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where-does-the-heart-lie · 1 month ago

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I love Sabo as a character so much! However something about his introduction into the story has bothered me for a while. Oda is a master story teller but it truly feels a bit like Sabo whole existence was dropped into our laps out of nowhere. What's your opinion on his introduction? And if you could, what would you change?

Thank you so much for all your amazing art! Always sparks joy.

Hello hello! I also love Sabo a lot and as such theres a lot that I’ve had to come to terms with and work out with myself. I’ll let you in on my brain worms and what they’ve concluded with this subject though so hopefully some kind of weight is lifted off your shoulders, cuz right now, i think his introduction was done really well.

So first off, All Of Luffy’s family members’s whole existences were dropped into our laps out of nowhere, to be fair.

Luffy is not one to talk about his family or his past at all. So i dont blame him for not telling us directly about sabo when he barely told us about ace as he stood in front of us in Alabasta. But even if he doesnt talk about his family, for me, it’s very easy to see what Sabo’s influence on and especially what the loss of him taught Luffy before we even officially see him. We see it especially in water 7/enis lobby/sabaody arcs. During the course of the story up to that point, we don’t really see the world government, but even so, we see Luffy’s complete understanding of the cruelty and heartache it creates. We see his utter determination to not let a single other person he loves be taken away by the world government, too.

Also in Arlong Park! We see him understand what someone’s sacrifice on his behalf looks like. He knows how it ended last time. He’s not going to let it happen again and seeing it happen again in arlong park and water 7 and sabaody and Marineford absolutely kills him. Omg not even to mention Shanks losing his arm, too. This man is completely surrounded by people sacrificing themselves for him wtf. But like Shanks’ situation didnt give him that patented World Government Hatred, babeyyyyyy

And with how he was reintroduced officially in dressrosa, i think it was very artistically done. Like having all those themes and parallels to Luffy’s childhood, even going so far as him pointing them out, himself. That, and the Mera Mera No Mi coming back into the story, it gets you thinking back on Luffy’s backstory and what his brotherhood meant to him. So like Sabo’s already in the back of your mind from that and then youre also thinking “well who the hell is gonna get this fruit once Luffy wins it??” So when Sabo comes back i just feel like “of course. Of course it could be no one else but you.”

Also E S P E C I A L L Y with introducing Sabo, famous Amnesia Patient, back into the story during an arc that explores the absolute horrors of being forgotten and being the one forgetting???? Like truly the most opportune moment to get him back in there. I really love the Dressrosa arc, i think it’s all done very well.

I feel like if it was just Ace and Luffy, it would feel incomplete. Like Sabo’s part in their backstories just adds such a delicious spice to the age old dynamic of “older brother who dies for younger brother who he loves a lot.”

Like tell me Ace’s Death would hit the same if Ace didnt already know what it felt like to lose a brother.

His passing is already beyond tragic but like Sabo’s whole part in it just makes it so much more tragic in a way thats just 😚🤌 mwah~❤️ 𝕷𝖎𝖋𝖊 𝕽𝖚𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌.

Sabo’s presence also adds a very personal level to Luffy’s understanding of the world he lived in. Like the big picture. I really think that if sabo wasnt occupying that space, Luffy wouldnt try to even know about the WG or class warfare or bother with any of that shit. Sabo is Luffy’s draw to the world around him me thinks. Like of course he would have to face that stuff when he went pirating, but those lessons would not have been taught to him before he got out there without Sabo.

This is the same in present day, like why would Luffy care at all about the Rev Army if Sabo wasnt in it? He’d be very thankful that they took Robin in, but like he wouldnt be actively asking about how the Rev Army was doing if his big bro wasnt a big part of it.

Also on that note of Sabo being in the Rev Army, I think that before Ace’s death and Sabo regaining his memory, Sabo wouldve been sneaky and largely unseen. Like yeah he barges into marine fortresses to take them down, but usually there isnt any survivors to tell the tales of him doing so. So before the timeskip, Sabo is out of the public eye. Out of any eye, really. But in my mind, when he regains his memory, i think he would do his level best to get his name out there. Thats why we see all those people in the colosseum/dressrosa be like “:O!!!! ITS THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE REV ARMY NOOOO” its cuz all his inhibitions left him. So like his face would be in news papers but luffy doesnt read news papers to find that Sabo’s alive and doing shit.

I think that Sabo took so long to let luffy know he was alive because he was scared luffy would hate him. I think he was scared of the potential scorn from his little brother he feels he wouldve been justified in getting. I think that if luffy was not put in a position where he wouldnt be able to fight in the colosseum anymore due to Law Getting Shot And Taken Off circumstances, Sabo wouldve let Luff keep going all the way to the end. But in that moment, Sabo knew that the fruit was no longer in his little brother’s capable hands and had to take matters into his own. Like we see him thinking about this in the episode of Sabo. We see him slowly following luffy around, listening, waiting, understanding the complexities of his situation, and ultimately making the decision to swap places with him.

I could literally talk about this forever i love talking about this forever and ever theres so much to discuss.

I’ve heard criticisms that Sabo’s amnesia story feels like fanfiction, but like,,, I just cant stop thinking about the hilarity of it all. Like why do you care that all this is all convenient, when it’s kinda funny. Like image you’re explaining your tragic backstory to someone and like you have to be like “now i know this sounds really. Really. Convenient. And ironic. But it’s My Life and I’ve had to Live Through It so please dont laugh.” Like idk!! ITS KINDA FUNNY!!!!!!!!!

I dont think i would be able to change anything about Sabo’s presence in the story without someone being out of character if im being honest. Like Luffy doesnt bring up his past, Ace doesnt like bringing up things that cause him pain, and we dont meet anyone else who knew he even existed until we see Luff’s backstory.

There’s a panel in the logue town arc though, that kinda looks like Sabo standing in the crowd. I think that maybe in the reanimated show or even the life action, if we could get a closer visual on him, just to see that he exists there, i think that would be neat.

Thanks for the question and kind words! Hope you enjoyed the long rant, i could rant for 2000000 more paragraphs but I’ll cut it there for now.

#sorry for any typos #whery qna #@ammo-never-runs-out-of-knives #sabo talk #op spoilers #marineford spoilers #one piece spoilers #dressrosa spoilers #long post #sabo #monkey d. luffy #asl brothers #portgas d. ace #sabo the revolutionary

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deathmetalunicorn1 · 1 year ago

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Part 13 Enies Lobby

The Straw Hats make it to Enies Lobby to save Robin, Franky and Reader, (During the trip Franky tells Reader about his past and about his Mentor Tom) with Spadam planning to bring her to Marine HQ, (Giving him a higher position of power) as he tries to convince her that he’s a ‘Hero’ and Nico Robin’s a ‘Devil’, (Along with ‘Cutty Flam’ Franky and the ‘Monster Fishman’, Tom) he thinks she’ll believe him since kids are ‘stupid’, however she calls him a ‘Liar’, (She may be naive, but she can tell good people from bad people, no matter how well they hide it) calling Spadam the ‘True Villain’, making Franky laugh, only for Reader to get slapped by Spadam, enraging Robin and Franky

You can choose if Reader is with Robin being taken to the Gates of Justice or is with Lucci and helps Luffy in his fight with her power being seen in action (She’s hugging Luffy’s back tightly with her horn flaring up, allowing him to use 2nd and 3rd Gear even more effectively) but Luffy makes sure to thank Reader and gives her his Straw Hat as a promise that he’ll save her and Robin from this terrible place

When everyone gets to escape, Reader jumps in Luffy’s arms and cries as they’re escaping on the Merry (She has sparkly eyes after learning Grandma Kokoro is a Mermaid) who came to save them, however they have to put Merry to Rest, crying as they all think about the great memories they had on that ship (It’s just as hard on Reader because the Going Merry was the first place she ever got to call ‘Home’, and made a lot of happy memories) with everyone tearfully saying goodbye as they head back to Water 7

I like to think Robin used Clutch on Spadam even harder and broke his spine into a few more pieces because of what he did to Reader (Don’t anger Robin, especially when she’s Mama Robin)

-You stirred after about an hour or so and you immediately heard Robin, “Y/N!” your eyes opened to see both her and Franky staring down at you in worry.

-You were still on the train, as CP9 had taken the three of you, leaving Usopp and Sanji behind, and as you sat up, you winced, feeling a pain on your upper temple, lifting a hand to feel some bandages.

-Franky grinned, patting the top of your head, “You took a tumble then took a nap- but you’ll be just fine Y/N!” you looked up at him, as he was new, but you didn’t feel afraid of him, giving him a small smile.

-They did their best, keeping you calm, with Franky telling you about his past, with his mentor, Tom, who, with his help as well as others like Iceburg, created the Sea Train, which made your eyes sparkle brightly.

-Franky told you that his real name was Cutty Flam but changed it to Franky after his ‘death’ trying to save Tom and Franky, for the first time, had to deal with you crying.

-Robin thought it was rather cute, seeing Franky on his belly, to bring himself down to your level, trying to calm you down, panicking.

-As you arrived at Enies Lobby, Robin spoke to you before CP9 came in, “Y/N, I need you to be brave and stay close to me, okay?” you were scared but gave her a small nod, holding onto her robe as the three of you were led out.

-You didn’t like Spandam, he was a bad person, this you could tell as he was walking towards the three of you, mocking Franky first before shooting him.

-You gasped, “Franky!” before seeing that he was mostly all right, tears in your eyes before Spandam turned to you and Robin, sneering at Robin, “The Devil Child herself- to think you would be so easy to capture- and you as well, little Y/N! You’re going to make a lot of people very happy, including me! That promotion is mine!”

-You were confused, head tilting to the side, “Promotion? What’s that?” he grinned, thinking you were a foolish child, “Whoever in the marines deliver you to headquarters will get an increase on their rank, which means more power and money! You’ll help me do that right- I’ll put in a good word for you because you brought in this evil woman and that reckless and violent man! They’re bad people Y/N- come over here with me!”

-You glared, looking like an angry kitten, “Robin isn’t evil! And Franky was nice to me! You’re a bad man!” CRACK!

-Spandam, not liking that you were talking back, backhanded you across the face, sending you to the ground with a sharp cry. Franky screamed out your name from his spot on the ground, bound in chains, while Robin was quickly by your side, “Y/N!”

-You sniffled, holding your cheek as she helped you sit up before Kalifa grabbed you, holding you in her arms while Robin was put into chains herself, sealing her Devil Fruit abilities.

-You were quickly in tears, now scared before Spandam ordered Robin to be taken immediately to the Gates of Justice to be executed.

-You were stunned, eyes wide in fear before Kalifa passed you to Spandam, who was happy that you were now quiet, even if it was due to fear, and you left Franky behind, seeing him staring up at the two of you, unable to do anything.

-Your head was ringing from the slap, making you kind of dizzy, so you didn’t realize you were at the top of the stairs at the Gates of Justice until Spandam sat you down and you immediately fell to your rear.

-Robin dropped to her knees as you scrambled over to her, hugging her around her waist, she could see that you were trembling, scared as the other Straw Hats arrived, standing across the way, here to save you and Robin both.

-You then heard Luffy, “Say you want to live!!” tears hit your cheeks and you looked up, seeing Robin in tears, “I WANT TO LIVE!!” you turned, seeing Luffy grin before they charged in, including that masked man, Sogeking.

-CP9 went on the attack, just leaving Spandam, who quickly turned, rage in his eyes, “You’re not taking my glory away from me!” he drew his sword, preparing to strike Robin down then take you, but not before ordering a Buster Call, something Robin looked terrified to hear about.

-You were scared, not wanting to move, as you knew this man would hurt Robin- you felt your heartbeat in your ears as he got closer, going to grab you to get to her.

-You clenched your eyes shut, turning quickly, “Don’t hurt my mama!!” WHACK!!!!!

-Robin was stunned, eyes wide as you leapt up, taking your lesson from Nami to heart, and you headbutted Spandam hard in his groin.

-The scream he let out was unearthly, falling back as he clutched at himself and you grabbed the ring of keys he had, quickly rushing to Robin to unlock her shackles.

-You were trying not to fumble, feeling scared as Spandam was now mad, trying to get to his feet, tears in your eyes and as he grabbed his sword, you heard the click of the shackles, and instantly Robin had a hold of him with her abilities.

-Robin turned to you with a sweet smile, “Close your eyes and cover your ears for a moment.” You nodded and did as you were told as Robin turned, her sweet smile not falling as a murderous aura surrounded her and while blocked, you heard Spandam screaming out in pain as she broke every bone in his body, payback for putting his hands on you.

-You then heard, “Robin! Y/N!” you looked up with a smile on your face, “Luffy!” and Robin smiled as well before her smile fell, seeing Rob Lucci, now a jaguar, chasing after him.

-Franky arrived and grabbed Robin, going to grab you as well, to get out of the area, as Luffy was going to go wild, “We need to get out of here! That Buster Call is arriving!”

-You didn’t run to him however, you ran to Luffy, leaping onto his back as you saw that he was injured, pushing his body to the limit and your horn flared to life.

-Luffy instantly felt his strength and stamina returning and he grinned, punching his fist into his hand, “Thank you Y/N! I’ll treat you to something tasty after this!” you nodded, remaining silent as Luffy was able to go above and beyond his abilities, taking on Rob Lucci at full strength.

-As the fight drew to an end, Luffy made sure you were safe, holding you close as you were now panting hard, a fever taking control before he heard a voice telling him to jump.

-Down in the ocean, you both saw Merry there, looking like it was on her last legs, but there nonetheless and he shouted at everyone to get to the ship.

-Now resting, you felt your fever slowly leaving as you landed on Merry, your home, before you saw Kokoro again and your eyes went huge, “A mermaid?!” while others weren’t pleased seeing that Kokoro was a mermaid, like Sanji, who just cried, you were sparkly eyed, completely entranced.

-Once safely back in Water 7, Nami helped patch you up, your family all furious that you had been injured, hit by a grown man. Robin was sitting next to you, “Y/N- who taught you to go after a man’s jewels?” you tilted your head to the side, “Men have jewels?”

