Ahh, work does indeed reduce the amount of time I spend wrting, but it pays so I will persevere! I found this chapter really hard to write, I'm still not too happy with it. But I can;t think of what to change, so I think I'm gonna let you guys tell me how it is!
The PoF love is just getting better and better-people are FAVOURITING my story! Thats amazing guys thank you so much!
Review Replies:
I-wanna-go-to-a-place: I'm gald you said the characterisations are good, I was very worried about Luffy. He's surprisingly hard to capture, I give Oda even more respect! Yea I seemed to massively enjoy making Zoro's past horrible, but I just felt that Kunia's death needed to be explained, and needed to still be important to Zoro. And yea, he did go a bit nuts for just a kid, but that shows how dangerous South Blue is! They're all busy fighting and stuff, so you shouldn't make them angry. Maybe it was a bit overboard, but I didn't think it would resonate as much if Zoro were older when it happened. I am the opposite to you, I refuse to give up on something I've started, so I should definately finish this eventually!
Blu-calling: Ahhh I love the Squee!! Squeeness is just so great, almost as good as Twee. I really think that Zoro would get that upset over losing a friend, he's a bit too loyal for his own good. Besides, Kunia was more than a friend, she was the first person who was nice to him, and didn't treat him like a monster because of where he's from. The main focus in his life is the discrimination Zoro faces for being from a certain place and living a life he had no control of. I hope that will come across, the world of PoF is a very discriminating place.
PhoenixShadow: I like that you are already wanting to know what will happened later, if they get coupley or hurt or whatnot! :D But they definately are great friends, in any dimension. I like Ace too, I made him a bit calmer than normal, but I don't think he'd be as Ace -ish if he lived a bit more normal life. Unfortunately, I don't plan for Ace to stay in the story for too long, I'd like to but I can't cope with this many characters!
Enjoy chapter 5 (already! This is crazy)
Disclaimer - I do not own One Piece
Chapter 5 – Introductions (pt 2)
The boys sat in silence for some time in the bath, unsure of what to say to each other. The strangeness of the situation had started to kick in. After all, it wasn't everyday a runaway slave befriended one of the wealthiest families in town and hung out in baths together.
Luffy and Ace sat a bit away from their new friend, as if they didn't know what to do with him. Zoro noticed the distance but didn't mind, he was used to it. So much was going through his head, he had so many questions to ask, about everything, but the dark haired brothers seemed nervous to talk to him. Zoro decided to take matters into his own hands, and as he rubbed the dirt of his body he broke the ice.
"So, how come you don't have any slaves at your house Luffy?" The boy's head snapped at the address, and he lowered himself into the water and thought of an answer
"Shanks doesn't think people should be enslaved, he wants to ad…admonish?"
"Abolish Luffy" Ace corrected his brother "You see Zoro-san, Shanks is a politician, a pretty important one. He's working at trying to abolish slavery for good, he has always thought it was a disturbing practice. But it's not all that popular with some of the wealthier people." Zoro nodded and glared into the pool
"Of course, what would they do without them? Slaves do everything and get nothing but beatings?" He gave a sarcastic and twisted smile but Luffy didn't catch the anger-only smiled back
"Yea! But Shanks hates it, that's why he doesn't have any! He says we should be able to do things for ourselves!" Luffy kept on smiling and splashing in the water, but his smile quickly vanished when Zoro asked his next question
"Um, what happened to his arm? I mean I noticed and, yo...you don't have to tell me or anything…I was just curious" Zoro began to backpedal the second he saw his friends face fall, but after a pause Luffy answered quietly
"Ah, Shanks lost his arm protecting me."
The awkward silence hung heavy in the air again. Luffy twirled his finger on top on the water, making little ripples and clearly ignoring the other two with him. Ace saw Zoro looked confused and guilty, but thought he deserved an answer
"A lot of people aren't too found of Luffy and Me, Zoro-san. Maybe it's because we aren't Shanks' real children-he adopted us 13 years ago, or maybe it's because we're a bit, well, special. Have your heard of the Devil Fruit disaster?" Zoro frowned as he thought
"Vaguely. Some of the older slaves talked about it, but I never really understood. Something that happened in Drum or something?"
