"They kidnapped Nami?!" Usopp shouts in surprise.
"It was my fault," Chopper confesses. "Even though they were so big, I didn't notice them until they appeared before my eyes."
"First it was centaurs and now beast men?! There are a bunch of strange creatures on this island!"
"Perhaps they were waiting for their chance to attack us somewhere," Robin reasons.
"I guess they didn't come here to spring their friend," Run says, motioning to a slumped over Brownbeard.
"It seems that their main purpose was to kill us and take the children," Chopper tells him. "But first, they killed Brownbeard at the Master's command. They were supposed to be on the same side...and Brownbeard admired him so much. Luffy! This Master guy is a very twisted person. There's no way that I can allow these children to fall back into the hands of such evil person! I can't help worrying about Nami in Franky's body, too! We have no idea what they're planning to do to her!"
"I'll get her back at any cost!" Luffy assures him. "Run! You come with me! The rest of you look after those kids!" The two men take off at a sprint back out into the snow, leaving a shouting Franky behind. "Alright! Sniff them out, Run! Lead us to Nami!"
"What?" Run asks quickly. "Now hold on a damn minute. I'm not some hound dog, I can't- ugh." The red head briefly wrinkles his nose as a look of disgust flickers across his face. "Hold on. I think I got their scent...aah, damn it! I am turnin' into a hound dog! I-" A loud explosion sounds behind the two men and they both briefly glance back in time to see Chopper's Monster Point emerge from the mouth of their hide-out. "Is that Franky? Why is he in Monster Point?" Franky-Chopper picks up a large chunk of stone and immediately tosses it in their direction. "Whoa!" Both men dodge out of it's path, and continue their sprinting.
"Franky, you jerk! Why are you attacking us?!" Hounded by an out of control Franky, they sprint across the snow fields following Run's nose...and eventually begin to find massive foot prints in the snow. "Run! Look! Foot prints! We're really-"
"Luffy! Cliff!" The eyes of both men widen as they finally spot the edge of a cliff very rapidly approaching. "Stop, stop, stop!" They do their best to slow themselves...but with Franky chasing from behind and the lack of grip on snow and ice, they can't stop themselves from tumbling over the edge of the cliff. Both look down towards the rapidly approaching ground, and the bed of ice-spikes awaiting them. That's not the only thing they see, however. Nami-Franky is chained up and hanging from some thrown together metal pole. "Dahahaha~! Nami! Comin' through!"
"Watch out!" Nami screams. "Those two are around!"
"Waaah! There's spikes at the bottom!" Luffy shouts, crossing his arms in front of himself. His arms are immediately coated in Haki, and he draws back quickly. "Gum-Gum...Gatling!" Luffy launches a flurry of punches at the ice spikes, quickly destroying them as they come crashing down into the snow. They've barely landed before one of the two furry giants fires off a shot at them. "It's those two from before!" He briefly crouches, and slams his fist against the ground. "Second Gear!" He disappears seconds later, reappearing in front of one of them. "Gum-Gum...Jet Pistol!" The furry giant disappears as well, dodging the attack and reappearing several meters away. He fires another shot off which Luffy dodges, moving to appear in front of him a second time. "Jet Stamp!" Again it dodges Luffy's attack, appearing and disappearing again and again. "They're gone again!"
"Fool," laughs one of them. "We know these mountains like our own backyard."
"There are so many places we can hide ourselves," chimes in the second. Without another word, the two begin firing on them again and again, chasing them with shells through the valley they've fallen into. Every time they try to counter attack, the two seem to melt into the background, avoiding their attacks.
"They keep disappearing even though they're so big," complains Luffy. "Can't you sniff them out, Run?"
"Aah, again with this?" Run asks him, dodging another shell fired in his direction. "The only thing I can smell is gunpowder! They're shooting guns, Luffy!" The red head's eyes briefly flash a deep crimson and his head snaps away from Luffy. "There!" Run suddenly points towards one of the many cave entrances lining the wall, and although Luffy can't see anything there he none the less trusts Run's words.
