A.n I own nothing.
Sorry about the late update I recently got a new job that is both stressful and exhausting. It has been really hard to find the energy to write lately.
The Merry finally came out of the mist; the sky was dark and covered in thick grey clouds despite the fact that it was still the middle of the day. The sea had become shallow and all around them were destroyed ships stitching out of the water.
Connor looked around concerned this place felt wrong to him, he couldn't explain it but he just knew that there was something not quite right here…like this place shouldn't exist at all.
Robin and Henzo seemed to focusing on the ships and Henzo was scanning critically taking in every detail like them looking for something
Luffy looked around excitedly and marvelled at all the ships, while Usopp was muttering something about them being haunted.
"Wow look at all the shipwrecks," he said in awe "I can't wait to explore them,"
"Where are we anyway?" Robin asked.
"A place we can never leave, the ships graveyard…Apes Concert," Henzo answered
"Apes Concert…hold on," Robin said and quickly ran to the cabin and got the first volume of the Rainbow Mist series.
When she came back she flipped through the book and found the page she was looking for.
"We found ourselves trapped in a massive ships graveyard, there are ships of every kind filled with treasure the like myself and my friends could only dream of," Robin read out loud "We have decided to call this place Apes Concert,"
Luffy perked up at the mention of treasure and looked over to Robin, Connor and Usopp also turned their attention to the Archaeologist.
"There are hundreds if not thousands of ships here, while the treasure they contain is vast and unimaginable we cannot survive on it," Robin continued.
"However despite the fact that some of these ships look hundreds of years old they are also stocked with food. Food that seemed untouched by time itself, none of us know how this is possible but with it we have decided to make this our home,"
"Who's we? Are there more people here?" Usopp interrupted.
"Apes Concert and everything in it now belongs to us…and we will guard with our lives. This is our playground, our paradise…our Neverland," Robin finished.
The straw hats looked around they could not see this place being a paradise nor any signs of life.
"So this place is filled with tressure than?" Luffy asked excitedly.
"According to the book yes," Robin answered.
"That's nothing but a legend," Hezo insisted.
Luffy jumped down from the figure head and spied one of the larger more stable looking ships.
"That one will do," Luffy said and stretched his arm over to grab it; he then grabbed Usopp.
Usopp looked at Luffys hand and paled he knew what was coming next.
"Let's go Usopp," Luffy said and launched himself and Usopp towards the ship.
Robin stopped the Merry so they would not leave Luffy behind, and continued to read through the book, looking for any more information on Apes Concert. While Robin and Henzo talked about the graveyard and Luffy was off exploring with Usopp; Connor scanned the horizon; his eyes passed over a shadow but then that shadow moved.
"Robin is there any chance that other people are here?" Connor asked.
"It's highly unlikely, why?"
"I just thought I saw something move," Connor claimed.
"Where?" Robin asked.
"There," Connor said pointing at the spot where he'd seen the movement.
Robin saw where Connor was pointing and sprouted an arm against the ship wreak walls, the arm had an eye attached to the palm of the hand and she willed it to look around but saw nothing.
"There's nothing there, you must have been seeing things," Robin said and the arm disappeared.
Connor kept a look out, he was so sure he had seen something or someone move, a short while later Luffy and Usopp came back carrying a large treasure chest; they put it on the deck.
"Hey Look what we found," Luffy announced happily.
Connor, Robin and Henzo looked over as Luffy opened the chest to reveal it filled with gold and various different kinds of gemstones.
"WOW!" Connor said in awe as his eyes reflected the shine of the treasure.
"There are lots more too, we explored three ships and they were full of treasure," Usoop claimed.
"Yeah this place is a pirate's paradise," Luffy agreed.
Robin walked over and took hand full of the gold coins, she eyed them critically. They weren't beliels but something much older and more valuable.
"These are doubloons," she said.
"What are doubloons?" Connor asked. He came over to get a better look at the treasure.
"There an old type of currency, used before Beli . Finding one is really rare," Robin explained.
"How old are we talking about?" Henzo asked.
"The Beli system was introduced 300yrs ago…a single doubloon today is worth 10,000 belie," Robin explained.
"And we have a chest full of them WE'RE RITCH" Luffy cheered.
"Robin, can I look at the doubloons?" Connor asked.
"Of course," Robin said and handed the boy the hand full of old coins.
