~.~
"Ohh! T-This is my shadow Moria cut off 5 years ago! Yohohohoho!" Brook shouted happily and Luffy inwardly wondered how the man recovered so fast. He had been unable to move a few minutes ago and now he was doing a bridge position or some bizarre dance he wasn't sure which. "Take a look at this! Same as my real body!" the skeleton exclaimed happily as he struck another weird pose.
"It is your shadow after all." The nekomimi said dryly.
"You wouldn't understand my joy!" The skeleton shouted into the teen's face who flinched back chastised slightly. "It's like I have finally gotten back my other self. This joy this deep feelings, they touch my flesh and bones! Though I don't have a flesh… being a skeleton Yohohoho!" Luffy couldn't help himself and started chuckling along, the skeleton's laugh was contagious. "It's finally back! After such a long time, my shadow is back!"
"Good for you." Luffy said with a small smile making the skeleton blush slightly in embarrassment, then again he was a skeleton so it didn't shown. "What are you gonna do now?" He would be happy to have Brook on his crew but at the same time he couldn't ask him to fight with him against Moria. He had lost his shadow to the warlord once after all it would be a traumatic experience he didn't want to put the skeleton through again.
"What are you saying Luffy-san? I believe we only fulfilled one of our objectives. We still have to rescue Perona-san." Hearing that the nekomimi turned around hastily. Brook wondered why he did so but he caught a glimpse of the boy's red cheek.
"O-okay." Luffy-san was embarrassed the skeleton realized, the boy was just way too cute acting all tsun-tsun. The teen meanwhile inwardly cursed the fact his hoodie had been destroyed.
"L-Let's go then. Here!" the boy said throwing the skeleton the katana he got from Ryuma after a bit of thinking.
Brook fumbled a bit to catch it. "W-what?" He asked the nekomimi who was already in move.
"Brook, keep up."
"Ah, yes… Eh… ano Luffy-san?" The nekomimi hmmed to show he was listening to the skeleton who was trying to catch up with him. "I mean is this really alright? To leave the sword with me."
"It's temporally." The nekomimi said with a shrug.
'So I've been demoted to gofer. Luffy-san that hurts!' Brook thought with a small cry inwardly.
"Besides… it would only get in my way." That somehow made the skeleton feel better.
"I see… your katana is quite long having another sword on you would end up being an inconvenience since your sho-"
"Who's small enough to crush like an insect?!" The boy asked with a glare making the skeleton shout out in fright.
"I didn't say that!" Only then did the teen's glare softened. Who knew the boy was so sensible about his height. "I just meant that another sword would get in the way since your katana is two handed. I guess costume made since I didn't hear of such a unique looking sword."
"Ah… Tsukoyumi is one of the kind but not exactly two handed." He indeed most of the time used both of his hands but he was capable of wielding the sword with one hand alone, he just preferred not to.
The nekomimi was admittedly a bit tired and anxious. The last few fights took a lot more out of him that he would have liked to admit, his reserve were high and he secretly hopped it would be enough to face Moria. Brook continued his chatter and the teen was happy for the small distraction. It was more like a running commentary thanks to his short and mostly nonverbal answers but the skeleton didn't seemed to mind. It was like he knew the nekomimi needed it, and Luffy was slightly amazed by how easily Brook managed to read his mood.
They neared a big ball room of sorts and both of them were on high alert as they moved further in. Brook mostly because he read the nekomimi's body language. Luffy could tell that something was watching them, he could almost smell the danger they were about to step into.
"Kishishishishi!" The familiar laughter brought the two to an abrupt stop. "… so you made it after all, Cheshire." Moria's voice made the two's attention zoom in on the speaker. The warlord was leaning lazily against the wall seemingly unbothered by his enemy's presence. "Even though I told them not to underestimate you." He spoke with clear disappointment in his voice.
Moria had meticulously planned everything after all. With the zombies under Hogback's command and with Absalom's devil fruit power they should have been able to take down the nekomimi. The child was just one person, no matter how strong. But then he showed up with Humming and Ryuma was forced to face the skeleton and Hogback left his post leaving Absalom to face the teen all alone. Worse yet, the red-haired yonko was in route to pick the kid up and he would bet anything the warlord had that Shanks wasn't in a good mood. Moria doubted the marines were ready for a war or that they would be able to stop the yonko. The warlord had hoped that in exchange for sparring the boy's life the yonko would just overlook their disagreement.
"Where is Perona?" Luffy asked barely managing to reign in his emotions. He couldn't explode yet. Brook and Perona would be in danger then.
"She escaped." The man spoke.
"Right." The teen was the perfect picture of skepticism.
"Kishishishishi… I'm not lying."
Brook meanwhile was the best example one could find of being shocked and scared to death as those two stared each other down. "You are not telling the entire truth either." Luffy said and it's not like they were trying to be civil but the skeleton still could barely believe the nekomimi spoke to the warlord in such a rude manner. However Moria didn't seem upset or annoyed he seemed to be relaxed, dare he say laid back.
"She fought Hogback and some zombies." The warlord said looking Luffy in the eyes. "She overexerted herself, because of you-" Moria emphasized "for you and is probably slowly dying right this moment. The stupid girl blow up herself after all." The man said and for the first time the nekomimi could hear some akin of anger in warlord's voice.
