…In the vast ocean of the Grand Line, in the midst of Paradise, there is a collection of islands. Each with its own climate and a vast diversity of wildlife. Yet they are united by a similar frequency and a single kingdom. A country that has developed an industry, and made it a world class rival in agriculture, wealth, and cuisine!
In the mountainous cold of Mt. Kisiri, people baked pies, sweets, and other confections that make dentists cry! The hot and dry Solbi Desert, where they pack, trade, and refine spices for every pallet! Then there are mysterious Oligos, whose men and women fished in the reefs and shallows of their island's the waters, beneath the jutting cliffs!
And then there was the Maruchi island, their nation's capital. The farmers plowed their fields, tended their trees, fermented their wines, and raised their animals—! But this was also where the majority of their chefs were trained and educated! Catering towards both the common man and extraordinary wealthy!
All of this, in the kingdom of the Creamy Mist!
They had and island for every season considered natural on the Grand Line. And yet, the archipelago was considered to be a collection of summer islands. Because they all revolved around one central island. A volcanic spire whose waters no one dared to venture alone. The formidable, Creamy Mist Volcano!
…But how would such a mountain gain such a cute name? The beaches were blackened grey stone, shores of jagged pebbles and igneous fragments. No life lurked in the caves and slopes along the mountain. All was choked out by the gases and fields of lava. It stood in the middle of the archipelagos like a black obelisk, a broiling tower of ash, soot, and magma erupting from it's peak!
Most people would have frightened to live so close to a constantly active volcano! But not the Kingdom of Creamy Mist!
Their courage to live there lay in a mysterious quirk of the mountain. For whenever Creamy Mist spouted it's angry fires and ashes, they always fell straight down as soon as it spread out across the water. It was as if some mysterious force acted on the people's behalf, slapping the smoke down like some annoying insect.
Whatever was happening though, the gases and soot compressed into a layer of barely shin-high fog. These particles would meld into the sea, purifying it, until there was nothing more than a silky white mist.
And this fog was the secret to their success! The creamy mists that travelled over their islands nourished the soil, making their crops and animals grow bigger and stronger! With the amount of food and talent they possessed, the kingdom could easily take part in Revery and be a part of the World Government!
Men and women would come from around the world, just for their food! And the Marines would patrol their waters and protect their home from any outward threats. A pirate wold have to be a fool, or a madman, to sack this country!
…But there was one bounty on these islands that were available to all, to those who had the courage to seek it.
The precious Jinseiki, Life Gems of Creamy Mist Archipelago.
All over the kingdom, these crystalline structures would spawn in the rocks and craigs of their islands. Veins of ore that grew these precious stones like fruit on a branch. They could be pried from their bedrock and the crystals would be found to have regrown months later! It is believed that the jinseiki were born from the fog banks of Creamy Mist, all the minerals and salts that coated the rocks and sank into the soil.
Yet no one could explain why they had such mysterious powers, nor why their formation.
Maruchi's jinseki looked like hands, each holding an open eye in their open palm. They stimulated brain activity and encouraged memory retention. An excellent snack for the mind!
Solbi's life gems appeared like rings, with precious stones formed at their roots. Those that ate them were often cured of poisons, both venomous and ingested.
The high peaks of the Oligos yielded crystalline birds, wings extended in various positions of flight. They did not make you fly, but you could move like the wind! Crossing oceans and wide open plains meant little to their power.
Kisiri's gems however, were the most obvious. They appeared as two arms flexing around a central core. And these jinseki were the most popular among couples. For they promoted strength, virality, and fertility.
And on the steep obsidian cliffs of Creamy Mist, the jinseiki appeared as large jewels held in the legs of spiders. They were often the most perilous to find. The hardest to uncover! For the ash and lava rolling down Creamy Mist's mantle would cover up any veins of their precious resource.
But they were worth it! For these Life Gems were said to heal any wound! Large gashes that would take weeks to heal would suture in a matter of minutes! Fatal blows that would topple a man would stave off death and be better than ever!
They could not bring back the dead though. Nor would any limb shorn from the body reattach or sprout anew. But ownership of these gems were excluded only to the king, and his permissions.
