Chapter 20
SAKURA KINGDOM
At the BBQ restaurant in the Sakura Kingdom Naruto, Luffy, Sasuke, Kakashi, Brook, Usopp, Chopper, Franky, Zoro and Sanji ate to their hearts content. Hancock, Sakura, and Nami were walking around the village trying to figure out how they were going to tell their men of interest how they felt.
"We need to find something to occupy ourselves until later, knowing them they'll be out all night." Nami said.
"Agreed… especially after a hard-fought victory against DEATH again… they're sure to be celebrating like crazy." Sakura added.
"What will we do if they're all asleep? We won't get the alone time we need with them…" Hancock said.
Sakura and Nami's heads fell.
"Right…I didn't even think of that…" They said in unison.
"And what about Robin? Where did she go?" Sakura asked.
Nami looked at the pink haired kunoichi.
"As I said, she knows what she has to do." Nami said.
Sakura and Hancock looked at the orange haired woman.
"A while back, before we met you guys in the sand, I found out that Robin liked Zoro." Nami explained.
"The green hair guy?!" Sakura asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I didn't know and still don't know what she sees in him, but she really likes him." Nami said.
"So, she's going to tell him how she feels tonight?" Hancock asked.
"That's the thing… in Alabasta she tried to tell him how she felt already but he ran away from her, after supposedly getting ready to tell her he felt the same. I just don't know with those two." Nami explained.
Sakura and Hancock looked at each other and then back at Nami.
FLASHBACK
"Girl, you have to tell me everything! Brook-kun told me you came up here to talk to Zoro, so what happened?" Nami asked.
Robin looked up at Nami with a sad expression, then back down towards the town.
"Don't tell me that idiot ran off on you! I swear I'll. – "Robin interrupted Nami.
"No..that's not it." Robin said.
Nami looked down at Robin.
"I told him..how I felt. He actually took it really well…" Robin said with a small smile.
Nami smiled, but it soon turned back serious when Robin explained it more.
"I…I sat down next to him and after a pause he started to say something. It sounded like…he was about to say he felt the same, but I don't know. We ended up just…looking at each other. I touched his hand and we almost kissed, but he stopped me and told me we can't…he…he can't." Robin finished.
Nami continued to look at Robin who had started to tear up.
"Why couldn't things have just gone perfectly…?" Robin asked, "Everything before that moment had gone so great…"
END OF FLASHBACK
"Robin has had such a tough life. Her village and people being wiped out, being a government target at eight-."
"Wait, a government target? What did she do?" Sakura asked.
"There are these things called "poneglyphs" that supposedly have information about a dangerous ancient weapon written on them, only Robin can read these poneglyphs so the government tried to kill her so she couldn't reveal its location." Nami explained.
Sakura stared.
"You guys aren't worried that she'll try to use this weapon if she finds out where it is?" Sakura asked.
"What? No! Robin is our friend and trusted comrade… she'd never do something like that… what kind of question is that." Nami asked getting agitated.
"Girls girls! Stop it. That's not what this is about. We have to figure out how and when to tell them how we feel remember?" Hancock reminded.
Nami and Sakura stared at each other for a moment and then back at Hancock.
"You know what." Nami said.
Hancock and Sakura looked at her.
"WE'RE GROWN WOMEN! WE'LL BARGE INTO THE RESTAURANT AND TELL THEM HOW WE FEEL!" Nami suggested proudly.
"In front of all those other guys?!" Hancock asked.
"What's the problem?" Nami responded.
"Nobody needs to know how I feel about Luffy!" Hancock said.
"EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS!" Nami and Sakura yelled.
"But still… maybe we should get alone time… it'd make everything easier and we can either make it more romantic for them too if we're alone." Nami said with a smile.
"What do you mean… more romantic?" Sakura asked.
Nami smirked and winked.
"AHHHHHHHH YOU'RE SUGGESTING WE…." Sakura stopped.
Hancock fainted at the idea of it.
"I don't intend to use it as a bribe or anything! Just you know… if everything goes well. I'm a woman! I have needs same as you both. I mean when's the last time either of you… messed around?" Nami asked.
Sakura and Hancock's heads hung low.
"It's true… I have been craving that sort of affection for a while now… we're always so busy with missions and things there's no time." Sakura said.
