Strength (One Piece fanfiction)

Ch 21

I woke up to heat. Flames were all around me, melting the wax and freeing me from the set up.

Shit...my coat is on fire. I tried to roll it out, but the flames already ate more than half of it.

I still can't use my portals, I'm going to be exposed! Under the cover of fire, I ran into the trees. I'm okay with Vivi seeing me, my crew trusts her. But Baroque Works is out there. If any of them survived, I'm sure they'd sell information about me to the marines.

Can I wait it out? I glanced around the tree. It was an all out battle, but they were holding their own. I couldn't find Nami or Vivi, maybe they were still in the flames?

I winced when Usopp was knocked down particularly hard. His opponent had a devil fruit power that allowed her to change her weight.

She floated up high into the air, and announced her intention to crush his skull with an earth shattering weight. I couldn't feel his emotions, but his eyes told me all I need to know. He was scared. He wouldn't make it out on his own.

I can't grab another coat, there was no energy to support my portals. I had no idea when it'd come back either.

I trembled as I remembered, I have to do that.

There wasn't much time to think, Usopp was going to die.

I reached my arms over my head and grabbed my wings at the base. On the next breath, I tore them from my shoulders.

I held them in my shaking hands, not surprised when they turned to ash. Blood dripped down my shoulders, and I could feel my vision blurring as I registered the pain. No time.

I shot out of the trees. The woman was just about to slam her foot with a force of 10,000 kilograms straight into Usopps neck. I met her in the air, kicking her away from him. I barely registered the pain in my leg, too focused on the pain in my back.

My vision turned red at the sight of Mrs. Valentine getting up. I walked over to her. She WILL stay down.

"You?" She cackled haughtily, "what can someone like you do?"

Before she could brace, I closed the distance and slammed my fist straight down into her head. Her body crumbled and she hit the dirt. She won't be getting up anytime soon.

I turned to see Zoro cutting down her partner. Luffy had gone after the other two with Karoo.

I fell to my knees, feeling lightheaded from blood loss. My shoulders trembled. It'll grow back the next time I had energy, I knew from experience. But I did basically tear off my own limbs. I never planned to do that again, not after the first time.

I was still learning how to use my wings. I had just learned how much I love the feeling of free falling. I spread my wings to catch myself before I hit the ground, but I misjudged the distance between myself and a large tree branch. It tore my wing straight out of my back.

My body trembled at the familiar pain.

Luffy came back after easily defeating the candle guy. And it turns out, Dorry the giant actually survived his wounds. They were all in great spirits.

"Hana?" Luffy noticed me near the trees. He came over, "your wings?"

"...I tore them off. It couldn't be avoided." He looked shocked, he knew how much pain I was in last time. "I can't feel you, I can't feel anyone." I felt empty, it was unsettling.

He grabbed my hands, but I pulled away.

"I'm going back to the ship, I want to sleep. Maybe it'll come back after I have a nap," I gave him a small smile.