Okay, the fight is here. Not much else to say about this one, though.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece
Warnings: Brief Language.
As always, enjoy!
Chopper had allowed the rest of the crew, plus Syla and myself, into the medical room about half an hour before and we all crammed together inside the tiny area as Zoro lay unconscious on the cot. The swordsman's shoulders and torso were wrapped in white bandages and he was still covered in blood and dirt.
Nami was sitting in the chair with the small doctor in her lap. Sanji and Ussop stood behind them, the cook heavily bandaged but still on his feet. Syla was in the corner beside Brook, her arms folded as she avoided looking at any of us and stared at the ground instead. Franky was kneeling in the hallway with just his head poking into the room, since he was too big to be in there with the rest of us.
I was standing between Luffy and Robin, chewing on my lip as my hands clenched into fists at my sides.
Zoro looked too pale, even wrapped in all those bandages. He had lost so much blood already. It wasn't very surprising then that he hadn't so much as twitched since Luffy had carried him back onto the Sunny, limp as a rag doll.
Curling my fingers tighter I gnashed my teeth together and continued my silent vigil over the fallen swordsman with the rest of the Straw Hats. I doubted this was how anyone had planned for the fight to turn out…
-Two Hours Earlier-
She can come with us," Luffy repeated. "After we beat Shogun."
"What?" Nami, Ussop and I all yelled together.
"Luffy, you cant be serious," the sniper tried to reason. "Didn't you hear what she said? The guy is a god. We'd be better to just get the hell out of here while we can."
"I'm with him," I nodded quickly. "You didn't see Shogun, Luffy. There's something…not right about him, believe me."
"I've decided," Luffy hadn't looked at any of us. He was still staring intently down at Syla. "Hey, dragon girl," he called down to her. "We're gonna go beat up that old guy. You in?"
"Leave," Syla insisted. "Just go."
But the captain wasn't listening as he jumped from the Sunny to land next to her on the docks.
"It's no use," Nami shook her head with a resigned sigh. "Looks like we'll just have to defeat a god. Again."
"No," I spun around to see Franky, Brook and Chopper all readying themselves. Ussop had his Kabuto in one hand and Robin was smiling in an eerie manner. "You can't. I already told you, there's something dangerous about Shogun. Something off."
"We're going." Zoro spoke from behind me. "Luffy says we are, so we are." He walked up to stand next to me. "Maybe you should stay here, Renna."
"Like hell!" Sanji glowered at him. "We can't just leave her here by herself, idiot! Use your brain. That would be a perfect opportunity for that Shogun bastard to take her."
"We aren't bringing her along, shit cook!" Zoro snapped back. "Not when we'll be too busy fighting to keep an eye on her!"
"We have to, Zoro," Nami was impatiently clamping together the sections of her Clima Tact. "There really isn't much choice."
"I'm still here, you know," I frowned at them and folded my arms, irritated they were leaving me out of something so important. "Don't I get a say in this?"
"No," all three of them responded at once. "You don't."
I huffed angrily and looked up at Zoro as he grabbed my arm. His jaw was still set, the tension rolling from his shoulders in nearly visible waves.
"Fine," Zoro growled at Sanji before leaning in next to me. "I told you bringing you outside earlier was a bad idea." He shook his head and continued, "Listen, stay close and don't make a move unless I say so. Got it?"
"Got it," I said wearily. This was definitely not my idea of a proper visit; tagging along with the crew as they faced down some kind of twisted demon-god-man and trying not to get killed in the process. I sighed in resignation and held my arms up like a toddler in an attempt to lighten the mood. Zoro shot me a small smirk before lifting me carefully in one arm and jumping from the aft deck to the docks, landing with ease beside his captain.
Luffy was still giving Syla a stern look, hands planted on his hips and head tilted as he stared down at her. "I'm not changing my mind," he was saying. "Not after that creep fought with Zoro and tried to kill Mermaid. We're gonna kick his ass. Are you coming with us or not?"
Syla, still clutching at her right arm, gave a half-smile, half-grimace. "You are dead set, aren't you Straw Hat? You must be just as crazy as I've always heard you were." She laughed without humor. "Alright. I'm in." She let go of her arm and stood up as the others landed behind us, one by one. "I'm going to call back the Lumbra, then. After that we won't have much time, so be ready."
"Let's get to the trees," Chopper put in as he walked toward us with Ussop and Nami. "Away from the town. The less collateral damage the better."
