Warnings: A smattering of blood, negilible compaired to previous chapters.
Notes: Lots of POV changes in this chapter, I hope it's not too hard to follow.And I'm slowly shrinking the intro stats, since half the stuff doesn't change from chapter to chapter.
Feedback: there is a button at the bottom of the screen begging to be pushed...(I'll keep that here )
Disclaimers: One Piece belongs to Eichiro Oda, 4kids and various other affiliates. I don't own em, I don't make money off em, I just play with them.
Now, on to the fic!
Chapter 9
Nami watched through the porthole as lightning once again flashed in the far distance. A line of dark clouds hovered on the sea's horizon, threatening to move in swiftly to blanket the island in darkness. The atmosphere felt thick with rain, even from inside the cabin. Nami glanced at Vivi's peacefully slumbering form and heaved a silent sigh. The navigator couldn't sleep with such a storm building, especially when two of her crewmates were running loose on an island that didn't seem as welcoming as the day they landed on it.
She should have listened to Usopp in that respect.
Nami grudgingly played back the last few hours in her mind's eye. The look of horrified shock on Vivi's face stood out starkly in her memories, when they had first slipped below deck and found Zoro with Usopp. Just one look at Zoro's gray face had convinced the princess that they were too late; that Zoro was dead.
Slipping from where she was leaning heavily against Nami, the blue-haired girl had dropped to the floor, as she covered her mouth in disbelief. Fat tears began rolling down her cheeks as she whispered her apologies, over and over; believing it was her fault they all had been forced into this situation. Usopp, who had been hovering on the sidelines, had hurriedly assured them that this was not the case.
Zoro was alive. He was only resting after a long and harrowing operation. He was laying there, still as a corpse on a table Nami had often used for such menial tasks as storing rolls of parchment and other such miscellaneous supplies. Seeing the once light colored wood dyed dark with blood, the redhead didn't think that she could ever look at that table the same way again.
Zoro was sleeping, but Nami felt the need to talk to him anyway, stating that he owed her at least three hundred beli for her shirt in which whose stains of which even a dunk in the ocean hadn't been able to erase. Nami had stared, in a sort of morbid curiosity, at Zoro's wounds as she spoke. She stared at the white bandages that wrapped nearly the whole of his torso. Bandages that, here and there, were lightly tinted pink with blood. Unbidden, flashes of Bellemere's death pounded behind her eyes as she watched that bullet rip through her surrogate mother's chest over in a painful repetition of sounds and images. Bellemere's body hadn't been able to handle the impact of even one bullet….
Nami had suddenly wanted Zoro awake. She had felt the need so badly that she almost reached across that damn table and shook him until his stupid swordsman's brain rattled in his head. She needed him awake and telling her how she was going to hell. She needed Sanji and Luffy here telling her everything was fine. She needed to be sailing away from this island and on the way to Alabasta. She needed this all to be a dream.
What she didn't need was to see another person die. That one foolish, courageous woman was more--absolutely more--than enough.
Unable to stand her own dark thoughts, Nami had retreated to her own cabin, with Vivi trailing reluctantly behind. The two had gotten ready for bed in silence, though once and awhile they'd dart each other a reassuring look that helped mask their own worries. But even after Vivi's breathing had evened out into the blissful realms of sleep, Nami had lain awake, letting troublesome memories wash over her like an unrepentant tide.
Heaving yet another sigh, Nami flopped wearily back onto her mattress. She held one arm aloft as she gazed at the transparent globe of the Log Pose. Even in this dim light and the bad angle of her wrist, the navigator could clearly see the little needle pointing unerringly west. The Log Pose had set. They could finally leave.
As soon as Sanji and Luffy returned.
Gah! Where were though dimwits, anyway? Nami scowled as she flipped over and buried her face into her pillow. How dare they make her worry and loose out on her beauty sleep? Those two had a lot of nerve to go gallivanting off like that with no thoughts for the rest of the crew!
