Wealth, Fame, and Power! W. D. Gaster, The King of The Pirates, had all those and the rest of what the world had to offer! Through many battles and trials, he had reached the pinnacle of the world's virtues and had nothing left but an illness that plagued him.
He brought himself in and was held at a worldwide public execution. Before he was executed, a man from the crowd asked:
"Where did you hide all your treasure?!"
To which the King of Pirates smiled and said:
"You want my treasure? You can have it! I left the most important treasure in the world on an island! Go and find it! 'For the next pirate that finds the UnderPiece, will be claimed the new King of The Pirates!"
Those were his final words before he was executed. He smiled to his death.
With those words, the world was flipped upside down as he created The Golden Pirate Era! People and already existing pirates from around the works started to sail the seas in search of the treasure that W. D. Gaster claimed to be-
The UnderPiece!
It had been Twenty Years since, and people have yet to find the treasure he was talking about. Except for one girl, who is now going to change the world by storm for the sake of her people.
This is the story of Muffet D. Baker and her way to becoming Queen of the Pirates!
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"Hey, Captain!" Said a very lean but experienced chameleon mink. He leaned over the railing of the ship, looking at his captain.
The ship resembled that of a traditional navy ship but was modified to suit the themes of his ship and men. Where the navy flag should be, was the flag, the flag...
Of the Hydra Pirates.
The man the lean man was talking to, was indeed, Hydra Gordons. The captain of about 20 years ago. When Muffet was only two.
He was already considered a Super Rookie and had just set sail across the Red Line; a checkpoint in the Grand Line, where it was said True Monsters lie.
With a smile, of a confident man who was truly worth 362,000,000 dollars, he looked at his crewmate and smiled. A smile that lit up the black and teal floorboards of the ship and all the crewmates he had with him.
Like Muffet, he didn't feel the need to have a crew that had so many members. He kept it down to 16 people he wanted in his crew, and that much he had, except for one spot.
The last spot he wanted.
A wife. A lover. A partner in crime he wanted to show the world to. Sadly, that was not one he had.
"What's the matter, Apollo?" Hydra said with a stoic voice.
Apollo, the swordsman of his ship, replied.
"I was just thinking, what's the next island we are heading to since we've reached the Grand Line?"
Hydra laughed like it was a silly question.
"Well, the other heads of the Hydra and I spoke, and we all decided that we should take a vacation; almost. Visit islands that we couldn't back in the Grand Line so that we can get a feel of the other treasures we missed out on. Should get us eased and ready for the Red Line when we return." He said with a smile. His black scales are not being shown reflecting off the setting sun.
His green eyes with slit pupils dilated from the expansive imagination he had already thought of. This made Apollo laugh.
"Sure Captain, if there's anywhere we should go. If there isn't any particular order in which we go, I say we hit up Constricta."
Hydra raised a brow at Apollo's proposal.
The crew who was laying around the deck either being occupied mastering their craft or having a conversation all slowly started listening in and huddling.
The cook of the crew, a tiger mink, approached them.
"Constricta? Like the landmass solely dedicated to Mink? That would be great for our crew boss!"
Hydra raised another brow. His whole crew was Minks...except for him. The only reason he even looks like that is because of his Mythical Zoan Fruit: Hydra Model, which is the sole reason he had been getting far in the Grand Line by that point. His real skin is still pitch black, but because he was born anti-albino too.
"Well actually guys, I was thinking about one of the snow islands, I've always wanted to meet this girl that has been rumored from the West Blue which I hail. A girl that was said to be born from nothing and be pretty in all regard, someone of superhuman strength and rapidly aging maturity. It is said that she comes in the state of the innocent child until she comes into contact with her soulmate. Then she becomes a beautiful maiden in her true form. It is said that a man of darkness and said woman are destined to meet at a snow island in the Grand Line!" Hydra ranted on with passion and gleaming hopes in his eyes.
His crew didn't believe him.
One of the three women on his ship strolled up to him. She was a cobra Mink who was the shipwright of the ship. Notable ink and sweat on her body. She didn't care. She leaned her elbow on his shoulder for leverage.
"Cmon Cap'n! This literally spells the perfect vacation for the lot of us."
The entire ship chanted "Yeah!" at the same time. Not as a demand, but by a playful and teasing suggestion, like egging on a friend to ask someone out.
She scratched the back of his head.
"G-guys don't I get a say? You guys know how much finding the perfect woman means to me. Can't we just see if the legend is true first, and if it isn't, Constricta isn't going to go anywhere?"
His crew all gave it one good ounce of thought. Then, they gave him a persistent gaze that told him that they wouldn't mind going to his island first.
