Chapter 7: Icebergs

The full moon gleams from between swiftly moving clouds on the cold night, snow never collecting on the Thousand Sunny, and never actually falling faster or slower. The weather is literally at a constant point. Things don't look good for the 'fishermen' as Sanji, Robin and Franky all step forth to corner the men and demand answers from them. Drugged sake given to a crew of pirates is something average fishermen don't do. Not even the most gutsy of fishermen. This, Franky insists to the group whilst cracking his knuckles in preparation for a fight. However, Stacen relies heavily on this lie, insisting that they have no tricks up their sleeves, no do they plan on harming the Straw Hat crew. Of course, like the other two Sanji doesn't believe this in the slightest. Though Robin sees passed the blond nervous man, seeing two groups with different points of view. There's the three that the crew first came upon, those that begged the Straw Hats spare their lives. Another trio stare at her and her Nakama like cornered and frightened animals. She expects them to strike soon.

She wasn't let down either, watching as one, Guile, draws his blade and leads two others into an attack. It's swiftly brought to an abrupt halt by Stacen, who seconds later attempts to insist that he and his fellows are innocent. Even though he had to shove Guile's face into the earthen deck in order stop him. It was an impressive feat indeed. The other trio, the one that begged that Guile and the other two do at the very least not hurt Robin, only stand there silently. There is no plausible way to deny that the group has tried to harm the Straw Hats- even if in a passive-aggressive way.

Franky glares at the jumble of seven people, not at all pleased that the small altercation hurt Sunny if only a little. "What are you hiding!?"

Sanji, just not a fan of people putting shit into his gourmet food, bares his teeth and grinds the filter of his cigarette as well, "You've got nothing but bad intentions!" It's obvious that he's not wrong.

Up from the kitchen, Zoro steps out with a shiver, gripping his sides and glaring down at the altercation. Flanking him on one side is Nami, dragging Luffy and Usopp's useless sleeping bodies by their hair. On the other side is Kanzaki as she blankly stares down at the show below. "It's freezing out here," the green haired man shivers, "Oi, you haven't finished these guys off? What's taking you so long?"

"Man, they're not even shivering from this damn weather," Kanzaki whines as she holds Satsuriku as though it would give her more heat to warm up with.

"Trying to drug us wasn't a good idea, and it's not something normal fishermen would do while looking like thugs. You didn't think we would notice anything? Don't underestimate us...Except for these two," Nami releases Luffy and Usopp harshly and without a care.

Down below, Stancen stares up at the three personal above them, "Stancen-taicho...What do we do?" One of the blond's followers mutters with a whimper.

He sighs. "It seems we have no choice...Retreat!"

"H-Huh!? Stancen!" But the others follow his lead all the same.

"Ah damn it they're getting away!" Franky exclaims as his left hand bends back on a hinge to show a small arm-cannon built into his body, "I'll shoot them even if I have to aim from up here!"

Nami however disagrees as she now slams Usopp and Luffy into the grass, "What do we do about these two?"

"Leave them," Kanzaki blandly stares at the snoring men.

"By the way, has anyone seen Chopper?" Sanji questions as he stares down at those that are useless.

"You don't think something happened to him, do you?" Nami worries. The little reindeer is still innocent to the outside world. He is also a gentle being, and will most likely get hurt before he fights back against those he believes to be innocent.

Robin doesn't hesitate to state a worst case scenario, "They could have taken him".

"Those assholes," Franky growls.

"On top of that, the wind is picking up. There's no telling when it'll become a storm...In that case, we have no choice but to board their ship," Nami sighs, "But first...Wake up!" She slams her cold fist into her Captain's and the sniper's heads, leaving rather large goose eggs in her wake.

"Oi, all of a sudden it's gotten really cold, oi," Luffy whines, shivering as though finally noticing that it's currently snowing.

"My head really hurts," Usopp follows up. "It really really hurts". As one, the two idiots sneeze as though beginning to get colds.

