A/N: Yes, it's a right time to update… though; my next block had already begun T_T. Forgive me if I have to make you wait for quite long time. At least I can finish this. Hahaha, it took me a week to write this down right. Anyway, this is chapter 4 for The Connector. Enjoy~
Disclaimer: Odachi owns everything in One Piece ^__^ Luna only borrow them for playing
Warning: pretty much the same stuffs as the previous ones, oh and there's also a mention of boy x boy in this chapter. Be ware… just in case.
The Connector
Chapter 4: Grudge (Part 2)
Look at me…
Don't look at anyone else…
I am right here aren't I?
Why are you looking at another person?
Hey… look at me…
Your eyes… I want them to look only at me…
ZORO—RORONOA—ZORO
Zoro glanced over his shoulder behind. He was making sure that that woman didn't follow him when he was walking out of the building with Smoker beside him.
"What are you looking at?" Smoker raised his eyebrows as he noticed Zoro's odd act.
"Eeh, just making sure we don't have any tail," the young Roronoa turned his face, showing his uneven expression to Smoker and the older man rolled his eyes at him.
"She won't follow us," Smoker said.
"You don't know that," Zoro said, defending his precaution.
"No, she won't. She already passed her message to you. She won't bother you anymore," Smoker was pretty sure of that.
"She wants me to do something," Zoro said, catching Smoker attention. "She wants me to help him."
"Who?" The colonel asked him, wondering.
"Him," Zoro repeated.
"Who the hell is him?" Smoker furrowed at that.
"I don't know, okay? She didn't mention any name, only 'him.' How should I know?" Zoro said, making a comical annoyed look with a bead of sweat on his right cheek.
"That's… odd," Smoker said putting his hand on his chin, thinking with wrinkled brow.
"Well, sorry for being weird. It's not like I want to have this ability," Zoro unintentionally snapped, pretty irritated.
"I didn't mean 'you' being odd…-" Smoker wanted to protest, but stopped as he raised his face, seeing Zoro's sour look. He sighed in apologetic expression. "Must be hard, huh?"
Zoro didn't reply that question, only looked away from him. Well, Smoker didn't really understand since he couldn't do anything fancy like Zoro did with those beings. Still, the cop was sure it wasn't easy. Zoro was still insanely new to this ability. He thought it was amazing enough that he wanted to try understanding that newly found power instead of going nuts with the entire hazardous world he didn't know before.
This kid has monstrous psychological strength, huh?—Smoker thought deeply.
"Then what's odd?" Zoro turned his face again at Smoker, asking.
And he actually cares about that…—Smoker honestly wanted to chuckle, but he coughed a little instead, to hide his amusement.
"The fact that she wanted you to help someone," Smoker said. "She was the girl who got killed in that apartment. If she wanted something from you, shouldn't it be something more… you know, selfish? Like catching her killer—" Zoro made a face at that and Smoker realized, shrugging "-well, Kuro is dead… or giving farewell message for her family or something in those lines," he continued.
"Should be, but not always," Zoro paused a bit before speaking again while looking afar. "When I first realized I could see things… I thought they're just the same as us," he began slowly. "There was this woman who insisted talking with me even though I didn't like her appearance one bit. She invaded my dream and showed me how she died to catch my attention… and she only wanted me to help his son who's dying in his room." Zoro's voice was completely even when he spoke and Smoker listened to him carefully. "I think… it's the same as this time," he said, now looking at Smoker with his deep dark jade eyes.
"You mean her family was in danger or something?" Smoker asked seriously.
"Could be, I don't know. It can be anyone since she only mentioned him," Zoro grunted and rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a sudden uneasiness. "I wished she could be more transparent," he sighed.
"Did that woman give you a transparent message?" Smoker asked again.
There was a brief silence before Zoro sighed again, longer now. "No," he replied, groaning slightly.
"That's the way they communicate. They only use hints, codes, signs, anything. I don't know if that's the rule or something… but they can't speak directly," Smoker explained.
"That's weird…," Zoro commented.
"It is," Smoker agreed.
"No, I mean you being weird. You know so many things about them despite only being able to see," Zoro said again with deadpanned expression.
There was silence again before Smoker said "Is that a pay back from before?" He couldn't believe the boy was holding a grudge.
"Just your imagination," Zoro said again with flat tone, but he was looking away again.
Smoker could have sworn the boy looked smug just now. The suspicion only increased when he looked away. The cop sighed and mumbled something like 'Kids and their temper' or something like that.
"So, what are we going to do?" Smoker asked a few moments later.
"Shouldn't we stick to the plan?" Zoro suggested. Smoker raised his eyebrows again, demanding his explanation for that. "I mean…, she was killed inside Jango's apartment, right? It's just speculation… wasn't she short of related to Jango? She might be his girlfriend or his sister or something," the green haired boy explained.
"Good reason, it makes sense even," Smoker said, considering it. "Okay, then we shall just follow the first plan. Find Jango and we'll know something," Smoker walked faster. Zoro followed him from behind.
"How should we find him?" the boy asked.
"Jango must have had some friends when he was still working in Kuroneko Bar. Master should know if there's someone we can contact," Smoker answered and Zoro nodded slightly in understanding.
ZORO—RORONOA—ZORO
"So… where are we, again?" Zoro stared outside the window of a taxi that brought Smoker and him to a quite remote area in the neighbor town.
"This area is in Hina's jurisdiction…." Smoker mumbled lowly while making an annoyed expression. "Why hasn't she said anything? Does she even know?"
"Who?" Zoro turned his face at Smoker, a bit confused.
"No, I am talking to myself," Smoker said, dismissing Zoro's curiosity.
