The Boy Who Fell Overboard! A New Journey Begins!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own One Piece
The dark sea twisted and churned as the High Ante heaved and hoed with every blast of wind from the oncoming storm. Caulfield Holden looked out over the dark horizon as he put down his spyglass and called back to his crew. "Men, this storm doesn't seem to be letting up. Batten down the hatches, right now our main worries are to survive this, does everyone understand." Holden grimaced as a wave of water crashed over the ship, soaking his elegant blue uniform to the bone. His long blonde hair, normally tied in a braid, was matted and soaked, framing his fierce looks in a wild mane.
His crew quickly got to work, securing supplies, as a young teen with shaggy black hair and a long dark coat watched it all happen. Holden glanced at the boy who seemed transfixed by the events around him. "Alex, head to my quarters. You'll be safe there." Alex nodded, and Holden watched as his son moved into the center of the ship, disappearing from view for a second before reappearing, looking out the window of the captain's quarters. Holden turned his gaze back to the sea, as he tried to sail his ship through the sudden storm.
It had been a calm day less than five minutes ago, and now the High Roller Pirates were in a fight for their life against the very elements. Nearly halfway through the Grand Line, and it seemed that nature itself was plotting against them. Holden grimaced, fourteen years they had been travelling, searching for that grand treasure that Roger has left at the end of the world. The title of Pirate King, now that was a title worth searching for, Holden thought.
"Sir, the supplies have been secured." a voice spoke, breaking Holden's attention away from his thoughts. Holden glanced behind him at Thomas, his first mate. A broad man with dark blue hair tied back in a ponytail. Holden nodded at him.
"Good, make sure the crew are safe. The last thing we need is someone dying because they weren't properly secured."
Thomas didn't move, except to pull out a sharp ornate dagger. "Actually, Holden, someone dying is exactly what we were counting on tonight." Holden barely had time to react, as Thomas lunged at Holden with the dagger.
Holden reached into his pocket, pulling out a pair of dice. "Thomas, what is the meaning of this? You would turn your back on this crew? After all we've done?"
"I would never turn my back on this crew, Holden." Thomas said as more bodies started to surround them. Holden glanced around, nervously. A cry came from the doorway, as Alex rushed out towards Thomas. "Take care of the boy."
Alex went down hard, slamming into the waterlogged deck with a solid thump, as Holden swung at Thomas who merely batted the punch away.
"Fourteen years, we've been sailing, and we've gotten nothing. And for ten of those years, we've been pitiful. Four years, we were the High Roller Pirates. One of the most feared crews on the sea. People were comparing us to Whitebeard, to the Samuels, to Shiki, to Roger himself. But you bring your whelp onboard, and we become glorified babysitters. We can't kill innocents, we can't rob citizens, we donate treasure to people."
Holden glared at his mutinous first mate, "We should be good people, set an example for the next generation."
"We're fucking pirates" Thomas yelled. Thomas waved a hand towards Alex, as one of the other crewmen picked the boy up. "Fuck the next generation." With those words, Alex was thrown off the ship into the turbulent waters below.
"NO!" Holden yelled, as he tossed the dice towards Thomas. Both die exploded into a cloud of smoke, covering the two pirates from view. "Flipping The River" Holden cried before grunting in pain.
Thomas walked out from the smoke, none the worse for wear, holding a now bloodied dagger. The smoke cleared, revealing Holden's body. The former pirate captain of the High Roller pirates lay on the deck of his ship, in a pool of his own blood.
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There was some humour to the fact that he would die so soon after his journey began, Caulfeld Alex thought as his small ship floated across the endless plane that was the ocean. The man cast a weary gaze out into the distance, the thick fog preventing him from seeing anything. With a sigh, he ran a gloved hand through his short black hair and laid back, the wood creaking as he made himself comfortable. He had planned poorly, he knew that much. Unfortunately he had misjudged the distance between his starting location and the nearest island, some small mining place known as Wilos. The soft lapping of the waves rocked the boat slowly, causing Alex's body to feel the weariness brought about by a couple days of sailing without food or water. His eyes closed slowly as he started, opening them wide, only for them to close again for good. It had been eight years since that fateful day on the Grand Line.
