438AN:
Hello there :)
This was a very fun chapter to write and I think the next one will, hopefully, turn out even better. We are coming to the end of this arc and I'm really excited because next up is Drum and we all know what that means! I've got some interesting things planned out for Chopper so I'm hoping to get to writing them soon!
Alright, that's all from me. Now go read! Hope you enjoy it and, as always, would love to hear what you think!
Chapter 55: Bloody Knights
"I'd like to see you try.", Sanji hissed, eyes narrowed into slits as the rest of his body tensed. Back to normal or not, Mosshead was about to get the shit beat out of him.
Steam blew from the corners of Zoro's mouth and he lifted the two blades in his hands above his head, pointed in the opposite direction of the one between his teeth. "Hope you're happy with stew being the last meal you ever serve.", he growled around Wado's wrappings, grip tightening on the katanas he held. Without another word, he ripped forward and violently slashed his swords through the air, "ONE-HUNDRED-EIGHT CALIBER PHOENIX!".
An undulating purple beam shot in the chef's direction and his body moved on instinct, feet pushing him off to the right. Steel consumed his vision as the light cut through the trees at his back and he dropped to his knees, skidding through the grass. He saw his eyes reflected in the flat of the blade when it grazed the tips of his hair but paid it no mind and shot from the ground, flipping backward to slam his leg into the verdet's shoulder, "Smoked Épaule!".
The swordsman growled animalistically up at his opponent and used every bit of his power to enhance his right shoulder, a smoking black foot striking him in the exact spot. Cracks ripped through the ground underneath him and he grimaced, still feeling the weight of the attack through the invisible armor. Kajiya shot out in the blink of an eye and even though he hadn't quite been able to wound him with the strike, the cook was still within range. He let the haki coalesced in his shoulder flow once again and guided it to the blade's hilt, smirking when his arm finished fully extending, "Shimmer!".
Sanji's eyes widened when it looked like small granules of something shot up the katana's steel and gathered in the tip. He probably wouldn't have even noticed if his senses weren't dialed up so high at the moment… A flash of light suddenly stole his sight and the only thing that stopped him from being maimed irreparably by the next attack was the small tingle that fluttered across the entirety of his skin. There was danger… Everywhere.
"Dancing Lights!".
The shinging of steel echoed all around the blond and he rapidly stepped backward, a grunt leaving him when he realized he was a moment too slow. A three-dimensional latticework of purple slashes suddenly appeared at his front and he dove forward, hissing when blood began to drip from the four or so large cuts now marring the black fabric of his suit. He tore his gaze away from the crimson soaking into his sleeves with a scowl and rolled back to his feet, steps quickening to put more distance between him and his adversary. However, it seemed his crewmate didn't want him going too far.
"Divider!", Zoro roared, wrenching his blades inward without stopping his forward movement.
Two more air blades left the katanas and for a moment Sanji couldn't figure out why they were so off-target. He didn't have to wait long to find out. The arcs suddenly curved inward and would have crashed into him if he weren't so quick on his feet, their impact sounding like metal when they met each other at his back. He kept his sight set on his target, despite the numerous attacks heading his way, and his steps turned into leaps, only needing two or three to find himself back in his opponent's range.
The chef's legs struck out with blinding ferocity in an attempt to leave Mosshead no room to retaliate but the swordsman took a page from his book and, after deflecting the majority of the blows, shot back to give himself room to breathe. He gave chase and feigned a leap into the air, sprinting into the other boy's personal space as a flying slash consumed the space above his head.
Rips found their way into Sanji's pant legs as they crashed against metal over and over again but the few attacks that made it through the verdet's guard had him smiling like a madman. It was strange though, it didn't feel like he was doing much damage… It was honestly a miracle he hadn't lost a body part yet… Probably only due to his keen awareness of the blades' edges and the danger they carried. Even so, his eyes burned with determination as his kicks struck out with unrelenting speed, katanas dancing in response while each clash of steel and flesh echoed through the forest.
