Fullbody Squad lounged in the bar languidly, more languidly than the day could have presented. Upon arriving in Gecko Town, he had led his men around on a survey of the township to keep it safe. They had been phoned and Puding's ten men had elected to take the ship, claiming the commodore had ordered it and for Fullbody Squad to remain in Gecko to guard it. Yet two hours had passed now, and Fullbody had led his Marines down a drinking path, dejected by their treatment from Puding Squad.
And even Fullbody could tell that the bartender and his patrons were getting tired of the Marines; Fullbody's men had a habit of getting rowdy before noon, and it was 3:37. Yet in the forest, approaching Gecko at a rapid pace, were the Clown Pirates, led by Mohji on back of Richie the lion and Cabaji on his unicycle. The pirates numbered seventy strong and were long overdue for some personal plunder. In addition to the item they wanted from an innocent old woman's antiquity shop, the pirates had been given permission to loot as they willed. Any distraction from their true goal would be better overall.
Another unknown factor, though, were the four Straw Hats that pumped their legs after the Clown Pirates vehemently. The Clowns already had even a slimmer of a head start that gave them a huge benefit, and whether or not they knew the island didn't matter to the Straw Hats. "How do we know where we're going?" Johnny panted.
"Who knows? Let's just keep going! It's gotta be this way," Usopp responded, four steps ahead of the others with his fast pace.
"Brilliant idea to leave our navigator behind," Yosaku grumbled.
"I wasn't going to let her come with us," Sanji threw back. "Besides, I didn't want Luffy to be left alone."
"It'll be fine!" Usopp barked out to the others, not wanting even a hint of discrepancy in their initiative moving forward. Their being outnumbered was already a massive factor to him. "Just keep pushing forward." There could be no infighting.
Buggy's arms and legs came swirling at Luffy in wide arcs, their blades aiming at his head or body or anything they could hit. Luffy threw back what punches he could, but there was so far fewer target areas to hit. He found his punches missed more often than not, and floating about in mid air as they were, the punches that did connect did little to slow Buggy's appendages. Nami was horrified as she watched Buggy's head and torso flying high above the brawl, cackling away while his limbs shouldered the burden of the fight.
"Wake up, Mugiwara! You are nothing to me! On these seas, they hold your infamy down! You've mistaken me for another peon from before," Buggy said with a devil's laugh. I've got him! he thought, truly confident in what he'd established himself as for the first time in his entire interim as a pirate captain.
Though from on high, Buggy estimated that Luffy took this brawl all too seriously. Buggy's banter didn't even seem to reach his ears, and that irritated him all the more. Who does he think he is? Just because he has the hat?! It made no sense to Buggy as things stood, and he debated all the different tactics he could take against Luffy. The budding slices on Luffy's skin as Buggy's limbs pushed him to his limit kept appearing. Blood dripped onto the sand as Luffy was pushed back by the arms and legs wielding knives. No. Just keep this up.
"I'll give you this! This is how Shanks would have fought. With far less skill, but the exact same gumption," Buggy said, and he delved into a manic cackle after saying that, envisioning the difference in skill that could be demonstrated upon his next reunion with Shanks.
Luffy's blinders seemed to be removed even to himself suddenly as he caught a free point in Buggy's limbs' onslaught. He ducked away from a swipe from Buggy's right leg, punching straight into the air. His arm stretched out; Buggy couldn't anticipate the oncoming attack; and Luffy's punch connected with Buggy's jaw. "Keep his name out of your mouth!"
Buggy's torso and head crashed down into the sand meters away as Luffy's arm snapped back to form. The clown's limbs crumpled into the sand as if their congruent head had been punched, though there was no form where the suffering should be. Nami found the whole thing other worldly. Even his fight against Hody wasn't like this, Nami thought with a chill.
Even Alvida felt similarly. The basis of her Devil Fruit was a different function, and seemed to be less universal than Buggy's or Luffy's could be. What struck her was Buggy's mastery of his Devil Fruit, and Luffy's ingenuity with it. Not even two sides of the same coin . . . two sides of the same scale, she thought, trying to find some way to rationalize what it was that this newfound power could bring her.
