Serious: The Dusk Pirates; Chapter 4: The big move (Open to the Dusk Pirates)

"You should not try to avoid this, Zombie! You will get caught! There is no need to worry!" Marcus said as he pulled his Bazooka and shot towards Frank and Alex. However, as he did, an air blade appeared and moved on the nets, barely cutting them in two. The air blade was a common one that they had seen many times before. It belonged to none other than Manta. The temporary captain of the crew finally arrived and he was mad to see his brother's nakama getting caught by the nets of the officers. He said "You let yourselves get caught by them? How pathetic." as he pointed towards Marcus with his scythe. The Vice Guard's legs started trembling as he looked at Manta. He could see the murderous intent he had on his face. He wanted to run, but he could not. It seemed like his fear "paralyzed" his limbs. "Chicken Beam!" Manta said as he launched a beam towards him and turned him into a chicken. Them, the other officers of the Bazooka Unit dropped their weapons and started running towards level 2's direction, abandoning Marcus. Manta said "Chk. How pathetic." before slashing him at the neck and causing him much damage. He did not kill him but the injury would probably be fatal to him...

Afterwards, the man freed his crewmates from the nets. He said "You idiots... You shound't get caught by them! I should punish you for th-". However, before he completed his sentence, he listened to the guards that had just left towards level 2 screaming. Something was going on. They seemed to be in trouble. And as they screamed, their voices seemed to be heard from a nearer distance. They were running back because of something... But what could that be?

Alex had not been caught by the nets. At least, he hadn’t been caught completely. When the nets had first appeared, Alex had been hard pressed to avoid them. He had managed to fly around the first one and then knock away the second with his sword, but when he flapped his wings and tried to blow away the third with a gust of air, the air had not even slowed it down. Alex had been forced to attempt a dodge, but his right wings got caught in the net and he tumbled down towards the ground below. In a burst of anger, Alex had hacked through the back of the net with his sword, which was still free, releasing his wings once more. He still hit the ground and for a moment he was winded, but then he hopped back onto his feet just in time to see Manta coming in to save the ones who had been caught.

He was grateful that Manta had appeared when he did, but the man’s next few words infuriated Alex. Alex took off and flew over to Manta, the feathers on his wings darkening from his growing anger. He didn’t even look around as the sounds of screaming guards came towards him.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN IDIOTS?” Alex roared at Manta. “DON’T YOU DARE COME IN HERE TRYING TO ACT LIKE YOU’RE SO COOL WHEN YOU WEREN’T EVEN WITH US WHEN WE GOT HERE!” Alex was so livid that he was actually shaking. “AS FOR YOUR PUNISHMENTS, WHO MADE AN IDIOT LIKE YOU CAPTAIN ANYWAY? I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU HAND OUT A SINGLE ORDER THAT WAS ACTUALLY WORTH THE BREATH YOU TOOK TO GIVE IT! YOUR STUPID BROTHER GOT HIMSELF CAUGHT AND NOW WE’RE RISKING OUR LIVES TO SAVE HIM! SO DON’T YOU EVER COUNT A SACRIFICE LIKE THAT AS NOTHING OR I WILL PERSONALLY CUT YOU IN PIECES AND USE YOU AS SHARK BAIT! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!?”

