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Chapter 22:
Of Monsters and Machines
A female scream tore through the water, punctuated by the Sea King that ripped through the ship from below. Dutchman let out a final, strangled gasp of pain as he exploded into chunks similar to the bits that now hung in the water. The bow of the ship came to a screeching halt as it impacted another Sea King's side, throwing Decken and Fukaboshi headlong into its mucus-covered hind before bouncing back. The face of a beaked eel turned hungry eyes on what remained of the once-proud ship.
Behind the Sea King floated Shirahoshi, her bloodshot eyes leaking tears into the surrounding waters. This contrasted with the look of rage twisting her beautiful features into a horrid expression Fukaboshi had never seen on his sister before. Shine and Dave, the guards he'd left with her at the start of this mission, backed away slowly.
"You hurt my big brother," Shirahoshi hissed, the Sea Kings with her echoing her words with their own language. Their eyes glazed over as the overwhelming power of Poseidon directed them with neither finesse nor control. The emotions Shirahoshi had buried the last decade, the fear, rage, grief, and all other manner of negative feelings poured forth all at once, burying her usual placid temperament.
"My sweet Shirahoshi!" Decken smiled, spreading his arms to greet the image of rage whose countenance he ignored with all the skill of a love-blind fool. "You've finally come to me!"
"You hurt my big brother," she repeated, the Sea Kings tensing as waters on the edge of their view colored with battling monsters filled with the princess' terrible feelings. "Get him."
The Sea Kings attacked.
Vander Decken screamed, his four legs launching him away from the remains of his ancient ship as the beaked Sea King impaled where he'd been standing. He had no time to rest, the monster that had sprouted from the roof coming for him. Decken dodged with another scream, the beast's teeth ripping through the water. Though he could not swim on account of his Devil Fruit, the legacy pirate was still a fishman, his innate instincts propelling him away from the flotsam that had once been the vessel of his forebears while his bubble kept the waters at bay. Fear etched itself into his features, but the powers of Poseidon still held his awe.
"Shirahoshi!" Fukaboshi yelled, the prince rolling to just barely avoid the gnashing Sea Kings. His wounds ached and the stab in his ribs in particular sent throngs of pain through his core, but the prince was a warrior first and foremost. He shoved the thoughts of pain to the back of his mind; made them a problem to be solved later. "Little Sister, listen to me!"
The giant mermaid turned to the noise, but when the prince's eyes met hers, he found no recognition in them. The princess' were bloodshot, the remnants of her tears carrying an almost purple-blue tint that crept in at the sides. The rage she had felt toward Vander Decken must have cycled into an eerie calm for her face carried only a blank expression as the once-dormant powers within her overwhelmed everything.
She waved her hand, the Sea Kings moving at her call to attack anything and everything. Their primary target was what remained of the Flying Dutchman, the monsters tying themselves into knots as they attempted to break every board from those adjacent, to reduce the Flying Dutchman to flotsam and so much kindling. Fukaboshi called her name again, but the princess' eyes remained blank and uncomprehending, the noise only serving to draw her uninhibited ire on him.
Another wave sent the tooth-filled maw of the second Sea King after the prince, the merman using his trident to catch the mouth before he could be swallowed. The momentum, however, carried him away from what little of the deck remained. He had no time to focus on that, the bucking beast tying to eat him a more pressing concern.
"Your Highness!" a pair of voices called, the only remaining soldiers appearing at Fukaboshi's sides. The older one, Dave, slashed a gash into the Sea King's snout, crimson blood oozing from the wound. The creature roared in pain, freeing the trident stuck in its mouth. Shine took that time to pull the prince away, the trio beating a hasty retreat while the Sea King was discombobulated.
"Prince Fukaboshi," Dave muttered, trying to keep his voice low. "What was that? What has happened to Princess Shirahoshi?"
"Supposedly, it is an ancient power," the blunet answered, an almost detached horror welling up inside him as the pair of Sea Kings began devouring the old ship. His grip on his trident tightened and loosened repeatedly, as if he could not decide which he preferred if he noticed at all. "Decken called it Poseidon, the ability to call on and control Sea Kings. He said the first Vander Decken came to the island looking for it, so it must have last manifested during the Void Century."
"Th-That's ridiculous," Shine said, his eyes flinting from the prince's face to the evidence beyond and back "Wh-What do we do now? If that is true, the princess has gone mad. What if she turns her power on the island? Or if the strain becomes too much and the Sea Kings turn on her?"
"I… I don't know," Fukaboshi admitted. He flinched, his hand reaching for his newest wound without thought.
