Okay, chapter 26, enjoy, I've got a lot of research to do and plenty of writing, so that you might enjoy more even better chapters.
Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and have a nice Friday.
…
I stared at the ball as the others loaded the ship with our new supplies, and I heard something nearby, so I looked over to see Dannal. He seemed confused, so I held the ball up.
"Weather Ball." I said. "Ever see one of these?" He walked over and I held it out, so he took it, and stared as the lightning went toward his hands.
"No, I haven't." He said. "It, is quite interesting."
"I plan on figuring out how to release storms from these, to hamper the Marines." I said. "Or to give us some wind to get away faster." He looked it over. "They sure are beautiful though, aren't they?"
"Yes, it is…" He said.
"By the way, have you had your checkup with Larisa yet?" I asked.
"N-no." He said. "I, I'm not fond of doctors." I stood up and took the ball carefully and took his arm in mine.
"Come on, you need to see her so she can make sure you're okay." I said. "Just because you weren't branded doesn't mean you're in perfect health." He was silent as I went to walk, but I couldn't move him at first, making me nearly fall. "Whoa, hey… Don't make me pick you up. Come on."
"I…" He started.
"Dannal, I know you're new, but I am the captain." I said. "Either you get checked up voluntarily, or I'll give you an order. If you disobey that order, I'll pick you up and carry you to her office." He grunted quietly as I walked him, though he did move his arm.
"Do you really need to hold my arm like this?" He asked. "It, feels strange."
"You'd prefer I grab you by the neck of your shirt and drag you behind me?" I asked. He gave a short laugh. "Hey, don't worry, I'm pretty casual as far as being a captain goes. I hope that someday you think of me as at least a close friend instead of just a captain." I walked him down the steps, though he still moved his arm.
"I'm not sure I've seen friends ever hold one another's arms before." He said.
"What can I say, I'm affectionate." I said. As we walked in, he slowed down, but as he fully stopped, I pulled him along with brute strength that I know surprised him. "Larisa, I've got a friend for you to meet."
"Over here, I'm with our other new travelling companion." She said, somewhat cheerfully. "She was telling me about how beautiful it is underwater in her home city. It sounds nothing short of breathtaking. I do hope someday we find a way to go there."
"Well, you'll be sans captain, stealth operative, and our new vanguard." I said. He started leaning back. "By the way, he's apparently nervous around doctors." I walked past the curtain and saw Kory on the bed next to a tub of water. "So, what do you have to say about Miss Kory?" Kory giggled as Larisa moved back and turned to us.
"Healthy, physically and mentally, and remarkably chipper." She said. "And considering what she's been through, it makes me all the more at ease with, what I did with my new 'combat' scalpels… Which I am also becoming somewhat fond of." She looked at Dannal as he began relaxing. "And this is the gentleman who attacked you?" I nodded, smiling a little as I patted his arm.
"Punched me through a cabin and into a hill." I said proudly. "And broke Kurobuchi past my Haki. I may have lost a good sword, but to do that… I guess I still need to practice so I can avoid that." I let go of his arm and he cleared his throat.
"Um, s-so…" He started. Larisa gestured.
"Have a seat over on the next bed and I'll be with you shortly, Mr. Onesteru." She said. He nodded and walked over as she looked at me and then Kory. "Now, I'm not up to date on mermaid health, but as far as this cursory examination sits, you seem to be the very picture of health. I'm going to find some books so I can be absolutely sure about anything I recommend." I smiled a little more and Kory giggled. "What?"
"She's looking at me with a weird smile." She said. Larisa looked at me.
"Well, smiling is what she does." She said. "If Luna isn't smiling, either something's wrong or she's hungry, or she's out of rum." I laughed.
"I'm just a little jealous." I said. "Kory can swim and I sink like a hammer." Kory seemed confused. "You know how Dannal has the power of a Devil's Fruit? So do I." She blinked.
"Well, since my cursory is done, I'll take care of Mr. Onseteru." Larisa said. "Perhaps you can demonstrate what you can do, but be nice about it. Nothing too abstract." I laughed as she grabbed a tongue depressor and her stethoscope before walking over.
