Chapter 13: Answers

Chapter 13: Answers

"REEAAHH!"

Screeching echoed throughout the night. The former victims of the Lotus bravely stood their ground. The crew of the Cutty Sark began to step up.

"Hold on," Sanji held a hand in front of Jinbe. "Let me have the first crack at 'em."

"Make that 'We', Sanji," Mirajane powered up, transforming into her basic Satan Soul. It was a testament to how pissed off he was that Sanji didn't even get a little nosebleed.

"Yeah…nobody makes us poison food without getting their skull cracked!" Sato had inhaled a small pack of sugar, buffing up with his Quirk: Sugar Rush.

"Alrighty, ladies and gentlemen," Silver raised enough for all to hear. "Let me punch a hole in their line first. Then…you three can go to town."

As soon as he said that, the mutated subjects began to appear. While a few of them were completely identical to Samebitos, it clearly took Circe a few dozen tries to finally get the turn down. For one, some of them had extra limbs, eyes, and even a head in one case. Their sizes also varied from barely knee-height to towering over Jinbe of all people. A few had the faculties capable of running, while the rest either ambled or crawled their way towards food.

Once most of the horde was visible, Silver cocked his howitzer…

CLICK-CLICK. BOOOM!

And a fifth of the charging beasts had been obliterated as an orange-gold beam reaped destruction.

"Blast," Silver panted. "Only got one more shot like that before I need a recharge. Just gotta hold out til sunrise."

Not wasting a second, Sanji, Mira, and Sato charged into the opening. "Mira-swan!" the cook exclaimed.

"Right!" said Wizard replied.

Both started flying up into the air. Meanwhile, Sato was tearing his way through the subjects. With his boost in strength from the sugar, his punches easily surpassed the abominations.

"OOOORRRRRAAAAAA!"

With a roar of effort, Sato grabbed one creature by the leg, slammed it down into another half-dozen, and started lifting it up and down like a metronome on the crowd of creatures. He kept going until the poor Samebito prototype was basically falling apart in his hands. "Puny fish."

Up above, Sanji and Mira were ready. "Evil Explosion!" The Wizard formed a ball of dark purple energy, letting it hover momentarily. Sanji quickly set his right leg ablaze with Diable Jambe. Then, he slammed it into the Magic Orb. "Bien Cuit: Grill SHOT!"

Now on fire, the Magic sphere accelerated far faster than it ever had before.

FFWWOOOMMM!

The combined attack slammed into the ground, absolutely decimating any Samebito prototype close to it.

And just like that, two cooks, a baker, and a barmaid had taken out half of the horde.

Halibel raised an eyebrow. "You know, Jinbe. We could've just saved them the trouble with a big Cero…or one of your 'crowd-control' moves."

The Fishman shook his head. "I'm well aware. But they needed to take that anger out on something. It just isn't healthy to bottle that stuff up." He gestured to his left arm, still bandaged up. "Besides, Doctor's orders to go easy on it." His right arm got into position. "Doesn't mean I'll just sit this out."

"Fair enough," the Hollow decided, Tiburon drawn from the sheath.

The rest of the C.S. crew followed suit, and quickly joined with their friends to finish off the mutations. Even the other victims, who now outnumbered the Samebitos thanks to the earlier attacks, were pushing their way through.

OoOoOoO

Thorn was becoming increasingly frustrated. Not a single one of his needles had even come close to the Ninja. 'All right…I'll just have to get close.'

The Manticore pounced, only for Sasori to quickly leap back.

Landing with a THUMP, Sasori gave Thorn a decidedly unimpressed look through Hiruko as it closed its mouth. "Is that really the best you can come up with? Are your powers so limited that you can only shoot needles or use brute strength?"

Those words sent Thorn into a tizzy. Truthfully, he'd only ever took on Demigods in his first life…and his natural strength and speed was enough to match them. Now, he didn't know how to react to such a different opponent.

"I could just end you right now," Sasori put it, as casually as if he was discussing the weather. There wasn't a hint of anger or sadism in it, just a statement of simple fact. That also threw Thorn for a loop, considering how morally upright most those Demigods and Huntresses were.

"No," Thorn steeled himself. "It is you who shall face such an untimely end for daring to mess with powers beyond your understanding."

"Hmm, well if you're one of these 'powers' elite, I'm not impressed," Sasori replied.

Having had enough, Thorn leaped forward, throwing needles at a particular angle. This forced Sasori to maneuver his tail in defense of his left. That meant that Thorn lunged to the Ninja's left. Seeing that coming a mile away, Hiruko's head was turned to unleash a point-blank barrage.

Thorn simply tanked the shots, with most bouncing off his hide. Albeit, a few still managed to pierce the skin. Unperturbed, Thorn swung a massive paw. To his surprise, pieces of wood and metal were whacked off instead of flesh.

