Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine. It's Oda-sensei's. The LawxLuffyxAce coverimage is NOT mine, either.

Warning: I may have handled the whole LuffyxZoro thing in an unsatisfactory manner. I did my best, but I would like to know what you thought!



"LUFFY IS GOING TO BE THE PIRATE KING!" His own words reverberated through him as he felt his body numbing from the pain, his brain sending wild signals to every single cell. His ears were ringing painfully and he could see the explosion of blood around him.

Still, he was as sure as ever of his words.

What's better was that he was still standing—alive—to witness it happen, after all.

And that was all that matters.

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CHAPTER 9: ASCENT

They began their ascent early the next day. Jinbei managed to find Luffy and Zoro, and most of the crew thought the two probably got lost in the middle of the night.

It was literally the whole country sent them off—thousands of people, mermaids, and creatures lined the shores for miles—and it was a scene they were pretty used to by now. Before they departed, though, they were introduced to the three-log system, where they had a choice of path depending on the safest route…which meant there was also the dangerous route. And they immediately told the minister to stop talking.

It was too late, however, because the captain heard and she decided to take the most dangerous path ("Cuz' that's where the party is" She said.)

"I'm the captain, listen to me!" She whined and Nami's hand formed into a knuckles to give her a bump. "Listening to you cost us our treasure!" She yelled, still bitter (mad, livid, intensely annoyed) about sending treasure to Big Ma'am, though for whatever reason the king and his adviser were being nervous about them.

In any case, the crew bid their farewells—with them reminding Jinbei of their promise to wait for him to join the crew; the princes promising their navy would soon be the most powerful in the sea; and with the princess following them some time after the departure, asking them to come see her again.

"Come back sooon!" She yelled, and they waved back at her and her country—its beautiful, effervescent, form serving as the backdrop of the goodbyes.

Mermaid island had indeed been a beautiful place filled with adventure, and it will be one of the islands that will remember them for generations to come.

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"This'll be a nice ride from here on in." Nami said, getting everyone (who were ready for a very bumpy travel) gape at her.

Apparently, like before they'll be carried by a current but it'll be more straightforward than the way in. Nami stretched her arms, somewhat relaxing because she knew there is a lot less navigating involved on the way up, and everyone—by habits—followed her lead. Franky set up the Buoyant square logs and the ship was naturally pulled up.

By this time, almost everyone had completely loosened up and admired the view. It was both amazing and frightening—how deep and vast and dark the sea was. Now—with the merman island far behind—only the bioluminescent creatures served as their source of light.

There was even a school of giant jellyfishes that seemed to accompany them on their way up, their bright tentacles almost reminding them of serene versions of those neon lights they see in casino islands. All of them were almost transparent, each one at least thrice as large as the ship. It's going to be peaceful travels for a while, Nami said, and she proceeded to her room and headed to the bath.

Franky then stretched and went to the belly of the ship, Robin sat down on her favourite reclining chair and opened her book, while Brook and Sanji has rather perverted look on their faces (eyeing a certain navigator's room).

Chopper, on the other hand, was about to go to Luffy and Usopp when he remembered to ask Nami about her electricity techniques, which could really help a couple of his procedures in the future. So, like Brooke and Sanji, Chopper leaped to Nami's room.

Everyone became busy with their own thing.

No one noticed that Zoro and Luffy were never within two meters of each other.

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Zoro's sharp eyes watched Luffy as she ran around with Usopp to gather supplies for their latest project. They were building a massive harpoon to serve as fish hooks (or jellyfish hook, in this case), his eyes following the captain wherever she went.

He never left her alone in the Sea Forest after their brief and cold conversation, though he never spoke with her again and gave her the space she wanted.

Since then she acted like normally did but he knew something had shifted. It was one of the main reasons why he didn't want her to know. The air between them was now awkward, and he knew he wouldn't be able handle it for much longer.

So when Usopp asked her to ask for some metal for the actual hook, he promptly got up and followed her into the corridor.

