[Episode] Why No, I Don't Dance But When I Do, It's Almost Criminal

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Staggering backwards from the explosive charge, Castor caught the woman in his arms. Acting as a human hammock for the tiny woman’s falling body. As she’d look up and see the Three Eyed Man smiling at her warmly, disgusted by the criminal’s almost normal expression, the woman sprung away, creating some distance between herself and Castor.

Several bits of shrapnel came flying his way, Castor simply allowed the large enough chunks that could’ve caused minor damage slip through his body by parting a path for their trajectory to pass. “Castor O. Nox… Are you teaming up with the Plague Rat, Richard Maxwell now?” Minerva inquired. Daft as always when it comes to affairs of the world, “Richard… Maxwell… Can’t say the name rings a bell.” Castor retorted, genuinely puzzled by the woman’s words.

“I’m just here to score some merchandise for my crewmate. That’s all.” Castor declared shrugging. “Steal. That’s all pirates are good for. You're famous in the North Blue… I’m sure you had enough treasure to secure what you desired! Yet! You opted to work with that scumbag!” Minerva shouted, gesturing over to Richard with a nasty scowl. As if a lightbulb physically appeared over his head, “Oh! Mr. Brown’s real name is Richard! I was saying that name sounded strange.” Castor declared, nodding himself proudly at the realization, patting himself on the shoulder.

Pissed, Minerva launched the first volley in the assault, tired of Castor’s ‘slow’ routine, though he'd actually just hadn’t known who exactly the sleazy salesman really was. Swinging around her weighted umbrella with much ease, the woman left minor craters in the ground from missed strikes against Sanpaku. Counter striking with his sword, Summer Rain was met with the opened parasol’s outer refined metallic forge, rendering Castor unable to land a clean strike. What made it even more interesting was that the parasol once opened, covered Minerva’s entire body, leaving only her feet visible from the opposite angle. [UT - missed]

“If I’m going to break through her defenses, I’ll need a bit more power.” Castor thought to himself. Crackles of electricity surged around the Imp’s body, before long, the Three Eyed Tribesman’s skin began to lose pigmentation, turning himself into a living entity, made out of lighting. A humanoid form was maintained of course, but his cracked Summer Rain was now augmented in electricity, it’d be as if Castor had become lightning himself. [HT] [Awakened State] From his new celestial form, Castor released four electrical spheres that hovered around the field like satellites in space, orbiting around Minerva and Castor, as focal points. [LT] [Summanus’s Luna]

Spinning her opened umbrella above her head, the woman coated her weapon in a purple-black metallic coat, tossing the umbrella like a spinning tot towards Castor’s direction. Attempting to block the strike with his lightning blade, the momentum broke through the blade’s makeshift shield, ripping through Castor’s electrical form, reverting the impacted area to it’s human state, and drawing blood. The Imp’s eyes opened widely, usually in this form, he’d been invincible. Unless…. “Eh. Can you use Haki?” Castor inquired. [LT - Successful]

“Don’t underestimate me kid. I’m not some backwater Blue Rookie. I was once the proud member of a prominent New World Pirate Crew before I became a bounty hunter.” Minerva announced with some disdain. “You? A pirate?  Matter of fact... Gashi Gashi... I could see it.” Castor inquired before breaking out into laughter, regaining his stance, the man converted the damaged area back into an ethereal form. Extending her hand to the heavens, the umbrella circled around before returning into the woman’s expert care.

“This weapon… It was a gift from my captain and crew.” Minerva explained. “See these white gloves I’m wearing… They act as a magnet for that weapons handle. With a small switch inside my gloves I’m able to attract my umbrella even when it’s parted from my care. I’ve killed many pirates before they even got a chance to stare upon my face.” Minerva boasted. Closing the umbrella, and aiming it’s tip towards Castor. A small hole opened at the umbrella’s point, acting as a barrel of sorts. Cocking the umbrella like a gun’s magazine, a small clip emerged from the umbrella’s handle, squeezing the trigger calming, a splurge of bullets rained in Castor’s direction. Controlling his electrical spheres to intercept the bullets, four bullets made it through the defense, striking Castor in the shoulder. [LT - Successful]

Staggering backwards slightly, the Imp quickly sheathed his blade to inspect the wounds. He understood haki, but bullets harming him? As he’d dig his nails into his shoulder, one by one, Castor removed the shells, rubber shells to be precise. Both him and Minerva looked equally shocked, they’d both discovered a weakness in this moment. “Looks like my Stunning Rubber Shells work on your kind, boy.” Minerva gloated. Cocking her weapon once again, she’d fire off another round but this time, Castor instantly transformed into a bolt of lightning, dashing behind the woman’s defense in an instant, and striking behind her kneecap with his sheathed blade. Staggering a bit, Minerva was shocked at the man’s actual speed, shifting her body towards Castor’s new position, and opening her umbrella to act as a shield and a deterrent.

