Birds of Prey Part Two
Feathers and Fangs
Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece.
"Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore —
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."- The Raven, Edgar Allan Poe
"I'm telling you, I saw something fall from the sky!"
"You were seeing things!"
"You'd think I'd lie about something like that? Here, of all places?!"
"No, I just said you're probably seeing things! Big difference!"
"Enough!" Lola snapped at the Risky Brothers as the two of them led her and a handful of her other nakama through the Dead Forest, "C'mon, where is it?"
Fat Risky stepped over a fallen log, "It's over here, Captain, I'm sure of it! I saw something fly through the sky, then come down and....hit...," he came to a halt, in both speech and movement. A few moments later, his nakama found out why: there, laying on the ground with a good portion of said ground pushed up around her, was Dusty!
"Shit!" Lola's jaw dropped, "What the hell happened to the fox-girl?!" she shook her head and turned to her nakama, "Get her out of there, we have to make sure she's okay!"
"RIGHT CAPTAIN, RIGHT AWAY!" the Risky's nodded and darted to the fallen kitsune.
As her nakama gently picked Dusty up from the ground, Lola looked at the area that was damaged from the impact of the falling and wounded Axe-Head pirate. There was a long stretch of ground that was upheaved that started a few good yards away and ended where Dusty was found laying a short time before. She frowned and looked up at the sky, "Boys...,"
"Yeah, Captain, we're doing the best we can!"
"Do better," Lola turned and headed to her nakama, "We don't have much time,"
"Captain?"
"Just hurry!"
The Risky Brothers glanced at each other.
Damien had jumped from the roof of the mansion and was now gliding around the entire section of the island where he saw Dusty fall. He wasn't in his full form, but his hybrid form still granted him wings to fly. Granted, his arms now looked like bird's legs, completely covered in both fur and scales that went just past his wrist, but he was able to have those hands free as the wings on his back flapped, carrying him throughout the sky as he searched for his prey.
"That girl is too stubborn to fall and die," he mused to himself, his head going from side to side, looking for the impact area, "She was willing to fight for her nakama, even if it meant giving up her own life. I don't usually meet people like that. She took a lot of punishment from me, but she was still willing to go on. Heh, reminds me of when I was younger...,"
-Flashback-
Roughly 20 Years Ago...
"You are lucky to be alive soldier, very lucky. Whoever you butted heads with, they sure knew how to fight!"
Damien turned away and glared at the wall of the base's infirmary as he lay on the hospital bed, most of his body wrapped in gauze bandages. The doctor standing at the foot of his bed tilted his head, "Hey, c'mon, don't worry about it, just be thankful that you're alive,"
"...I should've won," Damien muttered bitterly, "Should have won!"
"Hey, listen to me," the doctor pointed his pen at him, "From the damage I've seen, it would've taken a real tough as nails Marine to even play on level playing ground. What rank are you again?" he looked at his clipboard, "A Lieutenant Commander, recently promoted, huh?"
The wounded soldier nodded slowly.
"Well, look I know that you're angry and that you're wanting to have some kind of revenge on the man who attacked you, but listen to my advice: judging from the injuries and from what you told me about the fight you had, it would've taken at least a Captain or even a Commodore to handle the man...at least one of them,"
"Grrr...,"
---
"I do not believe this. Lieutenant Commander Bran, what the hell are you thinking?! You're barely out of recovery and already you're-,"
"I'm handling outlaws, just like our doctrine wants us too," Damien cut off the Commodore sitting in front of him, picking his ear, "I can't stay in bed the rest of my life, sir, I need to get out there and back on my feet,"
"I understand that soldier, but you're doing some questionable things, even amongst this base and it's staff," the Commodore looked through his file, "In the past two weeks, you've gotten into at least fifteen fights with prisoners and despite repeated orders for you to stand down, you've been painting the walls of the yard and mess hall with red!" he glared up at the recovering Marine, "You're too full of bloodlust, Damien,"
"No, I'm not sir, I just love to fight and I also love to deal out punishment to those who are foolish enough to defy us and the World Government," Damien pounded the desk between them, his eyes staring straight into his C.O., "Someone around here has to do it, after all,"
The Commodore scowled deeply, "I see. Well, I was having a difficult time thinking about how to deal with you and your behavior, and I think I've just come to a decision,"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Lieutenant Commander Bran, as of today, you are suspended-,"
"WHAT?!"
"During your time off, I suggest you recover fully, both physically and mentally, because I'm pretty sure that last major skirmish you had screwed with your head!
10 Years Later...
"Open your eyes, Raven, a couple are getting away from ya!!"
Damien, now a Commodore, looked over his shoulder to see a man and a woman run from behind a building towards another building, running over bodies and bloodstained cobblestones. With a grunt, Damien quickly impaled the civilian he had in his grip and took off after the fleeing couple.
