The Thousand Sunny lifted their sails, slowing their speed as they did so and allowing the yellow submarine to continue ahead of them some ways before they, too, slowed down. Luffy and his crew might be friends with Coby, but the Heart Pirates preferred to keep out of the way. Toshiro stayed with them, choosing to join Law in his studies of the Heartless while the Marines dropped anchor with the Straw Hats to talk. So far everything was peaceful, none of the Marines even acting that hostile, simply on guard as they should be on the chance things did go south.
"Hey, Coby!" Luffy waved the Captain over happily, completely opposite of the Marines with a carefree posture.
"Good to see you doing well, Luffy." The pink-haired man grinned, choosing to remain on his own ship and just wave back. The distant attitude made some of the more perceptive Straw Hats frown.
"Oh, it's that bird girl." Luffy took notice of Tebliel, recognizing her from the mountain island they had fought the Chaos user in.
Tebliel herself didn't seem too interested in him, looking at each of the other pirates briefly and apparently not spotting whoever she was looking for, turning towards the submarine instead with concern.
"You've met?" Coby asked, curious.
"Briefly, she helped us against a particularly tricky Devil Fruit user." Robin answered.
"Up until she got eaten by a Heartless." Tebliel countered, focused on one task only. She shuffled her wings in a more visible display of worry, Brook giving a shudder as to him they appeared ghostly with little hollow wisps floating off the feathers.
A few of the pirates gave her a dark look, understanding pretty quickly what she was after.
"Maru was mad at her for hurting his friend." Luffy also frowned at her, not liking the accusatory tone.
"Maru?" Coby questioned, the name unfamiliar to him.
"He's Snowy's dragon."
There were a few muttered whispers of surprise among the Marines, Helmeppo looking shocked, the idea of an actual dragon unheard of to them.
"He's a Heartless." Tebliel corrected the rubber man. "Heartless are evil, the only thing they do is consume."
"But Maru isn't like other Heartless." Usopp argued back, his companions looking less friendly with the Human-Mink with every word.
"It ate someone!"
"She was going to kill us!"
"Luffy." Coby's voice broke up their argument, the Captain being spoken to looking back at him with a slight frown, picking up on something wrong with his friend. "This Hitsugaya Toshiro and his Heartless are dangerous. We just want to keep him from hurting anyone."
"Especially those children." Tebliel had her attention back on the submarine, looking worried again. As far as she was concerned, the longer Toshiro stayed over there with them, the more likely he was to hurt them to get away. She wanted to save them.
Something in Coby's eyes flickered, spreading throughout the crew, even Helmeppo's uncertainty replaced with resolve, and though normally he was considered inattentive, Luffy did not miss it. His crew caught on as well in different ways.
"So you called the Marines on us because Hyorinmaru scared you?" Nami scowled at the angel girl. "And those children are Law's, they're perfectly safe."
Tebliel found the courage to shoot a glare at her, clearly not believing her and of the strong belief that Toshiro and his dragon were evil and they were simply fooled by him. If Maleficent, the one who had saved her, was evil, then he could be too.
Over on the submarine, Thursday paled as she noticed who was on the Marine ship with the one that was supposedly a friend to the Straw Hats.
"Oh no…" She muttered aloud, worried. It had taken some time to fight through the haze in her mind after meeting with the Human-Mink, to realize that it was Tebliel who had been fooled, not herself. She had come to realize that the most after what happened on the island with Shanks, seeing how Toshiro had taken a major mental blow and was in desperate need of help. Maleficent had never been someone to trust, and in an attempt to apologize she had worked with Sanji to make sure the Nobody would still eat and get better.
"What's wrong?" Jean Bart asked, also outside as a look out.
"It's the Mink hybrid from the mountains… Tebliel."
"I thought you said she was helpful to all of you."
"Well… there was a detail I left out. I realize now she's probably just been tricked, so I don't think she's bad still… but she works for Maleficent."
The huge pirate clenched his jaw, realizing they might have a problem on their hands if the witch was involved.
"Go tell Captain and the others, I'll keep watch." He ordered. Having been a former Captain before being enslaved by nobles and then rescued by Law, Jean Bart was somewhat used to giving orders. He only did it to the younger or newer members, understanding his place in this crew, but he had enough respect that they listened.
