The Power of One Dream (A One Piece x Fairy Tail Story)

Part 14: Battle 7

It was an odd experience for Zoro when he first stepped through that door. He seemed to hover in the middle of a vast sea of stars and darkness, yet his feet were set on something solid. Before him two rows of doorways emitting light seemed to form an aisle stretching out into the vast expanse. And behind him he became aware of the doorway he'd just come through fizzle away into light particles before vanishing completely. Deciding there was nothing else for it, he walked towards the nearest light doorway on his right. A beautiful tropical island under a sunny sky.

Then walked straight past it further into the sea of space.

Doubling back, he walked back towards the front of the doorway. And walked straight past another Magical doorway that opened onto a frozen tundra, once again standing in the sea of space outside the door-lined aisle. Doubling back again, he once more attempted to walk straight towards the first doorway with the island.

And again.

And again.

'I hate magic.' Zoro grumbled to himself, irritated and blaming the infernal arts of the dark church (and refusing to acknowledge his own difficulties with walking in a straight line).

These attempts continued for around 30 minutes before he gave up, and decided he should try finding another way back to the entrance foyer to regroup with the others. Walking in the direction (he was sure) of the disappeared doorway he came here through, he found another light gateway that looked promising and (another 30 minutes later) walked through it.

Zoro was no longer in the sea of space. But neither was he in the entrance foyer. He was standing on an open grassy glade that seemed to sit atop a mountain amidst many others, surrounded by a sea of clouds. Though by no means the biggest as some peaks stretched beyond into clouds even farther above. He stood in quiet awe of the breath-taking scene, and only now did it strike him as odd that the sun shone brightly in the blue sky above, whereas it was certainly almost evening in the sky before he entered the church. He was so engrossed in this train of thought that at first he didn't realise he was not alone.

"Roronoa??"

Zoro looked behind him, for a moment lost in awe at the figure sat cross-legged serenely at the far end of the glade. Her long scarlet hair blowing gracefully to the side in the wind.

"Red??"

Indeed Erza Scarlett had arrived in that glade about an hour ago, and, seeing no other people for miles around, elected to wait near the spot where she first stepped through. And there she sat in meditation, mentally preparing herself for what could be her toughest fight to date. And yet nothing she'd done had prepared her for this scenario!

Barely 3 seconds had passed upon them recognising each other before, as with their respective comrades, a Magical barrier of light manifested encompassing much of the visible mountain-scape around them. And as with their comrades, both heard echo through the chosen arena the pre-recorded message of the mysterious and notorious 'Head'. Though neither aware of their friends' current fates or events shaking up 'Manticore Sting's' hierarchy at that time.

When the message finished, the two just stared at each other a while. Then Erza gradually got to her feet with a solemn look on her face, altogether as regal as her moniker implied. "I am sorry Roronoa Zoro, but while Lucy's safety remains in jeopardy I cannot afford my conviction to waver. Surrender now or prepare to test our blades!!" Zoro matched her solemn glare with a defiant gleam in his one open eye. "Nami may be a witch and a money-grubber, but she's still my nakama. And the mother of my captain's child. You're not the only one who can't afford to lose here! I ain't backing down!"

Erza gave a heavy sigh, then drew the sword on her back. "So be it. Steel yourself 'Pirate-Hunter'!!" she exclaimed fiercely. Zoro by this point had a hand firmly on Enma's hilt eyeing the Sword Mage grimly. "Let's dance 'Titania'!" he replied suddenly with a confident smirk. "Shishi Sonson (Lion's Death Song)!"