Nami's stomach gave a soft growl, reminding her that she hadn't even got the benefit of a proper supper. She and Vivi had resorted to splitting a tangerine.
Yup. Those boys were definitely gonna pay. And Zoro too, while she was at it. She had like that shirt. Nami was going to make sure to charge him at least nine hundred beli for it.
The feather pillow quickly muffled an evil chuckle as the redhead finally allowed herself to drift towards sleep, her mind carefree once more.
VVOOVV
Carue snuggled his beak under his wing drowsily as he curled further into himself for warmth. The temperature, while still humid, had dropped several degrees since the sun went down. Even this island's temperate climate seemed cold to the desert-raised duck, and he couldn't help but shiver as a steady gust of wind ruffled through his feathers.
Vivi's self appointed guardian wanted nothing more than to waddle below decks, where the cabins would still retain some heat from the day. But the drake was unwilling to leave his post as look out until Luffy and Sanji returned. Carue would not let himself feel at ease until their little group was together once more. He would only retreat from his post if the storm broke.
Hearing the sound of feet padding across the deck, Carue's head lifted and he let out a happy quack. Stumbling ungracefully to his feet, the duck quickly ran towards the ship's stern, intent on welcoming the two boys that all too often tried to eat him…or use him as bait for some bigger dinner. That aside, they were great friends and Carue was definitely happy…
…to…
…see…
…them…
Carue blinked dazedly, wondering how he suddenly found himself lying prone on the ship's deck. A hairline crack ran down the front of his once sturdy helmet and Carue watched with an odd bit of detachment as a thin trail of blood dripped slowly passed his eyes. Focusing through a fog of pain that seemed to pulse in his skull like a living entity, the duck could just barely make out a barrel-chested man wielding a giant hammer, like one a blacksmith would use.
He tried to open his bill to cry out, to warn the others. He really tried. But the hammer came down once more for a final blow and, with its impact, darkness swallowed Carue's call along with all awareness.
VVOOOVV
Usopp abruptly shot upright as a jarring crash shook the small cabin. The clamor had been enough to tear the sharpshooter from where he had been drifting in and out of an exhausted slumber. He looked about frantically, his hands fumbling reflexively for his slingshot.
Wide eyes caught sight of the giant fist of Chopper's human form plowing into the face of some unfamiliar man wielding a miner's pick. The force of Chopper's punch was enough to crush a man's nose like a piece of origami, Usopp discovered, much to his squeamish dismay. The man flew past Usopp to slam into the wall with bone shattering force, before he slid into an unconscious heap onto the floor.
"My patient is trying to sleep, Asshole!" The reindeer snarled as he turned to face his next foe.
Chopper's actions were like a douse of cold water on Usopp's disoriented form. Jumping to his feet, the long-nosed boy slammed his shoulder into one of the four remaining intruders, knocking them both to the floor. He had no time to wonder where these men came from or whether they were in league with the man they had fought earlier. It was all just an instinctual fight for survival as the two tussled on the floor like wild animals, punching and scratching at one another as each tried to get the upper hand.
Nearby, Chopper had reached out and grabbed two of the men. Each of their heads was gripped firmly in one of the doctor's monstrous palms. Chopper gave an angry sort of growl as he swiftly brought his hands, and consequently their skulls, together with a not so gentle sounding crunch. The two assailants dropped bonelessly to the ground.
Turning, Chopper looked hastily around for the fourth intruder, intent on taking care of him before more of their comrades reached the cabin. Even now the reindeer's acute hearing could detect the sounds of running feet from above. And he would bet his hide those feet didn't belong to his own companions.
Looking across the room, Chopper spotted the last man, hovering uncertainly by the table. The man, who looked well into his fifties, met Chopper's gaze as some sort of resolve firmed behind his own gray eyes. Chopper's breath caught in his throat as he saw the man raise a rusty blade above Zoro's unconscious form. Yelling a wordless command to Usopp, Chopper morphed into his deer form and galloped forward, even though he was absolutely positive he could never make it in time.
