A few days later
Viper was practicing and working out with Zoro's weights when the crew pulled up a barrel from the ocean. He walked over and saw 'Offering to the Sea God' and he said "There's a Sea god? I didn't think one existed.." he felt a slap to the back of his head, and smashed face first into the deck. He got up and saw Nami wasn't standing anywhere near him he mumbled "I guess he does exist.." The crew seemed to not even notice, he shrugged and said "Maybe we shouldn't open it?" Luffy nodded and opened it. Viper sighed and a red flare shot out of the barrel and flew into the sky.
Nami sighed and said "Why did you open it?" Luffy said "Because it should've had food in it!" Viper chuckled and Nami looked into the air and said "We need to go. There's a storm coming!" Franky pressed a few buttons on the Sunny and paddle wheels came out of the ship and pushed the Sunny along. He said "Like it? This is Soldier Dock system 0! The others are surprises!" the crew was excited and the Sunny went right through some fog and into the Florian Triangle.
The Sunny was sailing around, when a ship appeared near them. The ship had holes in it and there was a skeleton singing Bink's sake on it's deck. Luffy said "WOAH! LET'S GO CHECK IT OUT!" Nami and Sanji followed after him, leaving the rest of the crew on the Sunny.
Viper said "So that's our musician. Cool!" Zoro raised a brow and said "What?" Robin said "He get's a feeling when he sees certain people, he got one from Franky and Myself a long time ago. Everyone he gets the feeling from join the crew." Zoro said "Really?" and Viper nodded "Remember back in Shellstown? I got the same feeling from you, I thought it was because I said you before, but I got it from Luffy, Nami, Ussop, and Sanji after that." Zoro nodded and paused "Wait a minute! We placed bets! So you knew already?!" Viper started to sweat and he said "I don't know what you're talking about! Oh look a distraction!" he pointed in a certain direction, and Zoro looked before realizing and turning back to see Viper was hiding behind Robin.
At that very moment Luffy came back to the deck with the skeleton, Nami, and Sanji. Luffy said "This is our musician Brook!" Viper grinned and said "100% Accuracy!" The crew went to the kitchen and Brook started to talk about himself.
Ussop said "Wait! You don't have a shadow!" he was dressed in exorcism clothing and Brook sighed "Yes, my shadow was stolen from me. I have to decline your invitation Luffy, I can't leave the Florian Triangle or the sun will burn me up. I'm sorry." Zoro looked to Viper, who showed him three fingers before counting down "3,2,1" Luffy said "Well just help you get it back! Then you can come along!" Viper grinned and Zoro rolled his eyes.
Brook had tears in his eyes and said "No, I can't. He is a Warlord!" Viper said "Oh, which one?" Brook said "Gecko Moria." Viper rubbed his chin and started to feel extremely annoyed for some reason "Moria.. The guy who looks like a ghost?" Brook said "Yeah! You've seen him?" Viper frowned and said "Not in person. Although I do remember he has 3 crew mates, the rest are zombies." Brook nodded and said "Yes, Perona, Hogback, and Absalom." Viper grit his teeth at the mention of Absalom's name.
Robin said "Viper?" Viper frowned and his eyes turned to slits, enhancing his vision. A ghost appears and drags the ship towards a giant ship. The crew looked up and saw 'Thriller Bark' on the sails. Brook said "Don't go to Thriller Bark, you must leave!" before he jumped off the boat and ran on water towards Thriller Bark.
Luffy was extremely excited and Ussop got his chronic 'Can't-get-on-this-island' disease, he changed his tune when Viper said that cyborgs don't get diseases and gave him a whole upgrade plan "If you pick our platinum plan, you may even get a robot dog!" Ussop shook his head and said "I love extremely creepy islands! I'm cured! Thanks Chopper!" before running off.
Franky said "Let's test out Dock 2!" the side of the Sunny opened to reveal a small Merry-themed ship, he said "I call it the Mini Merry II!" Nami, Ussop, and Chopper opted to go to the island with it, and left.
Viper watched them go and mumbled "Why won't anybody buy my upgrade plans.." Franky patted his shoulder and said "Seems like our business idea is gonna fall through.." as he sighed. Viper clenched his fist and said "No! We will make it work!" before turning around. His pupils shrank and he flew across the ship and passed right by Robin grabbing the air. He smashed the 'air' into the ground and heard a grunt sound.
