A/N: Sorry I have not updated as regularly as I wanted to, life happened though... Thanks for the wonderful reviews, they are music to my ears when I get an email saying a review has been posted. Anyway, from here on out, it is the rescue Chopper part of this story. This chapter though didn't flow the way I like them to go, and I sort of forced it out. Once more I do not own the name One Piece... I do buy the manga and DVD's though, so go support them by doing the same.
Luffy didn't pay any attention to the others, all he could think about was the plan, and soon they would know if it worked or not. Nami was gone the entire time of group with Robin. Vivi came in looking solemn about ten minutes after it started with the news that something had upset Nami's 'delicate' stomach.
Robin didn't comment, she just indicated that Vivi take a seat.
Luffy and Usopp were the first out the door after, followed closely by Zoro and Sanji, with Vivi between them.
They were all heading for the common room when Franky showed up, "Luffy," he called, "Could you come with me?"
Nodding his head, Luffy followed the large man. He expected Franky to lead him into Iceberg's office; instead he led Luffy into the gymnasium. Two other people were already in there. Brook and Nami.
Trying to hide his surprise at seeing Nami in the gym, he just followed the larger man to where the other two were waiting for them.
"I told you," Nami sighed in exasperation, "I don't want him here." She indicated Luffy.
"Nami," Franky was saying, "You are working with someone, and I think it is safe to say that Luffy is one of the ones you are working with."
"Why would I involve that idiot?" her voice was a little appalled.
"Nami," this smooth voice was one that was from behind Luffy and Franky, turning his head, he saw Robin softly close the door behind them. "Just let me explain."
"We caught you hacking into the facility files." Brook said seriously. "What are you looking for?"
"I was not hacking." Nami slyly said, "I was just goofing around on the computer in the office. Playing chess with it, is that a crime?"
"We know you are all planning something." Franky said, "We just might be able to help you."
Nami snorted and rolled her eyes, her arms were crossed over her chest in a defensive manner. "How many times do I need to tell you that I am not planning anything? And if I was, I definitely would not include this idiot, let him go."
"No." Robin put her hand on Luffy's shoulder and added, "I have a lot to talk to with my ex-captain."
"What do you mean?" Nami and Luffy both asked.
"It was the moment you recognized Brook that we all realized what was happening." Franky told Luffy.
Looking puzzled, Luffy said, "What are you talking about?"
"It was Brook that remembered," Franky stated, "Should I tell them?" he asked Robin and Brook.
"Please do Franky." Robin smiled at him.
Brook just nodded his head as his eyes began to tear up.
"About five years ago, Brook came here with similar dreams as yours Luffy," Franky began. "He was put in the adult section and Robin and I helped him. We stayed with him and slowly the tale came out, about how he felt as if he were a skeleton, how music just came naturally to him, and about his intense loneliness. The three of us felt the connection, and was able to discover that in a past life, Brook had been nicknamed Humming Brook, the walking skeleton. We realized that he had been a pirate that had been condemned after the overthrow of the world government. He was one of several pirates that had been condemned for it."
"Wait a minute…" Nami slowly backed away from the four of them, "Are you trying to say that Luffy's dream about Brook came true way in the past?"
Robin approached her and gently put her arm around the teen, "I know it sounds crazy, but yes, that is exactly how it happened."
"I saw it…" Luffy had a glazed look in his eyes, "I saw it all, when they captured us, and killed us one by one. Brook was the first, then Franky…" Luffy looked straight at Robin and grimaced, "Then you Robin… Oh God," his voice cracked on the words, "I am sorry…" Tears were freely falling from his eyes now.
He knew where he was, yet in his mind's eye he could see the way Robin had suffered, being used as target practice for some snipers, bullets raining down on her hitting her legs, arms and torso. She had still been alive as she collapsed in a heap in front of Luffy, a smile gracing her lips as one bullet finally landed between both of her eyes, ending the torture her body must have endured.
Brook was the one who embraced Luffy first, both of them sobbing silently.
"I feel complete now though." Brook managed to say.
"I couldn't save you guys." Luffy clung to Brook like a drowning man might cling to a life preserver.
"So why am I here listening to all of this?" Nami was torn between an intense desire to flee and an equally intense desire to comfort Luffy. She couldn't say why she didn't want to be here, witnessing the events unfolding before her eyes. And she definitely did not want to hear any more of what Luffy was bound to say, dread filled her as Luffy glanced at her.
"After Robin… they took Chopper… then Sanji." Luffy softly said. "After that it was Usopp, then you Nami… last was Zoro…"
The flee instinct moved her feet and Nami tried to run towards the door, Robin held on to her though and made her stay.
"Let me go." She pleaded, "Please, just let me go, I don't want to hear this." Panic was making her lash out at Robin, "I don't want to hear it…"
Franky effortlessly plucked the thrashing girl away from Robin and held her, patting her back as she felt all the intense emotions that burst through causing her to sob while clinging to Franky.
"You are remembering how it felt." Franky softly told her while Robin embraced the both of them.
"Luffy…" Nami sobbed, "Why?"
Sinking down on his knees, Luffy shook his head in confusion, all sorts of images flashing before his eyes, making him dizzy and nauseous. He was about to reply when his stomach started to roll, sending tiny shock waves up from his gut, warning signs of him throwing up. Luckily Brook noticed and deftly picked him up and carried him out of the gym down the hall to his room.
He made it just in time, his stomach emptied violently into the toilet. Boa, who had been waiting for him in his room cooing over him while all the others were crowding in on his bed.
