Drabble based off of one of BlackBarBooks's tags of a Marine's view of Zoro. I chose the first appearance of our lovable dork and tried to imagine what Commander Ripper thought of the infamous "Pirate Bounty Hunter". I might do more marine POV's for Zoro later on, or the other Strawhats, if there's any interest. In any case, please enjoy!
It was unnatural.
I watched as that man, the "Demon Swordsman" stood tied to a post for the past week and a half with nothing except the rain to subside on. Yet there he endured, as resolute as he was the first day. Not a sound of complaint while we drilled in the yard or even a twitch when the less disciplined officers went out with food to eat in front of him.
His self-control was unnatural. Remarkable, but unnatural. It made me uncomfortable being near a man like this. So… determined.
His ability to withstand hardship was admirable, his resolve a force to be reckoned with. We should be trying to recruit him, not making him suffer. He is already well-known in this ocean for hunting pirates. It probably wouldn't be too hard of a stretch to get him to enlist. He was a bounty hunter after all and reported to the Marines already.
That being said, he was strange. It wasn't the green hair, which I could see poking around the edges of the black bandanna he knotted around his head before he was tied to the post. After all, green hair, while uncommon, isn't unique. I have a cousin back in South Blue with green hair. Granted I've never seen green hair so bright on anyone who claimed to be human, but that's neither here nor there.
It wasn't even the swords he carried. Three-sword style was unique to him, though. I've never seen or heard of anyone who used three swords at once. Well, not seen. I've not actually seen him swing three swords at once; considering he came in with that whelp, Helmeppo, without a fight.
I would like to see it though, maybe, just once. It's got to be good if he's earned the nickname "Demon." I'd like to see it, but I sure as hell hope I'm never at the wrong end of it. I've got enough on my plate without having to face the supposed strongest swordsman in East Blue.
No, the strangeness was something I can't put into words. It's the way he feels.
Dangerous.
He feels dangerous to me.
Almost like a trapped animal, pacing in a cage just waiting for the chance to spring free. The next few weeks can't pass quick enough as far as I'm concerned. We've all heard what the daddy's-boy promised; I just hope the swordsman's as honorable as he's said to be.
Corporal Jameson told me what happened at the café. Disgraceful, truly. That brat shouldn't be walking around with Marine escorts while he terrorizes this poor town. If his father wasn't such an intimidating brute I'd have locked up that idiot long ago. As things stand, though, I can't make any kind of move without putting my own life, and the lives of the rest of the Marines stationed here, at risk. Captain Morgan would have our heads, then who would be left to protect the people?
I glanced down to the post where the frightening young man stood secured. Apparently there are a few good people out there willing to protect the innocent. That being said I get the feeling that this young man wouldn't hesitate to kill should the need arise. Maybe it is for the best that he's here for the foreseeable future.
"Commander Ripper!" some faceless lieutenant called as he stood to attention behind me. "Captain Morgan has requested an update on the completion of the statue."
I sighed and turned away from the window. That young man wasn't going anywhere right now, and my tyrant needed me.
Only hours ago the base was in order. Well, as orderly as can be expected while every man stationed here feared for their lives under the rule of Axe-hand Morgan. Now everything was in chaos.
One stupid little devil fruit user showed up and changed everything in a matter of moments, it seemed. First he was seen talking to the devil-in-the-dust Roronoa, then he's destroying the statue that's had Morgan occupied for the past two months. Dashing around the base with the blond brat in hand, and ultimately freeing Roronoa.
I know I asked to see the famous "Three Sword Style" in person, but I didn't want to bear the brunt of the attack. My earlier assessment was scary accurate – that young man is dangerous, and no doubt has earned his titles. He managed to stop Captain Morgan's attack cold; a feat no normal man can claim.
Then I had to stop and think: that young man has only eaten one rice ball in the past 10 days. He's had only as much water as he could swallow in the three brief rain showers we've had since he was tied up, but he is still capable of stopping Captain Morgan, Axe-hand Morgan, cold. This is more than just dangerous, that man is terrifying. We've been keeping a demon captive in our training yard for the better part of two weeks and never questioned why he was caged so willingly.
