A/N: Gah, sorry I took a bit longer with this chapter (*shot* I'm always apologizing). Final exams killed my soul for the past two weeks, but anyway, GLAD THAT'S OVER! Let's check in with the One Piece world now, shall we?
Italics = flashback/memory
~(^^^)~
Zoro awoke to the sounds of heavy footsteps and raised voices, a commotion he was all too used to. Clearly, a Marine ship could be just as loud and obnoxious as the Sunny. He groaned and tried to reach up to rub his temples, but scowled as he realized his hands were still cuffed. His arms were extremely sore now from being twisted behind him, and his back was stiff from sleeping slumped up against the wall. Not to mention he was hungry as hell. An overall great start to the morning.
Judging by the intensity of the light shining in through the window, he'd slept fairly late into the day, and he found himself wondering how long it was going to take to get to this prison place. He had thought being captured would be at least a little entertaining, but his patience was wearing down, and he began to speculate if it was possible to eat his way out of the cell.
The steel bars looked thin enough. He figured it would only take a few chomps to bite through one of them, and if he couldn't do that, a nice headbutt would loosen them the rest of the way. Then he could just whittle away at the steel somehow to sharpen it and he'd be able to cut off the damn handcuffs, use the sharpened bar as a spear, take out a few Marines, find his swords, and get the hell out of there. Easy enough. And it would be much more exciting than staring at four gray walls all day.
Closing his eyes, he focused on finding the steel's weak spot. He sat in silence for a few minutes until he had pinpointed the exact location at which to strike the bars. With a flash of determination, he opened his eyes, but the intensity of the moment was soon lost as his stomach growled loudly.
Zoro frowned. His teeth were definitely strong enough, he knew. He just hoped the bars tasted good. If they did, he'd contemplate actually eating them. He worked better on a full stomach anyway.
Dammit, I'm turning into Luffy here, he thought and shot an accusatory glare at the bars as punishment for their potential tastiness.
Suddenly, he froze warily as he realized the ship had stopped moving.
He could hear various orders being called out outside the room, but aside from that, the racket of earlier had ceased entirely. Suspicious, he felt himself itching for his swords as he stared intently at the door.
Something was going to happen; he knew it. And sure enough, a minute later, loud footsteps were heard approaching from the hallway.
He smirked. So they'd finally come for him. Looked like his teeth wouldn't be getting a workout after all.
A key clicked loudly in the lock, and he watched as the heavy door swung open slowly.
Smoker, followed by two subordinates, entered the room, twirling a set of keys casually around his finger.
"Rise and shine, Roronoa," Smoker sneered, fixing the swordsman with his hard glare. "Ready for the real hell to start?"
Zoro shrugged. "Can't be worse than this. Just lookin' at your face is torture enough."
The commodore scowled, ignoring the snide remark. "None of you Straw Hats ever take anything seriously. It's time you got some sense knocked into you."
Another shrug, followed by a yawn, from Zoro. "Sure. You gonna let me out of here or what?"
Handing the keys off to one of his subordinates, Smoker nodded, signaling to open the cell. He looked on as the Marine unlocked the door and led the unenthusiastic swordsman out.
He frowned, continuing to eye Zoro closely.
Just what did Tashigi see in this man?
He was rude, lazy, and clearly had no common sense or values. He was a pirate after all. Yet, she had stood up for him with all her strength. Something had happened during her time with the Straw Hats to make her betray not only Smoker, but herself, her idea of justice. He just didn't know what.
Fierce eyes still trained on Zoro, he removed his cigars from his mouth to utter a brief, "Let's go," before turning on his heel to stride out of the room into the hallway. The two Marines followed, one on either side of Zoro, each keeping a firm grip on one of his arms.
Smoker let the door slam shut behind them and began walking, leading the way down the brightly lit corridor.
He scowled upon hearing the swordsman mumble a sarcastic, "You don't gotta hold my hand, y'know," to the Marines, but continued on, passing several large steel doors along the way before making a right turn down another hallway of similar design.
Smoker continued leading them through the hall for a few minutes before stopping in front of what appeared to be an elevator. Pressing the up button, he glanced back at his prisoner, but the marimo was staring fixedly at the ground.
Several more seconds passed, and the elevator doors swung open. The four walked in, Zoro eyeing the interior suspiciously, before the doors closed once more, leaving them in silence as the elevator began moving upwards.
The confined quarters soon filled with smoke, and Zoro glared over at the source of the pollution, clearing his throat pointedly.
