The Nemean Lions Elegy

by SadEcho

An escaped prisoner has landed on the Strawhats ship. No one is even sure what exactly he is supposed to be, or even if he is human. Labeled as a monster, and on the run from the government, this man is hunted down by his past in more ways that one. Rated M for language and somewhat violent/graphic content.

Authors Note:

-Set after Timeskip: Post Fishman Island Arc

-Companion story of "More than meet's the Eye" by Jitt- This can be read alone

The Nemean Lion's Elegy

xX-xXx-Xx

Prologue

Dust billowed out over the cracked ground and stone pathways. There was so much dirt in the air that the setting sun was only visible as a bloody halo in the dusky afternoon sky. Agonized screams echoed amongst the ruined landscape. Shouts from the medical teams were heard as their forms scrambled over heaps of rubble, trying to restore order amongst the panic. Weaving through the dismal landscape and demolished buildings, they dragged stretchers between the debris, hurriedly scooping up the survivors. Scarfs and cloths, any piece of fabric that was not being used as bandages, had been wrapped around their faces to impede the sting of dirt, dust, and smoke that filled the air.

Many of the buildings had either crumbled or been cleaved in two, sometimes three. So flawless were the cuts, it was as if a giant had come stomping through, slicing the structures with no more effort than cutting bread. But that would not explain the series of long scorch marks against the ground, some of them forming along the long fissures that arced across the crumbling concrete. In some spots there were craters, ripples of stone blossoming from the center, and smoke still rising from the blackened patches of scorched earth.

A tall, broad chested marine stood facing the ocean with all of this devastation at his back. From his shoulders a marine cape, with the kanji for justice printed across its back, fluttered in the weak wind. Blood dripped from one of his clenched fists held at his side, leaving a small pool that reflected the rosy sky. His face was shadowed by a cap, but his deep contemplative frown, framed with a dark beard, was still visible. It spoke of a deep dissatisfaction, rooted in a discontent that seemed impossible to satiate. This man gave off a general air that said he was hard to please.

"Fleet Admiral Akainu-san! The Oni is getting away," a young marine shouted, coming to a halt near the bearded man's side. The youth stopped, gasping just enough air into his chest to ask, "Should we send a ship out in pursuit sir?"

Slowly unclenching his fists from his side, the fleet admiral turned away from staring out to sea, folding his arms across his chest as he gave the marine a level stare from beneath his hat. He watched as the young marine gulped nervously, so in a relatively calm voice he stated, "Marine, look at the condition of our vessels and tell me what you see." Akainu watched as the youths eyes flickered over his shoulder, doubtlessly taking in the destruction behind him.

"Umm… m-most of o-our ships are c-cut clean in h-half sir," stuttered the youth, barely managing to keep eye contact with his superior. "Well... those that are not in pieces also have electrical burns…"

"Very good, now do you think that any of those ships are seaworthy," asked the fleet admiral, his voice carrying a patronizing tone.

"N-no sir! ... But we can't just let that dangerous monster escape out to sea!"

This time, something like a knowing smile lifted the lips of the elderly fleet admiral. Turning back towards the sea, the elderly marine stared at his ruined fleet occupying the harbor. How could someone he had worked so hard to break be so destructive? His miscalculation had cost him and his subordinates dearly. It was a miracle that things had not turned out worse. Though, Akainu had his suspicions things would get much worse if the truth ever got out; especially if he found out.

"Normally I would agree with you, but did you notice anything important about how the criminal escaped?"

The marine stiffened at the question, but he did as he was asked and thought hard about it. Yes, the way the criminal had escaped was most unusual, but it was also terrifying. He couldn't help but stare at the blood staining his superior's gloved hands. It was the blood of the escaped prisoner. Tearing his eyes from the bloody hand, the marine cleared his throat and said, "The Oni…the criminal used what looked like geppo, a technique that lets the user kick against the air to keep themselves in midair, and escaped by traveling over the sea, sir..."

"Many pirates have twisted our geppo into their own techniques, but that is not the important part. If you were looking more closely, you also would have also realized that this 'Oni' was not using the same technique as our marines or Cipher Pol agents. Think more towards the future. There is no way a single person can survive in the New World with no ship or log pose. That fool has sealed his own fate. Escape was only a false hope the moment he was captured. Even if he could somehow navigate the open sea on his own, there isn't another island he could survive on. If he somehow lasts long enough and manages to get to another island, we will be ready for him. All of the islands surrounding this one are under the world government's authority. Alert our forces and send Attach to me so we can look over the photos and go about redistributing wanted posters. Only death will be his escape."

Fleet Admiral Akainu waved off the marine, signaling his dismissal. He barely registered the sloppily thrown salute that was made in haste and in fear. His thoughts were occupied elsewhere.