-After scolding Robin, thinking she was tainted you, you beamed when Nami asked if you hit someone between the legs, “I did! He was going to hurt Mama Robin so I jumped up and headbutted him!” everyone except Robin turned white before many were yelling at Nami for teaching you that before she yelled back, “She needs to be safe!”

-You cried as you saw Usopp back, hugging him close, “I missed you!!” he smiled, hugging you close before you leaned back, seeing Sogeking’s slingshot and your eyes widened before smiling, “Did Mr. Sogeking give that to you?”

-You were so cute- you had no idea that Usopp and Sogeking were the same person, but Usopp wasn’t going to tell you that, “He did! He told me to use it to keep you safe.”

-You smiled up at him before tears welled in your eyes, “I wish I could have said goodbye to him. He was nice- like you, big brother!” Usopp was now panicking, unsure if he should go and change to make you happy again, much to Zoro and Sanji’s amusement.

-You hugged Luffy close who was also in tears as Merry, your home- the first place you ever called home and were happy to do, was in flames, burning it. All the memories, both the good and the bad, on Merry, were memories that were important to you, and to see that home go up in flames, you couldn’t stop crying.

-You were in awe of the new ship, Going Sunny, or just Sunny for short, your eyes sparkling like Luffy’s, Usopp’s, and Chopper’s, as you wanted to explore this massive ship.

-Sanji was given the task of showing you around and while you were in the galley, Sanji heard Franky screaming in pain and he peeked out, his unlit cigarette falling from his lips, seeing what Robin was doing.

-You heard Franky in pain, and you gasped, thinking he was being attacked, “We have to go help Franky!” Sanji just held you close, keeping you from going outside, “He’ll be okay- he’s just being disciplined.” You tilted your head to the side, “Like when you catch Luffy sneaking food?” he chuckled, ruffling your hair gently, “Exactly!”

-Franky couldn’t help but cry into his elbow loudly when you were told that Franky was joining the crew and your eyes lit up, “Really? I’m so happy!!” before hugging his leg. You were really too cute!!

#eri reader #luffy #zoro #sanji #nami #usopp #nico robin #chopper #franky

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turtletaubwrites · 8 months ago

Text

Slipping Away ~ Part 27

This is part 27 of the poly series 'We've All Got Needs,' linked below:

Pairings: Zoro x Fem!Reader, Sanji x Fem!Reader x Robin

Word Count: 4261

We've All Got Needs Masterlist

Ao3 Link (Ch. 17 of We've All Got Needs cont.)

!!SPOILER WARNING!! Spoilers for the anime for the Water 7/Enies Lobby arc (through episode 307).

Summary: More dangers block your path as the Straw Hats keep pushing to free Robin. Help arrives in unexpected ways.

Rating/Warnings: AFAB!Reader, She/Her Pronouns for Reader, Reader-Insert, Polyamory, Canon Typical Violence, Blood, Injuries, (Including Reader), Pet Names, Cigarettes (they're gross, don't smoke), Swearing, Angst, Fear, Heights, Nausea, Throwing Up (just heaving, nothing comes out), Drowning, Reader is not doing great, Dizziness, Explosions, Fear of Death, Hurt/Comfort

A/N: Hi y'all, I'm so sorry about the wait! These chapters following the arc have been taking me longer, and I got distracted with other stories/requests. But I'm here now! The next update will be out within a week, as well as an extra scene. Thank you so much for being patient with me 🙏🏼🖤

Blood splattered on the ground as Usopp dragged himself to all fours, his wrecked body stiff, yet shaking.

“I’m sorry, Sanji,” he coughed, more blood spreading around him. “I tried, but I couldn’t…”

A silent sob left your throat as Nami struggled to guide your pathetic, limp body. Your limbs were dead after clinging for your life for so long, and you hated that you couldn’t help Usopp off the ground.

“You’re alive, that’s what matters,” Sanji declared, his voice rough with emotion. Water dripped from his blonde hair as his eyes flicked to you for a moment, before comforting your friend. “Everyone has things that they can do and things that they can’t.”

The lump in your throat did not help to reduce your frustration at your uselessness.

“Yeah, but,” Usopp mumbled, the wobble in his voice like a punch to the gut.

“Look outside,” Sanji commanded, Pointing through the gaping hole in the stone wall. The sight of those massive gates fell like a weight on your heart. A weight that stole your breath as it started to open, the huge metal slabs moving slowly, but not slowly enough.

“Robin,” Nami whispered, saying the name that you couldn’t with your dry throat.

“If those gates open up, and Robin goes through them,” Sanji warned, “we won’t have any way to follow her. She’ll cross waters infested with sea kings, then there’s the undersea prison, or the navy headquarters. Everywhere on the other side of those gates is beyond our reach. We’ll lose her forever.”

Sanji came to you, taking you from Nami’s arms to hold you against him for a moment. Your feet were getting a bit steadier, but his warmth was too much. You wanted to push him away as he kissed your temple, the tenderness shoving you closer to that edge of falling to pieces.

“This is the worst situation, but in every situation, even one as bad as this, there’s always a chance,” he comforted, his eyes on Usopp as he helped you step toward Nami.

She handed you her Clima-Tact, giving up her weapon for you to use as a makeshift cane before she pulled Usopp to his feet. His blood stained her clothes as she supported some of his weight with his bandaged arm around her shoulders.

Sanji leaned in close to the sniper, reaching to touch his shoulder, but let his hand fall before gripping the wounded flesh.

“I'm gonna stay here, and do what you can’t do. We’ll get those keys. You need to do what I can’t do.”

“Huh,” Usopp questioned, head tilting toward the cook.

“Think carefully, read the situation,” Sanji commanded, his rough voice giving you chills as the wolf man stalked ever closer. “As long as we have you there’s still a chance we can save Robin. You hear me, Usopp?”

Your bloodied friend started shaking, his question interrupted by a howl.

You heard the metal slash of blades as Zoro battled the giraffe man, and in an instant the wolf was on Sanji, your lover yelling for you to leave as he blocked the attack.

“Come on, we gotta go,” Nami ordered with a grunt, fighting Usopp’s struggle to call for Sanji.

“Ow, Nami,” he complained as she yanked at him, “I’m still injured.”

“Well, staying here and getting killed will hurt more,” she scolded, their stumbling forms moving past you.

Your boys. Teetering with the Clima-Tact, you couldn’t tear your eyes away from their fights. Battling agents of CP9, devil fruit users.

Blood, and broken stone, and hits that made you cringe.

Robin.

They can win. We need to save her.

Your movements were agonizingly slow, the makeshift cane slipping in your hands. Wiping your blood and dust stained palms on your shirt, you gritted your teeth, following Nami and Usopp out into the center stairway of the tower as fast as you could manage.

The trek down the stairs had barely started when Usopp pulled away from Nami. He was limping, but practically buzzing with a manic gleam in his eyes.

“I get it!”

“Get what,” you called as he started rushing back up the stairs.

“We can save Robin. As long as I’m here we can save her, damnit,” he declared with more true confidence than you’d ever heard from him before. Chills ran along your skin as the wounded sniper turned to face you, issuing a command that you had to follow.

“Let’s go!”

Nami took her weapon back, offering you her shoulder as Usopp’s burst of energy sent him scampering away faster than you could have gone on your own.

“Fuck, I’m slowing you down,” you hissed, fighting for your body to move, your head still reeling from that antler ride you’d like to forget.

“Didn’t you hear Sanji’s speech,” Nami scolded, supporting your sluggish steps. “We’re a crew, Y/N. Helping each other is what we do, stupid.”

Her comforting words pulled a small smile from your lips that was quashed almost immediately as you struggled up the endless stairs. Usopp’s cheerful yells pushed you forward, and your legs were slowly feeling steadier. It seemed your headache was the biggest issue, dizziness staying with you as your limbs relearned how to function.

Stepping into the sun was brutal. The light gray stone of the tower almost glowed beneath your feet, and you pulled away from Nami to cover your eyes from the glare. She wrapped your hand around her weapon again, moving ahead of you to watch Usopp at the edge.

You couldn’t get too close as your new fear of heights started closing your throat, so you stayed back. The bridge cut across the water in the distance, leading toward that now open gate, those massive metal doors like a gate to hell.

A hell that Robin was being dragged toward.

“I see her,” Usopp cried out, prepping his new weapon. With Kabuto held in front of him, and his broken mask still showing rays around his face, Usopp's shadow really did look like some mythical warrior.

Nami took your free hand, inching you closer, but you had to take it back. Holding it above your eyes to cut the glare, you stared at the bridge, desperate to see her.

You saw people. Very small people. Marines in white moving across the bridge.

“Watch this,” Usopp commanded, humming his silly Sniper King song as he lined up his shot.

An urge to stop him tore through you. It was too far away, how could he see her, let alone aim to ensure she wouldn’t be hit?

But he was your friend, even if he wasn’t part of your crew anymore. You trusted him, but still held your breath.

Then you saw her.

Two of those figures weren’t in white. One charged across the stone in a billowing, dark cloak. The other was in gleaming black, being dragged along the ground by the first.

This pathetic fucking man child. This scumbag that already didn’t deserve to open his stupid mouth again.

Spandam was dragging Robin behind him like she was trash. You wanted to rip his mask off, and smash his stupid mouth into the stone until he choked on his teeth.

“Get him,” you growled.

“On it.”

The terror of waiting was replaced with pride and sick pleasure at the sight of that small, cloaked figure being blown away from Robin. You hoped that the smoke erupting around his head was enough to strangle the air from his lungs.

Usopp hit him again, Spandam’s body flying down the steps of the bridge. And the sniper didn’t stop, sending blast after blast as those marines in white scattered, their shouts carrying across the water.

Without meaning to, your voice joined Nami’s, cheering for Usopp as he wreaked havoc on your enemies. The praise seemed to set him on fire, his shots flying faster, laughter on his lips, singing his song while he blew them away.

“Look,” Nami yelled, pointing toward that figure in black.

Robin had broken away from the chaos, and was stumbling as she ran away from that gate. Toward you.

“Usopp!”

You cried out, ice filling your veins while the marines stood in a line as they faced her. It was hard to see clearly, especially with your head still pounding, but you knew what those movements meant.

They were going to shoot her down.

Usopp kept shooting, but there were too many. There was no way he could take them all down in time.

The three of you screamed for her as she fell to her knees.

You couldn’t look. You couldn’t look away. You could only scream her name, and hope that she heard you. That she knew she wasn't alone.

The moment before the shots were fired lasted a century. A century in which you were trapped in stone, forced to watch and wait, helpless again.

Your eyes almost shut when the sound of death exploded from that line of guns. But if they had, you wouldn’t have seen it. The moment that filled you with more forgiveness and gratitude than you’d ever felt before.

Franky.

The man whose family had stolen from your crew, who’d hurt Usopp. The pervy cyborg whose family was now fighting at your side.

This strange man that you barely knew was standing in front of Robin, shielding her from the marines. He held his arms out, and took every single bullet that was meant for your love. For Robin.

“Hey! Sniper King? Needy?”

Zoro’s voice called up from what sounded like not too far down, but you couldn’t stick your head over the ledge to find out.

“We’ve got the rest of the keys. Catch, and send them to Franky,” Sanji commanded as your eyes returned to the bridge. Franky was still standing, still protecting her.

“Can you do that, Sniper King,” Sanji questioned, his voice filled with his belief in your former crewmate.

“Of course! Just throw the–”

“Catch,” Zoro yelled before a tied up bit of cloth came flying in front of Usopp.

Usopp caught it easily, tossing it in his hand.

“There’s more than keys in this.”

Usopp made you even dizzier as he leaned over to question the boys.

“We stole a snail off an agent,” Sanji’s voice carried up “You still have one right?”

“Yes,” you choked out, confirming that it had survived the monster ride with you.

“Fucking shoot it already,” Zoro yelled.

Nami untied the bundle in Usopp’s hand, adding the remaining keys before securing it, nodding at the sniper.

Everyone was silent as he aimed. This shot would mean her freedom.

“Franky! Robin!”

You were shouting in the poor snail’s face, until Franky turned to pick up that tied up cloth.

“Robin!”

“Y/N?”

“Oh gods, Robin,” you sighed through your tears.

Nami took the snail from your shaky fingers as she smoothed her hand along your back.

“All the keys are in the bundle. Franky, please unlock her!”

“Got it, but how did y’all–”

“Thank you, long-nose,” Robin interrupted. There was joy in her voice. Joy. “That was wonderful.”

“It was the least I could do,” Usopp declared in that silly, pompous voice. If he wasn’t so close to the edge of the building, you would have hugged him. “The true heroes are those who fought to retrieve those keys from the enemy. The Straw Hats will be proud to have you back. Hold your head up high, and meet them with a smile when all of this has ended.”

“Right,” Robin agreed, and even from a distance, you could see when she was freed. She stretched her arms above her head before pulling them down in front of her, and you knew exactly what was coming next.

“Seis Fleur.”

That powerful voice echoed through the transponder snail, just as a cloaked figure made its way to the front of the marines.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to do this,” Robin purred, arms sprouting from his dark clothes as she smacked the shit out of Spandam.

“Fuck yeah,” you cheered, hearing the cacophony of slaps, and the whimpering cries of that sniveling piece of shit.

The remaining marines scattered, rightfully fleeing in terror from her power.

“Alright, let’s move,” Franky ordered with a laugh. “Get your asses over here. I’ll get everything ready for ya. We’re gonna bail.”

“Got it,” Nami agreed, storing the snail while Usopp called down.

“Did you guys hear that? Robin’s free, Franky says–”

“Get down here already, Sniper King,” Sanji yelled.

You were squeezing the sides of your head, trying to relieve some of the pressure. The relief poured through your body, but almost made you feel more off balance.

“Ha, everything went according to my plan,” Usopp hummed as he limped toward the stairs. He stopped abruptly, making Nami grumble as she almost ran into him.

“What’s that,” he wondered, almost under his breath. “I swear I heard something.”

“Come on, we’ve gotta–”

Nami’s demand was cut short, all of you hunching and covering your ears as an explosion went off. It was easy to spot, a huge plume of black smoke rising from the metal fence surrounding the island. A marine ship firing on it’s own base.

