Every fiber of Nami's being quivered with barely held restraint when Sanji crumpled to the deck, but she couldn't hold in a yell. He was so still. The lantern light didn't show all the details, but she'd never seen him like this. Not in all the fights they'd been in, all the times they'd been knocked about by marines or absurd Devil Fruit users or so-called gods, had he looked so utterly desperate. Never had he sounded like that.

When they had left, everything had been fine or at least under control. Surely, Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp were enough to watch over one unconscious crewmate, acting weird or not. Their discovery on the island had solidified their suspicions that Zoro was not himself, but this was something else. They had almost been back to the shore when Usopp came tearing through the ring of palms at the edge of the island. He'd been frantic and confused, but there was no misinterpreting the message Sanji had sent him with: HURRY.

The air was electric with savage intent. Nobody moved.

Zoro met their scrutiny calmly despite the charged atmosphere. He'd moved his hands behind his back, but they didn't need to see the knife to know it was there. Zoro's slight smile was razor sharp. He looked back over his shoulder at Sanji with hooded eyes. "He was right. You are one of the trouble ones," he said to the still form.

"Zoro." Luffy's arms had dropped to his sides. Zoro continued to look at Sanji thoughtfully. "Are you in there, Zoro?"

The swordsman turned around. "I think…I'll be leaving."

"You're not going anywhere!" shouted Usopp.

Luffy pointed at him. "Give back Zoro!"

The smile quirked up even more. "But I am Zoro."

"No," said Robin evenly. "You're not. Release him, creature."

Zoro turned back to Sanji, ignoring them. "This is all your fault. I just wanted a bit of fun, and I wasn't done with you at all." He sighed, a caricature of Zoro when he was exasperated with the cook. He drummed the fingers of his free hand against his jaw and looked up. "What should I do? One of them?" He turned again and looked at the crew. His eyes lingered on Nami. "Will any of them make you cry, Roronoa?" The measuring gaze moved to Luffy. "Yes… But he's made things complicated."

Usopp stepped forward cautiously, slingshot out. "Are you insane?! Who are you talking to?"

Zoro grinned at the sniper and suddenly leapt back, landing by Sanji's side. He reached down and grabbed a fistful of blond hair, pulling the unconscious man's head back and baring his throat. The knife flashed as he brought it to bear.

"Sanji!" Usopp and Nami cried out.

Hands sprouted from Zoro's forearm to seize the wrist with the knife, and there was a crack like a band snapping as Luffy grabbed the back of Zoro's shirt. He wrenched hard and Zoro was sent flying against the railing.

"You don't get to hurt my friends anymore!"

Zoro grunted with the impact but dropped the knife into his waiting other hand and slashed at the rubber arm and Devil Fruit limbs. Luffy let go with a hiss as the blade bit into his forearm.

Zoro rose to his feet and rolled his shoulders. "Wrong. Hold back like the dumb blond did and see what happens. I hurt them, you hurt him… I get what I want either way."

"Nami!"

Nami gave a start at Luffy's commanding voice.

"Get Sanji somewhere safe! Go find Chopper!"

She swallowed and nodded.

"Seis Fleur!"

More appendages sprouted from Zoro's body, trying to pin his arms behind his back. Nami darted forward while Robin held Zoro back. She knelt by Sanji's side. He hadn't moved even when his head had thumped back to the deck. She gingerly rolled him over to get her arms hooked under his, but what she saw made her breath catch in her chest. His shirt hung open and blood, dried and fresh, streaked almost every inch of his chest. A deep slice along his ribs made her grip slippery. Mottled purple bruising discolored his left side, but her shock came from the unmistakable half-moon pattern of marks imprinted darkly into the flesh of his throat, shoulders, and lower.

"Nami! Hurry!" Luffy shouted as Zoro broke free of Robin's hold with a sickening snap of bones. The other woman bit down on a cry and sank to her knees, shuddering. Luffy rocketed forward to pin Zoro against the railing, stalling him again. The knife came down, and Luffy twisted with impossible flexibility out of the way.

Nami swallowed and heaved Sanji through the belowdecks door and down the stairs as gently as she could. He was lighter than she expected but still a dead weight in her arms that was hard to manage. Carefully navigating the steps, she dragged him through the hall towards Chopper's infirmary. As she passed the storage room she heard movement. The door was ajar, and lamplight shone from the inside.

"Chopper…?" she said cautiously.

There were more sounds, and then a light clattering of hooves made her relax.

"Nami…?" came an equally cautious Chopper.

"Thank goodness," she breathed. She laid Sanji down and stepped into the storage room. The lamplight shone brighter here than abovedeck and she could see clearly as the little reindeer picked his way through the chaos of upturned boxes and munition and... Again, shock froze her to the spot.