"DO YOU REALLY WANT TO TRY IT?!" Manta said with an irritated look on his face. He took a deep breath and he angrily said to Alex "AND WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I WOULD CARE FOR A PIECE OF CRAP LIKE YOU?! IT'S OKAY FOR THE OTHERS, BUT MY BROTHER DOESN'T EVEN KNOW YOU! PERSONALLY, I DON'T CARE FOR THE PEOPLE MY BROTHER HAS NO KNOWLEDGE ABOUT. I WOULDN'T MIND IF YOU DIED, YOU WINGED BASTARD! I CARE FOR MY BROTHER AND THE PEOPLE HE KNOWS. NOT TO MENTION THAT I WASN'T THE ONE TO DRAG YOU HERE BY FORCE! IT WAS YOU *points with the hand* THAT APPROACHED THE CREW!" Then, he moved his scythe and pointed towards him. He said with a still irritated face "AS ABOUT CUTTING ME IN PIECES AND USING ME AS SHARK BAIT... YOU WOULD BETTER TAKE THAT BACK BEFORE I LEAVE YOU AT THE MERCY OF THESE PATHETIC OFFICERS SO THAT THEY WON'T BE COMPLETELY HUMILIATED FROM THE CREW! AS FOR MYSELF I NEVER APPOINTED MYSELF AS A REAL CAPTAIN! I AM JUST TAKING CARE OF HIS CREW UNTIL MAXIMILLION GETS FREED! YOU ARE JUST A PASSENGER!". Obviously, Manta was out of control. However, he did not want to do anything. He did not want to waste time with his "ally". He just had to save Maximillion as soon as possible...

Alex glared right back at Manta. “I will not take back words that are true,” he said. His voice was quieter, but lost none of the menace it had held before. Then, suddenly, his eyes became unfocused and had a glazed look to them. “If his brother is as big a loser as he is, we are not sticking around Alexander!” he shouted. “I’m this close to running out on the crew as it is and you can’t-”

Calm down, Alexander ordered him sternly. Calm down right now or hand the reins over to me. If you can’t handle a little abuse from someone we’re going to betray anyway, then you shouldn’t be in control in the first place.

Alex took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. The exhaled air sounded like the hissing of a snake.

“Fine,” Alex said at last. “Fine. I’ll take my words back. BUT. Once this is all over, we are going to have other words, Manta. And you are going to regret ever attempting to mess with me.”

With a single burst of wing flapping, Alex shot one hundred feet into the air. He shot Manta another ugly look and then flew on, still ignoring the screams coming from level two.

Shadows danced across the frozen plane of level 3. and crimson blood splatters stained the snow behenith the victium feet. Chusei was used to below zero tempaters after all he surpass the frozen level of the prison he served 7 years in long ago. Yet it still haunted his memories.

A Shadow loomed behind Alex A Glowing crimson eyes glared at the back of his head. A Deep voice spoke from behind Alex. " I Advise you leave here at once. I do not exnolage Mantra as Captain myself for me it will only be Maxamillion. But Manta is our temporary captain and if you proceed. To get in his way i will toss you away without a moments thought."

Chusei was ready to turn alex into a blood stain.

"Hmph, you may try if you want." Manta said while giving an evil look to his "comrade" who had plans to betray him and the crew soon enough. However, as he was unaware of it he could not do anything at all. Instead, the only thing that he was aware of was that if he continued losing time the enemies would organize theirselves better and so they would bring out stronger and more difficult fighters to be. The best thing the crew had to do was to move, otherwise they would be in a very big trouble. However, before the crew did, something else happened. The screams of the guards who had run to the level above were getting closer and closer as the time passed. SOMETHING WAS COMING TOWARDS THE CREW! WHAT COULD THAT BE?!

"What the..." Manta said with a worried face. Despite the fact that Manta was rarely worried, he was afraid of something he was unaware of. He had to be cautious in order to not get in trouble with the rest of the Dusk Pirates. That man. He was definitely a weirdo... His actions did not match his personality at all sometimes...

Koga on the other side was more afraid than anyone. His animal instincts were informing him that something dangerous was coming. Something that would mean real trouble for the crew. Something with great attacking power and strength. Unaware to him, the strongest beast of level 2 was moving towards him. THE EMPEROR COBRA WAS COMING!

"Guys can stop arguing for ten seconds." Quincy said resting on the ground. He needed to rest for the steriods took alot from him, and the fact that these guys were arguing didn't help. The heat from this level was almost unbearable. It was like a desert. Quincy would rather have been hanged on the gallows than spend one second in this place. If they should ever fail to save max sucide would seem a real tempting option. Quincy got up to return to battle.

