Riley hummed Brook's song as she browsed through the grocery store.

She grabbed a bright red apple and took a bite.

Riley nearly moaned in pleasure at the juicy taste. She was starving. And while there were dozens of restaurants nearby. Eating at one didn't really hold much appeal.

Maybe she should just head back to the Sunny.

They'd arrived at Sabaody Archipelago a few hours ago and she'd decided to go exploring on her own while most of the others went with Hachi and Camie to get the ship sealed.

It didn't take Riley long to regret going alone.

She used to be able to enjoy exploring with only Kiri for company. After all, for the longest time they were all the other really had. Even in Bluegrass, Riley and Kiri never belonged and were never really accepted. But they had each other and that was enough.

Now, thanks to the Straw Hats, even with Kiri at her side she felt incomplete.

She should've gone with the others.

Riley sighed. That wasn't what she really wanted either, though.

What she really wanted was to be with Zoro. Just to spend a few hours exploring together. They would've had fun. They always did.

But she didn't invite him to come with her. Things were still too uncomfortable between them since Riley's kiss and she had thought some time apart would be best.

Riley bit her lip. Actually, the real reason she hadn't invited him was because she was afraid. She was afraid the inevitable awkwardness between them would cause would show her just how badly she had screwed up. She was afraid that spending too long alone with him would prove that her impromptu show of affection had forever ruined the friendship she held so dear.

A shot drew her attention to the door.

She frowned. Was there another fight going on? It seemed like every few minutes someone was attacking someone.

A woman's scream sounded from outside.

Riley put some change on the abandoned counter. Where had the cashier gone? He'd been there a moment ago.

Kiri's breeze swirled around her legs.

He was getting ready for a fight. He sensed something wrong too.

Riley walked out.

A woman in a nurse's outfit was sobbing and begging for help while a disgusting little man held her in his grasp.

Riley clutched the hilt of her knives.

This was a Celestial Dragon.

There was no doubt about it.

The arrogant air surrounding him and the leashes clutched in his grubby hands gave him away. The look of superiority on his face made Riley yearn to sink one of her blades into him.

She'd heard of the Celestial Dragons. She knew what type of abominations those creatures were.

But she couldn't harm a hair on their greasy heads. Not if she wanted her crew to get out of here without a fight.

Riley paled as she saw Zoro casually strolling down the middle of the street.

"Get down." she whispered.

If he was seen...

He stopped directly in front of the shocked Celestial Dragon and looked him up and down.

"What? You need directions or something?" Zoro asked him.

Riley's shoulders slumped.

Great. Now they were going to have to beat up a Celestial Dragon and then an Admiral would be called in which would leave them with no choice but to run for it.

Riley sighed and pulled her knives out. Well, it's not as if the monster didn't deserve it.

The Celestial Dragon fired at Zoro just as a large man took a step in front of Riley.

"Stay out of it." his deep voice ordered her.

"Brother!" a child's voice cried. "No! Brother! Why did you have to die?!"

Riley looked around the muscle head to see a pink haired girl crying over Zoro.

Riley frowned. There was no way Zoro had been hit. No possible way.

"Brother! You stood up to a Celestial Dragon?! No wonder you're dead!"

Riley felt the tension in her shoulders ease. This was obviously a ruse then. There was no other explanation.

She looked up at the smug man in front of her.

"That's a Celestial Dragon, Dagger Dancer." He told her. His tone condescending and mocking. "You can't just pick a fight with one of them if you want to live."

Riley smiled up at him sweetly. "I know..."

He collapsed a moment after the Celestial Dragon rode his human slave by them.

Riley twirled the poisoned blade in her hand and stepped over him.

"But I don't really care." she told the paralyzed man, making her way towards Zoro who had just sat up, red liquid streaming down his face.

The pink haired child from before transformed into a grown woman glowering down at him.

"Why'd you get in the way?" Zoro complained.

"Don't give me that, you idiot!" she snarled at him. "What the hell were you thinking?! Are you trying to bring an admiral here?"

"What is that on your face?" Riley asked him when she drew near.

Zoro touched his face. He frowned at the red and licked it. "Tomato juice."

Riley scrunched her nose in disgust. "That's gross."

"If you two are pirates, you should at least know some of the unwritten rules!" pink hair continued to scold. "Don't get us caught up in your trouble!"

