Keep Fighting
Twenty men charged at the two Heart captains with screams of determination to defeat them.
Neo's wind snapped them back against the walls. She ripped their weapons out of their hands and melted them, earning several colorful curses from them. Her attention shifted back to Law. His energy was coming back thanks to her solar crystal, but both knew it wouldn't help much once they started fighting Big Mom again. For now he was saving his devil fruit powers and letting her take care of the lower class enemies that were trying to stop them.
Then her heart clenched upon Cora entering her mind. She started to wonder how he was doing without them but quickly forced it away. She had come this far without worrying about him, not too much anyway. There was no way she was going to start now. He was safe. They weren't. 'So any ideas how we're going to defeat Big Mom?'
'I have one, but it depends on Eustass.' Law blocked a sword slice then slammed a kick in the man's stomach, sending the man flying backwards.
Neo melted the sword. Her vines snapped around thirty men and pulled them to the ceiling. 'Kid?'
'Yeah. With his help I can use my awakened powers to land a final blow on the emperor.'
Neo tensed. Law had practiced his awakened abilities countless times while they had been in Wano. It always left him spent, more so than over using his original abilities. 'Okay. I'm not excited about it, but it might be our only shot.'
'As long as you can take care of Big Mom's elements. Those are our main concern of getting to her.'
Ahead of them metal clanking together and Big Mom's elements flaring suggested Kid had already found his target.
'Right. I'll get more aggressive with them.' Neo's feet paused. Her breath escaped her as if someone had punched her in the chest. She sensed Luffy's body sailing over the island towards the water below. "Luffy!"
"What is it?" Law asked.
"He's falling into the ocean."
Kaido's laugh then filled the room. It was followed by his claim of victory for knocking Luffy into the ocean.
"Go."
Neo started to lift of the ground but paused when Luffy's voice came into her mind.
Neo, I'm okay. Keep fighting.
"Hm? Straw Hat?" Law asked.
"You heard that?" Neo exchanged a confused look with Law. How could they have both heard Luffy's voice? Maybe it was possible for her since she was an elemental, but Law had no such abilities. "What...? How...?"
"I don't know." Law paused before adding, "You going?"
"No, I don't need to," Neo said, sensing the position of the sub. "He fell near the sub so they'll get him." She giggled. "Though knowing Luffy... he's going to eat all the food from the sub when he wakes up."
Law growled with a nod. "Let's get this over with."
Neo and Law continued to stroll forward as Momonosuke's voice echoed from a hidden source. The young boy yelled out assurances that Luffy was still alive. "Don't stop fighting! Luffy will return! He's not dead!"
Big Mom laughed. "You heard Kaido! What a pathetic bluff! Straw Hat's life was over the moment he fell into the sea!"
"As if I'd let one of my babies die like that," Neo said as she and Law made their way to Kid and Big Mom. "Luffy will not stay down." Her crystals shimmered around her. "But you and Kaido will."
Big Mom tilted her head, her eyes locked onto Neo.
Kid growled at their presence.
Law placed a boot on a piece of debris. "We've been collaborating for a while now. But honestly, when it comes to him... I've learned to never say never."
"Trafalgar! Did you two come to get in my way?" Kid snarled.
"Settle down, Eustass. Don't you think we should play nice for now?" Law cocked his head.
Kid gritted his teeth.
Neo didn't know who was more ready for this to be over with. Herself or Kid. She took a moment to take stalk of her and Law's energy. They were recovering, but not fast enough. They had to end this fight soon. Her eyes shifted to Big Mom. Studying the emperor, Neo tried to figure out how she could distract this woman long enough for Law to tell Kid his final plan in defeating Big Mom.
"Wait a minute," Neo said as she took in Big Mom's three companions. Zeus wasn't there. Instead, there was a female cloud. Dread filled her."Where's Zeus?"
Prometheus laughed. "That traitor? He's dead."
Neo's brow drew together. "What did you do to him?"
Big Mom scoffed. "He was of no use to me anymore."
"That's right." The female cloud almost purred.
Prometheus and Napoleon chuckled. Delight settled in all their eyes.
