Chapter 34

Great Fear

"Chopper hurry, I have to go back and fight! Get this thing out of me." Luffy tried to hold still he really did but it was hurting and he was itching to get back up to fight.

"Luffy, I can't touch this bullet. It's made from sea stone. That is why I have Sanji helping. You need to stay still or you will become weak from blood loss." Chopper pushed his chest until Luffy was lying down.

Luffy grimaced and let them work.

xxXxx

Mari bit her lip and debated on whether she should stay here or move. Forte and the clones had attacked. This was not a coincidence. They must be working together. Luffy was injured and the others were now fending off attacks from two sides. While she had to sit here and wait for Luffy to let her move. She put up shields to defend against the cannon blasts. But she had to transition between that and water attacks to fend off pirates who came near her. Even now, Nami was surrounded, Robin was surrounded and Brook had taken up a few battles himself again. Foregoing the music for now. Usopp even fought hard. She felt stuck in a rut.

"Why don't you fight Demon?" Forte asked her a few feet away. She frowned at him.

"Come at me. And I will." She stated, taking up a defensive stance.

Forte chuckled. "Not quite up to doing battle with you beast. That punk captain made me break my arm. But, don't you worry; I will be making you pay. Grab her." He stated and turned to go towards his ship.

"What?!" She turned to see a massive man had snuck up behind her. She had seen him before. On Forbidden Island. Sanji took him out in a few kicks. But Sanji was not here. "Demon Demon Axe!" She cried as he neared her. An axe made of the same material of her armour appeared, white and blue. A double sided war axe.

He chuckled. "Little girls shouldn't play with such clumsy weapons. Give it over and come peacefully why don't you."

"Mari!" Nami called out. "I'm coming!" She started forward swinging her Clima. But more men swarmed her almost as if they were blocking her.

"I gotcha!" Usopp tried to get past them too but they just kept coming.

"It seems their goal was Mariette all along!" Brook shouted above the others. "This does not bode well!"

Mari faced down the giant wall before her. Don't leave this spot. Damnit Luffy, could you give me any worse instructions? She cursed to herself. Making a girl have to fight in one place. She slid her hands along the axe's long metal shaft and gripped it resolutely. She would have to fight hard to stay put.

"Don't make me get rough with you little girl. I've been known to break weakling females like you."

She believed him. Of course she was not the breakable type. "Bring it."

He freaking brought it. She found it hard not to be mesmerized by the speed this man fought at. He was fast for a muscle bound brute. She never saw a weapon but each swing she made she felt and heard a metal on metal clash. She frowned and tried to watch his moves. She would have used the sight fruit but her axe would be gone. She struggled to push him away from her. He was pressing her to move and she could feel her calves shaking at the strain of staying put. She was going to have to move. But she didn't want to disobey Luffy. She had to show him she would stand firm with him. He wanted the enemy to see her. To know they would not be taking her even if she stood there and did not fight or run.

"What the hell are you doing?! Fight back already!" Zoro bellowed at her. "Don't just stand there."

"Luffy said not to move!" Mari barked back.

"Forget that nonsense! What, you plan to stand there when the ship goes down until he tells you to move? Respect him yeah but don't be an idiot!" Zoro slashed at Clone Lucci wildly and huffed as he tossed him back. His eyes met hers across the battle field. "Did he give you permission to die?"

Mari gasped and blocked an attack. He was right. Luffy wanted her to stay but she was not permitted to die either. Well, she would simply have to break one of those commands then. With a wicked grin that Zoro nodded at she swung her Axe hard and jumped. Huge muscles came at her to catch her but she somersaulted backwards and landed on the lush green of the yard. She looked up at him and saluted him goodbye with two fingers as she rushed to help the others. She hacked at the men attacking Usopp, they fell down or ran when she came near them. She smiled at Usopp and waved as she made her way to him. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

It all became slow then. Usopp's face turned sour fast. He opened his mouth, but she was already turning to defend from whatever was behind her that he saw. Her name rang in her ears as she saw muscles had made his way to her and swung at her hard. Though her body moved to defend it was too late. She figured it out as his fist slammed into her face. Those wrist bands, they covered the metal bracers he wore. Of course that was the last thong she thought coherently. His huge meaty fist connected with most of the side of her face and she was punched to the ground. Her whole body felt like it had been pushed down by gravity. Her axe skittered across the deck and melted into a pool of water. She felt disoriented and weak suddenly. She could hear muted laughter above her, blue eyes wide with shock looked up at him.

