Dead End Adventure (part 2)

About half an hour had passed since the start of the Dead End Race and the crew was still making sure everything was in order.

"Oi!" Nami called. "Zoro! Go check the haul for structural damage!"

"Coby," Zoro yawned from his resting place. "Go check the haul for structural damage."

"Yes, Zoro-sensei." The rosette worked his way through the inside of the ship, checking the important rooms like the kitchen and the storage room first before working his way down to the simple areas like the brig and the bathrooms. Pushing open the last door, the pre-teen was greeted with the sight of one tub, a sink, a commode, and a mirror. A sense went off in his head, like bells ringing in the back of his mind. Changing into his Hybrid Mode, Coby crept toward the tub.

Just as Coby's eyesight passed over the lip of the bathing area, a kid of around seven or eight years with blue-and-grey overalls and brown hair poking out under a white hat sprung up, leveled their gun with their eyes closed, and fired before they could really see who or what they were firing at.

The bullet bounced off of Coby's tough crown and clattered to the floor. The child's big brown eyes opened, taking in the image of the dented bullet on the floor before rising to Coby's sandaled, scaly feet, his legs, his stretched shirt, his green-grey hands resting on the hilt of his swords, before finally seeing the rosette's face and the lightly-smoking dent on his elongated forehead. Without further pause, the child passed out.

The child woke again, this time his vision greeting him with a view of Chopper grinding herbs, muttering medical knowledge to himself. Chopper continued to grind medicines before glancing over at his patient. Seeing their eyes open, he spoke.

"Oh, good. You're awake." He twisted to call out the open door. "Everyone! The kid's awake!" He turned back to the child. "What's your name? How do you feel?" The child blinked twice before shooting out of the bed and cowering in the corner.

"It talked! The racoon-dog talked!"

"I'm a reindeer, you jerk!"

"That's ever weirder!" The other pirates shuffled into the room, but their temporary captive did not see the monster from earlier. The boy searched his clothing, looking for his weapon, but the gun was nowhere to be found.

"Looking for this?" Nami asked, pulling out the flintlock pistol they'd taken from the kid's unconscious body and setting it on the table.

"W-w-where am I?"

"You're on the Going Merry," Usopp answered. "The ship of the Straw Hat Pirates."

The kid's gaze hardened. "So you're pirates," he muttered darkly before sitting down. "Go ahead then. Kill me. That's what you pirates do, isn't it?"

"If we wanted to kill you, we would have already," Coby pointed out.

"Now," Gin announced, him and Amy moving forward with matching smirks, "why are you here, little boy?"

"I-I-I..."

"Back off, you two," Chopper admonished, placing himself between the sadists and the child. "This kid is my patient right now and I won't have you two scaring them to death! And, Dear Goda, Gin. That was creepy."

"Well, why are you here, kid?" Coby questioned.

"I... I'm... I'm here to take your captain's head! That way Gasparde will let me buy medicine for Grandpa!"

"Really?" Nami wondered. She threw the gun to the kid who barely caught it. "Let's see that determination. Shoot him."

Raising the shaking pistol, the boy pointed it at Luffy. The jolly roger had a straw hat, so that must mean the captain did, too. Steeling his nerves, the kid pulled the trigger.

What happened next was rather nostalgic of Hannibal. The bullet hit Luffy, he stretched, and the bullet was sent back. The bullet made a hole right next to the child's head. The kid passed out.

Again.

Over the next week, the pirates had learned that the kid's name was Anaguma and that he worked with his grandfatherly figure who was a captive boiler master on Gasparde's ship. He'd made a deal with the ex-marine to kill a pirate and, if he did so, Gasparde would use the bounty to buy medicine for the old man, Bieria.

He also admitted that he'd only boarded the Merry and targeted them because it was the smallest ship, so they should have been the weakest crew. Usopp was very insulted by that reasoning and Anaguma was very repentant after seeing Luffy's up-to-date wanted poster. 100 million and 30 million were very different amounts.

"Oi!" Coby called from the crow's nest. "Ship incoming! It's that one from the start of the race! It's Viargo!"

"Who?!" Luffy yelled back.

"Don't worry about it," Zoro waved off. "Curly Brow and I can handle it." The two members of the Monster Trio made their way to the end of the ship and waited for the other vessel to approach.

"Look, boys!" Viargo called to his crew when he was sure the Straw Hats were within hearing range. "The baby ship made it out of Hannibal!" While the pirate's back was turned, Sanji and Zoro leapt up to stand on either decorative skull on the front of their boat.

"We don't have a lot of time to play with you clowns," Zoro announced, tying his bandana around his head.

"For once, the Moss-Head's right," Sanji followed, lighting a new cigarette. "I've got a lunch to cook."

"One minute should be good enough," they both said in unison. The two jumped down and began tearing through the other pirate crew.

