Alright~! Before we start, let me just say, wow! Thank all of you so much for giving me your input, I truly appreciate it all! So, I thought I'd do a quick release for you, ladies and gentlemen! So, without further ado, here you are! I hope you all enjoy!


Bitter, sour and with pulp-y flesh yielding in an unnatural way...it is the single most disgusting thing that Run has ever tasted in his life. Sabo pulls himself up onto the pillar fully with a heavy sigh, and then bends to offer a hand to Run. The red head discards the half-eaten Devil Fruit and takes Sabo's hand to stand up on the pillar with him. "Looks like I lost this one," mutters Sabo, slowly discarding his disguise. "But it won't happen again! Next time we meet, I'm gonna be the winner!"

"Champion! We have a Champion!" screams the announcer. "I know now isn't the time but the one who got the Flare-Flare Fruit is...a member of the Worst Generation, 'Red' Run!"

"I-I'm slipping!" shouts Rebecca. Run moves in an instant, snatching her out of the air and leaping off a piece of floating ring skyward. Rebecca looks up at him, tucked securely under one arm. "Thanks, Run!" He raises his free arm and clenches his fist. Everything he needs to do to use the Flame-Flame Fruit...it seems so clear now. His whole arm completely catches flames and he flinches in response...before realizing that there's no pain accompanying it. That's right...he's a Fire Human now!

"I know you're probably pissed about this Ace," Run mutters. "But I need your Flare-Flare Fruit if I'm gonna help Luffy! So...we'll just how to argue about it when we meet again!" The red head glances down at Sabo, the flames covering his arm expand, leaping skyward wildly. "Oi! You might wanna move! I'm gonna test out this new strength! Now...Fire Fist!" Run thrusts his fist downward, sending a stream of flames racing towards the standing pillar just as Sabo moves. The water boils rapidly, a cloud of steam rising as the flames punch through the water...and then the floor of the arena. The resulting 'boom!' echos through the whole colosseum as the floor gives way, the water draining down. Sabo appears through the resulting rubble beside Run with a grin.

"Looks like you've already got the hang of it!" laughs Sabo. "Good job destroying the floor! That's exactly what we needed!"

"Sabo!" calls a female voice, earning their attention. A young woman appears beside them, holding onto Sabo's old clothing and his pipe. "I got in touch with Hack! Let's meet up with him!" They drop down through the floor into a huge underground facility much to Run's surprise. They land on top of a building with Run landing ankle deep in some of the water. "Be careful, Red, Devil Fruit users are weakened by water."

"Yeah," Run says, stepping out of it quickly. "I wish I could have gone swimming one last time but...I guess I'll just have to live with it. Where are we?"

"Dressrosa's secret trade port. We'll find what we're after here. Let's go!" Run follows after them as they start moving. With no other plan, and no idea how to find the others this seems like the best course of action. At the very least, it should give him a better chance of finding the others. After a few moments of moving across roof-tops and in one case, off the shoulder of a giant, they finally stop in a small area filled with crates and a waiting Hack.

"Good to see you again, Sabo, Koala" Hack says. "Hm? And Run, as well." Run finally sets Rebecca down and slowly looks around the area. It seems like some kind of storage yard, and there's several rails across the ground like cargo is constantly being transported to and from it.

"You know Run?" Koala asks curiously. After a moment she notices his tightly bandaged hand. "Oh? What happened to your hand, Hack?"

"Run and I met as opponents in the colosseum. After seeing it with my own eyes, I'm sure of it. He is a practitioner of the Hakuba Style of Fishman Karate." Koala turns with eyes wide and seems to appear in front of the red head in an instant.

"That's right! I saw your fight in the arena! Your style is amazing! I'm an assistant instructor for the Revolutionary Army! I would love to see more of it!" Sabo reaches out and places a hand on her shoulder. She gives him a pouting face in response but steps away. Sabo quickly lays out their objective for Rebecca and Run. They're here because Doflamingo is producing weapons which are then sold off to promote wars all over the world. Who would have guessed that Doflamingo was running guns in addition to working for Kaido. They're going to put a stop to it once and for all by finding and destroying the factory he's using to make them.

