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CHAPTER 36: The Redtail Bandits (Part 2: Determination)

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Elder Kunui bowed his head, knowing that Robin had figured out the whereabouts of the Sangre Coral, blood ruby. "So, you were able to read the markings on the ruin walls after all..."

Robin swallowed. "I can't believe it... this whole time while the Redtail bandits have been looking for the Sangre Coral ruby, you had it all along."

Chopper looked up at Robin. "EH?! But how?!"

Elder held up his right palm and removed the bandages around it. Embedded in his palm was a large gem. Robin's eyes widened. "So the markings are true...! The blood ruby is passed down to the Elders."

He nodded. "I'm afraid so. We are the keepers of the ruby, my entire family, for many many generations. A special ceremony is held when we come of age and the gem is passed down to the next protector by surgically placing the ruby in our right palm."

"I-I don't understand..." Chopper said. "I thought the ruby was suppose to give unworldly power to whoever owns it."

"Only a woman can own it's power." Robin mentioned.

The Elder nodded. "I'm impressed with your knowledge from this little ruin alone, young lady. But yes, only a woman can possess the ruby. Which is why only male heirs were chosen to protect the stone."

"But why women?" Chopper asked.

"It is based off of a very old legend. There was a Goddess that came to Earth with a pink gem embedded in her forehead. She was envious of the humans and wanted to learn and live among them. But in those dark times, many wars raged upon the human world and it upset the Goddess. She found the hearts of men to be cruel and merciless and it angered her with each day. She released the gem's power unto the world and nearly destroyed everything. The Goddess was always and curious and sweet woman, so her sudden change in heart changed the ruby's power as well and was tainted with the blood of all the human souls it had destroyed. It then became the Sangre Coral and turned into the blood ruby it is now. It was then the Goddess decided to leave the ruby behind in the human world to the women so that if war was to come around again, it could be used to wipe everything out."

The deer nodded to his story. "But why only women?"

"The Goddess saw women and children the victims of war and so she pitied them. She never wanted anyone to be involved with such a horrible mess and so she entrusted women only to control the ruby's power. It is said she gave the ruby to our town's priestess, who was my ancestor."

"Which explains why it has been passed down in your family for generations." Robin noted.

The Elder nodded. "Our family have always trusted women to the ruby, but just in case they were blinded by greed and power, our ancestors decided to have male protectors so we could not be easily swayed."

Choppers ears twitched and he turned around to see what was behind him and noticed he was by the ruin's entrance. "Hmm... guess it was nothing."

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Lacy pointed at the figure and shook. "I-It's you...! How did you escape the World Government?!"

The figured smiled and posed. "My escape is well known even to you horrible Straw-Hat pirates."

Nami began to sweat and took a step back. "I-I can't believe you're still here!"

Luffy and the others looked at the girls with a raised eyebrow. "Who is that?"

Lacy put up her guard. "A member of the Barque Works: Miss Doublefinger!"

The woman laughed as she came further out from the shadows. She was a very tall slender woman with pouty lips and frizzy blue hair. She wore black skin tight pants that flared over her high heels. She wore black arm gloves and a thick choker. Instead of her spider-web halter top, she had a navy corset that wasn't completely tied in the front so a lot of cleavage was showing. She walked towards the pirates, the weird way she walked with her hips swaying dramatically from side to side and one foot directly in front of the other. "And how did you know I was a member of the Barque Works?" She asked innocently.

Lacy rolled her eyes, knowing she couldn't explain the real reason so she made up a logical one instead. "The Barque Works organization shattered when the Straw-Hat pirates took care of you guys one by one. So you made the pages in the paper. But you escaped?!"

She cackled. Yes, cackled. "Of course I did~ The stupidity of man always amazes me. All they need to see is some nude female skin and they are putty in your hands~."

In unison Nami and Lacy glared over at Sanji, understanding what she meant perfectly. Nami still looked at her nervously. "So what could you possibly want with the blood ruby?"

She raised an eyebrow. "The Sangre Coral? What else? To gain it's power and become irresistible to this world~!" Lacy tried to contain her laughter, but Miss Doublefinger noticed. "And is so funny, little girl?!"

She tried to be serious. Still failed. "Nothing, nothing. It's just that... well, can you really not think of any other reason to have it's power? I mean, becoming 'irresistible' is so cliché."

Sanji twirled with hearts in his eyes. "She's already irresistible to me~!! Ah~ how lovely she is~!"

