DISCLAIMER: EIICHIRO ODA OWNS ONE PIECE, I OWN THIS STORY.

Shank's mouth dropped open, "Count Dracula?" he tested the name in his mouth, "Sounds edgy."

Mihawk gave an ungainly snort and turned over to his stomach, "Yeah, I suppose it does. Well, actually, Dracula was a nickname for him that came out of multiple rumors about him. In reality, his name was Dracule Vlad, ruler of Kuraigana, and all that crap."

Shanks hummed, "And what does that have to do with you? Besides your name being Dracule Mihawk, you know, the obvious?"

Mihawk rest his head in his hands, "Hmmm. What do you know of Vampires?"

Shanks leaned in closer, "Not much. I was obsessed with them as a kid, though."

Mihawk got up, "Well, they almost fully went extinct in the Void Century. That's what the ruins of Kuraigana are all of. But the select few that remained were scattered across the world. They also are in some minor noble bloodlines, such as… Outlook? I think? I don't know, never bothered to check."

"And werewolves?" Shanks prompted.

Mihawk stiffened up, "Ah, them. They live on a different island on the Grand Line called Lycan. They weren't quite our allies, nor were they, our enemies. More like… rivals. Until they sold us out that is. And set up a vampire-killing machine on our island. To this day, I still can't find it."

Shanks raised an eyebrow, "Why do you want to find it?"

"So, I can destroy it." Mihawk hissed "That thing is the bane of my existence."

Shanks nodded, "Understandable." He paused, "You know, I remember Sabo saying something about his sperm donor being named 'Outlook.' That have anything to do?"

Mihawk's eyes widened, "I'm about 90% sure that Outlook is one of the more diluted bloodlines. Not quite fully vampire. Although… the werewolf is a surprise." He commented mildly, "Didn't see that coming."

Shanks turned his head from side to side and opened his mouth to say something before he was cut off—

"It's not like Vampires were all nice either. We hunted each other with fire and brimstones. We were prideful, and in any ancient texts you read, they will tell you that pride is a flaw. We didn't listen, and we fell because of that. Also, we're kind of…" Mihawk hesitated, "Mean?"

Shanks snorted, before devolving into a full-on hysterics, "Mean is an understatement, Hawky!" he howled, wiping a tear from his eye.

Mihawk blushed furiously and got up, putting his hat back on his head, "We will never speak of this ever again." He muttered.

"Why though, Hawky?" Shanks teased relentlessly, "It was quite fun. Also, the first time I've seen you smile like that!"

Mihawk glared at Shanks fruitlessly, "Just… Don't tell anyone, okay?" he asked, so, so done with his life.

Shanks nodded and gestured a thumbs-up, "I promise, Hawky." He paused, "That doesn't mean I'll stop teasing you though."

Mihawk groaned and Shanks laughed.

WITH THE ASLZU + LUCCI—

"Join my crew!"

Immediately, everything on the battlefield stilled.

"Luffy, what the hell?" Ace blurted out, his fire momentarily dissipating.

"What the hell." Sabo parroted, shooting Luffy a confused look.

Luffy smiled, "I asked him to join my crew!"

"Yes, I can see that." Ace ground his teeth together, "Tell me why."

"He's really cool! I want him to be on my crew!" Luffy replied, still smiling.

Lucci shook his head, "Unfortunately," he said with genuine regret, "As much as I would love to join your crew, I'm stuck serving the WG, whether I like it or not. So—"

"Let the fight commence?" Usopp announced questioningly, soaring in circles above them.

"Yeah." Lucci put his fists up, "Let the fight commence."

"Finally." Zoro grumbled, shifting fully into his Asura form, and launching himself towards the now half-cat half-human kid in front of them.

"Shigan." He announced, almost boredly as he stabbed his pointer finger deep into Zoro's chest.

"ZORO!" Luffy thundered, black tendrils of something swirling around him, he turned to Lucci, "LET HIM GO!"