The boy's eyes widened as the words finally registered. "No… that can't be…"
Brook quickly stepped in between the two finally realizing why the warlord had been watching the teen so closely. He had been looking for a reaction and judging by the smirk he was wearing his words managed to give him what he had been after, pain and self-loathing. Luffy was blaming himself for placing Perona in such a situation the skeleton realized. Brook hated that look on the younger boy's face. He knew he couldn't win against the warlord but if he could buy just a few seconds for the teen to compose himself then he will happily fight Moria, even if he would end up defeated.
"Luffy-san don't listen to him. This wasn't your fault, the one at fault is the one who kidnapped her and the one who hurt her." The skeleton said and the nekomimi looked up at him with wide and vulnerable eyes for a small second before then those feline eyes hardened with determination. The teen then nodded back gratefully.
"You're right. Perona is strong." Luffy spoke with conviction and absolute fate in his nakama. Perona wouldn't have been defeated that easily.
"Denial." Moria said unimpressed from where he was. "Still want to fight me? Do you think you have time to?" Luffy stepped forward, right beside Brook and both invaders could tell the warlord wasn't happy with how fast the teen recovered from that psychological attack.
"Where is she?" The nekomimi spoke with a voice Brook would describe as cold enough to freeze even hell.
"So the answer is no. Too bad because right now… I really want to fight you. Doppelman-" The man shouted and his own shadows came to life, two against two now it seemed almost a fair fight the nekomimi thought. The warlord brought forward his twin sword swords that when assembled looked as a pair of scissors. Luffy's eyes in response seemed to glow, unbeknown to the other two the nekomimi started releasing a large amount of mist that scattered around the room. "Unless you defeat me you will never get to her."
Luffy growled gaining a more feral look. "Brook I will make an opening, you go and find Perona." Brook answer was cut off by the angry warlord.
"Like I'd let you. Brick Bats!" The man commanded while brandishing his twin swords meanwhile the bats made of shadow flew high in the air waiting for the warlord's command to finally attack. "Do you really think you can fight me alone?" Moria asked with his trademark laughter.
Luffy stopped forward with a small smirk as he gazed upon his now numerous opponents. "Brook" he asked and the skeleton turned his attention from their opponent to the nekomimi. "Do you trust me?"
"Yes."
"Then… run." He didn't need to be told twice. Moria unleashed his shadow creations the very next second, and the little boy did seemingly nothing but raised a hand as he started to walk in a leisure peace toward the warlord unlike the skeleton rushing toward the exit across the room. It was as if summoned it out of thin air, small blue glittering particles rushed to answer the boy's silent wish and encircled the shadow bats that seemed to be somehow startled.
"Crystal cage-" The boy said and the mist morphed into crystals, capturing the shadow-bats inside. The entire ball room decorated by hundreds of crystals. They were shining beautifully in the modest light the torches provided, while the sizzling rain played outside their battle symphony. An impressive sight. The fact that it managed to entrap each of the shadow bats spoke more about Cheshire's capability than a hundred words could. But this little parlor trick belonged into a fantasy book not to a battlefield, Moria thought as he commanded his shadows to move. In vain thought, the shadows bats couldn't even flap their wings, they had been restrained completely, the crystals were stronger than he anticipated.
"Che…" the warlord scoffed as he and the nekomimi neared him. The teen was good, but a hundred years too young to challenge him. "Spikes!" the man commanded and the bats all exploded into a shadowy mass of spikes breaking the crystals into pieces. But Luffy didn't stop his advance not even when Doppelman reformed. He attacked it instead with no hesitation. The shadow intercepted his punch, then the kick he followed up with.
In speed he clearly had the advantage but unfortunately, the nekomimi thought as hit the mass of shadow a few times, it was useless. It reformed too quickly, almost as fast as his attacks were. They danced around for a little bit, Luffy using his knowledge in martial arts and his animal instinct to spot any weak points or blind spots but found none. The mass of shadow was like a kind of semi-liquid and was impervious to any physical damage.
"Tsuno-Tokage!" Moria called out as a spear formed in his hands and nekomimi quickly pushed himself away from the two. He knew the target of that spear would be. "- didn't give you permission to leave Humming!" The warlord shouted as he throw the spear toward the skeleton's retreating back. Brook had almost made it through the ballroom while Luffy kept the warlord busy, he needed just a bit longer, just a fraction longer but apparently wasn't granted.
"Soru." Luffy whispered and Moria had to admit, the teen's speed was not half assed. It barely took what a heartbeat for the kid to appear behind the skeleton and block the spear. There was a platform of sort hovering on front of the boy. It was made from the same substance the crystal cage had been. It almost looked like a glass of sorts from where the warlord was standing. But it wasn't just some glass, it was tough just like the crystals had been. But that wasn't strong enough, the crystals had been after all destroyed easily and his spear was a lot more dangerous than just some spikes. Just what was the brat scheming.
