Leap of Faith

Well…. Been awhile (again). Though not 'quite' as long as last time. Worry not. I have the next 3 chapters all planned out and ready. Just have to write them. It's going to be as cannon as possible. The next few chapters take place in the days between their encounter with Aokiji (recovering and sailing) and when they arrive at Water 7. The manga even says it was a few days between loacations. Please Review! ^_^

Ch. 3 Recovering and Wandering Thoughts

"There is no despair so absolute as that which comes with our first great sorrow. Before we know what it is to have loved and lost, to despaired and have recovered hope." -George Elliot

Previously…

Robin's POV

The frigid Admiral silently stepped forward and enveloped her into his icy embrace.

She felt her body quickly freeze. "Robin! No! Get away from him!" She heard her anguished captain scream at her.

She looked despairingly at him knowing she would never see his smiling determined face again. "Luffy! I… am…." was all she could utter as she was shrouded in the bitter coldness, watching slowly as Luffy outstretched his arm towards her and her consciousness faded...

Luffy's POV

"ROBIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" screamed Luffy.

Now…

Robin could feel warmth seeping into her body. Completely the opposite of what she last remembered. She kept her eyes closed and remained unmoving in her cozy cocoon of sheets.

I must have survived… She thought calmly. But how? Why?

Aokiji could have easily killed her. She knew that he must have frozen her so completely that it made her faint. If he had wanted so badly to kill her, he could have just shattered her instantly. But… She was fine now…. No reason to worry… Right?

!

"Luf-! She gasped loudly trying to sit up from her bed, gasping gutturally from a piercing pain in her chest. She quickly fell back into the sheets, eyes cracking open from the ache.

The rest! They-. Aokiji… There's no way they were strong enough! She thought wildly, attempting to sit up more slowly.

"ZZZZZZZzzzzzz ZZZZZZZZzzzzzz"

She looked to her left, towards the source of the sound and gave an audible sigh of relief. Luffy was lying on a bed next to her, limbs at relaxed angles, snoring noisily.

Laying back down and bringing the covers back up to her shoulders, she looked towards the ceiling of the cabin contentedly. If Luffy is here and safe, the rest of the crew must be to. She reasoned thoughtfully. He would never be sleeping so easily if it wasn't so.

She glanced toward her captain and smiled blissfully, drifting back to sleep while listening to the faint sounds of her crew out on the deck and Luffy-san, oblivious to her eyes watching him, until she once again was swept back to sleep.

The Next Morning…

"RRAaaaaaagh!" Luffy groaned loudly, his arms stretching to a beam above him so as to flex his muscles.

He sat up quickly, looking around, alert. Robin! Where is she? My nakama! He thought alarmed. What happene-

He heard voices drifting from outside the cabin. A muffled laugh from Chopper.

He became less tense. Hearing a faint sigh, he turned to his right and noticed Robin. Her chest heaving slowly with each breath.

She's ok. He thought thankfully. They must be to.

He lay back down. Eyes still set on Robin. Why was I so worried for her? Of course I care for all my friends, but she's the first one I thought about so intensely.

He continued to gaze at her. He gradually felt very calm and drowse. As his mind started to fade, thoughts drifted. What makes you so special to me? As if in answer, Robin shifted in her sleep, head turning to him. Her arm hung limply to the side of the bed. Her luscious black hair, catching the light that was coming from one of the portholes.

The thought echoed silently in his eyes got heavier and started to close. What makes you so special to me?...

Outside…

Put Put Put. Went the sounds of Choppers feet, as he sneakily crept up to the Galley. Pressing his ear to the door, careful not to make a sound with his antlers, he could hear the voice of the crew's sharpshooter, Usopp, complaining about the wait for the food.

Hearing that he might be occupied for the time being, Chopper slowly tiptoed away from the doorway, walking towards Usopp's bed-area, marker in hoof.

[][][][][][][][][][][]

"Sanji! How much longer till that tuna is done?" Usopp asked. His body hanging half out of his chair from boredom.

Sanji in reply, merely turned the Lahori Omelet in the skillet, purposely tossing hot oil towards Usopp.

"Oy Oyaaaaaa!" yelled Usopp. Scrambling out of its path hastily. The airborne oil made a hissing sound as it hit the chair had been 'sitting' on.

"What the heck was that for idiot?" shouted Usopp. Pointing an accusing finger at the riled chef.

"Why do you think baka?" the cook hollered back at him irritated. "You've kept on bothering me about food a lot lately. If you keep eating so much, you'll get fat!"

Usopp looked at Sanji, blinking. He then burst out laughing. "Hahahahahaha" Slapping his legs. "I'll never get fat! I have a high metabolism. That'll never happen!" Upon saying that, Usopp felt a sudden shiver down his spine. Which is something he usually felt when he said something that turned out wrong in the end. He generally felt this during his fight with enemies. Thinking it odd, he pushed the thought out of his mind and forgot about it.

Sanji rolled his eyes as he began to serve the dish. "Keep thinking like that and you will."

Usopp only grabbed his fork and dug in.

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"Usopp!" shouted Chopper from up on the deck. "Come here quick!"

Chopper waited, then hearing a sudden crash from down below, Usopp emerged from bellow. With a frying pan flung through the air after him with a bellow from beneath.

"What is it Chopper?" asked Usopp calmly, ignoring the giant bulb on head his which was throbbing.

