Yawning, Usopp scowls at the pounding migraine he's got, made worse by the yelling, roaring, blasting and overall sound of fighting and chaos that Usopp is mighty glad he isn't apart of.
Usopp likes chaos admittedly, it's why he get's almost manic when thinking about creating weapons of destruction even though he hates violence as a general rule, it's a complicated mass of contradictions but when he has a migraine this splitting he just want's everything to stop and get some piece and quiet.
Unfortunately he's a Straw-hat so that's a simple impossibility… after this he fully plans on building noise-cancelling headphones though.
Taking a swig of his Summer's Honey he stole a viol or two off of Nami back in Little Garden he puts on the warmest coat he can find, boots and a beanie then as soon as the lovable idiot that is his captain leaves just as soon as he enters he makes his way around the castle, fully planning on stealing anything of worth that does not belong to Dr, Kureha or Chopper.
Usopp has millions of belli, plenty of weapons and inventions he could easily make to sell for a hefty profit but Usopp is greedy and lazy… well as lazy as he allows himself to get away with given both his mentality and his being a crew member of the future pirate king. Besides he fully plans on spending his cash in Sky Pier on Dials and Water 7 on additions to the Sunny he want's added or materials for his work so he need's as much cash as he can save up.
Usopp is many things but if there is one thing he refuses to be it's poor.
"Hohoho! So, you're a rubber man are you? Interesting! I could use a man with your body properties in my next experiment!" Koinuil laughs after a moment of looking at the boy who slammed into his shield.
"Hell no! Just you wait bastard! I'm gonna clobber you good!" Luffy scowls before punching the almost invisible cloud shield the old guy had put up, causing a loud and visibly large crack to form, the old man scowls back.
"You're a powerful little boy eh? If the rest of your worthless crew is like this I can see why lord Wapol had a hard time dealing with the likes of you" Koinuil mutters before aiming his cane directly at Luffy who is still punching away at the shield about to break it. With a mean grin he presses a button and fires an excessive amount of fire straight at Luffy's face and chest.
"Waah!" Luffy exclaims jumping back from the flamethrower before instantly aiming another punch directly at the old bastard.
"Gum-Gum Pistol!"
"Heh what are you boy? A one trick pony?" Koinuil mocks him amused before pressing another button and his cane let's out a plume of white smoke, blocking the punch before with another grin grabs the wrist of Luffy's outstretched hand and follows along as Luffy reels it back.
Growling Luffy readies his other hand to punch the old man off but is forced to duck, kick the old guy back and roll away from the sword that goes swinging towards him in the same instant.
"Your canes a sword too!?" Luffy yells annoyed but impressed since it's super cool, if it isn't broken when he beats this guy he'll give it to Usopp, that way maybe Usopp won't stop him from sitting on his special seat or eating meat when he realises the ship had a few bites taken out of her!
"Hohoho! My cane is just full of surprises boy! But so am I!" Koinuil darkly chuckles out and runs towards him much faster than any one as old as him should have a right to be able to do.
Then again if he's related to the old lady it's not that weird. That old lady is terrifying!
Grabbing hold of a piece of the castle Luffy rockets forward and dodges the old man's slash before widening his eyes in shock when spotting the old man's sadistic grin.
"Foolish boy! Doc's prescription!" The old man chuckles maliciously before swiftly throwing a multitude of needles that he can't dodge away from, cause he's up in the air and not near anything that he could grab a hold of in his reach.
Gritting his teeth against the sharp pain of the needles penetrating deeply into his skin he hits the ground with a scowl, moving to stand up to face his opponent again before suddenly tilting and falling to one knee in shock.
He… can't get up!?
"Hohoho! You have become as affected by my paralysing poison needles as any other normal human… You should shortly start to feel your body completely become paralysed along with your blood vessels start to die! You shall be dead within minutes!" The old man laughs darkly, sadistically and Luffy growls.
He won't die here! He will become the pirate king! He made a promise!
"Kekekeke! Are you forgetting about me you old fool?!" Kureha suddenly steps in with a chuckle and injects Luffy with something that quickly allows him to move around normally again, so with a relived and happy grin Luffy jumps back up and get's ready to fight again.
"Thanks old lady!"
"Damn you Kureha! Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a fight!?" The old man scowls before shooting a round of bullets towards her but she just laughs as Luffy steps in front and reflects the bullets back at him, forcing him to dodge.
"Don't you know it's not nice to hurt your family?" Luffy mocks back before dashing forwards again and before the old man can even press a button punches him hard in the face and Koinuil goes flying into the castle.
"Hey old lady want to come with me? I might need your medicine if the old man plays his stupid tricks again!" Luffy asks, deciding to think for once like he promised Usopp he would and Kureha laughs but follows along with a smirk leisurely.
"Kekeke! Cheeky brat! A lady like me doesn't fight… but I guess I'll help you out this once for free since this is my foolish brother and when it comes to tricks he's got a lot of them" Kureha laughs and Luffy doesn't wait, just rushes into the castle looking for the old man, trusting Kureha will show up if he needs her medicine.
BANG!
Usopp jumps, startled and pauses in his place of ransacking one of the rooms he found that had actual gold and jewels in a extremely well hidden safe that he was more than glad to partake with, wondering just what that sound was since Luffy and Zoro are outside so Wapol shouldn't have made it into the castle at all.
Since while Luffy is Luffy, Zoro isn't dumb or get's easily distracted when it comes to battle… only in his directional sense is he otherworldly hopelessly stupid.
Bagging his treasure away and hiding it with all the other stuff he acquired he makes his way back outside to check the noise out. Normally he would be too chicken to do so but… well, he has a migraine the size of the Atlantic ocean distracting him. He doesn't believe the Atlantic ocean even exists in this world but it's still a pretty decent description as far as he is concerned thanks to his knowledge.
"Hohoho! What are you supposed to be? A member of that rubber-boys crew?" a rough and darkly amused sounding voice sounds out from behind him and Usopp spins around, almost falling on his butt from the scare he just had and looks at a really ugly old man with a long grey beard and with a crazy insane glint to his eyes staring at him with a malicious smile.
