It's my longest Chapter yet! I have had the best day lazily writing, and I had so much to add to this story it just kept going! Thanks to all my reviewers and everything lovely that has been said :d
Review Replies:
-w-easy enough: The more I write the more I love Chopper, he is just so amazing and adorable.
xHitsulover: Why thank you so much! I'm glad you like it, I do too :D
I Wanna Go to a Place: I am trying my hardest not to make this an angst fest. But it's kinda turning out that way! I've tried to make alot of this chapter upbeat, but I don't think it really shines through, I was too busy trying to make everything I wanted to happen this chapter happen! I'm sad for the lack of Sanji in this chapter, but the next one will make up for it. He's a really interesting character
Sue: I had alot of fun writing the sword shopping part, Im glad you liked it! I do have a story for Nami, things will be better from her now. I didn't want to explain her life in too much depth (cause if I did, I'd have to do it for all of them and then my already long chapters would be ridiculous!) but if there's anything you wanna know, ask! I can have my very own SBS!
Happy Reading!
Disclaimer - I don't own One Piece
Chapter 8 – Party Favours
The group walked back to Luffy's house, chatting enthusiastically about the upcoming party
"So, your house tonight then, right Luffy? Ussop clarified as they entered the front door. Chopper bounced along excitedly
"And they'll be sweets and cake? And candyfloss?" Drool pooled at his feet as he imagined everything he could eat
"Where will there be candyfloss?" Ace wandered into the living room, and slumped down on the sofa.
"Ace nii-chan! We're having a welcome party for Zoro here later, you're gonna be there right?" Ace turned to Zoro, who was sitting on the floor, caressing his new swords
"You okay with all this?" Zoro shrugged
"Heh, even if I wasn't, they wouldn't stop would they?"
"Ha! You've got them down alright! But Luffy, don't you remember what Shanks said?"
"Huh, Shanks said what?" Ace sighed at his brother's stupidity
"There's a big meeting tonight with Whitebeard, he wants to have it here at the house. Ussop, surely your father's gonna be here too" Luffy and Ussop's mouths opened in shock as they remembered the lectures they both recieved
"Ehhh?! So we can't have the party here? Noooo!" Zoro turned to Ace as the trio cried
"Who's Whitebeard?"
"Oh, he's another major politician, like Shanks. Only he's a lot more distinguished, and a bit more powerful. They're rivals, but respect each other. In fact, I work in Whitebeard's office."
"But you don't need to go to this meeting?"
"No, I'm not in the inner circle yet, even if Shanks is my father. Besides, I have another job to prepare for" Ace told Zoro with a sigh, almost forlorn sounding, but the swordsman didn't press on it...
Chopper was thinking out loud
"We can't have it at mine, the clinic will be open, and Ussop's father won't let him throw parties after what you did at the Big Christmas Fiasco" Luffy stuck his lip out and folded his arms in a pout
"It wasn't THAT bad, Yassop overreacted."
"The cat is traumatised, Luffy! He still won't go near the fireplace!" Ussop shouted, and Luffy grinned sheepishly
"Um Luffy, what about Sanji and Nami?" Chopper seemed reluctant to ask, and looked over at Zoro, who was deep in discussion with Ace about his new swords
"They have to come! They're our friends!"
"But, they aren't exactly fans of Zoro's, Luffy"
"Well, we'll just show them at the party, ne?" Luffy patted his hat down and grinned, and Chopper suddenly felt reassured
"Umm, well we can't have it at Sanji's; the Baratie will be too busy. That just leaves Nami's farm. If she wants to see you that is, Luffy"
"Of course she will!" Ussop appeared nervous despite Luffy's optimism
"She was pretty angry at you Luffy, and she really even angrier at Zoro. You're gonna have to do some damage control. Go ring her and apologise, sort it all out"
"But it wasn't my…" Chopper interjected
"I know it wasn't Luffy, but for now, you're going to have to take the first step. Otherwise we won't be able to have the party!" Luffy's face was comically tragic at the realisation
"Ahh! No I'll apologise!" Ussop whispered, pulling the other two closer
"What about Zoro though? Nami still hates him, and on the farm, he might feel a bit awkward"
"I'll speak to Nami about it, I'm sure he'll be fine at the farm"
"...But what about around Nami's slaves?"
"..." Ussop and Luffy sat in thought at Chopper's point. Surely the man won't like being reminded at how he used to be treated.
