Once again, apologize for late update but guess what!? This is like, the third last chapter. But, the ending will be a twist, and not even Clarobell or Shiruji-chan knows whats going to happen. -nods- I have kept it a secret! I am so proud. Some people may suspect it already though. -shrugs- if you know, yay! If not... YAY! -pokes out tongue- Regular updates from now on. -nods matter of fact-

Okay, on with da chapter! Enjoy! I think I have regained some enthusiasm for this as I am so close to the end now. lol. Greeeeat.

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Chapter 21: Luffy's…demise?

It was cold, and hot at the same time. Everything kept changing around him. The darkness kept smothering him and making his blood run cold, while his skin was so hot he was sure it was going to melt off his body anytime now. He wanted out of this place, and he had made that abundantly clear with the language he had been using. Admittedly, most of the swear words he used had originally come from Zoro's mouth, and were colourful to say the least… but damnit, the situation was desperate!

He spouted another few remarks but once again didn't get a response. He was trapped down here… and he was going to stay that way until he either died… or was rescued and Luffy was starting to fear that the former would happen before the latter. His wrist with the bracelet on it, was now glued to the wall, the gold melding with the wall and glowing a fluorescent pink. It was disturbing and worrying to say the least. And then it hit him.

He screamed like he'd never screamed before as waves and waves of pain tore through him, ripping at his skin, and prickling his eyes which were shut tight. His legs fell out from underneath him and the pain stopped as suddenly as it had started. Luffy was left lying on the floor of this creation, his arm glued to the wall while he panted for breath. God he hoped Zoro would get here soon.

---

Crocodile frowned as the panel in front of him sparked a little and then groaned into life. It was brand new! Why was it going through such ridiculous movements? Letting his breath snort out from his nose angrily, he looked up at the pink electricity that was now flowing right down the needle and straight to him. Bracing himself, Crocodile received the shock to the middle of his chest.

He grit his teeth against the pain and groaned weakly when it left him exhausted. Collapsing on the platform, he panted uselessly before smirking as his limbs felt even more supple and easier to move than before. At the same time, his skin had taken on a strong feeling of tough texture. It was… odd to say the least. Raising an arm up before him, he smiled as it stretched to twist and turn in the air before snapping back into place again.

"Perfect." he purred and then eagerly went back to the platform, preparing for another go. He had Luffy's power, but, as he figured it, the mutation had made the stupid boy rubber through and through, and therefore, he acted as a conductor. Even though rubber wasn't actually a conductor of anything… it was good enough to suck the powers in, and then send them back to Crocodile.

"We need to let Luffy rest, or he'll die." Robin said calmly when she saw Crocodile heading for the button again. Her boss frowned.

"So what if he dies? I don't care, as long as I get my power." he replied. Robin frowned and turned cold blue eyes on him.

"And if he dies, you will lose both myself, and your conductor." she practically hissed. Crocodile lifted his chin a little, chewing on a tooth for a moment before frowning even deeper.

"You've grown attached to him…" he said quietly. Robin snapped her face away, her breathing increasing a little. Damn, she had meant to hide everything from him, but it just wasn't working!

"You've grown attached to all of them…" Crocodile continued. Robin ignored him before turning her impassive face on him once again.

"Nonsense. I have never been attached to anyone in my life, and you should know that better than anyone…boss." she replied in a tone barely above hissing. Crocodile smirked.

"Good, now, by your leave?" he asked sarcastically. Robin clenched her fists at her side. She regretted the day she had ever let this man take her in. Unlike a lot of the mutation gene that went through some people and didn't develop until later in life, Robin had had hers since she was very small. And because of it… she had been called a freak. There was no one like her in her town when she was little, and therefore she had never been accepted.

By the time of seven, she was so fed up with her life there, she ran. Ran as far as she could go. And then this monster had picked her up. At the time, he had been different. Calm, quiet, nice and sweet to her. He had never ordered her around like he did now. Something had corrupted him and Robin hated it. She had trusted him… and he had betrayed her. But… he had looked after her when she was little, and raised her to be who she was. Given her sufficient funds to go to school, and to become the part time archaeologist that she had wanted to be. Crocodile watched Robin for a moment more before looking back down at the panel before him. He hit the button…

---

Heavy breathing echoed back to the group as they ran along the alleyway that Nami had deduced led to the tower. Zoro was dead convinced that he had heard Luffy scream, but none of the others had heard anything. Someone would have commented that Zoro was crazy, but the situation was dire and no one was game to say anything. Zoro was just about ready to snap as it was, and Nami had the feeling that the swordsman wouldn't hold back when they got there.

