This one features the Mink Tribe from One Piece, along with a villain group from Dragon Ball!
Mobian sailors dare not venture into the fog of the Zunesha Triangle. Unsettling tremors, accompanied by otherworldly howls, and the shadow of a being incomprehensible in size would bring chills to all the tiny animals.
But if anyone bold enough should venture farther into the fog, such as a certain band of teenage pirates, one would be enthralled before the gargantuan, mountainous elephant that wandered the sea. Pale with hanging flabs of flesh, the elephant's eye sockets appeared to be black holes. Its colossal legs took a step every few minutes, stirring waves that would keep fearful sailors at bay. However, the Ace Sailor traveled just close enough to its back-left leg for its captain and choice subordinates to jump on, while the other crewmen steered the ship a safe distance.
"This big boy's name is Zunesha!" Augustus Fizzuras stated with gusto. The elephant's greying hair was sturdy enough to support the climbing crew. "1,000 years old, 35 kilometers high (or 21.75 miles if you're American), and over 20 km long! I'd wager this is the biggest animal on Mobius."
"August'n," began O-Tama, the young purple-haired ninja holding on his shoulders, "is this liken to yon Stone Mammoth?!"
"Yeah, I guess this ain't your first time seeing a giant elephant. But this is MUCH bigger, don't ya think?"
"So big, O-Tama dost not think her dango canst tame it!"
"You'd need to pump out 1,000 dango to take control of this beast. Which will take some time, but if we get there, we'll have a heck of an animal under our contr—OW!"
A posh white, high-heel sandal stamped his head. Kohaku, her blonde hair in a spiked bun and wearing a luxurious sky-blue dress, had climbed swiftly ahead of her crewmen, but dropped down just enough to kick him. "If you even think about working Tama like that, I'll drag you to the bottom of this ocean and put you under this thing's foot!"
"Safer to just ask Hina to do that." replied Tressa Colzione, the crew's airbending merchant. Her pack was double-attached to herself and Hinahoho, so the large, muscular, blue-haired Imuchakk could carry her.
"I could not forgive child abuse," Hina said, "but I sense jest in the captain's words. But one thing still perplexes me… we are here to harvest this Zunesha's meat, correct? I presume we do not want to damage the legs, given their fragile appearance. Will we take meat from the stomach?"
"It's not as simple as that. What we're looking for is the Jewel Meat. Jewel Meat is a unique internal organ that grows inside any elephant, a kind that can be taken out without hurting the elephant. Or, at least, that's what was discovered recently. It used to be that hunters killed the elephant first and searched for the meat, but one day, a Lilliputian hunter went inside an elephant directly and learned otherwise."
"Sooo… we have to go inside it?" Tressa asked. "…WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! We're not going through the back door, are we?!"
"Nah, nah, nah! We're gonna hopefully find another way up from on top."
"Yeah, if you guys can make it up here before I do!" Kohaku teased.
"Kohaku, is it too late to tell you we can see your underwear?"
"Bleh!" Kohaku stuck her tongue out at them before resuming ascent. "…Huh?"
Higher above, hanging on the elephant's waist, a small, round-faced monkey was staring at them with binoculars. Kohaku narrowed her gaze on the strange chimp. "Ook!" the ape perked up. "Does she see me?! Ook! I better go warn them!" He quickly climbed up the elephant.
"HEY!" Kohaku bent backward to face down. "I just saw some kind of monkey!"
"Must've been one of the natives!" Augustus said.
"Natives?" Tressa asked.
"Yep! You can't have a creature this big without people living on it."
The crewmen were astonished to find a great stone wall encircling the perimeter of the elephant's back, and what seemed to be the tops of trees and tall stone pillars beyond it. "And there's our way in!" Augustus said, indicating the gate facing Zunesha's tail. "Here's hoping the locals are friendly."
Cautiously approaching the gate, Kohaku looked out for any monkey or watchmen on the wall, with Hina keeping his harpoon ready. Their noble captain marched right up and knocked on the gate. "EXCUSE MEEEE! ANYONE HOME?"
"You're a fan of the classic approach, ain't ya?" Tressa remarked.
"I expected at least a few guards." Hina said. "But if we aren't granted entry, what's our plan then?"
"This." Augustus hardened his fist with Haki and threw a supreme punch at the center of the gate, blowing it clear open while his crewmates looked on with popped-out eyes.
"NOW WE'RE JUST BARGING IN!"
"That's what pirates do, Tressy. In we go to the land of Zou!"
Zou was a dense, tropical jungle with a naturally rugged ground that Kohaku struggled to stay balanced on, her high heels being unfit for the environment. "Kohaku, do you wanna switch to your stone shoes?" Tressa asked.
"But I wanted to show these off more!"
"Yeah, and you're gonna ruin them again." Augustus remarked, switching lollipops.
"Why does the soil here feel so weird?"
"Because we're on a giant elephant! It's not soil, it's flesh! But if you're hungry, feel free to bend down for a quick bite."
"Yeah, no." Tressa expected it to be as clean as normal earth. "So, you said you saw a monkey just now. Does that mean monkeys live up—HEEEEEERE?" The merchant stepped in a rope trap, flipping upside-down and flying to the treetops as her pack fell off.
"TRESSA?!" Kohaku spun to face her, stepping in another rope—"AAAAAHH!" and was gone among the trees.
"KOHAKU!" Hina gasped.
"'Guess the locals have rolled out the welcome party." Augustus replied casually.
"August'n, what shalt we do?!" Tama asked.
"Hina, toss me up there! I'll take the fight to them directly!"
"Hm!" Nodding affirmably, the Imuchakk hoisted his captain and threw him to the treetops! "AH!" Augustus was immediately jumped by a small monkey with a red-striped top-hat.
"Pirates! Get off our island!" The ape whipped August with his tail. "Haven't you done enough?!"
Augustus snatched his tail and rose back up, holding him upside-down. "CAPTAIN! Over here!" August looked further across the treetops, seeing two figures carrying a netted Kohaku and Tressa away. Augustus tossed his Licorope to swing a branch and land on another tree, from which he slid down a long, sloping branch. He jumped and bounced several more branches before landing against the side of one of the stone buildings. Seeing the kidnappers quickly climbing to the top, Augustus relied on the vines and rugged sides to climb the ruin, dodging left or right as the culprits dropped barrels down.
Augustus Licoroped a bobbing branch and let himself drop as the rope and branch would slingshot him up to the building's roof. "WHOA!" A cutlass went for his shoulder, August hardening his arm to block it. The sword was wielded by an orange-haired, tan-furred dogwoman. Augustus used the Knife technique to counter her swordplay, but the Mobian—Wanda—would press a switch on her sword's hilt, channeling electricity to briefly stun Augustus. She went for a stab to his stomach, but he still blocked it with Haki, afterwards punching the sword out of her hand. However, giving himself a moment to study her clothing: a white dress with a brown vest, boots, and a green hat with a gold feather. "Those are Tressa's clothes! What've you-"
"AYA!" A rabbit girl pounced down from a tree on the roof, thrusting an electric clawed gauntlet at him. She was much shorter than Augustus at 5'3", with short blonde hair, a sky-blue dress, and white high-heels. "And those are Kohaku's clothes! Wait, did you girls turn into animals?!"
"We captured your minions!" the rabbit declared. "You pirates won't-" she tried to dash around Augustus—"Waaaah!" But tripped on the heels.
"Carrot, those shoes are too big for you!"
"But they match my fur! AAH!" Augustus lifted the rabbit by the arms and swung her into Wanda. He ripped Carrot's gauntlet off and threw it aside as he released her. Carrot hopped back on her feet, discarding her shoes and bravely dashing to throw kicks at Augustus. She was faster than him, he had to admit, but certainly unable to penetrate his Haki. Augustus grabbed her arm, kicked, and flipped the rabbit, pinning her on her back.
"CARROT! Get off her!" Wanda tried to tackle him, but Augustus countered and pinned her on her front, wrapping her arms in Licorope.
"Wanda!" Carrot pounced the captain's back and CHOMPED his ear!
"Agh! …This doesn't even hurt that much." Even without Haki, August's ear withstood the bunny's bite quite well.
"Nnnnnnsh! You piratesh won't… t'ke anymore fr'm ush! HNNNN?!" Carrot was aghast as Augustus held a thick carrot up.
"I was saving this for the Mega Bunny, but I guess you'll do."
Carrot snatched the veggie and nibbled away at it excitedly. "Thatagirl." Augustus patted her. "So, where'd you put my crew?"
"What are you pirates doing here?!" Wanda demanded. "Are you allied with Schnee Dust?!"
"Schnee Dust? The heck makes you say that? We're Gourmet Hunters."
"Hu!" Perking up, Carrot stood, facing him. "I remember you! You're the boy who stopped that 'Gourmet God' from the Cooking Festival! You're… Augustus the Stone Fist, the pirate, aren't you?"
