Page ౬ ) Birthday II

Gib powerstones!!! And add story to your library and collections.

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[Location: Penber Estate, Ravenholm Island, West Blue.]

[Time: Just after Birthday Party]

Antonio led Ray to the side of the large banquet hall, to a large, heavy door with words embossed in gold on it, the letters of which Ray could not recognise.

Antonio opened the door and as Ray walked in, he looked around the room.

'This place has an ancient feel to it... it is definitely older than the rest of the estate.' Ray thought.

"I can hear the gears turning in your head all the way from here, and yes, this place is older than our estate, no, our Familia. But that's a story for later. For now, just prepare yourself for your initiation trial." Antonio said as walked over to an Altar of sorts, with another person standing next to the Altar.

"Mom? Why are you here?"

"Both of the candidate's parents have to be present for the trials, Ray."

"Now, it's time to start. Cut your palm and drip your blood on the Altar." Antonio said, as he received a mask from his wife.

"What's the weird mask for?"

"Every spectator has to wear it... tradition.", he replied, smirking as he saw Ray roll his eyes at the word "tradition".

"Okay, here goes nothing.", Ray spoke, then cutting across his palm, then closing his fist and letting the blood drip onto the Altar.

The Altar, which was red due to the blood of the previous members, glowed green for a moment, before going back to normal.

"Whew...", he heard a bunch of sighs behind him, and as he turned around, he saw the familia's elders, relaxing and smiling.

"It glowed green... that's great."

" And why's that?"

"It just shows that you have talent in learning something called 'Haki'."

'Haki?... Haki! This is One Piece!! No wonder I had that weird power to sense things... that's just Kenbonshoku Haki.(Colour of Observation). So I'm one of the rare few who had it from birth huh... I wonder how long it would take me to gain future sight. I also need to learn Busoshoku Haki(Colour of Arms/ Will of Armament).

"What's Haki?", Ray asked, maintaining a questioning look, as he's not supposed to know of it just yet.

"Haki is a wonderous ability, and only those powerful or talented enough can use it. I don't know much about it, but I've heard of ridiculous stories of people shattering islands with just a fist!" exclaimed an elder, stars in his eyes.

"That's just a pile of baloney, and you know it!" , replied another elder.

"Who says so? I'm sure the Pirate King, Whitebeard, the Navy brass, and the World Government have people with such power. How else would they have been able to shake the world at their own will?"

"The Pirate King?", Ray questioned, recognising the title of Gold Roger, or should he call him, Gol D Roger.

"Hohoho! The Pirate King! The man who started a new era! The greatest Pirate to ever exist! The legend who conquered the Grand Line and its many dangers! Too bad... in the end, he was executed not too long ago. I guess one man cannot stand against the world after all..." an elder started spiritedly, only to end in a pensive mood.

"I think all of you forgot why we all came here in the first place..." spoke Antonio, smiling wryly.

"Oh! How we lost ourselves! Welcome to the family Ray Penber!", exclaimed a particularly old elder.

"This is great! Now we don't have to worry about the other family heads taking over our territory in the future." , replied another.

"Maybe we'll conquer-"

"Ok, I'm pretty sure it's been a long day for Ray, and its time for him to sleep now, yes?" Ray's mother interjected just as they were about to start an hours long discussion with a look, promising pain and suffering to anyone who went against her.

"Yes, of course! Ray must be very tired from the party. Let's all go to bed now.", the elders hurried as they all left the room.

Antonio collected the masks from the elders as they left, before removing his own, before opening a drawer present in the corner of the room and carefully placing them inside."

"Congratulations on passing your initiation Ray. I'm excited for the future."

"Wait. Didn't you say that this was an initiation process? So every person who wishes to be a part of the Familia must be able to use Haki?" Ray questioned.

"Of course not! If those were the criteria, we wouldn't ever he able to have many members! Only the higher ups need to know how to use Haki, and even then, its not to a very high level."

"Then just now..."

"Your initiation is different from a normal member's, since you are destined to be the next head of Ravenholm Island, and must possess enough power to protect our territories, especially at a time when our neighbours are of the 'not so friendly' type."

"Now, it's been a long day, and if I kept you here any longer, I'm not sure if I'd have to sleep on the couch tonight. And I know it's late, but happy birthday kiddo.", he said, giving a velvet leather box the size of a palm to Ray.

"Don't open it just yet, let's open it tomorrow and I'll teach you how to use it. For now, good night and sweet dreams." He finished, as his mother kissed his forehead, before leaving the room together.

As Ray watched the door from they, he could hear their conversation as they walked away.

"Too long chatted you have, to the couch it is for you." his mother spoke as his father as he yelled in despair.

"Noooooo"

'Well, that happened.', spoke Ray as a butler escorted him back to his room.

'I wonder what's in that box... maybe a weapon? But that box's too small for that... Eh, let's leave that for tomorrow me.', thought Ray, as he left things for tomorrow's him, just like everyone when they have a project or have to study for their exams.

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Author: I'm sorry for leaving this story for so long, I just lost interest in writing this and also university started, so there's that... but now, that interest is back, so I've started writing again. Please support this story by donate powerstones and add this story to your library. That'll help keeping my interest in this.

Also, if you're finding it hard to understand who's talking in chapter or something, plz comment. I'll try to make changes if it's like that.

And that's about it!

Tata!