Divide and Conquer! The Devil Spawns' Desperate Escape

In the New World, The Devil Spawn Pirates are desperate to keep their Captain safe. Suffering from the aftereffects of a nearly fatal battle with her murderous cousin, Senshi fell into a coma, leaving her battle worn crew to protect her. With the Marines hot on their tail, The pirates escape to Kikende Island, where numerous challenges await them. Forced to split up, the crew face different hardships and different obstacles during their journey.

Cacti Spike Terrains

The four pirates moved swiftly through the vast terrain. Sharpshooter felt right at home, seeing as he large amounts of sand and the spiraling green Cacti reminded him of home. Granted, the sand hadn't been 57% quicksand and the Cacti hadn't been twenty feet tall back home, but it was close.

Vearth:  Bro..... Where are we?

Sharpshooter:  I don't know.... I must say, this is the strangest island we've visited.

Victoria:  Hey guys, I smell something...

Suna:  What is it?

Victoria:  I don't know. The sand is messing with my senses. Let's try and find some shelter before we die of heat stroke.

The crew had been trying to avoid mentioning it, but the sun seemed to be directly on top of them, beating down relentlessly. They needed to find shade and water fast, or they wouldn't last long.

As they walk further into the scorching desert, more and more tall and bigger cacti appear. Soon, they are surrounded by catci that are even cover the skies. Despite its overwhelming appearance, its only benefit is that its huge stature formed a shade that provided shelter from the star that is slowing killing them with its intense rays. But only barely. Just barely. Not surprisely, there were green catci behind them but oddly, they seem to have gotten closer to the 4 travelers. Are they....moving?

The cacti move closer and closer. They are oozing a clear liquid from their green pores.

Sharpshooter: I knew this place is strange! I can feel it!

Victoria: He's right! But I just can't put my mind on it! It's still too hot seven in the shade!

Suna: Hey, these catci behind us. I could have sworn I see them before?

Vearth: Of course, you did! They're everywhere! The heat got to you already, didn't it?

Suna: But the catci we's standing beside to is much bigger than the ones behind us. As we walk further in the desert, the catci we encounter gets bigger and bigger. And the size of the cacti here and there do not match at all!

Victoria: She's right.....or maybe we're seeing things. Too much heat can cause us to see mirages. So maybe they are all the same sizes.

Suna:...Maybe.....I guess the heat slowed down my brain!

Sharpshooter: I still think those cacti are strange!

Vearth: Panting.........Quiet! I'm trying to relax! .....Panting......You guys emitting too much heat from talking too much!

5 min later.

Vearth: Ok...I think that's enough rest! We should go before the Marines catch up to us!

Sharpshooter: Agreed.

Victoria: Let's move.

Suna gets up and walks forward with the rest. She then turns around to look at the cacti. She shrugs as she thinks that she's worrying about nothing and should put her mind at ease. Soon, the cacti that lies in front of them are yellow with red spikes instead of green, unlike the numerous cacti before them.

Vearth: I wonder if these cacti are more dangerous than the green ones?

Victoria: Who knows.

As they walk further and further, Suna still feels uneasy. She turns around to look behind her and sees nothing. She sighs and turns her head back.

Fusha

Suna heard a sound and looks behind her and saw a green dot in the background.

Suna: Huh? What's that? I didn't see that before.

Suna ponders on what the green dot is but couldn't figure it out.

Vearth: Hey Suna! Don't daydream in the middle of the desert! Walk with us or else you get lost!

Suna: Oh! Sorry!

Suna walks faster to catch up with her friends. While she does, she looks behind her one time.

Suna: ??? What the?

The green dot she saw before got a little bigger.

Victoria: Suna? What's wrong? This is not the time to stop moving.

Suna: Guys, I think something is following us.

Vearth: What? The Marines? They're here already?

Victoria: Oh great! That was quick! and odd. They must be skilled if I can't sense them!

Suna: No, not them. Something else.

Vearth: What? Who?

Suna: Not who. What. Something green.

Victoria: Green?

Victoria cups her hand around her eyes to look further in Suna's directions. She sees the green dot as well.

Victoria: How strange. The green cacti we saw before were already out of view as we walked. But suddenly they appeared again. It's like....that.....

Suna: They're following....

Vearth: Us?

Sharpshooter:........

Victoria: Let's move faster.

Suna: Right!

They moved faster than before while looking behind themselves occasionally. However, despite their increased speed, the green dot never disappeared. In fact, it gotten bigger and seem to have multiplied into more dots.

Vearth: What's going here?! They're still there!

Suna: No way!

Victoria: I'm not sure we still run or stand and fight! The heat is really not helping us here!

The green dots finally came into normal view. They are the giant green cacti they saw miles ago. They are moving as if they are sliding in the sand. A whole horde of green cacti are heading towards the group.

Fusha! Fusha! Fusha! Fusha! Fusha!

Everyone screaming: AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Vearth: What is this I don't even?!

Suna: Those are cacti?!!!!

Victoria: That's it! I'm sick of running! I don't even know if we will even get to safe area! Let's fight!

Victoria stops running and bares her fangs towards the horde of cacti.

As the horde gets closer, their spikes turn yellow and jumps towards the pirates as they are pouncing them like a tiger is in position to kill and consume its prey.

Grainly Sand Milk Plains

Rex: HOLD ON KAPENTA!!

Kapenta: WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M DOING?!

Rex held onto a rope that had grown out of Kapenta's palm. Atisuto grabbed the rope and they all pulled. As they did, Burakku, currently in gryffon form, flew high into the air, As he did, Kapenta came shooting out of the quicksand trap he'd fallen in.

Kapenta:  Damn........ That was too close.

Atisuto:  This entire area is filled with quicksand plots.

Burakku:  It's a death trap. I can't land.

Rex:  Let's get out of here. The Marines will be right behind us.

????: This is the Marines! We have you surrounded! If you resist, we will have to use force to immobilize you. In the worst case, you may die as you stand!

Marines from the Kikende Island's Marine base came out of nowhere and easily surrounded the 4 pirates. They are wearing specialized clothing to counteract the heat in the island and to prevent themselves from falling into the quicksand. They are wearing white overalls to reflect the sunlight, an inner cooling system, and special hoverboots to ride on cushions of air over the dangerous quicksands. They are wielding special bazookas that shoots out heat rays to cause instant dehydration to weaken anyone to the point they can no longer fight.

Burakku:  SHIT!!

Kapenta:  WE'RE SURROUNDED!!

Rex: What do we do guys?!

Atisuto: .....

Atisuto was tracing her finger through burakku's feathers, trying to find a loose feather. She found one, pricked her finger, and began scribbling in her own blood on Kapenta's back.

Atisuto: (muttering) come on...... come on......

Marine: If you do not put your hands behind your back and lay down on the ground, we will be forced to detain you at all costs! Make your choice in the next 5 seconds!

Atisuto continues scribbling, until finally she completes her project. A small, bloody picture of the marines walking into the quicksand. Once she does, she puts her hands behind her head. Kapenta, having figured out what it was that Atisuto drew, did as well. Rex, who looked at Kapenta's back, did the same.

Rex:  Alright! We surrender.

Marine: Then lay down on the ground with your hands behind your back!

Atisuto: Fine... Burakku, land us.

Burakku lands, ironically right in front of a mount of quicksand. They climbed off of Burakku's back, positioning themselves on the only solid sand in sight. Burakku became a guy once again and all three of them did it. Kapenta, however, did not put his hands behind his back, afraid to ruin the blood drawing on his back.

Marine: Did you not understand our commands? That includes you too! NOW!

Kapenta: Alright, alright. Sheesh.

He puts his hands behind his back, but carefully manages to keep his arms off the bloody drawing.

Marines moves in closer to the pirates. Half of them are still in shooting position if the Pirates try to escape or do anything suspicious. The rest are handcuffing the pirates.

Marine: So you pirates didn't up a fight. Didn't really expect that but you are in our territory! Even if you did escape from us now or later, you can't escape from our boss. That's like asking for death right there! AHAHA!

Atisuto:  Your boss?

Kapenta:  Who's your boss?

Marine: You think I must tell Pirates everything? I mean it's not like you will meet Rear Admiral Wrapper! Once you do, he will squeeze the life out of you!

Sudden Spiral Melts

Out of all of the areas in Kikende Island, Sudden Spiral Melts is the most dangerous so far. It has been said that there are no civilains currently living in this desolated place. Many have tried and all of them failed. They died in the worst ways possible. Like normal ways to die in deserts, dehydration or killed by the rural animals. But there are no animals at all here. Not even plants. Just sand with a strange consistency. All living beings have their bodies literally melted into ooze while still feeling the pain of fire burning all over their body. After years of attempts to inhabit this land that might as be called  "hell," it has been theorized that an average human can only survive in the Sudden Spiral Melts for at least 1 hour. After that, the body will liquidize into mucky red sands. It has been said that sands are were dyed red from the blood of its past numerous victims. This has been caused by the unusually high temperatures and the mysterious elements within the sand. Because of this, one step upon this forsaken place will cause powerful mirages that seem as real as whatever they thought they see. There were tales of people getting lost as if they were in a maze.

Ishi: Damn..... What...... the hell....... is this...... place?

Laura:  It's the desert silly.

Ishi: I..... Know that..... but.... why..... is it..... so..... bloody..... hot?

Laura:  It's not hot....

Ishi is about to snap at Laura, but she realizes two things. One, Laura's ability to manipulate the temperature around her was automatically keeping her cool. The second is that while Silver is behind them, he's unconsious, being dragged by Laura, and Senshi is no where to be seen.

Ishi:  Wha...... wher-.........where.......... is......

Before Ishi can voice her concerns, she too sucumbs to the heat, passing out. Laura grabs her, her powers spreading to both of her unconsious friends, and begins to look around.

Laura:  What the hell is going on here?

Meanwhile, at the edge of the spiral melts, just out of the desert's liquifying heat, Senshi crawls across the sand. She's barely conscious, moving by sheer will power. She has no idea where she is, how she got there, or where her friends are. All she knows is that she needs to get away.

Senshi: Where.......Where am I?......It's so....hot....

Senshi slowly drags her body across the sandy dunes like a snail.

Senshi: Am I....dead? Is this hell?

????: Yes, this is hell, all right!

Senshi with her eyes barely open, slowing moves her head up to try to look where the mysterious voice is coming from. But only to end in vain as she lands her face back into the red sand from exhaustion.

Senshi: Who..who's there? Is that you, Victoria?....

????: AHAHAHAHAHHA, no! Try again and maybe you will get it right unlike your choices you made before!

Senshi with her eyes still closed, tries to open her eyes with willpower as she gradually realizes something important.

Senshi: No......no.....impossible....that's no way.....you're....I thought....

????: You thought wrong. I was teling you the truth.

Senshi finally opens her eyes completely as she still laying down on the sand. Her pupils widen as she could not believe what she sees in front of her.

Senshi: ......Mikayla.....

A long black-haired woman with a a very revealing green kimono and a green umbrella appears before Senshi.

Mikayla: Yeah, bitch! You're in hell but not yet. I'll drag you along with me!

Senshi: But how?! I saw you die in front of me!

Mikayla: You did but not even death can stop me from taking my revenge on you! NOW DIE!

Senshi backed away, trying to get away. As she did, Mikayla came closer and closer. Blood was dripping from her arms and a large stab wound in her chest. Scared, Senshi struggles to her feet, desperately reaching for her sword, but finds that it isn't there.

Senshi: No........ NononoNoNO!!!!!!

Mikayla: So you can't even fight back, eh? I guess I was that strong then! I just wonder how you managed beat me, even KILL ME! NOW!........YOU WILL BE LIKE ME! A BIG HOLE IN YOUR CHEST! YOUR BLOOD! SUFFER AS YOU SEE....NO.....FEEL YOUR VERY EXISTENCE DISAPPEARING!

Mikayla's eyes shines bloody red and her hair with the color of darkness grows tall and wide and appears like a demon seeking for human flesh. Then she then lunges towards the defenseless Senshi.

Senshi: I'm...I'm scared! Please...someone! help me!

Senshi tries to scream for help but it's no use. She's too weak to speak in a normal tone and volume. Mikayla wraps her long black hair now splattered with blood, around Senshi's entire body. Only Senshi's face is uncovered.

Mikayla: AHAHAHAHAH! What's wrong?! You were so strong back then! What happened to the so great Captain of the Devil Sprawn Pirates?!

Senshi: ah.......ah.....

Senshi groans in pain as the hair tightens around her body, thus, sorta reopening her wounds from her previous battle.

Mikayla: Oh that's right! She became a murderer!

Senshi's body is now hanged in the air as she lifted by Mikayla's hair.

Mikayla: I may look like a monster now but it's nothing compared to what you did! TO ME!

Senshi: No, it's no....true....that's...not....true. I...I

Senshi is slowly losing consciousness as the pain and the guilt from killing Mikayla is overwhelming her mind.

Mikayla: YOU WHAT?!

Mikayla moves Senshi's face closer to her own and her face mutates into demon's. Horns, enlarged teeth, red and yellow eyes, and markings.

Mikayla: Aren't you a pirate?A pirate who pillages and plunders?!

Senshi: No....no...NO! I DON'T!

Mikayla: WRONG! You're a pirate who kills people! No matter how you justify it, a death is a death! I'm gone! FOREVER!

Senshi: But....

Mikayla: You had a reason, didn't you! What if the same situation happens again? and again?! Now how would justice will exist?

Mikayla's stab wound spurt out blood on Senshi's face.

Senshi's face expresses horror as she reimagines the exact time she killed Mikayla.

Senshi: AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Mikayla: Once you got hands dirty with blood, there's no going back! My blood!......WILL NEVER DISAPPEAR! NOR MY HATRED!

Mikayla's stab wound grow bigger.

Mikayla: MY ANGER!

Mikayla's stab wound grow even bigger and blood spills out into the ground.

Mikayla: AND MY VENGEANCE!!!!!

Senshi stares at Mikayla's wound and keeps replaying Mikayla's death scene in her mind. Chaoes ensues as she gradually falls in despair. She sweats. She's breathing too hard. Her heart beats faster than ever before. She's in a panic. At this rate, if she doesn't get help, her body could shut down.....for good.

Senshi: AH! AHHH! AHHHHHHHHH!!!

Mikayla's hair then coiled to drill shaped snakes that are hissing. Then they stretch towards Senshi to deliver the killing blow!

Mikayla: DIIIIIIIIEEEEE!!!

BANG!

Mikayla: What the?

Mikayla has a hole in her head and slowly fades from the hole as if it was a ghost.

THUMP!

Senshi fell to the ground, barely conscious and still breathing heavily. Senshi stares at Mikayla as it disappears like a extinguised flame.

Mikayla: This is not the end! I will be back!

Mikaya's eye remains but will soon fade away completely. The eye glares with extreme anger towards Senshi.

Mikayla: I will be back!

Senshi's breathing slows down as Mikayla's disappearance slowing calms her down but it's not enough to quell her heart.

????: What the heck is wrong with you?! Screaming like weakling! Thought you're better than that, Senshi!

Senshi:...Who?.....are...yo...

Senshi finally lose consciousness.

Cacti Spike Terrains: In a thorny situation

Sharpshooter:  What the hell are these things?!

Vearth:  Trouble brother. Trouble.

The towering green cacti with yellow spikes all jump in the air and and landed around them. Then the side of the cacti that are facing towards the pirates formed two dots and circular void filled with endless amounts of teeth. They actually have faces, faces of hungry and violent creatures. Out of their mouths drops drool upon the sizzling sand and then instantaneously evaporated.

Suna: Oh nuts! We're surrounded!

Victoria: Great, this won't be easy as I thought.

Vearth: I wonder if the yellow spikes on them are poisonous.

Sharpshooter: I don't want to find out!

The horder of cacti let out a huge deafening growl as they are making a war cry. They soon join their arms amongst each other and all of their spikes grew much bigger.

Vearth: That can't be good.

Suna: There's no exit! They are making a blockade!

Victoria: Damn. Even if we make an opening, there are more walls of them of them. 9... no, 14 walls of them circling around us.

Sharpshooter: This is just not our day.

Suna: Guys, they think they're going to close in on us.

Sharpshooter: Now I'm starting to hate hugs.

The cacti are rushing in towards in the center to completely pin holes all over their body. As they did, Suna thumped herself on the head.

Suna's thoughts:  I am such a baka.

Suna then opened her mouth and began singing her siren song, the song that hypnotizes anyone who hears it. Vearth, Victoria, and Sharpshooter, recognizing the song, instantly cover their ears before they can be hypnotized. Cacti stopped for a moment and were moving strangely.

Sharpshooter: Sweet! It worked!

Victoria: Good, now we can-

ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR

The cacti roared even louder but for some reason, they stare at Suna instead with comtempt.

Victoria:......Suna, I don't think they like your song.

Suna's voiced hitched at that and she went pale.

Suna:  Oh great. NOW what do we do?

Sharpshooter: You mean I, not we. They are only targeting you, it seems.

Suna: Not helping!

Victoria: Wouldn't matter anyway since when they close in us, we will get skewered!

Vearth: Anyone got a super secret wide range attack in cases like this?

The cacti charges towards them.

Vearth: LIKE NOW?!

Sharpshooter:  Damn it. Everybody grab hold.

Everybody grabbed hold of Sharpshooter's jacket. As they did he turned his legs into twin cannons.

Vearth:  Onii-chan? What are you-

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The twin cannons went off, the force of them sending the four of them into the air. A second later, the cacti compressed to the one spot that the pirates were previously at. If they were one second too late, they would have been like swiss chess.

All: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Vearth: Whoa! I almost saw my life flash before me! Why didn't you do that sooner?!

Sharpshooter: Because I didn't want to do this unless it was a last ditch effort sort of thing!

Suna: AUUUUUGHHHHHH!

Victoria: At least we are safe for-

The cacti look up and roar angrier than before. All of their spikes are pointed to the sky and quickly glows intense yellow light.

Victoria: Son of a ****!!! Why do I even bother?!

Vearth: Evasive maneuver!

The cacti's spikes soon stop gathering light and shoot their spikes continous towards their flying prey.

PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA! PATA!

Sharpshooter shoots his feet cannons again, and then small hand cannons, desperately trying to avoid the needles.

Sharpshooter:  I can't keep this up! Damn..... Soon, my guns will get too hot and you won't be able to hold on.

Vearth:  Already approaching that point brother. You're starting to feel warm.

Victoria: Warm....... THAT'S IT!! We use the heat to our advantage! They are plants after all!

Suna: No way! If they can live in this desert, then surely heat is no problem to them!

Victoria: Then what about fire?

Sharpshooter: That's a no-go. Can't do that. I can only create guna and cannons. Flames are out.

Victoria: But I can!

Sharpshooter: Huh?

The spikes finally got too much for Sharpshooter as he slows down from approaching the overuse of his guns. All of them are getting more injuries from the spikes as time passes by.

Suna: Ow!

Sharpshooter: Ah!

Victoria: AUGH!

Vearth: It's now or never!

Victoria slips her hand into her pocket and draws out a match. She strikes it and it lights.

Victoria: NOW VEARTH!

Vearth closes her eyes and claps her hands together. When she does, the flame begins to grow and grow. Victoria releases the match, dropping it onto the head of one of the cactus people.

Vearth:  Flaming TOUCH!!

The fire suddenly grows exponentially.

Vearth:  SPREAD!

If one looks to the sky from the ground, it looks the sky is on fire and that the sun god is unleashing their wrath on the land. The fiery blaze completely incincerated the spikes shot from the cacti. The cacti persistently shot more spikes but their attempts are in vain as their attacks are powerless against the giant fireball. After the fire made impact, the cacti screams in pain and soon only ashes remained and the ground where the vicious cacti once stood looks differently from before.

Vearth: It...it worked!

Victoria: Of course, it did!

Suna: Thank God! I thought we were going to die!

Sharpshooter: Guys, I'm happy for you but....

Vearth: But what?

Sharpshooter: We're falling....

Suna: What?

Sharpshooter: Overused my guns on that attack and.....yeah...

Vearth: Shoot!

Everyone: AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

CRASH! crack!

Everyone slowly untangles themselves while Sharpshooter pulls off his jacket. Smoke is rising from his body and he smells like burning metal. Everyone else is covered in sand and ashes.

