A/N: Okay, so this chapter is to make up for the shortness/extreme delay of the previous one! ^^;
One Piece is not mine, yada yada yada, ON TO THE STORY!
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"Alright so lemme get this straight. Zoro's being taken to a hula man?" Luffy asked as he leaned forward, bracing his arms on the table with his brow furrowed.
"No, you idiot! That's not it! How'd you get that out of what she's saying?" Usopp cried, poking the captain in the side of the head, then turning to roll his eyes at the others.
The crew had moved their powwow inside to the kitchen after setting sail, and were now viewing a map of the area Nami had drawn up and spread out on the table. They crowded around for a closer look as Tashigi pointed to a seemingly random spot in the middle of the ocean.
She shook her head. "I'm almost positive they're taking him to Solomar, Luffy. It's a prison, and according to what I've been told, it's located at approximately this spot." She tapped the map again for emphasis.
Luffy frowned, studying the indicated spot. He shrugged. "Solomar, hula man, same thing! Either way, all we have to do is get him back!"
Shaking her head again, Tashigi sighed. Resting her elbows on the table, she buried her face in her hands before rubbing her temples anxiously. "I'm afraid it's not going to be that easy."
She looked up as Sanji slid onto the bench next to her, setting down three cups of coffee in front of the ladies. "Relax, Tashigi-san," he said, cigarette puffing out heart-shaped smoke circles. "It's not like we haven't been in situations like this before! Besides, the marimo can take care of himself until we get there."
Tashigi gave a small smile. "That may be, but I don't think any of you seem to realize what this place is. Once he's entered the prison, it's going to be next to impossible to get him out."
Robin took a sip of her drink, studying the map as well. "Solomar Correctional Facility. The name sounds vaguely familiar, but if it truly is such a high-security prison, why isn't it more well-known?"
Hoping it would calm her nerves, Tashigi sipped her coffee too, wincing as the hot drink burned her tongue but feeling its soothing effects nonetheless.
"It's supposed to be a secret of the World Government," she began, "Although, it hasn't been kept so well if pirates have heard of it. Only those serving under the World Government know its exact location though. It's called a correctional facility, but it's anything but that. It's hiding all kinds of nasty secrets."
Nami perked up. "What kinds of secrets? Like, a hidden treasure?" she asked as she looked up hopefully. "We could look; I'm sure we could find it!"
"W-What about Zoro then?" Chopper whimpered, clutching Usopp's arm tightly.
"There's no treasure, it's nothing like that." Tashigi sighed before continuing. "Solomar was created as a place the government could use as a cover-up to avoid any scandal. Criminals are sent there when the government wants to deal with a matter quietly. At least, on the surface. From what I've heard Smoker say about it, it's extremely brutal, second only to Impel Down, the strongest prison in the world."
Robin frowned in thought. "Now that you mention it, I do recall this place being nicknamed 'The Gateway to Hell'. Is it somehow connected to Impel Down?"
"In a way, yes," replied Tashigi. She adjusted her glasses. "But not physically. Solomar consists of a network of floating buildings, almost like a large ship, but my understanding is that, due to the nature of the arrests or crimes of its prisoners, there are only three ways they are allowed to leave. And even so, I wouldn't even call them 'free' afterwards."
Franky grinned. "Well, that's just SUPER! Three ways are better than none, right? What do we have to do?"
"It's not what we do; it's what the Marines decide. Like I said, 'Correctional Facility' isn't accurate terminology at all. There are no corrections made, no questions asked. It's just a name the government uses in case word gets out about it to cover up what really goes on. Robin said 'The Gateway to Hell'. That's exactly it. There's no hope, even if you can get out."
Tashigi looked around at the others who were listening intently.
"According to Commodore Smoker, once there, prisoners are evaluated. Depending on how notorious they are, they could be sent directly to Impel Down, Hell itself. Some are brainwashed, turned into Marines who serve the World Government with no recollection of their past lives. And still others are 'cleansed'. I'm not sure what that means, but I'm sure it can't be good either. So we need to get to Zoro before any of those can happen."
Usopp crossed his arms. "Okay, but if this Impel Down place truly is the strongest, are you sure they didn't take him there? I mean, his bounty's big enough, it would make more sense!"
