*Zoro*
Time slowed to a crawl when everyone watched the down fall of Micah.
Mihawk made it look so simple and so easy to get rid of Arya's problems.
He sheathed his great onyx blade and marched on to the next battle with pride; each step he took shook the beach with sheer power.
Hawkeye was the greatest for a reason. Maybe with his help we would be out of here nice and quick.
Ice shoots up my leg; to escape its grasp I had to slash the ice with my blades. It was thick like concrete.
Better focus on my own fight.
Forsty had some kind of metal gadget in his hand about the size of a large coin. I didn't need to be told that it was important.
"Arya! Are you still there?" I shout frantically hoping to catch her consciousness before it slipped back to the depths of her mind. She was standing their motionless for a minute looking nowhere specifically. Seemingly missing the downfall of someone who treated so horribly. Probably on purpose; how much joy that would bring her would probably snap the old her back in a second.
She turns her gaze over to Frosty dazed melding her sword back together to its full strength, "Am I okay? I lost time again."
Zero reaches over and strokes her stubble gently, "I had to repress some bad memories. This much commotion is hard on your brain. You are not fully transitioned. Once we kill this man, you will be free from all burden. Born again to start a life new here with me. Cleansing the world of pirates."
Her stony gaze transfers over to me and points a bony finger toward me, "I was killing you." She switches over to her water body and my heart stops.
You could see the WASP that was implanted into her neck and the cords that burrowed deep into her spinal cord, ready to electrocute her at any moment.
There was another more of a centipede like structure sitting in the middle of where her brain would be. Hundreds of wires created a mechanical exoskeleton of her brain.
"Isn't she beautiful." Zero commented awestruck taking a Haki imbued hand and running his fingers through her long sapphire locks with a wide crazed smile.
"What did they do to her?" I replied out loud in a trance, having a hard time ripping my eyes away from the grotesque mechanical bugs that were warping her.
"They made her the perfect weapon. She is unimaginably powerful and we can control her every move" He wags the small device, "One little zap and bam she is reset and willing to believe anything we tell her." How he said it was almost gleeful; like the whole situation gave him a large amount of pleasure.
He sounds just as bad as Micah.
Arya did not seem to care about the conversation. She just stood at the ready waiting for a command like a good little soldier.
"Why are you different? Are you like Micah?" I ask the ice guy buying time while I desperately rack my brain trying to figure out what I could say to her to make remember how special she was to me and the crew.
"I was their first so the surgery and the brainwashing didn't take as well. I have been doing my best to fake it so I don't turn into a robot like them." Frost started to scale across his skin, "If I was going to get strong enough to end the age of pirates I wanted to remember. Plus, once I learned Arya here was going to be my partner, dreams of taking over the whole government started to dance in his mind." I huge feral grin pull to his face and he licks he lips hungrily "I could be a God of this world with her. Water and Ice. We complement each other so well. Don't we dear?"
She goes to ice guy's side and replies automatically without thought, "Our power defiantly would make quick of any situation."
A small water vortex dances in her hand, "Why not use it to finish this one." She grinned a hollow grin up to Ice guy it was similar to a child smiling to ask if they were doing a good job.
She pushes the vortex up over my head and grasp the ice guy's hand. Frosty laughably manically as they command the element in unison, "Combined attack: needle barrage!"
As the name tells, icicles the size of my forearm rain down toward me.
I keep my cool and I bite down hard on my sword, "Three sword style: Ō Tatsu Maki!"
The cyclone of slashes shatters the icicles raining down toward me but they are relentless. No end in sight.
I wasn't completely sure how I was going to fend of the continuous attack but eh. I'd figure something out.
Before I could do that a streak of scorching hot flames cuts through the vortex evaporating the water and melting the ice
Sanji lands by my side with a certain grace. Will never admit that to him but you know.
He nonchalantly lights a cigarette, "Looks like this fight needs some heat that only I am capable of bringing."
