ONE PIECE: Dawn of a New Era

Rain...A storm.

A sudden raging typhoon had stirred in through the East blue soaking the surrounding water in torrential rain.

But Leroy cared not. He was having the time of his life right now, he had used a spare rope taken from Steadey's Carrick and tied down the loot that he had stolen from sea dogs. Using the oars that were tucked away on the boat he relentlessly rowed through the waters. Attempting to keep balance and navigate the waters.

A smile was plastered across his face all the same, A laugh was swelling up from within his throat before bursting out. Loud energetic full of eccentricities and excitement! Something that would surely send a chill on the spine of any very sailor that was attempting to make their way through the torrent.

"NYA- HAHAHAHA!"

His clothes were soaked. And yet he had this heat inside of his body, keeping him warm. The constant movement that he was in as he paddled toward a light in the distance kept him moving and mixed with his passion…it kept him comfortable.

Noticeably Leroy had taken his sash that had stayed around his waist only a day before and now Wore it as a bandana across his head, covering not only his forehead but his dark, jet-black hair. Keeping his wet locks out of his eyes.

It was as though Mother Nature itself was attempting to pull Leroy under. The waves lapping and grabbing at the edge of the wooden vessel. Causing sea spray to spew through the air. Filling Leroy's nose with the smell of salt water. It was a smell that he couldn't get enough of... It reminded him that he was out in the open Waters.

That he was free!

Through the midst of the Ocean Spray, Leroy could spot a dim light off in the distance getting closer and closer.

And within a few minutes, he broke through the Mist. The typhoon was beginning to come to a bombastic end with one last onslaught of rain pouring onto the poor vessel! Causing it to tip over! The small raft was mere moments away from capsizing!

Thinking quickly Leroy shifted his weight onto the side of the ship that the sea wave had just hit! Using his weight to balance out the vessel, Evening it out!

This major push from the waves gave the vessel the proper momentum to move Leroy into a clear view of the island that he was in front of-!

'Shells Town'

This was the closest island, said so to him by one of the Pirates he had beaten in combat only a day prior.

Leroy's Smiles simmered to a smirk. Looking over the island as he came closer and closer.

It was certainly a Marine base all right the dock seemed to have been closed off. Marine ships surrounding the bay were left docked.

Large Beacon lights sat bolted into the roofs of nearby houses and buildings. Visible silhouettes of Marines Manning the lights. Panning over the waters.

Thinking quickly Leroy turned around and grabbed his Loot and the Rope before tying it all to his pack.

He did this because he could see that there were ordinary ships that had docked, most likely making an emergency stop at Shells Town because of the typhoon. Marines pointed weapons at civilians that unloaded from these ships, before seemingly being escorted into some sort of holding facility in a building nearby, one of the buildings that held a spotlight.

He could tell that he would be able to slip in while they were all distracted. With his smile widening at his cleverness. He leaned backward slightly, stretching and wrapping his arms around his pack to hold on to everything that he wasn't able to tie down before slowly floating over to the dock. he watched as the back of one of the Marines passed him by. The white and blue shirts soaked with water same as him.

The noise of the storm that had just begun letting up covered the sound of the raft hitting the dock.

Then in a few short movements, Leroy got up from the Raft and kicked the boat under the dock gently before dashing into the Shadows...

*

Originally, Kirk had snuck onto the civilian ship to see how many berries he could steal from this ship.

He had easily slipped in, making up some random story and taking over a random stranger's place who was supposed to be there and had been setting sails with them all. The plan was to steal all of their valuables the second the island they were heading to come close and then hop right off into the water, hide somewhere deep, and then wait until the coast was clear to swim back up and go pawn everything off at various shops. After that, he could simply steal a ship or buy a small and cheap one to head over to whatever island was next and see what he could get there then head over to Cocoyashi to drop off his berries at his stash.

It was when the storm started the brew was when he got worried.

He could smell the rain in the air before anyone else and the whispers of the sea breeze murmured to him that there was certainly going to be some trouble soon. They would have to stop earlier than expected. Of course, Kirk didn't totally mind. It was easy: swipe the stuff sooner then hop off as he had planned...

But he was being herded around like a dumb, old cow before he knew it, the rough side of a gun shoving into his shoulder as he heard a deep, gruff voice from above shouting at him. Kirk had been standing around too long, apparently.

Ugh. Marines.

Nearly as bad as pirates.

In his slight daze, glancing around while pulling himself up to his feet, he realized everyone else was picking up the cargo and being barked at off of the ship. Alright, he could follow along for a moment. Kirk didn't have time to get anything from the passengers of the ship, he realized with a small scowl. He did not look forward to having to run away without a single coin in his pocket. He had been all buddy-buddy with these filthy people the whole time! The least he deserved was a couple of hundred berry!

Wait... who was the marine captain here? Looking over this island? Iron... something?