"Heat Haze!" growls Run, launching a gout of flames at Cracker. He swings his sword in front of him quickly, whirling it around in a blur to deflect the spray of flames. Through the spray of flames Run suddenly appears, saber held at the ready. "Sundering Tide!" The sound of steel crashing against steel echos through the forest, and leaves a ringing on the ears of both men. Run raises his free hand, coating it in Haki instantly. "Sea King's- whoa!" He twists in air, whipping his saber up and deflecting a second blade from Cracker before planting both feet in the man's chest and kicking off. Cracker staggers backwards several steps as Run lands several meters away.

Cracker stands before the red head, an extra arm having sprouted from his left side and clutching tight to an identical copy of his sword. "I'm the Biscuit Knight," Cracker tells him. "One of three Sweet Commanders. Also known as Thousand Armed Cracker." He raises his right hand towards his left shoulder. "If I tap once..." He taps his shoulder, and an extra arm sprouts clutching a biscuit shield. "...it becomes two. If I tap it again, it becomes three. They'll keep multiplying. Don't even dream of beating me." Run rushes forward, and Cracker raises his shield in front of him. "I won't let you screw up Mama's tea party!"

"Sea King's Rush!" His knee smashes into the face of the shield, and both men remain stationary for several long moments before a loud cracking and popping fills the air. Cracker lunges backwards as the red head goes forward, pieces of biscuit scattering across the ground. Run's feet have barely touched the ground before he quickly lunges backwards, and then again and again, avoiding Cracker's blade as the tall man chases after him. Run flexes the fingers of his right hand, flames roaring to life once more and rapidly swirling around the two of them in a large circle. "Flame Pillar."

Both men are instantly engulfed in a rising sea of flames, disappearing from view for several moments until the red head reappears standing several feet away. With a motion of his hand, the flames scatter, setting a large portion of the forest surrounding them ablaze. Cracker stands several meters away from the red head, looking lightly toasted but otherwise unharmed.

"Insolent brat. You really believe you can defeat me?" He holds his large sword out in front of him. "Look at this sword! Isn't it something? It's called Pretzel...it's one of a kind. There isn't another like it in the whole world!" The red head raises his saber and taps the back of it against his shoulder.

"Then, it's a shame you're wielding it. Maybe I'll give it a new home after I've taken you down, Cracker."

"You little bastard...I'll teach you just how rough the New World can be!" Cracker rushes forward, creating more arms clutching swords smilar to his own. Run pushes forward with a grin as well, and the ringing of steel against steel echos loudly through the forest. The anger on Cracker's face rapidly fades after the first exchange when the red head doesn't budge an inch...and in fact begins to push him backwards. Cracker snarls and raises one of his swords, rapidly spinning the blade as it darkens with Haki. "Roll Pretzel!" He thrusts the sword forward, the blade of Run's saber whipping up in an instant.

The tip of his sword collides with the flat of Run's saber, a resounding 'boom!' following immediately after. Cracker recoils violently, sliding backwards several meters before eventually bringing himself to a stop. Run stands across from him, holding his saber out in front of him as if inspecting it. "One of a kind...well, that's going to be harsh blow, then." Cracker looks down at his sword quickly, finding several inches of it missing completely.

"Hmph...if you truly think of Vinsmoke Sanji as your friend, then why don't you leave him alone? He's the Prince of a mighty kingdom. He's in a totally different class than you. By taking a noble wife he can live here in great comfort. You can't even wish your friend happiness, and by fighting to take him back you're being selfish. Don't you think the virtuous prince would be disgusted by such a crew...he'd tell such low-class pirates to-" His whole world is suddenly spinning...no, not the world, just him! He blinks in surprise, finding the red head standing in front of him, body spinning and flames roaring to life across his saber.

"Crimson Tide." His blade comes down as Cracker raises his swords in front of himself. Their weapons collide, and the saber pass right through towards his body, slashing through. Flames and slashes crawl across the ground, propelling him through the air before exploding in a wave of flames. "Sorry. Haven't got time to listen to Big Mom's mouth-piece." Through the sea of flames Run senses something fast approaching, and whips his saber up instantly. The crash of steel upon steel sounds again, and both men stand firm against one another.