"Then… how can we find this Fu… who is it again…?" Zoro trailed off while trying to remember the name.
"It's Full Body," Smoker helped while looking at another paper he got from Master.
"Yeah that… what an interesting name," Zoro made a ridiculous expression thinking about that name.
"It's not his real name. That's how he's called in the club," Smoker said again after talking to the driver to bring him and Zoro to the address on the paper.
"What club?" Zoro asked further, quite intrigued.
"It's a dancing club. He and Jango go to the same club and they're best friends," the silver haired man said while leaning against the jock.
"Then he might be there." Zoro nodded slightly, agreeing, and the taxi drove them to their destination in steady speed.
Arriving in front of European styled house, Smoker and Zoro got off the taxi. Smoker paid for the fee and now they stood before large double wooden doors. Smoker reached for the handle-like -lion shaped- decoration and knocked it at the door, making nice thumping noises that echoed inside.
"A western styled house?" Zoro felt strange at the view in front of him. It was quite rare to have that kind building there. Usually, houses in remote area were built traditionally.
Does the owner of this house wants to show something?—Zoro thought silently, but then he felt a bit ridiculous for caring about something like that.
"It seems Full Body is a bit eccentric," Smoker stared at the lion shaped handle with a flat stare. Zoro couldn't really read his expression, though. He looked serious.
They waited for at least three minutes before someone opened the door. A woman with long wavy pinkish hair greeted them. "Can I help you?"
"Is this Mr. Full Body's house? I am Detective Smoker," Smoker showed his ID and the woman immediately looked at it to confirm it. She nodded slightly, approving. "I am looking for Mr. Full Body if he's present," Smoker put his ID card back inside his pocket.
"Yes, my brother is home," the lady said as she opened the door more widely. "Please come in." She then gestured for Smoker to come inside the house.
"Pardon our intrusion," Smoker said as he entered the beautiful house, Zoro following closely behind him.
"And this is…?" the lady looked at Zoro now.
"Ah, I am Roronoa Zoro," Zoro nodded slightly at her.
"He's my assistant," Smoker continued slightly, backing him up.
"Okay," the lady winked strangely at Zoro and suddenly he felt cold for some reasons. He had to rub the back of his neck a bit. "Please wait for a moment. I'll call my brother down," she said after letting Smoker and Zoro sit on the sofa in the guest's room.
"Man, that lady creeps me out a bit," Zoro muttered slowly through his teeth, but it seemed Smoker heard that and decided to tease him.
"Oh, you're afraid of woman, kid?" he asked, raising his eyebrows as if he were surprised. Zoro knew right away that it was a sham because he could see the glint of amusement in his eyes.
"Shut up. It's not like that," Zoro wanted to step on Smoker's foot, but he failed because Smoker decided to be an esper (1) and dodged the attack before it hit him. Zoro narrowed his eyes at Smoker and vice-versa.
"You're too fast 100 years to do that to me, kid," Smoker said, smirking a bit.
"Don't call me kid!" Zoro was pissed off now. The green haired boy was about to yell again as the door of the living room was suddenly opened, stealing Smoker and Zoro attention right away from their little argument.
"Oh, Detective," a man with the same hair color as the lady before- entered the room. He wore full formal white suits with a red tie and there was like an iron colored glove covering his right hand. He was quite handsome with over-confident expression. Well, Zoro didn't really like over-confident type, but it didn't mean he would hate him the moment he saw him, right?
Smoker stood up and so did Zoro. "Mr. Full Body," Smoker offered his hand and Full Body accepted it happily.
"Please, Full Body is fine, Detective Smoker," Full Body said as he acceded them to sit again before he also sat down on the sofa across Smoker.
"Okay, Full Body," Smoker nodded. "We're here because we have something to ask you."
"And what might it be?" Full Body looked intrigued.
"We heard you knew someone named Jango…"
As Smoker and Full Body were engaged in conversation, Zoro took his time to look around. He didn't know what he was trying to look for. He just sort of did that without even thinking. He found something really interesting on the table at the corner of the room. It was a book, an old-looking one with black leather cover. It wasn't physically interesting. He just felt it was. Something about the book interested him, but he didn't know why he thought that way. He felt something familiar with the book, though…
"…he's here," Full Body's voice interrupted Zoro's thought and he looked back at Smoker and Full Body, concentrating on their conversation once more.
"Who is here?" Zoro asked aloud without realizing it.
Smoker made a face at him, clearly accusing him for daydreaming. "Jango is here," he said, emphasizing on the name part.
"Oh," Zoro nodded, trying to hide his embarrassment for not paying enough attention.
"But right now, he's not capable on speaking rightly, I am afraid," Full Body said suddenly with disappointed look.
"Why is that?" Smoker asked curiously.
"You see… he's been strange since last month," Full Body sighed with troubled look. "He kept saying illogical things, like… he was haunted by a ghost or something stupid like that."
Smoker and Zoro widened their eyes in surprise hearing that. They looked at each other slightly before they nodded in silence. "Let me speak to him," Smoker insisted.
"Is that okay? He can fall in hysteria sometimes," Full Body looked a bit anxious.
"Don't worry. We only want to ask some… small things," Smoker said thoughtfully with understanding and reassuring tone.
"Okay," Full Body stood. "I will bring you to him. Please follow me, Detective and…," Full Body turned his face at Zoro, realizing that he hadn't been introduced to the detective's partner.
"Roronoa Zoro," Zoro stood and nodded at him.
"Yes, Roronoa-san," he smiled.
After that, Full Body led them inside the house to the room where Jango was resting. They went upstairs and turned left at the second floor, entering a corridor. There were some doors on the corridor both sides. Full Body kept silent as he led the way until he stopped at the fourth door on the right side.
