Ace hadn't even noticed when he had passed Luffy on his way to the Dragon. His mind had started to go blank as he heard the Dragon mentioning what he wanted to do to Ai. He didn't even realized that he had activated his Devil Fruit powers until after his fist had made contact with the Dragon.
" Damn Ace," Luffy said angrily. " You could have let me take a shot at him too. Always hogging the fun stuff for yourself!"
" You can have Lucci." Ace said. " Because if I take him, I'll have a murder charge against me."
" You may have one already." Koala said applying a table cloth to Ai's side, trying to stop the bleeding. " You hit Charloss Roswald pretty damn hard. He's had people arrested for just looking at him wrong."
" I don't really care about that right now." Ace said walking over to them.
" This place is going to be crawling with cops soon, you're going to have to get Ai out of here if we're going to get her help." Sabo said. " She starting to get pale."
" Do you really think I'm going to let you leave with that bitch." Luffy turned to see Lucci stand up, blood trickled from his mouth.
" No one asked for your opinion, Pigeon Bastard." Luffy said cracking his knuckles angrily. " But, I've got a few things I want to say to you."
Ace knelt beside Sabo and Koala, lifting Ai gently into his arms. " Do you got this?"
" By got this do you mean let Luffy beat the shit out of Lucci but not let him demolish the entire mall?"
" Yeah, that." Ace said adjusting Ai gently.
" Then probably. I can guarantee the first part but that might lead to difficulty with the second." Sabo said. " I'm considering lending him a hand with it to be honest."
" Just don't let him get himself killed." Ace said before dashing off. Lucci was about to dart after the freckled teen when he felt hands grab him suddenly, holding him in place.
" Seis Fleur!" Lucci looked over to see Nico Robin glaring over at him, six random arms had appeared out of no where and wrapped themselves around him.
" What joy is this," Lucci said. " Once I finish with Strawhat I'll finally have a chance to kill you."
" TWIST!" Lucci felt the arms around him suddenly jerk him around.
CLANG!
Robin looked behind her quickly and saw four swords pointed directly at her. In between her and the blades was a familiar green blob holding three swords of his own, one in each arm and the third in his teeth.
" Kaku." Zoro said in amusement, glaring up at a tall man with short blonde hair and large empty black eyes framed by three thick eye lashes. He had a long rectangular nose similar to Usopp.
" Roronoa," The man called Kaku answered glaring down at him. " You've interrupted my mission once again."
" Sorry, can't let you harm Robin," Zoro said wrenching a smile from the dark haired girl.
" How did you-"
" I followed the loud crashing and figured Luffy was somehow involved.
" Good assumption," Robin said. " Thankfully you listened to me when I ran into you earlier."
" You're normally right about things, so I figured to go with it."
" Normally?"
" Alright fine, always." Zoro said rolling his eyes before swinging his swords towards Kaku, who dodged quickly.
" Do me a favor and don't get killed." Robin said smiling.
" Same for you." Zoro said grinning back at her.
Ace couldn't remember running so hard in his life. Right now his legs were screaming at him to just stop. He was gasping for breath and felt like his lungs were going to burst out of his chest. He glanced down at the girl in his arms and he felt his blood boil again.
She was so pale and getting worse with each passing second. Her skin was starting to get cool as well. He wanted to kill Lucci more and more with each passing second. He knew he was vicious but this time he had gone way to far.
He felt her trickling slowly from her wound and his anger built more and more. He wanted to turn around and rush back to his brothers and help them but he knew that if he did Ai might not make it. He had to get her to Chopper and Dr Hiluku as soon as possible. Hell, he'd even be okay if the cocky shit head Law was there.
" Hey," Ace said to the girl in his arms. " You're gonna be okay." He was saying more to himself then to her. He wasn't even sure she was even conscious right now.
" Warm…" Ace almost stumbled at the weak sound of her voice.
" What did you say?" Ace asked quickly.
" You're…warm." Ai said blinking her eyes open weakly.
" It…helps that my body is made of fire." Ace muttered, a blush appearing in his cheeks.
" You're a Devil Fruit User?" Ai asked weakly.
" I ate the Mera Mera no Mi."
" Huh…"
" What?"
" I ate one too."
" You did, huh?" Ace said, laughing gently. " Which one?"
" The…" Ai paused blinking weakly.
" Which one, Ai." Ace said softly, trying to keep her as awake as possible. " What Devil Fruit did you eat?"
" The Kaze Kaze no Mi." Ai said weakly. " Can I take a nap?"
" No, no you can't!" Ace snapped. " You have to stay awake."