I glare at him, "I am doing plenty fine myself. I don't need any of your help ero-cook."
He blows smokes in my face and snorts, "Oh yeah. I can tell you are handling it so well. The walking ice sculpture doesn't have a scratch on him and my beloved Arya still has machine parts in her."
An irk mark forms on my head and I grind my teeth, "Shouldn't you be off helping Nami or Robin or something."
"Nah. Hawk eyes took over my fight rambling on about of inconceivably slow I was. Luffy is fighting the smoke girl. Nami and Robin are taking on teenage female Crocodile. Everyone else is taking on the marines when they try to place the explosives." Sanji flicks his cigarette bud at me, "So I figured I would help your pathetic ass. Since I am too much of a gentleman to fight a lady."
Arya sends high pressure bullets our way breaking up our spat. "Now we can kill two of them Zero." Her voice was as icy as Frosty was.
Zeros grabs her hand causing the top layer of water to freeze over, "Yes my dear."
They slam their hands onto the ground causing the world to quake.
Three story tall ice pillars shoot up out of the ground. I coil up all my muscles and take a mighty leap while Sanji jumps up into the sky using sky walk.
I prepare for my next attack giving flicker of a side glance to Sanji and grumble in defeat knowing it would be better if he took on Frosty when I focused on Arya, "Okay I will accept your help just this once and only because Arya's life on the line. Got that!"
Sanji let's go of his sky walk with a cocky grin, "Sounds good to me! Now let's melt this cocky bastard and bring Arya back." He starts to flip in midair, "Jenga Ho!"
I follow suit; Sanji's confidence rejuvenating my own, "Daibutsu Giri!"
The combo attack easily shatters the ice pillars but we didn't get to the ground fast enough to aim our attack toward the Zero guy.
Sanji uses his moment to launch himself toward Frosty using Extra Hachis, firing a baggage of powerful kicks determined to crush Frosty. Zero blocks reflexively with walls and pillars of ice.
A sword rushes toward my head I quickly block it with my own, "Pay attention to your opponent swordsman." I snap my gaze to her voice just in time to watch her multiple, "One sword style: Ten Demon Pursuit!"
An odd sense of deja vu washes over me. This moment brought me back to our first fight together. To that cold, emotionless girl with eyes void of any sense of emotion.
I refused to let her regress back to that.
"Ichidai Sanzen Daisen Sekai!" With Haki imbued swords, I fire slash after slash hoping to cause enough force to blow the water clones away.
Just as I was about to pivot to face Arya, I am stopped dead in my tracks by the quick constriction of what felt like steel cables around my legs.
Arya had my legs bound in water just like the last time we spared.
After I save her, I am sparring with her until I know how to defend against that attack.
"Let's finish this." She growled as she approached like a prey about to initiate the killing blow.
As Arya barreled toward me, I had a brilliant idea. She left my arms open so if I just used Haki and my swords to cut through the water I would be good.
I mean I just had to make sure I cut exactly where the water met my legs. If I cut deeper, I would cut part of my legs off.
How hard could it be?
I cut myself out in the nick of time and leap back to create some distance to gain momentum for my next attack.
When doing so I hit backs with Sanji. I could feel his muscles working hard to breath against my spine.
He didn't appear injured just annoyed more than anything.
The air around him was so cold I could see his breathe, like he was smoking a phantom cigarette.
"Doing well over there I see. Frosty doesn't even seem to have broken a sweat," I mock him blowing off some steam trying to figure out what else I could say or do to kick start Arya's memories.
"Well I haven't tried heating things up yet," He lights a cigarette with a mischievous grin, "What about you? Our dearest Arya still seems to be an emotionless robot."
"Maybe if I remind her of my inner demons, things will comeback quicker." I take a deep breath feeling ready to take in Asura. Hoping the memory of our first battle would be enough.
"Can you control it this time around?" Sanji voice had a slight concerned tone.
