Astrid Dupree sat in the brig of her ship. Most pirates feared attack from Marines or other pirates and as such couldn't relax. Astrid didn't have that worry. She used the powers of her Ice-Ice fruit to constantly cool the water around her ship, creating a large fog field. Her crew was used to working in the fog and could see through it better than most sailors.
Astrid looked at her captive. The priestly man sat with his hands and arms chained to the iron bars with Sea Prism stone shackles. The shackles drained his strength and kept his devil fruit from activating, yet he still laughed.
“Kocyte.” Astrid said, putting her leg over her other leg and leaning forward in her chair. “What exactly are you laughing about? You're going to Impel down you know that right?” She spoke with a lazy voice with a sleepy look on her face. She always looked that way even if she was into whatever it was she talked about.
“Its just so funny.” Kocyte said threw his laughs. “I thought it would be all over, he even said they would kill me, but you saved me. Its fate Astrid! Fate I say!”
Astrid rolled her eyes. “Its me who saved you, if I was even a minute late you would have died.”
“But he told me I would die.” Kocyte laughed. “No, he said I would fail, they would stop me.”
Astrid placed a hand to her chin. “Who said this?”
Kocyte laughed. “Why, the Smiley Man!”
“I didn't see him there.” Astrid said.
“You're right, he came before them.” Kocyte laughed. “He came and warned me, he told me if I stayed the Umbra’s would do anything in their power to stop me. He asked me questions, then told me a secret.”
“What did he ask you?” Astrid asked.
“Something about Iroshi Island, the one that got bombed.” Kocyte laughed. “He is trying to figure out who made the call on it.”
“Interesting.” Astrid said, leaning more forward. “And what did he tell you?”
“Astrid, If I tell you, we both will be killed.” Kocyte said, his tone going somber.
Astrid sat back in her seat. “I see, then please keep it to yourself.”
Yuri arrived at Sacred Mary Geoise. He was used to the heights of the world, yet the Red Line always felt wrong to him. As he walked away from the port that allowed people to cross between the Blues and the Grandline he began to feel the hungry eyes on him.
Mink’s fetched quite a price down at the Sabaody Archipelago. Last he heard they sold for around 700k. They were most wanted by the Celestial dragons. Most wondered if it was worth the effort to try and fight Yuri for the chance to claim that prize. Even though his bounty surpassed that measly 700k long ago before he was invited to the Warlords.
Yuri spotted the arrival of the giant snail that carried a section of Dalaran’s ship atop its shell. The large man stepped out of his housing and waved at Yuri, who waved back. The Honorable pirate stood proudly in his dark blue uniform. The man had a flat face with a sharp chin similar to an anvil. His face seemed so small compared to his muscles that looked thicker than most trees.
“Yuri, it is good to see you.” Dalaran said as he approached.
“As you, so you got the call too?” Yuri asked.
“Yes, Hephaestus let me know.” Dalaran said as they began to walk towards the large castle known as Pangea Castle.
Yuri always felt weird when Dalaran referred to the Admirals by their names instead of code names, a sign of his old friendship with the Marines. The two chit chatted for several minutes as they made their way past the front gates of the castle where several soldiers guided them to their waiting room.
The room was large with a table full of snacks and drinks. The windows of the room were tall and reached for the ceiling that stood over twenty feet up. The room was a bright yellow and eggshell white. Yuri sat on the cushioned seat near Dalaran and munched on a cookie. He noticed the soldiers that stood guard over the room. It wasn't protecting them from attackers, but others from the two of them.
The door to the room opened again after several minutes, revealing a tall man with tanned skin and curled brown hair. His eyes were a deep blue and had a wide smile. The man wore a bodysuit that looked a sandy color with a dark blue cape over right shoulder. This was Arranis, the Slaver Pirate.
“Dalaran, Yuri.” Arranis said with a nod. His voice was deep and gravelly. He took a seat across from Dalaran. “Seems this is us then huh?”
Yuri was weirded out by how young Arranis looked, even though he was getting into his forties. Somehow he kept the appearance of a younger man.
“Astrid is bringing Kocyte to Impel Down.” Dalaran said. “And I understand that Vitali is still recovering from his fight with the Raging Boar.”
“Is that what we are calling him now?” Arranis said with a clever look. Yuri hated how it always seemed the man was planning something at all times. “What about PuraPura?”
“She tends to act however she wants.” Dalaran said with a sigh. “I wish she would take her duties more seriously.”
“What did you expect from her?” Arranis said, grabbing a handful of crackers and cheese and placing them on a plate in front of him. He made mini sandwiches out of the combo and ate them with a smile. “Hey, can I get some orange juice?” Arranis said, waving at some of the servers that stood on the edge of the room awkwardly. They all hesitated and looked between each other. “Oh come on, I won't bite, I just want something to wash these crumbs down.” Finally a server stepped forward and poured the juice into the glass. “See, was that so bad?” Arranis said with a kindly smile as he took the drink and took a swig. “That's the stuff, you guys get these oranges from the East Blue i'm guessing? I got a tongue for these things.”
The door to the room opened one more time, this time revealing an elderly man. Fleet Admiral Ormr stepped in with a large smile.
“Finally we can start.” Arranis said as he began to stack another cracker.
“Hello there, thank you for accepting my summons.” Ormr said in his grandfatherly tone. “I see we only have three today, tragic.”
Yuri felt the rumbles in his feet. “I believe we have another coming sir.” Yuri said casually.
Ormr tilted his head in confusion. It wasn't long till he understood. A head began to appear through the middle of the table that they sat at, shaking as it rose up. It was a pink haired girl who wore a black bandanna over her face with eye holes cut in it. As she kept rising, Yuri noticed her in a T pose, eyes locked on the wall beyond Ormr; she wore a black two piece outfit with pink frills on the ends of the sleeves and shorts. Finally, her feet passed to where she stood on top of the table and the shaking stopped.