"Oh hush. You guys didn't even notice the drug, so you guys deserve this," Kanzaki sighs, dropping her shoulders and shaking her head. The guy on the left is seriously the Captain? She eyes Zoro who has gone to do something of his own. Why isn't that guy the Captain? Serious, strong, smart...So what if he's directionally challenged? Never the less, she finds him interesting and worthy of her time. And because of this, she again puts him at his side. "Chopper doesn't seem much of a fighter; the passive aggressive type".

"He's not," Zoro eyes the woman, silently wondering as to why she's following him around but doesn't bother to ask as she's probably got her own reasons. "But he will if he has to. Even he can beat a bunch of idiots like those guys". He turns upon hearing shouting, his brows furrowing at the sight of Luffy's arm extending to reach the 'fishermen's ship. "What's going on over there?"

"...Looks like Stancen is threatening to cut the rope connecting us to them," Kanzaki offers as she squints through the snow to see.

Unfortunately, even though they manage to keep the rope from being cut, it is by this point that a fanfare of some sort starts up. To Kanzaki's left, after Usopp pointing out where the music is coming from, is a ship with a sail clearly marked as belonging to the marine's. But she doesn't get it, "...And I thought pirates were the most diverse among those on the sea," she mutters to herself. What kind of naval officer loudly announces his attack with music that sounds like it could be used to introduce some noble or royalty? Still, while the rest of the crew panics due to the large number of navy ships suddenly appearing, Kanzaki focuses on things that don't fit normal Navy protocol. While she didn't become a Marine yes, she was practically one being in training and the like.

Why are they lit? Is the leader of this fleet that much of a show off? Sure, the snow is hard to see through, but why does it seem as though these ships are appearing out of thin air? And why, when there had been explosions in the water via cannon fire, had there been no sound of a cannon being shot- even at the distance the first ship was at, they would have heard something. She should have at least thought she saw a cannon sail through the air, but even so she sees no signs of anything like those. And while Franky shows off one of the Sunny's five secret weapons- a paddling system for when the weather is against them like they are when they try to make their get away- she watches the nearest ships and doesn't see any sign of life on them. She can't feel anyone immediately near them at all. It's disturbing.

About twenty minutes of high speed hightailing it out of there with no marines right behind them, Franky disengages the paddling system and lets out a sigh. After Luffy and Usopp are done proclaiming that that was so cool and that the Sunny is amazing, the Captain makes his way to the back of the ship where the rope connects Sunny with the battered vessel. "It's time we got Chopper back," Luffy states firmly, "Let's go!"

"Right!" Nami and Franky agree. Getting onto the vessel is easy, there is no fighting back as Stancen doesn't seem to allow it, and none of the Straw Hat crew deem it necessary to fight. However, while Guile threatens to fight when Luffy makes to go further into the ship, Stancen begs for forgiveness instead. It's only after that, that luckily Chopper makes it back to them.

"There you are Chopper, so you were here," Luffy smiles to his little Nakama, "Come on, it's time to go back".

But Chopper doesn't move, his duty as a doctor weighing heavily on his brilliant young mind, "Well, actually".

"Wait!" The boy who had lead Chopper to his current patient begs, "If you take Sensei with you now, it'll mean bad news for us!" He wears a blue spotted bandana on top of his mop of dirty blond locks. Like the others, he is dressed lightly despite the cold weather, and a necklace rests on his collar bone. He's young, maybe twelve at the very most.

"Who are you?" Luffy questions cluelessly. It's not his fault, he's never even seen the kid before. Not even during dinner.

"I won't let you take him yet!" The boy demands as he picks up the nearest thing he can use as a weapon, a mere push broom, "No matter what!"

"Jiro," Chopper exclaims, surprised as the boy charges Luffy without a second thought.

"Jiro, don't!" The small man with a pointy nose denies. "Calm down Jiro," the bald man also holds the boy back, blocking him from harming the Straw Hat Captain.

"No! I won't back down when they're trying to take Sensei from us too early! I'll fight no matter what! No matter how strong the enemy is, I'll never lose! I'll never lose again!" Now that right there is a determined kid.

