4.

Zoro paced around him in a circle, stalking like a giant predator. Sanji kept turning in place so his back was never exposed to the threatening swordsman. Pitch black eyes narrowed, and a growl rumbled in Zoro's chest. "I'll kill you."

Sanji flinched, but he didn't run - he couldn't run. He had to save this shitty marimo first. Zoro came closer, stopping less than a foot from Sanji's face before roaring in anger, "GIVE IT BACK TO ME!"

Sanji stared wide-eyed into Zoro's snarling face and was hit by a moment of startling clarity. "You can't touch me when I'm holding this… can you?"

Zoro withdrew a couple of paces, his expression furious. Sanji smirked and pointed at the golden ball in his other hand, "As long as I have this thing I'm safe!"

Snarling in frustration, Zoro resumed his pacing. Sanji kept a wary eye on the swordsman while he tried to understand the situation. It seemed that whatever was wrong with Zoro wasn't caused by poison. It HAD to be some sort of freaky magic spell that the idiot had stumbled into while crashing around the jungle - and the object in Sanji's hands had to be the source. Why else would this shitty ball be able to keep Zoro from even touching Sanji? He wanted to bring it Robin; no doubt their lovely and intelligent archeologist would understand this weird object. Sanji eyed the growling swordsman cautiously. He wasn't sure that he wanted to risk his lovely ladies getting hurt by their bewitched crewmate. Sanji didn't know if the ball only worked for one person at a time or not.

He would just have to deal with this himself.

"Maybe I should break it?" Sanji thought out loud as he turned the sphere over in his hands. If he just crushed the damn thing underfoot maybe that would lift the curse? However he couldn't help but worry about the consequences. What if breaking the artifact made things worse? What if Zoro was a violent molesting manic forever? The thought of never getting his marimo back the way he used to be was upsetting.

Eerie obsidian eyes regarded him in silence for a moment. Zoro had stopped pacing and was simply staring. Suddenly his lips twitched into a toothy sneer. "I never thought that you would care so little about your friend."

About your... friend.

The hairs rose on the back of Sanji's neck - this wasn't Zoro. As much as the swordsman seemed to hate him, Sanji knew that Zoro understood how much he cared about his friends. Sanji would put his life on the line for any crewmate in an instant and Zoro would never call that into question. This man wasn't Zoro. Perhaps this was just like what happened with that shitty okama, Number Two? Sanji was pissed with himself. Why hadn't he noticed it earlier?! His eyes narrowed and he took a step back from the swordsman.

"You aren't Zoro! Who the fuck are you?"

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Robin carefully unrolled a crumbling parchment scroll, and sighed in subdued irritation as another large chunk of text crumbled into dust. This scroll wasn't any different from the others. It was solely comprised of the financial affairs of whatever priests that had maintained this shrine. It was interesting, but Robin was hoping for something that would expound upon what she had interpreted on the stone outside.

She gingerly re-rolled the text and set it aside. Crossing her arms, she felt the familiar flutter of new skin forming as she summoned a line of arms to reach a large scroll resting at the top of the stone shelves. She accepted the parchment from herself and dismissed the extra limbs. Footsteps on the stone floor behind her alerted her to one of her crewmates entering the underground library.

"Have you found any maps?" Nami ran a curious gaze over the pile of scrolls at Robin's side.

"I'm afraid not, miss Navigator."

Nami pouted, "I haven't found even a single gold coin in this entire damn pile of rocks! I'm going outside to study the rainfall again. At least this island won't be an entire waste of my time!"

Robin smiled, "I'll be sure to let you know if I find any maps or any records of treasure."

Giving the older woman a quick hug, Nami practically radiated happiness. "You're the only one who understands me! Robin, you're the best!"

Chuckling, Robin shifted the scroll in her hands so Nami wouldn't accidentally damage it. "I'm glad you think so, miss Navigator."

When Nami had departed, Robin opened the large scroll. Instantly an adrenaline rush of excitement quickened her pulse. This scroll was all she had hoped for and more. Elaborate illuminated script decorated the opening lines.

The treachery of the soul is maintained by the body. Depriving the body leads to unity of the spirit. True peace is offered through the ritual by the sacred Huli Jing. Seek solace in the sacrifice of those who choose the binding of their soul through the ritual; for their tears are gathered in the pool, and the pains of the flesh are no more.

Robin felt more troubled as she continued to read the religious text. Much of the writing was vague and poetic, providing very little concrete information about the religion or its practice. However as she read she discovered a chilling representation of a spirit that offered the chance to have any wish granted, but at a terrible cost.

Her fingers brushed delicately over an illustration of a crumbling corpse, and she couldn't help but be saddened. In trying to obtain their desires through deals with devils, men found themselves devoured by the very thing that they sought. Wishes of the heart were just that powerful. She didn't know if she would be able to resist the island spirit's siren call herself. With luck, neither she or her crewmates would ever be faced with that choice. Robin just hoped that they all would be able to leave this place without facing such a devious enemy.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"ANSWER ME!" Fake-Zoro ignored the demand still wearing that damned smirk. Sani clenched his fingers around the golden ball and silently panicked. Thoughts of Zoro, tortured and bleeding assaulted his mind.

"Where is my swordsman?" Emotion clutched at his throat, and his voice came out in a horrified whisper.

There was no change at all to the pseudo-swordsman's expression. Sanji desperately searched his crewmate's face for something that was still Zoro, but there were only those two empty eyes, watching him back with cool disdain. Fake-Zoro arched a single eyebrow. "What are you waiting for? Have you not resolved to act?"

Sanji held his ground, staring back at the hateful creature before him. He did his best to hide it, but he was horribly afraid. He was afraid that it was too late and Zoro was already beyond saving, and he was scared of even considering having to go on without the marimo. How could he pursue his dream of All-Blue without the shitty swordsman at his side?

If there was still any chance of him getting his swordsman back he had to get this face-stealing fucker to cooperate.

"I want to make a deal."

The mocking grin on fake-Zoro's face grew wider. "Oh?"

Sanji hoisted the golden ball, hoping that he looked more confident than he felt. "I have this... thing. You said you wanted it?"

Fake-Zoro shrugged, "Yes. However, I don't have to offer you anything. To get what you want, you will have to return that to me regardless."

It was clear from his expression that he thought that he had won. Sanji's hands trembled as he protectively cradled the ball to his chest again. Maybe this creep HAD won.

"Please..." Sanji never begged, but he felt he had no choice. Losing Zoro wasn't an option. "I'll do anything!"

He just wanted his shitty marimo back.