"Gum-Gum...Jet Pistol!" There's a brief blur and one of the giants appears there, confusion apparent on his face moments before Luffy's fist drives into his jaw. He sails back, striking the wall and disappearing into a brief cloud of dust and snow. "Alright! We got him- what the?!" Franky-Chopper, who has been buried unmoving in the snow, suddenly twitches and then pulls himself free while roaring at the top of his lungs. Unfortunately, Luffy is the first person he sees and immediately begins to target. "Franky! Knock it off!"
"Why are you struggling more with him?!" demands Nami-Franky.
"Looks like a falling out to me!" grunts the injured giant, emerging from the cloud of dust and scattered snow. "I've had enough of you lot! These icy mountains are filled with potential weapons!" He raises his weapon and fires off a round at a nearby mountaintop...shattering it and sending it plummeting in their direction.
"Watch out!" screams Nami. "The tip of the mountain is gonna fall! Luffy, Run, Franky! Look up!"
"I'm on it!" Run shouts, leaping skywards quickly. He catches the icy peak of the mountain, and grins from ear to ear before spinning, and tossing it in the direction of the giant who'd caused the whole situation. "Here! Hold this for me, pal!" It smashes into the giant before he can react, nearly collapsing half of the cliff on impact. "Dahaha~! Strike!"
"Alright! That was great, Run!" Luffy shouts, only seconds before leaping skyward to avoid a strike from an enraged Franky. "Whoa! Hey, enough already, Franky! Third Gear! Gum-Gum...Elephant Gun!" He drives an inflated fist into Franky's chin, sending him tumbling backwards several dozen meters before finally coming to rest.
"No! Luffy, Run! Help me!" Nami screams, attracting their attention. It seems the second giant as grabbed Nami and intends to make a quick escape up the mountain. They quickly give chase, something made exceedingly more difficult due to the icy conditions and the fact that the giant sabotages their every attempt to follow him. When they finally make it to the top of the mountain, they're all surprised to see the giant bisected, and Trafalgar Law standing several meters away from Nami...with her screaming for him to put her back in her body.
"Ohh! Tra-guy!" chirps Luffy. "Did you save Nami?"
"Well, imagine running into you here," Run says in way of greeting. He notices a familiar cutlass secured tightly to his waist and motions to it with a grin on his face while approaching a chained Nami. "Aah, I see you still have something that belongs to me."
"Hmm," snorts Law. "I've been thinking...and I came here to talk to you about something, Straw Hat-ya. I think you arrived on this island by accident. But there is an important key lying somewhere on this island that can wreak havoc in the New World. There are only two ways to survive in the New World. Either by living under the Yonko or by going against them. I would wager you're not the kind of person who wants to work under someone else." A sharp 'ting!' sounds as Run breaks the chains binding Nami with a quick yank, causing her to stare wide eyed and open mouthed.
"Yeah!" Luffy agrees. "I want to stay as a Captain!"
"Then, we have to form an alliance!"
"An alliance?"
"If we join forces, then maybe we can do it. I have a plan to bring down one of the Yonko!"
"We can bring down a Yonko?" Nami echos. "That's absurd! I don't know what he wants but don't listen to this jerks fast-talk, Luffy!"
"I'm not saying we can beat one right away. All I'm saying is that we'd get a chance if we follow a plan step by step. What do you say, Straw Hat-ya?"
"Dahaha~. Sounds like you're asking us to take a big risk all for just a 'chance'," Run tells him with a grin. "Aah, that said, you didn't even tell us which one it is that you've set your sights on." The grin on his face slowly fades, and Law notes his that his iris' briefly flash a bright crimson. "So...which one might you be after, Trafalgar Law?"
"Hoh? What if I said...'Red Haired' Shanks?" Once more his iris' flash a brief crimson.
"I'd say...you won't draw your sword before I can cover the distance. That least, that's what my Kenbunshoku is telling me." Luffy holds an arm out in front of Run before the red head can do anything and he scratches the stubble on his jaw calmly.
"Which of the four Yonko are you talking about?" Luffy question him.
"Luffy! We can't trust this guy!" insists Nami.
"The Yonko's name is Kaido," Law tells them.
