//------------------------------// // MUGIWARA! // Story: My Little Pirates: Set Adrift - Sanji in Equestria // by River Road //------------------------------// „The Straw Hat is behind that door. I have given him my Special Hormone Treatment six hours ago. We also chained him up so he won’t hurt himself” “Mugiwara!” “You shouldn’t get your hopes up, though. The treatment takes 24 hours. Even if his will is strong enough, there’s only a 2% chance that he survives.” “Mugi-Chan!” “Your friend came here immediately after he woke up. He’s been in front of that door for hours, cheering the Straw Hat on and completely ignoring his own injuries. Maybe you can convince him to get some rest.” “Mugiwar– “ The rest of the word was cut off by a coughing fit. Drops of green ichor hit the floor to join the ones that already covered the ground. The changeling broke down to his knees trying to catch his breath. He could hear the sound of hooves as someone trotted up to him. The changeling looked up to see a blue pegasus stallion with a blond mane standing next to him, staring at the huge bolted door. Even as a pony and after everything that had happened lately the changeling immediately recognized him. They had fought each other once. The pegasus had defeated him, which was good, because he had been fighting for a friend. Now they were friends, too. The pegasus looked down at him, then back to the door. He took a deep breath. “LUFFY!” The changeling’s eyes widened as he stared up to the pegasus, who was shouting at the top of his lungs. “LUFFY! HURRY UP AND GET OUT OF THERE!” “MUGI-CHAN!” “LUFFY!” Down the hallway, Emporio Ivankov watched the two ponies with interest. The changeling was back on his feet and yelling even louder than before. Just who is this Straw Hat boy, he thought. “Luffy!” “Mugi-Chan!” A crowd had formed behind the two ponies in the hallway. It had been eighteen hours since the Straw Hat had received the Special Hormone Treatment and for the last twelve hours the changeling and the pegasus had cheered their friend on. By now every pony in the Secret Level 5.5 of Impel Down had gathered to watch. At the back of the crowd Ivankov was still watching as well. Now it seemed like the two had finally reached their limit. Ivankov took another look at the two ponies who had collapsed in front of the door. The pegasus was exhausted, emotionally just as much as physically. That the changeling was even still conscious was a miracle on its own. He should order some ponies from the crowd to take them away, so they could get some much-needed rest– “MUGIWARA!” Every pony in the crowd turned their heads to look at a brown unicorn stallion with a deep blue mane. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. “DON’T GIVE UP, MUGIWARA!” A few ponies in the crowd joined in. Some of them had tears in their eyes, others were openly crying. Soon every pony in the crowd was shouting, yelling, screaming and cheering. “Straw Hat!” “Mugiwara!” “Keep fighting, Straw Hat!” “LUFFY!” “MUGI-CHAN~!” Ivankov stared at the crowd in disbelief, and at the two ponies who were standing once again, on shaking legs, but standing nonetheless, and who were cheering louder than any other pony in the hallway. Ivankov had watched for almost an hour as every pony on the Secret Level 5.5 cheered the Straw Hat on. He could still hear the Straw Hat’s screams in all of the noise, which meant that the boy was still alive. With all of this, he thought, the Straw Hat could muster up the will that is necessary. Still his survival is very unlikely. Suddenly all the noise of the ponies in the hallway was drowned out by a single scream from behind the giant door. Silence followed. The cheers from the crowd had stopped. More importantly, the screams from the other side of the door had stopped as well. Ivankov gave them a moment, then he cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “I’m sorry,” he said, hanging his head down. “I had really hoped he would make it.” He turned around and started walking back through the hallway. Clang. Ivankov stopped. The sound of metal had come from behind the door. One of the chains probably got loose, he thought. Cling. Clang. The sounds had definitely come from the room the Straw Hat was in. Everyone had turned their attention back to the door. Thump. The sound of something hitting against wood came from the door. Thump. A few of the ponies went to open the door, but the pegasus had spread his wings to hold them back. … With a loud crash, the massive wooden bolt in front of the doors broke and the door slammed against the wall of the hallway. In the darkness of the room behind them the silhouette of a pony stood perfectly still, its head hanging down and almost touching the ground. A wave of tension seemed to wash over the crowd as the silhouette slowly raised its head. “FOOOOOOD!”