Restructer Revolution
Again, please vote! This time, please vote for whether you want Ace to live or die in the upcoming Marineford Arc!
IX: Full Salvo
Previously:
"You are dead weight to them like you are now!"
"Then help me!" Yusei retorted. "Give me the strength to help them! They... Luffy San and the others... help us live to see the dawn!"
Yami growled. "Yusei, you..." This phenomenon... it seems like the reports were correct... Monkey D. Luffy does polarise people. To think that a pirate who is no better than a thief will change the strong Yusei this much... His crimson eyes were shrouded in shadow as the corners of his lips began to lift. To have a Legendary Duellist firmly on your side after only twenty-four hours... to cause the famously cool Yusei to plead on your behalf... I want to see, what manner of man will change this world with the power of light and darkness with him? Strawhat Luffy... I want to see it... to see it, the destiny of this world must change! Then, it shall change!
"The path is full of trials," Yami observed, giving nothing away.
Yusei's eyes narrowed. "I'll take them on for this crew!"
Yami could not help it, throwing his head back to laugh in a way that induced all the zombies to be purified from the sheer amount of shadows in that instant as the sound echoed that of the night's magic, strong and potent and dark and dangerous. "Very well then!" Yami had a psychotic smile on his face. "Prepare yourself! I will tell you what I can."
"Ah!" Finally, Yusei smiled.
Footsteps echoed in the dark and dank stone corridors as Yusei ran, the Junk Archer floating behind him all the while. The young man's mind was processing everything, every single revelation told to him being run through by that quicksilver mind that was indeed needed aboard the Sunny.
Remember, after gaining the initial gift of the cards, the next factor is your will and malice... Will is your willpower to form those monsters... It is the will that will be the hardest, since you have had no foundation of belief to build upon that these monsters are real, and will usually requires this belief in the first place...
"I summon Sonic Chick!" Yusei ordered, as the duck quacked as it appeared again.
"Yusei Dono, quack!" the chick was literally a-flutter with glee.
Usually, a Duellist would have a small partner to assist them in gathering will, since the focus that that partner is there helps to reinforce the idea that the monsters are alive, and waiting...
"Is this why you keep Kuriboh around?"
"...one of those reasons. Small, low-level monsters are usually preferred as partners as they are unobtrusive, take little effort to summon and are easily remembered..."
"Quack, Yusei Dono, where're we going, quack?" the chick squeaked.
"We're going to back Usopp San up," Yusei panted in reply. "Left!"
Malice is your desire to hurt, or heal, depending on the situation... This is also usually why any odd symptoms are first done in anger; it is easier to find the malice to hurt in anger than compared to any other emotion...
"Where's that long-nosed bastard!" the zombies were yelling.
"Junk Archer, aim!" Yusei ordered as the Sonic Chick ducked behind his legs. "Tearing Arrow!"
Strong emotions will fuel your power, and will will shape it... then, you release it upon those unsuspecting fools... that is the basic theory behind all of my magic, of Judai's skill, and of your own. The Crimson Dragon is merely a bonus...
Yusei focused, every step through, past the burn marks upon the floor and the broken pillars, all the way towards where Usopp was holding what looked to be a huge hammer...
Remember this, Yusei, and remember it well... why I do not force you to return... No one but oneself decides their own destiny!
"... Golden... POUND!"
POP!
Amidst the floating shreds of rubber, Yusei merely blinked as the Ghost Princess Perona keeled over.
"Yo, Yusei!" Usopp grinned, patting the inflatable rubber handle. "How's things?"
"The zombies are all handled," Yusei replied, deadpan. It was just then that the floor decided to rumble and tremors shook the stone until Yusei could feel his teeth chatter.
"This is..." Yusei muttered, alert.
"Yusei Dono, get out, quack!" Sonic Chick howled.
"Usopp San!" Yusei ran after the screaming liar.
"W- W- What?" Usopp was screaming as he ran. "This is way different than the shaking from before!"
The sniper paused, screaming, as the ceiling overhead began to crack ad give way and a large hand, covered in red skin and stitches, burst through the stone ceiling. "EEEEEEEHHHHH! Luffy zombie!"
Usopp then ran in the opposite direction, Yusei already turning back.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
Yusei had to admit, that the sniper could really dash when needed as he was left eating dust in the screaming liar's wake.
Somehow, by adrenaline or by sheer will, they pair of them made it to the battlements in Perona's garden, Usopp producing a pair of binoculars to look over at the giant hulking red-skinned giant Special Zombie.
"What a bad thing!" Usopp exclaimed as he took it off.
"Usopp! Yusei!" Chopper's voice called from behind as the reindeer and Robin ran over.
"Ah, Chopper! Robin!" Usopp called. "I- I- I- It's terrible! O- O- O- O- On Luffy's zombie's arm...! I- I- Is our...! Our wanted posters! There's no mistake!"
The reaction was as expected, panic from both pirates and even Yusei.
"His aim is...! Our complete elimination!"
"COME OUT!" The zombie bellowed in some strange self-fulfilling prophecy. "STRAW HAT CREW!"
"That Luffy..." Usopp was crying. "Are you gonna beat up your own crew?"
"Looks like he was given orders," Robin spoke.
"Is the real Luffy safe?" Chopper worried.
"Remember!" Yusei's voice broke through the despair. "That is not Luffy San! That's a zombie! Just a zombie! And all zombies are controlled by one man, that Gecko Moria! If we must choose to hate, hate Moria instead for causing Luffy San's shadow to turn to this!"
"Ah! Yusei!" Usopp registered. "That's..."
"Oi! Usopp!" Zoro's voice called from across the open air. "Is that you over there?"
"What the? Did someone call my name just now?" Usopp looked around before his face turned up. "Z- Zoro! Why are you on the roof?"
"Franky! And Brook!" Chopper spied. "They're both safe!"
"How did they even get up there..." Yusei wondered.
"For the time being, it seems that Mr Skeleton is right," Robin observed. "Not quite, when it comes to Nami Chan though."
Yusei spied a blond blur jump over, presumably Sanji
"It's bad! It's really bad!" Chopper was panicking, the whole eyes-bug-out and panic thing. "Sanji's in trouble!"
"This is unexpected." Robin merely stated. "I thought they were only aiming for our shadows. He's acting a bit too violent for that."
"I think we proved a handful for him," Yusei pointed out.
"I guess they decided they don't need anyone but Luffy's shadow anymore!" Usopp muttered.
"Scary... scary!" Chopper squeaked. "We can't face that!"
"Man up, quack!" the Sonic Chick scolded him.
"Looks like I better help," Robin crossed her arms over her chest.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Usopp held up a placating hand. "W- We shouldn't get ourselves voluntarily involved. It's better if we leave it to Sanji. Don't worry, he's got the most luck out of all of us here in this situation."
"But he'll be found out from the wanted posters there, right?" Robin pointed out. "I don't think he'll be able to get away so easily."
"You're naïve, Robin Kun!" Usopp wagged a finger. "That's not the case! Look closer at the wanted posters! Will he know that's Sanji?"
"That's right!" Chopper brightened. "Sanji's wanted poster looks nothing like him! Right?"
"So I see," Robin looked amused. "That's true."
"The average person would," Yusei automatically answered, having seen said posters. "Luffy San, however, can in no way be called an average person."
"It's a spitting image of the wanted poster!" the zombie drawled.
"EEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHH?"
Sanji's bellow cold be heard clearly all the way from the battlements. "WHERE THE HELL DOES IT LOOK THE SAME?"
"Where?" it echoed. "Everything!"
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, IDIOT?"
"Anyway, you're also one of the pirates," the zombie continued.
"SO WHAT?"
The zombie was completely deadpan as it declared its intention. "I'll kick your ass."
"He's coming! He's coming!" Usopp panicked.
"Sanji~!" Chopper squeaked.
Thus began the first round of the tournament of epic battles to come: Oz vs Sanji.
"You're one persistent and annoying guy!" the zombie was yelling as it rained blow upon blow on the ground and (not) Sanji. It then speeded up its pounding.
"Sanji!" Chopper screamed.
"Sanji San!" Yusei took the binoculars, scanning through the smoke. "Eh... oh."
Blond hair waved as the cook walked out from the drifting smoke and dust, merely a little worst for wear.
"You've really made a fool of me..." the growl was audible. "Now it's my turn, you shitty bastard!"
"This time you won't get away!" the zombie cracked its knuckles as it spoke. "Gomu Gomu no..."
"Luffy's move!" Chopper squeaked.
"Could it be he's gonna stretch?" Usopp whimpered.
"Sickle!" dust blew up again as it struck.
Chopper panicked. "H- He didn't stretch, but...!"
"With that reach and brute strength, it makes no difference!" Usopp finished.
"Sonic Chick, can you estimate the power of that guy?" Yusei asked.
"One thousand... two thousand... two thousand five hundred... no, two thousand four hundred attack power, quack..." Sonic Chick estimated. "Somewhere around that range, lowest two thousand three hundred, highest two thousand six hundred, quack... with additional effects... I can't predict, quack!"
"Oz..." Robin muttered. "Where have I heard that name before...? He couldn't be that 'Demon Oz' from the Kunihiki Legends...?"
"Collier Frit!" Sanji jumped high up.
