Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece; that belongs to Eiichiro Oda.

A/N: Finally finished this chapter. Got the next chapter planned but who knows how long it'll take me to finish.

Oh, if I do have a chapter, I'll only update it on the 29th. I've been writing three new stories and so I've been updating a story once a week to keep myself from burning out. I've actually written a new chapter 11, so I was looking at seeing if I should merge the Jimbei's Inner Struggle chapters but then I realised that my chapters back then are between 1000 and 2000 words. My chapters nowadays are between 2000 and 4000. No wonder I could update so frequently, my chapters were smaller, more contained, and a heck of a lot easier to write back then.

Either way, next 29th, there's gonna be a new chapter 11.

WARNING: Blood.

Chapter 53: Unfortunate

His legs throbbed and begged to give out on him. Pressure pressed down on him. It was filled with despair and hopelessness. A terrified predator was glaring down on them, backed into a corner. It would eat them, simply because they were there.

Sanji still managed to keep going in the face of this and reached his downed brothers. Luffy was frozen even as his Haki tried to crush everyone. He wasn't aiming it yet, not that it was something he knew to do. Jimbei couldn't teach him that. It was rare for Luffy to even use the King's Disposition before this journey. Arlong awoke it but there hadn't been anyone around Luffy that threatened one of their siblings since.

It was probably why they could all still stand, even the bastard who Zoro was driving off. Pye had slipped off his shoulders and was almost cowering in the sand.

Blood was slowly oozing out of Usopp's back, above the cracks across his bare shoulder blades and climbing up his neck to reach his temples and kind of form half goggles around his eyes. He reached over and found the pulse point on his neck. Whispers different from his own but said the same way almost distracted him from the thump he felt under his fingers. He immediately removed his hand from the crack whispering Usopp's darkest anxieties.

Usopp was alive. Although judging by the amount of blood the cuts were weeping, maybe not for long.

He took him out of Luffy's limp arms. His brother his captain started at the loss.

"He's alive," Sanji said, adjusting Usopp to the best carrying position he could muster. Taking off his jacket and putting it on his younger brother so he could put pressure on the wound. "You need to get a hold of your Haki. We don't know how far it's reaching, but we need a conscious doctor."

Luffy nodded, fire returning to his eyes. The pressure, the presence staring them down lessened. But it was still there. The starving predator was hopeful now, it'll eat them because it had to. He didn't wait for it to get better. He stood and looked over at the burning cantrip covered slope. Shit.

"Gomu Gomu no Balloon." He didn't hesitate to jump on the trampoline his brother provided. As soon as his feet hit the ground he was running. When he passed Hercules standing vigil at the top of the slope, it rolled into a ball and followed after him.

As he raced through the forest, Luffy's Haki died down considerably. When he reached the town proper, it was a faint presence in the back of his head, warning him there was a furious animal out for blood. A paranoid town wasn't what he was hoping for, but it was better than an unconscious one.

A woman shrieked as she opened her windows cautiously and spotted him and Usopp's unconscious, bleeding form. The whole town rose from cautious individuals to an almost hysterical collective. They were still helpful enough to point out the way to the village doctor without any prompting.

His feet seemed to decide he wasn't moving fast enough and tried pushing off the ground twice in the same spot while running. It actually seemed to work so he started pushing them to hit the ground more than that.

Please let him get there in time. If only he was there, but he was. He was also the only one to notice the incoming attack even if he was still too slow and he was the only one who could get Usopp to the help he needed while Luffy struggled to control his awakened but poorly controlled Haki and Zoro held off the shitstain who dared attack their brother from behind.

… Maybe… Maybe Zoro was right.

BuT Then tHeY'd Find tHEm! thEy"D hURt tHeM!

Banchina slowly rubbed circles into Kaya's, sorry the Young Mistress's, back. Her eyes stayed focused on the beach she could see from the mansion. The traps set up on that slope and in the forest near it were hidden from her point of view.

Usopp had thought that would be the slope they'd land on, but she could see it from the estate. The other slope left them open for a surprise attack if they didn't cover it, so that's why Usopp was stationed there.

