Yo-hohoho, Yohohohoo,
Yo-hohoho, Yohohohoo,
Yo-hohoho, Yohohohoo,
Yo-hohoho, Yohohohoo,
Gather up all the crew!
Time to ship out Bink's brew!
Sea wind blows to where,
Who knows?
The waves will be our guide!
O'er across the ocean's tide,
The sunset is goin' wild,
See the sky! The birds singing in circles passing by!
Brook and Luffy were still singing that song even after two days since Brook joined.
Victoria was helping Chopper clean up the bandages from Zoro's wounds because he had finally woken up. As she picked up a particular bloody one, her memories drift away to two nights ago.
Gekko Moria, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and Captain of Thriller Bark, is crushed on the stomach by the giant mast of his ship The crushing on his stomach causes him to vomit thousands of shadows.
"Our shadows!" one of the Rolling Pirates shouts excitedly.
"They're coming out of Moria!" another shouts.
Just then, the sun peeks over the ruins of the ship and shines on Zoro, Sanji, and Robin. Once the sunlight hits them, they begin to disintegrate. Never the less, they stand with their captain, prepared to die.
"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Zoro!" Usopp shouted, tears falling from his eyes.
"Robiiiin!" Nami screamed.
"DANJI!" Chopper sobbed, his nose full of snot.
Victoria just stared at her disintegrating friends in horror.
"THEIR BODIES ARE DISAPPEARING!" they all shouted.
Their beloved, yet unconscious captain was also caught in the crossfire of the sun.
"Luffy!" Franky shouted. "Why?! We won, didn't we?! Oi!"
Not only that, but their allies, the Rolling Pirates, were also disintegrating.
"We didn't make it?!" the Rolling Pirates in the sun shouted.
"UWAAAAH!" two pirates that were able to hide screamed. "They're vanishing! Captain Lola! Everyone!"
"DIDN'T WE WIN?!" everyone shouted in agony. "GODDAMNIT!"
Victoria stared horrified at the Straw Hat's swordsman disintegrating in the sun. Her eyes began to fill with tears and her throat felt choked up.
She didn't even get a chance to tell him about her true feelings.
"ZORO!" She screamed through her sobs as she shut her eyes to avoid seeing this happen.
Several minutes passed and suddenly, everyone went silent.
"Man…" Zoro's voice muttered. "Hahahaha!"
Vicky opened her eyes to see that Zoro, Robin, and Sanji were whole once again. Below them, their shadows were connected to their feet.
Robin smiled sweetly and laid a hand to his face.
"For a moment there, I felt like I was ascending to heaven," she mused.
Sanji spun up to her in his Love Hurricane form.
"That would be great~!" he said, his eye the shape of a heart. "I'd happily go to heaven with you, my dear Robin~!"
"THIS ISN'T SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT, YOU MORONS!" Usopp shouted at them angrily. "WE SERIOUSLY THOUGHT THAT YOU GUYS DIED! YOUR HEADS WERE COMPLETELY GONE, YOU KNOW!"
"That was so scary…" Nami and Chopper sighed as they swooned against each other.
Suddenly, Vicky ran up to Zoro and hugged him.
"ZORO!" she shouted. "I'm so glad you're alright!"
"Dammit, Moss Head!" Sanji yelled at Zoro. "What are you doing to my dear Vicky?!"
"Well, it looks like she's taken quite a shine to our swordsman," Robin giggled.
Zoro just smiled and patted her head.
Just at that moment, Vicky remembered herself and leapt off of Zoro, blushing and staring at her feet.
"I-I'm sorry about that," She said sheepishly.
"That's alright," Zoro said.
"Ah! Looks like they're all okay over there, too," Chopper sighed happily.
The Straw Hats turned around to see the Rolling Pirates dancing with each other, leaping, embracing one another and cheering.
"It's the sun~!" one cheered.
"The morning sun isn't dangerous anymore~!" another cheered.
"We've got shadows~!" Lola cheered.
"Our days in that dark forest are over~!" The Risky Brothers cheered.
