Ch. 10- The Final Traps
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, and Anubis © Me
Back within the mine, some of Treasure's men had knocked off a rocky cliff...and into a lake of gastric acid, which glowed a hot red. Why did they get knocked off? Because of a very territorial triceratops, which sauntered back inside a tunnel.
"More dinosaurs?" Aika asked, worriedly.
"What does the inscription say, Robin?" Nami asked.
"Let me see," Robin answered as she looked at the panel nearby. "It says 'The Eagle Bridge. Those worthy of the bright gold must have excellent focus and bold courage. Hit the saintly eagle and build the bridge.'"
Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Brook, Aika, and Kumi looked across the large gap and saw a target on the other side.
"Basically, we have to hit the target, and then the bridge will come down, right?" Nami inquired. "The road cuts off here, so it's not like we have much choice, anyway."
"Hey, raccoon dog," said Treasure. "It's your turn, now."
"Hey! I'm a reindeer, not a raccoon dog- AGH!" Chopper barked, only for Treasure to kick him down onto the lower ledge, where he was soon met with the triceratops, which bellowed angrily before it charged at him!
"Chopper, look out!" Kumi called, but the little reindeer did not turn and run. Instead, he shifted into his Kung Fu Point!
"WACHAAA!" Chopper cried as he kicked the giant reptile in the side, knocking it back!
"Yay!" Aika cheered. "All right, Chopper!"
"Usopp, hurry!" Nami said. "While Chopper keeps that thing busy, hit the target!"
"Oh, right!" Usopp realized. "Hey, chain dude! Lemme outta these chains! I'm a sniper, so this is my area of expertise! I need my arms to do this!"
"Fine," Treasure answered as he pulled his chains off Usopp. "You better not turn tail and run, or else your little buddy there is mincemeat. It's gonna be a pain in the ass if he brings that triceratops with him."
"You think I don't know that?!" Usopp questioned as he snatched his Black Kabuto away from one of Treasure's men.
"Usopp!" Olga called. "You can do it, okay?!"
"Olga?" Nami asked, surprised.
"Are you...cheering for us?" inquired Aika, causing Olga to blink.
"Uh...no!" Olga answered. "Of course not!"
Kumi smiled at the blonde-haired girl, wagging her tail.
"Hurry, Usopp!" Chopper called as he tried to hold the triceratops back. "I don't know how much longer I can hold this guy off!"
"Just hang in there, Chopper!" Usopp answered. "I got this!" With that, he pulled one the shafts of the Black Kabuto, preparing to fire.
(A/N: I didn't really like how they didn't seem to take Usopp's new Observation Haki into account, so here's how I would've done it.)
'Okay, Usopp,' he thought. 'Concentrate. There isn't very much wind in here and the target's not too far...but wait...what's this?'
From below, he could feel a hot updraft of wind coming from the river of gastric acid.
'Not good,' Usopp thought. 'There's hot air gusting up from the gastric acid...and it comes out at random! I can't measure the trajectory like this!'
"Usopp!" Chopper called. "Hurry up!"
"Just hang in there a bit more, Chopper!" Usopp called back. "I just gotta think about this a bit more!"
"Uhh, Usopp?" Aika asked. "I don't think you have much time! Look up there!"
SKREEEEEEEEEEEE~! Upon hearing that screech, Usopp looked up and saw a huge pterodactyl fly out of another tunnel!
"Are you kidding me?!" Usopp questioned.
"Look out!" Olga shouted. "It's headed right for you!"
"Duck, Usopp!" cried Nami. "DUCK!"
"What do you think I'm doing?!" Usopp shouted as he ducked down, avoiding the flying dinosaur's talons.
"Urrgh...!" Chopper grunted as the triceratops pushed him back even more.
"Chopper!" Aika and Kumi cried.
"Usopp, look out!" Olga called as she pointed at the pterodactyl. "It's coming back!"
Sure enough, the pterodactyl swooped down on Usopp again, but this time, Chopper got in the way and ended up getting hit by its sharp beak!