"Hmm?!" Sasori leaped back again, inspecting the damage. "Well…I guess your physical strength is at least up to par, if you managed to damage Hiruko. Very well then…" With a poof of smoke, Hiruko vanished, the puppeteer standing in its place.

"Ah…twas merely a shell to hide behind," Thorn quickly surmised. "And it would appear zat your defense isn't nearly so formidable now." The Manticore leered as he raised his tail.

'How is the poison not affecting this creature yet?' Sasori couldn't help but ask himself. 'Is it because of his own toxin? In any case…maybe I should count this as a blessing. After all, I haven't tested my own body in this sea. And it wouldn't do to become so dependent on the 3rd Kazekage.'

Having made his decision, Sasori removed his Akatsuki cloak, earning a gasp from Thorn.

"What in Tartarus' name are you?"

"This form is merely the final work of art I created in my first lifetime," Sasori boasted before chuckling. "Well, I've made some modifications of course."

On edge, Thorn sent a flurry of spines.

Smirking, Sasori raised a single hand, with a hole opening in the palm. For a brief second, it appeared that the puppet's forearm was bulging. Then, a massive blast of wind neutralized Thorn's barrage. "I really must thank the cyborg for his innovative design accommodating natural wind. Saves Chakra while still being effective. Still isn't as quick as I'd like."

Infuriated at not being taken seriously, Thorn lunged again, more needles firing.

With a look of indifference, Sasori raised both hands, and pipes appeared out of his palms.

FFWWOOOMMMM!

Fire belched out of the Ninja's palms, incinerating all the needles. With Thorn as close as he was, it was inevitable that his fur also caught fire.

"AAAUUUUGGGHHH!"

Thinking quickly, Thorn landed on the sandy beach, rolling to put the fires out. While black and singed all over, he was more than capable of continuing the fight.

"Hehehe…taking a direct blast from my fire and still being able to duel me…your endurance is something to be admired," Sasori noted as he strolled towards the Manticore. The first scroll on his back had disappeared.

"DIE!" Thorn, absolutely done with the Ninja's voice, trampled forward. Pushing himself to the limit, the Manticore was right on his opponent in an instant. He plunged his tail into Sasori's head, while biting down hard on the torso.

Thorn began to chuckle to himself. Then, he realized that he didn't taste blood. The Manticore released his grip, spitting out sand. He became very confused when 'Sasori' dissolved into a pile of sand.

"Wha.." SNRKT!

Thorn looked down, and saw a thick steel cable protruding from his chest. A pointy end had driven itself into the ground beneath him. Only able to turn his head, the Manticore saw Sasori quickly reeling himself in on the cord protruding from a cavity in his former belly. 10 blades spinning like propellers carved into Thorn's back.

'HURK!'

The Manticore was dead before he hit the ground.

"Don't worry…you'll still be useful," Sasori assured the corpse as he withdrew the blades and stinger. He opened a fresh scroll, drew the appropriate seals, and moved the body onto it. With a single hand sign, Thorn's remains had vanished. "With a few additions and hidden weapons, a Manticore would be a fine addition to my collection. Course I'll need to repair the damage, but I should have enough time after leaving this island."

BBOOOOOMM!

"Seems like the rest of the crew is finishing up tearing that honey trap of a resort down…which reminds me." Sasori glanced towards the cave entrance. "I hope at least one of those Lotus plants survived. The narcotic effects were so fascinating…it'd be a shame if I couldn't replicate them." Without another word, he walked through the entrance, completely ignoring his fellow Akatsuki clashing with the witch.

OoOoOoO

Circe lunged forward in her sea serpent form, fangs bared. The grin on that accursed creature's face was irritating her to no end.

Kisame easily avoided her attempted strike, further aggravating the witch. "Too slow!" the Ninja kept taunting her.

Circe hissed as her serpentine body completely breached the surface. With a burst of magic, she quickly changed back to human mid-air. Next second, she fired a beam of her shapeshifting magic, hoping to turn this lowly man into a pig.

Kisame lazily raised Samehada, easily absorbing the magic. Said sword began to chitter under the bandages, a few scales starting to protrude.

"Didn't you ask yourself why, out of all the crew, I was the one to stay and fight you?" Kisame asked, thoroughly enjoying the look of shock on the witch's face. "You really should put more effort into analyzing opponents. Guess you're just an amateur after all."

'Fine!' Circe thought to herself. 'Guess I'll have tear him apart with my bare hands!'

This time, Circe transformed into a massive eagle, inspired by the creature strong enough to rip out a Titan's liver. She quickly gained altitude before plunging down, talons bared.

Kisame was forced to move a little quicker to block, matching the talons with Samehada. Then, the spikes came out, forcing Circe to let go. The Ninja quickly took the offensive with a swing. No time to dodge, Circe transformed into a turtle, quickly retreating into her shell.

WHACK! And it's out of the park!