Luffy barely made it, even using soru. The spear was condense for a shadow construct, but he wouldn't give up. He had to protect his nakama, they were counting on him and he refused to let them down. He will protect them, the nekomimi thought as the spear pushed against the shield. He could feel it tremble underneath his hand. Sparks flied off into the air and then the first crack appeared on his shield. Luffy placed now both of his hands against the platform as he poured more of his power and will into the shield. But the crack just grow bigger, and finally broke into thousands of pieces.
The warlord frowned. The nekomimi was strong indeed, but it was all in vain in the end. Slowly but surely the spear broke through the glass and the stupid boy who still refused to move had face the consequences. And Luffy did with a fucking smug smile of all things even as the spear hit him. He knew Moria thought, the boy knew it would end this way. But then why didn't he just move? The answer was obviously Brook. Had the teen actually stepped aside the spear would have no doubt hit the skeleton. Such foolish action, he actually allowed himself to be injured. Took a direct hit without as much as a thought and for what? A acquaintance, a subordinate, an ally at best?
Brook knew that if there was anything he could have do to repay the kindness Luffy shown him he will do it no question asked. Even if it went against every protective urge he had in his fiber, not when the warlord attacked him, not when Luffy stepped in the way of the attack meant for him. The skeleton didn't stop, didn't falter and didn't hesitate not one second. He trusted the boy wholeheartedly, the nekomimi would not lose he knew, he believed that, so he run like he was on fire. Brook didn't slow down, not even when he stepped through the threshold the skeleton didn't dare stop his sprint. He had a mission to carry out and he won't stop less he fulfilled it.
Luffy grinned satisfied as the sound of foot-steps finally disappeared, even with his hearing, there were no more. Brook got through and he will find Perona, he knew so. His smile or grin probably both might have pissed the warlord off because the next second Doppelman punched him with enough force to send him realign back and more followed up. The fight progressed to the point where they moved too fast for his shield to keep up with.
"Why are you looking so smug?" Moria asked both amused and annoyed as Doppelman hit him again. "You can't truly believe it was a wise decision, sending away you ally like that. Look around, you are injured outnumbered and surrounded now." But Luffy wasn't given time to get his bearings before the shadow grabbed his feet and spin him around before tossing him into a wall. The entire room shock upon the impact. The wall was barely standing now.
Moria just watched with slight boredom from the sideline. The pirate apprentice in the state he fallen into just wasn't worth the effort. Him participating in the beat-down would have been overkill. With Humming here, together, they possessed a threat, now it seemed just… useless. He contemplated sitting back and just watching the show but then the boy's voice cut through him like a knife.
"Yes. I would rather not let them see me like this. " The boy spoke with no hesitation before he pushed himself away from the wall. He seemed to be falling toward the ground but instead of crashing into like expected, the younger pirate turned while airborne and then landed on the ground lightly. The execution of the maneuver was so smooth and swift that one could think his injury weren't actually that grave. What a lie, the warlord couldn't help but glare at the teen.
The boy placed one hand on the bleeding wound on his stomach where the warlord spear had hit him as he straightened himself. That being the only sign of his discomfort. His clothes were blood soaked with tears and holes everywhere in the fabric. They looked worse than a beggar's, the shirt he wore couldn't even be called a shirt anymore. Yet somehow the teen still managed to look dignified. Maybe because of the conviction in his eyes, the way he wore his wounds with pride. The nekomimi's stood tall in spite of his short size, his long hair moved as if gently caressed by a breeze his cat-ear pointed sharply forward, his long katana on his back and that annoyed Moria. Did the child really think he could beat him, one of the warlords without using it? His words may suggest that he was talking about his imminent defeat but Moria didn't think so. No he could see in his eyes. The boy refused to back down, the cocky little shit believed he could actually defeat him.
"Quit dreaming!" Moria finally shouted feed up.
"No way." Luffy said amused as his mist wound itself around Doppelman and stopping his attack in place. He needed just a second to recollect himself and he had been given so right after he had been sent flying. Moria should have known better. The shadow took a small step, it was a tremendous effort on its part his owner only then seemed to realize that something was very wrong. As Doppelman feet finally touched the ground it cracked then broke in small tiny crystals. The shadow shattered entirely and fell to the ground, thousands small and little pieces of shadows all encased in crystals.
The warlord's eyes widened. He couldn't put together what had just happened. His Doppelman seemed to be crystallized from the inside out. And then another layer appeared around them just to make sure. The pirate apprentice apparently wasn't taking any chances. The warlord's glare hardened as realization hit. "Back then-"
"It would be stupid" The nekomimi said slowly "to engage your shadows into a physical battle." He didn't need to clarify why. They both know that blunt force no matter how big was useless against them.
"Even then how did you manage? My Doppelman doesn't need to breath-"
"Ah, true, but when I attacked they always regenerated so I left inside their wounds plenty of my particles."
"Hmph…" the warlord's shoulder started to shake lightly before he exploded with laughter slightly shocking the nekomimi. "Kishishishishi! Cunning no Kishishi more like wicked, I like it."
Luffy could not say the same. He considered this move cruel and just truly nasty. Hardly a technique he could use on a living human. No matter how big of an idiot they would realize they are inhaling tons of small particles, it would be similar to someone inhaling or gulping down tons sand if only a bit smaller. But Doppelman was a different matter. It was a shadow and while possessing a certain amount of intelligence, he certainly couldn't feel pain, something the nekomimi used to his advantage. Doppelman didn't feel the discomfort of thousand if not millions of small particles invading then shifting around inside of him. Not until it was too late anyway.