You could imagine the demand for such miracles! Indeed, the people of Creamy Mist would hoard and decorate these gems as a resource and their symbols of status. Their colour, their lustre, and its structure all indicated their potency and worth!
There was a time when the Navy tried to monopolize these gems! However, that time has past. The only way to enact their properties was to ingest them. And the further a Life Gem travelled away from Creamy Mist, the more it just turned into ordinary rock candy… And not very good candy at that.
No one could fault a man for wanting these gems though… So they made a festival of it.
Every 5 years, the king would invite every citizen and foreign ship to participate in the illustrious Treasure Wars!
The goal? Participants were to travel to each island in the Creamy Mist Archipelago, participate in it's contests, brave it's wilds, and find it's corespondent gem. The winner, would be determined by those who presented a set of five Life Gems to the king.
Being first wasn't everything though. The whole festival fair lasted for about a week, and the last day to present your findings was on the last day's eve. Adventurers were judged on a point based system. Their gems would be appraised by a panel of judges, in specking each gem, then they would tally up the submitters score.
Plus, contestants were encouraged to be competitive with one another. Stealing, cheating, obstructing your competitor—it was all allowed! Even pirates could to enter the festival, so long as they didn't harm the king and his properties.
The winner, was awarded a Grand Prize of 100,000,000 beri, a polished and cut collection of their own Life Gems, and an Eternal Pose to any island of the winner's choosing!
It was a ludicrous prize! But one well deserved for the Kingdom of Cuisine!
And this year, just so happened to be the time for these Treasure Wars! …And they were just getting started!
One Magi: Y.E.F.B.T.L.
Maxwell's Destination!
The Nightmares of Creamy Mist!
Party crackers burst open and confetti fluttered throughout the air, as instruments play through the streets! People laughed, people cheered, and children ran thought the streets—for it was the Treasure Wars Festival!
A parade was wandering down Main Street. Men and women, riding on decorated wagons, threw candy towards the onlookers on the sidewalks. Children would pick up the candies and put them into buckets held by their parents. Musicians marched to their tune, playing their instruments with dancers cartwheeling beside them!
On another street, vendors yelled throughout the bazaar, advertising their treats and wares, "Hotdogs! Get your hotdogs here!" "Spin the wheel, and win a prize!" "Fresh spices from Solbi! Delivered this morning!" "That'll be 420 beri." "WHAT!? That's robbery! 250!"
Maruchi City was busy. People from all over the archipelago were attending the opening ceremonies.
Citizens walked around on cobbled stone. Their buildings conjoined to make singular blocks, with red shingled roofs and flat tops. Guardsmen were stationed at every block, dressed in ceremonial red and blue tabards and broad rimed helmets. They would said hello to anyone addressed them, despite the halberds in their hands. People wanted to see the king's declaration! Catch a glimpse of the competitors in this year's Treasure War! They wanted to speculate who could be first this year!
However, one woman did not. High on the clay tiled buildings, a devious redhead with trimmed bangs and a long ponytail, looked down at the city square. She stood watching as a small crowd gathered near the fountain. They were watching a platform being raised. Standing posts, laying out planks, and rolling out carpet for the king's arrival!
She just watched it all with a wicked grin, "Soon…"
O O O
"Sir! Just lend me a couple men, please! Marine Instructor Zed can verify—"
"And I told you, NO!" Lieutenant Commander Dreak slammed his hands onto his desk. He was an older man, with a square jaw and mutton chops adorning his cheeks. Dreak wore the standard marine hat and scarf that came with the uniform, but he also wore an overcoat with the signature Justice kanji, denoting his rank.
"With Vice-Admiral Jonathan gone, I am the one in charge of Marine Base G-8! And my word is law! I don't need some SWORD vigilante, from a broken unit, coming around to Creamy Mist just to make a ruckus!"
Toma scowled, "But Seveth Star Saga is on these islands! He's a murderer and traitor! A former Marine! Don't you want to enact some justice for that!?" He was different from most recruits. Instead of the standard uniform, Toma wore loose baggy clothes under a snow leopard print coat and cap. He wore the hat sideways, emphasizing his punk look over his shaggy blonde hair. And to further denote his punk aesthetic, a most wicked katana was strapped to his side. The hilt seemed to be made out of bone, spiralling up to grasp a ruby embedded in the pommel.
