A/N: Another One-shot I wrote. Zoro and Sanji are still 7 years old in this fic, so don't expect too much, haha! Enjoy~!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, if I did I would be equaling awesomeness.
It had been a peaceful day, birds were chirping their chansons, shopkeepers were having good business and everyone enjoyed the nice weather for as long as it would last.
Walking through the town, a young girl greeted everyone who passed by with an affectionate smile. A bucket was perched on her head and she was apparently heading to the rivers to fill it with the cleanest water of this entire village.
Nothing different from the day before, nothing had changed and nobody acted weirder than normal in even the slightest bit.
"Finally," she puffed when she took sight at the rivers of blue. She wiped away the sweat from her forehead with her one hand, while she put down the bucket with her other one.
Kneeling down, she saw a girl reflected in the clear water.
She had dark blue hair and big brown eyes and she perfectly copied every movement Kuina had made.
Humming haply, she filled the bucket with water. Hastily she perched the bucket on her head again, but she stumbled over her own feet and fell down on her jaw.
"Shit ..."
She muttered irritated, when her hand reached the fallen bucket. Liquid was all spread over the landscape, but her eyes narrowed when she noticed it was mostly red.
"What the ..."
She bristled fast and glanced over the red liquid again. Then she stared at the river for five seconds and spotted the corpse of a blonde kid.
A loud shriek had left her mouth.
XXX
"Where is Koshiro?!"
Kuina's voice echoed through the dojo, and had almost caused the remaining boys a permanent deafness.
"Kuina ..."
One of the boys said before his eyes glanced over the body she was holding.
They were apparently training, but wooden swords fell down as they took sight at the boy Kuina was holding on her back.
Blood had covered her blouse, and sweat had been walking over her forehead.
As she saw how they soundlessly remained in shock, a vein twitched in her temple and she repeated the question in irritation.
"Where is Koshiro?!"
"Koshiro-san is training with Zoro, further in the hills, he-"
The boy's voice was disturbed by the sound of a deep groan. A manly one, obvious.
Carefully, Kuina had walked to one of the mattresses and put the boy she had been carrying down.
"Get him some blankets and gaze, I'm going to get my father ..."
Concerned she gave a last glance over the fair, young boy.
"When he wakes up, try everything to keep him here!"
Those were her last words before she left, running with the speed of lightening she hasted to the hills.
XXX
"Where am I ...?"
A warm hand was pushed on his chest, when he tried to get up. Clutching his blankets tight, the young boy whose name was still unrevealed glanced over the tiny room were he had been resting for God knows how long.
But his vision mainly was filled by the two brown eyes of a thin girl. He guessed her more than two years older than him, but succumbed to her beauty though.
He trembled when she stood up and raised her voice.
Before she even had to say something, his vision turned into flashbacks again.
Red.
Everything was red.
''Try to lie still,'' the young girl with short, navy blue hair said. She had reassured him with her smile, and called for an unfamiliar name, ''Koshiro'' it was.
''Koshiro is my father,'' she whispered when she looked at him again. She knelt down and touched his forehead.
He did not know why she was paying all this attention to him, and didn't mind it after all, but when he looked at his lower body he saw that gaze had been covering his wounds, but red leaked through the small openings.
Red …
''Where am I …?''
He repeated, calmer than the previous time.
''Shimotsuki Village,'' Kuina responded, leaving him in even more questions.
Before he could even make a comment, the door opened and a tall man stood in the doorway. Two, round glasses were perched on his nose and he wore an affectionate smile on his face, which revealed his wrinkles.
''Ah, so you're awake,'' the man who he assumed to be Koshiro, said.
Roughly he shook Kuina off, and tried to stand up with effort, but as a shock of pain electrocuted his entire body, he fell down in pity.
''You shouldn't do that, you're shot in your thigh! The wounds still are fatal,'' Koshiro said as he walked in his direction.
''Where is Zeff …?!'' The boy had asked in an attempt to stand up again, but it was Koshiro who calmly put him down.
