Chaos on Crescent, Act II - A Phantasmal Finale!

[Vio]

Previously on Bon Voyage:

After crossing Reverse Mountain, Pluto, Scarlette and Rebecca made landfall upon their first island of the Grand Line – The Crescent Moon Republic. Docking at the island’s very own Waterway City, the intrepid trio ventured inland to explore the town, and to escape the odours of a ripe fish market. Finding herself to be in need of sustenance, to quell her stomach’s upset upon the turbulent tides, Scarlette soon suggested that they find somewhere to eat, but it is on the way to such an establishment that the first glimmer of uncertainty manifests.

thought I saw a boy on top of that waterwheel…?”

[/b][/font]

“I don’t see a boy.”

“Even if we missed it, he couldn’t have escaped that quickly.”

[/ul]
Dismissing the notion of Scarlette’s vision – pinning it somewhat on her need for food and her legs’ uncertainty on the harsher seas – the ‘crew’ of the Phlegyas soon enter the aptly named Watermill Café. Feasting on simple sandwiches and slices of a rather rich and tasty coffee cake, the young Rebecca’s question to the establishment’s waitress, Clara, reveals to the foreigners that their Log Pose will take three entire weeks to reset and guide them to the next island in the chain. Though Scarlette herself is unconcerned by this fact, the usually calm Pluto cannot help but announce his disinterest in being stuck on the ‘boring’ Crescent Island for such a period of time.

With their discussion about navigating the Grand Line ongoing, the troupe soon finds themselves in the presence of a very large and rotund man. Twice the height of even the tallest member, the portly individual is soon revealed to go by the name of ‘Tweiss’ and – apparently desiring the very same cake that had drawn in Rebecca’s attentions – soon asks the likes of Scarlette to surrender her slice to him.

[/font]o.”[/b][/font][/div]
“Hmph! Meanie! I’m telling Octavier on you!”[/ul]
Pulling a childish face before storming out of the café, Tweiss’ words seem to provoke worry in Rebecca, but her concerns are soon vanquished by the knowing words of the waitress. Clara explained some of the history behind the island; its recent civil war against the tyrannical leader known as Selethen and the subsequent arrival of a man named Octavier, whose noble efforts involved the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Crescent Moon. Pluto finds such selfless ideology rather suspicious, believing there to be ulterior motives, whilst a now sated Scarlette decides to leave the café behind in pursuit of Tweiss – murderous intent broiling within her.

But soon such desire to kill is washed away when chocolate hues settle upon the most unusual sight – the very same boy that Scarlette had glimpsed upon their journey to the island, and again atop the waterwheel, now sat before her. Disturbed by the ghostly sight before her, the reaper woman’s mentality soon starts to crumble and collapse, even as Pluto and Rebecca catch up with her and glimpse the ghost with their own violet eyes. Whilst entertaining the possibility that a Devil Fruit is at work, the young man in black offers some rather cold but comforting words to the now sullen siren, aiding her in her recovery from the pain and fear of her dark past in time for the phantasmal follower to show himself once more.

[/font]y name is Scarlette.”[/b][/font][/div]
“Mm, I know. I… I’m Ben.”

“You’re a Devil Fruit user, right?”

“N-no? But… there’s someone who did this to me.”[/ul]
With the revelation that there is another Devil Fruit power at work, and finding that such a power granted its consumer an ability that goes entirely against her moral compass, Scarlette silently sets herself the task to finding and killing the power’s owner. No sooner than the revelation occurred than the familiar voice of Tweiss finds its way to Pluto’s ears, accompanied by another voice unknown. With silent steps, the Zoan user approaches the corpulent man, whilst Ben pleads to Scarlette to not trust him. Finding greater reason to pursue this unknown ability user, Scarlette accepts the invitation of Tweiss to go and visit his ‘Boss’ – a man by the name of Octavier – and explains that to do so they must cross the bridge to the island’s capital city; Crescent Moon Central.

Soon arriving at Crescent Castle, whose form is gradually being reconstructed in the wake of the locale’s civil war, the group are introduced to the man himself. A kind gentleman of tall stature, Octavier’s very presence seems to welcome them. Revealing their desire to become stronger to him, Pluto and Scarlette are soon pointed towards an event in which they can test their skills; Crescent’s first Battle Royale since the defeat of Selethen at the hands of the Gold Dream Pirates. Though at first unsure of what such a thing is, Scarlette is soon informed by both her ally and the neutral party about the meaning behind such a thing, and the chance to test his mettle and break the ‘boredom’ of the island soon gets Pluto riled up.

[/font] see. You got number thirteen.”[/b][/font]

“And you got the number eight, so…”

[/ul]
Now knowing that they would not have to fight against one another in the first round, rescinding their weapons and armaments as per the rules explained by the elderly clerk and commentator, James, Pluto and Scarlette prepare themselves for the battles ahead. Just two amongst twenty four indubitably powerful combatants, the first to take stage is none other than the Offspring Human herself. Making utmost use of her ‘Hypertension’ ability to best her fearsome foes, and even revealing a new trick by the name of ‘Souffler’, Scarlette comes out as one of the two victors of the first preliminary round. Overcoming a powerful bruiser, two brothers – one scrawny and one like an egg – and a businessman who announces every calculation, she and a devilishly handsome toreador known as Quattro go through to the final round.

Pluto then takes point, participating against such fearsome foes as a savage warrior, an immense brawler, and even a martial artist whom had faced him before so long ago! But despite the intensity of the battle, it is he and a woman known as Hexton – blessed with the ability to manipulate water – that find success. It is during this second round that a now frenzied Scarlette leaves the stadium to seek liberation for the innocent, encountering Tweiss who soon feels the fierce grip of her wrath. But even so, the psychopathic siren just could not find it within herself to kill in such a brutal fashion. Instead, Tweiss escorts her to see Octavier, under the premise that he would allow her to become stronger. It is there, in the castle’s underground chambers, where the truth begins to rear its ugly head.

[/font]y power is that of the Hara Hara no Mi.”[/b][/font][/div]

“What… What happened?”

“Tch! He’s used his power on us…”[/ul]
Wrenched from their bodies, Scarlette and Pluto – who had followed after finding victory – now find themselves in an incorporeal state, helplessly awaiting Octavier’s next move…

SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

[/b]

[/font] (990000)
Pluto (550055)
Rebecca (33ffff)
Ben (abcdef)
Clara (ff99ff)
Tweiss (ba3b3e)
Octavier (9999ff)
Old James (101010)
Skinny Brother (#7) (ad5a00)
Rotund Brother (#9) (00a5da)
Hexton (#2) (003300)
Quattro (#1) (e62f2f)
Brutish Brawler (#17) (440022)
Percentage Businessman (#19) (00ff55)
Nero Trojan (999900)
Blond Fighter (#24) (d5cf56)
Savage Warrior (#12) (633e09)
Kite (#10)[/ul][/ul][/spoiler][/font][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[BlacKitten]

There were things that cannot be explained in words, only experienced. This sensation was one of them. Now, the voices in his head faded into silence. All form presences that he could momentarily sense by some mystical means had been interrupted by a hand that could reach into his soul and reel it out. After being overwhelmed by the storm of emotions, his body felt sluggish as if trapped in a paralyzed state. If his mind was just a bit stronger, he suspected that he could move, but the very sight of his own phantom form stunned him. Separated from his physical body, his ghastly figure was under control by Octavier’s grasp.

This is… his Devil Fruit power.

Everything blacked out for a moment. His eyes opened weakly as he lied flat on the floor. Hands grasped the stone –tiled floor, pushing off as he adjusted himself to a kneeling position. Upon reminding himself of the titanic-sized threat that stood before him, his pupils dilated. As he attempt to shapeshift, he found his body not responding to his will.

What? Oh…, of course. Taking a glance at himself, he found himself to be in a dress. With a sweep of a hand, he felt long, black hair. He was a girl now. Being in someone else’s body felt disgusting, these were not his hands. These arms, legs, facial structure, set of teeth; none of them belonged to him. “That was uncalled for,” he paused, noticing the sound of his tone being completely different. “So this is the Hara Hara no Mi’s power. Thanks for the demonstration, but I prefer to be in my own body. You brought Scarlette here, so you can swap her body with a stronger one. Was that your plan in order to fulfil her desire to be strong? Perhaps this is your first time extracting the soul of a Devil Fruit user, but Scarlette no longer has access to her Tane Tane no Mi. In actuality, did you not just make her even weaker?” He knew that he wasn’t going to get what he wanted just like that. His words served merely to buy himself some time. It was doubtful that Octavier would have wanted Scarlette to be stronger, and ever since she attacked him, their beliefs no longer aligned as they may have originally thought.

