Chapter 15: Chapter Fifteen
There once was a ship that sailed at sea
Oro Jackson with a skull on its flag
The ship on the ocean rocks left and right
Dancing to side when the mermaids sing
Sunset color of yellow and pink
Paints the sky in a picture of dreams
A pirate imagination
Rum and gold
O'l sailor, it's Roger, heave-ho, heave-ho ho.....
Zoro's jerked open in shock as the song faded from his mind. The light flooded his sight and burned painfully into his retinas. Hissing at the harsh contact he moved his hands to cover it from the assault of the sun beams.
As he was about to sit up in the soft bed a hand was placed on his shoulder, gently pulling him back down into the pillow.
"Whoa calm down, tiger." The sound of Usopp voice flooded his ears softly, filling like it was his first in decades that he'd heard another voice." You're not out of the woods with this injury yet."
Pulling his hand away, Zoro squirted up at the shadow that was framed by the illuminating light. He blinked repeatedly in silence, trying to let his sight adjust for a while before the clear view of Usopp's face came into view. The black member had a soft relieved smile on his face with his hair tied down with a bandana.
"Us-o-sopp..." Zoro tried to speak out his throat felt as dry as sandpaper. It was itchy and it hurt to speak.
"Damn that's some bad tone you have there." Usopp remarked handing a cup of warm water that he'd poured from a jug on the table." It's no surprise, considering how you screamed your gut out to the heavens last night."
Zoro didn't spare a second to take a sip of the liquid. The moment the liquid touched his taste buds, he gagged pulling the cup away from his lips and eyeing it like an enemy. His eyes shifted towards Usopp in a half glare.
Usopp shrugged. "Maine, or they said. It's supposed to act as some sort of pain killer and help with your throat."
" It taste horrible. "Zoro managed to get out hoarsely, itching gently at his gut even if it didn't do much. The roughness of his tone irritated him.
Usopp let out a low chuckle." Well, Mjolnir did say it could taste worse than it smells, amd you're talking much more better now aren't you?"
Zoro cocked a brow, he wasn't wrong. His throat did feel just a tad better.
Clearing his throat gently and cringing at the sharp pain it brought, he tried to move out of bed wincing in pain as he placed his legs on the cold wooden floor boards." What happened? "He asked, thinking back to that sweet soft voice that sung that strange song in his ears.
Cocking a brow, Usopp stared down at Zoro in wonder." You don't remember anything at all? Even a half image of a picture of what transpired in Sanji's kitchen last night? "
Zoro thought for a moment but nothing came up. All he could remember before waking up was the soft voice. He shrugged looking up at Usopp with a lost gaze. Sighing, the dark skinned pirate itched his head and shrugged too. "Mjolnir fixed you. It was a hectic night, trying to save your life. There were so many complications, and blood and goo and icky puss it was..... "He shivered, trying the clear the reminisce of the night from his mind." It was honestly terrible. We all thought that we were gonna lose you. Nami cried... a lot actually. "
A small smile perked up Zoro's lips. Nami... an unconditional friend and fellow comrade. She cared.... and maybe a little too much which no one bothered about.
"And threatened Mjolnir a lot too." He added smiling to himself. "Well, I think it's better if you didn't remember anything. It was horrible and I couldn't even image the scale of pain you must have been feeling. You were really out of the world, and we were so afraid."
Zoro smiled softly at him, Usopp cocked his brow in surprise. Zoro smiles, of course it was an unusual thing. It used to be very rare, but this smile was different. It was bliss and relief and new. "Well, old friend I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere again."
Usopp mirrored his smile tapping Zoro on his shoulder. "I know that. And I'm glad that you are still with us today, the Straw Hats will both never be complete and the same without our brooding samurai. Roronoa Zoro, the world's greatest swordsman. "
" Yet! "Zoro added." I still have to defeat Mihawk. "
" Oh, come on you can take him any day now. You're strong! "
Zoro shook his head solemnly."If I was strong, I wouldn't have been wounded. I have a long way to go, and I can feel it. Even the strongest always have room for improvement, I'm going to improve until there is just no more room left. "
Usopp snorted." Determined much. "
Zoro shrugged nonchalantly
Usopp chuckled at his friend and shook his head. Zoro was feisty, feisty enough to complete whatever he puts his mind too. That truly was what made him stronger, the ability to never give up ran thick in his veins. The dark skinned pirate wished he could be more like that, powerful, courageous, capable and belligerent.