"You Highness, you're injured," Dave gasped. He reached forward as if to help but pulled back before touching the royal. For lack of anything else to do, his hands wound around each other. "We must get you back to the Ryugu Palace. You are at risk here and you need to rest."
"I will go nowhere until my sister is safe," Fukaboshi hissed through the pain. "Besides, Decken got one of my lungs with that surprise attack. I cannot stop using my gills unless I want to asphyxiate."
"We must get word to the Palace," Shine insisted, Dave already pulling a Deep-Sea Transponder Snail from his armor. "His Majesty must know the situation. They can send a medic at least."
"…Fine," the prince grunted after a moment. "Be quick about it."
Dave nodded, already halfway through the number. The snail only rung once.
"Hello?" the voice of the Minister of the Right answered. "Report."
"Minister, we have grave news…"
Fukaboshi ignored his soldiers as they informed the palace of what had transpired over the last half-hour. Instead, he focused on the questions Shine had asked, finding he did not immediately have answers. What do we do now? What if Shirahoshi turns her powers on the island? What if the strain becomes too much for her? These questioned cycled through his mind on repeat, each conjuring a simulation and outcome worse than the last. Images of Sea Kings laying waste to Fishman Island chased pictures of them turning their fangs on his sister, all of them filled with death and gore on a scale the likes of which had never been seen by his people before.
His eyes turned to the red-and-pink speck in the distance that was the Mermaid Princess, the girl directing her monsters like the conductor of a violent underwater orchestra. His sharpened teeth chewed at the inside of his cheek, the taste of copper flooding his tongue, but he could not stop.
'If I could save only one, would I pick the island or Shirahoshi?'
The thought came unbidden, a wave of panic flowing through his veins. Not because of the answer that came so quickly, but because of how quickly it did. That answer formed into answers for some of the other What Ifs that had been asked.
Hardening his heart, Fukaboshi steeled his resolve.
"Shine," he said, the sound of his name startling the young soldier from where he had been listening to the call. "What did the palace have to say?"
"They're sending Ho-e and Megalo as we speak," Shine responded. "Them and another half-dozen soldiers and a medic ready for action. It's the most they could do while keeping a force at the palace in case Hody Jones has another force ready to attack."
"And what of Hody?"
"He and Straw Hat are currently duking it out in the Gyoncord Plaza, sire. The rest of the Straw Hat Pirates and Princes Ryuboshi and Manboshi are contending with the rest of the New Fishman Pirates there as well, as far as we can tell."
"Did Father know about the power Shirahoshi possesses?"
"…Yes," Shine answered slowly, his eyes anywhere except on the royal as if worried he'd need an escape. The prince, however, did not respond save for a narrowing of his eyes. "H-He laments that Poseidon has awoken so completely and in such desperate times. He, the Minister of the Right, and the General are currently debating how best to react in the most probable scenarios but trust you can handle it."
"…I see." Fukaboshi turned his eyes back to the distant form of his sister, Sea Kings now pouring from the abyss to surround her in a veritable whirlpool of colorful bodies. He did not voice his notice of the doubt. If they trusted he could handle it, they would not be worried about alternate plans. "What did he have to say about such matters?"
"The Minister wishes to evacuate the people to the Noah. The General agreed, citing that we could sic the princess and her Sea Kings on the New Fishman Pirates with the populous out of the way."
"Preposterous."
"That's what His Majesty said," Shine nodded. "He does not wish to involve Princess Shirahoshi in the battle any more than she has already, but at the same time admits that we cannot leave her to sort out later. We know precious little about the powers she possesses or what dangers they pose to her. Losing the princess would be as major a blow to the people as the loss of the queen was."
Fukaboshi flinched at the memory, his late mother's beaming smile sending another stab of pain through his heart even as he tried to swallow a sudden lump in his throat. What would she do at a time like this?
Again, the answer came far too quickly for the prince's liking. He knew that there was no right answer here; that the choice Queen Otohime would have made would have torn her apart. Not for the first time, Fukaboshi cursed his heritage and position that required such duties to his people. How had his mother accepted the role of queen and all its obligations over the life she'd had before? The life of a normal citizen would be so much calmer than being a prince, much less the Heir Apparent or the queen.
"When can we expect our reinforcements?" he asked, shoving this thoughts to the back of his mind. The worst would not come to pass, he told himself. He would not allow them to.
"Within ten minutes, my prince. Ho-e and Megalo left at top speed prepared for orders upon arrival."
"Good." The prince nodded, turning now to look Shine in the eye for only a moment before they darted beck to his raging sister in the distance. "Pray for my sister's safety, because upon their arrival, we shall gamble for both her fate and mine."