" But-"
" No!"
" Oh come on, let the girl sleep." Ace skidded to a halt at the sound of a deep masculine voice said. He looked up to the nearby roof to see a dark-skinned man, with a Fu Manchu mustache, a pointed goatee, and long hair braided in a thick queue, that resembled a scorpion's tail. He also had a large scar that ran diagonally down his left eye. On his forehead he wore small pointed sunglasses, his ears bore small hooped earring and a black tie over his bare chest. He wore a black black tangzhuang, that's white down the middle. Around his waist was a red sash that was over black pants and shoes.
" Jabra." Ace growled low, tightening his hold on Ai protectively.
" Come on, kid. Just let the her close her eyes and fall into that deep restful never waking sleep." The man grinned sadistically down at Ace.
" That's oddly poetic," Ace said grinning back. " I didn't realize that you had enough brain cells in that cinderblock you call a skull to say something so deep."
" Ignorant brat," Jabra snapped back. " I was having a cool moment and you had to ruin it!"
" Sorry to ruin the moment where you prove you actually have a brain but I'm a little busy right now."
" But why would we ever let you leave, chapapa?" Ace paled slightly as he heard another high pitched male voice say. He looked to his left to see a big, round, oddly-shaped man with a zipper across his mouth. He was dressed in black formal wear and had green, well groomed hair, purple dimples on his cheeks and strands of hair on his chin.
'Shit!' Ace thought hurriedly. 'When the hell did he get there?'
" If we let you go you might manage to get medical aide to that girl! Then we would have failed in our mission to kill her, chapapa!"
" Shut up, Fukuro!" Jabra said. " Why don't you zip up that stupid mouth of yours! Telling my prey what's going to happen to them!"
" I'm certain they know death is coming their way, chapapa! And besides, knowing death is coming for them and not being able to do anything to stop it makes the kill all the more savorable, chapapa!"
" Huh…I guess you do have a point there." Jabra said, a light bulb suddenly going off.
" We could be running right now." Ai whispered wincing slightly.
" Even half dead you still try to tell me what to do." Ace said smirking down at her.
" I'm not half dead, jackass." Ai said weakly. " I just want to take a nap."
" And I told you no, so don't or I'll drop you on your head."
" Jeez, that girlfriend of your's is such a lucky girl to have a sweet talker like you as her boy-" Ai stopped suddenly becoming dizzy. She grasped his shirt weakly with her good hand, leaning her head against his chest.
'Damn, she's getting worse!' Ace thought when he heard her go silent. 'I've got to get past these morons.' He had to decide whether it would be quicker to attempt to sneak past them while they argued or to punch…well in this case, kick his way out.
As fun as he thought it'd be to knock these idiots into three months from now Ace decided to go with his first option. He began to move as silently and stealthily as he could as the assassins continued to argue.
" OI!"
'Shit!' Ace thought as he heard Jabra's voice. 'Sorry Ai, option number two it is.' Flames appeared around his feet as he turned around to face his opponents.
" You morons really want me to kick your teeth in?" Ace asked. " I would have thought y-"
" OUT OF THE WAY, FLAME BOY! I'M ABOUT TO GO SUUUUUPER!" Ace groaned loudly at the sound of a gruff male voice. Ace stepped sideways just as a blue and red blur dashed past him in a flurry and ram into Fukuro.
" YOWZA! DID YOU SEE THAT, FLAME BOY! SENT ZIPPER HEAD FLYING!" Ace felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance at he stared at a tall powerfully built man. His forearms were enormous, baring a blue star tattoo on each, compared to his biceps. His chest was well-toned with large abs and pectoral muscles. His long blue hair was puffed up into a large pompadour. His mischievious black eyes were framed three bulky eyelashes on his lower lid. On his face where a normal nose used to be was a large prosthetic iron nose. He wore a red Hawaiian shirt which bore the word: Aloha, on the back. Instead of pants he worse a swimmers speedo that exposed his overly hairy legs.
" Franky…" Ace grumbled feeling his eyebrow twitch.
" Jeez man, you could at least sound a little grateful." Franky said angrily. " I just saved you and that cute little chick of yours."
" SHE'S NOT MY CHICK."
" Uh-huh, that's not what Nami said the other day."
" DON'T LISTEN TO HER, SHE'S FULL OF IT!" Ace snapped, his face reddening.
" DON'T YOU DARE INSULT MY NAMI-SWAN!" Ace ducked quickly as a black blur swung close to his face.
" DAMN IT, SANJI! YOU ATTACK THEM NOT ME!"