The blond deflected a swipe at his collar bone and flipped over Zoro's head, black boot striking out like a viper. The shoe's point dug into his adversary's back and he smirked when he felt soft flesh instead of the hardened variety, "Smoked Rognon!".
The swordsman snarled when it felt like his right kidney practically exploded and his body lifted from the ground. His hand shot downward when he found himself flying out of yet another cloud of smoke and he pushed himself off the grass before shakily landing on his feet. He lifted his shirt and growled at the large purple mark taking up the majority of his right side, already dropping it to grip his blades even tighter than before. He hadn't been quick enough in moving his enhancement and had paid the price…
Zoro's breathing was hard for the fight having only lasted a few minutes but his use of haki was costing him. Not to the point of exhaustion but he could definitely feel the drain on his stamina. Two katanas suddenly came up in an X and caught a leg rocketing in his direction, a growl leaving his mouth when he shoved the cook away. He launched Kitetsu toward the sky and shot into the air right on its tail, hand snaking out to grab it like an ice pick. His body began to fall and he let the rushing wind push him parallel to the ground. "Equinox!", he roared, ripping his body into a tight spin.
Sanji's feet hit the grass and he moved so fast that his eviscerated suit jacket shredded itself off his body, the remains being bisected by a razor-sharp blade of air. The circular slash sheered through the earth, leaving a large gouge behind before dissipating, and he skid to a stop as the grinding sound echoed off into the distance. He looked down at his tattered blue sleeves and ripped them off just as his opponent landed in front of him, the wind blowing them somewhere into the forest, "I can do this all night Mosshead.".
The swordsman smirked and pointed Kajiya at what remained of the cook's outfit, "Your clothes are calling you a liar.". His grin widened at the anger the comment garnered, "Soon enough you won't just be a pervert, you'll be a streaker too.". He barred his teeth animalistically and his katanas flashed to his sides when a roar came from the boy standing opposite of him.
Their battle resumed and sent shockwaves through the ground, uprooting grass and scattering dirt in every direction. The fury of the clashes so far had Zoro almost completely forgetting about the anger he'd felt earlier and a bloodthirsty grin plastered itself onto his face. It was the first time he'd gotten to really face off against the blond and he couldn't help but be surprised. "You're really not that bad, Cook.", he grunted, deflecting a particularly vicious kick aimed at his head, "But you're gonna have to do better than that if you don't wanna die.".
Sanji could feel some of the bloodlust emanating from his opponent seep into him and his foot connected with Zoro's guard before he sent himself into a powerful spin, "Don't worry, Mosshead.". The outside of his leg slammed into the flat of a blade, smoke exploding around their forms, and the opposite appendage shot at the swordsman's hip just before it disappeared from his vision, "I'm just getting started.".
Currently blind, the verdet hissed when he felt weight push against his right side and his body shot out of the white cloud like it was fired from a cannon, rag-dolling figure slamming against the ground and rolling. His arms curled to cover his head and it only took moments for him to get back to his feet, momentum causing him to slide a few more yards.
"Santōryū:", the smile disappeared from Zoro's face and he almost immediately bent at the knee, Kajiya and Kitetsu vibrating in his white-knuckled grip. He wanted to see how much the damn pervert could handle. With both blades pointing toward the sky, he grit his teeth and launched himself back into the fray, the ground shattering underneath his feet. His blades twinkled in the moonlight as he practically glided forward and, with one final step, his katanas struck outward, glimmers of light consuming the area all around the two, "Shimmering Demon Cut!"
The blond managed to dodge the initial strike but when he turned to retaliate, the air itself suddenly seemed like it began to shine. What the hell?… Without an inkling as to what was going on, he ignored it, and the only thing that told him it was the wrong decision was the tingle that once again spread across his skin… Shit… He didn't know exactly what the feeling was but it was screaming at him that he'd messed up.
The area flashed white again but the light was accompanied by the sound of ringing steel this time and Sanji growled loudly at the pain that covered him from head to toe, blood splashing against the ground from the multitude of cuts now marring his body. He grit his teeth through the pain and jumped out of the danger zone, red rain falling from his retreating figure.
