This chapter took me for ever and had tons of words. 3700 to be exact. I'm too tired to do much of an authors note. Enjoy. Tell me what you think. Vote pls.
The Devil opened his eyes as the spray from the ocean kicked up into the air. He looked about him judging where he was, realizing that he was on an outcropping of rocks in the middle of the ocean, South Blue by the taste.
"Have you seen a ship boy!" A skeleton of a man sat before him, a large sack of gold spilled out beside him. "If not stay on your side. Don't make me repeat myself, I've not the energy."
The Devil approached him. Placing himself before the man to find he knew him. "Well if it isn't 'Red Leg' Zef. I think your a little young to be calling me boy." He chuckled.
"Oh it's you." Zef huffed. "I'd spit on yah if I had any, sorry." His shoulders seemed to slump further.
"Is that any way to treat someone who could save you?" The Devil pretended to be hurt.
"I wouldn't want to be saved by you even if you would do it." Zef sighed. "I don't like owing anything to anyone."
The Devil nodded at that. He could understand, especially when it came to him. Life wasn't easy for those who owed the Devil. "I'm assuming your not alone from what you said earlier. Who else is here?" He asked.
"Just some squirt who got washed up here with me." The Devil could here the care in Zef's voice even though he had tried to hide it.
"You saved him didn't you." The Devil pointed out.
Zef looked up into the sky. "Yes I did."
"Why?" The Devil asked. "Your rumored to be merciless. Why save him?"
"He wants to find the All Blue." Was the quiet answer he received.
"Her 'back yard' huh." The Devil said wistfully.
"Yah." Zef smiled. "That's why I saved him. Much good it did him though." His mood darkened.
"Can he cook?" The Devil asked.
"He worked in the kitchen for the ship he was on." Zef shrugged. "As far as if he can cook, how should I know."
"I'm looking for a cook to join a crew, though not for a few years at least." The Devil explained. "Seeing as you don't want to make a deal, will you teach him to cook if he chooses to make one with me?"
"Sure. I got nothing better to do now anyways." His back straightened at the thought of a new purpose. "But only if he agrees. We'll both die if he doesn't."
"Agreed." The Devil smiled.
"Crap. You got me." Zef chuckled.
"It's me." The Devil gave a bow. "I always get a deal when I want one."
"Just go to the boy already." Zef husked. "He should be on the other side watching for a ship."
"I'll be on my way then." The Devil gave another bow. And began making his way over to where the boy was supposed to be.
Sanji sat there watching the ocean, hoping against all odd that a ship would come in site. It had been three days since he had gone to the other side of their little island. He still couldn't wrap around his mind the fact that the pirate Zef had given all the food to him. The only thing he had eaten in that entire time was his only leg. What would cause someone to sacrifice so much for a complete stranger? Sanji couldn't understand.
"A restaurant huh?" He said to himself. "I think I would like that." For the old man he would make it happen, if the lived that is.
"How's it hanging kid." He swung his head around in surprise. Sitting behind him was a man in wearing a cloak. He could not quite see his face, but one of his eyes seemed to glow eerily.
"Who are you? How did you get here?" Sanji shouted, though it came out barely more than a whisper. It hadn't rained in sometime.
"I'm the Devil come to make an offer for your soul." The man grinned.
"The Devil?" Sanji asked. He must be hallucinating.
"Yes, 'The Devil'." The man made quoting signs with his hands. "I need a cook for a ship and you've got the potential I need. Though the fact that you could die from starvation any minute now is a downsider." The man seemed unhappy about something. "So for the price of your soul I'll get you off this rock."
"I won't leave the geezer. He said my life. And gave me all the food." The last part Sanji mumbled.
"Make the deal and you can take him with you. I don't care." The man shrugged.
"How do I know your not lying?" Sanji asked. The man really didn't seem trustworthy.
"Kid, you haven't seen anyone beside the old man over there in months." Exasperation in the man's voice. "I'm either telling the truth or I'm a figment of your imagination." The man stood up. "Either way your screwed for the rest of your life. Whether it's dead tomorrow or sold to the Devil, you don't have many options."
Sanji thought about it and realized he was right. He didn't have a lot of options. "Fine, it's a deal." The man walked up to him and stuck out his hand. Slowly Sanji took it.
