Chapter 1 – Shaken
Day 2
This was wrong.
He couldn't look away from the shaking hands in front of him. Were they his? They moved when he moved them, they had to be his. But they couldn't be. His hands didn't look like this, he was sure of it. His hands were large, rough, powerful. These were tiny, soft, without the callouses he'd gained from…from what? What had he been doing?
This was wrong.
Something thumped behind him. He gasped and lurched into a stumbling run. He had to get away. It wasn't safe here. A rusty meow echoed down the alley, but he didn't slow. The cat might not be alone. There were shadows all around, stretching far over his head, and every one of them felt full of monsters. Everything was a threat.
This was wrong.
The end of the alley stretched away from him. It didn't seem to be getting closer no matter how much he ran. Why was he so slow? His legs should have carried him faster than this! His mouth went dry. What if something was wrong with his legs, too?
He glanced down to check. The moment of distraction cost him. He slammed into a metal bin as tall as he was and went down with a crash. If there were any monsters in the alley, they all surely knew where he was now.
A whine escaped him, high and breathless. Move. He couldn't stay here. Move! He struggled to sit up, his hands slipping on vegetable peelings. Pain and panic sloshed together inside him as he stared at the blood trickling down his bare knee.
His legs weren't right, either. They were soft and round and knobby-kneed and much, much too small.
Another bang behind him. The cat again? The monsters? It didn't matter; he had to move. He scrambled up and threw himself forward on his wobbly, too-short legs. Faster, faster, he had to go faster! The alley was dark and empty, but it was too big, too wide. Too many shadows for things to hide in.
Gasping, he closed his eyes. Maybe if he wasn't watching it, the alley would stop getting longer and he could reach the end. It wasn't safe here. He had to get away. All the wrong things could wait until he was safe.
But where was safety? He didn't know. If dark and cold and big was danger, then somewhere light and warm and small? But he didn't know any places like that. He didn't know anything, except that he was wrong and he had to run—
He hit something again, all the air leaving him in a gasp. He fell harder this time, scraping his arms on the rough ground as he tried to protect his head. He heard a surprised yelp, and tensed. Not a bin. A person this time. His eyes flew open, then squinted in the sudden light. He'd made it out of the alley.
"Hey, watch where you're—" The speaker cut off with a gasp.
Clutching his head, he looked up. His eyes widened.
Oh.
Something in him lurched, as if just seeing the woman had sent him crashing into another bin. No, a whole row of bins, all full of rocks. His muscles locked. A sour taste filled his mouth. The world shrank around him, until he was aware of nothing but a harsh panting as he gasped for breath, the rabbit-quick thudding of his heart, and her.
Run. Run! I have to run!
But he couldn't. He couldn't even look away.
This is wrong!
She was bright and sharp and deadly, a wildcat ready to rip him to shreds if he so much as twitched—
[No, she was shocked and worried and confused, someone who cared about her friends and was desperate for her world to start making sense again—]
She seemed impossibly tall as he lay sprawled in front of her. Fiery hair flowed around her in waves, and he knew if she touched him, he would burn. If she reached out now, he would be ash. But he couldn't move away.
Beneath the terror, something stirred. He didn't know her, he couldn't, but—
Icy sweat trickled down the back of his neck. It felt like he was being torn in two. His mind screamed to get away from the woman, to run and hide somewhere she could never find him, yet he was frozen.
Help. I need—
Danger! Run run run I have to—
But she's—
No! Get away! She's—
His limbs shook, barely supporting him. His face was wet. Was he crying?
She's looking at me!
The woman stared at him, her eyes so wide now they looked like brown islands in a sea of white. Her brow furrowed, one hand stretching hesitantly in his direction.
This is wrong!
She took a step toward him, and he knew he was going to die.
"…Zoro?"
Day 0
The man narrowed his eyes at them. "Supplies?"
"Yeah, supplies." Sanji didn't quite manage to keep the irritation out of his voice, though Robin could tell he was trying. "You know, food."
"Booze," Zoro added.
"I could use more bandages," Chopper piped up.
"And I'm almost out of tea," Brook said.
"You have that stuff here, don't you?" Sanji pressed.
"I—yes, of course. But…"
Nami huffed impatiently. "We can pay, if that's what you're worried about. We may be pirates, but we don't steal everything."
"Oh, we're not worried about theft." The man waved a hand dismissively. "But this isn't a tourist island. You won't find much entertainment here, I'm afraid, so you'd be better off getting your supplies and moving on. Your log pose will be set by morning."
"That won't be a problem," Robin said, though she could see Luffy pouting out of the corner of her eye. She was sure her captain would manage to find whatever excitement the island did offer.
"Then I'm sure we'll get along fine." The man smiled, wide enough to stretch the odd silver marking that cut across his left cheek, but Robin had spent too long surrounded by genuinely joyful smiles to miss the stiffness in this one. "So long as you all stay out of trouble." He nodded and left, his boots clumping on the wooden dock.
