18:: The Unwelcoming Truth and the Flaw in the Plan

(AN: I think Zoro’s getting a bit OOC, whatevs ill fix it later. Please don’t hit me L)

%Narrator%

Witch sat on the king’s throne; the crown on his head while his body was draped over the chair like it was a loveseat. Swirling a glass of expensive wine in his long tan fingers, he grinned at the sight around him. Power was something he always craved for. This plan of his will have the government kneel to him, Gorosei and the entire world will call him ruler. But like all major corporations, he has to start small. So why not the island famous for its dancers and most of all, it’s beautiful princess?

Princess Amaya’s mine;  all of her riches, country, and beauty. The plan was simple really, Witch mused in his head, after this, all I have to do is-

“Captain Witch!” a voice interrupted his thoughts.

“What?” Witch snapped, drinking the last of the wine and throwing the glass against the opposite wall.

It was Sapphire, the Vine Pirates’ swordsman and head of the Tsuru Army.

Sapphire was a tall man of seven foot six, with black hair tied into a pony tail with the sides above his ear shaven. Amber eyes and tan skin, he wore a button up shirt under a silver vest with the Vine Pirates’ Jolly Roger sewed into the back in black thread. Black gloves on his calloused hands and black suspenders holding his dirty olive green trousers up his lean frame as they tucked into his leather combat boots. A brown belt was on his waist, along with his infamous katana, Dragon’s Oath while a scar ran from his wide forehead and down his face to his chin.

“Clanford wanted me to tell you lunch is ready, and that the ladies are in the dining hall waiting for you,” he said.

“Good. Does Cat know?” Witch asked, standing up and stretching.

Sapphire shook his head, “I don’t know where First Mate went. He probably went to go blow stuff up with his fancy new sword.”

“Damn that freak. Well find him and tell him about lunch, and that we’re getting some V-cards tonight!” Witch pumped his fist in the air, energy replacing the laziness at the thought.

“Oh, and there was some rebellion in the dungeons. “

Witch spat, “Rebellion? Why didn’t you tell me this first? Is it sorted out?”

“Don’t worry, it was that weird pirate with the straw hat. We tranquilized him, so know he’s hanging from his ankles from the highest tower unconscious.”

“Good. You know, now that I think about it, I think I’ve heard his name before. Monkey D. Luffy . . . Hm~,” Witch rubbed his chin.

“Let’s not think of such trivial matters and lets go eat, Clanford’ll get pissed if we don’t show up on time again, especially since we just captured Nikko Blisstens.”

Witch hit him around the head, “You idiot! I told you to tell me when we capture her!”

“Sorry! I thought you knew,” Sapphire replied, rubbing the lump on his head.

“Bastard! Have them bring her in at lunch! We’re celebrating, dammit!” Witch yelled stomping out the door.

“But, a guy with curly eyebrows came and brought her, insisting a reward.”  That earned another punch.

'Sanji'

‘This plan better damn work,’ I thought, sipping on the newly lit cigarette. Nikko was still tied up as we walked down a wide corridor surrounded by more of those guards.

It was strange, these guards. They didn’t make a sound besides the light bang of their weapons against the stone floor. Keeping a firm grip in Nikko’s wrists and a sharp eye on these weird guards, I leaned down and whispered into her ear.

“Hey, why do they want you so bad?”

“Because I’m the last one left. They know I’m smart, so they know I’ll figure out a way off this island and get help. But I didn’t need too.” She grinned, “Help came to me.”

I smiled at her.

XZoroX

Rhythm thought that if we blow up the rocks that blocked our path, we would get there faster. It only caused the floor to cave in, sending us tumbling into a ruined tomb-like place with no way out but up, which was a good 100 feet above us.

Her response: “I thought it would be cool if we came in with an explosion, slow-mo, and epic ninja moves.”

It was black down here, except for the flickering blue torches high above our heads, throwing the cave into a moonlight ambiance.

“Great, how do we get back up?” I asked, vein throbbing.

“Up, duh.” She made it sound to easy.

“I know, dumbass. But how?”

“I dunno Mr. World’s-Greatest-Swordsman. You figure it out.” She said, kicking up some loose rocks

“How am I supposed to know? It’s your fault we’re stuck!” I growled. She was really starting to annoy me.

