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Oh hai. I exists. Cut my plans for Skypiea a little short, I'm afraid. Haven't written for Zoro in a while, so it may be a bit ooc.

-

It's all Nami's fault. I just wanted to get away from that woman, Nico Robin, take a walk in the forest to sort myself out, but she had wanted to come along. I wanted to tell her, 'No, stay with the ship and Nami,' but I hesitated. She looked so excited… And that hesitation screwed me. Next thing I knew, Nami was coming. For jewels. Curse her weakness.

I tried my best to ignore the two girls, but of course Nami wouldn't have any of that. You'd think this was her first time walking through a forest where crocodiles and stuff flew out of nowhere at her. Goddammit! Robin and I were like her friggin' bodyguards! Nami must smell tasty to the beasts or something, 'cause it took both of us to keep her safe. And we were working together perfectly.

I've never fought with someone like this before. Usually, I just try to follow the other person's lead, take out the guys he didn't, but with Robin… She's always been watching me, and here it was no different. We were watching each other. Perfect two-person fight.

Gah! Why does 'the enemy' have to be so fun to fight with?! … weird thing to think.

When Nami disappeared up that tree, Robin and I had our first real talk. Shit, I don't even remember what we were talking about. The ship, the crew. The forest, Nami being a pain in the ass. It was creepy how in synch we were. Nami! Come down now!!

And then the forest had an ugly sound to it. Was this woman… worried about the others? My chest hurts.

-

It was Longnose-kun's fault, not resurfacing like that. I hadn't had time to really think about it properly ever since we arrived at Skypeia, but with the others lost and nothing else to distract me, I suddenly realized something that I hadn't let myself be aware of. No, I was distracted from keeping myself aware of. I was enjoying myself. Far too much. When Longnose-kun hadn't resurfaced, I had felt raw terror. I was so afraid that he would be gone. I had given myself the luxury of caring for these people. They weren't just a source of amusement for me anymore. I simply could not live with myself if anything befell them.

They had spoiled me. The once hostile crew had warmed up to me so quickly, I hadn't been able to believe my luck. Thinking back on it all, since Ruluka, the cold facts chilled me to the core. Then, when Captain-san had disappeared, I'd been a bit worried, but the anomaly of the occurrence was more important to me than what happened to him, as cold-hearted as that seems. Then, the mess with the Log Pose pointing to the sky.

It wasn't the same indifference anymore, or the amusement, or even the desire to see Sky Island that motivated me to do all that I could to get us up there. I just really enjoyed seeing the boys, Longnose-kun, Captain-san, and Doctor-san, so worked up like that. And Captain-san had his heart set on getting up there. I'm starting to see why Swordsman-san had joined this man's pirate crew. It must be impossible to deny Captain-san anything he truly desires, despite Navigator-san's best attempts.

*Chuckle.* I don't think she ever could, in all seriousness. She told me, once, the story behind the picture on the table next to her bed. I'd asked her how she could still be so cruel to Captain-san with all he'd done for her, just to rile her up. Expecting her to flare up and complain about how despite all he's done he's still so immature for his age, I was not expecting her to flush and curl up under the covers. "He allows me to," she said, a tender and tearful smile on her face. "He lets me hit him and is still protective of me and lets me pursue my dream. When he says 'nakama,' he means I'm his equal. I'm allowed to say everything I think and do whatever I want, and I have all the freedom in the world. He doesn't think any less of me if I oppose him. He's more than aware that he and this ship need me, but he doesn't want to force me into anything. I think he'd rather me hit him and take control and order people around, because he doesn't want me to feel anything like what Arlong did to me."

I blinked a little then smiled before replying. Did she really think Captain-san was so aware of all this? She laughed and some of her usual hard-headedness came back. "Honestly, he's so stubborn and impulsive all the time, and rarely ever thinks anything through! But… his instincts are so … keen. I know he picks up on all of this. He knew he had to destroy Arlong Park and it's cartography room, not just Arlong. He's able to understand the hearts of dragons. He picked up Vivi's reluctance to sacrifice anything but herself. Luffy … it may seem irrational or dumb or whatever to whatever he's doing, but there's always a reason. He might not be able to express why he does what he does. He just knows." Navigator-san smiled, so pleased with her thoughts.

I couldn't resist. "Ah, and you would do anything to make Captain-san's dream come true, ne? I'm sure he already knows that, too."

"Aaah! Robin! What are you talking about!!!"

Heh. Oh gods. Was I reminiscing? I can't help but enjoy remembering Nami's confiding in me. I was … I still am … so … happy … about that. They accepted me, and I find pleasure and happiness about it to the point that I want them to keep their happinesses and joys.

This is unforgivable. I cannot forgive myself for this. I should not. I CAN'T. But around them … I forget everything. They've only brought me joy.

