Island Hopping

by ZareEraz

ZoroxLuffy. As captain and crew journey through their many adventures, we'll be taking peeks into the little moments that pop up in Luffy's and Zoro's lives. There will be a little love, a bit of worry, a dash of anger and frustration, and a whole lot of excitement as these two find their crewmates and find places in each other's hearts. Fluff and good stuff! Update in progress

22. Us Against the World

A/N: Heyo! I'm alive everyone! Sorry for making you wait so long but I finally got around to updating this story! Just as a quick FYI, I have gone through and edited the entire story, updating my writing and even adding a few new sections. The G8 chapter got another story and so did the Long Ring Long Land chapter (chapters 17 and 18), so go check those out if you want. I will also be adding a mature story relating to the Ocean's Dream chapter here soon (chapter 19), but just like "Up to the Heavens" for the Skypiea chapter (chapter 16), it will also be a stand-alone story, so if you don't want to read it, you're not missing out on anything. Relating to this chapter, I literally cried guys, I'm not going to lie. Every time I watch this arc I cry because Robin and Merry are such sweet cinnamon rolls. So if you cry, don't blame me because I did it too! I hope you enjoy reading this chapter and please, let me know what you think in the review section. Thank you for your support!

(P.S. Fun fact, I found out that "Us Against the World" is the name of several songs, and the Coldplay one is the song I ended up connecting to if you want to listen to it. Chris Martin (lead singer, songwriter, and founder) once said at a concert"[Us Against the World] is about feeling lost in the world and then finding someone you can share things with and then everything becomes okay," and if that's not Robin and the Straw Hats, I don't know what is. Anyway enjoy!)

Chapter 22: Us Against the World

I Want to Live!

When I lost to Aokiji I realized something. I said to myself, "You keep running into guys who are stronger and stronger. Unless you get stronger too, you can't protect your friends." And I want to! They're not all strong, like me. But either way, they're my friends and I want to keep them. So I have to get stronger than anyone else! Otherwise, there's a chance that I could lose them. I thought of a new way to fight so that I don't lose anyone! I won't let anyone slip away from me!

Luffy was waiting on the roof of the courthouse. Blueno's unconscious body was somewhere behind him; he'd stepped past it soon after the man had collapsed. One down. He'd also wrecked the place up good, including the main island and not just the courthouse roof, which was quite satisfying. The rubber man huffed and leaped up onto the green and white battlements on the edge of the roof, landing on one of them. The abyss of the waterfall was rushing below him, the roar of the chasm and untold gallons of water masking quite a bit of the fighting going on down below. Luffy looked down in the endless pit as he stood on the edge of the building. He was so close to his goal, and yet something as simple as a chasm still stood in his way. Well, there was still one thing he could do while he was waiting for his crew to catch up to him: he took a deep breath and yelled as loud as he could.

"RRRROOOOOOBBBBBIIIIIINNNNN! I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU!" Luffy didn't know it, but his voice could be heard all over the island even if he'd just meant to reach one person. His allies who heard his voice smiled to themselves for a moment as they renewed their fights. Now that he'd announced his presence all he had to do was wait for his friends to come and meet him.

Luffy's stomach ended up growling after his big yell, and the young man rubbed it discontentedly. "Huh…I guess I've been running around a lot. Man, time for a snack! Good thing I came prepared!" The rubber man reached into his new black shorts and opened up the extra pockets on the sides to yank out two hunks of meat. He held up his snack triumphantly and yelled, "MEAT TIME!" before stuffing his face. He also mumbled, "I knew putting these in my pocket was a good idea! I just wish I had more pockets!" while chewing with his mouth open. Once the meat was gobbled up, Luffy was ready for Round Two!

"HEY! IS ANYBODY THERE?!" The rubber man started yelling at the huge tower in front of him again, searching the windows to see if Robin was peeking out of one of them. No luck. But then, all of a sudden, there was a big commotion inside the Tower of Justice and some of the commotion sounded like a huge fart. Something broke through the outer wall and whatever it was hit the fence attached to the balcony. Luffy squinted up at the tower and tried to see what had happened, and that's when he saw Franky hanging on the slowly collapsing fence. His weight had buckled a section and he was practically hanging over the chasm now. He yelled in shock, getting out a "SUPER!" as he jumped back onto the balcony with something in his arms. The fence completely broke away and fell down into the waterfall, clanging once against the island before disappearing in the mist. But who cared about that? Luffy could see Robin's head peeking up over the side of the balcony. He smiled hugely and waved his arms in the air at the sight of her.

"Hey! Robin! You're still there! Didn't you hear me yelling?" The woman stood up and turned to her former captain, her face a neutral mask. He couldn't hear it, but she said his name softly, as if still not believing that he was really there.

There was some more commotion inside the building as some Marines and agents shouted at the pair. Franky turned around and yelled "I don't have time for you thugs right now! WEAPONS LEFT!" He then released a barrage of bullets at the attackers and caused an explosion. Luffy smiled again, amused by the trouble the cyborg was causing.

"I guess that means Franky is there too," he noted. "Okay! I'll be right over! It's a little far but I can make it!" Luffy jumped off the battlement and ran across the roof to get a start and tossed his stretchy arms back towards the battlement once he was far enough away and grabbed on. He backed up some more to use his Gum-Gum Rocket, but before he could zoom over there, he was interrupted.

"STOP IT!" The yell was so incredibly heart-wrenching that the teen paused. Robin was yelling at him! He looked up at her, shocked that she didn't want him to come over. From what he could see, Robin looked miserable. But he was here to save her! Why wasn't she happy? "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not coming back! I'm not a part of your crew anymore! Just go away! I never want to see your face again!" Luffy was so confused and a little hurt. He'd come all this way for her so why was Robin acting like this?

"Don't you understand?! Why did you come to save me in the first place?! Why can't you just let me go?! I never asked for this! You've gone too far!" she continued to yell and the rubber man started to let his hands slip off of the battlement. Once he let go his arms recoiled back into place and hung by his sides. "For the last time: I don't want you here!" Robin was panting with exertion once she'd yelled at him, trying to hide the fact that she was so terribly conflicted. She took a shaky breath and screamed out one more shocking thing: "Do you hear me? I just want to die!" Luffy was dumbfounded but he could still tell that something was wrong. Robin seemed so upset but not for the reasons she was telling him, why? Luffy may have been an idiot but he knew when someone was hurting.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?!" Franky snapped at the woman, so confused by her behavior as well. "Your friends put their lives on the line to come here! And you-"

"They decided to do that on their own," Robin cut him off harshly. Some idiot with purplish hair was laughing in the background but Luffy didn't care about him at all.

"Are you kidding me!?" Franky shouted, "Who cares-" and then he was cut off again by a foot to the face and crashed to the ground.

"You're in the way," Kaku sneered, walking past the cyborg disdainfully.

"Hahaha! What's wrong Kaku?" Another man in a black suit walked out onto the balcony after the former shipwright, smiling maliciously. "Venting your anger because your Devil Fruit powers are so lame?!" This man had darker skin and really long, dark hair that was tied back and braided in a weird ponytail (a queue for cultured people). He was also mean-looking and had a weird mustache and goatee. Luffy immediately didn't like him, just like he didn't like the rest of CP9

"Oh shut up already!" Kaku growled back. "I like my powers just fine!" Their argument continued on but Luffy was more interested in observing the other people who were supposedly part of CP9, as there were more members than just Kaku and the rest of the former shipwrights. A huge blowfish-looking person was behind the mean-looking guy, and a painted face weirdo with long, pink hair was behind them. The stupid Pigeon Guy was there too and just seeing his face made Luffy's blood boil. He was going to kick that guy's ass into next week! He tried to remain calm, squeezing his fists tightly to hold himself back, his fingernails digging crescent moons into his skin. That piece of shit was going to pay for what he and his comrades had done to his crew!

One more person shot out of a lower window and Moon Walked up to the balcony, standing next to her comrades on the railing. "Oh, all this ruckus for one little pirate?" Luffy recognized the woman who'd spoken as Ice Pop's old secretary.

The huge pink-haired man replied to her. "Yo yoi! Alone though he may be, his perseverance is certainly admirable!"

"I'll be damned! So he beat Blueno after all! Hahaha! What a fool!" The mean-looking guy with the stupid mustache was talking again and just hearing any of them speak was pissing Luffy off. They had Robin and he was going to make sure that they would give her back!

"Being a barkeep for five years probably didn't do his fighting skills any favors," Pigeon Guy huffed, disappointed.

"So it would appear," Kaku added. "But it's still a surprise."

"Either way, he lost! Chapapa!" the stupid-looking blowfish person finished up.

The purple-haired idiot was laughing again. "I'm glad you could all make it, CP9! And just in time too! It seems the Straw Hats are having a little tiff! It's quite amusing! HAHAHA! You really shouldn't miss it!"

Luffy began ignoring them, focusing his gaze solely on Robin. She was still glaring at him with conflicted eyes, her grimace angry and upset. There seemed to be a lot more than a physical chasm between them and Luffy knew that he was missing one, little piece of the picture. Robin was a prisoner being held by CP9 but she still didn't want his help nor did she want to be saved…what was he missing? A huge crash sent the whole courthouse shaking but Luffy kept his feet. There seemed to be something going on down below but he ignored that as well. His only concern right now was Robin and he wasn't going to let himself be distracted. He wasn't going to give up on her no matter what she said.

It was around this time that Zoro was fed up with running through the courthouse halls. His idiot crew had somehow run off and gotten themselves lost, and no matter how hard he tried, the swordsman couldn't find them. Pair that with having to beat up lowlife henchmen and he was getting pretty tired of this crap.

"Ug, I don't have time for this," he groaned, hearing several sets of footsteps coming toward him. However, he definitely knew that they were not his friends. He glanced up at the ceiling and came up with a brilliant idea. "Oh yeah," he smiled devilishly, unsheathing the Wado Ichimonji and adding it to his other swords. "If I just go up, things should work out fine!" He placed the sword in his mouth and got ready to carry out his plan. The footsteps were getting closer but now he knew that he was going to get away. He wound up and unleashed his swords. "TATSU MAKI!" The twister of power raced to the ceiling, and then through it, cutting away at the stone and continuing upwards.

Several floors above Zoro, Nami, and Chopper were facing a member of the Just Eleven Jurymen with varying degrees of success. When the ground started shaking, they panicked and got caught up in the attack's upward progression. The Jurymen were blown away by the twister, cut up, and knocked into the ceiling before falling unconscious. Nami and Chopper were swept into the mess as the twister raced towards them. They ran, but ended up caught in the vortex of power, pushed up through the ceiling, and then the next, and then the next. Screaming all the way, of course.

Down in the Courthouse Plaza, Usopp, I mean, Sniper King had just arrived with Kashii and Oimo. The giants began terrorizing the Navy men and World Government agents, having switched sides when Sniper King had informed them that their bosses, Dory and Broggy, were still having their duel on Little Garden and weren't locked in a dungeon like the World Government wanted them to believe. Having the opportunity to unleash years of pent-up rage and worry, the two giants were having a blast! Sniper King watched as they had a ball but was then informed by a Franky Family member that his friends were headed to the roof of the courthouse.

"The roof?" he repeated.

"Yeah! You should go meet them!"

Kashii chucked loudly, smiling down on his new, little friend. "Leave that to me! I'll get you there in a flash!" He grinned, pushing his Viking helmet back into place on his head. Usopp, I mean, Sniper King looked up at his new, big friend and made a "huh?" sound. He began to have a sinking feeling in his stomach that he wasn't going to like what Kashii's idea was.

Back on the roof of the courthouse, Luffy jumped back onto the battlements and gave Robin a long look before speaking again. "You want to die?" he asked, still so confused.

The woman's eyes narrowed, her breathing heavy. She was sweating now, the stress of the whole situation beginning to break her neutral façade. "That's right!"

"Wait a second Chief," the mean-looking guy with the stupid mustache called, "Why are we listening to this shit when we could just go over there and pound that guy's face in?"

"Patience, patience," the idiot responded. "Here we have a captain who risked his life to save one of his crewmates, only to have his precious hopes dashed at the very last second! How tragic, and yet, I can't tear my eyes away. It's too amusing!" The man, Spandam, walked up behind Robin and joined the rest of his team on the balcony. He was enjoying the drama immensely and looked down at the itty bitty pirate. He'd been shocked by the mayhem Straw Hat had caused but now that CP9 was here everything was going to be fine. He didn't need to worry about anything now!

"Robin!" Luffy shouted again, "I don't know what to say!" He fell back on his almost child-like sense of honesty and just told her straight up that he had no clue how to respond. Spandam laughed at his face.

"Wow! Could he be more pathetic?! I've got to see the look on his face!" When the man took a closer look, he found Straw Hat Luffy nonchalantly picking his nose.

"Sorry, but that sounds dumb to me!" the rubber man replied, once again telling Robin straight up what he thought about what she'd said.

"He's picking his nose?!" Spandam shrieked. He couldn't believe that idiot pirate's attitude! He didn't even look worried about CP9 or getting off this island, which was insane! What was wrong with this punk?!

"Listen," Luffy continued to ignore everything that Spandam was saying and kept talking to his archeologist. "That won't work out. We're already here and it was a lot of trouble! We're going to go ahead and save you." As the teen was talking the stones that made up the roof behind him started buckling and moving. With one huge burst, a vortex of power shot through the roof bringing with it a screaming Chopper, wailing Nami, and a Juryman. They all flew in the air and then started falling back down. Nami stuck her landing like a pro but Chopper unceremoniously crashed to the ground. The Juryman fell back into the hole and crashed all the way back to the bottom. Robin looked so surprised by the pair's entrance but the surprises weren't over yet.

"If you still want to die after we're all back together," Luffy continued, noting the arrival of his doctor and navigator, "Well…then that's your choice.