"I see," Luffy says. "Alright! Let's do it...!"
"Huh?! We're gonna form an alliance with the Heart Pirates?!" scream Usopp and Chopper in unison.
"You just went out to reclaim Nami! How the hell did you come back with such an eccentric idea?!" demands Usopp, seizing Luffy by the front of his coat. "You!" Usopp immediately looks at the red head. "You went with him! Couldn't you have talked him out of it?! What were you thinking?! If we ally ourselves with this creep who gives me the chills I won't be able to sleep in peace at night!" While the arguing continues, Run approaches a seated Robin and sits beside her with a soft sigh.
"Aah, what an ordeal," Run sighs.
"Mm, it seems you weathered it more or less unscathed," Robin tells him. "I see you managed to get your cutlass back. Actually, that aside...aren't you cold?" Robin looks over the red head, who has once more slipped his coat off to hang from his shoulders again.
"Believe it or not, no. Maybe it's because of that Devil Fruit I ate but I'm finding this cold to be quite comfortable...sense of smell has gotten a lot better, too. I'm ashamed to admit it but I tracked those giants by scent alone." He pauses for a moment before looking side long at her with a grin. "Your perfume smells amazing, by the way." Robin giggles a bit in response.
"I'm glad you enjoy it. But you still haven't told me what Devil Fruit it was."
"Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Fenrir."
"'Fenrir'? You're sure?"
"That's what the paperwork said. Have you heard of it?"
"It was...very briefly mentioned in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. It's considered to be an 'evil' Devil Fruit, if such a thing exists. A symbol of wild ferocity, and savagery that refuses to be controlled. It's said that the user will be possessed of a power capable of consuming the world itself."
"Well, aren't I the lucky one. Maybe I should have thought twice before eating the damn thing."
"Rumors and myths, Run. A Devil Fruit isn't any more evil than the person who controls its power. More than that, we need to find some time for you to get more acquainted with your newly acquired power. I'm sure you've realized by now but it's not something that just comes to you naturally."
"Luffy!" Nami barks. "Everyone is against it. Let's not do it! It's too risky! We wanna travel at our own pace."
"She's right," Chopper adds. "Besides, it's too early to think about challenging the Yonko! We can't fight them, yet!"
"Oi, if you're done, can you treat this racoon?" Law asks, holding up the limp body of Chopper.
"Who cares about- what the?! Why is my body all banged up?!" Chopper-Sanji immediately begins to treat his own body, wrapping his body in bandages like a mummy while Robin and Run finally approach Luffy.
"Luffy," begins Robin. "I'm going to go along with your decision but alliances between pirates are often marked by betrayal. Maybe it's dangerous for you since you're so trusting." Luffy looks between the two of them and then over to Law.
"Are you gonna betray me?" Luffy asks Law.
"No," Law tells him. Luffy beams back at them in response, while Run pinches the bridge of his nose.
"See? He's not gonna betray us! Besides, a pirate alliance sounds fun, doesn't it? I think Tra-guy is a good guy...but even if he isn't, don't worry! Because I have you guys who spent the last two years training!" Nami, Chopper, Franky and Usopp are silent for several moments before gushing that they're all so happy to know he thinks of them as dependable. Taking the opportunity while they're gathered, Law finally returns Franky and Chopper back to their original bodies...however, Nami is left to inhabit the body of Sanji as a result. After a few moments, Law approaches the chained up and still sleeping children.
"Are these them?"
"Ah? Yeah, I wanna help them."
"They're such a pain. You should just forget about them. I heard they're drugged."
"I know that!" shouts Chopper. "Because I tested them! I want to take them home but it'll take a while for them to recover and, more importantly, they're so big."
"Turning people into giants is a project that's been underway for hundreds of years by the World Government."
"For what purpose?" Robin questions him.
"Military might, probably. If they can produce an infinite amount of giant soldiers, they'll become invincible. Caesar wants to achieve the goal first, and outsmart the Government and Vegapunk but I don't think it's that easy." Law turns to look back at the crew. "Do you really want to help them? You don't even know who they are."
