Destined for Flames (One Piece Fanfic)

The Losing Haul

Raya's POV

I can't stop sweating. Even trekking through the desert for hours in unforgiving, intolerable heat didn't do this to me. My skin glistens unnaturally, slick with signs of my ill health.

I'm far weaker than I'd like as well. Miss All Sunday's hand on my shoulder is all that keeps me from tumbling to the ground in a bloody heap. Using her Flower Flower Fruit powers, she has both Vivi and I bound, our wrists locked behind us.

Vivi keeps flicking worried glances my way. She knows how badly I need medical attention. The blood loss is taking hold rapidly, draining me like the sea. But all I can manage is an ungodly grimace in her direction whenever she looks at me.

I gave up trying to reassure her long ago.

If the pain from my bullet wound wasn't bad enough, Miss All Sunday parades us through Rain Dinners Casino with all the flare of a ringmaster showing off exotic animals. I am tempted to bite the hand of a man who reaches out, but he quickly recoils when Miss All Sunday levels a sharp look at him.

She leads us farther into the casino, into an underground chamber as large as the gambling room above us. She throws open a set of large, ornate doors and proceeds to shove us forward, releasing her hold on our arms. I sway drastically, but by sheer force of will power, remain standing.

If I wasn't so... I believe the best way to describe how I'm feeling would be to liken it to intoxication. So if I wasn't so "intoxicated" I would surely enjoy the vast expanse of room stretching out before Vivi and myself. But as it is, the only thing I find of interest is the lone man sitting at a table designed to hold many times that number, and my friends, locked in a cage.

Just as Miss All Sunday promised.

The man sitting down is bulky, the fact accentuated by his rather cumbersome-looking brown-furred coat draped lazily around his wide shoulders. Dark, slicked back hair, passive eyes, a stitched up scar trailing across his cheeks and nose, and a cigar hanging from his mouth. One hand is replaced by a large, ostentatious golden hook. I almost smirk at the sight of it; pirate cliches are so bothersome.

My exhaustion-addled brain latches onto to his smoking habits, and forms about a dozen or so ways to tell him to quit, ranging from polite and sweet, to savage and devilish.

I hold myself as the room starts to spin, watching Vivi stalk down the grand staircase in order to confront her living nightmare. She takes no notice of our captured comrades, saving the entirety of her rage and torment for the man I now recognize as Crocodile, a Warlord of the Sea.

How did we ever think we could succeed against a Warlord? It's a ludicrous notion AT BEST. Beyond that... we're simply in way over our heads.

I faintly hear Vivi cry out, "CROCODILE!" in such a broken, strained voice that I force myself to train my ears on his response.

He spreads his arms wide in a welcoming gesture and I feel my stomach turn. Whether from his obviously fictitious warm-heartedness or from the crippling pain in my side, I can't be sure. "Well hello," he says, his voice rough and slick, smoothing over the malicious intent I'm straining to hear. Off topic, and stupidly naive, my tired brain attempts to figure out if his voice is a side effect of smoking, and if it can be used in my argument against the practice. "Welcome Vivi, Princess of Alabasta. No, Miss Wednesday. (Vivi's Baroque Works name) You have done and admirable job of avoiding my assassins on the way here.

"Of course I'd come!" Vivi shouts. She balls her hands into fists, shaking with undeniable rage. "I'd come from anywhere, as long as it means I can watch you die... Mr. 0!"

"It's your worthless country that's going to die... Miss Wednesday," he replies calmly, a smug, sly smile twisting his already grotesque features.

I can tell something inside Vivi snaps. He's gone too far, pushed all the right buttons. If he's been meaning to get a rise out of her, he's been going about it perfectly. Sensing her desire to move, I stumble down the steps and reach out to grab Vivi's arm. But she flashes past me, and I slide on the polished steps, my legs giving out, leaving me to crash to my knees. Blood pools out around me, soaking into my shirt, vest, cloak and jeans. That second wrap of bandages is meaningless.

I can only watch as Vivi retrieves her strange weapon from before, slashing at Crocodile, while Luffy screams out in desparation, "WAIT VIVI! OPEN THIS DOOR! LET US OUT!!"

"Vivi... don't," I pant. My efforts are wasted, however, as she flings the spinning weapon into Crocodile's face. Sand erupts from the impact point in a wide arc, spraying the air with the gritty substance. Slowly, Crocodile's entire body dissolves into sand and I watch on his fascinated horror as the Warlord reforms behind Vivi, closing one broad hand over her mouth, his hook trapping his armed hand.

"If you live his in this country then you should you know," he says, in the same gravelly voice as before, "about my Sand Sand Fruit powers."

