Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.


The Noble Swordsman

Chapter 2: Letter From a Lion


Zoro was torn from his reminiscing by a kick to his torso. His eyes snapped open and he glared at the perverted cook. "What the hell do you want, curly-brow?"

Sanji scoffed, "Lunch is ready, baka-marimo."

"But why'd you have to kick me ero-cook!"

"Hmpth. Just hurry up, I hate people who waste food."

"Che," Zoro said, turning away, "Whatever."

Zoro glared at Sanji as he walked away, his hand unconsciously going to fidget with his bandana - his mother's bandana - which he still kept with him. Through the fabric, he could feel the Ryūnoya crest hidden from view, as it always was. He couldn't help but let his mind drift off, back to his mother... Was she alright? Was she even still alive? It's been years since then, and he has grown both physically and mentally. Now, he is stronger, both in body and in mind. He wonders...if he could face his father, now...if he had been as strong as he is now, back then...how could things have turned out differently?

If he had never left, if he had never met Kuina - never made that promise to her to become the strongest swordsman in the world...if he never met Luffy, and joined his crew...

No, he shouldn't think about that. What was done, was done. What happened, happened, and nothing could change that. And besides - he's working hard to accomplish his dream, just like his mother told him. He would make her proud. Meanwhile...

"DAMMIT MARIMO! THE FOOD'S COLD NOW!"


[ TIMESKIP ]


"What's that?" Nami frowned, as she stared off at something in the distance, squinting against the blazing sun.

Sanji spun over to her, his eyes greatly resembling hearts, "Hmm~? What's what, Nami-chwan~?"

"That, there," she said, as she pointed to something far off and high in the sky, "it looks like one of the seagulls that deliver the newspaper, but..."

"But?"

"I think... I think it's a raven..."

"A raven?" Sanji frowned, turning his attention away from Nami for a moment, so he could look for himself, "But what's a raven doing in the middle of the ocean?"

"I think...I think it's carrying a letter...!" She said, shocked.

Sanji started, "A letter? But who..."

"Hold on, it's coming down!"

They watched as the raven swooped down and dropped a letter onto the deck before taking off again in the direction it came. Nami hesitantly approached it while calling out to Luffy, "Luffy! A weird bird just dropped a letter on the deck!"

"Eh?! A weird bird?! I wanna see, I wanna see!"

Hearing the commotion, it wasn't long until the entire crew was assembled on the deck. Lying innocently in front of them, was a thick envelope that appeared to be made of expensive parchment, with a wax seal on the front. Looking closely, the seal appeared to have the image of a dragon wrapped around a letter "R".

Nami picked it up as Luffy cheered, "Open it, open it!"

She frowned, "How do you...?"

"Here, let me," said Robin, stepping forward. She took the envelope from Nami and quickly broke the seal.

"Amazing, Robin-swan~!" Sanji swooned, while Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Brook pestered her about what it said. She took out the letter, handing the envelope off to Nami, and began to read.

"Dear Foolish Fox," she began, frowning. The rest of the crew that was there, minus Zoro who was snoring off to the side against the railing, listened, confused. It seemed to be addressed to a single person, but as to who... The crew silently made a general consensus that they would read further in order to hopefully find out.

And so, Robin continued. "My Dear little Fox, I shall commend you on evading me for so many years. However, this little game of hide and seek has come to an end. Enough of this foolish running away, little Fox. Know this: I will catch you yet. The Fox can only elude the Lion for so long.

You thought if you escaped the King's Jungle, that the Lion might leave you alone? Ha! You are too naïve, Little One. My Kit, your King has found you, and he is not happy. As for the irritating Raven, she is no more. Or at least, she soon will be. That Treacherous Crow has rotten in a Cage for years, since her Foolish Fox abandoned her. And soon, that Cage shall come crashing down.

If the Little Coward Fox, who dreams foolish little dreams that will never come to pass, wishes to save his precious little Raven, then he shall have to come and get her, himself.

The Cage of the Raven resides on an island of Darkness, with the appearance of an Abyss. Lacking of Light, the Cavern holds prisoner a Rainbow Crow. If you wish to see this Irritating Bird well, you shall come to the Island at your earliest convenance.

The King of the Jungle awaits his Foolish Fox in the Cavern where the Rainbow Crow resides.

See you soon, Little Kit...

Signed,

Rey León and Arcoiris Cuervo."

Robin finished reading, and passed the letter to Nami to look at, while Sanji muttered "...the hell?"

"I don't get it," Nami complained, "what's all this talk about foxes and lions and crows?"

"Maybe it's a prank?" Usopp hoped.

"No," Robin intersected, "it seemed pretty serious to me. I think this letter was purposely written, so only the one who it was meant for would understand it."

"How interesting!" Brook laughed.

"This is going to be SUPER fun!" Franky said, posing.

"But what's it mean?" Sanji asked, as he lit a cigarette from his seemingly endless supply.

Robin smiled, "I think I have an idea".

"Eh? You know who it's for?" Luffy asked.

"Well," she began, "in the letter, the writer kept referring to people as animals. He called himself a lion, while addressing a fox, and spoke of a crow or a raven."

"So?"

"You see...before boats and ships were invented, and traveling between islands become frequent, many different regions would speak different languages. Nowadays, everyone tends to speak the same language, however it is not uncommon for people to be named using words from the old languages. And, of course, there are still some select few people who speak still speak, or at least understand these old languages. For example, at the end of this letter... It was signed "Rey León and Arcoiris Cuervo," which translates as "King Lion and Rainbow Crow." Since he referred to himself in the letter according to the meaning of his name, it can be assumed that the "Fox" he is speaking to is named after the word for fox."

"Brilliant, Robin-swan!" Sanji cheered, swooning as he flailed his arms about and spun himself around her.

Usopp frowned and put his hand on his chin, going into a thinking pose. " But who here is named after a fox?"

"I know just the person," Robin smiled, and the crew followed her gaze to a sleeping Zoro. "In Spanish, the language used in the letter, the word for fox is Zorro."

The crew members reared in shock, their jaws dropping. "Z-Zoro?!"

"You've got to be kidding me! That idiot marimo?!"

As if sensing the stares, Zoro chose that exact moment to wake up. When he saw them all staring at him with various stages of shock, he resisted the urge to flinch, and stared at them all uncertainly.

"...what?"

Robin stepped closer to Zoro, ahead of where the rest of the crew members stood. "Zoro, do you know anyone that goes by the name of Rey León?"

Zoro's face slowly went from slightly unnerved to a state of obvious shock and distress. "R-Reyleón?!"


[ CHAPTER 2: END ]


{ ¡JA NE! }

-BL ~(o_O)~