Chapter 10
One Piece © Oda
Pokemon © Nintendo, Game Freak
Blizzard, Vice-Admiral Moss, Captain Knuckle © Me
"Guys! Guys!"
"Everyone!"
The Straw Hats and Pokemon looked up upon hearing the familiar voices of Luffy and Zorua, and speak of the devil, there they were, appearing from the entrance tunnel.
"Luffy?" Nami asked. "What's wrong, is everything okay?
"Remember those Marines we ran into the other day?" Luffy asked. "Well, they're here on the island, and Zoroark's facing them alone!"
The Straw Hats and the Pokemon gasped.
"Zoroark's going to challenge the Marines, alone?!" Usopp questioned. "That's crazy! I don't care how strong she is! There's no way she can take them all on, by herself!"
"Why didn't you stop her?!" asked Nami.
"She made me take Zorua and run," Luffy answered, "but I had to come back here to get help, and I don't think that we've got much time! So what do you guys say?"
The Straw Hats seemed a bit uncertain.
"Luffy," Nami said, "you know that Zoroark attacked you."
"Yeah, I know that, Nami, but she's still Zorua's mom," Luffy rebuked before he looked to all the other Pokemon. "And in a way…she's their mom, too. Without her…he and all these other little guys won't make it."
"Luffy…" Zorua muttered.
A pause, but then, Nami sighed.
"Fine," the navigator said. "We'll help. Besides, Zoroark may not like us, but she did let us stay here. Might as well return the favor, right?"
"And besides, I was getting pretty bored, anyway," Zoro added.
"You'd make us help even if we didn't want to, right, Luffy?" asked Sanji.
"If Zoroark gets hurt, then I'll be there to fix her up, quick as a wink!" Chopper declared.
"OW!" Franky shouted, striking his signature pose. "All right, you guys! Let's get SUPER and help these little guys, out!"
WOOF! Blizzard barked out, excitedly.
Robin just chuckled.
"YOHOHOHOHO!" Brook chortled.
All the other Pokemon soon made cries of agreement.
"You guys…" Zorua said with tears forming in his eyes.
Luffy grinned.
"I knew you'd see it my way," he said. "Okay! Let's do this!"
"Wait, Luffy!" Nami said. "We can't just rush right in without a strategy!"
"She's right, Luffy," Usopp said. "How are we gonna do this?"
Luffy just flashed a toothy smirk.
"Here's the plan," he said.
XXX
Meanwhile, in the forest, Zoroark found herself surrounded by the Marines, led by Vice-Admiral Moss and Captain Knuckle.
"You say that you came for me," Zoroark said. "Is that all you want?"
"That's right," said Moss. "Now, I'm not really in the mood for any fights, Zoroark. Just come quietly and you won't get hurt."
"I'm afraid that you are the ones who have to go," said Zoroark. "Humans are forbidden to set foot here."
"Really?" Moss asked with a smirk. "How odd. When we moored our ship here on the shore of this island, I would've sworn I saw a pirate ship here, and, the last time I checked, pirates are humans, are they not, Zoroark?"
"These humans are exceptions," said Zoroark. "They brought my son home to me, and from what they have told me, you were the one who attempted to spirit him away from them."
"Oh, Zoroark, you misunderstand," said Moss. "We only meant to save Zorua from those vicious pirates and-"
"Enough!" Zoroark said. "I do not have any time for what you say. If you will not leave, then I have no choice but to force you off this island!"
"So be it," said Moss, dropping his grin. "Mightyena! Get her!"
Suddenly, Mightyena lunged out from behind Moss' back and tackled Zoroark before she could react quick enough. However, Zoroark proved to have quick reflexes, for she kicked Mightyena off of her the moment the dog-like Pokemon had her pinned to the ground. She then turned on Mightyena, tackling him to the ground and biting him hard on his leg.
"Mightyena! Thunder Fang, now!" Moss ordered.
CHOMP! KRRZZZZZZT! Mightyena bit down on Zoroark's arm, sending a huge jolt of electricity through her body. Zoroark roared in pain and let go of Mightyena.
"Now, use Shadow Ball!" Moss ordered.
Mightyena opened his mouth, where a ball of black energy began to form, and he fired it at Zoroark, who leapt out of the way at the last second, causing it explode on the trunk of a tree.
"Nice try!" Zoroark exclaimed before she crossed her arms and fired her dark laser at Mightyena.
