HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, MROTRAX! HERE IS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FROM MYSELF AND KNIGHTMARELORD FOR Y'ALL! ENJOY!
As the Going Merry and Black Pearl started to approach Jaya, they were greeted by the sight of three seagulls getting shot down.
"Good lord! What was that?!" Double-D gasped.
"Whoa, whoever did this was a hell of a shot," Draco noted. "None of us heard any gunfire."
"I did. Just on the coast in that direction." Gottfried said.
"That's where Jaya is," Nami realized.
Luna whistled. "They were shot from all the way over there?"
"The bullets still smell of runpowder. Rhat means they rere fired recently." Lassoo noted.
"But why would someone shoot seagull?" Gonta asked.
Kaya giggled. "Looks like you've got competition, Usopp."
"It's not always about hitting the mark, it's about how quick you are to do it." Usopp pointed out. "Though I'm curious who could have hit a target from that far away and what sort of gun they were using."
-OP-
Far away on his perch, the sniper in question, a tall man known as Van Auger finished his practice.
"The last one died a slow death. A pity, but such is the cruelties of fate."
"Ugh, this fate bullcrap again, Auger?"
Van Auger rolled his eyes as he turned to his two companions; a boy and a girl with similarities to each other. They both had black hair and pale skin but the boy was tall and thin while wearing a slightly oversized, black sweater with its label sticking out; ripped jeans, and grey trainers with black laces while the girl had a slender yet attractive frame and wore a black choker with a pendant hanging from it. She also wore a black shirt which revealed her cleavage and the straps for her black brassiere. She wore grey denim shorts and grey lace-up boots, which were accompanied by black ankle socks.
Their names were Ashley and Andrew Graves and they were part of the same crew that Van Auger was on.
"Believe what you wish to believe. But you should at least understand our crew follows the whims of fate wherever it may lead."
-OP-
Soon enough the Merry and Pearl were pulling into Mock Town.
"Here it is, guys; Mock Town, a pirate's paradise." Ben smiled. "Rough and tumble brawls, bars that never run dry, gambling halls where everyone cheats, and shops where you can actually fleece the owners instead of the other way around."
"Something for everyone, then. Sounds like a good time." Zoro said.
Eddy chuckled. "I'm gonna love it here, I can tell."
"I tell you this, crew. If every island and every town were like this, no man would ever feel unwanted." Ben said proudly as a woman approached him, causing him to smile. "Scarlet, good to see you aga-"
The woman slapped Ben hard across the face, making most of the other Straw Hats wince as she turned and stormed off without another word.
"Not sure I deserved that."
Another woman came in, her hands on her hips.
"Gizelle!"
"Who was she?"
"Whu-"
Gizelle slapped him, just like Scarlet did, actually making Ben pause for a moment.
"I may have deserved that."
"Well, you're quite popular with these ladies," Penny noted, feeling a twinge of jealousy. "Is there something I should know?"
Ben winced apologetically while Sonson, Noire, Nojiko, Hilda, Eddy, Fuu, Rosa, Choi, and Kaizo all playfully went "Ooooooh!"
"We. Have. SOOOOO. Many questions." Sonson and Luffy said together.
"How about you, Vivi, Carue, Heart, and Boss go pawn off our antiques, Nami?" Draco suggested. "Sanji, Noire, there are a few places here where we can restock our food supplies. The rest of you, buy some drinks or whatever else you might like then stand guard on the ship."
"Come on, Hobbes! Let's see what we can find!" Calvin said excitedly.
"As long as Marianne and I go with you," Robin said sternly. "Oda forbid you get into unnecessary trouble."
"Oh come on!" Calvin groaned.
"Do I have to?" Marianne whined
"Yes." Robin smiled, kneeling down and messing with the younger girl's hair. "I'll tell you what: If you and Calvin behave? I'll buy you some new art supplies."
Delighted at that, Marianne beamed and dragged Calvin away.
-OP-
Elsewhere, a large fighter named Jesus Burgess finished a fight and then noticed a sick man falling from a horse.
"Oi, Doc Q, the captain's counting on you to be our doctor. Can't have that if you're getting sick yourself."
"Bite it, Burgess. I told you before I have a chronic illness." Doc Q muttered as he got up. "Stronger, hold up a moment."
Stronger the horse waited as Doc Q got back on him. It was then that Burgess noticed his apple basket was missing.
"What happened to your usual exploding apples?"
"I ran into these three young men. One of them was a rather dopey lad who ate the whole basket when I offered one. It didn't even so much as hurt him when it exploded inside him." Doc Q explained. "And after that, he belched out smoke and thanked me for the snack."