"In your current condition this is gunna feel like a train wreck." The man said as pain struck him so fiercely he fell to his knees. He tried to scream but nothing would come out as the pain drove him further towards the ground. It was the most pain he had ever experienced before, he didn't think anything could hurt worse. Then his left leg felt like it was on fire. This time he did manage to scream.
"When you wake up," He heard the mans words as if they were in his head. "Look to the North West. A ship will be there. Don't miss it." As the man's words finished the pain became a dull throb and Sanji's vision blurred. Moments later darkness claimed him.
It was uncanny how close the boy was to Quil's description, The Devil thought. He could easily see the boy growing up to look the way she described. And with Zef's training he would be able to fit the chef requirements. He would just have to keep on eye on him.
"Well there's not much I could do. I already told Zef I'd give him a chance." The Devil said to himself. "I just hope his looks dont go to his head and he becomes a love struck idiot."
He took one more look at the boy. He had a strong will to live, that was good. Now it was time to find the next member on the list, a doctor. He closed his eyes and took a step.
"Nice to see you again." The Devil opened his eyes to find himself face to face with another old friend. A man wearing a crazy hat that looked more like a flower arrangement and glasses.
"Cronus my friend." The Devil grinned. "How are you?" They quickly embraced.
"Ouah!" The land they were on shook as a loud roar sounded.
"Don't think I forgot you Laboon." The Devil turned towards the large whale from West Blue.
"Wouh." Laboon gave a toothy grin.
The Devil waved before turning back to Cronus. "What have you been up to since 'He' died." He asked the man.
Cronus just shook his head. "Same as before he was born. Taking care of Laboon." He turned and started walking towards the light house. "Your presence explains why Laboon calmed down and stopped attacking the red wall."
"He's still doing that huh." The Devil shook his head with a sad look upon his face.
"Yah. He refuses to believe their all dead." Cronus sighed as he opened the door for The Devil. "For him their just waiting on the other side."
"I know how that feels." The Devil took a seat. "It's hard not to believe things can just return to how they were."
Cronus sat there in silence before asking, "So, what's the occasion for your visit?"
"I'm putting together a crew." Cronus looked up in surprise.
"Your going to do 'that' again?" There was evident worry in his voice. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"
"I'm going to go about it differently this time." The Devil leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. "This time I won't be guiding the crew. They'll be going there own way. I've made to many mistakes trying to force things to fix themselves. I'm going to let them learn and decide things for themselves."
"Well," Cronus rubbed his chin. "What do you need from me?"
"I need a doctor for the crew. Think your up for another run?" The Devil grinned.
"No." Cronus answered as he retrieved a drink from the kitchen. "Things worked out last time cause I had reasons of my own to go out." He sat down across from The Devil. "I've got no reason to go to sea this time."
"That's fine. I'm sure I can find a doctor somewhere else." The Devil sighed. It would have been nice to have a familiar face on board.
"Try Drum Kingdom." Cronus suggested. "They've supposedly got the best doctors in the world." He opened his drink and took a sip.
"Good idea." The Devil nodded his head. "Get a youngun with potential." He stood up and made his way to the door.
"I hope things work out for you." Cronus said quietly as he left.
"Me too, friend. Me too." The Devil whispered to himself as he closed his eyes. An image of a young doctor with potential on Drum Kingdom in his mind.
And opened his eyes to see a giant hand coming right at him. "Crap this is gunna hurt like a-" And he was sent flying through several trees till he landed in a deep snow bank.
He struggled a bit to pull himself out as he heard the solid crunching of the steps of whatever had just tried to teach him to fly, unsuccessfully to. "Well lets get a good look at you buddy." He mumbled as the monster came into sight.
"Wroar!" The beast cried, breathing heavily. It was as tall as the trees and looked like a reindeer crossed with a giant. It was also wearing a strange pink hat, and one of its antlers looked like it had been repaired with a medal band.
"Somebody ate all their vegetables." The Devil said as its gaze turned to him.
"Wroar!" Several trees shook from the ferocity of its roar. It took quick lumbering steps towards him as it raised its hand to strike at him again. The Devil jumped out of the way and then took up a fighting stance.
