Chapter 3: Bullets, Dragons, and Dares.

"When the sky turns gray,

And everything is screaming,

I will reach inside,

Just to find my heart is beating.

You tell me to hold on,

'cause I'm bleeding out.

I'm bleeding out for you."

Bleeding out by Imagine Dragons.

Pain.

Crippling, choking, pain!

It exploded from her chest like hot magma out of a volcano, spreading and searing everything. The deteriorating hollow throb of it paralyzed her, froze her to the marrow of her bones. But the burn was worse, it ate at her brain with hot embers, rebounding off her sanity and twisting it into something grotesque. It was a horrible haunting dogged pain.

She ran from it, ran from the pain that bit at her heels like a rabid canine. Deeper, deeper into the darkness she went and slowly, ever so slowly the pain, the burn paled under a wave of cool blackness. It caressed her, beckoned her to follow it and gladly she did if only to escape the seething agony. So she surrendered to the smooth tide of shadows and floated off into the distance.

No worries.

No fears.

No pain.

No screaming.

No annoying shaking—

Screamingand shaking…?

Why?

Something, something invaded the world of inky darkness then. It bore a hole, drilled through shadow, made sound, created light. It disturbed the fragile sanctuary where she'd burrowed herself to escape the fiery pain. No, let her stay in this cool painless existence some part of her pleaded. But the silence, the darkness wavered around her, became shades of grey interwoven with white. That brightness grabbed her and ripped her away from the safety of the shadows. Every ounce of her mentality screamed, recoiled at this; the pain, that horrible mind-shattering pain would be there, ready to sink-

"ome backou wardyouonger"

A voice. A distorted, desperate voice. It sounded muffled and resonant as it pierced the gloom. She wondered at it; why did it sound so despairing, what was the cause of such desperation? And who was you? Who had the voice been talking about?

New voices, vaguely familiar ones, suddenly punched through the obscurity. They jolted her, caused the wavering darkness to fluctuate even more. And that disturbing light leaked in, seeped through the cracks and touched her. The light had never touched her before, not like the cool blackness, no, this was not so friendly.

It shocked her. Pushed at her, forced her back up to the surface. The surface where she'd fallen, fled from the pain, and eventually gave herself over to the soothing darkness. The voices started growing in volume, losing that muffled quality; they were calling for someone.

Someone named Jillian. Jillian?

Who was this Jillian?

Me.

She was Jillian. She was the one the voices were screaming for. The desperate voice was screaming for her. Reality, or a sense of reality hit her, smacked her back to her sanity. Found the key to the cage housing her strength. Like a babe being born into the world she remembered. Remembered the sharp sound of a gun being drawn, the shrieking of her instincts, and the burning deep-set pain in her chest. And Hachi. Hachi who'd been stupid enough to reveal himself, Hachi who would've been shot dead by a Celestial Shitbag.

She'd taken the bullet for him.

With that realization she started struggling, flailing in that empty grey plane of existence. She wanted out, and she wanted out now. Wake up, damn it! Wake up!

The more she fought, the more she strived for that light of reality, the more the pain came back followed by the deafening cacophony of life. The darkness still lingered, lingered at the edge of her mind. But it was bleeding away, receding back into the recesses of her psyche. In exchange she started feeling things.

Movement. Sensation. Pain.

She could feel hands holding her shoulders, could feel the world tip on its side, and cold tile. She was laying on cold tile. She could feel the pain too. It still burned, still took her breath away while simultaneously making her want to retch and scream her lungs out. But it was somehow dulled like the wound had gone numb. It throbbed with only the pale shadows of its predecessor.

It was hard to breathe. She could feel the convulsing of her torso, the lancing pain that came with it, and the squelching sound of each labored inhale. That's when she tasted the blood, felt the blood.

She was covered in the warm liquid. It coated her mouth, her tongue, slipped out the corners of her lips, and dribbled down her chin. Twitching her fingers, moving her hand was met with more wet warmth. Was it everywhere? Just how much blood had she lost?

These questions broadsided her, prodded her mind, and roused her curiosity. She wanted to see with her own eyes but her body wasn't having any of it. Blinking, raising those lids took energy, energy needed to heal. To stop from fading. From dying.

Then sound returned. Actual sound. She could suddenly hear everything. Voices, tones, fear! Someone was talking, and quickly. She could hear the desperation again. What was it saying?

"…ange! Change! Just change to dragon, please! Jill! You're going to die! Jill! change!"

It was that voice, the one she'd heard while stuck in the darkness of her mind. It was Lib, Liberty. Skulley J. Liberty; her best friend, her fellow Gifted. Her partner-in-crime. She was calling. Pleading. Begging.

To change.

To what? What was a Gifted, anyway?

And image assaulted her abruptly. An image of water, sea water, and a face. A dragon face. Familiarity. She was familiar with this creature. No, that was wrong. She was that creature. That dragon reflected on the ocean surface was her.

Like an epiphany it washed over her. Like a puzzle, everything fell into place; it made sense.

"You're going to die!"

She was going to die if she didn't change.

Change

So laying in a pool of her own blood Jillian shoved back the pain, ignored the voices, and reached into that intrinsic part of herself that was covered in scales.

Reached for the Hellfire Wyvern.

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Thinking back on it Skulley J. Liberty should've known this would happen. Being close friends with Sonneillon B. Jillian for over eight hundred years should've polished her ability to tell when Jill was about to do something risky. So she should've known her best (stupid!) friend would lunge off the beam just as Saint Charloss pulled the trigger on Hachi.

Should've known she would take a bullet to the chest.

But, no, that wasn't how it happened. She'd sat there, frozen, watching in blank-faced horror. Watched as her friend, as Jill, used Dragon Speed to appear in front of Hachi in time to block the oncoming projectile. She'd succeeded brilliantly. And now she was dying.

Dying!

Jill was dying!

"Jillian!"

Liberty screamed. She screamed so loud it left her ears ringing, her lungs gasping, and her throat sore. But she didn't care. She didn't care because that was her friend down there. And the spray of blood that came from the impact scared her. Scared her to the point where she couldn't even hear her own heart pounding in her ears. Her vision tunneled and all she could see was Jillian still standing there, shot, bleeding, and not even conscious. She wasn't even conscious but she was still standing. Even knocked out cold Jillian was still stubborn.

