A/N: I'm very sorry this took so long to get this up. This chapter does have very limited 'ONE PIECE' flavour… I warn you now. It's also a lot harder to write now… I think I need some sleep too…
Zoro: Good. Sounds like you're dying.
Hisoka B: (coughs) If I die, you would be trapped in that jar forever. I wonder if you'd like that… Anyway, Zoro, what's your eye colour?
Zoro: (Closes his eyes) That is personal information.
Hisoka B: Okay… I'll describe them as red in the story. Red eyes are always the best…then yellow…
Zoro: In case you've forgotten, my dear foolish author, you do NOT OWN me, MEANING you can't take liberties with the colour of my eyes!
Hisoka B: So… what colour are they?
Zoro: …Grey.
Hisoka B: Are you sure? I always thought them as Green dots… Dark green dots perhaps… or even black…
Zoro: FINE, THEY ARE DARK GREY DOTS!
Keep in mind: "speaking" and thinking
Note: This chapter is dedicated to Tea, for all the ideas she has given me. Many thanks.
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Blood Money
Chapter 5: Marooned
By Hisoka B
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The girl awoke to find her head resting on wet and white sand. A moment passed before Nami realised what had happened. Her arms still grasped a priceless katana, and sturdy arms were still embracing her. What an embarrassing situation… she thought desperately, unable to admit she quite liked it.
Nami eyed her surroundings the best one could in the difficultly of her position, noting she and Zoro probably had been carried by the waves onto what seemed like an isolated beach. Most definitely a beach on an island, but was it inhabited? No.
Struggling against Zoro's embrace she glanced up at the sky, only to wince from the light of at the morning sun. Where was she?
"Damn it." Nami snorted, understanding that being marooned on a desolate island made getting to Arabasta more difficult.
"Zoro?" She called out to the man holding her, wanting to know if he was awake. Zoro gave her no answer.
Fighting the surfacing feelings of panic, she touched his hands. They were warm, and he was alive, merely unconscious. Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned herself around to face him. "Zoro?" She found herself asking again.
Instead, Zoro's calm, pleasant face answered her. Nami found herself uncharacteristically staring at him, as she released one hand off the katana to gently brush against his face with her fingertips. She found herself shivering as she gazed at him. It was shocking how he appeared so peaceful when he was asleep, so peaceful and … she dared to think ... attractive.
A disturbing realisation came to her. It wasn't so bad, being in his arms, drenched, close and huddling up next to him. It wasn't so bad…
"Zoro?" She whispered now, secretly wishing he would not wake, at least not for another hour or so. If he were to regain himself to answer her, then peaceful Zoro would disappear. Nami found herself smiling as her fingers touched his face with an odd peaceful feeling. Then, as fast as she had decided to impulsively touch him, it was all over.
Zoro stirred quickly and his hand quickly grasped Nami's hand, the hand which had been stroking his face. When one dark eye flashed open to laugh at her, Nami realised what had been happening.
"No…" She stammered as the wide awake Zoro grinned his twisted grin at her, unable to control his amusement any longer. "Zoro," Nami gasped, "THAT'S NOT FAIR."
Zoro could not wipe away his awful grin, or his laughter for that matter. He burst into a fit of hilarity as Nami couldn't believe what had just happened.
"Zoro," she spoke lethally for her pleasant mood had darkened, "Please tell me you were NOT pretending to be unconscious." If he had been awake the whole time… dear god… she had just stroked one of his cheeks…This was not going to go down easy in the long run.
Zoro answered her by throwing his head back and laughing so hard until he thought any more would kill him. Nami on the other had, felt incredibly murderous.
"I can't believe you just did that!" She ripped herself hastily out from his muscular arms and waddled herself onto the white sands of the beach.
"God, I hate you!" She staggered as she threw the katana she had been holding at him, her face red with rage… or embarrassment.
She had thought Zoro was attractive? She had thought…
Nami glared irritably at the amused Zoro, who was struggling to regain his composure.
"Why the HELL did you have to go and do that?" Nami felt her own discomfiture.
He faced her, grinning like an idiot. "I thought," he spoke between breathless laughs, "it would be interesting to see your reaction if I played dead."
Nami narrowed her eyebrows, "My reaction? But Zoro, I knew you weren't dead…" Oh no… did I just admit that? Urgh, this makes it seem like… Nami rubbed her temples.
