Chopper stared in angry disgust at the man he had once admired.

This was the man he had idolized for so long?

Hogback told them about Victoria Cindry. She was the woman he had loved but never had. The woman he had stolen in order to posses.

How could anyone do that to another?

How could someone who was suppose to protect and heal have the audacity to claim a puppet as an individual?

Cindry, the woman he had claimed to love, licked the floor at his feet because he'd told her to. Because he had ordered it and the shadow within her had no choice but to obey.

"I'm happy and I'm sure she is as well." Hogback gloated. "I've given her a second life. A chance to rejoin this world as a living human being."

A living human being?

How dare that monster say such a lie.

How dare he act sanctimonious and brilliant?

How dare he claim Cindry was happy!

"You call that a living human being?" Chopper asked, rage igniting his blood. "Tell her to stop that. Now."

"A human being who's heart and body have been separated is no human at all." he snarled at Hogback. "You took a corpse who had no choice in the matter and turned it into a monster! Every time you make one of these creatures, somewhere there's a human you've devastated with pain and sorrow! And I can't let you go unpunished."

He'd make this charlatan pay for all the pain he'd caused. He'd make this egotistical fraud suffer for all the lives he'd ruined. For all the shadows that had been ripped from others for his amusement. For all the souls who's bodies he had desecrated. For all the families who were wounded twice by this man's careless actions.

For everything he had done, Hogback would pay.

"And what would a stupid reindeer pirate doctor with such limited medical skill possibly know about life?" Hogback taunted and insulted him.

Chopper glowered at the man.

It didn't matter what he said. It didn't matter if Chopper was as talented as Hogback. It didn't matter if he was a reindeer or a human.

Chopper knew about life.

Him being a doctor had nothing to do with that knowledge. The fact that he was a reindeer didn't either.

Chopper had a soul. He had a heart.

That was enough to know that neither should be ripped from the other. It was enough to know that a heart without a soul was a shell and a soul without a heart was lost.

"Cindry! Rise! Rise and kill them all!" Hogback ordered Cindry's shell.

Cindry stopped licking the floor and gracefully rose to her feet.

She held a stack of porcelain plates in her hand and stared at them lifelessly.

"Now," Hogback pointed to Riley who was being held at swordpoint by Shadow Zoro. "We have your shadow so we'll keep you alive for the time being. Just take her to the edge. Don't let her go over. As for you three!" He pointed to Robin, Kiri, and Chopper. "You're next on the zombie list."

"You should be happy, Dr. Chopper." Hogback taunted. "You may die but once you're brought back, you'll be the assistant of the doctor you idolized so much."

"Square Plate Blades." Cindry announced as she grabbed one of her plates.

Chopper transformed into his Heavy Point and ran towards her, ignoring Shadow Sanji's protest.

Cindry counted off the plates as she threw them at him. He felt a sting here and there but didn't care.

He kept running towards her.

"Stop it." Chopper pleaded as he grabbed her arms to still her movement.

"Let go!" Cindry shouted before kneeing him in the stomach.

Chopper's hold loosened.

Cindry took the opportunity to smash all of the plates in her hand onto his head.

The porcelain shards dug into Chopper's skin.

"Chopper!" Robin shouted from behind him.

Hogback laughed. "Don't let her size fool you. Despite her petite figure, I've modified her to be a killing machine."

"Listen Cindry. You don't have to take orders from that maniac." Chopper tried to explain. "You-"

"I'll kill you." Cindry snarled, kicking his side with unbelievable strength.

Chopper planted his feet and grabbed onto the hand he had released. He wasn't giving up that easily.

"I feel so bad for you. Look what Hogback's done to you." Chopper tried to reach her, holding on tightly while she continued to struggle. "What would your family say if they knew about all this?"

"Let go of me!" She ordered.

"You've been stitched together. Like a ragdoll." Chopper ignored the kicks she landed on him. "Forced to serve as an undead slave. Your loved ones would be mortified."

"Stop it! Unhand me!"

"You were born with both a body and a soul. But that soul died a long time ago. And yet your body is forced to follow orders. Where's the meaning in that!"

Hogback laughed once again. "Don't tell me you doubt your own eyes, doctor. This is what humans have always dreamed of: resurrection of the dead! Man can live again!"

Cindry landed another blow on him but Chopper held on. "Just because it moves doesn't make it alive." he breathed heavily.