However, that doesn't answer Luffy's questions, "Chopper, what's going on?"

"Luffy...Actually, the truth is that I want to stay on this ship a little longer. There's a patient here with a grave injury. I've managed to stabilize him, but he still needs treatment. I beg you. Until he wakes up, I want to stay here".

The Captain and future King of the Pirates smiles kindly, "Okay then".

While Luffy sets to watching over Chopper while he fixes his patient, a man Kanzaki doesn't bother to try and go see lest she be in the way, the others head back onto the Thousand Sunny, where Sanji stays at the helm and Nami directs him where he needs to go. Where as Usopp and Franky have retreated to a place to talk over god knows what, and Robin has turned to her her usual hobby of reading during times like these. In the mean time, Zoro and Kanzaki herself have returned to the crow's nest, one of them relaxing and the other laying along the floor, their hands used as a pillow and their legs crossed just because. The sound of movement is relaxing to the person lounging, allowing them to tune out all other sounds- including Nami's screaming as Sunny suddenly lurches to the side to turn. However, when the swishing stops, the person relaxing is brought out of their own little mental bubble. One of this person's eyes opens to stare at the other that now sits before them, coated in a thin layer of sweat and skin a bit red due to the exertion they had been putting themselves through.

Kanzaki stares at the green haired man for a moment before speaking, "...I've got a question for you". Satsuriku lays flat across her criss-crossed legs, torso hunched over so that she may cradle her chin in her hands.

"You do huh?"

Her blank eyes do not mirror the amusement she smiles out. "Yea. Will you humor me and answer it?"

"Do I have a choice?" The man half expects her to say 'no' as anyone else on the crew would do just that. He'd have no choice but to pull himself from his laying position and talk to anyone else. However, her answer of, "Yes," surprises him ever so slightly. Just enough to encourage him to open his other eye and sit up whilst leaning back onto his hands. "...What do you want to ask me?"

She had honestly expected him to turn away from her and attempt to go back to dozing until his skills are needed. That's the kind of man he came off as around the others as far as she's seen. He reminds her of Aoso, not to think of her past or bring it up. The two are similar, both being very strong and stubborn, fine with being on their own and keeping to themselves and deceptively smart. Perhaps it's because of this that she finds herself wanting to make a friendship with him- as strange as it may sound for an emotionally challenged woman like her. Still, she silently appreciates the fact that he's been willing to have her around him, and stick around himself even if he had insisted that she not join the crew. Something changed after that spar, something that most likely convinced him that she means them no ill will. What she wants to know, though, is what made him change his mind so swiftly. "...Why do you trust me? You didn't even want me as part of this crew in the first place until we sparred. So why?"

Zoro stares at the woman that most would call a blue haired beauty for a long moment, studying her and her expression. It does not meet her gaze, just like any other expression she's put on thus far. But he can tell even despite this that she's truly curious if nothing else. Why would that be? She was a Marine, so wouldn't innate trust be something that she saw often? Or is she still wary of them? Despite what most think of the lazy santoryu user, Zoro is not a stupid man. In fact, he's actually pretty smart- not Robin level, but still- for someone who always seems to be too lazy to do anything. It's just that he doesn't bother to really oppose any ideas someone has unless it's horribly idiotic, like Luffy's ideas some of the time. He can actually understand how the black haired boy thinks, for the most part, and he can understand why he does the things he does. Of course, Luffy doesn't really have a reason, as his actions and choices come to him so simply that no reasoning is needed for him. However, if a reason is asked for, Zoro's the one that can provide it in a way that others can understand. If he has to, that is. "...I trust you because I know you're not a bad person," any more.

"How? How do you know I'm not a bad person?" This she presses firmly, and addresses that which she has observed. "You're not stupid; you're a lot sharper than you come off as. And I know you and Robin for certain can tell that the emotions I show the lot of you are fake. With that in mind, how can you trust someone who doesn't show real emotion? Their true intention? I could be acting for all you know". He trusts her? They've only known one another for a day or so, and yet he trusts her? she's never heard of such a thing honestly. And the fact that this is so very true for Zoro and the others, frankly it kind of sets her on edge.

