A Fruitless Start
One Piece belongs to Oda.
Chapter 6- The Bridge, Tequila Wolf
…..
She remembers the snow, the days in her home where she was happy and the nice people who took care of her, she remembers the music, the dances and the smiles. She can still smell the kitchens, making food that always had her salivating, she can see the table and her family in it, her two brothers, her mother, her father and her uncle. She misses the simple times, she misses her home, she still remembers it. She also remembers the fire that came to it.
…..
Their part would be to guard the ship and help all that come to it. After a week trying to make something of themselves Ana determined that neither of the bounty hunters duo had enough ambition or wish to use Haki. Even Nami, who avoided fighting, could throw a punch with armament while they have not even a drop of the power on them.
So their tasks would be to secure the ship, guard it and help in the escape, that was it. Johnny felt small when he saw the size of the ship(that's a freaking galeon!) but it's understandable, food and materials could only be brought by sea and the construction needed a lot, either for the guards or the prisoners. A ship like that also wouldn't be bothered by the snow of the place.
When asked how they would sail something so big with just six people, the old woman just laughed "We are saving hundreds there. Do you think that they won't help?" Yosaku should have learned last week to not question that woman.
She was a drill sergeant mixed with the strictest personality that one could imagine, Luffy, the poor bastard, had to get the Haki on a pipe by the end of the week, since he was already the most advanced there and everyday he failed he would go to bed without dinner. It hurt to see how much the kid got sad by being unable to eat.
Zoro took the training like a fish on the water, he couldn't do anything about his swords yet and even cutting metal easily was far away from him still, Ana approved where he was at the moment and told him to seek fights after all this was over. "Experience is the greatest teacher" she said and Zoro liked that.
"We are getting close, remember to use the ropes to get on the ship by the side, following Ana schedule we will have little to no opposition at this time" Nami explained, she was guiding the boat that they were in, dressed in reds and browns, stolen uniforms from the bridge guards a better camouflage then the grays of the bridge.
It has taken Ana years to get so many and she still had some more. "The advantages of planning for the quarter of a century" she said. Nobody disagreed, the wall full of diagrams and schedules that she could recite from back to back without prompt said it all.
Knowing the risks involved and the time she put on it, made Johnny fear failing this job, he was already planning to become a fisherman or something after this and Yosako agreed, after this, laying low would be for the best. Ana says she has a plan but with so many enemies on the bridge and the fact that it belongs to the World Government made almost certain that someone would sound an alarm and they would be criminals by the end of the night.
They were passing below the bridge, and with Nami's directions and instructions there were no problems, the girl looked as determined as the old lady to get this job done and in the training she showed it. Even if she didn't like to fight she tries her hardest to learn that skill, if only for the utility of it. During the spars, the old woman noted that if there was a thing she is good at is dodging, even if Nami can't do an explosive attack there are other ways to win fights.
Remembering all that how the non-fighter of the group progressed gets Johnny in another funk, but he shakes it off. He has a job, a simple one but he will do it, then he will find a small island and retire there, living a honest life as a fisherman….If the government don't put a bounty on his head, but he will cross that bridge if needed, Ana says she has a plan so giving her the benefit of the doubt can't be that bad(mostly because she could and would kick his ass if he questioned).
Approaching the galleon presents risks and the small boat will break in a few minutes, so they move fast hooks and ropes are thrown and the climbing begins. Take seconds for Luffy and Zoro to get to the top, Nami and Ana are there soon after and in the last place are the duo of bounty hunters(to be retired).
Looking around Johnny sees that the few guards were already on the ground with Zoro moving inside the ship, Luffy is no place to be seen which means he must already be there. Nami and Ana are tying up the crew "Are you two going to stand there or what?" Nami is moving in a hurry, there are still a few to tie, Johnny moves to help her while Yosaku transports the tied guards to the bridge by the ramps.
"Are we sure they didn't see any of you?" Johnny asks Nami, if they were seen killing the crew would be the best choice even if they were just doing their jobs.
"Luffy moved fast and knocked most before being seen, Zoro used one sword and at night and with uniform I doubt he will be recognized" the last crewmate of the galleon was tied up and Johnny threw him on his shoulder. Yosaku came back and, seeing no one else to carry moved to help check and flush out any more guards.
Johnny reached the bridge from the ramp and saw no sign of a dedicated security, moving over to a small wall he turns and sees the guards Yosaku had already brought, Ana was right, this place is almost one to one like her maps including the small building close to the 'port' where he could see some of the cargo to still be distributed to different sections of the bridge.
Tequila Wolf is, at the end of the day, just that a bridge under construction, its size may intimidate but since the purpose of this is just to be a bridge with no other purpose than to-
"HEY YOU!" Johnny almost had a heart attack, turning around he saw two guards coming closer to the wall. "What are you doing?" they can't see the crew of the ship yet, Johnny needs to be careful.
"Ah, you know, dropping a few of the supplies that some idiot forgot", that made sense right? Stuff gets forgotten all the time.
"Yeh, that happens once in a while" Johnny almost sighed in relief "but why are you doing it? Usually it is the people of the ship who do it" Why they would think- The uniform, it's from the bridge's guard and he was not a sailor's, they dressed more casually than that.
