One Piece is the property of Eiichiro Oda and Shonen Jump.
CHAPTER XIII
POW! The sniper's rifle resounded throughout the courtyard.
Khale sneered smugly at Zolo, but to his and everyone else's surprise, Zolo did not collapse with a hole blown in his chest like expected. Instead, one of the snipers on the other side of the courtyard screamed and plummeted to the stone ground, dead. He grabbed Jazz and held her in front of him.
The snipers on the opposite side of the courtyard took aim at the battlement and opened fire. Gunfire and debris falling echoed through the area as the bullets pounded the stone wall of the battlement.
Cat cursed as a piece of stone broke off overhead. "Shit!" She gripped Remington to her. "Mama's gonna get a lot of work out of you today pumpkin." She said over the steady gunfire.
"I'll say." Usopp said and then grinned at her as he pulled his goggles over his eyes. "And then some." He reached in one of his large back pockets and pulled out a silver gun polished to perfection. "Here, I made this for you."
"It's beautiful." She cooed and then took the gun in her hands, feeling the length and weight of it. "Thanks Usopp."
He pulled down the hammer of his rifle. "No problem. It's really powerful so it would be best if you would use it only in an emergency."
"Okay." She glanced at Ryder, who sat next to her humming a jaunty tune. "You in the game?"
He gave a smooth smile. "I'm the friggin' captain of the team sweetheart."
The gunfire ceased and they stood, firing at will.
"So, I see you didn't come alone like the agreement stated." Khale said with a sneer as he watched his snipers on the palace walls fall one-by-one to their deaths.
"I'm no fool. So..." He rolled his shoulders and gripped the hilt of his swords. "…you wanna stop hiding behind your wife's skirt and come down and take your asswhoopin' like a man that can still find his balls?"
Khale glared wrathfully at Zolo. Cretin. "I don't think so. GUARDS!"
Soldiers dressed in brilliant golden armor poured into the courtyard like water into a basin, until Zolo was surrounded by a sea of men on all sides. They each drew their swords and let out a battle cry which, due to their sheer number, sounded like the roar of thunder.
"I'm no idiot either." He backed away and disappeared into the palace, still using Jazz as
a shield.
Zolo undid the green bandana on his arm and heaved a sigh. "If any of you feel like leaving, I won't hold it against you if you run like hell."
The group eased down into their kamae, pointing their swords at him menacingly.
He gave a slow nod and tied the bandana upon his head, shadowing his piercing green eyes and blocking the sun. "My condolences to your families." Two sheaths sang as he drew his swords blindingly fast and eased into his stance.
Cat gazed down at her badly outnumbered lover as she reloaded her beloved rifle. "Ryder?"
He held his rifle up, letting the stock rest upon his shoulder. "Yeah?"
"That's my baby down there, so don't miss."
He beaded the gun. "I won't."
"You too Usopp."
"Of course I won't let my bro get hurt." He chuckled and aimed his gun. Usopp, Cat, and the rebels waited with guns aimed at the scene below in complete silence. They would not open fire until Zolo began his attack.
Zolo held his swords at the ready while glancing from side to side warily to see who would be foolish enough to attack with his death warrant already signed. "What ya waiting on? For me to die of old age?"
One of the soldiers, the poor brave soul, leapt at Zolo, but was felled in one fluid movement.
The many guns of the snipers upon the battlement reverberated through the courtyard, dropping one man after the other.
Zolo swung both swords in an arc, amputating the limbs of those nearest to him and causing gore to fly forth onto his shirt and the stone ground. Left and right he moved in between the bullets that zipped past him and into the hearts of his attackers. Blood splattered forth over and over as he dealt killing blow after killing blow to every soldier that was unfortunate enough to come within reach of his blades. His swords seemed not to move like weapons born of steel but serpents dancing in tune with their master's body, slaughtering all that he willed.
Cat reloaded Remington, watching intently as the circle began to shrink. God he was so hot when he fought. "Where the hell is Luffy!" She held her gun up, cocked it, and began blasting away.
"I don't know!" Usopp stopped and started to reload. "He may be late, but he'll be here!"
He said over the gunfire.
"Gum Gum Slingshot!" Luffy yelled, flinging himself in the air, and landed on top of a group of three soldiers, crushing them beneath his feet. "Hey Zolo, I'm here!" He looked down at the men beneath his feet. "Oops. Ya shouldn't have stood there." He frowned when he saw the dead soldiers on the ground, blood flowing like a crimson stream upon the stone floor. "Aww! Ya finished without me."
The drawbridge swung down. Two figures, one male and the other female, strolled nonchalantly into the courtyard. "I don't think the party's over yet Luffy." Sanji said and puffed on the cigarette hanging from his mouth.
More soldiers piled into the yard. "I'd say it was just gettin' started sugah." Robin held her hands up, ready to inflict pain.
Sanji smiled wildly and stretched his legs. "Then let's party."
An untamed grin rippled across Zolo's mouth. "Did they get there safely?" A bullet zipped by, inches from his cheek, and blew a hole in a soldier's chest.
Luffy slammed a fist into a soldiers face, cracking the helmet, and sending metal fragments into the man's skull. "Yeah. I hope they're okay."
The door to the maximum security prison creaked horribly and flew from its hinges, landing on the ground in the courtyard with a boom. Nami and Chopper, who had transformed into his Heavy Boost, strutted into the prison yard while the group of rebels with them climbed upon the battlements and felled the prison guards. One of the prison guards that got away made it to the far end of the battlements and began ringing the bell loudly, signaling the rest of the guards.
"Dammit!" Nami said when the gate opened and armor-clad prison guards spilled into the area. "Nothing's ever easy is it?" She asked while readying her weather staff.
"Nope." Chopper, who hulked over her like a giant, replied, clenching his enormous fists into tight balls.
A guard with a blue crest standing atop his golden helmet took a step forward. "State your business here." He spoke authoritatively.
"We've come to break out crowned Prince Nava." Nami declared.
The warden, Captain Dane, looked back at the slew of guards behind him and chuckled. "I can't let you do that. I have orders from the king to kill all those that attempt to release him."
Tidus, along with the band of rebels, took his place next to the navigator and the reindeer. "Try it." He challenged and drew his cutlass menacingly.
"Very well." Dane said, sneering disdainfully at the band of warriors in front of him. "CHARGE!"
The prison guards and the rebels charged each other head-on, causing the ground to shake beneath their feet. Thoom! They clashed together with swords crashing against each other and guns blazing. Chopper leapt over an oncoming prison guard and smashed his fist into another's face, rendering the man unconscious. He avoided another's assault, palmed his face, and using him like a frisbee, flung him into another guard's body effortlessly.
Tidus skewered a guard with his cutlass and shot an approaching a guard with his ornate pistol. "Hey reindeer!" He said over the roar of battle.
"What!" Chopper answered from his place next to Nami.
"It'd be nice if you'd get that friggin door open on the double!" He dislodged his weapon from the man's lifeless corpse and flung it at an oncoming guard, leaving himself with only his empty handgun.
