Brook and Usopp vs. the Great Drinker. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. If I did, I would be busy drawing instead of writing Fanfictions
54: The King, the Drunk, and the Gentleman
Brook looked around quickly, hoping to find a sign of Usopp, but ultimately seeing nothing. Despite this, he held his sword up, pointing it at his adversary simply known as Basco Shot, willing to hold his ground against the large man.
Basco only continued to smile, however, as he looked at Brook and said, "A skeleton, eh? That's pretty interesting."
"That's a surprisingly normal reaction," said Brook, still holding his ground.
"I've seen stranger things in this world," Basco replied. "I suppose you're going to fight me now, then?"
Brook looked over at the group of fallen and wounded rebels, staring back at Basco and replying with confidence, "Yes, I am."
Basco chuckled as he took a large swig from his gourd of alcohol. Then, he hid it behind him, and then, quick as lightning, he pulled his hand back out again revealing a large pistol. Not wasting any time, he fired a shot.
Brook was taken aback by this, but he half-expected it, so he was prepared as well, as he quickly dashed a little bit towards Basco and hopped up, leading him to incredible heights.
"Flying Swallow Leap Forward!" said Brook triumphantly as he was right above Basco by a few feet.
"Oho…"
With that, Brook rushed immediately downwards, spinning at incredible speeds right towards Basco. Although Basco was large, he moved quick enough to get out of the way, leaving Brook to only hit the ground (which caused it to shatter beneath him). Knowing he wouldn't get another chance, Brook quickly pulled his sword out and rushed towards the retreating Basco.
"Three-Verse Humming: Arrow-Notch Slash!"
Brook moved at astonishing speeds, but Basco sensed this, and right before Brook struck, he brought his gun up and parried the blow, stopping it dead in its tracks.
"What…" Brook started.
A gunshot cracked, however, as Basco was able to pull out another pistol with his free hand and shoot Brook right in the chest. He staggered backwards slightly, and then fell to the floor on his back. Basco stood there with a sneer, towering over him like a leviathan.
"Pretty good techniques you got there Skeleton," said Basco, taking a quick drink from his gourd before securing it again. "You seem like you've got a lot of experience in your days—however long ago that might have been—but too bad for you, that I'm more experienced than you."
Meanwhile, Usopp watched all of this from the brush, as a concerned look appeared on his face. "Shit, this guy's strong!" he thought to himself. "He was even able to stop Brook's sword technique with just a gun! What should I do?"
Basco held his gun out right to Brook's head and said with a psychotic grin, "Lucky for you, I always like to learn the name of the victims I kill. So how 'bout it Skeleton, what's your name?"
"I'm Brook the Gentleman," he replied with a grimace.
Basco let out a raucous laugh—so much that his massive tongue lolled out—and then stated, "Nice to meet you Brook. I'm the Mighty Drunk Basco Shot, and I don't expect you to have heard of me; my deeds were erased from history itself. Goodbye!"
Before Basco could pull the trigger, a large lead pellet struck Basco in the shoulder (bouncing off of his skin, leaving a welt), causing him to wince. He immediately looked towards where it came from, and saw none other than Sogeking standing there, trying to look as heroic as possible.
Brook looked at him with a strange mix of relief and joy, when Basco immediately turned to him. "Who the fuck are you?" he asked angrily.
"I'm the heroic figure known as Sogeking!" he replied, trying to put on a brave voice (despite his shaking knees). "And I won't let you pick on the innocent anymore!"
Basco didn't even bother to reply as he quickly pulled out his other pistol and aimed it at Sogeking, turning his attention away from Brook. The skeleton took this advantage and quickly said, "Dawn Serenade: Right-Handed Strike!"
He quickly thrust his sword up towards Basco, piercing his right shoulder and creating a strong compression of wind, sending him skidding back several feet away from both of them. Basco cursed as he grounded himself with one of his hands, eventually stopping himself.
"So you still got life in you, eh?" he asked with an angered grin.
