Raya's POV

He's gone before I can make a move, rampaging off in a direction difficult for me to follow, as it involves trampling outside and at a speed not accessible by a puny little human. 

I turn to Nami as soon as Chopper's lagging tendrils of fur have disappeared from view. She takes a deep breath, recovered from her trek over here, and explains to me that, while fighting together against the pink-haired behemoth, she'd gotten tangled in his (grossly) moving locks of hair and would have suffocated if not for Chopper chomping down on what looked like a Rumble Ball.

And then he turned into that, beat the shit outta Pinky, and proceeded to chase Nami here, cause she was running to tell me what had happened.

A rough sigh escapes my lips and I fall against the wall behind me, my shoulder digging painfully into the frosty stonework. My head hurts. A throbbing began the moment I walked in on Kalifa in her goddamn porcelain tub, built to a crescendo when she'd caught me in an inescapable vice (just before Honoo helped me escape), then dulled during the fallout of my fight. Now it's back and giving me more hell than ever, and I just want to punch something.

One surprise after another, another impossible barrier catapulted into our path. If it's not disturbingly handsy enemies, it's grotesquely mutated friends. 

What's happening to my nakama...?

I abruptly spin around, my nose brushing roughly over the wall that I've braced my hands against. I press my forehead into the stone, breathing out slowly, evenly, trying to flush out the rush of adrenaline that is sparking violent ideas in my hazy mind. Clear-headed I am not in the wake of this tragic news. 

"Dammit...!" The hiss is strangled as I realize I'm too hyped to calm down using simple, everyday breathing techniques, and I mumble another curse to myself. Drastic measures seem to be in order, once a-freaking-gain.

While Nami watches on - partly concerned, partly irritated at my lack of focus - I slip one hand from the wall, curling it into a shaking fist, my nails biting perfect half-moons into my already scraped-up palm, then throw it squarely into the stone, holding back my initial urge to gift intangibility to my flesh and save myself the needless torture. Except it is needed; the pain - sharp and sudden - jolts through my mind, clearing the fog like a fickle summer breeze, and I exhale in relief.

I can think. Thank Kami I can think.

The heat of battle does nasty things to one's mind. Sometimes it's obvious, most times it's hidden behind a veil of heat and raging emotions. While during the fight you're bright and poised for anything, afterwards all you're doing is itching to continue the fight, to analyze the enemy's movements and predict outcomes and propel your body into some sort of fray.

A battle-ready mind is not what's required to solve the case of a reindeer gone manic.

Peeling my forehead from the chilled stone, I shake out my fist, scattering drops of blood across the dusty floor. They fall with pinpoint accuracy, masking the droplets thrown widly from Kalifa's beaten skin, and a small smile graces my lips as I retreat to where Nami still stands, hands cocked irritably at her hips. She's grown used to my strange behavior over the months we've been together, though I don't doubt that her tolerance for them is thin and feeble.

"Alright!" I arch my back, arms stretching out behind me, hands clasped together to suppress the jolt of shivers that ripple down the length of my aching limbs. "Let's get going" - my smile borders on maddening as she lifts a brow, inviting me to explain - "We've got ourselves a monster to hunt, don't we?" 

A flash of understanding zips through her gaze, and she's nodding grimly, waving a hand for me to follow as she starts off down a corridor, one that takes us past the gaping hole Chopper's presented to us. 

If he wanted attention so badly, couldn't he have just poisoned Luffy's food or something? I muse, flicking a quick glance out at the decimated landscape below us. Blue sky, gray smoke - and one man in a speedo climbing frantically to haul himself into the room we're oh so close to exiting. 

Nami spots him the same moment I do, but, as she actually recognizes the man (all I remember is that damn speedo searing graphic images into my corneas), it's her who asks the important questions, such as why he's here, what happened to Robin, what's going on out there?

He waves away her inquiries with a meaty hand. "Not important right now, girlie," he huffs. I feel a twinge of pity for him; he's flushed an unsightly red, each breath passing over his lips ragged and harsh. "Did your monster deer gorilla thing come here?"

My interest is immediately piqued. "Chopper?" I ask. "You're talking about Chopper, right?"

"Sure?" His shoulders rise and fall in an indifferent shrug as he finally regains what little composure he had to begin with and straightens, his hands slipping from his knees and settling at his hips. "Whatever his name is, I just wanna know if he came through here."

"He did!" Nami's imput is quick and precise. "What happened to him, Franky?!"

Ah. Franky. It's coming back to me a little now... Well, the Franky Family definitely gets their fashion sense from this guy... Not that I have any right to complain. I take a moment to inspect my blood-splattered white tank and unintentionally tattered jeans. Maybe I should invest in some more durable clothes. I don't think I even have anything that's survived a week since meeting up with the Straw Hats...

I rejoin the conversation just as Franky is frantically insisting for the key he suspects Nami pulled off of Kalifa. Before she's even turned to me, the key is in my outstretched hand, its dull metallic sheen winking in the dappling daylight streaming inside from our DIY balcony. "Is this one important?" I ask sheepishly, to which Franky grins so fiercely I'm tempted to recoil a fraction.