A blur from the corner of his eye made him turn to see a man with a horrible burn scar on the side of his face that stretched from a temple down to his shoulder, which was now hidden by clothing, run along side him, his Marine coat flowing behind him as a wicked set of bloodstained razor claws gleamed in the sunlight.
"I got 'em, Fred!"
"That's what you think!" Commodore Fred Englund laughed coldly as the two of them headed for their intended victims, "We're tied, Bran, 49 to 49! These are the tie-breakers!"
Damien smirked, "Alright then, whoever nails them both wins!" he pushed off the ground with a burst of speed, his Wind and Fire Wheels spinning around and around in a blur.
A few moments later, Damien was standing over the bodies, his Wheels dripping crimson. The Devil Fruit user calmly wiped the blood away from the metallic weapons as his fellow Commodore walked up to him, a wicked grin on his face.
"51 to 49, looks like you win," Fred mused, "Just so you know, kid, I let you win,"
"Bullcrap," Damien slipped his Wheels into his coat and turned to his comrade, "I won on my own. You're just getting slow, Englund,"
"Whatever," the scarred Commodore looked around, "This is the fifth island we've had our fun with...figure by now we'd actually come across something worth killing,"
"Hey, you find something worth killing, I just want to find a strong opponent," Damien rolled his eyes, "It's the only reason I really signed up with you and the two idiots. You three get your fill with blood and death, and I'll just go up against anyone that can help me get stronger,"
"We get our fill of blood and death?" Fred raised his only eyebrow, "I've seen you go a little crazy on the civvies, Bran, and their blood's splashed on your clothes more than any opponent's you've had, so don't try and think that you're not like us. Admit it, besides fighting, you absolutely love slaughtering innocent people!"
"At least I don't go after little kids!"
"To each their own, and don't get righteous with me, we're both sinners here," Fred pointed a razor finger at him, "Just be glad we're actually able to pull this off. If HQ got wind of the truth behind our little 'raids' on villages, if they found out that we weren't really hunting criminals and killing people for our own personal reasons, then we'd be executed or, at the very least, sent to Impel Down!"
Damien shook his head slowly, "Are you saying you're scared of being caught, Freddy? You?"
"All I'm saying is that if we're going to keep this up, we'll have to be careful! Believe me, I've done a lot of shit that got me off, and I have yet to be caught and punished for 'em, so believe me when I tell you that I know what I'm doing,"
-End Flashback-
Damien gently ran a talon/hand along the front of his body, feeling the old (and now nearly invisible) scars underneath his feathers, That bastard nearly killed me twenty years ago and I haven't stopped my search for him. I've gone from a nervous piss-ant to a soldier who isn't afraid to shed blood on and off the battlefield, all because of him. Strange, twenty years later, that man haunts me even in the most surprising ways...
"What the hell is this thing?" Thin Risky held up the discarded Wind and Fire Wheel after gently removing it from Dusty's neck, "It's bizarre...,"
Fat Risky looked at the broken strap, then at the markings on Dusty's neck, "She's lucky she doesn't have a broken neck! This thing's made out of something strong, like leather, but it snapped. Whatever made this snap off must've been a strong force, she should've snapped her neck and died when this was broken, but she survived...," he shook his head, "Man!"
"Besides that, how is she, boys?" Lola asked, walking up to them, "Will she survive?"
The Brothers shrugged, "We're not doctors, Captain, we can't be sure,"
Lola crossed her arms and looked down at Dusty and the wounds she was covered in, "Whatever or whoever she was battling, she put up one helluva fight to earn those kind of injuries. We have to make sure she stays alive until she's up and moving again,"
"But Captain, like we said, we're not doctors, we can't do medical stuff-,"
Lola shook her head, "Not just that, boys. From what we know about this island and the people on it, they're a bunch of killers. If the fox-girl fought one of these people, and unless they actually planned to spare her life, then whoever she went up against will no doubt come looking for her, wanting to finish her off while she's unable to defend herself," she turned to her nakama, "We are to do everything in our power to help her and any nakama we find from here on out!"
"AYE!"
Fat Risky turned to his brother, "I respect the Captain and everything, but she's normally not wanting to fight. So...what's the deal?"
His brother lowered his voice, "I think this is different. She doesn't want to fight against Moria and his people because he's a Shichibukai, but if whatever did this to the kit was one of the Bloodless Vampires, then I think she'd be wanting to go against them...,"
"That doesn't make any sense! They're just as bad as he is!"
"Look, you wanted my answer, you got my answer. If you got a problem with it, then you can just kiss my ass!"
The Rolling Pirates, along with the rest of the rest of the Thriller Bark Victim's Association, went back and forth in one of their many hiding spots on the island, doing whatever they could to help the fallen miko. The Risky's made her as comfortable as possible while a number of the others tried to find something in their horde of supplies that could help her heal, or at least give her less pain with her injuries. Lola, meanwhile, was looking at the mansion in the distance, the Wheel held in both her hands.