It was three movements. She fist slid her left foot to the side, kicking a plate off the table. Then she bent her hip to stick out towards the right. Finally, she put her arm at an agle to make a sideways V shape over her right eye.
“PuraPura has arrived!” The pink haired girl said proudly, sticking her pose.
“I thought you wouldn't be showing?” Dalaran said, looking up at the girl.
She shifted her pose to wave a finger at Dalaran. “You think I would miss a chance at stealing Ormr’s dinner? You don't know me well enough Mr Dalaran.”
“I do have some candy for you.” Ormr said, reaching into his pocket. Before he pulled anything out though PuraPura had launched forward and taken the food off the plate that was set at the head of the table.
Yuri almost laughed. PuraPura was a sight. Her fruit, the Tremble-Tremble fruit, was quite powerful, allowing her to shake anything she interacts with. Though, the T pose was unnecessary for her to move through objects. She was a strange addition to the warlords. She wasn't a fearsome pirate that destroyed and conquered like the others, no she was just a nucessense. She just caused issues across the sea. Apparently she had snuck into Pangea Castle and taken all the food of the Goresi during a big dinner.
PuraPura was also known to make a show of her thefts, and as such has developed a bit of a following. She doesn't have a crew, instead she has a fan club who would do anything for her. Yuri had seen one of her shows and thought it was strange how many people would wave banners and lights for her. Dalaran said she was like a mascot for the Warlords, good PR never hurts when you're a pirate group.
“Alright, so first order of business.” Ormr said, taking a seat and acting as if his food was not just snatched by a pink puffball. “As you all may be aware of, Kocyte was removed from his warlord position, as well as being defeated by the Umbra Pirates.”
“He gof beat.” PuraPura said through a mouth full of food, crumbs flying out and hitting a candlestick that sat in the middle of the table. Arranis scooted his seat further away from PuraPura, who moved closer. “Good, he whash weirf.” She swallowed her food. “Did you see the way he looked at Astrid's butt all the time? Like yes, it's a nice butt, but it's weird how much he looked. Besides, Dalaran has the best butt of our group.”
The group all gave PuraPura a look. She was only twenty yet talked like a child a lot.
“Am I wrong!” PuraPura said.
“Anyways, we should begin looking into a new Warlord to replace him.” Ormr said, returning to the topic at hand.
“If I may.” Dalaran said, raising a hand. “I suggest Enma S Nash of the Umbra Pirates.”
“I figured as much.” Ormr said. “However, that was vetoed.”
“What?” Dalaran said. “I understand Hephaestus was for it as well.”
“This comes from higher up.” Ormr said.
“The Gorosei?” Dalaran said. “Why would they?”
“Not sure.” Ormr said. “Besides, Vice Admiral Nash has also been against the idea, and Admiral Kirifukon agrees. Admiral MIdorihebi is still out of commission though so his opinion wasn't taken into account.”
“Besides.” Yuri stated. “I doubt they would join, one of their crew members has an absolute hatred for Warlords.”
“Really, why?” PuraPura asked.
“From my understanding he got in a fight with a certain Warlord and has a vendetta against them, he even attacked me unprovoked.” Yuri said.
“Who was it?” Dalaran asked.
“Cherry J Boot, seems he was captured by Arranis here after a fight.” Yuri said.
Arranis eyes widened. “I have never met that man in my life.”
“Are you sure?” Dalaran asked.
“Hey, I don't remember every two bit bounty hunter that comes for my bounty.” Arranis said, raising his hands innocently.
“What about the one who beat Vitali?” Dalaran asked.
“Renshu, that is an option but he has yet to resurface after his battle.” Ormr said.
PuraPura put her head on the table. “Why are we replacing people with those that attacked us? We got enough scary people around here, can we get some fun ones? What about that Zombie guy? He seems fun.”
“Dalaran, have you anything about the new world for us?” Ormr said, looking at Dalaran and ignoring PuraPura. Inresponse PuraPura reached and grabbed some of Ormr’s candy that he left on the table.
“We still have yet to get a footing sir.” Dalaran said. “The Yonko’s hold a great deal of land in that area.”
“It's because you're weak.” Arranis said with a laugh. “I got my territory in the new world already, maybe if you were stronger, a little more ruthless, then you could hold something besides a bunch of snails.”
Dalaran sighed. “We got reports of Ylva taking over more territory. Ollin has also been seen rising in power.”
Yuri thought over. The four emperors of the seas, or the Yonkos. Ylva The Flower Queen, Ollin Black Blade, Edouart Corpis The Twister, and Baihin the White Tiger. The strongest pirates on the seas, the ones that hold the new world tightly.
Ormr sighed. “I see.”
“I heard a funny little rumor.” Arranis said mischievously. “Seems to me that Moryn Blue Streak is gunning for a certain Yonko. He is strong enough to beat an Admiral, maybe a Emperor is going to be just as easy, assuming your Admirals are worth anything.”
The table was quite at the implications of this battle. The Sapphire pirates had grown in popularity recently, their fight at sabaody being legendary.
Vitali sat in a cave. His red skin made darker by the blood that came from the two holes in his stomach. He would live, but his recovery would be slow. He let his headband fall from his head as he panted. He didn't understand it, he let that pirate go, why did he come back so quickly? It wasn't even a full night before he came back, his wounds still unhealed.
His skin crawled at the thought of that Boar. his eyes still haunted Vitali. Thankfully his powers got him away, but not before he got hit by those blades. No, the blades didnt hit him, they were so far away, how did he hit him? Those eyes, those murderous eyes, this Pirate was something else. Vitali rested, waiting for his wounds to heal as they would.
