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

Seeing Frank and Quincy, Manolo smiled evily. He looked at the two of them together and started remembering the battles of Navarone, where he and rest of the Exi Generals got defeated after a series of epic battles. Manolo, the commander of this mission in Impel Down was defeated by Frank. The zombie used many dirty tricks and overwhelmed him, defeating him and earning the victory for the Dusk Pirates. Even if Manolo was the strongest one of the Exi Generals, excluding Zigfreed who commanded them, he got defeated by the powerful zombie... At least that was what he showed. Nonetheless, he knew that he should be careful against him, as Frank was something more than a strong person to battle against.

On the other side, there was Quincy. The doctor had many problems in his battle with Roduko, the man who used the Shockwave battling style with his feet, but he managed to defeat him. The "weak" at that time doctor of the Dusk Pirates showed his strength and overwhelmed the mighty marine who used to show off his speed with his Shockwave Style. Since that time, Quincy got much stronger because of the drug that he used to consume and transformed him into a powerful man with great strength. Now, his hair were white and he carried a huge sea-stone bar that only a few people would be able to carry. That would not frighten the man who wanted to battle him, though...

Out of the marines, Roduko stepped forward after he listened to the voice of Quincy. Ever since that day in Navarone he trained himself hard to get stronger and in the end defeat the man who made him look silly at the eyes of the other marines. He stretched himself while pointing towards the doctor with an angry look on his face and he prepared for a battle against him... Roduko would have a battle against the man who ashamed him. Who would emerge victorious?!

However, at the place... When Roduko prepared himself to battle Quincy, Manolo was ready to take on Frank. Before he did so, though, his new assistant after he got the promotion, a marine called Zack Jordan jumped in front of him and blocked his way. He said with a determined look on his face. "Sir... I will take on that guy who defeated you at Navarone... And prove you that I am worthy of being your subordinate.".

After listening to this, Manolo smirked. He said "Whatever... Everyone attack!" before commanding everyone to attack the members of the Dusk Pirates! The battle was about to start! Who would emerge victorious?

As they prepared to attack, Maximillion laughed and stretched his right hand, prepared to start a battle with them...

Alex stared at the Exi-Generals with tired eyes. He really wished that people would just stop getting in their way. They had gone through so much already and he wanted to get a good night's sleep. That wasn't likely to happen at this rate. There was one thing that interested him, though. The fact that the Dusk's were reacting so violently towards these new foes. Well, more violently than usual. It almost seemed like the two sides knew each other...

"So, who are these guys?" Alex asked R.A.M. 2. "Do you know?" He yawned. "If you don't know, that's fine. I'm still kinda sleepy. Not to mention I'm not going to be fighting them. Not in this condition anyway." He glanced down at his good hand. "I wonder what happened to that sword I was using...I think it broke...yeah...that's right. Maybe cutting that building in half was too much of a strain."

Nelson rushed up the stairs reaching level 1 he smiled then took a deep breath, he never thought he would escape since his imprisonment here and now that he was so close to escaping he was filled with joy. Nelson clutched the handle of his cutlass and the sheath ready to attack anyone who came his way. Seeing others who looked like pirates, he ran over to them.

Dio slowly arrived to Level 1 and it was about time, he doesn't really like when thinks go fast or something. As he entered Level 1 he saw a battle, he didn't knew what to do. Dio didn't even know his crew yet well he just waited to get any others of the only guy he knew in the crew the captain well actually the first mate.

Seeing Alexander waking up, R.A.M. 2 was something more than relieved. Apparently, the man had been sleeping for quite long. The cyborg was carrying him from level 5 to level 1... He was the only member of the crew to be unconscious for so long after his battles against the guards of the underwater hell. However, he was also the only member to take so much damage and survive. Even if the others got quite damaged, they either got assistance in their battles and definitely they did not face the dangers that Alexander faced. The man was one of the people that helped the most in the massive break-out and from what the cyborg had seen, he could understand it... He even let his sword get broken in this mission. What a man...

