The sun rose over the horizon, turning the sea into a swirl of gold, pink and blue. Our trap had been set. The oil glimmered in the sunlight. It is a little bit of a let down, I kind of wanted to do some fighting, but it looks like they are all going to be caught in this trap. I was standing with the others slightly above the slick waiting and watching. We waited, and waited, and waited. Until Luffy had had enough waiting and
"Its Morning! Where are they?" He demanded, kicking a rock down the hill. Well pirates are never known for being on time.
"Maybe they are still sleeping." I suggested. The sun was now fully over the horizon. When Nami, the girl with orange hair, that we picked up a few islands ago suddenly threw out on hand to catch our attention. When I looked at her, her left hand was cupped to her ear.
"Am I wrong or did I hear a voice from the north of the island." Everyone stopped moving and I strained my ears to catch the sound. But the slingshot boy, Usopp, gulped and yelped
"North!?" He choked.
"Yes! I'm not wrong about that" The girl reported. Usopp started shaking all of a sudden and gripped his hair with both hands. Why does he look so panicked, it is daybreak, normal day noises start up again. He sure is jumpy.
"Hey what is it!" I barked trying to get him to snap out of it and refocus.
"There is also a port to the north" He confessed. Shit! Damn it
"We have been waiting in the wrong place!" Luffy yelled. Although a part of me was worried that we might not make it there in time, another part was glad for a reason to fight. Luffy was eager to fight as well because he pressed,
"Let's hurry up! Where are they now." he asked, impatiently almost shaking Usopp. Usopp said
"If you head north, it should take you about three minutes, the geography is similar to this slope, if we can get them at that slope we will be fine." If not then.., well we better not fail.
Nami suddenly clapped her hands to her face and let out a wail of pain and fear. I whirled to look at her. What's wrong is she hurt or something?
"Our boats are anchored there! They will steal our treasure!" She shrilled, panicked. What the hell! That's what she is worried about? Luffy, deciding that he did not have time to deal with the girl's antics, took off with out another word.
"I will get there is 20 seconds" he bellowed racing away. Leaving Zoro with a raging Usopp and a panicking Nami. I thought about trying to catch up with Luffy, but even from the little time we had spent together I knew that when he was in one of his moods that it would be better to find my own way then try to follow him off cliffs and through walls. I had better get going too. Just as I was about to take of, Nami shouted
"I have to hurry!" but then as I took my first step to follow Luffy I heard her screech
"Help I am slipping" Argh this is such a pain. I thought, frustrated that Luffy had left me with these idiots.
"What are you doing?" I demanded. Turning my head to glance back at her And before anyone could determine how to help her she. Before I could even process what was happening I felt a tug on my shirt and then I was pulled down the slope. I felt my self fall into so kind of liquid. Then I could taste the oil in my mouth and feel is coating my body and I slid further down the cliff
"Ahhhhh!" What the hell just happened. I couldn't manage to stop sliding.
"I'm sorry!" I heard the girls voice from above me, I lifted my head to look up at her running up the hill. That bitch! She used me to pull herself up!
"I can't wait!" She shouted over her shoulder, as I slid another foot down the slope. I tried to dig my toes into stop the sliding but it was no use. I started to rotate till I was sliding down on my side.
"ARgHHHHH" I roared again this time in rage.
"Sorry but my treasure is in danger. I hope you can find a way to climb up that slope." I heard her shout as I finally came to a stop at the bottom.
"I hope you find a way up." She said. No you don't be cause when I do,
"I am going to kill you!" I raged. But she had already disappeared over the top of the hill. I tried to run back up the cliff but only for a foot up the slope before sliding back down. I back up to get a running start but only got another foot for my effort before sliding back down. I tried again and again and again
"Damn it I can't get off this slope!" I screamed. I tried to run and jump off the side of one of the cliffs that framed the hill but this only got me four feet up the slick and when I landed I slide back down.
