I blink. "Excuse me?" I ask, a little slow due to my incomprehensible shock.

Foxy laughs again, and my eye twitches in response. "Fehfehfehfeh! Red-Haired Demon Raya! Wonderful!"

I sweat drop, taking an involuntary step back. It's excruciating even being THIS close to Split-head. I can't imagine being on a crew with him for the rest of my pirate career.

I bump into Zoro, and in return, he yanks me behind him, holding out an arm in a protective manner. I hear the clink of one of his swords coming loose in his free hand.

"Pick someone else," Zoro growls. "I'll take her place."

The rest of the Straw Hats seem too shocked to speak. Even Luffy is silent, his mouth gaping open in horror. It would seem none of them expected this.

Foxy scratches at his chin, head titled back just slightly. Then he shrugs and waves a hand dismissively at Zoro. "Eh, I have too many Swordsmen, Pirate Hunter." A devious spark lights up his narrow eyes. "What I do not have is a Flame Woman! So, be quick, and hand over the Demon!"

I feel Zoro stiffen in rage, jaw clenched tight. His grip on Wado worries me; I don't want him to damage his most precious sword.

I sigh softly, momentarily letting my forehead drop onto Zoro's back. Oddly enough, this causes some of the tension to flee from his muscles. "Well this is a pretty shitty situation, eh Swordsman?" I say with a strained laugh. He looks over his shoulder at me and I manage a smile. The dark look in his eyes doesn't change.

"Luffy made a deal, Zoro," I remind him tiredly. I told them this wasn't a good idea. Oh well. At least I don't have to watch my nakama walk away from me, swearing loyalty to someone other than Luffy. I'm not sure I could handle that. "He picked me. We have to go by his rules."

"You're not going, Raya," he says lowly, gripping my arm as I attempt to move past him. "Not for a bastard like him."

"We don't have a choice, Zoro. Not unless you all enjoy the thought of fighting your way out of here."

Zoro's eyes glint menacingly in the glimmering daylight. Alright, that didn't deter him. It's fighting... and Zoro... What made me think that would work?

Time for a low blow.

"If we leave here and break the rules of the Davy Back Fight, you can kiss your pride goodbye, Zoro. As a Swordsman, as a pirate, hell even as a man. This, this right here, what you're thinking of doing, will destroy your pride beyond repair."

His grip on my arm tightens, ever so slightly, as he grits his teeth. I believe I've struck a nerve.

"Screw my pride," he growls, startling me. "We're not letting you become one of them."

The shock falls away from my face, and I smile genuinely. I reach up and flick Zoro's forehead. He releases my arm in surprise. "I don't want that, Zoro," I say, giving him a closed-smile. "For you to lose the one thing you care about as much as your swords. Besides, you've got two rounds to go. Just win me back, and all's forgotten, right?"

I push off on the tips of my toes and kiss Zoro's cheek. "Just like in Alabasta," I say, rubbing my forearm. The dark X has since faded, but it still remains my symbol for the Straw Hats' friendship. "Forever and always a Straw Hat, right?"

Letting out a hissing breath, I turn around, half-expecting, half-hoping Zoro will tug me back. But he doesn't, and I stiffly make my over to Foxy.

Then something furry attacks my leg.

I look down and barely hold in a gasp. Chopper is clinging to my leg, big, wavering eyes staring up at me pleadingly. His entire body is shaking.

"Please don't go, Raya!" he sobs, hooves managing to grab hold of my jeans. "I don't want you to be a Foxy Pirate!!"

"Jeeze, Chopper. You're going to make me start crying right along with you," I say. Though only barely. Just looking at Chopper, my throat starts to close up, a precursor to my racking sobs. "Don't worry," I say, swallowing thickly, forcing the lump forming there back down. "Zoro and Sanji will win. Have some faith, Chopper. I'll be back before you know it!"

My smile seems weak as I look down at him, scratching his ear, something that usually calms him down. It's failing when I need it most.

I gently pry Chopper off of me, and hug him quickly, before placing him in Robin's arms. We both get along with Chopper best, and I know she's the one to comfort him right now. She gives me a reassuring smile as she walks back to where the others are standing.

