Chapter 9: The Fate of the New World!
Rain fell heavily across the island as the dark clouds hung in the sky, filling the heavy air with a sense of misery.
I had awoken to this bleak setting, to find myself covered in bandages, my head squashed into a makeshift frame, and everything hurting, apparently my nose got broken as well...overall, everything was pretty sucky.
Right now, I was sitting on a wall as I let the rain wash away the numbing feeling. My captain, in the exact same condition, sat next to me.
But, really...what else were we supposed to do. We lost. Humiliated. Stripped of our pride, just like all those pirates who came before us. They had left, leaving the ruins of Secon Island, the destruction of an entire island filled with homes and families, in their wake.
And then there's me. What the hell did I think I could accomplish? I'm fucking six years old! Did I really think I could defeat X like this? Did I really think my declarations of not losing, with this condition of mine not holding me back, could change the outcome?...Most likely, even if I was normal, I still would have lost to them.
It was all just so frustrating, and saddening, and annoying and angering!...What was I supposed to be feeling about this? Being sad does jackshit, but so does being mad, and being frustrated or annoyed just gets on my nerves!
...I was lost in my own thoughts and emotions.
I heard the sound of faint footsteps despite the rain, which stopped a few feet away from us. A pause, then, ever so faintly, they continued to walk again, until I realised they were right behind me.
"...Ellix." It was Nami. And it was kinda obvious she didn't know what to say. She must have come here to comfort me, but then realised the situation both me and Luffy were in right now...that's pretty awkward.
Nevertheless, she sat on the wall next to me, and held her umbrella so that it covered the both of us. "...I..." She bit her lip, racking her mind for something to say, anything that could try and reach out to me in this complex of a pit I'd been thrown into.
So, I started. "Nami." She looked at me. "We've been defeated, we've had our pride and honour as pirates ripped away from us, and now we're lost, unsure where to go or what to do next." Luffy grit his teeth harder, but I could easily tell that he thought the same thing.
"And me, Nami...I've lost my strength, my pride, my resolve, even as much as my capability to the crew...what is left of me that you all would consider a viable crewmate?" The words just fell dejectedly out of my mouth, pushed by the mess of emotions that was trying and failing to make any sense of itself.
There was a long pause, the rain continuing to fall, until I felt arms wrap around me in a soft embrace. "...I'll tell you what." Nami said. "You are a kind, considerate person, who always looks out for everybody in the crew, no matter how small their problems, you fight with everything you have no matter what just to protect us..."
Her grip around me tightened. "You make sure that everybody keeps up with their hygiene...you stop those morons when they're messing around...you stay up through the night so that you can keep on lookout duty..."
Her voice began to break. "Y-You give up half your food so that I can have seconds...you help take care of my tangerines...you carry me to bed when I fall asleep drawing maps...you use your Devil Fruit powers to make sure I have nice dreams...and...and..."
She held her head against my chest, and I realised that she was crying. "And your the person that I love!...So don't you DARE...EVER say that your not useful, or important, to anyone, got it!?"
I looked at Nami in shock as she softly cried...and I felt myself give a soft smile as I returned the hug. "Thank you, Nami..." We sat there together, hugging for I don't know how long.
"How long will you stay here?" I almost jumped at the voice, before realising it was Kizaru.
"Ah! Aokiji!" Nami shrieked, dropping the umbrella, which I quickly caught before more screams erupted from our crewmates, who had apparently come to see us.
"You!" Usopp cried.
"What is Aokiji doing here!?" Chopper panicked, with Robin clearly looking distraught.
"It's alright." Luffy spoke, making all of us look at him. At least he didn't look so agitated anymore. "We met him when we were at the hot springs."
xxxFilmxZxxx
"Z is a former Marine Admiral?" Nami gasped at the revelation.
"And X a former Vice-Admiral?" Sanji added.
"They stole the Dyna Stones from the Marines." Kizaru explained.
"Dyna Stones!" Robin gasped.
"What are those?" Brook questioned, holding his umbrella for Luffy.
"They are special stones which are said to possess almost as much power as the Ancient Weapons." Robin told him. "If one gets loose and comes into contact with oxygen, it will cause a massive explosion. Because of this enormous power, it's use in civilian areas is strictly forbidden."
"It's supposed to be forbidden, period." I muttered, grim thoughts of Marines using them plagueing my mind.
"The Marines have protected them, but now Z has stolen them?" Robin questioned.
"He wants to use them to destroy the three Endpoints of the New World." Kizaru stated casually.