"Logia Type," I murmur, collapsing onto my uninjured side, sprawled out on the steps like a lifeless rag doll cast aside by a bored child. "Shit..."

Someone shouts out, "RAYA!!" at the same time Luffy demands, "HEY! LET VIVI GO! DAMMIT, I'LL KILL YOU!"

Through hooded, drowsy eyes, I make out Crocodile tossing Vivi effortlessly into his now unoccupied chair and stalk away, waving a hand for Miss All Sunday to follow him. I blink in meak confusion. When did she get down there?

"Sit," he orders Vivi. "And stop glaring at me. It's just about time for the party to begin. Am I wrong, Miss All Sunday?"

"You are correct," she says, that chilling carefree smile still on her lips. "It's past seven."

Seven? What's so significant about it being past seven? And is it really that late? Time's been crawling forward ever since my injury, and I've been unable to ascertain how long I've really been in Rainbase. Now, I find out it's been an hour. An hour.

Crocrodile begins to arrogantly explain his grand plan to take over Alabasta. He is confident, foolishly so. But it is clear that no one within this kingdom can overtake him, as his status as a protective Warlord remains intact. No one would even consider the possibility that this man, this savior, is behind all the droughts, the excessive sandstorms, the misery... They'd much rather gear their anger towards King Cobra.

I am only half listening, my attention divided between his painfully long explanation, and the agony of my bullet wound. I can feel the anxious, terrified glances my crew members throw my way, but I can offer them no comfort. I don't see this ending well for me, no matter the outcome.

"What do think, Miss Wednesday?" Crocodile asks, having finished with his speech. "The plan that you helped set up is blooming. If you listen carefully, I bet you could hear the shouting all over Alabasta! And what do you suppose all of them believe? That we will protect them?!" His booming laugh in no more than a small disturbance in my ear, no more noticeable than a buzzing fly. But it angers me all the same, sending fire into my veins. Coughing up a dangerous amount of blood, I manage to get to my hands and knees. My dull, lifeless eyes form a hard glare as I stare down the most powerful man in the country, claiming that title from its rightful owner, King Nefertari Cobra.

"You're a sick bastard," I snarl, swiping angrily at the blood dripping from the corner of my mouth. "These people trust you without hesitation, and you spit in their faces every time you make a move. You're not fit to be a Warlord, or a human being for that matter. Why can't you just crawl back into the dark, dank hole you came from and die? No one will miss that arrogant smirk."

There's a moment of silence, with everyone, including Crocodile and Miss All Sunday, staring at me in awe. My breathing sporadic and heavy, I keep up my vain attempt to scare him back to Hell with my sharp gaze.

And he laughs. He laughs like I am the funniest thing he's ever seen, or will ever see. I raise my arm over my face and cough, splattering my once white cloak with droplets of red. It only makes him laugh harder.

"This one should be dead already," he comments, absently waving his golden hook in my direction. "Staying alive this long... I'll admit it's impressive. It's futile all the same. She won't last till the end of this rebellion, though. As will the rest of you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business with the King."

"You're going to Alubarna?!" Vivi questions shrilly. "What are you going to do to my father?!"

"Huh? WHich is more important to you, your people or your father... Miss Wednesday?" He holds up a gold, intricate-looking key, teasing my friends with the prospect of freedom. As though he'd realy let them go.

He laughs again. "If you really want to come with us, then go right ahead!"

"A key?" Vivi asks, eyes widening with realization. "Is that for...?"

"A key?! For this cage?!?! Gimme that, dammit!"

"Luffy," I groan, shaking my head. He doesn't hear me, neither do any of the others. They don't get it. They're prisoners, I'm dying, and Vivi can choose to die with us, or save the country she loves above all else. One thing's for sure: Whatever we do, we're playing right into Crocodile's hands.

The reptillian Warlord tosses the key carelessly, making everyone eyes go wide with anticipation, excluding myself. I am not surprised when a trapdoor opens in the ground, and the key sails right into it, clinking and clanking as it hits metal ground. "Go and get it... Miss Wednesday," he taunts.

I press a bloody hand to my forehead; the headache forming there is far beyond any sane person's comprehension. And Crocodile's talking isn't helping in the least.

"Of course the clash between the rebellion and the royal army can be avoided," he says, in a clear attempt to raise Vivi's spirits before he crushes them underfoot. "There are about eight hours left until the killing begins. But I don't think you have the time. It would still take longer to get to Alubarna from here." He smiles, sly and smug, at Vivi. Her face is a tortured mess. Stay and save my nakama, or save a million innocent lives? It's a choice I could make in a heartbeat, but this is not my country. I don't have any attachment to this place. But Vivi...

