A/N: This is the first chapter of the rewrite. I tried to make it as long as possible but I couldn't expand it as much. There wasn't a lot to expand and I didn't want to write needless paragraphs. Either way, I just combined the Prologue with the first chapter since it was much more convenient. After this chapter is published, the next one should be right out. Sorry for the wait. I get lazy sometimes and trying to expand things takes a lot of time to think it out. Plus the proof-reading, editing, describing takes time. I will try to make the next chapter as long as possible so you can look even more forward for it to get published.
Thanks for reading the Author's Note. Now, you can start to read the chapter! :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
More Lost Than Ever Before: Prologue
Zoro leaned lazily against the foremast, his back against the hard solid wood, and his chin lifting toward the sky, where the skyline was patched and dispersed with thick clouds. His hot breath escaped his lungs as he sighed, his only eye shutting in exhaustion and boredness. During times when Zoro was neither drinking sake, training, or napping, the only option there was... was to be bored. And he didn't like that. Even though he had a bottle sake wrapped around his fingers, every second he spent without drinking, he felt extremely bored and tired.
"TAG!"
"Usopp's it!"
"What!? You touched my clothes! That doesn't count!"
"RUN AWAY!"
"Shishishi!"
"You cheaters!"
Zoro could feel the presence of his crewmates with his observation haki, although he could've just opened his eye, but he just didn't feel like it. He raised his hand up that was curled around the neck of a bottle of sake. He felt the flavour of the sake flood his taste buds. Zoro exhaled a relieved sigh. Alcohol always made everything better. Always.
"Franky, turn the helm right at 1 o'clock!"
"I SUPER got it!"
As Zoro reeked of boredom, he propped the long narrow bottle of sake back onto the lush lime grass deck of the Thousand Sunny. He adjusted his tangerine filtered sunglasses as they seemed to drift out of place. He opened his eye as he did, catching Luffy and Chopper playing tag, running viciously around as Usopp attempted to hunt them down.
"Robin-chwan, here's your afternoon coffee!"
"Thank you, Sanji."
"Would you like some dessert?"
"No thank you."
Zoro's vision was quite dim which only made exhaustion claw him deeper, pressuring him to take one of his daily naps but a weird feeling or sensation screamed at him not to, so even though he had just adjusted his sunglasses, in a fluid motion, he pushed them up into his hair and a wave of brilliant dandelion up his vision enough that he had to squint his eye in response. He winced and he turned his head sideways to dodge the sunlight.
"Yohohoho, yohohoho. Yohohoho, yohohoho."
Stretching his legs out as he yawned, Zoro made the decision to go train up in the Crow's nest as there was nothing better to do. There was nothing bad about training. You get stronger, but the reason Zoro didn't go training in the first place because he wanted to just relax.
"Well that was a waste of time," Zoro muttered under his breath.
But as he was stretching his legs, he felt a sudden, irregular presence pop onto the ship. Zoro's hand went to his swords, but the presence vanished a moment later and Zoro relaxed, but he was on guard. His mind was dizzy and tired so Zoro brushed it off and blamed his exhausted mind.
"Might be the alcohol," Zoro muttered under his breath with a smirk.
Zoro clambered up the ladders up into the Crow's Nest. He placed his firm hands onto the wooden floor and leaped on them, standing straight and balanced.
He padded over to the stands where his weights hung from. Once he was within an arm's reach, he wrapped his hand around the metal. The cold touch of the cooled metal sent a weak shudder down Zoro's back that hardly fazed him.
How long should I train for? Zoro asked himself as he was reluctant to heave the weights into his possession. Mr. Nosebleed has dinner prepared completely at 6 and calls everyone in. I have about two hours.
"Where's Zoro?" A voice called down from below.
"Probably training," another voice replied, slightly confused.
"I thought he was taking a break today," reminded a high and sweet toned voice.
A sigh was heard. "Well, you know Zoro, he can't get away from training."
"He better not strain his muscles again."
Zoro smirked as he eavesdropped on the conversation below which was focused on him. "Haha," he laughed sarcastically.
