Chapter Fourteen

The straw hat pirates stood around the kitchen staring at something and losing themselves in their thoughts. It's been almost an hour since Mjolnir had left them to the deck for some fresh air, giving them time to think. But it was a situation that didn't need long thoughts. They knew what they needed to do in order to save their friends life without questions. Regardless of Zoro's life threatening injury, it was to save many lives and souls of people who couldn't defend themselves.

Now the Straw Hats were pirates, but they wanted to stand for something different. No, they stood for something different it was no mistaking it. They looted ships, they defeated enemies, they battled for glory, they have a fortune worth bounty on their heads but they were the Straw Hats. They would never back down from saving people in need, even if it meant dieing in the process.

Problem was, would they be able to suddenly trust the assassin that thrust themselves into their life? No one was worth putting their beliefs into these days, not except you were willing to lay down your life.

"Ah, what a bitch move. Using our friends life as a bargain." Nami sneered glaring at the brewing medicine like it was the origin of all their problems." What kind of a person who wants to save lives use another life as a bargain."

"Leave it be Nami." Zoro groaned trying hard to swallow his saliva. His sweating had increased yet he felt crisp. He was painfully aware them at he was dying, everyone was and it irked him. He didn't want to die so soon not when he still had his vengeance to complete. The defeat of Dracule Mihawk and to avenge his childhood comrade. His had a constant intense head pounding, and his throat tightened painfully. He needed water but was afraid to do anything other than sit and wait for the extraction process to occur. He didn't even know if he would be able to swallow. He didn't want to bother anyone else by complaining either.

She grumbled pushing herself off the wall and moving over to the brew. "That's like telling me to leave you be and die." She humped staring down at the medicine in disdain and distrust." How do we all know  we can really trust her, hmm? For all we know this medicine could be poison. "

" For all we know she's our only hope to curing Zoro's ailment. Take his words and leave it be. " Sanji snapped agitatedly itching at his stubble. He loved Nami, but she could be a distrustful nuisance sometimes.

" Are all really going to blindly trust her like this? "She retorted clenching her hands at her sides in fury." She could be after our heads. How do you know this isn't one of her plans to kill us off one by one. What, Zoro gets injured and the next day she's magically here to save him because she cares? How are we not sure she's not doing this to have a debt value over us? She literally has our life's in her hands. "

Usopp let out a loud sigh of irritation banging this wall and making them flinch. His eyes glinted outrage as he swerved those dark orbs towards Nami." She literally does, Nami. She has every human that could be hurt by a Kuyutha life in her hands. She could have disappeared in the shadows and let everyone be fresh meat to sea monsters but here she is saving someone she owns nothing to." He retorted." So what if we become indebted to the girl, we have no choice. Now I don't trust her, but it's sure as hell better than to watch thousands die and finding out that one of you were part of them. "

Nami stared at him in shock. Everyone was staring at this moment. They had recognized Usopp with his versatile bonhomie and cool nature. Yes, he'd had the time when he would break out into mild anger but eventually brush it off moments later, but they had never actually seen him this royally pissed.

Luffy let out an exhausted sign and rubbed at his temples. Their constant state of wantrust was getting irritating. His comrades were as childish as he was sometimes, and a child controlling children was difficult. "Listen, animosity isn't an answer. Whether it be to each other or to Mjolnir. We owe it to our time as comrades to not question a way to saving each others lives. Even if it meant we had to trust some stranger for it."

" Like it or it Mjolnir is the only chance we've got. We need to take it. We have no choice but to take it. If we don't, it won't be only Zoro's we'd have to mourn over. One of our names could be on the next tombstone. I don't want to lose any of you. "He said voice brittle but he held himself up." I can't bare to lose anyone of you. Not today, not ever. We still have plans for this team, we are not losing anyone. And it'll also weigh upon every one of us if we let other people die for our greed. Sacrifices must be made, you should all at least have that sense of reason."

Sanji laughed heartily looking down at the boy he had fallen in love with for the past years." You heard the captain, you big orange headed tangerine. We watch out for each other and quit your whining lady, you're not an old grandma"

" No I'm not, Sanji. "She rolled eyes with a grunt." I'm a brilliant youthful woman with skills that you need to run your ship. And my hair isn't orange."

" A woman? Geez I wonder where she is, I don't see her here! "Sanji gasped dramatically looking around the kitchen frantically with a look of mock shock.

" You fetid pile of compost." Nami fumed grabbing a spoon from the rack and chucking it straight at him.

"Oi! Not my kitchen utensils." He berated catching the spoon midair before it could smack him in the face." Heavens, have you no regards for kitchen equipments? And you want to call yourself a woman. "

" Ugh, shut up! "She screamed.

