-Tangled Web-
A role-play/joint-fic by Digitaldreamer and Constable Remington
Chapter Twelve: One Big Mystery

Gah. I'm sorry I took so long to get this chapter out, you guys. I had it all set up and everything, but I'm running out of RP to post. I prefer to stay at least two chapters behind what Constable and I actually have written, so I wanted to wait until we had more written. The problem is we stopped RPing for a week for…some reason. You don't need to know why, just know that we did and I decided I wouldn't post this chapter until we started again.

Well, we started again. There you go. Sorry for the wait, everyone! Enjoy the fic!

Luffy's eyes widened and he immediately looked up from the floor to stare at the woman, her words seeming to echo in his head. Monkey D. Luffy is dead... But how could that be? He was right here, alive and well. He definitely wasn't a ghost! Maybe he wasn't…no, he was Monkey D. Luffy, he was sure of it! It was just one of those facts that he had known when he had woken up, as plain and obvious a fact as the sky was blue and grass was green and meat tasted good. He knew for a fact that his name was Monkey D. Luffy, and he knew very well that he was not dead. But how was this possible then?

"B-but…I'm Monkey D. Luffy…and I'm here." He stuttered, hand pressing against his heart as if to reassure himself that it was still beating and he was very much alive.

Zoro seemed to be similarly shocked. "What? But..." He glanced towards Luffy. What if the kid was wrong? "Can you do a blood test or something?" he asked finally, and her fingers clicked across the keyboard.

"The photograph for his identification card from when he was ten years old certainly looks like him," she remarked. "Even that scar under his eye. We'll have to take a blood test. If this turns out to be some mistake within the system, we'll need to get him registered for school, I expect..." she trailed off. "I could get this all taken care of here and now if you'd like, but I'm really not supposed to..." She fluttered her eyelashes towards Zoro. "...It'd be quite hard, you know… And tiring... I'd love to... but I'd need someone to take me home afterwards... I'd be very tired and helpless by myself..."

Zoro couldn't believe what he was hearing. This woman worked for the city government!

Luffy bit his lip. So if they did this test….it might turn out he was someone else entirely. No…that wouldn't change anything. He was still him on the inside, regardless of if his name was Monkey D. Luffy or not….but he was so sure of himself…

The boy glanced up at Zoro. "Should I?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

Deciding to ignore the lady for now, Zoro nodded.

"Yeah, I don't think we really have much of a choice. It won't hurt."

She frowned up at them, sighing. "There's really no way to tell from a blood test unless we have a sample of a relative's, as well," she noted.

"Well, that won't work." Zoro sighed. "That's the whole reason we're her; to find his damn family."

"Well, it says here that there are no surviving relatives."

Luffy's eyes widened. "No surviving relatives? So that means my family is dead along with me?"

The secretary nodded. "Yup; Mom, dad, and brother, foster father… they're all dead." She sighed, leaning back and blowing a bubble. "Sorry kiddo, but there's nothing I can do to help you. It's not like they put DNA files on this t-" Suddenly she broke off, once again staring blankly at the screen. "Well, what do you know…" She murmured, moving the mouse and clicking.

Zoro tilted his head. "What? What is it?" he asked, unsure he wanted to rouse her attention, but wanting to know, anyway.

The lady clicked her tongue, eyebrows rising as she glanced over whatever was on the screen. "Well, apparently he does have a DNA file. How weird… I've only seen this with a few cases...and those were..." She trailed off, falling silent.

"So we can do the test now?" Luffy asked, sounding hopeful.

The lady looked at the two boys for a moment before leaning across the desk, her already low neck-line of her shirt dipping lower. "Well, I'm not really supposed to do this….but maybe I'll make an exception…" She murmured lazily, gazing into Zoro's eyes. "But you know…as I said, it's very tiring and difficult…I may need someone to…walk me home afterwards." She smiled again, quirking an eyebrow at the swordsman.

Zoro stared back at her, and then gave Luffy an edging glance. If this was the only way to do this, then he was going to be really, really unhappy.

"Are you serious?" he finally asked, his eyes deadpan.

The secretary smirked, leaning on her elbows "Well, it's not really all that difficult….but if you want to know if that kid is really Monkey D. Luffy… well, you'll have to offer me the right price for me to do something out of my job description." She trailed off, batting her eyelashes.

