Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Chapter Twenty-Four
Everybody's playing the game, but nobody's rules are the same
Nobody's on nobody's side
Better learn to go it alone, recognize you're out on your own
Nobody's on nobody's side
Florence Vassy from Chess, "Nobody's Side"
"You shouldn't have come."
"Like I was going to sit this one out," was the chuckled response. "This is the most excitement we've had since I joined this organization."
"And what about the fact that you can barely walk? That you had to dig those old katana out of storage?"
"They work just fine. Stop worrying so much, please; it's disheartening. I'm not a child; I can make these decisions for myself."
"Yes, but I fail to see how any of this proves that you're capable of rational thought…"
"Boys, can it," Kalifa muttered irritably. "We're supposed to be scouting, not arguing. Krieg's men are down there," she glanced over the edge of the roof. "We're in luck; Gin's with them."
"Good. Makes our job easier, at least," Lucci also looked down before pulling back. "There's a good score of them down there."
"So they're expecting trouble," Kaku reasoned, trying not to grimace. The trek to the rooftop had done a number on his healing injuries, and he knew perfectly well that he should have stayed at home, but there was no way he was staying out of it; not when there was this much at stake.
"Boy, stop trying to hide the fact that you're in pain. I know."
"And you still let me come?"
"You're an adult, aren't you? I'm not your mother," Lucci sounded bored.
"I would hope not. It would be inexplicably awkward if you were, considering our current relationship," Kaku jibed lightly, causing a rather pointed eye roll from his lover and a hastily stifled chuckle from Kalifa.
"Not the time or place," Lucci finally spoke.
"I'm sorry, Rob. I'm just…nervous. So much could go wrong, and I…" he ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry."
"Don't apologize," Kalifa berated him, setting a hand on his shoulder. "Lucci's nerves are as frayed as the rest of ours right now. I don't think we've ever had a case before where we've honestly cared what happens to our client, but…"
"The boy is different," Lucci conceded. "We have to win. I would consider it a very personal assault to my pride if we don't."
"And it's all about your pride; isn't it, Rob?" Kaku looked rather unimpressed at that.
"You know him," Kalifa elbowed Lucci in the ribs. "He'll just never admit when he's worried. Isn't that right?"
"No touching," was Lucci's contribution, causing Kalifa to, in retaliation, lean her head on his shoulder. "You never listen, do you?"
"You wouldn't like me if I did," she countered, her hand straying to touch the spiked whip at her side almost as if to reassure herself that it was still there.
"That's probably true," he finally admitted, shifting away from her irritably despite this. "How long until showtime?"
"Less than ten minutes," Kaku glanced at his watch. "Is it normal to be this nervous?"
"This entire scenario isn't normal. All we can hope for is that it goes off without a hitch," Kalifa pushed her glasses farther up her nose. "Sanji and I may have only had a one-night fling, but I care about him. I know you care about him," she motioned toward Kaku in an off-hand way.
"More than I'd like to admit," Kaku chuckled. "He can take care of himself, though. I'm sure of it."
"It will take more than a strong spirit to best Don Krieg. Sanji's proficient with his feet, that's true, but against guns and a poisoned spear? If he even gets close enough to attack, he's in great danger. I'm not doubting his will, boy," Lucci shook his head as Kaku turned and opened his mouth to protest, "I'm just stating facts."
Kaku was about to continue his rebuttal when he blinked, staring up at the cloud-shrouded moon. "Was that a raindrop?"
His question was answered mere seconds later as the heavens opened up, drenching the rooftop and street with cold autumn rain.
"Well, it suits the mood," Lucci said cryptically as Kalifa dug up an umbrella seemingly from nowhere and opened it over them. "Where'd that come from?"
"It's October in Vancouver. You'd be crazy not to carry an umbrella with you," she smiled, moving closer so that they were all under the canopy. Lucci put an arm around Kaku's shoulders and pulled him in tightly, rubbing his arm while the younger man curled into his chest.
"Thankfully one of us has foresight," Lucci looked mildly impressed.
"Less foresight and more common sense, dear," she grabbed Kaku's wrist and examined his watch. "It's almost time. Are we ready?"
"As ready as we can be," Lucci said firmly.
