As they sail closer the island.. They realized how big the island is. Very ironic to the name it holds.
"This is Little Garden.. right?" Lana asked. Not sure if they should still call it that.
"What's little about it?" Zoro said behind her.
"This place doesn't quite fit its cute name." Nami
"Ahh.. it's like a terra incognita. It's a thick jungle!" Usopp panicked. Lana noticed that Usopp is not that brave like he told her he was.
"We have to be careful. I'm worried about what Miss All Sunday was saying." Vivi. Now that they think about it.. She did say that they'll be wiped out in this very island. What could possibly be in there??
"A-A-Are you saying a monster may appear?!" Usopp shouted still panicking.
"Who knows?" Luffy said nonchalantly. It's obvious he doesn't care of what's inside the island.
Lana aspires to be that brave.
"Let's go to our next destination without going ashore on this one!" Usopp proposed
"But the Log can't be stored so quickly." Nami said, hands on her hips.
"Also, we have to stock up on food soon. We have eaten the food we stored from the last town we were in." says Sanji as he lighten up another cigar.
Zoro noticed Lana who's quiet and smirked.
"Oi. don't tell me you're afraid?" She flinched.
"As if!" She shouted, red face.. She's not that scared but being pointed out was embarrassing.
"Don't worry Lana-chan! I'll protect you!!" Sanji shouted.
"Tch." Zoro
"Protect me too Sanji-kun!" Usopp shouted.
Zoro's enjoying teasing her. Just seeing her red face reminds him of Caly. And he can't stop doing it.
"There's a river mouth there." He said when he noticed the entrance in front of them.
Nami, Usopp and Sanji went to him to see what he's pointing at.
In front of them is a river that leads further inside the island. Of course they took the path.
"I hope there's a BBQ restaurant in here." Luffy said..
"As if there'd be one!" Sanji said knocking some sense into their captain.
"But you said we were going to stock up on food." Luffy pouted
"We'll collect food to cook later! Geez, what're you thinking??" Sanji
"But it's dangerous ashore.." Nami said then went near the rail.
"Just take a look at the plants here to start with. I've never seen anything like them even in encyclopedias." She continued.
Just then a loud screech noise surrounds the island making Nami, Usopp and Lana scream.
Lana stepped behind her bumping Zoro whom she doesn't know were behind her.
"Not afraid huh?" He teased again, smirking.
Lana pouted as she stood straight. Not hearing how Sanji complimented her and Nami.
"I was just surprised! That's all!"
"Yeah sure." Zoro said not believing her. She just huffed and crossed her arms. It's pointless to argue with him. If she didn't know any better, he likes teasing her.
"What was it I just heard?" Nami asked no one in particular.
"It's alright. It's just a bird. And this is just a jungle. Don't worry." Sanji tried to calm Nami. But he didn't know that something huge is approaching behind him making Nami and Usopp run!
"What's the matter?" Sanji asked, still oblivious of what's behind him.
"Chef Sanji! Behind you!" Lana shouted. Sanji turned around seeing a claw too close to attack him.. He ducked and managed to dodge the attack.
"What was that for, you damn bird!?" Sanji shouted at the retreating weird looking bird.
"A lizard.. I wonder if it tastes good." Luffy
"*sigh* Is food all you ever think about Captain?" Lana
An explosion interrupted Luffy before he could answer.
"Is that a kind of noise you hear from just any jungle?" Nami asked. Panicking!
"That sounded like a volcano erupted!" Usopp cried
Lana sensed something approaching.
"Someone's coming." Lana mumbled.
Towards where she's looking at.. Appeared a huge tiger.
"A tiger?! It's too huge!!" Nami and Usopp cried. Zoro looked at Lana. How did she manage to sense that? Something tells him she's not ordinary.
The tiger follows their ship still.
"Is it just me or is the tiger kind of cute?" Lana asked as she leans on the rail.
"Ha? It's just you!" Nami and Usopp
"I want to pet it!" Lana squealed in excitement.
"She's a tough girl." Nami sighed as Usopp and Vivi agrees.
But they were shocked when the tiger died!
"No! What happened!? I was gonna make it my pet.." Lana slumped her shoulders.
