Destined for Flames (One Piece Fanfic)

I'm Running Out of Chapter Titles

"The flames will rise from a number of rooms on the first floor soon," Lucci says. I fight the urge to flinch. Flames won't bother me, but everyone else.... "But the culprits were pirates.... These things happen."

"You use the masks of other people to get away with whatever you like," Nami says. "Talk about rude!"

It's a bit more than rude, but she doesn't sound ready to run away, like I've been expecting. If getting angry is what it takes to make her battle-ready, she can use as many lame insults as she likes.

"They're already tainted masks," the big one who looks a bull says off-handedly. I think they might've called him Blueno at one point, so I'll go with that. "I see no problems with that."

Tainted masks? Whatever we've done can't even compare to these freaks! The World Government as corrupted as it is, I imagine they've performed some horrific feats in their careers as lapdogs. They have absolutely no room to talk about being tainted.

The chiming of some clock or another causes me to stiffen. Robin glances at the wall, then turns away, pulling her hood up securely over her head. "I'll be going then."

"Yes. You've done your part," Lucci replies.

"Wait!!" Luffy cries. "Robin!! I won't accept it!!"

"Goodbye...."

"Robin!"

Iceburg tries to say something, coughing all the while, but I'm too distracted by Luffy to listen to him much. My captain rushes for Robin, shouting, "Where are you going now?! We just found you!!"

That Blueno man stands in his path, looking as resolute as a statue. Luffy, undeterred, leaps to slam his foot into the man's face.

"Get outta my way!!"

"Tekai."

That word again...

Luffy falls back, looking slightly perturbed. Blueno, none-the-worse for Luffy's assault, offers a creepy grin. "Our bodies are trained to the point of mimicking iron shell," he explains. "We can heighten our resistance."

"I said, get outta my way!"

"Kamie." With that simple word, Blueno ducks and twists out of the way of every punch Luffy throws from his Gum-Gum Gatling, a move that has always been impossible to avoid completely.

Can simple training really have these kinds of results...?

"But taking hits is not our only skill," Blueno rumbles.

"Robin!! Wait!!" Luffy shouts, seeing our friend continue to walk farther and farther away from us. But Blueno still blocks his path. Enraged, Luffy throws back a fist. "Gum-Gum..... Bullet!!" he shouts, slinging his fist straight for the bull man.

But he's gone, just like Lucci, with a quiet, "Soru."

Luffy's fist nearly crashes into the already damaged walls, but he manages to retract it in time. "He disappeared again!"

My breath hitches in my throat. "Luffy, look--"

"It only seems as though I've disappeared. With the explosive power of my legs..."

Luffy swings another punch behind him, aiming for where Blueno suddenly appeared. He misses, though, as Blueno jumps and..... Kami. He kicks against pure air and rises higher and higher, till he's nearly at the ceiling.

"I can kick the air and float," his creepy voice drifts down.

"He's flying?!" Chopper panics. I can't tear my eyes away from the man who, true to Chopper's hystercial words, is seemingly flying, hovering above us with the ease of a bird. The hell is going on here? What kind of training did the Government put these people through to have them acquire such powers? And if what Dad told me so long ago is true, why try to create an army of Devil Fruit users when you have people who clearly out match us?

"Rankyaku!"

I'm thrust back into the battle as Kaku and Kalifa hit Luffy with some sort of cutting-technique, but without the use of swords. All they use are kicks that look no different from Sanji's. But--

"Get down!" Zoro orders. The remaining Straw Hats (and Paulie) duck instantly, barely missing the slash that sails just above our heads, cutting into the walls behind us. As I shake my head and sit back up, Paulie still wrapped securely in my arms, I spot Luffy. He hits the ground on his back, hard, the breath driven from his lungs.

"Luffy!" we shout.

"They cut the wall with their kicks?!" Nami stutters.

"If you have the speed to create a kamakaze," Kalifa's nonchalant voice says, "then it's possible. That's Rankyaku."

"These guys are insane," I mutter under my breath. I see Paulie nod from the corner of my eyes as I watch my friends react to the unbelievable abilities of those we have the misfortune to call our enemies.

"I always knew they weren't exactly normal," Paulie pants, reaching up to swipe some blood out of his eyes. "But I never thought they'd turn out to be like this."

I start to answer, but stop short when Zoro darts forward, sword flashes. His target, Kaku, turns at the last moment and blocks Zoro's strike with his own blade, though it's a sword I've never seen used before. Such a strange, rectangular blade. It everything about this guy square?

"We met on the ship, Roronoa," Kaku comments easily. He isn't at all strained from holding back Zoro's admittedly monstrous strength.

"You're not a shipwright," Zoro growls. "So your inspection at that time-"

"Unfortunately for you, I was serious when I appraised it."

"....That's too bad." Zoro draws his second sword as Kaku does the same.

"Ugh!"

Dammit! I can't watch everything at once! "Luffy! You ok?!" I ask, reluctantly breaking my gaze on Zoro's fight to watch my captain struggle to his feet. He doesn't answer, his intense gaze locked ahead of him. I turn to see what's got him so enthralled, and a dark growl vibrates in my throat.

Robin's at the window. She throws it open, and the fierce winds of a storm crash into the room, throwing the curtains into a frenzy and throwing up everything that isn't heavy enough to stay down.