"Luffy." He called and she stopped her tracks. He noted the second that passed before she turned around to look at him.

"Zoro."

It took him a while longer to actually utter anything, ending up scratching the back of his neck to dissipate some of his anxiety. "We… are good, right?"

"Huh?"

His eyebrows furrowed and he looked at her. "The air between us is too tense, don't you think?"

"Huh?" She asked again, though she was evidently feigning ignorance. "Zoro, you're being silly." She told him with a smile, gesturing to turn around again and go on her way. But he blocked her by extending his arm to one of the walls and the corridor was too small to squeeze in anywhere else.

She continued to look everywhere else but him, which was practically impossible within such a tight space.

His hawk-like eyes stayed at her form, on her darting eyes, before raising his other hand to pin her in.

It was a defense mechanism for her, particularly since she was so simple-minded. She refused to deal with the matter, even subconsciously. "It already happened Luffy." "It's not like you to mull over something so far in the past."

This made her freeze. After a pause, she finally spoke. "It can happen again."

"It won't." He said, and it disconcerted him how worried she had become. It was usually a good thing that her carelessness was toned down, but right now... it simply made him feel sad. He frowned deeply, hands forming into knuckles.

Ace's death, even after two years, was still healing. And knowing what he has done opened it afresh.

He stayed there as she left him alone, gaping at the wall, just before his eyes followed where she went. She was sheepishly apologizing to Usopp since she forgot to get the items. She then sat down the lawn, claiming she didn't want to do it anymore, making Usopp roll her around the grass in order to convince her.

Zoro, however, thought—as he watched a seemingly common scene between his friends—knew Luffy was trying her best not to react like usual and make a scene. And it was not because of her, he knew—it was because she knew he wouldn't want anyone else to know.

She was holding it in—something she had never been good at.

It must be torture, he thought. So he heaved a heavy sigh, gathered some courage, and walked out the lawn—soon standing smack in the middle, aura getting everyone to stop what they were doing and stare at him.

He cleared his throat. "I'm here to tell you about Thriller Bark." He said and Luffy immediately propped up, eyes wide. His eyes met hers, before he looked at the crewmates who was there in the lawn with them.

"In exchange for Luffy's head, I had a deal with Kuma."

Everyone's eyes widened and they gaped, and at this time Luffy was already standing up, glaring at him. "What—" She uttered, but she was so livid she couldn't finish her sentence. "ZORO!"

In a blink of an eye she appeared right in front of him, knuckles forming fist, and with the contact he was thrown to the other side of the ship. At the back of his mind, he could hear everyone panicking, unsure of what was happening. He groaned in pain and was patting his new bump when he saw her quickly going into another fighting position, fist up, ready for another attack.

"Oi! You'll destroy the ship damnit!" Franky yelled, though the ship was so strong it can well defend against most of their attacks. He moved his head so her fist missed his head, although just barely. She then transferred her weight to her elbows, which soon caged his neck, strangling him.

She was hovering over him now, glaring and absolutely livid, keeping him in place by sitting on his stomach. If she wasn't so intent on killing him herself, he'd have blushed.

He had only seen her like this when an asshole attacked one of their weaker members. Right now, he probably was both to her: an asshole and a weaker crew member.

"You can't protect me forever." He said, looking straight at her. "Not if you can't accept that I will do so with you, as well."

She pressed her lips together, trying to hold back her tears. "You can't die Zoro."

"I won't." He said, but she only stared, shaking.

Before Ace, she would've believed that unconditionally. Things had changed now, he knew, and she had to accept it. "But if you die before I do, I'd have lived as a first mate who can't protect his captain. I better be off dead."

Her eyes widened at this, and her fist clenches tighter, but it didn't take long for them to narrow again, though this time they were lined with tears. Something finally snapped in her and her body bent slight as every tear she had been holding back overflowed. As she cried, she leaned down so their foreheads touched. Zoro's eyes widened at the gesture and he was frozen in place.

