Chapter 25:Transformation
I do not own One Piece! That will always belong to Eiichiro Oda! I only own my OC's.
Zanfar and his sister continued their staredown. Had it truly come down to this? Zanfar never felt so torn as he did at this moment knowing that he would have to take the life of his own sister. "Nanee," he said. "Why are you doing this? Why are you taking the side...of a mad man?"
"Talk," Nanee said with an angry hiss. "That is all you seem to do anymore, brother. It just proves how weak you are."
"Weak?" Zanfar shook his head. "How can you say that about me? I'm your brother. Have you forgotten that if it wasn't for me that you have shared the same horrible fate that befell our entire village, to our poor mother and sisters? Have you forgotten that terrible day, Nanee?"
Nanee snarled. "That is the past and I could care less about our damn family! They were all weak, all of them!"
"Weak?!" Zanfar looked at her with his eyes clearly reflecting the shock of her words. "By the gods, how can you say such things? We lost everything that day and you stand there and tell me you could care less?! Tears flowed down his face as he shifted his attention to Stryker. "What have you done to my sister, you monster?! You have poisoned her with your dark words, tainted her gentle loving soul with your vileness!"
Stryker grinned at Zanfar. "I have done nothing," he said. "It was already there and you were too blind to see it. Nanee saw what I offered and she took it." The power-hungry tiger shark looked at Nanee. "However you wish to end this do it, my love though do keep it entertaining."
"Of course," Nanee said. "And what of the one you have been seeking? Do you wish for him to remain among the living?"
Stryker looked at Riptide who was glaring daggers at him. "I would hate to lose such a prize, my love."
The female zoan user gave a small nod. "Alive and unharmed, but the rest are indeed my prey?"
"Of course they are," Stryker said with a sick twisted grin. "I promised you a hunt did I not?"
"Blazing Charge!"
Nanee looked just Zanfar charged towards her his body cover in flames, that was glowing larger and wilder as the ground and anything around him burst into flame. Nanee somehow managed to avoid his attack much to the surprise of all.
~~.~~.~~
"Damn it," Granler said. "That stupid fool will set the town on fire."
"Zanfar, you need to stop or you'll destroy the town!" Ryder shouted as he slowly got to his feet, blood flowing from his wounds and dripping onto the ground.
Riptide was at the injured shark's side, "Ryder, you need your wounds-,"
"No," Ryder snapped refusing to look at the hybrid. "It doesn't matter if I live or die. What matters is that I stop my brother."
"Ryder, don't be a damn fool," Longtooth yelled at him. "You're injured and the captain is right, you need those wounds looked at."
"Listen to us ye damn baka," Blade said. "We know ye want to make up for what happened to our old captain and ye be right about yer brother, but ye can't fight in ye condition."
Stryker had turned his attention away from the fight between Zanfar and Nanee to look at Riptide and the others in amusement. "Best listen to your old shipmates, dear brother." he said. "You were never a match for me or our dear departed brother. Which reminds me...which one of you cursed lot killed my brother?"
Tarlong snarled as he glared at the older brother, "That would have been me, you wack job. Nobody and I mean nobody threatens the ones I love and gets away with it."
"Surely, I have a right to know your name?"
Tarlong Swordblade, son of Marcus and brother to Arlong and Garth!"
Stryker tilted his head studying Tarlong before he chuckled. "Ah," he said. "You must be the stupid one Kira spoke of."
"Kira?!" Tarlong did not hide the look of surprise along with the sudden hate reflected in his face. "Are you saying that insane blue shark is god damn loose?"
"He is somewhere in the Grand Line," Stryker replied, taking not to Garth's reaction. The mute sawtooth was clearly rattled. He was scared, very scared. "Ah, the one that Kira almost killed."
Hearing the remarks from Stryker caused Marcus to look at his sons and the sight of frightened Garth was enough to anger him. "Who do you think you are, you bastard?" the longfin mako said, glaring at Stryker. "How dare you insult my sons?"
Stryker looked at Marcus a frown upon his face as he studied him long and hard. "Without the scruff of the beard you once had I took me longer to recognize you," he said. "You had so many names but you were best known as Marcus the whip. I am correct, am I not?"
"Who I once was no longer matters," Marcus said. "All I know is that you have threatened not only my family but others who are innocent."
It was then there was a scream and everyone looked. "NO," Ryder cried out with horror. "ZANFAR!"
