"There's no need for that," Mr. 5's voice breaks through the chaos as him and Ms. Valentine step out from the edge of the forest.

"You guys did this!?" Luffy pushes himself up as best he can.

"You can have him back now," Mr. 5 tosses a hurt Karoo over to us as Ms. Valentine annoyingly giggles.

"Karoo!" Vivi rushes over to comfort Karoo. "Why would you do this? Karoo had nothing to do with any of this!"

"Wait, who are those two?" Usopp looks at me and then Luffy.

"They were at Whiskey Peak," Luffy replies.

"Part of Baroque Works, who are after us because we know something we shouldn't," I add.

"You may be right, the duck had nothing to do with this," Mr. 5 says, a bandage now evident on his cheek. "The only danger to us was the boy in the straw hat, so we needed to lure you away from him, princess, and if it came to it, the other blue haired girlie as well. So, we needed the duck to get you away from him, but he was stubborn as hell. No matter what we did to him, he wouldn't call out for you. But it looks like Straw Hat has been immobilized, so our need for the duck is gone."

"Oh Karoo," I mumble.

Ms. Valentine giggles, "What a stupid bird."

"You dirty," Vivi glares at the enemy as she just laughs harder.

"Then it was the two of you who rigged the ale!" Usopp bursts.

"Huh?" Mr. 5 looks over at the boy, almost disinterested in him. "Yes, that was our doing. Who are you? He wasn't on the list?"

"No, but he has to be one of them," Ms. Valentine says. "We'll rub him out with the others."

"You messed up the giant's battle!" Usopp sneers.

"You did it!" Luffy struggles from his confinement. "I'll rip you to pieces!!"

"Leave it to me," I pull out six shurikens to hold between my fingers.

"You are the ones who are going to be rubbed out!" Vivi pulls her peacock slashers out from her shirt.

"Oh," Mr. 5 chuckles. "You want to go, Ms. Wednesday?"

Ms. Valentine giggles, "Do you really think you can beat two Officer Agents?"

"Peacock slashers!" Vivi runs right for the two.

"Eat this!" I send a few shurikens flying as I rush into the fray.

"Certain death!" Usopp screams, pulling out his slingshot. "Exploding Star!"

Mr. 5 dodges the attacks with ease, and Ms. Valentine flies into the air like she weighs nothing. The explosion from Usopp having only shocked our side as the enemy shows their cards.

Ms. Valentine chuckles, "What a blast!"

"She's getting on my last nerve!" I send a shuriken at her, trying to shred her stupid parasol.

"Nez...palm...cannon!" Mr. 5 flicks what I thought was a booger right at Usopp, but the object explodes, singeing the boy all over.

"Usopp!" Luffy cries out.

"My condolences to you!" Ms. Valentine floats right over Usopp who can't move. "Ten thousand Kill-o-Press!" She falls to the ground like she just gained tons of weight, pounding Usopp into the ground.

"Argh!" Vivi is right behind Mr. 5, jumping up to try and kick him in the head, but he's a lot more aware of his surroundings.

Mr. 5 grabs Vivi around the neck, holding her at arm's length. "Now, now, don't get all excited. We're not going to kill you just yet."

"Like hell you're not," I return my shurikens, widening my stance to get ready to fight to the end. "Now with me still standing."

"Akari, don't," Luffy calls out.

"What?" I spin around. "But I want to fight."

"I don't want you to get hurt because you ran right into the fight for me. Please," he sighs.

"I might not have a devil fruit, and I can't heal like you do, but I am still a fighter," I take a deep breath, placing my shurikens back in the pouch. "What do the two of you want?" I glare back at the Baroque Work Agents.

"We're here to capture the two of you girls," Mr. 5 evilly grins. "Per Mr. 3's orders."

"Mr. 3!" Vivi chokes out. "The Wax-wax Fruit Man? He's here?!"

"That's right. He uses the wax his body produces as a weapon. He is a human candle."

"Wonderful," I throw my hands into the air. "Well, first time to be captured better be fun," I glance back at Luffy who sadly smiles at me. "I was outnumbered, so might as well go willingly. Do I get anything for that?" I walk over to where Ms. Valentine is now holding Vivi.

