A.n I own Nothing
I'm back. I had a wonderful time in the USA and to all my readers who live there you have a wonderful contrary. I'm a bit Jet-lagged so writing may be a tad difficult but I will endevor to get more chapters written up and posted on time.
On another note Netflix's Castlevania season two has released a trailer and the officialrelease date is October 26...just in time for Halloween. If you have not seen the trailer Youtube it right away...it looks so good and I hope to get new Ideas and add more for to my Castlevania/Justice League story.
As always Please Review
A clash of steel could be heard throughout the forest as Zoro's blades and Connor's clashed.
Despite the constant strikes and pressure that Zoro was unleashing Connor managed to block each blow. Staying on the defensive was Connors only hope of surviving, he knew that Zoro was not holding back and if he dropped he guard for even a second the swordsman would take that opportunity and finish him off.
However blocking Zoro's blades was easy enough as Connor was very familiar with his attack patterns and thanks to his sparing sessions; the problem was the power behind each strike which he could feel go through his body every single time…and it hurt. Every time he had sparred with Zoro the swordsman had controlled his strength so as not to overwhelm or hurt the boy and keep to Connor's level of skill; this time Zoro was not holding back and even though Zoro was not using his full power every blow sent Connor back a several steps.
"Get out of my way," Zoro yelled angrily.
"I can't," Connor claimed "Luffy trusts me to hold you here so that is what I'm going to do,"
Zoro brought his swords up from the side and Connor blocked it...he was thrown several feet away by the sheer power of the blow. He tumbled a bit and Zoro raced up to him to deliver another strike; this time from above. Connor however raised his sword and blocked it again...he struggled under the stain of holding back Zoro's attack.
Connor took note of how Zoro was standing and he moved his blade to the side a bit before completely removing it and summersaulting under Zoro's legs to get away as Zoro's sword left several large crevasse in the ground. Zoro straitened up and looked at him.
"Using your small size to your advantage...clever," Zoro complimented and then rushed him again "but not clever enough.
Connor continued to defend until he was forced back against a rock, he looked at it for a moment and then back at Zoro who had already raised his swords behind his arm.
"SABER TIGER STIKE!" Zoro cried.
Connor quickly jumped to the left and he only barely avoided the strike as the rock was smashed to pieces three deep sward streaks in the ground had been created. Connor looked at the damage in fear and then at Zoro. He quickly got up and got ready to defend again.
"you've got potential kid but...you won't beat me by only defending," Zoro said as he increased his speed and power of his strikes.
Connor also and met each and every strike with a parry move. Connor parried the strikes perfectly and then blocked Zoro's follow up attack, though every so often a bit of his clothes would get nicked and torn as a result. Zoro was now becoming incredibly suspicions as he recognised the parry technic that the boy had used.
'What the hell...those are defences moves I learned when I was a kid,' Zoro thought.
Zoro changed his way of fighting but Connor adapted to it almost instantly.
'How is he doing that...is he reading my mind
"Zoro stop...you don't want to hurt Luffy and the others," Connor tired again, he knew he could not keep this fight up much longer.
"You don't know what I want," Zoro responded.
Zoro delivered a blow that was not very powerful but made Connor stumble nonetheless, he then bent down into a familiar position with his arms crossed and his swords raised.
"Uh-Oh..." Connor said as he realised what was coming.
Connor had never been on the receiving end of Zoro's more powerful attacks before. Zoro made an effort to keep them out of his training sessions as the swordsman didn't believe Connor could handle them. But Connor had seen them in action many times so he was certain he could block them...at least he hoped he could. Connor twisted his blade so it was pointing down diagonally in front of his chest.
"ONI-GRI!" Zoro cried and he launched his attack at Connor.
Zoro hit Connors sword in the middled and even though it was enough o prevent the boy from receiving any damage the force behind it blew the boy back into a tree. As soon as he hit the tree Connor dropped the his sword and struggled to sit up.
Zoro walked up to him sheathing two of his swords and kicked Connor's blade away out of reach. He a lifted Connor up by his throat, Connor struggled to get out of the hold but it was no use.
"I don't like killing kids…in fact I make a habit to leave them alone. But if your part of Straw Hats crew and you defend him…well I think I'll just forget about that rule of mine," Zoro said.
Zoro drew his last unsheathed sword back.
"It's a shame, not many adults can stand up to me let alone children," Zoro claimed "Say good bye," Zoro said.
Connor froze as the sharp it suddenly stopped inches from his face as blue smoke suddenly surrounded Zoro and it engulfed him.