Usopp says nothing for a moment, not that he could anyway before promptly deciding he is not well enough or in any kind of mood to deal with any of this bullshit. Let alone an old man that quite frankly freaks him the hell out and scares him worse then a dingy in a typhoon, so without much more thought given he walks back into the room he just exited and slams the door in the old guys face before pulling a really heavy table in front of it to block entry.
Nodding in satisfaction at his precautions Usopp goes to count his bundle of ill acquired gains when he freezes in shock at seeing the old man standing in the middle of the room with an amused dark grin on his face. Stiltedly looking at the blocked door and back at the old man and spotting no entrance or hidden doors in the room he promptly thinks nope and with strength he doesn't have grabs the really heavy table and throws it in the direction of the old man/ghost/maniac who dodges with a cackle and run's like hell.
Nope! He refuses to deal with scary crap today! Zoro, Luffy, Chopper hell! Even the old witch can deal with whatever that old guy is! he is out of here!
"HOHOHO! It's been a while since I've played a good game of tag!" The old guy cackles behind him and Usopp runs faster even as he starts to feel weaker since he is still recovering from almost dying and having surgery on his throat.
He doesn't care though since nope! Just nope! Not today or literally freaking ever Satan!
Luffy or Zoro better hurry and save him otherwise he WILL come back and haunt them for the rest of their natural life!
"Where is that stupid old man!?" Luffy shouts out annoyed, not spotting his opponent anywhere.
"Kekeke! This castle has a lot of hidden rooms, doors and corridors and knowing the old fool he is probably using them to hide while he plans his next trick" Kureha states while looking around herself for her older brother who should have gone 1000 ft under to hell years ago.
"Whatever trick the old guy's got I'll pay em back ten times over!" Luffy huffs before perking up at hearing a bang from up top and spotting Usopp running like someone was trying to steal his meat.
"Hey Usopp what's wrong?" Luffy calls out and Usopp immediately turns and runs towards him.
"Brat! You should be in bed!" Kureha shouts about to knock Usopp to the ground when Koinuil shows up laughing.
"Hohoho! Perfect! Three of my enemies in one room! It's about time I tag you all in one fell swoop!" Koinuil mutters before throwing a blue ball into the air and into a white cloudy fog none of them noticed until now.
It's only a moment before the already cold castle becomes even colder, causing him to rub his arms in a hopeless attempt to warm up before the sound of breaking ice shattering, almost like sharp sounding thunder rings out and suddenly very sharp ice shards and hail the size of baseballs rain down and floods the room.
"Shit!" Luffy cries and grabbing Usopp and Kureha around the waist flees the room, Luffy doesn't even pause as an ice shard pierces his left leg and continues to run while making sure to protect Usopp and the old lady.
"Kekeke! I like my men bold!" Kureha jokes and if Usopp wasn't holding onto Luffy for dear life and if it wouldn't hurt like a bitch he would be gagging at the imagery that popped up at that comment.
The mind is a dark dangerous place and Usopp never want's to know just what goes on in it! Let alone his own since he would rather face anything else terrifyingly horrific on this planet or the next then that.
Some horrors are better left unknown to mankind….
Still running and unaware of Usopp's mental trauma or the innuendo posed by Kureha Luffy dashes into a room that's not raining ice and puts his passengers down.
Usopp doesn't get up from his place sprawled on the ground but Kureha stands up with a cackle and with no warning rips the ice shard from Luffy's leg earning a sharp yelp of pain from him before she starts treating it swiftly but properly.
"Kekeke! Cheeky brat, at least try not to cause me more work, my rates are high you know! Kekeke!" she jokes, half serious and Luffy nods.
"Right! Sorry old lady" Luffy gives a louder yelp that time, covering his head with eyes almost popped out of his skull from the whack she gives him for the comment.
"How many times I got to say it brat!? I'm still in my prime 130's thank you very much!"
Grumbling slightly at the pain in his head, only slightly curious why he is actually feeling pain from her hit when he was sure it was only Nami's weird ability to do so, before easily dismissing it in favour of running out to beat that old dude.
"Kekeke! Your friend sure is energetic… now exactly why were you out of bed?" Kureha coos and Usopp looks up at her for barely a second before all but teleporting away with her hot on his heels since no!
"Kekeke! Take your punishment like a man!" She cackles as she runs after him and he runs even faster.
He refuses to deal with scary people today! … Well okay correction utterly petrifying demonic and possibly immortal witch's and warlock people today!
Ignoring the freezing cold and instant frostbite he gets from returning to the weird blizzard that old guy caused, dodging the still falling hail and ice shards raining down around him he returns back to the room he found Usopp in and glares at the stupid old guy who is still there, just casually sitting on a chair that he didn't notice in the room before, cackling in mirth and smiling darkly amused at him.
"Hohoho! Decided to return to the eye of the storm and my icy jaws of death have you boy?" the old man Koinuil asks.
"Like hell old man! The only one dying here today is you via my fists!" Luffy snorts angrily, punching a fist into his open palm with an eager grin for bloodshed, pissed off at this old guy enough to actually mean his words of killing this old bastard, instead of his usual way of just beating the crap out of his enemies and letting them live in the fact their stupid mean plans failed.
He won't though if only cause reindeer guy seems to have a real deep grudge with this crazy old man and because he's the old lady's big brother but sure doesn't mean he wont beat this guy just short of taking his life.
"Hohoho! Via your fists eh? You're more stupid then you look rubber boy! I wonder if your stupidity is biological or due to the mutation your devil fruit gave you! Maybe I should keep you just short of death to find out! Hohoho!" the old guy cackles standing up as the blizzard dies down and the weird clouds dissipate.
"What are you an idiot? I just said the one dying here today is you, you old bastard!" Luffy grins cheekily, amused and running towards him, fist cocked back ready to pummel this guy into the ground.