"That's right. Twenty five years ago, a scientist called Vegapunk was researching the effects of the chemical he called the Devils Fruit. Wanted to endow people with super intelligence and stuff, so he started testing on his slaves." Zoro's voice rumbled with repressed anger and oppression.
"Course, cause they can't complain or fight back" Ace frowned sadly and nodded
"Of course, they were the perfect human lab rats. But it didn't work, most died or were hurt really bad. Some did change though, apparently people of Drum heard the screams for days. They mutated. Got given certain powers. Apparently our real father was one of Vegapunk's slaves, and he received the mutation. It was genetic - it passed on when he had Luffy and me, and we have special powers too." Zoro just loked at the brothers and gaped
"Powers? Like what?"
"I have control over fire, and Luffy's body is made of rubber." Luffy seemed to shrink into himself, fearing the response of disgust he usually got when people learned of his ability, but it never came.
"Really? That's so cool! Can you show me?" Zoro's interest roused Luffy from his quiet shell, and he went to stretch out his arm before he remembered
"Sorry Zoro, water stops our mutations! That's why we can't swim!" Zoro nodded, accepting the crazy nature of his friends like it was nothing. Luffy was impressed with his new friend's quick acceptance of his power, so unlike the people from Grand Line.
He smiled and continued quietly, sadness creeping through his voice
"That's why Shanks lost his arm, some campaigner against him was trying to throw me off a cliff, to punish him, but he jumped in and saved me. His arm got smashed up in the fall; he had to have it amputated." The younger brother seemed upset as he finished his story, and his brother rested a hand on his shoulder in support.
Zoro was about to leave the pair alone for some privacy, but Ace put on his cheeriest voice
"Maybe it's time we got out, ne? You could go to the Baratie for lunch, show Zoro the gang?" Luffy was out of the water at the mention of lunch, sadness forgotten as he shouted in all his naked glory
"YOSH! Let's go get meat, Zoro!!" Ace and Zoro smiled as they got out the bath. Ace made a point to face the other way so he didn't stare at Zoro's wounds, but soon they were all dressed and Luffy was pulling his new friend out the door with one hand, placing Boshi on his head with the other
"See you later, Ace!!" The freckled man laughed and waved
"Later Luffy!"
The two rushed down the street so quickly Zoro barely had time to look around the new neighbourhood. He was pleased to find his body wasn't as sore, that bath had done its job. And Ace's clothes made him feel a lot more comfortable, the black trousers and navy blue vest were much better than his tattered clothes.
Luffy was running infront, pulling him along frantically. He tried to look at the street as he passed quickly. Shops were full of clothes and jewellery, costing more money than Zoro could ever comprehend, let alone spend. He noticed that the streets were so clean, no rubbish, dirt or dust was in sight. The pavement gleamed, lined with trimmed trees and streetlamps. It all felt like something out of a fairy tail to the man so used to poverty.
Suddenly Luffy stopped and Zoro, not paying attention, ran into the back of him. Together they tumbled through the front door of a very fancy looking restaurant; a mauve building with 'Baratie' emblazoned across the front in swirly gold lettering.
The air of sophistication inside from diners was disrupted as the pair landing on the floor infront of the maitre d's stand. Zoro shouted and scrambled to untangle himself from his friend, who did nothing but laugh heartily.
"Why didn't you stop Zoro?"
"BAKA! I didn't know when to, you were too busy dragging me along!" Luffy laughed harder as Zoro pulled himself free from Luffy's tangled limbs. The noise was drowned out as a louder call came from the direction of the kitchen.
"Luffy you bottomless pit of a child you're not going to eat all my stock this time!" A peg legged man strode out of the kitchen, hands on hips, and glared daggers at the pair. "Eggplant's in the back if you want him" Luffy pulled Zoro towards the doors at the side, ducking to avoid a vicious kick from a wooden leg.