Hydra smiled.
"Alright guys, to Vrampa Island we go! The island of snow!" Hydra said pointing off the side of the ship. His helmsman took the wheel and with a combined effort, they made their way back down the Grand Line.
.
.
It was about three weeks, but they had finally found the island of Vrampa. They had stopped by islands along the way to be prepared for this island specifically. They had to fight countless amounts of Navy men on the way there.
They had even come across The Rorschach Pirates and even the Underground Pirates along the way. Vortanya, the Strongest Woman Alive, and the Captain of the Rorschach Pirates only came by to size up Hydra as a good future candidate for the new era's strongest.
Asgore Dreemurr, The Strongest Man Alive, and the Captain of the Underground Pirates came by to simply party and share a good time amongst different crews. To which he learned from Asgore that there exist these slabs that contain secrets to the world and the way to the One Piece itself. Also, they also give directions as to how to make the ancient weapons from the Forgotten Void Era.
The period of time where no one knows about but is the reason most of the world's mysteries came to be.
Hydra absorbed this information from his travels and proceeded to be on his way. And finally, here he was, at Vrampa.
Apollo clasped Hydra's shoulder, which made Hydra turn to him with a raised brow. To which, Apollo spoke.
"You do realize that it said that a snow island was the destined setting. There are a bunch of snow islands in the world, so why did you pick this one?"
Hydra just smiled, watching his crew unpack and go onto the crunchy waist-high snow.
"You see, this place just reminds me of home, I too grew up on a snow island, and plus, it's the only spot I remember, heh." He said as he hopped off the ship and onto the snow.
The island was just mile long sheets of snow, no civilization, just a wasteland of snow. Howling wings piercing through the air and through the skins of everyone present.
Everyone was slowly losing all the hype on the island, as there was virtually, nothing to see there. They eventually confronted Hydra about it, to which he agreed to go back.
He was disappointed in the fact he couldn't find at least something cool on the island. Not even a hint or a glimpse of the rumors. That was until the daily mail came in. He checked the newspaper and read it to the crew out loud like so.
"Dark Queen Susie has resigned her spot of Warlord, delegating the spot to the upcoming Super Rookie...GUYS! IT'S ME! THEY CHOSE ME!"
His crew gathered around him and took turns reading the newspaper.
It was true, The Pirate King's right-hand woman, a woman so vicious and battle and a presence so foreboding that it earned her mysterious epithet as 'Dark Queen' Susie. A woman who was said to have incredible foresight aside from her being tremendously strong, like a true monster. She always wore a spiked and dark purple robe that covered everything in darkness from her head to her waist. Revealing her bright purple arms to be the only thing you see before you die.
That same woman, after becoming a Warlord after resigning her position to avoid unnecessary attention within W. D. Gaster's crew.
His crew was ecstatic. However, this was a matter that was going to involve him, and only him. That was the hard part for him and his crew, the aftermath of the thought.
"So...we going to sell out to the Navy?" Said his doctor.
Hydra was sitting on top of the barrel on his ship as they were drifting along the sea. He was rubbing his temples in deep thought.
"I don't know...I say we become at least listen to what they have to offer. We'd get to have our own land, I think, and we'll not have to worry about the threat of Navy men coming after us. Our job will only have to be stopping other pirates from coming by our post. And help the Navy whenever we're summoned."
The more he continued, the more he felt the grimaces on his crewmates' faces.
"Yeah Cap'n, that's not what we signed up for, honestly." Said the shipwright.
"I know how it sounds. But I think this can be a good break for us. And look, I'll look into stationing us in Constricta, it'll be basically having our job being defending our people and land. I say that's a good life to live."
When worded, his crew started to see his side. Although, they still weren't quite on his side. They've been pirates for such a long time, then to work for them all of sudden...
Felt like all their progress was for nothing.
"Captain, no offense, but if that's the case, I just don't want to work under that profession, if you choose that decision. I'll choose to leave this crew." Apollo said.
The crew grew in intense silence.
Hydra was just jaw-dropped, his Vice-Captain just declared his resignation.
He couldn't speak. He only sighed.
"Does...anyone else feel the same way?"
Two more of his own men raised their hands. He noted that and nodded.
"Okay then...I'll drop everyone off at Constricta. You all can enjoy your vacation there while I attended a business trip. When I come back from that trip, I'll be waiting by the Southern beaches, those that don't attend my return, I will assume you gave up hope in the cause. I won't be angry, but those who stay, I'll be more than happy to work amongst you." Hydra said professionally before getting up slowly putting his hands on his pockets and walking to his own Captain's Room.
