At last... I, BlueRaptor, have presented the rewrite! Compared to the original, there will be some differences. But there will some that remain the same, namely Hoopa's appearance in the story.
Special thanks to Coral the Leviathan for helping in writing this chapter.
Without further ado, enjoy!
Wealth, Fame, Power...
Gold Roger, the King of Pirates, attained this and everything else the world had to offer and his dying words drove countless souls to the seas.
"You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered in one place! Now, you just have to find it!"
These words lured men to the Grand Line in pursuit of dreams greater than they've ever dared to imagine!
This is the time known as the 'Great Pirate Era'!
The Straw Hats' Monster Tamer
By BlueRaptor629
Prologue: A Boy Named Chiaki
Orion Island is one of the many islands in one of the Four Blues, the East Blue to be more precise. It is but a simple island with lush greenery that makes a comfortable life possible. There was a village on the island, thrived with colorful people and buildings with varying sizes and shapes. The name of this wonderful place is called Aguar Village.
Not too far from the village was a blue colored house with a red roof. Besides the house was what appeared to be a farm next to it. There were at least four fields which produce various vegetables, a small, yellow shed used to store several equipment, a white-colored chicken coop, and a red barn used to house livestock such as cows, sheep, and pigs.
"There. All done." A boy said as he finished pouring the food for the cows. "Enjoy the grub!" He told the cows as they wasted no time eating the grass.
The boy in question was 7 years old. His hair was black with reddish brown highlights and purple eyes. His skin was a beige color. His outfit consisted of a white t–shirt with blue sleeves and a picture of a cartoon crocodile on the center of the shirt, orange shorts, and a pair of straw sandals.
"Looks like you did a good job, Chiaki." The boy named Chiaki turned to see a man walking towards him.
The man in question was the boy's father, Kido Raizen. He is 27 years old. He has short, auburn hair and yellow eyes. He also has a goatee. He wore a white, unbuttoned shirt with long sleeves and had a black coat over his shoulder. He had brown trousers, a reddish brown leather belt, and black boots.
"Well, It was hard at first. But I managed to get the hang of it, Dad." Chiaki said, smiled at his father.
"Look at you: The instant-expert in doing farm chores." Raizen said with an impressed tone. "Anyway, I think your mother finished making lunch. And she sent me to tell you to come back to the house."
"How can you tell, Dad?"
"You know your old man has a sharp sense of smell. That's how I know." The auburn haired man turned around. "Now, come on. Can't keep your mother waiting, can we?"
"Okay!" Chiaki then followed his father back to the house
Chiaki was happily eating a steak with gravy on the top and grilled corn on the side. Sitting at the dinner table with him were his father and mother.
Chiaki's mother, Tomoe, is a woman with an age of 26. She has raven black hair that she tied into a braid using a red ribbon and purple eyes. She wore white blouse with blue lines, light blue jeans, and white and pink slippers.
"So, how was it? Is it good?" Tomoe asked.
"It's really delicious! Thanks, Mom!" Chiaki said, still having the food in his mouth.
"Whoa there. Chew first, swallow, and then talk." Raizen told his son. "You don't want your mother to lecture again."
"Dear…" His wife looked at him with a smile, but he could sense the dark tone from her voice "I appreciate it if you don't demonize my lectures. They are meant to teach him, not to bore him to death. Is that clear?"
"Y-Yeah… Whatever you say, babe." Raizen said nervously, intimidated by his wife.
Tomoe then turned towards her son. ""But still, your father has a point. Don't talk when you're in the middle of chewing. Understand?"
"Y-Yes, Mom…" Chiaki gulped before he resumed eating.
After a few minutes, Chiaki finished his lunch.
"Thanks for the food, Mom! I'm off now!" The boy decided to run towards the door. "See you!"
"Be careful out there!" Tomoe told her son as he left the house. "I'll be honest with you. Chiaki has been really energetic lately."
"Yeah. It must be because of his new friend who just arrived at the village a few days ago." Raizen replied. "And I can't blame him. For a family of rich people, they aren't as snobby as I thought."
"And how do you exactly know that?" Tomoe asked her husband with a raised eyebrow.
"It's a long story…"
(Somewhere)
It did not take long for Chiaki to reach Aguar Village. He wasted no time entering the village and making his way to somewhere he wanted to go.
Today was one of the days that the village got a little busy, so the boy had to avoid bumping into someone as he made his way to his designated spot. After some walking, he saw someone he knew waiting for him.
"There he is!" He said as he approached a boy his age. "Hey, Jim!"
The boy called Jim has short, blonde hair and green eyes. He was as tall as Chiaki. He wore a green zip-up hoodie over a yellow shirt, blue shorts, and purple sneakers.
"Oh! Hey, Chiaki!" Jim greeted him. "What took you so long?"
"Sorry, sorry. I had to have lunch first after finishing the usual chores." Chiaki said. "I was hoping to get here and meet you before lunch, but…"
"Knowing your mother, I can imagine how she will react when you leave." Jim said, to which his best friend did not deny the claim.
"So, what're we gonna do this time? Are we gonna go to your house or…?"
"Yes. We'll go to my house. But instead of our usual routine, I want to do something different."
"Something different? What do you mean?" Chiaki asked.
"If I tell you, then it wouldn't be a surprise, isn't it?" Jim retorted. "Come on, let's go!"
And with that, the two boys took off together.
While most people would be in awe at seeing such a luxurious mansion, Chiaki has gotten used to it as well as how Jim's family are humble and seldom show off their wealth to the others. The mansion was a two story building and was colored white and yellow.
"Welcome back, Young Master." A guard greeted Jim as he and Chiaki proceeded to go past through the gate. Inside the house were many expensive pieces of furniture filling up the room as well as some portraits of Jim and his parents.
"I know I've been here multiple times, but it never really gets old seeing this."
"Well, my father is something of a collector of cool-looking objects." Jim said. "But we're not here to see his stuff. So, let's keep going to my room."
The two proceeded to head upstairs. Sure enough, they reached Jim's bedroom.
Inside the room was something one would expect from a rich boy like Jim: A king-sized bed, a white and yellow closet, a wall mirror with a desk and chair below it, a tall lamp, a brown bookshelf, and of course, a wooden chest that has a lock on it.
"So, what is the surprise?" Chiaki asked.
"One moment.." Jim proceeded to approach his bed before reaching his pillow, where he pulled out a yellow key. Then, he walked towards the chest and opened the lock. Once he opened the chest, he pulled out something from it. "Here."
The object in his hand was a bizarre-looking bottle. The cap was shaped like a head of something with a horn on each side and what appeared to be a topknot-like protrusion. The bottle was pink colored from the cap to the bottom of the neck and white for the rest. The center of the body is hollow, which is unusual for a bottle. And its most defining feature is that it has a total of ten yellow rings: Three on the cap for the horns and topknot, six on the hollowed body, with three on each side, and one that is used for the heel.
"Whoa. That's a cool-looking bottle." Chiaki commented. "Where did you find it?"
"In the forest near the village this morning." Jim said. "Me and my dad were out doing our usual exploration in the forest. Just as we were about to head home, I found it right after I tripped on it."
"Does your Dad know what it is?" The black and auburn haired boy asked.
"All he could tell was that this bottle is really old, like 3,000 years old." Jim said. "He had never seen anything like this bottle before, so we had no idea what it really was."
"But why did you have it instead of your Dad?" Chiaki asked.
"Normally, he would. But he says he had too many things in his collection so he wanted me to have it because I'm the one who found it." Jim replied as he looked at the bizarre bottle. "I'm thinking of bringing it with me when I set out to sea someday as a good luck charm."
"Oh? You're planning to set sail? But what are you looking for? The One Piece?" He asked.
"No, but that would be something. But…" He then trailed off from the conversation.
