Flashback Thread: Inner Power (Open only to Dragon and Myself, and any invitee)

Roko cloud had his hands over the rudder of a ship that he learnt was called The Vineyard. Each of his fingers were crisped over the wood as if they were snakes shedding skin and constricting their prey. The storm that surrounded them was fierce, there were lightning raining around them in the skies. They seemed to be god's fury, they looked like expanding waves when you drop a stone into a water tank. The winds blew as strong as an elephant's stampede and the ship was moving from side to side dangerously, as if it was a baby in it's craddle and the waters that licked the sides of the ship as if it was made of bread were the mother. Roko's eyes were fixed on the horizon... although he couldn't see where it ended.

"Don't lose your grip!" - a man with grizzled hair indicated. -"We will be getting there soon!"

Roko remembered how he had got here in the first place... He had left Drum Island in the ship known as The Vineyard towards Alabasta. The villagers from Drum Island told him that was a good place where he could find someone to train with, because he was desperate of getting stronger. After claiming Drum Island as his territory, newspapers all over the island started showing that he had a three hundred million belli bounty on his head... but people trusted him. He had campaigned all over the island and they didn't see him as a threat to them. It was more a protection for them.

So Roko left Drum Island looking for a placeto train. He left his crew and especially his crewmate Haru to take care of things while they were there... the construction of the defenses, the underground tunnels, taking a look at the castle that was on top of the weird looking mountains, etc. He was done with convincing people that he was there only to use the island as a base and not to force them to work. When he got to Alabasta, he found this guy called Revin'ka Lukko... who he just decided to call Lukko. They both wanted to find someone to train them, to go further into the abilities they already possesed.

And that is how they found Memphis Quoc. Memphis Quoc had been a very feared pirate in his times. He had mantained a bounty of two hundred million belli and never had a devil fruit power. Roko admired him because of this. The guy had developed a style where he could canalize his strenght any way that he wanted. He learned how to control it, he trained his muscles, his brain, everything. He knew how to make everything work in his body. He was extremely flexible, he was really strong and very intelligent as well.

Roko and Lukko had to follow him and bother him for more than a day, trying to do everything he did, going to the same restaurants and everything until he accepted to train them. After that he told them that they would need to go to a desolate island tha was his home. They boarded the ship that Roko was using and the three of them ended up in this situation. The storms surrounded his island the same way that flies surrounded honey. Suddenly, after being in that storm for hours,it started settling.

It was a slow settling... like classical music. The sunlight started to filter through the clouds and dropped to the water, sparkling. Roko looked at the light as if he had never seen it before.

"We are saved..."- was the only thing he could say.

Revin'ka looked at Roko after the storm Had cleared up"Man,that was close,
good thing we have a good navigator like you Roko."Revin'ka said,
he would look at the sea thinking to himself"One day I will sail all of you."
Then looks back at Roko "Let's get to that island."he would say.

"Thanks Lukko." -Roko said when he was complimented by his partner.

Memphis Quoc looked at Roko and Lukko as if they were madmen. It was obvious that he thought that they were really inexperienced if they were complaining for something like a storm that had longed more than two hours. They had set sail really early in the morning, when the first light of the day was making the horizon have a pale pink nuance, now it was almost midday and the skies around them seemed to be a combination of dark clouds, mist and sunlight.

"Hey well... that is my home." -he said and he pointed at the horizon. What up to now had been covered by low black clouds had disipated and was letting through a magnificent view. There were white sand beaches besides a jungle... and behind that there were tall mountains with snow in their peaks. Roko couldn't see behind these mountains, but Memphis might've read his mind. -"At the other side of those mountains there's a desertic area... and also some rocky plains. It's a very weird island... small, surrounded by extreme storms, it is uncharted and has many types of micro-climates together."

Roko looked at Lukko with eyes that reflected surprise. He wouldn't expect this in an unknown island, it obviously had to do something with magic. Snowy peaks couldn't just be close to the beaches...

"Kind of weird... but awesome." - Roko suddenly exclaimed.

The ship approached the island slowly , until they were so close that they could distinguish the different types of trees. Memphis put his hand on Roko's shoulder.