"I'm glad you woke up..." was the first message that appeared in R.A.M. 2's tiny screen on his forehead. Then, he scratched his head and a message started appearing again in the screen that was apparently answering the question of the swordsman. The cyborg said "These people... They are the marines... And the Exi Generals, a bunch of highly skilled marines. We managed to beat them once... But I don't know what is going to happen while we are in this state. At least I can fight...". R.A.M. 2 was honest to Alexander and he told him his opinion. With so many members damaged, it could be a difficult battle for the Dusks even if they managed to defeat these marines in the past...

Meanwhile, as Nelson and Dio arrived at the scene, Oven and Jelayir of the Exi Generals stepped forth in order to start a battle with them. From the look on their faces, they could understand that they were pirates who were assisting the Dusks... "These guys could be their new recruits..." Jelayir said as he prepared for a battle along with Oven. The users of the Shockwave Style were ready for a battle...

At the same time, Maximillion looked at the scene with a surprised face. He was surprised because he did not know how these marines could have believed that they could stop the Dusk Pirates now that they had such strength. On the other side, though, these people were a bunch of weaklings... And weaklings, according to Maximillion, could never think properly because they are weak to everything, including the way they are thinking...

Finally, at level 2...

While Manta was slowly walking towards level 1 with Gabriel, Koga realised that the crew left. He knew that a few of those who helped the crew were still below, but he would wait them outside. As he walked, he watched at the "Chickenman". He said "Manta, wait!" before he started running towards him in order to get to him...

Nelson saw another man run up the stairs behind him and didn't know who he was until two Exi Generals stepped forward, Nelson then knew this guy wo be his friend as they would both have to try and beat these guys, it had been a long time since Nelson had been in a fight but didn't mean he had lost his skills. Nelson removed his cutlass firing a small air slash towards both of the Exi Generals then used his Revolver technique firing 6 very quick compressed air shots at Oven.

Nelson then prepared in case he dodge the attack like he guessed he would and launched 5 more air slashes in the same direction all at different angles hoping he would get to use his devil fruit ability. Nelson smiled as he launched the slashes and kept a tight grip on his cutlass as he remembered he was fighting for his friend the previous owner of his cutlass. Nelson could see the inscription on the bottom of the sheath and smirked. He was feeling good about himself and decided it would probably be a good idea to give everyone else here a helping hand to escape as he wanted to show his usefulness. Nelson spun around using his revolver technique again he fired 9 shots towards the other battles going on and hoped he helped them, be fore returning to look at the enemy he had attacked.

"I see..." Alex nodded at R.A.M.'s words. "...then perhaps you should go help our allies." He winced as he pushed himself upwards. "I'll find somewhere to rest. If I stay here I'll just be in the way." He shoved off of R.A.M.'s shoulder before spreading his wings and flying over to a corner before collapsing. "Get going," Alex ordered. "And make sure that you don't die. It would look bad for me to not even have the chance to pay you back for helping me so much." Though his words may have sounded a bit self-centered, Alex's expression had softened into a smile. "Thanks man. Seriously. Now give them a whipping they'll never forget!"

Maybe this crew wasn't so bad. If Alex hadn't been so set on becoming a Shichibukai, he would have almost certainly wanted to stay with them. Of course, he didn't have any clue as to how Maximillion was as a captain, but he figured from the loyalty displayed by the man's crew, he must really be something. How little he knew...

Frank meant to face Manolo again, after all, they shared a battle once. But as Manolo faced him, a man who appeared to be a new recruit between the Nail Thieves stepped in. "Hey! Even though I'm tired I still think I deserve more than a rookie! I'm insulted!" Frank shouted at Manolo. Frank wasn't lying. He thought he deserved more than a fresh recruitment after defeating the leader of the Exi-generals. "Ah whatever, let's just get it over with..." He sighed. The zombie tried to rush at his enemy, but he was too exhausted to do so. He decided to handle this fight from a different approach. The fact that his opponent never fought him before will work n Frank's favor, since the rookie didn't now any of Frank's tricks, both old and new.

He stood up and faced his challenger. "You go first..." He said and then pointed at his own chin. "Try to aim properly" He said with an obnoxious tone that was meant to annoy his opponent.