Turtle-Circe was sent all the way back to land, her shell all scratched up and punctured, but it had done its job of reducing the damage. She kept bouncing off the ground until finally coming to a stop. Still a bit dizzy, she changed back to human.

The second she did so, Kisame got right behind her, having used Body Flicker to keep up with the flying turtle.

Thinking fast, she dove down, changing into a mole as she did so.

"Hehehe…come on," Kisame chuckled. "Surely you can do more than that." He did a few Hand Signs. "Water Style: Water Bullet!" The Ninja started flooding the hastily made hole.

In an instant, a tiger burst out of the ground, and was close enough to actually scratch the Ninja. "Oh look, you finally managed to get a hit," Kisame still kept grinning though. "If it were anyone else, I'd say it was impressive."

"Then what would you call it this time?" Circe demanded, her voice distorted in her tiger-form.

"Pity."

"RRAAGGHH!" The witch quickly changed into a bear, roaring at her new full height. Kisame smirked when she brought both paws down, easily stopping them with Samehada, spiking through her hands again.

Circe jumped back, transforming back into a human, albeit more slowly this time. "You seriously think that's the limit of my powers?"

"Well, yeah," Kisame bluntly replied as his single wound closed up. "Sure, you've probably got some neat creatures in that imagination of yours…but you're a one-trick pony." He then exerted his Chakra, to the point where Circe could feel it. "Let me be absolutely clear…the only reason you're still alive is because I want whatever information you have on Poseidon."

"And you think what I'd have to say will actually help you against a God?" Circe began to chuckle, before abruptly snarling and flicking a forked tongue. "Ridiculous!"

'I've only ever transformed into regular animals until now, but I have no other choice.' So, Circe turned into one of the most horrid creatures in her homeland's memory. Her body was covered in scales as she grew two more heads, necks extending like a serpent. As her height and mass increased, she took on a more lizard-like quality. Fingers became claws, and teeth became fangs. Now, she towered over Kisame with her completed form.

"Now, that's more like it!" Completely unfazed, Kisame laughed as he dashed forward. The three heads all breathed a stream of fire. "Water Style: Water Wall!" The Ninja quickly created a cover, and ran around the resulting cloud of steam.

With one swift motion, Kisame decapitated the right head, smirking at the sight of it plummeting down. 'That was odd,' he thought. 'She didn't even try to defend herself.'

Then, something happened that even took the veteran Ninja off guard. From the open neck, two more heads sprouted out, lunging at their target.

'Ooh…seems that she can even replicate special abilities…but I wonder why she didn't bust this out earlier?' Kisame mused as he leaped aside, back onto the ocean surface.

'Wait a minute…' a thought occurred to the swordsman. Grinning, he asked the million-dollar question. "How much magic is this taking out of you?"

Judging by the enraged roar and streams of fire, Kisame guessed that he hit a nerve. Moving to counter, he sped through Hand Signs. "Water Style: Four Water Shark Bombs!"

Once the fires were extinguished, Kisame took the offensive. "Water Style: Exploding Water Shockwave!" The tidal wave of water crashed through the beach. While it wasn't enough to completely submerge Circe, she was still sent off-balance. That was more than enough for Kisame to instantly slice off all four heads at once. Samehada started tearing through most of its bandages.

He watched as eight heads began to pop out. This time, the regeneration was much slower for some of the heads. Regardless, the middle head immediately breathed fire once it could.

"HAHAHAHA!" Kisame laughed as he got close enough to the point where Circe couldn't use fire without hurting herself. So, she settled with lunging all eight of her heads, hissing as the Ninja gouged out a bit of her side.

Ducking under, Kisame sliced off one more head, and counted the seconds it took to regrow. All the while, he avoided the fire blasts of the other heads, jumping from beach to cliff to ocean.

'That time, it took a whole minute for her to regrow one head. And all of them are starting to slow down.' Kisame scowled. 'How disappointing. She's clearly never been in a serious fight before. I bet a few animals were always enough for whatever weak fool she picked on before.'

The Ninja gave a look of disappointment. "I'm bored now." And Circe didn't respond too well to that if her screams were any indication. "And there's the hissy fit. Honestly, you're acting like a brat…whining when things don't go your way."

Her frustration peaked, Circe's nine heads howled and all shot fire.

Kisame simply let himself sink into the ocean, dodging with plenty of time to spare. With a few Hand Signs, he slammed both palms to the surface. "Water Style: Nine Shark Shower!"

Nine pillars of water shot into the air, quickly taking a shark form once high enough. Then, with their jaws open, the sharks all tore through the targeted throats. Seeing the heads all slowly regenerating, Kisame took his sweet time getting to the body. He then casually strolled around it, dragging Samehada through Circe's hide.

At a certain point, he noticed that only one head was regenerating now. 'Must've taken enough magic.' And now, Samehada was giving a happy chitter, satisfied with its meal.