"Yaaay~! Yaaay~!" everyone cheered.
However, this cheerfulness wouldn't last for long.
Moments later, another of the Seven Warlords appeared; Bartholomew Kuma, formerly known as The Tyrant. He was originally sent to tell Moriah to cease and desist any aggressive attacks against the Straw Hats because the Marines felt it would be nothing but a repeat of the Enies Lobby incident and the Alabasta debacle. However, now that that had come to pass, his new mission was to wipe out the survivors from that one wild night. The Straw Hats and their allies felt that they could take him on, but his Devil Fruit proved too powerful. With his Paw Paw Fruit powers, he was able deflect any attack straight back at his opponent. Whether it was Usopp's Firebird Star or Zoro's 36 Caliber Pheonix attack, Kuma just sent it flying back. Not only that, but when Sanji kicked Kuma in the face, he almost broke his leg. They were absolutely no match for Kuma. He was preparing a final attack when he gave the pirates a way out.
"I will…spare your lives," Kuma said, emotionlessly.
The Rolling Pirates cheered happily.
"In exchange," Kuma continued. "I'll be taking "Strawhat" Luffy."
Their cheering instantly died down.
"As long as I take his head, the government won't complain," Kuma explains.
"You're telling us to betray our comrade?" Usopp gritted his teeth.
The Rolling Pirates glared at Kuma and Zoro stood his ground.
Never, Victoria thought as her hand clenched around a sword. I would never sell out my captain.
"Now, bring Strawhat to me," Kuma said.
"HELL NO!" the Strawhat and Rolling Pirates shouted at Kuma.
"That's a pity," Kuma responded.
He then thrust his hands forward and a tiny, see through paw-print shaped bubble floated towards the crowd. All Kuma uttered were two words.
"Ursus Shock."
The explosion was so powerful, it instantly sent everyone into unconsciousness, caused everyone's eardrums to almost rupture, and made their hearts skip a beat.
However, Victoria was afraid of the attack Kuma sent, so she took cover behind some debris. While the debris did absorb most of the attack, the effects still hit Vicky pretty hard. She was fully paralyzed but she was still conscious.
She saw Kuma calmly walk over her comrades bodies and walked toward her captain.
L-leave him alone, she thought angrily at Kuma. Leave Luffy here with his crew.
Just then, Zoro, covered in cuts and bruises from the attack and his shirt stained with blood form his wounds, leapt from out of nowhere and struck Kuma in the shoulder with his Lion's Song attack.
Zoro?! Vicky thought. He's not even unconscious?! Not only that, but he also wounded Kuma! We're saved!
However, it turned out that Kuma was a cyborg and all Zoro gave Kuma was a flesh wound. Kuma retaliated by firing a laser out of his mouth at Zoro. Thankfully, Zoro was able to dodge, but the explosion wounded him even more. Kuma then revealed he was a highly advanced cyborg created by Dr. Vegapunk, the head scientist of the World Government.
"It is said that his scientific ability," Kuma announced. "Is already 500 years ahead of our time."
"So, you have that body," Zoro panted. "And that Devil Fruit power. I get the feeling that I have no hope…and my body…won't do what I tell it to anymore. So, no matter what, you intend to take Luffy's head…?"
"That is the most I'm willing to do," Kuma responded.
Zoro glanced at Luffy.
Z-Zoro? Vicky thought. What are you thinking?
"All right," Zoro said. "I'll give you someone's head."
What? Vicky thought.
"However, please…" Zoro kotowed before Kuma and shouted. "TAKE MY LIFE INSTEAD! PLEASE BE SATISFIED WITH THAT!"
Zoro! No! Vicky thought helplessly.
"I can't say my name is notorious yet," Zoro continued. "But if you think of it as the head of the man who will become the greatest swordsman in the world, there shouldn't be any problem."
"…You have such ambition," Kuma thought. "And yet you're saying that you're willing to die in this man's place?"
Don't do it, please! Vicky thought, tears forming in her eyes.
"Right now," Zoro continued. "There's no other way to save this crew. If I can't protect my captain, then my ambition means nothing."