"We're ready," Kaku cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes. "We have to be."
000
"Great. It's raining," Smoker grunted and blew out some smoke, glancing out the window of the borrowed squad car. "They should just about be ready to go at the club, so it should be less than an hour before they show up, provided everything works out."
"You know, if you're just talking to break the silence, don't bother. You aren't helping."
"Who spit in your cornflakes, kid?" Smoker rolled his eyes, wondering how he got stuck with some petulant brat. Oh, right. Because said petulant brat wouldn't let up until he was given a significant part in the mission.
Said petulant brat was a royal idiot, but Smoker supposed he could forgive him for that; he was only worried.
"Sorry," Ace sighed and leant his head against the seat. "I'm just…"
"Worried. We all are, kid, but don't let it eat you alive. That's not gonna help anyone."
"Smoker?"
"Hmm?"
"Have you ever been in love?"
Smoker laughed darkly at that and lit a new cigar. "Weird question, kid. Why?"
"Because I thought I was over him, but it…it still hurts. How long does it last? How long do you have to go through this before you wake up one day and are content with friendship?" Ace had a look of longing on his young face, and Smoker felt a strange stab of pity for him.
"Afraid I can't answer that one, because I've never been in what you could call serious love," Smoker shrugged. "When I was with the Navy, my time was pretty much gone, and I didn't think about things like marriage or commitment. I mean, sure, we fooled around sometimes, but we all knew nothing would ever come of it. You still pining for that Blackleg kid, eh?" he chuckled.
"I don't know," Ace heaved another fairly dramatic sigh. "I told myself it was over when he moved, you know? And then when he came back and was willing to…" he made a vague hand motion that Smoker took to mean 'sleep together', "…yeah, I guess I…I mean, I already knew he liked Zoro then, and he said it was just kind of a 'last-kick-at-the-can' scenario, but I couldn't help…I feel like such an idiot. I want him to be happy, and he is with Zoro, as dysfunctional a couple as they may be. And it wasn't like…it isn't like now that they're having some sort of lover's tiff I think I can just go in and spirit Sanji away and make him mine again, so does that mean I'm over him?"
"You realize that, since I already told you I couldn't help you, you're just talking to yourself, right?" Smoker let out a wry chuckle. "Look, kid, I don't live inside your head. It's obvious you still have feelings for Sanji, but whether they're simply being protective of an old love or actually still being in love with him…that's something you're going to have to sort out by yourself."
"You're no help."
"I've told you that already; you can't blame me," Smoker glanced out the window again before closing it. "The wind's picking up. We're in for a regular autumn storm."
"Wonderful. Suits my mood," Ace muttered. "The police are on standby, right?"
"It's a good system," Smoker replied, happy to get off of the subject of a just-out-of-his-teens boy with a love problem. "That phone," he gestured to one in the car, "connects us directly with City Hall, and from there it's just a phone call to the station, where they already have cars on standby. Plus CP9's already at the club, and…"
"Yeah," Ace glanced across the street to a nearby warehouse where the door was inconspicuously pushed just a little bit open. "They're crazy."
"They're experienced," Smoker disagreed. "I think both of them have some…things that they haven't told us."
"No doubt," Ace grunted and looked out his own window. "It's so dreary."
"It's October in Vancouver. What did you expect, sunshine and palm trees?" Smoker tried to make a joke, but at the impassive look on Ace's face knew that he failed. "Look, kid, cheer up. You're the only untrained one of us to get to go along; shouldn't you be happy?"
"I am. About that, I mean, but I just…I want to know he's going to be alright."
"We all do, Ace," Smoker responded, and Ace glanced at him curiously, probably wondering at the use of his actual name from the ex-Navy officer. "And he will be. You should know him well enough to know that."
"I guess," Ace still hardly looked convinced, but Smoker clamped a hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"It won't be long, now."
"It'll still be too long," Ace countered, staring at the cloudy sky and hoping everything would turn out for the best.
000
"It's raining harder."
"Great. As if we didn't have enough complications working against us already, now we have to deal with poor weather on top of it all. And I didn't even bring my hat because you told me not to."
"It's hard to move in a giant caped coat and a feathered hat, no matter how imposing they make you look. Bad enough you brought that."