"I, didn't know you, were Cursed…" Kory said.
"Well, me, Dannal, and Harold, all have powers." I said. "Harold can turn into a chameleon, Dannal's basically a dragon, and I, can change my appearance at will."
"R-really?" She asked.
"Yeah, but where they're Zoans, what do I count as?" I asked, shrugging with a grin. "Paramecia or Zoan? I can be like any other human or Zoan, and I heal like you wouldn't believe."
"Wow…" She said. "So, you could, look like Dr. Larisa?" I nodded.
"Or Dannal, or Sario, or any member of the crew, given time to study their features." I said.
"How, how does that work, exactly?" She asked. "I mean, I've heard of Cursed People, but, how do the powers work?" I sat down, thinking about how I changed my appearance.
"Well, the simplest way to put it is that I imagine what I want." I said. "If I want to look like Sario, I imagine his face and focus on that, and then I sort of freeze the image, and I let my powers do the work." I focused on his face for a moment and she gasped softly as my features changed, until I looked like him, and followed with my body before adopting his voice and accent. "I can even copy his voice if I want." She laughed quietly as I tilted my head, closing my eyes. "Give me enough time to study someone and I can take their place for a while, far better than the best infiltrator in the world." I shifted back and she stared. "And then it's back to the dashingly, well dressed, red eyed, silver haired pirate captain, Luna D. Veluria." She giggled into her hands when I heard a familiar sound, one of intrigue, from Larisa. I looked over as she walked over.
"Captain, I think you should see this." She said. "Dragon, indeed." I walked around and stared at Dannal, who was in the fully transformed state, a fairly large dragon with strong looking wings. I just whistled.
"Well, that's interesting." I said. I walked around him as he raised his head proudly. "And here I thought you looked tough just covered in scales in the half transformed state…" I looked him over from front to back, being wary of his tail. "This is pretty cool…"
"And the scales are, remarkably smooth, yet incredibly resilient." Larisa said. "Though, his normal state troubles me. His skin… It's, likely permanent, but he says he was Caucasian once…" I looked at him.
"I don't want to talk about it…" He said. "But let's just say the reason is, I was to understand pain so I could ignore it, so I was made to stand in the sun and get a full body sunburn. It was done so often, red is my new natural tone." I crossed my arms.
"And when did that seem like a good idea, ever?" I asked, honestly curious. "I mean, I did training to deal with pain, and it mostly involved punching sacks of tightly packed dried beans. Once you get used to that, you can punch something way too hard to break, and you don't even notice it. There are limits, obviously, but… Seriously, sunburns?"
"I know…" He said. "Not my choice."
"The slavers?" I asked. He was silent, so I looked at Larisa, and she just shook her head. "Well, now that we've seen this form, I have a thought." He slowly shifted back as I lowered my arms, but I put one on his shoulder, making Larisa wince. "I've thought long and hard about this, but I'd like to see your half dragon form again."
"Why?" He asked warily.
"I had an idea." I said. "I've got two crewmen that can become scaled creatures. One is a chameleon, the other, clearly, a dragon. So, well, you'll see in a moment." He changed, and I noted the minor hair color change, and after a moment of walking around him, I nodded and muttered to myself until I moved back. "Okay, that should be enough study for the physical part, at least to get a rough version going… I don't know how it'll work out, but…" He raised an eyebrow and I focused, hard, and after a moment, I let out a soft groan of pain. "Ow, ow… Y-yeah, that'll…" I groaned again as scales began forming, and Larisa gasped as I grew in height, and after a few moments of discomfort and moderate pain, I let out a sigh and removed my hat carefully to wipe my forehead, being careful of the scales, as Dannal stared at me, mouth open slightly in obvious confusion.
"Just when I think I've seen it all, I'm reminded that my captain is a shapeshifter." Larisa said quietly. "Well, this is a surprise." She walked up to me and stepped up on a small box to look into my eyes. "Painful, at least enough to elicit a response… Hair color remains the same, the scales are, silver, instead of black…" I opened my mouth as I knew she'd ask, and she shined a light in.
