A.N. Here you go for all of my quasi-fans! Chapter 13. We're nearing the end of the ride, only 4 more chapters to go. But hang in there. I promise you it'll be worth the wait.

Bear:Arlong said in that chapter of the manga that the sea also takes away the person's will to live. It stands to reason that seastone, which mimic's the sea's effects would also rob that person of their will to live. and without the will to live a person dies of apathy... it's a proven fact.

Ch. 13

Lucky

"Swordsman-san!" Robin exclaimed, startled as Zoro burst into the room, breaking off the kiss with the now hyperly conscious and stinky Kaicen as if she were guilty of some crime. "I'm so glad you're here!"

"That's not what it looked like to me." He replied. "I can come back in a few more minutes if you two need a bit more time."

Zoro was enjoying this a bit too much, and had robin been anyone other than who she was she would have grown quite irritated. As it was, she was more concerned with freeing Kaicen, and escaping from this cell. "No, that's quite alright. What I need you to do is cut the fetter from off of Bard-san's leg."

"Bard-san, huh?" Zoro asked with a bloodthirsty smile on his face as he pulled out Wadou Ichimonji. "Shall I take the foot as well?"

"No, just the metal."

"Whatever."

In the blink of an eye it should have been over, and Kaicen should have been free. What had happened in that blink of an eye is that Wadou had merely scratched a light gouge into the restraint and kicked up a huge spark of light. Looking down in disbelief Zoro's gaze shifted rapidly between the blade and the annoying hunk of metal wrapped around the stranger's leg. "What the hell is this stuff?" Taking a wider stance, he focused his energy. The timing had to be perfect for the breath of the steel to shear through the stronger material.

"Nononono… that'squitealright!" Kaicen almost squeaked. What was that crazy swordsman going to do next? He couldn't loose his foot! He'd never be able to run again. He needed to run. It was a part of who he was. "I'msurethatSaroswilljustgiveusthekeywhenhegetsback!"

"Shut up!" Zoro growled. This was a very precise feat he was attempting, and he didn't need some moron yammering at an excessively high rate of speed. Not that he could understand the other man anyway; the fool was sputtering out the words too damn fast to understand! "I need to focus."

"Robin…" Kaicen pleaded.

"Bard-san, Swordsman-san is one of the best in the world." She responded. But it didn't seem to help.

It was at that moment that Zoro felt right. The breath of the sword was perfect. A split second later it was finally over and Zoro was once more sheathing his sword. As the two separate pieces of the shackle clanked to the floor, Kaicen, who was white as a sheet managed to stammer "Thanks…" before he passed out from terror.

"So, who is he?" Wondered Zoro, looking at the shirtless, older man. "And why does he smell so badly?"

"His name is Kaicen Aliotto."

"The kid from the mayor's story?"

"That's right, though he's hardly a kid anymore. Now, if you could help me lift him?"

"Umm… Robin?"

"Yes Swordsman-san?" Robin asked, as she stood in a slight hurry. "What is it?"

"What happened to your clothing?"

"Please lift Bard-san." She said, ignoring his question. She really didn't feel like explaining, not like this. "We need to leave this place as soon as possible."

"Alright." Zoro agreed, wrinkling his nose as he threw Kaicen over his shoulder. "But why the hurry?"

"Because he's coming back."

"Who's he?

"The thieving Vice-admiral Saros." She snapped. "The man who's responsible for this mess."

Zoro wisely kept any comment to himself, and followed Robin as she made her way to the surface. He had never seen her this angry before. Hell, he had never seen her angry at all! He could almost pity the fool of a marine who had pissed her off.

If Saros had been angry before, he was furious when he returned to Kaicen's cell and it's two occupants were gone. The bisected lock on the surface gave him some clue to who had freed his captives, but the real damning evidence was the cleanly cut shackle and the disturbing absence of fresh blood. Who in the world could cut through seastone? The stuff was harder than diamonds! Then the answer hit him.

Roronoa Zoro! Yet another fool to add to his list.

Stooping down, Saros felt where the Aliotto spawn had been sitting. He was in luck! The spot was still warm. That meant that they couldn't have been gone for more than a few minutes.

With a few deep breaths Saros calmed himself. He would need the perfect combination of powers to deal with those three. Steeling himself he began to cough, waves of discomfort rolling through his body as he was bent over double by the wracking coughs. He hated this part! It always felt like he was hacking up his toenails. But he supposed there was no other way. Finally the fit ceased and two small orbs fell from his open mouth into his cupped hand. "Ugh… Now, which powers to use against a swordsman?"

As the Mugiwaras fled the underground catacombs and emerged into the sunlight Kaicen slowly began to regain consciousness. Soon, but not soon enough for Zoro, Kaicen was able to take to his own feet, and ran almost effortlessly beside his two saviors.

"So, why are we running from this marine bastard?" Zoro asked.

"Because-" Kaicen began.

"Because I'm undefeatable!" Saros interrupted as he stepped out from behind a tree to block their path.

"Wait! What? How?" Zoro asked as they screeched to a halt. "Shouldn't you be behind us? How did you get all the way out here?"

"You can thank your new friend there."

"It was a set up!" Zoro snarled as he drew his sword and quickly placed the razor sharp edge at Kaicen's throat. He was quite ready to kill the fool.

"No!" Kaicen pleaded. "I ate the Devil fruit! He copied my power!"

"That's impossible!"

