A/N: I'm not sure what inspired this fanfiction. I suppose it just came to mind. The title doesn't mean anything, it's just the name of a weapon. See if you can spot the name-grabs.
This takes place before Zolo meets Luffy. I'm not sure how the whole Bounty hunting thing works, so forgive me if I have something wrong.
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece D':
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Souba
Roronoa Zolo stood over the bloody corpse and stared down silently at it. His victim had been young, but violent, and had left nothing but blood and death and sadness in his wake.
Zolo had had no choice but to kill him.
It was day, and it was bright and clear, but in the darkness of the alley, the shadows created the melancholy atmosphere of the situation he was standing in. He shook off some of the blood from his swords and resheathed them at his side.
"Cait?"
A footstep. He turned, hands at his side and ready to redraw his swords. The girl stood there in the entrance of the alleyway. She seemed to be supporting herself against the wall.
Zolo studied her carefully. Could she be of any threat to him? She seemed to be midway through her teenage years, and had short dark hair. She wore a simple blue dress and her eyes were a faint grey, and strangely empty.
She took a step forwards, her hands still on the wall. Zolo took a cautious step backwards. She continued to walk onwards, feeling her way along the wall, as if walking in the dark, and it was then Zolo realised that she was blind.
She reached the corpse and crouched down, touching the dead man's face. Zolo watched her silently but did nothing.
"You killed him." the girl murmured softly.
Zolo was silent for a moment.
"Did you know him?" he said rather bluntly. The girl's mouth creaked into a slow, slight smile.
"I thought I did, a long time ago. But people change, and Cait did."
Zolo mulled over things in his mind. She didn't seem to be a threat of any sort.
"What is your name?" he finally asked.
"My name is Nanaki." the girl replied. "And if I'm not mistaken, you are Roronoa Zolo."
The pirate hunter paused.
"... How do you figure?"
"If you were Cait, you would have dragged me home already. If you were Reeve, you would have killed me already. But you haven't, so you're not. Cait was one of the strongest in this town, and there was a rumour that only Roronoa Zolo could kill him."
Zolo shrugged, mainly to himself. His victim had been a formidable opponent.
"You're right. I am Roronoa Zolo."
He backtracked on what Nanaki had said.
"What was your relation with this man?" he asked.
"He was my step-brother," Nanaki answered. "We weren't close, but he's kept me safe, I suppose."
"And who is Reeve?"
"Cait's first mate. He hates me but I don't know why. Cait's stopped him from killing me. I keep out of his way though, mostly."
"Are you a pirate?"
"No," Nanaki shook her head. "I'm just the violinist. Cait brought me along."
"If this man kept you safe, then what will you do now?" Zolo asked, hating the way he sounded almost concerned.
"Lie low, I suppose. Stay clear of them until they make berth in a week."
Zolo scowled.
"Pirates," he muttered under his breath. "They're all the same."
"No," Nanaki said. "Not all of them. One day you'll meet a pirate different from the masses. Then you'll see what I mean."
She gave a smile.
"You should go and collect your bounty. Reeve will be looking for Cait soon, and there are many other pirates in this town."
Zolo looked at Nanaki for a moment.
"Alright," he said gruffly. "Take care."
"And you, Roronoa Zolo." Nanaki nodded once. "I wish you well."
Zolo went and collected his bounty. By the next week he had killed two more pirates and collected their bounties as well.
He went back to the town where he had met Nanaki to see if he could get the pirates before they left, but their ship had already gone early.
And when he went back to the alley where he had killed Cait he had looked to the ground and found Nanaki dead.