"Yohohoho!" laughed Brook. "Luckily that bullet passed right through my bones and I was completely unharmed. I was just waiting for the right moment to strike!" Secretly, he didn't expect the appearance of such a strange masked hero.
He turned to Sogeking and said, "You have my thanks. Though I must ask, where did you come from?"
"I happen to be a friend of Usopp's," responded Sogeking. "He told me that I should help you, and that he needed to go and help the others."
"What a brave soul," Brook said. "As are you, my friend. I shall create a ballad in your honor when this is done."
"Focus on the present for now," Sogeking warned. "We got him with two surprise attacks, but I don't think that will happen again."
Basco took a quick swig from his gourd before touching his wounded shoulder. "That was a powerful strike Brook," he said. "No doubt if it were a normal human, their arm would have flown off. Fortunately for me though, I have unnaturally thick skin, and I got away with what only amounted to a scratch."
As soon as he finished, he drew his pistol and fired a shot. Sogeking stood there amazed as he felt the bullet scratch his left arm, leaving a nasty-looking gash as blood freely flew from it.
"I lack any kind of techniques like you," said the grinning Basco, "but what I do have is the ability to draw and shoot faster than anyone I've ever known."
Brook didn't want to take anymore as he used his unnatural speed to rush towards Basco. The Great Drunk managed to crack off a quick shot, but it simply went through Brook as if it were nothing. The skeleton brought his sword down and Basco blocked it with his gun again.
"Too bad shooting won't work on me," said Brook, "just one of the many advantages of being made of bones."
Basco responded with a massive smash with the back of his fist towards Brook's chest, sending him spitting out blood and skidding backwards, gripping his chest.
"Brook!" Sogeking yelled. He held up his weapon Kabuto and said, "Sunflower Star!"
Five pentagon pellets flew towards Basco, and he quickly used his two pistols to shoot all of them down, having them explode in the air. Sogeking ducked in recoil, and when the smoke cleared, Basco stood there grinning with his guns pointed at him.
"Polka Remise!"
Brook was suddenly in front of him and thrust his sword several times in an attempt to hit him. A few were able to hit him, causing minor injuries, but Basco was able to dodge them for the most part. He smiled as he quickly smashed Brook across his face, sending him flying to the floor.
Sogeking was up by now as he readied Kabuto again. "Super Smoke Star!"
Smoke suddenly erupted between Basco and Brook, as Sogeking yelled: "Brook, retreat for now!"
Brook didn't need to be told twice as he knew their current strategy wasn't working. He quickly leapt out of the smokescreen towards Sogeking, while Basco stood there and took the time to take another swig of his alcohol…
"This isn't working…" Sogeking said to Brook, taking refuge in some underbrush by them. "We need a strategy."
"What would you suggest?" asked Brook.
"I've been thinking of something, and I don't know if it's gonna work," replied Sogeking. "We're gonna need to use both of our strengths together. Think we can do that?"
Brook nodded. "Better than nothing."
"Well then, listen up…"
— — —
The smokescreen had cleared by now, leaving Basco standing there alone chuckling to himself. "It won't matter what you plan," he called out. "Nothing is going to work. I clearly outmatch you both. Just give up and let me kill you already."
Getting no response, Basco sighed as he took out his gourd again. Right before it touched his lips, however, a lead pellet flew from the brush and hit it dead on, shattering it almost instantly and sending shards flying into his face while spraying him with the alcohol that was once inside of it.
Despite this, he seemed mildly annoyed as he looked up to see both Brook and Sogeking stood there out in the open. "Was that your plan?" he asked with a laugh. "To mildly annoy me by destroying my booze?"
He held up both his guns and aimed it at the two of them. "Now!" Brook yelled to Sogeking, who complied.
He pulled out a dial and yelled, "Flash Dial!"
Suddenly, a large flash of light appeared, blinding the unprepared Basco, but both Brook and Sogeking were ready. "Now!" yelled Sogeking.
Brook bounded forward with his sword ready. Basco was just recovering to see Brook right in front of him, about to slash him. Instinctually, Basco brought his gun up to defend himself, but Brook expected this as he yelled, "Prelude: After!"