Leaning back on his elbows, Zoro sighs. He can't blame her for her curious confusion. He'd be the same way. "Yea, you're actually as emotional as a tree," he blandly agrees, "But I bet you still have feelings. I know you have no intention to hurt me or my Captain, or my crew, because I felt it when we were sparring. It's something I've learned to do; read another person's true intent upon clashing with them. It's weird and I don't know what else to say other than that I know you're worth my trust". He pauses and stares at the woman whom processes his explanation, "Oh, and you can stop acting around me. It kind of pisses me off".

Kanzaki's face immediately turns blank as her eyes, the mask dropped. "You're certain?"

"Sure," he shrugs, "I don't like fake people; I'd rather talk to you when you're always straight faced rather than when you're faking being normal". Watching her assess that which he's hold her, he lays back down with a long yawn. Snapping his jaws back together almost obnoxiously, he glances at her through sleep deprived eyes, "Are you done asking questions?" although it's pointless asking her this, because seconds later he's asleep.

Kanzaki stares at the green haired man, surprised that he can fall asleep at the drop of a hat almost. It doesn't make any sense to her, his explanation. How does one read another's inner intent upon clashing against them? She felt no such thing when he pitted himself against her. Confused and tired from her training, she leans back on her hands now and looks up to the ceiling. She does not sleep, but instead just lets her mind become blank, letting time pass her by as they travel between iceberg after iceberg, trying to give Chopper all the time he needs to fix up his most important patient. She's never actually allowed herself such a low level of awareness before, but now is as good as any to try it out. It is a….Different sensation. Kind of like dreaming while awake.

"Kanzaki," Nami's voice is suddenly heard all through the room, spooking the woman out of her daze and onto her feet ready to fight faster than her name can be finished. Her head whips around for the source, "Kanzaki, are you up there with Zoro?" Her eyes now zone in on the head that's popped through the trap door, staring at her with surprised brown eyes. "Sorry for spooking you," she states quickly, eyeing Satsuriku who stands proudly at his mistress' side, "Sanji and I have to show everyone something. It has to do with all the sudden turns we've been making. Can you wake up that dumb ass and come down onto the deck?"

Putting on her 'mask', Kanzaki nods once, "Sure. We'll be down in a minute," she assures, allowing Nami to bob her head and head back down to the grass below. The blue haired woman now kneels and places a hand on Zoro's shoulder, "Zoro, wake up. Nami and Sanji have something to tell us". When she finds that no response is given, she purses her lips. Lightly she kicks him in the side, jostling the tall muscled man. This doesn't work either. Opting for something innovative the third time, she hovers Satsuriku over Zoro's abdomen. After pausing and wondering just what his reaction may be, she drops the halberd so that its staff lands directly onto his middle. The resounding crash is loud and for a second she swears she hears someone down below freak out. Zoro's reaction is immediate.

"SON OF A BITCH!" the green eyed man bellows as pain laces his entire abdomen, a crushing sensation flattening him even as he flails and reaches for the violent weapon. Eyes large and breath coming in gasps as it had been knocked from him, he glares up at the woman staring down at him. For a moment he swears he sees amusement in her eyes, though he cares not to focus on this. Instead he demands. "What the hell Kanzaki?!"

"Nami had asked me to wake you up. You didn't wake up when I shook or kicked you, so I resorted to this," she responds blandly, "You're awake now yes?"

"I'm awake damn it!"

Pleased, Kanzaki leans down and picks Satsuriku up as though he weighs nothing propping him over a shoulder. "Nami asked me to wake you up. Come, she and Sanji have something to explain," she leaves him to follow all while ignoring his cursing grumbles.

Though Luffy and Chopper remain on the other ship, everyone else seems to have gathered, though Usopp also sounds to still have the slight cold he got from the night before. Strangely, Franky still isn't wearing pants. Kanzaki chalks it up to a male's stubbornness as well as the fact that he is a cyborg. "Good, you're all here," Nami praises. Honestly, she thought she'd have to smack Zoro awake if Kanzaki came down all by herself. But the newest addition seems to have a few tricks up her sleeves since Zoro's standing next to her with his arms crossed over his coat covered torso. "Now I can tell you that we figured out why we're suddenly turning all the time...The icebergs are moving on their own".

