The Old Goal

There was a chilling air wrapping itself around Ravenbone as he shifted himself up and onto his feet. He had become complacent these recent few days, waiting around for the perfect time to strike. He had had so many opportunities and yet something had always stopped him. Perhaps it had been the lingering desire to be the very best and to defeat the very best.

He had watched and listened to Mikoto struggling everyday to become just a little bit stronger. And even hidden beneath his aura as a man-slaughterer he respected him for that. To see an obstacle like him and think, 'I just need to get stronger'. It was a laughable premise in Ravenbone's mind, but...there was still some respect coiling in his heart.

However, the grace period for that respect was running low. If it hadn't already expired. He knew what the facts were. The next time he saw Mikoto he would rip his head off in a split second. The man was always foolish. Mikoto thought that his speed would help him in this fight? Once again another laughable premise the young captain had tried to cling onto.

You couldn't outrun sound. Ravebone would make sure that that knowledge would be implanted in him during their next meeting. For the rest of Mikoto's life he would fear the power of sound that Ravenbone possessed, but Ravenbone couldn't promise that he would live very long. As a matter of fact, the only thing Ravenbone could promise was the exact opposite. He would kill Mikoto during their next meeting.

And he would oh so enjoy doing so.

Ravenbone took to the air, the vibrations of the sound propelling him forward as he moved with nearly sonic speed through the air, in search of his prey. He passed by several of his crew and the thought toyed with him about stopping to handle them, but the truth was he'd get them soon enough. No need to rush onto them. He had to prioritize and his first thought was with Mikoto. He was the one he had confronted before so shouldn't he be the first he confronted now? It wasn't respect. It was just a simple courtesy.

(-With Zesiro-)

Zesiro sharpened his blades once again. He was beginning to hit his limits now it felt. He had hit one of the hardest walls he had could think of. He had tried his hardest to get this far, but he was stuck now. Shigoro was a dangerous opponent and one he couldn't take down easily. He had tried again and again, but he kept running into a harsh wall.

Shigoro was too strong of an opponent it seemed like. However, as Zesiro brandished the blade from his anvil and held it into the air. He was trying harder each time, he could feel himself growing stronger with each attempt, but it didn't seem like he was stepping in any quicker. His opponent's heavy water armor just continued to repel a bunch of his attacks. It was as if he couldn't cut him down no matter how long he tried.

Small steps, that was all that Zesiro could promise. Small steps which would allow him to get farther. However, it just may be too soon for Zesiro to actually challenge this opponent. Zesiro rotated his blades around and began to take a deep breath. He was still a small guppy it seemed. He had taken out so many of previous opponents that it had become surprising that he was still so shallow against his opponent.

Shigoro was a tough cookie and Zesiro would continuously try, he wasn't about to give up against him. The burning memories of his faithful brothers who had given one of their own lives to protect him. Surely even here he wouldn't back down. His opponent was tough, but Zesiro was confident he could be tougher. He would take those last few steps to make sure he could mow his opponent down.

Lifting his blade up Zesiro paused, looking over his weapons, unsure on how to handle it. He wanted to jump on the mess and just handle it, grab the bull by the horns, but...Zesiro lowered his blade once more. He had tried that. He had tried to take down Shigoro, but each time his armor and strength just mad Shigoro nearly untouchable and yet he still hit like a truck.

It was a difficult fight he had ahead of him, but there was no way Zesiro would let himself slip back. He gritted his teeth and stepped forward, his interest was simply in winning now. If Shigoro could coat himself in water, then Zesiro could cut it. A few practice swings with his blade Zesiro could already feel the mixture of anticipation, worry, and excitement swell up in him.

He didn't have that much time yet. Shigiro, Ravenbone, 'Lucky' Lin, the Revolutionaries, and the Marines they couldn't wait any more. Zesiro could already feel the shift in the air. The local newspaper reporting the tension of the people. Everybody was aware of what was coming. Chaos was going to explode through the air.

Zesiro pumped his arms up and stepped forward quickly, making several quick practice cuts. He breathed deeply. He hadn't truly felt this way in a long time, the antsy rush of his blood to every corner of his body. He had with all of his traveling been pushed to the edge time and time again, the most recent time was against Al, but now...this was the first time he ever felt like he had been completely pushed off of it.