His grip tightened. "To be alive, you've gotta be free! You're treating her like she's nothing." he shouted angrily at Hogback. "Anything that exists like that, can't be a human being!"

Cindry stopped struggling.

Chopper looked down at her in surprise.

This was his chance to set her free. "Robin! Hurry up and give her the salt!"

A hand grew from Chopper's chest and a hand grabbed a salt ball from the pouch tied to his pants.

"Inuppe, Jigoro, Felis! Quickly! Save Cindry, kill the others!" Hogback ordered desperately.

Just as Robin's hand lifted to Cindry's mouth, Chopper was blindsided by a kick from Shadow Sanji. The dog penguin creature had all of Sanji's strength backing up his attack and the impact caused Chopper's hold to weaken.

Sharp claws ran down his back as Shadow Riley's human cat attacked him from behind. Chopper tried to shake her off but she'd wrapped her legs around him and it was obvious she planned on leaving her nails inside of him for a long time.

Shadow Zoro's swordsman sent a blast their way and everyone ran for cover.

Shadow Zoro blocked the incoming knives with crossed swords.

He snarled at Riley. "I told you to stop."

"Let's spar." Riley grinned at him, twirling two blades between her hands. "No Kiri, no third sword."

Shadow Zombie laughed and prepared his swords. "You're on."

"You bastard!" Everyone turned towards Shadow Sanji. "Careful with that attack, you almost killed me."

"Stay out of my way!" Shadow Sanji shouted, flying towards Shadow Zoro with a powerful kick.

"You're in my way!" Shadow Zoro argued, blocking the kick with crossed blades.

"I was doing fine until you showed up!" Shadow Sanji shouted, getting right into Shadow Zoro's zombie face.

"Master told me to kill the others!"

"Yes. I know that! We have the same master, you idiot! Now back off!"

"Now back off!"

"You back off!"

"He said kill the others so I'll start with you!"

They were fighting.

Zoro and Sanji's shadows were bickering. Just like their owner's.

Shadow Riley rose to her feet. "What a pair of numbskulls."

She turned cold cat eyes towards Chopper and licked her muzzle. "But he's right. Master said 'kill the others'."

Shadow Riley stalked towards him with claws ready at her side.

She snarled as Robin's arms appeared around her human body and held her in place. "Not you again!"

"Did you ever hear about the Lady of the Mountains?" Robin asked.

Shadow Riley's whiskers twitched. "Lady of the Mountains?"

"I'll let Riley tell you all about it if you'll be a good girl and sit down." Robin offered.

Shadow Riley turned towards her and sat, Robin's arms still around her.

Her expression eager for the story.

"Felis!" Hogback shouted. "I told you to kill them!"

"Yeah. But you never said when." Shadow Riley scooted closer to Robin. "I will after the story."

"What?!"

"There was once a lady who lived high in the mountains." Riley's voice began as she took a seat across from her shadow.

"Why you little brat! And you two! We need to work together!" Hogback shouted angrily. "I want them dead n-"

Hogback fell silent as Robin's hands covered his mouth. "Can't give orders if you can't talk."

"They didn't hear that last order so they're still on the previous one." Robin observed Shadow Zoro and Shadow Sanji's fight while Shadow Riley remained glued to Riley's story. "And Riley's shadow was correct. You didn't specify as to when we needed to be dead. Now what exactly was your last order? Oh yes, 'Save Cindry, kill the others'. If the others are everyone but Cindry, who knows what could end up happening."

"Even with no trace of their old memories those two just can't seem to get along, no matter what they do." Chopper watched in disbelief. How was that even possible?

"Amazing." Robin sighed.

"Who would've thought that their grudge was soul deep?" Riley asked appearing beside Chopper.

"Where's your shadow?" Chopper asked, looking around for the deadly cat hybrid.

Riley gestured with a nod of her head to the cat human playing with Kiri and a rubber ball.

Hogback's gasp drew their attention back to him.

Robin had just released his mouth from her entrapment.

"This tower is rather tall, isn't it?" Robin asked nonchalantly. "If only we were under your power, you could kill us by asking us to jump out of it."

"Robin?" Chopper asked, not sure where she was going with this.

"How dare you speak to me that way?" Hogback shouted indignantly. "You'll be under my control as soon as I turn you into zombies. And once I do, I'll say jump off this tower and put an end to yourselves!"

