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pirates-pirates-pirates · 3 years ago

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Chasing Legends

This is me and my wonderful partner @donivanessdoodles collab for the @opreversebang . We had a very clear idea what we wanted before we started and I was so happy and excited about this project and I am in love and adore with my soul what Doni drew for this and I was reminded why I love writing so much.

Thank you for doing the thing for me <3 Read it on AO3

Chasing Legends SFW Action/violence - mild description of injury PG 13 Mad Max inspired AU Word count: 5,086 implied/could be read as Marco x Ace

I suck at tittles btw

The sun beat down, punishing all living things below that dared to venture out into its intensity. The heat made the air hot, dry, heavy, oppressive. In this new world caused by the sins of the past, the pollution and selfishness of those who’d come before had caused the world to be a wasteland.

The ground was hot to the touch, sand and rocks that burned uncovered flesh. Even in the shade, the suffocating atmosphere gripped at a person. Dust and sand cling to everything, drawn to the perspiration on a person’s body.

Further pulling them into the world of rust and decay.

Being punished for the crimes of the past wasn’t anything that Ace was a stranger to feeling. Travelling through the middle grounds, a place between the fractions, no law’s dictated where and who he could or couldn’t be, not out here.

Sand and rocks didn’t care about the blood that ran through him, nor the name he’d been born from. The dust ate away at every man all the same.

He saw a palm tree in the distance, the green leaves are long gone, just faded brown, making a pitiful rustling sound in the slightest of breezes. Still, it didn’t matter to him if the tree was dead or alive, he just needed somewhere to sit for a moment, take a break.

The gravel crunched under his heavy boots as he made his way towards the palm. He sighed and allowed himself to slide down the tree, landing on his ass in the dirt. Unphased by the heat rising through the earth, his body temperature handled the heat.

Having an ability like his had been a Godsend in this nightmare world. Fire to keep himself warm at night, the power to keep himself cool in the day. He’d been owed some good karma considering the legacy he was dogged with.

Ace pulled out his flask, unscrewing the cap, taking a swig of water. Another blessing to his gift, whenever he found water, he was able to sterilise it, one of the few people he’d come across that hadn’t had their insides tainted by the poisoned water.

He adjusted his hat, enjoying the shade it provided his freckled face, keeping the sun out of his eyes. Leaning back against the palm he covered his face with his hat, arms behind his head as he got comfortable. The journey between territories had been longer than anticipated, a quick nap would fix him up.

That was until his shoulders tensed, the distinct feeling of eyes piercing into him caused him to stir. There was something in the air, a presence. Sighing to himself he stood, brushing the dust off himself.

“So much for a nice nap.” Ace grumbled to himself.

A sharp crack interrupted the sounds of the desert around him. Gunfire, not just any gunfire, he’d attracted the attention of a sniper somewhere in the area. The clever little fuck had managed to hide their presence until now. He clicked his tongue; he wasn’t in the mood for a fight but it seemed to be in the mood to have him.

He glanced at the smoking hole in the front of him, the bullet had whizzed right through his body, and he was curious if the sniper would try again.

“What the…” Marco squinted down the sights of his rifle, he’d shot the man through the chest, but he was still standing. He pulled away and rubbed his eyes, he didn’t think the sand had been kicked up enough by the breeze to affect his vision.

Reloading the rifle he adjusted his aim, the crosshairs fixed on the stupid hat he was wearing. He never missed a shot and this time he was taking it personally. The other hadn’t even moved out of the way, it was as if the stranger was staring right at him.

“I hope you have something on you worth my time yoi. Two bullets, damn.” He chuckled to himself as he pulled the trigger.

The shot fired, whizzing through the air, hitting Ace in the forehead, it should have killed him! He should have hit the floor! He then noticed the other man’s face in the scope, the incredibly smug smirk as he simply tipped his hat in greeting.

“Alright, my turn!” Ace laughed and turned his entire body to face what used to be a transmission tower.

He formed a decent sized ball of fire in the palm of his hand, lining up the fireball he couldn’t help the manic expression as he launched it in the direction the bullet had come from. He wouldn’t stand for being underestimated.

Marco stared at the fireball coming right towards him, he grumbled and let the gun fall around his neck. He changed into his harpy form, large blue talons to match the blue flaming wings. He jumped back from the tower, catching himself in the air with his powerful wings as the tower was hit with the blazing attack.

The creaking of rusted metal grinding against itself made Ace wince as he gritted his teeth, watching the metal crumple, he didn’t have time to feel smug though, seeing the beautiful bird in the sky. For a second, he didn’t even consider the abnormal creature could have been the enemy he was fighting with.

He just couldn’t move, the bird was the most gorgeous blue he’d ever seen in his life, the gold flames and tail that shimmered like something out of this world made Ace stare, mouth agape as the phoenix looped around in the sky.

Sharpened talons came hurtling down from the sky, speeding up at an alarming rate. Marco flexed his natural weapons and tucked his wings in to get a faster dive on his prey, what he hadn’t expected was his prey to turn into a wall of fire.

Too late to stop his charge now he simply accepted his fate, Wings closed around his body, waiting for the impact of the ground and the burning of flames. He hissed letting out an animalistic shriek as something made a sickening crunch upon landing.

Marco’s cooling flames at least stopped the red ones from burning him badly or for very long. His wings unfurled and he snapped his attention to the stranger in the stupid hat. He winced at the pain in his leg, looking down at the protruding bone splinter.

“We both know an injury like that is a death sentence out here. Just give up.” Ace said as his body formed from the flames Marco had crash-landed into.

The bird seemed to regard him for a moment before it transformed into a tall man with messy blond hair, a gas mask covering his face, sniper rifle strapped to him. Ace’s eyes flashed with realisation. A zoan, the sniper on the tower was a zoan.