It was a good thing too, seeing as they had decided to approach from the village side instead of cutting straight to the mansion without interference. Those sort of pirates gave the whole group a bad name. She'd never have married and had a child with Yasopp if he were like these seafaring brigands.

Well, at least she knew her son would never be like them. He'd be a proper, free, dream seeking, adventurous pirate like his birth father. He already had a good crew that'd support and be there for him when he would need them.

The den den mushi silently stood by, waiting for the all-clear after Usopp and his brothers had finished dealing with the false pirates. Or to call him if Kuro was approaching.

There was a polite knock on the door, Merry's hand certainly. "Come in, Merry." Kaya called, removing her face from her chest. Banchina ignored the damp spot there.

Merry, still unfortunately in the dark came in without any sign of panic but disappointed. Fear struck her heart.

"Apologies Mistress Kaya, Klahadore had already left for the village by the time you sent me to find him. In addition, Usopp hasn't been seen at all this morning and his bed is untouched. I know he's not who you sent me to find but I thought if you couldn't have Klahadore with you now, you'd appreciate your friend's company."

Merry was a good man, a loyal servant to his mistress too, but damn if his good heart didn't possibly just spell disaster on her son. Her hand was already dialling her son's number into the den den mushi before Merry had even finished. It rang out, unanswered.

That lily-livered, bilge-sucking, landlubber of a scallywag!

A new servant ran in full of panic. Decorum having already walked the plank long ago for him it seemed. "Mistress, Mrs Banchina, Mr Merry!" He gasped. "Usopp was spotted in the town, he was being carried by a blond man in a blood-drenched suit. I think that blood was Usopp's. There's smoke coming from the direction they entered the town."

Oh, she was going to keelhaul that son of a biscuit when she got her hands on him. Still, if Sanji had arrived and Luffy and Zoro didn't come with them… the fight might still be continuing on.

"Sanji was supposed to arrive this morning with two of his brothers. The fight that caused Usopp's injury may still be continuing. The guards need to be prepared for the worst case." Banchina stated.

Merry bowed. "I'll have the guards prepared to defend the mansion."

"No." Kaya said.

Merry blinked. "Mistress?"

"Have them protect the town," Kaya instructed. "They're our people, our friends, whoever hurt Usopp would have to come through the town. Have the guards prepare to defeat the threat there."

"But your safety Mistress!" Merry said, even though the young servant had already left to inform the guards.

Banchina brought out her double-barreled pistol from where she had hidden it from sight.

"I may not be as sharp a shooter as my husband or son, but I'm certainly a threat with a gun." She left the cast iron pan hidden though, a woman always needed an ace up her sleeves. She used the cooking instrument to knock out Red-Haired Shanks after all, even though he wasn't a Yonko and barely starting his own crew at the time. The man-child had still previously sailed with Roger at that point though.

Merry nodded and left her to guard her future daughter-in-law. Honestly, she didn't know why Usopp kept denying his feelings and Kaya remained silent about hers. She refused to believe her son would die today.

Kaya removed herself from her arms and grabbed the hidden pan. She stared defiantly at her. "I'm going to go help Usopp. He-" Banchina stood up and cut her off.

"You don't need to convince me. Let's go and see if your training can be put to use." She smiled and they stood off as fast as Kaya could manage. Which was faster than usual, willpower and determination driving her onward.

Banchina was proud of her daughter. Even if they weren't related, yet.

He felt weak. The drain of using his Haki left him barely able to move. It was still sapping his energy away as it refused to stop. He was trying to stop it, but he'd never had to force it to stop before. It'd always been a struggle to start using it. Even then it came as a burst, always gone the next second.

He breathed in deep, the clashing of swords away from him and the unconscious pirate invaders were slower than he knew Zoro was capable of. He was forcing him to fight an even battle when he could have finished the stupid poop jacket long ago. He let out a breath, the drain lessened a little, but it was still taking without stopping.

A weakened hiss drew his attention. Pye had slithered over the sand and between bodies to him. They looked tired too. The effects of Conqueror's Haki on animals was stronger if he remembered Jimbei's lessons on it properly. The fact that Pye was awake was proof he was doing better at restraining himself.

