Serious: The Night Terror Pirates Chapter 1: Homecoming

Receiving a powerful hit to the gut Rupert fell to the ground feeling sick, he never had been all that great at fighting, just helping people he lay on the floor in pain holding his stomach then rolled over and crawled away to the tree which had the number no it. Rupert tried standing up and leaning against the tree to see if he felt any better. Rupert shook his head noticing the pain straight away.

Duncan ran over to him and licked his face, surprisingly among all the chaos going on here Duncan was seeming rather undisturbed by the fighting and the blood splattering everywhere. Rupert on the other hand was panicking wildly in his head but on the outside he just looked like a bit of a coward which he had to admit, he was and he knew it. He still felt bad about paralyzing that beautiful girl only a little earlier and looked back to where her body was to a Reaper's foot now in place. He gulped and tried standing up again.

Still the same pain shot through his body but he had to get to safety, Duncan could see Rupert was hurt and began looking around Rupert for anyone who planned on attacking him. Duncan was in defensive mode and wasn't going to let anyone hurt his master. Rupert could see Duncan trying to be strong and protect him but felt bad about having other people trying to help him.

Momo was thrilled that he managed to survive the last attack AND damage the Reaper even further, but the situation got worse the longer the fight extended. Now, the Reaper had as many as 5 scythes! And he was spinning towards Momo like a saw towards a log. If this thing managed to hit, then Momo won't remain in one piece, and since it was fast, Momo had to be quick and precise.

He knew what he had to do, and when the Reaper's blades were 1 meter away from hitting him, Momo sprang into action. "Bass Tone Block!" He announced again. He performed a circular motion with both of his arms: He hit his stomach with both palms, and immediately spread his arms to the sides. The hit produced a low bass sound as Momo's stomach got as hard as metal once again. Next, Momo extended his large stomach forward, so it would be the first thing the Reaper will meet on it's charge. The purpose was simple: Stalling the Reaper by temporarily blocking his attack, allowing Momo to counter attack.

Whether the block worked or not had a huge impact on Momo's future, but not on his course of action. As the Reaper got close enough, Momo moved his stretched arms from their respective sides towards the Reaper, attempting to clamp both of his sides. The Reaper's sides had no scythes on them, so it was safe to attack him there. The clamp, which was powered by Momo's fishman strength, will allow Momo to lift the Reaper up and flat him on the ground if it would connect.

"Slide!" John said as he attempted to use his technique that momentarily echanced his speed to dodge the attack. At the last second, the man moved out of the way of the bounty hunter's Tectonic Crush, escaping from the powerful attack at the last second.

Seeing the bounty hunter crushing the ground with the attack, John took a deep breath as he noticed that he was lucky enough to escape from the man's attack. However, even if the bounty hunter went with powerful attacks against him, John would not attack him, yet. He said
"You are way too strong. Not way too strong for me... Too strong for the current world. You should live in MY world of strong people... Why do you not understand that?" Then, he sighed and said. "Remember that it was not me who asked for this battle... I did not want to kill you at all. However, it was YOU who insisted... So, I guess that I will do as you wish. After all, I cannot refuse anything to a person of the "Strong World".

Then, he raised his sword slowly and he slashed the air swiftly. Afterwards, without wasting any seconds, the man tilted his fingers and a hologram of his previous slash appeared in front of the bounty hunter, attempting to slash him at the chest. The man was using the powers of his fruit... He was "repeating" his previous action.

(OOC: Before this point, I was planning on just giving Max full control of the crew. However, for the sake of storyline, I shall post at least once more. You'll find out why in this post. After the storyline has been concluded, Max can do as he likes.)

Wrath

Daisuke ignored Wrath's words and started to put away his shotgun. He had no intention of sticking around when he was needed elsewhere. Then he hesitated and lowered his shotgun back down into position. Something about this pirate seemed different. He was a little more vicious, at least that is what Daisuke felt.

The Marine raised his shotgun and pointed the barrel at Wrath's forehead. The other man was not moving, but the stance he had taken seemed quite odd for someone who was supposed to be fighting. It left him vulnerable with one hand down on the ground and the other touching his face. Perhaps he was just an idiot. Regardless, Daisuke decided that was going to take him down right here and now. One pirate should not take too long to finish off. Then he could get on with what was really important right now.

Since Wrath was just sitting there, Daisuke first reached into his other pocket (not the one with the Den Den Mushi) and drew out a couple of bullets. He reloaded his shotgun while it was still pointed at Wrath. Then he pulled the trigger, firing an explosive bullet at his opponent.

Momo

The Reaper was caught by Momo's hands. Its blades left their positions and spun around so that it could start slicing and dicing up Momo, but before it could begin, the fishman lifted the Reaper and then slammed it back on the ground.

An ordinary person would have felt pain. An ordinary person might have been stunned by the impact. An ordinary person might have cared about being smashed by a giant salmon. The Reaper was not an ordinary person.

Almost immediately it had returned to its 'feet' and its arms blurred as it prepared to attack...but then it hesitated. The Reaper pulled back its arms as new information entered into its brain. The Marine base where it had been powered up...that base was under attack. It had to go and protect the base. There were certain individuals in that base that it could not allow to get hurt. Individuals who went by the title of "Celestial Dragons".

The Reaper turned from Momo and rushed from the battlefield, cutting a path through the bare remnants of the still battling pirates.

John

The bounty hunter bent over backwards and the slash passed over him. He came back, nodding as he analyzed the data he had just collected.

"So that's it...somehow you are perfectly replicating the attacks you have preformed," the man concluded. "And you can do it from a distance as well. That's quite a dangerous power that you have there, pirate."

The bounty hunter started to crouch in preparation for an attack, but then froze and looked around in surprise. All over the battlefield, the nine remaining Reapers were turning from their opponent's and running away. Though he did not fully understand the Reapers, the bounty hunter had picked up some information about them during his travels. He knew for a fact that Reapers did not run away. No, something big was happening elsewhere.

The bounty hunter turned back to John. "You might be getting your wish," he grumbled. "We may not have to fight." He glanced back in the direction of the departing Reapers. "Something is happening and I don't like it. If it turns out to be nothing, then I'll be back, but if something really is going on..."

He let his silence speak for him. Then he was gone, rushing after the Reapers at full speed.

Alexander

Alex was about to attack...then his own Reaper opponent ran away. For a moment, Alex did nothing, but just stood there, blinking in surprise. Then his lips curled into a smile and he slid his sword away into its sheath.

"Looks like everything is going to plan, eh brother?" Alex commented.

So it would seem, Alexander replied from the depths of their collective mind. But remain on your guard. Something could shift the odds at any moment.

"Whatever you say!" Alex said cheerfully. "I'm going to go watch the Marines get their tails kicked and gloat as it happens!" He heard Alexander sigh and said, "Oh lighten up. I'll make sure and get us credit for this mess! Our bounty'll shoot right on up and we'll be on the fast track to becoming Shichibukai!"

Alex took flight, cackling as he did so. His black wings took him high into the air above the battle and then he turned and flew almost lazily in the direction of the Marine base.