Chapter 26:Wrath and Promises

I do not own One Piece! That will always belong to Eiichiro Oda! I only own my OC's.

Destiny had picked out another book when she suddenly dropped it as she gave a gasped. The sound of the book landing on the floor echoed in the library within the temple. Shen looked up to see her friend hugging herself and looking none too well. The Ordam was at her friend's side, "Des! What's wrong?!"

"Riptide," Destiny said, eyes staring into space. "My brother. Shen, my brother is in serious danger."

Slashback had stepped into the library and seeing Destiny, the young sawtooth rushed to her side. "Des," he said. "Des, are you ill?"

The silver shook her head. "No, my brother."

"Rip? Has something happened?"

"He's in danger, Slash. Terrible danger." Destiny said looking at him with fear in her eyes.

~~.~~.~~

Jimbei was doing some training with Long when the copper hybrid dropped crying out suddenly. "Long, what is it," the helmsman asked as he knelt by the younger sawtooth.

"Rip," he said looking at Jimbei with pain reflecting in his eyes. "Rip in trouble."

"Trouble?" Jimbei grew concerned. "What kind of trouble?"

Long shivered, "Bad. It bad."

~~.~~.~~

Stryker and his ninja stood staring at Saw who had transformed into something more monstrous. The guardian had grown legs and arms and she stayed by Skie "So this is one of the abilities of the legendary guardians," Stryker said. He shifted his attention to Riptide who lay unconscious not far from him. "The young fool has no right to have one of them. The guardians are meant for those who have the power to control them."

Saw kept her attention on Riptide trying to get him to get up. Daifu? Daifu, get up. '

Though she had transformed into a more powerful form, Saw was still, in fact, a child. Her past masters had relied on the power and the strength of her brothers over her and she felt so worthless because of that. Riptide had not done with her. He treated her more as a daughter always speaking kindly to her and showing kindness to her. To call him her father had not felt wrong since he said he looked at her as his daughter. She had wanted to protect him which led to her transformation. Now she was unsure what to do at all. She glanced at Skei who looked more frightened then she was.

'Saw, protect Skie! Do you hear me? Protect Skie and the others!'

Daifu told me to protect her. Would she be Mama to me? Riptide is Daifu and his sofu is Hiijiji. She must be Mama and Daifu told me to protect her. I must do what Daifu said. I must protect Mama. '

Without warning, there was a slight explosion by the Skie as chunks of grass and dirt went flying everywhere making Skie scream in terror. Saw roared as one explosion after another stored the ground up around her. The guardian turned using her body to shield Skei.

"What the hell is happening?!" Stryker demanded his eyes glazed over with absolute fury. "Who the hell is responsible for this?!"

"I grew tired of you standing and doing nothing."

The black tiger shark whirled to see Overbite standing by Riptide sneering down at the white sawtooth. "Who the hell do you think you are," he said. "You dare to challenge my orders, you arrogant young fool?"

The mako gave the tiger shark a nasty grin. "You don't own me, Stryker," Overbite said. "I do as I please and I have control of the Protectors now."

"Do you?" Stryker said with eyes narrowed. "You failed to kill your father."

Overbite's eyes grew wide at the news. "Impossible," he said. "There is no way that old fool survived."

"Oh but he has, boy." the black tiger laughed. "I just had a reunion with him and I can say he will kill you himself when he gets the chance."

"The hell he could," the mako replied with a short laugh. "I'm younger and stronger than he."

'The fool is already dead if he believes that.' Stryker thought. 'I know Longtooth far better and that snag tooth fool is more dangerous when angered.'

The rumbling growl that filled air caused both Stryker and Overbite to turn their attention to the source. Saw covered with dirt was glaring at them a look of rage filling her dark eyes. "How is that beast not dead," Overbite said stunned.

"You can't harm her you damn fool," Stryker said as he grinned. "That is a guardian and she belongs to the white one."

"Him?" Overbite looked down as Riptide before he glared at the sawtooth. With no reason at all, he delivered a vicious kick to Riptide's side enough to send him rolling. "I just see a dead sawtooth."

"Stop you fool!" Stryker shouted at him.

His warning came too late as Saw bellowed so loud that it could have shaken the heavens. Any wildlife nearby ran in panic as birds took to the sky. Overbite looked up just as a monstrous shadow fell upon him and he paled at the sight of an enraged Saw.

YOU HIT MY DAIFU! Saw snarled as drool ran down her teeth dripping onto the ground with a slight hiss. The guardian narrowed her eyes as Overbite who was backing away in pure fear. He stumbled falling onto his back as she leaned forward.

