Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Fire engulfs the island. Vivi’s heart sits low in her throat, stomach churning madly. An unfamiliar ship flies the Strawhat flag, flames creeping up it’s boards. She doesn’t know if she even wants to step foot on the island. From this distance, she can’t see any sign of Luffy or the others. The only thing she can see is fire and destruction. 

Maybe Koza has been right. Maybe she should have stayed in Alabasta. What help would she be? She hasn’t sailed with the Strawhat crew in nearly three years. Part of her wonders if they’ll even recognize her when she arrives.

But her heart screams that she needs to be here. These are her nakama. And when the first whispers of an epic plot against the Strawhats began months ago, she knew she had to find them. The journey had been hard. Terrifying. The New World is nothing to scoff at and without Luffy by her side, Vivi had felt her confidence waver more often than she’d like to admit.

“Princess,” Pell says softly.

“Everyone else has to stay on the ship,” Vivi tells him. “If anyone comes to attack you, leave.”

“Princess!” Protests rise up around her.

Vivi holds up her hand. “Luffy-san won’t let anything happen to me. I’ll be safe on the island. If anyone comes, you leave.”

Without giving them a chance to protest further, she boards her small boat and paddles for the island. Terror continues to build in her chest. Small dots on the island morph from lumps of darkness to bodies. 

Vivi swallows hard and forces herself on. Sandy shores press into the front of her boat and she swings herself out, water sloshing against her boots. Each step brings her closer to the still forms littering the sand. White uniforms of Marines. Blood stained bodies of pirates. So many of the surrounding ships on fire.

Clenching her hands into fists, Vivi follows the carnage. Bodies lead her, like some sick path to a hidden prize. None of them look familiar. Blank faces of the dead. She bites her lip, searching for any signs of her nakama. Part of her prays she won’t find any. That Luffy has already left this place to find One Piece.

The dream dies when she finds Usopp. Vivi’s legs and stomach give out on her as she drops to the ground. A mix between a scream and a sob fights itself loose from her chest. There’s a skeleton beside him, Vivi thinks she recognizes him from the wanted posters. Luffy’s musician who joined the crew long after Vivi had left. 

It takes what feels like hours to force herself to stop sobbing and move on. The others could still be alive, she tells herself. Because she has to. Even if the lie burns her mind. They would never leave Usopp behind.

Some of the others, she recognizes from wanted posters. Some of the worst generation. Jinbei, a former Warlord of the sea that had joined Luffy’s crew. Franky, the Iron Pirate. Nico Robin.

Finding Chopper and Nami is hard but not all that unexpected. Somehow, that makes it a little easier. More sobs take her, but she manages to stay on her feet. By the time she finds Sanji, Vivi is able to keep moving with only a few tears.

Luffy and Zoro. If any of her nakama can make it through this, it’s Luffy and Zoro. The two are monsters, in ways Vivi can’t hope to understand. She clings to that. She will find her two nakama. She will.

Clutching her jacket close, Vivi continues up the path. The bodies thin as she moves. Less and less dead line the path. The trees thicken around her, hiding almost everything from view. Vivi keeps her eyes peeled, searching for any signs that could lead her to Luffy and Zoro.

Perhaps they are no longer here. They moved on already and plan on coming back for the others when they can.

The dread in Vivi’s stomach tells her that’s unlikely. A harsh wind whips through the trees, throwing leaves and dirt at Vivi. All harmless debri to bat away until rough straw hits her face. Her fingers trap the straw and what’s left of the brim on a hat. She recognizes the red ribbon instantly.

“Luffy-san.” His name leaves her lips in a heart broken whisper and all the strength in Vivi’s body leaves her.

She drops to her knees, clutching the remnants of the hat close to her chest and trying to gather the strength to cry. Luffy would never let anything happen to his treasure. And Zoro would never let anything happen to his captain.

She’s too late. Her nakama are gone.

“Luffy-san,” Vivi sobs.

“Oi, Zoro, get up!” An unfamiliar voice splits the air and Vivi’s head snaps up again.

Zoro.

Zoro.

Metal clashes from somewhere in the distance. 

“Fire Fist! Oi, Zoro, you have to get up!”

Vivi shoves herself to her feet and runs toward the noise, the ribbon of Luffy’s hat still clutched in her hand. The trees give way to a clearing. A blonde man darts around the area, throwing fire at one of the Marine Admirals. Occasionally, he moves to hold up a pipe, blocking the swing of a sword from another Marine.

On his knees, in the middle of the clearing, covered in blood, sits Zoro. He looks so different and yet still the same. His green hair stained red and a scar has taken his left eye. His gaze is distant, as though he isn’t seeing anything, and locked on the still body beside him.

Luffy.

“Zoro!” The blonde man throws the sword wielding Marine aside. “Luffy would never forgive me if I let you die. Get up.”

Zoro doesn't move, gaze still locked on Luffy. The blonde clashes with the Admiral again, cursing. Behind them, the other Marine stumbles to his feet, sword posed to strike. Zoro either doesn’t notice him or doesn’t care. Vivi’s heart stutters to a stop. The blonde is too far away to help. And Zoro is too out of it.

Her feet carry her forward. Zoro’s white katana sits on the dirt and she snatches it up without hesitation. The Marine never sees her coming. She blocks his blow, slamming her foot into his knee, and drives the sword into his stomach before she realizes what she’s done. The Marine drops to the ground and Zoro’s most prized possession slips from her grasp.

Warm blood leaks through her fingertips and she forces herself to look away, vomit bubbling in her stomach. 

Zoro doesn’t acknowledge her. Vivi drops to her knees in front of him, trying desperately not to look at the still form below her. 

“Zoro,” Vivi whispers his name, hand moving to cup his cheek. “Zoro, please look at me.”

He doesn’t. Chest heaving, Vivi glances behind her, watching the blonde and Admiral continue to fight. Neither of them seem to notice her yet. Which means that, if she can get Zoro up, she can get them away undetected.

“Mr. Bushido,” the nickname slips loose in a desperate plea.

Zoro blinks and looks up. His gaze is still distant, but some recognition settles in his eyes. “Vivi?”

A sob of relief leaves her. “Zoro, we have to get up.”

“Luffy.”

Vivi squeezes her eyes shut to fight back tears. Letting out a determined breath, she looks up at Zoro again. “Get up.”

She grabs his arm, using all her weight to shift him. He allows it. Blood soaks his green kimono, staining his hair and cheeks. Zoro stumbles against her as she steers him back toward the forest. 

“Luffy,” Zoro whispers their captain’s name again, voice barely audible from shock. 

“Keep moving, Zoro.” Vivi refuses to think of him. She can’t. 

If she thinks of Luffy, she’ll think of all of her nakama. Guilt and grief will melt all of her willpower and send her tumbling to the ground. 

Zoro stumbles but keeps his footing. The sounds of battle behind them begin to fade. The trees around them begin to thicken again, hiding them from view. Vivi steers Zoro off the path, hoping to hide them from anyone that might come looking for them. 

She’d never be able to fight an Admiral. And Zoro was in no shape to even attempt it. They make it a few miles before the last of Vivi’s strength gives out. She allows them to fall to the ground, Zoro returning to his shell shocked state of staring at the dirt below him. Vivi collapses to tears beside him, resting her head against the ground as she clutches Luffy’s ribbon to her chest and sobs. 

Every thought brings her back to her fallen nakama. Gone without the chance to fulfill their dreams. And she hadn’t been here to help them. She’d stayed in Alabasta, hidden behind castle walls and royal guards.

Could she have helped? Changed things? Saved her nakama?

“Oh, Zoro.” Vivi forced herself up, tears blurring her vision. She reaches out for the swordsman, hand clamping around his sleeve as she leans against his shoulder to continue her tears. “Zoro.”

He doesn’t respond. Vivi wonders if he ever will. She’s heard stories of men and women who have come home from war without ever really coming home. Their minds trapped away from the reality around them, hiding from what they’ve seen. If Vivi can get Zoro off this island, she may never truly get him back.

“I’m sorry, Zoro. I’m so, so sorry.”

The sun begins to sink in the sky by the time Vivi’s finished crying. Beside her, Zoro keeps staring at the ground, ignoring the blood drying against his bare skin. Vivi’s eyes move through the thick trees, trying to think of a plan. Where is the blonde now? Who is the blonde? How is she going to get Zoro out of here?

She strains her ears for signs of a battle, but she finds none. Just the crackle of fire and the rustle of leaves. And then, words? Vivi straightens herself, turning her ear toward the noise. The voices sound close, familiar even. 

“What brings you all the way out here?” Zoro’s voice asks. 

Vivi freezes, head snapping up to Zoro. He hasn’t moved, gaze still stuck to the ground.

“I could ask you the same question, Mr. Bushido,” Vivi replies.

The sound of her own voice stops her heart, her mind spinning. Why do these words fill her with deja vu? 

“I’m training, obviously.”

“Chopper told you not to take your bandages off.”

“Well, I can’t train if I have them on.”

Alabasta. She and Zoro had had this conversation in Alabasta, just after Crocodile had been defeated. She’d hiked into the countryside, hoping to find some answers, and instead found the swordsman balancing multiple boulders on his wounded body.

Vivi pushed herself up, confusion and curiosity filling her as she followed the voices. Small bricks peeked out from beneath the plants around her. Reminders of what most have once been a village. The further Vivi goes, the more buildings begin to appear. None of them are intact, but it told Vivi one thing. People had lived here once. 

Something important either is or was here.

A cracked sign stood beside the path. Vivi paused to brush some of the dirt away, squinting down at the small words. Gate of Kairos , the large words read. Wrong choices are inevitable. So are second chances.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Zoro said. “What are you doing out here? I thought you’d be down celebrating with the rest of your city.”

“I needed to think.”

His voice carries Vivi forward. Beyond the gate sits an archway, glistening as though made of water. And, in that water, sits a scene. Vivi sees herself, three years ago, standing on a cliff and staring out at a sunset. Behind her, Zoro sits with his arms outstretched, boulders balanced perfectly.

She remembers this day. This is the day she made her choice.

“You aren’t coming with us.” Zoro said. His voice held no question.

Vivi sighed, staring out at the horizon. “I don’t know. I-I don’t know what the right thing to do is.”

“We never know what the right choice is. Not until we’ve already made the wrong one.” He sounded strangely wise for Zoro. “But, no matter what you choose, Vivi, you’ll always be our nakama. And we will always be here for you.”

The words had brought her such relief. Had made her decision so easy. Looking back, she can’t help but think that it was the wrong decision. Zoro had been right. At the moment, staying in Alabasta had felt so right. Now, she knows it was wrong. 

“Why are you showing me this?” she asks the gate. “What do you want me to do?”

“What if I make the wrong choice?” Vivi turned to look at Zoro, tears in her eyes. “What if I stay here and it turns out to be a mistake?”

“What if you leave and your country needs you? No good comes from what ifs, Vivi.”

“I don’t want to regret this.”

She does. She regrets leaving them. Regrets not being able to die beside her nakama.

“You have to make a choice, Vivi. And, if it’s the wrong one, fix it later.”

“How can I fix something like this?”

She can’t. 

Can she? 

Wrong choices are inevitable. So are second chances.

Second chances. Is that what this is? A second chance? Is that what these people were living here for?

There’s only one way to find out.

Vivi’s feet carry her toward the gate. Every muscle in her body screams for her to touch it. To let it pull her back to that moment. To change her mind. 

A blood stained hand wraps around her arm, stopping her in her tracks. The scene continues to play out in the archway but Vivi finds her gaze pulled to Zoro. Blood trickles freely down the side of his face and fire finally returns to his eyes. Her heart leaps. Zoro is back. Her lips twitch up as Zoro links their hands together, grip tight and determined.

“Together.” The word slurs from his blood stained lips.

Vivi nods, squeezing his hand, and steps forward. Together. They’ll fix this. They’ll save their nakama.

Chapter Text

Zoro wakes in a cold sweat, shooting up in bed, and gasps wildly. His gaze shoots around the room, searching for the danger that sends horror reverberating through his veins. Moonlight spills over the room, showing him rows of beds. Lumps sit under blankets, soft snores and steady breathing filling the room around his gasps. The air around him is cool, windows closed to hold in the heat. 

He knows this room.

Alabasta. He’s back in Alabasta.

Zoro’s shaking hands shoot to his face. His left eye is open, scar missing. He moves his fingertips down the rest of his body. Many of his scars are gone. So are his muscles, every bit of strength he’d gathered over his time with Mihawk, stripped from him. But the bandages Chopper insisted on wrapping him in after the Battle of Alabasta are present. 

Zoro’s chest heaves. He looks around the room again, taking a moment to stare at each of his nakama’s sleeping forms in turn. Usopp, his fingers unbroken and body free of holes, sleeps soundly in his bed, limbs thrown around as they often are. Nami’s red hair is short again, falling across her intact face from where she’s curled on her side. Chopper is curled at Usopp’s side, fur smoothed down and untarnished by flames. The cook’s limbs are all there. None of his legs appear broken and he breathes easily. None of the awful rasping from broken ribs, hands intact and not reaching out for Zoro.

Swallowing the vomit in his throat, Zoro forces the sounds from his mind and turns to the bed beside him. Luffy’s snores rock the room. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Zoro pushes himself up. His legs turn to jello when he tries to take a step forward. He falls to his knees beside Luffy’s bed, fingers trembling as they tug back the blacket. 

He has to see. Has to make sure. 

There’s no holes in Luffy’s chest. No sizzling stink of flesh. Sabo’s cries of rage and vengeance don’t fill the air. 

The world around them is quiet. Because Zoro is in Alabasta and the war is over. 

He rests his head on Luffy’s bed, tucking his arm into his teeth to stifle any noise, and fights back sobs. His nakama are safe. They’re alive. And, even though Zoro failed them once, he can fix it now. He can fix it. 

He will fix it.

“Zoro.” Her voice is so soft he almost misses it.

His gaze snaps up to meet Vivi’s. She stands on the other side of Luffy’s bed, eyes watering with tears as she clutches a torn and stained ribbon. 

“Yo,” his voice trembles, hands shaking as he wipes the tears from his face.

Vivi crosses to the other side of the bed, kneeling beside him. “You’re here?”

Zoro nods, unable to trust his own voice. Soft hands take his, squeezing tightly as she nods at him. Neither of them speak. There are no words for this. No right way to greet someone after this. 

Another shuddering breath leaves Zoro’s lungs and Vivi rubs his back. He shrugs out of her grip, eyes moving around the room. His swords sit beside his bed, patiently waiting. Wadou, Kitseu, and Enma. No, no Shusui. No, fuck, no. Yubashiri. Enma is in Wano now. And Shusui waits for him on Thriller Bark, around with one of his missing nakama.

“I’ll be back,” he tells Vivi.

“Zoro.” Her voice wavers as he stands, moving to grab his sword. “Zoro, wait.”

He ignores her, pushing open the door and making his way into the hallway. Vivi’s light footsteps follow him, fingers catching around the sleeve of his shirt. The hallway around them sits empty, silent as the rest of the palace sleeps.

“Stop,” she orders. “Where are you going?”

“I have to check something.”

Her grip tightens as he tries to pull away. “Check in the morning. Zoro, you have to take a breath.”

“Let go of me.”

“No. Just, wait here and-”

“And what?” The snarl comes out far harsher than he intends but he manages to free his arm from her grip. “Cry? Snivel?”

“Mourn,” she says softly. “Our nakama-”

Are dead , she’s going to say. He can’t hear that. Strange heat begins to press against his skin. His heart climbs into his throat, pounding hard enough to vibrate his entire being. 

“Are in that room, sleeping,” he replies lowly, daring her to say otherwise.

Because they are. His nakama are sleeping. They’re safe. They are alive . And Zoro intends to keep it that way. 

Vivi swallows, tears returning to her eyes as she stares up at him. “Zoro,” she whispers.

“I don’t have time to sit around and cry,” he tells her. “I have to know what I brought back with me.”

I have to know if I’m strong enough to do anything. What have I lost?

“I’ll be back. Just.” Zoro’s gaze moves to the door behind her. “Just, wait with them.”

Keep them safe .

Finally, she nods.

The Alabastian night is cold as he makes his way through the palace and down the front steps. The guards glance at him as he passes. He pays them little mind, heading back to the cliff. By some miracle, his feet remember the way. The moon hangs high over his head as he moves. It's been years since he set foot in Alabasta. Somehow, he remembers it differently. The city seems far more beautiful than he had memories of, even in the wake of their war with Crocodile.

Zoro settles himself on the cliff, pulls in a deep breath, closes his eyes, and searches the city. He feels them. His nakama, sleeping in the palace below. The scorpions scuttling in the dirt behind him. It’s still there. He hasn’t lost his Observation Haki. Alright, good. That’s very, very good. A slight smile settles over his lips as he lets himself focus in on the feeling of Luffy, each breath his captain takes. 

Armament. Arguably the more important of the two. If his armament had been stronger, better, then maybe.

No. Stop. 

Don't think of that now. 

Zoro pulls Enma - Shusui - no, Yubashiri. Damn it, he needs to stop doing this. He needs to know where he is. When he is.

Breath in. Breath out.

Zoro frees Yubashiri from its scabbard and holds the katana out before him. Black erupts across the blade. 

Good. Zoro breathes again, placing the blade back in its scabbard and looking out at the still desert around him. He can do this. He can save them this time. He just needs a plan, a way to make them stronger. A way to prepare them for the end.

No, no, not the end. He won’t let that be the end.

Blood thunders in his ears, his chest heaving wildly. The cold air around him began to burn as his skin turned red hot. Sweat gathered around him, dripping down his neck and back. Vibrations racked his body, as though he was trying to jump out of his own skin.

Zoro shed his top, desperate for cold air to help him. It did no good. His breath shuddered, turning to gasps, as his heart slammed faster and harder. He couldn’t pull anything into his lungs. He was choking, suffocating on pure, cool oxygen. His vision narrowed, spinning like a top and he squeezed his eyes closed to try and fight the dizziness.

Pulling his knees to his chest, Zoro knotted his hands in his hair to try and calm the trembling. They wouldn’t die. They wouldn’t die like that. Not again.

Zoro wouldn’t let them die like that. He would be better, stronger, faster. This time, he would save them all.

His hand tightened in his hair, pulling until pain erupted in his skull. His thoughts turned to the pain, stealing memories from the front of his mind. Zoro pulls harder, desperate to think of anything else.

Zoro breathes. A shiver runs through him as the air finally turns cold again. He sucks in oxygen like a drowning victim, pulling his still trembling hands from his hair. 

“Luffy.” His captain’s name leaves his lips in a pathetic whisper and he searches for Luffy’s presence again.

Still healthy and strong as Luffy sleeps soundly.

Exhaustion seeps into Zoro’s bones and he knows it's time to move. Limbs still feeling like jello, he shoves himself up, stumbling only a bit. Tomorrow, they’ll go back to Sunny-no, Merry. Tomorrow, the crew will board The Going Merry again. For the first time in years, Zoro will see Merry strong and sturdy again. A massive mix of emotions fill him.

He’ll lose Merry again.

Zoro’s legs give out. He hits the hard, sandy ground with a horrified sob. 

He’ll lose Merry again.

He won’t be strong enough to save her.

The pumping of blood returned to his ears with horrible tremors. Blind terror began to wash over him.

Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.

Zoro’s hand shoots to Yubashiri, ripping the sword from its scabbard just far enough to slam his palm onto it. Warm blood rushes across his skin. His mind abandons the fear of weakness, concentrating on the stinging pain in his palm.

Still trembling, he cradles the injured hand to his chest. He should have been smarter about that one. Chopper will surely notice this first thing. Shit, he needs to figure this out. He can’t break down every time his thoughts stray to his failures.

His long, long list of failures.

“Stop,” he tells himself. “Luffy.”

Luffy needs him. Luffy needs him strong and present. He’ll figure out a way to deal with this, same as he’ll figure out how to save his nakama. Tomorrow, he’ll board the Going Merry. Tomorrow, Vivi will make a different choice. Zoro will make different choices.

Tomorrow, they’ll save their nakama.

Tonight, he’ll start making himself strong again.

“Zoro!” Luffy’s voice cheers his name as he opens the door. 

A smile graces Zoro’s face against his will. His captain beams at him, holding Hat tight to his head. 

“Yo, Luffy,” he greets, forcing strength into his voice.

He curses himself as it wavers slightly. Luffy doesn’t seem to notice, turning to Vivi in shock and horror as Nami reveals that he’s been asleep for three days.

“I missed fifteen meals?” Luffy yelps.

“Zoro, where have you been?” Chopper demands, leaping from Luffy’s bed to run over to him. “You were out training, weren’t you?”

Zoro shrugs, turning away from the small doctor to pour himself water. If he looks too long, he might see black staining Chopper’s brown fur. “I don’t need your permission to train,” Zoro tells the young doctor instead. Because that’s what he would say if everything was normal. If there wasn’t bubbles of joy erupting in his stomach.

“Of course you need my permission, I’m your doctor!”

The best doctor in the world. 

“I left my bandages on,” he tells the little doctor.

What he doesn’t tell Chopper is he left the bandages on to hide the wound on his hand from detection. 

“That doesn’t mean you can train! I put those bandages on you so you wouldn’t move around.”

Zoro keeps his back to Chopper to hide the smile growing across his face. This is right. This feels right. The young doctor’s hooves tug at Zoro’s sleeve.

“Sit down and let me look at you, right now!”

“Get off me, Chopper. It was just a little training. No harm ever came from a little training.”

“Sanji,” Luffy’s whine echoes around the room. “Meat!”

“Yosh, yosh,” the cook sighs, standing from the couch.

“Oh, Sanji-san, please sit,” Vivi says, shooting to her feet. “Teracota has been preparing dinner for hours now. If Luffy-san’s hungry, I can send someone to get him snacks.”

“Vivi-chan is too sweet.” The cook’s limbs dance around like noodles. “Going out of your way to feed us.”

“It’s no trouble, Sanji-san,” Vivi insists, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “After all you’ve done for me, it’s the least I can do for you.”

The cook continues to waltz around like an idiot, declaring Vivi the kindest princess on the planet. Zoro sighs, shaking Chopper loose from his leg and makes way to sit in the abandoned chair beside his captain. Luffy collapses sideways, look up at Zoro pitifully

“Zooooorrrrroooooo,” the captain whines. It’s music to his ears. 

“Sencho?”

“I’m hungry.”

Zoro’s lips twitch. “Just a few more minutes, you damn glutton.”

With a dramatic sigh, Luffy flops onto his stomach to pout. The others continue to talk and laugh around them, though Zoro is fully aware that Vivi’s smiles are for show. And that her eyes keep wandering over to him. After a moment, Luffy’s eyes hover on him as well.

“Ne, Zoro?” the captain says.

Zoro hums.

“Are you hurt?”

“Eh?”

Luffy frowns. “You feel funny.”

“I feel funny?”

“Hai. You feel, not Zoro-like. But still Zoro.”

Damn Luffy and the uncanny six senth between them.

“I’m not hurt, Luffy,” Zoro tells him.

Because he isn’t. All his wounds are barely noticeable now, pushed to the back of his mind. There are more important things to worry about. 

Luffy blinks up at him, not looking entirely convinced, but he finally nods and lets the subject drop. The doors across the room open, one of the servants barely having time to announce that dinner is ready before the captain bolts out of the room.

“Luffy!” Nami shouts. “Do you even know where you’re going?”

The rest of the crew file out behind him. Vivi pauses, rocking on her toes as she waits for Zoro to catch up to her. A strip of red in blue catches his eye. The ribbon. Luffy’s ribbon. She’s tied it around her hair. Despite the black scorch marks and small tears, it looks like it belongs.

“What?” Zoro asks, pausing beside her.

Vivi frowns up at him. “Where did you go? I was worried.”

“I was training.”

Her frown deepens. “Zoro.” Pity fill her voice.

A spark of rage shoots through his chest, morphing into a wildfire. “Don’t.”

If possible, her face falls even further. “You have to stop.”

“Stop what exactly?” he demands. “I’m doing exactly what I said I would.”

I’m saving my nakama.

Vivi shakes her head. “No, you’re not. We said together , Zoro. Together doesn’t mean you running off by yourself and telling me nothing.”

“I don’t have time to babysit you.” Zoro shoves past her.

Vivi’s hand snatches his sleeve, yanking him back. The pity has left her face, thank God, replaced by more anger than he’s ever seen from her. “I don’t want you to babysit me. I’m in the dark here, Zoro. I don’t know what comes next.”

Resentment builds in his chest. “And who’s fault is that?”

Vivi’s eyes widen at the words, far more cruel than she deserved. Tears begin to swim in her eyes again. Silence falls over the empty hallway. Zoro closes his eyes, regret filling his body and he feels the fight begin to leak out of him. She’s right. She’s right, they’re supposed to be doing this together. He isn’t supposed to be hurting his nakama.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers.

“I am too,” Vivi says, her jaw clenching to hold in her grief. “If I’d known-”

“But you didn’t. None of us did.”

“We said together,” she repeats. “You’re not alone, Zoro. I’m here now. And I’m not going anywhere. So, I need you to stop. Stop and breath.”

“I don’t have time-”

“You do. You have years, Zoro. Years to plan. You have time. To grieve.”

Zoro’s jaw clenches. “There’s nothing to grieve.”

Their nakama are safe and alive.

“Zoro,” Vivi whispers.

He won’t cry. Won’t breakdown. Won’t freeze.

His nakama are alive.

“We need a plan,” he tells her.

Vivi sighs and shakes her head. “We need to eat. Don’t argue with me, Zoro.” She wraps her arms around his, pulling him down the hallway. “We’ll plan later. I told you, we have time.”

“This isn’t a game.”

“No, it isn’t. But if you think too far ahead, you’ll miss everything in front of you.”

“Like what?”

“Our nakama.”

The rest of his protests die in his throat. Vivi gives him a weak smile, tightening her grip on his arm.

“We take this one step at a time, Zoro. Tell me what happens next.”

“Eh?”

“After you guys left, what happened next?”

Zoro racks his brain. What happens next? They left Alabasta, cashed by Marines but they’d gotten away. And then what? 

Robin.

They left the island and then Robin walked out.

Zoro freezes, Vivi stumbling to a stop beside him. Robin waits on Merry for them, to join their crew. Robin who almost destroyed Vivi’s home. A curse makes it way past his lips.

“Zoro?” Vivi asks. 

“Robin,” he says.

Vivi blinks. “Robin?” 

“Nico Robin is waiting on the Going Merry.”

Her hands fall from his arm. “What?”

Zoro swallows hard, shfiting on his feet awkwardly. “Miss All Sunday.”

“I know who she is, Zoro. I just - I guess I forgot.”

“Forgot?”

“Nami-san wrote me. She told me that Nico Robin had joined your crew. I was angry at first, but, Luffy-san knows what he’s doing and he always has a reason. I’ll never be able to understand why he does what he does, but I trust him.” She lifts her head to smile at him, wrapping her arms around his again.. “Just like I trust you. So, what happens after Robin?”

That went better than he expected. Much better. 

“Enel.” The name of the false god crosses his mind. “Skypiea.”

“Skypiea?”

Zoro nods. “The island in the sky.”

“An island in the sky,” Vivi repeats, voice full of awe. “You’ve all had quite the adventures.”

The feast in their honor is more over the top than Zoro remembers it. A few raised eyebrows move his way when Vivi takes the seat beside him, mainly from the enraged cook. Vivi giggles at him as she settles in. The massacre of the food begins, Luffy’s hands flying across the table and snagging everything in sight. The others squawk and screech, struggling to defend their food. 

Laughter fills the air. Somehow, Vivi manages to join in on the antics. As if she hadn’t seen their nakama bloody and still. Sweat gathers across Zoro’s back. His mind spatters blood across his nakama’s faces. Bloody holes spread through Usopp’s body. Gouges mar Nami’s pretty face. The cook’s hands snap in unnatural directions. 

“Zoro ,” Luffy’s voice creeps from the back of his mind. Blood gurgles in his captain’s throat. “It’s okay. Live.”

Zoro squeezes his eyes shut, hands clenching around his pant legs. 

“Oi, what did you drink too much, marimo?” the cook demands from down the hall.

Zoro breathes deeply, forcing his eyes open and grabs the mug of booze in front of him. “Shut it, shitty cook.” 

The words taste unusually bitter in his mouth.

How did Zoro forget about Bon-chan? The shitty mercenary ended up being such a pain in their ass, and yet somehow so forgettable. Yet, his voice spills out of the transponder snail with the same annoying pitch that Zoro remembers from years ago.

“Where are you?” Usopp demands, leaning over Luffy’s shoulder to yell at the snail.

Zoro’s eyes snap to Vivi, sitting on the couch across from Luffy. This is it. This is the moment he’s been waiting for.

“Oh your ship,” Bon-chan replies. “The Going Merry!”

Merry. Zoro closes his eyes and breathes deeply. 

One step at a time. That’s what Vivi told him. One step at a time and together. 

Around him, the others begin to plan. Questions spring up, wondering if they can trust Bon-chan. Planning for what to do if they’re betrayed. They spring up around him, packing rapidly.

Zoro’s eyes meet Vivi’s when he opens them again. She smiles at him.

“Alright, everyone,” Nami says. “Let’s get going.”

“Wait,” Vivi says. “Everyone, please. Wait just one minute.”

Everyone’s gaze turns to her. All of their faces fall. They all know. Or they think they know. 

“Can you give me just a few extra minutes? I-I need to leave my father a note.”

“A note?” Chopper echoes.

Vivi nods. “If I tell my father and Igram I’m coming with you, they’ll try to stop me. I’m just going to leave them a note.”

“You’re coming with us?” Joy takes over Nami’s face, smiling brighter than Zoro’s ever seen.

Vivi smiles, eyes flickering to Zoro before back to the navigator. “Of course. You’re my nakama.”

They escape the Marines with far more ease than Zoro remembers. Mostly because they don’t have to wait an extra twelve hours for Vivi. Colors streak through the sky as the sun breaks over the horizon. Cheers erupt from the crew. Along with Luffy’s cry of “Sanji! Meat”. Because this constitutes a celebration. 

Zoro leans against the mast, staring at the door, and waits. The others begin arguing over whether or not they should be able to go to bed instead of celebrating. Laughter fills the air. Usopp chases Luffy around the deck while the cook and Chopper climb the stairs to the kitchen.

Has Robin fallen asleep? 

She never told them exactly how long she waited on the ship. It wouldn’t surprise him. After everything she’s been through, she must be exhausted.

“Sanji!” Luffy shouts, laughing as he dives out of Usopp’s grasp. “Meat!”

“I heard you the first time, you shitty captain,” the cook shouts back, almost to the kitchen.

Zoro’s back straightens as the door opens. Robin saunters onto the deck like she owns the place. A breath leaves his chest. Robin is alive. Whether she wants to be or not, she’s perfectly fine.

“I see we’ve escaped the firing squad,” she says. “Good work.”

The crew jolt into action. None of them jolt into any relevant action, unfortunately. The cook flutters around with heart eyes. Luffy stares at Robin, dumbfounded. Nami dives to hide behind the mast, dragging Vivi with her. Chopper starts crying and Usopp begins shouting about an intruder alert.

It really is a good thing that Robin isn’t a threat to their crew.

“How long have you been on our ship?” Nami demands.

“Quite a while. These are your clothes, correct? I’m borrowing them for now.” Robin turns to dig out a chair, that devilish smirk in place. “Monkey D. Luffy. You haven’t forgotten what you did to me, have you?”

The cook pounces on Luffy, demanding to know what their captain has done to “such a beautiful lady”. Usopp and Chopper continue their fearful cries. Nami continues to shout at Robin over her damn clothes. 

Vivi inches closer to him, peering down at him with a raised eyebrow. “She can’t possibly be upset that Luffy-san attacked her for attacking my kingdom.”

Zoro snorts. “That’s not what she’s mad about.”

“Oh? What did Luffy-san do to her?”

Saved her life. Zoro barely contains his eye roll. Of all the reasons to be upset with a person, saving someone’s life isn’t the best. But, Robin does have a rather surprising lack of logic when it comes to these kinds of things.

“Zoro!” Nami screeches. “Do something!”

“What would you like me to do?” Zoro asks, resting his katana against his shoulder. “Cut the clothes off of her?”

“No, you idiot. Get her off this ship!”

Zoro closes his eyes.

“Don’t ignore me!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Luffy whines as the cook shakes him violently. “What do you want me to do?”

Robin rests her cheek on her palm, that smirk growing. “Let me join your crew.”

“WHAT?!” His nakama’s protest fill the air as Vivi takes a seat next to him. Aside from the cook, who lets out a delighted “absolutely”.

“No way, lady!” Nami shouts. “You tried to steal Vivil’s kingdom. Why would we ever let you sail with us?”

Because our captain is a bleeding heart , Zoro doesn’t say. From the corner of his eye, he sees Vivi’s lips twitch in a smile. Hopefully, the navigator’s anger will ease any betrayal Vivi will feel in a minute.

“Because, what your captain has done to me is simply unbearable.” Robin lifts her chin, turning her eyes to Luffy.

“Luffy!” the cook screeches, lunging to tackle the captain again.

“Oi, oi! I didn’t do anything.”

“You tried to hurt our nakama,” Nami snarls. “You deserved for Luffy to beat the hell out of you.”

“Luffy didn’t beat the hell out of her,” Zoro mutters. 

The ship goes silent around him. Apparently, he’d spoken louder than he intended to. Everyone’s gazes turned to him, eyebrows raised in confusion and intrigue. Robin straightens, those violet eyes locked on her. 

Somehow, she looks older. Maybe because this is before she’s found her place to belong. Maybe it’s because she’s sad again. Looking for a way out of the world, but unable to do it herself. A strange sickness rocks in his stomach at the realization that this is going to be Robin for months again. He’s going to have to watch his nakama long to die again.

“And what do you know about what your captain has done to me, swordsman-san?” Robin asks.

“If Luffy beat the hell out of you, you wouldn’t be standing,” Zoro tells her, mind scrambling to cover up the mistake. “You’d be sitting in a cell with your friends. So, what’d he do? Steal your pie?”

“He saved my life.”

Stunned silence drops onto Merry’s deck.

“You,” Usopp stammers. “You’re mad that Luffy saved your life ?”

Robin’s cool eyes glare at Luffy. “I wanted nothing more than to die in that moment. But you forced me to live. That is your crime, Monkey D. Luffy. Now, I have nowhere to go and nowhere to return to. So, I’ve decided that I’ll join your crew.”

“I see.” Luffy nods seriously. “Guess that’s that. Welcome.”

“LUFFY!” Again, the crew’s protest rise up.

Their captain turns to grin at them. “Don’t worry. She isn’t a bad person.”

“Zoro!” Nami rounds to him. “Do something!”

Zoro blinks at her. “Me?”

“Yes, you ! You’re supposed to be keeping an eye on him.”

“Luffy does what Luffy wants.” Zoro closes his eyes again. “No point in trying to fight it.”

Face pinched in rage, Nami turns to Luffy. “Have you forgotten what she did to Vivi?”

“Nami-san,” Vivi calls, leaning past Zoro to look up at the navigator. He can feel her hesitation, knows the words must be killing her. “It’s alright.”

A surprised gasp softens Nami’s face. “Vivi.”

“Luffy-san knows what he’s doing. If he says Nico Robin can travel with us, I’ll trust his decision.”

The words probably taste like acid in her mouth. Respect blossoms in Zoro’s chest. This can’t be easy for her, to accept a woman she’s only ever seen as an enemy. But for the good of the crew, she does.

Together.

Together.

“Jaya,” Zoro tells Vivi as they sit against the rail near Merry’s head, watching the sun set.

Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp are running around playing tag. Nami is going through all the treasure Robin brought with her and the cook is probably doing something stupid. Zoro keeps his eyes peeled for any sign of Robin. The archeologist seems to have taken a particular interest in the two of them. Probably because they’re the only two she didn’t have to win over. And, she’s even sneaker now that she doesn’t know she’s among nakama. 

The chances of her growing an ear to hear their conversation is strong.

“Jaya?” Vivi echoes. 

“A ship will fall from the sky. Then we’ll make our way to Jaya.” Zoro’s hands tighten around his katana. “I need - I need you to come with us when we go to town.”

“Of course.” She frowns at him. “What’s going on?”

“Teach is there.” 

“Teach?”

Zoro nods. “Marshall D Teach. Also known as Blackbeard.”

“The man Ace was looking for?”

His knuckles turn the color of Wadou’s scabbard. “I’m not strong enough to beat him like this. This body is too young. Too weak,” Zoro admits. “I know it. And I don’t have enough time to train. It won’t take us long to get there. But.”

The thought of Blackbeard makes Zoro’s blood boil with rage. He knows all of the problems Teach will cause. The heartbreak that man will bring to his crew.

“But?” Vivi presses gently.

“I know. I know what he does.”

Vivi’s hand settles on his arm. He shrugs out of the touch, hating the heat it brings. Heat will cause another freak out, it always does. 

“Zoro.” She sounds hurt. 

“Don’t,” he tells her. “Please, don’t touch me.”

Her hand falls. He shoves guilt down into his stomach.

“I won’t let you fight Teach,” she tells him. 

He nods.

“So, Jaya and then Skypiea?”

“That’s right.”

“And who did you say we’ll find on Skypiea?”

“Enel. He thinks he’s god.”

Vivi blinks. “God?”

Zoro hums. “He’s a Devil Fruit user. He can turn himself into lightning.”

“Lightning?”

“Luffy was the only one who could beat him back then. I wish I could have seen the look on that cocky bastard’s face when he couldn’t knock Luffy out with a single hit.”

“Right, because Luffy-san’s made out of rubber.”

A smile pulls at Zoro’s lips. “Stupid rubber shit didn’t even realize why he was the only one who could stop Enel. Nami had to explain it to him after.”

Vivi pulls her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them as she listens to him. 

“It was a little more difficult than he thought it’d be, I think. Since Enel’s powers had no effect on him, Luffy thought he’d be able to punch his way out of it. But, Logia users used to be a pain like that. I guess, they will be again.”

“What do you mean?”

“Luffy won’t know Armament Haki anymore.” Zoro frowns down at Wadou. “Or Observation. So, he’ll have to struggle to take out Enel.”

“Couldn’t you teach him?”

“Not in time.” 

Zoro isn’t sure he should teach Luffy at all. Battling Enel was important for all of them. The false god had forced Luffy to learn battle strategy. Forced Usopp to learn courage. Forced Nami to respect their captain’s unusual methods. It had forced Zoro to see Robin as his nakama. Taking that knowledge away could be bad for the crew.

“What is it?” Vivi asks.

“Eh?”

“You look like you’re in pain.”

Zoro shakes his head. “Just, thinking.”

“About?”

“What to let them learn themselves.” Zoro looks out at the setting sun again. “What do I change? What do I make them struggle through?”

Water 7. Thriller Bark. Sabaody.

The panic returns. Vivi leans close as he starts to shake again, hand clasping over his chest. This has to stop. He has to stop doing this. Stop panicking over stupid things. He’ll be useless like this.

“Zoro.” Vivi’s hand clasps his, helping him to stop the trembles.

“I don’t know what to change.”

“Don’t think too far ahead,” she tells him. “Jaya. Tell me what we need to change on Jaya.”

Jaya. What needs to be changed on Jaya? What even happens on Jaya? It’s been so long. They meet Teach. Luffy’s going to make him let Bellamy beat the hell out of him. They’ll meet that old man. Luffy will beat the hell out of Bellamy. They’ll find their way to Skypiea. 

“Nothing,” he says. “We don’t need to change anything. But-”

“No. Not but,” Vivi says. 

A bit of frustration builds in his chest. “Vivi-”

The princess shakes her head. “No. We’ll worry about Skypiea when we get to Jaya. Just one step, Zoro. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Jaya.”

His chest heaves in a deep breath. “Jaya.”

Vivi squeezes his hand before she releases it, settling back against the railing again. The heat of her worried gaze settles across his shoulders.

“You should go down below and get some sleep. You look exhausted Zoro.”

“I told Luffy I’d take watch tonight.”

“I’ll do it.”

Zoro shakes his head. For the first time in his life, sleep sounds awful. He knows what waits for him. Memories. Failures. Despite his heavy eyelids and the dull ache of exhaustion falling over his limbs, he can’t fall asleep. He can’t see his nakama like that again.

He’ll wake everyone in the men’s quarters. Luffy will know something’s wrong.

“Zoro,” Vivi presses. “I’ll watch over our nakama tonight.”

Damn this woman. She’s too stubborn.

“Fine,” he sighs. “Fine, you can have first watch. I’ll take second. And I’m sleeping up here.”

Vivi lets out a long suffering sigh. “Yosh. Yosh. As long as you sleep.”

Knowing it’s a mistake, Zoro closes his eyes.

Chapter Text

The red ribbon of Luffy’s hat feels unusually rough in her hands. Beside her, Zoro breathes evenly, katana resting against his shoulder. The moon hangs full above her head, a cool chill in the air. 

Jaya.

Unease bubbles in her stomach. Zoro is scared. He won’t admit it, least of all to her, but Vivi can tell. The way he shook. The way his face scrunched in pain as he struggled to make a decision. Zoro is absolutely terrified. And, it's strange. Since she’s known him, the swordsman has been nothing short of confident and unstoppable. The panic threatening to take over him whenever his mind wanders too far is horrible.

Vivi’s grip tightens around the ribbon, her gaze dropping to the worn fabric. “Luffy-san,” she whispers. 

She wishes he were here. Luffy would know how to tame Zoro’s fears. He would be able to pull Zoro close and give him the comfort he so desperately needs. But, for now, she’ll have to do.

Another breeze whips across the deck. Zoro lets out an uncharacteristic shudder as the cold air settles over them. Vivi frowns, glancing over at the swordsman. He shifts, hunkering his shoulders down, unconsciously trying to defend himself from the winds. It's the most he’s moved in hours. 

Vivi pushes herself up, carefully moving away from the swordsman. There must be some spare blankets somewhere. Keeping Zoro warm and asleep needs to be her top priority. The longer she can hide him from the horrors hiding in his head, the better.

She checks the storage room first. A few of the boxes have been thrown astray from their early encounter with a small storm, but nothing seems to be damaged. Vivi frowns as she searches through the supplies. Not a blanket in sight. Damn. Did Nami move them to one of the rooms? She hopes not.

Sneaking into the boys’ cabin would probably be easy enough to sneak into. All of them sleep heavily, none as heavily as the swordsman. Vivi would be able to sneak around and find some extra blankets without a problem, but snooping around the boys’ cabin and getting caught would be humiliating. But, she’ll risk waking Nami if she wanders into the girls’ room. And, then she’ll have to explain to the navigator exactly why she’s been sitting up with the swordsman all night.

“Princess-san,” Nico Robin greets as Vivi emerges onto the deck again. 

Vivi freezes, taking half a step back as she looks up at the woman. She assumed that the rest of the crew was sleeping, but she supposes she should have known better. A monster like Nico Robin probably doesn’t need sleep.

Stop , Vivi tells herself. 

This woman belongs to this crew. Zoro had made that much clear. And if Vivi plans on helping him save their nakama, that means she has to learn to deal with this woman. She needs to stop seeing Nico Robin as the enemy and start looking at her as a member of the crew. That means being nice. Choosing her words carefully here.

“What do you want?’ The words come out in a sneer despite her best attempts.

Nico Robin seems undeterred. She lets out a small laugh, slight smile gracing her face as she offers Vivi two folded blankets. “It’s gotten cold out. I thought you and swordsman-san might find these useful.”

She seems so normal. Trying to be kind. After her arrival, she’s spent most of the day winning over the rest of their crew. Using her Devil Fruit to play with Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp. The boys laughed for hours. Sanji - unsurprisingly - had taken no effort at all. Their cook spent most of the day doting over Nico Robin, bringing her drinks and snacks, and being awarded smiles and thanks.

And, now, she’s standing in front of Vivi like nothing happened. Offering blankets in an attempt to smooth over the malice between them.

It’s so strange.

Perhaps this is why she became nakama. She’s making the effort to be liked. And, Vivi has to sail with her. She has to. Whether she likes it or not, Nico Robin is nakama now.

“Thank you,” Vivi says stiffly, accepting the blankets.

Nico Robin smiles widely, her gaze drifting up the stairs. “I must admit, I’m surprised. I figured you and the swordsman would be giving me the hardest time. And, yet, here we are.”

Only because we know , Vivi doesn’t tell her. If we didn’t know, I would have asked Luffy to throw you overboard and Zoro would have taken your head off without hesitation.

“Luffy-san knows what he’s doing.” Vivi tucks the blankets under her arm and starts back up the stairs.

Nico Robin hums. “I hope he does.” 

Shoving down the overwhelming worry that Nico Robin’s observation is a threat, Vivi doesn’t look back. If there’s even a chance of that woman being a threat, Zoro would have never allowed her on the ship. 

The swordsman stirs slightly as she crosses to him, shoes clicking against the wood. To her relief, he doesn’t wake, just shifts slightly. Careful not to disturb him, Vivi tucks the blankets up around his shoulders. He looks unusually peaceful. The lines of worry have finally faded from his face, all of the tension has slumped out of his shoulders. Unable to stop herself, she brushes some of the hair away from his forehead, like her mother did to her when she was young and in need of comfort.

Zoro sleeps on.

Vivi settles back in beside him, eyes on the horizon. When the sun rises and he wakes, realizing that Vivi never woke him for his watch, he’ll probably be upset with her. But, oh well. He needs sleep. Whether he wants to admit it or not, Zoro needs help.

The moon holds her attention as it moves, pale and beautiful. The white light sparkles on the water, like a thousand of the diamonds the palace tailors might make line her growns with. It's a fight to keep her mind from wandering back to her home. She knows that Alabasta will be fine. The country didn’t need her for two years, it won’t need her now. 

Her father must have found her note by now. Guilt builds in her chest like days of grief. Vivi wipes the tears from her eyes. She’d done her crying the previous night, sitting on the bed beside Nami’s and sobbing quietly. Deep down, she knew she had no right to grieve again. Zoro should be the one grieving. Zoro had been there. He’d seen.

Yet, she can’t seem to stop the tears building in her eyes, slipping down her cheeks. Leaving her father must have broken his heart. And she hadn’t even had the courage to face him with the decision. After she’d already assured him and Igram that she had no plans of leaving them. Of leaving her duties as the princess of a kingdom that had just come back from war.

It is the right decision, Vivi knows. Because she knows what happens if she stays behind. This is the right decision. But it chips away at her heart anyway. Her father had done everything for her and she was abandoning him.

Zoro jerks, pained grunt leaving his lips.

Vivi starts, glancing over at him. His body tenses, teeth gritting together as if to hold in a scream.

“Luffy,” he whispers, voice wavering.

Vivi’s heart shatters. Several seconds pass and the swordsman’s body twitches as though trying to run. 

“Luffy.” Their captain’s name leaves his lips a little louder, a little more wounded. 

Hesitantly, Vivi inches toward him, unsure of what to do. She can’t leave him to the horror of this nightmare, but Zoro is prone to violence on the best of days. Trying to wake him in the throws of a panicked nightmare seems like a good way for her to lose a limb. Or her life.

The noise stops. Zoro’s body stills and he returns to soft breathing. Vivi lets out a breath, slumping back against the mast. She pulls the ribbon from her hair again, cradling it to her chest. 

“Oh, Luffy-san,” she whispers, watching the wind move the fabric gently. “I don’t know what to do.”

Because Vivi never knows what to do. Every move she made turned out wrong. She couldn’t even save her own kingdom. Luffy had to do that for her. Luffy always knew what to do. He and his crew had come in, swept her off her feet, and rescued her like the damsel in distress that she’d always been.

So much unknown lingers on the horizon. Jaya. Their next major problems will erupt at Jaya. With any luck, the problems won’t be as disastrous or as terrifying as Alabasta’s problems were.

Blackbeard seems to be Zoro’s biggest worry. Though, not really Blackbeard himself. Zoro’s temper seems to be what concerns the swordsman the most. Which is telling. As far as Vivi knows, Zoro has always been in control of his temper. 

“I don’t know how to help him,” she tells the ribbon. “He won’t let me help him, Luffy-san.”

In that moment, her voice trembles and Vivi hates herself. She needs to be strong. A pillar of strength for Zoro to lean on when he needs to.

The ribbon offers no answers. Not that she expected it to.

Vivi glances to Zoro again, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. For now, he’s calm. For now, he feels safe. She reaches over to fix the blanket where it's fallen down around his stomach. 

A snore breaks free of Zoro’s lips. Relief floods through Vivi and she leans back against the mast again, staring out at the sea again.

“Did I miss something?” Nami asks, settling herself in the chair beside Vivi.

Luffy giggles madly across the deck, chasing Usopp and Chopper. The sight makes her heart flutter, their happiness seems contagious. Sanji works diligently in the kitchen, humming to himself as he works on snacks and Zoro had vanished to the back deck after breakfast, muttering something about training, and has yet to reemerge.

Of course that was after he chewed Vivi out for letting him sleep through the night. She offered no apologies and should the opportunity present itself, she’ll do it again. 

Nico Robin has made herself comfortable in a chair near the stairs, flipping through one of her books. It seems to have taken no time for her to make herself at home on the ship. Though Vivi's surprised to see that the woman mostly seems to ignore everyone else’s presence. Almost as though she knows she doesn’t belong.

“Miss something?” Vivi echoes, looking over at Nami.

“Hai. With you and Zoro. You two seem.” She pauses, searching for the right word. “Weird.”

“We’re nakama,” Vivi tells her. 

“Yes, but you two aren’t.” Again, Nami trails off, lips twisting with thought. “You aren’t close. Or, you weren’t. But, for the past two days it’s like you two can’t function without each other.” Sighing, Nami sheds her shirt, leaning back to tan in her bikini top. “I’ve got to say, Vivi, you’re my nakama and I’ll support you no matter what. But you can do so much better than Zoro .”

Heat races across Vivi’s face in a wild blush. “Nami-san!” she cries.

“What? You can.”

“Zoro and I aren’t. We aren’t doing that. We’re just nakama.”

Nami frowns at her. “If you say so.”

Sighing, Vivi leans back against her own chair. “Zoro and I aren’t together,” she repeats. “I’m just-”

Just what? Helping him through things? No. That will raise questions. And Vivi has no answers for questions.

“I want everyone to feel like they’re my nakama,” she finally decides to say. “You’re right. Zoro and I aren’t close. But, he’s my nakama. And I feel like I should get to know him better.”

The disbelief begins to fade from Nami’s brow, replaced by a soft smile. “You’re too kind, Vivi,” the navigator laughs. “What do you and Zoro even talk about?”

“He tells me stories.”

The lie feels bitter on her tongue. So far, Zoro has spent most of their time rambling about how much he has to do and refusing to process his own emotions until he works himself into a mild panic. She tries not to think about the way he shakes when it happens, flinching himself away from her touches.

“Zoro tells you stories?” Nami asks, disbelief staining her voice. “About what?”

Vivi shrugs. “Before.”

“Huh. I never would have thought that Zoro would have stories to tell.”

Vivi’s sure he has thousands. She’s not sure how many she wants to know.

“Well, I guess that makes me feel better. I’d hate to see a beautiful woman like you wasting her time with an oaf like that.”

Vivi forces a smile onto her face. “Where’s our next stop, Nami-san?”

“Stick close to me today.”

Zoro’s voice is low as he walks down the staircase, barely a step behind her, three mornings later. Vivi pauses, halfway down the stairs, hands still working to tie Luffy’s ribbon into her hair. 

“Is something wrong?” she asks, glancing around to make sure no one else will overhear their conversation.

“A ship is going to fall out of the sky some time today,” he replies simply, brushing past her on his way to his weights.

“What?” Vivi hurries after him, very aware of Nami’s gaze on her.

“Did I stutter?”

“No.” She lingers beside him as he picks up his weights. “But that’s big information to drop on someone after a normal breakfast.”

Zoro snorts. “I told you about this three days ago. Don’t look so scared. We miss it. I just don’t want you to get hit by debri. A well placed breeze could knock you down.”

Another furious blush rips across her cheeks. “Zoro.”

He ignores her, lifting the weights without another word. Scrunching her face in disgust, Vivi fixes the ribbon in her hair and settles against the mast.

“What else?” she asks.

“What else what?” 

“The ship is going to fall and then what? Is Nami-san just going to make us sail away from it?”

“Have you forgotten everything about Luffy? As if he would ever let us sail away from an “adventure”.” Zoro shakes his head, somewhere between fondness and exasperation. “I think Nami makes us salvage it for treasure anyway.”

“You think?”

“It was years ago. I don’t remember the details.” He shrugs. “Nothing worth remembering. If I had it my way, we’d go straight to Jaya. Not waste our time with some shitty ship.”

Vivi pulls her knees up to her chest, watching him strain against the weight. He’s gained muscle, just in the few days they’ve left Alabasta. Not that she’s surprised. It seems that anytime Zoro’s awake, he’s training. Much to Chopper’s annoyance. The small doctor spends at least two hours a day forcing the swordsman to drink water and lecturing him about the dangers of overworking himself. Not that it does him any good. Zoro drinks the water when it’s brought to him and takes breaks for meals or night watches. Otherwise, he seems glued to his training.

Not always weights, either. The swordsman’s routine hasn’t been hard to pin down. He starts the morning with weights, then moves on to thousands of push-ups in exceedingly dangerous places - most of which Vivi has to look away from - and then goes on to mediation or katas.

“Zoro,” Vivi says after a long stretch of silence. 

“Hmm.”

“Maybe you should take a break.” Her eyes move to Chopper, the tiny doctor glaring at Zoro’s back from the railing beside the gallery. “Chopper looks like he wants to tie you to the mast.”

Zoro grunts.

“You could take a nap.”

Another grunt.

Vivi huffs out a sigh. “Or you could ignore me.”

Zoro levels her with a glare. “I don’t have time-”

“You have time,” Vivi tells him.

It seems like they’re going to have this same fight every day. They have years. Years to plan and train and figure something out. Zoro seems to think that means he has to spend every second of the rest of his life training.

“I am not-” Zoro begins to snap. Then he tenses, lowering the weights. “Get ready.”

“Ready?”

“Hey,” Usopp calls from the figurehead. “Is it raining?”

Something begins to hit the deck, clattering to the boards. Zoro sets his weights aside calmly, glancing behind them at Nami, leaning against the rail beside Chopper. Waiting for her to start shouting orders, Vivi realizes. Her gaze snaps upward. 

“What weird rain,” Luffy laughs.

“You idiot, this isn’t rain,” Sanji calls.

Nami lets out a shrill scream, her eyes on the sky. Everyone else’s gaze follows hers. A shadow begins to spread across the Merry’s deck. Above them, a ship plummets toward them. It dwarfs Merry in size. Its sails tattered, mast dangling by a thread, bits of its destroyed deck falling down into the sea around them.

“Vivi,” Zoro says calmly, reaching a hand toward her. “Grab onto me.”

She lunges to him without question, letting him pull her to the stairs. One of his muscular arms attatches to the stairway railing, the other pulling her flush to his chest. Vivi clings to him, hiding her face from the debri that continues to pour down around them.

A resounding splash throws water up around them, splattering across Vivi’s shoulders. For a moment, gravity releases its hold on them. Screams of surprise and fear raise up around them.

“Grab onto something,” Zoro shouts, voice rumbling from his chest. “Whatever you do, don’t let go.”

“What the hell is going on?” Nami screams.

“This has to be a horrible dream!” Usopp cries.

Vivi clings tighter to Zoro. 

“Oh good, I love dreams,” Chopper says before he and Usopp both yelp in pain.

“Didn’t I tell you morons to hold on to something?” Zoro demands.

“There’s still pieces coming down. Keep your heads up,” Sanji orders.

“Sanji-kun! Turn the helm.”

“It’ll never work with these waves,” Zoro tells her. “Oi, Luffy, cook. We have to protect Merry. She’s in bad enough shape as it is!”

“Yosh! Sanji, let’s - oi, Usopp?”

Calloused hands pull Vivi’s arms from Zoro’s neck. His dark eyes bore into her as he moves her hands to the stairway.

“Hold on to that as tightly as you can,” he orders. “Don’t let go.”

Splinters press into Vivi’s arms as she tightens her grip, nodding. Zoro bolts from his position beside her, grabbing the ladder to the crows’ nest. Looking around Vivi finds the rest of the crew in panic. Usopp’s praying as debri falls around them, Chopper appears to be too afraid to move, and Nami clings to the mast, still screaming. Briefly, she manages to see Luffy and Sanji moving to either end of the deck.

“Hyakuhachi Pound Hou!” Zoro’s shout rings in the air around them. 

The large piece of debri falling toward the Merry splits in half, falling to either side. Luffy lets out a cry of “suge!” and Chopper cheers Zoro’s name.

“Luffy, you idiot!” the swordsman shouts. “Get to the back before something falls on the ship!”

The captain runs off, still rambling about how cool his swordsman is. Despite the terror raining down around them, Vivi thinks she sees Zoro smiling. The monsters defend Merry with surprising ease, fighting off bits of the larger ship as Merry moves with the waves. The sea takes time to calm and one by one, they move away from the edges of the ship.

“Damn,” Usopp whines, clinging tightly to Chopper. “The Grand Line is scary.”

Vivi stands on shaking legs, making her way to stand beside the swordsman. Luffy and Sanji stand with him, near the mast, staring up at the sky. 

“Why did that ship fall out of the sky?” Luffy demands.

Zoro’s arm shoots out to steady Vivi when she wobbles. She gives him a grateful smile, putting one hand up to block the sun as she looks up at the sky as well. Endless blue and clouds float above her. Not an island in sight.

“I don’t see anything up there,” Sanji says.

“Nothing up there,” Zoro confirms. Lies.

Vivi glances at him, unable to hide her surprise. But the swordsman has eyes only for their navigator, climbing to her feet. Vivi finds herself watching Nami as well, waiting for whatever is supposed to happen next. Nami glances down at her log pose and screeches.

The crew start, everyone turning toward the Navigator. 

“Nami-san!” Sanji cries, scurrying forward. “What’s wrong? Are you harmed?”

“Something’s wrong,” Nami says, horrified. “The log pose is broken. It won’t stop pointing up.”

“So?” Zoro asks. “Maybe there’s an island up there.”

