Chapter 4 East Blue Arc 'The Ax has Fallen'
Hey, y'all I'm back. A lot has happened since…dear lord, has it really been over two months? Wow. Well, since then I have moved 2,000 miles, started up school and gotten a new job, so I now that I settled in I should be able to put out some chapters in my…one day of free time…damn. Well between work and school I am busy seventy-five hours a week so don't expect too much, if I can I'll try for a chapter every 3 weeks.
Published: 3/12/2017
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Luffy grinned as Captain Morgan charged at him; he prepped his body to dodge the up and coming strike from said captain. Suddenly Morgan accelerated to a surprising speed swinging his ax to split Luffy from right shoulder to left hip. Jumping back, dodging the ax he saw with no small amount of surprise a shimmer extend from the ax blade. Being too close to dodge or in the right position to swerve out of the way with kami-e, he tensed his muscles up in tekkai taking the blow across the chest blood splattered on the roof as his shirt and skin split. Noticing more rankyakus flew from Morgan's ax he dodged and weaved around them until he used soru to appear Morgan dropping an ax kick down onto his head.
Morgan turned his head, seeing the attack coming, he shifted his body to take the attack on the shoulder. The ax kick struck a loud clap as two hard objects connected and the rock cracked below them. Dodging a side slash with a few back flips he landed in a crouched position, his muscles set between loose and tense in preparation. Holding his wounded chest he observed his opponent with a careful eye, "I underestimated him…" Luffy thought with a frown "…rankyaku, soru, and tekkai. This will be hard than I thought." Hearing another roar Luffy sent a rankyaku at the charging Marine, before launching up into the air using geppo. Taking advantage of his aerial advantage Luffy rained down rankyakus and tobu ken taihos down onto the roof, gouges were rent and craters embedded into the stone roof. The Marines on top slowly trying to get to the stairs to exit while praying for protection.
Morgan dodged and weaved around the attacks, gazing up at Luffy with an intense stare, watching every move that he made. Suddenly, with a mighty leap, he was upon Luffy once more with a powerful swing to, once again, try and cleave the boy in two. Luffy dodged out of the way going to strike at Morgan's open back, surprisingly Morgan was able to dodge to the side in mid-air. A pause from the action settled between the two as the observed each other.
Rushing in with and striking Morgan down onto the roof once more. Rushing in with a stronger ax kick Morgan dodged it, the roof collapsing from the force of the strike. With another swing of the ax and another dodge, the deadly dance continued. Luffy dodged another rankyaku it continued past him and split the stairway leaving the top half to fall to the ground below with a mighty crash. The great ax and a punch met once again a small wind spread out from the point of contact from the force behind the strikes. The force of the strike sent the two fighters away from each other. Gazing one another waiting for one to make a move a silence settled between the two opponents. The wide open stares and dropped jaws appeared on the faces of the observing marines, they felt something that they haven't felt in a while, hope; a kid was fighting up against their oppressive captain and was holding his own. They wanted this nightmare to end, so they silently cheered for the kid.
Leaned forward and launched forward at a speed that surpassed anything that he had done before, both arms cocked back ready to strike; he rammed his fists into the stomach of Captain Morgan. Unable to dodge fast enough Morgan tensed up in tekkai; while his tekkai was impressive it couldn't handle the double punch that Luffy threw. Receiving his first injury of the fight, spit and blood burst from his mouth, pain erupted from his stomach, breaking his stance, the momentum carried in the strike carried both of them through the roof's barrier out into the sky falling towards the ground of the execution field. Luffy took advantage of Morgan's recovery and grappled him and using kamisori accelerated down slamming Morgan into the ground. The ground shook as the mass slammed into the ground, rending the earth in the immediate area, throwing up a large cloud of dust, and burying Morgan in a five-foot deep crater. Performing a few flips and rolls to not receive damage from his own strike Luffy eventually came to a stop in front of a shocked and awed duo of Zoro and Coby who were watching with eyes bulged out and jaws drop at the damage from the strike, while next to them Akitsu looked on in boredom.
As the dust cloud slowly dispersed a large shadow appeared, ax arm cocked back. Morgan swung with all his might throwing the largest rankyaku yet. The blade of wind rushed forward going over the crouching Luffy and Akitsu, who also grabbed Zoro and Coby forcing them to the ground, Slicing through the cross, the wall behind it, and most of the way through the next wall. Luffy threw his own rankyaku using his hand as a pivot point he threw an even larger one that clipped Morgan on the left pectoral and shoulder, throwing him back while drawing out a spray of blood. The air blade rammed into the marine building slicing through it a third of the way into it, cutting across three floors, shaking the building with a great rumble.