“Quick reflexes. Alright. Let’s see if I can break that little defense of yours.” Castor stated grinning, still nursing the shoulder wounds and damage dealt to his pride as an usual untouchable logia.

COMBAT TRACKERS:

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Sheathing his Summer Rain back into it’s holster, Castor began to pace in circles around the woman. Minerva, sitting at the centre, adjusted the position of her opened parasol, as to completely block any openings, as Castor searched for a point and time to attack. Asserting his willpower over Minerva, a red aura began to consume the Hunter’s spirit, causing her to sweat slightly. [Haoshoku Haki - Active] Watching the women's movements as he’d pace, Castor sharpened his instincts to avoid any more surprise Busoshoku infused attacks. [Kenbunshoku Haki - Active] Grinning, the man’s ethereal form transformed into that of a dragon’s head, shooting off almost instantly, as the dragon’s head travelled it’s body manifested, shaking along the battlefield in a reptilian fashion. The lighting based teeth of the dragon bit right through the parasol, leaving massive holes, pushing Minerva sky bound before consuming her within the concentrated blast of electricity. [HT - Vritra]

The woman’s pink Victorian style dress tattered, her body fell from the ceiling level towards the ground with a loud clump on impact. [UT] As soon as the woman’s body touched the concrete slab, Castor reappeared on the floor inches away from her, extending his index finger, a beam of lightning would surge at it’s tip. Firing off the blast, Minerva cried out like a child getting its first flu shot, wailing uncomfortably at the onslaught. [LT - Trenta] Laying on the ground squirming, tears involuntarily began to drip from her eyes in frustration. Forcing her way back to a stance, the woman closed what remained of her umbrella, to fire off a marble sized cannonball which rang out a wicked explosion. Luckily, Castor predicted the incoming projectile, and managed to escape with slight burns, moving seconds after the bomb's detonation. [MT - Grazed Hit]

With Minerva unable to move, Castor’s lightning dragon continued to rampage around the battlefield, crashing into the contains 33, 34, 35, rendering the mechanical spiders who jumped in the dragon’s path, disengaged. Behind door 33 stood the giant who’d been auctioned off earlier, restrained in shackles, the book Castor desired, and around twenty or so barrels filled with Dance Powder.

Dashing into container 33, Castor stood at the foot of the Giant Groz. Releasing several electrical blasts, Castor shattered the Giant’s chains. “You’re free to go now… Rogue Pirate - Groz.” Castor declared. “What’s your angle Sanpaku? Why would a pirate famed for his tyranny free a loser such as myself?” Groz declared, lethargically, tired from his injuries after being subdued. “No real reason. I have some merchandise I need moving… You’re the perfect size to do it. The Dance Powder and more importantly… the Book in the next two rooms. Secure them. I’ll break us out of here once I’m finished with Minerva. My crew’s kind of short of staff at the moment… and my ship is surely big enough to house you… well… on my deck at least.” Castor declared. “What do you say Groz… Do you want to join my crew?” Castor inquired, his third eye expanding widely in excitement.

“Groz was a name given to me by the humans. My true name is Stannis.” Stannis retorted.

“Stannis… huh? I like it. Stannis - The Ship Sinker.” Castor concluded grinning.

COMBAT TRACKERS:

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Lifting himself from out of the cell, Stannis began to salvage the contents of the three containers. Castor would signal towards him to toss the book, while Stannis took off the ripped shirt he was wearing, and fashioned it into a nest for the loot. Scanning the pages of the book, a slight chuckle would come out as Castor flipped through. As questions about Richard’s pay-out came into focus, the Imp would toss the book towards the slender man. “It’s a fake. It’s not worth 500,000,000 but if you can pawn it to the right sucker, you can get half of that.” Castor exclaimed, chuckling. “As for the money I owe you, consider it null since you ditched the old man.” Castor responded shrugging, turning his back away from Richard with an angry expression on his face, only to wink and stick out his tongue once his face was no longer visible. “As a bonus, I’ll split the Dance Powder with you 60/40. It’s not like I need the bulk of it anyway. Sixty for me of course.” Castor declared, fixing his fingers to form an okay sign.