Luffy and Hody rivaled Zoro and Hyouzou as they crashed across the battlefield. Plumes of dust marked every missed attack and every crater indicated another blow one of the captains had taken. They'd thrown each other around, knocking fishmen over like bowling pins by the dozens without regard to their wellbeing. Even now Luffy nearly hovered in the air, his rubber arms raining a Gum-Gum Gatling down on the immobile Hody, said fishman laughing through the experience.
"Straw Hat has grown so strong," Hachi commented, Coby cutting his bindings loose while trying to ignore the blood that colored the front of his clothing. The Octopus Fishman rubbed his wrists, trying to ease complete circulation back into them for the first time in the weeks he'd been held captive. "Nyu~! I just hope he's strong enough to beat Hody. Something happened to him that's made him more terrifying than he was before."
"Captain Luffy can pull it off," Coby insisted, his crewmates who had fought the other officers gathering around him. "He always has before. He is the man who will be the King of the Pirates, after all."
"There's no need to worry," Grace agreed. "He was determined enough when it was just us with him. Now that Luffy's got a kid, there's no way anything short of decapitation can keep him down. Even then, I bet he'd find a way back. He's too stupid to die."
"Oh, good for him," Hachi nodded, his eyes widening as he comprehended the words. "Nyu~! What?! A kid?! When?!"
"I think that's something for Nami to tell you herself," Coby said. He looked up, his eyes widening and his jaw hanging open as Merry's shaking form joined their little group.
"Holy shit," Amy cursed, the color draining from her face. "No wonder my fight was so boring. You took all the action, Merry."
"S-Sorry," the Klabautermann stuttered with a weak smile. Her outfit was covered in red and, given the spiritual nature of Klabautermann essence that they had instead of blood and the post-battle context clues, it was clear the blood was not hers. "O-Oh, good. We got Hachi."
"Let me get that for you," Grace offered, stepping over to the white-haired girl. The chem-woman rubbed her hands together, her palms secreting a substance that foamed and bubbled like soap. When she was satisfied with the amount, Grace ran her hands over Merry's clothing, the blood seeming to wash out cleanly wherever she did. Merry stepped away from the red pile of foam and bubbles as Grace finished, a watery smile stronger than her last one present.
"Thanks, Grace. I think this shirt's ruined anyway what with the whole in the gut, but I can at least keep the suspenders and pants now." She shifted, a small squelch coming from her shoes, the sound highlighted by the way she flinched. She reached down, pulling a broken, red-covered tooth from within. "Oh, I don't like that."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Coby asked as Grace repeated the cleaning process for his own shirt. He received only a shake of the head from the horned girl.
"I think I'll talk to Chopper about it when we're done here, but… I think I've filled my quota of violent self-care for the month." She chuckled, but there was no humor in her laugh.
"Look out!" Coby yelled, he and Amy grabbing their companions and leaping back. Luffy crashed where they'd been, his body cratering the earth. The captain shook his head, jumping to his feet a moment later with only dust on his clothes as any sign that he'd just hit the earth as hard as he did.
"Don't think I'm done yet, Hog!" Luffy roared, renewing his Second Gear before vanishing in a blur of steam. In his place appeared Zoro and Hyouzou, their blades locked in a stalemate as they glared at each other. They pushed apart, both only taking a second to prepare for their next bout.
"Blue Ring Waltz!"
"Streaming Wolf Swords!"
Similar to the name Hyouzou had yelled, their actions almost resembled a choreographed dance, each of the merman's blades missing Zoro so closely that a few managed to even catch his clothing. Zoro retaliated with a low spin, Shusui and Wado cutting another pair of shallow gashes along Hyouzou's shoulder to join the other dozen that crisscrossed his body. Both panted, their eyes never breaking contact. The viewers held their breath, waiting for what was to come next.
Slowly, one of Hyouzou's tentacles gave way beneath him, the man flinching as he tried to catch himself. It was to no avail as another two lost their grip on the earth, the merman tilting to the right before falling like a tree. He coughed blood upon impact, a hiss of pain escaping his mouth.
"What now?" Zoro questioned through his labored breathing.
"I could take another Energy Steroid," Hyouzou admitted, the blood pooling under him denoting how some of the 'scratches' were deeper than Coby had thought previously, "but I won't. I know the risks and already needed some to match your ability despite being older and having more swords. You are simply better than me, Pirate Hunter."
He grunted, hurling his named blades at the human with the last of his arms' strength before rolling over onto his back to stare at the faux sun in the sky. Hoshokusha and Emono clattered to the ground at Zoro's feet, but Hyouzou could not bear to watch. He grit his teeth. The light was too much, too bright. Slowly, one shaky arm rose to cover his eyes, hiding the moisture welling there.