The clang of metal against metal reverberated across the small room. Chopper skidded to an astonished halt, almost sliding into the table as his hooves fought for purchase on the well-polished floor. Behind him, Usopp had just given his adversary a swift kick in the groin that was enough to immobilize him for at least a few moments. Panting, the sharpshooter began to pull himself to his feet only to stop as his eyes bugged out at the scene unfolding before him.
That rusty blade, that couldn't have seen any real action for at least twenty years, was still sharp enough to imbed itself into the wooden table a good couple of centimeters. The sword would have traveled farther no doubt; it may have even pierced flesh, if it weren't for the shining length of metal that stopped it.
Zoro's left arm was draped casually across his chest with his hand resting snugly against his cheek in a pose that was almost child-like. Except this hand was holding Yubashiri in a vise-like grip. The silver blade wasn't even completely out of it's sheath, yet it was still more than enough to stop the trembling villager that, even now, was attempting to put more force behind his own blade in order to overpower his victim.
And through it all, by the gods, Zoro was snoring.
"He can beat a guy even in his sleep…" Usopp murmured in amazement. "Unbelievable."
Frustrated, the older man jerked his weapon free of the wood that held it. Muscles slowly giving in to the pressure of age nevertheless swung the heavy blade up before bringing it in quickly down in a piercing strike aimed for the pirate's skull. Shock had glued Chopper's hooves to the floor, and he could only scrunch his eyes closed and wait for the telltale sound that was much like a cleaver severing a melon.
Silence.
Chopper opened one eye in dread, only to nearly fall over in relief. The point of the blade had been stopped mere millimeters from its target. Quivering in fear, the old man nearly dropped his sword in shock as his wavering gaze met that of his previously slumbering opponent.
Zoro stared up at the man in confusion, his eyes narrowed in a groggy sort of irritation. "Who the hell are you?" he rumbled, his hand not releasing its tight grip around the rusty blade poised to finish him off.
The man stared down at the green-haired pirate in fear, watching in horrified fascination as blood welled up from his adversary's palm. The blood slowly trickled down the pirate's arm and ran down his own ancient sword. A drop of blood hung off the tip of the rusty blade like a ruby teardrop, before landing on Zoro's cheek in a small splatter of crimson.
A deep growl reverberated from Zoro's throat as his eyes narrowed into angry slits. The green-haired man shifted his grip on the sword and twisted his wrist, snapping the old blade clean in two with barely even a grunt. Dropping his half of the shattered sword carelessly onto the ground, Zoro allowed Yubashiri to slide another fraction from its sheath in a rather pointed message.
The man dropped the remaining half of his sword as his stumbled backwards. "M-monsters! All of you!" he stuttered before pushing past Usopp and Chopper as he dashed out of the room and, from the sound of it, straight up the stairs and off the ship.
Both the doctor and the sharpshooter blinked in bewilderment before turning wide eyes back to the swordsman. Zoro was staring blindly up at the ceiling, panting for breath even from that tiny bit of exertion.
"Shit." He mumbled tiredly as he clenched his bleeding palm. "I've gotten weak."
Usopp opened his mouth to reply when a frightening thought hit him. "Guys! What about Nami and Vivi? Are they being attacked too?"
"It looks like we'll have to get past them first." Chopper pointed to the crowd of men barreling through the cabin doorway, armed to the teeth.
Usopp took one glance back and let out a girly shriek before falling over and deciding it would be in his best interests to play dead.
VVOOOVV
"Uh, Sanji? Where are we?" Luffy asked as he stared at the endless spread of marshlands in front of them. The algae in the water gave off a sort of phosphorescent glow that lit up their surroundings enough to show that they were nowhere near the island's shores.