However, Smoker's face remained emotionless. "Hold your breath, swordsman, no need to be rude," he growled.
The elevator came to a halt and the doors opened, Smoker stepping out first into a much shorter hallway with a slight incline leading up to an imposing pair of metal doors, emblazoned with the Marine insignia. Several men who had been ambling about in the hall rushed to open the doors, saluting as the commodore approached.
With the opening of the doors, blinding sunlight filled the corridor, and Zoro had to blink several times to adjust as he was led out onto the deck of the ship, the ocean breeze clearing the smoky haze that had accompanied his captor.
They had obviously been planning for his release from the cell. The deck, which was easily three times the size of Sunny's, was lined on either side with long rows of armed Marines, clearing a runway for him to walk through. He smirked. Were they really that scared of him?
However, his smirk soon dissipated as he noticed for the first time, the location of his arrival.
The ship had apparently stopped……..in the middle of the ocean?
They had dropped anchor all right, but there was absolutely nothing around as far as the eye could see.
Zoro looked back and forth on either side of the ship, but nothing changed; the horizon was completely flat. Where the hell were they?
"Oi, what is this? You gonna drop me overboard or something?" he called to Smoker, who had continued walking through the lines of Marines unperturbed.
Smoker stopped, glancing back over his shoulder.
"I'm not goin' anywhere unless you tell me what the hell's goin' on! If you're gonna kill me, fine, but I'd at least like to know about it first!" Zoro said, waiting for an answer.
Smoker smirked, which did nothing to ease Zoro's nerves, and merely beckoned the Marines to continue leading him across the deck. Rather roughly, they shoved him forward, forcing him to catch up to Smoker, who by that time had made his way to the side of the ship.
It was then that Zoro noticed a wooden ramp had been lowered down from the deck onto a random floating dock below, quite the out-of-place object to be found in the middle of the sea.
Nodding to the subordinates keeping careful watch on either side, Smoker stepped onto the ramp and made his way down onto the dock, Zoro and his escorts following closely behind, much to the swordsman's discomfort.
Once on the dock, he braced himself, ready to be tossed into the ocean or shot at from above, but none such violence came. In fact, to Zoro's surprise, Smoker still appeared to be paying him no attention. Zoro raised an eyebrow upon seeing the commodore approach a small keypad attached to a metal pole rising up from the floor beneath them. He pressed a few buttons on the touch screen before removing one of his gloves to scan his hand as well, which caused a female electronic voice to state Smoker's name, rank, and several other stats, eventually ending in a pleasant, "Welcome to Solomar. Your entry will be granted shortly."
…The hell? Security? This can't be the prison. What's going----?
But Zoro's confused thoughts were soon cut off by a low rumbling sound coming from underneath the water. Frantically, he glanced around at the Marines, but, again, they were still standing as calm as could be, Smoker with a small smirk on his face as he looked out at the ocean before him.
The noise continued to grow louder and louder, and Zoro thought he could hear an almost mechanical screeching accompanying the sounds of the now-crashing waves. His eyes widened as he began to see the shape of a massive dark object looming below the surface.
And just like that, the surface of the water erupted as a huge metal block of a building shot up out of the waves, water cascading down its sides. It continued to rise out of the ocean for at least a minute before mechanical clamps slid out from its base and attached to the dock with a loud clunk, securing it to the rest of the building and creating a walkway leading to what appeared to be an entryway.
Zoro could do nothing but gape at the edifice that had just risen from the sea before him.
It was at least ten stories tall, rising far above the Marine ship still anchored behind them, stretching about twice the length of the vessel as well. Barred windows lined the building, the Marine emblem clearly carved into the concrete siding under each. The entire structure was encrusted with barnacles, as if it rarely rose above sea level, giving its already gray appearance an even more disagreeable facade.
But what caught Zoro's eye the most was the large stained glass window located above the entrance. It was shaped like a sun, six rectangular rays branching off from it; however, it appeared to be untouched in contrast with the rugged look of the rest of the building. In fact, it not only seemed brand-new, but almost……alive, its color changing from red to orange to yellow and back again with each second Zoro stared.
Suddenly, Zoro felt himself being pushed forward once more by the Marines holding him, and he could no nothing but follow Smoker up to the entrance, a simple metal door with the words, "Solomar: Ward One" etched into it. The door slid open heavily, revealing a small bare room with seawater dripping from the ceiling and walls. Smoker led the way into the room, approaching another metal door of similar fashion at the other end.