Across the room, Zoro stiffened his grip of Yubashiri, which did not go unnoticed by Ace
"You okay, Zoro-san?" Zoro snorted, muttering quietly
"Yea, those three really don't know how to be quiet, do they?" Ace paused and listened to the conversation, and pulled a sympathetic grimace at the embarrassed Zoro
"Sorry about that, Zoro-san…will you be okay if we go to Nami's?"
"It'll be fine; I wouldn't want to upset their plans anyway. I'll just deal with it" Ace patted him on the back
"Well, I'll be there if you need me, okay? Those three idiots too." Ace grinned at Luffy, who had given up on the conversation and was currently doing an accurate impression of Sanji, while Ussop and Chopper banged on the floor with tears of laughter in their eyes. Zoro barked out a laugh.
"Why did I have to meet the craziest bunch of idiots in Grand Line?"
Ussop and Chopper had run off, muttering about party preparations and plans, so when Ace fell asleep in the middle of a TV show (something Zoro greatly enjoyed, never being allowed to watch it up until now), Zoro went up to his room for a nap and Luffy hunted out his Den Den Mushi, and rang Nami. As soon as it started to ring, the lanky boy was pacing in the study (where the Den Den had been hiding, for some mystery reason), panicking about what to say. His mind went blank when there was a click
"Hello?"
"…Hello?"
"Huh? Hello?...Is that you Luffy?" Nami sounded slightly irritated
"Oh, Nami! Yea hi!" She sighed at his nervous laugh
"What do you want Luffy?"
"Um…I wanted to say sorry. For earlier." Nami paused, at a loss for words.
True, she was mad at Luffy for saying those things about her. But once she got home, and stormed about a bit, a shouted at her sister Nojiko for a while, she realised that Luffy wasn't the only one at fault. Did she really treat people that badly?
"Um, thanks, Luffy…"
"…so…everything's okay then, yea?"
"Yea, I guess it is. And I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have slapped you"
"Yea! That hurt!" Nami's laughter rang through the Den Den
"Well just don't do it again then! And this time, I won't charge you for upsetting me"
"Shihihihihi, thanks Nami! So can we have the party at yours tonight then?"
"…Party? What are you talking about Luffy?"
"The party! Oh, I didn't tell you about the party yet?" There was a dull thud down the line, as the redheaded girl slapped her palm to her forehead in exasperation
"No Luffy, you didn't"
"Oh, sorry! Well we're gonna have a party tonight, for Zoro! But we don't have anywhere to have it cause Shanks is having a meeting at mine and Sanji has the restaurant and Chopper has the clinic so we thought maybe we could have it at yours?"
"For Zoro?" Nami's frown was picked up and repeated in miniature by the Den Den Mushi, but Luffy wasn't paying attention as usual
"Yea! A welcome party! You'd come anyway, right? So you wouldn't mind having it at yours?"
"Well..." Nami thought. Though she did still dislike that weird Southern man, she did feel bad about the argument with Luffy. But if the party was at her house, wouldn't the slave be anxious near her own slaves (who, she reminded herself, she must learn the names of first thing tomorrow) "….I guess you can, if it's okay with everyone else. It'll cost you though, for putting me through all this trouble"
"Yea! Thanks Nami, you're the best! Ussop and Chopper will be round in a bit to decorate, and me and Ace and Zoro will be round in a few hours, okay? Phone Sanji and tell him, and can you get him to cook some stuff? Thanks! Bye!"
Luffy spoke so quickly and hung up so rapidly, that Nami barely had time to catch it all. She smiled and began calling Sanji, preparing for the madness that will be this party.
The sun had set, and Ace and Zoro left the Redhair home. Zoro looked much better in his new clothes. The dark trousers, big boots, clean white t-shirt and weird green Haramaki (which now held is swords proudly) suited him, but the offending waistband was still a topic of discussion
"…I thought only old men wore them"
"SHUT UP Ace! I like it! And it holds my swords now, see?!" Zoro ground his teeth in frustration "Come on Luffy!"
The boy ran out the house and met the two as they head towards the stable, where a horse and cart were prepared
"What took you so long Luffy?"
"Hee, nothing. Just getting ready" Luffy ran off as he giggled, and Zoro could tell he was hiding something. The brothers sat in the cart, waiting for Zoro as he climbed inside in an uncomfortable fashion.
"Hm, this is weird"
"What is Zoro?"
