~Stripey
Log 14
Blaze POV
I stared at Sallya, challenging her to hurt Robin again. She didn't move, only stared in shock. I held my hand out.
"Give me the keys."
She reached a shaking hand into her pocket and clutched three keys. She flung them at me and I caught them. Right as I turned my gaze, however, I saw a flash and threw the keys in the threesome's direction.
"Ungh!"
Something hard and sharp hit me, throwing me back towards Robin.
"Blaze!" She touched my arm.
"I'm fine." I muttered, lifting myself up.
I was face to face with someone who looked exactly like me. He grinned, showing sharp teeth.
"This is Shid." Sallya leaned on the guy's shoulder. "He's your zombie."
In Shid's hands he held a chain link whip made out of black metal with a sharp knifelike thing attached to it's end. So that was what had hit me.
I stood up.
"He's your zombie which means," Sallya smiled. "He can do exactly what you can do. And you know what I mean by that."
She sprung atop Moria's chair and sat there.
"Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" She giggled as she waved her hand.
A sharp flash of pain burst into my head. I dropped to the floor, hands over my ears. Dozens of memories flooded into my head.
Laying on the cold surgical table, people from the World Government standing around me with knives, the feel of the knife cutting into my skin.
I yelled and yelled, holding my head. I was in so much pain, mental and physical.
"What're doing to him?" Livia screamed, a note of hysteria in her voice. "Stop it!"
The pain suddenly stopped, and I lay on the floor, shivering with cold sweat and short of breath. I blinked, and my eyelashes were wet with tears. Robin had her hand on my shoulder.
Sallya gave a short humorless laugh. "It's my devil fruit. Sinkirou Sinkirou no Mi. It allows me to make mirages out side and inside of people's heads." She gave me a cold stare. "And cause pain."
I staggered upright. She smiled and snapped her fingers.
"Wha-?" I was in my old house at Water Seven.
I looked around. It was my old house alright. There was the table in the center of the room where we would eat, the stairs up to where our rooms were.
"Blaze!" I turned at the sound of a female's voice.
A tall, blonde woman was standing at the kitchen, making something in a pan. She smiled at me, her green eyes sparkling.
"Mom..." I whispered.
I started forward towards her and blood started suddenly flowing out of my chest.
What?
My mother's face twisted, her hair became a dark maroon, her face became pale, with dozens of stitches and her smile became a fanged one. My surroundings changed back into Moria's dance hall.
There was a dull, throbbing pain near my ribcage and I looked down.
Shid's whip's knife was in my gut. He yanked it out with a smile. The blood from the cut that he had given a few minutes before dribbled down my forehead. Everything was silent except for my hard breathing.
Then I fell, getting wrapped up in Shid's chain.
"Blaze!" Robin cried.
"Ahahahahaha! Sallya laughed. "I thought you were stronger than that!"
I leaned against Shid's legs, weak and shocked. I had never been this outmatched before.
"When we chose you three for the Re(mark)able project, there was so much excitement and promise in you. Sengoku himself said that you had the potential to become an Admiral." Sallya said.
My eyes flashed at the name of that godforsaken "project", where they had put parenthesis between the word 'mark' because we were going to make a 'mark' onto the world.
Wait.
I frowned. Had she said "we"?
"You were government personnel?" I coughed.
"Yes," She picked at something in her nails. "I was assigned to get close to you, to turn you towards the World Government."
She looked up, her eyes boring into me. "I used my femininity."
I clenched my jaw. "So it wasn't real for you?"
"No," She her face was emotionless. "Everything was a lie."
"Liar!" I shouted, finding newfound strength in my rage.
I broke through the chain that was wrapped around me. Shid started forward to stop me but Sallya raised her hand.
"Tell me," I growled. "Tell me everything you lied about."
Sallya crossed her legs. "I wasn't part of your section for Re(mark)able. I was actually part of CP9."
"Wait," Robin interrupted her. "Blaze, Livia and Crusoe weren't part of CP9?"
"No," Sallya regarded her like she was a piece of trash. "They were part of a different sector that would work with bigger military power. Ultimately, the Colbalt siblings were to become CP9's higher. They were handpicked by Sengoku and the three Admirals."