"Trouble?" Zoro turned to the woman confused. "What are you... Hey, wasn't there a kid here earlier?"

"That's her." Riley nodded towards the woman. "She must be a Fruit user."

"Ah." Zoro nodded. "That makes sense."

"Are you two even listening to me!" the woman shouted. "Is there something wrong with you or something?!"

"Nah. I'm fine." Zoro assured her.

He turned towards Riley. "Are you?"

Riley nodded. "Of course. Had to cut someone, though."

"I didn't mean physically!" the woman continued. "I meant mentally! You're idiots! Genuine dumbasses!"

Zoro's brow rose. "Why?"

"They were trying to protect me." Riley rolled her eyes.

Zoro nodded.

"Shall we go?" he asked as he got to his feet.

Kiri meowed drawing attention to the wounded man he was sitting beside.

Riley sheathed her knife with its brothers on her belt.

Zoro walked towards the bloodied man on the floor and tossed him over his shoulder.

Kiri immediately breezing up to him and placing himself as a cushion for the wounded man as best he could.

"Do you know where the hospital is?" Zoro asked Riley.

Riley nodded. "Yeah. I saw it when we were looking around earlier."

"Hospital?" the angry woman asked in disbelief.

"He's been shot." Zoro drawled.

"Forget about him!" the woman scoffed. "He's a total stranger."

"This way." Riley gestured towards the direction she had seen the hospital.

Zoro nodded and followed her as she led the way.


Zoro glowered as he left the hospital.

What type of doctor checked to see if a person had a collar before even glancing at their injuries? And what type of people just stood around and let someone bleed to death in front of their very eyes?

"What an annoying island."

Riley nodded beside him.

Kiri floated down from her shoulder and Riley wrapped her arms around him. "This place is definitely one of the worst." she murmured as they stood in front of the building.

Zoro frowned. If she was cuddling with Kiri then something was wrong.

The crease in her brow and the extra vigilance of her gaze made it obvious it was the island.

Zoro started to walk towards the ship. He knew how Riley was feeling. He wasn't comfortable here either.

Although, she seemed to know something about this place he didn't. Something that was making her extra wary. Did it have anything to do with the creep who'd shot at him earlier?

"Riley-" Zoro began.

The question at the tip of his tongue faded as her green eyes turned towards him.

She met his gaze for a moment before it darted away.

He grit his teeth and quickened his stride.

It had been days, days, since Spa Island and they still weren't sure how to talk to one another.

He was getting tired of it.

Zoro missed their easy friendship. He missed talking to her. He had never been a talkative person but there was just something about Riley that made it natural for him to confide in her. He knew he wasn't dwelling in the past when he told her something.

He was just... telling a story.

He wanted that back. Zoro slowed to her side

"About the kiss..." he trailed off.

Riley tensed beside him.

What was he suppose to say now? He'd spent the last few days trying to figure that out but he didn't have the slightest clue what to do.

He'd never been in a situation like this.

Zoro had always known where everyone in his life stood. Either they were friend, foe, or stranger, he always knew. If he took a lover it wasn't a friend, but a stranger. Strangers were disposable, friends were permanent.

Riley was a friend. And crew. Anything that happened between them would have permanent effects.

And he couldn't offer more then fleeting.

"It's alright, Zoro."

He turned towards her.

Her eyes stared straight ahead but he wondered if she even saw where they were going.

"What is?" he asked.

"Don't worry about the kiss." Riley smiled at him but he swore he saw a hint of sadness in her eyes. She looked forward again, her hold tightening on Kiri. "It was just a spur of the moment thing. After all, you've told me many times before that you left your life behind the moment you picked up the sword. It was just..."

Riley sighed and stopped forcing him to stop with her. She faced him and, for the first time in what felt like forever, purposefully met his eyes. "I was just worried about you and was happy you were alright."

"So you just want to forget it?" he asked.

Riley nodded. "Let's just act as if it never even happened."

He stared into her green eyes.

Forgetting it never happened was the easiest solution.

But...

Zoro felt the weight of his swords at his side.

No. She was right. The sword was his life. There was room for little else.

And he'd already pledged that remaining fragment to Luffy and his crew.

It didn't matter what he wanted. He'd made his choice long before he'd even met her.

