One Piece: Reclassified

Defeat

I wake up in the doctor's infirmary. I scratch my head but everything I touch or move on my body is sore and bruised. I hear an argument going on outside. I look with weary eyes to see that Zoro and Usopp are fighting. But there is a parade and decorations everywhere from what I see. What happened?

"Zoro!" I croak. My throat is dry and raw. He somehow hears my barely audible voice and walks in. "What happened?" I inquire.

"I ordered Usopp to knock you out and keep you protected. He knocked you out, but he didn't get you to safety. He left and you rolled of the roof. Arlong found you, chained you,and gagged you to one of the ground zero rooms," he says.

"Nojiko and Gen helped get Luffy out of the water, with the help of Sanji's kicks. Once Luffy angered Arlong, they fought and the entire building crumbled down. But no one cheered for his defeat. They were all weeping. When we asked what went wrong they said you were most likely crushed to death. Sanji and I cleared the rubble and found you beaten, but still, miraculously, alive and breathing."

He grabs my hand and helps me up but I'm too weak to stand. I fall almost instantly but he picks me up and he carries me out of the infirmary. I was right, the whole town was celebrating our freedom and Arlong's defeat. But as soon as everyone gets their eyes on me, I become the talk of the village.

People start greeting me and hugging me, telling me to start feeling better. I go hang out with the rest of the gang. And I've finally built up my strength to walk on my own.

"Ro-chan!! You're alive!" Sanji bursts with glee and squeezes me. I feel my stomach rumble and Sanji hears it. "Are you hungry, Roshunai?" he asks.

I nod in agreement and a few minutes later, he comes prancing with freshly cooked food for me. I smile, lick my lips, and dig in. Everyone around me just stares, like its the strangest thing in the world to see a nineteen-year old girl eat. Zoro sees my frustration and answers my question. "They're happy that you're alive, and they want to see how you react to having all the food you could possibly eat." I laugh and continue to eat. "Oh, and, uh, happy birthday, Roshunai," Zoro smiles.

It's late so I decide I'm ready to go to sleep. I feel too weak to get up and I've been sitting beside Zoro the entire time. I drift to sleep.

I wake up with glints of sunshine and the townspeople's faces surrounding me and Zoro. What's going on? I flicker my eyes open completely and realize I had fallen asleep on Zoro last night. I get up quickly and find my way to Gen.

"What happened last night?" I ask him. I feel light-headed and dizzy. He catches me when I almost fall and then replies.

"We celebrated, but the festivities weren't the same without you. You were still breathing when we found you, but barely. So you slept for a while. And we had been waiting for you to get up, when you finally did, everyone was ecstatic." Gen smiles. "Then you fell asleep on Roronoa Zoro's shoulder, then he decided to lay down, and I guess you fell with him."

I giggle, look at Zoro, still asleep, and blush. "You want to go with them, don't you?" He asks. I nod sincerely. Gen grabs me by the shoulders and looks me in the eyes. I see the tears he's trying desperately to hold back. "You can go," he whispers faintly. I hug him with all the strength left in me. "I love you, Roshunai. I love all three of you, never forget that." He chokes and lets me go.

I feel tears singeing my eyes. Zoro wakes up and dashes over. "Hey, Roshunai! I gotta leave so this is," I cut him off as I turn around. "What's wrong? What happened?" I smile reassuringly.

"I'm coming with you. I know it's what I want and I'm completely comfortable with it." He takes a step back. With a puzzled look, he hugs me and I feel a sense of relaxation coursing between the both of us. He lets go and smiles.

"Well, go tell the others! What are you waiting for?" He laughs. I run to everyone, happy tears and all, I inform them.

"Guess what, guys? I'm going with you!"

Everyone rejoices. People are drinking ale of all sorts, Sanji's gathering food, Usopp is getting materials for his slingshot. Nami and I, on the other hand, are creating a farewell plan.