-Tangled Web-
A role-play/joint-fic by Digitaldreamer and Constable Remington
Chapter Twenty-two: Zoro's job
So…I'm currently updating from my best friend Kaya's house. Well, not really, because I'm typing up authors notes and what not so I can update TW from her house while I'm there, but when it's actually up I will be updating from there so yeah.
Kaya's my best friend in the whole wide world, she's pretty much an older sister to me. We met online two years back, and I'm really excited because I finally get to see her in person!
Why am I visiting? For Otakon, of course! We're going to Otakon together as Yoh and Hao from Shaman King. If you go there and see us, do come up and say hi! If you say you're a Tangled Web reader I'll probably crush you when I hug you. XP
I'm selling pictures there for like a dollar or so if anyone asks (since I lack a table), so if you walk up and ask for a picture I'll draw it for you right there. If you say you're a Tangled Web reader, you only have to pay fifty cents. Pretty cheap, but I think that's enough. For a look at my art you can check out my account name there is Dreamwish!
So if you're at Otakon and spot me, please come up and say hi!
In other news, more fanart was drawn for this fic! www. Deviantart .com / view / 21592802 /
I love it, it's so awesome! But I can't dedicate another chapter to the artist, cause you can't dedicate something twice. So instead Dichana gets a cookie and much recognition and what not. You should all go look at her pictures, they're amazing! Go on, shoo!
I'm dedicating this chapter to Kaya, because without her I wouldn't be half of the author and artist that I am today.
---
"Foooooooooood!" Luffy yelled as he rushed into the kitchen and sat down. "Ha! I was here first!"
"…I'm still sitting here." Usopp pointed out.
"You don't count cause you were already here!" Luffy declared, sticking out his tongue.
Zoro followed in, sitting beside Luffy in front of a steaming plate of food and beginning to eat, knowing his food would be the first to go when Luffy finished his own.
And that was indeed true, as Luffy finished his food at his usual lightning speed and began stealthily (for Luffy, anyway) reaching for Zoro's plate.
Catching his hand, Zoro grabbed his plate, trying to move it away. "I don't think so," he grinned, raising his elbow in an attempt to keep Luffy back.
Luffy let out a whine and began reaching for the plate with his other hand. "You don't see me move, for I am a NINJA!" he declared as he struggled to reach for Zoro's plate.
"I see you move," Zoro grumbled blandly. "And you're not getting any of my damn food." He stood from the table, moving away to eat quickly off his own plate.
"Awwww…" Luffy pouted for a few seconds before making a mad grab for Usopp's food. Usopp stopped him, and after several attempts at everyone's meals Luffy finally seemed to figure out that he wouldn't be getting any more. So he just sat there and pouted for awhile, but pouting got boring so he began rambling about the puppy and how awesome it was going to. "Awwww…" Luffy pouted for a few seconds before making a mad grab for Usopp's food. Usopp stopped him, and after several attempts at everyone's meals Luffy finally seemed to figure out that he wouldn't be getting any more. So he just sat there and pouted for awhile, but pouting got boring so he began rambling about the puppy and how awesome it was going to be.
Finishing dinner, Zoro dumped his plate into the sink with a loud clatter.
"I've got work," he said quietly, moving from the kitchen. "I'll be home late." Taking the stairs two at a time, Zoro retrieved his swords from his room, slipping them into his belt quietly and beginning back down the stairs and out the door.
Everyone at the table gave various mumbled goodbyes before returning to their conversations and their religious guarding of their food…everyone but one, that is.
Luffy blinked, pausing in his rambling as Zoro spoke up and left for his room. Work? Already? But they were just finishing with dinner…
The boy watched as Zoro went past the kitchen door again on his way out, blinking at the sight of his swords.
