Hi again it's the little slime living in the trashcan, Kyuseedu. Disclaimer is in the first chapter. Have fun reading if you do *clang*

XOX OXO XOX OXO XOX

Road 2: When the Past Shows Up Before You

"Where the hell have you been Luffy?!" Nami asked angrily after she gave him a heavy hit to the head. "Do you have any idea how long we've been looking for you?"

Luffy was dragged back to the small bay where the Going Merry was docked along side a couple other ships shortly after Nami found him wandering around the town square. Chopper and Usopp were still in town with Sanji, gathering up supplies. That left the navigator, the swordsman and the archaeologist to watch the ship with Luffy for the day, but he decided to take off on his own. Robin was up on the ship's deck with a new book and Zoro stood on the dock with his arms crossed, staring up at the clear sky.

"I was hungry Nami!"

"And how did you pay for the food?"

"I didn't."

Another hit. "So now people are going to look for you?!"

"Stop hitting me! A really nice lady led me to food and paid for it!"

"A lady?"

Luffy turned around and pouted with his arms crossed. "What was her name? Li...lid? Little? Beetle?"

"You met Lida?"

Nami and Luffy glanced at Zoro when he spoke. His brows were furrowed and he looked unpleasant, like he smelled something sour.

"Yeah that's it! How did you know?"

Zoro looked away. "I met her a year ago and she's not someone you want to get involved with. She's a crazy two faced bitch."

"Whaaaaa? But she was really nice and paid for my food!"

"What do you mean she's two faced Zoro?" Nami asked.

"She's a bounty hunter. Last I heard at least. I don't know anymore and I don't care."

"Then...then she's our enemy?"

"No way! Beetle was super nice! I got to eat a lotta really good food."

Zoro scoffed. "If you want to keep your head then stay away from her. I'm getting a drink."

The swordsman left the bay behind and wandered back into town. It didn't sit well with him that she's here and he seriously hopes they don't cross paths. It was just one day from his life on a snow filled night. From the moment she sat with him at the bar he knew something was amiss about her. She was so out of place like a light dancing in the fog. While she may have been smiling, her eyes were not. They were dark and lost.

"Hahaha! My luck prevails again!"

A familiar voice caught Zoro's attention. Not too far in front of him was Lida. He acted without thinking and ducked into a nearby alleyway. This is bad. What terrible luck he has running into her. Where was he anyways?

"What exactly do you plan on doing with all that money you won Li?"

The other voice, a male, Zoro didn't recognize. He peered around the corner, seeing Lida with a dark orange hair guy who looked older. Her appearance was different from a year ago. Longer hair pulled up in a ponytail with her bangs held back with a clip. There was her usual crooked grin, but Zoro couldn't tell if that was real or not. Those crystal like eyes seemed more full of life than from a year ago.

"Go to that expensive restaurant in the far north end of town."

"You'd have to dress nicely to go there."

"Then I'll buy myself some nice clothes."

"And you need to have a reservation."

"I think a few extra beli can change their minds."

"What a twisted minded person you are."

She went to say something, but stopped and looked in the Zoro's direction. He quickly hid.

"Something wrong Li?"

"Hm it's nothing. Probably just seeing things. Let's go buy us some clothes and eat."

Zoro waited until he couldn't hear her voice anymore and stepped out from the alley. Part of him thought she'd come this way and felt relieved that she didn't. There were a few questions he had swimming in his head.

Is she still going after bounties?

Why'd she let Luffy live?

What is she doing here?

Did she really see me?

He shrugged. His friends and he will be leaving in less then a day. It would be nice if he didn't have to see her again. There have been several people he's met while traveling around before joining Luffy, but only a couple of them have stayed in his mind. Lida's one of them. Not because she tried to kill him or that she went after heads like he once did. It was because how lost she looked, how lifeless her gaze once was.

"Oh hey it's Zoro!"

The swordsman looked over his shoulder at Chopper who called out to him. Behind the blue nosed reindeer was Usopp and Sanji. The cook gave Zoro a sour look when their gazes met.

