I FORGOT ABOUT THIS STORY
I am so ashamed! Oh my god, I got so caught up in other things, I didn't even remember that the next update was due! Ahh, I'm so sorry! If my late updates are too much deal with, I totally understand if you don't want to support me anyway (I wouldn't support someone who has failed you as much as I have, so no hard feelings at all)
Anyway, here you all go! I will hopefully be able to get back on track after this.
Robin was nestled into a worn love seat, her eyelids drooping low as drowsiness washed over her again. Even though she had been in and out of consciousness a lot in the past few days, she hadn't gotten any good sleep. She was tired now, and the usual urgency that stalked her seemed to be held at bay.
The chaos around her was something she had grown accustomed to in the last three days. There was a constant flow of noise, whether from people, or the city outside. Sanji and Franky exchanged watch hours, and everyone kept an overall vigilance. However, Luffy's presence lived up to its expectations, and no one gave them any trouble, and not a single cop had been seen since their arrival. So Robin let her eyes close, and enjoyed the peace.
Just as she fell into a deep sleep, there was a loud knock at the door.
Zoro flipped through blueprints and plans without really seeing any of them. His head seemed so full, he couldn't really focus on anything in particular. He was just a jumble of thoughts and questions and theories. There didn't seem to be anything solid in his head anymore.
"Roronoa!" He jumped as a voice cut into the thoughts he wasn't thinking. He glanced up at a frowning Sengoku. "Yes, Sir?"
Sengoku's eyes narrowed in observation. "I called your name three times, and you didn't respond. Are you sure you're up to this?"
Zoro wasn't sure if the commander sounded irritated, or genuinely concerned. "Yes, Sir. I'm sorry, I was lost in thought." He set down the plans he had been staring at to give the Commander his full attention.
Sengoku seemed satisfied. "We're bringing in someone new on Raven's case. He's had quite a bit of experience with her, and he'll be a good asset to you. If you two work together, I believe we're that much closer to bring Raven in."
Zoro opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it and closed it again. The commander seemed to have made up his mind, and there was no use arguing. He sighed, and nodded.
Sengoku returned the gesture, then walked over to the door and called to someone standing outside.
The detective readjusted the papers on the table, organizing them as a new set of footsteps sauntered into the room. Zoro looked up at the newcomer. He was not at all impressed.
A strange looking person stood in front of him, someone who managed to be a perfect contradiction. He looked both very old and very young. He was tall and broad shouldered, but thin and gave Zoro the odd impression of a noodle. His hair was a dirty shade of purple, and fell in mindless waves. His pale face was partly covered by what Zoro thought was a leather mask, which did little to hide the dark circles under his eyes. He was greasy and ordinary looking. Except for his eyes. They didn't fit him, like golden buttons sown onto a rag doll. In the split second they made eye contact, Zoro could tell he was made of either cunning or cruel. He was glaring in a way Zoro couldn't read. Afraid, but somehow arrogant at the same time.
The newcomer grinned, half his smile hidden behind worn leather. "Spandam. At your service."
Zoro swallowed the snarl that had materialized in his mouth, and extended his hand, "Roronoa Zoro." The handshake was unexpectedly firm, and Zoro forced a smile, "Let's work well together."
Spandam's eyes went straight to the papers under Zoro's hand, and he reached for them, "May I?"
Zoro only shrugged, using the excuse to take a step back. Spandam smiled again, slightly less eerie than before. "Thank you," He chirped, sliding into a chair at the table.
Zoro only watched him for a moment. Spandam went straight to work, without bothering with any other introductions. He had to appreciate the man's focus. Whatever odd impression he gave, he knew when to get to work. Zoro nodded to himself, and took a seat next to the newcomer. "So let me fill you in."
Everyone in the room was instantly on edge the minute the knock echoed through the warehouse. All conversations ceased immediately, everyone's attention turning to the big doors.
Nami almost bolted upright, searching for Robin. Franky, Sanji, Robin, Usopp and herself were the only ones in the room, Chopper, Brook and Luffy gone out for a bit. She breathed out a small sigh of relief when she saw Robin curled up on one of the couches, asleep. But the urgency returned when she turned her attention back to the door.
Whoever was outside knocked again, the doors shaking form the force. Nami slid toward Robin, Franky and Sanji moving between the women and the door. Usopp climbed to his feet, eyes wide. All of them seemed to hold their breath.
"Who's there?" Sanji called, tensing. Nobody said anything, on either side.
Everyone leapt back as the doors slammed open, an angry figure stomping into the room. The click of heels reverberated across the place as the woman surged toward Sanji.
"How dare you!" She hissed, "Who are you, and what are you doing in my Love's home!"
Nami felt her jaw drop as the woman spun effortlessly, landing a heavy kick against Sanji's side. She watched him practically fold over, flying into several boxes that were stacked along the side. The bartender hadn't even had time to blink. "Sanji!" She called, taking a step in his direction. And rolled her eyes.