After only being 2 days in Impel Down, a lucky star had shot in front of Zeta's way. This pirates had rushed down impel down, through floors one, two, three, four and everything had filtered through the cells. The prisoners talked to each other and that's how he had the information he had. fortunatelly, from because of the rush that had just taken place, a ring of keys that held the keys to many of the cells here had flawn towards him, and he had managed to open up his cell and escape.

Next thing he did, was to revise the control rooms, in one of them he had found his bagpack, with all his things inside. And he had to look for a while in the other control rooms until he found his Zeta Gun, his other gun and his special and beloved bullets. Then he started running around level 2, looking for the exit to level 1. But... now thinking it over and over, how was he going to escape this effing palce that was in the middle of the calm belt??? He ran and he saw a bunch of people that looked like the pirates that had rushed down and up Impel Down. They were not in cages and they had normal clothes... talking about that... Zeta realized he needed his normal clothes, and lucky they were in his bagpack. He hid behind a wall and changed clothes quickly, then approached the pirates again.

"Hey, you are pirates right???" -Zeta, the okama, asked a guy who he didn't know. -"Could you help me escape this place?!?!? My name is Zeta Grevich, wanted for 17 million bellis... or more now that I am escaping Impel down..."

Seeing that Frank was more than ready for a fight with him, Zack prepared himself for the upcoming battle with the zombie musician of the Dusk Pirates that possessed super human strength. Without losing much of his time, the man jumped on the air quickly and spinned around himself. Then, he took a strange battling stance as he landed on the ground. He hands were widely opened and he was ready to move them. He said "Don't worry, I will aim perfectly... Shockhave Thrust!" as he used a thrust attack on the air and a shockwave at the same size as a thrust moved towards Frank. Apparently, as the guy was a direct subordinate of one of the Exi Generals, he knew how to perform the shockwave techniques, like them. Who would emerge victorious from this battle? Would the marine win or would the zombie prove his strength even more at his crew?

Meanwhile, as he saw that Zack started his battle, Roduko of the Exi Generals decided to make his move as well. He remembered the time in Navarone, when he battled Quincy... Apparently, with his chemical juggling, Quincy damaged him completely with a powerful explosion and it seemed like he was killed. Hopefully, he survived and so he was there and ready for a battle. Without wasting his time, the marine raised his leg upwards and launched a shockwave from his foot that aimed towards Quincy in an attempt to damage him and cause him some damage. Another marine started a battle with the Exi Generals.

On the other side, Oven looked at the bullets that were aimed towards him by Nelson. He smiled and said "I will not let this happen ever again... Ever since I lost to that bastard, I trained a lot..." and he jumped out of the way quickly, showing super human reflexes and dodging the attack. Then, he rushed towards Nelson in an attempt to throw a punch and cause him a little bit damage.

At the same time, the weaker marines started shooting. However, there were crewmembers at the place (the ones who are inactive now) to block the attacks and take them on, protecting those who were fighting and most importantly the captain.

Seeing the current situation, Maximillion laughed evily and turned towards Alexander. The man had piqued his curiosity. He had seen him on R.A.M. 2's back for quite a while and now he was awake. However, he seemed to be in no condition to battle. Despite the fact that Maximillion was sadistic and cruel, he also was a great tactician and strategist and knew that if Alexander battled, he would not offer very much to the crew and could end up getting killed. With a smile on his face, he patted him on the back and said "You may simply rest... There is no need for you to battle. I can see that your body is quite tired and damaged... If you keep fighting, it might not stand it..." while using a Shockwave with his other hand on a marine that was trying to attack him from behind.

R.A.M. 2 sighed as he looked at that. His captain was so strong and that made him understand that he was nothing and weaker compared to him. Even if he tried, even if he was fixed and slightly upgraded, he was still one of the weakest members of the crew... And that was painful for him. He did not show it, though. A message appeared on the tiny screen on his forehead and said "Well, the captain is right... You should rest a little bit, Alexander ".

Finally, on level 2... As Koga and Manta were together along with Gabriel, Koga felt somebody patting him on the back. He turned his head and he was surprised to see an okama looking at them and asking them if they were pirates. Koga scratched his head. What was happening now? Could that be? More people? That started getting annoying... The more the crew progressed, the more people were appearing... He said "Yes, we are... And?" and waited for Zack's answer.