Sanji stared at the aggravating swamp and did his best not to tear his hair out in a fit of frustration and nicotine deprivation. Instead, the blonde settled for trying to physically rub the headache out from behind his eyes. Of course, all this managed to do was further streak his sweat-covered face in black soot.
Luffy took one glance at Sanji's face and nearly swallowed his tongue trying to hold in his laughter. His lips pursed up with the effort as a spitting noise involuntarily escaped.
Sanji shot his captain a suspicious look. "What?" he snapped.
By now Luffy's arms were wrapped around his sides as he tried--and failed-- to hold in his mirth. "Sanji looks like…a panda!" he gasped out between fits of chuckling.
Scowling, the cook walked deliberately over to where Luffy stood and popped him one right on the head. The rubber-boy fell to the ground, cradling his head now instead of his sides. Sanji gave Luffy a light kick for good measure, before stepping back and once again scanning their surroundings.
Damn it. Getting lost was Zoro's job.
"Hey, Sanji? I'm hungry…." Luffy whined from behind him, unable or unwilling to get up from his spot on the ground. Instead the dark-haired boy was content to sit there and stare at nothing in particular; a definite warning sign.
Sanji bit back a sigh as he wondered if he was going to have to carry the captain back to the ship. The cook knew that Luffy's half-hearted complaints were a sign that the rubber-boy's energy supply was on 'E'. Pretty soon he wouldn't be able to fight even if he wanted to.
They didn't have time for stupid screw-ups like this. Sanji should have been paying more attention to their direction when they were fleeing the village.
Cursing, the blonde glanced up at the night sky above. Not too long from now that block of clouds in the distance was going to obscure the moon, reducing their night-visibility to fairly nil. They had to make it back to the ship before then.
"I think we're just a little east of the main road. Come one." Sanji walked over to the dark-haired boy and helped him to his feet.
Luffy sighed heavily before lifting his head and gracing the cook with an impish grin. "Whatever you say…Pandaman."
Sanji's eye twitched violently and he decided right there and then that if he ended up carrying Luffy it was going to be due to the fact that he had knocked him out.
VVOOOVV
Nami brought her pole swiftly down on her assailant's head, knocking him to the ground. Vivi watched warily as the redhead dug the end of her weapon into the unconscious man's face, twisting it sadistically.
"Um, Nami. I think he's out." Vivi offered hesitantly.
Nami glanced down with a huff. "Well, that's what he gets for entering a woman's quarters unannounced. I would've done the same even to our guys." She gave the body a swift kick to punctuate her point.
"But this just looks like a simple farmer…" Vivi stared down and the weathered face of their attacker. "I don't understand why they would try to kill us. Did you guys do something wrong while you were on the island?"
Nami raised a finely plucked eyebrow. "Well, I say getting shot at was wrong, but not in the way you mean." Nami thought about the question seriously for a moment but was unable to come up with any answers. "Everyone in town seemed friendly enough. I don't see any reason that they'd turn on us unless…." Nami's eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Unless what?" Vivi asked, fearing the worst.
"Luffy!" the navigator growled as she stepped over her fallen enemy and out into the empty corridor. Sounds of fighting could be heard from Chopper's quarters down the hall, proving that the man sneaking into her room wasn't just some isolated incident. Nami shifted her grip on her weapon as she took a single step towards the half-ajar door at the rear of the ship. "That idiot!" She muttered to herself. "When I get a hold of him, I'm going to cook his goose!"
"Goose…?" Vivi echoed, causing Nami to glance back in inquiry. The word had triggered an astounding reaction in the blue-haired princess as she pushed past Nami and ran up the stairs, in the opposite direction of where they should have been headed.
"Hey!"
"Carue was still up on deck!" Vivi yelled back
"Vivi, wait!" Nami called out. "We need to gather up the others…." The redhead trailed off in defeat as she turned and rushed after her friend. Sparing Chopper's quarters a quick backward glance, the navigator prayed that the boys were able to take care of themselves….
