A Journey Begins!

Aiden woke up from his nap under an old oak tree nearby his village. As he stood up he brushed the dirt off of his blue pants and his white shirt, which had the sleeves rolled up to his biceps. He looked at the tree, the oak branches hanging loosely off of it in multiple lengths and directions as its pointy green leaves acted as a shroud to help cover the branches from the wind. He then looked away from the lone tree upon the hill which he stood over to the village in the distance. He could see the towns people lounging about the peaceful town, socializing and buying food from the local venders. His brown eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked over to the docks, seeing something nearing them from the western horizon of the sea.

 Aiden stared on in delightful amazement as the distant object grew nearer. Suddenly he realized something "I'm not ready to leave yet!" Quickly he ran down the hill and through the small oak forest surrounding it, smacking his face on branches, jumping over fallen logs, moving from left to right so he wouldn't crash into a tree. His nick name was Gale for a reason in his village, apparently he was the fastest one living in it, though he didn't think so. If he was the fastest, why was he always late? Finally he reached the village. His tan sandals smacking against the dirt road as he tried his best to avoid running into people. Of course he got the occasional "Watch where you're going!" Or "Hey! Slow down!" But he ignored the comments for the most part, his one and only goal is to get to his home and pack his belongings.

On his way home a person came out of nowhere, causing Aiden to crash into him, knocking them both down and covering them both with dust and dirt. Quickly Aiden helped the boy up recognizing him as his friend Alec, whom he had known for almost his whole life. After he helped Alec up, Aiden picked his bandanna off of the ground and, after wiping it off a little bit, tied it back around his head, causing it to cover a portion of his medium-length, blonde hair, the skull on the dirty brown bandanna facing forward, as if it was looking above everyone' heads. Alec brushed off his tan short-sleeved shirt and his black cargo shorts before looking back at Aiden with a confused expression, as if his sky blue eyes are saying "What's wrong?" Aiden smiled nervously as he wiped the back of his neck with his right hand "Sorry about that, I'm in a huge hurry to get somewhere so I can't talk right now." Before Alec could respond Aiden ran past him. Alec shrugged his shoulders and ran his hand through his hair "Someone has to nail his feet to the floor to keep him still..." Alec walked off before saying anything else.

Aiden finally arrived at his home, a small wooden shack with only two small rooms: One containing a small table with 2 old chairs, the wooden legs appearing to have rotted out a little bit, the other having a cotton hammock, a small chest where he kept his belongings, and finally a satchel so he can bring things with him on his travels. Quickly he ran over to the chest and grabbed an old wooden slingshot, some smooth stones, rope, matches, and some other things, placing them all in different parts of the satchel. Finally after getting everything that he needed he grabbed his knife, which had a gray hilt and a small blue sphere in the blade. He looked at it for a minute, remembering the day his older brother gave it to him before setting sail, never coming back again. After a few minutes Aiden placed it signing his satchel, closed it up, and ran out of his home and in the direction of he docks.

As Aiden reached the docks he could hear his footsteps hit the wooden floor with a repeating thud, thud, thud. He arrived just in time to see a ship, his new home, enter the docks. Aiden watched in amazement of the beauty, it donned a refined wooden outer shell with finely crafted while railings. A dragon's head was acting as the ram for the ship and there were multiple cannons sticking outwards, ready to fire on any enemy ships. As Aiden joined a group of men whom where watching the ship also, a board suddenly came down and struck the docks, creating a makeshift bridge. A man, who looked about 7 feet tall, was a giant of a man, his bulging muscles tensed as he saw Aiden and he others, showing his dislike towards to new members of the crew. Soon he had them all stand in line so he can see them one-by-one. After seemed like forever the man finally reached Aiden, looking down on him a little bit. As the man examined him with his piercing green eyes Aiden gave a little smirk. "Enjoying the view?" A few of the other men who were standing near Aiden snickered a bit until the large man glared at them. Afterwards he looked up at the ship, pointing at it. "Come on, all aboard!" As Aiden began to walk the large man turned him around and punched him in the face, causing a bruise to appear on Aiden's cheek as he fell down. After he did this, the man boarded the ship. Aiden quickly got up and fixed his bandanna and necklace. He finally checked to see if his knife was still in its sheathe. He was ticked off at the sudden attack but he had it coming for making a small joke. He walked over to the wooden board and saw the beginning of him living his dreams and facing new challenges. Quickly he boarded the ship and prepared to set sail, excited that his adventure finally begins.