“Ah well. If we die down here, at least you’ll go first. I’ll last until Sanji finds me,” and then she started sweeping her arms dramatically, as emotion filled her voice, “he’d sweep me off my feet and we’ll run away together! Oh, he’ll ask me to marry him in a cut, awkward fashion, cheeks flamed and legs shaking. After that, we’ll have a beautifully simple wedding with pink peonies and silver bells. He’ll then open his own restaurant in a tiny little village off the coast, and we’ll live in a tiny little cottage with a field of cotton and cherry trees, ready to be picked each spring. Six kids will be ours, and each night he’ll dip me into our queen sized bed-“ she started hugging her shoulders, the tone of her voice reaching a new climax, “- and whisper, ‘I love you’ as he kisses me into the full moon night, until the wretched morning sun rises, calling for a new day!” she bowed

I didn’t know what to say. My face felt warm from her love speech, as I gaped openly at her.

“What? Too dramatic? I know, Sanji would probably rather have Nami,” she pretended to sulk, kicking a larger rock and sitting down hunched over on a large rock.

I cleared my suddenly clogged throat, my voice coming out thick, “ Have your whole life planned out, huh?”

“Nah. I just wing it. Besides, I’m not gonna die. You will though. Because I have zis!” she whipped out a blue raspberry lollipop from her skinny jean pocket.

“Really?” I arched my eyebrow and sat across from her.

“Yeah. Because of this, I’ll have more energy than you. You’ll die slowly and I’ll just at your remains and wait til someone come and saves me.”

I choked out a laugh.

She just furrowed her eyebrows, “Wait that came out wrong.”

“Very!” I howled with laughter.

She just frowned and slapped my shoulder.

“You know, I think you’re just jelly.” She grinned, a sly twinkle in her dark eyes.

“Jelly? Do I look like jelly?” I asked, indicating to my strong body.

Her eyes raked my body. Under that gaze, I felt a bit exposed. Her eyes are always so laughing and carefree. What I didn’t notice was when those rare serious moments took place; they held something deeper and older than they should be for her age, as though she’s seen more than her share. I mentally slapped myself.

“That’s not what I meant. Jelly as in jealous.” She said, popping the lollipop in her mouth.

“Jealous? How?” I laughed, a bit hesitantly.

“That I believe Sanji can help us instead of you,” she said.

“Oi! I can do everything ten times better than that ero-cook!”

“Oh really? What about sex? You think you can beat him at his own game?” a sly smile grew on her pale lips.

“Wh-what?!” that caught me completely off guard. What the hell was she getting at?!

“You don’t want to have sex with me?” she said, arching her eyebrow.

“W-wait! No that’s not it-“

“So you do want to have sex with me.”

I jumped, completely startled by that remark. I felt heat run to my cheeks, grateful for the dim lighting.

“Mm~ Hmm~ Thought so.” She grinned, eyes glinting evilly.

“Look!” I snapped, jumping up and pointing at her, getting pissed, “I don’t want to sleep with you or anyone else for that matter! So just drop it, I’m fine as a virgin at nineteen!”

Silence.

Oops. That last part wasn’t meant to come out like that.

Then, “Pft~ you’re still a virgin!” she doubled over in laughter, fist banging the ground and tears welling in her eyes. “Oh ma gawd that’s news! I can’t wait to blackmail you with it! Cheezits, that’s hilarious! Zoro can’t get a girlfriend, let alone a hooker for himself! Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

I don’t know what grabbed me at that second. Animal instinct? No, it was something deeper than that. It drove me forward and I didn’t even realize what I was doing before it was too late.

I grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face me; shock marred her face at my sudden actions.

“Riceba-“ I cut her off with my lips.

Her lips tasted of the blue raspberry lollipop; sweet yet sour, soft yet rough. My fingers dug into her shoulders as I brought her stiff frame towards me, pressing her lean body into my own. At first she didn’t respond, still as a statue and unwelcoming. Then she relaxed and actually kissed me back, her arms wrapping around my neck to get more.

But that broke away as quickly as it started.

“Wanna pretend that didn’t happen?” she broke the awkward silence.

I nodded in agreement.