"Stryker, kill it!" Overbite screamed just before Saw snatched him in her jaws.

Skie screamed as Stryker and his ninja stood frozen in shock. Saw had been pushed to the edge and she had retaliated. Riptide was her daifu and she would protect him even if it meant killing. Stryker was quick to recover and he was grinning like mad. He had to capture her. Saw proved worthy of him and he wanted to control the guardian.

"Drug the guardian," he ordered. "I want this guardian!"

Seeing Riptide was away from Stryker and his ninja Skie rushed to him. "Rip," she said fingers stroking his scarred cheek. "You need to wake up. You have to wake up. Please."

"He won't be waking anytime soon my dear."

Skie looked up as Stryker came up to them. "You monster," she said. "What have you done to him?!"

"He's drugged and it will be hours before it wears off," Stryker said as he reached for her. "I'm going to make sure he is awake so he can watch me take you." Skie sank her teeth right into his hand and the tiger shook roared with pain and with his other hand, he gave her a vicious backhand that sent her sprawling onto her stomach. "You damn little bitch! You will pay for that!"

A shadow engulfed him and he turned to see Saw still standing. The guardian's back looked like a pincushion with countless darts. Unlike Overbite, he took advantage of the very danger he was in as he drew a dagger dropping to a knee. He placed the blade at Riptide's throat and he savored the look he saw in the eyes of the guardian. "You know either he will die," he said. "Either by you or me, he would die. You're not so foolish to risk losing him that way, are you?"

One of his ninjas came to his side. "Lord, the darts," he said. "They do nothing to the beast."

"You have those special smoke bombs, do you not?" Stryker asked eyes never leaving Saw.

"Hai."

"Aim for the face and make sure you do not miss."

The ninja nodded as he motioned for his comrades to him. "Use the special bombs," he instructed. "Aim for the beast's face.

Stryker's grin grew as he watched the smoke bombs that were filled with the sleeping drug explode on impact. Saw made a whining howl sound as she staggered back shaking her head back and forth. The guardian's eyes grew heavy as she slowly sank to the ground the drug finally taking effect. He didn't have time to savor his victory as the sound of pounding hooves followed by a neigh of challenge echoed.

"Impossible," he said. "Hurry you fools grab the white one! We leave. Now!"

~~.~~.~~

The sound of Saw's bellow was heard back in Carta and all who heard cried out in fear.

"What the hell was that?" Tarlong said.

"I would go with trouble," Gaff said. "And it came from the direction Riptide, Skie, and Saw are."

"The captain-," Blade looked at Longtooth.

"Damn it," Longtooth said. "The captain is in trouble! Move your asses blast it!"

Marcus glanced at Zanfar who had recovered well due to Saw's healing ability and a wild idea came to him. It was crazy but this was his grandson who was in danger and he wasn't willing to stand aside. "Tarl, give me your revolver," he said.

"Dad, what you-,"

"Damn it, boy! I'm not going to stand around and explain," Marcus said. "Give me your revolver!"

Tarlong did hesitate as he handed over one of the revolvers he carried. "Dad, do don't something stupid."

Marcus said nothing as he went to Zanfar. "You want my forgiveness? Well, this is the time to earn it."

Zanfar didn't ask and he had a good guess of what Marcus was going to ask of him. The zoan user shifted to full demon horse form keeping the flames of his mane out. Marcus grabbed a handful and pulled himself up onto his back. "Ow! You could have asked and I would have made getting on my back easier," Zanfar said as he looked back at the longfin mako.

"I have no desire to waste any more precious time," Marcus growled at him.

"You're not going alone," Nami said as she came up to Zanfar's shoulder.

Marcus gave no argument as he held out a hand to her, pulling up her behind him. "I have a feeling you might be the storm I need," he said.

"Oh you have no idea," Nami said.

"Marcus, what the hell are you thinking," Longtooth said giving the mako a stern look.

"Call it a rescue," he snapped. "Now get the hell out my way or I'll run you the hell down."

Zanfar gave a wild snort and leaped forward. The zoan user took off using his Blazing Charge but this time he had control of the flames. "What do you plan to do when we find them?" he asked.

"Something I was once very good at," Marcus said.

"Which was?" Nami asked.

Marcus glanced over his shoulder at the woman. "Shoot the hell first and then ask the god damn questions."

"Is that actually a wise idea?" Zanfar asked as he jumped over a fallen tree with ease.

"If you have been around as long as I have you don't give two shits about certain matters," the mako replied.

Zanfar gave a snort as he caught a slight whiff of the drug and came to a rearing halt almost throwing both Nami and Marcus from his back. He circled wildly on his hind legs shaking his head.

