Ready to Die

Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece.

"This is insane! I mean, I've been in crazy situations before, but this is just insane!" Isaac carefully peeked around the corner, trying to be as quiet as possible so he wouldn't be detected by any of the freak show that inhabited the mansion. Holding his breath, he scanned the hallway to see nothing but ugly portraits hanging on the walls ahead. Quickly, the Tenryuubito-turned-pirate pulled himself back behind the corner and quietly exhaled, "Okay...few Portrait Zombies ahead. That could pose a problem for me unless I think of a plan," he crossed his arms in thought, "If I just knew how to get rid of those walking corpses, I'd be okay to move on ahead. With Jinko-chan, all I had to do was stick with her and watch her take them out, but with her gone on her own, I'm stuck to think about how to get by them!"

The pirate doctor quietly punched the wall behind him, "Can't believe we split up...! I have to find those guys before all Hell breaks loose!"

-Flashback-

"Are you serious?!"

"Isaac-san, I understand your concern, I really do, but think of the situation," Jinko made a few practice thrusts with her rapier, "They're in trouble, and they need help-,"

"Yeah, which is why we both need to get to them and help them!"

Jinko sighed and sheathed her sword, "If we're to help them, the best option, believe it or not, maybe to split up. If we split up, we can cover ground easier and faster, and at least one of us would be able to get to them,"

"Or one, or even both of us could get captured or whacked before we even get there!"

Jinko stared, "Whacked? You sound like a crime boss, or something,"

"You know crime bosses?"

"I'm an assassin, I know a lots of types of people," Jinko shrugged, "Trust me on this, please, Isaac-san. Granted, there are risks, but with all the bad mojo going down right now, I don't think it matters because sooner or later, we're going to get involved even more! We have to do this, because they were willing to help us, so we have to repay them! Also, I don't think Shidyk-kun would like the fact that he could lose the chance for a rematch with Axe-san because of this hellish place,"

-End Flashback-

Isaac looked back around the corner and saw that nothing had changed about the hallway before him, She's right, we're going to have get into it sooner or later... he took a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway, "HANG ON GUYS, I'M COMING!!" the blonde pirate suddenly took off like a shot down the hallway, a trail of dust flying into the air behind him. The Portrait Zombies in the hallway leaned out of their frames, watching the quick figure run off, then looked at each other.

"Who the hell was that asshole?"

"I have no clue...should we tell someone?"

"Hm, nah. Chances are someone like that crazy bastard is with the Blood Countess, and he's off to kill those other pirates the others are so excited about,"

"Good point...,"

Dusty pulled at her hair, her tail on end and her ears flat against her head, "Man, we must be nuts!" she turned to her nakama and the handful of Malchior's crew before her, "Look, I wanna fight and get them back, but there's just one problem,"

"Just one?" Devon muttered under his breath, "More than one, kit,"

"Shut up, Devon, I heard that!" Dusty snapped at him, "The problem is that we're missing nakama!"

"No shit, that's why we're going in!" the First Mate snapped back, "You don't think we know that?"

"Not just Axe and Azu, you dumbass, I'm talking about DJ-kun, Austin, Niri and Kirsty!" Dusty counted off her fingers, "Niri especially! She went off with the Riskys, got separated and she hasn't come back yet! Isn't anyone worried for her?!"

Chizuru threw one of her knives in the air, "Of course we are, Dusty, we're all worried for her. However, Niri's pretty tough for someone without a Devil Fruit or any kind of special ability aside from her marksmanship. She's too tough to take down, not to mention that she's got this major grudge against Kairi and Toby, so I don't think she'd let herself get killed just like that," she snapped her fingers and seconds later, her knife not only stopped in mid-air, but flew to a tree and lodged itself into the bark.

"Holy crap...!"

"Knowing her, she's doing fine and heading to the mansio as well," Chizuru said casually, walking to the tree to pluck out her knife, "We may not have favorable conditions, but that's out of our control,"

"Exactly," Devon cracked his knuckles, "Can't be helped. What we can do, however, is fight our asses off to get them back! Now, c'mon, let's go kick some freak ass!"

"Come on, Tommy, it's just up ahead, I can tell!"

Tommy jumped over a fallen tree, trying to stay as close to Niri as possible, "Wait up, ya little greenhorn!" he pleaded, "Don't be so loud, you don't know who's doing the shooting!"