"Never hold my dreams before yours Zoro." She said, closing her eyes, similarly frozen in place. "Moments where you'll have to choose…" She whispered. "I won't ever let it happen again…"

"It won't." He managed to squeeze out, though every inch of his being was so warm he truly couldn't think straight anymore.

She may not see him as a man like Ace, but at the very least he's the one he depends on the most.

"What will I do if you were gone, too."

Zoro could only stare for a long time—the crewmates nearby temporarily forgotten—before his hand moved on its own to find its way to the back of her neck. He pulled her close and—In the area just below her eye—he kissed one her tears away. "That's not gonna happen."

She only gaped at him, surprised.

Everyone else did, too.

"W-What's going on!?" Sanji and Brook emerged out of the cabins, heads fried and noses bleeding, to see Zoro splayed out the lawn with Luffy on top of him, both frozen in place.

Sanji self-combusted.

.

"MARRIIIMOOOO!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS—"

.

.

"YOU MADE LUFFY-CHAN CRY?!"

"HOW DARE YOU!"

He was shut up by Zoro kicking his face, which was promptly followed by a brawl no less than what Zoro and Luffy just had before.

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Everything returned to normal after that. Nami returned to her bath (just after inducing nosebleeds from Brook and Sanji with her revealing bathrobe).

"I was so surprised to see Luffy-san punching Zoro-san like that my heart stopped!" Brooke said when Chopper approached him. "Although I don't have a heart. YOHOHOHOHO."

Chopper, hands filled with first aid kits for Sanji and Zoro, only tilted his head. "But we weren't there when it happened tho—"

"YOHOHOHO"

Franky, on the other hand, eyed Zoro and Luffy for a moment, but sports a smile, very much ready to ease the tension. "Well, whatever. Let's go SUUUUPPPPERRR fishing now!"

And of course, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper jumped out in joy.

"THAT ONE!" Luffy chose an ugly looking blob-fish and Usopp shot the hook in its mouth, as per order. It didn't really look appetizing though. But then another fish ate it, and another fish—a hundred times bigger than the first one—ate that one.

Zoro had to use one of his more powerful techniques to kill it. "GAH. A massive fish with two fishes inside!" "It's going to be DELICIOUS!" Luffy yelled, mouth watering.

But then they saw a vortex and, thanks to their massive catch, they got caught in it.

After an intense session of swirling and turning then ascending and descending, their surroundings soon stabilized and for a moment there they thought they were dead. They opened their eyes and turn to a direction and met with an eye a hundred times larger than the ship. "GYAAAHHHHH!" Half the crew yelled. Luffy, on the other hand, jumped up and screamed. "LA-LABOON!?"

They blinked to see that indeed, it was a whale with striking similarities with Laboon, including his scars. Then they saw a whole pod of them.

Brook cried the whale's name and, even when he finally came to accept that it was not Laboon, the all-bone crewmate believes they are related somehow. That they, too, would like music. So he played, and they get a free ride up.

Eventually, the ride stabilized and the crew relaxed in the lawn, with Sanji heading to the kitchen to prepare for a quick snack.

Luffy soon calmed down as well (after playing with the whales), and she draped herself over Zoro, lazily scratching her cheek in puzzlement as her eyes remained on the pod of whales. "Why do they have scars though?"

He smiled because now she was doing one of her usual habits, and he knew for sure they were okay now.

"Who knows…" He said, but lowered himself a little more so she'd be more comfortable. He then turned his head, ever so lightly. "Maybe they were waiting for someone, too."

"MARIMOOOOOO!" A yell from behind exploded, ruining his several minutes of serenity. Zoro avoided a kick directed at him. Sanji then stopped as he offered Luffy some snack, the latter gleaming and separated from Zoro to sit on the lawn with everybody else. He turned and raised an eyebrow at the cook, who glared back. "No desserts for you."

Luffy watched with passing interest, just before she took a bite of the desert and she gleamed. "Whoa, this is delicious!"