It was with a dim thought of bye-bye cover that really never registered in her mind that she leaped off the wooden beam partially transformed and flew to the bloodied form of her best friend. Not once did she take in the reactions of those witnessing her sudden appearance nor Jillian's for that matter. All her frantic attention was trained on Jill. Jill and the unnerving - Oh my God! - amount of blood coating her front. The bright purple of her shirt was now a dark mauve.

Being that close, actually smelling so much blood nearly imploded her nostrils. It was that strong, that abrasive. But this was Jill, and Jill was hurt. Hurt bad. She needed help!

No no no no no no no! It played like a restless mantra in her head, spiraling around and around, building into a crescendo of frenzied thought processes. It was a saving grace when Hachi reached out to grab the inert form of Jillian only to lay her on her side gently. Lib felt too sick, too weak, too panicked to move. To do anything. She was a master of poisons, of herbs. Knew thousands of mixtures that could relieve pain yet now when such knowledge was needed she couldn't lift a finger to help. To save.

And it killed her. Jillian had watched her back, had made it her business to make sure no one messed with her. And here she was freezing when things got hot. She would not forgive herself. And Skulley J. Liberty was a very forgiving person.

Brown-teal eyes wide and staring she dropped to her knees uncaring of the blood seeping into her red corduroys. Lib swallowed thickly, Jill was pale for a human but looking at her now…it was wrong. It was wrong to see her so deathly pallid.

Her hands were numb, numb from flicking and waving around wildly in her desperation. Sitting there she trembled, her breathing harsh and inconsistent. Lib was nearing hyperventilation. Her head was growing dizzy as if her equilibrium itself was bouncing up and down.

She felt cold then. So very cold. Faintly, Lib wondered if death was nearby, ready to snatch Jill away from her. Ready to steal the friend that had been with her since the beginning. The friend that stood, undaunted, beside her through the hellish decades and dark nights.

Jill couldn't leave her. She just couldn't!

And like a light-bulb coming on an idea, a God-send lit up in her thoughts. If Jill was shot in the chest, as a human, then all she needed to do was change into her Hellfire Wyvern form. As dragons they had accelerated regenerative abilities. Her hardened scales would help to seal the wound and keep it from bleeding out. That way she wouldn't run the risk of bleeding to death. Jillian had already lost so much blood.

It was literally everywhere. On her clothes, the tile, her jeans, and on Hachi.

It was even on her hands. Her hands.

Oh my fucking God!

And she'd already been suffering from blood loss.

Mind somewhat back to being rational Liberty leaned over Jill, eyes fixed, vigilant for any movement whatsoever. Hesitantly she brought her hand up to shakily place it on Jillian's throat. Blood speckled fingers moved to check her pulse. For a heart-stopping moment she quit breathing when she didn't feel anything.

Bah-dum

Bah-dum

Bah-dum

It was there, frighteningly faint and sluggish but still there. Still beating. Still alive. Jill was still alive. That thought, that simple little thought was like oil to a dying flame. Water to a desert survivor. It was a balm to her speeding heart, her raspy breathing, and her sanity.

Jill was still alive.

Jill needed to change to stay alive.

Hand rising Lib placed it on Jillian's cheek, letting it rest there, before she smacked the skin lightly. She had to get her attention.

Voice hoarse and low with a hint of hysteria, "H-hey, Jill! C'mon wake up! You gotta wake up! I-I'll…I'll throw hot water on you again!"

A moment of silence. Heavy nerve-wracking silence.

Nothing. Not even a twitch or a groan. There was no growl of annoyance, no hiss of hostility. Nothing. For a second Lib felt the fear, the helplessness rise from her gut to attack her mind again.

She used the mantra Jill's alive Jill's alive Jill's alive to combat the rising doubt. With regained focus she tried again, this time with the beginnings of frustration. Her hand actually stung when she brought it down on her friends cheek. The sound echoed in her ears, seared at her heart.

"Jillian! You're not allowed to leave! Come back coward! You're stronger than this! Wake up already!"

Dimly Lib sensed the presence of Hachi beside her, on his knees, gently shaking her friend. Helping her. It touched her deeply. She was also dimly aware of a loud muffled crashing sound going off somewhere behind her. She ignored the small bit of curiosity at that in favor of waking up Jill.

It had been two minutes and twenty-six seconds. For someone bleeding as Jill was that was dangerous.

That fact popped the top off on Liberty's patience. Her hand came down harder on Jill's cheek and this time she felt no lingering guilt over it. "Damn it Jill! Change! Bitch if you don't wake up and change I'm going to kill you! Change! Just change to dragon, please! Jill! You're going to die! Jill! change!"

Lib gasped, eyes widening, hope flaring when she caught the barest hint of a twitch. Jillian's finger had twitched. Life! She just hoped something in that head of hers had heard her shouting. Had heard her say change.

Hachi startled, eyes blinking in astonishment, everyone who was watching mirroring his surprised expression as the still body began to glow. It was a subtle illumination one that caught the senses and intrigued the mind. But the spell was broken with the abrupt entry of shouting from Lib to "oh shit! Move!"

Three clueless pirate crews stared and continued to stare.

Until they caught sight of the human body growing.

They moved.

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Shock. Befuddlement. Awe.

Such emotions abounded within the minds of all those watching. It was with much amazement that they looked upon Jillian fully transformed. The immense body of rough scales the color of dark granite, teal, and purple had them staring silently. The dragon was almost too big to take in all at once. They were all of the same mind; if the creature had been any larger the auction house would've burst and they would've been crushed. Even laying on its side wings halfway closed the bulk of it still brushed, pressed against the ceiling. It truly was a massive creature.

During the transformation the Heart pirates had to relocate to a place by the doorway. Sitting in the seats was just not an option anymore. Not unless you wanted to be made into a pancake. Each crew seemed to have its own way of reacting to such a legend. Said Heart pirates gawked with wide eyes, their mouths momentarily hitting the floor before slamming back into their faces. They soon lost themselves in excited prattling.

The Heart pirate captain was another cup of tea entirely. His reaction was not so visible; the bored frown he'd worn for most of the auction was now gone. In its place stretched a smirk so devious, so disturbingly pleased that members from his own crew who saw it instantly quieted and paled. They, and only they recognized such a darkly satisfied look and felt pity for the girl who'd thrown herself in front of the fishman.