Nami hit him over the head. "Shut up, baka! She's the enemy so for once don't drool! For God's sake she tried to kill me back in Alabasta!"

"Alabasta?!" Sanji stood back up and changed his expression. "That changes everything then. There's no way I can forgive her for hurting Nami-san."

Zoro rolled his eyes. "But there's no reason to waste our time with her when none of us know where that ruby is--"

"My Lady! My Lady!" A member of the Redtail bandits ran into the room and a large smile on his face. "Great news! We found the location of the ruby!"

Everyone's eyes went wide. "NANI?!"

Miss Doublefinger grinned from ear to ear. "Excellent!" She turned toward her two strongest men. "Furonto! Bakku! Go with him and fetch my ruby!"

They both bowed to her. "Yes, My Lady." And with that, they left in a flash.

"O-Oi!!" Luffy began to ran after them. "Sanji! Usopp! We've got to follow them! I have a feeling Robin and Chopper are in trouble!"

"Un!" Sanji and Usopp followed behind and ran after the men as fast as they could, leaving the others alone with Miss Doublefinger.

She laughed. "Do you honestly think you can stop my men from finding the ruby? I will have it's power!" She snapped her fingers and Redtail bandits came out from all corners of the room and lined up in front of her. "I have no time to waste with you. Get them."

The bandits obeyed and attacked. Nami took a step back and allowed Zoro and Lacy to fight them instead.

Lacy glared over at Zoro and let her guard drop. He noticed. "What are you doing?"

"Oh by all means please fight them. I'm sure you can handle it by yourself."

"Haah?! What are you talking about? What's gotten into you?!"

She huffed and backed off. "You can handle anything by yourself. So go for it."

"What brought this up--" Before he could finish his sentence, the men were on top of them and he fought them off. He looked over at Lacy who was casually looking at her fingernails and polishing them on her shirt while Nami just looked nervous back and forth between them. "Lacy! What gives?!"

"Hm? Oh I'm sorry I thought you were capable of fighting everyone off."

"What?! When did I ever--" He finally remembered. "Dammit Lacy! You know what I meant! I didn't even mention anything that was referred to men or women!"

She shrugged. "Sounded sexist to me."

He continued to fight the men off alone. "C'mon, Lacy! I was only saying we've done it a millions times. We've got a routine where Luffy and Sanji and I get the job done alone!"

"So you think I'm capable of fighting off a hoard of bad guys too?" She asked, her tone waiting for a confession.

"Of course! I know you're strong! Now help me!"

Satisfied, she joined in and quickly defeated the men with her ever improving kodachi skills. She looked over at him and taunted him with a victorious smile. "Apology accepted."

Miss Doublefinger sighed, as if already predicting their defeat. "I knew you were strong enough to defeat them, but the performance was terrible."

"We're not here to entertain you!" Nami snapped at her.

Her face twisted with anger the moment Nami spoke. "I cannot believe you are here standing before me after what you've done to me! A lesson well learned!" She extended her arm and a spike shot out and pierced Nami in the shoulder. She cried out in pain and fell back against a wall while she bled.

"Nami!!" Lacy ran over to her and examined her shoulder. "Y-You're going to be ok! It's just your shoulder, Chopper can fix this in a jiffy!" She looked back at Miss Doublefinger and saw half of her body had formed into spikes. "That's low aiming for her without a warning! Especially when you're holding a grudge!" She held Nami in her arms while she spoke.

She laughed. "I don't play by any honorable rules, silly girl!"

"Omae...!!" Zoro unsheathed his swords and charged at Miss Double finger. She shot spikes out at him, but he was able to cut through them and dodge the remaining spikes. He got close to her and aimed for her neck, but they turned into thick spikes and stopped his swords in their tracks. "Nani?!" He jumped back and caught his breath. "What the hell are you?"

That's right! He doesn't know what her ability is! Lacy remembered. "She ate the Toge Toge no Mi, Zoro! She can turn any part of her body into spikes and she can even extend and shorten its length! So be on your guard always!"

"Kuso!" He jumped back as she attacked him again with her spikes. "This is going to be very troublesome...!"

"Ugh...."

Lacy turned her attention back at Nami and saw that she had passed out in her arms. "Nami?! Nami!" She looked back at Zoro and Miss Doublefinger's fight. "Nami's passed out, Zoro! She's losing blood fast! We need Chopper here soon!"

