Justice and Piracy (a Zoro love story)

Justice and Piracy (a Zoro love story) : Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen,
"Klabautermann."

We gathered on the grassy deck, bubbles of air surfacing around us as the ships began to sink into a shallow harbour. The last was ablaze on the water. I landed and rolled, my body shattered into my human form and I skidded to a halt before the wordless members of the crew. I swept my hair back as the breeze pushed it into my face and behind me I felt the approving pat of Zoro as he smacked my good shoulder.

"Quite a show, I didn't know you could fly." Zoro raised his eyebrows at me, a smirk upon his face, still flirty.

"You fly! So cool!" And now Luffy was upon me, his eyes a dazzling shine. Chopper danced beside him and I was surprised to see even Usopp looked adoringly.

"I haven't met a logia who couldn't," I shrugged off their surprise, it wasn't totally unusual.

The Sunny was already full sail and we left behind the sunken ships and summer Isle, a long line of wood drifted on the water. It was strange how alive I'd felt, as if a deep piece of me that I'd long forgotten had surfaced and was hungry for a fight. It made me tense, every sense a sharp stab in my head. The shock was clear on several of the crew's faces, my sudden destruction had been violent and relentless but I could not feel shame for my act. It was natural to me, like breathing.

"Ah! The marines!" Brook's wail shook them from their trances and they were animate again. A fleet of white sails tracked us on the water.

"Franky!" Nami commanded, her eyes were wide with alarm.

"Super! You got it! Hold on tight everyone! We're out of here!" He called back and ran toward the helm, his huge mass lumbered.

"Yuki-san!" Sanji reached for my hands and held them in his, "You are beautiful! Are you trying to make me fall in love with you? I'll protect you from now on, so you won't be harmed!"

"Coup de Burst!" I heard Franky shout as the first of cannonfire fell around us. Seawater rained down over us in a fine mist and before I had the chance to ask what was happening I felt the deck beneath me shift and pull away, like we'd been thrown from the Sunny entirely.

I gasped high and loud, my boots slipped on the deck and my hands jerked quickly out of Sanji's. The floor was rising beneath us and I fell backwards upon myself. Sanji tried to grab for me but he too fell toward the ground, mercy to gravity's pull. Around me the crew had anchored themselves and from the grassy deck a pair of hands bloomed like flowers to grasp the cream pallor of my ankles. My back struck something hard and I heard a deep breath leave quickly from the hollow of a chest. My decent ended.

"Let's go!" Luffy called above the torrent of wind and screams.

The Sunny was flying, or rather, falling, for it was not long that we'd stay airborne. Zoro wrapped a secure arm around me, though it looked as if he'd had the air knocked out of him. I was too aghast by the hands that held me to the deck to notice, they were small like a woman's, Robin's hands. Zoro had spoke about this talent, but seeing it for myself made me feel strangely queasy. Or maybe that was the twist in my gut, the fear of the fall? We were heading toward the ocean, we would strike the surface soon. Sanji was a mass of limbs way, way down the deck and I thought I saw my duffle bag smack squarely to his face.

Zoro turned me toward him as the ship collided with the water. We fell to the grassy plain and he crushed me to the floor. His body eclipsed mine and he arced over me, his hands around my waist and his head buried into the nape of my neck and shoulder, I thought I felt his lips brush my skin there. The ship bobbed and rocked and I heard the splash of water fall like rain around us. I opened my eyes then, and he stared back at me with the deep black of his serious gaze.

"Zoro!" He was kicked off me a second later, he rolled away, Sanji a blur of black-suited anger. I propped myself upon my elbows and watched them fight for a third or forth time.

"You weren't going to do anything! Even after all that 'I'll protect you' bullshit!" Zoro retorted, blades in hand. I sighed and there was a clash of steel.

We must have been miles away now. The island was a tiny blemish in the open water. I could no longer see the marines advance, at best we were a days sail from them now. A small feminine hand extended toward me and I looked to see Robin offer to help me to my feet. I gingerly took her palm in mine and rose to my shaken legs, I was not often thrown off balance like that.

"What was that?" I asked her, she smiled kindly, her hair was perfect, undisturbed by the force of flight, her top was slightly uneven over her collarbone and hung lower on one shoulder.

"We should have warned you, I'm sorry. This ship is special to us. It has lots to offer. I'm sure Franky will show you around next time." She instructed.

It was pretty terrifying to hear that not only the crew were monsters, but also their ship we sailed upon. I would fit right in.

Amongst their laughter and heavy scolding I listened close to the motion beneath me. And once or twice heard the eerie call that made a shiver run the length of my spine; this ship was alive with the love they gave her. She was not alone. Two souls guided us on our journey.

The Klabautermann whispered softly with the lapping of the waves and I turned in time to see their ghostly figures drift through the sails overhead, I would be sure to introduce myself, to the loved ones given life.