"Run!" exclaims a familiar voice, attracting the red head's attention. Huffing and panting, Bartolomeo spills into the area. "I finally caught up! I saw you fall and I came after you!"

"Oh, yeah," Run says, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Thanks, Bartolomeo." The man's face turns red...and he begins crying.

"Run thanked me! I-I'm so happy!" The man's loud bawling causes everyone a bit of discomfort...but serves to attract the attention of someone else. Who squeezes through the stacked crates, and comes to a stop when she notices all of them.

"Run!" calls Robin, causing him to turn quickly. She's not alone, either. A beaten and bloody Usopp is being carried along by...little people? He almost can't believe his eyes but there are numerous small people carrying Usopp along behind Robin, and it makes him wonder just what the crew has been up to while he was busy in Corrida Colosseum. The red head strides over quickly and wraps her up in a tight hug. "It's good to see you. I was worried."

"I'm completely fine," Run assures her. "In fact...I've got a surprise." He quickly takes a step back and holds an arm out to his side with a grin. He clenches his fist tightly, and flames roar to life instantly. "Ace's Flare-Flare Fruit...I won it."

"By the skin of your teeth," Sabo huffs, crossing his arms. Run opens his hand, dispelling the flames immediately and turns to face him with a grin.

"A win is a win, Sabo. Oh! Robin, this is Sabo. He's Luffy and my brother." He quickly moves to introduce everyone present, Rebecca, Koala, Hack and even Bartolomeo...who stares at the two of them stary eyed. Eventually Run turns his attention to their bloodied sniper. "What happened to Usopp?" Robin explains everything that's happened while he's been gone and he nods in understanding. If that's the case...then he need to move to join up with Luffy immediately. "We should-" The factory in the distance begins to rumble violently, and then to their great surprise, actually tears itself away from the ceiling and moves skyward. It disappears into the distance, leaving a gaping hole back to the surface of Dressrosa.

"Citizens and guests of Dressrosa," echos familiar voice. All heads turn towards the sound, finding a massive screen showing the face of Doflamingo. "I could have reigned over you all with terror from the start. After finding out the truth, I'm sure a great number of you want to kill me. That's why I prepared a game for you. It's a game to kill me. I'm in the Royal Palace, I won't run or hide. If you can take my life, the game ends there, of course. But there is another way to finish the game. Here is how. You kill all that people that I'm going to name now. I will also award a large prize for killing each one of them. Kill or be killed! Everyone in this country will become hunters! The only way to survive is to kill someone! No one is going to come help! Nobody can escape this Birdcage!" Footsteps begin to echo in the silence, as the former toys sprint towards the hole and the rubble forming a bridge to the surface.

"Oi! Robin! Run!" calls Kin'emon, dashing in their direction, his hands full of more little people.

"Kin'emon!" calls Robin. "I'm glad you're alright!" Kin'emon instantly focuses on Rebecca.

"A-An iron breast band?! This is quite a foreign culture. I love it!" Bartolomeo who has been intently focusing on the unconscious Usopp and comparing him to the bounty poster of 'Sniper King' finally seems to work up his courage and turns towards Robin.

"M-Miss Robin!" calls Bartolomeo. "Let me be your slave- I mean, can I ask you something? That guy's nose...it looks like Sniper Kings who is known for shooting out the flag on the Tower of Law!"

"It's him," Robin confirms. "His name is Usopp."

"I know it! Miss Robin was moved by the actions of her pirate group that turned the world against them to save one of their friends! That makes them the Enies Lobby Shoot Out Duo!" Bartolomeo seems to be over the moon meeting so many of his 'heros'. Robin's hand finds Run's own, and gives it a gentle squeeze...something that doesn't go unnoticed by Bartolomeo. "Wait...is Miss Robin and Run...? Ohhh! It's perfect! There's no one better for each other!"

