Chapter 27
The Bridge of Hesitation
Spandam took out his transponder snail, and made sure it wasn't broadcasted this time, "Hey! Guards of the Gates of Justice! Come out and salute! Spandam the Hero is marching through!"
"[Ah! Yes! Right away, sir!]" The marines seemed nervous on the snail. If only because of his authority as director.
"Tch. Those fools…" Spandam then walked right back to Robin, grabbing her by her jacket collar.
"Look at that, Nico Robin." There was a small arch with the World Government Cross above it, "That small gate is practically the entrance! The first step going through that arch is the borderline between heaven and hell for you! And, it is also the moment when I'll carve my name into history!"
Robin wrenched herself out of Spandam's grip to try and run. However, Spandam grabbed her by the hair, "Heyheyheyheyhey! Where are you trying to run!?" He could help but chuckle, "Wahahaha. To tell you the truth, I do sympathize with you. But what can you do? Your life is worthless."
Still defiant, Robin was able to jerk her head out of Spandam's grip. Only strands of hair were left in his grasp.
"What!?" Robin was running again, "…That bitch! Hold up!" Spandam tackles her to the ground, and pins her down. Robin wriggles under his weight, "Cut it out, you—! Hrm!?" Now in his grasp, Spandam had tried to pull her back up but now Robin wouldn't move, "What!? She's stuck!"
Spandam then notices they were right at the side of the bridge, "What the—!? She's biting into the stone!" Robin was using her mouth as an anchor, bitting into the ledge. She refused move any further!
"What a sore loser…! So irritating!" Spandam then starts shaking Robin's shoulders, trying to lessen her bite, "What a shameful attachment to life! You're only a criminal!" He starts punching her on the head, "Pitiful! Greedy! You can only make people happy by dying! How shabby! Right to the very end!"
She refused to go any further. The others would come! She was sure of it! …But Maxwell had already…! No! He will survive!
Blue…
That was the first thought he had.
A gentle cerulean light, shining down upon him. The light flickered like shadows, reflecting, refracting, pentetrating his eyes with sunlight.
"How many times do I have to say it!? You have no hope left!" Spandam then clocks her right in the nose, finally loosening her jaw. He turns her over, "…WaHAhahaha! What a stupid face!" Her nose was bleeding, but even with her closed eyes still had that determined look on her face. "You tried to put up a useless resistance! Wahahahahaha!"
Having enough fun, Spandam finally brought out a length of rope and tied it around her handcuffs, "Now… Let's go! To the bright, sparkling future!"
Maxwell's eyes fluttered. They were heavy, and something in them stung as he tried to stay awake.
He was floating… Weightless, yet surrounded by all sides… He was in the ocean.
What was he doing here…?
…Oh. Right. He had set off a mine.
He had been running up the steps after Robin, when something clicked under his left boot. Robin was being taken to the Gates of Justice…!
Spandam could help but marvel at the ship docked at the end. It ready to take them away, and he wasn't even halfway over the bridge, "Look! Travel preparations are complete. NO ONE WILL INTERFERE! Not your friends! Not your captain! Not even that despicable bastard that killed my Funkfreed! Wahahaha!"
"I… won't… go through the gates…!" Robin manage to bubble out with all the blood in her mouth.
"Huh!?" Spandam stared at her with outrage.
…Why couldn't he move?
His body felt so heavy. He wasn't even breathing… Was this suspended animation? He needed to get to her. He needed to move…!
"Maxwell?" A voice echoed in his mind. One that Maxwell recognized.
"They told me… That they'll save me…!"
"NO ONE WILL COME, YOU IDIOT!" Spandam yelled at the woman, "EVERYONE WILL BE BURNED IN THE HELLFIRE OF THE BUSTER CALL, AND DIE! …Wahaha, the Buster Call will even erase the fact that the pirates disgraced of sacred flag! It'll be just like when that giant marine rampaged in Ohara 20 years ago."
"Eh?" Robin's eyes suddenly opened.
"Now walk! Walk with your own two legs!" Spanda tried to hoist her up, but she just consolidated her weight, "You…! Argh!"
"[Chief, please hurry!]"
Spandam spoke into the snail, while finally deciding just to drag Nico Robin, "I know, just shut up! I'm a hero now!"
Then he remembered he got a reaction out of her earlier, "You think I don't know anything, huh…? About the former marine Vice Admiral Hagwarl D. Saul's violent conduct? About your mother, Olivia? I know everything that happened in Ohara back then! It's all because I was told those things! …Stepping into Ohara, where the Devils lived, revealing there great crime, and triggering the Buster Call! That was all done by the former chief of CP9, my father, Spandine!"
Robin remembered him! He was the one who killed Prof. Clover when the marines invaded!