“Don’t be an idiot, Zoro!”

The swordsman rolls his eyes, gaze moving the galley door as it opens and Nico Robin appears.

“Actually, navigator-san, I believe he’s correct. There must be an island with a stronger magnetic field that’s causing the needle to point toward a new island,” Nico Robin turns her attention to the sky. “And, since the needle is pointing upwards, the log seems to have been taken by Sky Island.”

“Sky Island?” the crew echoes back.

“What’s that?” Nami asks.

“What’s it sound like?” Zoro grumbles. “It’s an island in the sky.”

“Really?” Luffy turns to beam at the swordsman. “There’s really an island floating in the sky?”

“Can it, Zoro,” Nami snarls. “I wasn’t asking you.”

“Nami-san,” Vivi protests softly.

“Is that where all those skeletons and that ship fell from?” Usopp stutters, still clinging to Chopper.

Zoro only rolls his eyes again and turns back to Nico Robin. 

“Nami-san’s right, baka marimo,” Sanji snaps. “There’s nothing up there but clear skies.”

“I wouldn’t say that, cook-san,” Nico Robin says breezily. “To be more precise, what’s floating up there is a sea.”

“A sea!” Luffy bounces on his feet, Usopp and Chopper running over to join him. “Suge!”

“This is getting hard and harder to take in,” Sanji sighs.

“There’s an ocean in the sky with an island on it?” Luffy’s finger shoots up to the sky. “Let’s go!”

“Our captain is insane?” Vivi breathes.

Zoro snorts. “Please tell me this isn’t the first time you’re realizing that.”

“Okay everyone, turn the helm skyward!” Usopp yelled.

“Usopp-san,” Vivi sighs. “I don’t think that’s physically possible.”

“Vivi-chan is right. We can’t just point the helm up, you morons.”

“To tell the truth," Nico Robin says as she looks upward. "I’ve never been to Sky Island. I actually don’t know much about it.”

“Of course you haven’t,” Nami insists. “It’s impossible. Seas and islands floating in the sky. The log pose is broken, that’s all.”

“After all the shit we’ve seen on the Grand Line.” Zoro crosses his arms over his chest and glares at Nami. “This is where you draw the line?”

“Zoro, it is impossible.”

“No, navigator-san,” Nico Robin says. “You shouldn’t be worried about a broken log pose. You should be worried about how you’re going to get into the sky. No matter how improbable something seems or how much panic may befall our deck, you must never doubt your log pose. It is an iron clad rule. On this sea, the only thing you should doubt is your own common sense.”

Nami’s gaze drops to the log pose. Vivi turns to look up at Zoro, his arms still crossed over his chest as he stares up at the sky. The sun shines brightly from the bright blue and the puffy clouds. 

“Are you sure there’s an island up there?” she asks Zoro, careful to keep her voice low.

He raises an unimpressed eyebrow at her. 

“It’s just, Nami-san is right. It seems so insane.”

“The Grand Line is insane.” Zoro shrugs again. “You should get used to that now.”

Vivi can’t take her eyes from the small, pink octopus stuck to Zoro’s shoulder. It’s almost funny to see how attached the swordsman became to the sea creature in such a short amount of time. Yet, it lightened her heart when he’d blushed furiously and muttered “he’s cute”. Some part of the directionless dork she’d known lingers in him. With the scavengers long gone, Nami leans over her new map of Skypiea. The disagreement between her and Luffy seemed to last hours, both snapping about whether or not they’re going to the island. 

The fear of the giants in the sky still lingered in Nami’s bones, not that Vivi can blame her. Even Zoro’s unnatural calm in the face of the beasts, rowing rather lazily in comparison to the rest of them, had done little to calm Vivi’s own fear. 

“Nami-swan,” Sanji calls, dancing out to the deck with a platter of drinks. “I’ve brought something for you to relax with.”

Vivi giggles at him from her place beside Zoro, furiously cleaning his white katana. Their cook is absolutely incorrigible. Across the way, Nico Robin has her nose buried in a book, trying to learn anything and everything about the mysterious Sky Island. 

“Oi!” Usopp calls from the crows’ nest. “Land!”

Luffy and Chopper scramble to the side of the ship, looking out at the island growing closer to them. Their cheers ring out around the ship. Vivi stands, stretching her arms over her head. Finally, solid land, with no more chances of ships falling down on them. The others begin rambling about their next move, Luffy and Usopp relieved to finally be landing on a “friendly” island.

Little do they know.

Vivi’s gaze drops to Zoro, tense as he slips his most prized katana back into its scabbard and stands. 

“Morons,” he mutters.

“PIRATE SHIPS!” Usopp cries.

Nami and Chopper begin moaning along with him as a group of pirates begin to fight.

Zoro laughs. A strange fondness has filled his eyes, shaking his head at the sniper as he pulls the octopus from his shoulder and brings it to the edge of the ship. Heart light, Vivi watches him bid farewell to the creature before turning to her.

The lines return to his face with grim determination. Luffy leaps onto the docks as soon as they weigh anchor and Zoro hurries after him. Vivi freezes, blinking after the two. No plan. No asking for a shopping list. The boys just leapt overboard and headed toward town, commenting on what a nice town it looks like. 

“Luffy! Zoro! Get your asses back here.” Nami scrambles off the ship after them. “The last thing we need is you morons getting into trouble.”

Vivi glances back at Chopper and Usopp, giving them an encouraging smile. “We’ll be right back,” she promises.

“Oi, Vivi,” Usopp cries.

“Nami-san!” Vivi shouts, running after the navigator. “Luffy-san. Zoro. Wait up!”

Vaguely, she hears the boys shouting at Sanji as she steps into place beside Zoro while Nami steps beside Luffy. A strong arm lingers near Vivi, pulling her out of the way as men swipe by her with swords and punches. Yelping in fear, she presses herself close to Zoro’s empty side, allowing the swordsman to lazily slash his katana at any weapons thrown their way.

“This town is awful,” she tells him.

“It’s a pirate town,” Zoro replies. “We’ll see a lot of them.”

“Say it, Luffy,” Nami orders in front of them, pulling at the captain’s cheek. “Say it. “I promise not to fight”. Say it right now.”

“Ow, Nami,” Luffy whines. “Alright. Alright. I promise not to fight.”

“You too, Zoro,” Nami snaps, turning to face the swordsman.

Zoro pauses, pulling Vivi out of the way of another small group running past them. “I promise not to fight,” he replies easily, pushing Vivi forward again.

“Am I expected to believe you with those unenthusiastic answers?”

“I promised,” Zoro tells her, voice hard. “I don’t break promises.”

Nami’s eyes narrow, but she nods, turning back to yell at their captain some more. Zoro pauses, dragging Vivi to a stop along with him. He waits for Nami and Luffy to disappear from earshot, kicking a stray, violent pirate away from them.

“When we go into that bar,” he gestures to a building up the street, “a pirate crew is going to attack us. Luffy isn’t going to let me fight them.”

“What?”

“They aren’t worth our time,” Zoro explains. “And Luffy won’t give them what they want. It's a win to ignore them and let them do what they want. Keep Nami out of the way. And don’t let her run her mouth too much. If they - if they try to hurt either of you, I might not be able to stop myself.” A shudder rips through his body. “It’s going to be hard enough watching them hurt Luffy.”

Vivi reaches out for his shoulder but he moves himself away. “Don’t,” he says softly.

“I just want to help,” she tells him, hurt blossoming in her chest.

“Then don’t.”

Ahead of them, an explosion rings out. Zoro groans as Nami begins screeching at Luffy, ushering Vivi forward.

“Come on. That rubber moron’s gotten into trouble already.”

“I’m so pissed,” Nami snarls, slamming her glass onto the bar. 

Vivi peaks around Zoro’s bulk to look at her. “Don’t let them get to you, Nami-san,” she tells the navigator.

“Sorry to hear about all your trouble,” the bartender says, refilling Zoro’s mug without being asked. “Unfortunately, Mock Town has just become a place for pirates to unload their riches.”

“So, shabby pirates need not enter,” Nami growls.

The bartender blinks, glancing at Zoro, who only shakes his head.

“She’s pissed,” he tells her. “Nothing you say is going to change that.”

“Here.”  The man puts a fresh drink in front of her. “This one’s on the house. Since eveyone in this town is so rich, brawls and murder have become a usual occurance. Luckily, they leave townsfolk alone for the most part.”

“Well, I still don’t like this town.” Nami snuffs her nose, even as the man puts two pies in front of them. 

Zoro lunges to grab one, pulling it protectively toward him before Luffy can snag it.

“Zoro!” Luffy whines.

“Get your grubby hands back, you rubber glutton.”

“Well, I’m sorry to say, you won’t find any ordinary people in this town,” the bartender continues. “But, your log pose should reset in about four days.”

“Four days?” Nami mutters, looking down at the log pose, still pointing straight up. 

Vivi’s gaze moves to Zoro as he tenses, nostrils flaring as a large man takes a seat on Luffy’s other side. Trying to be inconspicuous, she glances at the man and feels her heart stutter to a half. She’s seen his wanted posters enough times to know what Marshall D. Teach looks like. 

Zoro’s hand inches down toward his sword and Vivi snatches it, pulling it down and linking their fingers to hold him steady. The tremors begin to overwhelm his arms again, his free hand clenching into a fist on his pant leg. His eyes squeeze close, breath deliberately controlled.

Luffy and Teach begin arguing over something. Nami slams her hands onto the table, leaning over to yell a reminder of not fighting to the captain.

“Luffy,” Zoro growls, shoving his own pie toward the captain. “Eat this and shut up.”

Vivi tightens her grip on his hand as he tries to pull away.

“That’s not the point, Zoro!” Luffy whines.

“Then what is the point?” Nami demands.

Teach scoffs. “Are you a pirate?”

“Hai!” Luffy replies, chest puffed out.

“How much is your bounty?”

Zoro returns to his closed eyes and careful breathing. Yelling erupts between the two again.

“Luffy-san,” Vivi tries. “Stop.”

He has to stop. Because the closer Teach leans to their captain, the more violent Zoro’s trembles become. The bartender drops a package on the table with an audible thud.

“There you are,” he says firmly. “Now, I’ll thank you not to fight in this pub. Just take these and leave.”

Teach does so. Zoro’s chest heaves. Vivi lets out a breath of relief, releasing her swordsman’s hand and turns to shake her head at Nami as the doors to the pub squeak.

“Is there a pirate wearing a straw hat in here?” A voice demands from behind them.

Zoro grumbles out a curse. A few cries of fear go up around the pub. Luffy turns to face the man, leaning against the counter lazily. Vivi leans toward Zoro, looking at the tall blond pirate sauntering into the bar.

“Looks like he’s calling you out, Luffy,” Zoro says, raising his ale to his lips, fingers still trembling.

Vivi swallows hard, frowning at the man. Whispers of Luffy’s bounty move throughout the bar. 

“I’ve met so many huge guys today,” Luffy mutters.

Zoro tugs Vivi toward him, inching her away from the captain. The man buys Luffy a drink, taking a seat beside him. Zoro’s hand digs into Vivi’s arm and she grabs his fingers, hoping to let him know it's causing her pain. The rest of the man’s crew walks in and patreons run out, their fearful cries lingering behind.

“Hey thanks, what a nice guy!” Luffy says, putting the cup to his lips.

Zoro throws Vivi back against Nami as the man’s hand grabs Luffy’s head, slamming him through the bar. The shing of Zoro’s katana echoes in the quiet air, the steel blade pressing into the man’s throat. Nami screams in surprise, steadying Vivi. 

The man looks up, smirk on his face. “And what are you doing, underling ?”

The crazed look in Zoro’s eyes sends shivers down Vivi’s spine and she presses closer to Nami. “That’s a question you should answer,” Zoro growls, tone colder than ice.

The man laughs. Nami shoots from her stool. 

“Zoro,” she cries. “Wait a minute! We still haven’t gotten the information we need yet and-“

“Shut it,” Zoro snarls. “This bastard’s asking for a fight. And I’m going to give him one.”

Nami gasps, taking a step back. Murder radiates for the swordsman. Vivi’s hand snatches Nami’s arm, pulling her away from the scene. Zoro said he wasn’t going to fight. Said Luffy wouldn’t let him. She has to trust that.

“Nami-san,” Vivi says. “Let them be.”

Luffy stands, wiping the blood and drink from his face. The man laughs again.

“Yosh,” Luffy says, sneer firmly placed on his face. “I hope you’ve prepared yourself.”

Laughter rises up. Zoro lowers his sword, stepping out of his captain’s way. Nami rips herself free of Vivi’s grip, turning to the bartender.

“Hey, Oji-san, we came here seeking information on Sky Island. Do you know anything about it?”

The bar falls silent for a long moment. Everyone’s gaze turns to them. Then, the laughter erupts. Cruel words join in, mocking Nami’s question. Red embarrassment rises in her face. Nami’s temper has always been as short as the boys, not that she'd ever admit it. 

“Keep Nami out of the way. And don’t let her run her mouth too much,” Zoro’s voice rings in Vivi’s mind. She reaches out again, taking the navigator’s arm to pull her back.

“Nami-san.”

“What?” the navigator demands. “The log pose is pointing directly at the sky!”

The mocking continues, voices reaching high pitches as they speak. The blonde captain falls against the ruined bar, laughing. 

“You idiots,” the man says. “You really don’t know what you’re doing do you? There are so many unique ocean currents on the Grand Line. One of ‘em’s called the Knock Up Stream. I’m guessing you’ve never heard of it. Ships that fall victim to that current are blasted high into the sky, only to fall straight back down into the ocean. A bunch of ignorant sailors from a long time ago saw ships falling down from it and imagined an island in the sky. What a load.” His laughter turns more hysterical. “All dreams can be explained.”

Luffy’s fist clench. Zoro’s hand tightens around his katana, as though desperate to try and tame his shaking body. 

“What a shame,” the blonde pirate says. “I was going to let my crew test you, to see if you’d pass for the New Era. But you’re a lost cause. Listen to me. The age where pirates dream is over! City of Gold? Emerald City? The great treasure, One Piece? All for fools with their eyes on a dream. Idiots who don’t know the real treasure all around them. And what do they say about the morons who die living illusions? They always lived happily for the sake of their dream. The words of a loser.”

Luffy’s fist loosens, as though the fight has gone out of him. Zoro huffs out a breath, slipping his katana back into its scabbard. 

“Looking at dreaming losers like you really makes my stomach turn!” The man’s fist lands on Luffy’s face.

Nami cries the captain’s name, trying to run to him but Vivi tightens her grip. Zoro hasn’t moved, instead frowning down at the captain. Luffy remains on the floor as the man throws a glass at him. The crowd joins in, mocking the still rubber man.

“Luffy, Zoro, forget what I said!” Nami orders. “Kick their asses!”

“Zoro.” Luffy rises. “We aren’t going to fight.”

Zoro nods. Without a word, he pulls his katana from his side and offers them to Vivi.

“I might not be able to stop myself.”

Anything to keep from disobeying his captain, Vivi realizes. She takes the swords without question, cradling them to her chest with one hand and pulling Nami flush against the bar as the pirates descend. Neither of their boys raise a hand as punches are thrown, beer is spit in their face, and insults are hurled their way. Nami screams at them to do something.

“Nami-san,” Vivi says, burying her face in Nami’s shoulder as Zoro is thrown through a number of tables. “Stop.”

The men around them cheer wildly as the swordsman rolls to a stop, eyes closed and breathing controlled. 

“Luffy, do something!” Nami screams.

Seconds later, their captain’s head is thrown through the window. Nami snatches Luffy’s hat from where it’s fallen, pulling from Vivi’s grip to rush over to the boys’ still forms. Hesitantly, Vivi follows, eyeing the pirates around them.

“You won’t survive long, traveling with wimps like that,” one of the on-lookers laughs. “I’ll buy you off them.”

Nami’s face darkens. “Now you’ve said it,” she growls. “Buy me?”

“Nami-san, stop,” Vivi pleads, grabbing her arm. “Ignore them.”

“I won’t!” she shouts, standing. “How dare you. You scum. I’m far too good for a team of pansies like you.”

“Nami-san!”

Zoro’s hand clenches in a fist as they begin to mock again. Nami sneers at the men, grabbing the back of Luffy’s shirt and heaving him up, shoving him out the door. Vivi turns to Zoro, finding the swordsman already on his feet, hand on her lower back as he guides her out. 

Nami’s heels clink against the boards as she continues to drag Luffy away from the bar. Blood drips down Zoro’s face as he leads Vivi after them, taking his katana from her. His eyes look glazed over, as though his mind has begun to wander away. It sends her heart into her throat, smacking her back onto that cursed island.

“Zoro,” she whispers. “Are you here?”

He squeezes his eyes shut and gives a stiff nod. 

“Sky Island does exist,” a voice calls out from behind them.

Nami stops, depositing Luffy on the ground. Zoro’s teeth grit, hand finding Vivi’s and she tugs it down, far away from his katana as Teach begnis to laugh.

“Why the long face, Nee-chan?” Teach asks. His voice sends spiders up Vivi’s spine. “Those two won that fight.”

“Huh?”

“And the tongue lashing you gave them was pretty impressive too,” he adds, pointing at Nami. “You’ve got some guts woman.”

Luffy brushes himself off as he stands.

“This New Era they talk about is shit . The age where pirates dream is over?” Teach lets out a laugh. “Oi! People’s dreams never end! Am I right?”

Laughter begins from the surrounding people. 

“It ain't easy to surpass a person,” Teach laughs. “Let them laugh. If you seek the Summit, you’ll find fights your fist alone could never win for you. Follow it!”

“Let’s go,” Zoro says, steering Vivi away from the scene. 

She glances up at him, his teeth biting into his bottom lip, as he releases her hand. They pause a ways up the path, allowing Nami and Luffy to catch up to them before they continue on.

“What the hell is wrong with you two?” Nami demands. “How could you let that happen?”

“Nami-san,” Vivi says, turning to look back at her. “They won.”

“They got the hell beat out of them, Vivi! How is that winning?”

“Because people who try to drag you down are always beneath you. And reacting to them only brings you to their level.”

From the corner of her eye, Vivi sees Zoro give her a small smile, something close to pride in his eyes. The words do nothing to calm Nami’s temper. They’re almost to the ship when Zoro pauses, allowing his captain to reach his side. Nami and Vivi stop as well, watching Zoro’s cool gaze take over their captain.

“Never,” Zoro says, voice trembling uncharacteristically. “Force me to watch someone hurt you again.”

He vanishes toward the forest without waiting for a reply.

“Zoro,” Luffy whispers, but doesn't move to follow him.

“Oi! Zoro!” Nami shouts, starting after him. 

Vivi grabs her arm. “Nami-san, let him be.”

“He’ll get lost.”

“He’ll come back when he’s ready.”

“L-Luffy!” Usopp shouts. “What happened to you?”

“Oi! Where are Nami-san and Vivi-chan!”

“Come on,” Nami sighs. “We should go before Sanji-kun kicks Luffy into the ocean.”

Vivi nods but lets the navigator move ahead. Her gaze wanders to the tree line. It takes a lot for Vivi not to follow the swordsman. Zoro does best in solitude. Though, if he isn’t back to the ship by nightfall, she knows she’ll have to go searching for him. 

Unconsciously, her fingers move to the ribbon in her hair again. “Oh, Luffy-san,” she whispers. “What do I do?”

The ribbon offers no answers. 

Chapter Text

The tremors and erratic breathing refuse to stop until Yubashiri bites into his arm. Warm blood flows down his forearm, mixing with the various splinters and bruises forming. It's a blessing in some ways. This time, he won't have to worry about Chopper spotting it. Mixed in with the other mess of injuries Bellamy’s men gave him, there’s no way the doctor will be able to tell that Zoro did this himself. 

The heat trickles from his skin as blood does. His heart slows its inconsistent pace until it evens. Zoro breathes and tears off a piece of his ruined shirt to clean Yubashiri. 

"I'm sorry," he tells the blade.

Sorry I made you do this. Sorry I'm weak. Sorry I lived instead of them.

He needs to stop. Zoro knows that he needs to find a way to keep his chest from caving in at the slightest whiff of danger. And yet, he couldn't. Seeing Luffy covered in his own blood, watching it spill down his mouth. Watching his captain take injury after injury without making a sound. Like he’d never left that island. 

Luffy hadn’t screamed out then either. Just let out the smallest pained huff.

Luffy’s gurgling breath echoes in his ears.

Zoro retches, throwing his swords to the side to keep vomit from spilling on to them. Every ounce of food he’d had from breakfast spills past his lips. It takes three heaves for him to stop. Once his stomach is empty of all food and acid, he slumps back against the tree, digging his hand into the wound on his arm. The burn turns his concentrate to the drumming pain. Anything to keep his mind from that noise.

Again, he manages to breath. 

Jaya. Just think Jaya. What happens here? What’s important here? 

Don’t think too far ahead, Vivi said. He can’t think of Water 7. Can’t think Thriller Bark. Can’t think Saobody . The panic will return. Will overtake him.

Jaya and Skypiea. 

They need to find that man. The one that the town chased away, so that they can learn about those damn birds. Then, they’ll go to Skypiea and meet those winged people. Then Enel. 

Nothing in this world would make Zoro happier than to be able to slice that false god in half. But that’s Luffy’s battle.

And at least this one, Zoro doesn’t have to worry as much about him. Luffy is the only Haki-less person on the planet that can take out Enel. Even if the captain does get thrown around a little. It might be good for both of them. Luffy will learn how to deal with Observation Haki and Zoro will have another chance to watch Luffy bleed without losing his mind.

Because it’s going to happen. Luffy is going to bleed. Luffy is going to hurt. And in the long run, that is good. If Zoro keeps Luffy from every dangerous fight, his captain will never grow stronger. If Luffy is going to be the Pirate King, Zoro needs to let his captain fall.

But how far?

“Jaya,” he whispers, keeping his mind from wandering. “Jaya.”

And, once they’ve found that damn bird, then he’ll think of Skypiea. His eyes move up to the sky. The sun has moved a few inches. At least a few hours have passed, which means that Luffy will thankfully be blood free by the time he gets back to the ship.

The same can’t be said for Zoro. Most of his blood has dried to his skin, itching slightly. He glances down at his arm, still weeping blood. Which will probably seem suspicious. The cut is a little deeper than he meant, but it had done its job. It just means he has to wait an extra five minutes for his blood to clot up, or Chopper will definitely notice.

At least the weather is nice. Spring islands are by far his favorites. Clouds roll by lazily, occasionally blocking the sun from view, but never long enough to let a chill take over. Zoro eyes a cloud that’s shaped like a dinosaur. He shouldn’t feel wistful as he looks up at them. With all the work that’s in front of him, Zoro doesn’t have time to feel happy. He doesn’t have time to enjoy the simple things.

But his mind wanders to the day before, when Luffy had dragged him away from his weights declaring that he missed napping with Zoro. Vivi thought she was being sneaky when she intercepted anyone that might interrupt them. Maybe he should thank her for giving him something so nice. Laying on the deck with Luffy snuggled next to him, idly pointing out the different shaped clouds.

“Oi, Zoro, look at that one! That one’s shaped like a sea king. Can we go look for a sea king? That’d make a great dinner.”

Despite himself, Zoro smiles. After Skypiea, before Water 7 descends upon them, perhaps he’ll make a point of laying on deck with his captain again. After all, it seems to make Luffy happy.

“Zoro, stop itching at that.” 

For what seems like the millionth time in the past hour, Vivi invades his personal space to pull his hand away from the stitches on his arm. By some stroke of luck, a few of the cuts Bellamy’s crew had given him required stitches as well, so Chopper hadn’t been overly surprised or concerned when he needed to stitch up Zoro’s arm. Vivi’s face pinches in annoyance as he pulls away, frowning at her.

“You’re worse than Chopper,” he mutters, ripping his hand away.

Vivi glares at him. “Luffy-san asked me to look out for you when we left. He’s worried.”

“Tch. That’s his own fault.” Zoro dodges beneath a branch, leaving her to stumble after him.

“How is it his fault that you’re worrying him?”

“Luffy’s worried about me because I’m on edge. But I wouldn’t be on edge if he wasn’t such an idiot. So, it’s his fault.”

She groans. “Where are we going?”

“No clue.”

“What do you mean “no clue”?” she demands. “You don’t know where to find the South Bird?”

“No.”

“But. But, you-”

“I never found the damn thing.” Zoro shrugs at her. “So, we’re just wandering.”

Vivi blinks. “Wandering?” Realization and horror take over her face. “We’re wandering and you don’t know where you’re going.”

“Right.”

“I think it’s time to turn around.”

“Eh?” Zoro pauses to look back at her. “Why would we do that?”

“Because it’s you.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he demands. 

Taking Vivi with him might be the worst idea. Shockingly, he misses Robin. From the vague snatches of memories he’s managed to grasp on to, she’d done little more than tease him about his sense of direction and ramble random facts about the legend of the gold city.

“Let’s just turn around and go back to the meeting spot.” She spins back the way they’d come.

The bird lets out its strange cry again. Zoro turns toward the noise with a hum. Vivi glances back at the noise as well, blinking into the dense forest. 

“Maybe it is up here.” Zoro says, feet moving to follow his ears. “Robin and I might have gone another way.”

Behind him, Vivi groans. “You’re hopeless.”

But leaves crunch beneath her feet nonetheless. From somewhere within the trees, Nami and the cook start screaming about insects. It’s amazing they made it this far, scared of such insignificant things. Almost more amazing that they make it further.

His feet freeze at the thought and Vivi slams into his back. Her hand snatches the back of his shirt, steadying her before she can lose her balance.

“Zoro?” Her tone turns urgent as he shakes the thoughts from his head.

They’re all going to go further this time. 

“Fine,” he says. “Just, trying to figure out which way the bird is going.”

Disbelief rolls of her in waves, but she doesn’t comment. Instead, she points into the trees. “From the left, I think.”

Zoro nods, turning in that direction. Vivi’s hand returns to his shirt, tugging him back with a headshake.

“What?”

“I suppose it’s nice to know some things never change, Mr. Bushido.” The nickname brings a strange warmth to his stomach. “I said left, not right. This way.” 

She heads into the trees without waiting for his response. Embarrassment spreads across his nose and cheeks, down his neck. She had definitely pointed in the direction he’d headed. No doubt about it. This entire crew was in cahoots to ensure that Zoro actually thought he had no sense of direction. And now, they’ve dragged Vivi into the mix.

“Keep up, Zoro!” Vivi calls. “I don’t want you to get lost.”

“I don’t get lost!” he snaps back. “Damn princess.”

Growing up in the desert, it turns out, has done Vivi some good. She barely gives the large spider on her shoulder a second glance, coaxing it into her hand so she can deposit it in a nearby tree. A weak presence pokes at the back of Zoro’s mind and he slashes at the overgrown centipede before it can crawl on him. 

Damn bugs.

Moonlight pokes through the trees, glinting from between leaves. The bird goes silent, not so much as the flap of wings to reveal its hiding spot. Zoro turns his gaze from the trees to the ground, searching for roots that may try to trip him. Bugs continue to crawl around them, occasionally dropping onto Vivi’s hair or his shoulder.

In the distance, the cries of “spiders!” and “Usopp, get that away from me!” continue to split the air. Nothing like announcing their presence to the exact thing they’re hunting. Zoro travels with the dumbest people.

“Maybe we should bring some friends back to the ship with us for Usopp,” Vivi giggles, plucking another spider from her leg and releasing it on the ground.

Zoro raises an eyebrow at her. “You’d do that to Nami?”

“It might make for a fun prank.” A strange twinkle of mischief sparkles in her eyes.

Usopp and Luffy must be rubbing off on her.

“Watch out for the quicksand here,” Vivi says, leaping between two large roots. “I wouldn’t be able to pull you out.”

“I think I can handle a little bit of quicksand,” Zoro scoffs, though he does make an effort to avoid the spots she’s avoiding. The incident with quicksand years ago - Robin letting out a long suffering sigh as she pulled him out - flashes through his mind. And, without Robin’s Devil Fruit powers, Vivi probably wouldn’t be able to pull him out of it.

The ground begins to rumble beneath them as multiple birds let out their calls. Vivi stumbles to a stop, looking around and Zoro pauses behind her, forcing himself to concentrate. Something rushes toward them. Multiple beings with weak auras, though together they could pose at least a small threat.

“What is that?” Vivi asks.

Zoro moans, pulling Kitetsu and Enm- Yubashiri free. “Bugs. Lots and lots of damn bugs.”

The oversized crickets leap toward them, sharp pincers swiping at them. Vivi lets out a shriek, ducking away from the first bug. Zoro slashes Yubashiri through the creature, watching its two halves fall to the ground. Naturally, they sent him with the least able to defend herself. Though, Vivi had insisted on going with him. Remembering the horror on the cook’s face when she’d turned down his offer brought a smirk to his lips.

The bug pile grows around him at an annoying rate. Mostly because these damn things aren’t worth his time. 

“Alright.” Zoro’s temper runs out as a second wave of the oversized beasts arrive. “I’ve had it. Taka Nami.” The bugs fly backward as his swords cause a title wave of winds. He shoves them back into his scabbard, turning to usher Vivi away. “Time to go.”

She nods, diving into the trees without questions. Sending a quick look toward the path of destroyed trees and unconscious bugs, Zoro follows her. Hopefully the rest of their crew is having this much fun. 

Blue hair stands out against the dark green around them, red ribbon bouncing in her hair. Miraculously, the damn thing is still in one piece. After the hell it’s been through, Zoro figured it would have fallen to pieces the first time she tried to tie it in a knot. But, it turns out the ribbon is pretty resilient. Just like it’s owner. 

Vivi stops without warning, gaze off in the trees. Zoro skids to a stop behind her, gaze searching for more bugs making their way through the trees. The forest seems still.

“What are you-”

“What is that?” Vivi points to the tree.

Zoro follows the finger. The fruit hanging there is such a bright blue, Zoro wonders if it was once a part of the sky. It has the same fat, elongated shape as an avocado, though it looks to be about the size of a durian. Zoro hates that he’s spent enough time listening to the cook speak that he can make the comparison. Strange swirls spout off of the fruit, some of them see through, showing Zoro the forest behind it.

A damned Devil Fruit, in the middle of a forest on a no name island. How had they missed that the first time?

Vivi plucks the fruit from the tree, turning it in her hands as she examines it. “I wonder which one this is,” she mutters.

“Robin will be able to tell you,” Zoro says. “That woman has a book on everything. Her library is larger than-”

He cuts himself off before he can tell her that Franky makes her library larger than his gym. And somehow, she manages to fill the entire thing. Vivi’s eyes soften as she turns to him. That damn pity is back. Zoro averts his eyes, choosing to glare down at the dirt below him.

Thankfully, the panic doesn’t come. Just an overwhelming sadness that settles in his stomach and pulls his heart down. The feeling stings his chest, but at least he isn’t going to lose himself again.

He clears his throat. “Robin will be able to tell you.”

Vivi doesn’t push the matter, tucking the Devil Fruit into her bag. “Maybe we should head back now. It doesn’t sound like the others have had any luck either. But, I’m sure Nami-san’s come up with a plan once we all regroup.”

“She doesn’t,” Zoro informs her. “I’m pretty sure the damn thing turns up to mock us and Robin snags it.”

“She does?” Vivi looks surprised. “How?”

“The Hana Hana no Mi. She sprouts arms out of it and knocks it to the ground.”

“Oh.” She pauses, lips twisting as she contemplates her next words. “I-I'm glad that Nico Robin is helpful.”

“She is. I didn’t trust her at first either but.” He shifts the katana at his hip, glancing around the forest to ensure no more bugs are sneaking up on them. “She likes us. And she’s nakama. You’ll see.”

Her hum is unconvinced. “How long does it take for Nico Robin to catch the South Bird?”

Robin. Just Robin, he wants to tell her. It just sounds so wrong for anyone belonging to their crew to call her Nico Robin. He bites his tongue. Rushing her through this will do no good. Vivi will have to see Robin as nakama on her own, the same as he did. 

“Not long. It’s still going to be a long night, though. Don’t get your hopes up.”

Vivi moans. “Are you going to get us lost in the woods tonight?”

“What? No!”

“The Kieru-Kieru no Mi,” Robin tells them, turning the fruit over in her hands, eyes alight with interest. “It’s been ages since anyone’s seen this Devil Fruit. Wherever did you find it, swordsman-san?”

Chopper continues to flutter around the room, taking care of the old man and his two friends. The rest of the crew has spread out, the cook and Usopp waiting outside for Luffy to return while Nami searches the maps for the correct way to Skypiea. Robin has settled herself across from him, one of her books sitting open beside her, excited gaze moving between him and Vivi.

Every muscle in Zoro’s being longs to bolt out the door and follow Luffy into town. Beating Bellamy to a bloody pulp would be something straight out of a fantasy. The ignorant piece of garbage deserves more than Luffy will give him. Luffy’s heart is good. He’d never take away the chance at a dream. Zoro, on the other hand, would love nothing more than to chop the bastard’s legs off and leave him to stew in misery.

It must show on his face because Vivi has been hovering over him for the past ten minutes.

Zoro opens his eyes, nodding his head toward Vivi. “She found it.”

Robin’s eyes turn to Vivi.

The princess averts her eyes, choosing to pick at the holes in her borrowed pants instead. “It was just hanging in a tree,” she says.

“What does it do, Robin?” Nami pipes up. “More importantly, what’s it worth?”

Damn sea witch. Beli signs dance in her eyes as she leans toward their archeologist.

“It’s a paramecia fruit,” Robin says. “According to my books, it allows its host to teleport within an allotted range. And, only to places that they've physically been to. Though, there’s no exact range in here. Perhaps it depends on the power of its user. As to it’s value, I have no idea, navigator-san. It’s been quite a long time since this fruit has been seen.”

The beli signs grow. “Something that illusive must be worth thousands. Good work, Vivi! Maybe we’ll find somewhere to sell it in Skypiea.”

“It isn’t yours to sell,” Zoro tells her firmly. “Luffy said it was Vivi’s. She found it.”

Nami scowls at him before she turns to frown at the princess. “You don’t mind if I sell it, do you, Vivi?” 

Vivi nibbles at her bottom lip. “Oh, um, no, Nami-san.”

“Perfect!” Nami snatches the fruit from Robin’s grasp. “Maybe we’ll finally have a decent amount of Beli around here!”

“We will if you don’t spend it all,” Zoro mutters.

“What was that?”

A lot of Skypiea seems to have left Zoro’s memories. Though, to be fair, it has been a very long time. And, he may or may not have slept through as much of this ridiculousness as humanly possible. Most of his memories sit with the battles and even those aren’t as clear as they once were.

Probably all those concussions. Chopper had told him after Wano that if he didn’t stop hitting his head, he was going to do some permanent damage. Not that it’s something Zoro can control. He never asks to be thrown head first through a building. It just kind of happens.

So, by that logic, the fact that he forgot the Sunny - Merry, fuck. He’s on the Going goddamned Merry. The fact that he forgot the Merry was whisked off by an oversized dinner special because Enel fucking sucks is perfectly reasonable and excusable.

Vivi seems to think differently. “You could have at least warned me,” the princess hisses, watching the sky sharks swim through the dense clouds below.

Zoro shrugs. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Her nostrils flare in anger, though the rage doesn’t make it all the way to her eyes so she can’t be that angry with him. “How long until Luffy-san and the others meet up with us?”

“Before sunset, I think.” 

“Are you telling me that we’re all going to die here?” Chopper’s shrill, terrified cry splits through the air and the little zoan is flailing himself off the deck. 

“Damn it,” Zoro hisses, shooting off the ship after him.

Robin’s going to catch him, like she always does. Two arms will appear and snatch him at the last minute, because there’s nothing Robin likes quite as much as a dramatic save. But, Zoro doesn’t have to see the sea shark to know it’ll be on Chopper in a moment. The growing dread of a wild beast stalking closer.

He and the beast plunge into the clouds. Funny how years ago it had been hard to fight this thing beneath the cloudy seas. Now, he would be able to fight the damn thing blind. White closed in around him, as though someone had pressed a pillow over his face. The shark approaches from behind. Dodging to the side, he sinks Kitetsu’s blade into the shark’s back and allows it to bring him up to the surface for a breath as it thrashes in pain.

From the ship, Chopper cheers about how cool he is while Nami screeches at him to get back to the Merry. It seems like it’s been years since the little doctor has idolized him like this. He misses that. More than he’s willing to admit.

A well placed punch sends the shark spiralling out of the clouds, blood trailing behind it. And now he’s stained his last good white shirt. The witch is going to have a field day when he asks her for the beli to replace it. Pulling himself onto the alter again, he climbs to the stairs, muttering curse words under his breath.

“Zoro!” Chopper cheers. “You’re okay!”

Vivi huffs a sigh, leaning against the rail and shaking her head at him. “Mr. Bushido, you are absolutely ridiculous.” 

“What kind of swordsman punches a shark instead of using his blades?” Nami demands, hands on her hips. “What about your precious swordsman’s pride?”

“Will you give it a rest for once?” Zoro snaps, pulling his shirt over his head to hide his smirk. It's nice to argue with Nami again. “And, Robin, please stop scaring Chopper. That was my last good shirt.”

“And if you think for ten seconds that I’m giving you the beli to replace it after you were so mean to me, you’re wrong!” Nami tells him.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, witch.”

“We can’t stay here forever,” Robin says.

“Nico Robin’s right,” Vivi says from above them, dropping a dry shirt onto Zoro’s head. “What now?”

“Why are you asking me?” Zoro asks, because that’s what he would have done if things were normal, and he slips the blue sleeveless shirt on, tying his bandana tight around his bicep.

“Most likely because you’re in charge when the captain isn’t around,” Robin replies, her gaze wandering to the woods around them. 

“Zoro isn’t in charge of anything!” Nami screeches. “He can’t even take care of himself!”

“I wonder if this is the Heaven’s Judgment that we’ve been hearing so much about,” Robin continues as though Nami hadn’t spoken.

He scoffs. “You’d think “God” would try something flasher than leaving us on a sacrificial altar.”

Robin lets out a small laugh.

Zoro glances down at Merry, shaking his head at the damaged hull. “Well, we definitely can’t set sail. Not with Merry in this shape. Chopper, see if you can do some repairs.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You help Usopp out with repairs all the time. You’re the best man for the job.”

“That compliment doesn’t make me happy, you asshole.”

“Why does Chopper have to fix it? Are you going somewhere?” Nami leans over the rail to look at him. 

“Oh, Zoro,” Vivi whines. “You can’t possibly be thinking about wandering around the forest.”

He shoots a glare up at her. “So what if I am? Look, we need to have some kind of plan, here. Merry can be our base of operations. And you don’t have to come. Just stick around here with Chopper. Luffy and the others will be here soon. Besides, they say if you get lost, you should stay put, right?”

“I don’t want to hear that from you !” Nami shouts.

Shaking her head, Vivi watches him climb back on board the ship. Nami continues her rant on how Zoro’s going to get lost - which he absolutely will not. This isn’t his first time on Skypiea. He doesn’t need a map - while Chopper tries to calm the demon and Robin disappears to read the carvings on the altar. 

“What’s the real reason you want to go into the forest?” Vivi asks. 

“Robin wants to. She’s going to find some stuff on the wall over there and I’m not letting her wander around here alone. It's dangerous.”

Vivi scowls. “So tell her not to go.”

“I won’t hold her back from her dream,” Zoro tells her firmly. “Besides, nothing bad happens anyway. Enel doesn’t show his ugly mug for at least another day. And, I’d like to have a little fun.”

“You and Luffy-san have the worst idea of fun.”

“Zoro,” Chopper calls from the other side of the ship, before Robin can announce that she wants to go into the forest. “What are you going into the forest for?”

He glances back at the doctor, placing his most arrogant smirk on his face. “God’s on this island, right? Well, I plan on meeting him.”

“And just what,” Nami demands, “Do you plan on doing when you find him?”

Zoro shrugs. “Depends on his attitude, I suppose.”

“Zoro.” Chopper looks at him very seriously. “You’re the bravest person I know.”

Nami slaps the palm of her hand to her face. “Seriously? Don’t you know you should never anger God. Especially not on purpose!”

The thought of pissing off Enel enough that he has a reason to destroy the over confident logia user brings a real smile to Zoro’s face. He can only imagine the look of fear when he uses his Armament Haki to slice the bastard in half. “When I get through with him, “God” is going to kneel before me.”

Chopper looks at him like he’s hung the moon. Vivi moans. Nami turns away to fall to her own knees and mutters something about not knowing who Zoro is and not liking him that much anyway.

“Don’t overreact. God isn’t even real. What do I care if I piss off a giant, make believe sky fairy?”

“Zoro!” Chopper yelps.

“I hope you’re right,” Vivi sighs. “Otherwise, we’ll be smited.”

Zoro rolls his eyes. “Oh, don’t be such a whiner. We get enough of that with Usopp. Besides, if God is real, Luffy’s just gonna punch him in the face anyway. Oh, there’s the vine.”

“The vine?”

Zoro points above their heads. "Yeah, the vine. It looks like it's more than sturdy enough to get us across."

“Excellent idea, swordsman-san,” Robin says, a small smile on her face. “Do you mind if I accompany you?”

“Just don’t slow me down.”

He forgot about the wolves too. Their bonfire leaves not so much as a sliver of darkness around them, a beacon to anyone looking for them. Had Zoro not known how this ends, he might have protested. 

Laughter rings in the air as his nakama dance through the fire light with the wolves. Traveling with Luffy gets weird sometimes. Well, traveling with Luffy gets weird all the time. Some times are just weirder than others.

Zoro scans the area again, taking care to spot each of his crewmates. The only one not dancing around with the wolves is Robin, watching with a smirk from one if the tree roots. She looks entertained though, so maybe she's at least having some fun.

Finding the city of gold seemed to lift her spirits a bit more and Zoro had let her stay far longer than he had last time, scribbling away on her notebook despite Nami's whining. Vivi had been unusually quiet, too busy staring around at the world to really notice much else.

"Vivi-chan!" the cook calls "Where are you going?"

Zoro turns his attention back to the bonfire as Vivi marches toward him. She stops before him, offering out a hand and smiles.

"Come dance with me," she says.

"Absolutely not."

Vivi rolls her eyes, snatching his hand anyway and pulling him off his tree roots. "I'm not going to let you sit here and mope all night."

"I'm not moping." He makes a swipe for his sake bottle, but misses as she drags him away. "Vivi, let go of me!"

"Absolutely not," she mocks back at him. "You're going to have some fun tonight. And don't you dare tell me you don't have time for fun." She uses his arm to twirl herself around. "Just because we have a job to do doesn't mean we have to be miserable about it. You should be making memories with your nakama. Now, move your feet."

Embarrassment rushes through his cheeks as she continues to pull at his arms. "Vivi, cut it out. I don't even know how to dance."

"There's not a science to it, Zoro. Just move your feet."

"Oi! Zoro's dancing!" Luffy's excited cry splits the night air. 

Zoro glares at the princess as the captain lunges toward him. Now, she's done it. His captain is going to attach himself to Zoro until he passes out.

A sly smirk lights Vivi's face as she releases his hand. That little devil.

Luffy's rubber arms wrap around him from behind. "Zo-ro! Dance with me."

Before he can protest, Luffy has hold of his arms, swinging him around and prancing away. Vivi giggles relentlessly behind him and Zoro makes a note to get her back for this.

"Shishishi! Zoro's bad at dancing," Luffy tells him.

"So, let me go and go get another partner," Zoro replies, knowing it's no use.

Luffy's smile rivals the sun. "Nope! Zoro's all mine tonight."

The words do something strange to the pit of his stomach as he's seeing around. Zoro's all yours every night, Sencho , he doesn't say. They continue to bounce around the fire, sounds of celebration filling the air.

It feels right. 

His crew, happy and safe. Elated about the adventures that lay ahead.

It feels perfect.

Luffy wraps both arms around him, leading him around the fire. Spinning like a buffoon. The smile never leaves the captain's face.

It's everything Zoro could have ever asked for. His safe, happy crew. 

A laugh pulls loose from his lips as Luffy spins him around. For the first time in weeks, guilt doesn't follow it.

For the first time in weeks, everything will be okay.

"How dare you," Zoro growls.

Robin lays in his arms, unmoving, but he can see the rise and fall of her chest. She's alive. She's alive. 

They all survive this. 

He pushes the words through his mind, but they do little to quell the rage. Pressure builds through him. He lowers Robin to the ground, pulling Kitetsu and En-Shu-Yubashiri. He pulls Kitetsu and Yubashiri from their places at his side. 

Leave it for Luffy. Luffy has to do this.

Enel scoffs at him. "You humans. Just so fragile and arrogant. Someone needs to put you in your place. Don't you agree?"

Armament Haki shoots through his blades without his consent. The stench of burnt flesh and fur burns his nose. It's too familiar. Too raw. His handle on his temper slips.

Zoro lunges, swiping a blade at the false god, knowing he'll dodge. He drives Kitetsu home without much problem. Enel screams in fear and shock as a weapon sinks into him for the first time in what must be years. Its music to Zoro's ears. 

His opponent scampers backwards, sending a bolt of lightning toward him. He flicks Enma, deflecting the attack with ease. 

Voices ring out from behind him. He ignores them. He has no time for pitiful Marines. Right now, it's time for him to get rid of their boss and make his way further into the forest. Luffy is waiting there. And the Admiral he's facing might require some assistance.

"How?" Enel screeches. "How could a lowly human like you touch me ? I am God."

"What you are is pathetic," Zoro growls.

One more well timed hit. If he can make Enel move to the left and drive Enma through his chest, that will be the end of it. The Haki infused blade will take care of his opponent without much more effort. 

Rage fills Enel's face. "I'll make you pay for insulting God!"

A giant cat of lightning lunges at him. No problem. Enma will take care of it. Zoro shoots forward, fully intending to cut right through the beast and into its master.

"Zoro!" 

Nami's terrified scream hits his ears. Zoro's feet freeze as the scene around him fades. Fire overwhelms the island. Akuini and Kizaru are there, attacking them one by one. Kidd and Killer have already fallen, their toughest rivals in this whole mess. Killed so easily.

Burnt, boiled skin burns his nose. Screams of terror fill his head. 

"Zoro!" Nami screams. Her voice so full of terror it brands itself into his mind. "Help me!"

A beam of pure light cuts across her cheek. Blood spills. She screams again.

Help her. Help her. Help her.

His mind screams the mantra. Usopp is already gone. He and Brook, down the path a little bit. He has to save Nami. He can't let her down too.

Blue cracks across his vision, wrapping around his limbs. His heart slams into his chest, desperate to get away from the feeling of his own flesh cooking.

"Zoro!" Nami screams again. 

She needs him. She needs him to do something. Something other than let his body go numb and fall to his knees.

Another wave of blue pain hits. 

The world goes dark.

Chapter Text

The distant look in Zoro's eyes as he falls to his knees tells Vivi all she needs to know. A part of that island branded itself into Zoro's mind and Nami's scream brought it out in him. Another mass of electricity dumps onto the swordsman. Vivi's cry mixes with Nami's. Her stomach plummets to the world below as Zoro's still body wavers and then collapses to the ground.

This is the worst possible outcome. 

The Skypiean rushes Enel but a single bolt of lightning leaves him immobile. Scrambling, Vivi grabs Nami's hand and yanks her to her feet. 

They need Luffy. Now.

Luffy is the only person who can defeat Enel.

Static blue appears in front of them as they god takes his full form. His hand slams into Vivi's cheek, ripping her hand from Nami's and she's thrown into a nearby wall, rocks crumbling around her.

Pain erupts through her body, stars dancing in her vision. How do the boys do this? How do they stand up after this?

Nami screams.

A large hand wraps around Vivi's neck, pulling her up, her feet dangling above the ground. Oxygen refuses to make its way to her lungs. Vivi whimpers, hands closing around Enel's in a vain attempt to free herself. The god snarls at her.

"You. You feel just like that swordsman. You’ve come from another world. Somewhere that doesn’t belong." Blood trickles down his side from where Zoro's katana had nicked him. "Did you think I wouldn't notice? Me? I am God. There's nothing you can hide from me."

He throws a hand out, lightning cracking into the ground. Slowly, the dirt and rocks give way to the clouds holding it up.

"You two don't belong," Enel growls. "And I won't let you take what belongs to me. Whatever mantra you may have can't save you now, little girl."

"Vivi!" Nami screams her name as Enel moves her over the clouds.

Vivi digs her nails into his skin, trying desperately to hold on. Not like this. Not like this.

Zoro! Her mind screams. Help me!

The swordsman doesn't so much as twitch.

"Remember, human," Enel sneers. "God always decides your fate."

His hand vanishes. Air floods Vivi's lungs as she plummets, clouds rushing by her. She's going to die. All of this work and it turns out that her choice had never mattered. She wasn't the one meant to save her nakama. Only Zoro was.

The ribbon in her hair wipes across her cheek. Somehow, the memory of Luffy striking that cheek in Alabasta floods her mind. Luffy had promised she wasn't alone. That her nakama would protect her.

They'd tried, she knows.

She should have been stronger. Should have learned to stop relying on other people. A princess should always know how to defend her people.

Perhaps Enel truly is God and he is only punishing her for her sins.

Something warm and strong grabs Vivi's wrist. Her plummet stops. A second hand appears, covering her mouth to stop the cry of surprise bubbling in her chest. Vivi looks up. A hand sticks out of the clouds, holding her tightly.

Nico Robin.

Her eyes widen at the realization. Nico Robin is the only thing keeping her from plummeting to her death. Is this a game? She’s just going to dangle Vivi above certain death for laughs. 

Zoro says she’s nakama. That she likes the crew and that she’s on their side. Says one day, Vivi will understand. Maybe, just maybe, today is that day. Because, if Nico Robin actually saves her life, Vivi isn’t sure she can continue to hold a grudge against this woman. She might finally understand why Luffy agreed to let her join this crew. 

Time ticks by. Vivi continues to dangle, though the hand vanishes from her mouth. If she yells for help, will Enel return? The god would be able to kill her and Robin with ease. Even Zoro hadn’t been able to withstand his attacks. 

A long, rubber arm drops down in front of Vivi’s eyes. Fingers wrap around her wrist, replacing Nico Robin’s, and clings tightly. A sob of relief spills by Vivi’s lips. The arm snaps upward, dragging her along with it. Luffy’s worried but smiling face greets her, the captain pulling her safely into his arms.

Vivi clings to her captain’s neck, hugging him tightly. “Luffy-san!” she cries.

“Yo, Vivi! Are you hurt?” Luffy steers her away from the whole in the ground.

Enel has gone, vanished back to his imaginary throne. Nico Robin is sitting up, clutching her arm close to her side and watching them with sharp eyes. The others haven’t moved. Vivi’s heart tightens. Chopper’s been unconscious for almost an hour now. The rise and fall of Zoro’s chest seems far slower than it should be.

“Nami-san!” Vivi cries, eyes searching for the redhead. “Where’s Nami-san?”

“Enel took her,” Nico Robin says.

Luffy’s eyes darken, turning to scan the area. “Yosh.” He pulls away from Vivi, cracking his fists. “Vivi and Robin need to look after the others. I’m gonna get Nami back. Nobody touches my nakama.”

He bolts away without waiting for a reply. Vivi takes half a step after him.

“I wouldn’t do that, princess-san,” Nico Robin tells her. “Enel is far too powerful. You’d have to be the fastest human in the world to be of any assistance to your captain. Besides, he is a rubber man. Which most likely means none of Enel's Devil Fruit powers will work on him.”

Nico Robin shifts, her hand tightening around her injured arm, and her face pulls into a grimace. Vivi grits her teeth, hating herself for knowing that Nico Robin is correct. Luffy doesn’t need her help to fight Enel. If anything, Vivi can only get in the way. Especially with Nami already in danger, desperately awaiting their captain’s rescue. 

“Are you alright?” Vivi asks, turning to look at the archeologist.

Surprise blinks across Nico Robin’s face but she nods, even as she hisses in pain. “It is nothing too serious, princess-san.” After a long pause, she pushes herself to her feet. “We should check on doctor-san and swordsman-san. They seem to have taken quite the beating.”

Vivi turns her gaze to Chopper, laying motionless, then to Zoro, body so still Vivi wonders if he’ll be the next nakama she loses.

“If you don’t mind grabbing doctor-san,” Nico Robin says, stumbling over to Zoro. “Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to help move him. Saving you took most of my remaining energy.”

A stone settles in Vivi’s stomach as she makes her way over to Chopper. Saving her. Nico Robin saved her life. Why? The woman who had helped Crocodile in his decemation of her kingdom had saved her life. 

Somehow, meeting God isn’t the strangest thing that’s ever happened to Vivi.

“Is his bag with him?” Nico Robin calls. “Swordsman-san’s burns are beginning to bleed.”

“Hai.” 

Vivi pulls the bag from Chopper’s still form before she carefully lifts the small doctor into her arms. He’s far heavier than he looks. Vivi has watched him sit on Zoro’s shoulders and head so many times, she assumed he would weigh much less. Though, to be fair, Zoro is a literal monster.

Chopper stirs slightly as Vivi carries him back to Robin. Hopefully, that’s a good sign. She hates the thought of Chopper being in pain but she also wants to see the small doctor awake and alright. As soon as he’s up and put together, they can get Zoro up. From there, they’ll need to find Sanji and Usopp. 

“Will you guys ever find a way to handle someone without a fight to the death?” she asks Chopper softly, knowing the young doctor will have no answers for her.

“I highly doubt it,” Nico Robin says, a surprisingly fond smirk on her face as she digs through Chopper’s bag. “Your captain seems to have a strong knack for getting into trouble.”

“Unfortunately,” Vivi agrees, setting Chopper down beside Zoro. “What are you doing?”

“Since doctor-san is out of commission for the time being, I thought that I would try to assure your swordsman doesn’t get any infections.” She leans over Zoro, carefully wiping a wet cloth across the bleeding burns on his shoulders and neck. “He’s pulled the stitches on his arm, as well. Hmm, this is quite a strange wound to have been caused by table debri.”

“Why?” Vivi asks.

Why are you helping us? What is your plan? There has to be a plan beyond this. What does Nico Robin want from this crew? From Vivi’s nakama.

“Well, generally, cuts from sharp debris would be more jagged. But there’s a methodical lining to-”

“No,” Vivi says sharply. “Not the cut. Why are you helping us?”

“Would you prefer that I allow swordsman-san to get an infection?” Nico Robin sounds slightly amused.

Anger flares in Vivi’s chest, but she shoves it down. Losing her temper will do no good for anyone. If she wants to get to the bottom of this, she needs to keep a clear head and make logical decisions.

“Of course not. But, I don’t understand what you’re doing. I want to know what your plan is.” 

I want to know that you aren’t going to cause the downfall of my nakama. Zoro trusts you but what if he’s wrong. What if something about you caused us to lose our crew?

“There is no plan, princess-san. I told your captain my reasons for joining his crew when we left Alabasta. He forced me to live so, now, I am his responsibility.”

“You can’t honestly expect me to believe that.” Distrust and anger rise in Vivi’s chest again. “You almost caused the destruction of my entire kingdom. And now you want me to believe that you just want to sail around the seas having adventures? That you don’t have a bigger, more sinister plan in mind?”

“It was not my intention to destroy your kingdom, princess-san.”

“Then why were you helping Crocodile?”

Nico Robin’s eyes narrow, jaw ticking in annoyance. The first true, unguarded reaction Vivi’s managed to pull from the normally calm woman. She takes it as a win.

“That is my business. I don’t owe you-”

“You do!” Vivi snaps. “My father could have been killed because of you. My father. My friends. So, you do owe me an explanation, Nico Robin.” She pulls in a deep breath, gritting her teeth. “Luffy-san and Zoro, they’re willing to trust you. They believe that you are a good person. From the moment you showed your face on the ship, they called you nakama without a second’s hesitation. Even after everything you did to their crew. And I-I want to know why .”

Lips twisting, Nico Robin turns her attention back to the bandages she’s begun to wrap around Zoro’s arm to stanch the bleeding. “As I told your long nosed friend-”

“Usopp,” Vivi corrects firmly. “If you want to be a part of this crew, learn their names.”

Blinking owlishly, the archeologist pauses for a beat. “Usopp, then,” Nico Robin agrees. “As I told Usopp , I’ve been wanted by the World Government since I was a child. No one of any standing ever wanted to help me. Not before your captain. The only protection I could find was with men like Crocodile. And, even if I didn’t like what they were doing, I had to keep myself alive somehow.” She shrugs, tying Zoro’s bandages tightly. “Your captain made a choice and so have I. That is all I can give you.”

Any witty comeback flees Vivi’s mind, her eyes locked on Nico Robin as she moves to look over Chopper. She tries to put herself in Nico Robin’s shoes, the way her father always told her to before she made any decisions.

Scared, alone, and desperate.

You trusted a band of pirates, long before you knew they were good people , a voice in her head says. It sounds suspiciously like Zoro.

In Nic- Robin . In Robin’s shoes, Vivi might have done the same. 

And, if Robin is going to be a part of this crew for the long haul, then Vivi needs to give the woman a chance to be nakama. Whether she likes it or not.

Zoro stirs, a small wheeze signaling his climb back to consciousness.

“It’s enough,” Vivi tells Robin, leaning over the swordsman. “For now, it’s enough.”

Zoro’s eyes snap open with an alarmed and desperate gasp. He shoots into a seated position, head swiveling to search for any threats. Vivi throws both hands up in a calming gesture, thankful that Robin turns to tend to Chopper instead. 

“It’s alright, Mr. Bushido,” Vivi says, leaning to see Zoro’s eyes. A slight haze sits in the swordsman’s gray eyes, heavy confusion as he searches for their nakama. “Robin is tending to Tony-kun. Luffy-san went to find Nami-san. And Sanji-san and Usopp-san are waiting down in the village.” 

I think .

“Franky?” Zoro asks, a slight panic in his voice. “Where’s Franky? Brook? Jinbe?”

Vivi’s chest tightens, teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she reaches out to touch his bandaged shoulder. He flinches, head snapping back to look at her, eyes wide.

“Mr. Bushido.” She uses his nickname again, hoping to ground him in reality. “We’re on Skypiea. They aren’t here.”