"Think carefully!" Doflamingo speaks again. A crowd of pirates begins to gather in front of the large screen. "You can either come kill me or side with us the Donquixote Family and punish the thirteen fools who rebel against me. If you make the wrong decision, the game will not end. I'll pay one-hundred million Beli for each star rating! These are the criminals in Dressrosa!" Names, and pictures begin to flash across the screen. The one starts are Rebecca, Robin, Kin'emon, Viola, and Franky. The two star targets are Kyros and Zoro. The three start targets are 'key figures' of each group and they are Sabo, Luffy, Law and Riku Doldo.

"Look at you, Sabo," Run laughs. "Three-hundred million Beli for you alone."

"Next, there is the man who pissed me off most today! It's all his fault you all have to play such a bloody game! The one who kills him will get five-hundred million Beli!" Usopp's photo flashes across the screen, much to a now conscious Usopp's surprise and terror. "And finally...a special treat for all you people here! The second target worth five-hundred million Beli!" Run's name and picture flashes across the screen. "'Red' Run! The son of 'Red Haired' Shanks!"

"You little son of a bitch." Several meters ahead of them the crowd that has gathered slowly turns in their direction.

"There they are!" says one of them. "Both five stars! Along with two one stars and a three star!"

"We need to get out of here." Run quickly picks up Usopp and tosses him over a shoulder before moving for the gaping hole in the ceiling. Kin'emon, however, tells them that he has to stay behind to keep looking for Kanjuro and parts ways with them. They quickly break free of the crates, covering the distance to the rubble and begin sprinting up all with a large group still following. Run glances over his shoulder and smirks. "Alright! Let's give it another go!" He clenches his fist fightly, flames roaring to life...and dying out the next moment. "What the...? Robin! Why isn't the Devil Fruit working?!"

"It's not that simple," Robin tells him. "It takes practice to control a Devil Fruit properly. I imagine it's even more difficult with a Logia type because of the intangibility."

"Aw, fer...! If I'd have known that I'd never have eaten the damn thing!"

"I-I'll cover us!" Bartolomeo says. "Barrier!" The pirates chasing them sprint face first into one of his barrier's, coming to a screeching halt as they rebound and several tumble backwards down the rubble. "Stop chasing us you pathetic pirates! You don't even stand a chance!" Bartolomeo turns and quickly catches up with them. "Don't worry, Run! If anyone can master it, you can!" The ringing of a transponder snail sounds and Robin quickly digs it out to answer it.

"Zoro?" Robin asks.

"Yeah," replies Zoro.

"What are you now?"

"I'm with Luffy and the others. We're on, what they call, the King's Plateau. Things are getting messy, aren't they?"

"Is that Robin?" asks Luffy over the connection. "Did you see it?! Mingo's such a jerk, isn't he?! He just blurted out Run's secret like it was nothing! But Usopp's bit was pretty funny, huh? Rebecca was also on the list. I wonder if she's alright."

"She's here," Run says. "She's safe and sound, Luffy!"

"Ohhh! Is that Run?! Well, well?! Who won Ace's Devil Fruit?! Was it you or Sabo?! C'mon, tell me! I just gotta know!"

"Run cheated!" exclaims Sabo, earning raucous laughter from their brother. "But...I'm definitely not gonna lose to me next time!"

"Anyway, Rebecca, I'm here with soldier!"

"He turned back into a human, too, didn't he?!" Rebecca asks quickly. "Tell me, what kind of man is he?!"

"What do you mean? That one-legged soldier is your father!" Rebecca slowly comes to a stop. "He's the old man that statue is of!" Tears slowly start to fall down her face as she stares at the transponder snail...and eventually sinks to her knees. "That soldier guy has gone somewhere now, Rebecca, but you need to listen to me!" Seeing the pirates chasing them catch up, Run grasps Rebecca and quickly pulls her up and over his free shoulder. "I won't let soldier die! But you need to be safe, too! I feel bad that I couldn't let you have the Flare-Flare Fruit you wanted. But instead, I promise I'll kick Doflamingo's ass for you! So, stay with my friends! I'm gonna bring this stupid game to an end! So, survive! Ok?!"

