Broken Only to Heal Again

AN: Big thanks to Stark and bunny. Thanks for all your help. I love you guys!!!


Chapter 18

Sooner than expected, the Sanguine Blade came within sight of the island. They had made excellent time on the waters. Fanton directed them to sail at the island from the west. As they approached, one of the lookouts called for the Vice-Admiral. Fanton, in a pleasant mood, decided to comply and see what all the fuss was about. It was nearing dusk, but with their advanced equipment, they could make out parts of the island clearly. One of those things happened to be the docks at the village.

“Sir, there is a ship docked at the village that could very well be the one we are pursuing.” The nervous Marine stuttered.

Fanton’s expression never changed. He just knocked the man aside and adjusted the telescope to his liking. Sure enough, there sat the Going Merry, right in the last place he imagined. These pirates were either very stupid or very confident. He instructed the men to head for the bay they had previously thought the pirates would be hiding in. Fanton couldn’t just pull a Marine ship into the harbor without raising suspicion since this island was blacklisted. The reasons for blacklisting had something to do with mysterious and unexplained deaths, but he didn’t have time to research them. Besides, he would be gone in a day anyway.

Fanton walked down to the lower deck and continued his way to his private quarters. The ship’s doctor was leaving the room when he turned the corner.

“The damage was minor this time. I gave him a heavy sedative; it will knock him out for a few hours. He’ll be sore when he wakes up, but functional.” The Doctor was the only member of the crew who could speak with him frankly. They had known each other for many years. He was also the only one on the ship that knew his reasons for the deep hatred he carried for Roronoa Zoro. “Play nice with your things, else next time they break, I might not be able to fix them.” He scowled at Fanton’s emotionless response.

“He is mine to do with what I wish.” Fanton said flatly and walked past him into the room. He frowned at the sleeping man on his couch. The fool must be getting used to his size. The thought disappointed him. He enjoyed tearing into his tight ass. Maybe it was time for a new toy. Maybe he’d make Roronoa his new pet. He smiled at the image brought to mind of a bloody and torn green haired man. He might even keep that little bitch he was married to alive, just so she could watch. With these thoughts in mind, he began to reevaluate his earlier plan.

He still desired to destroy the ship, and the crew. But doing so in the middle of a village would prove tricky. He had already been brought up on charges twice for disobeying direct orders. If he did so a third time, he would be demoted and possibly imprisoned. He had to make sure that none of the villagers even knew a Marine ship was there. For now, he would focus on the capture of Roronoa.

It would be easiest to have a small team go in and get him. They would need to be stealthy. Strength was an issue. He didn’t have anyone, other than himself, on the ship that could take on the swordsman. This time they would have to resort to other means. If they could get there soon enough, maybe they could catch him still asleep. He had just the thing to keep the pirate out for several hours. It would be long enough for him to be carried back to the ship and locked up in that special brig he had constructed. Fanton opened the top drawer on his filing cabinet and started looking for his little trinket. A black candle was produced and sat carefully on the desk. Fanton smiled and sat down to issue orders to his four best men.

**** oSaM****

Luffy followed Nami up the stairs after eating everything but the dishware on the table. He was full and very happy. When she opened the door to the room and pulled him inside, the reality of what was going to happen hit him hard. Kissing was one thing. Hell, he even got to practice that with Zoro before kissing her the first time. This wasn’t exactly something he could go ask his First Mate’s help on now, besides Sanji had already given him the basic idea of what went on. He even had a few ideas of his own. He had found a dirty magazine in Usopp’s work area once. The pictures in it were fantastic.

He put everything he had been told, combined with all the pictures he had seen, and came up with and idea of how this should work. He watched as Nami removed her sandals and set them next to the door. When she turned around he took her hands and pulled her close. Without her heels he noticed how much shorter she was than him. He kicked off his own sandals and grinned at her annoyed expression. Then he made his move. He wrapped his arms around her, and placed his hands on her lower back, just above the curve of her ass. She in return brought her arms up around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.