Rushing forward once again Luffy and Morgan clashed, punches met flesh, kicks thrown, blades dodged, blows rained down on each other in a rapid staccato while the moving bodies disappearing to the average audience, and blurring for the higher skilled battlers, only one pair of half-lidded eyes could track the fast movements. The destruction of the grounds was tremendous craters blasted into existence, fissures were gouged out of the earth, and the earth shook. In the center of the destruction were an angry marine captain and a smiling pirate. Morgan, using his greater mass, threw Luffy across the grounds, landing on his hands and feet he skidded across the hard soil gouging out a path until he came to a stop. A shadow covered Luffy as Morgan came with an overhead strike. Dodging out of the way of the strike, which continued on to split the wall in its path, with kami-e Luffy countered with a mule kick throwing Morgan up into the up into the air after the marine, Luffy entered the arena that he had the advantage, liberally using kamisori he struck out from every which way, raining blow upon blow onto the sturdy captain.
Morgan could not escape the strikes, for he did not have the maneuverability in the air that his opponent, every time he redirected himself he was intercepted, every time he struck out, the attack was dodged, all he could do was use his superior tekkai to endure through it. Then he started to feel tired from the hardest fight he had fought, he felt his tekkai getting weaker from exhaustion, slowly the blows dealt more damage, bit by bit the attacks drew more blood, cause him to flinch more before he took an attack the broke through his defenses. It was then that it was over, unable to get his tekkai back up the blows rained down on him did damage to their fullest capability, slowly his consciousness slipped further and further into darkness, then his back hit the gates of the base crumpling them into an unrecognizable mess as a great amount of pain finally took him into unconsciousness.
Landing in front of Zoro, Coby, and Akitsu he turned to them, feeling the adrenaline flowing through his veins. He let out a joyous laugh as Akitsu ran to him. Noticing Nami in the marine base he waved her over, from this distance it looked as if she was sad, but he could just be imagining things.
Coby just stood there, staring at the destruction around him. The fight scared him, knowing that he would have to gain enough strength to fight on that level if he wanted to accomplish his dream. All he could sense of the fight was a lot of sounds and the destruction of execution marine base. His knees and hands shook, not in fear but in anticipation. For if someone like Luffy and Morgan could gain that strength he could too. He gathered his will and promised himself that he would grow to be stronger than those two he would become a marine admiral.
Nami just stared horrified at what just happened in front of her, the two that just fought reminded her of Arlong. She shook if fright, mind flashing through all the things that Luffy could do to this town. Tears gathered in her eyes as she realized that she couldn't do anything, she was too weak to fight him. Zoro, from the looks of him, couldn't swing a sword. The only one that could hold up against the pirate was down, even if he won he was just as bad. Walked towards him in resignation of her situation when she saw him wave at her, hoping that she could find a way to escape later.
Zoro just watched in awe at the level of the fighters in front of him; his nutrient, water, and sleep deprived mind could barely see the blurs of movement. Adrenaline surged through his weak body, he licked his dry lips with a barely wet tongue in excitement. "I can't believe that there are people of this level…I definitely made the right decision." Letting out an excited chuckle he stood up…only to fall down on his face due to his weakness "Fuck."
Akitsu rushed over to Luffy gazing at his injuries, the most noticeable being the large cut going from his right shoulder to his left hip, blood flowing from it, multiple smaller cuts littered his arms and legs. He had a barely noticeable limp from his right leg, no major cut visible so it was probably from blunt force. In spite of the damage he took, Luffy had a large smile on his face. They heard a loud shout from the entrance of the compound, turning they saw a group of marines at the entrance staring at Morgan's body in stunned silence. Suddenly they heard a familiar voice crying out in joy
"Big Brother did it!"
Ririka had a hard life, she was abandoned as a child to the streets of Loguetown feeding off any scraps she could find, she eventually found a group of misfits like herself. At the age of fourteen the group, which called themselves the Dumpster Dragons, where able to gain employment on a trade ship as chore boys and girls. It was a harsh life, the seas were unforgiving, work was hard, the sailors rough, but eventually they broke through and got accepted into the family know as the crew of the Cissonius. It was there that she experienced the joy of cooking when she joined the on board sea chefs.
