Valkyria : Hey guys, quick update for a Friday night, hmm? This update will cover next week, for I will be busy. Enjoy!
Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga One Piece!
Current Song : Sorrow - Xenoblade OST.
"Greatness lies, not in being strong, but in the right using of strength; and strength is not used rightly when it serves only to carry a man above his fellows for his own solitary glory. He is the greatest whose strength carries up the most hearts by the attraction of his own." - Henry Ward Beecher.
Chapter Five : Loss.
Antaeus stood, frozen, as Blackbeard's large formed loomed over him. He shuddered as Blackbeard leered at him; grinning and showing a row of missing and broken teeth.
"Aren't you a nice looking thing," Blackbeard purred darkly. "You're not pretty, but you are definitely pleasing to look at."
"Stay the hell away from him, asshole." Sabo growled, stepping forward, only to stop when he heard the click of a gun. Immediately, Antaeus held out an arm, blocking Sabo from advancing any further. Antaeus had no intention of letting his new friends get hurt.
"W-What do you want?" Antaeus flinched when the stutter escaped his lips, but he kept his gaze locked with Blackbeard nonetheless. There was no way in hell he was going to allow Blackbeard or his little friends to hurt Drake or Sabo.
"W-What do I want?" Blackbeard repeated, mocking. "I want this little island. It's a perfect place to settle down-"
"Like hell!" Sabo roared, eyes blazing. "It'll be a cold day in hell if you honestly think we're going to-" Sabo's tirade was abruptly stopped when a shot rang through the air.
Blackbeard chuckled, glancing behind his shoulder at the one who fired. "Off your mark a little, Van?"
Antaeus shivered when he heard Van's reply. "I won't miss next time, that was merely a warning shot. The brat knows better than to interrupt you next time, won't you, kid?"
Antaeus felt a sense of pride when Sabo spat on the ground in response to Van's words. Antaeus feeling of satisfaction quickly disappeared when he felt Blackbeard's large hand on his arm. Antaeus winced when Blackbeard grip tightened to the point where he felt his arm was actually breaking.
"Don't look so smug, boy." Blackbeard chortled, pulling Antaeus closer. "Now, what do you saw me and you have a little fun?"
"Unhand him." Drake hissed. "If you want anyone then you deal with me."
"And me." Sabo quickly put in. "I'm more fun than him anyway."
"Oh? Are you?" Blackbeard inquired. "What can you possibly do that this little one here can't?"
"Come over here and find out." Sabo goaded, wearing a manic grin. "We'll have loads of fun together, Blackbeard."
"No!" Antaeus blocked Blackbeard's path, spreading his arms out. "Stay away from the-" Antaeus felt the breath leave his body suddenly when Blackbeard's fist collided with his stomach. Falling to his knees, Antaeus placed a shaking hand on his abdomen, struggling to breathe.
"Antaeus!"
"You would do well to remember to stay out of my way, boy." Blackbeard spat, walking towards Sabo and Drake.
With a cry, Antaeus rose and charged towards Blackbeard, ignoring Sabo's and Drake's loud protests. Antaeus grabbed Blackbeard's arm and bit down, feeling blood trickle down his chin. Blackbeard howled in pain, only giving Antaeus the incentive to bite down harder. Antaeus felt himself being lifted into the air before he was brought down to the sandy ground of the beach. Antaeus vaguely heard something cracking and all too soon felt an intense pain shooting up his arm.
"Let him go!" Sabo roared, Antaeus watched through a haze of pain as Sabo rush towards him, an expression of panic and anger written all over his face. Antaeus opened his mouth to tell his friend to stop; don't come any closer when a shot rang through the beach. Antaeus' heart dropped when a sprout of blood erupted from Sabo's shoulder.
"Sabo!" Antaeus tried to rise from the ground when Blackbeard's foot forcibly pressed him back down.
"S-Stay away from them!" Antaeus cried out when Blackbeard pulled his foot away and lifted him from the ground. Antaeus gasped and clung to Blackbeard's hand as the pirate's hand tightened on his throat.
"I told you to stay out of the way, and yet, you refuse to listen." Blackbeard hissed. Antaeus gasped as the air left his lungs, rapidly blinking as black spots appeared before his eyes; he was losing consciousness or he was slowly dying from lack of air. Either one didn't sound pleasant.
"Blackbeard!" Van snapped. "Three marine ships are approaching! We have to leave, now!"
