I do not own One Piece
3RD POV
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Blood stained the ground, the dips soon forming a puddle. Rigid breaths sounded, each breath consumed with pain. The labored breathing and dripping from the blood seemed to echo throughout the arena.
The pirates stared in horror at the sight. Each of them wondering if there could have been a different outcome. Perhaps if they had tried to step in sooner, even at the risk of the Luffy, Sato, and Katsu being shot down.
Then, completely in sync, despite them being in different areas of the town, each shouted and cried in horror.
"Katsu!"
Sato and Luffy were perhaps the most horrified. The twin had expected it to be him. He could have sworn he felt it through and through that the blade was going to go through him. He wanted it to be him, him rather than her. Meanwhile the Captain hadn't yet processed what he was seeing. Surely his nakama had not just stabbed herself.
Katsu's hands stayed on the sword that pierced through her body, her hands beginning to shake as the pain registered as flares throughout her body. Tears still streamed down her face and her lip trembled as she tried to choke back sobs. Her knees bucked before finally giving out on her.
The instant she began to fall, both Sato and Luffy were beside her to catch her. Both had tossed the swords they had been given off to the side, neither needing such a weapon. Each being cautious enough not to touch the sword that still impaled her.
"Why?!" Sato demanded, his own eyes burning as he felt tears of his own begin to fall down his grimy face.
Katsu's tear stained face looked up at both Luffy and Sato. Fresh tears still streaming down her face as she let go of the sword to cling onto the both of them. Her shaky hands clenching onto each of them as if she was suddenly scared they would let go.
"I'd rather die than ever be imprisoned again." She murmured, then added. "And, if I'm unable to produce a heir, they have no use for me. Which means, the two of you can be free. The crew can be free."
Luffy's eyes widened as she continued to cry, clutching onto him while her head dropped forward as she attempted to hide her face. He had spent the last two years training so nothing like this would happen. Never again.
He wasn't going to lose someone again.
"Captain, you gotta go while they're still in shock." Katsu wheezed, biting her lip and forcing a smile through the tears on her face. "Make sure everyone makes it, and please take Sato." She tried to move away from the two, but she was too weak to try to push off the Captain and twin.
Luffy's grip on Katsu tightened only for a moment before he shook his head. "No." He answered, looking at Katsu as she tried to force a smile on her face. It was the most insincere smile Luffy had ever seen, especially from Katsu. "Captain's orders. I'm not leaving you. You're our artist." Then he took a step back, letting go of Katsu once he realized Sato still had a firm grip on her. He clenched his hands together and bellowed out to the heavens. "Now! Who's ass do I have to kick!"
Katsu tried to shake her head, "No. No more Captain's orders." She let out a soft sigh. "Please." She only had ever followed the orders given to her from Luffy, she had only ever wanted to follow the orders from her Captain. However, this time was different. It wasn't that she didn't want to, but rather she knew she shouldn't.
She had made the move for the distraction, they needed to take it and leave.
By now Robin had switched off the snail. She was sure Franky would be taking over soon, even if he was likely still dealing with the same shock the rest of them had just encountered. She looked up to make eye contact with Sanji and Zoro. With just a single look to them, the two were on their feet and making their way towards the railing. Their anger rolling off of them in waves.
Arguably, the most enraged was Italus. Angry red veins popped from his forehead as he stood up, the ground beginning to crumble under his feet. Behind him Ayami shot to her feet.
"The imbecile! Mitsu has failed!" He declared, pointing outward towards the bleeding girl. "Take her away!"
As guards began swarming the audience and battle grounds, Ayami leaned closer to her father. "She stabbed herself in the specific area that the doctors said to protect. We even added extra protection layers to her armor to ensure nothing harmed it." Her voice was low, but he had heard.
Luffy and Sato tensed at the swarm of guard rushing at them. Carefully placing Katsu on her side, Sato stood up by Luffy. Both released a heavy aura, knocking out most of the guards. Sato wasn't surprised to see the ones still standing included those trained by the Kobayashi family.
