Baratie: The Helm and the Hunger
The Atlas cut through the waves, gulls overhead and the smell of salt clinging to every rope. Zoro grunted in the resistance armor on deck, sweat dripping as he swung his swords in endless repetition. Nami leaned against the rail, scanning her charts with that quiet focus Tessal had begun to notice.
His eyes narrowed behind his helm when her sleeve slipped. A tattoo—jagged, sharp, unmistakable. The mark of Arlong. Tessal said nothing, but the swarm remembers.
Below deck, sparks lit up his forge. A grasshopper-like construct twitched on the bench before collapsing into the sleek lines of a revolver. Beside it lay three smaller versions, round-bodied with little spring legs. Tessal tucked them into a padded case and climbed up to deck.
"Oi, Usopp," Tessal called, helm glinting. "Your partner's ready."
Usopp blinked, catching the strange weapon Tessal tossed him. "Partner?"
"Revolver Hopper. A revolver that transforms back into a grasshopper drone. And these—" he handed him the smaller ones— "Trick Bullet Hoppers. Deploy them mid-shot, and they'll bounce your ammo in ways no one expects."
Usopp's jaw dropped. Then tears welled up. "R-Revolver Hopper!? Trick Hoppers!? You—you built me a legendary arsenal!" He fired into the mast, the bullet pinged upward, cutting a rope clean through, before the gun unfolded back into a bug and perched on his shoulder.
Usopp screamed into the horizon: "With this, I'll become the greatest sharpshooter of the seas!"
Tessal just shook his head.
---
Yosaku and Johnny
Not long after, a battered little boat drifted up beside the Atlas. Two bounty hunters—Johnny and Yosaku—slumped over its side. Half-starved and mumbling about bounties, they practically begged to be taken aboard.
"Bounty hunters, huh?" Zoro muttered, recognizing them. "Old acquaintances."
They fawned over Zoro's growing reputation, before glaring nervously at Tessal's armored figure. "Oi… what's with the beetle knight?"
"None of your business," Tessal said coolly. The hunters swallowed their questions.
---
Fullbody Appears
The peace shattered when a Marine ship cut across their bow. Lieutenant Fullbody, rose clenched between his teeth, struck a dramatic pose.
"Attention, pirates! You're trespassing in Marine waters!"
"Who's the clown with the flower?" Luffy laughed.
Fullbody pointed his fist. "The handsome fist of justice!"
Cannons roared. Tessal's swarm answered. Iron-shield beetles swirled into a phalanx, blocking cannonballs mid-air. Trap-spiders fired webs, tangling Marines. From the crow's nest, Usopp's Revolver Hopper cracked shots, bullets bouncing into helmets and boots, leaving Marines flat on the deck.
Fullbody, humiliated, tried to rally, only for Luffy to rocket onto his ship and knock him senseless in one punch.
The Atlas sailed on, Fullbody's ship smoldering in their wake.
---
Baratie
The floating restaurant emerged on the horizon—bright sails, music, and laughter spilling across the sea.
The Straw Hats tied up, but barely had a chance to set foot on deck before Luffy caused chaos, colliding with staff and splintering part of the railing.
"You idiot!" Sanji barked, cigarette clenched between his teeth as he delivered a brutal kick that floored Luffy. "Hungry pigs eat last."
"Food…" Luffy groaned, face in the planks.
"Cook and fighter," Tessal muttered behind his helm, eye lenses glinting. "He'll fit."
---
The Helm Opens
At their table, the crew tore into steaming plates. Usopp devoured like a king, Zoro ate stoically, and even Nami smiled at the feast. Tessal sat in silence, helm in place, until the others noticed.
"You're not eating?" Sanji asked, eyes narrowing.
Tessal tapped a hidden latch. The mouthplate of his helm slid open with a hiss, revealing only his mouth. He calmly took a bite of bread.
"Better?" he asked flatly.
Sanji raised a brow. "…Creepy bastard."
Luffy laughed with his mouth full. "See? He's part beetle, part man! My crew's awesome!"
The table roared with noise and laughter, but beneath the mirth, Tessal's silence weighed heavy. His helm caught the candlelight, shadows flickering across his lenses.
The Beetleforger was biding his time.