"Did I say something wrong?" Chiaki asked.
"No, it's just…" Jim said nervously before he gulped. "Promise me you won't mock me over it."
"Jim, I'm not like those other kids who bullied you." Chiaki said. "Didn't I save you from them?
"That is true…" The blonde boy said before he took a deep breath before finally deciding to spill the metaphorical beans. "My dream… is to find the Mystic Archipelago."
"The Mystic Archipelago? What's that?"
"It is a place consisting of four different islands that are said to be in the Grand Line." Jim explained. "According to my father, each of these islands have a different environment and biome, but they're linked in some way. There are the Mystic Tropical Island, the Mystic Valley Island, the Mystic Volcano Island, and the Mystic Polar Island. The reason why they are related to one another is because they are home of creatures that not only exist in myths, but also creatures that did not exist anywhere else." He continued with passion. "I know you were expecting something like a treasure full of gold or something, but to find these legendary islands and discover these fantastical creatures is a treasure in and of itself."
"That sounds like an awesome place." Chiaki admitted.
"However, no one really knows about the whereabouts of it. Most people would dismiss it as only a legend, a bedtime story, and even went as far claiming that it does not exist at all. Something those bullies are so quick to point out." Jim said as he clenched a fist. "But my father and I believe that the Mystic Archipelago does exist and it is waiting to be discovered."
"That is some dream…" The black and auburn haired boy mouthed.
"What about you, Chiaki?" Jim asked him as he placed the bottle on his desk. "Do you have a dream?"
"A dream? Me?" Chiaki retorted before he shook his head. "Not yet."
"In that case, why don't you join me? I believe it's better to search for it together than alone. What do you say?" The blonde boy asked, offering his hand.
"Hmmmm…." Chiaki hummed as he tried to process the offer he just received. After what appeared to be ten minutes of thinking. The very thought of discovering new creatures was something he must not ignore. And so, he was able to come to a decision. "You know what? Sign me up. I'm your best friend, after all. Plus, I love animals, so it works out." He then took the hand and the two boys shook on it.
"Then it's decided." Jim smiled. "When we're both 16 years old, let's cross through the seas to find the Mystic Archipelago."
"Yup! Hehe!" Chiaki said with a grin.
(Later that night…)
After playing with Jim for a while, Chiaki decided to head home. Once he was finished tending to the farm animals, he went back inside to have dinner. As he was in the middle of eating his meal, his father decided to speak up.
"So, Chiaki. How's your day going with Jim?" Raizen asked
"It went well, Dad." Chiaki said as before he put a wrapful of spaghetti into his mouth, which he chewed and swallowed. "The usual."
"That's my boy. Even if you have at least one friend, it'll make your life a little easier." Raizen said as he looked towards his wife. "Just don't end up like your mother, she was all serious and cold back in the day that she had no friends."
"Excuse me!? I do have friends!" Tomoe said, offended by the claims.
"That's not what your Major said–Ouch!" Raizen said before he screamed in pain because his wife stomped his foot.
"Stop it! I don't want to hear it!" The raven black haired woman said.
"Ow… It looks like you took after your old man because he's just as serious as you."
"It could be that you're just too laid back, especially back when you're still a pirate."
"Wait, Dad. You were a pirate?" Chiaki asked him.
"You damn right I was, Chiaki." Raizen said. "You're looking at the former captain of the Apex Pirates." He then gestured to his wife. "And your mother was a Vice Admiral. Though I met her when she was a Captain.
"So, Dad was a pirate and Mom was a Marine…" Chiaki began. "Does that mean you two started out as enemies?"
"Sorta. And she was persistent in chasing after me." Raizen said, feeling nostalgic. "Which became one of the reasons I fell in love with her."
"At first, I thought he was just toying with my feelings, but eventually I realized that he was being genuine." Tomoe said with a blush. "I never imagined falling in love and marrying a pirate, but here we are. Though my father was against it at first."
"Tomoe, your dad is really high-up in the Marines, so of course he had doubts." Raizen told her. "Let's talk about something else…" He then looked his son in the eye. "Chiaki… Are you planning to set out to sea someday?"
"Well… Maybe." Chiaki answered simply, surprised that his father could tell from just looking at him.
"Chiaki, dear. Your father and I know you're a terrible liar." The former Vice Admiral retorted. "So… Out with it."
"Okay, Mom…" Chiaki complied as he decided to tell them about what happened between him and Jim.
"So you made a promise about setting sail to find this 'Mystic Archipelago' somewhere in the Grand Line once you both reached 16." Raizen said before he grinned. "And that's one hell of a promise there, my boy."
"So… you're not laughing at me?" Chiaki asked.
"Chiaki. Only idiots would laugh at something like that." Raizen said. "And you prolly will meet those kinds of idiots when you're out there."
"Also, I considered it foolish for anyone to laugh at someone else's dream." Tomoe remarked. "Words cannot hurt you, Chiaki. Just as long as you believe it is possible."
"Your mother got a point. Just ignore those pansies. If anything, you should fight fire with fire. Or in this case, fight words with words."
"Okay." Chiaki nodded.
"That being said…" Raizen said as he walked towards his son and tapped him on the shoulder. "I think it's time to whip you up to shape."
"Sorry?" His son was confused.
"Your father meant it is time for you to begin training." Tomoe remarked. "As you know, the seas can be a dangerous place for those who are unprepared. And the Grand Line is known to be the 'Pirate Graveyard'."
"Plus there's a good chance that you found yourself attacked by either a crew of pirates or Marines. Depending on what road you pick in life." Raizen said. "To make sure you're able to come out on top, your mother and I decided to train you."
"Training, huh?" Chiaki said that his parents were right. That he might have to learn how to fight when troubles come to his and Jim's way. "Will it be okay?"
"It's safe, we can guarantee that to you." Raizen said. "We'll start tomorrow morning, so I hope your body and soul is ready by then."
"Okay." Chiaki nodded as he finished his dinner before going to sleep.
(The next day)
Today was the day where Chiaki underwent his training by his parents. A training that allows him to at least have a fighting chance to locate the Mystic Archipelago, due to the fact that he will inevitably get himself into a fight. The two decided to go into the forest, specifically to a perfect spot to train.
"Are… we there yet?" Chiaki asked as he was panting.
"Just a little more and we'll be there." Raizen said as he kept walking through the woods. Today, he was carrying a brown sack over his shoulder, holding something inside it.
"Until then, endure it." Tomoe added without turning around.
"Okay…" The boy said as he kept walking with his parents.
As if it was obvious from the start, Chiaki is something of an animal lover, a trait of which inherited from his father and shared with Jim. So, he is always in awe of the many different animals found in the forest. From birds to even predators such as bears, wolves, leopards, etc.
"Wow…" Chiaki said as he looked around him. One minute he saw a couple of birds flying past him, the other was a herd of deers grazing near them. He also saw a blue butterfly flying in the distance as he kept on walking wherever his parents were taking him. "So… Does anyone in the village know that you two were a pirate and a Marine respectively?"
"That is a good question, son." Raizen said. "You might be surprised about this, but… They already know about that."
"They knew!?" Chiaki exclaimed while still walking.
"Unbelievable as it sounds, but that is the truth." Tomoe replied. "Although our first impressions… was not met with a positive response."
"Yup. Everyone was glaring at me and the remnants of my crew, those who wanted to stay close to me and set up shop. The village elder even approached your mother to send me and the crew off somewhere." Raizen explained.
"Wait. You're saying you two didn't come alone?" Chiaki asked.
"Yup, we arrived at Aguar Village with two of my crewmates. I think you've met them already when you ran errands for your mother. They're Dustirk and Rosco."
"Oh! You mean them? The blacksmith and the restaurant owner." Chiaki said.
