Oh man, finally finished. I apologize for the lateness but this chapter gave me soo much trouble. And then my internet went out on wednesday which was kinda good cause I wasn't finished anyway and just... jeez.
Anyway, we are now onto the next chapter. Time to wake Luffyko up and get the ball rolling towards her fight vs Kuro. There are a lot of parts of this chapter I enjoyed writing, especially ones with Zoro and Luffy. I'm having fun with them. I cannot take full credit for the idea of Usopp being forced to confess to Kaya. Again, that is an original idea from the lovely Pen-Woman.
To all my reviewers, I love you guys!
A special shout out to Galymed: I am so thankful that you decided to give this story a chance and I am happy that you are enjoying it. I've already got a basic draft of the original idea I plan to add after the alabasta arc but that's still a ways away. And I have already sworn to many people that I will not abandon this. I have friends who are willing to hunt me down if I do so no worries. XD
A big thanks to Shirani-Chan, Jadecraze, Kaima, Vampirefreak4eterity, and Vampchick2010 for their awesome reviews and continued support.
Onward!
This is not completely my story. Some conversations and parts have been borrowed from other Fem!Luffy and LuffyxZoro fanfictions. However, most of this has been completely redone and rewritten by me. When we get to the Baratie arc and the fight of Luffy vs Kreig it will no longer have bits or ideas from other fanfictions and will be completely my writing.
The authors I have borrowed ideas from are: Pen-Woman, ChemGirl, and Killjou. (If someone thinks I have added some of their story, I apologize for not listing you. PM me and I will add you) Please read the original fanfictions as well. They are brilliantly done and I bow to the authors that wrote them!
Beta reader for Pen-Woman is TheBlackSeaReaper.
One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda
Kaya's Life and Death Confrontation
How could have you done this to me.
I woke up. It was over, finished and I was reaching for thin air. I am crushed. There is no pain quite like the pain you can inflict. I knew better. I did not ask or want to but somehow you became the sun in my sky. Cruel, beautiful, consuming, dazzling and intense; you were the perfect dreamer. You were full of high ideals. You knew my thoughts with a mere glance.
You were my strength. You were my comfort. You were my down fall.
I want my misery to be yours. I want every minute spent on tears to drag into hours of racking sobs for you. I want you to never find the comfort you deny me. I want you to never find the love you deny me. I want this restless emptiness to haunt your nights and the bitterness I feel when I hear the word love to come reside with you.
I want to hate you. I want to despise you. I want to forget you ever existed. I want to know some day I will find what was ripped from away from me, except I want it to be real.
Someday I will achieve all of my greatest dreams, and for all the hearts you wasted you will suffer your own dark end. I only pray I see your end before I forget where to begin again. At last I know how to move on; forgiveness for pain is my healing drug.
.by Samantha Bennings.
The Black Cat Pirates, known throughout the East Blue as the most fearsome, murderous, and ferocious band of pirates ever encountered; pirates who attacked without remorse, plundered towns like mindless barbarians and stole whatever they could lay their claws on. They showed no fear in the face of any form of enemy except for one... their very own Captain Kuro. He was the man who had given birth to the Black Cat Pirates,5 the man they feared more than anything or anyone.
Captain Kuro of a Thousand Plans stood at the top of the slope, his form intimidating and powerful, reminding them all of how he had looked 3 years ago when he was still captain of the Black Cat pirates. He glared down at his crew of pirates, his expression furious. Internally he was seething. Jango, Sham, Buchi, and the other crew members could do nothing but tremble in fear and barely concealed panic under the heated gaze of their Captain. They were frozen, unable to even think of running away, unable to speak even a single word; all they could do was silently pray and beg that their ruthless captain would spare them.
Even Zoro felt a shiver of apprehension go through him when Kuro's gaze slid over him before continuing on, the presence Kuro was letting off was nothing like how he had been at the mansion. He felt dangerous now and he tensed slightly as Kuro turned to glance at Usopp. The long-nosed teen shifted in front of Luffy a little more, his legs shaking and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He was scared, probably even more scared than the pirates were, and he cursed under his breath. Everything had taken a turn for the worse since the Nyaban Brothers had shown up. Luffy had been knocked out by Jango's spell and they didn't know when she'd wake up, Zoro was fighting at a disadvantage against the Nyaban brothers and was injured, and Nami's shoulder was badly hurt because she had tried to get Zoro's swords back. Add Captain Kuro to the mix and it looked like the Straw-Hat Pirates luck had run out. After another minute of troubled silence, Captain Kuro spoke, startling everyone in the area.
"Never would've thought that you guys would have trouble dealing with these brats," he muttered, dropping his weapons bag at his side, the sound of it hitting the ground loud in the tense silence,
"The Black Cat Pirates aren't what they used be." Kuro continued, pushing his glasses up with the palm of his hand, eyes narrowing and veins appearing on his forehead as he focused on his first mate before taking a deep breath.
"Eh? JANGO?!"
"B-but...… Didn't you say... that these p-pesky ki-kids wouldn't be a pro-problem?" Jango stuttered, still flinching slightly from the force of Kuro's shout. He started to chuckle slightly, a habit he did when he was nervous.
"Yes, I did. So what?" Kuro snorted, pointing at Usopp with one hand but not taking his gaze off of the hypnotist. "I knew they would come and try to stop us. But what I did not expect was... that you fools would all be so damn useless!" He shouted the last sentence, his whole body starting to shake with anger. His plan had already been delayed and here he was, having to argue with his idiot of a first mate. If they did not hurry than everything he had done would be wasted.
"I-I we…I... use... useless?" Jango stuttered, still trying to explain the situation they were in to his captain. He was interrupted when Sham spoke up, having had enough of being insulted.
"Who are you calling useless?"
"How dare you say that, Captain Kuro!" Buchi added, joining his brother in glaring up at Kuro.
Zoro turned his gaze from Kuro to glance back at the Nyaban Brothers, watching as they started to click their claws together, miming the attacks they were itching to perform. They snarled up at their captain and the swordsman had to admit, they were either really brave or they really wanted to die and judging from the aura he could feel coming from Kuro, it was going to be the latter.
"It's true that you were strong once before... but that's a three year old tale. When you were fooling around in this village, we weren't just hanging around doing nothing!" Sham yelled.
"That's right! We've pillaged countless villages and defeated many pirate crews," Buchi added, body starting to shake as his anger mounted.
