The Blind Brawler [ Roronoa Zoro X OC]

Chapter 43: Fleeing Rain Base

The water crashed in from the busted aquarium wall in one incredible wave. I managed to keep my head above the surface as I was thrown across the room. One glance told me the others were not as lucky and they were all being swept along by the current.

"Luffy!" I cried out for my captain as I frantically began to search for him.

"Zoro!" The rubber man answered with a weak and choked voice. Stunned that he was even still above water, I turned to see him struggling to hold on to the top of the prison cell. I immediately began to swim towards him when he shouted again, "Quick! You gotta save Smokey!"

I stopped and baulked at my captain's stupid request, "What?! He's our enemy! He can take care of himself."

Luffy shook his head, half-dazed, "No, he can't! He's got devil fruit powers like me, so he can't swim!" His eyes looked determined as he stared me down, "He'll drown if you don't help him."

I felt my teeth clench in a grimace at his declaration. I looked down to see the Marine Captain, still in the Sea Prism Stone cell, unmoving and completely submerged in the water. With a frustrated growl, I turned back to my captain, "For crying out loud, Luffy. Do I really have to do this?" However, the rubber man was gone. No doubt he was carried off by the water. I scowled again, "Ah, geez."

Looking around, I spotted the rubber man drifting under the surface. Before I could move to grab him, I saw Sanji swim up and hook his arm around Luffy's waist. The water was still rising, so I took a deep breath and dove under the waves.

Against my better judgment, I swam back into the prison cell and grabbed the Marine by his coat. He was a big man, and under the water he was heavy. I began to haul him out of the underground room with a bit of effort. The difficult part was not carrying Smoker, but fighting the current of water flowing into the room.

Once I managed to break free from the current, I was able to quickly reach the shore of the lake. I broke the surface of the water with a gasp and threw Smoker up onto dry land. With a grunt of effort, I managed to pull myself up out of the water as well.

As I caught my breath, Sanji started to gripe, "What?! Smoker?! Hey, Zoro, what are you doing? In case you forgot, that guy's our enemy!"

"Back off," I bit back at him, "I didn't wanna do it, but he was about to die, that's all," He did not seem pleased by my answer.

Before the cook could berate me further, Vivi let out a cry, "Guys, look over there! Kaori and Usopp are still out in the water!" I felt my chest tighten as I quickly spun around to where the princess was pointing.

About forty feet away from the shore, the blind woman and the sniper were barely treading the water. Kaori's face was scrunched up in effort as her head bobbed repeatedly under the surface. Usopp was clearly unconscious with a wound on his head.

I dove into the water and began to swim over to the pair as hard and fast as I could. She managed to keep them both at the surface, if only barely. I grabbed ahold of the unconscious sniper and held him up like I had Smoker, although my crewmate was much lighter, "Hold on I gotcha!"

The blind woman, now free of the long-nosed man's weight, began to tread the water with ease. She let out a few choked coughs as she caught her breath, "Sorry, I... wasn't... strong enough... to get him all the way... on my own."

"Kaori!" Sanji called out as he swam up behind me, "Are you alright? I can help you to shore," I frowned at the idiot cook as he passed me and moved to hook his arm under her waist as he had for Luffy.

The white-haired woman waved him off, "I can swim fine on my own. Thank you, Sanji."

I rolled my eyes as the ero-cook swooned at her gratitude, "Come on, let's get to shore."