Zoro’s brow furrows, his eyes moving around them again. “Skypiea?” he echoes until his gaze falls on Robin and Chopper. “Skypiea.” Dropping an arm to his middle, Zoro settles himself in a straighter position and looks around again. “Oi, Robin, are you alright?”

Robin looks up, surprise on her face. “Yes, swordsman-san, I’m alright. Doctor-san seems to be doing good as well."

Zoro nods, satisfied that his crew is safe and glances up at the sky above them. “Luffy went to punch “God” in the face? Huh. Wish he would have waited for me. I would have loved to see that.”

“A city of gold in name only,” Sanji sighs. “Isn’t that just our luck?”

Zoro scoffs. “And so our journey in poverty continues. Who’s going to break that to Nami?”

“Where is my lovely Nami-swan?”

Vivi giggles, helping Chopper undo the bandages around Zoro’s shoulders so he can check them over. The swordsman rolls his eyes.

“Remind me to never say the sea witch’s name in front of him again.”

“What did you just call the beautiful Nami-san?”

“A sea witch. You got a problem with that, shitty love cook?” Despite the harsh words, there’s a light amusement in Zoro’s voice.

“Sanji, no!” Chopper leaps at the cook. “Zoro’s heart is still out of rhythm. You guys can’t fight right now!”

Zoro turns toward the horizon, but not before Vivi sees the fond smile on his lips. He stands, bandages hanging from his limbs and throws an arm up in greeting. “Yo! Luffy!”

“Zoro!” Their captain’s voice echoes back at them as he runs toward them, carrying an oversized bag with Nami at his side. “You’re okay! Shishishi! Good. I punched God in the face.”

Zoro laughs.

“If you don’t mind, captain-san, I’d like to take one last look around the city.”

After four days of partying, Usopp and Chopper lay flat on the ground moaning over full stomachs and hangovers. Sanji is doting over Nami as she packs a small bag to travel with and Zoro is napping against part of a destroyed building, bandages still wrapped tightly. Their captain has a bandage wrapped tightly around his arm as well, protecting the burns from a molten lava ball on his forearm.

Luffy blinks over at Robin as she stands, her own bag pulled over her shoulder. “Oh, yeah, sure. We’ll meet you back here.”

Robin smiles, turning toward the forest.

“She shouldn’t go alone,” Zoro speaks up, peeking an eye open. “Enel’s priests could still be hiding out there.”

“Oh, right.” Luffy turns his hide grin to Vivi. “Vivi can go with Robin.”

“Me?” Vivi asks, eyes wide.

“Yup!”

Hesitantly, Vivi’s gaze shoots toward Robin. The archeologist looks unperturbed by the suggestion, staring back at her with quiet curiosity. Why does everyone on this crew think that she needs to spend time with Robin?

“You heard, Sencho.” Zoro’s eyes close again. “Get gone.”

“Oi! Don’t you talk to Vivi-chan like that, shithead!” Sanji spins to the swordsman, lunging at him. “Apologize, right now!”

Zoro pulls a sword loose. “You wanna go, shit cook?”

“Zoro, Sanji, no fighting!” Chopper jumps into the fray while Luffy laughs.

Robin giggles as well. “Come if you’d like, princess-san.” 

She turns back toward the forest, heading into the trees without a second glance. Vivi sighs, shaking her head at the dust cloud of boys and takes off after Robin. The trees close around them quickly, thick as the forest of Jaya had been. Though, at least this forest seems to be free of oversized bugs.

“Do swordsman-san and cook-san often fight like that?” Robin asks.

Vivi nods. “I think it’s their way of saying they like each other,” she replies.

“That’s possible. Many men have antagonistic relationships with their close friends as a way to keep up a front for their strength. Emotions are often seen as a weakness and neither seem like they would want to be seen as weak.”

“What exactly are we looking for?” Vivi asks. “We’ve already found the city of gold. There isn’t anything else on this island.”

“There is the golden bell.”

“Their treasure? Why would you want their treasure?”

“I don’t want their treasure. I simply want to read the inscription I believe it has.”

“Inscription?”

“Yes. I found one in the ruins of Shandia. “We shall know the true meaning and utter it to no one. It is our legacy to be the inheritors of history and our duty to protect it with the grand bell.” I believe it means that there is a poneglyph on this island. And that is what these people are truly protecting.”

“A poneglyph? You’re searching for a poneglyph?”

Robin nods. “Finding them and uncovering their secrets is what I’m meant to do.”

“I won’t keep her from her dream,” Zoro had said days ago. That means that an important part of Robin’s dream is on this island.

Ahead of them, a large group has gathered. Over their head, Vivi can see the golden bell reflecting in the sunlight. With a relieved sigh, Robin continues forward with long confident strides. Eyes turn toward them as they make their way to the front of the crowd, Robin’s eyes twinkling as she looks at the giant stone.

Vivi pauses at the front of the crowd to stare at the massive, engraved poneglyph. Robin doesn’t stop, eyes scanning each foreign word.

“Hmm, it appears that this isn’t the one I was looking for. This one holds the truth of Poseidon,” Robin muses.

“You can read the ancient text?” the tribe ruler cries.

“Quite well, actually. This holds the location of Poseidon, an ancient weapon named after a god. Though, I’m afraid this is just another dead end for me.” She turns back to Vivi, frown on her face. “Come, princess-san. We should get back to the others.”

Frowning, Vivi glances at the gold shining around the poneglyph. So smooth, beautiful, and untouched. Apart from the words carved into it beside the poneglyph. Words that look so out of place. Like someone had been adding to the ancient stone’s writing.

“Robin,” she says, pointing at the words. “What does that say?”

Genuine surprise crosses Robin’s face. She opens her mouth, a question on her face before the entirety of Vivi’s words seem to register and she spins back around. Her approach to the gold part of the writing is far slower, each step hesitant as though she’s afraid of what she’ll find.

“Gol D Roger,” Robin whispers.

“The Pirate King?” Vivi asks.

“He came to the Sky Islands. But how could he have known the ancient language?” She takes a few steps closer.

“So, it says Roger, does it?” Gan Fall asks.

Vivi gasps, taking a few steps away from the crowd to look at the old man. “You knew Gol D Roger?” 

Gan Fall nods. “I met him when he came to this land years ago. So, he engraved his name there?”

“Yes. Somehow he reached this bell.” Robin turns back to look at the writing again. “I made it here. I will guide this text to the end of the earth. That means. This is a poneglyph for information.”

“Is there another kind?” Vivi asks, stepping up beside Robin to look at the strange letters.

“There are poneglyphs with information and poneglyphs that hold the whereabouts of information,” Robin tells her patiently. “Guide this text. Guide this text.” Her eyes widen, a gasp from her lungs startles Vivi. “The Rio Poneglyph.”

“The Rio Poneglyph?” 

“There are certain ones spread across the world that hold information. But I believe that reading them as one will reveal the truth. The history of the Void Century. In other words, the passage that’s completed by combining them will make up one final poneglyph. The true poneglyph. Roger must have brought the message on this poneglyph to the island containing the real poneglyph.” She turns to look up at the poneglyph again. “The task for this poneglyph has already been completed.”

A cheer rises up around them as the Skypieans realize that their war is finally over, the chief collapsing to his knees with relief. Smiling slightly, Robin ushers Vivi away from the celebratory islanders, toward Gan Fall.

“Your friend, in the strawhat,” Gan Fall tells them. “He reminds me a great deal of Roger. Quite an interesting boy.”

“Interesting indeed,” Robin agrees, amusement in her eyes. “His name is Monkey D Luffy.”

Vivi lets out a giggle. Interesting doesn’t begin to cover Luffy. 

“D?” Gan Fall echoes. “I see. It fits the boy, that one letter.”

“Yes. I’m sure it will be a great point of history.”

Luffy bounces up and down ahead of them, bag tied tightly around his neck as he waves at them. “Oi! Robin! Vivi! Hurry! We stole the gold.”

Sanji shouts something at him, panic on his face as he points at the crowd behind him, carrying their golden gift, wrapped in a protective cloth. The rest of the crew begin to run around, panicking as well. All except Zoro, shaking his head in exasperation while the others sprint around him in circles.

“Oh,” Robin says around a giggle. “They don’t know what it is. I think they believed we’re going to be attacked.”

“Vivi! Robin! Run! We can’t stay any longer!” Luffy shouts, leaping even higher. He spins to show them the gold on his back.

“Oh no,” one of the men cries. “They’ve already packed their bags. Are they leaving?”

More protests rise up.

“We haven’t thanked them properly.”

“We need to say goodbye!”

“What about their gift?”

Vivi sighs. “Luffy-san,” she mutters. “So rude. We can’t just run off without bidding these people fair well.”

“Oh the contrary, princess-san,” Robin laughs. “We are pirates.”

“But, Robin-”

Luffy turns and sprints off. Usopp takes his place, yelling about the crew’s bravery and how they’ve fought too hard to be captured. Behind him, Luffy, Sanji, and Chopper cheer him on. Zoro rests a palm to his forehead, reaching out to snatch Chopper and shove him in the (wrong) direction to the ship. 

“Capture them?” one of the sky people asks. “Why would we ever want to capture them?”

Because we’re pirates, Vivi realizes. She turns to look up at Robin, watching a smile take over the older woman’s face. Because pirates don’t do polite things. They steal what they want. And, even though he’d never do anything to purposely injure someone, Luffy is a pirate. He relishes in being free and doing as he pleases.

The rest of the crew have no idea that the gratitude of these people means they would give this crew anything. And gold holds no meaning to them. The rest of the crew believes that they’re being proper pirates.

“Oi, aren’t you guys going to take this gold?” someone asks.

Vivi smiles up at Robin. 

“I guess not,” Robin replies, laughing. 

They take off in a run toward the rest of the crew. Vivi feels as though she’s floating more than she is running. A rush of adrenaline fills her veins. She doesn’t know if she’s ever had this much fun. Even back with Koza, when they were children.

“Run to the edge of the clouds!” Luffy cheers.

“Aye, Sencho!”

“Are you going to keep this one too?” Vivi teases, looking up at the giant octopus.

In the gallery, Nami yells at the boys about gold and getting off course. Robin stands at the railing, giggling at the crew’s antics. Zoro and Vivi lean against the mast, watching the clouds thin as they descend.

The swordsman doesn’t smile at her. His gaze lingers on the endless blue of the sky around them, mind clearly elsewhere. Vivi frowns, nudging his arm and he starts, eyes wide as he turns to look at her. It's only then that Vivi realizes he’s beginning to tremble.

“Zoro?” Concern shakes her chest. “What is it?”

Lips parted slightly, Zoro shakes his head. 

“Zoro.” Vivi moves to touch his arm.

“Don’t touch me,” he snarls, jerking himself away.

Vivi moves her hand back, clutching it to her chest. His mind has wandered too far again. A glaze settles in his eyes. Panic is settling in.

“Oi, don’t talk to Vivi-chan like that, you shit swordsman,” Sanji snaps.

Zoro ignores him, shoving himself to his feet and storming around to the back of the ship. Eyes turn to Vivi in the swordsman’s wake. Her fingers move to the ribbon again, searching for something to comfort her. 

Sandals slap against the Merry’s deck as Luffy appears in front of her, his playful smile absent in place of a concerned frown. Silence settles between them for a moment. His eyes bore into her, searching for something.

“Zoro’s hurt,” Luffy finally says. 

“Tony-kun said-”

The captain shakes his head furiously. “No. Zoro’s hurt here and here.” Luffy’s hand moves to his head and then to his chest. “And Vivi knows why.”

Vivi’s teeth attack her bottom lip. Even if she told Luffy what was happening to his swordsman, the captain would never believe her. “Luffy-san.”

“I don’t wanna know,” Luffy interrupts. “If Zoro wanted me to know. If Zoro wanted me to help , he’d tell me. I don’t wanna know. But you know. You can help.”

No, I can’t. 

Vivi breathes, fighting the unease in her chest. Her captain isn’t suggesting that she go talk to the swordsman. He’s demanding it.

“I don’t want Zoro to hurt,” Luffy says. “He’s bad at it.”

“How can someone be bad at being hurt, Luffy-san?”

“Zoro isn’t bad at being hurt,” Luffy says impatiently. “He’s bad at dealing with being hurt. Especially when he’s hurt here.” The captain’s hand moves to his chest again. “Don’t let Zoro hurt, okay?”

Hesitantly, Vivi nods and climbs to her feet.

Luffy grins at her. “Vivi’s good nakama!”

The captain sprints off before Vivi can reply, demanding meat from his chief. A distraction, Vivi realizes, as Luffy begins shoving the rest of the crew toward the gallery. Pulling in a deep, desperate breath, Vivi climbs the stairs.

Zoro has himself tucked against the wall beneath Nami’s makin trees, knees drawn up to his chest. She can hear his erratic breathing from feet away, watching his chest heave and shutter. His arms rest of his knees, hands clenched around his forearms. Red tinges the white bandage from where Chopper had fixed his stitches.

“Zoro,” she breathes, hurrying over to grab his hand. 

His own blood stains his fingertips and his grip only tightens as she tries to free his arm. Hazy gray eyes open to look at her. “Water 7.”

The fear in his voice burns into her soul. “Water 7?”

“Bad things.” His voice hitches. “Bad things are going to happen to our nakama. And I-I have to let them.”

Zoro’s greatest fear. Watching his nakama hurt. No wonder the tremors are so much worse than normal.

“Go away, Vivi.”

“No,” she says firmly. “I’m not leaving you alone when you’re like this.”

Zoro bares his teeth despite his short, panicked gasps. “I’m not like anything. Go away.”

“You’re panicking, Zoro.” Vivi reaches for him again. “Let me help.”

He jerks away from her hand. Vivi pauses, weighing the pros and cons of her actions. Luffy’s request rings in her ears. She puts her hand on his again, finally pulling it free from the bandage.

“Stop touching me.” Zoro flinches.

“No. I’m not letting you do this alone. We said together , Zoro.”

“Stop. This is my burden to bear.”

Vivi’s chest turns cold. Huffing out a breath, she sets her jaw. “Our nakama’s lives,” she tells him firmly. “Are not a burden. And it is not your job to protect them alone.”

“It is,” Zoro mutters desperately. “I owe them. I failed them.”

“Zoro, you didn’t fail anyone. You weren’t born to give your life for theirs. They’re your nakama. They love you and they want to protect you too. Destroying yourself only destroys them.”

His breath hitches again, head buried in his hands, but he leans toward her half an inch. Vivi takes it as permission. She pulls her swordsman into her chest, burying her nose in his hair. Miraculously, his body goes limp against her, though the tremors continue.

“I failed them,” he tells her again. “I failed them.”

Vivi’s heart shatters again as she cradles him. “Zoro.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not strong enough.”

"You are," Vivi tells him. "You're the strongest man I've ever known. You just need some help. And that's okay. Everyone needs help sometimes."

Zoro shivers, pulling himself away to scrub his face. His breathing calms. "Sorry. I shouldn't be weak like this."

"You aren't weak."

He pulls in a shaking breath but the rest of him is steady. Vivi wipes a stray tear from his face. He flinches but doesn't protest the action.

"What were you panicking about?" 

Zoro's gaze lowers to his hand, blood staining his fingertips. "Water 7. I don't. I don't want to go through Water 7 again."

"What's Water 7?"

He swallows hard, fingers inching toward his arm again. Vivi snatches it, bringing it close to her chest instead. Some of the haze returns to his eyes.

"Merry can't make it," he tells her, voice thick. "We've done too much damage to her. The shipwrights at Water 7 will tell Luffy to leave her behind."

Vivi frowns, free hand rubbing on the Merry's worn deck boards. Her heart aches at the thought. The Going Merry has done so much for them. The ship is nakama. 

"Usopp won't." Zoro's breath catches. "Usopp's so angry. He doesn't understand how much it hurts all of us. He thinks we're just abandoning her. But we wouldn't. We'd never just leave her. But we can’t make her carry on in pain. So, he’s going to.” Zoro’s eyes squeeze shut. “He’s going to leave. He’ll fight Luffy for Merry and he’s going to leave. He’s going to leave me again.”

The tremors hit Zoro hard enough that his teeth begin to chatter. He tears his hand from Vivi’s grasp, hands going to his hair and pulling hard. 

“But he has to. He has to go. Luffy has to know what it means to be a captain. Usopp, Usopp has to understand what nakama means. I have to let him go. I have to.”

“Zoro,” Vivi says, hands clasping his shoulders as he stares at his lap.

“And Robin. Robin. Shit , Robin. She’s gotta know. We’d do anything for her. We’ll come for her.” His fingers dig into his scalp, knuckles turning white as he tugs at his green hair. His voice breaks. “She has to. And they’ll hurt her. They’ll hurt her. And I have to let them. I have to because, because she has to know.”

“Mr. Bushido,” Vivi raises her voice. 

Zoro starts, his horrified ramblings stuttering to a stop. His dark, hazy eyes look up at her, breath coming more in wheezes than actual breathes.

“Stop,” Vivi tells him, rubbing her hands up and down his arms. “Come back to me, okay? Just copy my breathing.”

“Ca-can’t. I ca-can’t. Water - Water.”

“Mr. Bushido, stop .” Her firm voice stops him again. “Copy my breathing.”

Finally he does. Each intake hesitant. Each outtake shaking. 

“Where are we going to land?” she asks once he stops hyperventilating. 

“Wha?”

“When we touch down, where do we land?”

Zoro swallows hard, jaw trembling. Again, his eyes squeeze, face pinching as though he’s in pain. “Um. Um. Split-Head.”

“What?”

“There’s a - um - there’s a pirate. Sp-Split-Head. That’s what Luffy calls him. I don’t - I don’t remember his name. But, he’s going to challenge us to a Davy Back.” Gradually, as he speaks about this “Split-Head”, his stutters steady. “That idiot thinks he can win. Thinks he’ll be able to take Chopper away from us.”

Zoro leans his head back against the wall, exhaustion pulling at his eyelids. His breath is still a little heavy for Vivi’s liking, but at least he’s breathing, so she won’t complain.

“Alright. So, once we land, we need to worry about this Split-Head person.”

“Yes, but he’s not a threat.”

“Once we land, we’ll have to deal with this Split-Head person. And no one else.”

“Vivi.”

“Zoro. Does Usopp come back?”

“Yes. But-”

“Does Robin leave Water 7 with us?”

“Y-yes. B-but.”

“Stop.” Vivi says. “They’re going to hurt Zoro. But you’re right. It’s important. It's how we grow as people. If you never let them learn, they’ll never get stronger. You know that everything turns out alright. That we leave that place together, with Usopp and Robin. So, just think of that when the time comes. For right now, think Split-Head.”

Zoro’s eyes clear a little more. “Split-Head.” He blinks, brow furrowed before his lips twitch in the ghost of a smile. “Oi. Did you call her Robin?”

“Oh, Vivi, there you are.” 

Usopp grins at her as she climbs back onto the deck. The sniper doesn’t ask why she’s emerging from the men’s bunkroom and Vivi is eternally grateful that he doesn’t make her explain that she had to put Zoro to bed because the swordsman is so worn out he can’t even walk straight. Luffy bounds down past her, giving her a soft smile as he goes to check on his sleeping swordsman.

“Hi, Usopp-san.”

“I was wondering where you were. I have something for you.”

Vivi blinks. “For me?”

“Yeah. Check it out!”

Usopp presents her with a golden chain, one end has a thick golden ring and the other end has what looks like a curved peacock feather. One of her slashers. But it looks better, sharper. She gasps, reaching out to take it.

“Usopp-san, where did you get this? It’s amazing.”

Usopp grins widely. “I found one of your old peacock slashers in the storage room. It was broken, but I wanted to make sure you had something to defend yourself with. Here, I can show you how it fits.”

He slips the ring onto her finger, wrapping the golden chain around her wrist as though it’s a bracelet and then clicks the slasher into the ring. It sits placidly on her middle finger, looking like no more than a simple accessory. 

“You just click this button here.” Usopp shows her the small button hidden on the underside of her ring and the slasher pops loose when he presses it. “And then it’s ready to go.”

“This is amazing.” She throws her arms around his neck. “Oh, thank you. Thank you so much.”

Something to defend herself with. Now she isn’t completely useless. She isn’t one more burden for Zoro to carry.

Usopp’s arm tightens around her waist as he returns the hug. “Of course, anything for my nakama.”

The words stun her for a moment, heart dropping to her stomach. Anything for the nakama he’ll abandon in only a few short days. 

We’ll get him back, Vivi tells herself. Zoro says we’ll get him back .

She clings to that.

“Um, Vivi,” Usopp says softly, his eyes moving to the hatch to the men’s bunk as he pulls back. “How’s Zoro?”

“Zoro?” 

He nods. “He’s been acting so strange lately. We’ve all noticed it. He won’t fight with Sanji like he used to. And, Nami said he froze in battle with Enel. He won’t talk to Luffy. And, Luffy wouldn’t tell us if he did, so.” Usop sighs. “I don’t care what’s wrong with him. Just, how is he?”

Terrified. Traumatized. Water 7 is going to destroy him .

“He’ll be alright,” she lies. “I think he’s just a little tired.”

“You’re a bad liar,” he tells her around a frown. “Just, take care of him for us, alright?”

Vivi nods.

The sun spills into the storage room, glittering across the gold filling the room. From beyond the walls, Vivi hears Sanji rise to begin cooking breakfast. Usopp calls a greeting to him from the crows’ nest and the two laugh about some mundane thing. 

Vivi pulls in a breath, keeping her eyes locked on the fruit.

She’s been sitting in front of the thing for hours, since Nami and Robin vanished to bed, unable to tear her eyes from it. Unable to stop hearing Robin’s words.

“You’d have to be the fastest human in the world to be of any assistance to your captain.”

Years ago - weeks ago to the rest of the crew - Vivi remembers crying to Usopp how unfair it was that the Monster Trio were monsters. Unfair that she wasn’t strong enough to do anything. To help them.

“I’m sorry.” Zoro had looked so small. Sounded so broken. “I’m not strong enough.”

Zoro is strong enough. Strong enough to carry this weight on his shoulders. Strong enough to protect his nakama.

Vivi is not. But she will be.

Chapter Text

“Oh, marimo, you aren’t dead.”

Zoro barely manages to keep his eyes open as he stumbles into the kitchen. Every muscle in his body feels heavy, exhaustion still heavy in his bones. Damn panic. Damn weakness. Every time he thinks of the bad that’s coming - the things he needs to fix - his chest pounds like he’s fought a thousand Marine Admirals. 

“No,” he growls to the cook.

“Damn.”

Zoro drops onto the bench, nestling his head in his arms. The rest of the crew haven’t made their way above yet. Maybe, just maybe, he can get a few more minutes of sleep before the rest of his loudmouth crew arrive to make the pain in his skull even worse.

“Oi.” A surprising amount of concern laces the cook’s tone. “Are you dying?”

“Eh?” Zoro lifts his head to look at the blonde, frowning at him from the stove. “No.”

The cook’s frown deepens. “Then stop it. You’re worrying the ladies.”

“Stop what exac-”

Vivi appears in the middle of the gallery. The door doesn’t open. Her shoes don’t click across the floor. She just appears. As if by some shitty magic trick. 

Or a Devil Fruit.

“Vivi-chan!” the cook cries, dropping his spatula to stare at her with wide eyes.

Vivi lets out a small squeak before she vanishes again. Zoro groans and drops his head onto the table.

“Vivi-chan!”

Zoro just wanted five more minutes.

“Suge!” Luffy shouts, bouncing around the room. “Suge! Suge!”

“Luffy, shut up!” Nami snaps. “Vivi, what were you thinking?”

Vivi shifts uncomfortably from her seat beside Zoro, hunkering her shoulders down. “I just - I don’t know Nami-san.”

“You don’t know?” Nami whines. “Vivi, think of all the beli you just cost us?”

With a groan, Zoro puts a hand to his forehead. His head pounds, neck sore from sleeping at an awkward angle. “We have a literal hoard of treasure in the other room and you’re worried about the beli you could have gotten for the Devil Fruit.”

“Of course I am, you idiot!”

Zoro closes his eyes, face grimacing against his will as her loud voice stabs into him. 

“Do it again, Vivi. Do it again!” Luffy cheers.

“Luffy, leave Vivi-chan alone!” The cook slams his shoe into Luffy’s face, sending the rubber captain flying out the door. 

Usopp begins shouting about damage to the Merry while Luffy laughs wildly.

Damage to the Merry. Damage to the Merry.

The little bit of food Zoro managed spins in his stomach. His shirt clings to his chest, uncomfortably tight and warm. His heart picks up.

“Oi,” the cook says, eyes on Zoro despite the clear distress on Nami and Vivi’s faces. “What’s got you so pale, marimo?”

“Shut it, shitty cook,” Zoro manages to growl.

He swallows hard, forcing down the vomit that tried to creep up with his words. The girls eye him as well, Vivi moving her hand. Probably to touch him. The thought makes his skin crawl. What is it with her and her horrible need to touch Zoro? His skin already feels too tight. Too hot. Like he doesn’t belong in it.

“Don’t touch me,” Zoro orders.

Vivi’s hand falls.

The cook’s face darkens. “Don’t speak to-”

Zoro shoves himself to his feet and out the door before the cook can finish, desperate for fresh air. Usopp continues to chase Luffy around the ship, narrowly avoiding Zoro as he makes his way to the mast. Behind him, his captain skids to a halt, watching him climb to the crows’ nest. Zoro can feel the concern in Luffy’s gaze, but he refuses to look back.

Fresh air whips in his face and he pulls it in greedily. Cooling seawater peppers across his skin as waves crash into Sunny’s-

“Merry’s,” he corrects himself, falling to the floor with a groan. “You’re on the Going Merry, you fucking moron. Stop fucking it up.”

He won’t be on the Merry for long though.

Water 7.

His hands shake.

Fuck. Water 7.

“Ne, Zoro?” Luffy’s face appears in front of him.

Zoro jerks back, blinking wide eyed at his captain. Luffy sits on the edge of the crows’ nest, neck stretched so his face is inches from Zoro’s. Confusion and concern fill Luffy’s face, eyes raking up and down Zoro’s body.

“Luffy,” Zoro sighs, letting himself lean back and breathe.

Luffy is here. Luffy is here. The crew is safe. 

Silence, apart from the rustle of sails and voices down below. Luffy blinks at Zoro, eyes critical, trying to read him without questions. For the first time in his memories, Zoro shifts uncomfortably under his captain’s gaze.

Finally, Luffy’s eyes soften and he nods, almost to himself. “Zoro’s okay.”

It isn’t a question. The captain has already made the decision himself that Zoro isn’t in any immediate danger. That his panic has calmed to a managable state. Because Zoro is only going to think about Split-Head. He’s going to shove his nerves down and push away any other memories that threaten to surface.

Just Split-Head.

Pulling in a deep breath, Zoro forces his lips to quirk in a shitty attempt of a smile. “Zoro’s okay.”

“Yosh. If that changes, come get me or Vivi.”

Not a question. Not a suggestion. An order.

Zoro’s chest tightens. Luffy’s easily the most perceptive person on the crew. But how perceptive? How much has he already figured out himself? How much longer can Zoro hide this from him?

“Yosh, Sencho.”

Satisfied, Luffy nods. “I’m gonna go back down with Usopp now.”

An opportunity. Luffy is offering him an opportunity to reach out. An opportunity to have the uninterrupted support of his captain, all to himself. But, he can’t. If he lets himself fall into comforts again, he’ll get distracted. And distractions will cost his crew their lives.

“Yosh. Go get him.”

Please, don’t leave me . Zoro wants to scream it at the top of his lungs. Please, Sencho. Please, never leave me.

Luffy frowns, glancing down at the deck for a minute. Then, he jumps beside Zoro and settles himself in. Zoro slumps back, all of his energy dropping out of him at once. Luffy shuffles himself around until his shoulder brushes against Zoro’s arm.

“I’ll watch the octopus,” Luffy tells him. “Sleep.”

Vivi hops from room to room with her new Devil Fruit ability. Each time she manages to appear in a new spot, surprise crosses her face, as though she keeps forgetting she can do this now. By the time they finally touch down on the water, she actually seems to have a handle on it.

“So, why’d you do it?” Zoro asks her when she appears beside him, leaning against Merry’s railing.

Behind them, Luffy is cheering Usopp on as he shoots targets they’ve set up on the opposite rail and the cook is shouting for Vivi. So, she snuck out of the kitchen on the cook and Nami.

“Nami-san is still a little upset about the Devil Fruit,” she replies sheepishly, resting her arms on the railing beside him.

“Of course she is.” Zoro rolls his eyes. “Damn sea witch. But, that’s not what I was talking about. The Devil Fruit, Vivi. Why’d you do it?”

“Oh.” She blinks, frowning down at her arms. “Well, I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do.”

The excuse may work for Nami and the cook, but Zoro doesn’t buy it. And, he has the sneaking suspicion that Luffy doesn’t believe it either.

Vivi sighs, propping her chin on her arms, and stares out at the setting sun. The wind catches her hair, sending blue and red waving through the air. 

“I haven’t exactly been useful,” she says.

Zoro raises an eyebrow at her, silently signaling for her to continue. 

“We said together, but I’ve been making you do all the work. Enel took Nami-san and there was nothing I could do to help her. I’m not strong. Not very brave. I need, I need to be useful somehow.”

“You’re useful,” he tells her.

“Name one useful thing that I’ve done.”

“You’ve kept me together,” he admits softly.

Vivi tenses in surprise, looking up at him. Zoro gives her a forced smile before he looks back to the explosion of colors in the sky. She leans her shoulder into his. The warmth feels good for a change. Their crew continues to play around behind them, oblivious to the dangers to come, as Vivi and Zoro fall into a thoughtful silence.

“Well,” Vivi says after a long pause. “I’m going to find other ways to be useful too. And, this seemed like the best way. I don’t want to be weak. I want to protect my nakama.”

“We will,” Zoro tells her.

Foxy. Split-Head’s real name is Foxy. And he has the most annoying goddamn laugh of any stupid bastard Zoro’s had the misfortune to meet. The concussions were definitely trying to do him a favor when they wiped Foxy from his brain. Somehow, the man’s nose manages to be even more ridiculous than Usopp’s.

“This is Split-Head?” Vivi asks, sounding as though she’s hoping she’s incorrect.

Zoro sighs. “Yeah.”

“I don’t like him.”
“Nobody does.”

She sighs, shaking her head in disbelief. “Luffy-san gets us into the strangest predicaments.”

Zoro hums his agreement, crossing his arms over his chest as the collection of Foxy Pirates crowd around the stage. Foxy’s voice echoes through the microphone, slamming into Zoro’s head. Even at a distance, the awful voice causes his brain to rattle around in his skull, aggravating the headache he’s had for days. 

Between the continuing anxiety rumbling beneath his skin, Vivi’s decision to shove a Devil Fruit down her throat, and Luffy’s insistence on being a menace to society, the pain can only get worse from here. A nap screams his name. But, he and the cook have to participate against the giants of Foxy’s crew soon. 

“Are Devil Fruit powers banned in this fight?” Vivi asks, leaning a little closer to him to avoid attention from the others.

“No. But you’re not allowed to use yours.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because you have no clue how to use it and I don’t want to have to worry about fishing you out of the ocean in addition to Luffy. And Chopper. And Robin.” Zoro sighs. “Four fucking hammers. And, when Brook gets here, it’ll be five.”

She pouts up at him. “I don’t need you to fish me out of the ocean, Mr. Bushido. Besides, I suspect Sanji-san might beat you to it.”

“Probably. Damn pervert.” Zoro shakes his head. “But, seriously, Vivi. Don’t. The last thing we need is you vanishing and ending up in the West Blue or something.”

“Robin says she read that I would only be able to go places I’ve been before,” Vivi reminds him. 

“Ending up on Drum Island then.” Zoro rolls his eyes. “Just. Don’t.”

“How am I supposed to get used to using my powers under pressure if you never let me? You said Split-Head isn’t high stakes. What’s the harm?”

“The harm is that you might change something in the Davey Back. These bastards are cheaters and our crew are a bunch of idiots. I’m not going to risk getting stuck swearing loyalty to Split-Head. You can play around with your powers more later. For now, just let me handle this.”

Vivi lets out an annoyed huff, but drops the argument. Zoro’s grateful. One less noise to annoy him and one less thing for him to worry about. Of course, worse comes to worse, he could always just kill the Foxy Pirates and get the crew on their way even quicker.

“Vivi-chan! Nami-san! Robin-chan! I brought cotton candy.” The cook prances back over, hearts in his eyes. 

From her spot on a log, Nami moans, head in her heads. “Why is everyone being so calm about this?”

“Luffy’s already made up his mind,” Zoro tells her, squeezing his eyes shut as a particularly sharp pain stabs his head. “So, you might as well stop complaining about it.”

“I won’t!” Nami screeches. “How could you let him do something this stupid?”

Briefly, Zoro wonders how hard it would be to convince Chopper to remove the witch’s voice box.

“Sanji-kun!” Nami’s horrible voice rings out. “That hat looks amazing on you!”

“She’s right, Sanji-san,” Vivi agrees. “You look more handsome than all the princes at the last royal assembly!”

Zoro smirks as the cook’s limbs turn to noodles, hearts dancing in his eyes. His ego is going to skyrocket after this. Just when Zoro was beginning to think his head couldn’t get any bigger. If the girls inflate it anymore, the damn ball won’t fit on his stupid blonde head.

“Alright,” the cook says. “I’m the ball.”

“They’re right, you know,” Zoro tells him, glancing back at the cook. “You look like a real prince. From the kingdom of lame asses.”

The cook snarls, lunging at him with a growl. Zoro dodges with ease, already unconsciously knowing which side he’d default to. 

“You idiots!” Nami cries from the sidelines. “Stop fighting and play the game!”

They’ve almost made it to the field when the announcer calls out about Zoro’s swords. He’d forgotten that dumb rule. No weapons on the field. What kind of pirate game is it if he can’t slice someone in half for the fun of it.

“You sure you’ll be okay without your swords?” Mock concern stains the cook’s words. “A swordsman without his swords is just, well, a regular guy. Only lamer.”

“That wasn’t even a good insult!” Usopp shouts as Zoro lunges to throw a punch at the cook. “Get over it!”

He could, but where is the fun in just getting over something like that? Besides, it feels so right to lose his temper with the cook again.

“Hey, cook,” Zoro calls as the cook makes his way to the other team’s circle. It's impossible to fight the smile pulling at his lips. “Hope you get trampled out there.”

“Hey, Zoro.” The cook flips him off. “Up yours.”

The ball game goes much better than Zoro remembers. Probably because it’s far easier to dodge the idiots around him with Observation Haki. In hindsight, he probably should have been the ball. They would have won a lot faster that way. 

Yet, adrenaline races through Zoro’s veins as he lands beside the cook and he can’t contain the wild grin on his face. Fun. This is fun. Lips twisted and eyebrows furrowed, the cook gives him a confused smile in return. From the sidelines, Chopper and the rest of the crew cheer wildly. 

“Zoro, you’re the greatest!” Chopper shouts.

Must be the little doctor is finally over the harsh words Zoro had thrown his way. But, if Chopper didn’t learn to be a man now, he never would. Toughen him up now. It would be less painful than later down the road.

The cook claps a hand on Zoro’s shoulder as the announcer declares them the winners. They make a good team. Always have. Always will, even if neither of them will admit it.

“Not bad, marimo,” the cook chuckles.

Surprise and the strange feeling of pride build in Zoro’s chest at the words. That might be the first time in over two years of knowing each other that the cook’s ever given him a compliment. 

Vivi’s words suddenly make a whole lot more sense. No matter what happens, Zoro can’t lose the chance to make memories with his nakama. Good memories.

This is a good memory.

The moment they touch down on the uninhabited island, the crew spread out for supplies. Glancing at Luffy and Zoro for permission, Vivi vanishes on the spot, moving herself from the ship to the shore in the blink of an eye. She giggles widely as Luffy cheers her on, appearing down the beach a little ways.

“You’re doing amazing, Vivi-chan!” the cook shouts. 

“Suge!” Luffy bounces up and down. “Vivi’s so cool! Sanji! Lunch!”

The air shifts at Zoro’s side, a sure sign that Vivi will be landing beside him next. Her Devil Fruit powers aren’t immune to Observation Haki, which means even with her speed, CP9 will still be able to strike her. He lets out a shaking breath as Vivi appears beside him, frowning. 

“You’re shaking again,” she tells him. “Are you-”

“Fine.” 

Zoro digs his fingers into the still healing cut on his hand, stopping just short of blood but relishing in the way pain makes the ground feel more solid. CP9 will have to wait. They still have a long time until they have put up with the annoying bastards. For now, Zoro needs to worry about one person and one person only. Aokiji.

The Marine Admiral waits somewhere on this island. About to start a chain reaction that will implode his crew over the course of only a few days.

“Oi, marimo!” The cook’s shout pulls Zoro out of his spiraling thoughts. Blue eyes are focused on him with an unusual, sickening amount of concern. “Are you going to go help the ladies look for supplies for lunch or what?”

You okay ? Shit, if the cook can see something’s wrong with him, he really needs to tone this show of weakness down. 

“They can take care of themselves, shitty cook,” Zoro tells him, but he turns toward the forest to follow the rest of the crew anyway. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

Luffy bounds back beside him, grinning and rambling about how cool this island is. How they’re gonna have so much fun. They can play tag and Usopp can practice shooting stuff and Vivi can practice her new power. And it’s going to be so much fun . 

“Didn’t you get enough fun with Split-Head?” Zoro asks, stopping to grab a few low hanging fruits from a nearby tree.

“There’s never enough fun, Zoro,” Luffy tells him, patiently, shooting up into the trees. “Zoro’s gonna play too?”

With what’s waiting on the other side of the island, there will be no time for games. 

“Zoro.” Luffy pokes Zoro’s cheek.

His captain is noticing his mind wandering again. Zoro turns his head, snapping half heartedly at Luffy’s finger. It's enough for his captain to let out a laugh and bounce off into the forest. Shaking his head, Zoro throws another handful of fruit into his bag. 

Vivi blinks in and out of his view as she uses her power to grab fruit and immediately return it to the cook. The new weapon Usopp made for her shimmers in the sunlight, cold chain jiggling as she moves her arm around. 

They head back to the beach once everyone’s bags are full and Luffy has a collection of fish in each hand. A full bottle of sake presses into Zoro’s hand as he passes the cook his bag. He blinks, scrunching his eyebrows in a silent question to the cook, but the cook only turns back to the flat top grill he’s spread over the fire to begin cooking.

Luffy falls to the sandy beach with a cry of “how much longer?” and receives a kick on the head for his trouble. Zoro chuckles, settling in the sand beside his captain. In the back of his mind, he feels it. The intimidating power of someone far stronger than their crew grows closer. Aokiji will be here soon.

He takes a swing of the sake, letting the burn replace the itch he feels to grab Yubashiri. Maybe he’s gone pale again or maybe the quaking he feels in his bones is visible because a warm plate of food is placed in front of Zoro before any of the girls. His gaze snaps up to the cook. The blonde ignores him again, handing Nami and Robin their plates before he turns to look out at the beach where Vivi is still blinking from spot to spot.

“Vivi-chan! Lunch is ready!”

“Robin, you should eat fast before all the food is gone,” Chopper tells the archeologist, whose nose is stuck in a book.

Vivi appears on Zoro’s empty side, accepting her plate with an enthusiastic “thank you, Sanji-san” before she sits between Zoro and Robin.

“I will once I’ve finished this chapter, doctor-san,” Robin says, flipping her page.

A concerned frown crosses Chopper’s lips. “You shouldn’t read so much, Robin,” he tells her. “I’ve heard that people who read too many books can turn into yucky bugs. I think they’re called bookworms.”

Robin bursts into giggles. 

Zoro pulls in a deep breath, biting into the meat on his plate, and forces himself to concentrate on the sound of her laughter. With Aokiji just around the corner, he can’t afford to let his mind wander.

“Zoro?” Vivi whispers as they begin to clean up the lunch mess.

“Stick close to Robin,” Zoro tells her. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”

Vivi swallows hard. “Zoro?”

“There’s an Admiral on this island. Stay close to Robin.”

Armament Haki coats Kitetsu as Zoro throws himself between Aokiji and Robin. Ice struggles to form on the blade and Zoro throws him back, snarl on his lips. Surprise fills the Admiral’s face as he slides back across the grass. Robin lets out a gasp.

“Well, well, well. It seems you’re stronger than they led me to believe Pirate Hunter,” Aokiji says. “No one told me that you were able to use Haki.”

“Got lots of tricks up my sleeve,” Zoro sneers. “If you come at her again, I’d be happy to show them to you.”

Aokiji straightens. “In the long run, letting me take Nico Robin can only help your crew.”

“ No one is taking her anywhere.” Heat rushes to Zoro’s fingertips, his teeth grinding together to try and ground himself. “She’s nakama. You want her, you go through me!”

“Swordsman-san,” Robin whispers, disbelief thick in her voice.

“Hmm.” Aokiji starts toward him again.

“Robin, come on.” Nami appears, grabbing Robin’s hand and pulling her away. “Let the boys take care of it.”

From the corner of his eye, Zoro watches the cook and Luffy shoot forward to flank him. Morons, he doesn’t say. The two shoot past him, eager to get in attacks of their own. Not that it will do them much good. 

Aokiji grabs the cook’s leg and catches Luffy’s fist. Ice begins to spread.

“Robin!” Nami calls from somewhere beyond Zoro’s vision. “What are you doing? Move!”

The words send shivers down Zoro’s spine. Usopp and Chopper begin to scream and panic. In front of him, Aokiji throws Luffy and Sanji to the ground, they’re cries of pain joining the others. Zoro’s breath hitches. Orange tinges his vision as his mind begins to crawl back. 

Don’t. Just think one step ahead. Water 7. Water 7 is next.

Thinking of the place he loses his nakama for the first time - but not the last -  does nothing to help the dread in his bones. His heart tries to beat out of his chest. The blade in his hand begins to tremble.

“Zoro!” Chopper screams. “Look out.”

A hard, ice cold limb slams into Zoro’s side. He’s airborne for a moment before he slams into the hard boulder they’d found Aokiji napping against. The boulder shatters. Dust fills the air around him, obscuring his vision like a thick cloud of smoke.

“Robin. Run,” Nami shouts.

Zoro shoves himself to his knees, grabbing Kitetsu and searching for the Admiral again. 

“You have some very loyal friends,” Aokiji says, ice forming all over his body as he opens his arms wide. “But, you will never change, Nico Robin.”

No.

He won’t be fast enough to reach her. Won’t be fast enough to stop it. But it’s alright. It’s alright. He knows how this ends. Knows Robin will be alright.

Pain resonates through his body and he clings to the thought. 

Zoro doesn’t lose Robin here. Aokiji will freeze her but she’ll be alright.

“That’s not true,” Robin tells the Admiral, terror in her face. 

He falls toward her, hands moving to wrap around her body. Robin takes half a step back, but seems unable to move further. Frozen in terror. 

Zoro let her down. Again.

Blue and red flicker into view at Robin’s side. Then, Robin vanishes. Aokiji falls forward, slamming into the ground. To Zoro’s right, something thuds into the dirt. Vivi and Robin hit the ground hard, yards away from where they’d been only a moment ago.

Shock widens Robin’s eyes as she stares up at Vivi, still leaned over Robin as she tries to catch her breath. The idiot. She’d never moved with someone before. She could have killed herself. Killed them both.

But she didn’t. Vivi saved Robin.

Holy shit. Vivi saved Robin.

The princess pulls Robin to her feet, taking a fighting stance in front of their archaeologist as Aokiji reforms, turning to face them. 

Zoro pulls Enma loose. He bites into his tongue until he tastes blood. No, Yubashiri. Zoro pulls Yubashiri loose, sending a slash toward the Admiral before he can make it to the girls. Aokiji dodges out of the way, giving Zoro time to push himself to his feet.

“Get Robin back to Sunny,” he tells Vivi. 

Fuck. Merry.

Vivi doesn’t correct him. She vanishes on the spot, Robin disappearing with her as the princess grabs her hand.

Aokiji pauses, blinking in surprise. “Oh, so she has the Kieru-Kieru no Mi,” he muses.

“Nami-san, get going,” the cook yells, finally back on his face. “Go to the ship. We’ll meet you there.”

The others start off in a sprint. Aokiji turns toward the path back to Sunny. 

Fuck. Merry.

“Oh, no you don’t!” The cook lunges forward.

“Sanji, stop!” Luffy shouts.

No. Zoro remembers this. Luffy wants to fight him, one on one. Luffy wants to give Zoro a fucking panic attack. But he can’t stop this. Luffy needs to know what it means to be a captain. Luffy needs to know what it means to not win the way he wants to. 

“Get going,” his captain orders, after demanding a one on one fight. Reluctantly, the cook turns back toward the ship. “Zoro, you too.”

“No.”

Luffy blinks in surprise at the refusal of the direct order. “Zoro.”

“No.”

They stare at each other, neither of them blinking, neither of them breaking eye contact. Zoro won’t leave him here alone. Can’t leave him here alone. He’ll lose himself in worry if he can’t see Luffy. 

Luffy’s jaw tightens. “Yosh. Don’t interfere.”

Hating himself, Zoro nods.

Aokiji doesn't kill Luffy. Whether Zoro is there or not, Aokiji doesn't kill Luffy. But knowing that does nothing to calm the panic quelling in Zoro's gut as ice takes over his captain's body. He should have told Vivi to stay. Told her to stop him.

Because fear won't let Zoro stop himself. 

His blade collides with the bottom of the Admiral’s foot and he strains to hold it off as it hovers in front of Luffy’s frozen head. Aokiji raises an eyebrow at him, somewhere between unimpressed and unsurprised.

“I thought your captain told you not to interfere.”

“What my captain doesn’t know,” Zoro growls, planting his feet to shove the Admiral back. “Won’t hurt him.”

Aokiji allows himself to slide back, frowning at Zoro. “That woman is dangerous.”

The air around them shifts. Vivi’s coming back. For what? What could she possibly be thinking?

“ That woman is my nakama,” Zoro tells him, pulling Wadou loose. “And no one is taking her. Not you. Not Cipher Pol.” Surprise fills Aokiji’s face and Zoro lunges for him. “ No one! ”

Vivi appears near Luffy, barely long enough for Aokiji to notice her as she grabs their frozen captain and vanishes.

“Had you and your crew just left me to my business,” Aokiji sighs. “I would have let you go. Having to fight you is a lot of work, Pirate Hunter.”

“You talk too much.”

Kitetsu and Yubashiri cross to stop the frozen hand Aokiji throws at him. Ice starts to spread through the black blades.

“I’m surprised that such a young boy knows something few grown men have managed to learn.” Aokiji comments. “Hmm. Such a shame. And a waste.”

Freezing cold attacks Zoro’s side, ice growing up from his hip where Aokiji has placed his free hand. Zoro had been so busy finding fury in Aokiji’s words that he failed to pay attention to the Observation Haki screaming at him about danger.

His jaw tightens around Wadou, heart speeding up as it tries to pump warm blood to the wound, and he jerks his head to slash his blade at Aokiji’s face. The Admiral jerks back, leaving Zoro to stumble to his knees and feel the burn of ice on his side.

The air shifts. Vivi’s warm hand pulls him to his feet. In front of them, Aokiji throws a handful of grass blades into the air, ice appearing around them. Black fills Zoro’s vision for a moment as the Admiral throws the small ice blades at them. He floats for a moment, nothing below his feet. No air around him. No warmth from the sun.

Merry’s boards slam into Zoro’s feet. Beside him, Vivi cries out. The momentum drops both of them to the ground. 

Zoro sucks air into his freezing lungs, gritting his teeth against the pain as he rolls to look at Vivi. The princess clutches her arm, spots of blood trickling down around the four icicles sticking out of her arm. From beyond the door, he hears shower water cascading down.

“Vivi!”

“Vivi-chan!”

“Doctor! We need a doctor.”

Without waiting for the others to reach them, Zoro hauls the princess to her feet and drags her toward the bathroom. Robin looks up at them from her spot on the floor, a shock blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she watches Usopp finish pulling a thawed Luffy from the steaming water.

“Oi, Zoro! Vivi!” Luffy yelps.

“What happened?” Usopp asks. 

Zoro shoves them out of the way and manhandles Vivi under the hot water. She gasps, good arm shooting up to grasp his shirt as the water melts the ice in her arm. They vanish in seconds, leaving only angry red marks and a small trail of blood. Her hand tightens around his shirt and she jerks him into the water as well.

Ice begins to leave his side. Water, so hot it could be boiling, pours down on their heads. Vivi pants, looking up at him with Luffy’s ribbon stuck to her cheek.

“Moron,” Vivi breathes, but she smiles in relief.

“Luffy’s going to be just fine,” Chopper tells them, furiously wiping the tears from his face.

A cheer rises up from around the deck, Usopp rushing to the door. Chopper turns to heavy point as he approaches, holding him back.

“No, you can’t go in there right now, he’s resting!”

“Aw, Chopper, come on!”

“How long do you think he’ll be out?” the cook asks from his spot beside Zoro. “I can go start something warm for dinner, if he’s going to be up.”

Zoro scoffs. “Like Luffy would ever miss dinner.”

The cook laughs, nodding and heads for the gallery. “Robin-chan, Nami-san, Vivi-chan, would you like something warm to drink?”

Vivi’s eyes move to Zoro, questioning. Is everything going to be alright? Is Luffy going to be alright? Do we have time to enjoy the little things? Pulling in a deep breath, he nods, jerking his head toward the kitchen.

“That’d be great, Sanji-kun.” Nami turns toward Robin. “Come on, you’ll feel better after something warm.”

Robin nods numbly, though her eyes linger on Zoro. There’s a glimmer in her eyes, a strange suspicion. The same one he’d seen her give to Torao, Jinbei, and other various people that wanted to ally with their crew over the years. The look she gives people she thinks are hiding something.

Zoro bites his lower lip and averts his eyes. Anything to keep her from reading him. If anyone figures out what he and Vivi have done, it will be Robin. His eyes fall on Usopp, collapsing on the floor nearby and his eyebrow arches up as he looks down at the sniper.

“What’s wrong with you, Usopp?”

Aokiji hadn’t hit him, had he? Zoro tries to search his memories. His mind refuses, showing him only Robin’s terrified face and Luffy’s frozen body.

His fingers begin to tremble.

“Are there going to be more guys like him?” Usopp whimpers. “Coming after us no matter where we go?”

Yes. The other guys are just much worse . Zoro bites the answer back. 

“This is crazy,” Usopp continues. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

Zoro’s heart rockets into his throat. His teeth sink into his bottom lip, desperately trying to hold back the rage trying to overtake him. “Don’t say stupid things.” He can’t keep the snarl out of his voice. Usopp starts, scrambling up to look at him with wide, surprised eyes. “Go down to the bunkroom and get some sleep, you idiot. You’re just fucking tired.”

Usopp’s wide eyes follow him as he climbs up to the crows’ nest. The heat creeps back in. Water 7 is coming. Usopp was thinking of leaving them long before he actually did. And Zoro hadn’t once noticed it. Had overlooked all of the signs his nakama had given him. Had never done anything to make Usopp want to stay. To make him see that it would be okay in the end.

But it wasn’t okay in the end. 

Usopp is dead.

“Stop,” Zoro tells himself, tucking himself against the wall of the crows’ nest. His body doesn’t listen to him. His clothes are too tight. His skin doesn’t belong. “Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.”

Water 7 is coming. Hanging on the horizon.

Within the next few days, Zoro’s crew is going to fall apart. And he has to let it.

You’re supposed to be protecting them , his mind screams. You’re not supposed to let them get hurt.

But he has to. Sharp, painful gasps leave his chest, blood pulsing in his ears. Zoro has to let his nakama hurt. He knows that he has to let them get hurt. But every instinct in his body screams for him to stop it. Protect them. Protect Robin. Protect Usopp.

“Zoro!” Nami’s voice returns to his mind. “Help me!”

“Stop it,” he tells his mind, threading his fingers through his hair and pulling as hard as he can. Small prickles of pain bubble against his scalp, but it isn’t enough. “Stop it.”

“Zoro.” Luffy chokes on his own blood. “It's okay. Live.”

His chest caves in. “No.” The whisper leaves Zoro’s lips without his permission. “Not without you.”

His swords clatter as his body trembles. This needs to stop. Water 7 is upon them. How is he going to protect the rest of his crew when he can’t even breathe right?

“Stop. Stop. Stop.”

He has to make it stop. Has to make sure that he can protect his nakama.

He pulls Yubashiri loose again, whispering apologies to his blade as he goes. There’s enough awareness left in his mind for him to know he can’t put another mark on his forearm. Too easy to see. In fact, any marks on his arms might be too easy to spot. He pulls up his pant leg, kicks his boot off, and presses Yubashiri’s blade to the scar on his right ankle. Chopper would notice any new scars. He’s pretty sure the young doctor keeps a log of every wound Zoro’s ever had. 

Blood spills down his leg, onto his foot as he traces the scar. 

As long as it’s deep enough, he’ll be able to step on it when he panics at Water 7. He’ll be able to focus on the pain. To protect them. 

With pain comes breath.

Nami and Luffy’s voices fade from his mind. Swallowing hard, he pulls his boot back on and pushes his pant leg down again. His chest continues to heave slightly but his body cools. 

“Water 7,” he tells himself. Because, that’s what he has to face now. “Water 7.”

Exhaustion weighs his eyes down as adrenaline leaves him and his energy fades to nothing.

Chapter Text

A bell dings wildly as the mass of steel shoots by them. Wind whips by, caused by the pure speed of it, plowing into her hair hard enough to loosen the knot in the ribbon. Red flies through the hair, shooting through the air. Crying out in surprise, Vivi lunges for it. It slips through her fingers, fluttering to the water.

“Vivi!” Nami catches her around the waist before she can throw herself over for it. “What are you doing? You’ll drown!”

Despite the logical part of her brain telling her that Nami’s right, Vivi struggles in her hold. Tears prickle in her eyes, heart filling with a horrible pressure. Not that. Vivi would lose a limb before she let herself lose it. “Let go! I need that!”

Luffy’s ribbon. The only thing that she’d been allowed to take with her. The last piece of her nakama.

A green blur flies by her and Zoro dives into the water before anyone else can stop him. Shouts rise up around them as the swordsman surfaces, fighting the small waves caused by the enormous, strange metal ship. Luffy and Usopp hang over the sides, Chopper running from one end of the ship to the other behind them. 

Vivi pulls herself free of Nami’s grip, slamming her hands onto the railings so she can lean over to watch as well. Her heart continues to slam in her chest as Zoro finally spots the ribbon. He snatches it out of the water, pulling it to his chest and letting out an audible breath. Relief floods his face and Vivi slumps against the rail.

“Zoro!” Nami shouts as he makes his way back to the ship. “You idiot! You still have stitches in your arm. What were you thinking?”

He ignores her as he climbs back onto Merry’s deck. Vivi rushes to meet him, dropping to her knees at his side as he flings himself onto his back, knuckles white around the ribbon. 

“Got it,” he tells her, lips quirked in an almost smile, eyes slightly hazy.

Vivi smiles, unable to hold back the sob of relief and nods, placing her hand over his. He doesn’t release the ribbon. Vivi doesn’t ask him to.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers.

Sorry I almost lost it. Sorry I let you down .

Zoro shakes his head. “Not your fault. I should have warned you about how fast the sea train moves.”

Sea train? Is that what that monstrosity is? A train?

Beyond their conversation, Nami continues to yell about Zoro’s lack of foresight. His fingers brush hers as he shifts, pressing the ribbon into her hand. Vivi doesn’t take it. There’s still a slight haze in his eyes. He needs something concrete to ground him, even if it's just for a moment.

“Nami,” Luffy says sharply. “Stop.”

“No! Vivi, what were you thinking?” Nami demands, turning to Vivi. Fear flashes in the navigator’s eyes. “You can’t swim anymore. You could have drowned! It's bad enough I have to worry about Luffy and Chopper diving into the ocean like morons. You should know better.”

Vivi opens her mouth to answer and then clicks it shut. She can’t very well explain what the ribbon is. None of them would ever believe her.

“Nami.” Luffy’s voice hardens. “That’s Vivi’s treasure!”

The crew goes silent around them. Zoro releases the ribbon completely to sit himself up. Everyone’s eyes lock on Vivi as she pulls the red ribbon to her chest, gripping it as though her life depends on it, and looks up at Luffy. After a moment, the captain smiles at her.

“That’s why. Nobody thinks about what’s going to happen when their treasure is in trouble. But, Vivi should be more careful! Zoro will always get your treasure. Like he gets Hat. Right, Zoro?”

“Aye, Sencho.” Zoro shakes his head like a dog, droplets of water spilling across Vivi’s arms. 

“Zoro!”

A real smile crosses the swordsman’s face. Giggles overtake Vivi, relief flooding her as the haze fades away from Zoro's eyes. Across the dock, Nami lets out a sigh. 

“Alright,” she says. “Alright. Vivi, come here. I’ll tie that in your hair so it’s tight this time.”

Water 7 sits tall on the horizon, water shooting out of a giant fountain that falls down around the city. The crew gather at Merry’s head, Luffy leaping out for his spot as he cheers about how cool the city looks. Sunlight sparkles against the water. The entire city looks as though it's made of glittering gems. Even after all the kingdoms she’s visited, all the cities she’s seen, Vivi’s speechless at the absolute beauty of it.

“This place looks huge!” Chopper cheers.

“You’re right.” Nami’s shoulder bumps against Vivi’s as she leans out to look at the beautiful city. “We should be able to restock all of our supplies here. I bet there’s lots of shops.” Nami’s eyes glitter with excitement. “Vivi! We can go shopping and finally get some new clothes.”

Vivi smiles, joy bubbling in her chest. They haven’t had the chance to go shopping together since Alabasta. Something nice and fun for them to do before everything falls apart. 

“Zoro!” Luffy shouts. “Zoro, look at the water fountain! Isn’t it the coolest thing you’ve ever seen?”

Usopp and Chopper immediately agree, shouting excitedly. At Vivi’s side, Zoro gives his captain a half hearted smile, eyes distant as he looks out at the beautiful city before them. The city that will bring them so much heartache.

“Aye, Sencho.” Despite the anxiety that must be overwhelming him, Zoro manages to sound fond and undisturbed. “The coolest.”

