Being the best swordsman in the world, receiving challenges were pretty normal. In his two years as reigning best swordsman, he's fought and won against some two thousand opponents and pending. So opponent two thousand and two shouldn't be any different, except she is very different.
The stranger shows up on their ship, after signalling them to stop. Accustomed to people just raiding their ship, it's a pleasant surprise and Luffy, still a little too trusting, complies while a dejected Nami is comforted by a resigned Usopp. Then, she and two members, of her decently proportioned crew calmly jump onto the deck, ignoring the ladder Franky was in the process of offering them, which in turn meant ignoring the six meter distance and ten feet drop to their watery death. Next, she sits on her knees, her plain light blue kimono with silver trimmings doesn't scrunch up, rather it lies gracefully over her long, slender legs, while the equally silver obi hovers over her calloused hands.
"I'm the Commodore of Secter 3, we deal with political issues and help resolve them in the name of the Revolution," her voice is familiar, Zoro thinks, but has no clue why.
They all relax at the news, Revolutionaries were allies more than ninety percent of the time. Looking up, they barely see her face, shrouded by the bandana she wore around her mouth. Zoro sees a challenge and thinks he knows why she's here.
"The Revolutionary Army? Why are you here? We have no recent dealings with you," Nami asked, ever suspicious.
Dark brown eyes gleam in excitement. Coughing, she looks at them and Zoro can feel the feral aura engulfing her. If Luffy tensing was a sign, then so could he. That stupid ero-cook just continued smoking, his fingers twitching could've meant anything from he wanted a cigarette to he wanted to jump the woman in front of him.
"Well, actually I'm here on personal business," there was no mistake that she was staring at Zoro, ", you see, I heard through the grapevine that your swordsman defeated his two thousandth and first opponent, since I strived to become the worlds best Swordswoman, I've decided that maybe challenging him now is best."
Blood-thirst oozed off of the mysterious, bun wearing stranger and she stood, her two young crew members staying still, heads bowed and hats covering their faces from view.
"Are you sure? Zoro's pretty strong," Luffy says, looking her dead in the eye.
"No offence, Mugiwara, but I think I can handle this," she stands fingers hovering over the hilt of her katana.
"Hn, this will be interesting," Zoro says drawing Shusui.
The battle already beginning, starts with a clash as the stranger pops up before Zoro, eyes gleaming in excitement and blade pointed towards his neck in a dangerous manner. Struggling, he pushes her away and quickly unsheathed Wado and Kitetsu.
"Santoryuu: Uru Tora Gari!" He says, trying to catch her off guard with the raging slash.
She snorts, cutting a pathway through the resounding slash and appearing by his face, ready to decapitate him. He ducks, just barely and manages to halt her redirected dark blade before it impaled his face, Shusui and Kitetsu shudder at the strength and he wonders if she's unconsciously pouring Haki into her attack, like a certain idiot he followed.
Of course, she doesn't let him think for more than a second, before raising her hands and screaming.
"Ittoryuu: Tori Hou!" A blue bird swiftly soars towards him, while the stranger jumps back.
"Santoryuu: Senhachiju Pound Ho!" He attacks as well.
The clash of the two attacks ends up cutting deep enough to actually damage the ship slightly.
"Heh, you're not bad," he says, sweat dripping down his face.
She pants before she answers, "You're deserving of your title."
The acknowledgment is appreciated, but lost in the next instant as they once again come together, a blur of blue and green. While Zoro had the advantage in strength, she was faster and was wearing him down quicker than expected.
"Ittoryuu: Kage Hou!"
She disappears in a puddle of black and he can't defend himself fast enough, as her blade slices through his torso easily. It leaves gaping wound and before he can recover, she's gone again, before long five wounds bleed from his body. Using instinct and a bare amount of Haki, he parries the sixth blow and pushes the mystery woman off her balance. She stumbles, then jumps, floating in the air like that ero-cook did so often.
He looks up and sees her hair fall from it's former bun and can't help but smirk. So his small 'Rengoku Oni Giri' had hit her. A sliver of blood also dripped down her arm and her hair cascaded down, the short locks reaching her shoulders.
Their eyes meet again and he's on guard again. He watches with widening eyes as she ripped her obi off and her kimono billows in the wind, short blue shorts and white singlet beneath. In the same instant, she nose dived towards Zoro, sword out-stretched and kimono falling to the ground.
"Ao Tatsumaki!"
The winds around her swirl and she dives towards him like an actual tornado.
"Kiki Kyutoryu: Asura!" He defends, then goes on the offensive after a beat.
"Asura: Makyusen."
One.
She stands, unharmed, hair mused.
Two.
He stands, stance solid.
Three.
Her bandana falls, sliced up and floating towards the ground, blood staining it and gashes just now appearing from Zoro's attack.
Four.
He sheaths his katana.
Five.
"Umi Tori Kage," she says sheathing her katana.
He falls to the ground, defeated and he's not surprised, he knew this challenger was different.
"So, will you do me the honours and cut me down properly?" He says, leaning against Kitetsu for support.
"What do you mean? I can barely stand, let alone attack you again," she says, holding onto the wall in front of her for dear life.
"Huh," he looks up and catches her just as she falls to her knees.
Not looking at him, she breathes and talks loudly. Blood quickly pools at her feet, from the array of cuts he'd decorated her torso with.
"You nearly had me there Zoro, but in the end, you never could beat me, not even two decades later," her voice is smug, but Zoro is terribly confused and all he can mumble is incoherent.
"Wah..."
"Two thousand and two battles, two thousand and two victories," she says, turning around to face him.
His eyes widen. That face. That smile. It's Kuina.
His mind goes blank in shock. Everything blurs and the last thing he hears are different shouts, all of his name.
"Zoro!"
"Zoro-aniki!"
"Marimo!"
Santoryuu-Three Sword Style.
Ittoryuu-One Sword Style.
Kyutoryuu-Nine Sword Style.
Tori-Bird.
Hou-Cannon. (Taihou is cannon and Hou is like an abbreviation)
Kage-Shadow.
Hou-Can also mean step.
Ao-Blue.
Tatsumaki-Tornado, this is also the name of one of Zoro's moves.
Umi-Sea.
Title-The Fierce Bird.
Anyother attack is Zoro's own attack. Thank you for reading, a second chapter will come eventually if you cared to know. Okay, bye and again, thanks for reading.