I swear that the songs are harder than the chapters. I just thought that this one would be good for this chapter for some reason when I was listening to it the other day.
'Soldier' by Amba Shepherd. Not mine!
If you feel that all hope is gone
Soldier, soldier on
If you feel that all hope is gone
Dig deep, soldier on
I'll be here to catch you if you fall
Reach out, hold on!
I know you're a fighter and you're so strong
Solider, soldier on
Hold on!
I was running all over the place for the lyrics because I wanted a certain part, but this was the best I can do. And I think it actually covers it pretty well. Wait, are these the entire song? Probably.
Disclaimer: Anything One Piece or Harry Potter related, not mine.
Claimer: Atticus and Estrella are mine, though.
Here the Chapter Starts
While he has heard that carnivore class zoan types are larger and more dangerous, he did not expect this. The largest zoans he ever really saw were the four at Impel Down during that one trip he took with his father. They were massive, unlocked zoan types. In fact, he doubts they remember having human forms or being able to speak.
Lucci, though, has not lost himself to his zoan ability like those Impel zoan guards have. He is a massive leopard towering over the lot of them, his twitching tail showing his agitation. After all, he did just announce that fire will soon engulf the building. And Robin, even after she was told that the others are fully aware of why she is leaving, refuses to come back to them still.
Robin had already fled out the window, growing limbs around Estrella to stop the agathodemon from snatching her and flying away. Which is what she was supposed to do if Robin did still go along with CP9, but he did not take measures to make sure Robin couldn't tangle her up. Which his serpent is going to be mad at him for, but this will have to play out.
Luffy has to know just what kind of opponents that World Government can throw at him if he makes himself a big enough threat. He has to know that there will be situations where lives will be endangered, he will be faced with unknown opponents with unknown abilities. He may be teaching them a bit of Haki, but their amateur training will mean nothing if they don't realize just how serious the world is.
Not everything is a fun adventure where they beat up the bad guy and get away scot-free.
"Watch out for their Rokushiki," he warned as he darted to the window. "Estrella and I are going after Robin! Don't die!"
"Not so fast!" Kaku shot to stand in front of the teen, blade ready to strike.
"Get the hell out of my way!" Atticus roared, hand held out. "Remove!" The Parseltongue spell was not one the agent was exposed to when they had the fight down in the shipyard. Though he still dodged, which gave Atticus a split second to jump through the window.
"Leave him," he heard Lucci order.
Estrella lifted off the ground after the limbs holding her disappeared in a flurry of pink petals, the serpent quickly rising to catch her master and take off in the direction she saw Robin go. Behind him, fire erupted from the base floor, quickly rising up. Then the roof of the HQ started crumbling down.
"They'll be fine," Estrella reassured. "They're a tough lot."
"I know, but I worry," he confessed. "We know what the World Government has locked away or bound in their chains. They don't. As much as they have experienced, as much as they have seen, they're still just kids."
"So are you," she reminded. "Where do you think Robin went?"
"The only place she can go to get off this island with CP9," the blonde replied, taking her reins and tugging them towards the Blue Station. "The Puffing Tom is where she will be. And she will be far from alone."
"This wind will make it more difficult to get here unless I fly lower," the agathodemon pointed out, already descending closer to the watery streets of the city. "The buildings can block some of it."
"And it would make it harder for Lucci and his minions to spot us unless they go right over us," Atticus added with a sigh. "With them around, he won't just let us go. He can only use Dad as an excuse for so long."
"I would think Cipher Pol wouldn't care about pissing off a Shichibukai," Estrella commented as she took a sharp turn around the corner, her tongue flicking out the taste the air for Robin's unique scent.
"They wouldn't," he confirmed.
His familiar suddenly stopped, using her wings to catch the air blowing against them in order to do so swiftly. Atticus grunted as he lunged forth, bracing himself with his arm against her neck to avoid headbutting the back of her head. He took a moment to look around, spotting a figure hiding in the shadows of an alley.
Sighing, he slid off his familiar before she eased herself to the rain soaked ground in order to watch. "Robin," he called out gently.
"Stop following me," she ordered. "You said you know why I'm doing this. So why are you still trying to stop me?"
"Because I know what is going to happen to you," the blonde replied then shrugged. "I know. You're giving yourself up so that we can leave without them coming after us. But that would only be a temporary relief. They will target us one day, soon enough. And you know that with Luffy being aware of the situation, he is going to fight for your freedom and your life."
"I don't want him to," Robin harshly stated, glaring at the tall teen with burning blue eyes. "Aokiji was right! I am a curse! One day, all of you will turn against me just as easily as everyone else has! I am alone in this world and I always will be! I do consider you friends, which is why I am doing this! So just let me be!"