But then I realize his most gruesome smile is daffodils and roses compared to a grimly amused Zoro.

He's scary as shit when he's fully engrossed in a fight, to the point where even I become wary of him, though I'm usually faintly reassured he's sensible enough not to lose himself so completely that any opponent will satiate his hunger - even if said opponent happens to be a fellow crew mate.

In any case, Franky's mischievous smirk wears away at my resolve, and I find my own lips twitching up in response. "I'm liking the enthusiasm, buddy. So, what've ya got planned for us?"

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I can honestly say that I am at a complete loss as to what just happened.

We managed to track down both Monster Chopper and the duo of Sogeking and the Swordsman not long after Franky detailed his plan to us. 

The scene was... intriguing, to say the least. 

Sogeking, held stiffly in Zoro's grip and brandishing a sword of his none-too-delicately, being swung around like a ragdoll at a pair of Zoan-type Devil Fruit users was a bit of a shock, but the hilarity of the situation quickly won out over my confusion and I was laughing as Franky took charge and faced Monster Chopper, arms extended, wrists locked together and palms forward.

And that's when he blasted Chopper clean out of the tower and into the ocean.

I would have expected even Zoro to have a smidgeon of difficulty in subduing the rampaging reindeer, but nope, Franky just plowed him down with a whoosh of concentrated air and a wicked grin.

He's got some impressive fire power... I'm starting to seriously like this guy - despite the speedo. 

I blink, in awe of Franky's show of strength, as he disappears over the edge of yet another missing section of the wall, en route to touch down in the frothing waters below. My hands curl anxiously into trembling fists, loosely knocking against my sides. There's nothing I can do for Chopper now; the whole of my trust has been put into Franky, and my only choice is to await his return to learn the success of this endeavor.

I swallow the uncomfortable lump clogging up my throat, shake my head to clear it of idle thoughts. This really is not the time for wallowing in the agony of an unclear of future. There's still work to be done.

"Zoro! Sogeking!" I hiss, stumbling forward through the airborne debris sent up from Franky's coup de vent. Two blurry figures materialize in the dense, vaporous dregs haphazardly filling the air, turned towards my low-pitched voice. "Asses over here now."

A moment later, I'm fortunate enough to whack my forehead against a broad chest and not collapse onto my ass in the process, which (and this is the unfortunate part) is only the case due to Zoro's quick reflexes, as his arm snaked instantly around my waist when it was clear my balance would not hold out.

Both he and Sogeking look at me quizzicaly, as though surprised to see me (Sogeking in particular seems bewildered I'm in one piece). Well, it's always nice to have their vote of confidence. 

"Delivery~!" I sing, dangling my prized key before the two of them like meat in front of starving men - or Luffy after dinner's finished. 

I'm unsurprised to hear ungodly sobs from Sogeking as I quickly discard the Sea Stone cuffs binding them together; I can only imagine the hell he was put through being forced into the role of Zoro's "partner". Zoro, on the other hand, remains unfazed, the only indication that his mood has lifted being the subtle tug at the corners of his mouth, the feral gleam in the depths of his obsidian eyes. 

He looks to me for a moment, nods his head in gratitude, then pats my cheek, his calloused fingers brushing tenderly over some sort of gash that's only just begun to regain the sting of its presence, before retrieving his sword from Sogeking and falling into a battle-ready stance.

I smile, because it's Zoro, and because this is his way of showing thanks, and it is no less sincere than one of Luffy's crushing hugs or Chopper's beaming smiles. In fact, I would rank it above any of the latter, if only for the fact that any positive action of Zoro's is so rare, it holds more meaning than those of people whose kindness is spread without restrictions.

Ok. Maybe I'm a little biased. Maybe I'm just enjoying the lingering of warmth of his hand on my prickling skin. Either way, my energy is singing again, and adrenaline has once again flooded my veins, pushing aside any fatigue in favor of an altogether familair hunger of mine, and it has everything to do with meeting Kaku's eyes from across the room.

My suspicions that he'd eaten a Devil Fruit are beyond confirmed, seeing as how he towers over his wolf-like companion in the form of one grotesquely rectangular giraffe, the likes of which I've only ever seen in the pages of thrifty story books.

He watches me, seemingly amused, possibly angered, then focuses his attention on the main event.

"Fufu, you're finally released, huh?" he chuckles.

Zoro - showcasing that devilish smile I've come to simultaneously adore and fear - moves closer, edging away from our group, his swords catching the minimal light and casting demonic shadows over his face. "Don't laugh, but regret," he advises, "because you'll never encounter another chance that good to befall me, World Government."

If I'm the sole member of the audience who shivers from the intensity of his words, then I'm not sure anyone truly understands how dangerous Zoro is, especially when he's so in his element, immersed in peril and back into a corner as he is now.

Shit's about to go down.

__________________________

Short, I know. And I'm sorry for taking so terribly long to update! I just wasn't motivated to write for this, and in all honestly I just want to get to Sabaody because then the sequel will just be around the corner...

But that's enough of my creative woes. 

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and look forward to more of Raya's delightful misadventures in the future!