Chapter 5
Oblivion
(Grimes)

The four Strawhat pirates were sound asleep at the large castle high up on the mountain. Dr. Kureha was sitting in her room with a bottle of plum sake within arm's reach while going through some notes regarding her new apprentice. Kureha was no stranger to the phenomena called chakra. She had spent a lot of time with Tsunade after all, and by the notes from her old friend she had learned that Sakura, as her apprentice was called, had perfect chakra control. Tsunade wanted Sakura to expand her skills as a medic ninja but without the use of chakra since it was easy to trace back to the user. And since Kureha was an expert with herbs and poisons, she wanted the elder lady to take Sakura under her wing and teach her everything she knew. She knew having Sakura on the island would be risky since there were always those on the lookout for rare abilities to research further. And what rare ability wasn't perfect chakra control?

The elderly woman leaned back in her seat, her eyes glancing out the spacey window on the other side of her desk. Snow was falling from the colorful morning sky as the sun woke from its slumber over the horizon. Chopper was sleeping in a small bed at the other side of the room, his soft snores the only sound filling the otherwise quiet room, and she turned to regard the small tanuki for a moment. He reminded her too much of her old friend Dr. Hiluluk whom had been Chopper's father figure and mentor before he had sadly passed away. Dr. Kureha had taken the tanuki in under her wing as one of the last promises to the dying doctor's deathbed wishes. Gaining the trust of the reindeer had been a hassle, but he had warmed up to her eventually and seemed to cherish her teachings and her company.

The reindeer shifted in his sleep before two large eyes slowly opened, revealing his round, black eyes. Dazed from sleep, it took him a moment before his vision finally fell on the doctor and an embarrassed smile graced his lips.

"Doctorine," his voice was squeaky as he addressed the woman.

"Good morning, Chopper." the elderly woman replied with a soft nod of her head.

"Did you not get any sleep?" the reindeer asked as he hopped down from the small bed and went to stand in front of the lady.

"Shi-shi-shi-shi-shi," the doctor laughed merrily as she rose from her seat and headed for the door, leaving the tanuki behind.

Luffy and Usopp were fast asleep in their beds in a spacey room a story above. Snores were filling the room while they were fighting monsters and eating unlimited amounts of meat in their sleep. A door slamming shut further down the narrow corridor suddenly woke the two occupants up and the shriek that followed signaled the redhead of the group was the one behind the ruckus.

"Nami-swan!~" the muffled voice of their cook seeped through their door. "I've brought you breakfast in bed~"

"Then bring it to my room and not to the bathroom, you perv!"

Luffy bolted upright with a wide grin on his face. "Breakfast!" he exclaimed happily and slipped out from the covers before darting towards the door. He stopped abruptly before reaching for the handle and turned toward Usopp who was still heavily bandaged in his own bed.

"What are you waiting for?" Luffy began, his grin still visible on his features.

"I can't move, you idiot!" the long nosed pirate spat heatedly while trying to wiggle free from the restraints around his broken leg.

"Oh, right!" the captain murmured. His face darkened for a second as he regarded his nakama, but it soon brightened again while his lips turned into a full grin where he showed off his pearly whites. "Guess I'll have no choice but to carry you then! Gomu gomu no…-"

The sniper's eyes widened at the sound of his captain's rubber-attack and he threw his hands up in defeat. "Wait! Luffy, NO!"

"Amidori!"

Luffy's right hand stretched forward in high speed and grabbed a hold of the sniper's bandaged arm before tugging his arm back while holding onto his comrade.

"Luffy!" the sniper yelled, tears running down his cheeks when he was roughly tugged out of bed and was sent darting through the room.

The strawhat captain only grinned and flung the door open and ran out of the room with Usopp screaming his lungs out as he was forced to helplessly tag along.

Sanji stood put outside of the bathroom with a tray in one hand, containing a cup of tea, some bread and freshly pressed orange juice for the navigator of the crew. Said navigator was currently peeking over the side of the door with a horrified expression on her face. Their captain was an idiot, no doubt about it.

Sakura woke up to a streak of the sun warming her face through the kitchen window. A groan left her lips as she threw an arm over her eyes to shield them from the burning light. Her body ached from the night's antics with a minor throb surrounding her overexerted muscles she had not known she had. What the hell had happened last night? She remembered everything: every kiss, every touch, every look the swordsman had given her. She remembered the rush of ecstasy that had built up deep in her core before coursing through her body in full throttle. She remembered the feeling of his skin against hers, but couldn't understand how she could have given in to him as easily as she had.

Sakura wasn't one to sleep around with strangers or have one-night stands. Sure, she had lost her virginity to one of her friends back home and had been on a few infiltration missions where she had used her body to get the mission done, but that had been expected of her as a ninja, as a kunoichi of Konoha. She should have been more careful, more alert. She should have fought against her body's will and longing for his touch. She should have held herself together and not lose control over herself when his hands had tenderly awoken her body's yearning for him.

Groaning again she peeked at the man sleeping next to her. Soft snores were sounding from the swordsman and blush spread across her cheeks as she took in his sleeping features. How was it that this man could have such a strong hold on her when she didn't even know him?

