The day progressed smoothly, no one disturbing him since the meeting. He felt Alone yet again, like he had dreamt the whole thing.
If it weren't for the bare stone walls of his new sandstone room, he could almost believe he had. The crisp sound of heeled steps clipping against the hall outside as they made their way to his door haunting him.
But no, the sound was only in his head now. His door never opened and no scientist ever lead him away to another torturous experiment.
Instead, he sat there, in silence. It was like he was numb, but it wasn't a physical feeling. Instead it was in his mind. He hadn't felt the sweet relief that he had always imagined earning his freedom one day would bring.
He'd hoped, back on the ship, that it would come when he finally made land and had a moment truly to himself. That the shock would be over and he could finally feel the happiness then.
But it hadn't. Now he wondered if it ever would, or if it was just because he didn't feel all that free.
Choosing not to dwell on that depressing chain of thought for now, Atlas shook his head. He had a ceremony of some kind to attend to later today and so far he had no real idea what would happen.
So he decided to go through one of his old favourite methods of practice. The speed change game. Not a flashy name, but hey who expects a kid locked up in a lab all by himself to be good at naming things?
He moved off of the chair and down to the ground. He preferred sitting with his legs crossed, something about it felt more comfortable that way.
Breathing slowly, in through his nose in long, deep breaths. Holding for just a fraction of a second, before letting it all out through his mouth in a controlled gush of air.
He felt his heart beat steady and his mind calm. First came the fish. As he breathed in he imagined a future where he had lived a life under the sea.
The strange new home, forcing his body to change and adapt, to become apart of it. He remembered the files he had been shown on fishmen biology and the multiple photos of the various forms they can take.
As he released his breath, this time it came not from out of his mouth. Instead the air rushed from out his gills. Rippling oceanic blue scales covered his body, from where once normal tanned skin had been.
Not even stopping to open his eyes, Atlas took yet another slow breath in through his now pointed nose. This time he imagined a future him who had lived his life among the clouds.
Life so high demanded change too, just like the ocean before, this was the domain of the winged. As he released his breath, wings unfurled from behind his back, relaxing in an open form as if ready to catch the breeze at a moment's notice.
In with another deep breath and now he was in a future where he had become an anthropomorphic animal, walking on two legs and talking much like any human but with the face of a ferocious lion.
His breath left his snout in a low growl as his whiskers twitched in the humid air. His fur rising his body heat even further than the tropical island had already managed.
With yet another big breath he returned back to a form he felt intimately familiar with. His own. His body grew taller, his hide turning to skin as it shed it's golden matting of wiry fur.
His eyes opened slowly as he relaxed into his sitting position. It had been a practice the scientists had made him go through.
To spite them he had instead turned it into a game. To see how fast he could cycle through his various transformations, not including any that might just leave a hole in his nice new room.
He smiled at the results, managing to change between breaths was still a fairly new feat and one he could happily admit he was proud of.
In the heat of a battle it might not be that fast but being able to do it outside of combat meant he would probably manage atleast a few in a real fight if push came to shove.
That was reassuring at least, especially with the ominous feeling he got for this so called ceremony he was about to experience.
As if on cue, a knocking came at his door. So distracted in his concentration, he hadnt even heard them approaching. It would seem he would learn soon enough what was going to be expected of him now.
-------
Thud thud thudding of boots on stone echoed loudly through the corridor. Atlas made his way steadily towards the light at the end, faint sounds just beginning to reach his ears.
Sweat prickled down his back as the humid heat of this tropical paradise clung to him like a second set of clothes. Shifting uncomfortably in his loose fit shirt, he cursed the lack of controlled temperature outside the lab.
Still he walked on. Soon the sounds grew louder as the shaft of light became a doorway. Roared cheering filled his ears, eyes squinting as they adjusted to the evening light.
"Scum of my pirates haven! Welcome my newest recruit, who will join me as a scourge of the seas!" The deep gravelly voice of Rocks cut through the noise like a knife. The crowds cries like the waves of an ocean grew louder, and yet Rocks own voice the boat that smoothly sailed across it.
Atlas' stomach churned at his words, the way it made him feel reminding him how uncertain he was on this new path he now walked.
As he breached the doorway, he found himself on a rough carved balcony, made of the same tanned sandstone. There stood loosely bunched together, was the infamous crewmates of the Rocks pirates.
The balcony was fairly large, yet with several of their members being so giant themselves it made no real difference if it were small. Still they managed to look distant from each other even in such close proximity.