"You are a lot craftier than I expected. You sure are a cat and not a fox?" Moria spoke once again as he twirled around his twin swords on his fingers. "I admit I might have underestimated you. Still this technique of yours takes a lot to maintain. " True but there is no way Luffy would admit that. "While I have hundreds if not thousands of shadows at my disposition. You are good but you are not ready yet, not for this stage." The way the warlord talked was slightly concerning. "Shadow Asgard!"
~.~
Shanks frowned as they docked on Thriller Bark. The waters were turbulent, but at least the weather took a turn for better, now it simply rained seemingly non-stop, with all the fog that had raised it give Thriller Bark a sinister appearance. The island in itself just like those waters wad creepy not to mention there was no one there to greet them. He really hopped that nothing similar to that stupid cult ever happened here. He got goosebumps just thinking about it. Luffy wouldn't just play along, he knows better now. Even if Moria tried to blackmail him, he wouldn't just give himself up like that right? The stupid chibi, couldn't he just stay put? But then again he knew the answer to that question. There was no way Luffy could just sit around idle while his nakama was in danger, they were similar in that manner.
"Captain… we lost the marines for now but can't stay for too long." Shanks frowned as he listened to the navigators report. The marines apparently thought they could trap them in the mist just like that. The warlord's impertinence to pick a fight with him made more sense. He had the navy read to back him up in everything. Stupid truly, it didn't matter how many battle-ships tried to sneak up on them and how many admirals they sent out to stop them. Because right now the entire crew was united in their overprotectiveness.
They knew that Luffy was strong, that had never been a question. The boy was scarily good, for a pirate apprentice that is. Maybe that was the reason everyone felt like they have to look out for him, nah. Truth is the kid just wormed himself into their hearts somehow. Well he was Luffy, he was like nobody else they meet, although he sometimes do bore a scary resemblance to the worst people they happily had the chance to meet and captain Roger was just one of them. With a big-heart and a small shy tentative smile that grow bigger more sincere and just truly blinding through their journey. That smile was shining like the sun at them blood-thirsty pirates and it was just so damn warm. No one could resist it, it was infectious. The kid just got under your skin with one simple look, and when he looked at them like that… It made them feel like they were no longer just a bunch of good-for-nothings. Even the most hard-ass pirate on the crew smile back.
Then there was the undeniable fact that Luffy was the youngest on the crew. That including all the new additions the kid seemed to adopt. Yes adopt because Luffy seemed to just pick them up from the streets like one would abandoned puppies or kittens and then turn to them with that heart-wrenching look, that typical "can I keep 'em?" And for once he would have liked to see someone say no to that look. That simple action speak enough of the kid's character, and yet calling him a child just seemed wrong somehow. He was a kid though, one that had been forced to grow up too soon, but a kid non the less. One they all wanted to protect but not a child, no not anymore.
The nekomimi had faced the worst humanity had to offer, time and time again and after everything he had been through, Shanks was simply amazed Luffy could still smile like that. That was the reason they fought for right now. To protect that smile. Their youngest was fighting for his nakama and anyone who got in between them backing the kid up, well they weren't going to live long enough to regret it.
"I need a team with me, the rest stay and protect the ship, be prepared to leave at any given moment." The red-head said. "Yassop, Lucky Roo I need both of you here" Shanks said as he saw the two prepare themselves to go on the island. "You two are our best long ranged shots, so take out as many ships as possible before we get back. Benn"
"I am coming with you." It was a statement and Shanks nodded gratefully as they shared a look. There was no way his first-mate was going to just let him walk into hostile territory without anyone to watch his six. Plus he was one of the few who could calm Shanks down when he was angry. And right now they were all hoping for the best and expecting the worse.
"Alright then, we'll go. Doc-"
"I'm ready." Shanks once more nodded with a small smile. His old friend had been probably ready to leave for a long time now, not that he could fault him. Luffy was accident prone, and those accidents most of times consisted of idiots attacking him.
"Wait captain, take me with you. I know I'll probably slow you two down but… please take me along." Rockstar said determined. Two others stepped up behind Rockstar with the same request their eyes.
Shanks thought it was funny somehow. Rockstar was in the beginning strongly against letting some brat join them and now he was one of the most overprotective of the nekomimi. "Alright it looks like we have a team."
~.~
"T-this is it? You two are sure?" Brook asked with a glare the two small rodent zombies he had captured.
"Yes! We are sure! Perona- sama is here!" the two spoke in sync. But before the skeleton could verify something attacked him. He barely managed to dodge.
"You two, traitors!" Hildon shouted annoyed as he swooped down to attack once again. "Don't think I won't tell Moria-sama about this!" The flying zombie shouted.
Brook let the two rodent go. It was easier battling the flying zombie this way. "I'll have to ask you to step aside." The skeleton spoke in an earie calm voice. "I don't have any time to waste on you." It was probably insulting but true non the less. From just a few clashes Brook could read his enemy, the only thing his opponent had on him that could be deemed troublesome and annoying were the ability to fly. But there was a cure for that. He knew where the zombie would fly to if he only walked toward the door. Hildon was after all hell bend on keeping the skeleton away from there.
