[OPEN] Chronicle - Chapter 1 - Why is it so hot!? Crash Landing on Drought Island!

"I knew... I should've found a navigator before I left Briss." Tiger thought, laying face first in a pit of sinking hot sand. It had been three days since the merchant vessel Tiger had 'claimed' had crashed off the coast of Drought Island. Typically, stories of storms or sea monsters would be the pinnacle reason for most voyages to come to an abrupt end, however as like most things with Tiger's life, it's usually complicated due to his own poor diligence. Goggles on, Tiger tried to pull his head free from the quicksand pit, as his head currently sunk into the ground. "Well, smart move with the goggles... Not so much on crashing your ship into the shoreline! I mean, it's not like anyone ever taught me how to anchor a freaking boat... How was I suppose to know where to drop the anchor... People always expect me to know these things because I read alot... I swear I can hear the lot of them now... Especially that old hag... 'Why would ya steal a boat, you couldn't be a good pirate anyhow ya' too weak', I swear she's such a drag." Tiger continued to rant internally, as he sunk deeper into the sandy desert surface.

At the peak of the quicksand pit, a young traveler looks on as the long armed, druid?, she suspected, tried to free himself. The young lady chuckles to herself, finding his wiggling demeanor to that of an earth worm. His wild long hands flailing for loss of oxygen, she snaps back to the reality of the situation, throwing her lasso around the man's waist with extreme procession. With one great tug, Tiger plopped from the quick sand, to a sitting position, in which he scrambled, well, both him and the young traveler struggled for a few minutes to help cement his escape. "FREEDOM!" Tiger shouted, flailing his hands against the hot sand on which he laid on. Staring at the clear blue skies, his eyes squinting from the penetrating sun, he turned over on his belly looking at the young traveler eye to eye, "Thank you, Mouse." Tiger said grinning. "Mouse.... Did you just compare me to a rodent you impudent outsider!" the woman snapped back angrily. Hopping up, adjusting his wizard hat, sticking his fingers into his cheeks, "Look though... you have whiskers and sort of look like a mouse. It's my nickname for you... I tend to name things. Sometimes." Tiger said wiggling his arms. In a matter of moments, three blades surrounded Meruem's neck. Three large robed men emerged from off the backs of the camels positioned a few meters away from their current resting position. "You dare insult our princess looks boy! DO you KNOW who your talking to!? Watch your tongue!" the tanned man shouted.

"Calm down. I was just playing. Besides, I actually don't know who I'm talking too if you think about it in retrospect. We just met and secondly, we haven't even introduced ourselves." Tiger said, dusting his jacket off from the sand. "Identify yourself then stranger... Who are you?" the woman asked sternly. "Are you from the Eastern Side?" her eyes darkened slightly as she inquired. "Eastern... Well... I'm from the South Blue. Never heard of it. Names Tiger, Tiger K. Meruem. You can call me 'Goggles' though, that's what my friends back home called me!" Meruem exclaimed smiling broadly. "Obviously your from the South Blue... From the looks of your clothes you've been wandering these parts for a few days haven't you... Most people die after the first 24 hours from the immense heat." the lady said astonished. "I'm a pretty sturdy guy. Besides, I've prepared myself to go at least a week without food... I'm strong-" Tiger said hitting his chest but the force of his own fist blew him over like a sheet of paper to gentle gust. "I'll go with Tiger. Your currently on an island known as Drought Island. It's known for it's immense temperatures during the day and below zero temperatures during the night." the lady stated.

"Eh... A desert.... Boring." Tiger said, picking his nose. "Leave!" all the travelers shouted. "Hehe... Calm down." Tiger said, digging into his brown side pouch to reveal a series of vials, which he chugged vigorously. "Oh, you did have water then?" the woman asked. "It's not water... It's a potion. Allows me to stay awake for another twelve hours... I've been experimenting... I haven't slept in ten days. New record actually." Tiger said proudly. "Ten days!?" the woman and her men exclaimed, "Yeah... the Blue Vials keep me up and the red ones put me out! Awesome aren't they!?" Tiger said, self praising his work. "But you just drank a red one... wouldn't that put you asleep?" the lady asked. "Wadda yah mean silly! I definitely drank the blue one... Red would put me out for at least two weeks due to my lack of sleep... Hahaha!" Tiger exclaimed. Opening his eyes widely, he looked at the vial and saw red residue. "..." Tiger stared at the vial with a blank expression. "..." the woman and her men stared at him. Tiger passed out.