"Achoo!" Usopp disagrees, "The icebergs are moving on their own? That's not even possible. Be real Nami. Aaachoo!"

Robin however looks to the sniper of the crew, "Maybe someone is moving them?"

Nami however continues, "Yep, they're not moving with the current," she supplies before looking over her shoulder, "Sanji, if you would?"

"Okay Nami-swan!~" The blond man prances to the helm and spins the wheel to his left, forcing the ship to make a tight turn and then continue straight. Just as told, two icebergs strut forward, floating into position to block their path. "One more time!" This time, he turns to the right, though another berg insists that they not continue on the path while everyone else stands towards the figurehead in an attempt to get a real look at what's going on. Zoro, pondering on what could be the source, draws Wado Ichimiji before launching himself off of the lion figurehead and at the berg in their way. With a powerful swing- one that honestly impresses Kanzaki- he cuts the berg into two portions which then split and allow the ship through. "It's just ice," he mutters to himself, not expecting that at all.

Usopp's brows furrow, "If it's just normal ice, then how's it doing that?"

Robin agrees but hypothesizes, "It's like a reef is guiding it along or something".

Nami nods upon hearing the First Mate's words. She stares on ahead even as Zoro swiftly walks along the new straight edge of the bigger half of the berg he cut, standing just above the Thousand Sunny as it sails forward. His hand rests on his blades, ready to cut through the cold substance again if need be. "Ever since the happening with the Marines last night," he hears her say, "Something has been directing us somewhere".

Ah that's right, she had nearly forgotten about the Marines from the night before. "Actually," she steps in, "I've been thinking that those Marines weren't Marines at all".

"They weren't?" Sanji questions from the helm as he keeps Sunny from veering off to the side, "What do you mean Kanzaki-hime? Their sails were marked and they fired at us".

The blue haired woman swings Satsuriku to rest against her lower back, hooking her arms behind it before speaking. "Speaking as an Ex-Marine Trainee, the more I think of it the more I'm certain that those ships were not real Marines. Sure, the Marine population is filled with as much weird people as the pirate one is. So at first I thought that the whole lights on the ships situation was because the one in control of the fleet is a freak. However…... I remembered that I didn't hear the sound of cannon fire. We weren't that far away from the first ship so we should have heard something and they should have almost hit us. I didn't hear a cannon going off, I didn't even hear a cannon headed our way. There's no such thing as a silent cannon- it's not possible. And why haven't we seen any Marines today? They should have followed us, at least one or two ships, while the rest would swing around to flank us. I haven't seen any sign of either happening. They can't be Marines; just ships with Marine sails".

Franky strikes a pose, his forearms smashing together to form one giant star, "So there's someone behind all this! Who ever he is, bring him on!"

Nami pauses, "You're sure that we weren't attacked by the Marines?"

"Positive," Kanzaki nods, "On top of that, the volley wouldn't have stopped even as we were running away. It would have gotten worse if anything".

"Then we need to figure out who's behind all this," Nami agrees one more time.

"In case any more icebergs need to be cut, I'll go join Zoro and give him a hand," Kanzaki states a she looks around, "He's fast and strong, but there's a lot around here. Plus we don't know when we'll be attacked". She turns and smiles to the others as she had spun away from them to look around, "Does that sound okay to you guys?" With a cock of her head her false self flashes the lot a small smile.

"Ahh, but if we get attacked, we only have Franky and Sanji to protect us!" Usopp waves his hands after a long string of sneezes, "Can't you stay here?"