"What the hell is wrong with-," Marcus snapped at him as he reached behind him making sure Nami did not fall.

"Can't you smell it," Zanfar said. "There is something in the air in front of us."

Marcus took a small whiff and shook his head. Though the dose was small, he caught a faint effect of the drug Stryker had used on Saw. "Damn, we need to find a way to clear whatever that is away from us."

"How close can you get?" Nami asked.

Zanfar glanced at her. "Probably not much farther. Why?"

"Get a close you can," the orange-haired woman said. "I'll handle the rest."

"If you say so," the zoan user said nervously before he continued on. "I can't go any further. I'm sorry."

Nami said nothing as she stood up on Zanafar's back before she straddled Marcus' shoulders. Poor Marcus was wild-eyed not expecting the woman to do something like that. "Give a man some warning girl," he said as his face flushed some. "You just don't go and climb on someone's shoulders like that."

"You're the right height for this," Nami said.

"Height? Height for what?"

Nami pointed to one of the three segments of the Clima-Tact directly in front of them. "Gust Sword" A small bubble had formed at the tip which then burst shooting a gust of pressurized air at

"A whirlwind?" Marcus was impressed. "You certainly are a storm, aren't you?"

Nami flashed him a smile as she slipped off his shoulders and back down on Zanfar's back. "I'm just full of surprises," she said.

"I'll say," Zanfar said as he tossed his head. "You cleared the way."

"Good," Nami said. "Let's hurry!"

Zanfar arched his neck as he neighed a cry of a challenge as he charged onward. He burst into the clearing and came to skidding halt his eyes wide. "What happened?!"

"We're too late," Marcus said sliding off his back followed by Nami.

"Riptide!" Nami screamed his name over and over again as she looked for her oldest child. Nami was trying not to panic but it was hard not to. She would lose him not again. Being separated from her children had been hard enough and to finally be reunited with them was like it was after the two years she had been from Luffy and the others as tears welled up her eyes. She couldn't stand the very thought of something terrible happening to her precious boy.

"Oi Nami!"

The navigator looked to see Marcus waving her over to him and she rushed to the mako's side. Her eyes widened as the sight of Skie as Marcus rolled the poor girl over. The female sawtooth had a very nasty bruise around her left eye and cheek. There was also evidence of a head wound going by the blood that had dried on the right side of her face. "Marcus, what happened to her?"

He nodded to the small rock that was stained with blood. "Looks like she hit her head on that rock," he said. "She was hit pretty hard enough to knock out her going by the bruises on her face."

Zanfar having shifted back to his human form was looking around when he found dart upon dart on the ground soon followed by the remains of the special bombs. He blinked when he spot Saw who had transformed back to her child form and the zoan user scooped her up. "Saw," Zanfar said as he gave the guardian a gentle shake. "Saw. You need to wake up." He hurried over to Nami and Marcus, "I found Saw but I can't get her to wake."

"What." Marcus looked up at him. "Nami takes Skie. Let me have Saw."

Zanfar nodded as he slipped the unconscious guardian into Marcus' arms. The mako was careful as he gently shook her. "Saw, can you hear me? Saw?"

The guardian slowly stirred and she barely opened her open eyes. Daifu?

"No little one. It's your Hiijiji."

Hiijiji?

"Yes. You remember your Hiijiji, right?"

Saw's eyes open more and seeing Marcus threw her arms around his neck. HIIJIJI!

"Hush little one," Marcus said hugging her to him. "You're safe now."

"Riptide?"

Nami looked at Skie who was coming to. "Skie," she said carefully brushing the bangs of Skie's hair from her eyes. "Do you know what happened? Where's Riptide at?"

Skie seemed confused for a moment before she remembered. "Riptide!" she cried sitting looking around wildly. "No, he took him. He took Riptide."

"Stryker," Zanfar said. "Are you saying he has Riptide?"

Skie nodded before breaking down. Nami held the girl to her. "That bastard has my son," she said as a dark look crossed her face. "I'll make him pay if he hurts even a single hair on my son's head."

"Nami, there is nothing we do for," Marcus said bitterly. "We have no choice but to regroup with the others and go from there."

"But I know where Stryker would have taken him," Zanfar said. "There's an old ruined temple that he is using. We can easily go and get Riptide back."

"No."

"No?" Nami glared at Marcus. "How dare you say that? If we have a chance to get Riptide, I say we do it."

"And I'd rather not be sticking my head in a hornet's nest," he growled back. "I want to get my grandson back more than anything but we don't know the layout of the temple or how well it may be guarded. No, we must until Ryder is well."

"Ryder?" Zanfar said. "What could he do?"

