Hi all! Legal notice: all original characters, plot, and settings are owned by Eiichiro Oda. I did not receive any revenue for writing this fan fiction. Enjoy Chapter 45!
Magina struggled to keep the grimace off her face. The smell of death was overwhelming. It didn't sound like the others were bothered at all. In fact, Luffy was even having a frank conversation with the zombies!
"So, what were you guys doing?"
One zombie spoke up, "Well, we're zombies; we were kind of buried in the ground. And I guess we were kind of rotting."
She stifled her shiver. Magina understood Zoro's logic and why he thought covering her eyes would be the only way she could fight. His idea wasn't exactly wrong, but not being able to rely on her sight had a distinct disadvantage. Her imagination could conjure an image more horrifying than what was truly possible.
"I was sort of rotting too."
"Me too," a third zombie chimed in.
"Are you trying to be funny right now? I'm not laughing," Luffy said seriously.
She didn't know what to think about these zombies. They were intelligent enough to talk, though she wasn't sure how truthful they were. Magina tried to relax a fraction. Her captain wouldn't let these zombies get away with anything. And the fact that the monsters seemed scared of him was comforting.
"No, no, no," the main zombie representative hastily assured them, "we're not being funny at all!"
A second zombie agreed. "We're sorry, okay? Honestly."
Luffy's song was dubious. She had her doubts too, but she kept quiet. Magina frowned. If these monsters were really zombies, would she be able to hear their songs? Did they even have melodies of their own? Would her songs affect them at all?
"I want to ask another question. Did a man with a long nose, a woman with orange hair, and a raccoon dog that looks like a reindeer pass through here?" Luffy asked.
"Umm… yes. Maybe they passed this way, and maybe they didn't come this way."
A different voice rang through the crowd. "We're not allowed to share information with outsiders!"
Another zombie spoke up defiantly. "It's the rule, so our lips are sealed!"
The rest of the zombies picked up the chant. "It's the rule! It's the rule! It's the rule!"
Sanji's song was annoyed, "They seem to have found their nerve."
Magina wasn't worried. Luffy sounded determined to get answers, one way or another. He cracked his knuckles; his aura became fiercely intimidating.
"Oh? So, you won't tell me?"
There was a very brief silence before the answer came from all the zombies.
"They came through here!"
Zoro grunted. "They squealed like pigs. They don't have any perseverance."
Magina tilted her head in his direction. "That's probably a good thing for us."
"Fisher Girl is right. Since they spilled the beans so fast, then we can find out about the others."
"So, they passed through here. They're my nakama. You didn't attack them, did you?" Luffy asked in a low voice.
The zombies denied it fervently. A chant echoed in the graveyard again. Magina frowned. They insisted that they didn't attack the others, but she had misgivings about taking their word for it.
"Really? Tell me the truth!" Luffy demanded.
One zombie broke down immediately, "He attacked them!"
The accused zombie was horrified. "Hey, don't sell out your friends! And you! I'm sure you nibbled on his leg!"
One zombie said, "We all attacked them together."
"Don't tell them that!"
Magina clenched her jaw. She wasn't scared now, she was angry. She readied her daggers, and she heard the rest of her nakama preparing themselves too. They didn't waste much time. They had to find Usopp, Nami, and Chopper. Magina knew that they were getting closer. The others' songs were clearer, and she could hear what their general emotions were. Magina concentrated. They were physically unharmed, though there were undercurrents of fear in their songs.
"That's a relief! They're still safe! We just need to find this mansion those guys mentioned," Luffy said happily as they continued forward.
The atmosphere changed. The air was tight. Magina gulped. They must be in a wooded forest again. The swordsman walked beside her.
"Can you hear them at all, siren?"
She nodded. "They must be at that mansion. They're scared."
"We forgot to ask about Brook!" Luffy exclaimed.
Magina stifled her laughter when Zoro growled. Sanji's sigh of exasperation echoed the swordsman's emotions.
"We don't need to ask about that weirdo! He doesn't have anything to do with us. Our only concern should be rescuing Nami-swan!"
"He's mostly right but he should think about the others too," Zoro muttered under his breath.
She tried to reassure him. "You know how those three are. If they encounter something scary, then they'll run away. I'm sure they're safe."
Zoro squeezed her hand for just a moment, relieved at the reminder. Magina smiled. She was glad that she could ease his concern somewhat.
"Those zombies didn't have much of a backbone," Luffy observed as they walked.
"Yeah," Franky agreed, "that didn't even count as a warmup!"