Good.

Neither would she. The bastards wouldn't know what hit them. Ace was just about as fired up as Zoro, and though he hadn't said anything, he was dead sure that he had at least heard something that sounded like Luffy. Small flames occasionally broke out over his shoulders, but he smothered them quickly and regained his composure each time. Chopper was galloping in the lead, his eyes narrowed and his jaw set. Usopp had fallen to the back of the group, his job becoming that of lookout. He was making sure they weren't being followed. Sanji was keeping pace easily, his long legs striding out.

He wasn't even moving that fast really, because if he did… well, he would probably run the block before Zoro and Nami-san even got to the place where he'd sped up. He smirked inwardly at this thought. They were running when Chopper stopped. He couldn't move and the rest of the group skidded to a stop in time to see the reindeer's eyes shift before they rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Usopp began panicking and ran to his friend, resting a hand on the reindeer's neck and trying to rouse him. Zoro looked up towards the needle… and frowned when he saw it was glowing a fluorescent pink once again.

"Come on!" and they began running again.

"What about Chopper?" Usopp pleaded. Zoro instantly stopped and hurried back, lifting the reindeer over his shoulders and across the back of his neck. Holding tight to the two pairs of legs in his hands, he began running , Usopp behind him and watching his friend carefully. And inwardly, Zoro was damn sure he heard Luffy scream again.

---

Luffy was indeed screaming. He felt as though every atom and molecule within his body was experiencing it's own individual torture. It was killing him. And that was what Crocodile had said. Eventually it would kill him. He briefly felt as though he were an animal, and then the feeling was gone, ripped through his body like he was a block that a car ran through.

It left his body again and he collapsed to the floor, held up only by the hand that was glued to the wall. Pain… nothing like it. Makes you feel alive… until it kills you, Luffy thought bitterly as he tried to remember how to breathe. He was shaking already, and sweat was running down his forehead and over his body freely.

"Zoro…" he whispered to the darkness, "Please…"

---

Crocodile grit his teeth against that pain again as another power ran into him. He was only experiencing half of what Luffy was going through, as the boy had to have the power run into him, and then have it ripped out all over again. If Crocodile even had a semblance of a heart, he would be feeling for the poor boy trapped into the underbelly of the monster that his scientists had created.

Animal like strength radiated through his body, and he felt twenty times smarter than he had been before. It was incredible! And it felt like a drug running through him! He needed more! And he wanted it now… Reaching his hand forward, Robin frowned and couldn't restrain herself any longer. Blossoming an arm right in front of the man's hand, she slapped it away, and continued to do so until the hand merely turned to sand and went around her own. She desperately scrabbled at it while Crocodile laughed.

"What are you trying to do dear Robin? Hinder my efforts?"

"He will die! You won't be able to get your power any more! Don't you understand that?" she snapped. Crocodile paused a moment and then frowned.

"Fine." and he withdrew his hand, "This new Robin is not at all to my liking. I believe I left you too long with that group." and he crossed his arms, "How long do you wish me to wait?"

"At least half an hour. Please, let him recover and then you will be able to continue." she reassured him, trying to buy a little more time. It seemed to be working… for now. Crocodile sniffed haughtily before moving off the platform and moving to a chair in the corner. Sitting down, he inspected his watch.

"Exactly 29 minutes and 51 seconds left." he said and smirked at her. Robin sighed. Everything was now resting on Zoro and the rest of the group's shoulders. Both Luffy and herself, were relying on Pearl.

---

Nami ran around the corner and skidded to a halt. Zoro was about to run past, but she hissed at him and he skidded to a stop as well.

"What?" he hissed back. Nami pointed right beside her and Zoro's eyes brightened upon seeing that she was pointing at a door. He latched onto it and practically ripped the damn thing off it's hinges before bursting into the room… and not seeing Luffy anywhere. A set of stairs led upwards in front of them. Spiralling around a thick column, and making Usopp groan with tiredness.

"We have to go up, there's no other way." Sanji commented after scanning the room.

"Then we go." and Zoro led the way, hand gripping his swords as he leapt up the stairs nearly three at a time. sanji was right beside him, his long legs easily striding upwards while the others were trying to keep up the best they could. The stairs seemed to go on forever, but finally Zoro and Sanji reached the top. Before them was another door, this one different from the one downstairs.

It was wooden, and it was dark mahogany, but Zoro didn't care. Once the rest of the group had gotten up behind him and had started to regain their breath, Sanji kicked it open and they walked in. There was Crocodile sitting in a chair, and there was Robin watching him.