"No funny business, and you'll get special treatment until Mr. 3 decides what to do with the prisoners," Ms. Valentine grabs my wrist as Vivi struggles. "Hey, behave yourself like your little friend is here."

"Akari," Vivi looks at me with sadness in her eyes.

"I trust him with my life," I shrug as the tiniest smile flashes on my lips.

"Did you really think that you could escape from Baroque Works?" Ms. Valentine scoffs.

Over the next thirty seconds, countless explosions are sent Luffy's way. I feel tears well in the corners of my eyes, and even though it hurts to see him go through that, I can't look away. He wanted me to surrender and not fight, and now he's getting hurt because of it. I just want to run over to him and make sure that he's okay, but the grip on my wrist prevents that.

Ms. Valentine giggles, "Even the one worth thirty million berries turned out to be a loser."

Mr. 5 scoffs, "That pays him back for what he did to back to us at Whiskey Peak. You pirates should have kept your nose out of our affairs. We captured your swordsman and the other girl as well!"

"You have Zoro?" Luffy chokes out. "You're doomed."

"You can still talk even after all of my kicky bombs?"

He sticks his tongue out at the man, "Drop dead!" Then he spits on Mr. 5's boot.

"Pathetic," Ms. Valentine shakes her head.

Mr. 5 pulls his foot back, slamming it into Luffy's face as an explosion occurs.

"LUFFY!" Vivi and I scream in horror. That one was as harder than the last round of explosions.

"Die!"

Luffy reaches out as the smoke clears, but he collapses before he can make any more.

"No," I let the tears fall. "Ugh, why does he do this? He protected me, but I want to protect him."

"Let's go, Ms. Valentine," Mr. 5 turns and starts walking back into the woods.

Ms. Valentine laughs as she drags us away.

"Karoo!" Vivi cries.

"Don't make me regret listening to you, captain!" I shout.

We make our way through the forest; my brain no longer able to focus on anything but the way Luffy laid unconscious back there. Mr. 5 was kicking a man while he was done, which is dishonorable to the highest degree. These people are sick.

"We got them both," Mr. 5 declares when we reach an opening in the forest.

Dorry is collapsed on the ground, while Broggy is secured to the ground by wax. A man with his black hair in the shape of a three is the one who can mess with the wax. He's wearing a blue striped shirt, tan pants, black shoes, and blue-rimmed glasses. I can also see a little girl with red hair in braided pigtails wearing a large faded red hat, a blue jacked with clouds, a t-shirt, a red skirt, blue and white striped tights, and big red tennis shoes.

"We caught the traitorous wench and this one," Ms. Valentine shakes me around. "This one seems to have feelings for her captain, the boy with the straw hat."

"Shut up," I glare at her.

"What a cowardly trick!" Vivi screams. "Planting a bomb in Mr. Dorry's ale!"

Broggy's eyes widen at the news of what happened to his friend. Why he won not that long ago.

"Hmph," Mr. 3 crosses his arms. "You big mouth, giving away my secret! Now, candle lock!" Wax from his hands shoots out at Vivi and I, locking around our legs and stopping any chance we had to escape.

"I love this," I groan, rubbing my butt.

"Mr. 5, bring the other two out! It is time for my extra special candelabra!" He builds a huge cake-like candle statue that I don't think is going to be a good thing for us that have been captured.

Mr. 5 throws Nami and Zoro down next to Vivi and I.

"Hello, my friends," I force a smile.

"Akari, what are you doing here?" Zoro asks.

"And what is that!?" Nami exclaims as she looks at the wax statue.

"Luffy told me not to fight," I look at Zoro.

"Wait, Vivi and Akari!?" Nami looks over at us. "I thought you both were with Luffy! What happened?"

"Yes, well, you see," Vivi stumbles over her words.

"If you are talking about Straw Hat, I got hid of him," Mr. 5 says.

"Oh, is that so?" Zoro smirks, glance over at the man.

"I wanted to help but he wouldn't let me," I pout, puffing out my cheeks.

"The time has come to experience my Extra Special Candelabra!" Mr. 3 shouts.