“Normally you’d be right yoi,” The blond said with a chuckle, distorted from the mask on his face.

His hand flickered with blue flames, brilliant, beautiful, mesmerising flames that Ace tried to not let distract him. Ace prepared for an attack from the hand made of cyan fire, flinching before he noticed Marco was placing it over his leg. Ace’s eyes opened wide; his mouth hung open like an idiot as he watched the leg mend instantly in front of his very eyes.

“You can heal?”

Marco nodded as the flames dissipated and he stood to his full height, he had a good few inches on Ace much to Ace’s charging. Marco blinked half-lidded blue eyes at the younger man. Marco cocked his head to one side and examined Ace, he seemed to be disarmed, hands open and flat palmed at his sides, he wasn’t going to attack him again.

“Fire versus fire is a stalemate yoi. We’d both be wasting precious energy if was carried on with this” He sighed and folded his arms over his chest, a thin brow quirking as he waited for the stranger to concede along with him.

“You’re not part of a faction then?” Marco asked while he watched Ace as he casually flicked a spark into the pile of debris between them. A roaring fire crackled to life in no time, spurred on by the dry as bone offerings that had been scouted for and piled up in the centre. Rocks and stones slotted into place around the ring of fire, keeping the blaze contained.

“Nah, I got asked by the idiot in war paint to join his side once and I wasn’t buying what he was sellin’. I just want to be free, find my way ya know?” Ace shrugged and stared at the dancing flames.

The zoan nodded crossing his legs and got comfortable as he recalled the man Ace meant. He’d learned the factions were best to be avoided from his own misadventures with the wild animals that played pretend with the notion of ‘civil society.

“Eustass?”

“Yeah, him.” Ace confirmed and mimicked Marco’s posturing, sitting on his legs and looking up at the rusty sky, he’d heard there was stars years and years ago, glimmering jewels in an ocean of black. He couldn’t imagine anything but the deep orange that clouded up the world.

“I’ve heard he’s a real piece of work yoi. The other delusional idiot with the hook and sly grin was tailing me until a few weeks ago.” Marco ran a hand through his tuft of blond while picturing that wicked grinning face looming over him. Eustass was insane, like an animal that had spent too long in a cage waiting and bristling for a chance to exercise his brutality. Mr 0 however was just as cruel, maybe more so, his violence was hidden by a nice veneer of ‘for the people’; that had the masses seeking him out as a saviour, as a saint.

“How did people like that come into power?” Ace asked, bringing Marco out of his little trance, the man fixed his eyes on Marco, not sure he would get an answer.

“It’s simple, isn’t it? Sure, they aren’t the only ones with gifts but in a world that’s sand and metal is it any surprise they rose to the top yoi? They are almost unbeatable.” Marco leaned back on his palms, feeling the scratchy sand tickling at his skin.

“Almost?” “Yeah.”

“Do you mean the third faction? The one that’s a myth? The great and powerful Whitebeard? You know nobody has heard anything from him and his ‘pirates’ in years, right?” Ace couldn’t help the laugh he let out, shaking his head.

His father’s old rival, a relic from the past, someone who could remember when there was grass on the ground and birds in the sky. He glanced at Marco as he had that thought, maybe that wasn’t so wild.

Marco said nothing, he’d searched for that ‘legend’ for years. Chasing a dream, simply clawing at every hope he could. Ducking and dodging his way through the warring badlands, those in between the big cities and not one person was able to utter the whereabouts of the pirate captain.

“Why are they hunting you anyway?” Ace asked, picking up a twig, snapping the stick into smaller pieces, idly flicking them into the flames.

“Isn’t it obvious? I can heal I’m as rare as clean water yoi” He chuckled with an air of disdain; bitterness tinged his otherwise pleasant laugh. Pushing himself to sit Marco hunched over his lap, picking up a stone and flicking it into the fire, joining Ace in the display of disinterested boredom.

“Now Eustass knows that Mr 0 is after me he’s trying to beat him to the punch.” The sadness in Marco’s voice made Ace furrow his brows, his jaw set firm.

Marco caught the look and shrugged his shoulders, reaching out towards the fire. His own blue flames conjured up in his palm, mingling with the brighter ones, they looked as If they were dancing together in a rhythmic harmony instead of trying to overpower.

“You’re not the only one who longs to be free yoi.”

Ace was wanted for his power and the reputation he’d had thrust unwantedly on him by his father and Marco was hunted like a wild animal for his abilities. Maybe if there was something left akin to fate it had brought them together.

“This is why we should stick together,” Ace said with a tone of finality, not even offering it up as a suggestion to Marco.

“There’s no point in fighting one another. We both want freedom, to be rid of chains and shackles others want to slap on us. Plus, we would make a terrifying force! My flames of destruction, my determination and you with your healing and wings!” Ace flapped his arms in a gesture, playful grin in place.

“Wings?” Marco closed his palm abruptly snuffing out his flames.

“Come on..” Ace started with a slight whine to his voice that caused Marco to smirk inside his mask “Flying would cover so much distance!”

“No one ever sees birds; how subtle do you think a giant blue one would be in the sky yoi? We might both be formidable but those two have entire armies, they control the land both figuratively and literally, we’d be dead where we stand yoi” Marco saw how Ace deflated and scuffed some sand into the fire, pissy because he knew the sniper was right.

“Although,” Marco adjusted how he was sitting, his eyes focused on his companion’s face. The fire spun shadows across his features, he could see a fire in his eyes that burned brighter with ambition than any fire he’d seen.

“Would be nice not to be alone anymore yoi”

Ace nodded; he couldn’t help the growing grin on his face as the fire danced between them. He had a good feeling about this decision, about his newfound friend.

