A/N: O_O; just about sums up this chapter... and I hope you all have a bubbly Valantine's day. Arigatou. *bows*
The air had a beautifully salty tang to it, and the winds whistled in bubbly cheerfulness to the captain of the Straw-hat Crew's ears. He had to do it - he just had to shout it out, he couldn't keep it in --
"I'M GONNA BECOME PIRATE KIIIIIIIIIING!!!!"
He was promptly decked by Nami, and he collapsed below the head of the S.S. Going Merry, blinking in surprise as she glared at him.
"Why are you yelling out stupid and unnecessary things when I can sense a storm coming? If you don't help out, we're going to be in a lot of hell!"
Luffy pouted.
"But-- but I'm hungry..."
Nami let out a very scary sound that resembled a tiger growl, and taking the hint, Luffy hopped away from her and ran towards the sails. Nami shook her head with a sigh, running a hand through her hair.
"It's no use, Nami,"
Usopp called out, struggling to maintain a proper grip on a load of ropes in his hands,
"The winds are too strong!"
As if to support him, Nami's tangerine locks were whipped out of her grasp by a sudden rush of cold wind. Her skin stung sharply with the droplets of salt-water the wind carried, and she automatically let out a small scream of surprise.
A very lovey-dovey sigh sounded as the blonde cook looked at her adoringly.
"Nami-san is so cute when she screams,"
He crooned, and Zoro snorted next to him.
"Just control the key, okay?!"
Nami called out.
"What?!"
Zoro shouted, and Nami realised the winds were howling over her words.
"I said to keep control over the key!!"
She yelled, and Sanji gave her a thumbs up sign before gripping the key properly. Nami felt a cool chill shrouding her shoulders; the air was growing colder and wetter against her skin, and she could feel as though something dark was coming over them... A very clear indication that they were heading straight into a very vicious storm.
Nami swore under her breath as she ran over to Usopp, not wanting to shout herself hoarse over the wind.
"Are you sure you're pulling those ropes properly?!"
She asked frustratedly, and groaned as the first icy sheet of raindrops swept over the crew.
"Why don't you try pulling 'em,"
Usopp retorted, and Nami could clearly see his muscles straining to keep hold on the ropes. The wind fought with the sails, pulling and tugging hard, and it was all Usopp could do to not let go. Nami noticed a dark-red staining the rope steadily from where his hands gripped the rope, and she felt a little guilty for asking.
She ran over to Luffy to bully him, and the moment she came in range she yelled,
"Luffy! How you putting up?!"
"Not too well!!"
He yelled, his arms stretching along to the will of the wind,
"It doesn't want to listen to me!!"
A flash whitened the ship for a split second before a booming crash of thunder sounded. The rain suddenly grew thicker and more intense as it pelted down at the crew. Blinking raindrops out of her eyes, Nami looked out of the ship. She could just see a flicker of light at the end of the huge storm they had entered. She heaved a sigh of relief, and memorising the position, she ran towards where the rudder control was.
She was surprised to find Zoro alone manning the key.
"Where's Sanji?!"
She exclaimed. Zoro did not seem to reply, and she realised he had fallen asleep. Annoyed, Nami dug her heel into his leg, shouting,
"DON'T SLEEP NOW!!"
He jolted awake, rubbing at his foot and shaking rain out of his hair and eyes.
"What is it?!"
He yelled, and Nami was about to yell back when Sanji reappeared at the cabin door, cradling a tray of steaming buns.
"Eat one while it's warm!!"
He shouted as he chucked one each to Luffy and Usopp, then at Zoro. Noticing Nami, he ran on over to the key and handed one bun to Nami with a gracious smile. She grabbed his ear with a painful twist, a nerve twitching at her temple as she yelled,
"You MORON!! Don't leave your post again until we leave this storm, you hear me?!!"
He winced visibly and nodded hastily, and she let go of her pincer-like grip so she could take a big bite out of her bun. A delicious, hot paste filled her mouth and she sighed happily. Sanji gave a goofy grin and seemed about to say something, but Zoro interrupted as he complained,
"Hold onto the key properly, you idiot!!"
Glaring at him in annoyance, Sanji grabbed the key with both hands below Zoros.
"Pull it to the right!!"
Nami instructed. Sanji and Zoro did, when Nami shouted,
"No, no, your right!!"