"Dumb girl. Did you think I was joking? My fists are like steal." He placed one fist on his hip and rose the other one in triumph.

Mari felt the copper taste of blood in her mouth and she pit it out at his feet. She struggled to stand, her arms were like jelly and her legs refused to move. She could hear everyone yelling her name through the fog her mind had made to block the pain. She was certain her face was going to be very bruised. He bent down and gripped her hair painfully. Mari winced ad tried to pull away but his grip was firm. She bit back a cry of pain when he lifted her by her hair and peered into her face. Blood leaked from the corner of her mouth.

"Now, Captain Forte has a special treat for you. Time to see what it is."

"MARI!" Robin screamed. She send hands to grab him but he completely ignored them as if they were not there, yanking free when they grabbed him as if they were nothing.

"Stop him!" Nami cried. Clone Kalifa kicked at her and she defended, unable to aid Mari.

Franky blasted several men away and jumped over others in a rush to save Mari. He was blocked by clone Jabra who was still trying to fight despite the holes in his body. Brook decided to take charge and he simply walked past the men around him. They fell to the ground seconds later. His intent was on the man walking away dragging Mari by her hair behind him.

"Yaho! I will save you Mari!" He picked up speed and charged at the muscle bound male.

He never turned around. A shot was fired and a net released. It stopped Brook in his tracks, sea stone covered the whole thing.

"Brook!" Mari cried and reached out to him. But he could not get back up. The stone sapped all of his strength.

"Damn!" Zoro growled and slashed wildly at he clone before him. This was taking too long. "Sorry, time is up." Zorro got into stance. "Three sword style should take care of a clone easy. Even one of that punk from before." Zoro commented just before Clone Lucci jumped at him. He let out a battle cry and sliced at the man. Clone Lucci staggered back and looked at his chest in shock. He had been cut deeply. Zoro was turning away when the clone spoke his final words.

"You are too late. We were told this would come to pass. Athena will be destroyed. A loss for sure. But Master Boris would rather have her dead than in the Government's clutches."

Zoro frowned. What the hell was he talking about? When he looked back the clone was already lifeless. Zoro rushed past the men around him. Something bad was happening. The muscle bound idiot was dragging Mari to the other ship. She weakly kicked and clawed. But she was stunned. He threw her to the deck at his Captain's feet and placed a sandaled foot on her stomach.

"Hello Demon." Forte bent down and peered into her face.

"You won't get away with this. Luffy will kick your ass." She she looked up at him defiantly.

"That may be, but you might be dead by the time that happened. Now, bring me the box!" He waved to two men nearby.

They rushed off to do so.

"Uh-oh, looks like those clones cant hold up. Horace, go stop that swordsman of theirs if you would be so kind."

"Right away captain." Horace rushed off to stop Zoro.

Mari rolled to stand, her stance was wobbly but she was getting her legs back. "Do you think I'd let you take me? I will die fighting you to the last breath in me."

"Don't worry, you wont die fighting. You will die...from self destruction. You see when Boris and I met, we had a long talk. I learned a few things about you. And then when I left, he gave me something interesting." A chest was set down beside him. "Said he forgot what it did." Forte kicked the lid open and revealed the large orange devil fruit sitting on a plush velvet grey pillow. "So I got to thinking that maybe I give it to my crew, see what it does. Maybe I give it to that brat of Boris's and see if he can handle two fruits. But no...you see while on the way here I decided. I'm gonna make you eat it."

He grinned after that confession. Mari watched in wide eyed fear as he lifted the fruit up and began to toss it in one hand.