Desperate, Circe's final head tried breathing fire…but nothing came out. 'NO! My magic is limitless. This is Impossible!"

"Heh! You really don't know anything about energy in a fight," Kisame couldn't help but taunt her. "Besides…your magic provided quite the meal for Samehada. In terms of sheer quantity, you were just a little weaker than the One-Tails." Kisame then frowned. "But your lack of skill made that totally worthless. Plus, you didn't even notice me draining you this entire fight…which means that you're somehow not familiar with the feeling of the magic you use."

The Ninja narrowed his eyes. "Your power was simply given to you. You didn't even have to work and train at it…and it shows."

Content, Kisame holstered Samehada onto his back. "I've had my fill." Then he turned and started walking away.

Seeing this as a chance, Circe lunged forward, reverting to a smaller sea serpent form. Kisame smirked, knowing what was coming.

"CONCASSÉ!"

"SUGAR RUSH: 100%!"

Sanji, his legs aflame, came from above. Sato moved from below. Together, they slammed the snake's jaws shut, cutting off a roar of pain. Kisame didn't even flinch at the shockwave emanating from the attacks colliding through Circe's head.

Kisame's gaze wandered to the left, seeing Mira and Silver charging up the finishing blows in tandem.

"Soul Extinctor!"

"Take this, you witch!"

Silver's Howitzer blasted a beam of golden energy, combining with Mira's dark-purple Magic. It nailed Circe's entire serpentine body.

When the dust cleared, Circe lay there in a heap, bloody and bruised.

Sanji flinched. "Did I just kick a woman?"

The rest had caught up at that point.

"No," Tsuyu bluntly put it. "You kicked a reptile. Would a real woman make you poison food you put so much effort into cooking?" She'd heard about Sanji from the other Straw Hats, and was hoping appealing to cooking would settle him down.

Said cook turned to the Pro-Hero. "Your logic is sound." To put himself at ease, Sanji took out a cigarette, and lit it up.

Halibel finally got a good look around the area, and counted exactly 15 heads scattered about. "Kisame…why are there so many heads?"

"I cut them off her," he pointed to Circe.

"Yes…but why?" Halibel was feeling the beginnings of a headache.

"Because it was fun," Kisame simply put it.

"…you're just trying to aggravate me, aren't you?" the Hollow gave the Ninja a halfhearted glare. His grin was all the answer she needed. Apacci was struggling to hold in her own giggling.

"All right you two," Jinbe sighed as he checked Circe's pulse. Satisfied, the Fishman hoisted her over his shoulder. "Now, how are we going to restrain her before she wakes up?"

By now, Sasori walked out of the cave, pocketing a stem and a few pink petals. "I have some Chakra-restraining seals," he took out a few slips of paper, quickly slapping them on Circe's wrists. In the process, he also removed a small journal from Circe's pocket.

"Okay, we'll put her in the brig for now," Jinbe decided. "After Hanataro stabilizes her. Then, we'll interrogate her when she wakes up."

"Wait a sec," Sanji paused. "Your ship has a brig?" he gave an incredulous look to Franky.

Both Franky and Sasori turned. "You can't be too careful," they said at the same time while shuddering.

Thoroughly creeped out, Sanji slowly backed away.

Juvia chose this point to speak up. "Not to put a damper on things…but what about all the people we just freed? We can't take them with us to Tamatoa's Horde."

Tsuyu put a finger to her chin in contemplation. "I think the safest place for them would be the White Castle."

Jinbe nodded. "Good idea, Tsu. Let's give them a call and let them know."

Above them, a Caracara had heard the conversation, and flew away to its master.

OoOoOoO

The two crews had huddled around Pinky the Den-Den Mushi, who was currently ringing.

"KA-CHA! This is Momo Yaoyorozu speaking," came the professional response.

"Hey, Yaomomo!" Sato eagerly waved at the snail.

"Is that Sato? Oh my, it's good to hear from you," Momo gave a warm smile through the snail. "How did you find him?"

"Well, that's why we wanted to call you," Jinbe got straight to the point, regaling Momo with how they brought down the Lotus Eaters, and all the failed Samebito prototypes. All the while, Silver rhythmically tapped a finger on the table.

"So…can White Castle support another hundred people?" Tsu asked.

"Yes," Momo quickly answered. "Atlantis is nearly done with setting up their base, and Vulko returned home to set up a steady supply line."

"Very good," Halibel agreed. "The people will stay here until a detachment can be sent to pick them up. We did just dispose of one of Poseidon's subordinates…so he's likely to send a storm. It'll be better if the people are sheltered on land when it hits."

"Alright," Momo came to a decision. "I'll make sure that at least three Atlantean squads are sent to join up and lead them back home. That'll be around 30 soldiers and their steeds."

"Okay," Jinbe turned to the rest of the crew.

"I'll stay with them in case something happens," Sato took everyone off guard with that remark.

"Are you sure?" Tsu wondered.