"No use!" Oz head-butted him back down, before punching the ground, causing Sanji to lose footing and then sending the cook flying back into a wall.
"Sanji!" Chopper screamed.
Oz managed to grab the fallen cook in a large fist. "I caught you, pipsqueak pirate!"
"Sanji!" Usopp cried.
The giant then lifted its huge fist into the air. "TAKE THIS, PIPSQUEAK PIRATE!"
"Oi, stop!" Zoro called.
"SANJI!" Chopper cried.
"Junk Archer, aim for Sanji San!" Yusei ordered as the archer took aim. "Dimensional Shot!"
"Hinotori Star!" Usopp's voice rang through as the giant fire-bird flew through the air and exploded on Oz the moment Sanji disappeared.
"That burns!" OZ roared as it turned around slowly.
"I- I- I'm sorry!" Usopp cried.
The giant zombie stomped towards them, ignoring Yusei who quietly slipped on Shield Wing back out, to pluck a fallen body out of mid-air that appeared only a minute later. While Yusei was pulling off a silent retrieval operation, the zombie was looking at the wanted posters again.
"A black-haired woman... and there's certainly a little animal..." it shook its head, putting out the flames before stomping over.
"HE'S COMING THIS WAY!" Chopper and Usopp cried.
"Hold on, Sanji San," Yusei muttered as Shield Wing lowered them to the ground.
"Take this, monster!" Franky's voice rang before the sound of bullets firing drowned out everything else.
There was a mighty crash as Oz kicked the tower, Franky's cries of panic audible even as Yusei examined the cook for serious wounds. There was a pulse, no clear bleeding and Sanji was breathing fine, albeit a bit laboured, before Yusei reached the length and breadth of his medical training.
"Zoro! You alive?" Usopp cried again. "No! He'll die if he falls from that height!"
"Let's do this!" the zombie declared as it drew its arm back presumably for a follow-up.
"Take this, monster!" Franky yelled again. "Weapons Left!"
"Shield Wing, retrieve Zoro San!" Yusei gave a hurried order. "Sonic Chick, run, get Chopper San here!"
More rumbles echoed as bricks broke and rumbles shook the ground, Yusei guessed as the zombie leapt into the air and rammed a whole roof onto the tower where Franky and Brook stood, turning it into rubble.
"Franky! Brook!"
Shield Wing managed to grab the falling swordsman by a claw to the haramaki just in time.
"You saved me!" Zoro opened his eyes as Oz loomed behind, arm out.
"AAAHHHHH!" Chopper screamed.
"Take this!" Usopp yelled. " You're a zombie too! Hissatsu Salt Star!"
In the ensuing silence, there was complete calm before the storm, a calm that the monster too the chance to lower the swordsman beside the cook.
The sudden crash caused Yusei to start as the Duellist watched rubble fall, along with the rest of the Straw Hats still fighting.
"I don't know you guys," it stated. "I am Moria Sama's servant, Oz!"
"That reindeer-tanuki is down, Yusei Dono!" Sonic Chick chirped. "Run, Yusei Dono!"
"We have to delay that zombie!" Yusei ordered. "Shield Wing, how many can you carry at a time?"
The green bird chirped.
"Quack, Two, Yusei Dono!" the Chick translated.
"Hide Zoro San and Sanji San first, then Chopper San and Robin San, then... Max Warrior, summon! Take Usopp San to hide with the rest, then come back for Franky San and Brook San!" Yusei ordered. "Sonic Chick... no, what is your name?"
"I am the Sonic Chick, quack!" it squeaked. "I have no name!"
"Male or female?" Yusei asked.
"Male, Yusei Dono, quack! But that has no relevance, quack!"
"I can't call you Sonic Chick all the time, right?" Yusei told the bright-eyed monster gently. "I'll be relying on you, after all. Hane... I think that's a good name, right?"
"Yusei Dono..." the bird's eyes grew large and watery once more. "Whatever you say, Yusei Dono! Quack!"
"Get to work!" Yusei ordered, as he pulled a five-card hand. "Oi! Oz! Right here!"
The zombie looked down at him, the lone figure standing before the strongest zombie in the history of Thriller Bark. "Ah! This guy has no relation... what, pipsqueak?"
"Yusei Dono-!" the Sonic Chick christened Hane chirped behind in shock.
"Shit, what a monster he is," Franky's voice echoed behind.
"He's got both power and speed, eh?" Zoro drawled.
"What was his name again?" Sanji airily muttered.
Chopper was stirring, of course. "Erm..."
"I'm sure it was Ross," Zoro flippantly replied.
"That's wrong," Usopp pointed out. "There was a Z at the end."
"Hughes?" Chopper suggested.
"That's not even close."
"Oss?" That was Zoro.
"No, there's still something not right there."
"It's Oz," Robin spoke up at last.
"That's right!" All the male Straw Hats answered.
"Um, I'm sorry..." the voice, that was Brook all over... "My body..."
"Yeah, you can't help that," Franky loudly said. "Can you move just a bit?"
"Yeah..."
"Just get outta the way."
"Yes..."
"But we have a rookie trying to show us up," Zoro drawled.
"I was intending to delay until you recovered," Yusei spoke. "It seems that my help is no longer needed, though."
"Nah," Sanji drawled. "You'll be behind in a support role. This your first fight against a big monster?"
"Not in the least," Yusei flatly replied. "I've faced bigger."
"Really?" Usopp asked.
"Granted, it was in a card game," Yusei muttered in reply as the took their positions.
"Oi, Oz!" Sanji called.
"Huh?" the zombie focused.
"If that's really Luffy's shadow inside of you... then you shouldn't be underestimating the strength of your own nakama." The cook replied. "With Yusei being a newbie, it's understandable, but for you... you're too arrogant."
Oz began to laugh. "You're tough, pipsqueak pirates." It leapt, causing rumbles and rubble to fall despite the shadows covering the eyes of the pirates an indicator of certain doom.
"I've got an idea for you guys..." Zoro pronounced. "How 'bout we send this guy flying?"
"Hah?" Usopp spoke. "O- O- Oi, Zoro!"
"I see," Sanji was smoking another cigarette. "That'd probably feel pretty good."
"W- W- Wait a minute! Send him flying? Such a giant guy like this?"
"Still, with Luffy's movements in this giant body... he's pretty good," Zoro admitted.
"But 'Pirate King' wouldn't fit him..." Robin spoke up.
Franky considered the question seriously. "How to bring him down...? I've got a ton of plans to try..."
"He's got to have some sort of weak point..." Chopper mentioned.
"He's a huge fish, so I'll have to loosen him up bit by bit," Sanji said.
"Despite that..." Usopp's eye twitched. "I'm really scared."
"As penance for underestimating you people, I'll provide support from the back," Yusei volunteered.
"Ah! Yusei!" Usopp exclaimed. "Traitor!"
"Unlike you, he needs space, baka! Quack!" Hane shot back.
Oz laughed again. "I'll smash you all!"
"HHHHHIIIE~!"
"Here he comes!"
"Gomu Gomu no... Shiri Mochi!" The zombie leapt up to land, sending tremors through the ground and the Straw Hats reeling.
"There's no such thing!" Usopp yelled.
"Run!" Franky echoed.
Yusei was already moving once the command was given.
"Gomu Gomu no..."
"Franky, he's coming your way!" Zoro yelled.
"Hammer!"
The fist came down with a rumble and thump.
"Damn it, if it's like this we'll show you!" Franky yelled. "Our best combined strength! You guys, let's do it! Tactics 15!"
"Shield Wing, get me high up!" Yusei ordered as the monster appeared, the winged beast picking up both Hane and Yusei up to the ruined battlements.
Whatever it was that went on in those few seconds, Yusei completely missed, for when he turned around...
"Eh?"
"You're not going to do it? The Docking!" the zombie was whining.
"Hey, why are you all shocked too?"
"Dammit! I was all pumped up too!" it pouted. "DO IT! THE DOCKING!"
The Straw Hats managed to jump out of the way of the next attack. Well, only Zoro and Sanji.
"Robin! If only you'd joined in too, we could've become the Robot Warrior Big Emperor!" Franky was yelling.
"I can't believe you betrayed us!" Chopper was screeching. "I can't believe it!"
"Luffy would've definitely joined in, you know!" Usopp yelled.
"Oi, I'll show you something cool!" Yusei called from the roof of the mansion.
"Eh?" the giant zombie turned to look up. "Something cool?"
"Yep," Yusei affirmed. "First, I summon Effect Veiler!"
The winged teal-haired girl appeared in a flash of light.
"Cool! A girl with wings appeared!" the zombie clapped.
"Mellorine~" the cook was at it again...
"Then, I summon Quillbolt Hedgehog!" Yusei commanded as a hedgehog with bolt for quills appeared, purring beside Yusei. "With that said, I summon Doppelwarrior with them! My final summon will be Tricular!"
Oz began clapping as the black-armoured SWAT warrior and the tricycle-shaped machine appeared. "Cool!"
"There's more to come!" Yusei promised. "I tune the level one Effect Veiler, the level two Quillbolt Hedgehog, level two Doppelwarrior, and level three Tricular for eight levels worth of Synchro!"
"Tuning?" Usopp screeched. "Yusei, your big gorilla thing won't work on it!"
