Chapter 2
The stone huts were perfectly aligned throughout the village of Shimo, and in each hut a small family or a member of the tribe slept quietly awaiting the dawn to enshroud them with light. The main hut, which was at the edge of the village, was unusually loud and voices were carried in the wind.
"You must fight with us!" The elder man called to the younger, more arrogant male.
"Why? There's plenty of land to share and animals to feed off. It's a pointless war," he replied with a cocky voice. He wasn't enjoying the chat the man initiated with him, and so early in the morning. He scratched his head absentmindedly.
"You represent me and I represent this village, as will you when I pass on!" Nakai shouted to his ignorant son.
He yawned and leaned back against the wall next to three blades encased in a beautifully designed scabbard each. They looked precious and well presented.
"You're the one who wanted to start a war not me. Go represent yourself."
His father stormed out of the house yelling insults to the man who opened one eye to watch him out. He stood up and walked out of the hut in search for some form of entertainment he doubted he'd find within the captivity of the village.
The sun had now risen high, and people started to file out of their quarters and into the centre of the village, where the water was kept. The young man heard his father's morning talk with the villagers and decided to ignore him and walk over to the large area the men of the village trained in. They all had different unusual weapons of ivory and bone in contrast to his metal.
He had his specially made from the Witch Doctor Usopp around half a year ago when his ivory started to look boring. He always had the white blade in memory of his sister, Kuina, who died eight years before. But the two new black blades were made specially.
He doubted they would remember him now, but they seemed like normal people, which was strange since the rumours stated otherwise. He had basically done business with them and then left, not bothering to stick around to make friends. The closest thing he had to friends was Johnny and Yosaku; but they were more like comrades or brothers in combat, as they fought and hunted together.
Being the strongest male in the village, the other men were prone to envy everything he was, while others feigned a form of camaraderie, while slandering behind his back. They used him for fame and to get the attention of the women in the village, so he chose to ignore them. The women flocked after him like crows, since being with the strongest man in the village was in at the moment. Women always went after the strong, handsome hunters of the village and he was all three and more. He was the chief's son, and future chief of the village.
He headed to south of the village and walked into the last haven which was bigger than the average hut, but not quite as big as the chiefs. He leaned against the wall impatiently, waiting.
"Who is it? Whaddya want?" Johnny said irritably, turning around to melt the intruder under his gaze.
"It's me, " Zoro said angrily.
"Ah, Aniki!" Johnny yelled running over to Zoro, who grinned smugly at the welcome. All signs of anger and annoyance were wiped clean, as his devoted follower recognised him. "Yosaku went to find out where the wilder animals are hanging from the older huntsman."
"They should just lie down and get old, let us do the jobs from now on…" Zoro grinned, putting his hands behind his head.
"Aa!" Johnny agreed enthusiastically, tying an ivory sword to his side quickly.
Just then, Yosaku ran through the animal skin curtain that draped over the entrance of the hut and grinned at their respected comrade. "Aniki, I found out where the packs have been sighted! Let's go get some meat!"
Zoro just smiled and followed them out the hut to lead the way. He was psyched about hunting again, as the herds and packs had been hiding the past few days, meaning he could only train to pass time and run away from the screaming girls who watched him. He was freaked out when they leered over him and drooled or squealed at one another as he lifted boulders and crates of water. It was disgusting and not to mention distracting. How was he to achieve perfect peace of mind with their constant interruptions?
As soon as they left the hut they headed straight for the forest between the two tribes in the area, Oni-Mori.
Zoro found himself wondering into a daydream. He thought about how his life was pretty boring. He was already the greatest swordsman, and no new challengers came to the village lately. If he wasn't hunting he was training or sleeping. He would dismiss everything insisting he didn't need anything else, but he started to feel empty. An immediate reasoning popped to mind; it was most likely action and excitement he was missing, but how could you get them things in your life without a challenger?
"You've got to have your eye on one of them Yosaku!" Johnny said laughing and patting his friend on the shoulder. They were walking ahead of Zoro and had apparently been talking all the time Zoro's mind wondered. He would normally join in, but he decided to just listen to their banter to see what they got out of life.
"More than one I'd say! But they're all for Zoro!" He said chuckling.
"Yeah I know what you mean! Hey Zoro!" Johnny called patting him on the back now. "What does it take to be such a stud?"
They both looked at him intently, mentally jotting notes. Zoro looked from one to the other, still not sure what they were talking about. "I…Uh…What?"
They both laughed slightly, but got glared at by Zoro. They knew they were pushing their luck so didn't say anything. "We just want to know how to be like you! You have all of them gagging for you after all!" Yosaku said cheerily.
"All of who?" Zoro's head was now spinning from the conversation; he still remained clueless as to what they were talking about.
