Chapter 33

Fighting Demons

Mari gently swayed on the swing as Luffy pushed her. Brook played music while Usopp, Franky and chopper danced. Nami and Robin clapped along and Sanji served refreshment drinks. Zoro had fallen asleep in his tower. She tipped her head back, letting the white locks flow down onto the grass. She looked right up at Luffy who was looking down at her. A smile touched her lips and he leaned down slowly; his own lips a breath away from hers. She held her breath. Heart beating wildly she could feel the heat rushing up from her chest to her face. He grinned and kissed her cheek. The blush took over her face and someone gave a catcall. She sat back up and Luffy laughed behind her.

Dinner was delicious. Sanji made a celebration meal and everyone dug in. Brook regaled them with tales of his time on the seas and Luffy laughed so hard he spit out food. Mari chuckled and discussed the weather with Nami who remarked that as things were going they would be fine to relax for a while. After dinner everyone turned in early. Tired and ready to heal up after their ordeal. Mari slipped out of the room and made her way up top. She could hear the deep healing snores of everyone and was comforted by it.

The moon was beautiful. It shined brightly and allowed her to get to the side of the ship safely. She chose to go barefoot so the grass on her feet felt so nice. She swung her legs over the side of the ship and sat on the railing. Sunny swayed lightly against the current. Zoro had elected to take first watch but she knew he was sleeping. She had been worried about him. But he shrugged it off saying he was a warrior. He could not be weak. She still needled him until she finally gave up. He didn't even get angry about it.

Mari watched the dark waves for a while and sighed deeply.

"You know Luffy; I never thought I would be able to do this. Just sit here and relax." She looked up to the moon.

He sat beside her and looked up too.

"When you left me on Sunny I wanted to join you all so badly. I could see all the things you would do and the trouble you would get into and I was terrified. I wanted to protect you. From Moira and from Oars. But I couldn't. You could have died. And where was I? Lying down."

He looked at her.

"I know. I shouldn't be thinking like that. I should have faith in you and trust you can fight your own battles." She smiled. "You are so strong. But there will be men who are stronger. I fear for you. Even I won't take some of them on. And I'm over powered." She shook her head. "But you are brave Luffy. Reckless but brave."

"Mari…" He sighed.

She looked at him.

"Don't worry. I'll always get back up. No matter how many times I'm knocked down." He told her.

She nodded. He was right. She was comforted by his confidence and his arm went around her to pull her close. She pressed her head into his shoulder and took comfort in his warmth.

"You know. I think…we should go fishing tomorrow." Mari smiled.

"Sure thing." Luffy chuckled.

xxXxx

They fished most of the morning away. Laughing and trying to bump each others poles. She cried foul play when he managed to knock her pole from her hands and he laughed and called her butter fingers. Usopp yelled at Luffy for losing a pole until Mari simply returned it with her water powers. To which he asked her why she even bothered to fish if she could do that. The laughter that followed annoyed Zoro who poked his head out to tell them to keep it down. Mariette laughed more and pulled up a huge fish. Luffy made her drop it back when he tickled her side. She gave him a mean look to which he laughed about and then, dove into the water. Luffy tried to grab her but she was gone. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He couldn't go into the water, but she had water fruit powers. He waited to see if he needed to get someone to save her. He didn't. She came out of the water like it was parting around her holding the fish in her hands.

Nami and Robin asked her to join in on their sun bathing later that day. Usopp and Franky went back to tinkering together. Sanji was working on lunch. Luffy fished with Chopper and Brook. Zoro stayed in his tower. The first shot landed too far from them to cause damage. But had them sitting up and looking for the shooter. The second shot was closer, so close that water flew onto the deck. They located the shooter. An unmarked ship was firing on them. Mari rushed over to the side of the ship. Nami and Robin rushed to go get clothes on.

"Hey! That's not nice!" Mari bellowed from the side of the ship blue eyes shooting fire. Luffy rushed over and stood beside her, his dark eyes looked down at her. Since the girls were sun bathing they all wore swim suits. And Mari's was really cute on her. She looked up at him and her face burst into a blush. "Luffy! Now is not the time!" She tried to cover her body. Her hair flew around her waist but didn't do much to hide her gentle curves and cute bathing suit.

He laughed and looked up to see another cannon ball coming right for them. Mari stuck her hand out.