Then, a shing of a blade swinging through the air caused the entire battlefield to stop for a moment, and Lucci's eyes to open wide in surprise.

"What…" he looked to his shoulder, where three swords, attached to three left hands, were sunken into his skin, "How… I thought I killed you?"

Zoro looked up and smiled with way too many teeth to be nice, "Luffy." He commented, "This is me formally agreeing to join your crew. Now let me kill this guy."

Luffy smiled, "Ah! That's great Zoro! But don't kill him. He's cool."

For a split second, the moss head adopted a confused look before shrugging it off, "Mkay. I'll just… hurt him then."

Luffy's smile abruptly sharpened into something deadly, "All yours, Zoro." He replied flippantly.

Zoro smirked around the 3 swords in his mouth for a split second, before launching himself towards the cat-man again, keeping careful watch of his fingers, evading any shigans that Lucci would launch at him.

"Onigiri!" Zoro growled, launching towards him with three times the force than what his normal attack would be.

Lucci strained under the pressure of blocking Zoro's attack, before a tiny niggling in the back of his mind made itself known. On a whim, he pulled back, and sidestepped as fast as he could, and just in time—a fireball zoomed and exploded on contact with the ground next to him.

Usopp cursed his aim, "I need to fix that." He muttered, "I shouldn't miss so easily." He circled like a vulture around Lucci, watching for any openings he could exploit.

"OUT OF THE WAY!" Zoro's eyes widened, and he stumbled backwards, just nail-breadth away from Ace's warpath.

"HIKEN!" Ace punched a flaming fist the size of the Golem towards Lucci.

I… am severely outclassed, aren't I? Lucci watched numbly as the flaming fist got closer and closer, before his body snapped back to attention, Not like I'm letting myself die yet, though.

He leaped out of the fist's path, and attached himself to the nearest vertical surface he could. "Okay. Let's test this out." He pressed his lips into a thin line, and started scaling the wall.

He barely moved 10 feet before he felt a lead pellet hit his back. Oh, you have got to be kidding me—Lucci's eyes widened and he fell down.

Then, Sabo joined in, and Lucci had never felt more fear for his life than in that moment. "I am a rather big idiot!" he howled, "NOW STOP WATCHING, KAKU, AND HELP ME!"

For a split second, Luffy heard a breezy laugh on the wind, before Lucci was snatched out of the air by a…

"Is that a giraffe?" Zoro blurted out, squinting his eyes.

Usopp stumbled a bit midair, before righting himself, "Yep. That's a giraffe. Apparently." He said numbly, rapidly blinking, trying to confirm that what he was seeing was actually true.

"Hey! Lucci!" The giraffe smiled, or at least, Zoro thought it smiled, "So, how's life?"

"Stop snarking," Lucci hissed, grabbing his friend's collar, "And help me already!"

The giraffe laughed, and landed smoothly on the ground, "Roger that!" he trilled, seamlessly shifting out of his giraffe form.

Lucci raised an eyebrow at the end transformation, "Your legs." He stated, "Haven't fully shifted yet."

Kaku made a noncommittal noise, and put one foot forward, "It's fine, it's not like it's going to hamper my fighting style." He smirked.

Every time you shift into your human form, a piece of your devil fruit comes with you. Lucci eyed his carefree friend settle into a fighting stance, and unleash his four swords, Maybe I'm just worried about the inevitable day when your brain will be what's forgotten. I don't want to lose you.

"OH MY GOD ZORO, HE HAS FOUR SWORDS!" Usopp exclaimed, "That's one more than you." Usopp smirked, "Can you take it?"

Zoro grinned around the hilt of Wado, "What kind of question is that?" he grunted, "Of course I can."

Luffy kept a small distance from the fight, waiting to replenish his Devil Fruit energy, but then Kaku caught his eye.

"Ah." Luffy murmured, "It's not that you're bound to the WG, that you won't join my crew. You just don't want to leave him." Luffy bowed his head in understanding, "I get it."

