"Th.. Fuck...!" Faythe coughed out, as she tried getting her bearings back.
"'Pluton.' It's said a single blast from it can destroy an entire island without leaving a trace..." Crocodile smirked as he glanced at the bleeding girl, "The ancient world's most fearsome carries the name of a god!"
"A... God..." Faythe felt like she's heard something about the gods from somewhere.
"It should be lying somewhere within this Kingdom..." Crocodile walked towards Faythe raising his arms out as he explained the godly weapon, "That was my real objective from the beginning. With a weapon like that, I can establish the world's leading military power here in this land!"
"A weapon!? Does something like that... Really exist in this kingdom?" Vivi huffed out worriedly. Almost feeling dizzy from all this information.
"A secret passed down from king to his successor for generations..." Chaka muttered out, the sweat falling down his temple at the risk of danger.
"It'll only be too easy to bring all the pirates in nearby regions under my control! With such influence I'll have the power to surpass even the World Government's authority itself! And at last, I will have my utopia!" Crocodile let out a satisfying laugh.
"Do you really think the World Government will just let that happen!?" The king hissed out.
"Oh, of course not. That's precisely why I need something to tip the scales in my favor... Pluton." Crocodile explained.
"I don't know where you managed to learn that name, but I'll have you know that I have no clue to it's whereabouts, Nor am I even sure if such a thing really exists in this kingdom." The king countered with a frown.
"...I see. I expected as much." Crocodile raised a brow at this, "Even I realize just how dubious the existence of such an incredible weapon is... In any case, the bulk of the forces are currently gathered around the city square, but at 4:30 p.m... That is to say, in just 30 minutes from now, they'll be engulfed by a massive explosion."
"Are you out of your mind!?" The king hollered out weakly.
"A special-made explosive with a blast diameter of 5km. The scenery viewable from here will undergo quite the 'renovation,' I'd assume..."
"A-.. A bomb now of all... things...!" Faythe sat up on her knees.
"A 5KM BLAST IN JUST 30 MINUTES!? BUT IF YOU DO THAT...!" Vivi screamed out in pure horror of the thought of it.
"Happy, are you? The rebellion you so wanted to stop will finally be over." Crocodile snickered at her face, "By my calculations, the rebel forces should penetrate all the way into the city square in about 20 minutes. Rather than blowing up the the royal palace to stop the fighting in such a roundabout way, It's far more expedient to eliminate the ones doing the actual fighting."
"With all that thinking and all your 'calculations'.... One would think that your brain is as... big as your... Forehead..." Faythe laughed lightly, as she raised her chin in defiance, "Maybe it might be due to your... ugly ass attitude..."
Crocodile's smirk fell instantly as he heard her words. He turned is to her and stalked towards her with the ugliest sneer Faythe had ever seen.
"Don't worry about the death wish you keep asking for, after I get the information I need, your going to be the first to disappear from this kingdom." Crocodile raised his foot and strikes down on her stomach wound, earning him an earful of muffled screams.
"FAYTHE! HOW CAN YOU DO SUCH A THING! TO HER AND MY PEOPLE! WHAT HAVE THEY EVER DONE TO YOU!?" Vivi was being held back by a almost snapped Chaka.
"What an ear sore." Crocodile frowned, and then tipped Faythe over by kicking her shoulder.
"Now then, Mr. Cobra... I have an alternative request for you." Crocodile turned his sleeked head to the King, "Where is the 'Poneglyph?'"
"The ancient records...!? why would you want to know where that is...!?" Vivi questioned out loud.
"If I tell you where it is, will you..." The king trailed off thinking for a moment as he glanced at his daughter.
"Father!" Vivi was shaking as she met her father's gaze.
"Never mind... I will guide you to it." The king rethought his choice and chose the latter.
"Kuhahahaha! The wise king Cobra lives up to his reputation! You understand your situation quite quickly!" Crocodile snickered.