Her face paled noticeably as her mind suddenly went to her sensei. Tsunade would surely kill her if she ever found out. She had to stop being so reckless. Shutting her eyes tightly, Sakura made up her mind right then and there. 'Starting today, I will not use any more chakra and I will keep my hands and lips away from the man laying next to me.'

Her body suddenly stiffened as she felt movement over her lower stomach. 'Holy hell!' she thought while the feeling of his hand sliding over her lower abdomen awoke a tingly sensation deep in her gut. Zoro's arm was draped over her naked flesh and his warm body soon lined up against hers while he was still sleeping soundly by her side.

Sakura panicked. She had to get out of bed before he woke up. Biting her lower lip, she carefully grasped onto his wrist and lifted his arm up while wiggling further towards the wall and away from him. She felt hot and bothered and cursed herself for not keeping her emotions in check.

A sudden image of black, spiky hair flashed in her mind's eye and she raised her brows in surprise. 'Sasuke.'

Sasuke was a former teammate of hers and her first real love. He had been the last of his clan since his brother had mercilessly murdered the entire Uchiha clan and had only spared the life of his brother. Sasuke had left the village shortly after the chuunin exams; a tournament where ninjas were tested in their teamwork, fighting skills and tactics. He had wanted to get stronger and had gone to a man named Orochimaru whom had promised him endless amount of power. He had left the village almost three years ago, becoming a missing nin at the age of 15, and she hadn't seen Sasuke since.

Naruto, her other teammate, had left on a journey of his own to get stronger by the help of another man called Jirayia. Tsunade, Orochimaru and Jiraiya had been a team during their younger days and had earned the title Three Sannin. They were legendary back home and it had taken Sakura almost a year before she finally had the guts to ask Tsunade to train her as well. The woman had scared the shit out of the young kunoichi with her short temper and remarkable strength, but Sakura hadn't backed down. She had fought hard to gain the respect of the elder woman and had constantly been striving for more and more knowledge.

Shaking the images of the raven haired boy out of her mind, she then crawled carefully out of bed, not wanting to awaken the sleeping man.

The bathroom floor was cool under her bare feet, making the ninja shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other while waiting for the water to heat up so she could take a shower. It took a few moments before she finally climbed into the tiny tub and pulled the shower curtain to shield herself when cleansing her body. She shivered uncontrollably as the lukewarm water fell over her skin, gritting her teeth to keep from cursing. It eventually warmed up and she felt her overexerted muscles relax under the spray of warm water. Her breathing slowed and she closed her eyes for a second, enjoying the warmth spreading throughout her body.

Her mind drifted to the man sleeping on the other side of the bathroom door and she felt her inner muscles clench as she was once again reminded of his hands all over her body. She squirted soap into her hands and started cleaning herself, slowly giving into the pleasure of her soapy hands sliding over her wet skin. She felt hot and tingly. Her form was humming in delight from the warmth that was spreading through her limbs. Her eyes shot open as she caught herself fantasizing about the swordsman and his skilled fingers plunging in and out of her, and her gaze dropped to where her hands were currently stroking. A blush formed on her cheeks at the realization and she bit her lip in annoyance while removing her hands from her lower region.

'Get yourself together, Sakura.' she scolder herself and started washing her hair instead. 'Just focus on what you're supposed to do.' she nodded in agreement to her own thoughts and took a deep breath, slowly exhaling through her nose while calming her senses. Her eyes fluttered closed as she turned to face the spray of water and let it pour over her face.

The running water from the sink suddenly reached her ears. Sakura froze, her eyes wide open in terror. The rustling of fabric followed soon after and she swallowed hard while her heart thumped loudly in her chest. The soft click of the door reached her ears next and she forcefully let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. Peeking over the side of the shower curtain she realized she was alone. She turned the water off and reached for a towel which she quickly wrapped around her dripping wet body. Another towel was wrapped around her head to keep her hair from dripping water everywhere. She pulled the shower curtain to the side and stepped onto the cold floor, quickly drying herself off before tugging on a new pair of underwear, a black bra and a pair of black sweatpants with a matching long sleeved top. If he had been in there, it meant he was awake. She felt her cheeks heat up at the thought and shook her head to get rid of any inappropriate thoughts. 'Although, it would have been nice if he had joined us.' her inner self teased and the blush on her cheeks instantly deepened. Grasping onto the towel around her hair, she hurriedly dried her pink tresses and hung the towel up to dry. She needed to get her mind out of the gutter, and that fast.

He was kneeling by the fire, adding more wood to the burning pile when she finally exited the washroom. Her eyes instantly went to his bare back and she found herself unable to stop the small gasp of appreciation of his physique from escaping her lips. He didn't acknowledge her nor did he look her way when she carefully made her way over to the kitchen, quickly slinking into the small room next to where he was crouching.

He had seen her, had felt her presence when she'd exited the washroom, but he hadn't been able to get himself to greet her. It had felt odd. Surreal even, but he couldn't put his finger on why.

The bed had been empty when he had woken up. The side next to him still a bit warm from where she had been sleeping and he had heard the the water running in the bathroom, signaling she was taking a shower. He had stayed in bed for a couple of minutes, just listening to the sound of it before the need to use the bathroom had been too big to resist.