The entire afternoon, they had been holding hands, cuddling, kissing, and it had made her so frustrated that she about attacked him the moment the door closed. Since he made the first move, she took it as a sign of permission. Their lips met, soft yet firm as the pressure increased. Nami rocked her body against him and was pleased when he gasped and then deepened the kiss. She let his tongue explore every inch of her mouth before she pushed it back with her own. They let their tongues slide against each other, licking, tasting. Luffy’s hands began to clinch and release in the fabric of her skirt.

Nami could feel Luffy growing hard, his evident arousal rubbed against her lower stomach. She moaned softly into his intense kiss and ground their hips together. Luffy jumped and pulled back from the kiss. His eyes were wide and full of nervous desire. He swallowed hard as Nami rolled her hips again. His cock continued to grow and strain against the coarse fabric of his jeans. Nami took one hand from behind his head and let her fingers slide down his chest to the waistband and then traced the outline of the bulge in his pants. He was large and she knew he still had not shown her his full size. Her body quivered just thinking of having him buried deep within.

Luffy hissed and closed his eyes. His body shuddered as she palmed his erection and squeezed. Pleased with his reaction, Nami worked at the knot of his belt and unzipped his jeans. His eyes shot back open and he stared in her loving eyes. She kissed him deeply, sucking on his bottom lip as she edged his pants and boxers down his hips. When they pooled at his feet, he stepped out and kicked them to the side. She began work on the buttons of his vest, her mouth kissing down his jaw to suck on his pulse point.

The feel of cool air on his genitals made him realize his state of dress compared to hers. His shaky hands gripped the hem of her shirt. Nami released the last button and backed away from his neck to look up at him. His face was flushed and he was breathing hard. She raised her arms above her head and smiled. He grinned back to her and pulled the shirt up over her head. He couldn’t help but stare at the white lace bra, barely containing her ample breast. She reached back to unhook it, but his hands stopped her.

“I want to do it.” He whispered.

Nami smiled and guided his hands behind her. It took several attempts but finally came free. He dropped the skimpy lingerie and raised his hands to gently hold the two glorious mounds. Nami sighed and hummed her approval as Luffy gave her breasts a squeeze. Thinking of what Sanji had told him, he bent down and licked a large dusky pink nipple. Nami gripped onto his arms tightly.

“Ahh. Mmm. I like that. Do it again.” She instructed.

Pleased that he had done something she liked, Luffy ran his tongue over it again. He watched in fascination as the nipple began to harden into a pert bud. He continued his ministrations to the other as well.

“Luffy, please… Suck.” Nami moaned.

Fueled by her lustful plea, he complied setting his mouth over the erect nipple and sucking hard. He pulled it with his teeth at the end of each suck.

“Oh God! Luffy! Yes!” Nami grabbed his head and knocked off his straw hat. She fisted her hands in his dark locks and practically screamed in ecstasy. He was sucking and teething one breast while rubbing the other with his hand. His other hand traveled down her stomach to the zipper of her skirt located on her hip. He eased it down and slid his hand under the waistband to cup her moist center. He stopped his abuse to her chest and kissed his way up to her neck. She yanked his head up and smashed her mouth to his, plundering it for all it’s worth. Luffy shoved her skirt off her hips and grabbed her ass in both hands, grinding his weeping member against her matching white lace panties. The rough fabric brushing against his over sensitized skin caused him to hiss in pleasure. He grabbed the scant amount of material and ripped it from her. His aggressive actions turned her on even more.

She pushed him away and looked at him with a predatorial gleam in her eyes. He stood there panting heavily. His red vest open and barely hanging on his shoulders, but nothing else. She let her gaze travel down the well defined abs to rest on his very impressive length. She smiled invitingly and walked backwards to the bed. Her come hither look, along with her crooked finger pulled Luffy along as if in a trance. Her naked form beckoned to his soul, demanding that he take her now. He crawled onto the bed after her completely unprepared for what happened next.

With a swiftness that should have only belonged to Sanji, Nami wrapped her legs around him and rolled him to his back. She sat atop him grinning and rubbed her wet pussy against his aching cock. Luffy closed his eyes and moaned loudly. This was heaven. It was so much better than he could have ever imagined. It was better than meat… well, almost. At the least it was just as good.