"That sounds like them, all right." Raizen said.
"So, what happened to make them change their minds?" His son asked.
"A group of rookie pirates arrived shortly after we did and decided to ransack the town for supplies." Tomoe explained. "We obviously won't stand for it and drive them off. Everyone in the village was grateful to us and decided to let us stay."
"Jim's father also knew that I was a former pirate when I took him to the village's bar on the day he and his family came to the village." Raizen said. "We were lucky that the villagers here are reasonable people."
"Why's that?" Chiaki said.
"These days, pirates are nothing more than savages in the eyes of others. Barbarians who are out to cause chaos and destruction wherever they go." Tomoe said. "I used to think your father and his pirate crew were like that too."
"Hey! Don't lump me in with those morons. Me, the crew, and the other guys I know aren't like that." Raizen said before he turned towards his son. "The point is: Don't tell anyone about our secret unless you have someone you can really trust."
"It's okay, Mom, Dad. I won't tell anyone about them." The black and auburn haired boy said.
"Good." The former pirate captain said as he and his family continued their venture through the woods.
Sure enough, the family finally arrived at a forest clearing with plenty of space to move around.
"Yup. I think this is a good training spot." Raizen declared as he put the sack down.
"Well said." Tomoe nodded agreement.
"So, what exactly will you teach me?" Chiaki asked.
"Anything you need if you ever find yourself in trouble. Hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship, and even marksmanship." Raizen said as he opened his sack to pull out something from it: a pair of cutlasses and a box that contained .
"That looks like basic weapons that most pirates used." The boy pointed out.
"True, but appearance can be deceiving." Tomoe said as she picked up the cutlasses and walked to the tallest tree in the area.
"I'd suggest you watch your mother, son. She's gonna blow you away." Her husband told her son.
Tomoe took a deep breath before her eyes snapped open. "Silent Step…" She muttered before she temporarily vanished out of thin air and then appeared behind the tree right after. "New Moon Slash." She finished. At first, the tree looked fine… but then a slashing sound can be heard and the tree was cut down and fell to the side
"Cool…" Chiaki muttered as it happened so fast that he would literally blink over what happened.
"Looks like she still got it." Raizen muttered as she smirked at his wife's prowess.
"This technique I just showed you was something an old Marine Instructor taught me. One of them, Silent Step, does not make you fast, it makes everything you see slow down for a short time." Tomoe explained while looking at her son with a soft smile. "It's a difficult technique to master, but if you follow your training session accordingly, you should be able to do it."
"Awesome…" Chiaki muttered as he realized just how strong his mother was.
"If you think that's awesome, then wait until you see what we have in store." Raizen said. "Now then, ready to get started?"
"Yeah! I'm ready!" Chiaki nodded.
And so, the training began. Let it not be said that the training was easy, but at the same time, all efforts Chiaki put in order to become stronger was not in vain. While he experienced trials and errors many times over the course of the training session, his parents and, occasionally, Jim gave their full support,which allowed the farm boy to push through. Despite having known that a child with the blood of a pirate and a Marine could be a recipe for disaster, both Raizen and Tomoe quoted, "Chiaki is Chiaki." to show their unconditional love to him. When her son reached nine, Tomoe gave birth to twins, Kido Takeru and Kido Shiho, which resulted in Chiaki getting a younger brother and a younger sister.
His strength was not the only thing that grew, so did his bond with Jim. After training, Jim would be there to hang out and play together. They got along so well together that they are practically like brothers. There were times when Jim was harassed by the local bullies and even by opportunistic adults who wanted to hold the poor boy for ransom. Fortunately, Chiaki always came down to save him. Sometimes, Raizen accompanied his son to see Jim and his father. Much like his son, Raizen also has grown quite close to Zavier, Jim's father. There was also a time when Jim helped out Chiaki with his chores and even made a game out of it.
Everything was going Chiaki's way. But little did he know… A tragedy was waiting to blindside him.
(Nine years later…)
Chiaki, who is now 16 years old, was on his way to Jim's mansion after buying a present for Jim to celebrate the latter's 16th birthday. His father, Raizen, was also there to accompany his son.
Chiaki was vastly different compared to when he was 7 years old. Aside from his hair, which remained unchanged, his body gained a few muscles as results from the training and his height grew to 5 '11". He now wears a dark blue blazer over a red shirt, a silver bracelet that was wrapped around his right arm, which was given by Jim during his 16th birthday, dark brown capris, and a pair of brown combat boots.
"Thanks for helping me pick the present, Dad." Chiaki thanked his father as they left the village grounds.
"No problem. Anything for my son." Raizen replied. "Your mother would be here but she wanted to stay at home with Takeru and Shiho."
"That's too bad. But I can see why." Chiaki said as they kept walking in the air. Knowing his younger brother and sister, his mother would not dare to leave them alone in the house.
"I'd asked either Dustirk or Rosco to babysit them tonight, but they happened to be busy." His father said.
"Didn't Mom have a partner when she was a Marine?"
"She used to have one, but the guy's too far from where we are. Even if she ordered him to drop everything whatever he was doing, it'll take a long time for him to get here. Especially on a short notice" The former captain of the Apex Pirates said. "Plus, your grandpa might not be happy to have one of his subordinates go somewhere just for a house-sit."
This got Chiaki curious as he never heard about his grandfather, aside from brief mentions. "So what's grandpa like?"
"A bit like your mother. Serious and may believe in his idea of justice a bit too much, but he's also very kind—" Raizen said before he smelled something strange in the air, which made him stop. "Wait a second." His skin suddenly became partially dark red scales as he sniffed the air multiple times.
"Dad? What's wrong?" Chiaki asked as he also stopped and gaze at his father.
"I know this smell… If it's coming from this direction, that means…" He slowly came to realize what this could mean. "Oh shit."
"Uh, Dad. What's going on?" His son asked, who has now become worried.
"Chiaki. We should hurry to the mansion. Like right now!" Raizen said as he took off.
"Dad, wait up!" Chiaki said as he went after his father. "Dad! Why are we running!?"
"No time! We have to get to the mansion!" He told his son while not turning his head. "If my hunch is right, Jim and his family's life might be in danger!"
"Wait, what!?" Chiaki was flabbergasted to hear something.
"I just hope that I'm wrong about this so come on!"
The two wasted no time as they sprinted to Jim's mansion. When they arrived at the gate, Raizen's fear was true.
"No…" Chiaki mouthed at what he and his father just saw.
The guards, who were usually standing guard in front of the gate, were lying on the ground in a small puddle of blood. They could see slash marks on his body.
Raizen approached the wounded guard on the left and slightly lifted him up. "Hey! What the hell happened here?"
The guard coughed a few times before he opened his eyes and saw Raizen. "P-Pirates." He said, having heard the question
"What!?" He exclaimed.
"A crew of pirates… stormed the mansion all of a sudden… and attacked anyone… who tried to stop them…" The guard said. "Please… Save Master Zavier and his family…! They're in great danger!"
"We'll save them. Don't worry…" Raizen replied.
"Thank… you…" The guard said before he went limp.
"Is he dead?" Chiaki said before his father put two fingers on the guard's neck.
"No, he's still alive. But barely." Raizen said as he gently put the guard down. "Looks like we're in for a fight, son."
"That's true, except I don't bring my swords or my guns." His son pointed it out.
"We'll think of something—"
"Someone… help!" A voice could be heard as the two turned towards the sound.
"Is that…!"
Running towards them was none other than Jim. His outfit was different than when he was 7. It now consisted of a cyan, long sleeved shirt over a white shirt, a wristwatch on his left hand, blue jeans, and white shoes. Holding in his hands was the same bizarre looking bottle that he had shown to Chiaki several years ago.