Sanji ran to her with hearts in his eyes. "Of course! It's a new type of jelly I learned in Merman Island—one than can be made in less than a minute!"

"Zoro should taste it too though."

"Eh? But…" Sanji mumbled, looking very very reluctant to share. He did not want to give Marimo his food, especially since he was being way too touchy with Luffy lately. "We… ran out!"

"Liar." Usopp commented and it earned him a footprint on his face.

Then Luffy blinked and gathers a bit on her spoon, extending her hand to Zoro. He (and everybody else) blinked for a second—after all, this was Luffy sharing food—before taking Luffy's spoon into his mouth.

Sanji never left the swordsman without food after that.

.

It didn't mean he won't sacrifice some of his own, of course!

Oh what he'd do for an indirect kiss!

So he ran to the kitchen to make a new batch of dessert, one that took a bit longer to prepare. He appeared with hands (and arms) filled with plates. Everybody glistened and complimented his food.

This time, he feigned drama—Oh my goodness! I forgot my own food!—before realizing that Luffy finished her desert in one bite. She then grabbed Zoro's spoon (who was nearest) and whatever Zoro was currently eating and put it in his mouth.

"It's really good, Sanji!" She had said, grinning.

It took a full second to register what he just ate.

Foam roused from his mouth and Chopper diagnosed it as self-induced rabies.

Chopper managed to pull Sanji out of his foamy illness by baiting a couple of pictures of Nami, Robin, and Luffy in front of him using Usopp's fishing rod. Little at a time, he said, and it was also a part of his rehabilitation though he's mostly recovered from his nosebleed problems.

Watching her crewmates with a smile, Robin's ebony eyes looked for a certain skeleton. She felt it was time for a good moment of relaxation.

Robin then requested a song (Humming Mayfield) and Brook laughed in pleasure as he didn't think anyone in the crew would know such an old song.

It was jolly and slow at the same time, and best accompanied by a fast beat which Franky gladly supplied (quickly learning the rhythm and he blushed when Brook pointed it out). "I have many SUUUUPPPPERRR talents you know."

Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp (also feeling the beat) decided to put the chopsticks inside their mouths and stretch their cheeks for a perennial smile that supposedly matched the jolly music (tho Nami said they look scary instead) and they twirled around like children.

The others smiled and hummed and watched the three fondly, and they knew they're back to the old days.

The end of the smooth voyage was marked by a sudden shift in angle, with the ship shifting to a more vertical line. Then there was an abrupt change in pressure—like they were falling—and they realized they have been abruptly pushed up, to the air above.

They screamed (in enjoyment and thrill and terror) as they were practically blown upwards and floated in the air due to the force, landing roughly on the sea and the waters around them splashing strongly from the ship's weight.

They heard the whales sound their cries—they were saying good luck—and the seas underneath them soon calmed and they all stared at each other—faces red with glee, eyes glistening, and bodies huffing in excitement.

They're here. They were finally in the most dangerous sea.

Though they didn't even have the time to marvel though because the insane sea changed weather within seconds and tsunami came out of nowhere and after a moment the sea was literally getting cut in half.

They thought they were going to die a dozen times before they reached a calmer area.

Eventually—after great obstacles and souls almost leaving their bodies for about a dozen times—they actually did arrive in calm seas. For now.

"That… that was crazy." Sanji breathed out and Nami agreed. Beside them, Usopp was unconscious and Chopper squeaked.

"NEW WORLD SCARY!"

"Well, that was interesting…" Robin says.

"SUUUPPPERRRR THRILLING!" Franky added.

They all just sprawled themselves in the grass for a moment, breathing heavily, and Nami raised her arms to check the logs, then put it back down, not in the mood to head for the island with insane magnetic force.

Soon, Luffy, having boundless energy, jumped up and looked out the ship. "The fish is still here!" She yelled, already drooling, and everyone propped up to see that indeed: The fish a hundred times as big as the ship was floating behind them. They stared at the fish and to Sanji, who already had his barbequeing tools ready.