“These psychos are really going to destroy their own fucking island, and kill all their own people because some dumbass pushed a button,” you seethed, hearing the boys calling for you.

Nausea rose as you neared that ledge again.

“Things have gotten serious, Needy,” Zoro urged, making you bravely peek down at him on the balcony below while Nami held your hand. “Hurry up, and jump down from there. We need to go now.”

“Jump,” you choked, glad that Usopp cut in to be cowardly for you.

“Is that supposed to be a joke? I don’t have the same kind of freakish superhuman strength that you guys have, alright. And my bravery is not the life risking kind. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a normal super hero not a super super hero–”

“Don’t be babies,” Nami teased. “We’re almost home.”

Nami called down before leaping off the edge.

“I’m fine,” she shouted as you looked over to see Sanji setting her down on her feet. “Come on, it was fu–”

At first you thought your body was fucking with you, all the looking down bringing that terror up. The crushing sound, the slipping of your unsteady feet, until there was nothing. Nothing holding you, nothing touching you, just you hanging onto the Clima-Tact as you spun.

The rough scrape of broken stone flying across your legs tore your eyes open, but you closed them immediately.

All that clinging, all that hell you went through to keep yourself from falling, and now you were falling to your death.

At least you got to hear your boys one last time, your name screamed from their lips.

It wasn’t stone.

The dreaded moment of impact came, along with the deep groan of whoever had caught you.

“Needy, are you–”

“putmedownputmedown.”

The Clima-Tact clattered to the stone of the balcony, and the top of the tower finished crashing to the ground while you fought to crawl away. Zoro’s warm hands were just another sensation too many.

But those hands held your hair back while you tried to throw up, soft voices floating around you as your head fought to split open. You whimpered as nothing came out, just spinning nausea, and your memory failing you as you tried to recall the last time you ate.

“Hey, you’re okay,” he soothed, pulling you against his chest after your empty retches had turned into frantic breaths. “We have to go now, Needy.”

As he pulled you to your feet, Nami was there, rubbing your arm as she checked on you. She offered you her weapon, but Zoro shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Needy, but we need to go faster than you can walk. Do you want me to carry you in my arms, or do you wanna ride on my back?”

Nausea rolled in at the thought, but you bit the inside of your cheek, motioning for his back. You saw Sanji and Usopp having the same debate, Usopp wincing as he moved.

“If you hadn’t torn my bandages–”

“If I hadn’t caught you, we would have had sniper crepes for lunch. Just get on,” Sanji demanded, until the five of you moved on three sets of feet.

Down those endless stairs, the sky burned through the roof that was no longer there. The rhythmic bouncing of Zoro’s body had you clenching your teeth, closing your eyes to fight the spinning.

I’m going to be dizzy for the rest of my life.

If we survive.

You only knew that you had made it to the bottom as the downward falling motion of Zoro’s steps on the stairs shifted to a steady up and down that was still just as bad.

“Please don’t ever pick me up after this, you groaned against Zoro’s shoulder. “I don’t want to be carried anymore. Ever.”

His chuckle was cut short as a familiar voice called out.

“This way, kiddies,” Kokoro ordered, and you opened your eyes just a bit to see her pointing down a dark corridor. Chopper was back in his normal, small form, his mouth hanging open in sleep as she had him strapped to her hip like some living purse.

“This leads to the bridge, come on!”

There was no time to argue or question. Just heavy steps echoing down the stone hallway that seemed to get colder with every step the swordsman took.

“Try to pick up the pace, we’re in a hurry here,” Usopp rushed over Sanji’s shoulder.

“I could probably run faster if you were unconscious,” your cook threatened, and you were shocked to feel a weak smile on your lips.

“How could you talk to your hero that way? Especially when I've been so seriously injured in the line of duty. All six of my ribs are broken!”

“You have more ribs than that,” Zoro huffed, pulling up beside them, “but if you don’t shut up, we’ll break the rest, and make you run. Got it?”

You smiled at Usopp from your carried positions as he kept complaining. Slowly, the feeling of a hammer hitting your brain was starting to lessen.

Not distant enough explosions had you tightening your body around Zoro’s back.

“We’re almost out.”

His whispered comfort almost sunk in.

“What’s that?”

“I hear something weird down the tunnel.”

Usopp and Nami had spoken at once. The group stared down that cold corridor as you kept heading toward freedom.

“We don’t have time to go worrying about weird sounds. We’ve gotta make those government jerks pay,” Kokoro said with a cough, still sounding drunk as if she’d been at the bar while you all fought for your lives.

“Is that–”

“It’s water,” Usopp cried out, cutting Nami off. “Don’t you hear it? We need to run!”

No one stopped. You couldn’t hear anything over the rhythmic slap of feet against stone, and Zoro’s heavy breaths as you rested your head against him.

“We have to turn–”

“We’ve got nowhere else to go,” Sanji huffed, “we need to keep moving no matter–”

“Holy shit,” Nami cursed beside you, her voice breathy as everyone stopped running.

“Hang on, Needy.”

You cracked your eyes open, the horrifying sight matching the sound you could finally hear.

Water.

Zoro slashed at the stone wall, but even his swords couldn’t break through.

“We’re underwater, dumbass,” Sanji spat as the group started running the other way.

Running for your lives.

The stone walls made that rushing sound echo, surrounding you even before the cold death touched your skin.

“I’ve got you,” Zoro promised through gritted teeth while he sprinted ahead.

As he passed your friends, you saw the terror burning through them, sweat dripping from their faces.

Your mind went hazy, just a little outside of your body as yet another chaotic force threatened those you loved.

Zoro flipped around as the sound roared too close, gripping your knees against his waist as he took the brunt of that liquid force.

You wished you had stayed dissociated, stayed out of your freezing body. Zoro’s rapid turn had shaken you enough that you took a deep breath, but it took every scrap of energy in you to keep your mouth closed, to not scream into that watery void.

Slipping, slipping away. The spinning torture through the rapid water had you reaching for your aching head, releasing your hold around his shoulders.

Zoro never let go. His hold started to slip, but he clamped down on your legs until they ached.

At least we’ll die together.

Your tears never had a chance, they just mixed with the wave that would drown you all.

“It’s alright. Just hang in there. I’m not going to let you die.”

A soothing voice washed over you, clear and calm through the flood. All you could do was fight to keep your mouth closed, letting yourself drift to wherever you might end up.

But something pulled at you, interrupting that chaotic drift. Your eyes opened, but the water burned, the world nothing more than a painful blur. Something had snared you, tugging you closer to Zoro, and you could feel another wriggling body against your side.

At least we’re all together.

“I’m swimming as fast as this tail will let me! None of you are gonna die on my watch!”

Kokoro’s voice carried through the water, and you almost cried out, managing to clamp your hands over your lips as the bodies around you seemed to writhe against the shock.

What the fuck?

But it was too long. You couldn’t hold it.

The choking pain tore through your chest, the struggle to stay finally fading.

Just cold.

“Y/N! Y/N!”

Too many hands rolled you onto your side as scorching water tore through your throat.

Your stinging eyes watched the water that left your lungs as it spread across wood, staining the black clothes of the person holding your hair back.

The person whose many hands held your body, whose voice cracked as she repeated your name.

“Robin?”

She let out a cry of relief, pulling your body gently as she held you against her chest.

“Is this real,” you breathed, managing to move your arms to wrap around her.

“It’s real. You saved me.”

You felt the warmth of her cheek against your temple, and if you’d had the energy, you would have wept.

“I didn’t do–”

“You came for me, Y/N. And you saved me,” Robin countered before you could finish your thought. Many arms held you up so that she could look at you, and tears managed to fall from your tired eyes at the sight of her beautiful face. Stunning, even marred with dirt and blood.

“I love you too,” she confessed, a wave of fear filling those eyes before she cried it away, laughing before she kissed your cold lips.

It didn’t matter where you were, or how much danger you were still in. Robin was holding you, kissing you. The two of you laughed and sobbed as voices moved around you, orbiting your perfect world.

“Sweethearts, are you okay?”

Sanji’s rough voice moved closer, and you finally looked around to find yourself on a ship. An empty marine ship, whose deck was covered with your crew, and all the water they’d ripped from their lungs.

Your cook crawled over, seeming hesitant to get too close.

Robin reached out, and you smiled at that sweet look of awe on Sanji’s face as he gazed at her.

“I–”

“I love you, Robin,” Sanji cut her off, racing to touch both of you, a gentle hand on your cheeks.

“I love you too, Sanji,” she said with a laugh, and your heart melted as they shared their own salty kiss.

Cannon fire and shouting were distant as the three of you held each other, laughter and tears like a shield from the danger that remained.

But it wasn’t complete.

A shiver ran up your neck, a warm vibration pulling your eyes away from Robin and Sanji.

Zoro sat with his back against the railing, giving you a small smile as you caught him staring. He shook his head when you held out your hand.

A frown pulled at your smiling lips as he mouthed, ‘it’s okay,’ nodding his head toward your other lovers.

“Please,” you whispered, hoping he could see how much you wanted him too.

How much you needed him.

He coughed, wiping more water from his brow before he crawled across the deck.

You and Robin clung to each other, laughter and tears still spilling from you. Sanji poured out streams of praise and words of love as he hugged you both from behind Robin’s back.

Your swordsman came to you, and his soaked body warmed yours as he wrapped his arms around you. He joined the group embrace without flinching away, pressing a wet kiss against your shoulder.

It was all worth it. You’d go through all of that again, just to have this perfect moment.

All of your lovers holding you close. Safe, if only for the moment.

All of your crew on this stolen ship, ready to escape this hell.

All of your…

Zoro’s body went rigid, leaving you cold again as he leapt to his feet.

His words cut through it all. No more laughter or tears could be freed until his question had an answer.

“Where’s Luffy?”

Likes, comments, and reblogs bring me much ✨dopamine✨ thank you so much!

a/n: I love them all so much 😭😭😭

Part 28

#nico robin x fem!reader #zoro x reader #sanji x reader #sanji x robin #angst #f/f fanfic #reader insert #fem!reader #nico robin x reader #poly fanfic #nico robin fanfic #sanji fanfic #one piece fanfic #zoro fanfic #x reader #turtletaub fics #one piece x reader #use of y/n

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one-idea · 1 year ago

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Okay I’m fairly new to one piece still. (I just finished Enies Lobby in the anime and I’m half way through the live action)

But I just had a plot bunny that just won’t leave my mind. A devil fruit that can steal dreams.

We all know that Luffy has an unstoppable ambition. He’s going to be the king of the pirates. And his dream and his belief in it is what draws a lot of his crew to him. Not only does he believe in his impossible dream but he believes in theirs.

He knows Zoro will be the world’s greatest swords man. Nami will make a map of the world. Usopp will be a great warrior of the sea. Sanji will find the all blue. Chopper will cure all diseases. Robin will uncover the lost history of the world. Franky’s ship will sail around the world. (Forgive me Brook and Jinbei I haven’t met you yet but I long for you)

But Luffy believes in them. Even when they don’t believe in themselves. Or when others try to stop them or take their dreams Luffy is the first in line to defend them.

So what happens if Luffy loses his ambition. Obviously this wouldn’t happen under normal circumstances. But what happens if there is a devil fruit user that can steal ambitions or dreams. The loftier the dream the more power the user receives. And this user hears of the straw hat crew. This crew of dreamer. Whose captain has the grandest of dreams.

What if he attacks the crew. An out right attack from one man won’t do much against the monsters of the crew. But the user doesn’t need to beat the crew they just need to use their power.

Maybe they’ve watched the crew for a while. They know how protective the crew is. So instead of gunning straight for Luffy they go after one of his friends. And Luffy moves to protect them getting his dream/ambition stolen.

What will the crew do with a Luffy who has no drive. Who doesn’t believe his dream is possible or even real. How do you look at the man who inspired you to chase your outrageous dream, who now doesn’t believe in his own.

And they can’t just talk him into believing again. They have to get his dream back. What won’t the crew do to get Luffy’s dream back.

It puts the crew in such a rough spot. Luffy normally takes out the biggest threat. Not that the others aren’t strong but now they are fighting someone who can steal their dreams/ambition. A person who just got a power up from stealing Luffy’s dream. They’re fighting all the things that make their captain their captain. His dream/ambition/determination/stubbornness.

Imagine the guilt of the strawhat Luffy pushed out of the way. Who is it?

One of the weaker members? He saved Nami’s whole village, freed her from Arlong. He always believes Usopp and after water 7 there’s just so much to their relationship. Copper who he took from a life of loneliness and solitude.

Or is it one of the older members? Robin who owes Luffy everything, the man who made her want to live. Franky? Brook? Jinbei? (I still need to learn more about them)

Or maybe worst Sanji who already has so much guilt from Whole Cake Island (I’m not there but I already know a lot) or Zoro, loyal Zoro who dedicated his own dream to Luffy. Who’s already made so many sacrifices. His own dream is so tightly intertwined with Luffy’s by now what must it be like to see Luffy with out his drive.

Imagine how they would agonize over being the reason Luffy is so despondent.

Because this only works if Luffy has completely given up. No drive what so ever. Like won’t get out of bed, sees no point in fighting back. The opposite of how he has been everywhere else.

I just think it could be a really compelling story if done right.

Part 2

Part 3

#one piece #monkey d. luffy #roronoa zoro #black leg sanji #sanji #vinsmoke sanji #nami #tony tony chopper #nico robin #usopp #franky #one piece franky #one piece brook #jinbei #zolu #one piece zolu #sanlu #dream dream fruit au #straw hat pirates

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animeyanderetalker · 8 months ago

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So you finished enies lobby eh? How’s ur one piece journey so far, and do you have any brief thoughts on the straw hats (so far)?

I’m giving you my honest review here because as much as I like the series so far, I also have my fair share of stuff I don’t enjoy.

