A Man with a straw hat

by Flip_The_Table

Canterlot: Roger the pirate vs Zingus a devil fruit user!

Roger's mind raced, piecing together the implications of Zingus's devil fruit power. It explained why he stayed inland, away from the sea, and likely why he resorted to piracy on land instead. But now, facing off against a foe with such abilities, Roger knew he had to tread carefully.

"It's odd... I haven't been more... whole in all my years..." Zingus mused, his grip tightening on the flintlock aimed at Roger. Despite the ominous tone, Roger remained alert, his senses sharp as he assessed the situation.

"Whole or not, you're still just a bandit," Roger retorted, his tone firm. "And you're standing in the way of freedom." With a swift motion, Roger prepared to defend himself against whatever dark powers Zingus possessed.

Roger's expression darkened as Zingus's laughter echoed in the cavern. The situation had taken a dire turn, with Zingus now armed with not only a gun and a sword but also the hammer Roger had hoped to use against him. With a swift and unsettling motion, Zingus's shadow hand snatched the hammer from Roger's reach, leaving him unarmed.

Roger's mind raced, searching for a strategy to confront Zingus and his newfound arsenal. He knew he had to act fast, relying on his instincts and resourcefulness to outmaneuver his adversary. As Zingus readied his weapons, Roger braced himself for the inevitable clash, his determination burning brighter than ever.

Roger's heart pounded as he dodged Zingus's sword strike, feeling the rush of adrenaline coursing through him. With no weapon in sight, he scanned the cluttered cave for anything he could use to defend himself. His eyes fell on a pile of discarded debris nearby, and with swift reflexes, he grabbed a handful of trash and hurled it at Zingus.

The dark stallion deflected the projectiles effortlessly with a flick of his shadowy hand, his laughter ringing through the cavern. Roger gritted his teeth, realizing that he needed to find a more effective strategy to stand a chance against Zingus and his formidable abilities.

Roger winced as pain shot through his arm from Zingus's sword cut, but he remained focused. With a swift jab to the stallion's belly, he created an opening, allowing him to seize the opportunity to grab the sword. Clutching the weapon tightly, he stepped back, readying himself for the next exchange.

Zingus snarled, adjusting his grip on his shadow arm before ripping it off with a menacing growl. Roger's eyes widened at the sight, realizing the extent of his opponent's dark powers. Roger's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled against the immobilizing grip of Zingus's shadowy power. Desperation surged through him as he attempted to break free, but the darkness held him firmly in place, rendering him defenseless.

Zingus's taunting words only fueled Roger's determination to escape, but before he could mount a counterattack, the hammer came crashing down with brutal force. Agony ripped through Roger as pain exploded in his chest, and he coughed up blood, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "Shadow, shadow..." Roger looked up to see the stallion's hands now buried in the ground. "Uppercut!" And just then, two fists slammed into Roger's chest, propelling him up to the roof of the cave. He slumped down to the floor, dropping the sword along the way. Zingus's laughter echoed loudly as he leisurely strolled toward the cave entrance.

"Now you must understand why I'm like this..." Zingus said, placing a hand on a large boulder. "I am the Shadow Pony. I steal, kill whenever I want, for fun," he declared, snickering, as Roger struggled to rise. Anger surged within Roger, and he couldn't help but ask, "You...kill ponies for fun?" Zingus grinned menacingly. "The way you phrase it makes me sound like I'm—" Zingus was abruptly cut off in surprise as Roger sprang up, yelling, and tackled the stallion out of the cave entrance.

Zingus grunted in frustration as he felt the sword stab into his coat while being pushed outside the cave. "You're not a pirate!" Roger snapped, causing Zingus to laugh loudly. He attempted to summon his shadow, but his arm was bathed in light, eliciting a grunt as he punched the human's face. Roger swiftly rose, grabbing the blade as he noticed the weak spot. "Shadow... ah ha!" Roger smiled, his gaze shifting to the entrance where the light streamed into the cave. Zingus growled, snatching the smith's hammer as he slowly made his way back toward the cave.

"So... who are you... if you know oh so much about pirates... then who. Are. You?" Zingus aimed the hammer at Roger, who spat out a bit of blood and grinned wildly as he moved toward the light side of the cave. "Who I am is something you're gonna remember when I beat your ass," Roger declared, his grin widening as he aimed the sword at the devil fruit user.

