One Piece Fan Fiction / Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ The Ultimate Cruise ❯ Magic vs. Magic - The Mysterious Bond ( Chapter 21 )

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: Since my non-comic-reading proofreader was puzzled by the word, I will explain the term “empath.” Raven is called an empath in the comics because she could go inside people's heads and fiddle with their emotions. Though this is downplayed significantly in the series (it was her main power in the comics), it's still there to a degree, and I can always use a new word, so it's in there now.

 

The Ultimate Cruise:

One Piece meets Teen Titans

 

Chapter 21: Magic vs. Magic—The Mysterious Bond

 

The controller hit the ground in pieces. A few wires still sparked in Slade's trembling fist as the last recorded images from Terra's sight flashed across the monitor.

 

The one-eyed man let the cords fall from his hand as he took a deep breath, trying to release his pent-up rage.

 

“What's the matter, Slade?” Mother asked. The fiend looked up at the old lady watching him. “Were you expecting to keep her under your control forever?”

 

Slade huffed a bit. “No, you're right. After that stone's true power was released I had hoped to assimilate her power into it and rid myself of the traitorous whelp for good.”

 

“Then it's just that she overcame your control herself?” Mother's eyes glared down at him. “Surely even you're not conceited enough to think you can overcome the power of the Earth itself.”

 

“Just cursing my luck in apprentices.” Pausing for a second, a similar thought entered his mind. “But what about you? Your Ivan didn't fair much better himself.”

 

This time it was the old lady who produced a cruel chuckle. “Ivan and Terra both fulfilled their purpose. The damage they created and endured has fed the Great Power quite well. There was no more need for Ivan after that.” Mother's eyebrows narrowed as she continued. “It's actually rather nice not to have him following me like a puppy anymore.”

 

“I see.” Slade said. “Such callousness—you're a woman after my own heart. It's a shame. If you'd been a few decades younger you'd have made a good—”

 

“—Sorry,” Mother interrupted, “but my love was taken long before that.”

 

Slade actually chuckled. “You misunderstand. I was going to say apprentice, not lover.”

 

 

 

“Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos.” The grey-skinned empath's eyes were closed as she chanted her mantra. Meditation was Raven's only way of keeping her powers under control, and with powers like hers it took quite a bit of it to do the trick.

 

“Could you stop repeating yourself already?” Zoro grumbled. “It's getting really annoying.”

 

Raven slightly opened one eye, glaring at the swordsman in her peripheral vision. She was sitting cross-legged, but instead of levitating she was balanced across Zoro's three sheaths. His swords were situated in his typical Santoryu style—but still in their sheath—and Raven was sitting on them, providing her a mobile chance to meditate and giving Zoro some weight to carry.

 

“I can't.” She growled. “I need to keep my emotions under control, and this is the only way. Besides, I thought you said you needed to train with some weight anyway; I'm giving you what you want, so don't complain about me chanting when I do so.”

 

Sweat rolled down the swordman's face. “I wouldn't if you could chant something different. It's just the damned nonsense words over and over again.” Zoro grunted for a second as he lifted his swords above his head—taking Raven with them—before returning to his normal walking position. “Can't you say something different?”

 

“No, I can't.”

 

Zoro just sighed, and as he released it Raven followed with one of her own, jumping into the air and landing behind her friend. There'd be no way to relax with him around anyway; if anything he was just making her angrier.

 

The pirate seemed to pay no attention to the girl's annoyance; with his load lightened, he simply started to slash his swords about. They made a whooshing noise as he sliced through thin air, moving through different stances and techniques as they progressed through the tunnel.

 

“You're always training.” Raven observed. “Why?”

 

“To be the best.” Zoro smiled as he finished a step, one of his swords pointed before him. “I have to be the best, and that's all there is to it.”

 

Raven rolled her eyes. “Men.”

 

There was a moment's silence before Zoro formed a rebuttal, but in that moment the Titan's senses flared. “It's not like you're much better, always going on about controlling your emotions and powers. Why do you have to—”

 

“Shhhh!” Raven interrupted, slipping her hand across the swordman's mouth.

