A/N: So sorry for not posting on Friday BUT I'M MAKING UP FOR IT BY POSTING TWO (yes TWO) chapters! And...it's two chapters that I think you guys will really enjoy. Hehehehehe


Ch 44 - Duvall

If Nana was to be perfectly honest, she wasn't really fighting to save Camie or Pappagu, much less Hatchi. She wasn't fighting to protect any one of the Straw Hats either as they were all holding their own against the Flying Fish Riders. She wasn't even fighting because she had some anger and frustration she needed to take out on someone.

No, she was purely fighting because she wanted a Flying Fish. The net cannon wasn't much use as the Flying Fish were zipping around too quickly.

"Nana Special!" she cried as she threw her hammer at one of the incoming riders, who was dive bombing towards them, "Hammerang!"

The hammer clocked the rider in the face, sending him flying off of his ride and into the sea below. The hammer came circling back towards her and she quickly dashed over to Sanji. "Sanji! Give me a lift," she barked.

"Yes, Nana-chwannnnn," he replied dutifully as he swung his leg up. Nana leapt into the air and placed her feet on his leg as he kicked her upwards towards the descending Flying Fish.

She shot into the sky and she grabbed the handles at the last second. She pulled herself into the seat and tried for the third time to pull the Flying Fish up. "Come on, come on," she said as she fidgeted with the pedals and the handlebar.

"Nana-chan! Look out!" Sanji warned.

Nana looked up just in time to see that her ride was just about to crash into the sea so she quickly leapt off and tumbled back on the ship before she sank to a watery grave. "God damn it," she seethed as she got up to her feet to try again.

"Ow, Nana-brat, stop focusing on getting a ride and help me move the ship," Franky ordered as he fired his Weapons Left at an incoming group of riders, "They've got the upper hand as long as we're floating on the water."

"Fine! But you owe me a Flying Fish," Nana spat back as she raced towards the steering wheel, "Oh! And you better cover me."

"Shouldn't you switch your priorities?!" Usopp sputtered.

Nana grabbed the wheel and just as she was about to turn it, she heard a sudden crash within the hideout, where Zoro and Brook were protecting Camie, Pappagu, and Hatchi.

"Look out! Look out! It's coming our way!" Luffy shouted as he emerged from the dust cloud.

"What is?" Zoro asked.

"A dude in an iron mask and a cow," Luffy answered.

"Cow?" Nami asked just as the house in front of Luffy collapsed and a large man sitting on top of an even larger bull came charging through. The bull had the same handles as the ones strapped onto the Flying Fish and the man wore heavy shoulder plates. He carried a big harpoon gun in each hand.

"Flying Fish Riders," the man growled through his iron mask, "How dare you let them swat you down one after the next? You aren't mosquitos or flies!"

"I'm guessing that's Duvall…" Nana murmurred, "Unless there's another iron mask wearing guy running around."

"Did...he just flatten his own home?" Usopp asked incredulously.

"I will no longer need this hideout," Duvall answered, "Not after I kill the Straw Hats."

"Huh? I thought they were after Camie…" Nana crossed her arms and tilted her head, "Oy! What's your deal?"

"This is a glorious day," Duvall continued, 'I have burned, burned, to kill that man so badly that he has appeared in my dreams! And now he is here, right before my eyes. It's wonderful. There really is a god, isn't there?"

"Hey...Why do I get the feeling he's ranting in our general direction?" Usopp asked.

Nana automatically turned to Franky, "What the hell did you do?" she demanded.

Franky was genuinely offended. "Me?! Why do you super think it's me?"

"Ugh I knew your years as the leader of the Franky Family was going to come and bite us in the ass," Nana groaned.

"Even if I die because of it, I swear that today you will die here by my own hands," Duvall seethed, "...Pirate scum, 'Black Leg' Sanji!"

Franky looked triumphantly at Nana. "See, Nana-brat?! It wasn't me!"

Nana shrugged. "I had to go with the odds."

They all turned to the cook, who looked perplexed by this revelation. "Sanji, who is he?" Nana asked.

"Does it date back to your restaurant days? Think back!" Nami suggested.

Sanji scratched the back of his head as he thought hard. "Jeez, I was always doing things to tick people off."

"Don't play dumb!" Duvall cried, "This happened just recently!" He cocked one of his harpoon guns and started to unload his entire barrel at them.

"Look out!" Usopp shouted, "Get down!"

"Don't…harm...our...ship!" Nana roared as she ran in between Usopp and Nami. She lifted her hand up in the air, "Nana Special! Repel Shield!"

The harpoons coming at her bounced away in the air as if hitting an invisible roof a foot above their heads. They fell back to the sea while the other harpoons came flying towards the rest of the Straw Hats. Sanji kicked away the harpoons coming towards him and Chopper, while Franky, Pygmy, and Robin dodged out of the way.