Nodding, Thursday hurried inside, handing over the binoculars to the man before doing so.
She hurried to the infirmary, remembering the rules to knock first, not wanting to cause any potential mistakes since Law was working with a tricky 'patient'. Once she got the okay to come in, she shoved the door open and wasted no time.
"Tebliel is on the ship with the Marines, I don't think this is going to be a friendly meeting." She explained quickly.
"The hybrid Mink? What do you mean?" A confused surgeon asked, allowing the Room to drop so as not to waste energy. Toshiro looked confused as well.
"I'm sorry for not saying so before… I was upset and not in a great place, and I think she took advantage of that, but she works for Maleficent. I don't think she knows any better, but it could mean trouble."
"Tebliel wouldn't be the first one who thought Maleficent was helping them." Toshiro responded with a scowl, Law looking tense. This wasn't a great time for Maleficent to cause trouble.
"I'm sorry, I meant to say something earlier…" Thursday looked away, ashamed. "I didn't know what had happened to you, and she was saying all these good things about Maleficent. For a moment, I believed her."
"I can hardly blame you for doubting me, especially after what happened, the important thing is to figure out what she's up to now. Perhaps we can convince her to realize the truth instead."
"If she's using someone the Straw Hats know well it might not be so easy." Law spoke his doubts aloud, wondering what the angel user's goal was coming to them with Coby.
"I'll go."
"You sure? What if Maleficent is around?" Thursday looked at the Nobody with worry, knowing the dark fairy had an advantage over him right now as the darkness continued to tug at his control.
"I won't be alone." Toshiro replied confidently before hurrying out towards the ship's exit. Law shared a look with his adopted daughter before shrugging and hurrying out as well, Thursday right behind him. It was at least a good sign that Toshiro wasn't running off to fight by himself.
Outside, the tension was already growing thick. Tebliel had the whole Marine crew backing her up, while the Straw Hats all looked irritated and ready to fight. Coby felt like something was wrong with this situation… but he was only concerned about helping the angel-user rescue the children and taking out the Heartless and its master.
There was a gasp from Tebliel.
"It's him!" She shouted, spotting the white hair with black tips exiting the submarine, the dragon on his shoulder in his small form. "And the Heartless!"
Coby motioned to his men to move towards the other ship and deal with the target.
"Coby!" Luffy shouted, looking furious. "Don't do it!"
"He's trying to fight the Heartless too! He's the one who told Fujitora about them!" Chopper added on, pleading.
"He's the informant?" Coby's surprise momentarily made him pause, his trust in the Straw Hats helping him resist the angel's temptation.
As they spoke, Toshiro Flash Stepped the short distance between the two pirate ships, hoping to maybe talk things out once more, unaware of Tebliel's power over them. Hyorinmaru hissed as guns were aimed at him.
"Wait!" The Nobody held his hands up in an attempt to stall for time so he could talk.
Tebliel didn't want to give him that chance.
'Take out the dragon before it eats us!' She thought fearfully.
The Marines responded. Anti-Heartless bullets tore through the air towards a shocked Reaper and his partner. In an effort to stop the attack before it progressed to a full fight, Luffy jumped in front, his rubbery body taking the impact of the bullets and letting them bounce back at random angles, thankfully not hitting anyone. Nothing with impact could hurt him if it didn't have Haki, bullets were easy to counter.
Unfortunately, he didn't get all of them. Hyorinmaru fell to the deck with a sharp cry, a hole from a lucky shot going through his shoulder that hissed and burned and refused to heal quickly thanks to the serum.
"Oh no!" Chopper was quick to rush over, a distressed Toshiro picking up his dragon carefully, but there was not much he could do for a creature of shadow and ice.
"They've already weaponized it?" Robin spoke with surprise, noticing the reaction it had on the Heartless.
"Look here, you shits, that was uncalled for." Sanji growled, standing up on the railing and seconds from kicking the lights out of every Marine on the other ships. Zoro stood next to him with a menacing scowl, partly unsheathing one of his blades.
