A mysterious figure walked through the light snow storm that plagued the night sky of the city of bighorn, his footsteps producing crunching sounds as he did. The figure was not known too many, not like he use to be, and looked as if he was nothing but a common bum who would beg for food as he saw you. However that wasn't the case as he was Mangetsu Karasu, a captain of the revolutionary army, and had business too attend to while stationed on drum island.  His business would seem a bit sketchy as it was close to midnight and no one else would be out, which was actually good for what he had to do. Mangetsu was going to be assembling a small amount of people, a crew of his own if he was honest. The crew wouldn't just be a revolutionary crew, however, they would be something else, a crew who hunted treasure and took what they wanted when they wanted. They would basically be like a band of thieves but it would actually be something much more than that. He continued his walk before stopping right in front of a bar that held a large sign saying "Kin C's Bar". It was named after the revolutionary captain who owned this island, Cyrus Kincaid, a legendary revolutionary to most.

The bar stood next to an equally tall building that was actually a very popular restaurant in the town. Between the two buildings was an alleyway, barely illuminated by the street lights of drum. As he walking into the darkness, Mangetsu looked around too see if any threats lurked but couldn't barely see while his eyes were still adjusted. He could have used his haki to scan the area but after walking a few more feet into the darkness his eyes adjusted and he could see just fine. "Now, to wait for them" Mangetsu said as he leaned his only arm against the bar named after Kincaid. He was waiting for exactly two more people and had sent them both coded messages on where too meet him at his current location in the alleyway by midnight. He hoped they showed, for the first time since the songbirds, he was actually kind of excited about doing something with others. Hopefully they didn't piss him off too much, he'd prefer that they would all get along. Mangetsu also hoped that their abilities would be intriguing as well, they needed strong abilities to pull off the things they would eventually do. He wanted his crew to be as powerful as the Yonko and his ex-captain, Junbei Von Echo. Mangetsu thought testing their abilities might be a fun thing to do. The revolutionary kept himself in thought and would only be broken out of it by the arrival of his two special guest.

Mangetsu had been waiting just a few more minutes in the alleyway before his guest had finally arrived. He did not speak but looked at the young man who had been sent to join, his name was Enryu. After becoming a captain of the revolutionary army, he had needed someone to do more missions with as his old crew was now spread out. All of the information his file from the revolutionary army told him that he had become a revolutionary just one year before himself but was too young. He had a powerful weapon at his disposal, the lightning logia devil fruit, but was too arrogant to use it to its fully extent. Mangetsu was reminded of himself a bit from two years ago, his old self who thought he was too powerful because of a certain power just to lose it all in one battle. The first words from Enryu's mouth did not shock him at all because he was right, he was going to test him but got beat too it. Without another word, Enryu disappeared in a red flash and appeared just a few feet from him, reaching out his hand to probably shock him with his devil fruit powers.

"Then yield, crimson thunderbird Mangetsu said coldly as he too unleashed his devil fruit powers before Enryu could touch him. Everything within a fifteen meter radius from him began be pinned down by gravity, since Enryu was only a few meters from he would be sent straight to the ground. It would probably feel as if several boulders were crushing him and make his bones feel like they would break. There was only one way for him to escape this attack and that would be too be just as strong as he was, it would be a great test too see if he could escape his incomplete power. Mangetsu called it incomplete as he only had recently obtained it just a few months ago, merely a low fraction to some who have had their powers since childhood. He had too train more soon to get more control over it, but he knew he would. Mangetsu hoped that Enryu would give up after this display of power, as the rest of his arsenal would probably be way to dangerous to unleash near a town. Using his current technique even caused the current buildings to sink and would probably destroy them if he kept it up too long.

The process of the test was definitely underway when Enryu thundered towards the Revolutionary Captain. He reappeared directly in front of the man, and he only spoke one sentence to the boy. “Then yield, crimson thunderbird.” He spoke out coldly. “He is just going to…” Enryu’s thought was cut off by a sudden slam of gravity bring the boy of sixteen to his knees with an almost crazy chuckle. Enryu knew the pressure was a lot, but he had one trick left of his sleeve. The crimson sparks began to flare up when Enryu brought his right hand back up slightly fighting and struggling against the gravity all the while. “I can’t yield yet, sir.” Enryu grinned when the crimson sparks shot to life in his right hand manifesting something at a rather quick pace. Sudden the red lightning shot forward into a long spear made out of pure red lightning. The spear was only five feet long and about an inch and half wide. The spear would roar to life and elongate towards his right shoulder. The gravity was damn near crushing Enryu, but he pushed back up against it. He knew he could go pure lightning form to help ease the gravity, but he had to prove a point before he yielded to the captain. He was stronger than the other men had the pleasure of having in his crew. He was the Crimson Thunderbird. He would one day either be a pirate that was well known through the world, or he would be a Revolutionary Higher up that strikes fear into any man that heard his title and name.

