Dear Marimo-kun
Chapter 10

Zoro woke up in a frigid blizzard, his head throbbing quite painfully. He looked around and saw the snow littered with unconscious soldiers. Nami, or rather Sanji, was taking a smoke, and Brook was busy scouting the area ahead. Checking his swords to make sure they hadn't frozen to their scabbards, he asked Sanji what happened after he sliced that pincushion.

"No idea what you're talking about. The only thing I know is that after waking up I saw these shitheads crowding us, so I kicked them for almost manhandling Nami-san's beautiful body."

The swordsman pursed his lips. "Personal question, ero-cook. Why do you still sacrifice yourself for that witch? She seems to gravitate to Luffy more." Sanji took a deep draw into the cigarette he lit just moments earlier and blew out a ring.

"Romance, I guess? I was raised to love women. Nami-san's ... Nami-san. I admit that I put her on a pedestal higher than most women, Robin-chwan included, and it doesn't matter if she likes Luffy more, even in that way."

"You're a sucker for pain."

Sanji shrugged and a minute of silence passed between them. Brook broke the ice by returning, informing both of them about the situation and the landscape ahead.

Tashigi slowly opened her eyes. Looking around, she noticed she was in a cage, along with Vice-Admiral Smoker in her body. Looking to her left were more people, notable and notorious in their own rights. They were the Shichibukai, 'Surgeon of Death' Trafalgar Law, 'Strawhat' Monkey D. Luffy, 'Demon Child' Nico Robin, and 'Cyborg' Franky.

"Oh, you're awake now, Tashigi-san?" Nico Robin! It was Nico Robin of the Strawhats!

"Yes, I am," she replied, wary of her surroundings.

"No need to be jumpy, we can't attack each other in our situation right now," smiled the long-haired beauty. She noticed Franky lying on her lap. Noticing her eyes, Robin smiled. "Speaking of which, how do you do? I am terribly sorry for how I treated you back in Alabasta. I believe I've never properly apologized to you for that."

"No no, it's alright." Tashigi remembered that Zoro said something along the lines of looking at Franky whenever she thinks no one's looking. "Pardon my curiosity, but are you and that guy ..?" Robin smiled enigmatically once more, and Tashigi stopped herself.

"I wish we had met under more amicable circumstances," said Robin, a sincere look showing itself on her face. "You can open your eyes now, Law-san." Trafalgar Law opened his eyes, evidently guilty of listening in.

"I only heard the line with the circumstances word," he defended. "Nothing more, I swear on my honor."

"Honor's a funny word, coming from a pirate," muttered Smoker, his female voice taking away some of the intended poison.

"Oh, everyone's awake now?" burst Luffy, ever the optimist. Smoker noticed Vergo and a woman some ways away from the cage. Incensed with anger, he called him out.

"Hey, Vergo! The ones outside are all G-5 Marines! They're your men!"

Zoro was getting tired. He had been running for what seemed like forever from that strange cloud, along with Brook, Kinemon, and Sanji. Running alongside their group was Brownbeard, with Nami and Usopp along for the ride. The dragon that Sanji held on to was also fleeing from the gas, and it didn't help that its speed was faster than their legs could carry them.

"I hope we get to that building in time!" shouted Brook with worry. Nami covered her face in panic. It was weird seeing that in Sanji's body. As soon as he said that, the shutter of the building started to close down.

"Hey, hold up now, don't close that shutter!" screamed Sanji. The dragon bit on Brownbeard's tail to hold on.

"Yeooowch! This dragon is biting my tail!" bellowed Brownbeard, more concerned about his own tail at that moment than everyone's safety.

"It's no good, we're gonna be shut out!" cried Usopp. "We'll be killed by this gas!"

"Open up! Let us in too!" pleaded Nami in more panic, tears streaming down her, or rather Sanji's, face.

"Can you cut iron, Kinemon?" asked Zoro in a huff.

Kinemon made a face and replied, "Such a thing will not hinder us!"

"Just keep charging, Kinemon ..! We're heading in!"

With two deft slashes of swords and Brownbeard's bulk, the group was able to break down the steel door. Unfortunately for everyone else, this meant that the Shinokuni could come in now.

"He cut right through the shutter! Now the gas is going to get in!" screamed a random G-5 Marine.