"Oi, Robin!" I shout, narrowing my eyes against the wind. "Where do you think you're going? Can't you see our captain's not done with you?!"

"No, I'm done." Her voice is cold as she looks back at me, her eyes hard with warning. "We will never meet again."

"Luffy! What are you doing just standing there! Hurry up and catch Robin!"

Shit. Zoro's still fighting Kaku. Their blades are locked, neither looking ready to give an inch. But Kaku... if he has that same skill as Lucci...

"Roronoa... you've got guts, looking away."

"Baka!"

"Raya!"

I blink in surprise. I didn't.... My body moved on its own. I didn't tell my arms to drop Paulie without a second thought, didn't tell my legs to sprint forward. I didn't give the command to push Zoro back, making him lose focus and fall to his ass. And yet here I am, with Kaku's Shigan in my back.

But it doesn't hurt.

"Dammit!" Kaku curses. Shocked, I look over my shoulder; his entire hand is covered in vicious burns, made red and raw from flames. My flames. He hit me, though. I felt it.

"Our intel said.... you couldn't.... use your powers right...." Kaku says lowly, holding back the inevitable wince of pain.

My powers?

My heart is beating so fast, it feels impossible that it hasn't burst yet. Icy fear crawls over my skin despite the fire burning at my fingertips. That's why I moved; I was terrified. I've seen Zoro hurt so many times. Slashed by Mihawk, shot by the idiot number agents in Alabasta, electrocuted by Enel on Skypiea, smashed to pieces by Big Pan.... He's always pulled through.

But I heard Lucci say that Luffy would've died if he wasn't rubber and I... I guess it stuck with me more than I realized.

Was it fear that awoke my powers?

"Raya... what the hell?"

A smirk fills my face as I look down at Zoro, who glares at me, eyes narrowed in annoyance. I've shoved him out of the way a few times, and I did promise not to push him onto his ass again. Oops.

"Eh, be grateful, Swordsman," I tell him. "That could have been more degrading for you. Sanji could've been here."

His eye twitches.

"Anyway...." I whirl around, leg flashing out in a burst of flames. It slams into Kaku's side. He doesn't move, that stupid Tekai technique of his activated again, but his side is still engulfed in flames. He shouts out a curse and jumps away, kicking the air until we're separated by a good fifteen feet.

While Kaku frantically swats out the flames licking over his clothes, my smirk widens. My hand forms a finger gun, and I use it to prop up my imaginary hat. "I think Ace would be proud!"

"Raya.... focus!"

"Heh, sorry, Zoro!"

"Go, Nico Robin."

"Shit!" I curse. Robin jumps from the window (why, I'm not exactly sure. Does she have a way down?) and she is completely unhindered. Luffy's been.... caught. Lucci stands erect, one out-stretched hand clamped firmly over Luffy's face, holding him a foot or two above the ground. My young captain spastically tries to land a hit on Lucci, but even when he does that Tekai shit renders the blow useless.

Lucci suddenly whips his arm to the side, and Luffy's thrown into the nearest wall with enough force to crack the hard stone.

"Luffy!!"

"How... how'd Luffy get caught so easy?" I murmur uneasily. "With one hand...."

"....Our surroundings have changed!" Lucci says, looking unconcerned and passive as he's looked throughout this entire encounter. It really pisses me off. "We, of CP9, have been prepared to give our lives for the Government. We've trained our bodies to great extremes since we were young.... Thus, we've gained the six supe human strengths, Rokushiki. I think it has finally sunk into your heats. Us four are assigned by the Government to extreme missions. And you lowly pirates.... can see the huge difference in our combat power."

"I can see the huge difference in our egos..." I mutter under my breath.

With my voice so low, Lucci (thank Kami) doesn't hear me, and continues on his lovely rant. "This incident is of the utmost secracy. It's not something you can touch!"

The clock ticks again, suddenly loud and present in the conversation.

"Lucci, it's about time the fires should be starting," Kalifa interjects. "We should hurry...."

"Yeah. But such a pity." Lucci casts us another withering glance. "I think.... I'll show you something interesting...."

Lucci... changes. In a way I find both familiar and disturbing. Familiar because I've seen Chopper expand numerous times before. Seen his muscles grow in an instant, his back arch, his height rise to the point where he towers over me. Disturbing because.... Lucci is not a lovable reindeer.

Paulie and Chopper are awe-struck, practically breathless. Though Paulie is well enough that he can ask a whisperd question, and Chopper can scream.

But it's Nami and I who recognize Lucci for what he is first.

"Devil Fruit user," I mutter, my hand instinctively moving to Honoo's hilt. I need support right now, and as Zoro is just getting to his feet and we're in the middle of a fight, he can't really offer it.

"Which Fruit was it?!" Luffy asks frantically.

"Cat-Cat Fruit. Model: Leopard."

A fitting name, really. Lucci is gigantic, easily double my height with possibly another foot or so added on. He's expanded far beyond Chopper's muscle capacity even when in Heavy Point. His skin has sprouted with golden fur, covered in dark spots. Claws glint menacingly from the tips of his fingers. His curly black hair has grown in a veritble mane that flows over his back, but he is in no way a lion.

Everything about him screams danger.