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After his village was out of sight, along with the island itself, the captain of the ship called everyone to line up on deck. Aiden ended up last in line. It was hard for him to stand still like this since he knew there are better things to do on the ship, like actually sail it, but he had to endure it anyways. As the captain moved from person to person, asking a few questions and moving on to the next crew member, Aiden started to kick the deck a little bit, watching the dust fly off of the wooden floor and into the air, creating unknown shapes within the dust clouds. "Why did you choose to be a pirate lad?" The captain asked Aiden, causing him to jump a little bit from surprise. Aiden looked up to the captain, his brown coat covering his arms and most of the sides of his body, leaving only a glimpse of a brown jacket with a red sash over a white shirt underneath. He was also wearing white pants with another red sash to serve as a belt. Aiden looked up into the captain's gray, emotionless eyes. His long, gray hair was laying neatly on his shoulders as he looked at Aiden. "So I can see the world, have adventures, and find treasure." Aiden said enthusiastically, he always liked to talk about his reasons for doing the things he does, even if he didn't know why. The captain stared at him as if he was studying a new animal, he then began laugh while moving on to the beginning of the line. While he walked away from Aiden he looked back over his broad shoulder. "Cabin Boy" After the captain said this to him Aiden was a bit confused, he didn't hear any positions being called out to these other people.

When the captain reached to the middle of the line he looked at everyone, a small smile was on his face as he observed his newest crew members. Suddenly he pointed to four of the people in the line. "You, you, you, and you, off my ship. I don't like there being scum on my ship. As for the rest of you, if I didn't tell you a position, then you'll be swabbing the deck and sailing this ship. If any of you have complaints just talk to my quartermaster, he is always happy to hear suggestions." The quartermaster was the same man that punched Aiden earlier, a smile appeared on his lips as he cracked a whip. "Welcome to your new life as a pirate, dismissed." Almost right away the quartermaster started whipping the crew members, yelling at them to get to work. They immediately began swabbing the deck and steering the ship. Aiden himself started to carry messages around for the crew members and aided them in doing some of the jobs.

About 2 hours later Aiden was walking around the ship, carrying messages from quartermaster to captain to navigator and everyone in between. Soon, he was requested to see the captain, so quickly he walked over to the captain's quarters and gave 3 knocks. Almost right away the door opened, revealing the captain gesturing him to come in. As Aiden walked through the door and into the quarters he looked around, seeing golden cups and beris everywhere. He saw a bushel of apples on he table and he took one without even thinking about it, eating it as the captain laughed at him. Aiden looked at him, confused on why he wasn't punished for taking a apple from the bushel. The captain looked at him with a small smile before walking over to his window and looking outwards to the sunset, marveling at it's multi-colored beauty. He then looked back at Aiden, keeping his small smile. He scratched the back of his head before he continued.

"You're probably wondering why I called you here, along with why I only assigned you a job right off the bat and why I kicked those four people off my ship. The reason why was what you told me when I asked you my question. You answered it with the exact same enthusiasm and in the exact same manner as I did when I first joined, and I enjoyed every day of it. Although I wasn't as young as you when I joined." The captain began stroking his grey beard as he walked walked around he office. "The first position I had was being the captain's cabin boy and apprentice, where he taught me everything he knew and brought me where I was today. I'm too old to become a powerful captain like those on the Grand Line, so I want to teach someone everything I knew and help him on the road to becoming a true pirate." He  held out his hand. "So, would you like to be my apprentice?"

Aiden quickly shook his hand without thinking, a bright smile appeared on his face. Afterwards he realized something, the captain didn't answer why he kicked those people off his ship. "But why did you kick those four men off of your ship?" Aiden asked, becoming curious of the random event. "Because, they answered with wanting to raid and pillage, and I have no patience for a pirate that only makes the lives of everyone else worse. You're dismissed now, get back to work, your training starts in the morning." After he said this the captain opened the door open for him. Aiden quickly walked out of the room after saluting his captain.

As Aiden left he noticed a small, very detailed ivory chest hidden in the corner of the room. He kept a mental note of it, walked out of the room, and back onto the deck to continue working. Even though he didn't like being a messenger boy, he loved the idea of training to become a real pirate. Aiden saw that the sun finally went down, and that the mysterious moon was shining its dim, illuminating light. He walked along the deck, watching members of the crew mopping the wooden floor. He noticed the quartermaster glaring at him as he walked out of the captain's quarters. Aiden didn't trust nor like that man one bit, he seemed to be plotting something. Aiden went under the ship and layed down in a vacant hammock, suddenly drifting off into sleep.