"Always happy to have more ladies in my fanclub."
"QUIT FLIRTING AND GET US DOWN, DUMBASS!"
Augustus craned up: Kohaku and Tressa were cuffed in the wrists and ankles, hanging in nets, the former wearing an orange dress with boots and Tressa in only jeans and a bikini. "Uh…did the four of you swap clothes?"
"Like we have any idea why!" Tressa shouted. "Our chest sizes don't match at all, now cut us down!"
Augustus grabbed Wanda's sword and climbed up to free them. "Anyway, you must be the locals I heard about. The Mink Tribe, right?"
"Mink Tribe?" Kohaku repeated.
"A tribe that only became publicly known about 8 years ago, along with this elephant."
"Yep!" Carrot saluted. "We used to be primitive before the KND found us! Name's Carrot, leader of Sector ZOU! Garchu!"
"Don't be friendly to them, Carrot! We still don't know why they're here!"
"We're here to take Zunesha's Jewel Meat."
"WHAT?!"
"Then you aren't with those soldiers at all?" Carrot asked.
"What soldiers?"
"Captain!" August jumped at the sound of Stewie Griffin's voice on the communicator. "Captain, there's another ship down here! It looks Coruscant-made!"
"AUGUST'N!" O-Tama's voice screeched next. "Hinatoro and I art under attack by evil soldiers!"
Soldiers in tan uniforms trained guns on the Imuchakk and the 8-year-old ninja, Hina gesturing Tama to stay behind him. They all wore bands on either their arms of neck, red with the letters "RR." A shirtless, muscular man with dark-red hair and boxing gloves approached Hina. "We received a report of a pirate ship near the mammoth's legs. Are you affiliated with said pirates?"
"We're only here on an expedition." Hina replied. "We don't intend to harm anybody."
"That may be… but our commander may like to ask you some questions."
"Our captain will be here momentarily." As Hina spoke, Tama cautiously stepped further back… unaware of the tiger stalking her through the shrubs. "I'm certain we can come to an understa-"
"AAAAH!" Hina spun, horrified as the tiger pinned Tama down.
"Colonel Silver, what should I do with this one?!" the tiger snarled.
"Take her to the commander, Captain Yellow."
"RELEASE HER!" Hina threw his harpoon at the tiger, but Yellow pranced away with Tama seized in his teeth. The soldiers shot at Hina, but the burly Imuchakk tanked their fire, grabbed his harpoon, and ran to swing it at the troops. An obese soldier threw grenades, but Carrot pounced down from the trees and kicked him in the head, toppling him over. Three more soldiers tried to shoot her, but Wanda dropped down and slashed them with her sword. Augustus threw his Gobstopper to bounce between more soldiers, dizzying them as Kohaku and Tressa took them down.
Colonel Silver looked over in shock as the captain landed next. "The pirate Augustus! So, you're their captain!"
"And looking at those reds and R's, don't tell me you're Team Rocket agents?"
"We are the Red Ribbon Regiment, a Coruscant army branch stationed on Mobius. We've been appointed by Corporate President Schnee to investigate all Kremling Krew territories on the planet."
"We've already driven the Kremlings off our island!" Carrot shouted.
"And our people had nothing to do with them!" Wanda raised her sword threateningly. "We lost several Minks to them. You people have no right arresting us!"
"Sorry, ma'am, but we have our orders." Silver's gloves turned silver as he threw a punch at Wanda, but Hinahoho tackled and wrestled him to the ground. Silver forced him off and punched Hina in the jaw, the Imuchakk reacting by thrusting his harpoon. Silver's chest turned aptly named, blocking the stab. "I ate the Silver-Silver Fruit. I can turn my own body and other objects silver."
"Couldn't afford the Gold-Gold Fruit, huh?" Augustus remarked, running to throw a Haki punch, which Silver dodged and retreated from.
"Augustus, leave this man to me!" Hina said. "Tama was taken by a tiger! It's going to bring her to their leader!"
"Which way did they go?!" Kohaku asked.
"The city!" Carrot yelled. "Most of the soldiers are in the city! Their boss must be there! We've gotta help our friends, too!" The rabbit pounced off, Wanda quickly joining.
"Hina, be careful!" Kohaku said as she and Tressa rushed off with their superhuman and airbending speed.
"Huff, wait up, girls, huff!" Augustus was strong, but hadn't packed the same agility as his ladies.
"I guess we came at a pretty bad time, huh?" Tressa said to Carrot and Wanda.
"Those Ribbons showed up here half an hour ago." Carrot answered. "They tried to arrest us, but the Musketeers protested and fought them. They started spreading out to arrest all the Minks. We were out here setting traps for them!"
"Well, we have a stake in this now, too." Kohaku said. "So, how about we work together?"
"I don't see why not, garchu!"
"Can I please have my dress back first?!" Tressa asked.
…
Mokomo Dukedom, a city of ancient buildings, was built before the sacred Whale Tree. This kingdom, once peaceful and undisturbed for centuries, was in despair as the Red Ribbons shot, stunned, and detained innocent Minks within animal cages. Only three brave swordsmen were left standing to oppose the militia: the Three Musketeers. Giovanni, a zebra Mobian, clashed his blade with the claws of a polar bear man, General White. Concelot, a fox Mobian, was outmaneuvered by a penguin man, General Blue, who seemed to slide swiftly around the air before ramming Concelot with his sharp beak. Shisilian, a lion Mobian, stabbed Major Purple in the chest, but the purple-robed ninja used Substitution Jutsu on a log, while Colonel Violet threw poison gas grenades from behind.
Shisilian fell to his knees, losing his breath within the violet gas. Purple swung his katana while Violet cocked twin guns. "HAH!!" Wanda's cutlass blocked the katana while Carrot swung an upward kick to whack Violet's guns away. Purple ran back and tossed kunai at the canine, Wanda dodging as she pursued him. However, another Purple dropped from above, smashing Wanda to the ground, but she was able to stab and poof the clone into smoke. The real Purple used a Water Jutsu to shoot jets at Wanda, puncturing her. "Hey, ninja." Purple frowned and turned, seeing Augustus toss his lollipop on the ground. "That color is bad camouflage."
"Pah! I don't need camouflage to deal with a lowly pira-" Purple lashed his katana at Augustus's head, but the captain hardened himself, causing the sword to snap. "Huh?"
One swift punch sent the ninja flying toward the halfway point of a distant pillar, leaving a crater as he hung unconscious. "Tch…" Violet faced the boy with spite and caution. "This calls for a tactical retreat." The colonel threw a smoke grenade and vanished by the time it cleared.
"I didn't need your help, pirate!" Wanda shouted.
"Sheesh, you're welcome. You get to save a little strength, don't you?"
"Wanda, Carrot…" Shisilian struggled to stand, catching his breath. "The boss of these villains is at the palace… Duke Dogstorm is in danger. We must go."
"Sounds like that's our cue." Augustus said.
"Who are these humans? Did you call him a pirate?"
"They aren't with the Ribbons." Carrot answered. "And they don't smell like bad people."
"Want some candy as a sign of friendship?" Augustus raised three lollis.
"NO! NO CANDY!!" Shisilian suddenly lashed out his sword, Augustus frantically dodging. "I will have you thrown into the Bottomless Chasm for bringing such an atrocity!"
"HEY, what's your problem?!" Kohaku drew her katana to block his sword.
"Shisilian, not now!!" Carrot pounced to hold the lion back. "We're sorry! He doesn't like sweets!"
"I will not have these trespassers setting foot on our sacred land! You are not allowed anywhere near the duke!"
"Too bad, Aslan! Those Ribbon guys kidnapped my kid, so I'm goin'!"
"Shisilian, where are the other Musketeers?" Wanda asked.
"Scattered. Giovanni is battling the soldiers in the Karau District and Concelot is at the Rightrump Forest. I'm sure they'll be fine. We must get to the palace!" The Musketeer and the two girls raced for the central building.
"Captain, maybe we should help them." Tressa suggested. "We can't just let the Ribbons get away with this, can we?"
Augustus sighed. "Well, it'll be hard to find the Jewel Meat with all this going on. Then just leave Tama to me!"
"AYE!" Kohaku and Tressa scattered.
"Stewie!" Augustus called as he bolted for the palace. "How's the situation down there? Is it possible to send up some backup?"
"I suppose I can afford to send the girls. I hope we're getting extra rations after this excursion."
"It's a deal!"
Dogstorm Palace
Standing at 16'9", Duke Dogstorm was a large and grizzled Mobian dog with tan fur, a white beard, and bandages covering his wounds from the Pirate War. Now, the brave duke lay with more wounds and his left leg severed. "This was a most pleasant exchange, Duke Dogstorm…" An impish man with red hair, an eyepatch, and a diamond ring approached him, smirking with a cigar in mouth. "But you primitive mammals are merely stray dogs to my Red Ribbon Regiment!"