"A leopard man, eh...." Zoro doesn't sound very enthusiastic anymore.

He has every right to be uncertain about the outcome of this fight. From what Dad told me about carnivorous Zoans, they're a hell of a lot more violent than herbivores like Chopper, something the little reindeer states for me. My fingers tighten around Honoo, and I feel an almost uncontrollable urge to unsheathe her, feel her familiar weight in my hands. They're shaking, just a bit.

This is the first time I've met someone who probably perfectly fits the category of bloodthirsty.

"Logia, Zoan, Paramecia..." Lucci drawls. I only now realize we have one of every type of Devil Fruit user in the room right now. How... dramatic. "There are many unique abilites. But for Zoan.... it's out special quality to strengthen ourselves physically. Our powers increase the more we train. Zoan is the strongest kind in close combat."

Shit, he's right. I might be able to come away relatively unscathed, if my powers hold out, but everyone else here is in for one hell of a fight if this is allowed to continue.

"Lucci, the other shipwrights are coming up," Kalifa informs him.

"....No, they can't...."

Lucci does the sensible thing, and uses his Rankyaku to... to quite literally slash the mansion in half.

"Get away from the wall!" Zoro shouts. "Chopper! Nami!"

"Guys!" I scream.

The house starts collapsing in on itself, leavng our room untouched, but the others in ruins. The wall where Nami and Chopper were standing crumbles fast, dragging down the roof. Nami and Chopper run, but I can see they won't be fast enough.

And before I can do anything, Chopper rams into Chopper with his antlers and shoots her forward, just enough that he's the only one caught in the carnage.

"Chopper!!" I scream, loud and shrill. My voice cracks. Tears spring to my eyes. Our little doctor...

I rush from Zoro's side and skid to a halt beside Nami, who's begun to move aside the rubble in search of our nakama. I barely notice the somewhat recovered Paulie when he passes me, and only vaguely register it when he slings Iceberg's arm over his shoulder and starts to haul him away.

Everything else melts away besides the wall of ruins I'm shifting to find my friend.

But then something I never thought I would hear reaches my ears. Zoro, screaming out in something I can only describe as despair.

"LUFFY!!"

I jolt upright, spinning around to face the warring monsters (in Zoro and Luffy's case, that's a good thing). What I see makes me want to die.

Luffy, impaled through the chest with Lucci's claw from Shigan.

He falls to the ground, blood exploding from his newest wound, panting for a breath that won't come.

I can't move. I want to, but I can't. Every cell in my body screams at me to run, help Luffy, attack Lucci. But I can't. I just can't. Not even when Lucci once again takes hold of Luffy's already battered face.

"I'll send you.... off this island!!"

He whips around and sends Luffy crashing through another wall, screaming out into the night.

Just like that, my captain... is gone.

"Luffy!!!"

I want to scream too, to vent my anger and anguish. But I'm stock still, my muscles frozen and my mouth locked in a horrified gaping expression I can't wipe away.

Zoro, on the other hand, is enraged enough to go for Lucci. But he simply blocks the Swordsman with that infuriating Tekai and knocks him into the sky as well, right into the heart of the oncoming Aqua Laguna.

Again. I do nothing again. What the hell is wrong with me?!

I....

"Raya!"

Nami's strangled cry thrusts me from my dark thoughts. I can't stay useless for this long!

Nami's being held in of Lucci's giant paws, claws threatening to pierce her back. My anger finally breaks through the wall of dread and shock. It surges through my veins, making me flame both inside and out.

"Let. Go. Of. My. Nakama," I growl, my voice low and feral.

Lucci offers me a damning look that says, despite my bounty and my heritage, I am nothing compared to him. And maybe he's right. I have never claimed to be stronger than my Captain, or Zoro or even Sanji. I am not, by any means, the strongest member of this crew. And yet I don't care. Right now, Lucci is threatening one of my closest nakama.

He'll regret it, if I have anything to say about it.

Both my fists catch fire as my eyes narrow to dangerous slits. "I said," I spit viciously, "let go of my nakama."

"You don't deserve the name of Demon," Lucci comments off-handedly, his face as monotone as his voice. "You're incredibly pitiful. Did these lowlives take you in because they felt sorry for you? You can't even protect that Swordsman, or you're captain. How is it you can even call yourself a pirate, when you're so weak?"

"Raya... don't listen... to...." Nami's chokes out, her wide eyes looking to me fearfully.

Tears prick the back of my own eyes, and a heavy scowl pulls at my lips. I'd like to think I don't cry easily. There are many moments in my life that I deem cry-worthy where I was stoic and impassive, or angry and loud. Being who I am, crying is an insult to what I've gone through and how I've lived. Only when I come across something that completely shatters my heart do I think crying is necessary. Which is why I hate myself for crying over Merry. I love Merry, but I just....

But now? Now is certainly not a time to cry. Lies. Everything he says is lies. My nakama aren't lowlives. They don't pity me. They didn't accept me because they felt sorry for me. I refuse to believe a word of it. If anything, my tears are forced from anger and bitterness over letting myself become a doll, watching the world through wavering eyes, unable to change what I see.

"Listen, you overgrown kitty," I growl, looking up at Lucci through my veil of bangs. "You have no right to say a word about my crew mates. You're a puppet for the World Goverment. When they cut your strings, you'll be lost without a way to live on in this world. But I'm free. And I'll always have my nakama with me. Will these three be with you when the time comes for the Govermnent to say 'It's over'?"

