Justice and Piracy (a Zoro love story) : Chapter Twenty One

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Chapter Twenty One,
"Icy shore."

I ran on deck and stopped when I felt frozen snowflakes touch my face, the air had dropped so dramatically in temperature and the cold hurt my lungs. Zoro, who had been chasing after me almost knocked me over and his toes kicked my heels, we hopped about painfully until we caught our balance.

"What happened to this place?" I asked no one in particular.

Zoro stood abreast to me and I turned to him as we drifted closer to the island's shore, he had crossed his arms over his chest and when he noticed my upwards stare he smirked at me, eyebrows raised in amusement. I leaned forward to rest my elbows upon the Sunny's low wooden railing. The water beneath us was calm but soon it would become dangerous, the ice would be a challenge.

"Won't you be cold in that?" he gestured to my loosely fitting sweater, I wore nothing underneath it and he knew that all too well.

"I grew up on a winter-isle," I reminded him, "My wanted poster should be proof enough. I don't need to worry about the cold."

Though I did not mention it, I noted that he had not changed into warmer clothes, he still had his thin short-sleeved shirt and I watched the snow melt and evaporate when it fell upon his bare tanned skin. He reached out to touch my neck and his fingers were warm as they cradled the space between my shoulders, my breath was visible in the air and fell quickly from my parted lips. It frightened me to think how much I needed him now, as if these few short days had forged a bond between us, and I wondered if he felt this too. Or if it was an emotion of my own doing. There was something dark about me, something that I could not describe, every day I felt as though the sea might take me under. If I loved too much I might bring them all down with me.

The crew gathered, all wearing warm padded coats with fur lining in various colours and patterns. None commented on either mine or Zoro's attire. The Thousand Sunny moved slowly though the waters, her sails trembled above us and the thin ice broke away easily to the curve of the ships bow. As we made port the ship bobbed in the frozen slurry. Franky had agreed to stay behind and would anchor further out to sea where the ocean would not freeze.

"What do you know about this place? Yuki?" Nami asked me, it was clear she had still not shaken her concern.

"I have not been here before, but I believe there is a town inland, we should go there first and ask about the weather changes." I suggested, she nodded then in consideration, I understood that she was the driving force to most of the crew's decisions.

"The air feels strange, it's cold but the pressure is too low, like a storm is about to boil over." She described, and then turned to announce to everyone, "Let's not stay long! I think a storm might hit here soon!"

"A snow storm?!" Luffy sounded excited, he was already leaning dangerously over the water, as if to breach the space between us and the island. I guessed he would not wait much longer.

I took to the side and from my feet a glossy bridge collected, it was not a work of art, as I'm sure Franky would have crafted, but a sturdy arc that bolstered deep into the frozen shore. I was the first to step onto the platform and behind me tread the cautious steps of my crew. I felt the bitter chill bite into my cheeks and fingers, the feeling of tiny needles pressed sharply over my skin and I welcomed the familiar stab of cold. The snow was falling faster, and made my bridge an almost invisible pathway, even Luffy dare not wonder from my stride for fear of the icy waters.

When we reached the Isle the snow had collected into large drifts against the once tropical landscape. Nami and Robin huddle together with Chopper at the center to keep them both warm. Sanji was not far behind them as always. Luffy charged around, though he kept his arms tucked in around him and Usopp followed with his attempts to restrain him. Brook, appeared well-dressed and did not seem to notice the Arctic temperature. Lastly, my gaze set upon Zoro, who without warm clothing was faced away and seemed to be concentrating, his expression was focused, unyielding.

After a few seconds we decided to split up to search for the town inland; the path I had described was lost in the tundra and the mass of twisted and fallen forest was like a maze of ice-sculptures, woven together and brittle. Sanji volunteered to escort all three women, but Chopper didn't want to be separated. In the end I was tasked with keeping Zoro on track, he eyed me meaningfully when no one was looking, I tried to suppress my smile. Brook would go with Usopp and the captain.

"So? Partner?" Zoro grinned at me when the others scattered.

I smiled ruefully at him, despite all odds we were here alone again, although, it might have been because he really was bad at directions, and I was the only one with enough willpower to keep him from wondering off. Without another word he gestured for me to lead and I started trudging through the knee-deep snow, Zoro following after me, his steps a few feet behind. We climbed over branches and it became apparent that the petrified jungle was more dense, the frozen tree-trunks were closer and finding a path between them was harder with each step. The earth beneath us would suddenly dip and then raise up too high and slippery for us to climb, large boulders like huge snowballs stood around us, out of place amongst the creepy surroundings.

It was then when we started to hear the calling of birds, too high in pitch and sweet in warble for something to endure this frosty landscape. Zoro sped up to match my stride and I had to loop my arm in his to prevent being overtaken. He slowed and glanced down toward me, his serious expression was like a wolf ready to hunt, even when he snapped back into reality he remained devilish and hungry. I felt my cheeks heat under his gaze and I quickly looked away. His handsome face made my heart ache.

"There's something between the trees." He explained, and I looked up to see the splash of colour between the branches.

We waded out and the plain white wasteland quickly bled into a lush green jungle, large and overwhelming. The boarder was crazy, one step forward and we would take to the humid expanse, one step backwards and into the icy tundra, the definition between the two extremes was a perfect line that cut between both climates and seemed to stretch and curve inward, the edge of a perfect circle.

"Well at least we found the path." I pointed toward a worn-looking route between the palms, it dissipated quickly into the shadows, it appeared as if no one had traveled it in some time.

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