Request by TheMasterSushi13. The idea is hers :) Hope you enjoy.
SomeCoolChick2 beta read my work as well. She really helped with the edits. The chapter wouldn't have been the same without her help. So a thanks to her :)
The sun scorched everything in it's sights to brittle hardness. Luffy, Usopp and Chopper moaned as they tried to fish for something to eat without any luck. Like always, Zoro and Sanji were arguing instead of helping catch food for dinner. They had certainly grown in strength over the past two years, but still had a lot of maturing to do. It was unbecoming of two grown men to argue over such trivial things, not to mention the name-calling
Nami's eyes sparkled as she counted the little treasure she had managed to steal on Fishmen island. Whilst everyone was discussing how Luffy had taken out Hordy Jones, she had crept into the merfolks houses and stolen their gold. She knew it was not wise, taking into consideration their history with humans, but she could not care any less. Her money came first.
"I caught something!" Chopper said as he transformed, "–it's big!"
"Hang on Chopper!" Luffy and Usopp shouted as they dropped their rods and helped Chopper pull in the fish. The three of them struggled, despite their two years of training to become stronger. It was as if they were reeling in a sea king. After some joint effort, a man flew into the ship and landed right on top of the three young men.
Luffy got up, his mouth and eyes wide open, "Shanks!"
"SHANKS!" everyone shouted simultaneously as they gathered around to take a better look at him. Luffy took off his straw hat and looked at it as he reminisced the day he had received it, "Shanks."
A large smile crossed his face as Robin cleared her throat, her eyes on the book she was reading, "Is that wise to have him onboard? You made a promise to him didn't you?"
Everyone froze and looked at Luffy. His hero and idol, the man who had lost his arm for his sake was laying not inches away from him. The person who had influenced him into wanting to become the Pirate King to begin with was in his reach, yet he could neither see nor speak to him. He lowered his head and got up, head still down.
"Take good care of him." He said as he walked away, "Whenhe sets sail, I will come out of my room."
"Luffy.." Nami whispered.
"Sanji, I'm hungry!" Luffy smiled as he opened the door to his room, though it was clear he was upset. He, more than anyone, wanted to see Shanks. It had certainly been awhile since he had last seen him," –bring me some food."
"Of course," Sanji said as he turned to face Zoro, "Oi, marimo, are you oaky? What's wrong?"
Zoro was glaring at Shanks, his face bright red and hands balled into a fist. Everyone turned to look at him. The only time he ever wore such an ugly face was when he was fighting Sanji, yet he was looking at Shanks with what seemed to be hatred in its purest form. None of the crew members had personally met Shanks before, so they were shocked as to why Zoro was acting this way.
"Nothing. Nothing at all," Heseethed as he walked into his room, "I too will only come out once he is gone."
Sanji looked at him weirdly. Zoro and Shanks had no connection whatsoever. Robin's eyes moved from the book to Zoroand then to Shanks, "Are you going to help him? He is bleeding."
"It seems that he was cut by a swordsman," Chopper said as he examined the wound, "But who is capable of wounding a yonko? He also seems to be unconscious. He must have been swimming for a very long time. If we hadn't caught him when we had, he would have died."
"Any way you look at it. What are the chances of finding a yonko in the middle of nowhere without his crew and completely defenceless. Zoro's reaction too. Just what is going on here?" Sanji thought as he placed a cigarette in his mouth, "Something is definitely wrong and I am going to get to the bottom of it."
Shanks opened his eyes and squinted them in the heat of the sun. He looked at the pirate flag and closed his eyes. He tried to get up, but winced at the pain.
"Don't push yourself," Chopper said, "Sanji, can you carry him into my room, he needs immediate medical attention."
Sanji nodded. Everyone remained in a state of shock. This was not something that happened everyday. What made it even more peculiar was Zoro's reaction. Robin had just smiled it off, but like everyone else, she was curious as to why he had done so.
Nami walked towards Robin and sat before her. She had lost the will to count her treasure. All she was doing now was trying to make sense of what had just happened. Sanji was helping Chopper treat Shanks and Franky had resumed steering the ship. Usopp began fishing on his own. They all needed some time to process the events.
"Yohohoho," Brook laughed awkwardly, standing in the same spot he had for the past couple of minutes, "what did I just see? Ah, I don't have any eyes."
He looked around and noticed no one was listening before fading into the background like nothing had happened. The following few days were certainly going to be hard.
"He is going to be fine," Chopper said as he removed his gloves, "–but there is a problem. Where is he going to sleep? Most of the rooms are filled with the storage goods so we have been sharing. Me, Nami and Robin have been sharing a room. Usopp, Franky and Brook have also been sharing a room-"
"and I've been sharing with Luffy so that he wouldn't steal any food at night," Sanji added, "Shanks will have to share with Zoro. He has a double bed as well."
"Yes, but the way he was looking at Shanks," Chopper frowned, "...would they be okay?"
"I don't care whether the shitty swordsman likes it or not, his room is the only one that Shanks can sleep in and that is how it's going to be," Sanji shouted as he took a drag and exhaled the smoke into the air, "That way, we will find out what his deal against Shanks is sooner than later."
A cruel smile crossed Sanji's face. They could have easily moved Zoro into Luffy's bedroom, but this made everything all the more thrilling. It was his revenge for Zoro insulting his eyebrows. He grinned eerily as Chopper hid himself. Sanji was up to no good again.