"He's our friend, Coby, so if you're going after him then we'll have to fight!" Luffy shouted out a challenge full of rage.
"He's a Nobody with a Heartless!" Tebliel challenged back, though she kept behind a few Marines in case those rubber arms decided to throw a punch. "He's tricking you!"
"And Maleficent is tricking you!" Thursday's voice cut through, the yellow submarine much closer now. Next to the tall young woman was a few of her crewmates, including Dextra, Book, Bepo and their Captain. "I don't know what she told you, Tebliel, but Toshiro is not your enemy!"
"I already know Maleficent lied to me… so how can you be so sure he isn't lying to you!?" Concerned that Thursday was arguing against her, the Human-Mink tried to reason with her. Her focus now elsewhere, Coby shook his head and turned back to the Straw Hats, all tensed for a battle. He suddenly had no clue what was going on, or why Luffy looked so angry at him. The pink haired man headed over to the side of the ship, motioning the pirate Captain over so as not to draw Tebliel's attention. Curious, Luffy's expression loosened up a bit, wondering if his friend was back to normal.
"Because he's done nothing but try his best to stop the Heartless!" Thursday kept the angel's attention on her. "You said Maleficent wanted to help him… we all know for a fact she's been trying to control him! She made you think he's bad and needs help because she wanted to use him, Tebliel!"
On the Sunny, Hyorinmaru finally managed to shed off the serum – greatly helped by Chopper removing the bullet in his shoulder – and was able to start healing, though he was understandably furious. Relieved his partner was okay, Toshiro tried to keep him calm, hoping the conversations going on around them was a sign they could turn this back around.
Indeed, Tebliel did look somewhat unsure about her choices thus far, and the cracks in her confidence meant her allure over the Marines was wearing off. Coby was talking quietly to Luffy, understanding what was going on, and motioned to his now clear-headed crew to back off. The lowered weapons let the pirates relax somewhat, but there were still some heated glares in Tebliel's direction. Helmeppo stepped over next to Coby, quietly asking what to do about her, but Coby whispered back to wait.
"But one of you got killed because of him, I just want to make sure the rest of you are safe." This was the last excuse Tebliel had for her actions, far reaching as it was. It did make Thursday flinch as painful memories returned, and the Heart Pirates all turned furious, but it did not make them sympathetic to her.
"How true, those who try to walk the same path as the Heavenly Guardian are bound to perish." The malicious voice that echoed over them made them all tense. Green fire followed, bringing their attention around to Coby's ship, the witch appearing with several dog-like Heartless that snapped their jaws at any poor Marine who got too close. "It is a fate that binds him."
"Not true!" Toshiro snapped at her, standing back up on the railing with a bristling Hyorinmaru on his shoulder again, though the dragon held one of his wings closer to his body, still healing. "It's you and Xehanort and all who follow you that cause this pain."
"Your existence in their lives is what brings our attention to them in the first place." Maleficent sneered back, going for the topics she knew hit him the hardest.
"Ma'am, I must ask you to leave." Coby hid his wariness of her well as he kept up an air of command. "This is my ship, and it's clear you are with the Heartless."
"Oh, how polite." She chuckled. "I simply came to collect my poor servant here."
When she motioned to Tebliel, the Marines took aim, both at Maleficent herself and at a startled and frightened Mink hybrid.
"Well, so much for chivalry." Looking at the soldiers disapprovingly, Maleficent scowled. "Come along, little angel, I still have a use for you."
"A use?" Tebliel's voice broke a bit with her reply, feathers ruffled and shaky. "You… you saved me from those horrible people… people who enslaved me. But… but you control those things!" She pointed shakily at the Heartless. "These dark creatures that eat hearts…"
"Quite useful, aren't they?" Maleficent ran a hand over one of the dog Heartless as if petting it. It didn't really respond, just snapped at a Marine trying to sneak around behind them and causing the man to fall back to get away. "Don't worry, my dear, as long as you obey me you don't have to worry about them."
"You told me they were evil! That's why you said he was dangerous!" Tebliel pointed over to Toshiro, the Nobody watching this interaction carefully, trying to figure out what Maleficent wanted to use this scared woman for.
