Hi! I almost feel bad for not updating since Monday! I'm too used to my rapid writing style. But I found this chapter difficult to create, my mind was elsewhere. When I was trying to think up it yesterday I imagined a whole other story plot! So keep your eyes peeled in the not too distant future, for what I am in its early stanges dubbing 'my angst ending gangster OP fic' Exciting stuff.
So thanks for reading all so far, and those reviwers!
Review Response
Blu: Aww thank you! I am a little bit too proud of chapter 9, it just makes me happy. I love it! I always see Sanji and Zoro as being similar in many ways, so I wanted to interpret that into the story, and use a legitimate reason for their constant fighting. And I'm not gonna give anything away, but who knows who will appear in the future! I can't determine when other characters will appear, because this story is fluctuating wildly in size. At the moment I think I might end up stretching it over 20 chapters! Other times I think more like 15, so its all a bit up in the air
YusukesLover: I am touched that you think my characters have more dynamic than in the anime. I think you are holding me in too high a regard.
Sue: Aww thanks :D I did take my time, I hope you like it.
So enjoy everyone!
Disclaimer: I don't own OP.
Chapter 10 – Goodbyes
Zoro couldn't remember the last time he had had such an …eventful week. Luffy and his friends (the strawhats as the rubber boy liked to call them) seemed intent on showing him everything around in Rouge Town. All he wanted was to lie in the garden and sleep.
But no, Luffy wanted to take him to all the good meat places he knew of, and Ussop wanted to show him the market. Chopper wanted him to see where to get the best candy and all the gardens they can play in, while Ace had shown him all the places to pick up women (where, convienently, he could also get some rum). Nami and Sanji didn't really want to show him anywhere, yet the idiot cook introduced him to a gym, which had a great dojo he could train at. That one at least had been particularly useful.
He was having fun, for the first time in many years. It felt like he was walking through a dream, and that he'd wake to find himself at Kuro's, or Crocodile's, or any other rich bastards who treats him like dirt on their shoe. But one caress of his new swords thrust him back into reality, and Zoro would feel he could take on anything.
If he knew the outside world made you feel this good, he'd have escaped a long time ago.
All the time together had given Zoro a chance to learn about the little group. He learnt nothing new of Luffy – only confirmed that he is always that happy and crazy.
Ussop was a joker, but it seemed he just wanted to cheer everyone up with his tales. Over time Zoro had learnt he is surprisingly smart, and artistic, underneath his cowardly exterior.
Chopper…other than being a little odd, was like a kid. He was just as cheery as Luffy, but he had enough concern to fill an Ocean.
Zoro still thought the cook was an idiot, but he had to admit (grudgingly) that he was good at what he did. And his kicks were pretty strong too.
His opinion of Nami had softened slightly; but he still thought her a heartless witch for his debts. She was bossy, shouting at the others. He could see it was because she worried over them, like a big sister But she was still a demon when it came to money.
Ace was interesting. Zoro was glad he had this time off at the moment, as he enjoyed another more sensible person to talk to. When he was awake that is – the guy had a habit of dropping asleep at any given time. He was friendly and calm compared to all the others, but what interested Zoro was the looks Ace was giving his brother. Luffy had kept mentioning how nice it was to have Ace around so much, and Ace's face would flash with pain when he did. Zoro found it very interesting.
He had planned to watch these developments more today, in between some training and some nice long naps. As usual, his friends had another idea.
"Wake up Zoro"
"Ummmm, Luffy, maybe you shouldn't poke him that much"
"Huh, why? Its fine Ussop, He doesn't mind. C'mon Zoro, wake up"
"But, can't you see the twitch in his eyebrow? I think it's annoying him"
"Che, the idiot marimo still not ready? Lazy bastard, needs to get off his ass"
"Sanji! Ah! Luffy! Stop with the poking!"
"Zorooooooooooooowakeup"
The swordsman could take no more poking, and quick reflexes soon had the outstretched hand in a tight grip. It's a good think Luffy was made of rubber, or those fingers would have been broken.
"What do you want Luffy?" Zoro's voice promised death
"Come on! We're going to the beach today, remember? Sanji's just finished loading the cart so were just waiting for you so let's go!" Zoro sighed and got up, following Luffy to meet everyone else gathering outside
"Ready, Zoro?" Chopper was so excited about the trip; he was already wearing his water wings and inflatable ring around his waist. Zoro grunted and nodded as he climbed into Nami's larger cart. Ace leaned to his ear as he sat next to him
"Will you be okay Zoro? What if someone sees your marks?" Zoro's features darkened, but he muttered back
"It'll be fine Ace, I'll be careful." Any further conversation was cut off as Luffy and Ussop both piled (literally) into the cart at the same time, and they were off.