I adore the world in One Piece. I’ve been a big fan of Pirates of the Caribbean as a child and I have always wished back then that I would see Jack Sparrow exploring all mysterious islands and finding all treasures. I got that with One Piece but even better. Each island feels unique and whilst there are definitely pacing problems at times even this early for me, I do love the aspects of exploring each individual island and learning about the rules, the environment and the life of the people calling it their home. I know that the Skypiea Arc isn’t that beloved amongst Anime fans but I really loved the arc due to the unique and interesting setting the island in the sky had. From its past to the inventions to the way people live in the sky, everything has so much personality and that has been the case with every major island so far. The sense of adventure and curiosity I always get whilst getting to know a new island is really addictive and I love the foreshadowing. The fact that the end of the Going Merry had already been hinted during the Skypiea Arc but was only revealed during the Water 7 Arc is insane and from what I have heard, Oda is great in foreshadowing and I’m looking forward to that.

What I find myself struggling with, and I don’t know if the Anime is partially exaggerating this sometimes, are the characters itself at times and the, in my opinion, lukewarm comedy that gets very repetitive and boring after a while.

Luffy:

I am actively struggling with the main character at times. Luffy is quite carefree, impulsive and does whatever he wants and it is not even that this is what I dislike about him. He has such heartfelt moments such as giving Nami his straw hat during the Arlong Park Arc despite the hat being a treasure for him or him defending the pirate flag of Chopper during the Drum Island Arc. It’s just that he sometimes is portrayed as so amazingly incompetent and stupid that I am agonizing over it. How can you get stuck twice within the same arc in between two walls and then spend episodes there whilst your friends are trying to save Robin?? Him being a glutton is expected, older Shounen protagonists just seem to have a habit of having a black hole instead of a stomach. I also still don’t understand how he learnt Gear 2 and 3 in such a short time considering that I cannot recall a time where he had time to properly train.

Roronoa Zoro:

I have very little to criticize about Zoro. Luckily his character gag of always getting lost isn’t something that is thrown into my face every episode so I can tolerate it. He’s a man of honor and I like seeing him on screen, but I’m still waiting for that one moment of him where I go from liking him to loving him. I also feel like he suffered in the Enies Lobby Arc from being paired with uninteresting opponents to fight against (Kaku and Jabra).

Nami:

I love and hate Nami at the same time. But the reason why I hate her isn’t even her own fault. As a character I love how she isn’t someone who is actively fighting and has admittedly not the most interesting fights but without her literally nothing would work. As a navigator she is irreplaceable and without her skills the Straw Hats would go nowhere. Her backstory was also heartbreaking but Oda seems quite skillful when it comes to writing a good and tragic backstory. The reason why I hate her though is because she has become more and more a victim of sexualization the further the story has progressed and I just know that it’ll get even worse. I have seen the pictures of her after the timeskip and it is so infuriating because she didn’t look like this at the beginning of the story. The freaking scene in the Arabasta Arc where she was sexualized from a camel and a crab was a different low for me because it’s the first time I have seen animals thirsting over a female character.

Usopp:

Usopp is a character I also find myself struggling with. On the one hand his creativity and his craftsmanship are to be admired. This is a man who invented Nami’s Clima-Tact and was the shipwright before Franky joined. On the other hand his character gags of being the big coward can get a little bit tiring after a while for me. I really loved the Water 7 Arc because it showed him in a much more serious light which was a nice change for once. And I am going to be quite honest here with you, I did not enjoy the whole Sogeking sequence. I understand that he was too ashamed to face his friends after he had left the crew but it got a tad bit annoying to me after a while. I was also not surprised that Luffy and Chopper were the only ones who didn’t recognize him in his disguise.

Vinsmoke Sanji:

I actually really enjoyed Sanji’s character when he was first introduced. I admired his ideology of not letting anyone starve due to his own experience of being stranded on an island without much food and the relationship he had going on with Zeff and the other chefs was heartwarming. However, his simp character has significantly increased since then to the point where it has gotten frustrating and annoying. I remember that scene in the Skypiea Arc where the Going Merry was kidnapped with a few crew members still onboard. And the first thing that left Sanji’s mouth then was that he was disappointed that Nami wasn’t in bikini anymore. I think that is the moment where I started not liking his character as much anymore and from what I have heard, it’ll become a lot more worse. It’s really disappointing in my opinion because he could be such a cool character but around women he is always reduced to a simp with heart eyes.

Tony Tony Chopper:

Chopper is adorable and I love his versatile forms he can use with his Rumble Ball. But I just wish that the show would actually give him more recognition because the 50 Berries he has on his head as of now and the fact that he was called a pet on those wanted posters is saddening. Because not only can he actually fight because he took down one of the CP9 members but he is the doctor of the ship and fulfills such an important role because of it. He is more than just a cute little animal and I hope that will be more recognized.

Nico Robin:

Robin is as of now my favorite character and I have literally nothing I can criticize about her. She is intelligent, her backstory is my favorite as of now and I love how her character also shows that it isn’t only pure strength alone that can be dangerous in the eyes of others but also intelligence. She was wanted for simply knowing how to read Poneglyphs. I’m also happy that she hasn’t been sexualized in the Anime so far and I pray to god that she won’t get the Nami treatment later on. I also love her dark and blunt sense of humor.

Franky:

Franky is incredibly likable. He is as of now the newest member of the Straw Hats so I have not as much to say about him but he is also a well built character with a nice introduction. The relationship he had going on with Iceberg and his past with Tom were well written and despite his rowdy experience he has a heart made out of gold. The fact that he took all outsiders in Water 7 under his wings and gave them a new home and purpose says really all you need to know about him and I’m looking forward to seeing more of him.

#a talks #one piece #op #monkey d. luffy #roronoa zoro #nami #usopp #vinsmoke sanji #tony tony chopper #nico robin #franky

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theminecraftbee · 10 months ago

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i also knew that particular spoiler before i read it like ten years ago and for better or worse i can promise you that knowing doesn’t take away from the scene at all. godspeed soldier

but yeah One Piece is so much fun! the best/worst thing about it is it’s exactly as good as all its obnoxious obsessed fans say it is (i say as one of those obnoxious obsessed fans) so i’m so glad you’re enjoying it. it’s really funny and charming and stays funny and charming even in the most depressing or upsetting of arcs (as im sure you’re learning, being at impel down)

the worldbuilding tho. god it’s so fun. genuinely ill never get over how the world constantly feels so vast and rich and lived in. the spirit of adventure present in the series wouldn’t work half as well if the world weren’t so fun to explore and learn more about but it adds so much to the heart of the series for it to live i such a big and amazing world

(mcyt fanon flexibility reminds me so much of One Piece world, i have half an essay about this somewhere but ill spare your ask box LMAO)

also, i gotta know since you said you haven’t talked about it much on here before—any favorite characters or scenes or arcs so far?

- liloinkoink cuz i guess ill just keep signing these

yeah man the way oda manages to make the story funny and lighthearted but still make the really heavy bits hit so well is SO IMPRESSIVE.

as for favorite characters/scenes/arcs... this is a HARD DECISION. i like everyone so much! i think so far water 7/enies lobby might be my favorite arc and nico robin's entire story was fantastic, i love her, she's very cool. i might also say usopp or maybe luffy himself are some of my other favorites? also brook's backstory got me HARD, man, and the fact it brought back the goddamn whale from the very beginning of their journey on the grand line kills me.

actually so many things in this series that are like. surprise, here is a thing you thought was a one-off bit from 200 chapters ago! it is now Vitally Important! have fun!

anyway yes that,

#answered #liloinkoink

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i-am-minty-fresh · 11 months ago

Text

(The ask at hand being: “I'm really normal about robin (<- lying) and I want to hear about her and chopper because their relationship is so important to me” from @noisypitta)

Okay, so I took my melatonin before committing to this so I apologize if I get incoherent about halfway through. I finally get to address Robin and one of the many fascinating elements of her personality and relationships. Not only Robin, but I also get to talk about the world’s bestest boy, Chopper! What a good day for me! And this analysis is going to be about self-image and what makes us monsters.

Hilariously, Chopper doesn’t have that much to his character…because he’s a child. He’s best understood through the lens of a still-developing child. He’s not old enough to commit to his insecurity in the common strawhat way (Sanji, Nami, Robin), but he’s also inexperienced enough not to understand shit like Usopp’s betrayal in Water 7. He’s yet to make a proper mistake because he’s going in completely blind. His only understanding of himself was brought on by either his dad or his adoptive mom. Up until meeting Luffy he always understood himself to be a monster, something no person in their right mind would want anything to do with. Hiriluk takes care of him cause he’s a crazy old man (who paid the price for taking care of him later) and Kureha only takes care of him out o obligation…this is a lot for a child to put up with. Hated by reindeer and people alike he can only associate with the kinds of people that even other people don’t like (i.e. crazy doctor and greedy witch). Chopper thought himself an unlovable monster and rather than being told that he wasn’t a monster, he came to meet other (worse) monsters. He joins a crew of insane monsters who embrace all that makes them strange and offputting because that's the strawhat way, and after Marineford Chopper vows to become a real monster to protect his crewmates from losing like that ever again.

Another thing to keep in mind for Chopper is his development, which is something I brought up a little bit earlier. He’s never really had a comforting parent figure, much less for very long. He’s a child who seeks validation and comfort at every turn because he’s used to violence and hatred. He’s not used to someone treating him like a child meant to be protected rather than a monster to be feared…and Robin…

Robin knows a lot about being a monster. About being hated and hunted and laughed at and being seen as nothing more than devil spawn. She has spent her childhood being chased for just being herself and learning to never fully trust anyone but herself because everyone else will just hurt her in the long run (or her past will end up hurting them). He keeps people at arm's length because she can’t trust herself not to hold everyone too close. She’s so desperate for comfort and safety that it makes her uncomfortable to be too friendly. She’s a textbook manipulator who hides behind the lies told about her because if she becomes the evil thing they call her at least it’ll stop being a lie about a helpless child. Robin is done being a child, or so she says. She’s matured with her terrible self-image and until Enies Lobby was more than willing to let her piss poor perception of herself kill her…but it didn’t. Luffy wouldn’t let her. He made her admit just how desperate she was for a real family. She’s got stupid dreams she’s willing to die for, she finds the crew's antics ridiculously charming, and she loves being both looked after and respected as a powerful member of the crew. She’s cared for in the way that she needs to be at this point which is to feel intellectually important (hands down she’s the smartest member of the crew), and valued as a strategist. She doesn’t need to be coddled, she just needs to feel like she takes up the proper space on hr crew, and she does…but for Chopper….he’s something different.

Zoro and Sanji are stubborn and bull-headed and unwilling to accept help even when it best suits them. Nami has her being more of a sister than a dotting mother, on an equal playing field in terms of trickery. Usopp’s similarly stubborn and does best by learning through his mistakes so not much she can do there. Luffy loves being cared for, but not as the unique god-child savior he is but rather as an extension of how every member of the crew should be cared for (which is to say efficiently). Chopper though is little. So little he hasn’t learned to take compliments in stride or mask his enjoyment. He doesn’t have up all the walls that Robin or Nami built to try to put everything that has happened to them into a context in which it doesn’t hurt as much rather than just admitting that it wasn’t fair and they should be mad. Chopper wants validation from his peers and attention from those he sees as more experienced…but he also wants to be cared for. Similar to Robin, he wants to be respected in his field and as a fighter, but only because that respect can be translated into cool points with older brother Zoro and dad Franky. He’s a textbook case of a little sibling who wants to feel just as important as everyone else and it’s devastating to him but adorable to everyone else. Robin doesn’t want him growing up too fast, because that’s what she had to do. The world turned her into a monster and now she sits comfortably with that title making sure to use it against them when they try to hurt her family. Chopper does the same. He knows that no one will look at him and not see a monster, but it doesn’t mean he can’t break his Hippocratic oath to kick some ass if need be.

Robin treats him like how she wishes she was treated. She hangs on every word and carries around his favorite food because she wants to give him what she never got but wanted so badly. He wants to be looked after because the world is full of stuff that he knows nothing about and he doesn’t have his dad around to wrap his wounds anymore.

Their relationship is one of the teacher and the student. Robin gets to pass on her wisdom through her terrible lived experience at the hands of people who call her a monster and Chopper gets to learn that maybe being a monster isn’t so bad if it means you get to protect the people you care about. If Robin’s a monster, maybe being a monster isn’t that bad.

Not as long as I would have liked it, let me know if you think I missed anything! I’d love to discuss them further because I love my antlered son and his bloodthirsty mom but it is now bedtime.

Sorry for taking so long!

#one piece #minty musings #character analysis #nico robin #devil child nico robin #tony tony chopper #one piece chopper

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pure-garbage · 3 months ago

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Revelry And Recovery! Tipsy Sweet Talk?

Chapter Warnings: Smut, fluff, injury. Minors DNI

A few moments during the invasion of Enies Lobby actually made Lana think that she would die. Those moments came and went, passing over and leaving her devoid of breath, yet still full of life. So when the time came to celebrate victory with the citizens of Water 7, she did so with abandon. She felt better a few drinks deep, numbness creeping through her body and bringing with it sweet relief from the pain of her many, many injuries.

Numbness wasn't the only thing the achohol brought. Lana grew more sociable the more intoxicated she became, a trait she hadn't been aware of before tonight. She danced, wagered, won and flitted through the shipyard party, moving from conversation with one stranger to the next. The only enemy for her to face here was boredom.

The revelry spun around her and she twirled with its rhythm happily, drinking in life. She knocked back anther bubbly drink at the make-shift bar, feeling a pair of strong hands slide onto her hips as she drained it. Someone was behind her, pulling... she went along, landing in a man's lap.

"Careful who you grab," she warned with a hoarse giggle. Her voice wasn't as bad as it had been the day before, but her throat still wasn't fully recovered. "You might reel in a catch that bites."

"Mm, those are my favorite," a voice she knew well replied.

"There you are," Lana purred, leaning back indulgently against Zoro.

"Sounds like this party's got a while to go before it winds down," he observed, drinking from a frothy tankard as his eyes swept out over the scene.

"Of course it does, our crew's running around riling everyone up."

Lana shifted sideways, hanging her legs off the stool and wrapping an arm securely over Zoro's shoulder while he finished his drink. Despite his earlier claim that he wasn't hurt, the swordsman's skin was littered with bandages. Lana poked his cheek, demanding his attention while he waited for another drink.