"What's wrong with just Sanji and Franky? They're strong enough, aren't they? And you're only a ship away from Luffy and Chopper; you'll be fine," the woman waves off as she walks to and stands on one of Sunny's railings. "See you later!" She beams to the lot of them before crouching and pushing hard with her legs. Though she easily makes it to the top of their tallest mast, she finds her ascent slowing. So, when she finds a spot, she jabs the tip of her halberd into the ice and uses that as a second place to push off of, pulling it from its anchor once she's going again. It only takes her a few seconds to get to the top of the berg and stand beside Zoro. "Hey".

"It's a bit warmer," Zoro greets, "The sun feels nice," they are constantly in the shade down below after all. While things seem calm for the next half hour, five minutes after that length of time causes chaos. Where as the other ship had been securely tied to the Thousand Sunny, suddenly long and thin icebergs pop up from the ocean, one of them splitting the rope and separating the beaten ship from the one pulling it. Kanzaki watches as Sanji does his best to keep Sunny from getting hurt too much, but it can't be helped as the bergs are stubborn and truly seem to want to sink the lot of them. This is when Kanzaki realizes that the other ship is gone. Her eyes darken as when she goes to check on Luffy and Chopper, there are blocks of ice in the way, keeping her from seeing any sign of her Captain and Doctor.

"That's not good," Kanzaki mutters to the moss ball.

"What's even worse is that those idiots got lost again," Zoro scoffs without a worry, "They have no sense of direction what so ever". Kanzaki would sweat drop if she could. However she just settles for letting her face match her eyes. The most blank of blank faces. "You realize that you're the one without a sense of direction," she denies shamelessly. And in turn, he just as shamelessly scoffs at such a statement.

He'll believe such words when he sees it for himself. "...So now what?"

"Let's go find them or Luffy".

In the mean time... "What do you mean 'the flag is gone?!" Sanji demands of Usopp who stands and points to where their beloved pirate flag fluttered proudly moments ago.

"It's like I said! We got here, I looked up and it was gone!" The long nosed sniper snaps back. "Who could have taken it?!"

"Those guys did, obviously," Sanji snarls as he turns on his heel and runs to the helm. Once there, he forces Sunny to make a sharp U-turn, causing Usopp to flail his arms in an attempt to keep his balance, where as Nami, Franky and Robin all lean into the turn.

"Sanji, what are you doing?!" Usopp, "We can't go back!"

"Luffy's not here, and neither is Zoro for that matter. It's best we don't move!" Nami agrees.

However, the blond chef glares at his feet as his hands clench the innocent wheel in front of him, "The flag is a Pirate's life line," Sanji states lowly, "Without it, he and his crew are absolutely nothing! I can't just let those guys have it!"

"But-"

"And...There's another reason...Do you really want Luffy of all people to lecture us about something like this?!" Just imagining it, Nami and Usopp can see the idiot laying on his side and picking his nose. 'Man, you guys just can't be helped,' he'd say while rolling a massive bugger between his fingers. Then he'd flick it at them! This sends the two cowards into a fit of rage. Like hell they'd let that idiot lecture them! Robin giggles at the sight of the two being fired up; they fell right into Sanji's trap. Franky in the mean time grins. This crew really is SUPER interesting!

"Franky," Nami spins to look to the blue haired shipwright, "There's one more thing I need to borrow from you".

Back on the Phoenix crew's battered ship, Stancen and Chopper crouch and stand respectively in front of a small map. Where as from the bottom of the ship, a section opens up to release a small boat with a figure head of some sort of bird. Luffy grins at the sight of the simple row boat. Now he and Chopper can go find the others! "Doom Penguins?" Chopper repeats what he had just been told.

"Yes," Stancen openly gives the information to the doctor who had so kindly healed Puzzle. Phoenix Puzzle had been the man Chopper was taking care of until he woke up earlier that morning. While his wounds are not fully closed, Puzzle is in no real danger of dying. The wounds had actually come from the New World, a place where the Captain thought he would become King of the Pirates. Such thoughts caused them to lose their First Mate by way of death, as well as for Puzzle to get said injuries as mentioned. With no Captain or Vice-Captain to lead them, Stancen took charge and directed them back to the Grand Line. However, when they exited the New World they were all tired and weary. The crew of bounty hunters that now controls their every movement took their flag and are rather strong. The Phoenix Pirates- as they used to be called- had no choice but to fall under this bounty hunter crew's rule. Still, Stancen wants to thank Luffy and Chopper for fixing Puzzle up, even though the Captain has become something of a coward, scarred by the loss of his best friend and the terrors of the New World. "Their main use is to push the icebergs around and block the target's path. That's why they say you can't escape this ocean".