Suddenly, Buggy's limbs flew backwards and rejoined with his body. As he reformed, he seemed to stand without using any muscle or limb to pick himself up off the ground. Even to Luffy, the movements and ability was alien. As he cracked his knuckles at Buggy, incensed by his agitation against Shanks, Buggy cracked his neck, fully reformed finally. "Well, you're quick on your toes. I'll give ya that."
He raised an arm, brandishing the knife ahead, and gripped his arm to steady it with his free hand. "Chop Chop Cannon!" His arm flew off at the elbow and flew toward Luffy. His eyes widened and he dove to the side at the last second, getting nicked along his side from the blade. Buggy laughed as the arm swirled in mid air. Luffy eyed the arm, figuring it would come back for another slice while he was helpless in the dirt, but instead it flew back to Buggy's body.
"Coward! Just fight me fair and square," Luffy said, panting as he clutched his cut.
Buggy just laughed in response. "Fair? Square? Quiet, you pup. I'm using the powers that have been laid upon me! If I didn't, I'd have floundered long ago. I suggest you do the same." Buggy sprinted forward with all his might, laughing as he suddenly leapt into the air as he neared Luffy. Luffy, back on his feet, backed up step by step, but the attack still kept him fast on his heels.
Buggy's legs separated as he crossed his arms and seemed to trot forward, though only his torso moved as such; his legs separated, forming a handle around his blade-equipped feet as well as long limbs and short pieces to buffet and distract Luffy. The blades came swirling toward Luffy, and where he dodged one foot, the other came hurtling into his stomach. He was lifted on the ground; both Nami and Alvida clapped their hands to their mouths. He came crashing back down in the sand, tossing Buggy's foot away to apply pressure on his stomach now.
"Total weakness! I can't believe I even for a second considered letting you on my crew," Buggy said as he reformed slowly, piece by piece. "Alvida, what were you thinking falling for this fool?"
Ugh! Disgusting! Nami thought, feeling utter vile toward this Alvida for what she'd dragged them into. She wondered how this might have gone if Alvida hadn't been a factor; perhaps with more surprise. Yet there was still the factor of them both knowing this Shanks person. She was unsurprised to see Luffy react this way; she recalled the importance of the straw hat to him. So if this Shanks once had the straw hat, it must be a big deal. She could understand that.
"Captain Buggy, please, I'm begging you! I didn't mean to offend you," Alvida pleaded, suddenly finding her voice as she saw Luffy's far worse wound.
"Quiet! You've got no stake in this fight!" Luffy cried at her, throwing a hand her way in objection without taking his eyes off of Buggy. She felt that sting her to her core, feeling a shiver down her spine. Is this heartbreak?! she thought to herself, unable to catch her breath.
"I'd be careful how you address my subordinates, Mugiwara," Buggy growled, and he began running right toward Luffy. Luffy braced himself to launch another Bullet into Buggy's face, but Buggy separated at the waist. Luffy's punch went straight into the air as Buggy's top half sailed in an arc over Luffy, cackling along the way. Luffy tracked him over the air, losing sight of his legs as they whipped into a spinning arc right for Luffy's back.
Buggy's top half neared the sand and split into two, as well, and came as Luffy from his other two blind spots as he turned to see Buggy's legs flying toward him. He heard the other blades sailing through the air toward him and he kneeled down momentarily before leaping high into the air. Buggy's three parts flew past open air, nearly hitting each other as Luffy seemed to float a moment before returning to the earth. Blood splattered across the sand as he landed and his body tensed.
Too intense! Is this the real gap?! What about the fishmen?! Nami thought. In no time at all, Luffy had been pushed to the same limit as when Hody had returned him to the beach. Nami was biting her lip furiously; it bled on her tongue, and made her wince as she seemed to feel her nerve become exposed.
"Not doing too well, there, Mugiwara," Buggy taunted from across the beach where he had reformed. "Not doing too well at all."
The Clown Pirates descended upon Gecko Town with the utmost intensity. Torches were lit as they ran ahead, and bottles of pitch were thrown through windows. Their explosions ruptured windows and even blew out walls in some homes, driving people out into the streets. Richie roared among the destruction among the entrance to the town. "Let the plunder run hard, men!" he called out to the Clown Pirates.
Cabaji sliced through a fleeing woman and then pedaled up to Mohji and Richie, balancing himself as he cleaned his blade. "Mohji! Go burn the dock. I'm going to retrieve the Pose." He was not asking.
