//------------------------------// // Chapter Five, Conversations. // Story: The Displaced Tournament - Presented By Hetap // by Uncle Iroh //------------------------------// (Fight, Fight, Fight!) (Fight, Fight, Fight!) Our Blood Is Pumping, Ready, Lets Go! To A New World To Test Our Strength! Now’s The Time To Push Ourselves! Holding Back My Tremendous Strength! (Go!) What’s The Wait? C’mon Let’s Start! (Go!) Katakuri’s Got No Satisfaction! (Woo-Hoo!) Nerves Taking Hold! (Woo-Hoo!) Chaining Down Our Hope! We Can’t Let It Break Our Dreams Of Winning (Let’s Finish The Fight) (Woo-Hoo!) So, Let's Stop Our Plans! (Woo-Hoo!) See what This Tournament Brings, Joined As One, We Can Win The Fight~! Just See What We’ll Achieve, With All These Possibilities! You Can Beat Us Down, (Hey!) But We’ll Rise Again! (Hey!) Our Breath Will Not Be Our Last! We’ll Surpass Our Limit Break, This Tournament Will Be A Challenge! But We Cannot Lose! (Hey!) We’re Bulletproof! (Hey!) Come Show Us All Your Strongest! Cause This Is The Displaced Tournament, And Even Ryker Will Be Blow Away! Chapter Five, Conversations. "Ignoring everything that previously happened, I fought Black. You know the guy you fought? Ended up in a draw but it was damn epic." Thanos chuckled.  “Kodo,” Doom called, causing the diamond dog to jump. “Come here. I got something that could help you, help your mother.”  “Doom don't,” Eric said, moving between him and the pup. “I told you this is a bad idea” But the mention of helping his mother caught Kodo’s attention, and he zipped to Doom’s side with his ears perked. “No, what’s he talking about?” he insisted. "Pup you have no idea the dangers his amulet will cause," Eric said trying to reason with the Diamond Dog At first, Kodo was silent, looking down with flattened ears. He chanced a glance at Sombra, his fur bristling as old memories came to him. The memories surfaced in his pack link, swirling around him and bubbling with emotion and images.  “Sombra wasn’t just some influence I picked up,” Kodo growled as the memories displayed his words. “I was born with him.” His pack link displayed an image of Shiva fighting. Getting grazed and scarred by dark magic. “A part of his magic got into my mom during a fight with him, and it found refuge in me while I was still in the womb.”  Eric gave a glance toward his friend remembering the times he had to face him. Slowly, he knelt down to eye level with Kodo as the diamond dog made his confession.  Kodo breathed. “For my entire life, I heard him. Whispering in my ear. Warning me that my mother was too soft. That she deserved better. That the ponies were my enemy. I thought it was normal. I thought he was my friend.” His claws clenched. “Then he took my mom from me… and I got to feel what it was like to give in. To make the ponies fear me. To take out my anger and rage.” His teeth briefly bared, before he looked down with shame. “But then we faced a foe our combined strength couldn’t beat. And I was left alone…” His tail tucked. “I lost Sombra. I lost our power. But worst of all… I lost the trust of everyone. The ponies. My pack…” He looked up with a laugh that bordered on a sob. “She’s too good a diamond dog to say it, but even my mom lost faith in me.” He looked down at his claws again. “Made me wonder why the Elements didn’t just kill me with Sombra.” Without hesitation Eric slapped the pup across his face with as little strength as he could muster. Black almost stood up to stand between the two, but held himself back to see how it would play out. Kodo jumped back with a bark of shock, only to go silent as Eric’s powerful voice halted any protests.  “Listen to me, Kodo cause I will only say this once, Only the weak seek death, and death brings suffering to everyone you love” Eric warned with a serious look in his eyes. “Only cowards wish for their death.” “I wasn’t seeking death, you…!” Kodo stopped himself before he finished that sentence. He looked down with a glower. “I just don’t know how to make up for what happened. To show that I changed. That I learned.” He sat down. “Sombra or Umbra… the demon is purged from me. But everyone still acts like I’m dangerous. That I’m insane.” His claws clenched. “The only way I can think on how to fix that is to show that I’m different! Otherwise… I don’t know how I’ll get that trust back.”  “Trust is never given, young one” Eric said, rising to his feet. “Trust is earned and earning it must take time.” “Do what you think is right.” Black spoke up. “You may never gain that trust, I sure hell didn’t. But you could be happy if you did something that made a difference.” Kodo chuckled softly. “I tried,” he admitted. He looked to the arena. “I volunteered for this. That should have been me out there. Mother was never a fighter, she was a healer. A diplomat. She hates fighting. I don’t know if I could’ve done better, but…” He shook his head. “But Ryker wanted her. And now she’s out there… fighting my battle for me.”  Black sighed, “Sometimes we never get a choice in some matters kid.” “Trust me when I say this Kodo, your fight will happen when the world sees that you are ready” Eric said reaching into his body. “All you can do prepare for that day” Eric removed his hand from his body and pulled out a white fruit with black swirls, Kneeling before the Diamond Dog, Eric begins to speak more seriously “This is to apologize for what I did to your mother” Eric said putting the fruit in the pup’s claws. “Neither of you know my experience with mind control so it was unforgivable of me to do that” Kodo lowered his own head. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I guess… with Mom’s pack link, everyone in our kingdom… knows each other. We’re all so open with our thoughts because we can trust each other. Even Sombra didn’t force me to do things like attack my family, so… the idea of being forced against your will…” he shuddered. “It sounds so… alien. Cruel.”  “Then you should understand,” Eric said, lifting the pup’s chin. “The last time someone took over my mind I was given one simple order, Kill Luna. it was here that I drew the final line in the sand, nopony messes with my mind and lives” Kodo bowed his head. “I understand,” he said. “Mom didn’t mean to make you relive that. She just wanted to help.” He smiled softly. “It’s in her nature.” “I know, I’ll be making it up to her later as well,” Eric said, giving the Diamond Dog a slight smile. “You’d better either eat that or put it in a pocket dimension” Kodo glanced at the fruit and chuckled. “Well, pocket dimension’s out of the question, so…” he quickly bit into the fruit. His ears flattened and his fur bristled at the taste, but he powered through and swallowed it. Black winced at the scene, “Oh god, I thought Thanos was joking about it tasting bad. But after seeing your reaction… he wasn’t joking…” “Oh no they are absolutely Rancid in the taste department” Eric admitted as Kodo’s body started turning into smoke which caused the pup to panic slightly Forcing down his fear, Kodo breathed, watching as his limbs evaporated around him. “Okay,” he growled softly. “I can do this.” He clenched his claws into fists, forcing his body to remain solid. “This power will only be used for good. No matter how tempting it gets, I will not fall to darkness again.” He breathed steadily and calmly, as his limbs reformed, though still smoked like he had escaped a fire.  “I’ll admit you’re doing much better than Rainbow Dash did when she ate her Devil Fruit" Eric said with a chuckle. “She completely spazzed out and I had to throw her into a pond” Kodo laughed. “Well, if there’s one good thing the Sombra from my world gave me, it’s experience with smoke, obsidian and shadow magic.”  “He was always a trickster with that bullshit…” Black muttered. “You too faced Sombra?” Eric asked. "Good or bad?” Black glanced at Eric, “He murdered my friends, a friend I considered a brother, killed my master and an innocent Filly in front of me.” Black listed out. “So yeah, I faced the dirtbag.” “Look I understand how you feel,” Eric said with sincerity. “By all accounts I should have killed him the moment I laid eyes on him, but past all the evil and brimstone he was just a victim of another dark ruler.” “That’s what he told me as well,” Kodo admitted. “I’m not sure how different it is, but the Sombra in my world turned to Umbra as a way of keeping out monsters in the Frozen North.” He watched the smoke drift up from his fur. “The way he described it… it really sounded like he had the best of intentions.”  