One Piece Fan Fiction / Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ The Ultimate Cruise ❯ The Masterminds - Rematch in the Smoke ( Chapter 7 )

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!

 

OOC: Thanks for the many reviews people! It means a lot to me! Yeah, those minor issues were just typos—the stuff that neither myself, my proofreader, nor MS Word noticed. Thanks for pointing them out though.

 

As for whoever mentioned that the Titans should stick around until they find the One Piece, since they're so close…they're no where near the One Piece. Even in Japan, which is like 200 chapters ahead of where this story is set, they aren't close to One Piece yet. Which is good, cause we get more series :D

 

 

The Ultimate Cruise:
One Piece meets Teen Titans

 

Chapter 7: The Masterminds—Rematch in the Smoke

 

“Give it up Straw Hat Luffy!” A Marine cried. The single pirate stood surrounded by the white-clad soldiers, yet he didn't look intimidated. “You only get one more warning!”

 

“I don't need a warning.” Luffy smiled. As the Marines roared mightily and charged, the unimposing boy just sighed. Twisting his body slightly, Monkey D. Luffy threw out both of his arms to the side. Each fist met with a soldier's face, sending blood and teeth flying. As they snapped back to normal length, Luffy wasted no time in launching more punches.

 

“Rubber Gattling!” Luffy cried. His arms slung back and forth, using both the recoil and their natural elasticity to bounce faster and faster. It looked as if the pirate had hundreds of arms flying from all directions. As the horrendous storm of attacks subsided, nothing was left of the Marines except unconscious bodies hurled across the streets.

 

“Well, that sure was boring.” The captain sighed, reaching his arms behind his head and stretching. As he did so his stomach growled; it sounded like a lion, and the vicious noise echoed across the entire island. “And now I'm hungry too. Oh well. Sanji'll make me some meat!” He began his long trip back to the Merry Go, following the trail of bloody bodies back to the spot where he hoped Sanji and Chopper had finished their battles.

 

“Leaving so soon rubber boy?” A voice asked. Looking up, Luffy noticed a figure standing on the front of the now-empty Marine ship. He did a back flip, somersaulting high in the air and soaring into a perfect landing right in front of Luffy. The captain just stood there, picking at his ear, until he noticed who the man confronting him was.

 

The owner of the voice slowly rose from his landing position, turning to face his rubber opponent. The waning light glinted across the black and brown mask as the one fearsome eye glared ominously.

 

“I remember you!” Luffy exclaimed. “You're that asshole that was chasing Robin!” The two exchanged awkward stares for a second before the rubber pirate broke down into hysterical laughter. “Boy, I sure sent you flying, didn't I?!”

 

Crossing his arms, Slade frowned. “I was taken by surprise rubber boy.” Luffy fell onto his bottom, laughing so hard that tears welled up in his eyes. The masked menace couldn't understand how such a juvenile hick could be so incredibly strong. Still, his strength made no difference. Slade was leagues beyond Luffy in intelligence, and it would be the factor that would win this for him.

 

Looking back down to Luffy, Slade was shocked to see him gone! Turning around, he found the rubberman walking away from him, waving his arms in the air.

 

“Thanks for the laughs mister!” Luffy called.

 

With a ferocious scream Slade charged forward, appearing in front of the boy and sending him reeling with a backhand. Luffy landed on his butt, skidding across the plaza; the fiend that sent him there sauntered back slowly, trying his hardest to create a frightening atmosphere.

 

“You can't leave yet rubber boy.” Slade told him. As Luffy climbed to his feet and started brushing dirt from his shoulder, the masked man continued. “You have something I need, and nobody is leaving here until that stone is back in my hands.”

 

“The stone?” Luffy echoed, perplexed. He scratched his head, further disheveling his mangy black hair. His trademark Straw Hat had been left on the Merry Go when Luffy thought he was going to be able to peacefully nap, so his hair now stuck out in all directions. “Oh yeah, that shiny red rock. Robin has that.”

 

“Robin has the Iso Toa? Impressive.” Slade shrugged and walked past Luffy. Robin never failed to impress him; Slade would have sworn that Luffy had taken the stone when he attacked him, but instead Robin somehow wound up with it. “Then I guess I have no more business with you.”

 

Luffy grinned, thinking the problem was solved. “Okay then, see'ya round!”

 

A second elapsed as Luffy just stood there, silence passing between him and Slade.

