One Piece Fan Fiction / Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ The Ultimate Cruise ❯ A False Ending—The Power of Friendship ( Chapter 8 )

The Ultimate Cruise:
One Piece meets Teen Titans

 

Chapter Eight: A False Ending—The Power of Friendship

 

The terrorist's balled fist plowed into Luffy's face, sending the rubberman soaring away from his friend. As he flew backwards Slade wasted no time in pulling more explosives from his belt. Despite the numerous wounds covering his body, the villain wasn't slowing down at all. The disks hit their target, blowing more holes in Luffy's shirt and spreading even more blood. They certainly made up for the damage that Slade's fists just couldn't deliver.

 

As he finally landed and slid across the pavement, Luffy didn't even waste time thinking of a retort as he charged forward. The rubberman's powerful hook was predictable—giving Slade no challenge at all as he soared above it. As his body arced through the air, he pulled more projectiles from his utility belt. A skillful somersault from the pirate allowed him to dodge the incoming attack, and as he flipped forward he threw his leg to the air, ready to strike with a powerful chop.

 

Pavement flew as Luffy's leg tore into the pavement, building a trench. However, his opponent had already forgotten that attack, focused on bringing the rubberman down. Slade used the natural force of his enemy's attack to launch himself backwards, coiling his body into a spin as he did so. Four blue disks of explosives were poised between his fingers.

 

Luffy huffed as he saw what his nemesis had in store. These explosives were really getting him pissed! Slade unfurled his attack, but as the projectiles flew towards their targets, Monkey D. Luffy didn't even try to evade.

 

“Rubber…” He began as he took a deep breath. Air poured into his lungs as he pulled his chest back, looking as if he was about to unleash a mighty wind to blow the devices away. Just as Luffy was about to debut his attack, however, the explosives hit home. The rubberman looked undeterred—knowing he had a plan—but Slade's plan seemed to be better.

 

With a blinding blue flash the weapons did their job, exploding in a sub-zero flurry of icy sparks. Luffy froze in place, ice traveling up his body and down his legs until his entire body was encased in an artic crystal.

 

Slade snickered, ignoring the major damage he had taken and instead admiring his own work. He couldn't believe how worked up this mere boy had him. Nobody else had ever had Slade so involved in a battle; never before had his bloodlust been so high.

 

Even with him it was an entirely different feeling.

 

And as if to remind him of that resilient young boy, an identical explosion rocketed from only a few feet away. With a slow turn Slade walked towards the final target in his plan. Once again, he had done exactly what had been expected of him.

 

In the end, Luffy was no Robin.

 

 

 

Each of the Teen Titans just stared glumly at their yellow communicators. Adorned with a giant black `T' on the front, the small circular devices were their main form of communication. However, all five were now silent.

 

“Robin!” Starfire exclaimed, calling fiercely into the device. “Robin, come in!” Again, she received no answer. Growling in frustration, her unusual alien strength crushed the communicator; upon noticing it, she hurled it to the ground.

 

“This piece of furbnick is obviously defective!” Starfire cried. “Why else would we be unable to have the contact with Robin?”

 

Beast Boy began to back away cautiously. “I think Star's really lost it.” He echoed, stunned.

 

“This means that something's happened to him, obviously.” Raven stated. A pale arm emerged from the blue draping her cloak provided as her communicator was surrounded by a black aura; it slowly floated into her belt as she then returned to the protection beneath her cape. “It was a call for help, and we better follow it up.”

 

Cyborg's arm popped open as he stared at the various lines and dots on his radar. “The tracker in Robin's communicator last pinpointed him here,” he began as he pointed across town, “But then the signal dies. We'd better get there quick!”

 

“He obviously went after Luffy,” Terra stated. “We could have saved time and just followed the trail of Marines.” She kicked at one of the soldier's unconscious body, before pushing it out of her way with one quick flare of her Earth-moving powers.

 

Sanji let another puff of smoke travel off into the air, watching in admiration as it dispersed into the sky. Returning the death-stick to his mouth, he hopped off the crate he was sitting on and walked towards the Titans, followed closely by Zoro and Chopper.

 

“Looks like we need to save our stupid Captain again.” Zoro grumbled, walking hunched over as a sign of disgust. Suddenly, a thump was heard behind them; the group turned in surprise to see Nami leaping from the deck of the Merry Go.

 

The navigator made an impressive landing, brushing her gorgeous orange hair from her eyes. Sanji almost melted at just the mere sight. “Sorry, I just thought I'd get this.” She held up her Captain's straw-hat in her hands before resting it atop her own head. “I figured he'd want it.”