Why did Zoro need swords for his job? Luffy may have forgotten a lot, but he was pretty sure most jobs didn't involve swords….maybe Zoro taught people how to fight with swords? But there weren't any dojo's in the area…maybe he chopped down trees? Nah, Zoro wouldn't waste his skills on some crummy job like that…
…Then what on earth was Zoro's job? Luffy frowned, folding his arms and cocking his head to the side as he thought. He sure was curious….and Zoro didn't seem too eager to tell anyone what his job was. And Luffy really wanted to know what the swords were for, he was sure it was something really cool. But Zoro probably wasn't going to tell him anytime soon…and Luffy just couldn't wait to find out!
What if he followed the swordsman? He would be all stealthy like the ninja! Luffy would just follow him there, watch to see what the older man did, then go back home and Zoro would never be the wiser! Yes, it was a perfect plan!
However, Luffy had said he would stay here at the boarding house...
…but he was so curious!
Nami watched Luffy from across the table, brows furrowing. Luffy was being quiet? This couldn't have been a good thing.
The boy sat there for a few moments, trying to decide what he should do. Eventually his curiosity must have become a bit too much, as he promptly stood and rushed over to dump his plates into the sink.
"I have to go to the bathroom!" He announced, charging out of the room.
"Well, that was weird," Sanji commented, but then again, so was Luffy. He continued eating with a shrug, boredly asking Usopp how the comics were coming.
Zoro, meanwhile, was walking down the city street in the dim of the night, the streetlamps just beginning to light themselves around him. He had no idea of Luffy's thoughts, his mind straying to his mission. All he had to do was protect some big business official or something. Apparently the business had been using its outside connections to do under-the-table drug deals, and some crime boss' gang had gotten jealous of competition in the market and was trying to assassinate those involved on the other end. Zoro could hardly care for politics -- he didn't know why those damn idiots had bothered to tell him all the background information -- but at least they had stayed loyal to his request and not given him any names.
Zoro didn't deal in names. He didn't want to know them. He just wanted to do his job, get his training, get his money, get the fuck out.
These were the only thoughts in his mind as he reached the lonely street corner he had been told to meet the man at. He was to escort this guy to some kind of negotiating meeting with the other crime boss and ensure nobody ended up dead.
Why? Because Baroque Works was paying him to -- and somebody had probably paid Baroque Works to pay him too. He didn't care.
Luffy didn't go to the bathroom. Instead he rushed into the rec room and tugged at the glass door leading outside. After a few moments he finally figured out that it was locked and unlocked it, then tugged the door open and hopped out into alleyway behind the house.
He wasted no time in vaulting over the fence that separated the alleyway behind the house from the alleyway next to it. The boy then sprinted down this alleyway, sending old newspapers and bits of trash flying in his wake.
The dark-haired boy skidded to a stop on the sidewalk, glancing around frantically. Finally he spotted the swordsman's retreating back and the boy grinned, beginning to follow the swordsman as quietly as he could.
Zoro didn't notice Luffy following him. He waited quietly at the street corner, alert and on-guard. Finally, a shivering, rail-thin man appeared from the shadows, mopping his forehead with a pinstriped handkerchief.
"Are you... Roronoa Zoro?" he asked, and Zoro gave a short nod, eyebrow raised.
"You're the one I'm supposed to be leading, I assume," he muttered, and the man gave a stiff nod.
Luffy caught up to Zoro, ducking behind a nearby stairwell. He peeked over the top of the concrete wall, frowning. "…'Leading'? Zoro's a tour guide? This late at night?"
Zoro turned, glancing around. Sensing no danger, he frowned and began to move down the street in the dim of the lamplights, glancing over his shoulder. He thought for sure he had heard a familiar soft voice -- but he was probably just hearing things.
"All right. Come on. Stick close, can't have you dying on me," he gruffed, and the man quickly moved to walk closer to him, squeaking a bit at this thought.
The place wasn't far, and Zoro moved knowledgeably down the streets. It had taken a long time, but he knew this city pretty well, and it was rare that he got lost now, luckily. They soon reached a large warehouse, and Zoro moved towards the door, knocking at it. There was a long pause before the door swung open, and Zoro moved in first, followed by the business man, now shaking.
