One Piece Fan Fiction / Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ The Ultimate Cruise ❯ Legendary Rivalry—Marines and Pirates…fight! ( Chapter 6 )

DISCLAIMER: I do not own One Piece, Teen Titans, or any characters or elements contained within. I believe these can be credited to the geniuses Eiichiro Oda [author and artist of OP], Marv Wolfman and George Perez [respective author and artist of The New Teen Titans comic of the eighties], and Glen Murakami and his talented crew [the staff of the Teen Titans animated series, the Titans version which this story is based off.] Thanks for developing these wonderful characters I have the pleasure of using in this story!

 

Any original characters, however, belong to Pivitor. Remember it!

 

 

The Ultimate Cruise:
One Piece meets Teen Titans

 

Chapter Six: Legendary Rivalry—Marines and Pirates…fight!

 

Cringing as the light hit his eyes, the tiny shape shifter slowly came to. Beast Boy groaned, rolling onto his side and then pulling himself onto his feet. As his blurred eyes surveyed the area around him, his tiny brain tried to figure out just where he was; this certainly wasn't Titan's Tower, that's for sure! Was this another one of Cyborg's pranks?

 

“What did I do to deserve this?” Beast Boy sighed. “Oh yeah, that's right…the water.” The changeling snickered remembering that prank. Would Cyborg react like any other human when his hand was put in a cup of water while he was sleeping? Yup, he sure did—then he short-circuited as well. Beast Boy would never forget the look on Cyborg's face—in fact, to ensure that he never did, the green hero had gotten the entire thing on video cassette.

 

Yup, he figured Cyborg deserved some playful revenge.

 

“Beast Boy, you're up!” A creature exclaimed, walking into the room. He was only several feet tall, covered in fur. He looked like a small reindeer, wearing a pink hat with stunted antlers sticking through. Beast Boy jumped six feet, hiding behind a nearby crate.

 

“What are you?!” He cried, shivering in fear.

 

“It's me, Chopper!” The creature exclaimed. The name sparked Beast Boy's memory, and the events of the last day and a half instantly returned to his mind.

 

The Titan exhaled happily, relieved that he not only knew where he was, but that Cyborg still didn't have a comeback. “Sorry Chopper, I guess I'm still a little groggy after that battle.”

 

“It's fine.” Tony Tony Chopper replied nonchalantly. “Anybody who was bashed around by a big spiked club deserves a little leeway.” The tiny doctor was carrying a bowl of soup as well as he could with hooves. He rested it on a small crate, beckoning his companion closer. “Here, some soup should make you feel better.”

 

Sitting on the other side of the makeshift table, Beast Boy stared down into the murky meal. It was red, with indiscernible chunks floating through it. Grabbing at his collar for a second, he quickly changed the subject.

 

“I guess we really did get messed up, didn't we?” Beast Boy asked, staring down towards the bandages encasing his entire torso like a mummy.

 

“Not all of you as much as just you.” Chopper replied. “Robin was hurt real bad, but besides him you were injured the worst.”

 

The green warrior frowned a bit, rubbing his face. “I got kicked by a high heeled shoe and sent flying by a giant club! Of course I'm going to be beat up!” Pausing a second, he came up with more. “At least I turned into that turtle to protect myself from the spikes!”

 

“True, that was effective,” Chopper began, “But reducing your size made the actual force of the club cause a lot more damage on its own.”

 

Beast Boy sighed. Now even doctors were picking apart his battle strategy. Chopper, meanwhile, pushed the bowl of soup forward.

 

“Eat up!” The reindeer exclaimed. “I made it just for you! It's completely vegetarian! I'm no Sanji when it comes to cooking, but it shouldn't be bad!”

 

It shouldn't, should it? Swishing his spoon around, the Titan could sort of tell that they were vegetables, if he squinted. Wishing he was brave enough to just become an amoeba and hide in the soup itself, Beast Boy instead finally took a spoonful. Everything turned green and red for a second as tastes never before known to mankind—for a good reason too—zoomed down his tongue and all through his body. He became warm and tingly, almost as if he were drunk.