"PARTY!" He exclaimed, very much ready even if they said no.

And they all grin in response.

Because no matter how dangerous this sea was, they were still pirates.

.

.

END OF CHAPTER 9

Chapter 10: Ablaze
The Straw Hats returns,
and the whole world reacts.


REPLIES TO ANGELS

Xenocanaan – Me too! Don't expect too much though, cuz' their love line will be slow burn. xD thanks for reviewing btw!

Yuzukikuran - lolololol. You sure want to read a lot! I'd write those many stories too if I had any idea/bunny/time (especially the time travel one). *sobs* Anyway, glad you're enjoying this so far and thank you for reviewing!

Lightsbane1905 – Yep! I agree. I couldn't think of how to write Male Shiraihoshi either. xD And sure! It (Diff POVs of the crew) will certainly make for a denser story. And of course, thank you for reviewing!

Caraline Fisher – Thank you for reviewing! I am soo happy you're still enjoying the story. Hope this chapter also makes the cut!

Msseyren – lololol. ZoroxLuffyxSabo makes me sooo excited. Can't wait to write more of them, as well. It will all be slow burn tho. xD Thanks for reviewing btw!

Vanessa Masters – First of all, thank you for the wonderful commentary! xD And sure! Please link the drawing to me. Can't enable the PM though. Do you have FB? I have a page 'Nispedana that Humble fangirl', you can message me there.

Meme7789 – Here's another Zoro chapter! The last one for a looong while. xD I am glad you enjoyed it and I hope you like this one too. Thx for the review!

Littlest1 – Thanks for reviewing! And yep! Zoro is the First mate, no one else is. Oh, and one more chapter for Zoro tho. xD Hope it's okay! Hehe

Kitteninthemoonlight – Whew! Glad the chapter managed to make you feel the tension! And yep! Law will pick up the pieces, but it will be a slow process. xD I like slow burn romances. Hihi. And oh of course she'll have her harem! What girl doesn't like a good R. Harem story?! xD Thx for reviewing!

NekoMimiMyawMyaw – Ohh. It's been so long I've forgotten what line you were referring to. What did Law say?! And BARTY! Damnit I want to see him also! It'll take a while tho. Thank you for reviewing btw! Hope you enjoy this Zoro chapter as well.

HinekoAkahi – Thank you for reviewing! I am so glad you are liking the story so far. And yep I agree! At the very least, Ace isn't one of the deaths that simply added drama. It really changed the flow of the character development. And Robin didn't say in canon either right? I think it has to do with Sabo wanting to introduce himself.

Dragoniall – Glad you liked it! Hopefully the quality of my writing only improves—do tell me if it is otherwise! Thx for reviewing!

Casey Cross – Indeed I have! Hope you like this one also! We'll get a glimpse of them both in the next chapter. Lol. This is Zoro's day! Thank you for reviewing btw~

NN – hhaha IKR. Men who can't seem to know how to handle girls are cute in their own way. Glad you liked it btw and thx for commenting!

Loogoo – Thank you for reviewing! Glad you found it to be a good read. Hope this one does too!

Than-Guan'Rose – I will! I've already planned it out, I just need time to flesh my chaps out. Thank for reviewing btw!

Yukihime88 – I am so happy you are enjoying this story so far and thank you for your comment and your thumbs up! Law appears next chapter

BakaRamenBowl – Whoa! Glad you found it beautiful! Hope you enjoy the rest of the chapters and thx for reviewing!



Notes: (1) Yeah… this is pretty much the last chapter I can let Zoro makes moves in a while. Sorry I had to end it like that. There are still so many members of the harem that needs featuring!

(2) From what we see in the polls so far, it's unlikely Zoro's going to win this. So who would you like to pair him up with (eventually? In like 20 chaps from now lol). Robin? Nami? Tashigi? Someone else?

(3) Speaking of harem members, a few more of them will show up next chap! :D