"Yeah, it'll be a chance to see Momo. Besides, I'm not strong enough to go much further West yet...if this island was any clue. The White Castle will a good place for me to train," Sato explained.

"We could stay and help you with that," Mira volunteered, gesturing to herself, Sanji, and Silver.

"Nah, we'll be fine. Besides, you should go with your old crew and guild," Sato shrugged.

"Aww," Mira stepped up and hugged the Pro. "Just make sure you give us a call when you get there."

Sanji started swooning. "Mira-SWAN is so cute and caring!" His face went back to normal. "But seriously Sato, keep in touch."

Silver patted Sato on the back, his finger still tapping the table. "My boy, don't forget to knock everyone out with that parfait recipe I showed you."

"Thanks y'all." Sato simply put it.

"Sounds like a SUPER plan," Franky concurred. "By the way, how's Asami doing?

"Oh," Momo paused. "She and Korra went to check out a ship that just pulled in. Make sure they're not a threat and all that. And here they come right now…"

"Man," Korra's boisterous voice came through. "I haven't seen anyone use fire like that in years. You're really something."

"It was nothing," an older male voice claimed. "All I did was eat a rotten fruit and worked with what I got."

"Hmm," a deeper, more monotone voice joined in. "The more I hear about your world, the less sense it makes."

Jinbe and Kisame both completely froze at the new voices, much to Halibel's concern.

"Oh Momo," Asami's voice broke the silence. "Who's on the line?"

"It's Jinbe and the rest of his crew…"Momo started to answer.

"Jinbe?!" only for Ace to barrel past Momo, sending the poor girl tumbling in his eagerness to get to the snail.

Said Fishman cleared his throat, getting his bearings back. "It's…good to hear from you, Ace." Jinbe was trying his utmost not to tear up.

That cued the rest of the Straw Hats being clued in, since Sanji and Usopp had barely recognized his voice. "ACE?!" they all cried in unison.

"OY! Who the hell is Ace?" Apacci was very irritated at being left out.

Brook deigned to answer. "He was the big brother to our Captain."

"Wait…" Juvia started catching up. "Your Luffy had a brother?"

"Two actually," Franky interjected. "Didn't even know about Sabo until he ran into us."

This time, Ace was the one taken aback. "You've met Sabo? Is he alright? God, I can't even imagine a kid like him taking this sea on."

"Umm…Ace," Usopp decided to clear the air. "We first met Sabo back in Dressrosa…when Luffy beat Doflamingo."

"Wait a minute…Sabo was alive?!" Ace was barely keeping it together…before recalling the rest of what the sniper said. "Hold on…Luffy beat that crazy bastard Doflamingo?"

"Well yeah," Jinbe joined in. "He even brought about Kaido and Big Mom's downfall. After all, he did become King of the Pirates."

Ace sat there, completely stunned at his little brother's achievements.

"Okay, I think that's enough revelations for Ace now," the deeper voice came through, the sound of him sitting Ace down could also be heard.

"Hehehe…as caring as ever, Itachi," Kisame chuckled.

A moment of quiet. "And you are still so easily amused, Kisame."

Both Akatsuki gave a small smile.

Halibel found herself raising an eyebrow, curious where this would go.

"So, Kisame. I hear you've made some friends," Itachi's amusement could clearly be heard in his tone.

"Heh! They're certainly an interesting bunch. Think I'll hang around with 'em at least until you get here," Kisame answered.

"Really? I'd heard that you only ventured west in the hopes of finding me." Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I've already made a promise to help find a few girls. So, I can't really back out of that now. I'll even get an epic one-on-one out of it." Kisame chuckled. Apacci was taken by surprise at that comment.

Halibel sighed. "That fight is still a maybe, at best."

The snail paused. "And you must be Ms. Halibel. Has Kisame given you much trouble?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," the Hollow grumbled. "I left him alone for a few minutes today, and there were 15 heads just laying about…all from the same person."

Itachi's eyes widened at the mental image.

"Don't worry, she's still alive," Kisame assured his old partner. "As for being in one piece…" he fell into a fit of chuckling.

"I don't know if I should be relieved or concerned," Itachi put it mildly.

"How did you manage being his partner for years?" Halibel asked.

"I'm a patient man," Itachi put it simply.

"That's putting it lightly," Davos's voice came through as the sound of something else joined.

"The hell?" Korra questioned.

Franky joined in. "Davos? What's that?"

Ace answered, chuckling. "So…we ran into a school of Fijis right before docking. Davos punched all the teeth out of one. Now, it's trying to gum him to death through his boot."

The whole of the crew paused at the sheer ridiculousness of that mental image.

"If we're done with the socializing," Sasori cut through. "Perhaps we should wrap this up before sailing to Tamatoa's Horde."

"Ahh…about that," Silver spoke up, his finger still tapping.

"You going to come clean to us?" Jinbe raised an eyebrow at the cyborg.

