I own nothing.
First off, I want to thank everyone who reviewed and decided to favorite or follow this story. I could barely believe that its been just two day's and I already nearly have twenty follows. Please review and let me know what you think and if you want to bounce idea's for the story off me then I'm all for it.
Non: Thank you very much, I'm glad you like my story, it'll only get more messed up from here. I did have a devil fruit planned that I thought up myself but those are some great ideas, I especially like the mech-mech fruit's concept that he could make an army of robots. This isn't a spoiler, but I'm not sure if I will go with it because while an awesome idea, I originally planned for him to become as strong as an entire fleet just by himself in an attempt to get revenge on Mihawk. But depending on how the story goes, I hope you'll let me use one of your ideas if my story changes from how I planned. I really doubt that a bloodline can realistically work, especially the mink and fishman one's, because Krieg hasn't shown any signs of being anything other than human. I really don't know if I will do any romance, I was just going to see where the story went and go from there, but if anyone has suggestions down the line for a straight romance I guess I could try and make it work. Don't expect anything amazing if I do however, and I don't want to do a harem.
Ptwilson / FriedWorms: I'm glad you like it, I have plans for this story that have been bouncing in my head for far too long.
spiderfan: Yes, that is exactly what I was going to try and do. Too many Oc's just become hard to keep track of and make the read difficult in my opinion. Not that there's anything wrong with SYOC's or anything but it's just not my cup off coffee, so I want to try and bring other under used or non-canon characters into this story, I just don't know who exactly quite yet.
Now that that's over with, I apologize for that being so long, but I hope that it will help to see what direction I will try to take this story in.
This chapter is a lot darker than the last one so keep that in mind, I rated this M for a reason.
Violence, gore and foul language.
(Krieg Pov)
Knowing what I know now, I would have had little to no problem in the first part of the Grand Line if Mihawk didn't destroy my armada. The pirates in 'paradise' aren't all that strong when you look at the bigger picture.
My fleet of five thousand men would have made quick work of the lesser Baroque works agents and lesser known pirates, while the numbered agents from 6 and down I would have no trouble with at all on my own. Those above 5 would be difficult, but I would also have gotten stronger and gained more men at that point, so it's hard to say. CP9, well, I would get stomped on, but that doesn't matter.
It's all so sobering, laying on my stomach with barely enough strength to get up is such a big difference to being on top of the East Blue, on top of my own miniature world. And from being a regular mope who invested all his time into working and saving money just for it to amount to nothing for me in the end.
My stomach bellowed out once more, making me close my eyes in discomfort. The hunger is starting to give my head weird thoughts about food, and its taking main priority no matter how hard I try to ignore it. I hate this so damn much, laying on the ground and waiting out my hunger sucks. But at least I can move around a little bit now, enough to wiggle around if I put some effort into it. I could get up again, but it would hurt and I know that I'll just end up falling.
Snapping open, my eyes locked onto the one thing in front of me: grass.
Well there's dirt too, but fuck dirt, what has dirt ever done for me. A steady breeze blew through the trees around me and blew straight through my clothes, causing shivers to shake my body. Now louder, my stomach whined at me, begging me to feed it. I blinked my eyes.
Grass.
A lesser man, would mow down on those succulent green, tasty looking leaves without reservation. And would stoop to any level to survive. Am I a lesser man? Will I conform to the temptation of not dying and eat mother fucking grass like I'm some God damned cow?
I don't know, I haven't decided yet.
The old Don Krieg would have, begrudgingly sure, but he would have. So does that mean that I should too? My gut says so, but if I cross that line of no return I'll be solidifying my place in the world.
A bottom feeder.
Pathetic.
Weak.
Prey.
After I stoop down that low even once, no matter how dire the situation I know I'll end up doing something similar again. If I start to get in the mindset that stuff like that is fine, even every once in a while, then that's all I'll end up doing. That's a mistake I'm not keen on repeating. But if I do eat the grass, then that's the only way I can survive and attempt to move up in the world.