"Wahahaha…" Spandam crouched down over his prisoner, "The government believed that whoever was on Ohara Island died back then, but they overlooked one little brat that sneaked out…"
"How was it?" Spandam asked her, "How many times was an eight year old brat about to be killed for money by adults? Couldn't trust anyone who approached you. No place to get a good night's sleep… No food, either. I don't even want to imagine having such a shitty life for 20 years."
Spandam lifted her by the hair, but this time Robin rose to meet his eyes, "…Waha! Was it so miserable that it made you cry?" She was biting her lip, while trying to hold back tears. "The one who put the bounty on your head was my father! All for world peace! Wahahaha! And 20 years later…! I, the son, hunt the only survivor, and the Battle of Ohara will finally end! Ohara has lost!
Robin couldn't help but burst out, "I'M STILL ALIVE!"
"AND SOON YOU'LL BE DEAD!"
"Salem…" Now he realized what was going on. One of his familiars, one of split psyche essence personalities (if you wanted to get specific), was speaking to him. The demon was taking advantage of his lucid state to modulate perception. Clever…!
"Ah… You seem to be in a bit a trouble," Salem noticed the water through his senses.
"Yeah… and I have no idea if Robin is okay or not..." Maxwell also had no idea where Zoro and the others were. He and Luffy, they were fortunate to find that tunnel. But for all he knew, everyone were still fighting.
"You will join that miserable excuse of a rescuer down in the ocean! Once we've squeezed all the information out of you, you'll join every other low life suffering in Impel down! Do you know how often prisoners died in that prison? It's a practical death death trap! Five different levels, each with it's own personal hell in mind!"
Spandam covered his mouth, "Whoops! Wasn't supposed to say that. What am I, Fukurou?" He hoisted the rope over his shoulder again, "Well, I'm glad I prepared so well! Alright, let's—!"
"SPANDA~!" Franky's voice echoed from across the bridge. He was running right towards them!
"CUTTY FLAM!?" Spandam couldn't help but look back in shock.
"STRONG~ LEFT!"
"AGH!" Franky punched Spandam right in the face, sending the director flying across the bridge.
"AH! DIRECTOR SPANDAM!" The marines couldn't help but look in shock at the director sprawled in their boat. They immediately went up the steps to look at the bridge.
"What!? Who is that!?" "It's Cutty Flam! He was brought to the island with Nico Robin earlier!" "Shoot hi—!"
*BOOM BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!*
Something exploded in the marines faces as they tried to attack Robin and Franky. They both looked back and more shots rained down on the marines. Robin couldn't help but cry.
There, out in the distance, on the top of the Tower of Justice, was Sogeking.
The marines had no idea who it was. Even with binoculars, they couldn't see past his mask. But Robin knew who it was. Usopp.
"Hm… Well, I came to inform you about some interest developments. Ones that seem to be rather relevant now."
Maxwell would have given the spirit a deadpan stare if he could see him. "…I'm currently dying… And you seem rather indifferent about all this."
"That's because I bare good news," said the spirit. "Though considering your predicament, I better mention this now… The Buster Call is here."
Maxwell closed his eyes, "…Okay. That's important to know, but what's the good news?"
"Blueno's woken up."
"[Franky! Hey Franky! This is Sogeking.]"
Franky noticed a red satchelhad landed beside him, and inside was a baby den den mushi, "Huh? Didn't this snail belong to—"
"[I got it from Nami!]" The sniper interrupted, "[Anyway, you should see there's something else in the satchel.]"
Frank couldn't help but smile, "Oh yeah. I see it."
"[With those two keys, and the ones you have, they should complete the whole set!]"
Spandam of course overheard all of this, "ALL OF THE KEYS!?" HOW!?
"Blueno was awake, huh? …Is he—?"
"You assume correct."
"Well… Shit…" It was a happy thought. Maxwell could just imagine three hungry demons standing over the loathsome bull. Each watching in anticipation as the human prepared to open the door.
"…Think you guys can help me out?"
"Mineive is on her way now."
"Good… Good."
He could see the smoky visage of a figure descending down upon him. One that was distinctly feminine, and had large horns on her head.
Franky was trying out keys on Robin's handcuffs, "One… no. Two, definitely not," Apparently each set of kairoseki handcuffs was matched with a numbered key. Not no time to check though, "Three? No. Four, no. Five… They're off!"
Robin no longer felt the drain of the handcuffs, and could finally see her hands again.
"NO WAY~! IT'S THE REAL KEY!?" Spandam was even more incredulous than before. "No way…! You mean… You defeated all the members of CP9, in the Tower of Justice!? No! IMPOSSIBLE! I BET YOU SOMEHOW STOLE THE KEYS AND RAN! DAMN IT!"