"Stop right there! What are these Endpoints?" Usopp interrupted.
"There are three magma concentrations spread over the New World. They are called Endpoints." Nami described them. "When I heard it from a Marine, I couldn't believe it. Do they really exist?"
"Honestly..." Kizaru sighed. "I can't believe how that 'booby' lady turned into this 'flat' little girl."
"NANI!?" Usopp held me back as I clawed at the air viciously. "Say that again, bastard! I'll tear your fucking head off!"
"Are you listening to me!?" Nami added. "Do the Endpoints really exist?"
"...They do." Kizaru confirmed. "First, second...even when they hear about those two islands, the pirates will be laughing, thinking it's just nonsense. Many know the legend of the Endpoints, but hardly anyone believes it."
"But the World Government investigated the legend and declared it false!" Robin exclaimed.
"That's because the investigation results were different from what was announced." Kizaru said. "The World Government used every possible means necessary to convince the world it was a lie. Don't you think it would be terrible if pirates could use that information? Only the Government and the Marine superiors, Admirals and Fleet Admiral, know about it. But no-one ever thought a former Admiral would use that information."
"That's true." Sanji agreed. "If it was false, the Marines wouldn't act so desperately on it. We got involved with a very dangerous man..."
"Z already destroyed two End Points with the Dyna Stones." Kizaru went on. "If he destroys the last one...there will be a chain reaction that connects all three End Points."
"Reaction?" Zoro echoed.
"There will be a major catastrophic eruption, which will burn the entire New World sea." He said. "Every single pirate in the New World will be burned to death."
"What!? If that happens, all of the innocent people in the New World will die as well!" I shouted. "Is Z really willing to kill them all shamelessly just for revenge against pirates!?"
"Don't you think your considering yourselves too much?" Kizaru countered. "How much fear, how many victims, do you think pirates have caused and killed in the New World? Or do you not know?" I grit my teeth. "Z hates all of that...he hates it so much that he doesn't care if he dies along with it."
"It doesn't matter!" Luffy shouted, jumping to his feet. "I'm going to get my hat back! I'm going to settle things with him!"
"Are you crazy, Luffy? The New World will be destroyed!" Usopp emphasised.
"I promised Shanks." Luffy replied simply. "That I would become a great pirate and return that hat to him. If I let that guy take my hat, I won't be able to become the Pirate King!"
"But, you know...the New World will be..." Usopp vainly tried again.
"That won't work with the stubbornness of our captain." Sanji interrupted him, before heading off.
"Nami, which way?" Zoro asked
"Ah, yes, let's see..." She said before leading the way.
"I've already offered my life to Luffy-san, so I'll follow him." Brook said.
"Then let's go." Luffy said as they also walked off.
"Are we really going to do this?" Usopp asked, dumbfounded. "Isn't the fate of the New World too much for us?"
"You two want to stay?" Brook asked him and Chopper.
"What are you saying, you baka? When did I say that?" Usopp cried. "Of course I'm going! I'm a brave warrior of the sea! Isn't that right, Chopper?"
"Yes! Let's go!" Chopper agreed. "War with the damn man!" And the two of them charged off with battle cries.
Me and Robin just watched them go, and she smiled as the sun finally appeared, pulling her umbrella down and smiling at Kizaru, before walking away.
So, that just left me and him.
"You certainly are an interesting crew." Kizaru stated.
I smirked. "I'd prefer the terms weird or insane...but I guess interesting works too."
Kizaru gave a light chuckle. "If you'd believe me...I'd say you reminded me of Z a little the first time we met, from what Oren would tell me through our little talks."
"I guess I'd be a Nega Z then." I laughed, before turning serious. "Kizaru...do you know about X?"
"What don't I know?" He responded.
"His abilities...they seem to counter my Rokushiki. What is it, exactly?" I asked.
Kizaru looked a little surprised, but spoke nonetheless. "I believe he started developing it shortly after he learned about Rokushiki...perhaps even after meeting Oren."
"It is called Ishikioi, or Power Will. Through intensive training, X mastered control over the dexterity of his muscles, being able to control them through force of will, and then unleashing it with enough force and concentration. It is both an offense and defense against Rokushiki...but I suspect you still intend to fight him with those techniques."
"I dishonoured Oren's efforts by losing to X." I told him. "I have to regain my honour for the both of us, so I will fight!" I jumped off of the wall, and went to follow my crew.
"On second thought..." Kizaru interrupted me. "You remind me more of X. Are you sure you don't want to know more?"