"You did a good job breaking my armor...and it was my favorite armor, too." Flames roar to life across the red head and Cracker leaps back quickly before they can spread to him. "I'm a Devil Fruit eater, too, you know. I ate the Bis-Bis Fruit and became a biscuit human. Like your Logia, I can create an infinite amount of biscuits and control them!" He shoves his sword into the ground and claps his hands, creating several biscuits around himself. "I can shape them into anything! Crushed Biscuit!" The large biscuits slowly break into powder, beginning to take another shape behind him. "And if I craft it carefully..." The powder slowly shapes several warriors that resemble his armor. "...there you go! Tough warriors! Through-out time, biscuits changed their shapes according to the bakers whims. Not many people have ever found out what I really look like. In fact, even my wanted poster is a picture of my armor! I-"

"Fireball." Cracker blinks as something whizs softly through the air, and a nearly deafening boom echos behind him. Flames briefly illuminate the sky, shining light down upon the forest as if the sun has risen prematurely. "If it's a battle of attrition you're after...I'm happy to oblige." The red head flexes his fingers once more, flames spreading from his body to the earth and then the Homies around them. Cracker rapidly claps his hands, summoning more of his biscuit warriors behind him.

"Learning that there are people you can't beat in this world is the true mark of progress, you bastard! I'll show you!" The biscuit warriors surge forward and the red head smirks, raising his free hand.

"Fireball." A explosion of flames detonates between the two, engulfing the biscuit warriors for several moments before finally dying off to reveal a smouldering crater filled with charred and burned biscuits. Cracker raises his hands and claps multiple times.

"No matter how many of them you beat, it doesn't make any difference. All you're doing is wasting your time. Once the Vinsmoke Family enters the castle tomorrow, you'll never be able to meet your friend again." Once more they biscuit warriors surge forward and once more they're reduced to nothing but flaming and charred biscuit. For hours they repeat this, create and destroy, create and destroy...it seems to be cycle without end for the two who can create a limitless amount of their respective element. "It's fun to have someone who breaks them like you! It makes it worth making them! But no matter how much you fight, you have no chance of winning!"

"Haaah...you're right." The red head looks in the direction of the rising sun. "I guess it's about time to put an end to this, huh?"

"Huh? Have you finally-"

"Sea King's Bite." Run's fist lands squarely on Cracker's jaw, and his heads snaps back instantly. A spray of blood, and a handful of teeth erupt past his lips as he follows the motion, flying backwards with the powerful punch. A hand closes around an ankle like an iron vice, and he finds himself yanked back and summarily smashed back into the ground. Having his ankle released almost immediately after, he begins to push himself up from the scorched earth.

"You-" A hand grasps the back of his head tightly and his vision is briefly blotted out as Run's knee smashes into his face.

"Sea King's Rush." The world fades away as Cracker is thrown backwards once again, smashing through several of his own biscuit warriors and coming back to his senses as he tumbles across the ground. His remaining biscuit warriors race towards the red head, weapons at the ready. "Churning Tide." A loud 'whoosh!' sounds as Run appears behind them, multiple slashes racing across the ground and ending behind him in a loud explosion. Cracker pushes himself to his feet and rushes head long at him instantly.

"Honey Pretzel!" Cracker thrusts his sword at the red head who raises his own, meeting it head on with the flat of the blade. Both men stand stock still for several seconds before Run shoves against him, pushing Crackers sword to his right. Before he can react, Cracker finds an elbow driven into his nose, a soft 'crunch!' and searing pain accompanying it. "Argh! You bastard!" Cracker leaps backwards, shoving his sword deep into the ground and rapidly clapping his hands. Numerous biscuit warriors are rapidly created between the two of them, and instantly swarm the red head. "You fuckin' brat...don't push your luck!"

"Fireball." An explosion of flames engulfs the warriors and the red head, shrouding them from view. But rather than disappear as they'd done countless times before they remain behind, swirling and crackling, slowly beginning to shift as if they've a mind of their own. They clear briefly to reveal the red head standing unharmed among the flames, his right arm held out. "We're done here, Cracker." He watches as the red head flexes his fingers, the flames compressing rapidly, retreating towards his outstretched arm. Cracker presses forward quickly, sword raised.

"I'm gonna kill you, red hair! Honey Pretzel!" The flames compress, shrouding his arm completely. Run disappears from his view, reappearing in front of him. "Wha-" The flames roar loudly, heat pouring from the red head as they slowly take shape before his eyes. First a head...a body...wings...

"Phoenix Rising." The red head's fist strikes him in the stomach, and he instantly spits up blood which boils away under the heat of the flames that follow. He's propelled skyward, the flames flowering out into the shape of large bird. Cracker disappears into the distance and Run sighs softly, slowly shoving his saber back into it's sheath. "So much for a Sweet Commander."