Franky picked up the snail again, "This is Franky! Hey Long-nose, I unlocked Nico Robin's handcuffs!"
"[ALRIGHT!]"
"One problem though," Franky looked around, "I don't see the bearded weirdo walking around. I didn't see him at all on the way here."
Robin looked down, "Maxwell… He… He triggered a mine in the stairwell, up to the bridge…"
Even the snail looked visibly shocked, "[…Oh no. Is he—!?]"
"I don't know…" Robin cut off Usopp before he could ask the question. "But I know who's responsible…!"
Robin looked at Spandam, "Seis Fleurs."
He balked when he saw arms growing out of his chest, "Eh!? What!?"
"SLAP!"
"HOGOLOLOGOLOLO!" Robin's six's arms then proceeded to slap the director silly. Franky was actually amazed.
"…I won't hold back!" Robin alowed her self a small smile. It was good to get back at her tormentor after all of this. As for Maxwell…
*BOOM!*
Pirate and marine alike suddenly froze in shock. A giant explosion had just shot off the Gates of Justice. Steam rolled off the ocean from it's point of impact. A few more then fired off in the ocean, breaking the fence that surrounded Enies Lobby waters.
"E CAB BWE!" Spandam looked at the distance in shock, despite his swollen red face. The Buster Call was here! He had taken to long trying to escort Nico Robin!
With the Gates of Justice open wide, the whirlpools had all disappeared. Still, there was yet to be any sign of the mage.
*BOOM!*
Then a bomb hit the top of the Tower of Justice. "Mr. Long-nose!"
"[AAAAAAAAHHHHHCK—Huh?]" Usopp stopped screaming over the transponder snail. Somehow he hadn't been hit. "[Am I floating? OH MY GOD, SOGEKING REALLY DOES HAVE SUPERPOWERS!]"
"[You're not so much floating, as being held aloft,]" a posh accented voice came over the snail.
"Who the heck is that?" Franky asked, not recognizing the voice.
"[GAAAAAAAAHHHHHH IT'S A DEMON~! I'MGONNADIEI'MGONNADIEI'MGONNADIE~!]"
"[Now why would I kill you? Your so easy to terrify!]" the voice chuckled.
"Wait!" Robin recognized that voice. She had only heard it a couple dozen times but, "Is that you Mordred!?"
The demon sounded pleased, "[Ah Ms. Nico! How good to hear you're safe. Maxwell will be right with you in a moment. Mineive's carrying him to safety right now.]"
"Mineive? Did he run off to get with some—?" Then as if to answer Franky's statement, a giant comet of simmering golden fog shot out of the water. It looped under the bridge and came straight onto path behind them. There, Robin and Franky saw a giant woman with Maxwell cradled in her arms.
"Ho~ly shit!" Franky couldn't help but utter. She was positively breath taking. Sweet as sin, and looked just like it. The woman had purple skin, her horns were connected to her eyebrows. Her legs were like lizard limbs, and she had a whip like tail. She also wore some sort of fancy white jacket it's some sort of frill around her shoulders.
Mineive's devilled eyes looked at Maxwell's unconscious face. She stroked a few strands a story hair out of them, before stabbing her finger into his forehead.
No blood was drawn, but Maxwell suddenly took a deep breath and was suspended in mid air. He was surrounded a cross of green light, and it looked as though Maxwell had grown wings.
Mineive withdrew her finger, and the light then disappeared. Maxwell fell to his knees, spluttering, as a mantle of ethereal green wings still hung over his shoulders.
"Maxwell!" Robin rushed over to her crewmate. She thought he was dead after being in the water for so long.
"R-Robin?" Maxwell coughed out. He was breathing hard. Robin had grabbed one hand, and had another one over his shoulder, trying to support him. "…Sorry I'm late."
"As long as you're alive, I could care less!" Robin's eyes started to tear up. Her eyes were puffy from crying so many times already, but she didn't mind crying in front of a friend. She helped her friend up.
"So this is the Life Ward…" Maxwell looked at his hand and followed it up to his shoulder. He then looked at the demoness, part of his very being, "Thank you, Mineive."
"It was no trouble, darling," Mineive's Orlesian accent drawled. "Now…" the marines on the bridge flinched as the demoness set her eyes upon them. They had been equally mesmerized by the demon's appearance, "What shall we do with this rabble?"
"[Oi! Franky, Robin~!~!]" Sanji's voice then came over the snail, "We'll head over there now! Oh, and Max, keep your shitty demon away from me!]"
"[Shitty? I'll have you know, I am the—]"
Franky snapped out of his stupor and shut off the snail, "Hey Beard Guy, Nico Robin, are you able to fight? I ain't questioning the demon lady."
