Chapter 1: The Blue Shadow

The sky was unusually dark, probably from the moon hiding behind the clouds or maybe the lack of street lights. Neither were noticed by Chase Grand as he ran through the night fog, barely able to see more that a couple feet. This did not stop Chase from sprinting down the empty road towards his home. Fumbling with the key he managed to slip it in the brass keyhole as the heavy lock clanked multiple times before finally giving way. Chase stepped in slamming the oak door closed only to find himself once again surrounded by darkness, a growing fear in his mind. After taking a moment to calm his nerves, Chase moved up the spiral staircase without a sound. His ears caught every sound, a wagon's wheels rapping against the coble stone road outside, to the rumbling throats of bull frogs in the nearby lake. Then a sound that sparked sheer terror in his heart. Such a simple sound, one most would ignore but not Chase for it screamed something was out of place. The sound of a soft breeze whistling threw an open window. Dashing to the top of the stairs Chase was greeted by his curtain swaying quietly in the breeze, its subtle movements giving way to light from the outside. Chase moved to his desk checking to make sure nothing had been taken when a deep voice pierced the silence.

"What are you looking for Mr. Grand?"

Chase's head snapped up from the papers on his desk, "Who are you?" He spat in an attempt to hide his fear.

"Could it be something you are trying to hide? Or are you here trying to hide from someone?"

Chase could not make out the man in the shadows, for he there was no distinction between the man and the dark background. Chase began to slowly reach for the top draw of his desk as he answered, "I am not hiding anything, nor am I hiding from anyone."

He quietly slid out the draw revealing his one shot pistol resting on more parchment. The mahogany handle was inlaid with silver and cool to the touch as Chase wrapped his hand around its tiny grip.

"Oh really? Captain Rand Seal of the Line Pirates!"

Chase froze, not in fear but amusement as a smirk found its way to his lips, "So you know my real identity. Well I am sorry to say, but it will have to die with you!"

Chase raised the pistol in a record time taking aim at the shadows squeezing the trigger. Light filled the room for only a second followed by the smell of gunpowder and a haze of smoke further obscuring his view. Then silence, Chase felt a wave of relief at in the dark but only for a minute.

"Hope that wasn't your only gun."

Dumbfounded Chase looked to his pistol, had it miss fired? No he was sure he took proper aim even in the dark.

"I'll answer your question," The man said in a mocking manner, "While I was waiting in the room for you I managed to find remove the ever so tiny metal ball from your pistol, I figured you wouldn't notice the difference in weight after all."

The shadowy figure tossed the metal ball across the room and it landed with a thud on the desk.

"Who are y-"

Chase never got the last word out as another flash of light filled the room and his lifeless corpse fell upon the desk.

"Me?" The man smiled, "I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the world."

Sep Walters had just finished collecting bounties of substantial sums from the Marine Headquarters on Frostfall Island. He hated dealing with the Marines, who always tried to cut him short of the full bounty because of some self imposed tax or funeral cost for the "bodies". Hell Sep and everyone's mother knew they just dumped the corpses in the ocean after identifying the poor souls. Sep would never understand why the Government always had to give the run around to people, never telling anybody what they meant, how they did it, or why they did it. Then to top it all of they'd lie about the entire situation. But in the end it didn't matter, he had his money, his ship and most importantly his freedom.

Most bounty hunters would take a break, go on vacation, get drunk and blow all their hard earned money before the thought of returning to work crossed their minds. Not Sep, he loved the job too much, the thrill of the hunt, stalking his prey just waiting to pounce from the shadows. After all he would tell anyone who asked, "Man is the most dangerous game. Once you've hunted him, you'll never go back to anything else." He was an addict and it was his drug.

The cold air of Frostfall Island seemed to pierce straight into his skin, by passing his thick black hoodie and khaki pants without second thought. Sep pulled the hood over his black and grey hair to help shield himself but to no avail. So he looked for a place of refuge among the empty streets of Icehearth. The city was cold, uninviting and dull why a pirate would hide among these people was clear even if it was near a Marine HQ.

Sep found refuge amongst a small and unimpressive pub in shady back alley. Coldwind Tavern looked as if it was out of business from its boarded up windows to the building's dilapidated foundation. The coble stone street was littered with trash, broken glass and to Sep disgust, rotten food.

"This place has gone down hill, fast." Sep mumbled under his breath.

As he entered the Tavern a feeling of warmth washed over his body, it was small almost empty with a fat grizzled old bartender named Taf who owned the place. Stretching across the entire length of the inside was one enormous wooden bar surrounded by an army of stools, chairs and tables that had all seen better days. Behind the bar rest a long broken mirror with all assortments of alcoholic beverages bending the already thin shelves.

"Sep!" Taf shouted out happily, "Though I wouldn't get to see you for at least another month or so."

Sep sat down on the most sturdy stool he could find, "Lets just say the pirate was not to good at hiding."

Taf's eyes lit up, his rosy cheeks puffing out as he spoke, "So you got him then, the bastard."

Sep nodded and in return received a small glass of whiskey from the old bartender. Sep tipped his glass to Taf before downing the dark amber liquid in one gulp.

Pouring him another round Taf continued to speak, "So you hear the news about that famous boxer Bo Stockston?"

Sep emptied the glass before answering with a puzzled face, "No, what happened to him? Wait, let me guess he finally lost his title to another fighter?"

Taf shook his head, his red curls bouncing as he did, "Nooooo, No." His voiced dropped into a low tone, "He was kidnapped. By a strange fella'. A man they say that is so evil, everything he touch is cursed."

The bounty hunter leaned back in disbelief, it would take more than one man to kidnap a fighter such as Bo Stockston.

"You're lying."

"Swear on my wife's grave." Taf said placing his hand over his heart.

Sep rolled his eyes, "You don't have a wife."

Taf's face flushed with anger, "Pfffft. I might one day but know t'is, the fella' who captured Bo is called Triple Six. Rumored to be so evil-"

Sep interrupted the bartender, "That everything he touches is cursed. No need to repeat yourself old man."

"Well you just be careful if you go chasing after that devil. Can't have my cliental disappearing with the little money this place already brings in."

"Devil…eh?" Sep mumbled draining yet another glass. Then without a sound Sep slipped out of the bar quieter than a shadow.

OC's accepted!

Name:

Epithet:(Only if needed)

Age:

Allignment(Pirate, Outlaw, Marine, Citizen(bounty hunters put citizen):

Profession:(Can be whatever you want, you could even sign up to be a bartender!):

Appearance:(Don't be afraid of making a fat ugly guy who looks like a platypus crossed with a giraffe, this is One Piece!)

Personality:(We will follow this as closely as we can so make it detailed)

Quirks:(Any outrageous fears or strange personality traits to make your character more comical such as Oregano's horrible luck.)

Weapons:

Fruit:(List back ups as we already have several fruits planned and no canon fruits!)

Attacks:

History:(Also subject to minor changes)