The rest agreed and I ended up walking between Zoro and Syla with Luffy and Sanji ahead of us and everyone else a few steps behind. "Are we really going to do this?" I asked quietly. "Can't we just leave the island and call it a day? I mean, I know he tried to kill me but I'm not dead, so…"
"It isn't about just that," Syla said. "I told your captain about the Gems. If Shogun gets his hands on them, no force in this world will be able to stop him. He will destroy the Grand Line."
"You didn't mention that earlier," I gaped at her and, not paying attention to my tired feet, tripped over a rock in the path and stumbled forward. Both Zoro and Syla caught me, glared at each other and let go immediately. I noticed the looks as I righted myself and had to stop my eyes from rolling at them in exasperation, although I was more than a little worried about how they would handle fighting on the same side, even if it was temporary.
"There wasn't any time," Syla admitted. She was resolutely avoiding looking at the swordsman. "I was too preoccupied with getting you back to your friends to explain fully."
"Do you know where they are?" Zoro asked in a strained tone. He too was keeping his gaze on Luffy's back, not even so much as turning his head to glance at either of us.
"No," Syla answered. "I don't."
"Not very helpful then, are you?" Zoro sneered.
"Zoro!" I glared up at the side of his head. "Stop that! Please, just for now can you try to get along? At least until Shogun is gone?"
"No promises," the swordsman rumbled. His fingers were still wrapped tightly around the hilt of his white sword, his knuckles strained from the force of his hold.
Well, this was uncomfortable, thought as I tried to ignore the tense atmosphere around our group. I had the same feeling of something missing in the story Zoro had told me about Syla murdering the crews of three full galleons in the East Blue. It just really didn't fit with what I had seen of her and, although I would never claim to be an expert on judging people's characters, I was sure I was right about her wanting to protect Zoro. Even if he was being a stubborn ass at the moment.
Before I could remind them again as to why we were here in the first place, Luffy paused on the trail and turned sharply, running off in the direction of the cliffs. "There!" he shouted.
"How does he-" I started in confusion, but Zoro had pushed me into Syla before I could finish the question and taken off after his captain, untying the bandana from his arm as he ran. "Hey! Zoro!"
"Stay back!" he yelled before disappearing into the trees lining the trail.
"Is it Shogun?" I asked before Syla pushed off from the packed dirt and ran in the direction Zoro and Luffy had disappeared, Sanji following a little further down the trail.
"Forget about them for now," Nami had appeared next to me, Clima Tact in hand and a grim expression on her face. "I'm sure they'll be fine. Renna, stay next to Ussop, alright?" She gestured toward the sniper. "He's a long range fighter, so you'll be out of the way."
I figured as much but kept my mouth closed as we made our way off the narrow road and into the tree line. My heart was pounding but I tried to control my shaking as best I could, walking just behind Ussop and in front of Robin with Brook to the left of us. Franky and Chopper were moving along several yards away, both wearing the same expression I had seen on the navigator. Glancing over at the tall skeleton I noticed he was carrying a thin sword in one bony hand and a violin in the other, humming a low tune that sounded suspiciously like a battle march of some kind.
They were ready for the fight. I was ready to break and run.
We reached the other side of the trees much sooner than I would have liked and spotted Luffy, Sanji, Zoro and Syla. They had formed a line with their backs to us, facing a lone figure a dozen paces away from them. It wasn't difficult to recognize the figure as Shogun. The demon man was standing at the edge of the cliff, leering at the four with an expression of distaste on his graying features.
Franky, Brook and Robin walked out of the trees as Shogun began to speak. "I thought you might come back, Roronoa Zoro. You are far too determined to protect a worthless woman to value your own existence, aren't you? How foolish, especially for a swordsman who aims to be the best. Such empathy will only hold you back."
I couldn't figure out if Shogun meant me or Syla but quickly decided it wasn't important as the rest of the crew tensed in anger at his words. Luffy cracked his knuckles in warning and Sanji tapped his toe against the ground, hands in the pockets of his jacket. Zoro had all three swords out of their sheaths and Syla's chains were once again wrapped around her thin arms. I turned at the sound of a click to see Franky raising his left cannon and Chopper setting something that looked like a big yellow marble between his teeth. I knew that at the slightest signal from their captain, they would attack without a second thought.
The signal didn't come from Luffy.
Zoro tilted the blades in his hands and growled in a low rumble that reached all the way back to where I stood in the trees with the sniper. "I told you before, giving Renna over to you won't do a damn bit of good. Try to take her, I'll cut you into pieces. Same goes for Syla."