"Yes, master," three voices echoed back at him.

Shadow Zoro and Shadow Sanji raced to the window as fast as they could, trying to beat the other in "carrying out their master's orders."

Hogback tried in vain to call them back but neither listened.

"Can I jump later?" Shadow Riley asked as she stood in front of him.

"What?! No!" Hogback yelled.

Shadow Riley sighed and ran after the two who had just crashed out of the tower.

"Wait! I mean yes! I mean don't jump!" But she had already jumped.

"I kinda liked my zombie." Riley murmured as the stared at the hole in the wall.

Me too. Kiri agreed, breezing onto her shoulder.

"She tried to kill us!" Chopper protested. The claw marks on his back and on his arms still stung as a reminder. And he knew both Robin and Riley had been clawed as well.

"That's just high spirited." Riley protested.

Hogback shouted in anger. "Oh no! Dammit! You pathetic excuses for humans tricked me! I'm suppose to be a genius!"

Chopper cracked his knuckles. They were the pathetic excuses for humans?

Chopper would show him exactly which one of them was the pathetic excuse.

"Are you alright?" Zoro asked the redhead laying amidst the rubble.

Riley opened her eyes causing Zoro's tension to fade. He'd been worried she'd taken the monster zombie's impact head on. "Just dandy."

Zoro held out a hand for her.

She took it and got to her feet with a groan.

"Is everyone alright?" Riley asked as she looked around at the others.

Everyone moaned an affirmative as they slowly got to their feet and wiped the debris from themselves.

Kiri wound around Riley's shoulders and Zoro saw the relief in her smile.

"I got a new sword." Zoro told Riley.

She looked down and her eyes widened when she saw Shusui's sheath. "You did."

"He's Shusui. I'll let you two meet when this is all over."

Riley smiled hesitantly. "Are you sure?"

He frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Riley shrugged. Her eyes avoided his.

Why would she think he didn't want her to meet his new sword? And why did she seem so unsure being near him?

He'd wondered earlier why she had chosen to go with the others instead of with him but he'd just waved it off, assuming she was too worried about Nami.

Had that been the reason? Or was something going on?

"Looks like Luffy's shadow got the drop on us." Franky noted.

Zoro would figure out what was wrong later. When they were all safe.

"He was much bigger the I expected." Robin agreed.

"Let's get going then." Sanji spoke, already walking towards the monster.

Zoro grabbed Riley's hand.

She looked at him in surprise.

Something was wrong. But he'd fix it.

Zoro squeezed her hand before letting go and smirked. "Let's go beat up a monster zombie."

Riley grinned and together they followed after the others.

Being so large and loud made the monster zombie the easiest prey to track.

But, they'd already learned he wasn't going to be the easiest to beat.

"Crap." Franky moaned as they all followed Sanji. "This guy is going to be a real pain in the ass."

"He's not just strong." Zoro reminded them. "He's fast as hell for his size."

"What was his name again?" Sanji wondered out loud.

"Oh." Chopper frowned. "Ah..."

"I think it was Roast right?" Zoro asked.

"No. Not even close." Usopp replied. "I think it had an 's' at the end. Didn't it?"

"Hughes?" Chopper suggested.

"I think you're getting colder, actually." Usopp answered.

Zoro tied his bandana around his head, getting ready for the fight.

"Fours?" Sanji suggested.

Riley began twirling two knives in her hands. "I think it was something like that."

"No way." Usopp shook his head. "Its close but-"

"It's Oars." Robin told them impatiently.

"That's it!" Everyone nodded triumphantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Brook interrupted them hesitantly. "But my injuries are quite terrible..."

"It's fine." Franky waved off his concern, dragging along his heavy duty nunchucks. "We understand. You can still move around though, right?"

"Yes?" Brook told them unsurely.

"Then move yourself out of the way." Franky ordered.

"Of course." Brook sighed.

They reached the monster zombie and stopped.

"Hey, Oars!" Sanji shouted.

Oars looked up from the building he had just poked a hole through.

"If that's really Luffy's shadow you have inside you, then I probably shouldn't have to tell you this." Sanji shouted at him. "But you should never underestimate the strength of your own crew."

Zoro stood front and center, his hand ready on his sword.

The others stood behind and around him.

They were all ready for this. They were all ready to take down the monster zombie.

A rumble drew Riley to her feet.