Alex glanced back at Chusei and frowned. “Who are you aga…oh yeah.” Now Alex was positively glaring at Chusei. “And where have you been while the rest of us were fighting for our lives? If you want this crew to succeed so much, maybe you should shut your mouth and do something useful for once. Like…like…” Alex paused to think. And then it came to him. “Like killing whatever it is that is making those guys scream like little girls. THAT would be useful. Their voices are giving us all headaches...”

"Tell me, couldn't you fools find a better place to fight in? we are breaking into the most dangerous prison in the Grand Line and you fight now?" Frank asked. Fighting between themselves wasn't going to get them in and out and the crew had to shape up before anything worse came at them. "And will these crybabies ever gonna STOP CRYING?!?!?!" He shouted at the direction of the screaming marines.

Chusei sheathed his Swords. and slowly walked towards level Four. Tiling his heads to the side slighlty to the right after walking 10 feet Chusei said to Alex
" If you think you can do better than Manta i'll leave the snake to you. I have better things to do like saving Maxamillion,,,"

Chusei speed tfrom shadow to shadow hideingt from plane sight with shadow soru. Seeing the entrance to level four ahead and frowned.

"I'll see you soon Maxamillion..."

“HAH! Yeah, you just keep on running!” Alex called as Chusei rushed off. “I’ll take care of the hard work like always, ya coward!” Even though he sounded angry, Alex was grinning excitedly as he turned to face in the direction of the screams. “Everything up to this point has been weak sauce,” he said, cracking his knuckles. “Now it’s looking like we’re going to have some fun for once!”

Chusei stopped dead in his Shadow Soru releving himself in the open when his super hearing caught Alex's words. Then combinding Fast step and Jet Dash reappeared next to Alex.

"I'll take that as a challenge... Prepare yourself Worm..."

"Flash Dance!" MOveing at high speed Chusei danced around Alex at incredible speeds. pulling out both his swords and rapidly slashing at vital organs. Each Slash was consealed with a blinding light blinding his enemy so they could no see where he would slash. Chusei contuned this technic circling around Alex.

[Some corrections and notes: We are heading to level 3 and we don't know that the Snake is coming. It's on its way. Also sorry Nikz but we have to move with the thread. There are many things that have to be done, the thread has not even started yet.]

"CHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHK!" the Emperor Cobra's words were as soon as it appeared, interrupting Chusei's and Alex's battle. The snake, after eating the whole Bazooka Unit that happened to run on it while it followed Manta who was following the rest of the crew, finally appeared in front of the Dusk Pirates. The Snake was huge and could emit dangerous amounts of poison from its mouth. It was the most ferocious beast of level 2 and it would be a pain in the ass to deal with...

"What the?!" Koga said, surprised once more with the pressence of the giant snake. "This is... a monster! What are we going to do?!" he remarked. "Don't worry. Chkchkchkchkchkchkchk!" Manta said to him with an evil look on his face. "We will just cut it to pieces! Chkchkchkchkchkchkchk!". "But, there is no way you can do this! That thing is a giant monster!!!" Koga mentioned again. However, Manta looked towards him with a serious face and said "Relax... All of us are here together. We might be having some problems with each other, but we are still the same crew. Chusei... Alexander... Stop your conflict and concentrate on the beast so that we can move as fast as possible!" as he launched an air blade towards the Emperor Cobra.

The giant snake turned around its skin withstanding the air blade that hit the skin of the emperor cobra but not causing damage. This is because of the skin of the emperor cobra was that thick that it would not be cut or pierced that easily. The Emperor Cobra curled upwards and sent poison towards Manta and his party.

The two shadows was split in Level 3 . The female and male figures covered two areas in Level 3. The woman sighed "Urghh, that ghastly thing made it all the way down here....." The elderly man tipped his hat as he spoke into his den den mushi "I wouldnt worry too much princess, its not going to be a issue at all about it..... the emperor cobra wont go to Level 4 after all, and who knows maybe it will take out the enemies for us..."

“SWEEEEEET!” Alex practically shrieked as Chusei attacked. “HE IS FAST!”