“Luffy, do you know what to do?” It was a logical question she thought. There was no way he could be anything other than a virgin. He might have learned to kiss from Zoro, but he would be learning to fuck from her tonight.

“Kinda. I asked some questions. Looked at pictures.” Luffy’s voice was strained as he panted beneath her. He was confused as to why she had switched the positions. Nothing he had been told included this. Luffy began to think that maybe this wasn’t Nami’s first time. “Do you?”

Nami smiled confidently and nodded. She slid her hands from his sides up his armpits and coaxed his arms above his head. She slid her hands up to his wrists and held them tight. Her breasts were hanging just out of reach of Luffy’s mouth. He stretched out his tongue and licked the swollen nipple. Nami’s eyes widened at the realization of what he just did. Luffy repeated the motion to the other side and Nami moaned. She raised her hips and wiggled until she could feel the tip of his shaft pressing at her opening.

She let him enter just a bit and moved her breasts away from his face. He pouted at the loss of his new toy, but was immediately intrigued by the newest sensation of wet heat at the top of his aching member. He rocked his hips and went in deeper. Nami hovered above him, her features enhanced by her lust filled state. Luffy rose up to kiss her. She backed away and chided him.

“Just enjoy the ride.” With that, Nami sheathed him completely. Her inner walls stretching to accommodate his girth, causing the young Captain to shout.

“Kami! … ahhh”

The moan that erupted from Nami’s throat sent shivers through Luffy’s body. He tried to move but she clamped her thighs against his sides and shook her head. She lifted up and slowly came back down. She let go of his arms and sat up. Her hands traced his defined chest muscles as she slowly brought herself up and down on him. Luffy watched mesmerized as she rode his cock. Her hips rocked forward on the next thrust and the new angle caused blinding pleasure. Cued by her sudden cease in motion, Luffy grabbed her hips and rolled her over. He brought her legs up over his shoulders and grasped her upper thighs tightly. He began thrusting with amazing precision, hitting that sensitive spot over and over. Nami could do nothing other than shout her lover’s name over and over as she rode the waves of orgasms that followed. Luffy’s movements became shorter and harder as he neared his own climax. With a hoarse cry, he came deep within her.

Her legs fell from his shoulders to the bed and he collapsed above her, barely holding his weight by his elbows. They lay there panting, waiting for their hearts to settle. Luffy picked up his head and looked to her with such a serious expression that she grew nervous.

“So you’ve wanted to do this for a long time, huh?”

Nami nodded yes to his question.

“So we can do this again?”

A small smile crept up on her face as she whispered yes.

“Good. ‘Cause now we have to make up for all that time we wasted not being together.” Luffy crashed his lips against her smile and muffled her laughter. He was already beginning to harden again while still buried deep with her heat. Another two rounds, and 90 minutes later they both passed out from exhaustion.

****oSaM*****

A teary eyed little boy stumbled into the corridor. He stared up at all the doors and panicked. He had no idea where to find him. He began crying again. The door opened beside him, causing him to stumble backwards and fall. Arms bloomed from the ground to catch him before he made contact with the hard floor. The boy opened his eyes to see the smiling face of the Going Merry’s Archeologist. Robin stood him upright and wiped his tears.

“Teki-kun, why are you crying? Are you lost?” Robin could not see a reason for him to be out of the room. “Has your father come back yet?”

Teki sniffled and shook his head no. “I fell asleep with Chopper and Usopp-san. Were playing and then got tired. But a bad dream woke me up. I was scared so I wanted to find Tousan, but he wasn’t there. I came out to look for him, but I didn’t know where to go.”

“I bet he came back and saw you asleep so he left you there. Let’s go see if he’s in his own room. Ok?” Robin put her hand on his head and guided him down the hall. She stopped outside the door and listened. She could hear Zoro’s distinct snoring from the other side. Smiling down at Teki she said, “See, I told you he probably just let you sleep. I’ll unlock the door and let you in.”