Zoro watched the chef land and couldn't help the small bit of satisfaction that rushed through him at the sight of his bloodied opponent. Damn cook had gotten what he deserved… He couldn't help but be slightly disappointed though… He'd expected a little more.
With his anger mostly cooled at the outcome of their clash, the verdet began to sheathe his katanas before looking up to his crew mate's unmoving form, "We're done. I don't wanna piss Luffy off by actually killing you.". The thought caused a slight shiver to run down his spine and he quickly shook it away. He had no delusions about making it out of that fight alive now that he could use haki again... He could barely keep up when he couldn't...
Sanji hadn't moved an inch since he'd landed. He couldn't take his eyes away from the blood seeping through the rips covering his blue shirt and the sight made him feel one thing more than any other. Anger. He didn't care about the pain. He didn't care about his ruined clothes. The only thing that mattered was paying the swordsman back in kind. However, he couldn't figure out how, and it was only making the feeling grow hotter. The damn piece of grass was stronger than him…
A sharp pang shot through the chef's stomach and it felt like his whole body clenched. For all the attacks he'd landed, Mosshead didn't look anywhere close to as injured as he was… How the hell was he making his skin so hard?… He'd felt it with almost every clash he'd won. It was almost like kicking a brick wall.
"Cook?...", the swordsman questioned, hand hovering over Kajiya and Kitetsu while the other still firmly held Wado. He was unable to see his eyes from beneath the shadow of his blond hair and could practically feel the tenseness still consuming the area. He slowly drew his blades once again and placed Wado back in his mouth. For some reason, it felt like maybe things weren't as finished as he thought they were…
Sanji didn't reply and continued to stare down at the bloody ground beneath him, the heat settled in his stomach beginning to rise in temperature. He reached into his pocket and grasped the somehow still intact box of cigarettes that rested there.
Tap.
The heat started to swirl and for a moment the chef felt like he was going to throw up he was so angry… No… Not anger… Clarity suddenly found him when his hand wrapped around the lighter in his other pocket. He simply wanted to win… He wanted to beat Mosshead so bad that he never challenged him again.
Tap.
Sanji brought the lighter up and gave it a flick, flame licking into existence and searing the end of the white stick now in his mouth. With a deep inhale and the closing of his eyes, he felt the swirling heat move downward alongside the nicotine finding its way into his bloodstream. Something was in motion, he could feel it. He just had to follow it, this desire to win, this NEED to win. In the moment, it may have been the strongest emotion he'd ever felt.
Tap.
Smoke exploded out of the blond's leg but he made no movement as he intently followed the heat that continued to move downward. More. The lava inching through his body reached his hip before it seemed to rapidly drop and coalesce in his right foot. Hotter. The temperature skyrocketed when the heat reached its destination and the flow of smoke rising from his leg suddenly stopped.
Tap.
A small pop sounded near the ground and, still, Sanji didn't open his eyes. More. He didn't know what he pushed on but push on it he did, and another pop sounded right after the first. He could feel the temperature of his foot still rising and innately began to compress it with no real knowledge of what he was actually doing. It just felt right.
Tap.
Zoro eyed the cook's leg as it seemingly began to spark… What the hell was that?… He watched the black boot's tapping grow faster and the small flashes rise in frequency. It took him a moment but his eyes suddenly widened. He'd seen something similar before… In his own katanas no less… But if the cook was somehow using enhancement, how could he see it?… Was it something else?… Surely he couldn't have unlocked haki through a spar… Right?…
The chef's blue/grey orbs suddenly snapped open, the temperature consuming his foot popping out of existence, and yet… Not. There was still a heat there but it was more refined from the coolness now surrounding the skin of his leg. Pops continued to sound and he looked down to find a multitude of wispy smoke strings rising from small holes in his pants. The more he compressed the heat, the more pops sounded until it rose to a cacophony of small explosions, leg flashing like he had firecrackers underneath his skin.