"Luffy," Sato spoke, gaining some of the attention from the angry Captain. "The best bet of weakening any of our family is cutting their hair."
The Captain nodded, "Gotcha magic hair need to be cut."
A smile formed on Sato's face. "For once, you're not wrong, Rubber boy."
Both Sato and Luffy attacked the closest guards that hadn't been knocked out with their haki. Though Luffy's arm still refused to stretch, thanks to the sea prism cuff on him.
Sato delivered ground shattering punches, scowling at the guards. "This would have been easier if they hadn't cut off my hair." He mumbled, also silently acknowledging he would have more strength if he had been given some food. Taking on look at Luffy, he called the Captain over. "Give me your arm."
Luffy didn't give it much thought, presenting his arm to the twin. However when the cuff cracked open upon Sato's pulling, a grin formed on Luffy's face as he let out a victory yell.
"Mitsu-" Sato cut off, seeing another guard begin to drag her off by her hair. "Oi! Let her go!"
Two other figures dropped in. The blonde kicking the man in the face, which sent him right into the swords man who easily cut the man in half. Sanji let out a puff of smoke, glaring down at the guard that Zoro had just cut down.
"That's no way to treat a lady." Sanji glared at the remains.
"He got off easy." Zoro scoffed.
Katsu didn't have any fight left in her, so when the guard let go of her hair she began to fall to the ground. If not for Sanji, the artist would have landed on the ground and likely shifted the blade more inside of her. He softly knelt down to the ground, unsure whether he should place her gently on the ground once more or remain holding her to avoid her being taken again.
"It isn't pleasant, but you need to try to keep that right where it is until Chopper can get to you." Sanji spoke softly, his eyes glaring down at the sword stuck inside of her.
Katsu wondered why the pain hadn't numbed yet. She didn't expect to feel this much pain for so long. The pain of being stabbed wasn't on her wish list, even if she was the one who inflicted the wound.
Lying in the chef's arms, more tears began to spill down her face as she reached up to try to push him away. "Leave. I'm the bait damn it. You can all just leave and be safe. Take Sato." Her voice cracked as a sob began to leave her. She knew the tears weren't just from the pain. Seeing how her pushing wasn't doing anything, she gripped at Sanji's shirt meeting his eyes. "Please."
Sanji stared down at Katsu in shock and worry before anger began to take its place. Holding her, seeing her up close, he could make out her bones too clearly. He had been warned, but he had hoped it wasn't true. She had been starved, her and her brother. If he was going from the bruises, she had been hit as well. Even going from her words and actions, he didn't want to mark off mental abuse as well.
"You know I can't leave a beautiful lady in need." He spoke softly, his stomach dropping at the broken cry to leave Katsu's lips.
Sanji knew a few things.
Katsu needed a good hot meal. He was sure Sato needed one as well.
She needed medial help, immediately. Then a blanket, and possibly even a hug.
Finally, he was livid. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold back. He only got one look from Luffy and it said it all.
Luffy was going to handle the big guy.
"You idiot." Zoro growled, softly glaring as he knelt down to Katsu. His eyes trained from the sword to the girl's tear stained face. "Why the hell did you stab yourself?!"
"Oi!" Sanji glared, just managing to stop himself from kicking the swordsman as he thought it might move Katsu too much. "Be nice to her!"
"I did it to try to help you all." Katsu whispered, looking over towards Zoro. "But you guys won't listen."
"Bullshit we'll listen." Zoro sneered, standing back up. "Like hell we'd leave, they've messed with our nakama. I'm gonna cut them all."
"I'll be kicking some manners into them." Sanji added, offering a small smile towards the artist.
"I'm gonna kick their asses!" Luffy demanded, overhearing the other two.
Katsu shook her head again, wincing when the sharp pain hit her once more. "Why won't you just listen, for once?"
"Katsu." Luffy interrupted, looking over at her. Sato quickly redirected an attack aimed at Luffy. He wasn't sure what the Captain was about to say, but he hoped it would help his sister regain some rational thought. Luffy met Katsu's eyes. "Be honest. Do you want our help?"