The bright sun had painted her silhouette onto the shower curtain, giving him a good view of the pinkette's body as it was displayed onto the thin fabric. It had taken him a lot to not join her, not to replace her hands with his own when she had so boldly slid them lower and lower, unbeknown of his presence. After finishing his business in the bathroom he had tugged on his pants and sat down by the dying fire, staring at it for a few moments before starting to add more wood to the mixture of flames, ash and burnt tinder. The flames had licked the new pieces of tinder almost as if warning it not to get too close and he had frowned at that, taking it as a warning himself regarding the woman he currently shared the cabin with.

Sakura took it upon herself to prepare breakfast for the two of them. Although lunch was probably a better suited word considering how high the sun stood in the sky by the time she was finished. Setting down two plates of rice omelette's and some scrambled eggs onto the small kitchen table, she let out a restrained sigh before heading to the doorway. The pinkette peeked into the living area, her eyes quickly scanning the room until they finally landed on the swordsman who had moved from his previous position on the floor to sit in the armchair by the bookshelf. His hands were tucked underneath his head to form a makeshift pillow and he seemed to be asleep.

"Zoro," her voice came out shakier than she had anticipated and she blushed at the wavering sound of it. A half lidded eye regarded her uncertain form and she quickly diverted her eyes from his. "Breakfast."

She went back into the kitchen, filling two glasses with water before turning to set them down onto the table as well. He was already seated when she turned around and she bit her lip tentatively while averting her gaze from his once again. They ate in silence, the only sound being their chopsticks as they occasionally hit the porcelain plates. She felt awkward and was sure he felt the same.

Stealing a glance at the swordsman, she found herself gazing into a pair of black eyes. Another blush spread across her cheeks and she quickly looked down onto her plate again. Zoro frowned. She acted weird and he did not like it.

"H-how was it?" she suddenly questioned, her eyes still set firmly onto her plate and the half-eaten omelet.

His fork paused midway to his mouth and his eyes flickered from his chopsticks to the woman. A moment passed before he gave his reply.

"Good, but I've had better." he stated and took another bite of his omelet.

Sakura raised her head to glare at him while her brows furrowed in annoyance. 'Too honest.' "I'd like to see you do better." she stated through gritted teeth and watched as a lopsided grin spread on his lips.

He smirked at the feisty woman. "I'm no cook."

Sakura's brow twitched. "Well, neither am I."

"I can tell." was his smug reply.

Sakura clenched her fists together, trying to calm herself while Zoro continued watching the conflicted emotions flashing over the woman's face. She looked cute when she was angry, even though her aura had taken on a much more murderous intent, and he wondered just how far she would take this if he continued pushing her buttons. Stuffing his face with another piece of the rice omelet he suddenly found himself frowning. Food and bickering seemed oddly familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on why nor with whom. His mind went back to when Sakura had been preparing the soup and how he had found some sort of comfort in the sound of the chopping of vegetables. Had he been a chef before ending up here? He highly doubted that. Did he know a chef? Even that seemed surreal considering his built body and three swords which told him he was a swordsman or something similar to that. What would a chef and a swordsman have in common except the usage of sharp blades? He simply couldn't answer his own questions.

A calming breath from the doctor suddenly brought him back to reality and he found himself smirking at the look of determination evident on her features.

"So?" he challenged, curious to see what she had come up with.

"What do you mean so?" she retorted sourly and had a sip of her water. Could this man get any more irritating?

"Are you going to let it slide so easily?"

"I don't need to defend my cooking skills to you." she set the glass back onto the table, leaning back in her chair a bit while keeping her eyes on the man before her.

"Lack of,"

"What?"

"Lack of cooking skills." he retorted and set his chopsticks down on the table next to his now empty plate.

Sakura's eyes darkened to a deep green color as she regarded the swordsman. She knew she wasn't the best cook, but even so, he had no right to insult her like he was doing right now.

"Seems like you enjoyed it anyway since you've already finished your plate." she challenged, her eyes boring into his.

Zoro propped his elbows onto the wooden table and rested his chin on top of his hands. He was enjoying this too much. "That doesn't mean I liked it though."

"Tch, you're free to prepare your own food."

"Women belong in the kitchen, don't they?" he questioned with a hint of amusement lingering in his voice. However, it fell on deaf ears.

She was literally fuming at this point. Women belonged in the kitchen? How narrow-minded was this idiot before her? Scooting her chair back, she slowly rose from her seat and picked her plate and glass up from the table. She was pissed off. Offended. Aggravated even and it showed as she forcefully set the porcelain down in the sink. Clenching her fists once again, she turned toward the swordsman. He had shifted on his seat and was now turned towards her, sipping on his water while watching her idly over the edge of his glass. She took three small steps forward, closing the distance between them and leaned down to place her hands atop of his knees. She felt his muscles jerk under the sudden contact and an unidentifiable emotion flickered in his eyes as they widened a fraction.