Without hesitation, she produced a hand on the inside of the door and unlocked it. She opened it slowly. The light crept into the room and illuminated the two sleeping figures intertwined on the bed. Zoro lay on his back with Sanji curled up tightly at his side. The cook had his arm protectively across the swordsman’s naked chest with Zoro’s hand under his. Shocked, Robin tried to shut the door, but Teki had already moved into the room and was headed for them. She watched silently as Teki crawled up behind Sanji and pressed himself to the cook’s bare, pale back.

Embarrassed, she closed the door and re-locked it. If Nami had been sharing a room with her, Robin would have undoubtedly woke her up just to rub it in her face that she had seen them and Nami didn’t. Sometimes, the opportunity to act childish was just too much fun to pass up. She settled for smiling to herself and returning to her room.

Balanced on top of a wooden awning, a black figure contemplated his next move. The night was cloudy, thereby limiting his light to see into the room sufficiently. When the door had opened, the light from the hall revealed a hitch in his plans. His target lay on the bed, with another wrapped around him. A boy bearing a striking resemblance to the target walked in as if nothing was wrong and snuggled up to the unknown person. He could tell they weren’t supposed to be there due to the expression on the woman’s face at the door. Seeing that the two adults in the bed did not move, he regained his confidence, and began altering his plan. With a sinister chuckle, he made his decision.

With swift and silent movements, he climbed into the open window and shut it silently behind him. He set his mask in place and lit a small black candle. Soon there was a thin veil of smoke across the room. His target shifted and the level of snoring increased. Good, the sleeping drug was working. The candle was extinguished and returned to his pack. He drew his sword and stood there. There was no indication that anyone on the bed was going to rise. He used his sword to nudge the foot of his target and still there was no movement. With a little less caution, the intruder approached the bed. He reached out and picked up the sleeping boy. The child was limp in his hold; drool running down his cheek, a mumbled ‘Kasan’ was heard. He laid the boy on the floor and turned back to his target.

Here he was, the infamous Roronoa Zoro. He had finally been captured. The intruder decided he should thank the man’s lover for wearing him out. It made it easier to knock him completely unconscious with the smoke. He reached out and pulled the blonde off of the swordsman and froze. He had thought that with the lithe body and silky blonde hair, this would be a woman. But now that he could see their face, and not to mention the flat chest, it was definitely a man. An insane desire to giggle filled him. He removed his mask and covered his mouth with his hand to dampen the noise.

Jack ran through the consequences in his head. On one hand, Fanton told him to come back with Zoro or not to come back at all. On the other hand, here was a way to break the man even more. He was sleeping in a bed with his lover and son. It was obvious that the relationship had been going on for some time because the child had curled up to the blonde without a thought. It must be a secret one though, because the raven at the door seemed shocked to see them together. Oh, what to do, what to do?

It might get him killed, but a secondary plan formed in his head. Instead of taking Roronoa, he would take the other two to Fanton. His master’s plan was to make the swordsman suffer, right? So why not take everything close to him away? He had a child and a lover. Why not rip everything that was precious to him out of his very arms. Literally. Jack grinned maniacally, and went to open the door. He cautiously stuck his head out and looked back and forth. He gave a low whistle and three men walked around the corner. He stepped aside to let them into the room.

“Men, it looks like our plans have changed. We take these two instead.” Jack gestured to the boy on the floor and the blonde in the bed. “Roronoa will pay with the things most precious to him. His legacy and his love.”

The men nodded in understanding. They were told to obey Jack’s orders, so that is what they would do. One of them bent down and picked up Teki, throwing him over his shoulder. The other two helped get Sanji’s clothes back on him. It would draw too much attention for them to be carrying around a practically naked man. When picking up his jacket, the cook’s cigarettes and lighter fell out. Jack bent to retrieve them. A devious thought came to mind. He walked over to the man holding Teki and swiped a lock of his hair. He noticed the chain around the boy’s neck and pulled it off. He went to the blonde and cut a lock of hair from him as well. The five items were placed on the table beside the bed. Jack slid up Sanji’s sleeve and withdrew his knife.

