And exactly as the name of this chapter says, not quite done. he he he. If you've lost interest, that's fine. I don't care. I'm only writing this to finish it on here anyway. -shrugs- some people are still interested though... I think... -shrugs again-
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Chapter 30: Not quite done
Luffy didn't let Kuro have the opportunity to have another stealth dance. The boy laid into him with heavy punches that cracked bones, broke the swords on Kuro's fingertips and sent the taller man sprawling. Kuro was barely able to breathe as he tried to stand. Luffy leant over him, eyes dark.
"It's not fun, is it? To be beat up by someone like me." and Luffy slammed an open palm into Kuro's face, cracking the cartilage in the murderer's nose and sending his head back into the rail. His eyes unfocused and glazed over, but Luffy flicked one of the broken swords into his hand with his heel and placed it at the man's throat.
"I should kill you." he said in a soft, dangerous voice, "But I'm not going to. Heh, know why?" and he slapped Kuro to make him come awake again, "Because I'm not like you. I don't murder people." and with one last punch, Kuro was out. Luffy sighed and fell back, laying on the floor and gasping for breath. He no longer had a shirt, he no longer had any shoes either. His hat was laying somewhere nearby, out of harm's way.
Slashes ran over his body, his normally lightly tanned skin, stained red. The scar beneath his left eye had been reopened. Chopper was tending to Zoro, and Nami had awoken, moving to help Sanji. She was horrified by the damage that had been done to the chef's body. Luffy felt his eyelids moving to close, and he willed his body to move so he wouldn't fall asleep, but it just wasn't working. Chopper suddenly bent over him, warm hooves poking and prodding. Luffy had to clench his teeth so he didn't cry out in pain.
"He's in bad shape huh?" a familiar voice asked and Luffy's eyes opened slowly to see Usopp leaning over him as well. Chopper nodded.
"Umm, Usopp, y-you might wanna look away." Chopper muttered as he came close to one of the worst wounds Luffy had. Usopp did as he was asked and Luffy's eyes shot open as Chopper pressed something that stung! It burned and it made him twist, but Chopper had already tended to Nami and Sanji and they held him down.
Sanji looked bad though. His normally sleepy looking eye, was even lower than usual. And he was pale. Luffy could feel his hands quivering and the boy clenched his eyes shut and stopped himself from moving. If only to save Sanji the trouble of holding him down.
It was then he noticed that Usopp was holding him as well. The boy's eyes were focused on his face, and Luffy opened his own eyes drowsily, as the pain ebbed away. Chopper must have been applying some sort of antiseptic, and then had put some anaesthetic on it.
"Is he going to be okay?" a croaky voice asked. Luffy turned his head and saw Zoro leaning against the wall. He had bandages wrapped around his torso, and his shirt was gone. The bandana lay on the floor beside him.
"He's pretty beaten up." Chopper replied and then smile and turned to the swordsman, "But, he'll be fine."
"Good." Zoro mumbled and his head dropped back against the wall. Snores filled the area and Nami shrieked.
"Tashigi!" she cried and ran down the stairs. Chopper looked down at Luffy and then up at the stairs.
"Tashigi!" came another cry and Sanji stood shakily, limping badly on his right leg as he moved to the edge of the stairs.
"It's that police bastard." Sanji commented and sat down again, "And some other guy. Must be Luffy's brother."
"I'll go get him!" Usopp announced and ran off, shaking slightly from the pain in his back but hurrying none-the-less. Luffy vaguely heard the conversation, picking out key words like 'brother' and 'police bastard'. That was about all he heard.
He sighed and let Chopper clean him up. Usopp bounded down the stairs and saw a man standing beside Smoker, his hands on his hips and an orange cowboy hat on his head. Luffy's brother had his back to him and Usopp stumbled straight into it.
"Hey!" Ace cried and twisted to see Usopp leaning against him. The boy righted himself and looked up at him.
"Hey… I'm Usopp. I'm one of Luffy's… friends." he gasped, "He's upstairs."
"Usopp? I'm Ace. Thanks!" and he bounded for the stairs. Usopp puffed for a minute before following at a much more leisurely pace. Ace found his little brother half conscious at the top of the stairs, and in a bad way.