Vearth:  Ow. Right in the-

Victoria:  That hurt.

Suna: 'Let's never do that again.

Sharpshooter: Yeah. Hmmm? What's this?

Sharpshooter wipes his hand on the ground underneath him. It feels sharp and smooth unlike the rough sand before. He picks up a piece from the ground to analyze it. It's transparent and sharp like a knife around the edges.

Sharpshooter: This wasn't here before.

Suna: Huh?

Everyone besides Sharpshooter takes notice of his discovery and were picking up the pieces as well.

Vearth: I see! This is glass!

Victoria: Glass? That's right! Glass is made from sand! While those monsters were burned to death, it also turned the sand into glass!

Suna: Wow! That's so cool!

Vearth: I heard lightning has the same effect!

Sharpshooter: Is that so? Ow!

Sharpshooter finally feels the wounds that he gained from the cacti after the excitement from the attack died down.

Vearth: Crap! We didn't come out unscathed.

Suna: Oh no! What if the spikes are poisonous upon touch! I don't know if those cacti are the vemonous variety.

Victoria: I'm not feeling anything yet. If it was toxic, it might be slow-acting. I wish Ishi was with us to tell us.

Vearth: If only we aren't on the run from the Marines but we already decided on splitting up.

Sharpshooter: What a shame. I guess we have to leave it to luck then?

Victoria: So far, I don't think we have luck going for us. I mean by the way our day is going, the Marines could be showing up right now!

......

Victoria: Oh good! Luck is with us after all!

GGAAOOOOOGAAOOOOOGAOOOO!!!!

In the far distance, small yellow figures show up from the direction where they heard the roar came from.

Victoria:...no..no...no...

GAOOOOGAAOOOOGGAOOOO!!!

The figures got close enough to be at a safe distance from the pirates but their figures can be fully viewed from where they are standing. They are yellow cacti with red spikes and are much taller than the green cacti with yellow spikes that they encountered before. Their spikes are more pointer and thinner than their green comrades.

Suna: .......We seen them before...haven't we?

Vearth: Something about being more dangerous, I think?

Victoria: no...no..no

Sharpshooter: If the ones we destroyed aren't poisonous, I bet they are.

Vearth: But why now?~! It's like they were sleeping before and...

Vearth remembers the fire attack.

Vearth: Must have woke them up from the previous fire.......huh....

Suna:......I say we run!

Victoria: Yeah

Vearth: RUUUUUNNNNNN!!!!!!!!

Everyone running while screaming.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Sudden Spiral Melts: Heated Decision

Senshi dreaming of her childhood. She's running around with her brothers, playing Pirates and Marines. They smile and laugh, giggling and dreaming about what the future will bring. Then suddenly out of nowhere, Mikayla as a child shows up. Senshi's the first to notice her and sits up.

Senshi: What the? Where did you come from? You know magic or something?

Mikayla has a blank look on her face and groans as she slowly walks up to the confused Senshi.

Mikayla: UUUhhhhhaaaaagggghhhaaaaa

Senshi: Mi...kay....la?

Mikayla: Sen....shi....you....killllllllleeedddd....me.......

Senshi: Huh? What are you talking about? You're here! Don't be silly!

Mikayla shakes her heads sideways to show discontent with Senshi's reply.

Mikayla: It hurts....it hurts....

Senshi: Huh? What hurts?

Mikayla: My chest....it really hurts......

Mikayla and Senshi has barely any distance between each other. Mikayla grabbed Senshi's right hand with both of her hands and moved it to the center of the chest.

Mikayla: See?....... Do you see it now?

Senshi: See what?..There's nothing th.....the.....ther.....there.....oh my....what the....

Senshi's eyes were completely open when she saw a hole in Mikayla's chest. She is shock of the severity of Mikayla's injury.

Senshi: You need to get to the doctor!!!  Right away! Who did this to you?!

Mikayla: You did.....

Senshi: What? What are you saying? Stop speaking nonsense!

Mikayla: You did....... You did.........You did...........

Senshi: What the?...Stop it....stop it...STOP JOKING AROUND!!!!!!!! THIS IS NOT FUNNY!

Mikayla: I should say the same to you.

Senshi: Huh?

Mikayla grabs Senshi's hand and pulls it deeper in her own wound. As Senshi's hand pierces Mikayla's inner organs, blood spurts out onto Senshi's face, hand, and shirt. Mikayla grins a little as her eyes became bloodshot. Her head twists all over as she speaks like she's in pain.

Senshi: Ah...AHH...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! STOP IT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!!

Mikayla: Senshi...Senshi! .........You killed me! With your own hands...See?, ......This is how you exactly did it! Don't you remember?

Senshi: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Senshi screams as Mikayla bloods pour all over her.

Mikayla: That's right....Senshi........This is how you became a murderer...... By killing....

Then Mikayla instantly transformed into her adult form. Except the body's condition was at the moment Senshi delivered the killing blow to her. Mikayla's head twists suddenly stops and slowly turns to Senshi's direction. She moves her head closer to Senshi's face until her eyes met.

Mikayla: ME!

Senshi panics and forcefully pull out her hand from Mikayla's corpse. The momentum of the action caused her to land on her butt. She looks down on her hands which are covered with blood.

Senshi: NO! NO!

Senshi sees a pool of blood on the ground which reflects herself like a mirror. She sees herself not as a innocent child but as a grown up murderer.

Senshi: No...no....NO! NOOO!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

BANG!

????: SHUUT UP!!!!!

Senshi suddenly wakes up. She is breathing heavily while her hand is on her chest. She felt her heart is coming out of her chest.

Senshi: It ...was....just....a....dream...It was just a dream...no.....a nightmare...that's what it was....

Senshi looks around and couldn't see nothing but darkness.

Senshi: Where.....Where am I? Am I...in the ship?

Senshi felts that she's in a comfy sleeping bad on the ground. The air for some reason feels cool. She feels around as she tries to figure out her surroundings.

Senshi: A sleeping bag?....Sand? What the? Light?

Senshi then sees a small ray of light emitting from a small hole in the air. She stands up and walks closer to the light and peeks through it but sees nothing but darkness as if it was covered.

Senshi: Huh? Where did it go?

????: Shut up and do as I say.

Senshi suddenly sees light in front of her and was temporary blinded by the overwhelming burst of light after being a place of total darkness.

Senshi: What the hell?

Then Senshi feels something metal on her forehead. It was small and little warm. It feels familiar...Like it was a...

????: So you're finally awake, huh? I'm sick of your voice so you have the right to remain silent. I recommend that you do that before I blow your whatever left of your stupid brain left.

Senshi looks up as she slowly opens her eyes as they adjust to the new level of brightness.

Senshi: ....Ao..ka.?

Aoka is holding her gun to Senshi's forehead at pointblank. Senshi is mounted on the ground in the tent. Aoka is outside the tent's entrance. Aoka's entire attire is white. Her pants, shirt, hat, overcoat, shoes, etc.

Aoka: No time no see! I just missed doing this to you!

Senshi:  Aoka..........

Senshi starts looking around frantically.

Senshi:  Where am I?! What did you do to me. Where's my crew!

As she starts acting more frantic, her chest explodes in pain and Senshi coughs a small bit of blood. She crumbles to the ground, coughing and wheezing.

Aoka: Oh? So even a pirate like you doesn't thank me? I just saved your sea scum @$$!

Senshi: What? You...saved...me? This is a joke, right? Am I being punked?

Aoka is pointing a gun at Senshi.

Aoka: It's like this....Your crew, I have no clue.....I asssume they split up from you somehow and as for you..

Aoka pulls the hammer on her gun while pressing a button on a dial with her other hand. The dial sucks in the tent, exposing both of them the hot scorching sun rays! However, Aoka is not affected because of her clothing is specifically built for this island's harsh weather.

Senshi: AHHHH!! HOT!!!

Aoka: I think it would be lame for you even sea trash to die from the desert.

Senshi put her hands over eyes to shield them from the sun.

Senshi: So in other words,

Aoka: I want to kill youself. I saved lots of bullets for you!

Senshi thinking: Shoot...I don't think I can even beat her now...haven't recovered yet....I'm in the worst case scena-

Aoka: Also....

THUMP!

Before Senshi could have finish her thoughts, Aoka kicks Senshi so hard that she was sent several meters away from her before landing heavily on the red sand.

Senshi: OW! WHAT THE

Aoka: I believe you got 35 minutes before you melt into a bloody pulp into the desert. Every living being has a time limit in this desert called, "Sudden Spiral Melts."

Senshi: What? Sudden Spiral Melts? you mean...I'm on a new island? Oh....it's .too hot...I think I'm going to die.

Senshi is getting dizzier by the second after she was forced out of the tent.

Aoka: This area is so hot that it causes mirages on the stupid travelers who tried to go through here. It's not worth the shortcut.

Senshi: Mirages? but...they seem so....

Aoka: Real? That's because of the mysterious substance in the sand here. Something special about them maximizes the body's senses. Even pain. No wonder why you're screaming. Had to snap you out of it with a gunshot.

Senshi:...No way.....

Aoka: As for me, we already prepared for this. Thanks to this special heat resistant material and internal air cooling system that my clothes are made of, I'm not affected by it...well...temporary in the Sudden Spiral Melts....

Senshi: That's not fair!

Aoka: Should have done some research before coming in here!

Senshi: I was unconcious!

Aoka: NO MORE TALK! I want to ask you some questions before I made my decision.

Senshi: I thought you said no more talk! And what decision?~

Aoka: Shut up and take a chill pill.

Aoka throws something blue and small at Senshi. Senshi catches it and sees it's a blue small pill shaped like a raindrop.

Senshi: What's this?

Aoka: A chill pill, moron. I just said that! This could keep your hot head cool for a while but I'm not giving you anymore than that!

Senshi ponders on the thought if this is a trick and the pill could be poison. But then, when she deeply thought about it, there's not way that even Aoka would do such a thing. Aoka is a fair fighter and wouldn't resort to dirty tactics. However, there's always a doubt.

Senshi: No regrets!

Senshi swallows the pill. In an instant, her body cools down to what she feels as a normal  body temperature.

Senshi: What the? It....

Aoka: That should delay your death flag fro 20 minutes...so....about 55 min. But then again, you will die soon..

SORU!

Aoka disappears and appears in front of Senshi. However, instead of a gun in her hand like she always does when she encounters Senshi, it was a bounty poster. Senshi's eyes widen as soon she saw the poster. Aoka's face remain unchanged as it remains like stone with cold eyes.

Aoka: Tell me, Senshi.......Why.......why... Why did you kill this person?!

It was Roronoa D. Mikayla's bounty poster. It has the stamp, "Deceased," on it. Seeing the poster, Senshi's face becomes that of fear, anger, and plain guilt.

Senshi: ...............

Aoka:  ANSWER ME!!

Senshi: ........... That's just it........... I...... I can't........... Yes, I killed her, but I did it.......... I did it..... to protect........ My...... My family........

She looks down.

Senshi:  You never fought her Aoka, so you don't know just how much of a monster she was........ Still........ even a monster deserves to live, but I was just too afraid.......... too angry........... too............. too.....'

She breaks down and begins crying. Aoka puts away the bounty in silence and takes out her new black pistol instead. She reloads it while she speaks to Senshi.

Aoka:.........I killed pirates before.....For self-defense, to protect others, resisted certain commands, or when they are too dangerous to live. I was always angry at pirates for they did to me when I was a child. But doesn't mean I kill all of them. I want to but then, I would be become the very thing I hate. Once you kill, you will always be a killer.

Aoka loading her gun and then aims at Senshi's head.

Aoka: You have proven yourself to be a pirate. The very pirate I hate. How is that different that what I did before? I admit I killed people but not out of anger or fear. I killed for justice. I had no regrets for that.

Senshi just looks up at Aoka, her face filled with grief, sadness, and guilt. What she does next surprises Aoka though. She sits up, kneeling in front of Aoka.

Senshi:  Then you won't have any regrets on shooting me. This time, with real bullets.

Aoka: So you want to die? Pathetic!

BANG! BANG!

Aoka shoots Senshi in her feet two times, one each. 4 bullets left.

Senshi: AH!!!

Senshi shouts out of pain and feels weaker than usual.

Senshi thinking: Seastone? Talking about overkill!

Aoka: You think you can accept death just like that?!

BANG! BANG!

Aoka then shoots Senshi in her arms, one each. Two bullets left.

Senshi: UGGHHH!!!

Senshi falls on her knees as she takes a look at her bullet wounds.

Senshi: What the hell? These aren't fatal. You dare to wield a gun when you don't have the guts to kill me? It only takes one shot, you know?

Aoka: Shut up!

BANG!'''''

Aoka shoots a bullet at Senshi. It bypass senshi's head, leaving only a diagonal scratch on Senshi's left side of her face. One bullet left.

Senshi: See?

Aoka then places the end of her revolver at Senshi's forehead. It's a point-blank shot if Aoka pulls the trigger. If she does, Senshi will die no matter what.

Aoka: I was told that I must always have two bullets to make sure the target is dead. One for the head and one for the chest.

Senshi: I know that your new gun is a revolver. They only shoot 6 bullets each. You shot 5 already....why the tension?

Aoka: I haven't decided yet. You're a special case.

Senshi:.......decided what? To kill me? I already want to die! What's stopping you, Marine?! I'm a pirate! It's that simple!

Aoka: IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE!

Senshi is silenced by Aoka's outburst.

Aoka: You see...back then....ever since the pirates kidnapped my sister. I was angry at the world. Why did she deserved this. Why did I deserved this? I hate pirates so much that I wanted to kill all of them! Why must people who were going on their peaceful days be ruined by scums like you?!!!! I was one of them!

Aoka's gun is shaking.

Aoka: I saw no future ahead of me. I thought my sister had died already but...I had hope.....I joined the Marines to see if that hope exists. But years pass by, I gave up.... I seen how cruel pirates were. They were everywhere. Ever single day, I was reminded of my failure. She was all I had! Our parents, we didn't have any! I died two times already! When she was gone and when I gave up hope! So I continued to make sure others don't end up like me! That is my justice! That is why I became a Marine! I was proud of what I do back then and now!

Senshi:.........

Aoka: But then you came along! You weren't anything different from the other trash! I captured them sooner or later. But you...YOU! You irritated me! Yet, you brought back my sister.....

Aoka is tearing up...And sheds some tears. Senshi sees the tears on the ground and looks up to see Aoka crying.

Senshi: Aoka......

Aoka: You gave back my life! I gain the hope that I thought I lost to the darkness. She's alive.......I'm alive.

Aoka's gun stops shaking and a tear dropped on the tip of the gun's barrel.

Aoka: I was thankful to you for you did. It's the best thing that ever happened to me. It's weird. I saw you in a new light after that time....no...from the moment I met you....you were different but I knew it unconciously.Every single time I fought you, I knew it....I just kept denying it. You were like a rival to me....I had doubts but since you were a pirate....I just cast them away......It was fun, you know.....Doing this...but with a pirate....ahahahaha........it's funny that I'm talking about you in a postive way....

More tears was poured on her gun.

Aoka: So why..SO WHY MUST I KILL THE ONE WHO SAVED MY SISTER?

Senshi: Because...... It's what must be done..... As you said, you're a marine. I'm a pirate. One of us must fall for the other to rise.

Aoka: You know we could have been friends if it wasn't for this world....but you know I still hate this world...but I don't hate you. I'm sorry.

BANG!

The bullet whizzed past Senshi's head. Aoka was surprised. She's shot Senshi point blank. How could she have missed?! The answer now lied where Senshi was. She'd been knocked to the side by a blur of green and yellow. A blur Aoka instantly recognized.

Senshi:  Rei! What are you doing?!

Rei:  I'm saving you from yourself child.

Aoka: What the? Once I made up my mind, I must follow through it all the way! You won't get away! NOT NOW! NOT EVER!

Aoka takes out her other black revolver while reloading her current with one hand. She throws the revolver little above her hand as she flings bullet hidden in her sleeves into the bullet chamber.

Aoka: AK 42: TENKA!

Aoka spins the bullet chambers of her revolver rapidly with her thumbs and makes a jagged motion while pulling the trigger. She shot two bullets that rubs against each other which created a small lightning fire, towards Senshi and Rei. At speed almost equal to the Lightning, Rei grabs Senshi by her arm and wrenches her out of the way. He growls at Aoka and hardens his stands. Despite the fact that Senshi's arm is locked in his teeth, his words are clear.

Rei:  You will not harm her. Not while I still stand on four paws. I would rather be sent back to the Soul Plain than watch you hurt her any more than she already is.

Aoka: That's not up to you. It's up to her. The way she is now, I don't think she has the will to live. So might as well hit two birds with one stone. Except it's a couple of bullets.

BANG!

Aoka shoots another bullet at Rei and Senshi which causes Rei to jump to dodge. At that moment in the air, Aoka took that chance to injure Rei. 

Rei: That's not going to work!

Aoka: AK 43: Hiraishin! Black!

CLICK!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

With the same gesture before, Aoka shot another lightning based attack but instead 3 bullets. Stronger than her previous attack but only generated a bolt of lighting. But before shooting the bullets, Aoka presses a button on her black revolver. For some reason, after the bullets were shot, they suddenly accelerated in the air. Rei was able to dodge the previous shots and was used to their speed but was caught off guard by the sudden increase of the bullet's speed. The bolt of lightning struck Rei back as he was attempting to dodge. He could have suffered a less serious injury if he wasn't dragging Senshi.

Rei: ARGH!! What the? AHHHH!H!

Rei is shocked by the attacks and moved erraticly for a while. He let go of Senshi to prevent her from being electrocuted as well.

Aoka: Great reflexes you got there, mutt. But not good enough. Because you can't run from my attacks anymore.

Rei: Oh yeah? If this is the best you got, then you can never hunt me down!! Come on Senshi!

Aoka: I'm surprised you managed to find us here in this mirage desert. How do you do it?

Rei shakily gets to his feet, then gently grabs Senshi's arm again.

ReI: I could find Senshi anywhere, no matter how she was hidden. We are bonded to one another. A bond someone like you would never understand.

Aoka: Even in this forsaken desert? Fool, you made your life shorter than before.

Grainy Sandmilk Plains. Meeting the Boss

Rex: So what are you going to do with us now? Put us in jail? Execute us? Rear Admiral Wrapper?

Still in the Grainy Sandmilk Plains, Rex, Burraku, Atisuto, and Kapenta are restrained in rope and seastone cuffs are sitting on the ground as they are surrounded by white suited Marines. One Marine in front of us is holding a den den mushi that is connected to the Marine in charge of the Marine Base in Kikende Island.

Wrapper:..........Who?

Rex:.........You are.....

Wrapper:.......I'm a Rear Admiral?! Coolio! That means I get a raise! Oh wait, that means I already got it......Sad lines! I need a pool table!

Rex: What?

A unknown voice from Wrapper's side speaks angrily as it interrupts the conversation!

????: NO, YOU DON'T! WE DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET TO PAY FOR SUCH WORTHLESS THINGS!

Wrapper: But I need it! It's my crucial reason to live!

????: SO IS THE CHANDELIER AND ROBOT BUTLER YOU WANTED A MINUTE AGO!

Wrapper: I did?! I want those too!

????:  Shut up and have a chocolate bar instead!

Wrapper: Ok! HAPPY SPARKLE!

Rex: ................

Kapenta:............

Atisuto:.............

Burraku:............

Marine holding the den den mushi: Rear Admiral Wrapper, Sir? Our orders?

Wrapper eating a chocolate bar as he speaks.

Wrapper: Huh? Oh right! This chocolate is so good! Kill them now. Mm...so sweet.

Marine: Yes sir!

Everyone began to silently panic. Atisuto's drawing should have kicked in by now. Why wasn't it working?!

Atisuto:  Come on..... come ON!!

Wrapper: No wait, just throw one of them in the quicksand and then-

AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Wrapper: Yes. Yes. I know my voice is scary but you don't have to scream.

Some marines are screaming as they were walking into quicksand.

Atisuto: Oh right! I drew them walking into quicksand. They were just standing around until now.

Kapenta: That's great and all but we're still tied up and those darn seastone cuffs are in our way!

Marine #3: Look! On that pirate's back! It's a picture of us caught in quicksand! AHHHHHHH!!!!

