Still.. Focus.. breath.. don't move.. focus.

Damon was standing completely still, he could might as well have been a statue, as he stood there, with one lifted leg and two spread out arms.

He was blinded, his eyes were useless, he had to use other sense.

If he moved before time, he lost the game, but if he didn't move quickly enough when time was, he also lost.

Those were the rules.

There was no telling how long he would have to stand there, some-times it was hours, and some-times only mere seconds.

His breathing, and the pains of his body, standing in such a position, kept Damon in the present, he could not let his mind flow, he had to be alert.. if he dozed off for as much as a second, he would loose the game.

Still.. Fucus.. breath.. Don't move.. Focus.. discipline.

Then Suddenly Damon felt it, a presence coming from above him, quickly Damon jumped aside, dodging the attack, then he turned around, and aimed a spinning kick at his opponent, only then to realise, he was hitting nothing, nothing but the empty air.

Then the noise came from beneath, Damon barely got to register it, before a fist came from beneath him, and hit him under the chin sending him flying, before he landed on the ground.

"Tch." A voice sounded above Damon. "You had your haki ready above you, in front of you, to your left and to your right. But you were missing a vital area."

Damon hissed as he bit his lip, then a hand reached down and pulled Damon up, before a hand lightly touched the side of Damons head, so Damons eyes cleared up, and he was now able to see the man in front of him. His own father, Engel. The leader of the Shinjin clan, the best of the best. And it was Damons duty, to become as good as he was, in the ways of the Shinjin.

"Forgive me father, it wont happen again." Damon told in a bow, before he stood up straight, and then dug through his pocket with his hand, to find his glasses, first as he put his glasses on again, did the world around him stop being foggy, and looked much clearer.

As well did Engels stern face, though in his eye, were just a hint of approval. "You are growing stronger." He commented. "And you are the most disciplined person of your age." He told.

Damon nodded shortly, without saying any-thing.

"Which is exactly what you should be." Engel stated. "Just because you are better than your fellow students, does not mean you should slack off, in any-way, that would disappoint me greatly. You must be the shining example, do not disappoint me." He stated.

"I wont father." Damon promised, as he bowed again. "I am honoured to even be in such a position." He told, making Engel smile, just ever so slightly.

Then though, as Engel looked over Damons shoulder, his smile where whisked away just as quickly at it had come, and his eyes turned stern.

Damon as well turned around, to where he could see all the way down to the ocean, up from the high hill-side they were standing on. "A ship." Damon commented, then shadowed for his eyes. "A pirate ship I believe."

"Tch." Engel hissed annoyed. "Coming to ask if we want to help them against the marines I gather. How long is it since the marines came to ask if we would help them against the pirate threat? Wasn't it just a week?" he asked annoyed.

Damon as well frowned annoyed. "Hai Father, it was eight days ago today. They seem very determined to drag us into that war of theirs." He commented, in a annoyed tone.

"They are all the same brutes." Engel snorted. "Marines or pirates, working with brute force and emotions, they never think. We cannot ever fall down to their level Damon, we must be better than them, and keep ourselves away from the affairs that has nothing to do with us." He stated.

Damon frowned, ever so slightly.

"What are you thinking son?" Engel asked without even looking at Damon, but looking towards the ship on the ocean with the hands on his back.

"Well." Damon hesitated. "What they all keep saying is that this war, affects the entire world. Are we not part of that world?" he asked looking at Engel. "Perhaps this war is affecting us, whether we like it or not." He stated. "Sir." He then added, as he looked back towards the ocean.

"A valid point." Engel then at last admitted. "But no need to worry, they are all brutes, we are not, there is no reason for us to fear them. As long as we remain smart, remain better than the common pirate or marine. "The world may change around us, but we'll stand firm and strong. Never compromise. And we will not let ourselves be pulled into their affairs, it has nothing to do with us." He told, and then turned around to walk away.. the conversation was over.

Damon looked after his father, whom was walking down the hill, then he turned back to look at the pirate ship in the distance as he swallowed. "I hope you're right, father." He then whispered, before he to turned around, and followed his father on the long path back to their hidden village.


Why would have to be such an idiot! It was all his fathers fault! Damon hissed as he blinded by pain, could only hang unto his Captain.