Zoro took in a deep breath. It wasn't that the woman was ugly or anything, because she certainly wasn't. It's just that... he wasn't really interested, and he didn't even know her. He couldn't just leave Luffy record less -- the kid had to go to school, get a job eventually, all that, and besides, if it turned out he wasn't Luffy, they'd have to find his real family.

"...then maybe I could take you out somewhere," he finally answered, sounding completely unhappy with this.

Luffy's eyes widened a bit as he glanced from Zoro to the secretary and back to Zoro again. Was Zoro serious? Was he really going to go out with this lady? When you were going out with someone, wasn't that the same as being 'together'? Didn't that mean 'love'? He didn't know why, but Luffy felt a slight pain in his heart as he glanced between the two older people.

The secretary smiled widely, showing off perfect, sparkling teeth. "I would love to. Now come on, follow me." She said, standing up and motioning for the two to come behind the desk and follow her through a door behind it.

Luffy looked up at Zoro for a moment before swerving around the desk and following the woman.

Zoro shook his head but followed, his fists clenching. Why did women have to be so goddamned cunning!

The secretary triumphantly led the two into the back, where there was a small room with an examination bed on it. "We use this room for taking blood," she explained, going to the table nearby and extracting a new, sanitary needle. She turned towards Luffy with a cotton ball soaked in disinfectant. Raising an eyebrow at his overly large clothes, she pulled out his arm, wetting the skin at the inside of his elbow with the cotton ball. "This might sting," she said in a sing-song voice, and Zoro grabbed Luffy's hand.

"You can squeeze if you want," he offered, and she pushed the needle in.

Luffy yelped at the sudden pain, his eyes squeezing shut as his hand clamped around Zoro's. He only remained this way for a moment though before calming down and opening his eyes to stick his tongue out at the needle. "Stupid needle... I hate needles, they're so pointy. Icky." He muttered. However, even as he calmed down his hand remained tightly in Zoro's.

Zoro's own fingers tightened around Luffy's as well, even as the needle pulled from Luffy's skin, the chamber of the injecting object filled with Luffy's crimson blood. The secretary was quick to wipe the area again with the disinfectant before slapping a pink Barbie band-aid over the wound.

The boy let out another yelp, pouting down at the pink band-aid. "Ow…" He whimpered.

Zoro laughed a little, nervously. "Does it hurt?" His voice was a little teasing.

Luffy laughed as well, smiling up at Zoro. "Yeah, but it's no big deal! I'm tough!" He declared, flexing his tiny arms.

"Yeah, I know," he said with a smile, ruffling the boy's hair.

The lady was currently at a computer, typing so fast one could barely see her fingers moving. There were various beeps coming from the machine next to it, where the chamber with the blood in it had been placed. Luffy watched her type curiously for a few moments before becoming bored and focusing on the ceiling fan. Round and round and round….

Briefly wondering what Luffy's excitement with the ceiling fan was, Zoro sighed. This whole place seemed a little weird, from the secretary blatantly hitting on him to the fact that they could just take Luffy's blood, just like that. He had almost expected there to be some huge hassle, and to have to drive to a hospital or something, but instead, here they were... how strange. Still, he decided not to question it. It was certainly easier for him this way, fewer places to drive and wait. "Well?" he finally asked.

The women finally glanced back at the two of them, shaking her head. "I don't believe it. He's the real deal, a perfect match…." She trailed off, staring at Luffy.

Luffy just grinned. "Told you so!"

The secretary shook her head. "This is insane…according to your files, you are dead. You died in a house fire six years ago, along with your brother Ace and your foster father Kuro. Your graves are dug and everything…"

The boy shrugged nonchantly. "Guess they messed up somewhere, because I'm pretty sure I'm not dead."

The secretary frowned at Luffy for a moment, then rubbed her eyes and looked at him again. She pinched herself. "Nope, I'm awake, and from what I can tell you're not a ghost or anything….maybe you escaped the fire somehow…" She frowned, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

Zoro peered at Luffy. From this to his weird case of amnesia, Luffy seemed to be one big mystery. Zoro shook his head, unsure what to think. "Well... since he's a match, we just need to enroll him in school, right?"