"NO!" She cried. Not again, she wasn't going to eat those fruit again. Never! Just seeing it, knowing it was his creation, fear began to override her mind. She had to get away. She only saw Boris, just him, holding another fruit for her to eat, she cried out and stumbled back. "No!"

Forte was enjoying the fear that filled her eyes. He wanted wanted to put it there for so long. "Time to see what this can do." He approached her. Seems she had forgotten what power she had, because she only shook her head and whimpered. Remembering the past did that. She was weak now, like a child. He relished the power he held in his hand. However when he touched her, she began to scream bloody murder. He was shocked and stumbled back.

xxXxx

Luffy sat up when he heard her. "Mari? Is that Mari?" He listened closely. It was the screaming of a child but with Mari's voice.

Sanji had removed the sea stone bullet and Chopper finished sewing the wound shut. They both listened now.

"Luffy, Mari is screaming for someone to stop." Chopper frowned.

Luffy was off the bed and down the hall immediately. Sanji and Chopper rushing after him. When they hit the deck Luffy immediately looked for Mari. she was not where he had left her. She was on an enemy ship! He growled.

"MARI!" He charged.

"Tch! Wastes no time." Sanji grinned. "Hm? That muscle bound man? I see he returned. I'll go help Zoro." He stuck his hands in his pockets and took his sweet time getting there.

xxXxx

Forte kicked her hard on her side but the screaming continued. Her hands were gripping her head and she was curled up like a child. Ice had begun to form beneath her. Tears coursed down her pale cheeks, she looked like a little girl. He was about to deliver another kick to her when Luffy's bellow could be heard as he approached.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" He charged up the gang way that spanned their ships and the men who ran at him went flying instantly over the railings into the water.

Forte backed up as he reached them. Mari's screaming had dulled to whimpering and sobbing. Luffy sent Forte a glare that made him think that if looks could kill he'd be dead right now.

"Mari." Luffy softly spoke to her as he wrapped his arms around her body and pilled her close. Only sucking in a breath a little as he cold ice touched his skin. "Mari, listen to my voice. Come on. You are stronger than this." He stroked her hair, it was as if everything had stood still. No one else mattered at this moment. "Mari, come back. He can't hurt you here, in my arms, he will never hurt you again."

Forte was not going to sit by and watched like some idiot. "Kill them both!" He ordered.

Men rushed over to do just that. Blades headed straight for them. Blocked by four other blades and Nami's Clima. forte frowned. how had they?

"Don't interfere with our captain and Mari. We will take you on." Nami made a cutting motion with her thumb across her throat. "You wont get out easy."

"Yohohohohoho! Nami you are beautiful when you are scary!" Brook cheered.

"Tch, good thing that damn cook showed up when he did." Zoro tossed the man off his blades. "Now, time to kick your ass." He glared at Forte.

Forte frowned and backed up. His arm was broken and he was holding a devil fruit experiment. He could not fight back. He was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Luffy cradled Mari in his arms. Content to take all day if he needed to in order to bring her back to reality. She has stopped crying. That was a good sign he guessed. But she still shook and had not said anything to him yet.

"Mari, did I give you permission to cry?" He asked her seriously.

"Luffy, that's so rude!" Nami barked.

Mari snickered. Luffy smiled.

"I also didn't give you permission to lose to the enemy did I?" He asked her in mock seriousness.

She snickered again. "No Captain." She whispered.

"So what should your punishment be for disobeying me?"

"The rack?"

"The brig?"

"The plank perhaps?"

Luffy grinned. She was back.

"Luffy, the fruit...destroy it please. So it doesn't hurt anyone."

"You destroy it. You need to. I will kick his ass while you do it." He told her.

She nodded. They stood up and Forte saw a composed strong woman suddenly. Not a simpering child. He preferred the simpering.

"So, think you can get it from me?" He grinned.

"We will." Luffy stated cheerfully.

Mwahahah!

Savage Kill: Oh yeah. ;D