"You idiot!" said Nami to Zoro as Luffy was up on another floor screaming something incomprehensible. But Zoro wasn't listening to Nami's tirade about stupid swordsmen and idiocy going hand in hand. He was busy extending his Kenbunshoku Haki upwards, homing in on one female he last met on Alabasta.

Usopp surveyed the trail they just departed from. "This is bad! I mean, it's good that we got in, but now the gas is going to get in too!"

The marines on the ground were busy losing their heads.

"What the hell have you people done!?"

"You guys have really done it now! Are you trying to take us down with you!?"

"Everyone, plug up the hole!"

"We're all gonna die!"

Kinemon just looked at them silently, too tired to argue. Nami urged Brook to go into spirit mode and survey the area outside more. Sanji sensed Luffy and the others up a floor, and looked at Zoro. The latter was looking upwards at someone, and Sanji snuffed a cigarette as soon as he lit one.

Tashigi snuck a peek as soon as the door broke down, and was pleasantly surprised on who she saw. It was the Strawhats along with some people she didn't know. Luffy perched on the railing and started talking to himself it seemed, but she still paid attention to Smoker. She did not forget that they were surrounded by enemies.

"Everyone here, listen up!" bellowed Law to the people down. "This laboratory is now surrounded by gas on all sides, but there is a way out! Without being exposed to the outside, there's a route that will let you escape directly to the open sea! It's through a door labeled R-66!"

The Marines looked at each other. There was hope after all!

"I don't intend to make a habit of slaughtering people, but I can only give you two hours! After that point, I can't assure the lives of anyone left in this lab!"

Luffy faced Law. "What'll happen to the lab?"

"I just don't know how what I'm doing will turn out," he replied.

Luffy smiled and told Robin to get back to the crew while he went and fought Caesar. Smoker turned and gave commands to the Marines down below. After doing that, he faced Tashigi and gave orders.

"Tashigi, you take these idiots and go on ahead!"

"Ehh? Where are you going, Smoker-san?" asked a shocked Tashigi, amidst the booms and crackles, signs that the laboratory was falling apart. "It couldn't be ... to Vergo!?"

Smoker assumed a dark expression. "This isn't a debt that can be sealed legally, Tashigi. I'll take care of him myself!" Clutching his jutte tighter, he added, "I'll take care of someone who makes such fools of the Marines!"

"Okay, but please take me with you!" pleaded the captain. "His strength is the real thing! If something were to happen ..!"

"Who's going to take care of our men!?" interrupted Smoker. "Get those fools out of here. The kids too."

Tashigi closed her lips and fully understood her superior's order. "Smoker-san ..."

Brook, Zoro, and Kinemon headed their group's charge as the Marines of G-5 tried to halt their progress.

"Out of our way!" said the three of them as they cut, burnt, and froze their way through waves of Marines. With Brownbeard following closely behind, Zoro took his attention from them for a moment to somehow permanently take the annoyances out.

"This is a rare chance! We've got to stop them!"

"It'll be my pleasure!"

A vein appeared at Zoro's forehead. "I've already warned you ..!" Just then, a familiar presence approached him from the left side. As the perpetrator clashed swords with him, Zoro felt a surge of happiness during that time of distress. Looking back through that minute window of time was Tashigi, her eyes betraying her longing and emotions. They looked in each other's eyes, or in Zoro's case, eye, when a voice broke through their reverie.

"Captain-chan!" Zoro's eye twitched at the overly-familiar suffix. To keep appearances up, he immediately assumed an air of superiority.

"So you've become a captain then, you con-woman," laughed Zoro, swords still grinding against each other. "But you've got no fighting spirit!" Tashigi relaxed her stance in response, in order to let Zoro pass by.

"Ehh .. Please go on ahead," she stuttered, and turned back to address her subordinates. "G-5! This is no time to be fighting! Please hurry up and head for the inner passage!" She pointed towards the direction the Strawhats ran a while ago. Immediately after, a beeping sound could be heard, along with the simultaneous creaking of the closing metal doors. Her subordinates again in a panic, her eyes trained towards the rapidly vanishing gap that was the open doors. Her ears deaf to everyone, her four eyes connected with one, one that was struck with surprise. To make matters worse, an explosion happened on the wall of the A block, letting the gas seep in.

