Emichii: Thanks for all your reviews! Keep 'em coming! Well, here's chapter 9, don't forget to review!!
I don't own One Piece.
Chapter Nine: Truth
Sanji had spent all night hanging around the tower. He had thought he had heard Nami's sweet voice, did a double take, fell down into a chute thing and spent a night in there trying to get out.
Finally! Sanji gave a happy sigh of relief as he entered the door into the top level of the tower. Where might Nami be? He wondered. He stopped and used his super-Sanji skills to direct himself to where Nami was.
He ran through corridors, faster than wind. His lags paced faster and faster. Even though the last few days had been rough and exhausting, he had kept going. Sanji wouldn't ever give up. Nothing could stop him from getting to his love.
Then the blonde-haired chef crashed into someone. Someone with a well-built chest and a green sash. Someone with three swords strapped to his side. Someone with an intense scowl on his face and extreme grief painted all over his face.
"Zoro!?!"
"Sanji?!?"
The cook and swordsman stared at each other.
Zoro scowled and brushed past the blonde rudely.
"Wh-what happened?' Sanji asked, his emotional antennae picking up Zoro's uneasiness. "What happened to Nami?"
Zoro kept walking. "We're idiots, Sanji. We're all idiots."
"…?" Sanji turned after him and ran to catch up. "Oi, answer me! I'm talking to you!"
Zoro grunted and turned slowly. He gave him a piercing glare. "Ya, what?"
Sanji stared at him hard.
Zoro sighed and smiled a miserable smile. "Nami already loves someone. And it's not any of us."
They stood out on the balcony thing on the tower. Sanji leaned over the railing and looked out over the town and the water. Zoro leaned lazily against the wall.
"I guess then… that neither of us won," Zoro spoke up.
Sanji snorted. "She's a thief. And she's Nami. Whad'ya expect?"
They both stood/sat there in silence for a while.
"You weren't really in love with her, were you?" Zoro asked knowingly.
Sanji raised his eyebrows. "Hm? What are you talking about?" Then his mouth widened into a broad grin, "Maybe. Maybe you're right. Nami's just another one of all the beautiful girls in the world."
"…" Zoro narrowed his eyes.
"But she really is one of a kind," Sanji grinned. "She's really a beautiful human being. Sure, she's a thief- a real greedy one, at that, but she's got something really special. She might find it hard to show it sometimes but she really cares for her friends. And maybe I won't ever win her heart but… the friendship I have with her is one of the things I treasure most."
"…yeah."
Sanji stared out over the town. And he could just see the ocean from very far away. He said seriously, "Nami might be the kind of girl that everyone likes but… I'm sure that somewhere out there there'll be a girl that will love me back. And then…"
Maybe… Sanji wasn't the kinda flirt Zoro had always thought he was. Zoro felt some kind of new-found respect growing for his rival. Or maybe now, his ex-rival.
"And then… she better be totally hot!" Sanji shouted.
Zoro's eye twitched. And the respect vanished into nothingness.
"She's really a beautiful human being. Sure, she's a thief- a real greedy one, at that, but she's got something really special.
"Huh…" Zoro murmured.
Sanji looked over at Zoro. He was slumped over his swords in his seated position. Sanji saw the slight redness of his cheeks. And he gave him a sympathetic look.
"Oh no, Zoro," he started. "You really do love her, don't you?
"You… you're still here, Nami?" Coroneos stared at her with a disbelieving look on his face. "I figured you and your beloved would have left by now."
"But… you…" Nami tried to speak.
"Huh?" Coroneos frowned.
Nami said, "But you… you're my beloved." she started sobbing. "I'm sorry… I'm so stupid. I can't do anything right- not even decide who I love!"
She jumped up and threw her arms around the silver-eyed guy. "I can't help myself… I love you too much!" she cried. "I only… love you…"
Coroneos said nothing, just let her hug him and watch her behind lowered eyelids. But he whispered quietly to himself.
"No… you don't."
Chapter nine end.
Emichii: A bit short. Sorry about that. Read and review everybody!