"I've not been in a cart like this before" The three sat in a seat facing the horses, and another faced the other way for additional people to sit in. It was small, but fast, and suited the small family's needs.
"Really! How did you get places that were far away?" Ace chuckled at his brother's naivety as they headed to Nami's
"Um, no Luffy. I never left the plantation until I escaped; the only time I've been on a cart is when I was taken there in the first place"
"Oooooooh wow! That's how you managed to end up all this way; you didn't know where you were going!"
"I just went to the nearest town, Baka!"
"But Rouge Town's hundreds of miles away! You could've gone to Cocoyashi, that's much closer! Dummy!"
Luffy and Zoro argued about directions for most of the trip, and didn't even notice when they pulled to a stop at Nami's farm.
It was huge, rows of Orange trees grew behind it, and the house stood proud, big and white, in front. As they wandered to the front door, Zoro noticed the rows of little shacks near the fields. The slaves here were clearly treated better than he was at Kuro's, those houses were almost nice. The former slave subconsciously rubbed his brand as they waited for the door to open.
When it did, Zoro almost fell over in shock. There was a giant brown monster, in a pink hat? 'Wait, that looks like…'
"Hi Chopper! Luffy ran inside, shouting how amazing the decorations were. Ace smiled at the now giant reindeer
"Hi Zoro, come on in"
"Chopper? What…how…you're so big" Zoro walked past, still gaping at the formally little animal
"Huh? Oh! It's part of my Devil Fruit abilities – I can change my size if I need to" He shrunk back into the little reindeer Zoro knew, and led him into a big room, brightly decorated in streamers and balloons. Zoro noted Luffy and Ussop dancing madly to some music, and Ace relaxing in a chair, politely chatting to the witch Nami. When the idiot cook twirled in with plates of food, Zoro knew this was going to be a long night.
The evening continued well. Ussop told his tales of adventure and all enjoyed them (though only Chopper believed them). Chopper and Luffy ate so much Zoro thought they might explode, but Sanji kept bringing more out. And the blonde only got mad at them once – when Ace fell asleep in the cake he had lovingly baked. But at least now there were good photographs of the freckled man with a face full of pink icing (they were lucky they got the picture, as shortly after Luffy had licked the face clean in one fell swoop)
But Zoro couldn't help but notice that the redheaded witch and idiot cook were ignoring him. He also couldn't help but notice that Luffy saw it too, and was getting upset. In an attempt to seem interested in them, he wandered over the straw hat wearing boy, who was mid bite into another steak
"Oi Luffy, I thought you said Nami's mother worked for the police. Why does she have a farm?" Zoro attempted the best he can to sound enthusiastic
"Nami? Ummm, her mum used to work for the police, but she quit. She liked oranges, so started the farm. Nami's sister is going to take it over one day, and Nami's gonna join the police like Bellemere did!"
"So how had she heard about me?"
"Bellemere is still friends with all the police, so I figured she must have heard about it." Zoro nodded as Sanji strode past him, back towards the kitchen
"What about the ero cook, what's his story?" Luffy laughed
"Ero cook, shihihihi. Well, Sanji moved to Rouge Town about 8 years ago now…hmmm, I'm 17 now and I was 9 when I met him so yea, 8!"
"Get to the point, Luffy!"
"Oh Yea, anyway he came from Blue, just like you! But he lived in the country of North Blue. Him and his dad..."
"The guy with the wooden leg?"
"Yea, they had this famous restaurant. So they got rich and moved here to open the Baratie. It's great!" Luffy launched back into his food, and Zoro felt the need to move away, or else be consumed by the rubber stomach.
The pair were still avoiding him, only talking to Ussop and Chopper when he was with Ace or Luffy, and pretending he wasn't there. But he caught the looks they gave him. Zoro was pissed, not only were they being rude to him, they were upsetting their friends, his friends.
Zoro wasn't going to stand for that.
Some time later (after a round of 'pin the tail on the Chopper', and a frankly disturbing Karaoke session, where Luffy made glass shatter with his voice), Zoro was able to find Nami sitting alone when everyone was getting more food, and took his chance
"Hey" Nami's eyes widened, and she tried to move away, but the bastard had blocked her in. Rookie mistake
"Oh, hi Zoro, good party, huh? Nice welcome to the neighbourhood and all" Zoro's eyes narrowed
"Cut the crap, I know you don't wanna talk to me and I'm not too fussed on talking to you either. But we need to sort this out" The friendly tone in the girl's voice was gone as she answered
"What's to sort out?"