"DAMN IT" I panted trying to get enough oxygen to try again. I'm going to kill her. I'm going to kill her. I'm going to KILL HER!. I chanted in my head before I tried to run it again. When I started to slide back down I vowed
"I won't forgive you Nami" I came to rest at the bottom of the hill. Get a grip Zoro. I told myself, tightened my hands into fists. If I can't even get up this slope how will I ever become the best swordsman in the world!
"It's just a slippery slope." I told myself. I shifted to get up and heard the clanking of my swords at my waist. Looking down I slipped one of my swords partially out of its sheath. I could use my swords to climb up, dig them into the ground and pull myself up. I gritted my teeth. I hated the idea. But, looking at the high, smooth cliffs around me and the tint of the slick in front of me, it appeared to be the only way up this slope. Everything inside me was rebelling at what I was about to do. No swords man would ever do such a thing to his sword. But then again no swordsman would ever just settle for a situation like this. I am doing what I have to do.
I grabbed my other swords. I would not use Wadō for this. I stabbed the ground in front of me making sure they were firmly in the ground. I need to kick off hard from this to get a good start. I hulled myself forward, gripping the swords when my feet met the slick and began to slide. I moved with a speed that was honed by years of training.
"Yahhhhhhhh!" I hollered speeding up the hill sword over sword. Until
"YES" I was free. To the north coast, where Luffy and, I thought of that little bitch and my eyes narrowed.
"To the north" I said to my self, taking a step forward before realizing "Where is the north coast." Damn IT! Direction is not my strongest skill. I set off running toward what I thought was north. What did he say, "its two minutes to the north of here." Well its been over two minutes. Unless Luffy is there, they probably have made it up the hill. Usopp seems very capable of springing traps, but in a man to man fight against a crew of pirates, he does not seem that strong, and Nami, well...Thinking of her fueled my rage. I ran even faster. Then I heard a familiar voice chanting,
"North! North! North!" Luffy I recognized just as I barreled into him a second later.
"ZORO!" He exclaimed delighted.
"Luffy if your not already there then…" His face hardened and we both leapt to our feet. Me a little more precariously, as I was still covered in oil.
"I know where the north is now Zoro. Follow me." Luffy commanded as he took off in a direction completely the other way. I really don't think this is right, this is the way I came, but who am I to argue with the captain? We were running side by side when Luffy suddenly said, seriously
"She is weaker then us Zoro, but I want her to be our navigator, we will not find another." What the hell is he talking about? Nami? How does he know….
"Sure we could, I don't like her, she does not care about us." I argued. There are plenty of navigators.
"She has had a hard life, we do not know what happened to her, but she will be a part of the crew." Luffy repeated.
"Don't tell me that, tell her." I snapped. I thought he already got her to agree to join?
"She will be in our crew. Zoro I am telling you to let this go." He commanded and looked at me with strangely serious old eyes. I looked straight into them and said
"She shoved me down the hill even though she knew that we would be their best chance, she does not think of anyone else but herself." But even as I said it, I knew that Luffy was right.
"She thinks of the village she wants to buy Zoro. She will be in our crew." He said facing forward again signalling an end to the discussion. I sighed. I knew it was time to accept it. She is who Luffy's chose to be our navigator so she is, if he says is she a part of the crew then she is a part of the crew. Is she really worth it? No of course not. But we need a navigator, so Luffy is right I need to let it go. But she has proven that she is not entirely trust worthy. I will be watching, waiting. I will see if there is more to her then this smiling, greedy thief. The sound of shouting reached our ears as we hurtled out of the forest and skidded to a halt at the top of a sloe that looked a lot like the one I had just left minus the slick. We surveyed the scene before us. Nami and Usopp desperately trying to hold off the pirates. And they had, I thought surprised. The pirates were still making there way up the slope. It seemed that Nami and Usopp were defeated, but they had bought us time. Maybe he is right, maybe there is more to her than meets the eye. I've seen the way Luffy looks at Usopp, it looks like we will be getting another addition to the crew soon as well. If they are going to be a part of the crew, best make sure they are still around to do it. I thought as I watch the pirates charge up the hill. I reached for my swords.