"Some guy just asked...And I did" please believe it, please believe it, pleasebeliveit "I had nothing to do so I helped a bit."
"Ha, lazy pirates. Only because they work for Krieg they think themselves hot shit". Krieg? Is that how the guy can just waltz in all East Blue? He has backing from the government? Is that how he got that many ships to make a fleet. Then where is the rest of it? No, focus on the problem at hand.
"Yep, lazy pirates alright." He can't fight these guys, they are armed and he just has his sword, it is a miracle he wasn't caught yet, he needs to go. "Well I'm going back to my post can't let our boss see us on a break am I right?" They smile and just nod.
"We should as well, see you on break then?" he raises his hand for a shake. Johnny just shakes it and after shaking the hand of the other they go away. The bounty hunter can only breathe on relief, these people use slaves and act so… normal. No time to think about it, back to the ship and guard it until it is time to go.
He wondered if he should reveal the fact that they are stealing a pirate ship, a ship with ties to the actual biggest bounty of the east. By the size of it, and knowing it was Krieg's, this must be the flagship of his armada. Did that mean Krieg was here? No, he could be in base and this be only a supply run, and if he is that changes nothing, the plan is not to fight but to run.
Getting back on the ship, he sees more people, at least thirty, in various states of dress and wounds. Many had chains but he could see Nami working on them while Luffy stood to the side and kept an eye out for any problems. Approaching Ana he asks, "Who are those people?" she looks at him and says.
"I made a miscalculation of this supply run" she starts looking at the ones already unchained which are helping each other. "Today is not about the delivery of food and water but the workforce." Her eyes look sad and Johnny could already tell what these people were, "They are slaves."
…..
She remembers running to her parents, trying to find them in the chaos. The attack had come fast, no warning, no offer of surrendering or bargain. She didn't understand back then but her uncle explained to her the cowardice and cruelty of the World Government. Their ambitions and fears. Her country was attacked and all the while escaping she cried.
Her uncle tried to find her father, mother and siblings, every corner when they would see someone he would ask for them, but the soldiers were in a panic or going to die, the people were as fearful as they could be, some got on boats to try and run while others just sat down and resigned themselves to fate.
It was then that she saw her first marine, he was tall and muscular, was bald, with a black suit and a white coat with the word 'Justice' on the back "ARREST THEM, THIS CRIMINALS ARE HARBORING DANGEROUS SECRETS. ARREST THEM IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE" she felt sick hearing him. Criminals? Secrets? What is he talking about?
Her uncle keeps running, until they reach the library, where she sees her father with some soldier putting the books on a pile, "Nicolage, what are you doing?" Her uncle asked.
Her father turns to them and approaches, putting his warm hands on her face, "You have to live my little Anastasia" kissing her head and then turning to her uncle. "Take her Yakov" he looked mad. "Take her as far as you can from this shithole". He turns around and gets back to work.
"Brother? What happened? Where are Malicha and the children?" father never looked back and both could understand what that meant.
"You need to take her and go" he just focused on his work, even the other people prepared to run.
"Brother, you can't mean to fight them. They have armies, with devil fruits an-"
"I SAID GO" he looks at them, sadness in his eyes "I also have a devil fruit, I can fight and buy our people time. You aren't a fighter, get my daughter out of here, please." He then holds her hands "Stay safe my child, and you as well brother".
She cried and tried to get to her father, but couldn't, her uncle holded her close. The last thing she sees is her father with fire on his hands, burning all the books. When the marines got inside, the flames surrounded him and he attacked.
…..
Nami had just finished the last pair of handcuffs, every former sla-(prisoner) was free, this is both a good thing and a bad thing. It's good because no one should be a slave, it's bad because now there is no guarantee of space for everyone. Also, if Luffy is right, then there are too few supplies on the ship for a clean getaway and they need more. The food was definitely low and who knows how much water they had.
Gathering together with Ana and Zoro the four started to debate. Ana started "We need a new plan."
"Haven't you gone over this for years?" Zoro asked "How didn't you know there would be prisoners on this one?"
"It gets worse," she said "this is a pirate ship, the government has a deal with Don Krieg".
Nami then steps forward "Ana, how did this pass by you?"
"Krieg's deal is recent" she put a hand on her chin "that must have made a change on the schedule. I admit I didn't see that coming".
"So?" asked Zoro "Now what?"
"We get the food we need on the bridge" stated Luffy, he looked at the ramp "We free everyone get the food and get out, the plan didn't change, just needs an extra step´.
"Kid if we do this 'extra step' as you call it, there will be combat, taking people is easy, they don't care. Food on the other hand is well guarded because of said prisoners." Ana looks at the three of them "Are you ready to kill, to become criminals?" Luffy looks straight at her.
"No problem".
"You may end as a pirate earlier than you intended".
"I will say sorry to Sabo and Ace then." Luffy has decided, well that was simple, Nami just smiled and said goodbye to the bounty hunter money.
"Well? What are we waiting for?" Zoro asked, getting two of his three swords. Ana interjects.
"Give me a minute to think." The plan needs adjustments and only she knows all details of the bridge. After more than a minute she pulled out a map and unfolded it "We have two goals, free the ones still imprisoned and get supplies, to make sure we can succeed we need noise, a distraction" she nods to Luffy and Zoro, "Go in and pick a fight with as many guards as you can, get ready to leave when you hear a explosion-"
"Explosion?" Nami stops her and Ana just nods.