"Ow…owowow!" Chopper groaned, turning over to kneel on the ground.

"It looks like you landed on your head; are you okay?" Nami asked, worried about her friend.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," the reindeer replied. "What the heck happened back there?"

"I think I might have an idea of who to blame," a cross vein popped out of Nami's forehead as she spoke. However, her anger at a certain someone ebbed for a moment when she spotted Robin high above her and she smiled in relief. Just as Chopper sat up, a green-headed idiot climbed out of the hole.

"There we go! That was a lot easier than dealing with those stupid stairs!" Zoro had made it to the roof finally and found himself being barraged with Nami's anger the second he got up there.

"THERE HE IS!" the navigator snarled, her anger coming back in full force. She held up an angry fist just in case she needed to beat some sense into the idiot. "I knew it was you! You're lucky that we got out of the way in time! If that thing had hit us head-on, we'd be dead right now!"

Zoro brushed off the redhead's wrath like a pro and stood up. "Oh, you're here too?" Then another huge hole appeared on the rooftop as Sanji flew through the air with scattering bits of stone and dust and yelling his attack triumphantly. Clearly, he'd kicked his way to the roof, and executed several fabulous somersaults before landing on the ground gracefully.

"I'm the first one here, no doubt!" he declared to no one in particular. Being first meant that no one would be there to hear it except Luffy, but like an idiot, he'd said it with his eyes closed. "I've left Robin waiting long enough! Time for her prince to-" and then he opened his eyes and saw the asshole Moss Head staring back at him. "MOSS HEAD!? What are you doing here?! You're going to ruin everything!"

"Finally made it, huh?" Zoro smirked. "Did you get lost or something?" He chuckled at the cook's distress.

"Whoa, whoa, whoawhoawhoawhoa! Don't you dare! Don't even go there!" the blond snarled back but before their usual argument could careen out of control like it always did, they were joined by yet another friend. Usopp, I mean, Sniper King rocketed through the air, flying up above the battlements screaming his head off.

Chopper pointed up at him in awe. "It's Sniper King!"

"What?!" Nami exclaimed, shocked to see their friend. "He's flying!"

"Awesome!" Chopper shouted excitedly.

"Where's he been all this time?" Sanji asked, watching with mild amusement. But he was also still annoyed with the swordsman sitting next to him.

Far below, Kashii, Oimo, and the Franky Family watched with glee as the hero went soaring high into the sky. They were trying to hold back chuckles but failing miserably. Kashii had said he'd help his friend to the roof, he just hadn't told him that he'd be thrown!

Zoro watched "Sniper King" rise into the air, still holding into his momentum yet, and a drop of sweat slid down his cheek. "How is he supposed to land?" he asked. And then his momentum ended and the young man started falling to the ground with another scream.

Kaku huffed in disgust from the other side of the chasm. "Look at that: the gang's all here," he commented. The pink-haired man was starting to say something but his comment was interrupted by a huge crash than meant that Sniper King had hit the roof with a bang.

"Sniper King!" Chopper ran over to his new hero (who had his head stuck in the ground). He was followed closely by his other crewmates and they started pulling on his legs in an effort to get him unstuck.

"AHHHHH! This isn't funny anymore! Just go away!" Spandam yelped, his eyes wide in shock and terror as the whole Straw Hat crew appeared. How had they managed to all get this far?! This was the Judicial Island; this was the World Government's island! This was impossible!

Robin looked down at her former crew in shock as well, hardly believing her eyes that they'd all made it to this point safely. Not one of them was lost. They'd all come for her! Even as she watched Chopper and Sanji ridiculously pulling on Long-Nose's legs, even as she saw Nami and Zoro talking about the situation (and probably giving Long-Nose crap about it), and even as she watched Luffy standing resolutely in front of the Tower of Law, she couldn't help but love them, conflicted as she was.

"Come on, Robin! Work with me here!" Luffy called to her, trying to reach her in some way that would let her know that they cared about her enough to do anything for her. "You can say what you want. If you want to say that you want to die or whatever, that's fine. But when you say it, you say it as part of our crew!" The whole crew was looking at her now, even Long-Nose who'd been freed and was lying on the rooftop. Their eyes bore into her soul, full of warmth and determination, and the woman faltered.

"Yeah, Robin! He's right!" Sanji raised his hands in the air and gave her a big smile.

"Come back Robiiiinnnnnn!" Chopper raised his arms as well, still holding his human shape. The outpouring of love and loyalty twisted Robin's heart in her chest. How could they be so stupid? How could they be so reckless? How could she not love them with all of her heart? Zoro…Chopper…Long-Nose…Sanji…Nami…She gazed at their wonderful faces, realizing once again the lengths she would go to in order to protect them. Luffy…Her captain had come all this way for her but she couldn't let herself long for their company. Her eyebrows furrowed and her teeth clenched as she tried to hold back the tears, but they filled her eyes anyway no matter how hard she tried.

Zoro stood with the rest of his crew and glanced down at the man at his feet. "Hey, Sniper King, can you stand?"

"Uh, yeah, of course," the hero replied in a deep voice. "A fall like that won't stop me!" Idiot, the swordsman thought, rolling his eyes.

Once Sniper King was on his feet, Zoro took the first step towards the battlements, walking straight towards Luffy. The rest of the crew fell in behind him until they were walking forward in one row. They squared up, resolutely staring down CP9 and looking at Robin. Their captain had chosen this path for them and they'd followed him without question. Their friend's life was on the line and they weren't going to back down. Luffy crossed his arms, facing the ones who'd screwed with his crew and taken his friend. His eyes burned with hatred for them but held only the gentlest look for Robin. He waited as his crew and Sniper King came up to stand with him on the battlements, surrounding him and supporting him. He had no doubt that they'd follow him into the depths of hell if that's what it took to get Robin back. Nami stood next to Zoro, who had (deliberately) taken up stance next to Luffy and was followed by Sniper King on the captain's left then Sanji, and finally Chopper.

A sharp wind blew in from the sea and the two organizations stared each other down, defining the battlefield, defining just how far they'd each go to get what they wanted. Robin blinked, just once, but it was enough to free the first tears from her eyes. She felt so loved and wanted at that moment as she watched her friends put their lives on the line, just for her. Why are they so reckless…why do they feel the need to come for me? She couldn't fathom why anyone would do this much for her, but she wanted it all the same. However, she could never say that out loud. She could never truly allow herself to want such a thing. But she couldn't help wanting it as Chopper put on a brave and scary face for her. She couldn't help wanting it as Sanji lit a cigarette and smiled at her. She couldn't help wanting it as Long-Nose stopped the trembling in his knees for her. She couldn't help wanting it as Zoro's eyes narrowed in determination for her. She couldn't help wanting it as Nami nodded at her reassuringly. She couldn't help wanting all of it as Luffy gave her an order. Just for her.

"From now on leave everything to us!"

Things then came to a standstill, due to the Franky Family working on getting the drawbridge down, as Zoro explained. "Once they bring it down we should be able to get to the other side, no problem," he finished.

"What a pain," Sanji grumbled. "She's right there and all we can do is wait." And whilst waiting, Spandam gave the CP9 members orders to "kill the intruders" but only to engage them at the Tower of Law. As long as the Straw Hats were on the other side, he was safe. Well, safe-ish. Spandam didn't want his underlings to go running off because his life and his promotion were the most important things right now. If there was no one to protect him things could turn ugly, so he needed to have the agents with him! Having kept the monsters of CP9 in check for the moment, he decided that it would be an excellent time to gloat in his victory.

"Stupid pirates! You may act tough, but you don't know what you're getting yourselves into!" He laughed obnoxiously. "Come on! Open your eyes! You don't think that you can beat all of CP9, do you? And what about the Gates of Justice? You don't think that you can open them, do you?" he mocked the crew, but they didn't deign to give the asshole a response. He jumped up on the battlements of the Tower of Law, wanting to be seen by all of the stupid pirates. "Even then, if things go wrong, I have this!" The sniveling man triumphantly held up a golden Den Den Mushi, "Giving me the authority to issue a Buster Call!"

Robin visibly flinched, her eyes going wide in terror. "A Buster Call?!"

"Yes, that's right," Sandam's voice became incredibly threatening. "I'm sure you remember its power well." He smirked when he saw the panic on the woman's face, delighted by her fear. "After all, it did destroy your homeland twenty years ago! What was it? Ohara? It's so hard to recall the name given that it was wiped off the map!"

"Robin's homeland?" Chopper asked.

"He's pissing me off!" Sanji snarled, nearly biting his cigarette in two.

There's no place left, nowhere for me to go or return to…Luffy remembered Robin saying that when she'd first joined them and now it made sense.

"Anything but that! I'm begging you!" Robin's voice cracked as she pleaded with Spandam but he only seemed to take more joy from her distress.

"Oooo! Begging for mercy, I like that!" He smiled sickly. "What's wrong? You don't want me to press this and annihilate all your little friends with a Buster Call? Is that what you're saying?" Robin bit her lip hard, caught between wanting to beg and wanting to kill this man. She trembled, with anger or fear she didn't know. She couldn't tell which was stronger at that moment.

"You're insane," she hissed. "If you push that button, do you have any clue what will happen?"

"Of course, I do," he sneered. "This button will eliminate any chance your friends possibly have of leaving this island alive. All it takes is one little press!" He gazed at the Golden Den Den Mushi, almost with lust, glorying in his power. "It couldn't be more simple!"

"If you think that you don't understand a thing!" Robin yelled at him, her anger at his disdain for the lives he held in his hand overriding her fear for an instant.

"Are all those old memories coming back to you now?" he teased. "Let's see, maybe I should press it after all…" Spandam's finger hovered near the button. "It might be fun," he laughed again, loving the fear he was causing.

Despite the trembling in her knees, Robin spoke up. "This isn't a joke! Stop it!"

"I'm the one who makes the demands here, bitch." Spandam's annoying voice dropped low, his displeasure at being ordered around turning his good mood cold. Robin wasn't even listening to him anymore. Her eyes were filled with the red of fires as her home burned. Her heart throbbed painfully in her chest as she remembered the horror of that long-ago day when the Navy ships bombarded her home and destroyed everything she loved. All that she loved was taken away from her; all that she'd gained was destroyed. Mother…Saul…Everyone…How could she live with herself when she was the only one that survived? How could she justify her existence when the whole world wanted her dead? What was she to do with this endless loneliness and sorrow for the life that was forced upon her at such a tender age? How could she continue on with the pain of knowing all the lives that were lost?

"You say Ohara was wiped off the map but your map doesn't show you the lives of the people who lived there!" Robin fought off her memories and nightmares but they still lingered as she stood up for her homeland and for the people that she'd lost. "Your view of the world is so distant, so twisted, that you've lost sight of your humanity!"

Spandam scoffed at her, looking down on his pitiful prisoner.

"There's a limit to how much you can sacrifice in the name of Justice! A Buster Call is going too far! You can't use it! Anything but that!" Robin fell to her knees, dropping out of sight and Luffy was about ready to shoot himself up there and kick that Spandam's guy's ass! "If you trigger a Buster Call, everything will be destroyed. That includes all of Enies Lobby and most likely you as well!" Robin's eyes were swimming with memories of the flames, the screams, and the loneliness she endured for so many years.

"Nonsense! What are you saying?" Spandam rebuffed her. "They wouldn't kill a VIP like me! I'm not falling for your bluff!"Robin realized that he would never understand the power he had in his hand and that he would always disregard its weight. His father had been the same when she was a child she realized, but she hadn't understood it at the time. There was no reasoning with his man so she turned away.

"Twenty years ago, everything was taken from me and many lives were lost with one push of a button." Robin stood to her feet, gazing down at her crewmates. "I summoned a demon and now it rears its head again, aiming its sight on the friends that I searched so hard to find! The more that I wish for us to be together, the more my ugly fate bares its fangs at you." The woman struggled with her words for a moment but if this was the last time that she would ever see her friends, she had to make it count.

"Even now, no matter how far we sail, there's an enemy that haunts me at every turn, because I'm facing the world and all of its darkness." She was valiantly trying to hold back tears again, her vision blurring. She pressed on. "First it was Aokiji and now CP9. I've dragged you into my troubles twice already! If it goes on and on like this…no matter how kind you may be," Robin clenched her fists in her handcuffs, her nails digging into her skin, "Someday you will see me as a burden! Someday you will be forced to betray me and throw me away! That's what I'm most afraid of!" Her voice was breaking with unshed tears, her eyes full of anger, hurt, and love. "Understand?! That's why I didn't want you to rescue me! If that's the only future I have, I'd rather die, to save me the pain!"

Ah, Luffy thought. Now it makes sense. Robin…

"Robin…" Chopper whispered.

"I never knew…" Sanji gritted his teeth, thinking about all the pain and betrayal that she'd suffered over these many years.

"Robin…" Nami bit her lip, her heart aching for her friend.

"I see, so that's it," Zoro said, furious with everything that had happened to bring Robin, to bring them all, to this point.

Luffy and his crew gazed up at their friend, their hearts full of sorrow for her losses that they could never understand completely. Nami wished she could reach out and pull Robin into a hug. Chopper wished that he could sit down and discuss medicine and history with Robin again. Usopp-uh, Sniper King wished he could goof around and try to make Robin laugh again. Sanji wished to make Robin her favorite coffee for those late nights when she spent hours up reading in the quiet. Zoro wished that he could sit with her in companionable silence and take a nice nap. And Luffy, well, Lully wished that he could give Robin the hope that she needed to live on. And that's what he was determined to do.