"…What are you implying?" Kuro inquired calmly, staring down at the two and speaking in a relaxed tone, as if they were discussing the weather and not preparing for a potential attack.
"AFTER THESE THREE YEARS, DO YOU..."
"HAVE ENOUGH SKILLS LEFT TO BE ABLE TO WIN AGAINST US?!" Both looked crazed, eyes wild and faces twisted into angry smirks as they shouted at their captain. The two charged past Zoro, surprising the green-haired swordsman and he turned as they passed, curious to see what they'd do but also a little apprehensive. After all, Usopp and Luffy were up there, mere feet from Kuro.
"Stop! Sham, Buchi!" Jango commanded, watching the two charge, completely horrified. He knew they couldn't beat Kuro, there was no way, but they refused to listen to his command.
Sham just crossed his arms like a vertical 'X' as he moved, ready to sink his claws into his Captain's body, and Buchi held his claws out to the sides like a monster, also preparing to rip his former captain into pieces. As they neared the top of the slope Captain Kuro grabbed the handles of his bag, his move already set and just waiting for them to get a little closer.
"You're not our Captain anymore!" shrieked Sham, looking even more wild as he approached the former butler.
"Sorry, but we're gonna attack you now." Buchi added.
As Sham and Buchi crested the top of the ridge, mere feet from Kuro, the captain lifted his bag into the air and held it above his head. They were close enough now. He moved onto his tiptoes and started to move his feet in a fast paced manner from side to side, tapping lightly against the ground, looking as if he wasn't even touching it. Sham and Buchi grinned darkly, thirsting for blood, as they finally reached Kuro and slashed their claws across his chest in the same X pattern they used on Zoro. As their claws cut through fabric, both expected to see blood coating their hands and spilling across the path, their former captain dropping to the dirt ground lifelessly. Instead, they saw that their attack had only shredded the bag that Kuro had been carrying and that their captain was nowhere in sight. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air. Zoro let out a stunned gasp at the speed in which the former butler had moved and was shocked when Kuro suddenly appeared in front of him, swaying slightly. His back was to Zoro, his hands covered with black furred gloves. As the end of each finger was a long, but thin bladed katana. The were similar to Sham and Buchi's cat claws but unlike those, the blades on these were made with a material strong enough to chop a mountain as if it was made of butter.
The claw katanas began to slide out of the sheathes that had covered them, Zoro watching with a mix of shock and curiosity.
"When did he get behind them?! And that weapon..." He muttered, eyes narrowing.
Sham and Buchi were still frozen in shock, in the same positions from when they had finished their attack. They shouldn't have been surprised though, they knew how fast their former Captain was. It always appeared as if he teleported himself when he moved.
"Who…who did you want to kill?" Kuro asked calmly, crossing his arms so that the blades pointed up towards the sky, clinking them together before spreading all ten out. Sham and Buchi quickly turned, even more furious because of their captain's easy mockery. As they moved, they prepared to attack again but right before their eyes, Kuro was back on the balls of his feet and dancing from side to side before vanishing completely. The only sound left behind was the rattle of the bell at Buchi's neck.
"He's gone," Sham cursed, starting to get a little worried.
Jango watched the deadly display playing out in front of him and mumbled to no one in particular. "It's appeared, there's no doubt about it, the Pussyfoot Maneuver." Nami, still awake and laying silently near Jango's feet, frowned as the hypnotist talked before turning her head so she could back up the slope.
"The…Pussyfoot Maneuver?" She muttered.
Sham and Buchi were keeping on high alert, looking from side to side for any sign of Kuro but it was proving to be difficult. Kuro's movements were fast and he continued to dance around the slope, making him hard to pinpoint even if you could see him. He was moving at speeds that equaled 50 meters in four to five seconds, making it impossible for the Nyaban Brother to see where he was. Even Zoro was having a hard time following the former butler. The swordsman gritted his teeth, annoyed. This guy could prove to be a bigger problem than he had thought.
After another few seconds of bated breath, Captain Kuro finally slowed down and emerged from his vanishing act right behind the Nyaban Brothers, draping one arm around each brother and pulling them in, using his ten katana to cage them like animals. He blades on each thumb pointed up towards their faces giving the, no room to move, even if they had dared to. Instead, their bodies trembled with uncontrollable fear as they stared down at the blades that adorned Kuro's hands, blades that had sent thousands of marines and pirates to their deaths.
"You guys were right,"Kuro said darkly, the look on his face frightening the brothers more than the blades at their throats, for Kuro looked even worse than a devil.
"I'm not as fast as I once was," he continued on, ignoring the sniveling and the tears that had started to pour down Sham and Buchi's faces. Nami gasped at the sight before her, unable to believe that Kuro had taken them down so easily.
'I can't believe it, Zoro was having a tough time fighting them using only one sword, yet he easily…'
Their strengths were different. Zoro had an almost inhuman level of strength and incredible precision when it came to swordplay but Kuro had an extremely high level of agility and speed to counteract the physical strength he lacked. It was how he had cornered the Nyaban brothers before they could even move.
'That man's Pussyfoot Maneuver is a... silent movement technique. Even if you had fifty assassins, he can kill `em all without anyone noticing anything. It's impossible for us to escape from his plans' Jango thought, gripping his hat with one hand as a sort of comforting gesture as he stared at his captain and watched him move. Jango's thoughts quickly shifted from the attack to a remembrance of when he had first arrived at this island and met up with Kuro after all that time. The way his captain had pushed up his glasses with the palm of his hand, an uncommon way to adjust them.
'After three years, seeing that old habit of his, makes my hair stand on end. The way he adjusted his glasses with the palm of his hand, as if he still wore his Cat Claws. Avoiding all possibility of scratching himself…this proves he never forgot how to fight!' Jango started to sweat, taking a reflexive gulp as he pulled himself out of his thoughts and back to the present. His crew was also sweating, having come to the same conclusion as the hypnotist. They all knew how important this plan was and because they had disrupted it, they were going to face their Captain's wrath.
Nami pushed herself to her feet as the pirates remained frozen, waiting for Kuro's next move. Usopp and Zoro also had their eyes on the Black Cat captain. Zoro watched the former butler with a glare, waiting to see what he'd do next and already trying to prepare ahead for the attack he knew was coming. Usopp remained on the ground to Kuro's left but brought his legs underneath him so that he was partially kneeling, preparing to move if Kuro turned his gaze to him.