 

“So how is it?” Chopper asked eagerly. Despite the thorough disassembling of the Titan's strategies only moments ago, he was looking for a friend in the shape shifter. The doctor was just honest to a fault, unfortunately—the pirate spirit hadn't quite sunk into him yet.

 

Thumping his chest to hide a quick cough, Beast Boy licked his lips and faked a smile. “It's not bad!” He lied. Taking another tear-inducing look towards the swill caused his stomach to leap up his esophagus; the changeling was forced to look away or else! As his gaze instead shifted to the nearly empty room, a question raised in his mind. With that stomach-turning concoction in front of him, what better time to ask it?

 

“Where are all my friends though?” Beast Boy asked, never breaking eye-contact with the reindeer so that he could subtly try to push the soup away.

 

“Terra was just exhausted, and the other two's injuries were real minor,” Chopper began. “They're out on the deck getting some air.” Then the doctor's voice dropped down low as if the next bit were a secret. “And even though his injuries were worse than yours, Robin was somehow up and about before any of you!”

 

Beast Boy grinned. “Yup, that's the Robin I know. Once he sets his mind on something, he'll never give up. I wouldn't have it any other way either; without that determined leadership the Teen Titans would have fallen apart years ago.”

 

That was sort of like Luffy as well, Chopper thought. “Yeah, our Luffy never gives up either. That's not why I follow him though.” The Titan cocked his head to the side as the reindeer doctor explained further. “I obviously don't fit in very well. A reindeer that has eaten the Human Human Fruit can never truly belong in either the human or reindeer worlds. But Luffy ignored that completely. He didn't care that I was a one-of-a-kind-freak. To him, I was his companion.” Tony Tony Chopper laughed, looking up out of his intense gaze and turning to his friend. “And that's why I became a Straw-Hat Pirate!”

 

Beast Boy looked taken aback. “You didn't fit in anywhere?”

 

“Nope.” Chopper replied glumly. With a grunt he turned and pulled a small, yellow ball from his pink backpack. “This is a `Rumble Ball.' It's a special medicine I made that twists the Devil Fruit DNA inside me in hopes to find a form I could fit in with. It allowed me to access four new transformations with my powers—which has saved my life in many tough battles—but unfortunately, it still provided nothing that made the humans accept me.”

 

As the doctor slipped his medicine back inside the backpack, Beast Boy sighed and put his arm around the pirate. “I know how you feel buddy. How many green animal-boys have you seen?” Chopper's eyes grew wide; he'd never thought of it that way! “Just remember; with your companions and me around you're never alone! And also—”

 

Beast Boy's body shrunk in a green blur. In only a second he was eye-level with the awe-stricken Tony Tony Chopper.

 

“You're not a one-of-a-kind-freak.”

 

Chopper couldn't believe it! The Teen Titan had transformed into a flawless imitation of Chopper—well, flawless if you ignored the green fur. “Wow, if I spray painted myself we could pass as twins!” the reindeer exclaimed.

 

“That's an awesome idea!” Beast Boy exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. “We have to try that sometime! It might even be better than the old hand in the water trick!”

 

“What's that?”

 

So Beast Boy explained to his new friend all about the fine art of practical joking. They laughed and laughed for a good long time, tears welling up in the corners of their eyes. Neither had ever thought they would find somebody who knew just what they were going through. It took a certain type of person to be a shape shifter.

 

“Uh-Oh.” Chopper sighed as a laugh finally died out in his throat. “Your soup got cold.”

 

Beast Boy smiled on the inside. “Don't worry too much. I don't feel bad anymore.”

 

“Well, they do say that laughter is the best medicine.” The doctor smiled. “Can't waste it though—Sanji would kill me. I'll go see if the newspaper-bird wants it.”

 

`That's the last newspaper they'll get delivered by that bird.' Beast Boy thought with a laugh.