"It will be the signal, I will go to this place" she points at one of the buildings of the bridge, at the most distant part away from the 'port' "Here are the weapons and gunpowder, I will blow it up and that is the sign, either run to the ship or jump to the ocean to get in it. I will give you all thirty minutes on the moment I get there, then I will blow it up. After that the ones who get here must wait ten minutes while defending the ship to give time for the others to catch up. After ten minutes those on the ship leave."
"What about cannon fire?" Nami asked.
"There are no cannons around beside the ones on the ship."
Zoro asks "Can just Johnny and Yosaku hold alone for ten minutes?" he, better than anyone knows their shortcomings.
"I will repeat what I told the other idiot, the ones here will help." she smiled, "They just need to be convinced."
"Hey guys, we are going to go there get food and free anyone else before we leave. Anyone in?" Luffy asked the former prisoners and, while some looked reluctant, many were ready and even shouted, asking for a fight.
"He really doesn't waste time does he?" asked Zoro to Nami and she just shook her head.
"That is Luffy for you" they watch while he keeps motivating those ready to go.
Ana steps forward to talk to them "I HAD A BETTER RESCUE PLAN READY BUT PLANS CHANGED", she began "BUT YOUR PART IS SIMPLE, WHILE THE TWO HERE DISTRACT THE ENEMY, YOU ALL GET THE CLOSEST SUPPLIES ON A BUILDING." she pauses a bit before continuing "WHILE WE RESCUE THE OTHERS WE WILL BE STEALING MORE AND MORE, THERE ARE SOME WEAPONS ON THE SHIP, USE THEM AS NECESSARY."
All moved to either help or get weapons, ready to, at very least, defend the ship. Soon the teams were ready to follow up after Luffy and Zoro started the attack.
"Nami" Ana approached her, "Don't botter on taking any chain that isn't impending movement, if the person can run, take them to a supply deposit and get then running to the ship" Nami was the only other with a memory of the map, only the two of them know where prisoner were exactly.
"Don't worry, but are you sure about attacking the weapons storage?"
"It is just to signal the prisoners and distract the enemy girl, nobody wants a fire in their place."
Nami looks sceptical about her reasons, the argument is good but something was wrong there. She hopes it is nothing, they already are going to have to fight for the supplies, it's better to just focus on her job.
Luffy was throwing away his guard hat and getting the straw one on his head, picking a pipe from his back he gets ready to run, Zoro unsheath his three blades, placing the white one on his mouth, Nami prepares her staff and Ana gets a cutlass from the floor, one of the pirates had lost it and she needed a weapon.
"Zoro, you go left, I hit right." Luffy then gunned for the bridge.
"See you all later," Zoro said, going the opposite direction. Soon enough the alarms were going off, the sounds of shouting from the guards start to respond to the emergency on the night.
"Can't let the boys do all the work" Nami moved fast with Ana right behind. Reaching a split they separated. In the distance Nami could hear the chaos, the soldiers who previously were celebrating the new supplies getting ambushed and attacked. There were screams everywhere of invaders.
Looking ahead she sees the first 'prison', there were no guards, moved by the comotion. Getting to the door she shouted "ANYONE HERE GET UP, THIS IS A BREAK OUT", some of the people inside raised their heads. They looked exhausted and many didn't bother to get up. She goes around opening cells "IF YOU CAN MOVE, CARRY WHO CAN'T, ALSO I WILL NEED SOME TO HELP ME IN STEALING FOOD AND WATER" opening another cell she keeps moving while the prisoners start to move with the opening of the bars. The cells are easy to open for her, the training paying off, even if just in short bursts.
"Who are you?" asked a small man, she didn't answer immediately focusing on her right hand, she gathers as much Haki as she can and presses it against the lock, breaking it.
"Does it matter? Want to stay here or escape?" She had no time for explanations, they had to move, an old man was helped by a young woman and two guys and an older woman got close to Nami.
"Where is the food?" one of the men asked.
"Follow me and we will get it, after that we go to the 'port'.'she stopped opening the last cage to ask. "Does everyone know where the port is?" some nod and a few made no moves, that was fine, not everyone would be able to tell depending on their condition. The ones stuck on chains on the ground or walls were being freed by their companions which were using anything they could get their hands on.
There were no weapons there but steel bars and anything sharp could help them in case of emergency. Took less than five minutes to the former slaves(we already freed them, now we just need to escape) to be safely freed and armed, anyone incapable of moving was being carried.
"Is there a boat for all of us?" asked a child of all things.
Nami tried for a reassuring smile and nodded "My friends are distracting the guards" the eyes of the child lit at that information "We took over the pirate ship that was bringing more...people" there is no point to beat around the brush. "That is why we need supplies so we can save everyone" 'if they could' went silent but the girl didn't notice, the others prisoners did and they moved to help.
After taking them to one of the deposits and giving direction to reach the port, Nami moved again to the next 'prison', there is no other way to call it. She keeps moving until she turns in a corner and sees four guards running in the direction of the fights, to avoid standing out she mixes herself with the guards for a bit, until she reaches a corner and goes slower until she is at the back. Once the guards are gone, she moves again to free more prisoners.