"Whoever it is, it can't be much worse than the bastards on this island!"

"What if it is the bastards on this island?!" Tommy used an extra burst of speed to not only catch up with her, but pull her behind a large tree just outside the area where the gunfire was coming from, "Stop and think for a minute, kid!"

"Tommy-!"

"SHH!" Tommy clamped a hand over her mouth, "Shut up...and listen, there's more than just gunfire!" he whispered.

It was true. There was more than just gunfire. Niri was so excited about the possibilty of someone else fighting the bad guys on the island besides them, she could only hear the gunfire. Now, forced to calm down and actually pay heed to the surrounding area, she could hear other noises. Aside from gunfire, she could hear the familiar growling of lycanthropes, small explosions and she could even see firelight coming from behind the tree.

How the hell did she not notice that? Tommy wondered, keeping still.

How the hell did I not notice that? Niri wondered as she tried to pull Tommy's hand away from her mouth.

"Just keep still and wait for whatever's going on to quiet down...," Tommy whispered, "We shouldn't do anything until then, or else it could be bad for us! Understand?"

Niri looked straight at him for a few moments, nodded slowly, and she was soon freed from Tommy's hand.

The two gunfighters kept as still and quiet as possible until the fight ahead of them began to slow down. Gunfire soon disappeared, the firelight became dimmer, and the sound of lycanthropes howling had died away completely. Tommy slowly leaned to the side to catch a view of what was going on, but when a gunshot rang through the air, followed shortly by a chunk of the tree's bark being blown off, Tommy quickly pulled his head back.

"Okay, that was a bad idea," the bounty hunter murmured.

"Whatever happened to not doing anything or it could be bad for us?!" Niri hissed, "You almost got shot!"

Tommy shook his head, "Naw, that was a warning shot. Whoever's out there knows we're here, and I think if they wanted to kill us, they'd have done it already,"

Another gunshot was heard and another piece of bark exploded from the dying tree.

"I know you're there!" a voice called out, "If you come out, hands above your head, I won't kill you!"

Tommy's eye twitched, "Dammit...,"

"Wait, wait," Niri held up a hand, "That voice! I know that voice!"

"What?!"

A third gunshot.

"Last chance, senor!"

I knew it! Niri grinned and pushed Tommy away from her, "Stop firing, we're coming out!" she shouted as she began to move around the tree, "Don't shoot!"

"Niri, are you crazy, we don't know if they're good or-!"

"They're good guys, Tommy, they're good guys," Niri's grin grew wider as she calmly walked into another clearing about a yard from the tree, "You still suck at firing, Kenny!"

Standing a short distance away, one of his pistols smoking, was Shiba Ken, sharpshooter belonging to Malchior, with a very surprised look on his face.

"Senorita?!" he lowered his pistol and ran up to her, "What the hell are you doing here of all places?!"

Niri shook her head, the grin still there, "It's a long story, but...," she suddenly threw herself at him, glomping him, "I'm so glad to see you here! Please, please tell me your nakama are here, too!"

As if on cue, a small number of people came into view from the treeline opposite of them, dusting off their clothes and looking pretty irritated.

"Not the entire batch, but pretty much so given the plan we had," Ken pulled Niri off him, "What's wrong, senorita, why are you here? Who was that senor that I shot at?"

"Oh!" Niri held up a finger and turned around, "Tommy! It's okay, it's safe, they're good people, come out!"

Ken raised an eyebrow, "Tommy? A new nakama?"

"Sorta,"

"So, tell me, Axe,"

The treasure hunter lifted his head to look at Eva, standing in front of him again, "Don't you ever stop to rest or something?"

"I get the feeling you're doing more of that for the both of us," Eva smiled, putting her hands on her hips, "But, tell me something, Axe. If you're supposed to be this big name on the Grand Line, this so called avenger of the Samuel Clan, how the hell do you fall defeated, for a second time I might add, at the hands of your former subordinates?"

Axe looked away, "Why the hell do you care?"

"I'm just curious," Eva shrugged, "I don't have much to do here, there's a pretty famous kid here in front of me, so I'm curious. So c'mon, how did you get your ass handed to you twice?"

"...you wouldn't understand. You don't know me, and even if you did, you wouldn't understand, so why the hell should I tell you?"

