War! What is it Good For? Absolutely Nothing!
"Ready Mikoto?" questioned Ridley. He played a quick rift on his guitar. "I ain't going to go easy on you like last time."
"Easy?" said Mikoto, "Yeah, you were easy to beat last time."
Ridley smirked. "I am going to miss you…I wish you luck on your journey."
"Since you are coming with me at the end of our fight you won't have to miss me!"
"Not likely…Captain," said Ridley, "You going to attack me or just stand there?"
"Remember," said Mikoto striking his best fighting stance, "you asked for this." Mikoto dashed towards Ridley his claws outstretched. "Shear Slice!"
"Always one for crappy lines, aren't ya?" said Ridley. He brought his guitar up blocking the slicing motion Mikoto made with his razor sharp coyote-like claws. The claws scrapped the guitar. "Hey, dude, you chipped the paint!"
"Yeah, and you're next!" said Mikoto making another run-by this time barely catching Ridley's shirt and leaving a nice clean cut straight through it.
"Wow, you cut through fabric, you are so scary," mocked Ridley. "Here's something to remember me by! 100 Decibels!" He slammed his guitar strings down releasing a massive sound shockwave towards Mikoto. Mikoto crumpled to the ground clutching his ears. He cursed this form for its highly sensitive ears.
Mikoto morphed back to his previous human form. At least in this form the noise was bearable. Mikoto stood up. He charged towards Ridley.
"150!" shouted Ridley. Mikoto was thrown forcibly to the ground by the sheer sound of the noise. Ridley continued to play at that high level. "Its sad, isn't it? You can't withstand the shock of my attacks, so your only option is to dodge it, but when my attack affects the entire room you can't. You are out of options!"
"I still got a few actually," said Mikoto through gasping breaths. "Charge on regardless!" He got up and ran towards Ridley.
"Nice try, but it ain't working!" shouted Ridley, "175!" Ridley started to increase the sheer volume of his note playing, but yet somehow Mikoto kept on charging. "190!" Ridley was about to increase the volume, but he was just a tad slow, Mikoto landed a punch square to Ridley's jaw knocking him back a few feet.
"What's up? Without your music you are the same basic human as everyone else," said Mikoto, "I, on the other hand, have trained to be fast and strong. Having eaten the Devil Fruit is only icing on my cake!"
"Wow, that was probably the most humble sentence in the history of the world," said Ridley, sarcastically. "I still got a few more tunes to play before my final number. Let's see how you like my Number One 'HIT'. Skillet!" Ridley started strumming loudly on his guitar, but in a musical kind-of winced as he was actually thrown backwards by the sheer volume of the sound. Mikoto tumbled around on the ground.
Mikoto quickly got back up to his feet, with renewed vigor ready to take down Ridley, "hey, Ridley, I got a riddle for you? What's black, blue, and red all over?" Mikoto morphed into his hybrid form. Ridley was about to finish his obvious line, when Mikoto blurred and started racing towards him. "YOU!" Mikoto launched a kick straight up and into Ridley's bottom jaw, separating him from the floor.
"Sorry, but I prefer jokes, they have actual PUNCH lines," said Ridley while in the air. Before he touched the ground and nearly right after his line he strummed on his guitar again creating another blast of sound that slammed into Mikoto. This blast was smaller and didn't quite knock Mikoto back, more like caused him to skid across the ground.
Mikoto turned to the side and spat out some blood and maybe a broken tooth along with it. He looked down at his body, it looked like it was still in one piece, but his body felt tattered and destroyed. He felt literally destroyed from the inside out. Ridley may not be strong, but that guitar of his was so far successful at keeping him at bay. He can't get close enough to get a hit without being hit before or soon after.
Ridley wiped his lip. It felt cut open, Mikoto's speed was no joke. All this time with him and he always imagined that they were equal. Boy, was he wrong. Mikoto outclassed him in strength, speed, and stamina. He was already started to feel fatigue. Maybe if he hadn't already fought Karasu today he might be able to hold out a little longer against him, but it seemed like a lost cause. He might as well collapse now and save them both the trouble.
