Conflicting Thoughts

Contemplating his situation, Kid tried to move again, vainly wiggling his toes. A deep groan from Killer had the large man rushing to his partner's side, dragging his muscular body with his arms, his decision made. Feh, need to check on everyone first. "Killer, you good?" he whispered.

The masked man stretched, grunting in pain. "Yeah, what in the hell happened?" he asked, blinking slowly behind his mask.

Kid sighed, glad no one else was up yet. "I screwed up, but talked my way out of it. Creepy cunt asked some random-ass questions and then just started laughing. Like a loon Killer, like an absolute loon."

Killer nodded, knowing how charismatic Kid could be when he wanted to be. "What exactly did she do to us?" he asked, popping his neck.

"That pill she gave you was the antidote to the shit we were all gassed with. Names Professor Jam Inator. She said everyone would be fine and gave me three days to decide if I wanted her to join. Told her to fuck off," he gloated, his grin splitting across his face.

Killer's eyes twitched from behind his mask, reading between the lines. The redhead's lips said one thing but his eyes still gleamed in an insatiable way. Of course he's still considering the prospect of her joining. "Kid whoever she is, that woman's dangerous. I don't like the idea of being stuck on a ship with some unhinged bitch that has abilities beyond our understanding."

The feeling in his legs started to come back, allowing the pale man to stand up properly. Studying his body, he realized other than feeling drained, he was fine. Coughing and sputtering alerted him to his subordinates slowly coming to. The loud sigh that left him was a weight off his shoulders. The Captain moved and lifted Killer up to a proper sitting position, causing the blonde to hiss in pain.

The redhead looked off into the distance, sensing the woman's aura in the marine base. Wonder what she's up to? The usually talkative man, shifted from foot to foot, deciding how he wanted to tell his partner what he was thinking. It's not like he hid anything from Killer, it's just this was embarrassing to admit.

"Kid?" the massacre soldier asked, knowing a quiet captain often meant trouble.

Crimson red hair shook, as the pale man sighed. "I'll tell you later, we need to check up on everyone first. Here, put this on your ribs then give it to Heat for his jaw and this pill to Dive for her mouth," said Kid, handing the items over to his second in command.

"What is it?" Killer asks skeptically, struggling to maintain his posture.

"Some healing shit. I don't know she used it on me and all the pain's gone though," he shrugged.

A blonde eyebrow rose in response, not that anyone could see. "And you let her? Kid that could have been anything."

The redhead huffed in annoyance. "It's not like I could stop her. Couldn't actually move, ya bastard. And it works," the paler of the two snarled, not liking having to admit for a second he was vulnerable.

Killer sighed and began applying it to his side, wholly trusting his fearless leader's judgment. The feeling was cool and tingly but not unpleasant. In a matter of minutes he felt better. "Fuck."

The muscular man snorted. "I know. She's a lunatic, a powerful monster woman with a shitty attitude, but her skill set is too valuable to ignore outright."

The blonde huffed, following his captains' orders and helping his namaka. When everyone had woken up, Kid was bombarded with hugs, his subordinates having heard his pleas for their safety. "BOSS!" they sobbed, much to his outward disgruntlement and inner delight. "Off you mangy bastards!"

He filled them in on a brief description of what happened after everyone was confirmed to be alright by his medics. But their boss loved giving details, so they all picked up his avoidance. Something happened...

Still they were a rowdy bunch, and a discussion started on their potential new member. For now, their anger was still fresh.

"Fuck that slimy bitch. We don't need her!" yelled Hop.

"She's an insolent midget," complained Papas.

"She cheated her way to win," stated Wire.

"So she's a scientist; doesn't mean she's Vegapunk or anything special," mocked Disk J.

"A jelly monster named Jam? What a dumbass name," laughed Hip.

"I don't think mad scientists are used to taking orders. I mean why would they?" Whitney asked.

"I'd probably be full of myself too if I was that smart," said Compo.

"That punch of hers is no joke," Heat muttered.

"Boss would have won easily if there had been some metal around," defended Gig, to which everyone agreed.

"We have enough crazy aboard Vicky, we needn't add to the mix!" exclaimed Bubblegum.

"I don't know who she thinks she is, fucking with us like that," Jaguar shouted.

"Wait boss, she said three days? But the log pose takes six days to set and I don't think she got here before us," Boogie wondered.