"AGH!" the reindeer cried in pain as he clutched at the gash on his stomach.
"Chopper!" Usopp yelled. "Hang on, buddy!" He then took aim at the pterodactyl. "Special Attack: Exploding Star!"
He then fired an Exploding Star at the beast, but it flapped its huge wings, causing it go flying back towards the sniper instead!
"HOLY CRAP!" Usopp shouted as he jumped out of the way...right in the path of the triceratops, which charged at him!
"Oh, no!" cried Aika. "Usopp's gonna get trampled!"
"I can't look!" Kumi added, covering her eyes with her paws.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Chopper shouted. "HACHAAA!"
WHAM! He kicked the beast in the side, sending it tumbling away.
"Thanks, Chopper!" Usopp exclaimed.
"Don't mention it!" Chopper replied. "Now hurry and hit the target while I'm stalling this guy!"
"Right! Just hang in there a bit longer, Chopper!" Usopp replied as he looked up at the pterodactyl, then at the target, then back at the pterodactyl.
'Dammit!' he cursed, mentally. 'How am I gonna do this?! With that updraft coming up from the gastric acid, I can't really predict a clear shot! ...Unless...'
He then gasped, an idea finally hitting him.
"Eureka!" he exclaimed. "I've got it! I just have to create a current that will counteract the updrafts! Once I do that, I can measure the trajectory!"
With that, he prepared to fire a Pop Green, aiming right at the pterodactyl.
"Okay, Usopp...just concentrate," he said to himself as he focused his eyesight, and at that moment, the rock wall turned black...but he could see the aura of the pterodactyl, and even the updraft coming from the gastric acid. "If I just hit that particular spot...!" He then aimed a little bit more to the right. "There! Special Attack: Green Star! SKULL BOMB-GRASS!"
TWANG! KABOOM! The resulting explosion not only hit the pterodactyl, but it also created a powerful burst of wind!
"There!" Usopp shouted. "EXPLODING STAR!"
He soon fired another pellet, which sailed on the current and BOOM! It went straight through the target!
"He did it!" Aika and Nami cheered.
"He did?!" Kumi asked as she opened up her eyes. "Oh! He did it! He did it! I mean, I knew he could do it, but still!"
Soon, KA-THUNK! The bridge came and extended to the cliff, thus giving the group a new way across! By now, Chopper had managed to scare off the triceratops, which ran back into its hiding place.
"Phew!" Chopper sighed, now back in his Brain Point form. "Boy...I'm glad that's over."
"Are you okay, Chopper?" Olga asked as she helped him up.
"Nothing too serious," Chopper answered. "Maybe a bruise or two...and a gash, but nothing my medicine won't fix!"
"Thank goodness you're okay!" Aika said as she hugged the little reindeer.
"Jarararara!" cackled Treasure. "That's right! I don't know what I'd do without my precious 'tools'!"
Aika growled at this before she turned to look at Treasure.
"We're not your tools, you bully!" she shouted. "Just wait until my Big Brother gets here, then he'll fix you good!"
"I thought I told you to shut up?!" Treasure barked as he kicked Aika, knocking her down.
"You leave her alone!" Nami shouted.
"It's her fault for not knowing her place," Treasure retorted. "Now then, on your feet, brat. It's too late for you lot to rest! I need you guys to work for me just a little longer. Jararararara!"
"Dammit, Luffy," Usopp cursed. "Hurry up...!"
XXX
Meanwhile, outside the mine, the Monster Quartet, along with Acier, have just arrived.
"So this is Alchemi, huh?" Luffy inquired.
"Since it's been soaking in the gastric acid," said Acier, "the outside has changed drastically, but I'm sure the mine-shaft inside is still intact."
"So the Pure Gold must be in there," Zoro noted.
"Yeah, along with Nami, Aika, and the others," Sanji added.
"There's no time to lose," Blizzard chimed in.
"He's right," Luffy agreed. "Let's get a move on!"
But just when they were about to enter, Blizzard stopped, his nose twitching upon detecting a peculiar scent, and then he gasped.
