"Don't go."
Archie had strong arms.
He wasn’t like Matt; he didn’t punch that training bag hundreds of times in a single session, nor did he work himself into such a fervor. That man was built like an impenetrable fortress, a lattice of muscles and bottomless energy. Archie was a swimmer. He wasn’t bulky, but toned, with years of hard work and exercise.
Archie wasn’t like Matt, but he was strong. Strong enough to know when to use his body in its biggest time of need.
Kyogre had been a mistake; even bigger than perpetuating a rivalry with a man he once considered a friend. And worse yet, he had thrust the weight of the world atop a young girl’s shoulders. All his mistakes and faults, his failed visions of a perfect world. All of that, and more. And now, as the ceiling began to fall and seawater rushed from cracks in the walls, he’d have a chance to repay part of his debt
The initial earthquake had sent enough debris and muck down to make a Graveler feel at home. The scamp hadn’t been so lucky as the rest of those that had ran out, a stray rock had clocked her on the ‘noggin, and down she went.
It would have been easy to scoop her up and dash away, but the next earthquake dislodged a particularly large boulder, and would certainly have crushed her if not for the thick and hardened body that took the brunt of the stone. This was his burden to bear, his way to wash away the debt. Archie hovered above her, arms braced against the walls, using his back to shield the unconscious girl from any more harm.
Blood was seeping between clenched teeth, dribbling down his chin and staining the dark whiskers that lay there. He was breathing hard now, and while his arms quivered, he stood his ground. Archie didn’t know how many ribs were broken, but it wasn’t right of him question
He didn’t know how much time had passed before there was finally life in the form before him. The pirate let out a ragged sigh of relief, the weight of the rocks and rubble causing him to sink down just a bit further.
"Hey, scamp…y-" A series of coughs wracked his form, blood spraying the ground at his feet. It took the pirate a number of heavy breaths before he was able to find his voice again.
"…..you get out of here, you hear? Got a world to save, scamp. I’ll…I’ll wait here. Yer ‘ole uncle Archie, he’s gonna….gonna hold down the fort." The sound of another earthquake hit his ears, and squinting his eyes tight with pain, he braced his arms and held fast.
"Go, scamp! Save the world, I know you can do it!"
The pirate gave his last shout to the figure running off, as the ceiling came down.