Silence answers my question.

"Tch. Like I thought."

Without any more hesitation, I flit forward, aiming for Lucci. Kaku and Kalifa bar my way, and I growl beneath my breath. Tekai or not, they will not stop me. I put on an extra burst of speed, charging straight through the traitors. My flames flare to life, breaking my body into brilliant fire where it hits Kaku and Kalifa. They hiss in pain, surprised, and I leap up and land a flaming roundhouse kick to Lucci's face. His Tekai keeps him from budging.

I growl, becoming more and more demonic by the second. As I fall back, I push off his rock-hard chest, knocking myself in Nami. The force of the blow is just enough to break Lucci's grip on her, and we tumble to the floor. Nami cracks her head against the ground, and a curse flies from my lips. She's out.

Dammit!

I duck as Lucci sweeps his arm out, trying to snatch me. Thinking on my feet, I scoop up Nami and dart for the still-open window. The cool night air hits me in a blast, blowing my hair from my face. It seems to be getting worse out there. Aqua Laguna. I'm not looking forward to this.

Just as I'm about to rush out into the night, Blueno Soru's in front of me, making me skid to a halt. Damn, damn, damn!

"Move it!" I snarl.

"That's something I cannot do," he rumbles in reply.

"Alight then," I hiss. How do I get past this hulking giant....? Especially when I can feel the others closing in on me. This is gonna suck.


Sorry, Nami!

Blueno stands erect as I charge for him, not deterred by the threat of my flames. I've noticed their Tekai hardens their skin enough that they're saved from the worst of the burns, so he must think he can handle what I throw at him.

At the last second before I hit him, I feint to the side. He turns to block me and I dart for the opening and toss Nami out the window. She sails downward at a frightening pace and I feel fear lend me speed as I dive at Blueno. I crash through him, seperating like smoke in the air, and reforming on the other side in a burst of brilliant flames.

I didn't think that would work.

How nice for me.

I tumble through the air, fighting for my bearings. Wind whips around, tossing my hair, tearing up my eyes. I blink away the bitter water and spot Nami just feet below me, out cold and limp in the air. Feeling new determination rush through me, I jet fire from the soles of my feet and manage to snag her around the waist. I flip us over so that it's my back (cushioned with flames) that smacks onto the hard stone ground.

Even with the somewhat softer landing, the impact drives the air from my lungs and I gasp, my arms falling away from Nami in shock. She rolls off me, as limp and lifeless as before. Blood dribbles down her chin, a result of her taking such a nasty hit when we broke away from Lucci.

"Hey! Those girls fell from the third floor!!!"

"It's.... Those are are members of the Straw Hats!!"

"It's Red-Haired Demon Flynn D. Raya!"

"IT IS!! Let's make her tell us where the other members are!!"

I shakily rise to my feet, turning my head to spit blood onto the streets. I'm not a master at this "turning completely into fire" thing, so hitting the ground that hard was pretty bad. But I ignore the pain pounding in my skull as I level a menacing glare at those around me. "One, I will never tell you where my freinds are," I snarl. They flinch back in surprise. "Two, you touch this girl and I will kill you. I will roast you alive. Leave her be until I come back. Got it you gullible bastards?"

Shocked silence fills the air, and I take it as a sign that they don't want to face my wrath. They better leave Nami alone, or I will feel no remorse for my actions. And nothing will be pleasant for the offending citizens.

"Paulie and Iceburg are still up there," I murmur, glancing up at the third-floor window I'd just jumped from. Flames crackle from the open window, spraying flashing embers into the dark nightsky. And Chopper....

I rush for the nearest window on the first floor, flames licking along my entire body. I crash through, the burning fire melting the glass so no shards impale me, and land lightly on the already turned-to-ashes carpet. The entire first floor is aflame, burnt and crumbling, painted with red and yellow, flashing across the walls, filling the air with the acrid scent of bitter smoke.

I move through the flames with ease, ducking under collapsed roof supports and dodging around fallen cabinets and tables. I could only hope those collapsed Galley-La workers had made it our on their own once the fires started.

The first-floor staircase is so lit up, I can't see the stairs at all. So I'm forced to stumble blindly through the blaze, knocking my knees on the half-melted wooden stairs and tripping every two seconds. But I make it up to the second floor and continue on to the third.

The fire flickers over my skin, singing in demonic glee in my ears. It welcomes me as I move, recognizing me as kin. But I pay it no attention. I just push through the flames until I reach the mound of charred rubble that blocks the way into Iceburg's room.

Scrambling up the molten stone and brick, I reach the top and peer down at the room set ablaze.

It looks like the CP9 guys cleared out.

"Oi! Paulie! Iceburg! Are you guys ok?" I call down.

For a moment, nothing answers me, and I feel my heart constrict.

But then there's the sound of racking coughs, and a weak voice says, "Not-Shameless Girl!"

"Paulie!" I shout, relieved. "Just hold on a minute!"

I leap down from the rubble, landing in an off-balance crouch that forces me to roll forwards. Lucci's slash-kick thing leveled the house, and nothing is centered on this half of the room.