The green stars twinkled in the approaching dawn skies as he took a deep breath, calling forth the roar...
"Clustering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon!"
...and the dragon answered, tearing forth from the very skies itself in a blaze of starlight like that from space...
"Synchro Summon!" Yusei bellowed as large, leathery wings of glistening white unfurled itself and blue twinkled amidst orange as the dragon about as large as Oz itself roared a challenge to the now bug-eyed zombie. "Take flight, Stardust Dragon!"
"HE SUMMONED A DRAGON!" Usopp, Franky and Chopper yelled as one.
"Dragon...!" Sanji echoed.
Zoro momentarily turned around. "Oi... Dragon?"
"A real dragon...?" Robin looked amused. "How interesting..."
The Stardust Dragon roared a challenge as a clawed hand reached over and cuffed Oz around the neck, sending the zombie reeling.
"What strength!" Franky yelled. "SUPER! Go, Nii Chan, kick his ass!"
It was like the epic retelling of Godzilla versus the ugly monster of the decade, except that one had got to admit, Stardust Dragon made a way better leading monster. Even as Oz's punch sent it reeling back slightly, the dragon merely roared its challenge back.
"You shiny lizard!" Oz roared back, raising a hand.
"I'll be borrowing this, Franky!"
"Oi, My Heavy Nunchakus... fine, I'll lend it to you!"
"Robin, I'm aiming for its left arm, get ready!"
"Roger."
"Stardust, slide!" Yusei commanded. The dragon did as ordered, playing dead as oz loomed over it.
"You're dead!" it raised a fist, braced by a hand on the ground.
"Charge!"
"Usopp!"
"Tokuyo Aburaboshi! San Ran Batsu!"
The giant began to slip.
"Oi, Swirly, shoot me up!"
"You...! With that huge thing?"
"It's fine if you can't!"
"You-! Of course I can, dumbass! Armee de L'Air, Power Shoot!"
Zoro came flying into view, a pair of nunchakus composed of marble pillars swinging behind him. "Dai Gekken!"
With a resounding thump, the impact was made.
"Cien Fleur, Big Tree!" a giant arm composed of numerous duplicated arms appeared on Oz's back, grabbing the injured arm.
"What the-?"
"Clutch!" the arm was forcibly pulled back in a lock
"I- It's dangerous...! I'll fall...!" Oz was supported only by an arm and a leg, and the arm was slipping dangerously.
"Check this out! This Super Mid-air Stair-Building! Franky Skywalk! But this won't last for long! Let's get a move on, Chopper!"
"Yeah!"
Both leapt into the air, getting ready...
Yusei glared, concentrating, willing every bit of will to destroying the zombie. "Stand, Stardust! Ready..."
"SUUUUUUUUUPEEEEEEERRRR FRRRRRAAAAPPEEEEERRRR GONG!" The result indeed sounded like a gong.
"No matter how big, the weak points of a human never changes! If we hit your jaw, you'll get dizzy!" Chopper yelled.
"Release!" Yusei ordered. "Stardust Dragon! Shooting Sonic!"
"Anti Manner... KICK COURSE!"
The pure white beam impacted at the same time with the leg of a certain Black-Leg Sanji.
"FALL!"
"Fall to the ground, monster!"
"Alright! Go!"
The crash of the impact was sweet as Oz landed on its head, woozy and partially fried.
"OH YEAH!" Usopp celebrated. "Did you see our power?"
"How's that, Luffy-monster!"
Sanji merely lit another smoke. "To start with... one down."
That was until Oz opened his eyes. "You guys... NOW I'M ANGRY! I'LL BEAT ALL OF YOU GUYS INTO A PULP!"
"You will not." On the back of the Shield Wing, Yusei landed neatly next to the zombie. "You are finished the moment Stardust Dragon hit you. That blast had about fifty thousand volts behind it. Even if your body is insulated, that much electricity would fry your nervous system and render you immobile, if only for a while. However, to ensure that you will not, in fact, attack us again... Armoury Arm."
A strange black arm appeared, equipping itself to Stardust Dragon, which drew its now armoured claw back.
"Get him."
The thud echoed throughout the quiet.
Predictably, it was Zoro who broke the silence. "Well, you're a handy fellow to have around, aren't you?"
Yusei grinned wearily. "That's what most people say."
"Yeah," Sanji grinned.
"Eh... I can't move my horns..." Oz muttered. "They won't come out! My horns! My horns are completely stuck in the ground!"
The Straw Hat Pirates, Yusei included, took up evil expressions.
"Can't get 'em out?" Franky drawled as each and every one of them got ready.
Zoro licked the back of his swords.
The resulting screams echoed the radius of Thriller Bark.
"All of you, know your place!"
The magician spun his staff, sending zombies flying and shadows swirling about him as the undead were purified. Beside him stood a pissed-off leather-clad Yami, armed with pair of long knives and shadows and yet more cards.
"Where is Gecko Moria?" Yami hissed at the next zombie unlucky enough to escape the Black Magician.
"I don't know!" the zombie howled. Yami promptly broke its neck and sliced through its throat until the shadow left.
"That mess that idiot started..." Yami growled, as the zombies edged away. "You deny me what is mine? Gecko Moria, you will know the fury of the Erinyes. I will find you, alone and afraid, and I will peel the skin off your bones as you watch screaming–"
"Master, you are reverting," the magician pointed out.
"Ah! I am?" Yami blinked, stunned. "Well... I seem to be close to my limit. Let's watch the sunrise together before we walk."
"Very well then, master." the magician bowed.
"CUT IT OUT ALREADY!" Oz was yelling.
"Retreat~!" Usopp yelled, running off with Chopper.
"Right!"
As they ran, Oz stood, horns partly broken as it panted, the Stardust Dragon backing off with an answering roar. "These guys are like demons!"
"So that wasn't enough to beat him?" Sanji growled.
"I was hoping it would," Robin muttered.
"Now then, what's next?" Zoro growled.
"To take down a giant monster like this..." Franky spoke. "As I though, we'll need Tactics 15!"
"I say we try it once more!" Chopper called.
"Yeah!" Usopp agreed. "This time, you have to Dock into your position, Robin!"
Robin actually began to look irritated. "I told you never again–!"
"YOU STUPID BASTARDS!" Sanji took over, ever the knight. "THERE'S NO WAY ROBIN CHAN CAN DO SOMETHING SO HUMILIATING! Uh... Oh, wait..." the blush on his cheeks made Yusei decide that what ever this Docking was, he did not need to know.
A cold, icy aura came from the Devil fruit user behind the self-proclaimed knight.
"A- A joke! It was a joke, Robin Chan!" Sanji struggled to explain himself.
"More importantly," Zoro began. "You guys better not even think–"
"Let's do it!" Franky yelled. "Standby, men! Yusei,came you give us something for Left Arm?"
"Ah," Yusei held up the same black-armoured arm that was equipped to Stardust Dragon earlier. "Here you go."
"Thanks!" Franky slipped the arm on. "Pirate's Docking Three!"
"The Not-So Giant Robot Warrior!" Chopper added, draped on Franky's head.
"Docking complete!" Usopp added.
Yusei face-palmed as the giant zombie gaped. "Robin San... you have my condolences."
"Oi, Swirly!" Franky yelled to Sanji. "Gimme a ha- Er, guess that's not right... Gimme a leg!"
"Sanji!" Chopper screamed.
"Do it, Sanji!" Usopp cried.
After a moment, Sanji grinned. "Now this is what I'm talking about! Alright! GO! Armee de L'Air Robo-Shoot!" The resulting kick sent them flying up to Oz.
"You guys!" the zombie growled. "Just the three of you?"
"Exactly right!" Usopp retorted.
"Damn right, you bastard!" Franky added as they landed on Oz's skull. "Take this!"
"Pirate's Robo-Attack!" Usopp and Chopper yelled.
Franky proceeded to stomp as hard as he could on the skull... which did not have much impact.
"Franky San, the arm!" Yusei called.
"Ah! Take this!" Franky slammed the thing down hard.
"Argh!" Oz finally reacted, screaming. "It burns! What the hell's this?"
"Oi... that arm... Zoro realised. "What did you give them...?"
"Armoury Arm," Yusei answered honestly. "It's a Duel Monster that has the ability to equip onto another Duel Monster. That Duel Monster gains one thousand attack power, and the ability to inflict damage equal to the power the monster that it attacks has."
"You jerk.." Usopp mocked openly. "You claimed you wanted to be the Pirate King, but... Looks like you're all size and nothing more!"
"That's right! That's right!" Franky and Chopper echoed.
"What's you say?" Oz yelled.
"You actually think we're weaker than before? You're quite the embarrassment!" all of them then began laughing at him.
"Who's the embarrassment?" Oz yelled, angered as he prepared to punch. "YOU PIPSQUEAK PIRATES!"
"NOW!" Franky leapt off directly before Oz's fist landed on the owner's skull.
"Alright!" the three celebrated as Franky slipped off the arm.
"How 'bout it?" Franky mocked. "How's it feel to be hit by your own punch?"
"Hooray!" Sanji celebrated. "Did you see that, Robin Chan~? Just as I planned! Job well done, Pirates Docking Three!"
"-.-... what was 'just as you planned', stupid cook?"