This is bad. It’s not like I can just kill this man. From the way his powers work, only he has the power to reverse his own doing. Pressing on one foot, Pluto shifted to a stand, slightly wobbling as he tries to find his sense of balance. The distribution of mass was different throughout the torso and limbs. Without even having to fight, he could feel this vessel being substantially weaker than his formal body. This current form did not belong to a martial artist.

His former body remained in the distance. Knowing that someone dwelled within it irked him. Everything he had trained for was now taken away with a single swoop. The Batto Batto no Mi and all of the techniques that he developed over time was now gone. Without the conditioned muscles to support it, he doubted any of his advanced moves could be pulled off.

He cursed as his own idiocy for letting this happen. Normally, evading such a grasp would be easy for his level of agility. If only he was in his right state of mind earlier. Back then, something strange happened that never once occurred before in his life. Perhaps it was hallucination, but it was as if he could feel the presence of others. He could hear their spirits crying out. He even read the intent of movements before they were even made. This underground region where all of the bodies gather, the condensed space of tormented souls had seem to have triggered some primitive, latent sense of perception within him. But now, it was gone.

Fear lingered in his heart, the fear of being helpless. The man, who holds the power to return his body back to him, stood before him, yet Pluto was certain that he had no such intent in making that happen. After losing the most powerful weapon a martial artist could have, there was nothing he could do.

Wrong. The most powerful weapon a martial artist possesses is not his fists; it’s his mind. He recalled those words being said to him.

[Vio]

Her senses betrayed her. So too had her rage. Scarlette Grimm-Rosa, a considerably powerful and vicious individual in her own right, had been the catalyst for what would perhaps be one of the most bizarre turns of events in her life time. The weightlessness of an ethereal form was disorientating, anchored only by the firm grip of Octavier’s own fingers, but what boggled her mind even more was what followed mere seconds after. Pulled through the air like a kite caught in a gale, her vision once more flickered to blackness. It was like being wrenched in and out of consciousness – the darkest depths of slumber thrust upon her in brief but debilitating bouts. She could only imagine it was the same for Pluto, her companion’s soul also torn from flesh and bone.

“That was uncalled for,” said a voice nearby.

An alien voice, woven from separated but familiar pitch and intonation.

This is…? As the new orator rambled, Scarlette made to move – to pick herself up from the floor upon which she lay. But everything felt different. Everything felt wrong. Her centre of gravity was different, the weight of the world’s own mighty grasp pulling down upon her like the scratching claws of the unquiet dead. Heaviness pressed upon her in some places, but not in others, almost as if parts of her form had been cut away. It took a moment or two, her body shifting as she rolled onto her stomach and pushed herself to her knees, before realisation took over. A second glance at the hands that pressed against the cold, stony floor revealed the truth.

“Ah, you’re of sharper mind than I gave you credit for.”

You… Another voice, familiar and crisp in the cool air of the castle underground, reached her ears. Octavier stood there before them, standing tall and smiling a smug smile. But his presence – while threatening in its own chilling way – was the least of the reaper woman’s worries. Resting upon bent knees, she raised her hands to look upon them once more, still not quite comprehending what was going on. They were bigger, not by all that much, and felt hardier. The skin of the palms and extremities still looked pale as her very own flesh did, but there was a much healthier glow to it; these were not her hands. Nor were these her legs that she currently tried to stand upon. Short silky hair sat upon her head, still black as her own jet locks, and the clothes that adorned this body were entirely different. A blue long-sleeved shirt and black trousers were a far cry from a dress of black and white.

“But, Pluto,” Octavier replied. “You’re not quite on the mark.”

The tall one palmed his hands together.

“Yes, the powers of the Hara Hara no Mi allow me to extract the ‘Soul’ of a living person from their body. Of course, that leaves their physical form as nothing more than an empty shell – a prime candidate to be the body of a new spirit. It is true though,” he explained openly, “this is the very first time I’ve been given the chance to apply my power to another Devil Fruit eater. I suppose I could be considered lucky in that regard – lucky that the two of you came here. But while I might even be learning new things about my own abilities, what of you?”

Scarlette tensed, and then turned her head.

“My body… His body…” The words that escaped her mouth were wrong as well. They were deeper, of a familiar pitch, but possessed of her own subtle intonation. Throughout the world, different peoples spoke in different ways – accents and other such quirks of speech were commonplace the moment you ventured to a new country and territory. But it seemed that no matter what the difference in pitch, one’s vocal identity essentially remained the same. Perhaps what unnerved her the most, however, was the presence of her own ‘corpse’ standing nearby. Pallid flesh robed in black and white, eyes of dark chocolate, animated by the essence of the young man whose body she now seemed to inhabit. Her – that is to say Pluto’s – skin crawled.

“I’ve given you a chance,” the ghost-maker continued, his words echoing with power. “It is a chance to test the extent of your lower limits by ridding you of the uppers! That strength that the two of your possess – through Devil Fruit and through martial art, respective – has been practically wiped from the slate. How does it feel to be in a body unlike your own…?”

“It feels… so wrong,” Scarlette replied, clenching fists and baring teeth.

Eyes of rich violet stared into their foe’s watercolour hues.

“It’s worse – worse than just being imprisoned in this forsaken world!” she yelled. To her, those words rang true to belief. One of countless millions bound to a world of flesh and blood for crimes they have not committed, each and every soul on the planet needed liberation, save for those who had truly sinned. The feeling of being entombed in a skin that was not her own was sickening, nauseating, and only further fuelled the fires within her heart. Before her stood a man whose powers defied everything she morally believed in; the power to keep a soul bound to this world even when extracted from its prison of bone was a power none should possess. It was as if the corrupt deities themselves had bestowed unto Octavier the power to defy truth, staining it black with twisted ideals. The powers of gods entrusted to mortals such as these could only bring about greater evils. And this? To be sealed in the flesh of another was one of the greatest catalysts for such sinful morality.

“Is that so?”

I’ll beat him to within an inch of his life, thought the vicious vixen, taking a step forward.

“I wouldn’t bother, if I were you. You’re in no condition to fight me.”

She scowled – scowled through oddly sized teeth and lips. As painstaking as it was to her, the lady of Jigokuchi had no choice but to concur with this statement. That single step had taken more effort than a dozen in her own body, her very being felt as if it were stretching in a vain attempt to try and fill the shell in which it now sat. Pluto no doubt felt similar, the form into which he had been placed was thinner and tighter than his own, despite being an inch taller. Even breathing felt nearly twice as hard. Octavier had already proven to be far more agile and swift than his abnormally tall stature might have indicated; fighting him as was, in bodies to which they were unfamiliar and so heavily contrasted their norms, was only going to sway the fight even more heavily in his favour…

SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

[/b][/font] colour when Pluto spoke (a nice little idea), so I've done the same.

Starring:

[/font] (990000)
Pluto (550055)
Rebecca (33ffff)
Ben (abcdef)
Clara (ff99ff)
Tweiss (ba3b3e)
Octavier (9999ff)
Old James (101010)
Skinny Brother (#7) (ad5a00)
Rotund Brother (#9) (00a5da)
Hexton (#2) (003300)
Quattro (#1) (e62f2f)
Brutish Brawler (#17) (440022)
Percentage Businessman (#19) (00ff55)
Nero Trojan (999900)
Blond Fighter (#24) (d5cf56)
Savage Warrior (#12) (633e09)
Kite (#10)[/ul][/ul][/spoiler][/font][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[BlacKitten]

Toying with people’s souls like this; it made him sick. No matter how many times he reminds himself to calm down; the surging rage kept rising back up. Why him? This had nothing to do with him. He never wanted this.

