CHAPTER 9: Falling One by One
Roronoa Zoro had been fighting one of the Alfredo Family's Capo, Gemelli, for quite some time now. He was vaguely aware that the stupid love cook had managed to rescue Toshi from the mansion and that the two of them were now knee deep in battles of their own with the other Capo. Gemelli was fast, and the swordsman suspected that she had trained with the stripy bastard he'd fought before, as he saw some similarities in their movements. She was good, too; it was taking a lot to get any kind of hit on her and Zoro noted that they were pretty evenly matched as the fight continued.
He landed in a crouch after yet another attack that Gemelli had parried. The Alfredo family were just as tough as they'd said, worthy of commanding this island.
Zoro noticed out of the corner of his eye that Rotini had begun lumbering back towards the mansion. "No!" He yelled, his words muffled around the sword in his mouth as he pivoted on one foot, about to attempt to bring him back when Gemelli stopped him; in a blur of steel, one of the Capo's twin daggers shot out to block his path.
"Leaving so soon? I don't think so!" She stepped nimbly in front of him, her face creasing in a scowl. "NOBODY walks away from me, understand?" The last word had barely left her lips when she struck, pivoting into a rapid spin as her blades sang through the air toward his face at an alarming rate.
The swordsman's eyes widened momentarily and he barely raised up his swords in time to block her assault. He was pushed back by the force of Gemelli's blow and he smirked in anticipation of continuing the fight with this strong woman. With every battle he fought, his skills would increase. One step closer to being the world's greatest swordsman. He'd promised Luffy that time back at the Baratie that he'd never lose another fight, and he intended to keep that promise at all costs.
Zoro pushed back against Gemelli's daggers, crossing his swords and slicing down diagonally, catching her forearms in the process. He noticed, with satisfaction, that a look of pain crossed her face briefly. With a glance over her shoulder, Zoro noticed that Rotini had gotten further into the distance toward the mansion. Well, it looked like he was on his own. Whatever the large man had in mind to pursue, Zoro wished him luck as he flipped the sword in his right hand over his palm, spreading his legs wider in his battle stance.
"Oi. Is that the best you got?"
Gemelli leaped backward a few steps, not taking her eyes off the green-haired man even as blood began to trickle down her forearms and coat the handles of her daggers. Her hands tightened around them, face set in a hard glare. The sounds of her comrades fighting nearby reached her ears, but she did not react to their shouting. Her original task was to see to it that Rotini was escorted back to the dungeon...however, she was sure the Don would agree that eliminating this unexpectedly strong pirate was also a priority.
"You're going to wish you hadn't asked me that," she finally retorted, her lips pulling into a smirk despite her best attempt at remaining serious. Her daggers snapped up to the level of her waist and she began to spin them, much like before.
Zoro blinked and she was gone. He grit his teeth around the hilt of the sword in his mouth, sinking into a crouch in anticipation of her next attack. Moments passed and nothing happened. His eyes darted left and then right. What the hell was this woman up to?
"WHIRLWIND STEP!" Her voice was suddenly blaring in his left ear. The strike happened so quickly that there was hardly time to react. "DUAL FANG!" With both daggers held by their straps in one hand, Gemelli snapped her arm downward and the weapons sliced through the air, cutting through his flesh as if it were butter. She jumped to the side, avoiding both the spray of blood and Zoro's immediate riposte.
Zoro grunted, having thrust forward after her attack, pivoting on his foot in his failed attempt to parry. His arms were wet with the thick viscous liquid that only continued to ooze out. The blade on the left, he'd noticed, hadn't had as deep an impact as the other due to the fact that he'd cut the strap of that particular weapon earlier in the fight. He looked up to see her apparent satisfaction with this attack and spit a mouthful of blood into the dust, his stance only wavering slightly. This...this was nothing.
Gemelli chuckled, idly swinging her daggers at her side, though she appeared ready to react at a moment's notice. "Hm, the silent, stoic type, are we? I was at least hoping for a scream or two. Guess I'll have to keep trying!"
Zoro only frowned in response. He heard Chopper yell his name from somewhere behind him, but he was also yelling for Sanji, Robin and Toshi and the swordsman blocked him out. Surely this Gemelli wasn't as tough as Penne, the Don's right hand man was. He needed to finish her off so he could go after Rotini.