Luffy’s laugh sounds a little forced as he turns back to the city. Vivi’s chest aches. All around them, the rest of the crew cheer and chatter while their swordsman falls apart under their noses. As discreetly as possible, Vivi lowers a hand from the railing and brushes her fingers against his. Zoro flinches, but his calloused fingertips catch hers.

Vivi’s eyes snap to him, watching his chest rise and fall with forced ease and his gaze remain on the horizon. Her chest soars. He’s letting her help. Even if it's in the most miniscule way. He’s conquering the panic himself and letting her help. 

“When we get there, can we have a race on those water slides?” Luffy asks.

Zoro’s body twitches, as though trying to hold in a laugh, lips trying to pull in a smile. Shaking her head, Vivi leans past Zoo’s bulk to smile at the captain.

“Luffy-san,” she laughs. “I don’t think those are water slides. And you can’t swim.”

“That’s okay.” Luffy bounds off the figurehead to stand beside Zoro with a wide grin. “Zoro will take me down the slide, right Zoro?”

Zoro’s hand shoots up to shove Luffy away from him. “Not a chance.”

Luffy laughs wildly. 

“Luffy, you moron!” Nami shouts, grabbing the back of their captain’s shirt. “Don’t you dare get into trouble, do you hear me? Vivi and I are going to go on a relaxing shopping trip and then we’re going to find a shipwright to fix Merry and you’re going to stay out of trouble!”  Luffy lets out a few muffled protests as Nami shakes him. “Zoro, don’t you dare let this moron get into trouble. Do you hear me? I’ll raise your debt five hundred percent!”

“Why is it my job to babysit him?” Zoro glances back at Nami with a frown. 

“Because I said so!” Nami shoves Luffy away from her and returns to her spot beside Vivi. Her voice drops to a whisper. “You’d think he’d be grateful,” she mutters to Vivi as Luffy leaps onto Zoro’s back.

“Why’s that, Nami-san?” Vivi asks, turning to the navigator.

Behind her, Zoro bickers at Luffy while the captain laughs about all the fun they’re going to have. A sly smile appears on Nami’s face.

“Oh, come on, Vivi. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”

“Noticed what?”

“Swordsman-san’s mood improves greatly when he’s able to spend time with captain-san.” Robin takes the spot at Vivi’s side that Zoro abandons. Or rather, the spot Luffy pulls him away from. 

Nami giggles furiously. “He has the biggest crush on Luffy. And I’m being nice enough to give them some alone time.” The navigator lets out a long suffering sigh. “It’s just too bad that Luffy is way too dense to realize that Zoro’s hopelessly in love with him.”

Vivi glances back at the captain and his swordsman. Any trace of trembles have left Zoro’s body, replaced by a fond exasperation as he tries to remove Luffy’s rubber limbs from his body. Or rather, makes a show of trying to remove him. If Zoro wanted Luffy off of him, the captain would be gone by now. And, when he thinks no one’s watching, Zoro’s eyes light up, a smile on his face as he watches Luffy laugh.

Almost like he’s back to the man she once knew. Vivi smiles, fingers moving to the ribbon in her hair. As long as he has Luffy, Zoro will be okay.

Villagers call to them as they sail on, directing them to a safe, hidden part of the city. None of them seem upset or scared. Almost as though watching a pirate ship float down their water streets is an everyday activity. Nami passes out everyone’s allowances while Zoro drops the anchor.

“Furl the sails!” Luffy cheers.

The crew around them grins as well, idly chattering about the beautiful city around them and the adventures ahead of them. Vivi watches Zoro move to the rope at the mast hesitantly. The trembles returns to his hands and he pulls in a deep breath, as though to steady himself. His knuckles turn white around the rope, but he pulls with surprising care.

Wood splinters. The mast tips. Shouts rise up as Zoro throws his hands up, catching the mast and shoving it back up again.

“Zoro!” Usopp cries. “Be more careful! What is wrong with you?”

Face pinched in annoyance, Zoro glares back at him. “I barely pulled the ropes.”

Because he already knew what was going to happen.

“Oh, man. We really need to find a shipwright,” Sanji sighs. 

Zoro steadies the mast again, Luffy and Usopp hurrying to wrap ropes around the broken ship and tying it down. The mast stands by itself again. Zoro lets out a loud breath. 

“Poor Merry,” Chopper whispers.

“Don’t worry, Chopper,” Nami says, placing a hand on Chopper’s head. “We’re going to find a shipwright and get her all fixed up in no time!”

From the corner of her eye, Vivi sees Zoro pale. He turns back to look out at the ocean before anyone else can notice, hands wrapping around Merry’s rail. Vivi swallows hard, glancing back at Nami. 

“Alright, Vivi and I are going to go into town. We can get a feel for the town and find our way around. Once we’ve done that, we’ll come back here for everything else. Zoro, don’t forget to keep an eye on Luffy.”

“But Nami,” Usopp protests. “Shouldn’t we go find that Iceberg guy?”

“No way. We can’t go wandering around the city carrying gold, Usopp. It will cause too much attention. Vivi and I will find out where everything is and then we’ll come back for everything else. It’ll be much safer that way.”

Usopp looks torn between knowing its a logical answer and wanting to argue. After a long moment, he lets out a long sigh and nods. Nami smiles, turning to wrap her arm through Vivi’s.

“Let’s go, Zoro!” Luffy says, grabbing his swordsman’s arm. “We gotta explore!”

Zoro lets himself be manhandled with a long suffering sigh “Usopp, let’s go.”

“What? Why do I have to go?” Usopp cries. “I don’t want to go wandering around. There could be Marines down there!”

“Usopp-san,” Vivi pipes up. “I don’t think it's a good idea for them to go wandering around by themselves. If Luffy and Mr. Bushido get lost, who’s going to bring them back to the ship?”

“Oi,” Zoro protests. “I don’t get lost!”

Usopp moans. “Alright, alright. But, Zoro you’d better protect me from any Marines!”

Zoro’s face loses all color again. Luffy frowns up at him, concern in his eyes. “Ne, Zoro?”

Zoro shakes his head visibly, as though trying to clear his thoughts. “Let’s go, you idiots.” He leaps over the edge, onto the ground, without another word. 

Vivi’s heart aches for him. Luffy and Usopp scramble after him, babbling about the cool city. Behind them, Sanji sighs, shaking his head.

“What is going on with him?”

“No clue.” Nami sounds sadder than Vivi’s ever heard, eyes following the trio as they walk toward the town. Luffy speeds up to hop alongside Zoro, rambling in his ear. “Hopefully, some time with Luffy will straighten it up though. Oh!” She cups her hands over her mouth. “Luffy! Zoro! Usopp!”

The boys turn to look back at her. Even at a distance, Zoro still looks slightly pale. 

“Be back here by noon, okay! Then we meet up and finish all our other errands!!”

“Yosh!” Luffy calls back.

“Don’t be late!  Zoro, make sure they stay out of trouble. And Usopp, get them back here by noon, on the dot!”

Zoro nods his head in acknowledgement while Uospp waves to them. They start off again without another word. Satisfied, Nami turns back to her, wide smile on her face.

“Perfect! Now, we’re all set. Sanji-kun, Chopper, will you stay and guard the gold for us? We shouldn’t be too long.”

“Of course, Nami-swan!” Sanji dances with excitement over the task. “I won’t let you down.”

“Nami,” Chopper says softly. “I wanted to go find a bookstore.”

“You can once we get back,” Nami says. “I’ll make Luffy and Zoro carry the gold into the city and we’ll leave Usopp here to guard the ship. That way you and Sanji-kun can go into town to look around too. Okay?”

“Okay.” Chopper smiles. “If you see any bookshops, will you let me know?”

Vivi glances back at Robin as Sanji continues to dance around the deck and Nami promises to keep an eye out for the shops Chopper’s looking for. The archeologist frowns out at the city, looking eerily similar to Zoro when his mind wanders. It puts a strange hole in her chest.

“Robin,” Vivi says. “Are you going to come with us?”

Robin pulls her gaze from the city, looking surprised. From the corner of her eye, Vivi sees Nami turn as well. 

“Yeah, Robin. We’ll have a girls’ day. It’ll be fun.”

Nami drags them into every shop that has nice looking clothing or jewelry, her hand rarely leaving Vivi’s as she pulls her in and out of doors. Robin follows along with soft giggles and smiles that don’t reach her eyes. Vaguely, Vivi wonders if she knows bad things are on the horizon as well.

“Vivi, try this on.” Nami shoves a short, red dress toward her. “It’ll look so nice on you.”

A furious blush takes over Vivi’s cheeks as she holds the dress up. She’ll be lucky if it reaches her thighs. “Oh, Nami-san, I’m not sure. This is a little short, isn’t it?”

“Not at all! Besides, we need to find you some new clothes. Nothing you own matches that ribbon, Vivi.”

Her fingers brush the worn fabric immediately, as though to protect it. Rough burns rub against her fingers from where the ends have been scorched. She hadn’t thought about matching clothing when she’d left, just thrown everything into her bag before her father had the chance to catch her.

“Perhaps something more like this,” Robin offers. “That dress suits you far better, navigator-san.”

Robin offers a yellow tank top and a pair of red shorts to her, neither too revealing. Letting out a sigh of relief, Vivi reaches for them while Nami hums her approval.

“Good eye, Robin! Vivi, go try that on. I’ll find you some shoes to match.” Nami vanishes toward the shoes.

“Thank you,” Vivi says, pulling the clothes into her arms.

Robin smiles. “You are most welcome, princess-san. I’ll see what else I can find you.”

They hand Vivi lots of clothing with reds in it. Shirts with red symbols. Pants with red stripes. By the time Nami deems them finished, half of Vivi’s wardrobe consists of something red. Nami loops her arm through Vivi’s again, Robin trailing behind them as they head through the crowded streets.

People pay them no mind as they pass, a welcome relief to the last two islands they’ve visited. Unlike Jaya, Water 7 seems calm and put together. Each street cleaner and more beautiful than the last. Everyone around them seems happy and friendly. 

“Say, Vivi,” Nami says, heels clicking against the concrete streets. “Where did you get that ribbon?”

Her fingers find it again, tied securely in her ponytail. “My ribbon?” Luffy’s ribbon .

Nami nods. “I didn’t see it until after we left Alabasta. And, it's so old and worn. Aren’t you afraid it’s going to fall apart?”

A weathered path of fabric rubs against Vivi’s fingertips. “No. It’s lasted for years, Nami-san. It will last a little longer.”

She doesn’t tell Nami where the ribbon came from. Any attempt at a lie flees her mind at the inquiry. As if she senses the discomfort in Vivi’s bones, Nami allows the subject to fall away. Her arm tightens around Vivi’s, offering a small comfort and she gestures toward one of the nearby shops. 

“Let’s try this one next. It looks like they have shoes.”

A tall masked person walks by them, almost running into them as they turn toward the shop. Nami stumbles out of the person’s way, lips snarled as she calls after them. “Hey, you jerk. Watch where you’re going!”

“Nami-san,” Vivi protests quickly, glancing back at the person as Nami continues to grumble about how rude they are.

They don’t need to pick a fight without one of the boys here. Especially since Vivi isn’t entirely sure if they’re within her teleporting range. At some point, she should try it out. See how far she can actually move herself. And move the others. A shudder runs through her at the thought of what might have happened if she hadn’t eaten the Devil Fruit.

The Admiral would have turned Robin to ice, the same as he’d turned Luffy.

Behind her, the masked person continues on their way. Robin, however, has frozen in the middle of the street, eyes wide with terror. Vivi’s heart drops, eyes searching the street for any sign of a threat.

She should have asked Zoro to tell her more. Tell her exactly what was going to happen, day by day. But she couldn’t. The memory of his glazed over eyes, the way he could speak only in stutters. How could she expect her nakama to suffer through that, just so she had a more clear view of what was supposed to happen?

It was Vivi’s own fault that she didn’t know what was about to happen. If she hadn’t left her nakama in the first place, she wouldn’t need Zoro to hold her hand through all of this. And that, the unknown, is Vivi’s burden to bear.

“I’m going to look for a bookshop,” Robin says abruptly, spinning in the same direction the masked person had gone.

“Robin,” Vivi calls after her.

“I’ll meet you later, princess-san.”

“Oh, okay.” Nami waves after her. “Be safe.”

Without a second’s thought, she pulls Vivi into the shop. Vivi plants her feet, glancing over her shoulder again.

“Nami-san, we shouldn’t let her go wandering around by herself.”

“Robin can take care of herself,” Nami says, clinging to Vivi’s arm and pulling her close. “Come on, Vivi. It’s been forever since we’ve had time, just the two of us.”

It had been. The most selfish part of Vivi misses it.

“I’m not sure-”

“Oh, come on, Vivi. Don’t tell me Zoro’s rubbing off on you. Have some fun.”

Nami’s eyes sparkle, smile lighting up her face. One of those rare smiles that Nami saves for her. And for beli. 

Zoro intends to let Robin vanish. Whoever is meant to take her, Zoro will let take her. Because Robin needs to truly understand that being a part of Luffy’s crew means that Luffy will set the world on fire to pull you from the ashes. Following the archeologist now will only get in the way of that plan.

Squashing down guilt, wishing that Zoro could tell her what to do, Vivi gives Nami a smile.

“Alright, Nami-san. Let’s have some fun.”

“I let Robin go by herself.” The words taste bitter to admit as she sits on the deck beside Zoro.

The swordsman had sent Usopp with Luffy and Nami in his stead, saying he was too tired to go into town after running around with Luffy for half the day. Vivi isn’t surprised that Nami accepted the excuse. Zoro looks exhausted. Dark circles take over his eyes and he still looks too pale for Vivi’s liking.

The navigator hadn’t argued with Luffy’s request - order - that Vivi wait on the ship with Zoro. With Robin still off searching for bookshops - or being taken by whatever enemy Zoro hasn’t had the strength to tell her about - and Sanji taking Chopper into town for supplies, the captain clearly thought leaving their swordsman alone is a terrible choice. Not that Vivi can blame him. She thinks leaving Zoro alone is a terrible choice as well.

“That’s alright,” Zoro replies, voice surprisingly steady. “We’ll get her back.”

Vivi glances over at him, his gray eyes slightly glazed. She nibbles her top lip, inching a little closer to him.

“I’m fine.” His voice sharpens. “Don’t touch me.”

“Are you sure?” She leans back. “Because every time you get this upset with me, you aren’t okay.”

Zoro squeezes his eyes shut. “I-I’m. I’m trying.” He crosses his legs out in front of him, heel itching his ankle. “I’m trying to stay calm.”

“Well, you’re doing good so far,” she offers.

He scoffs. “No, I’m not. Kaku will be here soon.”

“Kaku?”

Pulling in a slow, shaking breath, Zoro nods. “What have I told you about Water 7?”

Vivi hugs her knees to her chest, resting her cheek on them as she watches the swordsman. Slow breath in. Slow breath out. Eyes squeezed shut so tightly it looks almost painful. “Not much.”

He swallows. “Kaku is a member of Cipher Pol 9. He’s undercover looking for a man named Cutty Flam. He’s been posing as a shipwright at the Galley La Company. That-That’s where Nami and the others went. In - um - in a few minutes he’s going to come here. He’s going.” Zoro’s hands begin to tremble. “He’s going to tell us about Merry.”

Tears prickle at Vivi’s eyes against her will. So, this is it. After spending all day shoving it out of her mind, she’ll have to face it. Today, they’ll find out about Merry. Today, their crew will start to fall apart. She pulls her knees a little tighter to her chest, biting into her lower lip. 

She won’t cry. She can’t.

Not with Zoro struggling beside her. Not when he’s reliving the horrors he thought he’d escaped. 

“Don’t let me fight him,” Zoro whispers. “I want to. He’s going to help take Robin. He’s going to help hurt her.”

Vivi pulls her eyes from the swordsman’s face, unable to watch pain crease his brow. She concentrates on his hands instead, watching them shake around the katana he’s clasping. 

“But I can’t - can’t stop him, Vivi, I can’t. She’s nakama, but she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know and she won’t accept it until they take her. And she has to know. She-she has to. She has to.”

“Mr. Bushido.” Vivi snatches his hand into hers. He flinches but doesn’t pull away. “It’s alright. Just take a few deep breaths.”

“You-you need. You need to know. Someone needs to.”

“You can tell me when you can breath again.”

“Vivi.”

“Is he a threat when he comes here?”

“No. But.”

“Okay. Then, but nothing. Breath, Zoro. With me.”

They spend almost five minutes getting his breathing under control. The shaking lessens but doesn’t stop completely. At least he can breath. Vivi holds onto the thought.

“Just today,” Vivi tells him. “Tell me what happens just today.”

“There so much more-”

“Zoro.”

Slumping back against the railing, Zoro nods. Then he tells her. Tells her that Robin is probably already gone with CP9. It will be at least another day until they see her again. Tells her that the others have been robbed of the three hundred million beli they’d gained from the treasure and only to have it saved by Lucci, the leader of CP9. A way to slowly gain their trust as they steal a crewmate from under their captain’s nose. Chopper and Sanji will arrive at the ship, confused and concerned after seeing Robin with a strange person. Neither of them comprehending fully the danger their nakama is in. Tells her Usopp will be attacked and lose two hundred million beli. Robbed by the Franky Family. Tells her that he’ll attempt to win it back, only to be left beaten in the street. An act which the male strawhats retaliate against in full, obliterating Franky’s hideout as they cut through his men.

“Franky,” she says softly. “I thought he’s-”

“He is,” Zoro interrupts her, hands trembling. “He is. He’s just - He’s not our Franky right now. Just like, just like how Miss All Sunday isn’t our Robin.”

Hesitantly, Vivi nods. Zoro’s spine shoots straight, face pinching as his hands fist in his pants. 

“Zoro?”

“Kaku, he’ll be here in a minute.”

Nodding, Vivi squeezes her hand. “Alright. If he isn’t a threat, I’ll handle it, okay? Close your eyes. Go to sleep.”

He tilts his head back, breathing deeply. His katana clatter together lightly as he continues to shake. Testing her luck, Vivi brushes a hand through his hair. He winces, but doesn’t protest. Still in control.

Releasing his hand, Vivi stands. From the city, a small dot shoots through the air, heading directly for them. Behind her, Zoro begins to count down from ten. Straightening the jacket Robin had picked out for her, Vivi leans against the railing beside him and waits.

Kaku lands without warning, perched on Merry’s railing, not dissimilar to Luffy when he lands. Vivi starts at his sudden arrival, placing a hand to her chest in feigned surprise. From underneath his white cap, his nose is almost as large as Usopp’s, and his dark eyes find her. Zoro’s shoulder trembles against her leg.

“Pardon me, ma’am.” He tips his hat to her as he stands, a friendly smile on his face. “I didn’t mean to startle you. My name is Kaku. A miss Nami sent me.”

After two years in Baroque Works, the smile is easy to see past. So is the false apology. He absolutely meant to startle her. A subtle way to inform her that he’s fast and stealthy. 

Vivi smiles at him nonetheless. “Oh, yes. You must be a shipwright.”

“That’s right.” The smile stays on his face but his eyes move to Zoro, who’s managed to calm his breathing enough to look asleep. “I’m here to take a look around.”

“Please, feel free. Thank you so much for taking the time to look at Merry. She means the world to us.”

He moves about the ship calmly, muttering softly to himself. Zoro’s shoulder keeps pressed against her leg, as though searching to insure he can reach her if he needs to. Vivi keeps herself pressed against the railing, watching the man work. Everything within reach, he touches, running his fingers along boards, pulling at the ropes holding up the mast. 

Kaku thinks he’s being discreet when he examines the stairs. Thinks that Vivi doesn’t notice the way he keeps eyeing Zoro, examining a potential threat.

“I’m afraid I have bad news, miss,” Kaku says, his voice full of true sympathy as he emerges from the men’s quarters several minutes later.

Sucking in a deep breath and holding back her tears, Vivi moves to look down at him. “Tell me.”

“What’s going to happen to Merry?” Chopper asks, tears swimming in his eyes as he looks up at them. 

Sanji stands beside them, teeth clenched around his cigarette, hands shoved in his pocket. The warmth of Zoro’s shoulder, pressed against her leg, begins to tremble a little. Sighing, Zoro pulls a knee up to his chest, both hands wrapping around his ankle to hold it there..

“That’s up to Luffy, Chopper,” he replies, voice surprisingly even and soft. “Once he hears the assessment, he’ll make a decision.”

“That seems so extreme,” Sanji says, turning to throw an arm out, gesturing around the ship. “Look at her. She’s the same old Merry she always was.”

Zoro frowns, shaking his head. “No, she isn’t, cook. She’s falling apart.”

Anger passes through Sanji’s face. “Merry’s carried us all the way from the East Blue! She’s strong enough to make it further.”

Vivi’s heart breaks for him. 

“No, she isn’t.” Zoro’s eyes harden as he looks up at Sanji. “Human beings may get stronger with hardships, but ships don’t. Their wounds don’t heal. They just pile up.”

“So, you just want to give up on her?”

“Sanji-san,” Vivi protests.

“Would you rather we force her to push on in pain?” Zoro asks sharply. “Rather we sail her out into rough seas and force her to crack in half? Watch her sink the bottom of the seas because we were too cruel to think of her instead of ourselves?”

More tears fill Chopper’s eyes. “I don’t wanna leave her! I love the Merry!”

With a tired sigh, Zoro shifts, pressing his shoulder into Vivi’s leg a little more. She resists the urge to drop a hand into his hair. 

“I know, Chopper. We all love her. But her wounds are too deep. There’s nothing we can do.”

“He’s right, Tony-kun,” Vivi says softly. “We can’t force Merry to be in pain.”

Dejected, Chopper falls to the deck against the rails. Sanji moves to look out at the figurehead. 

“Merry’s in trouble and Robin’s still missing,” he mutters. Zoro begins to shake violently. “So much for a break.”

“Oi!” Nami’s voice cuts through the tense air. “Mina!”

“Vivi.” The pain in Luffy’s voice makes her jump. Beside her, Nami starts as well and Sanji and Chopper spin to face their captain.

Usopp sleeps soundly, wrapped tightly in bandages. The distress on his face has eased, leaving him in dreamless peace for the time being. Sanji has dinner simmering and Nami has been leaning against Vivi for what feels like hours while Chopper keeps an eye on Usopp’s vitals and bandages.

Luffy lingers in the doorway. The uncertainty and pain in his eyes hits Vivi like the sea train. The first reaches of pink light begins to taint the skies. Even when he’d come back to the ship with an injured Usopp, regretfully announcing that he’d made a decision about Merry, there had only been confidence and certainty in his voice. 

Now, he looks almost scared.

“Luffy?” Nami says, her voice trembling.

Their captain ignores her, his eyes locked on Vivi. “Zoro won’t stop shaking.”

Vivi’s mouth goes dry. She pulls in a shaking breath, nodding and slipping out from beside Nami. “Yosh. Come get us if anything changes with Usopp.”

Nami nods.

Luffy steps out of her way as she reaches the door, face shadowed by his hat.

I’m sorry , she wants to say. I’m sorry I can’t let you help him.

At the back of the ship, Zoro sits with his hands pulling at his hair again, gasping for breath. Jaw trembling to hold in her own sobs, Vivi makes her way to him. Around them, seagulls caw, diving in and out of the water’s surface. 

“Zoro,” she whispers.

The noise he lets out sits somewhere between a gasp and a sob. Vivi pulls in a breath, placing a hand on both of his shoulders and rubbing them slowly. Amazingly, he doesn’t pull away.

“I can’t do this,” he whispers, choking on his own words. “I can’t do this. I’m not strong enough.”

“Zoro.”

“I can’t watch them hurt.” His fingers tighten in his hair. “He asked - he asked me to wait with him. He asked me to wait with him and Brook and I didn’t. I left them .”

Vivi’s heart stutters to a stop.

“I left them to die.”

“Mr. Bushido.”

“I thought they’d be okay. I thought they could handle it. He’s strong. He’s so strong, he doesn’t need me. But he did. He needed me and I failed him. I failed him again. I just keep failing them.”

“Mr. Bushido.” Vivi moves her hands to his, carefully untangling them from his hair. His mind needs to go somewhere else. “Tell me my name.”

His breathing hitches. “Vivi.”

“Good. Tell me my duck’s name.”

“Karue.”

“Good.”

“I let them hurt him,” Zoro whispers.

“It’s okay.”

“It isn’t. I’m supposed to protect them. I’m a bad nakama.”

“Zoro!” 

“I am. I’m bad. That’s why. That’s why they left me behind. They died and they left me behind.”

His breath hitches in a sob. Shock and horror fill Vivi’s chest as she watches tears begin to cascade down Zoro’s cheeks and he curls himself tighter, tearing an arm from her and burying his head in an attempt to muffle the noise. 

“Oh, Zoro,” Vivi whispers.

She hopes the others can’t hear him. Their strongest nakama, their rock, breaking down in the cool evening air. It's the last thing Zoro would want. It seems like they’ve been doing this forever - though Vivi knows it's only been a couple of months - Zoro desperately tries to keep himself together. Reliving every heartache and pain he’s already had to go through. 

Like the Merry, Zoro is breaking. His wounds are piling up with no signs of healing.

Biting her lip, Vivi turns to settle beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and pulling him into her. He moves, arm falling against her middle, and buries his face into her shoulder. Warm tears soak her collarbone and stain her shirt. His body jerks in an attempt to muffle the quiet sobs. 

Vivi rests her nose in his hair, tears escaping her eyes as well. 

They stay like that as the sky explodes with colors, pinks and purples giving an illusion of happiness. The clouds turn golden, shimmering like the treasure they thought could save Merry.

Vivi’s tears stop long before Zoro’s do. She doesn’t move as he shudders, gasping from lack of tears to cry, slumped against her and unable to gather any more energy. Vivi runs a hand through his hair, leaning her head against the wall and watching the birds twirl around the sky.

It takes obvious effort for Zoro to pull away from her, collapsing against Merry’s wall and staring out at the empty sea with hazy eyes. She swallows every thought. He needs to speak first. Needs to finish processing everything that’s happened to them. And after only one day. They aren’t even in the thick of things yet.

Water 7 is going to destroy him. The thought crosses her mind for the second time as she watches him scrub his face clean of tears.

“Usopp will be up soon,” he tells her, voice rough, as though it's scratching his throat on the way out. “He-he’s going to challenge Luffy. We should go in.”

“No,” Vivi tells him softly.

Water 7 could destroy Zoro. She isn’t going to let it. 

“I-I need to be in there.”

“No,” she repeats. “You don’t. You don’t, Zoro. Luffy-san will handle it.”

“I should-”

“Wait out here with me. You don’t need to go in there.”

Stop destroying yourself.

He squeezes his eyes shut and lets out a shuddering breath. The tension drains from his body and he slumps back against Merry. Silence. A long, long five minutes of pure, blissful silence. Then, voices.

Vivi has to strain her ears at first. Even then, she can’t make out the words beyond the rumbling of voices. Vivi reaches out for Zoro’s hand as he begins to shiver. His teeth chatter, eyes squeezing shut.

Gradually, the voices raise. Zoro’s hand tightens around Vivi’s. She doesn’t complain that the grip is too tight. That he’s causing her pain. Zoro is in pain too. Far more pain than her. 

“That’s enough!” Luffy’s enraged roar draws a wince from Zoro.

Vivi leans closer, resting their shoulders together. He flinches again.

“You gave up on the Merry!” Usopp screams back. “She’s our nakama! One of us! And you’re going to abandon her without a second thought!”

Zoro hangs his head, breath wheezing. 

“You’re not a shipwright, Usopp!”

“They just want your money! I won’t let them take the Merry away from me!”

“Stop it!” Nami screams.

“I can’t believe this, the kind of captain you turned into. I thought you were better than this!”

Another broken noise leaves Zoro as he leans his head against her shoulder. Vivi puts a hand to her mouth, tears prickling at her eyes as the harsh words continue inside. She can’t break down. Can’t cry.

Zoro needs her.

Thuds and shattering wood fill the air. 

“Luffy!” Nami shouts.

“Don’t act like you’re the only one upset about this!” Luffy shouts. “We all feel the same way!”

“Please, don’t,” Zoro whispers. Vivi’s gaze snaps to him, watching his lips tremble. “Please, don’t.”

“Fine! If you don’t like the way your captain runs his ship, then why don’t you go ahead and get off!”

Vivi gasps, hand tightening around her mouth. More wood shatters beyond her sight. 

Their crew is falling apart.

“I don't. I don't want to go through Water 7 again." Zoro had whispered over a week ago. Now, Vivi knows why.

“Sanji!” Chopper cries.

The Going Merry plunges into silence. Then, the soft call of voices again, finally under control enough that Vivi can’t make out the words.

Zoro pulls his hand from hers, using the wall to push himself to his feet. He scrubs his tired eyes, cleaning tears from his face. Each breath leaves him like it's a chore, but his feet are steady. Dark gray eyes turn to the darkening sky, waiting an extra moment for his breath to even.

“Zoro?” Vivi whispers.

He starts toward the gallery. Vivi scrambles up after him.

“Usopp,” Sanji calls. “Where are you going?”

“Wherever I go, is my business,” Usopp growls. “It has nothing to do with you anymore. I’m leaving the crew. This is goodbye.”

Vivi sees the sniper’s back as he starts down the stairs. Protests erupt from the gallery as he heads off the ship. Zoro’s footsteps widen. His hand snatches Nami’s arm, pulling her to a halt before she can follow him down the stairs. Sanji and Chopper sprint out after her, stumbling to a stop.

“Zoro!” Nami screams, wiggling in his grip. “Let me go. Usopp! Usopp, come back!”

“Stop,” Zoro orders sharply, voice even, face determined.

Vivi stops behind Zoro, watching Nami slam her fists into his chest. Luffy appears in the doorway, eyes sad but head held high.

“I won’t stop. Luffy, do something!”

Zoro’s gaze moves to his captain. Luffy stares back.

“We’ve come too far together. We can’t part ways like this. Luffy! You’re the captain! Do something!” Nami continues to rant. “Usopp isn’t just some shipmate. He’s nakama. Zoro! Let go of me!”

Vivi clasps a hand over her chest, desperate to find some kind of comfort as her heart falls apart. 

“Where were you?” Nami screams, turning her rage on Zoro instead, throwing punches into his chest. “Where were you? You’re supposed to keep Luffy from doing stupid things! You’re supposed to protect this crew!”

Zoro’s jaw twitches, but he raises no objects. 

“Nami-san,” Vivi protests, voice barely a whisper.

Chopper dodges around the swordsman and navigator, Sanji hot on his heels. Both of them lean against the rail, shouting for Usopp to come back. Tears spill down Vivi’s cheeks.

Usopp can’t come back. He’s left the crew now. And, to allow him back without apology and consequence would be the sign of a weak leader. A leader no one can follow.

“You bastard!” Nami screams. “You stupid bastard! Let me go! He’s our friend.”

“Nami,” Luffy’s low growl freezes her. “That’s enough.”

Zoro allows her to wrench her arm from his grip, spinning to face the captain with tears in her eyes and a snarl on her face. “Do something!”

“Luffy!” Usopp calls from yards away. “I’m sorry I can’t follow you anymore. And I’m sorry I was a pain until the bitter end.”

Zoro turns his back, face pinched in anger. Nami shoves by him to join Sanji and Chopper at the railing. Luffy growls. Low and dangerous.

“I know you’re the captain of this ship, so the Merry belongs to you,” Usopp continues, finally turning back to face them. “That’s why I want you to fight me. Monkey D. Luffy, I challenge you for ownership of the Going Merry!”

“I don’t understand.”

Nami curls tighter into her side. Her heavy sides shake the bed beneath them. Vivi pulls her closer, burying her nose in Nami’s soft orange hair. This has to stop. Each time one of her crew curl into her side to fall apart, another piece of Vivi dies.

This has to stop.

“We were so happy this morning,” Nami weeps. “I don’t understand. What happened? What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Vivi whispers.

But she does. She does, because Zoro has fallen apart over this so many times that Vivi finally understands. Usopp’s insecurities have finally overtaken him. Have drawn a parallel between his false feelings of weakness and Merry’s impending doom. Usopp has decided that he is dead weight and they will eventually leave him behind. So he leaves them instead.

“He’s going to leave me again.”

He leaves Zoro again. He leaves them all.

VIvi’s breath falters. She holds Nami tighter.

“What are we going to do?” Nami asks.

Vivi’s gaze moves to the wall. Beyond its thick concrete, Luffy and Zoro are staying. She hopes that they’re sleeping soundly. Both of them need rest, even if she doubts they’re getting it.

“We trust Luffy-san,” she whispers. “It's all we can do.”

Chapter Text

“It’s heavy,” Luffy whimpers as the dust settles.

Zoro knows it is. Luffy’s shoulders droop under the weight. His normally so happy-go-lucky captain, the only sun that can truly warm Zoro, stumbles under the grief and despair of losing his nakama.

Zoro can’t.

There are so many things that Zoro wants to do but can’t. He wants to stop the pain. But pain means reality.

Wants to stop Nami’s tears. But tears mean acceptance and acceptance means healing.

Wants to take the weight from Luffy’s shoulders. But it isn’t his to take.

“That’s the captain’s burden.” The words taste bitter. Heavy . But Luffy needs them. “Don’t hesitate. If you falter, whose judgement can we trust?”

Zoro can’t turn around. Can’t see Usopp laying on that beach, covered in his own blood. Cowardly as it is, Zoro can’t see his nakama like this again.

“Oi, oi! Zoro! Don’t just leave us here!”

“It’s just a couple of Marines, Usopp. Brook’s staying with you. What do you need me for? Can the “Great Captain Usopp” not handle a few Marines?”

Usopp’s chest puffs out. “Of course I can!”

“Then quite your damn whining, already. I’m going to find Luffy.”

Zoro’s jaw clenches at the memory. A couple of Marines? No problem. An Admiral? An Admiral even Luffy couldn’t defeat. Zoro can’t see Usopp like this again.

“Pack your things,” he tells the others, moving his eyes to the moon. “We can never return to this ship.”

Nami and Chopper dissolve into a fresh round of sobs. Vivi and the cook coax them up. The remaining members of the Strawhat crew move around the Going Merry in stunned quiet. Luffy waits on the rocky shore, staring out at the sea. Zoro tosses their already packed bags at his feet and then goes to help the cook pack up the kitchen. Neither of them speak, working in relatively insync quiet to pack the dishes.

“Nami-san didn’t mean that,” the cook says as they fill the last box. “This isn’t your fault.”

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!” Words of pain and betray, but honest words all the same.

“Yes, it is,” Zoro replies firmly. “But it needed to happen.” They both needed to learn. “I’m going to check on Chopper.”

The little doctor sniffles as Zoro helps him pack up his most important supplies. Zoro bites back the apologizes on the tip of his tongue. Nothing he says can make this any better. Nothing can take away this pain.

They unload Merry in record time. Zoro steps to her edge, watching his remaining crew head for the city. His chest aches, as though Law has stolen his heart from him and squeezes it with all his strength.

Hands trembling, Zoro runs his palm along Merry’s splintering wood. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “You’re too good to us, Merry. I’m so sorry I let this happen to you.”

Her boards creak against the waves.

“Goodbye, Merry-Go. And thank you.”

"Zoro can't wear his boots to bed here." Luffy's attempt at a smile through his bloodshot eyes hurts Zoro's soul. "Nami says this place is fancy."

The captain sits on the bed closest the the window, pillows already stolen from the other bed so they can both sleep in comfort.

This isn't right. They're supposed to go sit on the roof now. Luffy has cried his eyes out on Zoro's shoulder, hiding the weakness for the rest of the crew. Now, Luffy goes to stare out at the city all night and Zoro stares at his captain. That's what's supposed to happen. 

"Boots," Luffy repeats, wriggling under the covers and throwing the blankets back on the other side of the bed.

Zoro's side of the bed. They haven't done this in ages. Since before Dressrosa. Crawled into the same bed, shared warmth and strength. And they certainly didn't do it in Water 7.

Zoro shucks his boots anyway, settling himself in the warm bed. Luffy rolls to press himself into Zoro's side and he wraps his arm around his captain, burying his nose in Luffy's dark hair. They lay silent.

From beyond the window, the city continues to move. Those strange water animals making noises, people scurrying from street to street, families fighting with open windows.

"Zoro," Luffy whispers.

"Sencho," Zoro replies. Because he needs to hear that. Needs to know that he is still Zoro's captain. That he always will be.

"Come back to me, okay?" Luffy's voice wavers with tears. "I miss you."

Zoro's breath catches. Self loathing fuels his body. He isn't who he used to be. Isn't the man Luffy needs right now. And Luffy knows that. Luffy has known that, since Alabasta.

Because the man Luffy needs died with his crew.

"I'm trying," Zoro promises, squeezing his eyes shut to hold back the tears.

Against his chest, Luffy nods. "I love Zoro," the captain whispers. "My best nakama. Please, come back."

Swallowing hard, Zoro tugs him a little closer. "I’m trying.”

They escape the crowd of enraged townsfolk on the rooftops. It isn’t entirely dissimilar to how Zoro remembers it. He tries to be sneaky, but it’s hopeless with that many people out and looking for him. Vivi shrieks about it less than Nami does, which isn’t surprising. And, once Chopper finds them, he knows that everything is about to start going downhill again.

He digs his heel into his ankle as Chopper tells them about the run in with Robin.

“No way! That can’t be true!” 

Chopper’s ears sit back against his skull. “That’s what she told us.”

Zoro sighs as Luffy’s face twists with disbelief and rage. “It’s possible that it’s all true,” he tells Luffy calmly. Everyone’s eyes snap to him, Luffy’s frown still enraged, Vivi’s eyes full of surprise. “We don’t know that much about Robin. Only that she was an enemy before she was a friend. You may not like asking about people’s pasts, Luffy. But, it’s time. You need to make a decision here. Is she a friend or a foe?”

He hates the words. Hates that he has to say them, but he does. Luffy needs to make that choice. He will make the right one, Zoro knows. After his faith is shaken and the storm rushes towards them, Luffy will make the right choice.

Luffy glares down at the roof but nods. “Chopper, tell us again what Robin said.”

Their little doctor does just that. His little blue nose twitches with uncertainty and sadness as he quotes those words. Ridiculous words. Robin claims to be full of darkness. That she will only cause the downfall of the crew. That they will never see her again after this.

Perhaps she believes the words. Zoro knows they’re bullshit. 

He’ll make sure she knows that. 

“She said things would get worse and that we’d won’t see her again after tonight,” Zoro quotes back, shifting Wadou on his shoulder. “So maybe the hit on Iceberg was just the beginning. Maybe they have something bigger planned for tonight.”

“What could be bigger than trying to kill someone?” Chopper asks.

“Actually killing them,” Vivi says, voice barely a whisper. “She’s going to kill Iceberg tonight.”

Zoro nods. “I think that’s what she’s trying to tell us, yeah.”

“And she wants us there,” Nami mutters. “She told Chopper she wanted to pin the murder on us. So, she’ll want us at the crime scene.”

“If that’s her plan,” Zoro agrees. His gaze moves to Luffy. “Our best chance to settle this is tonight, Sencho.”

Tonight is our only chance to save her.

Luffy looks up, the brim of his hat moving to reveal grim determination. “Then, I guess we’d better be there.”

“Guess we’d better be.”

Orange fills the horizon as the sun begins to set, spilling golden clouds across the sky. Luffy stands first, his eyes never leaving Zoro’s. 

We’re getting her back. Tonight, those eyes say.

Zoro doesn’t have to tell Luffy that Robin’s innocent. Doesn’t have to tell Luffy why he knows that. Because Luffy has known since Zoro allowed Robin onto their crew without a fight that there is good in that woman. That there has to be more to this story.

Vivi and Nami rise together, Vivi’s red ribbon fluttering in the winds of the upcoming storm. Chopper hops to his feet, eyes moving to Zoro. Zoro manages a smile for the little doctor, ruffling the top of his hat as he stands as well.

“No matter what happens, we’re all leaving this city together,” he promises, looking to Luffy.

Anyone who we call nakama is leaving with us .

Eyes flashing with that beautiful, confident determination to protect his nakama, Luffy nods. Nami and Chopper hurry after him as he starts toward the edge of the roof. Vivi waits for Zoro, one hand clutching her opposite arm.

“When we get there,” she says, looking up at him. “I can just grab Robin and we can go.”

Zoro shakes his head. “CP9 is different, Vivi. They all know Haki. They’d grab you before you knew what happened. Not even Luffy can handle them yet. Besides.” He glances at the setting sun, watching the wind whip stray paper and garbage through the sky. “It isn’t time yet.”

Frustration fills her face. “Time for what? Robin is in trouble.”

He glances down at her, smile pulling at his lips. A few months ago, it seemed like her standing in the same room as Robin was a small victory. Now, the princess wanted to run head first into danger to rescue her. Unsurprising. Robin always has had that effect on people.

“You trust me, right?” he asks. “I know you don’t understand right now, Vivi. But, when the moment comes, you will. I did.”

“I want to live! Take me out to sea with you!”

Even years later, the fight returning to her eyes sends goosebumps up his arms. Robin doesn’t know yet. Doesn’t understand. Her life is not a burden. It’s a treasure. Their treasure. And the Strawhat pirates will defend it to the end.

“Luffy-san, don’t!” Vivi’s shout does nothing to keep Luffy from lunging at Lucci.

His fists fly and Zoro holds out a hand to keep Vivi from moving after him. Paulie breathes raggedly from his place on the floor. Lucci disappears, throwing that damn finger pistol into Luffy’s throat and the captain slams into the wall beside Zoro. Lucci’s bird returns to his shoulder as the lead agent frowns at them.

“If you weren’t made of rubber, you’d be dead,” Lucci tells him matter-of-factly.

Zoro’s hand falls to Kitetsu’s hilt as Luffy sits up, arm snatching Paulie to pull him out of harm’s way. A snarl crosses Luffy’s face as he stands, staring Lucci down.

“I made a promise to Paulie,” Luffy tells him firmly. “To beat the crap out of whoever hurt Icepops.”

“I see. You decided to trust him over us, huh?” Lucci shoves his hands into his pockets. 

The casual stance of an over confident man.

“That’s right! Because you guys stole my nakama! Robin, what are you doing? If you wanna leave the crew, at least tell us why!”

She’s trying to save us! Zoro doesn’t shout, even if he wants to. Wants to scream it at the top of his lungs. She’s traded her lives for ours!

Zoro’s hand tightens around the Kitetsu. Robin’s cool eyes move over each of them, starting with Chopper, then Nami, Vivi, Luffy, and finally settling on Zoro. His brow furrows in confusion. Why is she looking at him like that? Like he has the answers to all of the questions running through her brain. 

“Why are you here?” she finally asks. 

“What are you talking about, why are we here?” Nami demands, throwing an arm out towards the rest of the crew. “We’re your friends. Your nakama. How could you side with people from the World Government? This is insane.”

“Mr. Bushido.” Only when Vivi whispers his name does Zoro realize he’s shaking. His heart slams into his chest.

Enough talk, his body tells him. Time to cut the bastards to pieces. Kitetsu demands the blood of those who want to hurt his crew.

“Do I have to repeat myself?” Robin’s voice turns cold. “I already bid farewell to this crew. Didn’t you pass that along, Chopper?”

“I didn’t believe it!” he shouts back. “I don’t accept it. How could you do this?”

“I did it to make my dream come true. A dream that can’t happen if we remain together.”

To have friends she cares for. Because as badly as Robin wants to know the true history of the world, she wants this more. They’ve always been similar like that. Big ambitions, trying to conquer the world alone. Then Luffy bounds in and suddenly, it’s impossible to function without him. Without their crew.

Robin has a new dream. A dream of protecting the ones that she’s opened her heart to. The first people she’s cared about since Ohara. And, even if it doesn’t destroy her dream of the Void Century, it has become more important.

“And if you can’t accept that, it isn’t my fault.”

The rest of the crew falls to stunned silence.

“It may not be fair. But, to accomplish my goal, I’ll make any sacrifice.”

“I see,” Zoro says. Because he seems to be the only one left with a voice. Last time, he’d accused her. Hadn’t known any better. This time, he can choose his words carefully. He can plant the seed and let it grow, even as they steal her away. “And that includes destroying the people who care about you. So, is this wish worth it?”

Her nostrils flare, eyes widening half an inch. “That’s not a question worth answering, swordsman-san.”

The answer is obvious. So obvious. 

“Are you out of your mind?” Iceberg wheezes, pushing himself up. “Wake up. You have no right to do this. I don’t care what your dream is. The consequences are too great!”

Robin’s face darkens. No consequence is too great when it comes to nakama.  “I’ve heard enough. This is no longer your choice to make.” Hands sprout from the floor, holding him down. “I won’t let anyone get in my way.”

“Robin, this doesn’t make any sense,” Luffy cries. “You can’t expect me to believe this.”

Lucci steps between them. “As much as I hate to break up this reunion, we have a date tonight. It’s been over four years in the making. We’re finished here. We’re finished with you.”

“Kalifa, how much time?”

“Two minutes.”

“Here’s the deal,” Lucci says. “I know this is sudden, but in two minutes, this building will go up in a ball of flames. If you don’t want to be burned alive, I suggest you leave as soon as possible. Though, I have no intention of letting you go.”

The other three move, making a wall between them and Robin. Nami snaps out her clima tact and from behind him, he hears the soft rattle of Vivi’s golden chain unraveling. 

“Looks like they’re ready for a fight,” Zoro growls. Years ago, at this very moment, he had asked his captain to accept that Robin wasn’t nakama. Now, he knows better. “Guess we’ve gotta go by them to get Robin.”

Luffy cracks his fists. “Let’s do this!”

“So determined. Anyway, the first floor is about to set fire. And it won’t be pretty.” Lucci lets out a humorless laugh. “But, what can you expect from pirates? They aren’t very subtle.”

Robin pulls her hood up. “I think it’s time to take my leave.”

“Yes.” Lucci smirks. “You’ve done exactly as you were told. Good work.”

“Robin, don’t go!” Luffy shouts. “You’re still one of us.”

“This is farewell.”

Nami and Chopper step forward. Zoro glances back at Vivi, giving her a small headshake. She grits her teeth in obvious displeasure but turns her glare to CP9. Luffy lunges forward.

“You’re not leaving!” the captain shouts. “Not after we finally found you. I won’t lose you again.”

Blueno - if Zoro’s mind has managed to remember his name correctly - moves first. His mumble of “Iron Body” is barely audible. Turns out, Zoro did remember their weird version and names for their Haki. He shoots after Luffy as the captain’s foot collides with the man’s face, doing no good. 

Kaku moves to meet him. Their blades clash. The strength Zoro once felt emanating from CP9’s blade master seems miniscule now. Kitetsu’s blade turns black when Kaku tries to push him back, Zoro planting his feet.

Gaining Robin back now does nothing. Even here, she won’t know. Won’t understand. But CP9 needs to know. Needs to know that this won’t be easy. Taking Zoro’s nakama will never be a simple task. And if he can hold his own against Fujitora, he can stand against Kaku. Even if he has to fake a loss.

At the very least, putting a new scar on the bastard will calm the rage bubbling in his stomach.

Behind him, he hears Luffy slam into hard wood. Surprise lights Kaku’s eyes, missing the lazy confidence Zoro had once seen. 

“You,” Zoro says around a snarl. “Can’t have her.”

“I knew it,” Kaku mutters. “I knew on the ship, there was something strange about you.”

Lucci pauses to glance back at them. The air shifts as Kalifa lunges for him and Zoro shoves himself back, letting her glide between him and Kaku with a gasp of surprise. CP9 stares at him. Not quite concerned, but with no plans of laughing him off.

“Luffy!” Nami shouts.

Blueno’s turned to face him as well now, all four of them zeroed in on their biggest threat. 

“Oi, Robin,” Zoro says. 

The hard edge of his voice freezes her as she places one foot on the windowsill. Behind him, Blueno approaches. Thinks that Zoro doesn’t feel him. He does. But at the moment, Blueno doesn’t mean anything to him. 

Right now, he has to make sure that seed is planted.

“We’re going to come for you. You are nakama.” Her back stiffens. The air shifts. Twenty seconds and a fist is going to slam into Zoro’s side. “And Luffy doesn’t trade lives.”

She gasps, glancing back at him for the first time. Her lips are parted, eyes wide. Message received. 

He doesn’t need to stop this attack. Luffy needs to see what CP9 is capable of. Lucci made a deal with Robin. The rest of the crew will go unharmed. And Robin needs to watch this entire crew fight for her. His body isn’t what it used to be. Months ago, when Zoro’s body was older and honed, it wouldn’t have hurt. Now, he’s nineteen again and even if he’s gained some muscle, he doesn’t have the tools to make himself that strong again. Not yet.

Blueno’s first catches his side. Vaguely, he hears Nami and Vivi scream his name as he’s slammed into the wall. The air shifts again as Kalifa raises her leg. Moving Kitetsu just enough, Zoro’s blade catches the sharp gust of wind from her tempest kick. The wind doesn’t cut him in half but the power throws him into the cool night air with little issue.

If he lands in that fucking chimney again, Zoro’s going to question his life choices. 

Rain cascades down around him, wind catching him as he flies through the air, struggling to twist himself despite the agony of his broken ribs. Good to know that no matter what, Water 7 is a goddamned shitshow.

The cement ground cracks around him as he lands, gasping for breath. Kitetsu clatters out of his hand. Thankfully, he managed to hold onto it this time. No risk of the vicious blade accidently cutting Chopper. 

Now, they’ve lost Robin again.

You lost her again , the voice sounds like Nami. You’re supposed to protect her.

Blood thunders in his ears. Cold rain sizzles against his red hot skin. His breaths tremble, body attempting to vibrate out of his skin again. He presses harder into his ankle. The pain feels dull. Too dull. 

“I have to,” he tells himself. “I have to let her go.”

Let them hurt her? No. There are other ways to show her that she’s nakama. Better ways.

Doubt pours through his veins. Is there a better way? Has he put his crew in needless harm for nothing? 

His lungs refuse to fill with oxygen. All ten of his fingers twitch without permission or thought. His body heaves, desperately trying to find air. He’s drowning on dry land. All of this suffering, he could have saved them from. Could have found a better way. Avoided Water 7.

Usopp wouldn’t have left them. Robin wouldn’t be hurting.

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!”

Protect them. Zoro is supposed to be protecting them. Not letting them suffer. All this pain and suffering. He could have changed it. Done it differently. Coaxed Robin into believing she is truly nakama. Talk out Usopp’s fears, trained him to give him confidence.

Failure. Failure. Failure.

All Zoro can do is fail them. The only people who have ever seen any worth in him. The only people who want Zoro, the directionless idiot who has a soft spot for unusually cute animals. The rest of the world may want Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, the tough as nails, indescribable demon but the Strawhats just want Zoro.

“Come back to me, okay? I miss you.”

Pressure builds in Zoro’s chest. Any trace of oxygen leaves him. Every muscle in his body twitches with panic out of his control. All he can do is lead them into danger and justify it with false claims of strength they’ll need later down the road.

Why do they need to be strong? 

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!”

If Zoro can be strong enough, then the crew doesn’t need to be. If he can be better, they’ll be safe.

Failure. Failure. Failure.

“Stop.”

What could have come from just sitting back and letting Water 7 happen?

“Franky,” he mutters.

Franky. They gain nakama here.

Nakama that will only die years later. Dies because Zoro is too weak. Too slow. Maybe Franky would have been better off here. With the family. No bounty. No Marines. No danger. 

If Zoro hadn’t let them come to Water 7, maybe CP9 never would have found them.

Failure. Failure. Failure.

Blindly, desperate to calm the horror causing his eyes to fog, Zoro reaches out for pain. Kitetsu bites. Hard. 

Zoro jerks himself up right in the freezing downpour, cradling his furiously bleeding hand to his chest. White bone flashes against his palm, showing him two knuckles. Air races back into his lungs, his hand shaking as stinging pain shoots up and down his hand. 

“Damn blade,” he mutters, pulling his bandana from his arm. Kitetsu never could stand the thought of a weak master. “Do that again and I’ll leave you in the sea to rust.”

He ties the bandana tight around his palm to stem the bleeding before returning Kitetsu to its scabbard. Then, he pulls in a breath and looks up at the sky. The storm is coming. Nothing to be done about that. And it’s too late to change his decisions now. 

Zoro let them take Robin. Whining about it won’t do anything to change that.

His muscles ache as he shoves himself to his feet, keeping his injured hand pressed to his chest. Find Luffy. Get to the second sea train. And save Robin. 

They’ll get her back. 

Nothing will stop them.

“Marimo!”

The cook’s shout stops him in his tracks. Blonde hair soaked with rain, staring at Zoro with wide eyed horror. 

Zoro’s heart falls to the ruined ground at his feet. What the hell is he doing here? The sea train is on its way. He should be waiting there, ready to sneak on to find Robin.

“What the hell were you thinking?” The cook is in front of him with surprising speed, taking hold of his injured hand. “Did you hit your head that hard? Aren’t you always telling Luffy and Chopper to stay away from that damn blade? Why would you try to grab it without looking?”

“What are you doing here?” Zoro asks.

“I was looking for Robin-chan.” His face falls. “I thought I might be able to find some leads, but I came up short. I was on my way to the other side of the city when I saw your dumbass falling. Let me see that. How deeply did you cut yourself, you idiot?”

“The train station,” Zoro breathes.

“Yeah, I was heading that way-”

“You need to get to the train station.”

“We need to find Chopper for you, moron.”

“Cook, let go of me.” Zoro pulls his hand free, ignoring the stinging pain. 

“Stop moving your damn hand.”

“Listen to me. You have to go-”

“Why is it so hard for you to swallow your fucking pride and let-”

“Cook.”

“Shut it. I mean it, marimo.”

“Cook!”

“You’ve already got Nami-san and Vivi-chan scared half to-”

“Sanji, listen to me!” 

Zoro ignores the bitter taste of the cook’s name on his tongue, grabbing a handful of his stupid vest to pull him close. It feels so wrong. So foreign. So out of place. But it gets the cook to stop talking. He even lets Zoro pull his bleeding hand away again. The cook stares at him wide eyed and open mouthed.

“You need to get on that train,” Zoro tells him firmly. “You’re the only one who can sneak through it. The only one who can let Robin know that we’re coming for her. Because, we are. We aren’t losing her.”

I won’t lose any of you again.

The cook's swirly eyebrows furrow. "Zoro?"

"I have to get Luffy and the others. We'll find another way to you. But, right now, you have to go." His fist tightens around Sanji's shirt. "Get on that train, but don't pick any fights. These guys are no joke and we're not strong enough to take them. Not yet. We will be. I promise you, we will be. But you can't fight them alone. Tell Usopp and Franky that too. No fighting anyone alone."

"Franky? The guy who beat the shit out of Usopp? What are you-"

"Listen to me!" Wild panic and desperation pound through him. He presses his fingertips into his bandana, demanding the sting of pain. Needing something to calm him. "Stop interrupting. They're taking her to Enies Lobby. They'll try and bring her through the gate. We'll stop them. We will. But she had to know that we're coming to get her. You and Usopp have to tell her that she's not alone."

"Usopp? But he-"

A train whistle sounds in the distance. Zoro shoves the cook away from him, hard.

"Go. Right now. Get on that train."

Confusion slows the cook's movements. "Zoro."

“ Go !”

His footsteps falter for a minute. “Don’t think, for one minute, that I’m letting you get away with not explaining this.” The cook spins on his heel and sprints off for the train station.

“Zoro!” 

Vivi throws herself into him, already soaked through. Behind her, Chopper cheers as well. Zoro catches her with ease, wrapping her in a one armed hug as the little doctor scampers up to them.

“Your hand!” Chopper cries.

“It’s fine.” Zoro pushes Vivi away from him and looks between them. “Where are Luffy and Nami?”

“Luffy-san got thrown out of the building just after you,” Vivi says, voice wavering. “We’ve been looking for you two all over the city.”

Zoro bites his bottom lip, eyes searching around them. “Alright. Alright, we have to find them.”

“Zoro, you’re bleeding badly. Let me look at your hand.”

“I’m fine, Chopper.” Zoro pulls his hand away from the doctor’s grip. “I’ll let you look at it as soon as we find Luffy.”

He lets his mind reach out, searching for it. He can feel the cook nearing the train with Usopp and Franky. Can feel Nami running furiously through the streets. And then he feels Luffy.

“This way.”

“Wait, Zoro!” Chopper shouts. “You don’t know where you’re going.”

He does. There’s no mistaking that presence. The only presence that can make him feel safe. Zoro will cut down every building in his way if it means reaching Luffy in time. Vivi and Chopper struggle to keep up.

Rooftops clatter beneath his feet, rain water trying to trip him with each step. Ahead of him, Nami stands at the edge of the rooftop, shouting to their struggling captain.

“Luffy, you have to get out of there! The storm is coming. And-and we can’t find Zoro. Please, just-”

“Oi! Luffy!” Zoro shouts.

Nami spins to face him, relief filling her face. Luffy’s body continues to twitch, stuck between two buildings. 

“Zoro!” Nami calls. “Thank god. You have to get Luffy out.” 

No, he doesn’t. Luffy can get himself out. Luffy is strong enough to take care of himself.

“Luffy!” Zoro puts all of his frustration and rage into the shout. Luffy stops moving. “Stop playing around, you idiot!” This feels like Punk Hazard all over again. 

“Zoro?” Luffy calls back. “Oi, Zoro listen.”

“No, you listen!” Zoro snarls.

Nami gasps, stepping away from him as he storms to the edge of the building. Behind him, Vivi and Chopper stumble to a halt. 

“Robin traded her freedom for ours!”

Luffy’s anger plows into his Observation Haki. Good. This is good. Behind him, Nami lets out a cry of shock and Chopper begins to babble desperately. 

“She sacrificed herself so that the World Government wouldn’t kill our crew. They’ll execute her. Sencho, she’s going to die for us!”

Zoro digs his fingers into his bandana again. The pain is blinding. But it clears the fog from his mind. 

Robin isn’t going to die. She isn’t. The crew is going to rescue her. They’re going to storm Enies Lobby and escape a Buster Call.

Robin is going to live. And, for the first time in her life, she is going to like it.

Cement cracks. The buildings begin to move.

