Fight with the Fates: Part One

Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece.

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"Farewell to the harbor,
To my old hometown
Lets all sing out with a Don!
As the ship sail
Waves of gold and silver
dissolve to salty spray
As we all set sail to
The ends of the sea

Going to deliver Bink's Sake!
We are pirates
Sailing through the Seas
The waves are our pillows
The ship our roost
Flying the proud Skull
On our flags and our sails

Now comes a storm
Through the far-off sky
Now the waves are dancing
Beat upon the drums
If you loose your nerve
This breath could be your last
But if you hold on,
The morning sun will rise,"

"Knock knock...,"

DJ stopped singing and turned his head to see Herman's eyestalks poking into the tent he was resting in. He smiled, "Hey, Herman. How are you doing?" he sniffed the air and his smile grew, "Please...please tell me that is what I think it is!"

Herman chuckled and entered the tent, followed by Pagaya and Conis, each of them carrying a plate of food. DJ practically drooled a water fall at the sight of Herman's delicious food. He loved Herman's cooking, as all his nakama did, but right now, it looked far more tasty than ever.

As soon as the plates touched down on his bed, DJ's hands flew back and forth from his plate to his mouth, stuffing his face with each bit of food there was. Conis, Herman, and Pagaya sweatdropped as they watched the young musician pig out.

Conis turned to her father, "He reminds me of when Straw Hat and the others held that party after Eneru's defeat,"

Chuckling, Pagaya nodded, "Indeed, it does,"

Belching loudly, DJ fell onto his pillow, a very content look on his face while his stomach bulged, filled with food.

"That...was...awesome,"

Herman smiled, "Just glad you're feeling better. Do you think you're able to move around?"

DJ shook his head, "Not yet...I mean, I can move my upper body, but right now, my legs are sore as hell," his eyes widened a little, "Hey, wait a minute! Where's Kirsty-san? She can make it better!"

"Uhm...," Herman rubbed the back of his head, looking away, "She's...unavailable right now,"

"Unavailable?" DJ repeated, blinking in confusion, "Oh...okay. I guess she's tending to the others and their wounds. What did I miss while I was out, though?"

"Conis, dear, I think we should see if anyone else needs anything," Pagaya cleared his throat and started for the tent's exit, "We're glad to see you're well, my young friend,"

"Thanks, Pagaya!" DJ waved at the man as he walked out of the tent.

Conis kissed him on the forehead, "Hope you get better soon, DJ-kun,"

DJ blushed and nodded, a babble of stupidity escaping his lips while Conis followed her father.

Herman shook his head and took a seat, "Don't take that too seriously, man, that was probably a reward for your victory and bravery,"

"Y-Yeah...," DJ smiled goofily, "I wonder what Dusty-chan would give me as a reward. Speaking of which, I haven't seen her at all since I woke up. Where is she?"

"Well...,"

-----

"That jerk! He goes off like that, thinking we can't help out! What the hell is wrong with him!?"

Azu grunted as Dusty climbed onto his shoulders to climb over a large root in their path. He glanced up and chuckled, "Nice ass, Dusty!"

"PERVERT!" Dusty screamed, slamming her foot down on Azu's face. The shipwright cried and fell to the ground, holding his now bleeding nose as she gripped the wood with her claws and climbed over the root, "That's what you get, asshole!"

"Dude, that was a compliment!" Azu cried, his voice muffled by his bloody hands, "Geez, last time I do you a solid,"

"A solid? You do a solid by looking at my ass?!"

"I said it was nice!"

Niri's eyebrow twitched and the former Marine growled in annoyance as she waited for her nakama to join her on the other side of the giant root.

"You know...," Dusty slid down the root and landed next to her, "...these people oughta consider clearing some of this place out. I mean, c'mon, it's annoying to climb over all these things," she shot a glare upward as Azu's foot appeared overhead, "Doesn't help with a perverted martial artist looking at your ass,"

"I said it was nice! Geez, what else you want, a compliment on your boobs?"

"Azu-,"

"Fine, your boobs are magnificent!"

"Azu...," Niri's twitching intensified, hand reaching for her pistol.

"Great, what now, Niri, want me to say something nice about your boobs and ass, too? Fine, they-," he was cut off as a bullet whizzed past him, just barely missing his groin. He gulped loudly and fell onto his feet, face pale, "That...wasn't necessary,"

"Yes, it was," Niri holstered her pistol and took the lead, "Less talky, more searchy,"

"Less talky?" Dusty pouted and looked away as she followed her friends, "Please, you're asking for the impossible, Niri. I'm a chatterbox, I couldn't stop talking even if my life depended on it," she looked back at her leading friend, "By the way, what are we doing again? Are we following Devon's trail or...?"

"Something like that," Niri came to a stop, bent down and looked closely at a footprint, "This is Devon's alright, but this is odd,"

"What's odd?" Azu asked her, drumming his fingers on the clay jug at his side.