The process is repeated at least five times and she must have freed at least eighty people, looking around, she sees more escapes with more food and barrels of water, Ana's part for sure. Nami throws away the hat of the uniform and hopes that she don't get confused with the guards before approaching "This way to the port" they stopped a bit, being suspicious of the uniform, Ana had one too but it's better to not be careless "If I was one of the guards I would have a gun or sounded the alarm. MOVE PEOPLE" she ran again looking for more victims while the ones she made contact raced to the port.
Time was up, the explosion came, she had to run faster. There were still people to save and she had ten minutes still.
…..
They had no home anymore, after escaping, they traveled for a bit, jumping from island to island, her uncle had contacts with some people from his own travels in the past. All the while during the trip, he investigated stuff and asked questions that only the most shady individuals looked able to answer. He tried to cheer her up all the while, celebrating her birthday, telling her tales and, when she was old enough, starting her education about the matter their kingdom had cultivated for a long time before its destruction and the power he discovered on his trips.
Finally, they made their way to the East Blue, she was just a teenager then, there was a bridge being builded and there died many of their people, the soldiers and innocent were brought to die. That bridge was not a prison, but a vanity project for the leaders of this World Government, and it consumed the lives of many daily,hundreds monthly and thousands yearly.
There were still many of them on that bridge and her uncle wanted to save them "Don't worry" he used to say "With enough time and a good plan anything is possible". And plan he did, while she lived a simple life of study and minor works on a close island, her uncle would go spying, registering schedules, bribing guards to get maps of the bridge, all that being done neatly and organized in the way of the scholar he was.
He never asked her help, even the money that she made from her work went ignored, he stole food from the bridge when possible to share with her and even moved to the house she builded, trying to keep a sense of normality for her. But she could see, he was running hagged and desperate, losing his patience or afraid that, by the point he could launch an attack or rescue he wouldn't find anyone he knew.
She tried to help, offer her assistance and even collect information herself, he said that she shouldn't, that she need to make a life for herself and be happy. All she wanted was her uncle to be happy. For that wish, she studied hard the last books from her kingdom and the power her uncle found, all in an effort to one day be useful and help free the last of their people.
She was an adult when it happened. Her uncle had left in one of his expeditions, he never came back.
…..
Zoro was having a good time, he blocks a sword slash with his left and cuts two enemies with his right, after a week of training to get stronger in a way that he didn't knew it was possible(the government can suck it for hiding such a thing from him) he was putting some effort to train even now. The guards of the bridge were just small fry and he was blocking and cutting them by the dozen with no difficulty whatsoever.
A squad of four tries to shoot him from a distance with riffles(huh cute) he dodge most bullets and block two, then three before reaching them. They had no chance, guns are useless in such a close range against him. Soon, he was charging again, this time the guards were being more careful and using swords and spears to cover the guns, there were even some pirates in the middle of all that. Zoro approved the challenge and moved forward, getting in position, he charged remembering his training.
On the first line of defence he tried to use Haki on his blades, nothing. On the second he just focused on his body, he felt lighter but that could be just adrenaline. Reaching the guns again, he repeats the process and cuts the shooters down.
"You guys are not even worth the effort." And maybe that is the problem, none of these guys could help him grow strong because they were too weak. Besides Luffy, on their first fight and spars, he had not received a decent challenge in years, either the East Blue was really that weak or he was not looking in the right places.
"To think a bounty hunter would have made their way here." From behind Zoro, starts to walk a really huge man, he was almost as tall as a house and had one lumbering axe on each hand, both bigger than Zoro's arm. "You are attacking a project of the World Government and therefore you are now a criminal" the giant then charged "You will pay for the damages with your life".
For a while Zoro just blocks and pays attention to the moves of the big guy, he is strong and every attack this guy does, Zoro needs to use his two blades to block and then move so the other axe don't bisect him. When one of the attacks hit the side of a small building the wall breaks and it almost falls.
Zoro smiles a feral grin. This is what he was looking for, a challenge, he challenges the guy for a contest of strength and throws him back, the giant losing patience charges and Zoro position his blades on different angles "SANTORYU OGI: SANZEN SEKAI" he launches his strongest attack, rotating both of his blades while his opponent advances in his direction. When the giant passed by him, he stopped moving. Zoro looks back and sighs, "Maybe I exaggerated, you were weak after all".
At Zoro's last line the giant fell on his face, both his axes broken and he completely out. Zoro thinks the guy got lucky, he should be dead but the mass of the guy saved his life, talk about thick skin.
Changing his grips on his katanas, Zoro gets ready to move when he hears the explosion, the time is up, taking stock of the situation, he decides to just ignore going to the ship and guarantee the safe retreat of the others by staying on the bridge. He figures he can just swim to it later. Nodding to himself he runs to look for more enemies and turns left.
"ANIKI, YOU ALREADY BACK?" And saw Yosaku who was guarding the ramp and helping some of the weaker ones. Zoro is confused about how that happened.
"Did you guys move to another port?" That made sense if this one was closer…
"Aniki what are you talking about?" the weaker bounty hunter looked confused by this.
At the side one of the older prisoners falls to the ground, Zoro, seeing the situation moves to help.