They followed, somewhat confused, and Nami stalked back over to Usopp. The buns had warmed each crew member up momentarily, but once again they were soaked to the skin and freezing cold. The rain pelted down in icy sheets, and Nami had to be careful not to slip on the planks.
She nudged Usopp, gesturing for the sails, and he hesitated. However, at a glare from Nami, he gave her one rope. She scowled, and grabbed the rope from him -- and was nearly pulled off the floor from the sheer force of the billowing sails. Gritting her teeth, Nami grabbed the rope with both hands and yanked as hard as she could. Usopp flashed her a grin, and she smiled back, shaking sopping locks of orange out of her face as she did so. Then...
Something happened.
A sudden dark chill ran through Nami's spine, and raising an eyebrow quizzically, she craned her neck around to see what was causing it. A figure, concealed in the shadows of the storm and the sails, stood rather resolutely at the head of the S.S. Going Merry.
Lightning flashed, illuminating bright amber eyes glinting at them eerily and a torn and ripped leather cloak whipping around a torso with the sharp clinking of buckles audible over the winds.
The amber eyes narrowed as a sinister smile spread across his features, and midnight-blue hair pulled in a long ponytail was thrown over a shoulder. He stood up, and lightning flashed again to show a streak of lemon-yellow running from his fringe to the end of his ponytail.
As the thunder rolled and crashed ominously with rain falling so hard the sharp slap of each droplet could be heard on the soaked planks, each crew member realised there was an intruder on their ship.
"Who are you?!"
Luffy yelled, still pulling on ropes.
It happened in an instant; with a low, menacing chuckle, the figure disappeared from sight and reappeared before Luffy. The captain, caught by surprise, let out a yelp as the stranger gripped the front of his red vest in a handful and yanked him up so Luffy was face to face with the tall intruder. The stranger stared at Luffy intently for a moment.
Zoro, Sanji and Usopp let out simultaneous exclamations of surprised 'Luffy!!'s as the intruder, without warning, let out a harsh laugh before throwing Luffy off the S.S. Going Merry.
Luffy let out a yell of surprise as he went over the planks and repaired wooden railings before disappearing into the rain and lightning, into the sea. They saw a glimpse of his stretched hand smack onto the railings... then slip off the wet surface.
Nami bit her lip. Come on, Luffy, she thought almost irritatedly, Grab something else and Gomu Gomu Rocket back up here and kick this guy's ass. Come on, Luffy, come ON!!
Luffy didn't.
"He didn't even get a chance to hold onto something else,"
Usopp said, dumbstruck, and Nami realised Luffy was probably on his way to drowning by now.
Fiery amber eyes swept across the ship; Sanji and Zoro were well on their way to jumping off the ship to save Luffy. The intruder let out a distinct snort and pulled out from beneath the black cloak an arm adorned in black bandages. He gave it a sharp wave in Sanjis and Zoros direction; they let out cries of surprise as a sudden, invisible force slammed into them. They fell hard onto the wooden planks and skid on the rain-watered surfaces.
The intruder heaved in a deep breath, his chest swelling as his eyes glittered with a malicious exhillaration. The look struck dischord in Nami. What is this feeling? What is it that I feel different from this guy to any other?
Usopp was trembling. Nami noticed it because the ropes were jolting strangely. It was obvious this man was different; there was something immensely powerful that was sweeping a terrifying aura across the ship.
"Damn it!! What the hell was that?!"
Sanji yelled at Zoro.
"I don't know!! Don't ask me!!"
Zoro shouted back irritatedly, and stumbling back to his feet, pulled off the bandanna around his upper-arm. The wind and rain were both getting to his eyes and obscuring too much of his vision.
Usopp suddenly straightened, a determined look settling on his face, and throwing his ropes to Nami he yelled,
"Hold onto it for me!!"
Nami's eyes widened - was Usopp serious? Where was his usual cowardice?! The ropes slid and tugged under her grasp; she held on tightly, her eyes following Usopp as he began to turn around to face one end of the ship so he could jump off and save Luffy.
Another sinister chuckle resonated on the ship, then--
There was a flash of electric blue so bright it forced Nami to close her eyes, but even before her lids shut, she saw that the beam was headed straight towards Usopp. A scream of warning escaped from her throat, but it was too late; as the whiteness melted back to black beyond her lids, Nami's eyes flew open and she saw that the beam of electric blue had shot straight through his stomach. Nami's eyes widened in shock and horror as Usopp's eyes widened and grew listless. His form started to crumple, and Nami lost all rational thought as she let go of the ropes, crying out,
"Usopp!!"