"Don't tell me you're lost again you damn moss ball."

"Piss off cook."

"What are you doing?" the long nose sniper asked.

"Looking for a bar."

Sanji got real close to Zoro with an angry look. "You're suppose to be watching the ship and making sure nothing happens to my beautiful Nami."

"She can handle herself and the damn ship is fine."

"That's not the point you shitty swordsman!"

"Shove it up your ass!"

Usopp grabbed Sanji and pulled him away while Chopper did the same with Zoro in his human form. A few people in the streets stopped and whispered among themselves, seeing the two act like children. The two shrugged their restraints away and marched off in opposite directions. Chopper and Usopp went after Sanji as Zoro went back to wandering around looking for a good bar. There's the one Lida came out from. It looked a bit run down, but it'll do.

The scent of cigarettes, cheap perfume and booze assailed his nose. It's a scent he's gotten use to. There were a few people sitting in the shadows. He sat at the far end of the bar with his three swords resting next to him. He could feel the cold stares from the people.

"What can I get you?"

Zoro didn't look up at the white haired elderly bartender. "Sake."

"Coming right up. Don't mind those guys. They're all upset they lost their money."

"Was it a blonde girl?"

"Yes you know that young lady?"

"Wish I didn't."

The bartender set a small glass in front him with the newly opened bottle. "I'd stay away from her kind. She's no good especially with who she works for."

"Who she works for?" Zoro never heard of her actually working under someone. That group she was with a year ago were just using her.

"Sorry son, but I can't tell you. They have eyes and ears everywhere."

Zoro didn't reply. He's heard about underground organizations. People hired to assassinate whoever they're told to regardless of status. Kingdom rulers, pirates of all bounties, soldiers of the Marines, rich Noblemen. Anyone someone wants killed. He wasn't all too surprised she belonged in the underground world, but at the same time it didn't seem fitting.

"Hey old man how much do you know about her, the blonde chick?"

"Enough to stay away. Though despite her relationship with bad people, she herself isn't that bad of a person. So I've heard."

"She hasn't tried to kill you yet."

The old man laughed loudly. "Is that what she did to you? No wonder why you have such a bitter look on your face. But you're still alive so that's something."

"Because she's a coward and couldn't do it."

"Is that what you really think young man?"

No response from the swordsman. A year ago when they first met, she was ordered to kill him by these pirates that got a little overly obsessed with taking him out. But she hesitated. Her life could have ended too on that snowy day. His sword was just centimeters away from her throat. Her gaze was so empty when she stared up at him from her kneeling position. She didn't have the look of someone that wanted to live anymore. Someone who had lost her will to live. A pleading, desperate look to want someone to end her.

"There is one thing I can tell you about the organization she's a part of."

Zoro glanced up at the man as he cleaned a glass.

"Some call them saints and others say they're demons. But from what I know and from what I've seen, they all got some pretty deep wounds that haven't healed." He placed the clean glass on the counter and poured himself a glass of whiskey. "They say that's what makes them all great little soldiers. They dig deep into the newcomers wounds, force them through hellish training, force them to break. Then turn them into emotionless killers."

"She's not like that. She wasn't emotionless."

"Oh? Now you're defending her?"

"I'm not. She looked like a lost and confused kid. That's it. Thanks for the drink old man."

"Before you think about paying, don't worry about it. It's on the house."

Zoro said his thanks again before leaving. He still felt the other guests' stares even as he exited the bar. The streets were a lot less crowded now from earlier. He cautiously looked around to see if that blonde girl was in sight. He didn't want to think he was getting paranoid because of one person who was hardly dangerous to him. He'll be leaving soon then he won't have to deal with her again. Ever.

XOX OXO XOX OXO XOX

I see you've made it to the end. Good job if you really did and thanks for reading. Sorry if it's not all that good. Probably a bit of a slow work up. But fear not I'll work hard to make it kinda good. Trashcan is calling me...cya.