Thrice Prophesized - Zoro x Reader

Chapter 17: Lifted

By the time you returned to the Sunny you were walking under your own power. The overall mood was still fairly somber, and as the sun was beginning to set there wasn't much conversation amongst the crew. Luffy, Brook, and Chopper filled the others in while you helped Sanji make dinner.

Zoro kept one ear on the conversation between Luffy and the others, and one on you and Sanji.

Robin assured you during dinner that you didn't have to teach her anything right away, it was going to take a long while to get back to the Metro, so there was no immediate rush. You could take the time you needed to process everything that had happened before you did anything.

The consideration the crew was showing you warmed your heart, but there had been one piece of news that couldn't wait.

Before everyone dug into dinner the crew had gathered in the kitchen. Nami had laid out new wanted posters that had arrived from the News Coo a couple days after you and the others had gone deep into the island. There wasn't a whole lot of note – except for the fact that you and Luffy's bounties had both increased.

Doubled, actually. Luffy's was now 3 Billion berries, and yours was 500 million. You were still wanted Only Alive.

"What do they think they're going to do with me?" You grumble. The updated picture was of you glaring at Kuzan, your sword leveled at him just after you had broken from the ice he had tried to entomb you in. It explained why your bounty had doubled. If someone had been there to take your picture, then they had heard your conversation with Kuzan turn into a prophecy.

A prophecy which had doubled Luffy's bounty because he was the subject of it.

"Maybe they think they can make you change your prophecies." Usopp mutters.

"That's -." You start to snap, but you stop as realization dawns on you. "... Possible." You can feel all eyes on you and you wave your hand. "I can't say I could, but I almost... I don't know, summoned? Stalled? I almost had a second prophecy before running into the ex-admiral. When I was watching Zoro train."

"Wait, when you were telling Chopper and I to run?" Usopp questions.

You nod. "I didn't realize it then, but the exact same sensation overtook me when I was dealing with Kuzan. Both times I was thinking about something I felt was irrefutable."

"You weren't going to name me King of Pirates, were you?" Zoro asks, his stoic mask was practically in pieces, and there's genuine concern on his face.

"No, no – not at all!" You assure him, waving your hands back and forth. You can feel Luffy relax as much as Zoro, the both of them collapsing into the chairs nearest them. "King of Hell, maybe." You admit with a cough.

"I'm not a -."

"I know, I don't mean it literally anymore." You admit with a smile. "It is a fitting epithet though, especially on this crew. Which is why I can't imagine how they think they'd be able to get me to change anything. What are they going to do, threaten you all?" You snort derisively as you step away to start putting food on the table.

Everyone went quiet, and it was Robin who replied. "They may, but they're not above torture."

"I'm conflicted to find I'm not surprised by that." You admit, helping Sanji set food on the table. "Well, at the risk of sounding overly dramatic, I'd die before I'd give in to torture, so, uh, save me before that happens, okay?" You say with a smile.

There's a raucous flood of positive replies as everyone digs into the food.

After dinner you've made your way to the backside of the ship again, watching the wake of the ship as it sails lazily through the waves. It's quickly becoming your favorite spot to just think, as the waves are calm, and the area is quiet.