"Oi! Sanji!" I call, waving my arm. He looks up, blinking the anime tears from his eyes and lowering the handkerchief he's been biting. "You realize they picked me because I'm in the next round right?" I ask. Getting no response, I sigh. "It's going to be two against three," I warn. "Try not to kill Zoro, please? And no stopping to gawk at women!"

He smiles obligingly, hearts in his eyes. "Of course, Raya-chan!" he explains passionately. If only it didn't make me shudder...

I smile slightly, then spin around again and descend into the Foxy ranks.

Dear Kami, this is worse than the time I pretended to be a Marine.

"Welcome, Raya!" Foxy greets, spreading his arm as though he expects a hug.

"Touch me, and you die," I state.

He sweat drops, but doesn't lower his arms.

"I will not hesitate to melt the flesh from your bones, Silver Fox," I say, "captain or no. So I suggest you don't provoke me. I will follow your orders, because if anything, I'm a good pirate. But know this, I will never recognize you as my captain. That position is already filled."

I look over my shoulder at where are my friends are huddled together. Sanji and Zoro are talking, both gritting their teeth. Robin is watching me, holding Chopper as he sobs into her shoulder. Nami has her hands over her mouth, eyes wide and face pale. Usopp's trying to look brave, but he can't keep his knees from knocking together.

And Luffy is still staring at me. I raise my hand and give him a salute, grinning. "Be seeing you soon, Cap'n!" I call cheerily. He blinks, and slowly his goofy grin fills his face again. I nod to myself, glad my real captain isn't paralyzed anymore.

With that said, I stalk off towards the stage, following some random pirate's directions. Apparently, all his TROPHIES are meant to gather here.

I slump in a chair, flashing eyes trained on the sky. I know the Straw Hats are watching me, so I can't show how upset I really am. Because that will make it seem like I don't trust them to bring me back. And I do. I 100% believe they can, and will, do it. I just hope they don't have to make the decision of who to save between two Straw Hats...

"Um, this is for you."

I tilt my head enough to see the man standing off to one side, awkwardly holding something out to me.

Hell.

"I'm not wearing that," I tell him plainly, wrinkling my nose at the black fox mask.

"But you're a Foxy Pirate now!" he says with an obviously forced smile.

I look at the mask again, and feel vile rise up in my throat. If I put that on, it'll be one step farther away from Luffy and the others.

"Listen closely," I say slowly, shifting my eyes to stare up at the man. "If you want me to be part of your crew, I'd go with the give-and-take tactic. As in, you TAKE that hideous thing away from me, and I won't GIVE you third degree burns. Understand?"

He takes off like a shot, skidding around fellow crew members and letting out a high pitched wail as he goes. And yet, he dropped the mask...

I kick my foot under the mask and toss it up into my hands. Smirking, I torch it, leaving behind unsightly ashes that slips through my fingers and fall silently to the ground like black snow.

I look up, and catch Zoro's eye. He turns after a moment, and spots the still-running Foxy pirate. An amused smirk curls his lips as he looks back at me.

I smile and mouth "Oops", resting my chin on my palm.

Third Person's POV

It seems that Sanji has finally stopped crying, though the rest of the Straw Hats are still in a state of shock. No one expected Raya to be taken, of all people. Nami and Usopp really did think they'd be chosen first. 

The crew watches as the Foxy Pirates, along with Foxy himself, crowd around where Raya is sitting on the stage. Apparently, her scaring the other pirate shitless hasn't deterred the rest of them. Even threatening their captain so openly hasn't resulted in their fear of the red-hared daughter of Shanks.

Raya, feeling just a little ticked off, kicks the chest of the man standing directly in front of her, attempting to fit the unattractive mask over her face. With a burst of white-hot flames, she sends him off the stage and into the crowd, who shout in surprise and call for a doctor. She smirks to herself as they try to put out the flames, then scowls when Porche, of all people, whacks her in the back of the head with her baton, scolding her. Raya rolls her eyes and crosses her arms, looking like she's ready to kill something. Or someone.

"Those bitches," Sanji mutters, scowling up at the Foxy Pirates and their captain. "She's right. They took Raya because she's in the next round. Now we're at a disadvangtage."

"But they... I just can't believe it," Nami says, shaking her head in bewilderment. "They didn't pick me, even though I'm so cute..."

"What?! This is no time for jokes!! They took our friend!!" Usopp cries. 