"Luffy, who are you with, now?" Robin asks.

"I'm with Zoro and Tra-guy. And..." A voice echos through, announcing them as Riki Doldo and Viola.

"Okay, so there's five of you. On my side, we have-" She pauses as she realizes that Koala and Sabo are separating from the group and going their own ways. "-anyway, I'm going to move there with Run, Usopp and Rebecca..."


It seems that they just can't give the slip to those after the money. They've finally made it back into the colosseum, and they've gathered even more attention with the men shouting out their location every time they catch a glimse of them. "Robin, how can we get to the King's Plateau?" Rebecca asks, having finally been let down from Run's shoulder.

"Because of the geographical shift the colosseum is connected to the plateau!" Robin tells her. "If we climb up from there we can meet up with the others!" The shouting of more and more men pursuing them sounds from behind and Bartolomeo looks back.

"They're like roaches!" growls Bartolomeo. "They just keep coming back!"

"Good!" Hack grunts. "I'll take care of them all in one shot!" He slides to a stop and turns quickly. "Four-Thousand Brink Punch!" His attack scatters their gathered pursuers while they press on, eventually arriving beside the King's Plateau...where Robin uses Cien Fleurs: Spider Net to create a 'ladder' for them to climb using her arms. They send the little people and Usopp up the ladder first, and next is to be Rebecca but as she begins to climb a trio of men come out of nowhere, blades raised.

Run moves towards them in an instant. He may not have full control of his Devil Fruit yet but he can still take care of them like before. However, before he can get close, the three men are blind-sided by the former gladiator Tank, who knocks all of them aside with ease. "Tank!" gasps Rebecca.

"Rebecca!" speaks Tank, sinking to a knee. "I, Tank, will guard you with my life!"

"Captain Tank!" calls a voice from above.

"King Riku! I'm so glad you're alright!" They begin to climb the ladder created by Robin quickly, and reach about half way to the top before the whole town begins to rumble and shake. What more has Doflamingo got planned for them?! They all look around quickly, and notice a part of the city begin to raise itself skyward slowly, changing into a titanic stone man. When it's finally taken shape, the rumbling of the ground stops and they're left to stare at it in awe...at least until it speaks.

"Now!" says the stone titan in the high-pitched voice. "Those of you who rebel against our family...I'm gonna fight you!"

"...Dahahahaha!" laughs Run. "What's with that voice?!" However, Run's laughter pales in compairson to the laughter of another person he recognizes as Luffy. It echos across the town, apparently enraging the stone titan who immediately raises one of it's giant hands. Who'd have thought he'd be so sensitive about his voice? He brings his giant fist down, destroying a huge portion of the city along with it. The shock wave from that rattles the whole city and when it finally stops they quickly continue their climb to the top.

"I see so much money!" screams one of them. "Rebecca, one-hundred million! Nico Robin, one-hundred million! 'God' Usopp, five-hundred million! 'Red' Run, five-hundred million! The total is...one billion and two hundred million Beli!" One of the men catches Rebecca by the ankle as they climb quickly. "One-hundred million! Right in-" Run releases his hold on the net, dropping down several feet rapidly and planting a foot in the man's face before grasping the net again. The man plummets straight down and Run quickly boosts her up the net.

"Go, Rebecca!" They continue their climb to the top and as they finally reach it, Robin turns with a smile.

"Since we're finished with the net," Robin begins. "We should put it away." Her arms disappear into nothing but flower pedals...and the men on the net immediately plummet back to the earth. Run peers over the edge and then smirks.

"What a way to go." Hearing a loud explosion all heads turn towards the stone titan to find it's now missing it's entire head. "Looks, like Luffy and Zoro have been hard at work." The red head reaches up to scratch the stubble on his jaw. "How am I gonna...?"

"I found it!" calls a voice. All heads turn towards a dark haired woman walking towards them, key in hand.