He wanted to fight more but it was impossible, more and more people were showing up, they came carrying cargo or wounded by the conditions of work. The ship was almost full of people, on the deck there was a space for the older and able while the inside was being used for the more sick and wounded. Zoro hadn't a clue of how many were already on the ship.
"Guys" Nami came back with a few more people, she looked exhausted and had ditched the coat having only a white t-shirt. "Is everyone on board?" She looks around but there are too many people for her to tell.
"Ana and Luffy haven't returned yet" said Johnny, he also had ditched the coat, but Zoro sees it to the said on one of the former slaves, "We have a few minutes still-"
The loud explosion that came and they all looked to the ramp, it was catching fire, "We may not have that long" said Zoro as he moved to cut before the ship got damaged and left them stranded.
"We can't leave them" said Nami, but the ropes are being broken or taken back to the ship to avoid the fire.
Zoro says "We don't need to leave but we should get some distance."
Nami looked around and nodded "ATTENTION EVERYONE" she shouted gathering the eyes of all on the ship "SOME OF OUR FRIENDS ARE STILL ON THE BRIDGE BUT WE CAN'T STAY CLOSE TO IT ANYMORE. IF YOU KNOW HOW TO SAIL OR HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE ON A SHIP WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW".
Many started to move at this point, either to get out of the way or to do any necessary job. Rise of anchor, opening of the sails and many other parts were done. There was some chaos, even the ones with experience had some difficulty getting on the swing of things or never worked with this set of people and got on each other's way.
A loud whistle was heard, it was Nami again "LISTEN, WE NEED TO ORGANIZE, ANYONE HURT, GET INSIDE, IF YOU WERE A COOK, A DOCTOR OR ANY OTHER PROFESSIONAL GET THERE TOO. ON HERE ONLY SAILORS, PIRATES OR NOT I DON'T CARE."
Many got out with that instruction, and the ones that were left, more or less a hundred, had an easier time to communicate and move.
"Planning on captaining a ship?" Asked Zoro.
"No first mate, help to get all the supplies inside the three of you." She goes around, helping and giving instruction.
Before moving to help Zoro looks to the bridge on fire "Can't wait to go then when the captain gets here." He decided. It's a pirate life for him.
…..
When she noticed her uncle wasn't coming back, it had been over a month. The hope she carried that he was fine made her not worry for the length of time it took for her to go looking for him. Finding the bridge was easy, the thing is monstrously big after all, entering it was a bit tougher.
First she needed to get either a guard uniform or some sort of camouflage, the first could only be found on the bridge itself and the later she didn't have, second she would have to learn to navigate, at least enough to not kill herself on getting there. She stole a small boat, and for another month learned how to navigate by trial and error. After losing said boat, she stole another and had a fisherman to teach her how to go from the coast to a good distance and back.
The gray uniform came after, it was made in military fashion for the practicality of the design and the color would help to stay hidden on the stones of the bridge, she would just need to take care to not be directly seen, but besides that, she was ready.
The night that she left for the bridge, she almost didn't return, not used to this type of activity, she was almost spotted more than once. Finally after much searching she found her uncle. He was on one of the buildings which housed slaves and the only reason she managed to find him was the angle of the window and the fact he was chained on a wall. He was hurt, a giant wound on his chest, bandaged only with tattered clothes and his legs looked bended in a sense.
"Uncle, can you hear me? Uncle" she tried to call him from the window but he didn't react, one of the slaves, saw her. It was a young man, fit to be a soldier or to at least carry heavy stuff.
"You should leave" at his words, other slaves noticed her and all looked at the window. Something that would stay with her for all her life were their eyes, every single one of them looked broken, lifeless and empty in a way that took all her spirit to just look at them. "He tried to get some people out here." The big man said looking distraught, "they were caught, the women with them….you better not know what they did, the men were wiped and force to work until death." he looks to her uncle "the only reason he is alive is because the chief of this place is a cruel man, he wants him to serve as example for us." There was only silence after that.
She couldn't believe it, how can this people be so evil, "I will free you uncle, don't worry" it would take some work but she could do it, the boat was well hidden and if was just the two of them she-
"Anastasia" whispered her uncle, she could barely hear it, he was alive, there was hope she could save him.
The big man approached her uncle and listened to his words. After a few instants he looks at her. "Girl leave and never come back."
"Are mad, I have to save my uncle he will…." she didn't want to finish that line.
"He will die" the slave didn't bother to hold back "He spent the last few weeks hanging here, being wiped and interrogated, he never said a thing, not even his name." The man paused and looked at his uncle "This are his last words 'leave Anastasia and be free'. You would do better to hear your uncle."
"You are lying, he can be saved, I can save him UNCLE DON'T GIVE UP"
"STOP THE NOISE, YOU SLAVES SHOULD JUST DO YOUR JOBS" screamed one of the guards behind a door.
"You are lucky to not have been caught so far, you are barely an adult, and your uncle wants you to live." He looks at her eyes, there is some strength there, the last bits coming from this man. "We are already dead, no one can defeat this government so go, live, have a family and hope to god they never come for you." the man sits down on the ground again getting close to a group. Only now she notices how close many of them are, to get warm against the cold.