"What the…what's this?" Zoro asked and he dropped Connor.
Connor grunted as he hit the ground and looked up as Zoro tried to swipe and shoo away the blue smoke. Once it was gone Zoro blinked a few times and looked around…his attention fell on Connor and his torn clothes and bruses from the fight..
"Kid?" Zoro asked.
Connor breathed a sigh of relief.
"What happened...wait...did I do this," Zoro asked as he remembered what had happened.
"Yeah...you lost your memories and wanted to kill Luffy...I tried to stop you," Connor claimed.
"Lost my...that brat...I'll kill him for this," Zoro hissed.
"Are you okay?" he asked "I didn't hurt you too badly did I?"
"I'm not dead so I'll heal," Connor shrugged "and I'm not going to fall into a healing coma,"
"Where did the others go?" Zoro asked.
Connor looked to the path leading up the hill.
"Up that path, there's supposed to be some temple there," Connor claimed "Robin said the one who stole the memories is there...looks like she was right,"
"Okay...are you going to be alright?" Zoro asked. He did not want to leave Connor in the forest alone but he also knew that the others might need help.
"Yeah, I'll join you once my body stops hurting," Connor said.
Zoro nodded and ran up the path before tuning right and heading into the trees.
"ZORO THAT'S THE WRONG WAY!" Connor called out.
Zoro stopped and altered his course and Connor merely sighed and shook his head.
5min earlier, the rest of the Straw Hats, Forest Path
Luffy ran up the path at a fast pace, he was not going at top speed as he did not want to get separated from his crew and he needed Robin to guide him. Luffy knew that Connor would not be able to hold Zoro back for long and he had seen the look in the swordsman's eyes...Luffy knew Zoro was fighting seriously and he had little doubt that Connor would eventually lose.
While the boy's skills with the blade were impressive Connor could not defeat Zoro as he could not harm him nor would he be able to stand against him for long. Zoro was his superior in skill, size, power, speed and experience after all. The best Luffy could hope for was that Connor would last until the crew's memories were recovered or at least Zoros were.
"Robin how much further?" Luffy demanded.
"It should be just up ahead," Robin answered.
"Good we need Zoros and everyone's memories back now," Luffy declared.
Namis eyes narrowed in hate and she stopped running. No one noticed until they were fifteen feet away.
"Is there something wrong Nami?" Usopp asked, as he was the one to notice that they had left her behind.
The others stropped and looked back at her.
"Huh...Nami what are you doing? Connor won't be able to hold out for long," Luffy said urgently.
"You don't care about him," Nami said angrily.
"Of course I do," Luffy claimed "That's why we have to hurry,"
"No you don't, he means nothing to you," Nami said "You're a pirate and all pirates do is take what they want from anyone who can't fight back...and when they do they kill them,"
"Nami, Luffy is not like that," Robin said.
"Oh really then why did he make that boy his slave?" Nami asked.
Luffy froze.
"How do you know about that?" Luffy asked.
"I read all about it in the ships log, that kid who you left to die is your slave...it also contained information about everything he's been through. That kid is only 13 he should be at home and not out here serving you,"
"Wait...what?" Usopp asked.
"What does she mean?" Chopper asked
"Is this true?" Sanji demanded and looked at Luffy.
"Oh dear...I did not think this would come out," Robin said.
"Wait…so it is true then?" Usopp asked.
"Well technically yes but…" Luffy started but was interrupted.
"How could you do that to a 13yr old boy," Nami screamed "How could you take him from his home and his mother…how could you kill her and burn his Island down,"
"That's not what happened," Luffy defended.
"But that's what's written in the ships log," Nami claimed "it states that pirates took him and killed his family…since that boy is your slave you must have been the one to do it,"
"Wait you did what?" Chopper freaked out.
"Nami you don't understand," Robin tried.
"So the journal is wrong then…that boy is not your slave?" Nami asked.
"Well he is mine but…." Luffy started.
"So you don't deny it...you don't deny that and you just let him face that swordsman alone?" Nami interrupted.
"He chose to face Zoro," Luffy reminded.
"You didn't stop him," Nami shot back "if you really cared about him you would not let him anywhere near that a sword…YOU WOULD NOT HAVE LEFT HIM TO DIE!"
"I didn't stop him because I don't care about him or I want him to die...I didn't stop him because he's never done had such a determined look before...I didn't stop him because I trust him," Luffy claimed.