The woman sighed, nodding. "I suppose you're right. There's nothing else on him, and you won't find anything else out here. Your best bet is to just try and lead a normal life and remember what you can remember." She said, nodding at Luffy.

Luffy nodded, grinning. "No problem! It's no big deal, I'll remember things eventually."

She nodded. "You do that, even I'm curious as to where the hell you disappeared to for the last six years." She murmured as she tapped her manicured nails together. Then she turned back to the computer. "Alright, I'll enroll him at Yume High, since it's closest. It would normally take months, but I can pull some strings so he can take the placement test sometime tomorrow and start on Monday…" She drawled, beginning to type.

Zoro groaned inwardly, wondering what "pulling some strings" would cost him. "Yeah, thanks," he said shortly, looking to Luffy. "I guess this means we'll be going to school together."

Luffy's eyes widened as his face spread into a grin. "Really?" He immediately flung his arms around Zoro's waist. "Yaaaaaaay! I'm gonna go to school with Zoro! Yay!" Then he looked up at Zoro. "Where am I supposed to live now? My family…" He trailed off.

"You'll keep staying with me, of course," Zoro said smoothly. "Unless you don't want to..." He was sure Vivi would have no problem, especially if Luffy stayed in his room. Everyone had taken to Luffy so much that it was certain to be a good thing... if strange.

Zoro wondered about Luffy's family, though. Were they really dead... or were they just as "dead" as Luffy?

"I can stay? You'll let me stay with you? YES!" Luffy cried, burying his face into Zoro's chest as he hugged him tightly.

Blushing a bit, the man awkwardly returned Luffy's hug. "Of course you can stay, kid..."

Luffy was grinning as widely as ever, small tears coming to the corners of his eyes. "I'm so happy that I don't have to leave." He murmured into the fabric of Zoro's shirt.

"Ahem," The secretary coughed, causing Luffy to pull back a bit to look at her. "Sorry to ruin the fuzzy moment, but you're enrolled now, Luffy. You'll have to swing by the school tomorrow to take the placement test and get your uniform, alright?"

Luffy nodded happily.

"Thanks for all your..." Zoro paused. "...help." That seemed simple enough, so why was this woman insisting on Zoro repaying her in such an insane way?

...But still... Luffy looked so happy.

The lady smiled standing and stretching her arms over her head. "You're very welcome, cutie. But remember, you still have to repay me…" She said as she walked over to Zoro, heels clicking on the floor.

He grimaced as she approached, nodding stiffly. "Yeah, I remember," he muttered. What a strange person.

She smiled, leaning towards Zoro a bit. "Then start making good on your promise." She drawled.

Zoro's eyes widened and he stared at her. Right now...? Right here...? Right in front of Luffy…?

Shooting the boy a wary and embarrassed look, Zoro's hands shook a bit. He slowly lifted them to the woman's thin shoulders, drawing her in and hesitatingly placing his lips over hers.

The secretary sighed into the kiss as she wrapped her arms loosely around the swordsman, her fingers trailing up and down his firm back.

Luffy bit his lip as he watched. He swore it felt like his heart was being torn, but he couldn't seem to make himself look away.

After several long moments the secretary finally pulled away, smiling widely, her eyes twinkling. "My….you're good. Better than expected." She murmured, glancing up at him for a moment before licking her lips and gently pushing Zoro's hands from her shoulders as she turned away.

Shaking a bit, Zoro lifted the back of his hand to wipe his lips, staring after her. He glanced back to Luffy. He really didn't expect to have to do that in front of the boy, but at least it hadn't gone any farther than that. "...Sorry you had to see that," he said gently.

Luffy gave a small smile. "Don't worry about it, I think I understand." He then frowned, cocking his head to the side like a puppy. "It was a kiss….which means love…which isn't a fruit." His face fell a bit more.

The secretary chuckled. "You really don't know much, do you kid? That was a kiss, but there was no love, for me at least, there." She said as she turned back to look at Luffy and Zoro. "That was the kiss of a man who is in love, yes. But he does not love me. No, he's got it good for someone else, I think." She twirled a lock of hair around her fingers, eyes still twinkling. "Correct?"