"No it's not Swordsman-san. He did the same thing to me." Robin explained. "Before stealing my clothing and locking me in that cell."

Growing bored, Saros began advancing, his arms crossed beneath his cloak. "I didn't come here to talk. Draw your swords, Roronoa Zoro…"

"There is no honor in cutting down an unarmed man." Replied Zoro, removing his sword from Kaicen's neck.

"Oh, I assure you…" Saros smiled as he threw off his coat, revealing four pair s of razor sharp arm blades extending from his body. "I am anything but unarmed."

"Get out of here you two!" Zoro said as he pulled the bandana from off his left bicep and secured it around his head. "I'll handle him."

"Right." Nodded Robin. She wished that there was something she could do to aid Zoro, but she just felt so helpless without her powers. She hated this new feeling, and would be glad when, or if she ever got them back.

"Come on then!" Kaicen said as he took her hand and the two began to flee. "Will he be alright?"

"He'll be fine."

Saros wasn't as good as Zoro was with a blade, that was obvious. His technique was deeply flawed and he left himself open for counterattacks far too often. His clever blending of powers however, made such differences pointless.

"You're good Zoro…" Saros drawled, wiping away a trickle of blood from his cheek. "I can see why you have a bounty of Sixty million berries on your head."

"Are you just going to talk, or are we actually going to fight anytime soon?"

"In a hurry to die, Zoro?"

"One of us is."

The fight was going in Zoro's favor, and in fact was completely one sided until Saros got clever. Using his stolen powers he began creating disembodied arm-blades from their surroundings, trying to spear Zoro as the swordsman dodged and evaded them for all he was worth.

"Oh come now. You can do better than that. Let's step it up a bit." As if to mock Zoro Saros did the impossible… again. The four pairs of arm-blades he flung behind his back, as Zoro watched they extended back far past their normal shape, much like Luffy's arms were wont to do. With an evil smile he sent them hurtling straight at his opponent.

Zoro wasn't afraid of death, even when it came winging towards him at a very high rate of speed, and as Saros launched his freakishly strong attack Zoro already knew which way he would dodge. However, he never got the chance.

It all happened too fast. Something unseen blew by Zoro's left ear and then Saros was gone, Kaicen now occupying the spot where just moments had been the viscous marine, facing away from Zoro, and pulling his opened hand back in from the hyperly fast strike he had performed on Saros.

"You know… I'm feeling a lot better. Thanks again, Zoro!" Kaicen said with a perky smile.

"…Don't mention it…" Zoro responded, still rather unsure as to what had just happened.

"Let's get back to the ship." Mentioned Robin as she rejoined exited the bushes and the two men. She was anxious to get out of the rags she was in.

"Right!" Kaicen agreed with a nod of his head.

"Wait a minute!" Zoro spat. "Who said that you were coming with us?"

"Well, I just assumed that since I'm the only one who knows the secret of the Solstin Cannon."

"The Solstin… Cannon?" Asked Robin in amazement. Suddenly the true meaning of the Runebeach became clear to her.

"Known as the singing cannon, it was originally built by the World Government during the Lost Century. Fortunately it was removed form under their control and disguised, quite convincingly as an island."

"The ultimate buried treasure…"

"So, why didn't whoever stole it ever come back for it?" Zoro asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Who knows?" Shrugged Kaicen. "The ocean is a huge place. Anything can happen."

"You know… we should probably leave before Saros returns." Robin said warily.

"I wouldn't worry too much about that." Kaicen replied with a smile as he held out his closed fist. Turning his hand over he opened it, revealing two small marble like orbs, one deep red, the other gray, and a fine purple powder. "When I hit him he coughed up the fruit essences he had consumed."

"Fruit essences?" Asked Zoro.

"They're what allow Saros to reuse the powers he has copied." Robin explained, recalling a bit of what Kaicen had told her. Taking the orbs, she looked at them. "This red one should be Luffy's Gomu ability, and this one is The Supa Supa no Mi. But what's the powder supposed to be?"

"A power he hadn't fully copied yet."

"The Hana Hana…" Asked Robin tentatively.

"That's right!" Kaicen replied, smiling at how clever she was. "I wonder…" Curiously, he held out his opened hand and blew the dust onto Robin.

As the violet powder flowed over her she breathed in deeply and sighed in contentment. She could feel her powers returning. It was wonderful!

"Feel any better?" Zoro asked.

"Yes, most definitely!" Robin replied, smiling and stretching two pairs of arms. "Thank you Bard-san."

"My pleasure, Lady Nico." Bowed Kaicen.

"Shh!" Hissed Zoro, straining his senses. "I thought I heard something…"

After a few silent moments Kaicen and Robin heard it too. There was a distinct cracking sound, as if someone stepped on a twig. Some one was out there and getting closer by the second.

"C-could it be Saros?"

A.N. Alright! I feel the need to clarify. The scene when Saros coughs up his gust is probably the only disadvantage of the Kopi Kopi no Mi. To switch the powers you have you basically have to throw up violently. Or, if you're hit hard enough you cough up said essences. They're about as fragil as weak glass and any violent, abrupt stop will shatter them into a million little pieces.

( Kaicen says "No no no no… that's quite alright!" "I'm sure that Saros will just give us the key when he gets back!") But I'm sure you already knew that.

Read and review! (yeah, I'm looking at you Charlett. Your reviews are always welcome. Sorry if I reacted too harshly.)