralyses them. It chokes them, it gets hard to move, hard to breath. It's then that finally their 'Fight or Flight' responses kicks in. They move to escape the mysterious machine, only to be snagged on a large, spindly wire and trip.

Instantaneously, the electricity whips down, striking them.

The last seen moment of Jones is them reaching out as they fall, tears in their eyes. They break apart just like everything else, bit by bit as they are taken into the portal—

It is quiet as it then shuts off.

A/N: Alright, that's it for the beginning chapter.

...What? So short? You want more? Well, soon! However, leaving a comment will help me out confidence wise. So if you can, don't force yourself, but leaving a comment would be great. I hope you have a nice day!