Alex blocked the first swing by nothing short of a miracle. Then when he felt one of Chusei’s blades slicing through his side, he swept his wings around his body to protect him. The light, feathery wings were no match for Chusei’s swords and were cut to pieces, leaving Alex to tumble down to the ground. He struck the ground hard, though not as hard as when the Minobat had punched him towards it, and a moment later Alex was back on his feet.

“Hmmm…perhaps I should find some replacements,” Alex said out loud, examining his shredded wings. “Ah! I know…” The wings retracted into his body and a moment later, solid black, reptilian wings exploded out to replace them. Alex turned his gaze on Chusei, his eyes burning with hatred. Then, just like that, the hatred vanished to be replaced by a grin and his reptilian wings lightened slightly with his mood. “Now we can…” Then the Emperor Cobra came rushing in and Alex’s attention was diverted to it. “Eh, another ugly beast. Big deal,” Alex muttered, as Koga started to freak out. Then he listened to Manta and he grinned. “Finally acting the part? Well, no time like the present.” Alex yawned. “Right, boss…I’ll get to it.” He flew towards the snake’s face with no hesitation, flying above the poison as he went. “HEY YA OVERGROWN EARTHWORM! YEAH, YOU! WHO ELSE HERE EVEN REMOTELY LOOKS LIKE AN EARTHWORM? AND WHAT’S UP WITH ALL THE HISSING? DO YA HAVE SOMETHING STUCK IN YOU’RE TEETH? HERE, LET ME PRY IT LOSE FOR YA!”

With those words, Alex flipped his sword around and aimed to drive it into the snake’s mouth.

You are totally insane, Alexander muttered weakly.

Quincy was scared as hell seeing the emperor cobra. Seeing that mantra and Alex fight it made Quincy move away as fast as possible. There was no way that Quincy was going to fight that snake. With them two distracting the snake the rest could find the way out of impel down. Quincy made his way throughout the level in hopes of finding the exit toward the next level where his captain awaited for him. The only problem it was too dang hot here.

"Holy crap this place never runs out of freak!" Frank shouted when the snake arrived. Seeing as Manta's attack had next to no effect, Frank got excited. Since his death he never had to worry about snakes, since their venom had no effect on him. But seeing this beast was scary enough to make the zombie battle thirsty, he wanted to hit it as hard as he could. Snakes, although fearsome and quick, have a weakness: no limbs. Their main weapons are their head and tail, and since Alex was taking care of the head, Frank was supposed to go for the tail. He raised his arms to the air and shouted "Here I come!" Before tunneling them into the floor, creating a hole. With Frank's great digging skills, the hole quickly became an expanding tunnel, big enough for Frank to get into. He kept digging, tunneling under the snake and forward, trying to get to the tail. He couldn't see what was going on above ground so he had to trust his instincts in order to find the tail. So he was digging.

"I guess Manta, Frank, Alexander and Chusei will take care of this..." the turtle thought as he watched at the doctor of the crew running away, towards Level 3. He said "Manta! I can't leave Quincy like that. We should not get seperated..." before he started running behind him, following him along with R.A.M. 2. Eventually, they would arrive at Level 3... Who knew what they would encounter there. Would they encounter giant monsters like the Emperor Cobra or would they encounter some powerful guards like Quatro? All their questions would be answered soon...

Meanwhile, Manta looked towards Quincy, Koga and R.A.M. 2 angrily while they were leaving. It was not because they left the other four members of the crew take on the snake. It was because they would get seperated from the crew. He did not want that to happen because if it did, then they would have to search for them as soon as they got to level 3... Despite that, though, he did not say anything and he decided to concentrate on fighting the giant snake. He said "Pathetic snake..." as he run towards it with Shockwave Rush and attempted to slash it with his Blood Spatter, his scythe.

Meanwhile, in Level 3...

Lecter moves towards the troops who were at the place. He says "Everyone! The invaders are probably coming. You should all be careful... Very careful...". "Yes, sir!" they all said before preparing themselves. Level 3 was way more organized than level 1 and level 2... Now, the Dusk Pirates would really have trouble.