Crashing waves rolled underneath the darkening sky, where the 'Oni' had disappeared into the horizon. Akainu's thoughts turned bitter. Things were not supposed to be this way. A problem that should have been wiped out long ago had violently resurfaced, presenting a whole set of new problems. This so called monster was not even supposed to exist. If anyone found out about the past…no. There was no reason to believe a man like him, but still…

'Until I have that monster's cold dead body underneath of my feet, I will hunt him down to the very depths of hell itself. I'll put an end to what I started all those years ago.'

xX-xXx-Xx

Ch.1

Creaking and pops filled the air as a lone figure made its way across the sky. Those ominous noises sounded each time that figures limbs bent at the joints. It was a startling contrast to the gentle waves and the cries of gulls gliding on the thermals. As the sun was setting, the air started to grow cooler, but heat still radiated off of the warmed ocean. The gulls shrieked, as the figures head whipped towards them. They remembered how that strange beast had tried to eat one of them earlier, but they stuck around, hoping the monster would drop dead. Even they could smell the blood hanging on its gangly form, promising weakness and an easy target. It was only a matter of time.

'Maybe this was not the smartest thing I could have done,' thought the form morosely. 'I have been kicking nothing but air, and I have seen only the ocean beneath me.' Looking down as his thoughts drifted to the sea, he couldn't help but think, 'Those waves sure look…wavy. Hehehehee…oh! O-Oi! Pull yourself together man!' He slapped both of his hands against his face, the action muffled by shaggy blond fringe that overtook most of his features along with a bedraggled beard. 'Strange, I don't remember letting my beard grow this long.'

The gulls glanced sidelong at each other, silently communicating. That display of madness had to be a good sign, right? At least for them.

What little that was left of the blonde's vision seemed worse for wear. Things were starting to appear blurry and go in and out of focus, but he supposed it was only natural since he had not stopped to rest since dawn. In order to preserve his eyesight, the setting sun had been assigned to his back. That bright light was excruciating to his untried eyes, even though it wasn't even the brightest part of day. He had been kept in darkness for too long. At least keeping the sun behind him would somewhat guarantee he kept going in a singular direction, but even then it probably did not mean much when he was air walking over the Grand Line. Nothing was certain.

Traveling over this sea had not been easy either. Completely random weather in the forms for typhoons, hurricanes, sudden gales, thunderstorms, waterspouts, and tornadoes seemed to haunt him like a bad shadow. However, only one bolt of lightning had hit him during that entire series of wild weather. Maybe he did not have as much luck as he originally thought after all. Trying to stay mid-air during these events was nearly impossible, and had doubtlessly knocked him further off course, not that he had any idea where he was going or where he was. 'Yes, definitely not one of the wisest things I have done.'

Each kick against the air threatened to buckle his long over exerted limbs. The telltale burn of fatigue was starting to spread from those appendages and into the blond man's chest. Every pant, crackling with the collection moisture that had settle in his lungs, seemed to rip open the wound wrapped around his neck a little further. The blond wasn't going to last without rest, but there was nothing but ocean below him. There was nothing but the darkening sky, dotted with the beginning of stars, before him. There was nothing but his sword hanging from his back, and the dying sun, sinking behind him. All of the bright orange and gold colors of the evening were being dragged down with the sun, midnight blue flooding the opposite side of the horizon, announcing the end of day.

Every movement reminded him of the gritty feeling of dried blood and dirt, encrusting his body like a second skin. But, the presence of all that grit probably had kept him from getting sunburnt. There was nothing but this dirt to shield him from the oppressive sun out here on the open sea. The filth that clung to him scraped against his skin painfully, dragging with all the smoothness of sandpaper, but at least he was moving. He had been kept still for far too long already.

'This would be a really screwed up way to die. Ironic even. Did I only escape just to die out here? Would I really be the only one left to live, just to be taken out like this? These God's really do have a twisted sense of humor…' The blonde's thoughts were interrupted by a feeling of sudden panic. He was falling. His knee had betrayed him, buckling from the strain, and now he was tumbling toward the ocean. Gritting his teeth, the creaking man gathered his last bits of energy together from his rapidly depleting reserves, and stopped his free-fall by kicking out with both legs against the air. A loud snap, accompanied with a stabbing sensation that ran up his legs, was his reward. But, with a wave of his blood covered arms, he was stable again. 'Shit…I have to stay focused.'

He growled at the crowd of gulls, which were constantly near him and had cawed out in excitement at his midair stumble. They frantically flapped their wings to escape out of his reach. It had been a matter of trial and error, but the remainder of their numbers had finally learned the proper distance to keep from the creaking monster.

'I won't last much longer. What a shame to die this way. There is no honor in this.' Biting his chapped lips, the blond swallowed again, though the action only brought more pain to his throat, trying to down the feeling of tears that had welled up in his chest. Tears would be useless right now. There was a time and place for tears, but that was not right now. Even if his body were to break down, it would be more far more honorable to die trying than to accept defeat here.

xX-xXx-Xx

Green. There was a patch of green, brown, and even a blurry piece of white over top of it all. 'It must be an island!' Hope washed into the blonde's battered chest, his kicks finding new energy. It was not too far away, but why had he not noticed it sooner? 'Maybe it is moving? No, islands don't move.' With what felt like the last of his strength, the blond kicked his way across the sky until he was just over the patch of green. Giving off a great sigh that made the moisture in his chest crackle, he allowed himself to crash face first into the green. At last he was admitted a reprieve. The acidic burning in his legs died down to a dull throb.