They walked into a smaller, more relaxed room, ignoring the chef's rant on the other side of the door. This side of the Baratie was to appease the more relaxed guests, who wanted the good food without all the trimmings. It was full of little tables, decorated a pale blue, and people ate and chatted away like in any normal café. Zoro stopped looking round when Luffy began talking
"Sanji's great Zoro! He and his dad Zeff own this place; they're the best cooks ever! I'm never allowed next door though; Zeff says I scare away the fancy customers. Oh hey everyone's here! OI Guys!" Luffy waved wildly and ran up to a table nearest the kitchen, on which were situated 3 people. Well, 2 people and a reindeer? Zoro walked over to the weird group and hovered in the background.
The group were all smiling at Luffy as he hopped on a chair and greeted them while shouting loudly for meat. There was a curly haired boy, whose nose seemed ridiculously long, the weird reindeer creature, and a redheaded girl who was bossing the three about. Zoro glared at her, but remained unnoticed. Behind him, a door opened and instantly, a distaste Zoro had never felt before reared its head as a black and blonde swirl pushed passed him, crying "MELLORINE!"
The swirl slowed to a halt infront of the redhead, and revealed to be a lanky blonde haired boy in a perfectly cut suit, bowing at the smug girl. His voice instantly grated on Zoro nerve as he spoke
"Oh Nami-swan! Please enjoy this delicious treat I prepared just for you, my beauty! I call it my pastries of love!" The tray of delicate pastries sat infront of the girl, who gave a fake smile and told the man in an off-handed fashion
"Thank you, Sanji kun" So this was that Sanji kid? Zoro though he was an idiot. He glared at the blone hair 'what's with that stupid cut?' Sanji's head covered half his face, in a way which looked simultaneously perfectly fashioned and completely effortless. Zoro fantasised in all falling out.
At the thanks form the redhead ('Nami, was it?'), Sanji shot up, hearts in his eyes and shouted "MELLORINE" at the top of his lungs as he twirled back towards the kitchen...
Just as he was about to reach the door, he heard an audible snort of disgust, and Sanji turned to see a weird green haired man ('who was pitifully dressed') watch him with a mixture of amusement and disdain. The blonde haired man took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit is as he stalked over to this newcomer, and he growled
"Something funny, moss brain?" Zoro was ontop Sanji before the latter even realised it, and Sanji crashed into the floor. Customers screamed as Zoro pinned him, holding fistfulls of his shirt in one hand and the other curled into a fist pointing at the cook's head. The redhead, Nami, screamed, but Luffy only paid heed to the conflict when his stomach rumbled.
"Sanjiiiiiiii where's my mea…Oh! I see you met Zoro!" Both the fighters head's snapped to look at Luffy, who smiled at them both, seemingly unaware that they were about to try and kill each other. The long nose spoke out from his hiding spot under the table
"Y…you know this guy Luffy?"
"Huh? Yea! Guy's, this is Zoro, Zoro this is everybody! Sanji where's my meat?" Luffy clapped his feet together impatiently as his friends looked at the newcomer with mixed emotions. As the curious looks bore into his back, Zoro pushed off the trapped cook and wandered over to Luffy's side.
"This is Ussop, Nami and Chopper, and the guy on the floor is Sanji!" Luffy rocked back and forth on his chair as he introduced the petrified long nose, alarmed redhead and nervous reindeer thing in turn. Zoro glanced at the three before nodding briefly in greeting.