"But, I am the one to wield this power…" Dannal said. "H-how did you do that?"
"She uses the 'Henkan-Henkan no Mi' Devil's Fruit." Larisa said. "It lets her change her appearance at will, and believe me when I say you never really get used to it, you just get acquainted with a new Luna, or whoever she decides to be… Goodness me, these teeth are remarkable, sharp as scalpels almost… And you said one was knocked out?" She moved back and I nodded. "You can regrow them. Fascinating."
"As can I…" Dannal said. "At least she did that before she knew I could. I'm not sure how to feel about this. Angry that my power is so easy to replicate, or amused that I'm not the only dragon on the ship that can't swim." I laughed.
"You'll like Harold." I said. "Well, this form should be great for combat and intimidation. I'll add the wings later when I'm wearing a shirt I don't care a lot about… Unlike you, my clothes don't vanish…"
"That brings a thought to mind." Larisa said. "Harold's clothes change size with him, your clothes do as well, but Mr. Onseteru's clothes just, vanish." She turned as I changed back silently, the pain not as noticeable. "Why is that?"
"I, don't know…" He said. "I guess, that's just how it works. The power, leeches into the clothes?"
"It's something I'm quite interested in." She said. She turned, looking up, but then down at me. "Oh." She stepped down. "Now, Luna, I would like to get a more detailed examination later when we have the time, but apart from the permanent sunburn, which I will try to find a cream for if it hurts…" She looked as he shook his head, so she looked back at me. "He's a little malnourished, and I'd say he's definitely low in vitamin C. I'd say vitamin D as well, but with a permanent sunburn, I'd imagine he's got all he'll ever need." She walked away and we looked at her. "Apart from that, after some food and plenty of fresh orange juice over a few days, he's fit as a fiddle. Once I can do a full examination I'll have a better idea of his overall health, but it would seem that Cursed Pirates are healthier on average than should be possible, regardless of inebriation." I grinned slightly. "Oh, and Luna, I know you've been drinking since you were younger than Mr. Onseteru, but he is fifteen years old. I don't want to see him with any alcohol."
"Why?" We asked together. I looked at him but Larisa turned and pointed a pen at us when we looked back.
"It damages development." She said. "Goodness knows how much smarter you would be without so much rum in your system, and despite your tolerance toward it, I don't approve you drinking so much. If I find out Mr. Onseteru has been drunk, I will be quite cross for some time, and believe me, you wouldn't like me when I'm cross at you." I held my hands up.
"Okay, I won't have him drink." I said. "But I'm not his mother. Just his captain. If he drinks on his own, I'll remind him of this, but after what he's been through, I know I would need a drink or two… Or ten."
"Don't worry, I hate the smell." He said. I winced slightly.
"Sake, then?" I said. Larisa sighed and I held my hands up defensively. "Joke, just a joke. I'm a pirate, it's what I do." I lowered my hands. "Anyway, Dragon, now that you've been examined, captain's order, go to the mess and get some calories, in the form of sandwiches and orange juice… Second thought…" I pulled out my wallet and fished out a few hundred Berri. "Go to the bazaar and find something cheap but good, get some orange juice to go with it, and chow down. Don't worry about dinner… Go for something with a lot of calories, plenty, of meat." I put the money in his hand and he stared at it before looking at me. "What?"
"I, have never, had money, before…" He said. "I… Don't know if I might, get…"
"Ripped off?" I asked. He nodded. I put my hand to my chin and thought, but my mind went off toward Kory, when an idea made me grin widely.
"Um, D-Dr. Larisa, wh-what does it mean, when the captain, grins, like that?" He asked quickly. "I don't know if I should be scared or just worried." She walked over as I grinned even wider.
"Dragon, I just a stroke of pure genius." I said. I turned and walked toward Kory as she settled into her water tub, looking comfortable.
…
Larisa read the book as I patted my stomach lightly, and Dannal rested on his back, groaning quietly. Sario likewise groaned, while Harold finished the last of his meal quietly. Kory giggled as she watched us, the overfed trio, the conservative eater that was Harold, and Larisa reading up on mermaids while she ate a small sandwich quietly.