****oSaM****

Usopp and Chopper woke up a little confused to their surroundings. They were lying sideways across the beds, and their partner in crime was no where to be seen. It would have made sense that Teki was gone if Sanji had returned. Maybe Sanji had slept somewhere else since they had taken over the beds. No, that didn’t sound right either. Sanji would have just kicked them aside and taken his bed back. Chopper agreed and they went to investigate. In the hall they met up with Robin.

“Ohayo Robin-san. Have you seen Teki or Sanji this morning?” Usopp looked around to see what he might have missed. There was a faint blush on Robin’s cheeks that he couldn’t explain.

“Ohayo Long-nose-kun, Doctor-san. I believe Cook-san and Muteki-kun are both in the room with Bushido-san. Cook-san retired there when he had seen his bed was taken. Muteki-kun woke up from a bad dream so I let him in to be with his otousan. I’m sure they are still asleep.” Robin hoped that her blush was not visible. She remembered the intimate way the two men were sleeping and couldn’t help the involuntary reaction. It was so sweet how Muteki had crawled up and immediately fell asleep against Sanji’s back. She only hoped that the two men had clothes on under the blanket. She had seen the mark on Zoro’s neck, and wondered at how they managed to be so quiet. The entire Inn had been able to hear Luffy and Nami last night, she was sure. It was the reason she was up. More than likely it was also the reason for the poor child’s bad dreams. She idly wondered if Zoro and Sanji had heard them.

“Those two were lucky to have a room so far away from the noise. It’s no wonder Teki-kun had bad dreams. If it hadn’t been for my ear-plugs, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep either.” Chopper grumbled.

Usopp nodded in agreement and the three walked down to the dining hall for breakfast. Not much later Nami and Luffy came down to join them. They paused at Usopp and Chopper’s ungrateful glares, and Robin’s hand covering what appeared to be a smile. Luffy shrugged and sat down. Nami sat beside Robin very gently.

“Where’s Sanji? And Zoro and Teki? Did they leave somewhere already?” Luffy looked around. He was disappointed that he missed the adventure they were probably headed to.

“No, they’re still sleeping.” Chopper yawned.

“At least SOME of us have the pleasure of having a room at the OTHER end of the hall.” Usopp grumbled under his breath.

“What was that?” Nami stood up and bashed Usopp’s face into the table.

“Hehe, you were kinda loud, Nami.” Luffy’s laughter was cut short by Nami’s other fist. He went flying into the wall. “Just joking, koishii.”

Luffy’s loving title seemed to hold off her embarrassed rage for the moment. She ordered her breakfast and told them to bring out as much as they could fit on the table for the boys. They had cleared the table of food when the subject of the others came up again.

“Don’t you think it’s funny that at least Sanji hasn’t come down to eat? I mean, he usually is the first one up. I wonder what’s going on.” Nami looked over to see the faint pink on Robin’s cheeks. “Ok girlfriend. Spill. I know you’re hiding something and I want to know what it is right now!” Nami pointed her finger at the Archeologist in a threatening manner.

Robin leaned over and whispered into Nami’s ear. The Navigator’s face lit up and she began to squeal. She clapped her hands and started bouncing in her seat. That movement quickly stopped when a residual ache made it uncomfortable. Nami settled for squeezing the life out of her female nakama.

“Oh I’ve gotta see.” Nami was out of her chair pulling Robin behind her as they ran up the stairs.

“What’s going on?” Usopp, Chopper and Luffy spoke almost as one. Not wanting to be left behind, they scrambled after them.

Nami pounded on the door for the fifth time. There was still no sound from the other side. Concern began to take the place of her earlier glee, and she called out loudly.

“Sanji-kun? Teki-kun? Are you guys in there? Zoro? Anyone? Are you sure they haven’t left the room?” She turned and continued pounding on the door, calling for anyone to answer. There was a loud thud on the other side and a groan. “Zoro! If that’s you, open this door right now!”

Grumbling could be heard, followed by banging, cursing and shuffling feet. The door opened to reveal a sleepy and possibly naked swordsman. Zoro had the blanket from the bed wrapped around his lower half. He was rubbing his eyes and trying to wake up. The spark came back to Nami and she shoved the door open and walked in.