He pressed a few buttons on a keypad located to the left of the door, and Zoro could only glance back outside briefly before the door behind them slid shut again, leaving them in dimly lit silence, dripping water the only sound.
It was only a few seconds, however, before the door in front of them opened as well, and Smoker stepped through, Zoro and the Marines close behind.
What the----?
Zoro's eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at his new surroundings.
Gone was the otherworldly, weathered feel of the building's exterior. Instead, the group had entered at the far end of a sprawling, modern-looking lobby that was bustling with activity. Men and women dressed in Marine uniforms were buzzing about everywhere, clearly preoccupied with their work, as they took no notice to the four that had just entered. The ceiling of the lobby rose up impressively to what Zoro assumed was the top of the building far above, and there were two large sets of white marble staircases that lined either side of the room, each zigzagging to the top floor.
The rest of the room was entirely blue from top to bottom, with large pillars standing sentinel over lower-ceiling waiting areas that lined the outer edges of the atrium outside what appeared to be offices of some sort, judging by the bronze nameplates that labeled each door.
Smoker nodded for them to start walking again, and began leading them forward once more. Passing between the two staircases, they walked by more waiting areas, each of which were marked by various television monitors hanging from the ceiling above the seating arrangements, flashing different schedules and room assignment information that Zoro didn't understand.
He frowned, however, as something else caught his attention. They were approaching a large circular desk station, with countertops that branched off into six individual workstations, each equipped with a computer and a uniformed official to staff it.
But what was strangest of all was the eerie changing light that was mysteriously cast upon it, clearly marking it as the focal point of the expansive reception area.
Furrowing his brow, Zoro glanced behind him but soon raised his eyebrows once more as he realized that the light was coming from the stained glass window on the wall far above. Somehow, its light was cast perfectly onto what he now noticed was the identically shaped reception desk, creating the illusion of a rising sun reflected on a vast ocean of blue below.
Still staring at his mysterious surroundings, he barely registered that they had reached the actual desk and stopped walking.
Watching the employees hurrying by, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
Something was off about this place. It was alarming in its perfection, as if he were checking into a fancy hotel rather than being taken to prison. Not to mention the fact that it had risen out of the freaking ocean with the push of a button. He knew the World Government was crazy, but this was a little much. And he couldn't shove off the concern that his crew would have quite a lot of trouble finding him.
Dammit, Tashigi, you'd better know the coordinates for this place, he thought, then cursed under his breath.
He'd been doing so well. He hadn't thought about her once in over twenty-four hours.
He just had to keep reminding himself that she was the one who'd gotten him into this mess, especially now that he'd actually arrived at this "prison".
He had only reminded himself three times, however, before Smoker's gruff voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked up.
"…..bringing his swords in shortly."
Zoro only heard the end of his sentence, but the mention of his swords caught his attention nonetheless. Smoker was standing in front of one of the workstations, conversing with a secretary dressed in Marine uniform who was busily typing information into her computer.
Finishing, she nodded and looked up with a grin, however, the orange glow of the light from above made her enthusiasm seem all the more malicious.
"Alright, Commodore Smoker, now are you interested in having him executed right away, or would you like me to run through the other options? We'll have to run a search on him either way, but I suppose, because he's such a high profile criminal, we could also leave his fate up to him as well."
At this, Zoro felt his heart knock in his chest as both Smoker and the secretary turned to look at him simultaneously, studying him rather intensely.
He fixed Smoker with a wary glance, watching as the commodore mulled things over in his head before turning back to the secretary and replying, "Let's let him decide. I'm interested to see if he's as stupid as he seems."
"Decide what?" Zoro blurted out, looking back and forth between the two suspicious characters in front of him.
The woman let out a high-pitched chuckle. "Very well. Not to worry, Roronoa Zoro, you need only answer a simple question."
The swordsman narrowed his eyes. "What kind of question? You didn't bring me here to answer riddles."
"Oh no, no need to be concerned! One question and we'll let you be on your way," the woman replied, then sat forward casually, resting her elbows on the desktop in front of her. "Now choose one, Roronoa Zoro," and she smirked. "The sun or the sea?"
~~(^^^)~~
Tashigi sighed, poking at her breakfast listlessly, feeling more and more anxious as the morning went on. They were only an hour or so behind Smoker. There was still a chance they could reach him before he got to the prison. But she couldn't help but feel more than a little worried, and with another jab at her food, she sighed again.