Zoro grunted. "It was a good thing they weren't difficult. The siren is still learning to fight blindfolded. And you shouldn't let your guard down. Who knows what will be waiting for us around the corner."
Magina was indignant at first. So, it took her a little while to get used to fighting with a blindfold on! She got the hang of the trick before the fight was over! Sanji snickered.
"What's that, Swordswuss? You shouldn't blame Magina-san if you're chickening out."
"Just shut up already, Baka Cook! Don't lump me together with you!" Zoro argued.
Sanji's sharp intake of breath preceded his shout, "What exactly are you saying, you disoriented marimo?!"
"Wanna fight, Damn Curly Eyebrows?!" Zoro snarled.
Magina sighed. Zoro and Sanji fighting each other was nothing new but they had important fish to fry. She stepped in between the two of them and shoved them away from each other.
"This isn't the time to be arguing—"
A weakened cough interrupted her.
"O-Oi! Wait up…"
Magina snapped to attention as soon as she heard the dusty voice. The voice wavered as it spoke again.
"I-I saw what you did at the graveyard. You must be strong! Maybe you people will be strong enough to help us! Would you hear me out?"
Magina's hands were hovering above the hilts of her daggers since they were approached, but Luffy's startled words had her gripping them tightly. How had they missed one?
"A severely injured old man!" Luffy stated.
"We already told you, he's a zombie!"
Franky, Zoro, and Sanji's cries confirmed her suspicions. Magina was about to attack when the stranger denied it fervently.
"No! No! I'm not a zombie! I'm just a severely injured old man!"
All of Magina's adrenaline drained out of her. She sank to her knees. Robin chuckled and put a steadying hand on her shoulder. The others had a different reaction.
"That's damn confusing! Just pass yourself off as a zombie!"
Leaves rustled as something fell. The old man's voice was closer now, on the same level as her. He was on his knees too.
"Please! You might just be strong enough. Please, defeat that man! He has ruined and destroyed countless lives! That one man…"
Luffy sounded confused. "What man?"
The old man stuttered, "M-Moria. His name is Moria."
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
He didn't recognize the name. It wasn't much of a surprise that Robin knew exactly who the old man was talking about. Zoro didn't care who the man was. The siren stayed on the ground. He frowned. She wasn't frozen again, was she? He put a hand on her shoulder. Magina wasn't shaking any worse than normal since they started exploring the island. He took her hand and gently tugged. She gripped it and pulled herself off the ground.
"Right, he's one of the Seven Warlords," Robin was saying.
"A Seven Warlord?"
He wasn't the only one who was shocked. The face of Mihawk flashed before his eyes. Zoro clenched the hilt of Kuina's katana. He was determined to defeat that man one day.
"Are you sure, Robin?" Luffy asked.
Robin nodded in answer. "Of all the Seven Warlords, he's shrouded in the most mysteries."
Zoro grunted even as Franky asked, "If he's really that powerful, then what is he doing here?"
The old man looked up; his face was haunted. "No one knows the answer to that question. The rest of his victims wander these fog-covered woods without their shadows."
The siren turned her head sharply, as if she was trying to hear something. He peered closer at the shadows in the forest.
"Are you saying there are more people out there right now?" he asked.
"Yes," the old geezer replied.
The man turned and looked at their group with a warning. "It might be a good idea to remember that he invited you here. Whatever plans he has for you, be extra cautious so that you also don't end up like us."
"He invited us?" Zoro asked.
He thought back to that afternoon. Luffy opened the barrel and a flare exploded out of the container. It wasn't long until there was a storm and the fog set in. The siren's words echoed in his head, 'That storm wasn't natural. Neither is this fog.' It wasn't that long ago that they ran across some bounty hunters. This could be another ploy to collect on the crew's combined bounty.
"So, that's what the deal is," he growled.
The old man started crying. Zoro was serious as he listened to the old geezer explain the problems that Moria's victims faced.
A trembling hand clutched his. Magina grasped his hand. He turned her way. She was pale again. She must have 'heard' the old man's emotions because he caught her aura of compassion. The shipwright sniffed loudly. Zoro turned his head sharply in Franky's direction as he started crying loudly.
"So, that's your story? That's so tragic! This sort of story just kills me! Okay, I've decided! I'll help you out! Wah! Don't be stupid, alright? I am not crying! You're crying, dammit!"
Zoro grunted. "You're too easy to read, Franky. A man should hold themselves back. Don't be so quick to offer a promise to help when you don't know the whole situation."
It was a surprise to hear Sanji agree with him at first.
"He's right, Franky."