"Oi, you okay kid?"
Alex wearily opened his eyes as he stretched his aching body and glanced up at the face that looked to be carved out of stone. The speaker was an aged man, time having weathered his skin and stolen most of his hair. The few strands that clung to his liver spotted skull waved in the wind as the old man gestured at Alex's boat which was bumping up against a dock that was just as weathered as the man. Alex rose slowly, trying to keep his footing. "Uh, yeah I think so...how did I get here?" Alex asked, looking around. It was a small dock, the largest ship there was a tiny merchant ship used to travel between the local islands in the South Blue. In the distance, he could spy a series of buildings that he assumed to be a town. Alex brushed himself off
"On your boat, I assume" The old man answered as Alex raised an eyebrow and shot a glare. "Alright, alright. Keep your pants on. You probably floated here in the fog last night. It was a thick one, that's for sure. Couldn't see five feet out to sea, no sirree. Why, it reminds me of the fog of 1479, now that was a fog. You wouldn't have been born yet obviously but I was, and let me tell you..." Alex ignored the rest of the man's ramblings as he climbed onto the dock, brushing off dust from the dark green coat he wore over a red button-up shirt. He started toward town when the man paused in his reminiscing and held up a hand. "Oi, can't even let an old man reminisce about the good ol' days. Man, pirates have sure lost their manners."
Alex paused in his walking as he glanced back at the old man. "What makes you think I'm a pirate?" He was, after all, but the old man couldn't know that. Unless they got bounty posters out here? He didn't think it would've, it's not like he had a large bounty. Plus all he did was escape some no-name Marine mooks. They had rescued him from the island he was stranded on and due to his past, they decided to turn him over to some Captain Silon or Seamon or Soron or something like. Some freaky fish guy, he knew that. Not that he had anything against fishmen. Some of his best friends were fishmen. Wait, that's what you say when you actually are racist, Alex thought. And I'm pretty sure I don't actually know any fishmen anyway.
As this all went through his head, Alex didn't realize the old man was laughing a snaggletoothed laugh. "Don't worry about it kid, I just assume anybody travelling these waters nowadays are pirates. Especially alone. If you were a Marine, you'd have more people with ya and if you were a merchant, you'd have a larger ship to carry your cargo. You're too ill-equipped to be a mercenary and we have no reasons for revolutionaries or assassins to show up" The old man rubbed his chin, "You could be a treasure hunter"
Alex chuckled this time, "Aren't treasure hunters just pirates who are too nice to steal?. Eh, old man?" Somewhere an ocean away, a large man wielding an axe sneezed, drawing a glare from the blonde swordsmen next to him.
"Oi, quit with that old man stuff. I have a name, my name is Borus Oscar Bruce. My friends call me Bob." Bob reached out an arthritic hand for Alex to shake.
Alex glanced at the hand skeptically before accepting it, "Nice to meet you...Bob. So what is this place anyway?"
"The dock"
A sigh escaped Alex's lips as he gestured towards the town. "The island, what is the island called."
"Ahhhhh" Bob grinned as he turned towards the town with a stumbling lurch. "That my friend is the crystal town of the North, Wilos Island." Alex grinned, so he made it after all. That was good to know. He would need to pick up some supplies here, and probably a crewmember, but first he needed to take care of a need of the utmost urgency. A necessity that no pirate could go without. Something that everyone who made his living on the sea made sure to always have.
Alex turned to Bob as he nodded towards the town, "So Bob...where's the bar?" Bob pointed at a building up on a hill in a distance. "Thanks, old man."
