The Fruit of Alchemy

It had been hours since a new morning had dawned upon the small town of Juan, but Francis was still sleeping as a log on his berth.

The reason for the late sleepiness may be because he couldn't sleep well the last night. It wasn't the wooden berth which made him uncomfortable for he had experiences of much worse platforms, rather it was the person sleeping in the berth below who had been snoring loudly all night.

Just then, he woke rubbing his eyes and being clearly annoyed by the light of the sun that directly fell upon his face.

He looked outside to find the ship still in the same place as it was the last night.

(Still not left? Oh yeah, they would have woken me up if the ship was sailing again)

He walked outside onto the deck, stretching his hands and body to evaporate the drowsiness which still held his body. Other pirates were already at work, some cleaning while others carried the supplies. But the numbers were low, maybe most of them were still sleeping just like he was doing a few moments ago.

"Are we leaving today?" he called one of the workers who seemed to be free.

"Most likely but seems like the captain had another bussiness to attend."

"Bussiness?" There might have been something on the schedule which he might not know as he had only joined yesterday.

"Some woman had insulted captain yesterday, so the captain has taken the first mate and some of the crew to teach her a lesson."

Francis was kind of shocked hearing the answer. Will they go so far for a simple ridicule? Of course they will, they are pirates.

But Francis had a bad premonition.

"Do you know where they went?"

"Didn't I just tell you-"

"No, not that. The directions?" Francis asked in urgency. His sixth sense was tingling like something omnious was about to happen.

"How would I know? I have been left here on the ship."

"Thank you anyway" he shouted jumping from the ship to the platform and running towards a particular direction. He ran, trying to make sure it wasn't them.

"Hey, where are you going?" the man shouted but Francis had no time to listen to him. "Young'uns these days, always full of energy. Can't wait to fight" the man giggled remembering his old youthful days.

-:- Scene Change -:-

Francis ran and ran, and as he approached, his premonition was turning into a bad nightmare.

The pirates had gathered before Sera's shop. Sera and the elder sister were also standing.

But?

Bammmm!!!!!!

Francis stopped. He was late.

The elder sister fell down, bleeding through her chest. The bullet had pierced her lungs. Sera dropped down. She held her sister up.

"Sister, sister?"

The elder sister looked at her younger sibling with a sad expression, "I -!"

Bam! Bam! Bam!

She was shot thrice, killing her on the spot.

"What now? Couldn't hear you? Were you saying your last words" The captain smirked mocking the death of the young girl.

He was happy killing the one who dared to insult him.

"So what now young girl, want to meet your sister?" the captain ridiculed.

The little sister looked in horror. There was a strange mixture of emotions; grief, sorrow, anger, fear and helplessness.

Francis ran with all his might. Anger welled up inside. If Sera also were to die now, he could never forgive himself for leaving her side.

Maybe she had accepted her demise, she left all hope, and just clinged to her sister's body.

"So be it" The captain had a dead-pan expression. He was expecting a more dramatic scene like the girl bowing, grovelling and begging for her life, but this was just too boring.

As he was about to shoot, maybe it was his battle sense, he jumped aside only to miss the flying dagger, which would have otherwise pierced his head.

Francis ran up, taking out a dagger from his shirt, as he jumped in front of Sera defending her from all the enemies.

(Twenty of them are here. I can do it. Funny, huh, how they were my comrades a minute ago.)

He smiled at the joke played by the heavens.

He glanced back, seeing the dead body of his benefactor and the little girl who was his only friend.

(Worry not, Sera. I will protect you.)

The girl looked at him, not with hope, but fear, fear that she may lose another important person of her life.

"Run away. This has nothing to do with you" she cried with tears in her eyes.

"You need to run away. I am able. I can fight" He gritted his teeth saying each word, each statement clearly to convince the other person, "You are weak and will only be a hindrance. So just go away."

"But you?"

"I will be fine. I will also escape after you. But you need to run first."

But the girl wasn't convinced. For she knew that if she left now, she also would lose the only other person she truly cared for.

"Damnit, why don't you listen to me?" Francis shouted furiously. He knew why she was being so adamant but if she were to successfully escape, he could also make a run for it.

He wanted to kill the persons who killed his benefactor. There was a wildfire in his heart but he knew his limitations. He cannot defeat twenty of them, especially the captain.

"I see, playing the hero, huh?" the captain said.

"Aren't you the new guy? Are you revoluting against your own crew?" the first mate asked.

Francis didn't answer but the captain was shocked, "Is he? Mutining on the very first day. He sure is brave."

Francis just shouted, "Sera. Do you want me to die too? Just run away so that I can also freaking run away."

Hearing him Sera looked anxiously at Francis. She had to run away. There was no other option.

"Escape!!!!!!!!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Sera started running away.

"Oi oi, do you think we will let to escape?" The captain signalled the other pirates but Francis jumped, trying to slash at them. But that was only a throwing dagger, it wouldn't cut deep. They were made to pierce and not cut.

But "Make!"

The dagger turned into a long sword like a bidenhander slashing away the heads of pirates, after which it turned back to its former form.

(Two down... Eighteen to go.)

The captain looked at the first mate who nodded before leaping at Francis with his cutlass.

"Make"

Francis parried the incoming attack with his dagger which had now turned into a cutlass.

"So it changes form" the first mate said, "That is a nice sword. I will take it after I kill you."

Francis didn't reply but released a series of slashes at his opponent but were all easily reflected.

"But you need to work on your combat skills. You are too direct" he added.

Francis looked at the pirates who were running away after Sera and tried to chase after them but he was blocked by the first mate.

"Damnit."

He unleashed another barrage of attacks but he was no were near penetrating the defence of a veteran.

On the otherhand, those pirates were running after Sera. And this urgency was making him nervous.

"Then take it, Make"

But nothing happened. The first mate looked shocked. Was it a bluff? The dagger remained as it is.

But suddenly he was blown away by a strong gust of wind.

He fell on the ground and after two somersaults came to a halt.

"That hurts. What was that?"

Taking this chance, Francis made a run for it but he fell down. More like he was subdued.

The captain held him by his neck and with the other hand, tied his hands with handcuffs.

"The hell! Make."

He touched the cuffs but nothing happened. This time, nothing really happened.

(What the?)

He was surprised. His powers weren't working.

The captain capturing his prey, looked at the first mate who was sitting on the ground, "Stupid, he is a devil fruit user. You should have been more careful."

He looked back at the boy laying down.

"Never thought I would find it here. The Make-Make fruit of the ex-Warlord Enchantress. Carry him back to the ship. I want him alive."

The captain kicked him on the head, knocking him out.

The last memory he remembered seeing before going unconscious was a smiling girl who called him 'a friend'.

"Run away Sera!"