There had been a fight here or something extremely violent at least. Debris and broken wood littered the floor. Black scuffs that she recognized as coming from Sanji's shoes marred the floor here and there. The cannon had been pulled from its gunport, and one long length of chain lay pooled by a cleared area that was still slick with blood. Almost unwillingly, her eyes followed the red stain up to the iron hook bolted into the wall where she saw the snapped remains of fawn-colored ties that were also spotted with red.

"Ch-Chopper… What happened? Are you all right?"

The reindeer leaned against her, seeming to take comfort in the physical contact.

"Nami! Zoro's gone crazy! No, I mean, something's got Zoro, and he's gone crazy! He attacked me in the infirmary and when I came to I heard fighting, and I saw the door was open, and… He was… Sanji was…"

The soft brown eyes widened at the memory.

"Sanji! Is he…?!"

"In the hallway! Help me get him to the infirmary!"

With visible effort, Chopper shifted into his human form and followed Nami into the hall. He sucked in a breath when he saw Sanji but saved his thoughts for when they laid him on the cot. He peeled back the remains of the cook's shirt and bit his lip. Nami looked away as more marks were revealed, suddenly uncomfortable as if she were seeing something she shouldn't.

A crash shook the boat, and the sound of yelling reverberated in the small space. Nami looked anxiously between Chopper and Sanji and the hall.

"I need to get back to them. Will you be okay?"

Chopper met her worried eyes with determined ones. "Yes! I have him. You need to help Zoro! Sanji said we need to get something away from him! It's a bone, I think…?"

Nami nodded. "He was able to tell us before he passed out. Luffy knows." She turned to leave, but something caught her eye—pure white and gold glinting in the dim light. Zoro's swords still rested against the wall by the cot. Seeing them even an arm's reach away from their master would have given her pause but here? And Zoro was a monster all on his own, but with his swords he was another level. Why hadn't he taken them? The question nagged at her but so did the urgency of the situation. She took another step towards the hall but, again, felt compelled to stop. The polished, loved, flawless white of Wado Ichimonji drew her eye once more. She blew a strand of hair out of her face and retrieved it. She didn't know why she took it, but she trusted her instincts. It was needed, so she listened.

Sword in hand, she charged back up the stairs. The boat shook again as she wrenched the door open. A rubber hand whipped past her face, and she ducked instinctively. Luffy glanced at her from his position on the portside stairs leading up to the galley level. He had a few more cuts but though he didn't seem too worse for wear, his expression had darkened noticeably. Robin was a bit farther up the steps and behind him. The other woman was breathing heavily and a sheen of sweat covered her forehead.

"Chopper…?" Luffy asked, eyes fixed on the stern where a dark form stood casually by the masthead.

"He's okay!" she called back. "He's got Sanji."

The tension in Luffy's shoulders receded slightly.

Zoro watched their exchange in silence and edged closer towards the starboard side of the stern. To Nami's eyes he seemed to be angling to get closer to the railing, but Usopp appeared to her right on the stairs, slingshot loaded and aimed. There was a fresh, dripping cut on his arm.

"Nami, stay back. He'll definitely go for you if he gets the chance."

The swordsman looked at her. He called from across the way. "Yes, I would! He thinks you're the reason they're here. If that's so, I'd definitely like to kill you! I raised the anchor. We're adrift. That piddly little boat could not…should not…have caught me. How did you do it?"

Nami frowned. "'He'? Do you mean Zoro?"

"That's right." He tapped his head. "He thinks you're like the cook. You're a 'trouble' one. Are you?"

Luffy clenched his fists. "Zoro, if you can hear me, we'll get you out! Just wait a bit, okay?"

Zoro ignored him, his eyes fixed on Nami. The heat of his gaze made her cheeks warm. "How did you do it?" he repeated. "Was it you? Did you spoil my fun?"

She bared her own teeth at him. "You bet your ass I did. I'm the navigator. You couldn't outrun me on the sea even if all I had was a bucket. And whatever you're planning, whatever you're here for, we'll stop you. Zoro! Just wait!"

The swordsman toyed with the knife thoughtfully and muttered to himself. "I knew I should have killed her first. You just wouldn't let go, though. You're the trouble one really…"

She clutched the white sword to her chest, anger and fear surging through her. "Who are you?" she yelled. "What are you? What do you want?!"

Zoro trailed his fingers along the railing as he took a slow, measured step forward. Even at that distance, his murderous intent was so tangible that Nami could feel the ghost of his fingers at her throat.

"The cook asked me the same thing, you know," he said. "It was simpler then, though. I had what I wanted." He gave her a very un-Zoro-like smile, white teeth gleaming in the moonlight. Bite marks on pale flesh rose in her mind's eye. Her grip tightened on the sword. "Now, well... It seems I'm not free to leave, and the captain is making it rather difficult for me to kill anyone. I'm a bit up against a wall. All these things I want, just out of reach…"

"Give Zoro back!" Luffy yelled.

