Chapter 12 - Black Heart Pirates 12

At the docks of Cocoyasi, there was a ship that looked like it was from the future, on the antenna of the ship, flew a jolly roger. The jolly roger was black heart underneath an angry skull with a smaller black heart on its forehead, it also had a cross bones under the skull with a third bone running vertically through the other two. (Cover picture)

This ship was the Death Rider and it was flying the flag of the newly created Black Heart Pirates. It had been 1 year since the Winter Soldiers cashed in the bounty for Kuro of a Hundred Plans and "retired" from bounty hunting. After their withdrawal from bounty hunting, they decided to take a year off and spend time with their families, before they left to become pirates.

Kuina and Zoro returned to Isshin Dojo in Shimotsuki village, while Nami, Nojiko, Erza, and Miles returned to Cocoyasi for some much needed rest. It was not so much physical, as it was mental rest. During their time as bounty hunters they had seen what pirates and corrupt marines were really capable of. After a year off, they all reunited and were just about to leave for the grand line.

"I can't believe you're becoming pirates" said Genzo while shaking his head.

"Well, believe it old man" Nojiko said as she patted him on the shoulder.

Belle-mere walked up and hugged Nami, Nojiko and Erza. "Be Careful and have fun" She said.

"Don't worry, no one can hurt us" "and if they tried to, they'd be sorry" Nami and Erza replied as they got on the ship.

Miles also hugged Belle-mere and whispered something in her ear. "I will be sure to visit often." He said as he gave her a shot kiss.

The rest of the village waved goodbye form the docks as the Black Heart Pirates set off for the grand line.

"So, where to fist captain?" Nami asked Miles.

"I say we hold a celebration for finally becoming pirates and since I don't feel like cooking, first stop the baratie. After that we'll make a quick stop at loguetown, then to the entrance of the grand line."

"Alright, i'll plot a course." She replied as she walked towards the helm.

Miles then put on a captain's coat that matched his midnight purple hair colour. The coat was slim fit and had his jolly roger sewn into the back, this jacket combined with his handsome face would easily make him stand out in a crowd.

He walked over to the railing of the ship and looked out over the blue ocean with a smile on his face while thinking 'This is when the fun begins."

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It's been couple hours since the Death Rider had started sailing towards the baratie. On the deck of the ship, Zoro was lifting weights, Kuina was cleaning her sword, Nojiko was refilling her ammo mags, Erza was reading a book, and Nami and Miles were on the bridge controlling the ship. Suddenly cannon fire interrupted what the crew was doing. A cannonball hit the side of their ship, shattering upon impact, but slightly rocking the ship.

The crew look to the direction of where the cannonball came from, and there they saw a monstrosity of a pirate ship. The enemy ship was painted pink and covered in hearts, with a swan figurehead and a simple jolly roger that had a sideways skull with a heart on it. When the crew saw this ship, they immediately knew it was the Alvida pirates.

Miles searched their ship with observation haki to see if they had already picked up the barrel Luffy was in, luckily they had not found him yet. Miles did not want to meet Luffy, he would be dense to speak to without getting a headache, and Miles couldn't kill him without creating new problems. Those problems being, the marines for killing the grandson of the marine hero Garp, the revolutionary army for killing the son of their leader Dragon, and finally, the Whitebeard pirates for killing the brother of their second division commander Ace. Miles might even piss off Shanks if he killed Luffy.

Granted, the Black Heart Pirates could easily annihilate all of these aforementioned forces but it would be too much of a hassle, and then there was the fact that the Black Heart Pirates were already friends with Ace, but that was a story for another time.

Miles told Nami to stop the ship and after she did, the both of them went down to join the others on the deck. As the Black Heart Pirates watched Alvida's ship get closer, Zoro asked, "Should I cut it in half?" he said as he started to draw his sword. "Just wait, this could be interesting" Miles answered back. Zoro nodded his head while pushing his sword back down into its sheath.

When her ship got close enough, Alvida and her crew boarded the Death Rider.

"This ship and everything on it is now mine! You all-" Alvida started speaking but stopped when she and her crew saw the occupants of the ship they had just boarded. Standing in front of them were 6 of the best looking people they had ever seen in their entire life, especially the one in the captain's coat.

While the Alvida pirates stood awestruck because the appearance of the Black Hearts, Miles teleported himself to a position a few inches from Alvida. He pulled his arm back then quickly delivered an open hand palm strike to Alvida's stomach, sending her flying off into the horizon. Miles didn't know if Alvida would find the smooth-smooth fruit in this timeline, if she did then she could have a chance of joining his crew, if she didn't then oh well.