"Thanks, Yusei!" Franky threw it back to the mechanic. "Let's have some monster action, shall we?" Yusei held up the fading arm, the exact same arm appearing on the claw of a Stardust Dragon currently cracking non-existent knuckles.
"Stardust Dragon, attack!" Yusei commanded as the Straw Hat Pirates backed off.
If the previous scene was a retelling of Godzilla, this one was the true version, complete with extremely cool special effects that by all right should not exist as the two giant monsters duked it out for supremacy. No matter how many times Stardust Dragon clubbed Oz over the head with the armoured arm, the zombie continued to stand, even as it was clear Stardust had the starting advantage... but for how long?
"Man, this is one stubborn bastard," Sanji commented. "While we're fooling around here, Nami San..."
"Wait, Sanji." Usopp held up a hand. " I have a plan."
"Enough with the half-assed plans." Zoro growled, swords drawn.
"JUST LISTEN!"
All of them turned to look at Usopp.
"It looks to me that traces of Luffy's personality haven't completely disappeared from this guy," Usopp began.
"But, he told us he didn't know us and that he was Moria's servant," Chopper objected.
"But still..." Usopp pointed out. "Back then, his other half leaked out. Wasn't he just like Luffy?"
The Straw Hats were beginning to get the idea.
"Indeed," Robin confirmed.
"So, what are you gonna do?" Franky asked.
"Meaning, Luffy's weakness is also this guy's weakness," Usopp had a big grin as he replied.
There was a momentary silence before the rest of the Straw Hats, save for Usopp, Chopper and Yusei ran off to positions, as if communicated via telepathy.
"Whoa! Look!" Usopp began. "A huge chunk of meat!"
"What?" Oz yelled. "Meat? Where?"
"Wow! It looks really delicious!" Chopper played along.
"Where? Where?" Oz yelled, looking around.
"Knee Crush!" Franky swung the giant nunchakus into Oz's knee, while Zoro deal with the other. Oz fell to his knees just in time for Stardust to swing up the Armoury Arm to catch the zombie in the jaw in a cool uppercut that sent the zombie reeling back.
"Does this count?" Zoro yelled between the sword in his jaw.
"I don't think this guy would follow the rules even if we had 'em," Franky answered.
"Alright, we got you, Kneecaps Kun, Jaw Kun!" Usopp celebrated.
"Nice, Stardust!" Yusei praised.
"How humiliating..." Oz growled.
"You didn't lose though!" Franky yelled. "We just gotta stall ya 'til Strawhat beats up Moria! Hurry up and get those shadows, Strawhat!"
"Why do we gotta wait that long?" Zoro asked, hand ready to draw. "We just gotta beat him."
"EEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH? O- Oi, oi! We're just making sure this monster doesn't get into Strawhat's way, right?" Franky pointed up. "You're gonna beat that thing?"
"A fight isn't over until you've won!" Zoro prepared as Oz woozily cried.
"There's no meat... my kneecaps are broken..."
"He's not just big, he's a zombie!" Franky yelled. "You can't beat him without purifying him!"
"Oi! You!"
Yusei started as the first mate of the Straw Hats ambled over.
"Sword." Zoro held out a hand. "Gimme a sword that can purify that thing."
"-.-... I don't have a sword that can do that, Zoro San..."
"If you don't want to, run away," Sanji growled. "I don't feel like waiting for Luffy either."
Robin chuckled. "There's no point in stopping you, right?"
"Then tell your dragon to back off," Zoro pointed to where Stardust was performing a full nelson and bridge, or at least tried, until the dragon was put off with an elbow to the side and threw the zombie down with a crash and an earth-shaking tremble. "It's our turn. Three minutes."
"This isn't relay fighting, Zoro!" Usopp yelled.
Yusei frowned. "If you say so... Stardust!"
The dragon took to the skies with a single sweep of large wings, executing a near-perfect loop-de-loop as it landed next to Yusei.
"Stardust..." Yusei ambled to the long foot, stroking the scaly skin in some awe. "Stardust Dragon... you answered."
"Stardust!" Hane squealed, jumping beside the Duellist. "Trouble, quack, quack!"
"Eh?" Yusei looked down at him.
"The reason that giant zombie hasn't been taken down yet, quack... is because it had a controller, quack!" Hane squealed. "It's being backed up by some power! Just like a Duellist and the cards... someone's giving it support!"
"It really would be best to just buy enough time for Luffy to defeat Moria!" Usopp was yelling at the same time Yusei took in this revelation.
"I play Tuning!" Yusei quickly rattled off. "I then summon Nitro Synchron and Cosmic Compass. Doppel Tokens, assemble!"
Two black-armoured warriors appeared before Yusei as the Cosmic Compass replicated into two.
"Level Change, increase Nitro Synchron's level by one!" Yusei ordered, pulling another card. "Tune, level three Nitro Synchron and four level one tokens! Gathering feelings will now become a new force! Become the path its light shines upon!"
"Oi, Yusei you too!" Usopp was screaming as the battlefield rumbled again with Zoro clashing against Oz."
"Synchro Summon! Blaze on, Nitro Warrior!" Yusei ordered as the green warrior zoomed into the skies, its engines roaring as it charged forth. Any pain or lethargy was shelved behind until further notice, i.e. once they were back on the Sunny. "Destroyer Knuckle!"
"Zoro!" Usopp yelled as the swordsman leapt back to let the large warrior monster take over. "Oi, don't push it! Eve if we do manage to defeat him, we'll only be getting back Luffy's shadow as a result! We don't even know where yours or Sanji's are! But if Luffy manages to beat Moria, all the shadows will return at once! No one has to die or try to beat up giant zombies aimlessly! We need to just stay here and believe in Luffy and focus on stalling him!"
"I believe in him more than enough," Zoro drawled, sword still in jaw. "But there are thing even Luffy has trouble with."
"Eh?"
"Trickery... an invisible man, a spirit woman, a master of shadows... this island is full of so many things that try to trick you..." Zoro listed. "The issue is whether or not Luffy's up against enemies fighting fairly."
"That's certainly true," Robin murmured.
"Yeah..." Franky agreed.
"If they stall Luffy until dawn... he, along with the cook and me, won't be able to fight anymore." Zoro growled. "But, if we're able to last long enough to return Luffy to normal... he'll be able to stop this!"
"I'd say we have less than thirty minutes until dawn arrives..." Franky looked up at the sky. "But deep within this island hidden in mist, the morning sun won't shine everywhere."
"Almost morning, huh?" Sanji drawled. "So that fog is our only saviour once dawn comes... as long as that covers up, there's a smaller chance we'll be affected by the sunlight."
The ground beneath them trembled as the skies began to clear to a pinkish-purple.
"What–?" Yusei looked up as Oz reeled back from a particularly nasty right hook from Nitro Warrior. "The skies are clearing!"
Stardust Dragon roared in the affirmative.
"This is the worst possible situation..." Franky mumbled.
"Yusei Dono, the controller is here, quack quack!" Hane squawked. "I can sense him... in the monster? What on–?"
"That fog was our last ray of hope too...!" Usopp muttered.
"Just who set things up so the fog cleared at the worst possible timing?" Sanji grumbled. "Now the sunlight will hit us straight on!"
"Shit..." Usopp swore. "Now we have no choice but to do something about Oz-" he paused, gasping with his mouth open.
Yusei followed Usopp's line of sight to Oz, seeing the stomach lining open like a curtain to reveal the ugly mug of the grinning Gecko Moria.
"It's Moria!" Usopp screamed.
"Where!" Chopper started.
"Oi, stop with the jokes!" Sanji hissed.
"No! In the stomach!" Yusei added. "Oz's stomach!"
"It's almost dawn!" Gecko Moria yelled. "Do you guys really have the time to just stand around?"
"Why are you here?" Usopp yelled. "Just where is Luffy...?
"That man... can control the shadows," Hane whispered. "This aura is almost the same as back there..."
"Why is Moria up there?" Robin questioned.
"Luffy San must have been chasing a shadow," Yusei gritted his teeth. "Zoro San was right, Luffy San's been tricked."
"Kishishishi!" Moria laughed. "Now, I'll give you all a chance to fight against me! If you defeat me, I'll release all the shadows! Come at me all at once! But unless you take down Oz, you can't lay a finger on me!"
"That bastard..." Usopp seethed. "That's cheap!"
"The only way to defeat Oz is to defeat Moria..." Chopper quietly thought. "But Moria himself is inside of Oz...!"
"Doesn't it just mean our targets got simpler?" Sanji pointed out.
"We just gotta do it!" Zoro growled. "Usopp! Since that small amount didn't work, go find us a mountain of salt! We've got no other options than to purify Oz! For now, we just gotta weaken him as much as possible!"
"That's right!" Franky yelled, wielding his pillar - nunchakus. "Leave it to us!"
"Alright!" Usopp nodded. "I'll be right back! I'm sure there was a kitchen back at the start of the mansion...! There's got to be salt there!"
"Moria's the controller..." Yusei realised. "Everyone, just focus on taking down Oz! I'll handle what Moria intends to do!"
Zoro started. "Oi, what are you-!"
"Moria intends to protect Oz with his shadow powers while Oz takes us down," Yusei elaborated. "It's the simplest and most effective strategy he can use now. For the first thing... Nitro Warrior! Guard Usopp San! Zoro San, if he's intending to use that strategy, let me be the counter shield! I summon Drill Synchron!"