She slid her hands slowly up his thighs, her darkened eyes locked firmly onto his. He gulped down the last of his water, lowering the glass slightly in between them and met her stare full on. He had no idea what she was thinking at this moment, nor did he care. But even so, he felt intrigued and was curious to see what she would do next. The feeling of her hands on his thighs and the aroma wafting from her newly showered body closed in on his entire being, veiling him in with the soft fragrance of citrus, amber and with an undertone of vanilla and jasmine. The mixture felt forbidden and he could feel himself being drawn towards her, as unnerving as it was.

Her hot breath fanned over his left ear while the tip of her nose brushed lightly against his hair as she leaned in closer. Her voice was dangerously low as she spoke.

"I could kill you in five different ways before you'd even have the time to react. Don't patronize me because I'm a woman, Zoro."

He stiffened, clenching the glass tightly in his right hand while a shiver of excitement traveled down his spine. Her face came into view and he stifled a gasp as he took in her enraged features. Her damp hair hung wildly around her heart shaped face, framing the pale skin with the contrast of her pink hair. Her eyes had taken on a dark emerald color, drawing him into the dangerous, stormy sea of her irises. Her cheeks were tainted by a soft pink color which only made the green in her eyes stand out more. All in all, she looked absolutely breathtaking and the look she was currently giving him, where she dared him to insult her further, only fueled him to go on.

Zoro wasn't one to back down and he had come to learn that neither was the pink-haired woman currently steadying herself against his thighs. A smirk suddenly graced his lips and he watched her eyes lower an inch.

"How would you kill me if I had you pinned against the wall?"

And as quickly as he had uttered those words, Sakura found herself pressed up and locked in between the kitchen wall and his muscular chest. Her wrists were tightly secured in a death-like grip by his hand above her head and a surprised gasp left her lips as realization dawned on her. 'Too fast.' she thought and tried tugging her hands free from his grip which only made him tighten his grasp around them. Her eyes went from his eyes to his lips again, watching them form his next words.

"I will ask you again. How would you kill me now, Sakura?" his voice was low and husky, sending shivers up and down her spine and she hated him for the reaction her body had by the sound of his voice.

She glared at him and made another attempt at freeing herself from his grasp, but it was futile. He was stronger than her. If she had been allowed to use chakra she would have been free a long time ago. But she needed to keep her status as a ninja a secret, and she cursed herself for the stupidity of letting her guard down in the first place.

She turned her head so that her cheek was facing him and looked down onto the floor. She had been defeated. There was nothing she could do at this moment. She was still too weak.

His naked chest pressed up against hers made it difficult for her to breathe, but she wasn't sure if it was because of the pressure of it or because of his extremely close proximity. He seemed to experience the same thing by the way his heartbeat suddenly sped up. His breaths fanned over her cheek, but his eyes weren't looking there. Instead his gaze was fully focused on her exposed neck which he had so boldly assaulted during the night. Memories of having her completely flooded his mind and a frown clad his lips when he realized just what sort of hold she currently held on him.

The grip around her wrists loosened and she tugged her hands free, rubbing the bruised flesh tenderly to get some circulation back into her hands. She shot him an irritated look of displeasure and let out a soft gasp when he suddenly pressed his lips against hers.

The kiss was rough and needy and she felt her brains turn to mush when his tongue darted past her lips to fight for dominance over hers. His hands grabbed a hold of her ass and he hoisted her up with her back still against the wall. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips and heard herself responding to the kiss with a low moan while her hands circled around his broad shoulders.

He pulled away after that, black eyes staring into green ones and Sakura could literally see the battle going on inside of his head. His breathing was ragged, just like hers and she shifted her focus from one eye to the other with an occasional dip down to his lips. The air around them felt tense and electrified and she closed her eyes for a second to calm herself.

Zoro was confused. He didn't know what had flown into him. Sakura was just too captivating to resist and he had followed his body's need for her. His tongue darted out to wet his lips and he regarded her face for a moment.

She opened her eyes again and bit down on her lip, seeing his eyes flicker down to watch the action. He leaned in closer, readying himself to capture her lips once again, but she turned her head to the side and felt his body freeze before he reached her.

"Please stop," her voice came out meek and she kept her gaze on the floor near the sink as to avoid eye contact with him.

He pulled away with a frown and looked her over.

"I don't want you to kiss me." she continued and he felt a twinge of regret course through his system. He let her slide back down onto the floor, feeling her hands trail down his chest in the process and his insides twisted delightfully at the sensation. She faced him again, revealing her now hazy green eyes. They were gorgeous. She was gorgeous.

"We need to stop," she started quietly while lowering her gaze to see her hands caressing his toned torso on their own accord. Snatching her hands back, she peeked at him through her dark lashes while a blush spread over her cheeks.

He resisted the smirk that threatened to break out over his lips as he regarded her blushing face, quietly waiting for her to state why.

"I don't want you to kiss me." she repeated and let her arms fall down her sides. Her gaze flickered shamefully to the side and he knew she was contradicting her true feelings.

"Sakura," he began in a low voice and placed his hand under her chin, slowly tilting her head up to meet his eyes. "Say it to my face." he challenged. She closed her eyes again and shook her head no.

"I," she started just above a whisper. "I can't."