"Giving up already, Ridley?" said Mikoto, "you aren't pirate material, are you? I don't believe that you are strong enough to be on my crew anyways, I guess it's a good thing you are quitting!"
"I may not be as strong as you guys," said Ridley his lost from today still fresh in his mind, "but I can still give you a run for your money!"
"Suuurrrrreeee," said Mikoto, "whatever you say. *cough* crazy *cough*."
"I'm crazy, huh?" said Ridley, "let's see if you can survive this! Trapping Tune!" Ridley started playing a mixture of melodies.
Mikoto tried to move, but his legs felt frozen in place. "I can't move," said Mikoto with grunts of effort in between each word.
"Like I said, I can give you a run for your money," said Ridley. "Say hello to 'The Fray!'" shouted Ridley. He slammed down onto this guitar. The sound intensified. The sound was deafening.
Mikoto screamed in pain. He slammed into the ground the effects of Trapping Tune gone the instant Ridley let up his playing. Mikoto got up, blood dripping from his mouth, his internal organs felt battered. No one he ever fought before ever beat the crap out of him to this degree. Mikoto quickly got back up to his feet. Regardless of that fact, he wasn't going to allow Ridley to beat him. Mikoto morphed into his hybrid form.
"Wolf Cutter!" shouted Mikoto he slammed his claw into the ground and started running towards Ridley. Sparks followed his claw as it sliced through the ground. Mikoto brought his claw up right underneath Ridley, but much to his dismay Ridley had managed to bring his guitar around to block the claws. Mikoto morphed back into his small beast form. Mikoto lunged at Ridley's foot bringing all of his teeth through Ridley's soft flesh.
Ridley brought his leg up and started shaking it violently trying to break free from Mikoto's vicious bite. But to no real avail, the harder he swung the deeper Mikoto sunk his teeth. Finally Ridley grabbed his guitar and swung it at Mikoto, making contact and knocking Mikoto and all of his teeth off of him.
Ridley glared at Mikoto. This fight was dragging on to long, they had both been weary from before and they both had large wounds in their stomach, granted he had his much longer then Mikoto, but still this match might actually kill both of them. Not to mention the only doctors on this island serve his father, or rather their enemy. Ridley decided to end this fight here and now. He took careful aim with his guitar, this next attack was either going to hit Mikoto and knock him out or leave Ridley open long enough for Mikoto to get a clear and direct hit to knock him out. These were the only two possibilities that could happen
"Let the angels sing, Apollo's Allegro!" shouted Ridley. He immediately started playing his guitar. Musical notes could almost be heard dancing about the room in a fit of anger all ready to defeat Ridley's former friend and current opponent.
Mikoto heard it all. Each note rebounded off of each corner of the room and each time it intensified with anger and power. Mikoto charged towards Ridley, he wasn't going to lose! He would defeat Ridley, show him up and prove to him once and for all, that they were both made to be pirates. Mikoto finally got up close enough to Ridley and launched a punch straight into Ridley's gut. Ridley flipped into the air for a second and then came crashing back down onto the ground nearly knocked out.
Mikoto stood confidently over Ridley still listening to Ridley's final song echo through the room. Mikoto collapsed down onto one knee. He looked down at Ridley. "You stay right where you are, I'm going to go take care of Karasu." Mikoto struggled to stand again. He nearly collapsed several times in his effort to escape each and every time though he stood right back up and continued on his way.
Ridley was left laying on the ground arms and legs splayed out still bleeding profusely. He turned over and slowly got to his feet. He started to simply walk away, but every so often he turned around debating on whether or not he should go help Mikoto, each time he decided he would be useless and kept on walking.
He soon exited the door, with a large amount of effort on his part. He panted heavily on the other side. If it took him this long to get outside of the room just imagine how long it would be before he was out at sea. He was going to die. There was no changing that fact, Karasu ensured him of that. Ridley fingered the large hole in his stomach for a few seconds. It still burned. Darn that creep. Still he wasn't going to allow his crew to see him die, if he was going to die, he was going to make darn sure well that Mikoto, Sage, Zesiro, and Hiro-Shu didn't see him kick the bucket. He carefully continued on his way.
