Pendulum
"Time for you all to wake up now. We have a lot of work to do. Or, rather, you all have lot of work to do. Hee hee…"
…
Chopper groaned as his senses became bombarded with hundreds of new smells and noises. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Once his vision was clears his eyes about popped out of his head. "What the heck?! Where am I?!"
He stared up at several tents. People with dark green hair, cinnamon colored skin and short pointy ears rushed around. Some were juggling, some were balancing on one wheeled bikes, some were leading strange animals around, some animals were chained up or in cages.
Chopper screamed when he looked to his right to find a spider monkey with wings staring at him. The monkey's eyes started to glow. A beam of light poured out from its eyes. The light formed a man. The man worn a grey and purple vertical striped robe. His skin was a pastel blue, his hair was like a lion's mane only black and his hears were long and fish like.
…
"Well, this isn't normal," Sanji said as he puffed on a cigarette. He was sitting down on a glass roof top. The wind teased his blonde tresses as he looked down over a strange city that was made entirely of glass. Even though all the buildings were made of glass the sun didn't glare off of the surfaces.
Beside him was a spider monkey with wings. It stared at him until its eyes started to glow. A beam of light poured out from its eyes. The light formed a man. The man worn a grey and purple vertical striped robe. His skin was a pastel blue, his hair was like a lion's mane only black and his ears were long and fish like.
Sanji's eyebrow twitched as he looked at the hologram of the man. "I assume that voice I just heard was yours?"
…
"Wake up," Shachi called as he shook Luffy. Luffy continued to snore and mumbled in his sleep. "Wake up, Straw Hat!"
"Sanji, what's for breakfast?" Luffy asked as he finally woke up.
"Afraid we have a more serious problem to worry about than breakfast," Shachi said as he pointed to the desert behind him.
"Weren't we on an island a few seconds go? And wasn't it night?" Luffy asked as he looked around. They were in the shadow of a large rock, but nothing else but sand could be seen.
"Yeah," Shachi nodded. "We were attacked by some weird orb thing. Next thing I know, here we are. No one else is here."
"The others are missing?!" Luffy gasped as he sat up.
"All I could find was this weird little monkey," Shachi said as he looked at the winged creature beside him. A beam of light poured out from its eyes. The light formed a man. The man worn a grey and purple vertical striped robe. His skin was a pastel blue, his hair was like a lion's mane only black and his ears were long and fish like.
"Who are you? And where are my friends?!" Luffy demanded.
…
"Did anyone else hear that voice just now?" Usopp asked as he pulled himself off the ground. A subzero wind blew through his body. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. "What the heck?! Where are we?! And why is it so freaking cold?!"
"I'm just fine," Bepo said.
"Says the one born with a fur coat!" Usopp screamed.
"I'm sorry," Bepo bowed his head.
"We are most definitely not on Purlieu Island anymore. Where do you suppose the strange thing, that attacked us, took us? And what's the deal with the monkey?" Brook said as he pointed at the winged spider monkey staring at them. "It's actually very creepy. I think that voice that spoke to us came from it."
The three turned their eyes to the monkey. A beam of light poured out from its eyes. The light formed a man. The man worn a grey and purple vertical striped robe. His skin was a pastel blue, his hair was like a lion's mane only black and his ears were long and fish like.
…
"So where do you think we are? And who was speaking to us?" Penguin asked as he looked around the small island they were on. There was a small fish shaped submarine tide to the small dock. Nothing else was there, but them, the sub, the dock and a winged spider monkey.
He picked up a pebble and chunked it at the monkey staring at him. The pebble hit the monkey on the head. It made a clanking sound. Penguin and Robin looked at the thing.
"From that sound, I think it's safe to assumed his monkey isn't real," Robin said as she bend down to inspect the thing closer. Its eyes weren't real. They were mechanical.
The two shifted close to the machine when a beam of light poured out from its eyes. The light formed a man. The man worn a grey and purple vertical striped robe. His skin was a pastel blue, his hair was like a lion's mane only black and his ears were long and fish like.
…
"When I get my hands on that thing that attacked us," Zoro grumbled as he woke up. His head was spinning and throbbing.
"I think that might take a while," Franky said.
"What are you talking about?" Zoro asked.
"I have no idea where we are," Franky replied. He was standing over by a cliff. "But there is some kind of city near by."
Zoro stood up and joined his friend. They ducked down when something flew over their heads. Zoro pulled out his swords. "What the heck?"
"It looked like some kind of flying machine," Franky reported.
"Whatever. Let's just get out of here and find the others," Zoro turned from the cliff, intent on leaving. He stopped when his eyes landed on a spider monkey with wings. His eyebrows twitched in agitation when the monkey kept staring at him. "You wanna fight?"
The monkey only replied with a beam of light pouring out from its eyes. The light formed a man. The man worn a grey and purple vertical striped robe. His skin was a pastel blue, his hair was like a lion's mane only black and his ears were long and fish like.
Franky and Zoro exchanged confused glances then stared back at the monkey.
…
Law opened his eyes. He was expecting to see the stars. All he saw was tree limbs and leaves with very little moonlight poking through the leaves. He gasped in a panic when everything that happened came back to him. "Neo! Neo?!"