"I'm a little busy right now!" Zoro huffed. Thanks to Miss Doublefinger's fruit ability, Zoro was having a hard time getting close to her. Plus her extendable spikes are even more worrisome. "Dammit! Take this!" He swung his fist at her, frustrated that his swords were doing nothing productive.

Lacy's eyes widened. "Zoro! Don't!"

Miss Doublefinger grinned. "Sea Urchin Stinger!!" She ducked and turned her hair into an afro of spikes and Zoro stabbed his own fist into them. He yelled in pain and rolled back as he held his bleeding hand.

"Baka! What the hell do you think you're doing?! I told you she can turn into spikes!"

"I know that!" He hissed in pain. "But if I'm going to do any damage to her I'm going to have to make sacrifices!"

"Oh really, Mr. Swordsman? Are you willing to make many sacrifices? Stinger Finger!" She turned her fingers into lances and charged at Zoro. He dodged, but was caught off guard when she threw spikes at him. He was cornered and growing weaker by the minutes from blood loss.

"Dammit...!" He groaned. "I've lost more blood than this and this pathetic hand wound is draining my energy?!"

Lacy realized what was happening. "Masaka...! Her drug...!"

Miss Doublefinger laughed. "I'm surprised you know about that girlie~ But yes, he absorbed some of my drug."

Zoro looked up at her. "Drug...?"

"Wait! I thought your drug enhanced your muscles like a steroid! Not a poison!"

"It can work either way." She answered. "My drug has the ability to enhance muscle mass or deplete it."

Lacy gulped. "No way...!"

"Shit..." He huffed. "This is even more troublesome..."

"Zoro lookout!!"

He looked up and saw several spikes aiming for him. He fell over to dodge them, but Miss Doublefinger's other spiked hand stabbed his sides and caught him. He cried out in pain as she stabbed him with her free hand and hit two of his vital points in his shoulders. "What the..?!"

"ZORO!!"

She laughed again. "My drug is so wonderful to affect you this quickly thanks to how build you already are~. But you're lucky to dodge my spikes. I only hit two of your vital points instead of five. How lucky of you. But your luck has run out!"

She stood up and turned her fists into spiked balls and hit them together like boxing gloves. She yelled and went to punch him while extending her spikes. Zoro couldn't help but wait for the hit to come, willing to take the punch for now. But something was wrong. After a few seconds of no impact or pain, Zoro opened his eyes and saw a figure standing over him with arms extended. His eyes went wide with terror and he began to sweat. "LACY!!" Before he could say anything else or save her more, he passed out.

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"Robin!!"

Chopper jumped out of the way of the fight while Robin protected Elder Kunui from Foronto and Bakku.

"Who are these men?" Robin asked the Elder.

He hid behind her. "They are one of the three strongest men of the Redtail Bandits! Foronto and Bakku!"

"Our lady demands the Sangre Coral from you old man!" Bakku smiled. "Now give it up!"

Foronto unsheathed his sword. "Or we will just carve it out of your hand or take the entire hand with us. Either way we will have that ruby."

"How did they know the ruby's location?!" Elder panicked.

"I thought I heard someone eavesdropping!" Chopper said nervously. "Someone was hiding outside of the ruins!"

"MATTE!!!" Luffy ran straight into the ruins and hurled himself into the center of the group with Sanji right behind him. Usopp just hid around the corner of the ruins. "You're not taking their ruby!"

"Mugiwara!" Bakku grunted. "Looks like our Lady allowed you to challenge us."

"Your lady?" Chopper repeated. "So it's a woman who wants the ruby? That makes perfect sense now!"

"Why's that?" Sanji asked.

"Because only a woman can use the ruby's power! It has no effect on men."

"You're kidding me?! That Doublefinger lady must already know about that..."

Robin's eyes went wide. "Doublefinger?! As in Miss Doublefinger from Crocodile's Barque Works?!"

Sanji nodded. "The one in the same unfortunately. She wants the ruby bad--"

"And so she shall have it!"

Bakku attacked the others while Robin kept protecting the Elder from Foronto. But he was surprisingly quick, too quick for her fruit abilities to catch up. He swung his rapier at the old man, but Robin thankfully pushed him out of the way and missed.

"Are you ok?" she asked the Elder.

"I'm fine..." His eyes went wide and pointed behind her. "Lookout!"