A vein appeared on Kuro's forehead and the man let out a huff, letting his eyes slide closed and smirking.
"I've become more humble... after staying on this island for three years," he said, the katanas on his thumbs inching their way into the Nyaban brothers open mouths, causing them to start crying louder. "I'll give you five minutes." His eyes snapped open and to everyone's surprise, Kuro released the Nyaban Brothers, moving his cat claws away from them and taking a few steps back. The brothers stumbled forward, taking deep, gasping breaths, unable to believe that they were still alive but very thankful for the fact.
"If you don't finish them off in five minutes…then all of you here…will be killed by me!" Kuro raised his claws, giving the entire crew a dark look that said he would follow through with his statement with no hesitation or remorse. Many of the crew started to sweat again, panicking even though they had just been happy to see Kuro release the Nyaban Brothers. Even if they were spared for now, they would still die if they couldn't get rid of the brats blocking their path. Jango let go of his hat, still shaking but starting to chuckle a little hysterically at the same time.
"Five minutes... Ahh! We'll manage somehow with those five minutes. Ahh, it's him!" Jango pointed at Zoro, who still stood halfway up the slope. "If we beat him, then we'll be able to get past this slope!"
Zoro glanced at him, noticing Nami standing behind the hypnotist. Though she was holding her shoulder, she appeared to be alright for which he was thankful. Even if the orange-haired girl was a witch, she had been trying to help him and she had helped Luffy multiple times in the past, so he was glad that Jango's attack hadn't seriously injured her. He clenched his sword tighter in his left hand, turning his mind back to the fight and readying for another round vs. the Nyaban Bothers, and as if on cue, Sham and Buchi charged at Zoro again.
"The guy who's barely able to fend off our attacks…" Buchi yelled, raising his claws as he prepared his attack.
"We'll finish him in five seconds!" Sham finished cockily, his expression crazed. They would take this idiot, love-sick, swordsman down easily because if they didn't... Both turned to nod at each other before glaring back at Zoro. They refused to face Captain Kuro again and if beating the green-haired teen prevented that then there wouldn't be a single piece left of him when they were done.
"We're counting on you! Nyaban Brothers!" Jango yelled, sensing the mood the two fighters had sunk into. If they couldn't stop the swordsman than Jango would be forced to take over and he wasn't confident that he could move fast enough to dodge the teen's attacks long enough to counterattack. Out of the corner of his eye, drawing him out of his thoughts, he saw the orange-haired girl he had attacked before pass by him, walking determinedly up the slope. Gritting her teeth against the pain in her shoulder, Nami slammed one foot down on the swords, the weight forcing the other end of the swords up off of the ground and allowing her to get her other foot underneath them so she could kick the swords towards the first-mate.
"Zoro!" she yelled, trying to get his attention. Hopefully, this would turn the battle in their favor. Jango just watched as the swords flipped through the air, his mouth hanging open in shock.
"What?!" How could he have let that bratty girl slip past him?! He knew of Zoro's reputation, the demon bounty-hunter of the East Blue. It was why he told Sham to take away his swords, without them they would actually have a chance against him. Now that the orangette had returned them... five minutes might not be enough time anymore.
"Why you!" Zoro yelled angrily, wide eyes watching the path of his swords. "Don't go kickin' my katanas!"
"Where's my 'Thank you'?" Nami hissed, face covered in sweat from the pain of moving around so much, it was jostling her injury and making her feel a little lightheaded.
Zoro just ignored her, tossing the sword he held into the air before jumping up so he could grab the hilts of the two swords she had kicked towards him. He spun as he landed, the momentum pulling the swords from the sheathes and sending them off to the side. Zoro couldn't be bothered to figure out where they had landed at the moment. He turned to Nami and gave her a small smirk, hefting his Wado Ichimonji in his left hand so he could place it in his mouth.
"Thank you," he muttered, catching his last sword, the one he had tossed, in his now free hand. He settled into a fighting stance as the Nyaban Brothers neared, neither of them understanding that the fight had suddenly turned in Zoro's favor.
"No use! Useless!" Sham exclaimed.
"Even if you have three of `em... the results' still the same!" Buchi added, raising his claws and preparing to strike the swordsman down. One sword or three swords, the teen was still injured and had been on the defensive for their entire fight, he hadn't laid one scratch on Sham or Buchi and there was no way that he would suddenly start now.
As if he hadn't heard their words, Zoro spun his swords, loosening himself up, before angling the two in his hands behind Wado, holding them vertically, the tips pointed towards the ground, perpendicular to the Wado's horizontal hold in his mouth.
"Tiger..." He began, glaring darkly at the two in front of him. The Nyaban brothers had given him nothing but trouble since the start of this whole fight, and they had even targeted his captain. Even though he was honorable and didn't much care for killing and bloodshed, he would kill these two. He would make sure they could never bother Luffy or him again.
"You guys don't get it." As Zoro charged them both brothers swore they could see the image of a tiger's head appear behind Zoro, almost like a mirage on a hot summer's day. Within the blink of an eye it was gone, as was Zoro, his attack striking them before they had even noticed him move.
"Hunt!" Zoro swung the two swords forward in a descending slash, catching both brothers in the chest and leaving three large claw marks on each of them. The momentum continued to carry the Nyaban brothers forward even though both were obviously out of commission, and Zoro was left kneeling on the ground as they passed him, the two swords in his hands pointed forward and a cloud of dust sweeping from him as evidence of the strength of his strike.
Captain Kuro continued to watch from the top of the hill, his eyes narrowing slightly but completely unconcerned by the sudden chain of events.
"Four minutes to go." He didn't care if his crew managed to take down the swordsman in time, either way he would be the one to kill them all and he was looking forward to it with a kind of sick excitement.
"Using three swords and three sword techniques are…totally different things," Zoro added, turning to grin at the bodies of the Nyaban brothers as they crashed to the ground in front of Jango and Nami. He felt a dark sort of satisfaction at the sight. 'That was for Lu, you sons of bitches.' His gaze turned away from the defeated pirates to the grassy overhang next to the slope where Usopp still sat with a sleeping Luffy. 'Lu...' His chest tightened slightly at the sight of her still unconscious and he quickly shook his head. Now was not the time to get sentimental, the hypnotist and the butler were still there and he was the only real fighter left on their side. He had to protect their friends, Luffy'd never forgive him if he didn't.