The men restrained their laughter. "The girls!" Johnny laughed casually, hoping Zoro wouldn't smack him into next week.
"Eh? Why do I care?" Zoro said angrily. He felt his anger rising. "They're all just a bunch of squealing idiots!"
Zoro shut up immediately. He didn't like to reveal a lot of things he felt or what he thought about subjects as pathetic as that. Johnny and Yosaku looked stunned from what he had said. Not only had he insulted all the women in the tribe, he had revealed how he felt about something. Sure it wasn't much but it was more than they expected in a lifetime.
"So, do you ever plan to settle down in the future?" Yosaku asked before he could stop himself. He was shocked by his own words, but even more shocked to find he hadn't been whacked. Zoro just kept on walking, remaining silent and looking blankly.
In truth, Zoro didn't know how to answer. He never thought about it before, and never expected to have to answer it. He chose to remain blank, and pretend he didn't hear him.
Without warning, a huge black cloud covered the sky behind them. It came from the Mountain where upon the two doctors live. He remembered the trip to see them like it was yesterday. They knew exactly who he was the moment he set foot in the little cave they called home. The small reindeer looked amazed to see him, as little stars floated around his head. The long nosed man looked terrified though. They were quite refreshing, personality wise.
But this strange black cloud intrigued him. He wanted to call off the hunt and go check the area out, but he hadn't hunted in a while and his 'brothers' were generally scared of the ominous cloud.
It suddenly struck harsh into the earth and then slowly diminished into nothing. Zoro was stunned at witnessing it. Not only did it appear and disappear at incredible speed, it only adorned the small mountain mid region.
They had been hunting for fifteen minutes, when Zoro got lost from his comrades. He walked around mindlessly thinking of the strange cloud again. It was so strange an occurrence. He knew that people would be watching the area in case a so-called 'attack' could be plotted against the Shimo tribe.
Zoro retained his blank expression, though the corners of his mouth dipped in disappointment. He didn't believe in a pointless war over nothing. Lots of innocent people would fall victim to it and he wouldn't admit it out loud, but his village did mean a lot to him. He didn't care much for running it, but still called it home all the same.
He kept on walking some time later until he heard a scream and a splash. His footsteps slowed to a stop, and his hands unfolded to rest by his side, or rather across the top of his swords. Curiosity won out and he followed the sound and heard shouting from a woman's voice some distance away.
Stupid women! Coming into this forest unprepared and screaming. He didn't know why, but his legs carried him to the source of the disruption. He noticed a woman struggling in the water, trying to make it to the surface and then seen a little trace of blood left in her wake.
He was about to jump in (heaven forbid that impulse) when he noticed her swimming to the edge safely.
She climbed out tiredly, her head hung forward as if it were a heavy burden and let the water flow off her. It ran down her tired face and off her bright orange hair. He didn't think he had seen her in the village, but then again he didn't take much notice of the women who followed him all the time.
She crawled a little and collapsed, exhaling softly before she started to breathe again.
"O-Oi!" He called, unsurely. When she didn't move, he walked over to her then stopped and glared at the water as three men emerged. They looked at him and their faces dropped from the smug smiles they once adorned.
He simply glared at them, getting the message that they were harassing the woman.
"Gonna tell me what you did to her?"
"We just took a little cut! She ain't yours!" They retorted unsurely.
"Is she yours?" He replied smartly. He wasn't quite sure why he was sticking up for her. He should have just left her there... then again, he wasn't quite as heartless as even he believed.
"She'll belong to the boss!" He yelled back.
"I don't appreciate being yelled at." He said darkly, his tone threatening enough to cause the men panic. They turned and tried to run away, but he was too quick; in less than a heartbeat, he'd already appeared behind them, and struck them each in the pressure point in the back of their neck, letting their bodies fall into the water. No doubt they'd drift downstream.
His attention returned to the orange haired woman. He walked over and turned her soaked body over so she was resting limply in his arm. He used his other hand to push her wet hair to her ear and trace her face's bone structure. He didn't know why he was so freely stroking some stranger but it made his skin tingle from the contact with her soft skin. She was... pretty. Was that even right? It didn't sound right in his mind; he hadn't called a woman anything other than a nuisance.
"Nami!" Another woman called, approaching his direction and fast. He placed her back down and ran off into the forest, hoping to find Johnny and Yosaku or follow their voices.
Just before making it out of earshot he heard a lighter voice gasp the same name as the other. "Nami!"
Nami huh? He thought smirking. He slowed down and found himself mindlessly wondering throughout the forest. Blech, women are all the same. Still, mindlessly walked in Oni-Mori is a first.