"Stop acting like a coward." Blackbeard snapped. "Three lousy marine ships are nothing."
"They're admiral ships, Blackbeard." Van informed grimly. "We don't have the power nor the resources to face them now."
Antaeus felt an overwhelming sense of relief as he was tossed to the ground, regaining his breath, he watched as Blackbeard and his crew flew back to their small boats.
"Antaeus!"
Hearing his name, he looked up to see Drake and Sabo leaning over him, he flinched when he saw the blood soaking through Sabo's blue jacket.
"A-Are-" Antaeus coughed harshly, trying to continue; he managed to pull his lips into a smile when Sabo and Drake nodded, obviously understanding what he was saying.
"We're fine," Sabo looked out in the sea. "Marines are chasing them away, don't know how they managed to get here so quickly."
"They were most likely around the area." Drake stated, reaching down and placing a hand on Antaeus shoulder. "We need to get you to Dr. Kureha. She's not going to be pleased to see you've been injured again."
Antaeus groaned in response, giving his friends one last look over, Antaeus allowed himself to pass out, smiling as he heard Drake cry out his name and Sabo let out a loud curse. He knew it wasn't going to be pleasant when he woke up, but for some odd reason, he found himself looking forward to it.
To Ace, Torino Kingdom was not pleasant. At All. The moment they arrived on the island, he, along with Chopper, Nami and Zoro, were chased by the natives and almost eaten alive by gigantic birds. No, Torino Kingdom was not pleasant.
At All.
But, despite their bad luck on the island, Ace refused to leave until they searched every inch of it for any remote sign of Luffy. Which was looking less and less fruitful as the time passed.
"Ace," Zoro sat beside him underneath the large tree. "We've searched more than half of this island and we haven't seen hide nor hair of Luffy."
"Then we'll search the other half." Ace leaned back against the tree, scanning the sky with a wary eye. "I have my doubts about Luffy actually being on this island, but I want to scan the other half of this place nonetheless."
"I understand, but you do realize you can't burn the birds, right?" Zoro tossed Ace a grin, pointing up to the calm -for now- skies. "The last attempt didn't go to well."
Ace snorted. "I wouldn't try to burn them if they didn't try to eat me alive. I am not food."
"Right," Zoro chuckled. "You're too hot to eat anyway."
Ace's eye twitched, before he reached up and slapped Zoro on the back of the head. "Don't be a smart ass."
Zoro cursed, rubbing his head tenderly. "How can I be a smart ass when it's true?"
Ace raised his arm, grinning when Zoro quickly moved away. Since arriving on the island, Zoro had done everything in his power to cheer him up about Luffy. Giving him hope that they could find his husband. Ace appreciated it, he really, truly did, but he couldn't help but feel strange since he arrived on this island. He felt like something was wrong.
"Oi!"
Ace turned from Zoro to see Nami and Chopper coming towards them, and much to Ace's disappointment, didn't have anything or anyone with them. Rising from his seat underneath the tree, Ace waited until his navigator and doctor were within earshot before speaking.
"Anything?"
"No," Chopper replied. "But, the birds said that there blue boats heading towards an Island south from here."
"Blue Boats?" Zoro repeated curiously. "Could it be Marines?"
"Maybe." Nami frowned warily. "But, what could Marines be doing around here?"
"They also said a black ship was going in the same way." Chopper added. "The jolly roger was three skulls and bones in the shape of a star."
"Blackbeard." Ace hissed. "Looking for a place to settle down, I bet."
"Shall we go?" Nami asked, cautiously. "Luffy isn't...here."
"Yeah," Ace looked to the sky, grateful for the clear sky, and lack of birds. "Let's get out of here, the sooner we do that, the less chance we'll have to run in with Blackbeard."
"So Nami?" Zoro asked. "Where to?"
"Baterilla." Nami replied quickly. "One of the last islands in South Blue."
"He's there," Ace said, staring each of his crew members in the eye. "I have a feeling he's there."
"And if he's not?" Zoro questioned boldly. "What then?"
"I know he's there." Ace repeated. "I know he is," Ace pressed his hand to his heart, where a tattoo of a spade rested. "I can feel it here."
"Ace." Nami whispered. "I believe you, yeah? So, let's go to Baterilla, where Luffy is waiting."
"Yeah, let's go."
A/N : That's Chapter Five. See you guys later