---

“Is this such a good idea birdbrain?” Ace was walking behind Marco, dragging his feet as he went.

“Marco.”

“What?”

Marco sighed, stopping in his tracks, and digging in his bag, pulling out paper that looked older than Ace. “My name is Marco, not ‘birdbrain’ yoi.” He explained and looked around for a flat surface, struggling to find one he turned to Ace, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and making him turn and bend at the middle, using the other back as a table.

“A map? How do you have a map?”

“I found it, been adding things as I travel, how do you find places yoi?”

“I just kinda… walk in a direction?”

Ace could FEEL Marco rolling those pretty blue eyes at him. He placed his hands on his knees, doing his best to act as a table for Marco as he studied the paper, tapping roughly on one spot and looking up, surveying the land.

“I need to get higher.”

“Ace by the way.” He mumbled, voice deadpan as he was allowed to stand to his full height, watching Marco stash away the map like it was a prized possession.

“Alright, Ace.” Marco began as he turned his arms into wings, letting the cool flames lower the temperature around them, his companion couldn’t help himself, wanting to lean in and feel the flicker of the blissful reprieve from the heat inside and outside of himself. He imagined this was what splashing his face with fresh water might feel like.

He resisted the urge to get closer when Marco turned around and shot him a confused look.

“I won’t be long yoi.” With that Marco took off into the sky, trying to find a high vantage point to examine his map, compare it to the land. Ace rolled his eyes again and kicked pebbles along the dusty path, watching them skitter.

Marco found a tall telephone pole and used his sharp dexterous talons to keep himself attached to the narrow perch. Squatted in place and retrieved the map from his bag, holding it up and staring across the wasteland.

The phoenix brought out his rifle, holding the scope up to one eye, closing the other to focus around the area. Marco’s claws dug into the wood, splinting it in frustration, something that was defiantly not on the map was the dust being kicked up over the desert. The large rumbling cloud of orange in the horizon, rushing over the sand as if the dunes were little than a mere inconvenience.

“Ace!” He called.

“Yeah?” Ace walked slowly towards the vantage point, tipping his hat to keep the sun off his face, trying to focus on the zoan.

“You know when you refused Eustass? Were you ah, polite about it yoi?”

“Why would I have bee- oh shit, oh fuck.” Ace could feel the low rumble in the ground, approaching vehicles coming from the direction Marco was facing.

The ground vibrated under his feet, and he winced, maybe he could have been nicer about telling Kid ‘no’. An afterthought he guessed, he watched Marco’s wings appear in a flash, taking flight and coming right for Ace.

“We have to go!”

“You aren’t dragging me like some sort of roadkill, Birdbrain!” Ace protested when Marco snapped open his talons and hovered in place.

“You brought this down on me, on us, and there is no way we can beat that many of his men alone yoi.” Marco’s usually laid-back voice was laced with panic.

Which caused the hairs on the back of Ace’s neck to stand to attention, his mouth never felt so dry. He didn’t expect Kid to be this petty and come after him with such aggression. “Is it too late to say I come with baggage?”

Marco’s narrowed brows and ‘tsk’ was answer enough. “I assumed that a pretty face would come with a price yoi.”

“Aww you thi- HEY!”

Marco could hear the rumbling of heavy machines getting closer to their location and he wasn’t in the mood to die because Ace wanted to linger on the fact he’d called him pretty. The zoan now in full avian form approached Ace and carefully grabbed him under his armpits, lifting the struggling man off the ground.

Marco said nothing, irritation furrowed his brows as he flapped his wings, harder than before, the extra wright of Ace throwing him off. They beat desperately, the rumbling getting closer and closer, the building anxiety in his chest was palpable.

He may have gripped Ace a little tighter than needed. The other hit one of his toes with a balled-up fist and a mouthful of complaints. Marco couldn’t hear the words, his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

Marco’s impressive wingspan kicked up a dust storm around them, their own personal cyclone. Ace lifted the bandanna up from around his neck, coughing up as the dust invaded his breathing space, choking him with the gritty dryness of the dead earth. Marco would say sorry once they were somewhere safe.

A loud screech of tires descended on them as they got some distance from the ground, a shout of aggression split the air. The zoan glanced over his shoulder just in time to see something glimmering in the light. The whizzing sound as metal cable attached to a harpoon tip flew at them, Marco tilted to the side just in time to evade being pierced.

“Why didn’t you just become fire! You’re shaking me around and I am this close to throwing up, Birdbrain!” Ace huffed, his hands holding onto the rough scaly skin of talons, panic causing him to need something, anything as a comfort.

“Sea stone tipped!” Marco quipped and tried to ignore the burning ache where his wings met his body.

He wasn’t used to carrying someone. The thought of dropping Ace and using him as a distraction for his own safe getaway flickered through his mind for just a moment. Fleeting as it was it had disgusted Marco. Where had his humanity skittered off to?

Ace was still near enough a stranger to him; one he’d only just met. The dependency already blooming in his chest, the desire to not face the world alone anymore was enough to keep Marco’s mind grounded and his talons firmly gripping the wriggling form of Ace.

“Their loading it up again!” Ace shouted, peering down at the mass of vehicles only just behind them.

“Fucking, fucks!” Marco shouted when the same gut-wrenching, anxiety building whizz sound filled their ears once more.

He dipped to the other side this time, feeling the razor sharp tip graze his wing. Kid was getting too close; Marco didn’t appreciate having shots taken when he was at a disadvantage.

Ace watched as the main truck was directly underneath them, a new harpoon loaded, it was aimed right at them. They were shooting to kill! No, they were shooting to kill him they knew Marco would heal and he was the real prize here. As much as that hurt the man’s ego he didn’t plan on anything happening to himself or his new friend.