"If you want to stop them, you'll have to leave right now, Miss Wednesday. Or else," he laughs, that cold, infuriating laugh, filled with the dark humor of the truly insane, "hundreds of thousands will die!"

"Shit," I mutter under my breath. He's goading Vivi, and it's working. I've never seen someone look so distraught. Not even when Dad though I'd died aboard Bayer's flaming ship. Her feelings for this country go far beyond that of a normal person's. That is plain enough, even to me in my incoherent state.

"Of course, it's up to you whether or not you save these fools," he goes on pleasantly, obviously enjoying this tortured moment. "You can go and unlock the cage. Oops... Too bad I dropped the key through that hole in the floor there."

"Into the Bananadile lair...?" Vivi asks, her voice almost too soft for me to hear.

"You could call it that."

"Bananadile...?" I wonder aloud, and hear Luffy do the same. "What the hell is a bananadile?"

By chance, one of the colossal things swims into view. I've only just noticed, but this entire room is bordered by huge, clear windows, looking out into the lake that surrounds Rain Dinners.

"Kami, that's big," I mutter, my eyes stretching wide to take in the beast. It looks like any old crocodile, if you blew one up to the size of a Sea King. Unsightly green, scaly skin, vicious teeth... The only thing odd about it, besides its massive size, is the strange, banana-shaped growth protruding from the top of its head. I suppose the name had to come from somewhere.

It swims down to the chamber below us, and I lose sight of it. But Vivi must be able to see through the trapdoor, because she's shaking again, her eyes blank with terror. Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to go and help her, assist her in fighting back the fear clouding her thoughts. But I can barely move, and every time I do, more blood soaks through my flimsy bandages and cascades down my front. I won't last much longer like this. Where's Chopper when I really need him?

I can hear Luffy going on about the "weird bananas" and Nami and Usopp scolding him for his stupidity. But my attention is wholly focused on Vivi. And consequently, Crocodile.

"One of the... one of the bananadiles just swallowed the key!!" she cries frantically. Luffy, my brilliant captain, shouts, "WHAT?! Chase it down. Make it spit the key back up, and get us outta here Vivi!"

"Are you brain-dead?!" I scream, startling him, along with the rest of the crew. I don't usually call Luffy on his antics, but he's gone a step too far this time. And holy crap, is that Smoker in there? Why's he captured with my crew? Could it be that he-- Gah! Focus, idiot. "Vivi can't go down there!" I continue shouting. "Did you see the size of those things? I wouldn't trust any of you to go down and get the key! It's suicide! A child could see that!"

Crocodile smirks at me while my crew stares, dumbfounded. My breathing is harsher than before, labored from my attempt to scream some sense into Luffy's childish brain.

"Ohh, I'm very sorry," Crocodile drawls, turning his triumphant smirk to the others. "Those guys think that anything I drop in there is food. And besides, now you can't tell which one ate it."

Shit he's right. They all look exactly the same. I see no differences in their size, stature or overall appearance whatsoever. And now Luffy and Zoro are bickering, drowning out my concentration. Can no one see the desperate situation we've been thrust into? We aren't meant to argue!

"Well then," Crocodile says. "We're just going to take our leave now... Also, this room will automatically destroy itself in one hour."

What?

"I have no use for this Baroque Works secret base anymore. Water will flood into this room and turn it into part of the Rainbase lake." He once more spreads his arms. But the gesture no longer symbolizes his kind-hearted narture. No, it is a gesture reserved for those who know they've one. Checkmate, as it were. "One million innocent civilians, or four worthless pirates with no future ahead of them? Your chances of saving just one of the two is slim. The 'bet' here is your feelings, Miss Wednesday. Do you like gambling?"

"She's not Nami!" I shout irritably. For this, I receive a glare from said navigator, and an amused, albeit strained smile from Zoro, both now pressed against the cage to see me.

In any case, the man in charge pays me no attention. "Even a princess is powerless under these circumstances," he says, still speaking solely to Vivi. "It was too easy to do my work here. There are so many idiots... Especially those young rebels and a certain hole-digging man..."

Shut up, I plead silently, once again biting the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming profanities. You'd think that as I lose more blood, the pain would lessen. I would be become numb to the torment. You'd be wrong on a colossal scale.

"What?! You mean Mr. Sandy-Guy?! Luffy demands, as close to the bars as he can be without touching them. I find that strange. Both Nami and Zoro and gripping them with a vengeance, but he's not...

"So," Crocodile says boredly. "You know him? What a stupid old geezer. He keeps digging up an oasis that died long before." He chuckles darkly. "It's hilarious, isn't it? And he thinks he can overcome the sandstorms over and over."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?

