19 Chapter 19: HERE’S SHIKI!!

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'Freaking Shiki! What the hell is he doing here? Wasn't he in level 6 at Impel Down?'

Tsuru was standing in front of Rick protecting him. Garp and Sengoku were already in a battle stance and were confronting the pirate.

"How did you escape Impel down, shiki?" asked Garp

Sengoku asked the real question there.

"What's your purpose for attacking Marineford?"

"Well the former, I just cut my legs! Without your seastone chains I was as free as a bird, no one even noticed I wasn't in my cell anymore!"

Shiki was laughing at his own " ingenuity ".

By getting a good look at his legs you could see that it was no leg at all! The crazy pirate had cut them off and replaced them with blades!

"As for the latter, well it's simple. I'm here to make you pay for Roger's humiliation!"

He was clearly furious about what the marines did to Roger. Killing the greatest pirate that had ever lived in the weakest and most peaceful sea was the biggest insult for a pirate of such renown.

"It didn't end well for you one year ago Shiki. It would be no different tonight." announced Sengoku."

"Ha! We'll see about that!"

Shiki charged, and Garp moved forward to intercept him. Sengoku transforms into his Buddha form.

The constant exchange of blows of the three made the island tremble. Each hit parried made a huge shockwave!

"Uncle looked so freaking cool!"

"Rick, now is not the time! Stay behind me!"

With two people against one the two marines should have had the upper hand on the pirate. It was not their first fight with him and knew his fighting style well.

The problem though was Shiki didn't use his usual fighting style.

Normally he'd float around and use the swords in his hands.

Normally.

Because Shiki was using his swords as legs. Or in the present case, his legs as swords! Meaning his hands were free.

This was off putting Garp and Sengoku a lot. They were holding out but bit by bit injuries started to accumulate. They were losing terrain.

They were losing the fight.

The worst was Shiki floating around. They had difficulties attacking because of it. If it was just the barrage of attacks Shiki was sending to them, they would have just pulled through and smacked him like a little bitch. But everytime they did, Shiki just floated away.

Tsuru wanted to join the fight but couldn't. Rick would have been unprotected.

"Big sis I can help!"

"You think you can join them and fight? Don't be stupid Rick, what could you do in this monster fight?"

" I won't join them big sis! I'm not suicidal! But I can use my gravity , if not to pin him down, to at least restrict him. Even if not much, that could help them! Shiki won't know where this annoyance would come from! Certainly not from a kid on the sideline!

He would have to focus harder on the fight that way and won't pay attention to me! That means I'd be pretty safe and you'd be free to join the fray!"

Tsuru was conflicted. This was a really good plan. 3 vs 1 Shiki would have no chance but Rick would be unguarded.

She made her decision, she had faith in Garp and Sengoku but before she could answer Rick surprised her.

"Vice-Admiral Tsuru, I'm a marine before being a kid."

He looked at her with eyes full of determination.

Tsuru froze. It was the first time she saw him like this.

'If this was the look he had when he tried to enroll, no wonder Garp took him in'.

She was proud of him, he clearly didn't belong in a fight of this level. Yet here he was, willing to do anything to stop a pirate. Even giving his life if he had to. He was not being reckless; he had a clear mind and had analyzed the situation well. How many marines could act like that after a year in the corps in this situation?

Not many if not none at all. And he was only 11.

She was reminded of a special Rick was.

Tsuru closed her eyes and let out a sigh of resignation and acceptance.

"Don't do anything until I'm there. Try to stay hidden as much as you can."

Rick didn't dare to tell her that he could not. The three titans were now fighting in an open area. No cover was close enough to use his power on Shiki, he would have to be in the open.

"Understood, Ma'am".

Tsuru left to join the fight at high speed and Rick tried to, but failed, to keep up with her.

Since he didn't have to go as far as her, he arrived in position before she could join the fight.

Tsuru finally reached them and tried to ambush Shiki to no avail.

"What are you doing here! What about…" yelled Garp but she interrupted him.

"You two idiots can't do anything right without me, besides WE have a plan."

Garp didn't understand what she meant. They had no plan at all.

"What are you…"

"NOt NOW GARP! FOCUS!"

Sengoku had understood Tsuru's words.

'She said "We". It definitely is not Garp and me she's referring too. So it must be Rick'

Sengoku was not known as the best strategist in the world for nothing. He quickly understood what the plan was. Rick was too weak to participate in the fight yet he was somehow involved.

'But what can he do that could… Oh!"

Realization hit him.

' That's a really good plan, it could work!'

He nodded to Tsuru to indicate that he understood.

"Let's go!"

Tsuru coordinated with him, Garp as he didn't get what was going on delayed a bit but joined too.

Rick waited for the four of them to really be into the fight to act.

