Ch 12: The Hounds—Fleeing

"Sanji, watch out!" Luffy screamed and stretched out his arms to grab hold of his friend's waist. Jerking the cook off his feet, his life was saved as a large boulder fell right where he once stood.

"What the hell's going on," Sanji gasped as the dome-roof started collapsing overtop of them. Flames had suddenly burst into the ballroom and they still clung to the edges of the gaping hole their entrance left. As more debris fell, dust clouded everyone's vision and the two humans were left to try and dodge on coming rocks from sound alone. Ha's senses gave her the upper hand and she made it seem like a game of hopscotch as she jumped out of the way of another pile of debris. However, out of the corner of her eye she saw the two pirates, desperately looking for an exit in the smoke—vulnerable. A sly grin crept across her face and she glanced at the small hallway to her right. Sure, she could leave now but where's the satisfaction in having your opponents crushed? Ha wanted to feel their fleeting heartbeats with her fangs.

Poising for an attack, she saw the perfect opportunity, but the thought of killing kept her distracted from the danger falling overhead. Right when her muscles sprung into action all went black and she could no longer hear her own heartbeat? 'Did she every have one?' was the last thought that passed through her mind.

"Sanji, I think I see a hallway!" Luffy called, grabbing Sanji's arm even when he left out a yelp of pain from the claw marks inflicted. The two made one final lunge for the safe haven and happened just dodge one of the largest pieces of the roof that just fell. Both didn't move, their faces plastered to the cool stone of the marble hallway. Each gasped for air and couched up the dust into the crocks of their arms. Eventually, when all seemed to grow silent they sat up and looked over their shoulders at the ballroom. Once elegant it was nothing more than a bowl filled with rubble; there was not a square inch of the floor still visible, nor any life present.

"She's…dead…" Sanji mumbled, somewhat melancholy-like. Luffy took off his hat and mourned for a brief second before standing up. The blonde followed and they both took a quick glance at their wounds—none too serious, they all just stung like a bitch.

"We have to continue; find where everyone else is." Luffy said, placing his hat back on.

"How are we supposed to navigate through this place…? It's literally a maze!" Sanji moaned while brushing some strands of hair back into place. Luffy thought long and hard, placing his finger on his chin. He strained his poor brain and cocked his head to the side, and right when he was about to admit defeat an unfamiliar voice spoke from behind them in the ballroom.

"Perhaps I could be of assistance," It said prestigiously. Both pirates spun around in surprise and looked out into the center of the room; there standing on top of the rubble was a strange deer-like creature. Its fur was the color of snow with black, zebra-like strips coating it. Brawny muscles were seen through the skin as it stood with pride, the red light filtering through the large hole in the nonexistent roof. The creature blinked it's lifeless, alien eyes and started walking towards the two. "I am Me," it said, adroitly moving across the unstable debris. Me had antlers that stretched high into the air, each fastened to a point.

"What the hell do you want?" Sanji eyed him up warily.

"No need for hostility. You will trust me for I just saved your friend." Me said.

"What're you talking about?" Luffy questioned.

"That blast up there," He motioned to the destroyed roof above him with a small jerk of his head. "It was caused by the fight currently going on outside of this mountain."

"How could anyone possibly fight out there," Sanji asked.

"Seems like those two Hounds are; I saved the swordsman from the fire and am now here to help you two get to the peak." When neither of them spoke Me moved even closer and continued to talk. "I'm sure you have no idea what's happening but I shall explain on the way if you do so choose to follow." It glanced at them from the corner of its eyes. The two nakama looked at one another then silently followed the deer down the hallway, moving at a considerably slow pace.

"You should rejoice with your friends when you meet back up with them, freedom is near—as long as Koe brought them to peak like we planned and of course you're Hounds manage to blind Hell."

"Don't call them that." Luffy said menacingly. Me didn't answer him but took a note of it.

"What's this plan; I certainly don't remember hearing anything about it." Sanji grumbled, hands stuffed into his pockets.