She was gone in a heartbeat and he was left alone in the kitchen. A soft sigh left his lips and he turned to face the table again, picking up the plates and his glass before mimicking the pinkette's previous action of placing the porcelain in the sink. Turning the tap of water, he filled the sink with the warm, clear liquid and began scrubbing their plates clean. Perhaps he'd miscalculated her true intentions. Perhaps she was just toying with him.

"I'm heading into town today," she suddenly called from the living area and he turned the water off to hear her better. "There's a woman I need to see and she," she trailed off before appearing in the doorway, shyly looking at the floor instead of at him. "Will you come with me?"

In all honestly, he couldn't wait to get some air, to be able to move and feel the wind against his face again. Perhaps he'd even meet someone who could tell him who he was.

She hurried out of the room after that and he followed at a much slower pace, heading toward the bed to get the shirt he'd been wearing the day prior. He heard her shuffling around in the washroom and decided to sit on the bed until she'd returned. When she finally emerged she found him sitting on the bed with his back against the wall and his hands folded behind his head as a makeshift pillow.

"So?" she questioned and he heard her dump something onto the floor. The clatter of metal against metal reached his ears and he assumed she'd collected her odd-looking weapons from the washroom.

"Am I fit to move around freely, doc?" he asked with a ting of mockery lacing his tone and heard her huff at the sentence.

"Just get your shit, Zoro." she snarled and he couldn't resist the grin that spread over his lips.

"Witch," he muttered and opened one eye to glance at the woman.

"Idiot." she shot back, amusement glinting in her eyes.

Snow fell slowly from the cerulean blue sky, adding another layer of white fluff to the already frozen landscape. Birds were chirping from high up in the trees and Sakura would have found the scenery relaxing and enjoyable if it hadn't been for the fact that Zoro, the idiot swordsman, had managed to get lost every other second and she had to keep a steady eye on his lack-of-direction-idiot-frame. They'd been walking straight through the forest, going the same route she'd taken to and from the small village, yet he had managed to stray away from the newly plowed path at least six times already.

She had tried everything. She had made him walk behind her, which had failed, walking in front of her had failed as well and they'd both ended up in the middle of a clearing and had to trace their steps back to find the road again. Walking beside her had worked for a while until she had been distracted by a wild deer further up the road, and when she'd declared her findings to the swordsman, she had realized he was nowhere to be seen.

He, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to his lack of direction and blamed her for giving him false information or for pointing him the wrong way. And so, he now found himself walking beside the doctor again with her arm tightly secured around his.

Before they had left the small cabin, she had pointed out the green sash he had apparently worn when she had found him, and he now wore it around his waist and had his three swords tucked securely in the green fabric. Having them there felt oddly familiar, yet he couldn't understand why his former self had needed three swords.

Sakura suddenly stopped walking, her ears perking up as the sound of running closed in on them from further up ahead. She hadn't met anyone on this road before and was unsure of what to make of it. Zoro seemed to pick up on her indecisiveness and quirked an eyebrow at her odd behavior. Her eyes met his for a moment and he nodded in silent agreement before tugging at her arm and stepping off the road to hide in the nearby snow-clad foliage.

Three large bears came running with a sleigh fastened with black leather rims around their torsos, dragging the sleigh over the frozen road. Sakura peeked around the bush, seeing five men sitting in the wooden sleigh. White jackets with the marine symbol clad their backs and she quickly hid behind the bush again, hoping they hadn't seen her.

"I'm telling you, sir. This is the only place we have left to explore." one of the men stated while his full focus was on the largest built man of the group. "Roronoa Zoro may very well still be alive."

Sakura's eyes widened at the exchange of words between the marines and quickly turned her head toward the swordsman. His face was emotionless as he followed the sleigh with his eyes. He knew she was watching him and he knew she wanted answers, but he was in no way able to give them to her.

"Roronoa Zoro?" she whispered even though the marines were too far away to be able to hear her.

His black eyes went to hers and he shrugged before standing up and began brushing the snow off of his knees. She mimicked his actions and pulled at the hood of her cloak to shield her bright hair-color from any further people they might meet.

"Are you okay?" she questioned and turned to face Zoro completely. She only had one cloak at the cabin and he had insisted she'd wear it. Instead he was wearing two sweaters, his grey slacks and the green sash along with the boots he had worn the day she had found him.

"Don't worry about me." he stated and began walking until she heatedly called his name from behind.

"Zoro!"

He turned to face her.

"You're going in the wrong direction. Again…"

Three of the four Strawhat pirates were currently occupying a sleigh they had borrowed from the violent, plum sake loving doctor residing on the highest mountain of Drum Island. Sliding down the snowy path of the mountain in high speed, the captain of the crew whooed in excitement at the velocity they were traveling at. A hand was pressing down on his signature strawhat in an attempt to keep it from flying off of his head from the force of the speed, and a large grin adorned his face, showing off his pearly whites. The redhead was hugging her knees in agony, terrified they would hit a tree on their way down while the blonde did his best to comfort the only woman on their crew. Four reindeer's were pulling the sleigh, their quick legs carrying them swiftly over the frozen landscape. Usopp had stayed behind, claiming his injuries were too severe and needed tending. The doctor had laughed at his cowardice and had prodded at his broken leg with her bony finger, causing the sniper to cry out in pain before Chopper had brought him herbal tea that would boost his immune system and fend off any possible infections. The sniper had been left alone in his room after that and had fallen into a deep sleep where he once again played the part of Sogeking, an alter ego he had created whom lacked the fears his real being forcefully seemed to cling to.