A voice from above speaks.

Marine #4: Not a problem! Unlike the idiots with no common sense, we already have countermeasures against this.

There are couple of Marines jump in the air constantly. 4 of them have the end of the ropes that are tying up the Devil Spawn Pirates.

Burraku: Geppou!

Marine #4: We don't have to worry about their troublesome powers now since the seastone cuffs are keeping their devil fruit in check.

The Marine that was holding the den den mushi before is also in the air.

Wrapper: Oh I see....actually...I don't...I can only hear......done with the chocolate btw. It was good. I demand a complete set of paintings by Reo Dalinci!

????: NO!

Wrapper: Oh yeah, since there are quicksand now. Throw one of them in! The funny one!

The pirates immediately scrambled up, desperately trying to escape.

Wrapper: So...who's the funny one? The one who has awful design on their back. Throw them into the dungeon!......of sand!

The Marines grabbed Kapenta and get in position to throw him into the quicksand. The same quicksand that took the lives of the recent doomed Marines. Kapenta starts struggling, when Burakku quickly kicks out at the marine, forcing him to drop Kapenta. Luckily, he lands on normal sand. Kapenta then boots the Marine, knocking him over and making him drop the keys to the cuff. Kapenta then tosses them to Rex. Rex starts wrestling with the cuffs, getting them off. He tosses them to Burakku, but a Marine intercepts and caught the keys.

Burakku:  DAMNIT!!

Marine: Nice try! But just in case!

The Marine throws them on the ground and aims his dehydration bazooka at the keys.

Marine: MELT!

He reconfigures the setting from dehydration to liquify and shoots the heat ray from the gun to melt the keys into metal goo.

Marine: Now none of us has the keys except for the boss!

Marine aims gun at Rex.

Marine: Since you pirates are resisting, we have the right to kill you on the spot, you hear?

Rex just shook his head.

Rex: I don't think so.

One minute, rex was standing there, the next, A HUGE wolf stood in his place. Before the Marine can even react.....

SLAM!!!

Rex the Fenrir slams the Marine comically into the sand.

Rex:  Next!

Marines that are still in the air smirks and snickers. Rest of the Marines jump in the air and did the same.

Rex: Huh? What's so funny?

Marine: RED AND BLUE MANEUVER!

Already dancing in the air, half of the Marines changed their graceful hops into elegant kicks while the rest take out their heat bazookas and aim at the remaining land-dwellers below them. From their their white boots, a soaring slice combined with the roaring ray of concentrated heat. Separate, they are dangerous but together, they create a fierce force to be reckon with. Any unfortunate being at the end of their attacks will either be cut in half, melted, or both.

Burakku: Shoot! Rankyaku! and Heat Rays!

Kapenta: Dodge!

Atitsuto: Urrghhh! There's too many of them!

Rex:  Time to run!!

His friends are still chained, so he quickly picks them up in his teeth, bolting for the desert.

Marine: They're running away! After them!

They pursuit the running pirates as they prolong their relentless barrage of attacks on them. In addition to dodging and suffering damage from the Marines, they have to be cautious while making their escape as one step could lead them to their new graves in the sands below, quicksand is still the main obstacle in the area.

Burakku:  Stupid keys.... WORK!!

Atisuto: Be careful, we don't want to drop them!

Kapenta:  Are you even sure they're the right keys?

Burakku:  They unlocked Rex's cuffs, they should unlock ours! 

Rex: No, they always create individual keys for each cuff! They're not that stupid! And one of those **** just melted the rest into goo! ****!

Kapenta: Did he said that their boss has the spares?

Atisuto: Shoot! Without the spares, there's no way we can get free! Why did that guy had to melt the keys?! Them and that stupid bazooka that can melt......me....tal....?.....hmmmmmmmm

The pirates looked at Atisuto, them =n all of them grinned. Rex stopped in his tracks, then turned to face the Marines.

Rex: Atisuto, when we get out of this, I am buying you some new paints and as much art paper as you can carry.

The pirates quickly scattered, acting like they were dodging the bazooka blasts, but eventually, Burakku managed to land a lucky blow and his cuffs dissolves. Burned his hands too, but still melted. He then threw Kapenta into a blast, which melted his cuffs, and Kapenta, then turned his hands into hammers to toss Atisuto at the marines. they shot her, and she spun, dodging, then getting her cuffs hit. Soon, the pirates stood next to one another, free of all ropes, cuffs. And they were mad.

Kapenta: (turning his shirt inside out) This is gonna be good. 

Marine #1: This is unexpected. Despite our countermeasures to prevent them from setting themselves free, we actually helped set them free! I feel that I have dishonored myself!

Marine Leader: Pirates! How stubborn they are! No matter! They will die by our hands sooner or later! Set the heat bazooka to dehydration instead. It has a much bigger range and there's no way they can fight back with lack of water in their bodies. Also, call for confirmation of the backup's location and situation of the other squads.

They did as they were told by their leader of the marine squad.

Marine #2: Confirmed.Backup is coming within 10 minutes. Regarding the others, they are still maintaining their pursuit in Cacti Spike Terrains. They have reported that there is unusual spot of glass there among with burned remains. And Captain Mizumau Aoka, and someone else is at Sudden Spiral Melts.

Marine Leader: That guy, huh? That's too much manpower assigned there. It would be more in our favor if he was with us. Nevertheless, Seek and Kill!

Marines: Yes, Sir!

They all use geppou downwards to finally put to the end to the pirates.

FIRE!

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!!!!!!!! BZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!!!!!!!! BZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!!!!!!!!

Burakku:  SCATTER!!

The four pirates all dodge in four different direction. As Atisuto dodges, she traces a foot in the sand, drawing a picture. Rex starts leaping towards Marine, batting them into quicksand. Burakku takes to the skies, drawing his sword and slashing out, while Kapenta lightning builds a slingshot and starts shooting hammers.

Marine Captain: Evasive Maneuver!

The Marines separate into 3 groups. The Marine Captain heads towards Atisuto, one group stays in the skies as they shoot the dehydration rays and the other decided to fight on land.

Marine Captain: I know about your trouble abilities so I must take you out first!

As the Marine Captain heads towards Atisuto, he takes out another bazooka with his unoccupied hand and makes a cross sign with both of his bazooka. The inner mechanism of bazooka twist and converge one on another as they gradually cover his arms. After a few seconds, the transformation is complete. The Marine Captain has become a living weapon, with his arms equipped with armor and the latest light amplification and emmission technology.

Marine Captain: Open wide!

Both of his palms glow in a harsh light and the concentrated light soon glow from yellow to blue and the radiated beam of light completely covers his palm, blinding those who stare at it at front.

Atisuto was still drawing until he was temporary blinded by the intense light from the Marine. He attempted to shield as he wonders what's going on.

Atisuto: What the? What is this? A Pacifista? No, much worse! The color of the light is different!

Marine Captain: SHINING PALM!!!!

BEROOOOOOOOOO!!!!! BEEEEEEROOOOOOOO!

The marine shoots the blue rays of light at Atisuto. Atisuto uses his quick reflexes to dodge the upcoming high-speed attacks but just barely.

Atisuto: Ughh!!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!

The impact of the laser left the impact zone a melted glass spot. What's more surprising than the burning liquid glass is how huge and dangerously deep the impact crater was. Anyone caught in the blast would end up like the hot pool of liquid.

Atisuto: Whoa! I have to make this quick!

Atisuto rushes back to his original location where he was drawing his picture but then, he sees a foot where he once was before dodging the lasers. He looks up to see the Marine Captain giving out a devious grin.

Marine Captain: High Five!

He shoots another blue ray of light from his right palm towards Atisuto's head.

BEROOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Atisuto:  AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaa....... Huh? I wasn't hit?

She looks to see Rex standing in front of her, his fur singed and his eyes glassy.

Rex:  Ow.......

Atisuto:  REX!! No... Can't afford to get distracted. Must finish my picture!

Marine Captain: How admirable of you to protect your comrade! But I wonder how long can you keep this up?

The Marine cups his hands to together to fuse the blue orbs from shining from his palms into a bigger version and reaches his hands at the two pirates.

Marine Captain: EXXX HAUST!!!!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

The beam of lights explodes with sheer velocity and explosively as it travels towards Rex and Atisuto. At this rate, both of them will completely be pools of flesh if they don't act fast now. Atisuto finishes the drawing, just in time for Rex to grab her in his teeth, narrowly missing the beam.

AROOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Well, almost missing the beam. His tail is almost entirely liquified.

Rex: AHHH!

Atisuto: I'm sorry to be a nusiance for you Rex, I hope that I can make it up to you later.

Rex: Whatever!!!! gnnnnh.... Not important. Is it done?

Atisuto: I drew about half of the marines getting pulled into the sand-

Marines:  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Atisuto:  And it appears it took faster than the last one.

The rest of pirates are fighting against the Marines in the land and sky but as time passes by, the flow of battle is heading towards the Marine's favor. Even though some of the Marines was defeated, the Marines seem to be getting more stronger and evasive and none of their attacks are landing a hit on them. The pirates speak to each other as they fight.

Burraku: What's going on? Our attacks aren't working!

Kapenta: I know these Marines are strong but this is weird! No, wait....the heat...shoot, we have a time limit!

Burraku: What do you mean?

Kapenta: If you think about it, by their white uniforms, their speciality must be in fighting in this desert terrain. They must be not affected by the desert's heat at all unlike us. If we keep this up, our bodies would be too dehydrated to the point that we no longer function normally anymore.

Burraku: Figures. I guess we need a miracle, huh?

Atisuto: We need water.

Kapenta: Like an oasis?

Rex:  I don't see one, do you?

Atisuto:  I'll make one.

Again, she starts scribbling in the sand as the others cover her.

Marine Captain: This is taking too long. I won't get that promotion if I can't finish these weakings that quickly. Men! BOOMBOX FORMATION!

Marines: Yes, Sir!

The Marines change their movements and form a circle in the air with the captain in the middle. They each change the settings to MAX and charge up their heat bazookas.

Kapenta: What are they doing?

Burraku: This can't be good.

Rex: Is it done yet?

Atisuto: Not yet! I hope I can make it in time!

Marine Captain: AIM! FIRE! EXXX HAUST BURNER!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!

They all launch their intense rays at one spot where the 4 pirates are, thus, the individual deadly beams combined into one solar flare.

Burakku:  NO TIME!!

Burakku grabs Atisuto and Rex grabs Kapenta and they all run, trying to dodge the beam.

SOOOOAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The ground rumbles and a large geyser of water comes out and collides with the downward beam of heat death and slowing it down, therefore, extending the amount of time for the pirates to escape at least without serious injuries.

Burakku: Whoa! A miracle! How lucky we are!

Rex: Wrong, it's something that we have to create ourselves, right, Atisuto?

Atisuto: Yeah, just in time! I made the final line when he pulled me out of danger!

Kapenta: We still have to run! The beam is turning the water into steam!

Marine Captain: Oh? Don't cower! Mere water can't defeat our ultimate attack! BURN THEM INTO ASHES!

Marines: Yes Sir!

The Marines continues their attack and quickly pushes the geyser back to the ground by each second and finally made impact.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!

The Pirates got away before being affected by the resulting explosion's aftermath.

Rex: That was close! I really don't want to lose more than my tail!

Burakku: WATER! WATER! I SALUTE THEE!

Kapenta: Good, now we can make a comeback!

Atisuto: Yeah!

The Marine squad lands on the ground as they stare at the pirates with contempt and disappointment.

Marine Captain: Shameful! Men! Despite our most powerful attack, they still survive! Men! If we were dare to face Rear Admiral Wrapper again, we must do it with pride! I must commence the Boombox manuever again!

Marines: Yes sir!

A large shadow appears behind them and calmly pats his hand on the Captain's right shoulder.

????: Gentlemen, it's sure hot here! Can't we get a portable ice cream machine?

Marine Captain: Huh?

The captain looks behind him and sees a man with a normal marine uniform with the "Justice" symbol overcoat and wearing a sombrero with a rose on it. He has a blond goatee and muttonchops and a pair of sunglasses with different colored lenses: red and blue. 

Marine Captain: Rear Admiral Wrapper!

From the other side, the pirates get ready for battle but one of them notices something pelicular.

Kapenta: Huh? That guy over there, he's not wearing the same white attire as the Marines and he's not even sweating!

Meanwhile, where the Marines are......

Wrapper: Captain! So nice to see you! CONCERNED CLOUD! I was worried about you men since there were no replies on the den den mushi so I came here and see that you men put up quite of a fight and yet, they're still moving like well, pirates! I want a platinum spoon to go along with my ice cream!

Marine Captain: AH! My apologies, Rear Admiral Wrapper! Forgive us for our negligence! We will attain them despite being under schedule!

Wrapper: I see..shoot....my chocolate bar melted in my pocket. I want a force field temperature regulated umbrella. Don't worry now, my fellow men. Since I'm here! Those pirates don't have a chance!

Marine Captain: Yes Sir! We will be glad to work aside you! With you, we can never los-

SNAP!

The Marine Captain fell to the ground with his head twisted sideways and his eyes turn blank. Everything happened in an instant. He's dead.

Marines: AH? CAPTAIN?!

Wrapper cracks his knuckles one-handed as he stares at the other Marines.

Wrapper: I think you perhaps misunderstood me, Captain. Not once I said I would fight amongst you. You can't even fulfill your tasks right. I even have to come out here in this forsaken hotspot. You can't call yourselves Enforcers of Justice anymore. What I meant is that-

Wrapper gave out a murderous glare at the Marine and the pirates felt his killer aura despite the distance between them.

Pirates and Marines: What the?

Wrapper charges at the Marines in less than a blink of an eye. The marines scream as they could not react fast enough to their superior's movements.

Wrapper: I would accomplish this mission BY MYSELF! RAHHH!!

Wrapper swiftly appears and disappears to each Marine as if he was capable of teleportation. After he stops moving, he walks towards the general direction of the pirates as he never looks behind him.

Wrapper: I want a giant drill machine! Yeah! That would be cool!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Each Marine appears to be flying in the air with their limbs dislocated. They each oddly conveniently landed in the quicksands. Since they are no longer able to walk or even crawl normally, they can do nothing in despair pray for help. But...no one helped them. Nothing can help them out of their predicament. First their heads and arms and soon only their grasping arms are above the sand. Only death awaits them and soon, they were comepletely swallowed by the desert. They are forever silenced and part of the nature.Wrapper cracks his neck as he walks to the panicked pirates.

Rex: What the? How did they?

Burraku: No way....

Atisuto: That speed! Can I even....

Kapenta: How cruel! This is a Marine?!

Wrapper finally stops and speaks to break the tension in the atmosphere.

Wrapper: So so! Piiiirrraatttes! No good! None of you told me who's the funny one here! In that case, I have find out myself! Trial and Error! KILLER EYES!

Wrapper's entire body pumped up to unbelieve amounts of muscle mass and turns completely black!

Wrapper: Come! The faster you pirates die, the sooner I can get a promotion to Vice Admiral! Oh wait, I didn't want to be one.

The four pirates look at one another, then just start running again.

Wrapper:  Ehhh? You're running away? Is my breath that bad?

Wrapper tries to smell his breath.

Wrapper: Hmmm......noooo.....that's not it.......oh I get it! You're in a hurry! But I must do what I like to do. SUPER KILLER EYES!

Wrapper takes out a large piece of golden cloth and twists it into a long spear and applies Hardening to it. The once bright flexible cloth is now a pole weapon with the color of death. Wrapper backsup his right arm and gets into a formation of an expert javelin throwner.

Wrapper: Sorry but this is the only present I got for you! BOOM SHOCKA LAKA~!

Wrapper takes one step forward and throws his black pole weapon at the fleeing pirates. He launches the spear with so much strength that it has broken the sound barrier and created a sonicboom. In no time at all, it landed in front of the pirates and creates a huge shockwave that send them flying back a little from where it was. Over time, as it gets deeper in the sands, the hole it created gets deeper and wider.

Atisuto: AHHH!!! What the? What is this? I don't even!

Rex: Is this from that crazy marine?

Burraku: No way, that thing. It's still making the hole bigger!

Kapenta:  What power!

Finally, in front of them is an unbelievably large smoking crater of black glass.If they had taken even one step more after it landed, they would have been crushed to the ground by the shockwave instead of pushed away.

Wrapper: That was a warning shot! Of what's to come!

The pirates were worried. They were starting to get worn down, not to mention Rex was now missing a tail and it was beginning to bother him. They needed a plan and fast.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Burraku: Huh? What's that scream?

In the far distance lies fast-moving objects headings towards them in the direction of the relentless sun of the horizon along the occasional screams of dispair and fear.

Kapenta: The sun is too bright....what is that?

Rex: Hmmm? What is that noise?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! HELP!!!!!! HELP ME!!!!!

Atisuto: That voice sounds familar.

From the opposite viewpoint of the pirates lies a familiar group of people who are in a desperate situation.

Vearth: AHHHHHH! WHY ME?!!!!

Victoria: WHY US?!!!!

Suna: SHUT UP AND KEEP RUNNING!!!!!

Sharpshooter: I'm getting tired of this! Need water!....and food!

Behind them are the pursuiting group of toxic starving animated cactus who are eager for fresh meat.

GRRAWWW!!! ROOOAARRR!!!!! WAAAHHHH!!!!

Rex: Hey, it's them! Suna, Vearth, Atisuto, and Sharpshooter!

Kapenta: Hey! You're right! Thank goodness! Now we stood a chanc-

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!

A giant crater appears out of nowhere just behind Kapenta and in the center of the impacted area lies a scorching black spear made of cloth steaming.

Wrapper: So Close! So do you surrender now or else do I have to forget what mercy means again?

Kapenta:.......RUN TOWARDS THEM! Anyone else disagrees with my decision?

Burraku: NOPE! ZIP! NADA!

Rex: I don't want to lose more than my tail!

Atisuto: THEN LET'S GO!

The four pirates began running towards their fellow comrades. As they did, Sharpshooter's scope eyes finally locate their friends.

Sharpshooter:  GUYS!! IT'S OUR NAKAMA!! IT'S REX, BURAKKU, KAPENTA AND ATISUTO!!

Vearth:  THAT'S GREAT BROTHER!! BUT WE'RE STILL BEING FOLLOWED!!

Victoria:  YEAH!! SO ARE THEY!!

Suna:  JUST KEEP RUNNING!!!

As the pirates rejoice as they see each other while in a dire situation, one can not help but notice the lack of communication between as they are both running from danger but which enemy is lesser of the evil to confront?

Wrapper: Then again,....what does mercy mean again? I want the entire set of the world encyclopedias!

Cactus: GWAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From the Grainy Sandmilk Plains.

Rex: Wait a minute, they're running away from something too?

Atisuto: Hey! You're right!

Kapenta: Forget it! Nothing can be worse than that crazy psychopath of a Marine!

Burraku: In that case, shouldn't we tell them to go the other way?

From the Cacti Spike Terrains side.

Suna: Hey, guys! Go the other way!

Sharpshooter: There are vicious man-eating toxic spiked cactus chasing us!

Victoria: Nothing can be worse than that!

Vearth: You guys! Turn back! Wait, I got a better idea.

Then the two groups of friends finally got close enough to hear each other voices but are still at a quite of a distance from each other and will eventually collide with each other if they keep running towards another. At the last second, the eight pirates dodge to one side, running in the same direction while the toxic cacti and marines collided. The pirates run away as fast as they can from the once two sources of danger so they won't be caught in their encounter.

Wrapper: Oh, you guys! We are reunited once again! Thanks! Give me a hug!

CRASH! POUND!  CRASH! POUND! CRASH! POUND! CRASH! POUND! CRASH! POUND! CRASH! POUND! 

The cactus all dogpiled on Wrapper until a mountain of red spiked cacti was formed at the boundary of Cacti Spike Terrains and Grainy Sandmilk Plains.

Suna: Whew! Glad that's over with!

Atisuto: But after they're done with that guy, they will go after us.

Burraku: Don't worry about that! There's 8 of us here now! We can handle anything now that Marine is down for the count.

Victoria: Is that Marine really that dangerous?!

Rex: Yeah, he just took down his fellow Marines in a second and we couldn't catch up to his movements at all!

