Two years later, somewhere in East blue

"Mmmh you sure you don't wanna come ?"

"Yes, it would be dangerous if I am seen. I also want to visit some places, since we won't stay long."

"But I wanted to introduce you." A whine.

"I would more likely give them a heart attack. Besides you never were clear on your 'business'"

"Sheesh don't be angry. You'll probably meet them soon."

"Hn, well then, let's meet in logue town."

"You've got your transponder snail ?"

"Yes."

"My vivre card ?"

"Yes."

"Clothes ? Money ? Map-"

"Yes, yes. You don't have to be so worried, it's not like you captain."

"Maa, can't help it. We never separated for so long."

"Oh ? I remember you leaving me for months on Amazon lily."

"Well yeah, but you were safe. And it was training-"

"Right. See you later, Luffy"

"Shishishi, see you soon Robin !"


Zoro was not having a happy day.

Or maybe he should say he wasn't having a good time for the last three weeks. First he arrived in a town without any idea how (no he is not lost, he's just taking his time to find his way) then when he entered a bar and asked for sake, a damn dog tried to maul the girl right next to him. He beat the dog but an annoying blond brat singing 'I am riding on my father cocktails' accused him of treason and put him through this more than bothersome situation.

He was hungry and thirsty but it was nothing compared to the fact the blond brat took all his swords away from him.

So yeah, Zoro was not having a happy day.

And yet the worst was the recall of a memory he would have prefered forgotten. One involving too much alcohol and a kid with a straw hat.


More than two years ago, on a small island of East blue

He's sitting down in a pub, calmly drinking his sake. He delivered a few bounties lately so he's good. There's nothing terribly exiting on this island, mostly fields and cows. But the inhabitants are nice and the blacksmith repaired his blades, yet he would leave the day after.
He has to get stronger after all.

The doors open someone sits next to him. He doesn't bother to look who is it.

"Hey old man, give me your best sake." A light voice asks.

"Aren't you to young to drink ?" The bartender dryly queries. The voice scoffs.

"Hey I resent that implication ! I may look like one, but I am not kid. Besides old man, if you're old enough to sail then you're old enough to drink." The amused voice responds. It's the bartender turn to scoff, but he must agree because he sets down a glass and pour the booze.

The two of them chat and the swordman ignores the noise. Or tries to anyway.

"What with the three swords ? It's not like you can carry all of them at once."

Zoro finally turns his head to look at the newcomer, as much he wished he didn't. It's a kid with a straw hat, dark eyes dark hair. Well maybe not a kid, but not a man either. He looks entertained, like he's having a great fun.
Well, he's not going to humor him. But the bartender thinks otherwise.

"No no no, this is Roronoa Zoro, he's a bounty hunter. And he fights with the three swords, apparently." He steps in, and Zoro has no idea how such a calm man can lose his composure because of a kid.

"Huh. Some may say he's compensating for something else" comes the too amused reply. The bartenders coughs a laugh

Now that irks him and he glares at the boy, who seems completely unperturbed and unrepentant. He glares harder. The boy just grins.

"Maah don't be like that. The old man has good sake, enjoy it" The boy praises, making Zoro twitch.

"Yeah, not like a light weight like you ever could" He snarky comments. But the boy doesn't seem offended. Even worse, he just grins wider.

"Really, then why don't we prove that with a drinking contest ? If you're so sure..."

"I'm not going to humiliate some kid just to prove a point" He condescendingly remarks.

"Right. Some people doesn't understand the meaning of honor." the brat even more condescendingly states. And that's a low blow considering Zoro's past. A stupid bait, clear and loud.

Still, the first glass goes to Zoro

He doesn't remember clearly but they drink glass after glass and empty bottles. They line up on the table and neither of them give up. Some think it's dangerous after the seventh but the bartender and the other clients are to entertained to stop them. They even put bets.
Zoro can admit the kid stands his ground well, only his loudness betrays his drunkenness.
So they keep going, and he can hear snippets of cheering but has trouble focusing.

Then he doesn't know how or when but he feels sick, and moments later he rushes outside to empty his stomach, and the liquor really. He thinks hearing a burst of cheering and moans of disappointment. Right, the bets...

He takes a few wavering steps and crashes on the ground. He doesn't have the force to stand up. He groans.

Then unstable footsteps become clear and he manages to look up. It the straw hat boy, he's not looking much better than himself.