"Running around for DEATH has kept me away from the only man I would allow to touch me in such a way… so it's the same for me…. I yearn it." Hancock said, tears flowing.
Nami smiled.
"Then it's settled! Looks like we're in for an even more fun night! Let's go shopping until the guys are back at the hotel, then we'll take them to different locations and go from there." Nami said, winking.
BBQ RESTAURANT
Some of the men sat at the dinner table with full stomachs. They had their fill of drinking and eating and were ready to leave.
"YO HO HO HO HO HO such a splendid meal! I really enjoyed it!" Brook cheered.
"I haven't eaten like that in a long time… If I eat anymore I'll explode." Chopper said.
"If I eat anymore I just might die…" Usopp added.
Luffy, and Naruto all continued to eat.
"Are you kidding? I'm not even halfway done!" Luffy yelled out.
"Same here! I want more more more!" Naruto joined.
Zoro, Sasuke, and Sanji had plenty of cups of booze and more to go.
"Calm down on the booze Zoro or you'll pass out! Ha ha ha ha!" Luffy laughed.
Zoro smiled.
"Not happening! I'm doing just fine!" Zoro confirmed.
"Oi, Chopper and Brook would you like to come with me for a walk around the village? We've been here for a while, I'm sure they've got fun games we can play!" Usopp suggested.
"YO HO HO HO HO! I'D LOVE TO!" Brook shouted as he got up and danced out of the restaurant.
"YEAH I WANNA GO TOO!" Chopper joined.
"Hey!" Kakashi yelled out.
Usopp and Chopper stopped, while Brook poked his head back in.
"Meet back at the hotel in about an hour, there's some things we need to all go over, as a team." Kakashi said.
The three at the door and the men who sat at the table looked at the shinobi elder.
"Talk about what?" Franky asked.
"Psycho. You all know him right? In some way? When we saw him at Arlong Park I could see it in your faces and even myself, he's all too familiar." Kakashi explained.
Sasuke stood up.
"I'll admit… even though I had never heard the name, when I saw him I felt as if I knew him personally." Sasuke said.
"Yeah, same." Sanji joined.
"Yeah even me. I thought I was going crazy." Franky added.
"He even said Luffy's name before he would've known it!" Naruto said.
"But I wrote that off as him maybe having seen Luffy's bounty at one point." Sabo added.
"Yeah… until he said that we all grew since the last he saw us. So, it doesn't even matter if we remember him or not… HE remembers US." Zoro said.
"It's even weirder because Chopper and I walked past him in Nanohana…" Usopp said.
"Yeah! I even noted that I felt I knew him." Chopper added.
"And you didn't tell us!" Luffy yelled.
"I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS A BAD GUY! I MEAN HE LOOKED SCARY BUT I THOUGHT HE WAS JUST SOME TOUGH GUY!" Usopp defended.
"Relax Luffy, Usopp couldn't have known anything about Psycho, especially since we all didn't. We would have walked right by him as well." Sanji said.
All the men looked down.
"But hey! No need to worry about that until later! Everyone go have a good time." Kakashi said.
Naruto, Luffy, and the others smiled.
"Yeah let's go see what else the village has to offer!" Naruto said as they ran out.
Sabo stayed behind.
"Not going out?" Kakashi asked.
"Hm? Oh yeah, I'm going out, but not into the village. Like I said, we're going to part ways for a while. I've got a lot more information I need to gather on DEATH and their leader if we hope to beat them in the future. They've got four high ranking men all deceased now so they're going to be moving heavily now. Everything now will be a wonderland in comparison to what's coming." Sabo explained.
"I see. Well, be safe." Kakashi said.
"Aye. I will. Be seeing you! Tell Luffy I'm proud of him and I'll see him again very soon." Sabo requested.
Kakashi nodded.
"I'll deliver the message." Kakashi confirmed.
Sabo smiled and left the restaurant.
Luffy and company walked through the village looking at the different lights and attractions.
"AWESOME! RIDES! MEAT! PRIZES!" Luffy ran through the city, stopping to look at the different stands.
"This place definitely doesn't seem like some dry snow kingdom." Franky noted.
"IT'S NOT YOU DUMMY! IT'S AMAZING HERE!" Chopper yelled.
