Sin: You know the drill. I own PyrX, Katsu, Mel, Ryu, their swords, and the Crossroads. I don't own One Piece. Oda-sensei does. ON WITH THE STORY!

Lazzzy Dayz

By Mischievous Sin

Chapter 9 – Just an Act

It was still dark at the palace of Prince Aladono. Everyone was asleep in the rooms, except for Zoro who, for some reason, found it impossible to sleep. He sat on the ledge of the window of his empty, cold, stone, bathroom-sized bedroom. It seemed like the window itself was bigger than the room. Looking out at the garden below, he eyed the clock tower that's minute hand had just struck 3 o'clock. The soft bell rung a few times, breaking the silence of his room.

"Three o'clock," he yawned. "I'm tired, but I can't sleep. I always sleep. Why can I sleep on a loud, noisy ship and not in a quiet palace?"

Sighing, he shifted from the window to the door and made his way out and down the hallway. Once outside, he observed the surroundings that looked different because it was still dark. The stairway that the two captains had raced up before now look like it had disappeared into the darkness, the ocean was a darker blue from a distance, and the sky matched the sea. In other words, it was pitch black except for a small light that looked like the light from a cigarette.

"Marimo," the cook greeted.

"Shitcook," the swordsman greeted back.

"What are you doing out here?" Sanji asked, leaning against the wall.

"Can't sleep," Zoro replied in a monotone voice. "You?"

"Same."

A long silence came over the two crewmates as a cold wind blew past. Sanji took another long drag for his cigarette before speaking.

"Did she ever tell you her name was Melfina?"

Zoro raised his eyebrow at the question.

"No. It was always just Mel. Why do you ask?"

"Do you think she's falling for that prince guy?"

"How would I know?"

"Are you jealous?"

"NO!"

Zoro was getting furious and rather bothered at the sudden questions. Sanji just acted normally as he doused his cigarette into a nearby ashtray. As he headed back inside, he whispered a word of advice.

"You better start telling her or else you'll lose her."

If the cook would have stayed for just one more second Zoro would have strangled him on the spot. Alas, he did not, leaving Zoro alone at the palace entrance. He leaned against the wall for about 5 minutes until he heard a loud BAM coming from the room above the entrance.

"YOU IDIOT! IT'S 3 IN THE MORNING!" PyrX's voice echoed.

"But I was hungry," Luffy whined.

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO STEP ON ME!"

"I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE THERE!"

"YOU SHOULD'VE WATCHED WHERE YOU WERE GOING!"

During that argument, the lights of the rooms in the palace began to turn on one by one.

"Oi," Mel's voice groaned. "We're trying to get some sleep here! Now shut up and go to… Luffy, are those peppers?"

In Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, PyrX, and Katsu's bedroom, Mel stood the doorway staring at a rubber boy who was eating a jar of red, hot, chili peppers that were mistaken for a jar of some other food. PyrX, Usopp, Chopper, and Katsu backed up slowly from Luffy whose face had gone completely red. He remained like that for 5 seconds before fire erupted from his mouth while he ran around in circles in the room. Zoro, who was staring at the window, noticed flames shooting out of the window and a lot of laughs as well. He sweatdropped.

"Why did I have to be in his crew?" Zoro asked himself, heading back into the palace.

He headed up the elegant staircase that lead to Luffy and the others' room, but before he could reach it, he noticed Luffy come running out of his room and run right at him, knocking both him and Zoro down the stairs and into the wall below.

"Ow," Zoro groaned, pushing Luffy off of his stomach. "Luffy you idiot!"

He looked over at Luffy who was lolling back and forth in a dizzy manner. He sweatdropped.

"Sugooooi," the captain mumbled. "Can I do it again?"

"No," Zoro glared.

As soon as Zoro stood up and brushed himself off the prince came before him with everyone else standing behind him. He was glaring straight at Zoro.

"What were you doing?" The prince accused.

"I didn't do anything."

"Then why what is this?"

Aladono pointed out the mess that surrounded Zoro and Luffy; the vase that stood on both opposite sides of the entrance was knocked over, portraits and paintings on the walls were either tilted or not even hanging on the wall, and the plants and other decorations were broken or breaking as well. Luffy and Zoro blinked.

"Ehehe, sorry," Luffy apologized innocently as he rubbed the back of his head.

Aladono shrugged and returned his glare to Zoro.

"As for you, please leave my palace."

"WHAT?"

Everyone behind him wore the same expressions; either "It was Luffy's fault!" or "Why Zoro?" or "Sucks to be Marimo". Zoro stared.

"Prince-sama," Katsu said. "Zoro shouldn't have to leave."

