Ace's Second Chance 10
Happy Wednesday and Enjoy the chapter.
The Marines Take Action
The tension was palpable on the restaurant. Luffy was stuck on the roof by an iron shackle around his neck and he was struggling to free himself. Ace was recovering from the blow Hina gave him and wondering what kind of power she used, it wasn't haki, that was for sure.
The whitebeard pirate stared at the marine and released his conqueror's haki, it had no effect, the woman flinched a little but that was it. "A strong will, huh?" He said.
Hina ignored the pirate, she attacked him once more with Soru, her movements were fast and powerful and one punch, that Ace was able to dodge, destroyed a table and the floor beneath it. The same sequence of attacking and dodging was repeated several times until the restaurant was destroyed. Hina would charge at him with all her power but Ace would not attack because Vivi was there and he could not take the risk of hurting her. "It's time to end this." The marine yelled and revealed a gun holster in her thigh, then she took out the weapon and pointed at Fire Fist.
"Go ahead." Ace smirked, since he was a logia type a bullet would never hurt him. The woman pulled the trigger but Luffy managed to get free of the cage and fell over her, making her miss the shoot. The bullet hit Ace's shoulder. "Sea-stone?"
Vivi gasped and fought the urge to run to Ace's side, she looked at Luffy and he was lying on Hina's back. The marine pushed Luffy away to pin him down with her devil fruit powers and finally she aimed at Ace's head. Fire Fist prepared to take Luffy and run but Kuzan entered the restaurant and froze the floor. The bodyguard had been watching the battle and would scold Ace later for underestimating his enemy.
"Whoever is trying to hurt the Princess will pay with blood." The former admiral looked at the place and scratched his head. During the distraction Ace used his powers to create vapor, and escaped with Luffy.
"The pirates are escaping…" Hina rushed to the door but Kuzan stopped her by the forearm. The ice-man felt dizzy but managed to hold her. "What is that?" He asked.
"Hina must get them." She struggled to get free of Kuzan's grip but it was in vain.
"There is no way you can catch them now, if you chase them they could kill you since the visibility is zero with this vapor. We'll get them together." He said.
"Admiral Aoikiji?… I mean Mr. Kuzan..." Hina stared at him, she was so focused on the pirates that she did not notice the logia type. "Thank you for the help."
"I would go to the end of the world for you." He winked.
"Would you stay there?" Hina rolled her eyes and the former marine explained that he started working for Vivi after his resignation. "Poor Princess." She looked at Vivi with sympathy.
"Anyway, what happened to you?" He looked at Hina with curiosity. "You survived a fight against Fire Fist Ace and Straw Hat Luffy. No offence, but you are not that strong… I assume you took them by surprise and used other tricks, courtesy of Vegapunk." He observed her clothes with detail, earning a slap.
"Hina became stronger, she can use most Rokushiki and she has more control of her devil fruit powers". She said crossing her arms. "The 'tricks' are Dr. Vegapunk's new inventions but they need further testing and Hina is taking care of it." She explained.
"That man is crazy, what is he making you do?" Kuzan's eyes turned severe.
"Hina's gloves have sea-stone dust on the surface and she has sea-stone bullets too." She said. "Hina is requested to take a drug to increase her speed, strength and Devil Fruit powers." She added with a hint of fear, it was clear that she didn't want to do that. Hina would never rely on drugs to become stronger but that was unavoidable.
"Why did you become that Psycho's lab subject?" Kuzan frowned.
"Orders from the Fleet Admiral." She said with her usual professional manners. "Now, Hina would like to call Akainu and the Vice-Admirals on this area."
"Sure." The former admiral sighed. "Kohza, hide the Princess, I'll be in touch with you." He ordered and the blond man left with the girl.
In the New World Akainu was losing his patience, the battleships and Vice-Admirals he appointed were only wasting time, since the Straw Hats didn't show up in the ten days they had been waiting. "Fleet Admiral, Vice-Admiral Hina is on the line." A young marine said.
"What is it?" Sakasuki spoke in a menacing voice.
"Straw Hat Luffy and Fire Fist Ace are in Alabasta..." Hina said and Akainu ended the communication to prepare his battleship and head to Sandy Island.