She turned around and saw Foronto aiming is rapier at them again, slashing at the air and creating wind blades. Robin closed her eyes and shielded her face from getting cut. She heard the old man cry out in pain behind he and she could only imagine the worst. She turned around and saw him kneeling while holding his bleeding hand. A laughed filled the air and she looked up to see Foronto holding the Sangre Coral in his grasp.

"No...!"

Foronto leaped over them and ran towards the exit. "I may not have been able to take your hand, but slicing your palm to retrieve the ruby is just as good!" And with that, he disappeared.

Robin yelled. "Senchou-san! That man's got the Sangre Coral! You must go after him!"

"Nani?!" Luffy turned around and saw his shadow fading over the ruin's entrance. "Matte!!" He ran after him and soon disappeared, leaving Sanji and the others to face Bakku.

Robin quickly turned her attention back to the Elder and tended to his wounds. "Daijoubu, Elder-san?"

He cringed in pain, but nodded. "I'm fine... but we must get the Sangre Coral back before that woman releases the Goddess' power! Or else we will all be at her mercy!"

"Kuso...!" Sanji cursed as he continued to fight off Bakku. "Luffy will be able to handle this situation, but I want to help! you're getting in my way!"

Bakku laughed. "But isn't that the plan? As soon as our Lady releases that ruby's power, we"ll do more than just get in your way!"

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Zoro slumped to one side, unconscious. Miss Doublefinger grinned from her success of hurting two people at once, but her smile faded as soon as Lacy looked up at her.

"Your spikes won't work on me."

"Nani?!" She looked down and saw a blue ring rippling around her spikes. She pulled them out and noticed some water splashed out. Her fingers were wet when they turned back to normal. "You're a Devil's Fruit user too?!"

She smiled. "Ate the Mizu Mizu no Mi. Your Toge Toge abilities won't affect me at all."

"So you're the new member of the Mugiwara Pirates the Marines are making such a fuss about. Blue Siren Lacy."

She couldn't help but smile and beam with satisfaction from her new infamous name. "Looks like you know who I am after all~."

"Can't say your picture was flattering, but I have heard how you used your abilities to thwart the Marines. Especially against that Hina woman. But you can turn into water as well as control it? Hmph. No wonder you were willing to throw yourself in front of him."

"With or without the Devil's Fruit, I would still have done it."

She raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh~? In love are we? How sweet. Then it'll be very difficult for you to hear what I have to say about your precious lover."

"What's that?"

"Thanks to my drug his muscle mass is still slowly depleting. It's only a matter of time before it destroys his muscles completely and makes him nothing more than a fragile little boy who's bones could snap easily even if he bent his own arms!" She threw her head back and laughed.

"Stop the process!!" She demanded. One of her kodachi's was unsheathed and pointed at her. "Stop it or I'll cut your throat!"

"Did you learn nothing from his fight against me? Blades have no effect on me!"

She lowered he weapon, embarrassed. "I-I know that! Can't I make a threat without you ruining the moment?"

"My Lady!" Foronto Entered the room with a smile on his face.

"Did you get the ruby?" Miss Doublefinger asked impatiently. He opened a small bag roped to his belt and revealed the gem to her. She gave an evil grin and walked towards him with her hand extended. "Excellent! Give it here!"

"No!" Lacy wrapped herself around the woman and held into her arms for dear life. "Don't you dare!"

"Why you little...!" She turned her entire body into spikes in an instant, but Lacy's guard was up and manage to have every single spike go through her liquid body.

She tried to smile. "I told you, your abilities don't have an affect on mine!"

Miss Doublefinger tried shaking her off, but Lacy knew how to play this game thanks to wrestling with her guy friends and fighting with her sisters. She tightened her grip the more the woman shook. She turned her attention to Foronto, who was coming at her with his rapier in one hand and ruby in the other. She was afraid of what might happen especially since she was concentrating her power on the spikes. She didn't think she was advanced enough to handle his rapier at the same time. Right before he'd swing, she would let go she told herself; it was the only way.

"MATTEEE!!!" Luffy came running into the room and slammed right into Fornoto, knocking him off balance.

Lacy smiled. "Luffy!"

He looked up and blinked at Lacy. "Areee?? Why are you holding into her like that? Are you wrestling?"

"B-Baka! I'm trying to keep her from getting the ruby! Now go get it from that guy before--" Miss Doublefinger laughed in a low voice before it increased and echoed throughout the room. Lacy's eyes went wide as she noticed what had happened. The ruby was already in her grasp. She put two and two together and realized Foronto had tossed the ruby when Luffy hit him and she caught it. Dear God... she caught it...