The second man glanced at the human-sized black sword on the ground and smiled. "One never knows if there's need of it. Besides, Krieg knows better than to mess with me, so my presence can only be an asset to this whole situation," Mihawk crossed his arms, looking grumpy.
"This whole situation is so screwed up," Shanks peered through the crack in the warehouse door again. "We're too old for this, Dracule."
"You've just gone soft, sitting in that bar serving drinks all day," Mihawk replied simply. "You've gone domestic," he sneered, "marrying a woman and settling down; I never thought I'd see the day."
"Leave her out of this, Dracule," Shanks said evenly. "We've changed; what happened in the past is in the past."
"And then you go and lose your arm…"
"Shut. Up," Shanks growled, knowing that Mihawk would remain entirely unruffled but needing to try regardless. The other man really could be too bold at times. "Drop it. We can discuss all of this," he made a circular motion with his hand, "later. Now please, focus on the task at hand."
"There's nothing to focus on until they actually show up," Mihawk had to point out. "Which could take almost an hour, depending on whether or not there's a confrontation at the scene itself."
"CP9 knows better."
"But they're impulsive, for the most part. You know the type: act first, ask questions later?"
"Are you implying something?"
"No," Mihawk glanced away. "As far as I'm aware, you generally skip the 'ask questions' part even if you get to it."
Shanks, for his part, had had about enough of Mihawk's seemingly unceasingly bad attitude, and he refused to rise to the bait the other man was so generously providing. "Look, Dracule," he finally said, turning to glance at the swordsman. "You're in a foul mood; I can see that well enough. I don't know what's gotten into you, but don't take it out on me. I don't deserve it."
"You're right," Mihawk agreed congenially before sighing. "What abysmal weather. How can you live here?"
"Not all of us can hang out in sunny LA all the time. Welcome to October in Vancouver, my friend," Shanks tried to lighten the mood, but Mihawk remained impassive.
"Lovely," he finally replied, seemingly staring off at nothing.
"So what's eating you?" Shanks leant against the wall of the warehouse. "You know you can tell me anything; we've been trying to kill each other as long as we've been friends, so I doubt there's any secrets between us anymore."
Mihawk blinked slowly, his golden eyes seeming to glow in the half-light of the darkened warehouse. "It's nothing for you to concern yourself over. It's nothing for me to concern myself over, but when I get worried…"
"You're capable of worry?"
"Shut up and listen. When I get worried, sometimes the…things I've been keeping inside of myself come to the surface," he ran a hand through his hair, somehow looking much more human minus the intimidating coat and hat. In fact, Shanks wasn't sure if he'd ever seen Mihawk without the hat.
"So what's bothering you?" Shanks asked again. "We have time, after all. It's better than sitting in silence, I figure."
"Alright, then. I suppose I knew what I was getting into when I accepted the fact that I was the best swordsman the world had seen in centuries, but I could never have anticipated the stress that would come with such a title. I'm better than everyone, and I'm not being conceited: I know it. And yet every time some youngling challenges me, I can't help but second-guess myself. What if I make a silly mistake? What if they somehow get lucky? The last thing I want to do is look like a fool or hand my title off to one, and I know the day is coming. I'm almost forty, Shanks. I'm not in the shape I was fifteen years ago, and while I still feel some confidence knowing that I could best Roronoa…and he's one of the best I've ever seen…how long until my body just gives out on me?" Mihawk's voice held no emotion whatsoever, even though the words were evidently hard for him to admit.
"Well," Shanks cleared his throat. "I had no idea that you were going to feed me a sob-story. I'm rather sorry I asked."
"I'm sorry you asked, too," Mihawk rolled his eyes. "Can we just be quiet, now?"
"Maybe that'd be the best idea," Shanks sighed and slid down to the floor, glancing up when the dark-haired man moved to sit beside him. He absently leant to rest his head on Mihawk's shoulder, surprised when no protest came from the other man. "Dracule?"
"Yes?"
"You worry too much. Nobody's going to beat you unless they deserve it," Shanks said firmly, and he could tell that Mihawk was at least semi-smiling at that. "How long do you think we have?" he asked then, abruptly changing the subject.