“Yes, you’ve taken away my Devil Fruit power,” he concurred. “But, as long as I have my memories, my martial art is still with me. You have not taken that away from me. My fighting spirit, my will, and my instincts, they’re all still residing within me. Octavier, you underestimate me. A handicap like this is just a matter of getting used to. I’m still Pluto. Being in a different body isn’t about starting over; it’s about adapting to it. Martial arts have evolved and adapted along with the change of society. Without evolution, the arts would have been lost long ago. I will defeat you with my marital arts.”

Turning his back at his enemy, he strode out the room, “Now is the perfect time to take me down. But knowing you, Octavier, you’d rather watch things unfold. Scarlette, let’s go.”

If mind and body are the two sides of the coin in the art of combat, then he only had one side of that coin to rely on. However, why is it called martial arts? It is an art, a way to express oneself. At his current state, he was like a painter without his brushes, but the colors remained in his possession. With this different stroke of brush –this different body-, his marital art would merely adjust itself accordingly. But, that easier said than done.

As winners of the preliminary round of the Battle Royale, he and Scarlette must continue on the next match. Why? In order to defeat that man with the Hara Hara no Mi. At their current state, neither of them stood a chance against him. They didn’t need to test it out in order to understand that. For the time being, they must understand the Devil Fruit power of each other. Despite having their bodies swapped, they still had the advantage of the devil’s curse. That will be absolutely necessary from here on out. And, in addition to that, they must learn to work together as well as coming up with a strategy to synergize themselves against their opponents.

Scaling up the stairs, he left the underground chamber, only to have his heart skip a beat upon hearing the gentle voice of Rebecca.

“Scarlette?” His sister tilted her head.

OH DEAR! I forgot she existed!

“Hmm?” The youth tilted in the other direction, patiently waiting for a reply.

A sweat drop flowed down the back of his neck as his mind blanked out. This was checkmate. He had absolutely no countermeasure against this. Why? Because Scarlette was in his body. Even if he had the acting skills required, there was no way that she could play the role of Pluto.

ARRUUGGGHHHHH!!!

“Rebecca,” he muttered quietly at first, irritated that his own voice was entirely different. “Dojo Island in North Blue, we’ve met Maru, a talking panda, who taught me martial arts. Since this is before we’ve met Scarlette, this is something that only Pluto and you would know about. As you know very well, your brother isn’t the type to talk about his past to other people. And, if you haven’t already noticed, this is not how Scarlette talks at all. Conclusion: Scarlette and Pluto have their bodies involuntarily swapped. There! I’ve said it!” He sighed to catch his breath.

“EH!?” The girl widened her eyes and perked her ears. She had never seen Scarlette talk this much before. This manner of factual speaking sounded much like her brother. This ability to plan ahead on the spot along with this kind of logical thinking; this was most definitely Pluto.

“Tsk! Good, I was afraid you thought I was joking because I wasn’t. Remember Ben? Well… he’s additional proof that body swapping is possible with the help of a Devil Fruit power. This power… is the most obnoxious one to be up against that I’ve ever encountered.”

“Scar-… I mean Pluto, what’s going on? This isn’t permanent, right? How am I supposed to hug you when you’re in a different body? It won’t feel the same as before.”

Hugs? Please… take this more seriously.

[Vio]

“Octavier, you underestimate me. A handicap like this is just a matter of getting used to. I’m still Pluto.” Though spoken through the lips of Scarlette Grimm-Rosa, such words were most definitely those of the young martial artist. He seemed oddly calm in such a situation, even though he still clearly had to adjust every square inch of his usual stance to compensate for the shifts in weight and stature that his ‘new’ body possessed. But even so, his confidence echoed quietly around the vault – this was a person who had been taught well, and had learned better. Seemingly in recognition of that fact, the Exorcist Human grinned. It was one of those knowing smiles, something which this man seemed to have fell back to very often.

“Scarlette, let’s go.”

It was not a request. It was an order. So it seemed to be, at the very least. Words spoken from her own mouth – with her own pitch of cry – were far more commanding than she had ever realised before. But now, hearing herself through the ears of another, the reaper woman was suddenly far more aware of how she sounded. With that pitch and Pluto’s personal intonation, the confidence and certainty in the words spoken seemed more like cold, emotionless demand. It was reminiscent of her father’s tone, back when he had trained her in the arts of the Tane Tane no Mi.

“Alright…”

She turned to look back at Octavier.

“It seems your partner is well-educated in the ways of our world, despite his youth. Many a man would be curious as to the ways of a woman’s body, but Pluto has a sound head upon his shoulders. He is not distracted by trivialities,” he said more quietly. The smile upon his face had faded to a sterner look – an almost dominating look. “Are you the same? That I cannot be sure of, but what I do understand is that you are hiding something. A burden you would rather not carry. You are irate, Scarlette, because you are bearing more upon your shoulders than anyone should ever need to carry. I may not know who you really are, but I am not so blind as to fail to see it. That is why you have this chance from me. One does not become stronger through shouldering such weight alone.”

Scarlette tensed, and then turned.

What was that even supposed to mean…? Octavier’s words played upon her mind, dancing in and out of focus as she scoured them for meaning. But their meanings were elusive at best. As obvious as it was, she could not see it for herself just yet, and that only further served to boil the blood in her veins as she advanced through the stone halls and up the stairs. By the time Pluto – the one in possession of her body – returned to view, there too stood the smaller sibling. Rebecca seemed confused, perhaps a little unnerved, but it was apparent enough that her brother had capably explained the situation to the point where she understood. As young as she was, she was startlingly smart, if naïve. Maybe that was part of Anna’s essence manifesting in her? The knowledge of some of life’s pangs already present in a soul recycled for whatever elusive purpose.

“This power… is the most obnoxious one to be up against that I’ve ever encountered,” Pluto stated. It was true, as well. However, his sister seemed more concerned about the ability to hug her brother, bearing some of her youthful naïveté for all to see. It was supposedly somewhat heart-warming. Or, at the very least, Rebecca’s lack of concern for the things that pestered the older twos’ minds was somewhat comforting in this situation. Still, it did not deny the fact that they were both at a severe disadvantage. There were only a few minutes before the final round of the Battle Royale began, and just returning to the stadium would take up the majority of that time. No time to get used to the twists and turns of a body swap, nor teach each other the ways of their Devil Fruits respective.

They might as well forfeit the match.

But Pluto seemed intent on doing otherwise.

“So,” Scarlette asked, walking past the two and towards the entrance hall through which they had all once come. “What are we going to do? Those two… Quattro and Hexton… are supposed to be our opponents for the last match. And I’m… I’m not sure I can really fight that well without my Devil Fruit – my Homunculi and ‘Hypertension’ is what I focus on. Unless I’m using my scythe… but we can’t do that…”

Rebecca looked at her, tilting her head.

Scarlette returned the tilt, but averted her gaze.

“Don’t be sad, Plu- Uh… Scarlette,” the girl said. It was quite uncharacteristic to hear her speak in such a manner. Not so much the way she spoke, but to whom. Rarely had the two girls exchanged words, but in times that they did, emotion always seemed to be involved. This wasn’t the innocent side of Rebecca talking right now – this was the caring and understanding side.

“I’m… I’m not sad,” she fibbed.

“Yes you are. You’re doing…” Rebecca’s voice trailed off, before picking back up again: “Doing this.”

“But… But I-”

“See! You talk like that when you’re sad. I can hear it, even if your voice is like Pluto’s!” The girl had turned from concern about hugs to concern about the emotional well-being of someone with whom she had never really bonded. It was oddly charismatic – familiar, like the methods of Annabelle Grimm-Rosa. Their eyes met. A brief exchange of glances, but the child’s was by far the superior gaze, violet eyes crackling with a determination that very much resembled her brother’s own look of absolute certainty. “Back when we first met, you talked like that. You’re always so quiet. Just speak up, like you did when you asked Pluto to train you! We can help! Isn’t that right, Pluto…?”

SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

[/b][/font] for this bit. Not just to flesh out my post, but also because I wanted her to have increasingly more relevance to the plot. I think she's spent enough time with Scarlette to be a bit more open about things (this may also lead into the use of the nickname 'Scarly' as the thread progresses). Anyway, we should head towards the stadium. Prepare for the fight.

