CHAPTER 94 LIVE

CHAPTER 94 LIVE

“You want to die?” Luffy asked. He stood upon a tower in front of us. Between us and him was a large chasm that dropped way down. Beside me stood Nico Robin and Franky. Franky was the true inheritor of the man who built the Pirate King’s ship and who CP9 decided had the secret plans to the ancient weapon. Beside Robin and Franky were the other CP9 members and their leader. Spandam.

“Yes!” Robin yelled. “I want to die!”

Luffy began picking his nose. “What the hell are you talking about? Who wants to die? That’s dumb. That’s not an adventure.”

There were shocked looks from the members of CP9. To try to get Luffy and the others to give up, Robin was trying to act like she didn’t want to go with them. That she was happy being executed.

“Come on Robin,” Luffy said. “We came all the way here for you.” To help show his sincerity the roof behind him exploded up and Straw Hats began jumping out like popcorn popping.

One by one they came. Then they started getting pissed about who got their first. Sanji yelled at Zoro for beating him by a few seconds. Then Usopp bragged he wasn’t last. Stunned silence was all CP9 could do.

Behind the Straw Hats people from Iceberg and Franky's crew fought the marines. We were at Enies Lobby. The gate to the marine prison and headquarters. A place that shouldn’t be attacked. A place that was being seized all to rescue one person. The Devil's Child, Nico Robin. It was so much better to watch in front of me. I’m man enough to admit that when I read this part the first time, it brought a tear to my eye.

The Straw Hats stopped fighting and began lining up on the short pillars that lined the building in front of us. Standing on them as they faced CP9.

“Robin! I don’t care if you want to kill yourself or give up and die!” Luffy yelled. “Weston said you were kidnapped.” I internally cursed at Nami. “So whatever is the truth. I don’t care. Just tell me when you’re over here with us. With your crew.”

Robin visibly struggled. Biting her lip to prevent sobs she yelled back, “I’ve already caused you enough trouble! And I’ll only cause more and more. How many times will it happen before you give up on me?! Abandoning me like everyone else?”

A shuddering sigh escaped her. “If I spent anymore time with you it would hurt me that much more when you do eventually decide I’m not worth the effort.”

“For 20 years I’ve gone from crew to crew! Always they abandon me. Trying to betray me for my bounty. Or to bargain leniency on themselves by giving me up.”

“I’m done. I can’t be with you any longer if it’s all going to end like that! I can’t handle it again.” She quieted. Staring at the crew. Waiting for something that she knew would happen. We would give up.

“Ha!” Spandam yelled. “She’s right! She’s the Devil's Child. No crew could accept her and all the problems she causes.” Honestly I wasn’t sure why CP9 was allowing this exchange. Why not just leave?

“Do you see that flag?!” Spandam yelled. Pointing way up was the world government flag. It was a white flag with 4 dots that had 2 lines connecting them through the center. Then at the center was another dot. “This flag is the symbol of unity between 170 countries around the world. To try to take her would be like declaring war on the world!”

“Usopp,” Luffy said. I just then noticed he wasn’t wearing his Sogeking mask. Which was a good sign. “Burn down that flag.”

“Yes, captain,” Usopp said. Pulling his upgraded slingshot he sent a flaming shot at the flag. Instantly the flag burst into flames. The CP9 members couldn’t believe their eyes. Spandam especially had an awestruck gaze.

“Do you have any idea what you just did?!” Spandam yelled. “You just declared war on the world government.”

“Yosh!” Luffy yelled. “I’m fine with that. I’m fine with all of it. Now there is no reason you can’t join us Robin. But you need to say it! Say you want to live and we will make it happen!” The Straw Hats all had the same confident gaze as they stared at us. All in agreement for once in a blue moon.

“I...I,” Robin said as tears formed in her eyes. “I want to live!!” She sobbed openly. Franky doing the same next to her. Caught up on the moment. “I want to go to the ocean with you! I want to find One Piece!”