Because she'd thrown herself right into Law's radar. She'd become a puzzle. A challenge. And their captain never turned down a challenge. Never. What was even more unnerving than the foreboding smirk was the show of expression hidden beneath the shadow of a furry spotted hat. Unbeknownst by his crew merciless grey eyes narrowed and sparked with avarice. They darkened, became half-lidded and that prodigious mind started weaving a web of intricate design.

A web fit to ensnare a legend.

He'd decided once during the broadcast that he'd encounter such mythical creatures. Now, now he'd set about making that encounter more…permanent. Law's smirk widened and morphed with blood-chilling emotion.

It did not reach his cold grey eyes.

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Ten or so feet from the Heart pirates stood the silent Kid pirates. They, very much like the latter crew, were caught up in the spell of astonishment. But the crew did not break out into instant conversation. No, they watched the beast intently, took in the way it breathed slowly, the whole of its reptilian body raising with the inhale and falling with the exhale. They watched it shift, a wickedly clawed foot scraping against tiny pews and rubble, or a wing twitch closer to its dark powerful torso. They also watched the score of emotions flit across their captains face.

The wide bloodthirsty grin that usually painted Kids face was absent. A tense guarded look was in its place. Dark lips were pursed together in a thoughtful frown, not one hint of mania or bloodlust present. Even more ominous were his crimson eyes, glinting maliciously as they watched the wyvern that lay not but three feet in front of him. It was a very foreboding gaze, filled with blatant greed and ruthless ambition. Conquest.

It was a gaze filled to the brim with domination and ruin.

Suddenly that gaze slanted, rose, and landed on a figure crawling on the dragon. It was the second teal haired girl. The taller one. Kid watched her closely as she climbed to what was quite possibly the head of the creature. He wasn't sure with the huge wing obscuring his vision. She seemed sure-footed as she scaled the beast using the jutting side scales as footholds only having to catch herself twice when the wyvern shifted.

His gaze narrowed further, became tinged with calculation when he saw her stop at the wing-joint before flipping over to the head. He was sure it was the head because of the two horns sticking out like spears. They certainly looked sharp enough. Blistering red eyes honed in on the traversing form of the girl, and continued to stare when she slid down a surface of the creature that he realized was the snout.

What came next had him and his crew fixed on watching.

She'd started to scream. And, no, it wasn't like the earlier terrified shrieking, this was furious, enraged screaming. And it got even better. The Kid pirates, who'd been bored the whole time whilst watching the auction were finally getting some entertainment. They watched, highly amused, as the teal haired woman viciously wailed on the muzzle of the dragon. A dragon who dwarfed her vastly.

Shockingly enough the wyvern, Jillian, seemed to cow under such brutal reproach. But the woman wasn't having any of it as with both hands she grabbed the edge of ridged skin belonging to a nostril and jerked. What topped their amusement wasn't the show of surprising violence but the absolutely foul sailors mouth. The girl was spewing vitriol right and left in her heated reprimanding and it excited Kid.

Powerful, violent, and strong; qualities that Kid looked for in a new crewmate. He was excessively picky with those who joined under him. He'd only have the best. If he was going to be the next Pirate King his crew needed to be top-notch to stand with him at the top. Weaklings could go die. Kid did not tolerate weakness. He tolerated it less in his crew. No one he sailed with was weak. No one.

And this girl, this Wyvern Sister currently roasting her partner was powerful. He could sense it. As he'd sensed it with all of his crewmates. Previously frowning lips slowly, tortuously curled into something twisted. Something hungry. It contorted his features, made his eyes gleam with dark promise.

Oh yes, he'd make that girl join. One way or another.

She'd be calling him captain.

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That bitch was going to die!

It was a thought that was quickly growing popular in her mind as she stalked to where Jillian's head was. Now that Jill was in her Hellfire form the wound would heal within three to four days if she rested properly. Lib would make sure she rested and not go flying off to lick her wound alone. Oh no, she wouldn't get that privilege.

She'd lost all grip with being in Lib's good graces. Nope, she was officially on her shit list this time. She'd be making it up to her for centuries. If this was the beginnings of a bloody trend then to hell with showing the world their human side, she liked being sane! And happy. And without friends with bullet holes!

That bitch was so going to die!

Liberty jumped over a darkly scaled claw, bypassing the ground altogether for climbing over Jill's body. It was easier than walking over unstable debris. She could feel just by scaling over rough dragon skin that Jillian's breathing was heavy and slow. There was an audible hitch in the respiration that was like salt to the wound of her anxiety. Jill, don't you fucking move!

Lib clambered over the bright teal and purple of Jillian's wing; it was currently being used as a sort of fleshy shield for her vulnerable chest. Being so massive in body she was not even halfway stretched out, more like curled awkwardly on her side with her huge wings pressed tightly to her ribs. It was the only way to go without bringing the whole structure down on everyone.

Skulley J. Liberty paused at the shoulder before executing a flip and landing squarely between Jill's two main skull horns. A moment later saw her sliding down the long snout and hitting the ground with a light thump.She took a minute to lean over and look around the wing to get a good gist of how bad the wound was. The sight had her scowling, actually scowling.

Being a dragon helped because of the armor-like scales covering them from head to tail. It was even better when you were hurt in your human form and changed. Reverting was just one essence taking over another and it opened the door for their accelerated healing. The human body was still in there somewhere but with it taking a backseat the dragon part of them was allowed to reign supreme. This meant the wound was still visible, yet wasn't open to air or infection as it was sealed and covered by the layer of protective chest scales. Scales, surprisingly, weren't their real skin. No, scales were for protection, breed distinction, and color.

While this was a comfort to Lib it still disturbed her to see a blotchy red star blossoming under scales and tinting them a murky burgundy color. And she liked burgundy!

With a snarl foreshadowing a tempest she turned to glare at the two half-lidded slit eyes watching her tiredly. Seeing those eyes, staring into their unique blue-teal only brought on more fury. Those eyes would've closed and shut away the blue-teal forever. They would dim and glaze over, white out, and lose that glowing luminance. They would've never opened again.

Lib's jaw clenched to the point where she could hear her back molars creaking.

Then she exploded.