I have to live in order to not die after all.
But the starvation that I felt when I was with my fleet was worse than this, and I pushed through it. So if I try hard enough I should be able to now as well, that's the whole thing with One Piece wasn't it? A strong will can do literally anything because fuck physics.
I gave the grass a long hard look, my eyes never left the blades of green once when I was thinking. Getting increasingly more angry at me for not eating anything, my stomach felt as if there was a pit in it, like it was trying to eat itself. My right hand lurched out unconsciously, clutching the grass and moss on the ground around me as hard as it possibly could to try and shake off the pain, or at least take my mind off of the pain. My face scrunched up from how hard I shut my eyes.
"Gruuaahh!" An indecipherable grunt escaped my lips even though I tried to hold it in; this is even worse than before I take it back. Fuck! I can't take this any more!
Even though I hate it, loath the idea of it, my body stopped listening to me. It tried to make my choice for me, ripping grass out of the ground with my right hand it quickly dove towards my mouth. I could almost taste it, the alleviation of my hunger, the strength and energy that I would get from eating those delicious looking greens.
I could put this whole starving situation past me and finally figure out what I plan to do in this messed up world.
But just as quickly my left hand slammed my right back into the ground right in front of my face. If there's one thing I took pride in, in both of my lives, It's that I'm one stubborn bastard.
(Villager Pov)
It was chaos, rubble from houses and stores sprawled onto the middle of the street and everything from tupperware to clothing was ransacked by those heathens. Doors and windows were broken down and smashed without reservation. They came into the village looking starved and disheveled, a frantic look plastered on their faces. Being a small town who helps each other whenever we can, we tried to offer them a hand, see if we could help them with anything, you see.
They shoved us out of the way and barged right on through. They ate and drank every bit of food and drink they could see, and then took everything they could carry.
Pirate scum.
Stealing our boats and making off as quickly as they could, it was almost like they were running from something. They ignored it when Kurt, the Village Head used his transponder snail and called the Marines. It didn't even register in their minds that the Marines were going to hunt them down like the low lifes' they are, but it was like they were scared of something else.
What could be more scary for a pirate than the Marines? Seriously, I need to know.
Paul was absolutely furious that those pirates hurt his wife when they were rummaging through his house, and dug out his pitchforks that he used for moving hay and straw, because he helps the local farmers out, you see.
They were in and out too quick for us to try and put up any form of defence, and good people died because of it. Paul gave me a pitchfork too, and we set out to the woods to see if we can get revenge against any other pirate bastards that could be hiding still. He grew too impatient to wait for the Marines to come, not that I blame him.
Entering the woods, It was off-putting how quiet it was, both Paul and me turned our heads around constantly at every tree trunk to see if anyone was there. They could be planning an ambush, who knows with those scum.
Suddenly, we both froze at a loud sound.
"Gruuaahh!" Was it someone yelling out an attack!? We both turned around quickly, pitch forks ready. But a blow to the back of my head sent me tumbling forwards, my pitch fork stabbing into the ground was the only thing keeping me from falling.
"Sorry George," Paul spoke out, "I wasn't looking when I spun 'round.". My hand went to the back of my head, I could feel a welt already forming.
"It's... All fine, Paul." I barely managed to get the words out, he nearly gave me a heart attack, you see.
"Let's just, keep on going..." I was starting to get a bad feeling deep in my gut, but I held my tongue. I didn't want to put any more stress on Paul, he's even more riled up than I am. That never happens.
For a few minutes we searched the surrounding area before we saw a figure on the ground in a clearing. A small recently snuffed out campfire that still let off smoke sat in the middle of it, but it was dwarfed under the size of the man laying on the ground. Flat on his stomach, the man was huge, I almost thought someone put their tattered clothes onto a boulder and left it there until I saw his legs.
Dirt and grime covered his form, dried blood was soaked into his clothes and bandages, especially the bandages wrapped around his forehead. His hair was purple, but I almost couldn't tell from the dirt and grease all throughout it making it seem darker.