"Why do you have so many monsters..." Zoro groused as the tiny monster appeared.
"Unicycular, Quillbolt Hedgehog, summon!" Yusei continued nevertheless as both monsters appeared. "We can't lay a finger on you, is it? Clustering powers will turn into a spear that pierces the earth. Become the path it's light shines upon!"
"What's with the light show, pipsqueak!" Moria sneered from up above.
"Synchro Summon! Break it apart, Drill Warrior!" A yellow scarf fluttered in the slipstream as the warrior charged forth, its sword- drill spinning madly as the warrior appeared on the field.
"Stardust, hold Oz down!" Yusei ordered as the dragon walked forward.
"A dragon?" Gecko Moria's eyes bugged out. "Well, then I'll create the world's first dragon zombie from your hide!"
Stardust's angry roar put very clearly its opinion about Moria as it slammed both arms into Oz's shoulders, driving its feet partially into the ground.
"Aim for Moria!" Yusei relayed as the drill spun. "Fire! Drill Shoot!"
Moria screamed as the drill spun and shot for him, only narrowly dodging due to his incredible bulk with Drill Warrior drilling through Oz's stomach to escape. "You–! How dare you! Ughu, ughu!" Moria coughed, looking at his arm. "You hit me!"
"Drill Warrior," Yusei had a deceptively calm expression as he gave the order. "Reload."
"Oz! Take out that long-nose before he reaches the kitchen!" Moria ordered. "And the path to the mansion as well!"
Nitro Warrior was in time to block the first punch, but not the second.
"Usopp!" Chopper cried, running over. "Usopp!"
"He's fine!" From the skies the talking afro skeleton Brook leapt from, landing neatly with Usopp in a fireman's carry and with a large cloth bag labelled 'salt'. "I had a feeling we may need a large amount of salt, so I brought some!"
"Brook?" the Straw Hats spoke in shock.
"That was a close one...!" Usopp moaned.
"Yours truly, Brook!"
"Zoro San, it's not that I doubt you, but... are you sure this is a good idea!" Yusei hollered from the shoulder of a very large dragon, clinging onto smooth, hard scales for dear life with a squawking Sonic Chick named Hane on his shoulder. Even worse, only Drill Warrior was floating beside him, Yusei having proved incapable of ignoring the migraine any further with Synchro Summons and dismissed Nitro Warrior.
"How is it not?" the swordsman hollered back as he dodged one of Oz's giant punches. "You have the best vantage point, don't you!"
"Kishishishi!" Moria cackled again. "You should be thanking me that I bothered to come all the way here! You'd better be on your guard from now on.., I ain't just a passenger here, you know! Allow me to show you your worst nightmare!"
"Yohohoho!" Brook was laughing. "I ask of you, please let me fight by your sides! I will give it my all! Though I do not believe that the recovery of my shadow is a debt that can easily be repaid... I shall do my best to provide whatever assistance I can!"
"Yeah, we know," Yusei growled himself. "Drill Warrior, Drill Shoot!"
The curtain dropped as the warrior charged, drill spinning as it cut through Oz's stomach lining and came back out again. As the curtain opened, an irate Shichibukai actually shook his fist, glaring at Yusei all the while. "That's not playing fair, you bastard!"
"I don't... WANT TO HEAR THAT FROM YOU!" Yusei bellowed back. "Reload! Stardust, your turn!"
A bong sounded as Stardust Dragon decked Oz into the ground, ever deeper.
"I use Duel Monsters to fight, is because I have no other fighting skills!" Yusei bellowed as Stardust landed the next blow. "Street fighting can only go so far against monsters like that invisible man, that spirit woman, and you! You, who use lies and deceit and trickery to overcome your opponents, how does it feel to be pulled down to their level now?"
"Yusei's gone mad!" Chopper could be heard screaming.
"Deck him!" Yusei found himself ordering as a giant flame the shape of a phoenix impacted on the zombie.
"Ah! It's HOT! OW OW OW, hot, hot!" the zombie complained.
"Drill Warrior, next round!" Yusei began once the warrior appeared again. "Drill Shoot!"
"You're getting annoying, boy!" Moria roared as the drill actually cut more than skim this round.
"Reload! If it comes to using monsters... I won't lose to you just yet!" Yusei readied a few traps just in case.
"What cheeky fellows!" Moria grinned. "Ignore it, Oz! The remnants of your past life is what's causing the illusion of pain and heat! Such things have no effect on zombies! Calm down and just put the fire out!"
"But this does," Yusei hissed, pulling a card. "Eh... Rainbow Veil...? Can I...? It's still a monster... Equip!"
A rainbow-coloured veil faintly fizzled around the monster, before winking out. Yusei sighed with exhaustion, hanging on as Stardust rocked, beating its wings to fly out of reach of the zombie.
"Santouryuu: Daibutsugiri!"
"Jenga Hou!"
Several blocks Yusei identified as being previously part of Thriller Bark's architecture flew at Oz, sending the zombie careening back.
"Take this and this and this and this!" Sanji was yelling madly.
Yusei was marginally less amused as Oz sent the blocks careening back towards the ground... and the other Straw Hats.
"Shield Wing!" He got on the winged beast fast. "Armoury Arm, to me! Stardust Dragon, Victim Sanctuary!"
The armoured weapon appeared in his hand at about the same time Stardust spread its wings wide to disappear in a flash of starlight. At about the same time, the blocks froze before changing direction beck to whack Oz in the noggin several times.
"Nice, Yusei!" the Straw Hats cheered.
"This... Draw! Drill Warrior, Drill Shoot!" Yusei ordered, drawing a card.
Dandylion stared up at him.
His heart leapt. Aki's gift...!
"You're annoying, you fly!" Moria was yelling as he dodged the next drill missile.
Yusei ignored the jibe in favour of looking at the giant slingshot Usopp had somehow managed to make and was loading Franky on. I have to distract Moria...!
"Stardust Dragon returns to the field!" Yusei commented as the dragon made its grand appearance again. "Shooting Sonic!"
The concussive wave drove Oz forward a metre, but other than that the zombie showed no sign of pain, even as Yusei spied a few wisps of shadows... Yes!
"Hissatsu Tetsujin Suisei!"
They're firing Franky San...!
"Shit!" Yusei swore under his breath as Oz dodged out of Franky's way, and his range, as well as from the combined migraine.
"FFRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAANNNNNKY!" Usopp was screaming as Oz lashed a foot out at the cyborg.
"Franky San!" Yusei called, truly pissed-off. "Drill Warrior! Drill Shoot!"
"You again!" Moria screeched as the warrior narrowly missed due to awesome dodging skills. "Shadows can't stop them, Oz doesn't stop them either... what kind of people are these? Oz, finish off the cyborg!"
"Yes sir," Oz drawled as it prepared to drop-kick Franky and smash the cyborg.
Yusei drew. Cards of Consonance faced him. No...
"Franky San!" Yusei cried out, not spotting that cloud in the air.
"You're going to keep attacking him?"
"Stop it! He can't even move!"
"FRANKY!"
"Thunderbolt... Tempo!"
Like divine intervention, the finger of god struck down onto Oz and struck true.
"Dammit, who did that?" Moria screeched through the electric attack. "What's happening?"
Oz actually fell to his knees, steaming from that bolt.
"That's the Clima-Tact! Does this mean Nami San is alright?" Sanji was yelling. "There she is! It's Nami Swan~! NAMI SAN! Nami San! Nami San! Nami San! NAMI SWAANNN!"
"Hey! Don't yell that at me! They're gonna take notice!" Nami hollered back. "And... WHY IS THERE A DRAGON HERE?"
"Nami San, you're alright!" Yusei waved from Stardust's shoulder.
"Yusei? THAT DRAGON... WHY ARE YOU STANDING ON ITS SHOULDER!" Nami was yelling. "Well, we can trade stories later..."
"Thank goodness! Thank goodness! Thank goodness... Nami San, you're alright! I'm so glad you're okay! Please forgive me for my ineptitude!"
"-.-..." Yusei could not help but pity the chef.
"They just keep popping up, don't they?" Moria growled. "Oz, give her a taste of your true strength!"
"Gomu Gomu no..."
"What? Huh? He's not going to stretch, is he?" Nami was yelling in panic.
"It's not going to reach right? That attack?"
"Hey, get Franky out of there! As quickly as possible!" Zoro ordered.
"... Pistol!" the punch stretched enough to break the platform Nami was on.
This was not received well by them.
"He stretched! But how?" Chopper exclaimed.
"Monster effect, Yusei Dono!" Hane squawked. "From the fat shallot!"
"Gecko Moria is manipulating it somehow?" Yusei confirmed.
"Kishishishi!" Moria laughed.
"Draw!" Yusei smiled at the card. "You always pull through for us, huh...?"
"No way that happened!"
"Nami!"
"Nami San!"
Nami's screams echoed throughout as she swung on a rope of arms.
"Thank goodness! Robin saved her!"
"Kishishishi! Kishishishi!" Gecko Moria was still laughing.
"... there."
The Black Magician looked towards the awning dawn. "So he is there then?"
"Yes," Yami stepped out onto the giant turtle. "Come on. We have people to kill."
