Disclaimer: I Do Not Own One Piece.


Chapter 7: Fight! Rise And Be Strong! Part I


Aro bit her lip, forcing back the urge to transform. She hit the top of the curved edge of the mountainside, and charged at the cart. The ground closed between the two quickly. The people and the swordsmen moved out of her way. She looked up just in time to see the scythe coming down at the cage. She got a few feet away and pushed off the ground, jumping up to the top. While air born, she caught the scythe and landed on the cage. It rattled and whimpering came from inside.

Aro's gaze glided over everyone, "What's happening to you all?" her voice was strong and filled with anger and confusion, "You've all changed!" She pointed to the swordsmen. "I'm guessing that these sorry excuses for people were the all mighty marines? Am I right?" Silence. She continued to look around, scythe in her hand still.

"Yes!" Someone shouted form the back. Aro looked as well as the rest of the people. The father of the two girls stood tall, a look of trust came from his eyes to Aro.

"You, ex-marines, should be ashamed!" Aro shouted. Her eyes moved to the people who now lie laid on the ground dead. "Killing them… they did nothing wrong! Veldoro has blinded you! All of you! Open your eyes! Stand up and fight back!" She noticed Cap and the Straw Hat Crew, minus Nami and Usopp, approaching. She paid them no more minds than that. "Veldoro has been using you by abusing his powers. Cured fruit are to NEVER be used like that! You all said that to me. You all did! You're the one's who saved me when I was hurt by the cursed fruit…" She trailed off and her tail twitched, "It's my turn to return the favor. I'll take Veldoro on by myself it I have to." She could feel Cap's frown at her. "But I need you all to help! Stop taking his torture—" A blade flew past her face and went wide into the mountainside. Aro looked to her attacker.

Guzen stood on the ledge opposite of the one she came from. It was closer and his arm was still stretched out. He frowned at her, tossing up multicolored dice. "Your fate has been sealed. It's time for you to die…" He caught the dice and frowned at her.

"Such a rehearsed performance… Guzen! Get down here and fight me!" She felt her tail start to sway. Her ears switched to different directions, listening to the people. "You my friend, are my ticket inside that castle." A growl came from her throat. Guzen started towards the end of the ledge. Aro watched him.

"Veldoro… is a great leader…" He started, "Protecting us from pirates, terrors of the sea. All he wishes for in return is a small tribute, and even that is seen as too much…" He got to the end of the ledge and stared down at everyone, "He has promised family protection for your services. These 'ex-marine' are his followers. Now, do as he commands: Bring him his tribute, and…" his hand lifted to point at the Straw Hat Crew with his palm to the sky, "kill the pirates…"

"NO!" Aro shouted as the swordsmen turned to their new targets.

"It's alright." Aro looked at Cap, seeing him grin up at her. Zolo was tying his bandana on, while Sanji lit a new cigarette. "We're your back up, remember?" The men started towards them slowly. Aro gave Cap the smallest nod and turned back to Guzen. As she did so, she could see the people leaving in a silent rush.

"Well, looks like we get to pick up where we left off…"

"I guess we are…" The people then broke out into a mad panic, running from the mountain as fast as they could, some peoples being trampled. The swordsmen charged her and the others. The other four spread out to cover more ground. Aro caught it in the corner of her eye and turned to get a better look. A fight erupted and Aro lost sight of everyone. All she could see were the flow of energy to four places on the ground.

"Cap!"

"What?" His voice was forced, as if he was recently hit in the throat. She couldn't see him, but she knew he would heal from whatever injury he had.

"The cart! Get these girls back to their father!" Aro turned back to Guzen had loaded one of the dice up to shoot at her. "Uh-oh!" She said to herself. She raised the scythe with both hands and pulled it over her shoulder. The fight around the cart started to sound fiercer. Guzen shot the die at her. She grunted and swung the blade at it. A wave came and it blew the die back easily. She watched as the die hit the wall and the rock was coated with ice that seemed to burn into the rock. She stared in awe and fear.

"Come, Aro… Unless your scared…"

Her face suddenly burned, and she growled deep in her throat. "Scared? Never." She jumped down, and ran towards him. She weaves between the swordsmen as she runs. Her scythe was still in her hand, held to one side with both hands.

"Aro!" She heard Cap's voice somewhere in the commotion behind her, "Use your head!" Aro got to the edge of the bowl. This side was a lot rougher. She smiled, still running and starting up the wall. It was a 30-foot climb. Guzen was waiting for her, one hand holding sharpened cards, the other with freezing dice. A grin slowly made it's way across his face.

Aro grinned back, and raised her scythe head up and let the blade somewhat hover over the face of the mountain. Guzen pulled his one arm back that held the cards, and threw them at her with alarming speed and accuracy. She started to slow down. With a flick of her wrist, she turned a part of her scythe and a pole shot out of the bottom of the head. She pulled the scythe up and blocked the cards. She then spun the scythe and held the bottom of the pole. He jumped back as the head came up. She lost footing, and the head of the scythe caught the edge of the ledge. She kicked off the wall, and the scythe pivoted and she was soon holding onto the end of the pole while the top of her scythe's head was in the ground. Her tail moved to keep her balanced. He staggered back.

"Now who's the scared one?" Aro choked down a laugh to sound more intimidating. His hand slid to a card case behind his back. She blinked, "Hold it, Dice Boy. What are you doing?" he with drew his hand and held a FireBomb die. She slid down the pole and pulled her scythe from the ground. The pole sunk back in. She prepared herself. He loaded the die, as Aro prepared to charge. He turned away from her as she started towards him. He shot the FireBomb down to the bowl. Aro's scythe started to come at his mid-section when three screams were heard along with an explosion. She stopped in her tracks and looked. Her face paled at the site and everything seemed to freeze for her.

The three screams had come from the cart. Two were female, the other belonged to Cap.