Connor looked at it with a smile; he had never held treasure before. Alvida never let him near any of the chests that her crew found and Nami tended to hoard it in the cabin. Come to think of it Nami would not let anyone near the tressure unless it was to carry it back to the ship.
Connor noticed a ruby amongst the coins, he picked it up with his spare hand and looked at it; it was very well cut and beautiful.
"How much would this be worth?" Connor asked.
"At least 50,000 Beli ," Robin answered.
"Whoa…that is a lot…right?"
"Yes it is," Robin answered with a smile.
Henzo came over and grabbed a handful of tressure as well; he was looking at it in amazement.
"This may not be the land of eternal youth but the legends of the tressure are certainly true," Robin said.
"I…I…I don't believe it…I thought they were just legends, stories," Henzo said.
"Most stories have some truth to them," Usopp claimed.
Henzo could not argue with that, he put the trouser back in the chest and Connor did the same; suddenly a tin-a-ling sound was heard. The pirates looked around but they were still alone, the chime combined with the mist made it more ominous.
"A…A bell?" Luffy asked.
"Those who disturb the sleeping dead relinquish the chest and leave this place. Or join us in our eternal slumber," a voice echoed throughout the area.
Usopp started shaking and tears started to fall from his eyes out of fear.
"I…I…I'm scared," He cried.
Robin and Connor looked around trying to find the source of the voice; Luffy seemed in different about the situation.
"Who are you? Show yourself," Luffy demanded.
Another bell chime was herd and several shadows appeared on the decks of the surrounding ships, due to the mist they looked like phantoms.
"AAAGGGHHHHHH!" Usopp screamed.
"Now leave…or else," the voice threatened.
Suddenly an Arrow embedded itself just above Zoro's head, the swordsman was still sleeping and completely oblivious as to the danger he was in.
The straw hats whirled around in shock and stared at the Arrow.
"Oi that's to close…you jerks!" Luffy yelled.
He stretched his arm out grabbing onto a nearby mast of an abandoned ship and launched himself at the phantoms. Luffy talked into the phantoms but found that they were unaffected by his attack…in fact they were just sheets held up by a string.
"Huh? There not real?" Luffy asked examining the sheet ghost.
Robin looked in the direction that the Arrow had come from, the ghosts may be fake but the arrow was real and that meant someone was out there.
"GGGGGHHHOOOOSSSTTTTSSSS!" Usopp screamed in fear.
"But that arrow came from over there," Robin said looking at another ship.
Usopp stopped screaming and looked at the ship robin had indicated, suddenly a shadow moved; someone was there. Connor caught the glint of an arrow head.
"Another arrow," he said urgently.
The arrow was released and flew towards Luffy who was still looking at the ghost sheets and had found the thread. An arm suddenly grew out of his shoulder and caught the arrow.
"Got you now," Luffy said and yanked on the string.
Suddenly a kid fell out of the ships crow's nest; he grabbed onto a rope and swung wildly around screaming. Usopp looked up and aimed his slingshot at the poor kid, he released his shot and severed the rope, and the poor kid flew into the ocean near the merry with a splash.
Robin, Usopp, Connor and Henzo ran over to see the kid surface, it was a boy that looked slightly older than Connor, he had short black hair, tanned skin and was wearing a green jacket over a blue polka doted shirt.
"He's just a kid," Usopp observed "What's he doing here?"
"AKABI!" a voice yelled from behind.
The straw hats looked behind them to see to more children drop down onto the Merrys deck.
The first was a very young boy; clearly younger than Connor. He had light sea green hair and he wore a blue sleeveless shirt with a smiley face on it, and under it he wore a white T-shirt; he carried a sword that was too big for him in one hand.
The other was a girl about Connors age; he had shoulder length light purple hair and wore a blue-purple coloured jacket with a green shirt under it, and a white striped skirt.
She was holding back the younger boy trying to stop him from getting to the pirates.
"AKABI!" the blonde boy shouted again.
"Longo stop," the girl begged.
Henzo stared at them in shock and disbelief; Robin Connor and Usopp looked at them in confusion.
"Oh it's just some kids," Usopp said and approached the two children "Where are your…"
Usopp did not get to finish as the blond boy kicked him between the legs and got out of the girls grip. Usopp wined in pain and fell on the deck; the blonde boy ran over to the railing and looked into the ocean with a worried expression. It seems he forgot that there were other people on the ship.