Chopper crashed a guard's head into the stone ground with animalistic ferocity, crushing his helmet and knocking him unconscious, if not killing him. "I'm on it!" He bucked and wove his way through the fray until he came to the entrance to the prison. He summoned his strength, drew his fist back, and punched the door forcefully. The door splintered from the force, and what was left of it fell from its hinges.
A guard put his sword to Tidus' throat. "Give me your gun." He commanded arrogantly, sure that he held the rebel leader's life in his hands.
Tidus' eyes glinted ferally. "Whatever you say." He gripped the handle of his gun and slowly raised it up to face level of the guard. "S'empty anyway."
The guard sneered at Tidus and jerked the gun from his hand. "I think I'll keep this one. You won't be needing it where you're going anyway."
Tidus merely smiled and flicked his wrist, causing the gun in his sleeve to promptly protract. "I should say the same for you."
The guard could only gasp before Tidus pulled the trigger, sending the bullet through his helmet and into his skull.
Deep in the dark dungeon below, Nava sat up and looked at the ceiling of his cell when he heard the commotion that reached his ears. Something was happening above ground, something important. It sounded like a battle was being fought. Hope shined in his gray eyes. Were the people, whoever they were, coming to find him? Were they coming to release him from this godforsaken place so he could ascend the throne and rule Bakarach like his father intended in the beginning? Or were they coming to save another prisoner? Perhaps Shin-Qi, the man that claimed to be a king? Or maybe Aricha, the general turned slave? Hopefully it would not be the evil privateer Blackbird. That man was despicable.
He closed his eyes and silently prayed for deliverance.
Cat pulled Remington's trigger, causing the bullet to rip from the chamber right into a
soldier's chest. She jumped when a dagger lodged itself within the barrel of her rifle. "Shiiittt!" Her eyes scanned the opposite side of the courtyard and then widened. It was the Jabberwokkis. "Damn." She glanced at Ryder, whose lips were pinched and eyes narrowed. He saw them also. "You see them too?"
"Hell yeah." He set his jaw. "Here we go!"
The silent warriors twirled the hooked chains in their hands and let them loose. The hooks dug into the battlement securely. They gripped the chains and swung towards them, dodging the assault of bullets that Usopp and the others fired.
"Shit they're dodging the friggin' bullets! Who in the hell dodges bullets?!" Usopp exclaimed incredulously as he pulled the trigger of his gun again and again, attempting to hit his targets.
"Apparently them." Ryder said calmly and then fired his gun, grinding his teeth together when his target dodged the bullet. "Sonofa--!"
Cat finally dislodged the dagger from her gun and prepared to fire her rifle, but it was too late. They were already upon them. The darkly clad warriors propelled themselves into the battlement, falling upon all those inside like predators eager to spill blood.
Sanji executed a spinning sidekick, felling ten men. "Zolo, don't you think you should be going in the palace right about now to save Jazz?" He effortlessly dodged the swipe of a soldier and kneed the man in the chin, cracking his jaw and causing blood to fly from his mouth.
"Yeah, Zolo." Luffy drove his fist into another man's face, leaving a print of his knuckles, and elbowed the soldier behind him in the gut. "We can handle things here!"
"Just get Cat and go!" Robin used her blooms to grapple four men and in one movement crushed their limbs.
Ryder looked back at the wall, using the hard surface as leverage to push against the Jabberwokki bearing down upon him with his broadsword. He looked up at the diabolical white mask on the bloodthirsty warrior's face and, although he couldn't see his expression, he knew there was a sadistic smile plastered on his lips. "Keep smilin' sunshine." He flicked his wrist, awakening the knife concealed in his sleeve, and plunged the weapon into the man's abdomen, fatally wounding him. He threw the slumped man aside and flicked his wrist again, retracting the knife.
Cat grasped the Jabberwokki overpowering Usopp from behind and yanked his neck back, exposing his vulnerable throat. Blood spurted forth in a sweeping arc when she used her butterfly knife to slash his throat open. She tossed him aside as if he were an unwanted plaything and extended her hand to the grateful gunner. "You okay, luv?"
He rubbed the blood from his face, smearing it on his sleeve, and then took her hand, getting to his feet. "Yeah. Thanks." His eyes fell upon the dead darkly clad men and rebels lying on the floor of the battlement. "Damn."
She regarded the casualties on their side. "Yeah. They won't die in vain though."
"Yo, Cat!" Ryder called.
"Yeah?"
"Your swordsman just gave the signal."
"I'm on my way." She picked her way over the dead bodies and stood on the wall of the battlement, picking up Remington and packing him in the back of her bandolier on the way out.
Ryder picked up his rifle. "We'll cover you."
"Got it." She leapt from the five story fortification.
Luffy slammed his hard head into a soldier's, smashing the helmet and rendering him unconscious. He rolled his shoulders and picked up his straw hat, affectionately dusting it off. His rubber body shivered when Cat, unexpectedly, appeared next to him. "Ahhhh! Where the hell did you come from?"
She chuckled at his obvious surprise. "Thin air, Luffy."
"No you didn't."
She smiled sweetly at him and took her place next to Zolo. "We ready to go?"
"Yep."
Luffy and the others made a swath in the circle, allowing Zolo and Cat room to get through and make a dash to the palace. He opened the large door, letting her in first, and entered the castle, shutting out the sounds of battle when he closed it. "Are they gonna be okay?"
Zolo smiled fondly at her. "Definitely." He sheathed a sword. "So where are we going?"
"To the fifth floor. It's his safety room. More than likely, he's gonna have the Blue Guard guarding the door."
"Bring 'em on." He said with an untamed grin.
She passed him a loving smile. "I knew you were gonna say that."
He kissed her cheek softly. "Lead the way Kitty."
She winked at him. "Try to keep up." She teased.
He rolled his jade eyes. "Just go already."
They took off at a sprint down the hall.
Chopper turned his head from a lick the gargantuan prison guard dealt him.
"Why don't cha go back to the circus, before I mount your head on my wall, ya freak." Lobo spat mockingly, holding his fists up in a challenge.
Chopper chuckled and regarded the man momentarily. "You hit like a little girl." He drew back, tightened his fist, and delivered a hard left hook to Lobo's face, sending him sailing through the air and into the wall. "Nami!" He yelled over the sounds of guns firing and the clash of metal upon metal.
"What!" She formed a lightning strike with her staff, electrocuting a guard.
"Take some of the rebels and get down to the dungeon. Tidus and I will handle things up here!"
"Okay!" She picked three of the freedom fighters to come with her and pounded down the hall. "What floor would he be on?" She asked as they bolted down a dark winding staircase.
"The very bottom." A young man with a red Mohawk, Dax, answered. "With the worst criminals."
"Got it."
"How are you gonna spring him?" An older woman tall in stature, Petra, asked curiously.
Nami grinned impishly. "I'm a thief. There ain't a lock in this world I can't pick." They ran for what seemed like hours to Nami and finally they came to an ominously dark hall. The hair on her neck stood. "So this is where you send your kin when you wanna keep a secret." She shook her head. "What a bastard." She picked a lit torch from the wall and strode past the small rooms with their poor excuse for beds and inadequate lighting.
Nava stood when he heard footsteps. "Hello? Are you friend or foe?"
"That depends on who you are." Gage, a man Nami's height, replied menacingly.