Starring:

[/font] (990000)
Pluto (550055)
Rebecca (33ffff)
Ben (abcdef)
Clara (ff99ff)
Tweiss (ba3b3e)
Octavier (9999ff)
Old James (101010)
Skinny Brother (#7) (ad5a00)
Rotund Brother (#9) (00a5da)
Hexton (#2) (003300)
Quattro (#1) (e62f2f)
Brutish Brawler (#17) (440022)
Percentage Businessman (#19) (00ff55)
Nero Trojan (999900)
Blond Fighter (#24) (d5cf56)
Savage Warrior (#12) (633e09)
Kite (#10) (0ae7ab)[/ul][/ul][/spoiler][/font][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[BlacKitten]

“Scarlette, there are two fundamental things to consider when forming strategic plans,” Pluto lectured as he powerwalked his way through the hallways. “First is to know your enemy. We’re up against contestant number one and contestant number two. The male fighter is a show-off who seems to specialize in a form of boxing judging by his light footwork. His strengths are his speed and fighting tactics. He’s the type to taunt you and make you try to fight under his rhythm. That is a grave mistake that you must avoid at all cost. Next, the blonde female, who I know the least about of the two, has some strange powers. I’m not quite sure how to put it, but for now, let’s call it water manipulation. One of her presumably many techniques includes the power to concentrate water into the form of a spear before firing it. The second thing to consider is to know ourselves. Since Quattro is a close-range specialist, perhaps I should be his main opponent. I would like you, Scarlette, to handle the blonde one. My body is more durable and can take on more hits. But, your goal isn’t to beat her. It’s to stall her out and force her to reveal more of what she can do. You need to get the hang of using my Devil Fruit power and take advantage of flying. Even if clumsily, flying makes is difficult for anyone to land a hit on you.”

With just those two perspectives, Pluto seemed to have a detailed plan in mind already, and along the way, he tried to educate his comrade on the basics to form strategies. If the one in possession of his real body could learn to see the perspectives of both the enemy and oneself, then it allowed one to see the bigger picture.

“As expected of my brother,” Rebecca tagged along with a smile on her face. “But, why are you still participating? It isn’t fair for the two of you to fight with such a handicap.”

“Winning is not our goal here. Our goal is to learn how to fight with these new bodies of ours. In order to take down Octavier and get our bodies swapped again, we need to learn to adapt. We are still humans with two arms and two legs, even about the same height. Our accumulative fighting experience and knowledge shouldn’t go to waste. It’s wrong to say we’re starting over from scratch. Like I said, we’re merely going to adapt what we already know into an adjusted fighting style given our new bodies.”

“Will you be using the Tane Tane no Mi, Pluto?” If her brother advised Scarlette to get the hang of flying, was there something for him to get the hang of too?

“I’ll refrain from using it if possible. Having wounds on this body along with blood-loss and decreased stamina are the last things I would want in a fight like this.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” The youth questioned. She couldn’t fight as well as the others, but perhaps there was a position she could fill that wasn’t combat-related.

A long pause filled the air in silence. He then spoke out his thoughts, “There is one thing you could do. I never liked that guy, but given the circumstances, he could be a useful ally.”

“Who are you referring to?”

“That kid who lost his own body and now lingers in the physical world as a mere soul: Ben! He’s the only one we can turn to now. He might possess useful information that we do not. There really is no good way to track him down. All I’m saying is that if you encounter him by some slim chance, form an alliance with him. Given his own circumstances, allying with us is beneficial for him as well. I see no reason for him to decline,” he offered a way for even Rebecca to help.

Amazing… Pluto…, he figured out all of this in such a short amount of time. Any normal human would be terrified or even traumatized. Has he always been this fearless?

“Pluto…, are you… afraid?”

“Of course I am. I fear defeat. I fear losing my body forever. I fear never being able to live my life the same way again. And, that’s why I’ll do everything I can to fix all of this.”

[Vio]

You remind me far too much of Anna, Scarlette Grimm-Rosa thought as Rebecca spoke. Not just in physical appearance, but in the way seemed to speak up; these were odd traits that provoked memories of her sister, once more making her question what it was that the beings of the ‘Otherworld’ had intended for this soul. But alas, she needed not to dwell on such trivialities. She could not possibly understand the conspiring of the gods – or whatever title mortals wished to bestow upon those entities that existed far above their own material plane. It was an unknown factor that would become known in due time, and so for now she brought herself back down to Earth, in time to pick up on Pluto’s explanations.

“I would like you, Scarlette, to handle the blonde one,” he said. Oh, how strange it was to hear her own voice say that name. The reality of the situation was really starting to hit home as Pluto – wise beyond his years – stood there speaking through the lips that she had grown up with. She wondered further what it felt like for him, being encased in her body. Did he feel the burn of the scars upon her back, or was such a sensation nothing more than her own emotions lingering? Did he really comprehend the differing growth and skeletal structure; there was no denying that the various feelings of strange and unfamiliar body parts were taking a great deal of time to get used to. She might not have been some buxom babe, but the lack of bosom was a noticeable ease upon the weight she now supported.

“I guess so…”

“Will you be using the Tane Tane no Mi?” Rebecca questioned, provoking verbal responses from both individuals. The young man who now possessed her corporeal form was at least privy to the ways of the Offspring Fruit and its somewhat severe side effects. Amongst Devil Fruits, the Paramecia had likely claimed more lives in its long and untold history due to misuse than it had due to proper understanding. Indeed, the only reason she even possessed such a power flowing through her veins was because its former owner had believed its immediate potential to be indefinite. But no, that power needed perhaps the longest of all Akuma no Mi to get used to – to adjust one’s body to its every little function. Even so, Miss Grimm-Rosa felt the need to clarify the point:

“It’s not an easy power to use. It took me years to adapt to what I – to what my body can do with it,” she explained grimly, footsteps still heavy as she followed in Pluto’s wake. By this point, they were already at the entrance hall; the doors ajar, but Tweiss was nowhere to be seen. She did not pay any mind, though, and continued to speak. “I’m not sure, but if you can somehow activate it for yourself, it shouldn’t be too bad. That body’s used it enough to be able to make Homunculi out of very little. I don’t think a single Homunculus is going to be very useful against them, though…”

This is so strange… Shivering a little as they stepped out of the castle walls and into the expansive field beyond, lined with the capital’s buildings and hosting the stadium, the reaper woman could not help but find conflict in her mind. On one hand, she felt so strongly sickened by the fact she was referring to her own flesh and blood as if it were little more than a suit of armour. On the other, the fact of the matter was that she also believed that to be the case. Bodies were little more than shells, so her belief – so her father – had taught her. Shells into which souls were imprisoned, bound for mortal years by corrupt deities and their twisted regimes, for crimes that not a one of them had truly committed.

“There really is no good way to track him down.”

Pluto’s words snapped her from her blasphemous thoughts, drawing eyes now forged of violet to the grand façade of the colosseum. Though they might have considered it to be beforehand, the last round of the Battle Royale was by no means their final fight here in the Crescent Moon Republic. Quattro and Hexton were formidable adversaries, but Octavier was just as threatening, if not more so. An inexplicable chill in the air seemed to plague the body-swapped femme, as if she were now walking headlong into the jaws of absolute oblivion. Just minutes before the battle started, minutes of little more than discussion about what course of action to take – not even a chance to truly get used to the bodies in which their spirits now nestled. There was something more to this; that much even Scarlette was aware of as they closed in upon the stadium’s great tunnel-like entrance.

“So, I see you’ve made it back in time,” said a familiar voice. Dressed in full dark jade business suit, the man known only as ‘Contestant Nineteen’ stood in the shade of the great brick passage. Glasses perched upon his nose gleamed in the rays of sunlight, hiding his eyes and reflecting back unto the group. In his left hand he carried a black leather briefcase. He adjusted his spectacles, their glare vanishing, before he spoke again; “Your final match starts imminently, so I shan’t keep you any longer than necessary. But, I must stress the importance of what I am about to tell you. Through one of my ‘associates’ I was able to do some digging regarding the medical staff here at the arena. Many of them arrived here at Crescent at the same time as Octavier did. Those that did not are reformed members of Selethen’s forces – the former tyrant ruler. I needn’t explain what that means, but it is imperative that you are victorious here today. Good luck.”

