5

It's been near seven days since I've been in the world of One Piece. After waking up to the Straw Hat, Kuma debacle, it's really sunk in. One moment, I was ordinary regular guy number seven billion, the next, I'm some monster whose life depends on piracy. If there's one thing I know about this world, it's that if you're not strong, physically strong, then you'll get used, and tossed to the roadside. You'll be lucky to live out your days delivering the mail, or waiting tables if you lose a fight in this world. The unlucky ones-images of Nico Robin's childhood flashed through my mind. The slave pens of the World Nobles burning, the gorgon sisters barely escaping. Will I be Pirate King, a Yonko, remain as a Shichibukai, or find an early grave? Who's to say. All I know is that I have to get stronger if I want to survive in this world.

I didn't spend this time idle moping in my tower. I was currently in the outskirts of the graveyard, fighting with all I had.

"Ha, is that all you've got!" I spit out a glob of blood.

"Again!" I rushed towards my opponent dual swords swiping from side to side.

"Kuh!" a fresh torrent of blood spit out of my mouth as my guard was broken, and a fist met my stomach.

Red rang a bell, signaling the end of the duel.

Across from me stood my strongest weapon, closest confidant and current sparring partner, Doppleman. It took two days to deal with the Straw Hats and order my crew. Ever since then, I've been sparring with Doppleman for six hours a day. The rest of my time had been spent experimenting with the abilities granted to me by the Kage Kage ni Mi. I could now confidently swap places with Doppleman at command. My only regret is that I didn't have any pirates to experiment my shadow taking abilities on.

"Excellent performance as always Moria-sama!" Red fist pumped the air.

"You'll get him next time!" Blue said in a comforting tone.

"Here's your towel Moria-sama." Yellow passed an elephant themed towel that's about the size of his body to me.

"Ki shi shi shi shi." The comical sight of Yellow being enveloped in a towel that at best could cover my face was impossible not to laugh at.

Holding the towel up to my split lip, I examined my minions. I had no issue appearing in this state in front of these three. My order that they talk to no one about my injuries was absolute.

"When will we be out of the Florian Triangle?" I knew the answer of course, but asking my minions was a good way to break my mind from the monotony of endless training.

"We should be out by the dawn of the next day master." Red replied matter of factly.

A sudden rustling noise came from the direction of the forest, interrupting my break. My fingers twitched, and a sword materialized in my hand. All the training in the last five days along with the mounting pressure had left me a little high strung.

"Show yourself!" Did some of the zombies get lost?

The rustling stopped completly at my declaration. Silence reigned supreme in the fog covered forest.

I walked over to investigate. At my approach, frantic movement broke out. Branches snapped, and I barely made out a suppressed voice say "Run."

Rushing into the forest, I knocked several trees to the side that got in my way. I stopped suddenly in a stupor. On the ground before me was a pink haired women with large lips, and a massive body. She'd easily come up to my neck if she was standing. Currently she was grasping her leg, and rocking back and forth.

"Aaah, aaah" She breathed heavily in pain.

"My knee, my good knee! Oh lordy, lordy." Is she a simpleton? Seems she's completely forgotten that she was running from me.

"So, what are you doing? Ruining my plans?" I walked up to her, and looked down into her eyes.

"Ruining your plans?" She looked up in confusion.

"Are you?" I grabbed her shirt, and held her up to my face. For added insurance, I had Doppleman emerge behind her and disarm her two swords.

"G-G-G-Gecko Moria!" and she fainted in my hands, frothing at the mouth. Marvelous.

"Red!" I shouted out to grab his attention. A second later he scurried over from the graveyard.

"Do you have any idea who this refuse is?" I shoved her unconscious form towards Red.

He squinted for a good minute. I had Doppleman practice with the swords. I turned my back to him to practice my control while I waited. This whole ordeal is already a waste of my time.

"I've got it! Her shadow is used for one of your Zombie Generals, Moria-sama. Her name is Lola! Charlotte Lola!" He answers with perfect confidence.

