2

"That's Moria-sama to you, fool!" a bratty voice called out.

I startled, bratty voice…a sweat drop of embarrassment rolled down the back of my head.

I had completely forgotten Hogback, Absalom, and Perona were in the room with me. My entire focus had been upon Luffy when he interrupted my musings.

"That's right, Moria-sama won't leave you unpunished." A guy with a lion mouth answered.

"Fos fos fos fos!" Hogback laughed menacingly.

Seriously guys, did you all also ignore my entire dialogue with Luffy?! I'll remember this!

With a flourish, I released Zoro and Sanji's shadows.

"Ki shi shi shi shi! Blue, Yellow, release the green haired, and blonde prisoners from their cages, and untie the chains."

"Right away your terribleness!" Blue went to the cages.

"Your wish is my command master. You need only order it, and I will obey. I'll follow you until my second death, why a minion like me couldn't ask for a more merciful powerful and suave master." Yellow kept going, and going, and going.

"Enough!" a sharp glare sent him on his way. I swear, managing this crew is going to be the death of me.

"Zoro, Sanji! Hey you bastard, you said you'd free all of my friends!"

At just that moment three figures fell out of Perona's minion and stuffed bear Kumashi.

A slap rang out.

"Damnit Usopp!"

"I said I was sowwy!"

"Uh, guys." A child's voice attempted to interrupt the quarrel.

"The space was too tight Nami, I had to grab onto something for balance!"

"Guys!"

A duo of shouts rang out "What!"

"Hiiiii!"

And I had the pleasure of watching a scared Usopp and Chopper hide behind a teenage girl.

Like a magician revealing a card, I shifted my clawed hand towards the trio.

"Your missing crew." A shit eating grin adorned my face.

"Absalom, empty the graveyard of zombies. There's to be a duel between Ryuma and their swordsman to settle a wager of mine."

"Yes, Moria-sama!"

"Perona, send your ghosts to search for Ryuma, and summon him to the graveyard. If you spot a black-haired woman traveling with a tall blue haired guy, tell them their Captain is a guest and that we will be at the graveyard."

"Sure thing Moria-sama." A blasé response from Perona.

"Red, send out the word. If any of my soldiers comes across a member of the Straw Hat crew, they're to be treated as my guests."

I ignored his reply, and kept up my current tempo, ordering Blue and Yellow.

"Blue, prepare chairs and tables at the graveyard."

"Yellow, start cooking a feast to be ready at the end of the battle in the graveyard."

I put my hands behind my head and closed my eyes, sinking into my bean bag. Ahh, Moria isn't all that crazy wanting to rely on his minions. Delegating is its own pleasure. He was however, perhaps a tad unrealistic wishing to be the Pirate King with just this amount of effort. Damn if being lazy isn't great though. I could get used to this. I didn't forget anything important, did I?

A loud grinding noise, and then a sudden snap grated against my ears. Nope, nothing can break me out of this relaxed state. Everything is going according to plan.

"Nami! Chopper! Usopp!" a yell echoed throughout the entire room. The sound of chains snapping soon followed.

"Luffy!"

"Ah ha~"

"I was here to bust you out Luffy, it was all part of my genius plan!"

"Uohh, really Usopp, so cool!"

"Yeah, so cool!"

My eyes snapped open, and before me was a scene of laughter, and happiness. Stars formed in Chopper and Luffy's eyes as they looked at Usopp. Nami had a put-upon look, and crossed arms, but a small smile was on her lips.

Unchained, Zoro stood to the side smirking with his arms crossed. Sanji kept making moon eyes at Nami, and swooning about her while talking bad about "that perverted lion guy."

My fists clenched. Even if I wanted friendship like that in this world, it's not happening. Not with a reputation like mine. This guy's been on the planet for forty-eight years, and it hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm double my old age. Moria's got to have a lot of baggage, allies? Enemies. Lovers? Can't see that last one. People will fear me alone because of a power set like mine. My power literally creates zombies, and makes a person prisoner of the night for the rest of their lives. If they so much as stuck a toe in the sunlight, it would get vaporized.

About twenty minutes later, they had finally started to settle down. Ugh, I take it back, it's already painstaking enough managing this crew, I can't imagine what it would be like if I had someone like Luffy or Usopp as one of my officers. Sadly, it seems I already have a Sanji, an entitled brat, and an egotistical doctor. A clawed hand covered my face in despair.

Oh, a distraction!

"Moria-sama"

"Yes! Ahem, yes, come in Perona, you have word from Ryuma?"

"He's at the graveyard as you ordered Moria-sama."

"Excellent." I mimicked Springfield's Mr. Berns.

"Also, Moria-sama."

A whole new round of shouts greeted Perona's arrival.

"Robin, Franky, Brook!"

"Enough!" I bellowed.