"Jim!" Chiaki said as he hugged his best friend. "Thank goodness, you're okay!"
"Chiaki! I'm so happy to see you!" Jim replied as he returned the hug without dropping the bottle. He then noticed Raizen. "You're also here too, Mr. Raizen."
"Kid. What's going on? And where are your parents?"
"We were preparing dinner when an unknown gang of pirates suddenly barged into the mansion and started pilfering our belongings and attacking the servants." Jim said. "We were able to get around them, but somehow they managed to find us. When Mother tried to negotiate with them, she was shot to death by the leader of the gang. My father tried to hold them off as I escaped."
"That Zavier… He wasn't the fighter type, so what the hell was he thinking!?" Raizen muttered before he pondered. 'Plus, this attack is so well-planned… something an amateur pirate couldn't come up with…'
"A-Anyway! We should get out of here now! Before—"
"Now, now. What's the rush, Jimmy boy? The fun hasn't started yet." A new voice could be heard as the three turned the source.
Coming out from the mansion was a group of scary-looking men and they were led by someone that stood out from them.
The man in question has spiky dark brown hair and red eyes. He wore a dull green trench coat over a black shirt, red sash, gray trousers, and a black boots.
"So, I was right. It is you…" Raizen said as he glared at the pirate leader. "Only you are capable of pulling a stunt like this, Gravin."
"Dad. Who is he? Do you know him?" Chiaki asked.
"Sorta, Gravin used to be a part of my crew, just like Dustirk and Rosco." Raizen explained, shocking Chiaki and Jim. "But I kicked him out of the crew when he robbed and killed an elderly couple when they literally did nothing to him."
"You know, 'Captain'. You've always been soft. I thought the strong should devour the weak. And those old fossils were weak." Gravin said with a malicious smile.
"No, that's what cowards do." Raizen retorted.
"No, you're the coward by marrying that bitch and becoming friends with that rich wimp that I just put down."
"What did you say!?" Jim asked.
"I killed that weakling you called 'Father'. That's what I said." Gravin said as he and his underlings let out a laugh.
"No…"
"You bastard…" Raizen growled as he clenched his fists.
"Anyway. We got everything we needed from this place…" Gravin said before pointing his finger at the bottle that Jim was holding. "Except one."
"No. You're not getting this. Not a chance." Chiaki said as he stood in front of Jim.
"Ah, yes. You're the captain's son, aren't you?" Gravin asked rhetorically. "And I see that you also have the personality of that Marine bitch. What a half-breed freak."
"Say that again, I dare you!" Chiaki said as he was getting riled up by the words.
"Chiaki, calm down. The punk's trying to bait you into attacking him." Raizen said as he too did his best to restrain himself from punching his treacherous crewmate's teeth out for insulting his wife.
"So, Jimmy boy. You can either give that to me quietly or we can take it from your cold, dead body?" Gravin said as his underlings were brandishing their swords.
"You think killing my parents will make me give these to you willingly?" Jim said. "I'd sooner die than give this to ruffians like you."
"Have it your way then." Gravin motioned his underlings to attack them.
"Chiaki. Take Jim and get out of here!" Raizen told his son.
"What about you, Dad?" The black and auburn haired teen asked.
"I'm gonna do what I should've done ages ago." Raizen as he underwent a transformation of sorts.
His skin became covered in red scales with darker red little bumps on his back all the way to the tail he just grew. His arms became slightly shorter and his hand has two, finger-like claws. The boots that he was wearing vanished, revealing his reptilian feet. His mouth also became huge and full of sharp teeth. Aside from his hair, his clothes also expanded.
"What the hell is that!?"
"Is he a Devil Fruit user?"
Gravin's underlings stopped what they were doing and were shocked at the sight they just witnessed.
"Don't be afraid, men! He's still just one man." Gravin shouted at them. "Attack!"
And with that, Gravin's underlings charged towards him.
"Come and get some, punks!" Raizen boasted as he did a tail swipe that knocked down most of the pirates.
"He's too strong…!"
"We'll just shoot that has-been down!"
Some of the thugs barely recovered from the attack as they pulled out their guns to shoot Raizen. Unfortunately, the bullet simply bounced off of his body as Raizen raised one foot before he stomped the ground hard, causing a shockwave that knocked his opponents down.
"Well? Get going, now!" Raizen said as he shrunk down to a different form.
Said form is humanoid compared to the other form. His body is a mix of human skin and red reptilian scales. His mouth was human but his nose was still that of a reptile.
"Your old man got this." Raizen finished.
"Okay, be careful, Dad." Chiaki said as he turned his gaze towards Jim. "Let's go, Jim."
"Right!" The blonde haired young man said as the two left.
"Don't let them escape—Gaack!" One of the pirates shouted before Raizen swiftly grabbed him by the throat.
"Sorry, but your opponent is me!" He said before throwing said pirate towards the several of his comrades, knocking them all out. "I hope you newbie pirates are ready, 'cause you're about to feel the power of the Dragon Dragon Fruit, Model: Tyrannosaurus Rex!"
(With Chiaki)
Chiaki and Jim ran as fast as possible into the forest as they tried to escape from Gravin and his underlings, intending to make their way to the farm.
"Are you sure your father can handle them?" Jim asked his best friend.
"You bet he can. After all, he was the captain of the Apex Pirates." Chiaki told him.
"So I heard." Jim remarked.
Just as they ran into a clearing, they realized someone was expecting them.
"Going somewhere, you brats?" One of the pirates said as he and his comrades let out a malicious chuckle.
"Crap. They were waiting for us." Chiaki said as he and Jim stuck with each other.
"You bet we were. Captain Gravin had an idea that you two were coming this way." The other pirate said.
"While he and the others kept 'Daddy' busy, we decided to wait here." The third one added.
"There are two ways you can get out of this place: Leave that strange bottle and everything you have here so we can leave you two alone or we can take them by force."
"How about neither." Chiaki said as he punched the nearest pirate before kicking the other pirate in the groin and then threw him aside.
"Get them!" The first pirate told his comrades as they charged towards the two teens.
"Stay close to me, Jim." The black and auburn haired teen said before he puts his fists up.
"Okay." Jim nodded as he watched his best friend intercepted an attack from one of the pirates before kicking him away.
Despite not having his cutlasses and his guns, Chiaki was, by no means, defenseless. His father also taught hand-to-hand combat, in case his weapons were unavailable. The pirates found out the hard way just how strong their opponent is. After doing a roundhouse kick to a pirate, Chiaki proceeded to do a backflip kick and then bashing two heads of the pirates together, knocking them out.
"Why you!" A pirate cursed as he tried to slash Chiaki from behind.
"Chiaki, behind you!" Jim warned him.
"Thanks for the heads up!" Chiaki then kicked the sword that the pirate was holding into the air before he caught it. Then, he used that sword to cut him down. "This should be enough." He said, looking at the sword he stole to cut down a pirate. Then, he saw five pirates jump at him, cornering him.
"DIE!" The five pirates said with their swords raised above their heads.
"Silent Step…" Chiaki said before everything around has slowed down. "Hrah!" He wasted no time spinning 360 degrees to slash the incoming pirates at the same time. "New Moon Slash: Circle Form!" Once he was done, the pirates cried in pain as they felt the slash before falling down. He then picked another sword that fell from the pirates' hands. "Don't mind if I do."
"Damn it! This isn't what Captain Gravin promised!" One of the remaining pirates said as he and the others began to see the chance of them losing.
"That kid's really strong!"
"I guess being strong runs in that family, huh?"
"Who cares about that!? We're gonna lose at this rate!"
Chiaki parried away a slash from a pirate before cutting him down. He then blocked two pirates with swords on each hand before overpowering them. It was safe to say that this battle was going in Chiaki's favor.