The deck was filled with overwhelming awkwardness and tension. Soon, they started to argue amongst themselves.
Hydra, who had already been crying into his arm, knowing he had lost a few good friends because of his choices as Captain, fell asleep to the sound of his crewmates at each other's throats.
.
.
He had already dropped off his crew at Constricta, an island that seemed to house, as his crewmates said, majority mink. A mountain in the middle that reached the clouds, but at that time, was only just that. A mountain. It bothered him.
Constricta had such a good overlaying view of all the Mink villages and rivers that layered the main terrain. Back when it was only just that, a single island.
The mountain in the middle blocks the view of the back part of the beautiful landscape.
A mountain, all in the way of his beauty...
He had reached Marineford HQ by himself. There he was greeted by the full roster of Warlords.
He opened the main door to the meeting room on the top floor. The building was huge, storing over a million soldiers. Vice-Admirals and Rear-Admirals littered the scene occasionally. However, when he got to the meeting room, it was only The Warlords and The Admirals, especially the Hero of the Navy herself, Morial The Immortal.
He took a long look at the roster of all-stars that sat in front of him from left to right:
Shyren Batistte The Monster Admiral
Felicia Domes The Super Admiral
John Ventrical The Tactful Admiral
Don Marqueet The Inspiring Admiral
Grillby The Fired Up Admiral
Morial The Immortal The Hero of The Navy/Fleet Admiral
Asriel Dreemurr The 'God of Hyperdeath'
Proximity The 'Calamity'
Promethea The 'Harlequin'
Iros The 'Seraphim'
Gladia The 'Princess of Blue'
T. The 'Forgiven'
And a spot open for him on the table next to her.
He sat down with a smile, watching these strong and legendary people all gather in one room.
That being said, his idols were Morial and Asriel Dreemurr, they knew how to get stuff done.
Morial the Immortal had her trademark black shark armor, made up entirely of magic, haki, and sea prism stone. The strongest and most expensive piece of armor ever conceived, being able to withstand attack strong enough to blow away whole continents.
She always wore it wherever she went, but to show some form of intimacy with the people of her job and her enemies, she always kept her helmet off revealing her yellow iris eyes with her red pupils. Her hair was a smooth and long crimson red that dangled down to her tail bone. She has always kept it in a ponytail to refrain from it getting in her eyes.
Despite how tough she was, she was generally wholesome and very physically affectionate.
She greeted him verbally as he sat down, mostly because she was sitting already on the opposite side of the table. If that wasn't the case she would've shook his hand.
"I'm glad you can join us here today. Please make yourself acquainted to not only me, your superiors, your peers, and your supervisors." Morial said as she gestured her hand to herself, the other Warlords, and then the other Admirals.
"It's nice to meet you all," Hydra said sheepishly, not trying to say the wrong thing or get on the bad side of anyone here.
Hydra was always a polite man.
The Admirals nodded and showed respect. The Admirals that caught his eye, was Shyren, Felicia, and Grillby.
For starters, he had never seen a Fire Elemental before, and the fact that the first kind he has seen, is an Admiral, he knew that he would have to ask questions about that.
Felicia scared him. Apparently, in bouts of physical prowess, Felicia was the most on par with Morial and the other Emporers. He didn't know what Devil Fruit she possessed, but he had heard rumors that her Fruit was game-changing and the most frightening Devil Fruit to ever exist. To top it off, she always seemed unhinged. She wore her uniform loosely like she didn't care about her title and presentation. She also had her feet on her the table like it was her house.
It bothered everyone in the room, but everyone knew it was better not to ask her to stop.
They were in no position to challenge the pecking order.
Shyren...had his heart. Apparently, in terms of morale, Shyren was not only the team's motivator but poster girl. She was always self kept, cutely clumsy, quiet, apologetic, sweet, and most of all cheerful.
Shyren's looks don't come off as so, seeing as how she is an undead mermaid. However, she had no neck, her head was floating above the rest of her serpentine body. That part was weird to him, but regardless, he was her type. Her dark green smooth and glossy scales. Her short emerald green hair. Her black iris eyes with yellow dots as pupils. He just found her adorable, also with the fact that she was relatively small as well.
She was 5'0 and he was 6'0. A whole foot difference.
He waved, she saw and gave a slight anxious smirk and waved back.
He then glanced at the Warlord, who didn't even heed to his greeting, except for two people.
Gladia, another mermaid who has one eye with a skit as a pupil, prismarine skin, dark blue hair, glowing orange barnacles growing from her shoulders, temples, and elbows, and her most prominent feature, her infamous mace tail. It had been said that her tail was hard enough and fast enough to play golf with islands.