"Akibi…are you all right?" the blond boy yelled.
"Idiot what are you doing…RUN!" the boy in the water responded.
The girl quickly ran up to her friend and drew pulled the sword out of its sheathe and pointed at the pirates, daring them to try anything. Robin and Connor looked at the girl in confusion as neither of them were concerned that she had a weapon in her hand, Connor could tell by the way she held it and her stance that she was not only hesitant to use it but also did not know how to wield a sword properly.
Hezio kept staring at her and the boy in disbelief. Suddenly Luffy flew back on to the Merry and hit the girl on the head causing her to be knocked down on the deck.
"Stop that," he said.
He then turned to Robin.
"Thanks for catching that Arrow," Luffy said.
"No problem, I can't have you dying on me," Robin said.
"So...what's with the kids?" Luffy asked looking at the children who looked back at him in fear.
"Perhaps they live here," Robin suggested.
"Or maybe the mist really does give eternal youth," Connor said.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Another voice yelled.
Everyone on the ship turned to look at another boy standing on the railing of the Merry opposite the pirates, the other kids faces lit up once they saw him.
The boy was tall with short sandy blond hair, he wore a grey vest over a long sleeved shirt with a marron tiger striped pattern on it, and long pants that were rolled up at his knees. He was holding wat looked like a grenade in one hand.
"If you don't want to die than give up that chest and let my friends go," the boy warned.
"Is that a bomb?" Luffy asked.
The girl and the younger boy ran over to the new boy and apologised for getting caught.
"Hey calm down if you use that you'll blow us all up," Usopp tired.
"So we stick together weather it's life or death…Now hand over that chest," the boy repeated.
"Why we found it, so that makes it ours," Luffy said.
"No everything in Apes Concert belongs to us," the boy said.
"Wow this kid is greedier than Nami," Usopp commented "Look there are plenty of ships filled with treasure, there is more than enough for both of us,"
"Forget it if you won't give us back what's ours than you I'll blow us all sky high," the boy argued.
Henzo started walking towards the children and they stepped back in fear of the older man.
"S…S…Stay back, or I'll…" the boy started.
Henzo hit the button on the grenade and a very large and very bright blinding light emitted from it, once it was gone and everyone's eyes had readjusted the grenade was open and a tiny pirate flag was in the centre.
"Thought so, that's Boom #3," Henzo said with a found smile "It's just a flash bomb to scare people, there's no explosives in it,"
The children stared at him in surprise.
"How did you know that?" Usopp asked.
"Because I invented it, Boom #2 is a smoke bomb and Boom #1 is a stink bomb," Henzo claimed.
"You didn't invent it, our friend did," the girl said angrily.
"Isoka…don't you recognise me?" Henzo asked.
"H…How do you know my name?" the girl known as Isoka asked.
"Don't listen to him he's…" the older boy said.
"Lapanui, Isoka, Longo and Akabi, we used to play pirates together," Henzo said.
The children looked at each other in confusion, there was no way this old man was there friend.
"That's impossible, Henzo is 12yrs old not some creepy old man," the younger boy said.
"Longo…I'm not lying," Henzo assured looking at the younger boy.
"Shut up, I don't know how you know our names but you are not Henzo," the older boy claimed.
"You always were quick to jump to conclusions Lapanui," Henzo said.
The kids stared at the old man in disbelief, they did not believe his claims but he knew their names and how the flash bomb worked.
Suddenly a loud and dangerous roar was herd; everyone looked into the sky and saw a large black Dragon heading in the direction of the Merry. It was a scaly horned, lizard-like creature with big leathery bat-like wings, four legs and a long muscular prehensile tail.
Luffys eyes turned to stares as he started at it in awe, Robin, Connor and Henzo were staring at the mythical creature in shock and Usopp fainted out of fear of the beast.
The dragon swooped down over the Merry, the force from the wind that its wings produced shook the Merry as the dragon past, it then flew vertically upward and hovered above the ship. It opened its mouth and a stream of fire was released. Robin grabbed Connor in attempt to protect him from the dragon.
The pirates covered their heads but thankfully the fire hit the water, creating some steam. The dragon dived down releasing it's hot fire breath into the sea surrounding the ship. Visibility became very low as a thick steam quickly surrounded the ship.