"I want to see him, he is hurt." Vivi sobbed, she was worried for Ace's health and could not hide it anymore. The Princess called Carue, he would take both of them to Yuba in no time. "He'll be in Yuba, I know." The girl bit her lip too hard that she tasted blood. That gesture gave away how worried she was.
"Emergency, we'll meet at the Oasis." Kohza said through his snail phone. He called the Straw Hats' snail phones and expected them to understand that the Oasis was Yuba. "Do not talk in case we are being spied, the pirates are here and we must protect Vivi with our lives." He ended the communication and the snail rang again.
"Kohza, Vice-Admiral Hina contacted Akainu and the nearby battleships led by Vice-Admirals Dalmatian and Doberman. They will be here soon, so if you see the marines put the Princess' protection on their hands." Kuzan ordered and the communication was interrupted.
"If I see them, that is." Kohza chuckled and looked at Vivi.
"I hope everyone manages to reach Toto's house." She looked at the desert.
Ace and Luffy entered an empty alley. "That was close." The older pirate stopped the bleeding of his wound. "I would be death if it wasn't for you." He smiled.
"I'll kick that marine's ass." Luffy frowned.
"First of all we need to get to Yuba, Vivi and I agreed that we would meet in Toto's house if we get separated by a situation like this. It's a good thing she's so cautious." Ace said.
"You and Vivi…" Luffy started and Ace blushed. "are really smart." The rubber-man smiled innocently and the brothers started their journey.
Brook ended his little concert when his baby snail phone rang. He separated from the crown and listened carefully to Kohza's words. "The oasis…" I don't know what he's talking about. "Yohohoho." He started to sing again.
"Brook." Sanji caught up with his friend and led the way. "I know where to go." The cook wasn't busted, thanks to his wanted poster, but he received Kohza's message and tried to find Nami and Robin but he realized that Brook wouldn't know the meaning.
Franky and Usopp received the message and the sniper explained it to the cyborg, both of them started to move among the crowds and thought that they would make it to the desert but a soldier spotted the unusual human and approached them,
"What's that?" The soldier asked. "Some scrap metal I used to build a statue, I'm an artist and I would love to do a sculpture for the Princess." The sniper lied, he pretended to be pushing Franky with the help of Eyelashes.
"It's cool, anyway have a good day and beware of the pirates, lucky us the marines were nearby and it won't take long before they get to Rainbase." He said. The soldier left so the pirates ran for it and managed to get to the desert.
Nami and Robin encountered a group of soldiers outside the mall and were forced to defeat them. "Clutch." The archeologist said and the enemies fell on their knees. "To Yuba, you said?" She asked and Nami nodded and explained that they went there to stop the Rebels and that Toto gave Luffy special water from that Oasis.
"This situation is bad, we are running into the desert with nothing but the things we purchased. We don't have to worry about water, I can make it rain but the long walk under the sun will be a problem because my clouds won't last that long." Nami sighed.
"I don't get Kohza's call." The swordsman scratched his head as he carried Chopper, the poor reindeer almost passed out due to the climate.
"We must go to Yuba, the oasis that was targeted by Crocodile's sandstorms." The doctor panted. "I heard someone saying that the marines were approaching the city so we better hurry… Not that way." He said when Zoro gave a wrong turn. "I'm pointing in the right direction, How can you miss that?"
Toto received a message from Kohza, the old man was supposed to wait for the Straw Hat Pirates and hide them in his house but only Carue arrived that day. He waited for three days until Ace and Luffy managed to reach the Oasis. Toto treated Ace's bullet wound and gave Luffy all the food he could eat. Robin and Nami arrived hours later, they looked really bad, and their journey in the dessert was too hard for the navigator, who passed out as soon as she entered the house. The next group was Brook, Sanji, Zoro and Chopper, they met halfway to Yuba, and the lack of water was taking effect on them. The last group was Franky, who ran out of cola and carried Usopp and Eyelashes on his back. According to the cyborg, a beast attacked them, hurt the sniper and almost killed the camel.
"This is bad." Chopper said and started to treat all his friends. If his diagnose was accurate everyone would be better by noon.
The next morning Kohza and Vivi arrived at Toto's house. "Ace." The princess gasped and rushed to his side, the pirate was glad to see her and extended his arm to grab her hand, so the girl sat next to him and caressed his cheek. "I'm glad you're ok."