Why did he even think of this any-way? Damon had been very good at pushing away his own feelings and concentrate on the situation ahead, as he had been taught to do! So why the fucking hell now!?

Orions face gritted as he ran with his first-mate on his back, upwards and upwards through the mountain.

"ORION WAIT!" Yanopp shouted far behind him. "I can't keep up with you! I can't!" her voice seemed distant, and at last, Orion did stop up, allowing the sniper to stark-breathed catch up with him, then she stopped and breathed deeply. It sounded a bit painful.

"Are you okay?" Orion asked.

Yanopp shook her head. "I feel like I am about to vomit." She admitted. Then looked up to reveal her sweaty forehead, and her bright shining eyes. "I… I don't know how much longer I can run like this." She admitted as she gasped for air.

"How about walking?" Orion asked. "Would that be okay?" he asked.

And Yanopp nodded as she swallowed. "Sorry to be such a bother.." she whispered.

"Njaah, that's okay!" Orion grinned. "If it was me shooting all over the place, I would definitely be the one to screw every-thing up. Haha!" he laughed.

"It would be quicker for you if you just left us here." Yanopp pointed out quietly.

"hmpf." Orion snorted. Now suddenly looking angry. "No." he flat out stated. "No one gets left behind, deal with it." He stated, walking foreward.

"O.. Okay." Yanopp stammered, walking up beside him, trying to keep up.

"Haha! You are all doing so much for me, I think the least I can do is to do what I can to help you back." Orion blinked at her. "We'll be okay, you are all like, really incredible people. I am so lucky to have you in my crew!" he grinned wide. "I need all of you in one piece, and that's that!" he stated as he stepped forward, then almost stumbled as he stepped on some-thing. "Wooaahhh!" Orion exclaimed as he fell back and ford, barely managed to hold unto Damon.

"Do you mind?" Damon asked annoyed. "I can't see or use Haki, I can't tell when you are going to make a jump or some-thing like that."

"He didn't jump." Yanopp pointed out. "He tripped on.." then her eyes widened as her mouth fell open. "oh god."

"What?" Damon asked.

Ryu sniffed as she buried her face into Yanopp's hair, Orion wide-eyed looked in front of him, also he looked pall now.

"What is happening?" Damon asked. "For god's sake, I can't see!" he exclaimed.

"It's.. It's.." Yanopp gulped. "It's an arm." She told, then threw her head aside, as if she didn't want to look. "A wooden arm, and its holding a sword."

Orion was shacking, clearly he was shocked, as he bowed down to have a closer look, his face was incredible pall as he whispered. "Alejandro.." then he looked up, and suddenly ran forwards.

"HEY WATCH IT!" Damon shouted, as he had been the victim of the surprise run.

"ORION WAIT UP!" Yanopp shouted running after him. "WAAIITT!"

"Yanopp!" Ryu as well cried as she held unto Yanopp. "What happened to Alejandro?" she asked.

"I don't know." Yanopp swallowed. "But I don't think it's any-thing good." She whispered as she ran forward and soon ran into Orion.

Orion whom was standing, stiff as a board, looking in front of himself and a bit up, slowly, a little afraid to, Yanopp followed Orions eyes and then gasped.

"Oh god!" Yanopp exclaimed. "Oh god no."

"What?" Damon asked, turning more and more annoyed by the second.

"Alejandro he's.. He's in pieces." Yanopp stammered.

And true enough, there up on the wall, hung Alejandro, but not just normally, he was in several different pieces, spread across the entire wall, his leg one place, the foot some-where else, the other arm below, his head turning upside down.

"Noctum.." Orion hissed.

"Wha-what?" Yanopp asked turning to Orion.

"NOCTUUUM!" Orion shouted. "SHOW YOURSELF! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY NAKAMA!?" he exclaimed. "GIVE HIM BACK! AND GIVE HIM BACK NOW! I WARN YOU!" he shouted.

"Well well well.." A voice slithered from above, and swimming in the air, sailing came the long body of a dragon, a black dragon with red eyes.

"Is that.." Yanopp swallowed. "The.. the frog? But it was so small." She bit her lip.

"What do you know?" Noctum asked. "I told you, every-one is afraid of some-thing.."

Then suddenly, a blackness started to crawl up Yanopp's legs. "Orion.." Yanopp blinked looking down, then tried to get her legs away, but it wasn't helping she was hopeless stuck. "ORION!" she shouted.