Again, Tashigi shook her head. "I know Smoker. He wouldn't do that. Not after what happened back there in town." She stared down at the table miserably, her voice getting quiet. "I betrayed him, publicly disrespected him. Some of the townspeople saw the whole thing. If a rumor starts that there may be a conspiracy, it could mean big trouble. Smoker wants to get rid of Zoro, but, due to the circumstances of my absence, he's not going to want to risk explanation at Impel Down. So Solomar it is. It'll be dealt with more quietly there, without making big news of it. Or at least, that's the theory anyway."
She fingered the edge of the map absently. "Smoker and I have never approved of this place, since it punishes people unfairly without so much as a trial. But because of what I did, and because he doesn't want Marine HQ to get involved, he'll take Zoro there. I'm sure of it."
The room grew silent as the Straw Hats processed all that Tashigi had said.
"Well then, we need a plan," Sanji's voice interrupted the silence, and he pushed back from the table, loosening his tie as he began pacing. "Nami-san, how far behind the Marines are we?"
"I'd say about an hour judging by when we left. But they could've taken a different route than us so it's hard to tell. The way we're heading though, we should be there by tomorrow afternoon."
"About twenty-four hours then," Tashigi murmured with a sigh. Would they be too late….?
Sanji nodded. "Right. We have till then to come up with a plan to infiltrate this place."
Luffy slammed his fists down on the table. "Yosha!" he cried, "We're gonna need lots of meat!"
"Yohohoho~! And some sneaky music!" Brook added with excitement.
"And in that case, we'll need some SUPER awesome dance moves too! OW!" cried Franky, striking his trademark star pose.
"AND HOW EXACTLY WILL THOSE HELP US?!" Usopp and Nami yelled, swatting the air.
Tashigi couldn't help but frown at the crew's lack of concern. They obviously didn't understand how difficult, not to mention dangerous, this was going to be.
Seeing Tashigi's apprehension, Robin smiled. "I wouldn't worry too much, Shōi-san. Remember that not everyone knows of your crime. Chances are you'll still have an in with the Marines once we arrive, and that will definitely work to our advantage." Taking a final sip of her drink, she tossed the mug across the room with a nonchalant flick of her hand. "Besides, you of all people should know that things always work out in our favor." An arm bloomed on the counter, catching the flying mug and setting it down in the sink.
Tashigi looked around the table at the rest of the crew.
Luffy turned to give her a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, Tashigi, things always work out somehow! We'll definitely save Zoro from the hula man!"
Another whack on the head from Usopp. "Weren't you listening at all?! H-Have no fear, Tashigi! Captain Usopp will stand by you no matter what the cost!" The table began to shake along with his trembling knees.
"M-Me too!" cried Chopper, blinking back tears as he raised a triumphant hoof.
"And me! I will lay my life on the line!" Brook paused, "Ah, even though I'm already dead! Yohohoho~! Skull joke!"
"You know I'm in! Those Marine-bros won't know what hit 'em!"
Robin chuckled as the blue-haired cyborg ran through a succession of super poses.
"And of course, you know I will protect you with my life, Tashigi-swan!" Sanji added, pointing his thumb to his chest.
The others turned to look at Nami, who was staring down steadily, eyes shaded by her orange bangs. Suddenly, however, she looked up, a crafty grin smeared across her face as her eyes turned to beris.
"I'm in too! As long as we get to pilfer some Marine treasure along the way!"
"THERE'S NO TREASURE!"
Tashigi watched as the Straw Hats began arguing amongst themselves about anything but the situation at hand.
And she smiled with the realization that their behavior didn't warrant a lack of concern but rather an utmost confidence that everything would be alright.
They trusted each other, and they trusted Zoro enough that they were able to remain calm, or at least, calm about the prospect of breaking into a high-security prison. And she had no doubt that Zoro was just as calm and trusted that his nakama were coming for him.
Hold on, Zoro, she thought, I'll prove that you can trust me too…..
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"6,747……..6,748……..6,749….."
Moonlight was shining in through the window now and Zoro judged that he'd been asleep for about five hours. Bored out of his mind after waking up, he'd taken to doing sit-ups, about the only training he could do with his hands still cuffed behind his back.