"We gotta throw the anchor down here and swim towards the island." - he explained. -"If not, we wont be able to move the ship out of shallow waters."

Having this said. Roko left the wheel and threw the anchor down. The ship stopped and he looked at Memphis, waiting for instructions. But Memphis just jumped down the ship with his things inside of a little knapsack and started to swim towards the island. Roko gave Lukko a look that said: What a crazy guy...

Revin'ka would be alittle suprised when Memphis just jumps into the water with giving no instructions."I guess we just follow"Revin'ka exclaimed.
Then looks at Roko and says."Were probably gonna be just like him on day,
what was the word"crazy!"
Revin'ka would secure his sword ,and wrap his samurai coat around his waiste.
Revin'ka would then leap in the sea behind Memphis and head towards the island.

Roko decided to jump after Lukko and Memphis, because he didnt want to stay alone in the ship. Before doing it, he took his greatsword from it's usual place in it's back and unsheathed it from it's place where he hanged it. He took hold of it and placed it over his head, out of the reach of the water. He didnt want it to rust.

"Hey!!! Wait for me!"- he exclaimed loudly, like he usually did. He was tall enough to stand after a few meters of floating and moving his legs to push himself forward. He didn't want to submerge himself because he was scared of rusting the belove weapon he had got from his father.

When they were in the beach, standing on the white sand, Roko was panting softly. He wasn't very tired but his body always asked for extra-oxygen after any kind of physical activity. Memphis looked at both of them.

"We will start our training after we get enough things to survive the night." -he explained.- "Each of you will need to build his own little tent or house where they will spend the night. It is also better if you find any food."

After saying that he goes into the jungle and leaves Roko and Lukko by themselves. Roko turns around and looks at Lukko, then at the forest, then back at Lukko .

"What..." -he said. -"Im sure we will need wood... big cloth or big plants to cover it and maybe something to make a fire...or wait, I can do that, actually."

Revin'ka would give a dumbfounded look.
"Right,Ill just go get some sticks for that fire of yours,maybe find some kinda of game or small animal we could eat,sounds fair while you work on getting tents up and finding a good place for the camp site."he would explain.
Revin'ka would un wrap the coat from around his waiste and fan it out and put it back on,"Well I guess training can also start now!"as he would dash into the forest.

As Lukko ran into the forest to go and look for something to eat and animals and maybe something to make the fire Roko thought it was a little bit unfair that he was left the construction part, and the funnest part of killing animals and hunting could be done by his companion. But whatever, he decided to go into the jungle for the structure of their tents.

He had his broadsword in his hands, so he felt completely secure, even if he was in the middle of an unknown jungle. He also kept his tekkai kenpo activated as a passive ability... although it offered only a weak defense against external attacks, it was like using a leather armor on top of his skin.

As he walked through the forest looking for big branches that could serve the purpose of supporting a blanket or big leaves on top of it and even more importantly, wouldn't be blown away by the wind, Roko was thinking about where to settle down their tents. It couldn't be too close to the water, definitely, because if the tides rose, they would take their belongings and the "house" itself.

It couldn't be close to the jungle either... if there were many wild animals it could be a danger for them. Damn, how complex. He would need to look for a good place later. Right now, he was looking at the branches. At first he checked the big fallen branches, but most of them were being eaten inside out by insects... which didn't seem very good for them.

After walking for a while, without losing his sense of direction, Roko found a big tree. It seem like if it had been struck by lightning because it was all dry, without leaves. He touched it, knocked it and seemed hard inside. He decided to take the tree with him. How could he do that? Well, he was a quarter-giant... And he had trained his strenght all his life. With his broadsword he performed a hyper-sharp and strong airslash that cut through the base of the tree, which almost fell on top of Roko. Then he palced his sword in it's sheath and dragged the tree towards the beach.

He used his sword to cut the branches individually, leaving bifurcations in some of the ends so that it would be easier to tie them together. And then he realized... he had no rope at all. And damnit he had to go inside the forest to look for something similar again. After walking into the forest for about ten minutes he realized that the trees were getting taller, he looked up and saw that some vines fell from the highest branches.