"Guys, let's go to the kitchen, I'm starving." Nami suggested and everyone agreed. Kohza and the Straw Hats, minus Luffy and Sanji, wanted to give them a moment. The captain was actually hungry and the cook was dragged out by Zoro.
"What happened? You are way stronger than Hina." She sobbed and hugged the pirate, feeling his warm skin, since he was not wearing a shirt.
"She took me by surprise. She was not using Haki, yet she could touch me. I could predict her movements but she was too fast, and I was overconfident of my Logia type powers. There's something more… Luffy reacted weird when he touched her." He explained and Vivi told him about the tricks Hina used.
"Remember that you can't die. You promised me." She kissed him and he held her tighter to return the kiss. The girl felt her heart race and caressed Ace's arm until she reached his bandages.
"It took you too long to get here, Carue was here first." He chuckled.
"The soldiers secured the exits of the city to buy time for the marines. So Kohza and I had to hide for two days and let Carue go first since he draws too much attention, we reached the dessert at night and we walked for two days more." She explained and he kissed her again. "Kuzan told Kohza to 'put my protection in the marines' hands if he saw them' so we avoided them." She smiled evilly and resumed the kiss with more intensity.
Nami and Robin were spying on the couple in their own ways, the navigator was peeping on the door and the archeologist made an eye appear on the wall, but both were thinking how cute it was.
"…and that's how the marine was able to fight Luffy and Ace." Kohza explained the source of Hina's power. "Kuzan informed me that Captain Tashigi, the Vice-Admirals Hina, Dalmatian and Doberman are trying to catch you, along with a hundred marines, and Akainu is on his way so I suggest you prepare to leave… but we can't get to Rainbase in plain daylight and you still need to restock your supplies."
"I have a plan." Vivi joined the discussion after having a moment with Ace. She told them her idea and everyone agreed with her, after repeating the plan one more time so that Luffy could understand it, the princess took out a marker and drew an X on her left forearm, the pirates smiled and did the same. It was the symbol of their friendship. Kohza did not take the mark, according to him, that X was the bond between Vivi, Ace and the Straw Hats, The bond between the princess and him was the Suna Suna Clan.
"Will we still be friends if our arm gets ripped off by the enemy?" Robin asked and made everyone shiver.
"Princess, now that we are officially friends… May I see your panties?" Brook asked and Vivi shook her head with an outraged expression.
"Hey, Vivi. That was rude, why don't you insult him?" Zoro smirked hitting Ace with his elbow. "Watch this." He said.
"Mr. Skeleton." Vivi had troubles coming up with insults.
"Is that your idea of an insult?" Ace stared at her in disbelief. "Do you even know how to curse?" He asked and Vivi blushed. "I'll take care of this." He sighed.
"Yea, just try." Zoro laughed and sat nearby to wait for the show.
"A duck." Ace though. "Vivi, this guy with an F is…" He said pointing at Carue.
The princess thought for a second and frowned. "F…" Ace looked at her expectantly. "Farue?" She tilted her head and everyone laughed.
"I give up." Ace sulked in a corner after several failed lessons. Vivi dismissed the scene and turned to Kohza.
"I forgot to tell you, these are the things we'll need." The princess wrote down a list and gave it to her childhood friend. They would need 'stolen' horses and gowns, of course Vivi would pay for them once the Straw Hats were gone. "Can you do it?" She asked more like a joke, since there was nothing Kohza could not do for her.
"Right away." He smirked and left the house. "How can they be so calmed in such a dangerous situation? They really are special." Kohza thought as he went to gather the Princess' requested items. "Vivi is in good hands." He smiled and the girl separated from the group to use a snail phone. Kohza knew who she was calling and laugh at the thought of him helping the Straw Hats, Gedatsu was clueless but very loyal.
To Be Continued
Excuses so you won't kill me:
Ok, I found this video on you tube: Portgas D. Ace Must Die it's a trailer based on the movie John Tucker Must Die and it's so funny but the most important thing is that it's sort of a Vivi/Ace. I personally loved it.
Saveme57: I agree with you. Luffy needs to get in action and he will, I promise.
Son of Whitebeard: I thought the mask was a nice detail (it was Law's idea by the way). And I will bring Sogeking back (just a brief mention) XD
Mikila94: I did mean Tashigi, I'm giving her more 'screen' time because she'll be pretty important latter on.
Thank you guys for your reviews, they mean a lot to me.