"That jerk," Sanji snarled, "I just can't remember him. Who the heck are you?'

"Nanaaaaaa!" Usopp screeched as he grabbed onto Nana's leg, "Can't we use the big magnetic shield to block off all the incoming harpoons?"

"It's only at the front and back of the ship, remember?" Nana said through gritted teeth as she kept her metal glove ready for the next wave of attack, "If I could just turn the ship, we would be able to avoid these harpoons altogether."

Duvall reloaded his harpoon and fired another round.

"God damn it," Nana yelled as she ran to the edge of the ship as she grabbed her hammer, "This guy is persistent. Nana Special! Curly Blow!"

The jet of steam came spiraling out of her hammer and hitting away the incoming harpoons. They were sent flying back towards the base with Zoro and Brook quickly cutting them away.

"Oy! Nana! Watch it!" Zoro seethed.

"Ahhhhh!" Luffy suddenly screamed as he ran out and kicked Duvall hard in the head. His metal helmet came crashing down on the ground, revealing his face.

Nana's jaw dropped to the ground and her eyes widened so much she could feel the strain in the back of her head. "No...fucking...way…"

"Oh...my…" Robin said softly.

Franky immediately started to weep. "Oh, what a tragedy!"

"I swore to myself that I would kill you…" Duval growled as he reached into his pocket. He slowly unfurled it to show Sanji's wanted poster, "I took to the seas to find you but searching for you was a nightmare. After all, you don't resemble your wanted poster...It's pretty brilliant of you to do that so you would avoid detection. Marines and bounty hunters would walk right past you...but have you ever wondered what happened when they did find the person in this picture?"

He held the poster right up to his face and sure enough, his face matched Nana's drawing right down to the black soulless eyes to the catpaw shaped nose. Oh no! Sanji's getting the blame for something I did?!

"Give me a break!" Sanji screamed with fire in his eyes.

"Did you ever think about the hell they put the person through?" Duvall cried angrily, "THE HELL THAT YOU PUT ME THROUGH?! Curse you, 'Black Leg' Sanji! I will make you pay."

"IT WAAAAAAASSSS MEEEEEEEE!"

A silence fell over the entire base as Nana's cry echoed through the air. Everyone stopped in their tracks as the mechanic scrambled up the ratline so she could be at higher ground. "It was me!" she called out, "I was the one who drew it! It's a long story...The sketch was with Lulu and it must have fallen out of his pocket when he was at Enies Lobby...But anyways, it was me! If you have anyone to be mad at, be mad at me! I'm the one who drew it. Don't blame Sanji!"

"Wow, Nana-brat…" Franky whistled, "You're a terrible artist."

"Ha! Love cook, that's what she thinks you look like," Zoro scoffed from the dock.

"I don't know what is more amazing...How terrible Nana can draw or how there is someone in this world that actually matches her drawing..." Chopper added.

Duvall gaped at her for a moment, letting her words sink in. "What?" Duvall roared, "Do you know how much hell you caused? It was terrifying when I suddenly had people after my life one day! Why? What have I done for Navy Headquarters to come after me? Why are famous bounty hunters coming after me? All because of your stupid, reckless drawing!"

Nana winced. "I really didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't even give the drawing to the government. They found it on their own!"

"Excuses!" Duvall cried as he aimed his weapon at Nana, "It is your time to die!"

Sanji leapt out of the water and ran towards Duvall. Nana was so caught up in the situation that she didn't even notice when he had jumped off the Sunny to swim over.

"This…" Sanji yelled as he kicked Duvall hard in the face, "Is not our problem!"

Blood came pouring out Duvall's nose. He hurriedly wiped it off and glared down at Sanji from his bull. "How could you say that?! Both of you are solely to blame for this mess!"

"Stuff it!" Sanji thundered, "I'm already seriously pissed off about that wanted poster, even though it was made by the delicate hands of Nana-chan!"

"Aren't they spitting images of each other?," Hatchi commented.

"Mirror images," Zoro said with a smirk, "Nana, I think I might commission you to do an oil painting of the love cook and we can hang it in the dining area."

"Yohohohohohoho!" Brook cackled as he fell onto his knees, dying with laughter.

"Brook!" Sanji seethed, "I will deal with you later and shut up, you shitty morimo!"

He pointed accusingly at Duvall, "And you! If you don't want to resemble the wanted poster, you could've made some simple changes. You could've changed your hair or shaved!"

"Oh yeah…" Duvall said as he lowered his weapon, "I never thought of that."

"What kind of idiot are you?!" Sanji shouted.