A normal person would've scalated the tree... but Roko was a lazy butt right now. He took his sword and performed an airslash towards the highest branches of the tree. It didn't work as he would've wanted. The branches started to rapidly fall on top of him and he had to sink himself into his strongest form of tekkai to withstand all the pointy branches. When he was done he was able to take a good amount of vine with him.

He returned to the beach and saw that closer to a river and further in land, going towards the mountains, there was a good space. He dragged all his materials... even the ones that he had cut already and started to try and build something in this space.

Leaves falling from the forest trees they would seem to dance in the wind as they fell,Revin'ka found it easier to leap from tree to tree,as so he would have a better scouting method of finding animals for food and grabbing small tree branches one the way, how he was able to do this was because of all the martial arts training etc, he had gone through from a young age until three years ago.


Suddenly he stopped he felt a big presence in the forest it was rather close,so like the curious person he is,Revn'ka went looking for this presence he felt.He leapt from tree to tree until he came to a thick tree bush.
Revin'ka would stick his hand into the bush and move it slightly to the left,behind this tree bush would be a seen a open meadow,and what laid in the middle of this meadow seemed to be giant creature."Must of been what I felt,I wonder how it tastes?"he thinks to himself.


Revin'ka jumps from out of the tree and lands in the meadow,landing lightly of course.He would make his way towards the giant creature having to push some of the thick and heavy plants and grass out of his way.
Revin'ka would be standing infront of the creature now,notcing all it was a oversized lion being at round 40 feet in length.The giant lion woke up hastily and saw Revin'ka and swung his left paw attempting to hit him,Revin'ka would leap back avoiding the paw and landing on his feet."So you want a battle huh!"Revin'ka would yell at the giant lion.


He would get into his haikaiken stance, his left foot in front his right ,his left hand extended out with his index and middle finger also exdented out,his right hand place by his waiste with also his index and middle finger extended.Revin'ka would stomp off hard on the ground below him and dash towards the giant lion.


As Revin'ka is dashing towards the lion,it would swing it right paw this time towards him,Revin'ka would place his left foot hard on the ground an leap in the air landing on the lions rightpaw before the lion got done swinging Revin'ka would leap off the paw and onto the lions head, and running down towards the lion back of the neck.


Revin'ka swiftly taking his left finger and jamming it into the joint in between the neck and spine of the lion dislocating it and imparing the lion to move,as the lion crashes into the ground revin'ka would jump off it back and land into the grass.
Revin'ka would grab the lions tail and drag the lion in a slow pace becuase of how big it is,knowing it would take awhile for him to get to camp.


After a couple hours he would see the beach he came from,he would walk down the beach with the lion until he eventurally he saw Roko in a clear area making up camp,he would drag the lion with him into camp and crashes on the ground putting the small tree branches he collected next himself and the giant lion behind him."I'm back"saying it exhaustingly.

Roko smiled as he saw Revin'ka coming back with what seemed to be a very big animal. He was even suprised by the fact that it was a giant lion... he had no idea if it was edible, but they would need to try it out.

"Are you sure lions are edible..?" -Roko pointed out, summarizing his thoughts. Then he turned back to his materials. He realized that Memphis was no where to be found in the island... maybe he had a comfortable house somewhere but it was small and he didnt want to share his space with strangers... Because that's what Lukko and him where, Strangers.- "Umm... I need to build this tents... but it seems like it will take a while."

After that he looked at Revin'ka and then turned back to work. He improvised a spade and started digging some holes where he would place the "pillars" of the tent, so that it was stable. He didn't know if he should expect Lukko to help him, because it was not his work after all.

Then he started taking the strongest branches that he had previously cut and placing them as the corners of their tents. After that he took lots of other branches and started to tie them so that they would work as walls. Slowly, the little houses, which were adjacent to each other, started to form. Roko's was big enough for him to hit inside and have some space left. Lukko's followed the same pattern.

Revin'ka Yawned stretching out his arms,and watched roko making up the tents ,until Revin'ka got up and headed to the lion he impaired.He would stare at the lion for a few seconds until he would grab his sword and unsheathe it.