Eva sighed and shook her head, "Want to hear what I think?"

"Do I have a choice?" Axe muttered, already knowing the answer.

"No. The reason you got your ass beat is because you're a man. Just a man, and nothing more,"

Axe glanced at her, a confused look on his face, "What, you're saying women are better fighters?"

"Well, in some cases-,"

"I hope that you're not saying I better being an okama to fight better, because if you are-,"

"Oh, just shut up!" Eva gave him a low punch to the gut, cutting him off and forcing Axe to gasp for air, "That wasn't what I saying at all, you idiot. What I was saying is that you're just a man, and as a man, you are flesh and blood, which means that you can be defeated, locked up and even killed. However, if you become more than just a man, if you are able to find an ideal and devote yourself to it...truly devote yourself to that ideal, then you will become something else entirely. Something that could never be destroyed or locked up,"

Axe, finally able to get some air into his lungs, looked up at her, a pissed off, yet interested look on his face, "And what would that be, Miss Thade?"

Eva smiled a little bit, "A legend. You would become a legend, Axe. Think of Gold Roger, the late Pirate King. It's been at least two decades since Roger was executed, but he's still known to this day as the Pirate King, as the man who conquered all of the Grand Line, and as the man who created this Golden Age of Piracy!" she reached up and poked him a little hard, "If you were able to do that, Axe, if you were able to go through what needs to be done to make yourself a legend, you will be unstoppable!"

The door to Kairi's room burst open and both Eva and Axe turned to see Toby slamming the doors shut behind him.

"Oh, furball's back," Eva smiled, crossing her arms, "What's going on, Moon Beast?"

"That's what I'd like to know, but I don't have the time or opportunity to know all the details," Toby quickly advanced on Eva, who didn't even back away a single step, "I know what you did,"

Eva raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, "What I did? What did I do?"

"You know damn well what you did!" Toby growled, "I don't know how you did it without getting so much blood on you, but I know you took out most of Kairi's remaining forces, I can smell it on you!"

"Is that so?" Eva asked innocently, "Well, in that case I should worry about your little Blood Countess coming down here and ripping out my throat, huh?"

Toby just glared at her.

"Unless...," Eva looked straight at him, as if looking for something, "...you haven't told her yet?"

Axe saw Toby's hands twitch just a little.

"You haven't told her!" Eva scoffed, "My, this is a surprise. Now, I know about you guys and how loyal nakama are supposed to be, so I'm wondering how come the First Mate of a feared pirate crew hasn't told his captain that most of her subordinates were decapitated by a stranger?" she tapped her chin in thought, "Perhaps you're waiting for the right time to tell her, or perhaps you have no intention of telling her whatsoever? Now, if it's the latter, why on earth aren't you saying anything?"

"That's none of your business," Toby growled.

"That may be, but I can't help being curious," Eva giggled a little bit, "Axe, what do you think? Why is the furball keeping such a big discovery from the boss-lady?"

Axe didn't answer her, because even he couldn't think of a logical answer for said question.

Toby took a deep breath and exhaled, gripping his katana, "I don't know what you're doing here, Miss Thade, but just stay out of the way, understand?"

Eva didn't answer.

The lycanthrope pulled out his sword and pressed it against her neck, "Do. You. Understand?!"

Eva calmly cracked a smile, "I understand, furball. Perfectly. Now, would you be so kind as to remove your blade?" she looked down at the steel just below her chin.

Toby looked long and hard at her, then quickly removed his weapon, sheathing it before storming out of the room.

"My...," Eva cleared her throat as she rubbed her neck, "He's certainly interesting to be around, isn't he?"

"You should've seen him before he turned on me," Axe murmured, looking at the closing doors again, "Something's not right here,"

"Oh, gee, you think?" Eva leaned against a nearby wall, "I thought all of you weirdoes were interesting before, I can't wait to see how this little event plays out,"

"Everyone ready?"

"Ready as we'll ever be,"

"Let's do this!"

"YEAH!"

Devon, with the rest of his nakama (save Niri), along with the half of Malchior's crew that followed them to the Mansion, stood just outside the gates that surrounded the mansion. With a grunt, he kicked the gate hard, knocking it open with a loud CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAK, followed by a loud BANG! on either side.

