Chapter 294: Who You Gonna Call?
Perona was running as fast as she could. For the first time in her life she was truly scared. She was also muttering things about how she could easily beat him she could beat the rest of them.
Well she was more focused on Usopp than Gaara, as Usopp was the one chasing her.
Because of that Gaara's duty was killing the zombies while Usopp handled her.
However Usopp on the other hand was being chased by Perona's right hand zombie.
Oh yes, many chases all around!
Meanwhile with Gaara he was mowing down many zombies then forcing them to eat salt when he was done with them.
"Why can't you just enjoy life!" yelled one of the zombies.
"I do enjoy life, I learned many things on my journey since joining the Straw Hats." Said Gaara.
"Then why are you immune to Perona!" yelled another of the zombies.
"Because getting over my past isn't that easy." Said Gaara.
The zombies stared at him.
"Just get over it!" yelled the zombies.
That was hewn he sent a wave of sand at them.
He then forced salt down their throats.
He noticed the ones that hadn't gotten away were all dead.
"Mind as well find Usopp." Said Gaara.
He began his search for the cowardly sniper.
As he searched he came across Perona but something was wrong with her. She was unconscious.
He looked at the body.
"This isn't Usopp's work." Said Gaara.
He quickly realized that it had to do with her powers.
Gaara began to think about what to do.
That was when he thought of the best idea.
He grabbed the body and left the room, going to find Usopp.
Meanwhile Usopp was having a hard time fighting Perona.
It wasn't so much running away scared. It was be because she was flying and moving around like no human could.
That was when she reached her hands into his chest.
"Oh no! I'm going to die!" yelled Usopp, "I'm going to bleed to death!"
"Shut up and look." Mocked Perona, "You're not wounded."
Usopp looked at his chest, indeed he wasn't bleeding.
"Still you're going to die soon." Said Perona.
"What!" yelled Usopp.
"Because I'm going to grab your heart and slowly crush it." Said Perona.
"Stop! Don't do it! I'll die for sure!" said Usopp.
"You're going to die now… now squirm as you go!" said Perona with an evil smile.
"No! Stop I don't want to die!" Screamed Usopp.
There was an awkward silence.
"Yeah… I can't do that!" giggle Perona.
"What! You were bluffing." Said Usopp falling backward hitting his head on the floor.
She laughed, "If I could kill you by crushing your heart, you would have been dead the moment I put my hands in."
That was when she had to dodge sand coming here way.
"What?" she said.
She dodged the sand.
"Oh you're done now?" asked Usopp.
Gaara nodded, "Some of them got away but it's fine." Said Gaara.
"She's really powerful." Said Usopp.
"It's all an illusion…" said Gaara.
"What?" asked Usopp.
Gaara then held up Perona real body.
"I think it's astral project." Said Gaara.
"That's a decoy body." Said Perona, "There's no way you can hurt me."
That was when Gaara slammed sand into the "decoy body's" gut.
Perona winced at the site.
"You felt that… didn't you?" asked Gaara.
"Try it again." Said Perona.
Little did Gaara know was that tiny version of her ghosts begun to latch on.
"Go ahead." Said Perona with a smirk.
That was when they blew up. However Gaara wasn't harmed and Gaara continued to stand there.
"Oh yeah, it's hard to hurt Gaara!" said Usopp.
Perona scowled.
That was when she had the ghosts latch onto Usopp.
"Give me back my body and the long nose doesn't get hurt." Said Perona.
"Is that so…" said Gaara.
He then tossed his sand at Perona's ghost.
IT was threw her but she began to scream in pain.
"What did you do?" asked Perona.
"While detailing with your zombies I realized it was a good idea to mix salt with my sand." Said Gaara, "Since you ate a Devil Fruit I figured the salt would effect you!"
"That s cold!" yelled Usopp.
Gaara only crossed his arms.
"Since you wont' be me back my body!" said Perona.
The ghosts exploded hurting Usopp.
"You okay?" asked Gaara.
"I've been worse." Said Usopp twitching on the ground.
"Good." Said Gaara.
"Why are you acting that way?" asked Perona.
"I don't socialize with my crew normally. I talk to Robin, Naruto and sometimes Hinata, Luffy and Nami. But usually I keep to myself." Explained Gaara.
Perona stared at Gaara.
That was when Kumashi tried to attack Gaara from behind. He hit the sand wall and then Gaara turned and threw some salt in his mouth.
Perona stared in shock.
"You killed Kumashi!" yelled Perona who began to cry. Then turned to Usopp was getting up.
"You killed him! I'll kill your cremate!" yelled Perona.
An other ghost appeared but it was different than the usual ones.
It bit Usopp… the bite did nothing but since it was a ghost the cite itself did nothing.
"When that explodes it's going to tear him apart!" yelled Perona.
Gaara's eyes winded.
"I'll give you back your body!" yelled Gaara.
"You crossed a line!" yelled Perona, "Watch as he gets blown to bits!"
The ghost exploded however Usopp was still standing.
"What?" asked Perona.
Usopp was holding a dial.
Gaara breathed a sigh of relief.
Gaara give her back her body, "I have a plan." Said Usopp.
Gaara nodded and tossed Perona's at her spiritual form.
Perona glared at them knowing it was probably better to be in her body.
"Shiny Black star!" shouted Usopp shooting something at Perona.
Turned out whatever it was cockroaches.
She of course began to scream.
"Not the cockroaches! Not the cockroaches! They're in my clothes! They're in my clothes!" screamed Perona.
Gaara stared at Perona then at Usopp. Usopp was now lifting a giant mallet that had the label "10 tons".
Perona saw him left the mallet. But found she couldn't get up. She saw her legs were being held to the floor with sand.
"Thanks." Said Usopp realizing that Gaara noticed a bit of a hole in his plan.
He then turned to Perona.
"Back in the East Blue I'm known at the World's Strongest Man." Said Usopp.
Gaara said nothing, but he did wonder where it was going.
"What no!" yelled Perona who was freaking out.
"Usopp Golden Pound!" yelled Usopp slamming the mallet on her.
Turned out it just popped however Perona didn't notice as she had fainted in shock due to this.
Gaara stared at Usopp.
"Really?" asked Gaara.
Usopp laughed.
"Why?" asked Gaara.
"It was before you joined the fight." Explained Usopp.
"I see…" said Gaara.
"Thanks." Said Usopp.
"For what?" asked Gaara.
"For helping me out." Said Usopp.
Gaara smirked and nodded.
It was that day Gaara got a little closer to Usopp. He did have to open up to the rest of the crew but at least he was to closer to one them.
But of course the battle for the shadows wasn't over yet… this fight might be over but there were plenty more going on.
Next Time: Brook's shadow was placed in a legendary swordsman. And now Zoro is fighting that zombie. Can he defeat the super powered zombie or will he fail? Find out next time!