Zoro and Sakura reached the outskirts of the village about an hour later. Snow was still falling from the sky although in lesser amount than before, and they were both grateful for that. The medic turned to the swordsman with a stern look adorning her face.

"We'll need a sleigh to reach the top of the mountain, so I'm gonna see if I can rent one." she started and peered down the busy street ahead of them.

Zoro spotted a tavern not too far away and nodded toward the small building. "I'll be in the tavern."

Sakura followed the direction and nodded in agreement. "I'll find you." she continued. "Will you be alright on your own?"

The look he sent her made her regret her question. Of course he would be alright.

"Just stay away from the marines." she warned.

A smirk graced his lips at that and he saw the blush that spread over her cheeks before she turned her head, shielding it from view by the fabric of her hood.

"I'll be fine, Sakura." he told her. "After all, I've got Wado Ichimonji with me."

"Huh?"

He met her confused stare with one of his own. 'Wado Ichimonji?' he questioned himself and saw his hand resting atop of the white sword resting in his sash. "I don't know." he clarified with a slight shrug of his shoulders and let go of the hilt. The white sword felt special in a way, like he was supposed to treasure it.

"Alright," the pinkette muttered and started walking toward the busy streets. "Don't get lost." she added and shot the swordsman a playful look.

He huffed in annoyance and headed towards the tavern. He couldn't wait to get indoors and get some warmth into his system.

Sakura walked down the snowy streets, looking for somewhere to rent a sleigh. She didn't have much beri left and doubted she'd be able to pay for one even if she would find one. Heading into the nearest store, she headed directly to the cashier which was an old man with a curly mustache decorating his old, wrinkly face.

"Can I help you, miss?" he started with a large grin on his lips.

Sakura shuddered slightly at the vibes he gave off and pulled her hood off, revealing her exotic looking features. "I'm in need of a sleigh to see Dr. Kureha." she began. "But I don't have much-…"

He cut her off with a wave of his hand. "That witch, huh? I'd stay a long way from her if I were you." he muttered sourly.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the man. "Do you know where I can rent one?" she retorted, trying to keep her calm.

"Try the fruit market further down the street." the curly-mustached man replied. "Mr Yamato visits the witch regularly."

Sakura thanked him and left his shop, her eyes scanning the busy streets in front of her in search of the fruit market. People were filling the streets and shielding her view, yet she continued walking down the road the curly-mustached man had pointed out. As she passed a decrepit building, she noticed five wanted posters adorning the wall, and she stopped abruptly as the picture of a certain green-haired man caught her eye. Ripping the poster from it's pins, she gave it a quick once over before stuffing it into her medical pouch. She needed to find Zoro, and that quick.

She reached the fruit market and hurried inside, heading straight to the cashier again. The young man behind the counter gave her a once over, grinning widely as he obviously enjoyed her unique features.

"I need a sleigh to visit ," Sakura began in a rush and met the young man's stare full on.

"What's the hurry?" the man questioned and nodded in appreciation as he took in her exotic hair and her pale face.

Sakura raised an eyebrow and leaned closer. "I have a friend who's in need of medical treatment."

"Is that so?" the man retorted with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sure this friend of yours will be fine."

Sakura's eyes narrowed and she slammed her fist onto the counter, unintentionally cracking the marbled surface with a unconscious use of chakra.

"Heh," she bit her lip while regarding the man in front of her. "I was told I could find a sleigh here."

The youngster took a step back and put his hands up in defeat. "O-of course ma'am. We have one left. You c-can have it."

The pinkette tilted her head in question, not fully understanding the full meaning of his words.

"It's in the back, I'll prepare it for you." the young man added and hurried to the back door.

"How much will that cost?" she raised her voice after the male and heard him shout a "Nothing!" back. Smirking triumphantly, she saw a small section of wool cloaks across the small store and went over to the collection of clothing. Picking a black one that looked like it would fit the swordsman, she called after the clerk once again. "Add a cloak to that. I'll be back soon." and with that she left the warmth of the small store, heading back into the mass of people on the other side of the door.

Zoro stumbled out of the tavern with two bottles of sake in his hands. He'd downed another three bottles in the tavern until the waitress had kindly asked him to leave, stating she didn't want any trouble in her bar. She had offered him another two bottles as a bribery which he had gladly accepted since he didn't have any beri on himself, and he had left soon after. The sun would begin to set in a few hours and he needed to find his pink-haired friend before it got too dark, and so he hurried in the direction he thought she would be at.

The ocean slammed against the icy cliffs and he cursed the sight before him. Turning to face the direction he had come from, he started walking again, intent on finding Sakura, but as he rounded a corner he stood by the cliffs again and let out a sigh of irritation. This town seemed to mess with him and he let out a growl of exasperation before turning around, heading back into town.

