One Dream: Voyage 9

Past Voyage

Voyage 8: Plated Fist Urufu
'''WORK IN PROGRESS. DON'T READ. '''

''Lookout: Land ho!! Captain! I've finally spotted some land!''

''From above the deck, Pierce's scout, holding a pair of binoculars, could indeed spot some form of landmass approaching their ship. It seemed to be rather green in particular; almost looking like an overgrown bush had grown on the surface of the island. From below the crow's nest, Pierce could be seen walking towards the main mast supporting it.''

Pierce: So we've finally arrived, huh...?

''He looked down, to see his son sitting up against the mast. Ever since he was publicly assaulted and humiliated in front of the crew by his very own father, all Spike had wanted to do from that point on was sit by his lonesome and reflect on the events that lead up to this exact moment. He hadn't even spoken a word since Pierce's abuse; merely looking down at the floor, appearing clearly troubled. So much so, he had never even noticed Pierce nearby.''

Pierce: Seems it's almost time, Spike.

The young boy glanced upward at his captain and father out of the corner of his eye; not feeling any desire to lift his head to meet his gaze properly.

Pierce: Soon we'll both be able to get on with our lives, and I'll have one less burden on my shoulders.

Pierce tilted his head up at the crow's nest.

Pierce: Can you describe the layout of the island?!

''Lookout: Well, sir, I believe those are some huge trees I see growing on the island! Plus, I think I can see...! ...Bubbles! There are bubbles floating all over the place, sir!''

''Pierce: Bubbles and giant trees? The Grand Line just keeps getting weirder and weirder... Nicely done, man!''

Pierce then directed his attention back to Spike, without taking his eyes off of this strange new land before him.

''Pierce: Seems that's where we'll settle this, Spike. Better make yourself ready, my boy.''

''With that, Pierce walked off in the opposite direction while Spike quietly observed the steadily oncoming island out of the other corner of his eye. And thus, for the remainder of the time, that's how things stayed. It left a rather uncomfortable tension in the air aboard the ship. The crew was definitely expecting something to happen once they reached the island, but they just couldn't accurately guess what it was that would be going down there. As time flew by, the island came closer and closer, until they had finally reached its green, grassy shores. Upon docking their ship, Pierce returned, right on schedule. Spike however, remained in the same exact position as he had been this entire time. He too was sensing dread and anxiety overcoming him. Pierce wasn't done punishing him for eating the Devil Fruit; no, he had more in store for his foolish son.''

Pierce: Well gentlemen, I believe it's finally time.

Pierce pointed at two pirates amongst the crowd.

''Pierce: You and you, help escort our little cabin boy. See to it that he never sets foot on this ship again.''

Pirate 1: Aye sir.

Pirate 2: Roger.

''Spike looked up at his two crewmates as they walked towards him. Why did Pierce wait until now to finally deal with Spike? And why was he ordering his men to carry out the deed instead of himself? Was this going to be a murder? Were they going to torture Spike? Torture and THEN murder? Spike's head was racing with thoughts; all as dreadful as the last. While he sat there with an indifferent, yet still clearly confused look on his face, the two pirates grabbed Spike by the arms; one for each pirate, and proceeded to walk towards the bow of the ship. Finally, Spike's silence was broken.''

''Spike: Wait, what's going on? What are you guys doing?!''

''Wanting to be let go, Spike began to swing his legs furiously in the air, but to no avail. He was still being lead somewhere against his will. By the same people became so fond of and close to. The crewmates he considered to be friends, and since he knew many if not all of them since birth, he could even say they were like family to him. Now his family, by orders of captain Pierce, was taking him away from the only true home he ever knew; the Pierce Pirates' ship. However, unlike their captain, the two pirates couldn't help but hide their grimacing faces as they marched down the deck of the ship. They didn't want to do this, and even felt guilty about it. Like a good number of the others, they too had formed a sort of brotherly bond with Spike during the short 5 years they got to know each other. And now they were forced to get rid of him against their will. Hoping to relieve himself of his guilt, one of the escorts did his best to whisper a message to the squirming Spike.''

''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzEJtojLJJo Beginning to end. Please open in a new tab or window.] '''

''Pirate 1 (whispering): Sorry about this, Spike. We really are...''

Spike: Huh?

Motivated by his partner's boldness, the second escort followed suit.

''Pirate 2: We don't want to do this to you. We loved having you in our crew, even if you were a handful at times. But orders are orders... Even if you and the captain will never see eye to eye again, and even if you hate all of us now, I hope you'll try and forgive us someday...''