That being said, she was awfully moody. She was a teenager after all.
She looked at Hydra and said "Sup."
He just nodded.
The other person was Asriel Dreemurr, the son of Toriel and Goldenbeard. It only made sense that he'd grow up to be a threat already.
He looked at Hydra and gave him a raised hand, signifying a "Hi".
Everyone else seemed unimportant to him, so he just focused back on Morial.
"We've been keeping track of your rapid climb along the Grand Line, as much of a threat as you are, I wish to engage in a deal that helps both of us. You see, with men like W. D. Gaster roaming around, H.Q. needs the big dogs to be on the frontline. And with the recent loss in position, given your abilities, have been delegated to become a Warlord."
Hydra nodded.
"I am fully aware. Where may I be posted?"
'T' gave a laugh.
"Some newbie is eager, isn't he?" She snarled. Hydra could tell from her voice that she was a teenager also, it was too shrill.
Before he could give a retort, Shyren unfolded her arms from the table, and the attitude and mood that 'T' carried within her, ceased.
He didn't know why that was.
"Well, seeing your background," as Morial was saying this, he crossed his fingers hoping it would be Constricta, "I have decided to place you on Sleetelle, The Island of Intense Blizzards. You should have no problem in that terrain or if any pirates do come by there."
He was bummed out, he didn't know how far away that was from Constricta. He would have to hope that his crew would be willing to wait that long.
He knew the answer to that, especially since his crew and he left off on a not-so-good note.
Don Marqueet only was interested in the files he was reading. He never glanced his way, not even once. Same with John Ventrical, not because he was uninterested.
John was focused on the other trouble-making Warlords, more specifically Proximity.
Proximity was by far the most terrifying one there. He was a man of mysterious origin and upbringing. A man with Vantablack skin and a deep voice, deep enough to shake rooms. His Devil Fruit was also fearsome, racking up a bounty of 650,000,000 before becoming a Warlord.
His wife, Promethea, was a woman of normal stature and size, and generally really nice. It was an off mix, but the ultimate power couple.
Every other Warlord was either snarky or indifferent, but Proximity had the mindset and power to cause chaos. So that's why John Ventrical had his sights on him the entire meeting.
Shyren hummed, and the teacup that was to his side heated up again. He has forgotten there was tea in the room. He didn't question her power or the reasoning behind it but, he just nodded to her and drank.
"Any questions?" Morial restated.
Hydra sighed.
"Well, you see, my crew, is on Constricta, and I was wondering if..."
Morial shook her head.
"Sadly, the island we post you on is not negotiable. Sleetel is a navy blind spot so we need someone on it. As for your crew...I suggest getting new ones at Sleetel."
His fist clenched. Shyren, Felicia, Morial, Proximity, Gladia, and Asriel caught on to his clenched fist and eyed his fist.
Hydra knew that he was in no position to speak out, especially in a room filled with some of the World's strongest.
"If there are no more questions Mr. Gordons, then this meeting will come to a close."
The silence went by.
"Actually, one request, if I'm not being too selfish."
Morial gauged the room, she looked at her peers who nodded, and then she looked back at him.
"I suppose."
Hydra nodded.
"Then may I please request at least an assistant? A partner that I may hold down the fort with. It seems unfair and irresponsible to keep me by myself without supervision. Not only am I a dangerous pirate, but suppose a whole crew attacks me at once, it would make tactical sense to have at least some people under my domain."
Morial gave him a slightly knowledgeable nod.
Shyren raised her hand. Morial immediately noticed her. She was shocked, Shyren barely spoke in these meetings.
"E-excuse Miss...m-may I pick out his assistant?" She said sheepishly.
Morial didn't know why Shyren specifically wanted to take this matter into her own hands. Neither did Hydra.
Both of them were in for a loop.
Felicia was picking her teeth with her nail.
"You mean that girl that you brought in with 'T'? She's still very young, but I know you have a sixth sense when it comes to placements and formations. So I'll trust your judgment." Felicia said, directing those last words to not only Shyren but to the other Admirals.
They all nodded.
Morial cleared her throat.
"Alright. Hydra Gordons, the Seventh Warlord, will be positioned on Sleetel Island with a welcoming assistant as soon as possible. Additional help and support will be aided and funneled through by Shyren Batistte. This meeting has come to a close; you may all leave your seats and head back to your post.
The Warlords in unison seemingly dashed out of the room through the window. The Admirals slowly got up and walked out the main doors. Shyren stayed behind to talk to Hydra.