"Recall who's First Mate," Mohji said with a bite, side-eyeing Cabaji without even a respectful glance. "Captain Buggy gave me the orders."
"He told you to lead the charge to town. Here we are," Cabaji objected as if they had no time to spare. "Don't be difficult, child."
Mohji rolled his eyes and stretched his jaws, cracking his neck. "Tell you what?" he spat out. "Let's flip for it." He drew out a coin from his fanny pack, displaying it in the light to Cabaji. "Heads, I retrieve the Pose. Tails, I burn the dock."
Cabaji shrugged. "Deal." And Mohji flipped the coin in the air as the Clowns' destruction spread like a virus across the streets around them.
A few moments later, Cabaji wore a devious grin as he pedaled hard for the antiquity shop where their Pose laid in wait, and Mohji set his unlucky coin away in his fanny pack. He grumbled, "I don't wanna burn the dock. It's stupid." He sighed and spurred Richie to move on further into the town. I'll at least take my share of loot along the way . . .
"Pirates!" yelled a man as he sprinted into the tavern on the edge of town. The patrons, staff, and Fullbody Squad all shot their heads to look at the newcomer, who had nearly torn the door off of its hinges. He leaned over, hands on his knees. "Buggy the Clown's pirates are here! They're pillaging the village . . ."
There was silence across the bar for only two seconds.
"Fear not, Town of Gecko!" First Lieutenant "Iron Fist" Fullbody cried as he rose from his seat, toppling it over and slamming a hand onto the table in front of him. "The Navy is here to help!" He burped; rising so fast shook up the rum in his belly. What a bad time to be gassy, he thought.
"Men, let's move out! There's no time to waste!" Fullbody argued, burping more and more as he made his way to the front door. What was left of Fullbody Squad had left behind the hopes of even being retrieved by Puding Squad; Fullbody's faith was not met by his subordinates. So their partying had carried on well beyond their commander. They stumbled about the bar so badly that even Fullbody couldn't properly ignore it. Yet he tried to ignore it all the same, growing immensely red in the face as he donned his Marine's cap and iron knuckles to do battle with. Fullbody Squad will redeem ourselves! he thought adamantly as he followed the last of his drunken sailors outside.
Imagine his surprise as he saw only four men in front of him. Two looked tough enough, their swords already drawn and their faces tough with the wear and tear of constant battle. Yet the other two were a total anomaly. One had a freakishly long nose, his eyes bulged out of his goggles, and he carried a slingshot for a weapon. Leave it to pirates, Fullbody thought as he switched inspection to the final arrival.
A well dressed man, blonde, and lighting a cigarette. The Marines swarmed outside and looked around the street more than Fullbody did, but like their commander, their eyes focused on the newcomers, their brows hardening, and their weapons being slowly drawn. "The first wave," Fullbody said, scoffing and shaking his head. "This should be easy enough."
Across the street from them, Usopp stared at the Marines, counting their numbers. Thirty-one! he totalled, taking deep breaths to contain his rattling nerves. He wondered if these were remnants from Puding's Marines or if they were stationed here. They certainly seemed drunk to him. He heard the sounds of pillaging from across the village. Why aren't they even acknowledging that?! Usopp wondered.
Yet that was beside the point. There was much to do here in Gecko, and the crew needed to get back to Luffy to help in what ways they could. Nami can only do so much. She's new to piracy, Usopp thought, feeling uncharacteristically adult and foolish as the words played out in his mind. He gripped his slingshot all the tighter. "Guys! Head on into the village. I'm the First -."
"So, you stupid Marines want to fight?" said Sanji as he strode forward, ignoring Usopp's words on purpose. He took a long drag of his cigarette, holding it between his two fingers on his right hand. He used it to point at them all. "You don't look like much. How can you ignore the attack on this village and draw your weapons against us?"
Usopp was shook so hard by that, he began to sweat cold. Indeed, the Marines were already leveled to attack, their guns aimed at the four or their swords ready for battle. You missed the initiative and you missed the warning! Now what's Sanji gonna do?
"You guys," Sanji said almost instantly after. Did he hear me? Usopp wondered. "Head on. These are a lot of guys on their own. Take care of the rest of the village, and I'll meet up in a bit." He grinned over his shoulder. "Just head straight down this road."