"You're a hundred years to young to even think of beating me boy!" Koinuil darkly mutters, grinning darkly as he once again uses his cane to block his Gum-Gum pistol.
"That trick won't work on me again old man!" Luffy grins and drops to the ground, kicking the old mans feet out from under him where his stupid invisible shield doesn't protect him.
It may be stronger, last longer and isn't really visible like Usopps smoke stars but it sure is limited in its area of protection! Far as Luffy's concerned that makes Usopp's super cool ammo much better then anything this damn old man could produce since his snipers ammo can protect the whole of the Merry and them from a bunch of cannon fire from like a hundred ships! No! A thousand ships!
"Hohoho! Too slow boy! Though I suppose your right in the fact that trick is getting old in this fight… so how about a new one!?" Koinuil chuckles before rapidly spining his cane, causing some weird green orb to shoot out and before he can even have the thought to be confused the old man smirks and whacks the green ball thing causing it to break and some green gas to come gushing out.
Luffy isn't sure what that is or even meant to do but he knows it's probably a bad thing so quickly holds his breath and shoots out a hand to grab the ceilings chandelier and rocket out of the green gases reach.
"Fool!" The old man states and shoots the roof with his cane, causing the chandelier he's holding onto to break and fall back down into the gas he's trying to get away from.
"Crap!" he exclaims kicking the edge of the chandelier he's on and punching a hole into the already partially destroyed roof to escape the weird gas rapidly filling the room and the string of syringes filled with who knows what the old guy just threw at him.
"Hohoho! You can't escape me rubber boy! You'll be in my crutches and in my lab under my scalpel before dinner tonight!" Koinuil croons insanely, rushing to stab him with one of his stupid needles again.
"Like hell! Sides…" Luffy grins brightly, eyes shining and leg already stretched out far away in preparation to kick this old guy into the ground.
"Who the heck said I was trying to escape from you, you stupid old dude!? Gum-Gum Whip!" he shouts out, dodging the needles he threw at him with a jump as his foot connects with the old guys cane he held out in defence.
"Gaaah!"
"Hohoho! Did you forget my cane is a sword too!" Koinuil cackles gleefully while digging his cane-sword deeper into his leg, which he quickly pulls back, gritting his teeth from the pain and scowling as his foot and calf all but dangles about like a split banana peel, gushing blood like a tap and if he wasn't made mostly of rubber he'd be worried he'd lose his leg, he's sure after he finishes kicking this guys ass the old lady can fix it! Oh! Or maybe Usopp could use one of his awesome gadgets to give his legs lazer-beams or something just as super awesome and make him some kind of cyborg! That would be ultra cool!
"Yep sure did! But I won't forget this time!" Luffy freely admits, which is weird cause normally he doesn't forget such awesome things! Especially when he wants to gift it to Usopp if it isn't broken when he beasts this guy up so he doesn't stop him from sitting on his special seat or preventing him from eating his meat when he see's Merry! Swiftly dismissing it as being simply due to battle rush he rips his coat and quickly ties his leg up so he can at least use it to try and stand on both his feet. Can't kick this guy's ass properly if one of his legs is like string cheese!
Mm… after this Luffy is gonna ask Sanji to make him that cheese thing he did the other day for Nami and Vivi! He's got a sudden craving for it. Oh and Melon ham! He never did get to try it back on Nami's island!
"Hohoho! Stupid as you are your certainly right about that boy! Take this!" Koinuil mutters sadistically and immediately Luffy's mind is back in the fight.
Time for him to really kick this guys ass!
Standing back up with a scoff she smirks, fangs glinting and walks forward towards her downed prey, wiping the blood away from her snout as she does.
She doesn't want her own blood to ruin the taste of her revenge when she sinks her teeth into her betrayer.
Seeing Chopper lying in the snow, body broken and bleeding she chuckles darkly and stares into his regretful tearful eyes. Pleased at his suffering and pointedly ignoring the sharp ache in her heart since this is what she wanted.
She won't compromise her revenge because of this momentary weakness of the heart for her once friend, a predator like her needs not compassion or empathy for her prey.
"Did you really think a reindeer of all creatures… let alone your pathetic hide could ever beat me? A true-born guardian contractual wolf? Surely that human witch master of yours has informed you of just how rare my kind is yes? Only once in a damn millennia will a being of my stature be born under the moon and sun, strength, speed… intelligence… I am naturally born with these gifts a hundred times stronger then any others of my kind! I am the literally epitome of all wolfs! A damn bloody queen in my own right!" Ro mocks him, patiently explaining what his pathetic human master has obviously failed to teach him.
"…Ro...I'm…"
"…Sorry? You've said that before… in fact I know you are Chopper, but you see no mere sorry or any kind words, no pleas or excuses, no idiotic lies like saying you love me or other such nonsense are good enough! Do you know what a wolf symbolises to those pathetic humans you love so much? A wolf symbolises intelligence, social connections… loyalty and more importantly freedom! A freedom I no longer posses! Will never have again! So you tell me Chopper! Do you honestly, truly think or believe any words, any excuse will stay my claws from ripping you to shreds!" She asks coldly, staring at her prey with a steely glint as she casually plays with her claws.
"…No… No I don't…but it is no lie Ro! I do love you! And it's also not true that you will never regain your freedom! I promised I'd save you and I will! A true pirate… no a true man never goes back on his word!" Chopper shouts, eyes hard and determined even has tears and snot rush down his face and she scowls, growling and ignoring the growing pain in her heart, the emotional agony and raises her clawed hand.
"Liar! You're no man Chopper and you are certainly… no pirate! NOW DIE!" she tells him and stabs her claws towards him, preparing to end this pathetic deer's life once and for all.
CLANG!
Glancing to the side coldly Ro eye's the green haired swordsman who dared stop her claws from ending her preys life.
"For a human you're strength isn't bad… but are you certain you wish to cross your blades with the claws of the queen of the snowy mountains for a mere reindeer?" she asks coldly, inwardly scoffing when the green haired on just smirks as he pushes her back and away from her prey.