They gave me that freedom Navigator-san was aware of, because they make me forget. They make me forget that this freedom is impossible for me. They brought me fellowship and adventures and re-awoke desires.

They brought me Captain-san and Navigator-san and Cook-san and Longnose-kun and Doctor-san and … and Swordsman-san. They brought me Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, whom I just spent the most lovely day with just the day before. He had just accepted me.

What do I do? What can I do?

I must move forward, regardless. They are to meet me at the ruins, and the forest has what Swordsman-san would call "a nasty sort of sound." I refuse to let myself think about this anymore. I want this happiness to continue!

-

FUCKING HELL BASTARD!!! I will KILL you. How DARE you do that to a woman?! Just thinking about that ass-god makes me lose my cool. I need to learn how to reign in my temper. I can't believe I just attacked the guy like that. I just rushed him, doing everything I could to take him down, not allowing myself a breather to think, except when that guerilla seemed like he was beating the bastard. That fucking lightening bastard was one of the few people I just wanted destroyed. I didn't care how it was done or who did it, I just wanted him dead.

But what the fuck was I thinking? He was fucking lightening! I had a run in with electricity before, and I knew attacking him would be futile, but I still attacked that man. I completely lost my head! I'm so fucking weak. Just 'cause he attacked a woman.

Fucking bastard.

Just thinking about how he attacked a woma-.

Huh. I didn't have any qualms about attacking women before. I practically crushed Ms Monday's face in at Whiskey Peak. I fought that kilo-bitch and Vivi too. I wasn't really that emotional about that guerilla-chick getting electrocuted. And I was more pissed than furious when Nami got eaten by the snake. I wasn't this upset, even, when I found out about Arlong using Nami, and that was pretty fucked up. Maybe … maybe this is affecting me 'cause that fucking lightening bastard attacked a defenseless woman.

Did I just call Nico Robin defenseless? What the fuck is wrong with me? She's got a 79,000,000 belli bounty! It's higher than mine!! What the hell is wrong with me?!

Why do I get so worked up about that bastard electrocuting Robin when she's fine now? I have to talk to her about this. Maybe she has a better idea. Or… maybe I'll talk to someone else… like…

Uh… Well, Nami wouldn't just ridicule me, she'll charge some "listening fee" or something. Hell'd break loose before I give her another reason to order me around. I'd rather leave Chopper out of my business. He's just a kid, no reason to traumatize him with such weakness. Luffy… are you kidding me? I'm pretty sure he has ADD. Meh, I'm just making shit up, now. But unless it deals with food or is endangering his nakama, he won't take it seriously. Eh, wait a second, he usually takes things seriously… but I just don't think his methods of dealing with shit will work here.

Dammit, Luffy's just confused the shit out of me even more. Damn rubber monkey.

Who's left, now? The cook… fuck no! Usopp… huh. Maybe I'll talk to him. He's pretty good with this kinda thing. What was it Nami called him? Em, em, emphatheratic? Emparative? Uh… Oi, Nami! What'd you call Usopp the other day? Oh yeah. "Empathetic."

Oi, woman. Whaddya mean "of course that wouldn't be in my vocabulary?"

-

Robin was an asset to the crew, of that Zoro was more than certain. He still didn't know why he had attacked the lightning bastard, enraged at Robin's fall, and eventually left the thought to the fact that she was now his nakama. He watched her help through the Davy Back Fight, watched her tend to Chopper and entertain Luffy and Usopp on boring days, even watched her just pouring a cup of coffee. Addicted to coffee.

Not that Robin was complaining about the attention. Her stowing away onto this ship brought her the purest of bliss. She was free to do what she wanted whenever she wanted, and the eyes of the Pirate Hunter on her almost at all hours of the day made everything that much more exciting. She couldn't help the extra wiggle in her walk when she felt his eyes on her. Her chest fluttered in delight when he turned to talk to her, ask her advice, contemplate her opinion.

Never having had the luxury of having a crush before, she wasn't definite that was what she was feeling, but she could guess. Oh, could she guess. I can't deny it, I've dreamed of this interaction for so long, but now I just want more. But her dreams of 'more' were quickly shattered as the Strawhats moved on from the Davy Back Fight, where after Robin kept Chopper in her sights.

Exploring a new island, the little fuzzy one next to her piped up. "What's this line in the forest?"

It was a very strange, single line pressed into the dirt and running through the forest. As they followed it into a clearing, Chopper sprinted off ahead.

"Ah! It's a giant mushroom!" Luffy yelled, charging after the giggling tanuki (lol). At a yelp from Chopper, the rest of the crew sprinted off, Robin following at her own pace behind.

"A guy?!"

"Who is he?"

"Hm? Who are you guys?"

"Who are YOU?!"

As she went round the rock, Robin's body went weak and her legs went out. Everyone turned as she hit the grass. "A-Ao kiji!"

Zoro's hand immediately went to his hilt. Instantly, without question. Defend.