An Old Cliche:

the desert's rose

Chapter 09 - Urami-Bushi

-4th Performance: Wagamama-

By: L.R. Pelgina

beta read by: Starfirehime

Hatred, frustration, unforgiving

erase it from memory, but still cannot forget it

It never ends, never,

A never-ending women's malice

Urami-Bushi; Meiko Kaji

(From the Kill Bill 2 Soundtrack)

Authors Note pt.1: Sorry this is late. A lot of shit has happened to me in the past couple of weeks. At first I was gonna put it up on Dec. 30th, but then I found out Oda-sensei's B-Day is on Jan. 1st so I was gonna but it up then, but then my computer crashed… And then my friend got me all nine seasons of X-Files and I haven't slept in forever…… And then school started again this week and I have like six classes at once and so I ended up with a TON of homework… I even ended up cutting one night in order to work on this a little. So I hope you all appreciate I may have ruined my future career in law for you people… :Sobs: Anyway I'm REALLY sorry but here it is! It really short and VERY cliffhanger(y), but I meant it to be this way and the next chapter is going to end up SUPER long so don't worry! Happy reading people! Bye!

Disclaimer: Besides the villains I create I don't own any of this! Except the story plot to this fanfic…not to One Piece though.

Luffy stood in front of Robin and Vivi, he was not about to let this girl hurt his nakama. He wasn't so sure why, but he had the distinct feeling that this girl was VERY dangerous. This slight movement Luffy made to protect his companions seemed to halt Somber. Her features saddened for just a moment.

"Such wonderful caring friends for a princess to have," She said looking at Vivi then frowned, "YURUSENAI!"

Suddenly Somber's already long shadow elongated rapidly and in a split second she was just in front of Vivi and right behind Luffy.

"Why should YOU be able to be with YOUR friends while I suffer alone!" Somber demanded, her face inches from Vivi's.

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Taso put a sword through Zoro's mirror which he had cleverly used as a shield last second, "Very clever though, I must say. How did you ever know that a mirror would reflect my size beam?" he asked.

"Heh! I thought we were in the middle of a fight? There's no time for chit-chat!" Zoro smirked.

This was taking a bit longer than Zoro had hoped and he was beginning to wonder weather or not Luffy or Robin was taking care of Vivi properly.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

He was really going to have to stop hanging around Vivi so much, her worrying habits were starting to rub off on him.

Zoro was going to have to think fast, now was not the time for worry. He never had to evade size beams, plus two swords AND look out for his fellow companions before. Maybe he could use Kohza as bait again. And now he had to think of a way to get Taso to turn Usoppu back to normal size again.

But he just couldn't concentrate properly, he couldn't stop wondering if Vivi was okay. He knew Luffy would take care of her and maybe even Robin would try… Well, actually he still didn't trust Robin entirely.

GAH! Zoro stop it! You have other stuff to worry about at the moment!

Kohza was back up by now and ready to fight as well he was also wondering if this ships seemingly incapable Captain was going to be able to protect Vivi from this princess who Taso seemed to have every belief could take care of herself! And he REALLY didn't trust that Miss AllSunday person.

Zoro tossed the now broken mirror aside towards Kohza. When Taso had broken the mirror some of the flying glass had cut his arm, Zoro made a note of it, just now noticing, then got out all of his swords.

"Oh! The famous Santouryuu? This should be interesting." Taso smirked.

"Sideburns, get ready," Zoro said and Kohza lifted his sword, "Nope! Take care of Usoppu!" he said and ran up to Taso and they crossed blades.

At first Kohza didn't get it. What could he do for Usoppu? He had already been shrunk and… Then it hit him and he picked up one of the broken shards of mirror and went over to Chopper.

"Give me the sniper," Kohza told the doctor and he obeyed. Kohza then handed the piece of glass to Chopper, "If he tries to hit you with the beam," Kohza explained then took a miniature Usoppu and placed him on the rope that tied his sword to his back, "Hang on Sniper," and then he pulled out his sword and waited for Zoro's signal.

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Nami and Sanji (who was receiving aid in walking by Nami) half limped half walked back towards the Going Merry Gou. Both in walked in silence that wasn't anywhere near being a comfortable companionly one. Both were filled with their own thoughts of the things said before.

Sanji, quite honestly, was beginning to wonder if it had really happened at all. For Nami to say such a thing for ANY reason was just not normal of her. Perhaps he had hallucinated it from being so close to passing out again… Of course the punch she had given still felt real enough…

He was starting to think that maybe he should say something but he didn't have the slightest idea what to say. For the first time he was really scared that something he might say to a girl would ruin everything.