"Who do you think you're calling a dummy reindeer?!" Franky asked.
Brook walked over to a mallet game.
"STEP RIGHT UP STEP RIGHT UP! HIT THE BELL AT THE TOP AND YOU WILL WIN A PRIZE!" The man said, "YOU! THE MAN IN THE SKELETON OUTFIT! GIVE IT A TRY!"
Brook looked around.
"YOU'RE THE ONLY SKELETON HERE!" The man yelled.
"OH YO HO HO HO HO HO HO! I GUESS I'LL GIVE IT A TRY YO HO HO!" Brook laughed.
Brook grabbed the mallet in one hand and slammed it onto the target, shotting a wooded stopper up to the bell, knocking the bell out of its place.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry sir! I broke it!" Brook apologized.
"AMAZING! WHAT GREAT POWER FROM THE SKELETON MAN! PLEASE PICK YOUR PRIZE!" The man yelled.
Brook walked over to the prize wall and grabbed a giant stuffed pink dragon.
"YO HO HO HO HO! What do you guys think of my prize?!" Brook asked.
"A prize! That's just what I need to win Sakura-chan's heart!" Sanji thought.
"AMAZING BROOK! I WANT A PRIZE TOO!" Luffy yelled.
"Then let's go win you one captain! Yo ho ho ho ho!" Brook laughed.
"I'm coming too! I want a souvenir!" Naruto cheered merrily.
ANOTHER SAKURA KINGDOM RESTAURANT
Nami, Sakura, and Hancock had done their share of more shopping and got ready to go back to the hotel.
"Surely the guys are at the hotel by now." Nami said.
"I agree. It is getting late." Hancock added.
Sakura looked to the side and saw a Ferris wheel.
"Hey look!" Sakura said, pointing at the Ferris wheel.
Nami and Hancock's eyes widened.
"Amazing! There was an entire carnival under our noses! Do you guys want to go?" Nami asked.
"But what about the men?" Hancock asked.
"Knowing Naruto and your Luffy, I'm sure they're there having fun already. Plus, we can split them up there! We won't have to wait to get to the hotel!" Sakura said happily.
Nami and Sakura looked up to see Hancock already making her way to the carnival.
"LUFFY I'M COMING FOR YOU!"
The two girls shook their heads and ran after her.
"BULLSEYE!" Usopp yelled as he got a perfect hit on some stacked bottles.
"AMAZING! YOUR PRIZE? A BRAND-NEW SLINGSHOT! WITH LASER SIGHT AND A SCOPE!" The game host said.
"What kind of place gives away something like that as a prize?" Franky asked.
Sasuke shook his head.
"Beats me."
Luffy found a punching machine and accepted the challenge.
"HELLO SIR! IF YOU CAN HIT THIS PUNCHING BAG PAST 900 THEN YOU'LL WIN THE MEGA PRIZE!" The game host said.
Luffy wound his arm up and smiled.
"Sounds easy enough!" Luffy cocked back and punched the machine. The numbers went up 500, 600, 700, 800, 900… it stopped at 999.
"WOOOOO HOOOOOO! THAT WAS TOO EASY! I WANT MY STUFFED DRAGON!" Luffy yelled.
"Stuffed dragon? Why get that when you could get this trusty golden staff! Found in the frozen waters outside of the Sakura Kingdom! It can shoot lightning along with other modifications!" The game host bargained.
Sanji over heard it and made his way to the game.
"What do I have to do for the staff?!" Sanji asked.
"Hit the punching bag here and if you get the ball past 900 you ge-."
Sanji interrupted the host by kicking the bag with all his might. The ball easily passed the 900 mark.
"The gold rod! Give me the gold rod!" Sanji begged.
"Well if straw-hat doesn't want it then it's all yours!"
Sanji snatched the golden staff and ran off.
"If I give this to Sakura-chan she'll be sure to love me!" Sanji thought.
"What a weird friend you have there! But you still haven't chosen your prize straw-hat!" The host reminded.
When he looked down at Luffy, Luffy was holding a red dragon with a straw hat.
"I want this one!" Luffy said with a big smile.
"Alright! It's all yours sir!" The host said.
Luffy grabbed his prize and walked away.