 

Zoro growled as he pushed her hand aside. “Don't shush me! What, you aren't going to ans—”

 

“I said be QUIET!” Raven exclaimed in her loudest whisper; however, it was the expression crossing the witch's face that shushed Roronoa Zoro. Keeping her eyes and ears perked for a moment, she suddenly gasped. There was no time to ask questions as both figures disappeared into the floor in a puddle of black.

 

Only fractions of a second later a thin blade of crimson energy flew through the tunnel, leaving deep fractures in the wall.

 

Raven emerged about a dozen feet ahead of where they had been standing, within a rather large cavern. A wide plateau of rock rose at least a story above the ground in the middle of the area, and a large recess in the far wall housed one large gear and a myriad of smaller ones surrounding it.

 

“I could phase through the rock here!” Raven thought aloud. “The Iso Toa's presence has been lifted here, but why?”

 

“YOU!”

 

The empath's thoughts were shattered by Zoro's scream; as she turned to see who he was calling to, Raven was only very mildly surprised to see Ian standing on a rock before them.

 

“Roronoa Zoro, how nice to finally see you again.”

 

“Bastard!” the swordsman predictably called. “Come down here and fight me!”

 

“Nothing would please me more.” Ian smiled. His gloved hand gripped the hilt of his mystical blade as he leapt into the air, and his shaggy brown hair waved in the air around him until he landed before his rival. “But beware, Roronoa Zoro, I'm a lot stronger then I was last time we fought! You will pay for trying to keep the Great Pow—”

 

Ian's rant was cut off by a bolt of black colliding with his gut. He flew backwards and into the side of the plateau, creating a caricature of himself in the rock.

 

Dark energy still streamed from Raven's palm. “We don't have time for your stupid rivalry.” she growled, directing her response to both men. “Zoro, we can take him down quick if we fight together!”

 

However, Zoro only held his arm out, pushing the Titan back. “Nonsense. I fight alone.”

 

Raven protested, but Ian couldn't hear their argument as he stumbled from the impression in the wall. “I'd been hoping to save you as a trump card, but there's no way I can fight both of them at once. TASHIGI!”

 

Pushing Zoro out of the line of fire, Raven then shot into the air as a sword sliced through the very spot she'd inhabited only moments before. Tashigi, Smoker's Marine subordinate whom Ian had captured was back on Ianoa Island, now stood before them. Her eyes glew red and her mouth was firm in resolution; she seemed nothing like the clumsy idealist she normally was.

 

The green-haired swordsman grew weak at seeing her. “Tashigi?” In an instant all three swords were drawn and pointed at Ian. “What did you do to her?!”

 

The crystal swordsman flashed a devious grin. “Why don't you come over here and find out?”

 

“As if I needed an excuse.” Zoro huffed. “Raven! Take care of her!”

 

Roronoa Zoro then crouched down and crossed his arms. “Oni Giri!”

 

Never losing his grin Ian drew Eehuah, and then thrusted it into the ground. “Crimson Elevator!” An unbelievable pillar of red exploded beneath him, lifting the young Iso-jin into the air. Leaping from it and onto the plateau behind him, he then snapped his wrist. “Luminescent Whip!”

 

The solid pillar of crimson energy suddenly went limp, then snapped forward to follow Ian's whim. There was no chance for Zoro to end his charge in time, and in an instant his feet were ensnared. The whip's owner laughed in glee, but Roronoa Zoro wasn't ready to give up by a long shot.

 

The pirate went into a dizzying spin; as he spun the energy whip went taut and started to pull him in. There was nothing Ian could do as his opponent was drawn in close. As Zoro moved within striking distance he made his move.

 

“Karasumagari!” he announced. Zoro's swords sliced through the crimson bindings as he swung his arms in a circular pattern, and the same attack sent Ian reeling backwards. Red liquid leaked from a few shallow slashes on his chest.

 

Ian was nearly foaming at the mouth. First blood had been drawn, and it wasn't Zoro's! With a hateful scream the Iso-jin dashed forward, and his opponent responded in kind. The sound of metal clashing echoed across the cavern as the two boys attacked with a vengeance.

 

 

 

`I don't understand him at all!' Raven thought. `Why does he have to be so stubborn?! Still, he's right about one thing; I do need to go take care of Tashigi.'

 

Raven's eyes looked saddened as she stared at the soldier. `I don't know what they've done to her, but she didn't do anything to deserve it!'

