Chapter two: untrusting eyes

Yay a second chapter! My exams are all over now so I can relax. Until I have to get my results! Argh I bombed 'em I just know it! Eh what's the problem? Two years till my real one!

Start

Zolo felt himself regain consciousness and as he opened his eyes he surveyed the odd surroundings. He was in a tacky hammock hanging up in what seemed to be a kitchen. Slaving suspiciously over the oven was the blond haired man. Every now and then he'd glance over at Zolo angrily and when Zolo finally sat up, giving away that he was alive. The blond haired man reached for a large carving knife. Zolo began to think that the knife was meant for him but it was instead placed down on the counter next to a pile of tomatoes and carrots.

"Cut them, after all… you are a 'cabin boy'." The obvious distain for Zolo dripped off every word that left Sanji's mouth. Zolo sighed and complied, he would have to make nice to not get himself kicked off. He really thought he'd never wake up again when he last blacked out after watching Kuro leave. "Is your name really Zolo?" Sanji scowled.

"Yeah. And yours is?" Zolo kept his mind in his chopping, attempting not to make eye contact.

"If you tell a demon your name it can use you." He looked at Zolo and sighed, angrily taking the knife away. "Get out of my kitchen! You can't cut for crap!" He pointed to the stairs leading up to the deck. Nervously Zolo trudged up the stairs, emerging in the sun. A silence hit him, they'd been talking about him, and it was that obvious way in which they feel silent. Zolo got it quite often back on his old ship. None of the others liked him, in particular Django. For some reason he'd had it in for Zolo sense he was named second in command under Kuro.

"How are you?" Came a generally concerned question from the ginger girl. "I'm Nami. It's nice to meet you again. Hopefully with out a loss of blood this time." She smirked, trying to make him feel better but obviously still holding hatred towards him. Zolo smiled the best he could and blushed guiltily.

"I'm fine thanks. How are you? You got hurt pretty bad." He once again flushed the most unbefitting red and looked away. Nami giggled and hit him on the shoulder.

"You'll fit right in. And don't worry. We don't think you wanted to kill us, we think it was Kuro." She grinned and poked his rumbling stomach.

"You're in luck!" Came the long nosed boy's annoying voice. "Sanji cooks the best grub!" He gave a dorky thumbs up a companied by a large cheesy grin. For some reason Zolo did think he'd fit right in, however, he still wanted to get back to his real crew. Back to the boat he grew up on. For some reason the people he'd nearly killed had forgiven him, let him stay alive and were treating him like a friend, like an equal. Even after what he'd done.

"Hey down there! I'm Luffi!" The other boy called down from the crows nest. Then, grabbing on to the railing, he flung his body down to land next to Zolo he then let go of the rail, his arms flipping back in to place leaving a gob open Zolo just staring.

"Oh yeah… about him. He's a rubber man. He ate a cursed fruit." Nami grinned and shrugged.

"Cursed fruit?" Zolo shouted, not like he hadn't heard of it, more like he hadn't expected it to come up.

"Yeah you know of it?" Luffi asked. "Or anything about the grand line?"

"No, sorry." Zolo sighed, this kid was dumb, it'd be easy to trick him. "So. Are you guys letting me stay or am I gonna have to get off at the next stop."

"You're staying. As long as you realise that you'll be in trouble if you try anything. Sanji doesn't trust you one bit. You'll be being supervised at all moments." Ussop scowled, he obviously still didn't trust Zolo. Even if he was up for making him feel at home.

"Hey, guys. What do I do if I see a ship approaching sailing a jolly Rodger?" Luffi suddenly interrupted. Nami and Ussop turned and started shouting at Luffi about his stupidity and how he should've said before and so on.

"I suggest you get ready to fight." Zolo looked around. "You have no other men at all? Well… I suppose beggars can't be choosers. Where are my swords?" He was about to draw them when he realised he was no longer in possession of them.

"Sanji took 'em. Not all of them, you can have one." Luffi passed Zolo a sword in a belt loop so you could see the metal. It was a grand sword with a razor sharp edge and two decretive cat eye jewels in the handle which was bound in leather and laced in silver. "It's pretty."

"It was a gift." He took it from Luffi. There was an awkward silence then they started to get tense. Ussop had gone and gotten Sanji from the kitchen and the crew plus one prepared for battle with the approaching ship. As the flag got closer Zolo's stomach tied its self in to tighter and tighter knots. As the image of the unmistakeable cat like Jolly Rodger wafted back and forth Zolo began to think about running. Hiding and pretending he hadn't lived.

"You looked freaked. Do you know these pirates?" Nami whispered to Zolo as the other boat got ears distance away. Zolo could hear cheering as the crew were rallied up and gotten ready to attack. He nodded solemnly, then, when Nami realised she wasn't going to get any more she stopped staring at him and prepared her self.

"Ha!" Came the quick exhaled laugh of the captain. He strode off the ship causing the crew of Luffi's ship to freeze on the spot. Kuro walked down the mast of his ship and jumped gracefully to the floor right in front of Zolo. "You're actually alive." He grinned. "That's lucky. You can re pay me now then can't you." He licked his lips and leaned closer to Zolo. The greenete leaned away and scowled. The eyes of every one on bored both ships were on him. "It doesn't matter. I'm just here to drop of some trash." He stepped to the side and Django threw another pirate down on bored. He was about seventeen with messy curly black hair and he had a sought of innocent nerdy vibe about him. Despite a nerdy feel he was still quite attractive, even out cold.

"Trey!" Zolo screeched and ran to the person side. "Speak to me. Are you okay? What the hell happened? What the fuck did you do to him?" Zolo growled in a cat like manor and stance ready for battle.

"You still use my sword I see." Kuro joked. Running his fingers up the side of the blade Kuro bit his bottom lip and grinned at Zolo suggestively. "Oh and Trey here… he's useless to us. Especially when he calls me a liar and a pervert. Lousy little rat wouldn't even give me one job. Unlike you eh? Zolo?" The last part was whispered privately in to the mentioned ones ear.

"Fuck off." Zolo growled again.

"Or what?"

"I'll have to freeze your ass." Kuro grinned. That was the first time Zolo had ever even given in to the facts. He was nearly ready.

"Oniichan?" Came a dry voice from the black haired boy, he looked up at the blurry image of Zolo before collapsing again.

End of chapter two!

Eek I just realised I've been spelling Usopp wrong. Sorry. Apart from that I still think this chapter is way too rushed oh and could you please tell me the name of Luffi's ship? I really don't know.