Morial clapped twice and a young woman came in a recruit uniform. She had several glass shards that were circling around her. She ran by him, bowed to Shyren, and then ran to Morial to which they were whispering a conversation.
He understood this as something he better not eavesdrop on.
Shyren tugged his shirt.
"F-follow me..."
Shyren then slithered away to the door slowly.
He found this woman so cute. He knew she was gonna lead him to this new girl that will accompany him on his well-deserved indirect banishment from his crew.
And it turns out, it was this girl named Lexi, a Gunslinger, but most importantly, a runaway Princess.
.
.
The wind was howling in Sleetel, no housing but an oversized igloo with yearly supplies and a bunker.
Hydra and his new companion and college Lexi have been there for about a week. More often than not, he wouldn't talk to her for hours at a time.
On the other hand, Lexi would try all that she could to be there for him. Shyren let her know about his situation with how being a Warlord meant what he had to sacrifice.
She indirectly felt like a burden.
"Hey, Mr. Hydra sir?" She said peering over his ice seat. He was just giving the wall a thousand-yard stare, thinking of nothing of his care and what they must be doing now.
Hydra just limply looked her way. He was 18 at the time, and so was she.
"Hey. What's up?" Hydra said trying and practicing to be more sociable.
His black scales and tail took glimmering from the fireplace that kept burning in the living room. The fire, surprisingly, wasn't melting any of the ice.
For good reason.
Lexi smiled, she barely ever got a response from him.
"I was wondering...Since you're a Warlord and all...what kind of power do you possess? If you don't mind me asking..."
Hydra looked at her. The light from the fire was gleaming off the side of her head just right. She was cute in her attempts and her way of asking.
He would try today and give it a shot.
It wasn't like he had anything else to do.
"No, it's okay, no need to feel unwanted...Look, what you're looking at right now, is my power, I ate the Hebi Hebi no Mi. It's a fruit that allows me to turn into a Hydra. Granting me a physical boost, and regeneration as long as my head is intact. I have my Hydra form and my hybrid form for my strongest form. What you're looking at right now is the real me...well, without the tail."
After he explained himself he looked at her again. Her eyes were full of wonder and amazement of her colleague.
"Wow! I mean, I don't really have that cool of a power. Shyren really only placed me here with you because of my Devil Fruit ability, the Hie Hie no Mi. Being an Ice Logia is cool, but to be a Mythical Zoan?! You're incredible Mr. Hydra!"
Hydra just looked at her, Lexi, and suddenly, for some reason, Shyren didn't look as cute anymore.
He looked at her for a bit too long.
"Oh! Mr. Hydra? Did I say something wrong?"
Lexi was immediately silenced by Hydra patting her on the head and rubbing her soft hair. When he did, cat ears perked from her bed of hair and she nuzzled into the head rubbing. Her eyes were fluttering and started to shut.
Hydra then really saw Lexi. A Catgirl, not necessarily a Mink, just a catgirl. Her hair was a peachy orange with a soft patch of yellow on the top of her hair. She had purple eyes and peachy skin.
She dawned grey cross laced leather sweater and boots with the same concept design like she was a cat burglar-
When Hydra had that thought he chuckled to himself.
Her pants were a nice burgundy. She was around 5'6. She had a nice calm and comforting personality, like how a cat would naturally have. Hydra knew this.
So, like a cat, he picked her up and put her on his lap. She leaned on his chest and sat on his lap.
This woke her up, she looked up and peered up. Just to see him looking back at her, with a knowing smile, not of anything perverted but just happy overall. She felt this.
She just sat there comfortably.
Hydra grinned for minutes. Then he had a thought.
"Enough about me though, how about you? I heard you were a runaway princess. Of what kingdom?"
The fire went out. The chair cracked.
"I-I wish to not talk about it."
Hydra was mostly concerned that her mental well-being directly affected her Devil Fruit abilities, so he cleared his throat.
"My bad, can I at least know why you ran? You don't have to tell me your relations, or where you're from, I just want to know why."
Silence went by.
The fire was re-lit and the chair repaired itself.
"Okay...well, all and all, I left because, well, I'm the youngest of the siblings I have. Three brothers, and two sisters. Me being the seventh. The thing with that is that in our kingdom...six is an unlucky number..."
Hydra nodded.
"However, my two oldest brothers went to war and never returned, we assumed they died. So I was the five for a while. We stayed as a happy family at home for seventeen years, and so when I was 17, he came back. Making it six children again. So, my parents had by that point already attempted on making another kid. Seeing as how I was the 6th child officially, they tried to have me executed."
Hydra tightened his fist.