The cook pointed at the geezer. "You got that, old man! Only a woman can use tears to bend others to their will! I will not be moved by your tears and my heart won't beat faster for you either!"
Zoro rolled his eyes. Talk about being easy to read. "That wasn't what I was saying," he murmured.
Luffy stepped forward. "I'm looking for that shadow thief too. It'll make things easier if he wants to find us. We'll just kick his ass when we run into him. So, we'd end up helping you out anyway. Get it?"
His captain grinned brightly. He folded his arms. Now that the decision was made, their path was set. The geezer's eyes filled with tears, but a smile slowly spread on the lined face.
"It gives us so much hope to hear you say that! We'll all be rooting for you!"
Distant shouts came from the forest. "Good luck!" "Kick his butt!"
Sanji turned towards the calls, "What the hell? So, there were more victims hiding in the forest? Have they been listening to us this entire time?"
"That's right! Excuse us for not being able to make your heart beat faster, Curly Eyebrows!"
Zoro snickered softly.
"Just leave me alone already!" Sanji yelled back.
Luffy giggled. "Leave it to us! We'll take care of this Moria person for you!"
They walked away to cheers and shouts of encouragement. There wasn't a lot of talking as they moved forward. Magina rubbed her arms for a while. She kept glancing up to the sky. Eventually, he sighed.
"What's the matter, siren?"
"Nothing is wrong," she replied. "But it's going to start raining soon."
Almost as soon as she spoke the words, a drop splattered on his arm. The heavens opened and the light rain became a deluge. Magina smirked knowingly.
"It's coming down pretty heavily now," he growled.
Franky was the first to suggest that they run for the shelter of the mansion. His captain stopped everyone in their tracks.
"Wait! I see something. There's a huge shadow behind the mansion. I think there's a mark on it. Maybe it's a gigantic seal?"
Zoro looked up, ignoring the way the rain hit his face. "The fog cleared up some. That shadow looks familiar. Maybe it's a flag?"
Franky stepped up and stood beside him. "No, it's not a flag. They're massive sails!"
Zoro looked again. "Sails?"
A voice he didn't expect to hear again piped up. "That's right! They're sails!"
Magina yelped in surprise. Zoro turned angrily towards the old man.
"Why are you still following us?!"
Sanji and Franky shouted it at the same time he did. He took in a calming breath and tried to leave the old man to somebody else.
"What are sails doing here? This is a house, right?" Luffy asked.
"Most can't see it. The sails are so large that they don't understand that this is…"
"A ship…" Magina breathed in honest wonder. "But there's an island here! That would make this…"
The old man chuckled. "You're a smart one, young lady! Thriller Bark is really a giant pirate ship. It's carrying the whole island. That makes it the largest pirate ship in the world."
It wasn't surprising when Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"Awesome!"
"Now it makes sense. Bark is often used as a term for sailing vessels. How did you figure it out, Fisher Girl?" Franky said before asking Magina the question accusingly.
The siren swallowed. "Ah, well… I noticed the currents were acting odd. The island had to be on a ship otherwise there wasn't another explanation."
The old man pointed at the mansion. "Moria can be found in there. Be cautious. He has many allies, and he doesn't play fair."
Luffy laughed. "Are you ready, Magina?"
The siren frowned. "Ready for what?"
"We're about to enter a real haunted house, you know?"
Zoro could feel her shaking next to him.
"W-What do you m-mean? Of c-course, I'm r-ready!" Magina squeaked.
Luffy just laughed harder. "Your voice is all funny again! You don't need to be scared."
"I-I told you! I'm not s-scared!" the siren denied it, even though her teeth chattered as she spoke.
"Hee hee. Well then, let's go! It's a real haunted mansion!"
Zoro sighed. It was obvious that Magina was scared. He glanced Sanji's way. Thankfully, the cook was preoccupied trying to shield Robin from the rain. Luffy and Franky went back to talking about how big Thriller Bark was. He had 10 seconds to reassure the siren. He grabbed her hand as she walked past him. Zoro swung her into his arms and into a tight embrace. Her body trembled against his.
"Don't forget, siren. I'll be watching out for you. You'll be fine."
Her shaking eased and she stepped back.
"That is, until you get lost."
Magina's teasing smile was tight, but if she was teasing him, then she was starting to calm down. Zoro growled in warning, but he was smiling. She was going to be just fine.
Happy New Year! Here it is, Chapter 45! The crew is marching closer and closer to finally discovering what has become of their missing nakama and the hidden dangers that Moria's mansion holds. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and that everyone is staying healthy and safe. See you in Chapter 46!