Our wax bindings lift us up and onto the bottom tier of the cake candle where are feet are stuck into the wax, making it impossible for us to escape, but this time I have a feeling that it is going to be a lot worse for us. I'm in the middle with Zoro while Nami and Vivi are on the ends. The top of the contraption has started to spin, sending wax down on us.

"What's that spinning thing up there?" Nami asks.

"This must be what it feels like for a candle on a birthday cake," Zoro says.

"I do not like being up here," I hug my stomach.

"I can't move my legs at all," Nami wiggles around.

"He's immobilized us," Zoro says. "I have a feeling that he's not keeping us here because he enjoys having us around."

"Wax is raining down on us!" Vivi blurts out, holding her hand out.

Mr. 3 bursts into crazed laughter, "Savor this moment! This is my Extra Special Candelabra! The wax raining down on you will turn you into wax figures soon enough! Not even my skill in the plastic arts could create such perfect human sculptures. You'll be wax figures with real souls! You will die in the name of art!"

"Forget it!" Nami yells. "We don't want to be turned into your stupid art! Broggy," she looks over at the giant. "Don't just lie over there! Get up and fight! You'll turn into wax too if you don't do anything!"

"I'm hoping you ate all your vegetables as a kid?" Zoro jokes.

"Now is not the time, Zoro," I sigh. "If only I could wiggle my toes."

"It's no use!" Mr. 3 exclaims. "Talking to him is pointless. He learned the truth moments ago without realizing it. His dear friend was hurt, and he slew him in a battle that had been going on for a hundred years! He was so filled with pride that he started to cry. Were you weeping for your friend or your own stupidity?" He bursts into laughter. "It doesn't matter, of course. That is all in the past now, you fool!"

"I knew it," Broggy says. "From the moment we began to exchange blows, I knew Dorry had to be hiding something."

"You did, did you?" he chuckles. "Don't lie, there's no reason to. If you knew, then why did you keep on fighting? I didn't see any mercy in your attacks."

"Insolent worm. You know nothing about duels and honor. You could never understand why I would have cried. You know nothing! He was a proud warrior! He chose to fight even though he had severe injuries! How could I shame him in refusing that battle!? When he was willing to suffer in order to fight! How could I dishonor him by showing any kind of mercy!?" His anger is spilling out and riling him up as he breaks out of the wax holding his arms. "But now that I now the true story, I will destroy you with my own hand! I owe that much to my friend! To Dorry!"

"Cannon," Mr. 5 says right before an explosion hits Broggy right in the face, taking all the fight out of him. "Noisy monster."

"Mr. Broggy!" Nami yells.

I grit my teeth, feeling like my blood is beginning to boil.

The Baroque Work Agents are talking amongst themselves, but I can't here over my anger. Then, Mr. 3 creates two giant wax sword, and stabs them right throw Broggy's hands. The sight of all that blood makes me nauseous that I have to look away. If he moves, it will only cause more trouble for him.

The top of the candelabra speeds up, and the amount of misty wax raining down on us becomes a lot more to deal with. It doesn't take long for the three of us girls to start coughing.

"My chest...it hurts," Nami chokes out through coughs as she holds her hands to her chest.

"The wax is getting into our lungs," I place a hand over my mouth to try and help.

"He's turning us into wax figures from the inside out!" Vivi screams.

Mr. 3 lets out more crazed laughter. "That's right! Die in agony! Agony is the look I want! Let your bodies become monuments of horror!"

"Forget your art, you twisted top-knotted fiend!" Nami screams. "How dare you do that to Broggy! You guys are going to pay for this, you hear me!?"

"Shout your head off girl," Mr. 3 laughs.

"Zoro, why are you just standing there!? Do something!"

"What is he supposed to do?" I look at Nami.

"Akari, you have shurikens in the pouch, don't you?"

"If I try anything up here, I'm only going to make it worse for all of us," I shake my head.

"What an expression!" Mr. 3 points at Broggy as he laughs uncontrollably.

Broggy is heavily crying, and it breaks my heart.

"That is the look of a tortured soul! I love it! Grief! Torment! What a beautiful work of art!"