The Black Cat pirates that had been watching the fight from the beach were left completely flabbergasted at the sight of their two strongest men being defeated by one swordsman, and with only one strike! Usopp stared down at Zoro, amazed by the Swordsman's incredible skills. Even though he was rough around the edges and kinda scary, Usopp was coming to respect him more and more as he watched him fight. He could understand now why Luffy put so much trust in her first-mate, he was incredible.
"Incredible..." Jango breathed, staring down at his two defeated fighters. He had heard the stories of Pirate Hunter Zoro's abilities but to see them in person...
"Only a single strike..."
Buchi stumbled to his feet, barely alive, and took a few steps towards Jango, startling Nami and causing the orangette to move back out of his way. He had moved less than 2 feet when he collapsed again, too injured to go any further.
'He defeated the Nyaban Brothers with a single strike? Just like the raven-haired girl. Just who the hell are these kids?!' Jango eyed the crouching Zoro warily, watching as he slowly rose to his feet, deep, claw-like, grooves in the ground around him, the aftermath of his incredible attack.
"Don't worry!" Zoro chuckled, pointing one sword at Kuro, who still watched from the top of the slope. "In less than five minutes, there won't be anyone left. I'll take care of `em all." The swordsman stepped back into a fighting stance, ready to take on Kuro next. If he could get rid of the butler than the others would likely give up. He needed to take him down before he started to get tired or his wound got worse. Plus, he had made a promise to the butler when they first met. He said he would kick his ass if he hurt or got in Luffy's way, and he was more than ready to pay the creep back.
Kuro just smiled, the expression crazed and more than a bit creepy as he adjusted his glasses again. But as soon as the smile appeared, it was gone, and Kuro's emotionless mask was back in place.
"Three minutes to go," He said, words cutting like ice through the injured group of pirates. Even Zoro cringed slightly at the dark tone in his words. Kuro really was nothing more than a stone-hearted killer. Jango, who was watching his Captain and the green-haired swordsman exchange words, jumped slightly when a large hand wrapped around his ankle, yanking him forward slightly. He glanced down and his eyes widened in shock at the sight of who had grabbed him. Buchi was still alive, if only barely, and was holding onto Jango as if his life depended on it.
"That bastard…I'll kill him!" Buchi choked out, words barely audible as he struggled to breathe. He coughed, blood dripping from his mouth and other wounds, the movement causing the bell at his neck to jingle. "Captain… Please hypnotize me." With the last of his strength Buchi lifted his head and Jango was shocked to see tears streaming down his face. He didn't know if it was from the stinging pain of the injuries that the swordsman had inflicted, sadness towards the likely death of his brother, or fear toward the Captain that would surely kill him if time ran out.
"Please... Captain," The large cat-man begged.
Kuro glanced over Zoro's shoulder, and narrowed his eyes. "He's still alive," he muttered, having noticed Buchi's movements and heard his quiet plea. The former butler glanced back at Zoro and scoffed, adjusting his glasses once more.
"Guess you're a bit soft." Zoro glanced back slightly, still keeping and eye on Kuro and watched as Jango knelt in front of Buchi.
"He was probably saved by all that fat." With a sigh, the swordsman turned away from Kuro, knowing that the fat cat-man was planning on standing back up and trying to fight him again but froze when he saw what Jango was doing. The current captain of the Black Cat pirates had his hypno ring out and was currently swinging it from side to side, hypnotizing Buchi. Right before their eyes, the cat-man's body began to twitch and expand, his shoulders doubling in size, growing bigger and more ferocious with every passing second, his shirt nearly ripping as it was stretched over new muscles. Zoro's eyes widened as he watched the horrific show and his mouth even widened in shock, causing him to drop his prized sword, not even noticing as it landed at his feet.
Buchi turned to face the stunned swordsman, his teeth sharpened into big fangs, and his eyes large and wild, no sign of an iris or any color beyond pure white. Jango's hypnotism had made Buchi stronger to where his wounds no longer bothered him, as if they weren't even there, and he was ready to take revenge on the green-haired teen. The large cat-man took two steps towards Zoro, the movements cracking the ground under his feet and he raised his arms in the air, an almost inhuman roar escaping him.
"Get him, Buchi!" Jango ordered, a smug smirk on his face. He was positive that they would win this time. No matter how strong Zoro was, he knew that the green-haired swordsman didn't stand a chance against a super-human Buchi.
Nami gritted her teeth in annoyance, the situation had turned against them again. 'This hypnotist is turning out to be a lot more trouble than we originally thought. We need a new plan.' Her eyes quickly slidfrom side to side as she tried to quickly think up a new strategy before she finally stopped and glanced up at Luffy. 'We're all fighting and our idiot of a captain is asleep,' she thought angrily, deciding on her plan of action. She needed to wake the raven-haired girl up now before Zoro got pummeled.
"Hypnosis again, eh?" Zoro hissed, even more annoyed than he had been earlier. He glanced down at his Wado and slid the toe of his boot under the blade, keeping one eye on the still screaming Buchi.
'He's gonna be more of a pain now. He tore the ground apart in his original state and then Jango just had to go and flip the psycho switch.' Annoyed, Zoro kicked his sword up into the air and leaned forward, grabbing the hilt between his teeth as it spun, the motion so fluid it looked almost natural. He settled into his fighting stance, his two swords angled to protect him if needed, eyes narrowed and ready for the coming attack.
"What is he able to do after powering up?" He mumbled under his breath, watching as Buchi began to stomp his way towards him, every movement causing more cracks to appear in the ground.
Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to move, Nami quickly darted past Jango and skirted the edge of the pathway in an effort to avoid Buchi and Zoro's fight, eyes focused solely on Luffy's position.
"Chance! I have to go and wake her up!" she muttered to herself as she neared the top of the slope. Jango watched the orangette's movement, eyes narrowing behind his heart-shaped sunglasses.
"What are you going to do this time? …what a troublesome girl." He muttered, starting to swing his hypnotic ring in a circle, building up momentum and moving faster and faster until the whole thing looked like a blurry circle. Zoro noticed Jango's movements, a little worried about what the hypnotist was planning. They had underestimated him this entire fight and it had come back to bite them multiple times. He wouldn't do it again.
Nami crested the top of the slope and turned towards Luffy right as Jango twisted his body, sending the spinning ring out like a yo-yo, the metal circle breaking free of the string and shooting towards Nami like a bullet.