Ussop seemed to gather the courage to rise from his hiding place and stammered out
"Ah…Hi Zoro! Nice to meet you, I am the Great Captain Ussop!" He puffed his chest out and proclaimed, the creature next to him squeaked and clapped his hooves wildly. Before the little thing was able to introduce itself, Nami hurried over to the blonde haired cook, seeming to mildly restrain him whilst soothing
"Sanji-kun, are you alright? Why don't you go into the kitchen and cook something, ne? Luffy's still hungry. Or you can make me a snack?" Unusually, the boy didn't seemed to listen (though there was a flash of a heart in his visible eye when she held his arms gently), instead, he pointed his lit cigarette at Zoro, never taking his eyes off the new man
"Luffy, you better get you fucking idiot bastard of a friend here the hell out of my restaurant, or I'll dice him up and serve him in a salad" Zoro sensed the tension and challenged the threat, standing inches away from the tall cook as he spoke
"Che, like you could lay a finger on me, princess." Sanji's foot buried itself in Zoro's stomach before he could dodge, and he flew back into and through the table. Sanji simply watched as he slowly rose and dusted himself off. The flicker in this green hair's eyes was unnerving, but Sanji wasn't afraid of the bastard. Other diners were screaming and running out the front door, while Nami and Ussop screamed for Sanji, and Luffy ran over as the pair charged
"Zoro! Sanji stop it!" Before Luffy could intercept the upcoming blows, a much more powerful kick landed in the back of the young cook's head
"Eggplant! What are you doing scaring my customers like that! You lot, go upstairs and stay the hell out before you ruin my business!" Zeff bristled with anger as he berated the teenagers, who started towards the door that lead to Sanji's home above the business. Sanji stopped them quickly
"That Marimo bastard is not welcome in my home" Sanji addressed Luffy as he spoke about his new most hated person, who snarled threateningly in the background.
As always, Luffy's patented puppy dog eyes won through again
"Please Sanji? Zoro's my friend! And he has nowhere else to go!" Sanji sighed before he grumbled
"Fine, I'll just go and get your food, go on up" Luffy cheered, whether for Zoro or meat is unknown, before he stretched his arms over to the door and launched himself towards his other friends.
The group who had been dining thought nothing of it; indeed were more confused by Zoro's loud exclamation
"Shit! What the hell did you just do?!" He flattened himself against the wall as Luffy and co walked past. Luffy laughed but it was the reindeer creature that spoke.
"You didn't know about Luffy's Devil Fruit power, Zoro-san?" The creature seemed timid, which wasn't helped by a further shout from Zoro
"You talked! What the fuck!" Luffy put his hand on Zoro's shoulder and steered him through the door, Chopper hiding (the wrong way) at the hatted boy's feet.
"Chopper was affected by the devil fruit too Zoro! I didn't mean to scare you!" Zoro frowled at Luffy ('I dont get scared') before turning to Chopper. He leant down and apologised
"Sorry, Chopper-kun, Luffy's brother explained his power to me but I hadn't seen it before, I was startled. And I didn't expect you to, talk, you know? I mean…you're a reindeer" He ended lamely, feeling very foolish. But Chopper calmed a little, moving from his hiding spot as Sanji walked through the door laden with plates. He climbed up the stairs, fighting off a hungry Luffy as Chopper and Zoro ascended behind them. Chopper smiled
"That's okay; I guess I'm a bit surprising if you didn't expect it. Have you not met and Devil Fruit users before?" Zoro shook his head at the cute creature, and they reached the top of the stairs as Chopper asked
"So where are you from Zoro-san?"
Here Zoro made a slight error of pausing. He frantically thought of what to say-he knew all too well what normally happened when he answered, and these people were likely to react even worse than the slaves did. But the pause was all Luffy needed to open his mouth, which was already full of meat, and shout across the room
"Didn't I say Chopper? Zoro's from South Blue!"
--
Ahh, more characters! I just don't feel right about this chapter, I'm really unhappy with it. Ahh shit. I think I brushed too casually over Ace and Luffy's history. But I didn't think they were the type to go into detail about the bad things that had happened to them, and Ace was a perfect vehicle to tell things to Zoro without revealing too much. So I still think its a bit short, but it's just because Zoro neede to know for the story, but I don't think it needed a flashback. Zoro did, becuase that's the only way we can understand his past as there is noone else who knows it!
I didn't manage to introduce the rest of the crew too well, again I feared an overlong chapter. But I liked the mini intro, I realise now theres alot of ZoroSanji fighting, but I love it! I love how they just fight right from the get go. It just seems all a bit, off to me. Maybe I'll change it sometime later
Next Chapter: The gang and Zoro learn more about eachother. Will they get along?
Thanks for reading - Pamplemoose