The entire hall went silent, all eyes were on me. Oh yeah, still new to this whole Shichibukai thing, and being considered a "dangerous" and "mysterious" man. I coughed a couple times to buy some time.

I tilted my head up and to the side while adopting a smirk of superiority.

"Our warrior is ready and waiting. Are you prepared for your challenge Straw Hats?"

The joking atmosphere from before instantly disappeared, and the crew firmed up, with looks of solidarity.

"We'll get Brook's shadow back Mory!"

"Hmph." Zoro remained with his arms crossed, smirking.

Is that his only pose!

"Don't mess this up shitty swordsman." Sanji lit a cigarette.

"You got this!"

"Yeah!" Chopper and Usopp supported from the sidelines.

"You guys…" Brook cried even though he doesn't have eyes.

"Let's go!" Luffy raised his fist, and his crew joined him for a cheer.

After their pep talk, we made short work to the graveyard. For this contest to go off without a hitch, I'd rather not have a large portion of my castle sliced in half, thank you very much.

"Please, take a seat at the tables my minions prepared."

The crew walked by; Chopper sported a banner saying "Go Zoro." Usopp had a foam finger that read "Zoro #1." Where are they getting these things?! Even my crew is getting involved!

"Go, go Ryuma, go, go!" Some zombies chanted on the side. They also had banners with his name on it!

As we sat down, Zoro, and Ryuma did the stereotypical stare off. It was so quiet, not even the dead made a peep. They were holding the banners completely motionless.

Usopp sneezed, and the fight was on.

Zoro wore a face of pure elation as he exchanged blows with Ryuma.

So he can have different expressions!

"Aubade Coup Droit!" Ryuma executed his special thrust attack. The surrounding headstones were instantly obliterated. This is great. With this new body, I feared I would be too far behind, but I can easily follow these attacks. After I pack on some muscle, maybe I'll be able to fight with physical attacks mixed with my shadow attacks.

"Hn, you're lucky I don't have my third sword right now. That one in your hands will be its replacement" A trickle of blood leaked from Zoro's forehead where a stray piece of concrete had hit.

"You're a talented swordsman, I'll give you that, yoh hoh hoh hoh! This is one of the 21 great swords, meito Shusui. As long as this blade is within my grasp, I'm invincible."

The two clashed blades again and again. Worryingly, Ryuma wasn't losing steam. He took several strikes from Zoro, but they were shallow cuts at best. Meanwhile, Ryuma had the upper hand in strength, while Zoro was faster. All this despite Zoro regaining his shadow! What's going on, this could ruin my whole plan if Ryuma wins.

Eventually their fight became so intense that they started taking it into the crowd. Zombie limbs started to fly about as their blades were like tornadoes, uncaring for who fell upon their path.

Ryuma unleashed Brook's ultimate sword technique "Prelude Au Fer" a sword bending technique that can bypass ones guard.

"Hah, hah." Zoro breathed heavily. Blood leaked from his mouth, and he sported a large gash on his torso.

"Nigiri Hirameki Maguma!" Zoro shouted out his special attack. Performing a lightning fast sideways slash that quickly transitioned to bringing his two swords downward.

"Indeed, you are a most worthy opponent. This sword calls to you, seeking a new master. Take my sword Roronoa!"

The battered form of Ryuma rushed Zoro. His clothes were in tatters, slashes evident across his body. One of his arms joining the multitude of zombie limbs lying about.

"Let's finish this! Yoh hoh hoh hoh hoh!"

The fight had carried them all the way over to a ditch where we lost sight of them. Brook's shadow returned to the skeleton man as we hurried over. By the time we reached them to watch the finale, I heard Nami gasp.

Before us lay an unconscious Roronoa Zoro, a sword impaled above his heart. Ryuma was completely decapitated his head rolled to the side. The blade of another sword was seen sticking out of his back.

"Good news for you Angel, your crew won! Let's get married!" Absalom extended his arms, and ran towards Nami with a kissy face.

He was immediately kicked to the side by Sanji.

"Not on your life, shitty lion."

Now is seriously not the time for your antics Absalom! If you keep making scenes like this, you might outlive your usefulness.

"Doctor Hogback! Emergency surgery! Now!"

"Right away Moria-sama," as he said this, he went to go collect the now lifeless corpse of Ryuma.

"Not Ryuma, the green haired one!" Impatience clear in my voice. I've had enough with this insubordination.

Hogback went absolutely still for a moment, his grin frozen in place.

"Of course, Moria-sama."

"Eh, Moria-sama." A shy voice entreated.

"What!"

"Uh, ah, that is to say, ano. A Mr. Kuma is here to see you sir!"

AN: How was the fight scene? Any suggestions for how I can improve my fights? Would you prefer the special attacks to be in bold?