Kapenta: Yeah! Two times already, we could already be dead if he was serious with his last attacks.

Sharpshooter: Oh, it's lucky that we manage to make them crash into each other!

Vearth: I could have sworn that Marine had Hardening all over his body. I wonder if he's got skewered by those cactus?

Victoria: If he wasn't, he would die from the poison!

Sharpshooter: .........So how powerful is that Marine again?

Burraku: He is a Rear Admiral but apparently he said he didn't want to be a Vice Admiral so I guess he's about strong as a Vice Admiral?

Rex: He has to be since he is so proficient in Haki.

Kapenta: Yikes! Good thing we don't have to deal with him anymore!

Sharpshooter: Guys, in that case, we need to run.

Rex: Why?

Sharpshooter points up to the direction where the the cactus and Rear Admiral Wrapper are.

The Mountain of the red spiked cactus rumbles and suddenly catci erupts into the sky but instead of their normal shapes, they are in shreds.

Vearth: No..way!

The sky now raining red spikes now plants the sand with thorns. Through the storm of spikes, lies a walking shadow, undettered by the poisonous heavy ammunation pouring down, it remains its steady pace towards the pirates. Once the weather finally relaxes, a lone figure is revealed.

Wrapper: What a lovely day we have to today. I find some trash! I dispose them! I found some plants to weeds out! Now what else can I clean up?

Despite the weight of the pile of cactus upon him and the hail of toxic spikes, his Busoshoku Haki: Hardening all over his body remains unscratched.

Sharpshooter: That's why!

Wrapper: Ooo! Look, Pirates! I wonder if I have something to sweep up with? Maybe these spikes will do.

Wrapper picks up the spikes and throws them with the same strength as he did with his previous cloth spears to where the pirates are.

BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

The pirates scramble for cover, not knowing if they can beat this guy.

Burakku:  We need Senshi! She'd know what to do!

Vearth: Last time we saw her, she was unconsious, besides, she'd be in no better shape to fight than the three of us!

Wrapper: WANT SOME MORE?!

Suna: Where is she?

Wrapper continued his relentless barrage of thrown toxic spikes onwards the pirates. They scramble for safety as for now have no chance of counterattacking without their captain, Senshi.

Sudden Spiral Melts: Battle of Spirits

In front of Senshi lies the body of her fellow pirate, Rei, struggling to move as his hind leg is bleeding profusing and emitting sparks of electricity. Right behind her friend is the strict enforcer of justice, Captain Mizumau Aoka.

Senshi: Rei!

Rei: You bitch! What have you done to me?! Why couldn't I dodge your attacks?

Aoka: I shot you with a bullet filled with magnetism and from now on, any electric based attacks that are used are automatically redirected to the wound I previously gave you.

Rei: So back then, you hit my leg!...As expected of the person who managed to constantly corner us time to time.

Aoka: Nice effort you put there, Mutt! But you should know that you can't escape from me with that bad leg. Senshi, if you want your friend to remain a 4 legged creature, I demand you fight with me one-on-one!

Rei: Don't you accept that Senshi! Don't worry about me! We can escape together!

Senshi looked down at Rei. She knew he was wrong. Any injuries she had, he felt, and vice versa. Neither of them were in any shape to fight, but she couldn't let him die. She struggled to her feet, blood dripping off the side of her mouth and her legs shaking.

Senshi:  Deal

Rei: Senshi! No, you idiot! You don't have to do this! Don't give up!

Senshi: I must, Rei! For your sake, you must live. You are no match for her.

Rei: Neither are you....not your current state!

Senshi: It doesn't matter. We are fated to fight each other sooner or later. Why not now? At least, I can get to save you.

Rei: Sen...shi....NOOOOOO!

BANG!

Aoka shot with Rei with a bullet.

Rei:...You...you...bi...

Rei finally loses conciousness.

Senshi:...Thanks, Aoka.

Aoka: So you knew that wasn't a kill shot?

Senshi: Of course, Aoka. Despite our different standpoints, I actually trust you as a rival to keep your promise. I knew that you would do such a thing. How kind of you to use a tranquilizer bullet like you did to me before. Showing mercy to a pirate? Have you gone soft on me?

Aoka: No, I was just sick of that mutt's barking! I could end it permamently if you like?

Senshi: Try it if you dare!

Senshi emits bloodlust from her eyes towards Aoka. Aoka felt Senshi's instance of anger and smiles a little.

Aoka: Oh? So you finally in the mood to fight?

Senshi:  Nobody touches my dog. Nobody touches my friends. Nobody touch My FAMILY!!!

Senshi seems to go slightly nuts, her eyes becoming wild. She suddenly starts looking at Aoka strange, but it's not Aoka she's seeing, it's Mikayla.

Mikayla: I will kill you once and for all, Senshi!

Senshi: What the?!

Senshi rubs her eyes and sees Aoka instead.

Aoka: Why so surprised? You knew this is coming.

Senshi: Huh? Yeah....of..Course! You, Aoka, are trying to kill me!

Aoka: ???, You're acting dumber than usual. The chill pill is wearing off that quickly. Then I better destroy before then! SORU!

Aoka disappears. Senshi heightens her Kenbunshoku Haki to sense her. When she finally did and looks at where Aoka is about to appear.

Senshi: Nice try but..NO WAY!

Senshi pauses for a moment as soon she turns to see Aoka but instead of her enemy she sees, it's Mikayla instead kicking her in the face. Because of that slight delay in reaction, Senshi took the full blow of the kick instead of dodging with minimum movements like she would normally do.

Senshi: UUGGHHH!!!!

Senshi was send flying back and crashed in the sand dunes.

Aoka: What's wrong, Senshi? Have I gotten too fast for you? Or has your speed slown down to the same rate as your ditmit brain?

Senshi:  Go away.... Leave me alone.... I killed you... I KILLED YOU!!!

Aoka: Huh? Already claiming victory? The battle has just began!

Aoka takes out her regular pistols and takes on an offensive kung-fu stance.

Aoka: I'll show you how powerful Mugen AK Blast Arts really is! AK 22 - Air Bullet Slash!

Aoka rushes towards Senshi and unleashes two bullets from her pistols. The bullets flying out with sharp air projectiles tailing behind the accelerating amno. Aoka turns her gun barrels to twist the bullet's air projectiles to convert her normal piercing bullets into air slashing bullet whips. However, in Senshi' eyes, she sees the air bullet whips as Mikayla's hair slithing as it is about to strike like a predatory snake.

Senshi: How is this possible?! I thought I agreed to fight Aoka this whole time! How is their attacks the same?! Is this a nightmare?!

She barely dodges, her wounds opening up again. Grunting in pain, she struggles to her feet. She sees Aoka, mixed with the image of Mikayla, coming towards her.

Senshi: No.... I can't let it end like this.....

Aoka/Mikayla: You're a pathetic pirate. If you are this weak then DIE, RORONOA SENSHI!

Aoka: AK 23 - Tornado Bulletstorm!

Aoka curves her whole right arm while pulling the trigger. As a result, the 6 bullets launches spins at such a high rate, they form swirling twisters and are powerful enough to drill through rock or even metal depending on the user. In Senshi's vision, she sees images of spiraling hair spears and tornado bullets alternating in her mind.

Senshi: Who am I really fighting?

Still desperately clinging to her sanity, Senshi continues to dodge the hair/bullets. After several more minutes of this, she finally just screams out.

Senshi: LEAVE ME ALONE MIKAYLA!!!!! I KILLED YOU ONCE AND I CAN DO IT AGAIN!!! YOU KILLED MY FATHER AND YOU ALMOST DID THE SAME TO MY MOTHER!!! I WON'T LET YOU!!!!!

Aoka changes her pace to a complete halt and stood silent as she ponders about the very words that left the mouth of her mortal rival.

Aoka: Mi...ka...yla? Is that what you called me, Senshi?

Senshi: STOP FOOLING AROUND HERE, MIKAYLA! IF YOU CAME TO DIE ONCE MORE, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAKE ANOTHER HOLE IN YOU!!!

Aoka: ....Have you gone mad?!

Aoka shoots more bullets at Senshi. Once again, Senshi dodges, rolling around in the sand, still seeing Mikayla.

Senshi: NO, I SHOULD SAY THE SAME TO YOU!

Aoka: Pitiful! HOW UTTERLY PITIFUL, YOU ARE RORONOA SENSHI!

Senshi: Don't...YOU DARE SPEAK MY NAME, YOU BI-

Aoka: SHUT UP! PIRATE SCUM! I'm on the offense and yet.....you dare speak those damaging words while you possess not a single ounce of courage to fight back! Perhaps I am justified to kill you as you can only fight back with words! The real captain of the Devil Spawn Pirates would have inflict their own convictions through her fists! STOP SULLYING THE NAME OF RORONOA SENSHI! YOU IMPOSTER!

Senshi:  NO YOU SHUT UP!! YOU ARE THE SHAM!! YOU ARE THE IMPOSTER!!! YOU SULLY MY FAMILY'S NAME, THREATEN MY FRIENDS, MY BROTHERS AND MY MOTHER!! AND YOU DARE TO CALL ME THE IMPOSTER?!?!

Senshi then stood up straight, her hair becoming multicolored and her hand becoming hammers.

Senshi:  Well no more.... You will never......NEVER..... touch my family again!!

In a blur of motion, she's suddenly in front of Aoka, bringing her hammer down on her head. Aoka still looking down to the ground. She doesn't even flinch as the upcoming attack is closing distance between them. She sighs in disbelief and seem to not care of the attack that could be fatal if landed. Without changing the direction of her gaze, she points her right hand upwards to the descending hammer by her enemy. Aoka's regular pistol still clutched in her hand; now its barrel is now about to collide with it target.

Aoka: AK 19 - Giga Drill Bullet

Aoka shoots 6 bullets rapidly all at once. They launch out perfect aligned with each other in a straight line but yet, all of them spinning. The bullets spin faster than the previous ones, with the last one spinning the fastest. The last bullet collides with the 5th bullet, thereby causing it spin much faster, and accelerate to the next, repeatign the same process over and over again until the 1st bullet shot from the bullet finally recieves the 2nd bullet's spin. Overall, the 6 bullets formed a giant narrow weapon: a drill that can pierce through anything like an arrow but more deadly. More deadly than Senshi's hammer even. It has proven its strength by digging a hole through the pirate's weapon.

Senshi: AHHHH!!!!

Senshi see blood flowing out of her hand as she realizes the damage she received. She holds her hand with her other hand to try to ease the pain. Aoka still looking down on the ground without each glancing at the one she just shot. This action of her is not an act of overconfidence of her abilities nor arrogance. It is her way of telling her opponent that she is looking down on Senshi. Pity? No. Boredom?...That's not it either. In short, she no longer acknowledges the person in front of her as a rival anymore. She has given up on the pirate known as the Captain of the Devil Spawn Pirates, Roronoa Senshi.

Aoka: If you were the real Senshi, you would have known that rash attack would not have worked! She would have seen this coming. Certainly, she would have used a feint or at least a back-up plan. But...you...you ....did neither of those methods....so...So.......The pirate who stands before me!........WHO ARE YOU?!

Senshi just looked at Aoka, sagging to the ground.

Senshi:  I......... I don't know.......

Aoka: You don't know?

Aoka puts away her gun.

Aoka: Then in that case, you are not worthy of being killed by me. I only kill pirates who pose a threat to peace and to the Marines. A person who doesn't know their own identity is not dangerous to me at all. I don't need to be one that causes your death when you can easily do that yourself.

Senshi looks up, her eyes pleading, but to no avail, just as Aoka was about to turn away, Senshi speaks out.

Senshi:  You'd do anything to keep Shiroka safe......... She's the only family you have left.

Aoka: And your point? You think I'll lose myself while fulfilling my role as her big sister?. I had already become lost before I met her again.  But...I found myself again when I entered the Marines. I became an enforcer of justice. I trained and was  promoted until I was finally satisfied with myself. I have power to do what I wanted to do. To protect people's smiles. Their homes secured. Families still together. Daily life is peaceful as usual. They can still live out their lives til they die of old age. I would do anything to prevent anyone from experiencing what happened to me and my sister. Anything. ANYTHING!

Senshi: Anything?

Aoka: Yes.

Senshi: What if.......in order to protect your sister, it includes killing your own fellow marine? What if the whole world that you eagerly protected so much, has turned against her? What would you have done differently?

Aoka: ......What an interesting question. The world or my sister? The Marine or my sister....ha...ha..HA...HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAA

Senshi: Is what I said that funny to you? or.....you're the one who has gone mad?

Aoka: I doubt that I would ever make that decision. It's so hard to picture her who is now Marine be put in that sort of situation.

Senshi: The Marines are not good as you think. Offically, they don't allow slavery and yet.....they turn a blind eye to the descendants of the Celestial Dragons. And I know that the Marines can't even lay on a hand on them. Some enforcers that you guys are!

Aoka: Quite an argument you made. In other words, it's like I'm working for the very ones who allowed what happened to my sister in the 1st place but that is not related to my sister at all. It was truly pirates who kidnapped her and sold her into slavery.

Senshi: That's true. Some pirates do deserved to be punished but regarding to the world nobles, do they not also possess having the same evil heart? Why don't they die in your hands as well? Marine?! What if they take your sister next time?!

Aoka: Simple. I will kill them. My sister is my everything like you said. I would do anything to save her.

Senshi: So won't you sacrifice everything that you have built up to this point?! Won't defying the Marine means losing yourself?!

Aoka: No, I joined the Marine in belief that I would be a hero who protects people's smiles. If I can't do that as a Marine, then the Marines have failed me! I would have joined the Revoluntaries and take my sister with me in that case. I will still protect the world! My sense of justice would not have changed!

Senshi: Even if you become a murderer?

Aoka: My target of injustice only applies to those who done the world wrong. I killed them before. These hands of mine. They are burdened with the blood of my victims. All of the victims...not a single one I have regretted killing. My role as a big sister and an enforce of justice still stands! What about you? Do you have any regrets killing your cousin?!

Senshi: None.

That's when it hit her..... She didn't regret it..... Mikayla had threatened everything that mattered to her, and Senshi had retaliated. Like Aoka said, her sense of justice hasn't changed. Senshi slowly stood up again, her hair returning to it's lively green color and her eyes regaining their sparkle.

Senshi:  I don't regret killing Mikayla. Given the choice, I'd do it again! She was the worst person I've ever met, and she would have done nothing but kill and slaughter had I not done something.

Aoka: So no regrets.

Mikayla: No regrets of killing me?!

Aoka: So now you know why you killed her?!

Mikayla: YOU KNOW WHY YOU KILLED ME?!, YOUR COUSIN?!

Senshi stared right at the hallucination, not fazed.

Senshi:  Yes. She's not my cousin anymore. She never was. She was an enemy that used to be family, but she lost that privilege when she killed my father 15 years ago.

Mikayla: That's right! I killed your father! And that gave you the right to kill me? You're just as bad as me! You Pirate! We are both pirates! Pirates who pillage and plunder! Murderers from the sea! WAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Senshi:  Wrong.... I'm nothing like you... and I never will be. You failed.

Mikayla: You failed as well! What about my son?! My husband?! Both are the lights of my life! You took them away from me?! I may killed your father so you believed that you have the right to kill both of them?!

Senshi:  I didn't kill Reiniku, Silver did. And as for your son, you shouldn't have been fighting if you were pregnant.

Mikayla: Silver? So instead of you, Silver should die instead?! As well for my son, don't put the entire blame on me! You are in the fault as well!

Senshi:  Mikayla.....

She goes right out, punching the apparition, and unfortunately, it turns out to be Aoka. Mikayla's form begins to slowly dissipates, along with the last of Senshi's fears and Doubts.

Senshi:  Shut up.

Mikayla: You killed me.....you will remember that....Hahahahahaha...

Mikayla's body completely fades away except for her head. It remains laughing and before it vanishes for good, it became silent and spits on Senshi's face. Senshi moves her to hand to feel the slimy substance on her face, it was blood. The blood of her past sins? or was it tears of sorrow? Actually it's...

Senshi: What the heck is-

Aoka punches Senshi in the face before she finishes her sentence. Senshi took the punch quite well as she remains standing on the ground without flinching.

Aoka: I have a feeling that you punched the wrong person so I did that to remind who you're dealing with here.

Senshi: My bad. Though you are right about that, I think I still punched the right person in the end.

Aoka: Isn't it because you're supposed to be fighting me in the 1st place? And not yourself?

Senshi: Pardon my rudeness but isn't that expected of pirates like me?

Aoka: I never did expected something good from you.

Senshi: So what now? I recalled earlier that I'm not worthy of your time and bullets.

Aoka: Hahaha....now you mention it, here's the funny story. Ever since your eyes have changed for the better a moment ago, you-

BANG!

Senshi sidesteps instantly to avoid the fatal bullet that Aoka just shot.

Aoka: Now you have to die! It's ironic that you finally found your trueself only to die by my hands soon after!

SenshI:  I've got no plans to die today.

She turns her fists back into hammers, then smiles.

Senshi: Unfortunately, you currently have me at a loss, considering I'm not only riddled with bullets, but I'm also half blind and still recovering.

Her hands return to normal and she smiles. She then glances over Aoka's shoulder at Rei.

Senshi: I wouldn't be much of a fight for you, even if Rei awoke.

Aoka: Sigh, you're no fun. Just when we just met, you gave up already. How pitiful. Regardless, as a Captain from Marine Base G-5, I can't just let a dangerous pirate like you go...though, you're going to die even if I'm not here.

Senshi: What do you me-

Senshi falls to her knees and breathing heavily.

Senshi: What the? What have you done to me? Did you use a slow-acting tranquilizer on me before?

Aoka: No, it's not what I did. It's what you did. You foolishly wandered into this part of the island without acquiring knowledge of the terrains and dangers of this island? We are in the New World, you know? Every island is unpredicable and dangerous. The question is how dangerous.

Senshi: It's so hot.. I forgot all about that when I fighting against myself...so...it must be heat exhaustion.....

Aoka: The heat really must gotten you if you were tricked by your delusions. While I must applaud you for finally conquering over your fears and hatred, you took too much time to do so. Time was your enemy this time. The cold pill worn off! It's checkmate. The only way you can escape from this desert is either let me kill you or somehow by miracle, defeat me and take my anti-desert countermeasure supplies.

Senshi: Oh? Nothing about arresting me? How cruel of you.

Aoka: Blame that on your sudden increase in bounty. The orders from the Marines are kill on sight than the usual choice of dead or alive. Your move, pirate.

Senshi: In that case, I definitely can't pick the 1st one. I still have friends to protect. No lousy desert or any stupid environment will defeat me!

Aoka: Good luck with that. This is goodbye. Consider this a merciful kill and yet, isn't at the same time. I'll leave you here to die with your stupid hope to live. At least you won't live as a pirate anymore!

Senshi: You just don't want to kill me, do you? You have no guts at all!

Aoka: Not in your current state. By which I mean, your physical strength instead of your mentality. No fun in that.

Senshi: At least I know you acknowledged me now.

Aoka: Don't push your luck, Senshi.

Senshi: I will....with my next move!

Aoka: Huh? I remembered that you refuse to chose to let me kill you. The only other choice you have is pray for a miracle that you escape among with your mutt from this extremely hot and hallucination-causing hell. Even if you managed to defeat your delusions now, there are more waiting for you to deter you from reaching your destination. Some move you have there! It's game over for you!

Senshi: No, I never said that I would chose that method.

Senshi bows down to Aoka with her hands and head deeply buried into the ground.

Aoka: What the? What is this?! This is unlike you! Why are you bowing to me?!

Senshi: Help me. Please help me, Aoka. I beg of you. Guide me out of this desert! You have what I need to escape!

Aoka: What? Have you no pride?! You are a pirate but know your shame in such actions like this! This is low for you!

Senshi: My friends are my pride! I will go to the depths of the sea if it means I can save my friends! I know they are in danger now! I can sense it. So hear out my plead!

Aoka: Shut up! You're pathetic! JUST DIE ALREADY!

Senshi: I CAN NOT DIE HERE! NOT NOW! NOT WHEN MY FRIENDS NEED ME! FOR I AM THEIR CAPTAIN! IF I CAN NOT SAVE THEM WHEN THEY ARE DANGER! THEN I HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL MYSELF THE CAPTAIN IN FRONT OF THEM! SO PLEASE, AOKA! HELP ME!