"There were no ships in the harbor 'sides ours and this island only has one port of entry. How did she even get here?" asked Mosh.

"What in that healing stuff? I examined it, its top-notch," Pomp exclaimed, which Quincy nodded to. "It's smooth like butter and it even smells good," the doctor proclaimed.

"What the fuck kind of experiment was she conducting anyway?" House questioned.

"She had that blue melty chemical, a paralysis gas, and healing stuff. How much junk does she keep on her?" UK pondered.

The mysteries just kept piling up, making Kid tense. This would probably be his only chance at having someone like her join. Free-lance scientists were a rare breed and if he looked at it objectively, the little Professor fit. She was a vicious, trash talking, authority-hating, lunatic. He couldn't ask for a better suited subordinate if he wished on a fucking star. But forgiving her insolence was something he struggled with. His blood boiled just thinking of the slurs that flew so casually from her mouth. His bit his lips, his preferred burgundy lipstick, staining his teeth like the blood he wished to make her bleed. Rotten bitch...

Making their way back to the ship had everyone in a conflicting mood. Sure no one liked being tested but it was comforting that the bastards you sailed with would literally die for you. Killer, Hip, Skillet, Joplin, and Moai headed to the kitchen deciding to start making a late lunch. They worked in tandem, preparing a hearty feast. They knew their captain was afflicted with a cantankerous disposition and food always cheered him up. Everyone packed in the gallery, eagerly sitting down to enjoy a nice meal.

Light chatter pervaded the area, everyone sneaking glances at their temperamental leader. While not as messy of an eater as some Supernovas, his plate was packed absurdly high with a nice helping of every dish prepared. Finishing his food in silence, he focused his Observation Haki, realizing Professor Inator was still somewhere in the vicinity of the marine headquarters. Maybe there is something special up at that base...

He stood abruptly, stomping off. "Workshop," he grunted, before anyone could speak, the door to the gallery swinging open in his wake. His crew, completely used to his uneven temperament, sighed. His face was wonderfully expressive, giving himself away to those that knew him well. Their boss wanted a scientist, plain and simple. And he was mad he did. Especially after she insulted him so heinously and took them out. Still now that they knew what she was capable of, they firmly believed that the Captain could kick her ass. Not one Kid Pirate ever tried to stop their leader from doing as he pleased. His word was law on the Punk and he had a great intuition at selecting potential members.

"1000 Beli we get a new namaka."

"1500 Beli he's already making a space for this scientist."

"2000 Beli he harasses her in the next twenty-four hours."

"2500 Beli he lugs the poor bitch here over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes."

"2600 Beli he drags her."

"3000 Beli..."

Killer shook with silent laughter as the bets kept getting more ridiculous. He decided to give his Captain space for now, knowing it was best to let Kid sort of his thoughts before getting the full story. Like a good soup, the broth tasted best after simmering slowly for a few hours.

Two hours later, just as the sun set, the blonde took a bottle of rum from the pantry and headed below deck. The ship had heard nonstop banging and clanging since their boss disappeared, the noise only punctuated by foul curse words and grumbles. Stopping to knock, a loud "I'm busy!" was shouted in annoyance.

Killer sighed and pushed the door open anyway, reaching behind his head to pop off his mask. He uncorked the rum with his teeth and took a large swig before handing the bottle over to Kid.

It was silent for a few minutes before the redhead began talking. Now Killer could see exactly what him in such a tizzy. This woman had inadvertently stumbled onto one of his partner's many malfunctions. To put it mildly, the brute had a praise kink. He loved attention and because so few acknowledged him, he flustered readily. That's not to say he couldn't detect false flattery and ignore that shit. However, genuine compliments unraveled him, leaving Kid exposed, like the delicate inner workings of a machine.

And this scientist called him smart, hard-working, and worthy of the title Captain when she hadn't found anyone else. No wonder he was acting off. Kid was a mechanical genius but an emotional train wreck. The blonde doubted the woman meant anything by her remarks, but Kid always did read too much into everything. And the touches, however benign, had definitely not helped. Professor Inator is going to be nothing but trouble, the older man thought, resigning himself to her addition.

In a contemplative mood himself, Killer glanced over what lay on Kid's desk. A schematic for a room... He's already designing a lab. Looking around he spotted a new large metal table, two metal cabinets, and a desk. The pieces were well made, with lots of little drawers and fine details. Turning around he found a soldering iron, a few motherboards, and copious amounts of wires lying about. There were so many little parts, a tornado of junk if you were anyone but his best friend.