 

Whatever was controlling Tashigi certainly didn't care about the Titan's pity as she dashed into an attack. Using power far beyond that of the Marine's she leapt far into the air; Raven didn't realize she had made the move until the two were already face-to-face.

 

Tashigi screamed as she swung her sword in a horizontal slash that seemed to part the very air around it, and her opponent only barely managed to duck beneath it. A few strands of Raven's violet hair fell to the ground, but their owner paid the loss no mind as she next span behind another swipe. The sword put a small tear in the empath's cloak, but before Tashigi could attack again she found Raven's leg in her arm.

 

The Marine tumbled backwards and eventually hit the ground with a thud. Her opponent had already swooped down to the ground, and dust blew from beneath her as she raised her arm. “A swordsman stands no chance against me!”

 

Raven's hand glew black, and a veil of a corresponding color draped itself across Tashigi's katana. The Titan grinned as she prepared to send the weapon flying far from its owner, but she was only met by an equally devious grin. Raven's control over the sword was shattered as a field of red took its place.

 

Swinging her weapon from the side, Tashigi dashed forward, but only seconds later she was stopped in her tracks by a field of black. The darkness leapt from the ground beneath her, taking control of the Marine's clothes. However, the girl didn't seem the least bit deterred by her predicament. The red glare in her eyes grew more powerful as a red aura leapt from her body, destroying Raven's telekinetic grip for a second time.

 

Again the soldier appeared before her enemy, hacking into a wide swipe before following it by slashing from above. A burst of the Titan's levitation sent her beyond the reach of the first attack, and by the time the second tore into the ground Raven had already vanished beneath it.

 

“So you can nullify my attacks.” Raven stated, floating in the air behind her enemy. “They must be controlling you with their Iso-jin magic.” The girl pulled up her hood, which hid her face behind intimidating shadows. Her eyes began to glow white, and the trail of energy leaked beyond her eyes and into the air like a trail of smoke.

 

Tashigi finally noticed her opponent as she moved down to the ground, hovering just above the floor. The force of Raven's power roused the dust around her and caused her cloak to flap behind her. Spheres of black formed around the Titan's hands. “I guess I'll just have to knock you out and worry about ridding their presence within you later!”

 

An intimidating beam of darkness shot from Raven's hands as she thrusted her arms forward, and Tashigi was nearly blown away even as she blocked with her sword. The katana was completely draped in red, splitting the attack in two. Gritting her teeth, Tashigi slowly moved forward even as her hair and jacket were nearly blown off of her.

 

With a scream the Iso-jin slave slashed into the air, releasing a wave of red energy that cut straight through Raven's powerful attack. The empath had no chance to move as it slammed into her chest, shredding a hole in her tunic and slamming her into a rock. Blood leaked slowly onto her blue uniform as she struggled to regain her bearings.

 

Again Tashigi's body had been driven into a charge, her sword pointed forward for a thrust. Raven growled, her eyes arching angrily as her powers again flared. A darkened boulder emerged from the ground, blocking the Marine's path. A second later it shattered into several dozen smaller stones, and the field of black propelled them into the stunned girl.

 

As the soldier recovered she could already see several more boulders flying her way, but these were easy to defeat. Tashigi took to the air with gusto, and after spinning several times she had sliced Raven's offense to pieces. Upon landing she sliced her sword through where her opponent would have been, but the witch had long disappeared.

 

It didn't take long to find her, however, as Tashigi quickly found herself standing on a black circle. It erupted into the air, sweeping the soldier into a dark claw that emerged from a giant black raven with glowing red eyes. The red eyes of Raven's prisoner actually grew wide with fear, even if only for a second; moments later a ball of crimson exploded around her, dissipating the Titan's hold on her and even making the dark raven shirk backwards.

 

The tremendous ball retreated into the crystal hanging from Tashigi's neck, leaving its power only with her katana. Taking several swipes, she launched more powerful gusts of red wind towards her opponent. The projectiles ripped through Raven's astral form, but her true body easily zipped around the rest as she was revealed.

 

Finding herself falling to the floor, the Marine begrudgingly halted her attacks as she somersaulted into a landing. This gave Raven ample opportunity to strike; her gray arm emerged from her cloak, projecting her telekinetic power upon a part of Slade's mechanical complex.