"Che woman, you treat me like dirt. Just cause I'm a bit different. Well I'll tell you, I couldn't care less how you treat me. But you're upsetting everyone else." Zoro's voice was low and dangerous, and Nami saw the seriousness in his eyes.
"Upsetting who?"
"Ussop. Chopper. And Luffy. That kid saved my life and took me in, no questions asked. And now you're attitude is bringing him down - I can't let that happen"
Nami suddenly realised how much more threatening the man looked now he had swords, and decided to humour him.
"So, what do you suggest?"
"Give me a chance. I don't expect people to like me and I couldn't care less if they didn't, but if it affects my friends then I have to do something. Don't judge me before you get to know me" Nami crossed her legs, and eyed Zoro. He had guts, she liked that, and he didn't really seem all that bad now he was cleaned up and stuff. Dress sense was a bit funny though.
"…okay. And what do you suggest we do in the meantime?"
"How about we make a deal?" Zoro could swear he saw Beli signs in the girl's eyes at the mention of it, but it might have been his imagination
"Deal?"
"Just for now, while everyone else is around, we'll be civil to each other. For their sakes" Zoro nodded in the direction of Luffy, who had just run in the room with everyone else.
"Fine, but it'll cost you. Any time you annoy me I'll charge you 5000 Beli" Nami smirked and rose, poking Zoro in the chest
"What?! You're crazy, woman!" Nami smiled as she walked away
"Thank you, Zoro-kun"
Luffy saw Nami approach grinning and was mildly disturbed when Zoro followed
"Everything okay guys?" Nami glanced at Zoro, who glowered at her
"Yea Luffy, everything's great. Right, Zoro-kun?" Zoro grunted in affirmation, and Luffy's smile spread even wider
"Great! Here Nami, try this meat!"
When Chopper suddenly fell asleep in the middle of a dance, the group decided it was time to head home. Ussop and Chopper walked back - they lived nearby, while Sanji left a mountain of treats 'for my beautiful Nami Swaaan' before retreating home himself. Ace and Zoro had to drag Luffy away from the food, and found themselves back at the house so late, Luffy had fallen asleep inthe cart and Ace had to carry him to bed
"So, you have fun then Zoro?"
"Hmm, yea…thanks" Ace smiled and looked warmly at his brother
"Don't thank me; it was all this idiot's idea...Night Zoro" Ace nodded his head as he carried Luffy into his room, and Zoro retreated into his.
It was dark in his room, and it took a while to open the curtains and let the moonlight in. But when he did, he never expected to find what he did.
The White Sword.
It was lying on his bed, a folded piece of paper next to it. Zoro slowly reached for it, as if he expected it to disappear at his touch. But it didn't, and he gasped as he held it open to admire. The sword gleamed in the moonlight, the metal glinting as he eased it back into the sheath. The swordsman was almost trembling as he held it. It was so beautiful, so amazing. But why was it here?
He put down the sword and opened the paper. He saw a random bunch of coloured scribbles that looked vaguely like people, and underneath, a scrawled note
Hi Zoro!
Do you like the picture? I drew it, it's of all of us! Me you Nami Ussop Sanji and Chopper! Cool huh?
Shanks told me you're meant to get presents when you move house. So when you were napping I went and got you this! The man in the shop said it was called Wadou Ichimonji, and he thought you could use it well. It's really cool, ne? I didn't know what else to get you, other than meat…but then I got that and I ate it, but I found the sword shop again and remembered how much you liked it!
Welcome to Rouge Town!
Luffy
Zoro put down the note, speechless. Stupid kid, how could he go and get something like his for me?
But the more Zoro looked at the sword, the more he loved it. And when he slid it into the holder on his Haramaki, he felt complete. This is what he was missing earlier. Zoro grinned a genuine smile as he thought
Man, how am I going to make this up to Luffy?
--
Yay chapter done! I had so much I realised I wanted to happen in this chapter, I apologise if it seemed a bit fast.
How nice is Luffy to get him Wadou? I knew he needed it, and it needed to be precious. So whats better than a gift from his friend! And now things are sort of okay with Zoro and Nami, almost. Give it time, she just needs to get to know him a bit better!
I wish I could have done the party in detail, but it really wasn't important.
I found the dialouge so hard to write so much of! I think I managed it, but who knows? You people please review and tell me!
Next Chapter : Zoro and Sanji straighten things out!
Thanks for Reading - Pamplemoose