When she turned twenty-five she married a fellow Dumpster Dragon, Randal, after another year she found out she was pregnant and decided that a ship was no place to raise a child so they said goodbye to her family and took their life savings and started their new life as a bartender and chef duo in the R 'n' R Bar. After birthing her beautiful daughter Rika she thought life couldn't get better. Well, she was right; three years later Randal died from an accident. The Cissonius made frequent stops at Shells Town with it being a major Marine base; during one stop her husband decided to help his old crew and helped them unload. Unfortunately, a new worker didn't tie the rope around the crate properly and it fell on top of Randal killing him instantly.
The crew mourned and cried together in an extended stop there, they promised to help her any way she could. They couldn't stay there forever and had to leave eventually. Raising her daughter as a single mother that also ran a bar was difficult; the few friends that she had made it easier, the stops from her old crew which exclusively ate at the R 'n' R didn't hurt either. Then eight years after her husband's death came a newly promoted Captain Morgan. His harsh laws were nearly unbearable, getting progressively worse as time went by, the offer to smuggle Ririka and Rika out was made by the crew of the Cissonus was denied. She just couldn't abandon the dreams, aspirations, and the work she and Randal put into this place. At this moment she couldn't have regretted her decision more.
Bound because she struggled, gagged to stop her pleads of mercy for her daughter, and being dragged to her death along by grim-faced marines along with her daughter was the worst end she ever imagined. Raising her tear filled eyes to the sky she prayed to the gods, the sea, and to her husband for a miracle to happen. As they approached the marine base they saw something that sent shivers through the marines, a large gash in the side of the main building. One man whispered something about the captain being in a bad mood which only sent a fresh wave of wails out from the captives; the man in question got disapproving stares and a slap across the back of his head. When they got to the entrance they noticed that the wall on the right collapsed and the wall on the left had damage done to it. They paused when they heard a series of strikes against flesh before with a load crash and the shriek of bending metal a large body crashed into the main doors. Looking on in shock they saw Captain Morgan bruised, bloody, unconscious, and defeated lying on the remains of the main gate.
With renewed vigor, Rika struggled out of her bonds, her gag slipping enough for her to shout in joy "Big Brother did it!"
That phrase sent off a chain reaction shouts of joy came from everyone, Lieutenant Nagato untied both of his captains. Pushing the marine out of the way hard enough to send him to the ground she grabbed her daughter crying for joy while Rika shouted praises to a big brother Luffy, whoever that was.
Suddenly Rika flew out of her hands getting up to run after her she noticed that she ran up to a young farmer that return Rika earlier, this time he was wounded. "Did he fight Morgan?" She decided then and there that she would provide whatever he needed. Noticing that the pretty woman was carrying the kind young swordsman from a few weeks ago, Zoro, over her shoulder she ran over and inspected him. Idling noticing that more and more marines exited the building adding their voices to the celebration.
"He's fine; Zoro just needs a good meal." Turning to the voice she realized that the farmer boy spoke. "I never got to introduce myself, I'm Monkey D. Luffy."
"Well nice to meet you Mr. Monkey, if all you need is a meal, I'll happily provide it for free; all you can eat back at my bar."
"Shishishi, you'll regret that decision, we can eat a lot." Ending the sentence with a large smile Ririka couldn't help but laugh.
"I'll never be able to pay you back for what you did, a feast is the least I can do."
"Thank you, young man." Turning to the voice Luffy saw that it was the marine lieutenant that spoke while approaching him. Bowing to Ririka the Captain said, "I am truly sorry for the crimes we have been letting our former captain commit."
Smiling nervously Ririka, with waving hands, was quick to reassure the lieutenant of his lack of guilt. "I-It wasn't your fault he was stronger than you and kept your family hostage; you just did what you had too."
Bowing even lower the lieutenant said with great determination "Even so, we, the marines, now that we are free will strive to serve true justice to the citizens of this town instead of the corruption that was once here."
"Thank you, lieutenant." Ririka could do nothing but thank the marine for his promise and bow in gratefulness.
"Young man what is your name?" turning to Luffy the Nagato straightened into a formal posture.