Kid grinned, a maddening look on his face. Red lips twisted into a sinister snarl, the pleasure of the hunt running through his body. He felt alive, full of electricity and his veins pulsing with adrenaline. The red paint on his face looked like blood-smeared, only making his crazed expression even more terrifying.

Ace clicked his tongue when the clicking of gears signalled the count down.

“Should have fuckin’ agreed to my kind offer Portgas!” Kid yelled loud enough to be heard over the rumbling engine, the clanking of chains and cheers of his men as they got closer to taking them down.

“Eat shit.” Ace replied, his smirk growing as he place his two index fingers together to form a cross.

Kid blinked, narrowing his eyes when Ace’s fingers started to glow bright orange. Ace didn’t have time to warn Marco as he fired off his blast. Brilliant intense heat, fire and fury pulsed out his simple hand gesture.

Marco winced when he felt the sudden heat on his underside, wafting up and mingling with the cold air his wings provided. He didn’t have time to blink when he saw the tower of fire coming from Ace’s hands. Heat and flames spiralled down and hit the truck head-on.

The explosion rang out loudly, deafening the two airborne devil fruit users. The truck caught fire, sparks, and metal debris flew in all directions. Marco was thankful the redhead hadn’t the forethought to cover his vehicle’s armour in sea stone, each sharp splinter of shrapnel shot through his body.

Marco didn’t have time to gloat in his enemy’s defeat, other trucks were gaining on them, the same malicious intent clear as gunfire crackled and popped. Machine guns with full belts aimed at them again.

“Ace! Do that again, this time at the GROUND!” Marco yelled at his dangling companion.

“The ground?” Ace looked straight up; confusion wrinkled his nose.

“Just trust me yoi!”

Ace had no reason to doubt Marco, the phoenix hadn’t dropped him to his immediate death after all. Crossing his fingers once more he aimed at the ground this time, the same intense blast hitting the ground, the dust it created lost in the chaos of the armoured convoy’s man-made sandstorm.

The blast did exactly what Marco had hoped for. It propelled him higher into the air, he held those brilliantly gleaming blue wings out at an angle, letting the rising heat and velocity of Ace’s attack further their ascent into the sky.

Higher and higher he took them. Using the extra momentum to rest his weary wings for a moment. Rising into the air, the problems chasing them along on the ground seemed a distant memory. Marco flapped his wings with renewed vigour.

Above the layer of dust, orange, and decay they rose. The sky above was clearer than anything he had ever seen. The sun! Oh, the sun was bright yellow, who’d have thought? Marco let out a laugh as he managed to control himself in the air once again.

Marco took in a deep breath, the clean air above the pollution ceiling filled his lungs and resonated within himself. His ancient zoan thrilled with the wounder and memory of this world. When the sky was clear, the air was clean, and water flowed freely on this once green earth.

The phoenix life force sang inside Marco. Fresh air ran across his feathers, his flames dancing in the wind as he glided across the sea of pastel blue. He could feel tears pricking his eyes, so many emotions both his and the spirit that dwelled within.

“Ace, take a good long breath, can you feel this yoi?”

Ace was too dazzled to say anything. He laughed and felt himself shedding his own tears of happiness. The bliss he felt in this moment, these joyous seconds he’d never have hoped in his lifetime to feel. Clean air washed over his face, he closed his eyes, feeling baptised by the rays of sunlight on his freckled face.

He did as Marco suggested, taking a deep breath, filling his lungs. He didn’t want to exhale. If he died at this moment, he wouldn’t even care. He let out the breath, shuddering, emotional. Ace reached up and dried his eyes, still laughing, the feeling of joy overwhelming.

“I wish we could stay up here forever, Marco!”

Marco nodded, a happy trill coming from him. They glided across the sky, Marco purposely flying through the clouds. Water droplets from the vapour causing his blue flames to jump and spark harmlessly. Both men enjoyed the feeling of the rain particles splashing across their faces.

It was at this moment they felt reborn.

He couldn’t tell how long they’d been flying, hoping once they’d vanished from sight their pursuers would have given up. Even if Kid was a cantankerous piece of shit, if he was alive, even he wouldn’t chase a hunch above the clouds.

They started to descend, Marco letting out a pained squawk. He’d grievously miscalculated how long he could go without landing. The bewitching freedom of the world above had entrapped him. He adjusted himself as Ace’s feet dipped into the dirty air once more.

“You doing okay?”

“Great, thank you for asking but we might have to prepare for a bumpy landing yoi.” Marco warned his passenger as his body sagged lower in the sky.

His wings fanned out attempting to grip at whatever depleting air current there was, trying to sink from the sky with any form of grace. Lower and lower before he felt his shoulders twinge in pain. He could heal, sure. There was no stopping the pain in his joints. Wings snapping to his side involuntarily. The fatigue was too great, he cursed himself.

“Nice knowing you!” Ace nervously laughed as he saluted the bird.

Marco rolled his eyes as they fell from the sky, like brilliant shooting stars, dazzling and tumbling through the sky in a blaze of glory set to burn out into nothing. Marco’s energy running dangerously low, he’d slipped back into human form now.

Ace reached out as they free-fell through the air. He brushed his fingertips against the zoan’s. Marco understood what Ace was asking for, to not die alone, to have some sort of connection. The sadness settled in the pit of Marco’s stomach as he gripped Ace’s hand tightly in his own.

There were worse ways to die, worst places to end up. At least they’d die free as they’d always dreamed and not locked down at some assholes beck and call.

The darkness gobbled them up.

‘Strange, my eyes aren’t closed… and I can still think…. Am I dead?’ Marco thought to himself as he blinked.