'Ahhh~ grass! Real actual grass! I have never been happier to see you!' The blond nuzzled his face against the lush blades, taking a moment to relax now that he was on solid earth. Well mostly solid. This strange tiny island seemed to sway along with the waves. Maybe it was a floating island. He stopped his ground worshipping long enough to pry one eye open, and look skywards. 'How strange, I have never seen square shaped clouds before, but I suppose anything is possible on this sea.'

All of his senses suddenly snapped back to earth. Drool flooded the blonde's mouth as a scent wafted over on the faint breeze. His stomach growled, voicing its long hunger. An aching prod, which felt like the organs empty contents were pressing its walls together in protest, gave a vicious stab to his midsection. It had been too long since he had had a real meal. Now this unspeakably tantalizing scent scraped over his long neglected senses, teasing him with the promise of food. It was pure torture.

With shaking limbs, the creaking man dragged himself towards that scent, painfully swallowing around the flood of saliva. He couldn't stop drooling if he tried, and he wasn't trying. Survival instinct made itself the first priority in his weakened condition, which happened to involve stating his painful level of hunger.

xX-xXx-Xx

Roronoa Zoro cracked open his sleep filled eye as something thudded again the grass lawn deck with a sickening crackle. Whatever that was, it was currently disturbing his napping pleasure. From his position of sitting against the ship railing, he outstretched his Haki on instinct, but only sensed a small hint of life. It was bizarre though, he could feel the thing slowly dying. Whatever life-force that was left in it was rapidly fading. It was not worth getting up for, since it was not a threat, but still. As his eye groggily glanced at the object, which was a blur of straw-color, rust, and white, the swordsman couldn't help but wonder what it was.

Closing his eye in an attempt to ignore it, Zoro reasoned with himself that it was probably Luffy or Usopp's doing. Those two always were doing something stupid. Maybe they had thrown a dead fish on board. A dead fish with horns. 'Nnn, did it have horns? Nah…' But the heinous stench that came from the unidentified lump made his attempts at ignoring it all the much harder. 'What if it's a bag of trash? No, even trash can't smell like that.' This smell was far more bitter, a bit salty, and smelled kind of burnt. Underneath it all was a harsh tang; the unmistakable smell of blood.

With that thought, his single eye snapped wide open. 'Blood!?' There should be no reason for that, unless someone was hurt. As his line of sight fell to the lawn deck, Zoro's body went rigid. The unidentified lump was mysteriously gone. Only a shining trail of dark crimson, glistening against the emerald blades of grass, was left to trail in the direction of the kitchen.

A high pitch scream reached his ears, along with the shattering of glass, sending a cold feeling of unease rushing down the green-haired man's spine. Jumping to his feet, Zoro grabbed his three blades from their place of resting against the railing, making a mad dash towards the source of the sudden cry. 'I'm on my way, just hold on!'

xX-xXx-Xx

Sanji stood over the stove, grilling a deep sea flounder in a pan lined with fresh green onions. He hummed a song to himself, pouring a dash of white wine into the pan, as he immersed himself in his passion. 'What should I make for the side dish? Maybe a tossed salad and sliced strawberries', the cook mused to himself. 'Mhh or maybe…no that's far too much. But I would do anything for my lovely ladies!'

His nostrils flared at the sudden thought of his two crewmembers, who happened to be women. Sanji squirmed happily as he reached to turn the oven on low. Just as he was clicking the dial to the lowest setting, a horrific smell reached the cook's finely tuned nose. Years of training had gone into his nose, and now all of that heightened sense of smell was being abused, nay viciously assaulted. Surely it was nothing short of a sin to assail any chef's tools of the trade. A torrent of blood, gushing from his nasal canals in a steady stream, was the only thing that rescued him from the repugnant odor.

Reeling away from the grilling dish to save it, Sanji grabbed at his nose, trying to stop the sudden flood. Growling lowly, Sanji turned on his heel. Already a heap of insults were prepared for the tirade he would inflict on the fool who dared disturbed the sanctity that was his kitchen. However, he was left stunned when none of his nakama greeted his eyes, but a horned beast.

Connected to one of his kitchen countertops was a sharp set of canine teeth, a pool of drool escaping from the creature's mouth and all over the formerly clean surface. Ivory horns, erupting out its shaggy wheat colored mane, which was looking a little singed on the ends, extended outwards and abruptly angled upward into sharp points from each side of its head. Because of the over bearing fringe of uneven bangs obscuring the forehead and eyes, only a nose and frowning lips with a distinctive cupids arch were any signs of facial features.

The bottle of white wine, which had been in the cook's hand, suddenly slipped from Sanji's grasp, shattering on the floor with a loud crash.

"EEEYYYYAAAAGGHHHH!" Sanji screeched, the high pitch resonating off the walls of the kitchen. He scrambled on top of the countertop behind him, pulling a knife from the wall, and brandished the blade menacingly. "You aren't gonna' eat me, you shitty monster!"

The horned-blond flinched, coincidentally dislodging his teeth from the counter, as he opened his mouth to yell in surprise. However, the sudden activity in his abused throat was not a good idea. Coughing up a mouthful of blood, the man stumbled backwards until his back hit the wall.