"GET BACK!" he shouted as he pushed Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Acier away, and not long after, three arrows containing Dyna Stones were fired at them, exploding on the spot where they once stood. Not long after, Psycho P, Naomi, Anubis, and several of Treasure's underlings appeared out of thin air, camouflaged by Psycho P's paint!
"This is where it ends for y'all!" rapped the camouflage-man. "The end!"
Soon, more of the Treasure Pirates came rushing out from the ruins, armed with swords and firearms!
"Dammit!" Sanji cursed. "An ambush!"
Without missing a beat, Zoro charged forward with all three swords drawn and cut down as many of the goons as he could.
"Shoot 'em, Naomi!" Psycho P ordered, and Naomi, hiccuping and wobbling drunkenly, fired another arrow at the group, shrouding them in smoke. Soon after, Blizzard's ears twitched as he heard a familiar cackling noise, and as he turned, he saw Anubis lunge for an unsuspecting Luffy!
"Oh, no you don't!" Blizzard barked as he reared up on his front legs and kicked the striped hyena, sending him flying into some rubble.
"Gimme a break...!" groaned Anubis.
"Luffy, you take the old man and go on ahead without us!" Sanji said. "We'll take care of these chumps!"
"Got it!" Luffy answered. "Acier Pops! Grab onto me!"
"W-what?!" Acier asked. "Err...alright!"
Once Acier got a good hold of Luffy's arm, the Straw Hat Captain reeled his other fist back.
"Gum-Guuuuuuuum...PISTOL!"
WROING! POW! Psycho P ended up getting punched in the face by Luffy's stretching punch, and then, he grabbed onto the ledge and pulled himself toward the mine, taking a screaming Acier with him before they disappeared within, with Treasure's cronies chasing after them!
"Get back here, Straw Hat!"
"You're not gonna get away from us, that easily!"
XXX
Concurrently, the Straw Hats and Treasure had made it inside the inner sanctum of the mine. Once inside, Usopp spotted something up ahead.
"Hey, what's that?" he asked, and as everyone followed his gaze, they saw it was a giant alligator statue, and in its jaws was a door...with many keyholes and a single key in front of it.
"'The Final Gate'," Robin said as she read the inscription. "'Those worthy of the bright gold are trusted by others. Unlock the gate with one key and your courageous allies. The treasure lies ahead.'"
"...So this is the last one?" Aika asked.
"It looks that way, Young Aika," Brook answered.
"So how do we do this?" Chopper asked.
"It looks like we'll have to use that key to unlock the door inside the alligator's jaws," Robin speculated.
"But there's only one key and several keyholes," Nami pointed out. "What will happen if we pick the wrong one?"
"Only one way to find out," answered Treasure as he pushed Nami forward, causing her to cry out in surprise. "Go on, Cat Burglar...this is your last job. After all...you are a thief."
Nami sneered at Treasure, who smirked at her, while Aika glanced up at the navigator, worriedly.
"Big Sis," said Aika, causing Nami to look at her and give a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Aika," Nami told her. "I'll be okay, I promise."
"Get moving!" Treasure ordered as he pushed Nami again, causing her to growl before she took the key and ventured inside the mouth of the alligator, standing before the door. As she did...she heard a clicking sound, causing her to tense up as she felt the ground tremble. She looked up and saw the alligator's mouth beginning to close on her!
"NAMI!" Usopp, Chopper, and Brook cried before they all ran in, with the second turning into his Heavy Point form, and holding the alligator's mouth open.
"Guys!" Nami cried.
"Nami, don't just stand there!" Usopp shouted. "Hurry and unlock the door!"
"Hurry, Big Sis Nami!" Aika yelled. "Hurry!"
"Right!" Nami nodded before she looked at all the keyholes. "Uh...which one do I try, first? Dammit, I'm no good when I work under pressure!"
"Rrrrgh...!" Brook grunted as he felt the jaws closing even more. "Hurry, Miss Nami!"
"...I don't have time to think things through," Nami said. "I guess I have no choice but to try them all until I get to the right one!"