Zoro had a look of utter conviction on his face as he said the next words.
"Luffy is…THE MAN WHO WILL BECOME THE PIRATE KING!"
Zoro…Vicky wished she had the strength to wipe her eyes.
Just then, there was movement behind Vicky.
"Hold on a second, you bastard…" Sanji's voice growled.
Sanji was also covered in cuts and bruises, his left sleeve was torn off along with his right pant leg and he was still bleeding too.
S-Sanji? Vicky thought. What are you doing?
"If you die, what'll happen?" Sanji asked Zoro. "Huh?! What happened to your ambition, moron?!"
Sanji hobbled towards Kuma.
"Oi, giant guy," he ordered the Warlord. "Don't take this moss head swordsman's life, take mine instead!"
Sanji, stop it! Vicky wanted to yell. She didn't want either of them to die, but her heart mostly went out to Zoro.
"The Marines might not think much of me now," Sanji continued. "But, out of everyone in this crew, the person who's going to cause the most trouble for you is me; Black Leg Sanji."
That's not true! He's lying! Vicky tried to shout. Don't kill them both!
Sanji spread his legs apart and folded his arms, preparing for the killing blow.
"Come on, do it," Sanji said, panting. "We've always been prepared to make this sacrifice. Give me a glorious death!"
Stop it, please! Vicky agonized.
Sanji looked over his shoulder to look at Zoro.
"Oi, tell everyone to take care," he said. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to find another cook."
Sanji! No! Vicky sniffed.
Zoro suddenly walked up to Sanji and slammed the pommel of his new sword into Sanji's stomach.
Z-Zoro? Vicky thought, confused.
"Y-you son of a…" Sanji groaned as he fell to the ground.
Zoro then took out his swords and tossed them before Kuma.
"This is my last request," Zoro said. "Let me take Luffy's place."
Kuma looked at Sanji's body and looked back at Zoro. He then sighed heavily.
"If I lay a hand on "Strawhat" after this," he said. "I would be humiliated."
"My thanks," Zoro nodded to Kuma.
"Rest assured, I'll keep my promise. But you," Kuma said as he picked up Luffy's body. "I will show you Hell."
Kuma then placed his paw print against Luffy's body and a pink, paw shaped bubble floated out of Luffy.
Wh-what's happening? Vicky thought.
Soon, the bubble was out of Luffy and it was about twenty feet tall.
"What I just repelled from his body was his pain and his fatigue," Kuma explained. "This is all the damage accumulated from the battle with Moria."
U-unbelievable… Vicky thought. All of that is from our battle?
"If you want to take his place, then you must take his pain as well," Kuma continued. "But, as you are already on the verge of death, it will be impossible for you to withstand it and you will die."
What?! Vicky thought. Zoro! Don't do it!
"Have a taste," Kuma said as he gently pushed a bubble towards Zoro.
The bubble flowed towards Zoro and slowly entered his chest.
The next instant, Zoro vomited blood, screamed in pain and fell onto the ground, his body taking a million hits at once from the past.
Vicky wished she had the strength to cover her ears.
"How was it?" Kuma asked a coughing and panting Zoro.
Zoro, you don't have to do this, she thought helplessly.
"J-just let me…go somewhere else…" Zoro panted as he stood up.
"As you wish," Kuma said.
Zoro marched off to the forest and Kuma followed him, pushing the bubble.
Zoro… Vicky thought, tears streaming down her eyes. Stop…please….don't do it…I love you!
She lost consciousness due to stress and exhaustion.
The next morning, she woke up to the shouting of Lola, captain of the Rolling Pirates.
"Oooiii!" she shouted at the Strawhats. "Are you guys alive?! Guys?! He must have thought that attack killed us all and left! Stupid bear guy! Check it out!"
Vicky slowly pulled her aching body up and saw her friends.
"Oi oi!" Franky shouted at a dancing and prancing Luffy. "How can that be? What happened to you?!"
"Look!" Luffy shouted happily as he danced and clapped his hands. "My body feels so light! I wonder why?"