By the third time the same cliffs came into view he felt his blood boil in irritation and he quickly headed back up the busy streets.

Sakura left the tavern with an annoyed look on her face. Zoro was nowhere to be seen and since she knew how bad he was with directions she felt herself starting to sweat. If he had gotten lost, he could be anywhere.

She headed down the streets with the extra cloak tucked securely under her arm and rounded a corner but quickly turned back the way she had come from. A group of marines came walking up behind her and she felt her senses prickle of nervousness as she pretended to window-shop by the nearest boutique while waiting for the marines to pass. They spoke of strawhats and she wondered idly why they were after those ridiculous hats in this cold weather.

The sight of green hair reached the corner of her eye and she turned to face the direction of it, seeing the man she'd been looking for. He was still dressed in his slacks and sweaters. His three swords hung by his right hip and she peered discreetly at the group of marines, making sure they were unbeknown of the swordsman before she strode towards him.

"I've been looking all over for you," she seethed through gritted teeth and handed him the cloak.

"And I've been looking for you." he retorted sourly while fingering the wool fabric. "Where were you?"

Her eyes met his and she felt her breath hitch at the sight of his annoyed glare. "I was getting us a sleigh. I thought you'd stay at the tavern."

He flung the cloak over his shoulders and fastened it with a pin under his chin. "I got kicked out." he retorted and felt himself relax under the warm fabric.

Sakura's brow arched at that. "Why?"

He shrugged at that. "She said she didn't want no trouble."

"Huh?"

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "The waitress," he muttered. "She said I was trouble."

Sakura's hands went to the medical pouch around her hips and she dug out the wanted poster she had stolen earlier. She handed him the piece of paper, looking at his face for any kind of reaction.

"Pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro," he read out loud before meeting her stare. "Bounty 60,000,000. You could turn me in and earn some extra beri."

"Don't be an idiot," she grumbled and heard the voices of the marines come closer to where they were standing. Snatching the piece of paper back and stuffing it into her medical pouch, she bit her lip while stepping closer to the swordsman. "Kiss me."

"What?" he questioned and glanced down at her smaller frame.

"Just do it." she insisted and got up on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck. The new angle made her hood fall back onto her neck, revealing her pastel pink hair. "Now!"

He obliged to her request and lowered his lips onto hers, feeling her fingers entangle themselves in his hair. Her lips were soft against his and he suppressed a groan of contentment when her body came up flushed against his still cold frame. Snaking his arms around her waist while dropping the bottles of sake onto the snowy ground, he pulled her closer and heard her moan into his mouth while their tongues slowly danced with one another. The sound of voices reached his ears and he was just about to pull away from her lips when she deepened the kiss further and pushed him back against the wall.

His hand trailed up and down her spine, relishing in the feeling of her body against his and she dragged her fingers through his short, soft hair, hearing the marines give a slow whistle at the scene the two of them were making. Zoro stiffened at the sound and made another attempt at pulling away to glare at the onlookers, but as he removed his lips from hers, he heard her pleading voice escape her slightly swollen lips. "Don't stop."

His eye shot to hers to make sure he'd heard her right, and when her hazy, half-lidded irises peered up at him, he felt himself loose all control over himself.

He picked her up and pushed her back against the wall while she wrapped her legs around his waist just like she'd done earlier that day. His lips met hers in a mind-blowing kiss and she threw her head back against the wall while another moan left her lips. The onlookers grinned at the sight before a roaring voice boomed from further down the street, and the small crew hurried down to meet their superior.

Zoro's lips attacked the pinkette's exposed neck, earning him another moan from the woman whom tugged the hood of his black cloak over his head. He unconsciously thrust his hips up against hers in a need for more contact and Sakura gasped loudly at the antics while her eyes shot open to peer into his. She nibbled softly at his lower lip while clinging onto his shoulders and finished her ministrations with another astonishing kiss before she leaned her forehead against his.

He let her down after that and felt her arms snake around his waist while he rested his hands on her hips. She gave a soft peck on his lips, before letting her tongue dart out to wet her own and he felt the warmth radiating through her slightly open cloak, warming him from the inside and out.

"We should probably go and get that sleigh." her voice was shaky as she spoke and he found himself smiling at the sound.

Grasping her chin in between his thumb and index finger, he tilted her head up to meet his again and planted another soft kiss on her lips. "I agree." he stated and and took a step back to allow her to show the way.

The ride down the mountain took the Strawhat pirates a few hours and they managed to reach the nearest village before the sun stood low on the horizon, getting ready to set and cast the snow island in darkness with the moon as it's only light source.

Luffy hopped out of the wooden vessel and petted the nearest reindeer while waiting for the other two to join him. Clad in a red jacket rimmed with fur and his characteristic strawhat on his head, the captain peered down the empty streets for any sign of life and saw another sleigh, pulled by two reindeer's come straight their way.

Sakura's grip around the reins tightened when she spotted three people in front of them. "Keep your head low." she muttered to the swordsman when they got closer to the trio. She recognized them from the other wanted posters. Her blood froze at the sight. 'So this is what pirates look like.' she thought to herself and urged the reindeer's to go faster.