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Mutinous Exile

Aiden woke up at sunrise, quickly he got ready for the day and ran up the stairs to the deck, where the captain was waiting for him. Suddenly a saber was thrown to Aiden while the captain drew his. "Alright boy, there are a few things you need to know before we begin: one, there is no such thing as an "honorable fight" every fight you'll ever get in, especially as a pirate, will have your opponent fighting dirty. Now draw your sword. I'll explain the rest of the rules to you as we fight." Aiden listened intently to the first rule, it made perfect sense. Quickly he drew his sword, holding it with his right hand as it was pointed towards his captain. The captain did the same, except he immediately moved forward, delivering a vertical slash. Aiden raised his sword above his head, holding the curved steel weapon sideways with his other hand on the blade so it can reinforce the block. As the captain's sword clashed with Aiden's, he punched the boy in the stomach and stepped back a few feet, a triumphant look on his face.

Aiden glared at him for a few seconds before he remembered the first rule. After the pain from being suddenly punched in the stomach subsided a little bit, Aiden quickly pulled something from a small sheathe on his leather belt, throwing it at the captain. As the object left his hand it was recognized to be a knife with a small blue sphere embedded above the guard of the blade. The captain was surprised by the attack and swung upwards, striking the flying knife and knocking it out of the air, causing it to stab itself into the ground. "Rule number two, if you're at risk of being overwhelmed by your opponent use your environment to your advantage." After he said this the captain charged at Aiden, slashing multiple light slashes. Aiden began to move backwards while clashing his blade with the captains, negating the attacks. Soon, they reached the stairway, which had a broom and bucket of water nearby it. The captain kicked forward, hitting Aiden in the chest and knocking his to the ground a few feet away. As Aiden was laying on the ground, he noticed the bucket next to him and he grabbed it with his left hand. After he grabbed the bucket he stood up threw the it at the captain, spilling it everywhere and causing the man the slide on the floor, making him unbalanced. Aiden quickly ran up to the top of he stairway and stood next to he steering wheel of the ship.

The old captain laughed, regaining his balance he pointed his sword upwards towards Aiden. "Excillent! You used rule number two to reach rule number 3, always try to get the high ground to put your enemy at a disadvantage." After the captain said this he charged up he stairs and towards Aiden, quickly swinging his sword upwards using his full strength. Aiden tried to block the attack but his weapon was knocked out of his hands, disarming him. The captain then sheathed his weapon. "Good job boy, you'll make a fine fighter one day, I'm sure of it." The captain laughed as he walked away, disappearing into his quarters. Aiden quickly cleaned the mess they made up and picked up his dagger, sheathing it. He then waited for the others to wake up so he can get to work.

3 days later, after the day has been gone and night began, Aiden awoke from his slumber in his hammock to some odd sounds coming from the upper deck, almost as if people are shifting around to stand at different parts of the ship. Suddenly, Aiden could hear arguing. "We're tired with being under a captain that picks favorites, and we're tired of your poor leadership skills. Last time I checked I did the ordering around here in your place, you useless old man!" A deep and booming voice said, full of anger. Aiden immediately recognized his as the large, bald monstrosity that is the quartermaster. He rose from his bed and quietly moved up the stair and onto the deck to see what was happening. He saw two different crowds of people on different sides of the ship,  both sides had their weapons drawn and pointed at eachother. Aiden could see the captain and the quartermaster in the middle of the open area between the two crowds. The quartermaster drew his pistol while the captain had his saber unsheathed. "Useless? Hah! If it weren't for me you'd be a pile of bones on that godforsaken rock that is called an island. I can see my mistake for ever taking you with me!" Aiden never heard the captain speak with so much ferocity. It was a sight to be seen, this sudden change in his voice from a gentle old man to the fiery pirate that he used to be. Aiden quickly but silently moved past everyone and to the crowd of people hat were on the captain's side. Suddenly, as the old finished talking, the quartermaster fired his pistol, the bullet hitting him in the chest while a loud 'boom!' went off. As soon as the Shot was fired, the old man, who seemed to not care about he fact he was just shot and is now bleeding, swung his sword at the surprised quartermaster. Aiden couldn't see anything else involving their battle because both sides suddenly clashed against eachother, gunshots were constantly fired, the sounds of the clashing of swords, screams and battle cries echoing throughout he night as the crew members attacked eachother. Suddenly Aiden was pushed into the captains' quarters by a recently slain crew member. As he stood up Aiden saw the small chest in the corner in the room. "Maybe it has something I can use to defend myself from any attacking mutineers.." Aiden said out loud as he quickly ran over to the chest and picked up a nearby stool, smashing the lock open with the leg. After the lock was finally smashed open Aiden opened the chest, only to find a strangely marked fruit, almost as if someone crafted some sort of design on it. Aiden ate it out of curiosity, partially to see what it does and partially to see what was so important about it. After a few seconds of nothing happening Aiden let out a heavy sigh and ran over to the side of the captains bed, looking under it. There, he saw a standard saber that he can use to defend himself. Quickly he grabbed it and unsheathed the weapon, running out of the quarters to go look for his captain.