He gave a curt nod. "Then we'll forget it."

Riley looked away. Her shoulders fell.

Zoro reached out to her. He froze before touching her.

He let his hand fall back to his side.

He'd made his decision.

He heard Riley draw a deep breath.

She turned to him and grinned. "So where you taking me?"

Zoro pretended not to see the mist in her eyes. He pretended not to notice the tight grip she held on poor Kiri.

He pretended her grin was real and that there was no shadow beneath it.

"We're going back to the ship." he drawled, beginning to walk in the direction he knew their groove was.

"Back to the ship?" Riley asked, her stride matching his effortlessly. Kiri squirmed from her arms and wound himself around her shoulders, offering comfort without having to suffocate for it.

"I don't like this place." Zoro told her honestly. "I don't want to be here longer then we have to."

"But the ship is in the opposite direction."

Zoro frowned at her. "Don't be ridiculous. I know where I'm going."

Riley scoffed. "That'd be a new trick."

Zoro narrowed his eyes at her.

Riley grinned.

"Just follow me." he ordered, looking towards the trees to note the number.

"Fine." Riley shrugged. "But if in two hours you're still leading us in the opposite direction, I'm leading."

Two hours? They'd be at the Sunny in less time then that.

"Alright." Zoro agreed. "Now, tell me about that guy that shot at me. Who the hell was he?"

As Riley told him about the Celestial Dragons Zoro listened and pretended nothing had changed.

He didn't like it. Pretending was just another word for a lie and he'd always found lies pointless.

But what could he do?

Riley was right.

His life belonged to the sword.

Zoro had chosen his path. And even though he felt a pang of regret when he looked at her, he wouldn't waver.

This was the life he'd chosen.

She was a possibility only in the life he'd abandoned.

So for now, all he could do was pretend.

Just pretend until he started to believe his lies and began to forget what could have been.


"You gave me false directions, didn't you." Zoro glared at the terrified bounty hunters.

They had reached Groove 2 and where almost to the Sunny when the bounty hunter's directions had led them astray.

He wasn't about to have Riley laugh of his sense of direction when he wasn't even at fault.

"No! Really we gave you genuine directions!" They insisted.

"They did." Riley agreed, leisurely stroking Kiri's fur who lay across her shoulders.

"Then why did they run away?" Zoro asked her.

"Because your face is scary!" The three replied.

Riley giggled. Zoro stared at them in shock.

His face was not scary!

"Zoro! Riley!"

They looked up at Luffy's shout.

What was their captain doing on a Flying Fish?

"Hurry up! We have to get to Groove 1!" he shouted down at them. "Just get on."

"Just-"

"He's not..." Zoro looked at Riley who was staring back at him wide eyed.

Luffy's arm wound around them and ricocheted them into the air.

Riley buried her face in his chest and gripped onto his shirt while Zoro screamed.

Luffy dropped them carelessly onto the back of the Flying Fish and there they remained.

Zoro was too shocked to even move. He hardly even felt Kiri's nails digging into the top of his head.

Damn Luffy.

He hated when he did this. Absolutely hated it.

"One of these days," Zoro promised his captain. "I'm going to cut you in two."

"Agreed." Riley murmured against him.

"Sorry guys." Luffy grinned at them. "But we're in a hurry."

After a while, Riley shakily rose from her position on top of Zoro and sat down crosslegged behind Luffy. "Why are we going to Groove 1?"

Zoro sat up sideways and tried to pry Kiri from his scalp. "Yeah. What's going on with the Sunny?"

"How many times do I have to tell you," Riley sighed in annoyance, looking back at him. "The Sunny isn't in Groove 1."

"You're just saying that because you didn't want me to win." he scoffed.

"I am not!" Riley told him with an indignant expression.

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"It'd be quicker if you just crashed into the building."

Riley and Zoro froze and turned towards Luffy wide eyed.

Crash into the building?

"What building?" Zoro asked cautiously.

The Flying Fish seemed to gain speed as it down towards the ground at an angle.

Zoro instantly turned forward, grabbed Riley, and shifted her behind him.

He then grabbed Kiri and shoved him into her.

"Hold on." He ordered through gritted teeth as the large moss covered building grew rapidly before them.

Riley wrapped her arms around his waist and he could feel Kiri's furry body between them.

