Luffy's P.O.V
I stared up at my first mate from the inside of my iron cage. He staggered to his feet, clutching the wound on his gut.
I watched as he untied the dark green bandana he always kept around his bicep and placed it on his head, double knotting the back, murder in his eyes. Zoro meant business!
"What are you doing?! You can't be serious, you're wounded!" Our crew's new navigator announced.
The girl from Buggy's ship, Zoro called her Kanna. They must know each other… She reminded me of Coby. Except from the look of it, Coby had it made on Alvida's ship. Kanna stared up at Zoro, eyes wide.
"Wait! Someone get me out of here! I wanna help!" I whined, yanking on the bars of my cage.
A key landed on the ground in front of me. My eyes widened and I glanced up.
"There. Now we're even!" Nami announced, "You guys are crazy! I'm out of here!"
I scooped up the key and began fiddling with the cage's lock, it creaked open and I flung myself out.
"Sure thing! We'll just meet up later! After all, you're our new navigator."
"I never agreed to that!" she argued.
I stretched my arms then cracked my neck. It felt great to be free.
"Great, now let's go kick some clown ass!"
Kanna's P.O.V
I shouldn't have told him…why had I opened my mouth? Of course, he'd want revenge…God! I'm such an idiot! He's gonna get himself killed!
Luffy and Zoro lead the way, and I hurried behind them. Awkwardly tripping every now and then. Nami, despite her previous remark about leaving, followed along by my side.
"Kanna?" I jerked back in surprise, turning to see Nami's eyes on me. "That's your name, isn't it?"
I nodded, eyes on the ground.
"Listen, you should come with me. Leave these guys. Trust me, pirates are no good. Just look at what they've done to you."
She gestured towards me, and I flushed as I glanced down at myself. I must look like crap.
"These guys seem okay now. But there's no such thing as a good pirate. They're all vile and cruel."
I glanced back up ahead. Zoro clutched my sister's sword tightly as he staggered forward. His pace never faltering. I can't leave him. He's the only person left from my village…the only one my father would have entrusted with Kuina's sword. He's my only family now.
I glanced back at Nami, then back down as I spoke. "I-I appreciate your concern, but I can't."
Even if by some miracle we survived this, there's no way I'd leave. Not unless he didn't want me around. I wouldn't know what to do…or where to go.
Besides this right now, this was my fault. I shouldn't have been so quick to tell him about our village. He had a right to know but I should've considered his current state.
I studied his back as I stumbled behind him and his straw hatted captain. He was no longer the scrawny little boy who'd challenge my sister.
"Suit yourself. Just be careful." She responded and we continued to walk in silence.
A sudden explosion wiped out an entire row of abandoned homes to our left. My ears rang. Zoro doubled his speed, his eyes radiating with rage. We followed the sound of the cannon.
Buggy and his men must've retreated to their not so secret headquarters, an abandoned building on the edge of town that they temporarily made their own. I'd never been taken there, but I knew of it.
They used the building to stash valuables in case of an emergency. They stashed nearly half his supply of Buggy Bombs there along with their extra cannon.
I relayed this information to the group.
We arrived at the headquarters, Buggy and various members of his crew stood on the roof, the cannon positioned in front of them.
I shrank back, keeping my eyes on the ground behind Zoro and Luffy.
Zoro stepped up, "You fuckers are about to wish you were never born."
Buggy burst out in laughter, "Aww, is the poor pirate hunter Zoro angry cause I stabbed him? All's fair in love and war, Zo."
I watched Zoro's shoulders vibrate with rage.
"No…this isn't for me. This is for my village, my mother, all of those souls you mercilessly slaughtered and for what you've done to Kanna."
"Kanna? Where have I heard that name before?" Buggy asked. I shrank even farther back. Mohji leaned in towards Buggy, whispering something in the captain's ear and he burst out laughing again.
"Oh! That bitch?! Ha! Okay. Huh? If that was your village than that was a while back. Hmm, I lose track."
"Oh you better fucking remember that village like your life depends on it! Not that it will, I plan to slaughter you and your crew regardless on your memory, you big nosed freak."
I flinched at the insult. Oh no…Buggy's face turned a deep shade of purple. An evil glare glossed over his eyes.
"Oh, you fucking idiot! I was gonna let this play out longer cause I found your anger amusing but you fucked it up. You'll regret that! Take aim and fire the buggy bomb!" Buggy shrieks.
"Why'd you have to say that?!" Nami screamed. She grabbed me by the arm and yanked me along out of the line of fire. My legs stumbled to catch up, I glanced back at Zoro. No! I can't leave him.
As the fuse sizzled into the cannon Luffy stepped in front of Zoro.
"Hah! Watch this guys!"Luffy laughed, his cheeks puffing up. The bomb shot out, aiming directly for the two.