Viper said "I know why I was annoyed now. It's you. You disgusting pervert, your life ends today!" the 'air' revealed himself to me a man with a lion snout, he said "How did you see me?" Viper pointed to his eyes and said "Enhanced Vision, i'm a snake. Any last words?" as he pulled out Sotohebi from his back and put it right on the man's neck. The man gulped and the rest of the crew walked over.
Luffy said "Who's that?" Viper said "Absalom. He was about to molest Robin, he can turn invisible with his clear-clear fruit. I only saw his silhouette with my enhanced vision." Sanji flared up and said "Molest Robin?! Clear-clear fruit?!" he walked over and pressed down on Absalom's head "Not sitting too pretty now are you? How dare you take that fruit from me!" Viper was confused but said "Can I kill him?"
Luffy looked at Robin, who was looking at Viper and said "Sure." Viper grinned and said "Perfect." he grabbed Absalom and threw him off the Sunny, into the sea to drown. He stood up and said "I didn't want Sotohebi's first kill to be some pervert." he put Sotohebi back onto his back and smiled "Feels real nice to send a pervert to hell." the rest of the crew smiled and the Sunny dropped anchor and found that they were caught in a giant web, they say the mini Merry stuck too.
The group got off the ship and walked on the island, they traveled and came across a giant three headed creature, Viper said "Is that supposed to be cerberus?" Robin nodded and said "I assume so, but one of the heads is a fox." Viper rubbed his chin and said "Maybe I can fix him up?" Luffy immediately tamed the creature and named him Beef. The group sat on Beef and continued exploring.
They came across a giant horde of zombies and the group all attacked Luffy laughed and said "880 Million jackpot!" and the horde was pulverized. Viper didn't transform but tried to work on his own style, he frowned and mumbled "That's not it..." he looked over at Zoro, and noticed his moves flowed together. He analyzed Zoro's movements and wrote down what he saw in a little book. He jumped back on Beef and sat down going over his notes and thinking about himself. He stood up and swung Sotohebi a few times and sat back down, writing in his book again as Beef stated moving again.
Robin sat near him and said "What are you writing about?" Viper said "I analyzed Zoro's movements with two swords and noticed that he flows with his swords. Whereas I have no form and my movements don't flow together." he frowned, he didn't want to ask Zoro. Robin said "He has also been training for his whole life, you've only had a few days. You could always ask him." Viper shook his head and said "I can't. I know I won't defeat him, but if I swallow my pride I will never deserve this sword. I'm not trying to be the greatest swordsman, I just want to be worthy of my own sword."
Robin was a bit taken aback, she never realized he was this stubborn, she smiled and said "I'm sure you'll come up with it. Do you want me to help you?" Viper smiled and said "Could you write down my movements?" Robin nodded, Viper handed her the book and stood up demonstrating the movements he came up with, she wrote it down in the book and they started talking about it. Unknown to the duo Zoro was watching Viper's movements and grinned a little.
A while later
The crew came across a giant mansion, they passed a man called John, who looked like a zombie but revealed he just had his shadow stolen. The group walked into the mansion and were attacked by a surprise zombie horde. The battle was short, but after Sanji was missing, they concluded that Sanji would be fine and continued through the mansion. They came across another group of zombies and the group fought them again, Viper said "This is getting annoying!" as he slashed zombie after zombie moving as though the was dancing. Robin said "It is good practice for you, your movements are becoming more fluid and it is very beautiful to watch you dance like that" she giggled at the end. Viper blushed, embarrassed that his movements are beautiful and said "Sis! They're supposed to be threatening not beautiful!" he went on slashing more zombies, but this time he looked more like a ghost. He paused and said "How was that?" She tilted her head and said "Ghost-like?" Viper frowned and tried something new, something more barbaric.
Viper leaped into the air and chopped, he decapitated a zombie and started moving through the crowd slashing and chopping like a barbarian, he took out all the zombies around him and turned to Robin and said excitedly "How was that?" Robin said "Barbaric, like a wild animal, but strangely it didn't look sloppy." Viper grinned and said "That's the one!" he laughed and charged into another group of zombies practicing his new style.