Robin looks away from the girl she's grown so close to, and catches sight of her captain. He was smiling only moments before, when Raya called out to him, but now... His hands are tightened into shaking fists, and his head is titled down, his straw hat darkening his eyes. She frowns thoughtfully, looking between Luffy and Zoro, who has a similar look of fury on his face. She knows why Zoro is so upset, even if the green-haired Swordsman has yet to admit anything. And Luffy would be devastated losing any of his nakama. But for some reason, Robin feels that Zoro and Luffy have more in common than anyone originally thought.

Her attention is wrenched away from the troubled men when there's a commotion up n the stage. Despite claiming to be her "crew mates" several men hold Raya down, threatening her with... a bucket of sea water.... to allow Foxy to strap the black Foxy Pirates mask over Raya's face. She snarls something at them, and they jump, accidentally dousing her with the collected water. Raya winces as they back off, clenching her hand into a fist. She won't be able to use her flames for a good half hour. She knows this from an experiment she conducted while with her father on Red Force that had... unpleasant results.

"Bastards," she growls under her breath, as her friends watch on in anger. What a dirty way to treat a crew mate. 

I would never have used her weakness against her like that, Nami thinks bitterly. That's just cruel.

"Let's just get ready for round two," Zoro says, turning away from the scene. He barely stopped himself from murdering the entire Foxy crew when they did that to Raya.

"Yeah! Zoro, win back my pride next round!" Usopp shouts, jolting from his stupor.

"WIN RAYA BACK!!" Luffy urges.

"Count on it," Zoro says, without looking back at them.

"That's right," Sanji says. "There are two more matches. We have to retrieve our goddess."

Usopp sweat drops, then remembers what both Sanji and Raya said. "Hey, Raya's in the next round, and you guys took her..." he says pointedly. The group of pirates near him all laugh obnoxiously. "This is strategy!" one says. "Gambling strategy!!"

"The rule is 'cannot exchange the contestants'."

"No changing whatsoever!"

"The conversion is now finished! Cheer as the Davy Back Fight continues!!!"

The Straw Hats follow the others as they move on to a different battlefield... that greatly resembles a soccer field. Instead of goals, however, at each end there is a white and red inner tube-looking ring. 

"In Round 2, the Groggy Ring, the Straw Hat team only has two contestants! In other words, the Foxy Pirates also have this one in the bag!"

"WHAT?!" Usopp wails.

"You're way too biased, you asshole!" Raya shouts, earning her another whack in the head from Porche. She glares up at the pointy-nosed woman, baring her teeth in a snarl. "I may not have my Devil Fruit powers," she says lowly, watching as Porche's eyes widen, "but I'd be more than glad to demonstrate my swordplay to you. Only, too bad for you, Honoo already doesn't like you. It would be quite messy."

Porche squeals and runs away, along with every other Foxy pirate who had remained at her side. She sighs in relief; now she can just focus on Zoro and Sanji's match. Though, her eye begins to twitch when she sees they're already back to arguing.

"Whatever," Zoro says, in response to the latest announcement. "It's not like I need any of you."

"Shut up!" Sanji snaps. "You're the unneeded one, Seaweed Head!"

Nami sweat drops, watching the childish display. "Didn't Raya say she wanted them to work together....?"

"Now, I shall explain the rules for the Groggy Ring!! In the court there are two goals, one on each side. You win by throwing your ball into the enemy's goal. However you won't be using a regular rubber ball.... You''ll use a person! So first, each team must choose a person to be the ball!"

"Oh this won't end well," Raya mutters, slumping in her seat.

"Which one of you will be the ball?" a Foxy pirate asks. Zoro instantly jerks his thumb over his shoulder, at Sanji. "Eh?" the cook says as the striped ball-hat is fitted onto his head.

"Here! Ball sign!"

"WHY DO YOU GET TO DECIDE?!" he yells at Zoro, who has his back turned to him. "YOU GODDAMN SEAWEED BLEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!"

"Hey Sanji!" Raya shouts, cupping her hands around her mouth. He looks at her over his shoulder and she smiles. "You look great like that! It's really manly!!"

As Sanji swoons and decides he really does like the hat, Zoro snickers, still turned away from the ero-cook. He knows Raya didn't mean the comment in the least. She just didn't want him bitching the entire time.