"Princess, I can no longer, hold back my fury!"
Chaka could be seen slowly pulling out his sword from his sheath. His face slowly being covered in fur as his anger only grew. He must've eaten a devil fruit.
"YOU VILE SCUM!" At that, he charged forward, sword out ready to strike.
"CEASE THIS AT ONCE, CHAKA! YOU CANNOT DIE HERE!" The king hollered as he tried to stop the general from attacking.
"Oh, a Zoan-User..." Crocodile muttered after sighing a bit.
"Inu Inu Fruit, Model: Jackal!" He readied his attack and sprung forward, "HOWLING FANGS!"
The sword had only swiped off a giant chunk of sand off the man, "I see... So you're the type to die for others too..."
/;/~***~/;/
"CHAKKAAA!" Vivi screamed pierced the air as Chaka was ultimately defeated as Faythe was. Crocodile's golden hook had pierced the man right through his chest. As of now, the his body was bleeding lifelessly on the roof, his blood seeping down the tiles.
"VIVI!" A new voice called out.
"Huh?" Vivi turned to see who the newcomer was and it made her go blank for a second, "KOUZA!"
Faythe shifted herself so her face would be facing towards the new party member.
"Ahh! Did you come by the secret path you used to use as a child...!?" The king coughed out weakly.
The man standing before them looked so beaten up that he looked like he needed medical attention ASAP. He wore a dark rosy jacket, with a pair of orange gloves. His chest only covered in dirty and used bandages, though it looked like his wounds were reopening by the look of things. On his back was a large sword that could be the same size as her own body. His hair in a frenzy as he had just ran here in a hurry. Some sun glasses sat on his nose crookedly, as he surveyed the area. And the thing that popped out to Faythe was the dark blue scarf that hung loosely around his neck.
"Am I... Seeing things...?" he dragged out, trying to regain his breath, "I came here... With the intention of persuading the Royalist Forces, but..." He paused gulping for air, he took another good look around, a frown dawning his face. But it soon paled as his sight landed on the wounded General, who laid limply on the roof, "Chaka...!"
Faythe glanced around, feeling the awkward air resurface as everyone was super quiet, waiting for him to digest the information in front of him. To Faythe, it looked like they all got caught doing something they weren't supposed to be doing and were all waiting for the person to say something.
"The first thing I see here is the king... About to be murdered at the hands of this 'Country's Hero'....!" He said slowly, "I can hardly believe what I'm seeing..."
"Kuhahahaha! Isn't this an interesting turn of events!? In the midst of the rebellion's climax... To think the leaders of both sides would all come here and meet each other!" Crocodile's sheer laughter sent Faythe over the edge as she dug her clenched fist into the ground, "It's as if this war is being fought by head-less lizards!"
Kouza took a moment to reel all that in, as he was trying to wrap is head around all of this.
Ms. All-Sunday crossed her arms with a sly smirk on her lips, "You seem confused but it's quite simple. Just imagine the worst-case scenario in your head and I'm sure you're bound to reach the correct answer."
Kouza turned his gaze to the King's state, still wondering what the hell was happening.
Vivi noticed his fragile state and tried to bring him back in, "Kouza, you-"
"VIVI!" He shouted suddenly "JUST WHO'S THE ONE, THAT STOLE THIS COUNTRY'S RAIN!?"
Vivi squinted her eyes, biting her lip frustrated at the matter at hand and turned her glare to the man responsible, "That's all undoubtedly the work of..."
"It was me, Kouza! All the things you rebels thought were the King's evil-doings, were actually traps set up by my organization. These past two years... Have been the most amusing, watching both you rebels and the royalists desperately dance about on the palm of my hand...!" Crocodile renounced. Faythe couldn't help but notice that Vivi was interrupted twice in a row, "It would have been better for you, to die without finding out the truth, however! Kuhahaha!"
"Yet here the fuck we are now..!" Faythe groaned out annoyed.