“Oi, bitch. What the fuck? Get out of my room!” Zoro bellowed. The rest of the crew ignored him and walked in as well.

“Oh, Zoro-kun, where’s Sanji-kun?” Nami sang out sweetly. If that wasn’t enough to snap Zoro awake, nothing would have worked. Shit, Sanji. He was sleeping with him last night. Zoro looked the room over and frowned. The door to the washroom was open, so he wasn’t there. His cigarettes looked like they were still on the table with some other things, and the door was locked when he opened it.

“Hai, and where’s Teki-kun, too?” Chopper asked. The crew began to worry at the confused look on Zoro’s face. “Um, Zoro. Robin said that she let Teki in here with you guys last night. He woke up from bad dreams and was crying. Do you not remember?”

Zoro shook his head. He definitely didn’t remember that. His head snapped up and his eyebrow rose in question at the raven woman. She held his steady gaze and nodded to him. He was about to respond when Usopp screamed.

“I-i-it’s b-b-blo-blood!” Usopp pointed to the wall above the bed. Written in blood was a single word.

Sanguine.

Zoro saw his own shade of red and growled. His eyes darted to the table where Sanji’s smokes laid. He stomped over only to stop dead in his tracks. There were Sanji’s things, as well as a familiar medallion. But what disturbed him the most was the two locks of hair. One blonde and one the exact green of his own. The only problem was that Zoro didn’t have hair that long on his head. But his son did. Zoro’s fist went through the wall in front of him.

“Sanji, Teki.” Nami cried. She went to reach for Luffy but stopped as he walked towards his first mate. Instead, Robin’s arms came around her and held her while she cried.

No one ever noticed Chopper run out of the room, nor back in with his black bag and a large syringe in his hooves. Zoro’s entire body shook with anger. No one even dared to breathe. Luffy came to stand beside him. Understanding dawned in his eyes as he looked the five items over. He clinched his fists in furry.

“But why would the infamous Sanguine Kaname take just them? Why not Zoro? I thought that he was the one they were after in the first place.” Usopp had calmed down a bit and began to think. “Did Teki ever tell any of you about him?” He looked to everyone only to receive a negative answer from everyone except Zoro.

Zoro growled an inhuman sound. He threw off his blanket, uncaring of his blushing and fainting audience, and began to dress. His movements were jerky and rough. You could see every muscle twitch beneath the surface of his skin, begging to be let out. He finished pulling on his boots and was met face to thigh with an upset reindeer. Zoro looked down at his hand he’d put through the wall. He had ripped a few of the stitches and scraped up the knuckle of his free finger, but otherwise no real harm. Chopper immediately started to work. When that was complete, he looked at them.

“I have no fucking idea who this son of a bitch is, but he will pay for touching what is mine.” Zoro picked up the necklace off the table and placed it over his head. He then pocketed the cigarettes and lighter. He went to pick up the locks of hair but Chopper stopped him.

“Zoro, here use this.” Chopper produced a very small vial that had a cork on it.

“I’ll help.” Usopp said. He picked up the hair and bound it together with a rubber band before placing in within the cylinder tube. Chopper handed him surgical thread, and Usopp tied it to the chain around Zoro’s neck.

Zoro looked at his new trinket, then back at his saddened nakama. “This is my fight. I want you to stay here. I won’t lose any more of you.”

“Sorry, that’s not going to happen. They’re nakama.” Luffy grinned at him with confidence. It was one of those looks that just said ‘Give up, you know you can’t win.’

No matter how much Zoro wanted to argue with them, he knew that this was the right move. He felt pride and honor as Usopp and Chopper stood by him, too. Robin and Nami, after finally containing their nosebleeds due to viewing his naked glory, stood by Luffy’s side in agreement.

“Oi, lets go meet this shitty Sanguine bastard.” Zoro walked to the door and stopped. He looked confused for a moment before speaking. “I need my swords. The smithy said they’d be ready this morning. Teki was the one who knew the way.”