Everyone burst into laughter at their playful antics. Sanji and Nami always had the spunk the pirates needed to get through a hard day, something to brighten and lighten up the mood. Zoro, especially, laughed harder than anyone else, tearing up too. He laughed so hard that his chest hurt and he entered a frenzy of cough spluttering black blood.

Nami heart raced at the sight of him in pain. She snatched a clean rag from the rack and dashed to his side. "Oh my God, Zoro are you alright?" She cried in frenetic helping to wipe away the blood from his lips.

" Jesus, it's really got you bad huh? "Usopp hissed appearing at his side along with Luffy and Sanji.

"God, is that your blood." Luffy gasped at the sight of his blackened blood. His blood as black as coal." This looks serious, are you good."

"I'm fine, I'm fine, I just laughed too hard." He waved them off in assurance allowing Nami to wipe him down, careful not to touch his wounds.

"No he's not." Mjolnir's voice came from the dinning part. Everyone whirled head met theirs, watching as the white ghost grabbed another pot and filled it with water. After placing it on the hot stove, they pulled out a knife from their thighs Hollister and also placed it on the fire. "Sorry to interrupt this. However, your hour is almost up. Make your decision now."

Nami looked at Zoro, who looked at Usopp,who looked at Luffy who finally looked at Sanji.

"What are you all staring at me for." He exclaimed facing Mjolnir. "Of course, we accept so do something already."

" Calm yourselves. I'll save your friend. "They snapped back pulling out a type of root from their tigers bag and dipping it into the boiling pot of water. Sanji brows jerked at the sight of it, he had seen it a dozen times back when he was still working at the restaurant. It wasn't much edible but when crushed the water derived from it was strong enough to knock someone out. They pulled out more assortment of herbs from their bag and begun mixing them together.

" Do you need help. "Sanji asked Mjolnir stepping beside the assassin, no one was offering.

"Yes please, dip a large rag not to big into the boiling pot of water for me please. "

Sanji went to work grabbing a portable rag and dipped it into the boiling water of the. He turned to watch Mjolnir again work on mixing and grinding more herbs. Eventually when they had finished, they pulled out a stop clock from their pocket and stared down at it.

"It's almost time." The white ghost announced raising a finger. "He's going to go into a series convulsion in five–"

" Wait convulsion?"Usopp exclaimed in a gape.

" Four, three–"

" You didn't say anything about convulsing. "Nami screamed.

" two, one–"

The moment the white ghost declared one Zoro's pupils went behind his eyes and he slumped on the counter and begun spiralling out of control. His body continuously shock tremendously and his back arched as he convulsed.

Nami screamed in fright rushing over to support his head.

"Zoro, Zoro, shit he can't hear us!" Usopp panicked grabbing his arms and holding him down.

"Do something!" Luffy screamed.

" On a scale of one to ten how strong is he?" Mjolnir said pouring the brewed herb into a glass vial." Answer me quickly."

"I don't know, ten?" Sanji stuttered eyeing the clear azure liquid in the vial.

"Goodness gracious we have a strong one in our hands." They groaned pointed towards Usopp, Luffy and Sanji." You three hold him down with all the strength you have in that body of yours, any mistake and he's gone. This procedure must go as smooth as possible. Nami, hold his head steady and grab a clean dry rag"

The three waisted no time in reacting to Mjolnir's commands. They took his arms while Luffy wrapped his arms around Zoro's feet as tightly as possible. Nami took a rag and placed it under his head.

Mjolnir poured some boiling water into a bowl and placed it under Zoro's nose forcing him to inhale the fumes, explaining. "Mandrake root. As much as the liquid paralyzes, the diluted form dulls the senses. It is a form of a painkiller, it's not going to completely take it all away but it will at least do something."

Zoro had calmed down a little, but his body still twitched and jerked from the spasm of shock. Mjolnir pulled out the hot rag from the fire and placed it over the wound pressing down on it. Zoro let out a pained yell, writhing under the hold of his comrades.

The Straw Hats watched in fear as Mjolnir laboured for minutes, pressing hot clothes alternating with the poultice of herbs they had crushed and mixed. The area around the wound became a huge of red, dark blue and yellow, but Mjolnir persisted. Eventually Zoro suddenly stopped moving, his body went still and weight slumped like dead meat in the counter.

"W-wait what is happening!" Nami exclaimed." He's not moving, is he dead! "

" He's not dead! " Mjolnir said tersely, pulling back Zoro's eyelid causing the pupil to roll in reflex." He's alive, but barely. The effect of the root has completely kicked in, he will rest for a while until a second wave of convulsion comes about. "

" There's a second wave! "Luffy demanded.