"Heh, I don't know or even care what yours and the deer's past is, but as both a man and a fellow pirate a man who stands by his words even in the face of death is worthy of respect, if the deer says he loves you and that you can regain your freedom then I believe him, sides my caption likes him and I've got a friend inside who'd actively try and ruin my continued peaceful existence in the crew if I didn't at least try and help the guy out, overly kind fool and animal lover that he is" the swordsmen smirks fondly, a soft look in his eyes that recognises but ignores for the more important fact the swordsmen is trying his green cloth around his head and taking out his free swords in preparation for battle.
Scoffing coldly she sneers and gets into her own battle stance.
"Then you shall die by my claws as well!" she states darkly before rushing to met her new opponent, swords and claws crashing together in a shower of sparks as snow rains down around them.
"Not gonna happen bitch!" Zoro grins just as darkly before rushing to meet the wolf again, excited for finally getting a real battle today.
Inwardly wailing Usopp all but sobs as pain courses through him from the old witches so called punishment. Honestly what kind of doctor actually aims for their patients injuries!? Just because they can fix them up again doesn't mean they should still do it! He'd file a lawsuit for malpractice but from his knowledge and own studying that's not even a thing in this world!
"Kekekeke! You sure run fast, if you weren't sick and injured I'd never be able to catch you! Kekekeke!" Kureha he knows you are an amazing though sadistic doctor and probably an immortal witch and all but can you at least pretend to not say it as if his pain and agony is a good thing!?
BOOM! CA-CRACK! WHOOSH!
"Mm? che! Seems the old fool has deployed that memory gas of his, guess I should go help out that bratty captain of yours before he forgets everything! Now you stay here and rest like a good boy! Doctor's orders! Kekekeke!" Kureha cackles leaving the room in a rush and Usopp scowls, refusing to admit he's pouting as he glares at the closed door.
As if he could leave if he wanted too! She strapped him to the bed so tightly he would fear his blood circulation would be cut off to his limbs if he didn't have full faith in the old witch as a doctor and to not… well seriously and or permanently harm her patients.
If only because of Usopp's own knowledge that she is kinder then she seems…or acts… or anything about her really and the fact he doesn't see the old witch as the type to expend so much effort to save someone just to make their condition worse… hopefully.
Well surely Chopper wouldn't turn out to be such a good doctor if she WAS… right? Unless… NO! Usopp refuses to even think it! Much too petrifying to consider!
So banishing the thought to the darkest recesses that is the human brain Usopp instead focuses on things that won't scare him to death! Like getting out of these chains since hell if he wants to be unable to run and escape if that scary old warlock/ghost/maniac gets away from Luffy and manages to find him!
He still has to check on Merry and Tiny! It's sad but he does not have faith in his friends when it comes to protecting their most precious inanimate crewmember! And while he does trust Apis and the others to protect Tiny… well he doesn't trust Tiny himself to not get into trouble and therefor Apis.
Apis told him what happened back on whisky peak Tiny! Don't think he doesn't know!
Sighing at the reminder of Tiny being the one to lead Apis into the fight with the twin's girls and all the other trouble they get into on the ship and more so at his precious dragon hatchling being a troublemaker he wonders if this is a dragon's equivalent to the terrible twos?
He hopes not! He has enough children on the crew he has to keep an eye on and out of trouble without adding his adorable little Tiny to the mix!
Panting Luffy once again dodges the needles flying towards him as he scowls annoyed.
"Hohoho! Still managing to dodge when you can't even remember how to punch! I'm getting more excited about having you as a test subject by the minute!" the old guy whose name he can't remember cackles gleefully.
"SHUT UP OLD GUY! I do so remember how to throw a punch!" Luffy yells and proceeds to do just that, he'll show this guy!
"HOHOHO! That isn't a punch boy that's a kick! This is a punch!" old dude declares punching him in the face and sending him sprawling after easily jumping over his outstretched leg.
"Kick! Punch! Whatever! I'm still gonna kick your ass!" he declares jumping back up on his good leg and throwing a damn punch into the old guys face before he can react, pleased as he notices he knocked a tooth out and the guys nose is broken.
"Mmph! As if kid!" the old guy states darkly and swings his cane-sword thing again while pressing a button and he jumps off the stairwell and into the room below to escape the razor sharp wind blades that attempt to cut him in half.
Grunting in pain and exhaustion as he stumbles from his mangled right leg he once again readies a punch and fires his fist like a pistol as the old guy follows him down, causing him to crash into the wall.
"Kekeke! You look awful brat! If you don't want that leg of yours cut off then you better finish this fool real quick! Kekeke!" the old lady cackles coming into the room, throwing a dart that injects him with something but he doesn't mind, he trusts the old lady wont harm him.
"Got it old lady! Just give me five minutes and I'll have clobbered this guy good!" he grins before rushing up to face his opponent before he can get up again, kicking his stupidly awesome but irritating cane-sword far away as he does so.
Grabbing his ratty shirt collar he lifts him up and punches him a few times as his mind starts to get back in order, causing him to remember things the old guys gas made him forget, like why they are fighting in the first place.
"Not so tough without your cane thing now are you old guy!?" he mocks before grunting and falling to the floor as the old guy kicks his injured leg out from under him.
"Like I told you before boy… my cane isn't the only thing full of tricks! MUTT! KILL THIS STUPID BRAT!"
AWOOOO!!
CRUNCH!
"SHIT! LUFFY!"
Gritting his teeth harder into the handle of Ichimonji, ignoring the blood running down his chin and the other wounds he's attained he scowls as he struggles to stop the wolf bitch's claws from piercing his heart.
A new respect forming for the small reindeer who managed to actually cause this bitch to bleed even a little.
Her strength and sheer speed is no joke, and neither are her skills with those claws of hers If she were human then Zoro would guess she'd be a swordswomen in her own right, as it is he's struggling since the wolf bitch is certainly a hell of a lot stronger then those fishmen they faced back on Nami's island and he was even grievously injured at the time, only doing as well as he did back then due to Usopps treatment though he'd never admit it.