"I killed him," Big Mom then said. "He was a useless traitor."
A loud crack of thunder sounded. Wind spiraled around Neo's body. Her fingers twitched. How horrible could this old bag be? "Law."
"Let's do it." Law readied his sword.
Neo exploded forward with a gust of air. Come on. Think. What can I do to get passed Big Mom's haki? Her eyes flicked to Prometheus. Fire is out. I can't give him anymore to work with. My earth crystals are out, too. Neo shot a mini tornado right at Big Mom's face. The emperor sliced through it with her sword and haki.
As the wind split, Law and Kid charged.
Neo circled around to Big Mom's side as the two other captains attacked directly. All I have is water and wind now. What can I do to help here? Her eyes landed upon Napoleon and Hera. A thought struck her. Lightning. That would help a lot. Only if she could create it instead of just controlling it during a storm.
Suddenly, Kid dropped to his knee with a pained grunt. "Did I get stabbed?"
"What happened?" Neo asked.
"I don't know," Kid replied as he looked over his body. "It felt as if I got stabbed. But I don't see a wound."
Neo and Law looked around. None of the other fighters were close enough for them to have stabbed Kid. So what happened?
A vision of Big Mom's sword slicing towards Neo flashed through her mind. Neo flew backwards as the sword came down in front of her. She twirled around then pelted Big Mom with sharp raindrops.
"You little brat!" Big Mon grabbed Prometheus. The sun flared up into a wicked flame that shot out a funnel of fire.
Neo allowed the fire to engulf her. Summoning a couple water crystals, she put the fire out then cleared the air with her winds. "Hey! Careful! There's enough fire going on in this building as it is."
"So caring," Big Mom said. "You really should reconsider joining my family."
"Never." Neo prepared to attack but paused at sensing Luffy and Momonosuke coming towards them. The young boy, for whatever reason, was flying all over the place. She wrapped her winds around Law and Kid, pulling them away from the incoming dragon.
"Hey! What the heck do you think you're doing?!" Kid growled.
Just then the wall burst into pieces. Luffy and Momonosuke came crashing into the room. They didn't stop as Momonosuke kept flying and crashing into the walls and floor.
"Luffy! Momo?!" Neo called, pausing momentarily upon noticing the young boy's dragon form was way larger than it had been before. "What happened to you?!"
"Kaido?" Big Mom questioned.
"What is that?" Kid asked.
"Straw Hat?!" Law added.
"What's happening?" Big Mom blinked a couple times.
"Well, that was... unexpected." Neo scratched her head.
"Was that really that brat kid?" Law stepped to Neo's side. "He looks different."
"I know." Neo nodded. "But that was him. I wonder how he got so big all of a sudden."
Suddenly Kid crumpled to the ground in pain.
"Hey, you don't look too good." Big Mom laughed. "What's the matter? You got a headache, Kid?"
"Eustass!" Law growled in annoyance.
A mysterious illness was not something they needed right now. Neo shifted her solar crystal to him.
"Get him, Hera! Napoleon!" Big Mom shrieked.
"Yes, Mama!" Lightning flashed from the sword.
Kid cursed.
"Stop being dead weight!" Law jumped in front of Big Mom at the same time Neo grabbed control of the lightning and forced it back on the emperor. The lightning hit seconds before Law made contact. "Shambles. Counter Shock!"
An explosion of the lightning and Law's attack exploded on Big Mom. Smoke rolled off her.
"How dare you hurt Mama!" Hera shrieked.
"Stolen Fire!" Prometheus shouted.
Neo pulled Law to safety while connecting to the fire and putting it out.
Prometheus growled at her, his fire flaring with rage.
Neo winked in return. "No one touches my love, especially with the elements."
Big Mom leapt into the air. Spinning she brought her sword down towards Kid's back.
Neo slammed a gust of wind against Big Mom's back, sending the older woman sailing over Kid instead of striking him.
Big Mom crashed into the wall. The wall groaned and crumbled into several pieces. Neo took the chance to snap tons of vines around the emperor's body and pinned her in place with her winds as well.