"Your not the only heavy hitter here buddy." He said as his fist crusted over with diamond. "I got a great surprise for you." He bit into his diamond thumb and blew until his fist was almost as big as the monster reindeer.
"Giant's Treasured Fist!" He shouted as the beast roared in response taking the hit head on, grabbing the edges of his fist. Somehow the beast was able to bring his fist to a stop, though it looked like it had been hit by a train. Blood was flowing from several injuries, a sever one on its head.
"I'm impressed!" The Devil grinned as his fist returned to its original size and components, his own chest heaving from the effort of using so many abilities at the same time. "Let's see how you handle this." He trust his left hand open behind him and his right in front of him clenched in a fist. Slowly his hands and feet began to glow.
The creature roared as it grabbed a tree from next to it and swung it like a club before rushing him. It's mouth hung open in a earsplitting roar. "Holy Light's Fist!" The Devil shouted as the light from his legs shifted through his body to his hands. His right fist shot forward as the backlash energy fired from his open left hand. His right fist struck the creature in the middle of its chest, driving it off its feet and throwing it back through the forest till it crashed in the distance.
The Devil stood there for a second to catch his breath. "Did that take care of ya?" He wondered out loud. Slowly he straightened from his stance and looked behind him. "Whoa!" There was a straight path of melted snow for as far as he could see. "Hope there wasn't a village that way."
"Chopper?!" he heard a woman's voice cry out from where he had sent the creature flying. Silently he made his way over towards where the smokey ruins where the creature lay. At least what remained of it. In the center of the impact lay a tiny reindeer, its body battered and bruised, blood dyed the snow all around it.
"Oh Chopper what happened to you?" A tall thin woman with gray hair and wrinkled skin was crouched beside it. She was quickly bandaging its wounds.
"I'd stay away from that thing." The Devil called to her. "It nearly put a bad end to my day." The woman looked over at him, surprise on her face.
"You did this to him?" She asked as she stood up, facing him.
"Yah." He leaned against a tree that had been knocked down in the fight. "It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that much." He was still exhausted. "I haven't used that many abilities in a fight in a long time." He laughed.
'Slap' He saw stars as his mined register that he had been hit. He looked at the woman who was now standing before him. She was breathing heavily, he eyes glowing with rage and tears.
"How could you do something like that?" She grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him into the tree behind him. "What did he ever do to you? He's just a boy!"
"Ugh." Her head whipped around as the reindeer groaned.
"It's ok Chopper! I'm right here!" She assured it.
"It's out cold." The Devil said as he came closer. Only now that things calmed down he was able to sense that 'Chopper' had eaten a devil fruit. What kind of fruit could change a deer into 'that' he didn't know. He was still to wiped out to tell what fruit it was. "Just a reflex of the brain to make sure he's still alive."
"No thanks to you!" The woman yelled without looking at him. She continued bandaging it's wounds.
After a few minutes of working she sat back and sighed. "He's stable now. Though I'll need to take a better look at him once were back at the castle." She began walking away before turning back towards The Devil. "Well what are you waiting for?" She asked him.
"What are you talking about?" The Devil stood there dumbfounded. This woman was crazy! And he knew crazy, he'd been there before. "Look lady, I don't know what's going through your head but I need to go find me a doctor. So sorry for whatever you think is happening, cause its not."
"The name's Kureiha." She put her hand on her hip and pulled a extended cigarette from nowhere. "That's doctor Kureiha to you, not lady. And as far as doctors go on this island, your looking at the only two."
"I think you hit your head 'doctor' Kureiha." The Devil gestured around them. "You and I are the only ones here." He folded his arms. "And I know I'm not a doctor. Don't have the patience for it."
"Your an idiot aren't you." Kureiha stated. "You think that reindeer's an ordinary reindeer?" She pointed to the said reindeer. "His name is Tony Tony Chopper. And he ate the human human fruit."
The Devil put his fist in his hand in a Aha motion. "So that's the fruit it ate!"
"He ate. I told you, he has a name." Kureiha corrected, folding her arms cigarette held in her hand.
"I apologize." The Devil bowed. "I won't forget again." He came up with a smile upon his face. "So you and young Tony are the only doctors on the island?" he asked.