Luffy was now hiding behind a building not to far away, and he blinked at the warehouse. "…It's just a regular warehouse? Why does the tour lead there?" This was really weird and confusing. This entire thing was a bit strange, and Luffy had a bad feeling in his gut. There was something fishy about this place…
Maybe something important would be happening inside?
The boy ran to try and get into the door before it closed, but just as he reached it the metal door banged shut. Luffy panted and glared at the door. Now what?
The warehouse was dark inside, and Zoro frowned a bit, tuning his ear to listen for noises before his eyes could adjust. A light was flicked on, and Zoro's hand went quickly to his katana, cracking the sword from his sheathe with a thumb, just a little bit, just in case. There was a tall woman standing before them -- perhaps she was the gatekeeper. Either way, she smiled absently towards them, and Zoro frowned, not at all dropping his guard. Gangs and crime rings worked in strange ways, this much he knew, and he wouldn't be surprised if this innocent-looking blonde was actually a deadly assassin.
Instead of drawing arms, however, the young woman only tilted her head. Zoro followed the motion, noticing they were in a small hallway. It was dank and gray and dingy, only one small light bulb on a string hanging from the ceiling to illuminate it.
"Master Ener has been waiting for you," she said softly. "He does not like being kept, so perhaps it would be wise to meet him."
Zoro said nothing. This part wasn't any of his concern. He didn't give a damn. All he was supposed to do was protect this guy. The business idiot was the one who was supposed to be doing the negotiation part.
The man nodded softly, beginning to move down the hall, but Zoro stayed ahead of him. It wasn't long until they reached the door. Glancing behind him, Zoro's eyes brushed the man's face, who gave a curt nod. Zoro took this as his signal, and, one hand still on the partially-cracked Wadou, the swordsman twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.
It opened into a lavish room, a sharp contrast to the hallway before them. It was decorated in deep purples and blues, tapestries lining the golden walls, large, plush furniture surrounding a pool table off to the side and, most importantly, a big couch-like lounging throne, on which sat a man wearing a white dress-suit who looked to be relaxing, both arms folded behind his head, surrounded by scantily-clad girls who looked idle for now.
Zoro was disgusted. People really lived like this? And to think that these people so far into crime made money off of other's suffering in order to have the life they did...
...but, he reminded himself, he was neutral. He didn't care.
The man looked up from the couch, a wide, crazed smirk on his face.
"You must be the guard," he said, a pointed stare towards the katana at Zoro's side. Zoro said nothing. A few of the girls who had looked up were giggling. "And you're the man of the hour!" he continued, looking towards the businessman Zoro had led. "I'm Ener. I'm sure it's a pleasure. Please, have a seat."
The businessman gulped, glancing around the room nervously as he seated himself in one of the chairs across from Ener. The man was sweating profusely, and he tugged on his collar as if it were extremely hot in the room.
Noticing the man's blatant nervousness, Ener threw back his head, laughing. The girls around him all began to laugh too, their voices ringing through the room like bells. Zoro shifted in irritation. Ener's laugh died down, and he raised a hand, cutting the girls off, too.
"Darling, calm down," he said, smirking as he stretched a bit. "We're only here to talk, right?" A dangerous glint in his eyes directed itself to Zoro. "Have a seat, swordsman."
"I'll stand," Zoro said gruffly, and he and Ener stared for a long moment before the gangster finally looked away with another brief laugh.
---
Meanwhile, Luffy was pacing outside of the warehouse, trying to find another way in. After a minute or so of tugging on the door he had finally figured out that it was locked and he probably wouldn't be getting in that way. Therefore, he decided to try and find another way in.
Now, he could have just left with what he knew and gone home. But Luffy wasn't satisfied, so far what he had found had given him more questions than answers. And things really seemed fishy…there was something up, and Luffy was determined to find out what it was.
Never mind that secret dealings in warehouses generally weren't viewed as safe, fun recreational activities.