"Really?" Now Zoro really was amused and strangely pleased. He studied her for a moment, searching for more answers. Nami glowered at him again before turning her back on him, currently too angry or humiliated to actually conjure up any more insults for him. Then, summoning up some courage, she turned to glance back at him, only to find herself being unnoticed.
Zoro was, with his back now lying on the sand, glancing up at the blue sky with his arms tucked behind his neck, completely ignoring her. He was quite oddly, satisfied with his little experiment.
"Woman, are you hungry?" He asked her, voice now a little raspy with having laughed himself close to insanity.
Nami wanted to slap him. Saying she was hungry was an understatement, surely! They both had been without food for days.
"No, Zoro," she lied sarcastically, "of course not I'm not."
"Neither am I." He returned her lie as he picked himself up from the sand.
"Hows your injury coming along?" Nami found the words being taken from her mouth as she eyed the bandana which covered his wound. He looked at her sideways, ignored her question of concern, raised himself off the sand and began to walk towards her.
"Sorry, I lied. I'm really famished." He raised an eyebrow, "We should go look for something to eat." He grunted as Nami noticed he had changed the subject and nearly pouted.
Why did he just change the subject?
"Do you think there's a lake on this island? I wouldn't mind having some fish…" Zoro grinned before he realised Nami's eyes had not peeled away from his arm. He clutched it hastily, growling in a tone harsher than usual. "You DO KNOW staring at it won't help it go away."
Nami found herself snarling, "FINE then you idiot, I won't worry about you then."
"Good." Zoro muttered against his own thoughts as Nami glared at him for a few more seconds before throwing her arms up in disgust. She stormed, taking herself way away from the beach and into the strange lush green forest before them.
What the hell is wrong with her? Zoro twitched his eyebrows and sauntered after her. Nami, the 'object' he was supposed to rescue. 'Retrieve.' He reminded himself urgently in his mind, 'Retrieve,' NOT 'rescue.' I'm not experienced enough for the hero job. Glancing at her disappearing figure, Zoro was reminded of her outburst moments before, and advised himself that if he was going to follow her, he'd better keep his distance.
But it wasn't long after they stumbled their way through the forests that Nami began to hobble clumsily. Being in the ocean, her shoes had rapidly slipped off her feet, lost forever in the Grand Line, so now, being barefoot, her poor feet couldn't handle every little sharp rocks she was occasionally stepping on.
Damn, those shoes were a good β200 too, Nami thought painfully as she continued forward with her mind regularly wondering off to think about the man walking slowly a few metres behind her.
"There should be some food on this desolate piece of-" Nami began but was interrupted by the sound of a few slashes Zoro's katana produced.
Immediately, Nami spun around only to face an effortless Zoro holding a large looking plant in his arms. The plant, which oddly resembled a stretched out mushroom, was massive… and not to mention very very very purple.
"Zoro…" Nami spoke suspiciously as Zoro eyed his new prize.
"I can't believe you didn't see this little treasure while you're limping like a cripple. It looks like food, doesn't it witch?" Zoro commented, turning to grin that awful loony grin at her.
Nami's mouth dropped open, "Did you just call me a witch? Why?"
"You're currently walking like one." Was his ever-simple answer as Nami's hands etched to strangle him.
"Well I wouldn't be walking like this if I had some shoes, LIKE YOUR BOOTS for example – Wait Zoro, that thing looks poisonous…"
Her warning was disregarded as Zoro opened his mouth to taste it.
But it was Nami who screamed. "ARGH!" She quickly withdrew her staff from that place she hides it and ran towards him, quicker than lightning, slamming the staff onto Zoro's head. Zoro's eyes almost popped out (as they always nearly do in the One Piece world) as the fruit fell from his hands and onto the dirty ground before him, splattering apart on impact. But as quick as Nami had reacted, Zoro was even quicker to anger.
"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR YOU BITCH?" He yelled as he pointed an accusing finger at Nami, his face now only inches from hers, mad with rage. He was cringing inside at the now uneatable fruit on the ground and his stomach was calling brutally. He couldn't ignore its call. Not anymore.
Nami however, found her composure unshaken even though the only thing she could see now was Zoro's blazing eyes. "Zoro, I think I just saved your life."