 

With a snap she freed the pole from its home, hurling the rod towards Tashigi. The girl swung from below and intercepted the projectile; instead of slicing it, the rod stuck onto the katana. Snapping her weapon free, Tashigi smacked the pole like it was a baseball and it hurled back towards Raven.

 

A shield of black did nothing; the pole tore through the Titan's defense as if it wasn't there, no doubt because of the Iso-jin energy surrounding it from its short encounter with Tashigi. Raven was hit head-on with her own weapon, and she snapped backwards until eventually she slammed into a rock.

 

Raven's already angry eyes narrowed even further into an arch as she awoke to the sight of her opponent's charge. “Let's see how skilled a swordsman you really are!”

 

Waving her hand before her, Raven created a deadly strip of darkness. In rapid succession she shot off several more, much to the chagrin of her enemy. Tashigi skidded to a halt and then jumped backwards as she parried the first blade; knocking it aside rather easily, she then span into the next. Sparks flew for a few seconds as the blades fought until the Marine bent backwards and let if slip over her.

 

Red energy shot to life around the blade as she pulled herself aright and leapt towards the third attack. With the Iso Toa's power at her disposal a parry wasn't even possible as she sliced through the blade like butter; using her attack's momentum, Tashigi leapt above the final dark attack and soared within striking distance of Raven herself.

 

However, Raven responded with a rather unusual smile. Clenching her glowing fist and waving it vertically, a corresponding blade of energy appeared—not from her hand—but between Tashigi's blade and her body.

 

“Let's see you survive that!” Raven exclaimed as her palm suddenly opened; the action set her attack in motion. Blood filled the air as Tashigi was launched backwards, and her flight was only put to an end by a boulder that appeared behind her—no doubt due to Raven's telekinesis.

 

Dropping her smile, Raven moved forward to tend to the soldier. She regretted letting herself take such extreme measures. With the frustration of this battle she'd have to meditate now, no matter what Zoro did to impede upon her relaxation.

 

Yet, all traces of Raven's composure disappeared as suddenly as they had reappeared. Tashigi stood easily, as if she had taken no hits. Bruises and gashes from the attacks she had endured marred the girl's body, but the smile on her face and those haunting red eyes showed no sign of pain at all.

 

The empath's eyes shot open as she instantly soared into the air, the force of her power blowing her opponent away.

 

“Don't want to stay down? Then let's see how much it'll take before you change your mind!” Raven again turned toward Slade's cluster of machinery as darkness exploded around her. “Azarath Metrion Zinthos!”

 

Pipes and wires hissed and snapped as Raven's power pulled the largest gear from its place. Though it was several times her size, the disk floated before the witch with ease. “Catch!” she cried as it hurled forward.

 

The force controlling Tashigi had no hesitation as it made her take a stance, holding her blade at an angle before her. Suddenly she span into a blur, getting as much momentum behind her as she could. The soldier's blade met the gear, and amazingly enough, it cut it.

 

Every muscle in the Marine's now-enhanced body pushed itself beyond its limit as she tore through the projectile, but the force driving her didn't care. It couldn't feel Tashigi's tendons snapping, it couldn't succumb to her fatigue. It only made her grin as she appeared beyond the severed gear, her blade glinting.

 

Raven lurched backwards, almost as if another thwarted attack pained her. She clenched her teeth, and they grinded together as whirlwinds of black energy shot from the Titan, surrounding what remained of the machinery. Seconds later the entire complex collapsed, sans every single nail and bolt that had held it together!

 

Moving forward like a tornado, the storm of fasteners was upon Tashigi within a moment. She span and slashed with all her might, her blade moving so fast it couldn't be seen, but it was all for naught. The tiny metal tools tore about her, buffering her petite body from every direction.

 

Soaring to the ground, Raven actually seemed to be relishing the sight of her helpless opponent. “Are you so hot now? Can you get past me so easily now?”

 

Tashigi's body came to a standstill, the look her captors put on her face answering with a steadfast “yes!” She didn't even flinch from the never-ending hits as she positioned her sword over her head; a fierce swipe tore through the storm and released another blade of red energy.

 

Raven screamed as the attack knocked her backwards, and her control over the tools was gone. Tashigi now dashed forward, her speedy swordplay creating a barrage of energy attacks. This time it was Raven getting battered by endless attacks, and any defense she could muster was useless against the Iso-jin magic animating her opponent.

