Chapter 4: The Pirate Hunter Rorornoa Zoey!

Lily clenched her fist tight, her knuckles now pure white. "You bastard! Why would you lie like that!" The man just laughed twistedly still holding his nose, as blood streamed down from it. "Oh, I don't know. I'll let you talk to my father soon though." He used one of the bar stools to help himself up off the floor, he let out one last laugh as he ran out of the saloon. Lily was so tempted to just pummel the perverted bastard, but she held back her anger. "We need to help Zoey." Coby's eye's widened and sweat dripped from his forehead like a sprinkler. "Us take on the Marines…?" "Well yeah!" Lily said as she slammed her fist on the table and walked towards the door and opened it. "Coby? You coming?" Coby sighed knowing there was no talking the insane girl out of taking on the marines. He got down from the stool and slowly dragged himself over to Lily. "Fine…" He followed Lily out of the saloon and up the hill back towards the tall blue structure for a conformation with the marines.

At the base…

"Morgan Sir! Your son is here to speak with you Sir." Commander "Axe Hand" Morgan, Commander and head chief of the Shells Town Marine Base. He was super strong and muscular built, his hair was short and ash blonde. His right arm was completely gone, do to an intense fight during a war he had with pirates when he first joined the Marines. An axe handle took place of his lost hand, and his jawline was replaced with a metal one do to the same reason. The metal jaw had "Mowe" engraved in the center near the chin. He ruled the town and his military force with fear and intimidation. His taxes made the town's people scrap loose ends to survive in their daily life. He looked towards the frightened Marine, shooting him a glare as the Marine shook in fear. "Let him speak." "Yes Sir!" The man stepped aside to reveal Morgan's son Helmoppo walking up to him. Morgan at this moment was directing some Marines on where to put his statue he had hand carved of himself with the Town's people's tax money. "Daddy there was this girl with a straw hat that punched me in the face. No one punches me! I want you to find her and order her killed!" Morgan glared down at his son's cowardness. "You come to me, about getting hit by a girl? What are you?" Morgan drew his hand back and slapped his son's face, causing him to fall back and hit a couple of Marines, as they all toppled to the ground. "You're pathetic! Move your asses! I want this up by noon!" Morgan screamed at the dead tired Marines. One of the Marines whose arm was sore let go of the rope to try to get some comfort by stretching it. "YOU!" Morgan yelled at the Marine, He jumped back falling on the ground, as he looked up staring at the tall axe hand man. "Did I say you could let go of that!?" The Marine covered his face with his arm. "No sir…" Morgan drew his arm back and hit the Marine repeatedly with the back of the axe, killing him. Satisfied with his kill Morgan slung the remaining blood on the axe off and turned back towards to the other Marines who watched in horror. Seeing there scared expressions brought a twisted smile across his face. "Anyone else defy me and you too will die!" He put his hands behind his back and stood with his head held high, as if proud of killing the Marine. "I'm glad you all understand. NOW PULL!"

