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Homecoming Hill	By : TreeStar Category: +M to R > One Piece Views: 2656 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Homecoming Hill

13

In A World Without Hope�

Zoro walked into his room a little while later to find Luffy curled up on his bed, presumably waiting for him.

�Hey, Luffy.�

�Hi,� Luffy murmured softly without getting up.

�What are you doing here?�

Luffy drew a circle on his comforter with his finger. �Waiting. Always waiting.�

He always answers that question that way� Zoro thought. Perhaps it was presumptuous of him, but he felt in his heart that this was Luffy�s indirect way of asking for freedom. He said it every opportunity he got, and for Luffy, that was practically begging.

�I mean, why aren�t you in Ace�s room? Were you waiting for me?�

Luffy didn�t look up from the blanket. �I was, but� I don�t think I�m going to go back in there today. You should go. They�re waiting for you.�

Zoro stood and considered the prone form on the bed for a few moments before approaching it and sitting down. �Are you still tired, Luffy? Is that why?�

Luffy curled up tighter. ��Nay,� he mumbled. �I have energy now. I was careful before to save up a lot, but I have to be careful how I use it, in case this storm stays around for a while and there�s no starlight.�

�Then what�s the matter? Do you not feel well?�

Luffy shook his head. �It�s not that. I can�t get sick anymore.�

�There are other ways to not feel well,� Zoro explained patiently.

�I don�t have those, either,� Luffy denied.

�Okay,� Zoro said, �So what are you planning to do now?�

Luffy snuggled against his blanket. �I�ll probably read for a while. I like these new stories.� He gave Zoro a rare and genuine smile.

�I�m glad,� Zoro smiled back. �I read those books when I was in high school, and I loved them. The earlier ones were the best. They weren�t written in the order they�re set, but Redwall is still the best place to start, even if it has prequels. Each adventure is different with different characters, and you don�t have to read them in a certain order to make sense of them. That�s another thing I liked about them. That and the pirates. Pirates make great bad guys.�

Luffy shook his head and adopted a quirky smile. �Nay, pirates are only bad because the governments see them that way. I always thought the government made up the bad guys of the world. Before I came here, there was a war that was threatening to start over in Europe. There was a ton of discrimination going on, and it�s all because of government. If I were a pirate, I�d be the best there ever was. I�d rule over all the other pirates, and I�d do it without ever hurting any bystanders. And I�d try to put a stop to all governments, of course. Supporting freedom and general mayhem is a must with piracy.�

�Isn�t that what makes them bad guys?�

�It�s what makes them outlaws,� Luffy corrected. �But an outlaw isn�t always a bad person. When the king is a tyrant, then the outlaw becomes the hero.�

�You know, I�m starting to think you�ve put a little too much thought into this piracy thing,� Zoro joked.

Luffy smiled. �He used to say that all the time.�

�He?�

Luffy�s smile dropped instantly and he automatically glanced at the picture from the Warf that was hanging over the fireplace.

The one trapped outside, Zoro realized. The one he�s separated from.

�Aren�t you going to meet with the others?� Luffy reminded.

Zoro shrugged nonchalantly. �I don�t know. They�re nice and fun, but without you there, I don�t think I�d have as good a time.�

Luffy was looking at him as though he were nuts, and Zoro smiled despite it all. �Do you want to take a walk?�

�After meeting all of them, you want to go on a walk with me?� Luffy inquired. Then he seemed to realize what he�d just said, because a look of surprise followed by disbelief, caution, and something else overtook his features. Zoro knew hope when he saw it.

�If you�re up to it,� he said.

Luffy sat up slowly and watched his fingers fiddle in his lap as if weighing pros and cons for a moment. Pros and cons of what, Zoro had no idea. Luffy was always so cautious with him� Zoro had assumed it had to do with being careful with his power and his lack of control over it, like how he kept himself in check around the others when he was near them, but Zoro wasn�t so sure it was about that anymore.

-- �I�m warning you of danger. Any more than that will cause Quakes and then everyone will panic.� --

Ace had said that, hadn�t he? Was that what this was about as well? What on Earth was a Quake? Earthquakes are what came to mind instantly, but a slip of the tongue couldn�t create an earthquake, so that alone ruled out that theory.

Unfortunately the question was one that Zoro knew that he could never ask, and might possibly never find an answer for. If Ace couldn�t warn him to leave without repercussions, then Zoro knew he couldn�t ask outright about something that was so obviously feared.

Luffy looked up after only a moment. �Where do you want to go?� he asked.