 

Slashing through the final barrier, the Marine's katana tore asunder the empath's cloak and left a scar across her back. Tashigi smiled smugly as she watched her opponent tumble across the floor and onto her side.

 

Raven twitched, but only for a moment; she slowly rose to her feet, only to whip her head around forcefully and suddenly.

 

Rock hit the ground all around the cavern as black explosions dotted its walls. Even the force controlling Tashigi was scared as she started to pace backwards, but another explosion from behind halted her. Again the soldier was forced to stare into the four terrifying, red, glowing eyes of Raven's anger.

 

It had all been too much for Raven. First she found out they had been harboring a traitor; that Terra had been plotting to destroy them even while they took care of her and treated her like royalty. Then there was Roronoa Zoro—she just couldn't figure out how he could switch from being so charismatically fascinating to being so frustrating and back again so easily.

 

Finally there was this hopeless battle. Every defense was shattered. Every attack was parried, nullified, endured. There was no time to clear her head, no chance to breath as the waves of hopelessness hit her one after another after another.

 

It was no wonder Raven lost her head.

 

“You shall pay for your arrogance!” Raven cried, her voice echoing across the cavern in an endless wave of reverb. Her cloak blew open, but instead of revealing her body it only released a powerful beam of darkness.

 

Tashigi reeled backwards, but actually managed to land on her feet with her weapon in position. It made no difference, however, as several tentacles of black ensnared her limbs. The energy of the Iso Toa exploded around her—fending off the supernatural attack if only for a moment—before focusing around her katana.

 

More tentacles shot from the empath's cloak, and while Tashigi fiercely hacked through the first wave the second stretched behind her, targeting the soldier's body. She quickly found herself being squeezed like a boa's victim, and in response the energy that had been focused in her katana spread across her body.

 

The Iso Toa's influence was enough to burn the tentacles and provide a safe exit. However, with so much less power in the katana, it was now a prime target. Every single dark appendage engulfed the weapon, leaving the power controlling Tashigi with little choice. Though her body didn't have the energy for it, she was again engulfed in a ball of crimson energy. She staggered backwards as the tentacles just shot after her again—even with all her effort, she had only managed to piss them off!

 

The ends of the appendages drove themselves into Tashigi's body, and the immense damage to her body prevented the already slow return of the Iso-jin protection.

 

Raven chuckled evilly, malice in her voice. Her inner evil took delight in every attack, in every hit, in every grunt of pain it could get from her opponent. The full extent of the abilities her father gave her drove Raven far beyond the measures she would rationally take; it was about to make her kill.

 

Tashigi's body couldn't take more. Her captor couldn't feel it, but its loss of control was more then enough to indicate that life was slipping out of every wound. If only it could get a chance it could revive her enough for one last stand, but at this rate she would be dead in seconds!

 

“RAVEN!”

 

She paused, turning towards the familiar voice. Tashigi's body finally found reprieve as the tentacles halted their attack, shrinking back slightly as their master regained a slight bit of her sanity.

 

Roronoa Zoro stood on the very edge of the plateau, pebbles crumbling beneath his feet. Two of his swords were crossed, blocking one of Ian's assaults, but he was paying them no attention as he watched the battle.

 

“You can't kill her!” Zoro cried. “I don't care how you stop her as long as you don't kill her!” Ian pushed in further, but the pirate just pushed him back without taking his eyes off his friend. “I couldn't take it if she died!”

 

Her tentacles started to go limp as Raven's four eyes stared into the swordsman's two.

 

“Please!”

 

Raven blinked, and as her eyes opened there were again only two of them. Her dark appendages dissipated, revealing her body—at least for a second until her cloak again concealed it. Strangely enough, she smiled—if only a tiny one.

 

“You bet!”

 

With his pleas heard, Zoro again set his sights upon his opponent; swiping the crossed swords knocked Ian backwards, and as the user of Santoryu charged forward the pattern of his three swords drove Ian into a retreat.

 

Tashigi was already charging, her entire body glowing as whatever force was controlling her vied for one last ambush. Without even turning her sights upon her opponent, Raven disappeared into the ground beneath the attack.