''Spike: Wha... What are you guys saying?! C'mon, cut it out already!!''

''Despite wanting to defy Pierce, and even despite Spike's pleas, the two pirates continued their march. They took their first steps off the ship and on to the shore of the island. They continued walking further and further inland, towards a rather massive mangrove tree. Once at its roots, they set Spike down on to his feet. The young boy looked up at the two of them with a quizzical look. What were they going to do next? As if on cue, Pierce's announcement managed to clear all this up to the confused child''

Pierce: This is where we part ways, Spike.

Spike (eyes widened): Huh...?

''Pierce: From this day forth, you are no longer the cabin boy of the Pierce Pirates. Nor are you my idiot son. And so I can't allow you to sail on my ship with us anymore.''

''The rest of the Pierce Pirates became increasingly tense with each word spoken. Some looked downward, others bit their lips, and some even did both. None of them had the heart to see one of their own, a 5 year old boy, be treated in such a manner.''

''Pierce: Normally, I'd kill anyone who'd get in the way of our profit. But... as annoying as it is, I can't help but go easy on you, since we're flesh and blood. So consider this a generous act from your former father and captain; the man who helped bring you into this world and continued to support you up until now. We're leaving you behind, Spike! As punishment for eating the Devil Fruit we worked so hard to find!''

''Spike became completely flabbergasted. Normally, the thought you'd be left alive after upsetting a crew of pirates would be something to be thankful for. But this, for a young boy who loved being a pirate and had no way of fending for himself, this was nothing short than a fate worse than death. Separated from his loved ones, left in an unknown location as a total outsider, and even worse, to be exiled from a pirate crew and no longer experience the thrill of adventure. This completely broke Spike's heart; shattering it into small, unfixable pieces.''

''Pierce: Alright men, I've said my piece. C'mon. We have no reason to stay here. Let's get going.''

''The two escorts grimly turned their backs to Spike and proceeded to return to the ship. Spike raised his hand in the air out towards them, as if to try and grab one of them and bring them back towards him.''

Spike (upset): W-Wait, no! Stop!!

''He had only taken one step forward before a shot rang out. Next to his right foot, there was a marking on the ground. Someone had fired a bullet in his general direction. Aboard the ship, Pierce could be seen holding a pistol in his hand.''

''Pierce: We're not stopping, Spike. For anything or anyone. I know you're not one to instantly obey orders, so I guess this is the only way to make you listen.''

''As the two pirates got closer to the ship, Spike could feel himself twitch a little. He wanted to move forward out of impulse, but common sense told him to stay put, lest he be shot dead on the spot. Pierce could see Spike struggling to stay still, and so he cocked his gun and took aim at the boy's head.''

''Pierce: This is finally goodbye. Let this be a lesson to you, men! Cross me as this boy has, and you'll meet a similar if not worse fate than his!''

The escorts boarded their ship, and the anchor was pulled back up.

''Pierce: Let's cast off! We gotta follow the needle on the Log Pose before this place's magnetic field throws us off course!''

''And so, the Pierce Pirates began to head back into the open waters as Spike stared in horror. He could feel a lump in his throat. This in turn managed a visible trembling frown to manifest upon his lips. Aboard his ship, Pierce left his abandoned son his final words.''

''Pierce: Welcome home, Spike! As your former father, let this be my final lesson to you! If you act without thinking, all you'll face is hardship! Enjoy the miserable fate you've brought upon yourself!''

''While the ship sailed off towards the horizon, Spike couldn't hold back his feelings any longer. Pierce's words hit him hard. Hard enough to make him run towards the edge of the shore, with tears and snot running down his face, in a desperate attempt to try and redeem himself towards his ex-crewmates.''

''Spike (crying): NO, COME BACK!!! I'M SORRY!!! I'LL DO BETTER NEXT TIME!!! I PROMISE!!! PLEASE, I DON'T WANNA BE LEFT ALL ALONE!!! I WANNA BE A PIRATE!!! COME BACK!!!''

''His sorrowful request went unanswered. Struck with a huge sense of grief, all Spike could do now was fall to his knees and sob over his fate. He was now effectively marooned on a mysterious, bubble and mangrove-infested island, with no one around to keep him company. He wasn't even an official pirate anymore. Everything he had was now gone.''

Spike (sobbing): ...COME BAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!