"You son of a bitch! You son of a fucking bitch! What the hell was going through that damn skull of yours! Huh! Fucking bitch! Are you suicidal! Are you?" Lib was past rant mode and beyond. She was so far gone in her temper that she didn't even regret using violence to show just how pissed off she was. And she was pissed off. Lib was seething with it. Absolutely seething with rage.

She released it all on Jillian in the form of repeatedly punching and/or smacking her sensitive nose. She deserved it!

"If you so much as even think of doing that again I am going to rip your goddamn wings off! You stupid fucking gormless clodpoll!" Jillian was already in a weird position and with the tight space had little to move her huge head. So it was easy for Lib to tell when she was trying to hide away in the curve of her wing. Jill never got the chance. Nearly hissing and spitting and rabid with anger Liberty reached out and dug her nails into the soft skin on the inside of the nostrils. She showed no mercy when she wrenched said soft skin, therefore cementing Jill's wandering attention back on her.

It probably hurt like a bitch - Good! Feel my pain asshole! - since it was a place rich with nerves. The loud echoing groan that resounded in the auction house was only more proof to that fact. It also had their audience gawking and staring even more.

"Do you know how fucking scared I was! I can't even put it into words you piece of lickspittle shit! Gah! I seriously want to kill you right now! You are such an incorrigible fuckfaced bastardized asshat! Ugh! I'm probably gonna have nightmares for the rest of my life! And you know what? IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

If Jillian's ears weren't bleeding before they were now. She seemed rightly scandalized in her expression if the thunderous sigh and slumping shoulders were anything to go by. To everyone watching it looked as if the dragon was curling in on itself. They were then shocked when they heard a rumbling voice that somehow came off as feminine boom through the place. It was a deep bassy growl that shouldn't have spoken words they understood.

"…Yes, I know. I knew you'd kick up a row over this. But Hachi isn't a dragon like us, isn't a Gifted. He can't transform and heal just like that. I had to do something, damn it. Don't you dare take this away from me, Lib! You and I both know he would have died if I hadn't stepped in! And I'm tough, I can handle it."

Liberty stilled, went red, and hissed, "Tough! You're tough! Oh yeah, so I guess standing there unconscious bleeding to death makes you tough! You are an idiot! And handle it? Jill, you almost died, you stopped breathing for a second. I couldn't find your fucking pulse! No, no, there was no handling. You shou— Arrgh!"

A sudden blast of haki roared through everyone's mind, weighing down bodies, and knocking out everyone left in the building deemed an enemy. The intensity had the pirates blinking, wondering who was emitting such terrible power.

The Two Gifted weren't as lucky as the three pirate crews. Haki to a dragon was often times dangerous. It was even lethal to hatchlings. It was purely someones mental prowess, their will, that they projected onto others that harmed a dragon. There were no physical wounds, no, haki targeted what was called Mind Flow.

Mind Flow was the synergy of a dragons essence. It controlled all aspects of transformation; the delicate balance needed for such a drastic change. The energy inside flowed like a river through the mind and body creating a source and a conduit. If this inner flow was disrupted the derailed energy became erratic and wild. Unstable, causing something like a migraine to a human.

Most times it called for total sensory overload.

One word: painful.

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No one anticipated the excruciatingly loud roar ripping across their senses. Nor the piercing shriek of pain wailing right alongside it. The deafening cries forced everyone to slam hands down over their ears and clench their teeth in a grimace. Then it stopped, breaking off just as the haki blast ended. The echo of it rebounded off the walls and melded uncomfortably with the awful ringing in everyone's ears. It was even loud enough to jog Luffy out of his awed trance. Yup, the captain of the Strawhats had been strangely quiet under such fantastic circumstances.

After having punched that Celestial Dragon and seeing the transformation he'd been too caught up in staring like a lunatic to react as he usually would. Like an even bigger lunatic. Blinking somewhat owlishly, the rubber-man idly thumped a curiously throbbing ear before looking around at everyone. They too were gingerly rubbing at their ears with varying degrees of discomfort and general 'what-the-fuck-ness.'

It was with the hardly used pile of something in his head that Luffy remembered why he was standing in an auction house in Grove 1: Camie. But before he could tackle the literal mountain of dragon flesh in his way an old man with grey hair and an intricate beard holding his missing friend appeared.

Without the deadly exploding neck-ring.

Gasps and cries of shock filled the air when the Strawhat crew saw this for themselves. Hachi and Pappug immediately ran forward to greet their close friend who was now safe. When Hachi got close enough to the old stranger he nearly reeled back from the surprise.

"R-ray-san? Ray-san is that really you!" croaked Hachi, eyes wide as he stared at his old friend. Said man smiled good-naturedly while giving his cargo over to the octopus fishman. After watching the fated reunion between seafarers Rayleigh turned to the man who'd first caught his eye.

"Ah, Monkey D. Luffy. I've wanted to meet you for a while." said the Dark King with a mysterious smile. The oddball statement was met with much confusion and wariness among the crews especially the Strawhats. They shifted restlessly gazes jumping from Luffy to the stranger. Luffy didn't take this declaration as a threat as his instincts were not riled at the words. He stared at the old man, sensing something just beyond his scope of understanding but it lingered in his mind nevertheless. Whispering, telling him quietly that this man was someone important. A friend, an ally.

Over to the side Eustass 'Captain' Kid leaned against the wall a strange smirk pulling at his lips, narrowed red eyes trained on the first mate of the Pirate King. This man

Now there were two legends present. "Who'd have thought we'd run into such a big shot here? Dark King, Silvers' Rayleigh." uttered the red-haired Supernova smugly. A second later the intense gaze of 'Ray-san' locked on Kid, smile still in place, "These days I go by Ray-san so please don't use that name again. I am an old man now and would like to live peacefully."

Rayleigh let what he'd said sink in and turned to face the quietly whimpering Wyvern Sisters. He'd known they were around and was only sorry that he couldn't have warned them about the haki. It was the only way efficient enough to immobilize all the foes still prowling around. So he walked up to the crumpled form of Skulley J. Liberty and the head of Sonneillon B. Jillian, aware of all the eyes boring into him and his actions. Ah, the new generation.