The group finished off the zombies and noticed Zoro went missing too. Viper put Sotohebi on his back and rubbed his temples "Why are we going missing one by one?" he sighed and the group continued through the mansion, coming across another zombie ambush. Viper charged at them and started his slaughter, he kept practicing on the zombies as they got up and charged at him again.
Zombies started overflowing into the room and one of the zombies sealed the exit, forcing them to fight all the zombies. Viper leapt from zombie to zombie hacking and slashing each one with clear fluid motions, as Sotohebi buzzed. Viper smiled and kept rampaging, going into a frenzy. He cleared all the zombies and noticed he was alone, the zombies were cowering in fear of him. He frowned and looked around he saw a zombie and said "Hey! Where did everyone else go?" the zombie shook his head and shrugged fearfully, Viper sighed and said "Where's the exit?" the zombie pointed in a direction and Viper left.
He came across a room, it was all pink and had a goth theme. He walked in and said "Hello?" he saw a pink haired girl on the bed, she looked like she was sleeping. He walked over and looked at her but sighed in disappointment when it wasn't who he thought it was, he mumbled "I don't know why she would be here, but I was hopeful.." he poked her and frowned "Is she dead?" he shook her but she didn't wake up. He got on the bed and slapped her, she sat up abruptly and her lips made contact with Vipers.
Both their eyes widened, and they broke off from each other. Her face was completely red and she stumbled backwards and said "W-Who are you?! Why are you in my room?!" Viper coughed to hide his embarrassment and said "My name is Viper, nice to meet you. I walked in here and saw you weren't really moving or breathing I thought you were dead so I sla- woke you up. Honestly my next plan was CPR so..."
She stuttered "C-C-CPR?" Viper nodded and she slapped him "Y-You big pervert!" he went flying and smashed into a wall. He got up and said "Jeez way to treat someone who just saved your life..."
She snapped "You didn't save my life! I was never in trouble to begin with... Baka!" Viper was stunned and said "But you weren't breathing! Who are you anyway?"
She said "Perona! And I was astral projecting! Of course I wasn't breathing! I ate the Hollow-Hollow fruit! I'm a spirit person, and you.. you.. AND YOU KISSED ME YOU BIG PERVERT! BAKA!" she jumped at him and throttled him, Viper said "I didn't do it on purpose, technically" Nami ran into the room and heard Viper finish "You kissed me! Why are you mad at me?!" Nami was stunned and said "Another one?" Perona and Viper turned to Nami, and Perona noticed she was basically sitting on his lap, in a very ambiguous position. Her whole face turned red and she shrieked "You big pervert, you made me sit on your lap after you kissed me! Baka!" and she slapped him again, then ran away, covering her face with her hands.
Nami and Viper watched her go and heard a thump, they looked out the door and saw Perona unconscious in front of a wall. Viper slapped his forehead and said "I don't know if this is a blessing or a curse.. actually it is a blessing!" he got up and smiled a bit and walked over to Perona dragging her back and putting her back on her bed.
Nami looked at Viper and sighed "It's a blessing?" Viper smiled and said "Must be, all these cute girls somehow end up interacting with me! Sanji would kill for this hehehe." Nami giggled and Viper touched his lips and said "And her lips were soft! I certainly am not complaining!" he smiled to himself and looked at Nami, who was rubbing her temples "I don't need to know how soft her lips are! We need to get out of here, there's an invisible guy trying to force me to marry him!" Viper frowned and said "Impossible! I threw that guy into the sea, he should've drowned!" Nami said "Well he didn't and now he's after me. Let's go!" Viper walked over to Perona put a blanket over her and left a note before leaving with Nami.
Perona got up after they left and read the note 'Sorry for accidentally kissing you. If it makes you feel any better you have very soft lips. Anyway see ya! -Viper' her face reddened and mumbled "Yours too, damn big pervert.. Baka.."
Nami and Viper made their way out of the mansion and were ambushed by a bunch of zombies, Viper grabbed Sotohebi and started decimating zombies, Nami unleashed Nimbus and rained lightning down on them all. Viper stopped and turned around and said "That was pretty cool!" he looked around and said "Nami?" he noticed out of the corner out his eyes a silhouette running away. He seethed and chased after it.