"Don't listen to him!" The king yelled out, shutting down Kouza's little panic attack.
"King Cobra...!" Kouza gasped.
"There's something only you can do right now...! Go out there and save even just one more life from this needless bloodshed if you can!" The king ordered with a hard glare.
A whispy voice announced it's presence as Faythe looked towards the roof seeing the almost dead general spit up a bit of blood, "In less... Than half an hour, the palace square will be blown to smithereens!"
"WHAT!?" Kouza screamed out in terror.
"We have to stop a fucking war, skin a croc, and stop a bomb. Oh ya, it's all going to go swell..." Faythe felt like she wanted to sock herself.
"Oh, still alive, are you?" Croco loomed darkly over the already bleeding to death man.
"HURRY!" Chaka shouted in a cracked tone.
Kouza made a mad dash for the doors, a twisted face of anger resided upon it.
Faythe turned to Vivi urgently, "VIVI!"
"On it!" She called out, already chasing the rebellion leader down. She grabbed hold of his rosy jacket and yanked him down, She straddled him trying in a desperate attempt to restrain him.
"WHAT'RE YOU DOING!? GET OFF OF ME!" Kouza shouted, "THE PALACE SQUARE'S GOING TO BECOME A BATTLEFIELD SOON AND IF IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE BLOWN UP, THEN I-"
Vivi cut him instantly, "YOU CAN'T LET IT BECOME A BATTLEFIELD! YOU'RE STILL NOT THINKING STRIAGHT! IF YOU JUST GO OUT THERE AND TELL THE SOILDERS THAT THE PALACE SQUARE WILL BE BLOWN UP, THEN THERE'LL TRULY BE A PANDEMONIUM! EVERYONE WILL BE TOO PANICKED TO LISTEN! YOU CAN'T STOP THE WAR NOR SAVE ANYONE THAT WAY!" Vivi looked super scary right now, "Am I wrong!?"
"Ohh, An excellent judgement, Princess...!" Crocodile chuckled.
"The proper course of action is still the same thing you should have done from the start! This whole fabricated rebellion must be stopped!" Vivi hurriedly explained, now releasing the man so he could sit up, "And that's something only you can do!"
Faythe painfully outgrew her right wing and tore off one of the main longer feathers. She gripped it with her left hand.
"And do you really think, that I'll just stand by and let you do that...?"
Crocodile's figure was transfiguring behind her with his sand building his figure. His golden hook gleaming as he reeled it back for a fatal swing.
But instead of Vivi's neck, the golden hook collided with Chaka's sword and Faythe's sturdy feather. Both wounded people trying to protect Vivi at all costs.
"CHAKA! FAYTHE!"
"I am this country's guardian deity The Jackal! The one that destroys, the enemies of the royal family...!" Chaka proudly proclaimed, "As long as I have one breath left in me, then I will use it to fight!"
"...And that, is exactly what stupidity is. And you?" Crocodile turned his attention to the red haired pirate, "What measly reason do you keep standing in my way for?"
"The news of Luffy's death sounds too preposterous to me if I'm being honest. It's almost like a bad dream that I wish to wake up from. But if he is truly dead, and that is reality... Then I will follow through the last order he gave me and my crew! Protect Vivi at all costs!" Faythe leaned forward with her strength as Crocodile slide back a bit, at the force, "AND I WILL STAND BY THAT ORDER UNTIL I CANNOT FLY NO MORE!"
"Princess! Kouza! Run now and do what you must! Me and your friend will hold him off for a little while!" Chaka grunted as Crocodile used for pressure.
"BASICALLY WE'LL BUY YOU LITTLE TIME, SO GET YOUR ASSES MOVING!" Faythe hollered out as she tried to do a low sweep for Crocodile's legs.
"Understood!" Vivi nodded and dragged her friend with her.
"G-Got it!"
/;/~***~/;/
(Word Count: 2103)