"That's correct. Now pick him up and I'll explain more when we get to the castle." She pointed at Chopper and turned. Apparently she expected him to obey with out question. Well he did need a doctor. Maybe Tony could be that doctor. He quickly picked him up and followed the mad doctor.
They ended up walking down the path that his last attack cleared and so the journey was much easier. Though he was worried about this castle she had mention. It was quite a powerful blast. Using two parmician powers on top of the 'regulars' was hard to control in his current state.
He shouldn't have worried. The castle was on top of a mountain and his blast had barely left a mark at that distance. And the means of getting to the top was conveniently close to the cleared path. Though Kureiha did chew him out about that. Apparently no one knew she had started living at the castle. "Where's the king if your living in the castle?" He asked her.
"I said I'd explain when we got there so wait." Was all she said. Clearly the chance of being discovered annoyed her more than he had realized. They quickly made there way up to the castle and Kureiha gave a better inspection of Chopper, bandaging him up again.
"Well you did quite a number on him." She sighed as she finally took a seat. "Wanna tell me what happened?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Sure but you owe me an explanation first." The Devil responded, also raising his eyebrow.
"Lets move to another room." She stood up and headed towards the door. "I don't want to disturb Chopper." The Devil followed her without saying a word.
"Our king was a selfish man who decided he wanted to have the best doctors to himself." She took a seat beside the fireplace in the room. It was a nice room, a bed in one corner and a desk and shelves in the opposite corner. Though all the weapons on the wall took away from the homelyness. "So he enlisted the twenty best doctors as his personal doctors and outlawed the rest." She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the next part of her story, a tear sliding down her cheek. "All the doctors except myself and one other fled the country. That other doctor was terrible and called a quack." She smiled remembering the person. "He is also the man who opened the heart of that blue nosed reindeer."
"I'm guessing from your words before that he died." He stated. "No disrespect intended." He quickly added when she glared at him, his hands up in a placating motion. "You clearly hold him with very high regards."
She smiled. "Yah, he was something else. He gave his life to save this sick country."
"The country is sick?" The Devil asked. That was never good.
"It's people have grown sick in their hearts." She sighed. "That's why I've taken up residency here. There's something here that will help begin the healing process." She seemed lost in thought when suddenly she turned her attention to him. "You said you need a doctor? If its for any of the injuries you got fighting Chopper you can forget it." She looked him up and down. "Though you like fine compared to him."
"It's not for any injury I have. It takes more than that to put a scratch on me." He pounded his chest, causing him to wince slightly. "But it was a close one." He admitted. "No. It's for a crew I'm putting together." He leaned forward. "I need a young doctor with lots of potential to join a pirate crew in a few years or so, I lose track of time so I'm not exactly sure when it would be."
"Well I'm only a hundred and twenty so I could probably help, for the right price." She grinned. "Wanna know the secret to my youthful appearance?"
"No thanks on both accounts." He quickly turned her down. "No. I had thought maybe Chopper could be that doctor. If you call him a doctor along with yourself he must be pretty good."
"You saw the effects of one of his medical experiment yourself." She went over to a table covered in odd shaped bottles and picked up a gold ball from a bowl filled with them.
"Medicine did that to him?" He asked, skepticism apparent in his voice.
"That's right." She tossed him the gold ball in her hand. "With that, to be more specific." She returned to her seat. "He calls it the 'Rumble Ball', a drug he put together that allows him to surpass the zoan limit of three forms."
"Pfft." He tried to stifle a laugh but failed. She gave him a weird look. "The three form limit is something man put on themselves subconsciously. They just couldn't comprehend the potential of the zoan types. That's quite impressive, I definitely want him for this crew." He grinned before pulling a scroll from his pocket. "Give this to him."
"What is it?" She asked as she took it from him.
"It's a contract agreeing to sell his soul to me. In return I will grant his deepest wish." He turned as if to leave.
"His deepest wish?" She asked.
"To belong." He said over his shoulder.
"He does belong." She said, her voice defensive. "He belongs here with me."
"Not in his heart." He shook his head. "For him you are obligated to take care of him for your friend who died. And he feels obligated to you for taking care of him. But he doesn't feel like he belongs, for him, he feels the need to go abroad." And then he took a step and disappeared.