Zanfar was in serious trouble as his sister fueled by a mad lust for blood had overpowered him in his demon horse form, pulling onto his side. His screams filled the air as Nanee claws pierced his flesh and she clamped her fierce sharp teeth around his throat. Zanfar was in pure hell as pain beyond anything imaginable wracked his mind and it intensified so badly that he couldn't even call upon the flames he had controlled. His eyes locked on the eyes of his sister and he saw the horrible, horrible truth. The sister he once knew and loved so dearly was truly gone replaced by the monster that would kill him. Help me! Someone...HELP ME!
Granler looked at Zieg and Ore, "Kill her!"
"What?! Granler no!" Masta looked at his friend who charged alongside his young charges.
"Stop you fools!" Hoji shouted.
"Surrender or-," The sea horse fish-man screamed as Nanee leaped on him and ripped his chest open with her claws, bathing her in blood
Ore had frozen and it cost him his life. Driven by the taste and smell of blood Nanee lashed out with her claws tearing his head from his body. Stryker was laughing as he enjoyed the violent deaths of the two young fighters. Granler was frozen in horror at the sight.
"Tarlong, tell me you and Garth have bullets with Seastone in them," Marcus said.
Tarlong looked at him, "Seastone bullets, I don't know-," he paused as Garth dugout and held up two bullets and his rifle. "Guess we do."
Marcus looked at his son as he pointed right at Nanee. "Kill her," he said.
Riptide looked at his grandfather in horror. "Sofu, you can't-,"
"She's a damn rogue," Marcus said. "She's become the very thing I told you about. She is a killer and whatever humanity she had is gone."
Riptide looked at Nanee who was feasting upon Zieg's remains. His grandfather spoke the truth as he looked at the female zoan user. "Mother, please forgive me," he said looking at his mother before he handed his blade to her.
She looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean forgive you," she said.
"Shark Throw!"
Like Arlong's shark on Tooth, Riptide shot at Nanee like a torpedo his mouth open wide. A howl of pain erupted from the zoan user as the hybrid bite on her neck with the power that was born to him. Lifting her as if she was nothing then throwing above him letting her fall to the ground.
"Nanee!" Stryker screamed as he watched her hit the ground hard.
Nami could only look at her oldest and saw the reason he asked for her forgiveness. Riptide had to become someone he hated, he had to become like Arlong for this. 'He has to become his father to do what needs to be done.'
Riptide closed his eyes focusing and remembering something he learned while growing up in Cocoyashi Village. The white sawtooth, like Jimbei and merfolk, had a unique ability to communicate with fish.
~~Flashback~~
"Help! Someone help me!"
Riptide was simply enjoying an early morning swim heard the cry and followed it to a female scarred great white shark who was badly entangled in a fishing net. Her distress was overwhelming as was her fear. The hybrid knew it was death to any fish caught and unable to swim. "Calm," he said. "I'll get you free."
"Hurry," the female said. "Please hurry. I...can not...breath…"
Never had Riptide tore a net to pieces as he did that day. The great white was so close to death and once free, she started to sink. Her strength is gone. The hybrid acted fast getting underneath her letting her belly rested on his back. He swam carrying the tired shark until she regained her strength. To watch the very grace of a shark so old simply amazed the young sawtooth.
"I owe you my life," she said.
"I'm glad I was able to help." Riptide said. "Wait, we're talking. I am talking with-,"
"It seems you are gifted with the voice that is only known to the merfolk. I must admit that you are the first of your race that I have spoken to."
"I am the first?"
To hear a shark laugh was unique. The great white's body seemed to vibrate as she laughed. "You seem surprised," she said.
"I am," RIptide said. "I didn't know I could speak...fish."
"My, you are an amusing young pup. I do owe you my life and one day I will repay you."
"Teach me."
"Teach you? What could I teach you?" she asked circling around him.
"The shark," he said. "I want to learn the way of the hunter."
"Such an odd thing to ask when it was born to me. I was born with the instincts to live, hunt and that I passed onto the pups I give birth to."
"If you can not teach me," Riptide said. Would it be wrong to share what you know?"
"Hm, that may be possible."
~~End Flashback~~
Nanny did teach me how to sense the electrical pulses that are produced by the beating of a heart. Riptide watched Nanee who got to her feet glaring at him.
Something that was only usable in water, Riptide had learned to use on land and he sensed the very electrical pulses of Nanee's pounding heart. He had to time the opening and the very strike needed. Riptide bent his legs waiting. Nanee let loose a roar and ignoring Stryker's screams of stopping, charged.