"Huff…don't talk as though you're a true warrior… hiding behind your assassin." The duke glared at the man behind Commander Red: a Chinese man in a pink chang pao, black hair, and thin mustache.
"A true warrior is a strategic warrior, and a strategic warrior knows how to spend his money. And Mercenary Tao is the best assassin money can afford!"
"Fortunately so, since CP0 is unavailable." Tao replied. "It's been difficult to find decent work."
"Now, Duke, why don't we make things easier for everyone? Order your people to stand down and surrender. We'll make sure they get a fair and safe treatment in Schnee's prison."
"The Minks will never give in to you fiends!"
"They won't have a choice! Tao, secure him at once!"
"As you wish."
"Commander!" A bald, dark-skinned man in a butler uniform walked in, holding a squirming, tied-up Tama. "Captain Yellow brought this child. We think she belongs to the pirates reported on the ocean."
"ENEMY PIRATES!" Tama screamed. "Thou wilt never seize yonder Jewel Meat before August'n!"
"Bah, since when are we babysitters?! Black, just shoot her and be done with it." Red ordered.
"You would shoot an innocent child?!" Dogstorm shouted.
"What's this Jewel Meat you just mentioned?" Officer Black asked, putting a gun to Tama's head. "Talk!"
"Eek!" Tama tensed up against the weapon, taking a big swallow. "O-O-O-Tama w-wilt not say more…nn…"
"Hmm…" The commander smirked. "Jewel Meat sounds mighty valuable. Black, Tao… I think it's time for a small detour." Red drew a gun and aimed at Dogstorm. "You must know something. Tell me!"
"The…The Jewel Meat is a sacred food we harvest from Zunesha. It takes years to grow and is eaten on a festival."
"Really?" Red took his cigar and blew smoke. "I think I'd like to see it for myself."
Dogstorm glanced at the child in Black's grasp. "I will guide you to it… on the condition you do not harm that child."
"What does her safety matter to you?"
"Though I don't know of her, it would bring shame upon me to let a young maiden die. Lower your weapon from her and I will lead you to the meat."
"So be it." Red gestured his henchman to sheathe the gun. "Then where do we head?"
As Shisilian, Wanda, and Carrot approached the doorstep of the ancient palace, the tiger, Captain Yellow pounced them from behind a wall, tackling the lion. He snagged a bite off Shisilian's shoulder before Wanda stabbed him, the tiger swiping his claw at the evading canine. "Hey, you're a Mobian, aren't you?!" Carrot questioned, swinging her electrified gauntlet. "Why are you helping them?!"
"I ate the Cat-Cat Fruit, Tiger Model! And you girls will make nice prey!" He gnashed at Carrot, but Shisilian fended him with his sword.
Watching the exchange from afar, Augustus saw a mechanical pod rise from the palace. "Hey, up there! That's Tama!"
Carrot faced up as well. She vaguely recognized Tao and Officer Black from when they first arrived on the island (Red was too small to notice). Black was holding Tama, but a large dogman was hanging from the pod. "DUKE DOGSTORM!" The pod took off. "They're heading for the Whale Tree!"
"Carrot, chase them!" Wanda ordered. "We'll hold off this one!"
"Yeah!" The rabbit was about to hop-
"WAIT!" She stopped, facing a panting Augustus. "Before you take off and leave me in the dust… please carry me."
"Uh…carry you?" Carrot tilted her head in confusion.
"Don't worry. I won't weigh much." Augustus pulled a pink Shrink Sweet from his pocket, popping it in his mouth. The captain's body squished and compressed to the size of a gumdrop.
"EH!!" Mouth agape, the bunny dropped to hands and knees for a closer view. "You can turn small?!"
"Yep, I'm magic! Hurry and get hoppin'!"
"That is so garchu!!" Carrot giddily picked him up and placed him on her hair.
"What does that even—MEEEAAAAN!" The captain barely remembered to hang on in him before the bunny dashed and hopped off with insane speed.
General White rammed his bear claws through Giovanni's belly, the zebra falling on his back. White immediately threw the next slash, only to be blocked by a small round shield. Kohaku had suddenly whooshed onto the scene, throwing up her leg to deflect White's arm, followed by a punch to his gut. "I've never seen a white bear before. But aren't you both animal people? Why are you fighting?"
"I ate the Bear-Bear Fruit, Polar Model!" White answered. "We Red Ribbon generals are the perfect combination of man and beast! We're superior to Mobians!" White gnashed at Kohaku, but she nimbly flipped and kicked him in the jaw. She then flipped up onto White's neck, squeezing it in a chokehold, and when he tried to scratch her, Kohaku slashed his hands with her daggers. She dealt one last kick before flipping away, the bear facing her with a snarl.
"I've seen better beasts than you."
General Blue had bound Concelot in glowing blue ropes, squeezing the fox with telekinetic force. "You cheater…" Concelot growled through his chokes. "If you're going to finish me, do it like a true Mink!"
"I'm no Mink, fool." The penguin smirked. "And in a fight to the death, there is no cheating. Whoever's alive is the winner, and that's that."
"You sound like a sore loser to me!" Tressa shot a gust of air to deter Blue's face, but he would spin it back around to find her. Tressa dashed to punch the penguin, but Blue evaded nimbly and kicked her with his fin, sending Tressa several yards.
"You'll be the only one feeling sore today. I, General Blue, am the slipperiest man in the Ribbons, and my Penguin Fruit makes me slipperier!" He began to gracefully slide about the rugged ground on his belly, Tressa pursuing as she reached for her… in hindsight, she really should've picked up her pack first.
"Hey, Hinahoho?" she called on her communicator. "Uh, is my backpack laying anywhere by you? 'Cause, like, I could really use it."
…
Colonel Silver drew a bazooka, converting it to his material to shoot Hina with strengthened bombshells. Hina clapped and thrusted his palms, using Fishman Karate to send juts of water. He began to study the art after the Gourmet Hunt; his race was naturally adept with the Water Style. After receiving Tressa's call, he noticed the dropped backpack, but was in no position to deliver it. "Brother Hina! Brother!!" Until he heard the familiar voice of Konayuki.
"You three!" The cavegirl, Nel was carrying Konayuki on her back, despite the half-yeti's size and weight. Just as well, the melon-headed child, Suika was holding Yuki's back.
"Where Captain Augsus?" Nel asked.
"Further on the island! Listen, can you girls bring Tressa her backpack?"
"I don't think so." Silver shot the pack, exploding the area around it… however, Nel had already made a swift dash to grab it. Hina thrusted his harpoon at Silver's hip: at first, Silver believed his silver-hardened hip was undamaged, but the silver effect spread to the harpoon's tip. Hina flipped and thrust it again at Silver's stomach, and this time, the spear pierced the silver flesh.
"Nel will bring bag to Feather Lady." Nel affirmed. "But… Nel will ask for favor in return!" Her strong legs carried her across the elephant's back with swiftness and steadiness. Yet, Hina feared that something else motivated her vigor.
"Nel!" Suika shrank into her melon helmet and tried to roll after her. "Don't leave us behind!"
"Kona will carry you, Suika!" Konayuki caught up to the melon and picked her up.
"Stay safe, you two!" Hina yelled. "Try to stay away from the fighting!"
"Konayuki promises!!" The half-yeti cheered, her rabbit-like bangs flapping as she dashed.
Whale Tree
Commander Red's pod landed in the forest around the base of the Whale Tree. Duke Dogstorm directed them to a boulder, which Mercenary Tao moved aside with ease. "This tunnel will lead us to the insides of Zunesha. So long as you uphold your word, I will direct you to the Jewel Meat and back."
"Only if you promise not to lead us to any traps." Red smirked. "Black, you and the brat will go in first."
"Ohhh…" Sighing in frustration, Black squat and began to shove Tama down the hole first.
"A moment, Sir." Tao glared. "We have company…"
The lower trees rustled as Carrot leapt up them, landing at the edge of their level. "Carrot!" Dogstorm exclaimed.
"Just some bunny." Red said. "Tao, get rid of her."
The mercenary flicked his fingers, sending juts of air that Carrot dodged. The white rabbit tried to stab him with the claws of her gauntlet, but Tao used Iron Body, even tanking the electro shock. He swung a kick at Carrot's hip, blasting her across the forest. Amidst her flight above the forest's lower level, Carrot was shocked to see a tree come flying, having been tossed by Tao himself. She flipped in midair as the tree's bark barely grazed her chest, pushing it to halt her flight and fall to the forest. Carrot quickly made a run back, but an airwave sliced through the woods. Though Carrot ducked, she wound up buried underneath numerous fallen trees. "HNN! Hnnnnnngh…" The cluster of trunks was too heavy for the young rabbit to push.
"Today, I learned that giant rabbits are NOT a reliable transport!" She glanced down as tiny Augustus crawled across her back. The captain swallowed some Growth Gum and began to swell back to normal.
