AN: So hello everyone, I'm Axis and this is a SYOC I've been working on since this Friday!This fic has been inspired by the following:The Storm Pirates SYOC by WhitewolfLune (who said that she wouldn't mind going over my drafts so that makes her my beta so there's that)The Sky Raider Pirates SYOC by fireandicephoenixI have characters in both! (Although I changed my name and stuff so yeah... different penname on the fics in the parenthesis they use to credit someone for their OC)Note that this fic involves some AU elements and uses really, really weird things to make stuff believable, and they sound a like a long stretch, even for Grand Line standards. That's mostly in the future though so yeah...

So after this chapter, I'll be posting one dedicated to the application form because it's going to be easier that way. Please read that before submitting your original character, thanks!

Prologue: No More Kneeling

Word Count: 1312

RLC couldn't believe what she was doing. She was a machina, one programmed for loyalty and infiltration. Oh yes, the machina could fool herself into thinking that it was only temporary but honestly...

"So little machina~…" Battleaxe Yara purred as she readied her signature weapon, the woman's fishman heritage seeming more pronounced as she grinned, "Are you ready for this? Because knowing them… this will be your last chance to back out and go back to your life of orders and regulations."

The Captain of the Ironhide Reavers held out a phantasmal hand, her two actual hands holding her precious battleaxe, balancing precariously on a wall to the Marine Base shipyard.

The machina steeled herself, before grasping the ghostly hand with one made of a white sleek metalic material, clambering quietly onto the wall. As she did, RLC couldn't help but look at her own form, her dark green lenses dimming as the machina took in the damage she sustained.

The pirate noticed and her inhumanly pale green eyes seemed to soften, not that the other seemed to notice it, before sighing and said, "Like I said kid," she ignored the look the machina gave at the word, "I'm giving you an out. You already got enough damage that the captain of this rinky-dinky base wouldn't dismantle you due to 'incompetence.'"

Again, just like the first time Battleaxe Yara offered to get her out of this incident scott-free, she refused. Not just on her honour, but because…

"Like I said, Battleaxe, I want to know what's so good about this… freedom you weird pirates talk about is worth." RLC practically snarled at the pirate.

The fishperson hybrid just mimed raising her hands in a surrendering motion as she grinned toothily, "Alright then, so what's your name then?"

With nothing but the light of their optics, it was a little hard to see a machina's line of sight, but it was obvious that RLC was looking at the pirate captain in distaste.

"Machina do not have names Battleaxe Yara." RLC answered harshly, inwardly wondering why the hybrid wouldn't know that. She did have a machina crew member after all…

"Hah, to be fair kid," Once again, Yara ignored the tell-tale signs of anger, like the growling or the whirling sounds of a fan trying to cool down the young machina's systems, "Fiiro did decide to name himself something besides his assigned unit name-thing."

The formerly marine-affiliated machina looked like she was going to correct something in her statement but instead just sighed and said, "...I go by Unit RLC."

"Good to know RLC." Said Battleaxe Yara with a grin before suddenly becoming serious, her slitted pupils somehow narrowing even further as she prepared to leap onto the small skiff that was anchored there.

"Do you remember the plan?"

"If you get shocked… that's your fault. Just so that we're clear." RLC said as she nodded in affirmation.

And with that, Unit RLC jumped off the wall and landed in the water, sending out a small amount of electrical charge.

Arlesey liked her life now. Yes, maybe practically being on the run was… troublesome to say the least, but then again, she was a machina in a era when people somehow forgot that technology isn't infallible.

The machina twitched as she got another notification about her almost woefully clueless former superiors. The quality of marines in East Blue really hasn't changed despite two of the three Pirate Kings being from that sea…

She quickly sent another doctored reply as she wondered how much longer she could milk the information stored in the very hackable marine archives. She grinned behind her drink, before she was disturbed by a cough from behind her.

"Ya finished with that milk kid?" Asked her temporary guardian, the clockwork machina looking so bored with the world.

"I'm not a kid old timer!" She shot back, annoyed as she pushed herself off the stool, "I'm going to be 17 years old tomorrow so I don't think you'll be able to call me a kid anymore Danish!"

"Yeah, so come on." He said, grabbing one of the metal protrusions that "held" up her "hair" in its usual style, "Your sponsor's gonna send you some advice so get to your place already got it Locke?"

Arlesey knew better than to get out of the old clockwork's grip, so she amused herself by looking around.

The island they were on was close to a Marine Base— which was on another island, but close enough to be able to sail to and from in an single day—and known to the world as Oldtown Island. The island was seen as the Machina capital of East Blue and had the largest amount of unaffiliated machina as citizens. Arlesey was going to miss it when she left…

Caught up in her thoughts, she almost didn't hear Danish's almost despondent words.

"So here ya go Arlesey." He said gruffly, pointing to a small skiff anchored to the shore, "It's small, but the boat's temporary until you get a crew and whatever else you need."

The boat really couldn't be called a ship, it was only fit as a pleasure boat if Arlesey had to judge. It did have a certain charm with its metallic blue and ash brown accents though.

Arlesey didn't move from where she was, right beside him. It was a little bit of a strange sight. Most machina from different generations almost never interacted with one another due to their differences in both form and function.

The two made an interesting contrast, an old and weathered clockwork to a machina the colour white and seemingly fresh from wherever machinas come from, the second's figure more human than not compared to the first's almost inhuman appearance.

"Hey Danish, did I ever tell you my dream?" Arlesey asked softly, sights set to the distance.

"Don't recall you saying anything along those lines." He said noncommtedly.

"Well… I guess I want to know what it's like to be free…" Arlesey started, her clenched into a fist as her lenses brightened from its dull yellow to a piercing gold.

"And from her and others, I've learned that the one who becomes the King of Pirates is seen as the one with the most freedom."

Unknown to the young machina, Danish gave her as she told him that, before he carefully asked, "So do you plan on taking the treasure?"

Arlesey looked at him like he was crazy for even asking, which she really did think even before he asked the question, "Of course!"

"Than what about the Pirate King?" Danish asked, tilting his head to the side in place of raising a non-existant brow as the sun gave way to night.

"…well, it's not like anyone's seen him since the first time the world's heard about him so I personally doubt that he's alive." Arlesey said truthfully, before looking to the side and adding, "Plus, the Marine archives I still have access to indicate that he hasn't been sighted ever so yeah…"

As Arlesey looked at the sea, her mind lost in the many Marine documents she's read both officially and unofficially, she completely missed the knowing look on the older machina's face.

"Well, good luck with your dream Arlesey, and to add, Locke cares for you to the point that she actually adopted you fully." Danish said, using Arlesey's dislike of Yara to distract her.

"Okay stop talking about her or I'll flamethrower you old man!" Arlesey shouted at Danish irately, waving a hand that was slowly shifting into a gun barrel.

AN: I hope you enjoy this!