Nava stuck his chest out proudly and drew himself to his full height. "I am Nava, crown prince of Bakarach."
Nami smiled kindly at him. "I'll have you out in a jiff."
He blushed when her hazel eyes fell upon him. "Thank you."
"No problem." She handed the torch to Dax, pulled out a thin wire, and knelt. "Hold the torch right in front of the lock." She grasped the heavy padlock and inserted the wire.
"Here they come." Gage said when the sound of several feet pounding against the floor reached his ears. "Poor bastards." He drew his heavy battle axe and gave a wild cackle.
"What's wrong with him?" Nava asked a little bit taken aback by the man's demeanor.
"Killing guards tickles him." Petra responded while twirling her twin scimitars.
Armored guards piled into the small dark space, weapons at the ready. "Halt!" The leader commanded.
Gage gripped the handle of his axe. "Come. Taste your deaths!" He roared and then leapt into the group of men.
Beads of sweat rolled down Nami's forehead both from the heat of the torch and the pressure of the moment. The padlock rattled and jingled as she changed the position of the wire again and again. "Almost." She turned a deaf ear to the men in the background screaming as their lives were cut short. "Almost there." A smile crossed her face when she felt the wire enter the slot. "Found it!" She turned the wire and the padlock clicked and then crashed to the floor. "Got it!"
Nava let out a sigh of alleviation. He opened the door when Nami stepped aside. An overwhelming sense of relief filled him, it had been so long since he had been outside of the bars of his cell. "Thank you so much." He hugged Nami tightly.
"You're welcome." She patted his back softly and withdrew from his grasp. "C'mon, we hafta go."
The five of them picked over the carcasses and made their way down the shadowy hall and to the staircase. Gage, who brought up the rear, grabbed Nava's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.
Nava glanced at him inquiringly. Was this man a traitor? "What is it?" He asked warily.
Gage ran the back of a hand under his nose. "There's a battle raging up there boy. Crowned prince or no crowned prince we don't need any deadweight to keep an eye on. So…here." He unsheathed a broadsword and handed it to the much younger man. "Can you use one of these things princey?"
Nava accepted the weapon, twirling it expertly, and then skewered the man sneaking up on Gage in a single movement. "I'd say I am…proficient."
Gage raised an eyebrow and stepped aside.
He removed the blade from the soldier's chest, causing the soldier's lifeless body to fall at his feet and grinned smugly at the older, shorter man.
Gage snorted. "Not bad. But this ain't an exhibition match, so leave that fancy twirlin' and stuff for the chickies and your bedroom mirror." He snapped gruffly.
"A simple thank you will suffice." He said with a smile.
Gage narrowed his beady brown eyes. "I owe ya boy." He pushed him in the direction of
the stairs. "Keep movin'."
Zolo lifted a member of the Blue Guard off the floor by his neck, breaking it with a flick of his wrist. "So after this is over I'd like a lot of lovin'." He ran a soldier through with one sword, unsheathed another blade, and skewered an approaching guard effortlessly. The men gurgled and fell to the floor when he withdrew his swords from their abdomens. He glanced at the scarlet blood oozing from the tips of both blades and twirled into another soldier, felling him.
Magnum responded when Cat pulled the trigger, sending a bullet tearing through the air and into the chest of a blue clad warrior. What the hell? They were murdering people left and right and he was thinking about sex? "We're in the middle of battle and you're thinking about sex?" She dodged the vicious swipe by a guard and thrust her sword into his belly.
"So?" He threw his sword, impaling the man that crept up on his beloved.
She looked back and smiled at him, but then frowned when more men entered the hallway. "So…." She let out a growl when she broke another man's jaw with a swift jab. "…I don't think now is the time to be thinkin' about that."
A splatter of blood covered his face when he slashed a guard across the torso, opening both the man's blue robe and chest. "Why not?" He shrugged off a sucker punch from a guard and rearranged the man's face with his fist. "I'll be all wound up and randy when this is over. So, I'm just telling you now so you'll know later." He stated casually.
She groaned and fired her handgun, sending a projectile into a guard's heart. "Well consider me educated."
"I will." He separated the last standing guard from the world of the living and took in a breath. "Forty for me, how many for you?" He strode lazily to the man from which one of his swords, Wado Ichimonji, still protruded, and leaned down to dislodge it from his chest, getting a full view of Cat's bottom. A lewd grin passed his lips.
She rolled her eyes. He used to do the same thing when they were kids, compare their kills, and then gloat when he won. "Does it matter?"
He gave her a competitive grin. "How many?"
"Twenty." She grumbled peevishly. "Shut up." She growled when he smiled triumphantly.
He closed the gap between them and used his thumbs to wipe the droplets of blood on her face tenderly away. "Ya wounded?" The concern he felt within was evident on his handsome face.
A fond smile directed at him graced her face. "No. You?"
"Nope." He tousled her hair affectionately. "You ready?" If it were up to him Cat would still be in the rebel city all safe and sound, but it wasn't up to him. It was her fight, he was just around to make sure she was victorious.
"Yeah."
"Stay behind me." He grasped the handle to the embellished wooden door.
Khale stood on the balcony with his hand coiled around Jazz's neck, dangling her in the air like a succulent morsel. "Do you hear that Una?" He smiled dementedly. "Your precious Cat is right outside." He sighed. "Too bad, she won't get to save you."
"She will save me." She gagged out.
"Hope is such a useless emotion my dear. I really wish you would do me a favor and stop displaying it to such a grand degree, because it sickens my stomach." He tightened his grip on her throat. "You see, my plan is to threaten to drop you unless she and her bastard boyfriend leave. Cat, who possesses such deep affection for you, will agree, and, once again, you will be left in my clutches." He chortled gleefully. "It really is a foolproof plan."
The door burst open, hitting the walls with a deafening boom, and the two rushed into the room with weapons drawn.
"Ah, nice to see you again Cat, and you also Swordsman." Khale spoke pleasantly.
Zolo scowled at the thin man. "The name's Zolo, shithead."
Khale glowered at Zolo's impertinence. "I would like to introduce you to my elite soldiers, the Red Guard." He swept a hand out in presentation to the twenty red robed men before the duo.
"Where's Jazz?" Cat rumbled.
"Right here." He shook her forcefully. "Just hangin' around."
Cat took in a breath when she saw him dangling her charge in the open air. "Jazz!"
"Cat! Help me!"
"Unh, unh, unh." Khale taunted when he saw her move forward. "Take another step and I drop her. She may survive the fall, but Sharky will definitely make short work of her." He threatened.
She turned her eyes on her lover.
He glanced from Cat to Khale and back to Cat. He knew her well, and what plan was formulating in that resourceful mind of hers. "I love ya Kitty."
Her lips pulled into a loving smile. "I love you too." She set her jaw. "You'll be okay without me right?"
He snorted. "Are you shittin' me? It'll be a friggin' cakewalk."
"See ya later."
He brandished a sword. "Yep."
She propelled herself into the air, landing lightly on the other side of the crimson clad warriors and bolted towards Khale. He would drop her in hopes that self-preservation would prevent her from leaping off the balcony to save Jazz, but he was wrong. She had a plan.