"Weather Egg! Rain Tempo!" shouts a familiar voice. The sky over his head rapidly darkens, and rain begins to pour down. Several minutes of intense rain is what it takes full douse the flames, and after that he's surprised to find Luffy, Nami, the strange man who was once buried and a number of Homies running through the burned forest in his direction.

"Oi! Run!" shouts Luffy, grinning from ear to ear. "We finally found you! You were fighting, right?! Who was it?! Ohh! We saw that cool fire bird!" Nami on the other hand is less excited to see him, and instantly smacks him in the head. She yells at him for getting seperated from her and leaving her by herself in the forest, and for nearly burning down the whole forest.

"I was fighting someone named Cracker," Run tells him. "One of-"

"One of the three Sweet Commanders!" gasps the strange man. "You're gonna be in a lot of trouble! The last time one of the Commanders was beaten, Linlin flew into a rage and caused a storm! I heard that it sank the enemy ship in the blink of an eye!"

"A storm?" echos Nami.

"Linlin is always accompanied by weather elements. On her left hand, Zeus, a thundercloud! On her right hand, Prometheus, a sun! Nothing can stop her when she gets mad! Before she hears about this, you had better run away!"

"I don't care if she gets mad," Luffy tells him. "I'm the one who wants to get mad! First of all, Sanji, that fool! How could he disappear leaving that note behind without telling us why! Thanks to Pudding's map we made it this far but Pekoms went missing. And although Pudding said that she'd bring Sanji no one was at the rendezvous point. We spent the whole night searching but all we did was waste time! When they get married, Sanji will become Big Mom's subordinate, right?! We gotta get going! Run, are you ready?" Run cracks his neck loudly with a smirk.

"Ready as I'll ever be, Luffy," Run tells him. "Cracker said they'd be entering some castle today. That's probably where the wedding is going to take place."

"Pound, do you know where that is?" Nami asks the man. "We need to get there right away!"

"A-Are you serious?" Pound asks her. "You guys need to run away! If Linlin-"

"I'm not gonna run away!" Luffy tells him. He looks at the giant tree several feet away from them. "Oi, tree! You know where the castle is, right?! Take us there...!"


Riding on top of a moving tree...not exactly something any of them thought they'd ever do. But then again, they've experienced a lot of things they would never experience. Apparently, they've been through a lot since he lost Nami in the woods. She eventually met up with Luffy, and pulled Pound free from the ground, they had to beat back Brulee who had captured Chopper, and after that started using the Vivre Card Lola gave them to manipulate the Homies into helping them search the woods for Sanji and Pudding.

They spent most of their night doing that, and while Nami wanted to head for Run once they were sure he was fighting, Luffy assured her that he would be fine on his own and that they could keep searching. At Luffy's insistence, he tells him about his battle with Cracker through the night. For all the man's talk he didn't put up much of a real fight, preferring to stay away from the actual battle and let his biscuit warriors do the fighting for him. He's just finished his story when they finally break free of the Seducing Woods, moving at top speed across an open field with a large town in the distance.

"Oh, one more thing, Luffy," Run adds. "I've changed my mind."

"Huh? About what?" Luffy asks.

"I don't want to just surpass the old man anymore. That's not good enough for the future King of the Pirates. Instead...I'm gonna take Whitebeards title. I'm gonna be 'The Strongest Man in the World'." After a few moments Luffy actually grins from ear to ear and breaks out in laughter.

"Alright! That's good! The King of the Pirates should have a First Mate that strong!"

"Oi, you guys," the tree suddenly says. "You're all in luck. Look ahead. That's Germa 66." Their attention is drawn to a number of carriages in the distance, all of them painted black and emblazoned with the number '66' on the side. They certainly aren't afraid of anyone finding out who they are.

"Let's go!" Luffy immediately leaps from the tree, and sprints in the direction of the carriages. "Oi! Sanji!" Run jumps down and sprints after him quickly. It isn't exactly what Pudding promised but they're willing to take what they can get right now.

"Sanji!" shouts Nami, waving in his direction. "I'm glad that we made it in time!" Luffy wastes no time in leaping once more in their direction, tightly grasping onto the side of one of the carriages and nearly knocking it over if the violent rocking is an indication.

"We're here to pick you up, Sanji! You said you'd be back in the note but I didn't want to wait. I was gonna come by myself but-" Nami and Run's eyes widen when Sanji suddenly kicks Luffy in his face, sending him flying back in their direction. Luffy lands flat on his back, slowly sliding to a stop and then pushing himself up to stare at Sanji in disbelief. A number of soldiers rapidly form up between them, all of them pointing their weapons at the two of them.