"Well if I can't, she will be worn down trying to stop me. So, it is a win win." I said confidently even if the plan sounded a little obscene.
Sanji look deeply in my eye and gives me a quick, understanding nod than gazes over my shoulder, "You better be right because looks like Arya is not going to go easy on you."
Arya's water body is swallowed by her Haki turning her whole body a gleaming black.
We take one last inhale together before we attack, "Kyutoryu: Asura!" "Diable Jambe!"
*Arya*
A familiar dark Haoshoku Haki washes over making fireworks explode in my head. I grunt through the pain, "Mizu Mizu Black Dragon."
The black dragon swells to full size over the swordsmen and crashes down upon the swordsman with a thunderous fury.
I waited for the clash to end, but an unsettling feeling crept through my bones.
The dragon was cut down quickly, the bits and pieces of it showered down from the sky as a down pour of black rain. The new form of the swordsman step through the black veil.
He stood there grinning viciously showing off his fangs, both of his eyes were open one consumed with darkness the other still a clear indigo. Waves of a powerful black aura spilled off of him. So powerful the ground broke as he approached.
I've been here before.
I swallowed hard. I feeling of doom sit in my stomach.
Even though I couldn't remember, I knew it did not end well
"I am going to do whatever it takes to make you remember Arya. Even if that means giving myself over to a demon." He brought his swords up and I watched him turn into the beast he had mention before: ten heads, twenty arms, and thirty swords.
The Hasokuoku Haki that emanated from the swordsman was astronomical. The pressure increased my body weight enough to create a shallow crater beneath my feet.
A wound in the center of my chest began to burn like hellfire at sight of the creature that was straight from the depths of hell.
I release my Hasohoku Haki and prepare to attack before my Busoshoku Haki started to wear off. My body shook with adrenaline. I only had one more attack that might stand a chance. I separate my swords to increase my chance of blocking the oncoming attacks, "Mizu Mizu Demon Parade."
A dozen black creatures of a variety of shapes and sizes were born from the water on my back; some of them had scales, spikes, fangs, wings, hoof, or tentacles. They all looked like terrifying creatures our of Japanese horror stories. They were snarling, growling, and screeching ready for battle.
I forced myself to take deep even breathes. Using this technique used a lot of my energy, flecks of blue was already showing up on my onyx skin.
Black started consuming his indigo eye, "I am counting on you to stop me again Arya." He gave me a quick, boyish fanged grin; he confidence he had in me radiated from that smile.
When he looked at me like that a pain in a few wounds on my abdomen ignited.
It is a trick. He was just going to let his untamed power rage like a wild fire. That is how desperate he was for my power.
With that the swordsman was completely gone and the beast that consumed him let out a low inhuman laugh and shoots forward so fast my Haki couldn't even catch the movement.
My demons lurch forward into battle and I support them long range attacks.
I picture of my father yelling at me from atop a roof flashes forward in my mind along with searing with pain. It felt like someone was taking a hot iron to insides of my eye lids.
Five minutes tops. How did I know this?
The demon swordsman made quick work of a half dozen of my demons.
I part of me was energized and couldn't help but feel giddy. This fight was so good and it tested my limits.
I felt so alive.
"Two Sword Style: Iron Wing Slash!" My attack knocks the demon back giving me just enough time to join the fight.
I tested the limits of my Kenbunshoku Haki by trying to foresee where all of his swords would land. He was relentless. He easily blocked all of my attacks and cut down my demons at the same time.
It finally came down to the two of us both panting heavy with various shallow cuts on our bodies from close calls.
The demon made a nasty spine-chilling scream.
I took this as my chance to kill the swordsman; I needed to end the pain that was burning along my body like hot needles.
I put all my power in my back foot and launch myself toward the screaming demon, "Two Sword Style: Demon's Talons!" Both halves of Kokushibyo where pointed at the swordsman's heart.
There was a satisfying crunch when my blades pierced through his rib cage right to his heart.
Finally! I get to be free!