Alex took a swift turn as he entered the town, turning into a dark grimy alley. Beggars and lepers peered up at him, holding out dirt covered bowls and cups, but he ignored them. He had no time for distractions. Reaching the door, he shoved it open as he entered the bar. A few of the patrons glanced at him as he walked toward the bar and took a seat.
He tapped the table as the bartender turned toward him, wiping a glass clean with a towel that had seen better days. "I'll take whatever you have that's strong" the man said as the bartender reached behind him and poured a glass of a dark brown liquid. Dropping a few ice cubes into the drink, the bartender passed it to the man who flipped some coins onto the table. "Finally, I've been dying of thirst" Alex laughed before downing the drink. The liquid was warm and the room spun a bit. The man slammed the glass down just as a hand reached out and tapped him on the shoulder.
The man grimaced as a foul stench came to his nostrils, a stench that smelled like a cross between burnt meat and blood. Turning around, the man glanced at the person in front of him, a large shirtless fellow with a fierce burn scar running down his face and body, a kukri lied sheathed at his waist. The man grimaced, "Well if it isn't my new favorite person, Kiduma, how goes the child killing?"
Kiduma growled as his meaty hand clenched down on the man's shoulder, "I would watch your tongue, Alex. Someone might decide to cut it out."
Alex raised an eyebrow as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a thin cigarette, lighting it from a lantern hanging over the bar. He took a long drag, breathing out a ring of smoke as he rose from the stool, moving Kiduma's hand from his shoulder. "My friend, if they haven't felt the need to remove yours, than I'm sure my tongue is perfectly safe." Alex's face turned serious as he glanced at Kiduma coldly, "However I'm not here to shoot the shit. If you could leave me be, it'll be greatly appreciated.." He said, waving Kiduma off.
Kiduma laughed as he grinned at Alex, "Leave you alone, fine I'll leave you alone. I'll leave you alone in hell!" Kiduma drew his sword, lashing out at Alex who ducked backwards, a thin spray of blood coming from his hand as a thin red line was slashed across his palm.
"Oi, that's my drinking hand!" Alex complained as he leapt forward, pushing his cigarette into Kiduma's face. The rotund ruffian roared in pain as he swung widely, Alex slamming his fist into Kiduma's expansive belly. Kiduma swayed a bit as the crowd that was now surrounding them pushed him back into the fight. Kiduma swung again, this time carving deep into Alex's back
However, this time there was no blood, as the blade bounced off Alex's coat which now seemed to be as hard as steel. The joking smile was gone from Alex's face as he glared at Kiduma. "So you made me reveal my powers…and you won't leave me alone…. and you made me get rid of my cigarette! Your shoes are not safe ones right now" Alex yelled as he grabbed Kiduma's kukri. His hand glowed slightly, as he bent the kukri back like it was a sheet of paper.
One of the crowd shouted in surprise, "He must have a devil fruit" Alex glanced at him in annoyance as the man shrank down
Yes, I have a devil fruit, the Antei Antei No No Mi, I'm a..stable man. I can control stability, just to clarify for the less intelligent people, like you Kiduma" Alex said gesturing at the fat fiend who stood shocked. "I don't like it when people won't fuck off. Ante Up!" Alex said as he swung his right hand forward, slamming it into the side of Kiduma's face, before following up with a fierce headbutt.
Kiduma was sent backwards, knocking down a good number of patrons, and causing a table to flip over. Kiduma rose slowly as he spat out blood. "You'll pay for this, Alex!" He said as Alex raised his leg high. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Cashing In The Chips!" Alex shouted, as he brought his leg down repeatedly on Kiduma's head. A small fountain squirted out from the corpulent criminal's head as he fell to the ground. Alex brushed his coat off as he sighed in annoyance and walked toward the door. He paused before he opened it, as he turned back to the bartender. "Hey, bartender. I got a question."
The bartender blinked slightly before answering, "Yeah?"