"Oi! Chopper!"

"Okay!" Chopper calls down to Luffy, understanding that it's time to go. He turns and bows to Stancen, "Thanks for all your help," and goes below deck to join his Captain in leaving.

In the mean time, with neither the rest of the Straw Hats- who currently have been separated thanks to Doom Penguins attacking Nami and Franky as they were submerged in a small shark submarine that's normally docked in the bottom of Sunny, as well as an iceberg hitting Sunny and sending Sanji and Usopp flying while Robin is left alone on the ship and Franky and Nami still under water- on top of a steadily floating slab of ice, Zoro insists that it stop idling around.

"Oi! Stop moving! Oi! OI! I said STOP MOVING! OIII!" Zoro continues to shout up until a certain blade is embedded in the ice where his head used to be. Down the berg, a jagged crack forms before a chunk of ice splits off the main body. The swordsman spins around to face the halberd mistress who now stands blandly staring him down. "What the hell was that for?!

"For you being an idiot," she replies, making her way to collect her weapon. Another slab of ice falls as she pulls Satsuriku free. "It won't stop just because you want it to". It's ice after all.

"Well how else are we going to get the others to find us?!" Zoro snaps back. "You could have just called me too! Doing that will break this damn thing!"

Maybe he's not smarter than he lets on? Kanzaki sighs a slow sigh through her nose, "We'll vacate to another iceberg that isn't moving in that case. By the way, I tried calling you ten times. You were too busy yelling at ice. Baka".

"Shut up! I'm not the idiot! You are!"

She's not impressed by his insult as his green eyes flare with his obvious displeasure. She and her vermilion ones stand their ground. "Says the man that can't tell north from south".

"I don't need that shit when I can tell just by how much colder it is!"

Oh she'd love to obnoxiously raise a brow if she knew how to express it for real. And applying a false risen brow just wouldn't do for this situation. "It doesn't work that way. Your sense of direction is hopeless. Aho".

"Oh yea? Then you lead us!" Zoro returns, "What the hell has got you so worked up anyways?!You weren't throwing insults at me twenty minutes ago!"

Here she falters. How does one explain one's own mindset? She supposes it's nod difficult to put into words yes, but the question is does she want to? Looking the swordsman over and watching him as he oh so patiently- okay, not that patiently- waits for an answer, she decides. Very well, he can know. He after all seems to have figured out about her emotional handicap. "I owe Luffy a lot and I refuse to see him get hurt if I can help it. Being that he is potentially in danger puts me on edge". She can put her emotions into words, just not express them through her face or voice. She's not completely broken.

"You're...Worried about him? You know he fought the toughest guy back at Enis Lobby, right?" Zoro has never had to genuinely worry for Luffy's well being. Not since he first joined up with him and he didn't know he was a rubberman. Luffy has never warranted Zoro's worry because Luffy is stronger than even Zoro- as a Captain should be.

"He fought Rob Lucci?" Lucci was someone even she had troubles fighting and beating, which was saying a lot. If she could, she'd put herself between Zoro and her Captain in terms of power, but in the state she's in currently she's certainly far weaker than she originally was- she would lose a dozen times over when fighting that man.

"Yea, the guy with the bird," Zoro nods, "I fought that guy with the square nose". That was a fight worth going through with. Winning only proved to himself that he was well worth the bounty placed on to his head, let alone the title of Vice Captain of Luffy's crew.

"Kaku then?" He was another tough one, again in this state she would certainly lose if she were to go against him.

"Yea. My point is, you don't need to worry about him. Why would you anyways?"

