Disclaimers: This wonderful anime/manga is not written by me... It¡¯s by Oda eiichirou-sama . I just write Fan-based materials.
The original copy of this fic is by lona-san... in Korean. I tried to translate it, but since my English is awful, I had a hard time getting the original feelings out... but if you'll forgive, it won't be much of a problem.
Notes: Lola-san has demolished her site for a new support site, and she didn't leave a copy of the fic for me, so I had to wait till she gave one to me... (Damn your excuses, shuni!) I apologize for such a long wait... (Gets stomped by a bunch of people.)coughcough I worked my best for the rest of the fic... so enjoy .;; (This is the last chapter! Rather longer than the others, I say.)
This entire chapter is on Zoro's perspective, and the XXX are flashbacks of what people said.
Chapter 3 part 2
It's just maddening how you sit there; giving a command that doesn't make sense.
You say everyone will die... but it's only you who will be dead.
"Are you doing this becuase you're guilty?" He stepped over the rumble and walked towards his captain. But he had to stop when he saw Rufy's cold expression. "Guilty of what?" Within a second his voice had dropped down a few degrees.
You know what I'm talking about. Look at you. You're disturbed.
"Don't pretend you don't know, Captain... ¡°He stopped, gazing before the thin figure.
He was walking into the forbidden part of the conversation.
"Shanks, Captain... the man you killed... the owner of that straw hat." Now he had shown all the dirty feelings inside him; the jealousy,and the anger towards Rufy's old hero. "Zoro." Rufy sighed and his face hardened.
"I've always told you that without determination as harsh as what you spoke of, you can't be a pirate." He sounded too bitter for the words.
Is that so? Saa... that's what a pirate is, is it? Everyone else besides your own comrades is an enemy, eh? No matter whom they are, no matter what happened between them and you.
Saa... you're strong. High up there ever so much...I can't reach you...
But I saw you crying. You were crying, buried in the bodies of your long lost friends. You stroke his red hair, your hand covered with blood,
shedding your tears for him.
You were a helpless dove, ever so weak, shaking your small shoulders.
If what you are saying is true, then who was the crying man I saw?
How is that so, captain?
Zoro couldn't ask. It was such a simple question, but it wouldn't come out.
Rufy smiled a strange smile at Zoro's unknown silence, knowing that there was a lot going on the swordsman's mind.
"Zoro..Do you think the old Pirate King was CAUGHT by the marines?" Rufy broke the silence.
"Eh?" Zoro was taken back, as the query was unexpected.
Rufy tried to stand, but stumbled as his legs gave away after a long sitting. Zoro caught him in his arms as he fell and tsked bitterly, feeling the limp body of his captain. He felt that it has been too long since he last touched his captain. The mere touch of Rufy's fingertips stopped his heart, and then drove it mad again.
"I asked... if you thought the Pirate King was caught¡¦ and executed by the marines... Zoro?" whispered Rufy, gazing into his eyes. "I'll tell you something.. that Gole. D. Roger didn't get CAUGHT by the marines... He simply TURNED HIMSELF IN. He CHOSE his time to go." He whispered, with his old grin playing about his flushed lips.
"It's just my time to go, Zoro. Don't let me be attached to this place forever."
What do you think the Pirate King exists for?
You would murmur softly, with a voice that only the wind can hear. You were sitting on your favorite post, looking far out into the endless sea.
Then you would look back to smile at me your dark hair blowing on the sea breeze.
"God forbid, you're cruel, Captain..." Zoro whispered in a choked voice.
Only if you had known this back then.
You took everything from me, made my dream come true, and left nothing in my life except you.
Now you're about to take what's left of it.
But then... you lost everything, too.
You took everything from me, but you lost everything to your dream.
And for the last time, you're going to give what's left of you.
That's who you are.
Something hot was running down his cheek. Zoro didn't want to know what it was, and denied its existence deep in his heart.
Still gazing into Zoro's face, Rufy smiled sadly, knowing that Zoro now realized his intentions. "Zoro.." Rufy called his first-mate, stroking the tears away from the swordsman's cheeks.
"Zoro, take Nami and leave with everyone else. Leave Rogue Town right now..."
"I can't... Captain.
"Because Nami's dead, Captain. I killed her before I came here."
That's my place to be as the Pirate King's wife
She told me that with the damned smile of hers. That damned smug one of hers.
And I did what she asked me to do. And the rest of them. All innocent just like you, are dead too...
It's just you and I left...
"Captain... I have something to ask of you... A request."
It's the first and last request I ask of whom I had looked on for so long... A request I ask of who I only had the chance to just watch over...
"Captain, I ask that you allow me to kill you with my own hands."
Come into my crew, Zoro! Be my first-mate!
That's what you said, when you saw me. The 17-year old young boy than asked me to become his first-mate, smiling like a child.
I've heard those words may times before, 'Become a part of our crew...' But they were only tools for money or power. Nothing more, nothing less.
So by then I didn't believe in the word, 'comrade' or 'companion', because I didn't need it.
But you chose me under the name of your "dream". Then you asked of me to become your companion, with a face so bright.
To become someone that would share your dream... someone to help catch your dream.
To be a companion,. a comrade... a friend.
I nearly wept for joy by then. And who would have known... that was the first in my life?
People call things like that 'fate'.
-Fate is cruel, isn't it-
Then Zoro pressed his lips onto his captain's before he had a chance to say anything. It was a kiss that only touched for a moment, But also something Zoro had longed for all his life.
When the kiss broke off, Zoro saw Rufy's eyes grow blushed and a confused expression popped onto his face.
You never knew my feeling for you. Not that you ever would. You're that thick, baka.
"Rufy..." He called for the last time, the name that lingered inside his lips all this time.
"Suki da..." Zoro whispered into Rufy's ear. How he had longed to say this, only god would know.
The next sound heard was a sword going through flesh, like a slash in a battle field. It rung in the empty chamber, sounding lonely.
Zoro expected it to be heavier, but it sounded too light, like the kiss moments ago.
Way too light to end a life, Zoro thought.
His bloody hands shook as he held the sword that went through both Rufy and himself.
It wasn't hard as he thought it would be.
"Sorry...Kuina..." Zoro whispered, staring at the sword with was now glowing blue in the moonlight. I'm sorry I had to make it crimson to the last moment.
Were you happy, Zoro
Nami.
What are you, dropping in at the last moment? Is that your smile of triumph?
But I guess I'm the winner... who gets to see the last... of him.
The last kiss and the last words...
Zoro felt the world fade away from him, and the Rufy in his arms dying silently, without pain. The puddle of blood became faint as a smile seeped silently to Zoro's lips.
I couldn't hold you; I wasn't allowed to have you. All I could do was gaze at you from a short distance, lingering around you.
But I got you at the last moment... in my arms.
Rufy... captain... my beloved captain.
Promise that if we are born again, we'll go to the sea again, where everyone is...then we¡¯ll travel around the world with everyone else.
I'll have you then. I'll hold you and never let go. Brace yourself for it, Rufy.
Before everything slipped away, before everything stopped, he had to say it.
He murmured with what was left of him, into Rufy's ear.
"I...love...you...Rufy..."
I loved you years before.I still do, I will always.
So don't forget my words. Keep it in mind, and keep it well.
Were you happy, Zoro?
Ah, I was. All I could do was look at him... but that was all I would have wanted.