“Do not worry, Bushido-san. I will get them for you. We will meet at the ship.” Robin bowed her head to him and walked past him out the door. They may have had a rocky start, but the Swordsman and the Archeologist had come to terms with each other a long time ago. They held mutual respect for the other, and Zoro couldn’t have been more thankful for her assistance.

“Let’s get our things and get to Merry. Hopefully all our supplies have been delivered and we won’t have to wait.” Nami put her arms around Luffy from behind and held tight. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to make all the bad thoughts go away.

“Hai, lets hurry. We don’t know when they left.” Luffy pulled Nami’s arms off him. He gave her a quick kiss and left the room. The others followed suit and began to pack.

Zoro picked up the bokken purchased the day before and swore. “If my son is harmed in any way, I swear you will pay 100 fold before I cut your heart out.” He touched the glass at his neck. He thought about the blonde hair mixed in with the green. Sanji’s face, when he stormed into the room to ‘save him’, came to mind. Pain grabbed his chest. He ran his thumb over the lighter in his pocket. “And if you harm him…” Zoro stormed out of the room.

Luffy was waiting outside the Inn for Zoro. He had sent Nami, Chopper and Usopp ahead to ready the ship. Knowing the swordsman couldn’t find his way, he stayed to walk with him. A companionable silence surrounded them. They both knew vaguely what the other was thinking, and agreed that severe action would ensue. They heard Nami’s voice long before they could see her. Her anger urged them to pick up the pace.

“What do you mean we can’t board our own ship, you old hag! You listen to me, I don’t care who you think you are, we’re getting on there and we’re leaving! That’s that!” Nami was nose to nose with a short wrinkly old woman standing before the gangplank to the ship. She was backed by several of the villagers. The irate navigator was screaming and ready to fight.

“Look, old lady, I suggest you get out of our way. We don’t want to hurt you, but if you insist on keeping us here, we’ll have no choice.” Usopp gave his best karate pose and tried to look intimidating. Chopper hid behind him unsure of just what to do.

Zoro and Luffy reached them and pulled Nami back. Zoro was about to speak when the old woman’s voice reached his ears.

“Bad things happen to those who abuse our hospitality. This is the reason people do not stay long in our village.” The crew stiffened. “But when something bad happens to someone who has done no wrong to us…” she gave a weak smile. “Well, it had never happened, honestly. But now that it has… We wish to help make it right.” A very battered blonde made his way up from the group to stand beside her. Zoro flinched as he realized just who it was.

Bob nodded to him and even smiled. He held no contempt towards the green-haired god-like man. Nor did he wish any ill will to his blonde lover. Unbeknownst to them, he had regained consciousness last night only to pass out from blood loss at the sight of the two of them fucking on his bed. That memory, combined with the money Zoro had slipped into his hand while checking to see if he was alive, had been worth every kick and punch he’d received. Bob looked down at the old woman and nodded.

“This young man here came to me this morning with a very interesting story,” she began. Zoro braced himself for the worst. “He told me of a small child and a grown man being carried through the docks to a small ship.”

“WHAT!” The pirates cried.

“Yes. Apparently the boy had green hair just like you, young man. Am I to assume he is your son?” Old knowledgeable eyes bore into Zoro’s livid black ones. His nod was barely perceptible but she continued. “It is imperative that you catch up to him. His life is in danger even as we speak.”

“Get to the point old lady! The more time we spend yapping with you, the further away they get!” Luffy shouted and raised his fist.

“This is exactly why you must listen quietly.” When she saw that she again had their attention, she spoke. “I have the location of where they are headed. No, I will not tell you how I know. The man known as Sanguine Kaname is pure evil. He is not welcome here. We are still investigating how he was able to arrive without our knowledge. He is known for torturing his prisoners. That is the reason you must hurry. He won’t wait long to begin. Your swordsman’s hands are going to be needed, so I ask that he come with me while you load your supplies.”

