A Pirate's Life for Me

A Stow-away!

Hours had possibly passed, and the ship tucked and rocked. Anyone would have woke to the rumbles and shouts amongst the now boarded crew fleeing the chasing Marines. Unfortunately my slumber is denser than concrete, and napping through the days on an unwelcoming ship is nothing more than routine. What is not routine is the possibility that ship's doctor would find themselves in need of supplies from the bilge.

A dim light began to pierce my eyelids and gently I began to wake, forgetting momentarily where I now found myself. After a few sluggish blinks the blur began to grow a little clearer and my vision could make out a small raccoon dog with a big pink hat, peering down on me in the barrel. There was a silent moment of processing as my mind unraveled the situation I was in and the creature seemingly caught his breath. Within a blink the air was filled with the shrill cry of both of our screams of horror and without fail the thunderous roar of many footsteps racing to our position.

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Dragged on to the deck I struggled, slumped over the shoulder of what seemed a tall boulderish brute. His muscles were built and made every thump of my frail fists feel like hitting stone. Now in the agonizing light of the sun my vision faltered and all I could distinguish him by was the moss green head of hair that shone through. He smelled deeply of musk and sea, a scent that if not for the barreling fear of being caught would've possibly been a little enticing. From over his shoulder I could also make out about 6 other members. Nearest to me was a tall lanky figure with a ball of golden hair surrounded by an odd combination of sharp cologne which failed to mask the stench of cigarettes. Behind him a slightly curvier figure with hair like a tangerine, her scent to match the decadent fruit. Staying farther behind, nearly hiding behind the great mast of the ship was a thin tan figure with the a stench of pure fear that one could strangely describe as gunpowder and Tabasco, the familiar pink hat very obviously hiding behind him. Another woman distant from the rest was just out of reach to get a good fix on her, but the most eminent and approaching was the boy of red. His chest shone of a bright cherry red and the aroma of meat almost stuck what I could only assume was his clothing. He grew closer.

My flails only grew stronger as he did so, punching and yanking at the shirt of the brute who held me. "Put me down!"

"That's bold of you to ask considering you're on our ship. " The moss headed man grumbled. His voice almost vibrated in his chest, stirring against my stomach and making me queasy. "Now settle down before I toss you in the sea and see how good you float."

The threat made good as every inch of my body stiffened like a board. My fingers tangled themselves in the cloth of his shirt as a safety precaution in case his patience ran thin. My cheeks puffed in fear and I almost held my breath instinctively. I most definitely would not float. This made the red lad burst into a boisterous laughter. It felt like sunshine in my ears; warm and delightful but a tad bit annoying.

"She looks like a puffer-fish!" He mocked and pressed a finger into my right cheek, deflating the air bubble and provoking a reaction. "I'm no fish! And I definitely won't float! I can explain why I'm here!" My cries made the man beneath me adjust me on his shoulder and in return my body trembled as my grip tightened on his clothing. The laugh began again as the golden boy interrupted. His voice was quite distinct and almost carried an accent to him.

"Oi- Moss head. Be gentle with her! Stow away or not she is still a lady. Have some respect block head !" This so called block head whipped around to face the man, turning my view to nothing but the endless sea over the side of the ship. My cheeks puffed once again.

"Who are you calling blockhead, shitty love cook ! For all we know she could be planning something with the other woman! " The two began to bicker, heads pressed into each other, words brewing with violent intent as the lad in red only cackled at their fueling dispute. This was my chance. While chaos began to consume the group and guards were loosening I began to plot my escape. My braids grew dense and seemingly melded into what seemed a bluish tinted metal. Its ends once solidified snapped open in two shaping into separate miniature shark heads on the tail of either one, each lined with jagged pointed jaws.

There was a sharp silence and gasps following the quick transformation. The braids whipped around to land two sharp bites on my captor. One sank metal jaws into his right shoulder, the other onto the lower left abdomen, immediately repelling his grip and giving me my chance. I squirmed and my foot connected to the center of his chest as I pushed off. Flipping my weight backwards I found myself landing center of the crew, the now bloodied pirate slamming backward into the railing of the ship.

"A devil fruit!" A shaky shout bursts from behind the mast, only followed by what I could assume was fleeing footsteps into the depths of the ship's cabin. A snarl left my lips as I bared my own pointed teeth, in more hopes of intimidating the crew. This was a failure as within seconds I heard the sharp metallic sound of a sword being unsheathed and felt the blistering pain of the hot wooden deck against my back. The wind was knocked clean out of my lungs as a cold blade threatened the empty windpipes within my throat. The swordsman loomed over me, blocking the sun, his wounded shoulder dripping warm crimson on my chest. In this proximity I could see clearly. His dilated green eyes fixed dead at me as the blade that held my life was tucked tightly between his teeth. His otherwise exquisite features turned monstrous.It was then brought to my attention that he wielded two other swords in his available hands and each had pierced the deck millimeters from my body, locking me in place beneath him.

The silence was thicker than fog, and the features I read so clearly became blurry once again as tears welled my eyes. I always assumed my lifestyle would be my end, but nothing could have imagined me a death like this. The fear willed my eyes to close as the tears ran down my paled cheeks. As my resolve crumbled I could hardly hear the sighing breath from the swordsman before he pulled away. It was already far too late as the life that flashed before me turned to a vomit of words.

"I'm sorry!" I sobbed, my words like nails on a chalk board as I couldn't find the stomach to ground them on. "I just wanted to see the world! I just wanted to dream of far off lands! The adventures I'd have!" My eyes couldn't find the strength to open and despite feeling the swords pull back my body was stuck in place still pinned by the threat of death. "I don't want to die!" Were the last words to escape my maw before an arm tucked behind my neck, hoisting me into a sitting position. Hesitantly my eyes fluttered open, long blue lashes batting away stored tears, the remaining swept by rough calloused fingers, tracing their way down the paths of my cheek. I could now roughly see the green haired beast knelt beside me, holding me up with a gentleness I could not have imagined after being at the mercy of his strength.

Out beyond me reached the red vested boy, in his hand something bright yellow like the sun. It hovered over me before resting on my head, my poor eyes still leaking in confusion as I shook in the swordsman's grasp. The shade provided by the straw hat made the view of the crew a little clearer, particularly the boy now standing directly before me. His cheek held a deep scar but deeper seemed the smile he held on his lips. "Then you'll join us. What's your name?"

My lips parted to speak but a cough raged instead as I quickly covered my mouth and cleared my throat. "I am Hoshiko." I whimpered, barely able to regain steadiness of my voice.

This only carved the boy's smile wider. "Ok Hoshiko. You're now a Straw Hat Pirate. Together we'll reach your dreams and see the world."

I blinked in disbelief. Did I hear him correctly? The crew began one by one to chime in. "And find the All Blue.." The golden hair man spoke, sparking the sound of a lighter from where he stood. "and I'll map the world as we go."Chimed the spirited red haired lass. "and I'll become a great warrior of the sea!" Belted a cowering voice off somewhere behind a door, only growing faintly louder as the door creaked itself open. "and cure all diseases!" A gleeful little voice cheered from behind the mast. "We'll discover ancient history." The mysterious woman added as she finally approached within view. "I'll become the greatest swordsman in the world." The moss haired man spoke, his voice now a low whisper that grazed my skin erupting goosebumps all over.

"And I am going to be king of the Pirates!" The boy belted before me raising one fist in the air. This was followed a unanimous cheer amongst the crew. Inspiration brewed within my stomach as the waterworks of fear quickly morphed into something else. I could feel a new chapter beginning and from the joy and excitement within I found myself cheering on with them.