The boy made his way around the warehouse, searching for a window. Eventually he found one, but it was rather high up. Luffy frowned up at it, making a face. No fair! How dare the window be so high up? How was Luffy supposed to get up there so he could get in and see what Zoro was doing?
Maybe if he jumped? But it was a pretty high window, a good four feet over his head. He'd have to jump at least his height to get up to the tiny window. It seemed kind of impossible…
But Luffy really wanted to see what was going on in there.
The dark-haired teen grinned. It was just a window, and it wasn't going to beat him.
---
"So," Ener began, smirk still evident on his face. "Your company has sent you for what reason again?"
The skinny man swallowed, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses. "W-well…Ener-san….your gang has been the one assassinating our officials, correct?"
"Mmn, that's right," Ener said shortly, examining his fingernails. "We're not too pleased that your company is making money off our business, you see." He smirked. "Not too pleased at all."
"This is about the drug market, then?" The businessman bit his lip. After a few moments of silence he spoke. "What is it you want?"
---
Meanwhile, skinny, tan fingers brushed against the concrete wall, missing the window ledge by a good foot or so.
Luffy stood and panted for a moment, then jumped again. He missed once again, his palm this time scraping against the rough wall.
The boy yelped in pain, landing on his knees and glancing down at the wound. Blood was beginning to spring up from the wound, bright crimson against his skin. Luffy winced and licked his palm in an attempt to make it not sting as much, then made another jump.
"Damnit! I just can't get high enough!" he whined as he landed on the hard ground yet again, hugging his arms around himself as the wind blew. It was a chilly night, and the storm that had been gathering all day rumbled over-head as the first few drops of rain began to fall.
After several minutes of failed attempts Luffy glanced up at the window ledge once more, biting his lip. "Come on, you can do it…" he muttered to himself as he bent his knees, preparing for yet another jump.
"For the love of…you're never going to make it up there like that! Fine, I'll help. But only this once, as I'm curious as well." a cold voice murmured, sounding a bit annoyed.
The boy blinked in confusion, standing up straight again and glanced around for the source of the voice. "Who was that?" he asked aloud. He could see nothing in the dark, and no matter how he strained his ears, he couldn't seem to hear the voice among the pattering of the rain.
Maybe he had just been imagining things?
Luffy shook his head, now thoroughly soaked locks of black hair going everywhere. He then bent his knees once more and licked his lips.
He tensed, then jumped, sailing into the air with ease and landing with his feet on the ledge of the window. The boy yelped in surprise, wind-milling his arms for a few moments before catching himself.
He certainly hadn't expected to be able to jump that high, that was for sure. How had he done that?
Oh well, no time to question it. He had to go see what was going on in the warehouse. Luffy rubbed droplets of rain from the glass and peered into the warehouse. His brow furrowed as he glanced inside, he couldn't make anything out.
Guess he'd just have to go inside then.
With that thought Luffy tugged at the bottom of the window…and surprisingly, it opened. Luffy didn't even bother to wonder why the window of some secret warehouse was open; he just gave an inward squeal of glee because it was and slid into the warehouse.
---
"What is it that we want..." Ener repeated, trailing off thoughtfully. He laughed a bit. "We want our control back, that's what we want. Unfortunately, that can't be had with your precious company in the picture. I'm sure you understand."
Zoro tilted his head. He was certain he had heard something thump outside the room.
The man shook his head, wringing his hands. "I cannot give you that….we're making a lot of money on that market, you see. I don't think the president of the company would wish to give that up. Perhaps…perhaps we could merge? Then our companies could share the business?"
Luffy had landed behind a pile of boxes. He shook his head as if to clear it, and then stood. He could hear voices coming from somewhere nearby…
He followed the voices, occasionally tripping over a box here and there. Eventually he reached a door, which was slightly ajar, from where the voices the voices were coming from. Luffy walked quietly up to it, peeking through the crack in the door.
There was Zoro with his back to him, along with the man from before. There were also several girls and a new guy…Luffy didn't like the new guy, he had a funny look about him.
It sure was a nice room, but what was going on?
