Story Update : New Chapter of DK (part 1)
Here we go again!!! Another update for my lovely story that somehow exploded!! *giggles* Ya, i'm in a good mood. I hope you enjoy!!
TITLE: The Dark Knight of GLU
AUTHOR: TSHAPO_CHI with the support of devlinnreiko
CHARACTERS: Zoro/Sanji Smoker/Ace and several other OP characters :
GENRE: AU: Romance/Drama/ and a whole lot of pure CRACK
RATING: NC-17 for adult themes, Yaoi in later chapters
DISCLAIMER/S: I don’t own One Piece, Marvel comics DC comics or any of the respective characters, nor do i own the Mickey Mouse theme, Animaniacs or Johnny English.... (damn this list is getting long) Jerry Springer, Audi, C-4... let's just leave it at I own nothing in this fic with the exception of Yuu. I like him.
SUMMARY: When Zoro gets sent back to the States to finish college, a chance encounter with a gorgeous blonde in a dark alley changes his entire life. Either Fate and Karma have decided to have fun at Zoro's expense, or it's just pure bad luck
Chapter 23
Attack! Counterattack!
Guns were drawn and both gangs began firing up towards the rafters. Zoro and Frank split up and headed for the ladders on opposite sides, hoping to buy Ace as much time as he needed to secure the doors. Sadly, with gunshots, they knew that odds had just shifted in favor of the other side. There was no way the men outside wouldn’t hear that ruckus. Giving up on the stairs, Zoro jumped off the catwalk and landed on a crate of ammunition. The wood broke under him and sent the magazines skittering across the floor. Zoro grunted at the force of the poorly executed landing and rolled off to the floor, dodging behind another stack of goods when he was spotted. The men who had come after Zoro included those belonging to the sickly looking man with the tonfa. He had no desire to incur the wrath of another gang so he decided to avoid them as much as possible, only incapacitating them if necessary.
Knowing it was probably a bad plan, Frank copied his son’s idea and leaped over the side to land heavily on the floor. The fighter pilot was thankful that he had been keeping up with his SEAL friends and doing HALO [i] jumps once a month, otherwise that impact would have shattered his knees. As it was, he immediately went into a roll and sprang back up onto his feet, ready to go. He slipped between several boxes and prayed his son had made it through his descent all right.
From the other side, just beyond the circle of light, a low sinister laugh began. As it increased in volume, it began to play off the acoustics of the building, making it seem to come from everywhere at once. Cabaji kept his hand on his sword, but hurried over to greet the newest guest. A large figure ambled into the meeting area with several more men and a huge white dog. His hair was mostly hidden under a green bandanna with white dots but it appeared to be a strange blue. His eyes were circled by thick green eyeliner, two large dots to the sides of each eye. A matching shade of lipstick that extended way outside the lines of his lips and an oversized, sunburned-red nose completed the clown-like effect. He wore a red and white striped shirt with pale blue jeans, tucked into a silly pair of brown boots.
“Well isn’t this a flashy entrance? I have to admit you caught me off guard there for a minute, Roronoa. Sadly, you seem to have missed the fact that my men are surrounding this building at this very moment and you have no hope for a flashy escape.” The man began to laugh again and was soon joined by the others. “Besides, what do you have to return to? Cabaji here made sure that your dojo is ruined, your friends hate you for lying to them, and your lover...”
“Keep your hands off him, fucker.” Zoro growled out. He almost lost his handhold on the pallet he was trying to scale. If he could make it up there, he could jump down on top of the idiot and end this in one move.
“Oh, really? Tough words from a man hiding in the dark,” Buggy taunted. “What if you’re too late?”
“I warned your men last time, fuck with Sanji and I’ll kill you.” Zoro stood up and walked into the light, the rage at thinking something had happened to his precious person taking over his rational thought. Immediately a dozen guns were pointed at him, the red lights of laser sights dotting his chest.
“Sanji? You mean Sanji Black, the blonde reporter?” Gin took his eyes off the hooded figure for a moment to study the painted man. When Buggy turned his head and refused to answer, Gin looked back to the Knight. “What does he have to do with all of this?”
“Next to me, he’s this clown’s primary target. They’ve robbed, beaten, kidnapped, and even attempted to murder him.” Zoro’s thumb kicked his sword out an inch, readying it in case this nosey man made any sudden movements.
“And this concerns you why?” Gin didn’t like where this was leading. His gut told him that the relationship between Knight and reporter was intimate since Buggy had used the term lover, but his heart refused to accept.
Zoro tightened his grip on Yubashiri and narrowed his eyes. “He’s mine.”
“You mean he was yours. I heard you two had a bit of a disagreement.” Mohji jeered.
Before Zoro could answer, Frank appeared at his side. He mirrored his son’s wide stance and drawn weapon, making them appear as twin imposing figures in the dim light. Only one kama was held so that he could keep himself ready to pull Zoro back should the fool try to rush in without anymore thought.
“There’s two of them.”
“What the fuck?”
“Holy shit, we’re screwed.”
“Who the hell are they?”
These and similar thoughts were whispered amongst both sides, Gin’s handful of followers looking to their leader for guidance. Gin raised his hand for them to hold their ground for the moment, unsure himself exactly what was going on. One of the older men in the room paled considerably and kept repeating a single word: demon. The man’s body shook and he dropped his weapon in utter fear as the one in the mask caught Gin’s curious stare. Gin’s sunken eyes met with piercing black and he knew this man was deadly. Though he couldn’t see the face of the other, he had a feeling that he should expect nothing less of him as well. What had Buggy gotten him tangled in?