"Some people were noting how stupid I was for fighting a crew member of Roshio the Executioner. I would have loved to see him try and take revenge." Burgess chuckled. "Too bad he's already been killed by Bellamy the Hyena. But that's just how fate works sometimes. We don't always have the luxury of choosing our opponents."
"Its all for the best." A tall, beautiful and young slender woman of porclein skin with long, light blue hair and blue eyes. She wore a General's apparel with long sleeves with buttons on the upper arms, a blue scarf on her neck and high-heeled boots and a peaked hat that had a crest on the front. She also has a tattoo on her chest.
" If he lost to that loud-mouthed idiot? He was weak."
"Fair point, Esdeath." Burgess mused. "…Still, was hoping for a named member, you know?"
"If our Tyrant's fate was to best him, then so be it." Doc Q mused.
-OP-
Draco and Ben were having a hard time getting the crew set up in the local hotel. Despite having way more money than the current people who rented it out, the owner was too scared to even consider it.
"Then again, I suppose it is to be expected considering it's Donquixote Doflamingo's boys."Draco thought.
"Who are these shabby kids?"
Hearing the snobby voice, the two Captains looked to see a large man with sunglasses and a fur coat with no undershirt.
"We're paying quite a sum to charter this place. Just kick them out already." The blonde woman next to the man said.
"If memory serves you two are Sarquiss and Lily. Though from the way you're dressed, I can't tell you two ladies apart." Draco noted with a coy smirk.
Sarquiss sneered. "Cheeky brat. Why not run home and cry to mommy?"
Draco smirked. "Cuz my crew isn't ready to enter the New World yet."
Sarquiss laughed. "Oh, we have got a comedian over here! What, you one of Big Mom's kids or something?"
"Ha!" Draco cackled, actually laughing for a moment and slamming a hand on the counter top catch his breath. "Oooooh…She wishes. She always said Dad was the one man she could never catch."
Sarquiss just tossed some money near Draco and Ben's feet.
"Here. Go buy something better than rags."
"No thanks. You look like you need the clothes more than me." Draco smirked.
Sarquiss felt his eyebrow twitch at that as Ben just walked up to him with a chuckle.
"Sir, you may kill me, but you may never insult me." He said. "Who am I?"
Sarquiss looked confused as Ben just pouted while Draco laughed and patted his fellow captain and friend on the back.
"No need to give so much as the time of day to this bozo, pal. Besides, this place is too rich and fancy for our liking. Let's hit the inn down the road instead."
Ben shrugged as the two left, leaving Sarquiss to grumble in irritation.
"Damn brats..."
-OP-
Hilda decided to stick with Gin, Saiko, Kaizo, Gottfried, Axol, Rolf, Luna, and N'Doul. They tried to go weapon shopping, but nothing stood out for them. Axol did manage to find some ink and grabbed some more art supplies for Marianne, hoping Robin hadn't already done so.
"Hope Chopper is okay." Luna mused.
"I'm sure he's fine." Gin assured her as he and Hilda tested some batons.
"Still, we should probably aim to leave soon." Gottfried mused. "This place reeks of 'compensating for something' if you know what I mean."
"Preach!" Kaizo noted. "So many eager to fight..and so many are nothing!"
"I think I've dealt with…10 pickpockets since we started," N'Doul said. "On one hand, I;m annoyed. On the other? This being a pirate's paradise, I'm interested in how/if they have a network."
"At least you've had pick-pockets!" Saiko grumbled, cleaning her hammer. "Me and Hilds have been getting the…"
Kaizo suddenly growled and his skin turned red
"Bud. I got it."
"We both do." Hilda said, as she bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry!"
"No prob." The figure said as he continued on his way.
One of the straw Hats suddenly froze and gasped.
"Rolf has heard of these creatures, but never has Rolf seen them with his own eyes!"
The figure was some kind of humanoid gorilla man with a well-proportioned Herculean physique, a rust-red fur coat that covered the majority of his body along with bronze skin beneath it that showed along his face, torso, fingers, and toes. His canines protruded outside his mouth and he had small elf-like ears along with long thin eyebrows and blood red eyes.
He wore a silver captain's coat, which hangs loosely from his shoulders like a cape and he wore near pitch black trousers along with zebra-pattern fur pelt around his waist. Additionally, he had a silver rope belt that wrapped around his waist and shoulders. Along his shins and right forearm, he wore gold guards while on his left, he appeared to be wrapped around with bandages.
"Wicked." Luna said simply.
The figure didn't so much as acknowledge the group as he walked past them. Saiko then turned to Rolf.
"What kind of creature is he supposed to be?"
"A Mink...a native of the New World!" Rolf said. "But Rolf has never seen one out this far in the grand lines of the seas!"
"I could sense his power...he definitely has a lot of experience," N'Doul noted.