"You're the one who always wants to fight but I'm the one having to do all the work so WAKE UP!" Nami shouted, stumbling forward and slamming her fist into Luffy's face.
"Nami! Watch out!" Zoro yelled, momentarily losing his grip on the white sword in his mouth. The navigator turned her head at Zoro's shout, eyes widening in fear at the sight of the metal ring shooting straight at her. Time seemed to slow as she watched the ring heading towards her, all other sounds fading out around her.
"I'll split you in two!" Jango said, grinning in satisfaction. He had never missed an opponent with this attack. The orangette was done for and with her, all of the meddling interference that had been causing them trouble.
"Duck!"
'The ring... It's not just a hypnosis tool?' Was the last thing she thought as the spinning ring neared her face, before she squeezed her eyes closed. Suddenly, there were two slim hands on her shoulders, twisting her around and slamming the navigator into the hard ground. Her eyes snapped open and she stared up at Luffy, the raven-haired girl finally awake and pushing Nami out of the path of the weapon, just as the hypnosis ring slammed into the girl's back. It embedded itself deep into Luffy's shoulder blade, causing the girl to stumble forward slightly, losing her grip on Nami's shoulders.
"Luffy..." Nami breathed, horrified.
"Luffyko!" Zoro turned and started to move towards the two injured girls, slamming his black swords into the ground, removing Wado from his mouth as he moved. After only a few steps though he slowed to a stop, letting out a relieved sigh and shaking his head as he watched Luffy slam one foot into the ground and then straighten up, hands clenched into fists at her sides. He really should have known better by now. Even though Luffy was tiny, you really couldn't underestimate her.
The younger girl turned to face Nami, a large red mark on her cheek from where the navigator had struck her and an annoyed expression on her face.
"WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA? YOU CAN'T JUST GO AROUND SMASHING SOMEONE'S HEAD IN LIKE THAT!" She shouted at the orangette, reaching back to yank out the hypno ring, a small wince breaking through her annoyed expression, and stare at it disdainfully. Luffy tossed it to the ground with a huff and stepped on it before crossing her arms and raising one eyebrow at the orange-haired girl, waiting for an explanation.
"IT WAS THE ONLY WAY I COULD WAKE YOU UP, SLEEPING BEAUTY!" Nami shouted back, her eyebrow twitching angrily. Wasn't that exactly what the she-pirate had done to Mayor Boodle back in Orange Town? Luffy could be such an idiot sometimes! "THAT FREAKY WEIRDO HYPNOTIZED YOU AND MADE YOU FALL ASLEEP AGAIN!" Luffy's annoyed expression vanished instantly and she dropped her arms back to her sides.
"Oh, really? Well, if that's the case thanks... But next time could you try to help me another way?! My face is still stinging!" The girl gingerly poked at the red mark on her face, wincing slightly as Nami rolled her eyes at Luffy's childish pout. She smiled after a second, happy Luffy was back in the fight and that she could now relax for a bit. Nami was a little surprised that Luffy was only complaining about the punch and not about the injury to her shoulder that was slowly turning her red vest an even darker burgundy color. The Black Cat pirates watched the two girl's talk, beginning to fidget and whisper amongst themselves.
"That girl woke up!"
"This is bad, with this..."
"There's no way we can finish 'em off in five minutes!"
The Black Cat pirates were still a little scared of that girl and her unusual powers. Even while they were hypnotized she had managed to wipe them out with just one attack. It seemed like this whole fight was a constant game of flip flop and now the Straw-Hats were back in control. They eyed each other warily. This wasn't going to be good.
Zoro just shook his head and sighed, moving back to where he had left his other two swords and resting one arm lightly against them. Seriously... arguing at a time like this. A smile came to his face for a second before he quickly hid it, not wanting anyone else to notice where his thoughts had gone. It was nice to hear the familiar arguing between the two girl's, it proved Luffy was alive and ready to go. Zoro would never admit it out loud, if asked he would take it to his grave, but his heart had skipped a beat when the ring slammed into Luffy. She had faced worse against Buggy, he knew that, but he couldn't help the small response.
Kuro just watched the entire scene unfold in front of him, unamused. Then, Nami let out a small grunt, stopping their bantering mid-sentence, as a wave of dizziness washed over her causing her to lean back from the sitting position Luffy had pushed her into and lay flat against the ground. Worried, Luffy quickly darted forward, not used to seeing Nami look so weak and frail.
"Nami, what happened? Your shoulder's bleeding, are you ok?" She asked, watching as blood slowly began to soak through the white fabric and around the place that Nami was clutching.
"It's nothing, I'm fine," The navigator insisted, waving Luffy off when the girl moved to pull her cream out of her pocket. "I'm fine, Luffy. Anyway, I've done all I can. I'll leave the rest to you." she groaned as another surge of pain shot through her shoulder.
"This battle…we can't lose to them!" Luffy nodded, a small smile coming to her face. She could see how hard Nami had fought, was still fighting.
"Yeah, I'll take it from here," She said, bending down to pat Nami lightly on the shoulder.
"Go for it, Luffy… do it for the … the treasure."
…
…
Luffy sighed in exasperation, her head dropping forward into her hand as she stood back up.
'I should've known' she thought, rolling her eyes at her navigator before sighing again.
"Okay I guess." She conceded, starting to walk past Nami.
"Do it…for the treasure," Nami repeated, raising her hand up and giving the passing Luffy a thumbs up.
"Yeah, yeah, the treasure, I get it." The raven-haired girl shook her head and chuckled slightly before grabbing her hat off of the tree branch she had left it on and placing it back on her head. It really drove her nuts when she wasn't wearing or holding it and if she was gonna fight, then she needed her hat. She had wanted to protect it, it was her original reason for taking it off but she couldn't help it. She just wasn't herself without her hat.
Nodding to herself, she turned and made her way off of the ledge next to the slope and moved to where Zoro stood, still leaning against his swords.
"Nice to see you up and about, Captain," The swordsman teased, shoving the girl to the side in a playful manner and grinning over at her. "Get enough beauty sleep?"
Luffy giggled, tilting her hat back and smirking over at Zoro. "Of course, nice to see that you finally managed to take down that skinny weirdo. And here I was thinking I would have to beat them all by myself."