"Shell shell shield!" She bellowed. Over them a shield of multicolored scales appeared. It grew tall and wide and the cannon ball smashed into it. They would see the pieces flying as the explosion broke it. The flames crawled over the shield but never got past.

Luffy folded his arms and grinned. "Zoro! Franky! Usopp! Take 'em out."

They appeared around him and Mari. Usopp took aim and shot at the next cannon, it exploded in the air and Zoro removed his blades, his new sword flashed in the sunlight. Franky aimed as well. Shots were fired back and forth. Mari stood with her hands on the railing and watching intently trying to see if she could see anyone. the ship was unmarked, but there had to be some sign. A flash! A person! Yes, now could she see them?

"Luffy, its Spandam! He's caught up!" Mari cried out turning to Luffy.

"Mari go get dressed. We will meet them on the field of battle." Luffy told her not even looking to her.

She bit her lip. Luffy and the others had already beaten Lucci and others of CP9 once. They could do it again. She nodded and rushed to get dressed. Nami and Robin were returning to the deck and met her in the hall. They grinned and nodded to her. No one was worried. And that fact calmed her. Why would they be worried? The enemy they faced was one they had defeated once. They were strong enough to defeat them again. She dressed quickly, as she returned to the deck she passed Chopper who was returning to his infirmary.

"Mari, be careful. I know you don't want to talk about it but you need to not over do it. You could lose control. We don't want you to turn out like Corke. Destroyed by your own power." He told her.

Mari nodded. "Don't worry Chopper. Boris never gave me the same fruit as the others. I'll be fine." She told him. Wishing she was telling the truth. Even she could feel it. Something was going on inside her now. She wasn't sure what it was quite yet.

Once she was on deck she noticed that they had allowed the ship to get close. What were they doing? She rushed back to Luffy's side and watched.

"Mari, stay here okay? You stay where they can see you. Trust me. I will protect you. I saved Robin from him and I will save you."

She nodded and held her hands clasped before her as they approached. She could see Lucci and the others. But there was no Spandam. She wondered if he was sitting in the back like usual.

"Luffy of the Straw Hats. You have Project Athena. You have five minutes to hand her over or your entire ship and crew will be destroyed." Lucci stated.

"Project Athena?" Luffy tilted his head to the side.

Mari almost backed up. No one but Boris ever called her that. "Luffy...they are...they work for Boris..." She told him. "Boris calls me Project Athena."

Luffy frowned. "That is not your name."

"No, Boris didn't care what my real name was. He...still doesn't know it. I'm just an experiment to him." Mari looked down.

Luffy was greatly angered by this. He stalked towards the other ship angrily. "I kicked your ass once and I will kick it again. And then you can run back to the pirate of yours and tell him Mari will be staying with us, indefinitely."

Mari felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at Brook.

"Luffy will protect you. He is a good man."

She smiled at him and nodded. "Yes." She stated. Brook was right.

"Now, may I see your panties?"

Mari chuckled. His head bent forward hard and Nami's leg rested on his great afro.

"Knock it off pervert!" She grumbled. "Go be useful and help them fight."

Mari winked at Brook as he stood up straight and fixed his clothes. She couldn't tell if he was grinning but she felt he was.

"Right away Miss Nami!" He walked off in a rush.

"Why do I get the feeling he's more powerful than he seems at first glance?" Mari asked.

Nami shrugged at her side. "Eh, probably cause he is. On Thriller Bark he was quite skilled. Though I wonder if its just a fluke." Nami smiled. They watched the m men carefully.

Luffy stood on the railing now and glared at Lucci. In return the man stared at him. There was something different about him to Luffy. He didn't get the same feeling from him as before. There was a period of silence and then, Lucci made the first move. He was quick, but not was quick as before. Luffy took up a stance as Lucci pulled out a...was that a gun?

"What the-!?"

Bang!

Luffy's body jolted. He stood there for a long moment and then looked down. Lodged in his shoulder was a shining blue bullet. Mari gave a cry. His mouth opened and he let out a massive howl.

"OOOwowowowowowowowwwwoooooooowwwwww!" He began to hop around and covered his shoulder trying to stop the pain. "You shot me! Why the hell did you shoot me?!" Luffy slammed back on the deck.