He sat back up, completely unfazed, his eyes practically glowing with a goofy grin on his face. Of course he was fine. She looked back over at the strange woman, and knew exactly why. It wasn't that Sanji hadn't been able to block her kick. He just hadn't, she was a woman. And a beautiful one.
She stood tall, a delicate hand nestled into her cinched waist. Her shapely form was obvious under the tight purple dress she wore, her long legs showing through a thigh-high slit up her right side. Nami sighed. Of course, Sanji would be helpless.
Despite her initial hostility, the woman turned to Franky, but made no move to attack him at first. "Who are you people? Where's my husband? What have you done with him?" She started toward him, but he held up a hand to calm her.
"Woah, Lady, slow down there. I don't know who you're talking about, but we haven't done anything with anybody! We're here under Luffy's invitation."
Nami did a double take as the woman completely transformed. The intimidating goddess melted into a school girl almost instantly. "Oh! Luffy, my love!" She giggled to herself, her face turning an unbelievable shade of red.
Franky glanced over his shoulder, his eyes full of questions. Nami shrugged, just as confused.
"You!" Nami jumped as the woman snapped at her, "What are you doing here!" She took a few steps toward the ginger, but Franky's advance caused her to stop. Nami was suddenly very thankful for the mechanic's hulking size.
But the woman was not finished. She glared up at Franky, then turned her attention back to Nami. "What are you doing here?" She hissed again. She seemed to see Robin for the first time, and her eyes almost doubled in size. "Wha-! Who-Who is that! Who are you! Why are you here? Why did Luffy bring you here! You stole my Love from me!"
Nami started to disagree, but realized she had no idea what she was supposed to be disagreeing with. Who was this crazy lady!?
"Oh, hey Hammock!"
Everyone in the room turned at the sound of Luffy's voice.
"Luffy!" The woman cried out, diving towards the young gangster.
Robin was alone.
Alone in the dark house.
She called out for _, but there was no answer. Her feet started moving, shuffling along, carrying her down the steps.
She dug her hands into the grass. Summer grass. Green and thick. And warm.
She looked down the cliff. It slid straight into a liquid yellow light. An egg yolk sun, it hung there just beneath her feet; so close she could touch it, but unreachable.
"How did you find me?" She heard Raven say.
She frowned, turning to look at Zoro leaning against the apartment wall.
Raven's eyes narrowed. "How did you find me?" He was so relaxed, but she didn't let her guard down. She knew how he fought. He moved fast and hit hard. She wasn't taking any chances.
"Nami brought me right to you." He said, looking around the apartment lazily.
Raven blinked in disbelief. Nami had betrayed her? "She told you where I was?"
Zoro laughed, a horrid sound, "No, nothing like that. You're little burglar is actually surprisingly loyal. No, I tracked her. Figured she'd bring me to you eventually." He blinked, slowly. "And here you are."
Raven frowned slightly, "Here I am."
He was gone.
She blinked, turning back toward the egg yolk sun.
She screamed at the flames that leapt up around the house, cackling in silence. "_!" She called again, but there was still only quiet.
"I don't believe it." He whispered.
She looked up at him, his face a blank space.
She leaned back a little farther, frowning a little. "You don't believe what?"
His faceless head moved.
He blinked, "I don't believe what they say about you."
The sun burned below her.
Her foot slid off the edge of the cliff, and she screamed as she started to fall. Towards the fire. She screamed again, her voice going silent, overpowered by the other voices that filled her ears. Voices of her friends, family, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers. They all cried out at her, demanding she repay them for her life.
She should not have been allowed to live.
She should have burned with the rest of them.
"No! No!" She clamped her hands over ears, the egg yolk sun swallowing her up.
"Just breathe."
He gingerly slid his hand behind her waist, bringing his knee up slowly between her legs for her to sit on, which she did. She didn't fight him as he let her lean on him, and he reclined back, supporting her weight. "Just breathe."
She reached out to him. To anyone.
Save Me.
_ came running with his arms outstretched, and _ soon followed. She sunk into their comforting embrace, the pain and loss that was her past swallowing her all over again.
Save me. She cried, a single tear tracing a line down her cheek.
He shook his head, silencing her. "I may not be the nicest person, but I'm not cruel."
He readjusted himself, both his arms gently sliding around her so that she didn't fall. She leaned on him some more, welcoming the reprieve from the burn she felt.
Like summer grass.
She reached up and wound her fingers into his hair, even though she knew she should be running away.
Shouldn't she?
He reached up slowly, hesitantly, and ran his fingers through her hair.
She closed her eyes, the house melting away as the egg yolk sun sank into small flames and dripped into warm, summer grass.