Tao jumped to the fallen trees, waiting patiently as he saw them shaking, the rabbit likely struggling to escape. However, Augustus suddenly blew the bark off them, Tao smacking an incoming trunk away. He calmly raised his palm to catch August's Haki Gobstopper, spinning his arm to return it with greater power. The force sent August flying across the forest, Carrot looking his way in worry. The rabbit tensed up as Tao loomed above her, his glare cast in darkness. But Carrot bore the eyes of a predator as she stood, hopping the trees in quick succession to confuse him. But by the time she went for the attack, Tao grabbed her arm and quickly tapped several weak points on her thin frame. He let Carrot drop on the ground, the rabbit unable to move: she had been chi-blocked. Carrot was helpless as the mercenary aimed a finger directly at her face…
Until Augustus hurdled the hardened Gobstopper once more, prompting him to grab it… however, Tao felt a spinning motion embedded into the ball, twisting his hand, followed by the rest of his body as he drilled backward through the fallen trees. Tao growled as he pushed himself from the rubble, pulling out whatever splinters he could. "Hurry up, Tao!" Red shouted. "How much trouble can a measly rabbit give you?!"
"Commander, it seems we have a new problem on our hands. That boy… is Augustus the Stone Fist."
"Augustus?" Red looked through some binoculars. "The pirate who stole the show at the Gourmet Festival? Dererere…he's got a bounty of a billion. Today must be my lucky day! Tao, apprehend that boy at once!"
"Another billion for you is another for me." Tao smirked, using Shaves to move at blinding speed and ambush Augustus from behind. The captain thrusted his elbow back and struck his skull. He then shaped his hand like a Fork and thrust it into Tao's hip, dealing a stabbing sensation. The mercenary threw several Finger Pistols at the captain, who survived with Haki as he whipped his Licorope at Tao's leg. The mercenary dodged by jumping with grace, kicking Augustus in the jaw and sending him several yards. Tao picked up several fallen trees and threw them, Augustus swatting them away with hardened arms. "AH!!" But Tao attached a bomb to one of them. Augustus survived with only small wounds and burns, but Tao seized the chance to swing a Tempest Kick, the captain barely hardening in time.
"Phew…you must be a Cipher Pol reject."
"Don't remind me of those cretins. Do you know how hard it is to land a decent job with them around?"
"Maybe you just need to work harder." Augustus tried to chop the mercenary with Knife attacks, only for Tao to evaded them all with Paper Art. But a smirking Augustus grabbed his Gobstopper and used Spin to make it rotate in the air. Tao was swept up in its current, screaming as he flailed about uncontrollably. When he finally broke his technique, Augustus easily roped him with the Licorope and slammed him to the ground. "A reject, indeed."
Carrot cursed herself for her weakness and current helplessness. Watching Augustus battle Tao, the man who rendered her in this position, at equal power, made her feel so pathetic. Carrot didn't feel any stronger than from the Pirate War… she could feel Pedro look down on her in shame.
"Huff…huff…" Little Carrot lay gasping on the ground, her pretty white fur ruffled and covered in dirt. Pedro, a spotted jaguar of 25 years, stood over the 8-year-old child with a wooden sword raised. "Pedro… I'm tired…"
"Then you're still not ready for the outside world, Carrot."
"But I wannu…I wannu go with Duke Doggy and the Musketeers…"
"Our rulers may have decided to lift our isolation, but the world outside is still dangerous. There are all kinds of monsters… even metallic beasts that our blades could not even cut. You won't be ready until you can evade my attacks for two hours, at least. You're a rabbit, Carrot. Rabbits are prey, not predators. If you can't fight, you must at least learn to run."
"Mmmm…" The little bunny gazed at the horizon beyond the Dukedom's wall. Since they sparred atop one of the pillars, the view of the sunset was gorgeous. "When the sun goes down… where does it go?"
"All I know is, even if you were to chase it, you would never catch it. The world is more infinitely vast than you know. Then again… those 'Kids Next Door' possess the means to fly through the sky. Perhaps they can touch the sun. If you saw how massive the world was, a little bunny like yourself would tremble."
Carrot whimpered. When she was younger, her parents carried her out to the head of Zunesha, taking her partway down the base of the trunk. Seeing the elephant's enormous, empty eyes, and how far the trunk extended into the mist was terrifying. Carrot began to cry and beg her parents to take her back. If the world was full of things as big as Zunesha, it did sound scary… but seeing the sun set beyond the sea was pretty. She tried to reach out and clasp it in her little paw. And if there are other giant animals like Zunesha… maybe there were other Minks living on them. Little bunny girls like her, in fact. "Pedro… I still wannu see where the sun goes. If I join the 'KND' like those outsiders, can they help me reach the sun?"
"If that's really what you want, then eat some carrots and rest. I'll keep training you until you're ready to leave this island."
"Ghhh…" If only Carrot could move… if only she could get up and try again. …The right hand in her gauntlet could still twitch, and she clicked the electric switch inside. She struggled to bend her elbow toward her hip, the claw touching it. With a flick of the switch, she electrified herself. She had trained to withstand the shock of her own weapon, but the jolts of electricity started and reinvigorated her muscles. At last, Carrot was able to rise back on her feet. "Augustus, I'll-"
"Hey, you're finally up!" Augustus beamed, crossing his arms to block Tao's Tempests, then lunging to swipe them at the mercenary. "Rabbit Girl, do me a solid and go save Tama for me. I won't be able to with this guy on our tail."
"But…" Carrot felt the need for revenge and closure against the merc, but she plainly saw Duke Dogstorm being dragged off by those villains. As a junior Musketeer and leader of her island's KND division, she was entitled both to save her duke as well as the captive child. "I…I will!" Carrot turned and pranced back to the Whale Tree.
…
After climbing down the hole, Carrot carefully hurried across a ledge over a dark abyss. She used the electro of her claw to see through the fleshy cavern. It was her first time being inside of Zunesha, but she heard the medical Minks used this to check if Zunesha was healthy. The inside was much squishier than the outside, Carrot feeling tingly from the mush under her feet. But she couldn't let such an inconvenience bother her.
Commander Red and Officer Black cautiously followed their captive escort through a tunnel of gas geysers, relying on flashlights to see the way. "Sir, this is outside the scope of our mission." Black said. "If you want a promotion that badly, arresting the Minks and the pirates should be enough. We don't need to sell a hunk of rare meat."
"We're not going to sell it, you blockhead! I'm going to eat every piece of it! A rich piece of a giant elephant's meat may be what I need to finally grow tall!"
"Tall? That's all you want?"
"Of course! After this mission, I may finally get to move off this furry-infested planet and enter the higher echelons of Coruscant nobility! But I won't have those snooty nobles looking down on me. I need to look proud and dignified! I need a huge, manly body that'll make the ladies love me! This Jeweled Meat, combined with a strong glass of Hyrulean milk, will make me the biggest man around!"
"Thou art man?" Tama cocked a brow. "Tama wondered if thou were child."
"SHUT IT!" Red kicked her leg. "And quit speaking in that old-timey Japanese!"
"Grrr…" Disgraceful imp, Dogstorm wanted to say. He didn't expect these men to uphold their agreement, but at the very least, he could stall them down here until Cat Viper and the Night Guardians could awaken. The Red Ribbons may not leave and take their people away if their boss was unaccounted for.
"W-WHOA!" Black stopped himself from nearly stumbling into a geyser, but he dropped Tama near the side of it.
"AAAAHH!" She cried as the acid nearly scarred her, melting her rope. "Oh!" Realizing the opportunity, Tama got up and bolted up the tunnel.
"BRAT!" Red shouted. "Black, after her! Shoot her legs!"
"RUN, CHILD!" Dogstorm screamed.
Tama dodged the bullets, the darkness working to her advantage, but as the bullets hit the flesh, there were slight tremors as the muscles reacted to the shots. A tunnel seemed to open on the left, so Tama seized the chance to run into it. Only then did darkness consume her, the child hugging the pulsating wall and crawling along it carefully. "Mayhaps… O-Tama should hath tried to go backward… wilt August'n find me in—AAAAH!" She slipped and fell down a slide, desperate to grab onto a piece of flesh. Zunesha's body didn't work in her favor as she saw an incoming, glowing pool of green.
Fortunately, the slide seemed to flatten up before she could land in the acid, Tama clinging the surface to slow herself. She was able to crawl across the stable ground on her left. "O-Tama was… almost eaten by great Zou. Mmm…" The nervous ninja pushed herself up. "If O-Tama throws her dango in hither… canst she tame this great beast? It wilt taketh too much dango… but canst she find a way out? Wilt O-Tama be trapped hither forever?" This question darkened the child's heart. Only darkness surrounded her, except for the glowing ooze of death.