You all went there to find your nakama, then all of a sudden one of you falls from the sky like a star, covered in her own blood and unconscious? I know that the people you're up against truly are monsters, but if one of you is like this so soon after your departure... she looked down at the Wheel, I'd hate to think what the rest of you are going up against. Don't worry, you all helped us, we'll return the favor. We'll make sure nothing happens to your nakama!
Back with the Risky's, the two brothers were going through Dusty's belongings, which were not only surprisingly intact after the little bout with the Blood Raven, but they were all together in her pack or on her body. Fat Risky gently removed Dusty's prayer bead necklace and held it up, "You know, I'll never understand what's so great and powerful about these things. They're too small to do any damage to anyone, what's the point?"
As his brother opened his mouth to reply, Old Man Spoil walked up to them, having heard the conversation. He looked at the Risky's, then looked down at the unconscious kitsune, "You don't know that much about the world," he said, breathing a little heavily, "Mikos can use their spiritual energy, special energy that only they and certain other people in this whole world, to do incredible things. With their power, they are able to purify things, places, people...they can seal away evil, they can give people their blessings and good fortune, and they can even give the spirits of the dead, well the ones who are earthbound, the rest they need in order to move on to Heaven," he slowly sat down onto a nearby stump, his trusty lantern still in his hand, "I would be careful not to break those if I were you,"
Fat Risky looked at the beads, then gently placed them into Dusty's hands, "Uh...yeah, sure," he looked back at his shadowless comrade, "Are you okay, Spoil-ossan?"
The old man with the big wound nodded slowly, "Yes...just getting old and tired in my years," he chuckled, "Don't worry about me,"
"Hey, there's something I don't get here!"
Fat Risky turned to his brother, "What?"
Thin Risky scowled and pointed to the unconscious miko/pirate, "If she's got so much special energy and stuff in her arsenal, why doesn't she just use it to kick ass? I mean, if she did have that 'all powerful energy' that you were talking about, ossan, then why is she in this condition?!"
Spoil sighed, "I never said it was 'all powerful', all I said was that it was special. As for why she's turned out like this even though she has that kind of power, it's simple,"
"Oh?"
"Aye," Spoil nodded, "Earlier, I watched her practice her using the spells she keeps on those scrolls, which should be with her still, and I also heard the complaining she did. She's not that strong of a miko, so even though she's trying her best to survive and help her nakama, she got beaten,"
Thin Risky threw his arms into the air, "Oh that's just perfect! What the hell is that crew of hers thinking, having a weak thing like her?"
Fat Risky slugged his brother in the shoulder, "Shut up!"
Dusty slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a dark, quiet place. Frowning, Dusty slowly moved her hands around to try and find anything that could tell her where she was. Usually in a place like this, all dark and quiet, the floor was usually cold and hard, but her hands felt something soft, warm, and furry.
"Animal skin rug, huh?" the kitsune said quietly, "That's a twist," she scratched her head for a few moments before stopping suddenly. Slowly, she lowered her hand and took a good look at it.
No blood.
No blood at all.
The frown was replaced by a quizzical look, "Wait a minute, this doesn't make sense. I was just fighting a guy who used to be a Rear Admiral in the Marines, he beat me up pretty good, why the hell ain't I covered in my own blood?! Let's see, the last thing I remember was..."
-Flashback-
Damien looked her over and shook his head, "I don't care whose blood you have or what crew you belong to, woman, you're one of the most pathetic excuses for a pirate I've ever seen. Granted, you held your own against me for a good while, but that's all you ever really did well. You didn't take advantage of your Zoan abilities, you have about the worst miko skills, even compared to a beginner...why the hell Axe recruited you to fight against my captain is beyond me, it makes no sense. Oh well, I suppose there's no sense in worrying about it now, since you're about to die,"
-End Flashback-
"...sonofabitch actually went and killed me!" Dusty's hand went limp and fell onto the fur as the realization hit home, "I'm...I'm dead. I'm actually...dead!". It took her a few moments, but sure enough, the kitsune broke down and wailed at the top of her lungs. Her hands flew upward and covered her eyes, "Oh God, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead! I died and I didn't even have a chance to save the others!" she sobbed, "I wasn't able to help anyone and I got killed because I wasn't strong enough! I am...I was weak!!!"
"Could you please tone it down and stop crying a bit, Dustine? You're sort of giving me a headache," a delicate voice asked from the darkness around her, "You're not dead. At least, not yet, anyway,"
Spooked by the voice, Dusty stopped crying almost instantly and looked around frantically, "Who's there?!" she demanded, still holding back a few tears, "I said who's there?!"