But the sound of upbeat music abruptly cuts off his laughter, and he looks up at the bow of the Sexy Foxy (what a terrible name....).

"You are listening to their entrance music...." the announcer says, trying to raise the suspense level dramatically. "It's our returning champions for the Groggy Ring!!"

The bottom of the fox figurehead suddenly pulls away from the head, slowly dropping down like an elevator. And on it, are three figures that make Raya bolt upright in her seat.

"Naturally, they have gone undefeated in the past. They are the 'Groggy Monsters'!!! They are now entering the field!!"

Now Raya falls off her chair in an epic fail, hitting the stage uncomfortably. She pushes herself up, cursing when her still wet hands slip and she crashes down again. Shaking her head, she manages to return to her chair, and proceeds to gape at the monsters intent of fighting Zoro and Sanji. 

Hamburg is one of them, and though he is more than double the height of Zoro, he's the smallest member of the three-man crew. The one behind him is a husky man about twice the size of the monkey, in bright green attire. He bears the indiciative Foxy mask, along with shiny metal shoulder pauldrons. And finally, behind the both of them, is a Fishman who towers over the competition. He's part Wotan, and dresses in a yellow speedo, gloves and boots that Raya finds much too cheery for the situation. On his back sits an orange dorsal fin that matches his scruffy beard, and mess of hair. And he's the one wearing the ball sign.

"HERE THEY ARE!! In the front is the four-hoof-driven dasher, Hamburg! Behind him is Pickles, the Tackle Demon! Standing at the rear is the half-Fishman, half-giant Big Pan, the Wotan!! They are literally the monsters of the ring!! With that.... the second round is about to begin!!"

"We're outnumbered," Sanji comments, not even bothering to tilt back his head to see Big Pan fully.

Zoro cracks his neck, grinning wickedly. "No problem."

Raya buries her face in her hands. She trusts her crew mates, and she knows they'll do all they can to win. But whatever happens... isn't going to be pretty. 

"Going against our undefeated Groggy Monsters are... the one who eliminated our interferance group with one kick, the 'Violet Chef' Sanji!"

"It's 5-star chef..." he mutters.

"His partner is the Pirate Hunter that has a bounty of 60 million.... Roronoa Zoro!!"

Pickles sneers down at the smaller men, most likely the only serious one among his group. "Since the captain specifically appointed us to the game, I thought our opponents would be tougher than this. Right, Big Pan?"

"........................................... Huh?"

"Pufufufufufufufu! Fufufufufu! He didn't hear!" Hamburg laughs, holding both comparitively tiny hands over his mouth.

"What are they doing?" Sanji asks, sweat dropping.

The referee makes his way over, and flips a coin. The Groggy Monsters win. "Do you want to ball first, or choose the ring?" the ref asks, looking up at Hamburg, who can't seem to stifle his laughter.

"Ball," he replies.

"Which side?" the ref asks, looking to Zoro.

"Either one," he says.

"Our Groggy Monster have chosen to ball first! The ball of Team Straw Hat will now go to the center of the opponents' side. May I remind you that the ball sign marks the two balls in this game?! If you hit the opponent's ball into the enemy life-buoy, you win!"

"Yo, ball guy. Go stand there!" Zoro orders, jerking his thumb at the center ring on the Groggy Monsters' side. 

"Shut up!" the cook snaps. "You decided it by yourself! I never said I wanted to be the ball! Plus, how can I wear this lame thing on my handsome head?" Seems he's forgotten Raya's "praise" already...

"You are annoying," Zoro mutters. Then he turns to Sanji with (surprisingly) convincing surprise. "Wow! Sanji! You look so handsome in that thing!"

"Up yours!" he spits. "I am not falling for that!!"

"Zoro, Sanji, go kick their asses!" Luffy cheers.

"You have to win Raya back," Usopp adds in a pitiful sob. "I'm sorry! I lost because I'm so useless!"

"Fehfehfehfeh! There is no point in cheering for those losers. Our team is unbeatable!" Foxy declares, making Raya, who can hear everything that's going relatively well, scowl. Oh how she'd like to set his hair on fire....

"Did you say something, Split-head?" Luffy asks, and Foxy falls into a terrible state of depression once again. Raya laughs.