Before I can fight my way through the burning, acrid smoke, though, a pitiful moan catches my attention. I spin around, and gasp when I spot Chopper, half under the rubble and half free. He must have been clawing his way out all this time.

I quickly help him out from under the ruins, and he lifts his head weakly to look at me. Smoke-induced tears cloud his eyes. "R-Raya...?" he coughs.

I smile gently and nod. I instruct him to shrink back to his usual form so that I can lift him into my arms. He does so, and I pick him up before jogging over to where I heard Paulie's voice.

He and Iceburg are tied up with one of Paulie's own ropes. Their heads droop in exhaustion, unsettling coughs rumbling in their chests. I light one hand with white-hot flames and slice it through their bindings. They fall apart, looking like nothing more than ragdolls.

"Ok, now how to get them out....?" I frown, looking down at them. I could maybe take one but both, plus Chopper? I shake my head; no good. No negative thoughts Raya. I'm getting all of them out of here, no matter what.

"Alright, Chopper, up you go." I settle him on my head, and he hangs there, little hooves dangling in front of my face. His breath tickles my forehead, but it's weak and dull. He needs help. They all do.

Stifling a cough, and mentally cursing this god-forsaken smoke, I start to drag both Paulie and Iceburg to the window, careful to keep them from touching the greedy flames.

"Wait... Raya..."

I halt in surprise. Chopper shifts atop my head, managing to turn my face to the left. "Zoro.... left his sword...."

Ah. Not good.

I let go of Paulie's collar and make a quick dash for the blade, which is wedged under a fallen dresser. Ugh. Shaking off my annoyance, I pull it free and, seeing no other option at the moment, place the hilt between my teeth and clamp my jaw tight around the sword. It won't fit on the belt with Honoo, that much I'm sure of.

Again, I do my best to drag Paulie and Iceburg to our only means of freedom; at this point, the entire other half of the room is completely engulfed in searing hot flames. They wouldn't survive going back that way, so we'll have to take our chances with this.

"Oi! Idiots!" I shout (around the sword, of course) upon reaching the window, hoping to claim the attention of those busy putting out the fires. Or trying to anyway. "Someone be ready to catch a tiny tanuki!"

With a silent prayer to whoever's really watching over me, I squeeze Chopper in my arms once, then gently toss him out like I did Nami not too long ago. Trying not to linger on the fact that there's a possibility no one heard me, or that they might not care, I take a fistful of Paulie's jacket and Iceburg's shirt and haul them out the window with me when I jump down.

A burst of flames from my feet is enough to soften the landing this time, though I still land awkwardly on my side, clutching Paulie and Iceburg for dear life. After a moment, when I'm able to breath properly again without the smoke assualting my lungs, I release the men and look around frantically for my other nakama.

Thank Kami, Chopper is in the arms of a Galley-La worker, though he seems incredibly surprised by that fact. Nami is still on the ground where I left her, and I sigh in relief that she looks unharmed. Plucking Zoro's sword from my mouth, I stand and walk over to the man holding Chopper.

"Thanks," I mutter weakly as I take him into my own arms. He just stares at me, even when I turn around and stalk back over to Nami. The smoke inhalation is finally catching up to me. I can feel the tightness in my chest, how difficult it is to breathe without throwing myself into a coughing fit. Tying to ignore it, I settle beside Nami. But it's just too much. I'm exhausted, mentally, physically, emotionally.

"What the hell happened to Zoro and Luffy...." I wonder as my eyes drift closed and I collapse back into the dirt.













Third Person POV

With the combined man-power of the majority of the Galley-Law workers, the fire has been reduced to smoldering embers. On top of that joyous news, there's Iceburg waking up soon after.

Groggy, disoriented, and unsure of what's happened, he listens to his wokers cheer and shout for him.

"Iceburg's awake!!"

"That's good!!"

"We're so glad you're ok!!"

Soon, though, their attention drifts to the three Straw Hats lying around them. Both Raya and Chopper are completely unresponsive. Chopper is battered from the collapse of the mansion, and weak from inhaling all the smoke from when he was trapped. Raya, too, suffers from smoke-clouded lungs. She also has to deal with the wounds she took before the CP9 agents' masks were thrown away, and from her many knocks to the head. There's also her death-defying jumps from the third-story to consider.

Nami, however, is coming around. She slowly sits up, holding her head. She wipes the warm blood from her chin, her mind foggy and confused. The last thing she remembers is calling out to Raya, when she was held in Lucci's leopard claws.

"Hey, the girl woke up!" someone shouts.

"Wh-what do we do?!" another panics. "Do you want to make her tell us where the Straw Hats are?!"

Iceburg doesn't immediately respond. Instead, he gathers up what little strength he has left and manages to stand, albeit shakily. With the eyes of all his wokers on him, he shuffles closer to Nami and takes a seat beside the unconscious Raya.

He orders his men to finish with the fires, and they disperse, leaving the mayor to talk freely with the Straw Hat navigator.

"First... nma... I'm sorry," Iceburg huffs. "I accused you of a horrible crime. I'll take care of it somehow, later...."

Nami hoods her eyes and nods. At the moment, she isn't much concerned over her status in Water 7. But the fate of her two nakama, who lie motionless around her, is a different story.

"It's about Nico Robin."

