Restructer Revolution

X: Umbral Soul

Previously:

"Oi, Yusei!" Zoro glared.

"He's gathering every shadow into himself," Yusei analysed. "I think... you just have to beat him. It is easier with the curse."

Zoro blinked, but there was no time to answer as Moria laughed.

"Strawhat!" Moria gloated. "You absorbed a hundred shadows, am I right? Then I shall take one hundred... two hundred... three hundred! Four hundred... five hundred!"

As Moria continued to pump shadows into his body, his voice got deeper and he began to grow in size.

"Six hundred! Seven hundred! Eight hundred! Nine hundred!"

Everyone looked on, their eyes wide and horrified, as if they were actually in a living nightmare. Moria had grown at least ten times his usual size. His legs were now bent, somewhat like a lizard's, and his feet grew big purple claws.

True to his name, Moria turned into a giant gecko.

"Kishishishi!" The gecko cackled. "One thousand!"

Yusei glared at the mutated monster, hands upon his cards. "Let's... rev it up."

Nami stared. "One thousand..."

"Shadows..." Chopper whispered.

"Inside Moria..." Usopp muttered.

Franky growled. "What a guy..."

"It's over..."

"What the hell is that...?"

"I'm back to normal," Luffy stood up.

"Morning's almost here!" one of them called.

"There's no time!"

"He's stronger than shadow-infused Strawhat and Oz put together!"

"And just how's he able to hold that tenfold power in that body of this?"

"Strawhat's shadow's in there," Franky stated.

"Yes." Robin confirmed.

Sanji put out another cigarette. "Most likely our shadows as well."

Usopp started. "So everything's...?"

"Inside his stomach...?" Chopper finished.

"Looks like it," Nami whispered.

It was then that the giant Gecko Moria reared up, both hands out.

"It's all over!" "Run!"

"Oi, oi, oi, oi!" Usopp cried.

Sanji looked concerned as Moria made a fist and pulled back before punching the ground hard enough to move the land.

"He broke da island!"

"We can't stay here anymore!"

"Run! Get away from Moria!" someone yelled as the mast of Thriller Bark broke from its master's hit.

"This time it's really over!"

"Captain Lola! What the hell are you doing?"

"You guys can run if you want," the captain replied.

"The hell ya saying? You're in the same boat, captain!"

"I have to take responsibility." she turned to look at them. "For this resolve of mine."

"...eh?"

"Take a look at them," she pointed.

"Those guys...!"

"They show no fear. Even though some of them had their shadows taken."

Yusei looked down at his own. Good, no shadow taken. All the better to beat Moria.

"So they're still standing against him?"

"But it's all over once that sun hits 'em. Right now Moria's power's far greater than Oz's!"

"Until the second they throw this match, I won't move from this spot," Lola firmly decided. "I was well aware that something like this might happen the moment I placed my hope on them. I don't regret my decision!"

"But with things as they are...!"

"You guys run on ahead! As your captain, it's my duty to see this through! You guys should treasure your lives." She winced as the sunlight hit her, an eyebrow bursting into flames white as a magnesium flare.

"Captain Lola!"

"Oh crap! The light's hit you! Hurry on over here in the shadows!"

"It's fine!" Lola braced herself, feet apart. "This is what they call having a conviction!"

"Captain Lola!" "No way! You trying to die here?"

"I've already decided on my fate!" Lola declared. "I don't care how I fall! I won't ever leave the light again!"

"Captain~!"

Overhead, the giant figure of Gecko Moria groaned like an over-bloated lizard.

"So we've finally reached the boss," Zoro remarked. "And he's a big one too."

"I've met more annoying bosses," Yusei remarked.

"He ignored his pride and acted on his anger," Robin added.

Luffy stepped up. "Oi, everyone. There's no time left. I'm gonna get a bit reckless, so please take care of me afterwards."

"Alright!" Franky growled. "Leave it to me!"

"Beat him down!" Usopp yelled.

"Oi, you guys, are you serious about this?" one of the bystander pirates called. "No way you can win!"

"That monster has the power of more than one thousand people!"

"That's right! Think before you act! That's your shadows in there too..."

"Shut it unless you're helping out!" Zoro growled back at them. "We've already won this battle against Moria anyway."

"Huh?"

"All that's left now is a fight against time." Zoro growled. "Moria's just trying to buy time with that power of his."