"Okay," he agreed quickly.
Robin blinked in surprise with a soft gasp. That was too easy. Atticus always acted on protecting the crew. It is his mindset, she realized, to adopt those he deems close to him as his family, which he protects to the best of his abilities.
No, there is a catch. There must be. Atticus wouldn't let anyone he calls 'nakama' go so easily.
"Go," he told her with a jerk of his head in the direction to the station. Noticing her look, he smirked. "I do have an ulterior motive, though. One, I kind of want to see just how fearless Luffy is, just how far he will go to save his nakama. Two, your eyes are going to be open.
"No one is alone in this world. And we're going to prove it to you."
Her breath hitched as she stepped away, the familiar words running amok in her mind. Yet her mind was already made up, though her heart almost seized and her throat tightened, threatening to choke. "You all should just stay away. If you do care, then you'll respect my wish."
"We're not genies," he reminded playfully. "Just keep in mind, Robin. They are going to take you to Enies Lobby. Luffy will follow. We will all follow. And when they try to take you across that bridge, to the Gates of Justice, Estrella and I will be waiting to take you back."
Puru-puru-puru… puru-puru-puru…
Eyes stayed on each other as the den-den mushi in the bag Estrella carried rung, filling the momentary silence between them.
Puru-puru-puru… puru-puru-puru…
"I'm going to turn around and answer that for a second," he informed.
Puru-puru-puru… puru-puru-puru…
"And when I turn back around, you will have made your choice."
Puru-puru-puru… puru-puru-puru…
"Stay here… or make us chase you down and save you."
He turned towards Estrella, reaching into the bag and answering the persistent snail. "Atticus here," he answered boredly, leaning against his familiar while keeping his back to Robin.
"Justice will burn." A wispy voice, speaking as though the person is staring off into a zone only they could see while narrating what they are seeing.
"Aunt Luna? What are you talking about?"
"The lamb will hold on, then when sure her flock is safe, will fall. The flower will not wilt, but bloom greater than before in a bed of many."
His eyes narrowed in thought, turning the words over in his head to try and figure out the meaning. There was no doubt in his mind that she is having another vision, one that will involve him in some way. Whatever it was must have her concerned enough to contact and warn him about it. Usually, she slips in small messages in the middle of a conversation as faint warnings. This is one of the times where she went out of her way to actually warn someone.
"I'm not sure I understand completely, Auntie, but I'm sure I will figure things out," he told her gently. "Thank you for telling me." Grinning mischievously, he added, "Maybe next time you decide to warn me, you can say what you mean instead of being all cryptic."
He glanced at the snail inside the bag, seeing the dreamy smile on its face. "Why, Atticus, if I told you want I truly see, then you would never learn anything," Luna told him teasingly.
"Uh-huh, love you too, Auntie," he chuckled. "I really gotta go before this storm hits and tries to blow us away. Bye!"
"Bye, Atticus. We shall see you soon."
"What? When? Where?" he started to fire off, but the line was already disconnected. "The hell was she talking about right there?"
"I don't know, but Robin made her decision," Estrella pointed out, using her wing to indicate where the woman once was.
He hummed under his breath as he mounted his familiar once more. "The flower will bloom greater than before in a bed of many," he repeated. "The Flower… The Hana-Hana no Mi grows limbs like a plant grows leaves. And when Robin grows limbs and they disappear, they turn into flower petals. The Flower must be Robin. 'Blooms greater than before in a bed of many' must mean that…" He grinned wildly. "Oh, Lucci. You just tickled the sleeping dragon."
"Where to?" Estrella inquired.
"Find the tracks in the water and follow it all the way to Enies Lobby," he instructed. "The others will meet us there soon enough."
Here is a line!
The rain was cold, pelting them as they flew through the storm. Waves rose to meet them, but they were easily dodged. The tracks were difficult to see, but a faint shadow still lingered near the surface.
He had never been to Enies Lobby before. Neither had his parents or anyone they know beyond their personal mole. Apparently, Enies Lobby is the final stop in front of a Gate. When someone goes there, it is either because they are a marine stationed there for work, or a criminal about to give their final good-bye to their freedom. And they have to get there before Robin is gone forever.
This is a place where even having a man as powerful as Donquixote Doflamingo as a father will mean absolutely nothing. This is an island of justice, completely under the thumb of the World Government. Even the Shichibukai don't go there, unless absolutely necessary. According to the ones they actually have nice conversations with, that hasn't happened in years. It's just too close to a Gate of Justice for comfort, even though they pass through such gates to attend meetings at the Marine HQ. It's probably because this one is closest to Impel Down.
"Can you handle this storm if it gets worse?" he yelled over the roaring wind and piercing rain.