"They're so strong," Anaguma gaped. Things took an unexpected twist, however, when the water under Viargo's square ship bulged up before breaking to show a sea king, other sea kings of all different shapes rising out of the surrounding area. The beast with the square boat on its nose eyed the vessel like it was a tasty treat while Luffy's hands shot forward to grab the collars of Zoro and Sanji. Just as the two were pulled back to the Merry, the sea king opened its mouth and swallowed Viargo and his crew in one bite. Its snack eaten, the beast dove back into the sea, the wave it made propelling the Going Merry forward in a burst of speed.

"This... this is Partia?" Chopper asked in horror. The scene before the Straw Hats was a gruesome one indeed. Broken and sinking pirate ships filled the narrow channel going inland, the water they floated in stained red with the blood of hundreds. On land, just visible over the ridge, was a Marine stronghold with cannons firing as fast as they could to destroy the remaining pirate ships in their waters.

"No," Nami gaped in denial. "This can't be the end."

"Are you sure you followed the eternal pose right?" Zoro questioned, staring at the bloodbath with suppressed disgust. Even Amy, with her sadistic nature, was ready to lose her lunch.

"I'm certain," the navigator responded, checking the eternal pose they'd gotten from the bookmaker. The needle was pointing directly at the island in front of them. Gin snatched the pose from her hand before jamming a pocket knife under the label. Prying it off, the Man-Demon revealed the word Navarone underneath.

"This eternal pose was fake," he growled in disgust. This entire situation reminded Gin of his time on Kreig's crew, digging up bad memories of him doing unspeakable acts in the name of a terrible man. Fake log poses would have been right up Kreig's alley. With an angry scowl, he chucked the eternal pose over the side of the ship.

"What now?" Coby asked, eyeing the Marine base warily.

"We'll use Usopp's nose to sniff out Gasparde," Luffy answered as if it was obvious.

"Moron," Nami sighed, palming her face.

"Set sail!" Luffy cried out, not hearing her. "Track down Gasparde and follow his scent so I can kick his ass!"

His order came not a moment too soon as a cannonball smashed into the ocean off the port bow.

The form of the Salamander slowly came into view after 36 hours of constant sailing under the careful guidance of Chopper's nose. Clouds hung in the sky, casting a dreary feeling over the atmosphere. The large steamboat was sailing along in a lazy circle, one of its paddle wheels clogged. The center mast was missing and several rooms over the deck were nothing but kindling.

"I'm going on ahead," Luffy announced, rolling his shoulder in preparation.

"Hold on, Captain Luffy," Coby jumped in. "Take me with you."

"Coby..."

"You know how much I hate corrupt marines. Let me help. At least a little bit."

"...Okay," Luffy nodded after several seconds. "Grab on. Gum-Gum Rocket!" The younger Devil Fruit user wrapped his arms around his captain's torso just in time for the ride as the rubber-man's arms retracted.

Gasparde's crew scattered in fear as two beings crashed through the railing of the Salamander, at least a dozen not moving fast enough and getting thrown over the other side from the force. Luffy and Coby stood on the deck, the boy worst-for-wear but otherwise in fighting shape.

Straw Hat's eyes narrowed on the image before him: Gasparde standing triumphant over an unmoving Shuraiya. Needles, Gasparde's First Mate, was nowhere to be seen and most of his crew was not present.

"Oi, Coby," Luffy said, ignoring the swords and guns pointed at them. "You handle these guys. Gasparde's mine."

"Yes, Captain Luffy," Coby answered, terrifying the other pirates by shifting into his Hybrid Mode. Luffy calmly stepped through the fear-stricken men, gaze locked on the ex-marine.

Gasparde smiled a sick grin. It was the smile of a bored madman who thinks they've just been given some entertainment.

"Monkey D. Luffy." The name dripped off his tongue. "You sure are persistent. I'm not sure how much fun a man worth only 30 million can give me, but let's find out, shall we?"

Luffy chose not to correct him. There were more important matters than numbers at the moment.

"What the Hell was that for?" the younger man questioned.

"What? Oh, the fake eternal poses? That was all just a game to relieve me of my boredom."

"So you killed all those people?" Luffy demanded, anger glinting in his eyes. "You ended their lives and denied them a chance at their dreams for fun?"

"Dreams?" Gasparde sneered. "Who gives a shit about dreams? We're pirates. We crush those who are weaker than us and those who will not follow. That's who we are. Since you and your pathetic rabble of a crew won't follow me, you all and your stupid dreams will die, too."

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy yelled, his arm shooting forward. It struck Gasparde in the center of his stomach, sinking into his body as he turned into a sticky green substance. "What the-? My arm's stuck!"