"Viola!" shouts Rebecca, dashing in her direction and throwing her arms around her.

"I found it! The key to Trafalgar Law's handcuffs! I have to deliver it to them somehow!"

"Why are they so important to you?" Riku asks her. "They're pirates!"

"Yes, they're unlawful men who will break this country's deceptive peace! Father, I decided to trust them, the Straw Hat Pirates! The World Government gave him the title of Shichibukai, and that pirate Doflamingo terrorized this country, causing us so much pain! I don't want the help of the Navy that was supposed to uphold justice or the help of the Government! They can't hear the voices of the people who fell victim to them! People in authority only hear what they want! At least the words of the Straw Hat's are humane, and they take action out of the goodness of their hearts!"

"I'll take it to them," Run tells her, approaching and holding his hand out. "I was going that way anyway."

"I'll go with you," Rebecca adds. "I can't just stay here and wait." Bartolomeo charges over quickly, his eyes sparkling.

"Alright, let's do it!" agrees Bartolomeo. "Let's go see Luffy! You can count on me!" Run takes the key from Viola and then looks at Rebecca.

"Suit yourself," Run tells her. However, it's not just Rebecca and Bartolomeo but Robin and two of the little people that have been with them as well that want to join them. The two little people, Leo and Cub, decide that it's best to take the roof-tops to avoid attracting the attention of the people looking for them. "Alright, it's settled then." With their plan decided on, Robin pulls out the transponder snail and calls Luffy. After a few rings, someone finally picks up on the other end.

"Hello," says Luffy. "This is Monkey D. Luffy! I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"

"Luffy, it's me" Robin says in way of introduction. "We're still at the plateau you were at before. Where are you?"

"We're at the first level of the other plateau and heading to a place called the Sunflower Field."

"Viola found the key to Tra-guy's cuffs." Leo hops up to Robin's palm with surprising ease.

"Hello," Leo says quickly. "This is Leo of the Tontatta Tribe. We're going to escort Rebecca, Rooster Big Human, Robiland and Ruland there at a super high speed!"

"We'll meet at the Sunflower Field on the fourth level!"

"How will you guys catch up?" Luffy asks.

"We'll explain later," Leo assures him. "See you at the Sunflower Field!" While they're all wondering as to how they're going to get meet up with them, Cub raises his hands and shouts loudly into the sky for the 'Yellow Cubs' to come to them. They all squint their eyes in the direction that Cub has shouted and wait for several long moments before finally spotting...well, beetles. Not just a few beetles, either, but at least a few dozen of them that land in front of them.

"Alright!" says Cub. "Now, all of you please get aboard!" The four of them exchange looks and then look down at Cub.

"I hate to break it to you," begins Run. "But I don't think they can carry us. Trust me when I say, I'm a lot heavier than I look." Leo and Cub seem completely unfazed by the red head's words. In fact, both of them respond by giving them all a pair of strings, one for each hand.

"Now, let me give you all instructions," Leo says. "This is Tontatta Airlines' Jumping Service! Big Humans are too heavy, so they can't bear you. We don't have that much time anyway so..." Leo and Cub quickly charge in their direction...and surpise all of them by promptly throwing them over the edge. "...just take off!" Run's heart jumps into his throat, and he starts plummeting and he instantly turns his attention to Robin. These crazy little people are trying to kill them! However...rather than dropping like stones, they slowly begin to float down. "They can't fly you but they can slow you down when you fall!"

"Alright...now what?!"

"Head for a roof-top!" As they slowly descend, angling towards the roof-tops, Run hits the ground at a sprint. "Now, kick off!" With a grunt the red head leaps skyward, and once again the beetles begin carrying him. "Watch out for attacks from below, and then head for the Sunflower Fields!" Of course, things can't be that simple, after all flying through the sky does make you quite visible...and it isn't long before they start taking fire from the ground below.