"I don't think so..." Frank said with a grin. He remembered this fighting style from his fight with Manolo back at Navarone. But more importantly, he remembered how he defeated it. As the shockwave closed in on him, the zombie jumped, just enough to make the wave hit his abdomen rather than his head. "Scatter!" He shouted as the attack landed on his person. The wave sent Frank's abdomen back, but his limbs and head were detached from his body, and were now flying in the opposite direction. Frank's left arm, right leg and head flew behind Zack, while his right arm and left leg landed just in front of him.

"You shouldn't copy your teachers rookie!" Frank's head shouted as his left detached arm grabbed it in midair. "Serve!" The head shouted. In return, the arm bent over while in midair, and launched the head with great force towards Zack, like a speeding cannonball. He used this attack on this floor already, back when the gorillas beheaded him, and he was using it once again. His limbs landed on the ground with a thud while his head flew towards his enemy.

Gabriel looked at the man and nodded, still grinning. He had been accepted into the pirate crew; a killers paridise. He then walked with Manta and smiled (in his own sick little way). He didn't know about the friend thing, but he decided to stick with it so he could have a decent amout of daily 'playtime.' He walked with Manta, who he thought was his captain and didn't stop.

"Huh...well thanks for giving me permission," Alex grumbled sarcastically after Maximillion had spoken. "I could barely flop over here in the first place..." He leaned back against the wall behind him and closed his eyes. "Just get goin' R.A.M. 2. There's no point in sticking around here and looking after me. Not when the crew is on the line. We ain't out of this yet."

"Aaahh..."- Zeta was kind of pissed off because he had just said that he wanted to know if they could help them out of Impel Down.- "I wanted to know if you guys could help me escape Impel Down... I would even join your crew, since you're pirates and I want to have cool advetures."

Zeta looked at the pirates, expecting an answer from them. Then he said a short, two verse poem.

When the time comes to escape our death,
we will rise, like a sword from it's sheath.

Dio saw some people attacking but they didn't really look like a big deal so he took it the soft way. The area got all of a suden darker and darker, actually so dark that it was not possible to see anything. In seconds Dio appeared behind the guy who tried to attack him and aimed to touch his back with his hand. Will the attacker dodge fast enough or not?

Quincy blocked the shockwave pushing three feet from where he was standing "Your shockwaves are still the same. I'm not as weak as I was when we first met." Quincy picked up a large rock that came fron the ground during the shockwave. He threw it in the air and hit it with the bar like a bat. The rock flew toward Rodoruo like a bullet. This was only a distraction as quincy ran toward him with a punch to the face.

When Ellen arrived at Level one with the rest of the crew she was once again exhausted, slumping down sit against a nearby cell wall. As she noticed the new enemy blocking there way she merely shrugged and wheezed; "Im too tired and with only one explosive that could make us all very dead, i'll just leave it you lot.", merely resting and watching events unfold around her.

As Frank went with his powerful head attack, Zack attempted to dodge. He was ready to use his shockwave on the ground to give force to himself to move quickly out of the way and avoid the attack. However, the attack was very fast for him. Before he was able to use his shockave, he was struck by Frank's head on the chest, taking great damage and being sent several meters backwards. Because of the strength of the attack, he instantly fell unconscious and he got defeated...

At the same time, as the battle of Dio was going on against the two Exi-Generals, the two of them were surrounded by the man's darkness and got hit by his attacks, taking great damage. Even the force of the darkness' gravity powers was enough for them to take great damage... And things got much harder for Oven, as he got hit by a punch of Dio, taking so much damage that he instantly fell unconscious. The Dusk Pirates were far stronger than these marines...

Also, in the battle with Rodoku... The marine laughed as he looked at Quincy who used the sea stone bar like a baseball bat and hit the rock with it in order to send it towards him. At first, Rodoku was thinking of dodging. However, when he decided to use all his strength to eliminate the attack of the Doctor, it was too late. At the time he raised his leg to perform his shockwave technique, he was hit by the rock at the head. The rock broke and the marine's head started bleeding, as he fell unconscious.