The older man snickered. Kid narrowed his eyes, pouting. "No just preparing. In case we come to an accord. I thought maybe we go interrogate her some more and see if she's deserving of sailing as a Kid Pirate. Just us though. I won't take her on if you're against it, but this may be the only scientist we come across," the burly redhead said, putting down a wrench.

"And you really want to know what she was doing?" Killer asked with knowing electric blue eyes. Nosier than a damn cat.

The taller of the two snorted and stomped his foot. "Don't you? Those knucklers were Seastone but they felt off. And she turned into a giant jelly monster. You're not the least bit curious?" he questioned, raising a non-existent brow.

Taking a swig, Killer hummed, "Of course I am. She took the dead and compressed them into gems. Who wouldn't be interested?"

"Then tomorrow after breakfast, we'll corner the good professor for a nice chat," the brute grinned.

Killer shook his head. "Maybe you should try and be less of a douchebag."

"Psst, I charmed her into wanting to join my crew," the younger man boasted.

"Whatever little charm you possess only worked because she's got a few screws loose," the blonde joked, being the only one able to banter with the angry man.

Kid huffed, standing tall. "I'm charismatic as hell. Woman beg for my attention."

The long haired man snorted. "Just don't stick your dick in crazy," he warned.

The Captain blushed heavily at the implication. Who says I wanna?! "I ain't that horny! She's some kind of jelly jam thing. Probably ugly as fuck under that lab coat. Why else would a woman cover from head to toe?" he waved off his friend's concerns dismissively.

"Kid you'd fuck a barrel if it had a hole the right size. 'Sides that Jelly was nice and sticky," said Killer, egging his partner on.

"Shut-up ya sick fuck!"

The two old friends dissolved into fits of laughter, chugging the bottle of rum until dinner time. Kid's laugh loud and hearty, Killer's a murmured rumble. He laughs just fine; I wish he would just let go.

The ship wound down after supper. A few pirates left the ship for some nighttime activities, while most just went to bed, tired from their ordeal earlier in the day. Emma winked at her friends, having decided to go bother that cutie from the night before.

"That whore-bag," Dive laughed.

"Emma's just a greedy bitch with an itch," Jaguar snickered, watching their most perverted member barrel down the road to the bar.

Chortles followed their discussion.

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The next morning, Kid was woken up by the delicious smell of blueberry pancakes. Hurriedly getting ready for the day, he slammed his cabin door open and dashed to the gallery, Skillet's pancakes smelling mouth-watering. Stacking a plate as high as it would go and adding butter, he greedily started eating. A mug of coffee was slid in his direction by Heat, also a big pancake fan. A giant ten egg, bacon and cheese omelet with green onions and tomatoes was plopped in front of him by Moai. Nodding his appreciation, that too was soon demolished.

Killer was reading the paper, sipping his coffee though a straw. But Kid hadn't heard a News Coo caw, so where did it come from? Killer slid the paper over, pointing at an article: 'A mysterious marine killing gremlin complete with a badly drawn shapeless blob with angry eyes and large spiky teeth.

"That doodle looks like a potato with teeth and stick arms," Wire concluded, the usually dour man trying not to laugh.

"So... a potato gremlin?" Hip asked, with a smirk.

Dark roaring laughter filled the gallery, the paper being passed around for everyone to see.

When the laughter subsided, Killer explained, "It's an issue from two months prior, but I've seen other reports of marine bases and ships just disappearing over the years. The government just had no idea of the identity of the perpetrator. Two months ago, a civilian on a merchant ship reported he saw a tiny gremlin sinking a marine ship though his scope. Said it had the laugh of Satan and gave him nightmares."

Papas shuddered. "Yeah that cackle wasn't sane."

Kid whistled in appreciation, licking his lips. "Man she was kidding 'bout hatin' the Government. Bring the paper you damn pack rat. Let's go visit this potato gremlin; I've got questions," he chuckled, his laugh not so sane either. No bounty? Just wanted...that's suspicious as fuck.

Killer snickered and got up, following his best friend off the ship.

As soon as the crew was sure the duo was gone, the bets started up again.