Sanji dropped his threatening glare for a heartbeat, taken aback by the amount of blood gushing out of the monster's mouth. He hadn't even done anything yet. Then the kitchen door slamming open interrupted their encounter. Both of them turned to stare at the open doorway, a dark figure standing in its frame.

"Oiii! Robin! Nami! Are you alright? I heard a scream and…" Zoro blinked in confusion. Where had that high pitched scream come from? There was only the nosebleed-cook and another blonde, the latter with blood streaming from its mouth. 'As if there wasn't enough blood spurting blondes on this ship.'

"You – shitty - marimo!" Sanji fumed, jumped off the counter and aimed a kicked at the dumb moss headed swordsman. The heel just barely missed where the green-headed man's face used to be.

The horned-man's jaw dropped. 'Have I somehow ended up on the One-eyed Pirate's ship!? Why are they trying to kill each other…unless they are going to steal the others eye to replace the one they lost. Yuck, that would be disgusting.'

Ignoring the cook, Zoro's eye suddenly landed on the other blonde. 'So that's where the smell came from.' Fresh wounds wrapped around each of the man's wrists, a larger, much more deep wound of the same kind wrapping several times around its neck. Even more than those grave wounds, a large white sword in the shape of a cross, hanging from the bleeding man's back, caught the swordsman's eye.

*Smack*

"Zoro! Why the hell are you yelling our names into the kitchen!? You nearly gave me and Robin a heart attack!"

Holding his head, which now had a large bump forming on the back, Zoro groaned in frustration. Turning to glare at the perpetrator, an orange-haired woman, he snapped, "Nami! You damn sea witch! I heard a scream from the kitchen, and I assumed it was you! Blame the stupid Ero Cook for his manly screams."

"YOU SHITTY MOSS FOR A BRAIN!" Sanji stamped his foot against the floor in protest, flames igniting as his enraged aura filled the kitchen space. "There was a damn monster trying to eat me!"

With her fist still smoking, Nami's coppery brown eyes widen in surprise. "Monster?" She looked away from the green-haired swordsman, and turned her attention to the kitchen itself. There, against the opposite wall from Sanji, was a horned man, highly resembling a monster or zombie in his state. Suddenly all of the color rapidly fled from Nami's face. With a strangled squeak she, tumbled backwards into a set of arms behind her. The orange-haired navigator's eyes turned to look up at her savior, and she was relieved to see it was Robin, who had come with her after hearing the commotion.

"Oh my, what a cute looking creature," Robin said with a smile.

"How can you say such things," Nami sobbed, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. Robin only chuckled in response. "Why do strange people keep coming to our ship?!"

"Oiii Sanji! Is dinner ready yet?" Just then Luffy decided to show up, weaving past his crewmates, who were still blocking the doorway. "Ohh! Hey guys! There is some horned-guy in our kitchen!" Luffy ignored the sighs and face palms from his crew members, minus Robin, who started giggling again.

The horned-man was starting to feel uncomfortable. He felt that there were far too many humans in this tiny space. 'Where did they all come from? Just how many humans- I think they are humans- are on this strange island?' With those thoughts in mind, he subtly began edging towards a round shaped hole in the wall where a hint of sky was showing.

Luffy blinked, pointing towards the intruder, and asked, "Ah…where is he going?"

Both Zoro and Sanji whipped their heads towards the blond monster, who was inching towards a porthole window. "Oii! Where the hell do you think you're going!?"

Jumping in surprise, the horned-man froze. Slowly he turned his head back to both of the one-eyed men. The green-haired one had drawn one of his blades, and the nosebleed man stood with both of his hands tucked in the pockets of his black pants. If he was feeling better, he would have been more than happy to fight. But turning to reality, the blond was simply not up for any kind of match right now. '...'

The two strawhat men watched as the horned blonde seemed to pucker its lips. Then without warning, the monster turned and leapt for the window, only to come crashing back down as its horns made contact with each side of the opening with a loud bang.

"What a baka," the two men agreed. Unchecked sweat rolling down the sides of both of their faces, as they watched the horned-man writhe on the floor in apparent agony.

Luffy just laughed like an idiot, pointing at the monster like it was all good fun. "Haha! What a great guy!"

Inwardly cursing himself, fate, and the strange hole in the wall for its vile artifices, the horned man clutched at his abused head with his hands, trying to still his shaken brain. It felt like his skull had cracked open, and bits of brain would start oozing from it at any second. The blond, huffing through his nose, leapt to his feet -his knees, back, and other body parts crackling at the sudden activity - and heaved himself back up to the window. This time he remembered to turn his head to the side, allowing his horns to pass through the porthole without any problems.

"…Did that monster just escape through a window?"

Zoro's eyebrow twitched, as a protruding vein started to form on his forehead. With a snarl, the green-haired swordsman ran for the door, slipping past his crewmates with ease, in hot pursuit. His nakama stared off after him, only to turn their attention back to Luffy.

"…Sanji. Meat."

"Dumbass captain! Not when there is a monster on our ship! Go after that shit head Marimo! I will stay here and keep Robin-chan and Nami-swan safe!" Sanji rapidly noodled over to his two female crewmates, emitting a heart filled aura. Both of the women flinched, causing the cook to stop in his tracks.