"Yeah," Nami agreed. "We'll clean this up for you. At a price of course…"

"Right, right," Usopp stated. "Why should-"

"I'll be glad to leave," he shrugged, heading for the door. "I'll be on the ship if you need me guys."

Everyone else was silent as he left for the ship. Aladono nodded in satisfaction and left for his quarters. Everyone else stood silent.

"Why'd Onii-chan leave?" Katsu blinked.

"Maybe marimo didn't like it here?" Sanji suggested.

"It's up to him," Ryu pointed out, heading back to her room. "If he wanted to leave, then let him be."

As she left, the others shrugged and left for their rooms.

On the Going Merry

Zoro dived into the couch of the men's quarters and sighed. He felt more at home in the sanctuary of the ship. The swaying of the ship, the sound of the waves, it all seemed so… right. One thing was unusual though. He heard footsteps wandering around on the deck just a few minutes after he made his place on the couch. The footsteps finally found their way to the trapdoor just below the mast.

"Zoro? Are you there?"

"Mel?"

Mel popped her head through the trap door and jumped down into the messy men's quarters.

"Mel," Zoro mumbled. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, isn't that a lovely greeting," she glared. "I came to see how you were."

"I'm fine. Just tired."

"Oh…"

While Zoro began to fall asleep, Mel walked over to a small door that was closed on the wall.

"What's this?"

"Emergency exit," he said, glancing at the door. "It leads to Nami's room."

"I see."

When she opened it, she found a chest full of treasure blocking the exit. She took a look around the room since she hadn't been in the room before, and that's when she noticed the newspaper lying on her desk. Carefully, she crawled through the door and over the chest to the desk where the paper sat. On the front page was a bold headline:

Grand Line Prince Captures Pirate Crew Again

"Oh no," she muttered.

Mel's mind raced. What's going to happen to us? We have to get out of here!

"Zoro!" She yelled, climbing back through the door. "Zoro! Get up!"

"Don't you know how hard it is to make good rum?" He said in his sleep.

Mel blinked. Looking over in the corner, she found a wash bin next to the sofa where Zoro was sleeping, took it, and stood over his head. Then, in a swift move…

BAAAAAM!

Zoro was sitting upright with his hand over a huge red bump that had formed over his head. He glared at Mel, who was placing the wash bin back in it's original place.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?"

"Shut up and take a look at this," she said, flashing the article in front of his face.

"Grand Line Prince captures pirate crew again…?"

"Read down a little more."

"Um, okay.

Self said "Prince" Aladono has once again claimed the bounty of the infamous Malus the Bloodlust Pirate who was wanted Dead or Alive for a bounty of 500,000 beli. "I will not stop until all the pirates of the Grand Line are captured and justified," says the Prince. "My current goal is to capture "Straw Hat Luffy" and his crew, so that I may rid them from this peaceful world."

Well isn't this just lovely? What are we going to do?"

"We have to get everybody out of here and fast."

"Right, but what if Aladono wakes up?"

Mel shrugged.

"We fight him?"

"Sure, that'll work."

Zoro and Mel immediately made there way back to the palace, swords at their sides, but the second the opened the door, they were greeted with a smirk from none other than the prince himself. His guards were in the background carrying the others away from the scene.

"Melfina-chan," he greeted. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Where are you bringing our nakama?" She glared.

"Why the dungeon, of course. But don't worry, you'll join them in a few."

In a flash, two guards that were behind them holding clothes with sleeping poison dabbed on it grabbed Zoro and Mel from behind and covered their mouths with the poison, making everything turn black.

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Sin: Truthfully, this chapter was supposed to be longer, but I decided to make an evil cliffie. MUAHAHAHAHAHAAA! Gomen guys.

Mirathin: I know! I hate my own character. (Aladono: I feel so hated. Sob sob) He always has to ruin everything. X.X

Takahane: YES! I'VE HOOKED SOMEONE ON MY STORY! (feels accomplished) :D Hope you liked (or just hated because Aladono interrupts the love) this chapter!

4getregret: :O You got to see the midnight showing? I was going to but I couldn't because my mom was too cranky, so I saw it with my friend. :D Oh well, I still saw it. And… ZOMG! COOKIE! (GLOMPS)

Black Fox: A thousand and one apologies. I would've put Tashigi in there, but it would ruin the love, you know? X.x Then again, I kinda regret leaving Tashigi out, but she'll be in the story later on. I promise. :D

Sin: Okey dokey! Time to see if my nakama emailed me back, which I bet he didn't (damn him!). But anyhow, I hope you liked the chapter! See you in the next chapter!