"Out of my way." A new challenger appeared before he reached out and grabbed Chiaki by the neck with only one hand.
"Gaagh!" Chiaki gagged as he dropped the swords and he was lifted into the air.
"Chiaki!" Jim shouted.
The culprit was a hulking man with buzz cut hair and black eyes. He wore white, sleeveless shirt, black pants, and brown boots.
"Not so strong are you, farm boy?" The new challenger said as he punched Chiaki, sending him flying to a tree.
"Gaah!" Chiaki grunted as he got himself slammed against a tree and fell down.
"Chiaki! Are you all right?" Jim said as he rushed towards Chiaki's side.
The aforementioned teen coughed up blood. "I'm okay…" He said before he wiped the blood out of his mouth before he stood up.
"Way to go, Drakus!"
"Yeah! Beat that brat down!"
The pirates cheered on the man named Drakus.
"Last chance, you brats: Give up that bottle and everything you have to us or die." Drakus threatened the two teens as he approached them.
"It looks like their trump card just showed up." Chiaki muttered.
"What are we going to do? That thug is obviously stronger than the others and even you." Jim told him.
"Do you need to ask? We fight." His best friend said.
"Don't be ridiculous! Have you forgotten how much force he used in punching you!? You'd be dead before we can ever set out to chase our dreams." He said.
"True, but I'd rather go down fighting." Chiaki said as he charged towards Drakus.
(With Raizen)
"You did what!?" Raizen asked as he lifted Gravin by the neck. He had beaten all of his goons and had beaten his former crewmate within the inch of his life.
"Heh. You heard me, 'Captain.'" Gravin muttered. "Not only did I set up some of my men there to intercept them, I even enlisted the help of Drakus. You know, the guy you and your wife drove off when you arrived in this village. He has a grudge against you."
"There's really no end to that greed of yours, is there?" The hybrid user asked rhetorically.
"By now, Drakus should be done with that half breed son of yours and that rich boy." Gravin said. "And the Apex Pirates will make a comeback under my leadership." He continued to gloat before he let out an evil laugh.
"That's enough out of you, you rat bastard!" Raizen said as he slammed his head into the ground. It was not enough to kill him, but it was certainly enough to knock him out.
"I know I should go after Chiaki, but I can't exactly leave this idiot alone and make more mess of things than he already has." Raizen said as he looked at the direction that leads to the forest. 'Please be all right, Chiaki. Your mother will kill me if something bad happens to you.'
(Back to Chiaki)
"Look at him: That kid seriously thinks he can take on Drakus." One of the pirates mocked him.
"If I were him, I'd turn tail and run."
"I don't care if he's the son of the infamous 'Terror King' Kido Raizen, he's still a weakling."
With the situation becoming dire, Jim tried to think of a way to get them out of this mess as he watched his best friend getting up only for the large man to knock him down over and over again. 'At this rate, Chiaki and I will really be killed!' He pondered. It took a while before he laid his eyes on the bottle that was holding. 'I still have no clue about this bottle and why Father warned me not to open it, but…' He then grabbed the cap and proceeded to try pulling it open. 'I'm willing to try and find out!'
"Hey. That kid over there is alone now." One of the pirates whispered to the other pirate next to him.
"Good idea. We should nab him and get him to drop that bottle." His friend said as they silently moved towards Jim's back.
This did not go unnoticed as Chiaki saw the two pirates trying to sneak up on Jim.
"Jim, look out—Gaah!" Chiaki warned him before being blindsided by Drakus.
"Don't turn your back on me, moron." Drakus replied.
"Wha—Gaah!" Jim noticed too late as he was caught by the two pirates.
"Got you know, pretty boy!" One of the pirates boasted.
"Let go of me!" Jim said as he tried to wiggle his way out.
"Shut your trap! Just give us that bottle already! It's not worth dying over!" The second one demanded.
"Never!" Jim said as he managed to lunge on bit one of the pirates' hands.
"Gah!" The bitten pirate cried before he managed to set himself free. "That bastard actually bit me!"
Then, he proceeded to use the bottle to bash the heads of the pirates, hurting them a lot and also knocking them out. It was a miracle that the bottle did not break when used for bludgeoning.
"That punk… I'll have to take care of him first—Gaah!" Drakus said before he was kicked in the head by Chiaki before sending him flying to the back.
"How do you like that, you son of a bitch?" The black and auburn haired teen said. "Jim! Throw me the bottle! If you're gonna use it for something, let me do it!"
"Understood!" Jim nodded before he threw the bottle at his best friend.
Fortunately, Chiaki managed to catch it. "I got it!" He tried to pull it off, but to no avail. "This thing is so tight."
After getting up, Drakus caught on to what Chiaki was trying to do.
"Stop! What are you doing!? Stop pulling that!" Drakus told him.
"And why not? It's not like a demon is sealed up in this thing." Chiaki retorted, still trying to pry the cap off. But then, he accidentally twists the cap off, opening the bottle. "Whoa, it's open!"
Coming out from the bottle was a pink mist that shot forward from the bottle.
"What's that!?"
"Something just came out from that bottle!"
Slowly coming out from the mist was a light-purple creature with a vaguely humanoid appearance. It has green eyes with yellow sclera, a yellow ring marking on its forehead, a small, pink dot under each eye, and dark pink hair tied into a short ponytail. On either side of its head is a dark gray horn that curves slightly upward. Its body has a dark pink, V-shaped marking on the chest and a small, golden spike on each shoulder. Its arms are not attached to its body and instead float next to it; each arm has a small golden spike similar to those on its shoulders. It has mitten-like hands and dark pink rings around each wrist. In place of actual legs, it has a wispy tail. It has three gold rings: one large one around its lower body and one hanging freely on each of its horns.
"*Yawn*… Man, I slept like a Snorlax." To the surprise of everyone, the creature spoke as it stretched its arms despite being limbless. "It feels so good to come out of that bottle. Started a feeling a little cooped up for… Shoot, I don't know how long I've been sleeping there. Is it 500 years? Or is it 2,000 years?"
"Is that thing a ghost?" One of the pirates asked his friend.
"How should I know!? This is my first time seeing that thing too."
"Forget that! That thing just came out from that weird bottle! What even is that!? A demon!?"
"Are we gonna forget that thing just TALKED?"
"Oh my…" Jim muttered as he looked at the creature that just appeared. It was something that came out from a fairy tale.
Chiaki was at a loss for words. Due to being used to ordinary animals like cows, pigs, wolves, as well as the dinosaur form that his father has, the floating creature was something out of the ordinary.
"Eh?" The creature then realized it was not alone. "Humans, huh? Haven't seen one of those for a while." It said before it analyzed them. "And judging from your attire… You must be pirates. And not good ones, too."
"And here I thought I was scared of something." Drakus scoffed. "It's just a runt."
"Oh?" The creature twitched as it looked at the hulking pirate before it let out a grin. "Is this coming from a thug who prioritized his muscles over his brain, which is by the way, the size of a seed?"
And just like that, Drakus was very offended by the statement as he was fuming with rage. "That's it. You're dead!" He then charged towards the creature with the intent to kill.
"Look out!" Chiaki warned as he watched Drakus rearing his fist and pushing it forward… only it went through his body. "Huh?"
"What." Drakus was confused before he punched again and again, only for his attacks to faze through it.
"No way… Drakus's punches have no effect at all!"
"It's like he's punching the air!"
It simply yawned as it waited for its opponent to tire itself.
'I can't hit this runt! What even is this!' Drakus panicked in his mind.
"Is that it? I guess you're all bark and bite." It remarked, making the men angrier. It then turned towards Chiaki. "Hey, you. You wanna take him on?"
"Me?" Chiaki questioned. "Hold on a sec. What are you!?"
