Beautiful Mess

Chapter 14.5

Although it hasn’t even been a week since Zoro was given the task of locating Kozuki Hiyori, he’s searched for her more than a dozen times. Any chance he got, before and after school, he tried to find the young girl. 

He hadn’t forgotten what she looked like. He didn't think he was even capable of that. But no matter how much time he spent looking for her, she was nowhere to be found.

Like every other time, tonight was no success. Zoro sat on the curb outside a gas station and chugged an energy drink. The headlights of passing cars flickered in view. He pondered what would happen if he never found her. Not only would he fail the men who gave him the mission, but he would fail Mihawk.

Zoro sighed at the thought, crushing the empty can in his palm. That’s something he’d rather not happen.

He stood to his feet and stretched, before he continued his search.

As he made his way through downtown, a strange vending stand caught his eye. It was covered in fabric and almost like a tent. He tried to ignore it as he walked past, but to his dismay, an alluring voice emerged from the tent.

“You seem burdened, boy.” 

Zoro stopped walking and faced the tent without saying a word. Inside the tent, a woman lay sideways on a few pillows, with a crystal ball in front of her.

Zoro rolled his eyes, and before he could walk away the woman spoke up once again.

“Why don’t you take a rest? And I’ll tell you what good things are in store for you.” 

In the darkness, her smile shone brightly, her teeth almost as sharp as a blade.

‘Why the hell not?’ he briefly thought.

Zoro mumbled as he slowly entered the tent-like structure, and took a seat across from her. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel like a total moron, but the pillows actually looked somewhat comfortable and he was about to pass out.

He shifted on the pillows, in an attempt to get comfortable, as he noticed something in the corner of his eye. 

Instead of legs and feet, the woman waved a black fishlike tail around.

“A mermaid, huh?” He questioned the woman, fawning interest. 

“Disappointed? Don’t worry. I’m still capable of showing you a good time.”

Her words were traced with devilish intent, as her palm traveled up and down the side of her tail.

“Weren’t you going to tell my fortune or something?” Zoro asked, ignoring her comment.

Her smile only widened, as she rested her palm on the center of the crystal ball.

“I’m Shirly, by the way.” She offered, her eyes still on the ball.

“Zoro.” He replied shortly.

“Zoro. What a strong name.” She slurred.

He stiffened at her familiar words, but pushed the thought away.

“Zoro. A strong name for a strong man. Are you searching for something, Zoro?”

A cold gust of wind suddenly assaulted Zoro from the outside, sending shivers through his entire body. He rubbed his arms aggressively, in an attempt to warm up. 

“Are you searching for something, Zoro?” Shirly asked again, completely unfazed by the cold wind blowing aggressively.

“I- I am actually.” He answered back, his teeth almost chattering.

“I thought so.” She quietly replied, almost as if she were talking to herself. “I’ll make this short and sweet, Zoro.”

His eyes were glued to hers and he tried to stifle his shivering. He didn’t know why, but he had to know what she would say next.

“The thing that you are looking for…” Her eyes averted for a second, but found their way back to his. “ Will destroy you.”

Without warning, Zoro suddenly felt an intense thumping in his chest, and a loud rhythm boomed in his ears. Like his heart was going to burst. 

The gust of wind sped up and began to swirl around them, as Shirly continued to speak.

“The bright morning day that you seek, will evolve into a hurricane consuming everything in its path.”

As the wind sped up, so did the beating of his heart. One hand gripped his chest, and the other his throat. The strong wind depleted the oxygen around them.

“You will be completely overtaken by it. It will control and dictate your every action.”

He gasped for air, and began crawling for the exit. His brain was barely registering her words at this point. He needed air. He needed to breathe. Every cell in his body was screaming for him to breathe.

“Yes, what you are searching for will utterly annihilate you. And the worst part is…”

His hands gripped the edges of the tent, and with the last bit of strength, he pulled himself out of his last moments.

Outside the tent, the headlights of passing cars flickered in view, the wind was steady, and Zoro could breathe. He coughed and gagged, and the hand that gripped his chest loosened as his heart rate steadied.

He couldn’t register what just happened, but knew he had to get far away from that woman. He clumsily stood to his feet and limped away as fast as he could.

In the darkness of the tent, a bright smile shone, with teeth that could cut deeper than a blade.

“And the worst part is…”

Silence filled the air. 

“You will enjoy it.”