"Don't think my injuries from Chopper were due to his own strength or ability, I was merely playing with my prey, giving him a chance to show his worth due to the past we shared, I have no such sentiments or past with you human to cause my claws to stray from ripping out your throat!"
"Heh! I'd believe that if I didn't watch your fight with my own eyes wolf-bitch! The only reason your not laid flat out on your ass is because of your natural born strength as a contract beast, if you were a normal wolf you'd be just as injured if not more so from the deers attack!" he taunts, twisting his body and exerting strength in his swing causing the wolf to jump back, streaks of blood flying as she growls and grabs her side where he managed to land a hit, one of the very few he's managed to land on her he thinks annoyed when he reviews his own injuries in multiple places on his body, though thankfully not on his back.
It would shame him as a swordsmen if he let this chick scar his back when he faced Mihawk head on.
"So what if it is human? It's still my own ability! And while your a lot stronger then that pathetic deer your still not my match!" she growls and does that irritating spinning attack of hers forcing him to dodge and use his swords to deflect the razor sharp blades of wind and small shards of ice raging towards him.
Growling himself as he meets her claws head on again with his own swords, being pushed back much further then he'd ever admit, specially to the stupid love-cook if he ever found out he was getting his ass kicked by a woman, animal or not.
"…MUTT! KILL THIS STUPID BRAT!..." a voice shouts from within the castle and stumbling at the sudden lack of resistance and lack of opponent he blinks before cursing and dashing into the castle to follow after the wolf-bitch.
"SHIT! LUFFY!"
"…Old Lady…. You…" Luffy mumbles, shocked and eyes wide from his place on the floor as the old lady grins at him, pain evident on her face despite her massive grin.
"…Kekeke! As if I'd let some damn vengeful mutt dare maim my patient brat!"
"But old lady! Your arm! It's gone!" Luffy cries out, tears in his eyes and vividly reminded once again from back when he was a kid, Shanks protecting him at the cost of his arm because he was a stupid brat and mocked those stupid bandits while still to weak to protect himself.
"Kekekeke! You mean this silly little flesh-wound!? Nothing that my assistant can't fix!" Kureha laughs, kicking the wolf away while gripping her wound to stem the blood flow.
"HOHOHO! Good job mutt! With her arm gone I truly am now the better doctor! Hohoho!" Koinuil laughs manically, clutching his stomach in glee as the wolf spits out the old lady's arm, licking her chops off of blood as she eyes the old woman with a new found respect.
"You okay old-hag?" Zoro asks, eyes hard as he moves to stand in front of her, his own respect for the old lady increasing from her sacrifice.
"Kekeke! I'm fine! Chopper alive?" she dismisses the question for another, concern hidden in her voice and Zoro smirks.
"Yeah he's fine, just taking a breather for a few minutes while I fill in for him"
"Heh good! I'll leave the rest to you lot, I'm going to check on him" Kureha laughs as she picks up her own arm and heads outside leaving the castle in a deathly silence asides from the old mans bellowing laughter.
Staring after her Luffy grits his teeth and painfully stands up, eyes red, hard and determined as he glares bloody murder towards the old man.
"Your dead old man!" He declares coldly, pointedly ignoring the wary though calmly sitting wolf at the side as he stalks up to the still maniacally laughing insane old man.
"Dead!? Hohoho! Correction you're the one whose dead boy! Mu-ghh!" The old man exclaims before abruptly being cut off, fear starting to grow in his eyes as Luffy slams the old guy into the ground, hand tightly covering his mouth and then promptly breaking his jaw, a dark angry cold look in his eyes as he stares at the old man.
"No hiding behind the wolf old man! She's not your damn pet! She's…." he growls as he lifts him up while cocking his fist back.
"THE REINDEERS FRIEND! GUM-GUM PISTOL" he slams his fist into his face, letting got and then quickly jumping up and shoving his arms as far back as they can go with a grin.
"AND THIS IS FOR THE OLD LADY BASTARD! GUM-GUM… BAZOOKA!"
"GAHHHHHH!"
Gaping he clutches his chest in fright as he stays as still as a statue, not daring to move lest another person somehow goes crashing through the wall like a bloody rocket and scares him fully to death from his currently half-dead state.
Perhaps he should have stayed in the bed Kureha strapped him too, at least then he wouldn't be wondering if his death was going to be via heart attack or being crushed by rubble!
After a few minutes go by with nobody else flying past he tentavily peaks his head into the wall the old guy went flying in and winces, very unsure how to feel since the old guy/ghost/maniac has to have died, nobody could possibly survive a fall from a mountain this high… right? Unless he really is a ghost which Usopp refuses to think about! This world is frightening enough without adding on real ghosts thank you very much!
Conflicted Usopp hesitates for a minute before deciding not to think on it, surely if Luffy or Zoro killed him it was for a good reason… shaking his head he moves to return to his room to rest when something shiny catches his attention. Blinking he bends down to pick it up and inspects the mesmerising necklace in his hands, marvelling at the smoothness and brightness as well as the cold feeling the stone it holds gives off, even through his thick gloves.
Putting it on around his neck he decides to keep it as he carefully makes his way through the rubble to where Luffy and the others are.
Bawling his eyes out Chopper sobs as he hugs the Doctor, refusing to budge even as she whacks and scolds him for being a wimp.
"I'm so sorry Doctor! [Hic!} I couldn't stop her! {SOB} I couldn't beat Ro and now your arm is goooone!" he wails as he clings to her tighter.
WHACK!
"Quit your blubbering idiot! That damn mutt of yours chomper's are so, sharp that it's a clean cut! Now stop wiping your damn snot on me and use the skills I taught you to re-attach it before it's to late to save it!"
"Sniff! R-Right away d-doctor Kureha!"
WHACK!
"Stupid not here! In the bloody castle!"