He suddenly heard voices. He twisted around and tried to run away, but he couldn't and he simply fell down and onto the ground. He rolled over onto his back. "Ouch, oh well, looks like I'm screwed," he chuckled to himself. He closed his eyes and waited for the owner's of the voices to come over and do him in.
"Hey, look, its Ridley," said the first voice, it was high and feminine. Sounded sweet, but it also had a slight twinge of anger in it.
"So it is," said the second voice. It was a lot deeper and hard. It sounded nearly cold and unemotional. So, someone didn't care for him, huh?
"Yup, well, let's see how he is holding up," said the third voice. It was deep, too, definitely masculine.
Ridley felt a light slap hit him across the cheek. Ridley opened his eyes. Drat, why couldn't it have been someone who wanted to kill him? Well, Sage might fit that description, but the other two hopefully didn't.
"How's it going, Harvest Hater," said Sage from on top of her metal trolley. "Hey, Hiro-Shu can you please wheel me over to him?"
"No," said Hiro-Shu, he was pulling the trolley about with little effort and only one hand at that, "you'd probably kick him."
"What!" said Sage, "I'm innocent! I only wanted to see how the man who destroyed my crops and left us all alone was doing! If that's what you guys think I was going to do, you might kick him as well."
"Sage," said Zesiro, "if we kick him he'd probably pass out again." Zesiro was close to Ridley, examining the numerous wounds over his body. Zesiro had his nose pinched however, acting like Ridley had a tremendous body odor about him, even though right now it was probably only blood. "I'll just carry him to our ship, you two go on ahead and help Mikoto."
"No!" shouted Ridley, "You three go over and help Mikoto." Somehow as if by a miracle Ridley lifted himself up to his own two feet. "I'll go over to the ship by myself. I got to reserve what dignity I got left, after I got my butt kicked by that wild animal." He started to head out in the direction Zesiro and the others came from.
"Well, if you think that you can manage," said Zesiro questioningly, "we'll head out."
"Yeah, yeah, I am one hundred and ten percent, okay!" said Ridley slamming his chest. He immediately let out a moan of pain, "okay, okay, seventy six percent, I'll admit, but hey, I'll manage."
"Don't be afraid to ask for help," said Sage, "we are a team after all, aren't we?" She was showing more concern for Ridley now then she ever did before.
"Yea, don't worry if I am ever in a tough spot, I'll ask you guys for help first thing, but trust me. I got everything under control," said Ridley as he continued to walk off in the distance.
The crew shrugged. Better not complain or follow behind him. Mikoto would probably be in worse shape, especially if the fight with Karasu has started. The crew started to head towards the direction in which Ridley came from. Hiro-Shu still managing to pull Sage's trolley along with ease and with only his right hand. Zesiro walked next to them considering something, his nose was still pinched close.
"Man, Ridley looked beaten up," said Sage, breaking the silence, "I hope he is going to make it back to the ship." She looked over her shoulder and back down the hallway. Ridley was nowhere to be seen. "If Karasu could do all that, I wonder how Mikoto is holding up. After all he was pulling me all this way…" the fear and regret in her voice started to grow.
"He'll be alright," said Hiro-Shu offering to cheer her up, "they'll be alright."
"You think so," said Sage, with a shred of hope in her voice. Hiro-Shu nodded. Zesiro still looked away from the conversation and wasn't even responding.
Hiro-Shu cleared his throat to get Zesiro's attention. Zesiro snapped to. "Don't you think that Mikoto and Ridley, will be okay?" asked Hiro-Shu motioning with several quick head jerks towards Sage.
"Yeah," said Zesiro, "did we ever mention it to Ridley where our ship is?"
"No," said Sage. Hiro-Shu agreed.
"Then how is he supposed to get there by himself?" questioned Zesiro.
The Villain Finally Fights! And What is with Ridley?
Well, that is it for now. Next chapter, I am planning on explaining what is going on with Ridley and why is leaving the crew. So, if you are thinking Ridley would never leave, what till next chapter to find out what is going on!