“Now I’ll stop playing damsel in distress and get us the hell out of here. I’m getting a bit claustrophobic. This is probably as bad as a Lady Gaga concert in August,” she grumbled.

“You could’ve gotten us out of here the entire time, yet you kept going on about how you’ll eat my remains once I die?” I growled, starting to get angry.

She just turned and started to climb up the highest mound of rocks. “Well yeah. I just felt like playing damsel in distress, so you can prove to me how strong you really are. I guess not.”

That shut me up. She doesn’t believe I’m strong? I would never have thought someone like her would consider me weak, as she whined about the scrape on her elbow, how cold or hot she was, or just about the situation in general. How would she be stronger? Physically, maybe? I took another look at her lean form, one that could probably last in a fight if she wanted too, yet she wouldn’t win against me or someone stronger.

Then again, she did beat Luffy.

“Oi, Leftovers! I’m not afraid to face Luffy’s wrath if you die down here because you didn’t follow me!” Rhythm called breaking through my thoughts.

I growled and started climbing up after her. The rocks were weak and crumbling, falling away when I put too much pressure on them. I reached the point Rhythm was at, not at the very top yet high enough for the light to reach us clearly. She was kicking the loose rocks away, watching them fall down the old structure.

“Now what, are you going to grow wings and fly us out of here?” I asked sarcastically.

“Stop being so mean! But no, it would be cool though.” She snapped back. She stomped on the ground a few times, chipping away the loose rocks into fine powder. She nodded as though the ground just passes and inspection.

“Okay, you think you can get us out of here, then make with it,” I huffed as I plopped to the ground.

She frowned, prodding her foot on the ground at different areas of the space we were at. The dim light brought out the deep highlights in her dark hair as she brushed her cropped bangs from her face, lips pursed and eyebrows furrowed. She blew lightly every once in a while, like trying to whistle but failing.

I leaned back against the side of the rock and yawned. This was getting us nowhere.

Finally, she grinned. “Got it, Marimo! Hop onto the Rhythm Express!” She crouched down as though expecting me to hop onto her back. I gave her the ‘are-you-really-that-stupid?’ look.

She rolled her eyes, “Dumbass, you can’t even have a good joke. Why did I bother kissing back when you can’t just laugh something off?”

I frowned, “Fine I’ll get on.” I made my way towards her.

“Cheezits, it was a joke! Jesus Christ just grab my hand or something,” She frowned.

She turned around. I grinned and slipped my arms around her waist. That action took her by surprise.

“Hey, shit head!” she objected.

“You said grab your hand or something,” I whispered, my lips just barely brushing her ear.

She sighed. “Fine. Imma fly like Superman so if you fall off, I’m not catching you.”

“Wait what?!” I asked. Too late.

“Dansu in*,” she yelled. Her voice was magnified tenfold as she sprang from the ground, rocketing us away from the ground and back up to the tunnel at the speed of sound. The sheer force of that almost peeled the skin right off of my bones. It was hard to believe this was a jump.

When we were safely on the solid ground of the blue torch-lit corridor, I looked down the hole we fell through to the spot we were just at seconds ago crumbling away, falling down into the dim darkness we were trapped in. Well I was, apparently Rhythm could have this entire time.

That doesn’t help with one’s self-esteem.

~~

~Rhythm~

Why I kissed him back?  Was it instinct? Out of pity? No then, I’d be leading him on when I already have a boyfriend.

No, the reason why I kissed him back was because I’ve wanted to do that for a while.

$Nami$

Lunch with those bastards was silent. All thirteen dancers plus Robin and I was seated in the large banquet hall. No word was exchange, each rustle of fabric seemed like a cannon fire in the silence. No food was set out, and no one stood in here except for a couple of the masked guards at the door.

At that moment, those doors swung open. In marched Witch; followed by four men and a woman.

“Ladies! We have pleasant news for you! You all know Nikko, right? That little runaway that’s been slipping through our fingers for the past two months? Well a pirate caught a dragged her hear, so know my collection is complete!”

Silence.