"I can't move my hand!" Nami's voice pulls me look over at her as she has one hand clasped to her upper arm. "I am not going to die like this! There has to be a way out!"

"Our bodies are beginning to harden!" Vivi, like us girls, is panicking.

"Luffy, you have to come," I place my hands on top of my head, wanting them to stick there.

"Hey, giant, you can still more, right?" Zoro calls out. "A giant without hands and feet is still a lot more useful than a dead man. I can move too," he pulls out two of his swords, "if I cut my legs off. How 'bout we crush these guys together?"

"Your legs!" Nami says. "Are you out of your mind! How can you even say something like that at a time like this!?"

"Is there a better time to say it?" I lowly chuckle.

"You girls aren't going to do anything, are you?" Zoro asks.

"It's hopeless! Even if you get down from here, they are just going to trap you again!"

"You never know until you try, right? We're dead if we stay here and do nothing, that I know for sure. I say we go out in an ugly blaze of glory. Why lie down and let those creeps win?"

"You have a point, Zoro," I pull my hands off my head, reaching into my pouch to pull out some shurikens. "I can give some help from up here."

Broggy lets out a chuckle as best he can. "You are a cocky lad! Same to you, girlie! My will to fight was almost gone, but I am with you! I like your spirit!"

"Are you two serious!" Nami incredulously looks our way. "Without your legs, how will you fight!?"

"Not sure, but, I'll fight to win," Zoro smirks.

"And I'll do what I can to make that a reality," I grin.

"Wait! I'm with you two!" Vivi blurts out.

"Let's do it!" Broggy exclaims, giving all his effort into moving.

"This is ridiculous!" Mr. 3 screams. "I'll kill all of you!"

"GAAAAHHHH!" Luffy, Usopp, and Karoo shoot through the air a moment too late as Zoro slices at his ankles.

"HEY YOU JERKS!" Luffy screams as he flies passed the Baroque Work Agents. "GET READY TO DIE!"

"Luffy!" I happily cry out.

The three crash landed in the trees, but it doesn't take them long to get up and start coming our way.

"Usopp!! Bird!! Get 'em!!"

"All right!" Usopp shouts as Karoo lets out a quack.

"I knew you would come!" I smile so big that my cheeks start to hurt.

"Usopp!" Nami cries out.

"Karoo!" Vivi blurts out.

"Master Broggy!" Usopp shouts. "We will avenge you!"

"Usopp," Broggy cries.

"Batter these creeps beyond recognition! Blow them far, far away!" Nami demands.

"Kick their asses Luffy!" I cheer.

"You got it!" Luffy's face is set in anger. He cracks his knuckles, "These guys ruined the giants' battle!"

"So, your head carries the largest bounty in all the East Blue, huh?" Mr. 3 asks. "Seems the Navy has really lowered their standards."

"Whoa, look at that weird hair!"

"Shut up!" He screams, the top of the three bursting into flames.

"It's a three and now it's on fire!"

"I said shut up!"

"Don't mind that, Luffy!" Nami says.

"You need to break the pillar behind us!" I say. "We are being turned into wax figures!"

"Oh, are you saying you're in danger?" Luffy asks.

"Nope, no danger or problems here," Zoro says.

"Hey!" Nami looks down at his legs, causing me to do the same and almost see my lunch again. "You're legs are bleeding!"

"Yeah, I hacked about halfway through," he softly chuckles.

"You call that no problem!"

I take a deep breath, looking up to try and forget the blood.

"Anyway...Luffy, could you break that pillar? We'll let you finish up here after."

"Sure!" Luffy grins.

"Sorry, but can't let you do that," Mr. 3 firmly stands in front of his creation.

"I don't know that that is, but I'm gonna smash it!"

"I feel as good as new!" Usopp hops onto Karoo's back.

"Hurry up please!" I bat my eyelashes even though he can't see.

"Yeah, we're getting stiff up here!" Nami adds.

Zoro sheaths one of his swords, holding the other up to the sky.

"What are you doing?"

"If I'm going to be a statute, I might as well pick my pose," Zoro answers.

"This really isn't that time to be joking around," I can't help but giggle.

"Forget that," she shakes her head. "Do something to stop your legs from building!