Kneeling down, dark eyes softening Rayleigh gently placed a hand on Lib's temple and focused. He found he always had to do this when either of the two were hit with haki. Utilizing his haoshoku haki he used a highly concentrated stream and slipped it into the girl's mind. This worked to repair the agitated synergy without it noticing the intrusion. The pained groaning coming from Lib slowly ebbed after he pulled his hand away. She did not awaken though; it took time for a dragon to recuperate from a haki blast.

"Hey, gramps what are you doing?" questioned a slim young man who Rayleigh remembered as Usopp of the Strawhats. He slanted a look over his shoulder at all the pirates watching, gazes narrowed inquisitively. While hopping onto the large muzzle of Jillian, doing the same thing he'd done to Lib he explained just a little of what he was accomplishing.

"Since these two aren't human they do not react to Haki like everyone else. Dragons, or Wyverns like them possess a special kind of inner balance. It it similar to what we call equilibrium but it is far more complex. This inner balance is vital for a dragon to be able to transform, if the balance is interrupted the energy needed to change becomes unstable. And as you can see it is quite debilitating."

"Yes, I remember…on Ohara there was talk of dragon-human hybrids who used the synergy of their two essences to take a dominant state." murmured Robin softly, gaze distant. This information was processed with more than a little curiosity. Curiosity mainly stemming from the three Supernova captains.

"If this synergy is damaged how long will they stay in this regenerative sleep?" The question came from a very intrigued Trafalgar Law. Rayleigh jumped down from the snout, hair blowing slightly when Jillian exhaled. He met the keen gaze of the "Dark Doctor" evenly, not once looking away from the studious stare.

Lips tilting at the thirst for knowledge in the younger mans eyes he replied, "Not long. A dragons healing prowess is unlike anything we humans have come across yet in this day and age. They will probably be waking up soon."

Luffy frowned in confusion at the words 'regenerative' and 'prowess' but he got the gist of what was being said. Did that mean the dragon lady who'd been shot would be okay? She'd been hit in the chest by a bullet and there had been a lot of blood. He'd been worried that she wouldn't wake up again. One of his friends had been hurt, had been shot, so he'd grown angry. Evidence of his temper was still laying against the wall on the other side of the wyvern with a rearranged face.

"Oi, dragon lady was shot so will this prowess help her to get better?" Luffy, simple-minded and clueless, and yet he still managed to voice what everyone had been secretly wondering at. She had been shot, not point blank, but in a spot that would've killed any normal human. Having your chest cavity and lungs hit with anything was life-threatening.

Rayleigh, to the surprise of everyone watching, nonchalantly leaned against the massive jowls of the knocked out dragon. There was not one bone of wariness in his pose, and Kid commented on this audacity, "You seem to be well-informed about these Wyvern Sisters, Dark King."

Rayleigh ignored how the Supernova had intentionally used his title when he'd told him not to in favor of replying, "Yes, well, they are very old friends. And over the years I've come to know quite a bit about them as you would expect. Hm, the chest wound I sensed earlier will heal, but severe injuries like this one will take time. But yes she will get better. Interestingly enough they are not blood sisters but best friends. Though they do share the same bright teal hair Liberty's dragon form is quite different from Jillian's."

Nami scowled at the old man, something coming up in her mind that led to confusion. "If that's true then why do they share the same hair and not the same…dragon body?" The Dark King tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. That was a good question. "Hm, that is most likely because their dragon forms have the same dominant color, that being teal. But I assure you both breeds are completely different."

Not one to leave anything left unsaid Nami doggedly persisted when Ray-san stopped talking. "And what breeds would those be?" No one was willing to stop her little interrogation if you could call it that. They too, were curious about what was being questioned.

Rayleigh sighed, smile turning rueful as he contemplated the question. He hoped the two slumbering girls around him wouldn't mind him saying these things. Though it was hopeless background information. "I guess it would be harmless to tell you youngsters. This one, Liberty," he pointed to the tall woman with short teal hair, "is called the Tri-horn Wyvern while Jillian's breed," he made a hand gesture to the slumbering beast he leaned on, "is called the Hellfire Wyvern. I do not know anymore and will say no more." warned Rayleigh, sweeping his gaze over all those present. He meant what he said.

Silence hung heavy for a time, filled with quiet ruminations on all the new information. For some it was just something mysterious being cleared up, for others it was a door of unlimited possibilities.

The teal claws on the Hellfire Wyvern's wing abruptly spasmed. This sudden movement was followed by an involuntary shudder from Liberty. The three pirate crew watched, gazes a lot more attentive, as the Wyvern Sisters slowly made it back to consciousness. Painstakingly, they both opened luminous dual colored eyes which seemed to just home in on Rayleigh.

"Ray-san!"

"Old goat!"

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If there was one thing about being a Gifted that sucked it was their vulnerability to haki. Yeah, it was cool and stuff but a blast of any kind bloody hurt! Like rusty nails down a chalk board it ripped through their minds like serrated racks. Both their senses and their Synergy were shot to hell; they didn't know anything bad enough human-wise to equal it. A sledgehammer to the skull possibly? Migraine? Head cold? Who knows. And to top it off when a dragon was hit with haki their body saw fit to immediately shut down in order to repair said damaged connection.

If a Gifted wasn't careful they could end up in a very bad situation. You never knew what was going on around you when you were stuck in restorative sleep. That's why when Jillian and Liberty woke up they were extremely happy tosee Silvers' Rayleigh standing in front of them with that ever present smile on his face. Over the past couple of decades the old goat had become a sort of father figure to the two marauding females. Sheltering them the best he could from those who'd have them captured and killed. They, it seemed, returned the favor in full as no one had gone after his head in over thirty years.

The Dark King looked up then, feeling the hot moist air of breath sear across his cheeks, to see the ridged nose and jaws of Sonneillon B. Jillian. He did not move as she lowered her great muzzle and gently, ever so gently, pressed it into his chest. He met the weary but fierce blue-teal gaze and grinned. A tan calloused hand came up to rest on the side of the snout, like a handshake the touch was firm, strong, speaking so many words that would never be voiced but were understood nevertheless.

A moment later Rayleigh felt a weight ram into his back in the form of a very merry Skulley J. Liberty. She instantly wrapped her arms him, hugging him from behind. He could visualize the large smile on her face even if he couldn't see it. He knew it was there regardless. The arms tightened and he heard the unmistakable sound of a happy laugh. Chuckling, Rayleigh raised his other hand and plopped it down on a head of short teal tresses.