 

“Good luck everybody!” Usopp cried, popping up from his hiding place on the deck of his ship. The coward waved eagerly until he felt himself being lifted into the air. “Let me down!” He wailed.

 

“No way. You're not getting out of this one!” Sanji told him as he held Usopp above his head. The cook suddenly paused. “Damn you're heavy.” He grunted as he dropped Usopp to the ground, grabbing him by his long nose and dragging him instead.

 

“We'll save you Robin!” Starfire declared, leaping ahead of the group and taking to the air, soaring at her top speed. She didn't care if everybody could tell how she felt for Robin; his life was in danger, so now wasn't the time to be shy!

 

 

 

“You're a monster.” Robin growled, staring into the one evil eye of his arch-nemesis, Slade. The two were in a fierce standoff on the streets of Ianoa Island. It was now sunset, and the waning source of light cast frightening shadows across the landscape. Neither battered fighter wanted to make the first move; in all honesty, it was a miracle that either of them could still stand.

 

“Why Robin?” Slade asked, sincerity almost sounding in his deep, foreboding voice. “Because I want power? Because I want to bring order to this world? Or is it…” The terrorist took a menacing step forward, again tapping his staff against his palm. “Or is it because I wanted somebody to pass that power down to?”

 

Slade knew just how to play his young opponent. With a scream of rage Robin rushed forward, attacking fiercely with the mini-staff held in each of his hands. The Boy Wonder swiped both of his hands together, like a vice closing, but Slade simply ducked beneath it, throwing an uppercut into the Titan's stomach. Robin went soaring backwards, but was far too angry to stop now. He somehow managed to land on his feet, taking off at blinding speeds for another assault.

 

The three weapons met in a stand-off; Robin uncrossed his arms and sent himself reeling backwards from the force. However, Slade also stumbled back a few steps. The distraction was all the Teen Titan needed to land a hit; dashing forward, he moved beneath the fiend's staff and smashed his stick across his face. Several fragments of his mask broke off and scattered away from the two combatants. Not content to end with that, Robin span and hurled his other arm in for another skull-shattering hit.

 

Despite not even recovering from the first attack, Slade was still able to respond grandly. With the flick of his wrists he span his staff, knocking Robin's weapon right out of his hand. The Boy Wonder gasped in surprise, and then in pain as the other end of the staff planted its end in Robin's stomach. Landing in his back, Robin had no chance to recover as Slade span into a sweeping kick, sending the other staff flying from the Titan's grip.

 

Slade held his staff high in the air, thrusting its end straight toward Robin's stomach. Rolling to the side, the Boy Wonder grabbed the weapon and used it to pull himself to his feet. Pushing the pain aside, the hero focused on nothing but his rage as he sent a kick careening through the air; it shattered Slade's staff and planted itself straight into his face. Both fighters fell backwards, but then managed to convert their stumbling steps into momentum. A dazzling flash of punches and kicks manifested themselves.

 

Never taking a breath, Robin drove himself forward. His arms crossed back and forth in a green flash, and just when it seemed like they would never end he instead span, hurling his steel-tipped boots towards the target. However, the target in question was nearly impossible to hit. Slade ducked beneath high kicks, jumped above low ones, and fended off punches with his own forearms and attacks.

 

Just as it seemed like the stalemate would never end, it climaxed in a vengeful fit of punches by Slade. His superior strength slapped aside the Boy Wonder's punch, and as the boy staggered to the side, the terrorist ended this exchange by producing a nearly blinding assault. Punches spread out like a shotgun shell, hitting all across the teen's body. Robin fell to his knees, coughed up a bit of blood, and fell onto his back.

 

“So…t-this is how you end it Slade?” Robin asked, still using his remaining strength to try to speak. “You can—you c-can take the s-stone, but if you k-k-kill me you'll n-never have the ap-p-renctice you want.” The boy coughed again, looking pitiful in his beaten state.

 

Slade loomed over his fallen opponent. Remaining silent, he leaned down and removed the Stone of Iso Toa from Robin's utility belt. The villain passed the stone between his fingers, finally basking in his glory. It had taken a lot of work and a lot of planning, but finally it was his again!

 

“Please Robin; you still think I want you as my apprentice?” Slade asked. Just thinking about it sent the man into a rare fit of laughter. “I've found somebody far stronger than you to pass my skills down to.”

 

Robin's eyes shot open wide in resonation. “L-Luffy?!”

 

“The thought crossed my mind,” Slade began, “But after our battle I see that he isn't even as good as you. The boy has strength, I'll give him that, but he'll never be as fine a fighter as you.”

