Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Hello again! Here is the next update :) It is a bit shorter than the last few chapters, so I apologize for that. But I will try to get up the next update soon! Anyway, thanks again for the reviews! I am continually appreciative of them.

Chapter 25:

The flame flickered and twisted just above her hand. She could feel its heat on the backs of her fingers. On either side of them, symbols carved into the stone walls danced beneath the unstable light. Nami's eyes roved over the etched lettering. If Robin were here, they might receive countless clues from the words that followed them through the passageways.

Beside her, Zoro's shoulders were stiff and his left hand had found a permanent resting spot atop his katana. His footfalls were silent. Despite his close proximity, the lack of sound was unnerving, and Nami found her gaze repeatedly shifting to the side to double check his presence. They had only been walking for a few minutes, and they had yet to encounter any other passageways. But Nami nonetheless found herself glancing to the side once again. It wasn't that she didn't trust him. Despite his penchant for getting lost, she really did believe that he was going to do his best to stick with her this time. Nami's eyes shifted back to the dark ruins. But this place was seriously creepy. She didn't want to even think about facing whatever might loom within the labyrinth alone. With that thought, she glanced back to the silent swordsman once more.

"What?"

Nami turned her head to observe him fully. "Hm?"

"You keep looking at me." Zoro's steps slowed. "What is it?"

Nami cringed. She had thought she was being subtle. She shrugged her shoulders in a slight motion. "Just making sure you're still there."

Zoro stopped altogether. The flickering light illuminated his slight frown. "We're walking down a straight hallway. Where would I go?"

Nami could only shake her head. "You have a talent when it comes to getting lost. If anyone could inexplicably disappear from a single hallway, it's you." She shrugged again. "I'm just being careful."

Zoro's lips tugged down in an annoyed frown. "I'm not going to get lost."

Nami's eyebrows raised on their own accord. "We're in a labyrinth. I think I have a right to be a little concerned."

Zoro looked like he was about to protest, but at the last moment he paused, his frown deepening. He raised a hand to scratch the back of his head, as his eyes narrowed in thought. Finally, he dropped his hand, heaving a heavy sigh. "Okay."

It was Nami's turn to frown. "Okay?"

"Hold the torch with your other hand."

Confused, Nami gave him a look, but nonetheless passed the torch from her left hand to her right. Zoro shifted his weight. Shadows danced across his face and Nami struggled to understand his expression. It seemed almost - nervous. Nami remained still. What was going on with him? In a slow, tentative motion, he held out his hand.

Huh? Nami looked from Zoro to his extended hand in confusion. When she didn't move, the swordsman heaved another sigh. His eyes roamed briefly over the walls of the passageway before coming to rest on her. "You said you were worried about losing track of me." He held out his hand further. "Here. Hold on." He paused. "If we're touching, there's no way you'll lose me."

Nami slowly reached her hand out. The situation was surreal. Zoro wanted to hold hands? With a nervous swallow, she placed her hand atop his own. She supposed that this was certainly better than Zoro getting lost. And to be completely honest, the warm hand beneath her palm was nice – very nice. Zoro's fingers closed around hers, enveloping her hand within his own. Nami glanced away, hoping the burning in her face wasn't visible. As they stood side by side in the quiet passageway, Nami wracked her brain, trying to think of something – anything to say that would loosen the tension.

She cleared her throat. "So – uh – does this mean that you are finally admitting that you do have a bit of a problem with getting lost?"

He shook his head. "I only get lost in places that are poorly designed."

"Uh-huh."

Zoro glared at her and continued. "But I thought we'd better not risk it. So just hold on to me, okay?"

Nami nodded slowly. "Alright." Beneath her fingers, she could feel the callouses that had built up across his palm. The fingers that wrapped around the back of her hand were warm and strong. She could vaguely feel the callouses that had built up along them as well. She looked up, meeting his gaze. "Let's go."

With a nod, Zoro stepped forward. At first, their entwined hands swung awkwardly between them. But as they continued down the passageway, Nami became more and more used to the feeling of her hand gently swinging back and forth with another's. It was strange, but thinking back on it, she had never held hands like this before. Sure, years ago, she and Nojiko had held hands in a similar manner. And then there had been that idiot she had run into when working for Arlong. She had only held hands with him for as long as it took her to steal the sizable fortune he was carrying on his person – which hadn't been long. She tilted her head up to look at the swordsman. This – this was new.

They continued down the hallway for another few minutes before she felt the need to speak again. "You know, I'm pretty sure Sanji-kun would have a heart attack if he saw us now."

Zoro didn't respond, but the side of his lips twitched up in a motion that was suspiciously close to an impish grin. Nami watched him, all the while fighting off a smile of her own. "You think that's funny, do you? Poor Sanji-kun collapsing to the ground in shock at the sight of us?"

Zoro grinned sharply.

"Are you imagining it?"

He nodded, still grinning. "Yeah."

Nami watched him with amusement. She bumped her shoulder into his arm. "Just as long as we don't have to see it in real life."