"Sanji san, I think you should go wash your face."

xX-xXx-Xx

Usopp and Franky came charging from the underbelly of the ship, leaving their work behind, as they rushed to see the source of the commotion. They both froze when they reached the lawn deck, which had a shiny trail of blood drying under the setting sun.

Shuddering, Usopp fought the wobble of his knees and followed the trail with his eyes. "Eyyaghh! There is blood leading to the kitchen! Did Zoro and Sanji finally kill each other?!"

Franky lifted the sunglasses from his eyes to give the deck a long hard stare. "Those two baka's. Maybe we should call the little doctor bro so he can stop them from bleeding all over Sunny."

Usopp gulped, and nodded. "Yeah, we better go find Chopper. I think he was with Brook in the infirmary… something about his skull aching." Turning away from the blood smeared on the lawn, the sniper went absolutely still when he saw a horned monster standing a few yards away.

---

The horned man squeezed through the window, lightly dropping to the deck on both feet with a subtle crack as both of his knees bent to absorb the impact. He shakily started moving on his fatigued limbs, making for the far side of the island that had a large sunflower like object on the end. For some reason his head was swimming and nothing about this island was looking quite right.

Maybe that is why as soon as he reached the lawn deck, he was not as surprised as he should have been by the tall blue-haired man with scrawny metal covered legs, and a shorter man with puffy hair pulled back in a ponytail with an extremely long nose. Both of them had their backs towards him, and he could vaguely make out something being murmured about going to go get a Doctor Chopper.

'What a strange looking pacifista! Perhaps this is a new model. But why would it be here? Why are there so many people on this tiny island!? And why do they have a doctor named Chopper!?' To the horned man, that seemed like some sort of name given to a butcher of a doctor. The type of doctor who chopped first and asked questions later. Just the thought of it left the blond a little pale in the face. He flinched in surprise when the long nosed man turned around, locking his dark eyes on him the moment he noticed his presence.

Usopp just stared, his brain slowly whirring to catch up with what he was currently seeing. There was a gangly monster standing there. Every inch of its grayish skin was covered in rust colored streams and dirt that ranged from sandy to coal black. The odor carried by the wind was just as horrific as its appearance. What was visible of its face had blood dripping from the beard covered chin… Blood… dripping from his mouth…the scream…oh god…

"EEEEEYAAAAAAGGGHHHHHH!" Usopp let out a great shrilling screech, throwing his hands skyward as he moved to cower behind his blue-haired friend. Swallowing back a whimper, the sharpshooter bit back his sobs, tears and snot streaming down his face in small rivulets, and cried out, "F-F-Fraaankyy! He ate our nakama! That Oni has killed our precious nakama!"

Just then Zoro came stomping out of the kitchen, sword in hand, and looking pissed. "Baka, he didn't eat any of us." The green-haired swordsman glared vehemently at the monster in question.

"Z-Zoro!" Usopp yelled. So he and Sanji hadn't killed each other, and that monster hadn't eaten them. So what had all that blood been from?

The horned blonde's head shot up at the sound of swords being drawn from their sheaths. The green-haired one, Zoro, had drawn three blades- two in each hand, and one in his mouth. 'What incredible jaw and neck strength. I wonder how his teeth stay in his mouth. Perhaps he has trained so that the periodontal ligaments act as shock absorbers…'

Now that he stared more closely, the green-haired man did indeed appear to be a swordsman - a swordsman with one eye. It would be a real accomplishment concerning swordsmanship to overcome an obstacle like that in the New World. 'Only a swordsman with exceptional skill would last with just a single eye, that or he relies heavily on instinct, maybe Haki.' For some reason the horned man felt compelled to test this theory. 'This Zoro is looking to be interesting. I guess I will kill him first if it comes to that.' The blond slowly drew his own sword, severing the borrowed string that had held his weapon to his back as he drew the blade over his shoulder.

A dangerous grin spread across Zoro's face when the horned man finally drew his sword. This was what he had been waiting for. It was a cross shaped two-handed sword that was like a claymore, with a white blade that was nearly as long as it's owner. Intricate engravings on the giant cross guard were blocked out by the dying light.

"Oii Zoro! I still want to play with that horned guy! Don't kill him yet," Luffy called out, coming from the kitchen with a big grin on his face.

"Grr…Luffy! This is a fight between swordsmen! Stay out of it!"

"Aww… at least let me play with him afterwards."

"Luffy…" Zoro fumed. His single eye twitched dangerously as a new vein sprouted on his forehead.

"Zoro Bro! Don't you dare damage Sunny!" Franky swung his metal arms out in a wide gesture, indicating the entirety of their ship. If any damage were to come to his beloved ship, no his nakama, then he was going to throw the both of the sword-wielding psychopaths overboard!

"Tsk…" Zoro frowned, turning his focus back on the blond, who stood their expectantly. Harming the Sunny in any way was not acceptable, but he would not risk losing to this monster that had suddenly appeared because he had to hold back.