"Their father," Sallya said, disdainfully. "Was a Vice-Admiral who found out too much. We disposed of him quickly."
"Sallya," I snarled. "Tell me the rest of the things you lied about."
"When you thought I was murdered for breaking a rule, they actually faked my death. It was to make you submit to our rules." She lifted a second finger. "I was in partially charge of Re(mark)able project." She held up a third finger. "When they found out that you three had escaped, they tortured me and I fled to here, to hide myself from the Government."
She held up a fourth finger and then sighed. "Blaze, theres too many lies, I don't remember all of them."
I shook with rage and rushed at Sallya. Right as I was about to jump on top to where she was, I heard Robin's shout of warning, and then a crack of a back. I turned and she had cracked Shid's back as he was about to injure me again.
"Thanks Robin." I muttered.
Sallya's catlike eyes narrowed.
"Shid!" She snapped.
My zombie stood up like nothing had happened. I looked at Livia and Crusoe's zombies. They were still out cold. But were they faking it?
I shook my head. I didn't have time to think about that. I had to focus on what was happening now.
"Yes, Sallya-sama." I heard my voice say as my zombie brushed himself off.
Her look was cold and calculating as she regarded the situation on hand.
"Kill him." She gestured to me.
"Of course." He bowed, drew his weapon and advanced towards me.
His first hit I blocked with my tightened chain but his second hit hit my already injured hands. I hissed with pain as a third hit hit my knees and I stumbled to the ground. I racked my brain on how to defeat him.
Why couldn't I beat myself?
My zombie spun his chain around playfully. "Any last words?"
"No!" I heard Robin cry. "Trienta Fleur; Clutch!"
"Acckk!" My zombie's body cracked again once more and he rolled onto the ground.
I slowly stood up as the corners of Sallya's mouth twitched and she gasped with feigned surprise. Sallya hopped off her perch and leaned against the huge throne of Moria.
"She loves him!" She crooned, with obvious delight.
What? Robin...Robin...
Loved me?
I swung my head around to look at Robin. She was looking down at the ground, her raven hair covering her face.
"But does he love her?" Sallya turned to me.
I blinked rapidly, trying to wipe my face of all emotion, but I couldn't. A muscle twitched in my jaw.
"He does!" She gasped.
Through my peripheral vision, I saw Robin look up and stare at me. I avoided her eyes.
Sallya laughed with glee and snapped her fingers twice. The other two zombies stood up. "Alice! Orpheus! This just got more interesting."
Livia POV
I wasn't paying attention to Blaze and Sallya's confrontation, but I could tell he was losing. I was intent on getting these kairoseki cuffs off of us, but couldn't because it was totally draining my strength.
"Hurry up, Livia!" Crusoe muttered, his eyes on the fight.
"I'm trying the best I can!" I snapped back.
He really didn't understand how hard this was. 'Click.'
"There!" I gasped. "Finally!"
Crusoe stood up, rubbing his wrist. "Thanks."
"Now get these cuffs off us." Chopper and I held out our wrists.
'Click'. 'Click'.
The three of us stood up and faced Sallya. Blaze was fighting all three of our zombies and he was actually doing pretty well. I couldn't tell though, to be honest. He was really just a whirlwind of red and silver.
"Sallya!" Crusoe called out.
Sallya noticed us and her jaw dropped. "EHHH!?"
"W-What?" Chopper asked nervously.
"HOW'D YOU GUYS GET OUT OF THOSE KAIROSEKI CUFFS?" She asked, pointing at us.
My eyebrow twitched with annoyance. If I had remembered correctly, Sallya was stupid as well as she was sneaky. The weirdest combination ever.
I swung my loose hair over my shoulder. My zombie had cut my hair tie while we were fighting earlier and it was quite annoying, fighting with loose, long hair.
"Don't you remember you gave it to Blaze." I stated.
"NOO," She said. "DID HE STEAL IT FROM ME?"
I dropped my head into my hand. She was hopeless.
"Were you born as a blonde?" Crusoe asked, innocently.
"SHUT UP, BASTARD!" She spat at him.
"Honto da. She really is a dumb blonde." Chopper said.