Khale sneered angrily at Cat. Cow. "Good-bye my dear."
"Nooo!"
He gave her one last diabolical smile and released her. His eyes widened when Cat, without breaking stride, dove off the balcony. Two birds with one stone. He flicked his eyes to Zolo. He had one more thorn in his flesh to remove. "Well that was dramatic." He swaggered to his throne, the only piece of furniture in the otherwise empty room, and sat down with a swish of his silk cape, crossing his legs. "Today is the best day ever. I not only get to kill my wife, whom I was seriously getting sick of anyway, but the woman that has thwarted me at my every turn, and the man that killed my brother." He sighed contentedly. "What a wonderful, wonderful day." He turned his evil eyes on Zolo. "Kill him."
The elite guards surrounded Zolo in a tight circle and pointed their force pikes at him.
Zolo sent fleeting glances at the men flanking him and readied his swords. "Still scared to face your asswhoopin' like a man, eh?" He dodged a man's assault and impaled him mercilessly.
Wind whipped past her as she plummeted downwards towards her friend. C'mon, c'mon. She held her hands at her side, shaping her body like a missile so she could travel faster through the air. Her eyes focused on Jazz, who stared up at her with stark fear. "Take my hand!" She screamed over the howl of the wind in her ear and stretched her arm as far as it could extend.
Jazz reached upward, grasping at the air. "I can't!"
"You can. C'mon Jazz!"
Her eyes fell upon the fish lurking just below the surface, ready to gulp them up before they even hit the water. "It's hopeless!"
"No it's not! Now grab my hand, dammit!" She continued to reach, allowing her eyes to fall every now and then to the water that at present was only a short distance away. She wouldn't allow Jazz to give up and die, not now, not when they were reunited.
Jazz, gathered her strength and reached as far as she could possibly stretch.
Their hands interlocked, turned, grasped her grappler from her belt, and pressed the release button. The cable sped upward and the small arrow-like head buried itself in the edging of the balcony, stopping them in mid-plummet. Cat let out a breath. "You okay?"
Jazz climbed up Cat's arm and embraced her friend's waist. "Yeah." She gazed down at the water nervously. "So, is the swordsman's butt as godlike without pants as it is with them?"
Cat chuckled. Yeesh Teenagers. "Hell yes."
She squealed. "What about the rest of him?"
Cat giggled lecherously. "The gods must be jealous."
"That hot, huh? Damn. You love him?"
"More than my own life." She answered, wondering how long the cable would hold them.
"He hot in the sack?"
Cat peeked down at Jazz, who had an amorous expression on her face. "What's the matter with you?"
"What?"
"We're dangling twenty feet over a moat that's home to a giant piranha shark and you wanna know about my babe's sexual prowess? Jeez, you two are gonna get along just fine."
She chuckled girlishly. "Well is he?"
A sigh escaped her. "Let's just say, he matches me in every way, and leave it at that."
She gasped. "Ohhh….Wow."
A blush crossed her cheeks. "I know. Of course there's a lot more to our relationship than physical things."
The piranha shark leapt from the water, its massive maw open ready to consume them.
Cat and Jazz cringed, holding their limbs out of his reach while letting earsplitting screams loose. The fish fell short and dropped into the moat, splashing water everywhere. "Sweet friggin' baby Moses!" She breathed heavily, trying to calm her speeding heart.
"Ohmigod! I forgot about that stupid fish."
"Don't worry, we're safe, for now." The cable began to untwine because of their combined weight, causing them to drop a couple of inches. "Maybe I spoke too soon."
Zolo let out a groan when a guard got in a lucky shot, zapping him with the end of the force pike. "Got it." He understood why they were called force pikes and to stay away from the ends of the weapon. Effortlessly, he moved aside as they began thrusting the pikes at him hoping to deliver a quick shock and brought his deflected their blows left and right. They were starting to get on his nerves, and usually, when his enemies annoyed him, he got rid of them.
Khale watched the nearly depleted circle intently. He knew that the Red Guard stood no chance against Zolo, but they would tire him out. Then, after he had fought them all and was tired he would step in and claim vengeance as his own. The swordsman would join his wife and his lover in death. An evil smile crossed his handsome face. He was going to enjoy beating the swordsman until his blood ran freely, listening as he pathetically begged for his life, gazing into his eyes when he realized he was living his last moments, and feeling his sword run through his chest and impale his heart. A pleasured sigh left his mouth. Today was shaping up to be a great day. He was going to make sure he threw a full-fledged celebratory party for the day's achievement. It was going to have concubines, wine, a feast, dancing, and singing, yes it would be a real blast. "A great day." He whispered softly.
Zolo skewered the last guard and rolled his shoulders. "So much for your Red Guard." He stepped over the soldiers' dead bodies, disregarding them utterly. "That all you got?"
Khale grinned. "Not yet." He snapped his fingers.
Twenty more red-robed guards filed into the room. They stood in front of their king and pointed their force pikes at Zolo.
"Typical." He ran a hand over his bandana and eased fluidly into his kamae. He would make short work of these guards, and then Khale would have to face him. Damn, he was gonna enjoy making him pay for his crimes. "Let's get this over with." He charged into the guards, swinging his swords expertly, cutting off limbs and lives with extreme prejudice. It was time for this fight to be over, and he was going to see to it that it ended as soon as possible. He hoped Cat was okay. Blood splattered forth staining his shirt and the floor as he gored guard after guard. Finally, he stopped when all lay lifeless. He pointed his sword at Khale. "Let's go, you and me right now. Cuz it don't matter how many waves you send, it's gonna end the same: with you dead at my feet."
Khale chuckled. "Your bravado, albeit extremely annoying, is surprising. But you will not get me to fight you. Not just yet."
Zolo gave a short chuckle. "What's the matter? Afraid I'll kick your ass like I kicked your brother's?" He smiled inwardly when he saw the king's eyebrow twitch. He struck a nerve. "But hell, I ain't gonna take credit for something I didn't do. Kitty killed him." He laughed. "It's funny really, the prince of perhaps the biggest and most advanced city in the New World killed by a single blow from a woman half his size. I wonder what the history books are gonna say about that."
"Shut up." He rumbled.
"What are you gonna carve on his headboard? Xane. Prince of Bakarach. Brother. Pansy Ass Swordsman?" He let out another derisive chuckle. He knew Khale's type, they usually let others do their dirty work, but couldn't tolerate being taunted. "Aww, what's the matter with Khale? Is the little princey wincey angry?" He taunted in a degrading tone.
Khale growled wrathfully at Zolo. The bastard was actually taunting him. He stood and gripped his sword. He was going to thoroughly enjoy wiping that arrogant smile off of his face.
"Don't talk about my brother!"
Zolo gave a wily smile when Khale unsheathed his weapon, a large claymore with a blue tint to the blade and a red gemstone on the hilt, and brandished it expertly. "Well, it's about damn time, ya grew some balls." He picked his way over the carcasses and stood to face the much thinner man.
"You're going to pay dearly for what you did to my brother." He said maliciously.
A chuckle left him. "We'll see."
Khale gripped his sword and rushed Zolo like a raging bull bent on death. CLANG! Their swords clashed together.