--
It took two hours or so to get to the beach – it would have taken much shorter but Ussop had to go back for his swimming trunks. Then Chopper needed his book. Then Nami needed her Sunglasses. But eventually, after 5 times of going back for items, and 7 stops for food or the bathroom, they got there.
And it was worth the trip. The beach was co-owned by Shanks, Ben, Zeff and Hilruk, Chopper's adopted father. It was pristine and private, hidden from view by cliffs, with white sands and clear water.
Ussop and Chopper ran down to the shore as soon as the cart stopped. Luffy was already there; rocketing down from the cart when it was still at the cliff top. The trio laughed and ran, investigating the area while Sanji, Ace and Zoro carried down food, sun umbrellas and chairs. The three boys started making sandcastles as Nami simply lounged down to a spot she wanted to sit, and waved Sanji over to set things up there.
"Ahhh, it's nice to get out of the city the once in a while" Nami muttered as she stretched out in the sun lounger in her bikini.
"What's wrong with the city, Nami?" Ace, already half undressed as always, sat in the sand next to her
"I mean its just so much hard work!" Zoro snorted as he dumped Sanji's cooking equipment in a pile
"Hard work? You draw pictures"
"Baka! It's much more complicated that that! Don't talk to Nami swan that way!" Sanji snarled at Zoro and went to kick him, but Nami stopped the fight by asking sweetly
"Sanji kun, can you help me with my sun cream?"
To say the cook became excited was an understatement
"Yes, Nami swaaaaaan! I will gladly help protect your delicate skin from the sun. Would you like an umbrella to shelter your face as well? A cool drink maybe?" The man wriggled around her with an expression of love and joy. Ace and Zoro looked at each other in amazement, as if daring each other not to laugh.
The day progressed with little major events. Ace fell asleep, and Luffy and Ussop buried him in sand, Chopper took shelter from the sun under an umbrella and discussed books with Nami. Sanji made a barbeque, which Luffy promptly consumed, and Sanji and Zoro bickered. A lot.
Currently, Sanji was cooking barbeque number 4, and Ace was trying to climb out of his sand binds
"Luffy! I'm gonna kill you!" The fire-man clambered out of the sand and ran after his brother and long nosed friend, shouting obscenities and threats of being burnt alive.
"Will they be okay?" Chopper panicked, as usual. Zoro snorted and took a swig from his bottle of rum
"Of course they will be Chopper, Ace is just overreacting" Nami soothed as she turned onto her front to tan.
"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH ZOROHELPME!!" Ussop's voice ran past the group when he, in an attempt to avoid Ace, waved at Zoro for attention. When he saw the swordsman do nothing but smirk at him, he ran into the safest place from the devil fruit siblings. He ran to the sea. Ace shouted after him
"You have to get back on shore some time Ussop! Just you wait!" Ace stood at the shore threateningly shaking a flamed fist.
"Ummmm, the great Ussop can stay in the water for hours!" Ussop tread water while scanning the shore for a safe place to swim back to. When Ace began to retreat, he headed back to shore.
Luffy thought Ussop was being so funny, so forgot about his ability and a cry of "gomu gomu" was followed by a loud splash.
And pandemonium broke loose.
Ace was knee high in the water, crying out for his brother, while Nami sat up and stared at the ripple 20 metres off shore, holding Chopper back from running in to save him himself. Sanji was in the water, in the process of taking off his suit jacket and shirt, but Ussop hadn't realised the rubber boy passed him when he was swimming, so was clmbing out of the sea.
"What's going on, Ace?"
Before Ace could reply, a white and green flash ran past and dived underwater.
"Zoro!" Nami shouted over Chopper's cries for Luffy. Silence descended on the beach as they waited for their friends to surface.
--
Luffy's mind was panicking wildly as he struggled to breathe. His mind screamed at him to move and get out and breathe, but his body did nothing to assist. The clear water dimmed around him as he sunk further and further.
Zoro swam frantically. 'No, not again! Don't let him die too!' The man dived, searching for a sign of a red vest of dark hair, any small sign that his friend was around. He remembered the conversation at the baths, that he can't swim, and the second he saw those limbs extend towards the sea Zoro saw visions of stairs, and blood. He couldn't let another friend die, only after he'd just met these ones.
Eventually he found Luffy, eyes closed as he rested at the sea bed. Zoro grabbed him and swum for the surface, ignoring the burning in his chest as it begged for oxygen. He broke the surface and heaved for air. Luffy lolled on his shoulder, groaning and coughing up some water weakly. Zoro sighed in relief 'At least he's safe'
"There they are, look!" Ussop pointed out to the patch of green hair that bobbed in the sea, and he and Sanji waded out to help with Luffy.