Sanji's bloodied gaze narrowed and lifted to meet the swordsman standing opposite of him, sparking toes curling into the quickly deteriorating sole of his shoe, "You're fucking dead.".
"Luffy, we need to leave. NOW!", Vivi argued angrily to the boy paying her absolutely zero attention.
Their long journey through the forest had been an arduous one filled with fear at the thought of something attacking them in the dark but the princess and her duck had finally found their two missing companions. It'd been a shock to come upon them arm-wresting giants in the middle of their campsite but the feeling had been quickly overcome by irritation. She didn't have time for them to be playing around. Rushed, introductions were had and she'd been able to officially meet who she now knew was named Brogy as well as his dueling partner, Dorry.
"Stay, small girl!", Brogy bellowed, laughing while slamming the back of Luffy's hand, and the rest of his body, into the dirt for what felt like the hundredth time that night, "Any friend of these two is a friend of ours!".
"Damn it!", Luffy growled, wiping the dirt from his clothes and pulling himself from the small crater he rested in. He made it back to his feet and shot the giant a perturbed eye, fist clenching as he readied for another bout, "One more, Brogy! I'm gonna win this time!".
Usopp sighed at the laughter that rose from the large man's throat. He'd kept to watching because… Well, because he didn't want to die… He shook his head and turned to the blue-haired girl when the two began another match, sending her an apologetic shrug, "I'm gonna be honest, Vivi, there's not much you can say to make him leave until he wins at least once…". It'd been a shock to see someone as physically capable as Luffy lose so many battles of strength but, honestly, it'd only made his reverence for the giants grow.
Another boom sounded through the clearing and dust erupted around Luffy's figure once again, Vivi's teeth gritting angrily while she watched him groan. "We don't have time for you to be playing around, Luffy!", she argued. When her words were lost to the wind, she went to approach but stopped herself as the sound of pounding footsteps came from the tree line at her back.
Usopp rose from his sitting position and grabbed his slingshot from his bag, immediately loading a Lead Star into its pouch. He only had to wait a moment before the source of the noises broke into the clearing and sighed in relief when it wasn't some large animal of the night like he'd thought.
"Luffy!", Nami shouted as she and Ms. Sun rushed into the area, taking a moment to rest with her hands on her knees. She looked over her shoulder when her heartbeat began to slow and, even though it was quiet, could still hear signs of the fight they'd left behind, "It's Zoro and Sanj-". Her words caught in her throat when she turned back and she gulped. Giants were way bigger up close…
"Quite the party going on here it seems.", Ms. Sun chimed in, her breathing only slightly less heavy than the girl next to her. She looked around the campsite and the first things she examined were the two largest. It really was strange seeing giants again… "I see you've made some friends, Mr. Captain.", she mused with a small laugh. It honestly came as no surprise that he'd somehow ingratiated himself with them. He'd managed with her after all.
The straw-hatted teen looked away from his opponent before he could ask for another match and smiled excitedly at the two, turning back to introduce them to his new companions. "Dorry, Brogy, this is my navigator, Nami, and…". He paused when he realized he didn't quite know what to call the woman at her side. "… And this is Ms. Sun…", he added, tentatively motioning to said woman, "Our… Friend?".
Luffy smiled widely when the words got a nod from the woman, "She's got a really cool devil fruit that grows hands on stuff!". He watched the two approach the large fire in the middle of their campsite and a teasing smirk rose to his lips, black orbs catching the blue of the bounty hunter's, "But, I think she might be kinda dumb… She can't remember my name.".
"You wound me, Luffy.", Ms. Sun replied in false pain, "I think you're the first man to ever call me dumb.".
Dorry and Brogy chortled to each other as they watched the interaction and waved the newcomers over. "Come join us!", the blue-caped giant exclaimed, "There's more than enough dinner to go around. Especially for ones so small!". He glanced at their savior and realized he needed to revise his statement, "… Unless you eat like this captain of yours.".
