In The City of Love
A/N: Hey guys, so this is my first One Piece series that I suddenly had the idea for out of the blue. So please read, enjoy and review. And Merry Christmas!
Chapter 1: Welcome to the City of Love
The sun was shining, the sea was glistening, and the sky was clear as the Thousand Sunny leisurely made its way down the Grand Line. It was a perfect, peaceful day; one that made people want to lie down and nap. People like Roronoa Zoro.
Unfortunately for the swordsman, his crew had other plans.
"USOPP! GIVE THAT PIECE OF MEAT BACK!" Luffy called, rushing down the stairs behind a certain long-nosed teen.
"Give it back? This was mine in the first place! You ate all your food already!" Usopp retorted angrily, dodging left as his captain's rubbery arm aimed at the large piece of beef in the sniper's hands.
Zoro sighed and closed his eyes, doing his best to tune out the crashes, smashes, and yelling that came from the lower deck.
"Oi shit heads! Your going to break the ship!" Zoro heard the irritated sound of the love-cook's voice call from the galley. "Would it kill you idiots to take a break for one day?"
My sentiments exactly. Zoro thought, lazily opening an eye to peer at the damage caused by the two teens.
"Franky's going to have an aneurism once he sees that chip in the mast... and that hole in the deck... and the missing left side of the staircase..." Chopper said, stepping cautiously out of the infirmary to survey the damage.
"This is all Usopp's fault!" Luffy exclaimed, once again starting to chase after the long-nose. "GIVE ME THE MEAT!"
Usopp gave a girly shriek before running off and crashing into Chopper, who began chasing after both of them, in turn drawing out Franky, who angrily started after all three of them about caring for the ship.
Zoro sighed. Guess he wasn't going to get any sleep after all; it was a hopeless attempt from the beginning.
"YOHOHO! Guys! I see an island up ahead!" Brook, the skeleton musician, announced while leaning his head out the crow's nest window. "I see a strange tower on it too. It was so tall my eyes popped out my head! Even though I don't have any eyes ... Yohohohoho!"
This stopped the rampaging crew members for a second as they ran to the front of the ship, eager to get a glimpse of the new island.
"Ooo! There is a large tower there! I wanna climb to the top!" Luffy said, sparkles in his eyes.
"Eh.. its so high up though! What if you fall off?" Chopper asked worriedly, before Usopp began telling a ridiculous tale about how he had climbed a tower twice as large as the one in front of them when he was six.
The rest of the crew soon appeared from the innings of the ship in response to the commotion.
"Oh! We're finally here! This is the famous Aime Island*!" Nami chirped excitedly, joining the trio up front and passing Franky who was attempting to fix the damage to the mast.
"Ah, the island home to the famous city of love." the smooth voice of the crew's archeologist was heard across the deck.
"City of love?" Chopper asked curiously, turning around to look at Robin.
"Yes, Aime Island's city is famous throughout the Grand Line as a beautiful and magical place where one can meet their true love." the archeologist said. "Many people travel here from all over the world in hopes of romance."
"They also have a lot of shopping malls and restaurants to cater to the needs of tourists." Nami continued excitedly. "This is just what we need. A paradise for a relaxing vacation! We can go see the tower, visit the hot springs, stroll down the..."
The navigator's to-do list was interrupted by Sanji. "It also has a ton of beautiful ladies just waiting for their Prince Charming!" The cook stared at the island with hearts in his eyes.
Zoro yawned and tuned out the chatter from his nakama. Stupid cook. Always chasing after woman. He should chase after me instead. No... I did not just think that. I don't care what the cook does. I don't care. I don't care. I don't care.... His musings were soon interrupted by Franky who was screaming his ass off when he saw the staircase.
"OI! LUFFY! LONG-NOSE! DEER-GORILLA! YOU GUYS ARE HELPING ME FIX THIS!"
This resulted in a round of groans from the three before they grudgingly headed off to repair the damage. Finally deciding that he was not going to get any rest today as long as his crew was aboard, Zoro stood and stretched before turning to view Aime Island. They were almost there and Zoro could make out a large city with huge sky scrapers and an enormous tower** that looked as if it was touching the sky.
"Hey Zoro, can you take the wheel? I need to help these three idiots." Franky called up while promptly knocking Luffy on the head.
"HA! Let him take wheel? He'd steer us all the way back to East Blue." Sanji teased, walking up to take the helm himself.
"Shut up ero-cook! My sense of direction is just fine!" Zoro snapped back angrily.
"Sense of direction is just fine?" Sanji stared at the swordsman with a look of mock surprise before bursting into laughter. "I'll agree with you and say its fine when you realize north doesn't mean up!"
