Chapter 21

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Zoro felt as though someone had completely covered his body in some kind of protective covering, his senses dulled. The silence was deafening, and his ears felt like they had been stuffed with cotton wool, which no amount of pawing at his ears could remove. He moved swiftly yet carefully down the long, winding corridors, whose walls were completely blackened by the heat and flames. Some of the fires were still in full flame, and he avoided them as best as he could, but taking a little time to put out some of the smaller, more manageable fires.

His breathing was a little short, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead. The dead lay strewn out over the floor of the corridors, more than he'd ever seen before. The heat was unbearable, and he found himself speeding up to get away from the heat that licked at his skin, taking sharp lefts and rights at random until he came to the stairs that were now so familiar to him after all the years of having walked around the MI5 base. The rope that barred the entrance to the stairs was now charred by fire and frayed beyond repair, and he slowly reached a hand out to trace his fingers over the top of the rope, feeling the coarse, tough material scratch gently at his skin.

Taking Shusui from its sheath, he placed the blade under the rope and sliced upwards through the rope, cutting it as easily as if it were butter. The rope split into two pieces under the pressure of the katana, each piece falling to the wall on either side of Zoro as he walked through the space that the rope had originally prevented him from entering. He kept Shusui loosely held in his hand as he descended the stairs, his boots echoing on the steps as he walked into the darkness, the fires having died out. Zoro's eyes slowly adjusted and he took in the the half blackened dungeon, the far end of the dungeon seemingly untouched. He smiled wryly and leisurely made his way to the un-blackened area of the dungeon. As he approached, a voice rang out clearly.

"The fighting done yet, boy?" Roger's voice called. As Zoro approached, he saw the outline of the moustache and beard that framed the old Gang King's face. Shaking his head, he spoke.

"Not yet. I think the fight is just beginning. We've lost quite a few already, and to be honest I'm not sure if we can hold out against Dragon's forces." Zoro replied, glaring at the sharp blade of his katana in frustration.

"Bullshit." Came Roger's sharp reply.

Zoro's head snapped up to stare at the former Gang King. "Eh?" He questioned.

"You can beat Dragon easily as long as you gather your forces. Let them hit you and then hit back harder. You're strong Zoro, I know you can do it…" Roger encouraged quietly, nodding slightly, "Now get me out of this cage and let me help, damn it. I'm no damn use to anyone in here, and I haven't been fed in over three hours." Roger complained.

"I swear to god, the only thing you, Ace and Luffy ever think about is food." Zoro grumbled, focusing his energy and slashing at the metal bars, the muscles in his arm flexing as he did so. The bars keeping Roger prisoner were severed from up high and close to the floor, causing the long rods of metal to fall the floor and clash noisily.

"Good. Now go. I will find you when you need my help." Roger said, clicking his bones as he stood, walking free of his cell for the first time in many years.

"What's that supposed to mean? We need help now!" Zoro stated, suddenly at little angry at Roger's response.

Roger sighed, his back to Zoro, the shaking of the man's unused body showing the gang leader exactly how thin and worn Roger really was. "Zoro...in the past years, when you came to find me time after time, I have counselled you as best as I could. But in truth, you've never really needed my help. You've known the answers you needed were deep inside you, but you've needed me only to guide you closer to those answers, so that you could confirm them for yourself."

Zoro was quiet for a moment, filling the silence by sheathing his katanas. "When will you return?"

"When I am ready."

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Pentonville prison stood firm.

The building watched as the three odd figures approached. One strode forward ahead of the others, cloaked in green and with the hood pulled low so that his face was unseen. Turning his head towards the large, tattooed fishman to his left, he shook his head as the fishman quietly gripped his trident, chuckling under his breath. Instead, the cloaked one looked towards his remaining companion, a man dressed in black but with his giant torso and belly exposed, whose full grin exposed some of his missing teeth.

"Begin." Dragon's voice commanded quietly.

Laughing aloud, the man in black threw his splayed palm towards the floor, darkness seeping along the ground and snaking towards the front of the prison. Within seconds, the entire front wall had collapsed, revealing the inside of the prison like a gaping wound.

Dragon waited as his cronies ran headlong into the building, gone for some time before they remerged with five young people in tow, all looking confused, suspicious and vaguely annoyed. As they were forced to their knees in front of him, he cleared his throat and addressed them.

"Marco, Buggy, Eustass Kidd, Tashigi, Law."

"The fuck do you want with us?" Kidd shouted, earning himself a hit from the butt of the fishman's trident that sent his face rocketing into the stone ground. Beside him, Buggy screeched in fear and tried to edge away from the fishman.

"Thank you, Hody." Dragon murmured. "I have salvaged your little ragtag bunch today for a reason. I believe you could be of some use to me."

"And why would we help you?" Law asked, his voice quiet but slightly malicious.

Dragon tilted his head to the side. "Because I think you would like a chance at revenge on the former queen and country, the country specifically including the MI5 and a certain gang leader."

"Roronoa Zoro…" Tashigi breathed, her face raising to face the sky as the heavens began to open and cast the rain onto her expectant face like tears she was unable to cry for herself.

Sharing a look with Marco, whose face was shadowed with anger at the remembrance of the gang leader, Law smiled.

~ x ~

A teaser just to let you know that I'm still alive and writing

Kaitaru

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