"... Master..."
"I get it, I get it." Yami looked to the skies of the approaching dawn. "Sunrise seems very ominous today, doesn't it?"
"Gomu Gomu no..." Oz prepared to stomp. "...Muchi!"
"Now he's just like a monster version of Luffy!" Sanji complained.
"Luffy, what the hell are you doing?" Usopp was crying.
"Gomu Gomu no..." Oz jumped into the air.
"He's coming!" Zoro yelled.
"Kane-!"
"No effect!" Yusei declared as a teal-haired girl appeared beside him. Oz choked as the neck stuck mid-stretch. "Now! Drill Warrior! Drill Lancer!"
The warrior flew straight up, drill spinning as it nailed the gut and kept driving the sharp point through until the warrior came out on the other side, leaving a big hole in the cockpit.
"You! What did you do!" Moria screeched as Oz fell head-first.
"I was always thinking... if those special abilities can be classed as monster effects," Yusei spoke quietly. "It seems like they can. Also, looking at the sorrowful state of Oz, you have temporarily lost control of it. That proves my thought right."
"What?" Zoro registered. "That stretching... what did he do?"
"Effect Veiler's ability is to seal off a chosen target's special abilities until the end of the turn." Yusei declared. "Oz may be powerful, but that's it, it has no real power. You, on the other hand, as its controller, and still on the field, you are a viable target! And, the whole trick behind that stretching has been figured out! Battle! Stardust Dragon, Shooting Sonic!"
"W- W- Oz, dodge!" Moria called in panic as the zombie bore the brunt of the concussive shock-wave attack.
"That..." Robin observed as the dragon let loose a blast. "Monsters are very common in the Grand Line, but the ability to negate special abilities..."
"Ugh..." Zoro coughed. "Special abilities? Why didn't he use it against Oz just now?"
"The fact that Yusei did not reveal it just now indicated a need for timing," Robin observed. "Also, from his words, I think we can conclude that he was referring to, not physical power, but the strange powers that seem prevalent in the Grand Line."
"Devil Fruit abilities," Zoro concluded. "Still, to be able to seal Devil Fruit abilities without close contact... what a guy..."
The swordsman smiled. "What a reliable fellow..."
"Any shadow must comply to the body that casts it... and both shadow and body must always hold the same form..." Yusei murmured. "That is physics. But, what if... this time, it's the body that adheres to the shadow instead? To manipulate the shadow, and in turn the body... that's something a guy like you would think of!"
"How the hell did you know?" Moria was yelling.
"Nice, Yusei!" Zoro drew all three swords, his expression set.
"You bastard..." Moria hissed. "To figure it out after two observations... you're good." The Shichibukai then smiled. "I'll give you a good offer. Join me and Thriller Bark, and I'll make you my right hand. How 'bout that?"
The smile faded as the Drill Warrior appeared, holding up the drill- lance again.
Yusei solemnly uttered a single command. "Drill Shoot."
"Oi!" Moria yelled as he dodged the next shot again. "You ungrateful bastard, I'll throw you into the Florian Triangle myself!"
"Reload! Everyone, attack now!" Yusei called down. "I can't seal him for long!"
"Ah!" Zoro ran towards Oz, swords out.
"So... then... we have to take down Luffy's zombie and then defeat Moria as well, in order to get our shadows back?" Nami asked.
"Yeah, that's right," Usopp confirmed.
"Are you kidding? It'll be dawn soon!"
"The enemy's forcing our hand, there's nothing else we can do!" Usopp yelled back. "But, really... I don't know why, but I feel like we can do this..."
"I'll buy you time, form a plan," Yusei called down, turning his attention back to a Moria slowly regaining his powers. "This kind of giant monster... should have another giant monster to respond! Draw!"
A small smirk broke out upon seeing the next card.
"Assault Mode Activate!"
Stardust Dragon grew claws, and teeth, and claws, and its wings glimmered as heavy steel grey armour settled upon it, as it raised both claws out, the steel-tipped ends glimmering dangerously in the night-light.
Yusei raised a single finger.
"Hold him."
Both sets of sharp claws sank into red skin as the Assault Mode Stardust slammed both into Oz's shoulders, forcing Oz to remain still once more even as Brook came flying like an arrow through a black cloud.
"Yohohoho!" the skeleton was half-screaming. "I'm getting such a shock you can see my bones! Although I was only bones to begin with! Now, here I go! Like an arrow of thunder!"
He took Oz in the shoulder and went through, spinning in the air.
"Raikotsuken: Gavotte Bond en Avant!"
"Amazing! It went right through!" Usopp could be heard.
Stardust let go and took to the skies in time to catch Brook.
"Are you alright, Brook San?" Yusei called.
"Mission... accomplished..." The afro skeleton turned to regard him with its empty eye sockets. "This dragon... I guess this was the strange power I felt?"
"I... guess so," Yusei replied.
"Nitouryuu: Nigiri Toro!"
"You bastard..." Oz swore as he was cut. "No, first I gotta finish off the skeleton..."
"Is that so?" Yusei asks. "Battle! Buster Sonic!"
Moria swore as Oz was sent stumbling back with a quick blast of concussive shock-waves.
"Hissatsu Atlas Suisei!"
Al four explosives were blocked by Oz's arm. "Not a chance! You're next, long-nose! Gomu Gomu no... Bazooka!"
"Ah! I'm dead!" Usopp was crying.
Yusei squinted down at Oz's stomach cockpit. "Hardly. Nice."
"Huh? Eh?" Oz was tugging at his own arm. "I can't stretch... why not?"
"Ochenta Fleur: Quatro Manos," Robin commented as hands sprouted all over Moria.
"What's with these hands?" Moria was yelling. "How annoying."
"Just hold on for a moment," Robin commented. "Perhaps you could stop controlling that shadow for awhile..."
"Huh?"
"Hold!" Robin commanded.
"Argh, this hurts..."
"I have to agree..." Yusei muttered to himself as he watched Moria be twisted by Robin's replicated arms.
"Whoa, nice one Robin!"
Moria suddenly grinned. "So you think that by doing this that you've cut me out of the picture? Such meddlesome little people that you are... Brick Bat."
Yusei winced as he spotted the swarm of bats heading for Robin.
"Veinte Fleur: Calendula!" Robin was defending herself with arms sprouted on her own arms like a shield, yet the swarm attacked relentlessly.
"Robin!" Nami screamed.
"What the hell d'you think you're doing to Robin Chan?" Sanji was yelling, running over to the fallen lady. A single sweep of his foot later, the bats were sent flying to impact on the surroundings.
Yusei's eyes narrowed. I don't like this... it's too easy... What else can shadows do? All shadows must obey the body's shape, they must bend according to the body's movements, they always remain with the body... except that Gecko Moria seems to be able to bends these laws somewhat. What then? He must have used his shadow trick on Luffy San, but Luffy San isn't easily fooled, despite his simple-mindedness. So, if Luffy San was chasing what he thought was the real Moria but was a shadow... then the switch between Moria and shadow must have happened after Luffy San met Moria.
Hence... can Moria do what I think he can?
"Shield Wing, fly!" Yusei commanded, the bird hovering momentarily for him to grab hold and mount. "Stardust, get ready for Buster Sanctuary."
"Moria's... shadow?' Robin realised what was behind her then.
"Let's make this a long-range battle then, since you have me in such an effective choke-hold!" Moria was laughing.
"Quatro Manos... Clutch!"
"YYYYAAAAAHHHHH!" a scream was heard.
"All right!"
"Awesome, Robin!"
"Oi, Robin!" Zoro suddenly yelled. "Watch out for that shadow behind you!"
Very slowly, the researcher turned around to come face-to-face with Gecko Moria.
"Kishishishi..." the Shichibukai was laughing. "Kishishishi..."
"Eh?" Nami was shocked. "Why is Moria over there?"
"Almost got me.. but not quite!" Moria mocked. "Doppelman and I can switch places at will."
"Switch places?' Sanji echoed.
"Then, the one in there is...!" Usopp realised.
"The one that's sitting in for me is my 'Kagemusha'!" Moria explained. "He's the one that was out here just a few seconds ago!" as he spoke, one clawed hand was already wielding a pair of scissors as the other reached for Robin's shadow.
"Eh?" Robin looked down... to see something glittering before her.
"I thought so..." Yusei's voice murmured behind her as the Duellist dismounted from the chirping bird. "So that was how you must have tricked Luffy San, Gecko Moria!"
"Kishishishi," Moria laughed. "What of it? You're close, within my reach to come over there and chop off your shadow to see you perish in the light of dawn! What d'you have to say to that, boy?"
"Stardust Dragon, Assault Mode has one ability," Yusei answered quietly. "In response to any effect, it can sacrifice itself to negate the effect... and destroy the target."
The white glitter was falling thickly around Moria now, enough to form a thick shroud between the man and the rest of the world.
"O- Oi! What the hell is this?" Moria began to yell, his shadow lashing out at the shroud of glitter that was so much like stardust.
"Up until now I've never used any of my monster's destruction effects," Yusei murmured. "You... will be the first. Stardust Dragon Slash Buster's special ability, Buster Sanctuary!"
