Yay, another update! I'm on a roll! Thanks for the reviews and loves, as always.
I flinched as the black sword swept down at me. I tried to raise my own sword, but I knew it would crack and splinter instantly.
Suddenly, another sword came down, blocking the blade two inches from my face. I let out my breath that I had been holding.
"Now Mihawk, why so serious? Lighten up a little."
I glance up and my mouth dropped open. Shanks was standing there, completely casual as he blocks probably the strongest strike in the world. I scoot back a little, giving myself a little space from my impending doom. There, now I can breathe a little easier.
"You all right Rose?"
I glance up at my savior, trying not to be too starstruck.
"Yes, thank you for saving me."
He grins at me, and I try not to stare at his left side, where he is missing his arm. He continues.
"Why don't you go ahead? I will deal with him."
I glance from him to Mihawk, who is looking only slightly annoyed, and nod.
"Thanks, good luck."
I stand up, hook my sword back in my weapon and take off running again. Right back to my objective. I take a second to glance around and assess the battlefield.
There are pacifistas on one side, but it looks like Hancock and Ivankov are both taking care of them easily. I can see glimpses of other Straw-hats, but only for a few seconds. It looks like our little army is holding its own in the might of the marines. Good for us.
The five to six minutes has turned into maybe ten. I wasted so much time. Ok, keep moving, and no more distractions. I have to trust that they can take care of themselves and not worry about them.
I was maybe halfway there when something blew me over, throwing me literally head over heels. I actually took out a young marine by knocking him flat. I jumped up and curse my luck, for there is Vice Admiral Smoker.
Jeez, first Mihawk, now Smoker? It's like the world doesn't want me to rescue Luffy. I bounce on the balls of my feet, hoping for a quick getaway. He narrows his eyes at me, and I try not to cough as the smoke of his four cigars float around me.
"Rose."
I had met Smoker before actually, on one of my previous adventures, but I had never fought him. He is one of my favorite marines, if not my favorite. However, I had no intention of fighting him. I had no haki, and no means to defeat him. I was screwed.
"Sorry Smoker, I have to just squeeze by you."
He drew his jitte, which I am sure is just as painful to regular people as well as it is to devil fruit users. I bounce again, my weapon drawn and ready to go. I may be fast, but Smoker might be faster, and I cannot just try to outrun him. He will probably live up to his nickname of the white hunter.
"I am going to witness another pirate king execution, and I cannot allow you to interfere."
I just grin, trying to hide my nervousness and anxiousness to be on my way.
"Sorry, but I refuse to let that happen."
We stood there for a moment, before he attacked. I parried his stroke and tried to slash at him but he dissolved into a white fog, enveloping me in it. Are you serious? I couldn't fight this guy...or could I?
I tugged out of his hold and grabbed one of my ice bullets. No time like the present to test these babies out. I fired at the center of the fog and shot as hard as I could.
The ice bullet sped forward and as soon as it hit the smoke, Smoker materialized, rubbing his shoulder in confusion. Ah, so they do work on other devil fruit users. Smoker stood, eyes narrowed.
"I don't know how you did that, but I won't let you do that again."
I grinned.
"I will take that as a challenge."
I was about to fire another bullet when a tattooed hand stayed mine.
"Hold on Rose-ya. We have unfinished business."
I glance over at Law, who had materialized out of nowhere. He is tapping his sword against his shoulder, smirking dangerously. Smoker fingers his jitte.
"Trafalgar Law."
I step back.
"Good luck."
I whirl around and once again head toward the top platform. Why was everyone saving me from other people? Why didn't they focus on getting themselves to Luffy? Right now, I didn't really care; I just wanted to get to Luffy.
He was no longer a dot, but an actual person now. I could make it. I was almost there. My muscles were groaning from the strain and I was panting hard, but I continued forward. I couldn't stop. I couldn't fight. I just needed to get to Luffy.
There, only eight hundred meters to go. I was completely surrounded by marines. I heard shouts from behind me, but I didn't hear people fighting me to the sides. I was the farthest one again, thanks to Law and Shanks stepping in when I couldn't win the fight or win it in a timely manner.
I was suddenly stopped short because a new obstacle stood in my way.
Coby.
I bit my lip. I had heard Coby was a rear admiral now, but had no idea he would actually try to defend against Luffy, but that was their agreement, to never hold back against the other. I grit my teeth, and the pink haired man did the same.
"You are Rose right?"
I nodded.
"Coby, after everything Luffy did, you are willing to let him die?"
He had tears in his eyes. Ah, he didn't want to do this either. I swipe my weapon threateningly.
"Look, just let me by."
"I can't, I have my duty."
"Is duty more important then freindship? I thought Luffy taught you better then that."
"He also told me to follow my dream."
This is pointless, and getting me nowhere. I cannot help Luffy by talking. I shake my head.
"Then I am sorry Coby."