“YOU! How did you get in here?!” Buggy’s jaw had dropped open.
“The exact same way I did last time. I’m pretty sure that window was broken then too. Seriously though Dōke [ii], did you have to use the exact same warehouse?” Frank lectured the gaping man as he would a small child. “You realize that I’m here to stop you, right?”
All the men on the floor were shifting their feet nervously, darting their aim back and forth between the two men as their boss fumed and sputtered for a response.
“KILL HIM! Kill them both!” he screamed.
In almost synchronized movements, the heroes jumped over the edge of the stack of merchandise, aiming for the small clear circle where previously arguing men had just been. Everything happened in slow motion, from the first step to the actual descent. When they finally hit the floor, both men lessened the impact by dropping into a crouch making the visual effect perfect. Frank’s head was bent down, his left arm out to his side, slightly parallel to the ground holding a gleaming kama, and the other braced on the floor in front of him, aiding in balance. To his right, Zoro bowed over his left leg with the right knee on the ground, both hands on his swords, and his head held high as he glared at the enemy from under his hood.
It was just enough to gain them the seconds they needed to close in and begin knocking guns away. Cabaji and Mohji stepped back to flank Buggy and keep him guarded, the white canine standing by his master, growling for effect. Gin however thought that it was time to put an end to the charade. ‘He’s mine’ kept repeating in his mind, making it feel as if he had a knife thrust into his heart. He and Sanji broke up a long time ago, but that didn’t mean he didn’t still have feelings for the reporter/cook. Gin knew that it was his own actions that had caused the end of their relationship, and there was no hope of salvaging anything. Still, he tried to keep an eye out for the blonde whenever he could. Ever since he started working for Don Krieg, he had little time to do that. Now, Sanji’s life was in danger, from not only Buggy but possibly from this Knight character as well, and Gin was in the perfect position to do something about it. He snaked his way through the attacking men and charged Zoro head on, bringing his tonfa down in a deadly blow to the hooded man’s neck.
Zoro sliced the barrel off another gun and spun to face the next man. The broken weapon was now used as a club and aimed at his head while his back was turned. Zoro brought his arms up and used both swords to block the blow, then sent his elbow into the man’s gut. A quick glance at his father showed the older man to be holding his own just fine. A slight smile on Frank’s face made him look like he was seriously enjoying the battle. Zoro felt the shift in the atmosphere and reached out with his senses to find where the dark aura was coming from. He blocked another attacker from the right before bringing his second sword up to stop the metal rod coming at him from above.
The man named Gin, the one who had been asking about Sanji, was bearing down on him with full force and fury. The strengths behind the attacks and the vital spots at which they were aimed made the swordsman think that possibly this was a little more personal than he had first believed. Zoro ducked and parried, impressed with the skill of the basic weapon being used against his swords. The metal rods spun with ease in the sallow looking man’s grip and it took every bit of Zoro’s own strength to stop the vicious strikes. The man’s flexibility was almost as amazing as Sanji’s. Was this man’s anger because he knew the blonde and was enraged by the thought of him being hurt?
A swing made it past his defense and he was knocked into a pile of empty crates, the wood splintering beneath his weight. His sleeve caught on a jagged edge and Zoro had to yank hard to release himself, tearing the sleeve in the process. In quick movements, he placed the sword between his teeth and continued to fight as he awkwardly removed the dangling fabric from his arm. Zoro could feel the slight trickle of blood running down his back. He probably had ripped his jacket back there too. See, he should have just requested that Luffy let him have his old one instead. Fortunately, though, the pants did the trick. His ass and thighs remained unscathed thanks to the durability of the aged leather.
“I’ll take you apart piece by piece if I have to,” Gin threatened.
Zoro only growled in response and sent his blade flying up across the shocked man’s face to cut away the headband covering his forehead. The striped fabric fell away and deep scowl lines were revealed.
“What piece would you like first? Yubashiri or Sandai Kitetsu?”
Zoro grinned and began to see how much more damage he could dish out while trying to disarm his opponent. Two slices across the army green shirt was all he managed to inflict before his cocky attitude cost him and a tonfa met with his chest, sending him sailing across the room again. This time Gin caught up to him and grabbed him by his hood before he could recover, ripping the fabric around the collar and revealing his face to the room.
“What the fuck?” Gin’s eyes went wide pulled the hood back further, choking Zoro with the neckline.
Zoro brought his swords up behind him and sliced through the black cotton, releasing himself and causing Gin to stumble back a step. He got to his feet and faced Gin once more. Now that his hood was gone, his fierce features stood out clearly in the semi-lit room. Most of the men fighting against Frank had been taken out, but of the few that remained, half stopped to gawk at the green hair that had just been exposed.
“What is the reason for asking about the shitty-cook? What concern is he of yours?” Zoro brought up his swords and charged, abandoning all defense, needing to take this crook down as soon as possible so he could deal with Buggy and the others.
“It’s personal. Just tell me the extent of your relationship with him.” Gin was obviously not going to give anything away without something in return. His tonfa worked with his body like extended appendages, resulting in almost flawless defense. Almost.
“Just like you said, it’s personal. Just know that even if he was yours once, he’s mine now so stay the fuck away from him. I won’t hesitate to kill you just like I plan to kill any of the other fuckers who lay a hand on him.” Zoro almost cheered in victory when his blade made contact with bare skin and sliced through Gin’s forearm. The metal rod clattered to the floor and Gin’s scream of pain caused a pause again in the fighting around Frank. Zoro kept his distance from the fallen man and eyed him carefully. “I will protect him.”