Zolo smiled at Khale. "You're pretty strong for a runt." He said as he pushed against him, his muscles bunching in his arms.
"I'm full of surprises. Take my sword for example."
He raised an eyebrow.
The gemstone on the sword began to glow brightly, until it seemed as a tiny red beacon and then….BOOM!
Sanji and the others momentarily stopped what they were doing and gazed up in the direction from which the explosion had originated. "That doesn't sound so good." He said while puffing on a cigarette. He ducked and floored another soldier, barely batting an eye.
Luffy drove his tightly clenched fist into another's belly, knocking both wind and blood from his mouth, and stared up curiously. "It was nothing, Zolo will be fine."
"Well, I sure hope you're right Luffy." Robin said, a hint of worry in her usually expressionless tone.
He gave that crazy laugh of his and grinned from ear to ear. "I know I am!"
Ryder relaxed against his rifle and pulled out a cigar. "Ya got a light?" He casually asked Usopp.
Usopp glanced at the peculiar color of the cigar. "Um, what is that?"
Ryder passed him an amiable grin. "You ever heard the saying: it ain't over till the fat man takes a shit?"
"No." Usopp answered honestly. Jeez, Ryder had a saying for everything.
"Well, this is my fat man cigar. I smoke one after every battle we win. So, as you can probably imagine, I haven't smoked many." He placed the cigar in his mouth. "So, ya got a light?"
He ran a hand over his bandana. "I don't smoke."
Ryder let out a sigh. "Damn, and Sanji's way down there."
Chopper, followed closely by the other rebels and Nami, led the way back up to the prison yard. He abruptly stopped when he saw the line of prison guards standing before them. A heavy sigh escaped him. He was actually tired of beating people senseless, but it didn't mean he would necessarily stop.
"Friggin' jeez! How many of these guards are there?" Nami complained. They had been fighting ever since they left the dungeon floor and still there were more guards.
The armored men drew their weapons and let out their battle cry.
"STOP! STOP FIGHTING!" A deep voice boomed.
They looked back to see an older man standing atop the balcony above.
"Who the hell is that?" Nami asked irritably.
"The warden." Nava answered through grit teeth. "The sonofabastard."
"Put your weapons away and stand down!" He squirmed a little. "Let them go peacefully!"
The prison guards gave each other sideways glances but did as they were told. They stepped aside, allowing them passage.
Gage let out a suspicious rumble. "I wonder what grasshopper chirped in his ear." He folded his burly arms as he strode by the men, keeping a wary eye on their motionless figures. Secretly, he had hoped they could get into another skirmish, because his battleaxe, Mordryd, had not yet been appeased. "Ah well."
Tidus waited until the others were out of the courtyard and then, lifted the muzzle of his gun from the back of the trembling man's head. "And remember, if you command anyone to shoot and kill them, you will beg for death when I am done showing you what pain is." He whispered malevolently in the warden's ear and, then gave the man's shoulder a strong pat. "You have a nice day." He disappeared into the shadow of the room.
"So what do we do now?" Nava asked when they were a good distance down the path.
"We get you to the castle, so the fighting can stop." Nami responded.
Cat sent a worried gaze upwards when another earsplitting boom resounded. Shit, this was not good. The situation was bad. She yelped when the cable unfurled a little more, dropping them a few more inches. "Goddammit!" She lamented. What could she do? She wanted to help Zolo. That sneaky bastard king was probably going to use the Jabberwokkis to ambush him, but she couldn't leave Jazz dangling above the piranha shark like a piece of bait. Damn. The cable untwined a little more.
"Let me go Cat." Jazz said seriously.
"Let you go? What's wrong with you?" She gripped the grappler tight, her mind working in overtime. "I'm not letting you go."
Jazz shook her head. "We're too heavy for the cable to handle. If you let me go, everything will be alright and you'll be safe." She started to wriggle out of Cat's grasp.
"No!" She held Jazz desperately, clinging to the girl's dress. "I won't let you fall!" She answered determinedly. No way. No way, she was letting her go, not now, not when it was almost over. "You hold on to me Jazz, don't give up." Her eyes fell once more to the fish lurking just below them.
"There's no sense in us both dying Cat! Let me go, please!" Her voice came out raw with agony and tears spilled onto her cheeks. "Please Cat, just let me go!" She kept wriggling until she slipped from Cat's grasp.
"Noo!" She wrapped her legs around her companion's torso, squeezing tightly.
"Why won't you let me die?" She screamed hysterically through her tears and worked on trying to pry her friend's legs apart. "Why? Why won't you just let me die?!"
Her lip quivered and tears gushed down her face. "Why do want to die?!" She yelled hoarsely.
"Because I can't live with his child in my belly!" She sobbed bitterly. "I'm pregnant with his child!" She buried her face in her palms. "Oh god!"
Her words struck Cat like a well aimed missile. So that's why she hadn't wanted to reach for her. She deemed death a better fate than carrying Khale's child. "Jazz, I may not be able to make it better, but I'm not letting you die." She eyed the fish, calculating how many of Remington's bullets it would take to kill the beast. Judging by the thickness of its hide, four. Shit. Remington had only two bullets, and she had no cartridges left over. Magnum was empty and so was her other handgun. Gaddammit! A light bulb went off in her head. She still had the gun Usopp gave her! He had said only to use it in an emergency. Another twine from the cable unfurled. This was an emergency. She drew the handgun, checked it for ammunition, pulled back the hammer, and aimed. "Let's see how good you are Teller of Tales." She looked the beast in his cold predatory eyes and pulled the trigger. It hummed and then, BOOM!! It roared as the projectile ripped from its chamber and sped towards its target below.
The bullet exploded upon contact, blowing a crater in the predator's face. Fish brains and eyeballs skyrocketed in the air and fell back into the water. Its carcass, what was left of it, sank beneath the murky waters of the moat.
Cat's eyes expanded. "Ha! Eat that ya stupid fish!" She taunted, but then frowned when she saw its bodily debris floating in the water. "Eww!" Softly she kissed the gun. "I love ya Usopp." They shook again when another explosion occurred. "Damn."
Jazz continued to sob inconsolably.
"Jazz! Listen to me. Listen to me!" She said sternly.
The young girl gazed up at her with eyes red from profuse weeping. "Yes?"
"I'm going up to help Zolo, before Khale uses the Jabberwokkis to ambush him. I need you to hang tight down here okay?"
Jazz nodded obediently. "Okay." She climbed up Cat's body and grasped the grappler with a hand.
"Good girl." She grasped the thin cable with one hand and released the device with the other hand. "I'll come back for you." A wince escaped her when the cable dug into her skin, leaving a shallow wound, but she ignored it and began her ascent.
BOOM! Zolo sailed through the air and collided with the wall. He gulped down air, trying desperately to fill his lungs. He glared at Khale through tightened eyes, ignoring the ringing in his ears. Khale's swordsmanship did not match his, but it was the sword, that confounded thing, that gave him the edge. He couldn't get around the damn thing. He had tried different methods, but, so far, the results were all the same. "Dammit." He whispered.
Khale grinned evilly. "What's the matter swordsman? I thought I was going to end up dead at your feet."