"He knows he can't beat Zoro...he also knows that in his current state Zoro is confused and will have no issue taking any of us out. He knows the only way to get Zoro back to normal is to get his memories back," Luffy said "All he's doing is buying us some time so we can focus on doing just that,"
"Well forget it, if getting my memories back means I have to be a pirate I would rather not have them at all," Nami said.
Luffy stared at Nami in shock, he knew she hated pirates before but he did not think she would not want her memories back at all. Nami turned her attention to the others.
"Everyone this is our chance. we can leave here now, let's take his ship and I can get us home," Nami said.
Sanji, Usopp and Chopper looked at each other for a moment and then back to Luffy.
"Luffy we need to hurry," Robin said.
"Yeah, let's go," Luffy agreed seriously and the two started running again.
The others watched them go.
"Well...let's get to the ship," Nami urged.
"Sorry Nami-swan...But I'm going to follow them," Sanji said.
"What why?" Usopp asked.
"My foster father is an ex-pirate, he used to say that when a man gets on a ship it's for a reason," Sanji claimed "If what he says is true and I am part of his crew then that means I must have a reason...and I want to know what that is,"
"A reason...what possible reason could you have for wanting to be a pirate?" Nami asked.
"I don't know, I've never wanted to be a pirate. But I can't leave until I remember that reason," Sanji claimed "Besides a real man would never let someone take his memories and get away with it,"
Sanji then turned and started to run up the hill after Luffy and Robin calling out to them.
"Wow...Real Pirates are so cool," Chopper said with admiration.
"No there not," Nami huffed "are you going to follow them too?"
"Yeah I am," Chopper nodded.
"Why?" Nami asked.
"Because pirates are brave and strong and someone very close to once said that a pirate flag is not a symbol of fear but conviction," Chopper said "it's a symbol of belief and that nothing is impossible,"
Nami and Usopp stared at him.
"So I'm going," Chopper said and he ran after Sanji.
"Hey Sanji wait for me, I'm a man too," Chopper called out as he ran.
"Damn it their right," Usopp said and headed up the hill.
"Huh you're going too?" Nami asked in surprise.
Usopp stopped
"It's not that I don't want to go home...it's just...I can't just let someone run off with my memories and do what they like with it," Usopp claimed.
Nami looked at Usopp in surprise, out of all the people she thought would side with her she had counted on him. After all Usopp seemed the crowdedly type.
"Sorry but you go back, if your still here once I get my memories back i'll join you," Usopp said and he ran off.
"Ugh there all idiots," Nami huffed.
She turned to go back and only got a few steps when she realised that Sanji still had her gold.
"They still have my gold..." Nami moaned and she ran up the hill.
The crew continued to run up the hill and until they got to wide open area in filled with ruins and there was an opening to what appeared to be a temple with water coming out of it and filling a small lake. None of them saw any sign of the boy with the sea horse horn.
"I don't get it; I thought you said the one who stole our memories would be here...where is he?" Chopper asked.
"Most likely in here," Robin said and she walked up to the temples entrance "In the Temple of the Sea God,"
The others approached and looked at the entrance, it was defiantly old and they could see that it had not been used for a long time as the moss and weeds were over grown and the building had a lot of age crakes in the stone.
They walked in and at first it was dark and the only light source the one from the entrance, but as they walked along the water illumined providing a constant soft blue light. A little further in the path opened up to the main cavern, it was a huge wide room with a lake in the centre, the cavern was lit up but bright glow worms and fire files that buzzed around.
On the ceiling were hanging stalagmites and there were some around the near the base of walls, the walls had old paintings and pictures of people worshiping something, but they had faded over time. There was a huge stone statue of what appeared to be a giant benevolent sea creature at the back with water coming out of it filling the lake and running down the into the stream.
"Well you made it," Drim said.
"You," Nami gasped.
"Hello again Miss," Drim said and gave her a wave "I'm glad to see your still on the Island...although it was rude of you not to go to sleep,"
"Oi give back Zoros memories," Luffy demanded.
"Hmm...No," Drim said.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want too," Drim shrugged.
"But Connor is fighting him now, he won't last much longer…he could die," Luffy urged.
"So? That actually works out for me," Drim smiled.
"What do you mean?" Robin asked.
"It's odd...I can't seem to steal anything from that boy, he always wakes up moments before I can," Dirm said "I have no use for someone like that so he can die for all I care,"
"What?" Luffy growled.
"Don't worry, you'll forget him soon enough," Drim assured.
"Crap, he's going to take our memories again," Usopp panicked.