"Aghh… s-sorry!" he exclaims tearfully, quickly following her inside and trying to calm down so he can perform the surgery properly. It all depends on him whether or not the doctor can have her arm back and he refuses to mess up again when it comes to treating someone he cares about!
"Kekeke! I see you've finished off the old codger! I guess that means I'll waive your fees for the favour, just this once! Where's the wolf?" Doctor Kureha asks as they pass the pirates, causing him to stiffen as he looks around for Ro.
"She ran off as soon as I sent the old guy flying! You gonna be okay old lad-gah!" the pirate Luffy he remembers hits the ground
"Stop calling me old brat! I'm still in my prime 130's! Now come along or else I'm not the only one whose going to be losing a limb today! Kekekeke!"
"Heh! She'll be fine Luffy, old-bags a tough one" the one who helped him, the one named Zoro chuckles as he teases his friend.
"Shishisi! Yep! Though I wonder how she's gonna fix her arm?"
"My guess the reindeer is going to patch her up"
"Huh… wait…THE MONSTERS A DOCTOR TOO!? AWESOME!"
"IDIOT YOU JUST FIGURED THAT OUT!?"
"Usopp! Your okay!" turning around Usopp grins at spotting Apis, Nami, Vivi and Sanji rushing inside, relieved that his friends are okay.
"Where's Luffy and moss-head?" Sanji asks while lighting up a cigarette much to his annoyance but he ignores it in favour of comforting Apis who almost knocked him over in her over-enthusiastic hug at seeing him alive.
Not that he blames her, he's also very happy to be alive!
Shrugging in the universal 'I don't know' gesture since his hands are currently occupied he looks around him-self to take a look.
Aside from destruction, blood and rubble and an admittedly nice looking cane he fully plans on 'burrowing' over in the corner there is no sign of the idiot duo, Chopper or a crazy sadistic witch doctor anywhere in sight.
It's admittedly worrying but Usopp has a splitting migraine the size of mt' fuji and is already really wound tight and stressed out over wondering what's changed this time, since due to the new knowledge Kureha gave him over Choppers altered past surely something massive had to have changed in this battle, more so then the other small changes and or additions he's faced previously.
He just doesn't have the strength or the will power to worry about Zoro and Luffy, two monster powerhouses right now asides from worrying over how injured they currently are and if their doing well.
Well he is anyway but he doesn't want to worry or stress over them right now! He's honestly going to collapse at this rate! Or worse! Have grey hair before he turns 20! Not that he thinks grey hair is ugly or anything but at age 20… well that's just sad… unless it's natural of course like smokers head of hair… he wonders if smokers hair is as fluffy as it looks…
"Oi Usopp quit spacing out already! We asked you a question!" tuning back in when Nami smacks him over the head he scowls [pouts] before indicating for her to repeat the question much to her annoyance and his pleasure.
It's not nice to hit sick and injured people Nami! He shall have his revenge!
"I said do you know what happened to Wapol and that strange old guy and his pet wolf?" she asks and while tempted to be petty and purposefully ignore her this time when he spots the anxious villages behind them and Doltons concerned eyes he decides to answer properly and gets out his white-board.
'I don't know about the wolf since I didn't see it but I'm pretty sure Zoro and Luffy beat the two men, I only know one of them, some crazy old guy fell off the mountain'
"That must have been Koinuil! He never would have survived a fall from that height! Thank goodness!" Usopp is a little uncomfortable at the sheer sigh of relief and cheers the villages and dolten express, joy clear in their expressions at the mere mention of this guy dying, he knows that surely to entice this sort of joy and expression out of them this guy must have been truly awful… but…
Glancing down at Apis happily snuggling in his arms he frowns slightly once again glad for his mask in helping him to hide his expressions and decides to just ignore it for now… or more accurately not think about it, since it's obvious he's the only one who feels uncomfortable and he doesn't wish to bring down the good mood the others are obviously feeling.
Cause no matter how uncomfortable, how bad or sad… it's nothing he hasn't already felt every day of his life, that he still continues to feel each day since the moment he realised his knowledge was more then just… the over-active imagination of a stupid child.
No more painful then being forced to acknowledge the horrible fact that he couldn't save them, that he couldn't help them… that he couldn't… that he still….
…Still can't do anything…
Pouting Usopp pointedly ignores everyone, even Apis for daring to laugh at his misery at once again being strapped to a bed, the old witch gets out of major surgery and instead of resting like a normal person what does she do? She hunts him down like a demon possessed, completely scaring the living daylights out of him and drags him kicking and silently screaming back to his prison.
Certainly he feels guilty, worried and awful and all other manor of horrible complicated emotions at Kureha losing her arm albeit thankfully temporally to protect Luffy along with everything else that changed that he has managed to deduce from everyone's recounting of their fights but surely it doesn't mean that he needs to be strapped down like this!
Nami was never strapped down in bed like this to his knowledge so then why is he!? It's not fair!
"Heh! Comfortable Usopp?" No Zoro he is not comfortable with you leaning over him and playing with his hair while he is strapped to a bed! You know he hates touch damn it!
"Shishishishi! Maybe we should strap him to his hammock back on the ship too! Maybe he'd sleep then!" Luffy Usopps revenge list for you is already quite long so keep digging yourself deeper and see where it gets you!
"Forget about the straps just put a leash on him!" Sanji teases.
"Yeah! Maybe then he'd at least stop running off as soon as we get to a new island!" He does not run off Nami! He just… really likes to go exploring? Well that and he usually has something he needs to do on the island they are on so please don't speak as if he is an easily distractible child!
He isn't Luffy!
"Hahaha! I think Usopp is more like a cat then a dog though" Apis chimes in happily, the traitor!
"Who says cat's don't have leashes?" Zoro smirks down at him still playing with his hair much to his annoyance, lightly shuddering at the close proximity.
"That's true, In Alabasta its actually quite common to see cats on leads" Vivi! How could you join the dark side too! Seriously his side has cake! Why do people keep taking the cookies!?