The pulleys squealed and the sails billowed and flapped uncontrollably under the violent wind; the ship took an awkward twist and the occupants of the ship stumbled over the slippery planks. Nami pulled herself up; it was raining so hard by now it was difficult to see... Her arms flailed at her sides, and her hands found the side railing of the ship. It had been repaired that morning by Usopp when Luffy had broken it by attempting to grab a large fish bare-handedly...
Damn it, Usopp! Luffy!!
"USOPP!!!"
Zoro yelled, his eyes straining under the rain, straining to see what exactly had happened. The strange beam he had just seen; did it just shoot through Usopp's middle?! Sanji let out a menacing growl, running towards the enemy but yelping as a power beam came his way, forcing him to dodge it.
Nami found her way to Usopp, dropped to her knees besides the young boy.
"Hey!! Usopp, are you alive?!"
He was barely breathing, and to make matters worse, it was irregular; his eyes were filled with stinging tears of pain as he pressed his fingers to his torso. He brought the hand to his face, and his eyes widened as he saw his fingers coated and dripping with fresh blood. He had never bled so much in his entire life; hell, not even Zoro had bled this much before...!
Nami saw the wound, and felt as though her insides had dropped out. There was a hole straight through him - a hole the size of Luffy's hat - and blood was seeping out like a leakage out of a gaping hole in a barrel. A horrifying fear clung to her, but she saw the fear and shock etched on Usopp's expression, however, and began to say desperately, babbling thoughtlessly,
"See, you are alive! Hang in there, Usopp -- the injury isn't something that Chopper can't fix -- Chopper will fix you up once he's recovered, don't --"
"I don't-- understand,"
Usopp managed to choke out, disbelief rebounding in his voice as the rain washed the blood off the hand before his face. Blood trickled out of his mouth, and he let out a pained cough as he continued,
"Am I-- am I dying?"
"You idiot,"
Nami yelled, her eyes suddenly stinging with unwanted tears,
"You're not going to die--"
Usopp's eyes strained as he whispered, unhearing of Nami's words,
"Shit, this-- this really hurts--"
"You'll be fine soon,"
Nami cried out, and inwardly cursed herself for the tears that splashed onto Usopp's already soaked clothes.
"I didn't think-- I don't want to-- ...."
Usopp mumbled, and Nami could see his eyes growing red as he spoke,
"Tell everyone, I'm sorry... And... Kaya..."
With that, Usopp's eyes rolled back and his breath left him. Nami stood up and backed away from him, stumbling slightly as she did so, disbelieving of the scene unravelling. His blood had soaked her clothes so richly crimson not even the rain could blot it away.
Usopp did not just die. That clumsy idiot did not just die. This can't-- be real--
Zoro and Sanji were blasted against the railings of the ship, letting out sharp exhalements of pain in unison as the stranger advanced towards them, an evil look in his eyes. Then Zoro's and Sanji's eyes settled on Usopp. Sanji's cigarette dropped out of his mouth.
"Usopp...?"
Zoro said, obviously shocked, when the stranger let out a harsh laugh once more.
"Meant to do a clean job of it,"
He said, grinning insanely,
"Guess I'll do a better job with the girl, then."
Nami's eyes widened as he settled his amber gaze on her. Lightning brought out the delight dancing in his eyes as he took both hands out of his cloak. Both were bandaged heavily in black; a sizzle and crack fractured the air before a sudden whiteness lashed out towards her, much larger and faster than the previous beam - much more powerful, a brighter electric blue -- Nami was frozen to the spot, too shocked and traumatised to do anything, when a sudden force shoved her out of the beam's way--
Her eyes rounded as they flickered to the origin of the shove; she saw, to her horror, Sanji in her place, still in mid-push. He gave her the sweetest smile she had ever seen him give her before in her life, and before sound or even breath could escape her lips, the beam met Sanji.
The entire railing of wood splintered and flew everywhere, and the impact was so bright Nami couldn't see anything. She screwed her eyes shut, screaming out Sanji's name. Zoro's eyes strained as he saw, with a deep and dark stab and twist to the heart, the cook meet the beam and promptly disappear into oblivion. When Nami opened her eyes, the rain pelted down harder than ever... and there was a large, blank spot where Sanji had once been. Her eyes darted around furtively, when something wet and solid slapped against her cheek as the wind blew.