Zoro grinned and stood up. �I�ll show you. Just let me get something first.�

Luffy watched Zoro cross the room to his suitcase and pull out a smaller case. He had no idea what was in it, but Zoro must have had a plan if he meant to use it.

�Come on,� Zoro said, and Luffy got up and followed him out into the corridor.

They didn�t head for Ace�s room, which Luffy was grateful for. Instead they headed for the staircase and went down. In order to save energy, and also just to change things up a bit, Luffy didn�t bother lighting up the expanse of the areas through which they walked, but avoided attention by radiating the soft blue light that shrouded his body a little stronger than usual. To make this more effective, he hovered a few inches off the ground, making him eye-level with Zoro, and making the light just graze the ceiling to make the effect less creepy (he hoped). None of this bothered Zoro in the slightest, but then little about Luffy was ever bothersome to him. It actually made the little Everlasting easier to see than usual, and it certainly enhanced those blue eyes. They were like a blue ball of starlight drifting down the middle of the otherwise black windowless corridors they traveled through.

The questions about his past that Luffy had been half-expecting and dreading did not come. In fact, there was no prying or nosing of any kind for the whole walk. Zoro kept a peaceful silence and a relaxed gait, content to just walk with him. Occasionally he would offer Luffy a smile and go back to looking at the doors of the rooms they passed.

As Luffy realized that there would be no interrogation or forced chattering, he found himself content to simply be in Zoro�s company, as well. It felt nice to just be together without any important matters to discuss. He didn�t usually spend time with anyone unless there was something important going on.

But still, why was Zoro here with him when he could be in Ace�s room with everyone else? Luffy couldn�t figure it out. It felt good, but that also meant it was dangerous.

I should just send him back to Ace�s room. Or better yet, his family. He can�t get close to anyone when he�s with them.

Zoro slowed to a stop. �Say, Luffy?�

Luffy, who hadn�t actually been paying attention to where they were going, looked up.

Zoro was looking at the labels on the doors they passed by. The ones that were blank. �Was anyone ever in these rooms?� he asked.

Luffy nodded. �Those are mostly offices. People have used them, but they�re empty now.�

�Hmm,� Zoro answered, still looking at the blank name plates. �Every one of them�� he whispered to himself.

He turned back to Luffy and kept walking with him. �Didn�t you say something about the kanji in Nami�s room? How it was spelled wrong or something?�

Luffy nodded. �It�s not how her name is written. It wouldn�t be there, otherwise.�

��Then there�s no written evidence that she was ever in that room,� Zoro deduced.

Luffy nodded. �That�s right.�

Zoro nodded his understanding, but then when he glanced over at Luffy, he suddenly felt bad. He started walking again with Luffy drifting along a few inches off the ground beside him. That had been an interesting tidbit, but he hadn�t meant to make this about the Hill. He wanted to give Luffy a break from his troubles for a little bit, and he could tell that Luffy didn�t like talking about the Hill at all. Zoro had the feeling that the only reason Luffy tolerated discussing it with him was because Luffy was trying to give him inexplicit warnings� or maybe, as Zoro hoped, he really was trying to help him figure out Homecoming Hill so he could help them all in return.

�Here we are,� Zoro said, stopping in front of a door.

Luffy, who hadn�t expected Zoro to stop, backed up. �This is the theatre,� he observed.

�That it is,� Zoro agreed, opening the door and walking inside.

No one else was inside, which made things easy.

Zoro noticed that Luffy looked kind of disappointed, and figured that he wasn�t looking forward to watching the same movies he�d no doubt seen a hundred times before, but Zoro had thought of that. He hoped Luffy wouldn�t be unhappy with him for whipping out strange technology.

Clearing the boxes of film off of a table, Zoro set down his case and pulled out his laptop, setting it down beside the projector. Like everything else, the image projector was in pristine condition, and while not modern, it was no more than about 20 years old. It had probably been the best available when it had been brought here, because it had the hook ups he needed. Good! At least some things didn�t rush to become obsolete. He wished he could see them better, though.

�What is that?� Luffy asked, curiosity getting the better of him as he climbed into a theatre seat to crane over the table from the other side and watch Zoro hook up the adapter. With Luffy came the light, and Zoro was able to see.