"Ah? She's serious about that." Usopp blurted. He's kind of surprised that Lana's that kind of person.
"This isn't normal! This is definitely not normal!" Nami shouted.
"What is? Her having a pet tiger or the tiger dying?" Zoro said as he crosses his arms.
"Hey! Having a pet tiger is normal! They're just big cats! You're just scared." Lana said as she sticks her tongue out to him.
"Nani?! Who's scared?!" Zoro gritted his teeth.
Lana glared at the swordsman. How could she have a crush with this guy. He's annoying.
"Why does a tiger, king of the jungle, fall covered in blood?!" Nami ignored the two and started ranting.
"Lions are the king of the jungle." Lana said looking at Nami.
"Not now Lana!" Nami glared at her making her scared. She ran and hides behind Vivi. She heard a snicker and looked at the swordsman who's smirking at her. Damn you Swordsman!!! She glared at him.
"Ah! It's decided that we're not gonna go ashore on this island!" Usopp shouted, all sweaty. He's such a nervous wreck.
"We'll quietly wait on the ship until the Log is stored and leave this island as soon as possible" Nami proposed as Usopp agrees.
"W..We have to go to Alabasta quickly.." She continued.. But then Zoro dropped the anchor. How he manages to do that alone, amazes Lana. He's a monster I tell ya! A good looking monster!
"Sanji! Make lunch for me!" Luffy said as he giggles. He's too excited to explore the island.
"Lunch?" Sanji said as he puff a smoke.
"Yeah! For replenishing energy! A 'pirate lunch' with lots of meat and no veggies! I can smell adventure in the air!" Luffy grinned.
"W-Wait a sec! Where are you going?!" Nami
"Adventure! Wanna come along? Adventure! Adventure!" Luffy shines with his famous toothy grin.
"It's useless.. I can't stop him. He's too enthusiastic.." Nami cried. Lana just pats Nami's shoulder.
"Sanji bento!!" Luffy again shouted
"Okay. Hold on a bit." Sanji replied as he walks to the kitchen.
"Say, can I come with you?" Vivi asked making Usopp and Nami shock.
"Sure!" Luffy
"Not you too!" Nami
"Yeah.. If I just sit around here, I may start thinking about all sorts of things. I'll go out to take my mind off things until the Log is stored." Vivi calmly explained.
"No way! It may be okay for Luffy but it's too dangerous for you!" Nami trying to knock some sense into her. Who knows what's out there!?
"I'll be fine since Karoo will be with me." Vivi gestured to her pet duck. An oversized clothed duck.
"He's too shocked to say a word though." Nami said as Karoo squawks.
"Then, I'll make a lunch of love for Vivi-chan." Sanji
"Could you prepare something to drink for Karoo too?" Vivi requested. Sanji of course obliged.
"Chef Sanji! Me too!" Lana called out.
"Not you too!" Usopp and Nami cried.
"But I want to find a tiger." She pouted as they just jaw dropped.
"No way! You're not going anywhere." Nami grabbed her arms. Lana just sulked. Giving up on joining Luffy.
After a while.. Sanji helps Luffy and Vivi set out. While Lana's still sulking.
"Now you're all set. Two pirate lunches and a special drink for Karoo." Sanji
"Ok!" Luffy said before jumping out of the ship followed by Vivi.
"Well then. See you later!" Vivi waved. Lana waves disheartened. She really wants to go.
"All right! Let's go!" Luffy cheered before going inside the forest. Lana sighed.
"Miss Wednesday sure is brave." Usopp
"As may be expected from someone who infiltrated an enemy organization." Nami said before glancing at Lana who's glaring at her.
"What's your problem?" Nami asked sweating.
"Nandemonai." She sighed and looked at the forest.
Zoro went down from the upper deck. Cracking his head he announced..
"Well, I'm bored too, so I'll go take a walk."
"Take a walk?!" Usopp shouted.
Zoro didn't care and jumped off the ship. Lana's too envious of them. She can't really follow since she's afraid of Nami.
"Ah! Hey Zoro! Wait!" Sanji called out going beside me since I'm slumping on the rail.
"Hmm?" Zoro looked back at the ship.