He got to his feet. "The name is Zolo you shithead, and the fight ain't over yet." He had an idea, and he hoped it worked.
"So you say." He twirled his blade in a confident arc and then sneered at Zolo.
"Bring it." He beckoned the king.
Khale attacked, coming down upon Zolo's swords strongly.
Zolo countered the attack and pushed him back, his eyes falling to the eye of the sword. Nothing happened. He arched an eyebrow and held his sword up when Khale followed up with another attack. Again, nothing happened. Then, he came to a realization. Somehow the crystal on the hilt of Khale's sword absorbed the impact of his attacks and redirected them. Cool. He couldn't win this fight by being on the defensive. Damn. One more time. He went on the offensive, striking the sword with only half his strength again and again, until he saw the familiar glow. One. It glowed lightly. Two. Brighter. Three. Brighter still. Four. The gem glowed red hot. Five. BOOM! He found himself once again sliding back towards the wall. His ears rung like hell, but now he knew what to do. This fight would soon end. He gripped his swords and attacked Khale with lightning fast strikes, constantly keeping Khale on the defensive, until the stone glowed. Damn. He counted and stepped aside, out of the range. BOOM!
Khale smirked at Zolo. "What's the matter swordsman? Scared?" He mocked him.
Zolo grinned and popped up the hilt of his third sword. "Not hardly." He tossed the sword in the air and caught it between his teeth. "But you should be." A wicked gleam danced in the swordsman's eyes, bringing fear into the king's dark heart.
He restrained the shudder that threatened to snake down his spine and gave a gleeful chuckle. "Ah the Santoryu technique. Truly a masterpiece of swordsmanship." He twirled his sword in a dramatic flair. "Too bad it won't save you."
Arrogant fool. He eased into his kamae and hammered towards Khale. CLANG! Their swords clashed together, resounding throughout the room. He attacked his opponent relentlessly leaving no room for him to counter or go on the offensive, only to avoid being beheaded by his third sword. Zolo pushed his pace harder when he saw the stone light up. This was it. This was his chance. His swords became blurs as he moved quicker, forcing Khale to pick up his own pace and slack on his technique, thus possibly leaving an opening. A wicked smile came on his face. There it was, his opening and it was only the third second. Viciously he struck, coming down upon the eye of the sword mightily.
Khale yelped, thinking that Zolo sought to amputate his hands, and backed away. He looked down and his eyes widened with horror. The stone was shattered. Shit. He raised his eyes to Zolo, who smirked triumphantly at him.
He sheathed his third and second swords. "Now, let's see how good you are without your fancy sword to hide behind." He rolled his shoulders. "Let's just hope you're not as much of a pansy ass as your brother and I at least break a sweat."
Friggin' shit. He clamped his teeth together and attacked, but Zolo met his blow effortlessly. Left and right they glided over the stone floor, their swords racing blindingly in their hands as they attacked each other again and again. Their swords grated as they strained against each other.
Zolo sneered at the other man when he perceived the evident fear in his face. "Feeling that fear yet?" He growled.
Khale merely gave a deceitful grin and kept pushing against his superior. He was no idiot.
Movement flashed across Zolo's blade, catching his eye. Shit! A Jabberwokki. There was no time to counter the attack. POW! He looked pass Khale and smiled when he saw Cat standing there with Remington in hand and a smile on her face. "I owe you."
"You damn right you do." She holstered her gun and leapt into the shadowy rafters of the ceiling where she was sure the Jabberwokkis were hidden. The wooden beam shook when she landed nimbly on it. Her lips pulled into a smile, contrasting with the deadly glint in her sky blue eyes. "Well, well, well, aren't I just the fox in the chicken coop." She said to the six darkly clad men standing on the rafters.
"Today, you will die wench." One of them said in a gruff tone.
She regarded him, examining the blue dot on the front of his mask. "Captain Willows. How's that right eye of yours?"
"You should know, you're the one that put it out." He snarled angrily.
"So I did….My bad."
"Whore!" He roared.
"Bum chum!" She protracted a dagger from her sleeve and threw it at a Jabberwokki. The dagger caught him right in the chest and he fell between the rafters and landed below, where Khale and Zolo battled savagely. "Damn, I thought he was gonna dodge that one."
"Get her!!" He ordered.
The four subordinate Jabberwokkis leapt at her simultaneously with weapons drawn.
Nami and the others stopped when they saw the crowd of people gathered around the palace gates. "Let's go guys." She pushed her way through the crowd yelling several impolite terms like 'move' and 'get outta the way dammit!'. "Hey! Open the door!"
Usopp looked over the side of the battlement. "Hey it's them and they've got Nava!" He exclaimed. "Ryder, you guys open the door!"
Luffy leaned against the water fountain, whose water ran red with blood, and gave a big yawn. "All of this stupid waiting is making me sleepy." He stretched lazily. "I think I'll take a nap. Wake me up when Zolo and Cat come out." He cocked his hat over his eye and in an instant was soon snoring loudly.
Sanji puffed on his cigarette. "You'd think he would want to see his girlfriend." He got to his feet and brushed himself off. "You okay?" He asked Robin.
"Yeah." She stood and folded her arms, secretly stealing a glance at the lithe cook.
The door slammed to the ground, crushing many already dead soldiers, and Nami and the others entered. "Holy shit!" Tidus shouted when he saw the slew of carcasses littering the courtyard.
Nami picked through the bodies and made her way to them, followed closely by Chopper and Nava. "You guys, this is Nava."
Sanji looked him over. "He's awful skinny."
Nava folded his arms. "That's because I've been living on a prisoner's rations for the last five years. What's your excuse?"
Sanji chuckled good-naturedly. "I like you kid. But do yourself a favor and don't joke with Zolo like that when you meet him, cuz he's not as tolerable as the rest of us." He patted him on the back.
Nami kicked Luffy hard. "Wake up Luffy!" She snarled.
He grumbled and opened an eye. "Naaami, I'm trying to sleep!"
Ryder landed next to his brother. "Ya got a light?"
Tidus rolled his eyes. "Zolo and Cat aren't out, so the fat man hasn't taken a crap yet, he's just in the bathroom."
"Still…ya got a light?"
Zolo disarmed Khale, causing his sword to sail across the room, and smiled at him murderously.
Khale shook all over and began backing away. "P-please, don't."
Zolo chuckled. "Are you shittin' me? After all the evil you have done, you're gonna beg me for mercy? My man, you're talking to the wrong one." In a single, fluid movement plunged his sword into the man's belly.
Khale gurgled and fell to the floor, seemingly dead.
Cat landed next to her lover, running a hand over her braid. "Well, that was quick."
He shrugged. "Yeah." He sauntered to the corner and bent to pick up Khale's sword. Gently, he caressed the blade of it, enjoying the feel of steel beneath his fingertips. "This is a really nice sword." He straightened and began twirling it, feeling the heft of it in his hands. Maybe it would make a nice companion to Mihawk's sword.
She stopped a few feet away from him. "Zolo you can't take that sword, it's of the royal family."
"I wasn't gonna take it. I was just saying that it's a really nice sword."
"You were so gonna take it."
"Did you hear me say that I was gonna take it?"
