Wiping the sweat off his brow, Shin completes the Wicked Wench's repairs.
Shin: There... Better?
Wicked Wench: Prrrrrr...
Shin; I'll take that as a yes.
Ruby: Oh?
Victor and Metana climb back aboard the ship. The others took notice of their Captain's absence.
Ruby: Where's Davy?
Victor: He went on ahead, and we lost him. We came back to the ship so we could sail across and find him.
Victor: Wick, if you would?
Begrudgingly, the ship took off and began sailing across the island, with the crew keeping an eye out for where Davy could be. Their first thought was to check out that structure towards the island's center, but a roar and pillar of lightning then caught their attention.
Shin: That must be Tiga... And since Davy is chasing her, our best bet is to follow her.
Victor: Not a bad idea...
The ship altered course towards the pillar of lightning that died down.
(Opening Theme)
Tiga: Raaaaaaah!
The wild thunder master roared wildly, her Electro pulsing out uncontrollably. Anything and everything was an enemy.
Tiga:(sniff, sniff)
But even she could recognize food.
Following the scent of a well-cooked meal, Tiga found a man in a black suit and unkempt raven hair.
His breath was visible as any other in winter. Cooking a stew, he paid no attention to Tiga, who immediately rushed to attack him.
Man:(sigh)
He turned around, revealing his tired face as he raised a leg and kicked Tiga away from his stew.
Man: "Frostbite sonata..."
(BAM)
Knocked into a tree, Tiga attempted to get up, but she found her body stiff, almost like it was frozen.
(Cold Feet Motz; Motzart "Motz" Geletto)
Motz: "...1st Movement".
Motz: Huh...?
Motz: Wait... Y-you're... SEXY!?
Motz: OH GOD!? WHAT HAVE I DONE!!?!
Motz: A year of living on this island, and I kick the first sexy Mink I find!?!
A pillar of lightning bursts from Tiga who roars.
???: Why is that a familiar presence...?
Motz: Old man, I screwed up!
(Lost Blade of the Marines; Helmeppo)
He ignored Motz, as he approached Tiga.
Helmeppo: Now how did you end up back here....?
The Wicked Wench dropped anchor near the spot where they saw Tiga's pillar of lightning. Victor, Shin, and Metana hopped off to look for Tiga and Davy.
Ruby and Jade stayed behind as lookouts.
Metana: This is going to be hard... The forest is pretty dense.
Victor: Give me a moment...
Focusing his senses, Victor uses his Observation-Haki to sense everything around him. Through the dense forest, Victor found what he needed to lead the crew onward.
Victor: Follow me.
Shin: You noticed something? How?
Victor: Observation Haki comes in handy.
Metana: Haki...?
The trio found themselves in front of Motz, who was finishing his stew.
Motz: Hm?
Glancing back at the trio, Motz focuses on Metana. Victor in the meantime notices the cracked tree and lightning burn marks.
Metana:?
Motz:.... Nah.
Victor:(pulls out gun) Where's Mink with bluish-white fur?
Motz: What's your business with her?
Victor: She's part of our crew.
Motz:...
Motz: She needs her beauty sleep. So I suggest you come back later.
Victor: No.
(BANG, BANG, BANG)
Opening fire on Motz, Victor attempts to force the information out of him, but to his surprise, this disheveled man can spin around and kick away the bullets.
Victor: Stay back.
He tells Shin and Metana as he rushes toward Motz, whistling.
Victor: "Taurus Minor Caliber"!
Flicking on the Dial tech on his gun, he fired several bullets that flew out in a square formation, Victor watched Motz throw a kick at his bullets, but the frost-breathing man found himself knocked back by the bullets.
Motz: Hmph!
Twisting his body, Motz managed to flip and land on his feet where he was immediately forced to dodge Victor's next blast.
Metana: This... Is so exciting!
Metana: But, still... Is it necessary?
Shin: I don't know. But it's about time we make some progress. If this is how we get it-
(CRASH)
Motz and Victor were both tossed aside by a third party.
The Moon Chaser.