"I…I must be brave for August'n! If nothing else, O-Tama shalt ask Zou for a way out!" She began to pluck dango from her cheeks and throw them into the acid. "Huff…huff…" Though she had a decent lunch, she didn't think it'd be safe to throw in too much. "O Great Zou… prithee, help O-Tama find the way out of thine tummy. She wisheth to be with August'n again…?"
The walls along the side of the chamber glowed a red trail, faint, but bright enough for Tama to see the road. She had to jump platforms over the acid, followed by the corpse of a large, dead fish. The corpse was pushed up by an acid geyser, allowing Tama to reach a higher walkway that sloped down. She reached a river of passing, floating fish chunks. It seemed too dangerous to cross, so Tama created Shadow Clones to cross them. They would keep falling and poofing, but the experience they gained would transfer to her mind until she could determine a good strategy. Then, the little ninja made the jumps.
Outside
Tressa was brought to her knees under General Blue's telekinesis. Psychicbending wasn't the type of power she expected a penguin to possess, but it explained why he could slide so cleanly around this rugged ground. "Tell me, girl… why choose to ally with these elephant-flea-eating animals?"
"Do elephants get fleas? But anyway, as a merchant, customer service is my top priority! Even if that means saving an innocent, elephant-riding tribe from a bunch of military jerks! You may have your orders to arrest them, but are you enjoying yourself right now? Hurting people that haven't done anything wrong?"
"So long as I can serve the needs of the army, I find joy no matter what I do. But you, meine frau, are about to learn what happens to those who oppose us."
"General Blue, sir!" Tressa glanced back as Colonel Violet arrived with a salute. "I was able to administer first aid to Major Purple. Want me to take this woman to the ship?"
"You may. I'm sure this self-proclaimed merchant will have plenty to offer-"
A green-dressed cavegirl came flying with a leg outstretched, crushing Blue's hip as the penguin went flying. "NEL!" Tressa stood, quickly blowing a gust to fend off Violet's retaliation.
"Nel bring pack for Tressa." She held out the merchant pack. "But Nel only give it if Tressa do what Nel ask."
"Well, I owe you one for this, so ask away!" Tressa gladly took the pack, drawing a polearm and twirling it.
"When Tressa mate with Augsus, Nel wish to possess your body and-"
"CAN YOU ASK ME THIS IN PRIVATE?!"
"Yikes, what kinky stuff goes on on your ship?" Violet asked.
"Shut up!" Tressa whacked the colonel with her polearm, enhancing its force and speed with her airbending as Violet was knocked on the ground. She threw a smoke grenade to distract Tressa, but she blew the smoke away, watching as Violet tried to retreat around some trees and shoot her. General Blue flew at Nel, who tried to kick him, but the penguin would curve upward as Nel hurt her foot against his Psy-Road. Blue gracefully looped the air on a road of psychic, building speed and attempting to ram Nel afterward. The cavegirl would time her kicks and strike him back.
"Konayuki, I think we're lost…" Suika said as the half-yeti waded through a swamp. "Maybe we should've stayed near Hina."
"Suika, this water's so icky." Konayuki raised her mud-covered foot. "You think fish live in this water?"
"Yeah! Senku once told me that—AAAH! BEHIND YOU!"
"THERE YOU ARE, rabbit Mink!" Purple the ninja dashed at the girls, Konayuki gasping and dodging his flying kick. Purple quickly channeled chi to his feet to stand on the water. "Huh? You're a different rabbit. No matter! I'll have you either way!"
Purple threw a metal boomerang at Kona, which she caught. "Hey, I know this toy! Pipirika made one for me! Catch!" She bent far back and threw the boomerang with greater force, Purple frantically dodging.
"Hah! You clever little—HWOW!" The boomerang returned and blew Purple forward, crashing into Konayuki as she fell into a sit and dropped Suika in the swamp.
"Uh-oh! Suika, where are you?" All she saw was Suika's melon rise to the surface, mucky and ruined. "Suika!"
"While she's distracted, now's my chance." Purple said. "Underwater no Jutsu!" He grabbed a reed and submerged himself, using said reed to breathe. The ninja mentally snickered to himself as he closed in on the clueless yeti. However, it was then Konayuki decided to turn, the sharp claws of her yeti feet pricking his face. "YOOOW!" She was startled as Purple splashed out of the swamp. "You little brat! Let's see how you like being pricked!" He threw kunai knives at Kona, the yeti raising her arms in defense… however, the mud-covered kunai couldn't penetrate her thick fur, so Kona only looked confused.
"Wow, cool darts! Here, have then back!"
"YEEK! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Purple poofed into five clones, surrounding her. "You'll never find the real me!"
"This is fun! Hahahaha!" The yeti gleefully threw the kunai, but the clones quickly evaded. They all leapt at her at once, but Konayuki grabbed the large metal sword on her back and spun, thwacking them all into a single pile.
The clones poofed while the real Purple splashed in the swamp. Thinking he would attempt the Underwater Jutsu again, he raised his reed and dove. This time, he would try to swim behind her legs… he felt something bump his side. Purple turned, spotting… a hideous creature with a wrinkled, puffed, but contorted face! Suika held her breath under the water, forced to squint her eyes for the sake of her vision. "A-A-A-AUH!" Impulsively letting out a gurgled scream, Purple inhaled the sludge and rose to the surface.
"Pleh!" Suika emerged.
"Suika! There you are!"
"K-Kona! This man looks sick! I think he swallowed too much water!"
"Uh-oh! I know how to help him!" Konayuki quickly carried Purple to the shore, laying him on his back. She squat her thick legs, jumped, and "KYAH!!" crushed Major Purple in the belly. A jet of swamp water came spewing, along with the ninja's lunch. He passed out beneath the yeti's weight. "Awwwe. He's taking a nappy."
"He's still breathing. Great job, Kona! You saved his life!"
"Hahahaha!"
Near the dukedom gate, Hinahoho had punctured several holes in Silver's torso, using Fishman Karate to pump the blood in his muscles and throw his harpoon with deadly force. However, such a task proved more difficult as Silver coated his entire body, throwing a combo of slow, but heavy punches to bruise the whale-skinned Imuchakk. "Your techniques are impressive, but you would've had better luck on the ocean."
OOOOOOOOOoooooooo…
An otherworldly cry ruptured the air, both men searching for the source of it. In the distance, they could vaguely see Zunesha's tremendous trunk rise above the island. This was followed by a great rainfall. "It seems Zunesha and his people are thirsty!" Hina leapt above the colonel and smashed him halfway into the elephant's soggy, squishier flesh. The heavy weight of his metal body made it a struggle to squeeze himself out. "Now, it's time to stop holding back!" Hina grabbed the horn of the Raging Unicorn Augustus killed at Imuchakk. Attaching it to the head of his spear, Hina stomped the ground as the surrounding it grew hold, the rain turning into snow. "Imuchakk Style: Frozen Sea of the Southwest!" Hinahoho leapt back, his spear reeled backward. As it flew forth, the head of a frozen wolf projected on the unicorn horn. Colonel Silver, his armor shattering as he flew a dozen meters through the forest, was down for the count.
Mercenary Tao used rapid Shaves to once more confuse Augustus. "You know, seeing the cheap way you fight, maybe it's time to go back to old school moves." Augustus grabbed a Ringpop from his vest; it was a Ringtrot. By sucking on it, Augustus was fueled with an adrenaline that helped him move at swift speeds. Though Tao managed to land Finger Pistols on the captain, they only backfired as Augustus grabbed, tried to twist his arm, or simply kick him with his enhanced speed.
"You look like you're suckling on a pacifier!" Tao sneered, leaping away to grab more fallen trees and huck them at August. However, he was prepared to counter this: Augustus bit a piece of Rock Candy and threw it on the ground, encasing himself in a dark crystal sphere. The flying trees knocked his sphere around, but Augustus forced his way against them to catch up with Tao. "Then I guess I'll show you my special technique! Iron Cannonball!" Tao dashed straight at Augustus and quickly curled up, using Iron Body as he flew like said projectile. Augustus rammed him with as much force as he could muster, but his Rock Candy shattered first as he was blasted backward. A smirking Tao leapt high above August and repeated the same technique, but Augustus used the strength of his fist to send him away.
"Perhaps I'll just take you out from the sky!" Tao used Moon Walks to stay afloat in the air, flicking a storm of Finger Pistols. It was good luck to be raining now, since his shots blended in with the rain. Augustus withdrew a yellow soda from his pocket; a Fizzy Lift! The uplifting brew allowed Augustus to float in the air, using Haki to defend from the Pistols as he pursued Tao. Despite Tao's maneuvers and swings of Tempest Kick to injure the captain, Augustus used Fork both to thrust himself in any desired direction, and to strike Tao. He surprised the mercenary by throwing his Spinning Gobstopper, twisting Tao's chest. Augustus then flew above the merc and blew up some Bounce Gum, sitting on the inflated bubble as he dropped, pushed, and flattened Tao into the ground!