He was about to lift the weight off of the stand when suddenly, the same presence popped up on the ship, except that it was much clearer and it was in the room with him. Zoro's hand snapped to his Shuusui by his side, and his eyes gave off a killer vibe.
"Who's there?" Zoro hissed, a growl rumbling in his throat.
There was no reply.
"Show yourself!" Zoro bellowed in a deep fierce tone, his gaze hardening as he focused all around, attempting to pinpoint the exact location. But the presence was everywhere, as if it could teleport.
"Figures you'd know someone was here," a childish voice echoed from around. The sentence was scattered, as if the presence said each word at different times instead of saying it all together. "Expected from the 'Pirate Hunter'."
Zoro unsheathed his Shuusui, carefully and cautiously, his eyebrows arched. Although his observation haki wasn't as good as Luffy's or the stupid cook, he could feel the closeness of the presence. He was just a step away from pinpointing its location. "Crap," he cursed under his breath. Where is it hiding? He asked rapidly to himself while concentrating.
"Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet yourself?" The scattered voice spoke again. "Have you?"
"What the heck are you talking about?" Hissed Zoro.
Shuusui's blade gleamed white as he tightened his grip on the hilt of it. Zoro's gaze was going everywhere, not even spending a second on one spot of the room. Unfortunately. Zoro couldn't catch any movements.
All of a sudden, he saw a flash of movement. But it wasn't in front of him.
The reflection of the hooded figure stood in the gleam of Shuusui's blade, a creepy and joyful smile curved into its lips.
"Shit," Zoro cursed.
"Hey, that's a bad word!"
Zoro jerked around quickly to face the hooded person, eyes full of confusion and surprise.
Where the heck did it come from? Zoro asked himself simultaneously as his eyes met with the hooded figure. His eyes widened and his pupils shrunk. He attempted to slash the Shuusui up to land a hit on it but all feeling was gone once the figure landed a pat on Zoro's arm, sending him into a void.
WHAT THE HELL?!
"I'll let you experience it."
"Why?"
"Well, because it's funny."
More Lost Than Ever Before: Chapter 1
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
"OH MY FREAKING GOD."
Nami stared, quizzically at the log pose that was connected to her wrist with keen eyes. One eyebrow was raised in suspicion and disbelief. Questions flooded in and out of her mind as she tried to make sense of what the log pose was trying to tell her, but she couldn't quite crack it. Because the possible answer to it, was unbelievable and she wouldn't even deny how crazy she was if she said it aloud.
"What does this mean," Nami muttered under her breath as she scratched her temple in comfort.
"WHY CAN'T I FIGURE THIS OUT!?"
"IS THIS LOG POSE BROKEN OR SOMETHING?"
The arrow of the log pose seemed to point up. Not right nor left. Not forward nor backward. It wasn't the 'forward and a little up' kind of pointing. It was 'up'. Like, literally. She scratched the back of her head in frustration, her teeth gritted. How could she navigate her beloved crew if she couldn't even read the log pose right? What kind of navigator was she? Luffy did so much for her and she can't even read her log pose correctly. She thought of herself as a disgrace and a disappointment of the Straw Hat crew. Her blood boiled in extreme frustration that she felt like her brain was rattling so much that would explode inside her and she would die instantly, but of course, fortunately, that didn't happen as it was just a simple sensation.
She couldn't help from releasing all of her frustration and confusion in a long, thought out sigh. She knocked her head on the dining table numerous times to jog some ideas and answers into her head but was only punished with pains and bumps. Her eyelids slowly fell down as she gazed hopelessly at the floor. She tried to calm herself down so she could think straight, but her rage level was on the edge of letting her demon take over that she couldn't relax her body. Soon, she was going to give up and just go along with it.
"I hate this," she murmured.
Then, she repeated, each repeat occupied with a stomp of her feet.
"I hate this."
"I hate this!"
"I hate this!"
"I hate this!"
"I FREAKIN HATE THIS!"
Sanji entered through the door, a white-toothed grin curved into his pale rosy lips, until he spotted Nami's angry expression and frustrated vibe. He frowned and asked politely, "Are you okay, Nami-swan?"