"How deep?" she pressed.

"Told you, barely scratched me," Zoro assured her. His hands crept up gingerly over the wrappings on her ribs.

"Broken?"

"A few."

"You'll heal faster than they say you will. You were good back there."

"I know," Lana smirked as his hands wandered higher, then lower again. Her breath hitched as he caressed her thighs, planting a blossoming heat between them that demanded to be soothed by his touch. She locked lips with him, parting her knees invitingly as the revelry roared on around them.

"We should take a break from this party," she murmured after a few minutes, hopping up from his lap and twining her fingers through his easily. She tugged gently and he allowed her to pull him to his feet.

"You read my mind," Zoro grinned, snagging a drink in passing as they wove through the celebration. Zoro eyed the dance floor longingly, but Lana pulled him past it, her sly smile beckoning more strongly than any of the festivities. He followed her away from the noise, the lights and the crowd, sake splashing through the halls to the quarters they were sharing.

"Your cup is too full," Lana teased him. "Here, let me help with that."

Zoro let her have a drink, then drained the mug without breaking to breathe.

"Don't you dare pass out of me!" she giggled.

"As if!"

He pulled her flush against him. The kiss they shared tasted of alcohol and the high of the contact clashed feudally with the spirits they'd imbibed, leaving their heads spinning.

Zoro pushed her back until they hit the bed, falling together onto the mattress. Lana yelped, anticipating pain, but he stayed on his hands and knees above her, protecting her body from his weight with care.

"Come on, you didn't think I forgot, did you?" he chided softly.

"Never. Just a reflex."

Lana kicked her heels off, alternating between shedding her own clothes and tugging at his as he busied himself with the worship of the newly exposed flesh. She ran her hands over him in return, hungrily taking stock of what was hers. She sighed his name, pushing his chest promptingly until he rolled onto his back for her.

"You're so gorgeous," she marveled drunkenly, palms splayed on his chest as she settled down onto his hips. Her name fell from his lips, drawn almost to the point of being two words as his eyes slid shut, relishing the sensation of her body as it overcame his. His hands moved over her body, her breasts, her waist, her thighs, relishing her entire being as she set the tempo of their lovemaking.

"And you're too beautiful," Zoro answered at last, rising to lose his fingers in her violet hair and his tongue between her supple lips. His words were slurred with pleasure and intoxication, not that Lana was any more composed. The pace of her hips rocking into his didn't change, but her breath came harder and she trembled in his passionate embrace.

"My angel..."

Zoro coaxed her higher, dripping honey in her ear and sweat on her skin as they climbed together.

"I want to keep you, always," he told her with quiet fervor, voice low and muffled against her slick skin.

Zoro rolled then gently, sending Lana's world spinning away from her as he set her on her back, taking the lead and pressing into her more deeply. His fingers searched between them, seeking the key to her climax as her hands fisted in the sheets and her moans rang out around them. He found what he was looking for, his moans joining hers as she arched and tightened around him. He could tell she was close by the way her cries settled into breathy sighs, her legs hooking around his waist. She drew him closer with her heels, dragging him deeper greedily as he cradled her cheek with his free hand.

"Not yet, Lana... wait for me," he begged, lapping at her pounding pulse while her fingers sank into his hair.

"It's fine," Lana sighed, pulling him closer despite the ache in her ribs. "Just keep going... I can take it for you."

Zoro sent her tumbling over the edge of bliss, his thrusts unfaltering as she quivered with unparalleled pleasure beneath him. Her nails dug into his back and she bit her lip as she came undone around him, holding his eyes to let him see her satisfaction as she drifted down again from the explosive, fleeting high.

A moment later, she squealed, tensing helplessly as Zoro rocked steadily into her tender, shaken core. His rhythm broke, her apparent discomfort giving him pause.

"Zoro, don't stop!" she urged.

"Lana-"

It was his turn to yelp out his surprise as she flipped him, climbing back atop his body and taking him without leaving room for protest.

"I said I could take it!" she panted, pinning his wrists beside his head as he grinned up at her with approval. She crushed her lips to his, swallowing his enthusiastic, ecstatic moans as she took him with long, languid strokes. For once, he didn't seem to need anything more than she was able to easily give. He clasped their fingers while the low, generous chorus of his pleasure rumbled deep in his chest, vibrating against her body as she chased his high with a single-minded focus she'd only learned by watching him do the same.

Zoro met her vigor with desperation, thrusting up to meet the roll of her hips as she drove him slowly, intently to a familiar place where he could only think of how good she made him feel, of how much emotion she filled him with. It was with swelling gratitude and nigh overwhelming adoration that he followed his lover into the blinding bliss of orgasm.

Lana collapsed next to him, humming her happiness as he leaned over to shower her spent body with kisses.

"Lana."

"Zoro."

"Listen."

"Hm?"

"You're strong, and fierce," he told her, locking eyes with her over her shoulder as his hands played over her skin absently.

"I am," she acknowledged patiently.

"You're beautiful and fearless."

"Zoro-"

"You never shy away," he pushed on, "... from challenging me when I'm wrong or staying by my side when I bite off more than I should. I want you to be mine."

"I'm yours, Zoro," she sighed.

"Always?"

The insistence in his tone bothered her.

"What are you asking?" she managed, battling with exhaustion and the heavy words he laid over her conscience.

"Be my wife, Lana," he purred.

"Huh?"

"Say yes. Say you'll do it."

"Zoro... we're both drunk," Lana managed. "Ask me against when we sober up, okay?"

"Lana..."

"Please?" she pressed, whining a little and shifting out from under his weight as her ribs began to ache.

"Fine. Think about it," Zoro conceded. He went back to kissing her body like nothing had happened.

'I had no idea he could be so sappy if he got sloshed enough,' she thought sleepily. 'So much for never letting alcohol dictate his actions. I'm sure he won't even remember asking come morning.'

Lana passed out with his lips still roaming her body.

__________________________________________________

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Next Chapter ==>

== First Chapter ==

#one piece #fanfic #oc #roronoa zoro #sandbox adventures #pure garbage #zoro smut #zoro

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kilannad · 1 year ago

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As the Stars Burn On Chapter 25

Masterlist. Ao3.

Rocketman

“Lucy!” Gajeel skidding to a stop on his knees, pressing his hands against her face and tilting her this way and that. “I thought you said you were fine.”

“I am.”

Laxus dropped down next to her, burying his face into her shoulder. Even muffled, she could hear his worry. “Then why the fuck can we smell your blood?”

She cringed, looking away. The absolute smack down they'd received at the hands of CP9 still smarted; she didn't care much for the pain outside of how it might slow her down in the coming fight, but the fact that she hadn't even managed to get a hit in ate at her. Surely after how far she'd come, she should be able to do better.

“Chopper's already patched me up,” she promised. She ran her hand through Gajeel's hair, coming back soot covered. Laxus, now that she looked, was similarly disastrous. “What the hell happened to you two?!”

“We helped evacuate the docks,” Laxus explained. His face shuttered, something haunted in his eyes. “It...wasn't pretty.”

She swallowed, closing her eyes. She prayed whatever souls had passed would find their way to peace. Next to them, the train roared to life with a rumble that echoed her own rage. Likely hundreds dead, all so CP9 could leave without being seen.

Kokoro had directed them all towards another underground storage area. Unlike Franky's base, this one was filled, though not with a ship. Instead, a short, gleaming silver sea train with a pointed shark figurehead awaited them. Rocketman had been a prototype to Puffing Tom but Kokoro got it up and running and was certain she could get them through Aqua Laguna and to Enies Lobby. Chopper had patched everyone up best he could, and Nami had sourced food and booze for them all to refuel on. All that was left was for Luffy to give the order.

“Oi, wait!” Zambei, Franky's right hand, stumbled in with the twins right behind him. “Straw Hat, is it true? Was big bro really taken?”

“Yes,” Lucy answered, Luffy busy stuffing his face. “But we're going after our crewmate anyway, so we'll bring him back.”

“We can't let you do that alone,” Kiwi argued.

“He's our big bro!” Mozu agreed.

“Let us come with you,” Zambei added. “We just need to hook are King Yagara's to you and the Franky Family will have your back.”

Pursing her lips, Lucy considered the offer. It would be undeniably helpful to have more people, yet she didn't think the Franky Family had the high level fighters the Straw Hats boasted. Enies Lobby wasn't any marine base; it was one of the three pillars of the World Government, a fortress of fighters and tactitians. In short—the Straw Hats were going into a death trap.

“Eh, sure,” Luffy said. “Why not?” The three dismantlers took off before Lucy could argue the point, but in the end it wouldn't matter. What Luffy said, Luffy got. With a contented sigh, Luffy stood with a stretch. “Yoish! Let's go.”

“Before you go,” Paulie announced, stepping down the staircase. He tossed something over to Luffy. “Give that to Lucci. And tell him he's fired.”

“You aren't going to insist on coming?” Zoro asked.

“Normally I would. But Water 7 is a mess and we need all the help we can. As Vice President, I have to stay.” He bit down hard on his cigar. “But make no mistake. You make it clear that Galley-La will kill any of those CP9 assholes that show their faces again.”

“Noted,” Laxus said. “Good luck.”

“Says the man sailing straight towards hell.”

With all the interuptions taken care of, the remaining Straw Hats loaded onto Rocketman, Kokoro settling into the conductors room. “Alright, pirates! Rocketman is taking off, final destination the Judicial Island, Enies Lobby! When I get us on the tracks, we'll be set. Until then, hold on to your everything.”

“Here,” Nami announced as the doors closed. “I got everyone a change of clothes.”

Rocketman began moving, steam building and releasing with a loud whistle. Laxus and Gajeel both downed the pills Chopper gave them like two men dying as they went flying out of the warehouse and down into the ocean itself. Rocketman traveled above the water, Kokoro masterfully handling him as she guided him towards the rails that floated just under the water. The storm was a full living thing now, filled with wrath and hatred as they went straight into the heart of it. The Franky Family, with two massive, sea king-sized yagara's, attached themselves to the rear of the train.

Laxus and Gajeel changed into the clothes they'd warn to meet Franky in, while Lucy switched into a black skirt and purple sweetheart cut shirt with a white shawl over it. Zoro had taken off the shirt he usually wore under his haramaki and thrown on a tan leather jacket he wore open; Nami had switched to a crop top and jean jacket with a skirt and Luffy, in true Luffy fashion, had only another version of his usual shorts and shirt. Usopp and Chopper, similarly, had stuck to their old comfort clothes, adding only a cape and pink vest, respectfully.

After everyone had changed, Lucy realized that Usopp had retreated to a back corner, face buried in his hands as he trembled all over. She took a step, only to have Laxus hold her back, shaking his head as he approached Usopp himself. Trusting him to have it in hand, she checked on the rest of the crew. Zoro and Luffy had gone outside to deal with an incoming wave, just as Rocketman landed on the rails, speed quatrupling easily. Kokoro joined them in the main cart, easily revealing they were now on a runaway train with no chance to stop. Lily was comforting Chopper while Nami checked her Climatact.

With nothing else to do, Lucy started prepping her own arsenal.

☉

Sanji hissed a breath between his teeth, cracking his spine. Cipher Pole agents were no joke, and these idiots weren't even the big wigs. The boxer, shitty as he was, had gotten a few too many good hits in, leaving Sanji aching and bruised. Puffing Tom pierced through the storm easily, sending them all closer and closer to Enies Lobby and Robin's execution. Lucy had dropped contact with him, opting to save as much of her magic as possible; it meant he was going in blind, the calvary charge to rescue a lady in need.

Six seas, he hoped she was okay. And if she wasn't? Not even the fire of hell would stop him from exacting vengence.

☉

Jonathan was glad that he was taken to one of the upper offices in the Tower of Law. It was well known among the upper ranks that if you were called to judgement by Judge Baskerville, the decision had already been made. Instead though, he sat down with a very severe looking but pleasant CP1 agent. While CP1 was likely the weakest in terms of strength, they were especially hated by marines for one simple reason; they conducted internal affairs.

“Vice Admiral 'Chessmaster' Jonathan,” Agent Linna began, serving tea. “Why don't you start by telling me how you managed to let not one, but two captured POI escape your prison?”

Ah. Perhaps not as pleasant as he hoped.

☉

Sanji slammed into the wall, groaning. The smell of ramen was nearly overwhelming, second only to the offence he felt at this CP7 idiot daring to use food as a weapon. He'd had a fairly good feeling after he'd managed to free Franky and the two of them had disconnected the last two cars; of course, then he'd walked in to someone who'd dare to call himself both a cook and a fighter.

Needlessly to say, he'd sent Franky ahead via the top of the train car. This idiot was his.

☉

“Is that the sea train?”

“No way,” Nami countered. “It's way too soon.”

Laxus tilted his head, focusing his hearing in. He could make out two floating train cars, but as he sorted through the noise they were making, it quickly became clear it wasn't any of their people. “Only marines.”

“Okay,” Luffy hummed. “Zoro, cut it.”

“Sure.”

It probably said a lot about their life that no one even blinked at the order—

or the following destruction.

“Hold on,” Gajeel called, pulling his head back in the car. “There's someone walking up ahead on the tracks.”

“Huh,” Laxus grunted, listening to the truly empassioned rant of someone who announced himself as Captain T-Bone. “I didn't realize there was such a thing as a marine that actually cared about civilians.”

Above, standing on the tip of the train, Zoro tied his bandana on. “Too bad he's standing in our way.”

☉

Franky grunted at the slash of razor air to his chest. The weasel looking freak—Nero, some rookie CP9 ass—was too fast for him to hit but too weak to do any real damage. It left them in an awful standstill, neither able to get something over on the other, but equally unwilling to back down. Franky was doing his best to conserve cola, but there was only so much he could do.

☉

“Nico Robin is still unsconscious in the first car,” Corgy announced. Kaku didn't say anything, only watched as Lucci dismissed him. With Nico still sedated and them closing in on Enies Lobby every second, it was only a matter of time before this mission was over. He'd be assigned another soon enough.