Chapter Text

“How did you do this?” Chopper cries, staring at Zoro’s hand in horror as he pulls away the bloody bandana.

Zoro winces slightly, at least having the decency to look sheepish. “When I blocked that bitch’s wind kick Kitetsu bit me.”

Vivi chances a look at the wound and regrets it immediately. White bone flashes beneath his dark skin, blood still pouring from the wound. Even years at Baroque Works hasn’t prepared her for the sight of nakama wounded so gruesomely. And, though Zoro seems bothered by the whole thing, Chopper appears to share Vivi’s sentiment, ears pressed back as he pulls out a disinfectant cloth. 

Luffy bounces around the sea train while Kokaro and Iceberg finish preparing it. Nami and the Franky Family have yet to reappear. It causes unease in the pit of Vivi’s stomach. But, she shoves it down. If Zoro allowed Nami to go with them then their intentions are true. They just want to save Franky.

Because now, Franky, Usopp, Sanji, and Robin are all on that train.

Zoro claims the cook had sent a note for them. Luffy gives his swordsman a firm frown, but doesn’t call him out on the lie. It’s hard to tell if Nami and Chopper believed him or were simply following their captain’s lead.

Vivi wishes Zoro had prepared her for this part. But, it is her own fault. She’s the one who insisted one day at a time. Hindsight thinks it was a bad idea. But, she didn’t expect things to happen so quickly. She’d held out hope that they would get just one day. One day of calm bliss. One day for Zoro to sleep and lose those dark circles around his eyes. Go out to dinner and get some happiness. Some good memories to help the weight of the future, threatening to crush them. 

No such luck. Maybe once they finish this. Once they’re on their way to-

Vivi’s mind pauses, moving back to Zoro, still arguing half heartedly with Chopper. He hasn’t told her anything past Water 7. And she hasn’t had the heart to make him. Forcing him to relive things he isn’t ready for, making him dissolve into panicked ramblings and shivers. It makes Vivi sick. And Zoro has been in such a rush to tell her all of the dangers waiting for them. Maybe what comes next is better. Easier. Calmer. Maybe they’ll finally get a break.

“Chopper, not so many bandages,” Zoro says. “I won’t be able to keep hold of En-Yubashiri if you wrap so many around it.”

“It takes as many bandages as it takes, Zoro!”

Luffy laughs at them from where he’s settled atop the sea train. Iceberg emerges from within, wiping his hands on an old rag. Despite the numerous bandages wrapped around him, he looks pleased.

“It’s ready.”

Luffy lets out a cheer, jumping down from the train’s top. “Thanks, Icepops!” He slams a fist into his open palm. “Now, it's time to go save Robin!”

“Aye, Sencho.” Zoro pulls his hand free from Chopper’s grip and stands, flexing the freshly bandaged limb.

“Zoro!” Chopper leaps up to try and grab his hand again. “Don’t do that!”

“Well, I have to make sure I can use it.”

“You shouldn’t be using it!”

“Luffy-san.” Vivi turns her gaze from the doctor and his difficult patient. “What about Nami-san?”

“Eh? Oh, yeah! Where is Nami? Oi, Zoro! Where is Nami?”

“How the hell should I know?” Zoro asks, still shoving at the young doctor. “Do I look like I'm with her? Chopper, cut it out. Oi! Get off!”

Zoro’s gaze moves back to the reindeer, trying to wrestle him back to the ground and his hand into more bandages.

“But, Zoro always knows,” Luffy whines.

“Always knows what?” Zoro growls. “Chopper, cut it out!”

“Zoro always knows what’s going on.” Luffy snatches Chopper away, staring Zoro down. “Like how Robin is trying to save us. And how he wouldn’t stop shaking because Usopp was gonna leave. Zoro always knows. Where’s Nami?”

Zoro pales. The light hearted atmosphere parishes. Vivi’s heart stops. Luffy can’t possibly know. Can he? The captain's gaze turns serious, but not dangerous, as he looks at his swordsman. Zoro’s throat constricts in what looks like a painful gulp. Luffy’s gaze softens. Zoro breathes.

Jealousy pokes at Vivi’s back as the silent conversation happens. After only months together - at least for Luffy - the two can read each other without a word. Part of her would give anything for that honor, no matter who it was with. The companionship and compassion that runs through a bond like this is worth being jealous of.

The captain can calm Zoro with only the softening of his gaze. Vivi can’t even calm him down with a hug.

“I don’t know,” Zoro tells him again, voice firm but gentle. “But, she’ll be here soon.”

Satisfied, Luffy nods. No questions. No demands for an explanation.

“If Zoro wanted me to know. If Zoro wanted me to help, he would tell me.” Luffy’s voice rings through her head. “I don’t wanna know.”

THe confidence and trust Luffy has in his swordsman is a mix of awe inspiring and heartbreaking. He trusts that Zoro will come to him when he truly needs help.

He won’t! Vivi wants to shake the captain. Frustration boils in her stomach. He needs help. He needs you ! Can’t you see him destroying himself?

“This way!” Nami’s shout and heels slamming on the ground break the new quiet. “Hurry!”

She appears with the Franky Family hot on her heels, dragging an oversized bag along with them. Vivi’s anger fades away, replaced by relief that turns her legs soft.

“Nami-san.”

Warm arms wrap around Vivi’s neck as the navigator pulls her into a hug. “I got it. Everything that we need,” Nami tells her. “We’re going to save her.”

“Oi, Nami!” Luffy shouts. “Where were you? You’re the one that said we had to hurry? And then you took forever. And what’s in this bag?”

Nami sighs, turning back to the captain. “It's full of meat and booze.”

The bag is open before she gets the full sentence out. Luffy shoves a slab of meat into his face and Zoro leans down to look through the bottles of alcohol.

“Nami, you’re the best!”

Amusement sparkles in her eyes as she shakes her head. “How did I ever get stuck with you morons?” She turns back to Vivi. “I brought dry clothes too.”

Dry clothes sound amazing. The rain has drenched through her pants and t-shirt, causing their fabrics to stick uncomfortably to her skin. Water drips down her back from the end of her ponytail, doing nothing to help the cool chill running through her bones. Nami smiles knowingly.

“Change later!” Luffy shouts, piling meat into his arms and heading into the train. “We gotta go now! Robin’s waiting for us!”

A cheer rings out as it’s decided that the Strawhats, the Franky Family, and Galley La will be an alliance. A strong alliance. And, together, they’ll save their friends and avenge Iceberg. Luffy’s shout rings the loudest, his fist shooting into the air in victory.

Vivi smiles at her captain, fingers tracing the ring around her finger. They’re not leaving without every one of their nakama.

“Luffy! What about the wave?” Nami turns to yell at the captain, gesturing rapidly toward the open window.

“Oi, Vivi.” Zoro catches her arm. “Come here. We need to talk.”

Nami continues to lecture their captain about the approaching tidal wave, distracting both of them. Zoro brings Vivi to the far corner of the sea train, leaning himself against the wall to look out the window. Rain and darkness reflect in his dark eyes.

“It’s time to stop playing around,” he says, almost to himself. “Things only get harder from here.”

Vivi swallows, trying to soothe her suddenly dry mouth. Even with the dark determination in his eyes, she doesn’t miss the slight tremble in Zoro’s hands.

“Is Robin nakama?” he asks her.

Surprise and anger fight for control in her chest. The answer comes without hesitation. “Of course!” Robin has saved Vivi’s life. Has now risked her own life. How could she be anything less than nakama?

Zoro’s lips creep up in the ghost of a smile. “Good. Then listen to me closely.” He waits for her to nod. “CP9 are no joke. Luffy, the cook, and I can handle them, once we push ourselves. You can’t.” The blunt honesty jerks her like a slap to the face. “Devil Fruit or no Devil Fruit, they will crush you with a flick of their wrists. So, you don’t go for Robin until I tell you to, alright?”

“Zoro-”

“I mean it, Vivi. They’ll have her in Seastone cuffs. We’ll need to find the keys before we can get her out. But, I can’t remember who has them.” He scowls down at his bandaged hand. “I think. I think it’s Kaku. But, maybe I’m wrong. It doesn’t matter. We’ll get it. When I give you the okay, you can go get her.”

“Zoro.”

“Vivi.”

Vivi huffs out an annoyed sigh. “Fine.”

He nods. “Good. The man in charge, I don’t think he ever leaves her. You’ll have to take him out if you want to get Robin out of there. He’ll have a sword. It ate the Zou Zou no Mi. It can turn into an elephant.”

“What?”

Grand Line or not, this might be the strangest thing Zoro’s ever said to her.

“It can turn into an elephant.”

“You mean the elephant can turn into a sword?”

“No. The sword ate the Zou Zou no Mi and now it can turn into an elephant.”

“A sword ate a Devil Fruit.”

“Yes.”

“Zoro, that makes no sense.”

Zoro cocks his head, jaw clenching in an unimpressed annoyance. “Vivi, we traveled back in time.”

So maybe a sword eating a Devil Fruit isn’t the strangest thing she’s ever heard. “Right. There’s a sword that ate the Zou Zou no Mi.”

“Yes. And it can turn into an elephant. You need to get rid of that. The last thing we need is you and Robin being trampled by an elephant.”

“Get up to Robin, get rid of the sword, get her back to you and Luffy-san.”

“Right.” Zoro eyes her carefully for a moment before he pulls in a deep breath. “One more thing. This is going to be dangerous. Scary. Right now.” He bites his bottom lip. Shame seems to cloud in his eyes. “Right now, we don’t need the princess of Alabasta, Vivi. We need Miss Wednesday.”

Words flee. Stunned, Vivi stares up at him. “But, I’m not-”

“You are,” Zoro interrupts. “Part of you is. Just like.” His sad eyes move to Luffy, furiously shoving another stack of meat into his mouth. “Part of me is still his Zoro. Part of me always will be. But, when we don’t need a part of ourselves, we bury it. As deeply as we can. Right now, I need you to dig her out.”

Regret sits heavy in his eyes and tone. As if he knows this is unfair of him to ask. For help from the only person Vivi has ever hated more than Crocodile. A part of her that has done things she wants to forget. A part of her that has hurt innocent people for what she told herself was the greater good. It isn’t fair to force her to relive that person.

But, none of this is fair. It isn’t fair that Zoro has had to relive every hardship he’s already overcome. Isn’t fair that he has restless nights and horrid flashbacks. Isn’t fair that the island they left behind keeps its hold on him. 

None of this comes even close to fair.

“Alright,” Vivi agrees.

“I’m sorry.” Zoro’s voice barely reaches a whisper.

“No.” Vivi shakes her head furiously. “Zoro, please don’t be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong. We said together. I can't expect you to make all of the sacrifices here.”

“Maybe not,” Zoro says softly. “But, I’m still sorry.”

“Nami-san!” Sanji’s voice shoots through the den den mushi. 

Vivi starts, spinning to look as Nami rushes to answer. Beside her, Zoro straightens and lets out a long breath.

“Sanji-kun,” Nami says. “Are you alright? What’s wrong?”

“I’m afraid I have bad news, Nami-san. Things have gotten a little complicated.”

“Complicated?” 

Vivi rushes to Nami’s side, sitting down beside her. The navigator’s free hand grabs Vivi’s seeking some sort of comfort as they await Sanji’s response. A long mix of yelps and cries sound out from somewhere on the other side of the den den mushi.

“Sanji-kun? What’s that noise? Are you alright?”

“Dumbasses,” Zoro mutters behind them.

“I’m fine, Nami-san. Don’t mind the noise. It’s just some dumbasses.”

Above them, shots ring out as the shipwrights and the Franky Family attempt to shoot through the wave. The morons scream at each other, obviously distraught that their oversized canons do nothing to the wave. Around them, the remainder of the Franky Family run around, moving canon balls up to the train’s top.

Kokaro laughs drunkenly as Chopper and Chimney scream about the possibility of death. The rumble of canon balls and cries of fear nearly drown out Sanji’s voice. Bits of rubble clatter around them as the canon fires again.

Zoro heaves a heavy sigh, pushing himself away from the wall. “Oi, Luffy.”

Luffy begins spinning his arm, as though stretching his muscles out. “Yup. That wave is asking for it.”

A slight smirk takes over Zoro’s face, his white sword resting on his shoulder. “We’ll be back.”

“Hey, where are you morons going?” Nami snaps.

Vivi eases the cowering den den mushi from her hands. “Sanji-san?” she asks hesitantly. “Are you all alright?”

“Vivi-chan is so sweet to ask.” The cook’s voice is surprisingly serious. “No injuries for you to worry about, my sweet. Just a lot of confusion.” 

“Did Nami-san tell you about Robin?”

“What about Robin-chan?”

“Why she went with CP9?”

“No, Vivi-chan.” If possible, his voice grows even more serious. “Tell me everything.”

Above them, Luffy and Zoro’s shouts rise above everyone else’s. They must be about to take on the wave. Part of Vivi wishes she would get to see the awe on everyone else’s face. 

“She’s trying to save us.” 

The train jerks suddenly, as though it's been shot into the air. Nami screeches, the two Franky sisters hitting the back wall. Vivi plants her feet, shifting her weight, and manages to keep herself from rolling into a wall. Nami’s hand wraps around her arm, barely managing to keep herself from flying around like Chopper and Chimney.

“Was that Nami-san? What’s going on?”

“We’re fine. Luffy-san and Zoro are fighting with the storm.”

Sanji falls quiet for a moment. Then, he seems to think better of the ridiculous statement. “You said Robin-chan is trying to save us.”

Vivi nods, momentarily forgetting that the cook isn’t sitting in front of her. “The World Government was planning on attacking us. Robin went with them in exchange for them leaving us be. She traded her life for ours.”

His rage and disbelief radiates from the den den mushi. The same heavy emotions she’s felt from every member of the crew so far. 

“Let me talk to Luffy.”

The window beside Kokaro opens, Luffy bounding in as though he knew his presence was needed. The Franky sisters begin praise immediately, pausing the captain until a black boot shoves him forward.

“Luffy, outta the way. It’s pouring out.”

“Luffy, you idiot.” Nami releases her death grip on Vivi’s arm. “Get over here. Sanji-kun wants to talk to you.”

The captain bounds over, taking the den den mushi from Vivi’s hand. “Oi, Sanji. Did you get Robin yet?”

“Unfortunately, not yet. But, after what Vivi’chan’s told me, I’d like your permission.”

A grin crosses Luffy’s lips. “Hai. Give them hell.”

Nami’s eyes widen. Chopper lets out a yelp of surprise. Vivi’s gaze snaps to Zoro. 

There’s no way Luffy can be serious. Not after Lucci turned into a giant cat and threw Luffy halfway across the city. Not after watching the speed and strength of the rest of CP9. They can’t expect Sanji to take on CP9. Not by himself. 

Surely, Zoro will stop this. 

The swordsman does little more than let out a long suffering sigh. Then, he reaches out to take the den den mushi from Luffy’s grip.

“Oi, cook.”

“Oh, marimo. How’s the hand?”

“Fuck off. Listen to me. Remember what I said.”

Sanji falls quiet for another long moment. “Are you worried about me, marimo- kun ?”

The hair trigger temper Vivi once knew causes an annoyed rage to cross Zoro’s face. “You know what? Forget it. I hope they kill you.”

Luffy lets out a wild laugh, catching the snail as it's tossed back to him. 

“I’ll remember, marimo.”

“Sanji!” Luffy calls. “Kick their asses!”

“Aye, Sencho.”

Nami hands Vivi a familiar pair of red shorts and a yellow tank top. A slight smile crosses Vivi’s face as she accepts them. 

“She does have good style,” Nami says softly.

“She does. We’ll have to make her pick out all our future outfits.”

She’s leaving this place with us.

Months ago, Vivi hadn’t thought it was possible for her to care for Robin. Now, she longs just to see the older woman’s face again. 

“Oi,” Zoro growls. “If you perverts don’t get your asses off this train car, I’ll cut you like I cut that wave.”

Vivi glances over in time to see two of the Franky Family shooting off the train. Zoro continues to glare at the spot they’d vanished from, gaze dark and jaw clenched. Murder eminates from him. Behind him, Luffy laughs wildly.

“You scared them good, Zoro.”

The swordsman rolls his eyes, turning to rifle through the small bag of the clothes Nami had packed for him. 

“Chopper, make sure you turn around,” Nami calls. 

The small doctor is already facing the wall. Vivi glances around the train car, empty except for the Strawhats, Kokaro, Chimney, and the bunny. Nami strips her wet, ruined clothes without hesitation or second thought. Even with Luffy still rambling to Zoro in his fresh red vest and new black shorts, half facing them.

“N-nami-san,” she stutters, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.

“What?” Nami’s nonchalant attitude shocks her once again. It shouldn’t. Not after watching her friend drop her towel with four men staring at her in the bath. “It’s not like Luffy has any interest in a woman’s body. And Zoro’s so gay-”

“Watch it,” the swordsman growls. 

Nami turns to stick her tongue out at him, still topless. He glances back at her, eyes only on her face, and pulls his shirt off. The scar that should have cut him in half gleams in the water trickling down him.

“Put your top on. Some of us want to keep our lunches.”

“What was that, you jerk?”

The swordsman and navigator continue to bicker long after they’re all changed. Vivi takes advantage of their distraction to quickly strip her own clothing, slipping into the clothing Robin had picked for her. It isn’t until Nami finally notices Luffy trying to shove an entire collection of meat into his short pockets that she turns her attention back to the captain.

“Don’t put meat in your pockets, you idiot!”

Vivi glances at the swordsman as he crosses the room to stand between her and his captain. The unzipped, yellow top he’s chosen looks ridiculous against his green haramaki, but Vivi isn’t sure she has the heart to tell him.

“Luffy, if you don’t stop being an idiot, I’m going to beat you over the head.” Nami waves three blue batons with wide balls at their ends at the captain.

Vivi blinks. “Nami-san. Is that a new weapon?”

“Huh? Oh.” Nami looks down at the weapon with a smile. “No, it’s still my clima tact. Usopp just improved it with some of the dials he got from Skypiea. This is the perfect clima tact.” Her smile fades. “It’s Usopp’s last work.”

A painful thump hits against Vivi’s chest at the sound of his name. She shoves the pain down. They don’t have time for that right now. Her mind needs to be focused on Robin.

He’ll come back. I know he’ll come back.

Nami sniffles harshly, rubbing at the tears in her eyes. Luffy begins whimpering along with her.

“Oi!” Zoro calls. “Cut that out! We don’t have time for whining!”

“Sabaody.” 

Zoro says the word like its acid on his tongue. Vivi looks up at him, away from where Nami desperately tries to get Luffy to listen to her plan and Chopper is laughing at the captain’s unreasonable antics. For a bunch of people on a rescue mission, Luffy seems to be having a little too much fun.

“Sabaody?” Vivi crinkles her nose in thought. “I know that island. Why do I know that island?”

“Did you ever hear about Luffy punching a Celestial in the face?”

Vivi’s stomach churns and she glances at the window, hoping Zoro won’t see the color leave her face. “Yes. Yes I have. And I’m going to assume that he does that on Sabaody.”

Zoro nods stiffly.

“Is that where we’re going next?”

“It’s where we head next. But we’ll get caught up in the fog of Thriller Bark on the way.”

“Thriller Bark?” The haunted look in Zoro’s eyes reminds Vivi all too much of the island. “What happens there?”

“We’ll meet Brook, our musician. His shadow has been stolen by a Shichibukai and we’ll help him get it back.”

“And?”

She waits for the shaking. Waits for him to desperately try to hide his fear. It never comes. Zoro lets out a long breath, glancing down at her with a failed attempt at a smile on his lips.

“And nothing. We’ll get thrown around a little, but no one gets hurt too badly.”

Liar.

With the lack of confidence in his eyes, the way he won’t meet her gaze fully, Vivi knows that it’s a lie. Someone is going to get hurt on that island. But Zoro isn’t descending into panic. Isn’t trying to convince her - and more himself - that he has to allow it to happen. He’s calm. A little nervous but over all accepting.

Because he’s the one who gets hurt, she realizes. Fear drops into her stomach. Zoro is going to get injured, bad enough that the memory haunts him even years later. 

“After we save Brook, we’ll head for Sabaody.” Zoro sighs. “And things will get messy. But, I’ve made my decision. We start changing things in Sabaody.”

Relief spreads through Vivi’s bones. “You’re going to keep Luffy-san from punching the Celestial Dragon.”

“No.”

Every bit of the weight that left Vivi’s shoulders crashes down with twice as much momentum. Shock stealing her voice, she looks up at Zoro with wide eyes. His teeth clench, slight shudder beginning.

“We need that loss, Vivi. We need someone to knock us down. Need to know our place. We aren’t strong enough. Sabaody’s where we learn that.” His hands clench into fists as he forces himself to breathe. “And, it's awful. It’s.” His breathing hitches for a moment, clenched fists tightening. “It’s the only thing that will ever compare to that island.”

Vivi’s mouth runs dry, tears pricking at her eyes. Fear begins to shake her body as well.

“Sabaody needs to happen.” Zoro’s tired eyes reach hers. Almost glossy, but still present. “It needs to. But it’s where we start to make changes. It’s where we start to change things.”

It’s where we start to save them.

Vivi’s fingers move to the ribbon in her hair and she swallows hard. She wants to ask Zoro if he’s sure. Do they have to let this happen? Can’t they at least try something else?

“Alright,” she whispers.

Zoro lets out an audible breath, gaze fixed on his energetic captain across the train car. “I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying that.”

“I can’t. Because I am. This is a lot for me to ask of you.”

“You’re not asking anything of me, Mr. Bushido. I made this decision. And I trust you. I know that you’d never let them suffer without a reason.”

“But I have,” he whispers. “All this time.”

“Not without reason.”

Zoro shakes his head. “I’ve asked too much of them. If I’d told Luffy-”

“Would he have believed you?”

“I don’t know.”

Vivi touches his arm. For the first time, he doesn’t flinch. “They’ll never get stronger if you don’t let them.”

“If I was strong enough, they wouldn’t need-”

“Do you honestly think that Luffy-san would ever let you carry the weight of this whole crew on your shoulders?” 

If he knew what we were doing, he’d be furious. The realization makes her stomach rock. Her cheek stings in the phantom pain of Luffy’s slap. 

“Then why are you putting your life on the line?” Her captain had demanded so many years ago. “Just one look at this kingdom and even I can tell what most needs to be done! As if putting your single life on the line is enough! At least try putting all of our lives on the line, together! Aren’t we friends!”

Vivi’s breath catches. Luffy wouldn’t want this. His swordsman to carry this heavy weight, this heavy blame, by himself. His swordsman to throw his life away and only his life. Because Luffy didn’t believe in that.

“I think that Luffy would know selfishness when he saw it,” Zoro says.

“Selfishness?”

“I can’t watch them hurt,” Zoro tells her. “I’d do anything to make sure they don’t hurt.”

Selfless. A selfless act to protect his nakama.

“So, instead, I’ll force them to watch me hurt.”

Vivi’s thoughts run blank.

“Force you to watch me hurt. Luffy would be furious with me. He’d punch me so hard, he’d sned me back to Kuraigana. But I don’t care. I’m selfish.”

“Zoro.”

“Sabaody,” he whispers. “At Sabaody, we start to fix this.”

“Luffy!” Nami shouts. “Where are you going? Get back in here! You just changed into dry clothes!”

“I wanna see the Passing Tom! Where is it?”

“It’s the Puffing Tom! Luffy get in here before you catch a cold!”

“I don’t care! It’s cooler up here! This is the captain’s seat.”

“Ugh!” Nami growls insults under her breath as she slams the open window closed. 

The Franky Family and a few of the shipwrights begin reenacting battle between Luffy and Zoro and the wave outside. Loud shouts ring out, along with laughter. Chopper and Chimney rush over to join them. Zoro’s jaw ticks as they begin again, his patience beginning to wain in the face of danger before them.

“Will you morons stop playing around?” he snarls.

The two men of the Franky Family acting out Luffy and Zoro’s part turn to face him. “We’re bored.’

“Then go polish your weapons or something! What the hell is wrong with you?”

Paulie scoffs, appearing at Zoro’s empty side. “I tried telling them that earlier, but they wouldn’t listen to me.”

Both of them let out long suffering sighs. Vivi wraps an arm around herself, giving the swordsman an encouraging smile as he leans on a nearby barrell.

“Oi!” Luffy’s shout carries on the wind. “There’s a train in front of us!”

Tension shoots through the train as everyone begins to rise, hands moving to their weapons. They all race to the window, rushing onto the roof. Vivi runs to the window after them, leaning out to look.

“Don’t bother,” Zoro mutters as he arrives at her shoulder. “It’s not Tom. Just one of the cabins. Look out, I’ll have to cut it.”

She moves out of his way to allow him to crawl out. A shout reaches them as he vanishes, announcing what Zoro had just told her. Someone yells for Kokaro to hit the brakes.

“How many times do I have to tell these idiots?” she sighs, taking another swing from her bottle. “No brakes. No steering. No control.”

Vivi drops to one of the benches beside Nami. Around them, men start shouting about crashing. Luffy’s cry of “Gomu Gomu no Rocket” splits the air.

“I hope he at least took Zoro with him.” Nami falls into Vivi’s side.

“Luffy, you idiot!” Zoro shouts from above them.

Nami moans.

“Do you think Sanji’s the one who detached the Puffing Tom’s car?” Chopper asked. 

Zoro lets out a loud snore, leaned against the wall beside the couch. Chopper settles himself on the floor next to the swordsman, looking up at them with hopefully eyes. Vivi’s chest feels a bit lighter at the familiar scene. Here, Vivi had believed that times of the swordsman napping lazily in the face of danger were long gone. 

Around them, the Franky Family continues rambling about just how cool the Strawhats’ swordsman is. 

“Absolutely,” Nami replies confidently. 

“How is he napping at a time like this?” one of the Framky sisters asks.

“He’s Zoro,” Luffy laughs. “Oi, Nami! Do you think that means we’ll catch up soon?”

Vivi grabs one of the loose blankets from the Rocket Man’s seat and drapes it over the swordsman’s still body. Amazingly, he continues snoring, undisturbed. 

“I would say so.” Nami grins. 

Luffy lets out a cheer and runs back for the roof. Vivi barely suppresses a giggle. 

“How did he sleep through that ?” Paulie demands, throwing a finger at Zoro’s still snoring form as he picks himself up.

Brushing herself off as she stands, Vivi rolls her shoulders. “Zoro can sleep through anything,” she tells the men, Chopper nodding his agreement.

Above them, Luffy begins yelling at the giant frog and it roars back at him. The sea train trembles with each strike the two try to land on them. One of the men of the Franky Family begins yelling about losing their sea bulls and the rest of their family.

“They disappeared!” the Franky sisters cry.

“No,” Paulie crosses his arm, sticking a fresh cigar in his mouth. “We’re probably the ones who disappeared. I bet that was our train being derailed.”

“What do we do?” Chopper asks, hysteria building in his voice.

“Well, there isn’t much we can do, since we’re probably already off course.”

“Ah! We’re going to die! We’re going to die!” The chant echoes around them.

Vivi bites her tongue to hold back her disgusted sigh, knowing she should have gone with Nami into the engine room. Zoro lets out a loud snore.

“So, Sanji, who is this guy?” Luffy asks, pointing to Usopp in a mask.

“Yeah! Yeah! Sanji, who is he?”

Daylight breaks through the sea train windows as they approach Enies Lobby. The island seems as immune to the storm as it is to night. Luffy and Chopper bounce around Usopp, touching his cape and leaning close.

“My name is Sogeking!” Usopp announces, his voice sounding utterly ridiculous as he forces it into an unnaturally low pitch. “King of the Snipers.”

He launches into a ridiculous song, claiming to be from Sniper Island. Beside Vivi, Nami puts her head in her hands with a moan. Vivi can’t manage to pull her eyes away from their sniper, dancing around like a maniac as he sings.

Zoro lets out a disgusted sigh, shaking his head. “I forgot about fucking Sogeking,” he mutters, barely loud enough for Vivi to hear. “Wasn’t once bad enough?”

Vivi gives him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder as Luffy and Chopper begin cheering about how cool he is. Sanji’s scoff is almost as disgusted as Zoro’s. The cook stands beside the swordsman, watching them with annoyed disbelief.

“He’s a superhero!” Luffy cheers. 

“He has superpowers?” Chopper asks.

“Of course! Everyone in a mask and cape has superpowers!”

“Well,” Nami says. “I’m glad Usopp’s safe.”

Vivi hums her agreement.

“But I can’t believe these idiots don’t realize that it’s Usopp.”

“Hey,” one of the men from the Franky Family says. “Isn’t that the long nosed guy that broke into our house?”

“That’s the guy that got taken away with bro,” one of the sisters says.

“Without a doubt,” the other agrees.

“Can I have an autograph?” Chopper asks.

“I hate our captain,” Sanji sighs.

“Oh, let them have this, Sanji-san,” Vivi says, glancing around Zoro to look at him. “It doesn’t harm anyone.”

“I’m gonna tell ‘em,” Zoro says.

Vivi snaps her head up to glare at him. “Don’t you dare.”

His eyes sparkle. 

Usopp begins singing his song quietly again. Sanji lights a fresh cigarette as Chopper and Luffy begin singing along with them. 

“Oi, shut it,” Sanji orders sharply. “You all need to hear this.”

Silence settles over the car, all eyes on. 

“Before we go to rescue Robin-chan, I have to tell you this.”

The truth plows through the crew. Robin’s greatest fear, used against her for the worst of intentions. Vivi’s jaw clenches, horrible urges building through her. Urges she hasn’t felt since Crocodile. She’s going to make the World Government regret coming after her nakama.

“I just want you all to know, that even if we make it to that island, Robin-chan might not be willing to come back with us,” Sanji says evenly.

“She will be.” Zoro’s voice is firm.

All eyes turn to him, his chin high and jaw clenched.

“Zoro,” Chopper yelps. “You’re bleeding again.”

Red seeps through the bandage on Zoro’s hand, staining down to his wrist. “When she realizes that we’re not backing down. Once she realizes that we’ll die for her no matter what she does. She’ll come back with us.”

“You can’t know that,” Nami protests. “Not everyone is a fearless monster like you. If Robin’s scared that badly-”

“None of that matters!” Luffy shouts. “I won’t stand for this! Damn Robin!”

“Luffy!” Nami moves to slap the captain across the back of his head, hard. “It’s not her fault.”

“Of course it is! Why doesn’t she want us to help her?”

Because she doesn’t want us to get her. Vivi’s gaze flickers to Zoro, the only member of their crew who won’t look at Luffy.

“Because she doesn’t want to feel responsible for all the awful things that will happen to our crew when we do,” Nami says. Her face pinches in annoyance. 

“I don’t care about that,” Luffy snaps. Because he never has. “I didn’t care about that in Alabasta. I don’t care about it now! If we don’t rescue Robin, she’s going to be killed. I don’t care what she wants. I’m not letting her die.”

“She doesn’t want to die, you id-”

“Nami.” Zoro’s voice is harsh. “Let it go. None of this changes what we have to do. We’ll save her either way.”

“Zoro,” Nami says, her tone itches or a fight.

“Nami-san, stop.” Vivi grabs Nami’s arm. “Zoro’s right. None of this matters. What matters is that we’re going to rescue Robin. We’ll bring her home.” Her gaze moves to Zoro again. “Together.”

Chapter Text

Sometimes, Zoro forgets how utterly reckless his captain can be. Even if he knows it all turns out alright, that Luffy’s own personal plan - or rather, lack of a plan - will save Robin just fine, it still drives him a little nuts that Luffy is such an idiot. 

“I hate our captain,” the cook groans again. “Did he not understand the plan?”

Up at the wheel, Kokaro laughs about how impatient Luffy is. The old woman doesn’t know the half of it. Paulie and the Franky Family rush to get to their places. 

“Oh, he understood it,” Usopp sighs. “He just didn’t care.”

“When has Luffy ever cared about a plan?” Zoro asks, adjusting his katana at his hip. “We’d better get a move on. Hey, Granny, how much longer is this going to take?”

“Five minutes. Just like we said” Kokaro yells.

He turns his attention to Usopp, hidden beneath that stupid mask and still covered in bandages. Between the fight with Franky’s family and the ass kicking Luffy gave him, every movement must be painful. 

A true testament to the fact that Usopp has always been strong. The idiot just needs to believe in himself more. 

“You wanna sit this one out?” he offers, already knowing the answer. “Looks like those injuries might hurt.”

“The wounds matter not.” Usop says, though he sways slightly as the waves crash into the sea train. “To Sogeking!”

Chopper hops up and down, waving his arms. “You’re so cool, Sogeking! You’re as tough as Zoro.”

Zoro rolls his eyes. Beside him, Vivi giggles, fixing the red ribbon in her hair. The cook shakes his head from his seat beside Nami, though his gaze meets Zoro’s after a pause. Neither of them look away, gazes locked on each other. Then, the cook’s eyes dropped to Zoro’s bandaged hand. A bit of red of seeps onto the fresh bandage Chopper wrapped around his hand. One of the stupid swirly eyebrows raise up. 

A silent question of whether or not Zoro’s going to be able to use all three of his swords. Sneering, Zoro uses the bandaged hand to flip him off. The cook smirks.

“Four more minutes!” Kokaro shouts. 

The Gates of Justice stand tall, Marine symbol painted large and proud. Zoro makes a note to ruin the damn thing if he gets the chance. Anything to leave a reminder behind. It doesn't take them long to rebuild Enies Lobby, Zoro knows. But, if he can leave a mark on their precious gate, they’ll never forget what happens when the World Government darkes come after the Strawhat Pirates. 

Ahead of them, Luffy’s probably already at the second gate. He, the Franky Family, and the shipwrights are probably already having all the fun. Which is a bunch of bullshit, because if Zoro has to go through this again, he should at least get to have more fun than he had last time. Not less.

“Oh, by the way, Sogeking,” Nami says, prodding Usopp in the back with part of her clima tact. Oh, god, they’re actually going along with this, aren’t they? “You think you can teach me how to use the cold air feature on this thing?”

“Oh, of course. I mean!” Usopp turns away. “Why are you asking me ?”

Zoro glances at Vivi, wondering if she’ll allow him to call Usopp out now that Luffy isn’t on the train. She frowns at him, eyeing Chopper. Who somehow also thinks that Sogeking really is just a friend of Usopp’s. Which is ridiculous. Because Chopper is a genius little guy. And, somewhere deep down, he has to already know.

He swallows the urge to smack Usopp across the back of his head. 

Nami turns back to her clima tact. This is a pain. Having to wait to go with his captain. Wait to go save his nakama. Because two  of them are on that island. Even if no one but Vivi knows that Franky is nakama, Zoro knows. And waiting burns his chest with the horrible sense of failure.

Though, it fits that the two would be in trouble together. 

Zoro moves toward the window. He needs to be at the top of this train. It’ll be time to land soon.

Franky and Robin also seem to get in trouble together. Belong fighting side by side. The same way he and Luffy belong fighting side by side. 

Wind whips through his hair and his open shirt blows behind him as he settles himself on the train’s tip. Below, he can feel the other’s unease. Their eagerness to join the fray. The same impatience that runs through him.

It’s time to rescue their nakama. Then they can leave Water 7 behind on Sunny.

Zoro will be back home. Even if losing Merry will kill him, he’s ready for it. He’s been ready for it since they left Alabasta. 

Then, they can go to Thriller Bark. He’ll see Brook again. And there is nothing to panic about at Thriller Bark because all of his nakama will leave there unharmed. He’s the only one that will walk away from Thriller Bark with anything to show for it. And, for his captain, he would wear a thousand scars.

And Kuma will be there. Kuma will be there and Zoro’s plan can finally begin. He can start to save his nakama.

“Alright, ladies and gents,” Kokaro calls over the speaker. “Hope you’re ready. If they don’t have those gates open by now, it isn’t happening. Time for you to take out the iron fence, swordsman.”

Smiling, Zoro pulls Wadou from its place, allowing the katana to rest on his crossed legs as he looks out at the horizon. “Leave it to me.”

The train turns to face the gates again. Wind screams in his ears as it rushes by him, the Rocket Man picking up speed as it rushes the gates. He feels the frog hop into place beside him, copying his actions.

Ahead of him, the gate begins to close. Just has they had once before. Zoro sighs, leaning around the frog.

“Oi! Granny! Change of plans. I need more speed.”

“How much?’ The drunken old lady calls back.

“As much as you’ve got!”

“Roger.”

Chimney and the rabbit begin to cheer. Behind him, the cook sticks his head out the window. Zoro keeps his eyes ahead, on the closed gate between him and his nakama.

“Oi, marimo! What in the shitty Four Blues is going on out here?”

“They closed the main gate.”

“They what?”

From within the train, he can hear Nami, Usopp, and Chopper panicking. Hopefully, Vivi can calm them down. She’s always been good at keeping people’s heads on straight.

Zoro pushes himself to his feet with a sigh. Whether he’s twenty-one or nineteen, Zoro is getting way too old for this shit.

“Tell them to calm their asses down,” Zoro calls back to the cook. “I’ve got a plan.”

A plan that you’re all going to hate, but a plan nonetheless .

The cowards in the train let out a cheer. Rocket Man’s whistle screams in his ears.

“Hey, Frog. Smash that gate.”

The monster frog grunts its agreement and leaps in front of him, throwing its webbed limbs out to shove the fence down. The result is the same, creating the perfect lift for them to fly off of. From within the train, the others cry out with fear and uncertainty. Even Vivi’s voice joins the mix this time.

He probably should have warned her that this was coming.

Though, to be fair, he’d forgotten about it until about thirty seconds ago.

Metal screeches as the train’s wheels meet the fence’s railings. Rocket Man struggles for a minute and then the entire thing jerks. Zoro plants himself down again, shifting his weight to keep him from flying backward. The frog hops to sit behind him once again. Below them, the Marines scream about the impossible. Behind him, the crew screams about what an idiot their swordsman is.

“Zoro! You better have a plan for landing this thing!” Nami screeches. 

“Nami-san,” Vivi calls. “Get away from the window! What if you fly out?”

 Zoro glances back at them, finding his entire crew leaning out the window to look at him. “Of course I have a plan,” he says calmly.

Their amazed gasps draw a smirk and slight laugh from him. The faith they put in him to take care of them is completely unearned and unrequited. But, Zoro can’t help but relish in it.

“We leave it to luck.”

“You bastard!” Nami shouts.

“Moron!” the cook screams.

“I hate you!” Tears fill Usopp and Chopper’s voices. 

He can feel Vivi exasperation leaking from beyond his sight.

“We find out if luck’s on our side, soon enough,” he calls.

They land alive, even if they don’t land with the train in one piece. Though, that’s the giant’s fault. If the damn idiot hadn’t stood up, things might have ended a little differently. Zoro can’t remember whether he should be grateful or not.

Grateful to be alive, but ungrateful that every inch of his body aches with pulled muscles.

The dust begins to settle as Marines close in around them. Pushing himself up, Zoro catches the cook’s eye. His jaw is clenched with barely concealed anger. In about ten seconds - after they’ve cleared out a section of Marines - the cook’s going to start yelling about how he put the “beautiful ladies” in danger.

Pulling Kitetsu and Yubashiri loose, Zoro moves. Beside him, the cook lights the cigarette he’s pulled out and jumps onto his hands. Marines fly. The circle they create as plenty of room for fighting. 

“Impossible! Who are they?” one of the Marines cries.

“The Strawhats are here!”

A cheer goes up from their allies. Zoro glances at the cook, resting Yubashiri on his shoulder. Seems like everywhere they go, they end up with allies. Though, these guys are a lot more willing to put up with the insanity of the Strawhat pirates then Torao’s crew are. Probably because poor Torao’s crew are used to having a captain that has a well organized plan. Sure, they learn eventually, but it takes ages.

Behind them, the rest of the crew begin to crawl from the wreckage. In the distance, Zoro hears Luffy shouting as he demolishes buildings. Who knows what the moron’s gotten himself into. Knowledge of the future or not, Zoro never has figured out what his idiot captain does on his solo outings.

“Get the hell out of my way!” Luffy’s shout carries through the skies.

Zoro smirks, eyeing the Marines. Some of the insane need to spill blood must show in his eyes because several of the men take a step back. “You heard our captain,” Zoro says. “Get the hell out of our way.”

“Oh shit,” one of them whines. “That’s - that’s one of Strawhat Luffy’s henchmen. Pirate Hunter Zoro!”

The cook sniggers. “Henchman?”

“Least he recognizes me. You’re not even a henchman. Pirate A.”

Swirly eyebrows twitch. “What was that?”

“Forget it, you’re right. Pirate A would be much more important, Pirate B.”

“Look, when I get a bounty it’s going to be worth ten times what you are.”

Zoro smirks. God, he missed this. How had he forgotten how much he missed this. “Whatever you say, Pirate C.”

“Stop changing it!”

“Hey, there’s more of them!”

Hand cannons are turned toward the sea train. The cook screeches about Nami and Vivi as Chopper and Usopp are thrown away. Usopp’s mask clatters to the ground.

God, Zoro forgot what a shitshow this crew used to be. He shakes his head, as the cook’s screeches continues and Usopp begins panicking that his mask has been thrown loose. 

“Cease fire!” someone yells.

Kokaro and Chimney wave wildly, announcing themselves as civilians. Drunk civilians, but civilians nonetheless. From the corner of his eye, Zoro sees a flash of blue and orange on a rooftop above as Vivi brings Nami up to one of the rooftops. Black begins to form in the skies as she readies a storm cloud. To electrocute them all. 

“Thunderbolt Tempo!”

Lightning flashes down around them. Stronger than Zoro remembers. The cook screams as the lightning descends on him. Zoro allows the air to shift around him, telling him where each bolt will strike so he can move. The cook is less lucky. Across the way, Nami screams, jumping onto Vivi, who stares at the chaos around them with wide eyes.

The two vanish as Zoro dodges another bolt, reappearing beside Usopp and Chopper. The only place that the cloud hasn’t settled over to rain electricity down on. Nami smacks Usopp’s head with part of the clima tact, yelling at him about her lack of control and Vivi furiously tries to calm her down. Around them, the lightning settles.

“Damn it, Nami!” Zoro shouts, turning to the navigator. “Watch where you aim that thing!”

“Apologize to him, Sogeking .”

“You apologize! You did it!”

“I haven’t felt a shock like that since I first met you, Nami-swan.”

“Oh, shut it, you shitty cook!”

“Don’t tell me what to do, marimo!”

Zoro snarls at him. In the distance, a building collapses. Sighing, he slides his katana back into their scabbards and points to the smoke.

“There’s Luffy. We’d better get going.”

Vivi lets out a long sigh. “Doesn’t Luffy-san know the meaning of the word subtle?”

“Have you met Luffy?”

Zoro needs to stop forgetting things. All these little details that once seemed so insignificant are now catching him off guard with every turn. The last king bull is down, laying uselessly, and above them, a piece of the building falls away as Luffy’s fight with CP9 continues. The surrounding Marines open fire on them.

“We gotta move,” Zoro tells them. “It’s too dangerous to stay here.”

“We’ll have to cut through to the Court House,” the cook agrees. “It’s our only option.”

“I can-” Vivi begins.

Go to Luffy, Zoro knows she’s going to offer. To shoot up to their captain and help him against the agent up there.

“No.” He shoots her a sharp glare. “Absolutely not. Luffy will handle it.”

She glares back at him.

“I mean it, Vivi. We’re getting off this thing and we’re going to cut a path through these bastards. Do not leave this group.”

The last thing he needs is to be worrying about her fluttering around and getting herself killed. Haki makes her easy to track. And her lack of experience makes her nothing more than a liability right now.

“Zoro.”

“Stick to the plan,” Zoro growls, frustration growing in his chest.

“Nobody get off!” Chopper shouts.

The fleeing Franky Family pause. The girls turn to look at the small doctor, clutching to one of the wooden benches. A memory flashes through Zoro’s mind. Vague but still there. He grabs the cooks arm, flinging him back to the saddle.

The damn thing is going to get back up.

“Hold on tight!” Chopper shouts, eyes full of tears. “That’s what Gomorrah says!”

The beasts roads, flinging its head up. Everyone jerks under the sudden movement, Nami and Vivi clinging to the benches. Zoro stumbles, leaping back into the seats behind the cook as the bull begins to move again. Behind them, the Franky Family begin to return fire, desperately trying to stop the Marines from firing at their beloved bull.

Wind whips through them as the beast charges forward, slamming into buildings as it goes. When it finally rights itself, the start off down an alleyway, toward the large building at the end of it.

“Gomorrah can’t see!” Chopper cries.

Several of the Frank Family shout for the beast to stop.

“It’s a dead end!”

Zoro eyes the building carefully before he glances over at the cook. “Dead end? I don’t see a dead end. Cook, you see a dead end?”

“Nothing of the sort.”

His hands move to his katana as they run and the building crumbles with ease. Beside him, the cook soars through his own set of debri, leg held out. Gomorrah falls through behind them, landing before the large door. Dust and debri kick up around them when she lands, the others screaming in terror as their ride collapses. 

Zoro touches down beside the cook as the Franky Family begin to cheer and Chopper tells the bull that they’ve made it. 

“Not bad, Cook,” Zoro says.

A smirk is shot his way as the cook lights up another cigarette, looking up at the courthouse. Zoro looks up as well. The doors are large enough for a giant to fit through and just as heavy. Not that it means anything. If Zoro had been able to cut through them two years ago, he can cut through them now.

“Can you see Luffy?” Nami asks as she leads Vivi and Chopper to them. 

“No.” The cook shoves his hands in his pockets, frowning up at the roof. “And, even if we could, it’s not like we can just jump up after him.”

Zoro shoots a pointed look at Vivi before the princess can open her mouth. She pouts back at him as the cook and Nami begin rambling on about the large doors before them. 

He senses it suddenly, the men with the giant wrecking balls. Another detail he’s forgotten. Zoro’s hand snaps to Wadou as the ball shoots toward Nami. One good slash will ruin it with ease. 

The frog touches down, throwing its arms up to catch the ball with ease. With a hum, Zoro lets Wadou slip back into its scabbard. The cook vanishes from his side as the three Marines vanish down the alley. Because of course he does. How dare anyone so much as look at his precious “Nami-san” let alone try and fight.

“Oi, Cook, you idiot! We don’t have time to chase around useless Marines. Get back here!”

Down the alleyway, a building collapses. The cook emerges from the smoke, hands still shoved in his pockets.

“Oh, pipe down, loud mouth. Some of them need to be chased. We need to know what we’re going up against.”

“Don’t pull that shit with me, dumbass. Keep your chivalry attitude in place.” Zoro turns back to the door, pulling Kitetsu and Yubashiri out. “We’ve got to find a way to Luffy.”

Down the way, a group of Marines shout about them being trapped by the doors. Which is just laughable as far as Zoro’s concerned. Twirling the katana briefly in his hands, he slashes them forward.

“Yeah,” one of Franky’s men says. “They’ve got a point. How are we ever gonna get passed-”

He cuts himself off with a yell of surprise, eyes bulging as the bottom half of the door collapses around Zoro. God, he forgot what it’s like for someone to underestimate his strength. In the New World, people certainly feared him but no one was ever overly surprised when he chopped things to pieces. 

“We’re going in first,” Zoro tells them. “Stay close and don’t fall behind.”

Marines swarm around him as he leads the crew into the courthouse. Zoro’s teeth clench down around Wadou as he moves, swinging all three kantana with full strength. Marines fly around him, caught up in the winds. Their screams fill the air. , the ones who have landed trying to crawl toward the three headed freak on one of the upper floors.

Behind him, the others begin grunting as they take on a few stray Marines. The three headed man begins slamming his wooden gavel. 

“Wow, that guy has three heads?” someone shouts.

“He’s like that dog that guards the underworld.”

Zoro rolls his eyes, listening to the jiggle of Vivi’s peacock slasher. 

“Order in the court!” the middle head shouts. “This is a sacred chamber of law, you hooligans! How dare you burst through! Now quiet down and prepare to receive your sentence.”

“Head for the stairs,” Zoro orders. “We have to find Luffy. We don’t have time for small fries.”

“He’s right,” one of Franky’s men shouts. “We’ll hold off the Marines down here. You guys go rescue our bro.”

“We’re here for our nakama, not your bro,” Nami grumbles.

Franky is nakama. And Zoro will be damned if they don’t rescue him along with Robin. 

Ahead of them, the middle head continues its rant about justice. Guns are raised from the small crowd in front of him, men rambling about no one watching the trial. These Marines are going to be a pain in the ass, he can feel it. Better to handle that now than later. 

Crossing his arms and bowing his head, Zoro gathers all his energy. He thinks of Robin, waiting upstairs. Afraid and alone. Does she know they’re here? She has to. By now, with all the commotion that Luffy has caused, she has to know. He thinks of the bruises she and Franky return with. That piece of shit CP9 chief that thinks he’s going to get away with this. Hurting Robin. Hurting Franky.

Scaring his nakama. Trying to make them think that they’re alone in this world. 

Armament Haki shoots through his blades.

“Hey, isn’t that the Pirate Hunter?”

“What’s he doing?”

Zoro raises his head to look at them. He’s going to hurt them. All of them. He’s going to make these bastards pay for ever thinking that they could touch his nakama.

“Enbima Yonezu Oni Giri.”

Marines scream. Blood flies through the air, speckling across his skin. The walls beyond them crack as the leftover momentum shoots through the building. Even his crew stands shell shocked behind him. 

Wiping some of the blood from Wadou’s blade, Zoro returns his katana to their scabbards. “Well, that’s that. Let’s go.” 

“Holy shit,” Nami breathes from somewhere behind him.

“Nami-san! Tony-kun! Let’s go.” Vivi says.

Hooves and heels clack across the floor as they follow him. The rest of the Franky Family stand behind them, staring after them. A mutter of “monsters” follows behind.

“Oi! Oi! Oi!” the cook screams. “Out of my way, reindeer! You too, baka marimo! We’re in dangerous, enemy territory! The only one worthy of clearing a path for Nami-san and Vivi-chan is me !”

The cook flies at him and Chopper, throwing kicks their way. Zoro blocks it with Yubashiri easily, shoving the cook off. 

“Oi! What’s your problem?” Zoro snaps.

“Shut it! How are you try to get Nami-san and Vivi-chan lost! Nami-san, Vivi-chan. Follow me. And only me.”

Zoro rolls his eyes with a groan as Nami shakes her head at him, looking over at Vivi.

“I think Sanji-kun forgot that we’re here to rescue Robin.”

The cook freezes. “Robin-chan! The beautiful Robin-chan is awaiting my rescue.” He bolts up the stairs, screaming about saving Robin.

“Let’s go,” Nami sighs, following after him.

Zoro nods his agreement. The rest of the idiots bolt up the stairs. But, that’s not right. He knows that isn’t right. He distinctly remembers running past those stairs. So, that’s exactly what he does. 

Chopper and Nami cry out behind him and he skids to a stop. 

“Zoro, that’s the wrong way!” Chopper shouts.

“Are you sure?” he calls back.

He remembers running past the stairs. This has to be the right way.

“You idiot!” Nami screams. “We have to go up . That means up the stairs !”

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Zoro knows he went this way last time. The air shifts, marking Vivi’s arrival as she disappears from beside Nami.

“Mr. Bushido,” she sighs. “Try to keep up.”

Her hand wraps around his bicep before he can reply. Solid ground disappears and then slams back beneath his feet. He stumbles from his place on the staircase. 

“Zoro, next time I try to make a new medicine, I’ll see if I can make it for hopeless idiocy?”

“Hopeless idiocy? Oi!” Zoro glares at the doctor.

“Chopper,” Nami moans, pointing at the cook, still sprinting above them, rambling about Robin. “Make one for him too.”

“I’ll try.” Chopper sighs, looking up at the moron. “But, he might be beyond help.”

“We’re wasting time.” Vivi’s hand tightens around Zoro’s sleeve and pulls him the rest of the way up the stairs. “Everyone, keep moving.”

The giant three headed man lunges. Zoro plants his feet, pulling Vivi back as he lands, sword slashing down. Bits of concrete fly up around them. Vivi straightens herself, Nami and Chopper stumbling to a halt beside her. He senses them move into fighting positions as the large being hangs off the edge.

Pulling Kitetsu loose, Zoro sticks the blade out in front of the others. A silent signal for them to stop. “You guys go on ahead. I’ll make quick work of this small fry.”

“Small fry! You think the chief justice of the Marine Corps is a small fry!”

“Zoro, I don’t think it's a good idea for you to wander around by yourself,” Nami protests.

Embarrassment creeps up Zoro’s neck. “Don’t argue with me, you idiot! Get going.”

“Oi!” The cook shouts from somewhere above them. “Did you just call Nami-san an idiot?”

“Keep moving, you moron!” Zoro snarls at him.

“Don’t ignore me!” The three headed man shouts.

“How dare you insult Nami-san!”

Zoro moans. Some days, he really can’t handle dealing with this crew. “Vivi.”

“I’ve got them,” the princess sighs, ushering the others away. “If you don’t meet us in ten minutes, I’m coming back for you.”

“I only need five.”

The giant suddenly begins to scream, his body slipping. From somewhere below them, the Franky Family shouts “pull” in perfect unison. Any excitement about getting to let out some more of the built up aggression in his body slips to confusion. Zoro blinks as the large man tumbles over the ruined edge. 

“Um.”

So this is why he doesn’t remember chopping off any of those heads. Must be the Franky Family takes care of this one. 

“What the hell just happened?” Nami calls.

Zoro lets out a huff, shaking his head.  “Let’s go.”

They join Luffy on the edge, staring up at Robin as she finishes her tale. Even at a distance, her fear is so clear. Her eyes move over them one by one. Searching for an answer. Searching for understanding. Her eyes meet his and Zoro refuses to look away. 

We’re here for you. We’re not letting them take you away.

The past flashes through his eyes. Blood across her face. Franky missing some of his body parts. Not again. Never again.

“We’ll be fine, swordsman-san. Franky and I are more than capable of handling ourselves. Go.”

Zoro will never lose his nakama again. His fingers dig into the bandage on his hand, relishing in the pain it brings. He’s here. Robin is in front of him. Alive . And soon, she’s going to want to be alive. She’s going to want them to save her. 

Tears swim in her eyes. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip.

Nakama means no one gets left behind. 

“The more I long for us to be together,” Robin’s voice shakes. Zoro clenches his teeth. This speech hurts, even the second time. “The more my ugly fate bares its fangs at all of you. Even now, matter how far we sail, they follow me to the end of the seas. I am facing the world . First Aokiji. Now CP9. I’ve dragged you into so much danger already. If it continues, no matter how kind you are, someday you’ll see me as a burden. Someday you’ll be forced to betray me and throw me away in order to survive.”

We’d rather die! It takes every ounce of Zoro’s strength to keep from screaming it. 

Death is better than losing nakama. 

He understands that better than anyone else.

All of them would rather die than betray her. 

“If that’s the only future I have, I’d rather die! Save me the pain!”

It isn’t! It isn’t, you idiot. We’re here for you. This crew will burn the world down to pull you from the ashes! Stop being so stubborn.

Beside him, Vivi lets out a soft gasp. The purple haired moron bursts into laughter. It’s only a matter of time until he gets what’s coming to him. But, that does nothing to keep the rage from swirling in his chest, hammering against his ribs. He shoves it down, saving it for later. For Kaku.

Spandam’s ass beating belongs to Vivi.

“You can’t win pirates! Look at this flag. It represents the unity of over seventy nations. A power that spans the four seas and the Grand Line. This is the world itself. No matter how loud your bark may be, you can never stand against this flag.”

“I see,” Luffy says, voice low and dangerous. “Oi, Sogeking. Shoot down that flag.”

“You got it.”

The flag erupts in flames. Robin lets out a gasp, her eyes on the billowing fire. Zoro bites down a smirk. 

Don’t you see, Robin. For you? We’ll burn the world down. 

“Bring it on!” Luffy’s scream echoes in the air around them as Spandam shouts about war against the world. “Oi. Robin! We need to hear it!”

Tell us the truth! Tell us you’ll come with us. Tell us you know we’ll always be there for you!

“Tell me!”

Tears spill down her cheeks. Her gaze locked on the crew, lips trembling.

“I want to live!” The words send shivers down his spine, raise goosebumps up his arms. “Take me out to sea with you!”

Zoro smiles. He has Robin back. His Robin is here now. Around him, he senses the rest of the crew as they ready themselves for the most important battle they’ve ever faced. 

“Oi, Vivi.” From the corner of his eye, he watches the teary eyed princess look up at him. “Get ready.”

The bridge collapses around them as the Marines destroy it. Zoro barely bites back a moan. He remembers this part too. Because he remembers every time Luffy has thrown him off some ridiculous thing. Korkoro yells at them through the mini den den mushi, ordering them to leap into the water.

And their captain doesn’t trust them to do it themselves. The sea train whistle howls.

“Aw, shit,” Zoro breathes as a rubber arm shoots past him. 

Nami begins screaming at Luffy not to be an idiot. Vivi’s gaze snaps to Zoro as though she thinks he can stop this.

“Just,” he sighs. “Just hold on.”

“Let’s go!” Luffy shouts. 

Luffy is such a goddamned shithead.

“Usopp, you idiot!” Zoro shouts, trying to yank his hand free.

The cuffs. The cuffs. The stupid fucking cuffs. And after he had Kaku half beaten. After he’d caused various cuts on that ridiculous “Iron Body”, sent surprise and uncertainty into the giraffe man’s eyes. Let these bastards know that when it comes to his nakama, Zoro is a force to be reckoned with. Beside him, Vivi crawls from the rubble, dusting herself off. 

“This isn’t my fault!” Usopp yelps.
“You’re the one who put the fucking thing on my wrist!”

“Oi, Zoro stop pulling, it hurts.”

“It’s gonna hurt a hell of a lot more when I have to chop your goddamned hand off!”

Kaku and the wolf begin arguing. How annoying. Do they not realize that they’re in the middle of a fight? 

Usopp screams in fear. “You can’t cut my hand off!”

“Watch me!”

“Mr. Bushido!” Vivi shouts. “Stop arguing. There are more important things to worry about.” 

“Speak for yourself. You’re not the one handcuffed to Usopp !”

Vivi’s eyes darkened. “Zoro, Robin is waiting for us.”