When I saw his face, a gasp escaped my lips causing the man stir. His eyes became visible and he stopped glaring at the grass, and his eyes bored into us instead, freezing us in place. Trademark mutton chops on the side of his face defiantly stood out, making us recognize him immediately.
Don Krieg. There wasn't a single person in the East Blue who read the news that didn't know who he was.
'The ruler of the East Blue', 'Pirate Admiral', and 'Foul Play Krieg' were all of his monikers. The most active and influential Pirate in the East Blue.
Paul was starting to shake in place, his hands trembled but then he stepped closer and got a better look at him.
"I-is that Don K-krieg?"
At my nod of agreement, he swallowed audibly, beads of sweat rolling down the side of his face.
Don Krieg seemed to make an attempt to get up, but fell right back down, his head slamming into a patch of moss. Looking at Paul, he looked at me and all nervousness disappeared immediately.
Grins formed on both of our faces and we readied our pitch forks.
"You-you're coming with us Don Krieg! W-we're going to send you to the Marines!" I spoke out, getting excited that someone so powerful can't even stand up to us, two untrained villagers.
"And cash in your bounty!" Paul finished off.
A glare, strongest that I've ever seen on a man was all we received in response. Not a word left his mouth as he evaluated the both of us. Shivers went straight into my core, and sweat soaked into my shirt in response, but I tried my best to not show it.
Paul moved closer and closer eager to get the 17 million Berry bounty in his hands, not that I blame him. I can only begin to think of what I could do with that kind of money, you see.
Now right above him, the prongs of the pitch fork were mear inches away from the downed fugitive. Paul let out a barking laugh at the power he seemed to hold over him.
"Hahaha! It's you! You're the reason all those pirates ran away in such a hurry, ransacking our village in the process!" Paul was growing hysteric in his slight power craze, elation was plastered on his face.
"You're going to pay for that," he lifted his weapon up, primed in an optimal stabbing position, "your men destroyed our village and hurt my wife! We could bring you in alive, but that would be too much work, the posters say dead or alive don't they!?"
"DIE!!"
Stabbing down as fast as he could, I couldn't bare to watch, closing my eyes and looking away. I just waited for the grunt of pain and for Paul to call out to me.
"Huh?"
"W-what are you-"
Opening my eyes and looking over, Don Krieg, filled with rage had his left hand on the shaft of the pitch fork, forcing it to stay in the ground in front of him. Using the handle of the farm tool to prop himself up quickly, his right hand grabbed onto Paul's temple before he could react- and squeezed.
"GHAAGH!! L-let go of m-me bast-" All Paul got was another squeeze to his forehead, before it loosened slightly, his face was turning red like a ripe tomato.
I tried to speak out but no words came out, my legs were locked in place and my eyes wouldn't close, forcing me to watch.
"Aaahh!!" Screaming out once more, his nails dug into Don Krieg's arm as he held him in place. The pirates body towered over Paul's, and his hand nearly covered his entire head.
Finally beginning to speak, the pirate's words rasped out, "Did you think I was weak?".
"Helpless?", his grip visibly tightened, causing Paul to scream out once more. Krieg's eyes narrowed further and he lifted Paul off of the ground just by his head.
Kicking his feet around and struggling as much as he possibly could, he whined and groaned out load, doing his best to get out of his grip.
"Pathetic." and he squeezed once more, but unlike the other times, he didn't let up shortly after. Slowly increasing his grip on his head a gut wrenching scream that shook me all the way down to my soul reverberated throughout the woods.
CRUNCH*
And all I saw was red, spattering onto the ground and covering the wanted man's arm, the man I used to know as Paul's body dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. His head was disfigured to the point of barely being recognizable, brain matter seeped-
Bluuuuggghhh*
My body couldn't take it anymore, bile forced it way out of me and I didn't have it in me to try and hold it back. Slowly looking back up towards the man- monster, who just killed my best friend, he was just standing there looking at his blood soaked hand. That must have been why they ran a way so frantically, I can only wish I could do the same.