Luffy prepared to move as his skin began to give off steam and his blood pumped.

"Let's begin," Yusei grimly stated. "Luffy San, since this guy's huge I'll be taking an aerial view. Stardust is remaining in the east, so assuming this fight continues beyond dawn, I trust his shadow would be enough?"

"Uh!" Luffy nodded. "You do that."

"You think the dragon's shadow's gonna be enough for all of us?" Zoro growled.

"It's a last resort," Yusei easily replied. "Oh, and Luffy San, aim for the stomach, do not worry about him hitting back. Midori!"

The Shield Wing spread its wings in preparation of flight.

"I'll never get used to this," Yusei whispered. "Fly!"

"Will we be eliminated?" Zoro pondered. "Or will Moria be taken down first?"

"Go, Luffy!" Chopper called.

"Gear Second!"

"Cosmic Compass, summon!" Yusei ordered as a series of twinkling compasses appeared in mid-air, floating about him. "I summon Quickdraw Synchron! I tune two of the Compass Tokens to Quickdraw Synchron! Gathering feelings will now become a new force! Become the light its path shines upon! Synchro Summon! Blaze on, Nitro Warrior! Destroyer Knuckle!"

Moria moaned as Luffy and the green monster sank their fists into Moria's stomach.

"Jet Bazooka!"

"Thank you for the many shadows," Yusei muttered as shadows poured out of Moria's mouth. "I summon Turbo Synchron!"

The little green monster rolled its eyes at Yusei before it sped around to await its orders.

Yusei rolled his eyes back. "Tuning! Gathering stars weave a greater force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Rev your engines, Turbo Warrior!"

"What's that?"

"Why are there more and more people appearing?"

"Is he a demon?"

Yusei ignored everything to focus on the green and red warriors. "Turbo Warrior, High-Rate Power! Nitro Warrior, Double Destroyer Knuckle!"

"Jet Bazooka! Jet Bazooka!"

"Turbo-Nitro Combo!" Yusei called as both warriors hit dead-on, scars bleeding in their wake as more shadows poured out of Moria's mouth. "As expected... even one thousand shadows is too much for Moria to absolutely control... Junk Synchron, summon!"

"Gomu Gomu no..."

"Brick Ba- What the hell?" Moria screamed as more shadows leaked from his mouth.

"Remember the curse?" Yusei hollered back. "The last time Drill Warrior attacked you several times..."

"But this does," Yusei hissed, pulling a card. "Eh... Rainbow Veil...? Can I...? It's still a monster... Equip!"

"Rainbow Veil," Yusei declared. "If you attack using your shadows, you slowly lose control over your powers and can not access them during the duration of your battle phase. Luffy San!"

"Ah!" Luffy jumped over. "Gomu Gomu no..."

"Brick Bat!" Moria hollered, as more bat-shaped shadows flew out and surrounded Luffy as he landed on the tower. "Black Box!"

"I'm trapped!" Luffy said from inside.

"I'LL CRUSH YOU!" Moria then drew back and punched, the result being a smashed tower and a crushed box as flying rubble flew everywhere.

"A direct hit...!"

"By the punch that split the entire island...!"

"STRAWHAT!"

Moria lifted his giant foot to smash the pitifully crushed box.

"STOP IT!"

"THIS IS A BAPTISING!" Moria hollered as the box rose in the air from its being crushed, a single hand poking out. "This is what you amateurs get for pretending to be big shots in this huge world!" He crushed the box again, grinding his foot in. "This is what happens when you dare to oppose a Shichibukai!"

"H- He's crushed...!"

"People should know their own limits!" Moria continued to grind the box. "Otherwise they perish in vain!"

"Luffy San!" Brook called.

"Luffy!" Chopper screamed.

"Oh, I know my limits very well," a cheerful voice rang as Strawhat Luffy appeared, grinning maniacally and one hand was stretched far behind, twisting like a corkscrew. "Do you? Jet Whip!"

Moria was drop-kicked in the stomach and more shadows flew out of his mouth again.

"But... how did he...?" Nami whispered.

"Thanks, Yusei!" Luffy yelled cheerfully to the hovering Shield Wing overhead. "You saved me! Although I pity the monster..."

"Damage... damage..." Yusei whispered. "If you've taken that, given your crazy biology, I think you'd have lived, Luffy San... but we can't afford for you to fall..."