Voice soft, "It's been quite a long time you two. Though I wished such a meeting would involve less stress. I am sorry for not giving a warning before I used my haki, I know how taxing it can be on your Mind Flow…"

Gawking, gaping, fallen jaws, and widened eyes littered the expressions of all three pirate crews. Two legends stood in front of them. Two legends who seemed to be caught up in an almost intimate embrace. No, nothing sexual. Rather the three literally sandwiched together gave off a strong sense of maternity. Like father and daughters.

They couldn't believe what they were seeing. Silvers' Rayleigh, the 'Dark King' and first mate to the Pirate King was embracing the Wyvern Sisters like they were his own flesh and blood.

The Heart, Kid, and Strawhat pirates watched flabbergasted as the three released each other, then seemed to drop into rabid-fire conversation. This conversation was not audible and that fact irritated the two captains from South Blue and North Blue. Both Kid and Law were of the same mind, find out as much as possible.

Just as they were about to do something a voice on a loudspeaker thundered through the building.

"Criminals inside! Release the Roswald family! An admiral will be here shortly. Surrender and you will be shown mercy"

They all paused. The marines had arrived. Oh no! Liberty rolled her eyes, voice sarcastic, "Yes, we're all just going to walk outside with our hands to the sky and let them take us in. Hell no! Just no, no. Idiots!"

This slight spazz triggered some laughs and chuckles but the onset of tension remained. Trafalgar Law stood, stance relaxed and confident, a hand holding his nodachi to his shoulder with the other tucked into a pocket. His sharp eyes seemed to analyze the situation, taking in variables, and with a low chuckle an ironic smile stole over his face. "They're not just dragging us into this, they're even calling us Mugiwara's accomplices. They'll learn that I don't take orders from anyone." For a second, a split second something ugly crossed Law's expression before it was gone. Just like that. Swallowed by his cheshire cat smile.

Kid hadn't moved from his position by the door. With arms crossed, a sinister grin taking over, he looked ready for a massacre. Being so close to the front entrance he could hear the shouting of the marines as they surrounded the auction house. They were under the impression that a few hundred men could stop him. How utterly pathetic. He'd kill them all. Maybe it'd scare his two 'rivals' off too when they saw the carnage. Plus he wanted to leave before that admiral showed up. He had no aspirations in dying now. No, he still had a throne to take over.

With that thought he pushed off the wall and turned to walk out the door, only glancing back once to lock the image of the Tri-horn Wyvern, Liberty in his mind. He'd hunt her down later. His crew behind him he threw over his shoulder, "I'm leaving but as an extra favor I'll save all of you. So just sit tight."

The arrogant command, or maybe the whole sentence seemed to rub the two Supernova captains wrong. They whipped around to glare at the South Blue native, lips pulled into snarls of displeasure. Like a silent beckoning, a challenge, both Law and Luffy turned to stalk out after Kid.

Rayleigh shook his head at the antics of the younger generation before rounding on Jillian. She still lay awkwardly on her side, head uncomfortably bent against her shoulder. She'd been in that position for a long time. Though it was risky Jillian needed to change back into a human. Evading the marines as she was now would be suicidal.

"Ah, Chopper-san are you the doctor of the Strawhat crew?" questioned the old coater. Said reindeer jumped, squeaked, and stared at him with wide eyes. He hesitantly nodded. Rayleigh smiled kindly at the little devil fruit user. "It seems that I am in need of your assistance with Jillian. Will you be able to wrap her chest so that the wound won't get infected?" Chopper nodded again, blushing at the word chest before walking over hooves already bringing out a roll of bandages.

At hearing her name Jillian perked up, turning cautious eyes to Rayleigh. Liberty herself was wary of her best friend transforming so early. "Whoa, whoa Ray-san! It's way to soon for Jill to turn back into a human! The wound probably isn't even closed yet! It could kill her!"

The Dark King didn't falter in his decision. Sauntering back over to Jillian's muzzle he locked eyes with his old friend. There was exhaustion and pain in her slit gaze but also trust. "C'mon old girl, change, and we'll help you with that injury."

Soft light bathed everyone's faces before disappearing; in its place was a pale ragged human Jillian. She lay on her side just as she'd done in her dragon form. A bloody hand was pressed to the puncture on her chest. It was removed when surprisingly warm hooves nudged them off and an even warmer body slowly, gingerly helped her to sit up. With a twitch of her nose she knew it was Rayleigh. Lib knelt down to help as well.

It was some time later that saw Jillian comfortably leaning against Rayleigh's shoulder an arm thrown over his neck to support some of her weight. Her entire torso was tightly bound in gauze, the bloodied shirt having been cut away and discarded. Thanks to Lib transforming an arm into a wing they had no peeping toms.

Jillian and Liberty tensed, slit eyes widening. The air…Its density was skyrocketing. It almost, almost felt like static electricity but it was more refined, more under the radar so as to speak. The sensation of it breathed over their senses like a feathers caress. It was that light.

What the hell is this, thought Jillian with an annoyed groan. Her chest ached and breathing was difficult. Beside her Lib was looking around, eyes searching for the source of the oddity. What she saw had her yelping in surprise. What they were sensing but not seeing was magnetism.

Holy crap!

The magnitude of it was powerful. Everything metal in the auction house was raising to its call. They hung in suspended animation for a second before shooting off like a swarm of bees for the door. Knives, swords, guns, belts, wristbands, rings; everything with an ounce of metal was being summoned.

Lib glanced over, eyes wide and awed, to Jillian who pretty much wore the same expression. They were soon roused out of their wonder by a resounding boom and the aftershock that came with it.

The loud crashing noise was like a come-hither to the pirate crews. They instantly began moving outside, this included Rayleigh and therefore Jillian and Liberty.

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A word to describe the sheer amount of wreckage; chaos. Absolute unadulterated chaos is what they came out to. Standing at the top of the stairs left Jillian and Liberty gaping at the destruction. Destruction caused by the three individuals posted confidently on the grass a few meters away.

It could only be inferred that all of them possessed a devil fruit of some sort. Liberty shuddered at that. Did all Supernova's have devil fruits?