"Well I guess well see if its edible."As he would swing for the neck cutting of the lions head in one quick stroke,blood would gush out from the remaining body of the lion,"Ahh thats gross!"Revin'ka exclaimed.


Revin'ka would cut of the four paws and place it where the fire would be made,and then slicing the stomach to the chest area open. Seizing all the most likely edible meat of the lion,and placeing that infront where the fire would be also.


"I think we can eat this,but can you cook it ,cause ill probably burn it?"He would laugh,as he would then start to skin the paws he cut off earlier.

"Well, sure." -Roko said, smiling dimly at Revin'ka Lukko. He saw that Lukko already have the branches to make the fire... Roko took a look at them and saw that they were alright. Dry and long enough to mantain a good fire. In case they didn't ignite properly, Roko could always light it again. He took his broadsword and placed the fire crystal in the socket. -"Fyra!"

After exclaiming this he stabbed to the front and at the wooden sticks that were going to catch the fire. It shot a short burst of flames that was enough to burn someone's face, arm or catch clothes on fire. After setting the wood on fire, he went back to making the tents. He ran towards the forest and found some really interesting trees that lived near to the ground and were small, but that had really wide leaves. Roko that knew a little about his thought that it might just be an adaptation to get light better. Ha, adaptation or not, he was going to take the leaves.

He found various of these trees and took a good quantity of broad leaves. He started to put them in their place on top of the little houses. They weren't the best ones, but they were decent for improvised natural tents. Roko was satisfied, he tied the leaves down with some vines.

"I think it's a pretty neat work both of us did."- he sat down and took the meat with a stick, placing it close to the fire.

In the horizon Karasu could be seen aboard Roko's ship, looking around the uninhabited shell of the captains cabin. Karasu used his spies to find and talk to Roko Cloud, his bounty had become sufficient where his movements in such an ocean were easily traced. However, it was harder then finding most of his other targets.. despite a high bounty Roko was too nice for his own good, he hadn't committed enough destruction to make Karasu's job easier. He looked around the bed, his pet vulture was on his back looking around. On the door that was supposedly locked a hole could be seen right where the door knob used to be; Karasu put some wrappings on his normal pistols to not disturb the other crewmates while they were sleeping (If there were any). Karasu sighed then walked back out of the room, closing the door behind him slowly. He walked through the halls and into the deck once again, right back in the area where he had originally landed. He looked to his left; the submarine was left a few miles from his area.. but he wasn't worried about anything happening to it. Not in these calm seas and this calm weather.

Karasu looked at the island ahead of the ship, the other obvious choice to check for the captain. Karasu ran with his vulture on his shoulder and jumped out of the ship while swinging himself forward. The vulture opened its wings and caused Karasu to fly in the direction of the captain he was searching for. Within a few minutes, maybe less, he arrived on the beach with both his legs on the sand. He looked around then closed his eyes. Suddenly he could hear most of the island, he searched for voices one sound at a time until he heard fire crackling.. he opened his eyes again then ran in high speeds towards the fire. Karasu stopped at one moment then jumped into a tree nearby, from there he started to jump from the branches of the trees. Eventually he found the source of the fire, the source being Roko himself. From there Karasu sighed, then sat down on the branch with one leg hanging. His vulture was still stealthily hanging on his shoulder. Karasu laughed suddenly, it seemed ironic to him that Roko Cloud would turn out to meet his expectations and yet.. the first time Karasu would see him is next to a fire in the middle of nowhere.

"Roko, I haven't seen you in awhile.. a lot of things have changed since then, I can honestly say you're the closest thing to an ally I have right now.. but enough about that, let's get to the reason why I have tracked you down from half way across the world... I have a big battle coming up, I need you to come with me.. I'll tell you the secrets to learning geppou if you agree to helping me.."

Roko heard something move in the trees and then he heard his name being called. His eyes widened and he still had his hand extended with the stick towards the fire, cooking the meat. He quickly turned his head to look at the place where the voice had come from with his cheeks flaming red... He had imagined how stupid he looked in this situation. It was around 4pm in the afternoon, there was no sign of Memphis Quoc, he was sitting by a fire with his stomach rumbling and with a meat loaf stabbed by a stick and in the fire, as if he was a kid camping somewhere... only that he was in the middle of nowhere.