"I thought as much," Shogun grinned, showing a row of pointed teeth. "It hardly matters to me if you keep the dragon or not, I no longer have need of her. Do what you want with that one. However, I will be taking the witch. Modokai wouldn't have been so keen to protect that girl if she weren't important."
What a bizarre way of looking at things, I thought with a surprising clarity. He didn't even consider the fact that Syla had saved me, not because of any 'ability' I might have, but because she simply wasn't willing to let me die. The idea seemed to have never crossed his twisted mind, which wasn't all that fortunate for me.
But Zoro wasn't having any of it. "Like I said," he snarled around the hilt of the katana in his mouth. "Touch her and I'll kill you."
Shogun gave a venomous smile. "If you can." He made a kind of gesture that I couldn't quite make out from where I still stood next to the sniper, but the reaction was instantaneous.
Zoro charged forward without warning and the other three followed closely.
The fight itself was not much more than a blur to me, most of the movements too fast to follow. I watched as Zoro's first attack was deflected with ease and Luffy's fist missed its mark. Sanji was nearly thrown off the cliff when his leg, rolling with bright red flames, bounced forcefully off Shogun's blade and he was only saved when one of Syla's chains flew after him and he pulled himself back with it just in time.
Luffy began to glow and steam rolled from his skin as he called Gear Second into play. He attacked again furiously, but Shogun was ready for it and the captain's fist connected with nothing but hard ground. Shogun had moved so quickly no one had seemed to see him do it and he now stood directly in front of Syla. I didn't even have time to draw a breath before he swung both blades down toward her head before she could call back her chains to block it.
A deafening clang rang out from the cliff-top and suddenly Zoro was between them, all three of his katana halting Shogun's brutal attack as he shoved Syla back and out of the way with a fierce snarl at the demon man.
Then someone hit the slow motion button on Life. Luffy and Sanji were charging from opposite directions; Syla was quickly wrapping the chains up and around her small frame for a counter attack; Zoro was still holding Shogun at bay. The world exploded around us in a howling frenzy of light and pulsing waves and I couldn't see anything for several seconds, my ears ringing painfully as I crashed into a nearby tree before being thrown to the ground.
I came back to my senses as Ussop hauled me to my feet, one arm around my shoulders and the other holding Kabuto out like a shield. He was cursing fluently under his breath as he dragged me through the trees, not back the way we had come but further along the tree line, perpendicular to the cliffs. I heard the words 'suicidal moron' and 'bat-shit crazy swordsman' and my legs began to grow numb.
I turned to look at the place where the group had been only moments before. There was nothing left but charred ground and crumbling stone.
"What happened?" I gasped. "Where are they?" From the corner of my eye I could see Chopper bounding away in the same direction we were heading and Nami running full-sprint behind him. Franky and Robin were already far ahead with Brook.
"Stupid bastard!" Ussop hissed. "He took a direct hit!" The sniper's usually almost clownish voice was rough with worry, and I knew that whatever the current situation was, it wasn't good.
"Who?" I asked shrilly. "Was it- Oh, no! Zoro!" That's right. The swordsman had been only a foot in front of Shogun just before the explosion. My feet seemed to take on a life of their own as I gained some strength in my exhausted body.
"Stay behind me, Renna!" Ussop snapped. "It won't help anything for you to go tearing into the middle of that!" He let go of me to switch Kabuto to his other hand and reach into his bag for ammunition. "Just stay back!"
I really didn't have any complaint with that order. What could I possibly do but get in the way? Instead I moved behind the sniper and followed him step for step, trying very hard not to hyperventilate.
Before I knew what was happening we were nearly on top of the fight. Ussop kept to the trees and began firing off powerful shots from Kabuto, still swearing quite colorfully. Peeking out from behind his shoulder I nearly fell over again in shock.
The Straw Hats were attacking what looked like a giant, roiling mass of black lava as it struck out at each of them in turn with razor-sharp points that sprung out and solidified at various intervals. The mass pocked here and there as Franky fired at it repeatedly and Syla and Brook were running around the weird sphere, avoiding the deadly spikes and striking whatever they could reach. Robin's arms were crossed, teeth bared in an uncharacteristic snarl and Chopper rammed the mass from several different angles as he roared in fury. Nami was shrieking incoherently, striking at it with a Thunder Tempo again and again, and Luffy howled with a voice that echoed with more than just rage.