"If these folks on the other end are planning on heading there too, aye…" Silver spoke with an unusually serious tone. "You asked why Cipactli was after me?"

"I should start from the top. There are six Gods and Monsters in this sea that you absolutely Do Not mess with. Poseidon, Davy Jones, Tiamat, Jormungandr, The Morrigan, and Cipactli. I don't know how, but those six somehow managed to take over and split most of the Western half Sea of Second Chances between themselves and their followers, killing any opposition in their wake. Normally, those six leave each other alone, but there've been stirrings. They've been a lot more active in pushing out their turfs. Skirmishes are starting to happen between their followers."

Everyone on both ends of the line was utterly transfixed.

"But that's not what you wanted to know. You wanted information on Cipactli himself." Silver sighed as he kept tapping. "I heard that he was the strongest of all monsters in his world. He ruled until he was beaten by two Gods, the brothers Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca. I assume that after dying, he woke up here like the rest of us," Silver theorized. "But none of the Gods that beat him ever woke up here, meaning no one from his world could balance him out. At any rate, Cipactli was strong enough to establish himself, creating followers like that Gustave fellow you ran into."

Jinbe rubbed the arm in his sling.

"In my travels, I ran across a chest from the Aztec. They worshipped those who beat Cipactli. Gustave was sent after me because I know where it is. I don't know why Cipactli is interested in this chest in particular, but he wants it bad."

Jinbe felt compelled to ask. "Where is it?"

Silver dropped the bombshell. "The chest is in Tamatoa's Horde, under the guard of a Child of Tiamat."

The whole crew was quiet for a solid minute.

"If a being like Cipactli is putting such effort into finding this chest, we obviously can't allow him to reach it," Itachi put it simply.

"But you said that this Tiamat was a peer of Cipactli. Why would she have something he so desperately wanted?" Juvia pondered.

"Probably insurance," Sasori answered. "Balance of power is not so easily maintained…so this Tiamat most likely took measures in case Cipactli broke the peace."

"But if that were true…Cipactli would know where the chest was," Halibel mused. "She must have a reason for keeping it secret."

"Regardless," Jinbe came to a decision, recalling his disgust at the wanton destruction and violence reaped by Gustave on Cipactli's order. "It'd be best if this chest was kept out of that monster's hands. We'll assess the situation at Tamatoa's Horde. If the measures are sufficient, we'll simply leave the chest be…if not…"Jinbe left it up to the others to grasp the implications.

"If time is of the essence," Itachi decided. "Your crew should go ahead. We'll join up as soon as possible. Make sure to keep in contact and let us know where you are."

OoOoOoO

Elsewhere, on a rusty-looking ship with a skeleton for a figurehead, a black Den-Den Mushi was relaying the entire conversation to a pair of eavesdroppers. But the words weren't what concerned the pair. The shorter, stouter man with a bald head had a pair of headphones on. He was also writing down the pattern of taps that Silver was doing. His companion, a taller and thinner man with a wooden eye, was deciphering the taps. Within a few minutes, the code was cracked.

'Took out Poseidon's facility. Joined another crew. They will serve as distraction. Chest found in Tamatoa's Horde. Cipactli on my tail. Will reach chest in three days. Extraction necessary.

Finished, the two rushed up on deck. "Captain!"

At the wheel, was an older man dressed in a sharp, black 18th Century captain's attire. A dark plumed hat shaded his face, which held a scraggly beard. A sheathed sword hung on the left side of his belt. He grabbed and quickly read the code, eyes widening.

"Good work, Pintel, Ragetti. Back to your stations."

"Aye aye Captain."

"Emerald, Compress!" the Captain called out.

A dark-skinned woman with long, braided green hair and red eyes scoffed at the Captain. "What is it?"

A man dressed like a stage magician, with the top hat and staff to match, followed. "I'm assuming it has to do with our next job, Captain Barbossa." Mr. Compress gave an overly dramatic bow, the mask doing wonders in hiding a look of disdain.

"Indeed. There be a chest on an island three days from here. There's going to be a massive fight over it," Barbossa revealed.

"You do know the two of us aren't exactly meant for face-to-face combat, right?" Emerald retorted.

"Aye…the job is for you two to slip past everyone else, and grab the chest before those scurvy dogs even realize you're there."

"A simple enough task," Compress rose back up.

Barbossa got real close to Compress. "Don't indulge your taste for theatrics…and it will be simple."

Compress gulped. "Message received."

As that conversation played out, the Queen Anne's Revenge made the course change.

OoOoOoO

Gustave was not happy. He'd been swimming for a full day. His arm and chest wounds had painfully festered in the interim.

Then, he spotted the ship he'd been looking for. Quickly climbing aboard, he saw a crew of animals tending to the ship. Three passengers gazed at him.

