//------------------------------// // Desire and Devotion // Story: My Little Pirates: Luffy's Adventures in Equestria // by Fullmetal Pony //------------------------------//         “Vice-Warden! Vice-Warden!” Hannyabal’s denden mushi blared. “The Warlord Blackbeard has barged in through the front gate and is maliciously attacking sta— Ahhhhh!”         The snail’s eyes closed and the machines built into its shell shut down. Hannyabal stared at it for a moment before his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Foam frothed out of his mouth and it took the efforts of two guards to keep him from collapsing onto his side. In spite of the heat that emanated from Level Four, his skin had gone ice cold.         “Vice-Warden!” one of the guards supporting Hayyabal called out. “Straw Hat Luffy on Level Four, a revived riot on Level Two, and now Blackbeard! I don’t know how to deal with this!” Hannyabal wailed. Suddenly, his form slackened and he practically bounced back up on his hooves. A placid expression was carved onto his face with his eyes glazed over and off someplace far away from the Impel Down. “Lets all go to a nice field and graze on some grass.” “Keep it together, sir!” a guard yelled. The denden mushi had fallen out of Hannaybal’s hooves and onto the ground in his lapse into insanity. Its eyes lifted off the stone stairs, sharp and piercing. Magellan’s voice spilled out of it and filled the stairwell. “Hannyabal? Can you hear me?” “Warden!” Hannyabal replied with both desperation and glee. He got on his knees and nudged his face next to snail’s. “Where are you?” On the other end of the line, Magellan looked down at a poison-coated prisoner slumped at his hooves. Fumes swirled around him and crept into every crevice it could find. It was like a thick fog and any prisoner unfortunate enough to even get a whiff of it was quickly introduced to the floor and unconsciousness. They were the lucky ones. The ones that had directly crossed Magellan were still awake and writhing in agony. Poison completely soaked their bodies, producing an cycle of chemical burns that allowed the poison to sear more of the prisoners’ bodies. “Cleaning up Level Two,” Magellan grunted. “With the exits sealed, any remaining rioters will either be dead or immobilized soon. As for Blackbeard’s appearance, I’ve had to make some tough decisions, but he will be neutralized. Do everything in your power to suppress Level Four’s riot until I get there.” Hannyabal sniffled a little at Magellan’s words and then raised himself onto his hind legs while he kicked out his front ones. It was an odd gesture for a ram to make, but the energy conveyed by it spread to the rest of the guards who let up a united shout. ~~~         Two yellow talons squeezed together and produced a small jet of flame that rose up and caught on a thick cigar. The fine brown paper and the tobacco within turned red hot and the smoke they produced disappeared behind Shiryu’s fanged mouth. Not a single guard spoke as the smoke drifted out of neither his mouth nor his nostrils, but rather his eye sockets.         “Sure beats the boredom of being locked up,” he sighed. The smoke from the cigar spiraled upwards, creating loops and tracing out some spikes and swords as it made its way past Shiryu’s new jailor cap. He moved his shoulders up and down, producing the sound of a horn honking on the right and a fire alarm ringing on the left. It also helped to adjust his new coat that draped over his dark blue serpentine body. His eyes lazily went down to the denden mushi that rested in his muscular bear paw. “You’re not just gonna lock me back up again, are you, Magellan?”         “You’re on emergency parol from death row,” Magellan replied. “It goes without saying, but this is your only chance. Take care of Blackbeard.”         “Certainly.” Shiryu pressed the button atop the snail’s shell and its eyes closed and drooped. He glanced up at the smoke from the cigar that had lingered for far longer than it should have. His attention then went to the guards, who were all standing still, but a tremble escaped from a few of the fresher ones. “Now...”         The smoke-weapons shot out and came down on the guards. Some Level Six prisoners had crawled close to their cell’s bars to see a show, but hid in the shadows at the sound of the guards’ screams.         Shiryu took another puff from his cigar. He went down on all fours and plodded through his carnage. His eyes went in different directions to take in his work and he sighed. “Sorry about that, but that’s what happens when you get rusty.” ~~~         Luffy turned his head left and right while his wings continued to act as fists and pummeled wave after wave of guards. “Hey, Iva, where’d the big bug-pony go?”         “Hell Wink!” A massive blast of pressurized air escaped out of Iva’s left eye and barreled into a collection of guards. They went in all directions and those not left unconscious no longer had the strength to stand. He twisted his neck over to Luffy and then scanned as much of Level Four as its acrid smoke would allow. “Don’t tell me she ran off.”         “I knew it!” Twilight exclaimed. “This is just like last ti—”         A volley of screams interrupted Twilight. Everyone’s attention went over to the area where they came from and saw prisoners getting launched into the air like they were pillows. Once-emboldened escapees now ran in the opposite direction of whatever was tossing their comrades like rag dolls.         Through the smoke, three figures emerged. One had the shape of a horse, but a zigzag pattern of black and white across its hide made it stand out. It clenched a mace in its teeth with a spiked end that was slick with changeling ichor. The second figure was also a quadruped, but its skin was rough, grey, and thick. Two massive horns jutted out of its head and cleaved through prisoners by the dozens. The third creature was on two legs and far furrier than the other two. It munched on a hefty piece of eucalyptus and carried no weapons. Its razor sharp claws were enough to decimate anything that dared get within its range. All three beasts galloped at the escape army at blinding speeds despite their massive sizes. It was natural that the zebra would gallop, but the rhino and the koala’s legs ended with hooves as well. In addition, they all had the flowing tails and large eyes endemic of a pony. “What the heck are those things?” Luffy asked. “Jailer beasts,” Iva muttered. “Oh...” Luffy watched the beast continued to plow through anything near them. Their swings were wide and they occasionally hit nothing but the air. “They seem a bit different than that bull guy.” “Mmmm ♡, they are,” came a sultry female voice. A light pink unicorn with a purple-pink mane which hid her eyes came into view from behind the beasts. A long whip floated next to her and she occasionally used her magic to flick it at an injured prisoner to produce a scream. “That minotaur was good for a few prisoners, but my dear little beasts are much tougher than him and get soooo much better cries out of prisoners.” “That’s Sadie!” a faux-changeling gasped. He turned tail and vanished into the smoke of Level Four, but his voice still rang, “Everyone, get away! She’ll torture you!” “Well, they’re gonna have to move,” Luffy declared. He brought a hoof up to his mouth and prepared to bite down on it. “It took a lot to beat the bull guy, so...” Jinbei galloped at the beasts and drew in a hoof. “I’m not sure how good this will be on land, but...” Crocodile appeared before the beasts as well, but said nothing. Sand swirled off his back and took the shape of a small cyclone. “You’ll never be able to take down my jailer beasts,” Sadie pleasurably moaned. “I’m going to love it when they make you scream ♡.” “How about you first?” A shadow fell over the entire Level. Guards and prisoners alike paused and examined the lighting shift. A spark of green appeared in the haze above their heads and shot into a guard, covering him in a sticky substance. It muffled his cries as a changeling that was encased in the goo sunk its fangs into him and drained him. More changelings cloaked in their protective bubbles fell from above and crashed into the guards. After the initial wave of them fell a deafening buzzing filled the air. The black smoke dispersed and revealed an entire swarm of changelings hovering over Level Four. Chrysalis floated in the middle of it with a victorious grin across her face that revealed every one of her fangs. Her eyes went over to the jailer beasts and she swept a hoof in their direction. “You heard the pink pony, lets see how much love they have.” In an instant, the beasts were covered head to hoof in changelings that clamped their fangs onto the them. All three resisted and managed to swat off a changeling or two, but another quickly filled its place, eager to forcefully soak up some love. The beasts’ struggles eventually died down, came to a halt, and then their limp bodies crashed to the ground. “Noooo! Ohhh! You’ll pay for harming them!” Sadie shrieked. Her head twisted up at Chrysalis and she pulled her whip back.  