"You have fought like a real swordsman," Zoro commented, doubting that the mercenary had the energy or inclination to attack him now. "You put your all against me with your pride on the line, and I greatly respect you for that."
"It wasn't enough," Hyouzou spat. "I see how far my greed made me fall and no amount of drugs can lift me back to where I was. No amount of booze will help me forget what I've become. So please, end my misery and shame, Pirate Hunter. Let me die with a blade inside me like a true swordsman."
"I won't." Zoro shook his head, sheathing his swords. Hyouzou closed his eyes, his muscles tightening only to loosen again as his injuries sent reminders through him.
"So this is my punishment, a life of shame and ridicule after such a hard defeat? I have given up my swords, and there is no greater shame than to live on afterward. I am not fit to be a swordsman. And if I'm not a swordsman, then I am nothing."
"I will take your swords because that was the bet," the human began, scooping the matched blades from the ground, "but your story will not end today. I will become the World's Greatest Swordsman, defeating even Mihawk. Once I do, I will return to see how strong you have gotten, Hyouzou of the Eight-Sword Style. When I do, I expect you to give me a run for my money like nobody else."
Hyouzou froze, the challenge taking a moment to sink in. He turned his head slowly, his eyes meeting Zoro's to search for any sign of deceit. There was none, only a set jaw and an unwavering gaze.
"You should join the army," Coby suggested, his voice surprising both fighters. They turned to him, the roset stepping toward them. "I heard you were fighting because the New Fishmen were paying you. That means you don't really buy into Hody's philosophical bull. We can speak to King Neptune on your behalf, get you a reduced sentence. It will give you a chance to make up for everything you've done and give you a chance to get stronger. And if money is still important to you, who better to pay you than the kingdom? I mean, isn't it useless if there's nothing to buy?"
The merman snorted, a guffaw forcing its way past his lips as it morphed into a desperate laugh. He settled, his eyes once more landing on the light of the Sunlight Tree Eve far above. His hand came to rest on his blood-stained shirt, the words of a long-lost idealist preaching in the square coming to his mind.
"You know, maybe you humans aren't too bad after all…"
Another bolt of condensed lightning shot from Gin's fingertip, the finger pistol shape now more literal than Gin could have believed possible before getting his Fruit. Sunny had gone silent a few minutes ago, leaving Gin to Lightning Jump from point to point in her defense as weaklings swarmed in from all sides. The Electric Eel brothers, Second and First, sat on the deck's grass, their will to follow Hody lost like their battle against Gin, so they now acted as a surprise trap if someone managed to make it there. The younger princes and Kaku had taken up positions in a triangle on the ground, defending Sunny from there. Even so, Sunny was a big ship, many pirates who slipped through the gaps in their defense having to fall by Gin's hand. Not that they could have damaged her Adam Wood hull but was the principle of the thing!
"What're ya doin', Franky?" the lightning-man muttered to himself. "Rum, you got any idea?"
'I do not need my imagination, considering I possess our body's Mantra of the Mind.'
"Then why don'cha tell me what's goin' on?"
'Oh, but Gin-kun, that would ruin the surprise! Kukuku!'
"I hate you…"
A low groan reached Gin's ears, the man flashing from the port-side railing to the top of the crow's nest. A fishman who must be part giant, or at least be some type of sea creature with a massive natural form, was lumbering toward the Thousand Sunny. He stood somewhere near 15 meters by Gin's estimate with curly, orange hair spilling to his knees in eight thick parts from a jelly-like dome tinted a horrible yellow-red. A pair of beady eyes stared at the ship, each of the fishman's steps bringing it closer to her while dragging along a massive club.
"He's awake!" one of the pirates below yelled, his voice pitched with terror. "Jell's awake! Run for it!"
The noise seemed to aggravate the titan, his free hand darting out to grab an unfortunate pirate who was just too slow. The man struggled for all he was worth but was unable to make any headway before coming into contact with Jell's hair. He screamed, crying for anyone to help him as the hair moved to suck him in deeper. At the halfway point he went silent, Gin only then realizing it was not a mane of hair, but strand after strand of thin tentacles layered over each other. The whole thing shifted slowly, swallowing the limp pirate until he disappeared forever.
Uneasy, Gin aimed his Finger Pistol and let loose another Lightning Bullet, but the attack didn't seem to faze the creature as he continued his heavy-footed walk.
"Oh, that ain't good," Gin sighed. "Rum, ya got anythin' fer me?"
'I am afraid you are on your own, my dear country bumkin.'