"A Dark Pulse," said Moss. "Mightyena! Dodge it, quick!"
WHUP! Mightyena jumped back before the Dark Pulse could hit him. As Zoroark landed on the ground, she suddenly tensed up. KOFF! She gagged and coughed up more blood, which Moss noticed, for he smirked.
"Vice-Admiral Moss, sir," said a Marine soldier. "It appears that Zoroark might be internally injured."
"So I see," said Moss. "This is going to be easier than I thought. Mightyena! Use Shadow Ball!"
Mightyena barked before he fired another Shadow Ball at Zoroark, who covered her face with her arms in an attempt to block it. BOOM! It ended up exploding the moment it made impact with her body. Zoroark coughed a bit from the smoke, so much so that she coughed up more blood than before.
Dammit, she thought. Why now, of all times?!
"What's wrong, Zoroark?" asked Moss. "Feeling weak, are we?"
"Weak, am I?" asked Zoroark. "Don't make me laugh!"
"Prove it, then," said Moss with a taunting smirk.
Zoroark growled, and her claws start to glow red.
"I'll slice you into ribbons!" she declared.
GRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWRRRK! She roared before she lunged at Moss, who quickly pulled out his chained scythe. KLANG! Zoroark's claws ended up getting blocked by the chain.
"Nice try," said Moss.
WHAP! With a flick of his wrist, the Marine Vice-Admiral wrapped the chain of his kusarigama around Zoroark's arms, and then threw her up into the air, much to her surprise.
"Knuckle! If you would be so kind, dear brother!" Moss called.
KRRACK! Knuckled cracked his namesake and then, POW! He punched her right in the gut, sending her flying back and causing her to hit a tree. KOFF! She coughed up even more blood. Before she realized it, she had fallen down to her knees, panting heavily, the red liquid dripping her lips.
"This is the power of the legendary Zoroark?" asked Moss. "Ha! What a joke. I was hoping for more of a challenge, really. Oh, well." He then turned to the rest of the Marine soldiers. "Men! Leave Zoroark to my brother and I. Scour the forest and find the Straw Hat Pirates! Also…if you happen to find Zorua, as well as any other Pokemon here, capture them, as well."
"Yes, sir!" the Marines exclaimed with a salute.
Zoroark's eyes went wide when she heard that order.
"Knuckle," Moss called. "Put Zoroark in the cage."
Knuckle made a grunt before grabbing Zoroark roughly by her mane, the latter making an effort to escape from his grasp, before she is thrown inside a steel cage. The moment she was put in, though, the Illusion Fox Pokemon attempted to lunge at Knuckle and viciously lash out at him, only to ram her head right into the bars of the cage as soon as it closed. What's worse: the cage is now locked.
Moss chuckled as he and Mightyena approached the cage.
"Try and get out as you might, Zoroark," said the Vice-Admiral as he held up a key, "but you can't dream of getting out without this to help you."
"Damn you!" Zoroark cursed. "I thought you said you only came for me! What do you want my son and all the other Pokemon that live here for?!"
"Why, you ask?" Moss questioned. "Oh, Zoroark. Surely, you would've known by now. I only want you because of your ability to create illusions, of course."
"What are you getting at?" Zoroark questioned with a growl in her throat.
"Let's think of it, this way," said Moss. "Let's say that there is a human town in a far away. Everything seems peaceful. No war, no poverty, no nothing…and then suddenly, a horde of pirates appear and take over the place, destroying everything in their path, taking the lives of many innocent citizens, including women and children…and just when all hope seems lost, I, the great and valiant Vice-Admiral Moss, and of course my brother, Knuckle, come and save the day! The townsfolk are so grateful, they pay me handsomely in money, treasure, and fine delicacies…but they are completely unaware that it was you who caused those pirates to appear. The pirates are merely an illusion, and no one is the wiser."
Zoroark growled even more, clutching at the bars of the cage.
"I refuse!" she barked. "I will have no part in your foolish whim!"
Moss snickered.
"I suspected as much," he said. "You see, this is where your little Zorua comes into the picture."
Zoroark's eyes went wide.
"Say that you decide that enough is enough and take one teensy step out of line," Moss explained. "Then what happens to your precious little one?"
Knuckled seemed to grin and chuckled before he picked up a nearby stone. KRROOOSH! He crushed effortlessly in his hands, and that's when Zoroark finally got the message.
If she didn't do what Moss wanted her to…he'd kill Zorua to break her will.