"They sure are friendly here," Nami said.
"Maybe they're just trying to avoid trouble?" Usopp suggested weakly.
"If they're that welcoming to everyone, I think it's only a matter of time before they piss off the wrong pirate and get their town destroyed."
"He didn't seem worried about that at all, though," Chopper said.
Nami sighed. "Well, hopefully we'll be long gone before we have to find out if they're just overconfident or if there's more to this place than meets the eye."
"Think we'd have better luck in a different town?" Franky asked.
"Somehow I doubt it," Nami said. "I suppose we could take a walk over to see, though. If nobody stops us."
Luffy had already disappeared by the time Robin turned around. Zoro was next to leave, eye gleaming with the determination of a man planning to drink his way through at least two bars before finding the island's best napping spot and sleeping the day away. Well, at least that was likely to keep him out of trouble.
The man had called it a city, but to Robin's eye it was closer to a large town, with few buildings more than two stories high. It was clean and quaint, with an attractive shopping district that soon swallowed up her companions. There were bars, cafes, and restaurants, stores selling food, clothing, tools, and trinkets. A large, elegant bathhouse took up most of one street.
It was perfectly ordinary, almost strangely so for the Grand Line, but it had plenty to offer as a rest stop. Odd, that the man had been so convinced they wouldn't find anything of interest to keep them busy. Perhaps previous visitors had been especially demanding.
Robin wandered through the streets, peeking in windows and keeping an eye out for books. Eventually, she rounded a corner and found herself in front of one of the tallest buildings, its roof rising to a peak and topped by a small bell tower. The sign over the entrance proclaimed it a library.
Well, that was nearly as good as a bookstore. Better, in some respects.
Inside, it was cool, spacious, and well-lit, the late morning sun filtering in through high windows. The scents of ink, leather, and paper reached out to Robin as though welcoming her home, and she couldn't hold back a smile.
"Can I help you?"
Robin turned to see a middle-aged woman emerge from behind a bookshelf nearly twice her height. She approached so quickly that if it hadn't been for the tapping of her heels on the floor, Robin might have thought she had wheels.
"Hello," Robin said. "My friends and I are visiting the island—"
"Oh, I know."
Robin blinked. "Is it that obvious?"
"Outsiders tend to stand out here." The woman smiled politely. "So? Are you looking for anything in particular? Here, let me show you our local section. This island has produced some fine novelists over the years, and very little of their work ever makes its way into the wider world."
"I'd love to see them." Fiction might not be her first interest, but you could tell a lot about a culture by the stories it told.
The librarian led her to six long shelves in the center of the room, each one packed from top to bottom with books. "We'll be needing to expand soon," she said with a smile. After pointing out the other sections—mystery, romance, fantasy, and so on, she told Robin to find her if she had any questions and left her to browse.
Robin selected a few novels that seemed promising, but soon found herself migrating to the non-fiction section. It was modest compared to most libraries she'd seen, but covered a wide range of subjects. Really, it was a shame this wasn't a bookstore; she could have filled several pairs of arms with books well worth taking back with her. From collections of local recipes to a field guide on the island's plants and their medicinal uses, there was something for everyone. Except…
She came to the end of the non-fiction shelves and frowned. Retracing her steps, she ran a finger along the titles. Had she missed something? No, there definitely weren't any. Perhaps they had their own section?
"Excuse me," Robin said, once she'd tracked the librarian down to the children's section in the back.
"Did you need help finding something?" She looked at the books in Robin's arms. "Or are you ready to open a temporary account? I do need to mention that for out—ah, visitors, there's a required collateral of—"
"Maybe later. For now, I'd like to know where your history books are? There weren't any in non-fiction, so I thought they might have their own section."
The librarian paused halfway through reshelving a book. Paper crinkled as her grip tightened, and Robin could just make out a wobbly silver line across her white knuckles.
"History is something of a special interest of mine, you see," Robin said.
The librarian's mouth thinned. "We don't do that here." She shoved the book into place.
Robin blinked. "Excuse me?" How could an entire culture just…not do history? Didn't they have any respect for the people who came before them? Any curiosity about the achievements and events of the past?
"Yes, most outsiders react like that. This island tries to look forward, rather than back. I wouldn't expect you to understand."
"You're right, I don't." Robin fought down her horror. "It's important to understand the past to build a better future. Every piece of history—of knowledge—is something to be treasured."
The librarian glanced around, then narrowed her eyes at Robin. "I suggest you don't say things like that to anyone else on this island. It won't end well."
"But…how can you know nothing of where you came from? How this town was built? Didn't your parents and grandparents tell you stories about your family? How can—"
"I don't remember my parents, or any other family. And I never said we knew nothing. We're all aware of what we need to know to live here. But we have no history books for outsiders to browse."