"Who am I? I'm Hoopa." The creature called Hoopa introduced himself. "Known far and wide as the 'Impossible Thief' and let me tell you as clearly as I can… You won't find anyone like me."
"Hoopa, huh?" Chiaki repeated.
'Hoopa…" Jim added.
"'The Impossible Thief', huh?" Drakus said as he had an idea. "Say, Hoopa. Why not–"
"Hold it! I know what you're trying to say. You want me to be a part of your merry band of cutthroats so you can use me, not as a partner, but as a tool, is that it?" Hoopa guessed, shocking Drakus and his crewmates. "Are you serious? Every human I literally met has the same motives as you do. There's nothing new about you."
'So he saw through their intentions? Fascinating…' Jim muttered in his head.
The statement made Drakus furious once more.
"If you're not willing to come with us willingly, then perhaps we should bring you with us in a cage!" Drakus said.
"Not if I have to say about it!" Chiaki proclaimed as he stood in front of Hoopa.
"Oh, right. I forgot about you. This time, I'll be sure to end you!" The large man said.
"This is a surprise… Why are you trying to protect me?" Hoopa said before becoming suspicious. "There isn't any catch to this, is there?"
"Nope. There isn't." The black and auburn haired young man replied, shocking Hoopa. "You may not know this, but my best friend, Jim, has been keeping that bottle safe for nine years. And since you came out from said bottle, that means you're as precious to him as the bottle."
Now it was Hoopa's turn to be at a loss for words. Throughout his lifetime, there was not a single human who treated him the way these two young humans did. Every human who came up to him was simply treated as their errand boy. Even if he did get a reward for granting their wishes, it was more like they treated him as their pet, which led to lashing out and stealing everything he saw, and which also got him sealed. Hearing that… made him happy.
"You may have the ability to acquire anything and everything, but there will always be one thing that not even your powers cannot hope to obtain: And that is True Friendship."
When he heard those words the first time, he scoffed at it and dismissed it as nonsensical. But now… he had an idea on what that meant.
'So that's what the human that sealed me was trying to tell me, huh? Hoopa pondered as he looked at Chiaki once more. 'This human and his friend… I think I can understand it if I go with them.'
"Bring it, you bastards! I'll knock every last one of you down." Chiaki challenged the pirates.
"You'll try and fail." Drakus retorted.
"Hold it." Hoopa said as he went near Chiaki's face.
"What are you doing? Just let me beat these pirates."
"I heard you the first time. Don't worry I'm not stopping you." Hoopa said before one of the rings levitated from his horns and floated in front of Chiaki vertically before expanding. "I'm lending you a hand. Or rather, I'm calling out backup."
"What do you mean?" Chiaki asked, unsure what the creature was trying to do.
"Hey, look! One of its rings just floats into the air!"
"How does it do that?"
"Just watch. Alléhooparing!" As he said that, the ring glowed and the space within the inner ring formed a blue window-like energy. It was then something came out from the ring.
"Now there's something coming out from that ring!"
"What the…." Both Chiaki and Jim said in unison as they looked at the object of interest.
Coming out from the ring was a creature everyone had never seen. It was a blue, crocodilian-like creature with well developed jaws. It has red eyes with ridges above them, black markings around its eyes, and several sharp teeth. On its chest is a yellow, V-shaped marking that extends to its arms; there is a thin line through the center of the marking. It has five fingers and three toes. Down its back is a row of three red spines with a small, red ridge on either side. The tip of its tail has a single red spine as well.
"(Gah! Ow!)" The small, crocodile-like creature said as it fell on the ground. "(That hurts.)" Once it got up, it realized about the place it was in. "(Huh? Where am I?)"
"What is that?" Chiaki asked.
"It appears to be a crocodilian-like creature but it's bipedal and has unusual colors." Jim pointed out. "Also… I seemed to hear it kept saying the word 'Totodile' or other variations of the word."
While confused at first, the pirates immediately burst into laughter.
"I thought it was something big and strong, but it's just a little thing!"
"I know. It's hardly threatening at all!"
Drakus could only smirk at this. "If this is your idea of backup, then I think you chose poorly."
The creature was oblivious to the fact that it was being insulted. "(Is there anything funny here? I don't get it but I'm just gonna laugh anyway.)" It said before it laughed alongside the pirates.
The pirates took offense to this as they stopped laughing.
"Huh? Is that little bastard laughing at us!?"
"I bet it considered us nothing but jokes!"
"Let's teach it a lesson!"
The pirates then proceeded to gang up on the small creature.
"Hey, watch out!" Chiaki warned the blue creature.
"(Huh?)" It stopped laughing before seeing the pirates charging towards him. "(Oh! Now you wanna play with me? Okay! Water Gun!)" It then released a spiral of water from its mouth at a pair of pirates, sending them flying backwards.
This surprised everyone except for Hoopa.
"Did that baby crocodile just squirted water!?" One of the pirates exclaimed.
"Incredible…" Jim mouthed.
"I guess its appearance wasn't the only thing that is weird…" Chiaki remarked.
"(Yipee! I win! I win!)" The blue creature said cheerfully as it did a little dance, which irked its opposition.
"Are we seriously going to let ourselves be beaten by this little thing!? Attack!" Another pirate rallied as it tried to attack the blue creature.
"(You all want to play more? Okay!)" The blue creature said as it danced around the pirates.
"Wha–!? I can't hit it!" One pirate said as he and his comrades were unable to hit the creature and ended up tripping over it, due to being unable to keep up with the creature's movement.
"Whoa. It literally dances around them." Chiaki said as he and his best friends kept watching the blue crocodile-like creature dominating the fight.
"Yes. I believe it is either toying with them or genuinely seeing this as a game to it." Jim added. "The real question is: What even is it? It has crocodilian features but it has an unusual appearance as well as the ability to launch water."
"Well, you got me. I don't know either. I know my critters but they don't have abilities like that."
"Here." They turned to see Hoopa, who was handing them a large book. "I found this on the ground. It might have appeared along with that Totodile."
"Totodile? Is that the name of that creature?" Chiaki said as Jim took the book into his hands.
"This is a very thick book. Is this an encyclopedia?" Jim mouthed before he flipped it open.
"Hey, let me see!" Chiaki went close to Jim as he also wanted to read it.
As the two teens checked out the book, Hoopa turned around and saw the pirates trying to get Totodile only to fail again and again. "But still, this is weird. I was hoping to summon bigger and stronger Pokemon. Not a small one like a Totodile." He grumbled. "Is it because I've been asleep in that bottle for so long that my powers were out of practice?"
"Hey, Hoopa." The Mischief Pokemon said as he turned towards them.
"What's wrong?" He replied to them.
"While we were amazed to discover there were many different and extraordinary creatures…" Jim began. "We cannot read what was written in this book."
"Wait, what!?" Hoopa exclaimed.
"It's not because we're illiterate, it's just…" Chiaki added. "It was written in a language that we've never seen before."
"Are you two idiots or something?" Hoopa then snatched the book from Jim as he looked at a page. "I can read it just fine. Didn't anyone teach you two how to write and read?"
"Hey! You make it sound like we've been living in the mountains with no access to books!" The black and auburn haired teen said. "Like I said, we don't understand this language!"
Hoopa could tell as much that these two humans weren't lying to him. It was then that he recalled something. 'Hold on. Every human here acted like it was the first time seeing a Pokemon. They should know what a Pokemon is if they live in this world–' It was then it finally clicked in him. 'This world? That's it!'
The pirate grunts were panting as they were fatigued from trying to get Totodile.
"Damn it. What even is this thing?"
"That thing is slippery as an eel! We can't hit him!"
"(Oh. You're tired already? Boo, I was expecting more.)" Totodile remarked.
