Well alright here's the second part to the introductory chapter. Just as a warning I might be going back through this to proofread, because I'm too tired to do it now. I'm looking forward to any helpful critic on how to improve this story.

Even before her boot crossed the threshold joining the cabin and starlit main deck, Julia thrust her arms overhead widely gingerly pulling at the kinks that had set during her inactivity. Ecstatically she inhaled deeply, sampling the crisp salty scent of the fresh midnight oceanic breeze. A less enthused Mia was leaning against the ship's main mast, arms crossed and a bored glare, she patiently waited for hr captain's revelry to die down. Yet this patience began to wan steadily as the tomboy did not initially head for the gang plank after her stretch, but rather went on to walk along the outer railing. Stopping to admire the masterfully crafted wooden suit of armor adorning the prow of the ship she nodded then moved onto the fore anchors, then the forward sail, she gave a sound of affirmation as she checked almost all ten cannon placements, and by the time Julia had gone full circle and come back once again to the cabin a blood vessel along Mia's temple had swollen to almost bursting. When she saw her captain's hand reach for the door knob she couldn't hold it in any longer, she covered the distance between them in two massive strides and delivered a hard fist into the back of Julia's head slamming her noggin hard enough into the door frame that the wood splintered vertically. "The fuck are you doing! If you wanted a tour of your former prison then wait for the Marines to come back. I'm certain they'll be happy to show you the hold one more time!"

"Oooow, ah! There's a crack." Julia said pulling her head away from the door and rubbed her forehead where'd it been hurt. Tears not from the pain, but rather the hairline deformity on the Sloop's molding started to well in her eyes.

"Who cares its only a Marine sloop!"

"No its not."

"Really? Well that bright blue seagull plastered all over the sails and sides must be part of my warped imagination then." Mia said with icy sarcasm, waving vigorously at the main sail in attempts to enlighten her comrade.

"No, what I mean was that this WAS a Marine Sloop of War." Julia stated unhindered by Mia's words and confounded expression. With arrogant pride she stepped forward with her hands against her hips and a beaming smile upon her lips. "For from this night forward this ship, The Sliver of Hope, returns to its rightful owner, I, Captain Julia "Insolent Hammer" Green!"

"T-This is The Sliver of Hope?" Mia asked, her previous confusion turned to pure intrigued disbelief. Her Captain's only form of affirmation was a simple nod and a wave of the hand prompting her to look at the deck. She followed this gesture perplexed over what she'd failed to notice. Initially nothing seemed different, but sustained focus revealed what had embarrassingly alluded her. Painted in a brown slightly darker than the deck were two circular overlapped and intertwining jig-saw puzzle pieces hidden in the shadow cast by the vary main mast she'd been against a few moments prior. "That's the Looped Puzzle, so this was your mother's ship. How'd you know it was back in South Blue?"

"I just had a gut feeling. So what do you think, isn't it the perfect ship for our crew?"

"Taking another look it is a beautiful ship, bu-"

"Then it's settled!" Julia excitedly blurted before Mia had any chance to complete her statement. Mia appeared ready to stress over the importance of something, but seeing her overjoyed captain defused her sense of worry. Unfortunately this lapse in guard did not go unnoticed by the sly grinning tomboy who stealthily positioned herself behind Mia. "And first order of business, CREW FUNBAG CHECK." Faster than the eyes, Julia's hands sprung out and around her target's shoulders and clamped down on her crewmate's chest as she giggled over her successful invasion. Besides a sharp startled jolt at the sudden inappropriate contact Mia made no other movement or sound, which began to worry the perverted tomboy. For a silent Mia was the most horrific thing one could ever see in their life. "He he he, looks like you've grown a little in the last two days." A chill went down her spine and a cold sweat started to bead on her forehead at the sustained silence. Somewhere I the back of her mind she could just sense the danger from some ethereal evil aura pouring off the darker feminine youth. An inaudible mumble escaped Mia's lips. "W-what was that, yo-you're going to have to spea-"

"Remove your hands before I pull your large intestines through your body and out of your eyes sockets." Mia warned monotonously. The effect was immediate with Julia hastily relinquishing her prize and steadily backing away with her hands held up in surrender.