And chained to a wall, practically naked, was her uncle, if she doesn't save him now he will die. He raises his head and looks at her, he smiles and takes a breath "GUARDS SOMEONE IS TRYING TO ESCAPE, GUARDS". She sees the guards going into the room, and she moves to the rooftop. She hears all the comotion and waits a bit for the mess to settle down.
After almost an hour she went down again, she was going to free her uncle and run.
She could only see his dead body, still chained. The man from before looks at her and someone else tells her "He provoked the guards, annoyed them so much that one of them killed him". The man finally said.
"Go live your life. Forget this hell."
…..
Hitting a guy on the face and another on the stomach, Luffy then swings his pipe to hit another on the side. He needs to be careful, the pipe is going to break if he hits too hard and he is not being able to channel his Haki on it properly yet.
Over the last week he had fun, Zoro was a great sparring partner and Nami was more determined to train than ever, he didn't get the deal of the other two but they weren't bad people either. The problem was Ana and her cruel punishment, it's not his fault that he couldn't use Haki on a weapon properly, she said it herself.
But she insisted that he would go without dinner, everyday he failed, he hasn't had dinner for a week.
Knocking out another guard, he keeps going, making lots of noise and beating anyone with a uniform. Sometimes he sees people without uniforms or chains running and he let them pass, his focus is on the guards.
"IT'S THE ARLONG'S BANE, SHOOT HIM" guns are really no fun, people stay far away and he needs to block with Haki else he can get seriously hurt. He really wished he could just hit people from afar or knock them out with his mind or something.
Blocking a couple of shots with the pipe he runs and starts beating the guards again, now there are pirates showing up, Krieg's, Luffy will have to remember to punch the guy really hard when he meets him.
While breaking the face of one pirate his pipe also broke and he couldn't help but squirm inside, no dinner today as well(danmed). DItching what was left of the pipe, he starts using what he knows best: punches.
Punching many of the pirates he keeps going just looking for people to fight all the while avoiding anyone carrying a box or looking like they hadn't eaten in days. For the guards the uniforms helped, the pirates usually had swords and attacked him but some of the former prisoners also tried because of his clothes.
Stopping for a bit he looks to himself and decides to take off the coat, this way he looks a bit different and even if it's cold he would deal with it. He wished he had his jacket, but it was at Ana's house. He will get it after this.
More guards show up mixed with pirates, Luffy just knocks them around, he just needs to remember to pace himself and focus his Haki just on the bullets and all will be fine.
The explosion happens, and he is in the middle of a kick on one of the buys, boots are not so bad, he may start to use them….can he use Haki on them? That would be a thing to train later.
Punch the next guy, following with another to the right and a kick to the left. Focusing a bit of Haki on his feet, he can tell that the boot is being affected without any effort, then he spins and kicks a guy to a building. Yep same thing as his normal feet or a sandal, not much was used either, he will have to buy boots, they are less comfy but more tough.
He had some time before getting back to the ship, good time for practice "CATCHING LEAVES" moving fast he took out most enemies in the area. He moves to the right dodging a bullet, charges the shooter and punches him on the stomach. He then picks the guard up and throws him at the pirates.
This keeps going for a bit before a second explosion happens, he falls to the ground and soon all he can see is fire. Something is wrong, that blast was too big, and Luffy hasn't seen Ana escaping it. Maybe she has gone from another direction or he missed her, anyway he should go to the ship….He is going to check anyway, that old lady sure is reckless when she wants to be.
Running in the direction Ana had to be, Luffy saw various guards and pirates knocked out, and the more he advanced the worst the damage. It was not hard to guess many were dead after some point, he didn't like the image but he needed to focus. Reaching the center he saw a big hole, so deep he could see the water beneath the bridge, no sign of Ana, he was almost convinced she was back on the boat.
He was about to leave when he heard a voice and it was laughing. Why would someone laugh in a place like this?
He ran in the direction of the laugh, it could be a prisoner or an enemy, better to investigate just to be sure. He saw a man standing with two pistols, he was laughing madly and he kept swinging his guns constantly. There was someone on the ground close to the man, it was Ana and she was bleeding a lot, her clothes were wet with blood, and she looked dead.
Luffy jumped and kicked the man away, "WHO ARE YOU VERMIM?" The guy got up, but the straw hat ignored him, approaching Ana.
"ANA, ANA, hold on I will get you to the others, you will be fine." he tried to pick her up but she stopped him.
"You...shouldn't be….here" she murmured softly and slowly, she had been shot and beaten up. "You need…. to go" she was weak and getting weaker by the second.
"YOU THINK ANY OF YOU CAN ESCAPE" the large pirate turned his pistols to them and shot. Luffy covered as much as he could of his body with Haki and blocked all the shots. He couldn't advance and leave Ana alone, he knew if he did she would die for certain.
"Listen here Luffy, I wanted this," Luffy looks at her, not liking what he was hearing. "For most of my life….this place haunted my dreams….I choose to finish it, here, both my life and this place…..please Luffy just go".
"YOU DON'T NEED TO, GIVE ME A MINUTE I WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS GUY", Luffy was mad now, he was going to save her, whether she wanted it or not. Once the pirate runs out of ammunition, Luffy jumps on him and attacks with his full strength "GORILLA SMASH".
