Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. The rating is for future chapters.
Chapter One
Blood welled in Luffy's mouth even as he took another hard hit to the stomach and stumbled. The boy was badly injured and was very much fighting a losing battle. Then again, it was hard to fight someone you couldn't hit and that was the case when it came to Captain Smoker. Luffy spat the blood out and whipped his hand across his mouth as the Marine watched him smirking.
"What's the problem Mugiwara? Done already?"
The captain growled, frustrated. The only reason they were in this situation was because he and Nami, being the two healthiest after an ambush attack, had been sent to find food and supplies. Turns out the ambush hadn't been over. Luffy began to steam again as he activated Gear Second for the third time. He was desperate and that only grew as he felt Nami bump against his back.
"Luffy…What do we do?" Smoker began to move forward, raising his keroseki jut for another attack.
The boy swallowed, "Nami. Get ready to switch with me and block."
The woman nodded, changing places flawlessly as Luffy took out the last couple Marines and Nami blocked the jut with her climatact. "Luffy! I can't hold him!"
The boy turned and grabbed her, pushing the navigator down as he ducked the jut and used Smokers own momentum to throw him over his back onto the ground. He picked Nami up and started running; using the momentum he gained from Gear Second to carry them faster.
"We can't go back to the ship, Luffy. The others aren't ready for a fight again so soon!"
The boy nodded. "I know."
He kept running, hopping he could escape the Marine before the gear ran out. Unfortunately he was forced to stop before it did as they found themselves on the edge of a high cliff, poised over a river.
"Damn it!" Luffy growled even as a smug voice came from behind them.
"Looks like your luck just ran out Mugiwara."
The boy backed right to the edge of the cliff, Nami holding tightly to his vest as the Marine moved closer. Luffy was out of time. If that jut touched him he was useless and they would both be captured. On the other hand the river offered one last potential escape. If it was salt water Nami wouldn't be able to keep them both afloat in her current state. If it was fresh water they might stand a chance. All this went through the captain's head in a split second. He wrapped an arm around Nami's waist and the woman clung to him as if she knew what had just gone through his head. Smoker caught on half a second too late and could only watch as the two plummeted and were swept away by the river.