Aoka becomes speechless as she was offguard by Senshi's moving speech. Her emotions spiral out of control as she sees Senshi's tears flows after Senshi spoke her heart out.

Aoka thinking: How can this be? A mere scourge of the 7 seas gave out such a powerful speech. How inconcievable! What's even more shocking is that I actually....I actually was captured by her words. Her words of emotion. Why....Why is my heart confused once again by this pirate! What should I do?

Aoka tries to speak but could not find the exact words to give a reply to Senshi who is still putting her pride on the line.

Senshi: Please!

Aoka: ....Senshi...I.....I.....

????: Rufufufufu...RUFUFUFUFUFUFU

Senshi and Aoka: Huh?

They both put their heads up and try to search for the mysterious voice that came out of nowhere. Whose laughter is this?

????: This is darn party-tooty foul! What a horse-snort!

Senshi: Show yourself! Who are you?!

Aoka: No way, it can't be!

Sounds of footsteps closes in as the owner of them slowly comes into the view of the two contenders.

????: Whew, I have scouted some ladies in distress before but never, a spectacle of sheriffs and outlaws mixed tainted moonshine before. Rufufufu.  Squirt... Squirt...have you lost your spark to pull the trigger in life?

Aoka:.....Master....what....how...why..are you here?

Senshi: Master? Your Master? And...what is he saying?

A monocle wearing black trenchcoated man smoking a cigar finally halt his steps and takes a deep breath and exhales smoke.

????: The label is Rifl E. Gravebarrel. Hurdled here for a horse brawl and well, I'm red as the bull to see that the hoe-down still haven't been settled yet.

Aoka: Master...I ....

Rifl: Not another amno from your barrel, Squirt. I know what's blasting around. You can't fool my monocle. It's settled.

Aoka: What? What's settled?

Rifl: It's a bullseye. If you can't throw the dart, I will! And the target is that varmit of the seas.

Aoka gasps and gets a cold chill down her spine as soon those words left her Master's mouth.

Senshi: I'm barely understanding what he's saying, but from what I understand, he's saying you've lost your touch and that if you won't pull the trigger, he will. I take it that's bad? The look on your face says it is.

Aoka: As of now, none of us stands a chance against him. If you don't die by my hands or the desert, it would absolutely be him. That's the 3rd choice, Senshi.

Senshi gulps as she felt Aoka's fear in her words. How strong is this person with a strange play on his words? If he's indeed Aoka's master, then there's no way she can beat him even at her full strength. She's already has her hands full with Aoka as it is. Including the factor that Rei is down and the possibility that Senshi have to protect Rei while fighting with Rifl makes her chances of success drastically low. The chances could be higher if she gambles on a crazy low odds high win method.

Rifl: Whoa, shouting at the pirate by their name. What a partnership you hold there. Perhaps Squirt is too rusty to make a bang anymore. Such guns are not kept on the sleeves.

Rifl gives a mere killer glare at Aoka and she fell down to her knees in an instant.

Aoka: Master! You don't mean that?

Rifl: I have warned you from the top of dawn. You may be Squirt to me but the snakes in your heart, I have seen coming. Time to exterminate before the venom spreads too far in the ranch. You were going to share your heart with her, weren't you, Squirt?

Senshi: In that case, what if we teamed up?

Aoka: What?

Rifl: Why the Rum?

Senshi: If we do that, what are our chances of escaping?

Aoka: I never said I would help you escape! Besides we can't escape from him!

Senshi: Then we fight him instead! I say you have no choice in the matter. If you're going to die, then might as well fight back.

Aoka: I already said that we don't stand a chance against him! He can hit us with one bullet! And-

Senshi: What are our chances?

Aoka looks at Senshi with confusion as Senshi's facial expression indicates her serious conviction in her desire to teamup with the enemy who tried to leave her for dead.

Aoka:....5....no......1%

Senshi:....1%?...that low huh? No good at all.....no good at all....but.

Senshi stood back up again.

Senshi: But better than 0%!

Aoka: What?

Aoka became amazed by Senshi once more. How unfortunate they are not on the same side. But maybe...for once, they could be. Senshi falls back to the ground once again due to heat exhaustion.

Senshi: So hot!

Aoka: You idiot. Should have taken a chill pill.

Aoka throws the chill pill directly into Senshi's mouth. She chews on it and swallows it completely. Seconds after, Senshi sort of regains her composure and stands right back up again.

Senshi: Ow! At least be lighter with your throws!

Aoka: Shut up and admit that you gotten soft!

Senshi: But thanks!

BANG!

Rifl: Now, Now. Don't you dare dust off my sight that easily. My finger is still on the trigger here! The shootout will begin!

Sudden Spiral Melts: Impossible Odds! Make The Shot!

Aoka: Ready, Senshi?

Senshi: Ready Aoka.

Senshi turns her arm into a sword, breaking it off, regrowing her arm, then standing in her signature Ittoryu I'm-gonna-kick-your-ass stance.

Rifl: Your face? It tells me the tale of the hero from a certain town....The climax was sky high! but...as for the ending......drop dead to the ground!

Rifl takes out two black revolvers and holds them backwards.

Senshi: What? I thought this crazy guy is your master. Why is he holding them the wrong way?

Rifl: Maybe my Squirt and everyone else there read the manual wrong the whole day and night time!

Senshi snickers.

Senshi: I notice this for a while but...he calls you squirt?! *snickers*

Aoka: Shut up, pirate scum! Anyway about his guns, that's his style....part of it.

Senshi: Part of it?

Rifl: Come to my parlor, sea cow!

Senshi: Okay.... Did he just call me a cow? I mean, seriously..... At least Sea Scum sounded like an insult...

Rifl: ....Ok, You're a warthog! How about that?

Senshi:  better.... I guess. Now seriously... I think that I'm still hallucinating because there is no way you can shoot us when the guns are pointed in the wrong direction.

Rifl: Warthog.....you're not the fighter who sides by ammunition so you wouldn't get the bullseye. You see-

Rifl flexes his right arm back and bends his knees forward. He is in a stance which obviously shows he's going to throw a strong right.

BANG!

Rifl shows up right in front of Senshi. By the time Senshi notices that he disappears, she felt something on her chest. His fist is already in contact with her stomach. Before Senshi could grasp what happened at all, she was send backwards in the air rapidly.

Senshi: WHAT? WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! ARGGH! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

The pain finally sets in and Senshi feels the power from his punch. It was almost too much to bear. Senshi crashes at distance. As soon Aoka hears the crash, she finally notices that Senshi disappears from her sight. In her place is her Master already completing his punch.

Aoka: So you were playing with me earlier this whole time. When you trained me. This is your true pow-

BANG!

Aoka was plummeted to the ground on her back. Steam rises from the hit that landed on her head. It appears that Rifl strikes her head with his right elbow. Her pupils turned white for a few moments.

Rifl: If you're tangling with me at a party, at least shoot me with lead instead of words, Squirt.

Senshi still laying down on the ground, clutching on her stomach to try to ease the agonizing pain. She coughs out blood as she struggles to get back on her feet.

Senshi: What the hell......He shot two times. One per strike. I see now.....despite that I couldn't see his movements. He uses the recoil from the bullets to accelerate his punches. Somehow, this extended to his entire body? What a monster! No wonder why she said 1%.

Rifl: Oh? Warthog? Still up at dawn? Recommend that you stay down on the hay for a nap. Like Squirt here.

BANG! BANG!

The bullets pass through Rifl like he was a ghost. It came from Aoka's direction.

Rifl: Whoa!

Aoka still laying on the ground with her left hand on her forehead. She sneers at her Master with a desperate smile. Her pistol in her right hand is still smoking.

Aoka: Don't ever underestimate your student! I'm still awake! Did the heat slowed down your senses?

Rifl: Oh, shucks! You remind me of my young Terry!

Senshi: What the?! The bullets went through him! Did he eat a devil fruit too?!

Aoka: No. It seem like that he was standing still but don't be fooled! That was a illusion induced by the action of sidesteps performed at such a speed that the eyes can't even catch up to.

Senshi: So bullets or any projectile like that are hard to use against him, huh?

Rifl: Can't be a the top gun of west for nothing if you can't dodge them hot metals!

Senshi: In that case. DODGE THIS!

She whipped her arm in a complete 180, sending waves of daggers flying towards Rifl. They were aimed at every vital point she knew.

Rifl: Hmmm,quite the number of sharps you there.

Aoka: Can't let you do this alone! AK 47 - Relámpago Asalto!

Aoka repeatly shoots and reloads her revolvers to unleash a relentless barrage of lightning strike bullets. A rain of daggers and a storm of electric bullets are traveling the epicenter, Rifl. E. Gravebarrel.

Rifl: Oh? North and South, eh? How donkey it is that they all riding to my soft spots. Can't skip around them so....then I'll do a sky swing! AK 18 - JACKHAMMER BULLET! DESERT WALL!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Rifl changes his grip on his guns to the normal way and unloads bullets to the grounds in a 360 degree radius. The 6 bullets created a hexagon-shaped imprint on the ground below him. A moment later, another set of 6 bullets made contact with the previous bullets and propelled them even deeper to the ground like a jack hammer. Series of major shockwaves that pushed the spot of sand upwards, creating walls of sand around him. Soon after, attacks from both sides finally reached his location and collided with each other and the sand walls. But it was pointless, the defense that Rifl wasted his bullets on was shewered. The sand wall collapsed and all there is left is the remains of daggers and bullets imbued with sparks.

Senshi: Ha! You may be good at offense but I guess you can't take a hit! Our victory!

Aoka: Focus, Senshi! Don't let your guard down! My Master is no glass cannon!

Senshi: What?

A voice shouts from above.

AK 11 - Bouncing Bullet!

BANG!

Senshi and Aoka: Huh?

A bullet made their way to Aoka and Senshi's spots but due to their quick reactions, they managed to dodge but just barely. If they had moved 1 cm a second later, their skulls wouldn't be intact.

Senshi: Whoa! So close!

Aoka: Argh!

Then suddenly, the bullet travels upward back towards them instantly after it hits the ground.

Senshi and Aoka: What the?

SSKKKIRR!

Rifl: Oh?..

Rifl is using geppou in the air as he oversees his two targets dealing with his attacks.

Rifl: Whooowee! Just a mere scratch. You two aren't roosters at night as I thought. More like a young horse!

Aoka has a scratch on her right hand and Senshi has a scratch on her forehead.

Aoka: Good Grief! I would have died if I hadn't used my gun to deflect that tricky bullet! I haven't even mastered that trick! I can't believe it destroyed my gun and broke it into pieces.....to the point the gun turned into a grenade........how scary.....wait........roosters at night? Horse?

A flashback of the bits of her destroyed gun torn part of her skin off.

Senshi: Great...now blood is flowing to my eyes!....did he just called me a horse?! You called me a cow, warthog, then a rooster! NOW A HORSE?!!!! Make up your mind already! And how the heck did you survive that onslaught! You should be filled of holes by now!

Aoka: Hmmm,... I see.....just like the punch and the elbow strike that he did earlier, he actually propelled himself up in the air while pretending to defend himself with the sand. He's not as stupid as his words as I thought.

Senshi: What an odd person he is.

Rifl: Now now....meerkats.... I'm actually pretty smart...The sky is my ranch now!  That's why it would be over soon! AK 27 - Cyclone Blast!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Rifl shoots 4 bullets at the ground resulting in two twisters forming at where the hexagon shape used to be. Then the two tornados fused together into a giant tornado. It engulfs it surroundings including the daggers and bullets that the duo shot earlier.

Aoka:.......That's not good. That's a powerful technique!

Senshi:  How do we BEAT this guy?!

Aoka: I think the better question is how do we SURVIVE? I guess I have no choice then.

Aoka takes out her Jet-Black Revolvers out.

Aoka: I didn't want to use the very gift you gave me, against you, Master....... Senshi!

Senshi: What?

Aoka: I hope you got a secret mode or technique that I don't know of yet. Because once I use mine, take advantage of his opening!

Senshi looked confused, then nodded. She began channeling all of her former fury, her anger, and her fear. She took herself back to the day she killed Mikayla. Her hair changed color so fast Aoka didn't have time to react. Large wings sprouted from her back and her entire body turned silver. Light began to cover Aoka and Rifl. Usually, the light weakened her enemies, for reasons not even Senshi can explain yet, but it didn't effect Rifl for another reason she can't explain. Aoka, however, found the faint pain she felt from the heat, and from any wounds she'd gained during the fighting, healing over and restoring her strength to capacity.

Senshi: Code Angelic.

Rifl: A firefly in the middle of the fight? Trying to be the sun of the east?

Aoka: What? This light healed me? Thanks!

Senshi: Let's rumble! Give me the signal when you're ready!

The enormous tornado created by Rifl grew larger and larger and will soon engulf Aoka and Senshi if they don't do anything soon.

Aoka: It's do or die time! I'll gamble my life on this last chance!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

3 Bullets left in each gun chamber.

Aoka crosses her arms and spins around while shoot curved bullets with air projectiles around her. Then she flicks her revolvers to twist the bullet's air projectiles to transform into air bullet whips in the same way her AK 22 -Air Bullet Slash is performed. The Air Bullet Slash whips interwined togethe'r into a powerful sphere of air pressure above her in the sky. Then she shoots 4 bullets towards the vortex. She shot 3 spinning bullets first that created a small tornado in the center and shot the 4th bullet into the middle of the 3 bullets which accelerated the whole set into a huge piercing air projectile. She shot a AK 26 - Air Bazooka in the air sphere she created earlier. She executing a combo technique of the Air Series in her Mugen AK Blast Arts.

1 Bullet left in each gun chamber.

Aoka: AK 28 - Vacuum Reversal!!!

The Air Bazooka thrusts the air sphere into the small cyclone that Rifl created before. The collision of the Aoka's attacks created a much more powerful spin in reverse that negated Rifl's attack. Soon it overpowers his spin and created a updraft of vacuum towards the sky. The attack will prevent the anyone in the specified area especially in the sky from moving for a few seconds.

Rifl: Oh sweet bottles of cow milk! You can perform that technique?! Better rope out of here!

BANG!

Rifl shoots in the opposite direction to accelerate himself out of the vacuum blast's range.

Aoka: Not so fast, Master! I can't let you escape from the vacuum!

Rifl: What? You're in the sky tango with me?!

Aoka had already used geppou into the air and had predicted where Rifl would go to get close to him with Haki. She aims her two jet-black revolvers at Rifl.

Rifl: Out of the way, Squirt! Your burning iron can't get me!

Rifl points his two revolvers at Aoka too.

Rifl: You can't win!

Aoka: AK 1: RIP SHOT! TWIN!

BANG! BANG!

No bullets left.

Rifl: The Mugen AK Blast Arts - The Beyond - Numerals? You're risking your life on that secret technique? You are a mule for thinking that will defeat me! Know your limits! I'll use the one above that!

Rifl crosses his arms and uncrosses them to shoot at Aoka.

Rifl: AK 2: HELL SCATTER!

BANG! BANG!

The Master and Student of the Mugen AK Blast Arts collided and an explosion occurs. The secret techniques was so powerful that normal ammuninition weapons would explode upon used but Rifl's and Aoka's revolvers are of high quality, they would only suffer recoils but might fly out of the user's hands if the person's grip is not strong enough. Unfortunately for Aoka, she lacks enough to strength to hold on to them.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!

After the explosion subsides, the two gun users remain.

Rifl: Well done, Aoka...but still too young to ride the black horse.

Aoka: GAaaawwrrrr........damn....

Aoka coughs up blood. She has a hole in her chest and its bleeding profusely.

Aoka: I'm not done yet! I still need to push you into the vacuum!

Rifl: Give up, Squirt! Your horseshoe won't hit the jackpot now! You ran out of coins to play! You have no guns left to beat me in a showdown!

Aoka turns around.

Aoka: I still have one left! AK 1: RIP SHOT!

BANG!

Aoka accelerates herself towards her master and inflicted a headbutt on Rifl's stomach.

Rifl: GAAAWWWRRRR! A FROG IN THE TIGER'S MOUTH?!

Aoka pushes herself and her master into the vacuum that still remains the in the area and soon were devoured by it. The updraft of air was so powerful that neither of them could move for a few seconds! Then the vacuum subsides allowing any thing else able to move within the area.

Aoka: NOW SENSHI! DO IT NOOOOWWWWWW!

Senshi: SHIFTING.....

She gathered energy in her hands while launching herself into the air and towards Rifl. A large ball of light was in her hands, an attack that Aoka recognized. Senshi grabbed Rifl with her legs, literally shoving the light down his throat. She then launches off of him, grabbing Aoka in the process.

Senshi:  BOMB!!!!!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A bright explosion in the sky. So majestic and yet deadly. A pretty display of power. If a person lays on the ground and looks up the vastless void, it's filled with eccentric flashes and dazzling energy. A mini-supernova, perhaps. When the massive fireworks of destruction ends,  3 shadows are seen falling from the sky and downwards to the beds of sand in the brutal desert of nightmares to the senses.

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

3 bodies found on the scorching sand dunes. 2 Female. 1 Male. Status: Unknown. They all have their eyes closed and remain motionless. The silence continues until.

Aoka coughs several times.

Aoka: That was the worst attack ever! Senshi! What kind of technique requires you to get caught in the explosion?!

Senshi doesn't answer. She hasn't moved and the radient light is fading from her. Her wings dissolve until they no longer exist. Senshi returns to her former state, bleeding out the corner of her mouth. That's when a strange voice radiates in Aoka's head.

Rei:  S-Senshi...

The green wolf totters through the dust, walking over to Senshi. He examines her gently, sniffing her.

Rei:  You got lucky Marine woman. Senshi took the brunt of the attack that was meant for you. She's never done a Shifting Bomb in code Angelic before. Not even I knew of its blast radius.

Aoka:........

Aoka looks up in the sky and tries to cover the sun in the eyes with her hand but...she can not. She can not move either of her hands for now. She performed 3 AK 1: Rip Shots. One usage per hand is considered the limit. It even takes a bigger burden on the non-dominant hand. In addition to the bullet wound she received from Rifl and the blast from Senshi's attack, she can not move from that spot for a while. Aoka spits out some blood near Rei in attempt to spit at him.

Aoka: Shut it, algae dog! I didn't ask her to protect me anyway!

Rei: Why you ingrateful b-

Aoka: What are you waiting for? Don't you have some other business to do besides barking at me? Like your crewmates?!

Suddenly, Rei perked up. He quickly picked up Senshi in his mouth, like a lion holding a cub. He then turned to Aoka.

Rei:  And you? What will you do?

Aoka: Nothing...I can't do anything with this worn-out body for now. And besides....

Aoka's eyes shifts over to the other body that is her enemy but once her master.

Aoka: I can't just leave my teacher in this hellish desert just like that.

Rei looks at Aoka, then at Rifl. He shifts between the two, then growls.

Rei:  Damn it all to the Soul Plain.

He tosses Senshi onto his back, positioning her so she doesn't fall. he then trots over to Rifl, grabbing his closest limb, his right arm, and bites down hard, dragging him through the sand. he then walks back over to Aoka, grabbed her arm as well in his teeth. Even in her beat up hands, she could still feel this steel starp teeth digging into her arm.

Rei:  I can't in good conscience leave you here either, and if you complain, I swear I will find a steep cliff and drop you.

Aoka: Go ahead. Better than smelling your dog breath and flea-infested fur coat. Besides, I won't die here, remember? I'm wearing equipment that allows me to survive in this place and my wound is not fatal.

Rei just growled at her, ignoring her and dragging the two marines out of the desert.

Aoka: While you are at it, help me find my weapons. They are black revolvers. You can probably sniff them out with your nose.

In another location within Sudden Spiral Melts, Laura and Ishi are struggling as they try to find their way out of the desert. Well, at least one of them. Laura is carrying Ishi on her back as the latter is delirious from the intense heat despite Laura's ability. She struggles to carry an unconsious Silver over her shoulders with Ihi dragging behind her.

Ishi:......Look at the pretty butterflies swimming in the pancake pond. They would melt well on my rock bread........Sandwich Forest!!!!!!

Laura: Snap of it, Ishi! For the last time, there is nothing but sand everywhere here!...........I want a sandwich too!