"Now ain't th' time fer pissin' me off, Rum."
'Currently, that is not my goal,' Rum responded earnestly. 'That being, Jell they called him. There is no thought in him. My Mantra can feel his desire to feed and that is all. He is no more than a walking, breathing weapon, barely sentient in his own right.'
"Shit."
'Indeed. By my estimate, I should guess he will arrive within four minutes. You should advise your companions not to engage him in combat.'
Hissing under his breath, Gin jumped forward and turned, hooking his fingers on the rim of the crow's nest roof. Said fingers acted as a fulcrum, the monk swinging inside through the revolving windows. Most of the crow's nest was taken up by Zoro's considerable collection of training weights and equipment, but it also boasted one of the many microphones connected to Sunny's comm system. Wasting no time, Gin flashed to the metal box on the wall and pressed the button with a gear symbol.
"Franky, whatever you an' Sunny're up to down there, ya better get it done ASAP. We got a massive thing comin' in off th' starboard side an' I'm thinkin' it's a kind o' jellyfish. Th' other New Fishmen're scared of him and he ate one of 'em." Gin clenched his teeth, his eyes turning to the window to track Jell's progress toward their ship. "Franky, answer me, dammit!"
"Ow!" Franky yelled through the speakers, his voice somewhat garbled by static. "That's some bad news, Devil-Bro! Luckily, it looks like Sunny's super plan is gonna work! We just needed some time to make some alterations to a few things! You said he's off to starboard?"
"That's right."
"Super! Hang tight and watch the magic happen!"
Excitement and fear bubbled in Gin's gut, a sentiment mirrored by his violent alter ego as the lightning-man returned to his spot perched on the roof. Sunny shook as her Soldier Dock System doors rose, the gate only open halfway when something shot out of her with the speed of a missile. The sudden speed threw Gin for a mental loop, the man needing to blink a couple times before he could find the missile again and track it.
The first thing he noticed was Franky's distinctive shoulders, their red bulk allowing him to not lose sight of him. Once he knew Franky was on top of whatever what moving at such speeds, it make things easier.
The cyborg laughed as his mechanical tricycle (not that he would ever call it such) banked a sharp turn. Franky's arm shot out, clotheslining a trio of fishmen, before he stomped on the gas and barreled toward the titan Gin had warned him about. It turned toward the roar of the engine, raising its club for a swing.
Franky grinned, swerving the strike that left a crater in the earth. The giant fishman roared, turning as quickly as it could to give chase. The cyborg's Black Rhino 4 was just too quick, however, the human's taunts keeping the Lion's Mane Jellyfish Fishman in pursuit.
"Maker!" Sunny's voice called from the rhino figurehead on the front of the motorcycle. "Bracio ahead!"
"You know what to do, Sunny!"
And Franky jumped off the trike.
Both the fishman and Gin balked at the action, Franky tucking and rolling away his momentum as his vehicle shot toward the tank with a burst of speed. Jell yelled, stomping toward Franky as he got to his feet and turned, the magnetic spheres on his shoulders aligning and opening to show a pair of rockets within.
"Franky Rocket Launcher!"
The projectiles left trails of smoke as they flew, exploding on contact with the Jellyfish Fishman. Jell staggered but remained standing. His mane of tentacles waved, almost angrily, as he lowered his stance and charged.
"Franky, get out of there!" Gin warned, raising his voice in a meager attempt to be heard. "What are you doing? Run!"
"No need to run, Devil-Bro!" the Water 7 native laughed, staring down the 15-foot-tall fishman without a flinch. "This is gonna be suuuuuper!"
"Sunny Left Hook!"
Gin was not alone in his goggling, fishmen both in the battle and watching from the crowd above could not believe their eyes as a robot rivaling Jell in height socked said fishman in the jaw. He stumbled backward, his free hand coming up to rub the forming bruise. Franky laughed, popping a microphone out from somewhere within his torso.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, fishfolk and merfolk of all ages!" the cyborg boomed, his voice projecting from speakers set within the Thousand Sunny. "If you don't know me, I'm 'Cyborg' Franky, super shipwright of the Straw Hat Pirates, and it's my pleasure to welcome you to today's unveiling! In this corner, representing the New Fishman Pirates, some big guy they call Jell! But over here is today's real treat!" He gestured to the robot that was bouncing on its heels, punching the air like a boxer warming up in the ring. "This super specimen is two things in one! Combining the Bracio-Tank 5 and the Black Rhino 4 gives you the Iron Pirate "General Franky!" But that's not all folks because piloting this miracle of machine work (if I do say so myself) is the one, the only, the super Klabautermann of the Thousand Sunny!"