Dreak scoffed and walked to the window, "Trust me, I would like nothing more than to eliminate deserters from the face of this ocean, but that just isn't feasible right now! …Not with the preparations being made for war with Whitebeard."
He still felt discouraged for being left behind when Jonathan went to Marine Ford. "Fire Fist" Ace's execution was going to be the greatest display of Marine might in the history of the world. Aoikiji, Sakazuki, Kizaru, and every vice-admiral was going to take down Whitebeard and finally declare an end of the so called Golden Age of Pirates!
…However, that didn't mean Dreak misunderstood why he was still here.
"Listen son," Dreak emasculated the SWORD agent, "the situation in Creamy Mist Archipelago is very delicate right now. Per our agreement between the World Government and the Creamy Mist Monarchy, we are obligated to protect and differ to their authority. However, the king is without a suitable heir to take their throne! And there have been a string of robberies and murders throughout the kingdom, all perpetrated by the same group—!"
Dreak flipped over a whiteboard, revealing a collage of photos, notes, magnets, and strings. All of them were evidence of some kind. Crime scenes, guard reports, and locations all pointing around an emblem. A red dragon on black canvas, slithering like a serpent.
"…The Children of Nightmare!"
Toma blinks at the name, "Children?"
Dreak crosses his arms looking at the collage, "As far as we've been able to deduce, they are a cult. Hooded men and women in robes, each praising something called, 'The Nightmare,' when they engage us. We suspect they have a Devil Fruit user amongst them, but we haven't been able to identify the culprit amongst them." Dreak then sat back down at his desk.
"Okay, so why hasn't the Marines of G-8 wiped them out already?" Toma asked.
"Because they're goddamn cowards," Dreak spat out. "Every time we catch them in the act, they run. And even when we have them cornered, they still escape. Especially when it should be impossible! …I, have been left here to monitor their movements and continue our efforts to arrest them."
"But as you can guess…" Dreak gestured with a hand, "we are short handed, now. And with these goddamn Treasure Wars going on, that makes our presence here all the more crucial to the stability of Creamy Mist! That is why I cannot grant you any personnel!"
"…Dammit!" Toma curses. He has been on Saga's trail for almost a year now! It wasn't like he could just let the madman go! Not when he was this close!
There was a knock on the door, "Come in!" and Dreak permitted the marine inside.
"Sir!" The man saluted, "The boat is ready and awaiting your departure."
"Good. You are dismissed, marine," Dreak told the soldier. The lieutenant-commander stood up, making sure he was still presentable, but then thought about the swordsman in the room...
"My men and I are heading towards Maruchi for the opening ceremonies. A demonstration of our solidarity with the Creamy Mist archipelago. Given your specialty, I would be honoured if you join us."
Toma frowned, adjusting the grip on his scabbard, "…Fine."
O O O
"Hoho~ These people sure get excited…" a man with a red mohawk and mustard collar tailcoat commented, strolling down the street. He was flanked by his two bodyguards, each nibbling on food-on-a-stick with their favourite treats.
"It's a festival, boss. Of course they would be!" The purple matador swallowed another piece of deep-fried frog leg. "Have you seen the stuff their handing out!?" He had a receding hairline, and tiger stripe tattoos on his face.
"Bone marrow biscuits, bone broth soup, bone shaped churros…!" The other bodyguard, a bulging muscular man with a grey sleeveless martial arts gi, drooled at the thought. He was old with age, but he had the scars and muscle to prove he was a fighter. Especially with the spiked collars around every limb.
"Hotdog, you're drooling again," Hebi deadpanned. Hotdog quickly snapped out of it and scowled, embarrassed to have been caught doing it again.
"Eh, it doesn't matter," their boss waved them off. "DIG IN BOYS! WE'RE FILTHY STINKIN' RICH! It's not like we'll be sticking around for long anyways… Not after we get those horns and get rid of that red-head! Count Battler always get's his pelt! HAHAHAHA—!"
"SHHH!" Hotdog and Hebi quickly shut their boss up, by covering his mouth. They did not want to be ousted by the local authorities!