 

As Robin was left pondering just how that could be possible, Slade paced past him and approached Captain Smoker's frozen form.

 

“Luffy could never have beaten this guy. However,” Slade turned back to his fallen opponent. “You not only defeated him, but you did so in the same way I planned to myself!”

 

“W-What!” Robin was stunned. “B-but…he was your p-partner!”

 

“I don't need a partner.” Slade spat. “I needed somebody to get me around this world, and eventually to you. With that taken care of, Smoker became nothing but a nuisance!” With a deep, menacing glare, the villain chuckled. “We're so much alike. It is a shame that we can't work together.”

 

With a quick turn, the unusually talkative Slade began pacing in the other direction. “However, after your betrayal I no longer want an apprentice who doesn't have the desire to have my great skills for their own! I have a new apprentice who shares my great ambitions!”

 

Despite the deadly injuries he had sustained, Robin tried to right himself. Sweat poured down his body as he tried to push himself to his feet. “T-tell me who, Slade.”

 

“All in due time Robin, all in due time.” Slade crooned. Pacing back aside his former apprentice, one swift kick knocked the boy back to the ground. Turning his back to Robin, he began walking back toward Smoker's ship. “However, for now I must say my farewell. Give my regards to Luffy, if you can save him in time.”

 

However, Slade's departure was quickly halted by the sound of the Titan's theme going off. Quickly spinning around, he noticed that the fallen Robin held his communicator in his hand. With the last of his energy he laughed; his friends would soon be there!

 

“Robin Robin…I'm disappointed.” With one nearly blinding swipe the communicator exchanged hands; Slade crushed the device between his mighty fingers. “There's always been one major fault in you boy,” he began as he slowly shook his head. “You depend far too much on your friends!”

 

Groaning in pain, the Teen Titan clutched his side as he slowly took the breath needed to speak. “My f-friends make m-me strong Slade!” The look of determination never left Robin's face.

 

“You're wrong!” Slade exclaimed, his tone actually changing into an unusually angry voice. “Strength comes from within! Others only drag you down!” His eyebrow arched down low, just giving a hint of the horrendous frown that must be hiding beneath that mask. “Apprentices, partners, even friends…are all useful to a point; but when you put your complete trust in them, that's when you lose your strength! That's when they take your strength instead, and there's no excuse for that!”

 

Robin's rebuttal was cut off by a boot to his gut. Slade drove his foot further into the injured warrior's stomach, taking great joy in the boy's screams. Slade had planned on leaving, but upon hearing the boy's naïve ideas about friends he just had to change his course of action a bit. With each attack Robin just screamed harder, calling for Starfire in his mind over and over.

 

Slade's anger finally cooled, and he removed his leg from atop the boy's chest. With a chuckle he stepped back a few paces, removing the red crystal from his belt. Slowly turning it in one hand, he pulled out his energy gun with the other. He twirled it in his hand like a cowboy before pointing its barrel straight toward the stone.

 

“Believe it or not Robin, this stone contains great power.” Slade began. “The Stone of Iso Toa has always possessed strange abilities. When exposed to different energies, it reacts in interesting ways.” His finger started to pull back on the trigger. “That's why I baited Starfire back at the cave. I knew the stone would create some sort of chain reaction allowing me to escape; however, a teleportation was the last thing I expected.”

 

With a chuckle, his finger finally pulled back on the trigger completely. “Now let's see how the Iso Toa reacts to the energy from my blaster!” A beam of red energy, surrounded by jagged sparks of red and orange electricity, exploded from the blaster, colliding with the Stone of Iso Toa held only a few feet away. The jewel began to glow a deep crimson hue. The air around Slade rippled and fluctuated as energy continued to build inside the stone.

 

Finally the energy reached its peak, billowing out into a red field surrounding Slade. The entire street began to crumble as any ground not already damaged by the numerous battles chipped and shattered under the incredible stress. A spiraling beam of red energy flared into the air, shining like a beacon in the night sky. Just the pure force of the maneuver sent Robin flying; the Boy Wonder was slammed against the outside of a nearby building, still helpless.

 

“The target isn't there!” Slade exclaimed. He thrusted a hand straight towards Robin, still suspended against the building by the energy. “It's here.” Robin gasped, shocked at Slade's change in demeanor. “I was going to let you live to see my destruction, Robin, but since you insist on resisting me until the end, I'll make the end come now!”

 

The energy blast in the air extinguished, and the field around Slade shimmered as another beam shot off straight towards Robin. The attack spiraled through the air, its roar blocking out all other sounds. Just as the Boy Wonder accepted his death and closed his eyes, he heard a new noise.