Seeing the Exi-Generals falling down like that, many marines started retreating and getting back at the ships, while some others stayed there and started shooting towards the pirates. Enraged from their actions, Maximillion prepared himself and moved his left hand forward. Venom started coming out of his hand and gradually formed a hydra above his head, scaring of more marines that started getting out of the place. He smiled and said "Well... Marines... I gave you the chance to retreat the last minutes... Some of you were wise enough to do so... While some others decided to take me and my crew on. Very well... You can have what you want! Venom Hydra!". Then, he launched the hydra towards the marines, including the Exi Generals, poisoning them. The few marines who stayed at the place in order to fight the Dusk Pirates were poisoned, as well as their commanders.

Manolo fell on his knees as the damage from the poison was great and he started cursing Maximillion. He said to the man "Damn you... You... should be dead... You don't even know what I did to get this position and you come over here to stop me?! How dare you?!". "It was not me... It was fate..." was the answer of Maximillion. However, before he attempted to finish him off, the marine opened the book he was carrying for so long. A strong light was emited out of the book and Manolo, Maximillion, R.A.M. 2, Alexander, Quincy, Frank, Ellen and Dio disappeared from the floor of the prison...

Everyone who happened to be around, was surprised, including the Exi Generals who were dying... What did Manolo do and everyone disappeared? That was a question that needed an answer...

In level 2...

Koga and Manta looked towards Zeta with a face that showed confusion. What was going on was something impossible to believe. Not only, just like the other prisoners, another one approached them but he also claimed that he wanted to join their crew in order to have some cool adventures! That was very strange...

A second later, Koga raised his hands and moved them in a way that showed that he was kind of bored of this thing. People used to appear out of nowhere and asked them whether they would join or not. "Whatever..." he said "You may come with us. Welcome to the Dusk Pirates...". Zeta was now officially a member of the crew...

---

Somewhere else...

Maximillion looked around him. He could see Frank, Quincy, Alexander, R.A.M. 2, Dio and Ellen around him. However, Manolo, who was responsible for this was nowhere to be found... The place around him was a big room that seemed to have no exits at all. The walls were grey and they seemed to be impenetratable. "Where the hell are we?" he asked the crew, hoping that they would know where Manolo sent them... There were so many questions that needed answers...

Alex groaned. He had been dumped in the middle of the room and not against the wall. With his body so damaged, he had simply fallen over backwards, which was where he now lay.

"If I see that guy again...and I can move...I'll kill him..." Alex muttered angrily.

Alex closed his eyes, not to sleep, but to regulate his breathing and calm himself back down. There was no need to get so excited over something he couldn't do anything about. Yet. For now he would need to focus on finding a way out of here before he died of blood loss. After all, his wounds had never been totally closed.

Frank laughed as he watched his opponent lose to just a single attack. "No wonder we managed to take down this hell hole, look how pathetically weak you marines are!" Frank shouted as his limbs bounced on the ground towards his body. As his arms began stitching his head back to his abdomen, a bright light blinded him. His head closed his eyes, and when they opened, he was in a completely different place.

Most people would think that this is how dying looked like: A bright light. But Frank already died once, and there was no light involved in it. "OUCH!" Frank shouted as the hand stuck the needle into the wrong place. "Stupid light made me miss" Frank muttered. After stitching his head, Frank started noticing his surroundings. He was surrounded by his crew mates, and a big whole lot of nothing. "Any bright ideas doc?" Frank asked Quincy, referring to who he assumed to be the smartest man around.

Ellen watched rather lazily at the battle between her new crew mates and the last defence of impel down, thinking to herself; Man, if only I stuffed another tube of explosives in my arm, things would have gone a lot smoother. These guys did okay though, not enough explosions for my tastes. Suddenly there was a blinding bright light, forcing Ellen to cover her eyes until it dissolved to reveal that she, along with quite a few members of the Dusk pirates, was in some blank room. "Damn it! That bastard must of used some flash pellets! there the only bomb I know that can make such blinding light! He must of pushed us into some cell or something!", Ellen complained angrily, mostly due to the fact she had no idea if she was right or not.