"If anyone knows this nut better it will be his own brother. Ryder will be the key to getting Riptide back," Marcus said as he rose to his feet Saw securely in his arms. "For now we can do nothing but stay focused on what Riptide had wanted everyone to do and that is getting stronger. Once we do that then we'll go and get him back."

Marcus' words were painful to accept but Nami knew he spoke true. "I'm glad of one thing," she said.

"What is that?" Zanfar asked her.

It was hard not to cry more but Nami wasn't the only other person who would make Stryker regret taking Riptide. "That Luffy isn't here because if he was," she said. "He would destroy that place just to get Riptide back and beat the living hell of Stryker as well."

~~.~~.~~

"Who do-,"

Screaming

"...you think-,"

More screaming

"...you're messing-,"

Much more screaming

"...with!"

Riptide had come far faster than expected and with his wrists chained he proceeded to beat the living shit out of those who tried to imprison him. Stryker's ninja might have been skilled but faced with an enraged hybrid, they were nothing. The white saw shark stood among the dead bodies covered with blood and a look in his eyes that sent shivers down the surviving ninja. They stayed as far as they could from him.

"Come on," he snarled facing them. "Afraid to face me? For a bunch of fucking ninjas, you're nothing but wussies!"

He heard the sound of clapping, "You've exceeded my wildest dreams."

Riptide looked around the huge cavern they were in until his eyes fell upon Stryker who was standing not far from him with a sick twist grin on his face. He gave the tiger shark a murderous glare.

"When I was a child," Stryker said. "I heard tales about those born with Hidden Fury and how they and they alone could actually tap into their power and no one would ever know it. They were called the superior ones since they were the strongest among the entire Fish men race." He smiled at Riptide. "And you, my young friend are far stronger than any of them."

"For a Fish man, you're a sick twisted bastard," Riptide said. "Compared to the bastard who fathered me, he's a damn saint alongside you."

Stryker chuckled, "This coming from one whose human mother is no more than a whore-,"

Riptide went ballistic. He roared charging his opponent. He might care little for his father but his mother was a different matter. No one insulted her not in his presence. "MY MOTHER IS NOT A WHORE!"

Stryker stood smiling. That's it. SHow me your Hidden Fury! Your strength, your power, show it to me!

Riptide was almost on him when the hybrid was suddenly sent flying. He slammed into the far opposite side of the cavern with such force that part of it collapsed, burying him. Stryker glared at the whale shark who suddenly appeared. Leviathan scratched at the scar Riptide had given him and he had a satisfied look on his face.

Stryker was far from pleased, "Damn you, he belongs to me!"

Turning slowly Leviathan snarled, "Belongs to you? Is that so? Well, I say where he belongs and that is dead!"

"I've had it with you," Stryker reached for one of the many different size swords that hung on the wall next to him.

"My Lord, look!"

Stryker and Leviathan looked to see Riptide standing up and he shook the debris from his hair. The hybrid, before the eyes of all who watched him, snapped the thick heavy chains as if they were nothing. He kept his head down, his hair hiding his eyes.

"He's no Fish-man!"

"He must be a demon that was born to look like one!"

The remaining ninja fled leaving only the two shark men. Riptide slowly lifted his head his eyes reflecting the fury burning deep within him. He threw his head back unleashing a battle cry that echoed throughout the cavern, "Shaaaa!"

"Come on boy! Let's finish what we started that day," Leviathan said as he charged. "Wha-, He's gone!"

Riptide had literally vanished and Leviathan looked around before he screamed as blood spewed forth from the sudden numerous wounds that had appeared on his great bulk. The whale shark was on his hands and knees, his eyes wide and filled with horror. Before he was Riptide armed with three bloody katanas. Having trained with his uncle Zoro, Riptide could easily copy his Santoryu style. Stryker was laughing like mad. Riptide had unleashed the full power of his Hidden Fury.

"I will not lose to you," Leviathan snarled as he rose to his full height. He ignored the pain of his wounds as he glared at the hybrid. "I will not lose to his damn bastard son!"

"You're a dead fool then," Riptide said with a sword clenched in his teeth. "Have you ever heard of a pirate hunter named Roronoa Zoro?"

'Who hasn't?" Leviathan gave a snort. "What does he have to do with this?"

"Only this, Oni Giri!" Riptide used Zoro's signature technique.

Stryker stood in awe to see the hybrid literally copy Zoro's move perfectly. The hybrid tapping into the speed part of his Hidden Fury approached the whale shark far faster than his uncle could when he was learning from Zoro. The power of him swinging the swords across Leviathan's chest not only resulted in the diagonal-crossing slash but it sent him flying up into the air. The whale shark was barely alive as he struck the floor with such force that he created a small impact crater.