With that, the gentleman walked away. Just who was he?

Scarlette turned to Pluto, nodding before advancing down the tunnel. As mysterious as that man was, he was right on one thing, and had been right before. He knew things that they did not, but right now that was not important. What was important was overcoming Octavier’s little test, defeating Quattro and Hexton…

SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

his is where the plot really starts getting explained, because there's so much more to it than meets the eye! Anyway, I'll give us another round to settle before the fight begins, so enough time to reintroduce ourselves to Quattro and Hexton as we take the stage!

Starring:

[/font] (990000)
Pluto (550055)
Rebecca (33ffff)
Ben (abcdef)
Clara (ff99ff)
Tweiss (ba3b3e)
Octavier (9999ff)
Old James (101010)
Skinny Brother (#7) (ad5a00)
Rotund Brother (#9) (00a5da)
Hexton (#2) (003300)
Quattro (#1) (e62f2f)
Brutish Brawler (#17) (440022)
Percentage Businessman (#19) (00ff55)
Nero Trojan (999900)
Blond Fighter (#24) (d5cf56)
Savage Warrior (#12) (633e09)
Kite (#10) (0ae7ab)[/ul][/ul][/spoiler][/font][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[BlacKitten]

Scarlette’s input on the high difficulty level imposed on her cursed powers was nothing new. He was well aware of the risks, but according to her, this body was at a level that can handle the summoning process of a few homunculi. “A paramecia-class Devil Fruit…, in that case, it’s a matter of how one uses it. One homunculus could be more useful than you think if used correctly, but the applications sure are limited.”

The man in a green tuxedo stood by the entrance as he informed the two of them of what he knew. Pluto wasn’t sure why he was helping them this way. Perhaps, deep down, this man believed that they were the only two who could change this place. The dark side of this empire lingered in the background, and the Battle Royale might as well be called the heart of it all.

A sudden realization struck him after contestant nineteen’s information. Another piece to the puzzle was added on as he saw the bigger picture. As he approached the entrance, he spoke his mind privately to Scarlette and his little sister, “So, that’s how it is. I haven’t considered this yet, but if the medical staffs work for Octavier, who has a collection of corpses, they may also be playing the role in taking the bodies of the defeated fighters. In other words…, if we lose, our bodies will be stolen from us forever. This tournament may all just be a one big trap, an elaborate scheme to gather bodies to be victimized by the Hara Hara no Mi. That man also made an announcement to commence this event. If he’s running this show, then he certainly has that sort of power. Well, this all just a hypothesis.” The medical staff came here around the same time as Octavier; that naturally led him to believe that they were associated with him. If that was the case, their respective role was the perfect camouflage. Defeated fighters would be in their care, helpless as their souls get extracted from their injured bodies. Pluto came up with the hypothesis after asking himself one question: why did Octavier get himself involve in this event? That man should be busy helping reconstruct the buildings after the war occurred. Knowing him, he had an alternative motive. The very image of him was all just a mirage to fool the public.

He brushed the thought away. There was no turning back now as they were already entering through the tunnel to the arena. After several minutes, he had only just started to grow accustomed to walking in this unfamiliar body. But, it wasn’t good enough. Unless the movements he made were instinctive, there would be a delay from excessive levels of thinking and mental adjustments to the posture.

“Hey… Scarlette. In this next round, we should start out by stalling as much as possible. We need to buy some time in order to get used to moving around in a different body,” he spoke in a serious tone. His accomplice was more of a head-on fighter than anything else, and that was what he feared. Charging in upfront in such a disadvantageous situation was a free ticket to defeat. Normally, he’d prefer to handle a fight such as this by himself, but he didn’t have such luxury anymore. Above all else, the person who possessed his body was right next to him. He had a feeling that even if they end up victorious, they weren’t going to be leaving this island unscathed.

“Pluto,” Rebecca muttered as she paced right next to her brother, “Don’t lose.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said casually. The shadows passed over his head as the light on the other end of the tunnel revealed the stadium along with the audience sitting around in anticipation. Having only four members partake the next round made it easy for most of them to remember them. “You be careful as well, Rebecca,” he warned the youngest one as she must uphold the responsibility of taking care of herself. At her level of training, she could at least take care of herself. Actually, it was questionable if he could even take her down with this big of a handicap on him.

[Vio]

By now the stone stage upon which the fighting had so far taken place was visible at the opposite end of the tunnel, bathed in the golden rays of the sun as if it were some golden pedestal upon which divine warriors enacted their judgment upon the impure. Even so, Number Nineteen’s words rang calmly in the ears of Scarlette Grimm-Rosa – the ears of Pluto. She had honestly expected little from this island after setting foot upon it, the Grand Line’s mysteries seemingly left behind at the entrance of Reverse Mountain, but such folklore about this treacherous sea was starting to rear its ugly head again. Crescent might have seemed something of a paradise upon first arrival, but every passing moment now said otherwise.

“In this next round,” Pluto voiced, “we should start out by stalling as much as possible.”

Scarlette winced at the thought. If there was one thing she actually disliked doing, it was delaying the inevitable. But, as life seemed to want to dictate, she had little choice in the matter. In an ideal world, she would best such adversaries as soon as possible, shrugging off all sense of self-preservation for the sake of liberation. But this was not an ideal world at all, nor was it an ideal circumstance. Unable to rely upon the one weapon she could trust so definitely to do her dirty work, and even lacking the graceful coordination that accompanied the deathly twirls of her sickle, the reaper woman was caught between a rock and a hard place. If anything, she needed to rely solely upon what little martial prowess she had developed in recent days.

“Alright…”

Stepping from the shadows of the tunnel, the sun was almost blinding, and the sound of the audience cheering very nearly deafening. The stadium seats were packed to the brim with buzzing bystanders, all of whom seemed to scream and shout at the arrival of two of the four finalists. The stage itself, still forged of smooth stone tiles, had clearly been repaired – if not outright replaced – since the chaos of the match prior. And there, upon said stage, stood their foes.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is it! The moment we’ve all been waiting for is upon us now!” The sound of a familiar voice resonated across the coliseum, drawing violet eyes towards the announcers’ stand. Sure enough, there were two entities present up above. The tanned and muscular physique of Nero Trojan and beside him stood the elderly gentleman from before. The dark-haired damsel tensed, a sense of inevitability lingering over her like the sharpened point of a sword. There was no turning back; a fight that could not be abandoned for the sake of productivity, and one which would surely put her and her partner through their paces on both physical and mental fronts. Why she was even feeling this, she wondered. This was something she normally would show no consideration for, but perhaps the fact that she was currently possessed of an alien façade was an explanation.

“So, James, who’s your Beri on?” asked Trojan.

“Ohoho~! That’s a tough one right there,” the old one replied. “I’ll be the first to say that after seeing these two new contenders in action, I can promise you all quite the show!”

“Haha! Old man, you only saw one!”

“Details, details…”

As the two commentators continued their back and forth banter, Miss Grimm-Rosa was the first to assume her position upon the stage of solid stone. It had taken quite some time, and by no means was it perfect, but the walk from the castle had given her the exercise necessary to adapt to the gait of this new form. She could now, with all certainty, walk naturally in the shoes of Pluto. However, there was a drastic difference between walking out of battle and motion in combat. Even if she could now walk, she needed to concentrate somewhat upon it in order to compensate for the strange and almost detached feeling that prickled upon her skin. That feeling of being slowly stretched and moulded to fit a shell that her spirit was not designed for.

I can’t rely on my Tane Tane no Mi. Homunculi and Hypertension, even the Gigasculus and Souffler, are completely out of the question. I guess Pluto’s right… stalling out this fight for as long as we can is the only way we’re going to win. I don’t really know what Hexton is capable of, but I know Quattro is fast. He’s too fast for either of us to keep up with right now… Thoughts growled loudly in her mind like a swarm of angered hornets, drowning out the talks and the cheers that surrounded her like a thick fog. So many strange feelings – both corporeal and intangible – scratched and scraped at her. Anger, fear, remorse, desire, anticipation… A veritable cocktail of emotions and their physical portrayals blended together into what otherwise looked like the standard cool, blank canvas that she always saw when she looked at Pluto’s face.