 

 

 

“Why do I have to carry all this wood?” Usopp whined, both his arms piled high with lumber. He shuffled along the streets of Ianoa Island slowly, his arms nearly dragging on the ground because of their heavy cargo.

 

Sanji growled, slinging a bag of food over his shoulder. “Because Nami-san told you to, that's why!” The cook's demeanor instantly changed as he looked towards Nami, his eyes bulging from his head. “Right my sweet?”

 

“Sure Sanji.” She laughed. “Besides Usopp, Sanji has to handle the food because only he knows how.” Hearing his disgruntled sighs, she nodded towards Luffy. “Well, if you don't want to carry the lumber you can always take Luffy's job instead.”

 

Usopp stopped, turning towards his captain. Monkey D. Luffy was walking with his chest parallel to the ground. Several huge bags were laid across his back, the rubber man's elastic arms wrapping around the sides of them. The sniper gasped and quickly changed his tune. Those were Nami's personal supplies, and Usopp knew that he would be better off carrying 10 tons of lumber than them.

 

“But wait,” he asked, a realization popping into his head, “Why aren't you carrying anything Nami?”

 

“Because I have to find the way back to the ship.” She replied, smiling evilly. Sanji nodded eagerly in agreement, while Luffy just seemed too busy trying to keep control over the selfish girl's personal items. Giving up, Usopp just let his head hang lower. “Besides, there's the ship anyway!” She exclaimed, pointing towards the docked Merry Go on the other side of the plaza.

 

As the pirates climbed back onto their ship, they could see their new friends lounging across the deck. Robin sat atop the main cabin—next to Nami's tangerine patch—lifting weights. It was about the only exercise he could do in his condition right now. Terra sat on the boat's railing, dangling her feet, while Cyborg leaned against it next to her, looking bored. Starfire was dashing about, trying to get the attention of her friends.

 

“Glorious!” Starfire exclaimed, noticing the return of the Straw Hats. “Now that you are back shall we commence the fixing of the ship?”

 

“Let's wait till Zoro gets back.” Luffy yawned, sauntering towards the corner his first mate usually inhabited. “I need a nap.” Taking off his straw hat and resting it on the end of the stairwell, he fell to the floor. Blissful slumber followed in just seconds.

 

The boat shook as Usopp dropped the lumber, collapsing on top of it. He sure hated to look weak in front of Terra, but he just didn't have enough energy to care after that witch of a woman had nearly killed him with chores.

 

“Oh Usopp,” Nami called, false sweetness resonating in her voice, “Would you mind carrying my stuff into my cabin?” With a whimper Usopp buried his head under his own arms.

 

“I've got them Nami-san!” Sanji exclaimed, disappearing in a flurry of hormone induced speed and strength. In only seconds he had grabbed the bulky bags, put them in their place, and returned with a love struck smile pasted across his face. “Anything else I can do?”

 

“I don't even want know what other chores she wants you to do,” Cyborg began, “But I'd like to know what that giant crowd heading towards your ship is.” The others scrambled to surround Cyborg's position, getting a glimpse of the mob.

 

“Marines!” Nami exclaimed. “How did they know we were here?”

 

“Could it have something to do with that?” Terra asked. Looking up, the crew noticed the Merry Go's pirate flag flying at full mast. The skull-and-crossbones—topped with a Straw Hat—was a dead giveaway of the ship's inhabitants.

 

“I can't believe you!” Nami screamed, grabbing her captain by his collar and slamming him into the wall. He only barely started to rouse. “How are we going to stay undercover with that thing just sitting there? Don't you even care about the bounty on your head?”

 

Luffy started to stir, mumbling groggily. “The king of Pirates can't hide from Marines.” He managed to spit out. Nami sighed heavily, dropping the rubber man back to the ground.

 

“Don't worry Nami-san, we'll take care of them!” Sanji declared.

 

“That's right! Sanji'll take care of `em!” Usopp repeated, inching away from the warriors.