Herman looked up at the mansion and cracked his large, webbed knuckles, "Should we bust in?"

"No, let's see what they do first when they know we're back," Devon murmured, "I know we have people in there, but it's better that we try to get them out here so we can have some advantage, they know that place too well,"

"Sure, and they have no idea how to navigate the forest outside," Karai muttered under her breath.

Here goes nothing...wish us luck, Thrymr! Devon took a deep breath.

'Good luck, kid, you know where to find me if you need me,' the spirit replied, the Soul Fragment sparkling a little.

"HEY YOU ASSHOLES!!!" Devon screamed at the very top of his lungs, "READY FOR ROUND TWO!!!"

The voice of the Demon King echoed all around them, bouncing off the outer walls of the mansion before fading into nothingness. What followed next was absolute silence. Not a sound was heard, not a a single one. The combined group of two pirate crews stood there just beyond the gates, waiting for something...anything to happen.

"Maybe you oughta try again," Jessie whispered, "I don't think they heard you that time!"

Devon shot a glance at her, then looked back at the mansion, "Kairi the Blood Countess! We've come to reclaim our nakama and to fulfill the duty we have to our captain, Samuel D. Axe! If you come out now, we'll give you a swift death!" he shouted, "This is your only chance for any shred of mercy from us!"

Can't believe he's even offering them mercy... Chizuru looked at her nakama, When he gets a chance, he is so going to rip them a new one for what they've done. I just hope he spares us a few, she thought as tapped her daggers.

Another loud creaking made them all look at a large set of doors in the middle of the mansion's ground level. Said doors were opening slowly, and when they had fully opened, the sound of metal clanking against more metal was heard.

"Sounds like they're actually taking you up on the offer, Devon," Herman said quietly, tensing for the upcoming battle.

The sound of metal clanking grew louder and louder, and a large group of figures poured out of the mansion. The pirates were expecting their true enemies to come marching out, but what came out was a force of heavily armored and heavily armed zombies. They marched, like obedient undead soldiers, out of the mansion until they came to a complete halt just a few yards away from the pirates.

"What...the...hell...?" Jessie stared at the undead army.

"Zombies," Chizuru said casually as if it were no big deal, "Living corpses armed to the teeth and protected with heavy armor, it seems," she pulled out a couple of daggers and flipped them around, "Looks like they're wanting to wear us down before they fight us. Nothing but cowards, it seems,"

"Not exactly cowardly, it's actually a decent tactic to make conquering your enemy easier and quicker," Devon shook his head, "Still, it has some degree of cowardness," he pulled out his gladius swords and gripped them so tightly, his knuckles turned white, "FOR NAKAMA!!!"

On one of the upper levels of the mansion, Kairi stood at a large window that overlooked the two forces below.

"That's right, you pathetic little worms," she smiled, fingering her rapier, "We'll show you just how we earned our reputation on these seas," she looked over her shoulder to what was most of her remaining forces, "Kill them...kill them all!"

Damien wove his way through the cheering crowd and joined his captain at the window, "It seems that they've gathered some allies,"

Kairi nodded, "You have better eyesight, do you know who they are?"

The Zoan user chuckled, "Does it matter?"

"No, I guess not,"

"Alright then. Hm, that's odd," Damien leaned closer, "The Axe-Heads are missing a member,"

"Try five," Kairi scoffed, "Who are they missing this time?"

"That Marine woman, Zolaro, I don't see her down there,"

Kairi frowned, "That's not good," she held her chin in thought, "I've seen that look she gave me before, and that's a look of someone who won't go down easily. She must be out there somewhere...she's up to something," she looked to her navigator, "Damien, while the others are having a fun time, I'm giving you a special order. Go and search for the Marine. If you find her, bring her back alive! I'm sure Stitches would love to have some fun with her before I do,"

"As you wish, my dear Captain,"

Kilnorc: Sorry for the long wait, folks, with screwing up, I wasn't able to get this updated as fast as I originally planned. Things may seem a bit scattered now, but trust me, it'll come together in time!

On the next chapter of Endless Nightmare...

Niri: How the hell do you guys know how to kill these things?!

Jessie: Get going! We'll cover you for a while, then we'll meet you inside!

Austin: The sword...! It's shaking!

Eliza: There's a difference between insanity and genius...

Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate

Tommy: Aw, shit!