''I'm from the Sambas region … Where … Where ...''
His mouth was shut by Koshiro's calm attitude, as he expected him to grow irritated, Koshiro kept smiling in attempt to make him quiet.
''You're not in the Sambas region anymore, little boy. My daughter Kuina,'' he glanced over Kuina as gesture he surely meant her, ''Found you in the river past Shimotsuki village. You were seriously injured … Do you remember what happened …?''
Red.
His vision was filled in an ocean of red. Corpses spread over the entire ship … Comrades, customers … Zeff …
Loud footsteps disturbed the moment of silence.
The young boy had looked up and spotted a tan, green haired boy carrying three wooden swords standing in the doorway.
Sweat dropped down his forehead, and he had been coughing before he opened his mouth.
''Ah, so curly brows is awake, isn't he?''
Judging from his looks, he obviously meant the injured kid, who was offended by his comment and distracted from his flashbacks.
''Zoro ...'' Kuina muttered soft, as Koshiro had glared at him.
''What? I thought you would be gone for five minutes, Koshiro,'' Zoro snarled at him. ''I'm taking my training very serious!''
Koshiro only gave a look to Kuina, who immediately stood up.
''I'll train with you,'' she said, leaving the so called ''Curly brows'' in a mystery.
''She … is a swordsman …?!''
When she left, Koshiro looked at him again, asking ''Excuse me, I haven't introduced myself yet, I'm Koshiro. The owner of this dojo.''
''Yeah, I figured that ...'' He muttered as an answer.
''What might your name be ?''
''I …'' not knowing whether he should tell the truth or not, he opened his mouth before realizing ''am Sanji.''
''Sanji, I see … Well, Sanji-kun, do you remember what happened …?''
''W-well …''
Every time he had mustered enough memories, his visions was filled with red. The honest red of blood. Blood gracing the ship, making it shrouding by utter despair only.
''Pirates attacked the floating restaurant where I work … I managed to escape, but I think the rest … I-i don't know what happened to them, I only could remember a gunshot hitting me the second I jumped into the water, a strong current drew me to .. . This place …?''
''I see ...'' Koshiro mumbled.
Sanji was happy that that was his only comment. He wasn't feeling like having any pity from anyone else.
''But Zeff didn't die!''
Sanji's voice sliced through the silent. Negative thoughts had been taking him over. But he knew that Zeff was strong. Maybe some comrades had died, he had to accept, but Zeff was alive, he was for sure!
''What …?''
Koshiro's eyebrows twitched when Sanji said so.
''Zeff! The owner! He's strong! I'm sure some crappy pirates aren't enough to kill him! I know for sure!''
Koshiro chuckled, and said ''I'm glad you're reassured. But I can only let you leave when you're fully recovered.''
''I … I understand,'' Sanji had responded, with a slightest bit of disappointment in his voice.
XXX
''Curly brows!'' ''Marimo!''
''Can you guys quit it for a moment?! You're fighting for weeks!'' Kuina said irritated when Zoro and Sanji started their twelfth fight this day.
She had hit Zoro on the head with a big lump remaining as consequence and she had thrown Sanji insults as if she was his older sister.
''If that perverted cook just stops irritating me, than-''
''Who is a perverted cook, ''no-sense-for-direction'' moss-head...?'' Sanji asked as a vein twitched in his temple.
''Stop it!'' Kuina yelled at the moment Zoro grabbed one of his wooden swords and Sanji had abandoned the kitchen where he was cooking their dinner in.
''Every time Koshiro is gone, you guys start to fight! Can't you stop it for even 5 minutes?!''
Zoro grunted as an answer, while Sanji was dancing his way to the kitchen again, ''Don't worry, Kuina-san. Tomorrow I'll be gone.''
''N-no! That's not what I meant, I-''
''That's exactly what she meant,'' Zoro grinned whilst Sanji threw one of the knifes at him, which he easily stopped with his wooden sword.