 

“You're rather clever.” The empath complimented from her vantage far behind the soldier. “Coming back from everything I throw, plowing through attacks, it's all a pretty effective way of making me forget what I'm really doing here. Attacking your body is pointless; after all, Tashigi isn't my opponent.”

 

Lowering herself to the ground, the Titan's eyes met with Tashigi's. “You are!”

 

The Marine took a step forward, but a field of black suddenly rose around her. Another explosion of dark energy resulted in a pile of rocks falling atop the bubble. It was just enough force to hold Tashigi back for just enough time.

 

“After all, what sort of magician would I be if I couldn't take down your magic?” Crossing her arms, Raven lowered her head and closed her eyes. Magic words rapidly emerged from her mouth as a circle of red appeared around her. Only a few seconds later gusts of red wind blew from beneath the witch's cloak.

 

The scars on Raven's body slowly closed up, disappearing completely, and only a few seconds later the fabric around it resealed itself. Her shredded cape repaired itself as well. This Titan's reputation as a master magician wasn't ill-founded; she had used Chiyu's Iso-jin healing spell!

 

Rocks exploded as Tashigi charged through, moving even faster than before. The waves of healing energy enveloped her as well, and the lethal injuries incurred by Raven's wrath faded away into nothingness.

 

With her opponent growing closer, Raven only had one chance to pull this off. She had no worries.

 

“Azarath…”

 

A sphere of black appeared around each of Raven's hands. The healing energy was sucked into these fields like dirt into a vacuum, and slowly their color changed to crimson. Red trails now leaked from the witch's eyes as well.

 

“…Metrion…”

 

Throwing her arms back, a raven of red energy exploded behind the Titan. She may have only known one Iso-jin spell—and a healing one at that—but by combining it with her inherent magical power she had made the entire spectrum of Iso-jin ability hers!

 

“…Zinthos!”

 

Clapping her hands, a beam of red shot forward like a bolt of lightning. Tashigi took the attack head-on, and was instantly frozen in place. The magical energy coursed through her body, and the crystal around her neck began to levitate.

 

Raven's eyes narrowed. The source of the power controlling Tashigi came from that crystal. The power within it was tremendous; it was almost as if it had been absorbing the power from her attacks the entire time. Of course, the second the thought entered the empath's mind she realized it was true.

 

“That explains a lot.” She groaned. “So they didn't betray us for no reason, and they didn't just call us here to get Terra.” Red energy crackled around Raven as she fit together the pieces in her mind. “But what could they possibly want our energy for?”

 

She never had the chance to ponder the answer as she felt a surge in her power. Whatever was controlling Tashigi wasn't giving up! As Raven upped her intensity of her attack in turn, she searched for something familiar. The presence she was feeling definitely wasn't one of the Iso-jin she had met, and it wasn't Slade either.

 

Could it be the Iso Toa had some sort of consciousness of its own? Whatever the answer, Raven realized now wasn't the time. She couldn't let it have her energy, have Tashigi, have this battle!

 

The witch's astral form released an ear-splitting caw as she crossed her arms, and the energy surrounding Tashigi exploded in a flash. Raven powered down, finally having won this battle. The Marine's pupils returned to her eyes for the first time since having been brought to this world, but she wasn't able to enjoy it.

 

The strain from being controlled was great on her mind, and the Iso-jins' sedatives were still in her body. Tashigi collapsed.

 

However, she didn't land on the ground. The soldier's body fell into Raven's outstretched arms. As she looked down happily, the Iso-jin crystal shattered in a flash of black.

 

“Someone cares a lot about you.” Raven said as she placed Tashigi's unconscious body against a rock. “I can't let anything happen to you.”

 

Pulling her hood back, the Titan floated into the air so as to get a better view of Zoro's battle. `Why does he care so much about her?' she thought. `She's obviously his enemy; and she hated him! It makes no sense!'

 

She flinched as Zoro took a hit, but her mind couldn't stop running. `And why won't he let me help? There's so much about this guy that doesn't add up, and he won't tell me a thing!'

 

She rubbed her hands together as her face took on a malevolent smile usually only seen while antagonizing Beast Boy or playing Stank Ball.

 

“Well, Roronoa Zoro, if you won't tell me I'll have to find out my own way.”

 

Next Time: Driven—Zoro vs. Ian, Round Two