He closed his eyes, only to have blood flash behind his eyelids. Kaku had killed and been witness to enough death that few things haunted him anymore. (A lie he told himself to get through the day.) Iceburg...Iceburg might be the only one he regreted. He hadn't spoken against Lucci when he'd decided to kill the man—they had a mission and they would complete it at any cost. He just wished things had turned out differently.

He hoped his next assignment had something to do with ships. He'd enjoyed being a shipwright more than he probably should have. It was dangerous, they'd always been lectured, to get attached to a cover. They were just faces and weapons on which any story could be told. Getting attached to somewhere meant getting attached to someone and that meant weakness. Weapons with weaknesses broke and the World Government didn't waste resources fixing them.

Across the isle, Kalifa caught his eye. They'd grown up together, had gone on so many missions that they could talk without a single word passing between them. Lucci trusted Kaku as his second but Kalifa was probably the closest thing to a friend Kaku had.

This is our job, her eyebrow said.

This mission is shit, his rolled shoulder pointed out.

Our lives are shit, her pressed lips shouted. He had to conceed the point. Kalifa was a legacy CP9 agent going back three generations; the second she was conceived, her life had been chosen for her. Kaku, as the bastard result of a CP7 agent disobeying orders and going AWAL, had been paying for his father's sins since he was dropped on River Island at five. They'd been forged for the sake of justice and, as Lucci was so fond of reminding them, Justice was what the Government decided.

He tilted his head, the barely there movement conveying more than he could ever bring himself to say. Kalifa looked away, recrossing her legs. It was the only response she could give.

Do you ever wonder if we could be free?

Dreams don't come true for monsters.

☉

Lucy rerolled her whip, as ready as she'd ever be. She'd learned the extent of Hóu's abilities when she'd brought Shé out earlier; Gemini knew their job should the worst happen; she'd rested and conserved as much of her magic as possible; and Chopper had stuffed her full of more pain pills than he'd wanted, knowing as he did that her sitting out wasn't an option.

There was still a miniscule chance of Sanji managing to grab Franky and Robin both before they caught up with the sea train, but they all knew how likely that was. The sheer power of CP9 couldn't be overstated; they were stronger than anyone she had ever seen before, except Gildarts and Gramps. She trusted that they would win, though. A second failure wasn't an option.

☉

Kuzan pulled his sleeping mask down, ignoring the saluting marine at his door. The marine—one of Garp's newest protogees—didn't seem to care.

“Admiral Aokiji, sir! Fleet Admiral Sengoku would like you to report to his office.”

“Tell him I'm doing paperwork.”

The kid, admirably, did not point out how this was a bold-faced lie. “He says it has to do with Nico Robin, sir.” Kuzan went very still. When it was clear he still wasn't going to get up, the kid added, “He, uh, also told you to say, quote 'He can either help bring Nico Robin in or he can take her place in Impel Down' end quote.”

Kuzan considered the likelihood of that being an exageration compared to Sengoku's tendencies to be a hardass.

With a sigh, he got up.

☉

Sanji slammed into a wall; he was honestly getting sick of the feeling. He and Franky had managed to defeat their opponents and get to the second car, where all of CP9 was stationed. The only problem? When wonderful Lucy had warned him that CP9 was strong, she had undersold them. They were downright monsters and there was no way he and Franky could get through four of them. Franky seemed to have the same idea.

“Your crew is on the way right?”

“Yeah. We're not letting them keep Robin.”

“Alright. Then this probably won't kill you.” Before Sanji could react, Franky had picked him and tossed him out of the train, straight onto the tracks. Unable to stop, Sanji landed in the ocean, coming up sputtering, just in time to see Kaku restrain Franky as the Puffing Tom sped away.

Cursing, he found the train tracks and held on desperately, fighting against the storming ocean. Luckily for him, it didn't take long for the Rocketman to become visible and for Luffy to offer him a hand up.

Getting in was easy, but facing the reality that he'd failed? That was harder.

“I just don't get it,” Usopp spit out. “Why take Robin specifically? Or Franky?”

“Pluton,” Lucy murmured. “They...They asked Franky where the blueprints for Pluton were.”

“What's Pluton?” Zambai asked.

“It's a battleship,” Nami explained. “But not just any battleship. One of three ancient weapons from the Void Century said to be able to destroy the world.”

“Did Robin tell you?” Lucy said.

Nami nodded, sitting down heavily. “Yeah. Her nightmare that I saw it...it was horrifying. She told me, the next night when she woke up screaming, what the story was.” Tearing up, she shook her head. “There is nothing that scares Robin more than the World Government hurting us. Especially CP9.”

“But why?” Sanji demanded. “She has to know we'll always come for her.”

“Because she's already dealt with CP9 before,” Nami told them. “When they destroyed her home island with a buster call.”

☉

When Nico Robin was two years old, her mother left. If she ever had a father, she didn't remember him. Professor Clover took care of her sometimes, but he was old and more of a crazy uncle than a true dad, so her mom left Robin with her aunt and uncle. Uncle Oak was kind, and gentle, but he let Aunt Roji take control and Roji hated Robin. It was not a nice childhood and when she ate her Devil Fruit it got even worse.

Ohara was a beautiful island in the West Blue with an easy going mayor and scholars that stayed cloistered within the five thousand year old Tree of Knowledge. None of the civilians knew what a Devil Fruit was and the other children called her a freak for her powers. She spent all her days at the Tree, learning to be a scholar and archiologists just like her mother in hopes that, one day, she would go out to sea with her. But Ohara had a secret and it was a deadly one.

The scholars studied all history but what they studied most of all was the Void Century using the Poneglyph they'd hidden away beneath the tree. Robin, being curious and with her powers, had long since learned of the stone and taught herself to read to secret language in hopes of impressing her professors. It didn't work out so well.

Professor Clover was furious and terrified when he'd learned what Robin had done, just after she'd officially been declared a scholar of Ohara. He and the rest of the professors stopped letting her in the tree or encouraging her curiousity. She was truly and deeply alone.

Which is when she met Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul.

Saul was a giant and a marine that had gone AWAL in objection to the execution of Nico Olvia's entire crew and her own arrest. But when he met Robin he didn't call her a devil or freak or any other nasty thing. He was her friend and he taught her to laugh even when times were hard.

There was one problem though; CP9, led by an awful man named Spandine, had discovered what the scholars were researching and had come to put a stop to it. In pursuit of that, they called a buster call; a marine attack featuring ten battleships and five Vice Admirals with the soul purpose of annihalating everything in their way. Usually, only Admirals and above had the power to order one using special golden den-den but just that once, CP9 had been given permission. Every man, woman and child on that island was killed, Olvia, having just returned, included. Saul was frozen by then Vice Admiral Kuzan but, in keeping with Saul's final wishes, let Robin escape.

Eight years old, having watched her mother and everyone she had ever cared about killed by the so-called Justice of the world, Nico Robin ran. And for the last twenty years, she hadn't been able to stop.

☉

Nami paused, wiping at her eyes. “That's the story. That's why they want her so bad. She's the only survivor of a genocide they commited and they're set on finishing the job.”

The entire train wobbled with the force of Luffy's punch. His face was cast in a dark shadow by his hat, visibly steaming in anger. “They're taking her to Enies Lobby?”

Lucy nodded sharply, pulling her hair back into a high pony tail. She felt raw and exposed, like someone had peeled back her skin. There were few things she hated more in this world than slavery but she decided that the World Government just went to the top of her shit list. “Two gates block the way into the central island, where 10,000 soldiers are stationed; beyond that, we need to access the courthouse to drop down the bridge to the Tower of Justice which guards the way to the Bridge of Hesitation. From there, the Gates of Justice from which there are only two destinations; the underwater gallows, Impel Down, and Marine HQ, Marineford. Either is a death sentence.”

“Do you all get that?” Nami asked sharply. “If Robin crosses the Gates of Justice, it's over. She'll be out of our reach.”

“Got it,” Luffy announced. “Laxus?”

“Right. Lucy managed to get her hands on a map of Enies back on Navarone, and it llookssomething like this.” Nami offered up the loose sketch of an island for Laxus to spread on the floor before them all. Of course, what Nami declared mediocure sketch, Marine cartographers declared their magnum opus. Laxus dragged his finger across as he talked. “The island is floating above a giant hole in the ocean, nd is made of two parts. But step one is crashing to a stop.”

“We're crashing?!” Chopper shreeked.

“There aren't any breaks,” Zoro pointed out. “Besides, best way to do it.”

“Sure, except it's not that easy. There's a seastone fence that surrounds the entire entryway. Lily will fly himself and Gajeel over and pull it down.”

“Hate to say it, but I can't break seastone, and it'll take too long to eat it.”

“You don't have to take it down all the way. Just angle it.”

“So we can use it as a ramp,” Sanji concluded. “Smart.”

“That should get us past the island gate. While Luffy goes ahead—beccause we all know he's not waiting around—we'll help the Franky Family clear the inner gate. Half of their numbers will stay behind to hold the exit with one of their yagaras. The rest will move forward through the island to take the courthouse. The Straw Hats will spread through the streets and rendevou there, so we aren't a sitting target. We're not sure what the mechanic for dropping the bridge is, but we'll need to find it so we can get over to the Tower of Law. This is probably where CP9 will be holding Robin—and Franky—until the escort from Marine HQ arives and opens the Gates. We spread out and take them down, one by one.”

“The pigeon guy is mine,” Luffy snarled.

“I have dips on Discount-Usopp,” Zoro added. At the various raised brows, he said, “He's a swordsman.”

Lucy didn't know how Zoro knew that, but she wasn't about to argue with him. The same way they all knew Luffy always got the strongest oopponent, Zoro got the swordsman.

Laxus nodded. “So be it. Lucy will gather what information she can as we move through while Usopp moves to the top of the Tower. You're our lookout; if they get Robin on that bridge, you use a mini-den den to call Lucy, and she contacts the rest of the crew. Buy us as much time as you can, Usopp.”

Swallowing heavily, he nodded. “I'll do what I need to.”

“What happens when we get Robin and big bro?” Kiwi asked.

“We retreat,” Laxus said immediately. “We aren't reavers—our objective is to save Robin and Franky and get out alive. This isn't like G-8, where there's only a single high-ranking officer. There is no telling who or what is on that island outside of CP9. We take one of the ships and circle around to pick up the Franky Family before getting out of dodge.” Pulling back, he looked up at Luffy, deadly serious. The tension spiked. “Before this, we've been pests in their ears, just another crew of pirate rookies. But this?” He waved his hand at the map, the crew, the invasion they'd planned. “This might as well be a declaration of war.”

Luffy didn't flinch. “They took Robin.”

It was as simple as that. The Marines had taken one of theirs, and they weren't leaving until they got her back.

“I'm glad that's all settled,” Kokoro declared with a laugh. “Because we've reached our final destination. Welcome to the Judicial Island, Enies Lobby!”

“Whoa, it looks really cool!”

“Meow!”

“Chimney! Gombei! What are you two doing here?!”

#as the stars burn on #one piece fanfic #laxus dreyar #lucy heartfilia #fairy tail fanfic #gajeel redfox #laxus x lucy x gajeel

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linawritesfanficandmore · 2 years ago

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My Anime Opinions (Mostly One Piece)

Pt2:

People Really Underestimate Zoro's Loyalty and His Caring Side

Man, I had enough with the “If just Zoro was in WCI” nonsense. People really underestimate Zoro’s loyalty to Luffy and his caring side. Let me give some examples:

Loyalty: 1-Let’s start with the beginning. Zoro knows that he would be dead if it weren’t for Luffy because the marines weren’t prideful like Zoro was and they would kill Zoro anyway even after he survived from starving for three weeks. Zoro is a prideful person who sticks to his promises till death like Kuina's. Zoro promised Luffy to be his swordsman.

2-Zoro declared his loyalty to Luffy at Baratie.

3-Zoro saved Smoker.

4-While Jaya arc Zoro got beaten up by very weak people with Luffy, just because Luffy ordered him. Again people remember Zoro is a prideful person he wouldn’t allow anyone to humiliate him like this if it weren’t for Luffy.

5-Water 7. Zoro didn’t interrupt the duel between Usopp and Luffy. He understands how duels work and also wouldn’t want him to interrupt.

6--Zoro also showed here, he respected Luffy so much and expect from everyone in the crew too. If Usopp didn’t apologize and Luffy got him back anyway Zoro would go because everything till here would be meaningless in his eyes. But Luffy isn’t that kind of person so Zoro remained loyal at the top.

7--Thriller Bark. Do I have to say anything? He was ready to die for Luffy. It was meaningless if he couldn’t protect his captain. He never told Luffy what he did for him. Respect that man.

There is probably much more but these are the most outstanding and coming into my mind right now.

Caring: Gosh, there is so much in here coming into my mind. It would be trouble the get all of them together.

1-People would argue with me with this one but Zoro’s argument with Kuina about how it didn’t matter to be a girl or boy wasn’t just about how Zoro would be humiliated that he won against her just because he is a boy but also he cared so much about her and could see she was struggling. Also, the whole Tashigi thing just because he cares so much about Kuina(Also his trauma about her, possible PTSD)

2-He cared for the little girl and eat her food.

3-We already know both Nami(gosh I want to talk about Nami too) and Luffy are caring people. So it wasn’t a surprise when they wanted to fight for Usopp but Zoro also wanted it. It wasn’t just about pride, it was his caring side.

4-Zoro got scared about Yosaku when he saw him sick.

5-Sometimes Zoro surprise me with his understanding of people. Zoro trusted Nami wouldn’t throw her humanity away and would let him die even in front of Arlong. He cared Nami listened to her about why she hated pirates back in there. Usopp didn’t understand it there.

6-But Zoro wanted to fight with her when he thought she killed Usopp.

7-Zoro is scared for Sanji when he dived in.

8-Zoro let his crewmates sleep when he fights with Baroque works and said: “Let them sleep more they got tired a lot while getting here.” (wasn’t an exact quote)

9-When he learned first about Merry’s condition he said: “Is it true? Are you really this damaged? (again not an exact quote)

10-Zoro tells Sanji not the fight on the train because there were some really dangerous guys.