"Heey ya 'lright?" He slurs while swaying.

Zoro groans again but his pride won't let him sprawling down. He succeeds rising on a foot, nearly falls but manages to put the second foot under him. He smirks in victory but focuses again as a violent sway almost forces him down again.

The boy bursts in laughter (or Gwarf) and also fails to collapse.
Yes, two peas in a pod.

"Sayy... Wanna spa-ar'?" The straw hat utters. It takes a moment to understand, but when he does anticipation comes with vengeance because dead drunk not not, Zoro knows to fight and he's going to love making the kid eat dirt.
(Never mind he's already slightly impressed with him. No one had ever out drunk him like that)

So he nods (at least he thinks he does ) and both of them drag themselves to an unoccupied field, sometimes missing a step or muttering nonesense. Then they place themselves face to face.

The rest is a blurry but Zoro deeply grasps he's getting the betting down of the century. The boy is quick even in this state and his punches hurts like cannonballs and he even seems to anticipate his attacks.
And the boy seems to restrain himself.

Later he finds himself sprawling on the ground, breathing like he never did and everywhere hurting.

And God the boy doesn't even seem a bit winded.
He can't find the willpower to be angry at this.

"This izz ve secon' tam' I win" the freeging straw hat states, "so ya ow' me twu favours." Right.
Wait what ?

"We didnut mayd' any promise 'rat" He's proud his voice is even (mostly)

"Nuhuh it'z a pirat' thing" the boy nods to himself, "I beat ya so ya ow' mee"

Zoro doesn't even try to convey he's not a pirate, the boy is a nutcase. Instead he closes his half open eyes. He's too tired and a nap doesn't sound too bad.

"But ya' know wat' ? I'm sure som'day you'll upset som' brat and yu'll ne tied to 'a post wivvout food or 'ater. And I'll save yu. Then it'll be even"

He can't answer, not even to point out this is not how favours work. The voice becomes more and more distant and his mind slips into oblivion.
He passes out.

When he wakes up in an inn with the worst hangover he ever had , the matron explains they found him alone out cold in a field. He asks around about a boy with a straw hat but no one saw him. Even the bartender doesn't know where he came from or where he is.

The straw hat boy is long gone.

And he never saw him again.


Now Zoro gritted his teeth. It seemed even in a memory, the straw hat kid was laughing at him. And yet he couldn't do anything but being tied for the rest of the week.
He didn't need rescue, and he definitely didn't want to see the boy again.
He'd be perfectly OK on his own.

"You sure ? You seem to be strung out."

Yes he was sure thank you.
Wait. What ?

He looked up and met a painful sight. A dark haired boy (man?) with a straw hat and an impossibly large grin. The very same devil brat he searched for so long in hope to get a rematch.
Just magically appeared from nowhere, like before.

"What do you want ?" Zoro asked, feeling exhausted now. The strain in his voice was clear and straw hat laughed loud and clear, like the damn prat he was.

"I'm here to save you of course" aha, funny.

"I don't need to be saved, I will be free in one week. I don't need your help."

"Even if the blond idiot never intended to respect the bet ? Oh and he wants to execute you tomorrow by the way." Straw hat commented, like one would talk about the weather.

...what ?

"Luffy-san ! You can't be serious ! He's a dangerous criminal, he could hurt you !" A pink haired boy stepped in while stuttering.

He never intended- he thinks he can kill me there ?

"Mmh nah, Zoro's a softie. Besides I'm stronger than him. And we're friends!"

"No we're not." Zoro choked out and burnt a hole into the straw hat boy head. Pink boy recoiled and Rika (where does she came from ?) stopped hesitantly. Straw hat pouted.

Unnerving.

"Eeeh, but you owe me anyway. I'm just trying to even the ground." He whined.

"This not how favours work !" Zoro yelled while the two others nodded vigorously. "And I don't need you help." But that just made him smile deviously. He repressed a shudder.

"You sure ? 'Cause you can't escape, your swords are out of reach and you're so hungry you can barely talk. But heh, if this is what you want..." He singsonged and walked away, closely followed by pink boy.

Rika tried to give him food (and God he needs it) but he was too focused in watching straw hat. He didn't feel he was lying. And he was right, he couldn't escape.
Not alone.

Damn

"Hey damn it ! Wait !" He shouted and immediatly straw hat turned with a big happy smile on his face.

Zoro could feel his headache strengthening.