Just a short little oneshot I'm not so sure about. I could almost see it being a character study for a larger story, but I'm not sure what that story would be about yet. Anyway, read, enjoy, review.

But Legends Never Die

-DMTwins-

A dull hum of conversation had settled in the pub not long after Zoro had arrived, and though he and the cook were fairly isolated from the rest of the patrons where they were sitting at the bar, that didn't keep the noise from them. The bar was seedy and the beer was warm, but Zoro couldn't bring himself to care. That wasn't why he was here—not really.

After a few minutes of uninterrupted brooding, an old man with a clean cut appearance stood from one of the tables. Zoro eyed him as he stepped up to the bar stool next to his and then on top of it. He glowered and looked away, catching the eye of the cook, who was watching the man with slight exasperation. They were both used to this sort of thing.

The man was standing close enough that Zoro could sweep his feet out from under him. And that was a bit tempting. Instead, he kept his hand firmly on the glass in front of him.

"I'm sure you all know what today is," He began and a cheer erupted from the other patrons. "That's right. Today is the anniversary of the day that justice won!" Zoro closed his eye for a brief moment shook his head.

The World Government learned that they couldn't kill the man, so they had to kill the legacy. And that's what they did.

Each of the man's statements was punctuated by the celebrations of the crowd. Zoro didn't really care to listen to their nonsense. He knew as well as the man on the stool knew that justice hadn't won a damn battle since day one.

It started with a simple execution—some poor marine that happened to resemble Luffy…

"Five years ago the age of piracy died with the Pirate King. And he didn't leave a damn thing behind but shame! None of that bullshit about adventure or treasure. Them pirates are gone…"

After that, it was a matter of eliminating anyone who reported sightings of the Pirate King… Marines, sailors, innocent kids off the damn street…until everyone knew he was still alive yet no one admitted it.

"…and I've never been prouder to know that the marines can keep that kinda trash off my ocean—"

That's one hell of a thing to be proud of.

Zoro picked up the bottle he was drinking from and threw it at the man's head. He toppled from the stool and hit the floor hard, cutting off mid-sentence when the bottle connected.

A long moment of shocked silence filled the room. Zoro took another drink.

Then a cacophony of outraged cries spread through the bar, and Sanji stood with a sigh as several men were already moving to retaliate.

To stand fight and to die for.

"Why is it that you always have to go looking for trouble, Marimo?" Sanji shouted over the noise. He could see that Zoro was already leaving a trail of unconscious men behind him as he landed a solid kick to someone's jaw.

"I don't look for trouble," Zoro said as Sanji kicked the man through the window, "Trouble finds me. All I wanted was a beer and a quiet place to drink it." Zoro reached through the broken window, grabbed the man, and threw him back inside to take out another two attackers. The men kept coming

But there's just one thing the government never seems to learn.

"Seems to me like you have a habit of wanting a beer from a quiet, World Government Friendly bar every year around this time…" Sanji grumbled. He was quickly running out of teeth to kick in as their attackers realized that they were outmatched. The cook turned to Zoro as he was knocking two heads together just in time to see him shrug.

You can't kill a legend. It just grows stronger when you try.

"The beer here is piss-water anyway." Zoro said. He turned toward the harbor, where he could see the sunny floating sails-furled. "Let's go, cook. Captain's waiting."

And taking the World Government down and ending the lies…that was something to live for.

There are also two or three pretty solid references/places of inspiration in here, so one internet for whoever can point them out. Please clicky-clicky the review button for me as well.