Zoro's grin slowly faded. He shook his head. "Yeah, we won't. But it's fun to imagine." He turned his head towards the hallway ahead. Nami was still marveling at his change in mood, when he frowned forward. "Do you think it's weird that we haven't encountered any other passageways yet?"

Nami held the torch forward. As far as the orange light reached, the hallway continued to extend straight forward. "Yeah. It's weird." As Nami pulled the torch back, a movement caught her eye. She slowed, squinting forward. There it was again. Still squinting, she was just able to make out a faint bluish glow further down the hallway. "Zoro."

"I see it." His footsteps were slowing as well.

Together they stopped, watching the strange object approach. What at a distance appeared to be a vague glow, now appeared as a shimmering, blue orb. The orb floated towards them, bobbing lazily up and down in the darkness. As it came closer, Nami could see that the center of the blue orb was white, and noticed that it glowed brighter at regular intervals – almost like a pulse. Nami moved to reach for her clima-tact, but found her hand still restrained by Zoro's tight grip. "Zoro."

Zoro's eyes were trained on the approaching orb. Rather than release her hand, he pulled his hand back, tugging her behind him. The torch flickered at the sudden movement. Only when he stood between she and the orb, did Zoro release her hand. As Nami tugged the clima-tact from her belt, she could hear the rasp of katanas being unsheathed. When she looked up, Zoro had planted his feet solidly apart; his katanas were grasped firmly in each hand. Nami peered around him. The glowing orb continued its slow approach.

As she watched it bob up and down, Nami mused aloud. "What is it?"

Zoro's head carefully turned back and forth as he watched its lazy movements.

"Can you even fight that thing?"

He didn't answer.

The blue orb continued forward until it was several feet in front of them. Zoro tensed, raising his katana. The orb's white core glowed bright and the speed of its pulsing increased. Nami leaned around Zoro further, watching with wide eyes as the orb slowly lowered. When it was level with her gaze, the orb paused. Its white center flickered again with light, and it bobbled in a quick circle. When it's bobbing stilled, the glowing ball began to float slowly forward, still eye level with her. She went still as she watched the orb's steady glow; it was mesmerizing.

Zoro's low voice broke through her reverie. "Nami. Back up."

Nami roughly shook her head, raising her clima-tact as she took a step back. Could this thing have the power of hypnosis? Zoro leveled his katana at the orb. But before he could even begin to swing the swords towards it, the orb hummed, zipping through the passageway much faster than it had before.

Nami blinked. There was a blue glow at the corner of her vision. She slowly turned her head; the sight, making her immediately freeze. Hovering directly above her shoulder was the orb itself. Her fingers tightened around her clima-tact as she tried to breathe slowly and evenly. Should she move? Try to hit it with electricity?

Zoro watched the orb with narrowed eyes. His katana were raised, but he held them still. His face was written with indecision. Perhaps, like herself, he was concerned what the creature might do if attacked – since it was in such close proximity to her already.

Nami swallowed. "Zoro?"

The swordsman carefully raised his katanas, his eyes trained on the orb hovering above her shoulder. "Don't move."

Before Zoro could move, the orb flared brightly. Nami closed her eyes against the sudden glare. With her eyes still squinted closed, she felt a sudden, light weight fall upon her shoulder. Heart fluttering, she cracked her eyes open. They widened. The glowing orb was gone, in its place, standing casually atop her shoulder, was a tiny man. Nami's mouth fell open. The man couldn't be more than several inches tall; a pair of gray wings sprouted from his back.

She finally found her voice. "Zoro. What's on my shoulder?"

Zoro leveled a katana at the small man. "I don't know."

The tiny man had gray hair that matched his wings and wore a small tweed outfit. Eyeing the blade pointed in his direction, he crossed his arms. "A bit rude, pointing that shiny metal at me. When we haven't even properly introduced ourselves."

Zoro's eyebrows drew together as Nami frowned down at the small man. "Who are you? And why are you on my shoulder?"

The man's dark eyes crinkled up as he bent forward in a deep bow. "My name is Willdren O. Whisper. You may call me Will." He stood, looking from her to Zoro. "And what shall I call you? The two foolish souls who have entered this place."

Nami scowled. "We didn't have a lot of choice in the matter."

The small man named Will didn't move. His wings fluttered absently back and forth as he waited quietly.

Nami heaved a frustrated sigh. "My name is Nami. And this is Zoro." She nodded towards the green-haired swordsman who was watching Will with a suspicious glare. "Can you get off my shoulder now?"

Will bowed again. "So very nice to meet you." As he finished his bow, he plopped down upon her shoulder in a comfortable seat.

"Hey!"

The small man closed his eyes. "I like it here."

Nami wiggled her shoulder. "Get off!"

She could feel his small hands digging into her skin as he clung stubbornly to her. She was getting ready to smack him off, when Zoro, quickly sheathing a katana, lifted his free hand to her shoulder. He pinched two fingers together, grabbing the small man by the material at the back of his shirt. Nami heaved a relieved sigh as she watched Will, wings fluttering angrily, be lifted off her shoulder in Zoro's firm grasp.