It shot out  and wrapped around Chrysalis’s front right leg. She pulled and sent Chrysalis down to the ground with enough force to crater the rock floor. Sadie rushed over and unleashed a flurry of whip strikes and hooves onto Chrysalis. “C’mon! Scream! I want to hear i—” A neon green beam shot out and stuck Sadie directly below her horn. Her form loosened but an expression of sheer horror was plastered to her face. Chrysalis got up and brushed off some dust Sadie’s attack had gotten on her. Her carapace was cracked in a few areas, but she didn’t appear to notice. She showed off her fangs to Sadie. “Here I thought everypony in this place was a sadist without a speck of compassion in them, but you really did care about those pets of yours. Good.” Chrysalis drew out the words so Sadie got a full view of the inside of Chrysalis’s mouth. Her lips were drawn back to an extreme degree so that her grin had evolved into something akin to a shark’s maw. “Are you angry that my hive devoured them? Sad you couldn’t stop us?” She tilted her head back and sucked in the air. “Yes, so many emotions, but all connected to those beasts and love at their core. Such good spices.” The glow that encased both Sadie and Chrysalis’s horn grew brighter. There was a flash of green and then Sadie hit the ground. Chrysalis trotted over and wiped her mouth. Any damage on her body had vanished and her shell gained a malevolent glow to it. “Thanks for the meal.” “It’s the last you’ll get!” A horn thrust itself into Chrysalis’s side and sent her sprawling across Level Four. Hannyabal tucked his head down and rammed more nearby changelings. His horns had the sharpness of steel and his attacks matched the speed and ferocity of jailer beasts’, but with the finesse of a regimented soldier. Changelings that had been enjoying their first meal in some time were instantly blown away by the blitz, sent either to the ground or the boiling pool below. “This is the fortress of Hell! No one or thing shall escape!” Luffy’s vision was drawn to Hannyabal’s proclamation, but quickly veered to the stairwell behind him. The doors everyone had fought to rush to were fully open and Hannyabal was the only thing blocking it now. “Hey, he’s not doing the best job guarding the exit.” “Look closer, Straw Hat Luffy!” Hannyabal exclaimed. He waved a hoof back to show further up the stairwell. An impermeable wall of guards armed with bazookas as large as themselves filled the path. “A thousand of our bazooka troops are gathered here! Prisoner, pony, changeling, or monster, nothing will get past them!” Hannyabal stepped forward so that he loomed over Luffy. He raised up his head, ready to strike. “I won’t allow you to terrorize helpless citizens! I will execute you here and now!” “Get out of my way,” Luffy simply stated. “No!” Hannyabal brought his horns down in a blur. They jutted straight into the rock and cracked the surface around the impact zone, but Luffy dodged and launched himself into the air. Hannyabal jumped back and avoided a punch from one of Luffy’s wings. He gritted his teeth and swung his horns low to the ground, sending up slews of sparks. Their tips caught the sparks and gained massive flames bigger than Hannyabal’s head. “Hell Wheel Inferno!” “Hot!” Luffy said as he dodged a jab from the now-fiery horns. Hannyabal continued the assault and drew Luffy further and further back from the stairwell. Luffy smacked at the non-burning parts of Hannyabal’s horns, redirecting them so they only struck the air. “Move or I’ll clobber you! I have to get to Ace!” Luffy leapt back far enough so that Hannyabal couldn’t attack him for a few seconds. That was enough time to for him to press his legs into the ground and send the blood rushing throughout his body. His coat went pink and he tucked his balled-up wings close to his sides. Hannyabal blinked at the change and then found himself covered in punches. They came so fast that only the outlines left by Luffy’s steam gave an inkling of the massive damage Hannyabal sustained. “Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!” Hannyabal stumbled backwards, his face battered and discolored, with one eye shut from the swelling. The rest of his body was a mishmash of bruises and blood. One of his horns had a deep crack that ran all the way to the base of his skull. The flames on the ends of them sputtered out and Hannyabal collapsed onto the floor. “Phew.” Luffy exhaled deeply and canceled out Gear Two. Hannyabal’s body twitched and then one of his horn grazed Luffy’s left shoulder. “It’s... not... over!” Hannyabal wheezed.   