 

As Slade walked toward his target he thought about how stupid Luffy was. It was almost unimaginable! Suddenly he heard a voice calling from behind him. “Rubber Pistol!” The pirate cried as he slung his arm towards Slade. The villain simply moved his head to the side and the rubber arm flew past his head. Slade chuckled a bit, glad he was wrong about this rubberman. He had figured it out after all.

 

“You're gonna hurt Robin, aren't you?” Luffy asked as his arm snapped back into place. He jumped into the air, the recoil spinning him before he landed. “Well, I'm not gonna let you take that stone from him! The Titans need that to get home!” Even though he had a rubber body, Luffy still had a very human heart. He knew that Robin was defending him when he attacked Buggy, and he wasn't going to be the one to let that bravery be for nothing!

 

“You think you can stop me? You're almost as dumb as you look.” Slade taunted. Releasing a breath and shrugging a bit, he started walking towards Luffy. “But I would like to teach you a lesson after what you did last time we met. So sure, let's see what you can do to me.”

 

Luffy grinned, winding up his right arm like a windmill. Slade, meanwhile, pressed a button his belt. It made a noise, sounding like the static on a radio. “Commence plan Ventilation.” He whispered.

 

“Rubber Stamp!” Luffy exclaimed, breaking the transmission with his attack. He lunged forward, doing half a flip as he threw his leg forward. As his foot was ready to hit Slade—leaving a sandal-shaped stamp—he simply strafed to the side, wrapping his arms around the elastic appendage.

 

The irony of this situation wasn't lost on Slade. “Haven't we done this before?” he asked as he tugged on Luffy, ready to slam the rubberman into the pavement.

 

“Not quite!” Luffy returned, leaping into the air and throwing his other leg. As it soared past Slade he again wound up his own body, leaving the villain wrapped up in rubber legs. “Rubber...” he began as he back flipped through the air. With a snap his legs started to unwind, spiraling Slade through the air until he was plowed into the ground. “…GRAND MALLET!” Luffy cried as the chipped pavement still rained over the battlefield.

 

The attack stirred up so much dust that Luffy couldn't even notice the veil of white smoke that was slowly drifting over their battlefield. Unfortunately, he also couldn't notice the whirling disks until they collided with him, exploding on contact. The blast sent the rubberman reeling, blowing open the front of his shirt and burning his body a bit. A silhouette walked through the smoke, finally emerging and revealing itself as Slade—battered a bit, but seemingly oblivious to the pain.

 

The taciturn warrior wasted no time in hurling more explosives. However, this time Luffy was prepared. He somersaulted to the side, and as he landed he again slung out his leg for another assault. “Rubber Whip!” cried the rubberman as his leg wound a loop-de-loop course towards Slade. Ducking beneath it, the villain grabbed it and tumbled backwards. Luffy was hurled into the air and pile driven straight into the pavement.

 

Slade kept his grip as the leg snapped back into place; using the rubberman's own power against him, he stuck his leg out and drove it into Luffy's back when his leg returned. Slade gracefully flipped backwards as the enraged Luffy jumped wildly, stamping his feet on the ground. The Captain turned to his calm opponent in a completely opposite mood—something in his eyes had changed, making him look like a mad dog.

 

“That's it: your ass is grass!” Luffy cried, hurling a deadly hook at the masked antagonist. Slade ducked beneath it and charged, never realizing how honored he should be—Luffy only used that phrase for on his most hated of enemies. The villain's fist hurled itself into the pirate's rubber stomach, bouncing back with so much force that Slade was nearly thrown backwards. Luffy tried to throw a kick, but this time Slade was totally in control; he span around, whirling his leg beneath the rubberman, completely throwing his balance off.

 

As Luffy stumbled backwards, taking clumsy steps, Slade didn't waste one second of the brilliant situation. He continued forward, pummeling the pirate's chest with first-rate punches. Ready to finish the fight, he ducked low and drove a devastating uppercut into the rubberman's chin, snapping his head back. Then, with one final blow, Slade drove a right straight into Luffy's face.

 

The punch drove Luffy's head straight back, and his neck stretched further and further back, almost taking Luffy's head out of sight. Slade ogled the sight—astonished at the unexpected response to his attack—as he wiped the rubberman's blood from his sleeve.

 

“Rubber…” Luffy called. Slade jumped backwards at the sound of his opponent's voice—hadn't he finished him? Luffy's neck snapped forward, driving his head straight into Slade's. “…BELL!” He exclaimed as the headbutt hit home; the bell-like sound of the impact echoed across the town, breaking a few windows. Slade was pretty broken too as his body exploded backwards, flying through a building. Luffy wiped the blood from his face as he admired his work.

