The Shogun and the Samurai

×17×

The Shogun sat atop a large white horse and stared out over the throng of hundreds of soldiers that were deemed worthy to follow their master into battle.

Kid had chosen the white stallion, dubbed Bepo, not only for his monsterous size, but also for the reason that when splashed with blood the horse was absolutely terrifying to enemies.

Also Law had taken a liking to it, apparently.

Kid was glad that the tattooed samurai had finally decided to stay in the palace all those days ago. He didn't think it would have possible for Law to stay, but apparently Bonney and that little one, Chopper, were very persuasive.

Killer rode up on his own horse next to the Shogun and Kid glanced at him.

In full battle attire, not one inch of the advisor's skin could be seen; just that mane of coarse blonde hair.

"We will be arriving at Dressrosa soon, won't we?" Kid asked, trying to coax out a verbal response.

Killer just nodded.

"Still giving me the silent treatment for sleeping with Trafalgar, huh?"

The masked man said nothing and Kid sighed, deciding to just watch the horses instead.

Killer's usual beast was twitching nervously and stomping at the ground in an almost uncomfortable way, which was strange. Normally the horse was calmer than anything when his advisor rode it.

On the other hand, Kid's own horse, Bepo, would not stop trying to nudge at Killer's side playfully. Normally the bear-size horse paid no attention to the masked man.

To put it shortly: the horses were acting weird.

Kid scowled then looked towards his servant Wire. "How long until we reach Dressrosa?"

"Half a day, Kid-dono. The scout we sent out yesterday has returned with news of the kingdom's defences."

"And?" Kid asked, raising a non-existant eyebrow.

Wire stepped forward and so did Heat, the latter unrolling a strategical map of Dressrosa as he did so.

"Emperor Doflamingo has an army spread out relatively evenly at the only road into the kingdom and there are archers in the mountains on either sides of the pass." Wire stated, pointing out places on the map.

Out of the corner of his eye, the Shogun thought he saw Killer flinch at the mention of the Emperor of Dressrosa, but Kid was too busy to pay much attention.

"Alright, here's what's going to happen." The Shogun began after a few minutes of thought. "We'll split off into three units. Wire, you and Heat will each lead one unit to the mountains and take out the archers while Killer and I forge a path down the middle with the main force-"

"It won't work."

The three men looked up at the masked advisor who hadn't spoken to anyone since they had left Kid's kingdom.

Kid raised a non-existant eyebrow, unsure of whether or not his ears had deceived him.

That did not sound like Killer.

"Huh?"

The masked man sighed and removed his helmet and mask, a long blonde wig going with them.

Kid scowled at the man the armor had hidden.

"You were supposed to stay in the palace!"

Trafalgar Law shrugged and smirked. "What can I say, Eustass-ya? It's my fight and I'm gonna end it."

-×-×-×-

Killer blinked his eyes open slowly, then shut them again as light pierced the barrier of his blonde lashes.

"Eh? Oh Chopper! Come quick, I think he's awake!"

The Shogun's advisor groaned at the familiar female voice and rubbed the scarred skin of his face tiredly.

Wait, skin?

The blonde's eyes shot open and he sat up as quickly as he could, successfully slamming his forehead against that of the pink haired Empress leaning over him.

"MOTHER FUCKER!" Bonney shouted, stumbling back away from the bed in the medical wing on which the advisor lay.

Killer hissed at the sudden pain and dizziness he got from sitting up too fast, but he managed to cover his face with his hands anyway.

"Killer-sama!" A child's voice cried. "You've been heavily sedated for the past several days! You mustn't get up yet!"

Killer watched between his fingers as little Chopper helped ease him back down.

"My mask...!" The man rasped. "Where's my mask...?!"

Chopper rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "U-uh... Law-sama sort of... b-borowed it..."

Killer's eyes widened. "For what? Where is he?! Where's Kid?!"

Bonney walked back up at this and scowled down at the blonde man.

"Don't even bother leaving. They're all probably at Dressrosa by now. Law asked us to make sure you wouldn't get in the way of his goal of killing the Emperor."

Killer's eyes widened even further as realization set in.

Trafalgar Law was going to try and kill Doflamingo and he would probably die trying, taking Eustass Kid with him.

Dread filled Killer's soul and he suddenly felt as though he would vomit.

"Oh god...!"

-×-×-×-

Back on the battlefield, Law pointed at the map that Heat had unrolled.

"Doflamingo is sadistic and cruel. He will use whatever means necessary destroy his foe, even if it means trapping his entire kingdom in a cage."

The samurai then pointed to the mountains on the sides of the path.

"While your scout only saw the archers, the majority of Doflamingo's army will be stationed in the mountains, ready to ambush your forces. Heat and Wires' small units won't be able to withstand the numbers. If you send the majority of your army straight down the path, it will end in a bloodbath."

At this, Law pointed to the entrance of Dressrosa.

"On the other hand, that army that your scout saw at the entrance is most likely only a small battalion. Doflamingo is a master of tricks and deception. Throughout the kingdom he is also known as Joker. What your scout most likely saw was just a trick for you to make the mistake you almost did. I say send the majority of your troups into the mountains and you and I shall lead a small unit down the center, Eustass-ya."

Wire and Heat both looked up at Kid for confirmation on the strategy Law had devised.

After another moment of thought, Kid scowled up at his men. "Well, go on! If I was right the first time, then you all can jump in from the mountains and help us in battle. Either way it's a win-win situation for us. Now move!"

Both men nodded and rode off back towards the camps of Kid's army, leaving the Shogun and the Samurai alone.

"So where's Killer?" Kid asked, breaking the silence between them.

"He should be waking up about now." Law said with a shrug. "Bonney-ya and Tony-ya will take care of him."

Kid huffed and shook his head. "You're a real piece of work, you know that Trafalgar?"

Law smirked. "And that's why you love me, Eustass-ya." He said with a teasing wink.

With that, Law turned Killer's horse and rode to the camps after Heat and Wire.

Kid stared after him, a somber look in his golden eyes.

"Yeah... That's why I love you..."