"Hah like I-"
"Yahazugiri." Brook placed his sword back into its scab with a loud click and Hildon fell to the ground incapacitated. He had been cut down in every sense of the world. "I warned you." The skeleton whispered before he quickly rushed and opened the door, surprisingly the zombies told the truth. The pink haired ghost princess was indeed sleeping on the room and she was also heavily wounded. He recognized her, she was Moria's subordinate, was… right? She was Luffy's nakama right now and that was more important. The skeleton could deal with the rest later.
"Perona-san!" Brook shouted worried as he ran to the girl's side. He quickly checked her pulse seeing as she was not responding to his prodding. Her pulse was weak but she was alive, in critical condition but alive. Brook quickly started treating her wounds as best as he could, he was no medic but even he knew how to apply first-aid. "Perona-san please hold on." The skeleton spoke softly hoping the ghost princess could hear him. "Luffy-san is -"' and there was a twitch. Had he been not so concentrated he could have missed it but not the groan that came next.
"Luf-fy?!" The young pirate asked as her eyes fluttered open and the skeleton marveled. He had albert gently slapped her, moved her to check out her injuries and to apply bandages and yet the only thing needed for her to wake up was for someone to speak Luffy's name.
"Yes, he heard you were injured and sent me ahead." The skeleton confessed.
"Hu-mming…"
Brook smiled slightly with a small nod. "You remember me."
True to be told the only reason she did remember him was that she heard Luffy was with him. She would not otherwise even try to bother recalling someone like Brook but she wasn't about to tell him that. There were more important things she had to find out. "Why… why are you hel-ping me?"
"I owe Luffy-san. He got me back my shadow." The skeleton said and it was enough for the pink-haired ghost princess to stop questioning him or his motives.
They had been together when they landed on the island. So they stuck an alliance of sorts. Now the most important question. "W-whe-re i-is he?"
"Fighting Moria." The skeleton said as he continued to bandage some of her worse injuries.
The girl's eye widened hearing that, she raised herself to a sitting position with a painful scream despite Brook's words to take it easy and that she shouldn't move. The girl grabbed his hands and begged with tear-filled eyes, a combo he couldn't defend against. "Please t-take me th-there! Pl-ease!"
~.~
The warlord appearance changed drastically as he absorbed more and more shadows. Moria seemed to grow larger, his horns arms neck and even his hair become much longer. The warlord destroyed half of the ceiling and room as he continued to grow. The nekomimi quickly leaped in air and brought his sword down on his opponent swiftly. He really hopped it would be enough to stop the warlord's power up while possible. It surprisingly did work. Moria stopped absorbing shadows to block the overhead attack with his twin swords.
They were both slightly amazed by the other's raw strength. Luffy despite his small stature packed quite a bit of heat meanwhile Moria had at disposition the colossal strength fitting of one called a warlord. The Shichibukai managed to push back the teen. Luffy was however quick on his feet even with all the wounds he had sustained. The nekomimi righted himself before he even touched the ground. The second his feet did touch the ground he launched himself at his opponent once more all while dodging the shadows the warlord sent his way.
Moira could see most of his shadows getting trapped in Crystal cage behind the kid as Luffy dodged the warlord's attempt to entrap him. This was not one simple battle, it was happening on so many different levels. If one of them lose focus even for a second the other would overwhelm them with their devil fruit ability. It was a quick paced battle and every moment counted. The teen was running around dodging expertly his attacks and with seemingly no effort at all. Not even when he was forced to run diagonally up on a wall for a small while.
For someone so young to be able to fight on pair with him, Moria caught himself wondering just how strong the boy was in peek condition. But he wasn't given much time to contemplate as the teen pushed himself away from the wall and directly toward him. The warlord was the one sent realign back this time. He took out a wall he crashed against and the nekomimi followed up with another attack forcing him to step out the falling pile of debris that had been once the ball room. They clashed once again, both trying to overpower their opponent.
Luffy realized it quite soon that it was useless to try an overpower Moria in the state he was. It just took too much effort and produced no results. The worst he could do was push the warlord back a few steps. His opponent was too big for him to actually throw him back and quite fast for one of his size not to mention much stronger than anticipated. Meanwhile Luffy was small, quick as hell and flexible and happily know how to use all that to his advantage. "Soru" the teen muttered before disappearing from the view once again.
Moria barely had any time to defend himself yet again as the teenager followed up with another attack. It was just too fast his shadows had no chance of catching up with the teen. A deep cut appeared on his arm and shoulder followed by a shallow one on his neck. Some of his hair got cut off as the boy continued his relentless attack. If he let this continue, Moria knew he would lose. But the boy just kept pressing on, no matter how many times in one minute he was pushed into the ground or batted away like an irritating fly. The pirate apprentice would just do a crazy maneuver, force his body to right itself in the air using one of his platforms and attack anew. The warlord's large stomach was getting targeted now and he barely managed to parry a slash that would have been a fatal injury otherwise. Moria cursed himself as he slowly started to lose sight of his opponent. The only thing he could see now was the metallic flash of the sword the pirate apprentice carried as it once more cut into his flesh.