Nami perks up, turning back to Iceburg in surprise. "Do you know something?" she asks frantically.

"Did her attitude change.... when you came to this town?"

"Yes, very suddenly!" Nami responds. "She disappeared when we got here. And then.... this morning, she was your attempted assasin. When my friends finally found her, she said she wasn't coming back." Her hands tighten into fists, clutching at the hem of her skirt. "We don't know what's going on," she says quietly. "So we came here.... to ask Robin why she had to leave the ship." Nami's head dips as stinging tears form in her wide brown eyes. "What's the wish that won't be granted if she stays with us?"

Iceburg remains quiet for a moment. When he speaks, he sounds remorseful. "I'll tell you what I know," he says. "I think it was around the time when you first came to town... that the Government's plan started..... Of course there's a reason for her actions. But before that.... think about this while you listen. Nico Robin and I have the ability to awaken a weapon that has the power to destroy the world."

"The world?!" Nami echoes in a gasp.

"That's right," he agrees solemnly.He recounts the moment when Robin had him pinned in his room, before the CP9 showed up. He asked why she would do all this, risk the world for a dream. She'd told him that the CP9 promised they would use their one and only Buster Call on the Straw Hats if she did not comply with what they wished. So she chose, he says, to save the seven Straw Hats, excluding herself, even if it meant the destruction of the world, and the end of her own life.

"I couldn't pull the trigger," Iceburg confesses. "Of all things, she chose you seven over the lives of all the people in the world."

For us...?! Nami thinks, her shock unimagineable at this.

Iceburg's head falls into his hand as he lets out a shaky breath. "Even when I'm about to have the blueprint taken, I've got no right to blame her...!!"

Nami's watery eyes flicker over the forms of her two nakama. Though bloody, burned and beaten, the two of them have soft smiles on their faces, even in such a deep rest. Almost as if they can rest easier, knowing their nakama was only ever thinking of them.

Suddenly, Nami draws in a sharp breath and falls to the ground, lying opposite from Raya.

"Hey, what's wrong?!" the mayor panics.

"I'm so glad..." Nami sighs. "So Robin... didn't betray us..." Her face relaxs for a moment. But in the next instant, she's on her feet, sprinting away from the mayor of Water 7. "I have to tell everyone! Thank you, Iceburg!" she calls over her shoulder.

"Wait!!" Iceburg shouts. "Straw Hat and the others are all done for! What do you plan to do after all this?!"

Nami pauses and looks back. "After all this?" she repeats. "You mean from now on? Luffy's ok, he won't die from just that! We're going to get Robin back! Everyone becomes weak when they're undecided.... When they find out that they can save her.... their strength will have no limit!!"

Iceburg starts in surprise. He can't believe the conviction in this young girl's voice, after all she's seen happen tonight.

Nami kneels beside Chopper and gently shakes his shoulder, urging him to awaken. "Chopper! Wake up!! We have to look for everyone!!"

"Hey, hey, sister, sister, he's in very bad condition!" one of the workers warns.

Nami pays him no heed. "Wake up, Chopper!!"

After a troubling moment, the little reindeer doctor blinks open his eyes. His eyes dart around worriedly for a moment, before they settle on Nami's smiling face.

"Heh... Nami?" he squeaks.

"That's right, Chopper!" she says. "Now come on! You need to get up! I'll help treat your wounds, but then you'll have to help Raya!"

"Raya!" Chopper bolts upright despite his pain and fatigue and looks around for the girl that saved his life. He spots her some feet away, and notes her deep, even breathing. She's ok!

With help from Nami, Chopper quickly pathes himself up. He wraps bandages around his middle and arm, then tapes a pad to his forehead where a stone fell on him. When he's finished, she dashes over to Raya and immediately begins treatment.

Her wounds aren't terrible, but he doesn't like the burns on her neck, wrists, arms and so on. He can't imagine how she obtained them, seeing as how she practically is fire, and hasn't gotten a burn since he's known her. Excluding the time she was electrocuted by Enel. Those were internal burns.

Her head worries him also. Head injuries are something Raya manages to come by a lot, and usually they aren't very serious. Just little bumbs. But this one hasn't even stopped bleeding yet. Chopper frowns as he dresses the wound, wrapping thick layers of bandages around her temple. He wonders how she didn't notice.

Finished, Chopper sits back with a brief sigh. Patching up the Straw Hats is never an easy task.

Nami drops down beside him and commences trying to wake up the fiery pirate.

"Eh, go away, Zoro," she mumbles in her sleep. "No nightmares for once.... I want sleep!"

Nightmares? Nami and Chopper blink, exchanging a swift, troubled look. What could she be talking about? And why does it give them a bad feeling in their hearts?

Nevertheless, they return to waking up Raya.

She jolts awake suddenly, making Chopper cry out in surprise. He falls back onto his little butt, flailing arms going wild. Nami just smiles.

Raya rubs her eyes, wincing a bit at the sudden onslaught of pain from her wounds. She looks around, barely taking anything in. "Where's Zoro?" she asks after a moment, her voice still hoarse from the smoke. "Luffy, too. They aren't here...."

"Raya, you don't..."

"Oh never mind." Raya lets out a lonely sigh as she recalls what happened not so long ago. "I remember. I just.... had a dream, I guess. Thought it was real.... Nevermind." She shakes her head and turns her attention to her doctor. "Eh, Chopper? What're you doing like that?"