With she, inserted the key into one of the keyholes and turned it, which caused it to make a small click...but when, KRRRRZZAAAAAAP! Nami was suddenly hit a jolt electricity, causing her to scream in pain.
"Big Sis Nami!" Aika cried.
"You okay?!" Usopp questioned.
"If you pick the wrong keyhole," Nami said, "you'll get zapped!"
Just then, the jaws of the alligator started pressing down on the three, causing them to yell out in shock as they tried to hold it up!
"Oh, no!" Kumi cried.
"Nami! Usopp! Chopper! Brook!" shouted Robin, who was still bound in chains, and thus unable to offer any assistance.
"It's getting heavier!" Chopper grunted.
"Nami...hurry...!" Usopp said in a strained voice. "We can't hold this thing up, forever!"
"Got it!" Nami nodded before she went to try again. "Okay...I tried 1 keyhole...now there are only 17 left. If I don't pick the right one...!"
With that, she inserted the key into a second keyhole...but she was met with the same result: a powerful electric shock, and soon after, the jaws got heavier.
"Urrrrgh...!" Chopper groaned as he kept trying to hold up the jaws. "It's get even heavier, now!"
"Muscles...straining...!" Usopp grunted.
"Bones...breaking!" Brook added as his neck made a sickening creaking noise.
"How exciting!" Treasure exclaimed. "What a great trap this is! Jararararara!"
"Stop laughing!" Aika shouted as she started hitting Treasure in the leg, again. "If you think it's so fun, why don't you get in there?!"
Treasure growled at this before he raised his fist again.
"How many times do I have to tell you," he began, "TO KNOW YOUR PLACE?!"
Before his fist could strike her, though, Aika ended up ducking beneath him, using her Observation Haki, and ran into the alligator's mouth.
"Wait, Aika!" Olga cried.
"Come back!" Kumi shouted as she followed her.
As Aika approached Nami, the navigator had already tried 4 keyholes, and the electric shocks were already too much on her body.
"Ngh...!" Nami groaned as she tried to get up, but then, Aika snatched the key from out of her hand. "No, wait! Aika!"
"You just rest, Big Sis Nami!" Aika answered. "I'll take it from here!"
She then looked at the other keyholes, trying to find the next one to try.
"Aika, there's no time to think about it!" Usopp shouted. "Hurry and pick one!"
"Okay..." Aika answered before she inserted the key into another keyhole and turned it, only to be met with an electric shock, too, which caused her to scream in pain.
"Aika!" cried Kumi.
CREEEEEAAAAAAK! The jaws of the alligator began to close, more and more!
"Dammit!" Usopp cursed. "We'll be crushed at this rate!"
"Unh...!" Aika moaned as she tried another keyhole. "Big Sis tried 4...I tried 1...just 13 left...!"
She turned the key, but once again, she was met by another shock, which caused her to cry out in even more pain and the jaws to close even more, but she wouldn't give up, so she inserted the key into another hole.
"12...!" Aika grunted as she turned it again, only to scream once more, as she was hit by another electric shock, but she kept trying and trying, shock after shock...until she only reached 7 keyholes and collapsed.
"Aika, are you okay?!" Kumi asked.
"K...Kumi...!" Aika groaned. "You...have to try it, now...!"
Kumi gulped nervously before she took on a serious expression.
"Got it!" the Akita pup answered before she picked up the key in her mouth. "Okay...one has to be the right one...!"
On that, she inserted the key into another keyhole and turned it, but she yowled in pain when she felt the electricity course through her little body. If the voltage were any higher, she surely would've been killed, and yet, fueled by the same determination that Aika and Nami had, she continued to try keyhole after keyhole, even as the shocks persisted and the jaws became so dangerously narrow that they looked like they were barely open, now. By now, Kumi had tried 5 keyholes...and only two remained. However, the poor puppy was so exhausted from the pain, that she just couldn't push herself anymore.
"That's it...!" Kumi groaned. "I...I can't go on...!"