"It is my professional opinon that we are lost frank. I have no idea where we are." Quincy said trying to figure out where they were. Due to his size, Quincy soon found himself cramped into this tight room. He tired to move but accidentaly grabbed ellen by the hindquarters. "Sorry I didn't mean to." turning red embrassed. He looked toward his captain hoping that he would provide the answers.

"Lost? No... I am afraid you are not..." a very bass voice said. The voice sounded slightly pitched as well and all of a sudden, one of the walls was reveresed, revealing a huge monster and a chained man on the wall. The monster was something horrible to see. He was enormous, he had fur around its body and a half rotten face. He had sharp teeth that could be seen completely, a snake tongue and two evil eyes with the left one being black and the right one being white. The monster also had sharp ears and dark red fur... His body was muscular but the muscles were hidden by the fur. He had sharp claws on both hands and feet and his arms were so long that they could reach his feet. He said

"Well, well... Do you like my new form?"

As soon as he said that, the man who was chained on the wall raised his head and looked towards the Dusk Pirates. With black circles surrounding his eyes and a body that was covered with his own blood, the blond man said "You... You are... Here... Leave... Don't suffer... Like I do... Please leave... If you have the chance... He is a monster... He is impossible to defeat... He is... the master of the place..."

Upon seeing the man, Maximillion raised his head. Ignoring the huge monster that was talking, he started laughing. Then, he started walking towards the monster and the man with a slow walk and said while moving "It's you... You are alive... But what are you doing here? Are you trapped and you have no way of escaping or are you just pretending... Zigfreed Von Strudel?".

---

Meanwhile, at level 2... With an extremely fast pace, a man dressed as a Chief Guard is walking towards Manta, Gabriel, Koga and Zack... The man, a person who prove himself as an ally of the crew, Kageroza Lecter, the traitorous Chief Guard, was moving towards them in order to reach them. As soon as he reached the Dusk Pirates, he smiled and said "Hahahahaha... Everything is okay... We would better leave as soon as possible before the guards start chasing us again, otherwise we might be in big trouble."

When Manta noticed him, he took an evil face. He knew that man... He had seen him battling Quincy at level 3 before. However, before he grabbed his scythe, Koga moved his hand in front of him and said "Stop it please... He has helped us... If it wasn't him, Maximillion would probably still be in the cell... We owe him one."

"Thank you very much, Koga..." Lecter replied with a smile on his face, before he spinned his naginata, using the weapon's Devil Fruit ability and opening a portal. From that portal, a man with a strange armor was revealed. The Dark King came out from the portal, along with Wako on his hands. As soon as he got out, he kicked Wako, sending him at Koga's hands, while saying "I carried you for long enough... You should thank me."

The last of the people who stayed behind were back! It seemed like the battle with Jack had ended... And at that time almost nobody knew what happened in the battle between these two and what the conclusion was...

Alex forced himself to sit up and looked first at the monster. He didn't seem disturbed by its disgusting appearance in the slightest. Slowly, his gaze shifted over to Zigfreed and his mouth twitched at Maximillion's words.

"Strudel?" Alex repeated. "Ya mean that guy's last name is the same as a pastry product? Cool!" He giggled, but then couldn't contain it and simply burst out laughing. His laughter didn't last long. It was cut off very suddenly and he fell on his back, wincing and muttering, "Owowowowowowowow...stupid wounds... Hey! Quincy! Do you have anything on ya that can numb pain?"

Idiot, don't wear out our body with your lame-brained antics, Alexander cut in.

Zeta smiled, but also was disappointed of the way that he had been welcomed to the crew... but well, he didn't expect any better from pirates. He remembered how he had gotten his 17 million belli bounty... he had been drunk with a bunch of other okama friends and other people... and they had destroyed a whole twon and beated down marines.

When such a greeting is given to me,
all I can say to you is thanks and thanks,
and as it's a very wrong time for pranks,
let’s run to the exit, and the sun see.

Then he saw that a man appeared in front of them, wasn't him the Chief Guard? Zeta walked around stylishly, moving his arms and legs in a girly manner when walking. Then approached the group again.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Shouldn't we escape the place already? or do you guys have a plan..."- Zeta asked demmandingly.