"Don't worry!" calls Bartolomeo. "I'll put up a barrier! Barrier!" Several moments pass and suddenly Bartolomeo starts to panic. "Shit! I can't cross my fingers like this!" The people below continue shooting at them without delay. "You assholes! Don't push your luck! Fine! If it's come to THIS...I'm gonna do the same thing I did in the colosseum!" Bartolomeo wiggles violently...and his pants slip down around his ankles. The people below scatter quickly while he laughs. "You bunch of cowards!" They touch down several more times on their way to the Sunflower Fields with Bartolomeo managing to get his pants back up on one occasion.

They draw closer and closer to the now motionless stone titan...and a sudden explosion on one of the arms draws their attention. Through the dust they spot Zoro squaring off with several large, curved stone pillars...and one strangely human shaped one. "Oi!" shouts Zoro, finally noticing them. "What are you doing flying?"

"That's...Pica!" gasps Rebecca.

"Who?" Robin asks.

"One of the Top Executives of the Donquixote Family along with Trebol and Diamante!" The human shaped stone, suddenly shrinks back into the massive arm...and then reappears at the destroyed head of the stone titan. The whole thing begins moving again, aiming it's massive fist directly at them.

"Oi, Zoro!" Run calls. "How about a hand here?" Zoro leaps up, swords at the ready.

"Three-Sword Style!" grunts Zoro. "One-Thousand and Eighty Pound Phoenix!" Zoro brings his sword down, slicing through Pica's stone body in half from shoulder to hip with ease. They fly on free and clear, nearing the second level of the Sunflower Field. They have to be careful where they land now, or they might end up bumping into some of Doflamingo's men. As they draw closer to the second level, Rebecca spots several more of Top Executives of the Donquxiote Family who seem to be facing off with several of the gladiators from the colosseum.

But that's not all, they receieve a call from another little person who tells them that they've been sprung from the SMILE Factory but that Princess Mansherry isn't with them. Another call from Viola confirms that the Princess is being held in the 'naughty' room in Doflamingo's palace. They push off the second level, soaring through the sky and floating over the third level.

"We're getting ready to pass the third level, Rebecca!" Robin says.

"One more level to the flower field!" Rebecca says. "We're almost there!" Sensing something fast approaching Run glances down quickly, eyes widening as he spots several black balls sailing their direction.

"Oi! Heads up!" Run shouts, watching them slow to a stop around Bartolomeo. "Bartolomeo! Let go!" The black balls explode seconds later, obscuring him from view for several long moments before he finally drops from the sky. Robin follows moments later, the blast having enough power to knock out the beetles carrying her. "Robin!" Through the smoke Run can make out someone rapidly approaching them.

"It's Gladious!" calls Cub.

"Diez Fleurs!" speaks Robin. Multiple arms sprout from the man's body, quickly restraining him entirely. "Run! Take the key to the Flower Field! I'll be fine!"

"Son of a bitch!" shouts Run, watching them disappear through the fog below. The two of them fly higher, reaching the Flower Field and setting down safely. Doflamingo's palace looms in the distance beyond the sunflower field that stretches out in all direction. "Let's go. We need to find Luffy and Law."

"That's right!" speaks Leo. "We need to find Princess Mansherry as well! Runland, we'll leave Rebecca in your hands!" With that Leo and Cub rush off, dashing from place to place so quickly that Run almost has trouble following their movements.

"Come on." Run takes a single step forward and then stops. "Stop hiding." Rebecca's brow furrows in confusion and seconds later something in the tall sunflowers moves, and then stands. Diamante appears before the two of them calmly.

"I didn't think I'd be caught so quickly," Diamante says, grinning down at the two. "But...knowing it's you, red hair, I guess that makes sense." Run suddenly grins from ear to ear and clenches his fist tightly. Flames explode from his hand, rapidly flaring out in all directions from his body, setting the grass and part of the sunflower field ablaze. The flames spread quickly, forming a roaring blaze and encircling the three of them.

"I've been waiting for a second chance to try this Devil Fruit out, Diamante."