Zoro stared at her for a moment, his eyes glancing towards Luffy, and then quickly back to her. "...I... I wouldn't say that," he finally stammered. Could she really tell from just a kiss? "...maybe."

The woman just laughed. "You don't fully realize it yet, but it's there. And I'm very sure that whoever is the lucky receiver of your love will be happy to return it." She smiled for a moment, looking at Zoro and Luffy. Then she shook her head, beginning to walk towards the door. "Well, come on then. I'm sure you're eager to get started on your new life, hmm?"

Luffy stared after her, blinking in confusion for a moment before following. "Yeah!"

Zoro began out, too, catching up to her. "Wait... so I don't have to take you out?"

The secretary laughed, shaking her head. "Of course not! I don't steal taken men, what kind of woman do you take me for?"

He made a bit of a face. Obviously, if she was the kind to proposition strangers, this wouldn't be anything drastic. Maybe Zoro just didn't know anything. "Alright," he said, and let it lie. That was fine with him. "C'mon, Luffy, let's get home."

Luffy beamed. Home…it's not just Zoro's home anymore, it's mine too! "Yosh!" He chirped, practically skipping as he made his way out the door.

The secretary laughed again. "You two take care of yourselves!" She said, waving as she sat down behind her desk again.

Zoro lifted his own hand in a wave without looking back, continuing out the big class doors and into the cool and dark parking lot. The sun was setting, and Zoro smiled faintly to it. "Well," he began, catching up with Luffy. "How about that ice cream?"

Luffy grinned as he hopped down the large stone steps. "Sure!"

The entire room was pitch black, the only light coming from the light blue glow of the thousands of computer screens that lined the wall. The only sounds were the constant clacking of the keys on thousands of keyboards and the hum of the machines lined along the walls. There was the occasional hum and beep, but nothing more.

Such a large room hidden deep below the great, shimmering tower that was the base of Saga corp., no one knew of this great room below the establishment, save for the thousands that worked in and out of the sprawling base below the great tower, the hidden headquarters of the criminal organization, Baroque Works.

He stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at this intricate masterpiece, yet another tool to aid him in his plan. There they were, thousands of pawns used to keep it running. This gigantic room had been here for the past six years, all for one purpose;

To search.

He had worked for eleven years to finally set his plan in motion; he would not allow it to upset by the will of the host of his weapon. He had almost had him that one time, but the boy had slipped away at the last second. But all was not lost, the murders were proof that everything would still work. All he needed was to find the boy before the time expired and place Akuma back in control…

It would work. He had constructed this plan perfectly, there were no flaws. There was nothing to stand in his way.

He just had to find the damn boy.

Suddenly there was a loud beeping that rang throughout the chamber, echoing throughout the dark room.

"Mr.0! Mr.0 sir!"

He looked down for the source of the voice, emotionless eyes boring into the bright eyes of one single Million. "Yes, what is it?"

"We found him sir! Someone pulled up the DNA file you placed in his records and matched it was a current file!"

His eyes narrowed and he charged down the stairs, running over to the Millions. "Where?" He asked once he had reached the spot, the blue glow of the screen throwing the scar across his face, the slicked back black hair, and sandpaper-like skin into harsh detail.

"We've traced the file to Akiyoshi, Japan." A map came on screen, a bright star flashing over a city.

"Akiyoshi, hmmm? Interesting….this may be easier than I thought." He murmured. Then he laughed, a dry, desert-like laugh, devoid of any emotion save for wicked triumph. "I'm getting closer, Monkey D. Luffy…"

To be continued…

Um….yay?

I'm tired. Leave me alone.

I'm not going to answer all of the reviews because there's a lot there, but I will answer a few.


Hasuko: o.o Wow, you were moved to TEARS? Wow…just…wow. I'm glad we could make something so emotionally involving? Wow…thank you..

YuugiLover3: OO Wow, you actually want to make Luffy's hoodie and make one for me too? That would be great! Do be sure to send us pictures, and make one for me and Constable too if you want to! I so want a hoodie like that.

poxmaker: Well, you could be right, and maybe you're not right. We'll see, ne?

This is my request for a REVIEWthat never ends! Yes it goes on and on my friends!

…please review?

I need sleep.