He blushes, embarassed, and quickly scrambles to a sitting position.

"Well, now that we're all awake," Nami says, "I'll tell you some great news!"

Throughout her story, Raya and Chopper's eyes continually widen, to the point where Nami fears they'll pop out of their heads. That doesn't happen, but something equally surprising does.

Raya laughs.

She laughs like there's no tomorrow, collapsing back into the dirt as she holds her sides, her light, infectious laughter rising into the churning, stormy air that signals the arrival of the Aqua Laguna.

"She's still our nakama!" she manages between laughs. "I... That's great! That's flipping great!"

"That's right!" Nami agrees cheerfully as she climbs to her feet, followed by Chopper. "So let's look for everyone and save Robin!"

"I gotcha!" Chopper cheers. "Let's look for them! Where are they?!"

"I don't know! That's why we have to look for them!"

"Okay~~~~!! I'll do my best~~~~!" Chopper shouts, morphing into Heavy Point for emphasis. He freaks many workers out by doing this.

Raya flicks the laugh-induced tears from her eyes and rises to her feet, hands placed on her hips. She chuckles at Chopper's outburst as she walks over to her nakama.

"Wait, you guys...."

The three Straw Hats look over their shoulders. Iceburg stands behind them, his coat (given to him by a worker) blowing in the heavy breeze cast by the island's nemesis: Aqua Laguna.

"Though it's your decision to go after Nico Robin," he says, "at eleven o'clock this evening, the Sea Train will depart, taking all Government personnel with it. Nma, it's only a possibility, but... the likelihood that they're on there is fairly high. Which means that Nico Robin will also be with them." He pauses, then continues. "Lastly, the Sea Train will cease operations in an hour. Since the Aqua Laguna will be coming very soon."

Raya blanches, catching onto to Iceburg's meaning. "You mean we have to get on that Sea Train, which is basically impossible with it swarming with Government officials, or else we'll miss our only chance to get Robin back?" she asks, her voice begging Iceburg to tell her she's wrong.

He nods reluctantly, and Raya feels her heart plummet.

"No way!" Nami cries, clutching at her head with both hands in shock. "This is bad! What time is it now?!"

"It's ten-thirty."

"Thirty minutes left?!"

"There's no way to stop the train is there?" Raya asks, shifting from foot to foot nervously. She looks up at Iceburg through her bangs, eyes wide with worry.

He shakes his head. "Nma, because the destination is Enies Lobby, there's no entry for those not working with the Government. The driver is also a Government worker. Even if I speak with him, he won't listen."

Raya curses under breath as Nami freaks out.

"I have to get to the station somehow!" Nami decides. "I have to convince Robin myself!" She turns to Chopper and Raya, who are looking to her expectantly. "Chopper, Raya! Go search in the area where I said Luffy and Zoro flew!"

"Ok! Got it!" Chopper says, nodding.

"Sounds like a plan, Nami," Raya agrees.

"Hey... you guys...."

"Ah...!! Paulie's ok!!" a worker gasps.

Raya turns around and manages a soft, relieved smile as the Galley-La man stands. He was also patched up, as was Iceburg, but not by Chopper. The workers had seen that the little reindeer had his hooves full with Raya, and helped treat their own nakama as best they could.

He looks like hell, Raya thinks. Then a small smirk curls her lips. I can't look much better.

"This woman and her friends...." Paulie says slowly. "Lend them a hand."

"EH?!"

Raya narrows her eyes as her friends blink in surprise and the workers practically caterwaul with their astonishment.

"Lend them a hand?! These are the criminals that went after Iceburg's life, Paulie!"

"First of all, we should restrain these three!!! Lucci and Kaku are also missing."

"What did I say about laying even one finger on my nakama?" Raya growls lowly to the surrounding workers. Some flinch back, and even more do so when they catch the dark fire burning in her morganite eyes.

"The assassins were the Straw Hat group!" Paulie shouts, drawing attention away from Raya. "These guys are innocent! They're being framed by real assassins! We've been deceived!! We don't know where their loyalties lie, but they went up against those masked guys. The Straw Hats fought for us!! At present, the fact that Iceburg and I still have our lives... is all thanks to them!!" Paulie flashes a brief look at Raya, who blinks at the look in his eyes.

A silent "Thank you".

She smiles sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. Guy's giving me too much credit.

"We don't have to look for Lucci or Kaku," Paulie goes on, turning back to the crowd. "With those guys... we probably won't be seeing them around anymore."

"Eh? Do you know what happened to Lucci and the others?!"

"...They're visiting home."

Raya ignores the protests from the workers, her eyes focused solely on Paulie. His stiff shoulder say he won't change his mind about hiding the truth from them, so she doesn't bother trying to convince him. She only wonders what prompted him to heep the CP9 agents' image intact.

"Hey, Shameless Woman," Paulie says, lighting up one of his many cigars that he's plucked from the holders on his flame-lined jacket (something that makes Raya smile now that she really notices).

"Hey! Don't call me that!"

"You're going to the station right?" Paulie asks, ignoring her outburst. "I'll guide you!"

"Okay! Thank you!"

But the workers are not so easily put to rest. "Paulie, wait.... was the story you told just now true....?"