"You're damn fools if you think we're letting any of you past," Fullbody declared, pointing an accusatory finger at the Straw Hats. He imagined how that must look from the point of view of those in the bar.
"You've still got to lead these two as First Mate, even if they're not on the crew," Sanji said, ignoring Fullbody to the lieutenant's full body incense. "Go on, Chief." Sanji sprinted forward, almost as fast as Usopp, and slammed his feet into the faces of the Marines closest to the far side of the road. He stood there in their places, tipping one of them onto the other's unconscious form. "Come on. I'll stack you guys right here."
Fullbody Squad needed no further instruction. Their pride was on the line as seven more of their ranks, armed with swords, charged at Sanji. He ducked, dove, dodged, and spun out of the way of their blades as they arced through the air, one by one bashing his feet into their jaws or temples to knock them out in one go. They all landed in the pile Sanji had mentioned.
Why is he so familiar? Fullbody wondered as he adjusted the iron knuckles on his fists and charged forward, roaring in fury. He knew the alcohol wasn't fully out of his system as Sanji spun in place, sending his foot firmly against Fullbody's fist. Fullbody quivered with the strength Sanji exhibited there, unable to push against it as Sanji stood firmly in place, unmoving. "Go!" Sanji called out.
"Come on!" Usopp hissed out, sprinting forward. Yosaku and Johnny were almost instantly on his heels, running past Sanji as he held Fullbody back. The other Marines couldn't conceive of a random pirate being able to hold off against their commanding officer, and stood in stunned silence, their drunkenness added to it. Each of them felt like they were in some sort of moving picture show suddenly, and the villain was a big bad guy.
Sanji held Fullbody's fist in place until he felt Usopp and the swordsmen had made it far enough away to his relief. He watched until they turned a corner and went out of sight, and he dipped his knee down to spin Fullbody away from him as he leapt down the street. He placed himself in between Fullbody Squad and the way Usopp had just led the others down. His cigarette reached its last hit and he stubbed it out on the ground, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Alright, guys. Fair warning: I've gotten used to beating up Marines."
Back on the beach, Luffy and Buggy still tore at it; Luffy had landed a couple solid hits to Buggy's face and body but mostly, it was Mugiwara that took more blows. His arms and legs were cut up, and the wound from his stomach was still bleeding fairly heavily. In his down time, he was clutching it to keep his blood inside, but Nami, Alvida, and Buggy knew it would not be enough to make the difference long term. "Come now, boy," Buggy said as his parts reformed once again. "This fight's over, isn't it? Let me finish it flashily.
"Chop Chop Carnival!" Buggy cried, and his body erupted into the tiniest of parts possible, including his hands clutching the knives. Buggy cackled as he tossed the knives into the fray, where they were caught by hunks of flesh to wield the knives, as the hands found fresh knives to wield themselves. The pieces of Buggy swirled all around like a hurricane, disorienting Luffy. He whipped his head around, wondering where the attack would come from. Yet it came from his blind spot every time, slicing him superficially.
Buggy laughed in glee. "Feeling the futility of your mission yet?" he barked out, trying to be as rude as possible on purpose. "DIE, MUGIWARA!"
Despite the wounds he was receiving, Luffy suddenly noticed something that seemed peculiar. Buggy's knives that were hidden by his shoes had been sheathed, somehow retracted into the boots. Yet Buggy's feet remained walking on the sand. They trotted off toward the treeline calmly while the Chop Chop Carnival raged around him. Luffy guarded his face from the buffeting, but shot an arm out and grabbed hold of one of Buggy's feet.
"What the -?" Buggy had time to say as Luffy's arm snapped back to place and he yanked Buggy's boot off. Luffy's fingers began tickling Buggy's foot, and Luffy looked up at him giddily. Buggy instantly began laughing. Did Shanks tell him I'm ticklish?! he wondered foolishly, though so deep was the suffering from a tickle that he could not handle himself. His body parts moved slower in mid air, and his head stopped moving entirely.
"Great!" Luffy said, and he gripped the foot strong by the ankle as he made a fist with his other hand. He smashed his fist against Buggy's toes, and the ticklish glee turned to pure pain. Buggy's parts began quivering and his face's veins bulged against the pain. Steam seemed to shoot out of his nose at the pain.