"Run! Run into the gate!"

"If we're caught by that, we're good as dead!"

Just then, an arm carried her and threw her across that same opening. "No, no! What are you doing!? Put me down ..!" Thrown across the threshold, she immediately came to her feet, panting. "Please get out of my way! There are still a number of Marines out there ..!" Deaf to her subordinates once again, she fought her way towards the closing gate, the Marines hindering her progress.

"There's no way back out! The gate's already closed!"

"Captain-chan, it's no good! It's too late!"

Tashigi refused to believe such a matter. "Don't be stupid! Your comrades are still on the other side of the gate! Please get out of my way!"

"Saving them is impossible, Captain Tashigi!"

The Marines on the other side were all smiles though, as they spent their last moments trying to cheer their dearest flower up. "Well done, you guys. We've received our Captain-chan safe and sound!" Strangled cheering came, one by one their voices vanishing. As the gates closed, the last they all saw of their comrades were grins and signs of victory, their arms raised in celebration.

Tashigi screamed and broke down in tears. Roronoa Zoro felt like the most helpless man in the world.

Luffy ... I hope you kick that scientist's ass!

Zoro was uncharacteristically silent during the whole trip on Brownbeard's back. Aside from a few snide comments directed at Brownbeard's plight of being a pack horse transport, there wasn't much that he said. The typical crew banter was strained a little bit, and when both he and Sanji felt a strong presence manifesting itself back there and the vanishing of several weak ones, Sanji volunteered to be the one to go.

"You sure about this, Marimo? She's in trouble, that beautiful Marine lady."

Zoro didn't say anything. Taking it as a yes, Sanji used Sky Walk to save the people he had no obligation towards. Usopp noticed this right away and looked at Sanji zipping fast towards the gas. "Sanji suddenly got a look on his face and jumped away ..."

"It's because an unfamiliar presence appeared behind us," replied Zoro, his eyes dark. "Pay it no heed." Usopp gave him a look, and went to the front.

A few minutes passed, and Black Leg Sanji was holding Vice-Admiral Vergo off. Tashigi marveled at the speed and strength that the pirate exhibited. His previous lines would have been enough to make any woman swoon and get swept off her feet, but Tashigi was not just any woman.

"What are you doing!? Why aren't you running away!?" Sanji screamed after he nailed Vergo with Diable Jambe: Flange Strike.

The captain's mind filled with chaos. Why is Black Leg here? Shouldn't it be Zoro? Maybe Zoro asked him to come back here?

"Hey, look! This is bad!"

"The gas is coming! Run!"

The Marines scrambled to their feet and ran, some picking Tashigi up and helping her to her feet. As she looked back, the Black Leg was locked in a stand-off between him and Vergo. All of a sudden, the skirmish broke up and Sanji ran fast towards the front line.

"Brother Black Leg!"

"Ohhhh!"

Sanji landed towards where Tashigi was, holding an unconscious Marine. "... cute Marine girl-san!"

Tashigi was taken aback. A few minutes ago this guy was acting cool, and now he's acting like a lovesick puppy!

"Listen up! I only want to hear feminine voices cheering me on!" He stumbled a bit, and everyone looking didn't miss it. Fending off questions about his condition, he asked them about the rogue Vergo. Knowing about her subordinates' bond and respect for the traitor Vice Admiral, Tashigi was forced to tell a white lie.

"He's not an impostor," she said. "Vergo's like a real parent to you guys. He'd never do something like that." She then switched topics. "But never mind that, we've got kids to save!"

"Yeah! Alright!"

Lying on a scaly back, Zoro watched as the motley group of pirates teamed up to take a dragon down. He was impressed with the teamwork they exhibited and even more with Kinemon's sword style, which he was raring to learn.

"Gavotte Bond En Avant!"

"Karyuu Issen!"

Nami spotted Chopper after the skirmish. "Chopper's changed into his monster form!"

"What the hell's he doing!?" grunted Zoro as they headed to where one of their nakama was.

A/N: I'm super sorry for the late update! I'm busy, had a few troubles, and will have an exam in 3 hours. I hope you find it in your hearts to forgive me. Oh, and has anyone been paying attention to Film Z? I heard it's awesome! I took some liberties in adding my own personal touch and changing some pieces of the canon parts. Read and review please :)