�This is a small computer. It�s called laptop, or a notebook.�

�It�s tiny. They weren�t like this when Kaya came. Her papa had a computer. It was so big.�

Zoro smiled. It was cute how Luffy said �papa� in a little sing-song voice. �This one can do a lot of things. Well, it can�t really do as much up here on the Hill because we don�t have a phone line, but that�s alright. I only have enough battery life for this, anyway.�

�For what?�

�Do you like fairytales, Luffy?�

Luffy was surprised at the question, but nodded. �Aye.�

�Well, you might like this, then. We�re going to watch a movie. One that�s not quite live action, but not quite cartoon, either. And it�s about all the fairytale creatures you�ve ever heard of, and there�s no science or technology in it at all. It�s set with castles and dragons.�

Luffy perked up in interest� but then his eyes fell, and he looked as though he suddenly wanted to be anywhere else, but after several moments, he took a deep breath and nodded.

Zoro was confused at Luffy�s reaction. He thought the boy would be more excited�

He tried to turn on the projector, but it didn�t work right away, and then he saw why. He went ahead and turned on his DVD player and it was quiet as he watched Luffy�s attention being grasped by something else.

��outside,� Luffy whispered, reaching out to touch the back of the screen that was facing Zoro as if it were a great treasure, but he pulled his hand back before he actually grazed it with his fingertips.

Zoro saw the wonder and sadness in the gesture, and reached out and grasped Luffy�s hand in midair. �You�ll see more than this. I�ll make sure you see everything there is to see soon.�

Luffy looked at the hand that held his for several moments in silence, then looked up to meet Zoro�s eyes, where he saw honesty, determination, and kindness. He can�t possibly mean�

�I�ll show you something now, if you�ll start the projector,� Zoro offered, and Luffy realized he�d spaced out.

The projector came on, and Zoro hooked up his little speakers (they weren�t ideal, but he didn�t want to attract everyone in the wing, anyway), and the FBI warning came on the projection screen.

�This is a way of making animated movies that�s become pretty popular outside right now, but it�s fun if you give it a chance. There�s lots of color and activity.�

Luffy looked at him unsurely. �And you really don�t want to get the others?� He just couldn�t get over that significant detail.

�Nope,� Zoro said. �This is a private screening.�

He sat down beside Luffy to watch Shrek. It took the smaller boy a while to get the hang of it (he sat in awe of the creatures moving around on the screen for the longest time, and the crude scenes in the opening seemed to bother him somewhat. Zoro reminded himself from what age Luffy was.) but after Donkey came in, it started to really work for him, which Zoro found funny. By the end of the movie, Luffy was laughing and pointing, having forgotten about his problems, if only for an hour and a half.

Of course, all good things came to and end, and when the movie ended and Zoro�s battery was exhausted, hard reality came back, and Luffy seemed to grow more sad than he had been before.

When Zoro tried to ask him about it, he got a shrug in answer, and had to go to dinner before much more could be said. He couldn�t help but feel that he�d done something wrong. He offered to let Luffy come along to the dining room just for the company, even if he wouldn�t be able to talk to him for the meal, but Luffy declined, saying that he wouldn�t leave the East Wing unless he was dragged from it. Strong words for strong feelings, and Zoro wondered again about Luffy�s unique position in the manor and that whole issue with the West Wingers as he met Sanji in the hall and walked down to dinner with his cousin.

Luffy curled up with his new book after Zoro had gone. It had been wrong of him to give Zoro the cold shoulder in return for the gift he�d given him that day, but he didn�t want to give Zoro a false feeling of belonging. He couldn�t encourage Zoro to stay near him. Zoro was too good to fall victim to this Hill, and Luffy almost wished he could drive him away. Of course, such things were forbidden, but now that Luffy was fairly certain that Zoro was going to try to figure out a way to free them all, Luffy didn�t know what to think. Depending on which way he and Ace�s theory regarding Zoro�s invisibility fell, the Outsider either had a very good chance, or a very bad one. But Luffy had to admit, if the Hill had been aware of him, it probably would have made its move by now.

Realizing that his eyes had scanned the same page twice and he still had no idea what it said, Luffy let the book fall closed around his thumb and stared at the wall.

He�d missed it. The world had been turning and changing and happening, and he�d missed it all. That movie, the �laptop� thing, these stories he had now� They�d all been created recently in the outside world. People had lived and died. Makino was probably gone by now, and Luffy would never see her again. The new world that taunted him by floating just out of reach was just the same as Makino. He would never touch it again, because he would be trapped here forever.

He reached behind him on the bed and pulled Lucky Hat close. There were many things that were so close and yet so far away. Luffy would settle for a breath of fresh air. He would beg for it. It had come to that point for him.

He glared at the walls that held him. �I hate you,� he whispered.