"No, we're awake and he can't take them if we're not asleep," Robin pointed out.
"Actually I can…it's just easier and less painful to do it while your asleep," Drim grinned.
Drim put the seahorse horn to his lips and began to blow into it, it's eyes glowed white and the crew gripped their heads in pain. Sanji however closed his eyes and ran up to him.
"You Asshole!" Sanji yelled and kicked the sea horse out of Drims hand. It flew back and hit a nearby rock and blue smoke came out of him and flew away.
Drim was also knocked down and he sat up minute later, he looked around confused and then saw Sanji looking down at him with hate and malice.
"Oi give us our memories back," Sanji said in a deadly and scary voice.
Fear filled Drims face and he backed away before getting up and fleeing the cavern.
"Hey come back," Sanji called out.
"Let him go, he's a victim of this mess too," Robin instructed, she then looked at the sea horse horn "that is the real culprit,"
"What was that blue stuff?" Nami asked.
"That was someone's memories...Sanji kick that thing again," Usopp urged.
Sanji did as he was told and more blue smoke came out, this smoke surrounded Chopper and when it disappeared he looked around.
"Huh...what the...HEY YOU TRIED TO EAT ME!" Chopper yelled angrily at Luffy.
"My bad," Luffy laughed.
"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Chopper yelled.
Sanji let loose a flurry of powerful kicks that realised more and more blue smoke; this time the smoke surrounded both Usopp and Nami.
"Ah...YOU!" they both cried together.
Sanji continued to kick the seahorse around the cavern, realising more and more blue smoke until finally it surrounded him and he regained his memories. He instantly turned around to face Nami and Robin.
"NAMI-SWANN. ROBIN-CHANNN DID YOU MISS ME?!" Sanji swooned.
Nami sighed.
"Well looks like everyone is back to normal," Luffy cheered.
"Wait did Zoro get his back?" Usopp asked.
"Don't know...should I kick him some more just to be safe?" Sanji said and nudged the sea horse with his foot.
"That's a good idea," Nami agreed.
Sanji gave the sea horse one last kick and it landed in the pool of water.
Suddenly they all herd heavy footsteps approach from the passageway. The crew turned to see who it was and Zoro emerged from the darkness with two of his swords drawn, his white sword sheathed and he did not look happy.
Connor was not with him.
"Hi Zoro," Luffy said happily and gave him a wave.
"Zoro where's Connor?" Sanji asked.
Zoros eyes trailed over the group and like he was analysing them and they landed on Luffy.
"Move," he demanded.
The crews' faces frowned, it appeared that Zoro had not got his memory back. Zoro got into an aggressive stance, Sanji ran forward to stop the swordsman from harming the rest of the crew but Zoro rushed past him and the rest heading past Luffy and straight for the sea horse whose head was poking out of the water.
Seeing the enraged swordsman coming the seahorse dived under the water in an attempt to run away, though it was hard because he was not very fast. Zoro sheathed his swords and jumped in after it and splash around in the pool while trying to grab the sea horse…the rest of the crew found it quite humours.
"I think it's safe to say that Zoro has his memory back," Robin claimed.
"Yeah but...what about Connor. If Zoro is back to normal why wasn't he with him?" Usopp asked.
"That is a very good question," Robin responded.
Before anyone could answer the Sea Horse Flute burst put of the water and landed painfully on the cave floor; it looked severely beaten and bruised as Zoro had not been kind to it. Zoro climbed out of the pool dripping wet and still angry.
"Had enough?" Zoro asked.
The Sea Horse Flute shuddered and tried to back away but bumped into the other members of the Straw Hat crew. It suddenly jumped up and started making strange sounds.
"You fools you'll regret what you've done," Chopper said as he translated for the Sea Horse.
"I think I want to beat him up again," Zoro claimed.
"You had your turn, let me have a go next," Luffy said.
"You know Zeff once told me that Seahorses were considered a delicacy(1) in some Islands. He gave me a recipe for it once and I've never actually tried it," Sanji said.
"Really?" Usopp asked.
"Yeah...normally Sea Horses are small so there is not much to eat...but that one is big...I think it'll go round everyone," Sanji said.
The flutes face suddenly went pale at the thought of being eaten by hungry pirates. It made some very angry sounds
"I will never let you eat me," the flute claimed.
It's eyes started to glow a bright white and the Straw Hats all gripped there heads and started screaming in pain.
1 Seahorses are edible and are considered a delicacy in China, due to this and over fishing they are on the verge of extinction.