"Names Roger, Gol D Roger, and I am gonna be a pirate. A true pirate!" Roger declared. Zingus couldn't help but step forward, chuckling as he adjusted his grip on the hammer. "And what is a 'true pirate,' Goldie?" he mocked, causing Roger to adjust his straw hat and glare at the stallion.

"Violence isn't what makes you a pirate. It's the will of sailing, the breeze of the water, and the crew you share the journey alongside," Roger explained, taking his stance and snickering. "It's about freedom!" With a sudden dash, he yelled, catching Zingus off guard. Zingus snorted and charged his power, but was taken aback when he caught a glimpse of red in the human's eyes.

He went for a swing but gasped as the blade cut through his shadow fist, slashing the stallion's chest. Zingus roared in pain as a few drops of blood dripped to the ground. Roger took a step back, looking at the pony with amazement, unsure of what he had just done. But pushing aside his confusion, he yelled out again and swung the sword. The dark stallion used his strength to parry the sword, but a sense of unease gnawed at him. "Something is not right. How is he attacking through my powers?" Zingus thought, before another cut on his body made him snort and roar out in anger. "Now you've pissed me off!" he shouted, bringing the hammer down to the ground for a slam.

Roger darted to the side, dodging the incoming bludgeon, and soon side-kicked the pony, pushing him further outside the cave. Zingus growled as the sun hit his back and quickly tried to get back in. However, to his downfall, Roger punched Zingus in the gut, causing him to step further out of the dark cave. The pony shouted out as the shadow beneath him started growing into a blob. He fell on his hands and knees, gasping before growling, "Shadow, Shadow..." He then put a hand into the ground and pulled, "CLONES!" And just like that, his form changed as a clone was pulled out.

"Oh no... did... did we lose?" Dingus's voice echoed as he looked around, while Zingus continued to grunt, pulling out the other clone. Fungus lay there with a shocked expression. Zingus sighed as his shadow returned to its normal look. Roger eyed the trio of ponies as they lay there in defeat, snorting. "You can’t keep your old body," he said, to which Zingus nodded.

"I... these... I am not weak... I won't let foals bring my anger down! But without them..." Zingus trailed off as his "brothers" sat up next to him. "Ah, you need love," Dingus said, with Fungus nodding in agreement.

"No, you idiot! I need my powers! If I'm in the sunlight in my true form, my powers won't work properly!" Zingus explained, with Fungus shaking his head and swiftly slapping the back of Dingus's head. Roger couldn't help but snort as the three bickered on. Zingus growled and tried to stand up, but grunted as his body seemed weaker.

"I'll... I'll have my revenge on you... me and my—" Before he could continue, Dingus was the first one to get up, glaring down at Fungus. "Stop hitting me! I can't take this anymore! I quit! I'm gonna be a royal guard!" he declared, walking up to Roger. "My sword?" he asked, and Roger handed it to the stallion before walking away. Zingus growled, "You can't just leave and join the—" but then he saw Fungus get up and put a hand in his coat.

"Yeah... I kinda give up too... You tried killing me so... yeah," Fungus muttered before he walked away. Zingus looked left and right before shivering as Roger loomed over him. He grabbed the stallion by the coat and brought his face close. "I better see you in jail... or executed. You're not worth killing," Roger said, dropping Zingus and grabbing the hammer. He tipped his straw hat. "Good luck... BlackCoat," Roger added before walking away, leaving the stallion speechless and confused. Zingus looked where his clone had walked away, then back at the departing human. He grabbed the grass and shouted out, "DAMN YOU, ROGER!"

---

Bombshell only does one thing: move crates. His prized hammer still hadn't returned, and hearing that the human was held captive made things worse. If only Star— The door was flung open, making the old earth pony look over and gasp at seeing Roger pant heavily as he pulled the smith's prized hammer. "I'm... back..." he gasped before slumping forward and leaning on the door frame, both tired and hungry.

Bombshell's heart skipped a beat as Roger staggered into the room, his exhaustion evident in every labored breath. The sight of the human, clutching the smith's hammer, filled him with a mix of relief and concern. "Roger! What happened?" he exclaimed, rushing to support the weary figure.

Roger managed a weak smile. "Long story, Bombshell. Let's just say I had to reclaim this," he replied, tapping the hammer affectionately. As he sank into a nearby chair, his stomach growled loudly, reminding him of his hunger.

