Natural Justice
Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece
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"Let me ask you something, Niri," Fortune kept her eyes on the marine-turned-pirate-turned-marine-turned-pirate as her weapon charged again, "Why go back? Why go back to a life where there's a price on your head and people will hunt you down just to collect on that? Why go back to a life where as a pirate, you either face life in prison or execution once you're caught? Why give up the life your father wanted for you and-,"
"Truth be told, I'm not even sure my father wanted me to be a Marine. Sure, he taught me how to use his pistol, as well as many other things, but he never really said that I should become a Marine like he was. I think that all my father wanted for me in life was to be happy and to have a great future," Niri stared Fortune down, a thoughtful look on her face, "And...if I have to give up my mission to make him proud as a Marine, then so be it. I may not deliver Absolute Justice, as most Marines do, but I'll deliver my own kind of Justice to the world,"
"And what kind of Justice would that be?"
What kind of Justice would I deliver to the world...heh...last time I heard that question was...
-Flashback-
"GAH!"
Niri hit the floor hard, her own blood flying into the air before landing on her uniform as Siamon stood over her, shaking her blood off his fist.
"Still lack skills in hand-to-hand combat, I see," the merman Marine shook his head, "You've been to the firing range...,"
"Is my fighting skills really that crappy?" Niri asked before spitting out some blood.
Siamon shook his head, "No...past few weeks, I've been hearing your old man's pistol every night. I'm surprised that Ashton's own gun hasn't kept some of awake at night," he walked over and held out a hand, "C'mon, kid, get to your feet,"
Niri eyed him warily before taking his hand. Siamon hauled her to her feet and looked her over, "Eh, you'll live...worse come to worse, just slap a cold steak on it,"
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind,"
After that bit of info, her training for the day ended and Niri walked around the base, talking with her superior office.
"I just don't get all this talk about different Justices," Niri scratched her head, "I mean, there's only one kind of Justice in the world, isn't there?"
Siamon chuckled, "A rookie thought, Niri. You see, while there is Justice in the world, there are different types of Justice in the world. One that most Marines and most of the World Government is 'Absolute Justice'...that can drive a man to pure insanity,"
"How come?" Niri looked up at him, confused, "Absolute Justice means that anyone committing a crime against the World Government will be captured and punished, right?"
Coming to a stop, the merman sighed and shook his head, "Rookies...," he took a deep breath and turned to her, leaning against the wall, "Absolute Justice means that while criminals will be punished when arrested, it also means that anyone associated with the criminals, will be punished as well. If something needs to be done, like killing innocent people, people who had nothing to do with the criminals except be in the same area as the criminal, it will be done! Many, many, many innocent people have died in the name of Absolute Justice, Niri...that is what Absolute Justice is,"
Niri stared at him, jaw hanging, speechless for a few moments before coming to her senses, "Uh-uhm...uh...w-w-well, if that's Absolute Justice, what are the other types of Justice?" she stammered.
Siamon pointed a finger at her, "That's up to the individual, kid. For example, you know of Admiral Aokiji, right?"
"Isn't he the Marine Admiral who ate the Hie Hie no Mi?"
"Right, well...he personally believes in a type of Justice called 'Lazy Justice' while his fellow Admiral, Admiral Akainu believes in Absolute Justice,"
Niri bit the inside of her mouth and looked away, "Hmm...," she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "What Justice do you think I should believe in, sir?"
Siamon shook his head and bent down to her level, since as a merman, he was much taller. He smiled and placed a webbed hand on her head, "That's not up to me, Niri...that's up to you. The question you should be asking yourself is this: 'What kind of Justice will I deliver to the world?'. Me?" he shrugged, "I want good people to be free, and when I can see what pirates or other outlaws are inside, I deal with them," he sniffed, wiping his nose, "I call my belief 'Swift Justice',"
-End Flashback-
Another loud whining sound made Niri snap back to the real world. Without a second thought, she fell to her stomach seconds before another blast from Fortune's rail gun, Lady Luck, shot another round and blew the wall behind her out like the first one.
The former Marine growled, "Dammit...I gotta keep my head in this or else I'll have a hole in my body the size of Herman's fist!"
"I'd stay down if I were you, Zolaro," Fortune suggested, "Just lay there and surrender, make it easier on yourself,"
Niri shot a glare at her, "I don't give up!"
But at the moment, it doesn't look like I have much choice! she thought, eyes never leaving her target, ...that thing can demolish a wall in seconds, but it looks like it takes awhile to reload or whatever the hell that things does!
"What's the matter, don't want to fight?" Fortune asked in a slight taunting tone, "You just stand there either talking or staring into space, and then dodge my attack when it comes," she shook her head, "I expected a better battle from the daughter of the Captain Zolaro!"
Niri scowled, "You want a fight? Fine, I'll give you a fight!" she reached down to her holsters and grabbed the gun she "acquired" as a prize from Mr 5 back at Little Garden, "Let's go!"
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Axe removed his hat and slapped it against his leg as he looked up at the tall building in front of him. Roog was in there, that much he can tell right off, and he was going to take him on whether he came down and faced him or Axe went up there to challenge him.
Sighing, Axe put his hat back on and looked at the wall in front of him. He knew that there were many walls in Slayheim, there always were with prisons and fortresses, and he had to get through them to get to where he needed to go.
"Tekkai 'Juggernaut' !"
His body hardened by the Rokushiki skill, Axe broke into a run and went right through the walls ahead, leaving large holes in his wake.