"DID I ASK YOU TO?" He growled, unimpressed. "THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FOOD!"
"That could have been the end of you, which means screw your dream of becoming the world's greatest swordsman. Besides, I thought I was 'witch' moments ago. How come I'm a 'bitch' again?"
Zoro snorted. "You're both of them." He scowled, not noticing the flash of hurt in Nami's eyes.
"WHAT IS WITH YOU?" It was her turn to yell. Forcing herself away from his gaze, she stormed off into the distance, even forgetting to limp, only to echo "STUPID, UNGRATEFUL IDIOT, I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAD ACTUALLY THOUGHT…" in her wake.
Zoro glared after her (which he now found himself doing too often) before making himself crouch down to see what he could eat of the now literally destroyed fruit. After all, I've eaten worse before…
Then, to his distraught surprise, Zoro noticed the black ooze leaking out from the plant as Zoro even found himself quickly holding his nose.
Oh…Damn.
Oh, now Zoro had lots to apologise for. Recoiling with dismay, he quickly hurried after Nami.
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Nami stared at the odd looking fish in the strange semi-transparent lake she had discovered. It was one strange thing, with its freaky looking whiskers and oddly formed tail, but it did not scream out "I'M POSIONOUS" to the starving Nami, only "I'M FOOD. HURRY UP AND EAT ME." Her hunger was now nearly consuming her as she waddled her painfully sore feet into the nice and comfortably smoothing cold water, even though the pebbles at the bottom were quite slippery.
Funny. If I recall, I despised water so madly in that thunderstorm yesterday, but now I welcome it. Ignoring the irony her mind threw at her, she quickly returned to focus on the fish. Nami waited for the impeccable moment. Then, as soon as she felt it, her hands reached out to swipe the fish, but she found her hands returning from the water with nothing but air. Determined to not let her only chance of breakfast (or lunch for that matter) get away, she continuously tried, aimed, reached, tried again.
She's an idiot, Zoro thought as he observed Nami's frenzy from the side, wondering again why he had thought…
The truth was, although Zoro would have murdered himself before he would admit it to Nami, when he had awoke up on the beach before Nami, he had not wanted to let her out of his arms. The beautiful creature with the soft orange hair, which his arms were coiled around, he had not wanted to let go………
STOP THINKING THAT YOU FOOL. Zoro cursed inside his mind. That 'creature' is no more than a 'thing', which charges 200 interest on invented debts. Zoro found himself snorting at the word 'debt.' Surely, with all the things he had done for her, she would have demolished his. Surely! Then, he remembered his previous harsh action towards her. Now he was almost afraid he had scared her stiff with his dreadful face. He could at least do this one thing.
Stepping out, Zoro sighed in pity at Nami's futile attempts to fish as he unsheathed his most prized katana, the Wadou Ichimonji. Then he began to strut towards her. (A/N: Sorry for the interruption, BUT STRUT… oh my god… Zoro, STRUTING? Someone just lemme go die now…Wait, no, this is not an invitation to do so!)
Sensing his presence behind her, Nami paused and turned to face him. She glanced at his katana nervously, perhaps expecting the worse; that his anger had engulfed him and he decided to kill her right there. Honestly… where did that foolish idea come from? Nami shook as he stood, tall and… handsome? NEVER! Scoundrel-like? Yes. He now in front of her, grinning that stupid twisted grin.
"Zoro?" She gulped, not lifting her eyes from his katana.
"Nami." He answered her with only her name as he swung his katana down, piercing the blade into the water between them with incredible accuracy. When he raised his katana up to show her he had ensnared the fish, Nami could have sworn she was going to kiss him and his outburst from before quickly forgotten. Of course, she could not bring herself to find the courage to do so, so she slid the fish off from his katana, holding it in her hand like prized money or treasure and smiled at Zoro a smile reserved for the most ignorant but dashing of men.
But then when she stepped back, Nami could have cursed for forgetting how slippery the bottom of the lake was.
The girl lost her footing rapidly and slipped backwards, but Zoro, even though being the I-am-not-Nami's-hero number one believer, caught her in his arms just in time by throwing his katana to the side. The prized katana went down blade first, slicing a third of its blade into the bottom of the lake (as pebbly as it is.)