The voice sighed, "Just a moment...,"
Suddenly, the floor under Dusty began to shake and buckle, like something was pushing up from the ground underneath. Shrieking, Dusty couldn't help but roll off as the floor began to slope upward. She didn't roll far and when she came to a stop, she hit her head pretty good on a hard, cold surface.
"Ow, ow, ow...," she winced and rubbed her head, "That's what this thing was missing, me getting a head injury,"
"Sorry, but I had to adjust myself, I couldn't have you moving around, it's pretty uncomfortable. Oh, how rude of me, you can't see. Just a moment...,"
As if on cue, the darkness went away and Dusty soon found herself in a well-lit large cave that had walls lined with many torches. The cave was also filled with numerous things such as open chests filled to the brim with glittering treasure, barrels filled with weapons of all kinds, piles of books and scrolls, bags and bags of food, and even large rolls of fine-looking tapestries.
Dusty let out a whistle, "Nice haul! Wait a minute, where are you, I can't see you? Are you invisible?" she reached out in front of her and tried to feel for her unseen acquaintance, "Hello?"
"I'm not invisible,"
"Then, are you tiny?" Dusty looked down, "You gotta tell me if you're tiny, because I don't wanna sit down and crush you. Are you tiny?!"
"No,"
"If you're not invisible and if you're not tiny...?"
"I'm right behind you, Dustine. Turn around,"
Dusty looked over her shoulder and almost instantly, her jaw dropped and hit the cave floor. There, sitting down at the back of the cave, was a huge, beautiful, white fox, staring down at the young pirate with soft, kind eyes. Dusty took a good, hard look at the giant fox, and even though she wasn't that experienced, she could tell that from the aura it was giving off, it was really powerful. So powerful in fact...
"Do you know who I am, Dustine?" the fox asked, it's voice echoing in the cave even though it's mouth was not moving.
"I...I have an idea," Dusty nodded slowly, "You are...Inari?"
The fox nodded, "I am Inari, the Fox Goddess worshipped by the Wakanda Clan of Kinmotsu,"
Dusty just stared.
Inari blinked a few times, then decided to be the one who spoke, "I want you to know, Dustine, that I don't hold a grudge against you or your nakama for what you did to the Wakandas back on Kinmotsu. I don't like to hold grudges, especially those who fight the good fight. Granted, the Wakandas were cold-hearted and considered themselves better than most. They let their power, lineage and history corrupt their hearts and minds, and therefore their power was weakend, which is why you and your nakama were able to conquer them,"
Dusty just kept staring.
"...I brought you here, to my domain in the Spirit World for a reason, Dustine. I know who you are fighting for, and I know who you're fighting against. I also know the injuries you've sustained in your battle for nakama. Dustine, you cannot win against the Raven in your current state,"
Dusty just kept on staring some more.
"Alright, stop staring and actually say something, the staring is getting a little annoying," Inari growled, her eye twitching.
"Huh? Oh, right, sorry!" Dusty shook her head a few times, "I didn't mean to stare, this is the first time I ever met a Goddess...well, a real one anyway. Gotta admit, you're intimidating, Inari-sama,"
Inari seemed to smile, "All the major spirts and deities are, even if they don't mean to be,"
"Oh...okay," Dusty's ears twitched a few times.
"But seriously, you are unable to claim victory over the Raven in your current state of mind and body,"
Dusty lowered her head, hiding her face, "No kidding. I was barely able to even injure the guy, Inari-sama, I got at least one good slice into him, but it wasn't that deep. I tried, I really did, but all I did was just dance around him. I wasn't fast enough to use my miko magic, I wasn't fast enough to land any major blows to him, and when he got a hold of me, he beat the living crap out of me!" she brought her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around them, "He was right, I am pathetic,"
Inari just looked down at her, silent as death.
"Most of the time I've been with the others, I've had to have someone come and bail me out of trouble. I always get abducted, I always get beat down...," Dusty's ears went flat, "What good am I here?"
The Fox Goddess blinked a few times, then lay down, stretching her body outward and resting her head just inches from Dusty, "You are not pathetic, Dustine. You are a very important person, especially to your nakama,"
"...no, I'm not,"
"Yes, you are," Inari said firmly, "Granted you get into trouble quite a few times, but in this world and this Era, who doesn't? Regarding your strength...," Inari was quite for a few moments, "...not everyone can be inhumanly strong and achieve victory in every single confrontation they get. Everyone is weaker than someone at one point or another in their lives, but that's not always a bad thing,"
Dusty lifted her head and peeked out at the Goddess in front of her.