"This is Jango's room," Full Body said. Smoker and Zoro nodded. "I'll try calling him, but please forgive him if he doesn't want to come out. He's being difficult to everyone lately," he said.
"Did he ever tell you anything about the ghost that's been haunting him?" Smoker asked evenly.
Full body looked at him as if he had grown a second head. "Ex-excuse me?" he stuttered a bit, seeming not believing his hearing just now.
Smoker sighed. "He might have suffered schizophrenia if you want to know why I am asking like this," he said, completely apathy from the outside.
Smoker is so good in hiding his own emotion—Zoro couldn't help thinking, slightly awed at the cop's coolness.
"Oh, yeah, of course," Full Body laughed slightly, feeling awkward. "Um… yeah, I thought like that at first and I introduced him to a psychiatrist. The doctor also had given him medication. Still, somehow, it didn't work well."
Of course it won't work. It's not a sickness—Zoro thought, sweat dropping. He also had that experience after all.
"So, did he tell you anything?" Smoker repeated his question.
"Um… well, he had ever said something like… someone was standing at the end of his bed and sometimes his things would change places without him knowing it or things like that, if that's what you mean…," Full Body tried to remember what his friend had told him before. "But that can't be, right? I mean… there's no ghost," and then he laughed sheepishly.
Zoro narrowed his eyes at Full Body slightly. The guy just couldn't see. It didn't mean they didn't exist. Smoker seemed notice the displeasure in Zoro's face and nudged his ribs lightly. Zoro turned his face at Smoker and the cop shook his head slightly. The green haired boy huffed and looked at another way.
"I'll call him then," Full Body informed and knocked lightly at Jango's door three times. "Jango, it's me. You have guests," he called, a bit more loudly.
There was movement inside and a low grunt, a rustling sound and a click before the door opened slightly. Someone peeked from the narrow space.
"Jango, it's me," Smoker said, showing his face at the guy and he widened his eyes slightly.
"Detective!" Jango opened his door room widely and stepped outside in a grateful look.
"It's been awhile, Jango. How have you been?" Smoker asked while offering his hand.
"Ah… I am so glad that you look for me. Lately many things happened and…," Jango's face paled visibly. "I… I know why you're here," he stuttered as he looked at Smoker, slightly afraid. "Is this something about Kuro-san?"
"So you saw him, huh?" Smoker asked while making a face as if he had known that. Zoro gulped slightly.
"No, why would I see him?" Jango asked, making a face. "That guy wanted to kill me back then!"
"Huh?" Now Smoker and Zoro looked dumbfounded. "Wait a—, then whom did you see? Full Body told me you've been haunted."
Jango widened his eyes at that. Then he made a screwed face and glared at his friend who looked at another way now. He sighed slightly and bit his lower lip. "It… it's my ex-girlfriend," he spoke quietly in hesitant voice.
"Ex—, did she have long brown hair?" Zoro asked suddenly, butting in with curiosity.
"How did you know that?" Jango threw his gaze at Zoro now. "Who the hell are you?" he asked, frowning.
"I am Detective Smoker's partner," Zoro said bluntly, and before Jango could comment how young he was, Zoro spoke more with a serious tone. "She was the one who was killed in your apartment, wasn't she?"
Jango paled visibly at that.
"Zoro!" Smoker shouted at Zoro loudly, startling the boy.
"What the—!" Full Body made a shocked face he heard what Zoro had said. "What do you mean she was killed inside his apartment!? What is this all about!?"
"Eh… um…-" Zoro tried to explain, but failed to make any words. Smoker made an expression that they were in deep shit. The cop covered his forehead at that.
"You and your big mouth," Smoker pinched Zoro's arm and the boy yelped painfully.
"It's based on our last investigation," Smoker said. "You familiar with a serial killer named Kuro Kurahadol?" Smoker asked slightly, trying to regain control of the situation.
"I know him. But what is it all about? What does it have any to do with Jango's ex's death?" Full Body demanded an explanation.
"Okay, do you know that Kuro is dead?" Smoker asked again.
"I know. It was on the news. The bastard was killed, I heard. He deserved that," Full Body huffed slightly.
"Yes, but during his escape, he already killed two more people. One of them was…," Smoker stopped slightly ad glanced at Jango's very pale frightened face.
Full Body seemed noticing the hesitation and widened his eyes as he understood, apparently. "It was her…? Reona?" he whispered in disbelief. "But…, but the news said…!" Full Body now looked baffled. "I thought she died in accident!"
So her name is Reona…—Zoro took a note.
Smoker nodded slightly.
He knows and he doesn't tell me anything… that shitty cop!—Zoro narrowed his eyes at Smoker, annoyed.
"I… I couldn't save her…!" Jango whimpered as he covered his face, earning an immediate attention from everyone around him. "She was killed and I couldn't even do a damn thing to help her! I… it's perfectly normal if she had a grudge on me! I failed her and couldn't protect her! I let her die!"
Just like Full Body said earlier, the guy fell into hysteria. He screamed and cried painfully as if he could still freshly see the horrible event. Zoro felt sympathy as he saw the breakdown.
I see…, so that's why that woman asked me to help him…. She didn't want him to blame himself over her death…— Zoro closed his eyes as he heard the cry and the sobs from Jango, while Full Body and Smoker were trying to calm him down. But I can't do anything for something like this. It's not my expertise. Only a psychiatrist can help him through the depression….
However then, suddenly Zoro felt a chill running on his back. He immediately looked behind. He only saw a blur of a person, or he thought it was a person, moving fast at the end of the corridor. He couldn't really tell who that was just now, though he remembered the color of the blur. He could have sworn he saw Full Body's sister dress.