Darkness like he’d never seen, pitch black and unmoving. He couldn’t see anything. He focused on the warm hand in his grasp, clutching harder to it, to Ace. The dark was causing Ace’s anxiety to spike until he felt the hand squeeze.

Marco was right here with him still. That settled Ace, if just a little.

Just as abruptly as the unrelenting, inhuman darkness swallowed them it just as swiftly spat them out. The light was shocking, blinding in comparison. Marco landed painfully on the dark orange earth he’d walked along for so many years.

Ace landed sprawled across his lap, hitting Marco between the legs with a misplaced elbow. Marco hissed like a vexed goose and pushed Ace from his body and shot him a look. The flame user groaned and rolled off his lap. Getting on all fours he stared at the looming shadow that blocked the stained sun from beating down on him.

“Good work Thatch! Gurhaha!” The booming laugh made Marco flinch.

“I thought they were about to meet our maker!” The man ‘Thatch’ said with a jovial laugh, as if he hadn’t mentioned their almost very real untimely death.

“Yeah, I kinda thought we had died when it all faded to black.” Ace sighed as he sat back, brushing his dusty palms down the front of his clothes, staring at the large man with the big white moustache.

How various other men stood around the giant. Ace elbowed Marco in the side, tugging at him and nodding to their saviours. “Whitebeard.” The skull and crossbones insignia each of the men gathered wore was unmistakable as well as the legend standing tall and in the flesh.

“Whitebeard?” Marco repeated and jolted up, scrabbling to get to his feet and stare in awe at the man who until moments ago was just a mere legend, a dream he’d been so intent on spending his days chasing.

“Just call me ‘Pops’” The man smiled brighter than the sun they’d seen moments ago, the clear and brilliant version.

Whitebeard’s eyes crinkled in fondness, watching as Thatch helped Ace to his feet, slapping him on the back with a chuckle. Another man walked to Marco, his long black hair done up beautifully, red-stained lips quirked into a smile as he handed the phoenix a flask of water.

“You’re safe now boys, you’re home.”

Marco felt himself smile, the first real smile in longer than he could remember. Hope he thought he’d lost slowly returning, filling his heart to bursting. He blinked when he felt Ace’s searching hand, trembling fingers desperate for comfort. Marco reached out once more, taking Ace’s hand in his own. Intertwining fingers as their new family swarmed around them, chattering and introducing themselves.

They were truly home.

#onepiecereversebang #marco the phoenix #portgas d ace #implied marco x ace #alternate universe #mad max au #one piece #fire fist ace #fushichou marco

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pirates-pirates-pirates · 3 years ago

Text

Lost

Art by @marsuro This was for our project for @opreversebang

Zoro and Usopp G - No shipping Mild horror themes Word Count: 4,139

Being separated from the rest of the crew was anxiety-inducing, he couldn’t stop the panic crawling through every inch of his body, gripping his heart tightly. He felt his breath come out uneasy as he stepped over another puddle, so many littered the ground inside the cave.

They’d been chased by a large creature, he was sure it was a dinosaur, he’d freaked out and grabbed the nearest person which happened to be a less than impressed swordsman. Zoro grumbled as he glanced over his shoulder, watching Usopp stare back at the way they had just been trudging from.

The exit to the cave had crumbled trapping them inside, the thought of being trapped made a fresh wave of panic whirl inside Usopp’s gut, twisting and poking at the already nauseous feeling. Zoro paused and stared into the darkness, blinking his eyes, trying to get them adjusted to the darkness that had swallowed them.

Usopp screeched when he ran into the back of Zoro, gripping his arms, pushing his face against Zoro’s back, burying his face, and closing his eyes despite how pointless a gesture that was in the darkness of the cave.

Zoro sighed and ran a hand through his hair, this was going to take forever if every few steps the sniper had a panic attack. He didn’t shrug the other off, he could feel his entire body shaking, trembling as fingers dug into his arms tighter.

“I can’t believe we got into this mess.” Usopp whimpered, his legs shaking from his fear as well as the cold that rattled through his lean frame.

The wet mossy stones caught every drip, drip, drip of water that slid down the pointed rocks that formed from the ceiling. He took a breath, shaky like the rest of his body. Zoro reached over his shoulder, a large hand feeling for the fingers of his crew member.

“It’s your fault.”

“Listen, I don’t need reminding okay, I was panicked alright?” Usopp yelled and withdrew his hand from Zoro’s. To think the swordsman was trying to be comforting, Usopp inwardly scoffed at his situation.

Zoro grunted and pulled away from Usopp. He started walking through the wet patch of the cave splashing as he did so, water bouncing off his boots as he walked. It got much deeper than previously anticipated. Zoro was trying his best to keep calm himself as the water started to rise against his body. Usopp watched the water part for Zoro, still glaring at the glassy dark surface.

The darkness, the shifting surface of the water, his active imagination started to twist and turn what his eyes were feeding his brain. There was something deep and sinister about the water, something that felt if he were to step into the pool, he would be swallowed up to never be seen again. Each ripple seemed like a tantalising invention to his death.

He was torn between the fear that the dark water caused him to feel and the panic in his heart as he couldn’t even make out the outline of Zoro’s white shirt any longer. He tried to tear his line of sight away from the water, he couldn’t bear the eyes he envisioned staring back at him.

“Z-ZORO?” He called loudly, despite the volume there was no confidence, only the mounting panic.

“ZORO?” Usopp yelled again, the echo mocking him. He rushed to the side of the puddle, feeling the cold slippery rocks with his hands, running his palms over the slick moss, grimacing at the feeling as he used their shapes to help him find the easy way through the water where it was shallow and didn’t rise as high as it had appeared on his companion.