Bombshell wasted no time. "I'll fetch you some food," he said, hurrying to the kitchen. Returning with a hearty meal, he watched Roger devour it with gusto, relieved to see him regain some strength. Roger ate, Bombshell couldn't help but wonder about the events that had transpired. But for now, he focused on providing his friend with the comfort and support he needed.

"You... you got it!" the smith exclaimed, his eyes lighting up as he grabbed the hammer and laughed, feeling the rubber grip. "My prize... my..." He paused, glancing back at the human, now snoring on the table. Nearly losing his balance, he wiped his tired eyes and beamed up at the smith. "So, you gonna make my new weapon?" he asked, to which the stallion nodded with a happy smile. "You bet I am!" he declared, a renewed sense of purpose filling him as he began planning the creation of Roger's new weapon.

"Oh yeah!" Roger exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air, eliciting a bark of laughter from the smith. With determination, Bombshell walked into his forge, eyeing the impeccably cleaned room. Not for much longer, he thought, holding a smug smirk.

Lifting his hammer onto his shoulder, Bombshell grabbed a bit of metal. Roger watched as the stallion laughed loudly before closing his eyes for a second. When Bombshell reopened them, Roger noticed a startling change – his pupils had turned red, and his hand had taken on a gray hue as he effortlessly crumpled the bit of metal.

"Whoa!" Roger thought, amazed by the stallion's display of strength. He then pulled out the folding blade and the knife, smiling brightly. "Your mystery blade is not from these lands, so with the metal mixing together, it will show your pride of where you were from," Bombshell explained before lighting the forge and slamming his hammer onto the pile of metal.

As the flames roared to life and the clang of metal filled the air, Roger couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation. With each strike of Bombshell's hammer, he knew that something extraordinary was being forged.

Roger stood outside, regaling the foals with his tale of the fight with Zingus, emphasizing the stallion's mysterious powers and ability to create clones. The young ones listened in wide-eyed amazement as Roger struck heroic poses and shouted about the true meaning of a pirate. They giggled as he stumbled a bit, but their admiration for the adventurous storyteller only grew.

Meanwhile, the older ponies observed Roger with a hint of confusion. After all, he had declared himself a pirate, a term often associated with lawlessness and danger. Yet here he was, captivating their children with tales of bravery and adventure, leaving them to wonder about the true nature of this enigmatic man.

The kids cheered at the human's story, mentioning something about that Starswirl guy again. Roger, of course, basked in the praise, flashing his toothy grin. However, his moment of glory was cut short when Bombshell opened the door, his eyes still red and his arms still glowing grey. "Your weapon is almost ready," he announced, prompting Roger to nod and quickly call over a child to fetch his straw hat.

As the child scampered off, Roger's expression shifted, a hint of concern creasing his brow. Despite the excitement of his impending new weapon, the sight of Bombshell's altered appearance left a lingering unease in the air.

Walking over, Roger looked at the townsfolk, all bustling around with smiles on their faces. The smith sighed, letting his power fade away, and observed his town coming alive once more. "I've got to thank you, Roger. This town is free and lively again," he said, slapping the man's back. Roger chuckled and nodded.

"The smiles are all I wish to see, especially on the faces of the foals. What did you tell them?" he asked, prompting the man to sigh and scratch the bandage on his chest. "I've told them that you don't need to be afraid. Yes, there are bad ponies, but it doesn't mean you should let fear control your body," he explained, making Bombshell sigh again as he leaned against the wall and sat on a stone.

Roger grinned and then looked back at the grey old stallion, noticing a small scar under his shirt. Intrigued, Roger had to ask, "You weren't just any 'Royal' weapon smith, were you?" The question snapped Bombshell out of his daydream. He sighed and got up, nodding for Roger to follow him inside.

Roger grinned and then looked back at the grey old stallion, noticing a small scar under his shirt. Intrigued, Roger had to ask, "You weren't just any 'Royal' weapon smith, were you?" The question snapped Bombshell out of his daydream. He sighed and got up, nodding for Roger to follow him inside.

They entered the forge, and Roger noticed the room was a bit darker as the old, gruff pony walked up and charged his power again. "Yes... I was a royal guard once," Bombshell began, causing Roger to cross his arms and lean against the wall, urging the man to continue. "But... I was once the captain of a division of troops that had the ability to use... Haki," he revealed, showing his darker grey hands. 'So that's what it's called,' Roger thought, intrigued, as he watched Bombshell hold the blade up high before plunging it into oil. The loud sizzling sound made him lean in closer as Bombshell finished his story.