Zoro gripped the hilt of his sword and tensed.

They were going to crash.

Right through the wooden door if they were lucky. Right through the stone wall if they weren't.

The Flying Fish rocketed through the door before crashing into the stone floor.

"What the hell! Can't you land better then that?" Luffy shouted at the Flying Fish Rider.

Zoro rose to his feet before turning towards Riley and helping her up.

He looked her over.

She looked relatively unscathed as did Kiri breezing up to her shoulder. They did, however, look dazed by the landing.

"It's a Flying Fish not a Driving one!" The Rider argued, his and his Fish's heads already swelling up from the impact. "Besides, you're the one that wanted to crash into the building!"

Zoro rubbed his head. It seemed his head was threatening to swell up as well. Did that damn Rider land them upside down or something?

"So why were you in such a hurry to get back to the Sunny, anyway?" Zoro asked. It wasn't just his head that hurt. He was pretty sure his entire body was bruised.

He looked around in confusion. "Where are we anyway?"

"What's going on?" Riley asked, her gaze taking in everyone around them.

"Zoro and Riley too?!"

Zoro turned towards the others. It seemed nearly their entire crew was there. What was going on?

"Camie!" Luffy shouted suddenly before looking around wildly.

Riley gasped.

Zoro frowned at her before following her line of sight.

Camie was on the stage. Locked in what looked like an aquarium and with a metal collar around her neck.

Luffy noted the caged mermaid at the same time, running towards her at full speed. "Camie!" he shouted towards her. "We found you! We've been looking everywhere!"

Hachi ran after him, trying to stop Luffy.

Zoro watched them in confusion.

Why would Hachi not want to save Camie? Weren't they friends?"

People began to scream. Women hid their faces while men hurled insults at Hachi.

All because Hachi had revealed his six arms.

Zoro didn't understand what made these people hate Fishmen so much but he wasn't surprised.

Riley had told him a bit about this island. Nothing here would surprise him.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sanji asked angrily.

"It's exactly like Robin said." He heard Nami whisper shakily.

He turned towards her.

Her face was pale and her expression was horrified. "They discriminate against Fishmen and Merfolk on these island."

"Discriminate... Against Hachi and Camie?" Chopper frowned.

"Because they're just considered fish." Riley scowled beside him, her eyes glaring at all the people shouting at Hachi.

A shot rang through the building.

Zoro gripped his sword.

Sanji tensed.

Riley clutched her knives.

Luffy froze.

And Hachi fell.

The same Celestial Dragon from before grinned gleefully at Hachi, the smoking gun still in his hand.

He jumped around merrily. "I shot it! I took down a Fishman!"

"Hachi!" Nami shouted.

"Thank goodness someone shot it." a woman in the crowd whispered. "It would've been terrible if it'd come close enough to spread its diseases!"

The relieved whispers spread.

Hateful words and ignorant phrases were heard throughout the crowd.

Camie cried and shouted in despair. But her cage kept silent.

"Look Father! I caught a Fishman!" The Celestial Dragon gloated. "I caught it myself so I can have it for free!"

Zoro held his sword at the ready.

One strike was all it would take. Just one and that loathsome creature would get what he deserved.

"Free, free, free! An octopus for free!" he sang. "What a deal! What a deal! An octopus slave for free! Free! Free, free, free!""

As much as he wanted to cut him, Luffy was walking his way.

Luffy was their Captain. He had the right to have the first hit.

Hachi, bleeding and wounded, stopped Luffy.

If you hit a Celestial Dragon a Navy Admiral is called in on a warship.

Riley had explained to him earlier.

Hachi knew and he'd apparently already warned the others.

He begged Luffy not to be upset. He begged Luffy not to do what he was thinking.

Hachi blamed himself. Hachi insisted he deserved it.

"I just wanted to make amends with Nami... Even if I couldn't do much..." Hachi coughed, the noise bloody and ragged. "I just wanted to help."

He coughed again, his breathing growing strained. "But I guess I'm just a screw-up. No matter what I do..."

Luffy leaned down and gently folded Hachi's arms on his chest.

"Hachi," Nami murmured, tears filling her eyes as she stared at the Fishman who had once been her enemy.

