She Came From Outta Space... I Think?

I Don't Think A Metal Spoon Will Be Much Help Here

Tani and Trip landed atop the ceiling support beam, that loomed over the main entrance of the prison. The pair waiting for Luffy to arrive.

"The kid better hurry up, I'm not waiting around for-"

"There he is," Tani pointed to the other side of the beam. Luffy's hands gripped around the wooden support, hoisting him upwards.

Everyone's accounted for. Time to break into hell.

"How are we getting past the guards?" Tani asked, pointing down at the crowd of uniformed men and women that surrounded the entrance. "We only get one shot at this." the girl reminded. Trip gave a quiet snort.

"That's what you think," she grinned.

What?

Without handing out any answers, a common trend in Tani's life right now, the group was off. Trip taking the lead, masterfully hopping across the support beams. Luffy bounced around with just as much spring as the vulgar woman. Tani wobbled, never sticking a landing.

Luffy was always waiting for her with open arms. Catching her every fall.

Tani would never grow tired of that leap her heart did, whenever Luffy just existed.

"Oi, love birds. Hurry up," Trip spoke up, pointing downwards. Tani and Luffy skipped her way, looking towards the subject of Trip's pointing.

The room below had a maze of prison cells, that seemed to go on forever. Tani couldn't see the other end of the room, the lighting being dim and sunless. A rotten smell wafted through the area.

The screaming wasn't helping. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of prisoners voices mixed together into this deafening howl of pained anguish. Shackles clicked, fists collided, prison bars rattled. It was all a bit much for Tani's ears.

Luffy glanced at the pained expression on his nakama's face. Hands covering her ears, face scrunching. They needed to leave now, why weren't they moving yet? Luffy stood up, moving to jump into the first layer of hell-

"Hold your horses dipstick," Trip grabbed Luffy by the back of his shirt. "We gotta wait for the signal," she snapped. Luffy glared at her, who was she to tell him how his adventure went. Ace is in trouble, Tani's in pain, the place sucks, why is she waiting?

*Bang*

"Bingo," Trip grinned. Letting go of Luffy's shirt, the boy toppled backwards. Landing with a rubbery slap, Trip looped an arm around Tani. The girl much more distracted with the sounds of screaming, she failed to notice when Trip jumped from their rather high spot in the ceiling.

Luffy looked at the girls, this Trip lady was really dumb! Didn't she know how fragile she was?

"Gum gum balloon," he called out, inflating in size to catch the pair. Trip let out a whoop of laughter, turning around to land on her back. The force of her landing caused Luffy to deflate around them.

"Thanks for the catch," Trip snickered, Luffy stuck his tongue out at her. The older woman dropped Tani, leaving her on Luffy's chest. She gave a shaky breath, trying to block out the sounds that plagued her mind.

"Let me out!"

"It hurts, it hurts!"

"I have a wife and son to get home to!"

"Not again, never again!"

Tani let out a whimper, fingers digging into her ears. Shut up, shut up, shut up!

"Oi! Shut up!" Luffy barked at a group of prisoners, the men in black and white stripes all stared at the small boy. Silenced at the sight of a free man. Tani lifted her head, the sounds seemed to slowly dwindle away. Ears taking a second to readjust to the environment. The sounds dulled, still haunting but tolerable.