Gemelli's fingers twitched, grasping the hilts of her daggers, preparing to initiate another attack. Zoro knew he only had seconds to spare and was on the move almost immediately. She was fast, much like the stripy bastard before her. They ran parallel to each other, each looking for an opening the other wouldn't provide. There was a scream nearby and Zoro saw her eyes dart to the side, where Toshi was fighting Rotelle. He took this as his opportunity to charge.
Stopping in mid-step, he dashed straight for the Capo. The swords in his hands were pointed directly at her. "USHI BARI!" He yelled, throwing his full weight into the twin thrusts that the woman was just barely able to keep from piercing her chest. She skewed the course of the swords only enough for them to pierce one of her shoulders, the other opening a thick cut on the side of her chest. An aura of a large bull seemed to engulf the two fighters as Zoro skidded to the side while Gemelli spun her blade in front of her to attempt to keep him at bay.
Zoro began a slow circle around her, much like a vulture ready to dive and consume a decaying corpse. He knew she wouldn't be such easy prey, though he enjoyed the pissed off look on her face that seemed to say 'How dare you cut me?!' This woman was clearly used to having the upper hand in a fight.
Gemelli's chest heaved with exertion. A bead of sweat crawled down the side of her face. She had taken her eyes off the swordsman for that single moment, and it had cost her dearly. Having heard her sister cry out in pain, it was only natural for her to look Rotelle's way. Damn that girl! The Capo clenched her teeth, pain from the previous assault stinging through her body. She did her best to ignore it, her eyes traveling up Zoro's form and surveying the wounds he had sustained. He was already injured from a previous fight, as she had noted before. That shirt had obviously been stained red long before she had arrived. Gemelli would have recognized those slash marks from Penne's sword anywhere...Penne, who was no longer on the battlefield. Had this man standing before her actually managed to defeat the Don's right-hand man?
The Capo coughed, producing a wet retching sound and specks of blood sprinkled over the broken cobblestone path they stood upon. She gripped her weapons more tightly, regaining her bearings. One foot slid to the side as she sank into an offensive stance. Enough playing around. It was about time to end this fight. The Don would surely require her service soon, and if there was one person she dared not disappoint, it was Don Fettuccine Alfredo.
One whirling dagger came up in front of her, acting as a protective barrier. Gemelli lunged forward an instant later. With the second dagger in her good hand, she leaped to Zoro's left side, where he was ready with an attack that she easy parried with the spinning defensive blade. She back flipped and spun into a landing at his right, and he moved to attack the offensive blade when she abruptly switched the roles of the daggers. The one that had been protecting her was the one she drove deep into his abdomen as she screamed out, "FACADE TWISTER!"
Zoro doubled over as her dagger pierced him, a thick wet noise echoing as fresh blood gushed forth, his stomach band now torn and drenched in red. Dropping one of his swords, he grabbed her forearm and pushed her back, forcing the blade from his belly, wheezing with the effort.
He slashed at her with the remaining sword, holding his free hand over the open wound, gritting his teeth at the intense pain. She took several stumbling steps backward and it was apparent that she was far more wounded than she was letting on. The wheezing of each breath she took indicated significant lung damage. Surely at this rate, she would not last much longer...
While she was catching her breath, Zoro quickly moved to rip his stomach band. He tied the two broken ends together tightly around his abdomen, his hands becoming coated in his own blood.
"You look like you're bleeding out quite quickly," Gemelli commented, her own voice raspy as she coughed once more, blood dripping down her chin.
Zoro wiped his hands on his pants, sneering as he hurried to reassume his fighting stance.
It was just a scratch, after all.
Whatever remained of his blood was now thrumming through his veins. He could hear it as clearly as his own heartbeat and he narrowed his eyes at his opponent, noting how much her movements were costing her thanks to his last attack.
The swordsman stepped forward, slowly rotating the blades in his hands. He knew he would need to pick up speed in order to finish her off, but he had to get himself moving. He continued to walk toward her, trying to gauge how much the Capo had left in her, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
"Ready for more, are you?" Gemelli smirked, her face looking a bit strained as she braced herself for the next assault. "Well then, how about we step it up a bit?"
"Hmmm? I guess Toshi's grandpa did hire some strong goons after all." Zoro pulled the white sword from his mouth for a moment, a sinister grin spreading across his face that showed bloodstained teeth. He spat another mouthful of blood before securing the white sword once more, his mind flashing briefly to its former owner. If there were an afterlife, he hoped that she could see him right now, and see that he would do whatever it took to keep their promise.