"Yes," Nami retorts. "Although, I don't know them well, they asked me to help with tears in their eyes. It seems like the Master tricked them and brought them here but they already know something is wrong with the place. Until I know they're safe, I won't leave the island!"
"Are you willing to stay here alone?"
"I'm not leaving them behind," Luffy says. "They're my friends. If Nami and Chopper want to help, then I want to help, too. Sanji also wants to stick the samurai's body together. You've gotta help us if you want us to team up with you!"
"You have no idea what you've done, do you?" Usopp asks Law. "You think an alliance is just cooperation for a common goal, don't you?" Law responds with a nod. "Well, Luffy's idea of an alliance is a little different than yours. If you're thinking of taking control, it won't be that easy. Once he feels sure about something, he won't back down! His selfishness is as formidable as the Yonko!"
"But what your friend want has nothing to do with us at all!" Law tells him. "But...fine. I understand. There isn't much time. You guys have to take care of the samurai. I'll look into the drug that the kids were taking. Who is your ships doctor? He's got to come with me and help me research it behind Caesar's back."
"Aaah, I don't think Chopper is in any shape to go anywhere," Run says, motioning to the bandaged Chopper.
"He's the only one who knows anything about this kinda stuff, Red," Franky says. "If not him, then who?"
"I'll go with Law. Doc, looks like I'll need a shopping list!" Chopper struggles to sit himself up, and after producing a pencil and paper, quickly scrawls down several things before handing it to the red head. "Holy syllables! How the hell did someone even come up with these words- anyway...is there anything else I should be looking for besides whatever the hell these words are?"
"His notes, observations, dosages- anything at all relating to the drug would be a big help, Run," Chopper tells him.
"Caesar-ya wants to get rid of you guys and White Chase-ya's G-5 and take back these children," Law tells them. "Until he gets what he wants, he won't stop attacking. He is a former Government scientist who became a criminal years ago. If the fact that someone is here on this restricted island leaks out, he'll lose his perfect hiding place. That's why he'll try to kill you all at any costs. A three-hundred million Beli bounty. A Logia type Gas-Gas Fruit eater who owns weapons of mass destruction. That's who Caesar Clown is. Those of you who can't use Haki, stay away from him. He's not just a scientist."
"Those who can use Haki amongst us are me, Robin, Run, Zoro and Sanji," Luffy tells him. "And you."
"That should be enough," Law says with a nod. "I'm going to head back to the lab now."
"So, what we're gonna do is kidnap the Master, right?"
"Are we going to ransom him off?" Nami asks.
"No," Law tells her. "We're going to do it just to create havoc. But there's no point to explaining what lies ahead before we even capture him successfully. Just focus on capturing Caesar Clown for now. It's not going to be easy. I'll tell you the details of my plan after that. However, when we kidnap him successfully, things will start moving whether you like it or not. There will be no turning back. This is the last chance for you to reconsider."
"That's ok," Luffy chirps. "We're with you."
"Then, I'll go along with what you guys want to do. You need to convince the rest of your crew..."
"Room," speaks Law, casting out the same opaque blue bubble. They disappear, reappearing at the edge of the bubble for what has to be the tenth time. Run glances back in the direction they've come from. The piping on this island is absolutely massive. What purpose it serves is beyond him but it must be for something. "Room." Again the two vanish, reappearing outside of the pipe and back in the frozen snow. Several meters away, an entrance to Caesar's facility awaits them. "Once I lure out Caesar and Monet you'll be on your own getting out of the facility, red hair. I cannot stress enough-"
"Aah, that's a pretty useful Devil Fruit ability," Run says with a grin. "That could have really come in handy a few times, actually."
"Would you focus, red hair-ya."
"Huh? Relax, relax! I'm completely focused, Law." Run reaches up and gives Law a firm slap on the back. "You just make sure to keep their attention."
"Caesar will most likely be in the main room with Monet. You'll stay hidden while I try to draw them out. Collect everything you can about the drug while they're gone."
"Well, ya see, I've been thinking about that. When you lure him out why don't the two of us just jump him? I'd say that the two of us should be able to take him down. After that, it should be a breeze to grab what we need and then make our escape. What do you think, sound like a plan?"