Zoro sent her a look of displeasure but did as he was told anyway and pretended to look for something in the back of the sleigh where Sakura had left two bags of stuff she had gotten from the fruit market. How she had managed to get everything for free was a mystery to him, but he supposed having her around was quite handy that way.

Luffy waved to the pink-haired woman when they closed in on the distance between them, and he grinned widely when she slowed down the pace of the reindeer's.

"Say," the one with the strawhat started. "Do you know where we can find some meat?"

Sakura raised a brow in surprise as she regarded the pirate's features. "Uh, try the tavern further down the streets." She wanted nothing more than to flee the place. Pirates were bad people and her kinds sworn enemy. At least Zoro had turned out to be on her side and for that, she was thankful.

"Alright!" the young man grinned widely and turned to his crew mates.

Sakura was just about to urge the two animals ahead of her to pick up the pace when the redhead of the group stepped closer.

"Do you know if there's a shipwright around here?" she questioned, her eyes flickered to Zoro when he suddenly turned around with an apple in his hand. His hood was still on and shielded most of his face along with his unique hair color. The redhead's dark brown eyes went back to the pinkette and she offered a small smile.

"I'm not," Sakura began before the blond of the crew stepped forward with hearts in his eyes.

"May I request you grace us with your name, oh fair maiden~" he asked and leaned casually against the side of the sleigh, slowly reaching his hand out to grasp hers.

Sakura shuddered at his odd antics, completely mesmerized by his curly eyebrows and felt the swordsman stiffen by her side when the blonde uttered his question. The redhead smacked the blonde at the back of his head while glaring heatedly at him.

"Sanji! Stop with your perverted thoughts! You're scaring her!" she scolded.

"But Nami-swan~" the blonde wailed. "Such an unique looking beauty deserves to experience the power of love~"

Sakura paled notably at that. "We really need to get going." she stated and waved her hand dismissively before tugging at the reins once again. Who were these freaks? "As for the shipwright, I'm not sure. I'm- we're not from around here." she added and offered a meek smile.

The one with the strawhat stepped closer, still wearing the large grin and Sakura felt her senses prickle in danger. However, he just raised his hand and waved her off.

Sakura and Zoro could hear the bickering between Sanji and Nami a long way from there while the captain only laughed at the scene. "What an odd bunch," Sakura groaned and whipped with the reins to get the two reindeer's to speed up. It would take them some time to reach the top of the mountain and she wasn't too hyped on traveling up the steep road by night.

The swordsman stayed quiet by her side, munching on the apple he had picked out earlier. The blonde guy had hit a nerve within him when speaking to Sakura the way he had, and he had clenched his fists angrily to prevent himself for blowing his cover. Sakura seemed oblivious to his building rage and he shot her a passive look, completely masking his true feelings. If he ever met that man again, he would pummel him to the end of the earth and enjoy every drop of blood that he would make sure spilled from his idiotic-looking face.

At a far away island, the sun was just peeking up over the horizon. A young male ran quickly through the steel-clad corridors of an underground hi-tech facility. Pressing his thumb swiftly over a small scanner near a barricaded door, he waited impatiently for the doors to slide open. He rounded a corner, his thin legs carrying his lithe frame past a couple of glass windows revealing several rooms with scientists working on their newest inventions. He rushed through another set of doors until he came to a counter where another male sat typing on his computer. He sprinted past the male and heard a shout of protest before he finally reached his destination.

He didn't bother to knock and instead he pushed the doors open and stopped abruptly in front of the large desk situated near the wall.

"Sir," he panted.

"What gives you the right to barge into my office unannounced?" an old man questioned from his position on the other side of the desk. The back of his chair was facing the younger male, yet he didn't bother turning around.

"Sir, we have gathered new intelligence." the young male urged while trying to calm his erratic heartbeats.

"We get new intelligence all the time. Please leave." the elder of the two commanded and pushed a button on his chair which started a set of tv-monitors on the wall he was facing. From there he could see the whole facility and the scientists currently working on the tasks he had given them.

"But sir, we have found a chakra user." the youngster's voice spoke up again and the elder male tilted his head to the side, clearly interested in learning more.

"Oh? Go on."

Straightening his posture, the younger male nodded in approval and went on. "We haven't figured out the exact location yet. The signal keeps disappearing."

"They're masking their presence. How clever." the elder chimed in with a smirk spreading on his lips. "How many?"

"Just one, sir."

The chair turned after that, yet not fully towards the younger male. "Prepare the ship,"

"Sir, we don't know the exact location." the youth cut in before taking a quick step back as the elder slammed his fist onto the steel-colored desk.

"I do not like to repeat myself, you piece of shit. Where did the signal come from?"

Hanging his head in shame, the boy spoke quietly. "Between East blue and South Blue, but that is all we know as of now."

"Prepare the ship and send the elite."

"Sir?"

"We are going to capture ourselves a ninja."

A/N: This is by far the longest chapter I have ever written. Sorry it took me a while to get it up. Last week was horrible and I barely wrote anything due to my allergies kicking in which made my eyes all itchy and made me all tired, so I hope I delivered with this one.

Please review. :3