Inside Zunesha
Tama made it inside a shaft where gassy air seemed to pulse through in intervals. Tama stretched her glider to ride up the updrafts, withstanding the noxious smell. As she had been doing, she landed on the platforms with glowing walls, trusting the great Zou's guidance. The ninja followed one last tunnel with a bright red glow at the end. "Aaaaaaa!" Her purple eyes glinted the same shade of red as the massive hunk of glittering meat suspended by thin, intestinal wires. "'Tis yonder Jewel Meat… 'tis so shiny. August'n…" Her drooling mouth grew into a smile, "O-Tama hast found it."
"THERE you are, kid!" Tama dodged the bullets by the beat of her heart. Red, Black, and Dogstorm entered from a right tunnel. "Dererere! I did it! I found the Jewel Meat! Finally, I will enter the world of bigdom! Now, Black, seize that twerp and begin to-"
They were too late to realize another guest had dropped into the party: Carrot kicked Black clear in his bald head, raising her electric claw at Red. "AAH! THE RABBIT MINK?!"
"Hey!" Carrot turned, "Your name's Tama, right? Augustus sent me to save you."
"A-August'n…" The child's eyes glimmered for more than just the meat's glow.
"Carrot…" Dogstorm grunted. "I'm glad you're…oh? Snooooore…"
"So, the old coot couldn't take it, anymore." Red smirked. "Finally passed out."
"He didn't just pass out. It's 6:00p.m.." Carrot corrected. "It's time for the rulers to change shift."
"I don't know what you're talking about, but none of you will be getting out alive! Black, trash that rabbit at once! Equip the gear!" Red pulled out an Infi-Cube
"Yes, Sir!" Black pressed a switch on his tux. A suit of armor flew out of the cube, its segments fitting around him. Carrot dodged with great agility as the mech shot lasers, leaping to stab Black's armored face with her electric claw. The attack barely left an impact as Black punched her away. With a gasp, she looked as Black fired missiles, quickly running from the exploding projectiles. "Stop! Stop it!"
"STOP HURTING ZUNESHA!"
The Minks thought they were safe after Sector W7 helped them fight off the Kremling invasion. But, shortly after they helped the Earth operatives against the Sharpclaw, the Kremlings' Dinosaur Division sent another squadron of pirates to assault the elephant. They were led by Jack the Drought, a Snowhorn (mammoth) from Planet Sauria. Using the power of his Fish-Fish Fruit, Giant Grouper, Jack could apply his powerful girth in the ocean. He rammed Zunesha's legs with his tusks, the great elephant moaning in pain as its journey halted. Once it was unable to move, his pirates easily climbed up its legs and invaded the Minks.
The battle with Jack's crew was brutal as the mammoth left a road of ruin in his wake. His powerful trunk pumped tons of moisture out of the air, causing the Minks to run out of breath faster. It was one of the few times both Duke Dogstorm and Cat Viper were awake at the same time, fighting Jack with the best of their strength. Unfortunately, by the time the dukes passed out in exhaustion, Jack still had strength to spare, and only a choice few Minks were able to finish him.
"Zepo…" With remorse, Pedro closed the eyes of his polar bear comrade. "Don't worry… we'll meet again soon."
"AAAAH!" Carrot leapt on Jack's trunk when the mammoth tried to smash her, running to stab the beast's eyes with her claws. Jack bent his trunk to suck her up and spit her at some rubble, but Pedro was there to catch her and negate her impact, suffering the impact of the ruins himself. "P…Pedro… at this rate… will we ever stop the Kremling Krew?"
"Carrot, the world is more vast than the back of Zunesha. You've seen for yourself when those girls arrived… the strength they possess. There are more outsiders like them. I'm sure a few have the power to face K. Rool and the rest of those pirates."
"Yeah…" Carrot especially had high hopes for Mocha, still awed by the Amazon girl's strength.
"And we know those outsiders are our friends. But if they can be strong, so can you, Carrot. No… you already are."
"Pedro…" The 15-year rabbit looked on in worry as her mentor charged for the mammoth.
"Again?!" Jack exclaimed as he began to suck the jaguar in. "How many times must I tell you, you can never match the Kremlings' power! We have traveled worlds and grown stronger after countless battles! You're just fleas who cower on the back of this outdated elephant!"
"That may be!" Pedro let himself be trapped in Jack's trunk. "But we've learned from the outside world as well. We've learned to craft… weapons!" Pedro unveiled a belt of dynamite under his jacket.
"WHAT?!"
"PEDRO!"
"Sorry, Carrot." Pedro grabbed his lighter. "If I threw only the dynamites and lighter, he might've reacted in time. But now I have him off guard. Keep following your dreams, Carrot! Fly out there, touch the sun, and see the beautiful cosmos we live!"
"PEDROOOOOO!"
Jack's trunk lit up like a firework, igniting the dukedom with a fiery finale. Carrot and the onlooking Zou operatives froze under the orange glow, despaired for their mentor. "Shnort…shnort…SHNOOOOOR!" Miraculously, Jack emerged from the mass of smoke, a gaping black crater where his trunk used to be. "CHOOOOR! STUPID CHEETAH! THAT WAS CHEATING! That's it! Forget conquering this place! I'll swim back down and send this mammoth to Davy Jones' Locker!"
Even after that, Jack lived through sheer willpower alone… but Carrot wouldn't accept it. Past the fading smoke, the rising moon was finally visible over the dukedom. Its light filling Carrot's irises, the rabbit began to boil with resolve and power. "AAAOOOWWWWLL!" Glowing with the ethereal white of the moon, she rid the land of Jack once and for all.
After dodging the onslaught of missiles, Carrot realized one of them was a dud, laying on the ground. When Black rocketed toward her directly, Carrot kicked toward and grabbed the missile, returning it to Black with a spinning throw. The officer instinctively shot it, only then realizing as the missile exploded and ruined parts of his armor. Carrot then charged and pierced a vulnerable segment with her gauntlet, electrifying Black.
"Rabbit!" Carrot saw Red holding Tama by the neck, a gun trained on the child of near-equal size. "Stand down or I'll put a hole through this brat!" But, to Carrot's confusion, another Tama leapt over Red from behind, batting his gun away with her staff. Upon landing, the Shadow Clone thwacked Red in the jaw, facing her master as both mirrored a bow. Carrot giggled and bounced the grab the gun, crushing it. And no, using it was against her honor. Black tried to charge at the ninjas, but Carrot tackled and clung him, digging her paw into the wiring to rip it out and make the mech malfunction. Black spun to shake Carrot off, blasting more lasers at the rabbit. "Then I guess I'll have to use a trick of my own!"
A pointed shell began to grow from Red's back, his body morphing into a crablike hybrid. Tama leapt to thwack the commander, but he retreated into his sturdy shell. "With my Crab-Crab Fruit, Hermit Model, I am invincible! But don't think that's all: hermit shells come equipped with special defenses!" Slots opened on the shell, shooting bullets made of coral. Tama made a third clone as all lined up, running against the bullet fire. The two clones were poofed, but once Tama made it, she plucked off small pieces of dango and plucked the holes up. "GAAAH!" Red's attempts to shoot them caused those turrets to blow up. "Then how about THIS?!" Red emerged and stretched his claws to bind Tama's legs in place. He then flipped over to face his shell: it spun like a drill as it flew off Red's back, stabbing Tama in the stomach. "DERERE…huh?!"
However, Tama used Substitution Jutsu with a nearby hunk of meat blown off by Black's onslaught. The ninja leapt forth and rammed Red with the head of her staff, knocking the unarmored crustacean back. "I didn't want to have to resort to this, but it's time for you to SUFFER!" Red threw a pellet right before Tama, poofing a cloud of smoke. Tama readied her guard for an ambush, but by the time it cleared… Red was nowhere to be found.
"Where hast thou gone?!" She looked around, but could only see Carrot and Black continuing on with their bout.
Snickering at her unawareness, Red, reduced to the half-inch size of a full hermit crab, began to climb her ragged green yukata. "I'll crawl into your brain and tear it up from the inside! You'll be more clueless than you are now! I won't let a couple children stop me from becoming the tallest!"
"Sniff…O-Tama's nose is…" The smoke from the pellet began to invade her nostils. "Ah…ah…"
"Wait, what're you…" Red found his surface being lifted to Tama's bending face. "NOOOO!"
"CHOO!!" Tama sneezed right in the skirt of her yukata. "Oh…O-Tama must remember to cleanse—AH!" Commander Red seemed to blow up to his normal human form, passed out in total sickness. "O-Tama's boogie hath become a new man?! What sort of Jutsu is this?!"