"We don't have time for this!", Vivi interjected vehemently, moving to grab Luffy so they could begin their trek back to the Merry. If she managed to get him to go she figured the rest would follow. However, a hand wrapped around her wrist when she reached out and she glanced to the side to see Nami looking at her through narrowed eyes.
"Shut up, Vivi.", the orangette growled, practically throwing the princess over to Ms. Sun.
The blue-haired girl stumbled and her duck quacked angrily in response but stopped quickly when he saw the look Nami shot in his direction, another meek whine leaving his beak before he quieted, "What the hell, Na-".
"I said shut up, Vivi.", the navigator hissed, turning to stomp in the princess's direction. She stopped in front of her and poked the ex-bounty hunter in the chest angrily, "Do you realize how stupid of you it was to go running off by yourself?". She saw Vivi make to argue and her gaze darkened, the words seeming to catch in the other girl's throat. "Tell me, Vivi. Can you fly?", she asked seriously, "Or punch so hard you can shatter rock?".
The princess tentatively shook her head in the negative and stayed quiet seeing that the orangette was trying to make some kind of point. She wanted to get angry but the look on her face screamed what a bad idea that would be…
"You could have died coming out here.", Nami pointed at Ms. Sun standing behind her, "She warned us about how dangerous this place is and we even saw it for ourselves. Yet, for some stupid reason, you still decided to come out here all alone.".
Vivi couldn't take it anymore and shoved the orangette away, her face showing the anger she felt in her heart, "Don't you dare call my reason stupid! My country is in peril, Na-".
"What use are you to your country if you're dead?!", Nami practically screamed. A huff left her mouth when she saw the vitriol in the blue-haired girl's eyes turn to shock, "You're so focused on getting home that you're not even thinking about what would happen if you never make it!". If she was being honest, she was mostly upset about almost losing her shot at a billion berries but Vivi didn't need to know that…
The princess visibly shrunk in on herself as the realization hit her. Even though it pained her to admit, Nami was right… She'd been so caught up in getting back that she hadn't even thought about what would happen to Alabasta if she never made it. Her eyes lifted from her feet and she scrambled to get any words out, unable to find a reply before the orange-haired girl turned away.
"Just can it, Vivi. What's done is done.", Nami found Luffy watching the interaction awkwardly and sighed, nodding him in their direction. "C'mon Luffy, we gotta go. You need to stop Zoro and Sanji from killing each other.", she said turning back toward the forest.
The pirate captain looked at her back questioningly as she walked in the direction of where she and Ms. Sun had entered from, "What?".
"Zoro went berserk and Sanji stayed behind to make sure we didn't get hurt.", Ms. Sun provided without actually looking at the words' recipient. Nami sure could make someone feel small… She was glad she hadn't been on the receiving end of her words…
Luffy froze in place and his eyes locked to the tree line, "Zoro and Sanji are fighting?". His reply was the nod of two heads and he almost immediately rocketed off toward the forest, "Why the hell didn't you guys start with that?! I wanna fight too!". He looked over his shoulder before he disappeared into the thick foliage and waved everyone in his direction, "C'mon guys, or we'll miss it! Dorry, Brogy, you should come too!".
The pirate captain's eyes flashed forward and he thought he could hear the faint signs of a struggle coming from somewhere up ahead, "Let's make it an all-out brawl!".
Crickets and the crackling of the large fire were the only replies to the boy's words as the rest of the group stared at each other blankly before the quiet was broken by booming laughter. "I think I'd like to see our savior's prowess in battle once again!", Dorry shouted jovially, turning to his friend sitting beside him, "Come, Brogy! I think it's time we witness a duel besides our own!".
The words snapped the rest of those in the clearing back into action and Usopp sighed to himself while everyone else moved to follow Luffy into the dark forest. He caught a still passed-out Mr. Three resting against a tree on the other side of the campsite and couldn't help but think it wasn't a great idea to leave him behind… What if he woke up?… His eyes stayed trained on the unmoving figure for a moment longer before he heard Nami call his name and once again resumed his steps. It would probably be fine.