Zoro freezes, staring at her for a minute as he brings himself back. Robin is upstairs. Robin is waiting for them. Handcuffed. Being tossed around. Injured. Because they’re taking their sweetass time. 

He’s letting her hurt again. 

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!”

His hand tightens into a fist. Pain rears, crawling down his wrist. His gaze moves back to the two agents, both of whom stare back, surprised by his change in attitude. These bastards help hurt Robin. 

Asura pokes at him. Begging to be turned loose.

But not yet. Not until he can get the key. Otherwise, he might hurt Usopp. Hold his temper together until Nami shows up with that damn key.

“Vivi,” Zoro growls.

She blinks up at him.

“Someone will find you with the key.”

A small smile begins to creep across her face as she realizes that he’s about to give her permission. Permission to fight. Permission to feel useful again.

“For now, remember the sword. And give him hell.”

Vivi vanishes without a word. Both the CP9 agents gasp, eyes search for her. 

“Well, don’t just stand there,” Kaku shouts at the wolf. “Go after her.”

Zoro’s grip tightens around Kitetsu and he throws a slash. “Leaving so soon?” he asks as the wolf lands beside Kaku again. “We’re just getting started.”

If Zoro’s body were two years older, this would have been far easier. Haki or no Haki, Kaku isn’t an enemy to be laughed at. But, at least this time they’re a little more evenly matched. There’s still a lot of breath left in his lungs and the only blood spilling out of him is from the wound Kitetsu put on his hand.

Though, Kaku isn’t any less annoying then he was the first time Zoro fought him. He pulls his bandanna from his arm as Kaku begins spouting off ridiculous shit about how cool giraffes are, as if Zoro gives any kind of shits about what kind of animal his Devil Fruit turned this dumbass into. 

“Just so we’re clear, despite my appearance, I am a fan of meat.”

“Just so we’re clear,” Zoro growls, tying the bandana around his head. “I physically couldn’t give a fuck. And I’m starting to lose my patience.” 

“Then maybe you should stop holding back, Roronoa.” The giraffe crosses its arms, somehow looking even more ridiculous. “I can feel the difference. And I’d enjoy a real fight.”

“You couldn’t handle a real fight,” Zoro growls.

“You think a member of one of the deadliest government squads can’t handle you?” Kaku laughs. “Come on, Pirate Hunter. Don’t tell me you aren’t eager to try out your real strength. It must be hard traveling with them. No captain wants a crewmate stronger than him.”

I’m not stronger than Luffy. I never have been.

“None of them have reached your level yet. And it shows. They’re all going to die here. The only survivor would be you.”

Zoro’s heart stops. The scent of burning clothing and flesh float into the room, attacking his nose. 

They’re all going to die here.

They aren’t. They all survive this. Zoro isn’t going to be left behind again.

Blood paints Zoro’s vision. Blood and fire. 

His katana tremble in his hands. Kitetsu screams for blood. Uncharacteristically, Enma does as well. No, Yubashiri. Yubashiri because he’s in Enies Lobby. And they all make it out of this alive.

“Oi, oi. Zoro! Don’t just leave us here.”

“Franky and I are more than capable of handling ourselves. Go.”

“Zoro! Help me!”

“Zoro. It’s okay. Live.”

“They’re all going to die here.”

No! No one dies. No one dies ever again!

Kaku lunges that damn nose at him again. Zoro spins Enma, letting black coat the blade and holds the blade parallel to his body. His arm caves slightly under the pressure, but not enough that he has to do anymore than plant his feet.

Anger builds through his chest. The words ring through his head again. Screams of his nakama. Weak, gurgling gasps of his captain. 

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!”

“They’re all going to die here.”

Kaku barely manages to move away as Zoro swings Kitetsu toward him. The giraffe blinks in surprise, stumbling back. His mouth moves. Zoro hears nothing over the blood thundering through his ears. Purple and black leak into his vision, mixing with the orange of fire. 

Fear and rage have always brought out the demon.

Across from him, Kaku turns himself into a block, waving his limbs rapidly. His mouth continues to move. Voice too quiet to hear as Asure begins to make itself known.

Small blades rain down from the ceiling. He sees the blood spouting from his arms but can’t feel any of the cuts.

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!” Nami’s voice refuses to stop echoing through his head. 

Zoro is supposed to protect this crew. No one is dying here.

The rain stops. Kaku’s brow furrows in confusion from beneath his stupid hat. His legs move wildly and large pinwheels fly through the air. Enma and Kitetsu cut them down with little problem. Zoro shoves Wadou between his teeth. The purple and black grow. 

Surprise widens Kaku’s eyes with a hint of fear. Enough fear to make him resort to that stupid kick again. The same, stupid, repetative kick he thought would kill Zoro the first time. Because it can slice a building in two. 

Zoro’s seen bigger things sliced in two. Zoro’s sliced bigger things in two.

And if Dracule Mihawk can’t kill him, neither can this bumbling, giraffe loving asshole. 

Forcing his mind back to the present, Zoro smirks. Asura grounds him. Grows out of him. The demon aura engulfs him.

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!”

“I want to live! Take me out to sea with you!”

“Kiki Kyutorya Asura.” The demon cuts through his kick with ease. Nine swords slice through Kaku with ease. “Ichibugin.”

The giraffe slips away, leaving Kaku to gasp through his injuries on the ground. Satisfied, the demon fades away. Zoro pulls his bandana from his head, reaching into the twitching man’s breast pocket to grab his key.

“Never,” he whispers, ensuring his voice remains low and deadly. “Threaten my nakama again.”

He turns to the stairs. The cook isn’t too far. Zoro can sense him sprinting up the stairs, probably searching for him. He pauses outside the door to glance back at Kaku.

“Oh, yeah. Got a message from Galley La. You’re all fired.”

Chapter Text

The large blue haired man slams into Vivi by pure accident. Franky. The nakama they’ll gain when they leave Water 7. He blinks at her as she hits the ground, looking surprised.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going? Oh, yeah, you’re with the Strawhats, right?”

Pushing herself to her feet, Vivi nods. “Hai. I’m Vivi. You’re Franky?”

“That’s me, sis.”

“Vivi,” she repeats. “I’m looking for a way up the tower.”

Franky nods. “Me too. I’m pretty sure it’s this way. Just follow me!”

He takes off in a sprint before Vivi can say anymore. Or suggest that he find some pants. Honestly, who runs around in a speedo? 

“Oh, Luffy-san,” she mutters to the ribbon. “You have the strangest nakama.”

And now she does too. Because Franky will be her nakama soon enough. Vivi takes off after him. The tower shakes around them. The rest of the Strawhats must be doing what they do best, tearing down everything in their paths. By now, she shouldn’t be surprised. This is the crew that took on the entirety of Baroque Works and came out on top. 

This is the crew that demolished multiple Shichibukai. The crew that conquered Dressrosa. The crew that took on two Yonkos, walking away with a victory. Even if they haven’t done any of that yet. 

They will.

And, this time, Vivi will be at their side as it happens.

“Come on,” Franky shouts over his shoulder. Despite being such a large man, he is pretty fast. “Hurry up!”

Vivi pushes her legs harder. He’s right. If they don’t make it in time all of this has been for nothing. She signed up to protect all of her nakama. It’s only been a few months. No way is she going to disappoint them so soon. 

No more sitting idly by. No more being a princess waiting to be rescued. Vivi is going to be useful now. Princess are supposed to protect their people. Now that she’s left Alabasta behind her, the Strawhats are her people. And, if she could find the strength to stand against Crocodile, Vivi can find a way to stand up to the World Government.

“Is that the exit?” 

Pulling herself out of her own head, Vivi looks up. Light spills into the hallway ahead of them from an opening. Her heart springs. Daylight. Then it's up some stairs and they’ll be to Robin. They’ll be able to save Robin. A bit of relief fills Vivi as well. This is a bit easier than she expected. The rest of the CP9 agents must be busy with the others. Which means it’s only their chief ahead of her.

As long as she can hold off him long enough for the others to get the key, they have nothing to worry about. Once those cuffs are off, Vivi can take Robin away from CP9, to Luffy. If she can figure out where Luffy is.

At worst, she can just bring her to Zoro. 

Franky skids to a halt in front of her. Vivi barely manages to stop behind him, just a few feet inside a large, round, white room. A blur shoots past them, slamming into the wall. Dust bursts from the spot, engulfing them. Vivi throws her arms up to protect her from the small bits of debri that fly up.

Her captain pulls himself free of the wall with a growl.

“Luffy-san!”

“Mugiwara!”

“Ne? Vivi! Oi, Franky! I have enough jerks to deal with. Get lost!”

“Eh? Look, I’m here to help you jerk, so why don’t you calm down!”

“Luffy-san.” Vivi shoves herself between them. “Stop it. We don’t have time for this.”

“No.” A voice sighs from the other side of the room. “You don’t.”

Vivi turns to find the leader of CP9 standing in front of a door across the room, hands shoved in his pockets as his bird flies around his head. Lucci. Vivi grits her teeth as she glares at the man watching them with such lazy confidence. 

“Lucci, huh?” Franky asks. “Giving you a hard time, Mugiwara? Want us to lead you a hand?”

“No. I’ll take care of the Pigeon Guy.” Luffy’s gaze moves to Vivi. “Get to Robin. She’s past the door behind him. They went through a while ago. We’re running out of time.”

Don’t let them take her , her captain orders.

“You’d have to be the fastest human on the planet to be of any use to your captain.” Hands curling to determined fists, Vivi nods.

Despite the multiple bruises, Luffy smirks.

“Hey, are you two going to let me in on the plan?” Franky demands.

“Luffy-san,” Vivi sighs, turning back to face Lucci. “Never has a plan.”

“Don’t look back,” Luffy says.

“Aye, Sencho.”

“You can super count on us!”

Luffy charges forward first with a war cry. “Gomu Gomu no Gatling!” 

Lucci moves between his rubber fists with ease. Franky charges after him. Both playing distraction, whether Franky knows it or not. Because as long as Lucci’s attention is on them, Vivi can teleport to the other side of the room and get through that door before he knows what happened.

Pulling in a deep breath, Vivi takes a few running steps forward, eyes locked on the door. The floor vanishes from beneath her feet, world falling black for barely a moment before her feet slam down again. She locks her knees to keep from stumbling, throwing herself the remaining few feet to the door in a sprint.

“Vivi!” Luffy scream doesn’t reach her until something solid slams into her side. 

The walls blur around her as Lucci’s leg hits her. Several loud cracks fill her ears as pain slams into her back. Her body freezes, hard wall stunning her. Gasping for breath and blinking through tears, Vivi wonders if the crack was the wall or her ribs. 

Agony drums against her skin as she pushes herself forward, out of the small crater to clutch her ribs and try not to sob in pain. Black rushes her again as Lucci moves toward her.

“Gomu Gomu no Pistol!” Luffy’s scream draws is attention and he vanishes from her sight.

Vivi clenches her teeth, unable to do more than stare at the floor and hold back sobs. How do the boys do this? How do they move so easily with this kind of pain? She tries to force her legs to work, but pain and shock hold her still. 

Beyond her vision, Luffy and Franky shout attacks. The room trembles. Walls crack. Debri falls.

Her head clears after a few shakes. A lack of shock helps her concentrate on where the pain truly is. A strange pressure over her left ribs, slithering through her lower back. Something shifts as she tries to move her legs again. Vivi bites into her bottom lip to hold back a sob and looks up.

Luffy flies into another wall. Franky fires at Lucci.

The ribbon brushes her cheek as she shakes her head again, clearing the fog that threatens to creep in.

Why had she ever thought that she could do this? Vivi is no monster. She never has been. Why? Why? Why?

“Together.” Zoro had whispered, taking her hand with blood still staining his lips.

She’d agreed. To save them together. She’d eaten this Devil Fruit to be strong. She’d eaten this Devil Fruit to do something useful.

“Together,” she whispers to herself. 

Because she needs to hear it. Because she needs to stop making Zoro do all the work.

Looking up again, she meets her captain’s gaze as he pulls himself from the wall. His nostrils flare. They need to save Robin. She needs to get past Lucci.

Luffy’s eyes shoot to the middle of the room and then back to her. Trying to tell her something. Vivi’s brow furrows as Luffy repeats the look. He wants her in the middle of the room. Why? Lucci will go right for her. 

And Luffy will be able to intercept him. Vivi will be able to get to the door while Luffy takes the attack meant for her. 

Gritting her teeth, Vivi stands. Luffy’s lips curl into a smile. She takes a step, pictures herself in the middle of the room. The floor reappears beneath her feet. Lucci’s gaze moves to her. Surprise and amusement flutter through his face as he throws Franky into the fair wall.

“Stupid girl,” he breathes.

Vivi sneers at him.

“Shave.”

“Gomu Gomu no Pistol!”

Vivi takes a step forward. Lucci appears in front of her just before the black moves across her vision and she’s in front of the door. Behind her, another body hits the wall. Vivi throws herself against the doors without looking back and sprints down the hall.

“Oh no you don’t!” Franky yells somewhere behind her. 

The hallways shakes. Vivi forces her legs not to buckle, shoving the pain in her body to the bac of her mind. This is nothing. Robin has been waiting years for nakama. Has lived through torment since she was a child. She’d done nothing wrong and yet has been forced to live in fear and isolation.

Compared to what Robin has had to endure, a few injured bones are nothing. And Vivi can push past a little bit of pain to help save her nakama. The same as her nakama once did for her.

The Marines will never get Robin.

Robin is screaming, sobbing as she struggles against the rope wrapped around her arms when Vivi reaches the top few stairs. Her face is bruised, blood screaming from a cut somewhere beneath her hairline. Red fills Vivi’s vision. Briefly, she wonders if this is what the Monster Trio sees when they rush into battle to defend those they care about. Beyond the gate, Vivi can see Marines. She can’t bring herself to care.

Every ache, every drum of pain, vanishes from her body as she throws herself forward. The air shifts, solid ground vanishes and slams back beneath her feet. An explosion rings out behind her and the man dragging Robin turns just in time for Vivi to slam her foot into his stomach.

He screams in pain and surprise. The rope slips from his fingers, falling to the ground. Vivi’s thumb hits the button on her ring and she throws the peacock slasher across his cheek before he can gather what happened.

“Keep your filthy hands off my nakama,” Vivi snarls, catching the gold chain as the slasher swings back to her. It dangles between her fingertips, red blood dripping from its sharpened edge.

“Vivi.” Her name leaves Robin’s lips in a broken sob.

It drives determination into Vivi’s bones. “Robin.” Vivi fights to keep her voice even as rage shakes her hand. “Get up. And get back.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Spandam - Vivi thinks that’s what Zoro said his name is - screeches as he scrambles back up. 

Vivi hears Robin grunt and struggle to get back to her feet. Her hand tightens around the golden chain as she listens to the hisses of pain. 

“A Strawhat,” Vivi answers with a snarl. She moves behind him before he can blink, tearing the sword from his back and reappearing in front of Robin. Shock crosses his face as she holds the sword for him to see, his hands searching desperately for it. “And you messed with the wrong crew.”

She throws the sword as hard as she can, letting it splash into the water below. The Marines shout around her as she stares the man, taking aim. It should scare her, but she refuses to let herself feel anything beyond anger for her nakama. 

“What are you fools waiting for?” Spandam screams. “Kill her!”

One of the Marines explodes, flying backwards before he can fire. Vivi’s lips curl up in a smile. Usopp. Panic grunts begin to turn around in circles, searching for the new enemy. 

Spandam growls, lunging at Vivi. “I’ve had enough of you pirates! You won’t stop me! I’m going to be a hero.”

Throwing her weight backwards and bending her back, Vivi’s hands touch the ground. Her left foot comes up first, catching the man in the jaw. He falls back again. She finishes the backflip with ease, landing on her feet. Marines begin to race toward them. Behind her, Usopp continues to fire. Bending her fingers, Vivi spins the ring, letting her weapon gain momentum.

“Peacock slasher!” 

The shouts feels strange in her mouth after so many years and yet, it feels right. She throws her hand out, swiping it to allow the slasher to cut through the weapons within range. Guns explode, the Marines falling back in surprise. 

“You bitch!”

Spandam lunges again. Vivi steps back, air shifting around her. She reappears behind him, slamming her foot into his back and watching him stumble to the edge of the bridge. More Marines begin to fall around Robin from Usopp’s shots. She’s fallen to her knees, staring at Vivi with tears streaming down her face.

Springing forward, Vivi lets the air take her again. She throws the peacock slasher at one of the Marines that Usopp missed, planting herself in front of her fallen nakama.

“Thank you,” Robin whimpers. “Thank you.”

“Robin.” Vivi leans down, taking the older woman’s arm and pulling her up. “Go. Someone will bring you the key. Start running. I’ll hold them off.” 

Robin lets out a whimper. Spandam screams as Usopp shoots her as well.

“Go!” Vivi throws her Robin toward the other end of the bridge. 

With one last sob, she begins to run. Twirling her slashers again, Vivi turns to face the Marines. This is nothing. She once tried to take on Roronoa Zoro without so much as a thought. So many years ago, on a backwater island, undercover and surrounded by enemies. She hadn’t blinked in the face of a monster. She won’t blink the face of Marines.

Robin is one of her people now.

And a princess always protects her people.

“Shoot them down!” Spandam screams. 

Vivi throws the slasher again, cutting through the closest Marine guns. Gunshots run out. She keeps her feet planted, refusing to move. Even if she moves out of the way now, Robin is still at risk.

A princess always protects her people.

A shadow falls over her and a heavy body lands before her. Metal hits metal as Frank holds his arms up to catch the bullets with ease. A giggle forces its way past her lips, most of it born out of relief. Maybe this is why Luffy and Zoro laugh so much during their fights. Relief boils past them so suddenly and harshly that they have to let it out sometime.

“Franky,” she breathes.

“Hey there, little sis! Looks like you did pretty well.”

“About as well as I could.”

“Franky. Come in, Franky.” Usopp’s voice erupts from Franky’s pocket. “Do you copy?”

“Usopp?” Vivi breathes.

“Oh, yeah. But how?” Franky stares at the transponder snail he pulls out.

“How? I got the snail from Nami. Anyway, turn around. There should be a red bundle on the ground behind you. It has two keys inside. With the two you have, that should be all of them.”

Vivi spins to look at the package, sitting just behind them. Another giggle tears itself free. They did it. They got all the keys.

Robin is coming home.

Spandam screams. “Don’t let them use those.”

“Franky,” Vivi tugs him back. “Get those cuffs off of her. Oh. Usopp.” She snatches the snail from Franky’s grip. “What number came from Kaku?”

“Kaku?”

“The guy Zoro was fighting.”

“Oh, number five.”

Vivi nods, handing the snail back to Franky. “Try five first. Usopp and I can handle any Marines.”

Spandam screeches as Franky picks up the key and Robin’s cuffs fall off. Vivi rushes over to help steady Robin, though Franky does a good job of holding the older woman up.

“Robin, are you alright?” she asks, touching Robin’s arm.

A very stupid question. Blood spills down her cheek, bruises already forming. But her tears have dried and she gives Vivi a smile as well.

“Thank you all,” she says to the transporter snail as Franky holds it up for her. “Long Nose, that was wonderful.”

“It was the least I could do,” Usopp says, ridiculous deep voice back in place. “The true heroes are the ones who fought to retrieve those keys. The Strawhats will be proud to have you back. Meet them with a smile.”

“Right.” Robin smiles once more before she turns, vengeance flickering in her eyes. “Seis Fleur. Slap.”

“Good job, princess.”

“That’s pirate princess to you.” Vivi smirks up at the swordsman as he comes to stand beside her. 

Water drips from his hair. Chopper and Nami hug Robin tightly as Sanji laments the death of his mermaid fantasies and Usopp tries to comfort him. 

Zoro chuckles, turning his eyes back up to the bridge. “Well, pirate princess, ready for one more round?”

“One more round?” she echoes.

“Our moron captain’s up there, in trouble. As always.”

“And we’re going to rescue him.”

“No. We’re going to wait for him to finish kicking Lucci’s ass. But, before he does that, a few more Marine ships are going to unload for us to handle.”

Vivi lets out a sigh. “I suppose that shouldn’t surprise me. After you.”

He starts up the stairs, back toward the Buster Call.

“Oi! Zoro! Vivi! Wait up!” Usopp shouts.

The first tower explodes, debri flying into the air and falling to the water. Spinning to look, Vivi watches her captain collapse. Her chest tightens, fear swirling through her. 

“Rob Lucci has been defeated.” The cry runs through the Marines. 

“We’re all going back together! Robin!” Luffy’s scream cuts through the air. 

Vivi’s legs go weak with relief but she manages to keep herself on her feet. The Strawhats let a cheer. Vivi glances back at Zoro, staring at the tower with a smile on his face. He lets out a long breath, his entire chest moving as he turns to look back at her.

“Bring Luffy back here,” Zoro tells her. “Merry will be here soon.”

Vivi kicks another Marine away and looks up at him. Brown rust still lingers on his arm from where the Rust-Rust man first grabbed him. 

“Merry.”

Zoro’s eyes are sad. “It’s a long story. But Lucci is down and we’ll have to jump into the water. The closer you and Luffy are for me to grab, the better. Go.” He spins his remaining katana in his hands and turns back to the surrounding Marines. “I’ll clear some of this out.”

Another shout goes up that the Franky family and Galley La are unharmed. Franky lets out a sob as Vivi takes a step forward, letting the ground drop out from beneath her. Dust floats around her as she drops back onto solid ground. The ruined tower continues to crumble. Lucci’s giant cat form remains, unmoving and barely breathing.

Luffy lays in the middle of the room, panting hard. A smile makes it to her lips as she moves to stand next to him.

“Oh, Vivi.” Luffy’s eyes are only half open with exhaustion as she kneels beside him.

“Luffy-san.” Vivi’s voice shakes with relief, smile refusing to leave her face.

“We did it,” he tells her. “We got Robin back.”

Unable to trust her voice, Vivi nods.

“More bad stuff coming?”

The question freezes her for a moment. “What?”

“Zoro sent you to get me, right? Does that mean more bad stuff is coming?”

“Zoro always knows what’s going on.” Had it really only been a few hours since Luffy had said that? It feels like it’s been years. But, no matter how much time has passed, one thing is clear. Their captain knows something is going on.

She lets out a breath, shaking her head. “I don’t know, Luffy-san. I just know that it’s time for us to leave.”

“That blue haired Strawhat girl has made it to Strawhat Luffy! Someone stop her!” A shout goes out, spreading through the Marines.

Luffy grimaces, fingers clenching in pain as he pants. “Okay. I trust Zoro and Vivi.”

Screams ring out from the Marines. Vivi chances a look toward them in time to see a large number of them flying off the bridge. Zoro’s form replaces them, katana clenched tight and eyes on Vivi. Giving him a nod, she turns back to Luffy.

“Alright, Sencho,” she says. Luffy’s eyes flicker open to look at her. “Time to go.”

“Yosh. Oi, Vivi?”

“Hai?”

“Thank you. For taking care of Robin and Zoro for me.”

Vivi smiles, wrapping her and around his. “They’re my nakama, Luffy-san,” she says gently. “Helping them is my pleasure.”

“Shishishi.” Despite the pain in his voice, Luffy’s happy laugh is genuine. “Vivi’s good nakama.”

“You too, Sencho.”

The ground vanishes beneath them, reappearing with only a slight impact. More Marines scream as Zoro slashes them away from them. Vivi glances up at the swordsman, shaking his head. He’s shaking again.

Vivi’s heart drops.

An explosion rings out behind them. Fire everywhere. Marines everywhere.

“Don’t,” she orders when he goes to turn toward her. “Just, just focus on what’s in front of you, Mr. Bushido . I’ll take care of Luffy-san.”

Because he can’t see Luffy like this. Unable to move and panting in pain. She can tell by his jerky movements that the island is creeping up on him again. How could it not? Even from a distance, she can hear him panting. Sense his confusion.

“Mr. Bushido,” she calls, watching him blindly reach for his ruined katana, staring at it in confusion, praying to anyone that will listen that the name will bring him back.

One of Usopp’s firebird stars slams into the Marines approaching him. Zoro turns to her, the haze in his eyes starting to overtake him.

No. No. No.

His eyes find Luffy. Awareness leaves as his knees hit the ground.

“Luffy.” A broken whisper of confusion.

No.

“Jump into the sea!” Usopp shouts. 

Vivi’s eyes snap to him, watching tears cascade down his face as he points to the sea. 

“To the sea!” the rest of the crew cry out around them.

“Let’s go, everyone.” Vivi has never heard the soft, beautiful voice before. But she knows it, in her heart. She knows who is calling to them. “Back to the sea of adventure!”

“Get on the Merry!” Usopp shouts.

Merry has come back.

Zoro hasn’t.

The rest of the crew begin to jump to the sea.

“Usopp!” Vivi screams the sniper’s name, the closest one. He turns to her as she scrambles to her feet and heads for Zoro. “Get Luffy.”

“Oi?” Usopp says softly. Then his gaze finds Zoro, sitting on his knees with hazy eyes, staring blankly at their captain. “Zoro.”

“Get Luffy,” Vivi shouts again.

She throws her peacock slasher at the Marines approaching Zoro and falls to her knees in front of him. He doesn’t respond. It punches into Vivi’s soul. Creates a hole in her chest. Too familiar. Too raw.

“Zoro.” She grabs his shoulders, shaking him as hard as she dares. Behind her, the others splash into the sea. “Zoro, get up.”

The void remains in his eyes. Tears take over Vivi’s eyes. She can’t force him to face their captain like this. But what choice does she have? Marines begin to close in around her. From below, the others shout out for them. 

“Zoro,” she whispers.

She doesn’t have a choice now. Her hand fists in his shirt. She has to wake him up somehow. Hopefully the shock of cold water will do. The ground turns to air before them and then they’re free falling. Cries ring out around them.

“Vivi-chan!”

“Vivi!”

“Zoro!” 

Luffy’s scream echoes loudest. Demands his swordsman’s attention. Some of the fog clears.

Zoro blinks.

They hit the water hard. Stuns her body as they begin to sink. 

Because Vivi can’t swim anymore. How had she forgotten that? She ate a Devil Fruit and now she can’t swim. And she jumped into the sea with a half comatosed man. 

Arms wrap around her and the water breaks. Vivi breathes in, gasping to calm the tremors of fear hit her. She didn’t drown. She didn’t drown. Everything is fine. 

Vivi looks up. She wishes she hadn’t.

Zoro stares at her with absolute terror in his eyes. His entire body trembles, arms clutched tightly around her. 

“I’m sorry.” His voice shakes with tears and regret. “Vivi, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Vivi draws in a breath. “It’s okay. We’re okay. We’re okay.”

“Oi, what are you doing, marimo?” Sanji shouts from the ship. “Get Vivi-chan on the ship before she gets sick!”

Zoro blinks down at her, chest heaving.

“We’re okay,” Vivi tells him again. “Everyone is on that ship. Luffy-san. Nami-san. Usopp-san. Sanji-san. Tony-kun. Robin. Franky.”

“Brook? Jinbei?” 

Vivi shakes her head. “Not yet. You said we met Brook at Thriller Bark, right?”

After a long pause, Zoro nods. 

“We’re headed there next. All of our nakama are on that ship, safe and sound.”

“Zoro!” Nami screams. Zoro flinches. “What are you doing?”

“It’s okay,” Vivi says. “We’re okay.”

Zoro breathes. “We’re okay.”

“We’re okay.”

“Together.”

It takes effort for Vivi to smile. “Together.”

Zoro pulls her to the ship. Sanji and Franky pull them up onto solid wood again. Feeling returns to Vivi’s imbs slowly. The others begin to cry and thank the Merry, declaring their love for it. Beside her, Zoro lays still on his back, staring at the sky with a blank look in his eyes. There isn’t a haze. He’s here, but he isn’t. 

“Sanji-kun, get moving,” Nami orders, turning to look towards Vivi and Zoro. “Zoro-”

“Nami-san,” Vivi whispers.

Concern flickers through Nami’s eyes but she turns to smack Usopp on the back of the head. “Stop your crying and get to work.”

“Everyone.” Robin’s voice freezes the crew as she stands, tears of gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you.”

Smiles and laughs go around the crew. Sniffling and blinking tears from her eyes, Vivi looks back down at the frozen swordsman. He squeezes his eyes closed, breathing deeply. Unable to stop herself, Vivi reaches out to stroke his hair. He flinches at the contact but opens his eyes. 

“Merry,” he whispers.

“Merry,” she agrees.

Luffy and Chopper run around the boat, searching for Usopp. Vivi can’t find it in herself to enjoy the two goofballs, unable to comprehend that Usopp is sitting beside Sanji, hiding his face with a mask again. Beside her, leaning against Merry’s railing, Zoro shakes and picks at the bandage on his hand.

“Zoro, you shouldn’t pick at that,” she tells him softly.

He lets out a disinterested hum.

“Do you know where Usopp went, Sogeking?” Luffy turns to Usopp. “You’re his friend, right?”

“Oh, um, why yes!” Usopp jumps up to point at the sea ahead of them. “He took a different ship and went on ahead.”

Sanji kicks him in the head. 

“But why?” Chopper whines.

“But that doesn’t make any sense!” Luffy shouts.

Vivi sighs, glancing back at the swordsman, still picking at his bandages with distant eyes. From across the ship, Robin frowns at them, eyebrows scrunched in question and Vivi tries to give her an encouraging smile. Nami closes the door to Merry’s storage room.

“No one,” she calls. “We’re the only ones on board.”

“That’s strange,” Sanji says.

“I’ll say, it’s not like the Merry could sail herself here.”

“She did,” Zoro whispers. Vivi glances at him, watching a heartbroken smile cross his lips and tears fill his eyes. She snatches his hand away from the bandages, holding it onto her own lap. Zoro looks up at her with a deep breath, a bit of recognition creeping back over his eyes. “She loves us so much.”

Tears choke Vivi’s voice. “I know.”

“Of course not,” Sanji continues. “Someone yelled to us. We all heard them.”

“And you don’t know who it was?” Kokoro asks.

“No,” Robin replies. “It was just a voice, beckoning us to the sea.”

“Oi, oi, come on! The answer here is obvious.” Luffy glares around at the crew as though insulted. “It was Merry’s voice.”

“Luffy,” Nami moans. “That’s not possible.”

“Nami-san’s right, you shitty captain. We’d know by now if our ship could talk.”

Beneath Vivi’s fingertips, trailing up and down Zoro’s arm, she feels goosebumps rise up his arms. A strange presence settles around her, as though an imaginary arm has pushed its way between hers and Zoro’s shoulders. Zoro pulls in a long, shaking breath and his shoulders seem to relax against the warmth.

“Thank you,” he whispers. “Merry Go.”

Vivi swears she hears a giggle.

“Oi, look, there’s a ship coming,” Luffy calls.

Vivi’s gaze snaps up. 

“It’s a Galley-La ship,” Franky says. 

“Oi, Icepops!” Luffy cheers.

Arms shoot up, waving to the other ship in excited greetings. They must be close to Water 7 then. Zoro’s hand tightens around her. Vivi turns back to look at him, watching his eyes move to the figure head.

“It’s okay,” he whispers, voice almost inaudible beneath the cheers from the rest of their crew. “We’ll be safe now, Merry. It’s okay.”

Wood splinters, shattering. Everyone jerks, hitting the ground as the front half of the ship falls forward. Zoro lets out a shuddering breath.

“What’s going on?” Luffy cries. Their captain spins to look at Zoro and Vivi, eyes wide with panic. “Oi!”

“They told us before we left,” Zoro says softly, face falling neutral as he pushes himself to his feet. All eyes turn to him. “Merry is unfit to sail.”

“But, she made it all the way out here!” Luffy’s eyes water dangerously.

Zoro drops his gaze, as though unable to watch his captain grieve. Luffy’s face twists in anger for a moment before he rushes to the front of the ship. He falls to his knees on Merry’s figure head, staring at the large ship in front of them.

“Oi, Icepops! Help! Merry’s in trouble. Isn’t there anything you can do?”

“Luffy,” Zoro says, voice a little steadier. A little firmer. “Don’t make this harder.”

“Shut up!” Usopp shouts from across the ship. “You don’t know they can’t help.”

“Usopp,” Sanji snarls lowly.

Zoro’s jaw clenches, anger etched across his face. “They can’t. You should make your peace with that now.”

“You’re all  shipwrights, aren’t you?” Luffy ignores the argument behind him. “Please don’t let Merry die! She’s more than a ship. She’s nakama. Please. I’m begging you.”

The shipwrights stare back, obvious sadness on their faces. 

“She’s fought hard for you,” Iceberg tells him solemnly. “But it’s time to let her rest. This is a miracle. The miracle of a ship that’s gone beyond its limits. To see you one last time. As you know, I’ve been a shipwright for many years. In all that time, I’ve never seen a ship as incredible as this one. It’s lived a wonderful life.”

Luffy straightens, ducking his head. “I understand.”

Quiet falls over the crew. Hesitantly, fighting the dull pain in her side, Vivi pushes herself to her feet. 

They pile into the rowboat one by one, Zoro helping her and Chopper down. Luffy waits on his own, smaller raft, close enough to touch her. Nami’s hand locks in Vivi’s as they line up and Vivi squeezes tightly One her other side, Zoro crosses his arm, face neutral and surprisingly even.

“Everyone ready?” Luffy asks, voice quiet.

He raises the torch. Nami’s hand tightens around Vivi’s, holding on for dear life. 

“Merry,” Luffy says softly. “I know the floor of the sea seems like a dark, lonely place, so don’t worry. We’re here to see you off. I’m sure you wish he was here, but it’s probably for the best that Usopp isn’t around. I don’t know if he could take this.”

Zoro heaves a heavy sigh beside her. She glances at him in time to see his eyes flicker to Usopp on his other side before back to the ship. Orange fire reflects in his eyes as Merry catches. Clenching her teeth to hold in sobs, Vivi turns back to the ship as well.

“Well?” Zoro asks softly. “That true?”

“Of course not.” Usopp’s voice stays surprisingly even. “Everyone has to say goodbye someday. Every man knows that. And Luffy knows what has to be done.”

“Aye.”

The flames engulf Merry as Luffy’s small boat begins to float back toward them.

“Thank you for carrying us for so far. For so long,” Luffy says.

White begins to fall around them. Snow on an island it doesn’t belong to. In the light of the fierce pyre before them, the snow flickers gold. Nami lets out a small sob. Vivi pulls her a tad closer, letting their shoulders touch and hoping that it will bring her navigator some semblance of comfort.

The mast tips. 

They’ve gained nakama on Water 7. And lost one as well.

“Everyone.” Merry’s voice floats through the quiet air. “I’m sorry. I wanted to carry you, just a little further. I’ve had so much fun. I hoped that our adventures would never end.”

Shock stills the group. Goosebumps spread over Vivi’s skin, her free hand moving to clutch her chest. Anything to keep her heart from shattering to pieces. Nami’s hand wrenches from hers as the navigator collapses in tears. 

“Merry!” Chopper screams her name, tears streaming down his face.

Vivi wipes tears before they can fall. A princess always respects a warrior’s bravery and celebrates their life without mourning her loss.

“But I’m sorry I couldn’t.”

“No, Merry!” Luffy shouts. “We’re sorry! We should apologize, not you. I’m bad at steering so I kept running you into icebergs. And I ruined your sail. And Zoro and Sanji are idiots! So they broke lots of stuff! And Usopp tried to fix them, even though he’s no good at it. If someone’s gotta apologize, it’s us!”

“But I was happy,” Merry tells them. “You always treated me so well. Thank you. I was always so happy. All because of you.”

Sobs ring out all around them as the rest of the crew begin to collapse under the weight of grief. This isn’t fair. To have to lose someone so precious. So good.

“Take good care of each other.”

“Merry!” Luffy screams, collapsing in tears.

Vivi bites her bottom lip, body shaking to hold in sobs. This isn’t fair. Isn’t right. 

“It’s okay to cry,” Zoro whispers beside her. “She was good nakama. She deserves grief.”

Vivi’s legs give out.

“I’ll meet up with you,” Vivi tells Zoro, eyes on Usopp as he starts in the opposite direction of the crew.

“Sogeking” had left with a promise to tell Usopp “hi” when he saw him again. Luffy had cheered, bouncing back only slightly from their loss of Merry, and started after Iceberg to their new quarters.

Zoro raises a questioning eyebrow. 

“Just, trust me,” she says. “I’ll meet you.”

His gaze flickers to Usopp’s back for a moment before he nods. “Yosh. Be safe.”

Vivi nods before she steps after Usopp. The sniper hasn’t looked back. Hasn’t paid them any mind. And, with Merry gone, he probably has nowhere to stay. So, if she lets him vanish now, she’ll never get a chance to tell him.

The strange pressure of her ribs makes itself known as she hurries after him. The bandages Chopper had wrapped tightly around them does little to stem the pain, but at least nothing jostles them too much. 

“Usopp-san.” Vivi grabs his arm to stop him. “Wait.”

“I’m sorry, young ma’am.” Usopp deepens his voice again. “There is no Usopp here. Only Sogeking.”

Vivi rolls her eyes. “Fine. Sogeking. Then, can you pass along a message to Usopp-san for me?”

“Oh, of course!”

“He needs to apologize.”

Usopp lets out a breath of confusion and disbelief.

“No matter what happened in Enies Lobby, it doesn’t change what happened. Usopp-san left this crew with no respect for his captain. And to accept him back with anything less than a sincere apology is the mark of a weak leader. Luffy-san isn’t a weak leader. He won’t come to take Usopp-san back. Because he lost faith in this crew. And that isn’t fair.”

“I- He didn’t-”

“You did.” Vivi’s voice hardens. Her mind wanders back to that night. To holding Zoro as he sobbed against her, begging for them to stop. To listening to Luffy and Usopp scream at each other. To Nami weeping, begging for an explanation that she didn’t have. “You let your own thoughts of yourself form an unfair judgement. And you shoved it onto our shoulders. You’re entitled to your insecurities, we all are. But you were wrong. Wrong to question Luffy-san. Wrong to question your nakama’s love. Wrong to hurt us all. And you know that.”

After a long moment, Usopp gives her a hesitant nod.

“To accept someone back who had no respect for his captain’s decisions, with no proof of change, is the mark of a weak leader. And, to be unable to overcome pride and apologize for being wrong is the mark of a weak man.”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Vivi turns away and starts back down the street without giving him a chance to respond.

Chapter Text

Dock One’s doors swing shut behind them, hiding them from the crowd beginning to gather. Each of them shouting about wanting to meet the “heroes”. The word makes Zoro’s skin crawl. Heroes. How dare these bastards insult them with such an awful word.

Vivi stumbles beside him. Zoro’s arm shoots out to wrap around her waist, careful to avoid her broken ribs, and tucks her into his side for her support. Her gaze moves up to him, arm settled over her ribs.

“Oi!” the cook shouts behind them. “Don’t hold Vivi-chan with such careless arms!”

Zoro rolls his eyes. Vivi shifts slightly but doesn’t pull away, leaning heavily against him with her face pinched in pain.

“Sorry,” she says. 

“For what?”

“Well,” she lets out a soft huff. “This must seem pretty pathetic. Me being such a whiner over a few broken ribs.”

Zoro scoffs. “Not really. I cried the first time I broke my ribs.” The detail that he was four when it happened is irrelevant. “I think you’re doing pretty good in comparison.”

Vivi smiles at him. Behind them, the cook continues to lament how unfair it is that “Vivi-chan” looks to the “baka marimo” for support. Nami lets out a moan and tells him to shut up.

“Are you okay?” Vivi asks.

A few more steps. Just a few more steps and they’ll be at the house. Then he can dump the others off and go get rid of the light tremors still rumbling through his body.

“I’m.” Zoro pauses, weighing the pros and cons of trying to force his body to still so he can lie to her. “Here.”

She nods. “Okay.”

“I’m sorry,” he tells her again.

He could have gotten them all killed out there. Letting his mind wander too far. Letting himself all back onto that damned island. If Vivi hadn’t been there, he would have gotten them all killed. Such an idiot. He needs to fix this. 

“Zoro?” Vivi says softly as the trembling comes back full force. 

“It’ll stop,” he lies.

She looks as convinced as he feels. Even unzipped, the fabric of his shirt sits uncomfortably right against his skin. And, even though the storm has cleared the uncomfortable humidity from the air, Zoro feels sweat dripping down his back. The rest of the crew stumble along with them. Despite the sun hanging at the midday point, Zoro knows the entire crew will be out like lights as soon as they hit the bunks.

Thank god. 

Then he can get rid of this. This guilt. This panic. The stones settling in his stomach. 

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!”

Instead he’d forced the crew to protect him. Let weakness fill his body and his mind run away in terror like a coward. A weak little coward.

“We’ll make sure no one disturbs you,” Iceberg tells them as he ushers them in. “The kitchen is fully functional and we can bring you anything you run out of. Please, get some rest.”

“Thanks, Icepops.” Luffy grins up at the man. “Sanji! Meat!”

The cook moans. Zoro rolls his eyes. 

Vivi pulls away from his side to frown at their captain. “Luffy-san,” she says patiently. “We’ve all had a very long night. I’m sure Sanji-san would like to sleep.”

The cook turns into a noodle, dancing around and rambling about how sweet it is for Vivi to think of him. Luffy pouts at her. 

“She’s right, Sencho,” Zoro sighs, picking up Chopper from where he collapses on the ground. “Everyone needs some rest.”

With a heavy sigh, Luffy nods. “Yosh.”

Chopper hums, eyes closed and already half asleep as Zoro lowers him onto one of the beds and pulls the blankets up around the small doctor. Nami and Vivi move to Robin, leading her to one of the beds as well, rambling softly about how glad they are that she’s back home. The cook kicks Luffy lightly on the head.

“Don’t pout, shithead. I’ll make you something in a bit. Just, let me take a nap.”

Luffy moans but falls back onto a bed. It takes a good ten minutes to get the rest of the crew settled in. Nami gets Robin settled into a bed, grabbing an extra blanket to tuck the archaeologist in tight. Robin giggles at the action, but her eyes close with exhaustion without comment. Zoro digs through Chopper’s bag to pull out one of the heating pads and tosses it to the cook before nodding to Vivi. The princess has settled into the bed beside Robin’s, grimacing as she tries to find a comfortable position with broken ribs.

The cook tosses the pad back to Zoro once it’s heated, turning to help Nami fix some of the bandages around her leg. Vivi’s hand trails Zoro’s arm as he rests the pad on her ribs, concern shining bright in her eyes.

“Are you sure-?”

“I’m sure that I’m here,” Zoro tells her firmly, pulling the blanket up to her shoulders. “Go to sleep.”

She doesn't look convinced, but sleep pulls her under nonetheless. Zoro pushes himself up, watching the cook help Nami settle into the bed. The rest of the room sits still and quiet as the crew succumbs to exhaustion. Everyone safe. Everyone in one piece. Everyone here. 

Except Brook. And Jinbei.

Zoro digs his fingers into his wounded hand to pull his thoughts away from his missing nakama. Brook is just around the corner. And, if he plays his cards right, they’ll have Jinbei by the end of the Great War. Earlier than before. But, it will bring his crew back together again.

After the two years they have to stay apart.

Shit. Do they have to do that again? 

Probably. They all came back so strong. Kuma sent them exactly where they needed to be. He can’t strip them of that. Make them weaker. It's selfish. Even more selfish than he’s already been.

“Oi. Don’t do that you moron!” The cook’s snarl isn’t quite loud enough to wake anyone but it's loud enough for Zoro to start. A foot slams into his arm and his hand flexes, releasing his fingers from the wet bandage beneath them. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Zoro glances at the cook and then down at his hand. Blood starts to seep through the white. The pain dissipates but his fingers continue to twitch and tremble without his permission. His hand isn’t enough anymore. He’ll have to try something else.

“I need air.”

“Oi, Zoro, get your ass back here.” 

Ignoring the cook’s cry, Zoro throws the door open and makes his way back into the ruined shipyard. It's surprisingly empty. The shipwrights are probably getting some sleep as well. They’ve earned it. Without them, Zoro isn’t sure they would have made it through Enies Lobby.

Seagulls screech above him as he makes his way down toward the docks. Even from a distance, the damages are visible. Ruined ships sit buried in the sand, their masts and over various bits of deck sticking out. A graveyard on the beach.

Zoro closes his eyes as he feels it, letting out a long breath. The undying happiness is a little more suppressed than normal. It's probably the exhaustion. After such a long, drawn out fight with Lucci, it's a miracle Luffy’s even a wake. 

Why is he awake?

“Whatcha doing?” Luffy asks behind him. 

Zoro pulls in a deep breath, clenching his fists, and stares out at the sea. “Just needed air, Luffy.”

“Zoro got air. Let’s go back to bed.”

“I’ll meet you back there.”

“No. Now .”

The order slams into Zoro’s back. His knees weaken for a moment. All other thoughts flee Zoro’s brain as the Conqueror's Haki laced order settles over him. A power Luffy shouldn’t tap into for at least another few months. And one that he shouldn’t be able to tap into willingly until at least another year.

Zoro’s chest heaves and he turns around to look at his captain, well aware of the emotions creeping through his eyes. Luffy stares back.

“Pigeon Guy looked at me like that too,” Luffy says after a pause. “When I yelled at him like that.”

“H-how?” Shame tinges his cheeks as the stuttering sets in, shock clouding his body. “Wh-when?”

“Zoro got scared.” Luffy takes a few steps closer, reaches out to grab Zoro’s shaking hands. “After Alabasta. Started training too much. Trying to get stronger too fast. So I did too.”

How had he missed that? How had he missed Luffy’s strength skyrocketed past what they were at this time two years ago? 

Because he hadn’t been looking for it. Zoro had spent so much time concentrating on forcing himself to get stronger that he hadn’t bothered to check on Luffy. He’d spent so much time trying to plan out what to do, how to protect them, that he hadn’t bothered to see Luffy’s strength climbing right along with his.

“Let’s go back to bed.” Luffy says firmly, pulling Zoro back toward the bunkrooms. 

Zoro’s feet follow him without permission. His mind continues to spin, chest heaving as he struggles to comprehend just what’s happening. Because, it isn’t supposed to happen like this. Something has changed. Something has changed and now everything could change. He isn’t going to have a clue what comes next.

What happens next? 

Shit. Shit. 

How is he going to protect them from something if he doesn’t know it's coming?

“Shit, Luffy, what’d you do to him?” the cook asks. “He looks like he’s seen a ghost.”

Zoro blinks. They’re back in their room. The rest of the crew sleeps soundly, though the cook is sitting at the table smoking. His stupid swirly eyebrows scrunch with concern as Luffy pulls Zoro across the room. Luffy releases Zoro’s hand in the middle of the room, moving to one of the beds and pulling back the blanket. 

Zoro can’t find the strength to move his legs.

Luffy is stronger than he was. Much stronger.

The crew is back together again. In a few days, Franky and Usopp will board the Thousand Sunny with them. And, they have weeks until they reach Thriller Bark. Luffy will know what it means to a captain. Usopp will be more of a man. Robin wants to live. And, they have time. Zoro has time. 

He has time to think. Time to plan.

And Luffy is strong. Luffy’s strength pushes where it should be when they’re separated for two years.

Oxygen fills his lungs. Zoro can breathe. For the first time in months, Zoro can breathe.

His eyelids grow heavy without warning, his limbs weakening as exhaustion plows into him. Both his eyes close against his will. They refuse to open when he tries.

“Oi,” the cook says suddenly. “Marimo?”

Even from behind closed eyelids, Zoro can tell the world is spinning. Numbness spreads through his body, tingling traveling to the tips of his fingers and toes. Warm hands clasp his shoulders, steadying him when he sways.

Zoro forces his eyes open again, staring down at Luffy’s concerned face. Some of the worry fades when their eyes meet and Luffy gives Zoro a forced smile.

“Zoro’s tired,” Luffy says. 

It's impossible to tell if he’s talking to Zoro or the cook. Zoro’s mouth moves uselessly. Luffy shifts, one arm wrapping around Zoro’s waist and guides him toward the bed. Zoro blinks, trying to keep the black dots from his vision. Luffy lowers him to the bed with care, smiling at him through the fuzziness that attacks Zoro’s mind. 

“Zoro should go to sleep. Sanji and I are gonna take care of everybody, okay? And you’re gonna take a break now.”

A break? No, Zoro doesn’t have time for a break. 

“Nami was wrong,” Luffy whispers. “It isn’t Zoro’s job to protect everybody, not all alone. Zoro’s nakama. We wanna take care of him too. So, go back to sleep. Sanji and I are gonna take care of everybody.”

Zoro blinks heavily before his gaze moves to the cook.

“Sencho’s right, marimo. Taking care of this crew is my job too. Go to sleep, moron.”

The weight returns to Zoro’s eyelids, dragging them closed. “Thanks,” he mutters. 

For having my back. For picking up all my slack. Sorry I’m not stronger.

“Go to sleep, Zoro,” Luffy whispers.

He does. 

Zoro wakes to the warm scent of fresh food and Nami screeching about how happy she is to see her trees. The world around him spins slightly and the door swings open, showing him the blurry shapes of Robin and Chopper making their way into the room. 

“We’re back,” Chopper says, hooves clopping against the wood floors with a wide grin. “It smells so yummy in here.”

“How is everyone doing?” Robin asks.

The cook spins around her, taking the bag from her hand and kneels down with his hand in hers. “We’re wonderful, now that you’re here, Robin-chan. This is such a heavy bag. Please, allow me.”

“Why thank you.”

Chopper saults up to the cook. “I treated the Franky Family’s wounds and I didn’t let Robin out of my sight for one minute.”

The cook salutes him back, like a moron. “Mission accomplished.”

Rolling his eyes sends an ache through Zoro’s head, but it's worth it as he sits himself up in the bed to look around. Luffy snores soundly as he shoves food into his mouth and Vivi sits on another bed, smiling at Nami as the navigator hugs one of her many trees. Outside the window, he senses it. Usopp and the frog sit patiently, hidden from everyone else. 

Had Usopp been there last time? Patiently awaiting to check on his nakama?

A bit more guilt begins to build through Zoro’s body, knowing that tonight he’ll have to be cruel. Tonight, he’ll have to tell Luffy to leave Usopp behind unless he apologizes for his actions. After all Usopp has done for him, he’s going to have to order his captain to leave their nakama behind.

Nausea bubbles in his stomach. 

Robin giggles furiously. “I already told you all, I’m not going anywhere.”

Chopper turns his big eyes up to her. “Do you promise?”

“You have my word.”

“Guys look,” Nami calls. “We got my tangerine trees and all our money too. Everything is okay! Once we buy a ship, we’ll be good to go.”

Chopper cheers furiously, spinning around in a circle

Zoro winces as the sharp pain of a headache makes itself known.

“Oh! Sanji! You didn’t tell me Zoro was awake!”

The small doctor descends upon him before Zoro’s tired mind can catch up. A thermometer is shoved into his mouth and Chopper presses a cool stethoscope to his chest, listening intently. Zoro blinks down at the small doctor, trying to clear the haze from his mind. 

In the blink of an eye, the rest of the crew, along with Kokoro, Chimney, and the damn bunny, all crowd around him.

“Oi,” he says around the thermometer.

“Zoro!” Chopper says. “Don’t talk until I’m done taking your temperature.” 

Zoro glances around the crew, raising an eyebrow at Vivi.

“You’ve been asleep for two days,” she tells him, brow creased in worry. 

“So? I sleep that long all the time. What’s the fuss?” 

“Stop talking!” Chopper shouts. Another sharp pain shoots through Zoro’s head and he can’t hold back a wince. “The fuss is that you had a temperature of one hundred four degrees. You were experiencing extreme fatigue and dehydration.” The little doctor’s eyes water dangerously as he takes the thermometer out of Zoro’s mouth. “We were all really worried.”

Guilt floods through him. “Oi, oi. I’m fine.”

“Well you are no w , ” the cook scoffs. “You weren’t earlier. Baka, learn to take care of yourself.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, shit cook,” Zoro snaps back, fully aware that there’s no bite behind his tone.

“I wouldn’t have to tell you what to do if you weren’t such a dumbass!”

“Sanji-san,” Vivi says, putting her hands up and slipping in between them. “Why don’t we all just take a long breath and put the groceries away while Tony-kun looks Zoro over?”

The crowd dissipates, leaving Chopper to fervently check Zoro’s heart rate and temperature again.

“Sanji’s right,” the little doctor says, shoving the thermometer back between Zoro’s lips. “You have to take better care of yourself, Zoro. If you can’t sleep, you should come see me. And you have to drink lots of water. No more alcohol.”

“Oi!”

“Don’t talk with the thermometer in your mouth. And that’s doctor’s orders. Don’t you know that alcohol dehydrates you? You drink too much!”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Zoro! Don’t talk with the thermometer in your mouth!”

Zoro forgot about Garp until the damn Vice-Admiral punches straight through the wall. Dust kicks up around them, revealing the oversized man slowly.

“Are you folks the Strawhat Pirates?” he asks, a mischievous grin on his face. “Because I have some friends that would like a word with Monkey D Luffy and Roronoa Zoro.”

The cook, Chopper, and Franky leap in front of their sleeping captain while the girls lunge to stand in front of Zoro. He heaves a deep breath, rolling his eyes from his spot on the bed. Chopper insists he stay in the bed. Because even though Zoro slept for two days straight, his heart rate is still too fast for a resting rate. Which means that he’s still “fatigued”, so he is to “absolutely not move from this bed, mister”.

“The Marines,” the cook and Franky growl together.

“Huh, I see the dumb kid never learns,” Garp growls. “He’s just as careless as ever.”

He moves by the cook and Franky before they can react. 

“Rise and shine!” Garp’s fist connects with Luffy’s head, sending their captain flying into the ground. 

The rest of the crew cry out and Zoro barely snatches Vivi’s wrist to stop her before she whisks over to take Luffy away. The princess spins to face him, eyes wide with panic and Zoro shakes his head softly.

“It’s just Garp,” he tells her around a sigh.

Luffy comes to clutching his head and screeching in pain. “Ow! That hurts!”

“What? Luffy, why would that hurt you?” the cook demands. “You’re made of rubber.”

“That’s because there is no defense against the Fist of Love.” Garp pulls his ridiculous hat off. “You’ve been into a lot of trouble lately, Luffy.”

“Jiji!” Luffy cries.

Around them jaws drop. Vivi’s head whips back around to look at Zoro and he shrugs, moving to let his legs dangle off his bed. 

“A Marine Admiral is Luffy-san’s grandfather?” she hisses.

Zoro smirks. “Our captain has a lot of weird family members.”

Son of the Pirate King. Revolutionary leader. Revolutionary lieutenant. Marine Admiral.

A long, long list of weird family members.

 Garp stands before the ruined wall, arms crossed and smirk in place. “It's been a long time. I think you owe me an apology boy. You’ve been up to no good.”

“Luffy,” the cook says, biting down on his cigarette. “Is this Marine really your grandfather?”

“He is. No matter what, nobody try to fight him,” Luffy orders. “He’ll kill you. Just like he almost killed me over and over when I was little.”

“Don’t give them the wrong idea. Though, I will admit I did throw you into a few dangerous places a time or two. I didn’t do that to kill you. I did it to make you a man.”

“So this is why everything rolls off Luffy-san,” Vivi mutters. 

“When I left you and Ace for training, I thought things would work out for the best. But I turned my back and look what happened. You were going to be a Marine, you ungrateful brat. How the hell did you become a criminal?”

Luffy finally leaps to his feet. “I told you a million times I wanted to be a pirate. It's not my fault you wouldn’t listen!”

Shaking his head, Zoro pushes himself to his feet beside Vivi. Luffy and Garp begin to argue back and forth as Zoro slips by everyone and heads for the fridge. If he’s going to have to suffer through screaming matches with a pounding headache, he at least deserves some damned sake. 

It gives him time to search the Marines behind Garp. Koby stands out, him and his friend. The annoying blonde with the weird face. Zoro never could remember his name. The two of them sit high above the rest of the weakling Marines Garp brought along with him. 

“We’re all done for!” Chopper cries as Garp picks Luffy up by his shirt, ranting about respect. “Our captain’s been captured by the Marines.”

“Zoro!” Nami screams. “Do something.” The navigator spins to look for him, jaw dropping as he bites off the top of his sake bottle. “What are you doing?”

“Drinking.” He holds up the sake bottle for her to see. 

“Our captain’s been captured by the Marines, you idiot!”

“The Marine that just fell asleep holding him?” Zoro nods toward the sleeping forms of their captain and his grandfather, taking another swing from the bottle. “I’m sure Luffy knows how to handle his own grandfather by now.”

Another cry of surprise rings out. Funny how Ace’s narcolepsy has spread out through the Monkey family, despite the lack of blood relation. Vaguely, he wonders if Sabo has developed the same problem.

Probably not. Out of the three brothers, Sabo has always been the most reasonable.

“Oi!” Garp shouts as he comes back to consciousness. “Don’t doze off on me! Take your lecture like a man!”

Zoro takes another long swing of sake.

“You seem oddly unsurprised, swordsman-san.” Robin observes him carefully.

“Huh? Zoro!” Chopper screeches. “You aren’t supposed to be drinking!” 

Zoro waves him off and shrugs at Robin. “His name is Monkey D Garp. It's kind of obvious, isn’t it?” The crew stare blankly back at him. Huh. This is kind of fun. Making them all feel stupid for something so small. That’s something worth taking advantage of. “What? Are you guys telling me that never occured to you? You’re kidding. Next you’re going to tell me you guys didn’t realize that Dragon is Luffy’s father.”

“ The Revolutionary?! ”

Zoro can’t hold back his flinch as their loud voices slam into his aching head. He sighs. “Sometimes, it's hard being the smartest person on this crew.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you !” Nami screams, throwing her shoe at him.

Vivi shakes her head at him, though there’s a slight smile on her lips. Zoro can’t hold back his smirk in return, tipping his sake bottle toward her. 

Garp’s sharp gaze bores into him, the old man’s gaze unsettled. “And just how the hell do you know that, brat?”

“His name is literally Monkey D Dragon.” He shakes his head, looking around at the crew. “You people are unbelievable.”

“I have a father?” Luffy pipes up.