"What the hell happened?" Boa asked the others as Luffy dry heaved into the toilet.
No one knew what to say, Nami finally escaped and headed to the common room where the others were so that she could tell them what had happened.
"Chopper…" Luffy weakly said, "We have to save him."
"What happened?" Boa once more demanded.
"He is beginning to remember what his soul is tormented by." Robin softly said.
"And what exactly is that?" Boa glared at each one in turn.
"His past life." Brook supplied the answer.
"Luffy," Boa tried to comfort him, "Why do you need to remember? I don't like to see you in pain."
Sanji, Usopp and Zoro crowded into the room, noticing Luffy curled around the toilet, hugging the bowl with sweat pouring down from his body.
"Is he going to be okay?" Usopp asked, "Nami was saying some pretty weird things."
"Chopper… needs our help…" Luffy gasped while his stomach slowly settled down.
"No way am I letting you do anything Luffy." Boa stated.
"I need to get Chopper." Luffy argued. "They are hurting him."
"How do you know?" Franky asked.
"I just know…" Slowly Luffy stood up, pushing his way out of the tiny bathroom; he sat on his bed between Robin and Brook. "I don't know how I know, I just do."
Zoro looked at Luffy for a moment then nodded his head, "If you still want to help, let's go get him."
"You can't be serious." Boa shook her head in her frustration.
Robin ignored Luffy's sister and said, "Well if you are all set on doing this, you better count me in too."
"I think it will be super to rescue little Chopper."
"Yohoho, I am up for an adventure."
Everyone agreed then that it would be best if only one or two went into the actual labs, Robin and Zoro would be the two who went in, while the others were all in the gym for exercises. That is everyone other than Brook and Nami, who by this time had returned to Luffy's room. They would go to Brook's office and Nami would work her magic on the computer, bypassing the security system. On the off chance that anyone got caught everyone had an adult with them so that would be used as the excuse.
Luffy was mildly disappointed that he was not going with Zoro into the labs; he really wanted to see what was going on in there. They all agreed that as soon as Chopper was rescued, they would leave. To which they were pleased that Luffy had contacted Ace.
Robin only had a two seater car, Brook rode a bicycle, and Franky had a muscle car that he was sure would only fit five at the best.
It would be up to Sanji to get some food; Luffy told him to take all the meat. Usopp, Vivi, Boa and Luffy would gather all the belongings and stow them in the gym.
Everyone went to do what they had been assigned to do, Luffy and Usopp stuck together as they rummaged in the different rooms, shoving random items into duffle bags and taking them to the gym.
"Do you think that this is going to work?" Usopp asked as they deposited a couple duffle bags next to the door. They had just left Chopper's room; he had some strange things, different jars and bottles with herbs and a lot of medical books with pieces of paper sticking out of them.
"I think so." Luffy rubbed his growling stomach. "I'm hungry."
"Me too." Usopp said as they headed out of the gym once more.
"You think we could sneak into the kitchens and find something to eat?" Luffy asked. Up ahead he could hear Boa and Vivi talking about boys, Luffy decided he didn't want to hear the conversation, so he veered off to the side and headed back to the kitchen, in the opposite direction. "Sanji is in there, maybe he will give us something to eat to tide us over."
"Not likely," Usopp said as he followed Luffy, "Unless you turned into a girl in the last half an hour."
"I'm not a girl." Luffy seemed affronted by what Usopp had said.
"I didn't say you were. I am just saying that Sanji only caters to girls, so I don't think he will help us raid the kitchen."
"Oh…" Luffy said a little ashamed at how he had overreacted with Usopp.
They headed into the kitchen by way of the cafeteria, luckily no one was around. They could hear Sanji somewhere in the large kitchen, yet they didn't see anyone as they cautiously opened a large walk in fridge.
"Let's hurry it up." Usopp said as they were searching for food.
Finding some lunch meat, and bread, they quickly left with it. Out in the hall they nearly ran into Rob Lucci though as he was rushing past on his way to the labs.
The older man just growled at them and ignored them in his haste to get into the lab.
"Now's our chance," Luffy pulled Usopp with him to the slowly closing door, "Let's go."
"Luffy…" Usopp quietly argued as they slipped into the security door. "We are not supposed to be here. We were supposed to get the personal things and put them in the gym. If they catch us we are so dead."
"Something's going on," Luffy said, "Come on, Zoro and Robin might need our help."
It was no lie, an alarm was sounding in the hall, it sounded like a buzzing alarm clock, warning everyone that the door to lab six was open.
"I don't like this Luffy." Usopp groaned next to him. "I just know they will catch us and torture us."
"Shh." Luffy motioned for Usopp to follow him. Up ahead he could hear shouts and grunts as a fight was in progress. "We gotta hurry." He urged the other teen.
They had just rounded a corner when they witnessed Lucci dragging an unconscious Zoro and an equally unconscious Robin into lab six. The door was left open and both Luffy and Usopp heard the man speaking to someone, "They wanted to be with their little friend so badly, let's see how they react to how he looks now."
"You are a sick man, you know that?" a female voice commented. It was vaguely familiar to Luffy, yet he couldn't place it.
"You love it though Kalifa." The man said. That was it, Luffy realized, that pretty secretary of Iceberg's.
"Well let's just clean them up first shall we?" she said.
"You think there are any more?" a different voice asked.
"Why don't you go check Kaku?"
"We have to hide." Usopp quietly said, dragging Luffy to a door marked storage.
They barely made it in time before they heard footsteps pass by the door, Luffy didn't want to hide, yet he knew that right now he had no other choice.