Where's Tiny when you need him!? He means yes he knows he's on the ship safe and sound but at least he'd be on his side if he were here! He's no traitor!
"Ah! There's the reindeer doctor guy! Hey reindeer join my crew!" Luffy suddenly exclaims, rushing out the door and while mean of him Usopp inwardly cheers, share the misery!
"Wahhhh!" Just except your fate Chopper! Misery loves company!
"Kekeke! Energetic brat! Almost got his foot lopped off and he's already running around!" Like your own to talk old lady! "Well whatever, Dolten do you know where the key to the castle's weapon store-room is?"
"Mm? What are you going to do?" isn't it obvious Mr, Dolton? Take over the world! Is what he'd say if he didn't have his knowledge but he fully believes that's the old witch doctors next goal. Nothing will change his mind on this.
"That's my business" See! She says it like she will take over the world! [Usopp isn't being overly petty because she's strapped him to the bed like a criminal, not at all]
"Well Wapol always had it on his person, if it's still true then he should have had it on him when he fell off the cliff"
"Well that's a mess I don't want to search through… what a problem" Aren't you a witch doctor Kureha? What's digging through a little blood splatter to you? Though he does agree with that, he wouldn't either.
Usopp would frown and wonder at the fact he's being so… callous and dismissive of Wapols death… but he's trying not to think on it, perhaps actually trying to imagine Wapol as just some character in a story, he never did see him personally after all….
Usopp's a horrible person isn't he?
"Oi stop thinking so hard, your going to give yourself a headache" Zoro interrupts his spiralling thoughts with a sharp tug on his hair, frowning down at him and he inwardly pouts.
Seriously how on earth does Zoro do that? Just seemingly know that something is wrong with him? He's got a mask on and doesn't speak! Is it his nose!? Does it light up like a bloody antenna or something from his knowledge he can't quite recall called roudoulph when he's thinking too hard!? He is one thousand per cent certain nothing else in or on his body or even his little unconscious ticks he does when he's nervous or scared… or any negative emotion really gives it away!
"Heh, it's not your nose" …okay Zoro it is official you scare the literally shit out of him! Stop reading his mind!
"I can't read your mind either" … stop whatever supernatural thing it is your doing then Zoro, since otherwise he will die of a heart attack!
"Alright stop teasing him already Zoro, we've got to go while the old lady is still busy" Nami states walking into the room with a chuckle.
Usopp would ask when she left but he doesn't care, what he does care about is how she can call whatever creepy supernatural power of Zoro's in regards to himself mere teasing!? This is obviously a violation of his privacy!
"What about Luffy?" Zoro asks finally leaving his hair alone as he gets up much to his relief.
"He's still trying to get the Reindeer to join" unfortunately that relief is short lived, Zoro stop dragging the bed!
"Oh and how's that going?" Sanji don't you also lift up the bed to help this idiot! Put the bed down and release him!
"COME ON REINDEER COME BE A PIRATE WITH US!"
"AHHHHHH!"
"…Never mind"
Please release him! He does not want to go down the mount in a bloody bed! It's going to be scary enough on the trolly! Let alone if this follows the plot and they use the sleigh to go down it!
"I hope Luffy get's Chopper to join! He's super cute and a doctor!" Apis sighs happily, sitting on the bed next to him like she's on some kind of ride and he inwardly wail's.
AT LEAST DON'T FORGET HIS TREASURE! HE DOESN'T CARE THAT IT BELONGS TO THIS KINGDOM!
…Well… okay not fully anyway…
'Geeze… I sure have run around a lot today, It's already night… Oh! A full moon… reminds him of Ro's necklace… I hope she's okay…' Chopper sighs, melancholy.
"Hey Reindeer! Let's be pirates together!"
Frowning he looks behind the rocks he's hiding behind at the pirate trying to get him to join his crew. It's not that he doesn't want to join, he does but… Kureha… Ro…
"Give it up Luffy he doesn't want to come with us so leave him be" Luffy's blond crewmate utters as he comes out with Zoro and the three girls, their scary, psychotic but friendly injured crewmate still strapped to the bed which he is slightly thankful for, and not just because he needs his rest.
"Your wrong! I'm bringing him with us and that's that!"
"Yeah against his will dumbass!"
"Doesn't matter! Reindeer! Come on out! Let's be pirates together! It'll be heaps of fun!"
He want's to go… he really does but… but!
"It's… impossible!"
"Oh there you are! It's not impossible! It'll be fun!" Luffy states happily.
"Yeah it'll be fun!" Apis chimes in just as happily.
"Don't follow Luffy's lead Apis, he's a bad influence" Nami sighs.
"Hey! I'm not a… whatever lence!" Luffy refutes, pouting.
"Bad Influence Luffy means you're a bad example to children" Vivi patiently explains, amused.
"Oh… well I'm not that either so there!" Luffy says before poking his tongue out at Nami.
"I'm really grateful to all of you! I really am… but I'm a Reindeer! I've got hooves! Antlers! A blue nose! Of course I want to be a pirate! I really do! But I'm a monster! I'm not human like you are! I can't be a part of your group! I just wanted… to thank you all!" Chopper cries out, shaking his head.
"So what if you're an animal!? So what if you're a monster! We all are! Sides we've got a dragon on the crew! You'd fit right on in! So just come along Chopper!" Apis shouts, with Luffy cheering in agreement.
"….WAGHHH I WANT TO BUT I CAN'T! I CAN'T LEAVE RO WHEN SHE STILL NEEDS MY HELP! I PROMISED I'D HELP HER AND DOCTOR JUST GOT HER ARM RE-ATTACHED! I CAN'T JUST LEAVE!" He wails, upset but abruptly stops when he's hit in the head with a book, and looking over he sees Doctor Kureha standing in front, the 20 doctors behind her.
"Oh quit whining and just go already! I don't need you anymore! Those 20 doctors that came back skills aren't so bad you know! I'm sure I can whip them into shape faster then I did you! Kekeke!"
