Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

Trying to Escape

In the underground water tunnel leading toward the Gates of Justice, the Straw Hats ran for their lives as floods of water closed in on them.

“Hey, who are those guys in the distance!?” Usopp shouted, eyes widening as he spotted three figures ahead.

“Isn't that…Kokoro, Chimney, and Gonbe!? How the hell did they get here!?” Ryomen yelled in disbelief.

The two, along with their rabbit, finally noticed the boys sprinting toward them.

“Hey! We slipped by while you were fighting!” Chimney waved with a grin.

“Took you some time—uh, what's that?” Kokoro chuckled before her eyes narrowed.

“RUN AWAY!!” The boys screamed in unison, sweat dripping down their faces.

“Whaaa!!” Chimney’s voice cracked as she spotted the water barreling toward them.

“What did you idiots do!?” Kokoro snapped, scooping up Chimney and Gonbe before taking off at a surprising speed.

“Everybody makes mistakes once in a while!” Ryomen called back, his voice strained.

“NOT MISTAKES THAT KILL US!!” Usopp flailed his arms in panic.

“I'm sorry, alright!?” Ryomen shot back.

“Ahaha!! We're gonna die….!!” Chimney wailed.

They pushed their bodies to the limit, but their wounds slowed them down. One by one, the flood overtook them.

“Shit—ghh…” Zoro cursed before the water swallowed him whole.

“Zoro/Moss head!!” The others screamed, but there was no time to stop.

Usopp, Sanji, Gonbe, Chimney, and Kokoro—gone.

Ryomen’s breath caught in his throat. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as the horror of what he had done sank in.

“Ryomen!” Luffy’s voice rang out. Ryomen turned just in time to see him get caught by the tide.

“Luffy!” Ryomen lunged forward, grabbing his wrist—only for the force of the current to pull them both under.

Immediately his limbs felt weak, sluggish. The moment his body hit the water, it was like every ounce of his strength had been stripped away..

‘This is…my fault…’

Darkness closed in, his lungs burned for air, and his grip on consciousness wavered.

Then—

“It seems I'll have to save you all. Nga ga ga!”

A voice, distorted by water.

Something grabbed him, then the current blurred past at an impossible speed.

…

“Hey, are you good?”

Ryomen’s eyes cracked open after he felt something press against his lips. His body jolted, instinctively coughing up water.

“Ughh…” He groaned, blinking to erase the fogginess.

“Nice, everyone's awake now!” Franky’s loud voice rang in his ears.

Ryomen turned, groggy and disoriented. “What…?”

He glanced around, spotting the others already awake nearby.

“Are you alright? You nearly drowned.”

Robin’s voice. He turned to see her watching him, concern in her eyes.