Perhaps the last time was against...Daimyo? No, even back then Zesiro didn't feel like he had lost completely. He had held his ground magnificently against him and had nearly forced him to a draw if it wasn't for the damage his blades had sustained from their continuous clashes Zesiro could've won. The end of the fight wasn't either one of them at the other's knee, it was his sword shattering if the fight had drawn on just a bit more...he wondered who would've won?

And now against this Shigoro fellow there was nothing close about it. Zesiro was moving on to his fourteenth duel now against the shark Fishman and he had never drawn any closer to taking him down. The only thing he could say is that he figured out that trick. He knew what Shigoro's armor was and what prevented him from taking him down, but that wasn't a big deal. Shigoro was more than cocky enough to share the information with him.

Which meant Zesiro still had plenty of training to do. He re-doubled his efforts once more, taking to the nearby stones and slicing them in half. He needed enough power to break through the armor. Time was running short for them now. If he didn't win the next fight then Zesiro was afraid that may just be the end of it all. He'd have to go back to Ichi and Ni and tell them he failed.

(-With Shigoro-)

Stepping forward the water coating Shigoro's arm flew forward like a rubber band snapping into a boulder and shattering it with ease before snapping back over his arm like a trusty gauntlet. With the continuous damage the man was inflicting upon the rocks he was obviously beginning to sense the same apprehension that Zesiro had. Things were going to begin.

Except while Zesiro felt a certain apprehension on not being able to finish things up, Shigoro had nothing but the confidence that he would. He couldn't fail. Shigoro smiled and turned to see the ocean waves once more. Zesiro was foolish. Shigoro wouldn't fall right now, because he couldn't. The turn of a century was beginning to lap earnestly at his heels.

He knew he couldn't just disappear now. The new world was beginning to take shape and he would make sure he was standing on the edge of it when it did. He would see the collapse of the old society with its outdated laws and bustling slave trade. Those things were finally going to end.

The flashes of memory from those days were still strong in his mind. He remembered being paraded out in front of the men and women, the fellow Fishman and other slaves, brought to his knees by the sharp sting of the shock collar they had braced around his neck. The guards would then set in with their sticks and rods, beating him senseless for the smallest thing he would do.

It was just to set an example. They didn't really feel mad at him for what he did. He would get beaten up for looking the wrong way, for swimming too fast, for behaving in inappropriate ways. The slightest problem would result in him being taken down. He was the biggest amongst the Fishmen, he had cost the most. And all of that cost was just to have someone to make an example out of.

The stinging in his upper shoulder still burned to this day. Rotating his shoulder cuff about he felt the steady burn still there from all of those beatings past. He had recalled his many escape plans just to avoid those beatings, even ones involving his so-called 'brothers'.

Shigoro took deep breaths and tried to stay calm. It was a difficult to remain calm when thinking back to those old days. He had to do what he did. His three brothers foolishly were hoping somebody else would free them. The way they were looking up at him, he realized that they would never be able to free others. They were nothing more than puppets who eagerly awaited his commands.

Shigoro decided than and there that he would break free. Somebody needed to put a harsh slam on the slave trade, and, of course, those three wouldn't. They just wanted to 'be free'. They would break themselves out of their binds and then what? Be happy little villagers camping in some native island, far away from slaves. Shigoro couldn't allow that to happen.

The slave trade needed to be stopped and he would stop it. Even if it cost his own life he would give all of his power to stop it. It was his only goal, sacrifice life and limb to save a few slaves. However, when he met with Kai and he decided right then and there beneath that man he could do so much more. He would free the slaves everywhere.

Ichi and Ni were foolish beings. They for some odd reason believed that just freeing themselves would be enough. He could hear them all the time, just chattering about how they would live their lives if they were free. Only Shigoro had ever given the thought of destroying the slave trade. He was smart and against it. He was brave and was chasing after them.

Perhaps he had been acting foolishly back then. And he knew the fact that his brothers probably looked upon him with scorn, but that was a burden he could bear. He gritted his teeth and sucked it up. He enjoyed this. The feeling of rage which was bottling up in him right now was sharpening his skills past any sword.

Even this pirate who he was facing now, a fellow Fishman had no such desire to change the world now. His only interest was in those blades of his. It was a trifling amount of dedication. Shigoro would make sure to crush those hopes of his in an instant. He tightened his fist and let the blood pump through his body. He was ready for this.

Upturning Odds