"Why so glum, Tashigi-san?" Sanji's voice floated over to her as he waltzed across the kitchen to set down a fresh plate of sausage, which Luffy quickly snatched up from across the table, sparking a chaotic brawl between the other boys, which was eventually cut short by Nami's fist.
Sanji scowled and muttered, "Bunch of shitty barbarians," before turning his attention back to Tashigi. "You really should eat! I prepared this dish with extra energy supplements as well as special vitamins to enhance your wondrous complexion, my sweet! That way you'll be able to storm the Marine base with the strength of a beautiful warrior maiden while still looking absolutely gorgeous at the same time~~!"
A small sweatdrop formed on the side of her face, but she smiled. "Thank you, Sanji," she replied, taking a bite.
"Haaaaa~~!" Sanji exclaimed. "Tashigi's stunning even when she's still slightly apprehensive about breaking into a prison!" And he twirled back over to the stove to prepare more food.
Robin's soft chuckle sounded as she approached the table too, cup of steaming coffee in hand. She glanced over at the other six with a smile before pulling up a chair to sit across from Tashigi at the long table.
"You'll only drive yourself crazy by worrying so much. And it would definitely be in our best interest for you to remain sane." Robin mused, and then giggled again as Luffy dove onto the table in an attempt to steal Franky's plate, but missed, vacuuming up Chopper's instead, causing the little reindeer to start pawing at Luffy's head frantically with his hooves as he screamed, "You meanie!"
Tashigi laughed too, giving Robin a small smile. "I know. I just wish I knew more about this place so we could come up with a better plan. I'm not even sure if the buildings will be accessible from the water! And what if I have the coordinates wrong? I don't----!"
"Relax!" Nami said, rolling her eyes with an exasperated grin as she walked past with her empty plate. "We'll figure it out when we get there! Besides, you're the one who should be the least worried. You'll have unquestioned access to anywhere in the facility!"
"Not if Commodore Smoker gets there ahead of us…." she mumbled.
The navigator sighed, knocking her lightly on the head with her fist. "Lighten up, jeez!" And she walked over to the eagerly-awaiting Sanji.
Tashigi huffed out a breath, furrowing her brow as she rubbed the spot where Nami had whacked her.
She tried to force herself to relax. After all, they could do little until they surveyed the surroundings first. Her rational side knew that, yet she couldn't quite quell the irrational fear that was rising within her.
It was something that Smoker had told her a while back that had her perturbed.
What had he meant?
~~(^^^)~~
"What do you mean? They let the prisoner decide whether they live or die?" Tashigi asked.
Smoker blew out a cloud of smoke, staring out the window of his office. "That's what I've heard. They like to mess with their minds a bit apparently. It's just another way for the Government to escape blame if their motives are questioned. They just say the prisoner chose his own fate and everything works out. It's a bunch of bullshit if you ask me."
She nodded. "That's for sure. But how do they get the prisoner to agree to such questioning? Surely they wouldn't just go along with it."
The commodore shrugged, turning back to face her. "Don't ask me how Solomar works. I'll never make sense of that place." He sighed, running a hand through his hair before continuing. "They ask them to choose between the sun and the sea. It's a trick. No matter what they answer, it ends badly for them."
Tashigi frowned. "The sun or the sea? But that doesn't even make sense! How does that relate to anything?"
Again, Smoker shrugged. "Like I said, don't ask me how Solomar works," he said, clearly agitated by the very mention of its name. "But if I were a prisoner, I'd choose the sun……"
And with that, he turned to walk out of the room. "I wouldn't worry about it, Tashigi. We'll make sure we never have to use that place," he said as he strode past her.
She nodded and started to follow him out. "Right," she agreed.
However, she couldn't help but feel that he wasn't telling her everything….
~~(^^^)~~
A/N: Ooooooh things are gettin' interesting now! =P Finally, Zoro's at the prison! ^^; Things will hopefully make more sense next chapter. I was trying to make Solomar seem as shady as possible…..hopefully I did okay with that……. _…._…. I decided to be crafty and name the prison "Solomar" cuz "Sol o mar" means "Sun or sea" in Spanish…ohohoho crafty indeed….
AND SPEAKING OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES! Just wanted to send a shout-out to emildrago who's currently translating this story for an Italian fanfiction website called EFP! Thank you again for translating it! I'm really glad you liked it that much! =P
Until next time! Thanks for reading!