"The power is finally mine!!"

Lacy finally let go and crawled back as she saw a red blinding light being released from the ruby. Luffy and Foronto did the same. Miss Doublefinger placed the ruby in her forehead where it embedded itself into her skin and became one with her. She laughed out loud as its power engulfed her in a red swirling aura. As soon as it cleared moments later, Miss Doublefinger smiled at her enemies with red glowing eyes.

"The Goddess' power is finally mine! The Sangre Coral and I have fused together and now I shall use it's power to make the world cower at my feet!"

"I don't think so!!" Lacy lunged herself at the woman and gripped the ruby. She tried tearing it out, but it was in there pretty well. Miss Doublefinger just laughed, allowing Lacy to try and pry the gem out of her forehead. She finally released a wave a power and pushed Lacy back and slammed into Luffy, knocking them both over. When they sat up they noticed Miss Doublefinger's muscles had doubled in size without the use of her Toge Toge no Mi.

"HYAAAAAH!!" Foronto leaped near the two of them and they yelled and ducked out of the way.

"Luffy! you take care of that guy and I'll take care of Miss Douublefinger!"

"Are you sure?!" Luffy asked, quickly dodging the rapier's lashes. "She's stronger than ever now with that jewel in her head!"

"I know, but her spikes won't have an effect on me! At least when I'm on guard, so let me try and handle her! Besides..." She looked back over at Zoro's body. "I owe her a beating."

Luffy noticed where Lacy was looking and nodded. "Yosh! you beat the crap out of her and I'll deal with this guy!"

Agreeing, Lacy ran after Miss Doublefinger again. The woman yelled and released a hoard of red glowing spikes from her body without even moving. Lacy quickly put up her guard and dodged as many spikes as she could. Thankful for her fruit, a lot of spikes she couldn't dodge but went through her liquid body. She threw a few geysers at her to knock her off balance, but was in shock as soon as she saw the water split around the woman. Miss Doublefinger smirked with those creepy red glowing eyes while the water rushed passed her like she was slicing it with her mind. The power was frightening to Lacy. How was she going to defeat someone who had incredible powers? Fighting against the Toge Toge no Mi was one thing, but with her power boost victory seemed further away than before. At this point she knew water wasn't going to work, but maybe something solid and physical will.

Was that what Zoro meant? She thought, I'd have to make sacrifices to do some damage to her? If that's the case... She looked back over and Zoro and nodded. "If that's what I gotta do, then so be it!" She ran in a straight line towards the laughing woman and jumped in the air in front of her, fist balled and ready. But she froze in mid air, her fist just an inch or two away from her face. "Wha-What?!"

"Fool!" Miss Doublefinger laughed, her voice echoing to the gem's power. "I possess the Goddess's power with this ruby! Did you think you even had a chance against me?" Her power pushed Lacy back like before, but she learned from last time and landed on all fours and slide back. "Now taste true power!" A red beam shot from her fingers and aimed for Lacy's heart, the beam was too quick for her to react and it hit her straight on. Something strange was happening... Lacy opened her eyes and noticed the beam was still shining through her heart, but she felt nothing. Miss Doublefinger didn't understand either. "N-Nani?! Why isn't my power hurting you?!"

"Because the Goddess' power won't allow itself to harm other women!"

Lacy smiled. "Chopper!"

The little deer panted hard, trying to catch his breath from running so far and long. He tried to smile and wave at Lacy. "Robin told me to come as quickly as possible to let you know. You and Nami don't have to worry about the gems power. It won't hurt women." He paused for a moment, noticing Zoro and Nami's unconscious bodies. "A-Am I too late?!"

"No." Lacy replied. "This was before the gem. But now that I know it won't hurt me, this will be even easier!"

Miss Doublefinger's faced twisted with anger. "HOW CAN THIS BE?!" She roared. "IT'S POWER SHOULD ALLOW ME TO USE IT AGAINST ANYONE!!"

"Long story short," Chopper explained with glee, "the Goddess hated the war of man and only trusted women to the gem's power."

"I know that! Only women can use it's power, so why can't I hurt anyone with it?!"

"Just women you can't hurt. The Goddess' power adored the innocence of women, so it won't hurt them no matter who has the gem!"

