Across the Ocean (Zoro x OC)

13 - Giants

'It's not that I still wish I wasn't alive.'

With that statement, Akiko had let Zoro behind her walls for a brief moment. Was it to win back his trust or because she really wanted to thank him, something she had never sincerely done before? Did she feel guilty?

Of course, he wouldn't get these questions answered if he didn't ask her directly. However, that was another impossible endeavour and yet the swordsman could not shake off the lingering questions in his head about the redhead. Even when Sanji served the crew a series of drinks he had created, and Usopp, Luffy and Karoo were happily crooning loud tunes, his grey eyes slid to Akiko from time to time. It was only when, the chef let out a 'Wow, looks like this duck knows how to drink' (and everyone could see Vivi's super spot-billed duck drinking the cocktail) that Zoro allowed himself to be distracted for a moment.

'Hey Usopp, can't you make us some fishing rods?' Luffy grumbled, sipping loudly with his straw, 'If we sail here for a while longer, it'll get boring!'

That caught the swordsman's attention again: 'Fishing? Not a bad idea,' Zoro agreed, but by then his eyes had moved to Akiko again, who was now talking to Vivi and Nami.

But it wouldn't be the Straw Hats and it wouldn't be the Grand Line if harmony and peace were continuing like this, right? That was emphasised by a white dolphin - of all possible things - which jumped of the water and let the water droplets shimmer beautifully in the sunlight. Another giant of this storming sea. Another threat to crush on them of all possible places!

'Let's get out of here!' the captain laughed loudly, and once again every single one of the crew had their hands on it: adjusting the sails, holding the rudder or getting them on course. A big manoeuvre that they were able to manage. Otherwise the journey would have ended very quickly. A ridiculous end, to be honest. As their adventure continued, however, the corners of the navigator's mouth turned upwards while checking the log pose and thus their position.

'What is it?' Akiko wanted to know and looked at the horizon, answering the question herself a second later: a new island!

'WOOHOO!' Luffy shouted. 'At last! Our second island on the Grand Line!"'

However, he seemed to be the only one who was happy about it: the crew's mood seemed subdued as they thought back to the unwanted visit from Miss All Sunday, who prophesied that Little Garden - the island of the giants - would be their downfall...

'We should be careful,' Vivi warned reverently. After all, none of them had any idea what was waiting for them there.

'D-Do you think there are monsters on the island?' the long-nose turned to Sanji.

'I don't know,' the cook crossed his arms thoughtfully. 'We should definitely stock up on supplies as soon as we can. Since that wasn't possible in Whiskey Peak.'

As he spoke, the Going Merry was already sailing along the thin arm of the river towards the centre of the island. The banks on either side were calm. There were no people around. Only tall plants and bird calls in the distance greeted the group.

'Looks like a huge jungle,' murmured Akiko, looking up at the magnificent green canopy of trees above them: palm trees, ferns, but also plants that she had never seen in real life or in a book before.

'So this is Little Garden?' Usopp was caught in surprise.

'I can't understand why a place like this deserves such a cute name?' Nami's right eyebrow rose sceptically.

'What's so small about this island?' Zoro grumbled, resting his forearm on the railing. Everything about it was monstrous! The plants, the trees, the rocks...