 

“Oh no you don't!” Sanji growled. Usopp felt the collar of his shirt being tugged as the cook lifted him into the air. With a mighty swing, Sanji threw the sniper into the crowd. Twisting his torso back to face the pile of lumber again, he was shocked to see Usopp hiding behind it!

 

“What the…” the cook stuttered, befuddled at how this could happen. He started looking back from one hand to the other, wondering if he had even thrown Usopp. However, in the moment Sanji blinked, he noticed Usopp disappear from his present location and appear behind one of Nami's tangerine trees.

 

“You didn't!” Sanji exclaimed. “If you could be that fast when you weren't thinking about saving your own skin you'd be a much better sea warrior!”

 

“Hey!” Usopp cried. “I didn't just get down there and run back you know!”

 

“He had time for more?” Cyborg asked, stupefied.

 

Hearing the sound of soldiers crying, the crew turned to see the first few rows of Marines slipping in a red substance. They tumbled onto their backs and knocked even more over, like a domino effect.

 

“Hoorah!” the sniper cheered. “My Ketchup Stars worked!”

 

“Now we'd better get out there too!” Sanji yelled, dashing down the plank to the shore.

 

“We're right behind you!” Robin exclaimed, jumping to his feet and jumping off the roof of the cabin. As the Titans moved forward to attack, they were stopped by a high-pitched scream.

 

“NO YOU DON'T!” Chopper exclaimed, emerging from the cabin with Beast Boy behind him. “You aren't well enough to fight yet!” Pulling a yellow ball from his backpack, the reindeer walked to Sanji's side. “I'm good to go, however!”

 

For a second the sigh of the Teen Titans drowned out the sounds of the Marines pulling out their guns. Some were pistols and some were rifles; all looked antique compared to the weapons of our world, with beautiful looping patterns covering the sides. In one swift motion the uniformed guards aimed towards the two pirates running down the Merry Go's plank.

 

“Don't do that!” Luffy cried, finally coming to his senses all the way. “Rubber Rocket!” Throwing his elastic arm forward, he grabbed the railing of his ship and launched himself between his crew and the Marines' line of fire. Their guns shot the round bullets, which instantly collided with the rubber man.

 

“LUFFY!” Robin exclaimed, amazed that he was willing to sacrifice his life for his crewmates.

 

However, Robin was mistaken. The bullets tried to tear into Luffy for a few seconds before being bounced back by his elastic skin. They ricocheted onto the battlefield, taking down the very Marines who fired them. Monkey D. Luffy wasn't settling for that, however. As he landed only one sandled foot touched the ground; he span his body 360 with the other leg outstretched. “Rubber Whip!” He cried as his long leg swept through the front of the crowd, blowing Marines in all directions. As his other foot touched down he already had launched his arm far backwards, and now he let it snap, blowing forward like his Rubber Rocket. However, this time the captain's fist was closed. “Rubber Pistol!” He announced. Luffy's fist tore through the crowd, knocking out myriads of Marines. No wonder it was his favorite attack. His arm finally broke through the wall of a building, and as it started to retract, he grabbed onto the edge of the hold.

 

“Rubber…” Luffy started, jumping into the air. As his arm started pulling him to where it ended, the captain smiled, extending his other arm straight to his side. “SICKLE!” His arm clothleslined his opponents as he blew through the crowd, reducing the Marines in his way to whimpering piles of flesh and leaking blood.

 

And then the rubber man continued to fly, reaching the end of the crowd but leaving his allies far behind. Sanji and Chopper just looked on confused.

 

“I guess we'll have to finish these guys.” The cook growled. Chopper nodded in agreement, placing the Rumble Ball between his teeth.

 

“RUMBLE.”