Niri looked around, frowning, "The trail ends here. There's no more physical evidence of Devon being in this area,"

"When did you become a Master Tracker?"

"I wouldn't call myself a master, but I learned somethings from the Academy a few years back...,"

-Flashback-

"I don't get it, sir. I'm better at marksmanship, why do we need this sort of skill? Also, do we have to wear these?"

Niri looked down at her forest camouflage uniform and tugged at the utility vest strapped to her chest, "Kinda tight,"

The commanding officer rolled his eyes, "Sorry, Princess, but the World Government doesn't exactly go for comfort on the battlefield,"

Niri's eye twitched. She hated being called Princess because she was Captain Zolaro's daughter, but she knew better than to lose it against a superior officer.

"Sir?"

"What is it, Prelude?"

Prelude? Niri turned to see a girl, around her age, lowering her hand. The girl was dressed in the same attire as everyone else in the group. She didn't know the girl very well, but she had the feeling there was some tension between them.

Niri turned to a nearby cadet, "What kind of name is Prelude?" she whispered.

At risk of getting in trouble, the cadet leaned back to her, "That's just a title. Besides you, she's the brightest recruit here at Shinoa Academy,"

"Oh...okay,"

"Zolaro!"

Squeaking, Niri looked ahead, her arms at her side, "Sir!"

The commanding officer leaned forward, growling a bit, "Pay attention. I don't care if you are Captain Zolaro's daughter, I will not have someone in this unit who thinks they can do what they want because of their family,"

"But, sir, I never-,"

"Stow it, soldier," the officer pulled back and looked at his group, "Since the Princess didn't hear our goal for today, I'll repeat what Prelude just told us," he turned and pointed to the thick forest that sat on the edge of the island a short distance from the Academy, "There is a group of specially trained Marines in those trees, and your goal today is to find a trace of them, and see if you can find each one. Do so by dusk, and you'll get a reward,"

Niri groaned, "Man...I never did get this tracking thing down...,"

"Zolaro! You just volunteered to be part of the first group in. Get movin' soldier!"

"Yes, sir!"

-End Flashback-

I failed that course three times before I started to study tracking skills more closely. Finally, I got it right, but even then, I had the worst time...still, at least I know it now.

"So, if the foot trail ends here...," Dusty looked around, "How are we gonna find him?"

"Good question,"

-----

"Lady Frigga, if Belldandi's prediction was true, then your safety is at risk!"

The Goddess ignored the pleas of her swordsmen. The three Pantheon members made their way through the forest of Upper Yard.

"Lady Frigga-,"

"Hugin, Munin, you may be fearful of death, but I am not, do you know why? If you don't remember, allow me to remind you!" she turned on the twin swordsmen, a cross look on her face, "I am a Goddess, and my kind does not fear death, because we do not die! We have spent a long time finding this place and I'll be damned if we back away because the weaker members of our group are dead,"

The men became silent.

"Now, stop wasting time...," she turned around and smiled as she fixed her gaze on a large stone structure ahead of them, "We have a new empire to create,"

-----

"Are we there yet?"

"No,"

"Are we there yet?"

"No,"

"Are we there yet?'

"No...,"

"Are we there yet?"

"Dusty, I swear, you ask me that one more time, I'll pound you!"

"..."

"..."

"Are we there yet?"

Niri threw down her bag and ran at the kitsune, "That's it, you're dead meat!"

Azu sighed as Dusty and Niri ran around, the former screaming while the latter was reaching out towards her. The shipwright held and shook his head, "We're supposed to be looking for Devon, and you two broads are playing tag,"

The two ladies came to a stop and glared at Azu, "WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL US?!"

Dusty cracked her knuckles and started towards him, "You sonofa-,"

"Dusty, stop! Don't move!"

The kitsune suddenly came to a stop in midstep, one of her feet hanging in the air. She looked over her shoulder, "What is it?" she asked quietly.

Niri carefully made her way over to her friend and pulled her back slowly, "Fox, you almost set that thing off!"

"I almost set what off? What're you talking about?"

The sharpshooter knelt down and, very gently, pulled a thin wire that was hidden along the ground. She licked her lips and slowly traced the wire to a nearby log.

"Yeah, thought so," she nodded, "Kit, you're so damn lucky,"

"Why is that?" Dusty asked, putting her hands on her hips, "What is that?"

"It's a tripwire trap," Niri frowned, "I remember this sort of thing from the Marine Academies, but nothing like this! Dusty, reach into my bag and pull out the clippers, I'm gonna disarm this thing so it's not a threat,"

Dusty looked through the large ammo bag, ignored the angry honks of Pingu, then looked up at Niri, "Two things...,"

"What?"

"Why do you have clippers?"

"I use them to make fuses the right length, and just in case this sort of situation occurred, now hurry up!"

"Uhm...I can't,"

"Why not?"