"Probably close to forty-five minutes. Why?"
"I'm going to sleep."
"No you're not," Mihawk growled before realizing that Shanks practically was asleep already, and so he merely shook his head and settled back against the wall, circling an arm around the other man's back so that he didn't somehow dislodge himself and fall over.
Frankly, the swordsman couldn't wait for this whole fiasco to be over.
000
"It's nearly time."
"So what? It's not like we can do anything besides wait."
"Paulie, don't smoke those in the office, please."
"Spoilsport."
"Smoke them in your own office."
"You have a mouse in your office."
"Tyrannosaurus doesn't smoke."
"I'd be scared if he did."
"Tyrannosaurus is a good mouse."
"Gentlemen, can we please focus?" Robin asked politely, wondering how, despite knowing these two men for long enough, their conversation could turn from smoking to mice in a matter of seconds. "We have to be on high alert to coordinate the movements of the police force the second Commodore Smoker calls."
"There's nothing to get ready, sis," Franky patted her shoulder. "The guys're all ready, we just need to call them. As long as we're near the phone…"
"You're right," Robin daintily crossed her legs.
"Hey, babe, you look nervous."
"I am…I suppose," she tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear. "I care deeply for Sanji, so to know that the outcome of this could be…less than optimal is disconcerting."
"Baby, the big words don't work, remember?" Franky narrowed his eyes.
"Forgive me," she chuckled. "I fear that something…bad is going to happen."
"That's understandable," Iceburg straightened, letting Tyrannosaurus climb into his hand as he turned around in order to perch on his desk.
"But we can help right? When they get called, we're not just gonna sit here, are we?" Paulie had a length of rope in his hand and was chewing on the end of his cigar.
"Of course not," Iceburg narrowed his eyes. "We're going along. That's why we're here and not at Miss Nefertari's with the others."
"The others are mad, man," Franky shook his head. "You should have heard them today. Luffy was pitchin' a fit that Ace-bro got to go along with that stuffy old Commodore."
"You do realize that Commodore Smoker's about the same age as you, don't you?" Iceburg asked conversationally.
"Yeah, but he's so stuck-up," Franky grinned. "I guess the only one I can really call an old man is you, eh?"
"I'll admit it," Iceburg shrugged. "But if Shanks and Mihawk can be out on the front line, I'm not going to sit back and do nothing."
"Those two are mad scary, that's what they are."
"They're experienced fighters, that's all," Robin let her hand rest on Franky's leg. "I wouldn't want to cross either of them."
"And let me get this straight," Paulie hopped up to sit on the desk, pulling one knee to his chest and letting his other leg dangle. "That crazy cross-dresser is actually inside with Krieg?"
"That's the general idea," Robin nodded.
"Isn't that…I dunno…dangerous? Like, madly dangerous?" the blonde man looked slightly confused.
"Of course," she smiled. "But I know Bon, and he's crazy enough to do it. He's hardly incapable of defending himself, you realize, no matter how eccentric he is."
"It's really coming down," Franky spoke up, abruptly changing the topic, and Robin glanced out the window at the dark sky and the rain sheeting down.
"October in Vancouver: it's the start of the rainy season, alright," Paulie grunted. "I hate this time of year."
"Because the days are getting shorter and the temperature's dropping?" Iceburg asked, although his half-smile implied that he knew what Paulie's answer would be.
"No. Because nobody comes to me to get their boat fixed when it's raining," he muttered. "And then I have to deal with a bored Tilestone and Lulu all day. Have you ever had to deal with a bored Tilestone and Lulu? Honestly, I'm surprised the shipping dock next door hasn't put in a noise complaint yet."
"And yet you still let them work for you," Robin had to point out.
"Well, yeah; they're good. Not as good as Kaku and Lucci, mind, but since those two have…other obligations," he glared at Iceburg here, who admirably ignored him, "I have to take what I can get."
There was silence again until Robin cleared her throat. "How much longer do you presume this will take?"
"Not much," Iceburg glanced at the phone, as if willing it to ring. "Not much time at all."
"Man, this stinks. I hope Sanji-bro's alright," Franky sounded unnaturally subdued as he shifted on his chair.