Black put a hand to his chin and began to think aloud. “That could’ve happened to my Sombra, but he’s long dead after I…” Black looked away for a second, his face full of shame, “After I snapped…” “You can speak, I’m comfortable about death,” Eric said to the saiyan Black sighed as he turned his attention back to Eric, “After I snapped, I turned into Super Saiyan 2, but much more… psychotic when Gohan did it against Cell.” “Yeah never got that far, Me and my friend could only get an episode or two before I had to sneak back home” Eric said remembering his tortured youth. “We had just finished the Frieza arc before I was sent here.” Kodo blinked at them. “And I’ve… never seen what you’re talking about. I’m sorry, who’s Gohan? Is Cell short for Celestia?”  “It’s something from our world. You wouldn’t understand,” Eric said Black chuckled, “It’s alright, it's a show back from where I’m from. There was a teenager with so much potential to be a great warrior, but he’d rather not fight. But was forced to when his father told him to fight a being called cell. An android with the cells of every warrior in the universe, except for Buu.” Black explained as he stood up from the bench. “When Cell had kill and Android turned good called #16, the kid snapped, transforming into a ascended form of Super Saiyan, for example.” Black gripped his hands and transformed into a Super Saiyan 2. Kodo yelped, and burst into a cloud black smoke. Growling, he struggled to reform. “Black chill” Eric said, interrupting the saiyan. “I gathered from your form that you were a major fan like I was with One Piece but like I said he wouldn’t understand” Black realized what Eric meant, “Sorry, couldn’t help myself…” Black nervously chuckled while rubbing the back of his head. Black looked to Kodo, seeing the pup was having some trouble. Eric immediately saw that Kodo was struggling to reform his body, only getting bits and pieces to return to normal “Having trouble?” Eric asked Kodo growled as his head briefly formed, looking like he was poking his head out of a storm cloud. “I don’t get it,” he grumbled. “Sombra made this look so easy.”  “You’re forcing yourself to reform aren’t you?” Rainbow asked as she approached the group Kodo took one look at Rainbow Dash, yelped again, and poofed into smoke. “Yes,” his voice moaned from the cloud. “There’s your problem, squirt” Rainbow said with a million watt smile. “It’s like this, when it comes to Logia’s like you, me, and Eric, you’re trying to beat a river into submission when in reality you need to surrender to it’s flow” “And here I thought you never listened,” Eric said elbowing the pegasus Black looked to the mare with surprise, “Is it just me, or did she just teach something useful?” “Pretty much,” Eric admitted. “Remove the bravado and the ego and you have yourself a fine soldier” Kodo’s head reformed from the smoke. “So… I just… go with the flow?” He glanced down at his smoky body. “Precisely” Eric said said as Kodo began to reform almost instantly much to Rainbows surprise “You’re kidding?” Rainbow asked dumbfounded. “It took me weeks to control it without bursting into flames” “I think we’ve got ourselves a protage.” Black said with a laugh, crossing his arms. Kodo chuckled sheepishly. “I had a bit of training when I had Sombra in my head for… most of my childhood.” He swallowed as he glanced at Rainbow Dash’s look of disbelief. “Speaking of which… you may not be the Rainbow Dash from my world… but I feel I owe you an apology all the same.”  “What for Squirt?” Rainbow asked Kodo’s grin faded to regret. “While Sombra was in my head, he figured out how to hide my mom from me. Then, he made me do a lot of bad things to get her back. Things like…” he swallowed. “Taking over Canterlot.” He lifted his claws before she could speak. “I know it was wrong now… and I want to make amends.” He bowed his head. “So… I’m sorry. For that.”  “Oh...uh...apology accepted” Rainbow said utterly confused, while she knew of Eric’s origin and that there were others like him she was still new to the whole multiverse concept. “No..hard feeling” Kodo covered his eyes with embarrassment, like a camera-shy dog, fading into a cloud of smoke again.  “Don’t worry kid you’ll get the hang of it soon enough” Eric said with a chuckle. “Everyone usually does” “Oh, by the way kid, sorry for scaring you earlier.” Black said while nervously laughing and scratching the back of his head. “Oh?” Kodo asked, reforming. “Oh, you’re fine.” “Oh, before I forget you’ll need to know a few things” Eric said taking the nearest seat. “Your Devil Fruit is known as the Smoke-Smoke Fruit or the Plume-Plume Fruit whichever you want to call it, Your body is completely smoke but that doesn’t make you invincible” “Right,” Kodo said, nodding as he took in every word. “For one you are affected by gas, our friend Echo informed us of the fight he had with your fruits predecessor” Eric said soon seeing stars in the mutts eyes. “Also stay away from deep sources of water, the downside to every Devil Fruit user is they lose the ability to swim and sink like rocks in water”    Kodo blinked. “I get the sense that baths are going to be even more painful from now on,” he noted. “No not really, showers and baths seem to be fine, they just weaken you a bit” Eric assured the Diamond Dog. “And lastly Haki” Eric said pulling up his sleeve showing his skin which soon turned black. Kodo gasped in awe. “It’s like obsidian armor!” he whispered, before looking down at his own claws. He clenched them with a grin… only for them to poof into smoke. His ears flattened with a huff of disappointment. “Don’t beat yourself over it alot of creature don’t have the ability to command Haki” “What is Haki?” Kodo asked “Haki is the manifestation of ones will, It creates this armor which enhances both Strength and Defence. It is also able to harm Devil Fruit users” Eric explained to the Diamond Dog Kodo rubbed the fur on his chin. “But… I’m a Devil Fruit user now,” he noted. “At least… I think I am. So… this Haki doesn’t hurt me if I use it, or…?” “In a battle of Haki users it ultimately comes down to who’s willpower is stronger” Eric said his arm returning to normal. “There are three types of Haki.” “Armament Haki: which is the one I just showed you allows you to actually harm Devil Fruit users if they have no physical body” Eric said as he grinned for the next part. “I want you to attack me” Kodo blinked up at him, before hesitantly lifting his claws. “I’m gonna regret this,” he moaned, before bursting into smoke and lunging forward. “Left claw,” Eric said, catching the pup’s arm with a Haki covered arm. “Immediately followed by a kick to the stomach” Eric then grabbed the Diamond Dog’s right leg with another Haki covered arm Kodo stared at his caught limbs in shock. “Sombra never mentioned this happening to him,” Kodo mumbled.  “This is the second form, Observation Haki: with this Haki one can read what their opponent is going to do before they do it. It is also use for sensing other around you even through thick walls” Eric said before closing his eyes letting the pup go “And lastly the final form” Eric said, sending out a weak wave of Conquerors Haki. Kodo shivered as the Haki flowed over him. “I remember that from the first fight,” he admitted. “This is known as Conquerors Haki or the Haki of the Kings.” Eric said ceasing his Haki. “It’s very rare, only one in every million are able to use it, it holds the power to knock out those with weaker wills and even force enemies to their knees” “A perfect ability for a King,” Kodo commented, glancing at the arena. “Or Queen…” he pondered. “But like I said, not everyone can use it, plus it takes years to fully master” Eric said, remembering his time away. “I mean it took me two whole years to master mine” “Yeah,” Kodo agreed. “And I’m only getting started on this stuff.”  “That’s the spirit kid” Eric said as everyone returned to the current match. “Yeah, I saw your fight with Black,” Ed nodded. “Surprisingly he used Ddraig to his full potential. l thought he had access to it the time. Still a good fight. I have to say eight out of ten.” He drank more ale. “Black is somewhat of an extended family so I have to keep watch on him. I do that with all my family through the void.” "Also, Doom, you can have my blood." Thanos pulled out his sword and cut his forearm. Drawing blood in the process. “Why does everyone seem so dramatic? All I need is one drop not a bucket worth.” He removes his analyzer and takes a blood sample. “This should prove interesting.”  "Sorry," Thanos chuckled, "It doesn't really hurt me anyways."  “Go big or go home,” Ed commented. “As for my blood don’t bother. It’s all human crap and it can’t exist outside my body or it’ll turn to ash. This isn’t even my original body anyways. That died a while ago.” Hans looks over “So a constructed form? I myself inhabit a created body, my original is now Doctor Doom’s.” “My body is one hundred percent real and human but at the same time it’s just a fleshy puppet I use to interact with the world around me that I am summoned to, or pulled to in this case,” Ed said as he took a swig from his flask. “The only parts of me that won’t flake away in to the wind if my flesh is gonna are my arm and leg and if my body doesn’t regenerate my limbs are pulled into my weapons vault for safe storage.”  When Shiva had collapsed, and Kodo had reunited with her, Ryker appeared, causing Kodo to twine his arms around Shiva protectively. Luckily, for now, Ryker didn’t seem interested in taking her. Instead, he set Link down before them. "I got what I needed from him,” Ryker said, before making a portal and walking back through it. Ryker was gone. Passing Shiva to Kodo to hold, Phoenix got up and made his way over to Link’s body, levitating the hylian’s body up towards him. He then began to check for injuries, but found none. “He’s fine.” Phoenix said, turning to the rest of the group. “Just needs some rest.” Kodo sighed, and a pulse of thought went into Shiva, causing her tail to briefly wag as she learned Link was okay. “Hey Kodo.” Phoenix called out, drawing the diamond dog’s attention. “I’ll need to take Shiva back to the arena before Ryker comes back, take care of Link.” Kodo growled in protest, before Shiva’s pack link pulsed again, thoughts exchanging between mother and son. Kodo’s growls turned into keens. But after a brief standoff, Kodo finally released his mother with a huff, and reluctantly made his way over to Link. “Ed,” Phoenix called, turning to him. “We need to make sure she stays in good health, and out of Rykers hands for now. The extra bulk would be appreciated.” He bent down and picked up Shiva in his arms, making sure to be as careful as possible.  “I will be as careful as possible,” Ed nodded. “I wouldn’t be much of a surgeon if I wasn’t now would I.” He held his hand up and opened a portal. “This pocket room should do for her treatment and seeing as I am conscious now, that bastard won’t get the drop on me. I will have a nanomachine take care of any injuries she has and leave a clone to attend her for now. Would that work for you?”  Pulling Chastiefol from his back, Phoenix chucked it to Ed. “If anything happens, this thing’ll deal with it, you can trust me on that one.” He then handed Shiva over to Ed. Suddenly, Kodo’s pack link twined around them. “She’s not hurt,” he said, his voice panicked and desperate. “She’s under a play dead spell; it allows her to appear unconscious, and she’s supposed to be able to snap out of it when she wants. She’s not actually hurt, just don’t… do anything with scalpels.”  “That’s cool and all,” Phoenix began, “But that won’t stop Ryker from taking her.” “I will be alerted if the clone goes poof,” Ed said as a double of Shiva appeared from white smoke of himself. “And no need for blades, young pup. My machine can open a body through the tiniest of openings. There will be no need for cutting.” The clone took Shiva and Chastefiefol folded behind it as they entered the room, the portal closing behind them. Phoenix nodded to Ed before speaking. “Well, I have some matters to attend to regarding some new information, so I’ll be heading out. Cya.” Phoenix gave a small wave before teleporting out. Kodo sighed in relief, before giving a worried look back at where Ryker had been. Hefting Link on his shoulders, he scurried into the locker room. Thanos then walks off looking behind him before going down a hallway, Thanos opens a door nearby him and walks in.  "...How do I get stronger?" He asked himself, "I have Haki, Rokushiki, Kaio-Ken, Ki, and my Devil Fruit. And… This armor…" He took out his emblem. "Wait… I have some magic… Oh. My. God. I can use that magic to my advantage!" It all clicked to Thanos, Thanos grinned. “What are you whining about again?’ Ed said with a flat stare as he cleaned his ear with his pinky finger. "Just planning on how to get stronger." Thanos said turning to the Sage. “Can I flick you, I feel like I should flick you in the forehead,” Ed looked at the mad titan. “Maybe I should Mr. Popo?” "Why?" Thanos raised an eyebrow, Thanos crossed his arms. "Why are you even here in the first place? Why'd ya follow me?" “I’m just looking around really,” Ed shrugged. “I can be anywhere and everywhere I want as long as it’s not in my world. I was forced into this world anyway so I’m not bound by all the rules you guys are for the tournament as well. Being A Spectator I can do whatever the hell I want really. I’m not on any displaced’s side either. I also find the fights exciting and I want a piece of Ryker for taking my snuggle time with my girls away. So what’s your dilemma grape ape?” "Trying to get stronger." Thanos leaned on some crates that were stacked in the room. “I can teach how to bend one of the four elements if you want?” Ed shrugged as he went over to the crates. “Who needs He-man actions from the seventies?” "Nah, bending isn't my style." Thanos said as he studied the room idly. “Maybe this then,” A yellow crystal plopped into his hand. “Dragon Slayer Magic? Doesn’t have to be lightning either?” "Dragon Slayer eh?" Thanos turned to Ed, "Now I'm interested." Thanos chuckled. “Like the name says this type of magic was designed to destroy Dragons." Ed explained as he tossed the crystal up and down. “You can gain it a few different ways. One be taught by a dragon, two have one of these crystal implanted in your body, or three eat dragon flesh from the world of Fairy Tail.” He let the crystal float in the air. “You gain a slight elemental resistance to things, can eat compatible magic to create new move or replenish your own magic etc. Down side is motion sickness to anything you consider a vehicle. But the last one is mainly mentality but it’ll still affect you. You can in fact have multiple types of dragon slayer magic but at most only eight. The only way this is done is by implanting these crystals into your body.” "Alright bet, but what do I get? Fire, Lightning, Ice, Earth, Water, what?" Thanos asked Ed impatiently. “What ever ones you want,” Ed said flatly. “Name it I have in stock or can make it real quick.” "...Earth… With my Heat Heat Fruit I can make it Lava." Thanos said as he lifted up his right arm and it began to heat up. "Not to mention it will be pretty damn hilarious watching everyone look at me eating rocks." “How about I just give you a Lava Slayer Lacrima then,” Ed raised an eyebrow. “Better yet I’ll do both,” he held up two fingers with a smirk. “Lava and Earth!” "...Alright, both it is!" Thanos declared, grinning in the process. “I look forward to a thrilling fight in return,” Ed smiled ashe held up two crystals in his hand, one red and the other brown. “This won’t hurt for too long.” Thanos walked up to Ed and took them before shaking his hand. "Thank you, I'm highly resistant to pain. Now do I just shove them in or… Pause on that." Thanos pointed out before his whole body hardened, using Tekkai Go, he then costed himself in Armament Haki becoming black. “Hmm.. Haki,” Ed smiled evilly. “That won’t do any good as your body undergoes reconstruction and reconfiguration to adjust to the new dragon in you though.” He dusted off his hands to Thanos’s surprise. “All done. I did it when you shook my hand.” "Ye wot m8?" Thanos looked at his hand, he then felt the crippling pain. He then screamed in realization and agony, his scream being heard throughout the universe. He then stopped, "Now that I got that out of my system, imma eat some rocks." Thanos walked off. “Always the riot,” Ed snarked as he walked into Shiva’s room to check on her.