But then he realized who the voice was from. His jaw dropped open and the meat with the stick fell into the bonfire, catching flames. It was non-other than the person he had met almost one year and a half ago... it was a short encounter, but it had marked him forever: It was the man he knew as Shichibukai Karasu Ammo.

"Ka-... Karasu!" - he said mumbling. -"I mean, Shichibukai Karasu! What are you doing hereee! Long time no see!"

Roko didn't know if he should call him a friend... he was the reason that Roko had developed Rokushiki usage and that he wanted to go over his capacities, trained everyday and managed to beat a shichibukai... he had throught about Karasu when that happened. In an impulse like those ones that Roko always has, he stood up, ran towards Karasu and embraced him in a friendly hug.

"It's so good to see you again!!! Although last time you tried to kill me..." -Then the words that the King Assasin had told him went through his mind and he suddenly comprehended them. -"WAIT! What'!??! Big battle? You can count on me, definitely, consider me your ally and your friend from... wait a second... I thought Shichibukai couldn't be friends with pirates..."

He looked at Karasu with uncertainty in his eyes.

Karasu heard Roko's response then smiled. He hadn't heard his voice in awhile, and he has changed a little since that day.. both physically and apparently in maturity. Karasu could actually hear the difference in tone from before. Roko seemed surprised to see Karasu as well, and when he jumped to hug Karasu he fell to the ground underneath him.. smooth. Karasu wasn't used to being hugged, so the shock made him fall to the floor in a rather silly way. He stood up after falling an patted the dirt away from his pants, overhearing the rest of Roko's remarks to Karasu's sentence.. although Karasu was surprised Roko had not heard the news. Karasu heard him say the word shichibukai in his words, which was not something that Karasu had as a title anymore. Karasu continued speaking without attempting to hide his emotions.

"You mean Ex-Shichibukai, my bounty is 250,000,000 now... that means I am free to speak with whoever I choose to talk too. I need to make sure I can count on you as an ally, and.. I could've sworn there was somebody else here.. never mind, here.. I have a den den mushi with the Geppou instructor of my islands Rokushiki school on the line, If you are really serious about fighting the Dusk Pirates.. and possible the Black Cross pirates, then you can accept this den den mushi and speak with the instructor"

Karasu left all of his pistols on his belt, and the two hidden ones remained on his sleeves. He was looking around for the other person without looking, he was mostly paying attention to Roko and making sure he wasn't surprised by the second company.

"Oh Sorry!" - Roko exclaimed when Karasu fell from the branch he was sitting on to the ground. He looked at Karasu and took mental note of his words. He wasn't a Shichibukai anymore, Roko wanted to know why, but he knew it wasn't the right occasion to ask about that, he was here for something else. He wanted to offer him the ability to learn the Rokushiki technique known as Geppou in exchange for his help battling two of the strongest crews over the seas.

The first thing Roko thought of was his crew... it would be dangerous for them. He would be putting them in a real challenge by making them fight against the crews of people that were in the New World at the moment, according the newspapers lately... The Black Cross Pirates had re-appeared and the figure of Roberto D. Wally, with a bounty of 400, 000, 000 belli had started causing fear again. He looked at Karasu in the eyes, trying to read him... although he totally failed. Roko sometimes was too innocent. But he knew that he couldn't permit Karasu fighting this strong and truly machiavellian masterminds.

"There actually is someone else... it's my friend Revin'ka Lukko... he is somewhere around our tents." -Roko explained, he took the den den mushi with his hands, both of them. -"I swear I will help you, Karasu."

After he said this he took the den den mushi... he had to wait listening to the BEEP in the line for a few seconds until someone in the other side took the other den den mushi and started to speak to him.

Hello.. This is Lyanna... I am the one of the best, if not the best, Geppou instructor in the Dark Isle...- she said, her voice was sweet... it was like molten butter spread over a loaf of bread... it was like honey dissolving into a glass of milk... -"Hello Lyanna... I am Roko... I think you know why we need to talk..."

Roko was almost drooling, but he started paying attention to the words of the woman.

