Yeah chapter 4 is up! Sorry it took me so long I could get on the internet. long enough to finish this till today. Please don't be mad at me. enjoy.
As Jess and Zoro walked down the streets of the northern part of, Tira; the city near the docks of the island, Zoro seemed to calm down a bit, though this was only slightly. Jess was still afraid he might cut her so she made sure to keep at least ten feet of space between them just in case.
Zoro sighed softly as he trudged toward the Castle. He could hardly believe it had been a year and a half since he'd been to that horrible place. He wondered if the same person was the 'Master' of the Castle or if someone new had taken over. Either way, he knew he wasn't going to enjoy this visit.
When they reached the Castle a man in a white guard uniform asked Jess for identification.
"Jessica, Number 22, Third Order, and guest; Roronoa Zoro." Jess said as she showed the man the identification tag that hung about her neck from a lanyard. At the word guest Zoro rolled his eyes. 'Oh. So I'm a guest now.' He thought sarcastically. 'What kind of guest has to be blackmailed into visiting its host?' he thought as the guard nodded in approval before letting them enter.
"So why does the 'Master' want to see me?" Zoro asked as the walked down a long corridor lit by torches with lots of doors on either side.
Jess frowned. "I don't know. Master-sama refused to tell me." She sounded a little disappointed as she answered Zoro as if the Master was suppose to tell her everything, which confused Zoro very much. 'Why should he tell her anything? She's just an Agent for the Castle.' Zoro shrugged his shoulders. 'Oh well. It's none my business anyway. All I'm here for is to get Nami and Robin back and get off this island as soon as possible.'
When they reached the end of the hallway in front of them where two massive doors with two dragons heads molded out of silver acting as knockers on the door. Jess lifted the knocker on the right and knocked three times. Jess and Zoro heard something scuffling towards the doors before they opened just enough where Zoro and Jess could see part of a very hairy face. "Who dares interrupt Master-sama?" The hairy-person asked.
"Jessica, Number 22, of the Third Order. I come to bringing Roronoa Zoro as Master-sama requested."
The hairy-person grunted and the doors suddenly swung wide open to reveal an enormous room lit by a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Light from the chandelier was so bright that it almost blinded Jess and Zoro as their eyes adjusted to the light. When they could see they noticed the platform in the middle of the room and on this platform was the Master sitting on a silver throne. The man sitting on the throne was medium height and looked to be in his late teens even though he was much older. He had large dark violet eyes, thin lips and fair skin. His medium length blonde hair curled around his like a bright halo. The smile on his face was sweet and kind. He was wearing a pale blue robe with silver lining and a silver tassel belt, which he was currently toying with. The whole scene screamed cute and innocent teenager but Zoro knew better. This man was anything but innocent and his real self wasn't cute at all.
"Vinnie?" Zoro tried to ask but came out as more of a laugh then anything else. "You're in charge now?"
The sweet smile on the man's face turned into a frown. "For the last time Zoro my name is Vincent, not Vinnie, not Vince, not Vin, and most definitely not V-man. Just Vincent. Nothing more. Nothing less."
"Whatever," Zoro said ignoring the man's irritation at Zoro's refusal to call by his proper name.
Instead of getting angry at Zoro's rudeness Vincent decided to ignore him. "Jessica-chan, my dear you've done well. You've brought me exactly what I wanted and not scratch on you. For this you will be rewarded most generously."
Jess's face flushed a light pink as she bowed. "Master-sama is too kind. Pleasing you is reward enough."
"Nonsense darling. You deserve it. Go pick out yourself something nice out of the weapons room."
"Really?" She asked excitedly, her eyes turning as wide as saucers.
"Really." He repeated making her squeal in delight.
"Oh thank you Master-sama!" she said happily. "I've been in need of new weaponry."
"I know darling. Now run along with Boris to weaponry room. Zoro and I have things to discuss."
"Yes, Master-sama" Jess bowed once more before dragging Boris, a.k.a. the hairy-person that opened the door earlier out the door.
"My dear? Darling? Since when do you give people pet names?" Zoro asked Vincent.
Vincent grinned and replied, "Since I got a new pet."
"People can't be pets Vincent."
"They can if I buy them a big enough collar." Vincent chirped cheerfully.
This was one of the many reasons Zoro hated Vincent. Out the top ten reasons Zoro couldn't stand him this was number five. Talking to him made Zoro sick.
"Why'd you bring me here?" Zoro said changing the subject.
Vincent grinned. "I want your tanzi."
Zoro frowned. "You know I can't give that to you. Besides, what would you do with it?"
"I would use it to better the island of course." Vincent stated as if it were obvious.
"You mean control it." Zoro said.
Vincent shrugged. "Same thing."
"I'm not going to give it to you. The tanzi is meant for my family only. Anyone else would abuse it and be destroyed by it and the reason it doesn't destroy us is because we don't use it so it can't use us. It just befriends us." Zoro told him.
"You're just being selfish. You just want keep it all to yourself. Luckily, I prepared for this."
Vincent waved his hands and there was a large poof of smoke in front of him and an unconscious Nami and Robin appeared chained to Vincent silver throne.
Zoro darkened with anger and he cursed Jess many times over. On the last curse Vincent had to muffle a snicker with the palm of his hand. "I don't think that last one's humanly possible."
"She lied to me." Zoro growled.
"Did she now? Didn't you think she might have learned it some where? No human can naturally be able to do that." Zoro did not like the amused tone in Vincent voice at all and it only served to anger him further. "She must be a very good actress for her to fool you. Maybe I should have given her a better reward." Vincent saw Zoro staring at the chains and knew right away what he intended. "Don't even try to cut them free. The metal that makes up these chains and cuffs has mixed with the dust of crushed diamonds. Not even you can cut through that. Now all you have to do is give me your tanzi; your precious gift. I will set your friends free."
"I already told you I'm not going to give that to you." Zoro said.
Vincent sighed. "I and I'm a reasonable man. I won't steal the tanzi from you. That's why I propose that we play the Ultimate Game for it. If you win you keep your tanzi and your little friends with no strings attached, but if you lose I get to keep your tanzi and you friends as well. If you decide to play may choose two other people to assist you."
Zoro narrowed his eyes in suspicion. This was definitely a trap, what choice did he really have?
There was no way he was going to allow Vincent to keep his nakama or his tanzi.
"If I do this you'll have to promise me you'll keep your word. No more lies." Zoro said not ready to give his answer just yet.
Vincent sighed once more before taking a small bejeweled cursed dagger, open the top of his robe enough that chest was clearly visible, and used the dagger to cut a light x-shaped wound over his heart. The wound glowed an odd purple color for a few seconds before disappearing completely. "I promise on pain of death that I shall give you back your friends unharmed and leave you and tanzi alone should win the Ultimate Game." Vincent said as the wound faded away before closing his robe.
Zoro felt a little better playing the game now that Vincent had dagger-promised because if broke his promise the dagger would compel him to kill himself. Why Vincent didn't just do a normal promise Zoro didn't know or care why. Maybe he was confident the Ultimate Game would kill him.
"So, do we have deal Zoro?" Vincent said grinning.
"We have a deal." Zoro answered back.
Yeah chapter 4 is done! Oh, but it ends in anoter cliffe and given more questions than answers. Oh, well. Hope you liked anyway. R&R
AN: Ashley if you're reading this, Vincent is hot in an almost otherworldly kind way. His face sweet. His hair's like halo and if sunshine had a sound it'd be his laugh but looks can deciving, as you already know, he is evil. I made him that way because if he was evil and ugly it would drive nuts seeing as he's who he is. I need to lie at least some part of my characters.^_^