Viper flew in front of the figure and said "Obviously you didn't learn form last time. This time i'm not throwing you into the sea.. I'm dismembering you." he flapped his wings and slashed towards Absalom, causing Absalom to throw Nami away and dodge the strike. Viper reverted to his human form and leaped on Absalom chopping Sotohebi towards his arm.
Sotohebi chopped into Absalom's arm hitting bone, Viper grinned and ripped it out grinding it against Absalom's bone, creating a grinding sound as Absalom shrieked from the pure pain. Viper held Sotohebi and whipped it towards the ground, clearing all the blood off it and causing the blades to gleam dangerously as it buzzed. Viper chopped at Absalom's neck, forcing him to block it with his arm, Viper kicked his side and drove his sword into the same spot as before cutting Absalom's arm off.
Absalom held his new stump and panted heavily, he growled and flexed his arm muscles closing the wound. His body grew and became extremely muscular, Viper smirked and said "Already going all out? Trash." Viper leapt towards Absalom and dodged the sideswipe by spinning in mid air, he slashed upwards and caught Absalom's remaining arm. He flipped up and landed on Absalom's shoulders while simultaneously ripping his sword out 'sawing' Absalom's bone in half, he chopped at the other side of the wound and cut his other arm off.
Viper jumped off Absalom's shoulders and slashed his sword down and tearing through his torso. He backed off and admired his work "I think the chopping could use some work, but I guess it's just weapon design. I would still rather chop and rip once, what do you think?" Sotohebi buzzed and Viper walked towards Absalom and poked him with one finger, causing him to fall over and revealing Nami sitting behind him staring at Viper in awe. He put his sword on his shoulder and said "Do I look like a knight in shining armor, Princess?"
Nami stared at him and blushed a bit before giggling "Normally, knights in shining armor don't have blood and guts all over them." Viper scoffed and said "Yeah, pussy ones. Let's go!" he whipped his sword clearing all the blood and flesh on it and put it on his back, before picking Nami up in a princess carry and flying off, in hybrid form, towards the Merry. Neither he nor Nami noticed the blades get slightly darker and soak up a bit of blood.
The duo landed on the deck and saw everyone was there talking, Viper was still carrying Nami and said "Did we miss a party?" Sanji said "You can let go of Nami-swan now rainbow-hair." Nami turned red and Viper put her down and said "Wishing you were me, Dartbrow?" Sanji snapped and said "What do you call me?! You rainbow snake bastard!" Viper butted heads with Sanji and said "I think you heard me Shit-cook!" the duo started a dustbrawl, when they separated Ussop said "Why are you covered in blood?" Viper looked down and saw that his Kimono was all bloody, he was sad "Damn, This is my only Kimono..." he frowned and mumbled "Why is it so important? Where did I get it?"
Robin came over and knocked on his head and said "Viper? Remember something?" Viper shook his head "No but I know this Kimono is very important to me though, I don't know why." he sighed and said "Anyway! I met that invisible bastard again! He kidnapped Nami, so I DEALT with him." he grinned savagely. Sanji flared up "That fucking pervert..What did you do to him?"
Viper pointed at Sotohebi and said "I took his arms and slashed him across the chest, I didn't check if he was dead but he was stitched together with several different body parts! Some were harder than others. I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up again with new arms." Sanji smiled and said "Next time it's my turn." Viper chuckled and gave him a thumbs up.
Luffy suddenly said "I'm going to kick Moria's ass." and got up walking off the Sunny, Viper said "I kinda wanna go fight more Zombies so..." he ran after Luffy. The crew watched him go and Robin said "Zoro's corrupted him..." Zoro grunted "It wasn't me." Robin turned towards him and he continued with a frown "I didn't notice it before, and i'm sure he doesn't know but I think we made a cursed sword." the crew was shocked and Franky said "Is that even possible?!" Zoro said "I don't know, but I know it doesn't feel like the same sword anymore. It feels more bloodthirsty, it could just be the sword proving itself, but it could become a problem." Robin said "I'll go keep an eye on him." and she left, Franky, Chopper, and Zoro followed after her, and they rest grouped up and left.
Viper was walking with Luffy and whistling. Luffy said "You feel different." Viper blinked and said "What do you mean?" Robin, Franky, Chopper, and Zoro caught up and Luffy said "You feel like an animal now." Viper frowned and said "I do?" Zoro said "I think Sotohebi is cursed." Viper stopped and said "How? I don't feel any different."