Zoro mock glared at her before grinning again. After a few seconds though, his expression faded into a thoughtful look, his smile turning sad as he looked at his captain. Even though she was up and moving, looking for all the world like she was at the top of her game, Zoro could see the tired lines around her eyes. She had recovered some and he knew she would be able to handle herself here, but the sight made him angry at himself. If he hadn't fallen for that bastard's stupid trick then she wouldn't have tried to help him, wouldn't have been knocked unconscious, and he...
"I think you made our little swordsman jealous."
"Aw, How cute, he's in love with his captain."
Zoro shook his head quickly, now was not the time to be thinking on that, bringing himself out of his thoughts to see Luffy staring at his injury, one hand raised and hovering just above the marks, biting her lip with worry.
"It's ok Lu, Just a scratch. We can patch it up after." He had learned his lesson about refusing her care altogether but one glance down the slope supported his statement that now was not the time. He gestured with his chin to get Luffy's attention and she nodded, both turning to face their next fight.
While they were talking Jango had moved closer until he was at Buchi's side and was now pulling another hypno ring, 'chakram,' Zoro corrected in his head, from his coat as he spoke to the crazed cat-man next to him.
"Buchi, no time to play around!" The hypnotist ordered, grinding his teeth together angrily as he stared at the two who blocked their path. He pointed one finger at Zoro, causing the teen in question to arch one eyebrow and glare at the two pirates, silently daring them to attack him. "You take care of the swordsman."
The fingers wrapped around the chakram spread out, revealing another bladed ring in Jango's hand, and he grinned darkly. "I'll take care of the bratty straw-hat girl."
"It's about time to kill everyone," Kuro muttered from his place at the very top of the slope. He uncrossed his arms and let them drop to his sides, spreading his fingers out until every blade was clearly visible. His expression and voice were completely emotionless, as if he was talking about something as mundane as the weather and he clinked the blades together, causing all the pirates on the beach to flinch back in fear. Luffy started at the voice behind her and turned halfway so that she could see who was talking but still keep an eye on the hypnotist guy.
"What? That evil caretaker's here too? When did he get here?" She tilted her head to the side and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to remember if she had seen him before she was knocked out. "... after I fell asleep?"
."That brat," Kuro muttered finally taking notice of Luffy standing in front of him. He had seen her laying behind Usopp earlier but had assumed it was just her body. After all, hadn't she fallen off the cliff and died? If she somehow survived... The former butler's calculating expression faded and he smirked devilishly. This girl might actually be worth his time.
"That's fine..." He said, lifting himself onto his tiptoes in preparation of using the Pussyfoot Maneuver again. He would take her down along with everyone else. If she proved to be an entertaining distraction than he might just let her death be quick.
Usopp shivered from his place on the sidelines. He had been quietly watching Kuro the entire time, convinced the butler would try something underhanded and he wanted to be able to give Zoro and the others some advance notice. As he waited, he noticed a flash of color in the corner of his eye, coming from the village path. Confused -as he knew it was not any of the straw hats- he turned to look.
"Don't even think of... " Kuro hissed, having sensed the movement behind him. He started to turn, raising one clawed hand when Usopp finally took in the image before him. The teen's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Kaya -Kaya!- outside of her house and running straight for Kuro, a tan coat covering her blue nightdress. He sprang to his feet, ignoring the pounding in his head and ran towards the sick girl.
'I'm not gonna make it... I'm not gonna make it!'
"Sneaking up on me!" Kuro finished, starting to bring his clawed hand down so he could shred the fool who had been stupid enough to approach him.
"KAYA!" Time seemed to slow for Usopp as he screamed, a powerful burst of energy sudden;y flooding his body and allowing him to close those last crucial feet so he could pull Kaya into his arms. As his momentum caused them both to fall, he turned himself so that his back was completely to Kuro, using himself as a shield against the attack. Kuro's claws scraped across his back, shredding clothes and skin and leaving 5 long and heavily bleeding marks in their place but Usopp couldn't even feel it.
'She's ok. I made it. Thank goodness!'
As time returned and the noises of the outside world began to hit Usopp again, he and Kaya landed on the dirt path, Kaya sprawled on the ground with Usopp laying half on top of her. Kuro's eyes widened as he saw who had snuck up behind him, shock written on his face.
'What! Why is she here?! That brat; she's not supposed to be here.' he thought angrily, his teeth clenching. He quickly masked his shocked expression with an unemotional mask as Kaya began to stir beneath Usopp. Her head hurt because she had landed on the hard ground and she blinked to try and clear the spots from her vision, still unsure as to who had tackled her. All she remembered was seeing Klahadore turn and a flash of silver before... When she was able to focus clearly, she sat up slightly, gasping in shock at the sight of Usopp on top of her. Her expression quickly turned to horror at the sight of the five bleeding gouges across his back.
"Usopp! Please be okay!"
"K-Kaya, wh-at're you d-doing here?" The long-nosed teen asked shakily. The pain was finally starting to hit him and he was having a hard time taking a full breath because of the way it moved his back. Kaya just turned her head away in shame at the question.
"I'm sorry, Usopp. I know that you might never forgive me after what I have done but I just cannot believe that…Kl-Klahadore is a pirate."
"That doesn't matter now!" Kaya looked back at him in confusion.
"Why did you come here? I told you to run away!" As Usopp spoke, Kaya's eyes began to tear up, her lip quivering as she fought back the urge to cry. "He wants to kill you!"
At that, Kaya quickly shook her head, the tears now falling freely down her face. She leaned forward, her expression determined. "BUT, AREN'T YOU STILL FIGHTING!?" She shouted angrily.
Usopp's eyes widened slightly, stunned into silence. Kaya had never raised her voice like that to anyone, he could barely believe his eyes, it was the first time in three years that she had ever taken control of a situation.
Seeing Usopp's expression, Kaya's eyes softened and she lowered her voice as she kept speaking.
"I did such a horrible thing to you. Yet, you're hurt all over and still fighting. That's why..."
"Lady Kaya... Why... are you here?" Kuro asked, putting on a surprised look and softening his voice to the tone he had always used when he was Klahadore. Kaya felt her heart clench in her chest at the sound of his placating tone and she gritted her teeth, anger boiling up from within.
"Please stop… PLEASE STOP THIS, KLAHADORE!" Kaya shouted, glaring up at her butler. Before their eyes, Kuro's expression melted into something that no one had ever seen on him before.… he looked almost heart-broken.