"You wouldn't dare!" she said.
"Oh…I would," Moss replied. "How else do you think I got Mightyena to fall in line?"
Zoroark glanced at Mightyena, who has a somewhat scared and almost sad expression on his face, judging by his drooping ears and his tail being pulled in between his hind legs.
"What about Straw Hat and his crew?" asked Zoroark. "As well as the rest of the Pokemon that you intend to capture?!"
"Why, Zoroark," said Moss, "don't you realize how big the bounty that Straw Hat Luffy and his little entourage have on their heads?" He then chuckled. "Oh, of course not. And why in the world would you not know? You're a dumb animal, after all."
Zoroark growled at that remark.
"When I deliver their heads to the World Government and collect their bounties," Moss continued, "then my brother and I will be come rich beyond our wildest dreams. As for the Pokemon I capture here, I plan to sell them on the black market. People would pay millions to have a Pokemon or two as an exotic pet, or even better: a slave animal."
"You can't do that to them!" Zoroark roared.
"Oh, really?" Moss asked. "And just who, pray tell, is going to stop me?"
"How about me?!"
Moss turned around and saw none other than Luffy, who is standing atop a hill with his arms crossed in a confident manner, and sitting on top of his head is Zorua. The Vice-Admiral seemed surprised at first, but then he smirked.
"Well, well, well," said Moss. "'Straw Hat' Luffy."
"Straw Hat!" Zoroark cried. "What are you doing here, and with Zorua, no less?! I told you take him away from here!"
"And what?" Luffy asked. "Miss out on the fun? Forget it! Besides, we couldn't just leave you here! What kind of friend to Zorua would I be if I let you get taken away by the Marines?"
"We had to go back and get help, Momma!" Zorua exclaimed.
"Hey, Marine guy!" Luffy said. "After we save Zoroark, I'm gonna kick your ass, got that?"
Moss started to chuckle, then he began to cackle.
"'Kick my ass', you say?!" he asked. "You and what army, Straw Hat? Look around! I brought my best solders with me! And what have you got? Just you and that pipsqueak Zorua."
This time, it was Luffy who had to chuckle.
"What army, huh?" he asked. "Well, you asked for it!" He looked up at Zorua. "Zorua~?"
Zorua nodded before he took in a deep breath, and then…AWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~! He let out a loud, long howl that even made Luffy cover his ears.
A pause came, but soon, Luffy is joined by Zoro at his side, followed Nami, then Usopp, then Sanji, then Chopper, then Robin, then Franky, then Blizzard, then Brook, and not long after the Straw Hats appeared, all of Zorua's friends appeared as well: Pikachu, Tepig, Snivy, Oshawott, Eevee, Vulpix, Purrloin, Emolga, Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour, all of them standing behind the Straw Hats and Zorua.
"What army?" Luffy repeated. "THIS army!"
The thousands of different Pokemon made loud cries of defiance at the Marines, who seemed to be cowering at the sight of them, but Moss still laughed.
"Well done, Straw Hat!" said Moss. "You just brought even more of those walking money bags to me! With this many Pokemon, I'll be buried in riches!" He then turned his army.
"Men!" he ordered. "Arrest the Straw Hats and capture all those Pokemon!"
"Yes, sir!" the Marines shouted before they charged at the Straw Hats and their army of creatures.
"CHARGE!" Luffy ordered to the Straw Hats, as well as the army of Pokemon behind him, and soon, they charged into battle as well.
"Gum GUUUUUUM…GATLING!" Luffy shouted.
BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP! The Straw Hat Captain started off with a barrage of punches that sent a great many Marine soldiers flying. He then turned to face some other Marines coming at him from behind, armed with cutlasses.
"Luffy!" Zorua cried.
"Don't worry, Zorua! I got 'em!" Luffy exclaimed. "Gum-Gum WHIP!"
WROING! POW! Luffy stretched out his leg and slammed it into the soldiers behind him, giving a smirk as he did.
Zoro drew out his swords and rushed some Marine soldiers that were armed with rifles.
"Black Rope DRAGON TWISTER!" Zoro shouted as he spun around, creating a huge whirlwind of blades that soon began to chase the soldiers.
"WAAAAAAH! HELP! GET IT AWAY!"
"HOW LONG IS THIS WHIRLWIND GONNA CHASE US?!"
"…to the very ends of Hell," Zoro commented. That's when he spotted a few Marines charging at little Oshawott, who just stood his ground.
