Another chapter completed. My apologies for the really late update, but life happened and I also didn't feel any drive to write for a long time. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed this story. I do not own One Piece. It is owned by its creator, Eiichiro Oda. The only things I own are the right to like the show, One Piece merchandise I purchased and having Zolo as my favorite character. I make no profit on this story other than any reviews it may get and satisfaction from writing it. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Pairings are still undecided as of this chapter.
"Speaking aloud"
"Thoughts"
Chapter 4: Time
Zolo was shocked. When he had left the tent, he had not been expecting this. It had started out fine. He had exited the tent to find a large village spread out before him. The people that he saw had animal limbs. It appeared that those limbs differed depending on the person, but the species seemed to be the same.
"Fox limbs maybe?" The young man silently questioned. Laughter filled the air once more. A large crowd was gathered, but was looking to his left. Dark green eyes scanned the area to find what was so amusing to the fox people. Shock coursed through the green-eyed male when he saw what was being laughed at.
His grip tightened on his swords once the scene before him fully registered. A young man who looked to be in his late teens was fighting another man who appeared to be twice his age. He had lightly tanned skin, and black eyes. Short black hair was tucked under a battered straw hat. A red vest clung to his slim frame along with knee length blue jean shorts while yellow sandals adorned his feet. He had a scar underneath his left eye that was visible from the swordsman's vantage point.
The older man had a smug smirk on his pale face. Amusement at the youth's plight danced in his grey eyes. A hand raised and tauntingly beckoned the younger man to attack again. Black eyes narrowed as the one they belonged to picked themselves back up and charged once more. His opponent easily avoided the charge and tripped the teen which pitched him forward. This forced the black eyed one to land with a heavy thud.
"Luffy?" The green haired one questioned stunned at the battered state that the younger man was in. It seemed liked the younger man had gone through hell and back. He had cuts that graced his arms and legs. They weren't deep but there were more present then what was healthy. His captain, Luffy, was fighting with more tenacity then the green eyed male had ever seen.
Zolo then realized what was happening. His captain was offered a chance to fight for his freedom. However, the serious look on his face gave away the fact that one or more of their crewmates had also been captured. The normally cheerful male wouldn't be that determined to win unless it was fighting someone who harmed his hat or his crew. Since his hat appeared to be undamaged, the sword wielder deduced it was the latter.
Eyes searched the surrounding area and found to his horror the rest of his crewmates. Their clothes were ripped in multiple places and there appeared to be more blood then there should be. Visible bruises graced their bodies and seemed more discolored then usual. None of them looked like they were conscious either. His gaze hardened at their worn out appearance and then returned to the fight. It was what he suspected. The straw hatted captain was being baited. As far as the swordsman knew, a real hunter had never used this method to capture actual animals.
In this type of baiting, the capturers would release one of the people they had caught. The one released would get two choices. Choice number one would be to flee. This option would give the one released a head start into the surrounding area. It turned into a game of cat and mouse after that. Of course, if that was an option then the capturers had already done something to the released prisoner or another of their captives. The other being was normally someone important to the released. In some cases, the jailers had done something to both of the ones involved.
A second choice the released had was to fight one of their capturers. This option was usually used by large groups. It was also used on captives that have more than one important person being held prisoner with them. Confiners, normally, choose someone drastically more powerful than the imprisoned one. They will then offer freedom to all of those that are captured as well as the released. However, that is only if the chosen person loses to the released prisoner. This gives the capturers a chance to force the captive to come to terms with how powerless they had been to escape. It also ensured that the jailers stomped out any fight within their captives that may have stirred an uprising later. While cruel, it had been proven to be effective.
The swordsman understood the method, but always ended it whenever he could. He refused to let people like them get away with doing that type of thing. It also prevented those he cared about from being exposed to that harsh experience. Unfortunately, the green haired male knew he was too late to protect his crewmates from being placed into that situation.
Anger clouded his gaze as he witnessed his captain get knocked to the ground again. He appeared unable to get back up as well. His opponent smiled smugly at that, which merely added to the green eyed man's fury. Luffy's opponent lifted his arms in victory and the surrounding crowed cheered.
Unnoticed by those around him, a youth seethed. Fingers tightened their grip on the swords at the young man's side. Teeth clenched to keep himself from grinding them as his muscles tensed.
Luffy's opponent lowered his arms and advanced toward the downed male. A sharp clawed hand lifted in preparation to strike a death blow. The swordsman attacked at that moment. His fist made contact with the offender's face which sent his new opponent to kiss the earth. Those around them were stunned into silence. It appeared no one had expected anyone to interfere with what was happening.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" The green haired one snapped as he landed easily between the younger youth and the one he had hit. His eyes flashed in his rage.
A black furred tail twitched in annoyance as the other male pushed himself up from his bed of ground. His tail swished to shake out the dirt it had gathered. Hands brushed off the dust that stuck to his black slacks and white dress shirt. Grey eyes narrowed as he focused on Zolo then widened in surprise.
"What are you doing helping one of your tormentors?" Confusion settled on his face. He appeared to not care about being hit. The swordsman frowned at him, but didn't get the chance to answer as he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning around revealed that a different fox tailed inhabitant had picked up and restrained Luffy. Anger returned to the young man as he heard the pained groan that the black haired male released at being lifted.
A swift fist knocked him away and removed his hold from his captain. Another arm wrapped around the injured youth's waist and pulled him into a hard chest. The straw hat bearer released a pained grunt in response. Zolo realized what he had done. He carefully eased his grip to let him breathe easier, because he refused to aggravate the younger man's wounds.