"WHAT?!" the crowd yelled, emotions of every sort mixing into a cacophony of incredulous noise. The cylindrical body of the machine opened, revealing the chair and mechanisms that would control the General Franky, but with no person to be seen. Even so, the machine tilted itself to the right, slamming its forearms together in Franky's classic pose.
"Suuuuper!" Sunny's voice yelled. The face —crafted to look like Franky but with a horn rather than the pompadour he'd had two years ago— turned to the shipwright-come-announcer. "Like that, Maker?"
"Exactly like that, Sunny!" Franky answered, striking the same pose himself.
"Oh Goda, there's two of 'im…" Gin himself could not believe what he was seeing, their shipwright acting like an announcer for the fun of it in the midst of a battle. The back half of a battle, sure, but still.
'How amusing,' Rum mused within Gin's mind. 'I did not expect such showmanship from the metalhead, but your shock (pun unintended) was well worth the short wait. Kukuku!'
Jell blinked several times, staring at the pair. Considering Rum's earlier comments about his mental state, Gin doubted he had enough wherewithal to understand how machines worked on a regular basis, much less one being piloted by the partial spirit of a pirate ship. Apparently shaking the unnecessary confusion away, Jell pushed himself back to his feet and charged.
The problem with Jell's new focus, however, showed that his earlier speed had not been all there was to him, his movement now belying his size. A yell of exertion accompanied the heavy bang of his club meeting the side of the General Franky's hollow hide. Sunny's proxy body stumbled, the paint scratched.
"That woulda hurt!" Sunny gasped, jumping away from Jell's next swing.
"You can do it, Sunny!" Franky cheered, showing off his own boxing stance. He punched the air. "Give him the old One-Two-One!"
"Yes, Maker!" Gin imagined the Klabautermann squinting —in lieu of the General Franky having a solid, unmailable face— as she stepped forward, mimicking the cyborg's stance. The machine's arms shot forward three times in quick succession, the first two blows landing meaty hits to Jell's torso while the last socked him in the jaw. Jell spun with the momentum, his hair-like tentacles swinging with the centripetal force. Sunny brought up her borrowed arms on reflex, the tentacles wrapping around the forearm.
"Ha!" one particularly loud fishman pirate laughed from the sideline. Sunny jerked, trying to pull away from the dangerous strings. They stuck to her, thousands of minuscule nematocysts locked into inconsistences in the metal. "You're done now! Jell's venom can paralyze people in seconds. Even just a touch is said cause hours of agony! Now that he's got you—"
"Really?" Sunny asked, grabbing the tendrils with her hands and ripping them apart with brute strength. Jell screamed in pain as each snap sent a shock through his nerves. "Can't feel it."
"B-But how?!"
"Don't got a body," Sunny shrugged, rolling the shoulders she was in control of. Bits of the ruined tentacles stuck to her hands. "Well, got this one but no nerves. Not use to arms or legs. Feels funny."
Jell yelled, punching the robot in the face. Sunny stumbled backward, arms flailing, before losing her balance. The General Franky hit the earth with a mighty clang, the fishman who'd caused it barking out a laugh. Jell smirked and stomped toward his fallen foe.
"Maker!" Sunny cried, arms flailing. "What I do?!"
"You're ok, Sunny!" Franky insisted. "Put the wrists together like this and super push!"
Sunny did as bid, the wrists of the General Franky locking together as holes in the palms opened. She gasped, the forearms bulging as gas filled them to bursting. Jell blinked, only a second passing before a near missile of air slammed into his gut, blowing him off his feet. If Sunny had eyes, they would have blinked.
"Coup de Burst?" she muttered as she recognized the technique. Something seemed to click, a physical light clicking on within the General Franky's eyes. "Diagnostics! Analyzing systems… Checking mechanics and integrity… Damage to General Franky at superficial levels. All processes functional. Cola levels at 90%. All systems go."
"Finally," Franky grinned, watching as Sunny maneuvered her temporary body into a much more comfortable stance. She shot forward with a burst of carbonation through the vents on her back, landing a hard blow to Jell's side. The cyborg felt a tear roll down his face at her yell of 'Sunny Boxing!' "Th-They grow up so fast."
"Not you, too," Gin sighed, rubbing his forehead as if the action would lighten his headache or silence Rum's laughter. Franky's happy blubbering broadcasting through the speakers didn't help matters. "Godadammit, everyone's try'na become parents 'round here."
With Sunny's newfound confidence, Jell stood no chance in a straight-up brawl. His only weapons had been his size and debilitating toxin, but the General Franky neutralized both advantages and her Robin-given intellect far outstripped his innate instincts. She finished a strong combo, finished with a double palm strike to the Lion's Mane Jellyfish Fishman's chest. He coughed blood as the force knocked him flat.