"Hey!" Zoro called. "Watch out, little guy! They're coming right at you!"
Oshawott didn't move, but instead, he grabbed the scalchop off his stomach, and then jumped up into the air above the Marines. SWISH! A blade made entirely out of water appeared out of the scalchop.
"OSHA~WOTT!" he cried.
SLASH! The water blade that came from Oshawott's scalchop actually cut the Marines.
"Wow!" Zoro praised. "Good job!"
"Osha! Oshawott!" Oshawott barked, as if thanking the swordsman.
"Diable Jambe!" Sanji cried, setting his leg aflame. "COLLIER STRIKE!"
BAM! The cook laid a powerful kick to a Marine soldiers' neck, leaving a huge burn, as well as a streak of fire that seemed to pierce through the flesh. BLAM! The force of the punch ended up sending the Marine, as well as several others behind him, flying into a boulder nearby.
"And stay down, you crap bastards!" Sanji snapped, but as he turned around, he saw Tepig, Pansear, and Vulpix, cornered into a tree by several more soldiers. For some reason, though, the cook didn't seem worried. In fact, he actually smirked.
"Now, you guys!" he shouted to the three Fire types.
Tepig, Pansear, and Vulpix each took in a deep breath, and then, FWOOOSH! They let out a huge stream of intense flames from their mouths (well, snout in Tepig's case), right at the Marines, burning them to a crisp in mere minutes!
Usopp pulled out his Black Kabuto and pulled on the strings.
"Certain Death Green Star…DEVIL!"
TWANG! BOOSH! A giant flytrap appeared from the Pop Green that the sniper had fired, and soon, CHOMP! They were eating Marine soldiers for lunch.
"Yeah!" Usopp cheered. "You don't mess with the Straw Hats!"
KA-CHAK! The sniper soon froze at the sound of guns cocking, and slowly turned around to see some more Marines, preparing to fire their rifles, and almost immediately, Usopp was overcome with a sense of panic.
"H-hey, wait a minute, fellas!" Usopp cried. "Can't we talk about this?!"
Just when the soldiers were about to open fire…
"PANSAGE!"
BANG-BANG-BANG! The Marines are soon bombarded by what looked like a barrage of…seeds.
"Seeds?" Usopp questioned before he turned and saw Pansage, sitting in a tree branch, hopping up and down in triumph, and he smiled.
"Thanks a lot, little buddy!"
"Pan Pansage!" Pansage cried, flashing a thumbs-up.
Meanwhile with Nami, she suddenly found herself surrounded by more Marine soldiers.
"You guys just don't know when to quit, do you?!" Nami asked before she heaved a sigh. "Fine! You leave me no choice!"
She points the tip of her Sorcery Clima-Tact at one of the soldiers, where are a small bubble began to form.
"Gust SWORD!"
WHOOOOOOSH! A huge gust of pressurized air came shooting out of the Sorcery Clima-Tact at high speed, sending several soldiers flying back.
Nami then turned to face Pikachu and Emolga.
"Listen, you two," she said to the two Electric types. "I gotta get the key to Zoroark's cage, so you gotta cover me, okay?"
"Chu!" Pikachu squeaked with a nod.
"Emol!" Emolga squeaked in agreement, as well.
Nami smiled before she raised her Sorcery Clima-Tact.
"Mirage TEMPO!"
SWISH! With a swing of her staff, Nami seemed to disappear into thin air, leaving Pikachu and Emolga to face their enemies by themselves.
As the Marines charged at the two Electric types…
"Pika…CHU~!"
"Emol…GA~!"
KRRZZZZZZT! KABOOM! The two let loose a powerful Thunderbolt at the Marines, literally putting a shock to their systems.
"Horn POINT!" Chopper cried as he shifted into his Horn Point form and burrowed his way underground beneath the Marines.
"W-where'd he go?!" asked a soldier.
"I don't know!" answered another.
"T-try firing in the holes!" cried one more.
Before one of them could even try the idea…
"Horn Cannon…ELF!"
KROOSH! POW! Chopper came flying out from underground, and soon goes flying, antlers-first into the Marines, sending them all crashing into the ground.
"Eevee! Panpour!" Chopper called. "Now!"
As the Marines stood up, they soon turned and saw Eevee and Panpour standing on a tree branch, both of whom had mouths gaping open. A black ball began to form inside Eevee's mouth while what boiling water came spilling out of Panpour's mouth.