He straightens up soon after, crossing his arms smugly, nose in the air. "Hah!" he barks. "They won't need any support on this. I'll just sit here and enjoy the show!"

"You can interfere in this game too?!" Nami questions, partially in disbelief.

"Fool! You can disrupt any game!! There are teams that win regardless of the method!! Then there are teams that want no less than a clean win! It's all up to personal standards. Though it doesn't matter why you lost. If you complain and whine, then you simply don't have the guys and pride of a true pirate!"

"Look who's talking," Nami retorts.

"By the way, what's with your team? They have no team spirit!" 

"It may look that way, but as soon as the game starts, they..." Her voice trails off as she looks out at the bickering duo.

"You came out slower, cheater!!"

"Impossible! I won fair and square!! I'm just stronger in everything."

"Shut the hell up! I'm talking about rock-paper-scissors!"

"They can't decide on anything...." Nami mumbles dejectedly. 

"Sanji!" 

Every head in the Straw Hat crew swivels to see Raya, still soaking wet (to her displeasure) standing up from her chair, smiling flirtatiously at the cook. "I told you, you look really handsome in that hat!" she calls, batting her eyes in a way Nami thought she would never do. Not even if her life depended on it. Well, in a way, it does... "I've never seen someone as attractive as you!"

She then sends Zoro a quick, passing glare that clearly says, "Say anything, and I'll gut you". He smirks, turning back to the now jubilant Sanji, who has hearts in his eyes and hands thrown to the sky.

"Like I was saying, there is no better man to be the ball in our group!" Sanji sings. Zoro only holds in his sarcastic comments because Raya's started glaring at him again.

"Hey you!" a man calls out, pointing at Zoro, who raises an eyebrow in response. "It's against the rules to use weapons! Put them away!"

"Eh? Really?" He looks down at his three swords, then shrugs and hands them off to Usopp, who nearly buckles under the weight.

"Fine, no weapons," Zoro says, pounding his fists together. "Hah. Not like it matters at all."

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Sanji asks. "A Swordsman without a sword is..."

"Yeah? Better than you, Sandbag."

"Stop messing around! Don't make me go out there!" Usopp shouts, as Zoro blocks Sanji's straight-leg kick with a flying one of his own. On the stage, Raya groans, face palming like there's no tomorrow. Why she ever thought this was going to go well, she'll never know.

"The preparations have been completed. The ball of Team Straw Hat is finally in position."

Sanji stands only feet from the monster trio, in the painted circle indicating the middle of the enemy's side. Seeing him, Zoro can't resist calling out, "Hey, chef, let them stomp you flat, ok?"

"GO TO HELL!!"

"The cheer from the audience intensifies!!"

"Smash them, Big Pan!"

"Pickle, send them flying!"

"Make hamburgers out of them, Hamburg!"

The Groggy Monsters are anticipating an easy win. Pickle turns to Big Pan with a smug smile on his hippo-like face. "Big Pan, let's finish this in lightning speed!"

"......... Huh?"

"Pufufufufufufu! He didn't hear again!"

"Hihihi, you're really.... hihihihihi! Listen up. Hihihi!" Pickles tries to stay composed, but he too begins to laugh uncontrollably, one hand leaning on Big Pan's chest for support. And soon the half-giant's laughs rumble from his massive, mudfish-slippery chest.

"Heh... Heheheh.... Hehehehehehe..... Ah.... Huh?" That is, of course, until he becomes as confused as before.

"Pufufufufufu! The captain is also-- pufufufufufu!"

"The Groggy Monsters are laughing for no apparent reason again. They will win again, with this cheerful attitude! No time limit. One point wins the game!"

Zoro squats in something that resembles a sumo-wrestler's pose, puffing out a deep breath as he eyes those on the other side of the field. "Into the ring on the other side, I win. I lose if the chef's head falls into my buoy."

"Will they be able to win back the Demon lost in the first round-- ACK!" The announcer is cut off when Raya throws a soft-ball sized rock at his head.

"STOP CALLING ME DEMON YOU GODDAMN BASTARDS!"

Despite themselves, the Straw Hats smile and laugh at Raya's outburst. 

"Er... right.... Or will the Straw Hats keep losing crew members? The intense Groggy Ring is starting right now. Reeeeaaaady!!! Begiiiiiiiin!"