"Because I can't find them,"

Niri snapped her head to her, "Are you kidding me?!"

"Think I would in this situation?" Dusty shot back, "If I found them, I'd give them to ya, because honestly, I don't like traps! Especially hidden ones!"

Niri facefaulted, "They're all hidden, Kit, that's why they're called traps!"

"Still!"

"Uhm...guys?"

Both girls turned to Azu, who had an alarmed look on his face. Azu looked differently: he looked as though his entire body was tensed, or locked up, and a look of frustration and concern was mixed on his face.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Niri asked, a grin crossing her face, "The liquor intake get so bad, your brain shut down entirely?"

Azu glared at her, "Shaddup, there's something wrong with me!" he flexed his hands and twisted his head from side to side, "What the hell...? I can't move at all!"

"Ah, so it is a brain lockdown," Niri nodded, "Told ya that drink would come back to bite you in the ass,"

Again, he glared at her, "IT WASN'T MY DRINK!"

"Then what is it, what's the problem?"

"The problem, girl, is that you three have fallen into our trap," voices from above greeted, startling the group.

Instantly, Niri drew out Mr 5's pistol and looked around, pistol held outward, "Who said that?!"

"Such a dangerous toy...little girls shouldn't have them,"

Something in the air glinted briefly moments before Mr 5's pistol suddenly snapped apart into at least three pieces. Niri pulled back her arm and stared at the handle grip, eyes wide. The gun, made of strong iron and other materials, was severed cleanly!

"What...the...hell?"

"Told you that little girls shouldn't play with dangerous toys,"

The three of them looked up to see three identical women with long, brown hair, dressed in black, leather bodysuits looking down at them. One of the women held a long, needle-like spear in her hand. Another woman held two crossed swords that looked like a giant pair of scissors. The final one had a large, wooden wheel on her back. Niri squinted and could see very thin wires, not unlike the one from the trap, coming out of the wheel.

"Alright, who are you guys!" Dusty whipped out her scythes, "What do you want?"

"Ain't it obvious, kit?" Azu grunted as he struggled to move his body, "They're part of the group that the others told us about,"

"If that's the case," Niri cracked her neck and knuckles, "They're about to get an ass whooping!"

The triplets shared a united giggle.

"Did you hear that, sisters?"

"We did, sister,"

"The little girl says we're going to get an ass whooping. Funny,"

"What's so funny about that?!" Dusty and Niri shouted at the same time.

The woman with the wooden wheel on her back tugged lightly at the wires in front of her. With that tug, something happened and the three pirates saw light glinting off a huge network of metal wires, criss crossing from each and every side and angle of the forest.

Niri growled, "Shit...this can't be good,"

Dusty looked around, "They're just wires...they can't all be traps, can they?"

"No, they're not," the woman with the wheel shook her head and pulled on some of the wires, "But...,"

A loud gasp from behind made the girls turn to see Azu wincing in pain as blood oozed out of very thin wounds that appeared out of nowhere on his body. Niri's eyes widened a little, "They're not all traps...but, they're weapons!"

"Very good, how perceptive of you, little girl," the woman with the wheel praised, "However, that won't save you,"

"Why is that?!" Dusty shouted, shaking a fist at them, "I like to see Azu in pain as much as anyone because he's a pervert, but this is too much!" she pointed at the mesh of wires, "What is this?!"

The triplets giggled again, "Welcome, pirates, to our Steel Wire Web!" they cried out together, jumping from the branch and landing on the ground, wide, smug smiles on their faces.

"You can leave here if you wish," the woman with the spear said as twirled her weapon around.

The woman with the scissor swords clanged the blades together and crossed them again, "However, you may lose a limb...,"

"...or your very life in the process," the final triplet finished their sentence as she pulled out new lengths of metal wire.

"In the name of Lady Frigga," the sisters cried out at once, taking offensive stances, "We will purge this land of all who rebel against their new Goddess! We do not fear death, for we are Fate itself, and we decide when it is time to die!"

Azu, Niri, and Dusty sweatdropped, "You have got to be kidding me...,"

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Kilnorc: Alright, there's the beginning of yet another fight against the New World enemies! Will our friends pull through, or be strung up like gutted animals? Stay tuned! BTW, the Marine, Prelude and the Academy mentioned earlier, belong to Super Hurricane and his fanfic, Scourge of the Seas: The Gandros Navy Arrives! It's quite good, so, check it out.

On the next chapter of Homeland...

Niri: Shit...three against three is usually even, but in our case, I'm beginning to doubt that!

Dusty: Watch it, Niri! Incoming at six o'clock!

Azu: They're predicting our movements, as if they had Mantra, but that's impossible!

Niri: Gotta find a weak spot in their attack!

Fight with the Fates: Part Two

Azu: You know, chicks in leather who want to hurt ya...are usually a good thing, for the right price, but you three just ruined that for me!