"Luffy!" Mari began to rush forward but Luffy stopped her.

"Don't move from that spot! Ow! I got this!" He winced in pain, blood seeped between his fingers.

"Luffy you need to stop the blood flow! That bullet needs to come out." Mari tried to take another step but Nami grabbed her.

"Chopper will take care of him." Nami told her.

Sure enough Chopper came running. But Lucci was not going to wait. He had already jumped into the railing and was taking aim again. Luffy rolled around on the deck in pain.

"NO!" Mari screamed and threw out her hand. If she could not move from this spot then she would simply fight from a distance. "Shell Shell!"

Bang!

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mari screamed unable to finish her abilities name.

Tink! The bullet glanced off a sword. Zoro stood over Luffy, blades at the ready.

"Fighting dirty eh? Well, I will be your opponent then." Zoro spat.

"Zoro, he's mine! Owowowow!" Luffy fought Chopper's hold. Robin helped Chopper by holding Luffy down with several hands.

"Sorry Luffy, but your hands are kind of full right now. Besides, they are not the people we fought last time. Isn't that right Mari?"

Mari nodded. Her voice was gone for a moment, she thought her heart was going to quick working when she saw that bullet going for Luffy.

"They are clones. Which explains everything really. Spandam is working with Boris and purchased clones that looked like his former CP9 group. But I thought it was strange, because I had heard they were fired. It also explains how Ace knew Spandam had tried to hire me to kill you. Spandam likes to boast a lot and tell lies."

"Ace knew?" Luffy asked. "No wonder he was so interested in you." Luffy looked over at Mari.

"Yes, he wanted to make sure I wouldn't hurt you. I assured him I would not." She smiled at him.

"Mari, you couldn't hurt a fly." Luffy grinned.

She frowned at him. "I will have you know Monkey D. Luffy I may not hurt a fly but I can sure beat you to a pulp." She put her hands on her hips.

He just grinned at her. Then winced in pain. Lucci and the other clones did not waste time while they talked. They began to attack. Everyone took up a fighter. Franky took on Jabra, Zoro took on Lucci, Brook took on Kaku and Usopp took on Kalifa. Sanji arrived on deck during the storm of attacks and frowned.

"Sanji! Good timing, could you help me get Luffy to the infirmary? There is sea stone in his shoulder and neither Robin or I can get it out. I will need your help."

Sanji sauntered over. "Alright." He lifted Luffy as soon as Robin let him go.

"No I want to stay here! I have to fight." Luffy weakly tried to get down.

"Yeah yeah, you are not going to fight anyone in your condition. Let Chopper heal you first idiot." Sanji easily carried him off.

"Mari you stay put! I will be back when they are done." Luffy called.

She huffed in annoyance. How long was she supposed to just stand here? She folded her arms and went back to watching the others fight. Lucci had run out of bullets and was now attacking with a blade. The real Lucci would not need either. she noticed someone was missing though and looked around confused. Robin was staying back but someone else was...Brook. She looked back to the others and frowned. And then felt something behind her. She whirled around and there stood Brook with his hands poised to lift both her and Nami's skirts. Nami turned too and together as if they practiced it they slapped his face. He jumped back and laughed.

"Oh my face! My skin is on fire!" He cried. "Or it would be if I have skin but I'm just bones!" He chortled.

Mari and Nami shook their heads.

"Incorrigible really."

"Pain in the ass is what he is."

"I thought you were fighting Kaku." Mari frowned at him.

"I'm done. These clones are very easy to beat." He removed his guitar from seemingly nowhere. "I just cut it in half and it crumpled like a sand castle." He shrugged and played a few cords.

Mari looked at Nami.

"Luck."

"Definitely luck."

The others were struggling a bit. Nami took pity on Usopp who was getting his butt kick. "I guess I will go fight her. Again." she sighed.

"Yahohoho!" Brook sang.

Mari shook her head and sat down. This was getting no where fast. But she was still worried. If Boris was making these weapons then he knew she was traveling with Luffy. It was a matter of time before they all caught up to her. And if what she could believe was true then Spandam was playing a hand in this as well. Did the government know or was he playing alone? Thoughts began to swirl as cannon fire could be heard in the distance. She sat up fast. What?! Her head whipped around to find where it was from. Another ship on the other side. This time, it was Forte.