Kyo 40

Under the pale moonlight, the derelict pirate airships bobbed in the sky, their enormous gas-filled envelopes casting ominous shadows on the sea below. They had been formidable vessels, each with a wooden hull reinforced with iron cladding, an intimidating presence in the vast expanse of the heavens. The ships were seafaring relics of bygone ages remodeled for the skies, with large skulls and crossbones painted on their sides, announcing clear intent to all who dared to cross the pirate's path. The Jolly Rogers flew, rippling in the wind from the shattered mainmasts as broken as the crew that might reside inside.

Kyo had altered her form with a Shape-Change potion and stood inside a punctured hole torn into the side of the closest pirate ship. Her nose twitched as blood, death, and gas scents mixed on the night sea. Her eyes carefully studied the behemoth's structure as her space magic spatial senses scoured the ship. For hunting survivors, nothing beats the Blue Demon's methods. The leather outfit, adorned with brass trinkets and intricate buckles, fluttered in the wind from beneath as she waited for the signal from Fang and Claw, her First and Second Mate crewmembers. A toothy grin split her face, not for the glittering promise of gold but for the prospect of a fine feast from the airship's meat supplies.

Claw and Fang, her faithful sand golems, stood as tall as her knee, but they were all lethal. Carved from the roughest beach sand grains and soaked in alchemy, they bore the semblance of humanoid figures. However, their bodies were hardened to a stony consistency that belied their origins with but a thought. Their amber eyes glowed, reflecting a devious devotion to their creator. Although powdery, their short figures radiated a potent threat, promising a swift and brutal end to those cursed with flesh. Claw and Fang used their mental connection to her and provided a map to her mind giving solid assurance that no threat worth mentioning remained.

With a swift, assertive nod upon receiving the all-clear, Kyo engaged a twist of unnatural agility. Within a fraction of a second, she bounded more, plunging into the ship. She could have teleported, but running was more fun. To anyone that might have seen her, she appeared as a phantom, her boots barely making a sound due to the alchemical silence they were soaked in.

As Claw and Fang updated her on the ship's status, Kyo moved quickly below deck, the scent of sizzling meat drawing her like a moth to the flame. The galley had only a single pirate alive, the cook, and she sent him to dreamland with a swift chop to the neck.

“Do you think you’ll be able to convince him?” Kyo asked the two golems nearby. Fang shrugged while Claw mimed, cutting his throat. “Indeed, if he doesn’t serve, I suppose that’s the best option?” Golems were not the best for assisting in moral choices, she decided.

The smell of roasted pork smoked sausages and the tangy scent of marinated steak filled the room. This pirate cook had been dedicated enough to prepare food even under battle conditions, another check in the survival column for him. Kyo's stomach growled as she feasted her eyes on the bounty. The food had only suffered slightly from the ship's destruction. She opened the storage and took large slabs of beef, a handful of sausages, and eight whole hams, shoving them into her magically enlarged bag with glee.

Big bags were king of transport trials!

Eventually, with the first bag straining, Kyo grabbed the foot of her possible future cook and teleported back to her ship. After she raided the larder, Claw and Fang made short work of the pirate crew that remained onboard. They moved with precision and deadly force, their sand forms shifting and reforming with each blow they landed or received. Despite their short appearance, they showed no mercy inflicting ruthless kills, instead of hindering the pirates and tying them up with the ship's ropes.

After plundering over half the pirate ships, Kyo came across a Bounty Poster depicting the ship’s crew. It was a moment that made her hang her head. She realized almost instantly that the numbers on the posters must be currency. With the number of zeros, she might have just shot herself in the foot.

How much meat had been lost due to ignorance!

With a deep sigh, she continued filling her bag to the brim with delectable meats and a separate bag with gold. "And the palm trees said air pirates were a challenge. Perhaps these were weak ones?" Kyo shook her head while gnawing on a chunk of spiced beef jerky. Many more ships were pillaged in short order, although she didn't bother acquiring any other possible crew additions.

As the three retreated from the final plundered airship, Kyo and her golem companions returned her to the Bacon Wing. Taking the wheel, she unrolled a map and the accompanying Eternal Pose found on the last ship. Riding the cool drafts of the midnight sky, she deftly navigated the labyrinth of floating cloud formations. Claw and Fang, though small, moved as gracefully as birds on the wing, their sandy bodies subtly shifting to adapt to their aerial surroundings. As a result of soaking them in alchemical concoctions, they had a limited ability to float.

The pirate’s black market rendezvous point was a hidden valley nestled amidst towering peaks, cloaked by thick canopies of evergreen pines and wreathed in ethereal mists. Here she found a mechanical castle, its ironclad towers gleaming in the moonlight as it faded to dawn. Running her senses over the entire place showed it was a fantastical contraption of wood, metal, and mana. It was a fitting home for a woman of Kyo's unique inclinations.

On reaching the fortress, Kyo wasted no time heading to her expansive kitchen, her mouth watering in anticipation. She was levitating the pirate cook since her cooking skills barring roasted fish, were minimal. Claw and Fang followed. Their task of providing protection momentarily switched to helping their mistress prepare a feast. Despite their intimidating size and ferocious appearance, they handled kitchen utensils with remarkable skill.

Kyo noted how the entire castle was empty but paid it little mind. In the kitchen, with a flick of Kyo's wrist, the fire pit roared to life, glowing embers flickering in the darkness.

“Wake up. I know you're already conscious.” Kyo said, directing her attention to the pirate cook.

“Ah, I’d much rather stay down here. The stone floor is very comfortable. I’m the cook, Nok, by the way.” Future Bacon Wing Cook Nok said in greeting.

“Does human meat taste good?” Kyo asked curiously.

“And that’s my queue to start cooking. So nice to meet you, Captain. I’m sure we’ll have a great relationship as long as you don’t eat me.” Nok said, springing to life.

The kitchen filled with a mouthwatering aroma as Nok practiced his culinary Skill, expertly seasoning the meats and skewering them onto iron rods for roasting. Claw rotated the spit, his cold fingers impervious to the flames, while Fang fetched various spices and wines from the vast pantry at Nok’s command.

As the meat cooked, Kyo hummed as she vibrated with excitement. She used space magic before giggling as she tasted a piece of perfectly cooked meat, her earlier exhilarating escapade forgotten in the moment's pleasure. Nok’s eyes bugged out at the use of magic.

“Devil Fruit?” Nok muttered almost unheard.

“What’s a Devil Fruit? Is it tasty?” Kyo asked her newest crewmember.