Gin searched Zoro’s face for any deception and found only strength and conviction. All he wanted was for Sanji to be happy and safe. If this man could do it, then he would gladly step aside. But should this Knight fail, he wouldn’t hesitate to extract his revenge. Gin held his wounded arm to his chest and let the second tonfa fall from his hand to the floor.
“See that you do. Make sure that you succeed where I have failed.” Gin dropped to his knees and let the tears fall down his face. “I can’t help but love him still, even after everything I put him through. He deserves better. Swear to me that you will love him as I have and you will love him with your very soul.”
“I swear.” The words were out of his mouth before he even realized he said them. Zoro shifted both swords to one hand and reached out to help the wounded man up.
“All of this sappiness is making me sick. Mohji, destroy the Knight.” Buggy’s voice was low and barely audible, but his assistant heard him just fine. Unfortunately for them, so did Frank.
DK*DK*DK*DK
Ace spun around at the sound of the guns and listened carefully, torn between doing his job and running to back up his new friend. There were several doors around the building and he had only secured a handful of them. Fortunately, he hadn’t seen anyone come in yet, but then again he was at the back of the building and they were closer to the front. Hearing the curses and shouts of frustration from the gangs, Ace knew that those two were doing just fine and continued on to the next door. On his way, he passed a partially open crate and paused to investigate. He needed to pick up a few things anyway, so what was the harm?
His eyes went wide at the sight of the Demolition charge 183 [iii]. This was some heavy shit to be left around in a warehouse unguarded. This could take out the entire building, but he’d sure as hell have to get everyone out first. It wouldn’t just collapse the building, but it would incinerate the entire thing. There were only ten block charges, and two priming assemblies. Most of the detonating cord was gone from this case as well. Ace slipped the incomplete Satchel Charge over his shoulder and picked up another to begin placing around the perimeter.
There on a table, lying in the open were several bundles of dynamite, which Ace quickly snatched up and slipped into the half-empty bag. The sounds of battle were escalating and Ace knew he needed to hurry. He began to place the blocks of explosives on support beams running through the middle of the warehouse. If he set it off here, it would help minimize the damage to surrounding buildings. OK, so who was he kidding? This was gonna blow the whole damn dock to oblivion. He didn’t even need the miniscule sticks of TNT, but he wanted them. Maybe he could find something else to play with while he was here.
Ace came across the broken crate that Zoro had fallen on earlier and tiptoed around the scattered magazines trying to not make a sound. The fighting had stopped and he couldn’t make out what was going on, but he knew he needed to hurry. He grabbed the barrel of the SMAW [iv] and hefted it over the other shoulder. Yes, he did need it, he just didn’t know why yet. Heavily laden, he crept around to get a better view of the action.
DK*DK*DK*DK
The older Roronoa had finally dispatched the last of the men actually fighting him. He vowed to Yuu that he would not kill unless it was the only option, so he attempted to knockout everyone instead. The men proved to be tougher than he had imagined and it took a bit longer than anticipated to accomplish the task. The ones remaining were distracted by the touching scene between the unknown negotiator and his son. Frank knew that he should be paying attention to what was being said, but he saw the opportunity to go after Buggy and took it.
When he heard Buggy’s order, he turned to see Zoro’s back facing the crime boss.
“ZORO!” he screamed. Frank lunged for Buggy, murder clear in his eyes. The showy swordsman stepped in, barely in time, and blocked Frank’s path locking their weapons.
Zoro turned to see the white haired man aiming a gun at him and his father sprinting across the room to intercept. His body was suddenly yanked to the side and Zoro looked up to see the saddened face of the man he had just been fighting. Zoro’s own father had carried the same empty look for the last eighteen years. The gun went off and blood splattered across his face as the bullet tore through Gin’s chest. Zoro caught him as he fell, awkwardly keeping both swords in one hand. Their eyes met and Zoro watched the life drain out of Gin. There were no sorrowful last minute words, no pleas for anyone to avenge him, just instant death due to an evil madman. Zoro’s hands shook as he laid Gin carefully on the ground. Hatred filled him as he glared at the crime boss, wishing he could take the man’s life a hundred times over.
“You fool! You killed the wrong one! You idiot! What will we tell Krieg now?” Buggy grabbed his head and began tugging on the dotted bandanna. “This is your fault, Dark Knight, or should I say Zoro Roronoa.”
Zoro locked eyes with his father, a silent message passing to tell him he was ok. “The fault is yours, Buggy the Clown. You should have left the blonde alone.”
“Oh, I don’t think that will be a problem anymore. I believe everyone will be leaving him in peace.” Buggy began laughing hysterically and tossed a small square object to Zoro. “As you can see, no one can bother him where he is now.”
Zoro caught the camera with one hand and eyed it questioningly. A quick look to his father showed that he had stepped back from the other swordsman and was ready to attack at any moment. Wearily, Zoro turned the camera on, ready to drop it and return a sword to each hand if necessary. He debated if he should just return them to his side or not. Knowing that the brief seconds it would take to retrieve them might make all the difference, he kept the two blades in one hand and selected the playback mode on the device.
The first image was of Sanji’s car followed by a picture of himself getting into Kureha’s Bronco. Next was a poor shot of the car again with someone in the driver’s seat. Zoro couldn’t be sure if it was Sanji or not, but it was close enough that he almost dropped the camera at the next shot. It was right at the peak of the explosion where the car was rotating in the air and a person was engulfed in flames inside, both car doors hanging in mid-air after being blown off. Not wanting to see any more, but unable to stop himself, Zoro pushed the button to look at the next picture. Johnny and Yosaku were running for the burning car, screaming and crying. The next was Usopp holding onto a distraught Luffy. Finally, there was a picture of the upside down car, a charred body hanging out of the driver’s side as firefighters fought to put out the flames.