But it wasn't enough. He needed to be better.

Luffy took another breath and focused on the fact that Usopp would be alright. He had to be.

A flare of his Observation Haki couldn't reach the town. He could only believe in his brothers, his crew. He grinned at the thought. That wasn't even something he had to actively do. He already did so all the time. The drain became a little less.

As the pressure slowly lessened, the fake butler grew faster. He was desperate, half of his slashes were just wild swings at the surroundings. He was fast, but he didn't pack any punch. Even with ten blades, faster than his blades as they were directed by a finger each alone, he couldn't do any proper damage.

Getting him away from Luffy was the aim though, and his captain was finally out of the danger zone. He could finally be more aggressive and fight back. It cost him a few gashes, but he managed to unsheathe Wado and put the hilt in his mouth. The cuts stung a little from the barest of sweat on his person.

Zoro stopped, the backslasher swung his blades. It took a bit of effort to not yell advice to his opponent. He had an interesting basis for sword fighting, but he didn't respect his blades or use them properly. The style was wasted on this landlubber.

His nameless swords blocked the ten blades easily, the faint Armament he'd been using to keep his feet finally cracked the blades in his opponent's hold.

"Toro Nagashi!" All ten blades shattered in a shower of metal. Cuts burst open with blood. His opponent, though weakened from Luffy's Haki, fulfilled his dibs.

The python would get the next fight. Assuming Dawn Island's oversized animals still held up against the forces they'd be facing. And Zoro means a real fight, not calming down Luffy before he immobilises himself from Haki exhaustion. Speaking of, he should probably try to help there.

"You won." It wasn't a question but Zoro nodded at it all the same.

The pressure died down another notch. Not much farther to go, although Luffy will probably need to be carried for at least a little of the journey. Carrying him and the snake will be a good warm down from the short fight. Fighting on unstable sand and under the waning and waxing pressure of a Conqueror's Haki made for a new challenge.

"When you get that under control, I've got some training ideas." He said, kneeling next to him. He winced at the sight of blood clinging to Luffy's hands and forearms. "Come on, let's get that washed off then go check on our brothers. Make sure they didn't get lost like they usually do."

"Shishishi, you're the one that gets lost Zoro." It was a tired grin, but seeing the bright smile on his face again lifted something off his shoulders. Or he might just be feeling the pressure from Luffy's Haki receding.

Pye picked the rubber-man up and dragged him to the sea. Well, into it. At least they knew to keep Luffy's head above the water. The last remaining vestiges of overpowering Haki died out. Huh, they really should have thought about dumping him in the water earlier. He'd keep that in mind for next time.

Sanji let out a sigh of relief as the doctors finally confirmed that Usopp was no longer in any danger. With his haki exhausted and his old assassin knowledge kept firmly under lock and key, with the key of course destroyed with no chance of being replicated, he hadn't been able to tell how Usopp was doing.

Usopp was supposed to be a fucking sniper. He shouldn't be getting injured to such a degree! It'd be more understandable if it were Zoro, not that he would dare let anything scar his back. At least he also knew to protect his skull. If there was one positive outcome of Sanji repeatedly putting his hands in harm's way just to touch the marimo's head, it was that Zoro really didn't want anything or anyone touching it.

He took a tired drag, slowly letting the candy flavoured smoke out with a breath. Finally, he clocked onto the uproar outside. Now, he knew running into town with a bloodied Usopp wouldn't have been calmly received, but he didn't expect this much of an uproar from a typically quiet island.

He stood up in time to witness two women determinedly stride into the building. Banchina was an instantly recognisable face, not many had long noses like she or her son. The other woman, wielding cast iron pan in her delicate hands as if it were a weapon, took him a second to recognise. She was the heiress Usopp lived with.

The first thing he did was disarm her of course, unlike Nami and Robin, she was in no way a fighter. And while Sanji factually knew the damage a frying pan could dish out, using a cooking instrument to fight would not sit with him. He couldn't allow it. The second thing he did was inform them that Usopp wasn't in any danger any longer and that Luffy and Zoro were taking care of the invading pirate's captain. They both sagged with relief, although Banchina recovered in the blink of an eye and began checking him over for injuries.