The first one had a dark red skin and short black hair, with distinctly inhuman ears. His legs ended with two unusually rounded toes, and were covered. He displayed an incredibly muscled torso with his lack of shirt. Said humanoid gave a dispassionate gaze.

The second was a shorter, blonde man. He had the ears, forearms, and legs of a yellow canine. His eyes gave an insane glint as he sneered at the crocodile.

The third was the one who put Gustave on guard the most. In terms of height and weight, this man seemed perfectly average. That is, at first glance. Beneath that was a bloodlust that even Gustave found disconcerting. His face, framed by a strange goatee, gave a look of indifference. He was completely covered in a white suit and top hat. A pigeon on his shoulder wore a complementary design.

"Well, well, looks like someone was able to beat up Cipactli's precious pet," the blonde man laughed.

"Must've been quite the opponent," the red man mused, before shooting an irritated look at the blonde. "And Jackal, could you cut it out with your laughing…it's bothering me."

"Or what, Youpi?" Jackal questioned. "You gonna try hitting me with Rage Incarnate again? Because that worked out so well for you last time," the Demon retorted in a painfully sarcastic way.

Noticing Menthuthuyoupi begin to rise, the third man got between them. "We have our orders about infighting. Save it," he spoke in a way that offered no room for argument.

"Thank you, Lucci," Gustave grumbled, switching back to his half-human form so a nearby medic could begin treatment.

Before he could get any further, Gustave felt the call in his head, and closed his eyes.

"Gustave," Cipactli's voice rang out in his mind. "My Caracara spy has returned to me. The crew that defeated you has joined up with Mr. Silver at the Land of Lotus Eaters. They're heading to Tamatoa's Horde."

Gustave's eyes widened at the implication. "You mean a child of Tiamat had the chest this whole time?"

"Possibly," Cipactli mused. "I don't know if the chest is there or not. The crew might be heading there for an unrelated reason. Regardless, that's where Mr. Silver is going. However, if the chest is there…take it…and leave no survivors."

"I understand, My Lord. But won't this be a declaration of war on Tiamat?"

"If she truly has taken the chest without my knowledge…then yes." Cipactli said no more on the matter.

"I'll be watching through your eyes…so don't disappoint me," Cipactli's slit green eye vanished from Gustave's mind.

Gustave turned to Youpi, Jackal, and Lucci. All three recognized the signs of their new master entering a vassal's mind. Gustave turned to the helmsman (a gorilla in case you were wondering).

"Set course for Tamatoa's Horde," Gustave commanded. Everyone in earshot stood rigid still, grasping the implications of sailing to Tiamat's territory.

"Aye sir," the gorilla hesitantly said. "The journey should take about three days."

"Good," Gustave replied before turning to the three heavy-hitters. "When we get to the island, I'll be leading the assault. Before you join the rest of us, Jackal, I want to destroy the ships of anyone there."

"Che…fine…wouldn't wanna be cooped up with you losers too long anyway," Jackal scoffed.

"Lucci, Youpi…if the chest we're looking for is there. One of you two will need to grab it."

The former Cipher Pol agent got right up in Gustave's face. "Let me be absolutely clear. The only reason I'm following Cipactli is for the chance of a good fight. And I certainly don't take orders from lapdogs. So if there's an interesting opponent…that'll be my first priority."

"You play a dangerous game," Gustave growled right back. Oh, how he wanted to rant and rave about all these cretins' lack of genuine loyalty. It absolutely sickened him as a bona fide subordinate to his God. He was someone who had willingly gave himself to a higher purpose. These three simply went along while still pursuing their own interests. But, they were still necessary. Still, Gustave would relish the day their service was no longer required.

"Maybe," Lucci gave an inhuman grin in turn.

Below deck, cages of creatures jostled. They had the appearance of wolves, bears, scorpions, and ravens. Although, their fur/feathers were completely black. Their most distinctive feature were white bone-like growths around their heads. Their orange eyes darted around, reacting to the negative emotion emanating from Gustave, Lucci, Jackal, and Menthuthuyoupi.

Now, Cipactli's force was on the move.

OoOoOoO

At Fiddler's Green, Poseidon walked along the beach, when a mirage appeared before him with dark blue eyes.

"Hecate, I assume that something has happened," the God prompted the newcomer.

"Indeed, Lord Poseidon," the smoke and mist coalesced into a form vaguely resembling a woman kneeling. "Circe's facility has fallen. She's now in the hands of the crew that destroyed one of your tridents."

"This is troubling," Poseidon put a finger to his chin. "And there was absolutely nothing you could've done to prevent this?" he turned to the Goddess of Magic.

"Nothing," Hecate quickly replied. "I was too far away to provide any real aid."

"Hmm," Poseidon gave a long, calculating look at the mist. "Very well." He then quickly stirred his trident in the water, before gesturing to the Eastern Sky. "I'll send a small storm, let them know my displeasure. And what of the progress on the Samebito process?"