“I hope you at least kissed him goodbye before you left.” Buggy drew a knife from the back of his belt and threw it at Frank’s distracted form.
In a blur of action, everyone acted at once. Ace grabbed Frank and spun him out of the way of the incoming projectile before jumping on the first available man that was still standing, his newly procured weapons apparently stashed somewhere for safe keeping. Zoro was torn between killing the white haired freak and Buggy, not knowing which of them was responsible for his lover’s death. When he was done with them, he still needed to teach the swordsman a lesson for the dojo and his treatment of Johnny. Frank helped him make his decision.
“Take the kids, boy. I’ve got the old man.” Frank used the momentum from Ace’s pull to rocket himself towards his old nemesis.
Buggy pulled out a strange brass knuckle contraption with four blades attached and slipped it over the fingers of his damaged hand. Though much of the muscle was damaged, the maniac still managed to use the weapon and blocked the first attack from the masked man. He was in much better shape now than he’d been before, and smirked arrogantly as he dodged the razor sharp blades efficiently. He aimed his fist at Frank’s face but managed to only graze his chin. With Frank’s sight directed up at the ceiling, Buggy brought the man to his knees by kicking him square between the legs. Buggy’s new weapon was stopped less than an inch from Frank’s cheek before the multiple blades were knocked away.
Zoro sneered at the two men, unable to decide which one to tear apart first. The camera shattered in his grip and he tossed aside the broken pieces so that he could return a sword to each hand. The dark haired one made the first move and Zoro remained still, letting the overly confident man close the distance. Any memory of what he had come here to accomplish was pushed out of his mind. Every bit of logic left him with each breath he took. All that was left was the image of a burning black car and a man he was willing to die for. The men before him were responsible and Zoro would make sure they paid.
Zoro poured every ounce of anger into his blades as Cabaji flew at him from every angle, alternating between striking with his blade and his feet. When a foot connected with his stomach, cushioned by the new haramaki, he didn’t even flinch. The air around him was filled with electricity, sparking every time their blades met. A thick sheen of sweat began to appear on Cabaji’s brow when a solid kick to Zoro’s jaw did little more than turn the man’s head to the side for a brief second.
Mohji stayed back with Richie, watching in awe and waiting until just the right moment. In the blink of an eye, he sent the white beast to latch onto Zoro’s arm. The swordsman cried out as sharp teeth dug into his flesh before losing their grip and tearing away a piece of his other sleeve. Zoro spun with the next swing of his opponent’s blade and caused the arrogant man to lose balance, thrusting the tip of his sword into his partner’s dog. Cabaji jumped back and sneered down at the injured animal before kicking it out of the way.
“Richie!” Mohji shrieked and came running.
Fed up with being hindered by the extra material, Zoro plunged his swords into the leg of a fallen man, ignoring the scream of pain that erupted from the already bleeding body. Using the man’s thigh as a resting place for his blades, Zoro ripped away the shredded hoodie and shirt showing off his bloody and muscularly defined body to the men. He untied the bandanna from his arm and wrapped it over his green hair, low on his forehead. When he finished tying the knot at the back, he raised his head to narrow his demonic eyes at the two men. Waves of dark energy flowed off him as he firmly placed the revered white sword between his teeth, then removed the empty sheaths from his hip and set them to the side. Slowly, he withdrew his other blades from their post with a nauseating slurping/sucking sound, making several of the men’s faces turn green. It was then that buggy pulled out a radio and called for help.
“NOW! Get your asses in here now!” Buggy continued to screech into the mic when nothing happened.
[i] HALO - High Altitude Low Open: Jumping from an aircraft at a high altitude but not releasing the parachute until low altitude, making the time to slow your descention rate much shorter. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_jump
[ii] Taken from Wikipedia: Buggy the Clown (道化のバギー Dōke no Bagī) In this Doke is Buggy’s last name.
[iii] The Demolition charge M183 is used primarily in breaching obstacles or demolition of large structures where large charges are required (Satchel Charge). The charge assembly M183 consists of 16 block demolition charges M112, four priming assemblies and carrying case M85. Each Priming assembly consists of a five-foot length of detonating cord assembled with two detonating cord clips and capped at each end with a booster. The components of the assembly are issued in the carrying case. The demolition charge M112 is a rectangular block of Composition C-4 approximately 2 inches (51 mm) by 1.5 inches (38 mm) and 11 inches (280 mm) long, weighing 1.25 lb (0.57 kg). When the charge is detonated, the explosive is converted into compressed gas. The gas exerts pressure in the form of a shock wave, which demolishes the target by cutting, breaching, or cratering. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-4_(explosive)
[iv] (Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon) The SMAW MK153 Mod 0 launcher, based on Israel Military Industries' B-300 weapon, consists of the launch tube, the spotting rifle, the firing mechanism, and mounting brackets. The launch tube is made of fiberglass-epoxy composite material with a gelcoat on the bore. The spotting rifle, a British design (derived from the LAW 80), is mounted on the right side of the launch tube. The firing mechanism mechanically fires the spotting rifle and uses a magneto to fire the rocket. The mounting brackets connect the components and provide the means for boresighting the weapon. The encased rockets are loaded at the rear of the launcher. The spotting cartridges are stored in a magazine in the cap of the encased rocket. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoulder-launched_Multipurpose_Assault_Weapon
on with the story.... ( DK Chapter 23 continues... )
TITLE: The Dark Knight of GLU
AUTHOR: TSHAPO_CHI with the support of devlinnreiko
CHARACTERS: Zoro/Sanji Smoker/Ace and several other OP characters :
GENRE: AU: Romance/Drama/ and a whole lot of pure CRACK
RATING: NC-17 for adult themes, Yaoi in later chapters
DISCLAIMER/S: I don’t own One Piece, Marvel comics DC comics or any of the respective characters, nor do i own the Mickey Mouse theme, Animaniacs or Johnny English.... (damn this list is getting long) Jerry Springer, Audi, C-4... let's just leave it at I own nothing in this fic with the exception of Yuu. I like him.