"Right on!" Lacy cheered. "I'm liking this Goddess more and more! Thank youuuu Robin!"

"If that's the case, then I'll get rid of you for now!!" She shot another beam at the deer, but Lacy reacted quickly and blocked the beam from him and had it hit her again. "Stop getting in my way!!"

Lacy chuckled. "Hn! This is the second time I'm able to prove to you I'll use myself as a shield!"

"Your words are hollow to me!" Miss Doublefinger smiled. "Both times you had an advantage. It would be different if you had no power or immunity!"

Fists balled at her sides. "Not true! I'd be willing to sacrifice myself for them! Just as I know they would for me!"

"I am sick of the gem not hurting you!" She ignored Lacy's last comment. "If the gem has no effect on you, then I'll just have to hurt you with my Toge toge no Mi!" She stopped glowing, but her eyes were still and empty red. She shot thousands of spikes at her, but all Lacy could do was shield Chopper from them.

She cried out in pain, using only the parts of her body protecting Chopper to solidify. Chopper looked up at her with wide worried eyes. "L-Lacy! You have to turn into water or else she could kill you!"

She flashed him a weary smile. "Then it's a good thing I'm protecting you near my stomach and not where my heart or head can be pierced, right?"

"D-Don't joke! If she pierces your abdomen in the right spot, you could die!!"

She looked over at Luffy, who was still fighting Foronto, back at Miss Doublefinger, then back at Chopper. "If I can distract her long enough for you to get away, do you think you can run over to Luffy?"

Chopper looked at how far he had to go and nodded. "It'll be no problem."

"Alright then!" She stood up and had Chopper hide behind her. She ran straight towards the blue-haired woman and at the last moment, she suddenly burst into a large water wall and engulfed the woman in it like a wave.

"Your water won't work!" She used the gem's power to push the water away from her and when it was gone, no one was in sight. "What?" She looked over to the side and saw Chopper running and only a couple feet away from Luffy, helping him fighting against the other man. She scanned the room, trying to find Lacy. "Where are you hiding?!" She yelled, frantically looking all around.

"Gotcha!" The water at Miss Doublefinger's feet swirled around her and quickly trapped her in a raising whirlpool.

"Nani?!" She yelled as her body spun faster and faster within the water, but she was unafraid of drowning. The gem allowed her to breathe in the water and she smiled. "If you think you can kill me this way, you're wrong!"

"Not exactly."

Miss Doublefinger looked over and saw Lacy's outline swimming towards her in a watery form. As soon as she reached her, only Lacy's hands and face took back its shape and tried to pull the ruby out of her forehead again; this time she used a different method: water jet pressure. She remembered learning about it through her dad when he had to use a water jet tool to drill holes in the Earth and through metals. The water pressure was drilling into the woman's forehead and she screamed in pain. Thanks to the gem's power protecting Miss Doublefinger, Lacy didn't have to be precise with the water pressure and get the job done while hurting them both. The gem healed Miss Doublefinger, but slowly began to shake loose from the skin. Then entire time Miss Doublefinger kicked and screamed, punching and piercing Lacy with her spikes and fists, but it only went though her like water. Finally at long last, Lacy popped the gem out of the skin and it swirled in the water. Exhausted from a sudden power drain and lack of air in the water, Miss Doublefinger passed out. Lacy lowered the whirlpool and landed with a thud back on the ground. She was tired from struggling against the woman and the gem's resistance. She was laying on her stomach when she finally looked up. Luffy and Chopper had just finished off Foronto and Miss Doublefinger was laying unconscious a few feet away from her.

Something glistening in the water on the floor caught her eye. She reached for it and noticed it was the blood ruby. She sat up and admired the jewel in her hand. She felt a power pulling her towards it and she could already see why people are drawn towards this type of energy.

"Hey!"

She clenched the gem and looked up, noticing the rest of the Straw-Hats caught up with them along with the Elder.

"What happened here?" Sanji asked, noticing the damage and water.

Lacy smiled and stood up while holding her side. "She's done. And apparently so are you guys."

"We beat that other guy to a pulp~!" Usopp said victoriously.

Sanji hit him in the shoulder. "Baka! You didn't do anything!"

"Did you get the Sangre Coral ruby back?" Elder Kunui asked.

Lacy held it up. "Yep! Got it back, but it wasn't easy."

He smiled. "No, I imagine it wouldn't be easy to retrieve it. Thank you. all of you, for your help. May I?" He walked over to Lacy and held out his bandaged hand.