"He may be stupid," Nana said as she looked pityingly at Duvall, "But...he does look like my drawing."

"Nana-chan, don't you waste your time with this one!" Sanji yelled, "Don't let him get into your sympathetic heart. He's just an idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot!" Duvall snapped, "It's both your fault that my life is in shambles but it's mostly yours, 'Black Leg' Sanji, for even existing! I'll chase you to the ends of hell. If you don't like it, kill me here and now!"

Instantly, Sanji jumped onto the bull's head and grabbed Duvall by the throat. "You bastard. Why the hell did Nana-chan, Nami-san, and Robin-chan have to get dragged into your lame attempt on blaming me?!"

"That ship is the reason you made your name as a pirate so naturally I hate every one of the crew members," Duvall said as he forced Sanji back and whipped out his harpoon gun, "All of you can go to hell!"

"Sanji!" Nana gasped as Sanji ducked out of the way.

"Form parties!" Duvall ordered to his crew.

Suddenly, a large group of Flying Fish Riders came shooting out from the sea and they circled the ship in the sky.

"Prepare to get skewered, 'Black Leg' Sanji!" one of the men shouted as he threw a harpoon down at the cook.

Sanji jumped into the air and kicked the man hard in the face. Without warning, two Flying Fish Riders flanked his sides and pulled a net over him, dragging him towards the sea. Sanji pulled against the net and Nana's eyes widened when she heard the sound of metal beneath his hands. "It's a steel net!" she gasped as she hurriedly aimed her glove at him. "Nana Spe-"

The cook crashed into the water at breakneck speed along with the two Flying Fish Riders before Nana could power up her magnet. "Sanji!" Nana cried and leapt onto the railing but Franky quickly pulled her back.

I didn't make it! I didn't save him?!

"Don't go, Nana-brat! You can't swim! What good could you do?" Franky lectured.

There was a roaring in her ears and she could taste the bile coming up from her stomach as Franky's question rang in her mind. What good could I do?

"Don't you worry," Camie cried from the docks, "I'll go get him."

Nana's eyes snapped towards the mermaid and watched numbingly as the mermaid jumped into the water and swam after the cook. She felt like someone had stabbed all of her internal organs at once.

"Camie?" Usopp gasped, "Can she get to them in time?"

"No one can swim faster than a mermaid," Pappagu exclaimed proudly.

"Camie! I'm leaving Sanji to you!" Luffy shouted excitedly into the sea.

Leaving...Sanji...to her…Nana couldn't do anything except stare at the area where Camie had dove in.

Without warning, another group of Flying Fish Riders came soaring out, pulling a giant ship's anchor beneath them. They flew towards the Thousand Sunny so that the giant anchor was positioned right above the center of the ship.

"Nana-brat! That'll sink us with just one hit," Franky growled as he shook her by the shoulders, "I need you to forget about Curly Cook for a second and help. Can you do that? Nana-brat! We're going to die if you don't snap out of it!"

That slapped some sense into the mechanic. Nana gulped and she nodded her head. Now was not the time for a pity party. "What do you need?"

"Good! Usopp! Go towards the bow. Nana-brat will tell you what to do," Franky ordered as he sat in front of the steering wheel.

"Inside the bow?" Usopp asked as Nana went ahead.

She stood by the bow and waited for Franky, "Ready when you are."

Franky smirked and pulled a lever beside the wheel. "Emergency Retreat! Secret Weapon: Chicken Voyage!"

The mane of the Thousand Sunny started to spin like a fan and the ship shot backwards just as the anchor smashed into the sea in front of them. "What?!" the Flying Fish Riders yelled, "It went backwards?!"

"Now! Nana-brat!" Franky shouted.

Nana pulled down the white stairs at the bow to reveal a secret room right behind the mast head. The room was filled with gauges, metal pipes, levers, and most importantly, a seat with a targeting screen in front of it.

"What?! I didn't even know that was there!" Usopp exclaimed as Nana ran in and pulled some levers.

"Get into the seat," she ordered.

Outside, the mouth of the Thousand Sunny opened to reveal a giant cannon and the cola barrel inside the ship began to churn. Nana leaned over the steam gauge right next to Usopp and she waited for the arrow to go into the red zone.

"Fully charged!" she reported to Franky before turning to Usopp and pointing at the circular screen in front of him. "Fit as many of the Flying Fish Riders as you can inside this inner circle. Adjust the distance and angle by twisting the handles on the sides here. Once you're ready, use the button on the left handle to lock on and then pull the lever."

"Roger!" Usopp stated as he aimed the cannon. He locked onto his target and the screen turned red. The cannon began to power up.

"Gaon Cannon…" Franky and Nana shouted.

"Fire!" Usopp cried as he pulled the lever.