Spandam's annoying laugh interrupted the charged moment, breaking the tension horribly. "HAHAHA! There you have it! Right on the mark! What a sorry case! Even if you make friends," he sneered at the devil woman, reveling in her anguish, "All you can do is drag them through the mud with you! Hahaha!" Then he whirled on the Straw Hats, pointing up to the top of the Tower of Law where the World Government's flag waved in the sea wind. "You can't win pirates! Look at this flag! This symbol represents the unity of over 170 nations, a power that spans the four seas and the Grand Line! This is the world itself! No matter how loud your bark may be, you can't stand up to an enemy like that! Just face it already: Do you realize how strong our organization is?! Do you realize how devoted we are to capturing her?!" The man's voice had been getting more and more aggressive as he prattled on, but he did have a point. They were a tiny pirate crew. What could they do?

But had that ever stopped Luffy?

Zoro watched as Luffy glared up at the flag, the symbol blacked out by the glaring sun behind it. He anticipated his lover's next orders, his swords itching for blood.

Luffy came to the conclusion that he'd actually come too long before leaving Water 7:

"If that's Robin's enemy, then I know what to do." The captain spoke to the man on his left. "Hey, Sniper King."

"Hm?" came the reply.

"Shoot down that flag."

"Roger." It was a simple task, incredibly easy, but carrying it out would change everything. And that was something that they were all prepared for. Sniper King took out his massive slingshot, Kabuto, and aimed it up into the sky. "Special Attack: Firebird Star!" A blaze of flame flew from his slingshot, rising above the pirates, above the government agents, above the prisoners, and above the tower. It flew up, racing straight for its target. The entire world seemed to hold its breath for just a moment as the flames hit the flag, eating away at the insubstantial cloth and destroying the symbol on it. The strike released a circle of flame that fanned out over the island. The Marines and the agents of Enies Lobby gaped at the sight of the burning flag. Spandam gasped in horror.

Robin's heart jumped in her chest, the tiny spark of hope that she'd buried so deep blazing to life even as she tried to squash it down. "No way!"

"Mission complete!" Sniper King clicked the base of Kabuto on the battlement and placed his hand on his hip confidently. Luffy continued to stare at the burning flag, wanting it to disappear.

Somewhere down below them, the soldiers of Enies Lobby were freaking out.

"Now they've done it!"

"Those idiots! You can't fire on a government flag! That's crazy!"

"Those pirates just declared war on the World Government!"

It was at that moment that Spandam's stupid mouth opened again. "You're all going to die!" He looked so panicked that one would think that he was the one who'd just declared war on the world. "You morons can't challenge the entire world and expect to win!" And subsequently, that was the moment that Luffy finally lost his shit.

"OH YEAH?! BRING IT ON!" The ferocity of his cry sent the chief of CP9 stumbling backward with a shout of dismay, tumbling to the ground as he fell off the rail. How could these dumbasses be so stupid?! They were all insane before, but now they were bat-shit crazy!

Looking up at the burning flag, Robin finally began to cry in earnest, her tears spilling over her cheeks as the one fear that she held wavered in the face of her captain's devotion to her. She could breathe again, the suffocating weight of the world finally having been lifted from her shoulders. It was an exhilarating experience. Had it really been that simple? Could this really be happening? How could one man, one small pirate crew, take away twenty years of pain and anguish in a single moment?

"Robiiiiiiinnnnn!" Luffy was calling her name again, his ferocious voice replaced by one of earnestness. "There's still something I want to hear you say!" The woman looked directly into the young man's eyes, finding herself engulfed by his love and determination. "TELL ME YOU WANNA LIVE!" No matter whose eyes she saw, they all held the same emotion that Luffy's had: determination, love, and acceptance – from the concern on Nami's face to the grumpy set of Zoro's jaw, they were all the same. The tears kept coming, grateful, wonderful tears.

I can live? She'd been told so many times that her very existence was a crime and that she was a monster, that she couldn't be allowed to live. I…I never dared to wish for something like that…the world had denied me that hope.

History is mankind's greatest treasure! Just as we believe in the past, we believe in the future that you will inherit. You must live, Robin! Her mother's voice resounded in her mind from the distant past, a call that she could not ignore, just as she could not ignore the call of the future, the call of her friends!

The sea's a vast place! So I guarantee that someday you'll find friends that won't ever leave you! Her friend Saul's words also came back to her. The darkness in her heart was blown away by the light that now surrounded her, by the friends that stood by her. Robin's lips trembled. The raw emotion of everything came crashing down on her. Long-Nose had told her to believe in Luffy when they'd been on the sea train, and she could finally see that she could trust her captain, that she could trust him with anything…even with her life!

But now…if I'm allowed to say my wish, just this once…then I…

She opened her mouth, the only thing in the world that she desired ripping from her throat in the rawest expression of her emotions that she had ever experienced. She shouted it for the whole world to hear it.

"I WANT TO LIVE! TAKE ME WITH YOU! TAKE ME AWAY FROM HERE!"

Luffy smiled that smug smile that he'd get when he finally got his way and Robin couldn't even blame him for it.

And Franky, who had been quiet all this time? Well, he was bawling his eyes out. "Oh, you guys! You're so awesome! I love you!"

Luffy cracked his knuckles, ready to do exactly as his friend said. "Let's go!"

And as if right on cue, the courthouse drawbridge began to unfold. "Look! The drawbridge is lowering!" Chopper shouted.

Sanji smiled. "Looks like our reinforcements pulled it together after all. And just in time too."

"Hey, Robin!" Luffy shouted, "We'll save you no matter what!"

"Come on…hurry up, "Zoro whispered menacingly as he started to draw the Wado Ichimongi. His eyes were bloodthirsty, his smile sharp, and eager for some righteous violence. Nami got a shiver just looking at him.

"Whoa, looking scary there, Zoro," she said, grateful that he was on their side.

Luffy chuckled at his boyfriend. "He's just looking for a fight, aren't you Zoro?"

"You are too!" the swordsman shot back, glancing at Luffy's clenched fists. He knew that the rubber man was ready to deck someone and that was pretty damn attractive for a fighter like Zoro.

They all eagerly waited for the bridge to finish lowering, and even the trembling Sniper King was a little bit excited. However, even with the best-laid plans (not that any of the Straw Hats' plans were ever followed in the first place), got a wrench thrown into it when a cannonball hit the bridge and disabled it. Halfway out, the bridge screeched to a stop still incredibly far from where it needed to be.

"Well, shit. What happened? Why'd it stop?" Sanji questioned.

"Damn those Marines!" Luffy yelled, "They really piss me off! Stop getting in the way!" He shouted down to where the ruckus was coming from.

The next few minutes were a little chaotic: there was some yelling at the Franky Family for cooing over Franky when they'd spotted their boss instead of working to get the bridge down, Franky cried upon seeing his family show up for him, then he burned some blueprints in front of Spandam which pissed him off and the CP9 members who'd worked undercover in Water 7 for five years for those exact blueprints, and finally, Franky got pushed off the Tower of Law by Spandam, as revenge for destroying the Pluton blueprints. All in all, there was a crap ton going on and the bridge still wasn't down yet.

"Heeeeyyyyy! Straw Hat! Listen up!" Monster Granny's voice popped out of nowhere and Luffy looked around frantically. Nami held up a Den Den Mushi, which was apparently where the voice was coming from.

"Granny Kokoro?" she asked.

"I heard everything," the snail replied. "Why are you all just standing around?"

"We're not standing around! The bridge broke! There's no way over!" the navigator argued back.

"It's halfway down, isn't it? That's more than enough! I'll be there in about four seconds! Jump into the waterfall!" Monster Granny ordered. "Give it all you got! Trust me!" Rocket Man's whistle sounded from below the crew, heralding its rampage through the courthouse.

"Monster Granny?" Luffy asked. "What'd she say?"

"She said to jump into the waterfall…" Nami replied, but she was so confused about the conversation. Everyone peeked over the side of the building and looked down into the abyss that was the waterfall, most of them thinking that it was a horrible idea to jump. And then there was Luffy.

"Look! It's the sea train!" he exclaimed as he put his shit-eating grin on – the one he wore when he was about to do something stupid that involved yanking or rocketing. He chuckled to himself, excited to get going.

"Hey…" Usopp, I mean, Sniper King asked, sweating underneath his mask. "What's with that devious chuckle?" The rubber man's arms stretched out on either side of him and Zoro was the first to notice due to his imminent pain sensor going off. He gaped at his boyfriend, praying to whatever gods there were that Luffy was not about to do what he was about to do. But he was out of luck. The rubber man's right hand grabbed onto Nami and his left arm wrapped around Chopper, effectively netting everyone. Then he bent his knees before any more protesting could come out of anyone's mouth and jumped off the building.

"Let's go!" he declared, hurling his whole crew down the waterfall. Nami and Chopper wailed in his grip and Zoro, Sniper King, and Sanji hung onto his arms as if their lives depended on it, which they kind of did. "Robin! Wait for us!"

"Is that Rocket Man?!" Franky yelled as he fell when the old sea train charged towards him. And then he screamed because a freaking train was barreling towards him again!

Rocket Man zoomed up the drawbridge and the Straw Hats landed on the sea train as it took off across the falls. Zoro and Luffy hung on like pros, having spent a significant amount of time on top of the train during the journey to Enies Lobby, and Sanji was doing well for himself, having been on top of the Puffing Tom. But Nami, Chopper, and Sniper King? They were screaming their heads off. Franky got the short end of the stick as Rocket Man's squashed nose rammed right into him, but he somehow managed to hang on.

"We're going to crash!" Luffy yelled as the sea train neared the tower.

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING?!" Franky screamed as the sea train and its passengers crashed through the front doors of the Tower of Law. It careened into the lobby and screeched to a halt before toppling on its side in a cloud of debris.

"Alright! We made it!" Luffy threw several slabs of stone off of him and roared with a vengeance.

"I guess, he's fine," Frank concluded after having made sure that the old hag, Chimney, and Gonbe were alright.

"Thanks for the ride, Monster Granny!" the rubber man called. Then he turned back to his crew to berate them. "Come on you guys! Get up already!" Several limbs and a sword were sticking out of the piles of stone scattered everywhere, but none of them were moving. "You've been through worse than that!"

"Oh…ug…sure, that's easy for you to say!" Sanji groaned. "You're made out of rubber! We're lucky not to be in pieces right now after a crash like that!" But despite the complaining and groaning, the Straw Hat Pirates burst out of the rubble, each yelling energetically.

Luffy crossed his arms, unimpressed. "See? You're all just fine!" And then he moved on to his next order: "Zoro! Kiss me before I go kick some ass!"

The swordsman rolled his eyes but complied anyway. "Aye, aye, captain." He swept over, taking Luffy into his arms (making sure that the unsheathed Wado Ichimonji didn't cut him), and pressed his lips to his beloved's. They were headed into a battle where anything could happen so might as well make the most of this. Being a little eager with all the adrenaline running through his body, Zoro slipped his tongue into his lover's mouth to deepen the kiss, and Luffy chuckled in response, hugging him tighter. The rest of the crew rolled their eyes at the pair and respectfully looked away for a moment, but then Sanji was up to his shenanigans again.

"Can I get a kiss too, Nami-swan!" Sanji puckered up, hoping to follow his idiot captain's example but he got a Clima-tact to the face instead.

"NO! We need to focus here!" Nami shrieked. "You two! Stop kissing already!" Luffy and Zoro broke apart and gave her the most innocent looks ever. "Don't give me that! We don't have time for this!"

"You're right!" Luffy nodded in agreement but he hugged his grumpy swordsman for three more seconds before giving him a quick peck and jumping down to the floor.

Franky interrupted the chaotic scene as Sanji picked himself up off the ground, still very surprised by Straw Hat and his swordsman. But he wore briefs every damn day, so he couldn't really judge odd things. "You know, you guys are just a bunch of weirdoes. I felt like I should point that out." What the hell have I gotten myself into?!

Having had his good luck kiss, Luffy spotted a staircase leading up to where Robin was and shouted for his crew to get moving. They all started running, heading into their battles that would determine whether or not they all survived. They were off to save Robin, and no one was going to stop them now!

Wait for us, Robin! We're coming!

I Won't Drop to the Ground Ever Again!

Luffy's fight was becoming worrying as the rest of the crew waited for him on the Bridge of Hesitation. Robin was down on the escort ship with Granny Kokoro, Chimney, Gonbe, Nami, and an immobile Chopper, having finally been freed from her Sea Prism Stone handcuffs. The Straw Hats had made it so far! They'd beaten all of CP9, minus Lucci, and were ready to escape on their stolen ship. However, Luffy wasn't there yet. Zoro was standing with arms crossed on the bridge by the small gate at the end with Franky, the idiot cook, and Sniper King. His arms were crossed as he watched the first support column of the Bridge of Hesitation. The four men watched the messed-up tower knowing that both Lucci and Luffy were trashing it to hell. Suddenly, a huge Tempest Kick shot out of the tower, breaking off huge chunks of stone and sending a cloud of dust into the air. Franky and Usopp flinched at the power of the attack but Zoro stayed calm. Despite his composed look, the man's heart twisted in worry. They all had to hope that Luffy had dodged it.

"Luffy!' Usopp gasped, gripping Kabuto tighter.

"That Lucci guy's strong as hell," Franky commented, looking as beat up as the rest of the pirates. "We're lucky we have Straw Hat to hold him back. I know he could've killed me. He would kill all of us if he had half a chance."

Chopper's excellent hearing picked up on the conversation above him and agreed. "It's strange; I think Luffy always knows right from the start. He can tell who he has to fight, who he has to beat if we're going to survive." The ladies by him reflected on that statement, remembering that Luffy had called dibs on "that Pigeon Guy," itching to beat the shit out of him.

"He has instincts, just like an animal," Nami added, "Even more than you." The crew collectively worried about their captain and Franky had to admit that he was just as worried.

Back on top of the bridge, Sniper King swallowed loudly. "He's not going to die…is he?" Everything was so high stakes in this fight that he couldn't help but voice his fears out loud.