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Robin took a step back, shocked that the princess of Mayonaka had moved so quickly. It was almost as if she had teleported. The Sand Princess she was sure would have as well, if the Shadow Princess hadn't grabbed her by the front of her clothes. Even Luffy had been shocked and had to about face once he realized what had happened.

"Dos Fleur," Robin said and two hands grew off of Vivi's sides and forced the Mayonaka Princess to release her hold on the Alabastan one. Then Luffy tried to grab Somber to get her out of the way but she disappeared and was suddenly behind Luffy.

"You're in the way," Somber said simply and her shadow elongated again until it went just under Luffy, and he began to sink into it.

"LUFFY!"

"LUFFY-SAN!"

Vivi and Robin both shouted at the same time and made movements to help him.

"Robin! Take care of Vivi, she isn't as strong as…" Luffy began to shout but finished sinking into the shadow before he could finish and before they could help him.

Somber looked up slowly after watching Luffy sink into his shadow.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!" Robin demanded.

"Don't worry, I'll send you with your friend soon. You're in my way too," Somber said.

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Zoro was going to have to play this just right, and he found himself hoping that his luck had kept up with him. Not that this man was a better swordsman than him, but he needed to change Usoppu back before he could do anything about Taso.

He then noticed that Kohza was ready behind him with the extra mirror and the miniature Usoppu on his shoulder. Now he just needed to hold out and wait for one other thing before he could finally put an end to Taso.

Then he heard it! The thing he had been waiting for all this time. There was a quiet clinking of glass breaking as Taso stepped onto the broken mirror Zoro had used as a shield from not only Taso's sword but his Size beam as well. Now was the time to put his plan into action. Zoro just needed to piss off Taso enough to get him to use his size beam again. With Taso's next words he would see his chance.

Zoro and Taso crossed swords once more and Zoro put enough force into the blow to make Taso need to take a step back further onto the broken mirror, but not so forceful as to make Taso think that he still had the upper hand.

"Did you think I'd just let a bunch of pirates come in and take the Princess' most prized possession away from her?" Taso said making the mistake of getting over confidant and trying to bear down on Zoro, "I won't let ANY of you harm what is most precious to her,"

Bingo! Obviously, Taso didn't want them harming what was most precious to HIM either.

Zoro smirked, "But you've already let three of my friends get to her," he said, "and one of them was the Captain. The man worth 100,000,000,000 berris. The man worth MORE than me! He's surely defeated your princess by now,"

Taso frowned and put all his strength into throwing Zoro away from him and Zoro let him, "You bastard!" Taso yelled, "Small beam!"

Zoro ducked and Kohza used the mirror to shoot the beam back at Taso who instantly shrank as a result.

"He's just gonna make himself bigger!" Chopper protested from across the room but Zoro didn't respond.

The miniature Taso on the mirror squeaked something inaudible and Zoro got what he was waiting for. When Taso moved his hand above his head in order to return himself to normal size the Big beam he shot hit the mirror underneath him as well and reflected back up.

"NOW!" Zoro shouted to Kohza who instantly moved into action and tossed the mini Usoppu at the large pillar of beam.

The flying mini Usoppu gave out a squeaky scream the whole way until he hit the large beam and then a newly resized Taso right in the face. Zoro didn't waste a second after that, and neither did Usoppu, who instantly got jumped up and ran behind Kohza after that.

"ONI" Zoro ran up and slashed Taso in one smooth movement, "KIRI!"

Taso went flying after and landed back on the floor with a load crash into a bunch of furniture in the corner.

Zoro then stood and took Wadu out of his mouth and put it away, and after a second of no movement from Taso, Zoro followed suit with Yubashari and Sandai Kitetsu.

Usoppu then choose to gallantly stop quivering from behind Kohza and shout, "That's what you get for messing with Captain Usoppu!" he smiled, "That's just a SMALL taste of what you get for messing with my 8000 men!"

Usoppu began to laugh in a deep voice that was not his own until Zoro turned his aura burning behind him and it seemed as if the world had suddenly gone silent.

"Let's go find Vivi," Zoro said then began to run up the stairs, Kohza didn't hesitate to follow.

Chopper and Usoppu exchanged glances once more like they had in Eden and when Zoro had told off Kohza for arguing with Vivi and the followed close behind the other two.

Authors Note pt.2: The next update will be up Jan.20th! Or otherwise it'll come sooner! And keep an eye out for my oneshots, I've got a SanjixNami, 2 ZoroxVivi, a KohzaxVivi, a RobinxLuffy, and an UsoppuxKaya all planned out so…… Otanoshimini!