 

Chopper crushed the medicine between his teeth. Without wasting a second he shot forwards, knowing that its powers only lasted for three minutes. His face grew forward, taking on the snout of a true reindeer. His lower body also extended into the long, slender legs expected. However, his upper body instead began to grow into the muscle-bound appearance of Chopper's human transformation—although he still kept hooves. The most remarkable thing about his form, however, was that the doctor's tiny antlers instead grew to almost six feet in size for each one. He called this his Horn Point, and it was deadly to a crowd.

 

“Roseo Colonnade!” Tony Tony Chopper announced as he dashed through the crowds. Despite their guns and swords, the Marines were helpless to fight back against those massive antlers. Running with incredible speed and shaking his head, the reindeer sent Marines scattering. The white clothed warriors fell as soon as the head-mounted weapons came close.

 

However, his charge through the crowd left Chopper oblivious to some the other parts of the mob. Resting his rifle on his arm one soldier aimed his weapon, ready to get himself some venison.

 

“Don't even think about it!” A voice cried from above. Gasping and turning his gaze to the sky, the Marine was greeted by the sight of Sanji somersaulting above him, his heel heading straight for the soldier's head. “Concasse.” With the uttering of one word, the cook's heel landed straight in the Marine's forehead, crushing his skull. He fell to the ground in a heap.

 

“You'll pay for that!” His fellow warriors cried, grabbing their swords and charging forward. As soon as he touched the ground Sanji again took action, flipping backwards and landing on his hands. With rapid twists of his arms the cook span like a helicopter, his outstretched legs sending the Marines soaring in all directions. With another flip Sanji returned to his feet, instantly leaning forward and kicking straight behind him. His foot landed in a Marine's stomach, and as the poor man fell to the floor grabbing his chest, his attacker threw more kicks forward faster than the eye could see. Sanji's style was fluid-like and beautiful, but that often took focus away from its true deadly nature.

 

One lucky soldier managed to duck and roll beneath Chopper's antler, jumping to his feet behind him and aiming his rifle. He fired off a shot, but the reindeer was far too intelligent for such things. He instantly shrunk back to his normal form, but as he did so the fur around his body seemed to explode, shrouding the doctor's body in a cocoon of fur. This was Chopper's Guard Point. The bullet bounced off, hitting another Marine.

 

“Good try buddy,” Chopper smiled, “But I'm not going to let you guys hurt my friends!” The fur around him was instantly shed as the reindeer switched to his Jumping Point. His lower body again took on the reindeer legs, but they were much longer and slenderer than usual. His upper body shifted to human form, but lost muscle mass as it slimmed to an aerodynamic shape. His face remained human; a frown passed across it as his mighty legs hit the ground. One push—almost seeming like a tap—sent him soaring into the air.

 

As the dazed and confused soldiers searched the sky, they never even got a chance to react as Chopper returned. He had switched to his most useful form, the Arm Point; remaining identical to his Jumping Point, the muscles in his arms had swelled to the point of almost exploding. Falling from the sky, he thrust his massive arms toward the ground. His rock-hard hoof tore through the ground, sending Marines flying.

 

Meanwhile, Sanji had been having just as much luck. Only one soldier still opposed him. The cook took a drag of his cigarette as he ducked beneath some feebly launched sword slashes, as if to taunt the soldier. As he rose from behind the attacks he raised one leg into the air, resting the top of his foot on the back of the Marine's neck.

 

“Reception.” Sanji announced.

 

In an instant Sanji's leg had used inhuman speed to push the Marine's face straight into the concrete. Chopper returned to normal, wandering to his friend's side. They both laughed at the pitiful forces the law kept on their side. Unfortunately, as they did so they heard the sound of five guns cocking.

 

“Hold it!” A Marine called, revealing a circle of soldiers surrounding the two pirates.

 

 

 

“We have to help them!” Robin exclaimed, ready to jump over the edge of the ship. His escape was halted by somebody grabbing his cape, pulling him back.

 

“Running down there in your condition is just going to make things worse!” Nami exclaimed. “If your wounds act up again then Sanji and Chopper will have to worry about protecting you and themselves!”