SAKURA KINGDOM HOTEL BALCONY
Robin looked out over the carnival down below. It looked like a lot of fun, she just wasn't in the mood to go, there was too much on her mind. Too much about a certain swordsman.
"Why do I have to be like this? Over him? Could what Brook said be true? Do I? Love him?" Robin thought.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sound. Robin turned around to check it out.
"Hello? Who's there?" Robin asked.
Zoro stepped out onto the balcony.
"Oh..swordsman. How are you?" Robin asked.
"I'm fine. What about you?" Zoro answered.
"It wouldn't be the complete truth if I said I was okay." Robin admitted.
"Oh yeah? Care to tell me more over a drink?" Zoro asked.
Robin smiled.
"Sure."
Robin and Zoro both sat in chairs and toasted some booze.
"So. Looks like this is our first actual conversation since… you know." Zoro said.
"Yes… right." Robin finished.
"Look it wasn't anything personal… I just." Zoro started.
Robin looked over at him.
"It's fine! It is. You made up for it a little by placing that cover over me so I wouldn't freeze." Robin said with a smile.
Zoro became confused.
"What cover? After I left the rooftop I stayed down the street for the night."
Robin now became confused.
"Huh? Then who?" Robin thought to herself.
Zoro smiled
"Whoever did it I'll have to thank them for it." Zoro said.
"Oh? And why's that?" Robin asked.
"Because I wouldn't be sitting here toasting booze with you." Zoro said with a small smile.
Robin looked to the side and chuckled.
"I suppose I'll have to thank them too since they gave me the opportunity to drink with you as well swordsman…" Robin said with a smile.
Zoro took a drink and looked out towards the city and Robin did as well. Robin set her drink down on the table between them at the same time Zoro did, their hands touched, and they looked at each other.
"Zoro…" Robin said softly.
Zoro looked at the beautiful woman with his eye wide open. She almost never calls him Zoro.
"Back in Yuba… what were… you going to say?" Robin asked.
Zoro became shocked and looked down.
FLASHBACK
"To be honest… I…"
END OF FLASHBACK
Zoro looked up at the sky. No where to run this time, but there was no reason to either.
"I had a feeling you'd ask me that." Zoro said.
Robin stared at the swordsman with blank eyes.
"I was… going to say that over time… I've grown to harbor the same feelings you have for me, for you… maybe even more than that… tsk I'm no good at this." Zoro said.
Robin's eyes shot open.
"Then… why did… you run?" Robin asked, tears forming, "When you ran that night... I thought there was no way you felt the same… and that I had picked the wrong person to like… the wrong person to…" Robin was cut off by Zoro kissing her.
Robin's eyes shot open from the shock, but she closed her eyes and savored it. She placed her hands on Zoro's cheeks, holding his face. Zoro held her face in his left hand and ran his right hand down her body. Robin took her hands of Zoro's face and ran them down his muscular body, slowly removing his top. It was always tough for her not to stare at him while they were around each other, but who wouldn't be tempted to stare at a man like this. The two continued to explore the others body and kiss passionately until Zoro stopped.
"We should… probably take this inside. It's cold out here." Zoro said.
Robin started to sweat. Thinking back to what Nami had said earlier.
EARLIER
"But still… maybe we should get alone time… it'd make everything easier and we can either make it more romantic for them too if we're alone." Nami said with a smile.
"What do you mean… more romantic?" Sakura asked.
Nami smirked and winked.
"AHHHHHHHH YOU'RE SUGGESTING WE…." Sakura stopped.
Hancock fainted at the idea of it.
"I don't intend to use it as a bribe or anything! Just you know… if everything goes well. I'm a woman! I have needs same as you both. I mean when's the last time either of you… messed around?" Nami asked.
PRESENT
Robin stood up and followed Zoro into the hotel room. Zoro sat down on the bed and Robin walked over to him. Zoro looked up and grabbed the ends of Robin's shirt. Robin nodded and Zoro removed her top then pulled her in on top of him.
SAKURA VILLAGE CARNIVAL
Sakura walked through the carnival looking for Sasuke.
"Once you find him, just tell him how you feel. You've done it already… it'll be easy!" As Sakura thought to herself, she noticed a man on the pier.
"Sasuke!" Sakura yelled out.
Sasuke looked back at her.
"Sakura. You made it out." Sasuke said.