SUMMARY: When Zoro gets sent back to the States to finish college, a chance encounter with a gorgeous blonde in a dark alley changes his entire life. Either Fate and Karma have decided to have fun at Zoro's expense, or it's just pure bad luck
Chapter 23
Attack! Counterattack!
Guns were drawn and both gangs began firing up towards the rafters. Zoro and Frank split up and headed for the ladders on opposite sides, hoping to buy Ace as much time as he needed to secure the doors. Sadly, with gunshots, they knew that odds had just shifted in favor of the other side. There was no way the men outside wouldn’t hear that ruckus. Giving up on the stairs, Zoro jumped off the catwalk and landed on a crate of ammunition. The wood broke under him and sent the magazines skittering across the floor. Zoro grunted at the force of the poorly executed landing and rolled off to the floor, dodging behind another stack of goods when he was spotted. The men who had come after Zoro included those belonging to the sickly looking man with the tonfa. He had no desire to incur the wrath of another gang so he decided to avoid them as much as possible, only incapacitating them if necessary.
Knowing it was probably a bad plan, Frank copied his son’s idea and leaped over the side to land heavily on the floor. The fighter pilot was thankful that he had been keeping up with his SEAL friends and doing HALO [i] jumps once a month, otherwise that impact would have shattered his knees. As it was, he immediately went into a roll and sprang back up onto his feet, ready to go. He slipped between several boxes and prayed his son had made it through his descent all right.
From the other side, just beyond the circle of light, a low sinister laugh began. As it increased in volume, it began to play off the acoustics of the building, making it seem to come from everywhere at once. Cabaji kept his hand on his sword, but hurried over to greet the newest guest. A large figure ambled into the meeting area with several more men and a huge white dog. His hair was mostly hidden under a green bandanna with white dots but it appeared to be a strange blue. His eyes were circled by thick green eyeliner, two large dots to the sides of each eye. A matching shade of lipstick that extended way outside the lines of his lips and an oversized, sunburned-red nose completed the clown-like effect. He wore a red and white striped shirt with pale blue jeans, tucked into a silly pair of brown boots.
“Well isn’t this a flashy entrance? I have to admit you caught me off guard there for a minute, Roronoa. Sadly, you seem to have missed the fact that my men are surrounding this building at this very moment and you have no hope for a flashy escape.” The man began to laugh again and was soon joined by the others. “Besides, what do you have to return to? Cabaji here made sure that your dojo is ruined, your friends hate you for lying to them, and your lover...”
“Keep your hands off him, fucker.” Zoro growled out. He almost lost his handhold on the pallet he was trying to scale. If he could make it up there, he could jump down on top of the idiot and end this in one move.
“Oh, really? Tough words from a man hiding in the dark,” Buggy taunted. “What if you’re too late?”
“I warned your men last time, fuck with Sanji and I’ll kill you.” Zoro stood up and walked into the light, the rage at thinking something had happened to his precious person taking over his rational thought. Immediately a dozen guns were pointed at him, the red lights of laser sights dotting his chest.
“Sanji? You mean Sanji Black, the blonde reporter?” Gin took his eyes off the hooded figure for a moment to study the painted man. When Buggy turned his head and refused to answer, Gin looked back to the Knight. “What does he have to do with all of this?”
“Next to me, he’s this clown’s primary target. They’ve robbed, beaten, kidnapped, and even attempted to murder him.” Zoro’s thumb kicked his sword out an inch, readying it in case this nosey man made any sudden movements.
“And this concerns you why?” Gin didn’t like where this was leading. His gut told him that the relationship between Knight and reporter was intimate since Buggy had used the term lover, but his heart refused to accept.
Zoro tightened his grip on Yubashiri and narrowed his eyes. “He’s mine.”
“You mean he was yours. I heard you two had a bit of a disagreement.” Mohji jeered.
Before Zoro could answer, Frank appeared at his side. He mirrored his son’s wide stance and drawn weapon, making them appear as twin imposing figures in the dim light. Only one kama was held so that he could keep himself ready to pull Zoro back should the fool try to rush in without anymore thought.
“There’s two of them.”
“What the fuck?”
“Holy shit, we’re screwed.”
“Who the hell are they?”
These and similar thoughts were whispered amongst both sides, Gin’s handful of followers looking to their leader for guidance. Gin raised his hand for them to hold their ground for the moment, unsure himself exactly what was going on. One of the older men in the room paled considerably and kept repeating a single word: demon. The man’s body shook and he dropped his weapon in utter fear as the one in the mask caught Gin’s curious stare. Gin’s sunken eyes met with piercing black and he knew this man was deadly. Though he couldn’t see the face of the other, he had a feeling that he should expect nothing less of him as well. What had Buggy gotten him tangled in?
“YOU! How did you get in here?!” Buggy’s jaw had dropped open.