 

“What an idiot!” Luffy laughed. “All that work and all I get is a bloody nose!” As he brushed some rubble from his arms, he finally noticed the blanket of smoke that had slowly but surely been infiltrating the area. “Wait, when did the fog come in?”

 

“Fog will be the last of your worries!” Slade cried. The fiend kept himself hidden in the shadows, but he did reveal another disk of explosives. It made a distinctive buzzing noise as it arced through the air.

 

Luffy grimaced, grabbing the end of his right fingers with his left hand. “Rubber Shield!” he cried as he pulled all five fingers into a protective rubber field across his face. The projectile exploded on contact, but the rubberman barely felt the attack. What he did feel, however, was the metal rod being pried through his shield and straight into his face. As Luffy soared backwards, he spied Slade jumping into the air, his staff poised high above his head. His costume was half-shredded, and several pockets on his belt looked chipped. Several cracks ran along his mask as well.

 

Slade let loose a scream that sounded like it came from the depths of hell. He fought like a man possessed as he slammed his staff over Luffy's head and then shifted his weight, spinning into another attack. Slade wasn't used to being the underdog—he was always under control, always leading the other around like a puppy! He had Luffy outmatched on both skill and intelligence—so why wasn't he winning?

 

Monkey D. Luffy wasn't used to such fast and close blows, and was unable to defend against the strike that now smashed into his side. He was sent soaring, but launched his legs to the ground, digging his sandals' flimsy heels into the pavement. Skidding, he swirled to a stop. Slade was already retaliating, thrusting his staff towards one of the rubberman's eyes.

 

“Ah ha!” Luffy cried. “I've got this one!” The pirate laughed again as he opened wide, his jaw stretching his face out several feet. The staff went straight down his throat. “Rubber…CHOMP!” With one fierce snap of his jaws the rubberman had shattered Slade's favorite weapon. The terrorist dropped the remains of the pole and wound up for another attack—until his opponent grinned, revealing chunks of metal stuck between his shiny white teeth.

 

“I'm sorry,” laughed the rubberman, “do these belong to you?” Luffy puckered up, spitting the shards like one might watermelon seeds. Slade crossed his arms to defend, but the razor-bladed projectiles still whirled past him like bullets from a machine gun.

 

Blood spurted from his wounds, covering the landscape behind him. It looked as if a finger-paint-parade of kindergarteners had passed through Ianoa Island. Slade fell to his knees, staggering. His body convulsed as the fiend stuttered, trying to catch his breath. A mixture of saliva and blood leaked through the cracks and vents in his mask.

 

Was this truly it? Had he lost? Slade could no longer move, could no longer even attempt to fight. He was more skilled than Luffy. He was smarter than Luffy. The rubberman had the advantage in pure power, but Slade refused to believe that pure power could win a battle. If that was true, then he would have been dead long ago. Terra could have killed them back when they first met. Any of the Titans could have brought him to his death. Yet, time and time again Slade triumphed. It was because he planned, he connived—it was because he had a superior plan in the end.

 

Yet, this time Slade had a plan too. So, the true question was only just now revealed: why did Slade care so much about beating this mere boy? Never before had he fallen victim to such lust for revenge. Never before had he wanted to kill somebody as much as he wanted to Luffy. Joy caroused through the villain's veins as he thought of wringing the pirate's rubber neck between his two powerful hands.

 

This time Slade had created a plan too. He had followed it to a T. Yet, it had failed. The stone was stolen just as planned. Starfire had been baited, just as planned. But a hitch soon revealed itself—a rubber hitch named Luffy, whom had sent the entire plan down the toilet when he attacked Slade.

 

Luffy had caused Slade's failure. For that, Slade could never let him win this battle—no matter what measures had to be taken!

 

The rubberman himself had other ideas, however. “Time to finish this!” He exclaimed joyously, throwing both arms backwards. The twin appendages stretched—quickly becoming lost in the white smoke that now completely covered the battlefield—until Luffy laughed and shifted his weight forward.

 

“Rubber…BAZOOKA!”

 

With a ferocious snap Luffy's arms blasted forwards. His two open palms collided with Slade, still on his knees and not even paying attention. He was propelled several feet, still being pushed forwards by the rubber hands. However, about at that point both Slade and Luffy's arms disappeared once again into the thick smoke.

 

“Wait a minute?” Luffy asked. “What is all this smoke? This isn't fog!” As if to answer his own question, he was smacked squarely in the back—by Slade, propelled by his own two arms. The rubberman was knocked onto his stomach, his opponent sprawled across his back. His arms, meanwhile, flew back into the smoke behind Luffy—then miraculously returned from where they were stretched in front of him.

