Two yellow-haired youths—one tall, one short. The tall one's mane-like hair swept toward his neck, adorned with earrings and garish purple lipstick.
He was Queen, future star of the Beasts Pirates, a triple-threat of song, dance, and rap.
The shorter one's hair, slicked with gel, resembled a succulent plant, perhaps due to the sea's humidity or his sour expression.
He was Vinsmoke Judge, future leader of Germa 66.
Their common trait? Youth.
Both in their late teens, they joined MADS as prodigy researchers, driven by ambition or the lure of wealth. They might lack a scientist's ethics, but their technical skills were undeniable—top-tier, unless compared to Vegapunk.
This bred another trait: arrogance.
At their age, brimming with pride, neither tolerated being outshone, a key reason they resented Vegapunk's leadership.
Yet they could only grumble. Du Feld, MADS's financier, backed Vegapunk. In the underworld, Du Feld wasn't the strongest, but he was the richest. Crossing him meant losing funding prospects.
"No way this backwater has a fully autonomous robot. It's gotta be a fake, Judge. Your eye's no better than that."
They scoffed at Vegapunk but had real skill, enough to spot technical disparities.
Queen refused to believe a place this remote could harbor superior tech, dismissing it outright.
"It's obviously a hollow shell. You can't even tell that much."
As Queen spoke, Blitzcrank's claw shot out, snagging another catch.
"Hahaha! Looks like your vision's worse, sinking so low you can't tell real from fake."
Their fragile anti-Vegapunk alliance crumbled instantly, nearly coming to blows—until MADS's ship docked, halting their spat.
Long sea voyages were grueling, even with a tech-heavy, well-funded vessel. Crews cherished shore time.
While restocking, sailors indulged, welcomed by locals as the sea's big spenders.
Queen and Judge, however, didn't pause. Their curiosity about Blitzcrank burned, leading them toward it post-docking to inspect the enigma up close.
"That thing on its head—is that a Fur Tribe? A Fur Tribe in the South Sea? Did she make this robot?"
"No way a kid like that could. I bet there's someone hiding inside that metal husk."
Blitzcrank and Kate fished near the port, so Queen and Judge soon arrived. The closer they got, the more unsettled they felt.
Blitzcrank not only caught fish with its claw but conversed with Kate—something neither could replicate.
"Who'd hide in a metal shell to fish? Just to amuse kids?"
Judge rejected Queen's logic for the sake of argument, but Queen didn't debate, striding boldly toward Blitzcrank.
"Hey, kitten! Did you make this tin can?"
Kate squinted at Queen, disliking the "kitten" jab—reminiscent of Celestial Dragons. But she was no longer that helpless girl and kept her cool.
Blitzcrank didn't mind "tin can" but eyed Queen and Judge warily.
One held a knife, the other a gun, their yellow hair and thug-like style screaming trouble.
"Who are you two? What do you want?"
"No misunderstanding here. This guy may look shady, but we're scientists for peace, curious about this robot we spotted from the ship."
Judge explained, tossing in a dig at Queen, though it meant little.
"Meow thinks you're no better."
"Muhahaha! Hear that, Judge? Even a kitten sees through you. My dashing looks just inspire trust."
"No, meow doesn't trust you either."
Gloomy guy and narcissist—Kate mentally labeled them.
"Blitzcrank isn't a tin can. Blitzcrank is a robot, Master's creation."
Still evolving, Blitzcrank took offense at being called a shell and opened its chest compartment, revealing its steam engine and core.
"It's actually a machine, but this power system feels crude. Steam can't sustain long-term operation.
If I made it, I'd tweak it like this, and these parts too—scrap the useless voice module."
Queen instinctively critiqued Blitzcrank, suggesting improvements.
In short: I can't build this, but I'm still better.
Judge occasionally chimed in, always believing himself superior to Queen. Boosting Queen in front of others only highlighted his own ego. Neither noticed Blitzcrank's frame growing tense.
Especially when they mused about dismantling it, Blitzcrank's fist rose.
"Master's design is perfect. Blitzcrank isn't your toy. Blitzcrank is angry."
"Muhahaha, Judge, hear that? A machine saying 'angry'? What idiot programs a robot with useless words to scare people?"
"Queen, I think this thing's serious!"
Judge stepped back, sensing trouble, but Queen's jabs at Oran fully enraged the newborn Blitzcrank.
It raised both arms, setting Kate on the ground. Steam burst from its back, electricity crackling over its shell. The once-still robot charged like a tank.
Under overdrive, Blitzcrank's speed surged, its charged fist swinging straight at Queen.
"Blitzcrank demands an apology!"
(End of Chapter)