“So nice of you to make it,” Hexton stated, her words slow and tone blasé. She was clad in the same gown as before, though this time the sleeves had been cut free entirely, revealing the blonde’s unusual arms. Human in almost every way, save for the strange webbing between her fingers that spoke of aquatic ancestry. Olive eyes seemed to glaze over, further expressing the aura of disinterest that seemed to coil around her like cold and slimy eels.

“Ah, Senor Eight and Senorita Thirteen,” commented the man named Quattro. Similarly clad in his spectacular and perhaps excessively decorated white and red suit, the slender-legged man waltzed steadily around the edge of the stage, still revelling in the presence of the audience. In his arms he carried a bouquet of roses – both of blood red and purest white – and upon sighting the feminine figure of Scarlette’s own body he approached and delivered such a gift. Though his initial kiss had confused her at the time, witnessing such events as these from outside was a curious thing. Fortunately for Pluto, the current owner of the chocolate-eyed girl’s body, there was no lip contact of any sort involved in this more recent gesture. It did, however, make the real fatal femme wonder how her cohort had responded to the first act of renegade romance…

SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

ight starts in my next post!

Starring:

[/font] (990000)
Pluto (550055)
Rebecca (33ffff)
Ben (abcdef)
Clara (ff99ff)
Tweiss (ba3b3e)
Octavier (9999ff)
Old James (101010)
Skinny Brother (#7) (ad5a00)
Rotund Brother (#9) (00a5da)
Hexton (#2) (003300)
Quattro (#1) (e62f2f)
Brutish Brawler (#17) (440022)
Percentage Businessman (#19) (00ff55)
Nero Trojan (999900)
Blond Fighter (#24) (d5cf56)
Savage Warrior (#12) (633e09)
Kite (#10) (0ae7ab)[/ul][/ul][/spoiler][/font][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[BlacKitten]

“Alright…,” Scarlette concurred. Whether or not she’ll follow it through was no longer something he could just ignore when his own body was being used here. On the other end of the tunnel, his eyes narrowed at the intensity of the sunlight that beamed into his eyes. The image of the arena became clearer, and the cheering from the audience was obnoxious as ever since he had to go through the extra efforts of blocking their irreverent existences from his mind in order to think. In addition, the overly optimistic voice of the announcer didn’t bring any ease in his mind, especially when everyone has their hopes and expectations on this next fight being entertaining. With the misadventure from earlier, their chances of beating the already tough and skilled opponents had dwindled. This wasn’t a matter of outmatching their adversaries. It wasn’t about being stronger or faster. That entire conventional means of defeating a common enemy had went down the drain. To compensate for all of this and to have even the slightest chance of winning, he must use the only thing he possessed –his mind. Ambushes, decoys, distractions, deceptions, he must combine every indirect and subtle approach against these two.

His now reddish brown eyes scrutinized towards the olive-eyed woman known as Hexton. In particular, he took notice of her webbed hands. Her powers still remained a mystery to him, at least in terms of how they work. A Devil Fruit was an easy answer to conclude, but that didn’t seem quite right considering that there should be no affinity between the cursed fruit and water.

Pluto would constantly rotate his wrists and flex his fingers in order to test out the motion of this body, but there was always this unnatural sensation as if he could feel the incompatibility between his soul and this vessel. As his focus channeled internally throughout his right arm, a wavering red aura would weakly slip out before vanishing. If I’m out of options, using the Tane Tane no Mi might be my only choice. According to Scarlette, this body would still be in good shape after summoning a few homunculi. Anything beyond that and I’ll start to feel the backlash. If I am to engage in a close-quarter combat, I must conserve as much energy and stamina as I can.

Upon leaping up to the stage, he clenched his teeth at the sight of Quattro who was dressed in a white and red suit with flowers of the same two colors in his arms. It would appear as this man was giving him the bouquet of roses. Such a shame that fighting was likely prohibited outside of a match since this was such a tantalizing opportunity to punt the man in the face. “I’d save that for after this match because when it starts, we’ll be enemies,” he reasoned through, trying to find an excuse to get rid of this man.

Meanwhile, amongst the audience, Rebecca remained seated towards the front, keeping an eye on the four individuals. She was quite concerned and worried about her brother. Normally, her brother could take care of himself without a doubt and could handle tight situations with a calm mind. But, this was different. All of Pluto’s techniques and transformations were no longer applicable. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how he could win. True, he was masterful in martial arts, but with a completely different body, just how much of his control over those skills were maintained? As far as she knew, Scarlette’s skill at hand-to-hand combat was still stuck at a very basic level for she specialized in the usage of a scythe in combat. Therefore, that Zoan-Classed Devil Fruit was almost meaningless in terms of physical augmentation when it can’t be used correctly. For someone brand new to the Batto Batto no Mi, Scarlette probably had no sense of being able to take flight.

This is terrible. What are they going to do? I know Pluto said to adapt, but that seems so hard.

[Vio]

“I’d save that for after this match…”

“Oh? Well, I must agree with you, Senorita,” Quattro replied, hopping back with grace and turning to the audience. A smile upon his face, he raised the bouquet of roses for all to see, and then tossed them towards the spectator stands. His awkward behaviour and apparent vainglory seemed to charge the watchers further, provoking whistles and cheers from such a meagre act as throwing flowers, but it only served to irritate Scarlette Grimm-Rosa. That being said, the woman was in a rather irritable mood nonetheless, still finding a variety of discomforts in the physical form she now possessed by the powers of the Hara Hara no Mi.

“Hmm, ‘enemies’ is such a hurtful word – it pushes us apart. Or, perhaps ‘pulls’ is the better word?” Scarlette tensed. On edge, she was perhaps seeing anything and everything as an attack upon her situation. Or maybe Pluto’s steady influence upon her was making her more wary of the ways of the world, savvier to the misdemeanours that the more cunning individuals made use of. Perhaps it was more so due to the fact that she was now contained within his body, or did Octavier’s Devil Fruit even take such things as brain chemistry into account? These were questions she found impossible to ask, most of all because she hardly understood such things as more than shackles upon imprisoned souls. But still, why had Quattro emphasised such words?

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for!” James announced. “All four finalists have gathered, the stage is set, and the stands look packed with all you lovely people! To honour the brave heroes who defeated Selethen and freed us from his tyranny, and to honour the man who has given his all to help us recuperate from our greatest ordeals, let the final match of the Crescent Republic Battle Royale…”

“BEGIN!”

“BEGIN!”

“Normally, I’d want to get this over and done with as soon as possible,” Hexton huffed, stretching her arms out to either side of her body. Such a stance was simply asking for an enemy attack to happen, even Miss Grimm-Rosa knew that much, and yet she dared not to even attempt to exploit such a moment of vulnerability. Too much was at stake – her speed would most definitely be lacking in comparison to the reaction times of this woman of the waters. It was almost as if the mermaid was actively mocking them and, in conjunction with Quattro’s earlier words, her cautions dawned upon her. They knew what had happened when Scarlette and Pluto had entered the castle.

“But I think I’d rather take my time with this…”

Graceful motions of the maiden’s arms spiralled inward, fingers splayed and gently curled as if trying to grab at something unseen. But to the reaper woman’s amazement, what was unseen quickly started to become more visible to the naked eye. The very air itself started to shimmer like the surface of a clear lake, the blonde somehow gathering the moisture of the air around them into a single point. This was the power of the people of the sea? A Devil Fruit user by nature, it was understandable that Scarlette felt a shiver pass through her at the sight of such liquids being gathered. Admittedly, it was nowhere near enough to be able to hinder her in any meaningful way, even less so as she no longer physically possessed the issues of the Tane Tane no Mi. But even knowing that there was no possible way for her to be submerged, there was something about the opposing woman’s actions that made her uneasy.

“You want to deal with ‘him’, do you?” Quattro quizzed:
“Then I shall more than happily deal with ‘her’…”

“Shiokemuri~!”

