Legal Notice: I do not own any One Piece characters, settings or original plot. It all belongs to Eiichiro Oda. I did not receive any revenue or payment for writing this fan fic. Enjoy Chapter 13!

Zoro stared unhappily at the siren. She leaned against the tree trunk, her eyes closed. She really did beat them there. Magina should've just slept somewhere safe. They could solve this problem with Robin without her.

"Stop glaring at me, Zoro. It's messing with my concentration," Magina said calmly; eyes still shut.

He growled low in his throat but turned his gaze towards the courtyard instead. What a stubborn woman! Zoro watched the shipwrights milling around anxiously, an expectant hush exuding from every man there.

"Chopper, do you see anything yet?" Luffy asked suddenly.

"No, but there sure are a lot of shipwrights around. And they all look strong," Chopper answered, his eyes glued to the binoculars.

"That's only to be expected after what happened earlier. Those shipwrights don't seem like the type to mess around," Nami commented, "We'll have to wait for the right opportunity to move."

"Yeah," Luffy agreed solemnly, "If we jump in carelessly, we'll end up in a bad situation."

Zoro agreed with Nami's exaggerated show of disbelief.

"I can't believe those words actually came out of your mouth! Is this really from the same person who just leapt off a building earlier?"

"Wait, you jumped off a building?" Magina asked, her eyes snapping open in amazement.

"Yeah, he did! And you've seen how tall some of the buildings are, right? He jumped from the highest one all the way down to the lower levels! I thought I was going to die!" Nami's face was streaked with tears from the remembered horror.

Zoro rolled his eyes slightly before turning his full attention back to the courtyard and the diligently searching doctor.

"It's going to be a long night, Chopper, but make sure to tell us immediately if you see something. This will be our last chance to find out why Robin left."

"I got it! You can count on me!"

A sudden explosion rocked the silent night. Zoro stared wide-eyed at the plumes of smoke and fire that started in the corner of the building. After the initial shock and chaos initiated in the courtyard, he stood up on the branch, on hand resting comfortably on his katana.

"So, Captain, what's the plan? Are we going in?" He looked at the others when there was no response. Luffy was already missing.

"That idiot! Why can't he think before he acts?!" he yelled in tandem with Nami.

Magina sighed. "Robin's song is still distorted but she's here. We'll have to do something soon."

Nami rubbed her head briefly. "Well, that baka doesn't have an ability to be subtle. He's probably done beating all the shipwrights at the front door. We can sneak in that way."

After jumping from the tree, they ran alongside the walled fence, Nami directing them. Zoro eyed Magina worriedly. She was panting heavily. He shook his head. Stubborn girl!

"Okay! Jump here!" Nami shouted.

They leapt over the wall and halted in their tracks. Hundreds of shipwrights glared at them. For a few tense seconds, no one moved.

"No way! Where's Luffy? He was supposed to be here first!" Nami moaned.

"They're here! Get them! Show them what it means to mess with the Galley La workers!" someone shouted before the Straw Hats were chased…again. Zoro growled. Running like this wasn't going to help save Robin.

"That's it! Bring it on!" he yelled, unsheathing his katana and turning around.

"Zoro! The shipwrights aren't our enemies!" Nami cried in shock.

"Don't worry. I'll use the back of my blades."

"I'll help too!" Magina reached for her daggers quickly.

"I don't need help. Just keep Nami and Chopper safe and stay out of this."

"But I-"

Zoro didn't let her finish. In minutes, the front courtyard was heaped with unconscious or moaning shipwrights. He only glanced back when he was sure no one got back up.

"You're dangerous even if you turn your blades around," Nami murmured before running towards the stairs. "Okay, Iceberg-san's room is near the top. This way!"

Zoro began to follow when an arm linked with his. Black hair whipped wildly into his face.

"You always go the wrong way, Zoro. What would you do without me?" Magina asked, her eyes trained on the others, her jaw clenching.

Zoro curbed his impulse to retort scathingly back. They could argue later, now was the time for action. He ran beside her towards the others.

"Zoro? How could you get lost?" Chopper asked in astonishment.

"You're like a national treasure. I've never seen anyone mess up directions as badly as you!" Nami added.

He growled as they turned a corner. Magina's hand shook on his arm. Zoro glanced down to see her stumble a step. An odor of blood hung heavily in the air around them.

"Running like this isn't helping you," he grumbled.

"I'm fine!" Magina snapped angrily before her mouth set into a grim line. "But I don't think they are."

Shipwrights' bodies littered the hallways and stairs.

"There are more of them the closer we get. Who could have done all this?" Nami asked.

"I'm sure we'll find that out soon enough," Zoro commented dryly.

All of sudden, Chopper and Nami pulled back, letting him and Magina pull ahead.

"It's right through that door. I'm sure of it! Now, go!"

Zoro dropped Magina's arm and turned his head angrily. "Don't order me around!"

He slashed open the door and met face to face with the enemy, Robin and…

"Luffy?"

