Night came slowly here, where you could watch the sun slowly drift under the horizon. The detective sat alone in his car, watching. Waiting. He was no fool, he knew the motel owner was up to something.
Cat burglar Nami.
He had to say, he was surprised to see her here. After she had suddenly vanished from off the grid, she had all but vanished from everyone's minds. And yet, here she was. It was no coincidence that she was in this place. It explained why Raven had run to this run-of-the-mill town. It was so...ordinary. He couldn't imagine why she would come all the way out here, but he didn't really care.
It wasn't his job to care, it was his job to get work done. And the work for him here was to drag Raven back to HQ, kicking or screaming. Justice had to be done, and he would do it.
Roronoa Zoro. Detective extraordinaire. The impressive up-and-coming rookie that was quickly climbing the ranks. He had never failed a mission, and had yet to break his streak. The case that earned him the attention of the higher ups, the infamous Pirate Case, had earned him a fantastic reputation and a label all in one go. He had brought in The Pirate, a violent thief-turned-murderer, who had escaped police grasp for months. The other detectives had dubbed him "Pirate Hunter Zoro" after that, and he quickly ascended the ranks. Now, they had trusted him with the Raven case, and he was determined not to let them down.
Elusive Raven had been a shadow on the force for almost twenty years. As a child, she had murdered her entire family, and vanished into the night. She was shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Men and women alike obsessed over her, cast under her spell.
She was a mirage, a shadow on the wall.
Nothing definite was known about her. Nothing except she was a monster. A demon that needed to be put in her place.
Zoro bridled at the very thought of her. He was disgusted with her. She seemed so innocent, so pure. But he knew she was only a farce. A stain on humanity. He had to catch her. He would.
And he was so close.
Raven looked up from her desk as Nami nudged the door open with her toe. She was holding two plates, and handed one to Raven.
"Here you go. Thought you might be hungry. Didn't know if you've got anything on you."
Raven smiled, "Thank you. Care to join me?" She motioned to the bed, where Nami happily plopped down. Raven turned her chair around to face her companion.
"So what's your plan? After here, where you going?" Nami asked through a mouthful of spaghetti.
Raven sighed as she twirled her fork, "Honestly I don't know. I just want to stay still for a while. I don't want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life."
Nami watched as Raven's blue eyes darkened. "I know the feeling." She smiled empathetically, "I remember it well."
She looked around at the room, "I guess that's why I created this place, and made it what it is. It would have been a lot easier to just give up my old life, and to just settle down here. I could have completely vanished. But-"
Raven looked up as she paused.
"I just wanted to share a little bit of my safety, you know? With those who wanted out."
Raven nodded, smiling, "It's a wonderful thought. I'm glad you did so. It is nice to be able to relax here for a bit. Even if it's just for a short while."
Zoro sat in the motel parking lot, staring up at the lit windows. They were so close together, they had to be the same room. It was a decent sized room too, judging by the shadow depths from the inside. The shadows that held his gaze.
He watched them carefully, something about them slightly...off. He didn't know what it was, but the more he stared, the more the feeling grew. Nami had a part to play in this, he knew it. Nothing else made sense. He knew the common criminal didn't operate on sense, they moved on instinct and get feelings.
But Raven was not a common criminal. She was a cold-hearted killer, her emotions and instincts tapered to a fine point, filed to perfection over the twenty long years of her flight. No, she was not to be underestimated. She had made that clear for a very long time. Every move she made was well thought out, and well planned. There was a reason.
But what was the reason for this?
Suddenly a piece fell into place. He looked back at the shadows as a movement caught his eye. What was that? Fabric? Something graceful had fluttered by, casting a unique shadow across the inside of the curtains.
A hair flip. Long, thin hair. He could feel that familiar pump of adrenaline. A clue. Another puzzle piece. Nami didn't have long hair. She wasn't the only one in the building. There were no other cars in the parking lot. Who else was here? His eyes narrowed in on the window, scrutinizing every shape, every movement.