"Only my uncle, he was the only one who didn't believe in that rule and had trained me for my whole life up until that point in the art of gun slinging. So with that skill, the night before my execution, he took me from home and ran."
Lexi started to cry, tears streaming down her face. Hydra responsively held her closer to his chest so that she wouldn't feel embarrassed when she cried. His hands were then at his side and clenched.
"He had already had a boat prepared, but he was caught in the act with the charge of kidnapping the princess and when we got on the boat, he tossed me on and started the boat. He, himself, didn't get on, he stood his ground on the pier holding off the guards. He lasted long enough, long enough for me to survive and be out of reach from the kingdom. But, h-he..." She said before sobbing into his chest.
Hydra was grinding his teeth.
"My last memory of him...was him looking back at me, smiling and waving, with holes riddling his body and gushing blood...and I vowed to him, and he swore to me...that I will live independently, in the name of freedom...that's why I ran away...to live a life of freedom..."
Hydra and her stood quiet for what felt like forever. She clenched his shirt, to which he instantly responded by placing his hand softly on hers.
She looked up at him, biting her upper lip to not sob in his face, tears forming in her eyes.
"Shyren found me at sea, and adopted me in with this girl named 'T'. And now, by fate, I meet you. A man so powerful, he can grant me the freedom I've wanted."
Hydra didn't know what to say to that, he was so honored, confused, and worried.
"How, do I give you freedom by having you work for me? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?"
Then, suddenly, Lexi broke out into a smile.
"Freedom is whatever the person believes it to be, to me, freedom is being so strong that you're able to not only protect others but also yourself without anyone getting in the way. So to me, you're the free-est and strongest person I know. And to be here in your safe hands, makes me feel all the freer. Does that make sense to you-"
She felt a water droplet hit the back of her hand. She sighed.
"Sorry I was getting too unstable, now the fire is melting the house down-" As soon as Lexi looked up to see the leaking, she realized that it wasn't the dome that was leaking.
It was Hydra's tears. He was biting his upper lip and had cloudy eyes. He clenched her hand softly.
"D-do you really think, I-I'll be a man that can be as free as he wants?"
Lexi pouted and sat upright on his lap.
"Of course dummy, were you not just listening to me?"
Hydra held her tight to his chest. He didn't want to let go.
He was right, in the island of snow, there would be a woman, that would warm his heart.
.
.
Five years went by. Their relationship since that day slowly blossomed into a very comfortable best friend deal.
By this point in time, W.D. Gaster had been executed. The Battle of Mt. Ebott happened and he participated in it. John Ventrical and Morial lost their lives in that war, and so did Promethea, Gladia, 'T', and Iros. Replacement Warlords, we're still being worked on. Grillby had replaced Morial in the seat of Fleet Admiral, making Red Von Suitel and Chronus being the new replacement Admirals. He had been reposted back at his regular spot, he and Lexi had been through a lot during that war.
They'd joked around, slept together, loved being together, and even sunk a few pirate ships together during their times.
Until one day, he woke up, and she wasn't there. He had assumed she was outside looking at the view, or at the worst, fighting a whole pirate crew by herself.
He knew should handle it because she was honestly ridiculously misleadingly strong. Way stronger than any pirate he's seen pass through those parts.
When he went over to her side of the bed, there laid a note. His eyes opened as he picked it up and read it.
It read:
Dear Hydra,
I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I have something I need to do, and I hope this note becomes useless as I think I should be back by the time you wake up, haha. Well uh, the problem is that, my parents like I said before planned to have another kid...which they decided to have...
The problem is that, recently one of my older brothers died of an attack by a lady named Anansi. But, my mother is having twins, which means that the later child to come out, will be executed...Im sorry but, I can't allow that to happen.
By the time you read this note, hopefully not, I should be back on that island saving that poor baby and I plan to make my way back. Knowing you, I know you'd probably want to come and find me and help. So, on my way back, Imma going to Constricta, the island you've always wanted to go to, and I'll wait there for you, then we can escape back home.
I just can't bring myself to let someone experience the same fate I almost did. Especially when they have so much potential. Our family line has a magical gift, for every member of the family that dies during the mother's lifespan, the next baby inherits all the skills and strength from those who died. So this child will come out strong. A good asset to us if we raise them right.
I hope you're not mad Hydra, that's the last thing I want. I'll know you're not mad at me if I see you here at Constricta.
Sincerely yours, Lexi
Hydra shredded the paper and got dressed. He got on his ship and his compass and tried his hardest to make his way to Constricta.
It was a long way away.
.
.
Hydra had been trying his best through difficult terrain and attacks of sea kings to try and get to Constricta. Finally, he did.