He put everything he had on his gravity and targeted Shiki.

'Holy shit that guy is a monster'

The effects were minimal at first, Shiki didn't seem to be affected.

After some time though, he was starting to slow down.

The weight put on him may have been insignificant at first but the longer the fight the longer his stamina depleted.

The added weight was slowly but surely taking its stoll. It was harder for him to float, and was starting to lose ground.

He needed to end this fast.

Rick was on the verge of collapsing, since he started bothering Shiki, he had been at full throttle. It's been 10 minutes already.

'I need to hold on. The fight will be over soon.'

Yet he had reached his limits.

Blood was starting to flow from his eyes. The effort was too great.

Shiki was cornered and he knew it. But luck was on his side.

Garp who had finally understood what the plan was saw the state Rick was in.

"RICK!" and rushed towards him.

With the formation broken, Shiki didn't miss the opportunity to strike at Tsuru, the weakest.

Without Garp to support her, she half-dodge the blow and was sent flying away.

Garp finally reached Rick and knocked him out.

Sengoku was now alone and could not do anything against Shiki who wasn't restricted anymore.

But Shiki was no fool, he was too spent and did the smartest thing he could do right now: retreat.

With the fight over, the marines on standby approach, ready to administer first-aid.

Sengoku and Garp had many cuts and bruises but were mostly exhausted. Tsuru was exhausted too but with the last blow she took broke a few bones.

Of the four marines that participated in the battle only one was in critical condition.

Rick.

The overuse of his abilities had left him in a very precarious situation.

He was quickly transported to the infirmary.

Some of his internal organs ruptured.

The foul mouth doc and the other doctor on site were doing their best.

They have been for the last 6 hours and they were not done.

~~~~~~

In what was left of the fleet admiral office.

"WHAT THE HECK GARP! WHY DID YOU BREAK THE FORMATION?!"

Sengoku was furious! Shiki got away because of Garp's actions.

"ARE YOU FOR REAL? RICK WOULD HAVE DIED! HE MAY STILL DIE AS WE SPEAK!"

"UNLIKE YOU HE WAS DOING HIS JOB!"

"YOU'RE REALLY GONE CRAZY SENGOKU! HE'S JUST A KID! HE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FIGHTING TO BEGIN WITH!"

"HE'S MARINE BEFORE BEING A KID!"

Tsuru hearing those words had a bitter smile.

"That's what he said."

""WHAT?"" Both men turned to her.

She sighed.

"When Rick explained the plan to restrict Shiki, allowing me to come support you. I… I thought it was a good plan, but couldn't bring myself to go with it. I was about to tell him no but before I could he said "Vice-admiral Tsuru, I'm a marine before being a kid""..

Her two friends stood in silence.

"I… I was so proud of him at this moment. He had so much determination in his eyes. I… I couldn't tell him no."

"YOU SHOULD HAVE!"

"ENOUGH GARP! RICK ACTED LIKE A TRUE MARINE, UNLIKE YOU!"

That shut Garp up.

Sengoku recomposed himself.

"What's done is done Garp. Am I happy with the result? Of course not! Rick is in critical condition and Shiki has gotten away. We failed!

We failed because we were not strong enough! We're the ones to blame for the state Rick's in."

"You're wrong Sengoku. It's Shiki's fault."

"Potato Po-tah-to Tsuru."

An uncomfortable silence installed itself in the room.

Sengoku suddenly spoke:

"Garp, I want you and your crew to go after Shiki. Turn over every rock if you have too but I want you to find him. Once you do contact me and I will send Kuzan, Borsalino and Sakazuki to support you. DO NOT engage him alone!"

"Understood."

"Tsuru I want you to go to Impel Down and tear a new one to the one to let Shiki escape without even knowing about it. While you there I want you to check on everything that's lacking and reinforce the system. We can't have another prisoner escape! One escapee is already one too many! Once you're done I want you back here."

Tsuru nodded.

"I'll keep you posted on Rick's condition everyday, now go."

Garp and Tsuru left for their respective mission.

Sengoku started to deal with the paperwork Shiki' visit caused.

All three of them had one thing in mind.

Rick.

Author's note: This chapter was rather short after the previous one. Yet it's of average length. I didn't plan on making Shiki appear at all. I did, for many reasons.

It's been a while since the last fight.

After the last chapter I wanted to break the rhythm.

From now on, the story's pace will be faster until the meeting with the strawhats. There are only two mini-arc before that, and one of them will be in Alabasta. They will be story oriented and there would not have been any place for a fight. So I thought putting a fight here would be good.

I didn't write a detailed description of the fight because the focus was not on the fight itself . It was a means to move forward the plot.

I do hope you enjoyed it.

See you next chapter!