There was another satisfying crunch when the demon's Haki imbued blade pierced through my rib cage right to my heart.
Both of us fall to our knees and returning to our human forms.
My eyes widen of realization of what was happening.
I failed. I am a worthless excuse of a swordsman.
I am going to die without any memories of family, friends, or love.
The swordsman reached up with the last of his strength and gently stoked my cheek. He whole body trembled as he gives a weak chuckle, "Knew you could stop me again." He gives me a raspy cough and small stream of blood dribbles of out of the corner of his mouth.
Fat, salting tears ran uncontrollably down my ivory cheeks.
What went wrong? I thought I was doing something good.
He brushed the tears away with his warm calloused hands, "Arya listen to me." His voice crackled like his throat was dry.
I did my best to ignore the blinding pain going on in my head. I gave him a small nod move my hand to his cheek. I explored the contours of his face with my thumb, feeling some whiskers starting to sprout on his jaw.
It seemed like the right thing to do even if it causes a flash of white heat behind my eyes.
He gives me an uncharacteristically sweet and gently smile, "I have wanted to tell you something for a long time. I think a part of me always knew I felt this way but I never a chance to tell you before you were captured."
He didn't try to hide the tears that flooded down his face, "I love you so much Arya. More than anything I know." He leans his forehead against mine. I felt his tears drip to my cheeks, "I am so so sorry that I couldn't bring you back. Not being able to save you is my biggest regret."
He knew he was going to die and he wanted to give his last moment to me.
Why? Why? WHY?
Something in my head just snaps. An Icy sensation shoots down my spine causing goosebumps to rise along my skin. There was a heartbeat of relief before the pain came. The pain came all at once. The touch of grass felt like knives cutting my skin. The touch of the swordsman's hand felt like my skin was going to peel off. Ever nerve in my body felt like it was getting ground down.
I clutch for dear life to the swordsman shoulder; the skin on my palms felt like they were being dunked in acid, but I didn't know what else to do.
So, I did my best to muffle my scream using his kimono shoulder. Even though the rushing air in an out of my throat felt like countless needles stabbing my windpipe.
My whole body was consumed by this blinding white heat. I never felt pain like this; I never knew pain like this existed.
I silently begged for death.
Memories rush forward in my mind causing the pain to worsen.
My mom, my dad, and I on this island deeply in happy way before the God Fruit.
The buster call on the island.
The family taken from me.
Gin training me.
The Straw Hats busting their way into my life.
Mending thing with my father.
Every event that made me fall in love with Zoro.
Being taken and tortured before I could tell him.
The pain quickly stops and I rest limp on Zoro for a minute.
"Arya? Hey." Zoro's voice barley rose above a whisper now.
All life was drain from me but I managed to push up from his shoulder with my noodle arms and give him a shaky, ghost of a smile, "I'm right here Zoro."
I could feel every muscle in his body relax along with a huge ragged sigh, "Good because now I can finally do this."
He cupped my face with both of his hands, I could tell he was putting all of his existing strength into the movement. He then guided my lips up to his and gave me a long soft kiss.
I kissed him back with trembling lips feeling the last bit of life drain from me. Tears of happiness and sorrow cascaded down both of our faces making the kiss tainted with salt.
This is what we wanted our last memory to be.
If I was going to die at least I could go out with someone I cared so deeply for.
Then something around my heart glowed and I feel a pure energy rush through my veins causing me to gasp and break the kiss.
I feel my body switch over to water body without my consent. The water in my body working at lightning speed to repair and energize my whole body. It felt like caffeine was directly injected into my veins.
When the feeling subsided, I lift up my fingers and examine them. They were now made of a translucent water that reminded me of fresh rain.
As rest a hand on my chest and use the other to remove Wado from my chest. There was a weak attempt of a protest from Zoro but I trusted my instincts with this new awakened power. The translucent water around my fingers glowed and I feel my body rush to heal itself.
