It always starts with two. It always ends with one. Nostalgia was not exactly the swordsman's common sentiment. It would be foolish however, he admitted; to forget about what he left behind.

"Leave what behind? You gave up your life the moment you made that vow. You never had...you never had…"

Roronoa Zoro mumbled to himself the clear disapproval of his own conflict. But he was right, what was there to miss?

All his life he had focused solely on his training and basic survival instinct. Nothing more was needed.

"No. Nothing more was necessary," The swordsman corrected himself.

There were times he remembered, as a bounty hunter; when all his activities for a day had been eating, training, and sleeping. Nothing else would occur. It was a discipline that was made by him to live by, and for the longest time he learned to abide to this norm.

Then he came. Then it started with two…

"Join my crew. Zoro."

The swordsman. The best swordsman in the world now, looked finally at his environment. He was in the crow's nest with one knit bag appropriately big enough to fit his life necessities.

It was three in the morning…or was it earlier than that? It was early. Enough time to leave without the awkward goodbyes. It was funny to him. The situation he was in, the possibility that once he finished his life pursuit…it would all end like this.

A part of him felt like this was the worst way to part ways. In terms of honor, this was the cowardly thing to do. However in the terms that were practiced by that of an ex bounty hunter. This was no cowardly thing; it was simply a detachment of a liability.

Zoro knew he would change when he accepted to be a part of Monkey D. Luffy's crew. Zoro also knew that one day, he would have to leave this crew…and change back.

Simplicity was Zoro's nostalgic request. The swordsmaster had talked to his captain about this matter, the terms they had agreed on after one reached their goals. There was a neutral agreement that a departure would occur and the captain would not prevent it. Luffy would never break his promise.

"It's time to go now," he spoke. For the first time today he spoke. These five words would be the last words he would say in this ship. Or at least they were supposed to be.

When he slowly crept down the Crow's nest and before he walked to the docking system he stopped at the door.

Wait. Just one more time. One quick look.

Zoro turned to face the crow's nest from the night sky's presentation. It was a clear view of the lightly dark sky. The pirate flag waived elegantly through the reoccurring gentle strokes of the wind. This was a scenario the swordsman had been very familiar with, this would be the last time he would see this.

He clutched his bag closer to his back and proceeded to go downstairs to the docking system.

The echo of his footsteps would be his only companion down the path he went. He kept a nice rhythm that seemed to last for a while. There were only a few steps left. Yet he froze on the last step.

Ahead of where his small boat was resting was a dark figure sitting on the tip of the bridge that connected the boat's rope from the post.

The swordsman had planned this for a few days, but the thought of something going out of his plan seemed to have slipped his mind. Then again…Nico Robin was an expert at interceptions.

"Going somewhere, Zoro-san?"

There was a pause between the swordsman and the archeologist. He was trapped and she was, calm?

Zoro glanced down at the dark figure. He still had a chance.