 

A breeze passed through, and with a mighty scream Robin could hear a soft explosion in front of him. He finally opened his eyes, recognizing that noise.

 

“Starfire!” Robin exclaimed.

 

The beautiful alien girl floated in front of Robin, between him and his impending death. A mighty Starbeam blew from her eyes; around each of her hands several Starbolts had focused together into energy balls, with green beams shooting from each of them as well. The three stupendous blasts connected with the end of Slade's attack, just barely managing to hold it back.

 

“Did you think I would not come?” Starfire asked coyly, never taking her gaze away from her job of saving both of their lives.

 

“I knew you'd never let me down.” Said Robin with a relieved smile.

 

Realizing that he hadn't stopped the distress call in time, Slade pulled even tighter on the trigger. Unfortunately, red sparks began to fly from his gun. The fiend grunted slightly as he hung the overheating weapon on his belt—for quick access if needed—and prepared to face the Titans once again. Without energy to feed it, the Iso Toa stopped glowing, and the effects of its attack faded away.

 

With the energy gone, Robin's body quickly fell to the ground. With one quick dash Starfire caught her friend; a slow descent then brought her face to face with her sworn enemy. A green fire burnt in Star's eyes as she exchanged stares with Slade, Robin still sprawled out in her arms.

 

“I will not let you escape.” She said firmly. “Drop the stone before I must take it by force.”

 

“Just how do you plan to do that Starfire?” Slade asked, not lowering his arms an inch. “Do you really think that you can fight me and protect Robin at the same time?”

 

The Tamaranian gasped as her gaze darted quickly between her best friend and her worst enemy. Stopping Slade was her top priority, but could she really risk Robin's life to do so?

 

Just as both prepared to make a move, they were stopped by strange noises. A panicked survey of the battlefield indicated that they were coming from the frozen body of Luffy. Before either could react, the frozen pillar exploded! Shards of ice buffeted the battlefield like a hailstorm.

 

“…BALLOON!” Luffy finally finished. His body had expanded into a giant rubber balloon; the rubberman now opened his mouth, letting the air escape. He whirled through the air before landing on the ground with a thud.

 

Slade couldn't believe it. Luffy wasn't trying to defend against the explosives back when they battled—he had been trying to deflect them with his Rubber Balloon! Even though he had frozen the boy solid, that technique and the air he had already swallowed finally inflated him enough to break through the ice!

 

What kind of person was this rubberman?!

 

Monkey D. Luffy rose to his feet, his entire body chattering as he tried to warm his blue skin. As he finally started to warm up, he noticed an icicle hanging from his nose; he broke it off and began sucking on it.

 

Robin laughed at his friend's unusual return to the world of the living. Starfire too enjoyed the sight, until she realized what it meant.

 

“Slade!” she exclaimed. He turned to see Starfire facing him with a huge smile plastered across her face. “You asked how I could combat you and protect Robin, right?” Slade slowly nodded, his eye growing wide as he realized what she was getting at. “Well, I don't have to! I'll protect, and Luffy can fight!”

 

Luffy jumped upon hearing his name. He slowly raised his line of vision and moved his head back and forth, just now remembering where he was and what he was doing. Finally he stopped as his eyes met with Slade's.

 

“That's right! I remember now! I was fighting you!” exclaimed the rubberman. A grimace crawled across Luffy's face as he growled a deep growl. “You're the one who made me this cold!” He cried as he charged forward. Luffy began spinning like a top, becoming nothing but a blur.

 

“Rubber Propeller!” Luffy announced as his spiraling hands continually slapped Slade, catching him up in the never-ending attacks. The warrior finally broke free of the attacks—completely dazed, barely able to stand. Slade looked like he was drunk. With her free hand Starfire launched off a Starbolt; the green blast of energy collided with the fiend's stomach and hurled him across the battlefield.

 

Slade's flight ended as he hit what felt like a brick wall. However, he quickly realized what it really was as he was grabbed up in a steel-like grip that nearly crushed his ribs.

 

“Well, look who came to play!” Cyborg laughed, holding Slade with his mechanically-enhanced grip. The other Titans and Straw Hats stood decked out behind him.

 

Slade couldn't believe how easily he had been caught! Of course, now wasn't the time to dwell on that! After the speech he had given on friendship, this was no time to allow himself to be beaten by it!

 

Raven walked up behind Starfire, stretching out her arms as she prepared to heal Robin. However, the Boy Wonder waved her aside. “We may need you to go inside Slade's mind to find out how to get us home.” Robin told her, never taking even his injured mind off the serious issues. “So save your strength.”