"Luffy!" and he knelt by the boy.
"Hey Ace. Knew you weren't dead." Luffy gritted out and managed a smile. Ace smiled in return and ran a hand through his brother's hair.
"Heh, dead. Yeah right." and he grinned. Luffy chuckled and coughed. Ace looked around and saw the unconscious Kuro by the railing and his eyes widened before he shook his head, dark hair swaying.
"Shoulda known. You've been going off all self righteous again, haven't you?" he asked. Luffy blinked.
"Huh?" he grunted. Ace chuckled.
"Nothin'. Just get better."
"K." and Luffy's eyes closed again.
---
Kuro had been tied up with as much rope as they could find, which had been a fair bit. Kuro wasn't going anywhere. Smoker had demanded that he be taken back to the station, but Ace had reminded him that he would be in serious trouble if he did that. Smoker had reluctantly agreed. Tashigi had suggested, while having her arm wrapped in some bandages from the police car, that Morgan and Helmeppo would come to find out if Kuro had murdered anyone else.
So, everyone had been moved. Luffy and Zoro were placed in one of the few bedrooms that didn't smell so they could sleep. Nami and Usopp had been posted out the front of the house with Tashigi and Ace. Sanji had stayed with Chopper inside, to make sure that Luffy and Zoro didn't have any side affects and so he didn't strain himself too much. After all, his injuries weren't exactly tiny.
It was about mid afternoon, and the heat inside the house, mixed with the smell, was starting to become intolerable. Smoker, who had been sitting at the foot of the stairs, rolling a gun between his hands, suddenly stood and walked down a hallway, going to check on Kuro. Zoro suddenly came stumbling from the room he had been sleeping in, mumbling to Chopper about going to the bathroom.
He really didn't know where the bathroom was, and the real reason he had to get out of that room, was because he couldn't sleep. With Luffy laying so close, and so in pain, it really was unbearable. After all, he should have been in pain too but Zoro prided himself on being able to handle unreal and extreme amounts of pain. So, he was holding his own. But he didn't know how long he would be able to hold out though, so he had to move quick.
Getting outside without the others noticing, wouldn't be easy either. They were all on high alert. Zoro frowned as he saw Nami and Usopp in the bushes by the door. He looked around and spotted a window that led out into an alley way. That looked good. He moved over to it, wincing as his wounds pulled. Sliding the window open as carefully as he could, Zoro pulled himself up onto the ledge, and dropped out into the alley which stank almost as badly as the house.
It made him gag and Zoro placed one hand over his mouth while the other pulled the window down behind him. He glanced up the alley and then the other way before deciding he would go that way. Down the alley and around the back of the house. He hated to think what would be there, but at the moment, it was the better option. Zoro moved down the alley, hands in his pockets as he thought back on what had happened over the entire trip.
Really, it had been an amazing experience if he thought really deeply about it. Adventure, secrecy, almost kind of spy like. And love. All the makings of a great story and one that, if Zoro had the patience, he would write down. But Zoro's patience, and attention barely extended beyond that of a dog's. Luffy's was even shorter. At least if Zoro focused, he could stay on one subject. Luffy was just a mass of random thoughts and interesting, not to mention crazy, ideas.
It was unique, and… strange. Zoro looked up at the afternoon sky and frowned as he remembered the serious side that Luffy tended to take on when times got rough. It was like… a split personality. One side was funny, stupid, idiotic and acted on impulse, while the other was smart, a tactician really.
A loud hiss made him jump and he spun to see a cat sitting on a trash can, it's black hair on end and it's mouth wide open. Fang's were bared and it's tail was bushed. Zoro took a step away from it and frowned as the cat jumped down from the can and streaked away.
"Stupid cat…" he muttered.
"Well, if it isn't that green haired moron." Zoro paused as he recognised the voice and he turned, jumping back as he did so to avoid the axe that came swinging his way. He pulled out his swords as quickly as he could and brought the two in his hands up in defence as Morgan swung again. The axe connected with the two swords and they bent… ever so slightly.