Their reactions to the randomly spiking ball seemed a little odd until I realized with a heart-stopping jolt that Zoro was not among them.
He was inside that churning death-trap.
"Get out of there!" I screamed in horror, hardly aware of anything but the ground under my feet. "Zoro!"
As if in answer to my pleading the bubble burst at the top and Zoro flew out, soaring several feet through the air before hitting the ground with a painful thud and rolling to a stop. He didn't move.
"Get up!" I shouted. "Zoro! Move!"
"Look out!"
The crew turned at Syla's warning and darted back simultaneously as the mass began to shrink and condense, glowing around the edges with a malicious light. Luffy landed next to Zoro and tried to wake his swordsman with a frantic yell and several half-finished threats. Still, Zoro didn't budge.
Inch by inch the mass pulled itself in until the tall, thin figure of Shogun was just visible inside the sickening light.
"Move back! Now!" Syla ordered sharply. "He's going to attack!" She grabbed Nami around the waist as she passed the other girl and darted away, heading for the trees. The others followed quickly.
I watched in frozen, mind-numbing terror, my eyes glued to the scene as the ball of black light began to expand again with a speed I had never seen before in my life. The others were still within range. They weren't going to make it to the forest before the next explosion.
I was aware of another shout, loud and sharp, and Zoro was in front of Shogun once more. Somehow he had regained consciousness and gotten past Luffy before anyone had even realized it. The three katana were now spinning fast enough to blur as the swordsman pushed into the demon and the explosion without so much as a moment's hesitation, sending both men tumbling off the cliff as the force of Shogun's attack hit the rock face instead. The ground shattered and crumbled behind the Straw Hats but they ran on and reached the safety of the trees just in time, turning to look for their green-haired comrade.
Luffy got to him first and with a quick reach and a sharp tug the swordsman was back on the ground beside the tree line, covered in gashes and blood and completely motionless. Amazingly he still held his katana in a death grip. Luffy reached down to dislodge the swords before turning to the doctor.
Chopper needed no prompting to get to work. "We have to move him back to the ship," he said, voice quivering. "It's bad. He blocked the explosion with his body. I have to treat him immediately." He began hovering over Zoro's broken form and I figured it was only through practice that he wasn't shaking as he checked several of the deeper injuries. "His heart is barely beating," he reported with the same tremor. "I don't think he's breathing, either."
Sanji was now cursing along with Ussop and Nami looked very close to tears. Franky wasn't too far off either. Brook and Robin didn't say anything.
"Best move him now, then," Syla murmured. She was even more pale than usual, which was definitely saying something, and appeared drained to the point of falling over. Her hand was clamped around her right arm once again. "Shogun is gone. I can't feel him anywhere on the island either, but I seriously doubt he is dead." She was leaning against a tree for support, the fingers of her other hand digging into the bark until they bled.
"Gone to the next island most likely," Robin nodded in an absent-minded manner. "That would be the best route for us to take as well, then." Her bright eyes swept the group and landed on the captain.
But Luffy wasn't listening anymore. He bent down and scooped Zoro off the ground, running to the ship with a speed driven by fear and anger. Chopper followed at his heels in his reindeer form.
I couldn't move. My legs felt as hollow as if they were filled with air and hardly seemed attached to the rest of me at all. I couldn't even begin to process what had just happened and before I could go after the others, turned and heaved behind the nearest tree. Coughing harshly I eventually straightened to see Ussop waiting for me with a hard, set look I had rarely seen him wear. He stepped forward and picked me up without a word, Kabuto tucked into the strap of his bag, and we made our way to the Sunny as fast as possible.
I couldn't believe he had done it. I really couldn't. Although I knew Zoro was obsessively protective of his crew mates I never imagined he would go so far without having some kind of back-up escape route for after the counter attack. I figured he would have learned his lesson by this point in their journey. Apparently he hadn't, and now the Straw Hats were very close to losing one of their number. But it wasn't over just yet.
I was clinging stubbornly to the faith that the doctor could fix anyone, no matter how bad the injuries, and had done so on several occasions before now. Still, it was difficult not to think the worst and eventually I allowed my brain to shut down as we reached the ship and waited for any news from Chopper.
Now, as I looked down at the unconscious swordsman I was fighting back a strong wave of rage I doubted I had ever felt in my life.
Wake up, you unbelievable idiot, I chanted silently as my fingers found Robin's and held on tight. You had better wake up…