Nearby, Chrysalis’s eyes flicked open. Her wings went out and she buzzed upright. A drone advanced over to her and bowed his head. “Your Highness, are you injuries in need of tending?” “No,” Chrysalis seethed. Her eyes went around Level Five and locked onto Hannyabal and Luffy’s fight. The latter was absolutely annihilating the former with a barrage of kicks, punches, and headbutts, that were almost invisible to the naked eye. She vented her rage in a huff. “To think such a weakling could land an attack on me.” “He does have stamina though,” the changeling commented. Hannyabal went down after a direct punch to his face that dislodged a few teeth. Yet, he was back to his hooves in an instant and still managed to raise his head to attack. “Yes...” Chrysalis’s tongue ran over her fangs. “He must be very devoted to something to fight against such odds. Come, lets see how this fight goes.” “Guwah!” A hit from both of Luffy’s wings and a hoof struck Hannyabal on his underside. He went to his knees in a fit of coughs. Luffy jumped over the barely conscious ram, but tumbled to the ground when Hannyabal’s leg wrapped around one of his own. “Wait!” Luffy leapt out of the way of one of Hannyabal’s cracked horns. This time, Hannyabal did not pursue Luffy but remained rooted in the same spot he’d fallen. His coat was caked with blood, his headpiece in tatters, and his face now resembled an over-ripe grapefruit. His breath was shallow and labored, but he managed to raise his voice so that the fighting came to a pause and all eyes went to him. “You’re nothing but pirates, rebels, and monsters!” he called out. “What right to do have to say you want to save your brother? Sleepless nights, instability, and untold terror would fill the hearts of law-abiding citizens if you were to escape!” Chrysalis grinned slightly at Hannyabal’s words and lifted up her wings. “This prison was made for scum like you, so that decent people, ponies, and creatures could live in peace!” Hannyabal’s eyes swam around at the prisoners looking at him. “If you were to get out, you’d repeat your crimes all over again!” His legs shook, but with a grunt he managed to lift himself off the ground. “I’m not going to allow that to happen!” “He’s just like him,” Chrysalis purred with the image of a white stallion with a blue mane in her mind. She licked her fangs again. “I’m going to enjoy this.” She bent her head down to the changelings that had gathered around her. “I shall take him. His subordinates in the stairwell will probably topple when he falls. It’s a shame they’re not all like him, but you can just forcibly drain them.” “Yes, your hi...” one of the changelings stopped mid-sentence and turned its attention to the stairwell and the guards within it. “Your Highness, the ram said a thousand, correct?” “He did...” Chrysalis’s focus now went to the stairwell too. “It was probably a scare tactic meant to fri— How are they all vanishing?” Back in front of Hannyabal, Luffy stared down at him. “I don’t care what you say! I’m gonna rescue Ace!” “Nothing will get through to you!” Hannyabal wobbled and prepared to make another attack, but he paused when an ominous pressure fell upon him. A scream went up and everyone watched a flood of darkness spill down the stairwell and consume the guards. “Enough of this justice and evil talk.” A shadow, a regular one, covered Hannyabal. He looked up just in time for a maroon hoof to smash into his face. Its owner brought down all his weight onto Hannyabal and drove him into the stone floor. “You’re not gonna find the answer no matter what world you’re in!” “My meal!” Chrysalis hissed. The pony got up from the knocked out Hannyabal. Black vapors like the ones that had absorbed the guards pooled off his rotund body like steam, but most noticeably from his horn and the two black wispy ovals on his flanks. A triangular hat rested atop his fizzy black mane and a set of misaligned teeth were nestled in his coarse beard. “That voice!” Jinbei’s eyes sharpened and he slammed a hoof into the ground. “Teech! What are you doing here? Or do you prefer Blackbeard now?” “Jinbei?” Blackbeard cackled. “Aw, sorry for laughing, guess we both look ridiculous right now. C’mon, unclench your jaw. I didn’t come for a fight... guess you were friends with Ace, but don’t get mad at me for that!” “Blackbeard,” Luffy muttered. He strode past Hannyabal and glared up at Blackbeard. “You’re Blackbeard?” “Huh?” Blackbeard’s eyes went to the hat that rested on the nape of Luffy’s neck. The grin that had been stuck on his face since his arrival on Level Four disturbingly widened a little. “Oh! Long time no see, Straw Hat! Ya know, it really was a surprise learning you’re Ace’s brother. Well, you should probably hurry up, he’s about to lose his head! Zehahahaha!”