A large blast of light and highly condensed air pressure shot through the base. Everything either was blown to bits or left flying backwards.

Franky laughed triumphantly. "What'd you think of the Sunny's true power?"

Nana patted Usopp on the back. "Great aim, Usopp-sama," she said grimly as she climbed out of the bow, "Did Camie come back yet?"

As if on cue, they heard the mermaid shout from the side of the ship. "Guys, we've got trouble! Sanji-chin is bleeding bad!"

"What?!" Nami, Nana, and Chopper rushed to the railing to get a better look.

"Did they beat him up?!" Chopper asked.

"I thought I saved him," Camie exclaimed tearfully as she clutched Sanji to her bosom, "But then blood exploded from his nose."

"Exploded…" Usopp said.

"From his…" Nami continued.

"Nose," Nana finished softly. She gazed at the scene before her. Camie, floating in the water, with Sanji in her arms as he held onto her just as tightly.

"Forget it. If he dies, so be it," Usopp sighed.

"Why not? He seems happy enough," Nami added.

They both waited for Nana to say something but were caught off guard when the mechanic turned and left without a word. "Nana?" Nami called after her, "Aren't you going to comment on what an idiot Sanji is being?"

Nana turned and grinned back with a forced smile at her nakama. "Why ruin his fun?" she asked as she went over to Pygmy and leapt onto his back. She murmured into the dog's ear and they jumped over the railing into the sea below. They swam up to the base and as soon as they climbed up to the dock, Pygmy sprinted towards Brook.

"Ahhh!" the skeleton screamed as the dog leapt onto his chest and started to lick his skull.

"No, Pygmy! We do not lick our nakama," Nana said sternly as she tried to pull her dog back, "Sorry, Brook. If it's any consolation, I think he does it because he really likes you."

"I would rather he express it in another way, Nana-san," Brook replied politely.

"Everyone okay?" Nana asked as she spotted Hatchi climbing out of a pile of debris with Pappagu in his hands.

"Ah," Zoro said as he sat down.

"Damn it…"

They all turned to watch Duvall walk out from under a collapsed house. He was still on top of his bull. "Can't believe that bastard managed to survive."

"We've cut your numbers big time, didn't we?" Luffy commented.

Duvall turned his anger on the rubber man. "Curse you! Let me tell you about my fearsome Motobalo! Leading up to today, many men have fallen from the wrath of his horns. People call him 'Heart-Crushing Horns'!"

Luffy hit his fists together. "Yosh. I'll stop him."

Duvall gritted his teeth and charged forward. "Go! Motobalo!"

"You don't stand a chance against me!" Luffy shouted as he pushed his hand out and stopped the bull in it's tracks.

He glared into the bull's eyes and then the bull began to act rather odd. It started to sweat and back away from the rubber man nervously. It bucked and jumped out of the way, throwing Duvall off his back, and then he collapsed on his side.

"Luffy…" Nana gasped, "What did you do?"

"I didn't do a thing," Luffy said with just as much of a confused look as everyone else.

"Did...Luffy-san scare the bull?" Brook guessed.

"A bull passing out because of intimidation? Is that possible?" Nana wondered.

Duvall's eyes fell on Nana and he glared at her. "Curse you! You're just as much to blame as 'Black Leg' Sanji!"

Nana lifted her hammer. "Bring it...on…" she said, matching the intensity of his glare.

"Wait...Nana-chan…This is my fight."

Sanji pulled himself out of the water and he calmly walked down the dock but Nana just couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"Sanji!" Luffy cheered, "I'm glad you're alright."

"I'll finish things with this finger-pointing idiot...So leave it to me," Sanji said solemnly.

"'Black Leg'," Duvall seethed as he aimed his weapon at the cook, "As long as you continue to live as a pirate, I will never get to see another peaceful day! I'm sick of getting blamed for things I've never done!"

"Shut up!" Sanji snapped, "You shouldn't blame others for stuff you could control yourself. You shouldn't even have a face like that!"

He kicked his leg up. "Oiel! Nez! Joue! Bouche! Dents!" With each cry, he kicked a different part of Duvall's face, "Menton! Parage...Shot!" He unleashed an unfathomable amount of kicks to Duvall's face and sent the man skidding into a pile of debris on the other side of the dock.

Sanji landed back on the ground and took a deep drag of his cigarette. "Yosh...I believe we can go now." He turned to Nana and extended a hand out to her, "Shall we go back, Nana-chan? I can carry you back since you-"

"Can't swim. I know," Nana interrupted tersely. She avoided his gaze and climbed back onto Pygmy's back. "I've got Pyg."

Sanji looked at the angel curiously. Something was bothering her but he couldn't tell if she was angry or sad. Did something happen when he was underwater?