"If a person is weak in a certain way, and they lose, at anything, they can become stronger because of that loss. I've been watching you for a long time, Dustine, and I know what you've gone through in your life. I feel for the losses you've experienced in your life, both on and off the battlefield. Haven't you noticed a change in yourself? Your father's death made you train to become strong enough to travel the oceans of the world, your dream made you strong enough and brave enough to go out into the world and pursue it, and finally, the love and friendship you share with your nakama has given you the strength to make it this far! If you were weak, you wouldn't have been able to save your nakama in the Desert Kingdom, you wouldn't have been able to avenge your father, and you wouldn't have been able to fight against enemies from the New World. You may lose more than most, Dustine, but you are a very strong young woman, and you still have so much to learn,"
"..."
"This battle so far, you've only hit an obstacle, something that you're quite familiar with. Every other obstacle you've faced, you've triumphed because you are strong, stronger than they could ever be. This incident with your captain, this island, this Raven that you fight...think of it as a test, Dustine. Think about how you first started out in your journeys, then think about what you've done since then. See yourself as what you truly are, and see just how far you've come since you began!"
Dusty remained silent for a few moments before lifting her head all the way out from behind her legs and looked straight into Inari's eyes.
"If I'm so strong, Inari-sama, then why did I get my ass kicked so easily?" she asked quietly, "Hm?"
Inari tilted her head, "I cannot say for sure, Dustine. Perhaps you need to train yourself,"
"I do! I train my body like crazy and-,"
"You hardly train your miko skills," Inari cut her off, "It's good for a miko to have a strong body, it allows her to defend herself when she is unable to use her magic, but what if she is unable to use her physical strength, what does she have to defend herself with if her magic isn't honed?" she held up a paw as Dusty opened her mouth, "You may still feel resentment in your heart for the blood you carry in your veins, the blood that gives you the power of a miko, but if you are really wanting to become strong in that particular area, then you must train yourself diligently in the miko arts. You may still practice your show skills and your physical traits, but you'll have to give extra time to your miko magic if you want to be able to win against other things in the world as you continue your journey,"
"Look, I know what you're saying, Inari-sama, but it's not like I can right now!" Dusty shot to her feet, "My body's beaten to a pulp, I'm here in the Spirit World, and even if I can rejoin with my body, it's not like I'll have a whole lot of time to practice! If I go back, and if I even can get back on my feet, that bird bastard's not gonna give me anytime to do anything. As soon as he finds me, he'll swoop down and finish me off! I want to be able to become stronger and to help my friends, but I'm really, really screwed here!"
"Hmm," Inari nodded slowly, "You have a good point there, Dustine, a very good point. Still, you'll have to go back, you cannot stay here," she rose to all fours, to her full height, "I will send you back to the World of the Living myself-,"
"I'm just gonna come back dead in a few minutes!"
Inari's eye twitched, "I will send you back to the World of the Living myself, but I will give you a gift before you leave,"
Dusty's eyes lit up, "Are you going to give me the power of a God so I can own that bird bastard in three seconds flat?!" she asked excitedly.
Inari gave her a dead stare, "No, Dustine, I'm not. At least not the power of a God. What I am going to give you though is a new skill. It is low-level, I want you to know that, but if you are able to use it correctly, you'll be able to help save your nakama,"
Fat Risky looked up at the sky as small droplets of water fell from the thick clouds above, "Aw, damn, it's starting to rain. Just what we need, a storm...,"
His brother picked his ear, "Bro, we've had worse things happen to us, don't complain about rain because you're afraid to get wet,"
"He's right," Spoil reached down and turned the shutters down on his lantern to protect the flame from going out, "We've suffered at the hands of Moria and the Blood Countess' crew, we don't need to get upset over some rain,"
Fat Risky opened his mouth to speak, but let out a yelp when he watched Dusty bolt upright, her eyes wide as dinner plates.
Thin and Spoil were just as surprised as he was when they saw Dusty not only regain consciousness, but rise to her feet after collecting her things.
The old man with the big wound rose, "Please, young lady, you must rest, you've suffered harsh injuries!"
Breathing heavily, Dusty looked at Spoil for a moment before walking off, "I'll rest when I'm dead, ossan. Right now, I got some unfinished business to take care of!"
Spirit World
Inari lay back down, resting her head on her paws, her eyes closing, "I gave you passage back to the World of the Living as well as a new ability, Dustine. I leave the rest to you...good luck,"
"Damn this rain," Damien muttered angrily as he made a landing in the Forest, his feathers soaked, "I hate my flight time being cut off because of the goddamn weather," he thought for a few moments before grinning, "A navigator capable of becoming a bird that hates bad weather because it limits him and his flying...ironic," he murmured as he folded his wings behind his back, "I'll just wait it out, shouldn't last long,"
"Yeah, well, neither will you, you bastard...,"
"Heh...that didn't take long," Damien slowly turned around to see Dusty standing about ten feet away from him, "Miss Wenata, I'm so glad to see you up and about,"
"Yeah, can the bullshit, birdboy, I know you don't mean it," Dusty reached behind her back and pulled out Damien's missing Wheel, "Here, this belongs to you," she hissed, tossing it to him.