Luffy's feet carried him through the trees like his life depended on it, a massive grin resting on his lips at the thought of a three-way fight with his friends. They hadn't really gotten to challenge each other besides a few small-scale bouts on the Merry but now that they had enough room… The thought sent excitement rushing through his body and he had to resist the urge to shoot off into the sky. This was gonna be awesome!
The sounds of the fight that had been getting louder as he approached suddenly stopped and, for a moment, he thought he might have missed his chance to join his crew members in their spar. However, as he slowed to a stop, a pout of disappointment beginning to take over his features, something strange caught his attention. It sounded like... Popping?...
"You're fucking dead.".
The words shocked Luffy back into action and he resumed his sprint through the trees, heartbeat rising when his pout was replaced with excitement once again. It looked like he hadn't missed the festivities after all. "Wait guys!", he yelled in the direction of the weird noises, "Don't kill each other without me!".
Zoro's head shifted toward the trees when he thought he heard his captain's voice come from somewhere in the darkness but a whisper from the opposite side of the small clearing was all it took for him to completely ignore it.
"Étincelle.".
A loud crackling consumed the area and the swordsman just barely had time to get his katanas up, crossing them in a defensive X. It wasn't a moment too soon. A black leg with yellow sparks shooting off of it crashed into his guard, eyes widening at the force of the attack, and, before he could attempt to shove the cook away, a bright explosion erupted around the two.
Luffy's feet skid to a stop and he had to shield his eyes from the brightness that consumed his vision, just barely opening them in time to see Zoro's form scream backward through the air. His sharp eyes caught smoke rising from what looked like multiple burn marks covering the skin of the verdet's chest and he winced when he watched his first mate's body literally explode an entire tree.
The sound of ripping wood accompanied the boom echoing off in the distance and a loud angry groan came from somewhere in the depths of the forest as Zoro's rolling form came to a stop. He looked down at his chest from his prone position and scowled at finding nothing remaining of the top he'd been wearing. That prick… He'd liked that shirt… He wrenched himself up with a grunt and wiped away the soot that covered his skin, smoke still rising from his slightly blackened body. Whatever the idiot had just hit him with… It hurt… He'd thought he blocked it too…
The swordsman's bloodthirsty grin returned when his eyes caught the blue/grey of the cook standing on one foot with the other still sparking and raised to receive retaliation. Kajiya and Kitetsu flashed to his sides, teeth gritting tightly on Wado's wrappings, "Now things are getting interesting!".
The shattering of earth came from where Luffy knew Zoro was and he didn't wait to watch his crew members' next clash. He wanted to be a part of it. What could he say, he was a sucker for a good fight. Before the verdet's form even came into view, he was on the move with a grey metallic sheen rising to cover both of his hands down to the wrist. Time to have some fun.
Ms. Goldneweek tried to keep her breathing as even as possible while she watched the group make their hasty exit from the campsite and didn't move until she was absolutely sure they were gone. She'd been worried when the long-nosed guy had looked at Mr. Three but it seemed her luck won out.
The sound of the lumbering giants' steps began to quiet and the girl waited for a moment longer before letting out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. Her heart was beating hard… Really hard… She shook her head and cautiously made her way toward the large fire in the middle of the clearing, eyes glancing about for anything she may have missed. When she passed the massive gathering of burning logs, she couldn't help but revel in their warmth… Why did she feel so cold?…
The bounty hunter pulled her gaze away from the bright yellow heat and her sight landed on the somehow still unconscious form of Mr. Three… Just how hard had that guy hit him?… Her steps hastened and she eventually made it to the man's side, hands coming up in an attempt to jostle him back to consciousness. "Come on, Mr. Three. Wake up.", she desperately whispered, "I'm tired and I can feel myself shutting down.". She hadn't slept in far too long and she was starting to feel the effects.
No response came from her companion so Ms. Goldenweek steeled herself, shutting her eyes tightly as her open palm rose up. Hopefully, this wouldn't be too loud… A small smack echoed through the clearing followed by the sharp intake of breath and she couldn't help the massive sigh of relief that left her as she fell backward to sit on the ground next to her slowly waking partner.