Ishi drooling on Laura back.

Ishi: But the red pixie dust is waiting for me and to be on my supply of cotton candy doughnuts in the sky!!!!

Laura: Where?!......Liar!...it's sand again!

Ishi: Hey Look! I see Rei and Senshi. They are having a tea party with a marine and the trenchcoat man from the Western Future!

Laura: Nice try! I'm not falling for that again, Ishi!

Ishi:  But look...... Looks like Trench coat man can't hold his tea.

Laura:  For the last time shut-

She looks again to see Rei. He's dragging two marines in his mouth with Senshi draped over his shoulder. Laura immediately starts runing for them.

Rei:  Laura...... Ishi..... Silver.... Thank goodness I found you.

Ishi:  Hello there green doggy... You look pretty...... Nice bracelet....

Rei looks at her and see the heat madness setting in.

Rei:  Marine woman.... Do you have any more of those strange pills? Our medic is going quite mad?

Laura:  yeah.... Even my ability has only staved off the melty skin part, she still has heat stroke.

Aoka: Of course. I have plenty just in case. Never underestimate nature!

Laura quickly rifles through Aoka's Pocket, fishing out one of the pills. She pops it into Ishi mouth and Ishi instantly stops hallucinating.

Ishi:  Fasinating. I must say, the Marines can come up with the strangest of medicines.

Laura:  Ummmmmm. Ishi........ Shouldn't we....... ummmmmm..... Get out of here?

Ishi:  Right. Rei, you're the one with the good nose. Let's find the others.

Rei:  Right..... And these two?

Ishi:  Bring them. Aoka's injured, and so is the guy. I'll treat them when we get back to the tide.

Aoka: The Tide, huh? You mean your ship? In that case, you better forget about it unless you want to die.

Ishi: Oh? What do you mean by that?

Aoka: If you have any common sense though I doubt it since you're pirates but I bet on my life that your ship is now seized by my subordinates. Remember fighting them on that fake fortress incident?

Ishi groans slightly, remembering the incident.

Laura:  That's okay.... We just go find the others.... They'll help us reclaim the ship.

Rei:  And when Senshi wakes up again, I'm sure she'll help.

Laura and Ishi suddenly stop talking for a second. They look at Rei, then at Senshi.

Ishi: You said..... wakes up.....again? You mean she woke up?

Rei:  yes. Ask these two (gently shakes Rifl's and Aoka's trapped arms). Both of them saw her.

Aoka: Yeah. Had to use my gun to wake her up two times. Then she gone crazier than the usual crazy so had to pound some sense into her. Then she did some kind of bomb attack on my Master.

Laura, Ishi, and Rei:  Shifting Bomb.

Ishi:  Explains why she's out cold. The bomb tends to sap her energy for a while. She'll wake up soon.

Laura:  Ummmmmm...... Does anybody else hear screaming?

Some heavy objects landed close to them and created huge clouds of sand in the air, obstructing their view on the current situation.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Ishi: What the? Are we being attacked?!

Laura: Great, The marines have found us again!

Rei: AhHH!!!!

Aoka: Great.....something crazy again....just great!

Ishi: Duck for cover!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Once the dust clouds cleared, they see red spikes where the dust clouds were from.

Laura: What the? What are these? New Marine Weapons? How brutal they are! And they call us the evil ones?!

Aoka:...hmmmm...I could have sworn I seen those before....

Ishi: You were planning to use them against us, were you?! You...you!

Aoka: Shut up puddle for brains, I would use two bullets for the likes of you trash! One bullet for the head and other for the chest!

Ishi:...Eeee! How scary! How does Senshi deal with you!

Aoka: We don't deal! We fight!

As if hearing an incoming fight approaching, Senshi groans, slowly sitting up on Rei's back.

Senshi:  ....... Ugh..... Did I hear cannon fire?

Ishi and Laura:  SENSHI!!!!

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!

The people instantly scramble to the side. Senshi is instantly coherent.

Senshi:  Well damn.... I woke up at the wrong time.

Ishi:  Those marines are attacking us with some sort of new weapon!

Senshi:  Care to elaborate Aoka?

Aoka: Oh, you're finally off your lazy ass?

Senshi: Cut off the wise marks and talk!

Aoka: Don't ask me. I don't recognize those as weapons that the Marines use....though....I could have sworn I seen them before...on this island.....

???: HELP US!!!! OH GOD, HANG IN THERE REX!!!

Wrapper: Suffer and perish the wrath of the mighty Marines! Gayahahahahaha! These spikes sure are handy! I wish I have a death ray bazooka as well!

Rei: Wait, this smell. It can't be! Blood?

Senshi:  Is that....... THAT'S MY CREW!!!

Sure enough, the entire remains of the crew, from Burakku to Atisuto, are running their direction.... Well, most of them are. Burakku and Victoria are dragging Rex, who'se bleeding profusely from......... everywhere.

Rex:............

Atisuto: Damn, at this rate, we will die!

Victoria: Then I rather fight than all of us die at once!

Burraku: Don't be stupid! You wouldn't give us time at all! Don't sacrifice yourself for nothing!

Victoria: Shut up! Rex is dying now! Just escape with him and GO!

Kapenta: Then don't add yourself to the casualties!

Sharpshooter: If only I'm at my full strength, Rex wouldn't be such a state now. How could we let this happen?!

Suna: He's getting clos...Ack!

Wrapper shows up in front of Suna. There is barely any air between them. Suna is within his range. The realm of instant death.

Burraku: SUNA! NOOOO!!!!

Wrapper is holding the last two red spikes in his arsenal and already threw one at Suna's face. Suna can't react to his movements.

Victoria: CRAP! CRAP!

Senshi surveys what's going on, and in one fluid motion, tosses a spike at the incoming spike coming toward's Suna's face. It shatters before striking, surprising everyone.

Wrapper: What in the name of the World Government was that?!

Senshi then screams out.

Senshi:  HEY SEAGULL HEAD!!!!!

Everyone suddenly freezes. The crew looks up to see Senshi triumphantly standing on Rei's back. T'e Devil Spawns, seeing their captain not only conscious, but standing tall, proud, and her usual I'm-gonna-kick-your-ass self, all began to cheer, including Suna who scrambles away from Wrapper.

Devil Spawns: SENSHI!!!!!!!!!!   

She grins, then calls out to Wrapper.

Senshi:  HEY YOU LOUSY EXCUSE FOR A MARINE!! WHY ATTACK ONE OF THE CREWMEMBERS WHEN YOU CAN TAKE THE CAPTAIN!!

Wrapper:........

Senshi:.....Well?

Wrapper:.....I'm...a Marine?

Senshi:.....You don't know?

Wrapper: Oh right! I am!

Senshi: What a way to ruin the tension, idiot!

Wrapper:.....And you're the captain?

Senshi: Yes...I'm the captain of the Devil Spawn Pirates! Roronoa Sen-

POW!!!!!!!!!!

Rei: Senshi! Why you bas-

Rei retaliates and tries to bite Wrapper but-

POWWWW!!!

Wrapper punched Senshi in the face while she was talking and hit Rei afterwards. Senshi moves back a few meters and landed with grace with her feet on the ground. She soon caught Rei swiftly and gently and places him on the ground. Senshi spits some blood as she shrugs off the attack.

Senshi: How rude of you! Next time, put some more spirit into it, will you?!

Rei: Damn.......He knocked the wind out of me.

Senshi: Sorry, buddy...you're going to have sit this one out.

Senshi thinking: Crap, I'm not back at full strength yet. That shifting bomb really does tired out my body this much! I can't believe I let him sucker punch me like this.

Wrapper: ....The captain is here?.......GOOOD!!! Everyone in attendance! Now.....I can kill the entire crew here! This is THE END!

Wrapper reinforces his body with Haki and grew even more muscular then before.

Aoka:....So this is Rear Admiral Wrapper.......this is going to be hard. Even I can't fight him without coming out unscathed.

Senshi: Aoka.... Just shut up... Please? Just shut up.

Aoka: No, you're the moron here. You fought against me and my Master and still want to fight? You know that's suicidal.

Senshi: I'm the moron?! So what?! You're telling me that I shouldn't fight him because he's too strong for me?! If I don't fight him, then death only awaits us! Rei! Laura! Burakku! Atisuto! Victoria! Sharpshooter! Suna! Vearth! Rex! Kapenta! I am their Captain! The Devil Spawn Pirates are my family! I will do anything to protect them! Even if I have give up my life for them! SO YES! I AM A MORON! AND PROUD TO BE ONE! SO DON'T YOU DARE MOCK ME! THEY ARE EVERYTHING TO ME!

Aoka: he...he...AHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!! Senshi.....you're haven't changed at all.....you idiot!

Senshi: What?! You still insult me! I shouldn't have shielded you from that explosion back then! You ungrateful bi-

Aoka: Did you listen to yourself? Great speech there but you forgot something.

Senshi: WHAT?!

Rei: For once, I actually agree with that bitch.

Rei stumbles over and using sheer willpower to get back up on his feet.

Senshi: Rei? Stand down! You can't fight him! Only I should-

Suna: No, Senshi...you're wrong.

Suna stands beside Senshi.

Senshi: What?

Others stood by Senshi as well.

Burraku: I will fight too.

Atisuto: And me!

Victoria: Can't let you have all the fun!

Senshi: Everyone? What are you guys doin-

Sharpshooter: We're a crew, aren't we?

Vearth: Can't let you do this alone, Captain.

Ishi: I gotta heal Rex but I'll help afterwards, even if all I do is keep you guys consious!

Senshi: But....

Rex: Sen...shi..........we....are .....family...

Suna: I may not strong as you but together, we're unstoppable!

Aoka got up slowly and stood beside Senshi as well.

Aoka: See? You can't do this byself. I may not be able to beat by myself but....a few friends might up the chances a bit. You may be willing to sacrifice your life for you friends but....don't forget to sacrifice your friends along with you.....You selfish moron!

Senshi:....Everyone........you guys......

Senshi tears up...a little .....

Senshi: A Marine telling me this....Am I still hallucinating?

Aoka: Shut it! I'll put you back in the slammer after this! I don't like to owe any stupid pirates anything so call this even...besides...I don't like this guy at all. He has a bad reputation according to hearsay.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Wrapper claps as he walks forward a little.

Wrapper: Oh, such a lovely and funny speech....it will go to waste.....and... a Marine siding by pirates. Do I taste a treason here?! If only I have a golden camera to take this moment into film. The moment where I have your head, Captain Aoka.

Aoka: I knew I'll fight you someday but didn't expect it to be now.....not in the best mood, you see.

Wrapper: And I see that your master is taking a nap there....how pathetic....inactive while on duty as a Marine...I should kill him as well.......too bad he would be snoozing while his student suffers! This is why I need a camera...to show him his stupidty!

Aoka: Then allow me to show you how stupid I really am!

Senshi: Very stupid!

Aoka: Shut it, Marimo Brain!

Burakku:  Ummmm Can we argue with the Marine woman later?

Suna:  yeah... We've got bigger fish to fry.

Victoria: So captain, give out the command!

The entire crew got in a fighting stance, save for Ishi, who was tending to Rex's wounds.

Senshi:  ATTACK!!!

Devil Spawn Pirates: All-Out ATTACK!

Wrapper: All of you are this brave to take one step forward? There's a big difference between courage and recklessness, you know?!

Wrapper takes out another golden towel and twists it into a haki hardened lance. Then he applies the red spike to the top, making a forminable poisonous piercing weapon.Wrapper then swings his spear towards the running pirates. The spear stretches out and was able to reach them.

Sharpshooter: Be careful! That red spike is actually poisonous! One touch of that and you might die!

Senshi:  You forget!! After Reiniku poisoned me with his poison, my body's built up immunity to almost all poison!!

Vearth:  STILL DODGE IT PLEASE!!

Suna: Hey! Not all of us are immune, you know!

Senshi nods, launching at Wrapper, kicking him under the jaw after ducking under the spear.

Wrapper:........that's all you got?

Wrapper inhales deeply and exhales a burst of air at the ground below them

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!

Dust clouds everywhere and nothing is visible but sand.

Senshi: ARGGH!!!! My kick didn't work?!

Rei: Shoot! Where did he go?

A black tangling lance wraps around rei and tangles him into submission.

Rei: UrgghhH!!! Son of a bitch!

He's being pulled towards the sky and then being slammed towards Ishi and Rex.

Ishi: What the? Shoot!

Victoria came out of nowhere and intercepts the blow.

BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!

Victoria and Rei are laying on the ground, damaged from the impact.

Victoria: That bas$@#d! Using such a dirty tactic like this! Does he have no pride?

Ishi: Are you guys okay?

Rei: Don't worry about it! Focus on healing Rex!

Ishi: Of course!

SORU!

Aoka appears behind Wrapper and kicks his right shin but his leg doesn't budge.

Aoka: Crap! His haki proficiency is much higher than mine! I can't break through it without my gun! Damn! My hands are too damaged to fire even a bullet!

Wrapper: Oh?! A mosquito bite?!

Wrapper spin his black lance and slams Aoka to the ground, leaving behind a large crater where she once stood.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!

Senshi stood, holding Aoka. She set the Marine down, then turned back to her.

Senshi:  You can't fight Aoka. It's too dangerous. When she's done with Rex, get Ishi to heal your hands.

Aoka: Damn it, fine then. Make sure you get at least one shot in!

Senshi:  Hey! Good idea. SHARPSHOOTER!! SNIPER MODE!!

Sharpshooter quickly jumps into the air turning into an assault Rifle. Senshi catches him, taking aim.

Senshi: Ok, target in sight...and....not in sight..got him!...nope...Damn it, this guy is too fast! Someone hold him down!

Laura: Um!...Okay! Leave it to me!

Burraku: Roger!

Burraku transforms into a full Gryffon and takes flight into the air.

Suna: Music is a great distraction for the soul! Even those with wicked hearts! Try this song of mine! You might get your eardrums shattered!

Burraku: I'll charged in after he succumbs to the song!

Suna sings a concentrated cannon of vibration towards Wrapper. It's a screeching song that would make any cringe from hearing it.

Wrapper: This song is not a hit at all!

Burraku: It didn't work?!

Wrapper thrusts his spear towards Suna, disrupting the vibrations in the air that was in his direction. Burraku had to change his plans to diving down to save his friend.

Suna: His rhythm is too high!!

Burraku: I can't make it in time! SUNA!!!!

Before it touches Suna, a fiery outburst of heat runs in and deters the lance's angle a bit to prevent the fatal blow on Suna. Instead, it left a mere scratch on her face.

Wrapper: Just that? How boring! This is why I need a TV!!!!

Burraku: Huh? Oh god no!

Burraku flies away to avoid the heat radiating from Laura.

Suna: Hot! The air?...it's hotter than usual?!...Oh oh! Run away!

The scene switches to Laura, her Sea Stone Bracelet lying on the ground. The air around her seems different somehow. No wonder! Hot air updrafts swirling around her. It's almost if her rage coordinates with her body and came into existance.

Laura: You made me mad! You dare to hurt my friends?! I have traveled to many place and I learned to deal the likes of you is to...BURN YOU!!!!!

The crew looks at on another, then instantly start running the other direction. Senshi throws Sharpshooter, who's stuck in Sniper mode for another 2 minutes, over her shoulder, then runs along with Aoka and Ishi who's carrying Rex.

Aoka:  WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU SO COWARDLY THAT YOU LEAVE THE ENEMY TO A WEAK LITTLE GIRL?!

Senshi:  Aoka. Trust me when I say this. Laura is NOT weak. If anything, she's stronger then you and me combined. Why do you think she wears a sea stone bracelet all the time?

Aoka: I could care less. You would think after all this time, I would have focused on her as well!

Senshi: Now's not the time to argue! Are your hands fine yet?

Aoka: My left hand is but as for my right hand, your doctor is still healing it.

Ishi: I have never seen a hand so fractured before!

Senshi: How much time do you think it will take?

Ishi: 1 more minute....no.....at least 1 and half minute.

Senshi: That bad? only 30 seconds to make use of this.

Aoka: Use of what?

Senshi: Aoka, surely you can use a sniper rifle?

Aoka: Of course but pistols is more of my thing.

Senshi: I'm asking you! Can you do it?

Aoka: ....Leave it to me!

Senshi: Sorry Sharpshooter but you'll be more useful in her hands. You better treat him well!

Aoka: He better be loaded!

Senshi: Besides, I more used to using my Devil Fruit abilities.

Aoka: You'll die if you depend on your Devil Fruit abilities too much against him. He's a specialist on hunting down Devil Fruit users. His golden cloth has traces of seastone in it.

Senshi: A hunter? Now why is he on this island? Shouldn't he be on missions instead?

Aoka: For a better game. He likes to catch his prey and execute them on the spot. The reason this island is so dangerous is not only because of the harsh conditions but b/c of him. It has been said he was the reason why the the sand in Sudden Spiral Melts is so red. It has been dyed by the sorrow and grudges of all of the prisoners personally killed by him. Then the ghosts who could not have passed on to the afterlife have been said to haunt those who come to that desert causing hallucinations. T

Senshi: ..............So....did I really meet......never mind......wait...you said his weapon has seastone in it?... LAURA!

Laura berserking on the field, spreading fire everywhere with no control at all. For each area hit by her flames of rage, they instantly turn into glass. Wrapper has dodged every single flare so far but it seems Laura is pushing him back.

Laura: AHAHAHAHH! BURN! YOU SHALL BECOMES ASHES WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU!

Wrapper: Hot! Hot! Temper you have there! If only you were there for the barbeque party I had before! So hard to get the grill going. I need a better one!

Senshi:  LAURA!!!! BURAKKU, VICTORIA GET HER OUT OF THERE!!

It was too late though. Laura concentrated all of her flames in her fist and rushes in for a powerful assault. She punches forward and unleashes a torrent of fire upon him. However, Wrapper have also rushed as well, already read her move ahead of time. He thrusts his Haki-reinforced spear into Laura's fist with all of his might. Laura screams in pain as her arm is completely incapcitated with a spear in it. What's even worse, the imbedded weapon has properties of seastone; a devil fruit user's main weakness! All of her flames are completely extinguished. She can no longer burn with passion.

Laura: AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! What the? My flames? Where did they go?

Wrapper takes out another cloth and quickly turns it into his signature deadly weapon; the black lance. Laura sits with both of their knees on the ground, trying to pull out the lance from ther arm but she's too weakened by the seastone to muster the strength to do so. She can't even move fast enough to avoid Wrapper's attack. She shutters as she saw what's in front of her. Death.

Wrapper: This is why I like to have devil fruit users as my prey. The look on their faces when they finally realized the very thing they depend on for survival, can no longer be used. Without it, you're good as dead! So allow me to prove it! DIE!

Laura:......No way....help.... me....

Wrapper rushes in and swings his lance towards Laura. He was going to behead her. At this distance, because the crew retreated earlier to avoid being caught in Laura's attacks, the tactic instead became their disadvantage as their comrade is about to die in front of them. And any more they try to make will be too late. Even though, they knew deep down, they knew that their efforts will be vain, they still desperately try to save her. Their minds are in complete disarray as the moment they have most feared has come at last.

Senshi thinking: DAMN IT! NOT AGAIN! THIS SITUATION! I'M....GOING TO LOSE ONE OF MY FRIENDS FOR REAL?!

Burraku: LAURA!! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Victoria: COME ON!

Suna: NO! STOP! YOU'LL KILL HER!

Vearth: STOOOOOPPPPP!!!!!

Laura sheds tears as she knew she was about to die. She turns around to look at her friends running forward to save her but....she knew the reality of the situation. That life is harsh and it is about to end for her......

Laura:.....Everyone....I'm sorry....take care!

Everyone screams their hearts out. DON'T SAY THAT! Time slows down. Laura's entire life flashes before her eyes. The good and bad memories up til now. As for her thoughts........My friends......I'm so glad that I met them........if only.....I can stay with them a little longer....just a bit longer

Laura then smiles and is ready to accept her fate.

BANG!

A shining ray of light makes it way towards Wrapper's lance and makes contact with the lance as it was about to sever Laura's head clean off. The two powerful forces from the light and the lance collide and time stood still as each side struggle to overcome the other. In the end, the lance was pushed back and Wrapper was forced to take a few steps back. The shining ray then bypasses him and quickly disappears in the sun's horizon.