"That's the power of the Candy-Candy Fruit." Luffy launched his other arm forward, it meeting the same fate as its twin. "How stupid are yo-"

"Gum-Gum Missle!" The younger captain launched forward, splashing through the Candy-man's upper body before latching onto the secondary mast. Gasparde's laugh echoed as green, liquid candy swirled up to reform him.

"I actually felt that," he growled.

"You'll be feeling a lot more by the time I'm done!"

Back with Coby, the half dinosaur was putting his training to good use, weaving his larger form through his opponents while fighting back with his dual swords and trusting his thick scales to stop the bullets coming at him. The hybrid twisted around, bashing a pirate in the side of the head after he tried to sneak up on the boy from behind. The man crumpled and Coby kicked his limp form away to knock over several others.

Out of the original 39 crewmembers that were on deck when he and Luffy had arrived, 14 had been blown overboard and 13 remained standing when the Going Marry pulled up alongside the Salamander; the rest were unconscious. Zoro, Sanji, and Gin pulled themselves up the side of the larger ship while Amy floated up to keep an eye on the fights.

Seeing his favorite, and only, student outnumbered, Zoro jumped into the fight quickly. Sanji and Gin followed so as to not be left out.

"Coby," Zoro called out. "Go find the old man! We'll handle the rest of these guys!"

"Yes, Zoro-sensei!" the rosette replied. Sheathing his swords, Coby went into full Dino Mode to barrel through the pirates before shrinking next to the stairs. The noise of sword on sword and force on flesh sounded behind him as Coby dove into the exposed stairwell. The enclosed space of the ship was many degrees hotter than the outside, making Coby uncomfortable. Recalling Anaguma's stories about the interior of the Salamander, the Devil Fruit user made his way through the ship, boards creaking and groaning above him from the captains' fight. Three men in bandages, one of whom Coby recognized as the other rosette from the hidden hang-out, ran past in a panic. The Straw Hat pirate went the way they'd come from.

The heat was stifling when Coby finally found the old man. Bieria was a balding, white-haired elder with a bushy moustache. Overalls like the ones Anaguma wore covered his body and he was staring into a roaring fire.

"Didn't I tell you fools to get out before the boiler blew?" he asked without turning around.

"They did," Coby answered, his voice causing the man to spin around. "You should, too, Mr. Bieria."

"Who're you?"

"Anaguma sent us. We're here to rescue you. Come on."

"I can't leave. Not yet." The man cast a long look at the boiler, so he didn't see the effect the heat was having on the younger male. Being partially cold-blooded, Coby was beginning to overheat and that was not good for his attitude. He couldn't take much more of being around such a large fire. He leapt forward.

"What are you-?" Bieria didn't finish his sentence. Coby's hand hit him on a nerve point Robin had shown him just below the neck, knocking the man unconscious.

"Sorry, Mr. Bieria," the Devil Fruit user apologized, switching into his Hybrid Mode for the extra strength and height to carry the man in a fireman's carry. Coby started making his exit, passing Sanji on his way out. The cook was leaving a double-doored room with four bags of food.

"Oh, Coby," Sanji called. "Could you take these with you?" The hybrid nodded before lifting the bags with his free hand. The chef went back into the what Coby assumed was the kitchen and returned with two bags of flour. The two took off.

"YOU BASTARD!" Luffy roared, holding his torn hat, rain falling in a torrential downpour around them. Shortly into the fight, Luffy had dropped his prized possession and Gasparde, who had turned his left hand into a green spear, had stabbed it. "Zoro! Hold my hat!" The Straw Hat Pirates' captain threw his repairable accessory behind him where the swordsman caught it from his spot among his unconscious enemies. Luffy and Gasparde rushed each other just as Sanji and Coby came up from inside the ship, Gin and Amy emerged from another area laden with bags, and Nami appeared with a sack filed with the last bits of Gasparde's money, the rest she'd already taken and dropped to the Merry's deck.

"What's going on?" Sanji asked, he and the others joining Zoro.

"Don Luffy doesn't seem to be having much luck," Gin observed. "Gasparde keeps turning into goop so Don Luffy gets stuck. They're in a stalemate."

"Then I guess it's a good thing I found these," Sanji commented, holding out the bags of flour. "The bastard's made of candy syrup, right? Flour should harden it."

Amy nodded, confirming Sanji reasoning with her own knowledge of sweets, and took one bag. She had Gin throw her into the air. The blonde floated over where Gasparde stood, taunting Luffy. She increased her weight before dropping the flour.

"-and there's nothing you can do to stop me," Gasparde finished just before the bag fell, exploding into a cloud of white powder that stuck to the ex-marine like a second, unwanted skin. "What the Hell?!"

"Luffy!" Sanji called. The rubber-man turned as the chef lobbed the second bag of flour, covering his captain. Luffy didn't know what was happening with the powder, but he trusted his crew enough to not question it.