"Are you stupid?" Zoro asked, giving the sniper a sidelong glance. Despite everything that they had gone through, despite any nagging fears he might have, Zoro believed that Luffy would come out on top. He had to. Who else could he believe in if not his captain and lover?

"What'd you say?!" Sniper King snapped, angry that his worries had just been made fun of. "You're stupid!" But his anger vanished when he saw the look on the swordsman's face. It was hard and set, but his eyes burned with an anxiety that the sniper would be hard-pressed to match. He swallowed back another retort and just watched quietly. There was nothing they could do but wait now, and protect their little band with all their might. Luffy would come soon, they had to believe that.

In the support column, both opponents were losing steam (literally in Luffy's case) as their fight dragged on. A Second Gear-enhanced Luffy was panting with exertion as steam rolled off his body. Lucci wasn't looking good either as he crouched in his man-leopard form. They were both nearing their limits, having given and taken hits that would've killed normal people. Luffy's insides were screaming at him from taking the brunt of the Six King Pistol right to his gut. He could still taste the blood on his lips that he'd spit out when it had happened. He could tell that he had a severe internal injury but he wasn't a doctor so couldn't say exactly what it was. A fight like this couldn't last much longer but they were both going to kill each other at this rate.

Before they could jump back into pounding one another, a huge explosion rocked the bridge. The Marines who had been bombarding the island of Enies Lobby in a Buster Call had turned their sights on the Bridge of Hesitation, determined to cut off Straw Hat Luffy from the rest of his crew. They'd shot several cannonballs at the first section of the bridge, demolishing the supports and creating a huge gap between the support columns. Now, the only way to get across was to slingshot over the gap or Moon Walk, meaning that only one of two people would make it across, depending on the outcome of the fight in the tower. As the Straw Hats stared at the destruction in horror, they hoped that it was their idiot rubber man who would make it across.

"The first support column has not been cut off!" a Navy man shouted through a loudspeaker as the remains of the bridge crashed into the sea.

"The hell?!" Sanji hissed as he and his friends ran up to the ragged edge of the bridge. "They blew up half the bridge!"

"Yeah, but why?" Sniper King asked (in Usopp's voice).

"Rob Lucci of CP9 and Straw Hat Luffy are both inside the support column!" the Marine announced. They were now making their move, sailing their monstrous battleships to surround the Bridge of Hesitation, starting to cut off all escape. "All ships take up combat positions around the Bridge of Hesitation! On the bridge and the escort ship, we've identified nine pirates, including the Pirate Hunter Zoro and Nico Robin! We believe that these are the culprits who defeated CP9 in the Tower of Law!"

Zoro's hand went to his swords, gripping the hilt of the Wado Ichimonji tightly as the ships surrounded them. "They're coming to take Robin back." He wouldn't let them do it and the rest of the crew got ready to defend her as well. The Marines were preparing to attack the allies, many of them furious that CP9 and Enies Lobby had been attacked and destroyed by a little, no-name pirate crew. They hadn't thought that a rookie and his crew could cause this much damage, but they were ready to avenge all of the defeats they'd received.

While staring up at several gigantic warships, Usopp, I mean Sniper King's attention was diverted when he saw something in the first support column. "Look, guys! Over there!" The sniper pointed at the column, the smoke and dust finally starting to clear enough to see the pair inside. There was Luffy facing off against Lucci and this was the first time they were able to see the fight and the destruction both combatants had caused. Worried for his friend and overjoyed that he was still standing, Sniper King called to him.

"Hey, Luffy!" His cry caught the rubber man's attention, and he glanced up at the bridge above him. "We made it!"

"Everyone got to the bridge safe and sound!" Franky added, wanting the pirate to at least know that they were mostly alright. "Don't you worry! We're all doing fine!" Luffy's heart leaped in his chest as he saw Franky, Sniper King, Zoro, and Sanji standing on the bridge.

"We even rescued Robin like we said we would!" Sniper King yelled.

"All you've gotta do is beat that guy!" Sanji finished, punctuating his shout with a punch.

"We'll be waiting! I know you can do it!" Franky shouted. They were all waiting for him, believing in him. He couldn't disappoint them! Luffy's eyes met with Zoro's and even though the swordsman hadn't said anything yet, Luffy already knew what he'd say: Hurry up and come back to me because that's what Luffy would've wanted to tell him.

But seeing his lover in such bad shape, Zoro spoke up too. "Don't give up, Luffy!" he shouted, encouraging his boyfriend to fight on.

Sniper King was yelling again and Sanji joined him. "We're all going to make it!"

"We're all going back!"

Despite his exhaustion and pain, Luffy smiled. He had such good friends. He could always count on them. He showed his crew (and Franky and Sniper King) his big smile and nodded in agreement. Now that the teen had been given some encouragement, it was time for the rest of them to do their part.

"Now it's just a matter of how long we can hold off these damn Marines," Zoro huffed, getting ready to fight.

The Marines on the loudspeaker were talking again, giving out orders as they prepared to fight as well. "Those ranked Lieutenant Commander or below, stay put! To the two hundred elite Captains and Commanders, engage the enemy and wipe them out immediately!"

"Captains from headquarters!?" Sniper King gasped as his knees trembled again. "All these guys are in the same class as that Smoker guy from before?! There's like a billion of them!"

There's only two hundred, idiot! Weren't you listening?! Zoro kept his thoughts to himself but give his ally a different reply. "The only thing that proves is that they're afraid of us."

After a tense moment just waiting for the attack to begin, Sniper King noticed that someone was missing. "What a minute! Where'd Sanji go?! He was here just a second ago!" Both he and Franky looked at where the cook had been standing before but he was clearly nowhere to be seen.

"Damn it!" Zoro growled at the cook's stupidity. "The one time I want that stupid cook around and he runs away!" But before they could panic about Sanji's disappearance anymore, they were given something else to panic about: the two hundred Marines were about to descend upon them! The soldiers gave out a mighty cry together, the sound almost deafening as it rolled over the three lone men on the bridge.

"Stop trying to show off! Just attack already!" the swordsman snarled, his hands going to his blades, drawing out the Kitetsu and the Yubashiri.

"This should be fun," Franky smiled as he stretched out his arms. "I could always use more heads to bust!"

"No matter what happens, we can't give them an inch!" Zoro ordered, taking up his in-charge role while his captain was busy. "Until Luffy makes it here we have to hold our ground!" Come back to us, Luffy! Nami and Robin got geared up to fight as well, starting to make their way up the stairs to the bridge. They had to take the fight away from the ship; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to escape. Chopper tried to get up but his body wouldn't listen to him. He wanted to fight but couldn't even lift his head up.

"Damn it! I can't move!" Tears of frustration leaked out of his eyes.

And then, the assault began. The Marines leaped off their ships, literally raining down upon the Straw Hats (and Franky and Sniper King), determined to beat the criminals and take Nico Robin back. Zoro called for them to send him as many captains as they had and Sniper King yelled at the Marines to send Zoro his share of captains too. The swordsman rolled his eyes at the coward as he shoved the Wado Ichimonji into his mouth and started fighting. Franky unleashed his Weapons Left, causing explosions to go off all around him. He then used his Strong Right to grab onto a Marine, whirled him around, and slammed him into another group that wasn't far away. Zoro leaped into the air, slashing at a group of Marines all at once. Sniper King began his own barrage of shots, knocking a few soldiers out of the air. The three men fought and defended their position on the bridge, using all their strength to hold the enemy off long enough for Luffy to kick Lucci's ass and meet up with them. Zoro slashed and hacked at the Marines that came his way, always keeping Luffy in the back of his mind. He had to hold out until his boyfriend dragged his ass up here; he couldn't let them lose anyone ever again!

While all of this was going on, Sniper King was having his own troubles. One Marine captain had set his sights on the masked man and started slashing away with his sword. It was all Sniper King could do to block the blows with his huge slingshot. This was not how it was supposed to go! "Whoa! Hey, buddy! Time out! This is not how this works! If you want to use a sword, you go fight with Zoro, not me!" he wailed, narrowly missing getting skewered. He then had a brilliant, stupid idea. "Hey, look over there!" The teen pointed off to his right. The Marine was distracted for just a moment when he looked, but it was enough for the sniper to shoot off a Gunpowder Star! The man was blown back and fell unconscious on the ground. "Alright! I hope they're all as dumb as that guy!" And that's when he noticed how close he'd come to the edge of the bridge. "Whoa! I almost fell off! They need to put a guardrail here!"

"These guys are like cockroaches," Zoro huffed, having defeated ten Marines only to find fifteen more approaching him. "You stomp on one of them and five more show up. It's a real pain in the ass!" He then addressed the Marines surrounding him. "I don't care how many men you throw at me, you're still not going to win! Come on! Isn't there anyone here with some backbone?!" A huge Marine stepped forward, standing at two Zoros tall, at least. He stamped his weapon on the ground, the huge axe making a dent in the stone.

"Ooooo, a broadaxe! Interesting,' the swordsman noted with a smile. The Marine smiled maliciously back and lifted the giant weapon with one hand, bringing it down upon the pirate. Zoro caught the blade with his own and the two struggled against each other. "That's much better!" The swordsman grunted, throwing the axe back with brute strength alone. They traded several blows before Zoro taunted him into doing something other than just swinging at him, to which the Marine responded with a spinning attack. Zoro crossed his blades in defense, getting pushed back for a moment, but then performed his Oni Giri and sent the man flying into the air.

Sniper King was, unfortunately, being bombarded with swordsmen and lamented about them not following the rules. The one he was currently fighting was clobbered by a falling comrade that was twice his size. Zoro had thrown the guy right into his opponent! Sniper King gave his ally a thumbs up, and then Zoro shouted for him to duck. He hit the ground as a Zoro sent off a slashing attack, blowing away three soldiers that had been poised to kill the sniper. Zoro got another thumbs up before getting back into his own fights. The green-haired blocked several swords by crossing his own over his head and then threw all the men back before slashing at them.

"Luffy will be here soon!" he shouted, encouraging his crewmates and allies. "We can't give up!"

Down at the escort ship, Nami was protecting her friends by running up the stairs and releasing a Thunder Charge Swing Arm at the Marines headed her way. They were all electrocuted and collapsed on the stairs. She sent a Thunderbolt Tempo to the next group and they were all shocked that she had created clouds so close to them before they were really shocked. Reinforcements showed up and were about to descend on the navigator but arms started sprouting out of their bodies and they were put in a Clutch as Robin joined the fight.

"You don't have to worry about protecting me anymore." Robin smiled at her friend. "If the crew is fighting then I'm fighting too!"

As they continued to create mayhem on the bridge, the fight in the support column was underway once again. Luffy let out a war cry as he unleashed a Jet Pistol at the stupid Pigeon Guy, but he dodged it and Shaved back in front of the rubber man. He blocked the next several punches, not giving an inch.

"What's the matter?" Lucci taunted, blocking yet another punch. "Don't tell me that blood-pumping technique of yours is losing its edge already." Luffy started a Gatling but Lucci didn't seem too affected by it. "It's useless to struggle! You never stood a chance against the World Government in the first place! Face the facts!"

Luffy moved into his next attack, stretching his leg high up onto the air and bringing it crashing down into a Gum Gum Jet Axe. He smashed the floor up but Lucci had jumped out of the way.

"I don't care if this island burns to the ground!" The agent spun into the air and released several Tempest Kicks on his opponent. Luffy endured them and began another Gatling. Punches and slashes flew between the two men as Lucci continued to taunt Luffy. "As long as that woman is wanted by the World Government, I'll chase her to the ends of the earth if need be! That is the meaning of Dark Justice!"

"You won't be chasing anyone!" Luffy roared, continuing to attack despite the fact that his hands and arms were being shredded by the Tempest Kicks. "I'm putting an end to this right here, right now!" He pulled his arms in and Shaved up into the air. He moved so quickly that Lucci's eyes widened in shock as a Jet Stamp came his way. He barely dodged it and Luffy destroyed another section of the wall. But the agent was fast too and bounced off the air until he could put his fists into the rubber man's stomach for another Six King Pistol. The attack contorted Luffy's body, the shock pushing all the air out of his lungs. If he had any breath left he would've howled loud enough for the whole world to hear, but all he could manage was a few grunts and gasps as he hit the ground. He coughed up more blood, his mouth now thick with it. He convulsed with pain but managed to get to his feet again for a moment. He took three slow steps towards Lucci, unable to speak and hardly able to breathe. His vision blurred and his legs gave out as he collapsed to his knees and then fell face-first on the ground. He couldn't get up…his arms were trembling. He was in so much pain that he couldn't tell what hurt and where, it all just hurt. Blood was seeping out of his mouth, he didn't even have the strength to cough it up anymore. I have to get up, he thought. I have to…come on legs! Move! Come on arms! But it was no use.

At that moment, Sniper King glanced down towards the column, seeing the grisly sight of Straw Hat Luffy on the ground, lying in a growing pool of his own blood. His eyes widened in shock as he ran to the edge of the bridge and out onto a steel beam, staring down at his beaten friend.

"No…" His voice was soft and so full of pain. His hand came up to his mask and he took it off his face. He couldn't breathe with the damn thing on, especially not since all the air had seemingly been sucked out of his lungs. He blocked everything else out for a moment and nearly became the victim of a stray Marine.

"Watch out!" Zoro saw the man racing towards the sniper and cut him down before anything could happen. "Dammit! This is no time for you to be spacing out Usop-" his rebuke was cut off by a strangled gasp as he saw Luffy down on the ground, Lucci standing over his prone body. The swordsman's eyes widened in horror, shocked at the sight, and his heart gave a painful twist. He wanted to throw up; seeing his beloved in that state, the sheer terror causing a physical reaction in his body. Both his and Usopp's mouth opened in heart-breaking screams.