"We're short of food. If you see animals that appear edible, bring them back." Sanji
"Okay, got it." Zoro. Ohh, this two could really get along if they wanted to. Lana thoughts.
"I'll bring back one that you can't possibly capture." Zoro continued.
"Wait, you bastard!" Sanji shouted. Maybe I said it way to early.
Zoro glared back to Sanji.
"I can't let that remark go unchallenged! You can capture a bigger one than I can, you say?!" Sanji
"Of course." Zoro. And the two glared at each other. Lana could feel the tension between them.
"Then, It's a hunting match." Sanji said but before he jumped he looked at Lana then grabbed her waist.
"Sorry Nami-san.. i'll borrow her for now." He then jumped. Zoro just glared.
"Nani?!" Usopp and Nami. Lana rejoiced in her mind. Finally!
"Look! We'll compete over how many kilos of meat we get. Lana will be the judge." Sanji said without letting go of Lana and walked inside the forest. Zoro was annoyed but followed.
"Didn't you mean to say how many tons?" Zoro
"You can talk cocky once you've brought back some prey." Sanji said as he walked to the right.
"Hmph! I'll take you up on that!" Zoro then went left but halted when he realized something.
"Wait you shitty cook?!" He shouted.
"What?!" Sanji
"Why are you bringing her with you?!" Zoro pointed at Lana who is still being carried by Sanji.
"Of course. I'm the one who invited her here." Sanji glared and Zoro glared back. Lana sighed thinking they will get nowhere with them being like this.
"How about you two play rock paper and scissors to decide whom will I join." Lana said. Sanji grinned and lets go of her.
"That's right. Be ready you marimo." Sanji said as he raised his sleeves upto his elbows. While Zoro smirked as he cracked his knuckles.
"You get ready to lose stupid cook."
These two makes a kids game intense.
"Alright. The first one to score wins." Lana announced in the middle of them.
"Rock! Paper! Scissors! Go!" Lana said as they swing their arms.
"I win!" Zoro shouted. He has rock while Sanji makes scissors.
"Argh!" Sanji
"Let's go Lana! I'm going to beat that Shitty cook again!" Zoro started to walk. Lana smiled apologetically at Sanji who's still slumped on the ground before following Zoro.
As Zoro walks ahead.. Lana just hums as she looks around.
"Are you that excited to go out?" Zoro asked.
"Hai! It's my first time to have an adventure like this.." Lana smiled making Zoro blush and looks ahead.
"Hey Roronoa-san.. you think we could find a tiger here?" Lana asked
"Dunno. It would be better if it was bigger than that tiger." Zoro said. Lana remembered the bet they have been going on.
"You mean like that one?" Lana pointed in front of them. There was a huge rhino glaring at them.
"Hm?" Zoro stared.
"What the hell is this? Is it edible?" Zoro crossed his arms.
"Probably." Lana shrugged. She does not feel scared anymore. Probably because of the swordsman with her.
"So we both use the Three - Sword Style." Zoro said as he went in front of Lana as if shielding her of the threat in front of them. She blushed at the thought.
"Lana back off.. This'll be dangerous." He said as he pull out his swords from its sheaths. Biting one of it and the other two on his hands. Lana nodded before stepping back on a safe distance.
Zoro attacked while the rhino runs toward them head on! Zoro unleashes his swords as he cuts the rhino. He then coolly sheathes back the swords as the rhino fell down.
"Sugoi! In just one shot! You're really cool Roronoa-san!" Zoro looked at Lana who's approaching him.
"Well.. How am I going to bring this thing?" Zoro asked as he scratched his head.
"You can use this vines." Lana said as she picked up the vines in the ground but turns out one of them is not a vine.
"Aahhhh!!!!" She screamed and runs towards Zoro.
"What is it??" Zoro asked Lana who's hiding behind him.
"S-snake!!" She cried pointing towards the vines. Zoro raised his right eyebrow and approached the vines she's been pointing at. He smirked as he saw the snake and killed it.
"Oi. It's dead now." Zoro picked up the vines and went to the Rhino where Lana is.
"Really? Thank you.." She sniffed.
"How come you're not afraid of a giant tiger but afraid with a small snake?" Zoro asked as he ties up the rhino.
"I just hate it!! They're scary!" Lana shivers just by thinking about it.