The male Zoan caught it easily and looked at it for a moment before looking at Dusty, "Not only are you back up and challenging me again, but you give me back my weapon. I must say, that's not very smart of you,"
Dusty held up a hand and gave him the middle finger, "Fuck off, boyo. I'm not here to chat, I'm just here to kick your ass!"
"Oh really?" Damien grinned, "Just how do you plan to do that? You look as though you're about to keel over,"
While that was true, Dusty did her best to stay on her feet and not show the fatigue and injuries taking effect on her body.
"Whatever, it's time to get this over with!" Dusty held up her necklace of prayer beads, which were already glowing a bright pink color.
Damien raised an eyebrow, "You're actually using that power now? No matter...," he gripped his Wheels, "You've already tried to use your miko magic on me before and that didn't work, what makes you think it'll work this time around?"
"Because I know this one will work no matter what!" Dusty pulled her arm back and threw the necklace of beads hard, straight at Damien. The Zoan was about to intercept and slice the necklace apart when, to his surprise, the necklace shattered into many pieces by itself and disappeared from his view. He frowned, "What the-?"
Dusty grinned, "Here we go...," she clenched a fist as numerous glowing orbs filled the area around Damien, completely surrounding him, "Ring of Inari's Imperial Purity!" (1)
The former Rear Admiral lowered his Wheels and looked around him to find each and every one of the prayer beads from Dusty's shattered necklace were floating in mid-air around him. There wasn't much room between him and the beads, maybe six feet at best, and each bead seemed to pulsate with Dusty's spiritual energy. Damien was just about to move towards one part of the supposed ring when he stopped and frowned, "...the hell?"
"Ooooh, what's the matter? Not feeling good? Feeling a bit off?" Dusty tilted her head, sounding sympathetic, "I guess I should have warned you...," she clicked her tongue, "The ring? It's got this special effect on certain people,"
"W...," Damien shook his head slowly, "What?"
"Yeah...," Dusty nodded, "You see, on normal humans, it wouldn't have any effect on them whatsoever, but with people who ate Devil Fruits, that's when it takes effect. The spiritual energy in each bead isn't that great alone, but when all the beads of my prayer necklace is charged and forms the barrier that's surrounding you right now, it has the effect to weaken Devil Fruit users, although it looks like it doesn't force you to your human form. I dunno the full details about Zoan forms, I'm still knew with this. You may have been stronger and faster than me before, Damien, but with this thing around you, I'd say we're just about on an even playing field. Well, maybe not just yet...," she pulled off her pack and the rest of her gear and tossed them to the side, "I'll show you the real power of a fox! Kouyran Kyuubi no Kitsune: Kyuubi!!!"
Damien watched as Dusty began to grow in size, her eyes turning a brilliant golden color while her pupils became slits. Her hair became longer, and her muscles became larger. The ground underneath her feet seemed to be crack and sink under her increasing weight. As she finished changing, she looked at her weakened victim and cracked her neck loudly, the sound of bones snapping echoing around them, "I'm really gonna enjoy this...,"
"What the hell was she thinking?" Lola frowned and drummed her knee in thought, "She shouldn't have run off like that, she's too injured to any fighting! She's gonna get herself killed!"
Fat Risky scratched his head, "I dunno, Captain, but she just got up and walked off...,"
"Found me and took that weird blade wheel I was holding onto as well...," Lola shook her head, "There's something wrong in that head of hers! Only an idiot goes off with injuries like that!"
Thin Risky nodded, "Either that or a crazy person,"
"Or both," his brother agreed, nodding as well.
"Oh, man, this feels so good! I can't believe I haven't gone to this form since Kinmotsu!" Dusty brought a large, fur-covered fist down onto Damien's head while her other hand was holding onto her opponent, making sure he didn't go anywhere, especially outside the glowing ring from the force of the impact of her blows, "This feels fantastic!"
The rain was coming down harder now and both Zoan's were completely soaked in blood and water, mud caking their feet and legs. Damien suffered another couple of fierce blows from Dusty's enlarged fists, unable to move and unable to use his Devil Fruit and fly away to safety. The former Rear Admiral tried to think of his current predicament between punches.
I don't understand this! How is that I, a man who was just beating her to an inch of her life a short time ago, gets his ass handed to him so easily! It's bad enough that she's using this bizarre form to keep me here, but it's even more humiliating to use her so called magic to make my Devil Fruit almost useless! a thought suddenly hit him, Wait a minute!! How the hell is she still fighting me like that, and in that form, while I'm barely able to do a goddamn thing?! Shouldn't she be unable to do anything like me all the same?!
"What's the matter, birdboy, cat got your tongue?!" Dusty paused in her beatings, "You look worse than you did before!"
Damien shot her a deathglare, "Fuck off, you freak!"