 

“Wait, you're gonna leave us now?” Luffy asked, looking sad.

 

“You can't leave! I'm going to miss you too much!” Chopper cried out.

 

Usopp gasped as he looked to Terra. She was going to leave?! They hardly had time to be together! Beast Boy stepped in front of her, grinning his sly little grin. The changeling knew when he had won. However, they were both then swept up into headlocks by Terra herself.

 

“I don't think we have to leave right away,” she smiled, squeezing tighter at the two lovesick teens held in her grip. “We have to celebrate first! I'm assuming you have a decent jail on that ship of yours.”

 

“It's good enough to hold him for a little while, as long as we have a guard.” Smirking, Nami turned to Zoro. “As long as we have a guard...”

 

“Fine woman, I'll be your guard!” Zoro grumbled. “Just be sure to bring me some beer down there!”

 

“A celebration! Glorious!” Starfire handed Robin to Raven, dashing back and forth. “I shall break out the zapnorkeses to prepare for the celebration!”

 

“Zapnorkeses?” Usopp echoed.

 

“Believe me; you're better off not even knowing.” Beast Boy sighed.

 

“But then it's settled!” Cyborg exclaimed, thrusting an arm into the air. “We're having a party!”

 

Just as the words left Cyborg's mouth, the ground started to shake. The ground beneath them nearly caved in as buildings crumbled, shattering and falling to the ground in nothing but huge piles of debris.

 

“What the hell's going on?!” Sanji cried as the unexpected kept popping its ugly head up. Slade sure didn't know the answer, but he wasn't going to let a situation like this go to waste. He loosened an arm, piledriving his elbow into Cyborg's face. The mechanical man fell backwards as Slade wasted no time in attacking. He pulled his gun from his belt—it was once again back to full capacity—and launched a shot at Smoker's boat. The shot severed a rope holding a lifeboat onto the ship; it fell into the water.

 

The water in the harbor seemed to explode as a giant red wall emerged from it. As water dripped down the sides, it could be seen that it wasn't just a wall, but an entire vessel that had surfaced. Red walls on the top unfolded sideways, revealing a top deck.

 

Slade leaped into the life boat, and with a maniacal laugh, tossed the Stone of Iso Toa into the air. “I'm sorry Titans, but now is the time for my exit!” He pulled one final disk of explosives from his belt and tossed it straight towards the stone. Of course, it exploded on contact; however, the explosion only seemed to be sucked into the stone. The jewel slowly floated back into Slade's hands, a strange yellow ball pulsing around it. He attached it to the back of his boat, smiling.

 

The energy exploded into a huge gust of wind, launching the life boat forward so fast that what water hadn't been disrupted by the red vessel's emergence quickly showered over the docks. That quickly, Slade had gone from captured to just plain gone.

 

Even worse, he had the Stone of Iso Toa with him! The Teen Titans were now stranded in a strange world, with absolutely no hope of getting home!

 

A figure emerged on the deck of the boat, walking to the edge as the rumbling finally ceased. He was an old man, probably in his late fifties, with short grey hair and a distinguished face. He wore a tight red suit, similar in appearance to latex, yet not completely form fitting. It looked as if it highlighted more muscles than he actually had.

 

“What a shame. It got away.” The old man sighed.

 

“Hey old man! Who are you?” Luffy called, throwing tact down the toilet as he usually did.

 

The man's lowered his face to stare at the odd assortment of heroes; the final shadows of the day shining across his wrinkles added to the aura of mystery around the man.

 

“I have no business with you fools.” He grunted, turning his chin to them. “You let the great power get away!”

 

“Wait a second father.” A second voice called. Zoro gasped; that voice sounded familiar, and not in a good way!

 

As the second figure walked out of the shadows, Zoro didn't need light to tell who he was. The blood red sheath on the man's waste—unable to be hidden in the shadows—told him everything he needed to know.

 

“Ian!” Zoro exclaimed. “What the hell are you doing here?!”

 

“Roronoa Zoro.” Ian smirked as he walked besides his father. “So you had the great power all along! But what a fool you are! I can't believe you let it get away!”

 

“Who's that guy Zoro?” Luffy asked. “He has a cool sword.”

 

“He's a bastard!” Zoro exclaimed.

 

Raven sighed. “He's an incredibly strong enemy, that's who he is.”

 

“Come now…can't we be friends?” Ian smiled, opening his arms as if he wanted to hug them.

 

The Straw Hat Pirates and the Teen Titans braced themselves, ready for whatever was in store for them.

 

Next Time: Floating Stone—The Cult of the Iso Toa