Noticing that she wasn't needed for this conversation she decided to tell her daughter to bring their saviors to the bar for their promised feast. With horror, she noticed what was happening to Rika. "RIKA!" screaming her daughter's name as she ran as fast as she could she pushed Rika out of the way of the looming danger. She felt a blade dig deep into her side, she felt pain unlike she ever felt before as her side was sliced wide open before falling to the ground. She heard the desperate cries of her daughter along with a chorus of shouts, and a large crash. Through the pain she concentrated on her crying daughter, vaguely noticing that she was begging for mom to not leave her. She reached up with a bloody shaking bloody hand and rest it lovingly against her daughter's cheek. Coughing up blood she felt her body become numb as her life fluids left her. As the darkness encroached onto her vision she said her last words, "I love you Rika." Smiling before darkness took her. Her last sight was seeing her daughter cry into her hand.
"My names Monkey D Luffy." Replied Luffy as he held out his hand.
Taking the hand Nagato gave it one firm shake before releasing it. "I am Lieutenant Nagato, now that the previous ranking officer is unable to perform his duties, I have been giving the task of taking charge of this base."
Eyes narrowing, "I hope you won't continue where the Morgan left off." replied Luffy, voice hard.
A shiver ran down the spine of the lieutenant, "No, I won't. In fact, I need to report the occurrences to my superiors, so that justice may be served."
Studying Nagato for a moment Luffy came to a conclusion and nodded once. A large smile formed on the face of Luffy, "Shishishi, good. Do you have a piece of paper and a pen on you by any chance."
Eyebrow raised in curiosity, in reached into his pocket and hand Luffy what he asked for. After Luffy wrote something on it, he returned the paper. Looking at it Nagato recognized it as a den-den mushi number.
"Instead of reporting to your direct superiors report to this guy, it'll be better that way."
"Who-" Nagato went to ask whose number was this before a shout of terror reached their ears.
"RIKA!"
Swinging their heads to the sound they noticed that Morgan was up and was in the middle of a downward swing towards a terrified Rika. Before either could react, due to shock, Ririka shoved her daughter out of the way receiving the blow herself. Blood gushed out of the wound like a fountain, a scream of pain ripped out of the throat of the woman. "MOM!"
Lunging forward with a roar of rage, Luffy threw a punch, only Akitsu noticing the shimmer of power that wrapped around his fist. The punch met with Morgan's sternum a nasty crunching sound of the sternum and ribs breaking from the power of the punch, blood gushed out of Morgan's mouth from the damage. As he flew back, Akitsu appeared behind him, claws extended and threw a few slices as he passed by, immobilizing him. He crashed into the base of the marine building. A scream of rage flew from Luffy's mouth as he threw another power infused punch. A rumble went through the building shaking it to its core, the building and the ground shook and cratered from the punch as Luffy pushed more power into it. The building finally couldn't take it as it collapsed on top of Morgan.
Rushing back with Akitsu behind him he couldn't stop himself from gasping at the damage, the attack sliced clean through her, opening up a gaping wound from her right side through the spine, and into her heart. Blood gushed out of her flooding the ground, staining the ground. Blood came out of her mouth as the rapidly dying woman said her final words to her beloved daughter "I love you Rika."
"DAMN IT!" Unable to do anything to help the dying woman Luffy could just let out a yell of rage and frustration. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles and fingers turned white. Tears filled his eyes as he gazed at the sad scene before him.
Rika, when her mother started talking to big brother Luffy, decided to walk around since ever since the mention of food his attention was firmly locked on to her mommy. As she gazed at the cheering marines she couldn't help but smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something turning to it she realized that she was looking at the beaten Captain Morgan. An unsettling look of anger came across her face as she rushed towards the body. Arriving at it, she gazed in awe at the size of the monster. "Big brother defeated this…" a large smile appeared on her face "…wow he's strong." Turning she took a step away before pausing, after a moment of deliberation, she came to a conclusion. She turned back and spat on Morgan, the spit landing on his face, before blowing a blueberry at him and turning to go back to mom. Hearing a noise behind she turned back to face an awake and rising Morgan. The wounds and blood on him making him all the more terrifying he raised his ax from a crouching position he swung down.
Suddenly Rika was pushed out of the way, rolling across the ground she got up to see who pushed her only to see her mom on the ground, "MOM!" running to her she slide to her mom's side uncaring of the blood that got on her clothes, hands, and legs. She cried out to her. "MOMMY! Stay with me, please!"
