A Long Lost Roronoa [One Piece]

12: Blueprints

As soon as Mei begun tearing up, Zoro strolled over to put her in an embrace. She cried heavily in his arm. Her hands were twisted in his shirt and her tears left wet spots on his right shoulder blade. The brother stroked her soft hair, hoping it would calm her violent sobs. But then he realized the shaking of her body wasn't cause by her crying. She was laughing. He looked down at her face to confirm his suspicions.

Her tear streaked face was bunched up in a laughing fit. Eventually she had to release her grip to wrap her arms around her aching stomach. The Straw hats wore puzzled expressions as they watched the weaponsmith have a sudden change in mood.

"Nee, Nii-san," she said in between her laughing hiccups, "Did you really have to name an attack after food?"

Zoro's cheeks turned light pink and he mumbled in response, "You're the one who suggested it."

"I was a kid. Puns and what not were just for fun."

Quickly as it came, the giggle attack ceased and the Roronoa girl removed herself from the sibling embrace to bow to the others.

"Thank you again. Do you guys mind if I show you a special spot on the island?"

Luffy grinned, pleased that she was once again happy, "Sure!"

After cleaning up Julius's body and Zoro's wound, which thankfully just spilled blood and was easily patched by Doctor Chopper, the group was taken deeper in the forest. Mei led the way, constantly taking turns almost every minute. Her sense of direction worried several pirates as they wandered by many familiar trees.

Then their guide stopped and turned to the group, "I'm lost."

A sweat drop appeared on their heads and Ussop exclaimed, pounding his chest with a fist, "It's okay! Even great warriors of the ocean can get lost in a sea of trees!"

With his terrible attempt to raise her spirits, Mei asked the group for help, "There are nail markers in the trees made of steel. On them half of the head is engineered to be rusted and it points in the direction we need to go."

The group dispersed in search of the nails embedded in the trunks. Once in a while it would show up. And the team would follow it's direction in search for the next. It continued for about an hour until they reached a nail that was completely rusted.

"Mei-chan," Sanji called, "Is there more or does this marker mean it's the last?"

"That's it, Sanji," she replied, climbing over a thick bush in her path.

She then reached into her back pocket to pull out a thin wooden whistle. After raising it to her lips and blowing, no sound came.

"Ack," Chopper cringed, covering his ears.

"Sorry, I guessed I should have warned you."

"Is that a dog whistle?" Robin inquired.

"Mhm. Except I made it specially for my wolf, I didn't expect Chopper to react."

A howl was heard echoing in the trees and the large wolf appeared, charging into a pounce on Mei. Then he smelled a stench that lingered on her clothing. His snout curled into a snarl and barred its sharp teeth as it went on guard.

"It's alright," Mei calmed the canine down, "Zoro-nii took care of him. He's no longer a bother to us."

The stiff hair on its back fell back to its original place and the wolf's eyes became much calmer. Mei whispered something into its ear before it ran off to the east.

"Let's go," she urged the others before chasing after her furry friend.

They followed the two in a rushed fashion, ducking under the low branches, and hopping over fallen ones. Eventually, the group bumped into the other two pirates, whom they slightly forgot about.