Now, if Battler could keep his damn mouth shut, that would be a dream!
O O O
"HEY! STOP THAT DOG!"
A dog with and aviator's cap and goggles ran through the streets of Maruchi city. Its long floppy ears waving in the wind! In the dog's possession was a basket full of crystals. Life Gems.
They were originally held by a man who was trying to pretend being an old woman. The bulldog needed them, so he took them. Instead of it's mouth though, the dog's long rope like tongue was wrapped around the handle, dragging the basket across the ground.
The bulldog raced through several allies, eventually losing his pursuer. When it was sure no one else was following him, the dog turned into a small alcove. There were several barrels and crates in the way, but there was a passage to walk pass them.
At the end of the alley was a little loading area. It seemed generally abandoned by the locals, but there was one man in the square. His master, Schneider.
He sat slumped again a building, resting. His violet captain's coat being used as a blanket. He was old, and Schneider's health had been poor in recents months.
The hawk-nosed pirate coughed, sputtering himself awake. It was a hacking hard cough. When Schneider looked into his own hand, he could see the blood he had coughed up. He was dying, he was sure of it.
*Woof*
Schneider looked up to see his dog in front of him, "Hey Buzz…" He petted the old bulldog. It had been just the two of them for a while now. Schneider was once the captain to a pirate crew, the Schneider Pirates. But as time went on, their crew got older and most chose to retire. They were never infamous, but they could make a living off of it. Buzz and Schneider were just two diehards, that didn't give it up.
*Rrr…* Buzz leaned into his master's petting. Then he turned to the basket and pushed it towards Schneider.
"…Jenseiki?" Schneider picked up one of the bird crystals and looked at it carefully. They were famous for their medical prowess on these islands. Buzz had actually taken him here, remembering their last visit to these islands.
"…Bah. These are fake…!" Schneider threw the crystal across the loading area, letting it shatter against the pavement.
*WAAAHG!?* the dog shrieked and sniffed the basket, smelling to confirm! …But then Buzz whimpered. The crystals were nothing more than coloured glass.
"Heheh… Nice try Buzz. Did you at least put that charlatan on a merry chase?" They were probably going to try and scam contestants into submitting a set early. He would know, their crew tried it before.
*Woof!* Buzz's little tail wagged at how he avoided that scammer. He was their go getter when it came to supplies.
Schneider reached for his cane. A wooden "T" shaped rod, leaning against the wall beside him. He grabbed the handle, and leaned on it to get up. However as he moved, another coughing fit came up, and Schneider fell onto his hands and knees.
Buzz whimpers beside him. It was getting worse, but Buzz knew Schneider wouldn't accept any help getting up. He was too prideful for that.
The man smiled at his dog, "…Don't worry Buzz. We'll find a way to help ourselves…"
O O O
"You old bitch!" A woman was dragged out onto the middle of the deck. She was old, wrinkled, and all of her jewelry had been taken upon her arrival. Her tan hair, which was usually curled and full of hairspray was frazzled, and the kimono she was wearing was in tatters.
The crew turned to look and see what was going on. Their captain had just brought out the old lady, Roba.
"This isn't Mecha island!" Bigalo pulled her by the hair to look out over the ocean. "In fact, there are too many islands! And what's wrong with that weird volcano! Where the hell did you lead us, granny!" He didn't wear any finery. His robe was course and feathered at the edges, like someone had taken a blanket and fitted it around him.
Roba was forced to look into Bigalo's tattooed eye, "I swear, I wasn't lying! The turtle pose is the only way to Mecha Island! And there is treasure there! A real legendary treasure that will make you all rich—"
"Shut up!" Bigalo threw her to the deck. "I'm tired of your excuses, Roba! We should have left you in that treasure chest to drown!"
"Please, wait, no—!" She looked around. Bigalo's ship looked like a giant sushi boat, wth a tiered pagoda serving as the cabin. They were sure by at least three islands, one of which appeared like a giant pillar to soot. There was a fog bank on the water, yet it didn't seem to rise above the deck. "I—I recognize this place! This is the Creamy Mist Archipelago! They're very welcoming of pirates! They even have a festival that you could enjoy with plenty of treasure—"
"WILL YOU SHUT UP ABOUT TREASURE!" Bigalo yelled, making Roba cower. He then pulls out a pistol, "I should have done this months ago…!" He cocks the hammer.