11-Whole Enies Lobby showed how all of them were caring.

12-Thriller Bark. I talked about Luffy here but what about Sanji. When he first saw him you could see his eyes were painted with pure fear and finally when Sanji talked about death and replace him with another cook Zoro just couldn’t take it anymore and knocked him out with the reverse of his sword.

13-In Zou, there is one scene Luffy asks Zoro “were you worried about Sanji?” Zoro avoid answering that but it was obvious.

There are more and more but I think it is enough. So let’s get into other thing. If Zoro was in WCI he wouldn’t do anything to stop Sanji from his fight with Luffy. He wouldn’t stay quiet thoughç he would be angry but he wouldn’t do anything.

#roronoa zoro #zoro #zoro is a caring person #zoro's loyalty

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turtletaubwrites · 10 months ago

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My Crew Needs Me ~ Part 25

Pairings: Zoro x Fem!Reader, Sanji x Fem!Reader, Robin x Fem!Reader, Sanji X Robin

This is part 25 of the poly series 'We've All Got Needs,' linked below:

Word Count: 3593

We've All Got Needs Masterlist

Ao3 Link (Ch. 15 of We've All Got Needs cont.)

!!SPOILER WARNING!! Spoilers for the anime for the Water 7/Enies Lobby arc (through episode 288).

Summary: The Straw Hats infiltrate the Tower of Justice, and they race against time to find Robin before she's taken through the Gates. CP9 holds the keys to her freedom, and the crew will win or die trying to get her back.

Rating/Warnings: AFAB!Reader, She/Her Pronouns for Reader, Reader-Insert, Polyamory, Kissing, Canon Typical Violence, Blood, Injuries, Pet Names, Swearing, Angst, Mild Body Horror (I guess? it's in the show)

A/N: Sorry for the longer wait on these chapters, friends! Apparently action takes me longer to write than smut, lol.

Luffy’s rallying call was followed by the creaking and scraping of the drawbridge, excitement and hope stunning you.

“Our reinforcements pulled it together after all. And just in time too,” Sanji praised, his words fading out at the sound of the Franky Family yelling that it was up to all of you now.

Luffy crouched down, yelling one more time to your crewmate across the waterfall.

“Hey Robin! We’ll save you no matter what!”

Shouts from marines below were followed by the booming of weapons against wood and stone that dashed your hopes.

Luffy and Sanji yelled down at the enemies, and you saw the bridge stop halfway, all of that work for naught.

You almost didn’t catch the sight of Franky lighting something on fire, burning pieces of paper floating away in the wind.

“We were passing down the blueprints to that ancient weapon to make sure it wouldn’t get used by scumbags like you. But I know Tom would have done the same thing.”

You saw Spandam, and all of CP9, staring open mouthed at the blue haired shipwright, and you knew you were missing something big.

“If you guys make a weapon now, we won’t be able to fight back,” Franky continued, ignoring Spandam’s quivering threats.

“But that’s only possible if you take Nico Robin through the Gates of Justice. I was wrong about you, Robin. You’re not a monster. And you’ve got friends willing to fight for you. Everything’s resting on the Straw Hats now.”

He looked over at you all with a nod, and you swore you saw him wink.

“And I’m betting on them.”

Voices of the Franky Family carried up to the tower, cheering, yelling that they were coming for him. He leaned over the edge to call back to his people, still ignoring the wails of Spandam as he mourned over the loss of those burnt papers.

Ignoring that pathetic man was a mistake, and you gasped as Franky was flung over the side of the building, Spandam’s arms shaking after shoving him over.

You watched in horror, hoping he would survive, until a voice called out of your pocket.

With a jolt, you pulled out the snail, Nami frowning at the grating voice berating you.

“Kokoro,” Nami questioned as you lifted the snail so you could hear her better.

“I left it on, I heard everything. Why are you all just standing around?”

“The bridge broke.”

“There’s no way over!”

You and Nami explained at the same time, yelling over the shouting voices of the rest of the crew.

“Jump into the waterfall! Give it all you’ve got, trust me!”

A train whistle blasted from below, moving closer.

“It’s the sea train,” Luffy laughed, the mischievous sound sending off alarm bells in your mind.

“What’s with that devious chuckle,” Usopp questioned, but he was too late.

Luffy’s arms stretched out behind the whole group, shoving you off the building.`

Plummeting toward death with nothing but Luffy’s arm at your back, and the screaming and crying forms of your crew, you braced for the end.

The end appeared as the beat up train charging over the half lowered bridge, flinging through the air toward the tower.

Tears were streaming from your eyes as you landed on top of the train, body aching with more bruises as you scrambled to hold onto something.

Whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuck!

Nothing ever felt real with this crew. Especially as the train slammed through the wall, stone bricks turning to dust and debris as this miracle train skidded to a halt.

Your head swam, dizziness and nausea making you feel like you were still flying after your body left the train, scraping through the rubble.

“Hey, hey, Granny? You okay? Answer me!”

Franky’s voice confused you, and you groaned as you heard Kokoro answering him.

“Alright, we made it! Come on, you guys, get up already!”

You groaned louder at Luffy’s enthusiasm, hearing your hesitation echoed amongst the crew.

“Come on, you’ve been through worse than that!”

“We’re not all made of rubber, you know,” Sanji grumbled, more groans filling the room.

You didn’t know where to hold, pain dotting across your body. You could feel the tickle of blood from a scrape on your shoulder, and your right knee felt like it was hit with a hammer.

Robin.

She was waiting. You stood up, shaking it off, watching your crew do the same.

Chopper and Usopp yelled, hyping themselves up, while Zoro growled, preparing to draw his swords.

You couldn’t help but smile at everyone, determination set on all your dusty, bruised faces.

“See, you’re all just fine,” Luffy complained.

“You know, you guys are a bunch of weirdos. I felt like I should point that out,” said the blue haired man in a speedo with guns in his arms.

“There’s a staircase,” Luffy pointed, already running. “We’d better move it if we’re gonna find Robin.”

“Not so fast,” came a strained voice, high, but rough.

The group spun, finding the source of the voice in the corner of the room, pressed against the ceiling. He was dressed in a black suit, his body so round that your mind couldn’t shake the image of a balloon that had lost its string as he stared down at you.

As he began to speak again, you noticed the dangling of what looked like a golden zipper pull at the corner of his mouth, and wondered what sort of teeth you were seeing behind his lips.

“So you’ve invaded the Tower. There’s no point in going on. Lucci’s already taken Nico Robin to the Gates of Justice, along with Chief.”

“Oh really,” Nami asked with a smirk. “Thanks for telling us where we should start looking.”

You tried to cover your laugh with a cough, but didn’t think you were successful.

Why do so many bad guys love to just tell us everything?

“Why’d I tell them that,” the zippered man muttered to himself.

“He’s not too bright,” Chopper grumbled your thoughts, and you started to get angry again.

Angry at the stupid, evil government, and their stupid, evil agents.

He pulled himself together, puffing his already puffed up chest before spewing threats down at you.

“If you want Nico Robin, you’ll have to fight through all five of our agents.”

“Duh,” Luffy said, and you had to turn around, chewing on your lip to fight your laughter this time.

I’m going insane.

Zoro touched your shoulder, pulling his fingers away with blood from that fresh scrape.

You tried to listen as the group kept talking to that idiot, but Zoro’s worried look distracted you, his eyes and gentle fingers roaming over your banged up body.

“I’m okay,” you whispered as he kissed your forehead.

We don’t have time for this.

“This might be the key to Nico Robin’s sea prism stone handcuffs,” the ceiling creep teased as he held an ornate key up into the light.

“Sea prism stone,” Franky questioned.

“It’s a stone that nullifies devil fruit powers,” Nami explained. “It’s like she’s trapped in sea water.”

Ice filled your gut at the thought of your powerful Robin, so helpless with these monsters.

“So be my guest. Go try to save her if you think you can. But without the right key, she’ll be trapped in those cuffs for the rest of her life. Mine might be the right key, but you’ll have to fight all the other agents for their keys just to be sure–”

Luffy’s fist was there, smashing into the stone, dust falling from the ceiling.

“Damn,” he complained, as the man had escaped at the last second. “I guess all the CP9 guys can use that move.”

“So we’ve gotta beat every CP9 agent, and get all their keys before we can grab Robin,” Zoro asked, frustration in every word.

“What a stupid way to keep us busy,” Sanji grumbled. “While we’re wasting time on this key hunting game, the chief is going to escape with Robin.”

The zipper man was kicking through the air, floating somehow as he continued to taunt you.

“Our first priority is Robin. Let’s ignore that weirdo, and get her first.”

You nodded at Nami’s words, the group already moving toward the stairs.

He tsked at you all, dangling the key out before him.

“If you do that, you’ll leave me no choice. I’ll toss this key into the ocean. We’re kind enough to give you a sporting chance. See ya!”

He buzzed off through the air, as if the balloon just released its air, quickly flying away.

Zoro grabbed onto Luffy before he could follow, trying to wrangle Luffy into deciding on a plan before splitting up.

We’re splitting up.

“He said there’s 5 agents with keys, we need to spread out. Let’s take them down, then meet up.”

Sanji’s voice was strong, reassuring, especially when his warm hand found yours.

Zoro gripped Luffy’s shoulders, tilting his head down to look in his captain's eyes.

“That pigeon guy, Lucci, is with Robin. You take care of him, and we’ll meet you up there.

“If they drag her across those gates, we’ll never get her back! It’s a race against time!”

Usopp’s Sniper King voice had practically echoed, and it rallied the group.

“We’ll take ‘em down, or we’ll die trying.”

Zoro’s eyes fell on yours as he made that vow. You nodded with him, and felt that nothing in this moment mattered except for those words.

The Straw Hats would save Robin. Or you’d all die here. No going back.

Fire burned through you as you charged toward the stairs with your friends, your family.

Sanji still held your hand, but you pulled it away.

“Angel, let’s–”

“I’ll go with Chopper,” you said, waving your friend down.

“No, we can–”

“No, Sanji. I need you to fight. I need you to save Robin. I won’t be a distraction for you.”

You turned, jogging toward Chopper to get away from Sanji’s pleading eyes. He caught you, pulling you to him in a desperate kiss. It lasted just a moment, but the heat of it was in your throat, and you shook your head to fight the tears.

“We’ll get her back, Angel. I promise.”

You gave him the best smile you could, shaky breath leaving faster as you watched the group dispersing.

You turned so you wouldn’t have to watch your boys running away from you. Chopper was waiting, and he patted your back with his big human form hand before running up the stairs.

“This way?”

More fucking stairs.

If CP9 didn’t kill you, it felt like a heart attack just might.

But adrenaline was doing its thing as you and Chopper made your way room by empty room. The floor you’d chosen seemed to be a bust.

Heading back for the stairs, you stumbled into each other as the building rumbled, something crashing up above.

“What do you think that is,” Chopper asked, eyes wide.

“Hopefully it's our friends kicking someone’s ass,” you replied, trying to sound more confident than you were.

“Right!”

More stairs, more empty rooms, and so on.

Until more crashes and yells filled the hall. Nothing could have prepared you for the sight you saw when you looked through the noisy door.

It was a large room, with high ceilings, making the cacophony of noises bounce off the walls.

Zoro and Usopp were together. They were running side by side, yelling and looking back toward…

A humanoid wolf, and a fucking giraffe? With a baseball cap?

Did I accidentally dose myself with Daydream?

Your worry was cut short when they caught sight of the both of you in the doorway. Zoro and Usopp started screaming for you, waving their arms in the air.

Chopper raised his hand in the air, laughing, and you touched his arm to pull it down.

“We’re handcuffed together,” Zoro yelled, waving the hand that was stuck to Usopp.

“Get key number two, or we’re gonna die!”

Usopp’s wails died down as they continued to run from what had to be devil fruit users.

Giraffe’s aren’t supposed to look like that…

“But we can help–”

“No,” Zoro shouted, cutting Chopper off. “We can’t fight ‘til you get the key, and if they take you down, we’re screwed. Somebody else has to have key number two, just find it!”

You’d never heard that level of frustration in Zoro’s voice before.

“Got it,” you agreed, dragging Chopper from the room.

More stairs, more rooms, until you heard voices. Nami’s voice.

Nami’s scream!

Skidding around a corner, you raised your tonfa, but couldn’t tell where to shoot. There was a swirling mass of what looked like pink hair. Nami was held up in the air, twisted and writhing in it.

You charged forward, but Chopper was faster.

“Cloven Roseo!”

He leapt through the air, his hoof smacking into the face of a huge man, his pink hair swirling aside as blood shot out of his mouth.

Nami crumpled to the ground, coughing as you helped her to her feet.

Chopper rushed to her, looking her over.

“Are you okay Nami?”

“I’m okay. Thank you for saving me.”

“How was he attacking you,” you asked, leaning to look where the man had fallen across the room. “Was that his hair?”

“Could be a devil fruit,” Nami rushed, picking up her Clima-Tact. “Don’t know, don’t care. Once he grabs you, you’re done for. Come on, this is our chance to get away. The less we see of that guy, the better.”

You grabbed her elbow as she moved toward the hall.

“We can’t, we need to get his key,” you reminded her, Zoro’s demand ringing through your head.

“Oh, you mean this little thing?”

Nami’s smirk as she held up the key made you love her even more.

“Stealing the key was the easy part,” she bragged, leading the way out of the room. “I just couldn’t deal with that guy’s hair.”

“What number is it,” Chopper asked, his hooves tapping a frantic beat as he ran in his reindeer form.

“Uh, three,” she said, squinting at it while she ran.

“Damn,” you cursed, picturing Zoro and Usopp running from those beasts. “It’s the wrong one.”

“What do you me–”

Nami’s voice cut off, just as the three of you skidded to a stop. You’d reached the massive tower room of seemingly endless staircases climbing toward the sky.

From floors above, something fell hard, crashing onto the stone at your feet.

Covering your eyes from the dust, you leaned forward at whatever it was that had fallen.

“This place is falling apart,” Nami complained, coughing.