Zoro’s gaze snaps to his captain, staring up at his grandfather with confusion. He opens his mouth, closing it uselessly after a moment. Any responses flee his mind as Luffy’s question truly settles.

Zoro’s captain is a complete and utter idiot.

I’m following a moron.

“Luffy,” he sighs. “I-I can’t. You can’t. Koby’s outside.”

Again, Garp stares at him with an unsettled ease.

“Ne? Who?” 

“Koby,” Zoro repeats. “Small guy. Pink hair. Glasses.”

Luffy blinks owlishly up at him. 

Zoro moans. “You punched him in the face.”

“Zoro!” Nami slaps a hand to her forehead. “Do you know how many people Luffy ha-”

“Suge! Koby’s here? I bet he’s gotten really strong. Oi, Jiji! Can I go punch him?”

Zoro shoots Nami a smirk. 

Garp cocks his head, staring between Luffy and Zoro for a moment before he steps out of the way of the hole. Luffy leaps to his feet.

“Zoro!” Let’s go see how strong our friend’s gotten.

“Aye, Sencho.”

Luffy shoots out the door and Zoro bolts after him. The fight takes about as long as Zoro remembers it taking. Two well placed sweeps with Wadou and Kitetsu knock the blonde’s kukri blades into the dirt and Zoro pins him with ease. Behind him, Koby manages to kick Luffy in the face and dodge a Gomu Gomu no Pistol before Luffy recognizes the techniques and grabs hold of Koby’s shirt, flipping him onto his back, fist cocked.

Garp laughs madly. “Well, you boys are no match for them.”

“You’re tougher than I remember, Luffy-san,” Koby says. “I give.”

“Shishishi.” Luffy’s laughter rings out. “You got strong, Koby!”

Zoro slips Wadou and Kitetsu back into their scabbards, allowing the blonde to stand as he steps back to Luffy’s side. 

“Yo, Zoro-san.”

“Koby.”

“I’m surprised you recognized me. I’m not a commissioned Marine officer yet, but when I heard you were in the area, I had to stop by and say hello while I had the chance. If it weren’t for you two, we never would have made it as far as we have.”

“I don’t know about that,” the blonde mutters.

Why are all blondes so annoying?

“You’ve grown so much! The Koby I remember was a pudgy, little, dorky guy.”

Zoro snorts. Koby shoots a smile his way and starts back toward the building. Luffy grabs Zoro to drag him along. 

“I’m sure you guys are worn out, after all that’s happened. I hate to bother you,” Koby says.

“Don’t worry about it. We wanna catch up, right Zoro?”

“Aye, Sencho.”

“Hey, you bastards!” the blonde shouts behind him. “Hold on a second! You didn’t recognize me at all!”

“Ne?” Luffy glances back at the blonde and then to Zoro. “Zoro, do you know this guy?”

Zoro stares at the blonde, trying to place the face beneath the weird sunglasses. His nose crinkles as he tries desperately to think, though his mind draws a blank. Damn concussions. 

“No. I don’t think so.”

“Helmeppo.” The blonde sounds a little hurt. “The son of Captain Morgan.”

“Who?” Luffy asks.

Zoro shrugs. “Not ringing any bells.”

“Zoro, I tried to kill you.” Now, he sounds mildly annoyed.

Millions, literally millions, of people have tried to kill him. “That doesn’t narrow it down.”

“I tied you to a post and left you to starve to death!”

If that’s happened once, it’s happened a thousand times. “You’re gonna have to be more specific.”

“When you were in Shellston. In the East Blue!”

“More specific.”

“Now, you’re just being an ass.”

Not that it isn’t fun to get cranky blondes all riled up, but his mind still refuses to place this guy. Zoro shrugs at him. “I’m serious. You’ve got to be more specific. A lot of people tried to kill me in Shellstown.”

The blonde collapses to the ground with a whine. Luffy lets out another wild laugh.

“Zoro’s shaking again.” Luffy’s concerned voice reaches his ears as he watches the sunset. 

The rays of golden light warm the boards of the new boards the Marines used to fix Garp’s hole. It feels good against his sore back. His katana clatter against each other, moving on his shoulder along with the trembling that racks his body. 

At least his heart beat hasn’t started to take over his hearing again. And his chest hasn’t started to cave in. 

It will. In a few minutes when he walks back into that room so the cook can tell the others Usopp plans to come back. That’s when his body will start to betray him. His voice will shake as he demands their ragtag crew understand the respect that Luffy deserves. He’ll end up out on the docks with the ruined ships again, letting Kitetsu bite into his flesh. Because Yubashiri is gone and he could never ask such an awful thing of Wadou. 

“Zoro.” Luffy appears in front of him. 

Pulling in a deep breath causes his head to spin slightly. “Luffy.”

Luffy’s worried gaze drops to Zoro’s shaking hands. “Bad stuff’s gonna happen?”

Zoro presses the tip of his tongue along the underside of his teeth, struggling to keep his jaw from trembling as panic starts to set in. He’ll have to fight with Nami and Chopper again. Play the bad guy to a crew that mourns the loss of the sniper. He’ll have to hurt his nakama. Again .

Luffy’s hands close over his, steadying them. “Tell me. If it hurts to keep it in, tell me.”

His teeth chatter in his mouth as he searches for the words. “Usopp. You can’t bring him back to the crew. You-you know that, right?” His eyes sting as the panic spreads over him. Shit, Luffy is going to be so pissed at him for this. “He can’t - not without apologizing.”

The dark eyes boring into him are strangely neutral. Heat sweeps through Zoro’s body. His heart picks up as the awful realization hits him. He can’t read the look in Luffy’s eyes. He doesn’t know what Luffy’s thinking. 

“You-you-you’re the captain,” Zoro stutters out. “And he. It doesn’t matter who’s right, Luffy. He has to.” 

It hurts to breathe. His mind won’t move straight. The speech he’s been rehearsing for hours slips away. He can’t read his captain. This is different. Everything is happening different now.

“Zoro, breathe,” Luffy says softly.

“I-I.” I can’t . “If you. If we don’t respect you.”

“Zoro.” Luffy’s voice turns firm. “Breathe.”

I can’t.

Zoro is drowning. His lungs won’t expand. Air refuses to save him. He’s drowning on dry land.

“I know,” Luffy whispers. Both of Luffy’s hands move to cup Zoro’s cheeks and his captain’s forehead is pressed against his. “Zoro, I know. Usopp can’t come back unless he says sorry. I know. Breathe.”

The breath comes out in an awful gasp, followed by a cough as the air stings his lungs. Luffy’s warm, even breath hits his nose. 

“I know,” Luffy tells him again.

Some of the pressure burning through him vanishes. Zoro squeezes his eyes closed and concentrates on the sound of his captain’s breathing. Warm thumbs stroke up and down his cheeks.

Air comes easier. 

Luffy’s grip on him loosens and he leans back a bit. Zoro forces his eyes open, staring at the sad smile on Luffy’s face. 

“Dummy,” Luffy whispers. “I’d never be mad at you for wanting me to be a good captain.”

The energy drains from Zoro’s body and he slumps back against the building. Sweat tumbles down his face. Luffy’s rubbery thumb wipes some of the sweat away.

“Chopper says Zoro fatteged.”

A laugh bubbles in Zoro’s throat. “Fatigued.”

“Yeah, that. Chopper said it means really, really tired.”

“‘M fine, Luffy.”

“Maybe. But, I think we should get Zoro to bed. Chopper’s gonna be real mad if he finds out I let Zoro get fatteged again.”

Another chuckle moves through his body. Luffy’s smile turns a little less sad as he pulls the katana from Zoro’s arms and places them back at his side. Then his captain pulls him up to his shaky legs and supports him back into their room.

Chopper leaps from his spot at the table beside Nami as soon as they enter. From Nami’s other side, Vivi frowns at him, eyes alight with a concerned knowing. The cook sighs from his spot at the window, shaking his head.

Little hooves clack across the floors as Chopper rushes toward them. “Zoro! What happened? Are you hurt?”

“Zoro’s fatteged,” Luffy announces, voice light as he leads Zoro by the small doctor.

“I was worried about this.” Chopper trots along behind them. “It’s why I told you to stay in bed and not to drink so much. Fatigue isn’t something to mess around with Zoro. You’ve got to make serious changes if you want to fix it.”

“I’m fine, Chopper,” Zoro mumbles, letting Luffy help him onto the bed. Chopper jumps up beside him, thermometer in hand. “Oi, oi, get that thing away from me!”

The thermometer is stuck between his teeth anyway and Chopper pulls his shirt up to press the stethoscope against his chest again. Zoro’s heavy limbs make it difficult to push the little doctor away. Across the room, he hears Robin giggle.

“I don’t think resisting will do you much good, swordsman-san. Our doctor seems very determined to get you back in tip-top shape.”

“No talking with the thermometer in your mouth!” Chopper snaps before Zoro can answer her. 

Zoro groans, falling back on the bed. His eyelids droop down, ready to rescue his stinging eyes. Around him the crew begin to talk in hushed voices, lest they fall victim to Chopper’s loud hisses for them to be quiet while he tends to his patient. Luffy settles cross legged on the bed near the pillows, staring down at him as Chopper works. 

Someone knocks at the door. Is it Franky that comes to see them tonight? No. Iceberg? No. Who comes to see them tonight? Someone has to, right? Must be the concussions stole that away too.

“Usopp,” the cook says, surprised.

Zoro shoots up in bed, nearly knocking Luffy in the head as he does so. The world tilts around him as he does. Chopper rushes forward to steady him before he can fall off the other side of the bed. Their sniper takes a hesitant step into the room, a nervous smile on his face. 

“Hey, guys.”

This isn’t right.

Luffy slips off the bed to stand in front of them, chin held high as Usopp takes a few more steps into the room. The sniper’s eyes move around the room slowly, taking in each of them in turn. Nami’s on her feet, only being held in place by Vivi’s hand wrapped in hers, the cook standing near the doorway, Robin still seated at the table. 

Zoro’s breath catches when Usopp’s eyes meet his. There’s a strange sadness in the sniper’s eyes that punches through Zoro’s chest. 

Now, Zoro will be a better nakama. He knows to look for signs that Usopp is feeling underappreciated. Like he doesn’t belong. He can stop this from happening again. 

“I just came to tell you all that Oimo and Kashii have asked me to go to Elbaf with them.”

Vomit creeps up Zoro’s stomach, toward his throat. 

No.

No.

He did something wrong. Changed the wrong thing. 

Zoro failed. Again.

His body begins to tremble, hard enough that Chopper’s tearful gaze is pulled from Usopp to look at Zoro. 

“Zoro?” the reindeer says gently.

“I came out here to be a brave warrior,” Usopp continues. “I wanted to be a man. A man worthy of sailing with. And, now, I know how to do that.” His gaze flickers over to Vivi again before he turns to fully face Luffy. Tension hangs in the air. Chopper’s hoof rests on Zoro’s shoulder. Usopp hits his knees, eyes full of tears, and he rests his forehead on the ground. “Luffy. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Zoro’s entire body freezes.

“I’m sorry for my stubbornness. For my weakness. I was wrong.” Usopp’s voice turns thick with tears. “I was so very wrong. I know that I left the crew and that I can’t change any of that. I can’t. So, I beg of you. Please. Please, take me back. One more time, let me sail with you! Let me call you my nakama!”

His sobs fill the quiet room, the rest of the crew staring at him in mute shock. Then, Luffy’s sandals slap against the floor and he lunges at Usopp, tackling him in a hug. 

“You idiot!” Luffy cries.

“Luffy!” Usopp sobs back. 

The rest of the crew erupt in cheers and sobs. Within seconds, everyone is out of their seats, piling on top of their captain and returned nakama. Zoro’s weak, tired limbs won’t allow him to join them. 

His trembles fade away, black dancing in his vision, and he falls back onto the bed again. Slowly, listening to the cheerful cries of his nakama, his eyes close.

Zoro breathes.

Chapter Text

“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.” 

Vivi glances over at Zoro as he continues to mutter the song under his breath, diligently cleaning is white sword. Nami and Kokoro continue to discuss the Log Pose, pointing slightly down, and the ship while Luffy bounces around to burn off energy and Chopper wrestles with Usopp. Breakfast sizzles on the stove top, filling the room with the warm comfort of good cooking.

“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.”

Glancing at the swordsman, who seems completely unaware that he’s singing, Vivi tries to place the song. She can’t remember any of the others ever singing it. Or ever hearing it at all. Had he learned it back in the East Blue?

“We’re finally going to Fishman Island? Really?”

Vivi tears her gaze from Zoro to look up at Sanji. The cook’s limbs wave around as he dances through the room, hearts in his eyes. 

“Sanji!” Usopp whines, quickly snatching up his project to protect it from Sanji’s flailing limbs. 

“Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku yo.” Zoro continues his soft singing as though the room is empty around him.

“Well, that’s complicated,” Nami sighs.

Vivi’s heart tightens for her. It had been years - months for the rest of the crew - since Nami had told her the horrid tale of Cocoyashi Village. It was one of the many stories that had kept Vivi from panicking while on her journey to Alabasta with Luffy. Because, as long as Luffy cares for something, he will do anything to help them: but up a Fishman, take on a Shichibukai, declare war on the World Government.

Even so, having to be faced with a reminder of such a painful childhood couldn’t be easy.

“Umikaze kimakase namimakse.”

“Oh yeah,” Luffy agrees softly. “Because of what happened at your village.”

“Arlong was a pirate,” Zoro offers, pausing his song and strengthening his voice to glance over at them. “The chances of anyone on the island giving us that kind of trouble is unlikely.”

“See?’ Sanji sings, spinning around in a circle. “Even Zoro knows that we should go to Fishman Island. And he’s an idiot. It’s a famous landmark of the Grand Line. A dream kingdom where we can coexist with beautiful mermaids. The most beautiful ladies-”

“You do remember that Kokoro’s a mermaid, right?” Usopp asks with exasperation.

Sanji’s body still, face falling to a horrified frown as he looks at Usopp. Vivi bites bottom lip to hold in a giggle. At her side, Zoro shakes his head and goes back to his sword. After a brief pause, his song picks back up again.

“Shio no mukou de, yuuhi mo sawagu.”

Sanji sinks to the floor in despair, pounding his fists against the floor. “Let me dream, dammit. I’m not hurting anyone!” 

“Sora nya wa o kaku, tori no uta.”

“There should be some young ones!” Kokoro screeches at him.

Vivi loses the fight against the laughter in her chest. 

“However.” Kokoro turns back to Nami and Luffy. “Getting to the paradise isn’t that simple.” 

“I would imagine,” Robin says, placing her drink down. “You did say Fishman Island is at the bottom of the ocean.” 

Tuning out the conversation, Vivi turns back to Zoro. “What are you singing?”

“Huh?” The song pauses and Zoro looks up at her, eyebrows narrowed.

“You’re singing,” she tells him.

“Oh.” Red creeps up his neck and into his cheeks. “Sorry.”

"Let's go search for ghost ships!" Nami cheers.

Viv whips back to stare at the navigator with wide eyes. Zoro chuckles. Ghosts ships? How on earth had they gone from Fishman Island to ghost ships? 

Luffy leaps to his feet, arms in the air with a loud cheer.

Chopper lets out a terrified shriek, leaping to Zoro's side and tugging at his arm. "Zoro, don't let Nami take us to look for ghost ships!"

"Oi, oi. As if I have any say in the matter. Chopper, get off of me."

Their small doctor continues to try and hide behind their swordsman with terrified whines. Despite his slightly annoyed growls, a slight smile makes its way across Zoro's lips. The extra sleep must have done him some good. For the first time in days, his eyes are completely clear and he hasn't glanced around the room, looking confused and muttering Franky, Brook, or Jinbei's names since Usopp finally returned.

"Oh!" the sniper yelps. "I just remembered that I have "I-Can't-Be-Around-Ghosts-Or-I'll-Die-itis!"

Vivi lets out a sigh, watching Usopp fall onto his back, hand against his forehead in false dramatics. Beside her, Zoro slips his white sword back into its scabbard and heaves Chopper up onto his shoulder. Small arms wrap around Zoro's head, Chopper staring at Luffy and Nami with terrified eyes.

"I'll have to stock up with lots of provisions in case we have an accident. Nami-san! Have no fear! I will ensure that you and Vivi-chan and Robin-chan have all the comforts of wonderful food on this venture!"

"What a moron," Zoro grumbles.

"What was that, baka marimo?"

Vivi doesn't miss the distinct lack of heat in Sanji's words. Zoro seems to notice it too, frowning up at him.

"Strawhats!"

The doors burst open and the Franky sisters tumble in, Chimney and the bunny falling in after them. All four pant wildly, though there are grins on their faces.

"Franky-bro told us to come and call everyone! The dream ship is complete!"

Excitement rushes through Vivi and she leaps to her feet. The rest of the crew scramble to as well, grinning wildly. All apart from Usopp, who remains cross legged on the floor to tinker with Vivi's peacock slasher again, and Zoro, who eases himself much slower than the others.  

"It's done already?" Luffy cheers. "So fast!"

"Of course," one of the Franky sisters says. "That's what happens when you have the best shipwrights in the world, working around the clock."

Zoro moves away from the wall. Vivi pulls her gaze away from the other's celebration to watch him approach Usopp, patting the sniper's shoulder and talking softly. After a moment, Usopp looks up at Zoro with watery eyes and a smile. 

"Wipe your tears, idiot." Vivi strains her ears to hear Zoro's gentle voice as he offers Usopp a hand. 

"Let's go!" Luffy cheers. "Take us to the dream ship!"

Zoro pulls Usopp to his feet. 

"Strawhat! Strawhat! We've got bad news!"

Luffy's smile falters at the yells and starts out the door. The rest of the crew fall in steps behind their captain. Vivi's gaze searches for Zoro, carefully searching for any signs of shaking or panic. Any sign that this bad news actually is bad. 

Zoro claps Usopp's shoulder, ushering the sniper forward. His hands look steady, eyes clear. They're safe.

The Franky Family race toward them at top speed. Dirt flies up around them, worry clear on each face. The entire group stumbles to a halt, falling to the dirt in front of them in their hurry. 

"We just. We just found out," Zambai pants. "Have you seen the wanted posters?"

"Wanted posters?" Luffy asks. 

"You have a huge bounty on your head, Strawhat. In fact, you've all got bounties."

"Well, it took long enough." A grin takes over Sanji's face as horror fills Nami's eyes. "How much am I worth?"

"Not us too," Nami whines, falling against Vivi's shoulder.

Vivi stares down at Zambai with wide eyes as he spreads the posters out. Her heart jumps into her throat. Wanted posters. How had she forgotten about wanted posters? The Marines would spread them all over the world. 

Her father was going to be so disappointed. The girl that he'd spent his life trying to mold into a respectable, dignified woman had a bounty poster. 

Vivi's hand moves to her chest, tugging her shirt a little looser as heat races through her body. The entire kingdom of Alabasta is about to lose all respect for their princess.

"All of eight of you," Zambai confirms, pointing to the eight posters he's spread out. "Strawhat Monkey D Luffy with a bounty of three hundred million beli." 

"It went up!" Luffy cheers.

"Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro with a bounty of one hundred twenty million beli."

At Vivi's side, Zoro lets out a disgusted sigh and stoops to pick up two of the posters, allowing Zambai to move onto Nami's bounty. Vivi leans away from Nami to look over his shoulder as he stares down at his own wanted poster.

The bounty is considerably smaller than it had been. The last bounty Vivi remembers seeing on Zoro's wanted poster was well over four hundred million beli. His picture looks far different as well. His most recent one had his twenty-one-year-old self snarling at the camera from beneath his bandana, looking far more deadly with only one eye. This one he looks so young, though the sneer remains, blood on his lips, and looking as dangerous as ever. 

"What's the other one?" she asks, pulling at his hand to try and see the poster below it.

"Yours," he replies, letting his own poster fall to the ground again. "Phantom Princess Nefertari Vivi. Seventy-nine million beli."

"Seventy-nine?" Vivi tears the poster from his grasp to look down at it. 

There's a bit of blood at the corner of her lip from where a Marine had hit her face and a bruise forming around her eye. Her eyes are narrowed in a glare, lips pulled in a snarl similar to the one on Zoro's wanted poster. Vaguely, she wonders if she's been spending enough time with the swordsman that his facial expressions have finally started to rub off on her. Luffy's red ribbon sits high in her hair, keeping it tied away from her face, aside from the few blue strands that have escaped. Smoke billows around her from the battle, showing only the vague outline of Marines in the background.

DEAD OR ALIVE

PHANTOM PRINCESS NEFERTARI VIVI

79,000,000~

Vivi feels sick.

“Oi, oi.” Zoro nudges her with a frown. “Don’t look so upset. You knew this would happen when you joined this pirate crew.”

“I.” Vivi’s voice flees for a moment as she stares down at her own picture. Yes, deep down, she knew this could happen. But, in all honesty, the thought never crossed her mind. Not until this moment. Staring down at her own wanted poster. “I forgot.”

Zoro laughs.

“Seventy-nine million beli!” The wanted poster is torn from her grip by Nami, staring at it with an open mouth. “Vivi, you’re worth more than Sanji-kun!”

"Well, she did beat the shit out of the leader of CP9," Zoro mutters.

Vivi lets out a small moan before she can stop herself. Her father might never get over this.

“Let’s not talk about my poster,” Sanji moans, falling to his knees. “First Kokoro’s a mermaid. Now, this?”

Zoro snaps a little straighter, reaching out to pick up Sanji’s bounty poster with a wicked grin on his face. “Oh, man, I forgot about this,” he mutters. “This is the best day.”

Shaking herself from the haze, Vivi glances over at the poster. She claps a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter at the crudely drawn picture. Beside her, Zoro throws his head back and lets out a wild laugh.

“Oi, do you want to fight, shithead?” Sanji leaps to his feet again.

Zoro’s eyes sparkle. “Bring it on, love cook.”

“Wait!” Zambia cries, waving his hands to grab their attention. “I know this is probably isn’t big news for you all and you probably have a lot of things to talk about, but please. The reason we came here is this.” 

He pulls a ninth wanted poster from his shirt, holding it all out for them to see. From the poster, Franky yells at someone over his shoulder.

“Cyborg Franky. Bounty of forty-four million beli.”

“Bro has a bounty?” one of the sisters cries. “This is terrible!”

“We managed to avoid this, but Bro couldn’t. His life will be in danger if he stays in Water 7. And, if he gets taken again, there’s no way we’d have the power to rescue him. Bu, Bro would never leave us, so he’ll never leave the island, no matter what kind of danger he’s in. That’s why we came to see you guys. Please, Strawhat, we’re begging you. Even if he doesn’t want to go, you’ve got to take him out to sea with you.”

“Please, Strawhat!” The rest of the Franky Family drop to their knees in a bow as well.

Vivi’s gaze moves up to Zoro again, just in time to see the smile creeping across his face. Luffy stands, readjusting his hat on his head with a grin.

“Shishishi. You don’t have to ask. I already decided I wanted Franky to be my shipwright.”

“Really? You’re all willing to make him your bro?” Zambia’s face splits in a grin, looking at each of the Strawhats in turn.

Nami, Sanji, and Chopper mumble intelligibly, all still distraught over their posters. Robin giggles furiously and Zoro rolls his eyes. Vivi pokes Nami’s side, gently.

“Of course,” Robin says.

“We’d be happy to call him nakama,” Vivi adds.

“And that’s that.” Zoro sounds happier than Vivi’s heard him sound in days.

The Franky Family leave, muttering something about dirty work. Zoro lets out a small moan, face pinched up in annoyance.

“I forgot about that,” he says around a slight shudder, glancing down at Vivi. “I’m really sorry.”

“Sorry?” Vivi echoes as he turns back to the house. “Sorry for what? Zoro? Zoro!”

The ship steals Vivi’s breath. Twice the size of the Going Merry and shining in the sunlight. The others let out their own cries of amazement, all in awe of the magnificent creation before them. Vivi only manages to pull her gaze from it when she hears Zoro let out a shake breath. Heart in her throat, Vivi turns to him, ready for shaking an erratic breathing.

Instead she finds a wide smile. The trembles in his body seem to be less from fear and more from trying to keep himself from sprinting to the ship.

“Sunny-Go.” He whispers the name with relieved awe.

Vivi lets out a breath, fingers moving to the ribbon in her hair as she turns to look at the large ship again. Luffy takes off in a sprint, Chopper close behind him. Giggle, Nami and Robin follow them, Sanji wrapping an arm around Usopp’s shoulders to guide him to the ship. 

“The deck has a lawn!” Luffy shouts.

“Zoro?” Vivi says, reaching for his hand.

Zoro allows her to take it, pulling in a deep breath. “I’m just happy to be home,” he whispers.

Vivi squeezes his hand and tugs him toward the ship.

“This place is huge!” Chopper calls. “Look, there’s a slide.”

Soft green grass covers the main part of the deck, a handful of shade trees - one of which has a swing. Vivi pauses just on the deck to look around, unable to keep in a giggle of amazement. 

“Chopper’s right,” Usopp says from his spot at the far railing. “This place is huge. Too huge. Zoro’s going to get lost.”

“Shove it, Usopp.” Zoro pulls Vivi back as Luffy rolls by them.

“Where’s the kitchen?” Sanji calls, pulling open doors.

“Up the stairs, furthest door,” Zoro mutters. “The door next to it is the infirmary. Aquarium’s down below.” 

Surprise fills Vivi’s head and she turns to look up at him with a raised eyebrow.

Zoro frowns. “What?”

“I guess, I’m just surprised that you remember where everything is.”

“Of course I remember where everything is, Vivi. I lived on this ship for years. Luffy and I used to-” He cuts himself off, smile fading to a pained sadness.

Her heart tightens for him as his gaze drops away, knuckles turning white around the straps of his bag. “Zoro.” She reaches for his hand again.

Zoro jerks away from her. “We’ll have to get Franky soon,” he says, roughly. “I’m gonna take a nap.”

Vivi sighs, watching him climb the stairs toward the helm. Her shoulders slump and she leans against the railing to listen to Nami and Iceberg discuss the sails, watching the rest of the crew run around to explore the ship.

“Oi, Vivi.” Luffy bounds to stand beside her with a wide grin. “Isn’t this ship great?”

“Hai, Luffy-san.” Vivi forces a smile onto her face, looking around Sunny’s deck again. “It’s beautiful.”

Luffy pauses beside her, watching his crew search the ship, exclaiming with awe and delight. The heavy sense of his gaze, his judgement settles over her, and she nibbles at her bottom lip, staring at her feet.

“Zoro’s not happy?” Luffy asks after a pause.

“He’s just tired, I think.”

Luffy hums, eyes moving to the railing Zoro settles himself against near the figurehead. A frown fills the captain’s face, concerned eyes refusing to leave Zoro’s still form. 

“Ne, Vivi?”

“Hai, Luffy-san.”

Luffy pauses for a moment before he pulls in a deep breath and beams at her. “We’re all gonna have great adventures on this ship.”

Letting her gaze wander to the sleeping swordsman, Vivi lets out a long breath. “I think we are, Luffy-san.”

“Oh, Icepops! This ship is great. But where’s Franky?”

“Luffy! That’s disgusting!”

“Luffy-san!”

Vivi covers her face with both hands, hoping it will hide the furious blush creeping over her entire face. Nami’s hands enclose around her shoulders, turning her away from the shore. The shipwrights and Kokoro erupt in furious laughter. The ground trembles as Luffy lands on the decks of the Sunny again. Vivi peaks from between her fingers to look at her captain, holding a pair of black underwear high above his head, blowing in the breeze. 

“Franky!” Luffy shouts.

“Oh, I can’t believe we follow this moron,” Nami moans, resting her head against Vivi’s shoulder to hide her eyes from Franky’s nakedness.

Robin giggles madly.

“Thank you. The ship is the best. Just like you said. We’ll treasure it!”

“Yeah,” Franky calls back. “I had a super time with you guys. Have a safe trip.”

“Shishishi, baka!” Luffy’s laughter floats in the wind. “Franky, if you want these pants back, you’ll have to become our nakama.”

In the distance, Vivi can hear people from the city yelling at Franky to put on his pants. Vivi desperately wishes that he would.

“Okay, game’s over. Give me back my briefs, Strawhat.”

“Of course! Once you join my crew.”

“Are you stupid? I’m not going to become a pirate. Forget it, keep those. I’ll stand before these crashing waves, naked and proud! You wouldn’t ask a lion to put on pants. So why a man?”

“They’re barely pants,” Vivi mutters to Nami.

The navigator sighs. The gathering crowd screams in disgust.

“I took him lightly!” Luffy cries. “He’s so determined. A man inside a man! A hero!”

Peeking from between her hands again, Vivi watches Nami slap Luffy across the back of his head. “He’s obviously just a pervert!”

Vivi moans, looking to Robin in the hope that the older woman will know what to do. Robin lets out a giggle, winking at Vivi before she turns her attention to their captain.

“It might be a little rough,” she tells him. “But, I could lend a hand.”

The mischievous look in her eye tells Vivi she isn’t going to like this plan. 

“Huh? Well, Icepops did say if we wanted Franky to come, we’d have to use force,” Luffy says thoughtful.

“But, how?” Nami’s voice sounds as unsure as Vivi feels.

Smiling, Robin turns back to the shore, arms crossing. “Dos Fleur.”

Curiosity wins over and Vivi drops her hands to turn and look. Two arms sprout out from Franky’s thighs, moving upward. Vivi’s jaw drops. She wouldn’t. She couldn’t.

“Grab.” There’s still a smirk on Robin’s face as she turns her hands into fist.

Franky screams.

“Robin!” Vivi shrieks, slapping her hands over her eyes again.

“What are you doing?” Nami shouts beside her.

“Ow, ow, ow,” Luffy hops in place while Chopper cries about her crushing them.

Franky’s screams continue, mixing with harsh sobs.

“Robin!” Luffy yelps. “I still want him to be a man when he joins. Lay off.”

His cries don’t lessen. 

“Everyone knows pirates won’t give up on treasure once they’ve set their sights on it. And, now that we have this one in our palms, so to speak, I won’t let go without a fight.”

Franky moans. “Oh, come on. I already told you. I couldn’t leave this island, even if I wanted to. I appreciate the offer, really.” He screams again. “It just isn’t in the cards for me. Sailing the seas would be great and all, but there’s still stuff I have left to take care of. That’s why I gave the ship to you. I quit being a shipwright a long time ago. I’m not going back. This is the last ship I’m building, for the rest of my life. I only had one goal as a shipwright and now it’s complete.”

“That’s a lie, Franky.” Iceberg steps forward.

“Robin,” Vivi whispers, leaning toward her. “Maybe you should let him go now.”

Robin smirks, letting out a small giggle. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. Our captain would be very unimpressed if I allowed one of his nakama to stay behind on this island. Besides, we are pirates. And pirates take what they want.”

“Couldn’t we take it a little nicer?” Vivi asks softly. 

Another round of giggles. “I’m afraid no.”

Vivi groans.

“Live,” Iceberg says on the shore. “And follow the dream that you’ve followed for so long.”

Below them, Franky bursts into real tears. Vivi stares down at him, her gaze locked on his mournful face. Her heart fills with pressure as she watches him. His guilt holds him here, that’s what Iceberg had said. Awful guilt for something so beyond his control.

Her mind can’t help but wander to Zoro. Racked, with guilt, desperate to atone for sins far beyond his control or fault.

Debri and dirt fly up, knocking Franky back as a large, yellow bag lands on the ground. Up near the city, the Franky Family call out to him, a nakama they so long to protect. Tears prick at her eyes.

Franky wants to protect them as badly as they want to protect him. Want him to be happy. 

Robin tightens her fists again. Luffy pulls at the end of his own hair, face scrunched in sympathy pain. 

“Robin, stop! You’ve gone too far. He’ll be a woman.”

“Can’t you hear him crying?” Chopper whines.

“Damn it, Robin,” Franky shouts through tears. “I’ll never forgive you for this!”

Robin releases her hands, turning to look at Vivi. “What a clever man.”

Vivi furrows her brow, listening to Franky’s heavy sobs. Then the realization clicks. To cry for sadness would ruin the “man inside a man” image that Luffy had been shouting about. 

“You’re too kind,” Vivi giggles.

Franky continues his show of sobbing in pain instead of grief. Beyond him, the crowd parts, Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp sprinting toward them at top speed. 

“Oi, Luffy!” Sanji calls. “We’re in big trouble.”

“Your grandfather’s on his way back!” Usopp shouts. “He’s at the opposite coast, making arrangements to come back looking for us.” 

“Eh?” Luffy cocks his head to the side. “So is he gonna catch us or not?”

“How the hell are we supposed to know?” Sanji demands. “Hurry up and get ready to leave. Oh! Franky, you bastard. You haven’t put on your pants yet?”

“Oi, Franky.” Zoro snatches up the bag on his way by. “Hurry your ass up. I’m not getting caught by the Marines because Robin pulled your balls too hard.”

Luffy lets out a loud laugh, tossing the underwear back to Franky. “Better hurry up, Franky! Zoro’s grumpy!”

“Shut your mouth, moron!”

“Franky, didn’t you hear me? Put your pants on! The ladies don’t want to see this!”

“Everybody raise a glass!” Luffy shouts.

The feast Sanji worked for hours in his new kitchen lay on the picnic table, mugs of ale and juice spread out for everyone. Nami leans into Vivi’s shoulder, grinning wildly as the rest of the crew cheers around them.

“To the return of our nakama, Robin and Franky! And our new comrade, Franky. We get to celebrate our new ship, Thousand Sunny! The best pirate ship on the seas. Cheers!”

With another celebratory cry, every clinks their mugs together. Laughter rings out as their party begins. Luffy and Usopp begin with impressions of the Marines and members of the Franky family while Sanji offers to make Vivi, Nami, and Robin fancier drinks. Franky laughs, drinking mugs of cola without pause, showing Chopper all of the accessories he’s built into his body.

Vivi giggles as Luffy begins shoving food into his mouth, Chopper and Usopp rush to stop him. She glances over at Nami, chatting with Robin and Franky and then watches Sanji vanish into the kitchen for new drinks. The only one not quite enjoying the party seems to be Zoro. The swordsman leans against Sunny’s rail, chugging a third mug of ale and basking lazily in the sun.

To the others, it probably looks ordinary but Vivi can’t help but notice the way his eyes continue to search the ship. As though searching for someone. 

“Here, Vivi-chan.” A drink appears in front of her face and Vivi blinks, looking up at Sanji.

The chef beams down at her, eyes bright with happiness. Smiling, Vivi takes the small glass and thanks him. Her eyes move to Zoro again as soon as he’s moved on. Still eyeing all parts of the ship closely. The rest of the crew don’t seem to notice, still laughing and clinking glasses together.

Pushing herself up, Vivi moves to sit on the rail, letting her feet dangle beside his shoulder. He doesn’t acknowledge her, humming that same song softly as he looks around Sunny’s noisy deck.

“Well,” she says after a pause. “I finally found out what you were apologizing for.”

Zoro shifts the katana from his left shoulder to his right and leans his head back. Despite the obvious signs that he's fighting it, he smirks up at her. 

"How could you not warn me about that, Zoro? It was disgusting."

"What you've never seen a guy's-"

"Stop." Vivi moans. "I can't believe you didn't want me."

"No one warned me."

"Zoro!"

His smile fades as he looks back out toward the ship again.

Vivi’s heart sinks. She sinks down to the ground beside him, leaning forward to search his eyes for any of the haze. "What's wrong?"

"It's quiet."

Vivi furrows her eyebrows. Luffy has stuck his chopsticks into his nose again, Usopp and Chopper rolling around on the ground with laughter. Nami yells at them while Sanji dances around with excitement over a compliment from Robin and Franky tries out a new pose. The decks of the Thousand Sunny fill with laughter.

“Who are you looking for?” Vivi asks, watching his eyes search the decks again.

Zoro freezes, fingers picking at the bandage on his hand again. “No one,” he mutters, red creeping up his neck. Embarrassed that she caught him looking for someone who isn’t here. 

“Zoro,” she presses.

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. Let me help.”

“You can’t help,” his voice lowers to a growl.

“Zoro.”

“You can’t fix my head.”

Her voice flees. His nostrils flare, as he lets out a sharp breath.

“This is my home,” he says after a long pause. His fingers begin to tremble. “But it’s. Brook isn’t singing. And Luffy isn’t trying to embarass Jinbei. It just. This is my home. And it doesn’t feel like home.”

Vivi’s fingers barely brush his before he pulls his hand away, picking at the bandages again. Sighing, she rests her hand on her lap and looks out at their nakama. All of them so happy, celebrating the new adventures ahead.

“Thriller Bark,” Zoro says after a pause. 

Vivi turns to face him fully. “You mentioned that on the train to Enies Lobby. That’s where we’ll go next, right?”

He nods. “There’s a Shichibukai there. Moria. He ate the Kage Kage no Mi, so he can steal people’s shadows. That makes it impossible for them to go into the sunlight. Which traps them on Thriller Bark.”

“Are all of the Shichibukai going to cause this crew problems?”

“Most of them.”

Letting out a long breath, Vivi gestures for him to continue. “We’ll meet Brook when we caught up in the fog. Luffy wants him to join the crew, so we go to get his shadow back. It’s a clusterfuck.” 

That seems to be the pattern with this crew.

“Moria will steal Luffy’s shadow and put it in this pain in the ass giant, Oars. It’s not a fun fight. We’ll all get thrown around, but Luffy will take him out. And, then.” Zoro pauses teeth gnawing at his bottom lip fingers moving across the bandages slowly. His eyes gloss over slowly, haze inching in as he refuses to look at her. “Kuma.”

“Zoro?” Vivi leans forward as his voice trails off, eyes locked on his hand, unblinking. “Mr. Bushido?”

It takes a few extra seconds for Zoro to pull his gaze up to hers. He swallows hard. “He - um. He’s another Shichibukai. He’ll come for Luffy’s head.”

Vivi’s breath catches.

Zoro’s hand curls into a fist and pulls in a deep breath. “Three days,” he says, eyes still slightly unfocused.

“What?”

“Just.” He squeezes his eyes shut for a long moment before he opens them, jaw clenching. “Vivi, everything will turn out okay. You just have to give it three days.”

The sinking sensation in her stomach tells Vivi that Thriller Bark will not turn out okay. She opens her mouth and closes it almost immediately, trying to search for words. He’s too calm. Skypiea, Enies Lobby, Water 7. They’d all turned out okay and yet, they’d still sent panic through Zoro at the barest mention of them. The thought of watching his nakama hurt had destroyed him.

Because he’s the one who gets hurt , her mind says again. It’s the only explanation for the haze trying to protect his mind and the panic not struggling to take over.

Zoro is going to get hurt.

“Oi! Zoro!” Luffy calls. “Look, Sanji!”

Forcing a smile onto his face, Zoro turns to look at their captain and lets out a forced chuckle as Luffy does his best Sanji impersonation. Vivi watches his hands tremble, even as he tries to put on a brave front of his captain. Her heart shatters.

Still laughing madly, Luffy turns back to Usopp. Zoro’s gaze turns back to Vivi. 

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as her mind struggles to make a decision. He’s destroying himself. Slowly and piece by piece. She can’t let him.

“Zoro,” she says slowly. 

Saying this is going to either enrage him or send him into a blind panic. But it needs to be said. 

“I think maybe we should tell them.”

Chapter Text

“No.”

The words leave Zoro’s lips before he can put any more thought into it. The steady pounding of his heartbeat fills his ears, blocking out the noise of his celebrating crew. Vivi’s face blurs for a moment, her face unsure and concerned. He can’t find the energy to care. Every part of him goes into taming the purple staining his vision as his skin sets itself on fire.

She wants to tell them.

Tell them that Zoro failed them all. That he let them die.

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!”

Failure. Failure. Failure.

“Zoro?” Vivi’s hand scorches his arm.

Zoro jerks himself away, teeth clenching as he fights not to snarl at her. Judging by the speed she pulls her hand away, he failed at that too.

“Don’t. Touch. Me.”

How many times have they gone over this? Why is it so difficult for her not to fucking touch him? 

“You’re shaking,” she mutters. 

Nothing new there. Zoro can’t stop shaking. Can’t figure out how to fix himself. He’s always scared. Paranoid. Angry. He digs his fingers into his bandage again. The pain is dull, like a splinter poking into his thumb. He should have done something back at Water 7. Should have made a new mark to help tame the beast. To help tame this weakness. 

“You’re weak, Zoro. Nothing ever changes with you.”

Kuina. Fuck, why does he have to think of Kuina now ?

Would she have done better? Probably. Kuina was strong. So strong. And, she’s always been wrong. Zoro is weak.

He pushes himself up, stalking towards the men’s quarters. This is supposed to be a happy memory. Something good for the crew to remember for years to come. To look back on when they’re sad and they need to think of home. 

He can’t afford to let his weakness ruin that for them. He’s already ruined so much.

“Zoro?” Luffy calls after him.

Zoro ignores him, pulling open the door and letting it swing shut behind him. Though, not before he hears Vivi say, “I think he’s just tired, Luffy-san.”

“Stop,” he says, pressing himself to the wall and letting his tired limbs give out so he slides to the ground beside his bunk. “Stop. Stop. Stop.”

His body refuses to listen. The shaking continues, katana clattering against his hip, and his breaths wheeze out in wild gasps.

She wants to tell them. Tell them that he’s a failure. Tell them how worthless he is. He’s supposed to protect this crew. And he can’t. He can’t protect this crew like this.

God, his chest hurts. Aches. Like Mihawk keeps slashing him open. Like he’s taken Luffy’s pain and let his muscles be stretched beyond their limits. None of his muscles work. His body betrays him, head spinning, numbness prickling through his fingertips. 

“You’re weak, Zoro. Nothing ever changes with you.”

Weak. Weak. Weak.

Failure. Failure. Failure.

They don’t know. Not yet. Don’t know that Zoro fails them. Don’t know how weak he truly is. 

Vivi can’t tell them.

Please, please don’t let them know that. 

Luffy will be so furious.

Luffy will never forgive him for failing the crew this badly.

“Stop,” he tells himself again “Fucking stop it.”

Sweat beads against his forehead. Heat attacks his skin. Oxygen burns his lungs.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

This is how he dies. Panicking in the men’s bunkroom of Sunny and giving himself a heart attack. Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

His fingers enclose around Yubashiri’s hilt and he pulls the dead blade from its scabbard. He intended to save the blade. It earned so much. Was such a good blade. And he’d tried. Used the Marine’s swords first. Refused to pull any of them out of their scabbards. And then, he’d messed up. Instinct had taken over and he’d pulled Yubashiri loose to try and keep the man from taking his head off. 

Then he’d lost Yubashiri.

Again.

Because, maybe Zoro can’t change anything. Maybe this has just been his punishment for failing to do his one job. 

“You’re supposed to protect this crew!”

Zoro can’t change anything. He has no control of anything. His crew is going to die, again . They’re going to leave him behind, again . Because Zoro is nothing more than a failure and this is his punishment.

He slams Yubashiri into his left leg. It tingles at first, like Enel has sent a bolt of lightning straight into his leg. Then fire races from the blade, down around his thigh like Sabo’s set him on fire. Zoro grits his teeth to hold his cry of agony. 

That hurt far more than he intended it too. Shit. He should have just gone for his palm. Or his ankles again. His ankles would have been the smart thing to do. If this scars - and it probably will - Chopper will notice it right away. How is he going to lie his way out of this one?

Blood drips from the broken blade as Zoro pulls it out, red pooling around the wound to weep down his leg. His heart stutters to a halt. Fuck. He’s going to get blood on their new floor. 

He reaches for his sash, intending to wrap it around the wood to stem the bleeding. Air meets his fingers. Because he isn’t wearing his kimono. He doesn’t have a sash anymore.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” Zoro slaps his hand down on the blood, gaze desperately searching for something to use as a bandage. 

At least there isn’t enough blood for him to have cut an artery. Then he’d have to explain this shitshow to Chopper.

“Fucking moron,” Zoro snarls at himself. “You idiot.”

He pulls his shirt off, tucking it beneath his leg. No cut there. Good. Good, that’s good. He knots the shirt around the wound, gritting his teeth against fiery pain as it shoots through him. 

Zoro leans his head back against the wall and pulls in deep breath. Without the blood pounding in his ears, the sounds of his nakama still celebrating drifts through the bunkroom. Safe and sound.

With his mind back in place he can feel them. Sense the steady beats of hearts. All of his nakama. 

No. Not all of his nakama. 

Brook. Jinbei.

“They’ll be here soon,” he mutters, pressing his hand into the shirt. Blood stains the shirt. “Thriller Bark. Thriller Bark.”

Because Thriller Bark is coming. And Brook will be here soon.

Pulling in a deep breath, Zoro forces himself to his feet. White hot pain stings through his leg and he leans against the wall, clenching his fists. 

At least it tamed the panic. 

Each step feels like a fresh stab wound, but he manages to make it to the lockers. Chopper’s extra medical bag is stashed. He’ll have to dump the shirt and pants overboard next time he’s alone. No one needs to know about this. No one needs to know he’s weak.

“You’re supposed to protect this crew.”

“Stop,” he growls at the voice, pulling out a roll of bandages. 

He won’t do this again. Descend into panic like some useless weakingly. It’s Zoro’s job to protect this crew. He’s going to do just that.

They’re safe upstairs, partying the day away. He just needs to bandages up this wound, put on a fresh pair of pants, crawl into bed and get his head on straight.

Shoving his ruined clothes into his locker and hiding the bandaging on his leg beneath a fresh set of pants, Zoro breathes. The dull ache of the fresh wound on his leg likely won’t leave anytime soon. With any luck, he hit enough nerves that the pain will last him through Thriller Bark. And Thriller Bark will leave him with more than enough to get him through Sabaody.

Sabaody.

Shit.

Sabaody.

“No,” Zoro whispers, fingers pressing into his leg. “Thriller Bark. Brook .”

Brook. He’s been waiting fifty years for them. 

“Brook,” he repeats.

Nakama lays ahead of him. Only nakama. And that’s what Zoro’s going to focus on. Sabaody doesn’t matter. Not now. Thriller Bark and Brook wait for him.

Ignoring the throbbing in his leg, Zoro moves himself back onto his bunk and tucks an arm behind his head. Laughter rings through Sunny again. But, it’s still far too quiet.

“Yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho.” Zoro’s voice sounds strange. He’s never been good at singing. Mostly humming along as his captain and musician belt out the words over the soothing melody of a violin. But beggars can’t be choosers. And Sunny sounds so wrong without the sound of Bink’s Sake ringing through her. “Binkusu no sake wo. Todoke ni yuku yo.”

“Alright, shithead.” A cigarette sizzles into life behind him. “Out with it.”

Zoro keeps his gaze on his weights, ignoring the annoyance he can feel wafting from the room. The others are still enjoying Sunny. Nami’s been in her charting room all morning, Robin in her library. Chopper’s probably still spinning in the chair in his new office. Usopp and Franky have been bonding over their love of building things. And Luffy loves Sunny’s head so much, it took Zoro ten minutes to convince him to leave the captain’s seat for breakfast. Vivi’s the only true mystery.

She’s avoided him all morning, sticking close to Nami and refusing to look at him. He needs to apologize, Zoro knows that. She had good intentions, even if the idea is the worst thing Zoro’s ever heard.

The cook, Zoro assumed, would be in his kitchen all morning. He’s been dancing through it for hours, looking at every pan and every knife. Apparently, the kitchen isn't’ quite as mesmerizing this time around. Because now he’s got the biggest pain in the ass on the whole crew standing in his gym.

“Don’t think, for one minute, that I’m letting you get away with not explaining this.”

After spending days at Water 7 and hearing nothing from the nosy bastard, Zoro thought that the cook had forgotten. Here, Zoro thought he’s a lucky guy. The universe seems to disagree with the thought, because the cook stands behind him, stinking up Zoro’s brand new gym with one of his fucking cigarettes.

“Out with what?” Zoro replies after a good five minutes of silence.

The cook is nothing if not persistent. And annoying as shit.

“I’m not in the mood for games, marimo. You’ve got the ladies worried and Luffy scared half to death. So you can either talk to me or you can talk to our captain. Either way, you’re talking to someone.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Cook.”

“Don’t give me that shit, Zoro.” The cook’s voice hardens. “I warned you I wasn’t letting you get away without explaining this.”

“Explaining what?”

With any luck, if he keeps denying everything, the cook will get frustrated enough that he’ll just leave. Years of practice have taught Zoro that the cook’s patience runs out quickly. And, given that this cook is two years younger than Zoro's used to dealing with, it shouldn’t take quite as long as usual.

“Zoro.”

“Cook.”

“Fine. Let’s play, then.” The cook lets out a long breath and the scent of cigarette smoke floats through the air. “You can answer my question or I can walk downstairs and tell Luffy I watched you slice your palm open on your own blade.”

Every muscle in Zoro’s body freezes. His breath catches in his throat, choking him. A soft tremble moves up his legs. 

“Get. Out,” Zoro manages to snarl.

“Make. Me.”

Anger shooting through his body, Zoro drops his weight and turns to face the cook. The cook stares back, chin high and eyes strange. He looks at Zoro without the usual itch for a fight. Instead, his stupid swirly brow furrows slightly and his eyes are so soft it makes Zoro sick to his stomach. 

“You’re hurting yourself.” 

There’s a distinct lack of pity in the cook’s voice. Concern is there, but no pity. It makes Zoro’s blood boil nonetheless.

“Get out.”

“No.” Now the challenge returns to the cook’s eyes. “I’m not leaving until you explain everything to me. Everything .”

“There’s nothing to explain.”

“You knew Usopp and Franky were going to be on that train.”

“I saw them with CP9 when I was falling.”

“Oh, bull fucking shit.”

“Sorry if that’s not an answer you like, Cook. It’s the only one I’ve got.”

The cook’s teeth grind, cigarette breaking in two from the pressure. Mission almost accomplished. Two more minutes and he’ll probably have the gym to himself for days without having to worry about this idiot bugging him.

“Fine.” The word grits itself out from between clenched teeth. “Fine. I don’t know what in the shitty Four Blues is going on. And I can’t force you to tell me - mostly because I haven’t figured out how to actually do that - so I’m not going to waste my day up here with you when I should be checking on the ladies. But .” The cook’s eyes flash and he jabs a finger at the bandage wrapped around Zoro’s hand. “ That stops now.”

No. No, it doesn’t. Because this is all Zoro has. This is his control.

“Fuck off,” Zoro snarls.

“You promise me that it stops now, or I march down there and tell Luffy exactly what you’ve done to yourself.”

No.

No. No. No. No.

Some of the heated panic washing across his skin must show on his face because the cook’s gaze softens again.

“Zoro, let us help you.”

“There’s nothing to help,” Zoro grits out.

He bites his tongue. Bites down on the panic bubbling under his skin. No one is telling Luffy anything. Fuck no.

He can’t let this captain know he’s a failure. His captain already knows he’s a failure, but this Luffy doesn’t have to know that.

“Zoro, we’re your nakama.”

And that’s why I can’t tell you. I can’t let you know. I failed you. And I’m so sorry .

“There’s nothing for you to help me with, dumbass.”

“Go find Luffy.”

“Don’t be an idiot, Cook. You can barely stand. Lean on me.”

Blood spills down the cook’s chin and he shoves Zoro away. He stumbles, barely able to keep himself up with a broken leg. “I don’t need your help, marimo. Go find Luffy.”

“I’m not leaving you here, shit cook. Kizaru-”

“I can take care of myself, marimo! Go, protect our shit captain. The idiot’s probably in trouble. What are you waiting for? Go!”

They were his nakama. Nakama means help. Protection. Zoro didn’t protect them. Didn’t help them. He was supposed to and he didn’t. To accept help from them now feels like an insult to their memory. Until Zoro can help them, can be of real use, he can’t force them to help him.

“If there’s nothing to help, why would you do that to yourself?”

Because I can control it. Because it gives me something to feel other than panic. Because it reminds me that I can hurt. That this is real. And you’re alive. That I failed my nakama, but I have failed the rest of you yet.

“It was an accident.”

“Bullshit.”

“I reached for the blade without thinking.”

“Liar.”

“I hit my head. I was out of it.”

The cook’s nostrils flare as he lets out a sharp huff. “Promise me.”

“There’s nothing to promise, asshole. Get the fuck out of my gym.”

Zoro swears he can hear the cook’s teeth grinding together as blue eyes glare darkly at him. “Listen to me, very carefully. This is not okay. I don’t know if you’re frustrated. Or if you really did hit your head too hard. Or if something happened to you in Alabasta and you’re just too scared to tell us. And I don’t care. What I do care about is you , you overgrown marimo. You might be an idiot, but you’re still nakama. So, whatever it is, whatever happened, stop doing it alone.”

Zoro’s teeth sink into his cheek and he struggles to hold the cook’s gaze. 

“And stop doing that ,” the cook says. “I mean it, Zoro. I’m giving you a chance here. Ask for help. I don’t care who it is. Me, Luffy, Vivi-chan. Whoever you need to. Just. Just stop.”

The cook breaks eye contact first, hand dropping to his suit coat as he pulls out his cigarette pack and lighter. Zoro pulls a deep breath in, hating the way it trembles. Smoke rolls from between the cook’s lips as he looks up again.

“This is serious, alright? I’m not playing around, Zoro. You’re scaring us. One more new, mysterious wound and I’ll tell Luffy what’s going on.”

I’ll tell Luffy what a weak failure you really are.

“When you panic, come find someone. You’re nakama. We can help.”

You can’t. No one can.

The cook vanishes before Zoro can disagree, leaving nothing but a trail of smoke in his wake. Zoro’s knees go weak and he searches for the bench. Blood begins to pound against his skin again. That didn’t just happen. It couldn’t have just happened. Especially not with the cook. If the shitty cook can tell that Zoro’s fucked up, it's only a matter of time before Nami comes in, screaming at him for answers.

Shit. Shit.

He can’t do this. Can’t hold himself together.

Can’t save his nakama.

Failure. Failure. Failure.

His fingers move to the bandage hidden beneath his pant leg, digging in as deeply as he dares. Anything to cool the fire burning through his skin.

He failed that crew. He won’t do that again. This time, he’s going to be better. 

But right now, he needs to focus on one thing at a time. One step at a time.

“Brook,” he mutters to himself. “Brook.”

They’re going to Thriller Bark. In three days’ time, they’ll be lost in the fog of Thriller Bark. Zoro will know exactly what’s going to happen. He can get through Thriller Bark on memories. Nothing bad happens to his nakama. There’s nothing to panic about because nothing bad is going to happen to them.

Zoro can control this. And, once Thriller Bark is over with, there won’t need to be any new mysterious wounds. Just breathing will hurt. Just breathing will keep him grounded in reality.

“Umikaze kimakas namimakase. Shio no mukou de yuuhi mo swagu.”

The damn song refuses to leave Zoro’s mind. It bounces around his mind all day, as it had since they left Water 7 and the only way to make it stop is to mutter it under his breath. The sun warms the grass beneath him, spilling down from a clear blue sky without so much as a hint of fog. 

He should probably be training. But, the dull ache in his leg makes it more uncomfortable than it probably should. And he’s exhausted. Every time he closed his eyes, his captain’s face flashed through his mind or his cook’s last words ran through his memories.

His crew’s memory refuses to let him sleep. Almost as though their spirits think he deserves sleep less than he does.

A breeze carries small droplets of sea water across Sunny’s decks. Nami whines about wet droplets on her magazine pages while Robin giggles along with her. Vivi continues her usual routine of hopping around from place to place with her Devil Fruit. Occasionally, Robin or Luffy take a playful swipe at her - as requested by the princess - to help her master using the Devil Fruit as a dodge. 

Chopper hasn’t moved from his new infirmary, still trying to decide where to put what medicines. Usopp and Franky have been testing out the newest upgrades to Usopp’s slingshot while Luffy runs from one end of Sunny’s decks to the other. 

“Sora nya wa kaku, tori no uta. Sayonora minato, tsumugi no sato yo.”

“Oi!” Luffy lands on his lap without warning. “Zoro’s singing!”

The captain rests both arms on Zoro’s shoulders, grinning up at him with excitement lighting up his big brown eyes. The warmth of his rubber captain is familiar, even if its been ages since Luffy crawled into his lap for a nap.

Embarrassment warms his cheeks and he shoves a hand into Luffy’s face, pushing the captain off his lap. “Shut it.” 

If the cook finds out Zoro’s singing to himself, he might never hear the last of it. It’s bad enough the stupid bastard won’t stop looking over at him, as though trying to make sure Zoro isn’t sneaking off on his own.

“That’s Bink’s Sake, right?” Luffy beams at him, crawling back onto Zoro’s lap. 

Zoro’s leg twitches as pain shoots though his thigh.  He bites the inside of his cheek and pulls in a deep breath to keep from batting the captain off and telling him to be more careful. There’s no way for Luffy to know about the wound on his leg.

“I didn’t know you knew that song. Shanks used to sing it in the bar.” Luffy flops bonelessly to the ground, head on Zoro’s shoulder, and grins up at him. “I don’t remember the whole thing. Start at the beginning?”

“Cut it out, Luffy.” 

His captain ignores him, pouting up at him instead.

Zoro moans. 

“Please, Zoro? Please!”

How is he supposed to ignore that pout? The excitement that lights up Luffy’s face at the thought of hearing a song from his childhood. A song that will become the song of the Strawhat Pirates. A song that will lift their spirits and lull them to sleep. 

Their song.

Zoro heaves a sigh and shakes his head. “Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku yo.”

Somehow, despite the distinct lack of a violin and Zoro’s voice carrying the tune instead of Brook’s, it feels right. Sitting on Sunny’s warm deck, basking in the warmth of the sun with nakama safe around them. It feels right. Feels perfect.

He tips his head back, closing his eyes to enjoy the sun against his skin.

“Umikaze kimakas namimakase. Shio no mukou de yuuhi mo swagu. Sora nya wa o kaku, tori no uta. Sayonara minato, tsumugi no sato yo.”

The door to the infirmary opens and Chopper’s hooves click against the deck.

“Don to icchou utao, funade no uta. Kinpa-ginpa mo shibuki ni kaete. Oretacha yuku zo, umi no kargiri. Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku you.”

A small warm body takes up Zoro’s other side as Chopper settles himself in to listen to the song. Even from behind closed eyelids, Zoro senses Usopp and Franky move over to them as well.