"Dimensional Shot!"

The monster was already operational and ready by the time the Straw Hat captain winked out of existence.

"Scan!" Yusei muttered, the monster quickly assimilating the appearance of a grinning Luffy before leaping out to Moria.

When the real Luffy appeared back, looking very confused, Yusei had been ready on Shield Wing to receive him.

"Gomu Gomu no... Jet Migawari!" Luffy declared. "First execution, success!"

Yusei was faux-crying over the shattered remains of the Scanner that was. "If you don't win this, Luffy San, I will make sure Scanner comes back from the grave to haunt you..."

"Shitty Strawhat!" Hane echoed.

"Whether we're amateurs..." Luffy growled, standing and steaming in front of a giant Moria.

"Huh?" Moria looked confused.

"Whether we perish in vain..." Luffy continued. "NO ONE... WILL TAKE ME DOWN...!"

"No one will take you down?" Moria sounded amused. "On what grounds do you make that claim? You simply make yourself appear more inexperienced!"

"'Cuz I'm rubber!" Luffy declared. All the Straw Hats grinned or nodded at this neat answer.

Moria now just looked pissed off.

"You just watch... I'll make you spit them all out!" Luffy declared.

"What's with this guy?" "Is he immortal?" "Amazing!"

The sun continued its slow climb from the east up, yet Stardust Dragon Assault Mode merely gave a annoyed snort before spreading its wings wide.

"The sun...!"

"That dragon's giving us its shadow to hide in!"

"Gear Third!" Luffy bit his thumb and blew. "Hone Fuusen!" He charged forward.

"Oi!" Franky yelled. "He's using them both at the same time?"

"There's no way he can!" Usopp retorted. "Don't you remember what happened to you in the last fight?" he hollered to Luffy.

"Don't be reckless, Luffy!" Chopper screamed. "Your body's gonna be torn apart!"

"Yusei, do something!" Nami yelled.

"Nami San, I can't stop Luffy San," Yusei quietly murmured. "He's doing this for all of us!"

"Then... please... MAKE SURE HE SUCCEEDS!" she screamed to the heavens.

"That... I can do," Yusei pulled more cards. "Chain Arrow, activate! Synchro Gift, activate, targeting Luffy San and Nitro Warrior! Equip, Fighting Spirit! All clear, Luffy San!"

"Gomu Gomu no... Giganto Jet Shell!"

The launch was an epic thing of beauty, cannonballed straight into Moria's throat and sending the giant stumbling back.

"What strength!"

"The shadows are coming out!"

"Think I'll let you escape?" Moria closed his hands over his mouth. "The source of my power!"

"You won't get any stronger by power you stole," Yusei grimly replied.

"Shadows!" Moria wheezed. "I am your master!"

"That bastard! He's planning to keep our shadows from us?"

"My shadow!" Lola called. "Come back to me!"

"Captain Lola!"

"Can you hear me, my shadow?" she called. "Haven't we been through so much together since our birth?"

The Straw Hats assembled all stared at her as the flames increased in size.

"You and I were born together!" Lola called despite the pain. "Return to me! I've spent three years searching for your zombie! And now you're here, aren't you? If you can hear me get back here! Come back to me!"

"Captain Lola!" Lola was dog-piled from behind.

"Get in the shadows!"

"Your body's gonna disappear!"

"But...! Don't you guys feel anything?" Lola panted. "They're right there!"

"It's true, all our shadows are gathered in Moria's body."

"And they're right in front of us! We'll never get another chance like this again! But the opponent's a Shichibukai..."

"This can't... come back!"

"Come back, our shadows!"

"Come back! Come back! Come back!" the cry echoed until it reached fever pitch. "Come back! Come back! COME BACK!"

"I also have something to tell my shadow..." Luffy groaned from where he bounced on the ground, getting to his feet. "If you really want to be the Pirate King... you gotta..."

He disappeared in a flash, going straight for Moria.

"...GET THE HELL BACK TO ME!"

With a mighty ban, the Straw Hat cannonball impacted into Moria, sending the giant gecko into the mast and breaking the entire tall building to collapse on top of Moria. As shadows flew into the air, the crowd cheered as Luffy safely flew away like a balloon.

With astounded faces, the Straw Hats watched as the mast of Thriller Bark collapsed on top of Moria, gravity squeezing every last bit of shadow from the mouth of the Shichibukai.