"Ok, Mia I let go so what'd ya say we-"

"Oh no, I feel we need to correct something here." Mia said as she turned to face her captain, her clam smile did nothing to quell the uneasiness in Julia's mind. Julia continued to back away slowly as Mia started walking forward pausing vary briefly at the shadow created by a nearby barrel so she could reach into it. Much like the portal opened down in the brig the shade here darkened and undulated like the seas as her hand sank down then pulled back up again withdrawing a sparkling silver rod with it. This rod continued to materialize for a length of three meters, eventually giving way to a massive decorated war hammer at the end. The shadows returned to their static form as Mia failingly attempted to lift the monstrous lump of steel.

"H-h-hey, what're you planning to do with my hammer?" Julia questioned as she bumped against a fair sized barrel, quickly taking solace behind its flimsy oaken sides.

"I'm gonna shove your precious hammer so far down your throat, you'll give birth to steel." She replied in that contradicting calm tone. Again she went to lift the hammer this time managing to pick up its tonnage just high enough for her to drop it onto Julia's barrel of sanctuary, crushing the upper part and allowing for the fresh water contents to flow out.

"Alright I'm Sorry! Quite damaging Mother's, I mean our ship." Julia demanded still cowering from Mia's malice behind what was left of the barrel. Something in her words seemed to take the fever out of the rampaging youth's eyes and tone down the horror. Mia released her grasp on Julia's hammer leaving it in the water barrel and strolled off toward the gangplank mumbling something about untying the ship before the marines returned. The captain let out a sigh of relief and fell back onto her rump, relived at having survived her thousandth and twenty first session of Mian rage. Once it was clear that Mia had left the ship for her task she picked herself up and brushed off the splintered pieces of barrel. She regarded the resting hammer for a moment but lazily decided to take no action with it, electing to stroll on over to the railing an pester her recently calmed partner. She leaned against the rail watching Mia unwind the first anchor, then as the glutton for punishment she is she cheerfully exclaimed. "Hey Mia can I see your panties!"

"FUCK NO!" Mia replied as she threw the rope she'd been fiddling with at Julia, striking her square on the nose with pin point accuracy. A cruel smile touching the corners of her mouth as Julia went down with a red honker and a fit of lighthearted laughter. Satisfied she started to unravel the other rope anchored to the dock, eager to get some distance between them and this island, even if she had to navigate during the night with such an idiotic captain.

"…oldsh and roufh and dirty and toufh!' sai' Barnac'e 'ill the Shhailor!" Mia's ears perked at the crude and drunken sea shanty which crept its way from further down the harbor. Her hopes bet on a man from another of the few ships docked, but she still doubled her pace in her act incase this man was marine just about to catch her in the act. Her hopes sank when another barely audible but sober voice chided the drunk about his bawdy song.

"What I'm telling you is that your damn singing scares away all those lovely women you try and get, bastard."

"Aw, common Benny, Joe's singin' ain't that bad. It's not his fault all the whores here are tight legged." Added another harsh sober voice. She could now hear the drumming of multiple set of boots strolling down the boardwalk, one with an apparent drunk swagger, and they were getting uncomfortablely close. Success, the finally coil slipped free of the peg and she jumped up ready to make a dash for the ship, but the solid grip of a large heavy hand on her left shoulder held her in place.

"ey, whosh thish lil' wench?" Said the boorish marine as he turned her around to get a look at her face, squeezing down painfully. Mia's recoiled from the man when he brought his face near, the heavy odor of liquor waffing of his breath. The tall muscular man, despite his strong grip looked a quite unsteady actually having to lean on one of his comrades.

"I dunno, but it looks like we caught her before she got away with our ship." Said the last marine, whom had stepped off to the side to examine the loosened mooring line.

"eeeh, shief are we? If thash the case shen lets ssshow 'er our marine ospitality, ey." The drunken marine stated as he went to grab roughly at her chest with his free hand, but he never managed to go through with his desire. His arms went limp releasing Mia as he jolted back off his fellow marine's shoulder spewing blood from his mouth and nostrils as he struck the ground. The right side of his face was crushed inward as if having been struck by incredible blunt force. The marine who had been supporting him until now, roused himself of his initial shock then made a grab for Mia, as the second marine pulled a small dagger from his belt, stepping behind her to close off her escape path.