"Swordsman-san…" she whispered before turning angry eyes on Crocodile. Now was the time. She was going to leave him for good this time.

"Robin-chwan!" Sanji cried, dancing into the room.

"Get back here fruit loop." Zoro snarled, so angrily that Sanji stopped instantly and dropped back to the group again, glaring daggers at the swordsman.

"Numbers 1, 2, 3, and 5, get in here now!" Crocodile barked sharply. Through the door walked the group Crocodile had called. Number 1 was a tall, burly man with brown skin and at his side walked a woman with very bushy blue hair and a thin body. Next in pranced a man in a pink tutu with a swan cape on his back. His face was made up and Usopp, Sanji and Zoro visibly shuddered while Nami slapped a hand into her face. They were dealing with that!?

Who did Crocodile think they were? The kiddy squad? The next man wasn't much better. He had a pair of glasses on and on top of his head was a large three that had been formed out of his own hair. He was thin and sinewy but looked strange… well, they all looked strange really. Number five was a brown man with curly black hair and a trenchcoat with the number five on his arms. Beside him walked a thin lady with a dress on and an umbrella in her hands.

She had bright blue eyes, and Zoro could practically feel Sanji sweating behind him. One look from Nami silenced the chef and Zoro glared at the group that had just stepped up to face him. They would regret ever deciding to work for this man.

"You brought these idiots out to face us?" Usopp said bravely, but his knees were shaking like jelly. It didn't help either that he was peeking out from behind Zoro. The swordsman rolled his eyes and then moved to the wall and laid Chopper down on the floor. The little reindeer was still unconscious, and Zoro wasn't sure what would happen when he came back to himself, but, he hoped he would be okay.

Ace stepped up beside him and Zoro glanced at the pyro once before smirking. Ace was fired up, that was obvious. And Tashigi stepped up to his other side, sword ready in her hands and face steeled with a determined expression.

"Pearl…" he said, raising a hand in the hand and he smirked before bringing it down and pointing straight at the group that had just stepped in, "Get em!" and Zoro was pleased at the flicker of fear that went across Crocodile's minions' faces. Nami had matched up with the bushy haired woman and they were wrestling hand to hand.

Sanji was trying to kick the feet out from under the man in the pink tutu, while the man just kept leaping and prancing out of the way. Sanji was getting pissed with this and he lifted a leg and kicked tutu man right in the ribs, sending him across the room. The bastard just got straight up again and smirked at Sanji.

"Missed!" Usopp cried as he ducked behind a large piece of machinery that didn't look like it had been used in a while. Number five was flicked small balls of what looked like… Zoro winced as he realized and shook his head, turning away from that situation.

Mr 3 was being constantly melted by Ace, but he kept returning and just laughing harder. He was obviously made of wax. A mutation. Zoro heard a loud cackle above him and looked up just in time to see the woman who had been accompanying number five, come straight down at him and he stepped out of the way and she smashed into the floor.

"Missed." he said. She groaned and collapsed sideways onto the floor. Nami had managed to get her clima-tact out and she had slammed the woman across the room. Now, bushy was getting to her feet again and rubbing angrily at her cheek while blood coated her hand. Nami frowned at her, preparing for another defensive as bushy jumped at her again.

Usopp yelled as he was thrown across the room by an explosion and Zoro was about to intervene when Tashigi jumped in, her sword ready. She deflected the first shot and then jumped forward, fighting with all her might. Crocodile, after making sure that everyone was occupied, hurried to the platform.

"Hey!" Robin cried and ran after him. She made five hands appear over the button and frowned as her former boss simply turned to sand around her hands and pushed the button. Zoro turned as he heard the needle power up behind him and his eyes widened. The whole room seemed to go still as it powered up and Robin shook her head in disbelief as cherry blossom petals rained down where her hands had once been.

Crocodile laughed and Zoro watched as a weird pink energy was drawn out of thin air. Behind him, number five fainted to the ground. And Zoro knew then that he had been hearing Luffy screaming. He was inside that thing, and Zoro was damned if he was going to let Luffy stay that way. He ran over to the needle and pulled out his swords, steadying himself and then sweeping them out as hard as he could. There was a loud screech of metal as the blades tore straight into it. Crocodile was going through his transformation now, and therefore didn't notice that Zoro had sliced into the needle. Robin sighed loudly and smiled.

"Sanji!" Zoro yelled and the chef ran over and kicked the needle. There was a slow and ponderous creak as the needle teetered on the edge of breaking and then Sanji gave it another quick kick, and it screeched as it was sent tumbling to the ground. Zoro peered down into the hole that was left and blinked as he couldn't see anything. It was too dark.