"Merry. told me everything." She sighed, rising to her feet, one hand gripping the front of her coat together in a sort of comforting gesture. A little further down on the slope, Zoro turned to catch a glimpse of the girl in the corner of his eye. He had placed Wado back in his mouth and was holding his two swords calmly at his sides, having been waiting for Buchi to charge him again. However, all the focus seemed to be on the confrontation going on at the top of the slope. After Kuro's attack, Usopp was out of commission and if Kuro decided to attack the girl... he'd have to step in and leave Luffy to block the two weirdos at the bottom of the slope. Zoro didn't much care for that outcome.
Nami was also watching the scene playing out in front of her, shocked that the mild and soft-spoken girl they'd met in the village was now standing up to Kuro, no hint of fear in her eyes.
"Isn't that the lady of the house?" Jango muttered, spinning one of his chakrams lazily around his finger. Having her here was not a part of their original plan. Captain Kuro was not pleased, he could tell that already from the set of the Captain's shoulders.
"So that's the final target of our plan?" A few pirates muttered, glancing among themselves.
"So then, now we don't have to go to the village anymore?"
"We just need to kill that girl, right?" Another asked, earning shrugs and hopeful glances from his fellow crewmates.
Luffy just continued to watch silently from her spot next to Zoro. She was curious to see what Kaya would do. The lady didn't appear to be armed and the kids in the village had told them that she was sick, so why had she come here? She took in Kaya's stance and expression, the determined look on her face. It seemed as if all of Usopp's story telling and lying really had helped her. Kaya was trying to be brave for Usopp and for everyone in the village. Luffy was happy for that at least, but she was forced to put her thoughts aside aside as the girl continued to speak.
"Klahadore, I beg of you! If you want my fortune I'll give it all up. So please, leave this place! Right now!"
"I thank you for the offer… however... there's one other thing that I desire," He replied. Kaya was confused, what more did he want? He'd have the fortune so what more did he need? Kuro smiled frighteningly as he adjusted his glasses.
"What I desire is…peace." His expression softened on the last word, becoming more like the person that Kaya had known for three years, startling the sick girl.
"Peace?" Kaya stuttered, completely perplexed.
"Yes, all I want is peace." His eyes shone with an odd look, like he had finally found something he had been searching his whole life for.
"I've spent three years gaining the trust of all the villagers which made me feel unbelievably comfortable." Kuro explained, remembering the smiling faces of the people, greeting him with open arms, and the children smiling and happily playing with him as he passed.
"Therefore, I'd like to keep this sense of peace with me forever." Kaya understood what Klahadore, or Kuro to be correct, wanted now. He didn't just want her fortune, he wanted the whole village for himself… wanted to make Syrup Village his own sort of hiding spot and retirement location. Someplace he could be in complete control without having to worry about it being disrupted. She took a few steps away from the former butler,her eyes wide with disbelief, and reached shakily into her jacket as Kuro continued.
"Therefore... I must obtain this peace and your fortune." Then he used his cat claws to point back at his subordinates still waiting on the beach, alerting Kaya to their presence.
"That means the pirates will attack this village! Then...," He pointed his other cat claw hand at Kaya, making her flinch slightly.
"You will write your will and die! These two terms are absolutely necessary." As Kuro finished explaining his plan his expression melted into the darkest and most insane look that Kaya had ever seen. It was so frightening that it caused a shudder to run up her spine.
"N... no... he's... he's not Klahadore," she muttered, the hand reaching into her coat shaking as her fingers closed around the object she had hidden there.
Usopp's hand shot out from his place on the ground and wrapped around Kaya's ankle, drawing the girl's attention to the injured teen.
"Run! Run because anything you say to him is useless! Run!" He begged, eyes widening in shock as Kaya pulled a revolver from her coat and pointed it at the man she had once considered a friend.
Kaya..." Usopp breathed, watching her. He knew Kaya had never held a weapon before in her life and he could see her hands shaking violently, her expression screaming that she was afraid to use it, but still she held on and refused to back down.
Kuro just blinked, expression never changing as he stared down the barrel of the gun, indifferent to the girl's pathetic attempt to scare him away.
"Leave... this village!" She stuttered, trying to keep her hand steady and the gun pointed at Kuro.
Kuro sighed dramatically, shoulders shrugging as he did."Oh, you're actually pointing your gun at me."
"Leave now!"
"So that's how it is... You've grown up a lot in these past three years, Lady Kaya." The former butler said softly. As he spoke, Kaya's shaking hands calmed a bit and the barrel of the revolver dropped slightly. She recognized the soothing voice of the Klahadore that she had known, the Klahadore who'd been like an older brother to her.
"Do you still remember? Many things have happened in these past three years," he continued, removing one of his gloves carefully with the other hand.
"Since the time when you'd lay in bed, crying for the parents who had passed away. it's really been quite a while. A long time..." Kuro…no, Klahadore smiled ever so softly, his expression just like she remembered, lifting his hand to adjust his glasses in the same way he always did. Was this really the same Klahadore she knew and loved?
"I still remember…the bad and the good times we've spent together." His eyes glazed over slightly, his expression peaceful and he appeared to be relieving the very memories he spoke of.
"K…Klahadore..." Kaya was on the verge of tears.
"We went shopping together. I nursed you when you had fevers. You were so happy listening to anything I'd say." As he spoke the tears Kaya had been trying to hold back overflowed, memories of all the times they had shared running through her mind. Those had been the happiest moments of her life.
"I gave my all for you." Klahadore approached Kaya slowly, holding out his un-gloved hand cautiously until he was able to wrap his slim fingers around the revolver.
"I have always…yes, always…hated it." The last two words were like the hiss of a very agitated cat, and Kaya saw Klahadore disappear and the dreadful Kuro take over once again.
"Yes, everything was so that... I could kill you one day!" Kaya froze at his words, Kuro easily removing the gun from her limp fingers. Her tears stopped as her eyes widened in shock before returning even stronger as the heartbreak and agony of his words settled in.
"I, formerly known as Captain Kuro, had to wear a smile for a little girl whose nose always sniffled." He stared at the gun disdainfully before tossing it to the side, as if it was a piece of trash. On the ground near them, Usopp had forced himself to his knees, his whole body seething with anger. Kuro hadn't just betrayed Kaya, he had literally broken her heart, and that was unforgivable in his mind.
"No matter how much I hated it, I tried hard to make you happy." Kaya bit her lip to stop herself from crying as Kuro continued, Usopp turning to glare at the inhuman monster as his blood began to boil.
"You bastard."