Riptide counted before he tapped into the ability of his Hidden Fury, with a burst of speed he came at Nanee. Riptide remembered the speed Nanny had shown and the powerful strike of the great white. With his left raised, Riptide struck Nanee in the chest as he passed her, bringing the power of his strength that was also part of the Hidden Fury, but he went beyond that. The power of the strike was increased by at least five. He skidded to a stop near Zanfar who returned back to his normal form and was laying on his stomach weakened from loss of blood as the injures wrought onto him. "It's over," Riptide said.
"Over?" Zanfar looked toward his sister.
Nanee had stopped and was slowly turning for another charge when she coughed, blooding spewing forth. She turned her head to look at Stryker as she shifted from her demon shark form. "Stryker," she rasped reaching out for him before she dropped dead. Silence followed as Stryker stared at her before he dropped to his knees taking Nanee's lifeless body arms, fingers caressing her face. His jaw trembled before the black tiger shark threw his head back screaming out with grief.
"Riptide, he-," Kaiuleale said.
"Aye, the captain did what needed to be done," Longtooth said. "He had to take a life."
"Nanee," Zanfar whispered.
"You-," Stryker said with a snarl as he looked at the hybrid. "You took the life of the one I held most dear! You killed my Nanee!"
"I did what needed to be done and that was to stop a rogue killer," Riptide said. "Take her and leave while I still have some mercy left. Take her and go, Stryker."
The black tiger shark rose cradling Nanee's close to him. "I will make you pay for this, white one," he said. "You will pay for this."
Some of the Protectors started forward. "I said let them leave," Riptide said.
The Protectors paused looking at the hybrid. Surely he did not mean that? Longtooth glared at them, "You heard him. Let them leave."
Stryker backed away as what was left of his ninja followed. "We will meet again. I promise you that."
Once Stryker was gone, Riptide dropped to a knee clearly exhausted. Nami and Skie rushed to his side as Blade and Longtooth helped Ryder to his feet who could only stare at the hybrid. "He is not normal for a hybrid," he said.
"The captain certainly is not," Longtooth said.
"The lad will be full of surprises for sure," Blade said. "Let's get ye injuries look after."
"What are two helping me?" Ryder asked. "I betrayed you both back when we shipmates."
"Ye challenged that brother of yers and knowing our captain, he will want ye to be part of this one," Blade replied.
Ryder stared at him. "You're joking, right?"
Longtooth shook his head. "The captain may still be young still but he does have a damn good eye when it comes to picking out a crew."
"Riptide," Nami said gently. "Baby, are you okay?"
"I had no choice, Mother. It had to be me that stopped her," Riptide whispered before he looked over to Skie as she looked after Zanfar. "Skie, how bad is he?"
"I think it would be wiser if you have Saw tend to these," she said before she got and left.
"Skie," Riptide said as he watched her go over to Masta who was looking after Ryder. Have I lost her because of my actions?
"You need to make her understand."
He looked up at Marcus who knelt next Zanfar. "She is right though. It is best if Saw uses her...gift of healing."
Riptide merely nodded and whether Saw knew or sensed that she was needed to guardian emerged from the blade but she remained in her true form. The sight of her caused all who saw her cry, but it was not fear. The sight of the one of legendary six seemed to fill the whole town and even the Protectors with hope as they watched the guardian sawtooth heal Zanfar.
Daifu?
Riptide did not look at her. He couldn't. Saw rested her head against Riptide's face and he reached outlaying his fingers on her blade-like nose. 'I'm sorry,' Riptide thought. 'You call me your father and I feel like I've become a monster.'
Daifu is not bad! Never been bad.
Had Saw heard his thoughts? Had the bond he had with her become so strong that they could speak just by his mere thought. 'Saw, I'm sorry that I feel the way I do at this moment, but I had to do something bad.'
Daifu did what my last master did very, very long ago.
'Saw, your last master had to take a life?' He looked at her as he sensed her sadness. It was overwhelming and felt like a heavy burden even to Riptide.
Master did and he took my brothers away from me.
'Took your brothers away? Saw, what reason did he have?'
I can't remember. I just remember he looked at me and said I had to be put away. It was a cold place and it was so lonely.
"I can understand that," Riptide said. "Loneliness can be frightening and it makes you feel different, scared and then you believe that no one wants you around because of something you may have not done or even did do."
Whether Riptide meant to say it out loud but Nami, Zanfar, and Marcus looked at him. It was clear that he was deeply troubled and he may even doubt himself. Getting to his feet Riptide walked off in total silence. Saw had taken her child form and was quick to follow him. Marcus and Zanfar looked at each other before they looked at Nami.
"Riptide looked upset," Marcus said. "You want us to go after him?"
"We better give him some time," Nami said.