“The exact same way I did last time. I’m pretty sure that window was broken then too. Seriously though Dōke [ii], did you have to use the exact same warehouse?” Frank lectured the gaping man as he would a small child. “You realize that I’m here to stop you, right?”
All the men on the floor were shifting their feet nervously, darting their aim back and forth between the two men as their boss fumed and sputtered for a response.
“KILL HIM! Kill them both!” he screamed.
In almost synchronized movements, the heroes jumped over the edge of the stack of merchandise, aiming for the small clear circle where previously arguing men had just been. Everything happened in slow motion, from the first step to the actual descent. When they finally hit the floor, both men lessened the impact by dropping into a crouch making the visual effect perfect. Frank’s head was bent down, his left arm out to his side, slightly parallel to the ground holding a gleaming kama, and the other braced on the floor in front of him, aiding in balance. To his right, Zoro bowed over his left leg with the right knee on the ground, both hands on his swords, and his head held high as he glared at the enemy from under his hood.
It was just enough to gain them the seconds they needed to close in and begin knocking guns away. Cabaji and Mohji stepped back to flank Buggy and keep him guarded, the white canine standing by his master, growling for effect. Gin however thought that it was time to put an end to the charade. ‘He’s mine’ kept repeating in his mind, making it feel as if he had a knife thrust into his heart. He and Sanji broke up a long time ago, but that didn’t mean he didn’t still have feelings for the reporter/cook. Gin knew that it was his own actions that had caused the end of their relationship, and there was no hope of salvaging anything. Still, he tried to keep an eye out for the blonde whenever he could. Ever since he started working for Don Krieg, he had little time to do that. Now, Sanji’s life was in danger, from not only Buggy but possibly from this Knight character as well, and Gin was in the perfect position to do something about it. He snaked his way through the attacking men and charged Zoro head on, bringing his tonfa down in a deadly blow to the hooded man’s neck.
Zoro sliced the barrel off another gun and spun to face the next man. The broken weapon was now used as a club and aimed at his head while his back was turned. Zoro brought his arms up and used both swords to block the blow, then sent his elbow into the man’s gut. A quick glance at his father showed the older man to be holding his own just fine. A slight smile on Frank’s face made him look like he was seriously enjoying the battle. Zoro felt the shift in the atmosphere and reached out with his senses to find where the dark aura was coming from. He blocked another attacker from the right before bringing his second sword up to stop the metal rod coming at him from above.
The man named Gin, the one who had been asking about Sanji, was bearing down on him with full force and fury. The strengths behind the attacks and the vital spots at which they were aimed made the swordsman think that possibly this was a little more personal than he had first believed. Zoro ducked and parried, impressed with the skill of the basic weapon being used against his swords. The metal rods spun with ease in the sallow looking man’s grip and it took every bit of Zoro’s own strength to stop the vicious strikes. The man’s flexibility was almost as amazing as Sanji’s. Was this man’s anger because he knew the blonde and was enraged by the thought of him being hurt?
A swing made it past his defense and he was knocked into a pile of empty crates, the wood splintering beneath his weight. His sleeve caught on a jagged edge and Zoro had to yank hard to release himself, tearing the sleeve in the process. In quick movements, he placed the sword between his teeth and continued to fight as he awkwardly removed the dangling fabric from his arm. Zoro could feel the slight trickle of blood running down his back. He probably had ripped his jacket back there too. See, he should have just requested that Luffy let him have his old one instead. Fortunately, though, the pants did the trick. His ass and thighs remained unscathed thanks to the durability of the aged leather.
“I’ll take you apart piece by piece if I have to,” Gin threatened.
Zoro only growled in response and sent his blade flying up across the shocked man’s face to cut away the headband covering his forehead. The striped fabric fell away and deep scowl lines were revealed.
“What piece would you like first? Yubashiri or Sandai Kitetsu?”
Zoro grinned and began to see how much more damage he could dish out while trying to disarm his opponent. Two slices across the army green shirt was all he managed to inflict before his cocky attitude cost him and a tonfa met with his chest, sending him sailing across the room again. This time Gin caught up to him and grabbed him by his hood before he could recover, ripping the fabric around the collar and revealing his face to the room.
“What the fuck?” Gin’s eyes went wide pulled the hood back further, choking Zoro with the neckline.
Zoro brought his swords up behind him and sliced through the black cotton, releasing himself and causing Gin to stumble back a step. He got to his feet and faced Gin once more. Now that his hood was gone, his fierce features stood out clearly in the semi-lit room. Most of the men fighting against Frank had been taken out, but of the few that remained, half stopped to gawk at the green hair that had just been exposed.
“What is the reason for asking about the shitty-cook? What concern is he of yours?” Zoro brought up his swords and charged, abandoning all defense, needing to take this crook down as soon as possible so he could deal with Buggy and the others.
“It’s personal. Just tell me the extent of your relationship with him.” Gin was obviously not going to give anything away without something in return. His tonfa worked with his body like extended appendages, resulting in almost flawless defense. Almost.
“Just like you said, it’s personal. Just know that even if he was yours once, he’s mine now so stay the fuck away from him. I won’t hesitate to kill you just like I plan to kill any of the other fuckers who lay a hand on him.” Zoro almost cheered in victory when his blade made contact with bare skin and sliced through Gin’s forearm. The metal rod clattered to the floor and Gin’s scream of pain caused a pause again in the fighting around Frank. Zoro kept his distance from the fallen man and eyed him carefully. “I will protect him.”
