Last time we were introduced to the friends of Monkey D. Luffy; The Straw Hat Crew. Moves and dream were compared. With six pirates now helping, does this look like the end for the Naz'riak and their Empress? We'll find out soon, but not yet. And now, on with the show!
Chapter 13: Interrogation
Deep within the castle, Elyon, flanked by Will, Cornelia on one side, Luffy and Naruto on the other, and Vathek behind her, the Queen walked down a dark corridor. "Finally," said Elyon, "We're going to get some answers." "Only if our 'guest' feels like talking, my queen." Said Vathek. "Oh it'll talk," said Naruto, "One way or another." "And if he doesn't talk," said Luffy, "I'll eat him."
The group paused and stared at Luffy like he was crazy or something. "What?" asked Luffy with a puzzled look on his face, "What did I say?" "You wouldn't eat one of those things, would you?" asked Will, "For real?" "Why not?" said Luffy, "Sanji can cook anything."
"Let's just get this over with!" sighed Cornelia as the group resumed their way down the corridor. They stopped outside a door with several locks. "This was one of the old dudgeons built by Phobos," said Vathek, "It seemed like a good place to secure it." He unlocked the door, and inside, chained to the far wall, was a Naz'riak.
'How was one of the enemy captured?' you might ask. To find the answer, we must backtrack several hours…
Earlier that day several more villages were evacuated, thanks to Luffy and his pirates. That night, Zolo, Usopp, Ino, Shikamaru and Choji were waiting for the demons at a village where Taranee had guessed the Naz'riak would attack. Taranee was right. Just after midnight the green fog rolled in.
"Here they come." whispered Shikamaru. "Remember," said Ino, "We need to try and take one alive." "No problem!" exclaimed Usopp as he strutted over to the fog. "Hey! Come on out!" he yelled into the fog, "Come out and face the wrath of 'Captain' Usopp the merciless! That is, if you dare!"
Suddenly the fog faded away. In it's place stood three of the demons. "Oh," said Usopp quietly, "They seem so much nastier in the dark. I think I'll just… RUN AWAY!" With that, Usopp ran out of town, leaving a huge dust cloud behind him. "'Usopp the merciless' my ass." Said Chouji. "He sure can run though." Admitted Ino.
"Anyway," said Ino as the remaining defenders faced the demon, "You creeps aren't taking any children tonight. In fact, one of you are coming with us. The rest can either leave or die." "And how are you going to take one of us, female human?" hissed one of the demons. "Simple," said Ino, "I'm just gonna take control of your mind." She looked at Shikamaru, "You'll take care of my body while I'm gone?" She asked. "I always do." Answered Shikamaru. "Hurry up and do it!" complained Chouji, "I'm getting hungry here." "From what I've seen," said Zolo, "You're always hungry."
"Moving along," said Ino as she made her hand signs, "I think I'll take the one in the middle. MIND TRANSFER JUTSU!" Ino's eyes glazed over as she fell into Shikamaru's arms. But her limp body didn't stay limp for long. "It didn't work!" said a shaken Ino. "What do you mean?" asked Chouji. "I tried to take control," said Ino, "But couldn't. Something was blocking me, something dark and foul."
"Well that scratches plan A," said Shikamaru, "And my shadow possession jutsu doesn't work at night, so no plan B." "Then plan C it is," said Chouji as he made his hand signs, "I hope this town's insured. BODY EXPANSION! MEAT TANK JUTSU!" With a loud bang, Chouji's body expanded into a very large ball. He retracted his limbs and head into the ball and began to spin rapidly.
The Chouji-ball then 'zoomed' over towards the Naz'riak, as if to crush them. The demons leapt out of the way just in time to avoid being flattened. Chouji stopped just before hitting a nearby house, then turned around and began to roll again. This time, one of the demons wasn't as lucky as the other two. This demon was crushed flat.
Meanwhile Ino and Shikamaru were contending with one of the remaining demons, while Zolo was fighting the other. "Your pathetic attempts at swordsmanship is useless on me!" hissed the demon Zolo was fighting. "Say what you wan," said Zolo, "But nothing you say or do can stop me from becoming the best!" At this, Zoo charged the demon, "DRAGON TWISTER!" Within nanoseconds, the demon was sliced into twenty-one pieces.