 

“Then are you suggesting that we just watch them kill our friends?” Robin screamed. Nami took a step back, surprised by the Boy Wonder's intensity.

 

“He's right.” Cyborg affirmed, looking grim. “We've fought in worse shape before. Some things are just more important than our health.”

 

Nami smiled, truly touched by their new friends' care. Then she jumped, realizing something. “B-but what about the fact that they're Marines? You're supposed to be the good guys. Fight against the Marines, and you'll be criminals! You'll be blacklisted!”

 

“Then it will have been for a worthy cause.” Starfire said solemnly as her eyes simmered.

 

“Besides, it'll be kind of fun to be the bad guys for once.” Terra smiled as she hopped off the railing, a yellow hue coming to life around her hands. Robin pulled a Redbird from his belt, while Cyborg's hand unfolded into his infamous Sonic Cannon.

 

“We've made our decision.” Robin told her. The other Titans nodded and assumed the position.

 

 

 

Three eyes turned nervously, looking for a way past the final few Marines. Chopper waited for Sanji to act, while the cook hoped for Chopper to provide a defense of some sort.

 

Just as one of the Marines gave the order to fire he exploded, becoming nothing but a smoldering pile of green ashes. As the other soldiers turned in surprise, a second Marine was picked off by a blue blast. The ground beneath a third crumbled, dropping him into a deep crevice. A red weapon whizzed into the fourth's head, knocking him out cold. The Redbird returned right to its owner's hand.

 

“Did'ja miss us?” Beast Boy asked as the Titans stood from their attack position on the deck.

 

“I could have taken care of them.” Sanji growled, inhaling deeply into his cigarette. The final Marine, completely flabbergasted by the turnaround in their turnaround, started to pull the trigger. As the sole survivor he had nothing to lose!

 

“Azarath Metrion Zinthos!”

 

A black field crawled up the Marine's flawless white outfit. Screaming in fear, the soldier was tossed into the harbor. Raven and Zoro emerged from the shadows of a nearby alley.

 

“Way to go Sanji.” Zoro laughed. “I bet you could have taken care of them.”

 

Sanji just scoffed. “Damn straight I could have. Besides, I didn't see you doing anything to help out.”

 

“I was on a much more important mission!” Zoro exclaimed. He and Sanji kept inching closer, both growing red. Steam flew from their ears.

 

“We discovered that these Marines are subordinates of Captain Smoker.” Raven informed them, ignoring the boys' little spat. “It's imperative that we leave here right away!”

 

Nami sighed, looking at the device on her wrist. “We can't do that! The Indicator hasn't finished recording the frequency of this island—and if we leave before it does that, we'll just float aimlessly!”

 

“Couldn't we just hide out on the island somewhere until they leave?” Terra suggested, shrugging. She knew there weren't any other options.

 

“No. Those Marines are relentless.” Zoro said, removing the bandanna from his head. With the Marines all defeated, there was no reason to wear it anymore. He wrapped it around his arm, pulling a tight knot with his teeth. “Especially Smoker. He'd never stop looking for Luffy—and he's going to look even harder now that we've slaughtered all his men.”

 

“Wait a minute, where is Luffy anyway?” Raven asked, realizing that he wasn't there with the rest of them.

 

“Luffy!” Robin exclaimed, charging down the street. “He's in danger out there all alone!” The boy wonder disappeared at the end of the road, following the path of destruction only Luffy could have left.

 

“I don't understand what he sees in that guy.” Raven sighed.

 

“Robin sees the same thing all the rest of us saw in Luffy.” Nami told her, smiling. She knew Luffy seemed like an idiot at first glance, but that guy had a completely other side.

 

Everything was so vivid. She could still remember him insisting that she was their companion even after she had betrayed them. She could see him fighting Arlong and destroying all that he had forced her to do. And most of all, she could remember the feeling of trust as he placed his beloved Straw Hat on her head.

 

“It just takes a while for most people to see it.”

 

Next Time: The Masterminds—Rematch in the Smoke