"ZORO!" He shouted, grinning when Zoro turned to look at him, "I CHANGED MY MIND! LUCCI IS NOT GOING TO BE PART OF OUR CREW! HE IS OUR OPPONENT RIGHT NOW!"

Zoro felt confused from the abrupt change of heart, but that was quickly remedied when Luffy shouted that he would explain later.

Well. The Asura inside his head commented mildly, That just happened.

Could you not? Zoro replied mentally, veritably annoyed at the Asura choosing now to butt into his fight.

The Asura hummed noncommittally, You know, when you fight using my power, you still fight as if you only have two hands and one head.

Well, how else am I supposed to fight? Zoro snarked, as he slashed at Kaku again, watching the giraffe-dude block his strike again.

Frustration welled up in his gut, What will it take to just hit. Him.

All of a sudden, a calming feeling washed over him, and Zoro yelped out of confusion, before needing to raise his sword to block an overhead strike from Kaku.

It's not good to let frustration take over your movements when you fight, the Asura advised, You need to keep a level head. Rage will do nothing for you.

I know that. Zoro replied petulantly, I don't need you to tell me.

You know. Where I come from, there's something like a code of honor. We call it Dharma. The Asura spoke, seemingly twirling around Zoro, righting his grip on his katanas.

Dharma…?

It is the decree that you have a singular duty in your life, to yourself, and the Earth, and you must fulfill it to the best of your abilities. The Asura helpfully informed, Also, it involves following your moral compass, but you're shaky, so… Zoro felt that the Asura was looking at him,

What is your purpose?

Zoro closed his eyes and thought for a moment. The world almost seemed to slow down, and mute around him. When he opened his eyes, it was with a steel tone, that had nothing to do with his eye color.

I will be the Greatest Swordsman in the World to serve the Pirate King. Zoro promised.

The Asura grinned, or at least, Zoro thought he did, Then, what kind of voice would I be if I didn't help you? The Asura said loftily, before directing Zoro's arms, You still use your body as if you have 2 arms and one head, he repeated.

I don't, though. Zoro growled internally, blocking Kaku's sword, Do you plan on making any sense? Or maybe, I don't know, giving me some advice?

Well… The Asura mused, I could help you, but I need to give your body the feeling of how an Asura fights, meaning, I kind of have to possess you, so. The Asura clapped, Give me your body!

…Ew. Zoro deadpanned, going in for a slash on Kaku's knees.

Not like that, dammit! The Asura sputtered, You know what I mean!

Zoro sighed, Yeah, okay, fine. But just this once. And you'd better give me my body back when you're done.

I wouldn't have it any other way, The Asura gestured solemnly, before taking the control pilot of Zoro's body.

o-o

Kaku was confused. Rightfully so. His instincts—which were never wrong, no matter what Jyabura says—were telling him that the green haired kid was strong.

But, he was already having him on the ropes, even when the other kid had like, said that he would defeat him no problem.

Kaku shook his head and went for an overhead strike, Why do I feel like something's wrong though?

Then, it seemed as if his opponent had zoned out. Kaku smirked and sang, "You shouldn't have done that~" before he went for a horizontal cut across his chest.

Before the blade could hit the moss-headed kid, though, his eyes snapped up with so much steel, Kaku froze and leapt backwards. He started being even more careful with the kid after that.

Then, the air around the kid changed, and the other six arms on him, that had all been laying dormant, started moving, with a strange sort of practiced ease that sent chills down his spine.

"Who are you?" The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them, "You aren't who I've been fighting with until now, so who are you?"

The kid grinned, all three heads of his, in an unsettling fashion, before speaking in unison, "We haven't changed. We are still Roronoa Zoro."

Then, the kid(?) launched himself forward, and cut him from nine different angles, before zooming around him, and attacking Kaku's arms.

What… happened to him?! He was so shaky before, now he feels like… Kaku's eyes widened, and the giraffe in him was soundly cowed, A Demon.