"Yeah, I could FEEL it," Gin said.
-OP-
"You have that much money in gold and antiques and they turned you down?" A bartender asked when he heard Ben and Draco's story.
The two had met up with Luffy, Zoro, Kuina, Heart, and Choi at the local bar and were unwinding right now.
Draco shrugged. "I figure if they're too scared to choose profit over pain, then they aren't delivering quality."
Ben nodded as he chugged down a whole bottle of finely aged rum.
"Luckily the local inn was willing to rent us out instead. And it feels much more comfortable." Zoro said.
"Yeah, definitely more my speed." Heart chuckled as she sipped some fine wine.
The bartender served up a cherry pie for the group. Luffy and another customer took a bite. Immediately, they both spoke up at the same time.
"HEY, OLD MAN!"
"Hm?" The bartender asked. "What is it?"
"THIS CHERRY PIE IS FREAKING AWFUL/DELICIOUS!" Luffy and the other customer shouted, Luffy degusted and the other man; a tall, fat and hairy man, adoring it.
Draco's eyes widened as he recognized the voice next to his sister. Sure enough, it was Marshal D. Teach himself.
Luffy and Teach, realizing they disagreed on the pie, glared at each other before chugging back their drinks. Luffy let out a sigh of satisfaction while Teach gagged on the drink.
'THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST/WORST DRINKS I EVER TASTED!"
Realizing they disagreed on flavor again, the two glared at each other.
"…I think there's something wrong with your tastebuds, girlie." Teach grumbled.
"I think there's something wrong with your big ugly head." Luffy retorted.
"….Well, I'm not the cook so I don't really care." The bartender said, just as Luffy cleared her station.
"I'll take 50 steaks to go!"
Teach smirked.
"Then I'll take 51 of the delicious Cherry pies to go."
"Wait!" Luffy noted. "Make that 52 steaks!"
"Better make that 53 Pies." Teach followed.
"54 Steaks!" Luffy demanded.
"55 pies!" Teach followed.
Zoro, Nami, Kuina, Heart, Choi and Draco just stared in embrassment and awe of the whole thing.
"60 steaks!" Luffy added.
"70 pies!" Tech demanded.
"80 steaks!" Luffy demanded.
"100 pies!" Teach cut her off.
At that, the two pirates, glaring with hatred for each other, rose their fists and roared to each other:
"I'M GOING TO BEAT THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF YOU!"
"DO YOU TWO HAVE EVEN THE SLIGFHTEST IDEA WHAT YOU'RE FIGHTING ABOUT?!" Zoro screamed.
"DON'T MAKE ME COME UP THERE!" Choi growled.
"HE/SHE STARTED IT!" Luffy and Teach growled.
"I DON'T CARE WHO STARTED IT, I'LL FINISH IT!" Kuina snapped.
"Luffy!" Nami shoited, getting her lover's attention. "You promise me, remember! Besides, do you really need all those steaks? Sanji and Noire are cooking pizza!"
Luffy calmed down, as did Teach.
"So…You're a pirate?"
"Yeah, Straw Hat Luffy."
Teach smirked.
"One of the Straw Hats that's been making waves, eh?" the older man smirked. "What's your bounty?"
"30 million." Luffy answered.
"…Just…30 million?" Teach asked, incredulously. "Just 30 million? I WOULDN'T BELIEVE THAT EVEN IF I COLLECTED IT!"
"YOU CALLING ME A LIAR, YOU FAT HAIRY APE?!" Luffy roared.
"KNOCK IT OFF!" Heart demanded as Nami pulled Luffy down, giving Choi time to step in.
"I believe he means we're worth more. Now. Drop. It."
Luffy relented.
Meanwhile, Draco finally steppedforward.
Draco chuckled. "You're the same as ever Teach. It's hard to believe you destroyed a country using only nine people and killed a member of Pops's crew."
Teach nearly choked on his pie as he turned to Draco in surprise.
"Draco, is that you?!" He asked before grinning. "Zehahahahaha! So, you decided to go pirate like the old man, huh?"
"Yeah, I'm the Captain along with Luffy and Ben here. There's also Sonson, but she's off doing her own thing." Draco said before frowning. "I'm sure once Dad gets over his conflict, he's certain to send someone after you. Even if you were a former member."
"So you heard about that, eh?" Teach noted. "Well, regardless, I'm happy you managed to form your own crew. Shame we couldn't set out together like I'd offered when you were just a boy."
"I'm sure it would have been nice to join your crew." Draco frowned. "But I'm not in the market for killing family and destroying entire kingdoms."
"Just so we're clear, I took no pleasure in killing Thatch. I truly thought of him as a brother." Teach clarified. "But he had something I needed to follow my own dreams."