“Please answer me!” He begged, pleaded as he was desperate to step out of the ice-cold water, had it swallowed the swordsman? His breathing quickened; he could tell he was on the verge of a panic attack.

His fingers skimmed the rocks, he was forcing his feet to carry on moving, telling himself, promising himself that the other side was just a footstep away. His fingertips brushed against something warm, something that moved, he screamed, his mind telling him everything that it was and wasn’t, a scatter of worse case scenarios flittered through his head.

“Calm down, it’s me.” Zoro hissed and grabbed the other pirate’s wrist and heaved him out of the water.

“In my defence, I know a lot of people who wouldn’t find that very reassuring.” Usopp sighed, trying to use humour to calm the paranoia. He felt like the water was following him, what a ridiculous notion he scolded himself although that didn’t stop the overwhelming desire to jump away from the edge of the pool.

“Can you do anything to get rid of the dark?” Usopp asked as he rubbed his hands up and down his arms, an attempt to keep himself sane, bring warmth to his limbs.

“Like what?” Zoro asked with a snort and carried on, the footsteps of his boots rang out in the cave, something to break up the monotonous dripping.

“You have booze on you, don’t you?” Usopp asked seeing Zoro stop in his tracks. “I have a spare bandanna, if we soak it in booze, find something to hold it up.. we have a makeshift torch!” He grinned in the darkness, pleased with his idea.

“I’m not wasting good booze.” Came the swordsman’s short and sharp reply.

“Zoro! We won’t ever get out if we can’t see.” Usopp protested and once again latched onto his arm, shaking him, the whine in his voice making Zoro furrow his brows.

Usopp did have a point, however. “Fine, help me find something then.” Another grunt, a reluctant admittance of defeat.

Usopp clapped his hands together, he was sure he would feel better with a spark of light in all this smothering darkness. He needed something to cling to, something to put his hopes on. Light meant there wasn’t just darkness, they could see where they were going, could find a way out of this eternal night.

Maybe the light would wash away the feeling of someone always three steps behind him. Would rid the oppressing density of the unknowing that gripped Usopp’s shoulders like an enemy pretending to be a friend. The tickle on the back of his neck tricked his mind into thinking someone was breathing down his neck.

Oh, how he longed for the light.

The two split up, not far from one another, feet skimming the rocks, kicking them along the floor. There was a hollow clunk as Zoro kicked something, he reached down, grasping at the air a few times before his fingers found purchase on the item in question.

“Got something.” He declared and held it out for Usopp.

“Ah! Good! Pass me the rum!”

Usopp wrapped the bandanna around the top of it the stick, making sure to cover its bulbous ends, he sighed it wasn’t enough, he placed his hand on his hip, tapping his boot, focusing on the dripping in the background, the gears in his head turning before he realised, he had what they needed.

Untying the sash around his waist, adding it around the long stick he had been given.

“Zoro, rum, please!” Usopp heard the cap unscrew, saw the faint flicker of light from the silver flask and heard a gulp “ZORO!”

“Fuck, alright, alright.” He handed him the flask, Usopp grasped it, feeling the cold metal in his palm.

He doused the fabric in rum, hearing the world’s smallest and saddest sigh from his companion at the loss of his drink. He dug around in his bag, feeling his slingshot, some pellets and finally a small box of matches, glad he’d not taken them out last time he cleaned the chaos that was his bag.

“Hold this.” Usopp thrust the makeshift torch into Zoro’s hand, ignoring the grunt of indignation as he focused his efforts on the little matchbox, pulling one out, flicking it across the side panel.

His heart leapt at the sound of fire being made, his eyes widened at the smallest flame, with it carried all his hope. He was gentle, cradling the flame as if his life depended on it, making sure it ignited the torch, there was a roar as the fabric was caught ablaze, fire wrapped around the fabric, and it looked like a large match in its own right.

Both pirates were illuminated by its forgiving flame, Zoro smirked in triumph as Usopp’s grin grew, relief flooded his veins as he grabbed for the torch, he wanted to be the one connected to the lifeline, sadly Zoro snatched it back and held it higher.

“You’ll drop it.”

“I will not!”

“One thing will make you shit yourself and you’ll drop it on the wet floor.” Zoro reasoned as he started to walk ahead.

Usopp hated to admit it, but he was more than likely right, he narrowed his eyes at Zoro, nonetheless not wanting to lose face, he followed Zoro. The fire chased the darkness away with every footstep forward, the sides of the cave shimmered, damp moss that lined the rocks, the walls, the ceilings. Drops of water clung onto green looking like thousands of jewels in this light.

The sniper had hoped the fire would be his saviour, something to set his mind at ease, it did, for the most part. The flames that swayed in the chilly breeze that inhabited the cave cast so many shadows across the surface, making Usopp catch things in the corner of his eye.

Lurching shadows, grasping, grabbing hands made of darkness, always in his perifocal view, too scared to turn his head to prove himself wrong just in case the mischievous shapes weren’t just the things of nightmares but tangible, dangerous and very, very real.

“Alright,” Usopp sniffed as he kept in step with Zoro “But, my sense of direction is better.” he corrected his nakama, who narrowed his eyes, brows furrowing.

“It’s a straight fuckin’ line, how am I going to mess that up?” Zoro demanded but saw the one quirked brow of the sniper, his jaw in a firm line as he gripped the torch harder.

“Just follow the direction of the flame and you can’t mess it up.” He pointed to the flame “The breeze must be coming from the way out, so as long as we follow the flame, we should find our way out.” he explained to Zoro who stared between him and the fire, shrugging, that made sense.