Her body ached. Her body bled. Her body could barely lift itself.

One more hit.

Riley assured herself.

One more hit and Oars wouldn't be getting up again.

She'd taken a direct blow from the monster giant but so had everyone else.

Kiri's breeze played with her hair.

He'd taken a hit too and she could sense the fatigue in the slowness of his wind.

But he was ready.

One more hit.

She saw the others rise to their feet.

A glance to one another. A shared look of understanding.

One more hit.

That was all that they needed.

Usopp and Franky ran toward the remnants of Moria's castle while Sanji and Chopper headed towards the stairs.

Oars was unbelievably strong. His endurance was infinite. He felt no pain or fatigue. And Luffy's shadow gave him a will stronger then any other.

But he wasn't unbeatable.

All they needed was one more hit.

One more hit and that would be the end of Oars.

Brook stood dumbfounded as the giant pillar broke in two and sunlight shined its marvelous light upon them.

Moria had just been defeated.

Thriller Bark had crumbled.

Everyone who had once been a victim was now free.

"Guys!" Usopp's panicked shout drew Brook's attention to the rest of the Straw Hats.

To the five who had lost their shadows.

"Ah!" Chopper screamed as Zoro's head burst into flames.

Brook began to shiver in dread as the others followed.

Kiri meowed and jumped from Riley's shoulder to the air before her.

Robin rose an arm but it too burst as the light touched it.

Sanji simply stood there casually while the fire consumed him.

And Luffy lay helpless on the ground.

"It can't be." Nami whimpered in horror.

"Come on guys!" Usopp shouted. "What's going on? Didn't we take down Moria?"

"Luffy!" Chopper shouted desperately, tears running down his cheeks.

"Hey! Zoro!"

"Robin! Riley!"

"Sanji!"

"Their bodies are vanishing!"

Brook watched, unable to do anything.

These people were his saviors. They were people who risked their lives to take down an enemy everyone else had been terrified of.

They were people worth dying for.

But what could he do?

He would take them out of the sun if he could. But he knew none of them would want that. They had too much pride to hide in the shadows.

They were all gamblers.

Win big or lose everything. No in between for these people. No maybes or possiblys.

All Brook could do was look at the sky and pray that the shadows streaming out of Moria belonged to the Straw Hats. All he could do was hope that their shadows would reach their owners in time.

"What the hell is happening?" Franky shouted. "Didn't we win? Damn it! Were we too late?"

They had won. As unbelievable as the thought was, they had.

Please, Brook prayed. Please don't let this be the cost for winning. Please.

He didn't know who he was praying to. He'd been dead before so he knew something else existed, but he didn't what.

He just hoped that whatever it was hiding behind the clouds would listen. He just hoped this wouldn't be the end of these people who had fought so hard and endured so much.

As shadows escaped Moria's control, a few began to slowly drift in their direction.

A shadow attached itself to Sanji's feet and suddenly, all that had vanished regenerated.

The curly cook gasped as he once more became whole: body and shadow.

Riley followed.

And then Zoro. And then Robin.

And finally, Luffy.

Brook stared at them slack jawed and stunned.

Zoro laughed. "Nice. I'm alive, after all."

Riley stretched her arms and grinned as Kiri breezed worriedly around her hair. "Its nice our heads are back, too."

"For a moment there I thought I was going to the afterlife." Robin smiled.

"If we can go together," Sanji smiled adoringly at Robin. "I'd gladly go with you!"

"This isn't funny, you jerks!" Usopp shouted at them. "We thought you were goners for sure! You were vanishing!"

"That was terrifying!" Chopper and Nami cried in relief to one another.

"That was terrible for my heart." Brook agreed. "Not that I have a heart..."

He looked down at his bony hand.

He was just a skeleton, after all.

The shadow at his feet caught his attention.

Brook turned towards the sun warming the bones of his back.

The sun.

For the first time in five years, Brook was able to feel the sun's rays on his bones. For the first time he was able to walk in the light.

Even though he was just a skeleton, for the first time in long long time, he felt alive.

Brook walked over to the pirates who had done more for him then they could ever understand and smiled.

They were all alive.

They were all whole.

Their shadows had been returned. Their enemies had been defeated.

If he had eyes to shed them, he would have wept tears of pure joy.

Indeed. It was a wonderful, marvelous, excellent day to be alive.