-----------------

�What do you think Kuina saw outside earlier?� Sanji asked Zoro as they walked down the steps. �Syd didn�t run after it, so it might have been something big.�

�Not too big, or she�d have actually seen it, probably,� said Zoro.

�She said she saw something. Or she thought she did. You think she was just scared?�

�Maybe. Probably,� Zoro agreed.

�Where were you today? I haven�t seen you since breakfast,� Sanji asked, changing the subject.�

Zoro nodded. �Yeah, I missed lunch. Sorry. I was reading, then I watched a movie in the theatre.�

�Did the equipment work alright?�

Zoro nodded. �I didn�t use the camera, but I used my laptop with the projector, and it worked fine.�

�They hook up alright?� Sanji looked surprised.

�Yep. I was surprised, too.�

�Huh! How about that.�

They went into the kitchen to find Kuina feeding Sydian.

She�s so good about taking care of him, Zoro observed.

�Hey, Sanji, you study religion and culture, right?� Zoro asked.

Sanji quirked a brow at him. �No, I study canoeing and racecar driving just like how you study bird incubation and cat breeding,� he answered sarcastically.

Kuina was laughing, and Zoro made a face at her. Clearly he had to work on his subject broaching technique.

�Moving on now� Isn�t there a strong significance placed on the power of words in various cultures? I know my people do it, but what about others? I remember in mythology class Professor Robinson used to go on about it, but do you know any more?�

Sanji shrugged. �Um, it�s fairly common. Basically it�s just that words have power. When you speak them, they become real and out there in the world. Every time anyone says anything to anyone it has some effect on them, and therefore on reality.�

�What about written words?� Kuina asked before Zoro got the chance to as she held up her plate for pasta to be put on it.

��Written words are a little different. They�re permanent. Written words have a wider range to effect the populace than spoken words do. It�s why we use newspapers now instead of a town crier. The Bible is still worshiped because it was written. Actually, the whole reason the story is worshiped is because the Dead Sea Scrolls were recovered, and then select texts were chosen and published together. If those words hadn�t been found, history would have been completely different. All the death and suffering that the Catholic church forced on people --the witch trials across Europe and America, the way they lorded over everyone with an iron fist, the excommunicating, the complete disallowance and removal from society of anyone who thought of any idea that they didn�t like. Millions of families forced into hiding for generations� None of that would have happened. Just think, if no one had ever written down anything that happened in history, or any religions, what would the world be like now?�

�It would be like none of those things had ever happened,� Zoro stated.

Kuina looked from her cousin to her step-brother as the sat down at the table to eat. �But that would be terrible. How could we learn without past experiences to go by?� She looked at her brother. �Doesn�t history dictate our present? You always said that.�

�Not as much as we wish it would,� Zoro scoffed. �People keep making the same mistakes over and over. History repeats itself. It will always do so, whether people realize it or not.�

�Ooo, cynical,� Sanji said.

�Just saying�� Zoro said around a mouth full of pasta that could choke a giraffe.

�Savor your food!� Sanji scolded, and then rolled his eyes when he was totally ignored. He sighed and twirled spaghetti around his own fork. �If religion were removed from society, culture would just be gone, because culture is based on religion. There would be no underlying hope to keep people in line. You see, religion uses fear, hope, and desire to control people and keep them happy and cooperating. When people lose hope that their desires can ever become reality, they become dangerous. Without hope, a government would have to be formed that would use force to keep people behaving, and to protect those who just wanted to exist in peace and needed sanctuary. It would be like living in a military zone. That would lead to revolutions and many wars.�

�How could people live like that?� Kuina asked.

�In fear,� Zoro answered sadly, making the connection between Sanji�s observation and the two wings of Everlasting Manor. �Having no earthly idea what�s going to happen to them in the end, but having no reason to hope that it would ever be something good would be a terrifying thing to experience. That coupled with no impending consequences for doing bad things would make everyone fear both the future and each other. Fear causes people to lash out irrationally, and lose themselves. Lose control over their actions and emotions. They would close themselves away from everyone, and be alone. And in being alone, they would only feel more fear. Full of fear and pain, and bitterness because of it all. That is how they would live.�

Sanji took a bite of pasta. �That�s what I think, too,� he agreed between chews. �On that note, when are we going to check out the West Wing?�

Zoro choked on his food and picked up his water glass as Kuina groaned, �Not agaiiin��

�What do you mean �on that note�?� Zoro managed to ask. �We weren�t talking about exploring in any way!�

�We�re talking about it now,� Sanji returned easily. �Keep up, Zoro.�

�Sanji, I don�t want to, yet. We did it all day just yesterday, and you said we could take a break,� Kuina whined.