He fainted to the left, noting the way she flinched and held her daggers again, starting a spin, much weaker than before. He slashed all three swords at her diagonally as they jumped into another set of thrusts and parries. But her movements were becoming sloppy and he felt his foot slip a time or two.
Time was running out. Whatever Rotini was headed for, he was surely already there. Zoro hoped he wasn't going back to that dank and horrible dungeon...
The clank of sword against dagger was near deafening as the two blade wielders threw all their strength into defeating each other. Zoro for Toshi's freedom, Gemelli for her loyalty to the family she'd joined. The swordsman wondered if it was really worth it; this so-called 'family' seemed like just another bunch of assholes to him.
After yet another clash of metal, he jumped back, leaving a wide berth between himself and the Capo. He turned and began running in the other direction, not oblivious to her cackles and taunts of his apparent cowardice and inability to see a fight through to the finish.
"Heh." He turned on a dime. His arms went up in a wide arc over his head and he crossed his swords in front of him, hunching forward slightly. He launched into a full-on run. She was quick, but he had to be quicker.
She disappeared momentarily and he could hear her buzzing like an incessant fly just near him. He felt his insides lurch due to all the jostling of his wound his movements caused and cringed. He stopped for only a split second, but that was just enough time for Gemelli to land a hit to the side of his face.
"HURK!" Zoro paused only momentarily before he slashed with the sword in his mouth, blasting her back long enough for him to complete his attack.
"TWOFOLD ONIGIRI!"
Zoro's swords crossed and uncrossed as he practically flew at his opponent. After the first slash connected, he spun and dashed again. An identical diagonal slash followed up the last.
Gemelli stumbled backward from the force of the first attack, instinctively shielding herself with her daggers. But her arms were weak now and they began to buckle beneath the weight of his slash. Her eyes widened in real fear the moment she realized he was taking a page from her own book and implementing a dual attack of his own...she sucked in a breath, moving to protect herself with her blades.
Too late.
Slow to recover, Gemelli only managed to take one single step to the side when the second slash ripped across her body, devouring flesh and splintering bones. Blood spilled, coating her clothing, splashing onto the disorderly walkway, spurting into the air. She was still trying to orchestrate a counterattack in her mind even as she fell over backward, her daggers flying from her loosened grip and scattering across the ground on either side of her.
Gemelli's back collided with the broken ground, sending a large cloud of dust up into the air around her. She had lost the battle. Defeated by this pirate swordsman. What would become of her now? She inhaled as deeply as was possible, breathing with difficulty due to the puncture wound in one of her lungs.
It was over. She found herself staring up at the blue sky and the fluffy white clouds that it encompassed, drifting by like misshapen vessels on a calm sea. She struggled to inhale another wheezy breath of oxygen, vaguely aware of a red warmth spreading out at her sides.
Zoro's haggard form appeared above her, and she tried to blink the blur from his face. With nearly all she could muster, she cackled weakly. "Well...what are you waiting for? You need to finish me off..." She gasped for another breath. "I've disgraced the Don by losing to you...he will kill me anyway..."
Zoro stared down at her, seeing her now not only as an enemy but as a person filled with desperation. He considered her request for a moment, thinking that any death he would give her would be more honorable and kind than whatever the Don did to those who'd failed him. From the way she was talking now, he imagined it would be incredibly cruel, and something that probably happened often.
However…she'd been a worthy opponent, and he didn't like to see that kind of potential wasted. Hadn't he been spared in the same manner by Dracule Mihawk? He'd consider himself a disgrace to the name of swordsman if he didn't afford her the same measure of mercy.
"No….that's…that's not going to happen…." Zoro fell to one knee, supporting the rest of his weight upon the handle of Wado Ichimonji.
Gemelli's eyes seemed to widen in that moment though her gaze wavered as her eyes filled with unshed tears. Mercy was something she had not expected from a pirate.
"You need to get away from this place…from these people. Our…our captain, he's fighting for Toshi's freedom. When he wins….you'll have your freedom too…"
"Freedom..." Gemelli rasped, a small smile on her lips. He seemed so confident. "What must that be like, I wonder...?" Her eyes went back to the sky, feeling soothed by it despite the cacophony of battle all around them. She didn't dare believe that the Don would lose...serving the Alfredo family was the only life she had ever known. Chosen for both her and her twin sister Rotelle before they had even been born. Perhaps it was not what she'd wanted, but she had never dared question her parents. On the Port of Soba, you did what the Don told you to do and that was all there was to it.
Her eyes slid shut and she reveled in the feeling of the sun's rays on her skin. Perhaps she would die right here. Couldn't one also achieve freedom in death?