"Strawhat..." he wheezed. "You bastard...! Then go see for yourself... In the New World... What a true nightmare there is... In the New World...!"

The shadows came spraying out of Moria's mouth, like an erupting volcano.

"All right! The shadows are returning!"

"At long last!"

"THE SHADOWS ARE COMING BACK!"

It was at that exact same moment that the mast of Thriller Bark broke, releasing the sunlight onto the battlefield as the Straw Hats watched in awe... until Usopp remembered.

"O- Oi, you guys...!"

All over the Grand Line and West Blue, people celebrated the return of their shadows.

This was no exception for the Straw Hats, save that for every member with their shadow, sans Yusei, were all staring in awe.

"Hahaha," Zoro laughed. "I seem to be alive."

"I thought that I was going to Heaven for a moment there!" Robin sighed.

"That's fine with me~!" Sanji had turned into a melting pool of hearts. "If I'm with Robin Chan, I'll gladly go to Heaven~!"

"Don't just laugh your asses off, idiots!" Usopp yelled at them. "We thought you guys were dead for sure! You hearin' me?"

"That was scary~!" Nami and Chopper cried.

"My goodness, you almost scared me to death," Brook remarked. "Oh, right, I'm already dead though." He turned to look at the sun shining in the sky in its brilliantine glory.

"It's sunlight!"

"We ain't afraid of the sunlight anymore!"

"We have our shadows!" Lola cheered.

"Our dark days are finally over!"

"ALRIGHT! HOORAY!"

"Looks like everyone over there is alright too," Chopper remarked.

"The sunlight did erase our existence," Robin explained. "But our shadows returned in time, recovering us."

"Probably the same theory as when Moria changes the shapes of objects using their shadows," Sanji remarked. "The only thing I get is that an object and its shadow are always the same shape, but..."

"Relax," Zoro replied. "I'm sure an exciting incident like our shadows being separated from our bodies will never happen again."

"Anyway, I'm so glad no one disappeared..." Usopp sighed.

"Eh," Franky sighed. "I'm finally feeling drowsy and beat. Anyone got some cola?"

"Everything that's happened since we arrived on this island was an illusion shown to us by Moria," Sanji remarked. "Now that he's been beaten, there's nothing left on this island. It's almost like we woke up from a bad nightmare... Man, that was one bad ghost ride we got on."

"Don't you think Luffy's new fighting styles are a bit harmful to his body?" Usopp muttered. "I'm worried... If there's gonna be stronger enemies than this from now on, he's gonna have to keep using these. If we don't pull ourselves together soon..."

Chopper nodded.

"You're right..."Nami whispered.

Just then, the other victims of Thriller Bark appeared and gave a deep bow on hands and knees to the Straw Hat pirates, their crew of hope and the falling star that granted their wish.

Amidst the sudden mood, Hane was jumping frantically around a collapsed Yusei beside the unconscious Luffy.

"Yusei Dono, Yusei Dono, wake up, quack!" the duck squawked. "Yusei Dono, wake up! An enemy's coming! Yusei Dono, quack!"

"Uh, what enemy?" Usopp asked.

"Stardust saw him, quack!" Hane squawked. "The enemy's big! Like a tank, quack! And in black and white! We have to get Yusei Dono up or Stardust can't fight, quack!"

At that moment, Nami gasped silently. "That's right…!" she whispered. "I just remembered!"

"What's that?" Usopp questioned.

"I completely forgot... about his presence..." Nami whispered.

"What's wrong?" Robin asked.

"It's really serious!" Nami answered.

"I see."

Very slowly, the Straw Hat Pirates still conscious looked up.

"So my greatest fears have become reality."

"So it would seem," Bartholomew Kuma spoke to a miniature DenDen Mushi.

"Who's that?" Usopp muttered.

"He's here!" Nami almost cried, hyperventilating. "Guys... calm down.. and listen to me... During the fight wit Moria and the others... I forgot to tell you, but... on this island... There's another one...! A Shichibukai!"

The Straw Hats began to panic.

"What d'you just say?" Usopp gasped before he looked up. "That's..."

"A Shichibukai?" Almost all of them finished at once.

"Th- There's just no way...!" Usopp panicked.

"Why are there two Shichibukai on the same island?" Chopper panicked.