"A plan between Koe and I; it seemed practically impossible until the Hou—" He stopped himself. "It seemed impossible until your collar-friends joined in."

"That's not much better." Luffy grumbled, he was ignored.

"With them on our sides things started to look up. Our plan is to help you escape. Hell took you and your crew here even when you made no deal with him whatsoever. If you made no deal then he can't keep you. After so long of being his slaves—his voice and eyes—Koe and I decided to make a stand. We tried to get Ha to join in, but for some reason she was afraid to align with us…." He grew quite thinking about his old 'partner'. "We know the way to get out of Hell and it involves the peak of this mountain, there under the right circumstances a portal shall open to your world." Sanji looked over a Luffy who had fallen asleep, though was still managing to walk.

"I'm good, but I think you've lost my captain…"

"It's fine if he doesn't know. Right now—we're almost there—all we need to wait for are your friends fighting Hell."

"How are we almost at the peak, we haven't gone up any stairs or anything like that."

"That's part of the trick with this labyrinth; it doesn't follow the normal laws of your world. 'Up' will not take you up, and on the other end 'down' will not take you down. The only way to navigate this place is to really know where you're going." Me explained. Sanji nudged Luffy who startled awake. "We're here."

~*0-0*~

"Jump, Zoro!" Hardly able to think, the swordsman's instincts kicked in and he jumped as told to by Akio. However, his entire body was burning with exhaustion; every muscle screamed and because of that he didn't make it as far as he had hoped. The two Hounds were starting to scale the side of the mountain after Zoro had been saved by Me who had then disappeared into the wreckage. Fear welled in his throat as he realized he wouldn't make the gap between his small cliff and the one he was jumping to. Shit-!

Akio grabbed hold of his arm at the last second. Zoro swung underneath the cliff due to momentum then went back and forth like a pendulum till he came to a stop. Both of the men stared at each other in silence; their gasping breaths muffled out by the pattering of blood rain. Akio tightened his grip on Zoro's arm and then got into a position where he would be able to pull him up. He grunted and hefted the other up onto the cliff. They fell back and gasped for air. Zoro pushed himself up from his knees; his three, sheathed katana all banging against his legs.

"We're almost there." He said, looking up at the top, squinting through the rain.

"But—we still—have to blind Hell…." Akio said, having difficulty regaining that breath. Zoro pulled him up by the forearm and said bluntly.

"We need to keep moving," But as soon as that was said Hell appeared in a wave of black. He clung to the side of the jagged mountain and snapped his jaws at the two who stumbled away. "Go, go!" Zoro screamed as they leapt from one cliff, down to another, up to the next—and so on. Hell moved warily, rocks slipping from under his claws. He growled and spit fire at the fleeing Hounds; leather wings would whip out for balance. He went to take another step and lost his footing, Zoro noticed this from the corner of his eyes and spun around in midair; adroitly he slipped out Shuusui and sent a slash at the dragon. As a desperate attempt for protection, Hell shielded his face with a wing; however, the attack was strong enough to penetrate the leathery skin and it went to slice open his right eye.

Hell bellowed in pain and brought his head close into his body. The two Hounds took the opportunity to run. Blood gushed from the crimson bead that was his eye, the blood rain mixed with the actual liquid and became indistinguishable. Growling, as anger surmounted the pain, Hell kept his blind eye shut and looked up in search for his prey. Silver fangs shown themselves from behind his snarling lips and he pushed himself off the wall of the mountain; his wings stretched to their full potential, both large enough to cast a shadow on a house. Favoring his not damaged wing Hell made his way around the mountain which grew smaller in circumference as it went higher up. Soon he saw the two Hounds climbing up—they were close to the top and he knew he must do anything to prevent them from reaching it.

Sticking out like sore thumbs, Zoro and Akio noticed Hell by the sound of his beating wings which were like war drums. Knowing not to look back they continued onwards as fast as their bodies would let them. The side of the mountain was abrasive like shards of glass and both of their hands, palms, feet—anything that happened to touch the stones was grated. Akio, who was climbing above Zoro, misplaced a stone that dislodged and hit the pirate on the head.