'Are they are worried about their island getting hurt? Well, it would be a problem if it was damaged. I need this place to rest. This man at least has the courtesy to allow a one on one fight, so I can at least keeping his strange island in one piece.' The blonde rubbed at his scruffy beard for a moment, trying to think of how to convey his thoughts without the ability to speak.

Zoro's eye widened when the blond monster reached out to the railing and gently patted it. The horned man then turned its shaggy head, seemingly staring at him, as it pointed at its own blood covered throat. Before the green-haired man had time to ponder on the strange gestures any further, the monster shifted into a fighting stance. He could hear the sickening clicks and pops sounding from the horned-man's arm, as the sword was drawn near his shoulder, pointing the long blade at him. 'His arm is shaking,' Zoro realized.

Maybe this wouldn't be a challenge after all. 'No…never underestimate your opponent.' Zoro had learned this the hard way. His teacher, Dracule Mihawk, taught him many lessons over the past two years. Only recently was he starting to realize the deeper implications behind that solemn man's words.

The horned-man grit his teeth, locking his jaw together as waves of pain shuddered through his arm and back. It felt like acid was running through his veins. His body had suffered more damage than what he had originally thought. Each moment he held his sword was a painful reminder that he was pushing the limit, and it was going to snap at the cost of his body.'This needs to end quickly. It is time to get serious.'

The fine hairs on the back of the green-haired man's neck started to rise on their own accord as the blood began singing through his veins vigorously with the sudden kick from his heart. A foreboding atmosphere seemed to radiate off of the horned man, who had widened his stance and angled the white blade directly at his head. This was the feeling of battle. There was no more hesitation. Everything else faded to background noise and color.

There was the unshakable feeling of eyes piercing through him, even though the blonde's face was not visible. Regardless, Zoro felt the uncanny sensation of being looked through. It was the humbling concept of being able to hide absolutely nothing from his opponent. 'This should be promising after all.' Only one other man had been capable of instilling that feeling in him. Just the thought of someone like that increased the desire to clash blades with this strange man. Raising his swords in preparation for his favored attack, Zoro lowly rumbled, "Oni..gi-!"

Warning him milliseconds before, Zoro's observation Haki was the only thing that saved him from getting a sword run through his face, allowing him the time to lean his head slightly to the side at the last moment. A concentrated torrent of rushing of air gusted past the swordsman left ear, making the three earrings set in the lobe chime wildly, followed by a thunderous crack that tore the air apart.

A few drops of blood, illuminated by the setting sun, gleamed like small rubies as they flew through the air in dizzying spirals. Under Zoro's left eye, a small cut appeared to cross over his scar, sending a tiny bead of red running down his cheek, neck, and over the collar bone. For a moment the green-haired man was stunned, staring at the white blade that had manifested on his blind side with all the effect of a thunder strike.

"ZOROOOO!" Luffy yelled, his voice ringing through the air, breaking his first mate out of his shock.

While Zoro was impressed by the speed behind the attack, he was also pissed, both at himself and the horned man. That single tiny spot of delayed reaction time had been pierced with frightening accuracy. Despite his intense training to close that gap in his sight, this horned man had hit it like he knew exactly where to strike. He had allowed his blindside to be taken advantage of, something Zoro swore to himself he would never allow. His limited sight was not a weakness that could be taken advantage of, and he would prove it.

'So he does have Haki. This will be an interesting battle at least.' The horned man was forced to defend as the green-haired man suddenly restarted his attack, pushing against his blade with such force it was startling, in fact, the strength behind it sent him flying.

Zoro felt a wave of disbelief run down his back as his blow sent the other man soaring up into the air, instead of the clash of strength he had been expecting. The monster been so…light, like it weighed no more than Nami or Robin. 'So much for strength. This guy is a lightweight.' Putting that strange realization to the side, he decided to take advantage of the horned man's airborne state. As he crouched in preparation for a follow up attack, Zoro coiled his muscles. Taking a deep breath as he spun, he launched himself upwards lashing out with all of his swords. "Dragon Twister!"

'A spinning attack from below,' the blondes Haki warned him with a sudden flash of foresight. Righting himself from a state of free fall with a strong kick against the air, he quickly moved his blade to deflect an incoming slash. As he repelled the blow to the side, his arm viciously creaked and shuddered from the strength behind the impact. However, several more were rushing right after the previous one in a powerful gust. The marine cape was ripped from off of his bare shoulders at some point and numerous cuts had appeared all over his arms despite his efforts at blocking. He just didn't have the strength to move at top speed or fully block the barrage of attacks. His arms throbbed, not just from the cuts, but from blocking the jarring hits that drained away at his already fatigued limbs.

Franky stood with Usopp at safe distance from the clash, watching in awe as the monster kicked and twisted through the air. The horned blond appeared to be alternating between dodging and parrying the flurry of blows from below in an impressive aerial show. Franky was glad the blond seemed to be keeping his wordless promise by not redirecting any of those blows back in the direction of the ship. That level of control was unbelievable. Not just that, but going so far as to keep a promise for not harming a group of complete strangers ship. 'Is there such a thing as a monster with a sense of honor? Well, there is Zoro, but he is still technically human.'