"No," Nami began in a whisper, until she realized what she just said. "I mean no- wait- yes. Ugh, I don't know!" She exclaimed with a hot breath, digging her nails through her hair and down onto her scalp.
"What happened," Sanji asked in concern.
Nami pointed to her log pose. "This!" She bellowed. "It's pointing up! How could there be an island in the sky! That's preposterous!"
"Ah," Sanji nodded in agreement. "I agree. Nami-swan is always right!"
"I just can't believe there is. But how do we get it back to normal?"
Sanji's chin lowered in shame. "I'm afraid I don't know, Nami-swan," he murmured in disappointment. He walked over to the fridge. "Would you like your favorite fresh orange juice?"
Nami, who was deep in denial nodded, a gloomy and terrifying atmosphere forming around her like a block of ice. "Yes please, Sanji-kun."
With thousands of twirls of happiness and hearts, Sanji-kun went to work in preparing Nami's orange juice. His eyes bulged with hot pink hearts and his actually heart thumped against his ribcage violently and rapidly. "With pleasure!" He exclaimed.
"Thanks…" Nami muttered underneath her breath.
Sanji smiled in glee.
"Ugh," Nami groaned once she took another glance at the log pose.
"Don't let it bother you, Nami-swan!"
Nami looked to Sanji then looked to the floor. "Yeah," she managed to utter out.
As Nami was consumed by darkness, she suddenly felt an uncomfortable tingling feeling in her belly that made her clutch her stomach. A hungry quiet growl radiated through her. Nami rose her head off of the dining table, stretching out her arms high in a spiteful yawn. She shot a glance at Sanji as he was slicing up pieces of a tangerine and tiredly began to ask, "Sanji-kun, I'd also love to have some dessert."
"Right away!" Sanji replied.
"Thanks again," Nami said.
"What would dessert would you prefer?"
"Tangerine-"
THHUUMMP!
Nami leaped up from her seat at the table and violently looked to the door, which led out to the deck. Sanji did the same but was more tense and way more prepared to put up a fight then Nami. They were surprised and confused by the sudden noise that had just occurred deck, wondering if it was an enemy.
"What was that?" Nami asked.
Sanji shrugged. "I have no idea."
"Maybe Luffy fell or something?" Nami suggested.
He didn't answer.
Nami glanced back at the door.
"Maybe," Sanji muttered.
"WHAT THE HECK?!" A voice screamed from outside.
Through the tone, Nami and Sanji determined that the voice belonged to Luffy without thinking a single thought.
"What are they doing?!" Nami groaned.
"Playing a game?" Sanji suggested.
A high-pitched voice shrieked, "OH MY GOD!"
That was definitely Chopper.
"NAMI!" Usopp's voice radiated through the air. "SANJI!"
All of the voices were rattling with confusion, surprise and fear.
"What Usopp?!" Sanji answered while approaching the door. "I was in the midst of creating a drink for Nami-swan! Quiet all your games," Sanji lectured in irritation, a tick forming at his temples.
"THIS ISN'T A GAME!" Usopp roared. "JUST COME!"
"Why?" Nami called.
"JUST COME!"
Nami and Sanji exchanged a look and rolled their eyes in response.
"Coming, you idiots," Sanji yelled.
Sanji turned the knob of the door and pulled it open.
In unison, Nami and Sanji shouted, "What do you mean it isn't a-" but were cut short by their own gasps and widening eyes.
"What."
Right in the middle of the deck, was a collapsed Zoro.
HOLY CRAP, IS ZORO DYING? Is what Nami and Sanji thought at first. But when they looked closer, their Zoro was there, along with Luffy, Usopp, Chopper and Robin.
"Is that Zoro?"
"Zoro's right beside us though."
"Devil Fruit?"
As Usopp and Chopper chatted, Nami and Sanji still couldn't believe their eyes.
And when they looked at the Zoro laying down. And what they saw when they looked extremely closer it wasn't just a duplicate Zoro. I mean by Zoro… I mean, a much… older, broader Zoro, that wore a white and black striped black kimono shirt, a dark evergreen belly warmer and a dark shade of navy blue jeans.
