Story Cover Art shipfiend. Original Characters Eiichiro Oda.
Theme Song: "Crazy" Gnarles Barkley
Law helped Zoro up the stairs and heard the man struggle to keep his breathing even. It had only been a few weeks, but Zoro insisted on leaving the hospital. As his unethical but dutiful doctor, Law obeyed his irritating patient if only to ensure no post-op accidents.
"You don't need to do this…"
"If you are going to keep talking, you can keep walking," Zoro responded bluntly.
They hit the correct floor, and Law kicked the door open. A tiny woman holding a lace umbrella stared at him with a red grin. "You must be the good doctor."
"Perona?" Zoro huffed, "The fuck you doing h-"
Zoro stopped as Sanji stepped into sight, and Law could barely hold him back from lunging.
Perona put a hand up between them, Sanji looking strangely apologetic but ready to go.
"Boys, boys…this is no time to be fighting each other, is it? Zoro, get your head out of your ass…it isn't a fucking hat. You need Sanji if you want to get Nami back. No offense, big boy, but you're in no shape to fight. And as for you- what kind of doctor are you? My kind…but you…don't look legit to work at any real hospital."
Law frowned, "Look, I don't owe any of ya an explanation. I'm just here to make sure this idiot doesn't kill himself. What you people do, is not my concern."
Perona narrowed her eyes. She did not believe a word Law said out of his chiseled yet tired face, but that was a fight for another day. She nodded to Sanji and he moved forward with hesitation.
"Zoro…look, I just want to help. You…need help."
He fumed, "Get out of my face, Sanji. You did this!"
Nami's door opened and for a moment Zoro thought he'd see her standing there, her frown set, a foot tapping at his yelling. It was not her. Instead, a slim and tan teenager with medium-length black woolly hair, prominent lips, and a long nose, stared at Zoro. His dark eyes held fear.
"Hi, Zoro…I'm…I'm Usopp. Nami's friend."
"Friend?" Zoro asked in confusion.
"Yes, I was the one you spoke to on the phone…when you thought it was Arlong. And…I think I'm at fault for what happened."
Zoro saw red and moved to the frightened man, but Law held him back once more. Usopp shuddered and hid behind Perona as he explained.
"Arlong found the burner…and the cop had put a trace on it. And since Nami kept it at her place, I brought Sanji in to help get her a new one…but I think by then, Arlong took it. And well…"
"Well? That's all you have to say! You're all crazy. She was just fine…she was fine…" Zoro felt weak and his knees hit the ground, "She was…yeah, I mean…I was out of touch. But it wasn't because I didn't know enough…I just knew too much."
"You? You don't know anything," Usopp said with more confidence. "Nami…she has a dark past. There's-"
"Arlong! I know."
Perona gave him a grim look, "Oh, Zoro…bless your soul. Did you really think you're in control? Nami did…and she didn't realize how big it got. That was her problem. Not trusting people."
Usopp nodded in agreement. "She kept a lot of us in the dark…things that can get us all killed."
"And I can die when I'm done…done getting her back," Zoro said harshly. "If you're all afraid-"
"Would you shut up and listen, Zoro! There's more to this story. There's more to Nami…I need you listen," Sanji pleaded.
"Yes, Zoro. I think it would be best to stop shouting and go inside," the voice called from behind them all.
Brook straightened, the nightcap hanging off his afro, his tinted purple glasses still on even in the dimly lit hallway. "And if you could keep it to a lower volume…that would be great. My ears are ringing, ah, even if all I got is a thick skull. Yohoho!"
The group looked at him cautiously, but as Zoro nodded to him, they let their guard down.
"Ah, apologies for my rudeness…my name is Brook, and I'm Nami's neighbor. And…and I'm sorry I couldn't do more when they came."
"Came?" Zoro asked.
Usopp left Perona's side and nodded, "Yes…Arlong brought her back here…I can tell." He stepped aside as the rest waited for Zoro to get up and move into the cold, broken room.
Law shook his head at the sight as Zoro pounded the walls. "Damn it!"
The room was torn apart. Anything that held shape was shattered and ripped. On the floor by the door, the disgusting green tiger Nami so loved was disemboweled. The white stuffing trailing away.
Zoro took in the overthrown couch, where he sat with her. Her head against his chest, as they fell asleep to cartoons. Her kitchen where they made breakfast or dinner, throwing food at each other. Every part of the apartment that he considered so devoid of life or personality seemed to come to life. Everywhere he looked, his one eye roamed along with the ghost of his other, he saw flashes of memories.
"Like I said…I'm sorry. They came and went, and before I knew it…this room went dead. Silent like a coffin. I feared for her life, and if there is anything I can do to help…I'd like to try."
Usopp gave Brook a somber nod but his eyes drifted back to Zoro who gripped the frayed carpet. The others cautiously moved around the room, but there was really nothing left to see. Usopp watched the large man, broken now, deflate. Perhaps what Zoro and Nami had was truly something…something she was willing to fight for. Usopp forced the tears back at the thought of his friend, who could not stop caring even if she tried. She did, for years. She almost lost her mind trying to erase her humanity, but that was the best of her mother. Her sister. The goodness of her genuine person. Nami could not lose that. She'd lose herself.