The Leo brothers, arrived, ready for their hunt.
Liger: You are all wanted dead! For a challenge between tribes has been put into motion!
Victor: I don't know what you're talking about. But if you get in my way, I'll put a bullet between your eyes.
Motz: Big muscular guys... Get lost. You aren't welcome here.
Victor and Motz get ready to fight each other, however, the Leo brothers leap toward them, each picking one of the guys, and begin to fight with them.
Both Motz and Victor dodged their initial attacks. Motz did so by simply leaping away, as Victor used his "Aries Caliber" to fling himself out of the way. But, the two Minks didn't let up, with Electro charged fur, and beast speed they swung wildly at the two, giving no room for a counterattack.
Motz dodged with some effort, whereas Victor had to use his "Aries Caliber" technique again and again in combination with his Haki to avoid the attacks, and with each bullet, he came closer to needing to reload, which would leave him open to getting hit with something he had no clue if he could survive.
Motz: "Trench Foot Sonata..."
He lifts his leg, striking his opponent's fist with his knee, dramatically knocking it off course.
Motz: "1st Movement"!
Stomping down on his enemy's foot, Motz caused it to swell and freeze making the Leo brother unable to use that foot.
Motz: "2nd Movement"!
Using the leg that was on his enemy's foot, Motz leaped up and riddled his opponent with a flurry of kicks.
Meanwhile, Victor changed things to a higher caliber.
Victor: "Aries Minor Calibet"!
(BANG)
He launched himself into the air with his final bullet, but Liger Leo was able to follow, by leaping up high with his great strength.
Victor however was expecting this.
Victor: "Shooting Star Barrage"!
Swinging out his guitar case, Victor opens it, launching out the mini-missiles inside it, which all hit Liger Leo.
(BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM)â´
Liger: Agha!?
Blown straight down to the ground, Victor had a moment to pull out his Guitar Rifle, the "Lone Star".
Landing beside Motz, he and Victor watched the Leo brothers quickly get up, ready to continue as if nothing happened to them.
Shin: How are they going to beat these guys?
Metana: I don't know...
(Woooosh)
The Leo brothers were then suddenly knocked away, perhaps to the other side of the island, by an old master, Helmeppo.
Motz: Old man? Why did you do that, I could have beaten them on my own.
Helmeppo: She asked to see them. I didn't want to keep her waiting.
Helmeppo: You three! Come on, I'll bring you to Tiga.
Victor/Shin/Metana:!
Reluctantly and on edge, the three follow Helmeppo and Motz into a cave, where they are greeted by Tiga, who sits far away from the exit, covered in a blanket, out of her Sulong form.
Shin: Tiga! You're back to normal!
Metana: How do you feel?
She and Shin rushed to her side as Victor leaned against a wall.
Tiga:... I... I feel bad...
Metana: Do you remember what happened?
Tiga:(sadly nods)
Tiga: I hurt Davy... After he saved me... Even after all my training, I'm not strong enough to control myself!
Slamming her head into the rocky ground, Tiga begins sniffling.
Tiga: Tiga is so stupid! Why? Why did I look at that stupid moon!?
Tiga: Why did I attack you all... Why did I hurt Davy...!? Why can't I control myself!?
Metana: It's okay...
Victor:(tilts head) No it isn't.
Metana: Victor!
Victor: Don't get me wrong. I don't blame her or anything, but that doesn't mean everything is okay.
Victor: And it certainly doesn't mean she doesn't have a lot to do to make up for her actions.
Motz: I should kick your teeth in.
Victor: I should shoot your kneecaps.
Helmeppo: Enough boys.
Victor: Who even are you?
Helmeppo: I'm nothing but a relic.
Tiga: Hippo saved me when I was young. Taught Tiga Haki.
Tiga: Can you teach Tiga to control herself?
Helmeppo: Only you can do that.
Metana: Hey, wait, you said you fought Davy. Where is he now?
Tiga:.... If Tiga had to guess...
(Elsewhere....)
Davy sat in Alfa's throne room, struggling to get the strength to continue the fight.
To be continued....