The gravity pushed and pushed against Enryu’s body. He was sweating for the struggle, but he knew that he couldn’t hold out. Before the Lightning spear even reach its full length. The spears fell apart, and Enryu was back into his pure solid crimson lightning form. The crackle of power and electricity filled the air between the two men before Enryu disappeared and reappeared in a crack of lightning just outside of the Gravity field. “I yield, sir.” A half smile was covering Enryu’s face. He knew that this man was someone of great power. He just activated his Devil Fruit without any sort of sign besides the slam of the pressure onto his own body. It was absolutely breathtaking to say the least. “I assume, I can skip over the introduction given you called me by my assumed title.” Enryu laughed again before stepping forward awkwardly and slowly to make sure the gravity field was gone. Once he saw it was clear, Enryu would step forward and extend his hand towards his new “May I ask who I have the pleasure of serving, captain?” The young boy looked at the captain with his dually colored eyes until he told him who he had the pleasure of being paired with. He had heard he was looking to put together a new crew, but he had no idea who he had chosen already if he had picked anyone at all! For now, he would stick to the simple question of who the man was before they could talk about what was to come.

Mangetsu had not moved an inch from his original position as his attack shot Enryu straight to his knees. It was a testimony to his strength, as most who had endured this attack so far have fallen directly onto their faces. It was quite interesting for Mangetsu to actually hear the young man say he wouldn't yield yet, hinting that he would do something else that might turn this test around. He was right, as Enryu managed to move and quickly throw something at him, it was a bit hard to tell at first but it looked like crimson colored lightning fashioned into a spear. He can move this much? This kid really has some potential Mangetsu said too himself as he looked at the incoming lightning attack, if he didn't do something about it he would get himself hurt but not enough to kill him. As the revolutionary captain began to think of a counter attack for the lightning but it dissipated before it could reach him due to his gravity field. He was let down a bit but then remembered that most attacks didn't survive in his gravity field just like the attack that was recently launched at him.

While anticipating the attack, Mangetsu didn't seem to notice the lightning that crackled before him and Enryu disappearing from his field of gravity. He didn't notice a single thing till the kid spoke again and was surprised but his face wouldn't show it at all. The kid was right, he did know how to yield but the old Mangetsu tugged at him a little and he wished he would have tried again. He let the gravity field of his disappear and everything around him return to normal, meaning that the boy could now walk up too him without being crushed. Mangetsu did not speak when Enryu spoke about his introduction, giving him a slight indication that he was right. The black songbird had did a lot of research on him and his goro goro no Mi, the power of lightning. He knew the power of a lightning Logia would come in handy and be useful, plus it partnered well with his gravity. "In this life they call me Mangetsu Karasu He said with what could almost be a hint of sadness, even after being called by Mangetsu for two years now, a part of him missed the name branded too him by the songbirds. However the time for that was not now, as he had a new crew to tend too. You are an interesting fellow being able to move within my field He paused as he looked Enryu up and down like prey, "The goro goro's power must help a lot, how much do you depend on it? He finished.

“Mangetsu Karasu.” Enryu thought. He had heard about a man coming up through the ranks of the Revolutionary Army in the past three years. He spoke about how he was an interesting boy to be able to move within his gravity field. “Of course, I was given a gift from the gods.” Enryu thought, but he didn’t dare speak out again. He had always been beaten down or made fun of for his belief. But the most important question came at the end. “Depend on it…" Enryu hadn’t thought about that. He had come to see the Devil Fruit as a part of his very soul. A piece of him that had always been missing from his life, soul, and very being of what it meant to live. Enryu paused for a brief moment before saying, “I don’t really see it as separate from my being. The lightning and I are the same person now. The Crimson Thunderstorm is me.” Enryu looked down to try and put this is better words. “It isn’t just a tool that I use. It is my very being. I guess, I would have to say I depend on the power a lot. The gods greatest gift to someone in my village was this power, but I did stumble upon it still in someone else.” Enryu tore his gaze away from his Captain. He hadn’t told anyone how he came across the legendary fruit before. He had always told them that it was a gift from the gods, but in reality he had to take someone’s life to gain access to its powers.

Enryu shivered a bit before pulling his hood back onto his head. Oh how he hated the bloody cold, he was raised in the Tundra of Paradise. He had lived in it his entire life until he finally joined the revolutionary army and got to travel the world a little bit. Suddenly he was snapped back into reality when the snow began to fall a bit heavier around them. “But I consider myself the embodiment of lightning, I just need to mature my abilities at bit more and once that is done I will be a fearsome opponent.” Enryu slide his hands into his pockets as he looked up at his captain with his violet and red colored eyes with a small hint of a twinkle in them. He was ready to start his journey with this man, but he did have one question for him. “What are you trying to do, Captain? What purpose do you have for starting this little crew?” Enryu couldn’t help sounding like a child, who was wondering how much longer he would have to stand in the snow. He wasn’t whining, but he was more questioning what he was doing here besides joining a crew.

