Woo! Chapter 4~ I suddenly got inspiration and had to write (err- type) it down! Ahh, anyway, enjoy~!

It was dark. Terribly, horribly dark. It was a suffocating, choking, kind of darkness that made Sanji panic. Where was he? Where were his friends? Where was Zoro?

Sanji stood up (or had he been standing already? He couldn't tell…). He turned, looking this way and that but still only seeing nothing but the pitch black that assaulted his vision. Absolute dread stirred in him and he felt his legs start walking him forward of their own accord.

Eventually the void gave way to a more grayish tone and finally to a blinding white. Screens lit up before him and started playing... his memories? They seemed to be so, but… they were all about Zoro. When they had first met in the Baratie, when the other had first fought Mihawk (and lost, might he add), meeting up again in Cocoyashi village, and everything after. Every one of their skirmishes on the boat, every time they had insulted each other, every time they had fought at one another's side.

Sanji's eyes widened. He hadn't realized how many times he and the swordsman had interacted. He wanted to see him. He wanted to be near him. He wanted to be rid of this horrid place of never-ending memories. He slowly sat down and stared as the screens kept playing over and over. Then he murmured to myself as he curled his legs to his chest and buried his face into his arms.

"Zoro…"

"Zoro…"

Said man's eyes widened. Was that Sanji's voice? Where had it come from? He shook it off, thinking it to be a trick.

The crew had split up, thinking they would cover more ground this way. None of them (except possibly the girls) had thought much of the clue and had opted for running around opening doors until they found their cook.

'I mean really, look above the chef's heart? What the hell is that supposed to mean?' Zoro thought. He ran as fast as could, tearing open door after door in search of the blonde he had fallen for.

He opened yet another door to yet another dead end when cigarette smoke attacked his senses. He turned around to see… Sanji? No, Sanji wasn't there… was he? He looked around and a booming voice called out, "20 minutes left, Strawhats."

'Dammit!' He thought as he started to sprint off again. He stopped abruptly when he saw a shadowy figure appear before him. Now, was it just him or did the shadow look suspiciously like a certain love-cook? Smoke once more wafted towards him, almost beckoning him forward. He slowly started walking to the mysterious figure. When he was about five feet away, the form bolted to the far end of the hallway. Was this… whatever it was… leading him somewhere? He decided to follow his instincts and pursued the shadow barely noticing the voice that rang out, "5 minutes left."

After what felt like going in multiple circles the body faded away in front of a door and Zoro heard faint laughter and he could swear he could see a smirk among its inky blackness.

He reached out for the handle and barely touched it before Royalle's voice sounded, "Haha, well congratulations. The swordsman has found the room. All of you will now be directed to the room so the second trial may start. Oh, and Roronoa, if you open the door before the challenge starts I cannot guarantee yours or the blonde's safety."

Well damn.

Zoro stood outside the door and waited for about ten minutes before his rubbery captain and everyone else arrived.

"How did you manage to find the room?" Nami asked.

"Oh, you know, ran around, opened doors…" 'followed a mysterious shadow thing…'

"Ah, well at least we found it before time was up!" Luffy chimed in.

"I wonder what the next task is," Chopper muttered.

No sooner had he said it, when Royalle and two burly men appeared in the hallway. Everyone turned to face the three as they approached. "Did you figure out the clue at all?"

Robin's voice permeated the silence, "We are below the kitchen, are we not?"

"Correct. Although I do not believe any of you besides her solved the hint. Well at any rate, this is your next task. You must choose two individuals to fight these two men behind me. Choose wisely." Royalle stated.

The StrawHats all gathered around each other in a circle. "Okay, so who should we choose?" Nami asked.

"I think Luffy and I should go. We're the strongest, after all." Zoro pointed out.

"But Swordsman-san, he said 'choose wisely.' That makes me think that something is more than what it appears to be." Robin said smartly.

"Hm, true, but what if nothing's going on? Then shouldn't we leave this to Luffy and Zoro?" Usopp put in his two cents.

"Usopp has a point, Nami and Robin. He might just be playing tricks on us." Chopper piped up.

"Haaa… Fine… I'm sure that even if something does happen, those two can take care of it…" Nami resigned. "Alright! We've chosen StrawHat Luffy and Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro."

"Good choice. There was actually nothing wrong. I was testing you." Royalle said with a smile.

Nami and Usopp twitched in blatant annoyance.

Royalle stepped forward.

"So…. Shall we begin?"

WOOOOOOO! I FINALLY DID IT! CLIFFHANGER! Aw man, there's a fight scene coming up… I'm not sure if I can write fight scenes! Oh well, I'll try… And sorry this chapter is so short…

As always, please review so I may better my story!