He tried to dismiss the woman's image from his head, but to no avail. She had a different, cute sort of beauty aside from the heavily made girls in the village.
He walked a further ten minutes, beating up a few of wild animals and dragging their carcasses with him until he heard familiar voices.
"Aniki!" They yelled simultaneously.
Mentally sighing, he headed over to the direction of the sound and found them standing with two dead animals each. He looked down at the five bodies of meat he had gathered and shrugged. They all headed back to the village in silence until he spoke up.
"Is there a girl in our village called Nami?" He asked. He almost smacked his mouth shut as the words left his tongue. He didn't mean to shout it out loud, or bring her up to them.
"Ah! So you are interested in women!?" Yosaku yelled happily.
"What does that mean?!" He shouted back. Had they thought him...? No, surely not!
"N-Nothing!" They both called in sync.
"Well?" he asked again impatiently; he might as well get an answer now that he had embarrassed himself.
"W-Well what?" Johnny asked.
"I there a woman named Nami in the village!?" He yelled, turning shark like, but feeling very embarrassed afterwards.
"AH! I don't know names! I only know Suzu, Robin and Kimi!" Yelled Johnny saluting.
Yosaku imitated Johnny and shouted, "I only know Suzu, Ayame and Sana's name!"
Zoro sighed and rubbed his temple, "You don't need to shout… and what's with the saluting?"
They finally made it to the tribe. It was still sunny and the warm atmosphere made the three brothers sweat profusely. Once they were inside the village they froze to the spot with wide eyes, for all of the hopeful young women of the village were gathered in a group in front of them, eagerly awaiting their return.
"Zoro-sama!" They screamed and squealed jumping in the air or whistling at him. He pulled a sickening face at the sight and wondered why they weren't running towards them like usual. He noticed that in front of all the women stood her…
She was a tall, well figured woman with dark brown hair that was tatted, but all the same it was supposedly sexy. She had full lips and dark focused eyes which pierced straight into the swordsman. Her fur bra-like top clung to decent sized breasts and matched her loin cloth, which barely covered her curvy butt. She stood with her hands on her hips, putting on a sexy smile in hope of catching Zoro's eye. It worked.
She was known to be quite attractive, definitely the best in the village, but she was just another air-head who would squirm and plead for his embrace. His thoughts wouldn't stop wondering to the cute red-head whom he had saved earlier. She would never know this though… unless…
"Zoro-S-a-m-a!" She said in an attempt to seduce him. All the other girls glared at the woman but wouldn't dare fight for the position she held. Her father was close to the chief and hoping she would be the one to catch the young son's eyes. "Where have you been all morning? We were getting worried…" She pouted strutting over to him.
She was clearly in control of the girl group and refused to let them cross a certain point. "It has nothing to do with you, so go pester someone who gives shit," He said coldly receiving a few giddy giggles from the women in front of him.
She didn't know how to handle the rejection so she carried on. "Aw, don't be like that! We may be married soon, if our fathers talk more of it." She smiled at him now face to face, and placed her hands on his chest gently and looked him in the eyes. "Be glad you don't have to marry the daughter or Coco. I hear she is pretty dull and weak. Nowhere near as beautiful as me."
Zoro panicked looking over to Johnny and Yosaku for help, but they were in a love state with hearts in their eyes and jaws opened to the floor. He made note to discipline them later as he pushed her away by the arms and sprinted in the opposite direction, leaving them all behind.
It took a few, silent moments for the group to realise he had just ran.
He carried on sprinting and looked back to notice the whole group chasing him with smiles and loved up eyes. He grimaced at the sight but knew they had a decent map of the village in their heads. Zoro didn't even have any directional sense, not that he'd admit it of course.
He kept running until he came to a tall hut on which he jumped upon. He turned around knowing that the girls weren't good when it came to jumping. They stood pitifully gawking at him hands in the air in an attempt to reach him.
Turning to walk away, he paused and remembered the woman in the forest. Skimming the crowds of girls beneath him, the only two that had the same hair colour either had a continuous eyebrow and several spots or warts and buck teeth. Not all the women were as beautiful as the in-training seductress Suzu.
He noticed she was staring at him with wild eyes from the back of the crowd, arms folded. She clearly wasn't happy that he was surveying the women below. It seemed like he was actually considering them, for once.
"He's looking at us!" Some shouted.
Others yelled, "Kya! Pick me!"
Or "I'll marry you! Choose me!"
"He's choosing!"
Zoro had enough of the pathetic women who ruined his naps, training sessions and freedom. He scowled at them and yelled, "As if I would!"
He jumped down the opposite side of the building and ran into Shimo-Mori. He kept running until he found the stream at the far side of the vast forest. He decided to wash up, as all the running made him quite sticky.