Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

A/N: Dear Readers, please be aware that I've made some changes to the previous chapters - nothing significant, just fixed some things up (added a word that was missing, fixed a mistake, rephrased some sentences). The most significant change would be in chapter two, where I accidentally wrote "Roronoa crest" at the beginning of the chapter. That is incorrect - it is the Ryūnoya crest. In case you haven't figured it out by now, or I haven't been too clear, in this fanfiction Zoro's real name is Ryūnoya Zorro. He changed it to Roronoa Zoro sometime after the end of the flashback in the first chapter.

The Noble Swordsman

Chapter 3: Ryūnoya Paradise

"Wh-where did you hear that name?"

The crew could hardly believe it - Zoro - ZORO - was, was...was stuttering!

"Oi, oi, oi," Sanji said, unbelieving, "you can't be serious. This idiot marimo can't be the 'fox' that Lion-guy was talking about in the letter!"

Zoro squinted his eyes as he surveyed them, "What letter?"

Luffy came forward and plopped himself down in front of Zoro, "This raven came by and dropped a letter on the deck. It had this fancy wax seal-y thing-y, and when Robin opened it there was this letter inside from a guy named Lion-something."

Zoro winced. "What...what did the letter say?"

"So, you do know this Lion-guy," Sanji huffed, as he took a drag of his cigarette.

Zoro frowned, before taking a deep breath and sighing loudly. "Yeah...I know him."

"How do you know him?" Nami asked, taking the initiative and sitting herself down beside Luffy.

For a moment, Zoro debated whether or not he should answer their questions. Eventually, he resigned himself to his fate, and decided - there was no going back at this point, anyway.

Clearing his throat, Zoro sat up just a bit straighter than before, and motioned for the rest of the crew to settle down. Once they were all sitting in a semi-circle before Zoro, he spoke, "I've known Reyleón since I was child. I haven't seen him in years, though."

"How'd you meet?" Nami asked curiously.

Zoro was about to reply, but stopped himself. "First, I want to see the letter."

Nami saw no problem with it, and consented, handing over the letter she had still had in her possession. Zoro took it, and the crew watched his reaction as he read it. At first, he seem a bit pissed, but not too alarmed. More, annoyed. As he continued to read, however, his face soon morphed into one of alarm and dread - and almost, fear? No, that couldn't be. That's impossible - he's Zoro...right?

His face then changed to one of slight relief, before what appeared to be guilt, and then more dread. The further he got, the more the fear and dread began to show on his face.

The Strawhats couldn't understand what was making him react this way - it couldn't be that bad, could it?

The crew were justly startled, having never before seen such a range of emotions cross over Zoro's face.

"Oi. Nami." Zoro finally spoke, not looking up.

"E-eh?" she started. "M-me? Uh, yes?"

Zoro continued to look away as he spoke, avoiding eye contact. "Change coarse."

"Eh?" Nami asked, appearing confused, "Change coarse?"

Zoro made a noise of agreement, "Wasn't there some boring island we were planning on passing by?"

Nami hit her palm with her fist, "Oh, right! It was really dark and spooky, and it didn't look inhabited, so we were going to skip over it! We had to bribe Luffy with meat so he'd consent! Why?"

Zoro glanced up at her for a second, his head still tilted downward towards the letter in his hands, "Doesn't it match the description?"

The rest of the crew besides Zoro had a sudden shared epiphany.

"Right! It did look pretty dark, and I thought I saw an entrance on the side of the island - kind of like a cave! It's perfect!" Nami exclaimed. "Nice job, Zoro!"

Zoro murmured something in agreement as Nami stood up. "I'll be right back! I'm going to go change our course! Wait 'till I get back, ne?"

Once she had left, Sanji seemingly took the initiative to make sure that everyone actually waited for her. No one argued with this decision.

[ TIMESKIP ]

When she returned, the discussion in regards to the Lion-guy's letter started anew.

"So," Nami started, as no else seemed inclined to say anything, "You never answered my question...how'd you guys meet?"

Zoro bit his lip, and moved his hand to the back of his head, to fidget with his hair. "We, uh..." Despite it having been going on for a while now, still none of the crew could quite get used to the new way Zoro was acting. Zoro, normally so bold and without a care in the world, suddenly nervous and fidgeting, and tripping over his own words. When, before, had Zoro ever had trouble figuring out what to say? When had he ever fidgeted, and acted so unsure, in front of his own crew? His family?

Never before had Zoro been afraid to speak his mind, to tell it like it was. Yet now, right in front of them, Zoro was having trouble choosing the right words to say. Finally, he sighed deeply, and began to tell the crew a bit of his story.

"Reyleón is...he is a noble. And he lives on an island that he bought for himself, called Ryūnoya Paradise." The crew watched as Zoro scoffed, and shook his head. "But believe me, it's anything but. Reyleón is rotten, and cold, and - and violent. He...he would - hurt - his own wife. His own...son."

The Stawhat members' eyes widened in shock. "What the hell?!" Sanji growled, as crushed his cigarette between his teeth.

Robin's eyes narrowed at this new information, and Nami's jaw hung loose. Brook was silent, and Franky's fists were clenched, his teeth grinding as he glared. Usopp looked upset for the mother and child's sake, while Chopper was crying. Luffy, meanwhile, had his head down, his straw hat shadowing his face. His lips were drawn into a firm line, and his knuckles were white as his hands shook, his nails cutting into his skin causing his palms to bleed.

All the while, Zoro didn't look up - didn't look them in the eye - he couldn't. Not when they didn't know...when they didn't know, that he was talking about himself, and his own mother. The very same mother that he had abandoned, that he had left to fend for herself. His weak, frail, and beautiful mother - so strong in spirit, and in heart, but oh so weak when it came to physical strength. She had no way to defend herself. And yet, he had left her, alone. For years. He could never forgive himself for that. Never.

And now, he gets this letter. All this time...what has Reyleón been doing to her? What...

What has he done?

[ CHAPTER 3: END ]

{ ¡JA NE! }

-BL ~(o_O)~