Wrapper: Great! Now you got lazer cannon? I want one too! So unfair!

A light from the pirate's side shines. Several close ups of the sparkles reveals Aoka on the ground equipped with a specialized sniper rifle smirking.

Aoka: Bullseye! Taste another!

BANG!

Aoka pulls the trigger and the sniper rifles unleashes a blazing large caliber bullet that left behind a trail of light like a comet

Wrapper: ARRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! DON'T MESS AROUND WITH ME!

Wrapper roars as he throws his lance straight at the bullet. The lance pierces through the bullet, separating it into several pieces and curves down towards Laura. In a last effort, Rei had grabbed Laura by the same lance in her arm, throwing her literally over his shoulder and out of range

Laura:  GAH!!!

Rei then pulled hard again, this time, pulling the lance out. Laura screams again, but passes out, her healing factor already getting to work.

Senshi:  Good Dog.

Aoka: It's not over yet!

Ishi: Stop it, Aoka! Your hand hasn't completely healed yet! Your right hand can't take more of this!

Aoka: Then heal it after 1 minute! You're a doctor right?!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Wrapper deflects all of them and still remains where he was but only for a while. While his defenses have weaken a bit, the crew must take this opportinity to strike before Sharpshooter turns back to normal. Taking the opportunity, each crew member, save for Ishi, Rex, and Rei, gather all of their energy into a final attack. They each attack wrapper with their strongest attack. Senshi, though she's only made it to code Black, activates a Shifting Bomb. Burakku unleashes a Sonic Cry. Vearth creates a large sandstorm by manipulating the wind and sand. Victoria unleashed her Fang Fury, and everyone else all attacked Wrapper. They brought their trump card and bet their victory on this small window of opportinity!

Wrapper: Stupid bullets! What the?

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

All of the attacks combined into a sheer force of power and stuck Wrapper head on. An explosion occurs and all of that remains is a huge dust cloud of sand and smoke where Wrapper once stood. Sharpshooter turns back to normal and Aoka's hand is out commission.

Aoka: Son of a bitch!

Ishi: I'll heal it now!

Sharpshooter: I can see why you gave Senshi a hard time. You're such a great marksman but to that regard, why didn't you aim for his vitals instead of his weapon?

Aoka: Are you an idiot? If I have done that, his Kenbunushoku Haki would have kicked in the moment he senses danger upon his life and just dodged it barely. Then your friend would have died!

Sharpshooter: All right! Geez! I get it! Don't get angry at me!

Ishi: Anyway, thanks for saving Laura!

Aoka: Don't thank me just yet.

Ishi: ??

Aoka: If only Senshi and I are in out top condition, we might have taken out his arms.

Sharpshooter: ...Don't tell me....

Aoka: It's not over yet! HEAL FASTER!

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRR

Senshi: The bomb wasn't powerful enough?

The dust cloud and smoke instantly disspates as a shadowly figure reveals itself with its outcry of war and anger. Wrapper's body is soaked in blood and his clothes except for his pants are in tatters. He ripped them off and takes out another cloth and quickly turns it into his lance. He is now equipped with two lances.

Wrapper:....USELESS!!!! IT'S NOT OVER YET! TIME FOR ROUND TWO!

Senshi: Why won't you just go DOWN?!

Wrapper: You first!

Senshi grimances, but weakness is beginning to show. needing a trumpcard, she turns to Aoka.

Senshi:  Aoka.... Call me every single name you can think of. Get me mad.... No- furious.

Aoka reacts with Senshi's remark with confusion but then instantly understood her motive.

Aoka: I don't know what you're pulling here but there's no way in hell I will listen to a bitch like you.

Senshi: Bitch?

Aoka: You actually though throughout this whole time, I actually respect you, you pirate scum?

Senshi: That's it! More more..

Aoka: More? Don't you mean less? Whatever left of your beauty....what's the opposite of that?...oh right...UGLY!

Senshi: Ugly?!

Aoka: Forgot what it means? No matter, there are other words to describe you perfect! Flat-chest! Giant forehead! Hag! Tramp! Frankstein! Fat! Bulky! Trash! Monster! Moron! Numbskull! Cow! Monkey! Stupid!-

Senshi: *growls* Aoka.....

Aoka: Thick-headed! Ape! Giant Eyebrows! Useless piece of ***! You ***! DORK! NERD! YOU MOTHER****! YOU ****! *****! ******!

Senshi: Aoka.....

Aoka: Oh yeah! The worst insult I would give you would be your name! Senshi! That name will be known as the most detestable pirate even by pirates' standards! No one in their right mind will utter the word. SENSHI! SENSHI SENSHI! Anyone who meets her...no even look at your face will  experience 1000 deaths!

Senshi:....Don't....you....dare...

Aoka: Senshi! Senshi! Senshi!

Senshi: MOCK MY NAME!!!!

Wrapper:......What a funny name!

Senshi exploded into multicolors so fast it blinded almost everyone. She then whipped her head toward Wrapper, anger in her eye.

Senshi: Ready to join Mikayla?

Wrapper:.........that's my name? ......No it's not.....It's Wrapper!

Wrapper lunges forwards and thrusts his lance at Senshi's vital areas. Senshi takes a deep breath, and lets out a shout.

Senshi:  You idiot. Just give it A REST!!!!

Suddenly, a blanket of Haki washed over everyone. It struck Aoka, Wrapper, and even the crew. Aoka, who had battled Senshi before, had never before felt her Haki.It was stronger then anything she'd ever imagined. Wrapper halts his killing strokes as soon he felt the Senshi's haki. The intent to kill he had before quickly disappeared into nothing. His face has no expression, completely different from moments earlier when he was trying to kill her. He takes a few steps back and lets go of his lance. His lance drops to the ground, making the sand its standing place.

Wrapper:........

Senshi: What's wrong?! Have you realized how futile your efforts are if you have actually come up against me? Give up now and you may leave with your body and spirit intact!

Wrapper:......

Senshi: Well then....get out of my sight before I beat the ever-loving cr-

Wrapper:......aha...ahah...AHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Another wave of Haki engulfs the whole field, matching the intensity of Senshi's aura. This time, it's the opposing side, Read Admiral Wrapper! However, the haki emitted by him has a darker and unstable feeling.

Aoka: What the?

Wrapper: OYA! OYA! THIS IS PERFECT!!! It has been a while since I stumbled upon some prey as big as this! So driving a rat into a corner has finally reached to this conclusion! What a perfect ending to one of my successful hunts! It's time! FOR WAR GOD MODE!!!!

Wrapper picks up his lance from the ground while constructing another haki-equipped lance in his other hand. His muscles pumps up even more, blood vessels bludging, his glasses fell apart. What remains is his bloodlust filled eyes, boiling red.

Senshi: Let's finish this! Don't say I didn't warn you!

Wrapper: DIE!

The two destructive forces lunged towards each other and finally clashed. They exchange blows and in return, receive wounds. Bloods spill on the sand as if there was a blood fountain in the middle of the desert. Senshi gains cuts all over her body, minor and major. The same goes fro Wrapper including a couple of blows as well. They are evenly matched. However, despite how intense the fight is, the fight is slowing turning into Wrapper favor as he is more experienced with Haki and that his weapon, the Haki Hardening Lance, contains the weakness of devil fruit users, seastone!

Senshi thinking: Son of a bitch, this ba****d keeps weakening me each time he inflicts that annoying weapon on to me. It's throwing off my attack just a bit but those small timings are crucial to victory! I gotta end this battle quick! Time to use a different approach! This close combat is no good! Time for some range attacks!

Senshi takes a few steps back and turns her arms into cannons.

Senshi: TAKE THIS!

Senshi shoots all sorts of metal objects at Wrapper but oddly, something tugs her arms a bit and changes the angle of her aim. Thus, her ammunition went off course.

Senshi: WHAT?

Senshi notices a black cloth wrapped around her arms. The entire length of the cloth traces back to its owner, Wrapper!

Senshi: YOU!

Wrapper: Nice try! Cloths sure are multi-purpose tools, aren't they? USEFUL FOR KILLING!!!!

Senshi: DAMN! SEASTONE!!!

Senshi feels her strength sapping away quickly as the effect was like wearing seastone cuffs.Wrapper pulls on his cloth entwined around Senshi's arms and tosses her up in the air with his left hand.

Senshi: DAMN IT!

Wrapper repeatedly slams her on the ground again and again. Senshi coughs up blood each time. Finally, Wrapper tosses her in the air one last time, and holds the lance in his right hand.

Wrapper: It's been fun but the game has to end!

Wrapper pulls Senshi towards and he thrusts his lance towards her heart.

Senshi: DAMMMMNNNN IIIIITTTTTTTT!!!!

BANG!

A flash of light shows up of nowhere and makes close contact with Wrapper's forehead. He quickly reacts by twisting his body while making a side step to avoid a fatal shot to this head. The light makes it way to the sand dunes behind him and an explosion occurs. What remains of the sand dunes...well.....a giant scorching hole.

Wrapper: What?

BANG!

Something pierces his left hand, forcing him to let go of the cloth that restricted Senshi's movements and powers.

Wrapper: AHHHH!!!!

Senshi: Time for a getaway!

Senshi runs as fast as she could while untangling the constricting cloth from her arms. A shadowy figure in front of her shows up, with something smoking out of a barrel.

????: You idiot, have you forgotten, you're not alone! Senshi!

Senshi:...AOKA?!

Aoka: That was an insult, you F****...*****....SEA SCUM! ******!!!

Senshi: I was going to thank you but now you pissed me off, you bitch!

Aoka: Good! Save it for the enemy over there! Thanks to you, you weakened him to the point that I managed to put a hole in his hand and almost gave him a headshot!

Senshi: So your hands are healed then?

Aoka: No duh, you ***** for brains! ****!

Senshi: NOW YOU'RE TAKING IT TOO FAR!

Wrapper: HEY, YOU **** FOR BRAINS! ****!

Aoka: Right on cue!

Senshi:  Hey Sharpshooter!! Shoot this bastard...

Sharpshooter: ROGER!

BANG BANG BANG!!

Wrapper deflects all of his bullets with ease.

Wrapper: What are those, mosquitoes?

Sharpshooter: Still got some fight in you huh? I guess I should get closer.

Aoka: No, if you get too close, you'll be in his range. Senshi, I'll back you up. Just smash his face, will ya?!

Senshi:  I wouldn't have it any other way.

She gets in her kick butt stance, ready to fight. As she does, a flash of white goes flying towards her. She catches it, seeing that it's her sword, that had been on Silver's back this entire time. Suna had grabbed it and tossed it to her. Senshi grins, drawing the blade.

Senshi:  Finally.

Aoka: Your sword? Why didn't you use it earlier?

Senshi:  Didn't even think that my crew had it. Besides-

Senshi takes up her Ittoryu stance.

Senshi: -Better late than never.

Aoka: So you prefer to die sooner because of sheer stupidity? You're lucky I was here!

Senshi: Now you can stop with the insults. I'm already at my boiling point.

Aoka: Oh no, I was serious with some of them.

Senshi: I hate you so much.

Wrapper: I HATE YOU ALL!!!! GIVE ME YOUR DEAD BODIES!

Wrapper swings both of his lances in a complex and vibrant pattern, stretching as its fightning capabilities gets deadlier with drastically increased range. Anyone caught within his territory will likely suffer from heavy wounds.

Aoka: Shoot, he's getting serious!

Senshi:  Aoka, we need to finish this Now! I can feel myself getting weaker!! What should I do?

Aoka: Simple....another final assault! We weaken him before and we can do it again. But this time, you have your sword and I have my hands in top condition. Let's bring him down! Let's go!

Senshi smiles, then brings back her ultimate Sword Fighting technique. They both rush in towards Wrapper.

Wrapper: CENTURY HYDRA DON!

Wrapper swings his lance whip fiercely at the powerhouse duo. To the normal eye, his whips have multipled so much, it resembles a 100 headed black serpent.

Senshi:  Ittoryu.......

She readies her sword, then prepares to swing.

Senshi: Hyousuto! (Panther Strike)

Senshi unleashes a powerful diagonal slash. A strong air pressure is felt in the atmosphere as something disturbs the natural air flow for a short period of time. A shockwave from her sword forces the air caught in her swing to submit to her motions and move along aside her blade. Body, Mind, Soul. Combined with a sword, all four can be  polished to a finer state. When such skills reached to certain point, a powerful reaction occurs. A swordman's might! The heavens shall crumble by this force! 'Her blade roars with her strong will!

ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRR

Senshi's technique forces all of Wrappers' attacks to land to his right side, effectively changing his targeted area.

Wrapper: WHAT?

Aoka: Perfect!

Aoka rushes into and spins the bullet chambers of her black revolvers.

Aoka: AK 42/43 - Tenka! Hiraishin!

Aoka shoots electric-charged bullets at Wrapper.

Wrapper: This again? It's not going to work!

Wrapper quickly pulls back his lance whips, stretching back to their normal size in order to deflect them.

Wrapper: That was pointless! You're wasting bullets on a stupid stunt like that!

Aoka: It wasn't pointless!

Aoka grins. Senshi appears behind Wrapper all of sudden.

Senshi: Thanks, Aoka.

Wrapper quickly turns around and was surprised by the close in distance between in this short of time.

Wrapper: What the?

She gathers her energy in the palm of her left hand, creating her second shifting Bomb.

Senshi: Shifting BOMB!!!

Wrapper: This again?

Wrapper lets go of his right lance and grabs hold of senshi's shifting bomb and locks into her right hand's finger with his.

Senshi: Impossible! Your level of Busoshoku haki is this high?

Senshi is flabbergasted by how Wrapper is unflinched upon touching her most dangerous attack. Even she has to be a safe distance from it when it detonates.

Senshi: GET AWAY FROM ME!

Senshi swings her sword down Wrapper but he blocked it easily. They engage in an intense mid-range weapon parry.

Senshi: This guy is good. Time is running out! Should I detonate it now? I'm not sure if he will still be standing after this. Same goes for me? What should I do?

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Aoka: AK 47 - Twin Relámpago Asalto! DIE, BUSTER!

Aoka fire lightning shaped bullets from both of her revolvers.

Wrapper: Shooting me from behind? Won't work! I can easily dodge that!

Wrapper predicts the bullet trajectories with Haki and moves his body slighly to avoid them while confront Senshi at the same time.

Wrapper: HA! My name isn't Bus...GWAGEGGAGAEAHHAHAAHHAAH!!!!

Wrapper gets struck by lightning and becomes eletrocuted. After the sparks left his body, black smoke steam from his body.

Wrapper: How? I dodged your attack! My haki is stronger than your! This ....is a trick?

Aoka: I knew that! So I had to improvise! I shot some electric bullets at you before, remember? That's why!

Wrapper: I see.....so you turned my lance into a lightning rod? Should have known since you use the Mugen AK Blast Arts!.....

Senshi: Forget about me?

Wrapper: !!!

Senshi: SHIFTING BOMB!

Senshi throws her powerful bomb at Wrapper from safe distance.

Wrapper: =I will not be defeated by scumbags like you!!! I am the apex predator!

Despite being caught off guard, he mustered up all of his strength break out of his' state paralysis  to counterattack Senshis strike. He quickly maneuvered himself towards Senshi and smashes his lance reinforced with haki into her bomb in an effort to hit back to Senshi. If his strategy works, the creator of the explosive will ironically die instead

Senshi: Bas**d. You still can fight back? I won't lose to you!

Senshi swings her sword back at her bomb, colliding with Wrapper's lance with the energy bomb. Sparks fly as both sides are struggling to get the upperhand over the another. But Senshi's power declines as time passes by, in a battle with long duration, she will be at a disvantage.

Senshi thinking: So close! Power fading....damn it, is this how far I can go?

Aoka: I'm still here!

Senshi: Aoka?

Aoka shows up behind Senshi and' makes a cross-arm pose as she gambles everything on this last opportinity to defeat their powerful enemy.

Aoka thinking: I have to use AK 2: Hell Scatter. I haven't completely master it yet but, anything less than that will be a waste! This has to be work! Master! Guide me!

BANG! BANG!

Aoka uncrosses her arms and shots two bullets in synchronization. They flies out of her bullet chamber at a unbelievably high speed and momentum, they fused together into one and radiated a massive amount of energy similar to how nuclear fusion work.

Aoka: AK 2: Hell Scatter!

The new massive bullet fired itself into the Shifting Bomb, fusing with the energy. The bomb became crimson red and emits even more power and energy than ever before. The new addition of power pushes Wrapper back and gives Senshi an edge in the battle of power. Because of how powerful the attack is, just like before using AK 1: Rip Shot, her black revolver was supposed to fly out of her attack upon the trigger due to recoil but this time it didn't. She grew stronger but her hands are still numb like before.

Senshi: Nice!

Aoka: GO FOR IT!

Senshi: GAWAAARAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!

Wrapper: Impressive but still, I have one last trick!

Aoka and Senshi: !!!

Wrapper: Life Return: Ascended Hulk!

Wrapper bulks up all of his muscles to impossible amounts. He doesn't look human anymore, more like small giant.

Wrapper: This may reduce my lifepan a lot but I prefer death than letting you live!

Wrapper pushes Senshi back to the point that the bomb is to her face.

Senshi: No! NO!

Aoka: Senshi!

Aoka: I have to do something fast! I have to shoot once more! Hands! Please, move once more!

Aoka's hands could barely move but her sheer willpower overcomes her body limits and allows her to pull the trigger once more.

Aoka: MOVE!!!!

BANG!

A bullet flies into Senshi's bomb, growing into 2, no, 4 times its size.

Wrapper: Huh? It won't budge!

Senshi: That's what I'm talking about! SHIFTING-

Aoka:  HELL BOMBARDMENT!

Wrapper: AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Senshi smashes the bomb along with Wrapper with all of her remaining strength, blasting him into a far distance and then finally, it explodes.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!

Senshi detonated the bomb, blowing up Wrapper. In the process, she goes flying, crash landing right into Aoka's lap, literally.

Aoka: Good Job.

Senshi: I'm out of power!....is it over?

Aoka: Yeah.....It's over....Finally, it's over.

The smoke clears and all is left is the body of Wrapper....whatever left of him.

Senshi: Hahahaha....hahaha

Aoka: Hahahahahah, what a stubborn bas***d.

Senshi: So you caught me, what now? Back to prison?

Aoka: Ha,.......nah....I don't even have the strength to handcuff you.

Senshi:  Good..... I don't have the strength...... to......

*thump*

Senshi slumped in Aoka's arms, passing out. As she did, one by one, her crew collapsed, similar to how the Strawhats collapsed after the Battle of Alubarna. Soon, the only ones consious were Rei and Aoka.

Cold Steel Talk

Rei: Well....... This is new...... 

Aoka:.......I have finally have her yet I can't do it.....

Rei: You may not but what about the rest of the Marines? We're still on the run, you know?! I recall they have our ship secured at the coast of this desert island.

Aoka: Well, sucks to be you.

Aoka gets up, pushing Senshi off her lap.

Aoka: But knowing you guys, you all will be pull through.

Rei: You changed from the 1st time we met you. I don't sense a bit of hatred from you anymore.

Aoka: If my finger could even twitch on the trigger just this one time, I would have proved you wrong.

Rei: Stubborn as usual, I see.

Aoka:..........

Aoka looks away at a certain spot nearby. There's nothing there but that is precisely why it caught her attention. The lack of presence felt strange to her.

Aoka: I don't completely understand myself. Why I warm up to those pirates who I once sworn to be my everlasting enemies. I have fought them for a long time but you.....I don't get it. Why did you help me? Why did you hold back back then?!

Aoka glances at a different direction.

Aoka: Come out! I'm know you're up and alive!

Rei: Huh?

A familiar figure comes out of hiding from the numerous sand dunes.

Aoka: MASTER!

Rifl: Bullseye on my actions, there squirt!

Rei: What? Not now! You awake now of all times? I won't let you kill Senshi and Aoka!

Aoka: Give it up, Rei. If he wanted to, we would have been in hell already.

Rifl: Could have sworn this dang place is hell. It's boiling sunnyside up burning!