"You lost your fuckin' mind, cook?" Run growls, coming to a stop beside Luffy.

"Get lost, you low-class pirates," Sanji tells them. "You're annoying me. My name is Vinsmoke Sanji. I'm a Prince of the Germa Kingdom! The difference between our standings couldn't be more clear. If I stay here, I can spend money, use servants and soldiers as I like. Going back to that crappy ship with you and your friends...or staying here and marrying Big Mom's beautiful daughter. It's pretty obvious which one is the better choice! I can't believe you've come all this way, thanks for the trouble! Now, get lost...whatever your names are."

"Screw that!" Luffy barks at him, slowly standing up. "You're not convincing at all!"

"I'll do you a favor!" calls Yonji from the carriage. "I'll help you drive them off!"

"Stay out of this," Sanji tells him. "I'll send them away myself."

"You really have lost your fuckin' mind," Run accuses. He takes a step forward and Luffy thrusts an arm out in front of him quickly.

"What do you mean by sending us away?!" demands Luffy.

"Get lost," Sanji tells him. "There's no other meaning. I don't know why you're here...but I appreciate your effort. That said, did you even think about me? Rather than being with you dirt-poor and weakling pirates, it'd be better to be a part of the rich and powerful Big Mom pirates. I'll be happier, and let's be honest...you're never going to be King of the Pirates. It's human nature to ally yourself with the strong."

"Stop joking, Sanji!" Nami screams. "Why are you talking like this?!" Sanji glares at her and she shrinks back in response.

"Then, all this time," Luffy begins. "You've just been fooling me."

"Yeah, that's right," Sanji tells him. "I've just been looking down on you this whole time." Sanji lifts a foot, which promptly ignites in flame. "I bet you never saw it coming so it's hard to accept. I'll prove it, so get ready. Diable Jambe..." He leaps at the two of them, and kicks Luffy in the face. "...Joue Shot!" Luffy flies away from the two of them and Run quickly snarls in response.

"You son of a bitch!" growls Run, launching a punch at the man instantly.

"Stop!" demands Luffy, watching the red head freeze up inches from punching Sanji in the face. "Don't fight, Run!" The red head flickers from sight, reappearing several feet away, brow furrowed and glaring daggers at Sanji. "We came here to talk. None of us are gonna fight you, Sanji." Sanji turns his attention to Run.

"So you came, too? You damn nuisance! You've always been selfish!" He launches a kick at the red head which lands right on his temple. Run simply turns his head with the impact and Sanji growls before kicking him a second time in the stomach, sending him sliding backwards across the grass. "You left Robin behind just to come all the way out here! I bet you didn't even think twice before doing it, did you!"

"Please, stop, Sanji!" Nami shouts. "We just came here to pick you up! Run even fought against one of the commanders through the whole night! He-"

"That the best you got, cook?" Run asks, raising a hand and cracking his neck loudly. "Think a few love taps will intimidate me?" Sanji growls and immediately snaps a kick out again, aiming at his jaw and succeeding in making him take a single step in the opposite direction before he catches himself and stands tall once again. "Sorry." He turns his head and spits out a small mouthful of blood onto the ground before smirking. "But that's not good enough, either."

"Damn red hair!" Sanji instantly delivers a flurry of kicks to the red head but regardless he stands tall, only turning his head to spit out another mouthful of blood when he stops. "What's it going to take to get through that thick skull of yours?!"

"Hmph. I always wondered how we might stack up...now I see I didn't have anything to worry about." He quickly snaps out a few more kicks and Run actually laughs as him. "Still with the weak kicks. No wonder Robin didn't give you a second look."

"Run, stop!" screams Nami.

"You...!" Sanji begins, and then takes a deep breath. "Fine. If you're not gonna leave, then I'm not gonna go easy on you. Luffy! He brought this on himself...so don't regret it after he dies." Sanji rapidly spins around, igniting his leg once more. He leaps high into the sky above the red head quickly.

"That's enough, Sanji! Please, we'll leave!" He rapidly drops down from the sky, and delivers a kick right to the top of Run's head.

"Concasser!" Run's knees buckle under the kick, and he plants a hand firmly on the ground as blood splashes down. Sanji takes a step back from the red head who remains completely still. Nami and Luffy both quickly sprint in his direction, and come to a sudden stop when he holds a hand out in their direction. "Hm?"

"Not bad," Run tells him, slowly standing up. He cracks his neck loudly as blood begins to rush down his face. "I actually dropped a knee." Sanji's brow furrows as he stares at the smirking red head.