"Shut it!" Sallya made a three fingered claw and pushed it towards Chopper. "Soul Reaper!"
Chopper squeaked and dropped to the ground.
"Chopper!" I picked up the little reindeer that was now in his regular form. "Are you ok?"
"Meeehhhh-" He replied, his eyes going in circles.
I dropped him on the ground.
"Sallya!" I drew my two swords.
She grinned. "You shouldn't be worried about me, it's your brother you should be worried about."
His attacks were getting slower and slower, our zombies getting more hits. I decided to take Sallya's advice and led my zombie away from him. She was strong. Almost stronger than me.
"Diamond Coulé!" I slid my blade across hers, dodged to one side and sliced her eyes. She keeled backwards and I took that opportunity to check on Blaze.
I saw his red hair flashing all around, fighting back to back with Crusoe. Crusoe jumped up and kicked his own zombie away. While Crusoe got farther away from Blaze, I noticed Sallya starting forward, with the unmistakable glint of a knife in her hand, heading for Blaze.
Robin noticed this too, and tried to stop her, but Sallya waved her hand and Robin dropped to her knees, once again holding her head. I ran towards Blaze, but I knew I wouldn't make it. He was too far away.
I shouted for Crusoe but I was sure he wouldn't hear me. I put my head down and sprinted when I heard an almost inhuman cry of pain come from Blaze's mouth.
"Bla-" My voice trailed off.
Blaze was unhurt. Then why was he...?
There were two blades sticking out of Crusoe's chest.
I gasped, with my hand over my mouth.
Blood trickled out of the corner of Crusoe's mouth as his chest heaved. He had taken the two stabs meant for Blaze, one from Sallya's hand and the other, from Shid's hand. Sallya had driven her blade all the way through the hilt through the front side of his chest and Shid had driven his into his back, the knife sticking out from the opposite side of Crusoe's chest.
They both yanked out their blades simultaneously and Crusoe fell, letting out a last gasp of air. Crusoe's zombie staggered.
Blaze dropped to his knees, his hands trembling. I rushed towards the pair and knelt by Blaze. Tears were threatening to spill from my eyes. I heard our zombies starting towards us but I didn't care. All I cared about now was my baby brother who was dying.
"Stop." Sallya commanded her zombies.
"Crusoe," Blaze whispered. "Wake up. Stop messing around."
Crusoe didn't give any sign of responding. I didn't see his chest moving anymore.
"Crusoe!" Blaze yelled, hysterically. "Wake up, bastard! Nows not the time to kid around! Wake up!" He clutched Crusoe's shoulders, shaking him over and over again.
Blaze punched the floor by Crusoe's head with such force that it made a small crater in the ground.
"You promised you would get strong with me," Blaze whispered, hoarsely, the tears now falling freely. "Why do you have to go now?"
I sobbed, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably. I wrapped my arms around Blaze's shoulders.
"Crusoe!" Blaze yelled. "WAKE UP!"
He buried his head in Crusoe's shirt, not even caring it had bloodstains on it.
Blaze yelled and yelled and yelled. He yelled until he coughed up blood from his ragged throat.
"Livia," He said, suddenly calm. "Get off me, please."
"What?" I sniffed, scooting away from him. "Whats wrong?"
And then I noticed it. The look in his eyes of the killer within.
"No, Blaze," I warned. "Don't do it."
Blaze's breathing grew harder and faster.
"No, Bla-" My sentence was cut off as a tiger's roar ripped from my brother's mouth.
I tripped up to my feet and ran to Robin. Her eyes were wide with fear, staring at Blaze.
"What the-?" She whispered.
"C'mon," I pulled her to her feet, picked up Chopper and dragged Crusoe's body along the way to my escape towards the edge of the room.
It wasn't safe anymore.
Once we got to the edge, I crouched down with my wings spread, ready to run if anything happened.
"Livia, what is that?" Robin asked.
"That," I sighed is Blaze."
"AHHH! WHAT IS THAT?!" Chopper screamed as he regained conciousness.
"That's-" I didn't even get to finish my sentence as Chopper slipped back into unconsciousness again.