Sanji set his fork down and looked between them. �Aren�t you curious about what�s over there?�

�Not that curious.�

�Sanji, we talked about this. I still think we have plenty to go off of now. You jump the gun faster then a normal gun-jumper,� Zoro informed. �Take it easy, Tex.�

Sanji frowned in disappointment. He didn�t like sitting around and doing paperwork very much. �Fine. We�ll wait. But I could use some help with making the estimates.�

Zoro nodded with relief. �I�ll help you out after dinner,� he said, coming off sounding almost eager.

---------------

I have such a big mouth, Zoro thought as he trudged down the corridor to his room hours later. He vowed never to enjoy sitting in that dining room again. It was after dark, and he knew Luffy wouldn�t be pleased, but he hadn�t been able to get Sanji to stop working until now.

�You�re late,� Luffy scolded from his squashy armchair in front of the starlightless glass door as Zoro walked into the dark room. Luffy�s light was the only illumination in the room again.

�I know,� Zoro said. �I�m sorry. I got held up.�

Luffy spun in his chair to face him. �With Califa over there I would think you�d be smarter than this. You know it�s only a matter of time, and when the ax falls, it almost always falls at night when so many are dispersed and attuned to feel anyone sneaking up on them. Several get fidgety and they act before the question, but you decide to walk the line.�

�Yep,� Zoro tried to joke. �I�m brave like that.�

Luffy wasn�t in the mood. �You�re an idiot,� he bluntly informed.

�Sorry,� Zoro said again.

Luffy looked like he was about to continue, but paused, and then sighed and slumped back into his chair, boneless. �Don�t apologize to me, You�ll only hurt yourself by doing this stuff.�

Zoro smiled slightly. He was worried, he thought.

Zoro hadn�t expected this, though now that he actually thought about it, he realized he should have. Luffy acted cold, but he really was anything but. He had been distant after the movie because something had been bothering him, not because he was angry.

I should have come straight back here after dinner, Zoro reflected. I shouldn�t have left him alone for so long. �Maybe I shouldn�t have left him at all.

The room lit up so Zoro could get ready for bed. He was so tired. He knew he would sleep like a rock.

As Zoro walked over to the bed after changing into a clean t-shirt and boxers, something about Luffy caught his attention.

Was Luffy�?

He hadn�t been paying enough attention that afternoon first because of the others, and then probably because Luffy had been more apparent when he was the epicenter of the light in the halls earlier, but now that the room was full of light, Luffy didn�t look so hot. In fact, he didn�t look like as much as he had been the day before. Had he faded more? He was a little harder to see�

I need to get some sleep.

------------------

Despite his exhaustion, something woke Zoro in the middle of the night.

Luffy was crying again. He was sure it was Luffy. He had meant to sleep on his other side so that he could see the window where Luffy sat every night waiting for stars to come out.

As he was wondering what he could do to make this better, Zoro heard Luffy pad softly across the carpet to the bed. They boy kind of froze there for a moment, sniffling quietly, before carefully climbing up onto the bed and crawling across the mattress. Zoro risked opening his eyes slightly to see Luffy curl up beside his feet and gently reach up to rest his hand on the part of the blanket covering his legs.

After several moments there came a long, shuddering sigh that signaled the end of the tears, and Luffy�s laid his head down to rest on the blanket where he would spend the rest of the night. Zoro wished he knew what was doing this to him, but if this helped, and if this was what Luffy was comfortable with, then Luffy would have it.

Reflecting on how heartbreaking this situation was, Zoro realized that if he really wanted to help, he would get his butt moving on trying to figure out what was wrong with Homecoming Hill. What had happened, and how could he stop it? Would he be able to do anything? Many of them were still alive! They needed help, and he couldn�t abandon them, so if he couldn�t find a way then he would just have to make one. These somewhat irrational thoughts followed him as he started to drift off to sleep again.

Now and then Zoro would be reminded of Luffy�s presence when the hand on his leg would move a little, as Luffy reassured himself that he really wasn�t lying there alone, but other than that, the night passed quietly.

--------------------

�So� they never came back,� Ace drolled on his bed, from where he was making two bouncy balls bounce off each other in an airborne battle near the ceiling.