Nami, now more humiliated then ever, couldn't believe she was finding herself again in Zoro's muscular arms and swore to herself when she realised she was quite fond of her position. Zoro, whose eyes were checking his katana, quickly heaved Nami onto the side of the shallow lake with her hands still clutched around the fish. Then he darted to reach for his prized katana, raising it hastily to check its condition. Now why did he have to go and risk such a precious sword? It had been too close. Glancing at Nami, he wondered if the girl was thinking the same thing, but he ignored the blank look on her face. Nami was still feeling struck with lightning, it had seemed so fast.
Zoro walked out of the lake now with his retrieved katana, sheathing it gracefully. Then he looked at Nami, who was still eyeing him blankly. "Well?" He grunted at her.
Nami blinked. "Well what?" Her voice was gentle, confused and her face was a slight pink.
"Are you going to eat that small looking fish raw or cooked? Cause I feel like I can scoff that down raw." Zoro felt his stomach churn, but Nami sighed. She knew neither of them felt like mentioning what had just happened between them. A situation, which had brought them too close to each other… again.
A sharp jolt struck Nami in her mind. The fortune-teller.
No. She was a trickster, a liar… The girl rubbed her temples exasperatedly with one hand, trying to forget what the teller had predicted for her.
"Urgh." She finally managed to mutter as she lifted herself agonizingly from the ground. She asked Zoro as politely as she could, to gather her some firewood. This island was rather large, so she asked him not to get out of each other's view.
Of course, Zoro ignored her opinion and wandered off even though he managed to bring back the goods. He showed her the massive tree he had cut down so swiftly, but Nami had growled at him, for what she had wanted were five sticks or something NOT something like a whole tree. Zoro shut her up by chopping up the tree into tiny small pieces before handing her five finely sliced pieces.
Scowling, Nami took the five branches from his arms, stacked them together in a bundle before she began to light a fire with two of the smaller sticks. While she roasted her fish, Zoro had returned to the lake to catch more, succeeding in doing so with having returned with three of the odd little specimens. But Zoro could not wait for the fire to burn his food crispy into a delicacy; Zoro was terribly famished. He killed his fish quickly before scoffing down his meal in quick gulps. It was welcomed by his stomach, but not by Nami who glanced at him in disgust. She was even more horrified when he sat beside the lake and began to drink the water by lapping it into his mouth with his bare hands.
He ignored the condemning looks when Nami ate her fish, the day now being well into the afternoon.
"Zoro, you can be so primitive." Nami murmured but he ignored her, yet again.
"I think it's time we had a bath, don't you?" He changed the subject quite boldly, looking at her clothes.
To his amusement, Nami laughed. "We did have one yesterday, in the sea. And besides, I'm not taking a bath while you're around."
"Indeed." Zoro answered with a smirk. "I wouldn't want to see your unsightly body anyway."
Nami overlooked the insult, just this once as the moments passed. Then, when Nami finished satisfying her hunger with the measly fish, the reality struck her.
"Heavens… Zoro, do you realise?" Nami almost bit her nails. "We've got to quickly find a way off this island…"
"And to Arabasta." He finished the sentence for her. "Of course I realised. And probably before you did. But do I have to describe our current situation, which is even more pathetic this time, yet again?"
"No," Nami half smiled. "Anyway, hows your wound?"
"That?" Zoro narrowed his eyebrows as he reluctantly unravelled his bandana. The gash was surrounded by white due to the seawater remedy, but Zoro took the concerned look on Nami's face calmly. "I had forgotten it." He spoke honestly as the girl sighed.
"Why do I even bother?" Nami snorted but she smiled at him. At least one of her worries was over.
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A/N: Okay. I'm sorry but I'll end it here, as evil as I am. This chapter is 3000 words, which is a lot longer then the rest, and I'm afraid it might 'unbalance' the fic if I write more to this chapter. Anyway, this is the first chapter of the little 'island' saga and the next one will conclude and begin a new part to the fic. I do know what you're thinking, that this chapter was very 'ONE PIECE' off, so I apologise for that. But think… it just had to be didn't it? And I'm ready for the flames for this chapter, but I am very thankful for all the feedback I have been given. Please, keep continuing to do so! It's very inspiring and comforting that there are people reading this!