As they started to walk Usopp got that same feeling, that awful heavy feeling that draped itself over his shoulders and across his heart. He didn’t look back, he refused to look back, he didn’t need to see what was creeping upon them.

The putrid feeling of the unknown wanting to squeeze Usopp tightly and never let him go. Gnarled vines of uncertainty twisted around his heart, wanting to plunge him into a panic attack.

Zoro would have noticed something by now, would have slain it with his swords, Usopp had to keep telling himself his crewmate was more observant than he was giving him credit for. The feeling of eyes on his back, the faint sounds of slap, slap, slap were a cruel illusion of a boy with a fanciful imagination.

He tried to rationalise it all, he wished his mind would tell his knees everything was alright, feeling them knocking together as he carried on being only one step behind Zoro. He wished the feeling of dread would lift. He kept his eyes on the flame, only the flame, watching the direction of the guiding light, paying attention to its delicate dance to ensure they were still on the right path.

The cave opened into an even bigger cave, a path to the left and one to the right, Usopp could have slapped himself in the face in a comical way, how typical at least Zoro had the sense not to suggest ‘splitting up’ he watched Zoro stare at the ceiling, not paying any attention to the pathways that were presented before them.

Usopp glanced up, he saw nothing other than a ceiling of pointed, sharp, glittering crystals. They shimmered in the light, Usopp found himself gawking at them, how brilliant they looked. He might have found them beautiful if their sharp tips didn’t spell an unfortunate end if they were to come loose.

There was a snapping sound, like walking across ice. Zoro’s expression changed, he shoved the torch into Usopp’s hand and unsheathed his sword, one of the large formations started to fall from above, he leapt onto the wall, bouncing from one slippery surface to another, slashing the crystal. It shattered and Usopp cowered, covering his face as the millions of tiny shards rained down on him, some cutting into his skin, feeling like thousands of paper cuts.

He winced and felt Zoro land next to him, he peered through his now cut and bloody arms, one eye open and watched as Zoro stared above them, seeing his eyes dart around, he could see something that Usopp couldn’t, was it more unsettled spikes? Usopp squawked when Zoro yanked him forward.

The spikes rained down from above, herding them towards one side of the cave, Zoro quickly jumped to the opposite side pulling the sniper with him just in time. Usopp’s breathing was ragged, he was relieved when Zoro took the flame back from him.

He put his palms on his thighs and stared at the floor, his sweat rolling off his brow and hitting the already damp floor. Zoro said nothing, simply sheathing his sword once more, glaring over his shoulder at the now blocked path.

“What was that?” Usopp managed between his breaths.

“Cave collapse.” was Zoro’s simple reply as he jerked his head in the direction of the tunnel.

Usopp sighed, and now he had a moment to breathe and became lucid once more, not overtaken by the sudden adrenaline of the situation of impending doom all he could focus on was the millions of tiny cuts across his skin. They ached in the cold passageway. He spared a glance at the torch; the flame was still showing the way.

Well, that was something.

The two straw hat pirates walked in silence, only the sounds of their boots and the dripping could be heard, each sound however echoed down the tunnel, making everything seem almost deepening. Zoro stopped when he was confronted with another deep pool of water, he outstretched his arm and stopped Usopp from stepping forward. He sniffed, nose wrinkling as he examined the area.

“What? We can just go through it, look.” Usopp pointed at the steppingstones, only slightly rounded with moss on the top. They seemed big enough to support them if they skipped across one at a time.

Zoro ignored him, moving to the side, and lighting up the way, a row of jagged rocks that jutted from the wall, looking sharp, slanted, dangerous. He nodded for Usopp to follow him across the row of what looked like the cave’s teeth.

Usopp looked at the steppingstones, clearly the preferred option, he was about to protest, fight the other pirate on his choice. Zoro may have been the second in command but in this situation, he was being foolish. Zoro grabbed the strap of his overalls and tugged him towards the wall.

“We have no idea how deep that water is, if either of us slipped off those rocks we might suffer from hydrocution,” Zoro stated like it was obvious.

He didn’t enjoy the open-mouthed stare he was getting from Usopp, he rolled his eyes and pulled Usopp closer, he offered Usopp his hand, trying to get him to step up, walk along the jagged rocks to cross the water “It means, if your body hits water that’s colder then you are used to, you go into shock, it could drown you.”

“O..oh”

Zoro shook his head, at least glad that Usopp was listening to him now, stepping onto the rocks, Zoro tried to reach forward to light up Usopp’s path, making sure the sniper was keeping his balance, a surprisingly gentle yet firm hand on Usopp’s waist, always making sure he didn’t lose his balance as they crossed.

Usopp hopped over the other side and felt accomplished, he winked at Zoro and gave him a thumbs up in triumph, Zoro offered him a small smirk in return, looking back at the water, Usopp stared over the dark surface and noticed something with a sigh “They didn’t even go across the entire way huh” how had Zoro not missed that, but he had?

He was learning more and more to trust the swordsman’s survival instincts as their journey progressed. Zoro simply shrugged his shoulders, pushing on ahead once more. The flame was wobbling more, it could sense the fresh air, the way out and Usopp felt giddy.

They were getting closer and closer to the exit; they’d be free in no time. It put a spring in his step, the fear was taking a back seat, the success that had been granted to them each time Zoro saved them had managed to ease the tensions in his heart, push the fears to the back of his head.

Reliance on Zoro was keeping him sane, sometimes the other pirate’s expression changed, unreadable, brows furrowed as he paused ever so slightly with each new stretch of tunnel. He always turned his head slightly, as if listening.

All that ever greeted him was drip, drip, drip, sometimes the occasional creak of crystals falling somewhere in the tunnels that ran alongside their chosen trail. Usopp sighed when Zoro simply picked up his feet once more, lighting the tunnel piece by piece.