Nami smacked into Vivi's back halfway across the open deck and found herself quickly revising her prayer. She stared at the dozen or so men surrounding them with various household cutlery and suppressed a small groan. Dropping her pole, she readily raised her arms in surrender.
Come on you guys! She screamed in her head. Hurry up and take care of yourselves so you can take care of us!
VVOOOVV
"Mr. Uragi, the cannons are on their way to the shore and should be arriving shortly to where the Going Merry is docked." A scruffy-faced man reported while giving a makeshift salute.
The man was among the original seven convicts that were shipwrecked on Black Feather with the bounty hunter nearly six ago. Each of the seven hardened criminals were 'persuaded' to help Uragi get off the island, regardless of what dim prospects the future may hold for them beyond these marshy shores.
Uragi nodded silently at the update as he helped himself to another bite of his dinner. His knife sliced cleanly through the large portion of fish on his plate, filleting the meat expertly from the bones. He was dining later than usual this night, and was definitely surrounded by an uncommon atmosphere, but the dark-haired man believed regular meals should be observed in order to promote a long and healthy life.
The bounty hunter took a sip of wine as he sat back from the table that had been hastily erected for him, in the middle of his ammunition warehouse. Uragi's cat-like eyes scanned his secret domain with the pride like that of a lauded parent or teacher as he basked in the presence of his children. Crates of explosives and assorted artillery surrounded him, slowly compiled from the puny island's small amount of natural resources.
For five years, Uragi had been building this private stockade. Five years, always with the intent of returning to his home island once more, as friend or by force--whichever was deemed necessary. He would show those marines that he wasn't one that took well to being tossed out with the rest of the trash.
"Take two more of the cannons to the west edge of the island, in case those pirates try to escape." Uragi order as he dabbed at his mouth with a silk handkerchief. "Then take the rest of the men to join the others in the head on attack on the beach. I want that ship sunk no matter what, even if it means revealing our weaponry to those ignorant peasants."
"Yes, sir!" The man gave his ill-formed salute. He quickly produced a tiny silver whistle in which he blew lightly into to gather his men. But the man visibly hesitated before excusing himself from Uragi's presence.
"Yes?" Uragi asked after a moment. Hearing no impatience in that voice bolstered the man's courage and he stepped forward.
"Aren't you coming with us? I mean, to personally see the pirates destroyed?"
Uragi made as if he was giving this question much before finally shaking his head.
"No." he decided. "I think I'll stay here and enjoy the rest of my meal. Besides, I believe tonight's dessert is orange sorbet. It'd be a shame to miss out on that."
"Yes, sir."
"I expect a positive report within the hour."
"Yes, Mr. Uragi, sir."
Uragi turned back to his dinner and began cleaning the food from his plate with the diligence of any man raised by the marines, thereby signaling an end to the conversation. Humming lightly, the bounty hunter suddenly smiled to himself as he stabbed his carving knife into the table.
VVOOOVV
As it was it was nearly ten minutes before Usopp and Chopper made it up to the ship's deck. The reindeer was carrying the sharpshooter over his shoulder like a flour sack. Every now and then he'd give his burden a jostling shake as he walked.
"Usopp!" he muttered. "Stop playing dead! We need to find Vivi and Nami!" Turning the corner, the doctor stopped dead in his tracks. Temporarily forgetting his opossum routine, Usopp struggled to look over Chopper's shoulder from his upside down and backward position.
"Well, you found us." Nami stated sarcastically, a scowl marring her pretty features.
"I'm very sorry, guys." Vivi sniffled.
The two were currently being held hostage by a group of desperate looking men. Two short swords were held at the girl's throats. Vivi, kneeling next to an unconscious Carue, stared up at Chopper plaintively. Nami just gave the two a pointed look.
The reindeer stared back uncertainly. On his shoulder, Usopp gave a weak, meaningful cough.
"cough-badidea-cough!"
Chopper continued to hesitate.