"6,750." Finishing his set, he sat up, rolling his shoulders a bit to try and relieve the stiffness in his arms.
"Damn…" he muttered to himself. "If I just had one of my swords, I could be out of here in three seconds…"
He hoped they weren't still at the sword shop. Hell, they'd probably charge him twice as much for picking them up so late and Nami would not be pleased if he asked for a loan.
For once, he hoped the Marines had his swords. At least they'd keep them safe. Even if it was only so that they could mount them on a wall as trophies or something once they killed him.
Zoro let out an irritated sigh and decided to resume his sit-ups.
"6,751…..6,752….."
Luffy, you idiot, you'd better catch up soon, he thought as he stared fixedly at the ceiling, or else I think I'm gonna die of boredom first.
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"Commodore Smoker!"
Smoker looked up from the paperwork on his desk and glared with irritation at the Marine who'd just run into his office.
"It's late, soldier, what do you want? Have we strayed off course?"
"N-No, sir," the man stammered, "It's just that another large ship has been spotted in our radar. It's several kilometers behind, but it appears to be following us. Should we turn around and investigate?"
Smoker shook his head. "No. Stay the course. We can't have Roronoa be late for his appointment with fate, now can we."
"Hai. Alright, sir," the marine conceded, "We'll keep an eye on the ship nonetheless." And with a salute, he left Smoker alone once again.
So, Mugiwara, you're closer than I expected. Thanks to that navigator of yours, no doubt, Smoker thought as he leaned back in his chair.
He wasn't too concerned though. Fine, they were following him. But this way he could lock up the swordsman, then turn right around and deal with the rest of his crew.
And Tashigi too. She was with them, he was sure of it. And she would surely try to help them in every way possible.
"Damn you, Tashigi, for making me do this."
He'd always been proud of the fact that in all his years of service, he'd never once had to make use of Solomar. The work he did and the arrests he made were always honest. He'd never had to cover up his tracks or lie about anything, at least, not by his choice anyway. And now he had to cover up for his damn ensign of all people.
Deep down, he'd been afraid something like this would happen some day. She had a big heart and a solid sense of justice, one that was up against the shrinking heart and crumbling values of the World Government. Not to mention she'd been fascinated with Zoro even when she considered him an enemy. She'd narrowed her sight and made him her goal. And now he realized that she would never give that up.
If he wanted his partner back, he'd have to use Roronoa as bait, and to do so, Zoro, in turn, would have to become the government's plaything, away from the media's prying eye. At Solomar.
Smoker knew Tashigi knew this. And he knew he had no other choice.
Standing up from his chair, he walked to the window and gazed out at the stars.
He sighed, smoke billowing from his nostrils, and his lips turned downward into a frown.
He'd always believed in the saying, 'Once a pirate, always a pirate', and similarly, 'Once a Marine, always a Marine.' So if a Marine took the side of a pirate, they had to still be a Marine and, in turn, still have justice in mind, right?
He groaned, rubbing his temples with his gloved hand. Now he was just confusing himself……yet….why was the thought that Tashigi could have been right about the Straw Hats….still in his mind?
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Tashigi sat on Sunny's lawn as she breathed in the night air, absently polishing her Shigure.
The others had gone to bed and she'd volunteered to man the first watch. It was Zoro's job after all and it was her fault he wasn't there to do it.
The ship rocked gently and the tranquil melody of lapping waves was the only sound heard. Everything was so peaceful; it was hard to believe they would have to face any troubles at all.
She picked at the grass, trying to think of how they would go about this rescue mission, when a voice behind her nearly gave her a heart attack.
"Tashigi?" Chopper's timid voice had Tashigi whirling around to face him in a startled frenzy. She reached her hand out to brace herself, only to have it land in the jar of sword polish on the ground next to her, causing her to slip and land quite gracefully on her face, all while still in a sitting position.
Chopper sweatdropped. "A-Are you okay?" he asked, quickly making his way across the deck to her from his place at the door.
Tashigi sat up slowly, adjusting her crooked glasses sheepishly before reaching up to rub her sore nose.
"I'm fine!" she replied, blushing slightly. "You startled me, that's all."