He jumped to his feet and looked around. He was in some forest. And the only other human with him was Nami. Nami groaned as she came to her senses and sat up. "What happened? Where are we?"
"I don't know," Law replied as he cupped his hands over his mouth. "Neo! Neo, where are you? Answer me!"
"Ah, good," The voice from before said. "You're all finally awake."
Nami and Law looked around for the disembodied voice talking to them. A spider monkey jumped down from a near by tree. Its eyes lit up, lighting up the area as well. A small holographic projection of a man appeared. The man worn a grey and purple vertical striped robe. His skin was a pastel blue, his hair was like a lion's mane only black and his ears were long and fish like.
Nami kneeled down to be closer to the small hologram. "Are you the one who trapped us in the weird ball thing?"
"Yes, I am," He replied.
"Where's Neo?! What did you do to her?!" Law demanded.
"She is just fine. She-"
"Give her back to me! Now!" Law hissed.
"Temper, temper. I can't do that right now," The man stroked his chin as if Law's outburst didn't effect him.
"Why did you take us? And where are the rest of our friends?" Nami asked with a more cooler head than Law.
"All of you are watching this broadcast simultaneously. You all are currently safe for the moment. I, however, cannot say how long that will last since I don't really know all of the areas you are in." The man said.
…
"Sounds like this guy is talking about Neo," Penguin sighed.
"Then it must be Trafalgar he's talking to. I guess we can only talk to this guy and not our friends," Robin pondered. "But why take Neo? For a hostage?"
…
"I thought you all would be happy that I didn't send her to one of the areas," The man said. "She's much safer where she is."
…
"Areas? What are you talking about?" Sanji asked the image. "And just who the heck are you?"
…
"My name is Pendulum," The man's holographic image began to move like he was pacing in place. "And I won't bore you all with the details of where you are exactly. It would take too much time and most likely you won't understand it anyway. I brought you all here because I need you to get something for me. Long story short, I was in a battle a few years ago and something important to me got broke and scattered to these points that you all are currently at. It's a mirror, of sorts. All you have to do is get the mirror shards back for me."
…
"Achoo!" Usopp sneezed and shivered. "You've got to be k-kidding me. We're about to freeze to death out here and you want us to find you a mirror?! Just go buy another one! ACHOOO!"
"I'm not freezing," Bepo said.
"Oh shut up!" Usopp shouted.
"I'm sorry," Bepo bowed his head again as Shachi remained quiet with his eyes focused on the monkey before them.
…
"This mirror can't just be bought," Pendulum shook his head. "It's a special mirror. And if you want to see your friends again you will find all the pieces for me. There are only seven. It shouldn't be that hard for you all. I've been watching you all for a long time. And I believe you have all the skills necessary to succeed in your mission."
…
"I will not bow to your demands! Return her to me! Now!" Law hissed.
"You will be reunited with your princess as soon as you have your assigned shard," Pendulum smiled when Law flinched at the fact this stranger knew she was a princess.
"You know she's a princess?" Nami gasped.
"Like I just said, I've been watching you all for a long time," The holographic man looked up at Law with a smirk. "I know what she means to you. While I cannot hand her over to you, I can show you that she is indeed safe. She hasn't even woken up yet."
The holograph faded and another one appeared. This one was of Neo. She was laying on a bed, on top of the covers, still wearing her black dress and Law's hat, sleeping. That was all they could see. They couldn't tell if she was alone or if someone was with her. Law kneeled down and reached for her, but his hand passed right through the hologram.
Neo disappeared and Pendulum reappeared. Law growled and clenched his fists. "If you touch her-"
Nami held out her hand to cut Law off. Law glared at her, but remained quiet. She narrowed her eyebrows at Pendulum's image. "All right, we'll do what you want. Just don't hurt her. How do we find these shards?"
"Good. I have already equipped you all with the necessary equipment," Pendulum replied in a cocky voice.
…
"Don't tell me this little monkey is all we need," Zoro said as he frowned.
"How will this thing help us?" Franky asked as he scratched his head.
…
"The monkeys work for me," Pendulum explained. "They have the ability to trace the unique magic signal the shards will be giving off. You'll also know you have the correct shard because no reflection, of any kind, can be seen in them. I can't tell you where or who might have the shards because I don't know. I don't care how you get them as long as you get them. Kill for all I care. Since you're all pirates I know that won't be a problem for you. There is, however, some rules you need to be aware of. First rule, and the most important rule, never mention my name to anyone. Second rule, do not udder one word about your mission to anyone either. Third rule, never tell anyone that the monkeys with you are machines. Fourth rule, do not let the monkeys be destroyed. They're your only way back to your precious princess. If you break any of these rules I cannot guarantee the safety of your princess. And I will know if you break any of these rules. The monkeys will be recording every move and sound you make and sending the feed directly to me."
"What do we do when we have the shard? Will the monkey call you?" Nami asked.
"Once you have obtained your individual shard your monkey will teleport you to your princess and your mission is over. When I get all the shards I will send you all back home. Good luck to you all, oh, and don't die," With that Pendulum's image disappeared.