"Ohhh? Maybe this will be interesting." Run moves forward seconds later, flames leaping wildly from his body as he closes the distance. "Don't get so full of yourself after eating a Devil Fruit, red hair." Diamante sweeps his cape in front of him quickly. "Lock!" The flowing material seizes up instantly, presenting itself as a solid piece as Run comes to a stop several feet away, fist raised.

"Haki...Heat Burst!" With a single of his fist, he projects his own Busoshoku and the flames of the Flare-Flare Fruit. They strike Diamante head on with a loud 'boom!' and he sails backwards, smashing head first into the ground before tumbling back to his feet. With a quick move he instantly discards his cape, the material burning away into molten metal. "And...Flame Pillar!" With his opposite hand Run motions skyward, and Diamante glances down as flame begin whirling around in a circle surrounding him seconds before exploding skyward with a massive 'boom!'. Through the resulting flames Diamante appears, his body flattened and waving in the wind as he quickly moves away. Run whips in his direction, raising a hand as flames quickly gather and with a grunt he compresses them down into what appears as a small glowing marble.

"Now..." He snaps his fingers and the marble whizs through air. "...Fireball!" The resulting explosion completely dwarfs his Flame Pillar, blotting out the sky above them and shaking the ground for several seconds. "Holy shit!" laughs Run, looking shielding his eyes from the explosion. "I could get used to this!"

"Ohhh! Not bad!" Run's head snaps in Diamante's direction instantly. The man flutters through the air rapidly, moving not in his direction but Rebecca's. "Release!" He returns his body to it's original shape, looming over her with sword in hand. "But you can't use that Devil Fruit when I'm this close to Rebecca, red hair!" Run instantly starts in his direction, hand flying to the hilt of his saber. Diamante raises his sword just as Run appears beside him, and he rapidly twists to intercept his saber.

"Sundering Tide." Their weapons meet with a ringing of steel on steel...and Diamante's whole arm goes numb instantly. With a loud grunt he parry's Run's blow away from him, and lunges aside quickly. A loud 'boom!' sounds as a huge gash appears in the ground, shaving off a side of the Flower Field. For the first time in a long time...Diamante feels a very real chill gripping his heart. He'd had cut him in half if he hadn't managed to parry it.

"Guess I should've expected this much from the son of 'Red Haired' Shanks! You're-"

"Shouldn't give me distance, Diamante!" Run grins as his feet touch the ground, the inky blade of his saber suddenly wreathed in flame. "Crimson Sea!" Run leaps in his direction, saber raised and brings it down on in his direction. A single slash, and then several more crawling across the ground and leaving a sea of flames in their wake...before exploding in a pillar of flames under Diamante. Run quickly rakes a hand across his saber, extinguishing the flames with a hiss before raising it and tapping it against his shoulder. "I could really get used to this."

"Rebecca!" shouts a voice from behind. Both turn to look as a one legged man bounds of a strange almost glass-like set of stairs. He lands in front of her, beside the red head with his sword held at the ready. "Run...thank you for looking after her. Rebecca, I'm sorry. As a toy with no future, all I could do was teach you how to fight. Even though you're a gentle person like your mother. But it ends today. You...You don't have to fight anymore."

"My, my...how touching, Kyros!" laughs Diamante. "It almost sounds as if you mean to take me down all on your own!" He slowly reappears from the sunflowers, his flattened body returning to it's normal shape.

"Dodging all you can manage, Diamante?" Run taunts, a smirk appearing. "So much for these so called 'Top Executives'." The red head takes a single step forward and Kyros thrusts an arm out in front of him quickly.

"No," Kyros tells him. "Please. I'll take care of this. I must settle my score with all of them today!" Kyros launches himself forward seconds later while Run calmly paces backwards. This brief exchange with Diamante had taught him quite a lot already. He can combine the power of the Flare-Flare Fruit with his Haki and his swordsmanship easy enough. He reasons that has a lot to do with his own familiarity with those moves and abilities. But outright controlling it is still feels rather difficult and cumbersome. In particular, delicate and precise control seems to be out of the question at this time. Even so, combining the Flare-Flare Fruit with what Shanks called 'Emission Busoshoku'...there could be quite a lot there if he takes the time to focus on it.