Not enough with that, now Zoro felt ominous as well in his core. What is it…?—He also felt a strange coldness. He felt something… wrong. He couldn't really tell what was wrong, but he was sure something was definitely not right. His uneasiness grew stronger so suddenly it felt really uncomfortable.
What is… this feeling?
ZORO—RORONOA—ZORO
"So… what should we do? We can't really speak to Jango if he's like that," Zoro commented, scratching his head slightly.
"Indeed," Smoker replied slowly as he gazed at Jango who was sitting on his bed, expressionless now. Smoker frowned a bit. The guy was having mental break down, it seemed. He wouldn't be able to help even though they brought him to see Kuro right now.
"I am very sorry for this, Detective Smoker," Full Body said after he finished encouraging Jango who seemed ignoring him. Well, he couldn't react properly anyway. "I think Jango will not be able to help you with anything as he's like this. Oh, and I'd like to have more words about this case. Reona was my best friend too. I can't believe she was killed like that… and in front of Jango to top it all." The man looked really worried as he looked back at his friend. "He's such a cheery person before…."
"I understand," Smoker nodded. "I'll tell you everything." Smoker noticed that Zoro looked at him intently as he said the last part. "Excuse me," Smoker then approached the green haired boy. "Don't worry. I won't speak about the ghost part again," he whispered near Zoro's ear and the boy nodded, exhaling slightly even though his face was still serious.
"Can we go to another room? I prefer Jango not hearing it while we're speaking," Full Body said then. "I am afraid he can't handle it."
"That's thoughtful," Smoker nodded in agreement.
Then the three guys left Jango's room and once again were back inside the guest's room. The atmosphere was quite heavy now.
"So… Reona was killed in Jango's apartment?" Full Body asked, making sure that he heard right.
"Yes. The body was found a bit far from the crime scene, but as we investigated more, we found evidence inside Jango's apartment that proved that she was indeed killed there," Smoker explained clearly. Well, it wasn't entirely true since there was no concrete evidence, but it wasn't a lie as well because Zoro proved it with his ability. Still, Full Body didn't need to know that. "That's why we're looking for Jango. I intended to ask slowly… but this brat had just run his big mouth and scared Jango." Now Smoker glared at Zoro and the boy quickly looked away. It seemed the he was feeling guilty.
"Is that Kuro's doing too?" Full Body asked while gritting his teeth a bit, anger flashing in his eyes.
"I am afraid, it was." Smoker spoke again.
"Jango never told me anything about it…! He should have just run and moved when Kuro escaped," Full Body frowned deeply.
"That's the strange part," Smoker said. "When Kuro escaped, he got assisted by someone who hid him, and we hadn't known who it was. Kuro escaped two months ago and last month he was killed by the person, we assume, who had helped him. If Reona was killed inside Jango's apartment…." Smoker hesitated a bit.
"Oh, no…, please don't say you suspect Jango did that." Full Body shook his head at that warily, realizing that Jango might become a suspect in Smoker's head.
We'll get a perfect reaction if we can bring Jango to Kuro's spirit. If Kuro reacts… then Jango really was the one who killed him. Did Jango do that to get revenge because his girlfriend was murdered? Then… why did he help Kuro in the first place? He was about to get killed before… who would want to help someone who had tried to harm himself anyway?—Smoker was in deep thought. It didn't make any sense at all.
"De-Detective Smoker?"
Upon hearing Full Body's unsure voice, Smoker snapped back from his train of thought. "Oh, sorry… I am just thinking something," Smoker coughed a bit and responded to his earlier question. "I also don't want to believe it, but right now everything can become a possibility and that's just one of the others. I am only doing my job and I need Jango's assistance to get more clues."
"I- I see…," Full Body bit his lower lip.
Smoker then looked at Zoro. The green haired boy was quiet the whole time. He wondered what Zoro was thinking right now.
"Well, it's not as if I could just drag Jango to police station and interrogate him with his condition. I'll just leave for now, but I will come back to ask some question another time," Smoker stood up. "Until then, can I leave him in your care, Full Body?" he asked.
"Yes, of course," Full Body also stood. So did Zoro, still quiet. "I'll inform you if he says something regarding the case," the gentle man promised Smoker as he led the cop and Zoro to the front door.
On the way, they bumped into Full Body's sister who brought them a tray of hot cups of tea and a plate of cookies. "Oh, already leaving? You should drink your tea first," she offered.
"No, thank you. We're kind of in rush," Smoker declined politely and Zoro only nodded at her as they got out of the house. "We're excuse ourselves."
After biding a good bye to Full Body and his sister, both Smoker and Zoro walked out the residence to the road. They walked in silence. Smoker wondered why Zoro still hadn't said anything. Did I blame him too much?—Smoker thought, feeling weird. He thought Zoro wasn't the type to get emotionally wounded by words.
"Smoker," Zoro suddenly called him and the cop was a bit taken aback since he just thought about the kid being so quiet all of sudden.
"What?" Smoker asked, masking his surprise expertly by only raising one of his eyebrows.
Zoro opened his mouth, but then he looked hesitating for a moment before he whispered, "Don't you feel strange?"
Smoker looked at Zoro oddly. "What is?"
"You don't realize it?" Zoro mumbled quickly, made a frustrated sound before he suddenly looked up again at him. "I have to talk to Kuro," he said suddenly.
"Wait a minute. Don't just—,"
"But I have to! Right away!" the boy cut him hard. "There's something really bothering me, but I don't have any proof yet if it's true or not! I need to talk to Kuro to be sure!"
The green haired boy looked at Smoker eyes so earnestly. Smoker was completely stunned. "Okay…," he said slowly. He might not know what Zoro was thinking, but if he thought it could solve the mystery, he wasn't about to protest. "But, we have to get back to my house first," Smoker said again. "We need a bit preparation."