The reindeer giggled and sat down on the grass beside her. "Sorry about that. If you want, I'll take over for you. I can't sleep anyway."
"That's okay," Tashigi said, rubbing the remainder of the polish off of her hand, and she turned to Chopper with a smile. "It's nice to have company."
Chopper smiled too, then turned to gaze up at the night sky. He sighed, voice getting quiet. "Zoro always says that nighttime's the only time he can hear himself think. That's why he likes having the watch so much. Even if he is sleeping half the time," he added, causing Tashigi to chuckle softly. Chopper grinned before continuing, "…..Thank you…..for helping us. Without you, I don't think we would've known where to start."
At this, Tashigi shook her head fervently. "No. Don't thank me. This whole thing is my fault. Commodore Smoker's probably livid with me, but the least I can do is help you now. I just hope Zoro can forgive me."
"He will! Zoro's not the type to hold grudges. Besides, I saw the way he looked at you. I think he genuinely cares about you," Chopper said, pawing at the grass beneath him.
Tashigi turned to look at him, a faint blush playing at her cheeks. "Really?"
The little reindeer smiled up at her and nodded. "Mmhmm! He was staring at you the whole time you were napping on the Mini Merry. I thought about snapping him out of it, but Usopp said he was just fantasizing and to leave him be. I'm not sure what he meant by 'fantasizing' though."
Tashigi facefaulted. "Well then…."
"Anyway," Chopper began, voice getting quiet again as he looked down. She could see the sheen of unshed tears in his eyes and knew he was trying hard to be strong. "Will….will he really be okay, Tashigi? This Solomar place……sounds pretty intense. We'll be able to save him, right?" He turned to look at her hopefully.
She looked down at the little reindeer and realized that these pirates had complete faith in her. They'd only been together for a short time and she knew she didn't deserve it, yet here they were, trusting her as if she was one of their own.
And if she had learned anything, it was that Luffy and his crew could make even the impossible a reality.
With that thought in mind, she nodded and smiled at him with genuine confidence. "I'm sure we can, Chopper! Everything will be fine!"
But to her surprise, Chopper's eyes filled with tears and he pulled his hat down over his face as he began to sob.
"Oh no! Are you okay? I'm so sorry! Have I said something wrong?" Tashigi stammered frantically, laying a hand on his quivering shoulders.
The young doctor shook his head, struggling to regain composure as he wiped at his nose. "That's not it," he sniffed, "It's just….I have so much respect for you! You've been cast aside by everything you loved and held dear, but you've still been able to trust us and stay strong!" Still wiping at his nose, he stared into his lap. "It took me years before I could do that…"
She wasn't sure what he meant by that last bit, but she offered a small smile nonetheless.
"It hasn't been easy….it's been confusing and heartbreaking and I have no idea how I'll patch things up afterwards. But I've always figured that if I follow what I believe in and go where my heart tells me, things will work out. Wouldn't you agree?"
Chopper wiped away the last of his tears and nodded vigorously through a watery smile.
Upon seeing the reindeer cheer up, Tashigi giggled and went back to polishing her sword.
A few minutes passed and the two sat together in companionable silence, feeling the motion of the ship on the waves and listening to the low creaking that accompanied it.
At one point, Tashigi saw Chopper flop down onto his back and she thought he'd fallen asleep, but a minute later, he spoke up again.
"Tashigi, will you stay with us after all this is over?" he asked quietly. "I'm sure Luffy would let you. And the others would love it if you stayed! Even Nami! She didn't mean what she said earlier today; I think she was just PMS'ing more than usual."
Tashigi paused, the question having caught her off guard. Sure, she had thought about what she would do, but she hadn't come to a decision yet.
Hearing her hesitation, Chopper sat up, a small sweatdrop forming on the side of his face as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Sorry, it probably wasn't my place to ask you that," he admitted, "but really, if things don't work out with Smoker, I honestly don't think anyone would object if you joined us."
Tashigi turned to look at him, and, upon seeing him grin at her with utmost sincerity, couldn't help but smile back.
"Thank you, Chopper," she replied, "That means a lot."
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A/N: *sigh* Tis not the longest of chapters, but at least I was quicker this time! *torches and pitchforks avoided* Thanks for reading! :D