Zoro said "I don't know how we made a cursed sword but do you feel bloodthirsty?" Viper nodded and said "A little." Zoro frowned and said "It's probably the sword." Viper grabbed Sotohebi and it buzzed aggressively, he frowned and smashed it on the ground, creating big cracks and said "You listen to me! I made you. I'M IN CONTROL." the sword buzzed violently. Viper grit his teeth and flew away saying "I'll catch up later."
Viper landed in a horde of zombies and decimated them and said "You listen to me or I WILL return you to pieces! You are not Yubashiri anymore! You are Sotohebi, MY sword! If you don't agree I will break you myself! DO. I. MAKE. MYSELF. CLEAR." Sotohebi buzzed weakly, still struggling. Viper said "Still stubborn? Very well." he grabbed the sword and smashed it against a rock, a tree, and finally the ground shattering everything around him. He stuck the sword into the ground and sat down, crossing his arms "I can sit here all day. I fought fine before without you and I can do it again. I don't need you, but I want to use you. Make a choice, either you come with me and listen or I dismantle you and throw you into the sea. I don't care what Zoro says and I don't care what your made of, I will destroy you."
The sword was quiet before buzzing and shining brightly. The blades went back to grey, almost white and the wood looked different, almost as if it had been cleansed. Viper smiled and picked up Sotohebi waving it around "Don't you feel much better?" the sword buzzed happily. Viper nodded and flew off trying to find the group.
Viper flew and saw green hair, he flew down and landing in front of the group while reverting, he landed with a fist on the ground on one knee. He slowly stood up and said "Anybody call for a hero?" Literally everyone facepalmed, even the zombies. Perona covered her face and mumbled "Why did it have to be him..." Viper frowned and said "If you didn't like the super hero landing you could've just said that... Jeez" he turned around and saw Perona and said "Perona?" She moved her hands are said "Hey.."
Zoro raised a brow and said "You know each other?" Viper chuckled and said "You could say that." Perona snapped "You kissed me you big pervert!" everyone was stunned and the crew said "Again?" Viper scratched the back of his head "Heheh Not intentionally.." Perona's face reddened and she screamed "Baka!" and slapped him before running away.
Viper rubbed his cheek and mumbled "That's the third time she slapped me today..." he turned back to the crew and said "Where's love-cook and Nami?" Zoro sighed and said "Damn Witch got captured again, dartbrow went after her." Viper sighed and full transformed and said "Get on, let's find Brook." The crew got on and Viper flew into the skies.
Viper saw a giant with a part of the castle as a hat, claiming to be the pirate king. Viper opened his mouth and shut it, deciding he didn't want to know. He spotted Brook on the ground, Zoro jumped off Viper and landed in front of Brook and stared at a zombie with a sword and said "I like your sword. I'm gonna take it." Viper said "Well that's that. Anywhere else?"
Franky said "Let's go look for Nami." Viper flew around and heard some yelling and crashes and saw Dart-brow himself standing over Absalom while Nami was behind him, in a wedding dress. Viper flew down and said "That's more knight in shining armor type, although he doesn't have nearly enough blood on him." Nami giggled and Viper turned to Absalom and said "This is the third time now, you'd think after I cut your arms off you would've stopped. Maybe I should cut something else off this time?"
Absalom shivered in fear and backed away, Viper reverted to his human form spinning Sotohebi, by the ring on the hilt, with his finger as he slowly walked towards him "Maybe this time I should finish the job? Did Hogback sew you back together?" Absalom nodded and Viper chuckled and said in a savage voice "Can we sew back your head?" Absalom paled and fell to the ground foaming at the mouth, unconscious.
Viper blinked and turned around "Am I that scary?" Franky said "Right then? Yes. When you go into mad scientist mode? Yes. Normal Viper? Not so much." Viper sighed "Somehow that doesn't make me feel better..." Nami walked over and patted him on the shoulder "Get over it! We need a taxi!" Viper had tears in his eyes and said hopelessly "Am I just a glorified taxi service?" before sighing again and transforming almost crying out "Get on, next stop Chopper and Robin..." and flying off.
(Please read Author's Note for Sotohebi stuff)