Lily and Coby had reached the wall as the pink haired boy looked over towards Lily with worry. "I'll talk to her." Coby gulped deeply and looked back up at the wall. "You sure?" "Yeah, I want to do this." Lily vaulted over the wall, landing in the training yard where Zoey was being held. The girl looked up, as she saw Lily land in front of her. She sighed a little annoyed by the girl being so persistent. "Oh you again?" Lily smiled and waved to the female bounty hunter. "Yeah I'm back. You said you were a swordsman, where are your swords?" Zoey looked down disappointed, ashamed that one of her most prized blades was taken by the perverted Helmoppo. "That creep took them… If you can get them back… I'd be in your debt… There my treasure." That moment Lily smiled and remembered her treasure as she stook off her straw hat and looked down at it. "Give it back to me when you've become a strong pirate." Shanks's words echoed in Lily's head, as she looked up smirking widely. "Consider it done Zoey!" Zoey's expression changed rapidly after that. Her eyes lit up with happiness "Thank you…" Lily nodded as she ran towards the Marine base tower to take back the female bounty hunter's swords. She looked up at the large structure in awe, the blue tower seemed to stretch almost into the clouds. "Whoa… How do I get in? Oh well, I'll make a way in." She smiled stretching her arms to the top of the base, latching on to the very top. "Gum-gum Rocket!" She shot herself into the air, as she flew high into the sky and over the base itself. Commander Morgan and the rest of the Marines looked up at the flying Lily, as she began falling and coming closer to the base Morgan squinted his eyes trying to make out the figure. "The hell?" "Hey everybody! Oh crap…" Lily landed on top of the statue with a thump, causing the large monument to tip over the edge base, causing the ropes to break. The over 100,000,000 Berry statute fell to the ground below, breaking into pieces. Lily landed on the top of the base with Morgan and his army, as she looked up at all the shocked Marines, there jaws physically touching the ground in shock. "Sorry about that… The nose was kinda wrong anyways." Lily smiled rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. Morgan's veins protruded from his forehead,as he glared at Lily in anger. "YOU ARE DEAD!" Morgan yelled drawing his axe at Lily. "You pathetic crap loaders! After her!" Lily ran over to a latched door that entered into the base, Helmoppo sat beside still feeling the sting from his father's slap. Lily grabbed his shirt and dragged him behind her into the base. The purple suit man now frightened for his life. "Let me go!" "No! Earlier you wanted me to touch you! Perverted creep! Now where are the swords?!" Lily demanded as she continued running from the Marines who were gaining on her. Lily dashed down the hallway as she knocked over some crates to knock off the Marines. "There in my room… Please let me go…" "Where is your room?!" "Down the hallway… to the left… 5th door on the right…" He said becoming sick from the fast movements Lily was making to avoid the Marines. "Thanks!" She smiled throwing him on ground and continued running towards the room. She came to a pink wooden door with the words "Sex Machine" written on it. "This is mostly likely it." She laughed to herself, as she kicked down the door and jumped she made her way into the room she saw the three swords leaning against a window. "Three? Which one is her's…?" Lily then heard talking from the courtyard through the opened window, She walked over to the window looking out to see what was happening. "What's going on out there?" She looked down and noticed Coby trying to untie Zoey, to their left Marines began to approach them and Morgan was leading them to Coby and Zoey. "Looks like Coby needs help… But which sword is it? Oh well, I'll take all three." Lily grabbed the swords and jumped towards the window, as she prepared to jump from it straight into the action.

"I'm going to help you okay?" Coby said as he tried to untie the knot bounding Zoey to the post. "Get out of here kid… They'll kill you!" "To bad! We're going to kill you anyways!" Zoey looked over to see Morgan walking towards them laughing, a small squad of Marines accompanied him. "So these are your saviors? A girl with a straw hat and a little kid? Ha! Don't make me laugh!" He raised his arm into the air to motion for the firing squad to draw their rifles. "On my command, fire at them." The Marines drew their rifles some of them sighing at the idea of killing more innocent people. "I can't die here…" Zoey said staring at them in fear. Soon her life flashed in front of her. Her dreams, hopes, and years of training, and not to mention her promise.

Flashback…

A ten year old Zoey laid in the grass defeated by her rival friend again. "Damn it! This isn't far Kuina!" "I don't see how? I'm only on my 25th winning streak against you now." She smiled sheathing her sword. Zoey lay on the ground still, as tears welled in her eyes. "You'll see I'll be the greatest swordsman out there! My name will ring to heavens and all over the world!" "Hmph… Okay then Zoey. Do your best and I will too!" Kuina smiled. She held out her hand and helped Zoey up, giving her a tight hug. "When we grow up, We'll see who's the best then!" "Ya! I'll give it my all!" After that day Zoey would never see her friend again. The next day Kuina had fallen ill and had fell down the stairs, because of the practice her and Zoey put in that night. Zoey ran to Kuina house, in hopes of more training, was shocked at the sight of her lifeless body under a white sheet. "Kuina! NO! Our promise…" "I'm sorry Zoey…" Kuina father said his expression showing the sorrow of his tragic experience. "Give me her sword please…" Her father knew Zoey would go on to do incredible things, and also Zoey was the only friend Kuina would entrust with her sword. "As you wish my daughter." "Thank you sensei!" Kuina's father handed Zoey the katana, known as the Wado Ichimonji, its hilt was pure white as well as the sheath. "Make my daughter proud Zoey." Zoey bowed her head in honor as she took the sword. "I'll keep my promise Kuina! I'll be the best!"

"AIM!" Zoey's thoughts were interrupted by Morgan's loud orders, She was staring down the barrel of multiple rifles. Her promise… would she even live to fulfill it…? "I can't die here… Kuina I'm sorry!" She bowed her head and closed her eyes tightly preparing for her fate. "FIRE!"

To be continued...