He docked the ship in the same pier in which he had left his crew at.
However, something was weird about this Continent. It wasn't the same as before, mostly because, most noticeably...
There was a second plot of land spanning a fourth of the continent on top of the regular one. It was perched stemming from the mountain. He could gauge that by using the mountains staircase a person can reach the second "floor" of this continent.
The thought of him being able to see his crewmates again made him a bit gleeful, but he dashed off the boat in pursuit of Lexi. She didn't particularly say where she'd be on this continent, but he was determined to find her regardless.
He checked for an hour, hours, days, a week, and two weeks. His legs numb from running, his lungs on fire, but he continues to run. As he was running, he could see that Constricta's first "floor" wasn't as pretty as it was when he visited it five years ago.
The ground had looked like it was battle-scarred. Trees burned, cut, derooted, torn, and blasted off their stems. Houses were burned, and the land was slowly adopting a darker ecosystem. Growing blackened leaves and grass naturally.
He ran by some civilians, Minks, who were reduced to living in shelters underneath the shadow of the second society and lives above them.
This was the fuel he needed to keep running.
Then, after two weeks of running, he finally heard the sound of gunshots. He was finally greeted by some gunshots.
Not to him directly, but somewhere close by.
He ground his heels to a halt, he was at this point behind the mountain and heading towards the shore on the opposite side of where he docked.
It was a village, one that looked recently built and still in construction. He saw the villagers of that land, Minks, running away from the village in fear.
Then, he heard the sound of ice being made, and a baby crying.
He took in a deep breath, as he was exhausted beyond comprehension, and leaped over the building he was closest to and entered the middle of the village. To which he saw Lexi holding a baby on her back via a strap-on basket.
She seemed to have been roughed up a bit and cut in some places. The baby was still healthy and untouched.
Lexi was fighting a couple of men, not Minks, in a white and gold uniform.
"From the order of King Zewz, we prohibit all Minks from living on our land!"
Two men out of the ten rushed at her with spears.
She backstepped and extended her two hands out forcefully, creating two ice pillars out from the ground and launching those two men many meters back, unconscious. After she did, she cringed and knelt a bit. Hydra could tell she was that exhausted.
"HEY!"
Hydra's voice cracked the area around them. Lexi immediately looked his way and experienced a face of pure euphoria.
"You came...! Does that mean you're not mad?"
Hydra slowly walked to her.
"Oh no, I'm mad..."
The other right men easily recognized who this man was. They started trembling.
He raised his hand at her. She flinched.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU LEAVE IN THE LETTER WHERE TO MEET YOU! I'VE BEEN HERE FOR TWO WEEKS RUNNING LIKE AN IDIOT!"
Then she softly karate chopped her on the head, brushed away her bangs, and kissed her on the forehead. Her ears perked up and her eyes widened. She blushed heavily.
"That's it, that's just about how mad I am with you. Now for these guys..."
Hydra didn't have the need to go into his hybrid or Monster form.
He walked towards them slowly. They approached him one by one.
Two men with spears rushed him, he side-stepped one of them and grabbed the spear of the other.
He drove the spear back into the man's chest using the flat end. The man who was dodged was immediately choked out by Hydra's tail.
The six other men lined up with muskets and shot at the same time. Hydra then activated armament Haki on his tail and deflected it back to them. Killing them all instantly.
He took a deep breath and turned around to face Lexi.
She was just looking around, the bodies, the huts, just the view of it all.
"Ready to go back to base hun?" Hydra said holding out his hand.
Lexi wiped a tear off her face and walked towards him.
Hydra had his arms out for a hug, and she returned the favor. The baby stopped crying.
"Don't ever, run away like that from me ever again. I was so scared something would happen to you."
Lexi looked over his shoulder during the hug.
"I'm sorry to worry you, but I just had to do this. But I'm glad I-"
Her Observation Haki activated. In one quick motion, she summoned two ice spikes to slash off the straps of her basket so that it landed on the soft muddy ground. The baby having a safe fall.
As soon as that was done-
BANG
BANG
BANG
Three shots were fired. All three connected into Hydra's back. He was caught off guard.
He was angry because being shot to him was a mild inconvenience because he could just regenerate those wounds.
However, he looked at Lexi.
She coughed out blood, all of it spilling on his chest. She lost the strength in her legs and almost fell before Hydra caught her by the arms. He checked her.
Three shots went through him and her. She was still alive, but barely.
Hydra was in shock, disbelief, rage, sadness, anger. He sharply turned around and it all went away.
His crew. His crew was there, with guns in their hands, freshly used as the smell of gunpowder and smoke left their guns.