�I think they wanted to be alone together,� Nami smirked. �How�s that for unusual?�

Ace smiled and nodded. �It�s fantastic.�

He sighed and rolled onto his side to look at her, flopped into her cushy chair that she�d scooted beside the bed. �You said the sister saw a Dweller?�

�Luffy and I think so, based on what she described, but she�s not convinced it was anything more than an animal.� She was quiet for a moment before looking up again. �How do you think this could change our opportunity? Will he be more or less willing to help us if it happens?�

�I don�t know. It depends on how it happens, I suppose. If she�s seeing things, then the Hill is already taking hold of her. It�s not a guarantee, exactly --a few people have seen something just once or twice and left to tell about it-- but I would be surprised if that�s the case this time. I mean, it happened faster than I expected, but as I said when they first pulled into the drivepath, the little girl was a sure pick.�

�We�ll keep her in the East Wing if it happens, then,� Nami stated more than asked.

�Of course,� Ace answered anyway.

Nami slumped sadly again. �I wish there was a way to warn Zoro about it. He has no idea how much danger they�re all in.�

�Nami,� Ace sat up and swung his feet over the side of the bed to face her, �you know you can�t say ANYTHING to him about it. I know you weren�t here the first and only time one of us tried to warn and Outsider, but you know what happened, nonetheless. Or do I need to tell you again what happened to Luffy? To the Outsider? To me? Do you need to hear about the effect it had on everyone here? The panic? It probably scared the hell out of the Dwellers, too. And Luffy�s still punishing himself for it.�

Ace stopped suddenly, as if he�d said too much. Nami�s bottom lip was trembling, and Ace sighed. After pausing for a little while, he said gently, �No, Nami. We can�t tell him anything. Luffy needs to take care of Zoro. He�s the only one who knows what not to say, and that makes him the only one who can help Zoro figure it out while keeping them both on dry shores, away from the darker waters.�

�But Luffy doesn�t want to have anything to do with Zoro,� Nami retorted. �He told me earlier that he won�t let Zoro get close to him.�

Ace raised a brow. �Do you really believe that that�s what he wants?�

Nami smiled back at him and shook her head. �No, I don�t. But that�s just it; he�s so stubborn about it that I�m worried. And you know what will happen if the West Wingers find out that Luffy has been with Zoro this whole time.�

Ace�s smirk vanished and he nodded solemnly. �I know that the West Wingers will TRY to do, but it won�t work. They blame him for messing it up last time, even though that Outsider wasn�t the one and never could have been, but I KNOW beyond any doubt that what happened last time is what makes him perfect for this job. He won�t mess it up this time, he knows how not to. And when he comes through, everything will be different. Maybe he�ll even be able to forgive himself. It�ll happen Nami. Mark my words.�

Nami nodded, a smile curling on her lips. If Ace said it would be okay, then it would be okay. Ace had never let them down before.

Ace reflected quietly for a moment before smiling distantly. �You know, when we first got here, Luffy was hysterical for the longest time� One day I sat him down and told him a story that one day an Outsider would come here, and he or she would be different from all the other Outsiders. This one would understand us, and wouldn�t abandon us here. This Outsider would be smart and observant, and will figure out how to free us all. We�d be saved.�

�I know it sounds like a fairytale, but even Luffy still clings to it like a lifeline. It�s one of the few things he still believes in. There are things all over this Hill, both inside the manor and out that I remember; signs and words� They�re evidence of something that happened here; some event that occurred years before even Luffy and I arrived. And then there�s the garden, and the way we�ve never seen even a Dweller enter it. It grows by itself. All those headstones of different shapes and sizes appear on their own. Something�s keeping tabs on each one of us on this Hill. Something that won�t allow us near it, but if an Outsider can find it and defeat it, then I�m sure we could all go free. I�m sure.�

He nodded decisively to himself, then sighed, and his ever present smile reappeared. �Plus, Zoro is good to Luffy and good for Luffy. He�s more than I ever hoped for. �I think he�s the one. I really do. If he can save Luffy from the Shifting, he�ll be able to save us all.�

Nami frowned a little skeptically. �But will he be able to save Luffy? Will Luffy let him? He doesn�t even believe he�s in danger from the Shifting.�

Ace looked at her evenly. �Yes, he does. He knows it�s true. That�s why he denies it so hard. Luffy doesn�t react to things that don�t concern him. If he truly wasn�t worried, it wouldn�t bother him when we talk about it, but what does he do instead?�

�He gets angry every time it�s mentioned,� Nami answered with a frown.

Ace nodded. �My little brother is confused about many things right now, but he�s much more observant than any of you know.�
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Homecoming Hill