Chopper was closest, and let out a horrified gasp, his eyes wide as he shook his head slowly.

“What is it…” you trailed off, mind unable to process what you were seeing.

“Is it a doll?”

You wished that Nami’s question had been true, but then Chopper said the words you didn’t want to believe.

“No. It’s Sanji!”

Disgust and horror almost spilled out your throat in noxious bile. You stumbled, falling to your knees beside this figure that couldn’t be your Sanji. It couldn’t be.

It looked like a poorly drawn picture of him, his hair, his suit, his blood pouring down his face. But it was deformed, almost balloon like, completely smooth and shining in the light.

You were frozen, staring down at him with your mouth opening and closing uselessly. Your hands were just above his chest, but you couldn’t touch him. It can't be him!

Nami and Chopper joined you, yelling for him. Chopper pushed against his chest, and you sobbed as this unreal figure moved, turning its head to cough blood beside you.

“N-No, Sanji? Fuck, baby, is that you?”

Nami and Chopper joined you in your cries for him, and you sat back on your heels as he rolled on his side, pitifully failing to lift himself up with his stretched and wobbling limbs.

“I’m sorry… I lost,” he choked out, every word sounding painful as blood kept dribbling from his lips.

“I couldn’t get the k-key.”

“Hold on, okay,” Chopper comforted him, looking over Sanji’s body as if there was something he could do to help.

You were too stunned, still scared to touch him, when Nami’s sharp voice cut through.

“Hey, Sanji,” she started, standing with her weapon gripped in her hands. You followed her gaze up floors of stairs. Your blood ran cold at the sight of Kalifa, the blonde CP9 agent smiling down at you all.

“You really couldn’t win,” Nami continued, her questioning tone forcing denial to build in your stomach, but her words felt too true.

“You really gave it your all? You fought that blonde woman, didn’t you? I see. You must have gone easy on her.”

“Sanji, please,” you denied, shaking your head.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t get the key,” he choked out.

“Forget the key,” Nami yelled, anger flinging toward the man at her feet. “This fight is a matter of life and death. You can’t stick to your stupid code of honor, okay? Is chivalry really worth dying for? People are counting on you!”

Your mouth opened and closed again, but nothing came out. Part of you wanted to defend him, and part of you wanted to slap him for not giving his all for Robin, for everyone, for himself.

But mainly you just wanted to fall onto him and cry, to find some way to fix him.

“I don’t want this,” he coughed again, voice so weak, it hurt. “I don’t want to die. But I was raised to never hit a lady, no matter what. So even at a time like this, even if it kills me, I won’t kick a woman.”

“I see... That’s stupid,” Nami judged, voice deadly calm. Then she hit him on the head with her Clima-Tact, and you choked out a surprised laugh as Chopper yelled at her for hitting him while he’s wounded.

“Is running away against your code of honor too? Because that’s not worth dying over either. Nobody wants to see you throw your life away in vain. Leave that woman to me. You try to get better.” She looked back down at him with a soft smile. “And by the way, even if it’s dumb, I do like that chivalry of yours.”

You looked down at him, and shook your head, disagreeing.

“I don’t think I like it anymore.”

He tilted toward you, voice soft.

“What was that, Angel? Did you say you love me?”

Before you could kiss him, or wring his neck, Nami cleared her throat. You turned to her as she stared up at the woman that had done this to Sanji.

“For the record, I won't play nice,” Nami threatened, confidence radiating from her as she smiled.

“Neither will I. We’ll get along fine.”

“Nami, hold on,” you called, rushing to her side.

“We’re running out of time, Y/N,” she reminded you, holding her palm out to stop your movement. “You guys go get more keys. I’ll be okay, noodle arms.”

You huffed a laugh as she frowned at Sanji.

“Well, I guess he’s noodle arms now.”

You gripped her in a quick hug, hating letting her go. Your mouth was dry as you watched her run up the stairs.

“Hold it! I won’t let you get away!”

You swiveled around, blocking Sanji from the new voice.

“Don’t worry, Nami. We’ve got this one,” Chopper shouted, facing off with the large man from before, that mass of pink hair swirling around him as he brandished a staff.

Readying your tonfa, your heart raced through you. You wanted to run up and help Chopper, but you were terrified of leaving Sanji’s limp body exposed for attacks.

I never thought I’d be the one worried about protecting my partners in battle.

Gritting your teeth, you watched Chopper land a powerful hit with two hooves, preventing the agent from getting past him to chase after Nami.

Pride filled you as Chopper stood strong, staring the man down.

“That’s right, now you’ll be fighting me. Bring it!”

Chopper using his rumble balls was always a sight to behold, and you hoped that it would be enough. You felt your hands shaking as you held your weapons, wondering if you could use the darts without risking Chopper.

The agent landed some heavy hits on your friend, and you itched to move in, but felt trapped in place.

“Angel, go. I’ll be fi–”

“No,” you cut him off, not taking your eyes off the fight as they slammed each other into the wall.

“Please, mon coeur, I look dead already. No one will care about me. I just need to rest. The crew needs you.”

Chewing your lip, you hated that those words you’d wanted to be true for so long came at the cost of all this danger and pain.

You looked away from the fight just long enough to touch his face, your skin crawling at the sickly smooth feel of his.

“I love you. I’ll be back.”

“Love you, Angel,” he coughed, what looked like a smile pulling weakly at his lips. “I know you will.”

Running toward the fight, Chopper caught your eyes for a moment and shouted.

“Two minutes!”

Two minutes? Two minutes…

The rumble ball!

“Got it,” you yelled, calling out your poison thorns.

Two minutes left for Chopper’s rumble ball. You had no idea if you could defeat this CP9 agent in two minutes.

But I’ll do whatever it takes. My crew needs me.

Likes and reblogs bring me much ✨dopamine✨ thank you so much!

a/n: Oh our sweet, pathetic Sanji 🤦🏼‍♀️

Part 26

#nico robin x fem!reader #zoro x reader #sanji x reader #angst #f/f fanfic #Reader Insert #Fem!Reader #mine #nico robin x reader #poly fanfic #nico robin fanfic #sanji fanfic #one piece fanfic #zoro fanfic #x reader #turtletaub fics #one piece x reader

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kaizokuou-ni-naru · 4 years ago

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The Voyage So Far: Paramount War (Part Two)

east blue (1 | 2) || alabasta (1 | 2) || skypiea || water 7 || enies lobby || thriller bark || paramount war (1 | 2) || fishman island || punk hazard || dressrosa (1 | 2) || whole cake island || wano (1 | 2)

ace’s execution is, in a way, the exception that proves the rule when it comes to one piece’s themes of blood and family. ace is set up to die for the crimes of a father he never knew and never wanted, and he does die here, but in the end he dies for the family he did choose, in the form of luffy, rather than the one he didn’t.

god do i wish we knew more about ms portgas d. rouge. with ace’s storyline pretty much wrapped it looks unlikely that we’re going to be learning more about her than what we got, which in my opinion is an absolute tragedy, because what little we do know about her is amazing and she’s an absolute badass. oda give us more female ds please.

whitebeard’s power is so cool. it might be one of the visually coolest devil fruits we’ve ever seen, in my opinion. he he causes earthquakes and tsunamis while far past his prime; he pulls the sky apart with his bare hands. this whole arc is world-shaking, and whitebeard’s power is perfectly appropriate for it.

doflamingo’s speech on justice and rightness is one of the most well-remembered quotes from this whole saga, and rightly so. i’ve always found it fascinating, myself, because he’s right. he dead-on hits how the one piece world works- the world government and the marines rule the world not because of any inherent actual goodness or justice or right, but because they won a war a very long time ago.

in a way, this reminds me of blackbeard’s line of “people’s dreams never die” from jaya. i like how oda isn’t afraid of letting his villains be right about the themes of the story, sometimes even having better awareness of them than the protagonists.

man, if i had to pick a single favorite spread out of the whole manga, it might be luffy’s marineford entrance. it’s so epic, and so completely unexpected for everyone else there. absolutely nobody was expecting strawhat luffy to drop out of the sky with a posse including two former warlords. it just makes me grin!! so much!!

it also gets followed up by a solid two pages of just people’s reactions, from smoker’s “what the HELL is he doing with CROCODILE” to moria’s immediate incoherent rage, and i just love that the world and cast of one piece is so well-established and built up that we know exactly how all of those people know luffy and why they react the way they do.

going back to what i mentioned in the last post about marineford being luffy’s conflict of interest arc, i’d say it’s also the only time where he isn’t the future king first and foremost. in this arc, before anything else, he’s a little brother.

there are a lot of what-if moments in marineford. moments where you kind of have to ask “what if this specific thing hadn’t happened, had gone differently?” would things have turned out differently? squard’s betrayal is one of them. does this change the outcome? would whitebeard have been able to survive if not for this injury? there’s no way to know. marineford is a lot of little tragedies, and they just pile up and up.

marineford has just so many incredibly striking spreads. all of the momentous moments (and there’s a lot of them, in this arc) are done full justice. this is such an image heavy post just because marineford is such an incredibly visually strong arc.

conqueror’s haki is so cool and i love the way it’s set up and built up throughout this saga, with luffy’s constant inadvertent uses of it, from duval’s bull to marigold and sandersonia to the wolves in impel down, all leading up to this moment.

i’ve heard people complain about conqueror’s as kind of a deus ex machina, but i honestly love it, it’s very cool and honestly i think it just seems to fit luffy as a power. if there was ever gonna be a character who turned willpower into a weapon, it would be monkey d. luffy.

i’m gonna take this chance to talk about garp, because this sequence of panels is heavily implied to be garp’s thoughts just before luffy punches him down, and it hurts. garp is a flawed person who makes some bad choices, and there’s no arguing that, but i think it’s very obvious he really, really cares about his grandsons, even if he never could understand them as people and that they never would have been happy as marines. and that’s just tragic, really.

the moment ace gets freed and the brief span of time where he and luffy can fight together feel so triumphant, and i think it’s one of the reasons the final tragedy of marineford hits so hard and feels so cruel, because luffy succeeds, here. he saves ace. he gives absolutely everything he had and makes it, and saves ace. the ultimate failure isn’t his. there was nothing more he could have done.

the first time i was reading one piece, i hit this page (which is also the last in the volume) and had to put the book away, take the bus downtown, wander around for a few hours, and buy myself some candy and some new books before i started feeling okay again.

the thing about ace’s death, i think, is that it’s a tragedy, but it also feels so completely essential to the story going forwards and luffy’s character growth specifically that it’s really, really hard to imagine one piece without it. there are a lot of (really excellent!) fix-fics out there for marineford, and although those are often really good and their authors super talented, i think it’s really hard for them to ever hit the same way canon does with regards to this.

i always think of this scene specifically in contrast to zoro and mihawk’s fight, back on baratie. zoro and mihawk are both people who believe in honor in battle, true victory or death, and that’s reflected in their fight, in zoro’s refusal to turn and run even in the face of imminent death, and mihawk’s respect for that resolve. whitebeard, too, is an honorable man. he refuses to turn to run, even when facing certain death.

the blackbeard pirates, however, are not.

i do enjoy how, just like roger’s, ace’s execution backfires tremendously on the marines. this was entirely a predictable outcome, too! this exact thing happened twenty years ago! the marines don’t learn. they don’t change. they’re so assured of their own rightness and power that they make stupid mistakes like holding a massive public execution after the last one blew up in their faces.

(this is why they need coby so badly, for the record, and why it’s important that he still decides to become a marine after witnessing their corruption firsthand in shells town. the marines are long overdue for a reformation, one that orients them towards real justice.)

i really, really enjoy crocodile in this saga. mostly because he hasn’t been redeemed at all, he’s still pretty much the exact same kinda awful person he was in alabasta, he’s just on luffy’s side this time, and it lets us see him in a better light, when he gets angry at whitebeard for nearly dying or when he helps luffy and jinbe escape to keep the marines from getting their way. few of one piece’s characters are truly so one-dimensional as they can seem, and i really appreciate that.

i really really love all the interactions between luffy, ace and sabo as kids. they’re so fun and bounce off of each other so well. even though we only see them together for a brief time, they really feel like siblings. (which of course only makes later events hurt so much more.

i’ve always been a little fascinated by the fact that it takes us this long to get luffy’s full backstory. it’s almost a fakeout, because we get part of his backstory in the very first chapter, and we’re kind of led to believe that’s all there is. it’s not until ace’s introduction nearly two hundred chapters in that we’re given any indication there’s more.

but at the same time, it makes sense. marineford is luffy’s focus arc, as arlong park to nami or thriller bark to brook. he hasn’t had a focal arc that’s really about him before this, while all his other crewmates have. it makes sense that this would be when he finally gets his flashback.

i think it’s cool that dragon and the revolutionaries show up at the grey terminal fire, because it’s one of the only looks we’ve gotten so far into what their actual regular operations are like. and, of course, they’re saving people. i really like this about the revolutionaries, that helping people in trouble is basically their modus operandi, when pretty much everyone else in one piece’s world mostly does saving on an incidental basis if at all.

i think a lot about how the last line of sabo’s letter to ace is also both of their last words to the strawhats.

death in one piece always feels much realer and more impactful to me than in most other series, and i think this is part of the reason why: in one piece, we are always shown the mourning. nami at bellemere’s grave, carrot grieving pedro, ace and whitebeard’s funeral.

there are fewer deaths, comparatively, than most other series, but they’re given so much room to echo. we’re still feeling the impacts of ace’s life and death in the most recent chapters of wano. it ties into the theme of inherited will and all the way back to hiriluk’s final speech, of men not being dead so long as they’re remembered.

the picture of luffy at marineford always kind of strikes me. he looks so young and so solemn, and yet much more himself than he did when we last saw him losing his mind on amazon lily. i really like it.

sometimes i just think about the sheer depth of trust and love the strawhats must have in each other to separate for two years, far longer than they were ever together, to solely dedicate themselves to improving for the sake of crew and captain. none of them even hesitate, and none of them ever doubt that the crew will be reformed at the end of it.

after all, luffy keeps his promises.

#the voyage so far #one piece #opmeta #not japanese #arc: marineford #arc: post marineford #long post

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