"Eeeeeeh?!" Chopper shouted in disbelief.
"You're lying!" Usopp shouted at Luffy. "There's no way that can be!"
"I wonder if he took so much damage that it had the opposite effect…" Robin thought.
Vicky got up and looked for Zoro, but to no avail. She then noticed that Sanji was looking for him too.
"There's no way he could be fine," Sanji muttered under his breath. "Where did that bastard go?"
"I-I think I know where he is!" Vicky said to Sanji.
"You do, Vicky-chan?" Sanji asked. "You were awake the whole time?"
"Yes," she answered. "It was awful."
Vicky explained the deal Kuma and Zoro made after Zoro had knocked Sanji out.
"If he's not here…It can't be!" Sanji said.
"He's not dead!" Vicky shouted at him as he grabbed hold of his arm. "I'll prove it to you!"
She lead him into the direction of the forest. They expected to go deeper in, but once they climbed over a large piece of debris…
"There he is!" Sanji shouted.
"Zoro!" Vicky shouted happily.
Zoro had his back turned to the two of them as they walked towards him.
"Why the Hell did you knock me out last night?" Sanji shouted angrily. "Hey, where's that warlord?"
But, when they finally got to him, they found him covered in blood, his favorite shirt torn to shred and his pants ruined.
"T-there's so much blood!" Sanji shouted.
Victoria covered her mouth in complete shock.
"Oi…" Sanji said as he slowly walked up to Zoro. "You…Are you alive? Where is he?! What happened here?!"
Victoria collapsed to her knees, hugged Zoro and sobbed over the man she loved.
"Nothing…at all…" was Zoro's response.
Sanji had told Vicky to not breathe a word of what happened that night to Luffy. She understood why; if Luffy knew that his present condition was because of his swordsman's sacrifice, he would be devastated.
Still, I can't believe it, she thought. Zoro could have died last night and he would have never known how I felt…maybe I should tell him my true feelings.
Just then, Brook shoved his face right into hers.
"Yohohohohoho~!" he laughed. "Why don't you join us in singing Bink's Brew, Miss Victoria~? I heard your singing voice is lovely!"
Vicky screamed and pounded Brook's head to the ground out of shock.
"You know, a simple 'no' would have sufficed," Brook mumbled into the stone floor.
"I-I'm sorry, Brook," she apologized to her new crewmate. "I was thinking about something and you scared me."
"Were you thinking about Sir Zoro?" Brook asked.
"H-how did you know?" Vicky asked.
"Just because I don't have eyes doesn't mean I'm blind," Brook said. "I know how you feel about Zoro. I saw it all night last night, when he was fighting Ryuuma and when he almost disappeared. I also know about his bravery last night."
"Y-you do?" Vicky whispered.
"Yes," Brook answered.
"Um, can we talk alone for a minute?" she asked.
"Of course, Miss Victoria," Brook answered.
Vicky walked with Brook to the edge of the forest, to the exact spot where they had found Zoro that morning two days ago.
"It's just," Vicky sighed as she spoke to the skeleton. "Last night was terrifying. There were so many moments when we could have just died in horrible ways and no one would know about it. Not even my family…"
"I agree," Brook said. "It was scary."
"Not only that," Vicky continued. "But Zoro would have died and he wouldn't know how I feel. I would feel so empty because my feelings had been wasted. I hope nothing like this ever happens again."
"That's pretty wishful thinking, isn't it?" a voice said from behind her.
Vicky turned around to see…
"Ah! Miss Robin!" Brook said.
"Robin! Where did you come from?"
"Oh, no reason," she said. "I just wanted to see if you were discussing our swordsman's brave sacrifice."
"Y-you know too, Miss Robin?!" Brook shouted, shocked.
"Oh, of course," she said. "And, like you, I've known for a while that our adorable little martial artist also desires him."
Vicky just blushed and stared at her feet.