She unstuck the material from her cheek, and her jaw opened in shock. It was a sliver of Sanji's black tie. Her eyes met Zoro's, and he had the gravest expression she had ever seen him wear. When she started to look over the railing, Zoro caught her eyes once more and shook his head slowly.
He's gone.
It hit her then. Sanji had just died for her. The blonde buffoon that constantly lavished and praised her - cooked for her and protected her -- he was gone. He, who had had his own ideals and dreams -- to find the All Blue -- who had had so much strength and so much devotion -- he had died because of her.
The agony pierced her heart, and she let out an unearthly wail that startled Zoro. Zoro was deeply contemplating whether this was a dream or not, but as the wail shot through his mind and clamoured for impossible forgiveness, he realised this wasn't a dream. It was real.
Luffy was drowning. Usopp had been shot dead. Sanji had been blasted away.
Zoro felt an overwhelming sense of dread and sorrow. No way. The harsh and chilling snarl of the intruder met his and Nami's ears, and they spun to face the murderer glaring at them, his amber eyes glinting in the rain.
"What chivalry!!"
He was saying, amber eyes bulging out of his sockets unnaturally as he flexed his arms,
"This is taking longer than I expected. Perhaps there is reason for this crew to have the highest bounty in the East Blue...? Save for your pathetic captain - he was most pathetic... and the long-nosed man and blonde man were even worse."
Zoro's eyes narrowed angrily, but Nami let out a sharp cry of pain. He turned, surprised at the ferocity in her voice, and saw her snapping her pole together.
"DAMN YOU!!!"
She screamed, her voice unrecognisable, and started to run, but Zoro saw this immediately as a Bad Move and ran towards her path. He intercepted her easily, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to halt. He shook her harshly.
"Don't do that, you idiot!!"
Nami's eyes were over-flowing with tears and hatred; she grabbed Zoro's shirt with her hands, her bottom lip bleeding from her biting it so hard, drenched orange locks stuck and framing her face.
"Z-Zoro, L-Luffy-- U-Usopp-- th-they're--"
Her voice was cracked, and her eyes were wildly lost and furtively searching his face.
"Look, I know, but this isn't the time,"
Zoro hissed. What on earth had happened to one of the smartest member of the crew?! Her cheeks were stained with tears, the silvery tracks rapidly disappearing under the raindrops, and her breathing was highly irregular and punctuated with salty swallows.
"Chopper's still down there, recovering, remember?! We've got to stay calm, Nami --"
"A-a-and S-Sanji-k-k-kun,"
She stammered as a fresh flow of tears ran down her face, obviously not listening to a word Zoro was saying,
"Z-Zoro-- Sanj-ji-k-kun, he-- he's-- g-g-gone--"
"I know, Nami, but--"
"So there's another one downstairs, is there?"
Zoro spun around, forcing Nami's hands to let go, and pulled a stance with his swords while biting down on Kuina's as he fixed a piercing stare to the interested-looking intruder.
"Perhaps they will provide more entertainment? More melodrama? Will this crew-member take even longer?"
"You bastard,"
Zoro growled, but even he knew he was no match for this enemy. Damn it! I need to get Nami to safety-- at least Nami--
"You bastard,"
Nami echoed behind him, and ducked beneath Zoro's arm, obviously attempting an attack. Zoro grabbed the back of her shirt, which was difficult considering it was plastered to her skin from the rain, and yanked her backwards before throwing her behind him. Her pole clattered on the planks as he yelled,
"Take Chopper and hide!!"
"Wh-what?!"
Nami glared at him through red-rimmed eyes, seeming more like herself, but her tears continued to flow freely down her cheeks, her breathing still filled with awkward swallows and breaths.
"You heard me, just go somewhere else!!"
Suddenly, a blast of electric-blue shot towards Zoro; he dodged the attack and moved in, the smell of singeing wood filling his nostrils as he did so. Darting forwards and pulling out his swords, he yelled,
"DEMON CUT!!"
He slashed his swords in an X, jerking his jaw to reinforce the slicing with the sword lodged in his teeth, but was promptly blasted back with the same invisible strength from before.
Zoro cursed under his breath as he skid on the watery planks; then his eyes widened as a beam shot towards him. It didn't take twice thinking; he brought each sword in his hands to form a strong 'X' shape before slashing them downwards. He barely managed to do it in time; the beam stopped and disappated at the sudden, opposing rush of air.