“Warera kaizoku, umi watteku. Nami o makura ni, negura wa fune yo. Ho ni hata ni ketateru wa dokuro. Arashi ga kita zo, senri so sora ni.”

“Is Zoro singing?” Nami asks across the deck.

“I believe it’s Bink’s Sake,” Robin replies. “It’s an old pirate shanty. I’m surprised someone as young as Zoro knows it.”

“Nami ga odoru yo, domramu narase. Okubyoukaze ni fukarerya saigo. Asu no asahi go nai ja nashi.”

“Oi, is the shitty marimo singing?”

“Looks like he’s in a good mood,” Vivi says from up beside the cook. “Good. He needs a break.”

“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.”

“Who knew Zoro-bro had such a suuuper voice?”

Robin giggles. “He is rather good, isn’t he?”

“Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku yo. Kyou ka asu ka to yoi no yume. Te o furu kage ni, mou aenai yo. Nani o kuyokuya, asu mo tsukuyo.” 

Chopper’s soft breathing turns deep, lulled to sleep by the combination of soft lyrics and warm sun. This is right. This is what they’re supposed to be doing on Sunny’s decks.

“Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku yo. Don to icchou utao, unaba no uta. Douse dare demo, itsuka wa hone yo. Hatenashi, atenashi, waraibanishi.”

Sleep begins to spread through Zoro as well. This is right. Napping on Sunny’s deck, with Luffy on one side and Chopper on the other, letting the sun warm them and the spray of sea water cool them. Falling asleep on a warm deck with the soft melody of Bink’s Sake filling the air. 

This is where Zoro’s supposed to be.

Every bit of tension begins to slip from Zoro’s body.

His voice slurs just slightly as the song nears its end.

“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.”

Sleep creeps up, numbness lingering in his mind and his body. He’s home.

“Zoro?” A sleepy slur seems to rule his captain’s voice as well.

“Hmm?”

“I’m glad you’re back.”

At least, back for now.

Me too, Sencho. Me too.

Vivi’s spot somehow becomes the railing closest to the stairs. The princess sits up there to giggle at Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp as they run around the deck or to read one of the many books from Robin’s library in the warm sun. The gentle spray of sea water doesn’t seem to bother her the way it bothers Nami. Most of the time, she turns her head into the soft droplets instead of flinching from them.

Zoro waits until the cook disappears to make fresh snacks, Nami vanishes to her charting room, and Robin starts up her casual flirting with Franky to approach the princess. The nosiest members of the crew will be the ones to cause him the most problems. He needs to be normal when they’re around. If there even is a version of normal left in him.

She swings her feet slightly, her attention locked on the book in her hands. She’s already halfway through, surprising since Robin had handed it to her only a few hours earlier. It isn’t until his shadow falls over her that she even pulls her attention away from the pages.

The discomfort on her face is clear, unsure of what to say to him for the first time in months. And guilt rolls from her sad eyes as she stares at him.

After a long moment, Zoro moves to lean on the rail beside her, gaze sweeping the decks closely.

“I’m sorry,” he offers.

Vivi closes her book, settling it on her lap with both hands clasped on the spine. “I’m not.” Each word leaves her lips with careful deliberation. “I know that this is probably the hardest thing that you’ve ever had to do and I know that it’s harder on you than it is on me. But, Zoro, I don’t think we should be doing this by ourselves. Luffy-san would be so angry.” 

“Probably,” Zoro admits. Because Luffy would be pissed. “But, I. I can’t.”

“Why? They're our nakama.”

And I failed them.

“The answer is no, Vivi.” Zoro keeps sharp eyes on the kitchen door as he digs his thumb into his thigh. Tackle the panic before it can even show up.

Her gaze bores into him, such thick sadness in the air that Zoro thinks he might suffocate on it before his panic manages it. “I don’t want to watch you destroy yourself.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.” Her voice shakes around tears. “Zoro, all you’ve done since we got back is destroy yourself.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does.”

“It doesn’t.” He presses his thumb against his wound again, gripping as tightly as he can. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Why?”

“Because without them, I’m already destroyed.” He pulls his gaze from the kitchen to look at her. Heartbroken eyes meet his. “It’s okay, Vivi. I’m okay.”

“You’re not.”

Zoro turns his gaze back out to Sunny’s lawn. Chopper giggles madly while Luffy chases him around the mast and Usopp tries to sneak up on their captain. Some of the weight leaves his chest. A smile pulls at his lips.

“Yeah, I am. As long as I can protect them, I’ll be okay.”

I’ll find the strength to get back up again.

Vivi falls quiet for a long moment. “I don’t understand,” she admits. “But for now , I’ll trust you on that.”

“One thousand fifty-three. One thousand fifty-four. One thousand fifty-five.”

Sweat slips down his skin, settling in his harmaki and pants. Sunlight fills the room, doing nothing to help the heat pushing against his skin. The weights aren’t quite as heavy as he remembers. Though, to be fair, Zoro knows he’s stronger now than he was then.

He feels his captain’s presence before the hatch opens. Luffy’s laughter had been filling the air for hours, only to vanish about five minutes ago. Usopp and Chopper are still running around, he can hear their footfall and the creak of Sunny’s swing as Chopper jumps on it every few steps. Luffy leaps into the crows’ nest with ease, blinking around at the room as Zoro hefts the weight up again.

“Yo, Zoro!”

“Yo, Sencho. One thousand sixty. One thousand sixty-one.”

“‘S almost time for dinner,” Luffy tells him. 

“One thousand sixty-two. Did the shit cook send you up to get me? One thousand sixty-three.”

“No.”

“Something wrong? One thousand sixty-four. One thousand sixty-five.”
“No.”

“One thousand sixty-six. You get bored of Chopper and Usopp. One thousand sixty-eight.”

“No.”

Luffy settles himself on one of the benches, watching Zoro lift and lower the weight. His captain’s gaze feels warmer than it once had, though not quite dangerous or questioning. Just, there. Watching Zoro’s every move.

Heaving a sigh, Zoro lets the weight rest on the ground. “What, Sencho?”

Luffy stares up at him, hat hanging loosely around his shoulders. “I changed my mind.”

Zoro’s brow furrows. “Changed your mind?”

“Yup,” Luffy leaps to his feet, moving his hat up to his head. “Zoro’s still training, a lot .”

Zoro’s stomach sinks as he watches his captain rock on his toes. “And?”

“And, that means Zoro’s still scared of the bad stuff. So, I changed my mind.”

He’s going to make you tell him. The thought makes Zoro sick. 

Shit, Luffy’s going to make Zoro tell him what’s going on. Luffy’s going to make Zoro tell him everything. Tell him that he failed this crew. His nakama will know he let them die. They’ll never forgive him.

“I want Zoro to teach me.”

Zoro’s mind stumbles to a stop. “What?”

“That cool stuff that Zoro does with his swords. I did it with my arms when I fought Pigeon Guy, but I did it by accident. So, I want Zoro to teach me how to do it.”

Zoro blinks.

“Told you, didn’t I?” Luffy smiles at him. “It’s not Zoro’s job to protect our crew all by himself. So, I gotta get stronger too, so I can help. Teach me.”

Not a request. An order.

“Yosh.”

As though Zoro has a choice in the matter now. Luffy beams at him nonetheless.

“Hooray Now, lets go nap before dinner.”

“Luffy, I’m not done-”

“Yup you are. C’mon. Let’s go nap!”

Rubber arms wrap around Zoro, dragging him away from the weights and back onto Sunny’s deck. Luffy laughs wildly as they land with a resounding thud.

Zoro sits himself up, shoving a hand into Luffy’s face. “Oi, oi! Quit throwing me places!”

“Shishishi!”

Chapter Text

Laughter fills the air. Chopper and Usopp leap from the swing while Robin watches them with a fond smile, watering the flower beds along the deck. Vivi glances up from her book in time to see Usopp flying through the air to land on his feet. Chopper cheers wildly. Sanji vanishes into the kitchen with promises of fresh drinks and Nami goes to check in on Franky.

Perfect weather surrounds them, white clouds floating by in the easy wind. Warm rays of sun spill down across the decks. The crows’ nest trembles lightly every few minutes, drawing Robin’s attention as often as it draws Vivi’s.

Luffy and Zoro had spent breakfast with them and then vanished into the crows’ nest. When asked, their captain had only shot them a wide grin and declared that Zoro was teaching him a secret. The smile on the swordsman’s face leaves a lingering feeling of relief in her chest. And the song he’s been singing for the best week refuses to leave her mind.

The soft humming from Robin tells Vivi that she isn’t the only one with that problem.

“Me next! Me next!” Chopper cheers.

“How is your book, princess-san?” Robin asks, empty watering can hanging from her fingers as she walks over to the rail.

“Wonderful.” Vivi smiles at Robin, slipping her bookmark into the book and closing it. “But, you know that.”

“Indeed, I do.”

The ship trembles again. Robin turns to look up at the crows’ nest as Luffy’s enthusiastic laughter breaks through the air.

“Well, it seems that our captain and swordsman are having a wonderful time.”

Vivi hums her agreement. “It sounds like it.”

“That’s good. Navigator-san informed me that our swordsman has been acting oddly for quite some time.”

Vivi bites her lower lip to keep from telling Robin that Zoro is acting exactly how anyone who’d seen their nakama die would act. Her eyes move to the crows’ nest again. He’s been so admit about not saying anything and, yet, the heavy pressure in her chest screams that she needs to. Needs to stop lying to her nakama.

“He’s.” Vivi pauses, searching for the correct words. “Getting better.”

Robi leans against the railing, calculating eyes moving over her slowly. “Well, Sencho did seem rather on top of the world when he sat out and sang to us the other day. Quite curious. Bink’s Sake is a very old pirate shanty. Wherever would a young ex-bounty hunter have picked that up?”

Vivi’s breath sticks in her throat and she glances down at Robin’s smiling face. When Robin had stepped onto the ship. Zoro had been increasingly paranoid about the archaeologist figuring out the truth. Then, Viv thought that he’d simply been anxious and unable to to cope with the mounting trauma. Now, she can’t help but think that he might have a point.

Inquisitive eyes watch her closely, despite the sweet smile. Robin is looking for information. She has suspicions and now she’s trying to research. Vivi, it seems, is her newest book.

“Well,” Vivi says, pulling her gaze away. “Mr. Bushido has spent a lot of time in bars all over. Perhaps he heard the song in one of the taverns.”

“Perhaps.”

“Vivi! Robin!” Nami calls from the aquarium. “Our drinks are ready.”

Vivi slips from the railing, book tucked under her arm. “We should go. Sanji-san worked hard on those drinks.”

Robin hums. “I’ll meet you in a moment. I just have a few more flowers to water.”

Nodding, Vivi makes her way to the aquarium. The soft hum of Bink’s Sake reaches Vivi’s ears as she opens the door. Nami pulls a tray of drinks from the dumb waiter, her body swaying softly as she sings the tune. 

“I see the tune is stuck in your head too, Nami-san,” Vivi says.

Nami laughs, turning to her. “I think everyone has it stuck in their head. Zoro’s been singing it for days.”

“It is very catchy.” Vivi takes one of the drinks from the tray, settling herself on the bench beside the fishtank.

“Oi, why don’t you shitheads do something useful with all this energy,” Sanji calls from outside.

“Are Luffy and Zoro still up in the gym?” Nami asks.

Vivi nods. “I don’t think they’ll be out until lunch. That’s how they were yesterday too.” Her eyes move up to the ceiling. “I wonder what they’re doing up there.”

Nami wiggles her eyebrows suggestively. “Well, something that shakes the entire ship and makes Luffy laugh a lot.”

“Why are you-” Vivi cuts herself off with a gasp as the realization of Nami’s suggestion. Embarrassment heats her cheeks at the thought of Luffy and Zoro stealing kisses instead of training. “Nami-san!”

Nami bursts into laughter. “What? Oh, come on, Vivi. They spend hours up there, shaking the ship, laughing like madmen, come down exhausted, Zoro’s been in a weirdly good mood. It’s the only explanation.”

Moaning, Vivi buries her head in her hands. “They’re just training.”

“That’s what they want us to think.”

“Nami-san.” 

“It’s a pretty good cover up. But there’s no way that little gym is big enough for Zoro and Luffy to be training .”

The floor trembles beneath their feet. Nami’s laughter grows.

Robin’s giggles join her as the archaeologist opens the door to join them. Vivi peeks out from her fingers at the older woman, watching Robin pick up a drink and settles on Vivi’s other side.

“Whatever is wrong, princess-san?”

“Vivi doesn’t want to think about all the training Luffy and Zoro are doing upstairs.”

“Nami-san!”

Robin laughs furiously. 

Vivi desperately wishes the ground would swallow her whole. 

“Oh, look,” Robin says. “Usopp’s fishing.”

Grateful for the topic change, Vivi looks up to see their sniper in the fishtank, armed with what looks like two oversized spatulas. A group of octopi scoot themselves to a far corner of the tank as Usopp approaches them, spatulas out. For a moment, all in the fishtank is still. Then, Usopp strikes. 

Octopus after octopus flies out of the tank while the remaining sea creatures attach themselves to Usopp. The sniper begins to pull against them, trying to flail them off.

“Oh no!” Vivi leaps to her feet, staring at the tank.

One of the octopi shoots ink out, water turning stark black.

Robin appears at her shoulder. “Well, that doesn’t look good.” 

Nami pulls open the door. “Usopp’s in trouble! He’s being attacked by a school of octopi!”

Chopper hooves clap across the deck as he begins running around deck, crying for help. Two telltale thuds of Luffy and Zoro descending the crows’ nest follow the shouts. 

“Here, this will help us see! Gomu Gomu no Gatling!”

“Luffy, you idiot!” 

Water sloshes rapidly as Luffy’s fists fly in and out. Vivi gasps, taking a few steps back and staring at the octopi flying into the glasses.

“It worked!” Luffy cheers above them.

“Luffy, you jerk!” Usopp shouts.

“Oh, well, it appears that our captain has things under control.” Robin giggles.

“That idiot.” Nami turns to storm out the door. “What was he thinking?”

Vivi lets out a sigh. “So much for a relaxing day.”

By the time they make it to the back of Sunny’s deck, Usopp is still yelling at Luffy while Chopper laughs at the ink stained sniper. Zoro leans against the railing, shaking his head at the shouting boys and Sanji demands how hard it is for them to catch an octopus. 

“What are you idiots doing?” Nami shouts, slapping the back of Luffy’s head. 

Sighing, Vivi slips past the navigator to settle herself on the railing beside Zoro. He doesn’t acknowledge her, still watching the scene before them with an almost amused smirk. Seawater peppers Vivi’s skin, cool breeze blowing across Sunny’s decks. 

Her gaze scans the water, watching the sun cause diamonds to sparkle across the surface. Brown and black bobs through the beauty. She leans a little further back on the rail, squinting at the strange form as it floats toward them.

“Mr. Bushido.” Vivi taps Zoro’s shoulder before pointing out at the water. “What’s that?”

Everyone’s eyes snap to them. In seconds, the rest of the crew - minus Franky - crowd around the railing to look out at the sea.

Zoro lets out a long breath. “It’s trouble.”

“We made it.” Usopp slumps against the railing between Vivi and Zoro.

Thick fog surrounds them and darkness has fallen, despite the lack of thunder and rain. But, it shouldn’t be night yet. It’d barely been noon when the storm hit. 

“Yeah, made it out of the storm.” Sanji lights another cigarette. “But, where the hell are we?” 

“Yeah? When did it become night?” Luffy asks.

“I don’t think it’s night, Luffy-san,” Vivi tells him, her eyes locked on the dark clouds above them. Just enough light leaks through the sky to illuminate everyone, like they’re awaiting a harsh storm. “I think it's this fog.”

“I think.” Nami says, voice hesitant with awe. “I think this is it.” 

The crew turn to her as one. 

“I think we paddled Sunny right into that sea Kokoro was talking about. Oh geez, I wasn’t ready for this.”

“Wah! You don’t mean!” Usopp’s high pitched scream slams into Vivi’s ear and she winces away from him. “We’re not in. That scary ghost ship sea!”

“The Floridian Triangle.” Mischief glints in Franky’s eyes. “You know they also call it, The Devil’s Triangle!”

Usopp begins to whimper madly. The sound of Zoro’s amused huff is drowned by Luffy’s own, impish laugh. 

“Bring on the ghosts. I can’t wait.” The captain jumps up on the railing, leaning over to Usopp.

“Shut up!” Usopp cries, shoving past Vivi to stick a finger in Luffy’s face. “You guys aren’t funny! That’s just a story that old granny to told us to scare us.”

“Ah! Z-Zoro.” Chopper attaches himself to Zoro’s leg. 

A poorly concealed smirk covers Zoro’s lips as he drops a hand to rest on Chopper’s hat. Vivi giggles as Luffy slips off the railing, cackling madly.

“Nope! It’s all real. I heard there’s even zombies out here.”

The color drains from Usopp’s face as he turns back to the captain. “Why are you happy about this, Luffy?”

A match sizzles into life as Sanji puts a new cigarette in his mouth. “You’re letting your imaginations run wild.” With the darkness of the fog and the soft light of the match mixing on his face, Sanji looks like he belongs in one of Robin’s horror novels. “Don’t worry, Usopp. There’s no ghosts out here. The simple truth is every year over a hundred ships go missing in these seas with no explanation. They say the sailor’s souls stay on the ships, wandering for all eternity.”

Usopp screams, hands shooting into the air. Vivi presses a hand to her lips to stifle her giggles. Beside her, Zoro lets out a long suffering sigh as Chopper begins to climb up his leg and attatches himself to Zoro’s hip with a cry.

“Chopper,” Zoro says, surprisingly patient. “The cook’s just being a shit head. There’s no ghosts out here. We’re going to be fine.”

“But Zo-Ro!” Chopper cires. “What if we get sucked into the sea and we have to wander for all eternity?”

“I’m going to cover myself in anti-ghost stuff!” Usopp shouts, sprinting toward the men’s bunkroom.

“Usopp!” Chopper sobs, jumping off Zoro to follow the sniper. “You’ve got to let me borrow some. Please!”

Zoro shakes his head after them, leaning back against the railing and looking out at the fog around them. The rest of the crew erupt in laughter, not quite able to drown out Zoro’s soft voice once again humming Bink’s Sake. 

“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.” Vivi’s heart stops when an eerie voice rings out over Zoro’s.

The rest of the crew freeze as well, gasping. Usopp and Chopper freeze outside the bunkroom, the small doctor clinging to their sniper. Everyone turns, desperately looking around them as the voice continues to echo. Vivi turns to look out at the sean, searching for the source of the noise. It’s only then that she sees the content smile on Zoro’s face.

“We’ll meet Brook, our musician.”

“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.”

This is Thriller Bark. And that voice, that must be Brook.

Uncertainty melts from her bones. A smile graces her face. Another missing nakama to check off the list. 

“No!” Usopp’s scream startles her. 

Everyone turns to see a large ship, tattered sails swaying in the breath, floating toward them. The black flag a top the mast, full of holes, holds a Jolly Roger that’s been torn and worn by time. The rest of the crew cry out along with Usopp and Vivi can’t help but take a step closer to Zoro as the swordsman straightens himself up to look at the large ship.

“It’s a Ghost Ship!” The crew - sans Zoro, Vivi, and, surprisingly, Robin - scream.

“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho. Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.”

The ship passes them with leisurely ease. 

Nami collapses to her knees. “We’re gonna die!” 

“This is the song of the damned! Cover your ears or you’ll be cursed!” Usopp shouts, Chopper screaming out in fear beside him. “If you talk back to the ghosts then you’ll be pulled into the sea! Don’t answer them! No matter what they say to you. They’ll steal your souls and bind them to the ghost ship!”

Zoro lets out a choked laugh. Vivi turns her attention to the swordsman, who has his head down, lips pressed together as he tries to hold back a laugh. 

“I take it, this is Brook,” she whispers.

Zoro nods, eyes alight with happiness as he looks up at the ship. “Yeah. He’s the second biggest scaredy cat on this crew.”

“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.”

“Why is he singing?” 

Zoro shrugs. “He’s been stuck on that ship by himself for fifty years. I think he sings everywhere he goes right now. Anything’s better than silence.”

“Look, up on deck,” Sanji says. “There’s someone up there.”

Vivi turns back to look up at the ship again. Zoro tenses beside her, as though trying to keep himself from jumping onto the ship. In the darkness of Thriller Bark, Brook looks absolutely terrifying. His white bones stand out against the dark black of his suit and afro. In his hand, he holds a steaming tea cup, and his eye sockets stare at them with no emotion or recognition.

A shiver tears through Vivi’s spine. 

“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.”

The ship passes by as the rest of their crew whimpers in fear and Zoro’s tense, desperate energy rolls from beside her. 

“Oi! Did you all see that?” Luffy asks, spinning to look at them. “There was a singing skelton on that ship!”

“No way! Skeletons are dead. You’re seeing things. That wasn’t real!” Usopp screeches.

Luffy ignores him, bolting over to the cook. “Sanji, come on. You heard him, right?” He spins to look at Zoro, eyes shining with adventure. “Please? Can we go? If he sings, think of all the other cool stuff he can do.”

Chuckling softly, Zoro makes his way into the kitchen to look for something.

Luffy bolts to go for the ship, but Sanji catches the back of his vest. “Hold on. You can’t go alone.”

“So, somebody can come with me!” Luffy wiggles his way out of the cook’s grip.

Sanji sighs, lighting a fresh cigarette. Robin, Franky, and Sanji join their captain on the railing, preparing to jump onto the ship. Vivi pauses behind them, staring up at the four with wide eyes.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

“Well,” Sanji stretches his arms up and gives Vivi a smile. “Someone has to accompany our idiot captain, Vivi-chan. I want to ensure that this creature poses no threat to you, Nami-san, or Robin-chan.”

“We’ll draw for it,” Zoro says, emerging with straws clenched in his hand.

“That’s not fair,” Usopp cries.

“Zoro don’t make us.” Chopper leaps to Zoro’s shoulders, tears of terror running down his face.

“Let the people who want to go actually go!” Nami orders.

“You guys really sure that’s how you want to do this?” Zoro asks, gesturing to the rest of the crew, preparing to board the ship.

“Everybody ready to see some ghosts?” Luffy asks.

Franky strikes a pose. “Suuuuper!”

Smirk firmly in place, Zoro winks at Vivi as he begins to walk away from the terrified group. Chopper lets out a squeak of fear, lunging to grab one of Zoro’s scabbards. Usopp and Nami scramble to grab hold of Chopper, trying to keep Zoro from leaving them. Vivi can’t help but smile back at him.

“Zoro, I changed my mind,” Chopper cries. “I like the drawing thing after all.”

“Chopper’s right. Please?” Usopp whimpers. “We’re scared. You can’t leave all the weak people alone on the ship.”

“We’ll draw!” Nami sobs. “We’ll draw! Just don’t leave us alone!”

“No.” Luffy turns to look at them with a frown on his face. “That takes too long. Zoro and Vivi can come. Everybody else wait here.”

The ship falls silent. Vivi blinks, staring up at her captain as he grins at his shocked and speechless first mate. All eyes turn to Luffy, brows raised high.

“How do you figure that?” Sanji asks.

“Cause, Zoro knows everything. And Vivi knows Zoro,” Luffy replies matter of factly. “So, if something bad’s gonna happen, they’ll know. Come on, Zoro. Let’s go!”

Rubber arms shoot out to snatch the swordsman and pull him over to the railing. Zoro lets out a yelp of surprise as he’s pulled onto the rail and Sanji bolts out of the way, yelling at Luffy to be more careful. 

Robin steps down with a giggle, ushering Vivi up to the railing in her place. Everyone stares between her and Zoro. 

“Luffy!” Nami breaks out of her trace first. “What if Vivi doesn’t want to go?”

“It’s alright, Nami-san,” Vivi says before Luffy can reply. “I don’t mind.”

Even though the ship dwarfs Sunny and there could be any number of dangers on it. But, Brook is on there. The crew has done this before and Zoro shows no signs of panic or unease. 

“Then, let’s go!” Luffy shouts, arms wrapping around Zoro and Vivi.

Vivi barely has time to let out a startled yelp before they land on the rowboat below, Luffy’s laughter still ringing out as Zoro shoves him to the floor.

“Warn people before you do that!” Zoro orders. “And stop throwing me places!”

Vivi glances up at the rest of the crew, leaning against the rail to watch the swordsman row them toward the ghost ship. It's even more intimidating up close, not that it does anything to slow Luffy down. The captain throws himself onto the road net and begins to climb. 

“He’s excited.”

“He’s about to get a skeleton musician,” Zoro tells her. “He’s been wishing for this since the East Blue. Come on.”

Vivi doesn’t miss the smile in his voice as he begins to climb. Then he pauses, turning to look down at her with a sheepish smile.

“Oh, and. He’s going to ask to see your panties.”

Heat races to Vivi’s face in a furious blush. “He’s going to what?”

“Come on.”

Fighting the shock and embarrassment in her bones, Vivi lets out a small moan and grabs the rope. The last thing she needs is to be left behind. Her arms throb in protest as she pulls her weight up the ropes. Above them, Brook appears, leaning over the edge of the ship to look down at them. Luffy lets out a cheer. Vivi tries to tame the shiver racing through her at the sight of those black, lifeless eye sockets. Brook will be nakama. She can’t be afraid of him.

But it’s hard. A literal skeleton - living skeleton - sits above her head. Her breath trembles as it escapes her lungs.

Zoro steadies her as she pulls herself over the rotting railing. A strange lightness has settled over the swordsman. Vivi can see his barely concealed smile with ease, eyes unusually free of exhaustion and mild panic.

Behind them, Luffy lets out an awed breath. Vivi settles herself on the deck, look up at the unusual tall skeleton with a purple can hanging around his wrist.

“Well, my goodness,” Brook says. “Good afternoon. Yohohoho! Thank you all for stopping by! Please excuse me for not greeting you properly. I really was quite surprised. It’s been so many years you see, wandering these waters all alone. I’m so used to ghost ships that I must admit, humans frightened me. Yohohoho, that’s quite ironic, isn’t it? But, please, come in. Take a seat. I’m sure you have many tales to share.”

“Oi! Oi, Zoro!” An excited grin consumes Luffy’s face. “He can talk!”

“Aye, Sencho,” Zoro chuckles. “I hear him.”

“He’s a singing, talking, afro skeleton!”

Brook turns back toward them. It’s impossible to tell who he’s looking at. Vivi shifts uncomfortable from behind the beaming captain and amused swordsman. 

“Oh my,” Brook says. “What a charming young woman you are. Absolutely beautiful.”

Vivi blinks up at the skeleton. “Oh. Um.”

“I am all eyes, for ladies like you. Or I would be. If I had any eyes. Yohohoho!” 

The skeleton places his cup on a nearby table, sets down his cane and straightens the bowtie around his neck. Then, he takes a step toward her. His unreadable face dries her mouth and from the corner of her eye, she sees Zoro press his lips together, once again trying to hold back a laugh. Vivi glares at the swordsman. 

“I would be honored,” Brook says with a small bow. “If you would let me see your panties.”

“What? No!” Vivi cries, diving to grab Zoro’s arm and hide behind him.

“I warned you,” Zoro mutters as Vivi digs her fingernails into his arm.

Luffy lets out a loud laugh, the sound echoing around the empty air. “Oi, oi! Mr. Skeleton. Do you poop?”

Unable to hold in the whine of embarrassment, Vivi hides her face in Zoro’s shoulder. The swordsman’s shoulders shake, though he does nothing to hold in his own laughter. 

Brook crosses to get his tea again, taking a small sip. “Why yes, I poop.”

Vivi moans.

“Suge!” Luffy’s eyes sparkle. “Suge! Oi, oi! Would you like to join my crew?”

“Luffy-san!” Vivi peeks out from Zoro’s shoulder to stare at her captain in shock.

Luffy hasn’t even known Brook for five minutes yet. When Zoro told her the skeleton is nakama, she assumed that they would get to know him over the course of a few days, like Franky, before the captain offers him a place on his crew. Not a mere few minutes without so much as asking his name.

“Yes.” Book says. Though it's impossible to tell if he’s smiling, Vivi thinks his voice sounds happy. “Certainly.”

“I thought you went with Luffy to keep him from doing anything stupid!” Sanji shouts.

Zoro glances at him boredly across the table. “Who said that ?”

“It’s implied!” Nami shrieks. “Whoever goes with Luffy goes to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

Zoro lets out a disinterested hum. Nami collapses into the seat beside Vivi, burying her face in Vivi’s shoulder to hide her face from Brook. The skeleton laughs at their captain from the other end of the table.

“Sorry, Nami-san,” Vivi offers.

“It isn’t your fault,” Nami sighs. “Zoro’s supposed to be the one who controls Luffy.”

Zoro folds his arms on the table to rest his chin on them, eyes closed. “That was never specified.”

“I’m upping your debt two hundred and fifty percent.”

“You can’t do that!”

“I just did!”

Chopper and Usopp continue to hold their crosses out and at Brook while the musician continues to compliment the spacious gallery. Franky basks in the praise.

“Franky, don’t get friendly with the skeleton,” Sanji orders, moving to continue dinner.

Luffy and Brook begin clinking their silverware, laughing about the upcoming food. Nami moans, sinking even further into Vivi’s shoulder. Across the table, Zoro smiles at them fondly. 

“My dear boy.” Brook turns to look at Sanji. “Could I have a glass of milk? It is good for the bones. Yohohoho!”

Brook and Luffy introduce themselves as Sanji begins to lay out their dinner. Vivi stares at her captain, eyes widening as she realizes for the first time that Luffy never once mentioned his name to the skeleton. And, just because she and Zoro knew Brook’s name, it didn’t mean the rest of the crew did.

“Oh my,” she mutters. “Our captain invited a complete stranger to join this crew.”

Nami lets out a sob.

“Alright, food’s ready!” Sanji announces. “We can finish interrogating the skeleton later. For now, let’s make good of all those octopi Usopp caught.”

Luffy squeals with joy. “Brook, eat all of this you want! Sanji makes the best food!”

Dinner continues with surprising normalcy. Luffy tells Brook about Sunny’s many forms and spouts off a few of their more tame adventures. Chopper and Usopp reluctantly take their seats at the table, shoveling food into their mouths. Vivi glances around the table carefully, watching her captain bond with his newest nakama while the rest of the crew grumble amongst themselves. All except Zoro, watching Brook and Luffy with soft eyes.

Once the meal has finally been cleaned from the table, Brook begins telling them about his Devil Fruit and the tale of his crew. Vivi’s heart breaks for him, though she can’t keep her gaze from flickering to Zoro. The swordsman keeps his eyes on the table, as though unable to look Brook in the eyes. Or, lack thereof. She doesn’t miss the way his hand slips beneath the table, probably to hide his clenched fists.

“Oh, you got lost, huh?” Luffy lets out a sharp laugh as Brook finishes telling them why his body was reanimated as a skeleton. “So, you’re stupid, just like Zoro!”

“Oi, oi.” The swordsman shoves a hand into Luffy’s face. “I don’t wanna hear that from you, moron.”

“So, you aren’t actually a ghost after all?” Usopp leans closer, cross held high. “You’re just an ordinary human like us. Well, normal is a stretch. But, you’re definitely not a ghost?”

“Oh heavens no!” Brook’s hands raise to touch his cheeks in what appears to be terror. “I hate ghosts. If I saw one, I would scream my lungs out. That is, if I had any, of course.”

Nami sighs, standing from her place and snatching one of her spare handheld mirrors from one of the tables. “You’re afraid of ghosts?” she asks, holding the mirror up. “Have you seen yourself?”

Brook screams in horror. “No. No mirrors!”

Vivi starts, wide eyes finding Zoro. He puts a hand up, in a calming gesture, mouthing “it’s okay”.

“Why don’t you show up in the mirror?” Usopp and Chopper cry together. “Ah! Vampire!”

Nami dives behind the table, Usopp and Chopper grabbing their crosses again as Franky and Sanji tense, ready for a fight. Luffy throws himself to his feet with a scream of “suge!”. Vivi blinks around at the crew, watching all of them all panic.

“Ah!” Usopp shouts, jumping back further. “Look at his feet. He doesn’t even have a shadow.”

Oh. Right. Zoro had warned her about this already.

“We’ll meet Brook, our musician. His shadow has been stolen by a Shichibukai and we’ll help him get it back.”

She glances at him again, watching him stare boredly at the skeleton. Brook sits back in his chair, taking another sip of tea. The others seem to settle around him, his defenseless stature seeming to calm most of their nerves.

“I suppose I should tell you the rest of the story about what happened while I was drifting in this evil sea. And the second tragedy that befell me.”

Brook’s tale sends goosebumps up Vivi’s arms. His loneliness breaks her heart, a poor man locked on the seas for decades, all by himself. Unable to leave without risking death by the merest ray of sunlight.

Luffy’s insistence to help him regain his shadow comes as no surprise, even as Brook insists he won’t accept it. Zoro’s anxiousness to arrive at Thriller Bark has made it perfectly clear that Brook will become a valued member of this crew.

“Why don’t I play a song for you?” Brook offers, as though hoping it will distract their captain from his demands to help.

Vivi watches Zoro shift himself, resting his chin in his hand in a vain attempt to hide the smile crossing his lip. 

“This is my home. But it’s. Brook isn’t singing. And it doesn’t feel like home.”

For the first time in months, Zoro will feel like he’s home again. She turns her attention back to the skeleton, listening to her captain gush over how badly he wants a musician.

“Yohohoho. I haven’t played music for anyone to hear in years. But, here it goes.”

Anticipation fills Vivi’s chest. Finally, she gets to hear the Strawhats’ musician play the song Zoro’s been using to comfort himself for well over a week. Brook raises his string to his violin, preparing to start the song. And then freezes.

With a sharp shriek, he falls back, head tilted up to look at something on the wall above them.

“Gh-gh-ghost!” Brook cries.

Vivi volts her feet, cries of shock and fear. Nami’s hands latch onto Vivi’s arm and Chopper scrambles to grip her leg in horror. A white blob with black eyes and pink lips shoves itself through the wall. The ship around them begins to shake, Brook sprinting to the front of the ship. The others pour out after him, leaving only Zoro and Vivi in the gallery.

“Damnit, Perona,” he mutters.

“Perona?” Vivi echoes.

“Long story. Pain in my ass, ghost girl.” 

Brook runs back through, throwing open the back door and calling for the others to follow him. Vivi keeps herself rooted to her spot, looking to Zoro for answers as the other spill onto the back deck.

“Moria has us trapped here,” Zoro tells her, sliding his katana into their place at his hip and walking toward the back door. “We’re in a bit of trouble.”
“A bit?”

“Nothing to worry about.” Zoro shrugs. “We’ll have it sorted out in no time.”

Vivi sighs. “I’m not sure I believe that. So, Moria. Steals shadows, puts Luffy in a giant.”

“That’s him.”

Vivi freezes in the doorway, staring up at the mass of ruined buildings hidden beneath thick waves of fog. 

“Where did that creepy island come from?” Luffy asks, moving himself to stand on the rail.

“This is the ghost island that wanders throughout the Floridian Triangle,” Brook tells them, dread clear in his voice. “They call it Thriller Bark.”

A strange pressure settles across Vivi’s shoulder, as though eyes are locked on her. She crosses her arms over her chest, trying to bring some warmth to the cold chills shooting down her spine. Around her the rest of the crew praise Franky for the creation of the Mini Merry. Vivi’s heart had soared at the sight of the small vessel, but most of the excitement drains from her as paranoia slithers up her spine. 

Someone is watching her.

Zoro raises an eyebrow at her as she shuffles closer to him, pulling his gaze from the laughing trio riding Mini Merry through the open water. 

“Vivi.”  

She starts at the voice, spinning to look behind her. An empty deck greets her.

“Vivi?” Zoro asks. “What is it?”

She lets out a shaky breath. “Nothing. Nothing. I guess this ghost talk is just getting to me.”

“Well, don’t let it. There’s no ghosts. An invisible guy. Some zombies. Perona. But no actual ghosts.”

“An invisible guy?” Vivi hisses.

Zoro nods. “I can feel him. He’s hiding on the other side of the Sunny. I’ll take care of him before he does anything dangerous, don’t worry.”

Letting out a small moan, Vivi nods. Zoro turns back to look out at the Mini Merry vanishing toward the waves. Another cool pressure lingers on Vivi’s shoulder, as though a breath tickles her neck. She snaps a hand behind her, briefly wondering if the invisible man has arrived without Zoro’s knowledge.

Again, only empty air meets her. 

“Vivi.”

She glances over her shoulder again, swallowing hard and trying to keep her paranoia from building. Her fingers move up, brushing the ribbon in her hair again. 

“Luffy-san,” she whispers.

Behind her, Luffy laughs, cheering on about Mini Merry.

“Vivi!” Nami calls.

Turning back around, Vivi makes her way to the rail and looks down. Nami smiles up at her, waving furiously.

“Come on! You’re going to stay on the ship with us while they go ashore, right? Come for a quick ride on Merry with us.”

Some of the fear leaves her shoulders. If the three most cowardly members of their crew can relax, then she should find a way to relax too. She nods down at the crew, pushing herself up onto the railing.

“Hogback is a bad guy,” Zoro whispers. 

Vivi spins to look down at him, eyes widening a fraction as he gives her a small smile. Not stopping her for going with them, but warning her that if she does, they’ll be separated. Vivi sighs, swinging her legs over the side.

“Oh, and watch out for the zombies.” 

“I hate you,” Vivi tells him.

She drops into the boat. 

Chapter Text

Nami’s scream echoes from the island. In the thick fog, it’s nearly impossible to tell which direction the noise came from. The cook lets out a shout, calling for her and Vivi as he leans against the railing, searching for them in the fog.

Robin lets out a thoughtful hum. “Perhaps they fell victim to a curse from that ghost.”

“Oi!” Franky shouts. “Don’t say stuff like that!”

“It also could have been another form of the undead, I suppose.”

Zoro sighs. “Robin, stop it.”

The anchor drops in the sea with a splash. The cook and Franky immediately begin to panic as the thick presence of the damn cat slinks across the deck. The hatch flies open, cutting off the cook’s demands for Franky to fix all these glitches. Silence falls as they wall turn toward it. Zoro drops his arms, fingers playing with Wadou’s hilt as he waits for the catman to move for his swords.

Thick fog continues to float around them, making it all the more difficult to see. The cat moves by him, toward Luffy as the captain begins muttering about ghosts. Luffy’s lips begin stretching in opposite directions, as though being pulled on by a force that can’t be seen.

Damn cat.

“Oi, will you stop messing around?” the cook shouts. “Take things seriously, you shit captain.”

“Wait, wait.” Luffy throws his hands up to try and calm the angry blonde. “It’s not me. I’m not doing this!”

His lips snap back and Luffy drops to the ground with a yelp. The cat moves on to him. Zoro’s eyes follow the presence, glaring as he slips Wadou loose and slashes out. A loud growl fills the air around them as the cat moves to the edge of the ship, as though trying to size them all up. Luffy scrambles to his feet.

“Zoro?” Luffy asks.

“There’s someone on Sunny,” Zoro growls.

The cat remains at the railing, its presence thick and uncomfortable in the air. Briefly, he wonders if the invisible man is weighing his options. Last time the pervert had gone after Robin. Now, he seems to be unsure if he should move. Wondering if Zoro can see him.

Not with his eyes.

“What?” Franky asks, glancing over at him. “You think there’s a ghost on board?”

Zoro shakes his head. “Devil Fruit.”

The cook moves to the railing. “Then, you deal with the Devil Fruit user, marimo. I’ll get Nami-san and Vivi-chan. Take care of Robin-chan.”

The cat lunges, catching the cook’s ankle as he jumps. He flails for a moment before hitting the side of Sunny. Then, the cat pulls him up again and it almost looks as though the cook is flying.

“Suge!” Luffy shouts. “Sanji can fly.”

Not yet.

“He can’t fly,” Franky says. “Can he?”

The cat spins the cook by the leg before throwing him at Zoro. Zoro steps out of the way, fighting his smirk as the cook lands hard on his front.

“Having trouble, shit cook?”

“This isn’t funny, you bastard!” The cook leaps to his feet. “You saw what happened!”

Weight moves towards Robin and Zoro moves as well, slashing Wadou out again. The cat growls, more frustration and rage this time, though he manages to dodge out of Wadou’s distance. Robin takes half a step back, eyes wide as Zoro stops in front of her, eyes following the presence of the invisible man as he danes away.

“What the hell is going on?” the cook demands.

Sunny rocks hard, everyone stumbles. Robin’s hand snatching the back of Zoro’s shirt to steady herself. The cook lands hard on his ass while Luffy stumbles back with Franky. A variety of curses rise from the cyborg as he grabs Sunny’s rail and looks out at the water.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Franky calls. “But we’ve got waves inside the wall. We’re being pushed away from the island.”

Well, shit.

“Zoro?” Luffy calls.

“Cook, I’m going to raise the anchor. Get to the wheel.” Zoro bolts for the anchor, fighting to keep himself steady as the Sunny tilts in the waves. “Franky, don’t let Luffy or Robin fall overboard.”

“You got it, Zoro-bro!”

It’s a waste of time, Zoro knows. These waves will throw them right into that shitty spiderweb and they’ll be stranded. But, it will keep the crew a little more at ease if they at least try to do something. 

“This isn’t working!” the cook shouts. “The wheel’s stuck.”

“Wow, what is that thing?” Luffy points ahead of them, straight at the spiderweb. 

“It looks like a spider’s web,” Robin says.

“Zoro! The damn wheel is stuck!” the cook shouts again.

“I heard you the first damn time, curlybrow,” Zoro snaps back. “What the hell do you want me to do about it?”

Another wave slams into Sunny. Everyone stumbles, Robin and Luffy both hitting the deck, hard. Zoro barely manages to grab the railing in time to keep himself on his feet. At the wheel, the cook swears wildly.

“Zoro, what the hell are we supposed to do?” the cook demands.

“Why are you asking me?” Zoro snarls.

A wave flies up, crashing down on Zoro and Franky.

“We assumed you knew what was going on here, sword-bro,” Franky says.

“And why the fuck would I know what’s going on?” 

“Because Zoro always-”

“Luffy, away from the edge you moron.” Zoro lunges as the ship tilts, snatching the front of Luffy’s vest when he’s almost thrown off the ship.

“Marimo!”

“We’re going to get stuck in the damn spiderweb, there’s no helping it. Now quit your bitching!” 

“I believe swordsman-san is correct,” Robin calls. “At this point, it may be safer to allow ourselves to be pushed into the web rather than attempt to steer Sunny away and cause damage.”

The cook growls unders his breath but puts up no further arguments. Waves slam against Sunny as they’re thrown toward Thriller Bark. Zoro keeps a firm grip on his captain, trying to keep the damn idiot from falling off again. The web catches them, as expected, without much issue, waves calming once they reach the island. 

Luffy wriggles away from Zoro’s grip, shouting about how cool the spider web is and demanding pirate lunches. His captain grabs onto the cook’s arm, dragging him toward the kitchen even as the bastard glares back at Zoro. As though Zoro put the giant spider web here.

Robin’s calculating eyes find Zoro again as he leans out to squint through the fog. “Do you think we should expect trouble, swordsman-san?”

At least she’s trying to be subtle. “Well, we’ve got four missing nakama and someone stealing shadows. So, yeah, I’d assume we should expect some trouble.”

Robin’s eyebrow raises with patient amusement. “And what kind of trouble should we expect?”

“How the hell should I know that?”

“You really do intend to keep up the charade then.”

Zoro’s heart slams against his chest. A shiver runs down his spine and he keeps his gaze locked on the fog in front of him. “What charade is that?” 

Robin lets out a hum. 

At least it’s only Robin. Honestly, Zoro expected this anyway. Robin knows everything and she figures everything out with ease. But, she rarely shares that information with anyone. And, even if she has suspicions, who’s to say they’re correct. She and Luffy are similar in that way. They both have suspicions on what’s going on, but neither of them know what the truth is.

Zoro intends to keep it that way.

“Yosh!” Luffy’s cheer rings out as he bounds back out of the kitchen with a bag and a bug net. “Sanji’s got our pirate lunches, let’s go.”

Brown eyes zero in on Zoro, alight with mischief. Zoro stares back at him, watching the gears in his captain’s mind begin to turn. 

“No. No, Luffy, don-”

Luffy’s rubbery body slams into him. Within seconds, Zoro’s back hits the deck and Luffy laughs hysterically in his ear. Zoro shoves his captain back and sits himself up. How many times is this? It feels like the millionth in just the pass week. Seems like everytime Zoro turns around, Luffy is throwing him somewhere.

“Damn it, Luffy, what the hell has gotten into you?”

Luffy laughs, bouncing to his feet. 

“Look! It’s a dog!” Luffy cheers. “I wonder what it tastes like.”

The three headed monstrosity whines and scampers backward, all three sets of ears pressed down. Zoro shakes his head at the beast. For such a large, fearsome creature, Cerberus is the biggest wimp he’s ever seen. 

“Look at that, it’s Cerberus. We are literally on the path to Hell,” the cook sighs.

The cook has no clue how right he is. 

“I think he’s cute,” Robin says around a giggle.

“Think they’re a threat?” Franky asks.

No. Not in the slightest. One good punch will tame the little bastard with ease. Luffy lunges at the dog, barking like a madman. Zoro bites down on his lower lip to hold back a smile. Luffy had never completely lost this fun loving energy, but it has been years since Zoro’s seen him this wild and free.

Cerberus growls, all three heads baring their sharp teeth at Zoro’s insane captain. 

“Looks like he wants to fight now, Luffy,” Zoro says. 

“Must think it’s cornered,” the cook says, stretching out his leg. “Here, let me.”

Luffy’s arm shoots out to freeze the cook. “No. Wait. I wanna tame it!”

“Tame it?” the cook echoes. “That monster?”

“He’s a dog,” Luffy replies as he walks slowly toward the dog. “There, there, there. Sit.”

Zoro sighs as all three mouths clamp down around Luffy’s body.

“Just to be clear.” Smoke drifts around the cook as he exhales. “We all saw this coming, right?”

Robin giggles. “He does have a way with animals.”

“That’s because he is an animal,” Zoro mumbles as Luffy coaxes the beast into releasing him.

A rubber fist slams into the monster’s side. “Lay down!”

Zoro presses his lips together and looks away, trying to hide his smile. Beside him, the cook shakes his head. Luffy beams at them.

“Look, now he’s trained!”

Zoro laughs.

It takes Luffy only a few moments to get Cerberus on his feet again and the captain leaps up onto the beast’s back with a cheer. Zoro falls into step beside the monster, the rest of the group following his example. The island feels familiar and strange all at once. It’s been years since Zoro has had to set foot on this goddamned ship. Or is it an island?

He shakes his head, searching for signs of Vivi and her group. If he remembers correctly, they’ll meet up on the ship again. After they get their shadows stolen. Shit. He forgot about that one too. How, he isn’t sure. Seeing as Luffy’s shadow ends up in Oars.

Zoro really needs to stop forgetting things.

They lose the cook first, in the castle. Then, the damn spider gets him. It’s probably worth stopping that. Actually, it’s probably worth keeping Luffy’s shadow out of Oars too, if he can make that happen. It certainly would give them a little more strength against Moria.

And Kuma.

Shit. He forgot about Kuma.

He shakes the Shichibukai from his mind. Whatever happens, he’ll deal with it when it comes. Everyone else makes it out of here unharmed. That’s the important part. Everyone else is safe. And Zoro will find a way to handle Kuma when he comes.

“Poor Cerberus seems down,” Robin says, lip pouting.

“Don’t pity him, Robin,” Zoro tells her, glancing around the beast’s middle head. “It’ll just make him feel worse.”

“Nami-swan!” The cook shouts. “Vivi-chan!”

His shouts don’t die down, even after ten minutes of no response. Zoro rolls his eyes. The moron never learns.

“Nevermind the weird layout of this place, the fog just makes it impossible to see,” Franky mutters.

“I do get the feeling that we may be walking in circles,” Robin says. 

“We’re not,” Zoro says before he can stop himself. 

God, he needs to get a filter for his stupid fucking mouth. All eyes turn to him again, Robin’s eyebrow raised high. Shit. Shit. He needs something. Anything. His eyes search, looking for any defining landmark, until they find the empty dirt ground beneath his feet.

Zoro clears his throat and nods to the ground. “There’d be footprints if we’d already walked through this way.”

“Oh.” Luffy nods very seriously. “He’s right. No footprints!”

Franky and the cook return to their own business, searching the thick fog around them while Luffy laughs about all the cool stuff on the island. Robin, however, continues to watch him with that eyebrow raised high. 

Zoro refuses to look at her, turning his gaze to the thick trees hidden within the fog. 

“We would’ve had better luck if we left the marimo back on the ship,” the cook growls.

Somehow, the bastard ends up behind him, yelling for Nami and Vivi.

“How is this my fault?” Zoro demands.

Ahead of him, Luffy lets out a shout of glee and surprise. Ahead of him, a unicorn and a tree with a big nose freeze, staring at Luffy with wide eyes. The rest of the group freeze as well. Then, Luffy lunges from Cerberus. The tree and unicorn make a break for the trees. Franky shoots off after Luffy, both of them grinning like maniacs.

Zoro sighs, rubbing his temples.

“How did I wind up with the dumbest people on the crew?” the cook moans.

“Just dumb luck,” Zoro replies.

Luffy wrangles the tree, grinning madly.

“Luffy,” the cook sighs, watching Franky sit on the unicorn. “What do you even plan on doing with these things?”

Luffy’s eyes sparkle. 

“No,” Zoro says firmly. “Absolutely not.”

“But Zo-Ro!” Luffy whines.

“ No .”

“Zoro, you’re so mean.”

“Let it go, Luffy.”

Pouting, Luffy releases the tree man.

“You too, Franky,” Zoro says. 

“Not cool, sword-bro.”

The unicorn sprints off after the tree. Pout still firmly in place, Luffy jumps back onto Cerberus and Franky jumps up behind him.

“But why not, Zoro?” Luffy whines, slumping against the beast’s middle head. 

“I let you have the skeleton,” Zoro replies, kicking Cerberus’s back leg to prompt him forward. “That’s all you’re getting, Sencho.” 

“Zoro.”

“No.”

“But it woulda been so cool! Just think. We’d have the coolest crew in the whole Grand Line if we had them with us. And we coulda rode the unicorn.”

“Mugiwara-bro is suuuper right!” 

“He’s suuuuper not,” Zoro mocks back.

“Not cool, swords-bro!”

“The tree talked , Zoro. He talked .” 

“I heard, Luffy.”

“And the unicorn talked too!”

“For the last time, Luffy,” the cook cuts in. “The marimo letting you have the skeleton was bad enough. We don’t need talking trees and unicorns on the crew. You already have a racoon dog and a robot. That’s messed up enough.”

“Oi!” Franky shouts. “I’m not a robot, I’m a cyborg, moron.”

“Oh, big difference. You’re not human. That’s the point.”

“I’m human at heart!”

“You’re a pervert at heart!”

“Oh, so you do get it.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“What kind of cool stuff are we gonna see next?” Luffy sings from Cerberus’s head. “This is so much fun.”

“You know,” Robin hums thoughtfully, petting the monster’s head. “That tree and unicorn from earlier had one thing in common with Cerberus here.”

“Oh?” The cook scrambles ahead to look at Robin. “What’s that, Robin-chan?”

“Bandages, stitches, and numbers engraved in their bodies.”

“Oh?” The cook looks at the number 82 on Cerberus’s side. “You’re right, Robin-chan. Do you think someone is controlling them?” A finger pokes into Zoro’s shoulder. “Oi, marimo.”

“If you want to keep that finger,” Zoro growls. “Quit poking me with it.”

“Well, you are scary, marimo. But, answer the question.”

“Why the hell would I know that?”

“Because-”

“Do you guys hear that?” Luffy calls.

Thankfully, the cook looks away from him and up to the captain. A haunting call of “neg-a-tive. Neg-a-tive. Neg-a-tive” drifts out from the thick fog. Perona. Unease boils in his stomach. Zoro’s hand falls to his leg, thumb carefully digging into his wound to keep his mind on track.

Perona is here. But, she isn’t his Perona. This isn’t his friend of years. This is Moria’s underling. 

Cerberus whines slightly and stops in the middle of the forest. A white ghost floats out from between the trees, chanting in its disturbingly sing-song voice. 

“There it is! The ghost!” Luffy shouts.

The ghost multiplies, two more appear to dance around. Their creepy song of “negative” rings louder and more annoying. 

“Suge! They dance!” Luffy cheers.

“I don’t think I like that chant,” the cook mumbles.

Luffy leaps from Cerberus, swatting his net at the closest ghost. “I want him as a pet!”

Moaning, the cook rubs his temples. “I hate our captain.”

“Oi!” Franky calls. “Let me try!”

Fire erupts from the cyborg’s lips as he tries to burn the ghosts. As if the fire won’t go through them, the same as Luffy’s shitty net had.

“I hate our shipwright,” Zoro tells the cook. 

“We’re surrounded by idiots.”

Robin giggles from the other side of Cerberus.

“Damn,” Franky hisses. “I guess that didn’t work.”

One of the ghosts flies out of the fire and straight through Franky’s chest. The shipwright is on the ground in seconds. 

“I’m useless,” Franky whines. “Everything I did this week is useless. Whatever I do is useless. I’ve got no confidence in living anymore.”

“Oi!” The cook shouts. “Why are you getting so emotional?”

Because Perona’s a bitch. Luffy leaps at another one of the ghosts, trying to wrap his arms around it. It slips through the captain’s body and Luffy hits the ground beside Franky, head hung low.

“If I get reborn, I wanna be a clam. I can’t cut it as a human. Just leave me here to die!”

“What the hell is wrong with you two? Why are you so emotional?” The cook’s voice reaches Nami levels of screeching.

One ghost. Two ghosts. Zoro’s eyes scan the sky, searching for the third ghost. It has to be somewhere. It has to be. 

“It appears that when you’re touched by these ghosts,” Robin says. “You become very depressed.”
“Oh?” The cook glances over at Robin. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Freezing cold spreads through Zoro’s chest, spreading down his torso and to the tips of his fingers. His stomach churns and a small voice begins to rise up from the back of his mind.

Failure.

Worthless.

Zoro swallows hard, squeezing his eyes closed and breathes. His knees don’t weaken, even as the voice in his head throws awful words around. No lies spill from his mouth. Maybe because all of the truth is already in his head.

“Oi.” The cook pokes him hard in the shoulder. “Why didn’t it work on you ?”

“I’m a swordsman. I’m full of proper discipline,” Zoro replies with an eye roll. “Oi, Luffy, Franky. Get your asses up.”

“Hello!” Luffy calls, knocking lightly on the door. “Look, nobody’s home. I’m going in.”

“Don’t just barge in, shithead,” the cook orders. 

Luffy pulls at the door but it doesn’t budge. “Aw, it’s locked.”

Robin hums behind them, looking around the tunnel closely. Zoro takes a moment to do the same. He can feel the shadows moving around their new hosts from within the walls. Somewhere above them, the giant spiderling moves around. He needs to keep an eye on that damn thing. One wrong turn and he’ll end up with his shadow sitting in some dead guy. The cook will too. If he can keep Luffy’s out of Oars, it’ll make Thriller Bark ten times easier. Taking down Moria without worrying about Oars would be nice.

So, so nice.

But would it make them weaker? They’d all worked hard to take down Oars. Come together in coherent sync and that had been good for them. So good for the crew. 

The spider crawls around the ceiling. The rest of the shadows spread out, their plan already in place.

Shit. Shit.

Zoro needs to figure this out.

Shit.

Make a decision. Make the right decision.

Let Luffy’s shadow be taken? Make sure everyone knows how to work together? Save them all the trouble and make it easier to fight Moria?

Zoro’s breath sticks to his chest. His thumb digs into his leg, letting the sting of pain force the breath out. Behind him, wood shatters as Luffy punches through the door to unlock it. 

“Oh, look.” Luffy laughs. “Now, it’s open.”

“It’s open because you broke the lock,” the cook mutters.

The rest of the crew file into the mansion behind their captain. Forcing his brain to work, Zoro follows behind them. His hand tightens around the hilt of Wadou, eyes searching each part of the mansion as Luffy shouts for the Shichibukai to come out so he can kick Moria’s ass.

Enemy presences crash into him like storm waves. Zoro’s fingers tremble. How long until the cook goes missing? It’s in this room, right? Or not. It could be a different room. The others mumble around him, Luffy’s shouts drown by the uneven beat of Zoro’s heart. He has to make this decision now.

Soon, they’ll start dropping off one by one. 

Up on the wall, the pig’s head begins to laugh at them, amused by Luffy’s boldness, as their opponents often are. The “hiding” monsters pop to life, though Zoro can’t force himself to do much more than blink at the giant, whtie bear rug that’s picked itself up in front of him.

He can’t feel it. The presence of the bear. The presence of the spider crawling around somewhere. Almost as though every bit of his Observation Haki has just shut down. As if Zoro stands in this room by himself.

Can’t feel the crew.

Can’t feel his captain.

Flicking Yubashiri up, Zoro digs his thumb into the blade. Red spills across the ruined blade, but it's not deep enough that anyone will notice. Not noticeable enough that the cook will lose his shit. Hopefully.

It’s not big, but the short, sharp pain brings his mind back where it belongs.

The cook moves first, slamming his foot into the nearest painting and growling something about Nami and Vivi. Several of the beings around them scream out as the others begin to pummel them. Zoro draws Wadou and Kitetsu, swiping them sharply at the small group rushing him.

“Nigiri.”

They collapse to the ground. The sound of Luffy running and laughing as he runs away from the bear. He has to turn to look for Luffy, to look for any of the crew. Pressing his index finger into his bleeding thumb again, Zoro hopes to ground himself again. Hopes it will help his Observation Haki find his captain again.

Shit. Shit.

Warm blood spills from his thumb, pain drumming dully.

Something thick and sticking wraps around his arms, pinning them to his chest. A spiderweb. More webbing sticks around his mouth before he can speak and he’s jerked up. Something hard cracks across his skull and Zoro barely has the chance to see Luffy laugh as he punches the bear rug into the ground before the world goes dark.