"I already know what I need to." I said, before I continued walking.
xxxFilmxZxxx
"Franky, how much longer?" Robin asked as I joined everybody else.
"Ow! It's ready! The repair is finished! We can head off any time!" The cyborg announced. "Super!" We all laughed at the good news.
"Guys, arigatou!" Luffy thanked us.
"Huh? What are you saying?" We all sighed, making us laugh again.
"It seems you've decided." Kizaru spoke. "The island where the last End Point, and where Z is, it's this way." He placed an Eternal Pose with the name 'Piriodo' on the table.
"An Eternal Pose? Why are you giving this to us?" Nami asked.
"What do you mean, why? Without it, you can't go to the island where Z is." He reasoned.
"Well, that's true, but..." Nami began.
"The Marines are moving, they're also headed to the last island." He further informed us.
"The Marines too!?" Nami gasped.
"As two End Points have been destroyed, the Marines are taking the matter seriously now." Kizaru said. "If you lose, you'll be destroyed along with the New World. Even if you win, you'll be surrounded by the Marines and also destroyed." He shrugged. "Anyway, I want to see it 'till the end." He then walked off again.
"Our initial objective was returning Ellix, Nami, and the others to normal." Franky said. "And now it's turned into a battle with the future of the New World at stake. Guys...do you remember the powerful weapons?"
...Hell...YES!
xxxFilmxZxxx
Soon we were all in a little room filled to the brim with clothing and weapons saved by Mobston, it was like a goldmine of equipment!
"They brought the ships Z sunk to these docks." Franky detailed. "The old with pity to throw away and the new who tossed their dreams aside...he saved it all. So, it's great isn't it?"
I held up a large broadsword with a huge blade, unsheathing it, I examined the blade, which had shap spikes on its edge, like shark's teeth. I am taking this.
"Let's bring along the feelings of the pirates defeated by Z, and attack him with everything!" Franky announced.
"Yeah!" We all cheered.
"I'm counting on you!" Mobston grinned. "Defeat Z, who's trying to take the dreams of sailors away!" And so, we geared up for battle.
I put on some basic clothes for an initial wear before putting on some fancy stuff. I threw on a dark yellow jacket with unfastened straps whipping out to the side, that had heavy red fur lining around the neck, wrists, and bottom, buttoned up with little black skull faces, whilst I also wore a black belt with a silver buckle, along with black trousers with large gold buttoned pockets, and black slip-on shoes.
For extra weaponry, I had strapped the giant sword vertically to my black, its black sheath with crimson red edges containing the toothed blade inside. Strapped to my belt on the left side was an emerald green rum bottle with a cork in it, as something to help me later. Whilst on my right side was a bronze, gold handled pistol just hidden under the red fur.
Now that we were prepared, we boarded the Sunny, ready for the battle ahead of us.
"Guys!" I stopped and looked behind me to see Mobston's son, Gari, standing there. "When I grow up, I wanna be a hero! Which one should I be; a Marine Admiral or a Pirate?" Wow...that was actually pretty relatable for me.
"Pirates aren't heroes." Luffy stated bluntly.
"Really?" He asked in surprise.
"They're the same to you?" Sanji chuckled.
"Yes! You guys are cool!" He told us.
"Gari! The best is to do what you want!" Luffy smiled, before laughing.
I couldn't help but laugh. "That's how I decided." I then followed my captain onto the Sunny.
It was time.
...WwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwhyyyyyyyyyyyyYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!?
WHY DID IT TAKE ME SO LONG TO UPDATE!? GODDAMN MYSELF!
First there was problems with Fanfiction, then I was busy, then I got sidetracked then...urgh! It's so FRUSTRATING!
...Okay, so to those of you still here...yes, this took a VERY. LONG. INEXCUSABLE. Amount of time. And for that, I deeply apologise.
But hey! At least this chapter I revealed Ellix's outfit for the final battle, right?...Right?
Alright, I admit it. I've been working on a new anime story that I wanted to lift off the ground, so I've been focusing on that for a bit. It's called RWBY: Shadows, based off of the anime RWBY. If you haven't watched it I highly recommend it, it's not your traditional anime and it is incredibly good at the moment.
Also, whilst I'm shamelessly advertising, please check out the following One Piece stories from the authors FourthWallBreaker, Vergil Leonidas, and XFangHeartX. They're One Piece stories are all incredible and are a pleasure to read. Plus, they don't have horribly slow update schedules like me.
Now, thank you all so much for reading (those of you who are still here) and I shall see you in the next chapter, predictably a month from now!
...I suck.