"Bi-"

"Oden's Palm!" The empty handed marine stumbled violently, then fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, blood slowly streaming from a large dented gash along the back of his head. Dagger still clutched in hand the remaining marine swiveled in search of the voice that had called out just as his comrade had fallen. His eyes came to rest upon Julia, standing tall and proud on the deck of the ship, the large war hammer resting against her left shoulder and a smug smile in her eyes. He took a double take to check if there were any closer personnel, whom couldn't taken out the other two, but there were none.

"B-bitch, what did you do?" He called out.

"Eh? I hit them, of course. Hey Mia let's get out of here!"

"Retard, Don't call out my name!" Hollered Mia.

"Just get on the ship!" Julia replied.

"Ah! Your that prisoner, Julie Grahm."

"Its Julia Green, ya bastard! Get it right!" Julia returned, swinging her hammer off her shoulder with ease. She took a solid stance as she cocked back her arms, coiling up her upper body like that of a baseball player preparing a swing the bat. The marine took up a defensive stance unsure why the pirate captain would prepare to use her hammer from so far away, but with two downed allies he couldn't pass off the potential danger.

"Pond Pond Portal!" Mia exclaimed. Taking advantage of the marine's distraction she made her escape, calmly falling backwards into her own shadow which eagerly opened up to accept her into its murky swirling depths, her body vanishing only to reappear within the shade of The sliver of Hope's rear mast just in front of the steering helm.

"D-devil's fruit users!" The marine exclaimed, taking a few steps back, realizing his little knife had immediately been out gunned.

"She is," Julia said, bringing about the massive hammer in a wide swing aimed at nothing but the air. Just as her hammer came to rest a heavy shock wave struck the marine in the chest dropping him gasping to the deck. "I'm not. Alright navigator, get us outta here before any others show up!" She called out, whilst kicking the gangplank away from sloop, allowing it to fall away to splash into the sea. The darker youth pulled at rope hanging from the rear sail, causing the hemp fabric to unfurl and cascade down seizing the wind and pushing the ship forward. The ship slowly gaining momentum, she stepped up to the wheel and gave it a sharp turn to the right, the ship responded by pulling away from the dock and aiming its nose out at sea. As the sloop exited the harbor Julia walked over to the bow of the ship, admiring the jet black sky specked by thousands of flaming jewels and the mirrored reflection cast by the sea. "Yeah! Next stop Loacard Island!"

"Aye aye, Captain!"

Ku, Damn it all!" Vainly shouted the third marine weakly pulling himself up onto his arms, just in time to watch the rear end of their ship slowly depart from the docks. Pained rasping coughing just to his left brought his attention to his fellow marine. The first to go down, he was by far the worst of, barely conscience he struggled to get even a word out. "Hey hey, save you energy."

"N-no time, go get Captain Rigley and Vice captain Straw."

"…Wolfe! Captain Wolfe!" Called a short young man clad in dull red cargo shorts and white t-shirt as he burst in through the stained door of a small one story wood cabin. It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the dim candlelight illuminating the room compared to the bright mid afternoon sunlight outside. Along the walls of this single room where tens upon tens of majestically carved marionettes, everyone unique and as lifelike as the other beside it. The pungent scent of paints, stains and varnishes burned at the young man's nostrils, but he continued on driven by his responsibilities. There were no other furnishings in this room save for the puppets and a cluttered crafting table, with a variety of marionettes in varying stages of completion. In front of this desk crouched an enormous man, standing twice the size of normal men, with think black hair coming down to his shoulders and a beard reaching down to barely sweep the floor. His sun tanned skin was a myriad of ancient scars, his cold eyes glared sharply at the brush in his hands.

"What? Can't you see I'm busy?" He demanded in a deep irritated roar.

"Y-yes Sir, I have important information from First Mate Dion. It seems he's spotted her sir, she's on her way here."

"Her? Eh ha ha ha ha, so my little red has finally returned to me."