"Geeze, I've never seen a human eat that much before…" Sario said. "And that's just me!"
"I'm just full enough to make it to breakfast." I said contentedly. "And now, for a drink…" I pulled out my skin of rum, but set it aside. "Ah, why not…" I pulled out the water skins and passed them around while they looked at me. "A toast, to new faces, new friends, and freedom for all who sail under our Jolly Roger." They raised their flasks as I raised mine.
"Cheers to that." Sario said.
"Hear, hear." Larisa said cheerfully.
"I'll drink to that." Dannal said.
"As will I." Harold added.
"Me too." Kory said. We drank together, and when we set the skins down, I sighed.
"This is what it's all about, you know?" I said. "Being a pirate. We've got a mission, but along the way, we can do whatever we want, because we can. Anyone can tell us we can't, but it's our choice, not theirs. We decide our own course out here."
"Speaking of, where are we going after this?" Sario asked.
"Well, our ultimate destination, is Water 7." I said. "We need a new ship, the one in the plans. It's a really radical design, way different, and I can make some adjustments. We'll sell this ship after it's complete, move into the new one, and take off with that… But that's probably a few months away. For now, there's a large island, a few hundred miles off, called Barishan. I've heard rumors that there's this, incredible marksman, a sharpshooter that can kill at nearly a mile away, and no one has ever seen him."
"And, you want him on our crew." Larisa said. I nodded.
"Yes, because that kind of skill is incredibly useful." I said. "That's what we need. Marines after us, the shooter can take aim, and take out the other captain before he can react. No one will ever be able to get close unless I say to allow it." I looked at the sky. "As captain, it's my duty to choose our destination, but also to look after everyone on this ship that's of our crew. When the time comes for battle, I need to be able to inspire everyone to fight harder and smarter than they did the last time, and I need to be able to protect everyone to show that I can be a real leader. If I can't lead our crew at its current size, then there's no way I'll ever see my dream of having a bunch of ships under my command."
"So you intend to have a fleet." Dannal said. I nodded, but stopped.
"I don't know about a fleet, not yet at least." I said. "It takes years to get to where I could be that capable to command so many ships at once. Besides that, there's no way to quickly relay orders. Step one is being good enough to lead one crew on one ship, step two is learning to be good enough to command a much larger flagship, and at least one other. Then it's a matter of gathering more until we find a point where every ship's commanding officer can anticipate what's going on, and that I can get orders to and from the other ships so I can tell everyone where we're going and what we're planning." I looked down and they were all staring. "What?"
"When you get serious, it's like, you're a whole different person." Sario said. "Honestly, it's hard to believe it's you." I shrugged as I leaned a little further back.
"Well, don't get used to it." I said, grinning. "I'm only like that when I have to be. Other than that, this is who I am." They all laughed as I sighed. "But, seriously, I've got a long way to go to become a great captain like Pops. Until then, I'm just learning how to be a leader, and hopefully I can manage that." I looked toward my room. "I never believed for a minute I'd get everything I wanted right out of the gate, and I knew that it could be years before I find Captain Ben, but until the day comes when I'm ready, I need to get strong enough so that I can do right by Pops. Until I'd be worthy of sailing a vessel in his fleet, I'm just… The new pirate captain with a new ship and a crew I need to learn how to command and protect."
"Well, as long as you have me, you're alright." Sario said.
"And I'll make sure everyone is fit to serve." Larisa added.
"I will stay in the shadows and hide, to protect you and everyone of the crew." Harold said. "But I shall always be where you need me the most."
"And I will strive to learn what it means to be a truly good and honorable pirate." Dannal said. "This of course would mean you need to lead by example." I nodded with a grin.
"I can't fight like everyone else, but if you ever fall overboard, I'll be ready to save you." Kory said. "You, and Harold, and Dannal, if any of you fall into the sea, I'll make sure you get back to the Silver Wing safely." I raised my flask again.
"To a great journey, with the greatest crew we can put together." I said. "May we find our place in the world, and that place better be big enough for all of us." They raised their skins and agreed together.