"One of my Zombie Generals eh?" I rubbed my chin. That's right, even though I've watched One Piece, that doesn't mean I can remember every single little bit of minutiae or tidbit of information. I guess Moria did have a lot of survivors on his island. His catch and release system was pretty stupid. Perhaps I'll build a prison. Wait.

"Red, did you say her name was Charlotte?" I asked, a hint of dread creeped into my voice. She's Big Mom's daughter?

"Yes, Moria-sama! Charlotte Lola, Captain of the Rolling Pirates!" Red answered enthusiastically and with great certainty.

"Charlotte Lola." I said the name, a dozen scenarios, dangers and opportunities appeared when this name entered the equation. For now, a little diplomacy was in order.

"Red, take Blue, and see to it that Lola here is placed on house arrest at Hogback's mansion. Inform Hogback that she's not to be harmed or operated on."

"Your orders are my command!" Red ran to get Blue, leaving me with Lola.

"Short term gains, or long term gains?" I set her down gently, and patted her head like a master petting his dog. "You'll be my golden goose."

The room was illuminated by nothing but the starlight shining through the window. I was reclining on the bean bag chair thinking. My arms rested behind my head while I played with the shadows. One part training, one part entertainment in a world without the internet. The shadow of a grandfather clock danced about with the shadows of a candlestick, and a couple tea cups. The real clock, candlestick, and tea cups moved slightly in response to the movement of their shadows.

If I take the shadow from a person, and they're exposed to sunlight, they vaporize. What would happen if I took the shadow from a building, or an object? Do non-living objects also vaporize in the sun? Would an island vaporize if I took its shadow? I'll have to that out once we leave the Florian Triangle, and can get regular sunlight.

Although, that's not much of a priority. I have zero personal fighting skills, not to mention I don't know how to run a ship. Stealing the shadows of a warrior, and a navigator are at the top of my list of shadows to steal.

"What about you, Doppleman, what do you think?" He stood there, silent like always. This has become a nightly occurrence for me, talking to my own shadow. As much as I crow the loyalty of Absalom, there's no one you can trust more than yourself. If I didn't talk to someone, about all the nonsense I've gone through, I'm sure I'd go crazy.

I have Doppleman stand silent guardian over me while I sleep. There isn't anyone else on this island as trustworthy as Doppleman.

"Good night, Doppleman." I close my eyes. Hello, sweet oblivion.

"Moria-sama!" Red swung my door open, light flooded in from the hallway.

"Our last Night Attack in the Florian Triangle, King of Darkness Gecko Moria!" Blue marched in with his head held high.

"They'll fall before the might of the Thriller Bark Pirates!" Yellow deepened his voice. He sounded less like a chipmunk, and more like Arnold Schwarzeneggar. Receiving shocked and impressed looks from Red and Blue.

Not this shit again. I closed my eyes to block the light from the hallway. The sound of explosions sounded through the glass pain of my window. I covered my ears with a pair of mufflers formed from the shadows in the room. I've been itching to test my powers on a live subject for days, and when that opportunity comes along, I'm sore to the bone, and tired as hell. Whatever, I'll just test my powers on live subjects when my crew has captured them. They somehow captured Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, they'll be fine. As I was finally starting to get comfortable, a small pile of rubble spilled upon my head. Spluttering, I wiped the debris off my face.

"I will murder you!" In one fluid motion, I jumped up from my bean bag, and took a look out the balcony. I couldn't see a thing, but gun shots rang from the graveyard. Hopefully some of those guns are being wielded by my zombies.

"Hit the lights!" At my order, Red and the rest of my minions shined spot lights down upon the graveyard. Large shadows formed from the various gravestones, and shrines where the spotlights passed over.

I focused, and drew the shadows in the room to me. They traveled up my body, and spread out on my back. Bat wings made of shadow spread across my back. I had only just created this technique yesterday. My control isn't perfect, but it should be enough to glide down from up here. The bat wings may be a bit edgy, but at this point, it's impossible for me not to look edgy.

As I glided down, I got a better picture of what I'd be facing. My zombies were shooting into a mob of malnourished humans. The people attacking the graveyard were falling down in droves. Curious enough, many zombies would fall shortly after a attacker died.