"Just when we finally chose a successor for Crocodile... It's not good to have lost another Shichibukai." the DenDen Mushi was saying. "Is he still breathing, even in the faintest?"

"Who knows..." Kuma remarked.

"As long as he is still alive, we will wait for him and hope for him to remain in his position as Shichibukai. We'll follow up after such a time. The dignity of the Shichibukai would be lost if we were to lose them this easily." His words then took an ominous bent."This news must not reach anyone else. Man, these guys are a problem..."

"Right..." Lola murmured. "That gigantic body, not even inferior to Moria... the pirate called 'the Tyrant'...! Bartholomew Kuma...!"

"Him? 'Tyrant' Kuma?"

"The guy who has no limits to his brutality?"

"Do you comprehend what I'm saying?" the voice continued. "We cannot afford to let anyone else know of Moria's defeat. This is a direct order from the World Government... including the Straw Hat crew, obliterate... everyone on that island!"

"Too easy." Kuma remarked after a while.

"W- What was that he just said?"A buzz was beginning to build.

"O- Obliterate...? Oi, oi, by obliterate...?"

"He means us? Why?"

"This just can't be happening...!"

"We were just released from Moria's ability...!"

"No way...!" Usopp was panicking. "A never-ending battle with the Shichibukai is just...!"

"This is terrible, considering we just barely beat Moria...!" Chopper panicked.

Zoro was preparing to draw his swords. "You guys stand back."

"Did.. I ask you... to save... me?" Zoro coughed. He was lying on the ground, already bloody and beaten and before him stood the gigantic form of Bartholomew Kuma, and between the two of them...

The giant Bear Shichibukai looked down. "Stand down."

"No." Wings spread wide, the Sonic Chick stood in his way. "Quack!" Pink feathers ruffled as the duckling turned large, watery blue eyes arranged in a glare towards Kuma, as fiercely as it was possible for a pink duckling to be.

A large palm, shaped like a bear's paw, was aimed at it. "Move."

"No."

A sonic boom sounded.

"Oi, Duck!" Sanji, already incapable of fighting, yelled towards it.

"Stiffly, webbed feet locked into place as the Sonic Chick ruffled its feathers to glare up balefully at Kuma. "Too bad, quack... I don't give up, quack!"

"This fight has nothing to do with you, duckling," Kuma told it.

"Yusei Dono's last order was to take care of everyone," it retorted. "As long as Yusei Dono survives, I personally wouldn't care what you do. However, I cannot defy a request, no, an order from Yusei Dono, quack! If you threaten us, and by extension Yusei Dono, I'll get in your way as many times as need be, quack!"

Kuma nodded, placing a palm directly on top of the Chick. "Very well. Pad Hou."

A sonic boom sounded.

"That was literally air pressure pushed at the speed of light," Kuma intoned. "You can no longer stand if you are dead. Goodbye, duckling."

"Quack..."

It was the first time the Shichibukai actually looked slightly disturbed.

"Then..." Hane grinned as it stood up, one half of its feathers bedraggled and torn. "It's good... that you're too... stupidly strong... aren't you... quack? Geh!" it coughed.

"How..." he breathed.

"Oi, leave it!" Zoro insisted. "He's too strong! I'm already prepared to lay my life down!"

"Yusei Dono and Captain San aren't prepared to let you die yet, though, so just stay there until the reindeer-tanuki can wake up to patch you up." Sonic Chick declared, standing firm. "And, it's precisely that he's too strong that I'm here!"

"What's the relation?" Zoro yelled at it. "He's too strong, of course you can't fight back! Geh-!" Zoro began coughing blood.

"I am one... of the few... that can't be destroyed by... the stupidly strong..." Sonic Chick panted. "I... I am a weak monster, quack... no Duellist needed me... I was sent to the scrap heap, where I waited, rain, shine or snow, in the shadowy depths of despair... when Yusei Dono found my card, it was as if a star had fallen from the heavens, quack...!" The duck began to cough weakly. "He found us, quack, all of us from the scrap heap... for weak monsters like us, to be part of a strong deck, quack, a winning deck, despite our lack of strength... to finally find a master that needs us...!"

"I told you, Yusei won't be happy to see you like this!" Zoro yelled at it. "Are you an idiot!"

"My only purpose is to stand in the way of the stupidly strong, for Yusei Dono!" the pink duckling glared. "Have you realised it yet, you stupid teddy bear?"

