บท 6: Stolen Ship

"Sorry old man." Aria's chest tightened. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she made her choice.

Thunder crackled overhead as she sprinted through the empty corridors. Her footsteps echoed against wooden planks, matching the rapid beat of rain against the deck above.

She searched around the navigation room, strange energy making focus difficult. "Come on, come on. Where does Captain Grumpy keep his—" Her eyes landed on a leather-bound book. "Ah!"

The emergency checklist's worn pages crackled as she opened them. "Let's see... 'Check anchor chain tension.' Okay, starting with the basics."

She worked through tasks methodically, sweat beading as power surged with each thunder rumble.

"Don't look down," she coached herself in the rigging. "Just pretend you're cleaning Gale's weather station. Really tall, really unstable weather station. That definitely won't kill me if I fall."

Back on deck, she ran through final preparations, marking each item off with determination: "Navigation charts - check."

"Emergency supplies - check."

"Storm sails - mostly check."

"Will to live - increasingly questionable."

"I barely know what I'm doing. One wrong move and I'll wreck his ship. I really don't want to explain that to Gale. "

"Only one way to find out." She gripped the wheel firmly. "Time to see what's causing this."

"It's just you and me, Gracie." Aria patted the ship's wheel.

Aria guided the wheel with careful movements. The bow turned slowly, cutting through the cove's calm waters.

"Easy now." She adjusted their heading, watching the shoreline. "Nice and steady until we clear these rocks. Then we can really see what you can do."

"Left a bit." She corrected their course. "There we go. You're doing great, Gracie. Just a little further."

The cove's protective walls fell away. Open water stretched before them, dark with roiling storm clouds.

"Okay." She took a deep breath, centering herself. "Port is... probably left. Like, eighty percent sure."

The ship pitched suddenly. Aria's boots slid across the deck before she caught herself on the wheel. Her heart hammered while she scanned for any equipment that might break loose.

"Getting choppy already." She mentally cataloged each barrel and crate. "Storm's moving faster than expected."

Lightning flashed across the sky. In that brief illumination, she spotted several unsecured items rolling across the deck.

"Should probably check below deck too." Her boots clicked against the wooden steps. "Make sure everything's tied down before this gets worse."

She paused at the bottom of the stairs, letting her eyes adjust to the dim light. The ship's bones creaked around her, protesting the rough seas.

"Gale would kill me if I let his precious cargo break free." She moved carefully through the narrow passage, steadying herself against the wall. "Though he'll probably kill me anyway for borrowing his ship."

She pushed open the captain's cabin door, momentarily pleased with how she'd handled the ship so far.

"At least nothing's broken yet." She stepped inside, surveying the room. "Maybe I'm getting better at this whole sailing thing after-"

Her satisfaction evaporated instantly. There, in the narrow bed built into the wall, lay Gale's sleeping form. His face remained peaceful, completely unaware of his ship's theft.

"Oh no." The blood drained from her face ."No, no, no... This is definitely not covered in the manual."

Great job, master thief. You managed to steal both a ship and its captain in one go. That's got to be some kind of record.

She considered her options: jump ship and swim for it, pretend she was sleepwalking, or maybe…

Oh wait, I can't swim

"Well," Aria sighed, shoulders slumping. "At least I don't have to write a note explaining why I borrowed his ship."

Aria quietly closed the captain's quarters door. Her heart pounded against her ribs. The gentle snoring from inside the cabin made her stomach twist with guilt.

She sprinted through the narrow passage, one hand trailing the wall for balance. The ship pitched beneath her feet, sending her stumbling into corners.

"Just stay asleep." Aria burst onto the deck, rain pelting her face. Her fingers wrapped around the smooth spokes of the wheel. "Let me handle this one thing without-"

A massive wave slammed the ship. Wild Grace lurched violently. Aria stumbled, her boots sliding across the wet deck until she caught herself on the wheel. Water crashed over the rails, drenching her completely.

"Come on." She gritted her teeth. Salt spray stung her eyes, blurring her vision of the churning seas ahead. "Not like that. Though I suppose I needed a bath anyway."

The next wave hit harder, lifting the bow clear out of the water. She pulled left, desperately. The ship fought against her control, the wheel spinning violently in her hands. The rudder strained against the churning water, threatening to snap under the pressure.

A door slammed below deck. Heavy footsteps thundered up the stairs, each impact like a drumbeat of impending doom. The steps paused, followed by a loud crash and several creative curses.

"Well," Aria muttered, "at least his vocabulary's improving. Who knew the old man knew that many combinations of swear words?"