They sighed rubbing their forehead. "It will be extra difficult to cure him at this stage. It usually takes three days before the poison kills you, the best case scenario you happen to be in a cold region and you can live up to five days before your heart decays. But you sped up the process overnight. "

" I won't lie to you, Zoro is as good as dead. Convulsing is the first symptom to death, if it gets to the third stage I'm afraid there is nothing that I can do. "

A moan escaped from Nami as she stomped her feet and glared at the white ghost with piercings anger. "I'll tell you why you must try you best to prevent that. If he dies, I will kill you too. "

Mjolnir chuckled, feeling the least bothered and profoundly annoyed by her threats." Killing me because I can't save you friend? Now that a new low for the member of the Straw Hat pirates. "

" Mjolnir–" Luffy begun

" And lets not forget, it's your fault that he is in the state! "

Zoro's body arched again, his mouth opening in a silent scream as he went through another excruciating seizure of pain. His body violently shock, sweat pooled from his forehead as his comrades held him down. He gasped suddenly, red eyes pulling open in shock. " Kuina!" He called. "Kuina....."

"Kuina...." Usopp grimaced. " Wait isn't that–"

"Is he hallucinating?" Sanji declared.

"Oh, God Zoro." Nami cried, wiping away his sweat and tears that had dropped from her eyes on his forehead." I'm so sorry, this my fault."

Mjolnir rolled her eyes with a grunt."Save your pity party, navigator." She rushed to the stove and grabbed knife from the stobe, the steel a hot glow of dull red." I need to make the incision, so he has to be kept still."

"An incision with a knife that hot!" Nami cried out petrified at the thought. Zoro already had one scar to bring about unpleasant memories, splitting his flesh with burning metal will forever gnaw a mark both into his flash and into his mind. It wasn't for her to decide; but she cared too much to let him relieve the memory of his near death experience every time he looked at that scar." That will mark him for life...."

Mjolnir shrugged her off moving towards Zoro. "Which is more important, the look of the imprint left on his skin from the process of his extraction or saving his life? Unless you have some miracle remedy then be my guest. If he survives he should wear that scar with honor and learn that life can easily be taken away. We have little time, hallucinations is the second stage so it's best you leave him in my hands. "

" Let her do it, Nami. "Sanji insisted looking at her with pleading eyes.

" See the cyst at the surface of the cut? The herbs I mixed and compressed on the wound has brought the poison on the surface. "Mjolnir explained putting the knife over his chest." I'm going to make an incision right here and I need you to hold him down. Don't stop, no matter what you do. "

Taking in a deep breath, everyone watched in disgust and terror as the white ghost pressed the knife on to his skin, the rotten flesh sizzling; bringing about an acrid pong of burning flesh. Zoro screamed in agony, thrashing about violently while Sanji, Usopp and Luffy held him down.

"Hold, hold!" Mjolnir said through gritted teeth as she sliced down his chest making a diagonal cut across his injury.

Watery whitish lymph mixed with his blackened blood oozed out from the wound with a horrid scent of decay. Usopp gagged watching in horror as Mjolnir placed her hands on his chest and carefully pulled the wound apart. More black blood pooled out mixed in with the white lymph and yellow pus. "Come on, I need strong hands! Usopp, you man the ships use that strength and keep pulling and increasing the pressure."

Usopp obeyed replacing Mjolnir's hands and strained the cut apart.

Zoro's eyes opened again rolling behind his kids to leave the white; foam begun to pool from his mouth as he continued to convulse. Mjolnir seeing this, heart dropped as dear overtook them. "Oh God no no no, it's too quick." They cried rushing over to where they had dropped the vial and grabbing it.

"What's happening." Nami's eyes dropped a flood of tears now. "What's happening to him, please."

"It's the last stage!" Mjolnir said, ominously pouring the contents of the vial into the wound. Reacting with the wound, the liquid burned into the injury as Mjolnir placed her hand over Usopp's and helped apply more pressure. "His body is reacting negatively to the procedure,"

"What that supposed to mean!" Luffy screamed.

"It means you pray to whatever God you believe in, because if this doesn't work–" the white ghost inhaled. "The world and your crew will have one less samurai. So speak to him, let him react to your voice, to keep in at least at the thin line between life and death."

"Zoro, Zoro can you hear me." Nami cried cleaning his face.

" Hey buddy remember our promise? "Sanji called." Remember I said I'll make you the best rice ball you can every want if you survive this. "

" Almost! Almost there! "Mjolnir screamed and with a final desperate jerk, a great splurt of blood and a thick blueish black liquid shot out from his body.

He collapsed.

The voices of his comrades ringing in his ear as he succumbed to the darkness relentlessly drawing him in.