"Come on man, you must be hungry." Usopp finally said and offered a hand. "Mjolnir said to feed you the moment you wake up so your body can have the strength to heal."
Zoro didn't feel that hungry, he honestly wanted to either go right back to sleep or endlessly swing his sword on a wooden dummy all day. But he would need the strength to exercise on his fencing skills. He needed to heal faster, after all there was the deal they made with Mjolnir in exchange for his life.
Almost reluctantly, he accepted Usopp's offer and allowed himself to be hauled up. He winced in pain as Usopp placed a arm around his waist and positioned Zoro's right arm across his neck.
"You alright there big guy." Usopp asked looking at Zoro to check if he was comfortable.
Zoro bit his lips. He wasn't alright and his injury throbbed. But enduring the pain and trauma will only make him stronger and prevent the exaggerating fuss over him by his teammates. Clearing his throat and trying not to sound so brittle he answered. "Hmm, peachy."
Hearing his affirmation, Usopp proceeded in moving towards the door and out of the room. The ship stood still without movement as it sailed at sea, allowing the duo to successfully make it to the kitchen without any hardships. The air smelt of rice and meat and many other spices when they entered the dining room. There was a light chatter coming directly from the kitchen. There was faint sound of clanking of cutlery and plates that got clearer as they reached the division that separated the two rooms.
Sanji was at the stove, stirring something in the pot while Nami and Luffy sat at the counter chatting up and helping to set the kitchen in order while eating some berries from a bowl, but there was no Mjolnir. Zoro was a little disappointed, he was expecting to bump into the strange snow white haired assassin and ask some questions. Or maybe even have his thanks. Did they drop them off somewhere,on another island?
No. Zoro thought, it's not possible, there wasn't any other inhabited island a thousand miles after Mock Town. Mjolnir was somewhere, but where?
"Yo!" Usopp called with a wide grin. "The cat has awoken from his slumber."
Everyone's head spun to to their direction with wide eyes full of relief. Nami burst into tears and Sanji and Luffy grinned brightly.
" Look who's awake! "Luffy screamed jumping over the counter to his best friend. Zoro was all smiles opening his left arm to hug him. Luffy was careful not to squeeze and put some pressure on his chest, that would have been painful." God look at you, when Mjolnir said that we were gonna have to wait for you to wake up from your coma we thought it's be for a week or worse a month. But here you are, after four good days "
Zoro half pulled back to gape at his captain in shock." Four days? "
Luffy frowned." Yeah.... didn't Usopp tell you. "
Zoro jerked his head to the left, glaring at the dark skinned pirate helping to hold him up. Usopp avoided eye contact." Four days.... I've been asleep for four days and you didn't think to tell me?! What did it slip from your mind."
He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I didn't think that it was still important....."
Zoro's eyes shot wide in outrage. "Not import–"
"Zoro!" Nami yelped pulling Luffy away from Zoro's side roughly and throwing herself in him. Her weight, despite her being fairly heavy and which shouldn't have posed as a problem to Zoro, knocked all air out of him. He jerked back from Usopp's support and came falling to the chair with Nami still in his arms. She sobbed in his neck, soaking his clothes and probably his thick bandages
"Nami, what the hell be careful." Sanji scolded and tried to get her off of Zoro but she wouldn't budge.
"Oh Zoro, I was so scared. You scared the living daylights out of me!" She exclaimed, sniffing.
"Yeah and if you don't release him you will scare the live out of him, Nami." Sanji yelled, his face twisted with a boiling frown.
Namu, reluctantly pulled away from Zoro allowing him to catch his breath and muttering an apology.
"Welcome back brother." Sanji grinned patting his shoulder. "And right on time for your rice balls."
"Wonderful reunion." A familiar voice called from the entrance. Everyone turned their gazes to Mjolnir, who stood at the door in Nami's borrowed clothes. An orange skirt coupled with blue and cream striped blouse. " I'd hate to interrupt this but, Zoro needs space and food in him. And I suggest you give him that before the lack of strength causes a second health issue."
Zoro heart spilled a beat. Mjolnir was here, she wasn't gone, he thought. It was his first time seeing the assassin out of their uniform, and in soft bright clothes. Their hair was tied down in two pigtails and held at the ends with black clips. Their blue eyes evident and shone with knowledge.
This was really someone who knows a lot, Zoro thought. He would thank her, and maybe have a lot to learn.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone