Logue Town stands before the Straw hat crew in all its splendor. The port is filled with ships of all kinds. Pirate ships rub shoulders with merchant and tourist ships in relative peace with the presence of many navies who make sure that there are no altercations between the different groups.
The Merry docked quietly and Zoro and Sanji tied the ship's ropes to the dock. The board has barely touched the ground when Luffy rushes down the main street in a cloud of dust. The rest of the crew only starts to react when Luffy is only a small dot in the middle of the crowd.
"Hey Luffy ! Wait up! We haven't said what we're gonna do yet..." Shouts Usopp before his voice falters, understanding that Luffy won't turn back. Nami shakes her head and sighs, they should have expected this. Luffy can't help but go on an adventure, even though there are a lot of navies around him.
"Never mind Usopp, we'll find him later. As long as he doesn't do anything stupid, he can do whatever he wants." Silence falls over the ship as Stella looks at them with a puzzled look on their desperate faces. They all finally let out a deep sigh of defeat. What do they expect? Luffy will eventually come back with an army of navies on his ass and they will have to leave in a hurry. The sniper puts his head in his hand with a muffled groan.
"It's dead, we're talking about Luffy..."
"You're right Usopp, that gives us even less time than we expected to buy supplies and find a Log Pose." Said Sanji as he lit a cigarette before shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Do what you want, but I'm going to buy two new swords." Growls Zoro as he climbs up the board to get off the boat. Nami approaches him with a mischievous smile as she flickers her eyes.
"Hoo... And with what money are you going to pay them?" Zoro looks at her with another grunt. "I can lend you money with 300% interest if you want. ~" Sings the navigator. The swordsman clenches his jaw. He doesn't want to get into debt with this witch, but he doesn't really have a choice.
Except that a certain white-haired girl flies to his rescue by putting her hand on his shoulder.
"I can lend you money, as long as you tell me why you need to buy two more." Zoro's eyes turn to her gratefully, while Nami's are filled with anger. But under the woman's pointed gaze, she does not retort.
"Really?" Zoro exclaims with a small, hopeful smile. Stella nods in response and heads for her little boat.
"Yes, I can advance you and you will pay me back little by little along the way. Luffy's companions must be well equipped to protect him. But I warn you that this will be the only time. You'll have to ask Nami for extra money." At these words, Nami's smile returns to her face and she stares at Zoro with a toothy grin. Zoro frowns and sends an irritated look to the navigator. Stella easily jumps on her boat and turns to the swordsman. "You still haven't told me why you need new blades." Zoro turns his attention back to her and places his hand on Wadô's hilt.
"I have mastered Santôryû, which is a fighting style with three swords. In my fight against Mihawk, two of my blades were broken." He says with pain. His hand absentmindedly strokes the white hilt. "Only Wadô held, probably because it is a named blade." He finishes sadly. When Zoro mentions his fighting style, Stella raises her eyebrows. This is the first time she has heard of the Santôryû style. She wonders how he can manage to handle three swords at the same time. On the other hand, when the swordsman confessed to have destroyed his swords, the face of Stella froze. She also fights with swords, but they are very special because they are all cursed blades. And thanks to her mastery of combat, she is able to hear her blades speak to her and have real conversations with them. But not only with her swords, but also with all the named blades, like Wadô. The white sword has remained silent, except when Zoro strokes it, where Stella can hear it purring.
"I see... I can't wait to see you fight with your three swords. Wait for me here, I'll get your money."
"Uh... Stella?" She glanced behind her to see Usopp dancing on his feet looking everywhere but at her. Understanding the silent request, she gives him a small smile.
"Yes, I will also pass you some money Usopp. But just like Zoro, you have to tell me why." The sniper stops fidgeting and rubs his arm, looking at the ground.
"I need to buy some ammo and possibly some new equipment..." Silence falls over the group. When Stella doesn't respond, Usopp looks up, concerned about the silence. When his eyes meet the woman's, she smiles.
"I finally see your eyes. You don't have to be afraid to ask me anything. I am here to help you. Don't forget that I will never hurt you. And even if I get angry, I will go and calm down away from you." Usopp blinks at her answer, not sure how to respond. Stella could blow his head off if she wanted to and no one could stop her. But she still makes sure that they are themselves in her presence, that they are not afraid of her. That even if they play a bad joke on her, she won't kill them. Yet Usopp still swallows at Stella's icy blue eyes, he feels like if he looks at them for too long, he'll turn into an icicle.
"I... uh... okay..." Stella smiles and her eyes become softer. Without adding anything, she turns and walks back into her small cabin. She opens one of her suitcases that contains the money. But she realizes that she is not going to have enough for the two men. She thinks about it until she thinks about the swords that are on her boat. Maybe one of them will want Zoro as a potential carrier? The swordsman won't be able to wield it right away, but it might be worth checking out. She takes the money for Usopp and leaves.
On the dock, only Usopp and Zoro are left. Nami and Sanji went shopping because because of Luffy, they will run out of time.
"Here's 30.000 Berrys for you, Usopp. Spend it wisely. You can keep the change." The sniper gently reaches out and takes the wad of cash with bright eyes. He can't believe that this girl, whom they met only an hour ago, gives him so much money without batting an eye. It's a good thing Nami isn't here, or she'd try to siphon off his money.
He smiles and turns his glance towards Stella to thank her, but in front of her smirk, his words die in his throat. He feels like he's sold his soul to the devil, worse than Nami.
"Uh... I... Thank you so much..." He says in a shaky voice. Stella's smile widens even more, now that the sniper has realized that there is a counterpart.
"You're welcome, Usopp. But I'm sure you understand that this money isn't exactly free." The sniper swallowed heavily, already imagining all the possible and unimaginable tortures this woman could put him through.
"Wha... What are you... asking me?" The bills in his hands felt terribly heavy all of a sudden.
Stella's smile doesn't leave her for a moment as she approaches Usopp. Once in front of him, she places her hand on his shoulder and leans into his ear. The man shudders even more as he closes his eyes, as if he hopes she will disappear if he doesn't see her.
"I'm going to ask you one thing. ~" Usopp swallows again, expecting the worst. "I want you to... " Stella pauses for a few seconds to back up her words. " ... Stop thinking I'm going to kill you every minute. " The man opens his eyes wide and finally looks at Stella. Is that all she wants? For him to stop thinking that she is someone who can rip his head off at any moment? Really? But how is he going to do that?!
The sniper is stunned, reassured, panicked, confused, relieved, scared. His body and mind can't decide if this is a trap, the truth, or just a big joke.
Stella is amused by all the shades the sniper's face takes on at her request. Her smile turns amused and she pats him on the shoulder before she walks past him to get to Zoro.
"I understand you're confused, but for now I'm just asking you to stop being afraid of me. I find it quite stressful." Usopp turns his head in her direction, blinking. He understands that she really meant it.
"Um... Okay... I'll try..." The woman turns back to him and waves her finger from left to right, flicking her tongue.
"No, no, no. You're not going to try, you're going to succeed. Always have that spirit, whatever you do, you're going to make it." The long-nosed man didn't know what to say, he felt like he was on a roller coaster. The first time you go, you scream in fear. But the more you do it, the more fun it is. And right now, he just got to ride this roller coaster for the first time.
"Okay... Thanks for the money, you won't regret your investment." And he quickly leaves under Stella's amused look.
Zoro watched the whole interaction between this woman and their sniper. At first he thought she was going to ask him something sadistic, but he was surprised and reassured to see that she was simply asking him not to be afraid of her anymore.
Stella turned to Zoro with a big smile.
"To both of us! I don't have enough money on me, so you're going to follow me to my ship." He raises an eyebrow, letting out a grunt. He hadn't planned on playing escort or serving as a mule. At the swordsman's septic face, Stella sneers. "What's the matter? Would you be afraid to follow me into my lair?" Zoro gives her an evil look.
"Don't talk nonsense! I'm not afraid of you! I know you won't do anything to me." Stella doesn't know if she should be disappointed or happy with his answer. On the one hand, she can't have fun scaring him, but on the other hand, his answer shows that he already trusts her enough to follow her. She chooses to take the second option.
"I see... In that case, let's go! I drop the suitcases then we go. "Says she while jumping on her small boat. Zoro jumps in turn while Stella enters the cabin and grabs three suitcases, leaving one next to the table, it's filled with trinkets and various souvenirs from East Blue, so items that won't be very useful in Grand Line. "Wait for me for two seconds while I put this down." Zoro grunts in response as he follows her with his eyes until she enters Nami's room.
Inside, Stella notices that there is only one bed in the room, she will have to get one later today. Looking in the closet for space, she quickly notices that all the shelves are filled with women's clothes. Obviously, the navigator has monopolized all the wardrobes. Pushing a bored sigh, the woman is content to slip the suitcases under the bed. Hiding them from prying eyes. Since Satushi will probably follow her, she can settle for the minimum. She can even sleep in her own room if she can't find an extra bed. But it's better if he stays underwater as long as possible and she stays on the boat. After all, she's on vacation, so she might as well live with the young pirates as much as possible.
She gets out, jumps on the little boat and heads to the ropes to start maneuvering it.
"Sorry for the wait, but we can go now. I potentially have a surprise for you."
"Why potentially?" Asks the swordsman, who is leaning against the cabin, arms crossed and content to watch her pull on the ropes that raise the sails.
"Let's just say it will depend on them. If one of them likes your potential, he will accompany you once you arrive at Sabaody. " Said Stella while concentrating not to hit a ship. The swordsman frowns as he stares at her.
"Who is 'them'? You mean your crew?" Stella smiles and gives him a small amused look.
"You'll see on the spot." An irritated growl passes Zoro's throat, he doesn't like secrets. But if she's talking about her crew members, he doesn't know how they'll react when they hear their captain is abandoning them to go train them. Besides, is Stella the captain of her crew?
"Are you the captain of your crew? " Stella looks at him longer, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course, do you seriously think that with my power, I would obey anyone's orders?" She pulls sharply on the rope so that the ship turns quickly to the left to dodge a ship entering the harbor that has not seen her. She completely ignores the sailors' cries for her to be more careful, and quietly steers around them.
Zoro catches himself at the last moment to avoid crashing to the ground and glares at the people shouting at them. Some of the men are frightened by his look and move away to escape the hard look of the swordsman. He feels like slicing them up to teach them to shut up.
"Calm down fingerling, let them yell. That's all they know how to do anyway." Stella's face is neutral and bored, unaffected by the few insults that have come out.
Zoro doesn't understand why she doesn't do anything. They almost ran them over, though, but it's like she didn't hear them.
"Why do you let them do it? You could teach them a good lesson no problem." Stella still stares ahead, remaining silent for a few seconds before answering.
"Fighting them wouldn't do any good. There will always be idiots. And honestly, what's the point of fighting them? It will bring me more trouble than anything else. Why fight and spend energy when you can just ignore them? It's better to use that energy to defend yourself and protect your friends. Don't you think?" She asks as she turns to the green haired man with a small smile. Zoro looks at her with surprise, he didn't agree with her at first. But he finally understood what she meant. His eyes rest on Wadô that he caresses with his thumb. He has much more to learn than he thought.
The small ship continues its way on the more or less calm water of the harbor, until arriving in front of a huge hangar. Inside, many boats are moored. What they have in common is the logo on the side of the hull that corresponds to the charter company. The logo represents a kraken holding the sun and the moon on each side of its head. While navigating between the different sections, Stella moors her boat at location H52, which corresponds to her boat number.
Zoro helps Stella tie it up as a man in his 20s with brown hair approaches them.
"Hello, ma'am, sir, have you come to return your boat?" Tying a final knot, Stella smiles at him as she approaches him.
"Indeed, on behalf of Celeste Moon." Zoro raises an eyebrow at the name given, but says nothing. After all, if she's so famous, it's not weird to give another name to be safe. The man searches through his notes until he finds the number of the H52 location and the correct name written next to it, but he sees something that catches his eye.
"It says here that you paid several months' rent. " He lowers the sheets and looks at the taller woman with a neutral face. "I hope you know the house policy. Which is: any payment made is non-refundable." Zoro squints at the man's words, he doesn't know how much Stella paid up front, but he doesn't really like their business technique. Seeing the dark look on the swordsman's face, the man gets scared, he's not really cut out for fighting. If he works here, it is because he has a good commercial technique.
Feeling the hard look of the swordsman in her back, Stella extends her hand to indicate to Zoro not to do anything. She looks at the poor scared man with a soft reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, I know the house policy perfectly well. But I'd like to talk to your boss if it's possible. I have something to ask him." The man's eyes leave the green-haired swordsman's to look at the woman's. At her smile, he relaxes slightly, clutching his notebook less tightly in his hands.
"I... Yes. Yes, of course. Follow me, please." He leads them through the docks, up to the second floor. From there they have a better view of the docked ships. The wood creaks lightly under their feet until they come face to face with a door that says "Boss" on it. At least they won't get the wrong door.
The man knocks three times on the door and they hear a "Come in!". Opening the heavy wooden door, they enter a huge office. The walls are covered with wooden cabinets and shelves, which are filled with various files in an orderly fashion. On the dark wood floor, a large rug with the company logo leads to a rough wooden desk. Two stacks of files are balanced on either side of the desk. A large window behind the desk provides enough light to see as well as if you were outside. Sitting in his leather chair, an imposing man looks up from the paper he is reading. His muscular build makes Zoro look like a child in comparison. His square face, black hair and piercing brown eyes are a warning not to mess with this man. His scar on the left side of his jaw finishes the portrait of the man. Seeing that his employee is accompanied by two customers, they straighten up slightly.
"Good morning, to what do I owe your visit?" The man's gruff, rough tone contrasted sharply with the politeness of his words.
"Hello boss, Madam Celeste Moon is coming to return her ship several months early. She knows the politics of the house. But she would like to speak with you." Said the boy, trembling slightly at the piercing gaze of his boss. The man looks at Stella with a raised eyebrow and finally lets out a sigh as he tosses his paper on the table.
"I see... You can come out, Thomas. I'll have a private conversation with her."
"Yes, of course." Thomas makes a small bow and leaves the room, walking past Stella and Zoro. Stella smiles at the seated man and turns to the swordsman.
"Wait for me outside fingerling, I won't be long." Zoro growls at the nickname and strides out of the room in irritation. Stella watches with amusement as Thomas looks at Zoro with wide eyes as he closes the door, clearly not wanting to be alone with him.
Stella chuckles slightly, imagining the awkwardness between the two men. The boss says nothing for a few seconds before smiling.
"So... To what do I owe your visit, Miss Celeste Moon?" He says with amusement, pressing hard on the fake name. Stella rolls her eyes and drops into the leather chair facing the desk with a thud.
"Stop with that Luc. Politeness is not your forte." The man chuckles lightly, rests his elbows on his desk and crosses his hands.
"What do you want, I have to be polite, if I want the customers to come back. Otherwise, why did you come back so quickly? Is there something wrong with the boat I rented you?" Stella shook her head and waved her hand as she sat across the chair, her legs swinging gently on the arm of the chair and her back resting half on the leather backrest.
"Don't worry, this has nothing to do with you or your company. In fact, I'm going back to Grand Line, so your little boat is going to be a little cumbersome." Luc nods his head.
"I see, well thanks for returning it in good condition then. But I'm not going to pay you back, you know." Stella slides down the backrest to rest her head on the armrest and look up at the wooden ceiling.
"I know, but it's not a problem. I'd like you to use that money to make the 'authorities' think I'm still on East Blue. Have fun making a copy or paying your men handsomely, but make sure no one knows I'm back on Grand Line. At least for a few more weeks." He raises an eyebrow.
"Why do you have to be so careful? Are you planning a coup?" Stella smiled and turned her head to look at him.
"No, but I'm planning to stay on vacation a little longer. If they know I'm back on duty, I'll be constantly disturbed." Luc lets out a small laugh.
"Madam is really wanted from what I can see." She rolls her eyes in amusement.
"What do you want, the world would burn without me. Someone has to look out for these kids, or they'll end up doing something stupid." It was Luc's turn to roll his eyes. He had almost forgotten the vanity this woman is capable of.
"Of course. Mom Stella has a lot of work to do." He says in a sarcastic tone. Stella giggles and straightens up to sit properly. She places both hands on either side of her face and puts on a cute expression.
"Hoooo! You called me mom! That's so cute!" She says in a goofy voice. The man blushes, from embarrassment or anger, it remains to be discovered.
"SHUT UP! I'll take care of your boat! But now get the hell out of my office!" Luc yells as he grabs a sheet of paper and rolls it into a ball before throwing it in the direction of the irritating woman. Stella easily dodges the ball of paper and stands up, giggling.
"Well, it was a pleasure my darling!" She says as she sends a hand kiss in Luc's direction. She rushes out of the room bursting with laughter under a rain of paper balls.
Zoro who was leaning against the fence just in front of the door, takes several paper balls in his face when the door suddenly opens. Thinking that he is attacked, he draws Wadô, but he freezes with incredulity when he sees Stella coming out of the office, bursting into laughter and quickly closing the door to block the rest of the shots.
Stella is leaning against the door giggling, tears beading at the corners of her eyes and she dries them with a wave of her hand, taking a deep breath. But a scene in front of her pulls her back into her giggles when she sees Zoro with a paper ball in his hair, giving the impression of a nest with a large egg.
"Ha ha ha! If you could see your face! Ha ha ha!" Zoro growls at this open mockery of his person. Angrily, he pulls out the paper ball and throws it at Stella, who catches it in her forehead. It's not enough to stop her laughter, but at least he gets the credit of being able to hear Luc yell a "GET OUT! "through the door. Not wanting to take any more paper balls. Stella, Zoro and Thomas move away from the door at great speed.
Stella finally calms down as she walks down the stairs. Zoro looks at her with annoyance, he doesn't like to be laughed at, but he tells her to shut up, but it's even worse. Thomas is at the head of the group and he doesn't know what to think of this strange client. He knows that his boss can get angry quickly, but he usually never shows it in public. It would be frowned upon. He is even more surprised when the client in question laughs out loud after he yells at her.
Stella continues to giggle until she arrives in front of the small boat, after a deep breath, she finally calms down. Without hesitation, she jumps on the small boat and turns to Zoro.
"Come on, fry. Come and help me carry my stuff to my boat." The swordsman gives her a dark look and crosses his arms.
"I'm not at your service, old woman! You're on your own!" At the nickname and the refusal, she raises an eyebrow and says in a mocking voice.
"Just so you know, if you want to see the color of your money, you're going to have to make that little effort." Zoro wrinkles his nose in annoyance and lets out a grunt. Evidently, he has no choice. Irritated to be used as a mule once again, he enters the cabin of the small boat. Inside, Stella sets the last suitcase on the table and checks that her Den Den are in their transport vivarium.
"You take the suitcase, while I take care of the vivarium." This sounds more like an order than a request to Zoro, but he obeys and slides the strap over his head to let the suitcase slide down his back. "Come on, fingerling, let's go." Completely ignoring the swordsman's gaze, Stella cautiously walks back up to the dock, making sure the Den Den isn't too shaken in her arms.
Thomas waits for them on the dock, flipping through his notebook, looking for the hangar where Stella's ship is. His eyes widen in shock, he even rubs his eyes to be sure. He understands better why this customer remains so relaxed after his boss yells at her. The guy with green hair must be her bodyguard. He looks at Stella who approaches him with a big smile, Zoro is right behind her with an annoyed face.
"I got all my stuff back and I don't think I forgot or damaged anything. Your boat is available again for another rental." Said Stella happily. Thomas looks at her with wide eyes, knowing the shed where her boat is, he is unsettled by her behavior so unabashedly.
"Uh... Okay... I... I'll take you to your ship. Follow me, please." He turns around and starts walking towards the exit, towards hangar number 8.
Zoro is annoyed, as much by Stella's behavior as by the fact that he has to carry her bags, even if it's only one. If he wasn't so afraid of Nami's debts, he would probably have his swords by now. He drags his feet and grumbles while Stella is almost jumping up and down with a big smile, obviously she is happy to have her ship and crew back. But come to think of it, it makes sense, he too would be happy to see the others again after two weeks away, even he would miss the Cook, though...
He has a thought for the members of Stella's crew, knowing the captain, he wonders how strong they must be. A toothy grin appears on his scowling face, making Thomas shudder as he had the misfortune to turn around to check on the two guests following him.
In only 5 minutes of walking, the small group arrives in front of a huge gray stone shed with steel and wooden structures. No windows are visible, the only access is a small reinforced steel door guarded by four heavily armed men. As the small group approaches, the four men straighten up and look at them intently, determining whether they are enemies or clients. At the sight of Thomas and the very recognizable white-haired customer wearing a small smile, they relax slightly, but the sight of the green-haired man with piercing eyes just behind them puts them back on their guard.
"Hello Thomas, Hello Lady, Sir? What can we do for you?" Asks a man who looks a bit like Zoro, but an older version. He's a little taller and has blond hair. Thomas looks at the guards as he dances on his feet, obviously he has trouble with large men.
"Good morning, boys. Lady Moon is here to join her ship. Can you let us through, please?" Asks the poor man, as the blond man looks at him from his full height. His gaze is hard and sharp.
Stella looks at the interaction and raises an eyebrow, obviously these two men have personal issues to deal with. But it's none of her business. Not wanting to wait for something to happen, she slips between Thomas and the guard with a charming smile. Thomas moves back a step not to collide with the back of the woman, the look of the man did not leave him until Stella speaks.
"I would like to join my ship. Can you let me and my bodyguard in?" She asks with a small nod in the direction of the mossy head, who immediately takes offense.
"Bodyguard?! Who do you think I am? Your servant?!" Stella looks at him with an amused smile.
"Do I have to remind you again why you are here? If you want to get what you want, you have to suffer some more. Come on fingerling, you can do it, there's only a few more feet." Zoro grunts as he squeezes the suitcase strap to death against his chest.
The guards watch the interaction with a neutral face. They know every client who has a ship inside, in case they come without Thomas or one of the other company agents. And it's not uncommon to see strange things between customers and their servants. The blond man takes one last look at Thomas behind the customer before finally stepping back and politely addressing Stella.
"Please excuse us for the wait. We will open the door immediately." Each guard takes out a key from inside their jacket and inserts it into four locks. In one motion, they turn them to different, precise degrees. A series of clicks can be heard through the door. The blond man operates the door handle and opens it without difficulty to let the client and obviously his strange bodyguard through.
"Please come in Lady Moon, your boat is waiting for you. " Stella smiles at him and walks through the door, still holding the vivarium firmly in her arms.
Zoro follows her, staring at the guards, almost expecting an ambush from the other side. But other than neutral and slightly suspicious looks, the four men do nothing. On the other hand, he notices that Thomas does not follow them. Seeing Zoro's questioning look, Thomas makes a small bow.
"Our paths part here, if you need anything, feel free to ask these men. " Zoro opens his mouth but Stella's call from inside cuts him off.
"Bring it on, fingerling! We don't have all day I'll have you know!"
"I'm coming! Damn it!" He shouts towards the door from outside. Thomas doesn't wait for Zoro to start any kind of discussion and takes off running. He really doesn't want to stay here, when there are only bullies around him.
Zoro glances at Thomas' back before entering the hangar with a grunt.
The interior of the hangar is very spacious and luxurious, the wood and stone docks are beautifully carved, you can even see marble forming paths to the various docks. The most present metals are silver and gold. Zoro is totally lost, he doesn't understand why the interior of the hangar reeks of wealth and luxury.
"Stop raving and get your ass over here!" Stella's scream pulls him from his contemplation. His eyes dart to Stella and he opens his mouth to scream more insults at her. But his words choke when he sees the ship right behind her.
"Tell me I'm dreaming…"
Behind Stella is one of the largest ships Zoro has ever seen. It must easily be twenty times the size of the Merry. Wood, gold, silver, and gems are the most visible features. A huge golden mermaid with a blue stone in her hands makes up the bow. A total of 8 sails are used to push this huge galleon. The gold railings are inlaid with various polished gems that glow faintly in the light. All over the ship, many sailors are cleaning the ship, checking the condition of the ropes, sails and provisions. At a glance, Zoro counts a few hundred people.
The poor swordsman really doesn't know how to react, this ship is really flashy and luxurious, it's something he would never have thought about the woman they met on this tiny ship. But he understands better why she gives him money without blinking, she is fucking rich! It's a good thing Nami isn't here, or else her ship might be missing a few stones after she passes.
"So are you moving?! Or do you want to collect a new species of moss?" The insult at least had the merit of waking up the swordsman. His face frowned and his eyes left the ship to look at the woman who owned it.
"Shut up! It's not like you're going to gain any more white hair if you wait a bit!" Stella looked at him with a small mocking smile and looked at the blinged out galleon.
"Stop drooling over that thing and follow me." Zoro frowns, he doesn't understand why Stella is so disrespectful of her ship. But he quickly gets the answer when he sees that Stella is definitely not heading for the galleon, but for a tiny boat. His eyes widen even more when Stella jumps onto the deck of this tiny boat.
The boat is very small compared to the galleon next to it, almost making it look like a lifeboat. Out of the corner of his eye, he can even see the mocking smiles of the sailors who are busy shining the gems.
The boat is a little smaller than the Merry, all in length. The wood is all black with metal structures along the hull and mast. A single sail in the center of the deck is supposed to move the boat forward. But the swordsman wonders how this small sail manages to push the boat enough to move forward. The figurehead is a simple twelve-pointed silver star. Two comet tails extend from each side of the boat to the ship's railings. A windowless wooden cabin sits at the back of the boat with a single wooden door to the right of the room that takes up half the deck space. On closer inspection, Zoro notices that there are no portholes in the hull, which is a strange gray color. Besides, where is the rudder? How is this ship supposed to navigate on Grand Line? Even he couldn't use it to navigate normally.
"Come on fingerling, stop daydreaming and get on my boat." Zoro cautiously walks towards the boat, even though it looks small, he can't climb without a ladder. He opens his mouth to yell at Stella to help him, but a ladder unfolds before him. He blinks at the rope and wood ladder. He is sure that Stella is not above him. He grunts and begins to climb. Once his feet are on the black wooden deck, he sees the cabin door open and Zoro can hear Stella talking to herself. With a raised eyebrow, he carefully steps inside. He sees that the wooden door is actually steel, as is the first two meters of the hallway ahead of him. Another steel door is open, letting in Stella's voice and the light of the room.
After the second steel door, there is a door on the left wall, leading to where he does not know and in front of him there is a small corridor. Seeing that the door is closed and that Stella's voice comes from in front of him, he continues his way.
He finds himself in a spacious room with many flowers and vegetation. On the left, there is an old-fashioned kitchen made of rough wood, the utensils are hanging from wooden or metal hooks. Aromatic plants grow in small round or oval vivariums with a real little ecosystem inside. The swordsman looks with surprise at the different climates inside these glass balls. The rest of the kitchen is warm but he can see different modern appliances, like an oven, hotplates and a big marble sink. He can even see a microwave built into the rough-hewn wood furniture. A small door opposite the oven leads to the pantry. Clearly, Sanji would like to cook here.
In the middle of the L-shaped room, he sees what must be the dining room. A table with four wooden chairs beautifully carved with different patterns and animals. On the table, Stella's vivarium is empty, the woman has the three Den Den in her hands and is facing a huge vivarium that runs the length of the right wall. The vivarium is filled with different tropical plants, the humidity tastes the leaves but does not fog the glass. At the ceiling level, a whole light system illuminates the plants and the room as clearly as the sun would. Different flowers, like orchids, are visible on the floor and on the tree trunks. It is as if a piece of the rainforest is enclosed under glass. A small waterfall falls from one side of the vivarium, making a peaceful splash in the room. The water trickles down many rocky crevices, creating small rock pools of standing water at ground level, then disappears into an automated water treatment system.
Stella opens the door of the vivarium and carefully places the three old Den Den on the floor. Cautiously, Zoro puts the case next to the table and approaches Stella. He can see more Den Den emerging from the vegetation to greet their fellow creatures and their owner. This is the first time the swordsman has seen wild Den Den and even more of this color. He feels as if a rainbow has struck each snail with one of its colors, while others are entirely white or black. There are also different shell shapes that he has never seen before.
"Hi everyone, did you miss me?" Zoro doesn't know what's stranger, the question or the fact that the Den Den responded with chirps.
Some of the snails have noticed and are staring at him, which is quite disturbing to the mossy head, as Den Den's are normally inexpressive, but these ones definitely aren't. He can see some squinting warily, others with their mouths open in surprise or judging him. He even sees one staring intently at his hair with a trickle of drool coming from his mouth. He immediately feels suspicious.
Seeing that the attention of some of her snails is focused on something behind her, Stella turns around and sees Zoro looking warily at a snail with a blue and purple shell. Recognizing the snail and the fact that it is the greediest and most morbid of her collection, the woman stands up and sneers.
"I have a feeling one of my little charges finds you to his liking." Zoro looks at her, squinting his eyes. He doesn't know why, but he chooses to address the snail directly.
"My hair is not edible! You mollusk!" The gastropod's eyes crinkle, he doesn't believe the green haired man, to him this human clearly has moss on his head. Seeing the squinted eyes, Zoro frowns even more. "Don't look at me like that! That's hair, not moss!" But no matter, the snail continues to look at him.
Stella sneers more at the swordsman's offended expression.
"Calm down, fingerling. Otherwise they'll all try to mess with you." Zoro lets out a grunt and looks away from the blue Den Den.
He prefers to look at the rest of the room. At the back, there is a small living room with an oval glass and wrought iron table, surrounded by sofas and leather armchairs that look very comfortable, he feels like taking a nap to confirm it. On the far wall, on either side of the sofa, two small cabinets hold books and small decorative knickknacks. To the left of the living room is a wooden door that leads to the holds.
Not wanting to stand, Zoro walks over to the couch against the wall and drops into it with a loud thud. As he expected, it is very comfortable. His head rests on the backrest behind him and he looks at Stella with an already sleepy look on his face.
"I'm going to go away for a few months with some newbies, the green plant is part of that crew." Zoro lets out a grunt of indignation, but Stella ignores him completely. "Despite his face, he's completely harmless." Some of the snails turn to Zoro with a mocking smile as the swordsman growls again. "I wish some of you would come with me. But know that Sutashi will be following me, so you don't have to worry about working harder than usual. I will make a change every month. As usual, one tall and one white will come with me."
On the grassy floor, 3 white Den Den and 6 tall ones are already looking at each other, determining who will go on the adventure first. "For pictures, I'll take two of you." A dozen small Den Den look at each other, already preparing to fight to stay with Stella. Seeing that hostilities are already underway, she stands up. "I'll let you debate among yourselves, but don't fight. Do you understand?" They all turn to her, nodding sharply. They know that being with Stella is fun, but they also know not to piss her off. Seeing that the message has gotten through, Stella closes the vivarium door and turns her head to the swordsman. A mischievous smile appears on her lips at the sight of Zoro already asleep on the sofa.
The swordsman snores softly with his hands on his belly, the sofa is really soft. He could disappear there. But a violent blow to his back pushes him forward, he almost eats the glass table.
"Are you finally awake?" He looks up and sees Stella in front of him with an amused smile, on her shoulder the suitcase hangs quietly. The swordsman frowns and looks behind his back. He sees nothing strange, there is only the back of the sofa and the wall. How did she do that? "Come on, get up. I have your money to give you and maybe a gift, if you are good.~"
"Can I ask you how you did it to push me into the back?" Growls Zoro as he stands up, he takes one last look at the couch, almost expecting to see it move. Stella is still amused and turns to the wooden door nearby. She dips her hand into an inside pocket of her jacket and pulls out a small silver key.
"I didn't do anything, it's just that Sutashi was tired of you lounging around while I was here." She said as she inserted the key into the lock of the door.
"Sutashi?" Asks Zoro as he approaches the woman. He watches as a wooden panel opens and a metal plate appears.
"Yes, Sutashi is the name of my ship." She places her hand on the metal plate and a multitude of small lasers pass underneath her hands, before a clicking sound is heard. Zoro doesn't know if he should be more surprised by the metal plate or by the fact that Stella is implying that her ship just kicked his ass from the couch.
"Your ship?! Are you kidding me?" Stella gives him a little amused look as she opens the heavy steel door that was hidden behind the wooden door.
"Have you ever heard of the Klabautermann?" She asks as she begins to walk down the steps of the wooden staircase.
"The what? What are the Klabau-thingies." The wood around the swordsman creaks ominously as he begins to descend the steps.
"Keep it civil will you? It's 'Klabautermann' and you can simplify it to the soul of a ship." Her footsteps reach the end of the stairs and she continues down the hallway. On either side of the hallway, several handle-less doors line up to the end. A total of six doors are visible.
"The soul of a ship? What the hell is this? Are you telling me your ship is alive?" Stella reaches the end of the hallway and faces a handleless door on the right. She turns to the swordsman with a big smile.
"Exactly!" As if by magic, the door opens wide, revealing a room in shades of blue. A large double bed is against the wall. Opposite the door is a large bay window that takes up the entire wall presumably showing the sea, but a wooden panel blocks the view. To the right of the door is a wooden desk with many books on it, some of which look old while others appear to have been printed over. To the left is a large closet with all the clothes Stella has purchased over her life and desires. A door at the far left leads to a spacious bathroom and the other at the right to an unknown room. Objects from different ages and strange landscapes decorate the place nicely, giving a very personal and warm touch to this room.
Zoro stands in the doorway. He doesn't know how the door opened by itself, but he didn't expect to enter their new recruit's personal room. Stella is not bothered by the swordsman's bewildered face and sets the suitcase on the floor. She opens the closet and takes out two suitcases that she starts to fill with different clothes.
The eyes of the man rest a fraction of second on underwear before looking away, preferring to look at the books on the desk. Stella felt the movement of head of the swordsman in her back, at least he has the decency to look away. Amused and wanting to play with him a little, she starts to take off her long black leather jacket. Zoro's eyes are attracted by the movement, seeing the thin and muscular back under the blue tank top, he decides to literally turn his back to her. There's no way he's going to run away, but he's not going to stand there and watch either. He's sure she'll use this situation against him later.
"Can I ask what you're doing?" Asks Zoro as he faces the still open hallway door. He hopes that Stella doesn't go any further because he really doesn't have time for all this bullshit.
To say that Stella is amused is an understatement, she really wants to know how Zoro reacts to her charm. She already knows that Luffy doesn't care despite his age, Nami is not insensitive to it but prefers to die than to show it. Sanji seems to be a real womanizer, seeing how he fills the women with compliments and small attentions. Usopp is far too chicken to feel anything, maybe when he stops thinking that she will kill him at the slightest opportunity there will be an evolution. But for Zoro, it's a total blur. When she used her charms on Luffy, he was the only one who was on guard and tense. During her skill demonstration, he was excited about her strength and what he could learn from her. She didn't see anything that could be considered attraction to her. Maybe he plays on the other team?
A carnivorous and amused smile eats half of her face, she is impatient to know what the swordsman is really hiding. Her jacket is thrown on the bed with a clatter of fabric, she can see Zoro's shoulders tense up, probably looking for another noise. Her smile doesn't leave her for a moment as she unties her black katana and throws it on the bed as well. She slowly approaches the swordsman's back. She is a bit taller than the man, allowing her to lean into his ear and purr.
"What's the matter, fingerling? Are we embarrassed?" Zoro leaps to get out of the vicious woman's reach, and starts to head down the hallway in front of him to get out of the room, unfortunately the door closes in front of his nose. He turns around and slams his back against the treacherous door. In front of him, Stella looks at him with an amused and perverse smile while approaching him of a feline step. "Is there a problem, kid?" His face closes and his eyes stare at the woman in front of him.
"Can I know what you're playing at?!" He spits as he straightens up, there's no way he's showing fear in front of this obviously crazy woman. His hand rests on the hilt of his katana, ready to defend himself.
The gesture is not lost on Stella, who looks at the man with more amusement.
"I just wanted to check something, and it seems I have my answer." She says with a big smile before turning back to her suitcase to continue putting her things away as if nothing happened. Zoro stands still, looking at Stella warily, he doesn't understand what she was trying to do.
"And you wanted to know what about me?" Stella's head momentarily disappears behind the closet door to grab some more clothes.
"I wanted to know if you were attracted to me in any way. I like to tease people, so I'd rather know where I stand. Sorry if I'm getting your hopes up, but even though you're a handsome man, I'm not interested in you. But I'm willing to help you if you're interested in someone. I'm fond of raunchy stories." Zoro looks at her with his mouth wide open, he senses that Luffy has accepted into his crew someone much more dangerous than he expected.
"Are you kidding? You made this whole scene just to see if you could tease me without me throwing myself at you?" He asks in an incredulous voice. Stella widens her smile and lets out a small whistle.
"Fiuuuu! Impressive! You got it right away. That's good, fingerling!" The mocking compliment twists Zoro's face in irritation and anger.
"Are you kidding me?!" Stella smiles and removes her tank top. The swordsman's gaze falls on her white lace bra. Instantly, his head turns to the side and his hand lands on his mouth, stifling an expletive.
Stella smiles while moving towards her bathroom.
"I'm going to take a shower, wait here quietly." She disappears behind the door. Zoro breathes a sigh of relief, but he remains on guard because he doesn't know what else she's up to. He swears that if she comes out of that bathroom naked, he'll cut the door off and go to town. He'll have to find Nami to borrow money from her, but that's better than staying in the same room with this pervert. He starts to think that the Cook is soft in comparison.
It is only when he hears the sound of water that he begins to relax. His eyes wander around the room and he ends up reading the titles of the books on the desk. There are many titles of islands or historical periods. Curious, he sits down in the chair across from the desk and opens a book about an island with an unknown name. He doesn't really read it, content with the illustrations of the different landscapes, there are also pictures of plants and animals.
The sound of water stops and a few seconds later, the door opens. The swordsman still has his eyes on the pictures, he heard the door open, but he doesn't want to look up. He prefers to give Stella time to get dressed than to see her potentially naked or surrounded by a towel.
Seconds pass without Stella moving from her position, obviously she wants the swordsman to look at her. Zoro sighs and turns his head in her direction, already preparing to look away quickly. But when he sees the body in front of him, he can't move his head.
In front of him, it's not Stella. It is a tall, muscular, shirtless man. His half-long white hair pulled back is still wet. Drops of water run down his tanned skin to disappear in the towel that surrounds his waist. An amused smile dances on his lips at the sight of Zoro's gaze, who still hasn't spoken or looked away.
"Are you enjoying the show? " The man's low baritone wakes Zoro from his contemplation, he leaps to his feet and places his hand on Wadô, ready to pull it out.
"Who are you?! Where is Stella?!" The stranger chuckles softly and approaches Zoro with a confident step, looking like a predator in front of its prey. As the man approaches, Zoro reaches out and begins to draw his sword. But the stranger doesn't let him, he instantly finds himself in front of the swordsman. Far too close to allow Zoro to draw his blade and pinning him against the door. Slowly, the man places his hands on either side of the young swordsman's head.
"Let's calm down. You already know me, but I must say that seeing you in this state is really nice. Tell me..." His face approaches Zoro's, who pulls his head back as far as he can, but he meets the door behind him, preventing him from backing up further. "What do you want to do?" He purrs. Zoro is cornered and looks at the man with wide eyes, his gaze lost in the man's ice blue eyes that are... very familiar.
Zoro takes a deep breath of surprise and pushes the man's shoulders as far as he can, scrambling away from him. But his feet get caught in the carpet and he starts to fall to the ground. Zoro closes his eyes and braces himself for impact, but a muscular arm wraps around his waist.
"Careful fingerling, I don't want to have to deal with a potential concussion." Zoro opens his eyes wide at the mention of the nickname, slowly turning his head to see the man's face inches away from him. The man's eyes look at him intently, checking to make sure he's okay. Slowly, he straightens the swordsman to his feet and walks away from him. "Is everything okay?"
Zoro can't believe it. It's Stella! He's sure it's Stella standing in front of him, but it's a man, flesh and blood. He doesn't need to see under the towel to be sure, so how?!
"Yes... Yes it's okay but ... how is that possible? You are Stella, aren't you?" The man smiles at him with amusement and he goes into the bathroom to come out with a bottle filled with white pill with a blue line.
"That's me, fingerling. As for my sex change, let's just say I know someone who can change anyone's sex with hormones. I did some research and finally managed to lock his power into a pill. Unfortunately, the effect only lasts 30 minutes on me." Stella tosses another bottle into Zoro's hands, the pills are the same, except the line is pink. "And this one is for becoming a girl. On you they will last for several hours.~" Instantly the swordsman drops the bottle which falls on the ground. Fortunately the bottle is made of plastic otherwise it would have been broken into a thousand pieces on the ground.
Stella giggles at the horrified face of the swordsman and bends down to pick up the bottle from the floor.
"What's the matter? Don't you want to know what it's like to be a girl? I'm sure Sanji would like that.~" Zoro's face becomes really irritated.
"Don't talk to me about this guy! If that happens, I'll slice him up and you too!" Stella continues to smile while saying nothing. She throws the two bottles into one of the suitcases.
"Of course. Now that I've confirmed what I wanted to know, I'm asking you to be quiet for a little while longer. I'll be done packing in about ten minutes, then we'll go to the armory, maybe one of my katana will want you as a carrier." Zoro's wary face relaxes slightly and his eyes sparkle at the mention of a new katana.
"Really? You'd give me one of your swords?" Stella nods, putting on a shirt and pants that fit her perfectly. Obviously, this isn't the first time she's used those weird pills.
"Indeed, but you should calm down, because I'm not the one who will decide if you can go with one of them or not."
Zoro's face becomes puzzled as Stella closes the two suitcases with the pill bottles hidden inside. Even if it's fun to use them, it's mostly going to be practical to stay discreet once on Grand Line.
"What do you mean? "Asks the swordsman. Stella walks towards the door that leads to the unknown room.
"You'll see when you meet them. Come on, follow me, I have to get some items first. " Without Stella making a move, the door opens by itself and she walks through it. Zoro looks once again at the door that opens by itself with the interrogation, he does not understand how it works.
Zoro enters the room and immediately guesses that it is a library. The shelves are filled with books of all kinds. Some are very worn by time with leather or wooden covers, while others look new. In the center of the room, a small set of brown leather armchairs and sofas surrounded by a few plants gives the room a real cachet.
He cautiously approaches one of the shelves and looks at the different titles. The books are arranged by section. He finds books about the islands, historical facts, crafts, art, adventure and romance novels, and even books for children. He circles around for a few minutes until he comes across the section devoted to combat.
Curious, he opens a book on named swords. Flipping through the illustrated pages, he finds Wadô's. The illustration is very well done even if it seems a bit dated. He learns that his sword is one of the 21 great blades and that it was forged by Shimotsuki Kozaburo 55 years ago in the country of Wa. He is so absorbed by his reading, that he does not hear Stella who approaches him.
"Did you find something interesting?" The swordsman startles and closes the book with surprise. Wondering if he even had the right to touch it. But at the man's playful smile, he relaxes. "I see you found the book that talks about the named blades. Did you find the page that talks about Wadô?"
"Uh... Yes. I was totally unaware of Wadô's origin and... I understand some things better... " Reopening the book, he looks again at the name of the blacksmith. He knows him, he is Kuina's grandfather and the founder of his village. Wadô has not only been passed down in Kuina's family, it has been created.
Stella looks at the swordsman with soft eyes, obviously he cares a lot about his sword. Perhaps in time he will grow Wadô with it.
"I'll buy this book from you if you're interested." Zoro looks up in amazement before looking back at the book in his hands. He finally shakes his head.
"No, there's no need. I'm not the type to chase a sword because its name is in a book." Stella smiles and nods.
"It's up to you. I got what I wanted, we can go to the armory now." Zoro's eyes immediately sparkle.
"Finally! I'm getting tired of waiting!" Stella rolls her eyes and leads Zoro out of the library after he puts the book down. The swordsman gets lost between the shelves several times, until Stella grabs his arm and pulls him out of the room. The door closes by itself once the swordsman is out. He missed catching the door in his back, obviously Sutashi has a grudge against him.
Stella puts something in one of the suitcases and closes it. She takes them in her hands and gives a small smile to Zoro who is still staring at the door hoping it will catch fire.
"Stop staring at the door, otherwise Sutashi will have fun at your expense. Come on, follow me and try not to get lost in the hallway ~ " She finishes in a mocking voice as she leaves her room. The swordsman's dark eyes finally turn away from the library door.
"Shut up! I never get lost!" He hears Stella snickering in the hallway. Letting a growl pass his throat, he leaves the room. Next to the stairs, the door on the left is open, he can see movement inside a sign that Stella is there. His steps begin to traverse the small corridor, but the creaking of a door just to his right draws his attention. He watches the small ray of light pass through the thin opening in the door.
Zoro frowns, shrugs, and continues on his way, but another creaky door refocuses his gaze. The wooden door is opened wider, like an invitation to enter. He stares at the door intently with suspicion, seconds passing without anything moving. Zoro is about to turn away from the door again, but at that moment it opens even wider.
"What the hell!" In response, clear, quiet music begins to echo through the room, it is soft and enchanting like a lullaby. Curious, Zoro walks towards the mysterious room without hearing Stella's call from the other room. The door opens further to allow him to see the entire room while remaining in the hallway.
This room is divided in two by two dominant colors. The left part is purple with small furniture and a small library, stuffed animals are visible everywhere. The right part is red-orange, small wooden soldiers are well arranged on their shelves and various games for children. The music comes from a small music box placed on a colorful desk, we see a couple dancing around a large tree lined with flowers.
The swordsman is frozen in front of this room. Something disturbing makes his skin tingle, there is something wrong in this room. It is as if it had never been used and left in this state. Waiting for something to happen. It shouldn't be here, in this room with a small crib for the purple side and a crib for the red side. He feels like this is something Stella didn't want him to know.
The music stops abruptly and a hand grabs his arm to throw him against the wall. The shock of the impact makes him gasp and dizzy, but he doesn't have time to recover when a hand grabs him by the throat and pins him to the wall. His feet can't reach the ground and he can't breathe. His hands grab the arm that is trying to kill him to try to make him let go and his neck can't support the weight of his body. He clenches his jaw and opens his eyes to see his opponent. The breath in his throat is definitely cut when he sees the person in front of him.
Stella, still in her male form, looks at him with rage. Her ice-blue eyes have turned to a midnight blue. All the features of her face are drawn by anger, her teeth are clenched and visible. Zoro watches in horror and fear as her teeth grow longer and more bestial. A heavy, terrifying growl comes from Stella's chest as a black aura begins to surround her body, gradually plunging the world into darkness. Zoro sees only anger, rage and death.
Shit.