Zoro's vision began to swim as he felt a pang wrack through his body from the wound in his abdomen. He choked, coughing up another mouthful of blood as his hands slipped away from the sword and he collapsed onto the ground near Gemelli, their blood mingling in the rocks and dust.
"Chopper…" He managed to get out before slipping into unconsciousness.
oOo
The Doctor and the Archaeologist were doing well against the myriad of Rigatoni that continued to come at them from all sides. For awhile the hordes of black clad men and women seemed to be endless, a testament to just how far the Don's reach went through this island and its people.
Chopper was feeling so manly over the amount of foes he'd been able to defeat and he couldn't wait to tell Luffy about it, knowing his Captain was going to be so proud of him, that asshole!
'Luffy…' He thought with a gaze toward the mansion, the side of which now sported an enormous hole. He'd seen the boy fly through it earlier, though Luffy hadn't seemed too badly injured at the time. Whatever the outcome, Chopper would be ready to administer first aid to all his nakama. He pounded his fists together with determination, still in his heavy point form.
Robin and Chopper were continuing their game of punch and carry. Robin's hands were literally full, tossing dozens of men and women in the fountain with her trail of arms. But the fountain was soon full to the brim and those who hadn't lost consciousness were climbing out and helping their comrades out of the cold water.
"That crazy gorilla man!" One sopping wet Rigatoni pointed an accusing finger as he rallied some of his comrades behind him. "WE NEED TO TAKE HIM DOWN!"
"YEAAAAAH!"
They began the charge and Chopper pulled out a rumble ball, crunching into it as he growled, "RUMBLE!" He gritted his teeth in preparation for his transformation and held his arms up, throwing his head back as he yelled, "I'M NOT A GORLLIA I'M A REINDEER!"
"JUMPING POINT!" Chopper morphed into another humanoid form, his legs and arms elongated as he dashed up into the sky just before the Rigatoni had reached him. "Hehe…"
The black suits ran past the spot he'd just been standing and the doctor pivoted in midair, positioning himself for his next attack, his arms facing down as he morphed again. "ARM POINT!"
His face changed back to a reindeer form, but his biceps grew larger and his battle cry resounded as he dove for the group of Rigatoni, each arm held out. "KOKUTEI ROSEO!"
BAM! BAM!
Direct hits landed to the faces of two Rigatoni almost simultaneously, leaving them imprinted with sakura-shaped indents.
Chopper wheeled on his feet, large arms still held up as he punched several more opponents with the kokutei roseos, grinning with satisfaction at the sakura shapes he left behind and the men and women who toppled over like bowling pins.
The doctor took just a split second then to think back to that time...one of the happiest times of his life, with Hiruluk; the man who'd taught him, embraced him, inspired him to become a pirate.
"OHHHH! LOOK AT ME, DOCTOR!" He yelled towards the sky, grinning as he closed his eyes for just a second.
"DOCTOR-SAN!" Robin's voice came from behind him, urgency filling her tone.
Chopper looked down, but was engulfed by the rest of the group of Rigatoni as they piled on top of him, pinning him to the ground.
The doctor almost panicked at the heavy weight that was holding him down, his face smashed against the cobblestones... Then he grinned, shrinking down to his brain point size, satisfied at the alarmed shouting that surrounded him as he morphed into another form.
"HORN POINT!"
Giant horns sprouted where they'd once been small, scooping up several of the Rigatoni as Chopper stood back to his full height, still yelling his battles cries with resolve. "OHHHH!" He spun, tossing those that were caught up in his horns. Then he crouched down, charging like a bull at another group of foes that had gathered to face him, barreling through them and knocking them down as Robin grinned.
The archeologist pinned many of these fallen foes to the ground with newly sprouted arms.
"VEINTE FLEUR!"
"HEY! LET US GO, YOU WITCH!"
"It's…it's her!" One man's voice rang out. "I RECOGNIZE HER FROM HER WANTED POSTER! SHE'S THE CHILD OF THE DEVIL, NICO ROBIN!"
Robin's grin ceased to reach her eyes as she clapped a hand over the mouth of the man who was screaming. "How rude…" She released his mouth and grew three other arms beside the first one. "SLAP!" Open palms began slapping him until his face was bruised and bloody.
"I'VE GOT HER!" A female Rigatoni had jumped onto Robin's back while she was distracted, wrapping her arms and legs round Robin's torso.