Thankfully, the voices from the cracks had silenced themselves. He wouldn't suddenly flinch from them and make Banchina concerned for him.

Kaya walked straight to Usopp. Considering she has been learning some medicine, the doctor doesn't immediately throw her out as she quickly proved herself useful. Sanji wonders if Usopp ever set up some correspondence between her and Chopper. Maybe he should ask.

It's been a while since he's heard of his youngest brother. It's been a while since he failed him.

Sanji's failed a lot as a brother.

Let it be known, Zoro does not appreciate this reception. Also, Luffy really can make anything go from bad to worse.

"Oh, we're pirates!" Luffy cheers. If one didn't actually know him, then they wouldn't be able to tell how low energy that announcement was.

"Pirates?! They're the invaders, attack!"

"There's only two of them, Usopp must have defeated the rest! They can't be that strong."

"Look at the blood on his blades, that must be Usopp's. Charge!"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Luffy!" Zoro growled, deflecting all the incoming attacks. His idiot younger brother and captain just started laughing. The little shit.

Someone then came and voiced that exact thought. It's a relief, though he's not going to tell him that. Not when he also makes a pass for his head.

"You little shitheads!" Sanji yelled, trying to kick them both in the head. When the foot passed Zoro's head, there was barely a wind. The shit cook thinks he can go easy on him? "Usopp's fine, stop glaring at me, Marimo."

The guards halted at Sanji's announcement, getting confused. Luffy kept laughing, sounding even more joyful and now relieved than before, under Sanji's foot and Pye revealed themselves, much to the alarm of the guards. How the heck the guards hadn't registered their presence is a mystery, the snake's huge. Goa really doesn't skimp out on the size department unless you're human.

Although Zoro had met Garp, and he's not someone you'd call small. How likely is it that Luffy would grow that tall? He sent a suspicious look at him.

"Got everyone?" Sanji asked, lifting his foot at the behest of the hissing snake.

Zoro grunts, which is enough of an acknowledgement from him. Luffy was the one who actually spoke.

"Yeah, Zoro beat the poop jacket butler. Shattered all his swords and just cut him down." With that statement, the recovering situation just took a turn for the worst.

The guards, people who knew the traitor butler but didn't know he was a traitor, realised who Zoro beat up and charged again, not hearing Sanji when he tried to speak up in their defence and tell them Khladore was actually Captain Kuro of the Black Cat pirate. That he'd been planning on killing the Mistress and getting her inheritance.

"We won't let you anywhere near the village or our mistress!" One guard yelled, his sword deflected by a reinforced shoe sole.

"You hurt Usopp and took him to the doctor to get Mistress Kaya out of her mansion, didn't you? We won't let you near either of them, you scum!" Another yelled, his attack deflected by Wado Ichimonji.

He shouldn't have said that.

Luffy's Haki bore down on them, trying specifically to go after the one who dared to suggest they hurt their brother, who promised to keep him from them. It hit everyone, but only for a few seconds. Those few seconds were enough to knock all the guards out.

They were also enough to knock Luffy out. Pye caught him and after licking, or actually sniffing for a snake, at Sanji's blood-drenched shirt, started heading towards Usopp.

Zoro sighed, frankly annoyed at everything at the moment. Sanji groaned in agreement.

He used his wrist to parry the hand coming for his head. Sanji just gave him a tired, broken smile. "Come on, let's make sure Luffy doesn't do anything stupid for a while."

Zoro snorted, starting to walk into town. "Not even Nami could stop all of his stupidity, you think we can?"

"True, you'd just enable him." Sanji nodded, taking a smoke and following after him. The scent of Cherry flavoured Cotton Candy filled the air.

He didn't smack him for that comment since he brought back the smell of their youngest brother. Fuck, they had no idea how to find Drum Island.

Chopper would have been useful and very comforting to have right about now. Nami probably has a way to find him though, they just need to meet up with her. Wherever she was now.

Coming up Next: A Wave's Journey

I have actually started writing this and have planned it, as you may guess from the chapter title, it's going to be Nami centric. The East Blue crew's finally going to reunite!