Dedicated to Roronoa Zoro... because... well, he's awesome. -blink- and I had an insatiable urge to write another drabble about him.

No Pairings. (why would there be? geeze...)

Starts off before Zoro met Luffy, and then ends after Robin has joined the crew. Very short. Just a little drabble.

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Hunted

By Plushie

Night's last light fell on a soul that was hidden amongst the bushes. His eyes were eagle sharp and steady as he watched his intended prey move past. Swords lay against his hip, their sharp edges dying to be let out of their sheaths and set loose once again. His breathing quickened as excitement made every nerve in his body, tingle. Adrenaline was making his head pound, his eyes narrowed for a moment before he casually stepped out behind the pirate he was hunting.

Squaring his shoulders and rolling his neck slightly, he proceeded to follow in the shadows. This was a sport… a taste of something that he wished at times, he could have more of. Killing wasn't the best part… it was the fight they put up. The chance to test his strength against someone who he hoped would at least be able to defend themselves for longer than three seconds. Once… he had even met a young man who could put up a good fight… but he was dead.

Long gone.

Looking up at the shadow of the tower that rose in the centre of Marine Base island… he smirked. This place was perfect… The pirate in front of him turned, and the hunter faded into the shadows, the only thing left to be seen was the whites of his eyes, and the pirate wasn't that sharp. No… this pirate would die tonight… and Roronoa Zoro would make sure of that. He needed the money to survive.

Stalking forward, he slid a bone handled blade out from it's sheath, and with precision and accuracy that was only learned from experience… he slit the man's shirt open at the back, causing a thin trail of blood to dribble down the pirate's back. Swinging around, the pirate brandished a pistol, and shot it. Zoro was quicker. He ducked underneath and was around behind the pirate even before the bullet had been fired.

"What do you want from me?" The pirate gasped as Zoro slit his blade along the man's pants leg. Playing, that was the obvious answer.

"You're a pirate," Zoro commented, letting the moonlight shine from the edge of the blade, and play across his face in ghostly whispers, "I'm a pirate hunter…" The pirate's eyes widened… and no one in the town heard the scream as lights danced across the street, and music blared from taverns on every corner.

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Green eyes slowly opened, glittering as they reflected the light of the stars above. Watch… on a ship… that had a rubber man for a captain, a shitty blonde chef, a witch of a navigator, a scaredy cat marksman, a talking reindeer, a mysterious woman who knew more about you than you did yourself… and him.

A pirate hunter.

Leaning forward on the edge of the crow's nest, he looked out to sea, letting the breeze play across his face and ruffle his hair gently. He wondered when he would find someone just like him. A pirate hunter, intent on the hunt, and the game, and the thrill of victory. Yes… he wondered how long it would be, before he was the pirate… and was faced with a pirate hunter.

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Yes, I know it was short. One day I'll write a story that's totally dedicated to Zoro's life before he met Luffy... but... I'm too busy atm. One day I'll get to it.
What did you think of it though? Good imagery? Good representation of Zoro's character? IC?