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Law hates bread ergo Kid should love bread and all bread like products, such as pancakes. His favorite food is cabbage rolls, and like Luffy I don't believe he's picky (they ate jail food with gusto), but I think he has more adult tastes (more complex flavor mixtures). I think Luffy enjoys simpler dishes, as a child with a simple palate would, whereas Kid enjoys full on hearty meals. Luffy sunny side up egg with mayonnaise per the SBS; Kid omelet with meat, cheese, and some veggies. Now if push comes to shove, they'll both eat anything offered, but if they have their pick, these are my headcannons. He's also Scottish so lots of root vegetables and tons of heavy meat dishes.

I firmly believe he enjoys building things. There are several different mechs he builds in the fight against Big Mom and in the cover story request chapter 1012, he built a very realistic eagle-like bird. While wearing overalls. He's such a cutie. So yeah he loves to tinker. And the bird has an 81 on it so I believe he has at least that many different mechs built before. Tis impressive. Now Oda chooses which of those requests to draw so I take it as cannon, because he wouldn't draw something that goes against how he pictures the characters to be. Especially since he put so much effort into his character designs.

Dissecting that image, he definitely doesn't seem like some overly cruel monster. There are baby birds nesting in his hair! And the bird he's building looks like it's for their protection/benefit. He is still a pirate; you get in his way you die. I do think he's killed civilians, but just because someone's not a pirate doesn't mean they're good. I don't believe he goes after random innocent people for the hell of it, just doesn't give people a pass because of their status. A shithead is shithead. Collateral damage is also a thing.

I will be keeping him crazy and violent towards enemies, that's part of his appeal. He is a bully, able to dish out insults, but not so good taking them. Laughing at him or his people sets him off, so still not a good guy, just not as dark and fucked up as plenty of the fandom seems to pigeon-hole him as. I've read some scary shit on here. The insults he spat at Law and Luffy in Wano were normal banter, not the ravings of a deranged psychopath. The fandom is demented...

As for his crew, all we know for sure is they are extremely loyal and care greatly about their captain's well being. When Kid decided to jump off the waterfall in Wano no one bats an eye, used to his antics, and probably just as crazy. So if he wants to add a new member, they're getting a new member. As for individual characters, I will be giving them all a defined personality.

I'm an action/adventure, humor, sci-fi, romance writer. I like the funny and while I delve into the dark, I don't just linger there. I believe in balance. That's why I like One Piece. It gets really dark but there's always some silly parts a moment away. Now review so I can prove Kid can be just as popular as the other two of the Supernova trio. I know he's not, but the hell if I'll stop trying!

Spoilers!

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Oh my god this chapter 1076! No Dammit Kid you just got away from Wano and all that unfortunate shit. I hope 1077 tells us what's going on. Where's Barto? And Law-baby? And Bonney? I love most of the supernovas.

As for Shanks...the one glaring trait I gave Jam that I share is hating the government, especially the one presented in One Piece. It's pure evil. When Shanks goes to meet with those five elders, that was it. I don't care what he told them about who, clandestine meetings with those bastards makes him a bastard by association. Personality wise, Shanks is a lazy drunk who flirts with young bartenders...he's kinda creepy. And if he's such a bad ass, with a powerful grand fleet, why does he also enlist the help of the giants for one pirate crew? Seems like overkill. Things just don't add up.

He's been an emperor for six years and stopped Kaido from coming to Marineford. Kaido has been screwing over Wano for twenty years and Shanks let it be. Sure their suffering is not his problem-just don't get why he gets praise as being a good guy. He's a pirate, a bad nasty pirate, no different from any other pirate. Now some crazy rookies work together to achieve the impossible and he and Blackbeard want to rob Kid and Law? If his only concern was Elbaf being safe from Kid, why not just tell him to leave? He wants those etchings. Opportunistic bastard. Why couldn't he take the poneglyphs from Kaido or Big Mom himself? He's had the time.

I don't consider Blackbeard part of the worse gen. He's been a pirate as long as Shanks, just because he waited for his chance doesn't change his classification as part of the older group.

I like the interactions between Kid, Law, and Luffy and I hope Oda wouldn't build that up just to destroy it. They are funny together. But Oda does love Shanks...but Oda is a troll...but Oda says he has plans for Kid... the stress is killing me. I didn't want to post yet till chapter 1077, but with the delay, I decided to anyway. Team Worse Gen all the way! Also Mihawk is cooler than Shanks by far.