"GUM GUUUUM!" Luffy began to expand, his gut popping out of his shirt. His body was inflating into a giant-
"BALOOOOOON!" The bomb bounced right off of Luffy's stomach and reverberated, changing its course, the bomb was now headed straight for the headquarters and Buggy's crew.
Nami and I watched in amazement. The headquarters crumbled on impact, smoke and debris shooting everywhere.
"Got em'!" Luffy announced proudly.
"What the hell kind of monster are you?!" Nami screamed from beside me. I was speechless. "That's not natural! How the hell did you do that?!" she continued.
The dust settled and my attention was no longer on Nami and Luffy, but on the fallen headquarters.
There stood Buggy amongst the rubble, holding up two dead corpses. He had used his own men as shields. Him and his whole crew made me sick. He tossed them aside, his evil grin wide.
"Looks like you've also come across a Devil Fruit." He chuckled.
A large rumble beneath the rubble announced, Richie, Mohji's pet lion. He was hoisted over the waste; it was then that I realized the lion was dead.
Cabaji held the lion over his head, tossing him aside. I stumbled even farther back, my heart tripling in speed at the sight of the acrobat swordsman.
"How will you respond to this insult, Captain." He asked, voice gruff.
Mohji screamed, emerging from behind Buggy.
"Cabaji! What the hell have you done?!"
"Heh, this cat? I used it as a shield to keep my clothes from getting dirty." He snickered.
Mohji raced towards the lion's corpse, grasping at his mane. He turned back towards Cabaji! Eyes full of rage. "Bastard!" He raced towards the acrobat, fists swinging.
Cabaji instantly dodged the attack then kicked the animal trainer with full force. Mohji went flying. He landed by my side, unconscious. Cabaji's eyes darted from Mohji to me.
"Hm, running with a new crowd, wench? Heh, that won't last long."
I instantly lowered my gaze, body shaking. He grinned wide then turned his gaze towards Buggy.
"Captain Buggy."
"Yes, Cabaji."
"Allow me to repay their disrespect."
"Aye, but make it a good show for everyone!"
Cabaji smirked then took to the sky with his unicycle. I squinted as he came down, landing perfectly on the road ahead. He peddled furiously towards us.
"You may call me Acrobat Cabaji, Captain Buggy's Chief of Staff! You'll pay for your insolence."
He came for us at full velocity, his sword raised at Luffy. Zoro instantly deflected the blow with Kuina's blade.
"I'll clash swords with you."
"It's an honor, Roronoa Zoro. As a swordsman myself, I relish this chance to slay you." He glanced down, assessing Zoro's wound.
"Hey Zoro…you really should get some rest. Let me handle this guy." Luffy offered. His eyes full of concern.
"Just stay back." Zoro grunted.
Cabaji smirked and I could tell by the look in his eye, he wasn't gonna fight fair. Like he ever did.
"Arsenal Technique!" he announced, blowing fire towards Zoro's face. Using the distraction, Cabaji kicked him right in his wound. I turned away.
I heard his scream and the loud thud of his body hitting the ground. No, this is all my fault. I glanced back up, Zoro lay flat on his back.
"What's wrong? I didn't kick you that hard, did I?" Cabaji laughed.
"This guy fights dirty, going after his injury like that." Nami announced. "Why are you just standing there, Luffy! He's gonna get himself killed!"
"Acrobat technique! Murder at the steam bath!" He began twirling his blade in a circle on the ground, dust forming around Zoro, blocking him from my field of vision.
"Acrobat, my ass. That's just an ordinary dust cloud. Ugh!" I heard him grunt, blades clanked and another loud thud. Zoro's tumbling form shot out of the dust, landing on the ground. He doubled over in pain. His shoulders shook as he moaned loudly.
"What's this? Such a disgraceful sight to see, a grown man moaning. You sound like that new bitch of yours does when I fuck her." Cabaji laughed, glancing towards me.
I looked him dead on this time. I'm done cowering in fear. Zoro was willing to risk his life in order to avenge our village. I wouldn't waste the little I most likely had left cowering in fear of this man.
He switched his gaze back to Zoro, still doubled over, heaving. "Before I kill you, I'll give you a little parting gift. I do remember that village of yours. How could I forget, I was the one who chose that little wench over there. Worked hard to break her too." He laughed then began peddling full speed towards Zoro's doubled over form.
"Goodbye, Roronoa Zoro."
Zoro staggered to his feet, meeting Cabaji's blade head on.
"You annoying little bastard. You having fun poking at my wound? Then go ahead." He made no move to block the blade that now pierced him through the side, right where his wound was.
Will Zoro be able to defeat that doushbag of a pirate, Cabaji? Will Luffy finaly get the chance to kick some clown ass? Will Nami dip? Will Kanna have yet another panic attack?
Find out next time on Sword Style Magic!
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