Very much like a gecko itself, Moria's eyes bulged as the glitter solidified enough to stab in every direction into him, never drawing blood and yet from the feared pirate's expression was indicative of pain so harsh in and of itself, a harsh bite of soul-wearing, mind-breaking emptiness, that even Yusei temporarily felt sorry for Moria that he was the one responsible for this pain.
"It looks like... I've reached my limit, Zoro San," he murmured as the blood pounding in his ears could be heard.
"Got it," Zoro readied his stance. "Good work."
"Yusei Dono!" From behind the Shield Wing, Hane called. "You are... you're reaching your limit! Please, enough!"
Yusei looked down into the teary eyes of the Duel Monsters. "It's alright," he smiled.
The Duellist then keeled over.
"Yusei Dono, quack!"
"Yusei!"
Darkness seemed to shroud everything, here in this land of everything and nothing as Yusei stirred.
"This place..." he whispered. "How familiar..."
"Again?" the voice seemed amused. "You have a horrible habit of nearly dying, my son."
"Tou San," Yusei quietly acknowledged the man. "I thought that...?"
"Yes, your battle with Z-One was the last time I would have ever appeared to you," the scientist confirmed. "Our roles have reversed now."
"So, I'm dead?"
The father sighed indulgently down at him. "Do you want to?"
"I don't know." Yusei truthfully answered. "I've done what I could already, I've led a good life. Peace is good."
The armoured weapon appeared in his hand at about the same time Stardust spread its wings wide to disappear in a flash of starlight. At about the same time, the blocks froze before changing direction beck to whack Oz in the noggin several times.
"Nice, Yusei!" the Straw Hats cheered.
"Peace is good," Yusei echoed.
"His faculties are certainly about him," the mature lady remarked as the long-nosed man's and the simpleton's jaws dropped to the ground in shock that someone had just missed the punchline. "My name is Nico Robin, I serve as the crew's researcher. From your expression, I guess that you've never heard of the Grand Line?"
"Peace... if I return, there's no one waiting for me..."
"We are the Straw Hat Pirates! I'm Luffy, captain of the pirate ship, the Thousand Sunny!" the simpleton boasted, grinning widely as he stood on both feet in front of Yusei. "I'm going to be the Pirate King!"
"It wouldn't hurt, it wouldn't harm..."
"Ne, Yusei, are you sure you're all right?" The talking bipedal reindeer toddled over to him to place a hooved hand on Yusei's forehead, peering closely at the man's eyes. "Hmm, you're okay now, but we'll have to see about shots soon."
"Thank you, Dr Chopper," Yusei replied.
Chopper twisted around, trying to hide his happy expression in a way that was both endearing and comic. "Calling me 'doctor' won't make me happy~ dammit~!"
"No more responsibilities..."
Chopper squinted. "A... barrel?"
Usopp shielded his eyes with one hand to squint further. "Look, it says 'treasure' on it!"
"Eh, you're right!" Luffy exclaimed. "Could it be... maybe it's treasure that fell off a ship?"
"And I'll see you, and Kaa San, and Bruno again..."
Despite that they were travelling at speeds enough to throw people off the ship, despite that all this was happening in a heavy storm out at sea, the cries of the crew prompted Yusei to laugh as the Thousand Sunny charged ever forward.
Dr Fudo looked down at his son. "And how does that make you feel?"
"...like I want to live."
Throughout the reminiscence, Yusei had never noticed the tears dropping like raindrops from a sorrowful sky.
"Like I want to live, and laugh, and become a Straw Hat Pirate, and see Luffy San become the Pirate King," Yusei spoke again. "I want to live... there are people waiting for me..."
"Give me the strength to help them! They... Luffy San and the others... help us live to see the dawn!"
…
"Sonic Chick... no, what is your name?"
"I am the Sonic Chick, quack!" it squeaked. "I have no name!"
"Male or female?" Yusei asked.
"Male, Yusei Dono, quack! But that has no relevance, quack!"
"I can't call you Sonic Chick all the time, right?" Yusei told the bright-eyed monster gently. "I'll be relying on you, after all. Hane... I think that's a good name, right?"
"Yusei Dono..." the bird's eyes grew large and watery once more. "Whatever you say, Yusei Dono! Quack!"
…
"It looks like... I've reached my limit, Zoro San," he murmured as the blood pounding in his ears could be heard.
"Got it," Zoro readied his stance. "Good work."
"Yusei Dono!" From behind the Shield Wing, Hane called. "You are... you're reaching your limit! Please, enough!"
Dr Fudo beamed. "Then, live! Live well, and die happy! Even if you, my son, become a pirate... well, who am I to say? Live well!"
Down below, the Rolling Pirates and the Thriller Bark Victims Association were seen running to the defeated Straw Hats aid.
"Here they are!" Lola said. "The crew of our ray of hope!"
"Here too!" exclaimed one of them.
"They really took a beating!"
"Such terrible injuries," one of them said. He then turned to Brook and gasped. "YIKES! All that's left of this one is bones!"
"It's too dangerous for them to lying around here," a pink-haired pirate, clearly their leader, said. "Get them to a safe place, immediately!"
"What are you doing to Yusei Dono, you cheeky idiots! Drill Peck!"
"Ah! A talking bird's attacking us!"
"We can't get to that man!"
"Ah! Another's bird's behind him! And they look mad!"
Crash!
"Whoa!" cried one of the Rolling Pirates.
"Don't anybody just stand there!" cried another. "Get these guys outta here!"
People scrambled back and forth, trying to get the injured Straw Hats to a safe place.
Up in the mansion, a man by the name of Bartholomew Kuma was silently watching everything. Despite the fact that he was dressed in black and white paw prints, no one would call this sentinel of the night 'cute', rather that the Shichibukai was more 'terrifying' than anything.
"YEAH~!" Usopp was cheering. "Beat the living crap out of him, Luffy!"
"Damn you!" Oz cursed as he charged toward Nightmare Luffy. "YOU LITTLE MIDGET! Gomu Gomu no..."
"Leave or I'll give you guys hell, dammit!" the Sonic Chick was screeching.
"Hane," Yusei croaked quietly. "Let them."
The Duel Monster immediately protested. "But- Stardust said-"
"If we are here, chances are we'll be stomped flat by Oz," Yusei replied. "Stardust- wait, Stardust can-?"
"WATCH OUT!" their female captain warned. "HE'S GONNA FALL ON TOP OF US!"
A flutter of wings, and Shield Wing hauled Yusei out of the way and into the skies as Oz smashed into the mansion.
There was absolute silence, broken only a few minutes later by loud cheers.
"HE BEAT OZ AND MORIA!"
"WE'LL FINALLY GET OUR SHADOWS BACK!"
"THRILLER BARK HAS FINALLY FALLEN!"
"Quack, idiots!" Hane cursed from the back of the Shield Wing.
"But we've got to join them," Yusei said easily. "Shield Wing, bring me down to the ground, please."
Hane gasped. "But, Yusei Dono-"
"Any longer and my arms are about to be wrenched out of their sockets," Yusei added.
"Eep, quack!"
Suddenly, the ground shook, again. Everyone looked up and saw, to their disbelief and utter horror, that Oz has stood back up, bloody and bruised, at about the same time Yusei felt his feet grace land and he stood tiredly. Behind, the Shield Wing clicked both clawed feet on ground, supporting him.
"Thank you, both of you," Yusei whispered. "I'll call you... how does Midori sound?"
The Shield Wing chirped happily.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHH! OZ STOOD BACK UP!"
"But how? He shouldn't even be able to move after taking a pummelling like that!"
"This is terrible! It's the end for us! The Straw Hats were only our hope against this guy!"
"We used all the shadows we captured to fight this guy! We don't have any other way to take him down!"
"Didn't…hurt…" Oz was growling. "Not at all."
"No…!" their captain whispered, tears of despair begin to form in her eyes.
"It's no use, we've got no choice! We gotta get outta here! Everybody, back to the woods! It's the only place where we'll be safe from the sun! We'll never defeat this guy! NEVER!"
As everyone began to turn and ran, they suddenly a familiar figure approaching.
"You...!"
It was Zoro, who had on the visage of a demon straight from hell.
"I may not know what happened to Luffy," the swordsman growled. "But, I'd say he's done way more than enough."
"Hey, wait a minute!" cried one man. "You can't fight Oz in your condition! You're gonna kill yourself!"
"He can still stand after taking all those gigantic hits?" their captain was muttering. "Are they both zombies?"
"Hey!" one called. "What happened to the Straw Hats we brought over here to keep safe?"
"I- I dunno! How can unconscious people move on their own?"
"Huh? And the two that were here earlier?"
"You're right! What happened to the girl and the long-nosed freak?"
"They couldn't have... run away?"
"Just when did all of 'em...? Whatever, it's still bad! We gotta run!"
All of a sudden, Luffy pounded a fist into the ground as he struggled to stand back up. "I'd love to get one more shot in..."
"Oi, oi! Even you, Strawhat?"
"But I just can't move, dammit..." Luffy panted. "My body's too damned tired... Robin!"
"Yes. Right here."
Everyone looked back and saw that Robin was now standing up.
"Th- They didn't run!"
"I wanna get up there!" Luffy yelled.
"Understood," she replied. "I shall provide some footholds."
Just then, Brook appeared, limping on his cane-sword. "I, too... still find the will to aid."
"There's a living skeleton!"