"Be careful! There could be water in his lungs! Lay him down here" The little reindeer was suddenly in charge (after a period of frantic cries of doctor!), getting Luffy breathing and back to normal. Sanji assisted him with rolling Luffy to his side, making sure he was breathing properly. Nami patted Ace on the shoulder as he stood in the background, pale and terrified.
"You okay, Ace?" The man didn't respond "He'll be alright you know, he always is." Nami grinned when Ace smiled
"Yea, yea he is" Ace's relieved thoughts were disrupted when he felt damp next to him, but recognised the silent tread of the person without looking "Thanks for saving him Zoro". The swordsman grunted
"S'nothing"
When Luffy was breathing normally and napping on the chair, attention turned to Zoro
"That was awesome Zoro!"
"You did react pretty quick Zoro; I won't have to charge you for it"
"Che, I could do better" Zoro growled
"As if, princess" Sanji was about to retort when Chopper squealed
"Ah, Zoro! Your clothes are all wet! You'll catch a cold!" Ace tensed and Zoro simply shrugged
"Its fine Chopper, forget it"
"No! You could get sick and be bedridden for weeks! You need to dry off!" Ace piped in
"Chopper, he'll be alright" The amount of protest only attracted more attention from the frantic doctor
"Please Zoro, just dry off!" Ussop handed him a towel, and the green haired man glanced at Ace before peeling off his wet shirt.
The others wished he hadn't. Ussop bit back a shriek, Nami's jaw dropped and Sanji's visible eye widened. Chopper screamed
"Ah! Zoro!" He ran to inspect the scars on his body, and Zoro tried to bat him away.
"Leave it Chopper! I'm fine!" Zoro began to dry off, and walked away to pick up his swords, while Ace patted Chopper's shoulder
"Forget it, Chopper. They are scars of Zoro's past" Tears welled in the reindeers eyes as he looked over at the scarred friend.
"They don't hurt Zoro?" Chopper sniffed as Zoro put on a new shirt, before patting the reindeer on the head
"Don't worry Chopper, they don't hurt much anymore."
Zoro began practicing katas, and the other stood in stunned silence.
--
Luffy napped for a few hours, and Ussop and Chopper quickly joined him. Once Sanji had cooked some more, he relaxed near the group and was soon dozing off on Ussop's shoulder. Zoro was asleep where he'd been training.
Ace stood over his brother with a sad smile on his face.
"You're not tired, Ace?" The freckled man turned to see Nami watching him awkwardly.
"Na, I'm fine like this" Ace sat by his brother and brushed hair out of his face. Nami frowned
"What are you hiding? You've been looking at Luffy funny for days"
Ace sighed heavily. Damn that woman for being so perceptive. He checked that everyone was asleep before moving over to her
"You, you'll look after Luffy right, Nam? All of you will?"
"…What do you mean?" Nami paused as Ace weighed out his words
"Not many people like me and Luffy, remember Nami? Lots of people in grand line don't like the Devil Fruit abilities"
"I know, I've been friends for you guys for long enough." Ace gulped down some rum he aquired from Zoro's sleeping hand before muttering, in a low voice
"I have to leave, Nami. Tonight"
"...Huh?"
"You remember I work for Whitebeard, yea? Well there was this guy, a good friend of his and ours, who's got involved in some bad shit. Killed a guy, even. Whitebeard wants me to go talk to him, get him to come talk to whitebeard for retribution" Nami stayed silent, so Ace continued
"I don't think I'll be coming back"
"What? Why the hell not? You're just going to talk to a guy after all"
"I'm going to talk to a criminal Nami, and one who doesn't like me much to boot. There's a fair chance I won't be back at all"
Silence hung heavy in the air for a few minutes. Nami sat in shock and Ace sipped his drink, sat rigid, attempting to hold in his emotions. After giving him time to compose himself, Nami muttered
"You've not told Luffy then?" Ace's shoulders sagged as he whispered
"How can I? I'm the only real family he has left"
"...You have to Ace"
"..."
"It'll only be worse if you leave without explaining anything" Ace sighed and traced his fingers in the sand
"But when do I tell him?
"Why don't you do it now?" Nami nodded over to Luffy, and Ace was startled to see the lanky kid's brown eyes wide open, looking at his brother with heatbreaking confusion. Since when could Ace not realise that?
Nami got up and wandered over to a rocky area, and left the two brothers muttering. She heard them wander up the cliff together and sighed.