"All lost," the Goddess quickly replied.

Poseidon remained silent for a bit, weighing his options.

"What of Circe herself? She's still alive," Hecate wondered.

"Leave her to rot. Let the magic you lent her run its course. If she does something noteworthy in that time…then maybe, I'll consider welcoming her back to our side." Poseidon decided.

"As you wish. Is there anything else you require of me?" Hecate's mist started to disperse.

"Alert me if any of the other Olympians show up in this world."

"Understood, my Lord," and Hecate's dark blue eyes closed.

"What's her game?" Poseidon couldn't help but ask himself before returning to his stroll along the shores of Fiddler's Green.

OoOoOoO

After making sure there was sufficient shelter for Sato and 100 residents until the Atlantean squadrons could arrive as escort, Sanji, Mira, and Silver joined the Cutty Sark's crew.

Without much fanfare, the crew had finished preparations, and Sasori had taken his position beneath the mast.

Once they were back in open ocean, Hanataro came up from below. "Circe's asleep in the brig. I've completed treatment, so she should be waking up in a few days."

"Good…let's make sure someone's always watching her…so we'll know when she wakes up," Jinbe decided.

"I'll take first watch," Halibel moved towards the door.

"Brook, how far does that map say we have until Tamatoa's Horde?" Jinbe turned to the skeleton, who popped said map out of his skull (much to Mira and Silver's shock).

"Hmm…I'm guessing around three days, but I can't be too sure with the corner ripped off," Brook replied.

"Here," Silver pulled out something from his pocket, which completed the map. It had the image of an island with several cave openings along the coast. A red X marked a cave on the southwestern corner of the island.

"Okay…how?!" Apacci asked, clearly aggravated.

"Because I'm the one that made the map," Silver nonchalantly revealed. "I took this piece off and kept it with a friend for safekeeping. I'll save my question of how you got it for later," the cyborg gave a pointed gaze at Brook.

"Did you make any other copies?" Kisame couldn't help but ask.

"Just one other…but it was stolen. That's why there's the urgency to get to Tamatoa's Horde."

"Stolen by who?" Usopp asked.

OoOoOoO

Three days later, a small schooner docked along the southwestern corner of a barren island.

Nami, her pilfered copy of Silver's map in hand, took a look at the various entrances.

Kakuzu gave an impatient huff. "Well?"

"That one," she simply said while pointing.

Surprisingly, Grimmjow had no biting remark for the others. "Well…there's definitely something strong living here." A fierce grin was in place as he started heading down the indicated path.

Nami quickly followed, eager for the treasure while making sure there was a meat shield.

Hidan gave an annoyed glance towards his old Akatsuki partner.

"Not yet, only after the treasure has been found," the old miser decided.

"Che, fine. But afterwards, I'm gonna sacrifice at least one of those bitches to Jashin. It's been ages," Hidan whined

"Do what you like then. I couldn't care less once I've got my money," Kakuzu growled.

The Immortal Duo of the Akatsuki brought up the rear. Before that though, Kakuzu turned outside. "Earth Style: Mud Wall," and he sealed the entrance, meaning no one would get out without his say-so.

A.N. Alrighty…so I've finally finished with all the set-up for Tamatoa's Horde. It's going to be crazy. Although, I'll go ahead and say that I'm going to do an 'Interlude' chapter or two that focuses on other crews. That way, I'll have time to brace myself for this action-packed arc coming up. And let me tell you…EVERYONE is gonna get in on the action…EVERYONE!

So…Circe isn't quite out yet. Despite being massively outclassed in fighting experience, she still has a part to play…so keep an eye out. Speaking of…let me know what y'all thought of me expanding her capabilities. Plus, I felt satisfied with how Kisame and Sasori did here. Hope you also liked Sanji, Mira, and Sato getting some action as well.

And yes…Itachi and Ace have established contact with our main cast. It was sooner than originally planned…but I wanted to set the stage for the eventual reunification.

Also…I've finally namedropped the six established Big Bads in my verse. Poseidon, Davy Jones, Tiamat, Jormungandr, The Morrigan, and Cipactli. For a comparison, they're basically the 'Yonko' of this world…for those One Piece fans out there. Granted, only half of them have made an official appearance…but keep on the lookout.

And the reveal that Rob Lucci, Jackal, and Menthuthuyoupi (a Chimera Ant Royal Guard) are working for Cipactli…can't wait to put them in action.

And Silver isn't all that he seems…bringing in another favorite of mine, the dastardly Captain Barbossa!

Who will come out on top at Tamatoa's Horde? You'll just have to wait and see!

Now, Responses:

Michael Dorsey: Yes, Might Guy will have a part to play later. Though whether big or small…wait and see.

Guest: Thanks for the enthusiasm! Now, I did mention earlier that all the Akatsuki would be showing up, and that includes Obito. As for Madara…there are plans for him….MWAHAHAHA!