"Sorry man, order of Zewz, we can't let you two escape the island. As we speak, your ship is already being burned to the ground." Said Apollo.
"YOU IDIOTS! YOU'RE MINKS! WHY ARE YOU WORKING TO KILL THEM ALL?!"
Hydra yelled with tears in his voice. The baby was crying.
His old doctor took off his glasses and started rubbing them.
"After the events that happened here four years ago, we saw the true destructive power of a nation of Minks, we are saving the world Hydra. We are a part of something bigger than you could never have shown us!"
Hydra gritted his teeth and clenched his hand into a fist. He jerked his body to go beat the shit out of him until his face was caressed by a limp and soft hand.
He looked down and it was Lexi.
"Hey, Mr. Hydra...? Don't be angry, I would've wanted this to have been the case anyway."
Hydra's anger went back into worry and sadness as he paced back to her. His old crew now took shots at him, one by one. Each piercing him and only him, he didn't care.
"What do you mean?!"
Lexi coughed up more massive amounts of blood.
"This child will now adopt the power of both me and my uncle, she'll be of better use to you."
More shots were piercing him.
"What does that matter, I only want you-"
"Thank you, Mr. Hydra. You've shown me why being strong and strong-willed is important. My whole life...I've been running away from problems and hiding being someone bigger when I'm scared...but now, I was able to save one life, Mr. Hydra...one...this is what freedom feels like...I understand now...and I couldn't be happier."
Hydra's tears were now turning into blood.
He couldn't speak. She saw this and put her hand on his.
"This child...I know after I leave, you're probably going to destroy this island to its core...but I urge you, that same passion you have toward me, please, use that passion and give it to this child and the Minks of this land. Free them like how you freed me...that's my last selfish request to you, Mr. Hydra...heal this Continent, and watch out for the one they call Hera...she will be your last obstacle..."
Hydra was now missing most of his body mass. The shots continued to like his tears, the words she was saying, cutting and hurting deeper than the bullets. She was giving him no bigger pain than now, the damage he can't regenerate.
He was confused about that last part. About this girl named Hera, that being his last obstacle. He had known Lexi for being somewhat of a pretty adept Observation Haki user, which was why she was so positive. She always saw ahead of the problem. So, he took her words for gold.
"...Mr. Hydra...?"
Hydra nodded to her but then used the last amount of strength she had. She sat upright to give him one last hug.
"Forget titles...I love you...-"
More shots were fired, this time hitting them both, more hitting her again finishing her off. Her last words being...
"...My little Shadow King..."
She flopped on the floor lifeless. The gunshots stopped. There was silence.
Hydra got up and dusted himself off. He looked to his side and did a sharp glare at the ground so hard that a hole was made. Just big enough to put her in. He buried her right there, in silence.
"You...you guys, nor did I, declare disbandment of the crew, but now I'm here with you guys one more time...so now...I can finally say..."
Hydra grew to his true Hydra form. With his nine heads, he used one of his heads to pick up the baby and hold the baby in that mouth. He kept that head's mouth shut to protect it.
"The Hydra Pirates are now disbanded!"
.
.
1,365. That was the number of soldiers of Zewz he killed that day, including his crew. He walked the landscape in his regular form, worn, tired, sad, angry, confused. All he knew was the mission, no, the promise he had to complete.
The soldiers of Zewz cowered back up the mountain and would most likely remain there, as now, Hydra was the strongest person on the Continent. He was stuck down there with the afraid and abandoned Minks. With a baby on his back, he knew what he had to do.
Nothing will stop him in his path to invigorate these Minks with their own sense of Freedom, like how he did with Lexi, and make them fight for their own freedom and declare equality with the rest of the world.
Revolution was in his wake, and neither Pirates of the Navy will stop his plans now. As he will now abandon the weight of the Warlord title, and now adopt the title, known by the Minks who look up to him as...
The Shadow King of Constricta.
15 years later, Present Day
Hydra sat on a rock and looked up at the moon.
"Three more months Lexi, and we can have that future we promised. Freedom in Equality...Thank God there isn't a full moon, these Minks would be going crazy in their Sulong forms if it was."
He got up, he had already fully recovered from both fights earlier.
"Those pesky kids are still alive, but I can't go all out with Cassidy being kidnapped by them...let's see how this plays out. I have beef with those three in particular..."
"Muffet, Undyne, Susie, I have pent-up aggression against their mothers. But they won't be anything, once I have my revolution in set...You hear me Zewz!"
He said looking at the second land above him.
Somewhere, somehow, in the distance looking from afar in the ocean...
.
.
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Shyren did not approve.