Charging an electrical current around himself, Castor shot off a blast towards the woman who’d been struggling to her feet. The impact of the electrical shockwave sent the woman’s body rolling against the concrete backwards into a nearby stone pillar. [MT][Divine Wrath] Using the pain as a motivator to regain her stance, Minerva dashed towards Castor in a b-line fashion. Shooting several quick charges from his index finger, mimicking that of a loaded pistol, Castor fired off several bolts towards the woman’s arms, legs, and chest cage. However, through willpower, she’d push through the jolts, continuing her advance towards the Blue Captain Rookie. [LT - Grazed Hit - Crucifixion]

“Stubborn.” Castor murmured, raising his hand above his head to summon a series of electrical bolts fashioned in the form of spears. Shooting off the spears like volleys from a professional lawn tennis player, the impact of each spear pinned the woman against the floor, inches before her umbrella would have made contact to Castor. Electrocuting her mercilessly, the spears diminished, leaving her once pinned up right body, to fall to the floor, leaving a loud thump noise upon impact. [LT][Decagon] As the woman fell, she’d swing her weighted umbrella towards Castor’s ankle, leaving it slightly swollen. [UT]

“Minerva. Interesting offense. I’ve never seen someone fight with an umbrella before.” Castor commented.

Standing once more without delay, the woman drew a blade from the parasol, aiming the thin sword at the Imp. Resting an arm behind her back, the woman assumed a common stance most fencers would. “Engarde.” Minerva called to the Imp. Retrieving Summer Rain from her slumber, he’d line up his blade’s front face to touch the woman’s blade.

COMBAT TRACKERS:

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Pissed by Castor’s poor negotiation skills, the Imp found himself staring down the face of the sleazy salesman’s barrel. “Heh. Your fault for trusting a snake like The Plague Rat, Sanpaku. You have no idea how many people he’s scammed over the years.” Minerva chimed in. Before Richard could’ve made good on his threat, Castor engaged Minverva once more, the two clashed blades. Castor pursuing raw power and Minerva using the man’s own weight against him to sway from side to side, in this dance that involved their lives as it’s cost. Utilising his foot techniques, Castor electrically charged the face of his Summer Rain, releasing a flurry of attacks that placed Minerva very much on the defensive side of the exchange. If Castor swung eight times in a ten seconds, four out of those strikes landed, ripping open flesh upon contact. [MT - Dance of the Lightning Pheasant]

Heating up the air around himself, Castor caused a monstrous explosion to clap out as loud as lightning, deafening the woman momentarily, and ejecting her from Castor’s striking range about several feet. [LT - Celestial Barrier] Giving chase, the Imp lunged into mid-air, back-flipping to fire off an electrical blast from his leg, which forcefully pinned Minerva into the ground. [LT - Trenta] Landing within enough distance to place the sword against her neck, but also giving Richard enough time once again disburse his enemy and aim his pistol back at him. The timing was too perfect, it’d almost make the pirate captain cackle. Looming behind Richard was Castor’s new giant friend, and with Richard’s pistol coming up short with the threat, the giant attempted to snatch up the slender man into his palm.

“Don’t engage him Stannis. Focus on getting us out of here. I’m going to need you to break a hole in the ceiling. Use the containers as your stepping stones.” Castor instructed. Before the man could even finish his commands, Minerva’s fencing blade sprung sharply into Castor’s right rib cage area. [MT - Successful] Staggering backwards, freeing the advantage on her neck, Minvera gave out two swift jabs, stabbing her blade at Castor’s cheek, and throat, missing her intention to kill but dealing enough damage to open wounds. [LT - Successful] Continuing the flurry, Minerva tossed her blade into Castor’s thigh, pinning him in position. [LT - Successful] Launching herself off the ground, the woman would high-kick the man, hiking up her skirt to reveal long black stockings, and metal tipped spikes on the bottom of her shoes. Connecting to Castor’s mid-section, the Imp cringed in pain, clutching onto his blade to free himself. [UT] Creating an electrical hand, he’d reach into the back of his kimono to reveal Iris, tossing the spear into the woman’s shoulder, the force being strong enough to separate her spikes from his chest. [UT] Freeing the woman’s blade from his thigh, in the distance, about a mile or so away, Castor could hear the murmurs of Juice, and a posse of about four or five, could be more since not all of them were making their presence known.

“Richard! We have about ten minutes until Juice gets here. If he does, we’re both dead men. We can squabble about cuts later.” Castor shouted. “If you think… I’m letting you two leave her alive… You’re mistaken.” Minerva declared, fashioning her gloved hand in a come hither mannerism, attracting back her blade. Pointing her blade first at Castor, and then at Richard, “I’d die before I let either of you scum leave and my family die as a consequence.” Minerva resolved.

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