Luffy was looking around wildly for the Dragon but could not see it, suddenly the noise and the flapping of wings stopped and the steam began to clear, once the steam had cleared Henzo noticed that the other children were gone.
"That...was…AWSOME!" Luffy yelled with excitement.
"Not the word I would use," Robin said.
"What was that?" Connor asked as Robin let him go.
"A Dragon…I think," Henzo said.
"A Dragon? It looked different than the ones on Warship Island," Connor stated.
Robin looked at Connor in surprise.
"You've…You've seen Dragons before?" She asked.
"Oh yeah, we found the Dragons nest back in the East Blue there were a lot of Dragons there," Connor claimed.
"T…The Dragons Nest is real?" Robin gasped.
As an Archaeologist she had of course herd legends about the Dragons Nest but she never believed it existed, after all Dragons were creatures of myth and legend.
"How was this one different form the ones you saw at the Nest?" Robin asked curiously.
"Well this one was a different colour and it had bat like wings," Connor said.
"What colour was the ones you saw?"
"Green and they had feathers on their wings. Plus they did not breathe fire," Connor claimed.
"Perhaps this is a different species of dragon," Robin suggested.
"Yeah…maybe," Connor agreed.
Another part of Apes Concert
The dragon beat its big black wings as it came into land on one of the ships, the mythical creature gently placed the children down on the deck. The kids looked at the creature in annoyance.
"What the hell? Why did you stop us?!" Lapanui yelled in anger.
The Dragon folded its wings on its sided and slowly began to shrink, the wings, tail and scales all receded as the dragon morphed into a new form. Once the transformation was complete a tall man stood in its place.
He was a tall baled, muscular man with black skin, he wore and a dirty leaf green vest with faded yellow linings on top of an open white long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up just above his elbows. A red sash underneath a thick brown belt, there were also to loser thinner belts that hung down on the right side.
Verticality striped dark brown pants and grey boots, he also had a pale yellow bandanna wrapped around his forehand and tied in a knot on the left side.
"Because you would have gotten yourselves killed," the man scolded.
"No we wouldn't have," Akabi argued.
"Yes you would, they saw through your tricks," the man claimed.
"But we could have taken them," Isoka claimed.
"Isoka just because you know the basics of swordplay does not make you an expert of the blade, even if you were. You would have a hard time beating grownups," the man explained "And Longo you recklessly jumped in putting everyone at risk,"
The kids looked down in shame, they knew he was right.
"I'm sorry Adéwalé ," Longo said "It's just when I saw Akabi crash near their ship…"
The man now known as Adéwalé face softened.
"Looking out for your friends is never a bad thing but you must learn to pick your battles," Adéwalé advised.
"But they took our treasure," Lappuni said.
"Yes they did, encase you didn't notice they were pirates,"
"But this is our territory…" Akabi started "We have to get it back,"
Adéwalé sighed; children were so reckless these days.
"There are other ways to get what you want…especially if you can't win in a face to face fight," Adéwalé claimed.
"But…" Lapanui said.
"Look you lot head back to base, I'll keep an eye on those pirates and if I see an opportunity to get your treasure back I will," Adéwalé suggested.
"Okay," the kids sighed disappointingly together.
"And one of you tell Edward what I'm doing, I do not want to be rescuing him as well," Adéwalé said.
The kids ran off further into Apes Concert heading back towards their base, Adéwalé watched them go. Once they were out of sight he a two medium sized wings and a tail grew out of his back, small horns sprouted from his head. He looked a bit like a devil.
"Right time to go to work," Adéwalé said, he spread his wings and took off into the sky heading back to where he had left the pirates.
A.n the fruit used by Adéwalé was the second place Winner in Last years Devil fruit Competition. The Ryu-Ryu Fruit: Western model (Dragon-Dragon) this is a Mythical Zoan type fruit and was created by KuramaFTW.
Although Momomuske has eaten a Devil Fruit that tuns him into a Dragon, KuramaFTW argument that it was a man made Devil fruit and not a Natural one and due to the Zoan fruits can have multiple models due different species being part of the same Animal family was a solid argument to accept the entry.
On top of this their has been one mythical Fruit seen in the series so far and as the only Mythical Fruit entered in the Competition it was enough to push it through to 2nd place.
Readers may also remember a poll up earlier this year on which Character to give this Fruit too, Adéwalé received the most votes from this poll.