“You guys are so stupid,” Franky mumbled as he cried more. Though he barely knew us. He was an emotional guy.

“Well that’s my cue,” I said. Pouring chakra in my body I grabbed the nape of Robin’s jacket and Franky’s Hawaiian shirt. With all I had I leapt off the edge of the large building. They both yelled as we soared through the air over the 50 foot gap. Luckily the building the Straw Hats were on was lower or I wasn’t sure I could make it with the 3 of us.

The duo stumbled to the ground as I landed hard. “What the hell! That was easy!” Luffy yelled.

I released my transformation jutsu. Turning to the crew with a wicked smile.

“Weston! You were that bull guy the whole time?!” Luffy asked as he ran up.

“Ha stupid CP9,” Luffy said. “I really wanted to show them my new moves.”

“Save it. I doubt we are going to get home scott free,” I said. We got into an elevator and headed down.

“This is the stupidest thing we have ever done,” Nami whined. “I’m going to get a bounty now.”

“Ha! I hope so. Then I win our bet,” I said.

“I’m not paying. You knew this would happen somehow,” Nami grumbled.

“I better get a bounty after this,” Sanji grumbled. “Robin-Chan it’s so good to see you again. I missed you.”

“You saw me a few hours ago,” Robin said.

“Far too long,” Sanji noted.

“Where the hell have you been Weston?” Zoro asked. “Nami kept saying you were on a secret mission.”

“Well once I heard CP9 was in town I followed them. Watched them. Kept an eye on everyone. Then when Robin started to leave town I took the place of that Blueno guy.”

“And you’re sure you weren’t him on Water Seven?” Luffy asked skeptically.

“Pretty sure,” I said. He didn’t believe me. I thought they must have fought or something. Luffy lost so bad he was inspired to make new moves.

The elevator door opened and we were running out the back. Unfortunately I forgot the one CP9 member had eaten the wolf-wolf fruit. So he had great ears and sense of smell. Before we were out the door the members of CP9 were running after us.

“Crap! Gonna have to fight!” I yelled.

Normally the One Piece fights lasted dozens of episodes and could be about 100 manga issues. Between flashbacks and the 5 different times you were made to think Luffy lost, it took a long time to show the fights. Luckily when they all happened right next to one another it was condensed down rather nicely.

Zoro fought the man that ate the giraffe-giraffe fruit. As swordsmen they were jumping all over the place. I had to actually watch my step a few times so I didn’t walk in the way of one of their slashes so I’d get cut.

Sanji fought the wolf man. Back in the manga he had done a lot of tricks but we were all there in one place fighting so it ended pretty quick.

Nami and Robin fought the female CP9 member. It ended easily with Robins help. But Nami used her new dial powered weapon to knock her down. Usopp, Chopper, and Franky ran ahead to secure a marine boat.

All the while Luffy and I fought Rob Lucci. The strongest CP9 member. He had the jaguar fruit and was honestly pretty strong with his Haki.

Luffy used his gear 2nd and gear 3rd. Gear 2 was done by using his rubber body to speed up his blood flow somehow. His temperature and speed increased because of it. His gear 3 was done by blowing up his arm like a balloon. Which somehow made his hits stronger. Sorry, I couldn’t explain the logic of Oda, but it worked somehow.

I continuously had Rob on the run from my Seastone Jitte and Luffy pummeled him because I still wasn’t fast enough to hit him. The fight ended as the marine ships showed up. The full CP9 knocked out and Robin getting some revenge on Spandam, it was a great sight as the Buster call cannons began flying.

We were then running out the back dock. A large marine boat out back the others were fighting on it, but I was looking for our real ride. It was there as I’d hoped it would be.

We ran up to the deck of the marine ship as one. No one forced to be carried out on a stretcher for once.

“We got the ship!” Franky said excitedly.

“Forget it! New plan!” I yelled. “Onto the real ship!” I continued running. Jumping off the deck I fell to the water below. As I ran across the water it wasn’t long till I leapt to the deck of the Going Merry.