 

The Captain climbed from beneath the fallen terrorist, brushing dirt from his body. He stared into the smoke, shaking his head back and forth endlessly. “What the hell was that?!” He exclaimed. When he received no answer, Luffy continued with his inquiry, repeatedly shouting out “What was that?!”

 

“Calm down Straw Hat.” answered a voice emanating deep from within the smoke. The thick blanket of smoke moved until it formed a single pillar. A huge figure strolled from deep within the oxygen-deprived depths of the pillar—and as he did so, the smoke itself curled into a ball in the imposing man's hand.

 

“Smokey!” Luffy cried in fear. Of anybody Luffy had ever faced, this was the one he never had a chance of beating. This pirate really did know fear at the hands of Captain Smoker.

 

“Indeed.” Smoker reaffirmed, lowering his head as the ball of vapor in his hand dispersed in a poof. “And since you asked—repeatedly—then I'll let you in on a secret. That was my `Smoke Wormhole' technique; things go in one part of the smoke, and then come out the other end. You really didn't think I'd let you hurt my ally, did you?”

 

“That sure sounds like fun!” Luffy exclaimed, his eyes going wide. “Can you make food come out of you?”

 

Smoker drew his club with a huff, insulted by that statement. “No, but how about I knock your lunch out of you?”

 

Luffy peered down at his stomach and cocked his head. It rumbled some noises in reply. “Sorry Smokey, but it isn't done with lunch yet. You can try again later though.”

 

“Enough!” Smoker cried, charging forward. “I have a job to fulfill, and I won't stop until you're dead if it's necessary!”

 

Monkey D. Luffy took a step back, but truly had no strategy to battle his intangible opponent. Just as the two enemies were about to clash, the assault was intercepted by one brave figure. Slade stood between the combatants, finally back on his feet.

 

“What are you doing?” The Marine asked, shocked. “We had a plan—you trap him, I finish him! Why are you going against the plan?”

 

Slade himself didn't really know what was going on. This was so unlike him, but at the same time, he just wouldn't be satisfied until Luffy had fallen at his hands.

 

“I don't need you anymore you know.” Smoker threatened. “There's no way for Luffy to escape now, and my crew should at least have the Straw Hat's surrounded by now, if not beaten.” Slade only returned the Marine's angry glare, not budging an inch. “Don't think I won't go through you to get to him!”

 

“Leave him alone!” cried another voice. All three figured turned to find Robin standing only a few inches away. He was grabbing his side, holding onto the bloodstained bandages wrapped around his torso. Running all that way wasn't the best treatment for wounds, but the Boy Wonder barely noticed the pain. His friend was being faced by the most dangerous man he knew. There was no way he could just sit back and watch now!

 

“He has the stone!” Slade exclaimed, whirling into a punch as he did so. The gloved fist ripped into Luffy's face and sent the rubberman soaring; Slade was in hot pursuit. “Get it!” He commanded.

 

Smoker sighed as he watched his partner. This wasn't supposed to be how it worked. Slade was just supposed to draw out Luffy and get his stone—Smoker was supposed to finish the Straw Hat! Still, it didn't matter at the moment. He doubted that Slade could defeat Luffy anyway, and this gem could prove valuable to the Marines. Last time a new sort of stone had been discovered it had resulted in a special variety of rock that contained the power of the ocean; this element proved invaluable as it now provided a way to restrain users of the Devil's Fruit.

 

“I believe you have something we want.” Smoker began as he walked towards Robin, sheathing his club as he did so. “You're in no condition to fight now. I suggest you hand it over before I have to use force.”

 

“Nobody tells me I can't fight!” Robin exclaimed, charging forward. He swept his feet down low, but it had no effect. Not wasting a second, the noble young man somersaulted backwards, connecting with a whirling kick. Again, it went straight through the man. Gasping, Robin threw forward a flurry of punches.

 

“Are you getting tired yet?” Smoker asked as the green fists just shot aimlessly through smoke. “I should have expected this from scum that associates with Pirates. I don't know what you are exactly in your world, but here you're just scum even lower than your pirate friend! I'll find pleasure in grinding you both into dust!”

 

“I'll never let that happen! I'll fight until I find a way to destroy you!” Pulling his staff from his belt, Robin jumped high and swiped at the Marine's head. Again it just drove a path through smoke; as it did so, Smoker threw forward his fist. It collided with Robin's midsection, sending the boy tumbling across the street.