As Aiden stepped out of the quarters he was met with sword being swung right for his head, out of instinct he ducked, barely dodging the slash. He swung his sword at the unknown man who just tried to kill him. Aiden's sword made contact with the man at his lower ribs, causing the assailant to let go of his sword and hold onto his wound, which was spurting blood all over him. Aiden took this chance and ran past the small groups of crew members sti fighting against eachother. He jumped over the dead and injured bodies and finally reached where he saw the quartermaster and the captain fighting earlier. As soon as he reached there he fell to his knees. "No.." He said quietly as he saw his captain laying on the ground, a sword through his heart. Quickly Aiden stood up and ran past the body of his captain, who became a grandfather to him, and to where he saw a small boat on the side of the ship. When he was about 6 feet away from the ship Aiden felt a large, strong hand grab him by the throat, pick him up, and slammed him into the ground. Aiden felt a sharp pain in his back as he rolled away from the lumbering individual as a sword came downwards towards him, barely missing and stabbing itself into the floor. Aiden stood up and saw his attacker, the quartermaster.

As this monstrosity of a man ripped his sword, which was now stained with blood, out of the ground, Aiden felt something from within him, as if it was trying to claw it's way out of his body. "So this is where you've been, cabin boy. I've been wanting to do this to you since I first saw you on the docks." He raised his bloody and slashed right arm upwards and swung his sword downwards, using his full strength, upon Aiden. Quickly Aiden ran to the side, dodging the attack. Aiden ran to his weapon and picked it up, ready to fight against the injured monster of a man before him.

The quartermaster laughed at this. To believe such an inexperienced fool would try fighting a war hardened veteran like him. He'll just be become like the rest of the loyalists who followed the old prick of a captain. "Prepare to die, boy!" The quarter master charged at Aiden, slashing rapid, light slashes at him. Aiden began parrying each of the slashes with great effort, repeatedly being backed away from his only escape. Soon the quartermaster knocked Aiden's blade out of his hand and followed he disarming up with a powerful punch to the face. Aiden felt the blow make contact with him, causing him to go flying to the ground. The quartermaster laughed at Aiden as he slowly walked towards him. "This is what happens when weaklings don't know their place." He said, a maniacal grin appearing on his face as he drew nearer. "Maybe I'll kill you in the same way as our beloved captain, who knows, maybe you'll beg me to spare someone too while you're dying." This angered Aiden, who was laying the floor. The odd feeling he had earlier felt like it was taking him over now. Aiden slowly stood up and face the murderous traitor, his eyes changed their shape and color into something that seemed.. Wild and ferocious. Aiden saw what recently was a sadistic grin on the quartermasters face become an expression of shock. Aiden didn't know why until he looked at his arms, which felt like something was breaking its way through his skin. And he had an uncomfortable feeling on his face, as if someone is pulling on his nose and lips. Soon Aiden couldn't stand up anymore and fell on all fours, realizing hat his whe body is covered with fur. He tried yelling out but all that came out was a barking sound. He felt anger for the loss of his captain take over his mind as he snarled at the now-intimidated quartermaster. The quartermaster began to pull out a gun, but before he could raise his arm to aim Aiden pounced upon the man, knocking him down. Afterwards Aiden bit the mans' neck and tore out his throat, leaving a bleeding puddle oozing out of the wound. Aiden jumped off of the true monsters body and ran for he escape boat. As he jumped in, he felt himself transform back into his original form. Aiden soon replaced all sadness he felt for losing a dear friend with terror at what the fruit did to him. Quickly he unsheathed his knife and cut he ropes, dropping the boat into the unforgiving ocean. He then used the two oars to sail away from the chaotic battlefield, never to see it again.

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Devil fruit Mastery: 100/100 (Was approved by a mod)
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