Metal Sharpens Metal

While on the way to the Baratie, you think back to how you passed out during the fight with Kuro. That was not going to fly. As it turns out, Silk came to talk to you about that exact same problem; after defeating Siam, she had to be roused to even help!

It was through this mutual wish of improvement that the two faced each other on the deck of the Merry, about to spar... Devil Fruit style! Nami was taking a nap, but Ussop, who cleared the deck when he heard what the two of you were doing, made it very clear you and Silk would be waking up to hot sauce up your noses if Merry was hurt even a bit.

As you prepare to face off with the only other DF user nearby, you scratch your chin in thought. "I have to find ways to use less stamina. Ussop might not always be around to rouse me…What if I only use Iron Boxing on my hands…" With a hearty cry of "Summon!" your hands go black and gold before they solidify into metal! You slam your armored hands together, reveling in that 'Clank-Clank' sound you've come to love! "Iron Dusters!" Now, how did Kuro do all that flashing about...

On the other side of the deck, Silk was also thinking of how to diversify her move set. "Okay, so if Hook was right, my powers are linked to gold! Gold's like iron, right? So, let's make something new…like a whip!" As Silk concentrated, Dorado shifted and changed…into a mass of molten gold! "Uhhhh…well, it worked…mostly?" Silk said with a sweat drop on her brow.

You blink at your flustered opponent. "Are, er, is everything alright over there?"

Silk, trying to hide that she was clearly surprised, stammered, "No, no! It's fine! I, um, meant to do that…so," she takes a battle stance wielding the golden glob, "come at me!"

You're uncertain, but who are you to not be accommodating? "O…kay…Well, then," you begin to kick the ground furiously, and shout "Here! I! Come!" as you charge forward…and appear instantly in front of Silk, to both of your surprises!

You and Silk, inches from each other's faces, have the exact same thought: "Shit!"

Miraculously, Silk narrowly dodges, while you smack soundly into the mast!

You moan into the wood. "Ow…Well, that kinda worked…maybe one more try…"

After you unstuck your face from the grain, you make a T with your still metal hands. "Hold on. We aren't going to get any better tripping over each other's feet. Let's take some time, and get our moves down pat, okay?"

Silk, who looked at her misshapen mass, nodded. "Y-yeah…if I can't keep the form Dorado's supposed to be in…" Before she finished her sentence, the golden glob began to shrink and compact into its first form. "Oh! It's returned!"

You snap your fingers, an odd metal-on-metal sound. "And that's the name of the game: control!" And so, for the next three minutes, that's what you two did; you spent two of them trying to figure how to not wear out your leg muscles, all while sporting the Iron Dusters. After a while, you had…something figured out. It did not have the range like Kuro's Stealth Foot, but you could cross from port to starboard in two of it.

Meanwhile, Silk spent a minute trying to…grasp Dorado. Specifically, understanding the elements that consisted of its form. Once she felt comfortable with that, she spent the next turn extending and retracting the shaft. It really put the shapeshifting thing into perspective; namely, how faulty she was thinking earlier.

Trying to control Dorado like Hook controlled the objects in his body would not work. Dorado was more of an extension of her form – if the Iron Mace was Hook's arm, the Pride of Cisco was Silk's third arm. And it was on that thought, she tried to make something new.

When you turn around, you get into a proper fighting stance - only this time, you bouncing on the balls of your feet. "Alright, ready!"

Silk stepped forward with her new, or rather reformed, Weapon – Dorado had been changed in a great golden gauntlet that stopped before her elbow. "So am I!" She stated with a resolute expression.

You whistle at the sight. "Nice!"

"Well," Silk looked down in embarrassment, "It was supposed to be armor…"

Turning off your Dusters, you give a few practice jabs. "You can try that next time. Now, brace yourself!"

Silk looked up at that. "Brace for – WHA!" She brought up her gilded arm to block the Iron Knuckle that almost knocked her over! After scrambling back a bit, she rights herself and fixes a glare at you. "Hey! You call that a warning!?"

You smile in a mocking manner. "You've been predicting me since we met! Now you turn off your Hook Radar?" You crack your knuckles. "Now, let's put that new trick to use! Because I'll be damned if all you do with that power is glitter!"

The next few minutes, you lay into the blonde with Iron Knuckles, Hammers, and Sweeps; if she's not blocking the Attacks, and steadily getting better at holding her ground, she's dodging left, right, and up (literally, jumping over an Iron Sweep)! After about 10 minutes of that, both of you are breathing heavily.

"Hey…Hook…I think this new Gauntlet…rocks, but…making it the first time was…kinda tiring. How about…one last attack? Don't you…dare hold back!"

"Fine then!" You run back as far as you can on the main deck, kicking the ground several times, to build momentum. "Just remember…" You activate Summon on your arm, conjuring a good deal of iron to increase the Mace's mass. "I expect the same from you! Quicksilver-"

As you take one step forward, already halfway across the deck, Silk has already cocked back her arm. "Mighty…"

You Summon the Iron Mace with a whole lot more baggage than usual! "-CRUSHER!"

At the same time, Silk lets her fist fly, the glow almost blinding! "SMASH!"

The metal fist collides with a solid shockwave, both sides unyielding! The force from the collision sends ripples through the air, billowing in the mainsail! And as quickly as it starts-

PLOOSH!

It implodes, rocking the Merry violently in the water! As the ship stops rocking, both you and Silk are laying on the deck. After gulping in some air, you ask Silk, "So…can you move?"

Her panting stops for a bit, before she simply says, "Nope. Can't move at all. You?"

You shake your head, then realize she can't see you. "Not remotely. Who…won that?"

Silk hummed like she was thinking. "You know…it is very unclear…" You're both quiet…before busting out into a fit of giggles.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" Nami screamed, awoken from her nap.

"SO COOL!" "HOW SCARY!" Johnny and Yosaku cried as they had been watching for the last few minutes.

"THE MAST! WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE MAST!?" Ussop lamented as he looked at the dent your face had made.

You pause in thought. "You mean that won't buff out?" As Ussop went stomping off, muttering about "haberno or tabasco," Merry's new battle scar was the least of your concerns...