No... he can't be serious. It slowly dawns on Luffy as well, as Crocodile creats a miniature sandstorm in the palm of his hand, swirling viciously. And all he does is laugh and laugh and laugh. At a poor, decrepit old man's anguish. How much more a monster could this man be?

"I'll kill you," Vivi cries weakly, tears pooling in her beautiful eyes. I can't believe I'm just sitting here, accepting my infuriating fate, while my friend faces everything alone. If I die, I have to die with purpose. And that won't happen if I just lie here like a fat dog.

I struggle to my feet, dizzy and anxious. But I don't fall. As I pick my way down the seemingly endless steps, Usopp cries out, "WATER!! Water's flooding in from the hole!"

Damn trapdoor...

Luffy shouts at Vivi to do something, to save them. If he were any other person, I'd call him a coward who fears death. But my captain, though ignorant, is no coward.

"If we die here, who's going to stop him?!?!"

Everyone turns to Luffy in surprise, even Crocodile, who's started to exit with Miss All Sunday. "Don't get too conceited, Little Man," he instructs Luffy icily.

"No, that's you," Luffy snarls, his face twisted in such pure hatred, it takes my breath away. "You're the little one!!"

Crocodile just laughs and turns away. As he and Miss All Sunday continue down the tunnel that leads to freedom, a Sea King-sized reptile emerges from another hole in the floor, erupting from the space like a very ugly volcano. "Come," Crocodile says. He's turned away, so it isn't clear who he's speaking to. But Vivi is the obvious choice. "If you're going to abandon them, now's the time to do it, Miss Wednesday. You want to stop the rebellion right?" he chuckles.

He and his partner walk right past the bananadile, and it stalks towards Vivi. I curse under my breath, unsheathing my glittering sword. My hand is shaky, but I think I can do this. And this is absolutely lovely. About half a dozen other giant reptiles are lining up to enter this room, one right after the other. I can maybe take one, but that many?

Vivi stands from where she'd crumpled to the floor, gripping her weapon tighting. Luffy shouts at her to fight, the others scream for her to run. I get the same calls as I make my way towards her. What astonishes me, though, is that one of the people urging me to get away, is Smoker.

"So you want to fight," Crocodile says casually, smiling evilly as I stand beside Vivi. She gasps as she takes in my appearance, but I wave her off. She's more important in this situation. Not only because she is the only person capable of stopping the rebellion, but because she's my friend. I don't know her well, and I haven't known her long. But she's my nakama, and I will do whatever I can to help her.

Even if it means my untimely demise.

"Fine," he goes on, beginning to trail after Miss All Sunday, who's stopped to wait for him. "Kill all of them, and the key will be in one of their stomachs."

"So goddamn helpful," I mutter, just as Vivi readies her attack, and the beast lunges. It's so fast, I nearly don't have time to dodge. But even in my weakened state, I manage to shove Vivi to the side and pick my way up onto the beast's head. I stumble as it continues on its rampage, smashing up the floor and biting into the stone staircase. Its massive jaws, coupled with unruly strength, rip the bottom half of the staircase away, crunching the stone with razor-sharp teeth.

"Raya! What the hell are you doing?!"

"What does it look like, Swordsman?!" I snap, not sparing a glance for the obviously worried man. "I'm saving Vivi's ass!"

I muster up every ounce of strength I have, ignoring the hopelessly gushing wound as it continues to soak my front. I am as crimson as my hair at this point. White-hot flames lick around my sword, beautiful for its eerie, incandescent quality. And I plunge the blade into the beast's head, like the fairy tales of dragon-slayers.

The flames, upon my direction, branch out once inside the bananadile's skull, scorching everything in their wake. The death is quick and sharp, as little pain as possible for the demented creature. its eyes roll back into its head and it crumples, legs splayed in comical directions. But there is nothing even remotely funny about what's going on here.

I slump against my sword, on my knees. It is buried hilt deep in the burnt head of the bananadile, and I don't have the power to retrieve it.

A shocked silence settles over the room.

Until the briinnng, briiinng of a Den-Den Mushi breaks it.

"Phone call," I hear Miss All Sunday say. I don't look back at her; I just, with the last of my resolve, jerk my sword free and slip down to the ground beside a stunned and stuttering Vivi.

"What?"

"Hello?" The voice that answers Miss All Sunday...

"Can you hear me?" it asks, from the other side of the line.

"Yes, I can. You're 'millions' aren't you?"

"Hey, is this getting through? I ain't never used one of these things before... Hello?"

"....What is it?" She's losing her patience.

"Oh, ok. I'll just talk like this then."