"Merge..." Ener looked towards his group of girls, reaching out to daintily pet one's hair against her head. She hummed in delight. Zoro frowned a bit. "I don't know about that. What do you think, girls?"
The girls simply laughed, and Ener soon joined them. Zoro didn't exactly think this was going well.
The man just sat there, face growing red. He gave a nervous laugh, saying nothing.
Luffy blinked in confusion. Why was the word "merge" funny?
"It's a shame we cannot have similar opinions, you know," Ener said with a yawn. "I'd love to let you live."
Zoro tensed and completely unsheathed his sword, throwing it up over the man's head to protect him at the exact time one of the girls had jumped up with her own, swinging it down. The two katana made a loud clang over the man's head, and Zoro growled.
"Get out of the way!" he shouted to the businessman, trying to push the woman's sword off of his. Zoro had no qualms fighting women -- in his eyes, girls were the same as boys when it came to swordsmanship, and that was that. He would not go easy on her, and he hoped she wasn't expecting it.
The businessman gave a shrill cry and ducked under Zoro's arm, making a run for the door…
And he ended up running into Luffy, whom let out a yelp as he found himself suddenly on the ground with the thin businessman on top of him. "H-hey, get off of me!" he cried, flailing his arms and legs.
Upon hearing Luffy's voice, Zoro's arm faltered in surprise, and the woman took advantage of this, bringing her katana around to cleanly slice deep against Zoro's stomach. He cried out in pain, arm going, for a moment, to cover over his wound, before Zoro knew he couldn't take a moment for weakness. He unsheathed a second katana, hissing in pain but swinging towards the woman either way. What the hell was Luffy doing here!
Luffy, upon hearing Zoro's cry, shoved himself up so he was on his knees, sending the businessman tumbling off. "Zoro?" he called, then yelped as a katana came swinging down. He rolled to the side, kicking the businessman by accident and managing to knock him out of the way as well.
Oh yeah, the guards had noticed him now.
The boy jumped to his feet, narrowly dodging a second swing. "What's going on? Is this your job?"
"I told you to stay home!" Zoro cried, trying to block the swings as well. Ener was gone when he looked back, and they were surrounded by his group of six or seven girls, each brandishing katana. Zoro didn't think it would be wise to get hit again with the same intensity as before, and he cursed the thick stream of blood that was running from his wound. Now he had to worry about protecting Luffy and that idiot of a businessman -- fuck!
Luffy bit his lip as he ducked under another katana, and then yelped as he hopped back to avoid yet another one. Oh yeah, the whole 'staying home' thing. "I just wanted to see what your job was!" he called back.
The businessman, meanwhile, was backing into corner. He whimpered, hugging his legs to his chest.
"Get out of here!" Zoro shouted, slashing towards one of the women, narrowly missing her. "Get out of here and take him with you!" Damnit, but Zoro couldn't stand the idea of something happening to Luffy...
Luffy's eyes narrowed a bit as he finally just slipped past one of the girls swords and brought up his leg to knee her in the stomach. Zoro….certainly had an interesting job. "And leave you here? You're bleeding!" he shouted back as he jumped back, the girl's katana slicing the material of his hoodie.
"Luffy, I can't protect you!" Zoro shouted, and the weight of these words felt as if they had ripped him even deeper inside. He really couldn't... and part of him wanted to, felt as if it had to. He had saved Luffy -- he felt like he needed to keep saving him...
Blood spurted into the air and a shrill cry followed. One of the girls dropped her sword, holding tight to her arm, which was gushing crimson warmth. She backed away, eyes wide.
Luffy bit his lip as he side-stepped yet another blow. Of course Zoro couldn't protect him, that much was obvious…but that didn't mean Luffy couldn't protect himself. Zoro had saved him many times, and Luffy certainly didn't mind…but that didn't mean he couldn't protect himself if he needed to. "I-I can protect myself! I don't mind you protecting me, but you don't have to always do all this stuff for me!"