"Roog...I'm coming for ya!"
-----
Niri sought refuge behind a large pile of rubble as she reloaded her pistol, her shotgun was low as well, but the nearest pile of ammo was on the other side of the armory. As she sat there, she tried to think of a way to beat Fortune and her strange, but immensely powerful weapon.
I don't wanna kill her, she's just doing her job... Niri bit her bottom lip ...I could try taking out the rail gun, but the chances of me getting a shot off and actually damaging it seems very slim! Niri tapped her head a little hard, C'mon, Niri, think! What can you do to win this and not have a hole blasted in your stomach?
"Come on out, babe!" Fortune called from the other side of the armory, "Sooner or later, I'm gonna ruin those good looks of yours,"
Niri's eyebrow twitched and she shot to her feet, glaring at Fortune, "Alright, that is it! At first, I didn't seem to mind it, but you've pushed me! I am not into girls, alright?! It's fine if you are, I don't care, but for the record, I am straight, so you can forget the sweet talk!"
Fortune just stared silently at her and Niri could tell that she probably shouldn't have said that to a strange woman who carried a weapon of devastating power.
"You're so frickin' dead!" Fortune aimed Lady Luck again, the rail gun whining again.
Niri cursed, Shit! I don't have much time until the next shot and I still dunno how to win this without killing her! That damn gun has a lot of power, but it needs some time to draw it's power and recharge...! Niri grinned smugly, "That's it...,"
To her surprise, Fortune watched as Niri began running to her and Lady Luck, which was nearly fully charged and reloaded.
What the hell? She must be suicidal! Fortune grimaced and stepped back, hoping to get a clean shot, Have fun in the next life, Zolaro!
As soon as it was ready, Fortune fired off a her final shot from her rail gun, and was sure that Niri would be pushed back with the slug in her gut, but something amazing happened! To Fortune, it all happened in slow motion. Moments before she pulled the trigger to her rail gun, Niri leapt into the air and over the weapon just as it fired, the slug passing centimeters under her stomach. Fortune looked up and watched as Niri aimed her shotgun right at her and closed her eyes, waiting for the moment of death to come.
BOOM!
Fortune cried out and flinched as the boomstick roared in the armory. She expected to feel pain, to feel blood running down her body, but she didn't feel anything. She did hear something though: a loud, crackling, sizzling sound from behind. Opening her eyes, Fortune looked over her shoulder to see the power pack to the rail gun, which was strapped to her back, had numerous holes in it, electricity sparking outward. Quickly, Fortune looked back at her weapon and realized that it wasn't making any of it's normal sounds. It was completely dead, with no power charging it up whatsoever.
"The only enemies I kill are the ones who deserve Justice," Niri's voice said from behind, accompanied by the sound of shotgun shells sliding into the weapon, "When I face Marines in battle, I never kill them, I only wound or disarm them because they haven't done a thing to deserve my kind of Justice, and I consider them to be my brethren, even as a pirate,"
Fortune sighed and fell to a knee, knowing that with her weapon disabled, she wouldn't be able to go up against a fully armed opponent. She could hear Niri walk up to her from behind and she closed her eyes again.
"Niri...can I ask you something?"
"No, I'm still straight,"
Fortune laughed, "No...no...that's not it. At the start of this, when you said that you would deliver your own kind of Justice to the world...what kind of Justice were you talking ab-?" Fortune never got to finish her question because Niri rammed the butt of her shotgun into the Marine's neck, knocking her out cold.
Niri looked down at the unconscious Marine for a few moments as the sounds of riot and the prison break came back to her. With her time with Fortune, she had completely drowned out the other noise and distractions, keeping her senses focused on the fight. That, combined with her incredibly lucky timing, she was able to disarm Fortune by destroying the battery pack to the rail gun.
The former Marine turned on her heel and began to leave the armory, everything that she needed with her, when she stopped at the armory's doorway.
"When a crime against the innocent is committed, and the law cannot bring it to the light, it's only natural that one makes sure that the ones who did the crime pays accordingly. Some people say that it is vengeance, or even some kind of punishment, these kind of actions, but I do not call them that," she turned and took one last look at the unconscious Marine, "My kind of Justice has a name and it is called 'Natural Justice',"
She turned and left the armory, ready to join the fight with her nakama and the other outlaws.
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Kilnorc: Okay, Niri's is done! I had some trouble with this one...for some reason, I can't do gunbattles well. I think I need to look at certain films or anime to get a feel for gunfights, ya know? Well, anyhoo, I hope it was enjoyable, and before I go, I have two things to say.
For one, Axe's newly revealed Tekkai technique allows him to move while using Tekkai, and in doing so, he can go right through very thick walls or even through a large crowd of enemies without stopping. Inspired by the mutant Juggernaut from X-Men
Secondly, Niri's brand of Justice seemed right to me, as she helps the good and the innocent, but she usually ends up killing people who are evil and hurt the innocent. This reminded me alot of The Punisher, which is an excellent movie, and that movie is where the term "Natural Justice" comes from.
On the next chapter of Dead or Alive...
Dusty: Damn, this guy's fast! Hell of a jumper, too!
Atreyu: You're not leaving here alive, Pirate! I don't care if I have to rip your heart out, you're staying here!
Dusty: Dude, get some therapy or something!
Atreyu: Raptor Chomp!
Dusty: OW! MY TAIL!
Don't Feed the Dino!
Dusty: I wish I had a Rumble Ball!!!