Gin searched Zoro’s face for any deception and found only strength and conviction. All he wanted was for Sanji to be happy and safe. If this man could do it, then he would gladly step aside. But should this Knight fail, he wouldn’t hesitate to extract his revenge. Gin held his wounded arm to his chest and let the second tonfa fall from his hand to the floor.
“See that you do. Make sure that you succeed where I have failed.” Gin dropped to his knees and let the tears fall down his face. “I can’t help but love him still, even after everything I put him through. He deserves better. Swear to me that you will love him as I have and you will love him with your very soul.”
“I swear.” The words were out of his mouth before he even realized he said them. Zoro shifted both swords to one hand and reached out to help the wounded man up.
“All of this sappiness is making me sick. Mohji, destroy the Knight.” Buggy’s voice was low and barely audible, but his assistant heard him just fine. Unfortunately for them, so did Frank.
DK*DK*DK*DK
Ace spun around at the sound of the guns and listened carefully, torn between doing his job and running to back up his new friend. There were several doors around the building and he had only secured a handful of them. Fortunately, he hadn’t seen anyone come in yet, but then again he was at the back of the building and they were closer to the front. Hearing the curses and shouts of frustration from the gangs, Ace knew that those two were doing just fine and continued on to the next door. On his way, he passed a partially open crate and paused to investigate. He needed to pick up a few things anyway, so what was the harm?
His eyes went wide at the sight of the Demolition charge 183 [iii]. This was some heavy shit to be left around in a warehouse unguarded. This could take out the entire building, but he’d sure as hell have to get everyone out first. It wouldn’t just collapse the building, but it would incinerate the entire thing. There were only ten block charges, and two priming assemblies. Most of the detonating cord was gone from this case as well. Ace slipped the incomplete Satchel Charge over his shoulder and picked up another to begin placing around the perimeter.
There on a table, lying in the open were several bundles of dynamite, which Ace quickly snatched up and slipped into the half-empty bag. The sounds of battle were escalating and Ace knew he needed to hurry. He began to place the blocks of explosives on support beams running through the middle of the warehouse. If he set it off here, it would help minimize the damage to surrounding buildings. OK, so who was he kidding? This was gonna blow the whole damn dock to oblivion. He didn’t even need the miniscule sticks of TNT, but he wanted them. Maybe he could find something else to play with while he was here.
Ace came across the broken crate that Zoro had fallen on earlier and tiptoed around the scattered magazines trying to not make a sound. The fighting had stopped and he couldn’t make out what was going on, but he knew he needed to hurry. He grabbed the barrel of the SMAW [iv] and hefted it over the other shoulder. Yes, he did need it, he just didn’t know why yet. Heavily laden, he crept around to get a better view of the action.
DK*DK*DK*DK
The older Roronoa had finally dispatched the last of the men actually fighting him. He vowed to Yuu that he would not kill unless it was the only option, so he attempted to knockout everyone instead. The men proved to be tougher than he had imagined and it took a bit longer than anticipated to accomplish the task. The ones remaining were distracted by the touching scene between the unknown negotiator and his son. Frank knew that he should be paying attention to what was being said, but he saw the opportunity to go after Buggy and took it.
When he heard Buggy’s order, he turned to see Zoro’s back facing the crime boss.
“ZORO!” he screamed. Frank lunged for Buggy, murder clear in his eyes. The showy swordsman stepped in, barely in time, and blocked Frank’s path locking their weapons.
Zoro turned to see the white haired man aiming a gun at him and his father sprinting across the room to intercept. His body was suddenly yanked to the side and Zoro looked up to see the saddened face of the man he had just been fighting. Zoro’s own father had carried the same empty look for the last eighteen years. The gun went off and blood splattered across his face as the bullet tore through Gin’s chest. Zoro caught him as he fell, awkwardly keeping both swords in one hand. Their eyes met and Zoro watched the life drain out of Gin. There were no sorrowful last minute words, no pleas for anyone to avenge him, just instant death due to an evil madman. Zoro’s hands shook as he laid Gin carefully on the ground. Hatred filled him as he glared at the crime boss, wishing he could take the man’s life a hundred times over.
“You fool! You killed the wrong one! You idiot! What will we tell Krieg now?” Buggy grabbed his head and began tugging on the dotted bandanna. “This is your fault, Dark Knight, or should I say Zoro Roronoa.”
Zoro locked eyes with his father, a silent message passing to tell him he was ok. “The fault is yours, Buggy the Clown. You should have left the blonde alone.”
“Oh, I don’t think that will be a problem anymore. I believe everyone will be leaving him in peace.” Buggy began laughing hysterically and tossed a small square object to Zoro. “As you can see, no one can bother him where he is now.”
Zoro caught the camera with one hand and eyed it questioningly. A quick look to his father showed that he had stepped back from the other swordsman and was ready to attack at any moment. Wearily, Zoro turned the camera on, ready to drop it and return a sword to each hand if necessary. He debated if he should just return them to his side or not. Knowing that the brief seconds it would take to retrieve them might make all the difference, he kept the two blades in one hand and selected the playback mode on the device.
The first image was of Sanji’s car followed by a picture of himself getting into Kureha’s Bronco. Next was a poor shot of the car again with someone in the driver’s seat. Zoro couldn’t be sure if it was Sanji or not, but it was close enough that he almost dropped the camera at the next shot. It was right at the peak of the explosion where the car was rotating in the air and a person was engulfed in flames inside, both car doors hanging in mid-air after being blown off. Not wanting to see any more, but unable to stop himself, Zoro pushed the button to look at the next picture. Johnny and Yosaku were running for the burning car, screaming and crying. The next was Usopp holding onto a distraught Luffy. Finally, there was a picture of the upside down car, a charred body hanging out of the driver’s side as firefighters fought to put out the flames.