She rolled her eyes. "No, but you were thinkin' it."
He narrowed his eyes at her when she gave a smug smile. "Whatever."
Jazz climbed over the balcony and entered the room. Her eyes widened in mock terror. Khale sat straight on the floor with a cruel looking dagger in hand, and it was aimed right at Cat. He summoned his strength and hurled it at her.
Zolo saw the danger too. There was not time to warn her, so he did the only thing that came to mind. He pulled her to him and turned his back to the trajectory of the dagger, using his own body as a shield. Tightly, he lidded his eyes, bracing himself for the bite of the dagger when it
lodged its tip in his back, but it never came. Instead, he heard a shriek and then the sickening thud of a body hitting the hard floor. He looked over his shoulder and his heart sank. Jazz had taken the blow herself. Damn. Cat was going to be crushed.
"Zolo let go, you're crushing my spine." She commanded while trying to wriggle free.
He sighed heavily. "Everything will be okay Cat."
She looked up at him strangely still unaware of Jazz's state. "Yeah."
He let her go and stepped aside, revealing a severely wounded Jazz.
"Noo!" She ran to her and sank to her knees. "What happened?!" She cried.
"Khale threw a dagger, and she took it for you."
"I'm sorry." Jazz whispered softly as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"No. It's okay Jazz. I forgive you for everything." She stroked her hair and began to rock her gently. "Everything will be okay, you'll see."
She grasped her friend's hand. "It hurts, Cat." She said through the fountain of tears coursing down her cheeks.
Cat sniffed back her tears and tried to put on a brave face. "I know sweetie. I know it hurts." Her eyes fell upon the position of the knife in her companion's chest and she knew it was over, but she couldn't she let go. They had endured four years on the run, pain, sorrow, sleepless nights, endless suffering, and separation, and now at the home stretch, this happened. Fate, it seemed, had deemed her its enemy. "But you hafta hold on for me okay sweetie? You hafta hold on Jazz, okay?"
She began to shiver uncontrollably and her face paled, but she kept her grip on Cat's hand. "Okay." She said weakly.
"That's my girl."
"Cat?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you too honey." She cradled her close and wept.
Zolo unsheathed a sword and stormed to Khale who still lay alive.
He pulled his lips into a smile causing more blood to ooze from his mouth and laughed, which sounded more like he was attempting to cough up a lung. "Well, at least I killed one of them."
He scowled at him in mock hatred, and thrust the tip of his sword into his throat, killing him instantly. Anger flared in him when he stared down at Khale's lifeless body, secretly he wished he could bring him back to life and kill him all over again. He sheathed his sword and walked to Cat who sat huddled over, rocking Jazz's limp body in her arms. He knelt and put his arms around her, letting her sob in his arms.
Two weeks passed and Cat stood on the docks saying farewell to her friends in Bakarach. She withdrew from Jazz's grasp and smiled affectionately at the richly dressed young woman. "I still can't believe how lucky you are. One inch from your heart, shit you can't get luckier than that."
Jazz smiled, although she was still a little pallid from her ordeal and morning sickness. "I know. You could say that I'm Lady Luck incarnate."
Cat snorted. "Lady Luck my ass. Then how come I always lost at the poker table when you were around?"
"I have no idea." She said, feigning contemplation.
"I'm gonna miss ya kiddo." She tousled her red locks.
"I wish you could stay." She said sadly hanging her head.
She tilted her chin up. "I know, but you and I don't walk the same path anymore. Your life is here now, as a Sitarian ambassador, and mine…well mine is with Zolo and the Straw Hat Crew."
Said swordsman strode up to them waving a large cut of piranha shark he'd just purchased from the local fish market in his hand excitedly. "Look what I found."
"I'll take that." Sanji, appearing from out of thin air, said and took the meat out of Zolo's hands. "This will be great with a little soy sauce and rice and maybe a side of stir fried vegetables." He spoke thoughtfully.
Zolo hefted an enormous sack of rice on his shoulders and strode up the gangplank of the ship. He watched his beloved as she embraced Jazz again. Part of him was sad that they were leaving the insanely comfort of the Bakarachinan palace, and the other part of him was just ready to 'get the hell outta dodge.'
"Hey how long do you think this sack of rice will last around Luffy?" Sanji said from his place standing in the doorway to below deck.
Zolo chuckled. "Two weeks tops."
Cat hugged Ryder tightly. "I'm gonna miss ya so much Ryder."
He gave an amiable smile and kissed her cheek softly. "Yeah, I'm gonna miss ya too, girl."
"Make sure you work on those anger management issues of yours." She joked.
He gave a good-natured chuckle. "And you try to be a little more assertive."
She along with Luffy and company said their farewells to all the rebels and those of the royal council, accepting both their expressions of gratitude along with their gifts with much grace.
Zolo stopped in front of Tidus. "Well, looks like you're gonna live, since I'm leaving now." He said without cracking a smile.
Tidus flashed a tiny smile, but then stopped when he saw the dark look in the taller man's jade eyes. "Yeah. No hard feelings right?" He extended his hand to Zolo.
Zolo looked down for a brief amount of time and then took it in a strong handshake. "Not at all."
Cat smiled at him, proud that he was being so nice to Tidus. "Well somebody's in a good mood, I'm proud of you babe."
"Yep." He released the rebel leader's hand and punched him square in the face, knocking him flat on his back. A satisfied smile spread across his face as he watched Tidus sail through the air and into a group of monks. "Now, I'm in a good mood." He strolled towards the ship.
Sanji laughed softly while puffing on his cigarette. "Shoulda saw that comin' from a mile away." He and Zolo slapped each other five.
Cat smiled weakly at Ryder. "Sorry."
Ryder shrugged indifferently. "We'll put some ice on it and he'll be alright in ten minutes." The other rebels, including our pirates, laughed heartily.
"Time to go you guys!" Luffy, who had returned to the ship, called out demandingly.
The others obediently boarded the ship while Zolo waited on Cat to finish her goodbyes. "Time to go Kitty." He said softly.
She released Jazz and kissed her cheek softly. "Stay out of trouble, and take care of little Una." She gave her friend's belly a soft pat.
"I will." A blush spread across her cheeks when her eyes fell upon Zolo, who stood a couple of paces behind Cat. "Hey hot stuff."
He groaned at the nickname that Jazz had oh so happily bestowed upon him. "What?"
"Take care of my girl, okay."
"I will."
"And keep her outta trouble."
"That's impossible." He answered curtly.
"And give her five children."
His face paled and he downcast his eyes, nervously kicking the ground with a shoe.
The two women shared a laugh. "Okay," Cat said, "we have to go before the Captain pitches a fit. Staying in one area for three and a half weeks has made him extra antsy."
"Come on let's go! I wanna go now please, so we can sail off into the sunset like the pirate's in Robin's books!" He cried insistently.
Zolo's eyebrow twitched. "Shut up! We're coming!" He yelled over his shoulder.
Luffy stuck his tongue out at Zolo.
"Cat we gotta go."
She sniveled. "Okay." She caressed Jazz's cheek. "Take care of that dagger I gave you, it's an antique."
"I will."