''And so minutes turned to hours, hours turned to days, and days turned to weeks. Knowing his father and crewmates had left him for good, Spike's thoughts steadily turned from sorrow to anger. And instead of allowing it to fester, it merely pushed Spike into taking action. In the coming weeks, Spike ventured further into the island he was left on. Among his many discoveries, he eventually learned he wasn't all alone as he and the Pierce Pirates first thought. Instead, this was a decently populated location, with a community as active as any other. Though this was of little comfort to Spike. He was still a loner, and undoubtedly no one would welcome him with open arms; even if he was only just a homeless child. Sure, there would be the good Samaritan ere and there, but for the most part, life would never be easy for a foreigner when amongst a crowd of natives. So instead of waiting and hoping for a miracle to fall into his lap, Spike resorted to the one thing he learned during his years as a pirate...''

''Male Islander: Hey, you brat! Get back here! That's my food!''

''He stole and scavenged for his life. Whatever it took to get him what he wanted most; revenge. He would take wood, be it sticks on the ground, branches on trees, or even the lumber owned by someone else. He would also take food and beverages as supplies; no matter whom it originally belonged to. And just in case, he'd also take things of interest or necessity, such as Log Poses, Eternal Poses, clothing and so on. It was clear what he was intending to do.''

''Spike (smirking proudly): There. Now I'm ready to go back out to sea.''

''Standing upon the shore of the island, Spike stared down his newly constructed wooden raft. Complete with a white sail and mast; albeit poorly built together in comparison to professionally designed ships. Scattered across its "deck" were the items he had stolen.''

''Spike (pumping his fists in the air): LET'S DO THIS!! I'M COMING FOR YOU, EX-DAD!!''

However, the very minute he went out at least a foot or two past the island...

''Spike (flailing wildly): GLAGLUGUGUGUGUGUG!! [cough] SOMEONE...! SAVE ME...!!''

''He would somehow be knocked into the water, either through falling overboard or a rogue wave smashing apart his raft. However, luck would always somehow be on his side, as he would always be brought back up on shore. Having eaten a Devil Fruit, he was no longer accepted by the sea, and was now cursed to sink helplessly to his demise whenever he'd fall in; only to drown a sad, lonely death. It was this lifestyle he would be forced to suffer through for weeks, going on months. Stealing, building, drowning. Then the cycle would repeat itself; over and over again, much to Spike's misfortune. Made even worse that he would sometimes run afoul of otherwise unscrupulous characters.''

''Bounty Hunter: Hey, what do you think you're doing, kid?! That doesn't belong to you!''

''The bounty hunter smacked Spike across the face with the back of his hand; easily knocking him on to the ground on his back. This didn't deter Spike however, as he got back up only to try again.''

''Spike (annoyed): C'mon! It's just one lousy gun! You can always get another! Now gimme it!''

''Spike ran towards the bounty hunter in the hopes of snatching the pistol out of his hands. All the bounty hunter had to do was step back and kick Spike in the back of his head to push the boy back down.''

''Bounty Hunter: Now, now, that isn't very polite of you. Didn't your parents raise you right?''

''This only served to trigger Spike's temper, as he recalled his ex-father and the wat in which he treated Spike previously. Spike rose back to his feet and turned to face the bounty hunter. Bruises and dirt covered his face, neck and hands. Even his clothes appeared worn and dirty.''

''Bounty Hunter: You're a stubborn one, aren't you? Here, let me teach you why it's not smart to play with guns...''

''The bounty hunter aimed his pistol at Spike, then pulled back on the reloading mechanism. Spike grunted in response; his painful memories coming back to him more and more. As it did, he could feel himself change inside. Not just his swelling emotions, but a physical transformation too.''

Spike (morphing): RaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!

''As he had done months ago, Spike began to change shape; from human to dinosaur. However, this time, it seemed to be slightly different. He was now taller than either of his human or dinosaur forms and still retained his kentrosaurus features; the beak (now appearing more like human lips,) the brown scales, the tail, the plates and the definitive back, shoulder and tail spines. However, he also still appeared rather human; retaining a human face, his blonde hair, five fingers on his hands, and his human bipedal stance. He was now effectively half human, half kentrosaurus. This monstrous visage was so shocking, it had left the bounty hunter and his nearby companions shocked. They had seen Devil Fruit users before, but had never come across one such as this.''

Bounty Hunters (intimidated): WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!!!

Spike (psyched up): RAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!

