"What do we do?" Chopper asks. They are cornered at the top of a cliff that could overlook the whole jungle. They were running out of options so they ended up there at a dead end but Zoro and Sanji took the opportunity to see if they could find some place that sticks out.
"Anything?" Sanji asks looking at Zoro who looked around the other side of the island that she could see.
"Nothing. Everything looks the same." Zoro says as she sags to the floor. Sanji wish he could blame that on her lack of direction but he can't seem to find anything that is sticking out to him either.
"Well we don't have a lot of time, they're sure to find us up here." Sanji says trying to come up with something to help them and find the grave.
Zoro looks at the ocean she could see from there. Damn, they could all use some help. A hint that they are in the right place, or something to shove them towards the right path. Any hint, or nudge would be helpful.
Zoro paused.
Wait. She's gotten help from them before.
"I need to meditate." Zoro says in the silence and very serious. Chopper and Sanji look at her like she's gone crazy.
"Right now?" Sanji asks. Zoro nods. "Are you crazy?" Sanji says.
"This is the worst time to do that." Chopper adds.
"I know but I think it would help. I was sort of meditating that one time, and I got help. That's why I was running around the town like crazy. I think I should do it this time too." Zoro explains. Plus if it's like that one town then she's been here too, just not physically. She's been here in the memories of someone else so in theory it should work. She saw the faces Sanji and Chopper were giving her. "If you have a better idea then I'd like to hear it." Zoro says. The boys look at each other then at her.
"Fine. Go meditate." Sanji says. Zoro smiles. It was their only option. Zoro goes to the cliff side. A good spot for meditating. It had the peaceful view of the ocean, the wind blew through the trees and it was in the sunlight.
They all turn the the only way up to the spot. "Marines." Chopper says as they see the marines running up.
"Damn it." Zoro frowns. "We better get out of here then." Zoro says getting ready to fight. At this point it's there only way down.
"No." Sanji says. He looks at Zoro shocking her. His face was serious and determined. "We'll buy you some time." Sanji says. The next movement happened so slow. Zoro couldn't believe it.
Sanji pushed her off the cliff.
"What?" Zoro finds herself asking as she falls. She stared at Sanji as she fell. He just pushed her. And he would never do that, that's not how you treat a lady but this is Zoro and it was better this way.
"Sanji!" Chopper shouts. Sanji looks at him.
"This is better. If we seperate then we could distract them and it'd be easier for her to mediate if she finds a place by herself." Sanji explains. Chopper nods. Yeah. Them being together makes it obvious.
Sanji and Chopper fight until they see an opening and take it so they escape down the hill where they run.
Zoro stirs awake. The last thing she remembers is Sanji and landing on her back, on her sword case. She was a little sore on her back having landed on it. She looked up to see she was under the cliff. She gets up and dusts herself off.
She looks around and finds it rather quiet. She takes the opportunity and closes her eyes. No need to waste time and sit down. She's in a hurry now. She starts thinking about Nina and Alex. The places they've been. The love they gave each other. The happiness. Everything.
When she opens her eyes she doesn't see Nina and Alex like last time but she does feel a pull. With the feeling of wanting them to be happy she follows it. It's a strong pull. Getting stronger the more she follows it. She could tell that Sanji and Chopper are not anywhere near her or in the direction she's going in. Good thing too. If they're dealing with the marines then she'll be walking towards danger which is something she doesn't need at the moment.
She follows it until she stops at another cliff, this one looking straight down to the water and rocks. This is not the grave. Yeah it was a little hidden but this isn't it. She could feel it there was more to it. She started looking around the two rocks, one smaller rock stack on top of a giant rock. She could move both of them easily but she didn't want to disturb the island. It was sacred. There had to be something here.
Zoro climbed the rock trying to get a better looks. Maybe she missed something. Her foot slipped on the moss. She looked down to see that there was writing. She went back down and wiped away the moss.
She stood back and read the writing.
Nina and Alex Lockheart. Then both their birthdays and their death date. May their love for each other never set and only rise like the sun. Zoro smiled. That was beautiful but how does the help? No way their grave is a giant rock. With how fancy and rich Nina's family was no way the brother made let their grave stone be a rock. There has to be something more. Zoro then noticed the smaller rock on top. There were two indents on either side. Zoro gripped them both not knowing what to do next. She looked down at the message.
Rise like the sun.
Oh, she supposed to twist them. Zoro twist the rock and it opens. She smiles. It's like a hatch. She climbs again to see that inside was hollowed out. She gets in the rock. Taking off all her swords and even the case to get a better fit. Once in the closes the rock on top again. She didn't want anyone to find her especially where she's going to put the swords.
It was dark so she bend down feeling around for her swords, got them back on and the waved her hands around till she found the wall. She followed it in a circle. She stood closer. She was missing something again and it didn't help that is was dark that she couldn't see anything.
She moved a little too fast and fell into a hole that was carved into the floor and the wall for easier access. It was a long slide in the dark until she saw the light at the end. But she didn't fall out the dark stone slide turned into a slide on giant branches. That didn't go down to the floor so she fell on her face at a small drop off of about four or five feet high.
That would be the second time she has fallen on the floor. She gets up and again dusts herself off. When she looks up she couldn't help but find this place amazing. It was a small field of Sing Songs, the ocean was right there, the waves lapping against the ground. The natural sunlight was shining through but there was a light mist raining down watering the flowers lightly.
Zoro slowly walked forward, trying to trample as little Sing Songs as possible. She took everything in, and she knew that is wasn't really the time for that, Sanji and Chopper are fighting but she couldn't help it. It was so peaceful.
Zoro stops her looking when she spots some big tree roots, giant really, making a canopy above a small white stone platform. Zoro got closer to see that on top of the platform, underneath the canopy of giant tree roots were two beautiful gravestones. Zoro ran to them. She got further in. It felt like a canopy bed. Right there, written in beautiful calligraphy; Nina and Alex. On either side of the gravestones were small loops.
Nina's brother really wanted to rest them with their swords. So Zoro did just that. She took the case off and set it on the floor. She opens it and gets Forte Cuore, she puts it next to Nina's grave. Then she grabs Sterkur Hugarfar and puts that next to Alex's. Zoro took a step back to admire that they were where they belong. She smiled when she saw the swords slightly glow.
Zoro took out a flower bouquet, one flower for each color the strawhats like. It a way for them all to say goodbye. She set that down then sat down on her knees and held her hands together praying. Happy they are with each other again. Hoping they find happiness again. And a thank you for the wonderful adventure and sharing her past.
After that she took the case and put it back on over her shoulder.
"Thank you." Zoro pauses on her way out. She turns around to see both Nina and Alex standing there, both happy and smiling. Zoro just gave them a smile back.
"Anytime." Zoro says under her breath. Zoro stands straight. She looks up not that there was anything to see. But she swear she heard Sanji scream and Chopper yell his name. When Zoro looked back they were gone. Zoro just shakes her head. She had to get to them.
She didn't go back up the slide. She found an alternate route.