The woman struggled against the hold, turning her eyes to Neo with a death glare. "You brat! Quit interfering!"
Neo shrugged. "I'm doing my job as the sniper of the Heart pirates."
A couple vines ripped apart under the large woman's strength.
"Hurry!" Neo called. "I can't hold her for long!"
Law held up his hand. A glowing ball formed above his palm. He placed it on the blade of his sword and said, "Kroom." He thrust his sword forward. The blade pierced through the back of Big Mom's head and through her chin. "Anesthesia. That incision is harmless. But Kroom influences your body in other ways. Shock Wave!"
"You widdle brat!" Big Mom gurgled.
"You could use some more magnetism!" Kid threw out his hand. Beams above them began to creak and groan as they were pulled from their bolts.
"Look out! The steel beams of the tower are being ripped out!" someone shouted out.
Neo spun her winds above her allies.
"Trafalgar! Get me out of here!" Kid demanded.
"Don't tell me what to do." Law warped Kid.
The beams crashed on Big Mom with a loud clatter, covering her entire body.
"Not even Big Mom could have survived that!" a grunt said.
Neo glanced around. Some of the emperors' men had made it to their location, but so had some of their own allies.
"Take that... you giant hag," Kid said through heavy breathing.
"What did you do?" Neo asked, her breathing was heavy and in sync with Law's.
"He assigned a field of attraction with his awakened devil fruit powers." Law spoke between breaths. "How long does it last?"
"Why would I tell you that?" Kid glared.
Beams flew off the pile as Big Mom stood up.
"What?! She's getting up?" grunts of Kaido's screamed.
"Life or death?" Big Mom started pulling souls from the men around them. She grabbed the souls and shoved them into the beams. The beams started popping to life. "I'll use one year of my life span, too. None of this riffraff have powerful enough souls."
"Is she getting bigger?" Neo took a step back as it appeared the emperor's body expanded.
"It's been a while since I've felt pain like this." Big Mom's eyes flashed. "You runts aren't bad. Trafalgar Law. Trafalgar Neo. Captain Kid. You three and Straw Hat Luffy are serious about taking our thrones! Bring it on if you think you have a shot! I'll show you what it means to be an emperor!"
"I'll need to take down monsters like you if I ever want to uncover the true history," Law said.
"No more holding back! We're going all out! I don't give a crap what it costs, I'm gonna tear her from that throne!" Kid gripped his fists.
The two captains charged again.
As Law and Kid attacked head on, Neo summoned her earth crystals over Big Mom's head. Hundreds of thorns rained down on Big Mom, giving an opening for Law and Kid to each land a blow.
Big Mom released a furious yell, her haki shooting out from her.
Neo crossed her winds over herself and the other two captains. She gritted her teeth as the force of the haki slammed into her winds. She held ground for a few seconds before the haki overtook them. All three flew backwards, landing with a hard thump on the floor.
Neo closed her eyes. Her body, and Law's, screamed at her to stop. If only they could. If only this was all over with and they could go back home. But it wasn't anywhere near being over yet. She stood up.
"Have mercy, Big Mom! They can't even move! If you keep going they're going to die! Please, spare them!" The Heart pirates' voices called out to the emperor.
Big Mom laughed in response. "Your underlings are begging now. You three have really hit rock bottom."
Neo glanced to find Law and Kid still lying on the floor, both spent of their energy. Though Big Mom was also panting and looking to be on her own last leg. Or Neo hoped so. They were going to lose if this wasn't ended soon.
"Boss! Get it together! Are you still breathing?!"
"Medics! We have to save the captains!"
"Quit your bellyaching! This is a battlefield, you pests!" Big Mom said.
Hera flashed with lightning.
Big Mom turned away from them. "Now then, I don't think that Kaido has let out his usual victory cry yet. Don't tell me that puny straw hat brat is still holding out alone. You better not be playing with your food, Kaido! I'm beat. Hera! Take me to the roof."
"Yes, Mama."
"No! You! Don't!" Neo shot her winds out and wrapped them around Hera, holding the cloud in place.