Seeing that it's comrades had been slain, the remaining demon abandoned its fight with Ino and Shikamaru, vanishing in a puff of green fog. "Well that was a waste of time," said Shikamaru, "We didn't get one alive." "I doubt the slaying of two powerful demons was a waste of time," said a very dizzy Chouji, who had returned to his normal size, "But in this case I'd say it was a successful failure."
"You can come out now, Usopp!" said Zolo, "They're gone!" Usopp then appeared from around a corner. "Well it's a good thing they left," boasted Usopp, "If they decided to stay, I'd have showed them a thing or two!" "How could you show them anything from around the corner?" asked Shikamaru. "I was here covering you." Said Usopp. "Yeah sure," said Ino, "Whatever."
Meanwhile in another village, Kiba, Hinita and Shino watched as the green fog rolled in. "You sure you're up for this?" asked Kiba. "Of course I am," said Hinita quietly, "Besides, if I don't do my part, what would the others say?" Kiba thought he then herd Hinita mutter, "And what would Naruto think?" Hinita then made her hand sign, "BYAKUGAN!" Her eyes were suddenly highlighted by pulsing veinsas she glared at the green fog, "There's two of them, they have suicide syringes in side pockets on their lefts."
"Okay," said Kiba, "Shino, you take the one on the left. Akamaru and I'll go for the one on the right. Ready Akamaru?" Akamaru growled softly in agreement. "Then it's my move," said Shino grimly as she summoned his chakra beetles, and sent them into the green fog. Within seconds, the three ninjas could hear the terrified yells of a demon as it fought off the beetles. As the fog cleared, Kiba and Akamaru charged the second demon, knocking it to the ground.
It was over within seconds. Shino's chakra beetles, enticed by the huge amount of energy in the demon, had devoured the creature. Kiba and Akamaru were more successful in their venture as their demon was disarmed and bound.
We now return to the present…
Within the cell were several chairs. Elyon sat down in the middle one, while Naruto and Luffy sat to her left, with Will and Cornelia to her right. Vathek remained standing. "Now," said Elyon trying to sound solid and resolved, "Being as that you are our prisoner, why don't you make it easier on yourself. Tell me where the children have been taken, and I'll spare your life."
The demon glared at Elyon from it's chained position. "Human scum," hissed the demon, "When the Empress has what she desires, you shall all beg to serve her instead of death." "And what does your empress desire?" asked Elyon. "Ultimate power;" responded the demon, "Power to create, power to destroy. Power to give life, and power to take it away."
"It's obvious we're not gonna get anywhere with this guy by just asking questions." Said Will. "Give me ten minutes alone with it," said Naruto, "And I'll make it talk." "I think it's a little early to resort to torture." Said Cornelia. "How about tickle torture?" asked Luffy. "That never works." Said Naruto.
Suddenly, the demon roared in rage and broke free of its chains. It lunged at Naruto, nocking him to the ground. The demon retreated to a corner, and Will saw that it had one of Naruto's kuni knifes in it's clawed hand.
Will and the others expected it to defend it's self. However, the demon did not; quite the contrary, the demon used the kuni to slit it's neck open. The demon fell to the ground and bleed to death within seconds. "Well this sucks!" exclaimed Naruto, "We're no better off than before." "There's always a bright side," said Will, "There's now four less Naz'riak to deal with."
Meanwhile…
"Report no.2." said the image of the Empress. "Great One," said demon no.2, who was now in command of the Naz'riak since no.1 burned its self, "Forgive me for delivering bad news." "Just do it already!" snapped the Empress. "Yes, my Empress," said the demon, "No younglings were culled last night. No.'s 1, 17 and 18 were slain by the Shinobi and those pirates. No.12 was captured. However I am certain that no.12 has silenced himself before he could say anything."
For several moments the Empress said nothing. "Great One," said demon no.2, "You have the power to have me destroyed. I only wait your command." "As I said to no.1," said the Empress, "Death is too good for you. I shall not reward failure with such a quick end. Instead, an example of you must be made. And to further my point, one other shall join you. No. 7! Step forward!"
At the Empress's command, demon no.7 joined no.2. "The two of you shall be transformed. Do not fail me as no.1 has. The time for the ritual fast approaches, and the culling is less than half completed. The Guardians, the Shinobi and these pirates must be eliminated at once!"
The end of chapter 13. Next chapter is going to be shorter, but still important, so don't miss it. Please read and review. See you next time!