Both Sanji and Zoro remained silent. Awaiting the answer from their artist as Luffy was. Sato frowned, looking at Luffy as if he had grown a second head. Before he could input anything, along the lines of calling Luffy an idiot, Katsu reacted.
A choked sob escaped Katsu's mouth as she couldn't hold anything back anymore. Her one handed grip on Sanji's toga tightened as she nodded her head, her other hand reaching up to rub at her eyes. "Yes." She let out a cry as she tried to catch her breath. "Please, Captain, I'm sorry. Help me."
Katsu hadn't wanted to ask for help. She wanted her crew to carry on their adventure. She wanted her brother to find his own freedom. However, apparently, she believed more in her crew than she realized because certainly if she knew deep down that they would lose she wouldn't be asking for help.
"Atta girl." Zoro murmured, glancing back at the upcoming opponents to look for the strongest. He wasn't about to let the cook get that one.
Luffy walked over to Katsu, placing his hat over her head. "Look after my hat for me." He instructed. "Captain's orders." He finished with a small smile when he heard a soft laugh mix into Katsu's crying.
"Yes, Captain." She muttered, her hand moving away from her face to hold the hat firmer on her head. Warm memories of her Uncle doing the same to her as a child filling her head for just a moment.
Sato stared at the Captain, then at his twin. Even he could remember Shanks doing that to either her or him when they were little and crying. Though, typically it was Shanks messing with them to make them smile. He shook his head, ruffling up his hair. "I have no idea how the hell that worked." He had expected more of a speech from Luffy to get Mitsu to react, something more than the simple sentence he had said. Yet, it had worked.
Sato had known there was something special about Luffy from when they were kids. The moment Shanks gave away his hat to a random kid, Sato swore to remember the idiot. That something special, that he wasn't ever able to see so easily, must be something that even his twin could easily see. He hoped after this, he could finally see it for himself.
"We've got some company." Sato sighed, looking over as the big fighters of the Koyabashi family began to walk towards them. "They are being really nice right now. Probably thinking we're giving each other our last words."
Zoro scoffed, pulling out two swords. "That's funny. Shouldn't they be giving each other their last words? Because they won't be able to talk after I'm done with them."
Sanji grinned, standing back up and deciding Katsu was going to stay in his arms for the time being. "Talk? They won't be able to eat when I'm done." Zoro instantly threw an annoyed look towards the cook, but refocused his gaze back to the approaching family.
"They won't have asses when I'm done." Luffy added, "Cause I'm gonna kick it off."
Sato's face seemed to shrink in as he gave a face at Luffy.
Before they could rush forward to the approaching family, a smoke screen hit in front of them. Sato tensed, his eyes widening for a moment as he prepared to fight. Swinging around as he felt someone approach from behind.
Shimming down the side, Usopp rushed towards Sanji. "Oi! Give me Katsu!" He ordered, "I'll run the both of us out of here!"
Sanji hesitated for a moment, before nodding and reached forward to place her in Usopp's arms. "Careful!" He glared when Katsu gave a slight wince.
Upon seeing Sanji's trust in the long nose, Sato didn't protest. He pointed towards the entrance that Mitsu had walked from. "That way leads back to the palace. Go straight until you hit a circular room. Then you'll need to turn left. When a window shows up, jump out of that." He paused, "You're not a devil fruit user, are you?" Usopp shook his head, "Right. Just make sure you can swim with her. If not, plan your landing before."
Usopp nodded, then paused to squint his eyes at Sato. "Are you good with directions?"
"Go!" Was all Sato could offer as the smoke began to clear up. The four pirates took on their fighting stances as they prepared to attack.
Usopp didn't need to be told twice to run. Though he felt some guilt when Katsu seemed to realize what was going on and reached out towards her twin. "Sato! Don't leave him!"
As much as Usopp would like to drag along the twin, his first priority was the bleeding artist. He didn't need to worry so much for Sato either, since the monster trio was with him. There was no doubt they would stop any life threatening attacks from hitting him if need be. For now, he needed to focus on getting away and getting Katsu to see Chopper.
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End of Chapter 123!
This is not edited.