"Because of I problem I have, I can't do that. That's why I need help from you guys. In any case, I just want you guys to kidnap Caesar. I can do the rest." The two begin walking towards the ice encrusted door while the sounds of screaming and fighting echo in the distance. The two turn to look at the fighting just as something comes crashing down in the middle of it, causing everyone there to stop. From the cloud of snow and ice, Luffy and Franky are revealed, with Robin landing gracefully several feet away. Luffy's cry for the 'Master' to show himself so they can kick his ass and kidnap him echos across the battlefield. "That fool! Who said anything about confronting everyone?!"
"Dahahaha~! Well, you'll get used to it! Now, c'mon! We've got things to handle on our end after all!" Law turns away from the battle with the red head and they approach the door, slipping through it to the other side with the use of Law's Devil Fruit abilities.
"From here on, you need to be on your toes." Run nods in understanding as they push forward through the halls of the facility. Despite the fight raging outside, the facility itself is surprisingly calm and quite...and the halls are almost entirely deserted.
"Is, uh...is it normally this quiet around here?"
"No. Caesar's underlings must be busy dealing with the Marines, and your crew at the front of the facility. That's good news for us." Run follows Law for several minutes, keeping an eye and ear out for anyone who may be approaching or following. Ahead of them at a 'T' intersection in the halls, a large door stands open along the wall. "That's where we're going."
"Not seeing a lot of hiding places here."
"Just follow my lead, red hair-ya." Law approaches the door with Run slowly trailing behind. He steps through the door and scans the room, finding only Monet scrawling in her notebook.
"The Master isn't here," Monet says, not looking away from her notebook. Law motions the red head with his free hand, and slowly enters the room. Run follows, careful to time his footsteps with Laws own. A quick scan of the room shows only a few couches...and the doors pressed up against the walls. While not ideal, or original...it'll work for their purposes. Law approaches the seated Monet while Run moves across the room, and carefully squeezes himself behind it.
"Yeah?" asks Law. "Where did he go?"
"I don't know. Being such a hideous person, he's probably watching the fight outside."
"I've seen pretty much everything I wanted to see on this island. I'm thinking about leaving soon."
"Oh, we'll miss you."
"There is something I could use your help with though. Could you come with me?"
"Are you asking me out? How sweet!" Run listens to Law's footsteps as they begin to exit the room. "You're such an unfriendly person. What is it?"
"You'll see."
"Alright. I was bored anyway." The sound of wings flapping sounds, and Run listens as the two leave the room. He waits for several long moments before squeezing out of his hiding place. Run peeks in the direction the two departed in before crossing the room towards the large closed door. He grasps the handle, gives a firm tug...and to his surprise it swings open to reveal a small laboratory. Although he's a little concerned about how easy it is to get into what seems to be Caesar's lab...maybe the man never considered the possibility of infiltration.
"Alright!" mutters Run, looking around. "Time for a snatch and grab!" Run searches through the room quickly, eventually discovering a thick book. "Let's see...well worn, notes in the margins...NHC10- pay dirt!" Run shuts the book with a soft 'thump!' and sets it back on the desk. While this might be everything that Chopper needs, he goes about searching the rest of the lab just in case. Anything that looks even remotely useful he places beside the book until he's sure that he's gathered every bit of loose paper he can find. He even turns up a handful of pill bottles that he adds to the pile on the off chance that they may be useful to Chopper. "That should do it...hm?"
Voices echo softly into the lab he's in, something he hadn't noticed while he was rummaging through all of Caesar's notes. He gathers up everything he's collected and carefully approaches the door to take a peek out. To his surprise, he finds Luffy, Robin, Franky, Law and even Smoker and Tashigi chained up in a small cage. The same winged woman, Monet, and another man are outside of the cage several feet away. The man's name is apparently 'Vergo', if Tashigi's yelling is anything to go by...a member of the Navy's G-5, at that.
