Chapter 25: The Fight Continues
Chaka stared in disbelief. It truly was Princess Vivi standing before him. She was telling him the horrible details of her journey to return home and how Crocodile was the reason for their country declining and the reason behind the rebel forces. Baroque Works. Why does that sound familiar. "Crocodile is trying to take over?" He asked her as his mind was trying to comprehend the idea.
"If you can hold everyone's attention for just a few seconds, that's all I need. I can handle the rest." She told him. "I know if I can just explain everything, we can stop the fighting." She then paused. "However, should they not listen. I want you to destroy the palace!"
The guards gasped. "Princess, are you out of your mind!?"
"Princess," Chaka went to speak only for her to stop him with a hand on his chest.
"Do you really think by destroying the palace that the kingdom would be lost?" She questioned him. "You're wrong! Listen to me. It's just a building! Its destruction would make Alabasta a true kingdom for the first time. A kingdom for the people! Not the royals!"
Chaka felt himself back away from the young woman before him with shock. He had never seen such determination from this girl. No, woman. His mind supplied him. She left a girl but returned a woman with strength behind her words.
"A kingdom is nothing without its people."
Those words echoed in Chaka's mind. They were King Cobra's own words. "Princess." He said straightening his back before he gave a bow of acceptance. "As you wish." He went to his knees before her. "I will do as you have commanded." He turned towards the loyal guards. "Bring every explosive we have! Surrounded the palace with them." May the gods have mercy. He thought silently hoping for a miracle that would stop this.
He's actually going to do it? The guards questioned silently. This palace holds four thousand years of history within its walls!
"Did I stutter!?" Chaka yelled at the guards who began to rush off to find enough explosives to destroy the foundation and its walls.
Chaka looked at the Princess and swore he saw a woman from another place and time standing where she stood. "I don't know what to say about all of this." He muttered softly.
Vivi took a deep calming breath. "Don't worry. You're fine." She stated as she looked over the city that was still fighting. "I'm well aware that you had no choice but to fight the rebel army." She looked up at the man sadly. "Chaka, I apologize for leaving so suddenly, but it's not over yet." She looked back as the smoke began to rise in the air from the fires set in the city. "Even if we do stop the two armies from fighting, as long as Crocodile is alive, peace will never come to this kingdom."
"How distressing!" Came a voice from above causing all to gasp in surprise. "This is a dangerous plan you are cooking up." Crocodile revealed himself above the palace gates. "Especially since this place will soon be my home." Sand flew around him in a whirlwind bringing the man to the front of the gates.
"Crocodile!" Vivi growled out, her hands turning to fists.
Chaka turned his attention towards the Princess with surprise. He'd never heard her make such an animalistic sound before. He then returned his head towards the man before him. He knew of Warlord Crocodile only because the man was supposed to be helping Alabasta. Does the world government know what damage he's causing by being here? He wondered when a dangerous thought came to mind. Did the world government send him to destroy us from within?
"Hello there, Princess." Crocodile sneered before side stepping and revealing a tied and beaten King Cobra.
"Papa!" Vivi screamed at the sight of her beloved father.
"Sire!" Chaka gasped, pained at the sight of his King in such distress.
Weakly the King lifted his head. "Vivi, what are you doing here?" He questioned, having hoped she was safe and away from this place.
Dark clouds formed overhead as Nami fell to the ground. The woman before her had the same abilities as she did. She's stronger. Faster than me. She thought. But I'm smarter!
"Are you ready to accept your fate?" The woman sneered. Thinking she had won, she was letting her guard down, especially since the younger girl wasn't moving much now that she was on the ground.
Nami narrowed her eyes at the over muscular woman. "No! You first!" She pressed a button on her weather staff sending a black pellet into the sky that hit the darkened clouds she had created earlier. "Thunderbolt tempo!" She yelled out as bolts of electricity shot down hitting the oversized woman standing above her.
Nami screamed as she covered her ears. She'd thrown a too large of a pellet into the cloud creating a too large of a thunder strike. Thankfully it didn't hurt her, just scared her.
Nearby she heard an explosion as Zoro fought his own battle nearby. "Sparkling daisy!" The baroque works pirate created a slicing ability caused by the devil fruit he ate. The man grinned thinking he had the green haired swordsman within his grasp. Zoro felt sweat drip down his neck at the sheer weight of the attack power but it wasn't enough to break him nor his swords. Having only needing to use a two-sword style downward block to stop the attack, Zoro thought maybe he'd survive the attack with minimal damage. His chest still ached from the damage done to it by Mihawk's small sword.
Behind him the building flew apart, having been sheered by the attack's power. "Blow away!"Zoro's eyes widened as an explosion between the man's fingers threw him into the buildings debris field.
Quickly rushing, Zoro pulled his third sword from his waist, placing it in his mouth he rushed towards the man, angered that it was taking him so long to defeat the man before him. I need to be better! Luffy, Vivi, they need me to be the best! He rushed forward determination now glowing in his eyes. He slashed with swords down the man's chest and defended himself from being beheaded with the sword in his mouth.
