"So where are we?" Franky asked Usopp that he was looking at the Vivre Card Law had left with them.
"I don't know, it's still pointing at the same direction at least."
"Strange, but it finally stopped shifting it's position."
Everyone was confused about the abnormal behavior of the Vivre Card, he stood still for a time pointing in one direction and then out of nowhere started to change the direction, not to mention that they sailed and sailed and nothing, no sign of land - it was as if Zoo were moving.
The big question is that Law had said that his crew was in Zou, and Zou is an island, how does it not point at a fixed point?
Unfortunately they had no answers and the only person who something about it was sleeping - or rather, was unconscious.
By just remembering it Usopp felt a shiver down his sipne, that was something he didn't want to know about his Captain.
Not so far from him, Zoro was already back to his little corner trying to sleep once he found it impossible to train on that ship.
He was frustrated for several reasons, first, he hadn't fought a good fight for five days, second, he hadn't been training for five days and third he could feel his muscles weakening - but as he had already seen, training was impossible, every time he decided to do it, be just a kata or a series of sit-ups, an audience formed around him.
That wasn't the main problem, he didn't care who or how they looked at him, it was good for those bastards to see with who they were dealing with and what is real dedication and training; The problem was those bullocks decided to train with him every single time.
From where he was sitting he could see Robin sitting, drinking and grinning at him, waiting for him to lose his cool and pick a fight. He knew how she about the situation, he also wanted to punch some faces, after all they deserved it, but he also wanted to respect his captain decision.
But he could not deny that he could understand what she wanted him to do 'Go Zoro, show all those dumbasses what a punch is like', and he really considered make a show for but the problem are already fixed and those guys weren't Sanji, so a fight would not as fun as it could be, and without Nami there she would not have her betting partner, and without Brook the fight would have no soundtrack and Chopper would not come and lecture them.
And that make him feel down ...
"Zoro?"
He turned around and saw his captain, even Luffy who is most of the time cheerful and silly, was half serious that afternoon - perhaps part of it was that Trafalgar still had not woken up and the absence of his nakamas.
"What is it, Luffy?"
"Why are you there alone? Why don't you talk to me?"
"I just wanted a moment for myself, they're good people, the parties are nice, but ...the reason for the party…and they are not…"
"They're not Sanji, Nami, Brook, and Chopper."
Zoro just nodded.
So that was how it is, they had stayed away from each other for 2 years and he didn't feel that way, maybe because those two years had a purpose. He didn't want to think about it.
"Why did you come to me?" He asked his captain.
"Because since yesterday you don't talk to me. Today you not even look at me. Do you ... do you have something against the Torao?"
Zoro looked at Luffy in surprise, was this what Luffy was thinking? That he had something against them?
Zoro understood that he had gone and leave the Luffy behind without much of an explanation, but it was because he wanted to make room for the two captains. Even more so after he realized that Luffy had decided to eat Law alive, not to mention the tumult that others were doing, he didn't want to join in, despite the noise those two made, Zoro saw it was something particular and not for the whole ship to hear and comment upon – it was no motive for a performance medal.
He knew that Luffy saw Law as an equal, and that situation to the excitement of the others, even if unintentionally, it seemed to be a celebration because Luffy had shown who was in charge.
Zoro knew better than anyone that just because one of them chose to be the passive, this didn't mean subservience nor that the bottom was tamed - his head even ached to remember how Sanji make that clear to him.
"I just give you two some space so you can take care of your problems and I also didn't want to be part of that whole mess ..."
Luffy sat down next to him, and after so many years sailing together, Zoro no longer wondered where that piece of meat came from.
"I've already figured it out, I made it clear that I don't want to hear comments about what happened especially after Torao woke up."
Zoro remained mute, but Luffy continued to speak.
"Torao may not speak, but he is sensitive to these things. He would feel trapped or forced, and if I allow that what difference would exist between Mingo and I?"
"Don't compare yourself to that nut."
"Shihihi, so… you're missing him, don't you?"
"Shut up, Luffy, otherwise I'll throw you into the sea."
"Shihihi, I miss them too, I miss playing with Chopper, listening to Brook's songs, Sanji's food and even his kicks, and Nami also brings me ... peace."
Zoro looked at Luffy, he knew that Nami kept a special place in Luffy's heart, but he never knew how special, but at the same time he thought - And Trafalgar?
And that question must have appeared on his face.
"Don't look at me like this ... Nami and Torao are different, Nami put me on the line, Torao will laugh inside with my idiocy ... what I mean is, I feel that I have to ... that ... I have to show what I feel for him, I have to say that he is important to me, because if I don't say it, nobody will ... I have to enjoy every moment because while I know that Nami will be by my side until the end of my journey, Torao might not be. "
Zoro had found this very strange, what was Luffy saying?
"Do you think he will break the alliance after we face Kaido? Or does he also want to be the Pirate King?"
"No, that's not it."
"Good, because if it was I would beat you. I don't know Law as you know him, but he looks like he came to stay."
"I just feel it, since our fight against Doflamingo, I feel he will not be with me at the end of my journey."
Zoro could see that Luffy was serious about it, and he didn't like it, Luffy's instinct is scary.
But then Luffy stood up smiling like the idiot he is, and Zoro for a moment forgot the bizarre conversation they had and smiled back, but what Luffy said next made him thoughtful.
"When we meet the others, stop being a toughhead and be kind to Sanji at least once, we never know what might happen ... see you at dinner!"
What does he mean with this?
~~~~ Some minutes ago ~~~~
Luffy was worried about other things, he was hungry to begin with and he was also worried about Torao.
"Robiiiin ... he doesn't wake up!"
"He's just tired Luffy."
"But he already lost his coffee, lunch and the afternoon snack ... did I broke the Torao?"
Robin smiled at Luffy.
"Of course not...".
"I shouldn't have gone into Gear Second!"
"Torao is an adult, he knows what he asked for, and I bet he's very happy with you!"
"Really?"
"Yes. Let him rest for today and ask him tomorrow and you'll see."
The problem was that he was anxious, he wanted to talk to Torao right now and not wait for another day.
He had to prepare Torao for his encounter with Bartolomeo and his gang – because even he had found it super strange to be greeted by everyone after he had placed Torao on bed.
He didn't understand the drink, the food served and the party being made, but food is food and he took it. It was only after a while that he noticed that Zoro was far away, and he only realized what all the party was about when he heard one of the other pirates talking.
"Did you see it? He went there and rule the situation, put Trafalgar in his place!"
"Yeah! Dude, it could only be our great Straw Hat senpai, it made Trafalgar scream like a cat in heat."
Luffy was disgusted with that, why were they talking that way about Torao?
"ENOUGH!"
And they all looked at him startled, but in the corner of the party he could see the smile of Robin, Usopp and Franky.
Had they realized that, too?
Bartolomeo quickly intervened, and apologized for his subordinates behavior promising to punish them properly.
"There is no necessity...".
"Luffy-senpai?"
"I just don't want to hear more about this, you understand? No more words, or else they will have to answer me. No one is going to den ... deni ... denig ..."
"Denigrate." Usopp helped him.
"What Usopp said ... Torao in front of me."
The silence lasted for a while until Bartolomeo with tears in his eyes and on his knees on the ground began to rage.
"SEE HOW GENEROUS AND BEAUTIFUL OUR MASTER, LUFFY-SENPAI, IS!"
"YEAAAAAH"
"You did SUUUPER well, Captain!"
"Shihihi, you might as well have warned me beforehand." Luffy said scratching his head.
"Naháá ... we knew you'd noticed it alone." Usopp said and Robin just agreed with a smile on his face.
