A Small Adventure (One Piece fanfic)

Zoro's Sacrifice

I just realized we are the only female Straw Hat that uses close combat in fights. Kinda rad.
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We couldn't do anything. Not Zoro. Not Sanji. Not me. None of us could fight Kuma, especially after being royally beat down beforehand by Oars. My hand was clenched over my chest since the Shichibukai had sent a 'Paw Cannon', as he called it, through my body after I attempted to damage him by punching his stomach. Surprise, he's as solid as me. Sanji, Zoro and I were slouched from exhaustion in front of the giant man while the rest of the crew was standing away near Luffy's defenseless body. We watched helplessly as Kuma condensed a huge paw shaped ball of air, potentially turning it into a bomb right in front of us. It went from being bigger than him to being able to fit between his huge hands, emitting a bright light through the spaces between his fingers. 

"I will spare your lives... if, in exchange, you give me the head of Straw Hat Luffy," the huge man offered. "If I return with his head, the government will not complain."

There was a moment of silence before Usopp spoke up, "You're asking us to betray our comrade?"

"Come, bring Straw Hat to me," Kuma ordered.

"NO WAY!" everyone in the area shouted at him. Like hell we'd let him get to Luffy without a fight, even if we had no chance.

The bomb was released in response to our lack of cooperation. He shot it in the middle of everyone, and it expanded over the whole island, letting off a bright flash. I jumped over to Luffy's unconscious body, covering him from the unneeded impact with my metallic form. I squinted my eyes from the brightness and lost consciousness from the overall pain of the attack, plus all of the debris flying into me.

I came back into the land of the living when I was rolled onto my back. I couldn't open my eyes or hear what was happening, only a loud ringing in my ears accompanied by a black abyss. I knew I was alive, though. The ringing stopped after what felt like a few minutes, but I still couldn't see.

"You're not leaving until you have Luffy's head?" Sounds like Zoro.

"I am not willing to compromise further." That must be Kuma.

"I understand... I'll be willing to give you one head. In exchange for Luffy's... please take mine instead! I'm begging you! I might not be famous yet... but if you take my life, you would be taking the life of the one who will eventually become the worlds greatest swordsman! Surely.. that should be enough!"

I tried to move my body, but it wouldn't listen to me. Please, please don't make me listen with no power to do anything about it. He can't be serious. Zoro can't just sacrifice himself like that and imagine that the rest of us would just be okay with it. Please, please just let me get up. I don't know what I would do, but I needed to get up.

"Despite your remarkable ambition.. you wish to take this man's place and go to your death?"

"I don't see any other way to save my crew...! If you can't even protect your captain, your ambition is pointless. Luffy's the man who'll become the king of pirates!"

Silence ensued after that, only to be interrupted by a blond cook's voice, "Wait, wait, you damn idiot! What good is dying gonna do for you? What about your dream, you idiot?"

"You..!" Zoro did not seem like he wanted to be seeing Sanji right now. Probably didn't want any witnesses.

"Hey, you! Instead of this marino's life.. take mine. The navy might not consider me a threat yet... but in the end, the one in this crew who will cause the most trouble.. is me! Black Leg Sanji!" He sounded confident but his voice was so shaky. He must have really been feeling the after effects of the explosion. "Both of us are ready to lay down our lives, so let's make this a glorious death!" He stopped talking for a bit before saying, "Hey.. tell everyone to have a good journey... Sorry, but it looks like you'll have to find another cook..."