"Out of my way, you louts!" Drakus then pushed one of his underlings aside, having seen enough of his men being made fool of by a small creature. "If you want something done right, you'll have to do it yourself!"
"(Oh? You want to play with me, big guy?)" Totodile asked. "(Okay! But this time, I'm coming to you!)" It then proceeded to run towards Drakus.
"Don't get cocky, you runt!" The hulking pirate said as he tried to intercept the assault, but his opponent managed to evade the punch. "What!?"
"(It's my turn now! Bite!)" Totodile shouted before it ran towards its opponent and bit down on said opponent's arm.
"Gaah! What is this!?" Drakus cried as he felt the impressive biting force. "Get off!"
"(Okay!)" It said as it evaded the punch that was aiming for it just in time. "(Thanks for the good time! I think I'll end this with Take Down!)" Totodile proceeded to tackle Drakus with great force.
"Gaagh!" The large man gagged before he was sent flying into the tree behind him, causing him to fall down and seemingly fall to unconciousness.
"That's some attack." Chiaki muttered with Jim, who agreed with him.
'Whoa… I did not think that Totodile could use Take Down.' Hoopa muttered in his head before he grinned. 'I guess that's what I was aiming for after all…'
"(I did it! I win! Yippee!)" Totodile said as he did his 'happy dance' once more.
"Hey!" The Big Jaw Pokemon then turned towards Chiaki, Jim, and Hoopa, who were approaching him. "That was some fight. I have my doubts, but I didn't think you're this strong!"
"(Thanks, some-guy-I-don't-know! I'm very strong!)" Totodile replied happily.
"So, I was right. This 'Totodile' really does consider the fight as a game." Jim stated, comparing Totodile's behavior to that of a cheerful child. It was then that he came to epiphany. 'Could there be creatures such as Totodile in the Mystic Archipelago? It's within the realm of possibility for sure, but…'
The pirates under Drakus immediately shuddered as they noticed that their strongest member was defeated.
"I don't believe this. Drakus was beaten by that small fry!?" One of the pirates who was still conscious said.
"That's impossible! There's no way this is happening! I bet that thing somehow cheated!'
"What are we gonna do now? That means everything that Captain Gravin has planned will be all for nothing!"
As the underlings were panicking, Drakus turned out to be able to keep himself from being knocked out. "Damn it! This is the second time that I lost!" He grumbled as he pulled out a gun from his pants. "But things won't end like last time!" He proceeded to aim it at Chiaki, who was too busy talking with Hoopa and Totodile. "That has-been pirate and that has-been Marine bitch ruined everything for me. So, let's make things even between us shall we?"
While in the middle of a thought, Jim noticed Drakus and his eyes were widened. "That brute! He's aiming that gun for–"
"DIE!" Drakus shouted as he pulled the trigger, sending the bullet towards Chiaki.
"Move!" Jim made a run for Chiaki as he pushed out of the way, taking the bullet in his place. He gritted his teeth as the bullet shot through his chest.
"Jim…?" Chiaki said as he watched his best friend being pierced by a bullet. "JIIIIM!" He shouted as he saw his friend fall to the ground on his back.
"What the…?" Hoopa muttered as he was speechless by the sight he was witnessing. This was a first for him too.
"(No! The yellow haired dude!)" Totodile said as he immediately turned to Drakus and immediately deduced that he was the culprit. "(Hey! You can't do that! That's against the rules!)"
"Whoa! Drakus! You weren't knocked out?" One of the pirates asked Drakus, who began to get up.
"As if I let that take me down–Gaack!" Drakus did not get to finish his sentence as he was hit by a ball of black and purple energy, causing him to tumble backwards and land on his back. "What just… happened…?" He said before he finally passed out.
"Drakus!" His underlings cried before they saw Hoopa, who was the one that fired the attack.
"I've never seen such dirty tactics. Know when you lost, coward!" Hoopa retorted with a low tone, which also intimidated the pirates into not doing anything that earned his ire. "That goes for all of you!"
"Aye, sir!"
Chiaki wasted no time picking his best friend up. "Hey! Please be all right! Tell me you're gonna be alright!"
Jim groaned as he mustered the strength to open his eyes. "I'm glad… you're alright, Chiaki…"
"Stay with me, man! We can get through this!"
"No… I think… I think this is as far as I can go…" Jim said before he coughed once more.
"No… You can't die yet. YOU CAN'T!" Chiaki begged him as his eyes became clouded. "We were about to set out to sea together once we turned 16, remember? And this year, we're both 16 years old now. Are you seriously gonna leave me behind!? I can't find the Mystic Archipelago on my own!"
At first, Chiaki only joined Jim just so he could protect him. But as the years went by, He saw the appeal of it and became just as much of a believer as his best friend is. Even if he was met by the same ridicule from others.
"Chiaki… You won't be alone." Jim said as he held onto his best friend's arm, particularly holding on the bracelet that the former had given to the latter. "One day, you will encounter friends… Friends that you will come to cherish for your whole life… those who will support you and stand by you even against all odds… Just as I have with you…"
"Friends…" Chiaki repeated.
"Hoopa…" Jim called out to Hoopa. "I know we finally just met face-to-face, but… I beg of you…Take care of Chiaki… in my stead…"
"Since you went to the trouble of keeping me safe from the wrong hands, it'll leave a bad taste in my mouth if I say no…" Hoopa replied solemnly.
"Good…" Jim said as he weakly turned towards Chiaki. "I'm sorry for breaking that promise… But at the very least… Can I make a new one with you?" He continued as he felt his life could slip away at any second. "Promise me, Chiaki… That you will chase our dream no matter what… Even if… anyone told you otherwise…"
Realizing that his best friend, his only friend, was right at death's door, Chiaki decided to do the best course of action. "As your best friend, I'll promise to keep our dream alive. I will find the Mystic Archipelago! Don't worry."
Hearing this made Jim smile, grateful that his best friend was willing to honor his last wish. "You can do it…"
Chiaki saw the hand that was gripping on the bracelet fell to the ground as the rest of Jim's body went limp. "Jim? Jim! Jim!" He tried to shake the body but he received no response.
"(Is he…?)" Totodile asked as he watched Chiaki crying over his recently departed friend.
"Yeah." Hoopa answered.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Chiaki let out a bloodcurdling scream into the night sky.
And just like that, Quilter James, or "Jim", has passed away.
(One year later)
The sun just recently rose upon the Orion Island as a new day began.
Kido Chiaki, who was now 17 years old, was walking the usual path along with Hoopa.
"It's hard to believe it has only been one year after that incident." Hoopa said.
"Yeah…" Chiaki said as he kept walking. "I know I've said this, but thanks again for getting me into this Pokémon Trainer' thing."
"Of course. Anything for you, Chiaki." Hoopa replied with a smirk. "And I also taught you a few things too, so you're welcome."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."
Last year was something that both Chiaki and Hoopa will never forget. Nor will they ever forget Jim, the person responsible for bringing the two of them together. Not a day passed when Chiaki missed him. In Hoopa's case, he was obliged to be with Chiaki due to his best friend keeping him safe during his slumber inside the Prison Bottle. As well as they both viewed Hoopa as an equal rather than a mere portal maker. The two immediately decided that they can't stay grieving forever as Jim wouldn't want them to be depressed all day and not move on.
He arrived at the front gate of the Quilter Family's mansion. Or rather… what used to be their mansion.
The mansion was in ruins. All the staff, the survivors of last year's raid, have all quit the following day. Though some of them settled in Aguar Village. And the riches that the family had? They were sold off and became the money for the village, though Chiaki kept a few stuffs for himself to remember his friend by.
Chiaki and Hoopa head to the back of the mansion where he eventually walks into its backyard.