"Hey, morons!" Raya snaps, narrowed eyes glinting fiercely even in the half-light. "Stop with the questions! You have orders, follow them! I'm a scummy pirate, and even I follow the orders of my captain! What will the world think of your precious Galley-La if you're beat out by the Red-Haired Demon?"

There's a moment of stunned silence in the wake of Raya's words.

"R-right!"

"We can't let ourselves be outdone by a pirate!"

"We'll follow orders better than she ever could! Release the Yagara!! Open their pens!!"

Nami and Chopper exchange ecstatic smiles, while Raya smirks, dipping her head so that her mocking expression is fully hidden from the eyes of the many easily manipulated men that are cheering just feet away from her. Baka, she thinks, smirking both inside and out. Being a pirate or a shipwright doesn't matter. You follow a person's orders when you love and respect them, despite how asinine they may seem at the time.

With the Yagara bulls let out, the only issue now is convincing Raya she'll be safe riding one.

"Raya!" Chopper squeaks, looking up at her as she hesitates at the egde of the canal. Her hands are clenched into fists, nervous eyes darting between the large bull and the water he floats on. But at Chopper's call, she tears her eyes away and glances at him.

"You can do it, Raya!" he says, giving her an adorable closed-eye smile. He turns around for a moment and picks up something from the ground, offering it to her. Her eyes widen in surprise. "Zoro's always getting lost! He needs you to find him!"

Raya's lips twitch into a soft, amused smile as she accepts Zoro's fallen sword. It hums beneath her fingers, not as loudly or clearly as Honoo, but present all the same. She closes her eyes for a moment, then slips a hand down to Honoo, slim fingers wrapping around the crimson hilt.

"He's fine, right, Honoo?" she asks in a soft whisper.

The answering hum is affirmative, yet hesitant.

"Eh? What do you mean, he isn't badly hurt, but I should still worry? What kind of answer is that?"

Honoo's soft hum answers her.

Wado only says to hurry.

"Damn vague swords, never giving me a straight answer," the fiery girl mutters, cinching her fingers tighter around Zoro's sword. "Don't you laugh at me!" she snaps at the sword held in her hand.

Chopper sweat drops, along with the man already riding the Yagara.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Raya sighs and shakes her head. Trying to forget the rushing water beneath her feet, she takes the leap from the street to the bull and settles herself behind the man driving the animal. Chopper leaps in also, scurrying up the large man's back until he can perch on his bald head.

With a shout from Paulie, the bulls take off, racing down the canal at speeds that give Raya an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She grips Zoro's sword so tightly, her tan knuckles turn a ghostly white. Gah! This is so much worse than the first time!

"Hey~~~ Luffy~~~~~!! Zoro~~~~~!! Sanji~~~~~!! Come back Usopp!"

"What was that last part?" Raya asks, cocking a brow. 

"N-Nothing!" Chopper stutters, face flushing. He turns back to the water. "Everyone else say it too please!!"

"Hey! Luffy!! Zoro!! Sanji!! Come back Usopp!"

"Now you've got them doing it," Raya mutters irritably. It's not that she doesn't want Usopp back, she just doesn't believe begging for his return is the way to go about it. He left willingly; Robin didn't. Not really. In her mind there was no other choice. Raya sits back in the carriage of the sea horse (that isn't really a seahorse), letting Robin's "confession" play over in her mind. Of course, she wasn't there when it happened, but she can imagine. 

Her fingers tangle in her hair, and another sigh escapes Raya. Another reason she misses her long hair? Her habit just doesn't have the same effect fo calming her down anymore. She closes her eyes at the Yagara speeds down the canal, inching closer to the heart of the city. Her brief time being unconscious did nothing to ease her fatigue. She's running on pure will. 

Raya rubs her temple, fighting back yawn after yawn, forcing herself to keep from falling asleep.  Heh, Zoro would probably think this is pretty pitiful, she muses. Even half asleep, or just woken up, he's more alert than I am. She sighs. I hope that baka really isn't hurt.

It isn't long before the Galley-La boys dock, with the exception of Paulie and Nami, who continue on to reach the station. Raya takes the first chance she gets to put her boots on solid ground again and runs for the city. But a minute or so into her dash, she skids to a halt and puts a hand to the nearest building, needing support for a moment. She lifts up one legs and reaches into her boot. Her fingers brush against too envelopes, and her heart skitters a bit. 

Shanks and Ace.

She's kept the letters in her boots ever since abandoning the Merry, but she hasn't thought much about them. Cursing herself for getting distracted, she lifts the opposite boot and snatches her bandana out. She fingers the cool material, brushing over stitches she had Nami make to keep the cloth together. The old thing is nothing like Luffy's hat, but it's special to Raya nonetheless. Something she's kept with her since the death of her parents.

With a soft sigh, she ties the bandana around her upperarm, not realizing it's in the exact same place as Zoro's black one. She only wants the bandana out for an extra support. Something familiar she can think about, or use as an unconscious anchor.

"Alright," she murmurs quietly to herself, eyes on the angry sky above her. "Let's see if I can outrun a storm."

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Gah! I'm so sorry for the late update! I said I wouldn't do this again! But I hope you like it anyway! Sorry if I upset anyone! But it's an extra long chapter to make up for it!