Just as the pup was going to collapse, herself...a pair of arms caught her, causing her to look up and see Olga, who held up the key.
"You rest, okay?!" Olga asked. "I'll deal with the keyholes!"
A pause...but then Kumi smiled, weakly at the blonde, 206-year-old girl and nodded.
"Now then...which keyhole should I try?" Olga asked as she looked at the last two keyholes. "This is our only chance!"
"Hurry up, Olga!" Usopp shouted.
"Left or right? Left or right?!" Olga asked herself. "...I'll go with...left!"
With that, she inserted the key into the left keyhole and turned it...but when she did, she cried out in agony as she felt the electricity course through her body, and the alligators began to close for a final time!
"It's no use!" Brook strained. "We can't hold out any longer!"
"Jarararara!" laughed Treasure, amused by their struggling...but then...
"ARE YOU GUYS OKAY~?!"
Nami, Aika, and the rest of the Straw Hats all gasped before they turned around...and soon, they saw him: Luffy, charging towards them with his body steaming.
"...B...Bi...Big...!" Aika whispered with tears in her eyes. "BIG BROTHER~!"
"Luffy...!" Nami whispered in relief.
"Luffy!" Usopp, Chopper, Robin, Brook, Kumi, and Olga exclaimed.
"GUM-GUUUUUUM...JET PISTOL~!" Luffy roared as he smashed the alligator statue with just one punch!
"Ugh...!" Nami groaned as she sat up, but smiled, nonetheless. "Good grief...after all that...!"
"Same old reckless Luffy!" Usopp added. "But in this case, I'm glad he's his reckless self!"
"Big Brother!" Aika exclaimed as she ran into his arms. "You came! I knew you'd come and save us!"
"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed as he hugged Aika. "Was there ever any doubt?" That's when he noticed Aika's partially healed black eye. "What the hell?! Aika, what happened?! Where'd you get that shiner from?!"
"He's been hitting me," Aika answered as she pointed at Treasure, causing Luffy to glare at him.
"...You bastard...!" Luffy hissed. "What the hell did you do to my little sister?! And my crew?!"
"Your crew?" Treasure repeated, mockingly. "I think you mean MY tools, Straw Hat!"
"...Tools?" Luffy repeated. "Tools?! IS THAT WHAT THEY ARE TO YOU?!"
With that, he lunged at Treasure and tried to land a hit him, but because he was thrashing about so wildly, he ended up hitting the underling that was holding Robin at gunpoint, and when she shed her chains, she ran to join the others.
At that moment, Acier finally caught up...although he was panting rather heavily.
"Ugh...I've got to get back in shape, somehow," he said before he looked up...only to gasp silently upon seeing a certain face on the other side of the room: Olga's face.
'...It's...it's her...!' he thought. 'After all this time...she's still the same...!'
"O...Olga!" he called out, causing Olga to look up at him, just as Luffy landed with the rest of the Straw Hats. At first, the blonde-haired didn't seem to comprehend why this fat stranger knew her name...but then, for a moment, she saw a slimmer man with hair in the shape of a melon and beardless.
"Could it be...?" Olga whispered. "Are you...my old man...?!"
A pause...but then Acier sighed as he looked up at Olga.
"Olga," he said. "You have to escape from here with Luffy and his friends!"
With that, he hit the side of the wall, causing a lever to pop out. Then, he pulled down on it, causing a trap door to open up beneath Luffy's group, where they all fell down!
"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAA!" they all cried as they all end up landing on a mattress.
"Ugh...!" Usopp groaned. "That could've been easier than the keyholes, actually!"
"Ow..!" Chopper moaned.
"Hey, where are we anyway?" Luffy asked as he looked around.
"Hey, look!" called Aika as she pointed to a stairway.
"Stairs?" Nami asked. "Where do those go?"
"Well, it's not like we can climb out the way we came in," Robin answered. "We might as well see where they go."
"I'm game!" Luffy replied. "Let's check it out!"
With that, they dusted themselves off and head up the stairs, wondering what they might find up ahead.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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