Zoro smiled in joy, while Kuina decided to let them kill each other so there will never break a fight out again,
''Some boys are just ...'' she had muttered when Sanji already served the ratatouille. An affectionate smile wished her ''Bon appetit,'' while he muttered ''Yours is poisoned,'' to Zoro when he was about to eat, and still didn't know whether it was a joke or not.
XXX
Sanji planned on leaving this certain night. He had been walking through the landscapes and decided to visit the dojo for the last time, but when he saw Kuina talking to her father, he hided behind some bushes and listened to their conversation.
''Kuina … A woman never can become the world's best swordsman.'' Koshiro said.
Sanji peeked through the leaves and saw how Kuina ran away in the night of black, and without hesitation he followed her, having troubles with keeping up with her though.
Unnoticed he had reached her. Sitting on a rock, she silently sobbed. When he wanted to reassure her, Zoro reached her before him and without him being seen, Sanji slipped behind a tree and listened to their conversation.
The last thing he saw before he hided himself, saw the two real swords Zoro was holding. And he did not like the fact a kid like him was having those.
''Zoro ...'' he heard a feminine voice muttering. It was Kuina, who, judging from her voice, was surprised by Zoro's presence.
''What are you doing here?'' Zoro asked.
''That's what I wanted to ask you ...'' Kuina said as she tried to man-up. ''What are you doing here during the time of night?''
Footsteps headed to the place where Kuina was sitting, and Sanji's heart sunk when he realized what Zoro was planning to do.
''I came here to request our 2001th battle!'' said Zoro, using snobby words to convince her he was mature enough to be taken serious. ''For this will be our last duel. Let's end this.''
Sanji froze when his words reached his ears. Knowing Kuina, he wouldn't be a match for her, but real swords … He peeked through the leaves when he already climbed up. The adrenaline made sure he wasn't noticed, if anything would happen to Kuina …
''Fight me with a real sword!'' Zoro said. ''You do have a real sword, right?''
Kuina looked up in surprise, but covered her shock with a frown ''With me?'' She had asked.
''Fine ...'' her voice sliced through the silence.
She disappeared out of his sight for a few minutes, whilst Zoro was sweating in adrenaline. He seriously …
Not much later, she returned with a magnificent sword.
Its hilt was pure white and had a circular hand-guard. The sheath was painted white and the type of blade was a straight blade, obviously.
''Kuina ...'' Sanji muttered when he took sight at her straight position. Her face was blank, but her eyes were furious.
Zoro was the one who attacked and in an instant, their swords clashed. Sanji was moved by the moment and was at the edge of falling down from excitement. Will … Kuina … Really … Lose?
With effort her swords pushed Zoro back. He glared at her and reading from his face, he was putting everything he had in this fight. So was she.
A second attack … Third … a fourth … Everything went so fast, and whilst Zoro was having effort in standing straight, Kuina had the same calm expression as before.
''Two real swords must be heavy,'' she said smirking. ''It seems like you still lack a bit stamina.''
Zoro's eyebrows twitched, but she was right. He was lacking stamina.
''SHUT UP!'' he yelled.
When he wanted to attack her, Kuina's counterattack was too strong, and before Sanji was aware of it, Zoro was lying utterly useless on the ground. With her remaining strength, she almost pushed the edge of the sword right in Zoro's heart. But she didn't, and Sanji saw how she purposely missed.
''S-shit ...'' Zoro cried with his head in his hands. ''I can't accept this ...''
For the first time in weeks, Sanji actually felt bad for him.
''I'm the one who wants to cry because I can't accept it ...'' Kuina muttered.
Both, Zoro and Sanji had looked surprised at her comment, but while Zoro was clueless at what she meant, Sanji wasn't.
''Girls ...'' she continued, ''When we grow up, we become weaker than men . I'll be probably overtaken by you, soon …
You always said you'd become the best swordsman in the world. My father told me that … It's not possible for a woman.''