And, the biggest thing that stood out for all of the crew, was the scar that ran down from that Zoro's left eye.
Nami's body shivered and her lips quivered.
Sanji's cigarette fell from his mouth. "What the-"
"HELL?!"
In a mere moment, all of the crewmates surrounded the fallen other Zoro with surprised and shocked expressions spread across their faces. They didn't get to close, as they didn't know if it was a devil fruit or something. It was possible for it to be Bentham since he ate the Clone-Clone Fruit/Mane Mane no Mi which allows him to turn into any physical double of literally anyone he touches. But the thing was, this Zoro had different features. So unless Bentham changed into Zoro and drew the new features on him, they had no idea what the other Zoro was.
Chopper gasped, "Oh my god!"
Usopp brought out his cross. "God help us!"
It could possibly be a doll or a fake, or even just a mannequin. But I don't think anyone could make a doll or mannequin that realistic. I mean, that other Zoro had the exact same scar that Mihawk gave him. The stitches were also exactly the same but the whole scar was a bit faded since he looked much older... wait... older? Does that mean that-
An eerie and uncomfortable atmosphere hung on the air like a hook for many moments that seemed to last for hours with no one moving, just thinking and suggesting what was going on in their minds.
"HOLY FRIGGIN CRAP!" Luffy suddenly exclaimed, his eyes widening like golf balls and his mouth going agape, his jaw hitting the deck with a thump that rattled the wooden deck of the Going Merry. The outburst had surprised and fazed the crewmates and they were all looking at Luffy, confusingly. What had Luffy realized? Did he have an answer?
"Zoro!" Luffy looked at Zoro with an skeptical accusing glare. Zoro returned his gaze with an confused glance.
Wait... but this was Luffy. Of course he didn't have the answer.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US YOU HAD A BROTHER?" Luffy bellowed.
"I DON'T HAVE A BROTHER!" Zoro roared in irritation and annoyance, a tick forming at his temples. \
Luffy responded by hitting his palm with his fist in realization. His jaw was off the ground but still hung wide open. "Oh..." Luffy said.
An awkward silence passed as all of the crewmembers excluding Luffy, facepalmed themselves.
"Zoro! Why didn't you tell us you had a sister?!" Luffy asked, persistently.
Usopp was just dumbfounded. "Holy crap Luffy."
Robin chuckled and Nami slammed her hands against her forehead.
In reply, Zoro brought down the sheath of his Wado Ichimonji hard and coldly onto Luffy's rubbery head which made his rubbery captain fall to the deck in a gloomy fashion in one quick fluid motion. "THAT IS CLEARLY MALE," Zoro hissed in disbelief. "HOW THE HECK COULD YOU MESS THAT UP? I THOUGHT EVEN YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY THINK OF THAT. AND I TOLD YOU, I HAVE NO SIBLINGS-"
Zoro was cut off by a tired and exhausted groan. The crew's eyes snapped to the other Zoro at the floor, who was soon sitting up while rubbing his head in pain. "Shit, that hurt." The man yawned and stood up, scratching the back of his neck with closed eyes. Once he stretched out his arms, he opened his eyes to meet the gazes of the crew. And he took a brief moment of realization as he looked at all of them.
Robin had bangs. The man didn't care about that.
Chopper's hat was back to normal. The man became a little suspicious.
Sanji's hair was at the wrong side. The man didn't care.
Usopp was less manly. The man was not surprised at all.
Nami's hair was shorter. The man still didn't care.
And Luffy's scar wasn't there. The man felt a strike of guilt and shame thundering through him, electrocuting all of his bones. But, he showed no sign of pain physically, but the mental pain was definitely there, throbbing.
And lastly... himself? The man was dumbfounded. But something else caught his eye and his focus wasn't on any of the people around him. It was just the sensation and atmosphere he was in. It was too peaceful and quiet.
The man noticed at his surroundings. The sky was peaceful, lighted with a sky blue hue, patched with snow-like clouds. No sign of harm in the way. He realized where he stood and emotions froze him in place. The flag. The deck. The figurehead.
The man murmured in sadness and confusion.
"Merry?"