"Oi, don't anger him-!" Zoro was saved from answering by another explosion of air pressure combined by laser.

"I WON'T DIE BEING HIT BY YOU!" It stood its ground despite its heavy injuries. "My very being... my very existence... is to be the shield, quack! That's why... I won't let you go!"

Kuma gave it a blank look, before turning, or attempting to turn without success. "What... did you do?" the Tyrant now looked pissed-off.

"He looks mad..." Zoro doubled over in a wave of pain. "Luffy..."

"As long as I'm here, that bear-man can only attack me," Sonic Chick hissed to him. "Captain San is still unconscious for now... but his pain is being screamed from the depths..."

"...It seems like we are at a stalemate," Kuma formed his hands together. "In that case, I don't think you would survive another Ursus Shock. It is already clear that you are approaching your limits, despite your admirable tenacity, and to trap me at that. Should you survive, I indeed acknowledge you, but it is clear that in a battle of attrition, I will ultimately win."

If the Chick could grin, it would. "That... I have no doubt of it."

That caused Zoro to start and prompted another wave of coughing. "What...?"

"Excuse me?" the Tyrant looked down at it.

"Only an idiot or an amateur would call a weak monster to tank forever, quack," Sonic Chick growled self-depreciatingly. "No mater my power, my stamina or my ability, I can't hold you back forever, that's the truth. That's reality, quack."

Kuma paused. "You mean to say..."

"My standing in your way... your inability to attack any other person after my involvement... my actions up till now... was merely to delay you, quack!" If anyone had ever thought that the Sonic Chick was too cute to be evil, any look at Hane and their doubts would disappear. "Until the cavalry comes!"

"One soul is led by the light..."

A low growl behind caused Kuma to, very slowly, turn around.

"The other soul is guided by the darkness..."

The giant Shichibukai moved his line of sight, up, up, and up all the way to see the maw opened and the dragon roared at him, energy crackling about it in a show of power.

"Together, the two form Chaos!"

A single sweep of its arm was enough to send the Tyrant, Bartholomew Kuma, flying into the ruins of Thriller Bark.

The roar of the Stardust Dragon was a palpable, panic-inducing thing as it reached a large claw over to sweep Kuma out of the ruins of the tower.

"I thought... that dragon... was on the eastern bank..." Kuma stood up, looking a little worse for wear.

"Stardust Dragon has very good timing where its master is concerned," In the water, a floating rail-gun was stationed beside a maniacally grinning Yami, the Black Luster Soldier floating behind him wearing a look of stone. "It was no trouble for me to convince it that Yusei was in danger. However, it seems like with my will powering it, you're about to be defeated."

Kuma began to hold his palm together to build air pressure. At the same time, Stardust Dragon roared to the heavens as stardust flowed from its body to wrap around Kuma.

"I wonder if you were here for when Yusei tried it?" Yami mused as Kuma tried in a futile effort to reject the mist. "Stardust Dragon Slash Buster can sacrifice itself for a while to render any ability ineffective and destroy the user. Of course, Yusei is too soft-hearted to grasp the concept of willing your opponent to die, and so Moria lived, albeit much reduced throughout the battle."

Yami then smirked. "However, I do not share that mindset. Stardust, Buster Sanctuary."

The pirate called the Tyrant doubled over from the agonising pain as the glittering mist solidified and began to attack him from every direction.

"Oh, yes, you're still holding the rubber boy's pain," Yami gingerly handled the tiny sphere of red considerately. "Such suffering and stress... a suitable punishment. I would force you to eat it, but then, I don't believe you won't find a way to reject it from your own body. Chaos Soldier... no, Stardust, do with him what you will."

"Why do you save them?" Kuma murmured at him.

Yami's crimson eyes twinkled like drops of blood. "Who says that I'm going to save them? What do you think I need pain for? There is a price that needs be paid."

"You would punish the ones you try to save?"

"Either it is a trial, or it is a punishment," Yami shrugged. "Roronoa Zoro has already experienced part of that pain you gave him. It would be interesting to see, if the rest of the crew is so willing to share the pain."

"No."

Yami looked at the standing first mate seriously, already bleeding and grimacing. "You're already past your limits."

"Don't care. You're not touching the crew. Not now, not ever."