"Hold it boss!" But before Bigalo could pull the trigger, one of his watchman stopped him. He was looking through a telescope at one of the islands, "Something is going on here… The old lady may be telling the truth this time."
"Give me that!" Bigalo takes the telescope from his subordinate's hands and looks through it. Roba had been making a habit of lying to them ever since they "rescued," her from from that sinking ship. She had been hiding in a treasure chest of all things, and was creating a whole bunch of tall tales.
However, there was a city built into the side of an island, with a harbour bellow. It was full of ships, both big and small… and curiously, a few of them even flew jolly rogers on their masts. Flags that Bigalo recognized.
Pogo and Bobby, the giant brothers—! Didn't their ship crash back on Partisia, during the Dead End race? The Kitajima Pirates. Theirs was a fish-man crew lead the "Green Gills" Kitajima. The Indigo Family. Hell Scarlets. The Billy Duck Peacocks. All pirate crews that had been working on a name for themselves. None of them were particularly strong, but they were openly flying their colors high…
"Huh…" Bigalo lowered the spyglass as he thought about the island. There must have been a reason for all of those ships… Perhaps it was that festival the old hag had mentioned?
"…Alright, granny. You get to live, for now." Bigalo then turned to the rest of the crew. "Prepare to dock! Turn into port! We'll check out this island and maybe have some fun while we're here! Boys, I want men…" Bigalo kept spewing orders as the crew began to disperse, leaving Roba alone on the deck.
"Granny!" However, there was one soul that still cared for her. It was young Adelle, still wearing her patched overalls, gloves, and stuffed cap.
"I'm fine, child…" Roba leaned on her for support.
Adelle was a prisoner here, much like herself. However, unlike Roba, Adelle had grown up around pirates. Her previous captain had played a cruel prank, letting her believe she could take out another pirate and get their bounty for medicine. She was a mechanic under her adoptive grandfather, Biera, and the poor man was sick. No one had cared about them, and no one had bothered to look at him. They were cutthroats, the lot of them!
Still, Adelle had taken a pistol and stowed away on Bigalo's ship to kill him. Unfortunately, her ambush failed, and the glock didn't even have one bullet! They ruffed her up for that, demanding an explanation why she was on their ship! However, they stopped when they realized out Adelle was a girl.
So… after careful consideration, Bigalo decided to keep her as a sort of apprentice pirate. The boiler suit had disguised her young body, making most think she was a boy. She couldn't have been older than ten, but the girl was already a pirate.
They spared her, if only out of pity… Not that they had a lot of it!
"…Do you really believe there's treasure on your home island?"
Roba froze at Adelle's question. She had grown close to the lass, and Roba didn't want to lie to her.
But the legendary treasure of Mecha Island was that, a legend. No one really knew if or where a chest was hidden, or a hoard concealed inside a cave.
She just wanted to get home to her son!
"…There's treasure there. I'm sure of it!"
Adelle could only nod, taking Roba at her word.
O O O
King Cello sat alone in a carriage as it drove through the streets of Maruchi town.
It was a padded dual seated coach, the inside laced in magenta fabric and gilded with patterned steel. The outside was trimmed with gold, on top of panels of white pearl. His chauffeur sat on the back as a look out, while his driver held the reins steering two white horses towards their destination.
Cello wore no crown as king. Or at least, he never felt a need too.
He much preferred his three piece black suit, top hat, and long robin egg blue scarf. His sandy blonde hair was combed back, slick and proper. And Cello also kept his beard thin, and moustache twirled.
The king sat with his legs crossed, holding his walking stick across his lap. A long black shaft with a golden serpent curled around it, it's head extending into the handle. He truthfully never needed it, but a gentleman should always look his best, and this cane was part of his ensemble.
…Cello thought about the Treasure Wars this year. Their were quite a few visitors this time around.
G-8 would be arriving as an honour guard. What was left of them, anyway. With the global recall to Marine Headquarters, their navy base was ferociously understaffed. The city guards were going to have to pick up the slack in the mean time, just in case people got any ideas.