Before he knew it, he was on the ground, his four swords either broken or scattered around him, and with a rather sharp katana being pointed at his throat.

"Do you yield?" Roronoa Zoro rasped, and Kaku looked down, before smiling somberly, "Sorry, Lucci," he murmured, "I've lost."

Zoro let his arms fall down to his sides, and the air around him immediately reverted back to normal.

"WHOA ZORO, THAT WAS SO COOL!" Luffy jumped on him, and pulled his cheeks, "Do it again! Do it again!"

The moss-headed kid sputtered and blushed, but raised his other four arms again, as per Luffy's request.

Kaku watched them with wide eyes, Okay, what the f—

"KUNG FU PANDA!" Ace blurted out randomly, before explaining rather sheepishly, "I had a feeling to keep it for the kids."

Luffy nodded sagely, "Yes. Good job Ace. The kids are the most important."

"Will someone please explain to me what you two mean?" Usopp groaned, kneading a headache.

"Just don't question it." Sabo groaned, sounding equally as done as Usopp, "Trust me, I learned that the hard way."

Kaku blinked at the exchange done before him, almost ready to put in a contribution of his own, before he felt a gentle tugging on his arm.

"Lucci?" he said softly, "What's up?"

"You lost." Lucci whispered, a strange lost look in his eyes, "You lost, Kaku."

Kaku winced, "Yeah. I know."

"Do you know what they'll do to you?" Lucci hissed, "You'll be killed, Kaku, or worse. I failed in my mission, and that's bad enough, but you've lost a fight. Do you know how bad this is?" Lucci stressed.

Kaku groaned, "Yeah, I do."

"Why aren't you panicking then?" Lucci almost screamed, "You're a failed experiment. The only reason they kept you alive was on my orders, but even that won't matter, if you lose… your worth…" Lucci sobbed quietly,

"I don't want to lose you."

Kaku smiled grimly, "Neither do I." he replied, rubbing Lucci's back in slow, soothing circles. I promise you, I will figure something out, Lucci. Kaku's eyes hardened, I promise.

Once Lucci calmed down, he staggered to his feet, and hauled Kaku up on his shoulders, slowly walking away from the poneglyph, "Hey, you know." Kaku commented, deceptively carefree, "Next time I see that green haired kid… I'm going to beat him." He smiled loftily.

Lucci grinned, "You're one stupid brother, aren't you?" he asked rhetorically.

"Always have been, since we exchanged sake that day." Kaku informed cheerfully, laughing the whole way to the Cipher Pols' ship.

"So, did you succeed?" Jyabura questioned, taking his weight off the rail.

"No." Lucci said blankly, "But we saw a real werewolf. And I must say, now that I've seen that, your devil fruit power seems rather lousy in comparison."

"HEY!"

Kaku giggled disturbingly, "This is awesome."

o-o

Luffy grinned, "Let's go! We came here, we did our business!" his face soured, and he hunched in on himself protectively, "Now let's leave." He hissed.

Almost immediately, the happy air around them dissipated as the air around the entire island became heavier and heavier, and carried an even more distinct promise of Death.

"Yeah." Sabo's throat felt a little dry, "Let's go now."

For a moment, everything was silent, before, "Last one there is a rotten intestine!" Usopp yelled, before taking to the sky.

"Intestine? Why Intestine?" Zoro questioned, before running after him, and then, subsequently getting lost.

TIMESKIP—

"Ha!" Luffy panted, pulling up next to the ship, "I win, Ace."

Ace scowled, mainly because he was salty that he couldn't strip down and then go into high gear, but yeah, "No, you didn't." he stubbornly refused, "I won."

Sabo pulled up after them, wheezing, "No, none of you won."

Usopp dived down from the sky, "Yeah, that honor belongs to me!" he cheered.

"No, not really." A deep, baritone voice said, "That honor belongs to Zoro."

Many things flashed across Ace's mind at that moment, many, many emotions, he ended up summarizing with, "What."