Opening his mouth and intaking a sharp breath of air he spoke.
"Disgusting."
I could feel something wet on my pants but my mind was racing too fast for me to look down and check on it. With a turn of his head and a glare that froze me in place once more, my body gave in, and I blacked out.
(Krieg Pov)
I think I might have anger issues.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins the moment that prick acted cocky and stabbed his pitch fork down at me, and my body moved on its own. Moving slightly out of the way and grabbing the handle of it in the air as it came down, I forced it into the ground. Using the momentum of my arm I pushed down further onto the handle and propped myself up to full height.
And man am I tall, I thought I was tall before at a solid 6'3" but I must be way past that as this guy's head barely came up to my chest.
Still angry that this guy tried to kill me, I saw that he was about to move and my hand lurched out to grab him, the closest thing being his head.
Grabbing it tight to make sure he didn't get away, his screams went on deaf ears as I began to think. Taking in my whole situation, from loosing everything to how this mother fucker just tried to kill me for something I didn't even do, I stopped holding back, and let my full rage take over for me.
I hate the way he looked at me, hysteric and happy, thinking he already won. That I could do nothing just because he had a weapon and I didn't.
"Did you think I was weak?", I looked right at him, but got no response. It was probably because he was in excruciating pain but I didn't care.
"Helpless?", This no named cunt, thinking he can walk all over me, who does he think he is!?
My eyes narrowed, and I lifted him off the ground with no problem at all, and his arms latched onto my wrist in response. Strength that I never knew possible in my other life was just around every corner in this world.
His grip on my arm tightened, and his nails started to dig into me. Tears began to stream down his face as he bellowed out in agony.
I could have done the same when I had everything taken away from me, broken and beaten, and yet I didn't. With just a slight squeeze on this piece of shit's head and he screams and bawls like a wimp.
"Pathetic."
Then I stopped holding back, my rage induced strength gripped his head and squeezed until I couldn't anymore.
And then I heard it.
CRUNCH*
His head popped like a grape, dousing the arm I held him with in blood and brain bits. Not even bile came to my throat, and I knew exactly why, it didn't matter that part of me thought that killing was wrong, and has never done it before. Because the other part of me killed practically every day, and has grown accustomed to it.
Don Krieg has killed without blinking an eye, to survive and thrive in this world becoming part of his life. That more than tempered what part of me would have thought it was one of the worst things to do, regardless of what I would have thought before.
Looking down at my hand, I knew that if I wanted to survive in this world it wouldn't be the last time I killed someone. It's just crazy that it happened just like that, a burst of rage and a squeeze of my hand was all it took.
Blood soaked and sticky, this would take forever to wash my arm off. Looking down at what I did without moving my head, It was brutal. Disfigured and mangled, a pool of blood was gushing out of his head. Only one word came to mind.
"Disgusting."
It was absolutely disgusting that I could do something like that so easily, so quickly.
The sound of someone puking their heart out shook me out of my stupor, and I glared in their direction so they wouldn't have noticed that I forgot they were there.
His pants were soaked the moment I locked eyes with him, and then he passed out, falling into his own pile of puke. Oof, I actually feel pretty bad for these guys now that I've thought about it.
These poor guys were probably just minding their business, not looking for trouble, and picked a fight they couldn't win.
Taking the pitchfork out of the ground, I knew what I had to do. I made my choice, and I'm sticking through with it. The path I've chosen will not lead to a happy outcome, and will leave many dead in my wake.
But that's the only path to power that I know now, and I'll follow through. This guy would probably end up beyond traumatized from what I just did, and will never recover. The best thing I can do to relieve this man's burden is to end his future suffering.
The adrenaline has worn off, and my hunger came back in full. But I didn't relent, standing above his prone form and raising the pitchfork, I stabbed down into the back of his chest.
I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes, "This will mean nothing now, but I'm sorry.".
I thought I was going to have him actually get some food, and then it turned into this.
It took a twist I certainly didn't plan for when I started the chapter, but I think it turned out well.