Zoro nodded at that and once again, they stopped a taxi and got on to go back to Smoker house.
ZORO—RORONOA—ZORO
By the time they arrived in front of Smoker's house, the sun had already set and the sky had already been dark. Zoro and Smoker quickly got off the taxi. This time, Smoker told the driver to wait for them before he and Zoro went inside the house.
"What do we need to bring?" Zoro asked as he entered the living room.
"Just stay here. I'll get everything covered," Smoker said as he went to the dining room and to his bed room.
Zoro sat on the chair, waiting for the older man patiently. Well, not really patiently since he was tapping his right foot on the floor. Several minutes later, Smoker was back in living the room, not really bringing anything.
Zoro looked at him and blinked. "Where's the preparation?" he asked a bit comically.
"I told you, I already got it covered. Now let's go," the older man said as he walked to the front door again.
Zoro stood and hurriedly followed him while wondering 'what the hell?' They got on the taxi again and Smoker had the driver drive them to the bridge.
Arriving at the road near the bridge, Smoker threw a couple of thousands yen at the driver and hurriedly got off. Zoro still followed closely behind him. They walked nearing the bridge silently, but immediately, both Zoro and Smoker felt something ominous.
"What…?" Zoro was a bit taken aback and stopped walking. He began to shiver as strange cold wind started to gust around him. "What… is this…?" Then the boy also began to hear something.
Clang… clang… clang…
It was the sound of metals clanging together. As an addition, he also heard the sound of shrieking-like friction between metals.
"Crap…," Smoker whispered slightly in frowned brows, face slightly paling.
"What's wrong, Smoker?" Zoro turned his face to the cop in a concerned expression.
"Look at that," Smoker raised his hand and pointed at the bridge direction, not releasing his eyes from the source of his attention.
Zoro followed Smoker's finger and widened his eyes as he saw what Smoker saw. It was Kuro… but something was really-really wrong with this Kuro. He wasn't quiet and calm like the previous night. This Kuro… looked really murderous. He walked, yes, he walked like a human being on the bridge, from the end of the bridge to the other end; and he repeated the action while clanging and chafing something… claw-like thing on his hand to the railings of the bridge.
"What… the HELL—!" Zoro couldn't help widening his eyes even more seeing that. He had never… seen something like this before. It was hundred times weirder than the other things Zoro had ever seen. "I thought he's a ghost! He should be like a… a Casper! He walks through things! How can he even bring a weapon!?" This was completely ridiculous.
"Look closely," Smoker said more calmly, but Zoro didn't miss the fear in his voice. "The weapon…, that's not a tool."
Zoro narrowed his eyes and focused his sight at the thing on Kuro's hand. Then he gasped as he realized what it was. Just like Smoker said, the claw-like weapon wasn't a tool. They were Kuro's claws. "H-his hand…!" A shiver was running down Zoro's spine as he saw Kuro's literal purple-almost black-hand. It was no longer human-shaped hand.
"Shit… I didn't notice that he was that angry," Smoker said again. To Zoro, honestly, the cop looked a bit panicked.
"What is it!? What's wrong with him!?" However, since Zoro was already in a panicky now, he couldn't really comment on Smoker. Sure, he had seen a lot of things with a lot of inhuman shapes; he meant by losing head or losing arms or legs or other organs, but seeing that hand… it was the first time he had seen something like that. Moreover, the bloodcurdling feeling that thing emitted had somehow affected Zoro again. Even worse than the nausea and headache, it gave Zoro a feeling of a hopeless victim. Zoro knew Kuro desired for blood. He could feel it really clearly.
"Hh… hate… detest…."
Shit. Zoro even could hear his dry rasping breath and voice. Hey, is he even still breathing!?—Zoro brain had begun to get freezing again. He couldn't really help it. The dry voice made whole his body hair stand!
"Want to kill…! Kill…! Loath…!"
Zoro shut his eyes and hugged his body as he felt the hatred and intent to kill so vividly. "Shit…!" He tried desperately not to let his body begin to trembling. He couldn't be afraid now. He was about to speak to him. He had to know the truth!
"Kuro!" Zoro ran on the nearest end of the bridge and shouted at Kuro.
"Stupid—! What are you doing!?" Smoker ran after the boy and yanked his shoulder hard to stop him, but Zoro was resolved to talk, and ignored him, even the painful treatment.
"You don't belong to this world anymore! Tell me your message and pass on already!" Zoro shouted again.
Kuro only turned his face at him for a moment before he widened his eyes in a very evil smirk. "Kill…!" Suddenly the monster leaped, nearing Zoro in inhuman speed that Zoro was shocked, not even having a chance to react as the claws made their way to his head.
Crap!—Zoro had been ready to receive the blow when suddenly Smoker pulled him back and clashed the claws with his bare arm.
A. Fucking. Bare. Arm.
Zoro could only bulge his eyes as he saw something transparent coating the said arm, completely repelled the attack and even clashed it back as the claws collided with it. Kuro was sent back some meters—he didn't have time to count because he was so busy staring— and shrieked painfully, as if he were burning.
"Are you an idiot!?" Smoker's roar woke Zoro up from his speechless, fascinated self. Zoro blinked and he saw a very pissed off expression on Smoker's face. "You can't just shout at the evil spirit like that! He could kill you!" The cop yelled more heatedly.
"Huh? Eh… but I have to talk to him…," Zoro tried to reason. "And beside, I didn't know he could do something like that! Why can he touch things!? Ghost can't touch any concrete material, right!?" he began to ask and protest again, completely confused.
