A Swordsman's Journey
Chapter 1: The Prodigal Son
The entire city bustled with activity. The sun was high in the sky and everyone seemed to be out and active. The main road was the worst. Not one inch of its stone covered surface was clear of the multitude of people going about their business. Both sides of the road were lined with shops, businesses, and other such facilities, and in the spaces between shops merchants had set up stalls trying to hock their wares to the passing customers.
"Come one! Come all!" yelled a boy from one of the stalls. He was an interesting looking boy with curly brown hair underneath a monk's cap, and an extremely long nose. He was dressed in only a simple beige monk's robe, yet from his demeanor one would think he was some sort of stage performer.
"Come everyone, and by from Ussop's Essentials!" yelled the boy who was presumably Ussop. "Straight from the church, we have everything one could need to enhance the quality of their devotions." The boy started to point around at various items he had for sale. "We have crosses blessed by the priest himself, holy water kissed by a priestess, even a piece of cloth worn by one of the churches brave…"
"USSOP!" The boy jumped at the hearing his name called so loudly. He slowly turned to stare into the eyes of death.
"Z-Zoro. W-what are you doing here?" said the boy before laughing nervously.
The man who had called continued glaring. He was a very imposing figure. He had extremely short green hair, and wore a solid black robe. He had three swords strapped to his side, but it was his piercing glare that made the boy, Ussop, tremble.
"What are you doing with my bandana?" asked Zoro indicating the cloth the Ussop was holding up. Ussop looked at the cloth before hiding it behind his back.
"W-what bandana?"
"Give it." said the swordsman menacingly. Ussop hastily complied. "Now, tell me what you're doing, now."
"I-It's just a p-project that the church is trying out to raise funds." said Ussop smiling nervously.
"Nami put you up to this, didn't she?"
"N-Nami? What are you talking about? You imagine too much. Hahahaha!" Ussop's laugh trailed off as Zoro continued to glare. It was about three second before Ussop caved. "Y-Yes."
"Thought so." Zoro started walking away.
"Z-Zoro!" yelled the long nosed boy. He quickly packed everything in the stall into a large crate, dropped curtains over all the openings, and put up a 'closed' sign before rushing after the swordsman.
"Z-Zoro! W-Wait!" Ussop started pushing his way through the crowd, muttering brief apologies all along the way. After about a minute of shoving he finally managed to catch up. "S-so, Z-Zoro, you never told me why you were back. Did you finish your assignment?"
"Yep."
Ussop waited for the swordsman to say more, but after about a minute of waiting he decided that he would have to be the one to push the topic.
"H-How did it go?"
"Awful."
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"What?"
"Nothing happened! They sent me all the way over the mountains to guard some big head priest, and not one person attacked him! I got more training done crossing the mountain than guarding him!"
"B-but i-isn't that a good thing?" asked Ussop, confused.
"Of course not!" snapped the swordsman. Ussop flinched. "I wanted some action! Something worth my time! Instead I had to set sit and listen to some boring sermon about 'God's love', or some crud like that."
"Z-Zoro! Don't talk like that!" said Ussop looking very shocked at Zoro's words.
"Don't start with me Ussop. I've had enough lecturing for one life time."
"B-but…" Ussop trailed off with as Zoro glared. Ussop sighed sadly, but his face lifted as they approached their destination.
Right in the middle of the city, rising high above its surroundings was the church. It was pristine in all its white-washed glory with spires reaching high into the air, and stain glass windows on every side. Every inch of it screamed devotion.
"Home sweet home, eh Zoro?" Ussop looked to the swordsman smiling, but received no reply other than a cold shoulder. The waves of cold coming from Zoro once more put the long nosed boy into a slightly sad disposition. The two walked somberly through the large ornate doors leading inside.
Despite the harsh feeling still coming from his grumpy companion, Ussop still couldn't help but smile at once again seeing the interior of his happy home. The inside was just as beautiful as the outside. Rows of gorgeously crafted pews over a smooth red carpet. Walls with stain glass windows arching high into the air, almost seeming to kiss the ornately made ceiling. All these things were beautiful, but the most beautiful of all was the pulpit. It was made of solid cherry inlaid with gold and precious jewels. Behind it stood a tall golden cross, with the image of Jesus hanging from it before the largest of all the stain glass windows. Despite all this beauty Zoro still didn't smile.
"So, the Prodigal son returns." The two boys turned their heads at the voice.
"Have you seen the error of your ways?" asked a blonde haired man as he walked towards the pair. He was dressed in the black robes of a priest, with black shoes, and a golden cross hung round his neck.
"Not even close." said Zoro smiling meanly. "Curly Brow."
The blonde man shook his head, sighing. "That's Father Sanji to you, marimo."
"Who are you calling mariomo?!" yelled Zoro.
"Do you know why I call you the Prodigal son?" Zoro glared in silence, so Sanji continued. "The Prodigal Son was given all his inheritance from his father, an inheritance greater than most men could hope to achieve in a life time, and blew it all in a matter of months. Once he realized his mistake, he came groveling back to the father, begging for forgiveness, and do you know what the father did?"Zoro continued staring in silence.
"Oh, oh, I know!" yelled Ussop smiling before taking on his best scholars voice. "Though the son asked to be hired back as the father's servant in penitence for his actions, the father embraced him, and let him once again live in his house with all its comforts."
Sanji smiled. "Very good, brother Ussop." Sanji turned back to Zoro as his smile faded. "Just as the son in the parable so you have been given all the inheritance of God, having a chance that few others are blessed with. You grew up in the greatest church in the country, and yet you still dash all these gifts against the ground, sinning in abundance. The only difference is that you have yet to come to the Father for forgiveness."