…

Black plumes of smoke surrounded her. Every breath seared painfully in her lungs. Fighting four of those…those monsters was too much. Cinders drifted in the air, ignited and swiftly turned into ash. Magina struggled up. The bandages Chopper wrapped her wounds in were ripped to shreds. Nami, was she still alright? She had to protect her. These enemies were far beyond any of their capabilities at the moment.

"Oh, I'm surprised that you can move," the squared-face man said nonchalantly.

She clenched her jaw, unable to come up with a retort. Her knees already trembled in an effort to stay upright. The leopard turned his cold stare her way, his lips curling into a sneer. Magina shivered, dread coursing through her veins.

"So, this is the impertinent fool who believes that her nakama can beat us? Do you still believe it's possible after I've killed them?"

Magina gripped the hilts of her daggers tightly.

"You didn't kill them," she panted.

The searing atmosphere scorched her throat, her lungs. She couldn't sing like that. The ceiling above cracked and popped but Magina heard something else faintly. A lighthearted and cheerful melody was suddenly by her side.

"Nami?" she nearly gagged on the thick smoke.

"She's right. They're not dead."

"You have to admit, Lucci, these pirates are unusually stubborn," the beautiful blonde-haired woman commented as she readjusted her glasses and flicked her hair back.

"Yes, so stubborn that I can't wait to rip their hearts out," the dark feline growled, advancing slowly towards Nami.

Magina clenched her teeth tightly and sprang in between the beast and Nami. Shink! Sparks flew as her daggers clashed with the cats steel-like claws.

"You're extremely foolish to come between me and my prey."

Her arms trembled as if she was fishing with lead nets through a six-hour storm. The roar of the blaze worsened, the thick smoke causing her to pant, her lungs already starved for oxygen. He saw her struggling and mocked her cruelly.

"Blocking me is a wasted effort. Did you forget that there are four of us here? Any one of my companions can kill your unguarded nakama."

Magina's eyes darted to where Nami was desperately trying to shove debris out of the way, searching for Chopper. A shadow moved too quickly toward the bent figure. Nami…she had to protect her! Magina dropped her arms and sprinted to intercept the attacker.

"Soru!"

"Shigan!"

Magina gasped in agony. The cat's claws caught her waist and the square one's finger was buried deeply in her left shoulder. She tried to step back but the two men held her in their grasp. She was like a helpless fish trapped in a net!

"I told you. It's impossible for one person to protect another against four enemies. Now that you're incapacitated, what do you think is going to happen to her?"

"Magina!"

Ah, that was Nami's voice, and she was still okay, just as long as…

"Thorny Road!"

Magina grunted in dismay as a thorny whip wrapped around Nami's body. Nami cried out in pain. Magina tried to reach her but she was held back.

"No! Nami!"

The lady whiplashed the weapon the same instant as an explosion shattered the remaining windows and blew them out into the level below.

"Lucci, if we stay here any longer; the room will be engulfed in flames."

Magina was thrown at a broken wall. The cat licked his claws unhurriedly, eventually shrinking and returning to his man transformation. He smirked at her.

"Yes, the fire will take care of these loose ends for us. We still have one more appointment to keep tonight."

The four attackers jumped out into the night, leaving her alone in the burning wreckage. It was a while before Magina could think to move. Her eyes smarted and she felt them water. The tears washed away the grit and ash so she let herself cry. The rubble beside her shifted. The usual shy yet happy tune dragged painfully.

Chopper! He sounded barely conscious. Magina grit her teeth and forced herself to stand. A wooden crossbeam lay across the doctor, yet he was still attempting to squirm his way out. She took a deep breath, ignoring the pain in her side and shoulder. Magina stood in a wide stance and prepared to brace the beam.

"Ready, set…lift!"

Her arms were about to be torn out of her sockets! Her muscles trembled. Chopper had to hurry or she wouldn't be able to hold it much longer. The surrounding atmosphere was gaining temperature. The main fire was probably here then. Leaving now was the only option for their survival…Magina grunted. Was Chopper still trapped?

"Magina…we should go…" Chopper wheezed beside her.

She dropped the beam, nearly following it to the floor. Quickly steadying herself, she glanced around the room. One of Zoro's katana lay abandoned in the middle of the inferno. Iceberg and a shipwright were tied up. Magina took the katana and nodded at Chopper.

"Yeah, but we can't leave them here."

Chopper grunted in agreement. She grabbed one man while Chopper carried one on his back. She staggered toward the window. Chopper wasn't doing much better. Before the flames could catch them, they both leapt out into the cool evening air. Magina skidded against the ground. Chopper collapsed soon after. They were safe. Now, they had to rescue Robin…Magina's eyes settled shut as the roar of the flames faded into cool and healing blackness.

First, a big apology for the long wait for Chapter 13. Life had to take priority for a bit. Hopefully things will settle down after the holidays… ^_^ Please review! I love reading what you think! Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Stay safe if you're traveling and don't get sick :P (I type when I have a cold already lol) See you for Chapter 14 in 2013! 3