"LUFFY!" Zoro screamed, taking a shaky step towards the edge of the bridge.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Usopp continued yelling. He saw the slight movement of Luffy's head turning to look at him. Everything about his body sagged, exhausted, pushed to the brink. But he couldn't give up now! Not when they were so close! "GET UP! LUFFY!"

Zoro was yanked out of his grief when more Marines started to come toward him and Usopp. As much as he wanted to come to Luffy's aide personally, he knew that Usopp wasn't strong enough to deal with all of the soldiers by himself. He turned his back to the sniper, vowing not to retreat from that spot, not one inch! Usopp…help Luffy! I'll protect you!

"Who wants their ass kicked next?!" he snarled after taking down another Marine. But just because he was still fighting, that didn't mean that he wasn't making numerous glances behind him. Luffy was at the forefront of his mind, his heart aching for his beloved.

"LUFFY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" Usopp shouted across the rift between the bridge and the support column. He needed his friend to hear him over the sounds of battle echoing around them. Luffy needed to hear him! "LUFFY! GET UP!"

The rubber man could hear someone calling to him and he turned his head to look up. Just that small movement was painful enough but as his pain-blurred vision started clearing, he saw something that lifted his heart just a little bit. "Usopp…" he panted, his voice softer than even a whisper. "I didn't know…that you were…here too…"

Usopp was shouting again and despite not having heard Luffy, his next words matched up perfectly for a response. "Don't get the wrong idea! I just came here to save Robin! That's it, alright?!" (Clearly a lie, but whatever.) "I didn't come to see you or your stupid face, understand me?!" At that remark, Zoro turned to glare at the sniper, even as he blocked another attack.

"Come on! Enough! You idiot!" he grunted, throwing the man in front of him aside. Usopp could be really dumb sometimes. He should've just told Luffy that he wanted to help them.

The sniper chose to ignore the swordsman and hefted Kabuto up onto his shoulder. He glared at Lucci, and in his own Usopp way, tried to protect his former friend. "Hey you, the CP9 Boss Cat!" Lucci didn't move, still glaring at Straw Hat. "I know you can hear me! From here on out, I'm going to be your opponent! Come and get some!" The agent then gave the young man a hard stare. He had only moved his head slightly but the ferocity of that look made the sniper flinch. But he continued to fib confidently through his hero speech, even as he forced his hands to stop shaking.

"Yeah, that's right! If you mess with Robin, you mess with me! Now listen and listen good, you bastard! I'm a fearsome pirate, a warrior among warriors and I command an army of over 8,000 men!" He threw his arm up into the air, pointing at the sky heroically. "I am…the great Captain Usopp! I've sailed all over the Grand Line! I've destroyed island after island, wreaking havoc everywhere I go! And if the World Government wants to go toe to toe with me then I'll crush every last one of you with my little pinky finger!" To emphasize his point, he brought his hand in front of his face and wiggled said pinky finger. Lucci's expression hadn't changed, but after a moment he spit on the ground. Usopp had dug himself deep into this one but he wasn't going to give up now. He'd show Luffy that he could be strong too! "Now come on up here and fight me if you've got the guts! Or are you just a scaredy-cat!?"

At that taunt, the cat man's eyes widened and his pupils and irises shrank drastically. That was the same kind of look that he gave Luffy, one that meant he was going on the hunt. He turned to the sniper and started to walk forward. The fallen Luffy had been silently panicking through the whole speech but as he saw the most dangerous man on the island start to stalk his former friend, he struggled to move his body.

"No…way! Hey...!" His voice was only a little stronger than it had been the last time he'd spoken, but it was still so weak and worn out. "Get…back here! Leave him…alone! This is between you and me…got it?!"

"You've already lost. I have no business with you," Lucci replied coldly. His sights were now on the pitiful sniper standing at the bridge's edge. "I'm going to kill every last one of them and save you for last so you can watch it happen." He glanced back at the prone man, making sure that Straw Hat saw the bloodlust in his eyes before turning away again.

"Come get me, Kitty Cat! I am going to take you out!" Usopp taunted, egging the agent on. Not that he really needed to; Lucci was ready to kill him now that the decision had been made.

Luffy coughed up more blood, the panic, and adrenaline causing havoc in his body. "You idiot! Shut up already! He's going to kill you!"

"You shut up!" Usopp snapped back. "What the hell are you going to do about it, HUH?! You're almost dead!"

"That Pigeon Guy's ass is mine! I'm going to kick it all over the place!" Anger coursed through Luffy's body, his anger at Usopp for being a dumbass and practically begging for death and his anger at the dumb Pigeon Guy for abandoning the fight and going after his friends. He was even angrier at himself for not being able to stop either of them. I have to save Usopp! He's going to die! I have to save Robin and all my friends! Come on! Move!

"Then GET UP! Show him what you're made of!" Usopp screamed, tears forming in his eyes. "Stop lying around coughing and bleeding like you're about to die!" As if to spite the man, Luffy coughed up some more blood. "That's not the Luffy I know at all!" Usopp was so full of emotion at that moment that he could hardly contain it: fear, anger, worry; he hardly knew what to do with himself. He had to give Luffy some more encouragement! He had to help him stand up again! You can do it, Luffy! I know you can! "Even though it's filled with smoke, we can still see the sky! We can still see the ocean!" Luffy's fist punched the ground, his arm straining to push the rest of his body up but it gave out and he flopped back on the ground. He tried again, listening to Usopp's voice as the sniper kept talking. "This isn't Hell! I can't believe that you'd let it end like this!" Usopp listened to all their friends fighting behind him, all of them trusting in Luffy to finish this so that they could all go home! He clenched his teeth tightly together, his lips trembling as everything he was feeling burst out of him.

"So stop acting like you're going to die, you stupid bastard!" The tears that had hung onto his eyelashes finally fell, making great trails across his cheeks. Luffy, get up! Don't die! Don't let this guy beat you! "Why are you trying to make us worry?! Get up and FIGHT!"

Damn straight, Usopp, Zoro agreed, having kept one eye on his fights and the other on his lover and their friend. You can do it, Luffy! I know you can kick that bastard's ass!

"Finished with your little speech?" Lucci taunted. "Then get ready to show me what you've got!"

A charged moment passed, the sounds of battle washing over the three men. Usopp's brave face had fallen, the fear of facing Lucci finally catching up to him. Lucci was going to enjoy killing this scum. It would be wonderful to see the entire crew's dismay and terror as he took them out, one by one, and then, he'd savor the look on Straw Hat's face when he was done. He was about to spring into action when he felt a menacing presence behind him, his eyes widening as he heard two quiet, bare footsteps.

"You're right, Usopp," Luffy was on his feet, squatting down with his left arm on his knee to brace his torso and his right fist solidly pressing into the ground. "This place isn't Hell…it's not even close!"

"L-Luffy…!" Usopp practically whimpered the name. His heart soared at the sight of his friend. Zoro's heart soared as well, a bit of relief washing over him. Usopp wiped away his tears quickly and opened his mouth again, "Finish him! Then we can all leave this place together!"

"I'LL WIN NO MATTER WHAAAATTTTT!" Luffy yelled, the steam coming off his body increasing as he got ready to fight again.

Lucci couldn't believe it: Straw Hat was standing! "I'm surprised you can stand," he panted, blood running down his face from a head wound the rubber man had given him.

If looks could kill, Lucci would've been dead a hundred times over as Luffy glared at him. "I'm never going to give up…you hear me!? Until I defeat you…I won't drop to the ground ever again!"

In response, Lucci used his Life Return: Terminate to make his body return to its normal hulking half-cat-half-man form. His body expanded, gaining several inches of raw muscle and height. "This annoying farce of yours has gone on long enough! I'll crush you with a single blow and end this once and for all! Oh, and don't worry about your little friends. Just as you wished, you'll all be reunited once again very soon. Once I kill you, they're next! And then you can spend eternity together in Hell!"

The leopard man leaped into the air and rushed Luffy, striking with his fists, only to have each of his fists stopped by Luffy's. The rubber man was groaning with effort but he held his ground against the monstrous beast. They both growled and sprang apart, only to charge each other again. Luffy began a Gatling, blocking the flurry of Finger Pistols coming his way. Both men howled with rage and determination. Their feet both slid a bit with each impact, blood splattered on the ground, both from old wounds and the ones just inflicted. Finally, the barrage of hits ended with Lucci kicking at Luffy and sending off a Victory Bird. The rubber man jumped into a back handspring and ducked before it could hit him.

Usopp watched entranced for a few endless moments, watching with both horror and awe as his former captain practically moved heaven and earth to finish the fight. But those moments ended when he heard footsteps approaching from behind. Three Marine captains were headed his way and he was thrown back into his own fight. He couldn't hit the men as they Shaved into the air, no matter how many times he shot at them. Usopp fell on his ass when one made a swipe at him and cowered just low enough for a miracle to happen. The slash of Lucci's kick went straight through the walls and up into the sky, where it promptly hit Usopp's attackers and put them out of commission. The sniper was surprised when he didn't feel the cut of a sword and opened his eyes. The Marines were down on the ground, and he had to conclude that his attacks were so fast that they hadn't realized that they'd been hit! (Clearly, that was not the case, but whatever.) And so, to commemorate his small victory, Usopp broke out into Sniper King's theme song as he went to find more foes (or cower behind Zoro, whichever was better at any given moment).

Franky and Zoro were having their own problems, having found some Devil Fruit users among the Marines. Franky's opponent had eaten the Berry-Berry Fruit, which meant that his body could split into "berries" and attack him from the air individually. However, after defending himself for a few minutes, Zoro leaped in front of the cyborg and deflected all of the Marine's "berries" with an impressive series of slashes.

"Hey, thanks!" the cyborg said, and then his right hand snaked out and grabbed the idiot Marine's floating head before he could zip away. "Whoa, wait! Where do you think you're going?" He pointed the barrel of his Weapons Left at the back of the guy's head and got ready to fire. "If you like flying so much…then Weapons Left!" The cannonball sent the man's head flying face-first into the nearest battleship with a satisfying bang! "Be careful! Some of these guys have Devil Fruit powers!"

Robin and Nami were running away from a hoard of Marines but Robin had just found a good spot to stop on the bridge and turned to face them again. "They could say the same of me!" She crossed her arms and invoked her power. "It's time for Treinta Fleur! And Clutch!" Robin effectively bent the Marines in half, straining their spines and knocking them out.

On the other end of the bridge, Zoro had just taken down another soldier and was now faced by a man wearing a face veil over his nose and mouth. "You must be Roronoa Zoro," he said, his smile hidden beneath the veil.

"That's right, what's it to you?" the swordsman replied.

"I'm here to eliminate you!" The man rushed Zoro, both of his hands reaching out to grab him.

"Good luck with that," he snarled. The Marine caught the Yubashiri in both of his hands and before Zoro could even blink, the blade had rusted and disintegrated! He gasped in shock and leaped back, moving out of reach of those deadly hands just in time.

"I ate the Rust-Rust Fruit and became a rust man. You and your swords will never defeat me!"

Zoro growled and looked down at the Yubashiri: only the hilt, guard, and a little bit of rusted blade was left. "Dammit! My Yubashiri!"

"That was just the beginning!" the Marine gloated. "I'll turn all your blades into little piles of rust!"

Zoro quickly sheathed all of his swords, clicking them into place at his right hip. "That's an interesting trick but it won't work twice!" His voice was a low growl as he pushed past the unexpected loss of his Yubashiri; he could mourn the blade later. He picked up a discarded sword from a fallen Marine and leaped back into the fight, slashing the steel right through his opponent's torso. As he came through, the blade disintegrated, not leaving even leaving a mark on the man. Zoro realized with trepidation that if he couldn't even cut this man, he couldn't beat him.

"If you think that's all I can do, then you're sadly mistaken!" The Marine's arm snaked out to attack Zoro and the swordsman blocked the hit with his arm, however, it did him little good. All of a sudden, he couldn't move and rust began spreading across his skin. It flowed up and down his arm, over his shoulder, and up to his neck and face. He grunted in pain and tried to move but he was frozen in place.

"No! What happened?! Why can't I move?!"

"Because I rusted every single joint in your body! Now let's get the rest of you as well!" The rust traveled up his neck and spread down to his torso and legs. It crawled up his face and Zoro knew that if he was completely rusted, he would probably die.

"Dammit!" he yelled, still trying to move as his whole body stiffened from the outside in.

"FIREBIRD STAR!" A streak of flames crashed into the Marine, pushing him away from Zoro before he collapsed on the ground unconscious. "Are you alright, swordsman?" Zoro whirled around to see Usopp giving him a cheeky grin after using his Sniper King voice.

"Thanks, Usopp," he nodded. "How's Luffy?"

"Your lover boy is up at least," Usopp's smile got a little wider as his eyes gathered tears again. "He gave me quite a scare."

"You're telling me," Zoro's heart lifted, relieved that Luffy wasn't dead yet.

"Yeah, but we'd better keep an eye on him!"

"You're telling me." And with that, they both fought on, occasionally looking back to the support column to make sure that their comrade was still alive.

Luffy and Lucci were still trying to kill each other, the latter shooting through the air to attack the former. As he neared the rubber man, Luffy let out of Jet Pistol and got the cat man right in the face. Lucci shouted as he flew backward and Luffy threw up more blood, feeling his insides twist in pain. He couldn't last much longer but he had to! Lucci flipped himself around and kicked against the air to move toward his enemy again.

"Now Gum Gum…JET PISTOL!" Luffy punched left and then right as Lucci dodged. The man landed to Luffy's left and held out his two fists for another Six King Gun but the rubber man skipped back a few steps to avoid it. However, he didn't move fast enough, and Lucci's tail wrapped around his waist, holding him in place. The teen gasped in horror and Lucci repositioned himself. Luffy braced for the impact but nothing could've prepared him for it.