"STOP THIS! PLEASE!"

Stryker looked as Ruby stumbled from one of the many tunnels. He had forgotten about her. Riptide shifted his gaze upon the bruised form of the saw tooth mermaid. She did not look well and she barely had any strength to stand as tears flowed at the sight of Leviathan's bloody form. Riptide rushed to her as she started to fall catching her in his arms.

"You are him," Ruby said with a small sad smile upon her face. "The son of Arlong but born from a human mother." She reached up fingers gently running down his face. "A hybrid but it does not show in you at all."

"You must be her," Riptide said as he laid the katanas on the stone floor by him. "The one Ryder spoke of. The one he loves dearly." A single tear ran down his scarred cheek. "Ruby."

"Ryder," Ruby spoke sounding so weak. "You know of my love?"

"I do. He was injured when he challenged his brother, but he is alive," Riptide said. "He is with my nakama and they will see to his injuries and make him well so he may return to you."

"I fear I will not be here when he does return."

Riptide shook his head. "Do not say such a thing. I swear I will bring you to him."

"Promise me one thing," Ruby said.

"Of course," he said. "Ask and I will do it."

"Kill that cold-hearted bastard and if you leave this island take Ryder with you," Ruby said her voice was becoming weaker.

"I promise," Riptide said his voice was becoming emotional. "I swear on my name that I will do as you ask."

"May I know your name before I die?"

Tears flowed as he nodded knowing it was too late for the sawtooth mermaid. "Riptide," he whispered. "Riptide the eldest son of Arlong and Nami."

"It is a good name," Ruby said. With the very last of her strength, she reached up cupping his face and drew the hybrid to her face. She planted a light kiss on his lips with her final breath.

Riptide cradled Ruby's body in his arms as he cried silent tears. "I will tell Ryder that you loved him until your final breath," he whispered.

"You shed tears," Stryker was somewhat surprised. "You cry for a whore like her?"

Riptide shot him a look that looked beyond anger or hate as he laid Ruby on the floor. "You low life scum of the sea," he said. "How dare you think of any woman as a whore. How many have you forced yourself upon? How many have screamed for you to stop?"

"I take what I want when I want", Stryker said.

"You're sick!" Riptide rose, picking up the swords. "You're a mad dog and you need to be put down. What has your own race ever done to you?"

"They've done nothing to me," the tiger shark answered. "It is the ones who are born with weak minds that I can't stand. Those who would rather help the humans then rule them."

"That's where you are wrong, Stryker! Those weaklings as you and my so-called father like to refer them to, are strong and it's their beliefs, their dreams that make them the true beings of the Fish man race. Herman and others like him past and present will always be strong as am I!"

"What a speech!" Stryker laughed, "Especially coming from a hybrid. Do you think that those weaklings will ever accept you, call you a friend, a brother? No, they will never accept you or any of you kind! You will be an outcast till your dying day."

Riptide shook his head. He wouldn't believe those words not after what his mother had told him about Herman and also what Jimbei had told him about Queen Otohime and of Fisher Tiger. Herman and Queen Otohime both wanted a world where all races could live in peace and deep down. Fisher Tiger was very idealistic, making the principles of liberation and freedom. Riptide had never thought or even considered until that moment but he wanted to see the very dream Queen Otohime had longed to actually happen and he would see it come to past. Suddenly he felt several pricks on his back. "Shit," he cursed. "Not again."

He fought the effects but he finally dropped. His vision became cloudy as he saw Stryker crouching over him, smiling in an almost fatherly way, "Lock him up with Jones. I'll deal with him later."

"Stryker," Riptide said fighting the effects of the drugs. "You'll wish you had killed me this day."

"Oh," Stryker looked at him in amusement. "Why is that?"

"Because I will be that last thing you see before you die!"

~~.~~.~~

"Oi, Jones! Lord Stryker decided to give you a cellmate!"

Riptide was dragged and dropped onto wet and filthy straw of a dark damp cell that smelled disgusting. From the shadows emerged a hand that was once human. It still looked it except for the thumb that was a tentacle and it rolled the hybrid onto his back. Riptide moaned in pain.

"Easy there, shipmate. You best rest for a spell."

"Who are you," he asked, feeling more and more sleepy.

A face slowly came into view. It looked human, but the creature had no lips and had a beard of living tentacles that withered and twisted and deep-set eyes, "David B. Jones, at your service mate."

Who or what is this David B. Jones? What the hell does Stryker have planned for Riptide? Things can't get any worse or can they? Read and Review like always.