He doesn't hesitate, there is no time, he hears another explosion farther away on the bridge, and he needs to move, he gets close to the old lady getting ready to carry her.
"I'm already dead Luffy."
"NO YOU AREN'T! STOP BEING STUBBORN AND-" she interrupts.
"I'm going to die in a month anyway", at this moment he stops on his tracks and looks at her "The great thing about Haki is that, if you use it sparingly, even if you are close to death you can move….act….and fight just for a goal. Haki is ambition and this is mine."
Luffy couldn't believe it "Why?"
"This place took the last of my family, I couldn't live past it….all that I'm now was to destroy it" she smiled "You need to go Luffy."
"But you shouldn't need to die because of it" he was crying . He barely knows this woman but no one should die like this.
"Do you still want to be Pirate King?" when he nodded she said "This is what I want then, respect it".
At the last line Luffy could only nod, he didn't like it, but he could respect it, seeing that he was convinced, she called him closer and put her head to the side of his year. Then she starts to whisper….
Luffy is shocked from what she told him, he can't believe it, Shanks never told him something like that about devil fruits. She smiles at him and says "Now you know, it was a thing my father and uncle discovered….this government wants more power and if they knew about it…." she just smiles "Don't let your dream die Luffy, reach it and be happy….Now go."
He stands there looking at her, another explosion and the bridge is trembling now. How did it get that damaged? How can he save her?
She looked at him, she was mad now and he could see it. "GO YOU BLASTED BRAT". Her eyes said it all "I WILL BLEED TO DEATH AND THEN YOU WILL DIE TOO IF YOU WASTE, TIME JUST GO."
He stared a bit and turned back, she hadn't given up her dream, she was doing what she wanted, if he took her now, she would hate him for the rest of her life, didn't matter how short.
"If this is because of the pira-"
"No Luffy….that was always on the plan. To save who I could and me dying here". she knew he was trying to find a reason to take him. "I...choose this….this is my wish….please go."
…..
She watched as he cried more, how he wanted to get and take her away. But she knew, at the moment he told all around his dream without fear she knew, if it's about dreams and choices he will respect them. That was the kind of man he is.
Luffy, still crying, starts to leave, he turns, takes a look at her. When she nods, he gets to run in the port direction...or what was left out of it. He will be fine.
Now she is alone with only fire and destruction as her company….took her thirty long years, the planning the work, all of it was worth it, she finally got that blasted bridge.
Funny how at the end she can't help but think her uncle would be disappointed with her. She was happy on her own way but now the last of her kingdom is dying. To be fair she did pass one last lesson for the future, like a scholar should. Can't help but wonder what the kid will do with that. Will he use it or ignore it?
Not her problem anymore anyway she just needs to lay there and enjoy her funeral pyre. Took three decades to build it, change the maps and schematics to put the gunpowder where she needed it, if the management was more competent they would have noticed her changes a decade ago.
After that was just a matter of setting one off to start a chain reaction and setting off the second to damage the main structure.
At the end Anastasia Martiana Lianora did what she wanted and died how she wished and that was enough for her.
…..
This was the third time he felt weak and powerless, first it was with the bandits and then Sabo, his brother loss hurted more than any other, Ana was a cranky old lady that stopped him from eating and was crueler than his gramps where training was concerned, but she didn't deserved to die.
But she wanted that, on Luffy's mind that was a contradiction he couldn't comprehend. Why would the goal of someone be to die? The fires were getting worse and he just kept running, soon he saw the ship, it was a bit far, but not much, he swimmed farther with Spot anyway.
While trying to get to the end of the bridge, it collapses, and all Luffy can do is run, run to get close enough of the ship and nothing more. Then he was without a floor to run and he fell.
Finally he hit the water, it hurted a bit but he was fine enough to keep going, his hat was still safe, tied to his neck and all he could do was move. The water was agitated, with many debris falling in it felt like a storm were pushing the waves.
After a while he reaches the ship but he has no idea how to get on such a big thing. He holds on to it and starts screaming "I'M HERE" he repeats the shout two times before a rope is thrown, grabbing it, he climbs.
Getting on the deck, he stops to catch his breath "DON'T ATTACK HIM" it was Nami, she moves to cover him from many of the former prisoners which were armed and ready to pounce "HE IS WITH US" after saying that many of them relaxed, looking to the side he noticed Zoro with his swords sheathed but a hand ready to draw them.
A loud noise happens and he looks back, the part of the bridge they were on has finished breaking apart, but looking at a distance it looked insignificant. Much of Tequila Wolf still stands and runs all the way to the horizon.
"Should we search for survivors?" asked Johnny, many on the ship didn't want to go back there.
"Yes, Ana is missing" commented Yosaku, even if the former prisoners had problems going back to rescue their former jailors, if it was one of their liberators they would accept, the problem was….
"We leave" Luffy placed his hat on his head to cover his eyes, leaving now would doom any survivor but it's obvious that any left on that bridge wanted to stay there, one way or another.
Besides, he was tired, angry and frustrated. Today he lost a friend and all he wants is to go home.
"Luffy what about Ana?" Asked Nami, he looked at her and shaked his head to which she looked sad. Everyone looked a little depressed at the information. Most never met her but she was the one who fought longer to free them...or maybe not to free them but to damage that bridge and the government that took her home.