Dusty let out what sounded like a cross between a roar and a laugh, which was barely heard over a thunderclap, "Still got that attitude, don't ya, birdboy?! That's good, it shows me that you still got some fire in ya!" she gripped him by the shoulders and lifted him over her head, "Good to know that the rain didn't put it out, it wouldn't be as fun if you just gave up!" she cried as she slammed the enemy Zoan hard into the mud below her. Mud went flying upward as Damien landed with a sickening smack on the wet, soft ground of Thriller Bark, the dark, slick goo splattering against Dusty's blood covered body. Damien winced as a great pain shot through his body. Even though the rainfall made the ground into mud, therefore making the ground softer, he still felt a large amount of pain from the impact. As if beating him and then throwing him down wasn't bad enough, Dusty did him one more by planting an enlarged foot on his torso and began to press down slowly. Damien grit his teeth as more and more pain coursed through him while Dusty's weight pressed him down into the mud beneath her feet. The Zoan could actually feel himself sinking into the earth with each passing second.
This is impossible! the ex-Rear Admiral thought angrily as the sound of bones snapping filled his ears, followed by even more pain from his torso, This bitch! She's kicking my ass...my ass! How the hell can a pathetic little girl like this be capable of this kind of power?!
"That's it, taste the mud, you prick!" Dusty growled as she twisted her foot slowly, adding more pressure and pain to Damien's already battered body, "You feel that, huh? HUH? YOU FEEL THAT PAIN?!" she raised her foot and stomped on him a few times, pushing him deeper and deeper into the ground, "That's the pain that my nakama and I share because of you and your bitch of a captain! That's the pain that my captain's felt for years, all because of her! HOW THE FUCK DO YOU LIKE IT, YOU FUCKIN' ASSHOLE?!"
The canine Zoan stopped her stomping, waiting for Damien's replyl, waiting to hear his pitiful please for help...but there was nothing.
Damien had stopped moving.
Growling, Dusty pulled her mud and blood covered foot out of the ground and looked at the half-buried enemy beneath her.
"Aw, I think I broke him...," Dusty cackled, reaching down and grabbing him by the head. With little effort, she pulled him out of his oozing grave and held him up to eye level to get a good look at him. His body was ravaged, she couldn't exactly see the bruises from her attacks thanks to his feathers, but she knew she had must have broken at least a couple of them. She laughed again, "Yep, looks like I broke him! Broke him good...!"
She was about to throw him into the ground one final time when Damien's eyes flashed open and a split second later, his arms swung in a scissor-like motion, his bird talon hands still gripping his Wind and Fire Wheels! The bladed rings sliced into Dusty's arm deep and the female Zoan let out an angry roar before dropping her prey. Damien hit the ground and took off like a shot into the forest, despite his injuries. As he ran, Damien winced and grit his teeth again as the pain from his injuries impeded on his escape attempt. Normally, he'd be far faster than any ordinary pirate, even this woman, but thanks to the massive beating he received, his speed had decreased dramatically! After testing them out for a few seconds, Damien pushed off the ground and flew into the air, his wings still able to function well enough to get him away out of range. He didn't care if it was raining, he didn't care if he wasn't able to go as high as the clouds, just as long as he could get out of that beast's range, he was happy.
Holding her bleeding arm, Dusty watched him fly off, "You think you can get away from me, you sonofabitch?!" she roared, her blood dropping and mixing into the mud below, "You really think you can get away from me?! Hehe...just found your weakness...stupid asshole!"
In the air, Damien did his best to head back to the mansion in spite of the weather and his injuries.
I have to get back and tell the others! I have to get back and tell the others what I've found out! he coughed a little and yelped as pain shot through his chest, making him falter for a brief moment, These...these kids aren't to be underestimated! They're stronger than we thought, they have power...they actually have the power to challenge us! I have to warn them all!
"THIS IS A NO FLY ZONE, MOTHERFUCKER!"
Damien screamed as a heavy weight plowed into him, the sensation of sharp objects digging into his already worn out body. Dusty had not only found him again, but she had managed to jump high enough into the sky to ram into him, and now the two of them were falling out of the sky. Damien glared daggers at the beast that was latched onto him and tried to claw her, tried to beat her off of him, but she was holding on too tightly, and her weight was still dragging him down. His mind raced with options and although he hated the idea, he knew what he had to do to try and survive. Using what strength he had left, he stopped trying to attack the kitsune and instead used that strength to regain and maintain his flight path.
"Do you really think you can make it back to your precious Countess?" Dusty growled as the two of them bounced and zig-zagged through the sky, "You actually think I'd let you get back to your home base?!"
"Do you really think you and your nakama will make it off this island alive?!" Damien screamed back over a thunderclap, "When we're through with you, you're all gonna be dead and left to rot on this island!"