The mass of crewmates halted at the bottom of the stairs, some commenting on the actions of their particular captain. This went ignored by Jillian who'd adopted a very presaged smile. She stared at Eustass "Captain" Kid, blue-teal eyes glinting slyly. Hmm

Mischievous smirk twisting her features Jillian sent an elbow in Lib's side to get her attention. The telling curl of lips evened out into a calm expression when her best friend looked over.

Though Jillian's face was blank her voice held all the fiendish scheming behind it, "Hey, hey Lib! I dare you to try to flatten his hair." This taunt was met with loads of confused blinks and head tilting. A simple provoking glance over to the three captains had Lib squealing and generally making a spazz out of herself. The explosion of high-pitched squalling mixed in with strong repetitive denial had most of the three crews watching the scene between the two dragons. They were funny and were good entertainment.

"…What! What? Why would I do that?! Heck no! No, there is no way I'm going over there! No. I won't. Nope."

Jillian just continued smirking, eyes gleaming challengingly. "C'mon, you know you want to. Just look at it, standing up like flames. Like fire. Don't you wonder what his hair feels like? It has to be thick. I did see him glance at you once; I bet he'd let you touch it if you asked nicely." There was one skill Jillian had perfected over the many centuries, the skill of provocative talking. She found it hilarious to see what made Lib blow up like an overripe tomato. The squealing was just a bonus.

Liberty stared, eyes wide as saucers, cheeks completely red. If anyone bothered to look closely they could see the blush spread down her neck to disappear beneath her shirt. "Y-you! You! Are! Impossible! And he did not look at me once! There was no glancing! Why don't you go up to Law! See if his hair is thick!"

Jillian just shook her head, grin still in place, eyes glinting wickedly. "Now you're just avoiding it. Wow, is Skulley J. Liberty really avoiding a dare?" The barb, or the entire statement had Liberty huffing angrily at Jillian, brown-teal eyes peeking at the tall figure of Eustass "Captain" Kid. He was really tall.

A moment of charged indecisive silence.

It was a known running gag that when one Gifted gave a 'dare' to another it had to be followed through. It proved you had the guts to be crazy, the mind to be wild, and enough heart to get over it. Or in Lib's case, get her revenge. She was aware of the dodge Jill had done when she'd brought up the hat wearing pirate captain.

A smug smile lighting her face, voice saturated with it she conceded, "Okay, fine. I'll do your dare but since you owe me for scaring me back there I'll give you a dare. It's only fair, right? I dare you to take Law's hat off and run your hands though his hair. We'll see just how thick it is."

And thus the tables were turned.

Jillian may not be as expressive as her partner but Liberty could tell by the two dark spots of color high on her cheekbones that she was blushing for all she was worth. And considering the reward on their bounty posture that was quite a bit of worth. Jillian's plan of humiliation promptly fell on its face. She'd forgotten in her anticipation Liberty's newly made grudge against her. Which she didn't get at all. Meh, fine whatever. I'll do your pesky dare.

Then the actual dare registered in her brain. Her mind flat-lined, sputtered and crashed inside her skull. Hot guy with furry spotted hat. Law. Hell no! Jillian recoiled, face pale, teeth bared, "Fuck that! I'm not going near that guy. Yeah, he's hot but he also smells dangerous! And I follow my instincts!"

Lib rolled her eyes, "No, you're doing it. You owe me in case you've forgotten! I don't care if we have to stalk the guy! You're. Doing. The. Dare!"

The two Gifted glared at each other commencing a staring contest.

Tension abounded.

Mumbling dejectedly Jillian broke the gaze, sighing heavily. This caused her to flinch the movement tugging at her wound. Ow. Liberty preened with triumph to the left of her, smiling broadly. It slipped off her face like loose paint when she remembered her dare. Shit, fuck, fire! Shit, fuck, fire! Shitfuckfire! Oh shit! Just do it, don't even think! Just DO it!

Hearing that mantra Lib bolted off down the stairs, flipping the bird at Jill when she reached the grass. The Heart, Kid, and Strawhat pirates watched with equal parts curiosity and bewilderment as one of the Wyvern Sisters executed a run and jump. Her target had the Kid pirates tensing, reaching for their weapons at the perceived threat.

It was a big shock to everyone when said wyvern sister did not move to attack but rather leaped on Eustass "Captain" Kid piggy-back style. If the three crews weren't taken aback from such a strange action they were when the woman started to rapidly comb back the Supernova's red spiky hair.

What the hell is she doing? It was a collective thought among the pirates as they stared in growing disbelief.

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I'm going to die.

Liberty swore this dare would be the end of her. Who in their right mind would run up to a pirate captain, leap on their back, just to see if their hair really was as gravity defying as it looked? Who!? Ugh, of course, Jillian would think up something like this. The devious lizard! But she'd get her revenge, and it would be glorious.

All thanks to one Trafalgar Law.

Though she'd have to live through her own dare first. Liberty clung to the Supernova, legs wrapped tightly around the mans well muscled waist, elbows supporting herself on a pair of very broad shoulders. Oh Spirits! With her hands pressing down repeatedly on the flame-like spikes she tried to ignore the fact that she was flush against a very dangerous, very attractive pirate captain. Damn, her cheeks were burning, searing, melting off her face. She could feel it. Swallowing thickly she focused back on her dare; the reason she was in this situation in the first place. Flatten his hair, just flatten his hair then you can jump off and go die of a nosebleed behind a tree. Simple and easy.

Tongue-in-cheek Lib started diligently working at attempting to tame the wildly standing hair of Eustass "Captain" Kid. Idly, she marveled at the locks running through her fingers, they were surprisingly soft. Looks could definitely be deceiving if his hair was anything to go by. From a distance people would think Kid's hair stood up as it did because it was thick and stiff. While they were correct about it being thick it was neither rough nor coarse seeming. Lib found she liked running her fingers through it.

Not that she'd tell anyone that. Especially, Jillian.

Brows furrowing Liberty let out a growl of frustration. The stubborn stuff just would not stay down. It was like playing a game of whack-a-mole just with vibrant vermilion hair. She instantly froze when a deep chuckle met her ears, and being so close body-wise enabled her to feel the vibration of it shake through Kid's chest. It had Liberty very, very close to spazzing. Just ignore him. Just ignore him!