"Ms. Goldneweek?", the man asked groggily. He shifted slightly and almost vomited from the pain wracking the majority of his upper body and face. What the hell had happened to him?… It took a moment but the events of the day suddenly came rushing back to him and he sharply sat up, a loud hiss leaving his lips when he lifted his back from the ground.
"Thank god.", the younger of the two whispered to herself. She attempted to gather herself up but found that she was too weak to even move. She really needed a nap… "We need to get out of here, Mr. Three.", she said, once again trying to make it back to her feet, "I don't know how long they'll be gone.".
Mr. Three watched the girl struggle to lift herself from the ground and, even though it was agony itself, moved to help her stand, "Are you alright?".
"Yeah.", Ms. Goldenweek replied shakily, "Just a little tired.". She looked up at the man and tried to smile, the gesture coming out more like a grimace, "I've been at it ever since you got knocked out.".
The words made the man frown as he threw her arm over his shoulder, a hiss leaving his lips when her weight settled on him, "At what, exactly?".
Her grimace finally morphed into something resembling a smile and the young girl's black eyes met her partner's, "Why trying to rescue you, of course.".
Mr. Three's breath caught in his throat as they began to move. She'd worked herself into this state just trying to rescue him?… The thought made his mouth go dry, emotion gathering behind his eyes while they slowly made their way into the forest. "You didn't have to do that.", he replied guiltily. After working with her for so long he liked to think they'd become something like family as well as partners but, family or not, they were still bounty hunters and he never really thought she'd go this far for him…
"I know th-", Ms. Goldenweek's words faltered when she tripped over a branch and sent them both tumbling to the ground, a quiet howl leaving Mr. Three when she landed on top of him, "I'm sorry, Mr.-".
"I told you to call me Galdino when it's just the two of us, Marianne.", the man groaned while he slowly lifted her from his chest, "Or at least Uncle or something… Mr. Three is far too impersonal for how long we've known each other.".
The words got a smile from Ms. Goldenweek despite how she was feeling and she reached out a hand to help her companion back to his feet, "And I remember telling you that I wouldn't unless I could call you Gal.".
A groan rose from the man's lips but he couldn't help the small smile that took residence there. "Fine, Fine. Gal it is… Just don't say it around others.", he countered, once again beginning to lead them through the forest, "It's embarrassing.". The girl at his side suddenly stopped in place and he shot her a worried glance when he halted next to her, "Everything o-".
"I really don't feel good, Gal.", Marianne interrupted, breathing ragged even though they'd only walked a short distance. Her legs felt like lead and taking another step was suddenly the hardest thing she'd ever had to do.
Mr. Three turned to face her and the moonlight peeking through the trees was just barely enough for him to be able to see how sickly she looked. He went to take a step in her direction when her body suddenly went limp, panic rushing through his system at the sight of her dropping like a sack of potatoes.
"Marianne!", Galdino shouted in alarm, just barely catching her before she would have crashed into the ground. The back of his hand pressed against her forehead as he held the small girl in his arms and he hissed at the heat he could feel coming off of her. He attempted to wake her with a few light taps to the cheek but nothing seemed to be working and it only made his panic grow. This didn't seem like exhaustion. He was no doctor but knowing the dangers of this island, he feared the worst.
The man lifted Ms. Goldenweek into his arms, ignoring the pain wracking his body, and desperately looked around for anything that might help in the current situation. However, the only thing he could think of was to try and cool her down which would be a problem because of the lack of water or ice around. His wax would be of no use either… In the moment he had no idea what to do and that frightened him to no end. Selfish he may be but he cared for Marianne as her partner, and seeing her in this state was causing him anguish like he'd never felt before.
As Mr. Three desperately tried to think of a way to help, only one thing kept coming to mind, one thing that, if it were any other situation, he would absolutely refuse to do. But, as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. Without another thought he turned back in the direction they'd come from and a single word left his lips over and over as he sprinted back through the forest despite the pain that wracked him with every step, "HELP!".