Personal honour can only attest to so much. No man would subject himself to 10 days (let alone the planned 30) with no food unless he knew he could handle it. Or that he could get out at any time he wished. Both possibilities were more than I care to think about at this point in time.
Self-control, determination, strength – both of arm and will – all adds up to the man standing before me and my base at this very second, looking like a devil whose come to feast. I can't beat him. No one here can beat him. We need him gone.
So I do the only thing I can. I order my men to apprehend the Captain. Luckily that rubber idiot seems to have knocked him out long enough for us to chain him up properly. I signalled to a cadet to bring up a Naval Headquarters up on the Den Den Mushi. I'm going to finally get the chance to report this dictator and get him arrested like the over-entitled thug that he is. However, I now have to deal with the two (or is it three?) malcontents on my base.
However before anything could be said or done all three young men take off for Shell Town, leaving only enlisted men and one whiny, sniveling blond on the base. I'm certain I'm not the only thankful man there at the moment, as the thought of taking on two people, regardless of age, who could take down a Marine captain with seemingly no problem was not something I wished to contemplate. So, instead I got the men moving, picked up our wounded and went about reclaiming this base in the name of justice.
Pirate.
That infamous pirate hunter is now professing to be a pirate himself. That actually frightens me to my core. Don't get me wrong, I actually have a healthy respect for these two pirates considering they've done nothing to hurt the innocent people of Shell Town and managed to help the Marines out by incapacitating (soon to be ex) Captain Morgan. They've even delivered to us a fine recruit that I can already tell has the same honourable sense of justice that I myself share.
That being said… pirate.
Who knows how long those boys will keep their honour in the world they are about to sail into. I hope to high tide that they do, because the thought of those… those… monsters is the only word I can rightly use here. The thought of those monsters going out into the world and turning bad gives me shivers and will no doubt keep me up at night.
The devil fruit user, he seems like an alright sort. No matter who attacked him, his only retort was non-lethal force. That dumb smile on his face also gave me the impression that he wouldn't kill without cause. That's something I can respect, even from a pirate.
Roronoa though. That's a dangerous man, with serious eyes. It's not often you hear of a man creating his own fighting style – an effective fighting style capable of instilling fear in most witnesses. He's strong and in so much control of himself that it's virtually unheard of. He scares me to my very bones.
What gets me the most is the thought that we had him. Right here, in this very yard, we had him. Could have killed him at any time, but instead we let him go. Then again, from that glimpse of strength he displayed we might not have had him as easily as we'd thought. If only we could have gotten him to enlist instead, he's make one hell of a Marine. With strength like his, he'd make vice-Admiral in no time.
I just hope his heart stays in the right place. He understands a Marine's purpose of protecting the innocent, but now that he's signing up as a pirate, I'm worried. Him and that rubber kid he's sailing with, they are going to make names for themselves, I can feel it.
Yet I'm standing here, watching these two sail off in a spit of a dinghy, knowing in my heart that I've let two dangerous men out into the world. I've just unleashed a threat that's going to fly under a skull and crossbones banner, the very thing I'm sworn to fight against, but I can't help but think I've done the right thing. They've helped more than they've hurt and I can't fault them for that.
That being said, I saw the look that Roronoa sent back to us as we saluted them off the pier. I don't doubt that even if I did send a ship after them, no one would make it back alive. That young man has sworn himself to a cause, and I've already seen how far he's willing to go to keep his word.
That willpower, that strength of spirit…
That is a man of discipline, and I wouldn't test his resolve for all the gold in the world. He's beyond human. He's unnatural, he's extraordinary.
He's a monster.
Thank you very much for reading! This was Beta'd by the stupendous and super-spectacular BlackBarBooks whom everyone should go and read all of her stuff because it's amazing beyond a thousand degrees. Tah!