She watched as Ririka put her bloody hand on her cheek stroking it softly, blood came from her mouth as she said the last words "I love you Rika."
Grabbing the hand on her cheek Rika cried out unable to see beyond her tear filled eyes. "Please mommy don't leave me, please mommy, please!" Rika watched helplessly as her mom's eyes glazed over, she felt her mother's hand gain weight no longer supported by the woman's muscles. She let go of the hand as she shook her mom's shoulders "Please mommy, please wake up." Turning to someone next to her unable to see who it was through her tears she cried "Please someone get a doctor we need to help her." Seeing no movement she cried again. "Please someone help." A blurry shape came close, bending down and picking her up murmuring comforting words into her ear. She wrapped the person in a hug and buried her face into the soft chest and cried, and cried, and cried until she could cry no more. Her young mind unable to handle what just happened shut down.
Three days have passed since the defeat of Captain Morgan and the death of the much loved Ririka, the whole neighborhood attended the funeral, along with some marines. The marines felt responsible for the death of the mother because they didn't keep a close enough eye on Morgan. Immediately after cleaning up the blood on the ground and respectfully moving the body to a nearby morgue the dug out the broken body of Morgan, surprisingly he was still alive, if barely. He was tightly chained up and put in the most secure cell they had, at least six muskets were trained on him at all times, with six more standing by, they swore that he wouldn't harm anyone again. Helmeppo was locked up in his own cell, though he only had one marine guarding him.
Nami looked at the little girl, Rika, and she sat curled up on Luffy's lap, head against his chest while he softly stroke her hair, bloodshot eyes gazed at nothing, dark bags hung under her eyes. She just sat there not doing anything. Finally like waking up from a long dream she stirred, gaining the attention of the four in the room, Luffy, Nami, Akitsu, and Zoro.
Looking up at Luffy with a pleading expression she asked the most unexpected question. "Take me with you, please?"
Lieutenant Nagato lowered his hand then talked to the young marine next to him. "You have good friends, boy." Coby could do nothing except shakily nod his head. To the surrounding marines, he yelled out. "We have broken the code of the marines by saluting those pirates…" yes he knew that they were pirates he received a lieutenant Adams "…for punishment we shall not eat for a week and increase our work shifts by half."
Saluting the lieutenant they yelled out, "Sir! Yes, sir!"
"Dismissed."
Entering the temporary office, since the first one was in shambles from the fight' Nagato looked at the small piece of paper he received from the pirate, "No not a pirate, a hero, no matter how much he denies it." wondering whose number it was. Finally, he decided that there was no harm in calling the number.
He picked up a den-den mushi and rung the number, after three rings the other end picked up but nothing could have prepared him for who picked up the other line. "This is Admiral Garp speaking, who is this?"
In lieutenant Adam's ship's brig in a cell by herself, since no one else could fit in with her, was 'Iron Mace' Alvida. Sitting there chained up thinking about the reason she was in this situation. "Monkey D Luffy, the future Pirate King, the only man to have the guts and strength to stand up to me. The only one to insult my beauty." A smile formed on her face as she came to a conclusion. She reached up into her hair and pulled out a strange sight. It could only be described as a mutated pear, pink in color and covered in swirls, it was a devil fruit. She had found it on her base island about three weeks ago, she put off eating it because she didn't know if she wanted too, but kept it in her hair for situations just as this.
Taking a large bite out of it, she gagged at the awful taste, a combination of oil and rotten fish. After swallowing the last bite she felt a fire burn through her body as she felt it change her, unable to deal with the pain she passed out.
Fifteen minutes later she awoke and got up, for some odd reason her clothes grew in size, to the point that she could only wear the shirt and only if she wrapped it around her body like a toga, she ignored the shocked and lustful looks of her former crewmates as she did so. She wondered what kind of power she got, pointing her hand at the bars of her trying out her powers. All she got was that her hand gained a…sheen a lack of a better description. After trying out various ideas she finally gave up and pushed against the bars, surprised as she slides through, which did…interesting…things to her body causing her former crew to faint from blood loss. After getting out of the cell she ran to a bathroom to think of the next step of her plan but was distracted by the sight of her reflection.
Gasping in shock she put a hand to her mouth. "My freckles are gone…" she leaned in for a better look "…completely, amazing. I like this fruit just for that."