A Story That Fits With You

Untitled Part 33

"We're not going to-"

"Wait, Luffy. I have an idea. Since this 'place' is 'supposedly' close to Sunset Paradise, wouldn't it be a better idea for us to go to this 'place' and check out if we can see the Sunset Paradise from there?" Usopp asked, wittingly at this point.

"Usopp-" Sanji was interrupted by Luffy.

"Alright, let's head for this canyon." Luffy decided.

"Luffy-" Sanji was interrupted once more by Luffy.

"Sanji, barely anybody here knows where the Sunset Paradise even is. This might be the best lead we have the could lead us to Nami." Luffy ended the discussion as Sani lit his cigarette once again, narrowing his eyes as Chopper, who had come out with Sanji, transformed into his Heavy Point and ran down to the hull, where he began weaving the Thousand Sunny out of several different rocks and waves, where everyone was getting a shock from every bump they took.

"Is he doing better?" Robin walked over to Sanji and whispered in his ear, the man keeping a stoic expression on his face at al times. Sanji just closed his eyes and started to smoke another cigarette as the rain downpoured. The silence was all Robin needed to hear before she replied to her own comment solemnly enough that caught the attention of Sanji, as he now knew that Robin had understood what Sanji's silence meant.

"I see."

"He ain't taking this well." Sanji's comment was overheard by Luffy, who saw the stone - cold expression on Robin's face when she had spoken to Sanji. He tucked his Straw Hat underneath the baggy eyes of his and sprang himself up to the room which Zoro was sleeping in. 

Luffy walked into his room and looked at the mosshead sleeping on his bunker, with each leg weighing down his ropes that held his legs.

He looked so peaceful...

Zoro's nose slowly scrunched itself as dust interfered with his breathing.

"Atchoo!"

Luffy stepped back. Was Zoro...awake? No, he couldn't be. Even he needed to recover, and there was no way that he had recovered that quickly.

Luffy shed a tear as Zoro turned over to readjust himself. He reminisced over the times that Zoro had reminded Luffy of his goal to become the World's Greatest Swordsman. 

"My dream's to be the World's Greatest Swordsman. There ain't no way I'm joining a group of pirates."

"Hey..Luffy. Sorry I worried you, but I...I won't ever...I won't ever...I won't lose EVER AGAIN! Got any problems with that...Pirate King?" 

"Zoro..." Luffy muttered. It had been 3 years. 3 years of them together, excluding 2 years of his training with Rayleigh.

It was done. There was nothing Luffy could do. Zoro's dream was done. That was the hard truth. He needed some stress relievers. He NEEDED some stress relievers.

He made his way towards the pantry where he smelt meat. He smiled lightly as he then opened the pantry without even knowing that he was dripping tears. He saw something incredible, though.

There was a piece of meat inside of the pantry, sauce drizzled over the top of it. But below that was different.

It was Zoro's swords. Enma, Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu, just sitting there. How oddly convenient it was. They were just...there.

Luffy widened his eyes as he grabbed the swords and ran over to the infirmary where he slammed open the door to find...nothing.

Zoro had gone. Luffy dropped the swords and looked around the room in a rush. There was no evidence of a scuffle and no windows were broken. 

That meant that Zoro had literally gotten up to walk out of his room. But how?

Luffy ran downstairs to the balcony to find Zoro being carried by two darkly tanned men, and into a hot - air balloon which was stationed by a familiar face. Luffy peered at who was taking him and he gasped.

Club. The. Tornado.

Luffy flung himself down to Club and just missed him after Club clambered up towards a ladder that steered him towards the hot - air balloon.

Luffy smashed himself back into the ship. Club had already reached the top of the hot - air balloon before he looked down and saw Luffy charging it him with his Geppo.

"CLUUUUUUUUUUUUB!" Luffy screamed as he then reared his fist back to punch him. Unfortunately for Luffy, Club had seen this with his Observation Haki, and caught Luffy's hand and swung him back down into the deep, blue ocean, where Luffy began to sink into the depths of the water.

"Unfortunate, Mugiwara! Looks like you couldn't outlast me for today!"