Smoker frowned deeply again and sighed long. "He's no longer a spirit," he said. Zoro maded a 'huh?' face as he heard that. "He has reached his limit. He's turning into Ayakashi (2)."
By the time he heard the word, he looked at Smoker as if the guy had been an alien from planet Mars. "Excuse me?" He suddenly felt that he had been thrown into outer space.
"Forget it." Smoker rolled his eyes. "You still haven't studied about them yet, so you won't understand. But as Kuro is like this… you can't talk to him. Not anymore." Smoker made a very serious face as he stared at the recoveringKuro in front of them.
"What does that mean?" Zoro was in desperate need of explanation in practically everything! He couldn't understand Smoker's words at all.
"It means I am telling you to shut up! We can't stay here! He can attack again!" Smoker was already angry now.
"But I have to talk to him! I need to know if it's true!" Zoro still insisted.
"What are you talking about!?" Smoker was really confused now.
"Didn't you realize!? It's about Full Body being an accomplice of the murder!" Smoker widened his eyes in a shock at Zoro's outburst. "He said it himself… when we're at his house. After he calmed Jango down…-"
"... I can't believe she was killed like that… and in front of Jango to top it all."
Smoker widened his eyes even more that they might fall out of their sockets if he didn't stop as he remembered the line. "You're right… We had never mentioned that Jango was present when the girl was killed. How did he know…?"
"That's simple. He was there." Zoro said seriously. "When Reona was killed… he was there, behind the bed, a place where I—Reona— couldn't see."
"But something like that… without proof…," Smoker frowned again.
"That's why I need to talk to Jango. If I can see and feel his experience… we might know everything. I can even look for any proof when I am at it," Zoro ensured Smoker.
Smoker was hesitant. "He still could kill you."
"I don't have to be clawed to do the connection. As long as I can touch him… just a little bit is fine." Zoro spoke again.
"You'll suffer the impact again, even harder. The intensity of his hatred right now was hundred times heavier than his yesterday!" Smoker warned.
"Heh, don't underestimate my mental strength. I am an opponent that Dracule Mihawk 'The Hawk Eye' has taken notice, you know," Zoro smirked confidently at that. Well, even though he still couldn't even scratch the guy, but that was another matter.
Smoker narrowed his eyes at Zoro. "You owe me an explanation for that," he reminded, and Zoro made a 'Crap!' look. The cop chuckled slightly and nodded. "Okay. Just… don't overdo it," he said.
"Yes," Zoro then faced the Kuro once again.
"Zoro," Smoker called again. Zoro turned his face to him slightly as he saw Smoker threw something long at him. Zoro readily caught it and gasped as he saw his prized sword Wadou Ichi Monji. He looked at Smoker perplexedly.
"I brought it just in case. Use it. It has a little haki. It can repel that thing for a moment. Use the moment to touch or connect. You're safer that way." Smoker explained briefly.
"I don't really understand, but thanks. It's easier if I have something to hold onto," Zoro smirked as he unsheathed the beautiful sword and performed an Itōryū (3) style. Zoro then narrowed his eyes at the thing in front of him. He didn't know if he could slay this thing or not with his sword, but he didn't need to harm him. He only needed to stop its movement so he could touch him.
For some reasons, Zoro didn't really feel the nauseating sensation as he was concentrating on his sword. He bent his body a little and held his sword horizontally above the shoulder of his arm. Then he waited. He waited for the thing to attack him first before he would stop him.
I can't really cut him anyway; if that's the case… then this technique might do well.
As Kuro finally recovered, he blindly attacked Zoro again with the claws, intending to hurt him. He looked so angry yet so hurt at the same time. Zoro felt the pain as Kuro neared him again.
Just a bit more…. Come closer…
As Kuro was almost a meter in front of him, finally Zoro made a move. He performed a circular swing that launched something like air-compressed projectile-attack at Kuro and slammed the thing so strongly that he halted moving at all.
NOW!—Zoro ran at the thing, ignoring the tingling-biting dark air around him, and then reached his hand that didn't hold any sword at Kuro's chest. As he touched him, dozens of feelings attacked him at the same time. Zoro was so shocked at the intensity he screamed.
"AAAAAH!"
The green haired boy shut his eyes as he was drowned inside the painful darkness. Then, when he realized it, he was there. Once again, inside Jango's apartment, but now he wasn't that girl. He was Kuro. He saw his bloodstained hands and white bed-sheet that was slowly turning crimson, the horrible corpse of that girl under him and a black leather-covered book beside her slashed head. He didn't feel anything. Nothing… it was just the coldness and the emptiness.
"Well done." He heard someone spoke in front of him and he saw him. Full Body smirked at him, crossing his arms on his chest. "You're not becoming rusty at all even after in the prison for two years."
"He's a perfect killing machine." Another one spoke, but now it was a girl's voice. "Jango must be proud of you so much, huh, Kuro?" Full Body's sister's wicked expression entered his eyesight and he felt like laughing so suddenly.
"I told you she's got nothing to do with it." He heard Jango spoke behind him, muttering while sighing. He looked back at the man and smirked uncontrollably. Jango approached him slowly and put his arms around him. "Well, that's the Kuro I love, though." Jango's voice seemed amused.
Zoro shut his eyes as his consciousness was pulled again by the darkness and when he opened his eyes, now he was inside a white room. He could see a mirror in front of him and he saw Jango there. "You'll do anything for me, right, Kuro?" Jango smiled at him and he began to feel something.
Another pulling and he was brought away again. One more opening eyes again and he saw a living room with two children and a woman. Jango was there as well, smiling at his family and he realized the feeling… It was…
Love…
"I love you, Kuro…"
"They're in the way. Can you get rid of them for me?"