Teach took a to-go order and left, just as Bellamy the Hyena himself started walking into the bar.
"Are a couple of pirates here? One with an old tricorne hat and the other with dark skin?"
"And what does Doflamingo's spring-heeled dickweasel want with me?" Draco asked.
"Ah, you're the infamous Bellamy the Hyena!" Ben greeted pleasantly. "You're a lot uglier in person, I say."
Bellamy chuckled. "So you're two of the legendary 'Four Great Captains' I keep hearing about."
Ben was ignoring Bellamy entirely as he turned his attention to Muret.
"Muret!"
The pink-haired doctor of the Bellamy Pirates huffed before slapping Ben hard across the face as Heart chuckled.
"I suppose you didn't deserve that one either."
"No, THAT one I deserved..."
Bellamy went to sit at the bar while Sarquiss plopped down the limp form of Roshio and sat down. Several patrons decided to vacate at once.
"Hey, bartender, gimme the best you've got in stock. And whatever these boys want."
No thanks. I can pay for myself." Draco said.
He winced as Bellamy slammed his head through the bar. Draco picked himself up and cracked his neck, not even remotely hurt.
"Sorry for that, old-timer. Looks like I owe you a new table."
"Should we take these guys?" Zoro asked with a scowl, preparing to draw his swords.
Luffy shook her head. "No, I think Draco's got this."
"Well, not only are you ugly, but you also have poor manners," Ben noted casually.
"Relax, that was barely a tickle," Draco said.
"You're a lot tougher than you look, kid. You might be a good fit for my crew after all." Bellamy said.
"Not interested, I've already got a good crew. We're just staying in town until we can find someone who can help us reach a sky island." Draco said.
Bellamy laughed. "Oh, a bunch of loser dreamers there are we!? I've heard it all before. The City of Gold, the Emerald City, One Piece. Give it up, buddy, the Era of Dreams is over. Everyone knows it."
"More like everyone's too cynical to live in it. Just a bunch of worthless no-names content with whatever 10 million-range price tag they can get for themselves and too scared of the real dangers of the Grand Line." Draco retorted.
That struck a chord with most of the patrons, though Sarquiss and Bellamy just felt their blood pressure rising.
"We're pirates, mate. Everyone in this city. We're supposed to brave the unknown. Even if it's to widen the hunting ground." Ben chimed in. "We raised our flags to show we're not afraid of death. Well, the Grand Line is death incarnate. So it's about time you people stopped showing that you're afraid."
Bellamy looked downright furious as he turned his arm into a spring and prepared a spring-loaded punch aimed at Draco.
"YOU DAMN BRATS!"
Draco casually turned his arm into that of Godzilla, catching Bellamy's fist before throwing him into the air and slamming him hard through the already broken bar. Ben winced as he took out a wad of Berris for the bartender.
"Here, to pay for the damage."
-OP-
Teach was sitting outside the bar, enjoying the pies he bought as he heard Draco utterly defeat Bellamy.
"Heh, that kid's still got it."
"He's every bit as powerful as I've heard from you." A beautiful woman with bright amber eyes and long, ashen-black hair that covered her left eye and rests over her left shoulder.
The woman, Cinder Fall, was a former slave that Teach and his crew had rescued from a Celestial Dragon woman named Madame. They had tortured and killed her and her two daughters, allowing Cinder the final blow as revenge for the abuse she suffered. Cinder then became part of Teach's crew out of gratitude and to become strong enough so she was never pushed around again.
"When those Straw Hats find that sky island, I hope they rub it in everyone's faces. Maybe that'll get these lazy bums off their ass and renew the Great Pirate Era." Teach said as he stood up. "The Era of Dreams hasn't ended. It's just being suppressed by those who hate it. But real pirates know dreams never truly end!"
Cinder smirked at that as she then sat down to enjoy some food with her mentor.
"HEY! THERE'S ONLY 49 CHERRY PIES IN THIS BAG!" Teach roared.
Knightmare Lord A/N:
We're taking the Jaya visit one step at a time here, but we're already introducing members of Blackbeard's extended crew!
Andrew and Ashley Graves: The Coffin of Andy & Leyley
Esdeath: Akame Ga Kill!
Cinder Fall: RWBY
Also, we were originally planing on having Bellamy be Eddy's Bro, but I figured that wouldn't really make much sense, so I scrapped it.
Anything you'd like to say, Mrotrax?
Mrotrax A/N:
Had a blast with Blackbeard this chapter and loving the new additions to his crew!
(Lets be honest, the Blackbeard pirates kind of need more ladies before Katrina)
The final line was inspired by comment on Youtube of the iconic Luffy and Blackbeard first meeting that I sadly can't seem to find anymore.
Stay warm and safe!