"You guys got anybody strong around here, I'm looking for someone to join my pirate crew." Some of the patrons got very quiet, as the music seemed to die down.
"You want strong people, you'll have to head to the mines on the other side of the island. But I'll be warned, they don't take kindly to pirates."
Alex grinned, "Who does?"
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Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, a man glanced at the report that was just given to him by his subordinate. The man was tall, clad in dark red armor, complete with a thick metal mask in the shape of a lion. "Are you certain it was him?"
His subordinate nodded, "Yes, sir Loras. It's him alright."
Loras waved for the subordinate to leave, as he sat down at a desk covered in bounty posters. They were littered throughout the table, Shidyk D. Shade, Malchior "the Draco", Axe. Fearsome players all of them in their own right, but it was the poster right in front of him that drew his attention at this point.
The poster depicted a man with short black hair, wearing a red shirt underneath a green coat. The man's fingers seemed to be sinking into a cannonball like it was made of rubber. The man glared at the camera with an intensity that seemed to leap off the page.
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
Caulfield "Melting Statue" Alex
Reward: 25,000,000 Belli
Loras picked up a Den Den Mushi. "Call Captain Siamon in the North Blue, tell him we have his fugitive." The call went through, as the Den Den Mushi shaped into a conniving grin and a pair of glasses.
"Captain Siamon, is this you?" Loras asked. He hadn't spoken to the fishman captain before, and transportation between the Blues was always an iffy prospect, but the Marines would want Alex returned to the sea where he was slated to be a prisoner, and Siamon was a man with a reputation for making sure prisoners stayed in their cells. Loras grinned to himself, also every bounty hunter could count on the Marines to at least pay them at the end of the day.
"Siamon is currently unavailable, this is his second in command, Sata Ashton. But I assure you, I am more than capable of replacing the Captain for this conversation, bounty hunter."
Loras ignored the barely concealed disgust on the other line, "Your fugitive, the so-called Melting Statue, has appeared on this island. He is in Claron Village on Wilos Island in the South Blue, if you send a team now, I can have him ready for you by the time they get here."
The Den Den Mushi stayed silent for a moment before speaking, "Fine, I'll let the Captain know."
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Alex continued travelling down the street, as he munched absentmindedly on some crackers he had picked up along the way. Some rain dripped on his face, as he glanced up. "Figures, just got out of one storm, and we get another." The rain started falling faster and faster, as Alex cursed, lifting his coat up over his head as he ran into the nearest building. A large brick building, with huge ornate front doors.
As Alex made his way to the safety of indoors, he ran a hand through his hair, as water splashed on the floor below.
"Oh hello, sir. How can I help you?" Alex looked up to see a young girl, with light blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, wearing a yellow dress shirt and slacks. She looked at Alex through a pair of small glasses, but that wasn't what drew Alex's attention. No, the object of that was the rapier hanging from her belt.
"What is this place? Who are you?" Alex asked
"This is Claron Village Public Library, I'm it's head librarian, Adler Claire, pleased to meet you, Mr..."
"Just call me Alex, Claire."
Alright, that's the first chapter done. Now admiteedly most of it is from old versions, but the same basic plotline still runs through the same so it's like ...eh, why not.
So, a few quick notes. One, Siamon and Ashton are owned by the wonderful The Dude Of Doom. Their reference here is merely a cameo, just something to set up the main conflict of this arc based on Alex's backstory. If you want to know more about them, then I suggest you read his fics. Furthermore, Shidyk D. Shade is owned by Rayo Verrani, Malchor D. Raco is owned by Malchior the Draco, and Axe is owned by kilnorc.
NEXT TIME ON MELTING STATUES
Alex: So what's the deal with those mines anyway?
Claire: They say whoever goes in, you never see them again
?: Caulfeld Alex right? The boss wants to speak with you.
Claire: This has gone too far!
Village Of Books! The Rose Blade Enters!
Alex: Who the hell are you?