"I want to see blood… Hey, Kuro… you'll get it for me, right?"
Zoro's head began to hurt so much by the time he saw those murders. Jango's voice haunted him more and more he wanted to explode. "It's enough…! I can't do it anymore…! ENOUGH!"
"I don't need you anymore. Sayonara, Kuro." He could see Jango's smile on that bridge before he saw red and then he screamed hysterically.
By the time Zoro was pulled back out of that bizarre world inside Kuro's memory, Zoro fell on his knees and vomited hard on the bridge.
"Zoro!" Smoker tried to ease the pain Zoro endured. He stroked his back as he looked very worried.
Zoro gasped for an air as he was recovering from the vomiting attack. His throat was burning because of the gastric acid. He coughed and panted heavily; sweats drenched his whole body. His face was really pale and he didn't even realize he still gripped the hilt of his sword very hard until his fingers turned white for not enough getting circulation. He still need some more times before he could speak again.
While trying to calm himself down, Zoro gave a sad painful look at Kuro who now was standing again, looking at Zoro emptily while bloody tears dripping from his eyes. Zoro closed his eyes and spoke with a raspy voice. "I am sorry…." It was the first time he felt so sad, so painfully sad since Kuina's death. Zoro could feel what Kuro felt. His love… his blind feeling… the heart wrenching betrayal….
The grudge…
Kuro seemed not listening as he raised his claws and intended to attack again as his hand was caught by someone… something. Zoro widened his eyes as he saw the long brown hair and the dress. It was Reona. She hugged the hand gently and was in tears. Kuro didn't seem to see her, but he didn't move either.
"Please… stop this…."
Zoro also heard her sad voice. He was fascinated because she looked really beautiful as she spoke to Kuro.
"It's enough… Don't torture yourself anymore… Kuro…!"
Anger suddenly flared inside Zoro. He finally understood everything. The one she wanted him to help wasn't Jango. It was Kuro's spirit. He also knew the fact that Kuro was only used and he was betrayed cruelly after that. "Those bastards—!" Zoro gritted his teeth in fury.
However, suddenly someone slapped Zoro's back, surprising him. Zoro looked up beside him and he saw Smoker's concerned face. "I told you not to overdo it."
"Smoker…," Zoro then suddenly felt something refreshing wash over him again. His anger was receding little by little until he could get his composure back.
"Be careful, that anger isn't yours." Smoker said as he stood and offered a hand to Zoro who gladly accepted it. The green haired boy stood again. His feet were still trembling a bit, but he could manage to stand. "I don't know those two know each other." The cop gazed at the two spirits with curious look.
"She… wanted me to help Kuro," Zoro said slowly now, perfectly calm again. Smoker looked at him in a surprise look. "I know everything and something that can prove that Full Body and his sister were involved in the murders done by Kuro. And Jango… he is a fucking genius actor," he frowned deeply at that. "I'll tell you everything about it."
Smoker was silent for a moment before he nodded. "Let's go back to my house first. You need a rest," he said thoughtfully and Zoro appreciated it very much. He was so fucking tired he could sleep right away. This connecting thing really drained his strength, even more than his usual intense muscle training. Smoker smiled a bit. "You go and stop a taxi. I need to do something first."
Zoro looked at Smoker in curious puzzled look, but he couldn't read his expression at all. "Okay…," he agreed slowly, not wanting to argue or to ask more because he was tired enough. He could always ask later anyway. Slowly, Zoro walked to the roadside after he fetched his sword sheath and sheathed his Wadou back.
Smoker looked at the two spirits and he closed his eyes sadly. "I am sorry… but Kuro is already…." The cop then opened his eyes again with resolute look. "It's for your own good."
ZORO—RORONOA—ZORO
Smoker walked slowly to the roadside where Zoro was waiting for him. The boy had stopped a taxi and he was already inside the yellow colored car on the passenger seat at the back.
"What are you doing, taking so long?" Zoro asked as Smoker got on as well and closed the door.
"It's a removal," Smoker answered flatly.
"What?" Zoro looked at him in a confused look.
Smoker sighed long. "You'll know after you learn everything. For now, just concentrate on resting. Connecting two times a day must be really exhausting and hard on your physical condition. You even vomited back then," he said while ruffling Zoro's hair slowly.
Zoro looked a bit embarrassed at Smoker's treatment. His face flushed slightly and he also muttered slowly. "Stop treating me like I was still a kid…." Still, the boy didn't protest more as he leaned against the leather jock. Shortly after, his eyes began to droop and he fell asleep after a minute of the futile struggle to stay awake.
Smoker's lips corners turned upward a bit as he saw the innocent look on Zoro's face as he was asleep.
ZORO—RORONOA—ZORO
Zoro blinked slowly as he woke up from his deep sleep. He was already on Smoker's bed and the cop… was sleeping on the big chair beside his working desk. The room was still quite dark. He didn't think it had been morning. He also felt exceptionally refreshed. That was… a bit weird. He thought he would get something like nightmare or horrible headache after what happened yesterday with the connecting and everything. And he hadn't told Smoker about the evidence he found while he was connecting with Kuro too.
But… he was still a bit confused. If Kuro was used by Jango and his cronies to kill, what was his relationship with Reona? Jango said she was his ex-girlfriend… did he refer it after she passed away or longer before that? In the end Kuro indeed killed Reona and those people. Anyway… why would people let himself be used like that? Sure, Kuro was –cough- involved with Jango, but… something as horrible as killing for love was…
Smoker's grunt brought Zoro back to reality from his musing. He saw the cop open his eyes slowly and he turned his face at Zoro. "You've woken up," he said, his voice a bit raspy after sleeping and his face looked exceptionally tired.
