Book Two: You're my Treasure Too (Zoro X OC)

Chapter Sixteen ~ Escape the Palace

"What?" Usopp asked surprised.

"Nicole won't be able to keep this up, we've been able to keep our word so far thanks to her but if this goes on" Zoro trailed off.

"Alright i got it" Usopp said straightening himself out causing Brook to slip.

"Oh my foot is in the water, i'm losing my strength! Help me Nami-san! Oh? Where is Nami-san?" the skeletal man wondered looking around as Nicole joined at their side.

Seemingly worse for wear, as she was out of breath and unusually pale even though the water arrows shouldn't have taken that much out of her, only Zoro seemed to notice at the moment though.

"Huh? Nami is gone?" Usopp asked.

"Where did she go? Camie is missing too!" Pappagu said.

"Man, first Luffy and now Nami? But we have to untie them first" Usopp said already untying the soldiers "Hang for a minute Brook" he told the skeletal man.

"He's driving my bones too hard, why don't you run now" Brook said using his cane sword to cut the ropes before he started swaying "Please untie the others i have no energy left" Brook said.

Nicole was also using her swords to cut the ropes from the soldiers.

"Don't let them do a damn thing! Destroy all of Neptune's army and the Straw Hats!" Hordy called and his men started the attack.

"Special Attack, Green star! Rafflesia!" Usopp called shooting a seed from his slingshot which popped open into a giant rafflesia flower which emitted its famously foul stench.

"How's that?!" the long nosed sniper taunted.

"I can't take it anymore" Brook said being carried around by a couple soldiers due to loosing his strength from the sea water.

"Zoro! Nicole! The water is rising!" Usopp called over to the pair of swordsmen that had gone over to the king, with Nicole leaning heavily on her boyfriend.

Zoro didn't seem bothered by it at all however as he cut the chains freeing Neptune.

"I have a favor to ask! Let those three get out of here!" the swordsman said referring to his crewmates still there.

"What about you?" Neptune asked.

"No one can get away with that guy chasing after them" Zoro said.

"Good luck" Nicole smiled weakly and he nodded in return before taking a deep breath and diving in to fight Hordy.

~

"Listen soldiers!" Neptune called for attention.

"Yes sir! We'll get rid of Hordy and his crew immediately" one soldier said.

"No-jamon, since i can't fight at full power you'd be sacrificing your lives for nothing, we shall give up the palace for now and meet up with Fukaboshi and the others and wait for a chance to fight back!" the king declared.

"Give up the palace? Are you serious Neptune-sama?" one soldier asked.

"Damn Zoro, he thinks he can beat a Fish-Man in the water?" Usopp asked as he, Brook and Nicole held onto the chains that had been once holding down the king.

"He can!" Nicole argued with a sharp glare despite her seemingly sudden lack of energy.

"Geez, alright" the long nosed sniper sighed.

"Usopp-san, i keep losing my strength and i'm going to drown soon" Brook said.

"You're dead already" Usopp pointed out before taking a deep breath and diving down to take a look at the fight, before going back up as he ran out of air.