I don't think so, bitch! Dusty reached up and grabbed one of Damien's wings.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"You think you're the only Zoan user I've come across who ate a bird fruit?" Dusty smiled darkly, "I know a guy who can turn into a much more noble bird than you, Blood Raven, and I know from that time how he was beaten so easily by a woman...I'm gonna see just how she felt when she brought him down!" she reached over, grabbed his other wing and yanked hard.
Pain, far more excruciating than he had felt before this moment, not only shot through Damien's entire body, but it ensured Dusty's victory...
"I have to admit, I had my doubts about coming to this place, but ever since I have, I've had a very interesting time," Eva thought aloud as she looked out a large window in one of the mansion's many halls, "I've seen unknowing family, I've seen impressive spirits of mere pirates and their strength, and I've even seen a bunch of freaks...and knowing who I know, that's saying something," she smiled coldly and tapped her chin idly, "Then there's the little incident earlier with the girl. I'm excited, I just can't wait to see what happens ne-," she stopped in midsentence when a large, dark form sped down past the window, "...what the hell was that?"
Pressing herself against the window, Eva tried to see what had fallen, but when she was unable to find it, she did the next best thing to help her do so. Grabbing a candlestick from a nearby table, she broke away a large portion of the window and eased herself out onto the ledge to get a better look. It took her a couple of moments, but then she saw what had fallen like a stone past the window.
Damien, the Blood Raven and navigator of the Bloodless Vampires. He had fallen from the sky and was now laying face-up on a ledge of the mansion below, a large, iron spike sticking out of his torso. He was still alive, that was for certain, but Eva could only imagine the amount of pain he must have been experiencing at that moment. She crossed her arms and leaned against the window, looking down at him, "Well, well, well...now this is interesting, isn't it? All that's missing is a bolt of lightning to come down and-,"
A bright flash of light filled the sky, temporarily blinding Eva as thunder boomed overhead. Rubbing her eyes, she cursed under her breath, "Dammit all to Hell and back!"
A new smell reached her nose, a smell that was mixed in with the smell of fresh rain. Opening her eyes, Eva could see what the source of that smell was coming from. Whatever divine entity resided in the universe, it seemed to have heard her "wish" and sent a lightning bolt down and struck the very spike that Damien lay impaled on. The Blood Raven was totally motionless, with his body smoking and burns covering many parts of his body, adding to the damage done to him. However, he was still alive, somehow. Unconscious, but alive.
At that very moment, Dusty collapsed at some point in the Dead Forest, having reverted to her original physical form. She was exhausted, but then again, who wouldn't be? She had had used that Kyuubi technique at least once before, but when she used it the first time, she had only used it with a few other techniques against her uncle Zev. This time around, she had suffered harsh injuries that wore her body out far worse than before. With what little strength she had left, she rolled herself over onto her back and looked up at the sky, letting the raindrops fall onto her face.
She gave a weak smile as her vision began to fade, "Now who's pathetic, you sonofabitch? Now who's...path...etic...,"
Dusty was out like a light.
Spirit World
Inari couldn't help but chuckle as the lights in her cave began to dim, "Well done, Dustine, well done,"
Kilnorc: Oh MAN, that was a hard chapter! I actually had to ask for help from my friends to figure out what move Dusty could pull to turn the tides in the battle with Damien, hehe. My thanks to Dragon's-Maidens, Fire-Thief and SuperHurricane for their input and ideas (although I had to tweak one or two). Thanks you guys, you gave me tons of help here, and I dedicate this chapter to you! Things may have seem a bit iffy here, like the exact limits and effects with Dusty's new Ring spell, but since it's a new thing and she's a newbie miko, the exact details aren't all worked out yet, although I will work on that!
(1) Ring of Inari's Imperial Purity- Dusty pools her spiritual energy into each one of the beads on her prayer necklace. The beads seperate from each other and hover around the intended target, acting as a soft of barrier. It has no effect on normal humans, but for Devil Fruit users, it dampens/restricts their abilities. EXACT details of this are not fully known yet. Thanks to SuperHurricane for suggesting the basic idea and telling me of an anime that gave me the visual aid, and thanks to DJ Paynter for helping me with the name.
On the next chapter of Endless Nightmare...
Isaac: Oh, where the hell am I now?!
??: I want those two.
Theo: What the hell did you just do, meatbag?
??: Everyone has to concentrate, or they'll lose control.
Today's Main Course: Tenryuubito!
Theo: GET IN MY BELLY!!!
Kilnorc: Yeah, you can all make your Fat Bastard jokes now, I KNOW you want to. Also, for the record, that bit in the flashback with the other Commodore? Yeah, it's a collobrative idea that gambit508 and I are working on, and that claw wielding commodore is HIS OC, NOT mine, so those of you who who can guess who he is based off of... -waves- ...that's all him, not me.