"If we're lucky," Estrella replied lowly, sharply rising to avoid a wave forming in front of her. "How far do you think Enies Lobby is?"
"Too far in weather like this," Atticus said with a sigh, laying flat against his familiar. "I heard Aqua Laguna was bad, but this is ridiculous!"
"If we die out here, your father will be pissed!" the agathodemon commented teasingly.
"Seriously! Mama may use the Resurrection Stone just to chew us out, then let Dad have a turn. Then everyone else!"
A whistle from behind caused the two to take a quick look behind them. With eyes snapping wide open, Estrella swiftly banked to the side, evading the train rushing by them.
"Grab hold of it!" Atticus ordered.
Her jaws clamped around the frame of one of the cars, though oddly enough there were only four cars. Her words were muffled, but Atticus figured she was inquiring about the short length of the seatrain. Four cars, plus the engine, was lacking quite a bit.
"We're hitching a ride," he told her, rubbing her jaw as she pulled herself to the roof, tightening her body to grab hold of as much as possible. Atticus slid off her, ducking under a wing that was half folded against her body. "The wind is too strong and slowing you down. This train is heading for Enies Lobby anyway, so we might as well."
Easing her jaw off and shaking her head to calm the ache, Estrella looked around for a moment before spotting a hole in the roof. "So… any thought on what that is about?"
"Not CP9 taking the will of the Mugiwara Pirates seriously," he chuckled, firmly rubbing his knuckles into her jaw to help. "Though that is a bit weird. Who put the hole here?"
Smoke suddenly burst from the hole before the car behind them broke away. Covering his mouth as he coughed into his hand, he leaned to the side enough to spot through the open door four individuals. One was definitely Robin, another Sanji, the third Usopp (though why he is wearing a mask and why he is here, Atticus wasn't sure), and the fourth was an unusually shaped man with blue hair.
That must be Franky, he surmised. If they're getting Robin and getting away before reaching Enies Lobby, the better it would be. But with one of the agents having a certain fruit, this is a pointless effort.
Instead of the devil fruit being used, thorny whips grasped the disconnected car then yanked it back to them. One of the agents got between the cars, holding them in place. Sanji kicked the man, but he didn't react. Then he hit him again and the agent staggered.
"Alright, enough is enough," he sighed as Robin summoned more arms to incapacitate Usopp.
Estrella, however, wrapped her wing around her master and held him down. "They don't know we're here yet," she pointed out. "Robin is going to go back to them no matter what we do. It would be better if we hitch a ride the rest of the way then we can help her once we are in a more stable element."
He groaned under his breath, watching the others try to keep Robin with them despite her refusing and the cars splitting apart again. "This actually sucks more than I thought it would," he complained, gritting his teeth.
"They need to be aware," his serpent reminded. "This may just be the worst wake-up call they can get. It is either this, or we draw Akainu close to them. Which would you prefer?"
"To face Akainu, they need to be a lot stronger," Atticus remarked with a growl. "Fine. We'll stay put. Hold on tight and be ready for battle. The others won't be far behind."
Here is a line!
The train finally stopped, light pouring down from the hole in the clouds and illuminating the entire island. Guards, marines, and minor Cipher Pol agents were littered all over the front gate, definitely a lot more on the island.
"Are we testing their intelligence with this stunt?" Estrella sighed as she coiled on top of the train, her wings half folded as though she were impersonating a chair.
Atticus was sitting on her coils, his sunglasses covering his eyes and his feathered vest on. "Let's hope they're as stupid as they look," he explained.
"The other agents have seen you," she pointed out.
"And Dad will be called and he'll play along because he does that just to mess with people's heads," he reassured just as a guard noticed him and yelled out for his attention. "Show time!"
"Hey, there's some weird snake and a kid on the roof!" the marine yelled out, drawing the attention of the rest and the agents, Robin looking over as well in shock.
"Sesesese, no need for the hostilities," he chuckled, holding his unarmed hands up.
"I beg to differ," Kaku replied. "You are one of the Mugiwara Pirates."
Estrella hissed sharply, her fangs bared as her feathers started rising, much like a canine raising their hackles.
"That was before I got my own set of orders," he informed. "Feel free to call him, but word reached Shichibukai Donquixote Doflamingo about the capture of Nico Robin. Were I acting on behalf of the Mugiwara Pirates, I would be fighting to free her instead of talking. But as per the Shichibukai's orders, I am just here to help play guard."
"If that were true, you were oddly absent during the ride here," Kalifa pointed out, readjusting her glasses.
He cooed mockingly then grinned widely. "Does CP9 really need help handling a couple of prisoners and a single intruder?" he taunted. "I thought you could handle the situation well enough on your own. If you required my help, then you are much weaker than originally anticipated."
"You dare mock us!" Kaku growled.
