Zoro looked at Mr. Candle. "What are you talking about? Pretty Kitty wouldn't be that gullible to fall for that."
Mr. Candle smirked. "Tell me something, Zoro, do you think you're the only one who can touch Kat? Taking your form was way too easy." He glanced down at me, who was becoming more and more like a candle. "Poor women. Very soon, she'll become part of my collection."
Zoro had cut through the wax, freeing me from the smoke holding me to him. "What did you do to her? What did you do to my son?"
Mr. Candle smiled. "I didn't do anything to them. Unless you count smoke getting into her lungs."
Luffy placed a hand on Zoro's shoulder. "Zoro, you take Kat and get out of here. Take her somewhere safe. I'll take it from here."
Zoro nodded and picked me up before leaving. "Luffy, make sure he pays for what he's done to Pretty Kitty and Henry."
Luffy nodded. "Yeah, I can do that."
Mr. Candle ran after Zoro, who picked me up bridal style. "You can't run from me, Rononro Zoro! Get back here!" He shot wax at Zoro while hoping to get a shot.
Luffy stood in the way. "You touch her again, and I'll kill you."
Once, Zoro was a reasonable distance away from Mr. Candle, and he laid me against a tree, hoping that I would wake up. He had a hand on one of his swords, ready to defend both me and our son. "Hang in there, my love. I'm here."
I start to wake slowly. "What happened?"
Zoro took my hand. "You were taken hostage, but Luffy and I came to rescue you. You're safe for now. Can you stand at all?"
I tried to rise to my feet but fell against him. "I guess not. I'm still a little weak from being in wax for so long."
Zoro nodded, allowing me to rest against him. "It's ok. I'm here. Rest. I have to go help Luffy, just make sure he hasn't killed himself."
I started crying. "Don't go, Zoro. You could die, and Henry will grow up without a father."
Zoro kissed my cheek. "I'm not gonna die." He put a hand on my stomach, feeling Henry kick against his hand. Glancing up, he saw that the others had arrived just in time.
Nami knelt. "Don't worry, Kat. Zoro and Luffy are gonna be ok."
Chopper smiled. "We'll get her back to the ship so she can rest."
After arriving back at the Going Merry, Chopper had me lie in bed, placing a hoof on my forehead. "She's weak from being encased in Mr. Candle's wax. Any longer and I believe that both she and Henry would have been lost to us."
Sanji nodded. "I'll make her something to eat once she wakes up."
Nami smiled. "I'll stay with her to make sure she's not alone."
Back with Zoro and Luffy, both men looked at Mr. Candle. Both of them had blood on their faces from the intense battle. It was clear that they refused to give up. Luffy looked at Zoro, all smiles removed from his face and replaced with a determination to defeat Mr. Candle.
Mr. Candle laughed as he noticed the weakened duo in front of him. "Look at you both. Unable to stand."
Luffy stood to his feet. "Zoro and I will not give up on keeping those we love safe. Not only is Henry Zoro's son, he's also my nephew. So, as his uncle, I will protect him."
Mr. Candle laughed. "You're not even related."
Luffy stared at him. "That doesn't matter. Blood or not. He is my nephew."
Zoro panted. "Luffy, let's end this."
Luffy nodded, and between him and Zoro, they brought down Mr. Candle.