"Stop it, kid! That's not exactly fair fighting!" Buggy complained, his head shooting to glare Luffy dead on and up close.
Luffy chuckled. "What did we say about fighting fair, again?" Luffy said, before simply punching Buggy's head away as he did to Puding hours earlier. His head slammed into a nearby ale barrel, spilling the alcohol and bouncing along the sand to land nearby. Yet his Carnival parts began spinning all the more furiously as Buggy's eyes saw white.
"Is this a big put on, Shanks? Did you send this child my way to taunt me?!" Buggy said as his head rose and he prepared to reform all his parts. Yet Luffy was already running the Big Top, full speed, still holding on tight to Buggy's foot. He watched as Luffy reared his arms back, clutching Buggy's foot in both hands, and slammed it against his own ship's hull, toe first, with all his might.
Buggy cried out in pain, and his body split apart before it could fully reform, becoming a pile on the sand right where he stood. Luffy began laughing, still holding onto the foot tightly but willing to take a moment to enjoy his win. The surf spilled across the sand, pushing past Luffy's shins no problem. Alvida watched from afar, mouth held open. He defeated me when I had no Devil Fruit, and he bests Buggy now, even with strange means, Alvida thought, feeling as if Buggy was placed on his heels.
Yes, Luffy, Nami thought, gripping her hands tight as her fingernails had all already been bitten to the quick. Yet most worryingly, Buggy was already reforming, and he growled something incoherent under his breath, most of his body full facing Luffy.
"YOU BASTARD!" Buggy screamed as he launched himself straight toward Luffy.
"Shut up," Luffy said, annoyed, and he plunged Buggy's foot underwater. Suddenly, Buggy's body fell limp and his floating form slammed to the sand feet from Luffy. Buggy's other foot, separated but still on land, even fell weak, unable to weak and twitching in paralysis. Luffy held the same paralyzed match in his hand, overjoyed with his pay off. "Your Devil Fruit isn't that great."
Mohji lit the molotov cocktail, looking around the town square at what to target next. He just had to save one to burn the dock fully, along with a torch and some pitch; he had plenty. He wanted to burn what he could to better mask their tracks. If I can't make the coup de gras, I'll at least do the most, he thought, tossing the bottle through through the window of a fishery shop. The flames spread quickly, drowning out the sound of the fountain in the village square.
"Keep moving across this town, men! Take your time!" Mohji screamed out as the Clown Pirates spread through Gecko. Richie reared up and Mohji held on tight, feeling as if he were on top of the world. I am the First Mate!
Yet as the destruction raged on in the town square and beyond, into the deep of the town as Cabaji likely neared the antiquity shop, Mohji suddenly heard a different sort of crying from the North-East street. Mohji spun Richie around and watched as suddenly two of the Clown Pirates ran out from that same street. From behind them, three more Clown Pirates flew out into view: Two were clearly slashed aside by swords, but the third had small scale explosion marks on him. Each landed unconscious.
"What -? Who . . . ?" Mohji said as Richie rounded up with the street. Other Clown Pirates nearby saw the commotion and stood there at the ready alongside their First Mate, weapons at the ready, as Usopp, Yosaku, and Johnny appeared there in the mouth of the North-East street, weapons at the ready. Usopp, though still quivering in fear, loaded another star into his slingshot.
Mohji began to laugh, which prompted the other pirates around to laugh despite their comrades defeat. "You lot. And missing a friend. I take it slain in battle? If you could call it a battle."
"Your taunts are too extreme to be effective," Usopp said, the words spurred on by forces unknown. He knew even as he said them he was unable of forming such sentiments. "Our comrade didn't even have to waste himself on you lot yet."
Mohji cracked an eyebrow, unsure of how to take that comment. He sighed and waved a hand lazily toward the three opponents. "Slaughter them," he ordered the crew around him. The nine strong around Mohji charged forward with one sold roar, weapons raised and guns firing already.
Yet their shots missed, and before their swords could land upon them, Yosaku and Johnny had leapt forward. "Dual Sword Flurry!" they both cried, and their swords sailed across the attackers. Four remained standing at the end of their attack, where they now stood beyond Mohji and Richie. Yet as the four left standing decided unanimously to round on Usopp, their feet met with his attack: Caltrops laid in the bounty hunters' wake. "Damn it all! My foot!" one of them cried, unsure how to take the caltrop out of his foot. So deep were the spikes that they touched bone even through their boots.