BOOM! SPLOOSH! The two fired their attacks at the Marines, sending them scattering in a panic.
"AAGH! THE WATER! IT'S HOOOOOOOT!"
"Cuarenta Fleur!" Robin cried as she formed forty arms on several other Marines' bodies. "CLUTCH!"
KRRACCK! She made quick work of them by snapping their backs in half. As Robin turned around, she soon found more Marine soldiers advancing upon her, but then…
"SNIVY!"
WHAP! WHAP! The Marines were soon grabbed by long, slender, whip-like vines and pile-driven into the ground. Robin turned and saw that the vines originated from the collar around Snivy's neck, and she smiled.
"Thank you, Snivy!" she praised.
"Come on, you fools!" Moss shouted at his men. "You're not even trying! You outnumber them!"
Just then, in the midst of the chaos, Moss seemed to hear what sounded like footsteps approaching him from behind.
WHAP! He turned around and grabbed what appeared to be nothing, but when he did, a familiar yelp of surprise is heard: a yelp that Luffy recognized all too well.
"Nami!" Luffy cried.
"Let me go!" shouted Nami, who is currently invisible. "How did you know I was here, anyway?!"
"They didn't make me a Vice-Admiral of the Marines for nothing, you know," said Moss. "I have Observation Haki!"
"What?!" Nami questioned.
"Hehehehehe…!" Moss snickered as he prepared to draw his kusarigama and stab Nami where she stood, but all of a sudden, a purple blur suddenly glued itself to his face, digging it sharp claws deep into his skin and sending him screaming in pain.
"Mirage CANCEL!"
SWISH! With a swing of her Sorcery Clima-Tact, Nami made herself visible.
"Thanks, Purrloin!" she praised.
"Purrloin Purr!" Purrloin cried, her claws hooked into Moss's face.
"While he's busy," Nami said before she crept up behind the Vice-Admiral and grabbed the key to Zoroark's cage from his pocket, "I'll be taking this!"
With that, the cat burglar hurried to Zoroark's cage.
"GET OFF ME, YOU DAMN CAT!" Moss cursed as he tried pull the Devious Pokemon off his face. "KNUCKLE! MIGHTYENA! STOP HER!"
Just as Knuckle and Mightyena were about to heed that order, they are soon intercepted by Franky and Blizzard.
"Going somewhere?" asked Franky, flexing his robotic knuckles.
GRRRRRR~! Blizzard growled at Mightyena viciously.
Knuckle seemed to snicker as he cracked his namesakes before he threw his fist at Franky, who quickly blocked his punch with his left arm, and then, BAP! He punched the Marine Captain right in the jaw, and a sickening cracking sound soon followed.
Knuckle held his now broken jaw, but before he had a chance to try and realign it, POW! He found himself getting punched by Franky once again.
"Take THAT!" Franky shouted as he continued his jabs. "And that! And that! And this, too! FRANKY BOXING!"
BAP! BAP! POW! Franky continued to lay the old beat down on Knuckle, who had not been given one chance to fight back.
Meanwhile, Blizzard and Mightyena were locked in a complete stand-off.
"Why do you follow that jackass Moss, anyway?" Blizzard asked.
Mightyena growled at Blizzard, but then that growl seemed to change into a whine, and he lowered his head and hooded his eyes.
"I have no choice but to follow him," said Mightyena. "Moss is stronger than me."
"What honestly gave you the impression that Moss is stronger than you are?!" Blizzard asked.
"…he killed my family," Mightyena answered.
Blizzard's eyes widened.
"That's why I have to do whatever Moss orders me to," Mightyena said. "Don't get me wrong. To be honest, I hate having to become that bastard's little sidekick…but if I don't do whatever Moss asks me to do, I'll meet the same fate."
"…he put fear in your heart," Blizzard said. "Of course…no wonder you're such a blind, spineless son of a bitch."
"What did you say?!" Mightyena questioned with a growl. "I am not spineless!"
"Oh, really?" Blizzard asked. "Then why don't you prove it? If you aren't as spineless as you say you are…then I dare you to stand up to Moss."
Mightyena stared at Blizzard like he was speaking some other language.
Meanwhile, with Brook, he had just drew his cane sword, Soul Solid, which is enveloped in a chilling fog. As the Marines came charging at the skeleton, Brook just nonchalantly walked through them. As he did, he raised Soul Solid and began to sheathe it.
"Song of Scratches…BLIZZARD SLICE!"
