Strength (One Piece fanfiction)

Ch 28

I could feel myself swaying, and I felt wet. Sweat, I thought, as I realized Zoro was carrying me on his back. His coat was placed over the both of us to protect me from the sun. My coat was probably buried under the sands by now, I didn't plan on going back for it.

I could feel his energy thrumming, healing me from my fight with Luffy. I felt Luffy just behind us, trudging along. I smiled when I heard Zoro explaining why he joined, and why everyone stayed even with this idiot as our captain.

"I am the first one he recruited, but Hana actually grew up with him."

"Eh? I didn't know that. I wonder if he was the same when they were younger." Chopper mused.

"Luffy is Luffy, no matter how old." I mumbled. "He's stupid, but he's so pure hearted. And the things and people he loves he treasures with his whole heart. He'll protect his friends, and he gets so upset if he can't. He's selfish, and a bit bratty, and extremely simple minded. It'll really piss us off sometimes, but please forgive him, he really does love us."

"You don't have to tell me that," Zoro mumbled. "How do you feel?"

"Much better," I squeezed around shoulders, giving him my thanks. I was about to climb down, but Luffy interrupted that.

"I found shade!" Luffy shouted, just before stretching and rocketing us straight to the big rock.

I was able enter the demon realm on time, passing right through the big rocks. Good thing too, I thought as I watched Zoro get pancaked right into it. Sorry, Zoro...

Zoro was irritated, and Luffy was laughing, glad to be out of the sun. He looked around for Chopper, who had landed outside and passed out in the sand.

"Hahaha! What's he doing lying on the ground like that?!" He laughed.

Zoro immediately put the sharp edge of his sword against his throat.

Luffy's face turned blue, "yes, it's my fault. I'm so sorry."

I laughed, "gotta remember we're not all made of rubber, Lu."

"Geez, what was the point of that conversation," Zoro mumbled. He sat on a rock, and it immediately sank into the floor, opening up the ground.

"Hey. I didn't know you were a comedian," Luffy said after watching him fall.

"I'm not!!" I heard Zoro shout from below.

Luffy turned to me smiling, "let's go!"

"But, Chopper...?"

"He's fine!" He grabbed me and jumped down. We startled Zoro who didn't expect us to follow him.

"What about Chopper?" He asked.

"Oh, he was on his way down here." Huh?!

I heard a large crash on the other side of the cave we were in. Chopper stood up, glancing around. "What is this place?"

"Wherever we are, it's definitely underground," Zoro stated.

"No shit Sherlock," I mumbled. "Ouch!" I held the back of my head.

Zoro glanced around, his eyes the first to adjust. "We're in a giant dome."

Chopper was staring at a giant stone, it had writing on it, but in a language I've never seen before. "It's man made, I've seen this writing in a book or something before. I feel like someone worked really hard to hide it."

"Who cares about that?" Luffy was laying on the ground. "It's nice and cool here!"

"Get up, we gotta get out of here," Zoro said, not interested in the history of this place. I'm a little interested, but it's not like I could read it.