The man's eyes narrowed at the green-haired swordsman, who was breathing heavily and glaring right back at him. Zoro was so occupied in analysing what his next moves should be that he didn't realise Nami was a step ahead from being stopped. She was running full-speed towards the intruder, her eyes ablaze with anger and her voice rising to an inhuman pitch.
"You @#$%ing BASTARD!!!"
She swore, hatred ringing clearly in her voice, and she swung her pole over his head, harder than she ever had before -- to no avail. A bandaged fist caught the pole easily and brought it upwards and bringing Nami along with it. He jerked it aside, Nami letting out a short scream of surprise as he did so, then letting out a cry of pain as he grabbed a fistful of her hair. Her scalp burned despite the cold rain as her pole rolled away on the wooden floor, useless.
"Damn it!!"
Zoro yelled, running to attack him, but the intruder simply swung an arm at him. His bandanna ripped in the process of him skidding on the water-flogged planks, and Zoro coughed out blood from the impact of his ribs cracking on the floor. He turned to face the man, grappling for his swords, but his eyes widened as he realised it was too late.
The intruder was forcing Nami's eyes to meet his, and an eerie smile spread on his features as he saw her red eyes, swollen from too much crying, her blotched cheeks, and her skin and hair soaked from both rain and tears. And with the same sinister smile, his eyes never leaving her face, he grabbed her throat with the other hand in a strangling grip. She raised her clenched fists and rammed useless punches into his arm, her legs flailing out in unreachable kicks. She let out a choked noise, her eyes filling once more with tears of defeat, and he whispered,
"Farewell, babe."
And he gave a sharp twist to her neck. A sound crack rang through the air like a gunshot, shortly followed by the thump and rustle of Nami's body hitting the floor lifelessly, her eyes blank and dripping with her last tears.
"Nami!!"
Zoro yelled, and stopped shortly when he saw her hand slowly uncurl from its determined fist to reveal a palm stained with Usopp's blood and the remains of Sanji's tie.
Damn it.
Zoro's ribs were definitely fractured; a pain pulsated from his chest, and his throat burned from his blood.
Damn it...
"Come on, then,"
Said the intruder with his strange, twisted smile,
"Let's see what you've got."
With a low growl, Zoro tightened his grip on his swords and glared at his enemy, feeling for the first time ever the fullest intent he'd ever felt to truly kill.
Fully knowing, however, that he couldn't.
DAMN IT!
He brought his swords before him to form a vertical line before starting to spin them around. As they rapidly gained momentum, spinning faster and faster in his grasp, Zoro dashed forwards, his eyes burning with anger as he shouted,
"THREE THOUSAND WORLDS!!"
And executed the move flawlessly.
Unfortunately, the enemy had disappeared by the time the three-sword sucession technique could even touch him.
Zoro sensed the enemy's presence quite suddenly at his back. He could hear his heavy breathing, feel his putrid and dark aura.
"Enough,"
The intruder breathed lowly,
"Die."
Zoro spun around immediately, knowing that a swordsman should never get caught at the back. The intruder's amber eyes narrowed as he snapped angrily,
"Why are you smiling?"
Zoro didn't reply, but inside, he knew why. He had no regrets. He had failed to protect his closest friends. He had failed to upkeep his promise to Mihawk. Hell, he had even failed to perform his last move properly. But he knew there was nothing he could do about it. He had had a pretty good life until now; he had met some decent people out there, drank some of the best booze existing, and interacted with the weirdest enemies he could think of.
So what if he was going to die? At least he knew was going to die. He'd done his best to keep his promises, and he'd felt the thrill and exhillaration of keeping one - even if it meant death. Yep; he'd had it pretty good until now. It'd been fun. And if God meant for him to go now, then so be it.
And it was with this thought he recieved a power-beam straight through the stomach, and another through his throat. Yet even as the blood spilled and white-hot pain coursed through him, a smile remained on his features. Zoro Roronoa was dead before his body hit the ground.
The intruder narrowed his eyes, and gnashing his teeth angrily together, he left, forgetting about the pirate below deck.
Rain battered down against the four bodies on deck, the blood not staining but washing against the planks with the rainwater. Miles below another body let go of life.
The winds howled and rattled the ship; the sails flapped out of control; the wooden planks were soaked and slippery. Yet even as the ship sailed away from the storm and into a dry climate, free from rain and wind, the ship remained completely silent.