He immediately brought down a powerful strike that cut Basco's gun in half and giving his hand a good gash. Before he could react, Brook already leapt out of there, leaving Sogeking standing a good distance away with Kabuto ready.
"Have you ever heard of a Breath Dial?" smirked Sogeking.
"What?" was all the confused Basco could mutter.
"It stores smells," explained Sogeking. "However, when used strategically, it can be used to store gas; to be more specific, flammable gas."
Basco looked to see a strange-looking device not but a few feet away from him. "When did you…"
"When you were distracted by the Flash Dial and Brook's attack," replied Sogeking. "Oh, and I should hope you know that alcohol burns as well."
Basco immediately understood as he felt the alcohol on his skin from the earlier attack. He knew what Sogeking was about to do, and quickly used his non-wounded hand to bring up his other gun, ready to end Sogeking's life.
Too late.
"Firebird Star!" yelled Sogeking, firing his Kabuto.
A massive phoenix was summoned carrying a ring of fire, and as soon as it hit the gas emanating from the Breath Dial, a massive explosion took place, engulfing the screaming Basco entirely.
Brook landed back to Sogeking, as he asked, "How long will it burn?"
"Not long," he replied, "which is why we gotta hurry."
"Right!" Brook said, readying his sword.
The fire did die down relatively quickly, and when it did, it revealed a charred Basco, not quite unconscious, but clearly wounded by the attack. He stared at both Brook and Sogeking with empty eyes.
"Dawn Serenade: Right-Handed Strike!" Brook yelled, shoving his sword and its impact right towards Sogeking's palm.
When that was done, Sogeking ran towards the still-standing Basco shot with his arm held out. In his palm, it was revealed that he had an Impact Dial in his hand, and as soon as Sogeking got close, he said:
"Lights out, Basco! Impact!"
With that, he released all of the dial's stored energy onto Basco's chest, sending him flying several feet (and Sogeking flying in the other direction), where he landed on his back with a thud, blood flowing from his mouth and nose onto his charred flesh. As Sogeking and Brook recovered, Basco laid there, his tongue lolled out and the whites of his eyes staring at the sky…
"How many times have I told you not to go through Mommy's things!"
— — —
A resounding crack flew through the air as the hand connected to a young Basco's face. He instantly recoiled and held his red cheek, tears ready to spring from his eyes.
"I've told you a thousand times not to go rifling through my things!" Basco's mother nearly yelled to her only child. "And here I though that at the age of thirteen you'd be smart by now!"
"I'm sorry Momma…" apologized Basco, still rubbing his wounded cheek.
Basco's mother took a shot of alcohol and gave him one final quick kick to his shin, causing him to cry out in pain. "That's to make sure you don't do it again!" she said, justifying herself. "Now I'm gonna go out for a while. Until then, stay here and don't do anything stupid!"
"Momma, are you going to the bar again?" asked Basco.
"It's none of your fucking business!" she seemed to yell before walking through the door and slamming it shut.
Basco stood silent for a second, before finally moving to his own room.
Basco was a single child, being raised by a single parent—his mother as it seemed—and while they were "poor as dirt" (as Basco's childhood companions put it), his mother always seemed to find spare cash to keep all manners of liquor around the house, and still had enough to go to the bar every night.
Basco—while called "slow" and "stupid" by his mother (among other things)—was not ignorant. He knew where his mother kept the alcohol locked up, and as soon as she left, he always found a way to transport it from their kitchen to his room. There, he would drink all he could before his mother got home.
He was told that his father was a drunk before abandoning his mother and him, and Basco just imagined that drinking ran in the family genes. Basco didn't drink, however, because he felt some genetic reason to. No, he drank because he thought it helped to dull the pain, the pain of getting abused by his drunken mother both physically and mentally.