The swordsman's eyes glittered in the moonlight. "No." He pointed the short blade at each of them in turn. "And if I can't have what I want, neither can you…" The smile stretched as he traced the tip of the knife along the taut cords of the tanned throat.

"No!" Luffy shouted. He took a step forward, body rigid, muscles quivering.

"Then let me go."

"I can't! Zoro would…" Luffy ground his teeth in frustration. His hands clenched and unclenched as he wrestled with their predicament, but the dark eyes met the shimmering ones with unwavering resolve and grew clearer as he reached a decision. "Usopp? Robin?" he said softly. "I need an opening. Just one second."

Robin met the sniper's eye and spoke for them both. "Whatever it takes, Captain."

Luffy took a deep breath.

There was a twang of Usopp's slingshot, and Zoro's body suddenly bloomed with hands. Hands reached for the knife, hands tried to wrench his arms down, hands covered his eyes. Usopp's shot exploded into the short blade with pinpoint accuracy. It was knocked away from the swordsman's neck with the impact, but Zoro kept his grip on it and turned it on the hands and arms sprouting from his chest with an inhuman roar. The edge, kept razor sharp by Zoro's methodical care, sliced through flesh like butter.

Robin screamed shrilly in pain and defiance as fingers and bone parted under the thrust, but with a crack of speed, Luffy's arm replaced her disappearing ones between the tip and neck. He set his teeth into a dogged line as the point began to pierce even his hardened skin, driven by Zoro's well-honed strength.

"I said… You don't get to hurt my friends anymore!"

"He's mine!"

The rubber body zoomed forward and Luffy wound himself about Zoro, pinning the other arm and wrapping loop upon loop of rubbery flesh between the knife and neck.

"Zoro! Fight! I've got him!"

Zoro—the thing that was not Zoro—redoubled its efforts, urging the blade closer with every beat of Zoro's heart. Blood flowed down Luffy's arm between them.

Luffy hugged him harder.

"L-Let him! I d-don't wanna h-hurt y-you-!"

Luffy's head snapped up. "Zoro!"

Stricken dark eyes met his.

"No! I won't! Sanji said he would try, and I promised him I wouldn't! I won't let him kill you!" Luffy cried.

A look of anguish overtook the twisted features at the name. "Th-The c-cook he… I h-hurt hi-!" Zoro's teeth chattered with the effort.

Luffy watched as black warred with shimmering gold. "He's okay! Chopper's got him!"

"N-No! I d-did things to h-him! I—!"

Zoro squeezed his eyes shut, unable to look Luffy in the face.

"Then you can say sorry! He'll understand! He'll forgive you!"

The knife suddenly bit deeper, and Luffy grimaced in pain. He looked into Zoro's eyes, but the black was gone. Only shimmering, malicious amusement looked back.

"Will he?" Zoro leaned closer until his face was inches from Luffy's. "Do you want to know what he tasted like?"

Luffy's brows drew together.

"Luffy!" Nami yelled, running up. "We need to get the bone!"

Zoro's head snapped around as Nami, Robin, and Usopp gathered around him. His eyes fixed on the white sword held in Nami's arms. Black flickered in the heat.

"Where is it?! Where is it?!" Usopp cried, patting down Zoro's pants and peering into the tops of his boots.

The swordsman snarled and fought against Luffy's hold. The knife pressed further into the rubber arm while Luffy gritted his teeth.

"His hand!" Robin shouted.

Below the loops of Luffy's rope-like arm, the hand of Zoro's pinned arm was clutched into a tight fist. Usopp and Robin pulled and fought to pry the fingers open, but their strength was no match for the swordsman's. Luffy groaned as the blade slipped deeper.

"Hurry! It's gonna go through…!"

Zoro strained harder, but Luffy met the raw fury with steely determination and squeezed even more. The swordsman's breath began growing thin as the air was constricted from his lungs. His pants grew reedy. The eyes blazed with hate and frustration. "I said…he's…mine…!" Zoro's mouth suddenly yawned wide.

Nami heard the jaw pop and saw every ridge of Zoro's teeth in sharp relief against the pink of his tongue. Time seemed to slow, and with a bolt of comprehension, she knew then what the creature would try to do.

"No!" she screamed and shoved the hilt of the white sword into Zoro's mouth before the teeth could snap down and bite his tongue off. They crashed into the hilt with a resounding CRACK.

"Robin!" Nami cried, falling back to avoid being hit with the sheath as Zoro whipped his head around.