"YANOPP!" Ryu as well cried as she held unto Yanopp's neck.

"YANOPP!" Orion as well yelled, as he dropped Damon on the floor, making the first-mate groan in pain, and Orion tried to reach for Yanopp, but suddenly it was like she was being pulled away by the dark.

"ORION! HELP US!" Yanopp shouted trying to reach for him. "HELP!"

"GRAB MY HAND!" Orion tried, as he tried to step forward, but was slapped aside by the dark, that covered Yanopp and Ryu more and more, first Yanopps torso, then Ryu's back and Yanopp's throat, it crawled over them.

"I.. I can't!" Yanopp yelled as she tried to look up, trying to get her face free of the dark, but it didn't help. "ORIOOOON!" she yelled, before they were both completely covered.

And Orion jumped right at them. "NO!" he shouted, but fell directly through the dark, that spread out as if it had just been fog, the two women weren't there, then Orion turned to Noctum. "What did you do to them?" he asked. "WHERE ARE THEY!?" he shouted.

"Gone." Noctum told. "You weren't good enough to protect them after-all, and look at that, you left your precious first-mate alone as well."

"Orion!" Damon hissed. "I think I am sinking, but I can't tell!"

Wide-eyed Orion looked down and realised, Damon was sinking into the floor, as if the floor was made out of quick-sand or a similar substance.

"DAMON!" Orion shouted as he ran to his first-mates side, and then tried to pull him up.

"AUW!" Damon hissed. "That hurts!"

"Hold on!" Orion hissed. "Just, hold on Damon!" but it was of very little help, in fact it seemed that the harder Orion pulled, the quicker Damon was sinking down in the stone beneath him. "Da-Damon." He quivered. "No.. Don't!" he tried.

"Tch." Damon snorted. "I wasn't much use to you like this any-way." He told, and then he disappeared completely.

"DAMOOOON!" Orion shouted, fumbling all over the place, but the stone was smooth, there was nothing there.

A laugh sounded behind Orion, swirling around. "You're alone now Star Captain, you were not able to protect a single one of them, how does that feel?" Noctum asked.

Orion sat on the ground, biting together, tears were falling down his eyes, then, he wiped those eyes with the back of his hand, then stood up and turned around as he looked up at Noctum. "You just made your worst mistake yet!" he stated pointing up at Noctum. "I'll find you! And I'll beat you! Otherwise, I wont ever be able to call myself a Captain, ever again!" he told.

That though, made Noctum seem to lighten up in pure delight. "I see.." it told floating around in the ceiling. "Well then, lets play a little game, why don't we?" it asked.

"As if!" Orion snorted.

"Come on, at least listen to the rules." Noctum asked, slithering around. "There's not much else you can do right now, you can't even touch me." It told.

"Hmpf." Orion snorted annoyed crossing his arms, then looked away.

"Do try and listen?" Noctum asked. "Your Nakama, are all alive, though none of them are doing that well. You'll have one hour to find them, before the first one dies.. in two hours, two will be dead. And in three hours.. You got the idea don't you star Captain?" it asked slithering around. "You have five hours, and then it's over.. Be afraid Star Captain, be very afraid. You are holding their lifes in your own two hands, if they get hurt. It'll be your fault!" it told. "You took them here, to the grand-line, you promised to keep them safe, and now it really is on you. Can you do that?" Noctum asked as it slithered backwards in the air, and then became one with the dark, leaving Orion, completely alone.

The wall where Alejandro had been was now also a blank, there was nothing there, nothing on the spot Yanopp and Ryu had been, nothing where Damon had gone to, and Orion, Orion let out a roar, he screamed and screamed. "AAARGHHHH!" as he stood there, then hissed, wiping his eyes again with his hand. "I'll find you dumb nightmare thingy! I'll find you, and I'll do it.. in ten minutes tops!" he grinned. Then he lifted his fist, and hammered it down in the ground, right at the spot where Damon had disappeared to, making the entire ground crack into pieces, and the cave he was in shake. Then Orion smirked. "I had rather waited to use this ability until I had gotten my first bounty.." he stated. "But, you asked for it!" he stated as he stood up and let go, suddenly, the entire mountain was shaking, crumbling, on over Orion, pieces of stone were falling down, raining all around him, and over him, but Orion didn't seem to mind as he looked up, and saw the opening coming into view as he smirked. "Got you."