Yes... let me introduce you to the... basics.- she said with a captivating tone.-When you use the technique we know as Geppou... you are basically kicking the air with enough of your strenght... your mighty strenght... and with that speed I know you have so that you force yourself in the opposite direction you have kicked to. You've probably heard about Soru... it's similar, but in the air... and you get to move as fast, but jumping through the air. You will be breaking the sound barrier each time... you can think of it like that... you are climbing the air itself, like if it was solid...

"So it is some kind of magic...?" -Roko asked.

Eehhh... Sure- she said... trying to follow Roko. -You have to force your body to materialize air, yes... as if it was magic.

Roko was happy to hear that, he looked at Karasu with a grin on his face.

Revin'ka would walk outside from inside the tent,"Hey you know...."He would see the new face who had arrived at island,scanning him over he would see pistols at his waiste standing across from Roko,"Oh no,a bounty hunter stand back Roko!"


Revin'ka would put his left leg out and dash towards the stranger, extending the left hand finger,and targeting him with the haikaiken,he would be in enemys space now his hand would target his enemys joint between his right shoulder, and his neck if hit it would dislocate it, the speed of the attack would be a swift strike.

Karasu smiled up until the moment when someone started running towards him.. and rather rapidly. He called Karasu a bounty hunter, which confused Karasu greatly. Karasu saw the opponents hand strike out at him, without him moving the vulture took the impact on its wings. The vulture seemed fine after the attack on the wing.. but a clank was heard when his fingers touched its wing. The vulture has steel hard skin, right at that moments its wings feathers turned into swords.. it would normally shred his finger if it was still touching it. Karasu looked up at his vulture and nodded, telling him to get off his shoulder. The vulture flew in the air and stood on a branch, carefully watching the fight Karasu would now be having with the opponent. Karasu took out a pistol from his waist, one of his normal ones, and pointed at the man.

"You never come at a man head on.. you'll be falling into a trump card 9/10 times. Another thing, that technique you used.. it's closer to shigan, you should probably have a look at a rokushiki user with one."

Karasu aimed his pistol at the enemy. This time he fired 5 rounds in a second each aiming in a different area. One aimed at his left knee, the other on his right knee, the other on his left shoulder, the other on his right shoulder, and the last carefully placed to miss his head, but have a sudden curve to it that would make it turn around and hit the opponent from the back (If it connected). Each of the bullets were fired from a normal pistol. A person with keen eyes would notice that Karasu never once bothered to reload, or give the pistol enough time to put a pistol in the barrel before firing. This was his devil fruit, the ability to have unlimmitted ammunition in whatever he used as a weapon. Mostly guns of course.

Revin'ka would quickly leap back as the birds feather would turn turn into blades,fast enough to where he could void his hand being shreded but still get it scratched up.


soon as his opponent would draw his gun and the bullets being fired at him,he would jump and dive behind a tree next to him two of the bullets would hit his left, and right shoulder scathing his skin.


Revin'ka would then break a branch of from the tree,come from behind the tree,as he would then throw it towards his opponent,as he throws he would dash from he left,skipping by tree by tree,keeping up with the speed of the trown branch,the enemy having to decide to take out the branch or worry about Revin'ka.

Karasu watched as the man quickly ran behind a tree, showing skills in acrobatics.. or rather, skills in dodging. He was above average just by dodging bullets, this wasn't a normal crew-mate Roko brought along with him. he then did something interesting.. he took out a branch and threw it at Karasu, at the same time the young man ran through the trees beside the branch keeping up with its speed. Karasu sighed, he made an acrobatic display by bending his body like he was playing limbo. The branch came flying by him and hit the tree behind him, cracking the trunk itself from its force. At the SAME time, Karasu aimed the pistol at the opponent that was now heading his direction. He shot A canon bullet.. which was a bullet with the force of a canon, if it hit it would be enough to break bones.

Karasu then put his hands on the ground and forced himself to put himself straight (backwards) in case the opponent was still heading his way even after the bullet that went his way. Karasu then pointed his pistol at him, with both feet planted on the ground, waiting for a reaction from him. The bullet canon was aimed at his left leg to try to hinder him of his movements.