“What is this…?” Much to Scarlette’s surprise, the sphere of shimmering vapours that had been formed between Hexton’s fingers was suddenly cast out with great force. A ball of sparkling blue-white mist akin to the ocean’s spray swirled out in all directions, covering the raised stone battlefield in a cool, glimmering mist. It was not an attack of any sort, which was perhaps what perplexed the person in Pluto’s body the most, but rather seemed to serve a purpose that none but Hexton (and likely Quattro) would be aware of at this moment in time. Nonetheless, the squall was thick and smoky, dancing in the rays of the sun that beat down from above…

SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

he battle begins! Now, Quattro's fighting style is about speed, predominantly using his legs for a variety of fast and powerful kicks. He can dodge pretty much everything you throw at him right now and, should he be airborne, he has a variant of Geppou which he uses to sort of roll out of the way of attacks.

Starring:

[/font] (990000)
Pluto (550055)
Rebecca (33ffff)
Ben (abcdef)
Clara (ff99ff)
Tweiss (ba3b3e)
Octavier (9999ff)
Old James (101010)
Skinny Brother (#7) (ad5a00)
Rotund Brother (#9) (00a5da)
Hexton (#2) (003300)
Quattro (#1) (e62f2f)
Brutish Brawler (#17) (440022)
Percentage Businessman (#19) (00ff55)
Nero Trojan (999900)
Blond Fighter (#24) (d5cf56)
Savage Warrior (#12) (633e09)
Kite (#10) (0ae7ab)[/ul][/ul][/spoiler][/font][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[BlacKitten]

His eyes narrowed at the awfully specific adjustment in Quattro’s word choice from push to pull. It was a very subtle hint but the implications made him cringe inside.

The announcers declared the commencement of this round, but even after the permission to begin this fight, none of the four combatants on stage had made any sudden movements. Pluto and Scarlette had to be cautious while Quattro and Hexton may as well be casual and arrogant at this point. Despite their differences, this little pause brought home a stream of information. It wasn’t just about fighting style. He analyzed everything, down to ever word that was spoken, every gesture that was made, and every implication that may result from those very subtle clues.

First off, Hexton’s hands closed in as if holding an invisible ball in between her palms. A space in between them blurred and shimmered as the vapor and moisture in the nearby air gathered and accumulated towards that one point.

So, she must use her hands to control the water vapor in the air. By keeping track of her hands, one can anticipate when she’ll choose to make a move through her strange powers.

His eyes shifted back to Quattro who had just spoken to his ally.

How good is their teamwork? By his comment, it seems they’re going to split up and target one of us individually. That’s just how I want this to be.

“Shiokemuri!” The blonde woman unleashed her technique, releasing her sphere of vapor to expand and swirl across the stadium. A mist began to form and shroud across the battlefield.

Is this supposed to be a smokescreen? No, I can still see through it. If I had my Devil Fruit power, I could simply blow this fog away with my wings. But, I don’t have that option.

Immediately, Pluto took on a fighting stance. Both hands were open and loose to guard his centerline. One hand was further out at the level of his nose as the other hand was positioned lower at the level of his abdomen. His stance was square on with one foot in front of the other. Knees bent slightly to lower his center of mass. The entire posture of his body was natural and relaxed.

That stance! Rebecca eyed at Scarlette’s body who took on an old stance that her brother used long ago. Back when her brother was under Maru’s training regime, this was a stance that he would use. It followed the centerline theory, creating a balance between attack and defense. The idea was that a person would take the most damage when the force was directed at the centerline. That was why both of Pluto’s hands were positioned the way they are. It was nostalgic to see that stance again. Nowadays, her brother didn’t really have a fighting stance and relied on more spiral and circular movements. For him to go back to the basics of his original style, she could only imagine that he wished to conserve as much energy as possible while playing defensively.

“Hey! Number Eight!” He referenced to his own body, “Whenever you get the chance, try using your powers to blow this mist away.” The purpose of Hexton’s first move remained an enigma to him. It could very well just be a pointless tactic to make them overcautious. Alternatively, the mist might serve as an environmental advantage to her water manipulation prowess.

His arms seemed to have jerked off to the side before his eyes could even follow. A swift kick swung out, striking him from the side. A forearm and a palm made contact with the larger limb and attempted to cushion the force, but the speed of the attack gave him no time to adjust his footing to redirect it. As such, he was already knocked away, stumbling to regain his balance.

A silhouette approached him in close proximity. The motion of the hips foretold another type of kick being unleashed, so he shifted on his heels, leaning more on his back leg as a foot shot towards him and grazed the fabric of his side. The rush of air surrounding the assault revealed its power. Had he been hit, it would have broken through his defenses.

As I thought, he’s both stronger and faster than me.

[Vio]

The watery mists hung in the air like a fine fog, obscuring nothing, but making the air clammy and humid. Scarlette Grimm-Rosa could feel it – the tiniest droplets of vapour landing upon the skin of the body she now possessed. Whatever purpose such an ability possessed was unknown, but the thoughts scratching at the back of her mind told her that it would not be beneficial. Had she still been in possession of her own body and the powers that came with it, the use of the Homunculi would have been further deterred; her eyes had witnessed the happenings of their crimson forms when the rains came, burning them away like potent acid corroding timber and stone. Admittedly, she doubted this mist would completely nullify them, but it would certainly hinder their strengths.

“…Try using your powers to blow this mist away,” Pluto called. If only it were that easy. Neither of them had been given much time to adapt to the spiritual transplant, let alone gain an understanding of their Devil Fruits’ respective nuances. He expected her to tap into powers which she had never fully experienced before? She looked to him, what might as well have been a mirror image, staring curiously through the youth’s very own eyes of richest purple, and nodded.

But how do I transform…? Fists clenched, stance tightened, and the reaper woman questioned exactly what the catalyst of the Batto Batto no Mi’s power was. For her own precious Paramecia, activating it had become second nature – to produce that mysterious magenta mist that crawled across flesh and weapon alike as it flowed through intangible veins was as normal to her as breathing. Only the more direct aspects of the Akuma no Mi put any real strain upon her body, either through painful recoil or through bloody sacrifice. But as she considered it all, words spoken to her weeks ago by her travelling companion echoed in her thoughts, reminding her of an observation which even she had begun to recognise.

“Are you going to fight?” Hexton questioned. “Or just stand there?”

“Hmph!”

As Quattro raced forth to strike at her ally (and by extension her own body), Scarlette too began to advance upon the blonde. Watery wisps seemed to circle and part as she marched onwards with fierce footfalls, breaking into a lowered dash and preparing herself for an attack of her own. It felt indubitably unusual to clench her fist, funnel her strength, and yet not see the carmine iridescence of her ‘Hypertension’ technique envelop her extremity. No gauntlet of flesh-repelling essence to both protect and empower her blows. It felt even stranger, given that it was not her own digits that she had balled into a fist.

“A little better, I suppose,” mocked the mermaid. Her own stance barely even shifted. Her lower body was still hidden by the silken skirt of her dress. In truth, Miss Grimm-Rosa had never seen a mermaid before, nor had she ever expected to do so. They were a stark enigma of the world; a quandary of the Grand Line spoken of in legends, with only the elite and the downright lucky who sailed the seas getting the chance to witness them. But, though she might have once believed such entities to be little more than a method of the Wardens, Hexton’s existence and the prior words of ‘Nineteen’ had inexplicably convinced her of their position as people.

Thwip!

Her clenched fist sailed forth with as much strength as she could muster, but alas the dark-haired damsel’s attack was ineffective. Through a simplistic sway of her body, like a sapling in a strong breeze, her foe had quite easily slipped free of the punch’s path without so much as taking a single step. Eyes narrowing into a glare of growing anger at the now smiling siren, Scarlette pulled back her hand and prepared the same arm’s elbow, thrusting it as swiftly as she could towards her. But again, Hexton slipped out of the way with unparalleled ease. The girl in boy’s clothing grimaced, throwing yet another punch – and another, and another. Not a single blow even so much as skimmed the dancing diva. And, for every attack that was dodged so effortlessly, the assaulter’s rage started to build further…

SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

[/i][/b]

Scarlette Grimm-Rosa (990000)
Pluto (550055)
Rebecca (33ffff)
Ben (abcdef)
Clara (ff99ff)
Tweiss (ba3b3e)
Octavier (9999ff)
Old James (101010)
Skinny Brother (#7) (ad5a00)
Rotund Brother (#9) (00a5da)
Hexton (#2) (003300)
Quattro (#1) (e62f2f)
Brutish Brawler (#17) (440022)
Percentage Businessman (#19) (00ff55)
Nero Trojan (999900)
Blond Fighter (#24) (d5cf56)
Savage Warrior (#12) (633e09)
Kite (#10) (0ae7ab)

[/ul][/spoiler][/font][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[BlacKitten]

Oi! Oi! I thought I told her to stall this fight.