"Well couldn't ignore a carnival! It's really fun." Sakura said.
"Yes. It is." Sasuke said.
"So… these new enemies… what do you make of them?" Sakura asked.
"This guy who claims the last name of "Uchiha" is the one I want to know more about. Kakashi has already said that what we and the straw hats have in common is that we all know him. This is getting interesting. Eventu-."
"I love you… I love you so much." Sakura interrupted.
Sasuke turned and stared at Sakura who had tears in her eyes.
"Sakura…" Sasuke said softly.
"Seeing how Psycho and that Cyclone guy were beating on you! It hurt… hurt more than anything else. I didn't want anything bad to happen to you and I wouldn't be able to…" Sakura stopped.
Sasuke continued to stare.
"What about the guy with the curly eye brows? He really likes you. Maybe you should give him a chance." Sasuke said.
"Huh? Sanji? He's just a friend. He's really sweet, but you're all I want Sasuke… and I always will no matter wha-."
Sasuke pressed his lips against Sakura's and pulled away. Sakura grabbed Sasuke's shirt and blushed.
"Sasuke… you…" Sakura said softly.
"I didn't get to tell the last people taken from me how much they meant to me before they were taken from me. I'm not making that mistake again." Sasuke said, pulling Sakura in for another kiss.
Sakura smiled and wrapped her arms around the back of Sasuke's head and Sasuke wrapped his arms around Sakura's body, pulling her in closer. At the front of the pier, a certain curly eye browed man saw it all go down.
"Sa… Sakura-chan… so you…" Sanji thought to himself as he turned around to walk away.
Sanji walked through the carnival with his hands in his pockets until he felt someone slip their arm through his. He looked over to see Nami clutching his arm and walking with him.
"Ferris wheel?" Nami asked with a smile.
Sanji smiled back and nodded.
On the Ferris wheel Nami and Sanji talked to each other about the night in Alubarna and laughed it off.
"I was so surprised when you kissed me! I just didn't know what to do. I mean, I knew what to do, but I was so fixated on Sakura-chan that I didn't go any further than kissing." Sanji said.
"So, if you weren't fixated on her it would've gone further than that?" Nami asked with a seductive smile.
"I think you know the answer." Sanji said with a smile, "With as long as I so much wanted a hug out of you, I got an entire kiss, so naturally I wanted more.
Nami smiled.
"Nami-san." Sanji said.
Nami looked at him.
"I'm sorry for not believing you… I just… Sakura-chan… I was so sure she was the one. I was finally accepting the fact that you couldn't be mine and just wanted to be friends… I honestly think… I still have those feelings for you, you know. You're so beautiful, helpful-."
Nami leaned across the cart in the Ferris wheel and grabbed Sanji's jacket, pulling him in for a kiss.
"Just kiss me and stop talking so much…" Nami said.
The two continued to share a passionate kiss as the Ferris wheel stopped at the top.
At the other end of the Carnival Luffy had accumulated different prizes, meat, and cotton candy.
"What's next?!" Luffy asked out loud.
Hancock walked up next to him.
"Luffy…" Hancock said.
Luffy turned around.
"HANCOCK! COME ON!" Luffy yelled, grabbing Hancock's hand, Hancock blushed.
Luffy ran through the carnival looking for something to do and Hancock followed.
"I need to find a nice romantic spot to do this at! I need to let him know how much I love him!" Hancock thought to herself.
"Luffy stop!" Hancock yelled.
Luffy stopped and looked at Hancock.
"Let's go up there.." Hancock pointed to a mountain.
"Why?" Luffy asked.
"Please let's just go…Luffy?" Hancock said.
On top of the mountain Hancock held her hands clasped on her chest while Luffy played around with his prizes.
"Oi, Hancock! I wanted to give you this!" Luffy said, holding up a bear with a straw hat.
Hancock stared in shock.
"You're… giving this… to me…?" Hancock asked.
"Yes! As a reward for joining my crew and being such a great friend!" Luffy said, smiling.
Hancock couldn't take it anymore, between how adorable he was, and getting her message, and the animal having a sraw hat, she couldn't hold it in anymore. Hancock walked over to Luffy and smiled. She leaned down and pulled his face in, kissing himsoftly.
"Luffy… I love you so much." Hancock admitted.