"Oi, watch it!" He mumbled, looking up only to see Akio starting to fall. He did a little leap up next to the man and helped to steady him. "Okay now?"

"Yeah…thanks…" Akio looked at him, his black hair matted to his face; blood running down like tears. Zoro got lost in the innocence of his eyes for a moment, but the sound of Hell rushing from behind snapped him out of the daze. Right as his brought his fangs down to bite one of their heads off, Akio whipped out his silver pistol and took a shot. Hell's head flinched away as a bullet grazed the side of it, but then he lashed out in rage and his sickle talons ripped out Akio's left forearm, the gun flew out of his hand and clattered down the side of the mountain.

Drawing his hurt arm in close to his chest, Akio frantically climbed higher when Hell grabbed his leg and dragged him back down. Zoro took out a sword and without a moment's hesitation cleaved off Hell's hand. It fell just like the gun.

"Go; we can see the top!" He screamed, the beast distracted by the agony.

~*0-0*~

"I thought you said you were taking us to the peak?" Nami asked in wonder as her eyes wandered around the cavern which they just entered. Their small party of six including Koe walked out from the flame light hallway into a commodious cavern with a placid lake in the center. The place was so dark it was hard to see the ceiling or other end, but, despite that, the lake still radiated this blue glow. Above the lake were stalactites; directly above the lake was a round opening, revealing the Lost Children which reflected in the pool below.

"I-Is that blood?" Usopp asked with a wavering voice as he gazed over blood rain coming in through the opening, though, when it reached the water's surface it seemed to vanish; never making contact or any ripples.

"Yeah, remember that blood rain we encountered in the desert?" Rose reminded. Koe flew off her shoulder and glided around the spacious cavern as if for fun.

"The kind that 'stain's your soul'" Robin specified. The Hound nodded her long hair bobbing.

"What now, Koe?" She called out to the raven, her voice was expected to echo but it did not.

"We're here," Koe replied. "We're here,"

"Yeah, we got that—now what?" Percy asked, his patience growing thin with the child-like animal. However, when he said that voices were heard from the hallway they just came from. Everyone turned; Usopp and Chopper huddled together in fear of some other monster. However, it was only Luffy, Sanji, and Me that appeared.

"Guys?" Nami exclaimed.

"Nami-swan, Robin-chan—you two are alright!" Sanji twirled with joy over to the two ladies. Meanwhile, Luffy gazed around the cavern, much more serious than normal.

"Your two friends should be here soon," Koe said, perching himself on Me's antlers.

"Then we'll be able to begin." Me finished.

"Will we all be able to leave?" Luffy asked.

"That…depends." Me returned. Then, when all seemed quiet; the tranquil lake radiating an air of peace, guns shots and shouts were heard from just outside the crevice in the roof.

~*0-0*~

Akio was about five steps away from the ridge of the mountain when he decided to turn around and saw Zoro coming up after him; although, Hell was close on his tail, but he was having difficulty with one hand missing and a damaged wing. Akio took out the black pistol and fired out round after round. Zoro crept close to the surface of the mountain, ignoring the protest his body put up concerning the man cuts he was receiving from the rocks; Akio's bullets whizzed over his back and hit Hell in multiple targets. The dragon hissed and trashed its tail. When close enough Zoro reached out and took Akio's outstretched hand. He got pulled up and now they were both on the brink of the mountain, below them the blue lake.

They both turned to meet Hell face to face, but he once again taken to the air and was up there quicker than they thought possible. He swiped at their heads with his still intact hand, yet they ducked so he whipped around his tail instead. He hit them both in the guts and sent them flying across the small opening; they slammed into the other end of the circle and plummeted to the water after failing to get a grip on the other side.