"Die zombie! For Lola-sama!" A guy in a ragged white shirt, wearing a faded maroon tie, and a blue mask that covered his head shouted. He sliced off zombie limbs left and right with a massive katana.

"Once we rescue the princess from the mansion, we've got to get back to the forest, brother!" Fighting next to Maroon Tie, a man who could easily be mistaken for a zombie was punching out zombies with the same ferocity. Blood leaked from a gunshot wound, staining his green striped shirt.

I don't see Perona, and I better not see Absalom. Time to make an entrance. About twenty meters from the ground, I let my wings disappear, and plummet to the ground. A loud 'thump' sounded, and a dust cloud came from my position obscuring my position.

"Gah! Why'd you cut me?!" Green Stripe had a gash across his shoulder blade. His arm hung limply at the cut tendons.

"It wasn't me, I swear!" Maroon Tie turned towards his brother.

"Kuh!" Maroon Tie fell forward into green stripes arm. Blood spilled from the corners of his mouth. My shadow slowly retracted from his back, and a gaping hole could be visibly seen where his heart should be.

"Brother!"

"Ki shi shi shi shi! You fools! come to save your precious princess, Lola? Throw down your weapons, and submit to my rule, otherwise…This graveyard will be your final resting place!"

"M-Moria!"

"Hiiii!"

"It's the Shichibukai, run!"

As my presence was revealed, a good three quarters of the attackers not dead, or incapacitated retreated to the forest. The remaining smart attacker's threw down their weapons and surrendered. In a few cases, some men were in fetal positions, rocking back and forth.

I really need a dungeon or something. A cry of outrage brought me back to the situation at hand.

"You! You sick bastard! You killed my brother!" Striped Shirt cried as he laid his brother down to rest.

"I'm touched by the emotion you've shown me." I paused. "I can bring him back if you truly loved him." A sadistic smile broke out across my face. Doppleman beside me pantomimed laughter and pointed at striped shirt. He pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.

"I know how your powers pervert life, you monster! You won't tempt me with your lies!" Spittle flew from his mouth with every syllable.

"A shame that you don't wish your brother to live anew. No matter, I'll let you join him as an eternal guardian of my home." As I was about to impale him like I'd done to his brother, something unexpected happened.

"Heh hah heh hee hah!" A mad laugh escaped his mouth.

"He had discovered this technique after freeing your slaves! Now, I'll use my brother's technique for vengeance! As long as I kill you, my life will be complete!" Striped Shirt reached into his pocket, and pulled out a bundle of shadows. "I could only ever safely contain two of these at a time, I wonder what will happen if I hold twenty?!" A mad glint entered his eye.

Where did he get those? Has he been storing those shadows. In. His. Pocket?!

Striped shirt suddenly grew in size, and became almost as tall as me. His shirt fell off in his growth, and his skin turned a deep blue gray. The sound of cracking accompanied his transformation, his injured arm straightened itself out, good as new. Holy! He's a hulk!

"Haah, haah." The hulk stared at me with a deep seated rage burning in his eyes.

"Raaaaa!" dashing forward, he swung at my head.

"Cheh." I swapped places with Doppleman just before his fist landed. The hulk kept beating on Doppleman for a few seconds, not having yet realized I was to his side. His mistake.

Forming massive claws out of the shadows formed by the searchlights, I plunged them deep into the hulks back.

"Oryaa!" with a heave, I ripped him in half. Gore splattered everywhere.

"Puh. Puh." I spit blood out of my mouth. I went to wipe the blood off my face with my hands, but just rubbed more blood on myself. "Ah, it made it worse!"

Where's my towel when I need it?

"Ah, I think my favorite thing about this mansion is the baths." Hogback sat in the sauna with a certain elephant themed towel wrapped around his waist.

AN: Shape manipulation OP.

I think writing non-canon scenes comes easier to me, was a lot more fun too. I really wanted to give Striped Shirt purple pants this chapter.

So, what theories do you guys have when it comes to using Lola?