The nekomimi knew all too well it was a matter of time. His injuries were affecting him, it hurt to move even in the slightest and he knew it won't be long before his stamina run out. That's why even when he got hit, he just shrugged it down. Like it didn't matter and from where he was standing from it didn't. Luffy just had to stand up once again, and he did so. Every time he got back on his feet he pushed himself to move even faster than before. Had to make up for the time he had lost after all. Despite the pain the teen just stubbornly kept pressing on. His nakama counted on him after all. He had to defeat Moria no matter what. His body was just not allowed to give in before that happened. Mostly because there was no way he would be able to move any time soon after he crashed. Luffy refused to let that happen not before he beat the warlord. Kazekiri was his trump card, he could use it once more if he put everything he had into it, but he had to be smart. For his nakama's sake he attacked without holding back one bit, he poured everything he could into his last attack.
The nekomimi brought his sword on the warlord once last time, unleashing a Kazekiri at point blank and Moria was just too close to dodge it.
"Impossible!" the warlord shouted in disbelief as the flying blade attack hit. Just from where did the boy gather enough strength to unleash such a monstrosity at such a close range non the least. And like that hadn't been shocking enough the flying blade attack was on fire. Moria pain filled scream disturbed the silent battle and the only thing the warlord know then was pain. Despite the falling rain the flames continued to just burn strongly and relentlessly.
Luffy himself was left dizzy after unleashing such an attack and barely managed to take one more step before he stumbled and fell into a kneeling position somehow. Dark-spots invaded his vision as another wave of pain washed over him, he was panting as he forced one of his eyes open. The first thing he saw was, or more like didn't saw was Moria. The second was the scar left on the ground, running from where he was kneeling to where Moria's body lay crashed against a tree somewhere in the forest. The path was still burning with brilliant blue flames in some places. The flames surrounding him were finally starting to settle down and mostly gathering around him protectively, in special around his severely injured stomach and shoulder.
"Thank you…" The nekomimi said, ignoring the voice in head telling him that talking to a flame, worse his own flames was a sign of crazy. They were his flames so part of him, ergo he was talking to himself but he couldn't care less. He was long pass crazy, he was legit insane. Fighting Moria had just proven that.
"Luffy!" / "Luffy-san!" The nekomimi only gave a tired smile to the two as they approached him steadily. Looks like Brook found Perona. The ghost princess had obviously been injured but she was awake, that had to be a good sign. He couldn't help but let a tired sigh escape his lips before looking back at them once more.
"Spear!" The voice called and the attack hit before Luffy could even move.
"NO!" the nekomimi shouted in vain as the shadow-spear pierced through both Perona and Brook who had been carrying her. They both fall to the ground, and despite how much the nekomimi told his body to move, to do something it refused to comply with his request. He fell instead to the ground.
Moria was moving gingerly toward them thanks to the gigantic bleeding wound the boy left on him, a straight cut down from the junction of his neck down to his stomach. Had he been a second later to try and parry it, Moria had little doubt he would have been cut in half. But luckily he didn't and although his twin swords had been destroyed, he survived. Wounded-burned but survived. His shadows managed to quelch the flames.
"Kishishishi! Feel the pain, the anger the desperation just like I did Cheshire!" Moria shouted as he tried to enjoy in his revenge. But the boy face was tormented with agony just like his had been. It was funny how now instead he saw himself in Luffy's place. The teen's eyes quickly filled with tears he just couldn't contain and the warlord couldn't laugh anymore. "I told you." The Shichibukai said dryly. "You are not ready yet. Just because you are the red-haired Shanks protégé… Did you actually think it was a blessing?" the warlord shouted both angry and cynically at the nekomimi. "There are more and bigger monsters out there, in The New World, gunning for you just for that reason!"
"…I couldn't protect them." Luffy said as he finally stood up wobbly. The way he moved, made him look more like a marionette on strings than a real human.
"An amateur like you, did you really think you could defeat a warlord?"
"…you should have aimed at me." The teen said, with an impossible to read face. There were still tears running down his face but his expressive eyes were cowered by his bags. The warlord could only imagine the look in them, vacant just like his tone, lacking any emotion.
"Huh?! What are you talking about?"
"You should have aimed at me." The nekomimi repeated as the flames surrounding him grew larger and more intense. Just the heat wave they release was enough to make the warlord take a step back as they turned darker. Behind them the crystal imprisoning the shadows exploded in same colored flames. "You should have killed me. Now…" even the teen's voice turned heavier somehow "I'll tear you apart limb- from limb."
"Black Box!" The boy didn't even try to dodge it. "This time is the end!" The warlord shouted as the lid closed on the nekomimi. He didn't waste any time to turn it into something resembling scrap metal. He punched it continuously, kicked it a few times and even squashed it under his feet. There was no way someone could survive that. "Don't blame me… the only one at fault is you." The warlord said as his form shrunk. Moria observed with satisfaction that there was no more movement, just silence coming from inside the disfigured box. But then a loud thump made the warlord jump back. "i-it can't be…" He said in disbelief. How could someone survive that? And then more and more sounds came from it.