He repeatedly stepped back at a forty-five degree direction to keep both his distance and angle at a safe position from the rapid and flashy kicks being whirled at him. Upon his retreat, several glimpses of the other two combatants kept him updated on the battle at hand. The very thought of attacking wasn’t even on his mind. Having to focus solely on defense lowered the burden of what his mind has to keep track of.

While staying out of Quattro’s range had been his aim, his adversary had a quick lunge to make that difficult to maintain. Whenever the distance between them became unfavorable, Pluto would instead rush forth into punching range where kicks became ineffective. All of his punches were halfheartedly thrown; they were merely feints to force this man to evade. He may be much slower than the older one, but being able to judge distance and knowing the exact timing of when to move was all in his mind. Due to the delay that his unfamiliar body gave, his sense of timing had to be tweaked a few split seconds earlier, meaning his reaction time had to be sharper and refined than ever.

Although he may be exerting more energy than me, I fear he also has more stamina than I do. Or rather, I fear he has more stamina than what this body can offer. I’m always exposed to the thin air at high elevations from flying, so my own body is better at cardiovascular activities. Having to carry that huge scythe around all the time and tolerating the pain of her Devil Fruit powers, Scarlette’s body seems to favor more on endurance and strength. This body and my fighting style are not that compatible after all.

His arms across over each other as an X, cushioning the heavy thrust of Quattro’s kick that hurled him a great distance back.

Well, since he was moving so naturally without breaking a sweat, I was also afraid that he was holding back. No… he’s probably still holding back. But now, he’s coming at me even faster.

The moment he felt the ground making contact against his upper back, he somersaulted back as the momentum rolled him back to his feet. If endurance is what this body is good at, then that means I should simply push this body beyond its usual limits.

As such, Pluto had moved faster than before, overexerting the calf muscles to spring into action. His opponent had done nothing but a variety of kicks, so as Quattro swung out his leg to strike, the boy in possession of a girl’s body had dropped down with a low sweep of a leg, aimed to unbalance the kicker by the single root that kept the man upright. The white-suited man leaned back when his foothold was swept, momentarily in a handstand with one arm pressed against the ground before pushing off back into a stand. His foe had already rushed forth to strike ‘her’ fists, but none of them landed as the man’s agile footwork moved like a leaf in the wind, moving back and occasionally bobbing his head.

As Pluto dashed forth, his opponent leapt forth and pressed a hand upon his shoulder, using it to push himself up and flip over midair before landing behind his adversary.

“Tch…,” Pivoting on his heels, he swung a back-fist at the anything that stood at his blind-spot, but Quattro was already out of his range of attack.

That speed of his sure is a problem for me. I guess having good timing just isn’t enough when my opponent also has good timing. Well then, that leaves me with only a few options left.

Pluto immediately shifted to a sideways stance, minimizing the surface area of his body being exposed to his opponent. On arm was on guard in the side where his foe faced him; his other arm was guarding his front.

Hmm? What is my brother up to? Rebecca kept watching the fight unfold. A change in his stance probably meant a change in strategy, but even she did not know what that stance meant.

[Vio]

“Quattro’s speed and acrobatics never cease to amaze!”

“Right, but we haven’t seen his full capabilities yet!”

“Can contestants Eight and Thirteen overcome them?”

How is she dodging so easily? Are my attacks that slow…? Continuing her barrage of battering blows against the fair-haired femme, Scarlette Grimm-Rosa’s temperament was rapidly starting to wane. Something like a fire was burning within her very soul, threatening to force its way free of the mouth through which she presently spoke. Had she been fighting against the fanciful foe that was Quattro, she perhaps could have understood why none of her attacks even grazed them, but Hexton remained firmly rooted to her footing and yet was still able to slip in and out of the way of each and every fist that was thrown. Punches, elbow jabs and arms swings were all being rendered useless against the mermaid, who was quite literally acting as slippery as a fish.

“Are you trying to hit me…?”

“Shut up!” she snarled through unfamiliar teeth, throwing a fierce right hook and guiding it upwards in an attempt to silence the siren. But, once more with feeling, eyes of olive simply looked at her nonchalantly as Hexton swayed out of the way. She clearly had yet to break the slightest of sweats, which was more than could be said for Scarlette – her body (Pluto’s body) was laced with fine moisture. If anything, it was a result of the vapours that still swirled and softly shimmered over the sun-baked stone, but it certainly felt as if the heat of her combative rage was starting to get to her. In a desperate deliverance of power, the vicious vixen followed the momentum of her own punch, guiding the flow of energy back down through the trunk and into the legs. If attacks to the upper body were not getting her anywhere, then she needed to aim lower.

“Eight’s volley didn’t work,” cried the announcer:
“So he shifts to a low sweeping kick!”

Sure enough, much as her actual body had done, Scarlette’s spirit mirrored the use of a low strike. However, where the likes of Pluto had failed to make much of a difference versus the agility of the man in white, Miss Grimm-Rosa’s attack initially seemed far more effective against the far less mobility inclined mermaid. Through the watery mist a foot carved, striking true against the anchor that was Hexton’s feet hidden beneath a lengthy skirt of shimmering white, and causing the woman to topple further from her point of balance than she had so far demonstrated. For a split second, violet hues caught a glimpse of eyebrows rising in surprise. But then a more mischievous smile crept onto the blonde’s visage.

“What…?”

The mermaid’s body indeed seemed to flop to the hard stone tiling of the stage, but falling did not leave her vulnerable in the least bit. Rather, as she descending into the mists that lingered low, Hexton’s entire body seemed to shift in hue. Fair skin turned to sandy brown, coalescing with the colouration of the ground over which they fought, to the point where even the grooves between the stone tiles seemed to manifest upon her flesh. Within just two seconds, the woman’s entire physique – dress and all – faded into a shimmering nothingness; completely invisible amidst the pave and the fog.

“Well, I’ll be! I’ve never seen anything quite like that before!”

“Hahaha! That’s the power of a mermaid, James!”

“Oh? Do tell!”

“Our girl Hexton’s a Peacock Flounder Mermaid,” the bronzed man Trojan explained to all: “That means she’s got all of the abilities that her namesake fishy friends have, including their trademark camouflage ability – it’s one of the best in the reef!”

So she can control water and turn invisible? And I thought Octavier’s powers were bad enough… Stepping back cautiously as she scanned the floor for the faintest signs of her female foe, the angered angel could not help but feel weaker and more pitiful than she had ever done in her lifetime. Hexton and her kinfolk were born with such bizarre and powerful abilities, making humans like Scarlette seem petty in comparison – another obstacle which she felt she would have to overcome if she were to even come close to liberating the innocents of the planet. Even so, this tipped the scales even further in favour of the two more formidable fighters. They may not have partaken of the Devil’s Fruit, but Quattro and Hexton were both far more skilled opponents than anything the travellers had faced so far. Perhaps ‘Berserker’ and ‘Cerberus’, the two hunters sent after Pluto back on the isle of Jreum, were the only known individuals capable of matching these fierce warriors…

SPOILER: Click to show

{*OOC*}

uattro

[/font] also knows how to mimic Rankyaku to an extent, though his own attacks are usually generated by a straight kick to generate a concussive linear 'whirlwind' of sorts - this is called Picador. He'll most definitely use this in the fight, but probably not just yet.

Starring

Scarlette Grimm-Rosa (990000)
Pluto (550055)
Rebecca (33ffff)
Ben (abcdef)
Clara (ff99ff)
Tweiss (ba3b3e)
Octavier (9999ff)
Old James (101010)
Skinny Brother (#7) (ad5a00)
Rotund Brother (#9) (00a5da)
Hexton (#2) (003300)
Quattro (#1) (e62f2f)
Brutish Brawler (#17) (440022)
Percentage Businessman (#19) (00ff55)
Nero Trojan (999900)
Blond Fighter (#24) (d5cf56)
Savage Warrior (#12) (633e09)
Kite (#10) (0ae7ab)

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