"You brat!" Hera hissed. "Let go!"
"No," Neo said between pants. "Not going to happen."
"Let's finish this quickly." Kid pushed himself up on his feet.
"Kroom. Anesthesia." Law rushed forward. His blade pierced through Big Mom's right arm and her cheeks.
"Mama!"
"He killed Big Mom!"
"Tra! What's with that long sword?!" Chopper asked rushing up to the fight.
"Stay back, Chopper," Neo warned. The reindeer skidded to a stop.
"You barely feel our attacks," Law said.
"What are you doing?! Knock it off!" Big Mom demanded.
"Shock Wille!"
The animated steal beams ran towards them. "How dare you hurt Mama?!"
Neo moved to blow them back, but stopped when the beams started trembling erratically before flying towards Kid. The beams clanked together, forming the shape of a bull.
"You can still stand, Kid?" Big Mom asked. "Guess you kids are hellbent on taking my head."
"It's weird. I feel like I have a new reason to keep fighting." Kid chuckled then launched his attack. "Punk Corna Dio!"
"It's a massive bull! It's even bigger than Big Mom in her giant form!" someone shouted.
"I don't care if it kills me!" Kid said.
"You're not reaching that roof!" Law added.
The massive bull rammed it into Big Mom. The emperor slammed against the wall.
Neo pushed her winds harder against Hera to keep the cloud from going to Big Mom.
"I'm going to kill you!" Hera hissed.
"Not likely." Neo panted. Her knees wobbled.
"You're on your last leg." Hera smiled. "And when Big Mom get's up she's going to finally kill you all."
"They couldn't have beaten her! Please, we're counting on you to deal with them!" an emperor grunt said.
"Boss!" Kid's crew called out.
"Captain!" Hearts said. "Neo!"
"Bet you felt that one, hag!" Kid spat.
"Hey, Eustass, that's twice now," Law said. "You wait for me to use my finisher, then you swoop in with a flashy move to take the credit for yourself! I'm not your opening act!"
"Who cares?! Let it go!"
"In that case, you go first next time and leave the final blow to me."
"Quit give me orders! There won't be anything left of that old bat once I hit her with my trump card!"
"Oh? What comes after the bull attack? A hippo? Maybe an elephant?"
"Shut up! Like I'm gonna tell you what I'm packing!"
Neo shook her head with a smile. These two captains always acted so childish whenever Luffy was around. What was it about that Straw Hat man that caused such change in people?
Big Mom emerged from the beams, her right arm limp at her side. "Those shock waves hit me from the inside out. Even my ribs are broken! Trafalgar's technique is dangerous." She held her arm up, her hand hung limp. "I'll have to exchange some life to bring you bones back." She laughed as she powered up again.
"In all seriousness, I need to tell you something," Law said through pants. "I'll be out of strength after this round. My next attack will be my last. I can't afford to let it miss. You'll have to-"
"I told you to quit giving me orders!" Kid yelled in Law's ear.
"Prometheus! Napoleon! Hera! Ready?"
"Yes, Mama!"
"Master Saber!" Lightning gathered around Big Mom's sword. "Nothing but useless scrap! It's futile! You brats need to stop dreaming! I've sent hundreds like you to a watery grave! We've ruled for decades now! Since the time you two were still drinking your mothers' milk!"
"If you can't tell, we're different from them. Besides, my parents were killed shortly after I was born," Neo said.
"Assign!" Kid slapped a S and a N on Big Mom's forehead.
Big Mom slammed back into a pillar.
"Mama, dodge!"
"I can't get loose!" Big Mom struggled against the trap until the tower behind her snapped apart, allowing her to move.
"What...? How is she still able to move?" Neo asked.
"No way!" Kid cursed.
'What do we have to do to put this woman down?' Tears swelled in Neo's eyes. Stress started settling into her body and soul.
'I don't know, love. But don't give up yet.' Law gave her a soft glance. 'There's no way she can stand much more either. One more good attack should do it. Can you hold on a little bit longer?'
Neo sniffled. 'I'll try. But this had better be the last attack. I want to go home and be with Cora and the crew.'