Aoka: You! Why?! I thought you were unconcious back then?! I thought it was odd that the last bullet that went into the bomb wasn't mine! The kind of bullet is from a rifle, not a revolver! Which you have!

Rifl: Squirt....as long you believe the gun in your heart, you would done in the same target anyway!

Aoka:.......Sure....I'll go with that......You didn't answer my last question!!!

Rifl: Oh that! You know, lazy cow time! Gotta rest those legs of mine....Can't keep shooting bullets all day! The guns need to cool their steam!

Aoka: How long were you sleeping? Did you even sleep? Did we even managed to give you a single injury?

Rifl: Hey there, squirt, Take a dive in the water hole and cool your jets down. I do admit that whole dynamite in the feeding hole is a bit much! What a blast of my mind! Good thing I have an iron-casted stomach! Thank the sun that all of those poison that I drank over the sunrise and sunsets that my heart is still kicking!

Aoka: So......no damage at all?

Rifl: Give yourself some candy! You did some hurting on my poor soul that time! But seriously, I was taking a nap after that whole crazy explosion in my guts.

Aoka: I thought you were in a coma.

Rifl: Nope. My body is still trigger happy.

Aoka: Tell me! Why did you go easy on us before! That whole time, you never once used your rifle, your speciality! In fact, now I think about it, you could have killed us the first time you attack us. Instead of pushing us, you could have shot us point-blank! What are your intentions?! Don't take me as a fool, master!

Rifl:........

Rifl takes out a cigar and lights it up. He inhales and exhales as he looks up to the sun seated in the sky.

Rifl: To see the truth for myself.

Aoka: ?

Rifl: Squirt. I already knew ever since that pirate saved your sister, your entire character gotten brighter like a mole's nose to buttered bread. A mere pirate managed to wipe off the rusty nail in your heart. But I still have doubts about many things.

Aoka: Doubts of our relationship? Or in me? Do you not believe in me?

Rifl: Don't get out of the train track of my thoughts. Doubt is actually good to fire at others. I always believed in you and want to continue to fire your mouth off. I worry about you....Ever since you came to the Marines under me. I'm glad you stayed with me and blasting guns all out of this era together but your mastery is incomplete. Even if your skills have no scratches or not cracks in it, the cold felt of the gun's steel match you, missy. But since you met the Greenfoot, I went bonkers like a snake with feet. Where do you point your bullets next? Will your own weapon blow up on your instead? I just didn't want you to make the same mistake as I did before. I too went drinking with a sea varmit and misfire on life. That is why I became an instructor instead of a vice-admiral.

Aoka: Master.....I had no clue....

Rifl: Whose side were you on? Marines or Pirates? I wanted to test your resolve as a Marine...no, as a squirt. I wanted to see what you see on the wanter posted of your life. I saw the scope that you're a grown-up squirt now. No more strangling by your rope of conflicting monkeys.

Aoka: Thanks....I think.

Rei: Wish you helped us sooner if you went this far.

Rifl: .......Wildmeat! I need some grub for the road!

Rifl points his rifle at Rei.

Rei: I'm not food!

He struggles, to his feet, but his legs are shaking.

Rei: Crap...

He two, then joins the rest of the Devil Spawns in the land of unconsiousness.

Rifl:....Wow Wee! I managed to shoot him down by just pointing my partner at his general key direction!

Aoka: No, you didn't!

Rifl: Well now, I gotta grapple myself at other towns. Before my memory drops off, here's a message from Neo Armstrong.

Aoka: Vice Admiral Armstrong?...You mean.

Rifl: That's right. He said he found the culpit behind the attack on your hometown back then. The big boss of the whole slave trade at that time.

Aoka: So....I can finally serve justice who did this to my sister.

Rifl: But gotta give a small nibble, squirt! I read the report. It's dirty business. Get too deep in the mudhole and you won't come out clean like you now.

Aoka: You already know my answer to that.

Rifl puts out his cigar and throws it at Aoka. Aoka catches it.

Aoka: I don't smoke. It's a disgusting habit.

Rifl: Don't be like that! Give it a try! But there lies the pinpoint of who you are looking for.

Aoka: A message inside this cigar? You smoked the message? How could you?!

Rifl: Don't get ice down your spine! I only burn the bottom half!

Aoka: Did you do that on purpose. Is there something you don't want me to know?

Rifl: Only that musclehead's huge signature!

Aoka: Don't go around destroy important info! I would have went to Armstrong directly even if you destoryed the whole thing!

Rifl: Sigh. So that's the bullseye. I won't stop you from shooting that far in the horizon. Don't say I didn't make you dance a little before entering the hoe down as the bad side of the barn.

Aoka:....I think I get the point already.

Rifl: Well, gotta blast off to the west to my lovely wife. Take care, squirt!

Rifl poins his rifle to the ground and disappears into the sky.

Aoka: Crazy as usual.....wait a minute...isn't his home in the other direction?.........Must be scared of her again.

Aoka unwraps the cigar to read what lies within.

Aoka: Eww! his saliva!....................I see.........

Aoka puts the note in her pocket and walks towards Senshi.

Aoka: Senshi, such a shame we had to meet like this. We didn't really get to fight each other. Well, I have an upcoming misson to do. Can't mess around with you for a while. Take care.

Aoka walks away and soon disappears from sight.

Later...

One by one, the Devil Spawns slowly regained consiousness. Ishi was the first, who started tending to the wounds of the crew.

Ishi:  So.. We're alive..... We survived...

Rex:  And we didn't get arrested.

Suna:  All of us are here.

Laura:  Aoka let us go?

Atisuto:  Looks like.

Kapenta: She's really making a habit of this, isn't she?

Burraku: Wait! Maybe this is a trap! Once we wake up, she snipe us and BANG! Headshot!

Vearth:.......Going back to sleep! Zzzzzz.

Rei: Nah. She wouldn't do that.

Senshi:...Nope....She won't...otherwise, we would be cuffed by now...but nothing...see?

Senshi shakes her hands up, indicating there's nothing even restraining them.

Sharpshooter: So what are we going to do now, Senshi?

Senshi: The same thing we always do.....cause another uproar in the world!

Victoria: About that, we need to get back our ship.

The crew nodded. All of them stood up, each and everyone of them nearly mummified in bandages. They hoped not to have to fight, but were willing to if it came down to it. As they trudged out of the desert and towards the dock, they saw an unbelievable scene. Bodies of marines everywhere. Lifeless. The dock reeks of blood. Marine ships torns into pieces onto the shore. The only thing that is left intact was their ship, Shifting Tide.

Vearth: What the? What happened?

Rex: Are they all dead?

Ishi: The horror!

Sharpshooter:..........

Suna: GASP!

Rei: I haven't smell so much blood in my life.

Laura: AHHHHHHH!!!!!

Burraku: Strange...our ship is in fine condition..

Atisuto: Isn't that good thing?

Victoria: But the question is why?

Senshi:...and who? Is the one who did this an enemy of the Marines? Or....an enemy of ours as well?

????: Oh, you have come. About time you came. I was just finishing business here.

Devil Spawn Pirates: ?!

They turned their heads at the general direction of where the mysterious voice comes from. The crew see a darkhooded man standing at the top of their ship's figurehead.  He's holding something in his hand. No, not an object, a person. A human who is near death, covered with blood, slipping in and out of conciousness. It's Commander Reie!

Reie: Gasp! You ba****d! You won't get away from this! Justice will pre...

Reie coughs out blood. The dark-hooded man tightens his grip onto the Marine, causing him to finally pass out.

????: Weaklings have no right to talk about justice if they can't even back it up!

Senshi: Let go of him right now! He's in no condition to fight back! Any more actions are unnecessary and dishonorable!

Senshi thinking: This guy, how did he possibily beat that marine into such a state? I could have sworn that he has the ability to transfer any damage he receives to others.

????:.......you amuse me, pirate......You feel pity for your enemy?

Senshi:  I've seen enough bloodshed already! Now release him right this second!!

Rei:  Child.... What are you doing?

Senshi:  I'll tell you when I figure it out myself.

????: Hold it. Did you not hear what I said before? Weaklings have no right to talk about justice if they can't even back it up!

Red eyes glow from the depths of his hood as a burst of aura erupts within the coast. Haoshoku Haki! All of the Devil Sprawn Pirate felt his unbreakable will. On any normal day, every single one of them would have been able to withstand it, but with the battles, the stress, and the numerous injuries sustained, Everyone ended up blanking out, except for Senshi.

Senshi: Haoshoku Haki? I don't believe it. One of the chosen ones? Not good. At this rate...

????: Now I got your complete attention. I'm not here to fight but if you choose make this location your grave, I would be happy to be obliged.

Senshi:..........Who are you? Enemy or friend? I'm thankful that you saved us the trouble of securing our ship but did you have go this far?

????: Oh, you're acutally a competant captain. I shall take upon your request to release this pitiful creature. I had enough of his weakness.

The assailant lets go of Commander Reie and takes a few step forward.

????: Pirates and Marines. Whoever one sides on does not matter. Only the strongest and abnormalities interest me. And you are the latter.

Senshi: Oh? I'm not sure to take that as a compliment. May I ask you why?

????: It's elementary. A mere marine teaming up with a scourge of the seas to save each other? It's illogical.

Senshi: So what? I don't care what you think about me!

????: That is not surprising considering your current occupation.

Senshi:..... wait a minute. You have been watching us the whole time?

????: To be more accurate, I was commiting surveillance on Mizumau Aoka. You were just a bonus. But now regarding to the current situation, both of you has intriqued me.

Senshi: What do you want with us? Our lives? Are we a threat to you?

????: The end of your lifespans comes much later. It's too soon for you to expire now.

Senshi:  heh..... I've got several enemies who'd disagree with you. But let's cut the crap. Who are you?

????: If you ask such a question, best for you to introduce yourself first.

Senshi: YOU ALREADY KNOW WHO I AM!

????: Enlightened me.

Senshi:........fine....I'm Roronoa Senshi, Captain of the Devil Sprawn Pirates. Now it's your turn.

????: Tell me, have you seen someone die in front of you?

Senshi:.....Yes. So what?

????: No, I mean, has someone close to you. Like someone in your crew or family died in front of you?

Senshi: What are you-

????: Because if you haven't, then it can happen now.

Senshi: YOU! DON'T YOU DARE-

????: Mizumau Aoka has a sister, doesn't she?

Senshi: Huh? What? Quit messing with me! Get to the point!

????: What's worse? The big sibling dying first? Or the little one? Which one will bring more.....

The dark-hooded man makes a slurping sound.

????: Excitement?

Senshi:  Alright.... I am oficially not amused.

She soru's onto the deck until she is almost face to face with the cloaked figure.

Senshi:  Now.... I'm gonna ask you nicely one....more... time.

She grabs the cloaked figure by the front of his shirt.

Senshi:  WHO THE F*** ARE YOU?!

????:......if you really want to know....

Senshi:.Spit it out!

????: I am.....your father!

Senshi: OK! THAT'S IT!

Senshi turns her arm into a giant blade and slashes at him. But after she did, only the two pieces of cloak was left behind.

Senshi: What the? He disappeared? I was certain I grabbed him. It's like he was a ghost.

A voice comes from creepily close to her right ear.

????: I am a ghost.

Senshi: ?!

Senshi slashes behind only to see the dark-cloaked figure skillfully perform a ridiciously amounts of backflips back to the shore.

Senshi: You had another cloak? An afterimage? Devil Fruit?

????: You can't win.  If you try to strike me down, I shall strike you down with a vengence than you can possbily imagine! Like the heads of your friends!

The dark hooded man is touching the skin of Ishi's neck with his right index finger.

????: Are you familiar with the technique, shigan?

Senshi: Ishi! GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU BAS-

Senshi was about to soru until she senses weakness in her legs.

Senshi: Ugh! Why now?!

????: How convenient. If you had taken one more step, your doctor would have a hole in her neck. Consider yourself blessed with fortune.

Senshi: Pffft! Me lucky? If that's true, then I wouldn't have met you in the 1st place! Quit playing games with me! TELL ME, DAMN IT!

????: ...AHAHAHAHAHHAHA, your face....Very well then, I had my fun. It was worth seeing your face. As a reward, I shall tell you my name.

The dark-cloaked disappears from shore and appears behind Senshi in an instant.

Senshi thinking: So fast! This has to be a devil fruit ability! He made no signs of initial feet movements before coming here.

Newgate: They call me...

The man takes off his cloak and reveals his true appearance. He's completely in blood. His clothes, his skin. There is not a single spot where anything other than the color red shows up. He is surely person who loves to kill.

????: Marshall X. Newgate.

Senshi's eyes widen in fear. She'd heard that name multiple times throughout her adventures. He was a man known for slaughtering his enemies in the bloodiest way possible. Anyone who he crosses paths with, anyone he chooses as his target, their fate is sealed.

Senshi:  You........

Newgate: Do you know how often I have to dye my clothes in red? To be frank, I lost count. But all I know is that I never remember the time I never worn red.

Senshi: Marshall X. Newgate.....I know you......I never thought I would meet you....no......I can't believe that I would managed to see you.

Newgate: What a joy but this meeting is up. I have to meet a certain someone. A marine.

Senshi: You're after Aoka aren't you? She's your next target.... And with her..... Shiroka......

Newgate: Give me some credit....She's not the only one. You as well....Guddo Rakku. Nova Blade. Silver. and many more are waiting for me.

Senshi: What the? Those pirates as well? What are you planning?

Suddenly, the last two names registered.

Senshi:  Nova...... Silver..... YOU'RE GOING AFTER THE SKYLINES!!!!

Newgate: Oh? Those caught your name? Why the shock? I'm an enemy of many people! Most do not know that I'm got my eye on them like your Marine friend!

Senshi: But why? Have they done something to you? Is this out of revenge?

Newgate: ......perhaps....yes...no.....Even if they haven't done a single thing to me, my plan will suceed! I shall become the savior of mankind! You haven't caught my eye back then because you were not a threat to me! But now you are! You will die among them! DIE! DIE! DIE! GOODBYE!

Marshall X. Newgate jumps in the sky and hops in the air in a certain direction. Senshi watches as he goes flying, wanting nothing more than to go after him. She knows she is too weak at the moment, and decides to let him go, hoping to see him again when she is stronger.

Senshi: I hope you're not looking for a fight today, I'm afraid I wouldn't be entertaining.....But, Aoka, she's not much more fun than me now. So why he wants to meet her at this time?......son of a bitch! There's blood everywhere on the ship's deck!

Newgate thinking: I wanted to kill you today but it has to be all of you at once! Now to meet someone.

1 hour later in the middle of the ocean. Aoka is on her own personal marine ship. Her fellow marines stand by as they all await someone. Someone they have been expecting.

Aoka: So....this is where I'm supposed meet that guy.

Marine: Captain Aoka! We sighted a Marine battleship!

Aoka: So....this is it!

The Marine battleship drops it anchor and then a bridge falls onto Aoka's ship. A marine of tall stature with his 2 fellow marines beside him walks onwards to her. Aoka and her fellow marines gave the Marine salute as they greet his entrance to their humble ship.

????: Attention! Captain Aoka! It's been an honor.

Aoka: No, the honor is all mine. After all, I can't help but feel great pleasure to meet one of the legendary Marines in the New World, The Vice Admiral, Neo Armstrong, known as the Armstrong Cannon!

Armstrong: Ahaahaha! Oh this glorious talk about moi is undeserved! I am a mere man who believes in justice and serving with his bare fists! It is not a feat to brag about! I believe this is the first time I met you, Captain Aoka! As expected as one of the top graduates from Rifl E. Gravebarrel. I can see how worthy of your rank by just taking a look upon you! Magificant! If only I can meet your master again, I would sure like to have another round with him!

Aoka: Thank you for the kind words, sir but not to be rude to you since this is our first time appearing to another. But.... I would like to get the point of why we are here today.

Armstrong: I see....how sad. I had hope we didn't get the sad part so soon. It can not be helped as justice waits for no one. How shall we start off this debate?

Aoka: The letter that you gave to my master....it said to meet you here at this time.

Armstrong: Oh, I am surprised that it managed to get to you! Gunsy always have a bad habit of smoking messages! Even more, you decided to come!

Aoka: I seem to unfortunately learned that recently....So...please tell me.....who exactly is Marshall X. Newgate?

Armstrong: As I said in the letter, he was responsible for the pirate raid upon your home village, aka, the Black Deck Incident. Not to mislead you but he was not the one who leading the attack. He simply pointed them in that direction.

Aoka: What do you mean?

Armstrong: He's like a info dealer. A source of particular dangerous information such as the times where the villages and Marine are their lowest. Which spots and materials hold the most monetary value. In short, like Joker, he is a boss of the underground world. We call him, "Dealer" as he controls a large portion of the criminal world. A power rivaling the Yonkou.

Aoka: A pirate with that influence? From the past reports, I thought he's just a blood thirsty murderder who also goes as,"Redbeard."

Armstrong: He does but his actions in the public are to enforce his power over his organization. As a warning to those who would dare to oppose him. Those who do will die and have their blood soaked onto him.

Aoka: I still don't get it. Why does he is involved with the Black Deck Incident?

Armstrong: Simple, he wanted to create people like you.

Aoka: Like me? What do you mean by that.

Armstrong: Think about it. Peace comes after war. Why is that so?

Aoka: Because people fought to end the war?

Armstrong: Exactly. But only people who are strong to end wars can make peace happen. Thus, he was trying to create a new generation of people stronger than the last.

Aoka: What? That is the most absurb logic I ever heard of!

Armstrong: We are dealing with a pirate after all. That kind of logic is what makes a pirate the scrouge of the seas.

Aoka: But!

Armstrong: Regardless, it seems like this raid among other attacks is part of a plan so big, that the whole world is in danger. That is why we must prepare for it.

Aoka: The whole world? What is he planning? What is he trying to do?

Armstrong: I do not know. We managed to catch one of his high-ranked comrades and interrogated him. All we could find out is that what I just told you and that it is called.....Operation Rainfall.

Aoka:.....Rainfall?

Armstrong: And another thing, I recieved a report that your fellow commanders Reie, Giniro, and Oranji have fallen to the Devil Sprawn Pirates at Kikende Island.

Aoka: I see. It's unfortunate but those fools have lowered their guard around them. I expect them to train harder after I see them. I suppose the pirates have gotten away?

Armstrong: Yes, they did but the pirares are more dangerous than we thought. It seems like the commanders beaten to near death and their men have died. A complete bloodbath. There were only 3 suriviors.

Aoka:....What?.....Their men are killed? Impossible. It is uncharacteristic for the Devil Sprawn Pirates to go that far in violence.

Armstrong: I have told you before. Pirates are pirates. They are too wild to predict. This act of violence is consistent with the latest report of the death of Roronoa Mikayla. Now it is official that the Marines must take them seriously now. They must be killed upon sight.

Aoka thinking: Roronoa Senshi?.....Impossible.....

Armstrong: Furthermore, there were reports that you were sighted with their captain, Roronoa Senshi at the island, fighting together to defeat two of our Marines.

Aoka: What? What do you mean? Such lies! Who did you recieve it from?

Armstrong: Do not decry the validity of the reports made by your fellow marines. This report was made by one of my trusted men!  It was my intention to simply give your the information I seek. I have at least given you that much but.....it is sad that I have capture you to fulfill my task for justice. Captain Aoka, I, Vice Admiral Neo Armstrong must detain you at once for suspicion for cooperating with pirates. You are now relived of your duty as Marine until proven innocent. Please do not resist or else, we will use force and might accidently kill you.

Aoka: What is this treachery?! Give me a chance to explain!

Many marines come out to cuff her. She resisted and try to make a getaway; however, she still suffers from her previous battles at Kikende Island and could not move fast as she was at their prime condition. She could barely dodge their seastone nets and find a free path to get off the ship. There are too many of them.

Aoka: Shoot, if only they were pirates but they are Marines! I can't shoot them for following an order!

Armstrong: It is pointless to resist, Mizumau Aoka. If you struggle any longer, more punishments could await you!

Aoka thinking: WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?! DAMN YOU! YOU'RE NO MARINE!

Newgate: Ahahaha, quite a scene my little eye is viewing...AHAHAHAHA.....Armstrong, you did well! Just as I expected you to do! Now, Aoka.....will you die soon or even sooner?!

Aoka: YOU!

TO BE CONTINUTED