Crocodile bends closer to the little snail in her hand. He is irriated as well. And why not? I get ticked off at that voice every time he speaks to me. "Hey!" he snaps. "Spit it out already! What happened?"

"Oh that voice... I've heard that voice before..." Crocodile narrows his eyes in surprise. I take it he wasn't expecting such an easygoing attitude from one of his "subordinates". "Welcome sir," the voice goes on. "This is the Shitty Restaurant."

"You've got to be kidding me," I grumble, swaying on my feet. Seeing this, Vivi reaches for me, helps me kneel and regain whatever strength I have. She holds me steady, no doubt afraid I'll collapse any second. I will admit she isn't that far off. "He's joking at a time like this?"

"Shitty Restaurant...?" Crocodile echoes. "Nice, you remembered. I'm so happy," the voice replies.

Everyone in the cage is starting to realize who's on the other end of the line as well. I shoot them a glare, warning them to keep silent. Everyone but Luffy complies. He tries to shout out the speaker's name, but Usopp clamps a hand over his mouth, halting his blunder.

"Who the hell are you?" Crocodile demands.

"Me? I'm... Mr. Prince."

I can't suppress a rather loud groan at this. He can't be serious. I knew he had some fantasy about saving damsels in distress, but "Mr. Prince"? Isn't he taking it just a bit too far?

I can't make out the rest of the conversation between Prince and Crocodile, but I can tell how increasingly frustrated the Warlord is becoming. Luffy shouts out for Mr. Prince to save us, loud and obnoxious. At least he isn't using his real name anymore.

Mr. Prince laughs. "Know who that sounds like? My crew. Very well, I'll just be--" The sounds of fighting overtake that end, and my chest constricts when a different voice comes out through the Den-Den Mushi. I may not have liked the guy, but he's still a Straw Hat. Anything that happens to him affects the entire crew.

Again, I can't hear what's said. But once the line goes dead, Crocodile laughs and continues on his way, Miss All Sunday in tow.

"Vivi, did you hear any of that?" I ask quietly, straining to keep my voice from choking. She nods. "They... they said they're in front of Rain Dinners," she says, her voice as soft as my own. I slowly get to my feet and bgin scrambling onto the giant reptile's head again. "Come on," I call down softly. "We're going to find Dartboard Brow and Chopper. At this point, they're the only ones that can help us."

She stares at me for a long moment, before setting her mouth in a hard line and following after me. It isn't until we've made the jump onto the ruined staircase that anyone notices us.

"What are you trying to do, Vivi?! Raya!" Luffy shouts, effectively ruining any chance we had of making our way out of here quietly. I shoot him a withering look, and he shrinks back, a wounded look on his face.

"We're getting help," I call back with a sigh. In reality, it should be a hiss. The pain is becoming unbearable. But I won't stop. Not now that I have a real chance to do something.

"That's right!" Usopp shouts. "Maybe they didn't really kill San-- Mr. Prince!"

I roll my eyes. He almost just blew Sanji's cover. I help Vivi up and we start up the stairs, trying to move as quickly as possible. I know there isn't much time, but I'm exhausted. My brief stunt with the flames was all that I had in me. If I'm forced to fight more of those things... It's not going to be very pretty.

"LOOK OUT!!"

Before I can react, I'm being shoved forward, and Crocodile's hood is around Vivi's neck, dragging her back. He draws back his sand, forcing her to crash heavily into the ground, where she lay, unmoving.

"VIVI!" we all shout.

I drop to my knees. The room is spinning again. I can feel my heavy eyelids, threatening to close. The shouts and cries of my nakama fade away as I fall over, smacking into the stone staircase. The jolt does nothing. It does not force me into awareness or wakefulness. The only things I am truly away of are the fact that Crocodile and Miss All Sunday are gone...

...and that Vivi is somehow beside me again.

"Raya!" She shakes my shoulder, but I can't move. This is it. I look at her, forcing my crossed eyes to focus on her frantic face. "Go, Vivi," I order her. "Get Sanji, get Chopper. Dragging me around is only to going to slow you down. So please, because this is probably going to be the last thing I ever ask of you. Save them. And save your country."

The tears in her eyes are regretful, full of anguish and despair. But her eyes are not so distraught. She is determined, if nothing else, to carry out this wish of mine, and fulfill her own desires. She hugs me softly, briefly, and I bite back a gasp. Then she smiles and dashes up the steps, and out the ornate double doors.

And I'm alone.

I didn't think I could feel this cold...

At least it isn't as painful anymore...

Maybe it isn't such a bad thing...

"RAYA! STAY AWAKE DAMMIT! DON'T YOU DAR--"

Everything goes black.