"Come now, Clown Pirate," Yosaku said menacingly as he spun to face Mohji and Richie.
"You and your lion aren't enough for us," Johnny said as he did the same.
"Oh, be quiet," Mohji said as he reared Richie around to face the swordsmen. "Cabaji is our Second Mate, and he's a swordsman. Don't tell me you believe this is . . . to your advantage?" Mohji relished being able to say that last part.
"They won't," Usopp said, and he walked toward the one Clown Pirate still able to fight after tearing the caltrop out of his foot. Usopp kicked down into the enemy's face, knocking him out and curbing even the other three injured Clowns. Usopp did not lose focus with Mohji, not even looking at Richie. "Yosaku! Johnny! This is my fight."
Mohji indeed swayed Richie over to face Usopp, but Yosaku and Johnny were shocked. Their stances weakened as Johnny said, "Usopp, wait. You'll be outnumbered! With us, it's two on two! There's plenty more to do in town!"
"Like he said, that Second Mate is a swordsman. So that's your fight," Usopp said. "I'm the First Mate. He's the First Mate."
Of course, both of the bounty hunters had their qualms. They thought of the tragedy that had been Usopp dying against Choo days ago; yet the thought of Usopp dying here was so much worse now. Can we deny him this? Johnny thought all the same, understanding Yosaku was feeling much of the same.
"Fine," Yosaku said. "If we have to explain your death to Luffy, we'll never forgive you!" he bellowed out, unwavering in such a statement.
"And I'll haunt your ghost when I die!" Johnny added, unsure how to make himself heard there. Yet after he'd said that, he and Yosaku turned off and ran down a random street. They had their orders, part of the pirate crew or not; for this day, they were Straw Hats even in their own minds.
Twenty-one, Sanji thought, keeping track of the Marines as he took them out one by one. He made sure to stack them on the pile. That felt like a jab enough. It saved him breath from shit talking these peons. Can't even hold their liquor, he thought as he brought that number down to eighteen.
Fullbody stood aside for a moment, catching his breath after a useless onslaught on Sanji that proved useless. Yet he could feel the adrenaline beginning to surge, and imagined Sanji's captain - a man who he inferred to be Buggy the Clown. My revenge cannot end with your subordinate, Buggy! Damn you! "Good men died to your captain, scourge!" Fullbody roared as he sprinted forward. Coming from Sanji's blind spot, his fist connected with Sanji's ribs.
Luffy left Buggy's foot in the water and stormed over to him, the sand parting at his feet. Buggy was too weak to even speak, but he wondered why Alvida did nothing to help her new captain. Weak romantic! he thought bitterly. It was disgusting, frankly - and he felt no more firmly about that as when Luffy's foot connected with his face, launching his head across the sand from his body.
"Now I don't want to talk about fighting fair anymore or the fullness of our powers!" Luffy said, shooting his arm out and grabbing Buggy's foot from the surf. His one body part freed from the water, Buggy's parts all returned to strength, and he slowly reformed himself as he lowered his stare onto Luffy. "Just fight me like the man who can back up your shit!"
"Fine, you want that?" Buggy said, and as he said it, Luffy tossed him his free foot back. Fully formed into one, Buggy straightened up to his full form and swayed from side to side. "Then I'll back up my shit . . ."
Buggy split into a flurry of parts and suddenly formed a massive spear, grabbing his feet and using those blades instead of his regular knives as the point of the spear. His head, perched as a strange knob along the "handle" of the spear, laughed wildly as the spear aimed at Nami. Luffy watched it happen, and the floating force launched the spear at Nami.
Listen here, pirate. Keep her safe, Straw Hat.
"Gomu Gomu no -!"
Luffy grabbed hold of Buggy and held on tight, letting his feet go from the sand. "ROCKET!" His body slammed against Buggy's in a flurry that even rocked Luffy's brain.
ATB
Hey again, everyone. I know I just set the schedule, but the new schedule will be Monday 12:30-3:30; Thursday evenings, 6:00-9:00; and Saturday mornings, 10:30-1:30.
Until next time
ATB