Carrot squatted down like a proper rabbit, hopping more swiftly on all fours as she evaded Black's rapid-fire lasers. She studied parts of Black's armor and determined which segments were weakest, swiftly pouncing to grab and rip them off. He only had enough for his arms, legs, and helmet, using rocket shoes to take flight. Black fire another round of missiles, but the nimble rabbit hopped her way up them with precise landing. She grabbed Black's head, flipped, and dragged him to the ground, slamming with such force that the rest of his armor broke off.
The staff officer pushed himself up, panting. Carrot, gasping as well, stood her ground in preparation. "Hm…" Black glanced to his unconscious commander. "You know, Sir… losing this battle has made me realize something. We only wound up in this mess because you wanted to be taller. You used money and deception to buy your way to your position, even buying those Devil Fruits behind the government's back. I think the Red Ribbon Regiment's had enough of you!"
To Carrot and Tama's shock, Black drew his gun and shot Red clear in the head. "And I think it's time for a promotion… Today marks the beginning of the Black Banner Brigade. As for you, Rabbit…" he returned to Carrot, "why don't we call this a draw? I'll withdraw my troops from this kingdom and leave you in peace. Of course, I don't think Mr. Schnee will take your resistance too kindly."
"Grrrr!" Carrot lunged at him again, easily dodging his bullets. "After all you did to my home, and hurting Zunesha, you don't get to LEAVE SCOT-FREE!" A firm, swift upper kick to his cranium knocked the would-be commander out cold. "Huff…huff…" Carrot approached Tama, smiling down at the child.
"Usagi-chan… thank thee for saving Tama. When those pirates taketh me captive, Tama was so scared… she feared her training was all lost. But Tama…Tama remembered to be brave!"
"Hehehe!" Carrot ruffled her hair. "I know how that feels. Now… how about we get out of this messy tummy?"
"But O-Tama must bring the Jewel Meat to August'n!"
"Help me carry Duke Dogstorm out of here first. I'll make sure they let you have the meat."
"Hai!!"
Outside
Captain Yellow would quickly understand Wanda and Shisilian's superior skill in direct combat, so the tiger-man resorted to his secret technique: his black stripes widened out and linked like a slinky. He could sproing and bounce about with ease, and even compress the slinky to land focused and forceful attacks against the swordsmen. …Unfortunately, it wasn't good enough to stop Shisilian from stabbing him right in the chest. The tiger-turned slinky would lazily recoil in place as he stood dead.
Kohaku had nearly shaven General White bald with her daggers, her nimbility outmatching the polar bear's heavy girth. "Alright, little lady, I'm done holding back on you! Aaaaahh!" When the polar bear opened his mouth wide, Kohaku cringed, concerned what he was planning. …A thick, straight, smooth-sided pole emerged from his gut, his body compressing to a thin width. He raised the pole and swung it at Kohaku with greater speed, the Stone Tribe warrior hastening to evade. "You might not know this, but polar bears contain special bones that can serve as everlasting poles, hence why they're called polars. The poles that mark the North and South Poles on some planets were planted by ancient bears."
"Wow…" The universe still had many wonders Kohaku had yet to discover. But she couldn't get there with this guy still in the way: it was time to unveil her own secret. When White took a swing at her again, Kohaku enlarged her fists and grabbed the pole, beginning to tug at it against the dumbstruck bear. "Did you know that my people can change proportions in certain ways? You just learned something new, TOO!" A more vigorous tug pulled the pole in her favor, and Kohaku would spin and BASH White with enough force to knock him out. "And that's why they call me Gorilla! …Don't tell Augustus I said that."
General Blue created four illusory penguins with psychic, confusing Nel as they aimlessly slid around her. "It time for Nel to use secret ability!" The Neanderthal shrank into her child form. "BLAAAAH!" She spewed a river of saliva and began to surf it with ease.
"WHAT A DISGUSTING POWER!" the real Blue exclaimed. Right then, Nel knew to pursue the penguin and jump on his back.
"H'OMP!" She sank her strong teeth into Blue's shoulder. "Oh? Birdy taste sweet!"
"That's because the skin of penguins are harnessed to make coffee." Blue smirked. "The black feathers are the coffee and the white parts are the cream."
"Okay, NOW you're just making crud up!" Tressa retorted, wielding a bow and shooting a wind-powered arrow to blow Violet into a tree.
"Nel tummy no like coffee! Feather Lady, give Nel orange candy!"
"Coming right up!" Tressa flicked Nel's Pop Gum over to her. The child chewed the explosive candy and spat it right onto Blue's head. The cavechild was blown off by her own blasts, but Blue seemed to be knocked out cold, reverting back to his blonde human form.
Tressa made one final dash at Violet, bashing her with her wind-powered polearm. As the violet-haired colonel lay, she raised her arms in surrender. "All right, I give. I'm starting to think I need a change in careers."
"Well, you could always be a merchant. It's what gets me by."
"You'd better not throw in the towel so easily, Violet!" Tressa gasped and turned back to Blue, weakly limped on his legs as he trained a gun on Nel. "Stand down, girl, or I'll end this child!"
"Hmm…no." Knowing Nel was a spirit in an artificial body, Tressa gave one last definitive knock-out to Violet.
"TCH! YOU ASKED FOR-" But before Blue could pull the trigger, he found a rapier through his chest: the fox Mink, Concelot had recovered.
"A true warrior won't stay down. But a true warrior doesn't hurt an injured child. Take your final rest, Lesser Mink." And so, General Blue fell dead on the ground.
The sea
The Ribbons' ship pursued the Ace Sailor around Zunesha's legs. The scientist, Senku handled the ship's evasive maneuvers while Stewie and Maggie sniped the Ribbon soldiers and blasted off their own cannons. However, when Captain Dark realized two of the crewmen were babies, he knew he could easily finish them with his ability: the Nighty-Night Fruit could project nighttime over a set area, forcing people to assume their nightly habits, which in most cases were relaxed and lazy. The Baby Duo quickly succumbed to the darkness and fell to sleep… but Senku was a different story.
The leek-haired scientist would always stay up late through the night, eyes bloodshot as he was fixated on finishing a project. Senku steered the ship straight underneath Zunesha and fixed it in a position that would be safe amongst the waves, hoping Captain Dark would be too afraid to follow. He quickly moved down to his lab and began a new project: a baby formula to wake them right up. Still, a baby who didn't get his sleep would be incredibly cranky, so he was prepared for the risks in feeding it to Stewie.
"AAAAAHH!" Growing into his Hulk form was the expected side-effect of Stewie's rage. "Senku, I don't know what you fed me, but you better make an antidote or I'll bloody kill you!" Stewie leapt to the Ribbons' ship and SQUASHED Captain Dark in his clapped hands, popping the portly officer like a watermelon.
"That's the best touching speech about friendship and teamwork I ever could've asked for." Senku smirked.
Whale Forest
Mercenary Tao, in his last desperate attempt to finish the Marzipan captain for good, threw whatever fallen trees were left. Augustus knew a bomb would be strapped to one… so, he readied a pair of chopsticks. He studied Tao's moves closely, until he caught the man strapping something to a tree, just before throwing it. As that side curved in his direction, Augustus used the Chopsticks technique to cleanly pick the bomb off. He attached it to his Gobstopper and threw… and by the time Tao noticed it, "AAAAAHH!" the explosion enveloped him. The mercenary lay with parts of burned flesh and a destroyed right arm.
"Hyoo…" Augustus brushed his hands. "That meat's gonna taste good after this."
"REOOOOOW."
Startled, Augustus faced the source of the growl with horror. An enormous, obese cat of 17 feet, brown-striped yellow fur, a spiked mane, and massive puffy tail pranced toward him, his sharp fangs bared. Augustus hardened his hands to push against the cat's advance. "HEY, back off, kitty!"
"ROW!" The cat grabbed a staff with a fire-shaped blade, lashing at the captain. "Why does that dumb dog always let the island fall apart?! I am Cat Viper, Ruler of Night! You humans will pay for trespassing on our home!" Viper's swings were swift, Augustus too exhausted to dodge and block them. Before he knew it, August was knocked off his feet, Cat Viper leaping into the air to land the fatal stab.
"WAIT, MASTER VIPER!" Carrot dashed in the way.
"Row?!" Viper faltered and dropped away from them.
"This man… Augustus and his friends saved the island."
"It's true, Master!" Giovanni arrived, Kohaku at his side. "We were nearly overpowered by these 'Red' soldiers, but these Lesser Minks helped us."
"They are a strange bunch of girls," Concelot arrived with Tressa and Nel, "but they are great warriors nonetheless."
"We do have boys with us." Tressa corrected. "Not that you can tell."
"August'n!!" Tama caught up and glomped her captain in a hug. "O-Tama hast found yon Jewel Meat!"
"Did you?" Augustus smiled and ruffled her hair. "I knew I could count on my little ninja."
"Hahahahaha!"