I turned towards my monster of a brother. He was now about twenty feet tall, with red, rippling muscular fur that grew all over his body with the occasional black stripes. There was tufts of red fur on his head, and red fur grew along his spine. Two twin wicked saber teeth grew along the sides of his mouth and his tail swished, signaling that he was agitated. Half of his face was still human, but he wasn't the Blaze I knew.
Blaze was in his Half Beast form.
"Sallya." Blaze growled, his voice deeper. "You're gonna pay."
The reason I was so afraid is that Blaze still didn't have complete control over it when he changed, making him unpredictable.
"So...finally he gets serious." Sallya said.
Blaze growled.
"Shid, do it." Sallya commanded.
"S-Sallya-sama," Shid protested. For the first time he looked nervous.
"Do it!"
"But, Sallya-sama, you know that when I use it, I'll get weaker!" He said.
"Shid, do it!"
"Yes, Sallya-sama." He grudgingly said.
He changed into the mirror image of Blaze, except he had stitches.
Blaze roared and rushed at Shid. Shid slowly jogged forward. Blaze punched Shid with a haymaker and Shid flew to the side.
"Hmph," Blaze snorted. "You're not as strong as I thought you were."
Shid struggled to get up. He snarled and rushed at Blaze with more intensity. Blaze picked up Shid's chain.
"I'll be taking this." He said.
Blaze also picked up his own chain. He twisted his hips around and I recognized the move. It was his final move, the finishing blow. So he thought he could finish Shid now.
"Tora," He snarled. "Akuma!"
He released the power in his hips and his muscles bulged. Shid realized what was going on at the last minute and tried to stop, but his momentum carried him forward. Blaze spun, hitting Shid with perfect accuracy. Shid flew towards Robin and I and we ducked as he crashed out the window.
Crusoe and mine's zombies flew at him, but Blaze batted them easily away like they were children. They both flew out the opposite window. Blaze cracked his neck and started towards Sallya. Blaze's humanity was now 5%. He was just intent on killing when he was in his Sabertooth form.
Sallya slowly stepped backwards away from him, her eyes filled with fear. She waves her hand and yelled plenty of attacks that sounded dangerous and probably would've killed Blaze if he was in his human form, but this Blaze was just twitching his head like her attacks were like annoying flies.
She got to the edge of the wall, with nowhere to go. Blaze just glared at her, dropped his chains and lifted his claws. I couldn't. As much as I hated Sallya, I couldn't let Blaze just kill her like that.
"Blaze!" I yelled. "Stop it!"
He turned, his green eyes filled with hate. Blaze slowly picked up both chains and hooked them around his waist. He then grew smaller, but not by that much, into his full Beast form and rushed at me. I tensed and turned into diamond, speeding my wings out protecting Robin and Chopper.
Suddenly, the ceiling shook and a gigantic, red demon crushed the room. He punched upwards and hit Blaze. Blaze yowled as he flew through the air over towards us. Once he hit the ground, he turned back into a human, his clothes ragged and blood stains all over his face. He had slid right into Robin's lap and she held him there, stroking his face and checking to see if he was still breathing. I slowly stood up. Chopper had woken up and was clopping by me in his reindeer form. We watched as Luffy's zombie stalked the bottom floor, wrecking everything in it's path. Hogback was underneath a rock, screaming at Cindry to help him.
Cindry turned and smiled at us, and did nothing. Luffy's zombie, or Oz, as Hogback had called it stomped on Hogback and that was the end for him.
"That's...Luffy..." I whispered.
"Livia!" I heard Robin call.
I turned and ran back with Chopper.
"What?" I asked.
"Its Blaze," She said, still holding him. "We-we need to get out of this room fast."
I nodded.
"Chopper, you think you can hold Blaze?" I asked. "I'll hold Crusoe because he's lighter."
Chopper nodded and Robin slid Blaze onto Chopper's back. I hauled up Crusoe, who showed no signs of life at all. I didn't care. I was going to leave here with Crusoe's body, dead or alive. We ran to the door. Robin held the door open for Chopper and waited for me. I turned and looked at Luffy's zombie again.
"Livia." Robin motioned for me to go with her hand.
I nodded, giving Luffy's zombie one last look before I ran out the door.