"You see that, Maker?" Sunny asked, hands on her hips as the General Franky turned to the human. Unable to speak through the lump in his throat, Franky shot her a thumbs up.
"Jell, here!" one brave fishman yelled, running as close to the groaning titan as he was willing to before throwing something too small for the humans to see. Jell swallowed instinctively, a single heartbeat echoing in the area. His body bulked, his small eyes losing their pupils to the sudden red glow. He rose, having gained another two feet. His circular mouth, the inside circumference lined with needle-like teeth, sneered.
"Look out, Sunny!" Franky warned, the Klabautermann turning toward her foe only to get a punch to the middle of the body for her trouble. Metal groaned under the force, Sunny unable to respond before Jell grabbed either side of the General Franky and tossed it. The machine flailed before coming to an unceremonious landing and skidding over the cobbles.
"External damage at 1%," Sunny muttered absently, her soul connected to the machine's internal systems. "Vent systems show superficial damage but remain operational. Opponent's power has increased by 1600%. Proceed with increased caution."
"Get out of there, Sunny!" Franky warned. "Devil-Bro and I can take him. It's super too dangerous now!"
"No, Maker! I'll get him!"
"Sunny!"
But the Klabautermann didn't listen, rolling the General Franky to its feet and charging forward. Jell lowered his stance, almost like that of a football player preparing for a play. Sunny, however, had no intention of following along without making it difficult. She planted her borrowed legs, swinging one arm up in a backhand from below, its speed enhanced with a bust of carbonation.
The metal knuckles met the jelly-like flesh on the underside of Jell's jaw. His head snapped backward, opening his body to Sunny's full-body tackle. The Iron Pirate lifted Jell much like he'd done to her moments ago before she swung down, plowing him into the earth.
"Graaw!" Jell cried through a bloody cough, the Lion's Mane Jellyfish clawing at the mech with his hands and tentacles in an attempt to find some purchase. Sunny bat his hands away and slugged him twice. Jell groaned.
Letting out a sound similar to a sigh —considering Sunny did not possess lungs and, therefore, did not breathe— the Iron Pirate stood and turned away. She was several steps away when Jell stirred, the fishman climbing to his feet for a third round.
"Subject will require greater persuasion," Sunny observed. "Maker?"
"Use the Franken!" the cyborg yelled. "Steal some super sword stuff from Moss-Bro or Dino-Bro and take that guy out of the fight!"
"Right!" Sunny turned, the General Franky drawing the massive sword from its back. The marauder sword flashed through the air, trading hands and coming to rest by the mech's right hip. Sunny's stance lowered as Jell approached. "Focus, Sunny. Like Merry said, focus on their training…"
Jell build up his speed, the titan now sprinting toward the machine. His eyes flashed.
"Die!"
"One-Sword Style: Death Lion Song!"
The Iron Pirate moved faster than it was ever meant to, pivoting on its heel as Jell raced past. The Franken lashed out, severing his "mane' at the base, and finished the rotation. Jell turned slowly, his beady eyes empty and uncomprehending as too many nerves' stimulations cried out in pain and ceased to connect. One hand rose, touching the stumps where his tentacles had been and returning to his vison covered in red. Unable to deal, he fell to his knees, shock and blood loss stealing his consciousness.
"I did it?" Sunny asked. She threw her barrowed hands into the air. "I did it!"
"Aaaand that's a wrap, folks!" Franky announced into his microphone through his proud blubbering. "Sunny takes down Jell in no time flat! It's not looking good for the New Fishmen in this battle! What a match!"
"Raaahaha!" the spirit laughed, posturing under the praise. "I'm too strong! I'm—"
And the head of the General Franky crumpled, crushed metals and cracked splinters flying through the air. The arms dropped, the mech collapsing onto its back like a dropped puppet. There, standing upon the now-headless shoulders, stood Hody Jones, the machine's drill clamped in his mouth. He squeezed, his teeth crushing the drill with sheer pressure.
"Sunny!" Gin and Franky cried, both men running toward the scene. Gin was faster, his powers propelling him at the fishman.
"You blue bastard!" the lightning-man yelled, materializing before the rival pirate with a peel of thunder, his tonfa mid-swing. "Astrape's Arc!"
Again, the sound of lightning crashed through the surroundings as charged tonfa met flesh, but the only sign of displeasure Hody showed was a slight flinch in his cheek even as sparks flew off him. His hands held the gold-covered weights he'd caught, the breaking of the sound barrier sending his gray hair aflutter.