There was laughter as several more Rigatoni began to advance on her, pulling out knives and daggers as they did so.
Robin's eyes widened for only a brief second. "TREINTA FLEUR!" she announced, growing two arms on each of the shoulders of the group that were attacking. "CHOKE!" She announced as the hands grabbed at the throats of the Rigatoni and began squeezing.
Robin closed her eyes again, chuckling, releasing her arms with a rain of flower petals as the Rigatoni lost consciousness one by one.
But there was still a monkey on her back, and said monkey had just pulled out a knife and was holding it to her throat.
"D-don't move, Nico Robin!" The Rigatoni's voice wavered a little and Robin could feel her trembling ever so slightly at the thought of being so near to her.
"UN FLEUR!"
An arm grew on the Rigatoni's back and tossed her onto the ground behind Robin. The former Miss All Sunday turned to face the girl, pinning her down with several sets of arms that lay over every foot over the woman's body, clucking her tongue at the small cut the girl had managed to make on her neck. "BURY!"
Robin clenched her fists and pulled, pushing the woman several inches into the dirt.
Chopper whooped with joy as he noted all the foes they'd managed to down. His rumble ball was just now wearing off and he slowly morphed back into his brain point form, his large horns changing back to the familiar small ones, one of which held a permanent metal bandage.
"Nice work, Doctor-san." Robin praised the small reindeer and he began wiggling back and forth, his arms waving like noodles as he grinned.
"That doesn't make me happy at all, YOU ASSHOLE!"
Robin smiled as she watched him a few more moments, but their happy moment was broken when they both heard Zoro's hoarse voice calling out for Chopper.
"Doctor-san!" Robin finally uncrossed her arms from in front of her as she gaze down at the reindeer with worry.
His eyes widened. "ZORO!" He yelled as his eyes scanned the battlefield, finally falling on the downed man who was practically coated in his own blood.
The doctor scrambled to the swordsman's side and began fussing over him. "OI ZORO! YOU'RE TOO RECKLESS! THESE WOUNDS ARE SERIOUS! YOU COULD'VE DIED!" He began tossing out numerous first aid supplies from his backpack as he prepared to treat him.
Zoro's eyes flickered open as he fought to regain consciousness. The blackness was so near and he longed to just fall into it.
"No…" he whispered hoarsely, lolling his head to the side as he couldn't move his arms, trying to gesture to the motionless woman who lay only a few feet away. "Treat…treat her first…"
"Zoro, you…" Chopper looked over at the woman. Her chest was moving with erratic bursts. She seemed to be in even worse shape than the swordsman. But…wasn't she his enemy? Chopper shook his head to clear his mind as he remembered, enemy or not, he was a doctor and it was his sworn duty to care for injured people no matter who they were.
"Okay! Robin! Keep him safe!" Chopper moved over to Gemelli and began treating her wounds, not noticing the tiny smile that passed over Zoro's face as he lost consciousness again.
Robin stood in front of them, crossing her arms once more, preparing to fend off any foes that tried to come near during the treatment. She wouldn't let anything happen to them.
'Luffy...' She thought. 'Please hurry…'
oOo
Sanji leaped backward, dancing around the whip's incessant slashes as each strike pierced the ground around his feet. One hand covered the gaping cut across his chest, the front of his shirt long since soaked. It cooled now as the wound began to clot. Pici did not let up for a second. He grinned as he sent the tail of his whip screeching straight for the chef's neck.
"Tch!" Sanji scoffed as he dropped to the ground instantly. The whip flew over his head, the breeze it created tousling his blond hair. He took the opening, catapulting off one hand and sending his body hurtling through the air. "EPAULE SHOOT!" He shouted out as he spun, his heel coming down hard to connect with Pici's shoulder.
Pici was knocked off balance, sprawling sideways into the dirt and rolling a few times before he got his legs under him and managed to skid to a stop. He adjusted his sunglasses with one hand, gripping the whip more tightly with the other.
At that moment, there was a shrill cry from where Rotelle and Toshi were having it out about twenty yards away. Rotelle hit the ground and there was a sharp intake of breath from Pici's lips. He moved to stand with one hand outstretched, but Sanji's voice rang out first and completely eclipsed Pici's own attempt to come to Rotelle's defense.
"OI! TOSHI! You don't need to go that far!" He shouted to the Don's heir, frowning in displeasure at the thought of the lovely Rotelle becoming injured by the hands of a man who really ought to know better.
