Fishman Jiujutsu

A quiet storm was rumbling through the land of the Shogun Pirates. The Infinity Pirates landing seemed to have set something off. Nobody could quite place what it was, but it was definitely a shift of something. Zesiro was wandering the streets his two swords armed at his side, ready to slay the bastard Shigoro the instant he set his eyes on him. There was nothing that could hold him back now, not even the wise words of Victoria.

She had warned him not to cross blades with the monster that was Shigoro. He was without a doubt a monster of the greatest proportion. He was somebody who should not be crossed, especially since crossing him was like crossing Kai, and Victoria ultimately willingly admitted that crossing a Yonkou was a horrible idea.

True, they were pirates which meant the only organization that you shouldn't cross under any circumstances, the Marines, were automatically crossed. So maybe the idea of crossing lines were so out of the minds of any pirates they ignored lines completely at this point, but it still wasn't a good idea. If you were a pirate and you couldn't trust your fellow pirates you were just absolutely screwed.

However, when Victoria brought this up with Mikoto even he couldn't seem to justify letting Shigoro live for one more moment. She didn't know the story of their crew with Shigoro, but she still couldn't shake the feeling about it. While Kai knew very well the crew he sent here could be defeated it still worried her that Kai would re-double his efforts and blame her for this if he loses a crew mate.

And now her island was filling up with Zesiro's bloodlust many natives came rushing in to her crying about a fishman wielding two swords stalking through the city streets. She always sent a crew member to check as not all pirates could be trusted and each time she did so they came back with the same old story over and over again. She shook her head and tried to calm herself.

"Hey, honey," whispered a voice as he came up behind Victoria and instantly saw a little bit of the stress in her shoulders lax just at the sound of his voice. "Are you sure you really want to do this? We could just leave this life behind. Become just two nameless faces in the fog. The crew would be more than willing to say we died in a battle. I'm pretty sure even Kai would state that he killed us if we asked him to. Let us disappear."

"The world needs us Johnathan."

"Yes, dear, but we don't need the world," the man stated as he wrapped his arms around Victoria and sunk his face deeper into her long hair, "we just need each other."

"Its a loving thought," whispered Victoria as pushed him away and stood up, "but we need to do this. We are pirates to the death. That was one of our vows on our wedding day, wasn't it? We are as much married to this life as we are to each other."

"That's what I love about you," stated Johnathan, "I fell in love with Victoria Shogun, the pirate and the woman. And I will always love them both." Johnathan sighed as he moved back and sat down, "now tell me about this little cretin who saw you naked?"

"Ooh, going to defend my honor, are we?"

"Like I even need to. I just want to see why he got to see you naked and you didn't kill him. That right there signals something. Is he somebody really special or something?"

"Possibly. I'm beginning to think that more and more, his crew is looking for Shigoro. Apparently they have some kind of reason to want to defeat him. I don't understand why, but you can sense their blood lust coating the island."

"A perfect beginning to the tournament. A mass bloodshed will be the echo of this one little fight, people will see this as the beginning of our fight as well. Those Infinity Pirates just can't wait can they. Its almost as if they are going to draw this entire fight into their rhythm. That's the only kind of person that could become the King of the Pirates."

"Indeed."

"Indeed?" questioned Johnathan as he leaned back and looked towards her, "That's all you have to say? A new world is on the horizon. The Marines and the Revolutionaries may have forced our hand, but a new Pirate King, a new leader of the third force that keeps this world in equilibrium is before us, but you still don't seem happy?"

"Sometimes I worry. That old man who told us about this plan of his. Why did he do so? Do we really wish to further this war? Maybe it would be for the best for anarchy to take control of this world?"

"Your fears are well-founded, but just remember what we are working for," Johnathan smiled as he reached forward and placed a hand on Victoria's stomach. "Our goal will be worth it."

"You're getting a little ahead of us there," Victoria laughed as she reached out and pushed Johnathan's hand away, "I'm not pregnant yet."

"Still avoiding this war...or braving it. As long as I can see the smiling face of my kid it will be worth it."

(-With Zesiro-)

There he was. The monster known as Shigoro, his face had adorned numerous bounty posters, many of which had been collected and were now in Zesiro's room. This monster had taken his last breath. Zesiro's two swords were unsheathed within milliseconds, a quick draw which instantly surpassed all of his others up to this point. It was his fastest draw and attack on this journey by light years and it was aimed right at Shigoro's neck.

Shigoro twisted around and lifted a leg, blocking the slicing attack with his foot and muscles, although Zesiro's sword dug right through the shoe, it was stopped hard against the Haki coated muscles of the monster before him.

"Uh, look, a bug on the bottom of my shoe," muttered Shigoro, obviously uncaring for the guy before him. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time for small fries." Shigoro brought his foot down, slamming Zesiro's sword to the ground with it before turning around and launching a massive kick right into the side of Zesiro's head.