The rest of the gang woke up shortly after, and quickly noted the Redhair brothers' absence. Nami quickly told them of Ace's imminent departure before they had a chance to ruin the pair's chat.
"Leaving. So soon?" Chopper looked and sounded hurt "Why didn't he tell us?"
"It was probably just too hard Chopper. It's difficult leaving friends behind" Sanji explained as he reheated some food.
Ussop didn't really talk; just sniffed and hid tears to himself. Zoro set up a fire and left the group to talk. He hadn't known Ace for too long so felt like they needed to have a bit of privacy. He'd miss Ace though; the man was always good to talk to.
--
The D brothers returned a few hours later, when the sun was nearly set and the sky was dark. They were quiet. Ace sniffed every now and then, and Luffy's eyes were red and swollen (he was thankful it was now night).
But as they got to the beach, they saw a giant bonfire, and their friends waiting for them. Nami hugged Luffy reassuringly as Chopper and Ussop hugged Ace. Sanji called out from behind them
"Now, lets toast to Ace" He handed out big chunks of meat "…I haven't really any more drink, since the Marimo idiot downed most of it somehow (In the background, Zoro's mutters of Ero-cook were audible), so we'll have to use meat" Nami grinned as she took her piece
"For these two idiot brothers, food is somehow more appropriate" The sad group laughed, a real genuine laugh, and spirits lifted. Luffy wiped his face and smiled up at his brother
"To Ace!" The 5 friends joined him, cheering for the elder brother as he stood there smiling. Meat was raised into the air and they all shouted "ACE!" Luffy, Nami, Ussop and Chopper hoping the noise would hide the tears from their voices.
--
The ride home was filled with stories from their past, and Ace laughed at tales of his old adventures. When they reached Nami's place, he gave her a hug and a kiss to say goodbye. She blubbered and muttered
"Baka, you're gonna owe me so much Beli for making me upset" Ace smiled
"Sorry Nami, I'll pay you back when I'm home. Thanks you know, for earlier."
"It's okay. I won't charge you for it." He laughed and she hugged him tighter
"Thanks. Remember to look after him."
"Yea...Bye Ace" She hugged tight him one more time before she ran into the house.
Sanji wasn't tearful. The pair shook hands
"Take care of yourself, Ace. Don't go falling asleep too much" Ace laughed
"You too, make sure you keep feeding my brother so well, yea?" The pair grinned for a while, still gripping hands furiously. As they felt tears well they both jumped forward and hugged each other. Sanji watched the cart leave as he smoked outside the restaurant, ignoring the wet trail down his cheeks.
Ussop and Chopper were a bit more problematic. Tears were like rivers. Chopper clung onto Ace's chest
"Don't go Ace! I'll miss you!" Ace smiled and petted the animal
"I have to Chopper. You be a good doctor to look after everyone, yea?" He put the reindeer down and he cried more, and Ace pulled Ussop in for a brief hug
"Bye Ussop" The long nose was too upset to answer, just squeaked out a goodbye and cried anew. The two stood outside their houses, hugging and crying for some time after the others left.
Luffy was quiet as he walked back to the house, and Ace was close behind him. Zoro left the pair in the entrance hall, heading straight for his room.
When Luffy and Ace followed him, he gave his friend a reassuring smile from his doorway. Luffy brightened a bit from it, but turned into his room quietly. Zoro stopped as Ace passed.
"Night, Zoro" Ace went to follow him, but stopped and looked at the green haired man.
"Take care of my brother, Zoro" Zoro gave a short nod
"He saved my life, I have to" Ace eyes shone as he smiled, and he turned into his brothers room so they could spend their last few hours together
"Later Zoro. You sure did make things interesting round here"
The door shut and left Zoro alone, realizing how hard it was to have to say goodbye.
--
I am not all that happy with this chapter, I don't like how it wasn't very dialouge heavy. I just didn't know how to go about saying farewell to Ace! It had to be done but arg it was so tough! And I wanted them to have a fun time before it happened, but if I had talked about the beach day in general, this chapter would have been SO long and probably be even more descriptive.
I might go back and change this chapter one day. I've also noticed there isn't much formatting, so you can't tell when there are breaks in the chaptes, I'll go back and edit them one day too
EDIT: I changed it today! (28/09), still not totally happy though. I think Nami was better to talk to Ace than Zoro. She's known him longer so is a bit more understanding of how difficult it'll be. Zoro doesn't know what it's like to have to tell people he's going and say goodbye, after all he was ripped out of his home and thrown away from his friends. I hope this is better
I miss Ace already :(
Next chapter: More introductions still?
Thanks for reading - Pamplemoose