"Of course," the archeologist smiled, looking at the marine platoon.
"If Mineive can fight, then so can I!" Maxwell reached for his staff, only to realize it wasn't there. "…Oh for sweet Andraste's—" Mineive then presented him his staff. She had grabbed it while they were underwater, "…Thank you, Mineive."
"Anytime darling," the desire demon the conjured a spectral sword, one far more solid than anything Maxwell had manifested.
"CABSURE BEM! KICKLY BEFOW TE BOMMING GIT SEWEUS!" Spandam ordered his honour guard.
"YES SIR!" They understood him, despite his lisp. These marines had only been waiting at the bridge to take Spandam and Robin away from Enies Lobby. But with Nico Robin freed, the point was now kind off mute.
Franky cracked his oversized knuckles, "Do you guys see that barge at the end of the bridge? I think that's our key to escape."
"I guess we have no choice but to steal that ship." Robin raised her hands into her signature pose. She was starting to get excited!
"Such is the pirate's life," Maxwell spun his staff into a fighting pose.
"GIT FEM!" Spandam cried out, and the marines charged the three outlaws.
Maxwell tapped his staff to cast Barrier on them. Then the mage started to cast arcane bolts at the marines. Robin made limbs sprout out of every marine she saw. The arms attacked, dislocating body parts and making them yelped with pain. Franky had dislocated his wrist, aiming it at the marines. Maxwell though he was crazy, until bullets started flying out from an inbuilt wrist launcher.
"Okay, seriously! What the hell are you!?" Maxwell yelled at the mafia boss. He'd seen him open his stomach, survive a train crash, and now had gaatlok powder blasting from his arm. What was he!?
"Heh!" Franky lowered his sunglasses, trying to act all cool, "I'm a cyborg."
…Maxwell didn't get it. "What in the Maker's hairy left butt cheek is a cyborg!?" The mage then clenched his fist, aiming it at the enemy. Glyphs of fire and ice erupted beneath the marines, either bing blown up or frozen solid.
"You don't know what a cyborg is!?" Franky raised his glasses up onto his forehead, looking at the mage. He seemed offended.
"I am the SUPER dream that every little boy dreams of seeing! A robot made flesh!" Franky punched one marine, making him fly into the air. "How the hell do you not know what a cyborg is!?"
"Do I look like an artifice—Wait. Is that a metal nose?" "Yeah. What about it?" "How come you didn't get it moulded to your proper shape? To replicate—" "Is there something funny with the way I look, Moustache!?"
"Gentlemen," Robin interrupted the grown men fighting, "If you would, please."
Both men looked at Robin, then each other, then at the marines. Right! They could discuss this later!
As Maxwell flung bolts at marines heads, he saw Mineive dancing through enemy lines. She twirled on her clawed feet, dancing like a ballerina. Her spectral blade scythed through marines like a bushel of wheat. They could scarcely touch her. Bullet, bayonet, and body alike just went right through Mineive, and the marines were wary of the milky bubbles she conjured on the bridge. Anyone who entered those spheres seemed to slow down to a halt, and made them an easy target.
Maxwell wondered… "MORDRED! HORROR!" then slammed the head of his staff on the ground.
Ghostly dark miasma sprang out of a purple circle, the glyph Mordred and him utilized. The the spell erupted into a a tower of black flame.
"FLEE, MORTALS!" A slim chitonus visage emerged from the fire, "FOR I AM MORDRED MAXIMUS PHILLIUM DAYLIN! AND I SHALL TAKE YOUR SOULS DOWN TO HELL AND FEAST ON YOUR MARROW!"
"…Huh."
Maxwell didn't think Mordred would be so dramatic.
"I told you~!" Mineive sing-songed to her master. Mordred was based off a Fear Demon after all.
"Another one!?" Franky looked at the new creature. He found it weird, seeing a crustacean/octupus headed corpse flying around with crab legs on it's back. Not to mention the demon was wearing a toga.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Mordred soar through the air through balls of purple flames at the marines. They didn't burn, at first, but marines soon started crying out in pain as glowing veins of white energy grew on them.
Maxwell observed Mordred was tossing curses at them, "…Defiantly got to learn that one."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Spandam yelled, finally articulating over his swelled up face, "ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS CATCH NICO ROBIN AND GET HER ONTO THE SHIP! DON'T WASTE—!"
Mordred suddenly appeared in front of Spandam's face, "Hello there~!"
"GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Spandam screamed for his life then turned around, fully intending to hide of the ship till all this was over. However, the director halted when he saw shadows move in the steam clouds behind them.
It was the marine fleet. Ten warships had arrived at the Gates of Justice. Five Vice Admirals stood on their helms. And even more marines were on those boats.
The Buster Call was here!