Zoro chuckles. He admits.. she's pretty cute.
"Come on. I can't wait to show this to that damn cook." He smirked as he drags the rhino. Lana went beside him.
"Have you always been using Three - Swords Style?" She asked taking a glance of the swords on his waist.
"Yeah."
"You're really cool Roronoa-san." Lana smiled giving him a thumbs up.
"You should train to fight. You have potential."
"Wow.. To be praised by you.. I must truly have potential. Maybe I could ask someone to train me." Zoro nodded.
"But for the meantime.. I'm going to be the winner of the competition to obtain tons of meat!" He grinned.
"Ah right.. You and Chef Sanji were pretty close huh?"
"Nani?! We're not close!"
"Ohh really? Doesn't look that way though." She shrugged.
Zoro sighed.
"He's sort of an okay guy. If it weren't of how he treat women.. I wouldn't be annoyed."
"Why? How does he treat a woman?" Zoro glanced at her.. There she goes again.. Tilting her head on the side.. Just like what Caly does.
"I think that we should treat a man and a woman as an equal. Don't expect that just because you're a woman, I'll change my attitude towards you." Lana gets his point. But she thinks a little chivalry from a man is not that bad.
"What about Caly-san? How will you treat her if she's with you?" She can't help but ask. Since he's inlove with her. It might be different.
"I don't know.. Like how I treat everyone I guess." Zoro shrugged.
"Zoro." Someone spoke as they turned a corner.
"Sanji" Zoro said recognizing the owner of the voice.
"You have better took good care of Lana-chan moss head." Sanji
"Like you would have done a better job than me." Zoro glared as Sanji glared back. Lana went in the middle of them..
"All right.. I'm fine Chef Sanji.." Lana smiled. Sanji's eyes became hearts..
"Tch. Lana just decide who wins." Zoro irritatingly said.
Lana nods and looked at Sanji's dinosaur. It's a t-rex. Wow. How did he even manage to get one of those. Ahh.. This must be why Nami-san call these three a Monster Trio.
"I win!" They both announced. Lana sighed. Of course this two wouldn't wait.
"You lose!" They again shouted. Glaring at each other, they pushed their prey together to measure it. Lana just shook her head.. They're monsters alright. She just sits on a big rock she found and watch those two argue.
"Look! My prey is bigger!" Sanji said pertaining for his dinosaur. It is a bit longer than Zoro's.
"What?! This competition is about how many tons of meat we can get, right?! Mine is obviously huskier than yours!" Zoro argued.
"Ha! It's all a matter of, if we can use it for cooking. Your prey looks full of bones. It has no more than 5 grams of meat for cooking!" Sanji
"There's no way we can eat meat full of sinews like that!" Zoro
"Why am I here with these two? It would have been better if I joined Luffy." Lana sighed.
"Lana! Which of us wins?!" They both shouted almost startling Lana.
"The winner is.. You both. Longer and Huskier is the same. They have the same amount of meat." Lana assessed. But she sweats drop when she saw that they were not satisfied by her answer.
"Tsk! There's no use in competing with such small prey. I'll go capture a big one that'll silence you." Sanji again challenged Zoro making Lana face palm.
"Okay then. I'll go capture a super big one you can't even touch this time." Zoro said.
Just then the volcano erupted. Lana was scared but seeing those two unfazed just reminded her of who she is with.
"Okay. The next eruption is the signal to end the competition. Bring back your prey to the Going Merry by then." Sanji
"Yeah, I'll take you up on that!" Zoro
Lana decided that it is now or never. She has to leave them before they drag her up with the competition they have been having. But before she could run..
"What about Lana?" Zoro asked.
"I get to have her this time." Sanji said as Lana sighed. So long freedom to search for tigers.
Zoro shrugged. He knows she'll be safe with him also. Even though he's a love machine.. He knows he will not disrespect her. Well she's still Lana. If it's Caly on the other hand.. No way he'll give her to the stupid cook.
"Lana-chan let's go!" Sanji cheerfully said. Now finally having a woman with him makes the hunt interesting. Lana nodded. She glanced at Zoro's back as he walks away from them and sighed. Maybe this time she'll find a tiger..