-Chapter 2-
"Luffy
STOP!!" Zoro shouted from the crow's nest.
The
Devils fruit user had noticed his mistake but had no chance to
reverse his attack that resulted from instinct. The punch landed
inches away from the beast's razor sharp pelvic fins driving through
the abnormal fish like a bullet through glass. The difference that
was the most readily apparent is what metal does to glass going
through it as opposed to what glass does to any rubbery flesh going
through it. Luffy's arm shot through the disintegrating mass, all the
while being scratched and torn through every inch of the creature.
Chopper was looking on at the scene in horror, rubber or not Luffy
was going to lose his arm because of the thousands of shards of
crystal working together to shred his arm, like so many little
knives. If he
pulls back,
Chopper thought, it
would be the end of his arm. Literally.
Zoro
sat in his crow's nest unable to move, his thoughts in disarray a
devil's fruit user? IN THE OCEAN?!?!?
"TRENTA
FLEUR" shouted Robin "WRAP"
An armada of identical
arms sprouted from Luffy's right arm forming a cocoon around it. His
arm was saved. He was in too much pain as it was to appreciate the
gravity of the small victory. As his arm retracted Robins arms
were already at work taking out any remaining pieces glass.
The
breath taking beauty of the mist of crystal shards ensured everyone's
stillness for another full minute as the writhing mass of identical
arms uncoiled themselves from the Luffy's arm as it returned to
normal length.
"LUFFY" everyone
shouted as they ran towards their barely conscious captain. Chopper
was already getting medicine ready for Luffy's arm.
"Thank
you Robin" Luffy said from the ships deck, his brave smile
attempting to ward off any further worry.
"Just
some temporary discomfort, nothing permanent." Robin returned
Luffy's smile with one of her own, from the brief but intense pain
and from seeing what the length of sea king had done to Luffy's
arm.
Franky, who had very much not been crying
out of joy for his captain's safety, was now peering over the edge of
the boat. "What was that just now" he wondered aloud,
stating the question that was on every one's mind. Usopp had regained
control of himself just long enough to say, "it seemed like..."
but the words died on his tongue. The nigh undetectable movements in
the water, made his blood run cold with horror.
"MOVE THE SHIP!!" he cried "The fish is reforming!!!!"
and so it was, the mass of the clear crystal shards were indeed
reforming themselves into becoming whole again. The surface of the
water swirled as the shards gathered, as the gravity of the situation
spread throughout the deck. Franky had just set in place the paddle
dock system moved it to full throttle when the fish rose again;
bigger, sharper, and reformed into an eel like creature.