Turning back, Luffy went back into action with a cry of "Gum-Gum Whip!", his leg stretching out. Unlike the last time Luffy had tried that trick, his leg flung Gasparde away like it would any other human. The other captain grabbed the railing, keeping himself from falling into the ocean.

"Thanks to this powder, I can touch you now," Luffy observed. "That means it's time to kick your ass!" His fist shot forward, but Gasparde dove to his right, leaving only the railing to take the attack. The ex-marine's arm twisted into a flour-covered spear that stretched toward Luffy. The younger pirate responded by jumping up and kicking the spear into the deck. The teen then ran along the candy weapon before punching its creator in the face.

Gasparde was unable to act in time and was sent into the remaining mast which teetered and fell. Luffy wrapped his arms around the large, wooden construct and, with a cry of "Gum-Gum Flower Arrangement!", slammed it through Gasparde's stomach.

The ex-marine coughed a mixture of blood and candy syrup, his eyes screwed shut in pain. The mast had picked up much of the flour that was on Gasparde's torso and forced it into his body, allowing the improvised weapon to do real damage.

"You..." he gasped. "You pathetic scum." The candy-man pulled the mast out of his body, the hole closing much slower than any before, blood leaking out where the impact had forced flour into his bloodstream. His body back in one piece, Gasparde altered his shape, covering himself in spikes. He rushed Luffy. "Damn you!"

The teen didn't back down. While he knew it was Gasparde attacking, he couldn't help that his mind layered an image of Don Kreig doing the same over the form of the candy-man. His hatred of both men and their terrible natures mixed. Just as Gasparde was about to unleash his attack and leave the younger captain as nothing but a red stain on the deck, Luffy struck. His leg snapped up, catching the older man on the chin, halting his momentum and lifting him straight up.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Luffy yelled, his hands shooting forward. He ignored the holes Gasparde's spike armor left in his hands and put all the force he could into his final attack. Gasparde went flying into the distance where a cyclone sucked him up. The fight over, Luffy dropped to the deck, too weak to stand.

"Come on, Luffy," a sweet voice insisted, someone throwing his arm over their shoulder. Somehow finding the energy to do so, Luffy turned his eyes to catch a glimpse of Nami's orange hair. He passed out with a smile and the knowledge that he was in good hands.

Nami pulled the unconscious Luffy over to where the Going Merry was hooked to the Salamander and tossed him down to Coby. Bags full of the loot they'd stolen from Gasparde's ship were littered about the deck including food, money (about 150 million Beris), swords and armor they could sell, and an eternal pose to Partia. Gin and Zoro followed the navigator down the ladder and Sanji took the rear with Shuraiya draped over his shoulder. Amy floated down to the Merry's deck and they began sailing away. Five minutes later, the steamship blew up.

Gasparde's crew was no more.

After Chopper had treated all the injuries, Nami had sewn Luffy's hat back together, all the introductions had been made, and Anaguma had been revealed to actually be both a girl and Shuraiya's long-lost sister (boy, was that a story that words don't do justice), the Straw Hats cut Shuraiya, Anaguma, and Bieria free in a small lifeboat. It would do them no good if the Marines found a connection between them and the pirates.

The Navy had Partia surrounded when they arrived, but that didn't deter Luffy at all. Nami wanted that prize money they'd won and he was going to make sure she got it. Ignoring the marines' orders to surrender and turn themselves in, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates ordered everyone to prepare for battle.

Next stop: Partia and the 300 million Beri prize.

Gasparde wasn't awake when he died.

The cyclone that had caught him lasted for nearly two hours before it lost too much energy to carry him anymore. The winds flung him away in the direction of a nearby island with a crescent-moon shape. He bounced over the water four times and sunk in the shallows of the bay. There, unconscious and unable to move, he drowned.

Nearby, the owner of a local apple orchard had stayed up late to listen to the rain the storm had brought and finish a good book. He'd heard the commotion and seen something fall in the water. Knowing that there was nothing he could do while the rain pelted down with near-hail-strength force and that whatever it was was outside his authority, he called the Marines.

A Navy vessel arrived the next morning to retrieve the body. While many of the men did that, others were ordered to comb the orchard. A youth with shoulder-length blond hair and a prominent double chin was one of those marines. While searching, he saw one of his comrades had found what they were searching for: a dark blue fruit with a spiral pattern, a glossy sheen, and a protrusion like a tied-off wrapper. The youth, fueled by a drive for revenge and his father's teachings, snuck up behind the other marine and knocked him unconscious with the butt of his rifle. As the man slumped from the unforeseen attack, the youth stole the Devil Fruit and ate it. He smiled as he felt his body change.

"Power is everything," the youth incanted with a maniacal gleam in his blue eyes. "Might makes right and the powerful can do no wrong. You ruined my life, but now, with this power, I'm coming for you to ruin yours.

"Beware, Straw Hat."