That was it. " Oi, you shitty cook! Wanna fight?"
"What did you say marimo?"
That was all that needed to be said before the swordsman and the cook burst into a flurry of kicks, swords, and curses.
"KNOCK IT OFF!" Nami scolded angrily, punching both of them on the head. "We're going to the city of love, not the city of fighting!"
"Hai, your absolutely right Nami-swan, just like always! This asshole here is just jealous of the love you and I share!" Sanji cried, before receiving another blow from the annoyed navigator.
"Anyways Sanji-kun, can you please steer us to the back port? We can't dock in the main port since there's too many people. It'd be too noticeable that we're pirates."
"Hai Nami-swan! Right away!"
Zoro rolled his eyes and turned his gaze back towards the looming island, rubbing his temples to stop the headache that was threatening to surface.
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Franky sighed loudly before joining Zoro who was leaning against the railing, waiting for Sunny to reach the dock.
"Even if you don't remember anything else Zoro, always remember this." the shipwright said, eyeing the swordsman. "Never, ever, give Luffy a hammer. Ever."
Zoro almost chuckled but held it back when he saw the look of defeat in Franky's eyes. "Why, what happened? Didn't you tell him to fix the left side of the staircase?"
"I did."
"And..?"
"He broke through to the right side of the staircase when I told him to hammer the nails."
Zoro gave the man a comforting pat on the back before excited cries filled the ship.
"Yay, we're finally here! The city of love!" Chopper exclaimed over Brook's ear-splitting cheer.
The crew anchored the Sunny and tied back the sails before jumping off the ship. They headed down the dock, towards the looming city in front of them. Though Zoro would never admit it, close up, the height of the tower was almost intimidating. Almost.
As they got closer, they saw numerous couples, walking along with arms linked together, paying no attention to the world around them other than their partner.
"Oh, before we go on ahead, I should probably say this." Robin said. "Ever since two years ago, many people have mysteriously disappeared from this island without a trace. Not one of them has even been found, so be cautious."
"TELL US THAT BEFORE WE DOCK AT THE ISLAND!" the rest of the crew cried, staring at each other with panicked expressions.
Robin laughed before walking ahead. "I'm sure we'll be fine."
"Yeah guys! We're strong so it'll be okay." Luffy grinned reassuringly before following after Robin.
As the Straw Hats neared the city, a plump man dressed in a pink pinstripe suit approached them. His face was so happy it hurt, and his smile looked like it was permanently glued to his face.
"Hello, hello! Welcome to Aime Island! I'm sorry, but before you can enter the city, you must first do a test."
"A test?" Nami inquired, narrowing her eyes and staring suspiciously at the man in front of them. "We don't have to pay do we?"
"Oh no, nothing like that! Oh my! I forgot to introduce myself. How rude." the man rambled on. "My name is Ichirod the III and I am the greeter as well as a guard for the city of love."
"Oh I see, I'm Na-"
"Oh, where was I?" Ichirod III rudely interrupted Nami, earning him a sharp glare from the navigator. "Ah yes! The test! Yes, you must do a compatibility test!"
"A compatibility test?" Usopp asked confusedly.
"Yes! A compatibility test! Just answer these questions and we'll match your answers with someone else so you can find your perfect match! All new comers to this city are required to take it so please don't cause any trouble. It's all for the sake of love!"
Ichirod III rushed around handing everyone a paper and pencil and leading them to a group of tables near the gates at the city entrance.
"What the fuck is this?" Zoro asked, staring at the piece of paper in front of him. He didn't want to find his perfect match. Hell, he didn't even want to be on this island!
"Answer the questions quickly please! I'm a very busy man and I have many important things to do. Chop chop!"
Zoro groaned before reluctantly answering the questions.
What is your name?
Zoro.
What are your favorite past times?
Training. Fighting. Sleeping.
What are three traits you look for in a partner?
Strong. Independent. Competitive.
Name your longest or most frequent occupation.
Pirate hunter.
Have you had a history of dating?
None.
Zoro handed his "test" in, realizing the rest of his crew had already finished and were waiting for him at the gates.
"Hey! Ossan! We can enter the city now right?" Luffy asked impatiently.
"Ah yes! Hold on a second." the man pulled out a radio and whispered something into it. A loud rumbling sound started as the creaking gates slid open.
"Welcome to Parisee, the famous city of love!"
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A/N: Well that's it for chapter one! Hoped you guys liked it so please review and tell me what you think.
*Aime in French means love.
**Imagine the tower to be the same as the Eiffel Tower (but taller).
***Obviously Parisee is based on Paris, which is also called the city of love.