The weight of a - a very hot! - hand landing on her calf made it impossible. Body jerking at the unexpected touch Lib let loose a strangled squeal. Her backwards movement halted by the grip on her leg that tightened warningly. When she settled down, leaning against the back and shoulders of the Supernova the bruising grip relaxed. Chest heaving, Liberty retracted her hands from the pirates hair, using them to clasp the wide shoulders so she wouldn't have to fully lean her torso on him.

This was horrible! She'd never been this close to a man before, much less a human man. It was embarrassing, surreal, and really, really scary! Lib swallowed, brown-teal eyes looking off to the side. She could feel her heart beating at her ribcage, could hear it in her ears too. She yelped when she felt that hand - large warm hand! - shift over her calf. It didn't matter that her skin was covered by jeans. She could still feel the weight, the heat of the palm pressing against her.

Liberty blanched, body stiffening. Shit, fuck, fire! Shit Fuck Fire! ShitFuckFire! ShitFuckFire!

Oh Spirits! The hand was…was rubbing her! This could not be happening! Cheeks nearly cramping from blushing so hard Lib did what any spazz in her situation would do; she hid her face in the collar of fur attached to the captain's coat. Tried to, at least.

Before she could successfully bury her face in the maroon fur a pale cheek appeared in her line of sight. Too late she looked up and froze stiff. Eustass "Captain" Kid was staring at her through one of his dark red eyes. Time froze to a stop under the intensity of his gaze and Lib wasn't immune to its effect. There was something dark and predacious about his stare. The power behind it pinned her, locked her down, held her captive; she felt like she couldn't move, couldn't breathe.

Liberty wondered, somewhere deep in her mind, if this was why Jillian didn't like meeting anyone's eyes. The crimson stare grew heated then, a satisfied quality darkening the gaze. When Liberty had enough presence of mind to break the lock her eyes evidently fell on other visible facial feature. Kid's smug, smirking lips. Lips that were too close for any comfort whatsoever.

Skulley J. Liberty gasped, jerking back abruptly, hands shoving hard against broad shoulders. In full on freak mode Lib transformed her arms into her wings, flapping them madly to propel herself backward. The webbed appendages gave her the leverage she needed to pull out of the Supernova's lax grip and get away from him. She landed with an ungraceful thud by the stairs, breathing hard and lightly shaking.

No one moved or made a sound at the sudden getaway. The crewmates continued to stare dumbfounded at what they'd just witnessed; the three captains remained in their self-imposed formation. Until loud laughter shot the silence dead.

Loud, hysterical laughter coming from a certain Hellfire Wyvern.

This show of hilarity invoked a verbal bitch fight of monstrous proportions. Everyone present surely entertained by the vicious back-in-forth between the two best friends. They were even more entertained when they learned about the dare.

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Eustass "Captain" Kid smirked at the utter destruction in front of him. The marines and their formation had been broken, their forces either dead or scattered. It gave him a sick satisfaction that twisted his smirk into a demented glasgow smile. This…this is what he lived for; seeing his enemies at his feet, bleeding out and defeated. Beaten down. Weak. With him standing over them. Dark triumph seared through his veins like a noxious drug.

Nevermind the two Supernova's flanking him. Though, he had to admit (reluctantly) that their abilities and ruthlessness earned them some smidgen of respect from him. Nonetheless it left a sour taste in his mouth. He was going to be King of the Pirates. Not them.

Sneering at the absurdity of such a notion Kid was about to yell for his crew when the unmistakable sound of someone sprinting hit his ears. His mind registered the noise half a second before a soft something collided with his back. Body tensing at the possible threat, dark lips pulling into a nasty snarl, Kid began reaching for his dagger.

He stopped dead when he felt well toned legs wrap around his waist and the sensation of hands gently touching his hair. The unexpected action had Kid relaxing into the strange embrace, even leaning into the body plastered against his back. It was a woman…

A woman was currently wrapped around him and combing his hair. Wrong side, bitch.

While a part of him relished in being so close to a woman after being at sea for so long, another darker part of him gnashed its teeth at the sheer audacity of the faceless female. Who the fuck does she think she is!

Did this girl, this woman have a death-wish? Kid didn't feel threatened by the presence gripping his shoulders but it was a source of irritation partially overtaken by curiosity. Of course, the irritation took precedence over the curiosity, so he grabbed one of the legs intending to throw the bitch off. He got as far as wrapping his hand around the calf when he noticed the pant color covering said legs.

Red corduroys.

The violent Wyvern Sister.

The one who'd eventually be joining his crew. Kid felt a devilish grin stretch his face, his grip loosening. Some of that curiosity came slinking back and he indulged it, his hand moving over the limb. Touch light and caressing. The surprised squeak from behind his head had him nearly chortling in laughter. But when he felt the body tense, muscles in the belly and thighs tightening, he snarled. Immediately his hand clenched around the limb, locking it in place. She was going nowhere.

The quiet whine that breathed over his ears had Kid shifting imperceptibly. Having that body, that soft feminine body settle against him was even better. A rapacious grin curled his lips. She was uncomfortable if the way she was trying to lean away from him was any evidence. The grin widened. He wanted to see her face, see how flushed it was. The helpless wide-eyed expression. He wanted to see it.

Kid turned his head, the iris of one eye locking with shocked brown-teal. He'd never been this close to any of the Wyvern Sisters before. But being this close he could really study just how different their eyes were. It was a moment of curious study for the Supernova. The pupil was slit like a reptiles with a ring of unnatural color, teal, surrounding it. A look closer proved that it did, in fact, really glow. It was a soft subtle illumination, one seen more by the peripheral than head-on. The outer color was normal, a brown with hints of honey and emerald.

Kid decided he liked her strange, dual colored eyes. The fact that they were currently wide and horrified had him liking them all the more. Then they fell and he couldn't - didn't want to - stop the insidious grin when it hit him that she was staring at his lips.

Like what you see, bitch? He would have said it if the wench hadn't ripped herself away from him using those damn wings of hers. But that was okay because he'd be going after her soon enough. With that thought he called for his crew, said one last ultimatum to his rival Supernova's, and left.

He didn't look back. He'd be seeing Liberty again anyway.


Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Reviews make me happy, as they do any author! XD