Hi, all! This is my second fanfic, and yes, it's still One Piece. I've got lots of others in my head, but this is the first of them to reach paper. Read and enjoy!
NOTE: Everything in this story is mine except for the Straw-Hat crew and the names of any other pirates from the One Piece storyline.
Having done away with the evil Sir Crocodile and saved the kingdom of Alabasta, the Straw-Hat Pirates continue their journey on the Grand Line to find the One Piece. The sea is calm and the weather is fair.
Nami sat at a desk set up on the upper deck of the Merry-Go with her maps and the log pose before her and a pencil in her hand which she drummed against her upper lip. Usopp was kneeling on the deck beside her with his arms folded on the desk, staring at the same unfinished map as Nami.
"You've been staring at this map for forever, Nami," Usopp noted. "Something wrong?"
She sighed and picked up the map. "Yes, something's wrong. It doesn't add up."
"What doesn't?"
"I have a map of the area from Vivi and I have my own that I'm making."
Usopp tilted his head. "And?"
"According to Vivi's map, there's no island for miles yet, but according to the weather patterns and the log pose, there should be an island nearby." Nami sighed again, putting the map down. She leaned back in her chair and looked up. She frowned. The upper sail was coming loose again. She got up and went to the banister. "Hey! Zoro!"
She got snores in reply.
"Zoro! WAKE UP!" Nami threw the pencil down at Zoro and nailed him in the head.
"OW!" Zoro bolted up, holding his forehead. He glared up at Nami. "What the hell was that for?"
Nami pointed up at the top sail. "The stupid sail's loose again. Tie it back up and make sure it's secure this time!"
Zoro growled, rubbing his forehead. "Again?" He looked up at the sail and grunted, annoyed. "That sail is getting on my nerves…" He got up and passed Luffy who just woke up, too.
He rubbed his eyes with a yawn. "What's da matter?" he asked sleepily.
"Nothin'," Zoro replied, grabbing a rope to climb up the mast. "Nami's just being picky again."
"Oh…" Luffy mumbled as Zoro climbed up. He got up and went up the stairs to Nami and Usopp. "The sail loose again?"
"Yeah," Nami said, picking up the log pose. She looked at it for a minute then sighed. "I feel bad for Chopper."
"Yeah…" Usopp agreed with a nod. "Too bad…being sick and all…especially right after saving a kingdom."
"Come on, it's just a fever," Luffy said. "He needs meat. That'll do him good," he repeated, like he had done for the past two hours.
"No, it won't!" Nami argued, her brow twitching from the repeated annoyance. "He needs rest! Now stop saying that!"
"But it helps me when I'm sick," Luffy said, folding his arms.
Usopp let out a laugh. "And just when are you ever sick?"
Luffy tilted his head in thought. "I don't remember," he concluded, "but meat is always good for you!"
Nami glared at him. "No. It's. Not! And if you say that one more time, I'm gonna smack you!"
Zoro made the final knot for the sail and looked down at his bickering crewmates. He sighed, reaching for the rope.
I'd rather be sleeping… he thought.
Just then, a strange wind blew the rope away from Zoro's hand and he leaned too far away from the mast to catch it. He whipped around to try for the rope again but it was just out of reach of his fingertips and he let out a yell as he fell. The rope swung back with the wind and wrapped itself around Zoro's ankle and before he or his crewmates, who had all heard his yell, could act—
Crack.
Zoro cried out in pain, hung up in the rope. He reached up shakily to free himself but his ankle throbbed and he fell back over.
"Hang on, Zoro!" Luffy exclaimed. He grabbed onto the banister, stretched himself back, and shot himself onto the mast. He reached for the rope but was batted away by Zoro.
"I—I'm fine, Luffy," he said with a grimace, grabbing the rope and pulling himself up to his ankle. He freed himself and he hung onto the rope with only his hands, letting himself down slowly.
Luffy stared at him as he freed himself then dropped down to the deck below, holding his hat on his head, and met with Usopp and Nami.
"What the hell are you doing?" Nami yelled, pointing up at Zoro. "You're supposed to be helping him!"
"He said he got it," Luffy answered calmly, still holding onto his hat.
Usopp grabbed the rope, looking up at Zoro. "I got the rope! You can come down now!"
"What do you think I'm doing, Long-Nose?" Zoro yelled down, annoyed and in pain though he tried to hide it.
The wind blew again, but harder this time, and even with Usopp at the bottom, Zoro got blown into the mast and his grip loosened when he collided with it. He started sliding down it and it took him a while before he regained his grip. He hissed as he lowered himself with burning hands the rest of the way and touched the deck with his good foot. Out of nowhere, the sky grew dark and rain started to pour. The sea grew wild, tossing and rolling beneath the ship.
"It's a typhoon!" Usopp shrieked, clinging to the mast.
"We have to get inside!" Nami yelled over the roar of the waves, heading back up the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Luffy shouted, Zoro's arm over his shoulders.
"We need the log pose and the maps!" she replied. She quickly snatched them and followed them inside the cabin.
Sanji stood up next to Chopper's bed, a damp cloth in his hand. "What's going on out there?" he asked as they came in. He looked outside. "What a downpour!"
"It-it-it's terrible!" Usopp squeaked, his knees shaking. "This huge storm just came out of nowhere!" He waved his arms wildly as he spoke for added effect and nearly whacked Zoro in the face.
"Hey, watch it!" he growled, avoiding his hand. He used the wall for support and hopped to the nearest bed without Luffy's help. He collapsed on it with a grunt of pain and covered his eyes with an arm. I'd really rather be sleeping…
Nami gasped. "Oh, no! The sails!" she raced to the window but stopped and sighed. "I guess we don't have to worry about them after all…" The wind had already torn the main sail to shreds. She then turned to Zoro to give him some medical attention in Chopper's stead, causing him to jolt awake again.
"I was sleeping, damn it!"
After about an hour of riding out the storm, the waves eased and the rain slowed to a mild drizzle. Nami opened the door and looked out. Her face brightened.
"Hey, guys! An island!"
Please review! Tell me what you think-I'm always open to hear comments! luv~shdw dncr