Gale burst onto the deck, rainwater plastering his gray hair to his skull. His nightclothes clung to his frame, and his eyes blazed with a fury that made the storm seem gentle in comparison.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" His voice boomed over the howling wind.

And there goes any hope of talking my way out of this one.

"Morning!" Aria kept her eyes forward, tracking the approaching wave. "Lovely weather we're having for a surprise sailing lesson, wouldn't you say?"

"You stole my ship!"

"Borrowed." She pulled the wheel right. "With every intention of returning it. Eventually. Probably in mostly the same condition."

"Turn this ship around. Now!"

"No!" Aria fought the wheel as another wave threatened to broadside them. "We need to-"

"Need to what?" Gale stormed toward her, his usual limp forgotten in his fury. "Get us both killed? The weather instruments are going haywire!" His finger jabbed toward the clouds. "Do you even know how to read the weather gauges? Or did you think sailing was just about spinning the pretty wheel?"

"You don't understand-"

"Understand?!" Gale grabbed the railing beside her. "What you need to worry about is when I throw you overboard! Though at this rate, this storm will save me the trouble." His eyes narrowed. "If we survive, I'm going to make you scrub every inch of this deck with a toothbrush!"

Wild Grace lurched. Above them, dark clouds boiled and twisted, moving with unnatural speed and purpose.

"Well, that's not ominous at all." Her eyes tracked the strange patterns. "Since when do storm clouds move against the wind?"

Something's wrong. This isn't a natural storm.

The air pressure dropped. Her ears popped painfully while gold tendrils of energy flickered at the edge of her vision. The power signature pulsed unlike anything she'd encountered before.

A high-pitched whistling pierced through the storm's chaos. Combat instincts screamed warnings before the cannonball whizzed past their starboard side. Water exploded where it struck, shaking the entire ship.

Aria's stomach dropped. "Please tell me that wasn't what I think it was."

Through the rain, a shadow emerged. Black sails unfurled like demon wings, crackling with lightning. Brass cannons lined the hull, polished to an unnatural shine.

The strange energy pulsed stronger. Her devil fruit ability hummed in response to the swirling maelstrom of dark gold power emanating from the approaching vessel.

Gale's voice changed, dropping to a tactical calm. "Warning shot. They're testing our response. Seeing if we'll panic and run straight into their trap."

"Really?" Aria's fingers tightened on the wheel. "Here I thought they were just terrible at aiming."

Gale's eyes narrowed, "That vessel - I recognize those modifications. The reinforced hull, the "Weather vanes, the specialized rigging - that's the Maelstrom's Maw. She's taken down three Marine battleships just this month."

The enemy ship closed in, its black hull cutting through waves like a knife. At the helm, a tall figure stood motionless. One hand remained raised toward the churning clouds, directing their movements. His captain's coat billowed in a controlled windstorm that defied the natural chaos. Power radiated from him, making Aria's teeth ache while her Devil Fruit abilities stirred beneath her skin.

"Marcus Raiden." Gale's voice hardened. "Former Marine Weather Corps Captain. He massacred his own fleet fifteen years ago to steal the Arashi Arashi no Mi from a World Government vault."

"The storm-storm fruit? That explains the light show."

Her head snapped toward Gale. "Wait. You know this guy?"

"His bounty sits at 80 million berries. He's earned every coin destroying supply lines between the Blues, turning Marine ships against each other. Now he operates in the East Blue where their presence is weakest."

A real Devil Fruit user to test my powers against.

"Please tell me he at least has a creative name," she quipped.

"Calls himself the Storm King."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Seriously? What was 'Captain Weather' taken? Maybe 'Admiral Drizzle' was too subtle?" She ducked as spray crashed over the bow. "If you're going to be a dramatic villain, at least put some effort into the branding."

"This isn't a joke!" Gale snapped, hands dancing across the controls. "That man's sunk dozens of ships. He toys with them, trapping them in endless storms."

"Clearly someone needs a better hobby. Maybe knitting? I heard it's very relaxing."

A cannon boomed. The shot whistled past their mainmast, taking wood and paint with it. Splinters rained across the deck.

Gale's face reddened. "Hey! I just touched up that railing!" He pointed at the damage. "Do you know how long it took to get that finish perfect?"

Aria stared at him, momentarily forgetting the wheel. "Really? We're about to die and you're worried about the paint job? Your priorities might need some adjustment there."

"This ship is my life!" Gale's voice cracked. "Every plank, every nail - I've maintained her for thirty years!"

