Everyone slept as the Going Merry rocked against the rolling waves. Well everyone except the pirate cook. Sanji strolled round the kitchen, ticking off ingredients a list, seeing how much food Luffy had eaten in the last two days. "Tsk" he tutted at the lack of meat. "Dammit Luffy, we've got one days rations to last a 3 day voyage."

Soon enough the fridge was locked again and the cook was in the Crow's nest smoking a cigarette. Zoro slept against the wall of the cabin as usual, his swords propped up against his shoulder. Scanning the horizon he spotted a ship in the distance, closing fast. Looking closely he spotted a pirate flat above the sail.

As quick as he could, he ran through the cabins waking everyone up. Zoro took a little more persuading, a firm, hard kick in the ribs in fact but eventually, after much quarrelling, everyone was awake and on guard. But it was too late, the ship was nearly at the Merry's side, cannons fully loaded.

"Chopper, rudder to starboard quickly, Sanji, full sail now!" Nami barked out orders as Zoro and Usopp loaded the cannons. The Merry caught on a gust of wind and began to move ahead of the unknown ship. But the distance didn't last long as the other ship caught up to them at impossible speed. As quickly as it had come, the lead was lost and the ship was once again alongside the Merry. Grappling hooks were thrown onto the Merry and 50 so pirates began to cross the ropes. "Nami, get inside" Luffy shouted at the ginger haired girl. Before she could protest, Zoro pushed her into the galley and locked the door.

All the pirates bore a red mark upon their upper right arm. It was a mark only Zoro had seen before. "They're mercenary pirates, be careful, they're very dangerous."

"Oh yeah? We can take them!" An over excited Luffy sent 4 pirates from the ropes to the sea with one punch. Usopp fired a cannonball straight into the ship's stern, causing great damage and debris.

"Sanji, take out the ropes!" An angry Zoro shouted, his voice hardly legible due to the sword between his teeth. He was battling 7 pirates, all with two swords each. Zoro ducked and sliced a pirate's calf muscle, whilst tripping another with his other leg. He span again, cutting a chunk out of a pirates cheek. Chopper turned into his largest transformation, as he beat off three pirates at once. They soared through the air, landing back onto their ship with a bone cracking thud.

Sanji calmly walked past his fighting comrades, paused to light a cigarette and began kicking each of the hooks with an upwards trajectory, trying to unhinge them from the Merry's side. However each time he kicked one, the grip on the ship became tighter, splintering the dark wood. He sighed and tapped the ashes off his cigarette. He bent down, picked up a bloodied sword from a random pirate and began to cut the ropes.

Zoro, who had taken out the final few pirates, was interrogating a bloodied enemy, two of his swords against the man's neck. "Who's your captain now? I heard Red hand Nevis was killed" The other man laughed and spat blood into Zoro's face. "Like I'd tell you, bounty hunter scum!" Zoro lowered a sword and slowly cut the man's arm open. He grimaced at the man's pained screams as the blood dripped down his arm, forming a large puddle on the deck. "Zoro!" Luffy shouted at his crewmate's malicious torture. "He doesn't deserve that, let him go, now!" The captive pirate chucked under his breath, clutching his now limp arm. He watched Zoro, a cruel smile upon his face

"Zoro" Sanji shouted, pulling him back to reality. "Stop being useless and lend me a sword, these ropes aren't cutting."
"Kick off the hooks" Luffy commented confused.
"I can't, they won't budge, they keep getting tighter.
"Sanji stop!" Zoro shouted, throwing his captor across deck. He ran for his friend but an enemy pirate tackled him at the last minute.

Just as Zoro fell, Sanji jumped, high into the air, arms above his head, hands gripped firmly against the sword's hilt. Using all his strength, he brought the sword down against the rope, severing it in two. As if in slow motion, all six grappling hooks unlatched themselves, retracting back to the ship. The Straw Hats watched, too stunned to move as the ropes reappeared, hook free and began snaking their way around Sanji' legs. He felt his legs fracture as the ropes constricted even more, working their way around his middle. Blinding pain shot through his entire being as bones cracked and skin burned. He opened his mouth, expecting to scream in pain, only to hear the last breath of air escape his lungs before they stopped working. White spots shot through his vision as he struggled against the darkness. Despite his struggle, he was unconscious before he hit the water.

Screams and wails were heard from the Going Merry as they watched their friend plunge to his doom.