"Raise anchor, sails up, we go….somewhere." Luffy stopped then. These people may be free but many have no homes to return "To those of you who have a place to go back, I- WE will get you there, for those who don't….Well, I'm not telling anyone about it so you can live your lives on an island or another." He pointed to Nami, who had a couple of tears but refused to cry. "Me and her, we have charted lots of uninhabited islands and we also have routes for a lot of good places. We will find places for you to live."
"Sonny" started an old fella, he was tall but skinny, "The World Government will come after their property, if you help, you may die".
Luffy just didn't care "Let them come".
Zoro said fast after "WILL they come?" All looked at his face and he gave a smile "Can the government admit that?" He pointed to the bridge "And do they know every former resident of this place? I doubt it, unless someone survived that mess you all are home free".
"HE IS RIGHT" said one in the crowd, "WE ARE FREE", little by little, all started to smile, either large smiles covering all their faces or small ones, sad for the people lost over the years. His little pep talk given Zoro moved closer to Luffy and Nami, the later hugging the former after he told her what happened.
"Where to now captain?" Luffy was happy Zoro decided to join him, problems were that the day ended a bit bitter and the other…
"Not a pirate yet."
"Right, neither do I but unless she is the captain of the actual and future crew, you are the captain". he said while nodding to Nami, Luffy can't disagree with him on that.
"Welcome to the crew Zoro" they shake hands and Nami takes some distance, they smile but Zoro decides to ask what happened to Ana.
And Luffy just told him, he also accepted her decision. "Better to die doing what you want than living in regret," Zoro said.
Luffy turns to Nami, "Nami, you know the money we were saving?"
She knows she will not like what she will hear, but will accept for she had a similar idea "Yes?"
"We are going to use it to help them," he pointed to the former prisoner, they were celebrating, the difficulties of tomorrow forgotten for today.
"You know it was money for the ship, right?" he nods "And supplies?" he does it again, "There are not many bounties on the East Blue either." she shrugged "Sure, but we will have to try and find a ship on the cheap".
"Ok".
"So we are broke?" Zoro asks.
"Don't know yet, ask me again in six months".
"Yes, let's ask Nami again in six months". Luffy accepts this, Nami has other ideas.
"Oh no you are going to get some more money in six months, what we have is not enough, we will need more….maybe we will go after Buggy after all." If they can find him.
"You two noticed that this is a ship right?" Zoro says. "We could use this one". Both look to each other and nod.
"It's too big," they say in unison.
"Then we are going to go bounty hunting to get money and use it to fund our travels to find one of the greatest things in the world?" Zoro can't help but ask.
"Yep/pretty much".
"I think my situation didn't change at all." Zoro just sighs, he can live with that.
…..
AN: I had a whole lot of bad guys and a set up for them to fight, the problem is when I noticed that all would die, I felt bad….I'm already killing a OC and didn't want to kill four or five others. About Ana she is based on the myth that the princess Anastasia from Russia survived the take over. Instead of a princess she was the child of a scholar and dedicated her life to revenge(of a sort). Why didn't she get with the revolutionaries or something? She didn't know about them and had no one to trust, when Luffy and Zoro show up she sees a last chance and goes for it. On her character I added a theory that I had how Roger lived long enough to become Pirate King, Haki.
One of the comments(Monxu Aki) wanted her to live, the problem is that if she lived she would have time to teach more and at that point even Crocodile would be a non threat so….yeah she had to go, at least she did on a Blaze of Glory.
Another person(JFalcon-™) commented about my writing speed and complemented my story: I have almost all the story already in my head, nothing was written until I started chapter one and I have to pace myself for my job, even with the quarantine I still work. Now I'm doing one page per day at least. Thanks to both and all the other who commented I enjoy this.
About the raid, if you consider that people die from starvation or working conditions a big ship can carry all of them(galleons on real life had at least 150 passengers) and there would need to be a good number of guards to control the prisoners/slaves so a little more than 150 guards plus at least 100 or more pirates on the bridge to Luffy and Zoro to fight. The number of escapees would be at least 200 and something going to go for 221 considering that some were 'cargo'. And not all escaped, because I felt Nami would go nuts trying to save many but some would be beyond help either by cold or hunger. All that taking in consideration the size of the project, the rate people would die on it and the size of the galleon supposing that, Krieg or not, a big ship like that would be used. Only Oda himself can undo these numbers for they are made using math...and my wish for a simpler plot for my first original arc ever. Don't want anyone leaving innocents behind unless they had no choice.
One more thing: How the heck Krieg gets 50 ships and Garp or Smoker doesn't kick his ass? I mean he is a wimp alone and just has numbers compared to Garp... Government support. He is not strong enough to be a warlord but relevant enough to have some backing….then he goes to the Grand Line and gets recked. But that is not this Don Krieg, in this story he will have his 50(49) ships and will go to war to find out what happened to his very lucrative deal. If the deal with the WG becomes cannon in some way I get dibs on saying "called it".
Next part will deal with the escapees and how they are going to be added to the East Blue, also will show another influence of Sun Wukong on Luffy, try to spot what(tip: it's not the staff).
Next Chapter: The Straw Hat Company.