The other woman understood instantly, and arms sprouted from Zoro's head to hold the hilt in place like a strange parody of Zoro's 3-sword style. The smoldering eyes looked down, and Nami shuddered at the intensity of the boiling rage.

"You bitch!" Zoro ground out around the silk wrappings. "I'll kill you! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!"

Usopp suddenly pounded his fist into his open palm. "I have it!"

Luffy's eyes were screwed shut with effort. "Hurry…!" he said, voiced strained.

The sniper pointed at Nami. "Nami! Hit him with Thunderbolt Tempo!"

She gaped at him.

"It knocked him out completely last time! Zoro usually shrugs that stuff off, right?! It's gotta be because of the thing!"

"Oh my god, you're right!" Nami clambered to her feet. She unhooked the Clima-Tact from her belt and with a flick of her wrist sent the cool and heat balls swirling to form a cloud.

"You'll hit…your captain…too!" Zoro gnashed around the hilt, looking down at Luffy. "I know you don't want to hurt him!"

Nami pushed a button and electricity crackled from the end of the weapon. She looked up and held the burning eyes this time.

"It won't, and even if it did… You might have Zoro's body and maybe some of his thoughts, but you don't know anything about us, monster."

Usopp and Robin danced back as she released the thunder ball. Zoro looked up at the sparking orb as it dissipated into the cloud above. Energy laced through the swirling black mass, illuminating their faces in brief flashes.

"You can't kill me!" Zoro shouted around the sword. "They tried before and left me to rot in that chest in the middle of this godforsaken ocean, and I still came back. I'll come back again, and I'll wear him, and I'll take that fucking cook in every way you can. I'll take EVERYTHING from him for this. And you… ALL OF YOU!"

A resounding boom split the night. Thousands of volts rained down, showering the pair in electricity. Luffy hugged Zoro tighter as they were enveloped in a ball of dancing light. The swordsman roared, but the sound became split and unnatural. Nami watched, fascinated as something in the energy seemed to take shape. She saw Robin looking as well, but Usopp was intent on the clutched fist. It vibrated and spasmed open. Something small and white plunked onto the deck, and the sniper pounced.

"Don't touch it!" Robin yelled, but she needn't have worried. Usopp swiped it away with his slingshot. It bounced off the trunk of the Merry's masthead and skittered to a stop on the other side of the stern deck.

The Thunderbolt Tempo shot off a few more jags of electricity, and then it was quiet save for the rocking of the boat on the waves. Smoke rose from the entwined pair.

"Luffy…?" Nami said tentatively.

The captain had his feet planted on the deck now and was holding Zoro up rather than restraining him. The swordsman was limp in the rubbery embrace, and his head lolled back. The white sword fell from his mouth.

Luffy panted as steam rolled off him. He carefully unwound his arm and pulled the blade from the meat of the other one with a wince. Without Luffy supporting him, Zoro fell to his knees, but arms and hands appeared from the deck behind him to gently lower him down.

"Zoro… Is he…?"

Robin looked at the now peaceful face of the swordsman and then over at the small bone. She closed her eyes.

"There's still some of that energy we felt by the chest, but it's in the air and there," she said, indicating the bone. "If we keep them separate, I should think it would stay that way."

Luffy nodded, holding his arm to his chest.

"What about that thing?" Usopp asked. He eyed the bone warily.

They all looked over at it. It seemed so small and inconsequential, a tiny chip of white against the rough grain of the deck.

"Do we put it back in the chest?"

"No… Who knows who'll stumble across it again."

"Robin." Luffy looked up. "Let's do what you said before."

The stately archaeologist turned and looked out over the gently rolling ocean. The dark waters lapped at the Merry's sides hungrily.

"Yes," she said. "I'd say a burial at sea is just what it deserves."

"How do we—Oh! Wait here!" Usopp dashed off and disappeared through the belowdecks door. When he returned a few moments later he was carrying a cannon ball, a smaller knob of iron shot, and a pair of tongs. He glanced back at the belowdecks door as he approached.

"There's… The storage room is, uh…"

Nami put a hand on his arm. "This first. Then we'll deal with that."

He swallowed and nodded, then went over to the piece of bone. With great care, he plucked it up using the tongs and dropped it into a circular hole that had been drilled into the cannon ball. Then he shoved the knob of iron shot in after it and banged down hard with the back of the tongs, plugging the opening.

"I was trying to make some new trick cannon balls for the next time we ran up against the navy, but I never expected I'd be using one for something like this…"

He held the cannon ball out to Luffy who took it in his uninjured hand. The young captain looked at it for a moment, then stretched his arm back and launched it into the distance. The cast iron ball arced high through the air and melted into the night. It came down so far away that not even a splash marked its fall.

Luffy turned away. He walked over to Zoro and sat down beside him cross-legged to wait.

To be continued in Chapter 6: Flotsam