Benn smiled around his cigarette and showed everyone Zoro's sleeping form against the mast, "He came here around ten minutes ago." Benn smirked, "He had no clue where he was, but when I told him that he was on the ship, he looked like I just gave him all the sake in the world."

Luffy groaned, "Okay, so Zoro won—"

"Somehow." Usopp interjected.

Luffy pouted, "Stop interrupting me!" he whined, before continuing, "Okay, so Zoro won, then who lost?"

Simultaneously, everyone's eyes turned to Sabo's wheezing form, "Yeah, yeah, I get it, I lost." He groused, still wheezing from overexertion, "Man am I out of shape."

"—ut up, Red-hair." A voice made itself known.

"Come on, Hawky!" Shanks teased, "What's wrong? You flustered?"

All he got was a growl in response.

"Ah, hey! Anchor, brothers, and friends!" Shanks exclaimed, "You ready to go?"

"Yeah." Sabo wheezed, "We did it."

Mihawk stiffened, "You're the… werewolf… aren't you?" he said carefully.

Sabo nodded, "Why?"

"Where is the poneglyph?" Mihawk asked innocently.

Sabo narrowed his eyes, "Why do you want to know?"

Mihawk's smile became bloodthirsty, "Ah, no reason, I just want to destroy it."

"Why?"

"Because it's leeching off my life force, and so long as it is on this island, I physically cannot leave for more than an extended amount of time." Mihawk confessed, "I want it gone. Your purpose with it is done, so I want it destroyed."

Sabo blinked, "Sure, whatever, although, I've got to know." He leaned in closer, "Poneglyphs are invincible pieces of rock, how do you plan on destroying it?"

Mihawk grinned, "I'm not physically destroying it, I'm just… recoding it, if you will."

Sabo nodded, "Ah, understandable."

"Now, please, get off my island. Every moment you are in my presence, I feel like killing you." Mihawk said dryly.

Sabo grinned, "It's somewhere in the north, in a cave that leads to a weird oasis of sorts. And be careful. It's literally created for killing vampires."

Mihawk nodded, "That's good to know. Now get off."

Sabo rolled his eyes, and gestured to Shanks, "Let's go."

Shanks smiled, "UNFURL THE SAILS! WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE MOBY!"

Omake:

"So that was the World's Greatest, huh?" Ace commented mildly, while heating up hot chocolate.

"World's Greatest what?" Zoro questioned, doing another pushup.

"World's Greatest Swordsman." Sabo informed, practicing his shifting into Wolf Form.

"What?!" Zoro shrieked, falling on his face, "I could've challenged the World's Greatest Swordsman?!"

"Yeah, I suppose you could have." Usopp blinked calmly, making modifications to his slingshot.

"I could've challenged the World's Greatest Swordsman!" Zoro scrabbled up to his feet and ran to where Shanks was.

"TURN THE SHIP AROUND RIGHT NOW I NEED TO CHALLENGE MIHAWK!"

"Zoro, be quiet." Luffy groaned softly, "You can challenge Mihawk later, just let me sleep."

Zoro backed down with a mild curse, "…Fine Captain."

"Anchor already has a crew." Shanks wiped a mock tear from his eye, "I'm so proud."

Benn looked at him for a moment before snorting, "Yeah. Of course, you are."

"…I feel like you just snubbed me, but I don't know when."

"That's for me to know and you to agonize over. Heh heh."

AN: So. I know I took a long time, but I kind of needed a break. I just had a recent idea for an Attack on Titan fanfiction, I call it The Storm Titan, by the way, you can go check it out, so I kind of have to fit a fourth story into my schedule, and that entirely threw me off. Now I have like, a fourth story to find a groove with, and I had to update this chapter, and you know. It's hectic. I also ended up losing my groove for this story halfway through the chapter, so if it starts sounding weird, that's probably me trying to find my groove again, haha. I hope you like this chapter. :)

~~Oracle