"Sorry." The swordsman grumbled into the black eyed one's ear. He adjusted his swords so they wouldn't be pressed as much into his captain's damaged side.
"Zolo?" Luffy questioned. Dark green eyes snapped to the youth's face. What he noted were the disbelief the emotions disbelief mixed with a faint trace of hope.
"What the hell happened while I was unconscious?" Unfortunately, he knew his question would have to wait. The other man seemed to need reassurance.
"Of course, it's me." Zolo replied voice gruff as he gazed back at him. At this moment, he desired to make his captain smile. However, now wasn't the time to crack jokes even if it might get him one. There was still a chance that it would hurt the straw hat wearers' feelings. He refused to be the reason Luffy frowned.
"I'm so glad you are finally awake." Black eyes welled up with tears as they looked up at the green haired male and then their owner sagged against him in relief. Dark green eyes widened in surprise at the tears. He had never seen his captain cry even when the odds where greatly stacked against them and seemed hopeless.
"How long was I unconscious?" The swordsman asked hoping it wasn't what he thought. Watery eyes lifted up from staring at the shirtless chest before him. Brief confusion traveled across his visage before it left understanding in its wake.
"A month," was the pained whisper that wafted out of his captain's lips. Horror latched onto the older man's face. Now he understood why everyone was in such bad shape.
Another glance at his unconscious crewmates and then the youth in his arms ensured that the impact of the news was all the harder to swallow. He had been unconscious for a month and had left his crewmates, no family, to face these bastards without him. It further rubbed his nerves raw as he realized that he was well taken care of while his family had been hurt terribly.
"Why the hell would you hurt my family?!" Zolo snarled toward the one black haired male that had been hurting those he cared about.
"Because it looked like they were the ones responsible for hurting you." The black fox replied as shocked surprise gathered in grey eyes. A murmur spread through the onlookers at the swordsman's reaction. It appeared as though none of them had realized that those with him weren't responsible for what happened.
"They weren't trying to hurt me. What they were trying to do was find out what the hell those white coated bastards had done to me." Green eyes narrowed as he watched them all flinch at his words. "I don't give a shit what you would have done to them, but I will not stand for you all hurting those I care about." He gestured with his free hand to his unconscious crewmates and glanced down at Luffy. His captain looked awed at the older man. For now the expression was ignored as the swordsman turned his gaze back to those responsible for hurting his loved ones.
"I will not let you hurt my family any more. I will kill anyone else who hurts my pack regardless of who it may be. Do you all understand?" A sharp tone edged his words and appeared to emphasis them more then yelling ever could. His voice caused the crowd and the male who fought Luffy to flinch in unison. As one they all nodded their heads in their acceptance of his decision. With one last vicious glare, Zolo turned his attention back to the teen in his arms. He was unaware of what calling his crew his pack meant to the fox people around him.
Black eyes had a spark of curiosity in them that baffled the swordsman. One of the straw hat bearer's hands left his crewmate's chest and reached up. Fingers gripped a furry green foxlike ear. The green eyed male flinched at the grasp and placed his own hand over his captain's. He paused as he realized his ear shouldn't be that sensitive. His own fingers explored the furry appendage and tugged to try to remove it. A shot of pain coursed through him at the action that forced him to stop tugging. The black haired male quickly replaced the new appendage bearer's hand with his own and rubbed it.
"What the hell? Why do I have animal ears?" He trailed a finger across the sensitive ear once more and felt a tingle of pleasure. His head leaned into his captain's hand as he continued rubbing the swordsman's ear. A purr swelled up in the green eyed male's chest and presented itself audibly for all to hear. When he realized what was going on, the green haired man quickly removed his captain's hand from his ear. A pout graced the younger man's face, but he had not protested.
Blood on Luffy's arm drew Zolo's attention back to the problem at hand. Eyes narrowed at those around them. An eyebrow was raised as he noticed that no one looked happy any more. If anything, they all looked like they regretted their actions and felt guilty. The young man knew that just because they felt like that didn't mean that they were to be trusted. Resolute grey eyes lifted to meet wary dark green.
"How about we give medical aid to all of your pack? It won't earn your forgiveness, but it could be a start. You can watch as they are treated as well." The older male offered.
Distrust filled green eyes at the words. About to reject it, the young adult opened his mouth. Before he could speak, he was poked in the chest and looked down at the one responsible.
"Take him up on his offer." Black eyes were tired but as resolved as the voice that had spoken. His swordsman recognized the look. It meant that it wasn't a request, but an order from his captain. An irritated sigh escaped as green eyes slide shut. They opened once more and gazed at the younger man. Their focus then shifted to the grey eyed male.
"Fine, I'll accept your offer. However, one false move and you're dead." The new feline stated flatly. The black haired fox nodded and gestured to some of his men. They immediately went and freed the rest of the Straw Hats. A female tried taking Luffy from him only to get a growl for her efforts.
"I will carry Luffy." Green eyes narrowed in distrust. He noticed the female flicked her gaze to the grey eyed male in question. He gave a reassuring smile and waved her away. She retreated from the two teens before her. A clawed hand beckoned him to follow after his other crewmates who were being carried away. Hands carefully shifted the injured black haired youth in his arms to bridal style position. He followed his crewmates' unconscious forms while his captain fell asleep in his arms. Zolo silently vowed that should any more harm come to his family then all those present would have hell to pay.