"I'm such a loser. All I ever do is mess up!" Hachi sobbed. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

"You lousy fish!" the Celestial Dragon shouted. "Why are you still blabbering away after I shot you?!"

Zoro withdrew the edge of his blade.

He'd had enough.

"You annoy me!" he rose his gun and aimed it at Hachi.

Luffy shifted in front of Hachi protectively.

"What's with that look?" The Celestial Dragon trembled.

Zoro smirked. He recognized that look in his Captain's eyes.

He knew what was to come. Knew that payback would be had.

Luffy began to walk towards the Celestial Dragon.

His movements predatory. His gaze locked on his prey.

The Celestial Dragon panicked. He shot at Luffy but his shots were easily dodged.

Luffy's fist angrily collided with the Celestial Dragon's face.

The self righteous monster that called itself better then human flew through the seats in a most satisfying manner.

While everyone around them stood flabbergasted and terrified, Zoro sensed his crew settle.

Everyone knew what was coming. Everyone was prepared to follow their Captain.

"Sorry guys." Luffy told the. "Punching that guy means a Navy Admiral is coming here on a warship."

As if anyone cared.

Zoro knew his crew. They were looking forward to this fight.

This was a battle they needed to fight.


The Shield was the first to fall.

His injuries from before had yet to heal and he'd gathered more from the Strange Metal and The Light.

The Shield was not immortal. His wounds built and built and weakened him if he did not rest.

But he did not break.

He was simply no more.

Kiri and his Music had been injured too. Like all the others of the Crew.

They had fought the First Strange Metal. Had tried to protect the Shield from the Second.

The Requiem, The Earth, The Music, and he had all fallen to the Second.

The Bear had come when they were at their weakest. When only the Warrior stood, pleading for them to stand. Pleading for them run. To live.

That was when The Shield had risen.

Like a true shield, he would protect them until the end. Despite his injuries. Their Shield would protect.

One touch from The Bear and The Shield was gone.

The steadfast Shield was gone.

His Music stared, stunned. He could hear the beginning notes of her tune. There would be pain in her song. A pain that would hurt her far worse then any physical harm ever could.

He wished he could comfort her, but this was not the place. This was not the time.

The Warrior stood before The Bear. His weapon was drawn and he was ready for the fight.

The Second tried to attack, but The Bear made him vanish.

Like The Shield, The Second existed only in memory.

The Strange Metal and The Shield were not friends then.

But that did not mean that either was their ally.

They both the enemy.

An enemy Kiri didn't know how to fight.

The Captain ordered their retreat. Ordered them to run. He did not know how to fight this enemy either.

The Warrior tried to help The Earth to his feet while Kiri used what little strength of his remained to lift his frozen Music off the ground.

The Bear came at them. The Requiem stood in his way.

Then he no longer stood.

The Requiem's bittersweet notes had suddenly faded.

The Earth attacked but The Bear sent him flying.

Kiri felt his Music shake.

She rose to her feet and drew her blades.

The Bear approached her. Kiri held her back. This was not an enemy they could defeat.

The Music threw and threw her weapons.

The Bear disappeared.

He reappeared beside The Warrior.

And The Warrior was no more.

His Music shifted, wanting Kiri to take her towards The Bear.

Kiri would not. He held her in place.

The Earth, trembling with fury, attacked.

The Music screamed.

The Earth vanished.

His Music wept. She pleaded for Kiri to let her fight. She begged him to let her try.

Kiri had no choice. He twined around her legs.

They would not win this fight. But he knew this song. She would not stop fighting and Kiri would never let her fight alone.

She moved. He gave her speed. He gave her his power. Even though he knew it was not enough.

The Bear blocked her blade with his paw.

Kiri stopped her backwards flight, he cushioned the harsh effect of the blow.

His body shook. His body was weakening. He wouldn't be able to give The Music his breeze for much longer. He wouldn't be able to stop another attack like the last.

Kiri sensed The Bear at their back.

He readied himself.

He wasn't clever enough to stop The Bear's hand from falling.

He wasn't agile enough to keep The Bear's touch away from The Music.

He wasn't strong enough to protect her.

But he was tenacious enough to grab onto his Music as tightly as he could before The Bear's paw landed.

He was quick enough to look up and see his Captain's horrified expression before he and The Music mimicked the rest.

Before he and his Music were simply... gone.