Chapter 17

Zoro wasn't sure what happened after he was forcefully taken away from Luffy. All he knew was that he was in the back of the van first, and it was an unpleasant ride as he was always bumping into something in the dark. Then there was a quick stop, no doubt to steal something for him to be in. They even filled the tub with salt water, since his tail was starting to show signs of drying out.

And he was once in the dark of the tub, that was making him claustrophobic, as he could faintly hear voices, no doubt Crocodile threatening someone to get him on without trying to mention what he was. This was followed with more sudden movements that made the whole transportation experience worse.

And for a long time, he didn't know what was going on before he felt them move him, then the lid opened before they dumped him into a tank.

"Well now, I bet that felt better than that tight space."

He didn't answer as he stayed at the bottom of the tank, drowning any sounds that they were making in attempt to get his attention.

He noticed that this tank was really cold and the floor and walls were hard and even colder, but he wouldn't complain for the life of him. Unlike a real shark, he wasn't cold blooded, but he would like the water warmed up. But he would just admit his weakness to the people who will sell him off somewhere. He didn't know where and by whom, but one thing he did know… He was being drawn away from Luffy. He feared that Luffy would be the one leaving him behind, but now it's entirely reversed. He didn't like it one bit. But he did this to keep Luffy and those who he cares for safe.

He knows he's in on the top of the list, but it was his decision to be in this predicament, and he was going to see through it. But that thought alone didn't make it any less hard on the reality of his situation.

***

For hours he didn't try to go to the surface of the tank, he stayed on the cold ground and be surrounded by cold water as he could feel that he was on a ship by the way it rocked. He hasn't eaten, but he wasn't going to ask for anything. And the longer he noticed these changes of his decisive consequence, the more he was starting to feel homesick.

He didn't know how long he had been in the tank, but he saw food sinking in front of him, something that looked like raw meat, the blood was present as it disperse to nothing. He doesn't eat things that normal sharks would go crazy for, and he was disgusted by the sight of it. He managed to throw it back up and out of the tank and was left to broad over alone.

He wondered what Luffy was doing at the moment and hoping that he wasn't planning on trying to find him. Not like it was possible with Crocodile calling the shots. He wondered if Luffy felt lonely and sad after what happened, which was a guaranteed possibility. And if Luffy was wondering the same things about him.

He missed the young man so much so, that he was starting to wonder if this was really worth this settle hell he put himself in. He missed hearing the other's voice, so cheerful and with so much life that it made his life worth living if he could just see the smile that occupied the voice and attitude.

His feelings for the other did grow while they were growing up, but now it was just plain torturing him ruthlessly. The smile, the voice, the cheerfulness, the warmth, and most of all being the only one to do anything but nothing at the same time with the one he cared for. He can hold him and talk to him, but he couldn't touch him or kiss him. And now he will never be able to do even that now.

***

By the time he felt the ship stop, he waited until they put another lid over the tank he was in and felt it being moved. He was in complete darkness, so he didn't see where he was or where on earth they were taking him. He couldn't even hear anything for the life of him. He was in the dark and it wasn't silent, but he didn't hear anything that could help him either.

He knew that they were continuing moving towards somewhere, with some sudden stops and turns made him a bit nauseous.

By the time they stopped for the hundredth time, he felt the tank being moved again and he was starting to wonder what the hell was going out in the world that he was placed in. A part was curious, but the dominating part of him didn't want that lid to open, and that he was content of being in the dark.

But as the lid went up, he saw distorted and shadowed faces in the water's surface. He could hear the distorted voices, no doubt talking about him and whatever fate that the planned to have of him. He stayed on the floor of the tank as he glared threatenly, like the shark that he was known to be. Then the faces disappeared, but he was wary of what they were going to do with him.

That's when he felt the tank being tilted and he wasn't sure what was going on until he was dumped to yet another, larger tank. But this tank was all glass, making him a display to anyone looking at him. He saw that there was nothing for him to hide in. He was basically in a glass bubble filled with the salt water as the glass lid was closed and locked.

***

He looked around the transparent area and saw that beyond the glass, there was a stadium-like room surrounding the bubble. For now it was empty of any life, but he knew that, and very soon, he will be viewed by many people, all wanting to get their hands on him.

He saw that food was thrown into the glass bubble tank, and again it was raw meat that was suppose to drive a normal shark crazy with excitement, but he wasn't going to have any of that. When he didn't eat the meat, they threw fish. Now that he could eat, if it didn't look like it was dead for a week. Then they threw fruits and vegetables. He grabbed an apple and just munched on it as the bottom of the tank opened up and got rid of the uneaten food. And once he was done, the lights surrounding the tank turned off and he could see that a curtain was placed around the tank.

"Looks like I won't be going anywhere anytime soon." He said to himself as he looked for any place to rest, but found that the only option he has is to just float like a dead fish. "At least have something ready for me to sleep on!" He shouted, but knew well enough that they couldn't hear him, nor were they around to hear him complain.

He just leaned back in the middle of the tank and made the most of his sleeping arrangement by that. But after a couple hours of sleep, he dreamt about Luffy and had to wake up. He could feel his eyes acting up, but since he was in water, no one could tell that he was crying. 'Luffy… I hope everything is okay where you are…' He thought as he started feeling sick again as he tried to get back to sleep once more.