Listening closer to their conversation, it's made clear that the man is actually a mole sent into the Navy by someone named 'Joker', a notorious underworld broker who goes by another name, Donquixote Doflamingo. He's also a member of the Shichibukai, and apparently helping Caesar with whatever project he's got going on. Regardless, while the two are unaware of him, this seems like a good chance to get the drop on them and free everyone. However, before he can make his move, the sound of a door opening gives him pause. Laughter echos through the room, growing louder and louder as a man shrouded in some kind of strange gas-like robe enters and approaches the cage.
Law quickly identifies the man as Caesar Clown, their target for kidnapping. The man taunts Law from outside of the cage, while Vergo holds up what seems to be a human heart encased in a strange blue cube. A sharp squeeze, and a scream of pain from Law makes it clear to Run that it must be his heart, removed through the use of his Devil Fruit abilities. With everyone distracted this is the perfect chance to ambush the group, and although he's not exactly fond of sneak attacks...opportunity knocks once, as they say. He grasps the hilt of his cutlass, and pauses when the lights in the room suddenly shut off and a screen is illuminated.
Whatever Caesar is planning, he intends to showcase it to the entire underworld. The three immediately turn to face the screen with Caesar announcing that he's planned a demonstration. The man seems to be over-joyed with what's happening, laughing and shouting again and again as he watches on. Several minutes of this pass before the man returns to the cage to taunt them all again, claiming that everyone and everything on the island is going to die as a result of this new weapon of his. Run watches as the cage they're in begins to move, and the wall behind them opens up. Caesar is planning to expose all of them to this new weapon as proof that it can kill anyone, no matter how strong or dangerous they are. Before Run can make a move, a waded ball of paper sails in his direction and he snatches it out of the air before it strikes him in the face. He unwads it, and stares at it in confusion.
"Don't do anything?" mutters Run. He watches as they removed from the room, and the wall closes back behind them. "This seems like the EXACT time to do something...alright, have it your way." Several more long minutes of gloating follow while Run waits in silence. It dies off quickly, however, when someone comes running into the room announcing that the facility has been breached by none other than the same people he'd just thrown out. With everyone's attention once more firmly drawn to the screen Run nods firmly. "Not gonna get a better chance. Soru." He leaves his hiding spot, disappearing and reappearing at the entrance to the room.
"Shave." Again he disappears, moving down the hall in the direction he and Law had come from. "Alright! Time to find Chopper!" The red head runs as fast as he can, unsure of exactly where he's going. If the crew has come back in, then maybe they're in the main hall...wherever that is. Run continues sprinting down hallways, turning this way and that but nothing seems to change. "All these hallways look the same!" He picks a random hallway and finds a set of stairs looming ahead of him. "Yes!" He sprints forward, taking them down sometimes three at a time as they spiral around and around a massive structure. The sound of yelling and arguing reaches his ears as he rapidly descends the staircase. To his absolute shock, a person he recognizes as none other than Smoker goes sailing upwards beside the staircase.
"Don't get in my way, Straw Hat!" screams Smoker, not paying attention to Run in the slightest.
"What in the-" He doesn't even finish his sentence before he collides head first into someone running up the staircase. Run instantly pulls the books and pill-bottles close to his body as they tumble down several steps before eventually catching themselves on the railing and halting their descent. "Aww, I smacked my funny bone! That friggin' hurts!"
"Huh? Run!" shouts a familiar voice. Run looks down the staircase at Luffy and Chopper.
"Luffy! Chopper!" Their doctor quickly pulls himself up and sprints up to Run.
"Run! Did you find anything?" Chopper questions him.
"Oh, yeah, doc!" Run tells him with a grin. "I robbed that bastard blind! If it wasn't nailed down, I took it." The red head, passes over the items he's taken to Chopper who quickly looks through the book and the papers.
"This is it...this is it! His note book! And these are...sedatives? I can use these for the kids! Great job, Run!" The red head quickly stands with Luffy's help and nods in the affirmative. "I'm going to go find the kids! With this I can definitely help them!" Chopper quickly stuffs everything into his back-pack, changes into his Walk Point and goes sprinting up the stairs without another word.
"Good job, Run!" chirps Luffy. "Now...let's go get Caesar...!"