Setting a hand on Zoro, I do the same thing. Zoro sat speechless only grunting when I remove the blade. My hands glow like fresh sunlight on his chest. I feel energy from my body and his rush to injury quickly weaving the heart muscle back together.
He slides his own hand to his chest in awe.
A near manic laugh leaves my throat. I have to be the luckiest person.
I expend my hand to him and give him a little wink, "Lucky day for you Zoro looks like I awakened the God Fruit."
He imbues his hand and accepts my help with a booming laughter, "You never cease to amaze me."
"Don't get your hopes up you pirate trash. I still have the remote." Zero cackles. He looked disheveled from fighting Sanji.
A flaming foot makes contact with the remote and shatters it to a bunch of tiny pieces than Sanji rounds again kicking Zero straight in his smug face.
Sanji puffs on his cigarette, "We are still fighting, you cocky jackass."
Sanji shoots me a smile before he rushes back into his fight, "Glad to have you back Arya."
I return his smile and give him a small wave.
Trusting my instincts, I reach up into the back of my neck and wrap my hand around the WASP and feel it melt into water; I do the same thing with whatever was wrapped around my brain.
"It is all gone." I muse to myself. Tear would have been streaking down my face but I was already made of water.
Zoro gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "Micah is gone too."
I didn't think more weight could lift from my chest put it did, "What happened?"
"He was disgraceful vermin so I exterminated him"
I had never been so happy to hear my father's voice.
I gave him a ginormous hug, squeezing him so tight I could hear the air escape his lungs. He did his best to return it, "Thank you for avenging my honor."
He held me tighter, his voice gentle and fatherly, "I am just glad you are safe."
I give him a once over examining he bandaged body; he obviously had a broken arm and ribs and probably internal organ damn. I ask him concerned, "How are you still even fighting? You should rest."
"Just because I am your father doesn't make me old and incapable, I am going to come with you until the job is done." He glared at me.
I let out a quick snort, "Fair, but let me help you a little this time. You have done so much for me."
Before he could speak, I lay my bare hands on his chest and heal him.
My father stood in awe. When the process was done his face softened and he kissed me tenderly on the forehead, "Your mother would be so proud of you."
I give him a closed eye smile giving him a kiss on the cheek making the man blush, "I love you Dad. I am glad all this happened so could be a family again for mom's sake."
I swear I see a glint of tears in my father's sharp yellow eyes before he pulls me into another tight embrace resting his cheek on the top of my water head. I could feel a few tears join my watery body, "I love you too Arya."
The father daughter moment was cut short do to a giant explosion inland.
We watched as the main building crumbled down and went up into flames.
Zoro grabs Wado, wipes my blood off it, slips his arms out of his kimono, and ties his bandanna to his head, "Well there is only one more thing to do."
I meld Kokushibyo back together and take my marine tank top off and use it wipe Zoro's blood off my sword, "Save my island?"
He grins ear to ear, "Save your island."
*Zoro*
She did feel like a celestial being in that moment; worthy of her title. The power that rolled off of her was not of this world and she looked from a different world.
Her whole body shimmered from the light being refracted in the clear water of her body. Her translucent hair flowed to her low back. It was hard to make out any of her facial features expect her eyes; they were their normal golden orbs.
It didn't take us a long time to clean out the marine base. Since it was one of Vega Punk's lab there was not that many people on this island due to its secrecy. Arya gave those who didn't want to fight a chance to flee on boats. Those who stood against us were cut down.
In the chaos we searched for Sentomaru and Kizaru but we had no luck. The science captain had the sense to take all of Vega Punk's important research and Kizaru off the island during the commotion.
The crew stuck around after the marines cleared out to see what treasurers they could find.
The crew did I fine job of taking down the AL's. It didn't surprise me they have all gotten so strong.
Arya and I went off to take care of their unconscious bodies. She wrapped each of them in a bubble of water to weaken their power but made sure there was a bubble of air so they could breath. She wanted to see if she could restore their memories too.