"Can you imagine, my humiliation of those days? CAN YOU IMAGINE ME, THE FORMER CAPTAIN KURO, DOING SUCH THINGS?!" His cry echoed through the slope, allowing everyone to almost feel the absolute disgust and anger in his words.
Luffy was furious. Her hands were clenched tight at her sides and her eye twitched slightly as she fought to keep herself from screaming. How dare he treat Kaya like this?! How dare he cause a girl to cry and then completely shatter her heart like that?! The fury at his words blazed hot in her chest as she decided right then and there, she would be the one to kick Kuro's ass.
Usopp had had enough of Kuro's insolence, of his callous disregard for Kaya's feelings. He dove for the revolver that Kuro had carelessly thrown near him as the former butler watched with mild amusement, looking completely unconcerned. Usopp spat angrily as he forced himself to his feet, bringing the gun up to aim at his target.
"KURO!" He pulled the trigger but Kuro had already vanished, using the Pussyfoot Maneuver to dodge the bullet as he slipped his remaining Cat Claw back onto his hand.
"Come to think of it, you still..." Then to Usopp's surprise, Kuro was suddenly right behind him, one of his Cat Claws surrounding Usopp's head and holding him still like a caged bird.
"You still owe me a punch in the face."
"Usopp!" Kaya breathed, hands coming up to cover her mouth, as she shook with fear.
"You hit me pretty hard that time." Carefully using one of his claws, Kuro peeled the bandage from his face, revealing the still bruised mark where Usopp had hit him. He caressed it gently with the palm of his hand before smirking cruelly as he thought of an idea.
"Before I slice your ugly face, I think it's time for you to fess up."
"W-what are you…talking about?" Usopp stuttered in confusion. He had no clue what Kuro was suddenly blabbering about and that worried him almost as much as the sharp blades next to his face.
"About…your feelings…for Kaya." Usopp's eyes were suddenly wider than saucers as realization dawned on him.
'How the fuck did he know?' Kaya felt like she had been punched in the gut and she quickly turned to stare at Usopp.
"W-what?"
"Oh Kaya, such a naive child," Kuro taunted, his tone patronizing. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed it…didn't you ever wonder why he would come to you every single day, telling you fascinating made-up stories in an effort to make you feel better? Haven't you ever wondered why he was always doing things for you?" Kaya continued to stare between the two men, her expression puzzled as she tried to sort through Kuro's words and the meaning behind them.
"D-don't…p-please," Usopp begged, turning his head slightly to stare at Kuro, his eyes wide but the pirate Captain just continued.
"It's because he has feelings for you."
"Feelings?"
"As in…more than a friend." Kaya gasped at the new realization, all of the pieces starting to fall into place. It all made sense to her now. She remembered how frustrated she had been when Usopp had first come to visit her and she had told him it was none of his business. But he had stayed where he was and told her so many stories that she eventually lost count. Did Usopp…did Usopp really…?
"Usopp..." She breathed, hand over her mouth as she waited for the long-nosed teen to respond.
"Why the silent treatment, boy?…don't keep the girl waiting," Kuro chuckled, trying to goad the boy even more. Usopp's eyes were shadowed, hiding his expression, and he was shaking slightly. Now that the truth had been revealed part of him wanted to just keep quiet, pass it off as a lie, but the other part… the other part wanted him to say it, and his heart pounded in his chest as he opened his mouth and began to speak.
"Kaya… there's… When I heard that your parents had died and you were heartbroken, lost, and crying till there was nothing left, I wanted to help. I… I couldn't bear to see you like that. Seeing you so miserable made me want to help you… no, I needed to help you be happy again. That's why I went to your mansion and told you stories. I just wanted to see you smile again." As Usopp spoke, his voice got louder and he began to feel more confident. Finally getting to say the words he had kept hidden for so long almost made him forget where they were and what was going on around them.
"I... I did this, all of this because… because… BECAUSE I COULDN'T STAND TO SEE YOU CRY AGAIN AND BECAUSE…YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY, KAYA! I WANT TO SEE THAT SMILE ON YOUR FACE EVERYDAY!" Once he finished tears began to escape from his eyes and drip down his cheeks, body shaking slightly. He was partly relieved that he had finally said it, but the other half of him was terrified to hear the rejection he knew was coming.
Kaya's lips parted and a shaky breath escaped as Usopp's words circled in her head. They repeated, echoing louder and louder as each second passed and another stream of tears began to run down her cheeks. Nami sat watching the conversation solemnly, looking as if she was about to cry herself. Zoro quietly removed Wado from his mouth and just watched, silently thinking that Usopp, who was a liar and cowered away from anything dangerous, had a lot of guts as a man to admit his feelings to the rich girl. His respect for the long-nosed sniper grew as his own gaze shifted over to Luffy and softened. The raven-haired girl next to him was smiling fondly at Usopp, both happy and proud of her friend. But her smile faded quickly when Kuro began to laugh, as if the whole thing was a joke to him. His laughter ceased after a few seconds and he said coldly.
"Now… that punch you owe me... I think I'll just slice your head clean off." Before Kuro make a move against Usopp, Luffy's anger flared back to life and she smirked darkly before shooting one hand out and hammering Kuro directly in the face with a quick punch. The strength of it forced the man back and off his feet, releasing Usopp from his hold and slamming the former butler into the ground a few feet behind the injured teen.
Jango and the Black Cat pirates watched as Luffy's arm returned to its original place, their eyes and mouths wide with disbelief at the sight in front of them. That their Captain had… he had gotten his face pounded by the little Straw-Hat girl and he hadn't even seen it coming. Captain Kuro always saw attacks coming!
Luffy continued to smirk, holding her arm up at an angle, as if showing off her muscles, her other hand covering her bicep as she watched Kuro's unmoving frame from under the brim of her hat.
"Since you hate it so much, I'll give you a hundred more for free."
Woot! Luffyko gets to be badass next chapter. I will say that I'll be thankful when this arc is done and we can get on to the next one cause I so want to work on Zoro and his crazy inner monologue and then the scenes at the Baratie. Hurry up and kick Kuro's ass, Luffyko!
You don't know how hard it was for me to write the part where Zoro was discussing his injury with Luffy. I kept getting the urge to write, "Tis but a scratch." I need to stop watching Monty Python...
Nothing much to add down here. Remember to review and tell me what you liked and any suggestions for upcoming chapters and I will see you guys next week!
Till then!