 

Robin could taste the blood in his mouth, but it didn't deter the warrior's trip back onto his feet. There was no way he would ever give up now. He'd been faced with far worse—compared to being Slade's apprentice, this fool was nothing!

 

“White Snake!” announced Smoker as he threw a punch. His fist was propelled by a stream of smoke. Robin dug his feet into the ground as he blocked the fist with his staff, parrying it to the side. The force slammed the hand into a wall, but it just dissolved into smoke. The vapor again launched itself towards Robin.

 

His usual cocky grin crawled across Robin's face as he took hold of his staff with both hands. Spinning it rapidly, he used the weapon as a fan, blowing Smoker back at himself. “How do you like that?”

 

Smoker rubbed his chin with his remaining hand. “Not bad,” he complimented, “but I think this is better!” Robin gasped as he felt his weapon being snatched from his hand. Casting his gaze to the sky, the Teen Titan was amazed to see his staff being carried away by a stream of smoke coming from a nearby chimney!

 

“Now there's nothing left for you to do but fall victim to my White Storm!” Smoker exclaimed psychotically. His entire body converted to smoke as it drove forward relentlessly. Robin's pupil-less eyes grew big as saucers as he became engulfed by the storm—he crossed his arms, realizing he could do nothing but defend. As the white vapor whizzed about him, the Marine's fist materialized and smashed into the Titan's face, sending him soaring out of the fog.

 

Robin caught himself, landing on his side holding himself up with one arm. With his other hand he pulled one blue disk of explosives from his belt. He flipped a switch on the bottom; as he rose back onto both feet he wound the band along the disk's edge. “This had better work!” Robin whispered to himself.

 

5!

 

“You won't survive this time!” Smoker exclaimed as he drove himself forward. His body took a spiraling position, like a tornado.

 

4!

 

Cradling the disk between his fingers, Robin wound up his torso, turning 180 degrees. He strained as hard as he could, groaning at the pressure being put on his body. He knew the timer would go off soon—he had to give it his all now!

 

3!

 

The Boy Wonder returned to normal and unfurled his weapon, letting the disk fly from his hand.

 

2!

 

Robin's natural arc worked perfectly as the weapon zoomed through the sky, taking a sharp left curve and heading straight towards the large white mass of smoke it was intended to stop.

 

1!

 

With only one second left the disk hit its target, soaring straight into Captain Smoker's gaseous body.

 

0!

 

The timer circling the rim of the disk ticked back into place; the resulting explosion was anything but expected, at least by Smoker. The Marine could feel cold passing through his entire body. As seconds passed more and more of him was being frozen by the sub-zero blast. Smoker's gaseous body just helped the ice spread faster and more effectively.

 

In mere seconds Captain Smoker was nothing more than a giant pillar of ice in the middle of the street. Breathing a sigh of relief, Robin fell to one knee panting. Sweat poured down his battered body.

 

“Bravo. Bravo.”

 

Robin somehow found the energy to leap back onto his feet, spinning to face his fan as he did so. The Teen Titan found himself face to face with his nemesis.

 

“I'm amazed at how the great adage always proves true.” Slade began. “Great minds really do think alike.” With the turn of his neck he gestured behind himself. All hope drained from Robin's body as he witnessed the horror Slade had prepared for him. Luffy had met the same fate as Captain Smoker: both warriors were encased deep within a thick pillar of ice.

 

Robin shook himself, trying to pull together his composure. He still had time to save Luffy, if he could get past the sadistic fiend standing before him. “I'm nothing like you!” the boy wonder exclaimed loudly.

 

“Keep telling yourself that Robin. You know you're wrong.” Slade pulled the remains of his staff from his belt. The miraculous weapon reformed itself, lengthening into a full-sized weapon once again. “However, it makes no difference now. You lost your opportunity to be on the winning side when you betrayed me.”

 

Slade tapped the end of his staff in his palm menacingly as he slowly walked forward. “You only have two choices now: Hand the Stone of Iso Toa to me and die under my power later, or refuse and die now.”

 

His staff may have been gone, but the technical genius known as Robin was far from unarmed. He pulled two small staffs from his belt; each one was about one fourth the size of his normal weapon. The Titan wielded one in each hand.

 

“Do I even need to tell you my answer?” he asked with a smirk. The wind blew through his cape as the evening shadows dropped across his face. What a fitting way to end this whopper of a day, Robin thought. Yup, a showdown with his greatest rival at sundown would be just the conclusion this day deserved.

 

Next Time: A False Ending—The Power of Friendship