Purple-red eyes flash, a sort of pride catches in her throat before it can spill out of her mouth. Instead she answers plainly, "Because he's my Captain and I owe him for letting me join your crew. It's my job as his Nakama to worry from what I understand". She pauses and admits, "It is the same with you; I owe you as well for freeing me".

Now this is surprising. Zoro stares at her with wide eyes as a hand falls to his swords, a comfortable place for it to be. "Me too?" He really didn't do much; he did something any other decent guy would do. So why is she revering him as a hero? Because he's not exactly hero material.

"You are correct," she admits shamelessly. "You freed me and brought me to your ship; carried me even. For a pirate to trust an Ex-Marine so swiftly is also something else by itself. It is new and I appreciate it. And that is why if I have to ever chose between you and Luffy, you will always win. Because while he allowed me to join your crew, you were the one to save me from a life of being stuck on that wall".

Zoro is silent, "You don't have to be loyal like a dog or anything just because I saved you," it makes him feel weird. He can tell just by the way she speaks, if only her wording, that her true loyalty as of right now lays with him and then Luffy. Honestly, he doesn't know what to make of the fact that someone wants to stick by him more than Luffy. Normally it's the other way around. But until he figures out how to feel about this fact, he supposes he can just deal with it for the time being.

"I know," she admits with a curt nod of her head, "However I want to be this way; you'll just have to get used to it. Because I won't be leaving your side for a very long time". She watches as he silently looks away, an unheard signal that he accepts her statements to be true and binding. But at the same time she realizes he's confused. Has no one ever sworn to fight by him day in and day out? It's possible, given that he is nothing but the First Mate of a pirate crew. Suddenly, the berg they're on crashes into another, though this one seems to be rather massive compared to the rest. "Let's get off this thing. Maybe we can find the others if we go in this direction". Zoro nods silently before leaping over the mall gap between berg tops and waiting for his counter part. Like him, she makes the leap easily. However, after walking for ten minutes they're greeted by gusts of wind that chill them to the bone. Kanzaki regrets not wearing something heavier under the coat she now wears.

"So cold," Zoro mutters lowly to himself. By now, they've been walking for a good half hour. He looks to the side, brows furrowed, "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes. I'll be fine," Kanzaki forces out as she forces her frame forward despite the cold, "This is-s-s just like training w-w-with Admiral A-Aokiji".

"You trained with him? Damn it, so cold," he questions, wrapping his arms tightly around his torso. He honestly hates that man for attacking Robin, but then again he hates anyone who tries to hurt his Nakama.

Kanzaki nods, "Yea. I trained with him for a couple months so I could learn how to handle ourselves in this kind of weather. I have trained with Akainu and Kizaru too, to get used to extreme heat and how to battle against those faster than me". That was towards the end of her second to last year, shortly after the Pretest.

"Who are those guys?" Zoro's never heard of them.

"Akainu and Kizaru are the other two Admirals in the Navy. They're both extremely powerful just like Aokiji. A-Akainu ate-e a Devil F-Fruit that-t-t-t allows him to control l-l-lava w-wh-whi-which is said to be stronger than even fire. K-Ki-Kizaru controls light. All three of them are logia fruit users". She hates that her teeth are chattering, however her body gives her no choice.

"Sounds like we'll be going against them some time in the future," Zoro grounds out, "Have you ever managed to beat them?"

"No," she denies with a shake of her head, "I've managed to touch each of them once or twice when they were playing around. But I've never held a candle to them when they were serious".

"You sound like you don't plan on letting that be true forever".

She nods once, and allows, "Correct. I have no doubt that one day I will be stronger than they. And in turn, I'll be able to further defy my fate". After all if she is stronger than Akainu or Kizaru or even Aokiji, then she'll be so much closer to defeating Doflamingo. She's heard of his abilities and his level of power. He would have to be incredibly powerful to be a Suchibukai member.

"Hey," Zoro draws herself from her thoughts. "What is that?" In front of them as they stop at the edge of a cliff is some sort of dome thing. It seems rather warm in there, however it's covered in snow.

"I don't know," she admits, "Let's go check it out".