They also had a visiting monarch this year. Doctor Ratchet, the ruler of Mecha Island!
However, this made Cello nervous. Rachet, had only ascended the thrown recently, and he was an arrogant little brat! They hadn't met for negotiations yet, but Cello wouldn't put it past Rachet to start making demands as soon as they sat down to speak. He's seen the state of Mecha Island, and it was absolutely horrific to subjugate an island like that.
Then there was the Holy Mandate, showcasing the execution of Portgas D. Ace…
Was the Navy crazy!? This was an open invitation for Whitebeard to invade Marineford! Cello would have felt a lot safer knowing the Yonko stayed on their side of the Red Line, where they belonged!
It may be a delicate power balance between the marines, yonko, and warlords—but actively antagonizing an Emperor of the Sea was just crazy! Cello just hoped the marines had Vegapunk cook up something powerful for them, otherwise, it would be complete chaos!
And all of this during the Treasure Wars Festival too…
Cello sighed. They'll have to put the festival on hold for a day, just to watch the proceedings, "Such a waste…"
The carriage stopped and knock sounded on the door. "We're here, you're majesty."
"Good, good…" The king stood up, adjusting the dark monocle over his left eye. It was time to start the opening ceremonies. He tapped the door with his cane, and a moment later, the door opened.
Cello stepped out onto a vibrant red carpet. The crowd cheered as the citizens saw their king. Cello formally waved, reservedly, befitting a man of his station.
Marines were lined up on either side of the carpet, each holding a rifle by the butt and resting on their soldiers. A pair of guards walked him down the isle, the marines saluting as he passed.
The two traded off and Cello was met with Lieutenant Commander Dreak, and a boy he did not recognize. "Commander… And who might this be?" While he did respect Jonathan for his choice of personnel, he did find Dreak to be a bit too serious for his liking.
The boy cleared his throat, "Marine Ensign Toma, sir. I'm visiting for the occasion." Cello also disapproved of how casual the lad was with his clothing, but he supposed it didn't matter in the end. They walked with him on stage, still following the carpet.
It was remarkably done, in the time it was assembled. The red carpet laid atop a white sparking sheet, draping over the platform. A pair of curtains stood erected on a frame, with garland and roses hung with the drapes. At the front, a podium stood where he would address the people. And a den-den mushi was on the desk.
The marines stopped at the end of the corner, and King Cello stepped up to the podium. He raised a hand, signalling the crowd to quiet down.
"…Welcome, Welcome!" His voice echoed in the square, projected by speakers, "Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the 75th quinquennial Treasure War Festival!"
The crowd roared cheering their king on as the Royal made his address.
"Thank you! Thank you for coming…!" the king said over the cheers and holler. They quieted down as Cello continued. "Now! As you know, there will be a pause in this year's Treasure War, due to the World Government mandate. In light of these events, I have decided to extend the festival another three days." The people cheered as they heard that news.
"Furthermore, I would like to remind you all that sign up is still mandatory before searching. Boats will be available for anyone who needs to travel between the islands. Now… The challenges for this year are as—"
*BOOM!*
O O O
"What the hell was that!?" The red-headed Helsing cursed as dust flew up into her eyes. People screamed as a large dust cloud erupted in the square.
"Boss! What happened!?" A hunchback named Cal asked. "Was this part of the plan!?" The public fountain had been demolished and in its place was a large crater.
"Of course this wasn't part of the plan! Where is that damn demanio!?" She brought out a spyglass and scanned the roof tops. Their sniper wasn't at their perch yet!
Their original plan was to let the little king make his boring speech and then snipe the posh bastard as he announced the begin of the race! But now, with that little crater in the square, the guards were going to be more alert then ever!
"What do we do, boss?"
Hellsing peered down into the crater, "…Maybe we can make use of this." There was a man where the fountain was. A man without a hand, but she recognized him from the wanted posters. Maxwell "Magister" Trevelyan was in the Creamy Mist Archipelago. If he could keep the guard distracted, then maybe the plan wasn't complete scrap yet.
"Keep the signal ready. The plan hasn't changed! …But where is that sniper, dammit!? Argh! This is why no one hires aqueros anymore!"