With wind whipping by their ears, everything seemed silent. The water came up quickly and their brains had trouble comprehending all that had just happened. They broke through the glass surface and slowed dramatically. Bubbles curved around them as they drifted farther down into the water, both enjoying the requiescence it brought; neither wanted to move, each wanting to stay in the cool waters until everything above was over and done with. However, that all ended when two figures were seen swimming towards them. It all went in slow motion as things tend to do underwater; Sanji and Percy dove down for their friends and surfaced with them as the Hounds barely held onto consciousness.

"God you're so freakn annoying, you know that?" Sanji mumbled into Zoro's ear as the Marimo's head slumped into his shoulder. Percy took Akio into his arms and was grateful to see the young man was alive. He started paddling back to shore, reassuring Akio the whole way who submitted to Percy's words as much as he did to the man's help. "Oi, Chopper," Sanji called out nonchalantly as he was soon able to walk, still having to drag Zoro who refused to put in any effort at all. "Come look at these two idiots." Reaching the stone shore he placed Zoro down; Percy did the same. The swordsman coughed up water and pushed himself up as much as his shaking arms would allow. He felt the reindeer's gentle touch on his shoulder and tried to sit up even more, just to assure everyone that he was perfectly fine.

"Don't do that; just stay still." Chopper protested. Rose came and sat down next to Akio cross-legged, his face beamed with happiness just at the sight of her, though all the worry she felt moments ago kept her from showing relief.

"Where's Hell?" Me asked, walking up and staring down at Akio who was still lying on his back.

"Uh," The young man blinked up at him bewildered.

"He was still up there when we fell," Zoro said, heaving in a deep, caustic breath. Me nodded and looked up at the opening when they saw the black outline against the sky.

"So, this is where you all are…" Hell said menacingly. He dropped his snake-like neck down and grinned, however, both his eyes were shut closed with blood trickling out of them.

"You did manage to blind him," Me stated, somewhat surprised. Zoro and Akio sent each other a grin, but it left when they heard his voice again.

"Fine, make me come after you I see…" Hell said, carefully crawling in through the hole, but with his absent sight he missed the actual mountain and fell through the air; flipping through the air he tripped to slow his fall with outspread wings but when he opened them they appeared to have numerous bullet holes in them and they did little for flight. He crashed into the water, all his limbs knotted up with the other.

"That's what we need!" Koe shouted. "Blood from Hell!"

"Everyone, gather together," Me ordered, "Koe, you'll be able to bring everyone to the center of the lake, right? That's where the portal should appear." Koe nodded and flew into the air, growing in number the more he went around; soon a twister of his unkindness formed around the group—the squawking of all the ravens was ear shattering. Right before they vanished, there was a bright flash of blinding light and a vortex appeared in the opening in the ceiling. Water and loose stones were beginning to get sucked up through the air into the white beacon, spiraling around themselves as they traveled, eventually vanishing when they hit the center.

The group, teleported courtesy of Koe, and appeared in midair above the center of the lake; everyone soon began to get lifted due to the pull of the portal above. Then, just when freedom seemed reachable, Hell burst out of the water his cut eyes wide open and bleeding tears. He snagged Me with his claw; Hell used his talons and ripped open the deer's whole side—flesh falling in tatters. Me closed his eyes for the first time since coming under Hell's service and his lifeless body was thrown aside into the lake's waters. Then, in even more rage, Hell leapt up even further and ended up catching all three chains of the Hounds' collars. Rose, Akio, and Zoro were jerked backwards; it became a tug-of-war between the grip and strength of Hell and the pull of the luminescent vortex. Luffy reached down in desperation towards Zoro who did the same to him. They brushed fingertips and there was another flash of blinding light that consumed the whole cavern.

Should I even try and apologize for the lateness of this chapter… Who knows, I guess I should at least thank those who are still reading this. Hope you liked this chapter. ONE MORE LEFT AFTER THIS! Never thought this story would be over… Please review, comments, questions, helpful hints? Anything would be great. Again, I can't thank those enough who are still willing to read this after so long! :D