He sees it as an extension of himself, that's a good answer Mangetsu thought to himself as he looked at his new first mate. However it didn't shock him what Enryu had said next, he did not know this information at all, but he knew everyone had something dark in their past and Enryu was included. However it did amaze him that he found the fruit within another in the same village and that he managed to get the fruit from someone who held such a powerful fruits. Enryu had to have been very careful when killing this individual and managing to find the fruit near by that would acquire the goro goro no mi's power. When Mangetsu first heard of devil fruits, he knew nothing about this and even pestered his old captain about it several times. He was sort of envious of those with the power of devil fruits, they held so much power and he was so weak compared to those he had been paired with within the last few years. However it wasn't until recently he realized how someone could eventually depend on their devil's fruit too much, which can cause problems. Just as Enryu just showed, the power of devil fruits could also cause another too kill. He is glad that Enryu saw the fruit as an extension of himself but to hone his abilities after this, thanks to his answer, they would go back to the very basics. In Mangetsu experience, doing so helped a lot with honing his new found powers.

Enryu then asked a question that took him back to a few years ago, a time where his desire to be a pirate was so strong and he managed to join his first crew. It seemed like it was a hard question for him, as he looked up at the sky with his cold eyes but then his words began to fall from his mouth. "As you know, our main duty is to the revolutionary army, taking out the evil around the world His breath began to show as the snow began to fall harder. "But this is an adventure for us and just like I was told when I was just a nobody, we have to live our dream Mangetsu's mind began to flash back to his first days on Jaya with Mavis and Junbei. My dream is to hunt treasure and eventually become revolutionary commander, what is yours? he asked as he looked from the sky directly at Enryu again "Whatever it maybe, we will let the song of our dreams fly and if need be, take down anyone who gets in our way he had no clue if Junbei would be proud of him for finally learning the meaning of the songbirds "so will you join me, with your dream in hand and play our song to the entire world? The revolutionary had no sign of emotion but the tone of hope filled his voice and he hoped to fill Enryu up with it as well.

The reason that Enryu never talked about how he came about gaining the Goro Goro no mi is because he gained it from a rather famous ex-marine. He was on the verge of death and Enryu helped him to the other side. In the end, he had the fruit that would take the powers on him. He didn’t even know that is how Devil Fruits worked, but he was happy with the gift despite how he obtained it. He just knew that the man was very dangerous with a lot of enemies. He couldn’t let people find out that he took his life for it, but he knew that someday he would have to face off against that action sooner or later. He listened to his captain speak on doing the stuff for the Revolutionary army whenever they asked, but it was about simply following our own adventures! This is exactly what Enryu wanted to do. He wanted to go out and see the world!

Enryu’s body gave off some sparks to reveal his excitement over their adventures. He took a deep breath before looking at his captain and sayings, “It would be my honor to join you! The adventures we will have will be told and sang about for years!” Of course, Enryu had no way of knowing that for sure, but he had an idea of what they were going to be doing! They would go about their own adventures while the Revolutionary Army gave them missions from time to time to help with the cause of eliminating evil from the world, which was an almost damn near impossible task. But Enryu had signed up for all this when he decided to join the Revolutionary Army, he had decided against joining the marines or just some other pirate crew. He did all of this because he felt drawn to the cause of the Revolution. They just wanted to end the oppression and horrors performed by the World Government. Enryu knew that the sky was the limit now for him and his captain. They were on the verge of greatness, and they just had to take the leap to become truly great!

Mangetsu looked at Enryu and watched as sparks of his red lightning appeared around him, it must have meant that he was excited. He was glad that this young man had actually agreed to join him, never would he thought that in two years that he would have started his own crew. Thank you, Junbei he said to himself as he began to walk towards his vice captain. Mangetsu wouldn't have achieved any of this if it wasn't for that man who had taken him in when he was new to the grand line, without him Mangetsu nor Jade would have existed. However, as this new chapter of his life started, he knew that he had to shed his past and live for today. Enryu was right, there story would be sung throughout the ages and Mangetsu would make sure of that. He finally closed the distance between him and Enryu, eventually patting him with his right arm, his only arm, before making his way out of the alleyway. "Come on Enryu, I have some people I want you to meet he said loud enough for him to hear despite Mangetsu being out of the alley and a few feet back into the empty streets.

This was the start of an adventure, the start of a new age for the seas and Mangetsu was going to let the heavenly emperors reign upon it. Maybe I'll run into you guys again Mangetsu thought to himself as he kept walking, he didn't want to see them again for reasons but wouldn't deny that it would be nice to see his old crew again.

EXIT

[Short post. :/]

The snow slowly descended around Mangetsu and Enryu. He had been accepted into the crew that this man was forming! What would happen to Enryu in the next couple of years? Would he rise through the ranks of the Revolutionary Army? Would he split from them to join a pirate crew? The only thing he did know was that he hated the cold here, and he couldn’t wait for it to be fucking over. The cooing for a pigeon rang out throughout the alleyway as the pair walked out of it, but Enryu create a small red lightning knife in his hand before flicking his wrist towards the pigeon.

The pigeon fell from the place it was sitting, and the alleyway went silent. Enryu could actually think now. They exited the alleyway and all Enryu could think about was who the captain wanted him to meet. Could it be parts of his crew? Could it be another partner from the Revolutionary Army? Or could it be both of those options? He had no idea. He just knew that the story was finally starting.

=====> Exit