"I…see." Robin felt numb. She looked down at the books in her hands, but the titles had gone blurry. She wasn't normally so affected by unexpected situations, even shocking ones, but this one was hitting a bit close to home, she supposed. Perhaps she should join Zoro for a stiff drink. "Well, I won't take up any more of your time, then."
"Now, don't misunderstand me," the librarian said. "I'm not trying to drive you off. You're more than welcome to read any of the books here. But there are certain subjects you'd do well to steer clear of while you're here, if you don't want to find more trouble than you're prepared to handle. I'm just trying to help you."
"You might be surprised at how much experience we have with handling trouble." Robin hugged the books to her. "Why? Why is the past such a taboo here?"
"Ah, that would be telling." The librarian's voice was kind, but firm. The subject was closed. "Now then, would you like to open an account to take those books with you?"
Robin handed her the books with a small smile. "No, thank you. Perhaps I'll come back later."
She had been wrong, she thought as she exited the library. This island was just as strange as any other place they'd been to. It simply hid it better.
The alcohol at this bar was better than the last one, Zoro decided. It had been worth the long walk. He wasn't sure if he was still in the same town or not, but that didn't matter much. He would find his way back when he was ready. Right now, he was ready for a nap.
He pushed away from the bar. He could sleep anywhere; after living on a ship with Luffy and the others, a little noise—or a lot—wouldn't disturb him. Still, it wasn't often he got the chance for true quiet and solitude, so he didn't intend to stay in town. The forest that covered most of the island was sprawling and dense, the perfect place to disappear for a few hours. And if any wild animals decided to try bothering him, well, he was sure the shitty cook would know what to do with some extra meat.
Once in the forest, it didn't take him long to find his spot: a large boulder with a bowl-shaped depression at the top, blanketed by enough moss to make it nearly as soft as an actual bed. Not that he couldn't have slept on it if it had been as hard as, well, a rock, but variety was a wonderful thing. He was asleep in seconds, the pleasant buzz of alcohol like a lullaby in his veins.
When he woke, he knew two things almost instantly. First, it was far earlier than he'd planned on waking. The sunlight filtering through the trees was a rich gold, only just edging into the reds and pinks of sunset.
Second, he was no longer alone.
It wasn't an animal. The footsteps were too loud and regular for that. Not that there was anything wrong with another human being out here. They probably came all the time, to hunt or get wood or even to collect plants for medicine or something. Whoever it was hadn't seen him. There was no reason he shouldn't roll over and go back to sleep until the sun had set completely.
Except…something had woken him. An islander going about their business shouldn't have been enough to rouse him, not when they'd only passed by at a distance. Zoro reached out with haki, searching for the presence ahead. He frowned. Something wasn't right. He should have been able to sense half the forest from here, but his range seemed to have dwindled to only a few meters. Still, he was just barely close enough to catch the new presence—and he sucked in a breath with a hiss, the turmoil churning there driving his malfunctioning haki from his mind.
This wasn't an islander gathering firewood or taking a nature walk. Anger. Fear. A desperate determination. They rolled off the person in waves, practically poisoning the air around them. What would someone like that be doing in the forest…? Zoro could think of a few options, none of them good.
It wasn't his business. He was a pirate, not a hero. He should just leave whoever it was alone and return to his nap. But he was fully awake now, and his body was already urging him toward the next stage of his plans. A little light exercise would be just the thing to warm him up before making a return trip to the bar. There had been a smoked whiskey he'd wanted to try. He could almost smell it now…
He'd follow the person; see what they were up to. If all they were looking for was a little solitude, he could leave, without his quarry being any the wiser.
And if they were doing something Zoro felt like interfering with? Well, that was fine, too. All it would cost him was a little more time and effort.
Hi, and welcome to my new fic! The majority of it is already written, though there are scenes throughout the story I'm still working on. Chapter two is basically done, so you should see that within a week or two.
This story is a bit like a Non-Serial Movie in terms of canon compliance. I've sort of thought of it as being after Wano, but given that 1) the Wano arc hadn't started yet when I began writing it, 2) the arc hasn't ended yet at the time I'm posting this, and therefore 3) I haven't incorporated anything major from the arc into the fic, it's kind of left without a clear place to belong. Anything through the end of WCI can be assumed to have happened, though. For Jinbe, I'm currently going with "he's officially part of the crew, but he went to take care of something (again, haha) and they'll be meeting up with him later". Not perfect, but I don't want to either revamp the story to add him or leave him out entirely, so here we are.
I appreciate reviews of any length, short or long. I will do my best to reply to them all eventually, but it can sometimes take me a (long) while. I do read them and love them all, though!
Regarding crit: if you see a typo or an actual error/plot hole, please point it out! I promise I really do want to know. If something's confusing, feel free to ask about it! If you're just not feeling my characterization, didn't enjoy a place I took the story, etc, I'd prefer you simply move on and find a fic that's more to your taste.
Thanks for reading!