"Rebecca! Run!" screams a familiar voice. Rebecca and Run whip around quickly and move to the strange staircase. Luffy sprints up the stairs with Law thrown over a shoulder. "The key! I need the key!" Run quickly digs it out of his pocket, watching as a giant tin soldier suddenly lunges at them from behind. Luffy quickly dodges the tin soldier, and kicks off it's head to launch the two of them into the sky.

"Luffy!" shouts Run. "Coming at you!" He cocks back and throws the key right at Luffy, who stretches an arm out towards it quickly. The tin soldier chases after them, launching itself into the sky with it's mouth open wide. Luffy catches the key from the air right as the jaws of the soldier close around them. "Oh, sh-" A set of cuffs strike the ground in front of Run and he grins from ear to ear.

"Room!" says Law, a translucent bubble stretching out in all directions. The body of the tin soldier is sliced to pieces seconds later, and both Luffy and Law land several feet away. Run approaches the two of them calmly, raising his saber to rest on his shoulder.

"What took you so long, Luffy?" Run asks.

"You didn't beat me by much!" complains Luffy, who then looks around at all the flames surrounding them. "Ohhh! I guess you got used to the Flare-Flare Fruit, huh?"

"Not really. It's gonna take some time...but I think we've got a good opportunity to test it out, huh?"

"Yeah! Mingo is here, right?"

"Law! Straw Hat!" growls Diamante. The man quickly launches himself in their direction before being intercepted by Kyros.

"I'm sorry," Kyros says. "My hands are full here. Could you take care of Doflamingo for me?"

"Yeah!" chirps Luffy. "We'll leave him to you, Soldier! Let's go!"

"Lucy!" Rebecca calls. "Are you really going to take down Doflamingo?"

"It's not Lucy. My name is Luffy! The man who will become the King of the Pirates!" As they start moving, Diamante once again tries to stop them. Law responds by summoning his 'Room' and teleporting them out of the path and into the palace proper. "Alright! We're inside, right? Let's go kick Mingo's ass!"

"Wait!" Law says. "Scaple." A pained grunt escapes him and after a moment he pulls his hand back, holding three bullets in his palm. "That bastard. He used lead balls on purpose." He tosses them aside and looks at the two of them. "Doflamingo isn't someone you can beat with sheer will alone. We need to have a plan."

"Hate to be the bearer of bad news," Run begins. "But I think that ship has sailed. It seems to be do or die now."

"'Kicking someones ass' can't be the answer to everything! It's also not a plan!"

"Why not?" counters Luffy. "It's easier that way!" Sudden crying causes three heads to turn towards a little girl standing several feet away. "What the..." She approaches the three of them, tears streaming down her face as she does so.

"Please help me, big brothers!" cries the little girl. "Papa! Mama! Where are you?"

"Don't tell me she's lost?"

"In a place like this, no way," Law says. "Don't pay attention to her." The little girls crying ratches up a few notches and Run turns to glare at Law in response.

"Nice job, dick," Run grunts.

"Look, it's not our problem! Let's go!" The three turn away from the little girl who continues her crying and asks them not to leave her there alone. When they continue on their path, however, she offers them the basket of what seems to be grapes...which brings Luffy to an abrupt halt. What happens the next second, however, throws all of them off. What seems like a poorly drawn rendition of Usopp's face flies between them and startles the little girl so much that she passes out on the spot. Several of Doflamingo's men rush out from their hiding places to surround the little girl and Luffy stretches an arm out wrapping both Law and Run up tightly.

"Let's go!" Luffy says, stretching his free arm up and grasping the remaining top of the palace before sling-shotting them up and over...and landing right in front of Doflamingo. "We're here, Mingo!"

"Let me just make sure," begins Doflamingo. "Just in case I'm wrong. You three...what did you come here for?"

"To kick your ass!"

"Same here!"

"Ain't that obvious?"

"I'm disappointed..."