Ahead of them, standing upon a slightly raised dais causing him to stand out even among his unique crew. It wasn't truly that he towered over any of them.
Even raised as his platform was, he was still dwarfed by many like Whitebeard. The human who put some giants to shame in his stature stood tall behind the smaller man.
And yet your eye couldn't help but be drawn to Rocks instead. It was in a way completely opposite to the sun. It's blinding light forcing you to look away. Instead, he was like an inky pool of shadow taken human form.
The dark corner of your room that keeps you up at night as you swear you see something stirring within it. Unnatural and unnerving. Unable to look away out of fear of missing it before it's too late.
That same dark charisma was working it's magic in a whole new way with this crowd. The residents of this Island weren't the usual civilians that marked other populaces after all.
No, the Pirate Paradise attracted the greatest scum and villainy of this world alike. Of course not all were evil but they were all willing to commit it on the right people. Once the world government marked you, you were just as guilty whether you had committed wrong or not. So why not?
Here, instead of the innate fear and repulsion a being like Rocks D Xebecs should elicit, instead they cheered. Like animals before the strong, happily following in the hopes of fresh meat.
"But you should all know that joining me isn't so easy.." Rocks snarled out through a vicious smirk. Roars of approval shook the earth as the courtyard yelled out.
Nodding his head, clearly happy with their reaction. "That is why we will hold a recruitment. All of you here will have the chance join the ranks of my Pirate Fleet!"
Atlas could have sworn he saw cracks forming in the stonework from the intensity of the shaking. The screams of the crowd so loud the entire Island suffered under it.
Laughing and cheering continued to fill the clearing. So many were clapping each other on the backs or grinning for ear to ear, all of them looked so excited at the possibility of being a Rocks pirate!
The man himself though had different look. His smirk had grown larger, his eyes sharp and cold. His lips thinning as they split his face. Suddenly an echoing laughter broke out.
Somehow, even with how loud the crowd was being, it managed to drown out their collective voices again. The way it rang out sending chills down Atlas' spine as his hair stood on end.
"That's right! You will have a chance, but it will come at a cost. Atlas, step forward.." as he paused, he turned to beckon him forward.
his voice fell as he looked into Atlas' eyes, "you will be their judge. Thin the herd, I don't want any weaklings in my fleet." He gave him a ruthless look as his sharp teeth glinted in the soft light of midday.
"Remove them from my island."
Saying that he turned back around and said nothing more. The crowd hung on edge, seemingly waiting for Rocks to explain to them what was happening.
Instead the aloof man just stood there like an unnerving statue, not a care in the world for all the people he'd just worked up into a frenzy.
Atlas waited a moment, waiting just like them for some kind of clarification. Moments passed awkwardly as the crowd grew more and more eager.
Sighing as he rolled his eyes, Atlas saw the smirk on Rocks face and realised that no more information would be coming.
Clearly part of his test would be in seeing how he chose to deal with them. From what he had seen of Rocks so far he expected that his preference would be.. bloody.
Atlas cringed inwardly at the thought of all that death just to satisfy one man's messed up mind. The way Saturn had been using him to fuel his own sadistic experiments.
Hastily biting back a snarl before his teeth could show, Atlas scoffed lightly. Shrugging his shoulders, if Rocks wanted a show he'd give him one.
Just one on his own terms.
Jumping down from the balcony, Atlas landed with a smooth thud. He stood there, back straight, as he stared out into the crowd.
Meeting each of the gazes that looked right back at him. Uneasiness rippled through the crowd. Atlas may not be one of the infamous members of the Rocks pirate's main crew, but even as a rookie it meant he was someone to fear.
They shifted feet, moving slowly to surround him while leaving enough space as not to possibly piss him off. Clever enough to realise that it was best to avoid a fight with him.
Atlas didn't react to their shiftiness. His posture remained in a state of relaxed aloofness. Almost like he were looking through the many people who almost resembled ants compared to his massive frame.
Seconds passed in a trickle as the tension built around him. Each moment worse than the last for these hopefuls looking for their chance to become something more.
Atlas watched them, his mind working to come up with a plan. He refused to play Rock's game, a game of needless death. He would not become like the man who had imprisoned him all his life. Cold and vindictive.
An idea came to him. His lips curved into an easy smile as it formed into a plan. He could still have them fight, but who said he could not be their competitor.
If they wanted to see someone bleed they would have to manage to cut him first.