Legend of the Seven Lights

66. Metal

So, my cat Berry died today, June 4, 2016. Naturally, I'm a little bummed out... There's a Number Cipher in the upcoming stage.

Chapter 66: Metal

Quahog, Rhode Island

All of the operatives regrouped in the town square after the battle. Maddy awoke with aching pains, confused when she saw the various sectors. She was wrapped up in bandages, and so was Chris – the only other person who took sufficient damage. Melody Jackson healed them all with waterbending, and at 9:00pm, the sky had a faint amount of orange left.

"Oh, Maddy. You're awake." Mocha sighed with relief. Maddy looked left to find the giant on her knees.

"Mocha? What's going on? Did we win?"

"CP10 retreated and kidnapped Cheren." Mocha frowned. "That animal dragged you back to us."

Maddy saw Shade asleep on the ground in her torn jumpsuit, her fur still messy. "Wait... they took Cheren?"

"They did." Francis said regretfully.

The operatives heard tires screeching in the distance and saw a taxi speeding up. It screeched to a halt as a familiar gas-bodied scientist flew out. "COME BAAAAACK!" Caesar reached to the sky in despair.

"Oh, look. It's Caesar." Haruka said casually.

"THAT BOY!" Caesar cried. "That was my... Th-That was... MY MAMMAL-MAMMAL FRUUUUIT!"

"Your Mammal-Mammal Fruit?" Aurora repeated.

Caesar sniffled and wiped a tear. "The Mammal-Mammal Fruit was literally the fruit of my research! Fifteen years ago, I created it... the ultimate Zoan Fruit that could change the user into any animal! The perfect wereanimal who could become them all and have no weaknesses! They could even become aquatic creatures and swim in water. GAAAH, I WAS GONNA MAKE MILLIONS FROM IT! But then he stole it... That sneaky little brat stole my prize! I'll never forget him... JOEY BEATLES!"

Sector V gasped. "So that man that looked like Mr. Beatles..." Mason realized. "That was the Uncle Joey Kirie's parents told us about?"

"The one they said went missing?" Dillon recalled. "Five years after the Firstborn Quest."

"But when we fought him, he acted like he didn't know who he was." Mason followed. "I wonder what could've happened to him..."

"If I had the chance to touch him, I could see his past." Miyuki mentioned. "Then I could tell you."

"Or maybe Caesar can." Haruka said suspiciously.

Caesar turned to them and said angrily, "Joey was one of the boys I kidnapped 15 years ago, for the same reason I kidnapped you and that fatheaded brat over there." Mocha growled at the scientist. "It was around the same time I finished my Mammal Fruit. Then one day, my precious fruit was gone! And Joey was gone, too! Coincidence? NOT REALLY! But I didn't think he was in CP10. CP10 was one of my customers; I would assume the lot of them have Devil Fruits."

"And you created all the Devil Fruits." Aurora noted. "Maybe you can tell us how they work so we'll be able to fight them!"

"Shuroro, of course I could!" Caesar grinned. "The question is, COULD you fight them? Devil Fruits aside, CP10 was formidable before they got them. I mean, just look at what they did to you!"

"That's why we're all going to gang up on them!" Karin Kurosaki declared.

"My sector was able to defeat a World Leader by working together!" Aurora reminded. "I know we can all do the same with CP10!"