Zoro smirked. "That's right, Father Curly Brow, and I'm not going to. I'm strong enough to take care of myself without having to depend on some God."
Sanji sighed. "Taking pride in that is the same as taking pride in having a thorn shoved in your eye. Even if you think it looks good, all it does it hurt."
"Oh, shove it, Father Dart Board." Zoro quickly pulled out two of his swords to block a kick from the priest.
"Father Sanji!" yelled Ussop in surprise.
"Spare the rod, spoil the child." Replied the priest as he and Zoro glared at each other.
"!!!" All three males started at the yell. One of the doors leading out of the chapel burst open as a figure clad in a gold and white nun's outfit barged in carrying a gold staff shaped like a cross.
"ZORO! What's this I hear about you mocking the head priest after his sermon?!"
"Nami-swaaaaaan!" Father Sanji noodle dance all the way over to the figure who had entered. The father quickly got down on one knee, and clasped the red haired girl's hand.
"Nami swan, How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince's daughter! Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of a craftsman's hands. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies. Your…" At this point the girl known as Nami hit him hard over the head.
"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT USING THE SONG OF SONGS AS A PICK UP LINE?!" yelled the red headed girl.
"Forgive me Nami-swam." said Sanji, still kneeling. "I am but a humble priest, pledged to celibacy, yet I cannot help but want to bask in your radiant beauty."
"Well, knock it off!" Nami jerked her hand from Sanji before walking menacingly over to Zoro.
"We sent you over there to protect the priest, not to mock him! They gave the church a generous donation for our services. What is they demand their money back?"
Zoro scoffed. "As if I care." Nami immediately hit him in the head with her golden staff sending him sprawling to the ground. She then clasped her hands and turned her face upwards.
"Father, forgive this idiot for his moronic actions. He knows not how foolish are the things he does." She paused. "And please help the church in its financial endeavors. Amen."
Zoro sat up rubbing his head. "Do you have to end every prayer with a plea for money?"
Nami turned angrily upon the green haired man. "Don't lecture me on how to prayer! First of all, each person has their own way to pray, and secondly AT LEAST I PRAY!"
"Big deal." said Zoro standing up and brushing himself off. Almost immediately he was knocked back down by another blow from the angry nun.
"Yes, it is a big deal!" she yelled. "Mostly because your soul is at stake, but also because if you keep acting like this people might stop giving us donations!"
Zoro started rubbing his head again. "Do you have to keep hitting me? What about all that peace and love crud you guys keep spreading around?"
"I'll stop hitting you when you get your act together!"
"Whatever." Zoro stood up, and brushed himself off again. "I'm going out."
"To do what?!" asked Nami angrily.
Zoro smirked. "What do you think?"
"Not the bar again." said Sanji sadly.
"You got it." Zoro started heading for the door.
Ussop looked at Zoro, then quickly at Sanji and Nami. "Z-Zoro!" Ussop started running after him.
The swordsman ignored the call, and shut the doors behind him as he left the building. Ussop ran into the door.
"Zoro…" He started quietly sliding to the floor, his hand still on the door.
Sanji sighed. "I don't like to say it, Nami-swan, but I think you may have been a little too hard on him."
"I know. I know!" yelled Nami angrily. "I just can't stand to see him wasting his life like that. He's a swordsman for Christ's sake, literally. He lives in danger every day. What if he dies on one of his mission? I don't want him to end his life like that. To die and…"
"I know, Nami -swan. I know." Sanji put a comforting arm around the nun. "None of us want that fate for him." The priest turned his head to Ussop, still clutching at the door.
Outside Zoro was taking a deep breath of freedom. He always enjoyed it when he got away from the church.
"Zoro!" Zoro turned his head. 'What now?' His frown quickly turned into a smile as he saw who was calling his name.
"Oi, Chopper." Zoro walked down the remaining steps in front of the door as a small reindeer-human hybrid in a black robe, and black monk's cap ran around the side of the church.
"Zoro!" Chopper jumped high into the air and wrapped his arms around Zoro's neck. Both boys laughed as Zoro returned the hug.
Zoro put the hybrid on his shoulder, smiling. "So, what has my favorite freak been up to?"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A FREAK, MORON?!"
Zoro chuckled. "Relax. So, really, what have you been up to?"
"I've been going through my studies. They say I've gotten even better at medicine."
"You? Get better? Impossible."
"That comment doesn't make me happy at all you stupid, idiot!!!" yelled the reindeer as he wiggled happily on Zoro's shoulder. Unfortunately this made him tip backwards.
"Zoro!" Chopper started to fall, but Zoro quickly caught him, and set him on the ground, smiling.
"Thanks." said Chopper relieved. Zoro once again smiled before bending down to rub the little reindeer's head. Chopper giggled while trying to force the swordsman's hand away from him.
Zoro straightened. "Well, it's been nice, but I have to go."
Chopper's face immediately fell. "G-go? Where? Will you be back?"
"Don't worry. I'll be back tomorrow." said the swordsman smiling. Chopper followed suit.
"Promise?"
"Promise." Zoro gave a thumbs-up, and Chopper tried to follow suit, failing miserably much to Zoro's amusement.
"See ya." Zoro started walking away with Chopper looking after him in awe.
Hey, everyone! Hope you like the story so far. I got the idea for this story from the Sky Island arc where Zoro bragged about having never prayed. The first chapter may not be long, but I'm hoping they'll get longer as the story progresses. I really hope you like it. Reviews, constructive, key word on constructive, criticism and advice are all desired, though any non-constructive flames will be immediately deleted. Anyway, see you next chapter. ^^