Thrice Prophesized - Zoro x Reader

Chapter 9: Rotten

"We're docking at a port?" You question as Zoro tosses the anchor over the side of the Sunny.

"All the currents and such that make it hard to get here is what makes it safe to stay at a port." Nami explains. "Marines rarely come here. The island is part of the World Government, but most all the marines stationed here are from here."

"Sounds more like knights and less like marines then." You muse. "I'm welcome to come ashore?"

Nami nods. "Aside from Brook, Franky, Chopper and Jinbei, we're all going ashore."

"... There is a physical divide amongst who is staying and who is going." You say flatly. The face you're making is not pleased.

"You're going to follow me," Nami says, after she gives you a look that says she's as irritated as you are. "And Zoro – You're going to follow (Y/N). No wandering off, no separating. If something goes sideways, we move together. Once we get provisions, we can decide who's going with Luffy deeper into the island."

"I'm not going to like this town." You grumble.

"No one likes this town." Sanji says. "But we're pirates, not revolutionaries."

You give a look back to the ship, debating if you should just stay behind, and then follow behind Nami. Luffy and Sanji are in the lead, with Nami and Robin behind them, trailed by you and then Zoro. You can feel his eye on you, but there's nothing in the gaze like before. He's not watching after some unknown variable, or some threat to the crew. He's simply doing as Nami instructed and following you.

The city was half of what you expected a port city to be. There was a fish market, and even a farmer's market, a general market street, and residential areas. There were more people than you expected in such a dangerously isolated place like this island was, but there was no bustle. There was no haggling or street performers. There were no suspect children casing people for experienced pickpockets. There was no vibrancy in movements or clothing. There was no music or rhythm.

There was no life in the city.

It had people, and they moved under their own will. There was no dark magic urging their limbs forward, but dark magic would've been preferable to way the town felt. Less like a port city and more like a collection of people pretending to be a port city.

It made you bristle, but you did your best to keep your eyes on Nami's back and follow her and Robin. Your job was to carry supplies, and stay out of trouble, and if you couldn't be bothered to do either of those then you should just return to the ship and stay with the others.

The others. Those that were othered by this town. Unwelcome.

You bristle more.

There's a gathering of people that catches your attention. Unlike the rest of the town there is some energy in this crowd. It's not one of celebration, but it doesn't feel hollow and lifeless like the rest of the town does. You move toward it without really thinking, drawn by the sense of life coming from it – the heavy emotion that wafts off the people gathered.

You were never overly empathic. Empathetic, sure, you weren't without compassion or a willingness to understand someone, but you never connected with others' emotions on quite the level you had seen from others. You weren't swayed by someone else's joy or anger or sorrow. You were a knight – you stood as you wanted to stand: by your own values.

Coming to the edges of the crowd you wiggled your way in a little bit. You weren't exceptionally short, but neither were you overly tall, so it took a minute for what everyone was gathered around for came into view enough for you to figure it out. The large wooden platform appeared to be a stage, like one that would be used for important news, or warnings of monsters.