"Ultimate Radius…SIX KING GUN!" The shock crashed through his body, as he screamed in agony. Blood flew from his mouth as his stomach convulsed and his lungs collapsed in on themselves for a moment. His mind went blank, overcome by the trauma. The shockwave had blasted a crater into the wall behind him and Lucci panted due to the effort he had exerted. Luffy was limp in his tail's grip and he dropped the pathetic-looking man on the ground. Luffy landed on his feet with a moan and started to fall forward as the cat man walked past him. The only other thing in his mind besides the agony was the thought that he could not fall. He took several staggering steps as he gasped for air, his muscles tired of holding his body up. He began to tip backward and for a few seconds, it seemed like he was going to fall. But, being the stubborn ass he was, Luffy planted his feet back on the ground and bent his knees to pull his torso forward. He curled into himself, his fists trembling as he squatted down. He could feel his insides roiling with pain and clenched his teeth together hard to try and stop the blood, but he couldn't help but cough up more. He howled in agony and despite nearly being dead, he turned once again to face his enemy.

Lucci froze, not believing his eyes. Straw Hat looked like death itself, but he was still standing. Lucci was at his limit too, his body having been put through its paces several times too many at this point. While he wasn't bleeding internally like Straw Hat, his muscles were screaming at him from the exertion of using the Six Powers and his body ached from all the beatings it had taken. Straw Hat was in worse condition but he was still standing. Why wouldn't he stay the hell down?! The agent growled in anger, glaring right into the hard gaze of his enemy as Luffy defiantly glared back.

Now Gum Gum…" Luffy thought about Aokiji, how he'd tried to kill Robin, and told the crew that she'd hurt them someday. He thought about Robin betraying them before they knew what was going on, hiding her sacrifice behind cold eyes. He thought about Nami bawling out on the rooftops of Water 7 as Aqua Laguna approached, crying that Robin had given herself up for them. He thought about that idiot Spandam telling him that he couldn't challenge the world and expect to win. He thought about Lucci and his vow to chase Robin to the ends of the earth, and how he couldn't let that happen. Finally, he thought about Robin, screaming her desire to live after years of being told to die, pleading with him to take her away, to take her home. He knew what he had to do, even if it killed him. He had to give this his all! "JET GATTTTTLLLLLLIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG!"

His fists, filled with anger and desperation, shot toward Lucci, who attempted to use Iron Body to lessen the blows. It was futile and he knew that the second Luffy's fists connected with his body. The barrage got faster and faster, so fast that the human eye couldn't see the man's fists. He punched Lucci over and over and over again. His body ached, it screamed in pain, but he couldn't stop until his friends were safe! Lucci was pushed back and back and back until he hit the wall of the tower. Luffy kept punching him, ignoring the pains and cuts and bruises and pushed the hated man further into the stone. When he couldn't stand the physical pain anymore, he let out a mighty yell into an inhuman scream, the sound of it rising above all the commotion of battle and freezing the blood of everyone within earshot. That scream terrified his enemies and broke his friend's hearts, but still, he did not relent. He punched and pushed and attacked until finally, finally, the wall broke, the force of Luffy's Gatling shoving Lucci thru the stone and sending him flying out of the tower. The whole world seemed to shake as the explosion of rock made the very heavens tremble. The Marines and the Straw Hat crew (and Franky and Usopp) literally felt the ground beneath their feet shake, and everyone from Usopp to the highest-ranking Marine stared in awed horror at the destruction before them. The fighting ceased in the wake of the devastation.

"Luffy!" Usopp yelled, staring into the cloud of dust rising into the air.

"Luffy!" Zoro couldn't see through it either and the whole crew held their breath as they awaited the outcome.

"Luffy…" Robin breathed, daring to hope that…that…

"Attention all ships!" the Marine announcer was back on the loudspeaker. "I have an urgent report! Just now, Rob Lucci, the most powerful agent of CP9, was seen lying face-down and lifeless in the first column! I repeat: Rob Lucci has just been defeated by Straw Hat Luffy!"

The Straw Hat crew (and Franky and Usopp) broke into shouts of joy.

"That's my man! You really had us worried, dumbass!" Zoro cheered, his eyes lighting up at the victory. Nami and Franky were both grinning stupidly, and Usopp was openly weeping in relief at the news. Luffy had done it!

As for Luffy…he was flat on his back, once again gasping for breath. "It's…over…! We should…be okay now…!" Even as he struggled to get a full breath, he mustered up the last bit of his strength for one more yell.

"WE'RE ALL GOING BACK TOGETHEEEEERRRRRR! ROOOOBBBBIIIIINNNN!"

At that joyous sound, Robin broke into tears as Luffy broke into his usual goofy grin.

To the Sea!

"Our target is Straw Hat! He's on the first column!" A Marine Vice Admiral spurred his men into action as they worked to annihilate all enemies of the government.

"Right! Understood, Sir!" a soldier on a loudspeaker answered back. "But he's…he doesn't seem to be moving!" The soldier was looking through a pair of binoculars and saw the pirate lying on the ground unmoving. "Straw Hat Luffy is…Sir, he…he appears to be severely wounded!" All of the Straw Hats' joy and triumph collapsed into horror and panic as the news filtered over the sounds of the resuming battle.

"What!?" Zoro gasped, taking out two more Marines. He spun towards the column, trying to get a look, but he was blocked by yet another opponent. Luffy isn't moving! Is he…is he…I can't even think that! The rest of the crew (and Franky and Usopp) was just as worried, their stomachs twisting in anxiety. Finding himself free, Usopp ran to the end of the bridge and carefully edged his way out onto the naked steel support that jutted out over the sea. When he got to the end, what he saw nearly tore his heart out. Luffy was collapsed on the ground and his breathing seemed weak and irregular. He wasn't moving and he wasn't getting up at all. What was going on?

"Luffy! What are you doing?!" the sniper yelled, trying to get a reaction, any reaction. "Hurry up and get the hell over here! If we don't escape we're all going to die!" The rubber man's head turned to the right, his face a mix of pain and panic as he panted from the small effort. He didn't say anything, which was just as bad – the Luffy Usopp knew hardly ever shut up at all! "What's wrong with you, damn it! We're almost there! Use your powers to slingshot yourself over here and I'll carry you the rest of the way!" Luffy didn't reply, or couldn't, and Usopp's panic skyrocketed. "We're surrounded by sea and battleships on all sides! If we stay here we're going get killed! Luffy!"

The rubber man tried to move his battered body but the best he could do was to wiggle some of his fingers, and not even all of them. Dread was seeping into his bones as he struggled to breathe properly. He knew that something was horribly wrong and that all of them were in a pinch, but there wasn't anything he could do now. He was so exhausted it physically took an effort to stay conscious, so moving was out of the realm of possibility.

"Luffy! Answer me! Say something! Please!"

"I…I c-an't…" his breath caught in his throat, barely over a whisper. "My body won't…"

"What?" the sniper asked, straining to hear.

"My body…won't move!" He'd finally gotten out a whole sentence and he was already spent.

"It won't move…?" The disbelief in Usopp's voice was instantly replaced with frightened anger. "Come on! Don't be stupid! You just beat Lucci, didn't you?! And we already saved Robin! The only thing left to do is run! Try harder! You can do it!" Luffy tried again, he tried to move his right arm, but he couldn't even wiggle his fingers this time. Usopp watched in horror, his mind running out of ideas of what to do. Luffy was now the one stuck on the other side of a chasm, not Robin, and now they couldn't reach him! Oh, the irony!

"Usopp!" Nami yelled, unleashing a Thunderbolt Tempo on several unfortunate Marines. "We'll take the ship to Luffy! We'll grab him and get out of here! Everyone move! Get on board!" Thank goodness for Nami's brain! But even that small hope was destroyed as the escort ship exploded, even as they took their first steps to run to it. Smoke billowed up behind the little gate that led to the pier as the flames licked at the ship, burning everything in sight and destroying any chance of escape. They had been so close! Lucci was down, the Marines were being thrashed, and they'd found out that the Galley-La shipwrights, the Franky Family, and the giants Kashii and Oimo were alive after their fights on the island! Why had it all gone so wrong!? The Straw Hats were fucked with no way off the damn island!

"No!" Nami cried, "That's our escape ship!"

"Those bastards! Now it's hopeless!" Franky lamented. "We're completely surrounded and that ship was our only way out of here! What are we going to do?!" With a great crash, the ship broke apart and sank into the sea, drowning any chance at hope.

Nami gasped in horror as she realized that everyone else had been waiting on the ship for them! "Kokoro! Chimney! Gonbe! Chopper!" The navigator fell to her knees. "No…what now…?" As the Straw Hat crew (and Franky and Usopp) stared at the blaze, some hope was restored to them as Sanji came sprinting out of the smoke with Granny Kokoro and Chopper in his arms with Chimney and Gonbe hanging onto his sleeve.

"We made it!" the blond yelled, flying by some Marines. "OUTOFTHEWAY!" He reached Nami first and dropped his load onto the ground, trying to catch his breath. Nami asked where he had been and what he'd been doing but all he said was that he'd had something to take care of.

"Damn this is bad," pant, pant, "We're pretty screwed right now." Sanji looked around at their situation and sighed. "I never thought that they'd attack us as long as we still had Robin here," pant, pant, "I was sure the bridge and the ship would be safe-" The conversation was then interrupted by Nami being taken hostage with a Marine sword at her throat. The Marine demanded that the pirates release the little girl and the old lady (Granny Kokoro and Chimney) but Granny Kokoro sprang into action.

"There's no time for any of that!" she shouted. "Mermaid Kick!" With a mighty swing of her finned foot, Granny Kokoro threw that Marine into the sky where he disappeared into the smoke with a twinkle. But before Nami could compliment her, things got even worse as the Marines started firing on the Bridge of Hesitation. They all ran away as the first cannonballs exploded but as they sprinted down the bridge, more shots nearly crashed into them. Sanji ended up carrying everyone again, as Granny Kokoro was thrown over his shoulder, with Chopper under his arm and the rest of them hanging onto the old mermaid's legs. Another round of shots came and the bridge was beginning to fall apart. The Marines were even firing on their own men! Sanji and the rest finally reached where Franky, Usopp, and Zoro were and yelled at them to run. Everyone started sprinting until an explosion threw them all forwards, sending the group tumbling to the ground. Zoro and Sanji were the only ones to land on their feet like the badasses they were and they got ready to protect their friends. A huge block of stone came hurtling towards the group and the swordsman leaped into the air to slash it into pieces while the cook kicked those pieces in any direction that wasn't near everyone else. The Marines stopped firing for a moment and the rest of the bridge collapsed into the sea. Now, all that was left of the Bridge of Hesitation was the first support column where Luffy was stranded and the second support column where everyone else was. They were royally screwed now.

And then it got worse!

"All ships! Prepare to fire on the first column!" All the Marine battleships started targeting their cannons on the first support column. Luffy was still stuck there! Zoro immediately turned around and ran towards the edge of the bridge where Usopp was and searched the column for his boyfriend. Luffy was still on his back, unable to move, and the swordsman's heart squeezed in terror at seeing the shape he was in.

"All units, take aim! Eliminate Straw Hat Luffy!"

"LUFFY!" Usopp was yelling again but the rubber man's situation was still the same.

No, no, no, no! Shit! Zoro's brain scrambled for a way to save everyone but there was virtually nothing any of them could do. He was then attacked by some straggling Marines who'd managed to get onto the column and he threw them off with an animalistic grunt. I don't have time for this! Luffy's in trouble! I've got to do something!

"LUFFY! COME ON!" Usopp's voice was getting even more desperate now. Robin went to the edge and crossed her arms, sprouting two more limbs by her elbows and two more grew out of the palms of those hands.

"No good," she said, "At this distance, all I can do is grab him and throw him in the sea!"

"STAND UP STRAW HAT!" the Franky Family, the giants, and the Galley-La shipwrights at the front of the island were still broadcasting on their Den Den Mushi and they yelled encouragement to their ally.

"Come on! Stand up!" Granny Kokoro yelled.

Chimney started yelling too. "Pirate Guy! Run!" Gonbe was also distressed as he shouted, "Nya! Nya!"

"Luffy! Hurry! Move it!" Nami was nearly crying again as she yelled to her captain.

Sanji joined in as well. "Dammit! You've got to do something right now, Luffy!"

Luffy's heart was screaming as his friends were beset by Marines and the fear of losing any of them was driving him crazy! His mind was telling him to get up and his body wanted to get up, but he was too weak! He couldn't do anything as he watched his friends fall deeper and deeper into their enemies' trap. He could see Zoro's green hair ducking and weaving around as he fought off Marines and protected everyone and Luffy wanted to be up there with him; he wanted to be with them all! Every one of his allies was shouting for him to get up, his crew was screaming for him, but the huge chasm between them left him on his own.

"No…I'm in…trouble…!" he forced out what he could, but it was all too much. There was too much pain, too much heartache, and he couldn't do anything. No matter what they yelled at him, he just couldn't move.

"Luffy!" That one was Nami.

"Get moving! They're going to kill you!" That one was Sanji.

"Get on your feet and get out of there now!" That one coming through the Den Den Mushi was Paulie.

"DO SOMETHING!" That was the Franky Family.

"Luffy!" Zoro yelled, looking down on his lover, the panic in his voice sending a stab of pain into Luffy's heart. "Luffy, you've got to hurry! Please, get up! I can't leave without you!" Luffy squeezed his eyes shut and strained with all his might but his arms only moved a little bit. The battleships were closing in and time was running out!

Then…a voice came drifting up from the sea. Beautiful whale song sounded over the ocean and Usopp stopped to listen to the song that he'd heard before again. It was a soothing song that encompassed the essence of the ocean and playful waves on the shores of the world. He'd heard it before on top of the Tower of Law and during the battle but had no clue what it was. While he was listening, Franky clobbered a Marine who was aiming to cut off the sniper's head.

"Hey! Are you trying to kill yourself?! Stop spacing out! Now's not the time!"

Usopp ignored him and cupped his ears to hear better. "Whose voice is this anyway?" That's right; it's the same voice I heard before! "What's going on here?" he said out loud so Franky thought that the sniper was talking to him.

"Those voices? They're my guys!" He thought the teen was talking about the broadcasted voices of everyone at the front of the island.

"No! That's not what I'm talking about here! I've heard it for a while!"

"Huh?" Franky was just not getting it, and honestly, neither was Usopp.

In the support column, all alone, Luffy listened to the song as well. It was telling him something, changing from just a song to a voice he could understand. "What?" he asked, trying to figure out what the voice was telling him. "B-below?" The voice was telling him 'below' so something was below them? What was it? Who was it? This voice reminded Luffy of sunny days at sea and quiet nights on the ocean with a sky full of stars above them. It reminded him of fishing with his friends or taking a nap on a warm deck. This voice was wonderful. He wanted to see who it was but since he couldn't move, he'd have to leave that to Usopp who had crawled to the edge of the beam he was on to look down.

"It's coming from over here!" the teen whispered, looking all around. "Below?" Usopp looked down and saw the most wonderful sight in the world.

The rest of the Straw Hats could hear it now too, the whale song from the sea.

Zoro heard it and listened carefully, but didn't fully understand.

"Who's that?" Nami asked, fending off a few Marines.

"What the hell is that voice?" Sanji smashed a guy's face in with his foot, wondering who was speaking to him.

Robin gasped as she heard the song, looking around for its source.

"It says look below!" Chopper exclaimed from Granny Kokoro's arms.

"Who does?" Chimney asked, "What are you talking about?"

"ALL SHIPS OPEN FIRE ON THE FIRST COLUMN AND STRAW HAT LUFFY!" The Marines were making their move! "FIVE!"

"No! Luffy!"

"STRAW HAT!"

"FOUR!"

Amidst all the chaos, Usopp was weeping at the sight he saw. You shouldn't have…you really shouldn't have! The voice called to him again, encouraging him with its loving comfort. Usopp opened his mouth and yelled for his crew.

"THREE!"

"Jump into the sea!" His command rose over the cacophony of blades and guns, drawing his friends' attention. "The sea!"

"Usopp?" Zoro wondered what the hell was going on.

"Robin!" Usopp shouted for her attention. "Can you still throw Luffy into the sea?!"

"Leave it to me!" she replied.

Zoro was thinking that Usopp had lost his mind! "Are you trying to kill him?! What are you doing Usopp!? Jumping in the sea won't help a damn thing!"

"We're gonna be safe," the sniper blubbered. "She came to rescue us!" His eyes were swimming with tears now, blurring all the chaos around him into just shapes and colors. He was so happy! He grabbed onto a surprised Zoro's shoulders and urged him to jump. "It'll be okay! We still have one more friend here!"

"TWO!"

"Chopper, did you see?!" Nami said, amazed at the sight she saw now that she was looking down.

"Yes!" the reindeer was crying now too as he looked down.

The voice called out again, her beautiful song reaching out to her friends.

"ONE!"

"Now, Cien Fleur! Delphinium!" Robin sprouted two rows of arms on the floor of the column where Luffy was and lifted his body with several of her hands. She then passed the rubber man down the rows, rolling him towards the edge of the column.

"Whoa! I'm moving!" Luffy exclaimed. "Is Robin doing this?"

They'd all seen their friend now. She had come for them!

"To the sea!" Sanji shouted.

"To the sea!" Nami echoed.

"To the sea!" Chopper added with tears running down his face.

It was at that moment that Luffy was tossed out of the tower with a yelp, beginning the rain of Straw Hats and friends. As he rotated in the air, he saw who was speaking to him and he couldn't hold back the tears.

"Follow Luffy! Usopp cheered. "To the sea!" They all jumped, yelling, "To the sea!" with huge smiles on their faces. They had no fears now; there was no need for them anymore. Luffy smiled hugely, so grateful that she had found them. While they probably looked completely out of their minds, they couldn't have been happier.

Let's go back, everyone!

"FIRE!" The Marines' cannons had gone off, and the column had exploded above the falling pirates, but they were useless now as everyone fell into the sea.

Back to the seas of adventure!

A valiant little ship was moving through the waves as she came towards her friends. The Going Merry had come for them! And that poor, little, battered ship had never looked lovelier!

"Everyone get on board the Merry!" Usopp shouted, and even though he wasn't the captain, they were all happy to follow that order anyway.

"MERRY!" Luffy shouted, overjoyed to see his friend. And everyone else felt the same way.

I came to get you!

Thank you, Merry!

The Going Merry had brought her beloved crew back to the open ocean. She'd sailed through the perils of the Navy battleships and had slipped through the whirlpool currents caused by the closed Gates of Justice (compliments of Sanji, who was very pleased with his handiwork) with her trusty navigator to guide her way. Her strange appearance had most of the crew baffled, as there had been no one on the ship while they piled back on. However, many grateful tears were shed as they got underway, no matter the circumstances of the ship's arrival. Luffy had lain prone on the deck, still not having the strength to move after Monster Granny had tossed him on board and everyone was running around him to get the ship ready to leave. Though, Zoro had leaned down to grab his shoulders and give him a quick kiss, calling him a dumbass for causing them to worry so much, before putting him down again and running around to Nami's orders. Luffy took his first full breath since he'd collapsed and bemoaned about how he thought that the Marine battleships were going to blow him up. He spotted Robin kneeling down on the deck and called to thank her but she clapped a sprouted hand over his mouth to shut him up. She'd smiled lovingly at her captain and thanked him and everyone else for saving her, for giving her hope, and for not leaving her side. They all either smiled or burst into happy giggles and Luffy told her not to worry about it once her arm had disappeared and his mouth was free. They were friends after all.

And then Zoro had ruined the moment by reminding them to save the sappy shit for later after they'd escaped. He was then attacked by both Sanji and Chopper, the latter biting his leg in anger at his insensitivity. That's when they noticed that Chopper was moving again and after being happy about it for a moment, he'd transformed into his man-beast form and put the grumpy swordsman into a hold by sitting on his back and pulling Zoro's legs up, bending him into a painful crescent shape. The doctor then ordered him to apologize to Robin! while Sanji gloated. Zoro refused to give up because he had a very valid point and it wasn't until Nami ordered them to get back to work that he was released. Robin just chuckled at the whole exchange. Then, the whirlpools started appearing in the water, the currents having drastically changed since Sanji had closed the Gates of Justice. When Luffy and Usopp had found out how smart the cook had been, they began praising him, which in turn pissed Zoro off. He was upset for two reasons: One, now the whirlpools were also their problem now, and two, he hated when the cook got any attention.

"It's a little early to be kissing his ass, you know!"

"Shut up, Moss-Head! The only ass you like to kiss is Luffy's!"

"What does that have to do with anything, pervert!?"

"Shishishi! Zoro he got you good!"

"Shut up Luffy, or I'm not kissing your ass anymore!"

"Aw! Zoro! Wait! I take it back!"

"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP AND GET BACK TO WORK!" The last comment came from a very agitated navigator who was ready to kill them all before the Marines even had a chance to try again.

And so a great escape had begun, fraught with peril and bad-mouthing Marines as the Merry zoomed by them. The most ridiculous thing was Luffy squirming up to the Merry's back deck using only his head and trying to get the others to let him fight off the cannonballs coming their way. Usopp, Zoro, and Sanji looked down at their pathetic captain and told him to leave it to them. But he complained and whined about how he wanted them to leave some cannonballs for him and told Zoro to shut and that he couldn't "tell me what to do." Zoro also told him to shut up and get out of the way, but now they had a slug lying underfoot because only Luffy's head was actually mobile. So what did Zoro and Sanji do? Well, Zoro grabbed Luffy's ankles and Sanji grabbed his arms, stretching and spreading him out like a net, and said "net" caught at least ten (probably more) cannonballs which were then thrown back at the battleships with the force of three monsters. It was at this point that Luffy just wanted to lie on the ground and die, the force of both catching the projectiles and having his beaten body used as a slingshot wreaking havoc on him. His first mate and cook smiled at him cheerily, expressing that they had indeed needed him after all and that he never let them down! Usopp just called them monsters to which they agreed. Zoro then picked up his nearly unconscious boyfriend and put him up against a wall, out of the way, before continuing to defend the Merry as they escaped.

And the cherry on top? Robin had mercilessly broken Spandam's spine for all the hell she'd been put through, for what his family did to her homeland, and for all the hardship and pain that he and his minions had put her crew through. As her arms and hands wrapped around him, squeezing him tightly and bending him backward slowly and painfully, she watched mutely. His cries for help were stifled by two of her hands over his mouth and she didn't even feel the least bit bad for the tears that ran onto her skin. He deserved every excruciating second of agony, which was only a fraction of what she'd had to feel and what her crew had to go through. His callous laugh and mocking voice would haunt her forever, so she'd make sure that she'd haunt him forever too. She let go of his mouth and let him scream for help, and though she would never tell anyone this, she enjoyed his terror. The snap of his bones was so satisfying, to the whole crew as well, that even the kindhearted Chopper would've taken a seriously long time to go help the man if he'd had to treat him.

Once that matter was settled and Robin was finally free of all that had chained her down, a well-timed Coup de Vent from Franky had the Merry flying into the sky once more, much to the surprise of the Marines. Then, a well-timed smoke screen from Usopp had them well ahead of the Navy as the island of Enies Lobby burned behind them. They'd made a glorious mess and had gotten away with it too! Once they were out to sea, peace returned to the motley crew and Luffy demanded that someone take him to his favorite spot. Since Zoro was a little busy, Monster Granny obliged and took the rubber man over to the bow of the ship

"Are you sure that you want to sit up on top of that sheep head?" she asked.

"Of course I do! That's the captain's seat!" he replied with a smile. She placed him face down on the Merry's figurehead carefully so that he could at least hug the head securely.

"Well, there you go. Be careful not to fall." She gave a hearty laugh at seeing the young man looking a little silly, but if it made him happy, who cared?

"Sure! Thanks for the help, Monster Granny! You're the best!"

"Hey!" Zoro snapped as he knotted a length of rope up in the sails, quite insulted that Granny Kokoro had just pushed him out of the number one spot.

Luffy ignored him in favor of talking to Merry, looking down at her face fondly. "And thank you, Merry," he said softly, hugging his beloved ship tightly. "We never would've made it if you weren't there. I was pretty surprised when you showed up, but when I think about it, you've always been there, protecting us. We've always counted on you!" As the work on the ship wound down, the Straw Hats and their friends gathered at the front of the ship, listening to Luffy thanking Merry, each with a smile on their face. "Anyway, I'm just happy that you've been part of the team, Merry. You're a good friend to have." Luffy also thanked Franky for his help, because they couldn't have done it without him either. He was a good friend too. And so were Monster Granny, Chimney, and Gonbe!

The day had ended with them escaping, but they'd stolen Robin back, burned down a government flag, and trashed a whole judicial island, so there was definitely some hell they were probably going to have to pay. But it was worth it. All in all, Luffy didn't think that it was a big deal: they'd taken his friend and all he'd wanted was to get her back. They'd won and that's all that really mattered.

On the way back to Water 7, Usopp had somehow disappeared, which was greatly distressing to Luffy, and so Chopper put his captain on his little shoulders and carried him around the ship looking for the sniper. They looked everywhere calling his name but couldn't find him. When they got back to everyone else on the bow, Luffy asked Sniper King where Usopp was (completely ignoring all the pointed and knowing stares that the sniper was getting from the rest of the group). Sniper King told him that Usopp had taken another boat and went on ahead and all the competent people on the ship rolled their eyes at the dumb lie. Sanji even twisted around and konked the man's head with his foot. And then Luffy and Chopper believed that dumb lie! However, it was quite comical watching the little reindeer tote the rubber man around but the reason behind it was distressing since Luffy could hardly move on his own. But, the stupidity of the situation undermined that concern a bit, and Zoro was seriously questioning the intelligence of his boyfriend.

While that was going on, Nami was trying to figure out how the Merry had appeared at Enies Lobby because there was no one else on board. They all discussed the matter for a while, with Luffy insisting that Merry had called out to them, no matter how crazy it sounded. Both Franky and Usopp thought about their conversation when they discussed the Klabautermann, the incarnation of Merry due to the love and care that she'd received from her crew, but remained quiet. But before the crew could continue their discussion they saw a huge galleon sailing their way. The sails indicated that it was a Galley-La Company ship and there were many members of the company cheering and waving to the little crew, happy that they'd not only made it through Aqua Laguna but also made it off Enies Lobby. The crew of the Merry waved back, happy to see Iceberg and the rest of his workers. At the front of the ship, Iceberg was standing at the rail, considering the little ship approaching them. Nico Robin survived…they took on the World Government and survived, he smiled at the thought. They lost everything and got it all back.

Right as the ships were about to meet, the joy everyone was feel got cut short. Merry began creaking uncontrollably, her bow breaking and tipping forward. The jolt that followed sent the whole crew to the floor as the ship rocked. She split, having given the last of her strength to carry her friends all this way.

"Merry!" Usopp gasped as she continued to creak, her wood still splintering and cracking. The crew was hanging on as best they could but the bow kept tipping towards the water.

"Why's she breaking all of a sudden?!" Zoro shouted as Luffy and Chopper slid into him. He was at the front-most railing near the figurehead and they were coming dangerously close to the water.

"There's nothing sudden about it," Sanji replied, beginning to slip down the incline. "We all knew this was inevitable. They told us, right? Before we left the Merry was unfit to sail."

"Yeah but," Luffy started to argue.

Nami gasped, looking at the great break in the deck that separated her from everyone else on the ship. "What happened to you Merry?!"

Finding some strength, Luffy managed to climb up onto Merry's head and call for Ice Pops and the other shipwrights. "Hey, Ice Pops! Help! Merry's in trouble!" he pleaded for his friend as he fell to his knees, exhausted once again, his heart pounding in his chest. "Can't you do something? You got here just in time! You're all shipwrights, aren't you? We're begging you! Don't let her die now! She's more than just a ship; she's a member of our crew! If it wasn't for her, we all would've died back there! So come on! Do something!"

The Merry's crew and the Galley-La crew listened to the pleading of the young man, their hearts heavy as his was. Their faces were solemn and even if Luffy didn't want to believe it, he already knew that Merry couldn't be saved. He didn't want to hear it! But Iceberg had to tell him. He looked at the panic and grief in Luffy's eyes and then looked at Merry's face. As hard as it would be, he had to tell them. "She's fought hard for you, but it's time to let her rest." Luffy's face fell, his distress fading into dread. There weren't any words to describe what he was feeling, but it was something dark and very lonely. He was so lost that he barely heard Ice Pop's next words. "Besides, I've already done what I can."

Iceberg had found the ship washed up at Scrap Heap Island at Water 7. He'd heard someone working during the storm and went to find out what was going on. It was then that he realized that the ship he'd found was the Straw Hats' and it was a wreck. He'd felt the keel, felt it bend and crack beneath his hands, his heart sorrowing for such a pitiful old girl. His musing about the ship's wounds had been interrupted when he heard a soft voice.

I want to sail…it said, but Iceberg hadn't known who was talking. Then a whale song accompanied the voice, the pure sound piercing the man to his very soul. I want to sail…one last time! The man had looked up at the Merry, hardly believing it. Had the ship been speaking to him? Without a second thought, he'd opened his toolbox and spent several hours hammering, nailing, fixing, and knotting out in that dreadful storm. When he was done, Merry was barely serviceable, but he'd done what he could for the old girl.

"What am I doing?" He'd panted, sweating despite the cold of the storm. "There's no hope for this ship…" His shipwrights had called to him then, warning him of another tidal wave. The man had grabbed his toolbox and began moving towards safety, but stopped when that gentle voice reached out to him again.

Thank you.

He'd turned and looked at the old girl just as a wave washed over her, flowing onto the little island. Miraculously, the Merry had washed out with the wave, upright and moving almost as if by her own power. She was pushed out to sea with tremendous speed, turning her head towards her last journey, and sailed confidently into the storm. Iceberg couldn't believe what he'd just seen but he'd had to know what was to become of the little ship. He'd ordered his men to prepare a ship for departure and even though they thought he was crazy for wanting to go out during Aqua Laguna, the look in his eyes dared anyone to question him. He'd said that he'd go alone if he had to but his loyal men had rushed to come with him, which led them straight to the Straw Hats several hours later.

"This is a miracle…there's no other word for it," he told the crew. "The miracle of a ship that's gone beyond its limits to see you one last time." His words were soft and kind but they held a finality in them that could not be ignored. Luffy couldn't say anything, even if he'd had the words. "As you know, I've been a shipwright for many years but I've never seen a ship as incredible as this one." His kind voice became even kinder. "It has lived a wonderful life."

Luffy gasped, remembering how Merry had come to find them, how she'd come to take them back to the seas of adventure, just as they had lost all hope. Merry had been their savior and their friend during their long journey. His hand clenched, trembling as he rested on Merry's head and he felt all of Merry's love for them. That sweet old girl loved them so much, and it filled him up. It was time.

"I understand," the young man looked into the eyes of the older shipwright, sad, but comforted nonetheless. With that, the rest of the Straw Hat crew knew that it was time as well. Nami's and Chopper's eyes filled with tears and Zoro and Sanji stood tall, but a weight had settled over their hearts. Usopp…well, no one could fully understand what he was feeling, but with this, he knew it was time for the Merry to rest. No matter how much he loved her and wanted her to go on.

It wasn't long before the Straw Hat crew and their friends were standing on a longboat near the Galley-La ship, facing the Merry. The shipwrights had lowered two vessels down into the water, one big enough to hold everyone while Luffy was standing in the smaller one, floating right next to his beloved ship as they bobbed on the calm waves. A silence had descended upon the men and women in attendance but the ocean still rocked and the birds above them still called out to one another. Merry floated forlornly in the water, broken, but still proud, still beautiful. Luffy looked upon the ship with gentle eyes, trying to be strong for all the others as long as he could. His body ached from his fights but nothing could've compared to the ache in his heart.

"Well guys…you ready?" he asked, wanting his friends to be ready before he continued. He heard quiet agreements from behind him and nodded as well. In his hand was a flaming torch and once he was ready – even if he would never truly be ready – he brought it up near Merry's broken side and started his final goodbye.

"Merry…I know the floor of the sea is a dark and lonely place," he started, "But don't worry. We're here to see you off." He lifted the torch, touching it to the old ship gently as the flames began to spread over her wood. "I'm sure you wish he was here, but it's probably best that Usopp isn't around. I don't know if he could take this."

On the other boat, Zoro spoke to the quiet man on his left, his eyes never leaving Luffy and the Merry. "Well…is that true?" he asked softly.

"Of course it isn't," Usopp replied, his face hidden by his mask. "We must all say our farewells someday. Every man knows that." The lenses of his goggles shined with the light from the flames licking at the Merry as they clothed her in gorgeous reds and yellows. Even as she was burning, she looked beautiful to all of them. "Luffy knows…what has to be done."

The fire spread, it surged upwards, licking at the deck, moving to her mast and rails, and catching her rigging and sails in its heat. The ship was alight as Luffy's little vessel drifted backward. He never took his eyes off of her, wanting to stay with her for every second that he could. The flames crackled and spit as they consumed all that the Merry was, but even still, her Jolly Roger flapped in the wind defiantly, showing to all the world that she was the proud ship of the Straw Hat Pirates. It showed that she'd battled storms, climbed mountains, and even flew into the sky. She was the ship that had carried the future King of the Pirates and his valiant friends and she was proud to be their vessel.

"Thank you for carrying us for so long…and so far, Merry." Luffy continued. The sun was shadowed by clouds, the smoke from the fire drifting up into the mass as the funeral continued. As they all watched, snow began to fall, the delicate flakes drifting down to the sea or reaching the Merry and melting around her as she burned.

Nami reached out and caught a snowflake in her hand, the delicate crystal glowing like a little star as it reflected Merry's light. She remembered the first time she saw Merry, cheerfully bobbing on the ocean off the shore of Syrup Village, ready to start their journey. Nami had been so excited, enchanted by the caravel as she'd stood by Luffy and Zoro. There had only been three of them at the time but they would shortly gain another member along with the Going Merry. They had set sail with high spirits and celebrated the Merry and Usopp, their newest crew member, as they headed towards the horizon. She'd berated those idiots whenever they'd hurt Merry, telling them that a crew had to take care of their ship, and gave all three of them several knocks on the head to get the message through their thick skulls whenever it happened. She had also enjoyed listening to the boys as they practiced firing the cannons on the open sea, knowing perfectly well that they had a reliable friend beneath their feet. Nami's eyes filled with tears, her love and sorrow finally overwhelming her. She bit her lip, holding back sobs as the tears rolled down her cheeks, falling like the snow.

Zoro watched Merry with his arms crossed, remembering that one time he'd fallen asleep sprawled across Merry's head, and Luffy had yelled at him to get out of the "captain's seat." He remembered when they'd finally reached the Grand Line, the little ship and her crew braving a fierce storm as they searched for the lighthouse near Reverse Mountain. That was when they'd all made their promises to chase their dreams, vowing to find the All Blue, to be the King of the Pirates, to be the world's greatest swordsman, to draw a map of the world, and to be a brave warrior of the sea. Merry had carried them through that storm, her promise being that she'd carry them wherever they wanted to go. As he gazed at the ship, he knew that she'd kept her promise.

Sanji's thoughts also drifted to their adventure with Reverse Mountain, as he'd only recently joined the crew before that. Nami had sat them all down at the dinner table and explained how things were going to work, as far as she knew. He'd known that Merry would get them up that mountain; he'd never had a doubt, despite being the newest member at the time. She'd even kept them safe when they were beset by sea kings, even if they were scared out of their minds. Merry was always constant; she'd always been right there with them.

Usopp's shoulders were shaking as he watched his beloved ship burn. He had always been surprised by how much Merry endured on their travels and had always tried to make her feel better when she got battered. She'd outrun huge dolphins with her crew and survived massive cyclones, sailing merrily on those seas that she loved. She'd even flown a time or two, soaring through a giant goldfish as Dory's and Broggy's attacks propelled them into the air, and as she'd rode up the Knock Up Stream into the sky. She was so amazing and so strong.

Robin gazed at Merry lovingly, remembering that she'd first stowed away on the Straw Hat's ship as they were leaving Alabasta. She'd had no place to return to and no place to go, so the little ship seemed like a good place to stay. Despite having been an enemy, Luffy had welcomed her onto his ship almost immediately even as his friends yelled at him for being stupid. She hadn't known how much Merry and her little crew would come to mean to her. She'd taken them on all their adventures, even flying up into the clouds and falling back to earth once again.

Chopper was openly crying, wiping his tears away with his hoof as she began to break down. He loved Merry! It was the first place that he'd ever truly been accepted by everyone around him. Merry had been through so much for them, even defying the Navy countless times. She'd always kept them safe. Without her, they would've been captured for sure, but she'd pulled through each and every time. The little reindeer was going to miss her so much!

The snow continued to fall, shining with the light from the flames. Merry was completely covered now, bathed in light as she burned brightly. Chopper's and Nami's sobs broke the crew's silence, adding to the sound of the waves and the crackling of the fire. They weren't the only ones that were crying, because Usopp's cape collar had filled up with tears, even as he valiantly tried to look composed. Luffy stood before them all, watching Merry's final moments quietly. Her mast snapped, collapsing onto her disappearing deck. She leaned to the side, listing towards the water. Her Jolly Roger was ripped from her mast, flying high into the sky, still ablaze. The crew and their captain watched their beloved ship burn, their hearts full of sadness but also full of gratitude. She had been the most wonderful ship and the most wonderful friend that they could've asked for.

Merry also watched them, gazing on her beloved crew, her wonderful friends, and her heart cried out for them. I'm sorry…I wanted to carry everyone just a little bit further…I had so much fun! Luffy's eyes widened as Merry spoke to them. He didn't know if anyone else could hear her, but he could. I wish our adventures would never end!

"Merry!" Chopper sobbed, reaching out for her. Nami cried even harder, covering her face with her hand as she knelt on the ground. Iceberg and all his shipwrights could hear her now too but Iceberg was the only one who understood her calls.

But I'm sorry I-

"No, Merry!" Luffy shouted, his voice breaking in sorrow. "If anyone should apologize, it's us! Not you!" If there had been a dry eye before this moment, there weren't any afterward. Luffy's tears began to fall, wanting the Merry to know that she'd done everything for them and more! She shouldn't feel sorry; she shouldn't feel that she didn't do enough, because she did! She'd done everything for them! "I'm no good at steering…I ran you into icebergs and all kinds of stuff!" The young man clenched his fists, trying to be strong and failing. If he couldn't do that, he could at least give Merry some peace, at the very least. Something like that could never repay what she'd done but it was all he could do. "I took bad care of you and ripped your sails!" he sniffled, finding it hard to breathe again. "Zoro and Sanji are idiots too! They were breaking your stuff all the time! Usopp tried to fix you but he wasn't any good at it! We all know that!" Said Usopp was now biting his lip, crying so much that his cape collar lake had now overflowed.

"If anyone's sorry…it's…it's us!" Luffy wailed, unable to stop his tears. He collapsed to the floor of his boat, great sobs wracking his body and making him shake and gasp for air. It hurt! It hurt so much! This was worse than any physical pain he'd endured and it wouldn't stop hurting.

I don't mind, Merry said comfortingly. I was happy…I know you always treated me with love. Thank you! Merry's figurehead disappeared in the flames, consumed by light. Even if the time we shared together was short…I'm glad that I could spend it with you! Soon she would be gone. She'd said what she'd needed to say and done what she had needed to do. Even as her beloved crew watched her die, she still comforted them. She loved them, and they loved her too. Even if sorrow tore their hearts and made them weak, her love and their love would make all of them strong again. Luffy's voice rose above them all, grief and sorrow ripping themselves from his throat as he howled.

"MEEEERRRRRRRRRRYYYYYY!"

His boat eventually drifted back far enough that Zoro could reach out and gently touch a shaking shoulder. He pulled Luffy's battered body into their boat, kneeling down to bundle him up in a warm embrace. The young man continued to cry, so heartbroken and distraught at the loss of his friend. The swordsman slid Luffy's hat back so it hung by its string and rested his own head where it had been sitting. He pulled Luffy close, his own few tears dropping into the rubber man's black hair. Luffy's sobs shook both of their bodies but that was okay. Nami came over and took Luffy's hand, her other arm going around Zoro's shoulders, and Chopper hugged both her and Luffy as much as he could. Robin rested her comforting hands on Zoro's and Nami's shoulders and Sanji wrapped his own comforting arm around hers, before yanking Usopp into the group hug as well.

The Straw Hat crew watched as Merry crumbled, sinking into the sea with heavy hearts. Merry had had her friends until the very end. As the snow drifted around them, they all had the same thoughts in their hearts:

Goodbye Merry.

Thank you.

To be Continued...