Zoro had done a lot for Luffy…he had done so much. Luffy was grateful, really. He really cared for the man that had saved his life…but he didn't want to be a burden anymore. He didn't want Zoro to feel like he always had to protect him…
"I can protect myself! You don't need to worry!" the boy repeated as he turned to look at Zoro…
And saw the girl standing there, clutching her bloodied stump that had once been her hand.
The boy's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the sight, jaw dropping a bit. It was a shocking sight by itself, but the moment he spotted the missing appendage his head began to spin. He let out a cry, clutching at his head.
"Don't worry…it's just a scratch, that's all."
"S-Shanks! Your arm!"
"Oh…well, yeah, I guess it's a bit more than a scratch…"
"I…I-I did that, didn't I?"
"Eh, it wasn't you necessarily."
"I-I'm s-sorry!"
"Hey, hey! Don't cry! It was a small price to pay…"
Luffy fell to his knees, images flashing through his mind. A young man with shaggy red hair grinning down at him, bloodied bodies as far as the eye could see, blood on his hands, blood everywhere, some odd sort of symbol written in crimson…
As unlucky as the timing of the flashback was, it did have a bright side. After all, if Luffy hadn't fallen right then, a katana would have taken off his head.
"Fuck--" Zoro paid the girl now missing a hand no mind, swinging around to attack the others that threatened Luffy. The girls shrunk back, unused to having opponents that would fight back, and wanting desperately to keep their limbs. He had Luffy's cry, and growled a bit, thinking the boy had been hurt.
The girl with the missing hand, however, grabbed up her katana in her other one, even though she was unused to using it with this hand -- and swung down towards Luffy, guessing the swordsman's true weakness. Zoro heard the whoosh the blade through the air and spun around to block it, blades clanging only inches above Luffy's form.
Zoro knew they had to get out of there -- and fast.
"Luffy, take the man and run!"
Luffy remained kneeling, gasping for air as he clawed at his head with shaking fingers. His head was pounding, images that had been so fresh and vivid moments ago already beginning to fade away. Vaguely he heard Zoro's command, along with the clang of two katana clashing inches from his head.
Katana clashing…someone screaming…images were beginning to bleed together in his head again. One moment there was a tall man standing above him, pushing his glasses up his nose with his palm, the next there was the businessman curled up in the corner and whimpering. A heavy fist cracking against his small face, a kick from one of girls narrowly missing, images of violence exploding in his mind like fireworks.
A great, huge temple in a spring night, during the full moon. A woman standing above him, slowly tracing glyphs onto his skin and ignoring his strangled cries of pain as they burned themselves onto his flesh.
He couldn't make sense of anything. What was what? What was going on, who or what was attacking him? Who was bleeding? Where was Ace? Where was Shanks? Who was Zor- wait, who were Ace and Shanks? Who was he?
"Damnit, Luffy!" Zoro's head was beginning to feel light. He was bleeding too much. "Get out of here!" He couldn't fend off all these girls and still try to protect Luffy and the fucking businessman. Finally, he looked towards the man over his shoulder, still fending off blades, and shouted, "If he won't run, then you need to!"
The boy cracked open one eye, his entire body shaking. Luffy? Was that his name? Was this swordsman mad at him? He shook his head as if trying to clear it, but that only seemed to make things worse. Everything was so loud and confusing! He really wished it would all just stop. The fight, the memories, the yelling, his thoughts, everything! He just wanted it all to stop!
His fists clenched in his hair, tufts of black peeking through his fingers, bits of hair sticking to his wounded palm. The boy's eyes had a sort of glazed look to them, a soft white glow beginning to shimmer from his shaking form. He couldn't take it anymore!
"STOP!"
---
To be continued…
Oh dear, a cliffie. I know, I'm horrible.
I can't answer reviews because I don't have time, but let it be known that I love you all and will do the replies when I return home in two weeks!
Next Chapter: Once again we're given a super-natural display from Luffy, proving that he's certainly more than the cute kid that he seems to be. How will Zoro react, and what will he say about Luffy following him when all is said and done? Find out next chapter!