"Mrrrrowl…" Cat Viper calmly sheathed his weapon. "Well, if my fellow Minks approve of you… then you have my thanks as well. Let us welcome… our new brothers and sisters!"
The Minks howled with their respective animalian cries. "You picked a momentous day to arrive, my visitors! By now, Zunesha should have finished preparing the treasured Jewel Meat! You're all invited to our festival!"
The Marzipans shared cheers of satisfaction and joy! (Play "Crocovile Swamp" from Spyro!)
The Red Ribbon soldiers, dead or alive, were rounded up and thrown off Zunesha's back. Whether they would survive the turbulent ocean below was up to fate. "And REMEMBER this, Red Ribbon jerks!" Augustus yelled down. "Zou is Marzipan Pirate turf now! If you ever come back here, I'll kill the rest of you!!"
The dukedom grew lively with the rhythm of tropical music and Minks dancing around the flames. Carrot invited Kohaku and Tressa to bathe with her and refresh their fatigue. The tub was suspended over a fireplace to bring out the heat. "And now, I'll add an extra touch from the outside world!" Carrot poured in a bottle of bubble soap, bringing fluffiness and color to the tub. "Bubble soap!! Isn't this the most magical thing ever?!"
"I know!" Kohaku beamed, letting some bubbles drift in the breeze. "We have this on the ship, but I never get tired of it!"
Once the bathing was done, all the Mink and crewmen gathered for a serving of the cooked Jewel Meat. "Tama… for being the first to find it, the first bite is yours." Augustus said.
"Can Suika have some, too, please?!" the blonde-haired child pled.
"Of course thou canst, my friend!" Tama beamed.
"Yay!!" With a plate of glittering meat before them, both girls took the first bites. "WAAAAAAAHH!" The way the kids lit up seemed like they were on the verge of bursting. "Suika feels the power of Zunesha inside her!!"
"O-Tama thinkest she wilt grow as large as yonder elephant itself!"
"AAAAAAHHH!" The girls truly felt their selves sprout and grow to the height of Zunesha! The teens could only look up at them with pride and awe… as the two stood atop some stands.
"So, Captain, you adding this to your Meat Dish?" Senku asked.
"Nah. I think this'll fit better on Tama's menu. I don't wanna complete my list TOO quickly."
"If you say. You tykes should try this next." The scientist said to Stewie and Maggie. "You might finally grow up."
"You haven't started that antidote, have you?" Stewie glared.
…
Hinahoho and Konayuki went to climb the Whale Tree. "I didn't know whales lived in the forest, too, Brother Hina!"
"What is the significance of this tree, Miss Carrot?"
The bunny hopped to a higher ledge. "Legend says that when Zunesha was a baby, a great whale cared for her. It helped Zunesha grow super big so that it could carry all of us!"
"And how did your people come to live on here?"
"It was during an age where our people were in strife. But before I get into that… are you a bunny Mink, too?!" She pounced down and felt Konayuki's bunny ears.
"Hahahaha! No, silly, that's just my hair! I'm a half-yeti!"
"Wow!! Yeti are so fluffy and furry!" Carrot hugged Kona's wide, long hair, nuzzling it.
"Hahahaha!"
…
"Today, Colzione Goods is having a discount on clothes!" Tressa announced as Minks began to view her line of outfits on hangers. "You, squirrel girl, would look GREAT in this lime-green sundress! Hey, lion warrior, wanna look like you're in the navy? Deer lady, wanna try on this Mexican coat?"
"Oooo, I want this one!!" Carrot beamed at the sight of a green yukata with six-leaf clovers inside orange circles. "They look like carrots!"
"It's all your for 30 Rings, my friend!"
…
"Suika, are you sure you wanna do this?" Kohaku asked, she and her friend overlooking the span of Zunesha's trunk.
"Yeah! It's so big!"
"Okay… I'll come after you if you fall in."
Suika curled up in her new melon and, "WHEEEEEEEEEE!" Rolled down the entire colossal trunk. She stayed balanced so as not to roll too far off the sides, her momentum growing. As the trunk curved into a wide U-shape, Suika built enough momentum to go partway up… but she would come rolling back down. "Aaaaaaaahhhhh!"
Kohaku dashed down next, fast as a Mobian hedgehog down the steep slope, and was there to catch her friend before she rolled off. "Suika, let's go up together!" The child laughed as Kohaku helped carry her up the rest of Zunesha's trunk. Once they were finally at the top, both peered into the darkness of the—"AAAAAAAHHH!" Zunesha shot a jet of water that sent them flying through the sky. Just as they feared making a horrible crash in the middle of the city, a group of Minks prepared a trampoline to catch them. "Mrow ha ha!" Cat Viper laughed. "Everyone loves riding the Eruption Rain!"
Tama climbed into the left socket of Zunesha, wondering if there was an eye deep in this darkness. …She saw a pair of bright, yellow and pink eyes in the darkness. Tama climbed down carefully… and was startled by a Kittentia! The floof wore a makeshift elephant trunk and ears, hooting at Tama before galloping away.
But, as the child climbed in deeper, she found Zunesha's true eyes: turquoise with a ringed iris, staring at Tama half-closed. "Haha! O-Tama thanks thee for not eating her, Great Zou!" She gently patted the eye. Tama could feel the tiniest glimmer of gratitude in her iris.
Carrot regrouped with her new friends around the meat fire, relishing in fruit plucked down from sky islands. "It's been a hard year for us… between the Pirate War and now this. Even in the KND, we've never faced anything very dangerous until now."
"It's what happens to just about anyone, eventually." Augustus replied. "No matter what life you choose."
"Augustus… are you really claiming this island as your turf?"
"I was just bein' cool to those Red Ribbon dudes. Wanted to scare them in case they tried to invade this place again. It's not like I'm gonna ask you to hang a giant flag of me on Zunesha's hip."
"Hmhm!" Carrot sported a two-curved bunny smile. "Then… I'd like to make a request."
"Hm?"
"As a Musketeer and an operative, I'm obligated to defend my home and defend children. But in my heart… I really wanna be an adventurer. The KND helped me with that, but after this year… I feel like I need a break from it. So, I was wondering… if I could join your crew for a while!"
"Huh? I mean, you know we get roped into as much trouble as the KND, right?"
"But exploring the universe and looking for rare foods sounds super fun! You have a lot of children on your crew, too, so I bet you like helping kids, anyway!"
"True…"
"And if you're really making this place your turf, I have to determine if you're worthy to preside over us. So, I'm coming with you!"
"Sigh, I've stolen the heart of another cute girl. And now I'm a furry."
"Hey, don't forget who your REAL girl is!" Tressa bonked his head, earning a laugh from Carrot. "But, 'ey, I'm game if you're onboard. We're not quite done with our adventures in Mobius, anyway!"
"Maybe not, but I'm feelin' a different place, honestly." Augustus said. "Besides, we got a certain Kokiri gal to pick up. And maybe then, we'll pay a visit to Hyrule. I'm sure Queen Mandy wouldn't mind us intruding."
"GORONYANYA!" The captain jumped at Cat Viper's sudden greeting, the giant cat taking a seat behind the three. "I know exactly how you feel, Carrot! Why, when I was your age, I wanted ta be an adventurer, too! I don't think I have it in me, anymore, but if you wanna spread your ears and fly, you have my blessing! And Dogstorm here agrees, too!" He reached his right (only) claw to pull the sleeping dog duke over, nodding his snoring head.
"Heehee! Thank you, Duke Viper! But, I'll at least try to come home in time for my birthday."
"Your birthday's soon?" Tressa asked.
"Yep! May 24! I think some outsiders call it a 'sweet 16'?"
"Ah! Ever wonder why they call it that?"
"Keep it to yourself, Captain!" Tressa punched his crown. Carrot giggled, and Viper let out another "Goronyanya!" in laughter.
May 11, two days later; Intergalactic News
In President Schnee's efforts to round up the Kremnants on Mobius, the Galactic Army's Red Ribbon division was deployed to the island of Zou, said to be a Kremling base. The local Mobians not only resisted arrest and brutally assaulted the officers, but they were assisted by none other than the Marzipan Pirates! Adolescent Captain Augustus proclaimed the island as his own, and surviving officers claimed they had the natives' support. The regiment's commander and several high-ranking officers were killed by the pirates and Mobians, but based on description and photographs, our brave soldiers have provided us with images of the dastardly crew! You'll find their wanted posters on the next page.
Augustus the Gobstopper: 1,300,000,000
Kohaku the Gorilla: 500,000,000
"Money-Eyed" Tressa: 200,000,000
"Sea-bear Killer" Hinahoho: 350,000,000
"Monster Baby Trio" Stewie, Maggie, and Nel: 150,000,000 each
Tama: Believed to be a kidnapped cabin child with Stockholm.
Among the native Mobians of Zou, two rabbit-types, in particular, have done heavy damage to two of our officers. Be wary of rabbits if you're thinking of visiting Mobius!