“I don’t think  they understand the matter at hand,” the woman said. She was a tall woman, with the frame and looks of a model. Her limbs long and graceful while every step she took called for attention. Long lavender hair swished around her waist, while thick long lashes framed her pale grey eyes. A cigarette in between her perfect pale lips and crystal chandelier earrings adored her ears. She wore a short, tight black dress with only one shoulder, while the other arm had a long silk glove that reached above her elbow. Long legs poked out from under the tight dress, ending with graceful feet adored in red stiletto heels. Beautiful came no were near close to describing her.

“Now ladies,” her voice was long and drawled, as though she had better things to do, “With her, the entire island is under our control. If you all just followed us calmly like we asked, we wouldn’t have to resort to violence.”

“Now, now Miss Jasminez, we don’t want to make these lovely ladies feel guilty,” Witch said soothingly, saddling up next to Tsukiakari and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She cringed back a bit at the touch.

“I have a question,” I said, resting my head on my hand.

He looked up, “yes?”

“What pirate brought Nikko in?”

He grinned, “why your own nakama of course.”

Tsukiakari turned her head towards me, face pale and lips parted in shock.

“Don’t worry, Tsuki-whatever, can I just call you Suki? Well, don’t worry, Nikko’s in good hands. Actually, bring her and the pirate in here! I want to great him for myself.”

A  man with black hair and amber eyes nodded and slid out of the room, while everyone else took a seat at the remaining seats. Witch settled himself at the head.

“Ah! Food!” he clapped his hands and out through the kitchen doors came seven or eight men with masks on carrying trays heaping with food.

“This afternoons course is a simple curry.” A man with a golden braided beard and top hat said.

“Thank you, Clanford. Now don’t wait, dig in ladies! I’m treating you today, for tomorrow is the day I get what I want!”

“Excuse me, there’s a leaf in my curry,” Robin pointed out to the cook who handed her her curry.

He just plucked it out and tucked it in his sleeve.

“You’re not going to eat that, right?” I whispered.

She nodded. Instead, she took spoonful’s and pretended to sip the curry.

I looked down at my own. Knowing these guys, I’m not going to touch anything they gave me. I glared over at the head of the table, where Witch just laughed at a joke Miss Jasminez said, her annoying laugh ringing through the hall.

“Lah-lah-lah-lah! And he expected me to apologize to what I did to him, what a joke!” She said, sipping her curry with her dainty, long fingers.

“Indeed,” Witch laughed.

The doors opened again, this time it was the guy who left occupied by Nikko and-

“Sanji-kun!” I yelled out.

“Nami-swaaan <3! Robin-chwaaaaan <3! You’re both alright!” he yelled out happily, hearts for eyes and dancing around like an idiot.

“Well, you must be the pirate then, you wanted to talk of a reward, now shoot. I’ll give you anything!” Witch spread his arms out, as though beckoning Sanji to choose anything in his collection.

“What do I want?” Sanji puffed out his cigarette, completely serious. “I want the citizens of Tomoni.”

Silence.

“Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaa~!” Witch started laughing, followed by the Miss Jasminez, Clanford, and the rest of the men that came in with Witch.

“That’s hilarious! Did you hear that?! Hilarious!” Witch guffawed.

Sanji grinded his teeth together, clearly getting pissed at being laughed at.

“Sanji-kun, what are you planning?” I whispered.

“Dammit, like hell would I give in like this. I hate to say this but go get ‘em Marimo!” Sanji pointed at Witch.

Silence.

They all just started laughing again. Sanji put down his hand, completely flabbergasted.

<Sanji>

That dumbass! He totally ruined the plan! When I yelled that, they were supposed to be here, cut out the chandelier, grab Nami-san, Robin-chwan, and the dancers as we could and run for it, taking out as many pillars as we could along the way to knock the whole place down. I know everyone else that is not a dancer is in the dungeon, underground with six different entrances out so they’ll be fine. The extra support beams on the main floor make it impossible for the dungeon to cave in.

‘We’ll be there in 4 counts!’ Rhythm-dono had said, eyes large and glittering while her hair swayed around her perfect frame, glittering lights around her face and making her features soften, look more innocent and beautiful.

I was embarrassed. They didn’t come. No one was here and it was defiantly past 4 counts!

Zoro probably got them lost.

AN:

Dansu in- Rhyme’s Dance

this plan was terrible! im seriously playing it be year, so scuse the shittyness of it all. dont worry, i have most of the chapters planned out pretty well from here on out