She wrestled with the wheel as another wave threatened to broadside them. "Old man, I know you're busy planning my imminent demise, but do you want this Gracie to sink!? Because that's exactly what'll happen if we turn back now." The rudder fought her control. "Though if you've got any brilliant navigation tricks hidden away, now would be a great time to share."

"Give me the wheel." Gale shouldered her aside, his hands taking control. "Before you get us both killed. If we're going to die today, we'll do it properly."

Aria's gaze locked onto the distant figure of the Marcus, an idea forming in her mind. "If I can get close enough…"

Gale glanced sideways, "Close enough for what?"

"My Devil Fruit," Aria said slowly.

"Remember what happened at your house? I can take people's strength. Make it mine. Though usually I ask permission first." She paused. "Usually."

"What does that have to do with-" Gale's question cut off as understanding dawned in his eyes.

"I might be able to steal his power." She watched lightning dance across the enemy deck. "The closer I am, the stronger the connection. Never tried it on a Devil Fruit user, but his energy's practically sending me an invitation."

"Might? You want to risk our lives on might?"

"Got any better ideas? Besides yelling and throwing things, I mean. Because that strategy doesn't seem to be working out great for us."

Gale gripped the wheel tighter. "It's a gamble. A bloody big one. You don't know if your Devil Fruit will work on him. Devil Fruit powers don't usually interact well."

Aria's grin widened, a reckless light dancing in her eyes. "No, I don't."

"If you're wrong..."

Lightning reflected in her eyes. "Then we're dead anyway." She turned toward the oncoming storm. "Besides, what's life without a little risk?'

Aria met Gale's gaze, challenging him silently. "So, what do you say, old man? Ready to roll the dice?"

Gale snorted, shaking his head. "You're going to be the death of me, girl."

His expression remained unreadable while he studied her face. Finally, a rare smile crossed his features, his eyes holding the sharp focus of a master navigator. "You really believe you can do this, don't you?"

Aria nodded. "I wouldn't have asked you out here if I didn't. Your ship, on the other hand..." She glanced at the battered deck.

"She's tougher than she looks." Gale patted the wheel.

He squinted through the rain at their approaching enemy. "We're only going to get one shot at this. The currents won't align again if we miss."

"One shot is all I need."

Gale's jaw clenched. "Then let's show this 'Storm King' what happens when you mess with the Sea Reader."

Aria grinned. "Finally! The legendary navigator emerges from his cocoon!"

Wild Grace surged forward under its master's touch. Gale's hands guided them through the tempest with practiced skill, threading between waves that would have capsized lesser vessels. The gap between ships narrowed, brass cannons growing more distinct.

Aria gripped the railing. "This is completely insane. Think they've noticed us yet?"

A barrage of cannon fire exploded around them in answer.

"Had to ask." Gale's hands danced across the wheel, weaving between explosions while Wild Grace's hull shuddered. "Next time, keep the obvious questions to yourself."

"And it's too late for regrets. Besides, you've already stolen my ship. Might as well steal his powers too."

"Your newfound faith in me is touching." Aria gathered her power. "Also slightly terrifying."

"Less talking." Gale guided them through another wave. "More whatever it is you do."

"Right." She took a deep breath, focusing on the golden energy pulsing around their target. "Time to see if I can actually pull this off."

Gale's voice softened. "Try not to die."

"Aw, you do care." Aria grinned as lightning illuminated their approach. "Also, if this works? You're teaching me proper navigation. No more excuses."

Gale snorted, eyes locked on their target. "Survive first. Negotiate later."

"Deal."

—----------------------------------------------------

Captain!" A pirate rushed across the deck toward Marcus. "That ship - it's Wild Grace!"

Marcus kept his hand raised, golden energy crackling between his fingers. The rain parted around him, atmospheric pressure bending to create a perfect sphere of calm. His coat remained pristine, a calculated display of control.

"Sea Reader's vessel? You're certain?"

"The figurehead matches descriptions - the flying swan." The pirate pointed through the rain. His hand trembled. "And look-" He gestured at the flag whipping in the wind. "That's his personal mark. The compass rose with crossed daggers. Every sailor in the East Blue knows that symbol."

A cruel smile split Marcus's face.

"They're changing course - moving to intercept!" The lookout's voice carried over the wind. "They're sailing straight for us!"

"Your orders?"

"Disable the ship." Marcus's power pulsed. "I want Gale alive. He'll navigate us through the Calm Belt - after he watches us tear apart his precious vessel."