Devil's Luck Pirates

After having rested for the night, the group wakes up the next morning feeling a lot better. With their wounds healed and their spirits renovated, the crew sits down at a table to discuss the object that brought them to this place: The Devil Fruit.

Pearl, on the other hand, stands a bit to the side, lying against the wall. Duros now gave her his shirt since the difference in size would cover her body better than just Verona's jacket.

Since she isn't a part of the crew, Pearl decides to stay out of the conversation. No one told her to, but this is their treasure after all. So she thinks they should decide what to do with it.

William takes the fruit and places it in front of him.

-So… Yesterday was full of unexpected and unusual things. But we got the treasure! – He says with an optimistic tone.

-Success! Yes, a celebratory success! – Duros says with his usual attitude.

-Now, I'm not an expert on these things. So I'd like to hear the opinion of someone who might be before we actually decide what to do with this. – William says as he looks at Pearl.

She's taken off guard by William's suggestion.

-Huh? What do I have to do with that thing? – Pearl asks bewildered.

-Well, considering everything we saw, it's pretty safe to assume that you ate one of these things. – Verona comments remembering how weak she was when they landed in the pond at the entrance.

-I already told you guys. I've been like this since I was a baby! – Pearl says with an annoyed sigh – …Unless...

The gears start to turn on her head. Her father always told her that she was a cursed being. A natural-born monster whose only purpose is to bring suffering to others. But what if he told her all that just to take the blame out of himself for turning his own daughter into a monster?

-My father always told me that I was cursed since birth… – She continues – And that I should do everything he said so I wouldn't hurt innocent people. But, if what you're all saying is true… It means that he…

A mixture of anger and sadness starts to consume her. How could someone do this to their own daughter? And for what?! To have an obedient monster that would incite fear into his enemies and kill anyone he doesn't like?! Or was it for pure enjoyment?!

Duros stands up and puts a hand on her shoulder.

-The world is full of cruel creatures. – He says – But, it is also full of amazing people like the ones we're surrounded by right now.

Pearl looks around the room to see the people she's been traveling with for days now. Even though they are pirates with their own flaws, these are the first people up until now to not abandon her after knowing the truth.

-Sometimes, you are surrounded by evil and manipulative people. – Duros continues.

-COUGH like Atom… – William says not so subtly.

-But, as long as you surround yourself with people who welcome you even with your flaws like I welcome our Captain, everything is going to be just fine. – Duros ends with a big smile. Even without his armor and shirt, he still acts more like a knight than a pirate.

Pearl wipes the tears from her eyes and also gives him the best smile she can muster.

-Thank you Duros. And all of you.

-Don't worry. – Verona says – That wasn't the first time a person I knew tried to kill me. But at least you didn't do it on purpose.

The rest of the crew raises an eyebrow at Verona's statement. But since he said it so casually, they decide to not inquire further.

-Yeah, don't sweat it. Anyways, that was a very emotional moment and all, but we really need to decide what to do with this thing now. – William says shifting his focus on the Devil Fruit in front of him.

Pearl wants to be mad at him, but she's already getting used to his rudeness.

-I'd like to tell you guys something first. – Ragnar says in a very serious matter – I'm sorry for not telling this before, but I wanted to resolve this matter with my own hands.

He pulls out the flag he previously found inside one of the houses. The flag has a sideways skull and two steam lead pipes behind it. Clearly, this is the Jolly Roger of the pirate crew that ransacked this underground village.

-A year and a half ago, I was building some houses in another village on my home island. – He continues – When I came back, my town was destroyed and almost everyone was killed. – He pauses for a moment. It is as if he's trying to hold back his anger – All that was left was a flag like this one. Since then, I've been trying to find the bastard who raises this flag so I can get my revenge!

No one has ever seen Ragnar be this serious before. He was always the fun and easy-going member of the crew that never refuses a good mug of ale and a full plate of meat.

Ragnar then looks at the Devil Fruit in front of William.

-So, if he was after this fruit or whatever it's called and you guys are alright with it, I wouldn't mind having it. – He says with determination in his eye – He took everything from me, so I'd love to rub this power on his face when I find him.

-I am completely for it, my friend! – Duros days enthusiastically slamming his fist on the table – If this fruit seems to be calling for your destiny, then I say grip it by the hand, and chug it down as if it were ale!

The two of them lock hands in the manliest manner possible. You could see the determination in Duros' eyes. He will follow his friend on this quest for justice until the end.

Verona simply nods his head in agreement.

-Well, with logic this infallible, I'd say you are the only one who could have it. – William says as he picks the fruit and throws it to Ragnar.

He catches it and looks at the brown, pear-shaped fruit for a moment.

-Ragnar, before you eat that fruit… – Pearl chimes in a sheepish voice.

Ragnar looks at her. She almost regrets saying that after having their gazes on her. But Pearl feels she must at least give him a warning.

-If you eat that thing, you might become cursed just like me. – She says while caressing her claws.

Ragnar simply smiles.

-We all have our own curses, little lady. – He says before putting the whole fruit on his mouth – AGH! This shit tastes terrible!

He almost spits it out. This must be the price to pay for a power like this. That and the inability to swim, of course.

After enduring the extremely bad taste, Ragnar swallows the fruit. Seconds later, he starts feeling this primal and animalistic power surging from within him. Brown fur starts to grow all over his body. His hands turn into sharp claws and his mouth and nose start turning into a snout with sharp teeth.

Considering what happened with Pearl yesterday, the group starts to back out just in case he goes into a rampage.

Ragnar lets out a mighty roar as his transformation is complete. He's turned into a huge grizzly bear. Luckily, his pants weren't ripped off during the transformation. So they don't have to worry about having another naked person on this trip.

Everyone stays silent for a moment after Ragnar's transformation. This is only the second time they've seen something like this happen. And considering their first experience, the group doesn't know what to expect from Ragnar.

Fortunately for them, Ragnar gives them the clearest sign that everything is ok.

-CHAHAHA! Now I'm hungrier for meat than ever! – He says with his usual merriness.

-Holy shit, Ragnar! You're a bear now! – William says with childish excitement.

-I must say, that's pretty cool. – Verona comments with a smile.

-Wow! You're so big and fluffy, Ragnar! – Duros says as excited as William while giving him a big hug.

-Well, at least it's not something monstrous like me. Good for you. – Pearl says with no sarcasm whatsoever. She genuinely seems happy for him.

-Can you turn back to normal? – Verona asks curiously.

Ragnar concentrates for a second and transforms back to his human form.

-Great. It's good you don't have to be stuck like that forever. – Verona adds.

-Oh! I can also do this… – Ragnar says as he closes his eye and concentrates for a couple of seconds now. His body starts to transform into a bear once again. However, it stops when he becomes a perfect combination of his human and bear forms.

-Pretty cool, huh? – He says with a big smile.

William and Duros' eyes get full of stars when seeing how awesome Ragnar looks right now.

-That's cool… Now you can use your ax while on this form. – William states.

Ragnar looks at his ax that has been sitting in the corner of the room.

He picks it up with one hand and swings it over his shoulder with such force that blows almost all the dust in the room.

A big, grizzly bear man wielding a great ax with an eyepatch. It doesn't get cooler than that.