The mossy stones with the water droplet gems still popped up now and then, often in puddles of water, always avoided by the swordsman. Usopp’s panic and worry was replaced with the mild annoyance of each time he had to clamber and climb over less than pleasant surfaces.

Usopp could feel each cut throb in pain when he moved his arms to scale the walls, climb up dips, helped the entire time by Zoro. His frayed nerves of the unknown had been replaced with indifference, desperation to get out and be free of the physical exhaustion he was facing.

Zoro took it all in his stride, it was simply another workout to him. He wished he had been with someone like Luffy or Sanji, other capable people that could at least hold a conversation. Zoro would always spin around and place his pointer finger over his lips, hissing out a shhh, eyes narrowed in warning.

And each time Usopp would raise his hands in defence, making a gesture across his lips to signify he was going to shut up. Even if that didn’t last for long and the mossy haired pirate had to give him the same look.

The flame started to wave and sway faster, both pirates stared at the portable fire, it couldn’t be far, right? Usopp wanted to run ahead but Zoro once again reached out and grabbed him. The cave started to taper off, the roof getting lower as they went. Usopp felt the dread reach down his throat and squeeze his heart once more, gripping tightly as panic surged through him.

He felt sick as the flame started to dwindle, it was only a matter of time before the makeshift torch would come to its bitter end. Usopp whispered no no no no no over and over as he brought his hands to his mouth, eyes wide in fear as the flame started to die.

It had given its all and now in its final moments Usopp had never felt so scared, Zoro and Usopp exchanged glances in the dying orange of their fading lifeline. Usopp took a breath, holding it as the light vanished.

“Usopp, I need you to light a bunch of matches” Zoro’s’ voice did little to make Usopp feel better, not when he had to readjust to the dark once more, the blackest black swallowing him up, making all his other senses double, he could pick up sounds he’d missed when given the blessing of sight.

“What? Why? We don’t have anything left!”

“I had an extra flask on me.” Usopp rolled his eyes at Zoro’s comment, annoyed his reaction wouldn’t be seen in the darkness.

“Okay….”

“As soon as you light them, I need you to toss them on where I spread the rum, alright?” “Yeah…”

He wasn’t sure where Zoro was going with this, he did as he was told regardless, Usopp fumbled in his bag, finding the box, his shaky hands almost dropping the previous tiny sticks of wood and firelighter. He scraped them across the side desperately, panicked, he prayed to the Gods at least one caught in his feverish desperation and would ignite the rest of them.

The God of the sea must have been listening to the long-nosed pirate who hailed from a little nowhere island. Blessed with something that would go right for him, he thanked every deity that could be listening as they all sparked and lit. His eyes flicked up and watched as Zoro threw the booze on a big mossy rock, confused and pausing almost too long.

“NOW, USOPP!” Zoro shouted and snapped the teen out of his confused daze.

Throwing the ball of fire towards the rock watching as the rum caught alight, the fire chased the alcohol along the floor, all over the rock. Screaming, terrible screams of pain, a creature shrieking for all it was worth, it flailed and moved from where it was slumped.

Light, brilliant, wonderful light burst from behind its silhouette, Usopp blinked, mouth hanging open, Zoro grabbed him, yanking him through the narrow exit, pushing Usopp out before climbing out himself, getting stuck, broader than the other pirate.

“I got you!” Usopp saw Zoro throw his swords out first, outstretching his arms, rough calloused hands grabbing for Usopp’s smaller ones. Usopp gripped his hands, pulling with all his might, boots digging into the dirt to give him more leverage.

They grunted in pain, the rough rocks from the cave digging into Zoro through his shirt, cutting up his shoulders, blood seeping into the white fabric, Usopp’s heart was beating faster and faster, his palms becoming slick from sweat. He opened his eyes making contact with Zoro, seeing the swordsman with the look of fear in his eyes.

Usopp gasped, he knew then it was all up to him, he’d never seen fear like this in the swordsman. He tugged with all his might, he focused all his panic, fear, every emotion that tried to take the front seat of his mind. He dug his feet in even harder as he gave the final tug.

Zoro hissed as he painfully slid free and landed on top of Usopp, he stared at him, he laughed loudly, awkwardly as the situation unfurled. It was Zoro’s turn to roll his eyes at Usopp, he pushed himself up from the ground, getting to his feet, gathering up his swords, getting into a battle pose.

Swords at the ready as he stared at the hole in the cave, the sounds of an animal in pain still loud and clear, the fire lighting up the small passage they had just slid from. The creature that had been on fire fell to the floor, no sounds, no movements, the flames just rising from its body.

Behind it, closing in on its lifeless form stood other creatures. Each one looked like a large rock, their heads covered in moss, beady eyes stared out at the two pirates. Usopp’s heart threatened to beat out his chest. Those creatures.

“Th….the stepping stones…”

“And the collapse in the main part of the cave,” Zoro said with a nod, looking over at Usopp as he fell back, landing on his ass, shuffling away from the cave, terrified of what his eyes saw.

“They’ve been following us the entire time, ever since we got into the cave… just a few steps behind us.” Zoro explained and sighed, rubbing his head as he watched the creatures hiss and try to step around the fire.

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Usopp asked, he could tell Zoro’s heart was beating as fast as his own.

“I didn’t want you to panic.”

They stood both watched as the fire dissipated… the cave went quiet, none of the mossy rock creatures dared to leave the cave. Zoro leaned down and helped Usopp to his feet. In the distance, they heard their names being called out in different voices.

“Are we going to tell them?”

“I don’t want anyone else to have nightmares..”

#zoro #usopp #onepiecereversebang #one piece #zoro one piece #usopp one piece

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