"We all do, Franky. And right now, hope is all we have," Robin knew she wasn't being very optimistic, but then, she wasn't an 'overly optimistic' type of lady.
"It's raining harder," Paulie commented softly, his words almost lost in the patter of water against the glass windows, and Robin and Franky turned to stare out at the darkness while Iceburg kept his eyes glued to the phone.
000
"It's raining cats and dogs out there, you know."
"Welcome to October in Vancouver, my love!"
"Tone it done, Trafalgar. We're in public."
"It's too loud to hear anything regardless, good sir," Law dropped his glass, which he had raised in a mock-salute, as the other man pulled off his hood and shook his head, water flying from his bright red hair as he glared at Law. "You're proving me a liar. I just went on and on about how you hate clubs."
"I do hate clubs."
"And yet, here you are!"
"To make sure you didn't do anything stupid."
"Like?" Law asked curiously.
"Like somehow end up tagging along with that Blackleg kid. Oh, don't tell me, you almost did?"
"Mr. Kidd, I don't appreciate that tone," Law crossed his arms and mock-pouted.
"So I take it you got them together, then?" Kidd swiped the glass Law was drinking from and gulped about half of it back before grimacing. "Ugh, what is that fruity swill? Don't you drink real drinks?"
"Get your own if you don't like it," Law pursed his lips in annoyance before pulling the glass back toward himself. "And yes, I got them together."
"My boyfriend the matchmaker," Kidd looked altogether unamused.
"At least it worked. Tonight could have gone very badly otherwise," Law glanced at his almost-empty glass before pushing it away.
"Why do you care, anyway? It's not like Krieg's ever bothered us."
"No, but he's bothersome," Law countered. "And besides, it gave me something to do. I despise monotony."
"I still don't see why we can't just go along and…"
"I know you're violent, Mr. Kidd, but we can't just go killing people for no good reason," Law raised a hand to stop the other man's inevitable tirade. "Besides, this is Lucci we're talking about. You don't say no to Lucci without having a darn good reason to, and he's more-or-less left us to our own devices otherwise. It can't hurt to do one small favour."
"As long as it's only one," Kidd finally nodded, sliding onto the stool across from Law.
"It will be. He seemed…distracted when I talked to him. Like he had other things on his mind," Law raised an eyebrow suggestively. "That little boytoy of his, for instance."
"I thought they weren't…"
"Yes, well, you hear things when you're observant enough," Law interrupted. "Word is he got injured trying to help this Blackleg kid, and ever since then Lucci's barely left his side."
"Wonder of wonders," Kidd rolled his eyes, sounding anything but interested.
"Come on, Mr. Kidd, can't you appreciate a bit of good gossip?"
Kidd shrugged but didn't answer, eventually asking, "So, this Blackleg kid. You like him?"
"Sanji?"
"Oh, first-name basis, yet?" Kidd growled.
"He's a good sort…I'd be moderately disappointed if anything untoward happened to him, that's true enough," Law admitted, idly swirling the remaining liquid in his glass. "His boyfriend's an altogether different sort, though. He's quite brusque…handsome enough, albeit a little rugged…and the green hair is odd, but…they make a good couple," he finally conceded.
"So, let me guess: since this intrigues you," and he said the word 'intrigues' as if it were some sort of horrible disease, "you're going to keep a close eye on it."
"How right you are. Hawkins should be able to help me with that."
"Don't tell me you believe half the drivel that wannabe psychic spits out?"
"He hasn't been wrong yet, Mr. Kidd. But I won't talk to him just yet…I want to be surprised," Law finally stopped fiddling with his glass and smiled at the other man, his dark-rimmed eyes filled with an undeniable hint of mischief.
"Well, I'm going to get a drink. So be surprised all you want," Kidd grunted and moved toward the bar, and Law sighed at the utter predictability of the ill-tempered man.
Bored again, he idly began to drum his fingers on the tabletop, unintentionally spelling out the word 'death' every time he did so.
000
"Namiii…I'm booored!!!!"
"Luffy, shut up!" she whacked him in the head, rather hard, but since it was Luffy he didn't even react; just kept whining right in her ear.