Then he jumped up, from wall to wall, jumped all the way up, up to the top, until he landed in a big circular room, and then slowly looked up as he smirked. "Heh."

"Bravo, young star Pirate." A voice sounded from the dark, and floating out came Noctum. "You found my sleep-chamber, but I'm afraid your crew-mates aren't here." He told.

"No." Orion snorted as he folded his arms. "But you are, and that's good enough for me."

Noctum frowned as it looked at Orion. "Noo, this wont do. This wont do at all." It muttered.

"Oh?" Orion asked annoyed.

"You were just so delightfully afraid, and then what happens?" Noctum asked sadly. "Don't you care that your nakamas could die? Don't it touch you?" it asked.

"I'm not afraid that they will die, because I know they wont!" Orion hissed. "I'll stop it! Right here, right now!" he stated.

"Hmm." Noctum frowned dissatisfied at Orion. "You do have nightmares, I saw you twisting and turning in your sleep! Of cause you do! Every-one has some-thing they are afraid. of"

"Yeah." Orion snorted as he crossed his arms. "And?" he asked.

Then Noctum slither across the room, around Orion as a long snake. "Very well, I don't need the specific fear of your worst nightmare, just the feeling of fear would do." he told.

"To bad I am not really afraid of you then." Orion snorted.

"Oh aren't you?" Noctum asked. "You should be, just look at this power I posses." he told, and then he blinked, suddenly a deep fog of black swirled around Orions legs, covered the entire floor, and floated around them, shadows in the fog became visible, and then they appeared, four people.. four young pirates. Standing around in the circle, in each their corner almost in a square form.

Wide-eyed Orion looked around.

"This is always fun, seeing how different peoples fear are, and yet so much alike." Noctum whistled as he slithed around a skinny to the bone sniper, Yanopp's eyes looked dead as she looked out into the air, her frame that had always looked so slender and strong, now looked merely think and bony, not strong at all, she looked horrible. "A girl, afraid that the only thing she will ever be, is a burden to every-body else. Weak, useless, a coward whom she can't face in the mirror.. Left behind, left alone.. Never belonging neither here or there, always in the way, always a burden. Weird, wrong, and out-cast, never going to find a place to fit in. Rather useless to me as well right now. She's useless to every-one now really." Noctum told, then moving on as Orions eyes followed him, to the black haired spectacled teen, whom stood up straight, looking like a statue, looking out in the air.. Without seeing. "The young protégé, terrified that he'll be a failure, fail his legacy, his clan, himself.. He's both deaf and blind now, he failed his mission. Also useless."

Orion hissed, just as Noctum moved to a very horrific sight, a human siezed wooden doll, held up by strings that vanished up in the air so no one could see where, yet the puppet had a familiar shape, and a permanent horrified face painted on his unmoving face. "Ah.. this could be of use. The young dreamer, fearing that he will never amount to more than a puppet. Without a will or soul, without ever feeling love, happiness or sadness. Alone and lifeless, forced to do other peoples command, as the puppet he is." He told, then slithed his neck, and suddenly the puppet Alejandro stood up straight, as he lifted up a sword.

Orions eyes widened, but Noctum merely smiled. "A puppet." He told, letting Alejandros arm with the sword rest, before he moved on. "And this, strange being, afraid of being hunted, afraid of being the monster every-one says she is, afraid that she really is such a monster." He gestured at the fishwoman, or rather girl.. whom was sitting on the floor, shaking, sniffing, clearly not realising where she was or what was happening.

"You bastard." Orion hissed as his fist tightened.

"Oh, but we must not forget the best.. This dark thing all around us." Noctum slithered around. "The girl afraid of her own devil fruit power, afraid of being consumed by it, being nothing more than her devil fruit power.. She's all around us, you're even stepping on her."

And Orion looked down as he lifted up his food. "ARGH! ELLY!" he shouted. "Wow, this is a bit freaky." He blinked looking up.

And Noctums eyes widened. "You're still not afraid!?" he asked. "Your nakamas are now controlled by their fears, which are controlled by me!"