After finishing off the last of the liquor he had stored in his room, Basco reached under his mattress and pulled out a single-shot flintlock pistol. Basco grew up in a rough neighborhood on an even rougher island in the Grand Line. It was the kind of place where seeing a body in the street was the norm. Basco happened to come across one that had a gun hidden in the back of his pants, and he happily took it and brought it home, hiding it in his room so his mother couldn't find it.
He felt he had drank enough, and finally, he stuck the pistol to his head, holding it there for several seconds. His mother was right, he was stupid and good-for-nothing, and imagine how great it would be to finally end it all; to get away from the suffering and the death and the smell of alcohol twenty-four seven. It seemed like a marvelous dream too good to come true.
This is what a voice in Basco's head told him to do, and after a few minutes, Basco relaxed his grip and brought the pistol down. No matter how much he drank or how hard he tried, he found that he could never get the courage to do it. His mother was right, he really was a gutless coward who would never amount to—
A marvelous idea popped into Basco's head.
This time, it came in the sound of another voice—one that wasn't as cynical and depressed as the other, but much happier and more upbeat. Basco liked this one much better.
It told him things, and after a few more drinks (stolen from the kitchen again), Basco smiled as he knew what he had to do…
His mother came home when it was late, stumbling over her shoes in a drunken state. She let out a little hiccup before peering into the darkness.
"Basco, you there?" she called.
Oh, Basco was there all right, but he wasn't about to let her know that.
"If you're asleep before I am," she threatened, "then you're in for a world of hurt! How many times have I told you that if you sleep before I do, you'll get a beating?"
She stumbled into the kitchen (hoping to get another drink of course), before she looked at the kitchen table to see Basco sitting there, a brooding look on his face with a glass of alcohol to the side of him.
"Oh, Basco, I didn't see you," she said with a small laugh. "I thought you were—"
BANG!
That's all it took, and Basco was finally free of that woman…
With no more family or home, Basco left that pisswater town on that shithole of an island with a small dinghy he purchased (with money stolen from his house, of course). It wasn't long before Basco formed his own little crew and began his fearsome pirate career.
Despite being free from his mother, he still held bitter resentment of everything about him, and as such, he drowned out his sorrows in alcohol and was excessively cruel to his victims, just to see what it was like in the other position (which, he must admit, he rather enjoyed). He soon did deeds so vile and cruel that they were erased from history himself, and when the Marines finally caught up with him, drunk on his pirate ship, he was sentenced to Level Six of Impel Down, where they intended to have him rot forever…
— — —
"Momma…is this your punishment…" he muttered, surprising both Brook and Sogeking.
Basco shot stood up, his eyes bloodshot and blood fleeing from his body, his breathing ragged, and his skin ached with a terrible burn. Despite this, Basco still stood, ready to keep on fighting.
("I've told you a thousand times not to go rifling through my things!")
"I'm sorry Momma…" he whispered to himself, slowly walking towards both Brook and Sogeking. "I'll make it up to ya Momma…I promise…"
He held up his one remaining gun and pointed it towards them. Brook reacted instantly, springing into action and rushing towards Basco with massive speed.
"Three-Verse Humming: Arrow-Notch Slash!"
With that, Brook sped past him, as Basco simply stood there, dumbfounded and unable to react. Then, a massive slash appeared diagonally across his chest and blood willingly sprayed out. He stared at this wide-eyed
(the pain of getting abused by his drunken mother both physically and mentally)
not seeming to register it right away. He looked back at Brook with a look of shock and asked deliriously, "Momma…"
With that, he fell forward and landed on his chest, blood flowing out around him. He looked to see both Brook and Sogeking gathering together again. They were victorious; even the half-insane Basco could see that.
"I'm sorry Momma…" he thought as his eyes began to close. "I'll stop drinkin' if…if you stop all of the pain…Please make the pain go away…Momma…Mo—"
Basco fainted, as both Brook and Sogeking looked at each other. They both, without them knowing it, smiled, knowing they had won the battle against the Great Drunk Basco Shot, and it wasn't their brute strength or raw power that beat him, oh no.
It was their combined techniques along with a sound strategy that won them the day.
Strategy counts for more than just brute strength!
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