" I'LL ATTACK ANYONE WHO INSULTS MY NAMI'S HONOR!"
" Will you two just shut up and attack the assassins!"
" SHUT UP, FRANKY!" Ace and Sanji snapped in unison.
" Seriously." Jabra said. " If I just let them keep arguing amongst themselves she'll just bleed out." Steam gushed up suddenly around his body as he grinned evilly. His body shifted into what resembled a human/wolf hybrid. " But if I let her bleed out then I wouldn't be able to tear out her heart with my own teeth." With that he darted quickly towards the group, his white teeth glinted brightly in the fading sunlight.
BAM!
" I don't think so, fleabag." Sanji said as his foot collided with Jabra's face. " I can't allow any further harm to come to such a beautiful lady. Ace, we'll continue our fight later, get Ai to Chopper fast. Nami's there helping to get things ready. Brook'll be there to help you incase anymore of these freaks show up."
" Right!" Ace took off again, running faster then he had been before. Ai was looking worse then ever. He had to get her to Dr Hiluku as fast as he could. Luckily he wasn't that far away, a few more blocks and he's be there.
He felt something grasp his shirt. He looked down to see Ai grasping his shirt weakly. " We're almost there." Ace said quietly, seeing her rest her head against his chest.
" Can you make the road stop spinning?" Ai asked quietly. Ace felt a sense of dread as he skidded to a halt in-front of a run down looking clinic with pealing green paint and dirty windows. He grabbed for the wobbly doorknob and shoved the door open quickly with his shoulder.
SHLING!
Ace barely had time to duck as he saw the glint of a sword being swung his way. " SHIT BROOK, IT'S ME!" He yelled at an extremely tall skeleton dressed in formal attire with a large afro.
" My apologies, Ace." The skeleton said twirling the sword before sheathing it, turning it back into a cane. " Couldn't be to careful with the goons from CP9 running around. If they caught Dr Hiluku or Law here then we'd never be able to help your friend there."
" Law's here?"
" Of course I am." Ace looked over to see Law standing there dressed all in black with a white lab coat over it. " I'm the best surgeon in the world of course I'd be here. Now hurry up, flame brain. We need to get her in the back as soon as possible."
" For once I'll let that comment slide." Ace said setting Ai gently onto the gurney. " Get your emo ass back there and fix her up."
Ai began to shiver when she felt Ace let go of her, she reached over and grabbed his shirt weakly. " Hey," Ace said gently, wrapping his hand around her's. " You're going to be fine, Chopper and Dr Hiluku are going to take care of you now."
" Hey Romeo," Law said angrily standing at the head of the gurney. " Back off, we need to get her into surgery!" Ace felt Ai tighten her hold on him.
" Shut up, Law!" Ace said squeezing Ai's hand tightly uncomfortably. " I'll…uh…be out here waiting for you." Ai looked down fearfully before letting go of him before Law pushed the gurney into the back.
" She'll going to be okay, Ace." Brook said coolly. " Chopper and Law are amazing doctors and Dr Hiluku is with them. Heck even Dr Kureha is here!"
" Yeah…" Ace said quietly watching the doors to the carefully hidden operating room.
" Let's get to work, Chopper." Law said snapping on a pair of sterile non-latex gloves handing a couple of bags of O negative blood and a few bags of lactated ringers. " KVO."
" Roger!" Chopper said inserting a 16 gauge needle into Ai's right arm. Instead of setting the rig on a certain drip rate he kept the valve open, allowing the blood and liquids to flow freely.
" Nami, where's that replacement Oxygen tank?"
" Bringing it right now!" Nami yelled as she was dressed in scrubs and dragged in a large green tank. She hurried over to Ai and began hooking up the tank to her Non-Rebreather mask.
Law glanced down at the unconscious blunette on his operating table. This was going to be tricky. There was a Sea Prism bullet inside the wound located in her lower right quadrant. If he wasn't careful the bullets jagged edges could cause even more internal damage upon its removal then its entry. He didn't see an exit wound either, so he knew it was still inside.
Law wasn't sure if he'd be able to use his powers from the Ope Ope no Mi while that bullet was still inside her. He grimaced angrily at the thought of causing more damage to his patient. Normally he wouldn't mind causing pain to those on his operating table…but this girl wasn't an enemy. She wasn't a friend to him either…she was someone who needed his help. His late father was someone who always helped someone in need. So he decided this once to do what his father would have done and help someone without expecting something in return.
" Alright," Law said coolly as he lifted a fresh scalpel and looked up at his three fellow colleges. " Let's do this the old fashion way."