"Get him Daddy!" a haughty voice said nearby and Zoro looked around to see Helmeppo standing by the alley wall, hands clenched in front of him, and expensive purple jacket making Zoro frown.
"What the fuck!?" Zoro yelled as he was thrown back against the wall.
"Shut up you useless excuse for a son!" Morgan yelled and Helmeppo fell silent. Morgan turned dark eyes on Zoro, the steel jaw making him look even more menacing. Zoro wasn't scared.
"You're a loving family, aren't you." Zoro stated, shoving Morgan away from him and briefly glancing at his blades, making sure they weren't too badly damaged. Morgan snorted, towering above Zoro.
"Boy, you have no idea how much trouble you're in. Escaping from Kuro, and then me. Even Smoker couldn't catch you, and he's one of my best underlings." Morgan said, his voice grating. Zoro frowned.
"I don't think Smoker likes you too much." Zoro replied.
"Where is Kuro, father? I'll go and get him and make sure he is punished for this." Helmeppo suggested. Zoro snorted.
"I wouldn't. You'd be dead before you found him."
"What are you talking about?" Helmeppo asked, half laughing. Zoro shrugged.
"Find him if you want." he replied and then sneered, "One down, and one idiot to go." and he looked at Morgan. Helmeppo stayed where he was, his feet twitching on the ground. He was obviously indecision. Not sure whether to believe Zoro or not.
Morgan wasted no time in reacting to Zoro's challenge, and he shoulder slammed Zoro into the wall, making the swordsman grunt and grit his teeth so he didn't yell. Next thing, Helmeppo was beside him, rope in hand and Zoro was tied up before he could do anything.
Morgan picked up the two swords that had fallen from his hands… and broke them. He dropped the shattered metal to the ground and eyed the white handled blade that was still at Zoro's hip. Helmeppo had it though.
"I'm going to keep it Father, as a souvenir." he said, grabbing the blade and nearly dropping it. Zoro frowned and struggled against his bonds, but he was still too weak from loss of blood and pain to free himself.
"No use struggling." Morgan gritted, frowning deeply, "You'll be dead soon anyway. Might as well save your strength." and he laughed. Zoro laughed sarcastically and then rolled his eyes. Morgan didn't appreciate the sarcasm and he drove his foot into Zoro's stomach, making the swordsman scream. Blood reappeared through the bandages around his torso and he shivered.
"I'm going to find Kuro father." Helmeppo said.
"I don't fucking care. Just go." Morgan replied. Helmeppo looked a little put out but he left all the same. Morgan was left alone with Zoro. It wasn't until it was facing him that Zoro realized what was facing him. A gun.
"So, you're alone. No friends, no family. Alone." Morgan commented. Zoro rolled his eyes.
"I think we've established the fact that yes, I am alone." and he shook his head, "You're not very good at this."
"Bastard. Your mouth will get you killed."
"Well I'm not just going to lie down and let you walk all over me."
"Hmm, well, that's about what I think you'll do." Morgan replied. Zoro managed to get to his feet and he frowned. Zoro's eyes widened as he realized he had no where to go, no escape from the gun that was pointed directly at his heart and the narrowed, ice cold eyes that shone behind it. He took a deep breath and stood tall, chest stuck out in defiance as his broken swords lay at his feet.
"Good. You're willing to face your death then?" Morgan's voice asked. Zoro raised an eyebrow as a reply.
"He doesn't have to." a voice said from Zoro's left. The two men looked around and saw a slim figure emerge from the shadows of the alley. Zoro's body tightened. He knew that voice, and that walk.
"Get out of here Luffy." he growled. The boy looked bad, but his eyes were hard.
"Can't do that Zoro. Sorry. You don't deserve to die." Luffy replied as he walked forward and stood in front of the swordsman protectively.
"Neither do you. But there's no way to save me, so just, go!"
"No." and Luffy craned his neck over his shoulder so he could see his friend clearly. He smiled that smile, the one that usually lit up Zoro's heart, but, today it served to just make him sad. He could not move, his arms were bound.
"It'll be alright Zoro. It always has for us. You saved my life before, and now it's my turn." and Luffy turned back to face Morgan, his smile growing wider, "I love you Zoro."