"Well?" Nami asked, exasperated.
Usopp flopped bonelessly over Chopper's back. "Sorry, I'm unconscious right now. I am just speaking to you in my dream-ridden delirium."
"Why you!" Nami raised a fist, only to be halted by a blade digging into her neck. Sighing, she dropped down to sit with Vivi, muttering all the while about useless men and shaving heads while certain long-nosed freaks were asleep.
One of the attackers thought this might be a good time to step forward. "Y-you're surrendering, right? I mean, we'll kill these girls if you don't."
Chopper transformed into his normal, non-threatening form, dropping Usopp to the floor in the process. The reindeer raised his arms in defeat and watched dejectedly as Nami rolled her eyes. A man came up and pointed a pistol at Chopper, effectively preventing any heroic thoughts on his part.
"Why are you doing this?" Vivi demanded with tears in her eyes as she gently cradled Carue's head.
"You pirates started it." The man nearest to her snarled out.
"Yeah, you's attacked us first." Another man replied.
A third man, more calm than the rest and holding a giant smithy hammer, stepped forward. "We won't allow any harm to come our village. We will defend our home with our lives, if we must."
"Attacked?" Nami stated incredulously. "Maybe Luffy tried to eat all your food but I'd hardly call that being attacked! If anything, someone on your island, someone with a devil fruit ability, attacked us!"
"No monster like that exist on this island!" the first man argued as he raised his shovel threateningly. He looked over at the smithy entreatingly. "Let's just kill this bunch and be done with it, Tedu."
The man with the hammer stared down at them, uncertain and Vivi saw a chance to be the voice of reason.
"Look, we have no wish to fight with you or your people and I am truly sorry if some sort of misunderstanding has occurred. Just please let us collect the rest of our crew and we'll be off your island and out of your hair for good with our deepest apologies for having caused you grief."
"Don't listen to that witch, Tedu! They attacked Mr. Uragi! They blew up Shep's inn! Let's gut 'em like the rotten fish they are!" Many of the men muttered their agreement.
"Hey, who're you calling a witch?" Nami raised herself to one knee in her friend's defense. The man with the shovel used the tool to harshly knock the navigator back to the deck, causing Chopper—and even Usopp—to cry out in protest.
Vivi crawled over to Nami, calling to her worriedly until the redhead pushed herself upright once more. "I'm fine…." Nami muttered, spitting blood out from a split lip. She glared up hatefully at the man who struck her down.
Vivi looked around frantically, sensing that the situation had escalated. The men surrounding them were just two steps away from being an all-out mob. The princess knew she had to do something quickly before someone got seriously hurt.
"Please—" the princess's words were abruptly cut off by the man with the shovel.
"Well, what's it gonna be, Tedu?" the lanky man demanded. "Is the town smithy gonna stand up with his people, or is he gonna side with a bunch of bloody pirates?"
"I say we just shoot 'em." The man with the pistol stated. "I'm sure Mr. Uragi'd think pretty highly of us if we brought back their severed heads. Who knows, they might even have a bounty on 'em! We could get rich!"
Many intrigued mumbles spawned from this comment but the man named Tedu silenced them with a gesture. The burly man frowned as he stared at the pirates, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
"Don't you forget that we're mainly a peaceful sort of town." He reminded his companions in a low voice. "We won't kill unless there is no other choice. This bunch surrendered so we'll take them back to town--alive—until we can hold a fair type of trial."
Many grumbles and groans followed this statement. The blacksmith frowned and turned a full circle, meeting each one of his fellow's eyes until their protest's died. When all was quiet, he gave an approving nod.
"All right, tie them up and we'll--"
The escalating reverberation of an animalistic growl unerringly drew all of their attention, friend and foe alike, to the darkened doorway leading below deck. A doorway that was no longer empty.
No one seemed to remember who uttered it, but in the sudden stillness one name dropped into the night air with such awe as is normally reserved for gods.
"Zoro…."