"Well, since there is a piano, I could always just…"
"No," Nami said firmly, glaring at Brook. She couldn't take many more sea shanties, and that seemed to be all he was capable of playing.
"Nami, calm down," Vivi put a hand on her knee. "I know you're worried…we all are…but being worried isn't going to help anything."
There was a slight scuffling as Usopp shifted uncomfortably on the couch before abruptly standing up and tearing off to the washroom, and Kaya looked after him sympathetically for a few moments before saying quietly, "I'm going to go check on him," and sliding noiselessly from the room.
The door slid open at that point and they all jumped, unused to loud sounds in the absolute stillness that had overtaken the room.
"It's raining," Kohza announced, taking off his long coat and brushing a hand through his hair, causing it to mould into uneven spikes. He absently took his glasses off and cleaned the water spots off on his shirt before taking a cell phone out of his pocket and checking it.
"Typical October in Vancouver," Vivi attempted to keep her tone light before obviously deciding it wasn't worth it. "No messages?" she asked hesitantly.
"None. But it's not quite time," he snapped it shut. They had collectively given him charge of the phone when everything began, figuring that, out of all of them, he was the one most likely to keep his head in any given situation. That and the fact that he didn't know Sanji as well, but since Ace was the one liable to call, they needed somebody who could calm the other man down if his news wasn't good.
He moved to sit beside Vivi, who leant her head on his shoulder. "I'm worried, Kohza."
"We all are," Kaya walked back in, her arm around Usopp, who was looking rather pale and ill.
"Usopp, are you okay?" Chopper asked softly, and the older boy nodded and went to sit beside the student, letting Chopper lean on his shoulder.
"Fine, Chopper. Just…"
"I know," the brown-haired boy sniffed.
"Mah, why does Ace get to go and we don't?" Luffy asked, much too loudly.
"Because Ace is older."
"Not that much older!" he complained.
"Ace loves him, Luffy," Usopp said softly. "I mean, we all do, but not the way that he does. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't go to see the outcome."
"I still don't see why I can't go," Luffy pouted. "I can fight!" he held up his fists in order to demonstrate, and Nami elbowed him sharply.
"Don't."
"Aw, but…"
"Luffy, just listen to her for once," Usopp sighed, sounding worn out.
"I'll go get some appetizers or something," Vivi unfolded her legs from under her and stood, heading for the door, but before she could get there the lights flashed and the room was plunged into darkness.
"What the…"
"Kohza, was it windy?" Vivi asked in the darkness, absently groping her way back to the couch, and he caught her hand and lowered her onto his lap.
"It was picking up."
"No surprise, then. The ground's too uneven for them to put underground power lines up here, so they're all above-ground. The wind must have knocked a tree branch onto the line again. Chopper, you're close to the fireplace. Turn it on, would you?" she asked, and Chopper flicked the switch on the natural gas fireplace, soon flooding the room with a soft, flickering orange light.
"I guess appetizers are out of the question," Vivi finally said, picking absently at the hem of her skirt. Kohza was flipping the cell phone open-and-closed repeatedly, and everyone else seemed to be rather keeping to themselves.
Nami glanced up at the ceiling, almost wishing the parlour had windows so that she could watch the rain. Luffy seemed to sense her mood, for once, and squeezed her hand reassuringly as she gave him a smile.
And so they waited in the half-darkness, eyes bright with suppressed emotion in the orange glare, until the power suddenly flickered back on in a blaze of harsh unnatural light.
"Well, it looks like…"
But Vivi never finished her sentence, because as soon as she started to speak, the cell phone rang.
Notes:
1. Remember me? No? Hi, I'm back! This chapter kind of hit me out of nowhere, and I apolgize for the dramatic ending, but my parents were watching a show with one of those overtly-serious news announcers, and it influenced my writing .
2. I actually wrote a chapter WITHOUT the inclusion of my two main characters. I wanted to showcase the feelings of all the others, so I hope I did this justice!
3. There is a repeated passage in each section. Can anybody spot it??? Haha, it's pretty easy, and for the record…absolutely true.
4. I think that's it, actually. Once again, I make no promises as to when the next chapter will be out, but this story is definitely winding down. Don't forget to review, even though everyone's probably forgotten what this story is about xP