"Sigh... Ma'am... Must we really carry such a rude child with us?" one of the men complained, piggy backing Tiger with them on their journey. "He might come in useful, bare with it, Lucas." the woman said sternly. "Yes ma'am, Mother." the man said endearingly. "Well boys... We're back home!" the woman exclaimed. "East Kingdom - Nirvana. Open the gates!" the man said, shouting near the end. "The Royal Princess Cleo has returned from the battlefield!" the next man screamed. Trotting gallantly into the cities walls, hundreds of people rejoiced as the Princess returned home. "Cleo! Cleo! Cleo!" they all cheered. As she was ushered through the streets, hundreds of the King's Guard barricade her pathway towards the pyramid hybrid type castle. Before her final stretch towards the rich end of Nirvana, one of the citizen from the crowd burst pass the barricade and attempted to stab her with a knife. Launching himself in mid-air, the man shouted, "Long Live Our Lord Autumn of the West!", the guards on high alert quickly subdued the assailant, dragging him back to the castle. At the castles steps minutes later, the King embraced his daughter passionately. "Cleo-chwwwwaaaan." the King of 6'9 in height exclaimed cutely. The Royal Guard coughed, "Sir... You're in front of the men... You shouldn't be so lenient on her return..." the Royal Guard Head informed.

Clearing his throat, "Right... Cleo. Your rash movements on the field costs us 4,000,000 Million Beli. That's money our Kingdom can't afford to be losing." the King informed. "I'm aware father... believe me I am... but right now... I need to obtain the medicine for mother by any means... No matter how much we hate each other... Only Western medicine seems to have an effect on her condition." Cleo said passionately. "However... I've found someone who might be able to find a cure!" Cleo said with hope. "Another traveling doctor... Cleo... We talked about this... These people are only using us for our money!" the King shouted. "I'll pay as much as I have to save my mother's life.... Even if you've moved on!" Cleo shouted, storming away from her father. "Cleo!" the King shouted, only interrupted by the Royal Guard's Head. "It's time for the council meeting... Sir." the head guard informed. "Am I bad father... Romeo?" the King asked with a more intimate tone. "No Sir... Miss Cleo is just confused... The Queen is a lovely and strong woman but her condition won't improve unless we win this war. Right now, you can't afford to squander time by her side." Romeo said bluntly. "I know... but... does she know... Romeo?" the King said, wiping tears from his eyes.

Tiger jumped from his sleep, startled from the fact that he was actually sleeping. "Wonder how long I've been out..." Tiger asked yawning. "About two days." Cleo said, as she sat by the foot of the bed reading a novel. Scratching his head, he looked around panicking for his wizard hat, which was resting on the table bedside. Smiling gently, the man stretched his arms behind his head, looking at the edge of the bed where the woman sat, "Thank you once again for saving me." Tiger exclaimed. "It wasn't for free. I noticed your wear, to our people your a druid of sorts right?" the woman inquired. "Druid... Not sure that I can say I am. I mix medicines and potions which are made for a broad variety of services. It's more of a past time. In terms of curing people, I'm not a doctor in the conventional sense." Tiger said apologetically.