"I wanted you to think as such because I needed you to use your power to control him." Maleficent basically gave him the answer, sighing heavily. "Time is a tad short now, however, so if you're going to betray me, then I suppose I have no choice." She slammed the end of her staff down, darkness flowing over the ship faster than they could react, latching onto their feet and beginning to drag the shocked Marines down. Tebliel only just managed to lift herself into the sky, startled. "You will all become my Heartless!"
"Coby!" Luffy, still on the railing of the Marine ship, latched onto the pink-haired man, wrapping around several times with his rubber arms. But the darkness would not release, Coby continuing to sink no matter how much Luffy pulled.
Light flashed and the darkness pulled back, allowing the Marines to escape and stand again, showing their pride as soldiers as they shook off their fear and aimed their weapons once more, though a few did look to see what had happened. Toshiro had jumped over, Keyblade in hand letting off the light that had saved them. The humans freed and his shoulder healed, Hyorinmaru lifted into the air, growing in size while gathering energy between open jaws.
"Stubborn beast!" Maleficent moved her staff through the air in front of her as if slicing at it, green fire following the motion and launching at the Heartless. A breath of ice was released from his jaws, clashing with the fire and canceling out. By now he was almost as big as the Sunny, meaning his next attacks would scale up as well and be much stronger.
The Heartless she had brought with her leapt, going after whoever was closest. The Marines took fire, their new ammo serving them well to keep the dark dogs back and eliminating them. Helmeppo proved to be a practiced swordsman, using a pair of kukiri blades to take out the Heartless, the edge of the blades containing a slight sheen to show it had been coated in the serum. Two Heartless came at Coby and Luffy, the pair taking stances to fight with their fists, but a thrown Keyblade saved them the trouble, ice covering a small circle around where the odd blade embedded into the deck of the ship.
"Thanks for the assistance." Coby turned to the Nobody, who returned the smile with a look of surprise instead. "I heard you were the informant Fujitora had on the Heartless. Don't worry, I won't say anything, but your information and the serum were greatly appreciated."
"It was the least I could do, though it was painfully ironic that the cure I gave you got used on my own partner." Toshiro turned to look at Maleficent who was currently busy holding off said partner.
"I sincerely apologize for that…" The Marine Captain, hoping to show his appreciation, picked up the Keyblade from where it stuck into the ship and handed it back, though he did wonder why the smaller figure was giving him a surprised look.
"Oi, quit chatting!" Zoro's gruff yell caught their attention as he jumped over and joined them, cutting down a new wave of Heartless that had appeared at the dark fairy's command.
Luffy needed no further encouragement, launching a punch right at Maleficent. Spotting this, she scowled and conjured up a large bellied Heartless, the fist bouncing right off.
On the submarine, Law created a Room, letting it reach over all of the ships.
"Takt!" In response to the upward movement of his hands, steel pipes – he made sure to pick ones not required for structural soundness - within the Marine ship stabbed upwards, impaling multiple Heartless.
"What nuisances!" Emerald flames blazed around Maleficent, engulfing her and growing larger. Panicked, the Marines all jumped to the other two ships to escape the flames. Luffy, Zoro, Toshiro and Coby jumped over to the Sunny instead, turning back to see what she was up to. Letting out a roar of challenge, Hyorinmaru landed on the now empty ship, his weight shifting the whole thing.
The flames dispersed, revealing a second huge black dragon, this one with four legs and a pair of tiny see-through wings that were unlikely to carry her in flight. Her eyes glowed a sickly green, matching the usual color of her magic, mouth and underbelly a dark purple-gray. Her roar was like the hiss of a hundred snakes, piercing and making them shudder. Hyorinmaru roared back, icy spines bristling same as her own sharp spikes as the two dragons faced off.
"We should try to get out of here." Law suggested to his crew with a scowl, seeing the two Marine ships moving away to give the main ship a wide berth with the two dragons fighting on it, likely going to destroy it.
"But the others." Dextra pointed over to the Sunny.
"They'll be fine, let's go."
Just before they could get the submarine turned around and heading away, a rush of wind brought their attention back.
Tebliel had landed on their deck.