The sound of a growl, less human and more animal and then blue and black flames started to leak through the box's cracks. Like there was something gigantic inside it and the box just couldn't contain it in seconds there was nothing left of the black box. The feline, Luffy's beast form Moria realized was big, really big and terrifying. The entire being was on fire, its body seemed to be covered by fur made of blue fire which were black at the roots and seemed to end in white flames. It stood proud and tall and call him coward but Moria decided it was the perfect moment to run as far as possible from the beast. It was the only logical decision available since he had after all exhausted most if not all of his powers in the previous battle against the nekomimi. He even used his Shadow Asgard.
The moment he moved the feline pounced and pinned him to the ground easily. Gigantic burning claws torn into his chest right under his neck no question leaving scars behind, but battle scars were the least of his worries right now. He mustered whatever he had left of his strength to push the beast away and form a shield in between them. The creature let out a blast of fire and with one spine-chilling roar he dispersed all the shadows. The warlord's mind was a chaotic mess. He tried to putting together his Doppelman to change places with it, unfortunately he also knew he won't make it in time. Moria hated to admit it, but it was surprising he even managed to make a shield.
He could see his death in the creature's eyes. There was no forgiveness, no hesitation and no rationality in them as they gleamed down on him in triumph. Its poisonous green glowing eyes were wild, ferocious and dare he say hypnotizing yet terrifying at the same time. Its slit pupils were fixed on him as the predator sized up his prey. Its pure snow white fangs neared his neck and he couldn't even muster a scream.
"Noo!" The creature's maw stopped inches away from his neck and the warlord was frozen in fear. He could feel the creature's burning breath on his skin. Then it turned its head to Perona who had just stopped his death. She was pressing down on her bleeding shoulder while Brook tried to sit up. "Luffy… don't… p-ple-ase captain!" But that thing was not Luffy it just huffed in annoyance at the interruption, barely giving them, the wounded and clearly exhausted humans any importance. "Captain!"
"Lu…Luffy-san!" Brook spoke trying not to be intimidated by the sight in front of him. Perona pushed herself into a standing, more like wobbling position and took the first step toward gigantic bakeneko. The skeleton shocked tried to stop her. "Perona-san you have to reconsider."
"No… if he kills Moria…" Perona started. "he will hate himself for it." the pink haired ghost princess was if something head-strong. She took another shacking step forward. "I… I'll be fine. I trust him, he w-won't… would never hurt me!" She declared as she took a shaky step forward. "Captain please…" the girl pleaded as she stepped toward the great feline who growled in warning. "I know… I know you are in there…" She said remembering all the times that small kitten protected her from nightmares and loneliness, this was the same. She told herself. Luffy was just a bit bigger and coated in flames… not dangerous. He was never dangerous, he was protective she reminded herself. "Captain please…" But the bakeneko was done listening and instead lashed out. The ghost princess fell to the ground with as much as a scream.
The sound of metal hitting claws broke the silence. "My my… Luffy, you need to take remedy courses." The yonko said from behind his sword as he and the giant cat tried to overpower each other. "Hurting your nakamas? I didn't teach you that!" Shanks shouted as he pushed the bakeneko back who turned in air and landed on his paws, he didn't waste one second to rush and attack the red-haired pirate.
~.~
Meanwhile Shanks battled the gigantic beast Benn rushed to the hurt girl. "That was a stupid thing to do." The first mate started before he picked her up gently. "Now let's get you to the ship. Luffy will flip out if he sees the condition you're in." He said knowing all too well it was the only way to get her to leave.
The now crying girl only nodded with a loud "Uhum, the ske-skeleton …" she said turning to Brook who was being attacked by Rockstar believing him to be one of Moria's subordinate.
"What about him?" Benn asked.
"He's with Luffy."
The first-mate didn't sigh. Alright maybe he did but just once. "Ok. Let' get you both to the ship then." Benn then gestured his nakama to stop attacking. "He's with us." He explained and the young pirate only laughed sheepishly as Brook shouted loudly an "I told you so!"
"We're taking them both back to the ship." Doc announced as he looked over all the injured people with a frown. He had his work cut out and Luffy wasn't even among them. The doctor had no doubt the youngster had his own list of grave injuries.
"Aye." Rockstar said before grabbing the skeleton shoulder.
Brook eye sockets widened comically. "Excuse me…what?"
"Run like hell." The pirate said as he started running. Rockstar really, really didn't want to be here when Luffy and Shanks fought. The skeleton really didn't get a chance to protest as he was taken more like dragged along the crazy ride. Two more pirates, the lookouts Brook thought quickly joined them.
Benn was in front of the group leading them in just a few seconds, all while carrying Perona. The ghost princess only cast a longing gaze at the two they left behind. "…Will Luffy" Peron tried to ask but couldn't in the end. She was afraid of the answer.
"He will be fine. Captain will take care of it, but that place is going to become ground zero. We need to be as far away from it as possible."
Perona hesitated to ask, the ghost princess didn't want the red-haired pirates to think she was ungrateful but she just had to know."… W-what… about Moria?"
"He escaped the second we arrive through some shadows." The ghost princess nodded in thanks and slowly succumbed to darkness despite Benn's orders to stay awake.