"Okay, now you can kill them. I'm gonna go check their ship for loot. Also, try not to get any blood on our ship or you're cleaning it up." Miles said as he hopped on to Alvida's ship. When Nami heard what her boyfriend was doing, berry signs appeared in her eyes and she followed after him. As Miles and Nami ventured into the ship, above deck the sounds of gunshots and sword cutting into flesh could be heard.

The captain and navigator ignored the slaughter happening above deck and searched the ship for valuables. While Nami looked for money and other treasures, Miles went to the cargo area to take their supplies. As soon as Miles walked into the room he noticed one of the barrel's was shivering, almost like it was cold. Miles immediately knew someone was hiding inside and also knew who it was and smiled, he preceded to put all of the cargo into his inventory then pick up the shivering barrel and leave.

Miles made his way back to the Death Rider while carrying the barrel and on his way he found Nami also returning to the ship with a large c.h.e.s.t full of gold and berries. Both of them went back topside and found blood and bodies littered across the deck. The carnage was all on Alvida's ship, there was not even a drop of blood on their own ship. Nami and Miles hopped back onto the Death Rider and Miles signaled to Zoro to burn down Alvida's ship with a nod.

Nami went to put her loot away and Miles placed the barrel on the deck then sat down on top of it. "What's in the barrel?" Nojiko asked. "Wait till Nami gets back then i'll show you." Miles said. This intrigued the crew, so now they were all interested in the barrel. A few minutes later Nami returned and the whole crew gathered around Miles.

He hopped off the barrel then pulled the lid off. "You can come out now" Miles said to the person hidden in the barrel, slowly the head of a teenage boy raised out of the barrel. The boy was a small, and a bit chubby with pink hair and round-frame glasses. "Please don't hurt me" the boy said in a timid voice.

"We're not going to hurt you, so come out of the barrel and tell us your name and why you were on a pirate ship, when you're obviously not a pirate." Miles said to the pink haired boy. The boy nodded his head and got out of the barrel, falling on his face in the process, he quickly got up then started explaining what happened to him.

"M-my name is Koby, two years ago I just wanted to go fishing but I accidentally boarded a Alvida's ship by mistake, in exchange for my life I worked as a chore boy."

"So you're kinda clumsy and dumb, like Zoro." Kuina said as she gestured to him with her thumb. "YOU WANT TO GO WOMAN!" Zoro yelled at her as he unsheathed his 3 swords. "LETS GO THEN!" She replied as she also pulled her swords then made a large ice platfort on the water for their duel.

"*Sigh* I'll go make sure they don't severely injure each other." Erza said, walking away with a sigh.

While Kuina and Zoro had their epic fight in the background, the others continued speaking to Koby.

"Why didn't you try to escape?" Nami asked. "Well... I did build a small raft, but I didn't have the courage to try it. I guess my fate was to be a chore boy for the rest of my life. But I once dreamed of joining the marines and fighting pirates like Alvida." Koby replied.

"If you want to join the marines just so you can fight pirates like Alvida, then I think it would be better if you just became a bounty hunter instead." Nojiko said. Koby looked at her with a confused expression and asked "Why?" but Nami was the one to answer him.

"Koby, not everything is in black and white. Not all pirates are bad, and not all marines are good, take admiral Akainu for example, he would kill civilians or even his own subordinates if it meant completing his mission and enforcing his brand of justice."

"Why would he do something like that?" Koby asked. This time it was Miles who answered him.

"Who knows, that's just the way he is. Admiral Kizaru is like that too, maybe not as extreme as Akainu, but would still do what is needed of him." When Miles finished speaking, he saw that Koby now had seeds of doubt about the marines planted in him. This is just what Miles was hoping for, he wanted Koby to join his crew. The reason he wanted Koby on his crew was because in the future, Koby would unlock very powerful observation haki that could be very useful.

"Okay, if you really want to follow your dreams and join the marines, then we'll take you to Shells town. There's a marine base there that you can enlist in." Miles said to him.

"Do you really think I could do it?" Koby asked.

"My dream is to be King of the Pirates. I don't think it will happen, I know it will. No If's, and's or but's, I WILL be the King, and no one will stop me. Let me ask you a question Koby. Is it really your dream to be a marine, or is it something else? Think about it while we make our way to Shels town."

Koby didn't say anything and just nodded his head in response to Miles' words.

A few minutes later Kuina and Zoro had finished their fight with Zoro coming out on top, albeit not by much. This would mark his 2001 win, tying their win/loss records. Soon the two of them returned to the Death Rider, Miles used [Perfect Heal] on them healing the wounds they gave each other during the fight. Afterwards Death Rider started sailing in the direction of Shells town so Koby could see if he really wanted to be a marine or not.

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