"He shouldn't be alone," Zanfar said, getting to his feet. "He can't blame himself for what he had to do."
"It's not easy for him," Marcus said. "The boy has never had his life easy, has he?"
"Riptide carries the worse burden anyone can have and to look like Arlong," Nami said feeling guilty because she knew what he must have faced growing up. "It's like he's cursed because of it."
"It can't be helped that he is the twin to his father," Marcus said sadly. "One of us needs to go and check on him."
"I'll go."
They looked to see Skie standing not too far off, her eyes full of concern. The pinkish-white saw tooth turned her attention toward Riptide's direction. Marcus knew she was worried and also that she loved his grandson. "If you think you can help him, go ahead."
Skie smiled as she hurried off.
Riptide was sitting under the shade of a tree, looking so lost with Saw in his lap holding her to him. Skie approached him slowly. 'They look like father and daughter.' "Riptide, are you alright?"
He turned his head. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw you leave and you looked upset so I thought you might want to talk," she said as she sat down beside him.
"Not really," he said, hugging Saw tighter. "I wish to be alone with Saw."
"Riptide," Skie placed a hand on his arm, "Look at me, please."
He obeyed. "I never told you how beautiful you are," he said as he reached up, caressing her cheek.
Skie blushed as she turned her head, "No I'm not."
"What do you mean," Riptide asked.
"I'm a freak," she said. "My coloring is wrong and no male-,"
"You are no freak," Riptide said, shaking his head. "Any male who doesn't want to be with you is not only blind but also a fool. Skie, I have loved you since the day we met and I doubted you felt that way toward me until the day you kissed me. Today though...you walked away from me and I realized I could never be the one you may truly want.."
His words took her by surprise and she stared into his eyes. He meant so much to her and to see him take Nanee's life had been difficult, but she knew he had to do it. If he didn't, who knows how many more she would have killed. Skie looked at Saw who was clinging to Riptide's eyes looking up to the one who was more of a father than a master to the guardian. "Would you accept me as your wife?" she asked. "One day?"
"What?" Riptide looked at her eyes wide.
Skie felt her face flush with embarrassment. "I asked if you would accept me as your wife," she said.
"My wife," Riptide blinked at her as a sense of pride filled him. "Of course I would! I would proudly call you my wife."
"Now isn't that just sweet."
Riptide and Skie jumped to their feet as Stryker stepped out from behind a tree grinning nastily. "Stryker" Riptide snarled. "What do you want now?"
The black tiger shark snarled as his eyes fell upon Saw. "So your guardian takes the form of a child," he said. "Give me the guardian, boy!"
"The hell I will let you take Saw," Riptide said before he handed Saw to Skie. "Skie, take Saw and go!"
Daifu!
"Riptide, I can't leave you," Skie said.
Riptide looked at her. "You can," he said. "I will not allow this crazy bastard to take my daughter from us! Now go!"
Skie hesitated not wanting to abandon the very man she loved, but she knew she had to. Riptide ordered her to go and Saw needed to be protected. She felt Saw struggling to want to get free to protect her father. Riptide looked at them one more time. "Saw, protect Skie! Do you hear me? Protect Skie and the others!"
Daifu, I won't leave you!
"My ninja, take the guardian and that female," Stryker yelled.
"Damn it Skie! GO!" Riptide yelled before he charged at Stryker.
He tackled the tiger shark and sank his teeth into the other shark's shoulder. Stryker roared out in pain before he responded back, sinking his own teeth right into Riptide's dorsal fin. Pain seared through his brain but Riptide fought harder than ever.
Daifu!
Riptide felt something hit his neck and he felt suddenly drossy. 'Saw, listen to me,' he could feel himself slipping into darkness. 'Listen to me...like a good daughter and do as I told you...to do." He collapsed.
"Riptide no," Skie screamed as Saw shifted to a mist drifting from her grip.
"Looks like I will get his little bitch," Stryker said as he looked at Skie.
Before Stryker and his ninja' eyes Saw took her true form and let loose a howl of pure rage as she became more solid as she underwent a transformation. The guardian pulsed a fiery red, growing, changing. She grew arms and legs that were roped with powerful muscles and armed with wicked looking claws even her body was muscular easily dwarfing Poseidon in height. She sat crouched with her tail curled around her staring straight at Stryker and his ninja. Skie was staring at Saw wondering if she was dreaming. 'Saw...she became something else.'
Saw shifted her attention to where Riptide lay and a growl rumbled forth. Give me back my daifu!
Looks like Stryker might have angered one guardian who is determined to get back Riptide.