Her dress rustled in the soft breeze as she walked through the grass, cool against her bare feet.
His hair was a light green, and she was reminded of summer grass.
She leaned down to run her hands through his hair, digging her fingers into the cool grass.
Damn Mosshead.
She burst out laughing, closing her eyes as shadows reached out to her again.
Robin jerked awake as a woman shrieked Luffy's name. Nami was standing over her, and glanced down as she opened her eyes.
"Hey, you okay?" The ginger asked. Robin closed her eyes for a moment and nodded, a smile spreading over her face. It had been years since she had slept well enough to dream. Good or bad, it was a wonderful sensation.
She pushed herself up, rubbing the remaining sleep from her eyes. What was going on? She looked up to see everyone's attention on a woman in the center of the room. She cocked her head, trying to place where she had seen that face before. "Boa Hancock!" She smiled, getting to her feet.
Nami glanced up at her, "Who, her? Who is she?" Robin looked over at her friend. The motel owner seemed annoyed. What exactly had she missed.
"Her name is Boa Hancock, better known as the Gangster Empress. She's a mafia boss whose power stretches far outside the walls of this city. She's said to turn men to stone with her beauty, and that no man can resist her charm."
Nami scoffed, "Yeah, I noticed." Robin looked over to see her glare in Sanji's direction. Ah. "But I've also heard rumors that she looks down on all men, so there's no need to worry."
The ginger smiled, "That's comforting I suppose. But she doesn't seem to be 'looking down' on Luffy at all." She pointed toward the two of them.
Robin's eyes tracked back up to where Boa was indeed hanging all over Luffy, and much to Robin's amusement, Luffy barely seemed to notice.
"Hey, can you get off me for a second? I gotta put this stuff down." Luffy was attempting to shake her off, looking more inconvenienced than anything else. "Hammock! Come on, back off for a second."
Nami slid away from her side, and Robin watched for a moment as she went back to Sanji. She smiled to herself.
The two of them fit well together, despite the apparent tension. Sanji appeared to fall for every woman he laid eyes on, but Robin could tell it was nothing real. However, he acted differently around Nami. His smile was more sincere, his laugh real. He liked her, it was obvious.
And Nami was the same. She ignored him, and shut him down all the time. But it was obvious she secretly enjoyed the attention. And when they had first met, Nami had confessed she did have feelings for him.
Which was more than Robin was doing.
Her smile faltered for a moment, and slowly vanished as a certain green headed idiot came to mind. Her dream also returned, along with many uncertain feelings. She had never seen any of her pursuers as anything more than an obstacle to avoid. But Zoro was different. She paid special attention to him, and she didn't know why. He was strangely alluring, with something of a gentle side hidden away.
He was different then the rest of the men who had chased after her. He saw her differently, and that made him special.
It wasn't a fact she could deny anymore. He was special to her. He gave her a chance. He refused to just swallow the notion that she was evil. The rest of them had. But he believed in her. At least enough. He had given her a chance, and it wasn't something she was going to waste. She had to meet him halfway.
She straightened her shoulders, walking into the mess of people. The many voices slowly died down as she approached the Gangster Empress. She had to form a plan, quick. If Zoro was going to believe her, then she had to make it easy for the two of them to communicate.
And that was going to take a lot of risks. She needed the strongest people on her side. She couldn't do this by herself.
Thank you for the reviews on last chapter! I know it's been way too long, so if my responses don't make any sense to you, I'm so sorry! I had them written down from before, so honestly, I don't even remember what was said.
Anyone: Heck yeah, Luffy! It might be a little sad, because he won't be quite as impressive without his rubber powers…but we shall see what he can do here, hmm?
JJ: I'd bet money on your guesses, you're spot on xD (although don't tell anyone else) Hopefully what I have planned will live up to your expectations, there's so much pressure to do well :D
Yes, I needed the police to have a little more character, and Sengoku seemed like the perfect frontman. He gives me the same impression as you described, so I'm glad I portrayed him correctly, yes! Author points for self!
And *wink wink* yeee Zoro can't really resist the Enchantress much longer, can he? Huehuehue
YoungHeart: You bet they'll be plenty more fights now that Luffy's been thrown in the mix :D And Luffy already has his Queen, you'll see ;)
Well…I hadn't planned that Luffy's background would get too much of a spotlight…but maybe. I'll have to see *shrug*
Guest: I will, I will, and I'm so sorry it's late! I'll try to do better now!
TakaKarin: Ah~your words are like a rainbow after the rain. Thank you so much! Even though I am lacking when it comes to faithful updates, I do still work hard on portraying everyone well, so that means a lot to hear you say those things.
I will try to do better with updates! I know I say this a lot, so if I let you down again, I'm so sorry. Please continue to support me, it means so much to me that you do. This disloyal writer does not deserve you. I love you all, and I hope you're doing well!