"Well, yeah.. I am afraid, I am afraid of a lot of things. Just not of you." Orion told in a blink.

"What!?" Noctum shouted. "EXLPAIN!" it demanded.

"Well, I was afraid that I would be stuck for-ever at the place where I was, and die without even trying to become pirate and do what I wanted to do. But, as long as I am here, I am fighting for my dream, and I am not afraid dying for my dream. It's way worse to have just never lived at all.. but I am here now, facing a big creature thing, so I am alive, so I am not afraid right now." Orion told. "Though I am kind of angry, I don't like what you did to my Nakama! Look at this, they aren't themselves at all." He hissed crossing his arms.

"It's their own fear, it's all part of them." Noctum told.

"Part of yeah I guess, but fear never defined any of them. None of my nakamas are cowards." Orion muttered disappointed.

Noctum hissed then squinted his eyes. "Fine then, then just die.. Dark fruit girl.. finish him off."

Then suddenly, came the dark, all around Orion, forming around him like a blanket.

"Wo-Wow!" Orions eyes widened as the dark started to crawl up over him. "Hey Elly! Don't do that, that's not… all-right fine." He muttered. "I'll use it again." He muttered.

"Huh?" Noctum blinked as Orion closed his eyes, just as the dark covered it.

And then suddenly, the dark expanded, in the shape of a ball, as if some-body was blowing air into it from the in-side, and then suddenly the shape was bigger than the dark, and it blasted off as Orion roared. "ARGHH!"

"What… What was that!?" Noctum asked wide-eyed.

"Tch, my devil fruit power." Orion grinned. "I didn't want to use it before I had gotten a bounty, cause then there are these people who would try and drag me back before I got to far, and I don't want that. But if I get a bounty, they'll disown and reject me, and I'll be fine!" he grinned.

"Devil fruit power?" Noctum asked.

"Hai." Orion smirked. "The shield-shield Devil fruit, I can make shields appear, any sieze, any-where." He told gesturing with his hand, so suddenly a transparent squared formed shield was in front of him. "I put a little shield around my wrist, and my wrist wont get hurt, a little shield on my fist, and the fist can hit will be a hundred times stronger!" he grinned. "I made a shield that was so big, that it pushed in the walls of your mountain, and made it crumble, I made a shield around myself before Elly could cover me. So you want to fight?" he asked stepping out with his food, standing ready in fight position. "Dumb nightmare thing."

"You can't defeat me!" Noctum hissed. "I can't be touched! You can't touch fear!" it hissed.

"Wrong." Orion simply stated. "You use fear as your weapon, but I am not afraid of you." He told. "I am just very… very angry." He hissed as he raised a fist, covered in the transparent shield.

Out-side, the mountain itself was crumbling.

Jasper and Agadred looked up, to see some-thing flew through the mountain cliff side, some-thing that looked like a big, black… dragon? And flie in a circle across the air, before it landed on the forest ground in a big slam, that shook the island.

Inside of the mountain, on the top, Orion could look through the new hole to the out-side, he had just created, and breathed heavily in and out, in big raspy breaths, as he swiped his brow with the back of his hand.

Then suddenly, the dark fog on the ground, around his legs, seemed to pull itself together, removing itself from the corners, and melt together into a form on the floor by Orions feet's, soon it took a human like shape, and soon, it stopped being dark, and really became a human being, a young woman laying on the floor with closed eyes.

"ELLY!" Orion shouted as he sat down on his knees, picking up the girl in his arms, shaking her. "Elly! Elly are you okay?" he asked, then slapped her cheeks. "Halloooo. HALLO!" he yelled, as suddenly, the young girls eyes snapped open.

And wide-eyed Elly looked up at Orion. "O.. Orion?" she gaped.

"Haha!" Orion grinned. "You're just fine!"

"Urgh.." another voice sounded from the wall, and both Orion and Elly looked that way, to see a sniper groaning as she rubbed her face, her frame looked thin by strong and trained, as she hissed. "What.. What?" she asked as she looked up, then looked at Orion and Elly. "ORION! ELLY!" he shouted.

"Argh, could you please refrain from shouting?" It was Damon whom had spoken, as he rubbed his head. "My head still hurts." He muttered, looking straight at Yanopp.

"Damon! You can see!" Yanopp exclaimed.

"Evidently." Damon snorted, as man next to him groaned from the floor.