There was an ear-splitting crack and Sanji was sent staggering forward. He fell to his knees, trembling fingers grasping at dirt as pain racked his body once more. He had no time to evaluate the damage, however, because the moment he realized what had happened was the moment his ears detected the shriek of a second assault. He pushed himself off the ground, quickly dodging the blow, landing in a roll that nearly halted him when his shredded back hit the ground.
No...no time to worry about pain. Sanji had lost the offensive in that fleeting moment he'd expressed concern for Rotelle's safety. If he stopped moving now, he would surely perish.
Pici laughed harshly, perhaps enjoying Sanji's struggle more than he should have. "That's what you get for worrying about someone else's fight!" He taunted the chef as the whip bit the ground several times in succession in an attempt to bring him down once more.
"At least I can call myself a real man," Sanji retorted as he flipped out of the way.
"HAH!" Pici leaped forward, closing the distance between the two of them. "And what the hell kind of man are you, anyway? A man who gets distracted during a fight?!"
Sanji grunted, barely dodging the next attack. "No, you shitty ponytail! A man willing to stand up for a woman, no matter the circumstances!" While the whip was outstretched, he sent his body careening forward, taking the opportunity given to him. "POITRINE!" The chef drove his heel into Pici's chest. There was a loud crack and the Capo was sent toppling over backward into the debris of what used to be one of the statues in the Don's courtyard.
"Besides," Sanji continued, his eyes following Pici's movements carefully as the other man sat up, wincing at the fractured ribs he had no doubt sustained, "even with those sunglasses on, I can see the way you look at Rotelle-chan. You were also worried, but here you are, not doing a damn thing about it! Sign of a real coward if you ask me!"
Pici growled, jumping to his feet. "Mind your own damn business, pirate!" The whip snapped back with a twitch of his wrist as if it were an extension of his own hand. "Even if that were true, I wouldn't discuss such matters with the likes of you! Pirate trash!" He flicked the whip horizontally, the coiled tip racing for Sanji's own ribcage, but the chef was quick despite being injured. He leaped up high, his long legs tucked beneath him, easily avoiding the stretch of leather as it zoomed past.
"That's fine," Sanji said as he landed on the whip before Pici could retract it. "Rotelle-chan deserves much better than a dolt like you, anyway, doesn't she?" Sanji slipped his free foot beneath the hardened leather, jerking upward harshly and causing Pici to lurch forward from the force of the motion. Dashing for the Capo, he dropped to the ground suddenly and twisted himself into a sweeping kick. "GIGOT!" The force with which Pici's kneecaps were struck resulted in the Capo flying upward, unable to stop himself. Sanji followed him closely, following up with a second attack as he shot one leg forward while the other went backward, gaining momentum for the blow. "BASSE COTE!"
Pici screamed out as pain exploded in his shoulder and then in the back of his head as he crashed unceremoniously onto the hard ground below, sharp rubble digging into his back. He was slower to get up that time, panting with exertion. The fall had only exacerbated the cracked ribs he'd suffered a few minutes earlier. One hand covered the shoulder that had taken the hit, discovering that it had in fact been dislocated.
Sanji straightened, wavering on his feet a bit. He could feel a wet warmth trickling down his back, soaking into the waist of his dark slacks. The chef took the time he had now to reach into his pocket, retrieving a pack of cigarettes. He scoffed softly upon seeing that he was running low...only a couple left. He lit it quickly and allowed himself a drag, studying Pici carefully as the larger man pushed himself to his knees. "Aren't you going to be a good boy and stay the hell down?"
Pici sneered up at the chef, eyeing his shredded blue shirt. "Shut your mouth, you disgusting sea dog! Don't be so arrogant as to think that a piece of shit like you could actually defeat me! I'm one of Don Fettuccine Alfredo's esteemed Capo, trained since the day I could walk to-" Suddenly his teeth became razor sharp, noticing that Sanji was not only ignoring him but also staring rather dreamily in Rotelle's direction. "OI! KEEP YOUR EYES RIGHT HERE, YOU SCOUNDREL!"
But Pici's expression morphed into horror when he followed Sanji's gaze, suddenly watching Rotelle take a brutal strike to the face via Toshi's nunchaku. His fists clenched at his sides, the sight igniting a fiery rage that burned through his veins in an instant. Rotelle's pretty face, marred by a hideous purple bruise across her cheek...
Without thinking, Pici was dashing forward. Barreling down the stretch of courtyard to where his fellow Capo was struggling to regain the upper hand. She needed him, he thought to himself, drawing back his whip. Ignoring the pain blazing through one side of his body, Pici used every ounce of his strength to send the dense whip screaming toward an unsuspecting Toshi.