Lacy hesitated at first and looked down at the ruby. "I... I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you?"

He blinked, a bit worried of what she was about to ask. "What is it?"

She looked back over at Zoro and sighed. "Miss Doublefinger, the woman who used the ruby, injected a drug into Zoro's system and there's no way in stopping it. S-So... I was wondering..."

Elder smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You have a good heart, young lady. If you use the ruby's power only to help, then I think I can allow someone to use it just this once."

She smiled. "Thank you so much!" Seeing no other way of injecting the gem, she placed it in her forehead as Miss Doublefinger had done before. A gentle red light glowed around her and she felt its power surging throughout her body. It felt incredible. She could already feel the gem's power healing her and she felt as good as new. She looked down and saw her injuries were completely healed. She turned around and walked toward Zoro's body and knelt beside him. She held him in her arms and kissed his injured hand; then his forehead, then his lips. She called upon the gem's power to heal him and pleaded that he was a good man to save. When their lips parted, Zoro strongly inhaled as if life was returned to a once emptied body.

He opened his eyes and saw Lacy's face glowing at him. His vision was a bit hazy, but he knew it was her, but she seemed different. Her eyes were brighter and a red glow outlined her body. She looked almost unworldly; like a Goddess... "Lacy?"

She smiled wide, relieved to see he was alright. "Oh Thank God..."

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Zoro woke up in an unrecognizable room and sat up. He noticed he was able to sit up with no problems. He looked at his hand and found no bandages wrapped around it nor any cuts or marks. He got up and looked in the mirror over a sink and examined himself. How the hell am I not injured?

"I healed you."

He turned around and saw Lacy standing at the doorway with a tray of water and finger sandwiches in her hands. "You healed me? ...How?"

She smiled and placed the tray down on the nightstand. "With the Sangre Coral. I borrowed the ruby's power to cure and heal you, Nami, and everyone else. I even healed the Elder's hand so he could embed the ruby back into it." He looked at her for a moment, as if trying to find something different about her. She blushed. "W-What are you staring at?"

"You... really healed me with that gem?"

"What? Is that so hard to believe?"

"It just... felt like a dream. I mean, you were glowing."

"That was the gem's power."

"Where is it now? What happened while I was out?"

She giggled. "Well long story short, Miss Doublefinger managed to get the gem and with my cunning mind, I stopped her~"

He lowered his gaze. "You weren't reckless were you?"

She looked at him innocently. "Me? Reckless? Why on Earth would you ever think that?"

That got him to smile. "Ok ok, then what?"

"Well, Luffy used his ability to shoot Miss Doublefinger and her gang off to who knows where now. Then I asked the Elder to borrow the gem's power to heal you and the others and then I gave it back."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Why? You weren't seduced by its power at all?"

She sat on the bed. "Oh believe me it felt wonderful, but it wasn't my own. There's no honor in having power when it's false. Just means I'm pretending. Though it would've been nice to have around so I could protect you in the future..."

He sat down next to her and gave her a warm hug. "I like how you protect me now, with your own strength."

"That's sweet, but having that power wouldn't make me worry so much."

"I'd rather me being the one doing all the protecting anyways."

She looked up at him. "This isn't another one of her sexist talks, is it?"

He sighed. "No. I just feel better whenever I'm the one protecting you. I know you can hold your own and I know you always can, but knowing that your safe and unharmed just makes me feel better when it comes to battles."

"They're unavoidable though."

"I know. And that's why I'll always be there to protect you."

She smiled. "But the best part is you weren't there this time around and now I have more confidence to protect the ones I love with my own power."

He smiled and lifted her face for a kiss. "Hn. I suppose so. Thank you, Lacy. You really are the greatest woman."

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The newly healed crew said their good-byes. Elder Kunui thanked everyone again and especially Lacy for getting back the ruby and using it's power for good. He promised her they'd spread the good word of the Straw-Hat pirates and even help her new name be known. This alone made her giddy inside and thanked him. They set sail off to their next adventure where who knows what other crazy legends and enemies awaited them.

[[ AUTHOR'S NOTE: ]] Hey there! Been getting a couple reviews and emails about if I'm going to include Franky and Brook and maybe the Thousand Sunny. Well, since I wrote this story years ago, they weren't introduced yet. BUT I am thinking about adding them in the later chapters so don't worry. They'll come around. :) Anyways, see you next chapter~!