“I hope you at least kissed him goodbye before you left.” Buggy drew a knife from the back of his belt and threw it at Frank’s distracted form.
In a blur of action, everyone acted at once. Ace grabbed Frank and spun him out of the way of the incoming projectile before jumping on the first available man that was still standing, his newly procured weapons apparently stashed somewhere for safe keeping. Zoro was torn between killing the white haired freak and Buggy, not knowing which of them was responsible for his lover’s death. When he was done with them, he still needed to teach the swordsman a lesson for the dojo and his treatment of Johnny. Frank helped him make his decision.
“Take the kids, boy. I’ve got the old man.” Frank used the momentum from Ace’s pull to rocket himself towards his old nemesis.
Buggy pulled out a strange brass knuckle contraption with four blades attached and slipped it over the fingers of his damaged hand. Though much of the muscle was damaged, the maniac still managed to use the weapon and blocked the first attack from the masked man. He was in much better shape now than he’d been before, and smirked arrogantly as he dodged the razor sharp blades efficiently. He aimed his fist at Frank’s face but managed to only graze his chin. With Frank’s sight directed up at the ceiling, Buggy brought the man to his knees by kicking him square between the legs. Buggy’s new weapon was stopped less than an inch from Frank’s cheek before the multiple blades were knocked away.
Zoro sneered at the two men, unable to decide which one to tear apart first. The camera shattered in his grip and he tossed aside the broken pieces so that he could return a sword to each hand. The dark haired one made the first move and Zoro remained still, letting the overly confident man close the distance. Any memory of what he had come here to accomplish was pushed out of his mind. Every bit of logic left him with each breath he took. All that was left was the image of a burning black car and a man he was willing to die for. The men before him were responsible and Zoro would make sure they paid.
Zoro poured every ounce of anger into his blades as Cabaji flew at him from every angle, alternating between striking with his blade and his feet. When a foot connected with his stomach, cushioned by the new haramaki, he didn’t even flinch. The air around him was filled with electricity, sparking every time their blades met. A thick sheen of sweat began to appear on Cabaji’s brow when a solid kick to Zoro’s jaw did little more than turn the man’s head to the side for a brief second.
Mohji stayed back with Richie, watching in awe and waiting until just the right moment. In the blink of an eye, he sent the white beast to latch onto Zoro’s arm. The swordsman cried out as sharp teeth dug into his flesh before losing their grip and tearing away a piece of his other sleeve. Zoro spun with the next swing of his opponent’s blade and caused the arrogant man to lose balance, thrusting the tip of his sword into his partner’s dog. Cabaji jumped back and sneered down at the injured animal before kicking it out of the way.
“Richie!” Mohji shrieked and came running.
Fed up with being hindered by the extra material, Zoro plunged his swords into the leg of a fallen man, ignoring the scream of pain that erupted from the already bleeding body. Using the man’s thigh as a resting place for his blades, Zoro ripped away the shredded hoodie and shirt showing off his bloody and muscularly defined body to the men. He untied the bandanna from his arm and wrapped it over his green hair, low on his forehead. When he finished tying the knot at the back, he raised his head to narrow his demonic eyes at the two men. Waves of dark energy flowed off him as he firmly placed the revered white sword between his teeth, then removed the empty sheaths from his hip and set them to the side. Slowly, he withdrew his other blades from their post with a nauseating slurping/sucking sound, making several of the men’s faces turn green. It was then that buggy pulled out a radio and called for help.
“NOW! Get your asses in here now!” Buggy continued to screech into the mic when nothing happened.
[i] HALO - High Altitude Low Open: Jumping from an aircraft at a high altitude but not releasing the parachute until low altitude, making the time to slow your descention rate much shorter. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_jump
[ii] Taken from Wikipedia: Buggy the Clown (道化のバギー Dōke no Bagī) In this Doke is Buggy’s last name.
[iii] The Demolition charge M183 is used primarily in breaching obstacles or demolition of large structures where large charges are required (Satchel Charge). The charge assembly M183 consists of 16 block demolition charges M112, four priming assemblies and carrying case M85. Each Priming assembly consists of a five-foot length of detonating cord assembled with two detonating cord clips and capped at each end with a booster. The components of the assembly are issued in the carrying case. The demolition charge M112 is a rectangular block of Composition C-4 approximately 2 inches (51 mm) by 1.5 inches (38 mm) and 11 inches (280 mm) long, weighing 1.25 lb (0.57 kg). When the charge is detonated, the explosive is converted into compressed gas. The gas exerts pressure in the form of a shock wave, which demolishes the target by cutting, breaching, or cratering. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-4_(explosive)
[iv] (Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon) The SMAW MK153 Mod 0 launcher, based on Israel Military Industries' B-300 weapon, consists of the launch tube, the spotting rifle, the firing mechanism, and mounting brackets. The launch tube is made of fiberglass-epoxy composite material with a gelcoat on the bore. The spotting rifle, a British design (derived from the LAW 80), is mounted on the right side of the launch tube. The firing mechanism mechanically fires the spotting rifle and uses a magneto to fire the rocket. The mounting brackets connect the components and provide the means for boresighting the weapon. The encased rockets are loaded at the rear of the launcher. The spotting cartridges are stored in a magazine in the cap of the encased rocket. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoulder-launched_Multipurpose_Assault_Weapon
on with the story.... ( DK Chapter 23 continues... )