"Oh, yeah… you too?" Zoro felt a bit awkward suddenly. He had intruded Smoker personal space long enough and he even took his bed from him. He felt a bit… responsible for that.
Smoker brought his hand over his mouth and yawned slightly. "Okay," he said as he sat upward. "I am ready to hear your story."
Zoro nodded and began to tell him what he saw when Kuro and he were connecting. He didn't explicitly tell Smoker about Kuro's feelings though. He finished as he mentioned the evidence. "I saw the book in Full Body's house. It's on the table in the corner of his guestroom. It's an old black covered book."
"Alright," Smoker stood and took out his cell phone from the working desk beside him. He began to punch the buttons with his thumb and made a call somewhere. "Ah, hello, Tashigi. I want you to inform Chief Garp about Kuro's case. It needs more investigation." Then he paused, listening to the other person on the phone. "No, I already induced the search and I found the evidence that leads to more accomplices. Oh, and tell Hina as well. She needs to pay attention to her jurisdiction more." Then he hanged up.
Zoro still looked at him with inquisitive expression. In the end he was still curious about the thing Smoker said yesterday. He noted some words that was unfamiliar for him like… turning into ayakashi, haki, removal and some other words he didn't remember. Anyway, he expected him to explain what they meant.
"What?" It seemed Smoker noticed his stare.
Zoro scratched the back of his neck slightly. "Um… don't you want to explain things… about yesterday? I mean, you spoke awfully lots of terms I didn't understand," he said slowly.
"You're right," Smoker sighed and sat down again. "Let see, what do you want to know?"
"What is turning into ayakashi?" Zoro asked directly.
Smoker chuckled at his forwardness. "Okay. You've ever heard the word ayakashi before, right?"
Zoro nodded. "It appears a lot in Japanese history.
"Basically, it's the same as that. However, before you can understand further, you must know that there are many kinds of spirits in this world. Human, animals, plants-"
"Plants also have spirit?" Zoro raised a question, cutting Smoker's line.
"Yes," Smoker nodded. "And, spirits are classified into two groups: rei (4) and ayakashi."
By the time Smoker 'spirits are classified into…,' Zoro already lost it. "Okay," he said, raising his hand. "I think I have a headache now."
"You're the one who wanted to know," Smoker made a face.
"I didn't know that you will explain it scientifically like that," Zoro defended himself.
"Right. Instead of knowing it half-assed, you have to learn the basic first. That person can help you with it," Smoker said.
"Okay…," Zoro nodded slowly. "Oh, and…," he hesitated for a moment before asking, "What about Jango and Full Body?" he asked.
Smoker smirked slightly at that. "They're already taken care of."
"Eh?" Zoro raised his face in dumbfounded look.
ZORO—RORONOA—ZORO
"Here," Smoker offered a map of paper to Zoro as they were waiting for a bus which would drive them to Mount Fuji.
"What is it?" Zoro received the map in puzzled look.
"It's the entire story of what happened in Kuro's case." Smoker said as he lit his cigar.
Zoro opened the map and began to read. He skipped the things he had known and came to a word diary. Inside the diary he read a journal of experiments to develop new hallucinogenic drugs that couldn't be detected by any test. Kuro was… a guinea pig of this project. The researcher was… Reona herself. Janggo was her hand; Full Body and his sister were her sponsor. She didn't agree on her friends' irresponsible acts, using human as a test tool. An argument aroused and they split up. She didn't know that they're still continuing the project without her. After long under pressure, Kuro went berserk because of the drug. He nearly killed Jango once, that's why he was in jail. After two years, they thought the drugs were already worn off, so they helped Kuro out of jail and this time, they used him to kill Reona who knew the truth about everything and confronted them to stop. However, because most of Kuro's humanity had been damaged by the drugs, he couldn't live like normal human again, so he wasn't perfect anymore. They decided to dispose him as well….
"It wasn't just like this…," Zoro commented quietly. He knew that Kuro wasn't that damaged. At least… he could still feel how sad and angry he was for being used and then betrayed by the one he loved. How deep his hatred and grudge for him after being hurt so badly inside. Of course he was also wrong for blindingly in love with the jerk, but he couldn't do anything about it. But Kuro didn't kill because he wanted to. He was forced… under the spell of that drug and Jango's words.
Smoker looked at the boy with understanding eyes. "I know, but we can't just tell the world what he intended to hide for himself," he said calmly.
Short time later, the bus came and they got on.
"Human is… the worst, huh?" Zoro looked slightly depressed at that.
"Maybe," Smoker answered slowly. "But don't forget, those un-living beings around us… also came from human once."
Then the bus drove them away to the person who would help Zoro controlling his new ability.
End of Chapter 4
Tbc…
Notes:
1)Esper: some kind of psychic; I am not really sure if it's Japanese or not, but I often hear Japanese people say that to call a person with ability to read other people's mind.
2)Ayakashi: it's a Japanese term to call a demon in Japan, but it's different from western demon. In Indonesian, it's called 'siluman.' Ayakashi has classification and name for each kind. Other Japanese words for a demon: oni (iblis in Indonesian),and specific term to call a monster: bakemono (taken from Japanese-Indonesian dictionary).
3)Itōryū: Single Sword Technique
4)Rei: spirit, ordinary spirit ('roh' in Indonesian).
A/N: Whoah… I can't believe this chapter is this long… Um…, so what do you think? Well, I myself can't really say anything. The connecting thing… I can't really get it down right. Because I intended to make it confusing... it's not detailed as well. Sorry for that. Well, it's rated T after all. And finally, next chapter Zoro will learn about everything! XD I'll do my best to update faster next time. Anyway, comments and critiques are always welcomed. See you in next chapter!
With Love,
Lunaryu~~~