"I could have been vice admiral... but..." Bombshell stopped, looking at Roger with a frown as he gripped the hilt of the sword. "Roger, you may have probably heard of Celestia, but trust me on this... NEVER. Trust her words. She may look like the friendly type, but don't trust what she has done," he warned, causing Roger to scratch his head in confusion.

"Eh. Didn't like her anyway. She was too... polite for a pirate to bite," Roger remarked, making Bombshell hold back a snort before he chuckled lightly. "Hell, I think a pirate would be like, 'Ah, she's too polite! You don't even need to steal her stuff,'" he laughed, causing the smith to giggle loudly in agreement.

"Heh, you truly don't care, do you?" Bombshell remarked, making Roger shake his head. "Nah, don't know how long I've been in this world, but eh, who cares? I'm here, and that's it," he shrugged, causing Bombshell to nod in understanding before pulling out the now finished blade.

"It's done, but it needs one more thing," Bombshell said, looking back over to Roger, who grinned and walked up to the blade. "The symbol of a pirate," he said, eyeing the hot poker where a simple symbol of a Jolly Roger was depicted. Not being a human, it was a skull of a pony, making it all the more fitting. Roger paid no mind but grabbed the handle of the poker and eyed the body of the blade where it met the hilt. Without hesitation, he pushed the hot iron to the blade's body, hearing it sizzle as the symbol took form.

"You really want to be a pirate?" Bombshell asked, eyeing Roger skeptically. The man nodded firmly, adjusting his straw hat with determination. Bombshell eyed the odd hat for a moment but then shook it aside, settling into an indoor chair. "Well, I can't stop the law from knowing about you," he admitted, causing Roger to put the blade down and grin at the smith.

"That's all good. Plus, hey, your townsfolk aren't bad ponies. You're just living free. You're just missing the sea, is all," Roger replied, before turning back to the blade. He lifted it up and grinned at the symbol of the Jolly Roger, then inspected the blade closely, noting the sparkling finish.

"I won't judge. You're only doing what your guys would do, but it doesn't mean I won't hate you," Bombshell said, maintaining his grin. "I'll call it... Starswirl Crusade," Roger declared, swinging the blade back and forth. The smith nodded slowly in respect before Roger sheathed the newly christened blade, Starswirl Crusader.

He held a hand out to the old pony. "Promise this town one thing," he said in a stern voice. "Don't let this town fall to low-ranking crooks. You're strong, so show your arms, not your talents, when you fight," Roger instructed, making Bombshell nod in agreement. Taking the hand, Bombshell simply finished the conversation, "Well... a deal is a deal. Goodbye, Roger," he said, to which the man nodded before walking to the door.

Bombshell followed, watching him walk with pride as the townsfolk waved at him. Just then, Bombshell observed the man... no, the pirate, walk down the road with his happy grin, reminiscent of Starswirl himself.

---

Roger found himself in a small town with a view of the water. The call of the sea stirred something within him, but as he thought more clearly, he realized he needed a crew and a ship—a strong one at that. Standing by the dock with a happy smile on his face, feeling the breeze on his skin, he caught a glimpse of black flags with an obvious Jolly Roger on them: a pirate ship.

Quickly running over to where the ship was moored, spinning his straw hat, he gasped at the sight. It was a small ship but appeared to be in the best condition ever. A dark blue stallion sat on a beach chair, drinking from a flask. "Hey, that's a nice ship you've got there!" Roger exclaimed to the stallion, who moved his glasses to look at Roger.

"Thanks, but it's not exactly mine. Rather, I stole it after my house burned down," the pony replied, crossing his legs on the ship and leaning back. Roger couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh ho yeah? And what's your name?"

"Nightlight," the pony replied.

"My name's Roger. It's destiny meeting you!" Roger exclaimed, making Nightlight hold back a chuckle. "Oh yeah?" Nightlight said, taking another swig from his flask. Roger kept his wide grin as he placed his straw hat back on.

"How about we team up and turn this world upside down?" Roger proposed eagerly.

Comments

[LU41]

Hahaha friend, Equestria is in One Piece because the Akuma Nomi thing is strange.
In general, I loved the chapter, the only thing that causes me doubts is the akuma nomi

[The_Chill_Author]

We keep pushing the One Piece Agenda. GOL D. ROGER UP TOP!!!