Chusei eyes burned with distaine as the Giant snake interrupted his Duel.
"NO mercy for those who interrupt a challenge...."
Useing shadow soru and Jet Dash Chusei sped behind the Giatn snake. Then drawing his Seastonre sword with jet dials and His Red Katana Chusei used

"Combo Tech:Hidden Back flip Jet Blade Kick!

From the shadow's Chusei lunges forward and rapidly does a backwards somersault in midair as he Slashes with Five rapid slashes without making any noise what so ever.then as he finishes the midair somersault to land a powerful kick on the Giant snakes head he finishes off with a another set of 5 slashes. Attempting to Slice the giants snake spine into bits.

The combination of attacks were taken by the snake, but as Alex tried to stab its mouth. There was suddenly a jet of venom launched at Alex. Meanwhile the snake used its tail to swipe at the others who tried to attack it. this had the force to cut through rock or marble. The snake hissed as it trashed angrily at the attackers.

Frank's head popped out of the ground. He miscalculated the length of the snake and reached only barely past it's middle, but luckily for him, the snake moved it's tail. As the snake's tail sweep was aimed at the others, Frank met the tail while it wasn't fully curled. "Oh no you don't!" He shouted before pulling both of his arms out of the ground and grabbed the tail. The tail swipe could cut stones, and Frank could easily break boulder's with his fists, so the two forces were pretty much equal, and with the support Frank got from having his lower body still buried underground, he would be a able to hold the tail back and rescue his nakama from the attack. All of his dead muscles tensed from the effort and his entire body was shaking under the stress of holding such a huge beast back. The ground next to him started cracking from the stress as the zombie grinned his teeth.

Alex pulled back his sword arm as the venom flew towards him and he swept his wings around himself protectively. Since he was in his battle form, doing this would have the same effect as using tekkai, but considering the fact that the incoming attack was venom, that would matter little.

Alex hissed in pain as the venom struck and started to make its way into his system. He could not simply pull his wings back in because that would only help the venom enter his main body. The fact was, he had only one option and it would not be a pleasant one.

Alex dropped back towards the ground like a stone, no longer bothering to flap. As he did, he raised his sword and slashed through the joint of one of his wings, its weak point, and as it fell from him he gritted his teeth as a bolt of pure agony shot through his system. He wasn’t done, however. He repeated the process a second time and another wing drifted towards the ground.

About this time, he himself was reaching the ground and he slammed into it with great force. Despite being able to simply stand back up after two such falls earlier that day, his already pained body was nearly stunned by this blow. Still, he managed to slice through his third wing and kicked it away with his shoe. Then, black spots dancing in his eyes, he raised his sword one last time and cut through his last wing. The pain of doing this forced him to collapse in unconsciousness. Blood was leaking from the four holes where his wings had once been.

Chusie attempting to wrap his hook chain around the snakes neck. And then proceeded to yank it tightly and speed around the giant snake with Fast step and Jet Dash. Chusei slashed and stabbed with rapid speed while Wrapping the Chain around the snakes body.

Once finished Chusie did five back flips while sending out two air cutters with each flip.

The snake curled and felt equal force with Franks attack. This time it springed its tail like a bullet, turning and launching venom at him. It then curled and twirled out of Chuseis chains, tangling it as Chusei moved at faster speeds. The Emperor Cobra hissed loudly, its eyes glaring in anger and defiance, truly a mighty beast.

Quincy, Koga, and RAM had just arrived upon level 3 looking for the enterance for level 4. While their crewmates battle the huge snake, Quincy was looking for the exit. With only one more level to tresspass they could save Maximillion, and finally get out of here. The sand made it hard for them to travel, and the heat wasn't helping either. Quincy would done anything at that moment for a drink of water, and was considering drinking Koga for a turtle must have lots of liquid inside. Then he snapped himself out of his thinking. Then just as things couldn't get worse. Quincy had a feeling that danger was coming. Would he a cyborg and a talking turtle be enough to conquer this threat?