"Oh how touching. If you're willing to die in his stead, it's no skin off my nose." and the captain of the police force, aimed the gun straight at Luffy's heart.
'BANG!'
Zoro felt his heart stop and his mouth drop open… when Luffy remained standing. Morgan's eyes widened and his fingers twitched on the handle of the gun he was holding as he turned to see the two luminous eyes and the long nose peering at him from under a mass of dark, curly hair, the gun at the side of his chest still smoking.
"I never miss." Usopp said before Morgan's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell forward. Zoro looked at Luffy, who heaved a sigh of relief.
"You had me worried there Usopp." the boy commented. Usopp chuckled.
"Sorry. I got held up." he replied. Luffy laughed and turned back to Zoro who was blinking in astonishment.
"You… how…what the hell just happened?" the swordsman asked. Luffy grinned.
"I told you everything would be alright. I had a plan with Usopp. Sorry I couldn't tell you, but, if I had, it would have tipped Morgan off and it wouldn't have worked." the boy explained as he pulled at the knots binding Zoro.
"So, you had everything under control?" he asked.
"No he didn't. I came up with most of it." Nami said as she appeared from the doorway. Sanji came out behind her, one arm slung over her shoulders as he did so.
"If it wasn't for Nami, you'd be dead moss head." the chef commented as he lit a new cigarette. Zoro sighed as he felt the bonds on his wrists finally come undone. Zoro let his arms drop and Luffy clasped his hand tightly.
"Thanks guys." the swordsman said and then looked around at Luffy, who was still holding tight to his hand and watching Zoro with a broad smile, "especially you. You saved my life… and helped me to be a free man. Now, what shall I do with my newfound freedom?" Zoro asked. Luffy grinned.
"Get some food!" He suggested.
"Have a party." Usopp said.
"Foooood." Luffy whined.
"How about you find a place to live?" Nami asked.
"Foooooooooood."
"What about the rest of us? Do we all get to go back to our lives now?" Chopper inquired.
"Guys… foooooood." Luffy said in the background.
"I don't know. I never thought of that." Zoro replied, ignoring Luffy.
"I want FOOD!" Luffy yelled. The rest of the group jumped and looked at the boy, who was pouting in a frustrated way.
"Yeah, I am kinda hungry." Nami commented.
"I'll go and cook us something wonderful my dove!" Sanji cried.
"Where are you going to cook Sanji?" she asked. Sanji faltered.
"… oh. Well, then I shall pay for the meal." he replied. Nami smiled.
"You don't have any money, so, I will pay for it." and she linked her arm into Sanji's, causing the chef to blink and then smile in a much less dopey way than was usual when his beloved Nami touched him.
"Alright, but, I pay next time." he said. Nami laughed lightly.
"It's a deal." and they began walking down the alleyway together. Zoro looked down at Luffy, who grinned at him.
"Let's go." he said. Luffy nodded feverishly.
"Yeah. I'm starving." and he walked forward, his hand still locked with Zoro's. The swordsman paused a moment and Luffy looked back at him.
"Zo? You ok?" he asked. Zoro looked down at his broken swords.
"They're destroyed Luffy." he muttered. The boy tilted his head.
"Wadau isn't." he said. Zoro looked up.
"Helmeppo took it and threw it away."
"No he didn't. I caught him and got him to give it to me. It's in the car." and Luffy grinned. Zoro blinked up at him and then stood, grabbing Luffy's other hand as he did so.
"Are you serious?" he asked. Luffy nodded and Zoro pulled him close and kissed him.
"Thankyou so much." he said when he had pulled away. Luffy blinked.
"Ah, no problem." he replied.
"Ok, when you two are finished making out, can we please go after Sanji and Nami?" Usopp asked from where he was leaning against the wall. Chopper giggled beside him. Zoro blinked.
"Sure." he replied and then the two walked off, Chopper and Usopp trailing behind.
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OMG!!! It's done! Well, almost. One more chappie left yet. But, there ya have it! I hope I tied up all the loose ends. Heh... Next chappie shall be fun, and it's an ending chappie so... -sniff sniff- Reviews pleeeeeeeeeease!