I try to dart around him. He blocks my path but I whirl my quarterstaff to knock him off his feet. He grabs my ankle and I almost fall over, but kick him off. I won't fight him, but maybe I can outrun him. There isn't much left of this race. I could probably do it. So I ignored Coby's shouting for me to stop and I sprinted to get away from him.
Running, something I had been doing for ten years, came so natural to me. Maybe that is why I was doing so well, was because fighting I was proficient at, running, I could do forever. And this atmosphere, so much like a race, was familiar. I find myself smiling as I duck around not grunt soldiers now but captains, and vice admirals. The game of tag has gotten infinitely harder. I cannot simply barge right in, or I will die, and get thrown back.
My eyes, trained from the countless games of shipwide tag, scout out a path, before I take action. I cannot afford to lose here, not so close.
I dart forward, not only dodging, but making the marines hit each other, much like that time in Marejois. If I just make them take care of each other, that would be perfect. No such luck on that end.
Suddenly I feel something clamp on my wrist. I look down to see manacles. Are you serious? Coby is holding onto the chain and he yells.
"You have to stop Rose."
I scowl at him, angry. How could he ask that?
"No, I refuse."
"You will die!"
That got my attention. Die? Really? No, couldn't be. Straw-hats don't die. Straw-hats fight, and I was a Strawhat. Completely rational, I answer calmly.
"I might, but I am going to risk it, because it will be worth it."
I tug on my sword and slice it down, breaking the manacles. I confiscate them from Coby, marvelling at my new weapon. Now these might be useful.
I swing them like a pair bolas above my head, not bothering to soften the blows. These are Vice Admirals; no way am I going to soften any blows for them. I move like a hurricane, not stopping once as I move them faster and faster in one hand, while my other hand is using my own weapon as a quarterstaff, thwacking heads along the way.
Usually I am laughing, but such a serious matter, I couldn't. I was more in tune this fight then any other fight I had ever done, even the one to distinguish me as the best girl fighter in the world. No one was going to stop me.
"Rose, they will kill you."
I twirled my quarterstaff and slammed it against a guy's knees.
"I don't care Coby."
"You are insane."
I hit a guy in the face with my makeshift bolas, and he fell back to knock over his friend, blood spurting out of his nose.
"Yes Coby, I am a Strawhat. Kind of comes with the job description."
I start to shake because they are too close. I surrounded on all sides, and I am feeling claustrophobic. They are too close; I cannot run or dodge. Looks like I have to move out of brute force.
I rear up straight, brandishing both of my weapons. I am no longer that meek little girl stalling by fighting Z. I am no longer the powerless girl who struggled against the marines in Marijois. I am no longer that terrified girl who was stuck in that chair in Impel Down. No, I am not.
I am Rose, a Strawhat, and I am going to show them what that means.
I am strong. I am brave.
I am going to protect my captain.
I will not give up here. I cannot afford to. Luffy needs me, the crew needs me, I need me to push forward.
So I push back hard. With a growl that felt natural I tossed away my bolas by wrapping them around a man's head; I would use them, but right now, I need two hands on my quarterstaff. I start swinging two handed as hard as I could.
I felt many a bone break and a marine fly off out of my group. I duck low and swing at knees, ankles, waists. I don't care how strong these guys were. I don't care if I can beat them or not. I'm just going to go for it and hope I can make it. No, I'm going to make it.
The marines were closing in faster. Take a deep breath Rose. Focus not only on strength, use speed too. You need to get to Luffy as quickly as possible, so use speed. I don't focus on just large strokes now, but large and fast strokes. More speed, means more force anyway.
I literally spin, my quarterstaff a blur. My eyes train on a part of the body to hit, and as soon as my blunt object hits, zooms in on another target. My strategy mind and instincts are both taking the workload, both sharing equally in my fighting. My reflexes are getting ridiculously faster. I was in the zone.
Then my focus snaps out of the zone as something stabs my arm. Gritting my teeth, I turn and smack the marine in the shoulder, almost shattering his collarbone. My concentration broken, I sense everything my body had been trying to tell me but was too stubborn to listen.
My legs and arms burn, not just hurt, burn from the strain. My breathing is harder then even my normal strain. I am not pacing myself at all here, but I couldn't care less. My rhythm is now disrupted though. It will take a little bit to get it back in the groove.
Push past it Rose. Who cares about a little pain? It will be worth it. I growl as I force myself back into the rhythm. Breathe in breath out. Smack a head, a wrist, a rib. Keep going until there are no enemies left. Go so far into oxygen debt that you cannot stand.
Suddenly, I blink, and I am clear. I had pushed all the way through the vice admirals.
I fall to my knees, breathing heavily. Jeez Rose, you idiot. You have to pace yourself or you are going to die. I take stock of my injuries. A few stab wounds, and bruises from hits, but other then that I was fine. I take a few deep breaths to recover from my stupid and gutsy move, and stand up, ready to run again, but I stop cold.
I had fought my way to a few meters from the executioner's platform. I would usually applaud the effort, but I can only stare straight ahead of me.
The three admirals stand, with their arms crossed, the last defence of the pirate king.