"Anyway," Robin continued. "I'm glad you realized what could have happened last night. A pirate's life is fraught with trials and tribulations like this. You'll be hunted, attacked, and many people will not rest until they see you dead. You need to understand the circumstances of this life on the sea so that you are prepared for the worst."
"U-uh-huh," Vicky nodded.
At that moment, Robin embraced Vicky and held her close.
"R-Robin?" Vicky asked nervously.
"But that's all the more reason to tell Zoro how you feel," Robin smiled. "Your fate is uncertain if you're a pirate. You could die tomorrow and he would never know how you felt. At times like this, a woman should never be silent in her convictions."
Robin stroked Vicky's hair.
"If you love him, you need to let him know as soon as possible and live life without any regrets. That's what I would do if I were in your situation."
She's absolutely right, Vicky thought. I need to tell him now, not just mope around about what happened.
Vicky smiled and hugged Robin back.
"Thanks, Robin," she said. "I feel loads better."
"That's good, Vicky," Robin smiled warmly at her.
Just then, Chopper ran over to Brook.
"Hey, Brook!" he shouted happily.
"Oh, hello Doctor Chopper!" Brook said happily.
"Usopp, Franky and I have something to show you!" Chopper said.
It turned out that during the two days, Usopp and Franky had designed and built an extravagant grave for Brook's former crew, the Rumbar Pirates and Chopper planted flowers all around it.
Vicky couldn't help but smile. She knew how important those remains where to Brook, so she was glad to see them resting in their native soil of the West Blue.
Not long after, Zoro came by with Yubashiri in his hands.
He walked up to the grave and stuck Yubashiri in the dirt so it would stick up.
"Ah, you surprised me," Brook said. "Are you all right now?"
"Yeah," Zoro said. "Though, I overslept a little…"
"Um, what's that?" Brook asked.
"While we're at it," Zoro said as he put his hands together and prayed. "Please allow me to hold a service for the dead katana, Yubashiri."
Brook just stared at him as he prayed and Vicky knew why; he was thinking about what happened the other night.
"Is something wrong?" Zoro asked.
"Um, no," Brook answered. "Oh, by the way, I've joined the crew."
"Is that right?" Zoro said. "Well, you must have bad luck."
I'm going to do it, she thought as they chatted. I'm going to tell Zoro.
After chatting, Zoro got up and started to walk back to the Sunny.
"Huh? Oh, hey Vicky," Zoro said.
"H-hi, Zoro," She said. "C-can I talk to you in private?"
"Huh? Sure," Zoro said as they walked off to a spot.
"Good luck, Miss Victoria," Brook whispered as he strummed his violin.
Once they were in a private place, Vicky began to talk to Zoro.
"Last night was…kinda scary, huh?" she said.
"Yeah, it was," Zoro said. "I thought Moria would get the better of us."
"Yeah, and I thought Kuma would have killed you," Vicky said.
"Y-you saw what happened?!" Zoro asked, shocked.
"Yes, I did!" Vicky said. "And it was terrifying! Why did you do that?! You could have died and you wouldn't have found out!"
"F-found out what?" Zoro asked.
"Th-that I love you," Vicky said.
"W-what?" Zoro asked, shocked.
"Yes, I love you," Vicky repeated. "And I want to spend my life with you!"
"A-are you sure?" Zoro asked. "I-I'm trying to become the world's greatest swordsman! I could die real soon…"
"That's all the more reason for me to tell you the truth!" Vicky shouted. "Pirates could die at any time, so we should stick to our convictions and live life with no regrets! So, please say you love me too."
Zoro blushed at the cute face she was making as she said that last sentence. He then cleared his throat.
"I-I'm not promising that life with me will be easy, ok?" Zoro said.
"I don't expect it to be," Vicky said.
"Well, then I guess I can say that…I…love you too."
At that instant, Vicky leapt onto Zoro and kissed him on the lips.
"Mmmmmmpppphhhh?!" Zoro grunted in surprise.
Zoro then wrapped his arms around Vicky and kissed her back.
And so, after the Thriller Bark incident, the Marines referred to Roronoa Zoro and Victoria Dorman as the Martial Married Couple.