"Yusei is a friend, why would I?" Yami looked genuinely puzzled.

Zoro blinked, before recalling the exact sequence of conversation. "You-"

"How about a deal?" Yami absently waved a hand at Stardust. "You can throw him already. He's not going to report us. In exchange for all this pain that you shoulder for your captain, there will be one chance of a miracle. I promise this to the Straw Hats."

Zoro did not even bat an eye. "Just let me choose the place."

"To find such loyal companions..." Kuma breathed from under the Dragon's large claws as he was bodily lifted in a baseball stance. "As expected of your son... Dragon."

Even as he was punted across the ruins of Thriller Bark and the sea between here and the next island, Bartholomew Kuma maintained a general look of dignified travel despite the several cracked ribs sustained via Stardust Dragon fast-ball.

"Master Yusei, wake up..."

"Master Yusei..."

"The Earthbound Gods are here! Master Yusei!"

"I am always here, young master..."

Blue eyes opened. From the gentle rocking and the familiar ceiling, Yusei guessed that he was aboard the Thousand Sunny. That he was alive and aboard the ship meant that somehow, he had survived the bad feeling and the potential enemy.

His skin goose-pimpled.

Stardust... he found himself thinking.

"Oh? It's moving?"

Only Luffy could be that loud and blunt.

"Yusei! Someone get a doctor! Oh, wait, I am a doctor..."

That was Chopper alright.

"Be realistic!" Zoro's bark echoed. "How the hell do we get past that? That thing beat a Shichibukai! Bartholomew Kuma! One of the seven Royal Shichibukai, dammit!"

Was Moria beaten by Stardust? Really? Did Duel Monsters hang around to avenge their fallen masters afterwards? Yusei had no idea how to answer.

"I never thought that I'd be eaten by a dragon..." that was Usopp's whimpering.

There was a huge thump, a shift and a long, loud growl.

"Zoro, I think you pissed it off." Nami moaned.

"Ara, I don't think so," Robin's calm, dulcet tones a relief on this cacophony.

"It beat a Shichibukai, it's a SUPER dragon!" Franky was as enthusiastic as ever.

"Yohoho, my eyes would be popping out at this sight... not that I have eyes! Skull Joke!"

"I wonder how it tastes like."

"Hard," Sanji's dry tone sounded behind the wood. "That skin looks like diamond, and I guess the muscle is chewy as well. No good."

That... was almost a relief.

"Make it into soup."

That... was not good, at all.

The blue-nosed reindeer finally burst into the room, panicking. "Yusei, you're alright! The dragon came down and beat up Kuma and then tried to bite you but Luffy stopped it until it said that it wanted to bring you here, and then it wouldn't let anyone in at all except me in and then Yusei, why is there a dragon on the Sunny?" The poor doctor looked about ready to cry.

"Is everyone alright?" Yusei whispered, wincing as he tried to sit up.

"Don't move!" Chopper howled at the crack of bone. "You could have died, Yusei! If that dragon didn't blast Kuma, who knows how you'd be!"

"Dragon?" Yusei slowly hobbled up, pushing past Chopper through the infirmary door.

"Ah, Yusei," Luffy grinned when he saw the dark-haired young man. "This dragon's kinda cool. You think we can keep it?"

"HOW THE HELL ARE WE GOING TO KEEP A DRAGON, YOU IDIOT!" The more hyper crew members yelled as one in the face of their captain's idiocy.

Tall and majestic, Stardust Dragon spread both its leathery, glittering wings wide out, prompting some violent rocking before it settled itself once more, watery blue eyes diverted to meet Yusei's own eyes. Its scales glittered blue and white, a backdrop of the jewels of the night against the velvet form of blue night skies as the dragon opened its sharp maw and gave a piercing cry.

"Stardust..." Yusei reached out a tentative hand which it quietly nuzzled. "Stardust Dragon..."

"Oi, Yusei, you know this dragon?" Usopp was hiding behind the mast again.

"Ah, yes," Yusei nodded. "This is my nakama, Stardust Dragon."

"..." it was the first time Yusei had ever seen the Straw Hat Pirates silent. Even Robin did not have a good comeback to that.

What happened next broke the silence in the Straw Hat crew as Hane waddled over. "Yusei Dono! I was so worried!"

"...EEEHHHHHH? THAT'S YOUR NAKAMA?"

Please review!