"EH? BUT HOW?"
"Alright, Brook!" the captain ordered. "I got a favour to ask ya!"
"I knew it! Everyone's already back in the game!" Everyone looked back and saw Nami, standing on a large hunk of rubble.
"Why is that girl from earlier up there?"
Nami just gave them a sly smile.
"Stardust Dragon should come back at any moment," Yusei finally hobbled out of the shadows with Shield Wing as support.
Luffy grinned at him. "You're a handy fellow, aren't you? We'll be counting on you, then."
"Aye, Captain." Yusei grinned.
"These guys couldn't..." one of them whispered in awe. "They never once thought of escaping... The moment Oz got back up…They were just preparing to battle again!"
Luffy staggered to his feet, tired and bruised but grinning. "Just you watch."
"I- I- I can't believe it!" one of them yelled. "These guys never once thought of giving up!"
"Oi, you guys are in the way!" Zoro ordered. "Get out! Yusei, call a few more monsters to get them out!"
"I can't," Yusei looked up a see a vortex of star-dust gather overhead. "I have enough trouble maintaining that one for now."
"IS THAT A DRAGON?" They screamed as Stardust Dragon, Slash Buster made its grand entrance back. "Why the hell is a dragon here?"
"Cool!" Luffy cheered. "Yusei, you know that dragon?"
"Yeah," Yusei replied coolly. "It's my nakama."
"...EEEHHHHHH? THAT'S YOUR NAKAMA?" the bystander pirates all yelled as one.
"Armoury Arm!" Yusei called as the black-armoured arm appeared on the Assault Mode monster again, the dragon threateningly flexing its knuckles. "Hane, where are the rest?"
"They're all in the mansion, doing something," Hane reported. "The reindeer-tanuki was talking about a freezer."
"Then we'll have to get enough time for them to do what they need," Yusei decided. "Stardust Dragon, fly east!"
"We'll leave it to you then~!" all of them cheered as they ran away.
"Pierna Fleur!"
"Here we go, Yohohoho!"
"Please!"
Brook used the 'footholds' provide by Robin to jump up the tower.
"Hold onto it," Yusei decided as Stardust clubbed the great Oz over the head. "Buster Sonic!"
"You again!" Moria screamed as Oz practically vibrated from the Sonic applied close-up with Stardust holding onto it. "Why won't you die!"
"What's all this?" Oz muttered as clouds appeared around him. "Smoke? Clouds?"
"The forecast is rain!" Nami announced on the ground. "Cool Ball! Rain Tempo!"
Rain began to pour from the clouds onto Oz.
"It's raining!" One of them shouted. "How?"
"Is that girl some kinda magical wizard or something?"
"Yosh!" the voices of te other Straw Hats rang out. "'Emergency Hose' Construction... Complete!"
"Shit... you're pissing me off!" Oz shouted.
"Coup de Vent!" An explosion sounded.
"What the-?"
"Give it all you got!"
"I'm cranking it!" Usopp yelled, shouting.
"Let's go!" Franky yelled. "Extra Large Ultra Subzero Freezing Wind Cannon! FIRE!"
Yusei shivered as the cold winds blew over him and the rain turned to ice on the ground, freezing Oz's legs and feet.
"I'm frozen! I can't move!"
"Amazing!"
"They froze him with the rain water!"
"Stardust, back!" Yusei commanded, the dragon flying back east.
"Now it's my turn!" Sanji yelled from up above, just before a large, thick chain swung and restrained Oz.
"You did it!" Chopper cheered from above. "That was awesome, Sanji!"
"The ship's chain," Yusei murmured, looking at the large, thick steel restraint.
"TOSS ME!" Luffy yelled.
"You sure about this?"
"It's alright! I'm a rubber man!"
"Then take care!"
"Shield Wing, be prepared," Yusei warned. "Stardust, take aim. Hane, where is Drill Warrior?"
"He shattered the moment you lost consciousness, Yusei Dono!"
"Shame, I wanted another shot at Moria." Yusei sighed. "Hane, make sure the rest of them are alright."
"Yes!" the Sonic Chick saluted. "Now, stay there safe, you bastards!"
"What a bipolar bird..."
"What a man, to command that bipolar bird..."
"Gear Third! Hone Fuusen!"
"Zoro! Tighten in Oz's stomach!"
"Leave it to me!" Zoro called, swords spinning. "Santouryuu Ougi: Sanzen Sekkai!"
It was then that the gears holding onto the giant chain began to reel in.
"Nice one, Sanji! Oz's back is taut now!"
"What're they doing?"
"Go, Luffy!" Nami called.
"Luffy San!"
"Take this 'Special Bazooka'!" Luffy roared.
"Don't bother, I'll send you flying back with my bazooka!" Oz roared as it pulled its arms back. "Gomu Gomu no... Huh? I can't move! I can't move my right arm! I can't stretch either!"
"Not being able to feel damage is a zombie's weak point," Robin observed.
"This is your shadow. Finish him off, Luffy!" Zoro growled.
"Gomu Gomu no..."
"GO!"
"Get him, Strawhat!"
"How's that?" Usopp and Franky cheered.
"Giganto... Bazooka!"
A huge crackling noise was heard as Luffy made impact. That sound was the sound of Oz's spine snapping. Oz soon fell to the ground, coughing up blood.
"HE DID IT!" the bystanders cheered. "THEY WON! THEY REALLY DID IT THIS TIME!... Why did he shrink!"
"Don't celebrate yet!" Yusei called, pointing. "There's still Moria!" The zombie is still conscious... how this ability insults life...
"Oi, Luffy!" Usopp roared as he and Franky appeared on the scene. "Hurry up and get the shadows back! This is no time for cheering! You're all gonna be annihilated!"
"Our shadows!"
"Right, we gotta hurry!"
"Right, let's go beat Moria up and reclaim our shadows!" the captain declared. "Morning's almost here!"
"There's no need," Yusei pointed as the giant man lifted himself from the stomach cockpit.
"Moria!" they all yelled. Yusei's eyes narrowed as Moria got out, panting and coughing.
"I- If you're awake then that's just fine..." the captain growled. "N- Now, if you don't want to take another beating from the Straw Hats, return all our shadows at once!"
"That's right!" "Give or shadows back, you bastard!"
Moria glared at all of them. "Kishishishi! This ain't no playground scuffle! A true pirate doesn't fear death itself!"
Luffy, tiny as the captain was, glared at him.
"To think they teamed up with you losers of the forest," Moria continued. "Now I see how Strawhat got that ridiculous power-up! How desperate of you to use my own shadow abilities against me!"
"Shut up! Just return the shadows!"
"Strawhat!" Moria called. "You dare wreck such havoc... across my Thriller Bark!" He panted to recover his breath. "You really tore the place apart!"
"That's because you guys got in the way of our journey first!" Luffy retorted. "Now give us our shadows back, before the sun comes up!"
Moria began laughing. "Kishishishi! Even if I didn't touch you guys, death would have awaited you the way you are now! You're nowhere near ready for the New World! Even though it seems you gathered yourself some fine minions... all will be lost. And do you know why? "
"Oi, Strawhat!" one of them called. "We ain't got time to be standing around chatting'! Look at the sky! It's getting brighter already!"
"Hurry up and get our shadows back! THERE'S NO TIME!"
"I'm speaking out of experience!" Moria continued. "Why did I lose all my minions, despite them being famous across the globe?
All the Straw Hats awaited the answer.
Moria's hands tightened into fists. "I lost my nakama because they were alive!" Snakes of shadows flew from his feet out. "Had they been dead zombies from the start, I would have had nothing to lose! Zombies are immortal! Eternal warriors that can be replaced even if they fall! With my army of the dead, I once again aim to become the Pirate King! You guys should be grateful to be serving as my slaves!"
The black tendrils struck out across the island as shadows gathered, feeding themselves into a grinning Moria.
"Oi, Yusei!" Zoro glared.
"He's gathering every shadow into himself," Yusei analysed. "I think... you just have to beat him. It is easier with the curse."
Zoro blinked, but there was no time to answer as Moria laughed. "Now, all the shadows of Thriller Bark, become my power! Shadows' Asgard!"
It was on its way, floating towards the source of the commotion that Yami noticed the shadow moving.
"Ah," he sighed, banishing the shadow tendril with an absent wave of a hand. "So much for a peaceful sunrise."
"Master?" the Black Magician floating beside him enquired.
"It is nothing," Yami absently replied. "Come, my beast, our friend awaits us."
Below him, the monster moaned in answer.
"Strawhat!" Moria gloated. "You absorbed a hundred shadows, am I right? Then I shall take one hundred... two hundred... three hundred! Four hundred... five hundred!"
As Moria continued to pump shadows into his body, his voice got deeper and he began to grow in size.
"Six hundred! Seven hundred! Eight hundred! Nine hundred!"
Everyone looked on, their eyes wide and horrified, as if they were actually in a living nightmare. Moria had grown at least ten times his usual size. His legs were now bent, somewhat like a lizard's, and his feet grew big purple claws.
True to his name, Moria turned into a giant gecko.
"Kishishishi!" The gecko cackled. "One thousand!"
Yusei glared at the mutated monster, hands upon his cards. "Let's... rev it up."
Please review! Stay tuned for X: Umbral Soul!