Another droplet of blood splashed on the deck. They had been steadily falling ever since the two swordsmen had started their fight. Yet, Usopp's sharp eyes noticed that the vast majority were falling from their unexpected guest. Zoro's blood was running down into the fabric of his clothes. Usopp craned his neck upwards, watching as the battle progressed high above deck. The sharpshooter gulped, and nervously voiced to his blue-haired companion, "Franky…I don't think that Oni is holding up very well. Maybe Zoro should stop?"

"Hahaha! You are welcome to try and tell him that Usopp bro."

"Franky, I don't think Zoro would like that," Luffy said whilst picking his nose with a pinky finger, watching the fight with interest.

"I think I'll just wait…" Usopp muttered, sweating profusely at the thought.

Suddenly Zoro appeared at the top of his hurricane of an attack, clashing blades again with the horned man. He watched as the bloody creature was thrown up even higher. It was like watching a cat throw a mouse into the air. What had happened to all the Oni's strength? Usopp squinted against the dying sunlight, watching as the blond righted himself in midair again as Zoro began falling back towards the deck. With a snap of the monsters limbs, it began plummeting with its sword aimed right towards Zoro, no, the Sunny, at an alarming speed. If he kept going at such a speed towards their ship, then the Sunny would be finished! "Eyaaaghhhh!" Usopp cried out.

Wind roared in the horned man's ears, as he dropped towards the earth. He had set his feet on the cross guards of his sword, aiming to kick the blade at the green-haired man when he was close enough, and had built up enough momentum, but then he remembered something important. 'Ah shit, that's right! I promised not to harm their island!' He was already so close though. 'I don't have enough time!' Rapidly pin wheeling his arms in an attempt to stop, the blond kicked against the air, redirecting his fall so he now fell towards the Sunny in a curved path.

Zoro's eye twitched, staring incredulously as the horned man suddenly canceled his aerial attack in mid go. 'What is he doing? He is going too fast to stop now, so what…oh! No way! He wouldn't go that far… would he!?' His thoughts were evidently proved wrong as his opponent came in for a crash landing.

Sanji, Nami, and Robin had been watching from the kitchen doorway. So, when the monster skidded across the deck, bouncing off it at times and finally slammed into the ships side with a stomach-turning crackle, they winced and all of the strawhat crew let out a sympathetic noise of, "Ooooooo….."

Even Zoro stopped. "I think that is an example of being honorable to a fault," he muttered.

Everyone's attention was riveted on the horned man, who slowly picked himself up from the deck. Many of them gaped in surprise as the monsters back, which had previously been covered by the marine jacket, was revealed. Among the numerous long, faded, scars arcing across the lean tissue, framed by two stitched scars vertically mirroring each other on his shoulder blades, a deep red tattoo of a sun was fixed on the center of his upper back.

Nami gasped, eyes widening in shock. "Is he a Sun Pirate?"

"I wonder if he is a fishman too then," Robin remarked in a curious tone.

'Those scars,' Zoro thought, his mind revolving around the long scars engraved into his opponents back. 'How can he have any pride as a swordsman...?'

As the blond wobbled on his feet to face the green-haired swordsman, a new trickle of blood ran down what was visible of his face, mixing with the stream coming from his lips. Although the horned man was quick to get back up, it was obvious he was about to collapse.

Usopp finally summoned up enough courage to intervene. "Zoro stop! This guy is injured! He needs a doctor! You are going to kill him if you guys keep fighting!"

A high pitched voice suddenly sounded, interrupting the scene with childlike innocence. "Ah, are you talking about me?" Everyone turned to see Chopper, who had finally appeared on deck with Brook close behind.

"Yohohoho! I did not know we were expecting another guest," Brook said good naturedly. He didn't miss the accusing stares of his crewmates, who stared at him incredulously. He worked a skeletal finger into his collar, drawing the fabric back in a nervous gesture.

Chopper blinked owlishly, not understanding the situation. Then his dark eyes fell on the stranger, who was bleeding profusely, swaying in place, and staring right past him at Brook.

A dull thud brought everyone's attention back to the blond. The horned man had frozen up, locking his eyes on the skeletal figure than appeared from the underbelly of the ship. No it wasn't just skeletal. It was an actual skeleton, walking on its own!

Zoro, confused as to the sudden paralysis of his opponent, had briefly glanced over at Chopper and Brook, who had finally appeared from the ship. At the sound of a muffled thud, he flashed his sight back to his opponent. His single eye widened in shock. The horned man had fallen to his knees; his knuckles bleaching to the same shade as his sword, as he stared, seemingly riveted by the appearance of Brook. From where he was standing, Zoro could see his scarred shoulders trembling and the subtle spasm in his free hand that was not gripping the sword. Zoro slowly lowered his own blades, sheathing each one with care, so as to not make a sound. Their fight was over, something was wrong.

A low roar entered the blonde's ears, swelling with the pulse that seemed to echo like the sound of the ocean rushing into a large cave. His darkened vision narrowed, focusing solely on the skeleton that seemed to burn its bleach white image into his retinae. He was choking. He was no longer at the tiny island, but chained to a wall again. He was once again in the darkness, left alone for a slow death.