When we got to the gentleman name Zero, she touched the ground bellow him and watched him sink into the depth of the ocean. As she watched the body sink, she commented hallow, "I don't understand why some people are born to be killers."
I didn't really know how to comment but I tried, "At least no one will have to worry about him now."
She nodded in agreement and we made our way to Micah's mangled corpse.
Arya reached for me hand and I imbued it with Haki for her. "The things he did to me Zoro." She let out a sob, "How he touched me. Me made me kiss him; he shoved his tongue into my mouth."
I brought her to my chest, "Your father made sure that he could never hurt you like that again." I pet her hair lovingly, "He will never come back to hurt you."
After a long moment she brought herself away from my chest and set her hand on the ground and let Micah's remains sink into the ocean.
She let out a huge sigh let her body evaporate back into its human form.
Her alabaster skin was flawless. No scars from me. No scars from Micah. No sutures in her stubble.
I let out a low whistle, "Looks like your regenerative abilities are out of this world."
She runs her hands all over her body. She chirped gleefully, "I have fingernails! I don't have a giant scar on my stomach. No ugly head sutures!" She reached up excitedly to her collar bone, "No sword scar!"
She jumped up and wrapped her legs around my waste and hugged me tightly.
I wrap my arms around her bare back feeling the warmth of her skin under my arms and against my bare torso.
She was finally free from the burdens of her past.
A breeze blew and she shivered slightly. She leaned back running her hands over her stubble, "Head doesn't stay warm without hair." The thought brought down her mood slightly.
I had and idea. I let go of her waste and she tightens her grip on me with her legs. I could feel the heat rise to my face as she did so.
I reach up and remove my black bandanna and tie it around her head and chuckle a bit. She looked more like a pirate than now. Dawned in a black banana, sports bra, cargo shorts and combat boots.
She makes a mirror with her a thin sheen of water and lets out a melodious laugh in my ear, "I look badass now! I understand why you wear it when you fight now."
I chuckle at her child like attitude, "You can have it until your hair grows back, but I want it back it. It's my lucky bandanna."
She touches her forehead to mind and hums content, "Thank you for everything. Thank you for getting me off Jade Island. Thank you for showing me the outside the world. Thank you for chasing after me and protecting me."
My heart flutters. I tilt my head down until out noses are touching, "Anything for you Arya. I knew part of you remembered me otherwise you would have just used your blood bending and kill me right on the sport."
"Are you admitting that I could kick your ass Zoro?" I could feel a snarky grin form on her face.
"Never in a million years." I chuckle and nuzzle her nose with mine.
The whole would stop in anticipation. Arya lets out a small giggle and crashes her lips on mine with a fierceness that makes me stumble back a few steps.
I laugh deepening the kiss finally be able to kiss her like I wanted to.
She wove her finger in my hair while I supported the back of my head with one of my hands.
I could feel her smile when I kissed her back. Her smile was contagious I couldn't help but return it when she kissed me. It turned into a fit of smiles, laughs, and kisses.
It was perfect.
She finally pulled back heavy lidded and flushed with the largest smile on her face, "Am I doing this right?" She giggled with delight after the question left her lips.
I smile so hard my cheeks hurt, "If I say no, can we keep kissing until I consider you worthy?"
She was everything I had ever wanted and everything I didn't know that I needed.
This was the happiest moment of my life.
Her laugh rang in my ears clear like church bells. So happy and so carefree. Her eyes glimmered like gold when they met mine, "I love you Zoro!"
My heart did a back flip and it felt like a million butterflies were fluttering in my stomach.
I kissed her giddily and I spun around in a circle with excitement and pure bliss, "I love you too Arya!"
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The main story is now done! But I do plan on doing a short epilogue to the story to tie everything up so be looking for that!
Thank you to all the people the supported me all the way through this story.
This is the first story I have every posted and I had such a good time writing it!
Do the like, comment, share thing!
Thank you all one more time!! =]