"D-doctor…. But what about Ro… I can't just…!" Chopper asks tearfully, indecision waring inside him to follow his dream or stay here despite the fact Ro still hates him?
"Kekeke! Idiot! Isn't that mutt of yours already a member of their crew now too? So go on! Get lost already!" She states bluntly shocking not just him but the others as well.
"Wha…?" he asks looking around and not spotting Ro anywhere, wondering what she meant when she said she joined… cause if she really did…
"What are you talking about old lady?" Luffy asks just as confused as him.
"Since when did the wolf-bitch join? Gah! Piss off love-cook!" Zoro asks before turning to the blond cook who just kicked him in the head, pissed off.
"Don't call a woman a bitch shitty moss-head! Though another angel to spoil!? Where is she!?"
"She's a female wolf idiot! She is a bitch! Or are you so stupid and head full of shit you don't know what the word means!"
"WHAT YOU SAY!?"
"YOU HEARD ME!"
"SHUT UP AND JUST GET LOST ALREADY! THE LOT OF YOU!"
"GAHH! RUN! THE WITCH IS THROWING KNIFES AGAIN!"
"Hahahaha! Come on Chopper! Let's be pirates together!"
"YEAH! DOCTOR KUREHA! THANK YOU!"
Usopp is a very patient man, he's had to be given his knowledge so let it be known that when it comes to revenge he will always achieve it. He had already put everyone on his revenge list back on the castle since not only did they forget his treasure but also refused and still refuses to release him from his binds. Meaning he had to fly over the cables not in the sleigh, but that he had to go flying over the land thousands of meters in the air strapped to a bed that Luffy of all people was loosely holding!
Luffy! He is made of rubber! He kept jumping and bobbing like a teabag all the way down! He's a coward! Not an adrenaline junky! Oh and then not to mention when they did get to the bottom the idiot ended up slamming his bed into the ground upside-down! Meaning he went face first into the snow, which he is pretty sure broke his nose given the crake he heard and the pain he felt.
But then they got to the Merry, his darling, precious friend and crewmate and what does he find? Pure damage!
So yes, it is official that the revenge he dishes out due to the travesty and injustice he and his friend has received will be painful, embarrassing and downright cruel and it will be glorious!
Only his darling Tiny, his friend Karoo the duck, and his egg will be spared! … Okay Chopper too since it's not really his fault but he will still get his due to him not unstrapping him from the bed he's on now that they are back on the merry go!
"Stop planning revenge shitty-sniper, only reason your still strapped to that bed is because if you weren't you'd have hidden somewhere on the ship were we'd never find you instead of joining us here to celebrate our new crew member" True as that may be Sanji his revenge is already planned and will be fulfilled!
"Ug whatever, I'm man enough to take whatever you dish out, anyway here, I forgot but some bird and otter, the unluckies or something gave me this letter to give to you on Little garden but I forgot about it and then you got sick... well anyway here" Sanji says placing the letter on his chest, which is pointless since unless he's forgotten he is still strapped to the bed and unable to move!
Sometimes he really wonders if him and Nami are the only intelligent ones on the crew? He hopes Robin joins soon, he needs someone that doesn't tend to drift over to the dark-side sometimes like Nami does.
Surely Robin is a woman of class and prefers cake to mere cookies?
"Raor?" Tiny coos, sniffing the envelope curiously that causes him to all but melt, smiling softly at his little hatchling not even caring that Sanji snaps a photo of him and tiny with his camera.
Tiny… if there is one change that he is honestly thankful for it's having this adorable little dragon by his side, he's glad for Apis as well but… well this is some being that was given to him, something for him alone to cherish… sure the others help protect him and care for him but…
Well call him selfish but this one change, this one addition to the crew? Is the only change he's absolutely sure is positive, it hurts to think on the others, even for Apis he is still so uncertain about her presence in the crew, the changes she will bring to the world at large…
He's… scared… so utterly petrified of screwing up somewhere, heck he knows he's screwed up somewhere! He doesn't know when or even how but It's all he can do to not break-down in hysterics every day just thinking about it!
He hates that he doesn't know what's going to happen next, hates that despite telling himself everyday to not rely so heavily on the knowledge that he still does! Hates that he so weak, so pathetic that he actually feels hurt, feels deep emotional pain when enemies, no matter how horrible or wretched that he's actually seen with his own two eyes… dies, hell he even feels bad for Wapol and his two clowns! Sure he's content hiding behind his mental barriers of seeing them as little more then book characters… but he knows that they are…were real, what's worse is that he feels wretched that his friends are the ones who did it…
He hates it… he hates… being so damn pathetic…
Ignoring his tears now rushing down his face he closes his eyes and tries to forget, tries to forget everything, himself, his friends, his knowledge and past, to forget where he is, the world he lives in and tries just to not drown.
…Sometimes… when he feels so helpless… so overwhelmed… he wonders… if it wouldn't… if he was more like… but then he remembers…
Even if he screws up…. At least he's trying to do better…
The other would only make things infinitely worse.
Still… at least he wouldn't have to feel.
Word Count: 9811
'I have excepted fear as a part of life, specifically the fear of change… I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says go back'
'Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change'
'The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it and join the dance'
'Your always one decision away from a totally different life'
'Change is the only constant in life'
'There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more painful then anything that bleeds'
…Not going to lie, I completely forgot about this story, I only remembered it last month and decided to get back to it which took a while since… well I had to re-read the story and then try and get back into it…
as it is I'm pretty certain I've changed the feel of the story somewhere in this chapter, changing the characters personalities slightly but I'm trying not to think about it so I can continue writing it without despairing so… if you still choose to read this story please put up with it.
also sorry for the crappy fight scenes... it's been a while.
OnepieceZoroOc thanks everyone who has held out hope for the story to continue and for waiting so patiently! I'll make no promises but I'll try to stick with it and continue it!
P.S i will only be focusing on this story for a bit, and I don't know when i'll get the next chapter out but it certainly won't be as long a break as it took to write this chapter!