In the center of the huge backyard were three tombstones and graves: The graves of Jim and his parents to be more precise. He walked up to the one in the middle, which was where Jim's grave was. The tombstone was on laid on ground and read:
Here lies
Quillton "Jim" James,
Best Friend Forever
"'Sup, Jim." Chiaki said, talking to the tombstone, which was something he got used to talking with. "It's me, Chiaki. Hoopa's here too if you're wondering."
"Hello." Hoopa waved.
"Look, I know I should be on my way to the Grand Line, but I decided to do a little training about being a Pokémon Trainer." Chiaki continued. "Would you believe it? Hoopa and the others are not from this world."
It was two days after the incident that Hoopa decided to reveal everything to Chiaki as well as his parents. About him and Totodile being creatures known as "Pokémon" and how they hailed from another world. While Chiaki's mother, Tomoe, was skeptical of the claim, Hoopa did another presentation to convince her otherwise by summoning a Poké Ball, which he used on Totodile. It was then that Chiaki learned of "Pokémon Trainers" and spent throughout the year everything he should know about being a Pokémon Trainer. Though there were bumps along the way because Hoopa is not used to his powers after waking up. Of course, he did not neglect the training from his parents either.
"But don't worry. I planned to set out this morning." The black and auburn haired young man stated as he knelt down. "So, you know what this means, right? Today's the day I set out to the seas to find the Mystic Archipelago. It took a while to get some stuff ready, like how to be a Pokémon Trainer. But now, I'm really gonna do it for real." He said. "If there's one thing I regret is that I wish you were here. Hell, I think you definitely like being a Pokemon Trainer too." He looked up at the sky. "But if it weren't for what you did, me and Hoopa would've not met…"
"He speaks the truth, Jim. I wouldn't be here if not for you." Hoopa said. "While my powers are still hard to control at times, I'm making progress myself." The Mischief Pokémon said. "Of course, I'm still keen on keeping that promise about being at Chiaki's side."
"Anyway. We'll get going now." Chiaki stood up as he turned around. "I meant it when I said it was blast having you as my first friend. See you later, old pal." He then proceeded to walk away from the backyard with Hoopa with a smile on his face.
(Later…)
Chiaki and Hoopa were at Aguar Village's dock, getting their rowboat ready. His family and the village elder were there to see them off.
"So, I guess this is it. The time to finally set out into the big, blue world." Raizen stated.
"Time sure flies, hasn't it? It was like it was yesterday that you were so little." Tomoe added with a smile. "You have grown so well over the years. As your mother, I could not be any more proud than that."
"Thanks, Mom. Dad." He replied.
"Big Bro!" Chiaki was then hugged by two kids. They were his younger siblings, Kido Takeru and Kido Shiho.
Takeru was the spiky, black haired boy with yellow eyes while Shiho was the mid-length, auburn hair with purple eyes. Takeru wore a white t-shirt with black sleeves, yellow shorts, and blue sandals. Shiho, on the other hand, wore a yellow dress with flower patterns and red slippers.
"Whoa! Easy now, Takeru. Shiho." Chiaki said.
"We don't want Big Bro to leave!" Takeru begged.
"Please stay, Big Bro!" Shiho added.
"Takeru, Shiho, we talked about this. Your older brother has to go on this journey so he can fulfill his promise to his dear friend." Tomoe reprimanded them.
"It's okay, Mom." Chiaki said as he knelt down to their eye level. "This isn't goodbye, okay? Your brother will come to visit sometimes. Until then, be good and listen to Mom and Dad, okay?"
"Okay…" The twins said in unison as they backed away.
"Dustirk and Rosco should've been here by now, but they aren't exactly morning people." Raizen said. "I'll let them know that you left."
"Yeah. I owe Dustirk for my swords." Chiaki replied. "But are you sure you're all gonna be alright? I'm worried that there will be another pirate like Gravin and Drakus coming here."
"Rest assured, Chiaki, we'll be okay." Tomoe said. "If I recall correctly, didn't Hoopa dispose of them?"
"I just stranded most of them in a Marine base." Hoopa boasted. "But for those two scoundrels, I've sent them to a very 'special' place. A place where they can't bother anyone again."
"If it keeps those psychos away from Orion Island, then I don't care what happens to them." Chiaki said.
"Well, best not keep you here any longer, my boy. It is such a shame that Jim wasn't here to see you now." The village elder said. "I'm proud to say that you've grown into a fine young man. Just like your parents."
"Yeah." Chiaki said before he pulled his family. "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I'll be sure to visit whenever I can."
"You're always welcome to come back here anytime, son." Raizen smirked.
"Of course, dear." Tomoe added.
"We love you, Big Bro!" Takeru said cheerfully.
"Yeah!" Shiho added.
Then, Chiaki released them from the hug. "Well, I should get going now." He said as he get on his boat.
"Me too." Hoopa said. But before he flew into the boat…
"Hoopa. A word." Tomoe called him out.
"S-Sure…" Hoopa said nervously as he went to Tomoe's side.
"While I'm truly grateful that Chiaki has someone such as you to accompany him, but know this…" Tomoe began. Even though she was smiling, Hoopa could sense the intimidation aura coming from her. "If you ever try to lead Chiaki astray or something happens to him on your watch, be ready to face the consequences. Understand?"
"Y-Yes, Ma'am…" Hoopa nodded as he hastily got on the boat.
Chiaki sat down and started rowing away from the docks. As he was far enough from the docks, he then turned his head to his family and the village elder.
He thinked back to the times his parents trained him. For how harsh their training was, Chiaki knew this was because they loved him. They also gave out inspirational speeches for him when training as well as comforting him following Jim's death. His younger siblings also cheered him up during that time. Takeru and Shiho idolized their older brother more than anything. Hoopa was even willing to go play with them… right after Tomoe "talked" him into it. And lastly, Chiaki respected the village elder. After being told by his father that the village elder was the first to accept his family to the village despite the bad first impression, Chiaki hung out with the elderly man for an hour or so and sometimes brought Jim along.
As much as he did not want to go, Chiaki knew that he had a promise, one that he intends to keep.
"Big Bro!" Chiaki turned to see his younger siblings waving at him. "We'll miss you!"
"Yeah, I will! Don't cause Mom and Dad any trouble, you hear?" Chiaki shouted as he waved at his family.
"I hope you and Hoopa have a safe trip, dear! Never lose sight of your dream!" Tomoe added.
"And if anyone started talking shit about it, then prove 'em wrong!" Raizen stated. "Walk on your own path in life, son! Only you can decide how your story is supposed to go!"
"Whenever you are, know that your home will always be here!" The village elder said.
"Everyone…" Chiaki muttered as he smiled and continued waving at them. "Thank you, everyone! We'll see you again soon!"
The boat kept drifting away from the island as Chiaki sat down and continued rowing the boat.
'Watch over me, Jim. I'm the one who will find the Mystic Archipelago!' Chiaki proclaimed in his head.
'If I'm going to learn what True Friendship is, but it looks like I have to meet lots of people to know what it is…' Hoopa pondered.
And so, both Chiaki and Hoopa finally set out on their journey. And so... their adventure begins.
(Next…)
H: Please tell me you didn't lose the map.
C: At least it can't get any worse.
C: Looks like we're here at our first stop: Shells Town!
H: Aren't Marines supposed to be the good guys?
?: Join my crew.
C: I don't know about that…
?: Anyone who defies me will be executed!
C/H: Next time on The Straw Hats' Monster Tamer, Chapter 1: Chiaki See, Luffy Do!
C: I'm gonna find the Mystic Archipelago!
That was it for today's chapter, I hope you enjoy it!
As you might already guessed, the story began a little different. Namely Kido Chiaki, the Main OC of this story, is from the One Piece world instead of Pokéarth. One who became that world's first Pokémon Trainer.
Leave a review as usual and I hope to see you again in the next chapter!