She squeezed her hand one last time and strode to her lover, who put an arm around her thin shoulders in a gesture of comfort. She looked over her shoulder at Jazz and blew her a kiss, smiling forlornly when she returned the motion. They had just made it to the gangplank when they were stopped.
"Wait! Wait! Don't board the ship yet!"
They turned and stared questioningly at Nava, who ran towards them at breakneck speed.
He stopped and stood in front of them, panting heavily. "Don't leave yet, I have to talk to you. It's important." His appearance was no longer that of a prisoner but that of a kind and just king complete with regal clothing and a gem-studded crown. "The necklace, I looked it up and I was right it does mean something."
Cat's eyes brightened. "Really?"
"May I see it?"
Zolo removed the necklace and placed it in Nava's palm. "What did you find out?"
He stared down at the locket, entranced by the luster of gold, the intricate designs, and the radiant sapphire. "It's a keeper locket."
"A what?" Luffy yelled.
Zolo grit his teeth. Sometimes he wondered if Luffy would ever grow out of his childlike curiosity.
"A keeper locket. They were used by a race of people that disappeared many decades ago to hide things like small bits of information, keys, and vials of poison. So whoever your mother was, she was hiding something valuable in this locket." He informed her . "Do you wish for me to open it?"
"Yes." She said eagerly.
He smiled at her. "I hope it helps you, whatever is in here." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a thin sharp object. "Here we go." Tenderly, he pressed the sapphire eyes of the sea dragon on the left. The locket clicked. He handed it to Cat. "I think you should do the honors."
She swallowed and took the locket in her hand. What was in it? Poison? A letter telling her who she was? Some kind of key? Her fingers shook and she took in a deep breath. She opened it and looked inside, along with the crowd of rebels and crew members that had gathered around them. It was a key, a magnificently crafted key with a sea dragon for the handle. "It's a key."
"To what?" Zolo asked in a single breath.
The image of a trunk with the exact same symbol on the lock rose into her mind. "We hafta go. Now."
"Where?" Luffy, who looked curiously over her shoulder, asked.
"To where I grew up." She hugged the king and kissed his forehead, prompting a blush. "Thank you so much Nava."
"You are most welcome Cat."
They boarded the ship.
"Weigh anchor!" Luffy yelled.
Zolo smiled and used the crank to reel in the anchor. It felt good to be back at sea.
Usopp yanked down on the rope, unfurling the large white sails so they could catch the wind and propel them forward. "Yeah." Bakarach was a nice city but it was nothing like the freedom of being on the open sea.
"Let's shove off!" Luffy, who sat on the figurehead of the ship, commanded in a happy tone.
Later, Cat watched as Bakarach diminished in the distance. In the old days, this would be the exact moment Jazz would run up to her and put an arm around her waist and say: "where are we going now Cat?". She would smile down at her and reply: "wherever adventure takes us sweetie." A stray tear trickled down her cheek and dripped from her chin. They would never adventure together anymore and shoot by the time she saw her again the baby would be born. She hoped Jazz would fare well in Bakarach. Her lips pulled into a smile. Nava would never allow harm to come to her and he would more than likely raise the child as his own. Jazz and Bakarach were both in good hands.
Zolo sat down on the deck with a bottle of ale in hand. He popped the cork and was instantly surrounded by Luffy and Usopp. "Shit."
Luffy licked his lips greedily. "Zolo, gimme some ale please!"
"Yeah Zolo, give us some!" Usopp echoed.
"No, get your own bottle."
"Ohhh, but I don't know the combination to the lock." He whined.
"Too bad." He put it up to his lips, but, before he could take a swallow, Luffy swiped it. "Hey!"
Luffy bolted down the deck, guzzling the ale. "Hahahhaa!" He laughed as he ran around, avoiding his firstmate's attempts to throttle him.
"Goddammit Luffy! Give it back! You friggin' thief!" He leapt at Luffy who avoided him with ease.
Nami and Robin, who each sat in a chair beneath the orange tree, shook their heads at the shenanigans of their male crew members. "When does it ever end?" Nami asked rhetorically.
"At dinnertime."
"Hey what about me?" Usopp asked angrily while watching Luffy trying to drink and run none too gracefully. "I want some ale too!"
Luffy giggled giddily and threw Usopp the bottle as he whizzed past. "Here ya go."
He shook it. "It's empty. You drank the whole bottle!"
Luffy stopped and let out a thunderous burp. "Yep." He said and then giggled again.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Zolo jumped on Luffy, knocking him to the floor.
"So am I!" Usopp followed Zolo's lead and leapt upon their inebriated captain.
Cat was jerked from her reverie at the sound of Luffy's body crashing to the deck. She strode to the front of the ship and stopped when she saw the three men scuffling around the deck spewing swear words directed at a laughing Luffy. She wagged her head and made her way up the stairs to where the other two women sat observing the amusing spectacle below. "Luffy, drink all Zolo's ale again?"
"Yep." The two chorused.
She sat next to Nami when she scooted over to make room in the sturdy lounge chair. "Those two are something else."
Sanji opened the door, ignoring the sight that met him. Luffy must've drunk all of Zolo's ale again. "Time to eat you guys."
The horseplay came to an abrupt halt and the three of them stood, brushing themselves off. "What'd ya cook?" Usopp asked.
"Zolo's monster meat."
Zolo nearly salivated. "Alright!"
"Yay!" Luffy danced around. "Piranha shark meat!"
Zolo huffed irritably. "I don't know why you're so excited, you're not getting any of it."
"Yes I am! Sanji cooked it for all of us Zolo! And I'm getting the biggest piece!"
The others had already disappeared below deck while Luffy and Zolo argued.
"No you're not!"
"Watch me!" He ran through the door, closely trailed by Zolo.
Cat chuckled and smiled when the noise stopped. This ship was a mad house, but she wouldn't have any other way. She took a few moments to gaze out over the railing at the clear blue sea and the purplish sky that already boasted stars winking in its vastness.
The door opened and Zolo stepped on deck. He stared up at her. "You comin' to dinner Kitty?"
She smiled lovingly at him and walked down the stairs, wrapping her arms around him when they were close. "I love you Zolo." She whispered, closing her eyes as she basked in the warm embrace.
He stroked her hair rhythmically, aiming to soothe her. "I love you too. Are you okay?"
She gazed up at him and smiled affectionately. "As long as I'm with you I will be."
He gave a grin, ducking his head to hide his blush. "Same here." He leaned down and captured her mouth with his and they shared a long, passionate kiss, neither coming up for air until their lungs begged for oxygen. His eyes shined and he allowed himself to fall into those blue depths, enjoying the sense of drowning that he felt. Softly he caressed her skin, reveling in the smooth, creaminess beneath his fingertips. His stomach growled voraciously, ruining the quiet moment. "Okay, time to eat." He grasped her hand and they hurried below deck hand in hand.
Yay!! I finally finished Chapter 13. The Epilogue is next you guys. Your reviews are welcome and very much appreciated. Xie xie.
Next chapter: Epilogue:
What secrets will Cat's key unlock in that trunk? And where did she grow up at? Why did she run away? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out.
To all those that read and review, thank you so much, you guys inspire me.
Love Ya