Chapter 434: One, Two, Jango

Chapter 434: One, Two, Jango



Robin and Usopp went to get Franky, then asked Cabernet to go watch over Zoro and make sure he didn't jump into the water or something stupid like that. She was more than willing, as Merry had beaten her three times in games of battleship in a row.

After that, the three headed straight for Law to explain the situation.

"He's outside?" Law looked rather annoyed at that news.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Yeah, just sitting there and staring out at the water. It's creepy..." Usopp answered.

"I told him to get some rest. Keeping watch doesn't count," Law grumbled.

"I don't believe that he is acting in his right mind at the moment," Robin said.

"Hm? I guess he was acting a bit odd when he left," Law said, rubbing his chin. "He didn't have any brain damage, though, so I just chalked it up to sulking."

Robin shook her head. "Zoro doesn't like to lose, that much is true, but this is different. He's become fixated on the whale, not dissimilar to the way that Baha has acted. I believe that they have something in common as well."

She had both Usopp and Law's attention. Having a crewmember start acting strange whilst you're trapped on a ship with them was never a good thing and they needed to get to the bottom of it, and fast. Zoro was perhaps the very worst person aboard the Polar Tang that this could have happened to.

"Baha said that he had looked the whale in the eyes. Zoro likely also got a pretty good look at one of them before Franky rescued him," Robin explained. "I think they've both been hypnotized."

Law immediately scoffed, whilst Usopp gained a look that was dead serious.

"You can expect me to believe in that hypnosis mumbo jumbo, let alone that a whale could do it," Law said as he shook his head.

"Of course hypnosis is real! A hypnotist came to my village and he was even able to use it in battle!" Usopp defended.

"That's SUPER amazing!" Franky cried.

"Ah, well, he was actually a pirate under the brutal captain Kuro, who tried to kill my g- Ahem, my friend. The hypnotist was supposed to make her sign a will leaving everything she owned to Kuro for his retirement," Usopp explained quickly.

"That's SUPER lame!" Franky corrected. "Hypnosis should be used to make people look stupid, not in murder plots!"

Regardless, Law didn't look very convinced.

Zoro's left hand gripped one of his swords so tightly that his knuckles were white. His eyes flicked between the helm controls, Law, and Cabernet erratically as if he was struggling with

indecision.

Usopp, Robin, and Franky arrived just afterwards and were quite shocked at the scene playing out before them.

"Zoro, calm down! The whale did something to you! We just want to help you!" Usopp

declared.

"It's evil! I have to find it, kill it!" Zoro looked almost rabid, but at least he had yet to actually draw his sword.

"We'll find the whale, Zoro. You just have to be patient. Trust us," Robin spoke soothingly.

"We're your friends, buddy! We won't leave you hangin'!" Franky added in his uniquely

boisterous way.

The air was tense for a moment, but the tension settled as Zoro seemed to relax somewhat

and removed his hand from his sword.

"What's going on?" Cabernet asked, tilting her head.

"Zoro-ya is sick, that's all. We're going to make him better," Law said, sheathing his own

sword as he crouched to tend to his own crewmen.

"The whale made him sick?" Cabernet asked Robin.

"We think so, yes," Robin said. She watched Zoro from the corner of her eye, noting that he

had hardly moved since they had talked him down.

Cabernet's shoulder flames flared to life and she ground her teeth.

"No fire inside!" Law shouted at her, causing her to deflate and her flames to sputter out.