Stepping back, Zoro made a quick assessment before quick stepping behind the man who slashed at him with his legs. Zoro stopped the attack before slamming the hilts into the man's face. Unfortunately before he could pull back the man came at him with his fists that looked like drills. It hit him in the chest, slashing the semi closed wound. Chopper's going to be upset. He thought as he lost two of his three swords.
"You just won't give up." The man said as he watched Zoro keep standing. "This next move will take more than a sword to stop it."
Zoro grinned. "That's all I'll need."
"Then you're prepared to die." His feet, legs and arms suddenly grew blades on them.
Zoro took a deep calming breath. Single sword style: Lion's strike. He raised his hand and drew his sword as the man rushed at him before striking him from shoulder to groin. The man fell behind him as Zoro drew all his remaining concentration in not falling forward from his own new and old injuries. "Thanks for a good fight." He said as he righted himself and picked up his swords to leave.
Meanwhile Nami slowly turned her attention back to her opponent. She knew Zoro would be okay. He's strong. She thought as she looked at the oversized muscle woman who was left smoking a bit from her thunderbolt based attack. Her blue hair spiked with electricity coming off her in small sparks. Not to self, don't use such large electric pellets. Nami thought.
"Y-You'll pay for that." The woman stuttered, noticing how the young girl was now standing up instead of cowering on the ground like before.
Nami felt blood drip down her thigh from a wound. She was exhausted but couldn't seem to find it in herself to run away. Her friends needed her to fight, and fight she would. "Sea urchin!" The woman screamed.
Right. Her devil fruit power. I think I've figured it out. Nami thought. Electric based attacks seem to do the trick. I wonder what would happen if I added something else to it. She watched the woman rush at her with her head down and spikes pointed at Nami. "It doesn't matter what you do!" She screamed as she stopped woman by pressing the flat end of her staff weapon against the woman's head. "Break my leg, break them both! It doesn't matter, because Vivi is going through so much worse than what you can dish out to me!" She grinned. "Besides," she quipped. "you're now in range. Electric tornado tempo!" Two metal strings shot out from the staff weapon, wrapping around the woman's body they began to spin her, at the same time an electric current shot out along the lines.
Nami cried out and was thrown one way as her opponent went the other. Her hands had been burnted from the electrical current as it had malfunctioned. Still her opponent was across the alleyway and unconscious. So it was still a win. She picked up her staff weapon, which was smoking. She heard an explosion from nearby. Turning around she saw a pillar of fire diminish as two baroque work's pirates fell unconscious.
"Ace!" Nami cried out excitedly. Finally an ally! She thought as she ran up to the raven haired teen.
Ace grinned at the younger woman. "Yo!" he greeted her. "Are you okay?" He asked noticing all the cuts on her person. He then saw a long cut on her thigh. Taking off his orange t-shirt he quickly put it on her as her assets were being revealed a bit too much. If he knew Luffy, which he did, his little brother would get pissed and demand to know who attacked his friend in such a demeaning manner.
"Oh!" Nami said a bit startled when he placed his shirt on her, covering her up a bit. "I'm okay." She winced as she put her arms through the proper holes. I'll need to see Chopper later. She noted how stiff her arm felt. A fracture maybe?
Ace continued to look at her with worry. "Are you sure?" He asked, taking note how quickly his orange shirt was turning red in certain places.
She nodded. "I can walk at least." She looked at her weapon. "Fighting is out of the question for me." She sighed.
Ace smiled. Tough girl. "Okay. If you say so." He grinned. Dadan would like this one. "How about I do the fighting for now."
"Fine by me!" Nami was quick to say, and Ace would later swear she had stars in her eyes upon him saying that. "Have you seen Luffy?" She asked worriedly. "It's been a day since we lost him."
He grinned at her worry. "Yeah. He's headed towards the palace."
"Why?" She asked confused. "Vivi is there."
"He says that's where he needs to go." Ace stated. The two turned to look towards the dominating building in the horizon.
Vivi yelled angrily. "Why are you here Crocodile! Where's Luffy!?" She demanded the ground beneath her feet rumbling slightly, going unnoticed by all.
"Oh?" He grinned at her question. "He's dead."
"Liar!" Vivi felt something in her beginning to snap, her chest felt tight like a rubber band before it breaks. The angrier she got, the tighter it felt. "Luffy would never fall to the likes of a slime like you!"
"Really?" Crocodile questioned as he took a puff from his cigar.
"Crocodile why are you doing this?" Chaka demanded.
"Keep those flapping lips of yours closed, you idiot." Crocodile answered, annoyed by the man who was a waste of breath in his eyes. "Cobra," he began as he turned his attention to the tied up monarch. "there is a question I am just dying to ask you because it is of course my ultimate goal here." Cobra gasped knowing exactly what he wanted. Crocodile's eyes narrowed at the fallen king. "Now tell me, where's the Pluton."
M-Angel: Sooooo, I'll leave it there.
KJ Tex - More moments are on the way.
KARAKI TAKEN - Thanks