"Enough," Lucci interrupted. "What concern does Doflamingo have in the matter of Nico Robin?"
"The same as everyone else," the blonde huffed, jumping down from the train and onto the ground. Estrella slid down gently, shaking her wings to rid them of the water from the storm. "With Nico Robin in custody, that means the risk of Pluton being resurrected. For you, that means the Mugiwara Pirates will be heading this way.
"As I know each and every member quite well, I know their abilities. Meaning against them, I am your best bet of you keeping her. Think of it this way, if you want. Through me, my father is helping maintain world peace and insuring that the weapon Pluton won't be out of government control."
Lucci narrowed his gaze then huffed in irritation. "Very well," he accepted.
"Lucci, he's-" Blueno started, but was cut off.
"We will be contacting Donquixote Doflamingo to confirm his story. If he says he knows nothing about it, then we will detain Donquixote Atticus and his serpent. If he confirms, then we leave him alone."
The marines and guards started whispering among themselves at the blonde's name, some hearing rumors of Doflamingo having a wife and son, but never thought of seeing either of them. Atticus, however, grinned widely. He knows, as does Lucci, that his father will confirm his story if only to keep the teenager out of Impel Down.
"We will request the chief to call him as soon as possible in order to confirm the story," Lucci stated. "For now, you will travel behind us with Nico Robin in front of us. That way, should you try anything, know that you will be detained swiftly."
"Noted!" Atticus laughed, shaking his head. "Sesesese, try to relax a little bit! I'm just doing a job right now then I'm off to do my own stuff once again!"
"How do the Shichibukai already know about this?" Blueno inquired.
"I never said they did, just my father," he answered. "And it's because I answered a call and may have said what was going on. You can ask Robin about the call. She was there when the snail starting ringing."
"Is Doflamingo going to be able to keep up with your story if you keep spilling too much? He doesn't even know what you're up to right now, or what you're saying!" Estrella hissed sharply.
"He'll know," Atticus reassured, rubbing her chin. He glanced to the bag where the den-den mushi normally rested in, the receiver off the snail and a smirk dancing on its lips. The snail out of sight from everyone, the person on the other end of the line was listening to every word without making a sound. As soon as his Corazon has the information he needs, he will call Doflamingo in order to pass the information along.
While he could have simply called his father and cut out the middleman, Corazon needed to talk to Doflamingo about another matter. It was apparently important in some way, but Atticus didn't ask.
As the agents started walking away, one or two glancing behind to him, he muttered lowly, "Pass it on, Corazon." A small hum of affirmation before the snail let out a soft snore, usually a signal that the call is ended. Estrella lowered to the ground close to him, using her head to block him from view just long enough for him to reach into the bag and hang the receiver up.
His Corazon will pass the information along before they reach the Tower. He supposes he'll just see if the chief is stupid enough to take his word over the matter, or if he would be smart enough to double-check the story.
Here is a line!
Luna smiled as the snail begun to ring, Doflamingo staring at it for a while if only to annoy whoever was at the other end for not answering sooner. He earned a swat from Evelyn for it, his wife not even looking up from the book she was reading as she did so since she is currently sitting on his lap.
"It's the failed justice," she informed.
"Oh, I like that one," Gladius commented, putting his freshly cleaned weapon back together.
"Agreed," Doflamingo said with a grin as he finally answered the den-den mushi. "Whoever this is, you better have the right number. I'm getting tired of wrong numbers."
"There was only three this month," Evelyn sighed, flipping a page.
"Donquixote Doflamingo of the Shichibukai, this is Chief Spandam of CP9," the other informed.
"Wait, before I have to listen to your voice for longer than necessary, let me guess what this call is about," the blonde said, rubbing his ear mockingly, though knew the other man couldn't see it. Such an annoying voice, genetics were not kind to this one. "I assume this is about my son, Atticus, aiding in the escort of Nico Robin and insuring that she remains in government hands until she is taken to Impel Down or Marine HQ. I gave him the order, seeing as he would be a valuable asset should the rumors I hear about the Mugiwara Pirates be true. And according to my son, they are very much true.
"You will need him, whether you accept that or not. Now, I am very busy at the moment, so if that is all, then this call is over." The man at the other end sputtered to try and say something else, but Doflamingo hung up with a cheeky grin stretching his lips.
Evelyn looked up at him and poked his chin. "You enjoyed that," she accused.
"Fufufufu, very much!"
Here the Chapter Ends
Okay, next chapter will be up in three weeks! ^^ Because I am juggling way too many stories and trying to keep Sunday updates going. And I'm running out of chapters! D8
Okay, time for a stay-cation from work so that I can write, write, write, and write some more!
Let me know what you all think! Ja ne, minna-san! See you guess next time!