However, with the same skill and quickness as his quick draw Zesiro brought his sword up and blocked the kick. There was just one problem, he was nowhere near strong enough. Shigoro's kick bit through the blade, slamming it back and right into Zesiro's face and sending him rolling backwards while Shigoro landed once more.

Rather than following up his attack Shigoro turned towards the stall he was at and quickly turned to the shopkeeper, "so like I was saying I would like one veggie burger hold the mustard, but extra ketchup."

"You bastard!" shouted Zesiro as he stood up, rotating his two swords around in the palm of his hands until they were both stretched backwards and he took a step forward. "Do you even have the slightest idea about the pain you have caused? Twin Archerfish-" began Zesiro as he took a small step forward, making note to make a distance between him and Shigoro this time before whipping his two blades forward, firing two identical blasts right at him, "Shot!"

Even without a weapon Shigoro was fast acting and ready. His hand lunged for a glass water bottle on the shop's counter, grabbing it and immediately snapping it into the ground at his feet causing a large splash of water to come up and cover him from the two slices. But it was only water, right?

That seemed to be Zeisor's though process as well so when Shigoro emerged from the explosion with no scraps, bruises, or cuts and only just a little wetter than before Zesiro was a little bit taken back.

"It looks like that veggie burger will have to wait," Shigoro laughed as he strode away from the stall and towards Zesiro, "a man's passion while annoying should always be dealt with promptly. Oh, and you can add that bottle of water to my bill as well." Shigoro paused before he snatched another one off of the counter and poured it over his body, "make that two."

A shift could be felt in the air as Shigoro let out his killing intent while it may not have been as heavy as Zesiro's which was like a whirlwind, which threatened to cut down anybody who got close...people still strayed away from him. It was like a subtle tightening around your throat. Nonetheless Zesiro didn't back away, he waved his swords into the air.

"Finally," Zesiro muttered, "I found you and I get to cut you down for my brothers." His words seemed to perk something up in Shigoro as he seemed to tightened his stance up, which wasn't ignored by Zesiro as he dashed in at that moment, his two swords swinging to the bottom and hitting the ground, "Twin Geysers!" Zesiro's two blades jumped up at the same time, aiming at Shigoro's chin, but Shigoro brought his arm in, which ordinarily wouldn't have bothered Zesiro as he could've cut through Shigoro's arm with the amount of power behind it, but something was wrong.

Zesiro's swords simply slid to the side, following Shigoro's arms up to and past his hands, almost like they were being controlled by Shigoro's body. Shigoro brought one open palm back before launching it forward and smashing his palm into Zesiro's face and knocking him back.

Or he thought he would've, but Zesiro gritted his teeth and stood through the pain. He wouldn't back down. He would die rather than letting Shigoro get the better of him. Once more a flash of Zesiro's predatory power coursed through him, soon it latched onto his swords and coated it in a thick black aura.

"Ooh, Haki," whispered Shigoro as he smiled and took a step back, "impressive. I thought you were a small guppy, but it turns out you are in fact a small trout."

Zesiro's two swords struck out, one went on each side of Shigoro's neck with the blades facing in. "This trout is about to turn you into sashimi. Crab Grab!" Zesiro snapped his two swords together at the same time, aiming to behead him with a massive crossing of the blades. It was strong and steady, but once more it wasn't enough. It seemed as if Zesiro's blades just couldn't cut Shigoro's neck.

"I think that's racist," complained Shigoro, "are you racist towards other Fishmen or something? I mean, 'sashimi' you wouldn't say that to a Longarm, would you?"

"Why am I not cutting him?" questioned Zesiro as he turned to face Shigoro's head, other than few beads of sweat there was nothing unique about him. "Wait! That's not sweat. That's the water he threw on himself a few minutes ago!"

"Ten Thousand Waterfall Fist." Shigoro stated as he pressed his fists together. Zesiro froze as he looked at Shigoro's fists which were only a few feet away from his face. The water was crawling down his body! It was like a current which directed all of the water down to his hands. Until it bubbled up and Shigoro slammed them forward letting the rushing water form a massive spike which drove right into Zesiro's abdomen, while it didn't pierce his skin it felt like it cracked a rib or two.

"Fishman Jiujitsu?" questioned Zesiro, recalling a few of the old tactics of basic Fishman kenpo. It was a very advanced technique which allowed someone to control water's current. It seemed like rather than controlling it Shigoro was creating it and using it to route Zesiro's attacks at the same time increasing his own.

"That's right," Shigoro muttered, "My own technique. Fishman Jiujitsu: Water Armor. Its a technique which took me years to create and master. However, now that I have done so it is the perfect merging of offense and defense. It protects me from enemy attacks while providing a nice boost to my own attacks. Now hold still," Shigoro laughed as he pulled his fist back, "and take your medicine like a good boy."

A Captain's Faith