Sanji bit his lips, protesting against the tears who wanted to fall down.
''Shit ...'' he had mumbled.
''I know that … I know that it's impossible... But I can't … I can't accept it! Zoro … it must be nice to be a man … I also want to become the world's greatest swordsman... But … My chest is starting to grow out ...'' She said while touching her chest.
Zoro, who had stood up without her noticing, was blushing because of her action.
''If I was born a boy ...''
Zoro's eyes widened again, so as his mouth.
''After beating me, how can you say such cowardly words?! That's despicable! You've been my goal all the time!''
''Zoro ...'' she muttered as tears flowed out of her eyes.
''Marimo ...'' Sanji repeated for her. ''How can you ...''
''Whether you're a man or a woman … Is that what you're going to say when I beat you one day?! As if it wasn't because of my skills. It's making me, who's training as a hard, a complete fool! Don't say things like that!''
He walked closer to her, until he could look up to her eyes while almost touching her body.
''Promise me … One day, either you are me will be the greatest swordsman in the world! We will compete to see who does it!''
…
…
…
''Fool ...'' Kuina's voice sliced through the death silence, ''saying things like that while you're weak …''
She looked at his hand which he pointed out, and shook it slowly ''It's a promise!''
XXX
The next day Sanji woke up by the loud groan of a familiar voice. He slowly yawned and looked down, Zoro had been training all the time and his heavy workouts made the tree tremble.
''Oi, marimo ...'' Sanji mumbled, but apparently his words were unheard. ''Tch,'' he snarled and decided to lie down for another minute or two.
Out of nowhere, footsteps were heading to this certain tree and when Sanji looked up he saw three dojo kids with a blank expression on their faces. As if … They saw ghosts or something.
''What's with you guys …?'' Zoro asked when he looked up. No responds followed, they only exchanged scary looks, telling each other to tell what in heaven's name might be wrong with them.
''Kuina is … dead ...''
…
…
…
Sanji's eyes widened when he realized what they said.
''No ...'' Sanji muttered and stood up. His presence was revealed to the three boys, but Zoro was not noticing what happened around him.
''SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!'' Sanji yelled to the three, as his look was enough to kill them inside. ''LIARS!'' Sanji screamed when he jumped down.
''Sanji-san … But she ...''
''Get lost,'' whispered Sanji.
No reaction.
''GET LOST!'' he repeated louder, as consequence of them being gone in an instant.
Then he grabbed Zoro's shoulders, trying to contact him by looking in his eyes. But his eyes were speaking death.
It was the same as moment as when … The pirates attacked his restaurant.
Tears traversed of Sanji's cheek, and before he even was aware of it, he hugged Zoro tight enough to kill him.
But Zoro didn't do anything against it, and sighed as a bunch of tears gathered in his eye corners.
''We made a promise ...'' Zoro muttered. ''We ...''
''I know that, Zoro … I know ...''
''What do I do …?''
Sanji sighed, and slowly pushed Zoro away.
''You made a promise, Zoro … Stick to it. Become the world's greatest swordsman!'' Sanji cried.
Zoro looked up, and didn't hold back. He knelt down and cried never-cried tears.
''Man up, marimo,'' Sanji grinned. ''The world's greatest swordsman won't cry because of something that would happen anyway.''
Zoro couldn't do anything but smiling.
''You're right, Curly brows, I will become the best … A … A PROMISE IS A PROMISE!''
Sanji chuckled at his reaction, ''I think I'll stay here for one or two more weeks.''
''Huh? I don't want you to stay here!'' Zoro snarled irritated.
''Oh, I know that, but you need me now. You know, I'm your friend.''
Zoro glared at him, but couldn't argue with him about that. ''Yeah, you're my friend,'' he grinned.
A/N: I hope you actually liked this, even if there wasn't actual romance between the two as in the most Zo-San fanfictions. Well, share your opinion with me about it!
Thank you for reading!