Until he caught it.
The perfect profile. Even as just a shadow, it was a face he knew well. He had stared at so many photos, seen so many films.
Raven was here.
Nami was holding her sides, she was laughing so hard. "He's ridiculous! Every time he sees me, or any other woman, he just goes nuts!"
Raven was laughing softly, her hand at her face.
"I'd love to introduce you to him, although I wouldn't want to put you through that. He'll dote on you, and call you all sorts of nicknames." She wiped a tear from her eyes, "Tell you what, he knows how to treat a woman like a queen!"
Raven chuckled, "Sounds like you really like him."
Nami looked away and smiled, a shadow of a blush touching her cheeks, "I wouldn't say that I like like him. He's really sweet and all, but..." She groaned, "He is so obnoxious!"
She started laughing all over again, and Raven joined her. They had cleared out the dishes, and had been casually talking for a while now. Nami sighed, taking a deep breath. "While he's all the craziness in the world, he's sincere, and he will help you."
A more serious mood settled over the place.
"In case anything happens here, go to him. He'll help you, no questions asked." Raven nodded, and Nami continued, "He's strong too. He doesn't look like it, but he can hold his own in a fight."
Raven smiled in appreciation, "Thank you for this." She gestured around the room. "Thank you for all of this. I know it can't be easy doing what you do. But...thank you for doing it anyway."
Nami lowered her eyes, "Well, what can I say?" She laughed sheepishly, and Raven gave her a grateful smile.
Both women froze as a small alarm buzzed on Nami's wrist. She looked down at the mini monitor, frowning. Raven watched as the confusion quickly morphed to something much more dangerous.
"I guess it wasn't all that safe after all."
She met Raven's questioning gaze.
"He's here."
Zoro moved like a shadow himself. He made no noise, sliding into the motel with ease. He had disabled the door and made his way into the dark lobby. He had been sitting in the dark for a while, so his eyes were well adjusted. He crept to the front desk and slid around to the door behind. He rolled the motel around in his head, creating a mental map as he quietly turned the doorknob.
Due to the location of the room Raven was in, and the placement of the lobby, there should be... Bingo. He looked up the stairs, still as a stone. There was no noise. He saw a dim light coming from around the corner at the top of the staircase, but heard nothing. Not exactly a good sign, but not enough to put him off.
He slid one of his twin pistols from its holster under his coat, and drifted up the steps. Blades were his weapon of choice, but handguns were more practical. So he carried both. The farther he got, the more unease crept up his spine. It was eerily quiet. What were they doing up here? He paused frequently to listen.
Nothing.
He turned the corner at the top of the stairs. The hall was dimly lit with a warm light that crept from underneath a closed door. He watched. He listened. And he waited.
Nami stood stock still. Raven waited on the other side of the door, a hand on the doorknob, the other on a gun. She stared up at Nami, her blue eyes once again guarded and wary. As soon as the alarm had gone off, they had armed themselves and waited. Here they sat, in a dreaded silence. No one moved. No one breathed.
Zoro slunk forward, his gun at the ready. He stayed low in a slight crouch, every muscle tense, ever fiber of his being taut with tension. His heart was pounding in his chest, overcome with the thrill of the chase. To be so close, and so careful. He loved it. Far more than a job, he came alive for the hunt.
He stopped in front of the door where they were hiding. They were right there. Raven was right there. He couldn't stop the small smile that touched his lips. He could almost taste the sweet, sweet victory of a job well done.
Robin tensed, waiting. The silence was agony. She'd been through it all before. The quiet, the stillness. Waiting. Waiting for a chance. A chance at something. To run. To fight. To kill. She felt like she was always waiting. Never ready. Always anticipating. Sitting in silence, waiting for fate to wash her away. Away so she could wait some more. It was agony!
And as slow and painful as the wait was, life always seemed to jump out and snap at her, and suddenly everything was moving.
The door jerked open, and the room exploded into action.
Nami leapt forward, and slammed down on the extended arm, wrenching the pistol from his grasp. Raven spun around the door, landing a kick against the intruder's chest. He stumbled back, but caught himself on the wall and was on them again. Nami kicked his gun away, and Raven whirled back to be by her side.
The two groups faced off for a moment, taking a second to size each other up. All three were in fight stances, all three ready for the next move.
Raven's eyes traveled over the man. Her mind clacked a little as she searched for his name. "Pirate Hunter" Zoro. The name suddenly materialized. She had never seen him before, but she knew him well.
A police detective that specialized in tracking down and capturing criminals that were on the run. Criminals like her.
He was strong, it was clear from looking at him. And if he had tracked her all the way here, he was smart too. She watched him, carefully.
Because of his stance, she couldn't exactly tell how tall he was, but he was broad shouldered and thick-set. He was your typical cop, well dressed, well groomed, and well trained. His hair was a light green, and she was reminded of summer grass. He wore it short, and tightly trimmed. His grey eyes darted back and forth between herself and Nami. His arms were up and ready, but he didn't strike. He just watched from a distance.
Zoro eyed the two women. He wasn't exactly a fan of fighting females, but he wouldn't hesitate if they were outside the law. And these two were definitely outside the law.
He had seen Nami hours before, so she wasn't exactly a surprise, although she looked very different now in a fight stance, wearing a scowl.
Raven, however, was completely different in person. She was a lot taller than he had been expecting, and much more breathtaking. Knowing what he knew, she was borderline awe inspiring. There was an aura around her. He instantly knew where the unexplained obsession over her came from. She was beautiful, like a poisonous flower. She was watching him, with an unbridled intensity. There was no anger in her eyes, but an emotion that he couldn't name. However, he didn't need to know what she was feeling. He didn't really care. He just needed to take her down.
In one fluid movement, he stepped forward, sweeping Raven's feet, and deflecting Nami's strike. Raven fell hard, crying out as Nami attacked him.
The ginger's hits were easy to block, but distracting.
Raven scrambled away from him, and he barely stopped the knee Nami threw to his face. He hooked her leg and spun on her, grabbing her throat and slamming her against the wall. She choked, clawing and kicking out at him. Her foot caught him right in the stomach, and he wheezed slightly.
Before he had a chance to retaliate, something came down hard and fast over the back of his head. He staggered back as the remains of the chair clattered to the floor. Raven's eyes were full of fury and he met her glare with his own. His hand clamped down on her wrist, and he yanked her forward. The two froze, their faces inches apart.
Zoro glared deep into her sapphire eyes, and was actually somewhat surprised to be met with a glare that was equally intense. There was a fire inside her, and he had to admit she was determined. To run from the police for so long, and to keep running. She was a stronger woman than he had given her credit for.
Raven glared up at the man, hatred broiling deep inside her. She could hear Nami coughing behind Zoro, and her anger fumed up again. It had been so long since she had had someone welcome her in with such warmth. So long since she had dared care for anyone else. She hadn't even realized she had let Nami in so far. But it was too late now. There was a fierce desire to protect her, and a heavy guilt when she had seen her injured.
And a burning disgust for the man who dared lay a finger on her.
Zoro's hand was tight on her wrist, so tight it almost hurt. But she paid that no attention. She was so close to him, they were almost touching. His nose was only about an inch or two from her own, but she didn't feel intimidated at all. She only felt an irresistible desire to defy him. To push him back, and destroy him.
But he was not a man who could be so easily shaken. She could see it in his eyes, she could feel it in his grip, everything about it screamed it at her. He would chase her to the bitter end. No matter what, he wouldn't give up. He would take her, or he would die. She let her composure fall back into place, and she blinked before jumping into action.
Zoro was almost startled as she expertly twisted her arm out of his grip, and swept his hand away as he reached for her again. She jumped back, her hands coming up in a defensive posture. She didn't really look like the type to learn self defense. Her eyes had lost their fiery luster, and had settled back into the determined scowl that she always wore.
She had started to think again, her body moving on years of instinct. She watched him, her eyes never leaving his. He cocked his head, a smirk spreading across his face. This might actually be a bit of fun.
Raven wasn't quite fast enough to dodge the blow that seemed to come out of nowhere. He landed the quick jab in the center of her chest, and she jerked back in pain. The cross he threw landed hard on the wall where she had just been. She spun away from him, slamming a backwards elbow into his temple. His head snapped to the side, and he stumbled slightly. She readied for another strike, but before she got the chance, she was slammed backward against the wall by his powerful hook.
She grimaced, holding her stomach as he took a step back. His eyes were wild as he stared down at her. She sank a little, and he smirked again.
"This is the end of the line, Raven. Fight all you want, but I am taking you in." He stepped toward her, reaching out. She threw his hand aside, sliding out of his reach. She made a run for the door, but he was too fast. She jerked back as he yanked her arm, throwing her against the wall again. She yelped as her vision blurred on impact, and she crumpled to the floor. He towered over her, and she glared back. He reached down, and she grit her teeth as his hand neared.
They both froze as a gun cocked.
Zoro turned, slowly and deliberately. Nami was standing behind him, her brown eyes lit up in anger. He looked down at Raven, who was collapsed against the wall. She was looking up at the ginger, awe and confusion written all over her face.
"You're not taking her anywhere." Nami said, her voice low and threatening. Zoro raised his hands slowly. He knew better than to underestimate her resolve. He took a step back, and away from Raven.
Nami shuffled around him, and helped the other woman up, "Raven, you remember where I told you to go?"
She nodded, glancing back and forth from Nami to Zoro. "Then go. I'll keep him here, you leave. Grab your things and get out of here."
Raven stalled, watching Zoro with a curious expression.
"Go, now!"
Raven slid around her, away from Zoro's field of vision. Nami's eyes flicked back and forth between him and her. Zoro waited, sizing Nami up. She wasn't a bad fighter, but she still wasn't a match for him.
His arm snapped up and he yanked the gun from her grip, kicking her knee out at the same time. She fell forward, and he twirled her around, pinning her to the floor.
"Raven, go!" She cried out as his knee dug into her back. He brought the pistol up to bear at Raven. Her eyes widened and he pulled the trigger.
Raven winced as the gun went off. She fell back, but no pain came. She looked over to see Nami wrestling Zoro's grip, pushing the gun to the side.
Raven glanced at the bullet hole, two feet to her right. She gulped. That was close.
"I told you, you're not taking her anywhere." Nami hissed from the ground. Zoro glared down at her, and Raven gasped as he brought the gun down to her cheek.
"No!" She started forward, but Nami was quicker.
She pushed herself off the ground, throwing Zoro off balance, and rolled away. Her leg arched around, and met the back of Zoro's neck with fury, slamming his face into the ground.
"Raven, get out of here, now!" She yelled, barely looking up at her friend. Raven hesitated, then ran toward the window.
Zoro looked up just in time to see Raven disappear through the open window. "Don't you dare!" He growled, scrambling to his feet.
But before he could fully stand, his knee snapped sideways underneath him, and Nami pulled back her kick to hit him again in the hip, throwing him off balance.
He rolled with the momentum, coming up in a beast-like crouch. He leapt toward the open window, but Nami once again dove into his path. Both her hands clamped around his neck, yanking him down into the knee she brought up hard. He coughed as she knocked the wind out of him, and staggered back.
She put herself between him and the window, "Didn't you hear me? You're not taking her anywhere."
He snapped, lashing forward, jabbing her in several points. She barely had any time to react. He stepped back as she collapsed at his feet, unconscious. He ran to the window, and ripped the curtains aside. Nothing.
The empty night seemed to laugh up at him, shielding Raven from his gaze. "Damn it!"
He slammed his fist against the window frame. He glanced back at Nami where she lay in a heap.
"Where are you?" He hissed back into the darkness.