---

Faint voices reached my ears. It was dark. I couldn't see them, but I knew they were marines, my jailers. I had been moved, because their last attempts of breaking me had failed. My own defiant words came back to me in startling clarity. Later I would most definitely marvel at the irony.

"Go ahead and whip me. It has already been done. You can torture me, you can bind me in chains, and you can break this body. However, my mind will always be out of your reach."

Now, here I was. Bound by my neck and wrists, forced to keep absolutely still or risk piercing one of the vital arteries that ran through them. It was both mental and physical torture to force myself to keep so unnaturally still, but that had been the point.

There was a grinding squeal of a door opening that felt like nails dragging themselves over my eardrums after the silence. Light poured out of an opening, flooding my dark space with such bright intensity it was sickening. Even the dark red, lighting up my closed eyelids, was painful. The sound of steps approaching caused me to tense my muscles in response, reminding me of the razor edges of the barb wire digging into my wrists and neck, keeping me chained to the wall. I forced my eyes open, and stared up from my place of being forced to kneel on the cold hard floor. From this position, the flesh between my kneecaps and the ground radiated a steady pain. They had started to go numb, but not numb enough to entirely overwrite the pain. Lucky me.

"How do you like your new arrangements, Melion?" A deep voice rumbled, resonating against the stone walls of my prison. "Since whipping was not enough to get you to speak, I had to come up with something more…creative."

As I stared up at the broad chested man, a low humorless wheeze grated out of me, the movement pushing my neck muscles further onto the wire around my neck. I needed to learn how to get used to this fast, or I would end up killing myself by mistake. "Do you really intend for me to speak after this?" Even my own ears could pick up on the subtle crackling behind my rasping voice. Blood had already entered my lungs.

"No…I expect you to write it out in blood. Personally, I don't give a damn if you ever speak again."

"I wonder who is offering to pay you, since you obviously prefer my death."

The insult interlaced within my words struck home, I could tell by the way his gloved fists tightened, the leather squeaking from the force, and the subtle puffing up of his chest. Before he had time to retort, two marines came in, coming to halt before him as they threw their salutes.

"Admiral Akainu, sir! There is still a corpse in the prisoner's cell. Should we remove it?"

The broad chested man, Akainu, remained silent for a moment. Then a cold smile spread across his weathered features, causing the marines present to gulp nervously.

"No. Leave it. It will be a good reminder that there is only death to look forward to."

I didn't bother to watch the marines and Akainu leave. Instead my eyes landed on the dead person chained to the wall across from me. The person I would be sharing this room with. Was it even still a person? It was just a corpse, a memory of who it used to be. Even then, it would decay and be forgotten.

As the door to my room sealed once again, I was left in the darkness with only my thoughts to keep me company and that rotting corpse. Having so much time with nothing to do but think is dangerous.

Days, weeks, maybe months passed; I had no way of knowing how many, but there was the undeniable feeling of a great amount of time passing. True to the nature of mortality, the corpse began to rot, filling my dark prison with a heinous stench that made my skin crawl. It also made the cup of soggy rice they shoved into my face at infrequent and spacious periods hard to swallow. At one point I had made the horrible mistake of looking too closely at the corpse during one of the feedings. In the light of the open doorway, the clear image of maggots, weaving in and out of the holes they had burrowed into the sagging gray flesh, was just too much. What rice I had managed to down was immediately hurled back up along with the feeble amounts of my stomachs precious contents. The jailer hadn't appreciated that, especially when the vomit overflowed out of the small bowl and onto his hands. Oops.

Even in the darkness, I could plainly see the corpse chained to the wall in front of me, long before the electrocutions ever started. Some may argue that it could not have been possible in the complete darkness, but that didn't change the fact that I could see it clearly. In that pitch black, the only thing I could see was that corpse, staring at me with its skeletal grin. Its decay was almost done; soon it would be nothing but a skeleton.

The passage of time did indeed guarantee that the bones were cleared of flesh. In the short instances when sleep tried to take me, the corpse would be there. Twin endless black holes, pulling me in, an abysmal blackness that spoke of fathomless depths, peering from its skull, would beckon me to the eternal embrace of the netherworld. I would jerk fully awake, thinking it was only a dream, only to have the real nightmare right in front of me. Any chance of sleep was just a cruel joke.

Death was inescapable.

That skeleton would laugh, the light of the electricity being run through the barbwire danced across its bleached bones. It would chuckle at my struggles, scorning me for trying to defy the same fate that had finished it. That bright, flickering, skeletal image would burn past my eyelids long after the electricity stopped flowing.

---

The horned man, Melion, doubled over in agony. His forehead slammed against the deck as a soundless scream tore open his throat. Reality and the past were no longer distinguishable. He was choking, death was there waiting for him, he was still imprisoned.

"Chopper! Help him," Luffy yelled, running over to the side of the man his first mate was fighting moments before. He stared in horror as the tattooed blond coughed up blood onto the deck. Zoro rushed to the other side, cursing under his breath.

Melion barely registered the pattering of hooves running towards him. His already failing vision was finally ebbing into the calm darkness. All the different voices and noises around him faded into muffled murmurs and static. There was a sensation of falling as his last fragments of consciousness slipped away.

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