As usual, Luffy just accepted what she had to say as truth. He nodded sharply and yelled for every one to work. The villagers on the dock began to help as well. The rest of the crew followed suit with the exception of Zoro. Nami noted that extra supplies were mixed in with their original orders. There were boxes of clothing and blankest; additional barrels of drinking water, and rum. She wasn’t sure, but she thought that the amount of food might be more as well. The help jumped in surprise when Chopper took on his human form to better assist with the heavy lifting.

Zoro followed Bob and the old woman to a small shack at the edge of the docks. Inside was a table with bandages and jars of salve on it. Two stools were at its side. She motioned for Zoro to sit on one while she seated herself on the other. Quickly his hands were uncovered and she began examining his wounds. She hummed and scowled, poked and prodded, and finally grunted.

“Your Doctor is quite skilled.” She held a jar up to Bob to open. He opened it and handed it back with a smile.

Zoro ignored her and looked at Bob. “When did you see them?” If he could find out a time, then maybe he could have a better idea of how far behind they were.

“Hmm. It was not too long after you and that gorgeous blonde left that four men came barging in. They said that someone at the docks told them you were there with me and they needed to find you. I told them I didn’t know, but I thought you had said you were going back to the Inn. They threw me out the window and left. My neighbor picked me up and took me to get treated. On our way back, we saw the same men with your lover and a little boy with the same color hair as you. They got into this small skiff and headed to the west side of the island. I’d say that was about… hmm about two hours after midnight or so.”

Zoro closed his eyes and began to think. Ok, it was noon now. They were ten hours behind. Shit that was a lot. But, they had left in a small boat headed to where the battleship had probably been anchored. That would help, and this strange woman here said she even knew where they were going. He opened his eyes when she applied strong pressure to his hands.

“Keep these on as long as you can. Do not train between now and the time you meet your opponent. You will need your hands at full potential. Training will only cause it to take longer to work. If you wish to stand a chance at all, you will do as I say.” She chided Zoro as if he were a child, then her weary face softened. “There is no greater cause to fight for than love. It is because of this that we help you. Do not let your Doctor have these bandages. The salve used to treat your hands is a secret to this island and our people. Those that have tried to steal it have met unfortunate ends. You are the first to leave here with it. Respect our wishes, and you will be more than welcome to return at any time. Fail and you will join the others in their untimely fate.”

Somerton had only existed this long due to its ability to keep others from knowing the true power of the island. As their Healer, the old woman was entrusted with the capability to heal any wound, cure any illness, and ease any pain. Imagine what the power hungry men of the world would do to get their hands on that. She had only let Bob’s injuries go untreated this long due to her distaste in his line of work. She felt that he deserved to be beat up for trying to mess with someone else’s love. Sighing, she admitted to herself that she would heal him after the pirates had left. Besides, it wouldn’t do for them to know just what extent the salve could work before they left. It would only raise more questions. This way, they would be long gone before they knew anything about it.

Zoro bowed his head fully in respect. Bob smiled at him through his busted and swollen lips. For the first time, the village elder had seen fit to bestow their secret upon an outsider. He could think of none more worthy than the formidable swordsman before him. He only hoped that the blockhead would get his head out of his ass soon and let that hunk of a blonde just how much he meant to him. Some men could be so blind. It was obvious to him that the blonde loved him in return as well.

Zoro returned to the Going Merry as the last barrel was being secured on deck. Nami had been given a new log pose and several tidbits about the route. Luffy was arguing with her about who would be doing the cooking. Usopp was crying and thanking the gadget shop owner profusely for the new gifts he had been given. Chopper was talking to a strange looking man about something in a jar. Robin stood with the smithy who was holding a large bundle.

“Hn. There’re done. Try to take better care of them in the future.” The old man handed the three swords to Robin instead of their owner. “And you’re not to touch them until you get better, do you hear me young man. I will not allow all my good work to go to waste.”

Zoro glared for a moment before relaxing. He had no idea why they were treating them so familiarly, but their assistance would make getting his family back much easier. “Hai, ojisama, I understand.”

The sails were lowered and the anchor secured, by Chopper this time, and the Going Merry left the harbor.

The old woman stood on the docks watching them. “May all the Kami grant you speed.”