The woman bit her bottom lip, "Damn, another dud." the woman exclaimed. Shutting the book, "Fine, your free to leave at any point. If you wait a few more days, a ferry which can take you to the next island will arrive here. Then you can leave Drought Island, there's nothing much for a wanderer to do." the woman said sighing. "I'm afraid I can't leave just yet however." Tiger said sternly. "Why not?" the woman rebuttal. "I'm on a journey. I'm searching for a crew. I am a pirate after all." Tiger admitted. Cleo rushed towards Tiger placing a blade to his neck, "Shsh..." Cleo said, muffling his mouth. "In the East, Piracy is frowned upon in our Kingdom. You'd do well not to mention that." Cleo said with grim eyes. Breaking himself free, "I don't mind a little trouble though, might be nice to stretch my arms. Though, I don't need help doing that." Tiger said flailing his arms. "Seriously though, why is piracy frowned upon here? Have you guys suffered from frequent attacks or something?" Tiger asked. "In the West, they are a bunch of rebels who have taken over the Western Kingdom, breaking it apart from the East. Since the beginning of time, the West and East have always been in conflict. However, it got worst since 'that' man came to power." Cleo informed. "'that' man?" Tiger pondered, leaning his head to the side. "The current leader of the West and former pirate, the man labelled the strongest brawler in the South Blue, Castor. Former Captain of the Berserk Pirates." Cleo stated trembling.

"Castor huh? Never heard of him. Though to be fair, I've never been into much news articles. Purely fitness and science for the most part. So, this Castor guy has been putting pressure on your people or something?" Tiger asked. "Worst. Castor used to be allied with the East. He's cast a curse on the Queen and fled to the West. My mother was the true brain's behind the East efficient running, her and my father's council, Romeo. When my mother fell ill, my father had to quit his role as Head of the Royal Courts Military, to jump into the politics. I love my father. I do but honestly, he's not capable of leading our people like our mother is." Cleo said saddened. "Woah Woah... Did you say curse?" Tiger asked confused. "Yes. Castor has eaten a Devil's Fruit, it's known as Fable Fable. It allows him to reenact or more so, make Fables from stories real." Cleo said almost in tears.

"He inflicted my mother with a sleeping sickness, from a local tale here. A story known as 'The Sleeping Queen' " Cleo said clutching herself close. "The only way to break the curse is for Castor is to be defeated. However, with his physical prowess and that fruit, he's invincible." Cleo said crying. "How'd he get his hand on a Devil's Fruit, besides aren't those things myths!?" Tiger asked excited. However his tone changed as the look on Cleo's face drained all the life from him, "I. I, gave him the Devil Fruit from our family's vault. It was a gift to him for his service in the Royal Court. He was the best guard we had among the newer recruits... How was I to know..." she stopped, clutching her chest. "That he'd betray us all." Cleo thought, thinking back to the night of Castor's rebellion. "What about the marines?" Tiger asked placing his Wizard's Hat on top his head.

"Impossible. He cast the spell of the Bermuda Triangles on this island... Drought Island can be left and entered but only ships made from here. We've tried to lead the marines here many times but... they never make it. We're just a small Kingdom, to send an high ranking official to deal with this... I'd be impossible, the situation in the Grandline is too crazy. All calls on the islands are blocked and even if we leave were forbidden by the Fruit's grasp to speak about the situation at home." Cleo said, clutching back her tears. "Interesting." Tiger said grinning. "I think I'll pay this Castor guy a visit." Tiger said. "Are you crazy!? It's impossible for you to event get to the West by foot!" the woman shouted. "Then lend me a camel." Tiger said plainly. "Why should I!? I refuse to have your blood on my hands! Castor had a bounty of almost 10,000,000 Million on his head back when he was an active pirate. I've seen his strength first hand, he'd rip you to shreds." Cleo shouted. "Fine. I'll steal a camel. Just point me in the direction of the West Kingdom, I'll take the fight to him." Tiger said.

"Why in the world!? Do you want to be a hero or something?" Cleo asked. "Hero?" Tiger began to laugh frantically. "I don't think I'm that noble. I just want to see for myself first hand. The power of a Devil's Fruit and a pirate with a bounty... Damn... Two birds with one stone." Tiger grinned broadly. "Besides... If he looses, the East Queen wakes back up right? Having a Queen indebted to me might be useful to me one day. Especially with my new status as a pirate." Tiger said grinning. "I can't let you leave here now Tiger... If they see you with anything linked to the East that can mean a civil war! Guards!" Cleo shouted. "Spiritual. Visage." Tiger whispered.