''Now after having changed shape, Spike took the initiative and put his new appearance to good use; by beating up the bounty hunters single-handedly and stealing their goods by force. Of course though, this victory wasn't won without sacrifice. Spike had received quite a few wounds as a result. Wounds that would hinder him for a while to come. But still driven to get back at Pierce for what he had done, Spike drove on. Another raft made, and another raft sunk. Despite his incredible powers, he simply had no skill or aptitude in creating ships; let alone navigating them. And so he went back to the drawing board. More stealing, and inevitable more fights. Bounty hunters, pirates, Marines, slave traders, civilians. All was fair game to him. Their needs didn't matter to Spike. And why should they? The only important thing to do was set out to sea and get revenge on Pierce.''

''This dangerous, yet humdrum routine carried on for what seemed to be forever. That is, until one fateful day...''

''Spike (bruised and worn out): Phew! Another raft, at last. This one better damn well work this time.''

''Putting his faith into his creation, Spike shoved the wooden mass into the sea and hopped aboard it. Countless failures helped to make Spike wiser and more cautious. Surely this time he'd sail out to the next island and beyond!''

''Spike (flailing): GLAGH!! HELP...!!''

''...Or perhaps he'd fall in once more, unfortunately enough. And as today was unlike the days before, it seemed this time, Spike had finally reached his end. No curious fishermen to reel him in. No kind sea animals to push him back to shore. Even the current and waves weren't helping today.''

''Spike: GAGHB!!! [spits out water from his mouth] SAVE ME...!!! I DON'T WANNA DIE...!!!''

''Those were his final words, before the head fell below the surface. Spike's remaining strength continued to spill out of his body as he fell lower and lower into the darkness below. Even his resistance began to slow until he had begun to become perfectly still. Spike's eyes were the next to go, as not only his vision began to blur, but his eyelids were starting to close.''

Spike (weakly thinking): No... It can't end this way... ...Dad...

''Then there was silence. It seemed this was the end for Spike. The sad, unfortunate drowning of a child who was thrown to the wolves and left to die on his own. Truly a tragic fate for one so young. ...Until he appeared. A large, muscular figure, diving gracefully into the ocean with abandon. There wasn't much action above the surface afterward. However, at least 5 to 10 seconds after the initial dive, the figure came leaping back like a missile from the ocean, and back on to the shore. Draped over his shoulder and held by his hand was a smaller person. The small figure wasn't moving at all. The larger figure stood silently at first. Almost a minute or two passed until he decided to walk back inland.''

''Finally, his eyes opened. Spike coughed and wheezed a little as he was left propped up against the root of a mangrove tree. His clothes were damp as well. It appears today was his lucky day as well after all; someone or something had saved him. Spike panted as he tried to regain strength in his body and observe his current location.''

''Spike (panting): Huff... Huff... Wha... Huff... What happened...? Huff... Where am I...? Huff...''

''???: Quit talking. Just breathe.''

''Spike's brain scrambled to try and focus on where the voice was coming from. It was obviously nearby at least. He slowly scanned his head around for a while until his eyes fell upon a truly odd sight.''

''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDHoUOD81nY&feature=related Beginning - 1:13. Please open in a new tab or window.] '''

''Before his eyes stood a well built man; tall and imposing in posture. However, he seemed inhuman at the same time as well. His skin was jet black, far blacker than the average dark skin tone for humans, and there was a dorsal fin emerging from his back! His head appeared to be bald, allowing for his unusual skin color to be seen, even from his backside. He seemed to be wearing a long, navy blue coat with clean white slacks that ran down to his ankles. From there, it could be seen that the man was barefoot, and thus revealing more of his black skin. Spike, while recovering from his near death experience, couldn't help but stare in awe at this bizarre man. He couldn't recall what had happened to him earlier, and why he blacked out, but he felt something in his gut telling him it might have had something to do with the barefoot, bald man.''

''Spike (better rested): Hey, who are you...? Why are you here...?''

??? (sighing): ...Geez, you're talkative for someone who nearly drowned.

''Then it hit Spike. He almost drowned. The memory came back to him almost instantly by that point. He also began to slowly recall feeling someone pulling him up from the ocean and break past the surface. His eyes widened slightly as he began to connect his thoughts together.''

Spike: So you know the guy who saved me?!

This unexpected response caused the man to quickly turn around, point at Spike and bark at him.

''???: Are you dense, boy?!!! I saved you!!''

''From this side, the man appeared to be even stranger. His entire front side was visible underneath the undone coat; revealing his entire front side was white from the waist up, until his forehead. His hands and feet were webbed, and his knuckles, hands and head were riddled with scars. Baring his teeth, it appeared they were sharp fangs; unlike that of regular human teeth. Clearly, this guy wasn't human at all.''

'''WORK IN PROGRESS. DON'T READ. '''