~.~
Shanks had to admit, the beast was strong, a real predator. But it was just that, without Luffy's brilliant mind, it stood no chance against him. With all its flashy attacks and powers a beast was just that a beast after all. Strategies were lost on the bakeneko, who was just an animal driven by instinct and pride. Shanks for the love of it couldn't understand how it could have such a high ego when the beast attacked one of Luffy's beloved nakama.
It was like a bullfight really, he had to be careful because the gigantic cat wouldn't and didn't hesitate to wound him. He was already suffering from minor injuries, mostly burns and minor scratches. The red-haired man figured he must have stepped on the creature's nerve somehow because it was totally enraged. Maybe it was just his Haki, the bakeneko obviously didn't like the yonko try and exert his will power over him. It was slightly amazing that it could withstand a concentrated blast of it and in such close proximity even injured. Shanks could tell no one else on the entire island did, happily his crew was back on the ship by now.
Everyone knew that an enraged animal was more dangerous when trapped because you could never be sure how it would lash out but there was no other choice, the red haired man argued. He had to stop his apprentice before the bakeneko did something Luffy would regret for his entire life. He just hopped he wasn't already too late.
"Come on, then fluff-ball." The gigantic feline jumped with no hesitation and Shanks had to steel his heart. He was doing this for Luffy's sake. Shanks readied his haki coated saber and charged toward his opponent. The yonko refused to think of the bakeneko as Luffy, he wouldn't be able to do this then. His slash meet some resistance but he pressed on, his slash was strong enough to leave quite an impact on the surrounding terrain as the bakeneko hit the ground hard. The red-head quickly turned around and the beast whined as it tried to stand up from where he crashed. If he wouldn't had been that focused he would have missed the small fickle of pain in the feline's eyes as it finally stood up. The thought of seeing that look in the nekomimi's eyes again, more so him being the cause of it was like a kick in the gut.
The red head knew he made a mistake, he hesitated for a small second to follow up his first slash. And it was enough for the bakeneko to snap at him and bite down on the arm the red-headed captain raised out of reflex to defend himself. The yonko bit back a scream as he raised his sword unleashing a burst of Haoshoku Haki, before bringing down a slash on his opponent that produced a huge wave.
"Heaven Splitter." The slash cut through the ground and raised high into the air. The bakeneko let out an inhuman cry as it was blown away. The beast got smashed into an already damaged wall that couldn't survive the assault it was placed under and collapsed. The blue flames turned into mist and disappeared living behind one unconscious little boy falling to the ground among the debris. Shanks caught Luffy with a wince before he could hit the ground.
"Let's go home Luffy." The yonko said with a small although pained smile, the bakeneko had mauled his arm for good.
~.~
Hey everyone, sorry for the long wait. I just wasn't satisfied with the fight scene between Luffy and Moria and so I rewrote it at least five times or so. Well I hope you guys like it and don't forget to leave reviews I love reading them.
As for:
Chrisfragger: I placed the slave-mark on Luffy's feet didn't want it to be on his back because mostly every slave's is placed there. Then I thought maybe the feet; kind of a shackles that he would never be able to take off, and then the question raised where exactly on the feet? I placed the mark on the sole of his feet in the end because is a very sensible place due to a high concentration of nerve endings. So whenever Luffy took a step he would be in pain and reminded that he was a slave kind of a psychological torture. Of course Kaze worked hard to heal and kind of overwrite that but it played an important purpose in being as they would say 'reminding the rebellious kid of his place' as a slave right then.
Kaze is kind of a Cora-san for Luffy and I have important plans for him in the future, but I won't spoil it for you.
Next no Luffy is not gay, he's more likely obvious to the attention he gets or more like chooses to stay obvious to it. He will have admirers from both genders mostly for comic relief. His girly looks are actually accentuated in this fic with his long hair and everything. Also one more thing he will be usually overly affectionate with his crew-members but remember Luffy lived with his two brothers who loved and tried to spoil him rotten, that had affected his character in certain ways. For example he dislikes sleeping alone, he likes lazing around and just sleeping in the sun, and he's used to always getting his way, etc.
Soul D Pheonix: Thank you. About Perona's abilities in the last chapter. We all know that after the time-skip she was able to use some of her powers formerly exclusive to her astral projection, such as flight without leaving her body and that got me thinking. It could be possible for her to use other aspects then such as intangibility that's where the idea to her escape came from.
Desp: Thank you for reviewing, I'm really happy when people do that, it's very motivating ^.^ Please feel free to ask any question or clarifications.
Marauders Inc: According to one piece wiki yes. Benn Beckman is the first mate of the Red Hair Pirates. Also if I'd had to guess from all the characters we know that are part of Shanks crew he seems the most likely to be the first mate. He is level headed and a nice contrast to the crazy slightly childish captain.
Ryan Mashall: Me too. Unfortunately there is only one more nakama that will join Luffy's crew, not counting Brook before he officially starts his journey and his own crew. Who that could be, well fell free to guess but I shall tell you he/she won't appear for at least a while yet and surely not next chapter.
Anyway, I believe that's all for now, hope I didn't miss any questions. See you next time guys! ^.^