"You-" Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, Run glances over his shoulder just as Nami passes and actually slaps him across the face.

"Goodbye, 'Prince'," Nami says to him. "We should have never done this!" Sanji remains stock still for several long moments before turning his back and walking back to the carriages. He climbs in, and they slowly continue on their way. Run staggers backwards and Luffy catches him before he falls. "Run! Are you alright?"

"Wait, Sanji!" Luffy screams at the carriages. "I know you're just saying things you don't mean! No matter how many times you kicked us, I know...that you were the one getting hurt! Our journey isn't over yet! I'm gonna wait right here! If you don't come back then I'm gonna starve to death right here! You're the cook of my ship! I won't eat anything other than what you cook! Even if I get hungry or spears rain down on me, I'm gonna stay right here and wait for you! Be sure to come back, Sanji! Without you...I can't become King of the Pirates!" The carriages disappear into the distance, and Luffy carefully lowers Run to the ground. Nami approaches and kneels down beside him.

"Are you alright?" Nami asks him.

"I'll live," Run replies.

"Good." After a few moments she actually smacks him in the head! "What the hell were you thinking?! Why would you keep goading him on like that?!"

"I wasn't the who picked the fight. But since he seemed so dead set on it, I wanted to see if he would actually fight like he meant it." Run sits up with a heavy sigh. "I knew it would piss him off if I brought up Robin but even after that he didn't actually kick me like he wanted to kill me. Still...I think he actually knocked me out for a second or two. It's been a while since that happened." He looks over at Luffy. "What do you want to do, Luffy?"

"I'm gonna wait right here," Luffy tells him.

"But we're right in the middle of enemy territory," Nami says. "Pound said that the last people who took down a Sweet Commander were annihilated in the blink of an eye by Big Mom's vengeful army that came along with a storm. The enemy is going to come...but Sanji..."

"Sanji will come! So, I'm gonna wait here!" Dark clouds rapidly begin to form over head, and a cool wind begins to blow. The first few drops of rain begin minutes after that, and it soon turns into a down pour. Thunder and lightning rage over their heads.

"It's raining. No...this is...syrup?" Luffy snorts and lowers his head.

"I'm not even gonna let this syrup into my mouth! I won't eat anything other than what Sanji cooks!" The rain falls in sheets around the three of them, and eventually Luffy looks up. Both Luffy and Run stare off into the distance calmly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nami...go hide somewhere. They're coming." Luffy slowly stands up. "Run, you-"

"I'm not going anywhere," Run tells him, standing as well. "I can still fight." In the distance, what seems to be an army slowly advances in their direction. Nami scales to the top of the massive tree Homie, and turns to stare at the advancing army wide-eyed...just how many of them are there?

"Luffy, Run!" Nami calls. "At least hide! It's alright to get away from here, at least for a little while!"

"No!" growls Luffy. "Sanji might come while I'm gone! Nami, go hide!"

"It's impossible! We're in Big Mom's territory! The three of us can't fight all of those soldiers!"

"You guys should run away now. Go!" The tree doesn't need to be told twice, and quickly turns around and takes off at a sprint. As they disappear into the distance, the advancing army of Big Mom's subordinates comes to a stop several hundred feet away from them.

"You two!" screams one of them. "You're Straw Hat Luffy and Red Run, aren't you?!"

"I'm amazed that you two didn't flee!" shouts another.

"I bet your legs were shaking so bad you couldn't even manage it!"

"I know that you have allies hiding around here!"

"It doesn't matter," Luffy tells them.

"It does! There's no way weaklings from the Worst Generation could have beaten a Sweet Commander! Those who laid their hands on Big Bro Cracker are all our targets for revenge!"

"We know that you guys came to this island with your allies! So spit it out!"

"Shut up," growls Luffy.

"What?"

"I said, shut up! Run is the one who beat down that Cracker guy!"

"You bastard!" A large man suddenly breaks the ranks of the army and charges in their direction. He leaps into the air, coating his arm in Haki as he drops towards Luffy. Run raises a hand, flames suddenly roaring to life and then compressing into a small red bead. With a snap of his fingers it sails in the man's direction, appearing before his eyes in an instant.

"Fireball," mutters Run. The explosion of flames blots out the sky above their heads, and immediately blankets the area with a cloud of steam that's rapidly swept away as the man flies back towards the army, striking the ground and sliding to a stop still steaming under the pouring rain.

"Damn you! We're gonna crush you! Go...!"