The Don would be angry. Pici would be killed for this. But in that moment, he did not care. He didn't even think about the consequences that would ensue from this act. He followed through, his body nearly grazing over the ground from the sheer momentum of the shot. He watched. Waited for the whip to connect, to rip the heir apart...
But it never happened. Someone appeared directly in Pici's line of fire a split second before the whip could shred its intended target, the impact causing an ear-splitting crack that resounded throughout the vicinity.
Pici gritted his teeth, partially against the throbbing all over his injured body from the effort his attack had required and partially in anger. "You!"
Sanji only smirked, his lips clamped shut. He didn't dare open his mouth at that moment, lest a scream escape. The caught whip was coiled tightly around one of his outstretched legs, digging into the flesh of his calf, and he clenched his fists tightly against the scorching pain that seemed to travel from his leg to all over his body at once. Blood seeped from beneath his tattered pant leg, trickling down his shiny black shoe to form a small puddle beneath him.
The heads of the other fighters whipped in the direction of the loud cracking noise, they had been so engrossed in their own fight that they hadn't even noticed the blur of motion that had been barreling towards them.
"PICI!" Rotelle shrieked at the same time that Toshi yelled, "SANJI!"
Pici glowered at his opponent, whip still wrapped snugly around the chef's lacerated leg. "Pay attention to your own fight and stop losing! You're humiliating yourself," he remarked coldly.
Rotelle's lower lip jutted out, wavering slightly as she noted how beat up her fellow Capo was...but he was also right, and she had to trust him to finish this fight. He'd live…he'd definitely live and then she'd—
"SANJI, KICK HIS ASS!" Toshi yelled as she turned back to Rotelle.
"You don't have to tell me that," Sanji retorted, though he sounded a bit strained. As Toshi and Rotelle went back to their fight, he leveled a dangerous look at the sunglasses-clad Capo. "Don't forget, your opponent here is me.I wouldn't take my eyes off a guy like me, if I were you."
Pici snarled back, giving the thick leather weapon a harsh yank and sending the pirate soaring straight over his head. Sanji quickly reached the end of the whip's length, though rather than allowing the whip to unwind from around his calf, he kicked back with his good leg and forward with the other, twisting his body sideways to create extra force.
"BASSE COTE!" Sanji shouted out. It was the same attack from earlier, only this time he was using it to send Pici airborne. It happened so fast that the Capo didn't even have time to drop the whip before he was snapped into the air. Before he could even blink, he was flailing past Sanji's own falling body.
Except Sanji was ready for him. "Didn't I just tell you not to take your eyes off me?" The chef grinned around his cigarette, even though he knew this next maneuver would cost him. Using the whip to pull himself into a rapid series of flips, Sanji picked up speed until finally his outstretched leg was driven downward in a devastating blow to Pici's skull. "CONCASSE!" He shouted out, his face a mask of pain as every wound he'd sustained that day complained at the force of impact.
The sunglasses were kicked clean off Pici's face, though the rest of the world never got a good look at him because he was gone in an instant, carried off by the momentum of the pirate chef's finishing shot.
"AAARRRGH!" Pici was tossed about like a ragdoll in mid-flight, his world nothing but a multicolored blur as he sailed all the way across the courtyard. He smashed directly into the statue of the Don himself, causing the stone replica to crack and crumble at the point of impact. Pici fell limply into the remainder of the fountain. Water soaked his bloodied clothing, cooling his wounds and drowning out the sounds of his companions' shouts. He tried to push himself up, but his head was spinning and his body was useless. A moment later, he finally ceased to struggle as he faded into unconsciousness.
On the other side of the courtyard, Sanji landed on his feet, though not nearly as cleanly as he normally would have. He flinched, his right leg searing still from the sting of the whip, which happened to land on the ground beside him shortly afterward. Swaying a bit on his feet, Sanji watched Pici's still form for a moment before his legs finally buckled beneath him.
"Luffy," he said as he stared listlessly up at the sky, "it's up to you now..." With that, Sanji allowed himself to fall over onto the dirt, completely exhausted.
END NOTES: In the true tradition of One Piece and Oda-sensei you will find some crazy names in this story arc! To shed some light on this, here is a 'Noodle Names Key' with explanations and pronunciations! It will continue to be updated as the arc progresses. Please note that Toshi's birthday is January 1st.