"I ummmm, saw those seagulls on that rock out there" Chopper said pointing to birds on a distant outcropping. Not looking Usopp in the eyes "and thought I saw some gold in their claws. So I thought you could shoot them, so we could grab it."

"Ohhhhh really? I think I could do that! I mean, I did train with the 20,000 best snipers of the sea when I was younger." He said pompously with a grin.

Chopper gasped with admiration, eyes sparkling in awe. "Huuuuuuhhhh? Really? That's amazing!"

"Yup! Let me just go grab my goggles" he said, rushing down to get them.

He returned within a few moments with his trusty goggles on his head and slingshot in hand. Zoro, Sanji, and Nami had gathered onto the deck to watch the show.

"Ok." He said pulling the eyepieces down. "Time for the Great Captain Usopp to shoot his target."

He walked past Chopper and the rest of the crew up to the railing of the ship, oblivious to Chopper holding his cheeks, trying to hold in laughter.

He raised his slingshot, pulling back the bands attached.

"Kayaku Boshi!" he shouted, releasing the bands. A small black pellet started streaking towards the rock, until-

"Kaw?" went the small seagull, his mouth filled with a large fish. It shuffled over to the beautiful gull next to him.

She had such lovely~ plumage. He was finally certain she would accept his advances and they could build a nest together. As he sidled even closer, he set the fish down in front of her. She looked down and quickly swallowed it.

He rubbed his wing on her as she looked at him. Their black eyes connected and then slowly, lovingly, they beaks went toward the others, until-

BOOM!

The rocks exploded in a loud bang. Showering the ocean with pebbles, fish, and a puff of feathers.

"Oh yaaaa!" hollered Usopp jumping in the air, pumping his fist. "Everyone bow down to the invincible Captain Usopp!"

He pushed back up his eyepieces. "So…" he said smirking, closing his eyes. "What did you guys think?"

"…"

He puffed his chest out more, waiting for their acclaim. They must be shocked by the 'Incredible Usopp's' accuracy. He thought forlornly.

"Pffft"

Huh? Did I hear the beginnings of praise? "AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!" He heard the crew burst out laughing.

He opened his eyes. Nami had a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter. Zoro was softly chuckling. Sanji was doubled over with laughter, his cigarette lying on the deck. While Chopper, was rolling over on the ground, choking with laughter.

"Oy oy! What's so funny? Didn't you see my great shot? How was that funny?" he said annoyed, arms crossed.

"Hahahaha tch-." Nami uttered, suppressing her urge to laugh more. "The shot was great, but what's on your face is hilarious!"

"Huuuuh? What do you mean?" Usopp said uncertainly, taking a step back. "Someone gimme a mirror to look into."

Zoro walked up to him, unsheathing one of his swords. He put the blade parallel to Usopp's face so he could see what everyone was so amused with.

Usopp looked into his reflection.

"…."

"AAAHHHH!" Usopp howled, looking at his reflection.

Gazing at the sword he noticed large black circles around his eyes with lines etched outwards, making them look like small suns, and long thick lines reaching upwards to his hairline.

"What? How?" He gasped.

Suddenly, with a thought, he tore off his goggles and put a finger to the eyepiece. A black smudge rubbed off onto his finger.

"Hey!" Who put this on my goggles?" he shouted accusingly at the crew, point a darkened finger.

"How should we know?" Zoro said unconcernedly, placing his sword back into its sheath.

Usopp looked at them all, noticing Chopper slowly creeping away. "Chopper!" he yelled.

Chopper jumped up in panic. Turning slowly around to face him, his eyes looked everywhere but at him.

"Did you do this to me?" Usopp asked peeved.

"N-no. Of course not! Why would I?" the small reindeer responded evasively, 'hiding' the wrong way, behind Nami.

Hmmmm. I have an idea. Usopp thought quickly.

"Oh really? Too bad." Usopp said sadly. "Whoever did it did a reaaaaally good job. I can't believe how smart they must've been to do it when I was occupied."

Glancing back at Chopper, the young doctor was wagging back and forth, a look of extreme happiness on his young face.

"You bastard." He said smiling. "I didn't do that good of a prank!"

"Haha! Got you!" the sharpshooter yelled in triumph.

"Eeeeehhhh?" The doctor said stepping back, snapping out of his reverie. "You tricked me!"

"Come here!" Usopp bellowed running at Chopper, arms outstretched. Chopper shrieked, and started running around Nami.

After a few laps around the increasingly angry navigator. She punched them both swiftly and hard on the head

"Stop that you idiots!" She shouted, fisted still raised.

"That hurt Nami!" Chopper whimpered, clasping his head.

"Why'd you hit me? I didn't do anything!" Usopp gripped, moving away.

"Eh? You didn't? Oh well." Nami said shrugging. "Don't act so casual about it!" Usopp mumbled falling over.

As the crew dispersed to continue with their own days(Usopp quietly thinking of revenge), Luffys arm hung from the bed, inches away from the beautiful raven haired woman next to him. Their dreams both nearly alike, as they dreamt the day away.

Well there goes the first day. Worry not, more Robin/Luffy stuff next chapter, less napping. They both have to recover after their tough ordeal yesterday, even rubber boy. I prefer these chapters to the more cannon ones, more freedom for my writing. Yet AGAIN. REVIEW. If no more reviews, I'll keep this story in my noggin to myself. Thanks for the Reviews ahead! =D -ZanaZ