CHINK! CRRAAAAKK! Brook fully sheathed his sword, and the resulting cuts left on the Marines became frozen solid.
Moss, who had finally managed to pull Purrloin off his face, growled as he watched his army get defeated before his very eyes, and by a band of pirates and odd little creatures that they clearly outnumbered, but as the numbers began to dwindle, and Moss realized that only he, Knuckle, Mightyena, and maybe a good fifty soldiers were left, it soon began to dawn on him.
He was losing this battle…and he had to find a way to turn the tide.
He then spotted Zorua, who is still sitting on Luffy's head, and he smirked.
That's it, he said before he pulled out a handgun. I'll just kill two birds with one stone. Inside this pistol is a special sea prism stone bullet…not only will out cancel out Straw Hat's powers, but I'll blow his brains out. Plus, if I kill Zorua, well…at least Zoroark will be able to cooperate.
He began to take aim at Luffy, who is still preoccupied with fighting off the Marines, and because the Straw Hat captain was moving so much, he found it a bit difficult to target the back of Luffy's and Zorua's skulls.
Zoroark, who had been watching everything from her cage, looked on in horror before she began to shake and pull at the bars.
"LET ME OUT OF THIS GODFORSAKEN CAGE!" Zoroark roared.
"Calm down!" Nami said as she grabbed the lock and pulled out the key. "I've got the key right here! I'll get you out in no time!"
Easy now, Moss, the Vice-Admiral thought. Just line them up…two heads…one bullet.
CHAK! Moss began to pull the trigger, which clicked, and caused Luffy to turn and face him.
"Huh?" Luffy asked. "A gun?! Are you kidding?! Bullets won't work on me!"
"Oh…you'd be surprised, Straw Hat," said Moss with a sinister grin.
"HURRY!" Zoroark cried.
CLACK! Nami put the key in the lock and turned it, thus unlocking the cage, but before she had a chance to open it, Zoroark threw the cage door open, herself, unwittingly pushing Nami to the ground.
"Hey!" Nami shouted.
GRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWRRK! Zoroark roared as she charged at Moss, who whipped around to see the Illusion Fox Pokemon lunging at him. In his shock, he pointed his gun at Zoroark, and then…the unthinkable.
KABANG! Moss pulled the trigger, firing the gun, and before Zoroark realized it, she was overcome with a stinging pain…right in the middle of her chest.
Everyone stared in shock and horror as Zoroark fell to the ground on her back in a crumpled heap, gasping in agony and clutching at her breast, which began ooze a crimson liquid.
"Z…Zoroark…!" Luffy whispered in disbelief.
"Momma…!" Zorua whispered in horror, his eyes beginning to well up with tears.
"Dammit!" Moss cursed. "That was my only sea prism stone bullet, and I wasted it on this stupid beast!"
Zoroark weakly opened her eyes, and then looked to Luffy, who is still in shock at her actions, and Zorua, who looked just about ready to sob. Moss followed her gaze, but his eyes are mostly on Zorua, and he smirked.
"Well," he began, "if I can't have Zoroark…at least I can try and make due with Zorua, instead."
Zoroark let out another gasp, and she managed to pick herself up off the ground whilst still cradling her wound.
"S…Straw Hat!" she called to Luffy, who looked to her. "P…Please…I implore you…PROTECT ZORUA~!"
FWUMP! Zoroark fell to the ground in a heap, once again…and she didn't move.
Luffy stared at Zoroark before he glanced at Moss, who began to approach him. Without warning, he suddenly turned tail and made a mad dash into the forest, and the Vice-Admiral soon gave chase after him.
"Chopper!" Luffy called as he ran. "I'll leave Zoroark to you!"
"Please save my Momma, Chopper!" Zorua called, as well.
"You got it!" Chopper called back. "Be careful, Luffy, Zorua!"
"We will!" Luffy called.
With that, Luffy and Zorua escaped deeper into the forest, with Moss tailing not too far behind. As this was happening, Luffy looked back and saw not only Moss chasing him, Straw Hats soon gathering around Zoroark, who still lays motionless on the forest floor, Chopper pulling off his medical bag and pulling out a roll of gauze.
Please, Zoroark, Luffy thought as he continued. Please…don't die!
TO BE CONTINUED…
Okay, I'm REALLY SORRY about not updating this in a while! WRITER'S BLOCK IS A CURSE, I TELL YOU! Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter up this weekend.
Review, please!