NOODLE NAMES KEY
Soba - 'soh-bah': thin Japanese buckwheat noodles. Soba called Toshi Koshi Soba (get it? get it?) are traditionally eaten on New Years eve in Japan.
Lo Mein - 'low-main': A Chinese dish with wheat flour noodles.
Penne - 'pen-ay': a type of pasta with cylinder shaped pieces.
Farfalle - 'far-fal-lay': bow-tie shaped pasta.
Fiori - 'fee-or-ee': flower shaped pasta.
Fettuccine - 'fet-uh-chee-nee': long flat pasta noodles made of egg and flour.
Alfredo - 'Al-fray-doh': a white cream sauce, served with pasta.
Ravioli - 'ra-vee-oh-lee': a traditional type of Italian filled pasta. They are composed of a filling sealed between two layers of thin egg pasta dough and are served either in broth or with a pasta sauce.
Tortellini - 'tore-tuh-lee-nee': ring shaped pasta stuffed with meat or cheese.
Rotini - 'row-tee-nee': helix/corkscrew shaped pasta.
Rotelle - 'roe-tell-eh': wagon wheel shaped pasta.
Gemelli - 'juh-mell-ee': pasta that are a s-shaped strand twisted into a spiral.
Pici - 'pee-chee': Pici is a thick, hand-rolled pasta, like a fat spaghetti. It originates in the province of Siena in Tuscany; in the Montalcino area it is also referred to as dough is typically made from flour and water only. The addition of egg is optional, being determined by family traditions.
Orzo - 'or-zoh': a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice.
Ditalin i- 'dee-tah-lee-nee': Short tube or thimble shaped pasta.
Bolognese - 'boh-loh-nyeh-ze': a meat-based sauce originating from Bologna, Italy. Aka your typical red meat sauce for pasta. Bolognese sauce is basically the opposite of Alfredo sauce which is why I chose it for a name ;D
Trenette - 'tray-neh-teh': a type of narrow, flat, dried pasta especially associated with Genoa and Liguri that are thin ribbon ridged on one side.
Mostaccioli - 'moe-stah-she-oh-li': Similar to penne but without ridges. Also called penne lisce or "smooth penne."
Farfalonni - 'Far-fall-low-nee': Large bow tie shaped pasta (bigger than farfalle).
Capellini - 'cap-eh-lee-nee': The thinnest type of long pasta, it is rod-shaped, in the form of long strands.
FURTHER NOTES: The villains in the Port of Soba arc are organized into a Mafia. I gathered the information below to shed some light on their ranks and which character in the Alfredo Family fills each one.
MAFIA RANKS KEY
Don - (or boss) head of the mafia, the very top of the food chain, makes all decisions, gives all orders and is honored and revered like a father among his men. Don Fettucini Alfredo is exceptionally cruel so no one calls him 'father.'
Front Boss - A front boss is a member of the family who acts for The Don and on behalf of the boss in public view (e.g. the media, commission meetings). A front boss is intended to deceive authorities, the public, other families and some times even members within his own family, and there by protect the real boss from surveillance, prosecution, assassination attempts etc. Farfalle fills this role in the Alfredo family with the grooming Toshi to become the Don's heir.
Underboss - The underboss is the second in command overall, he assists the boss and makes decisions on behalf of the boss especially when the boss is unavailable, e.g. ill or in prison. The underboss will often deal with internal disputes and discipline while the boss (or frontboss) deals with matters that involve different families, though this is not a hard and fast rule. Penne fulfills this role in the Alfredo Family.
Consiglieri - The consiglieri or counsellor is below the boss but on the same level as the underboss. The consiglieri's role is to act as an impartial advisor to the boss. As such the consiglieri will usually not have many direct reports, though he may have one or two soldiers or captains who report to to him, often people who he has personally mentored. Orzo fulfills this role in the Alfredo family though he has a deep resentment for the Don due to past events. Orzo is around the same age as the Don a few years younger and remembers the injustice that happened to the Bolognese family.
Street Boss/Head Capo (represented here as 'Capo') - street boss, is A top Capo which has many soldiers beneath him and carries out pick-ups and extortion and is the first enforcer to hit a rival family. Rotelle, Gemelli, and Pici are Capos of the Alfredo Family although on the island of Soba they have no rival families.
Soldier - This is the lowest ranking "official" or made "on the books" member of a family. These are the grunts that do all the fighting and spying and dirty work. The Rigatoni fulfill this role in the Alfredo family.