"Zoro…" a weak voice said from inside and Zoro hefted a relieved sigh before lowering himself into the hole. He stepped on something and there was a loud squeak.

"Zoro… that was my foot." Luffy said and turned his head so his eyes were focused on the newcomer in his hole. Zoro blinked in the darkness and reached out a hand, trying to find Luffy.

"Ouch! That was my nose!" Luffy cried out and hissed in pain.

"Sorry. Where are you?" Zoro asked. Up above, Zoro could hear the sounds of battle restarting again, but his main mission right now was to free Luffy and get him out of here. His hand reached blindly for a moment before another skinnier hand encased his own.

"Here." Luffy's voice was tired and weary, and held very little of the enthusiasm it once had.

"How do I get you free?"

"Don't know. Maybe if you cut the bracelet…" and Luffy's hand began to sag in Zoro's.

"Hey, come on, stay with me now."

"So tired Zoro…" Luffy murmured and his hand went entirely limp. Zoro panicked for a moment but he could still hear Luffy's heavy breathing and calmed down. Following Luffy's arm, he brushed a hand over the boy's chest to his other shoulder and ran down the length of that arm to find it was held to the wall by the bracelet. Grabbing it, he began trying to pry Luffy's arm from it.

"Not… rubber… anymore Zoro…" Luffy said tiredly. Zoro blinked.

"Luffy, what does this thing do? It got Chopper too."

"It steals the mutation… from the person's body. Literally… rips it from… them." Luffy replied. Zoro drew in a sharp breath and then began pulling at the bracelet again. He tried to force it apart, tried to force it from the wall, but nothing worked. Finally getting annoyed with it, he pulled out a sword and pushed it into the small gap between Luffy's arm and the bracelet's edge.

"Just… hold still Luffy." Zoro gritted, frightened he was going to hurt Luffy but seeing no other way to get around it. Gritting his teeth, Zoro pulled the sword back towards him. There was a loud clink and then the bracelet broke. Half of it fell to the floor and tinkled on the ground, while the other half stayed embedded in the wall. Luffy suddenly fell into Zoro's chest and he grabbed onto the boy's shoulders reflexively.

"Hey…" and he smiled, "You're safe now. Come on." and he picked Luffy's limp body up and then crouched and jumped up out of the hole and back onto the surface again. As he looked over Luffy's body, he grimaced at the burns and blood that covered him. He looked a mess, but at least his breathing was strong and he wasn't cold or shaking. He was in pain obviously and he kept twitching every now and again.

"How do we get you your powers back buddy?" he muttered. Robin was at his side in an instant.

"Nico Robin!" Crocodile yelled, but Robin ignored him.

"The machine, in front of Crocodile. Destroy it and all the powers that were stolen will go back where they came from." she said. Zoro nodded once, knowing that she was helping and not hindering this time. Although he was still going to be extremely wary of her, he would take her advice for now. Ace hurried over.

"Little brother…" he muttered and took Luffy's limp form from Zoro's arms.

"Look after him." and he drew all three blades as Crocodile stepped down from the machine and moved in front of it.

"You traitor Robin." he hissed before turning to Zoro and smirking, "Your little friend won't survive long without his powers. Without the gene inside, the whole DNA strand begins to unwind. It'll slowly destroy him from the inside out. Your little reindeer too." Zoro's eyes widened and then he frowned.

"Then I guess I'll have to get the power back to him, won't I!"

"It'll be too late. It takes barely an hour for the DNA to unwind, and he's already been inside that thing without his powers for… oh… three quarters of an hour now. And there's no way you're going to beat me in fifteen minutes." Crocodile returned, laughing at the same time. Zoro let the corner of his mouth curl upwards in a dangerous sneer.

"You just fucked up. You told me how long I have, and fifteen minutes is fourteen more than I'll need." he said. Crocodile laughed at this, practically cracking up.

"You slay me, you really do." He said, wiping a pretend tear from his eye before frowning and crossing his arms over his chest, "Come on then. I'll give you the first shot."

"Gladly." Zoro growled and biting harder into his sword handle, he jumped forward.

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Ha, there you go. Luffy's been saved, and now the final battle begins. But will Zoro be able to beat Crocodile? Will Ace be able to protect Luffy? Ha, have to tune in next time. lol.

Oh, and I realize that the scene with the woman (I'll be damned if I can't remember her name!) and Zoro, and how she comes down on him at Whisky Peak and he just moves away, or well, grabs his bandana but meh, same diff. I just love that scene. And it's always fun seeing Zoro and Luffy trying to kick each other's butts. -grin-