"Hey! Let go!"

Zoro lifted his other katana. "Should we just get rid of him now?" He glanced towards her. "He could be dangerous."

Will's small eyes widened in fear. "Hey! Hey! Hey! I'm not one of the dangerous ones!" His wings fluttered as he wiggled helplessly. "I'm tame compared to those other guys! Really!"

Nami crossed her arms. "We were under the impression that everything in here would want to kill us."

The small man's wiggling slowed. He rubbed his head. "I mean, years and years ago, yeah." He smiled, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Nami stepped back. Will flung out his hands. "But do you know how long ago that was?! How many years I've existed? You wouldn't know it, but I'm at the end of my time. I don't have the energy for that kind of stuff anymore."

Zoro raised him up to his face, giving him a narrow eyed stare. "I don't trust him." He shifted his katana.

Will sobbed. "Please! I killed my fair share of those ancients, I did! I looked forward to their sacrifices, every time! But I don't have the energy for that kind of thing anymore! Did you see how dimly I glowed?!" He kicked and wiggled in Zoro's grasp. "I can't even escape from a weak mortal anymore!"

Nami stared at him, analyzing his every move. She knew how to lie, and she usually knew how to spot another liar. This Will didn't seem to be lying; but then again, tiny men with wings were a completely new territory for her. "What do you want then?"

Will's struggling slowed as he turned towards her. "Entertainment." His small, dark eyes sought out her own. "I've lived centuries upon centuries between these walls. When new people come in, I want to meet with them, talk." He swallowed. "If I like them, I make it a game to go a ways with them – help them a bit. Give them clues and whatnot."

Nami tilted her head, continuing to watch his face closely. "And do you like us?"

The small man scowled, sending an irritated glance up at Zoro. "I did."

Zoro scowled right back. "What about the other things in here. Are they like you? Tired?"

The small man began to shake and a strange hiccupping sound emerged from him. After a moment, Nami realized it was laughter. Will rubbed at his eyes, his sharp teeth bared as he continued his hiccupping laugh. "Like me?" He hiccupped again. "Some may have lost a little bit of their zing, but unlike me, those guys still crave blood." He shook his head. "There's a couple who I don't even risk going near." His laughter had long faded when he looked from Zoro to her. "You really are lucky you ran into me first."

Zoro gave him a hard stare. "So you say." Nami soon felt the swordsman's stare as it shifted to her. "What do you think?"

She gave Will one final look before meeting Zoro's stare. It really did seem as though the small man was telling the truth. But then again, he was a strange creature. Maybe his lies were completely undetectable, even to her trained ears. She bit her lip as she held Zoro's gaze. "I think we can trust him." Willdren sagged in Zoro's grasp. "But-" The small man glanced nervously in her direction. " – we should keep a close eye on him."

Zoro nodded. He adjusted his grip on the katana as he opened his fingers, releasing the small man. Will fell for a second before his wings fluttered into action. A low humming accompanied his gray wings' rapid movement. He grinned happily, giving Nami another look at his rows of sharp teeth. Eyes still on his teeth, she carefully tucked her clima-tact back into her belt, making sure it was within easy reach. Zoro met her gaze as he slowly sheathed his katana. He left his hand resting upon the hilts of the blades.

Nami looked to Will. "You'll help us?"

The small man shrugged. "Sure. I still mostly like you." He glanced at the flaming torch. "First matter of business, let's get some actual light in here." Wings buzzing, Will flitted to the side of the hallway. He swept his hand along the wall, tracing his tiny fingers along the lettering inscribed there. Where his fingers touched, the ruins beneath them glowed light blue. When he pulled his hand away, the glow spread, shining from the symbols on either side of them. After the initial flare, the light faded, leaving the symbols glowing dimly on either side of them. Nami lowered the torch. Under the blue glow, the stone hallway was lit as far as she could see.

"This happened before - when I first entered the labyrinth."

Will turned his head, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes. "Did it?" He looked away. "Interesting."

Zoro moved to stand beside her. "Won't this alert everyone else to our presence?"

Will quickly shook his head. "No, no. I do this all the time. No one will think it strange." He tilted his head. "But you should be prepared to fight. Even with my help, they will find you. Almost everyone in here craves blood – it's in their nature."

Zoro nodded. She felt him step closer beside her. She inched a few feet closer herself. His presence was oddly calming.

Will nodded at the passageway ahead. "Let's go. I'll show you the way."

Nami frowned. "What do you mean? It's a straight hallway."

But Will was already fluttering forward. Nami glanced nervously up at Zoro. He pulled his wary gaze away from the tiny man. With a slight shrug, he once more held out his hand. Nami only hesitated for a moment before grabbing his hand. His fingers tightened around her, gripping her hand tightly within his own. Nami breathed out slowly. They just had to stay together. As long as they were together, everything would be alright. She looked up. Zoro's eyes met her own. He nodded. He understood. Nami looked ahead. Willdren's glowing form bobbed steadily down the passageway. "Let's go."

Thanks for reading! I'll work hard to get the next chapter up soon!