"The Electric Devil," Hody observed with narrowed eyes, Gin's tonfa creaking in the fishman's grip. "Rumor says you've got one of the strongest Devil Fruits in the world. I can't say I'm impressed."
"Where is Don Luffy?" the Logia snarled, another surge of electricity coursing through him and into the captain. Hody didn't react, the literal glow in his eyes brightening.
"In a ditch on the other side of the plaza."
"I don't believe that."
"Believe it, human. Your moron of a captain cannot hope to beat me, and neither can you, even with your Logia powers. You're just human."
Gin's eyes shaded, the two fighters locked in their stalemate. He took a breath, his shoulders relaxing even though his arms maintained their pressure.
"Rum," he muttered, a confused look crossing Hody's face. "Tell me straight. Is Don Luffy dead?"
'No,' the voice in his head answered. 'He has been injured but is already beginning to recover. Hody managed to take a bite out of his side.'
"Let's make a deal."
"A deal?" Hody questioned.
"I ain't talkin' ta you," Gin shot back. "Rum, ya've got 'til Don Luffy gets here. Put the fear of Olympus inta this bastard, fer Sunny."
Hody's eyes widened as the human's countenance shifted, a maniacal grin stretching over the man's face.
"Ah, Gin-kun," Gin's body chuckled, the voice smoother than before. "You don't know what you've done, but I will accept this chance with open arms."
"What happened?" Hody demanded. "What are you?"
"Ah, Hody Jones," Rum grinned. "Where are my manners? You may call me Rum. Let us see if your artificial power can withstand the might of one who has killed a god."
"You?" Hody laughed. "Killed a god? Don't make me laugh. Gin, Rum, it matters not what you call yourself. You are still human, and no human can hope to beat a fishman like me."
"I am no human," Rum giggled, ripping the tonfa free from Hody's grip while sprouting lightning wings similar to the ones Gin had showed off on Sabaody. These wings were, however, both a different shape and altogether lacking the Haki Rum could not use. The wings under this alternate ego's control were leaner, each having five condensed bolts of lightning connected to one above, stray bolts dancing between them and carving burnt lines into the cobblestones below. "I am the Devil poor Gin-kun tries so hard to deny. Kukuku! Die for me, Hody Jones!"
A pulse of force exploded from above the downed form of the General Franky, Rum and Hody disappearing in a blur of speed. The blast of air forced Franky to shield his face, his toes digging into the earth to keep himself from being thrown away in the moment.
"Sunny!" the cyborg yelled as the wind disappeared, the man closing the rest of the distance between his position and his creation. He jumped, landing where Gin had stood, and hit a certain spot on the right side of the body. Something clicked, the door to the inside popping up for Franky to pull open.
The empty insides were bathed in flashing red lights, different system warnings all registering malfunctions and damages with the loss of the head. Franky ignored all these —such things could be repaired or replaced later— and zeroed in on a certain yellow-and-red flower-shaped piece of welded steel located on what would have been an innocuous bit of paneling. It was exposed to air, half of the area it had been set into missing, but the flower itself had popped out of place. Franky let go of a relieved sigh and he pulled the flower free.
"You super scared the shit out of me, Sunny," the man said, falling back against the wall as he cradled the flower in his mechanical hands. The weight of the steel took a moment to fully register before unrestrained tears broke forth in an unrelenting torrent from his eyes. He hugged the flower. "Sunny! Oh, Sunny! I thought we'd lost you. I'm so glad you're sa-a-a-afe!" he blubbered.
The steel in his hands heated slightly in response, reassuring the cyborg that she had not met an early demise while away from her true body. The steel then cooled, becoming lukewarm as a falling tear.
"Don't worry about that, Sunny," Franky sniffed. "The Black Rhino 4 and the Bracio-Tank 5 can be fixed up. You're more important than that. Heh. As Luffy would say, you're Nakama. Now let's get you back to your real body. I'm sure it's too cramped in there and I'm sure you wanna get back into the battle."
The flower warmed again.
End of Chapter 22
Did you know, the Lion Mane Jellyfish can grow to 150 feet and is considered the sixth largest discovered sea creature in the world, beating out the Killer Whale in seventh? That fact really surprised me when I was looking for a list of the biggest known sea creatures.
As a personal note, I picture Rum's wings to look like Mercy's from Overwatch while Gin's are more like the angle wings from Supernatural.
In other news, I really do what to hear what you all think about these chapters and all the new powers I'm creating. What surprised you? What got you thinking? What got you hype? Either way, I hope you enjoyed it! And, as always,
Read and Review!
-SwordOfTheGods