"It feels like my head is splitting in two." Alejandro complained from the floor. "Where am I? What happened?" he asked, as suddenly, a pair of strong hands grabbed his upper arm to support him. Alejandro looked up, to face the tall fishwoman whom was standing above him, with his own hat on her head, looking at him. "Komunryu.." Alejandro groaned, then smiled. "Lovely pearl of the ocean.. you've grown since I last say you.. or was that a dream?" he asked confused. "Argh, every-thing seems so fuzzy." He told, grabbing his own face. "What happened?" he asked.

"Urhm.." Yanopp swallowed as she moved closer. "Don't you.. remember?" she asked.

"No." Alejandro shook his head. "I think I was.. carrying Komunryu?" he asked, as if he was very confused over that fact as well. "I heard a voice.. Ramons.. then.. nothing.. then I was here." he mumbled, just as he managed to stand up in a groand.

"I think that's probably for the better." Yanopp then told.

"Huh?" Alejandro questioned looking at Yanopp.

"You got some serious issues." Yanopp told back looking wide-eyed at Alejandro.

Wide-eyed Alejandro looked at Yanopp, then swallowed ."Yeah, it's probably better I don't know." He told.

"Yeah." Yanopp nodded. And then, just as Alejandro didn't think this day could possible be any more surprising, Yanopp dived forward and embraced him in a big hug. "God i'm glad you're okay! You scared the shit out of me you prick!" she stated hugging me.

Alejandros eyes widened as he surprised looked down at her, he didn't even manage to get a sassy comment in, before Yanopp let go, and then she turned to Damon. To also give him a healthy shock as he also got a hug.

Damon was compleately stiff as a board as Yanopp hugged him. "Erhm.." Damon frowned. "There, there." he akwardly padded Yanopp on the head, then grabbed her shoulders and prided her away. "That's enough!" he stated, holding her in a firm arm distance. "I'm fine! See?" he asked. "Go worry about some-one else who cares, please!" he almost begged

And Yanopp grinned at him. "You're welcome." she stated. Then turned to face Orion whom still held Elly that looked at them. "Elly.." Yanopp then whispered as she moved towards the two, then sat down on her knees in front of Elly, hesitantly reaching forward a hand, to grab Ellys. "You're.. You're all-right." She whispered. "Oh thank god." She sniffed as she smiled.

Orion yawned deeply. "I'm tired, lets find some-thing to eat." He stated, then smacked his lips.

Damon frowned annoyed. "Perhaps we should find a safe place to sleep, then eat?" he suggested.

"No! I made a plan! It was defeat nightmare thingy, then eat, then sleep! And now I have defeated nightmare thingy! So next step is to eat!" Orion stated. "And I am Captain! So you are supposed to do what I say!" he stated.

Making all of them, glare at Orion, with a pretty tired face-expression.

Confused Damon looked around. "What?" he asked.

"Lets.. Go home to the ship." Yanopp asked. "I beg of you, I want to sleep." She told.

"Well okay." Orion muttered, then blinked as he turned around, to face the hole in the mountain, where light were slowly starting to creep in.

"Would you look at that?" Alejandro blinked. "It's the sun-rise." He commented, then squinted his eyes, as to shadow them from the sharp light, that is, until a hat was dropped down on his head, his own hat. Alejandro looked up, and then smiled at Ryu. "Thank you dear lady."

"You are welcome." Ryu returned in a slight smile.

"Heh." Elly smiled lightly. And Orion beamed, as he genuinely laughed.

"Hehe." Then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "That was fun, I wonder what will be next!"

Only to get a fist right in the head.

"THAT WAS NOT THE LEAST BIT FUN YOU MORON!" Yanopp shouted. Then blinked, as Orion laid on the ground, not seeming to be moving at all. "Orion?" she asked. "Oh no! I didn't mean! Orion, I didn't know you were hurt! Orion!" she exclaimed, before suddenly she noticed, the snoring sounds coming from the captain. He was fast a sleep in the ground, laying on his stomach with his face down on the ground, snoring happily away as if nothing had happened at.

"All in favour for just leaving him says hai." Damon then muttered, reaching a hand up in the air. "Hai." He stated.

And so did the remaining for, each taking a tired hand up in the air repeating. "Hai."