"Oh, my goodness!" A large woman at the door blocked a young girl from looking in. She spotted the dark stain on the rug as if she knew exactly what color old blood was. "Chimney, go upstairs and get Mama. Zoro is-"
Law stopped her, "No. Sorry, ma'am. It isn't his."
Zoro looked up, and Chimney hid behind her grandmother, afraid of the bandaged man before her. "No, Kokoro. It's Nami's…probably."
Kokoro shooed Chimney again, but the girl would not move. Finally, Kokoro stamped her foot and glared at the child. "Chimney, go."
"But…" she pleaded. Kokoro stood firm and frowned. She watched her granddaughter run down the hall and to the stairs. She turned back with a frown, her face flushed but it was no longer from booze.
"What happened? Is she…"
"We are not sure," Perona whispered. "She's been taken."
"My goodness. I'm sorry, Zoro," she kneeled beside him. "Is there anything I can do to help…"
His face was frozen, and he spoke emotionlessly, "Soup can't fix this, Kokoro. I can't find her. I don't even know where to look."
Kokoro held in her own tears, familiar with deep tragedies. She looked up the walls in anguish and her eyes grew wide at the stain. She rose to her feet quickly and went to the rip in the wallpaper, and underneath, marked in the faintest chalk was a symbol.
The others gathered around her and Usopp was the first to ask, "What is that? And apartment?"
"It's no coincidence I've come…that's my apartment number…well, mine is 7W, actually."
"So?" Perona asked with frustration.
"So," Kokoro chuckled, "I believe we have a lead. W7 stands for a specific place for people who need to escape via sea. It's a town in Paradise know for their shipwrights. If my hunch is right, and I don't make mistakes often…whoever took Nami is trying to avoid people." She looked around to see the approving nods and continued, "Then you need to go to Water 7. Specifically…and I cannot stress this enough, you need to go to Iceburg…he may help you get more information about the boat she may be on."
Law interjected, "This is all just a hunch, right? We don't know for sure she is there. We don't know who left that. It could be a trap."
"Oh, Water 7 is most likely to trap you. It has 7 ports; mostly hard-working people live there. But the tide brings in others… Criminals are generally allowed but are warned that if they cause any problems…they'll regret it. Now, like I said, find Iceburg. He'd tell you who has come and gone. He runs the Galley-La Company, known for having the best shipwrights in the world. They work for anyone that can afford their services…governments and criminals alike. Iceburg is the mayor of Water 7, so he may not be very forthcoming, but if he's even willing to listen, he may be able to help you."
"Leave that to me…even if he won't tell us…as long as I can get in, I'll find the information we need," Usopp said with a fire, eager to prove himself.
"Who do you think you are?" Kokoro chuckled, "Water 7 is not a place for smart mouth brats. I've seen too many people put their lives out on the limb. I've lost a lot of loved ones in that town…because they believed in their work and the government punished them for it. I took my granddaughter before she could be touched by the corruption of that place. It is not a place for you to go and make trouble, you hear?"
"Look, lady, I appreciate the story…but I think you don't know anything about us. We'll find her," Perona said with a smirk. "And if Nami was here, she'd bet on it."
The others nodded, but Law seemed lost in thought. Perona paid attention to it and recognized that Law clearly knew more about the place than he was letting on.
"Just tell Iceburg that Kokoro sent ya. He'll give you time if he's got any respect," she said with a wide smile.
The others waited for Zoro who seemed lost in thought. He picked himself up and turned to the teen.
"Fine…Usopp," Zoro said and Usopp jumped, thinking he was going to get hit, "let's find this Iceburg and get Nami."
He stretched out his hand and Usopp looked at it fearful for a moment, the bandaged hands of a prizefighter. However, Usopp took it and shook it with the strength he could muster.
"Fine, Zoro…but first, I think I need to show you something. Or…to be more accurate, someone."
Season 2 of The Fighter is HERE!
I won't go into my life story, as you're here for ZoNa, and ZoNa I shall give. Just need to let you know life gets busy and forgive me for leaving you all hanging like this!
Get ready, kids. Season 2 is going to all about lies and tries. 2-year gap, here we come mingled with everything else:) Cue the music montage that signifies change and time passing. Haha. We'll introduce some new characters, some new connections, and maybe…just maybe…Can our lovers get a happy ending?
P.S. Water 7 was one of my favorite arcs. Robin is tied to this arc and to my second favorite OTP pairing, Franky, more intricately than I originally thought. Perhaps…we'll see how this plays out.
But first…who is Usopp going to show them?
Stay tuned!
P.S.S. One of my all time favorite lines is "Get your head out of your ass, it's not a hat" from the iconic "Pitch Perfect" so I just had to throw that in there:)