Author's Note: Special thanks to Black Rook for your insightful comments! I would PM you, but I think you're listed as a guest reviewer so I can't :(

Thanks for sticking with the story so far!


Koshiro had assured her that if Zoro were on the island, it was likely that he would return to this dojo soon. She was not so sure. Koshiro did not know about Zoro's sense of direction. She could end up waiting here for days.

She listened to the teacher's stories with her attention fixed on the floor. Koshiro's daughter had died almost twenty years ago, but Zoro still called Tashigi a copycat. Even after all this time, was she simply a shadow of this girl in his mind? The fact that this bothered her at all distressed her most.

Over time she had formed a quasi-truce-quasi-one-sided rivalry with the pirate. She challenged him often, but every time she improved he seemed to grow ten times stronger. (There were times when she doubted that he was even human; she couldn't even scratch him.) That didn't stop her from trying again later, though. It was a bizarre relationship, but it had value to her.

Tashigi raised her head and saw that the students were learning a style similar to her own. It had been a while since she'd last tutored new recruits in the navy. While she was here, she might as well kill some time. She hoped it would distract her, but it didn't. Instead, training the children reminded her of an incident with the swordsman roughly two years ago.

"Will you stop calling me by my full name? It's annoying." He said.

"What should I call you then?"

She felt him shrug against her back, "Zoro is fine."

Dappled spots of sunlight lit the forest floor. It was warm. She might have enjoyed the lush scenery too had it not been for the looming threat and the closeness of the man holding her.

There were multiple creatures coming after both of their crews and the local islanders. Like Straw Hat Luffy, guns and physical blows did not really affect them; they needed to be cut in a certain way or else they'd multiply. If she did not master this technique, she would risk the lives of dozens of citizens as well as her soldiers. Her mind understood that this needed to be done. Her pride protested, but inevitably gave in.

Despite logic, her current situation was testing her patience. Zoro had carefully reached around her to shift her arms to the proper position. He then gently fixed her fingers so that they would grip the sword correctly. When he finally moved his hands to her hips to adjust her stance, she nearly jumped.

"J-Just teach me from over there!"

They had fought several times over the years, and after those matches she sometimes ended up pinned on the floor or against a wall staring at his smug face. But that was always with a sword in hand. Proximity in battle was different from this, and she was usually too annoyed with him to care anyway.

She didn't think Zoro had any lascivious intent at the moment, but him being that tender unsettled her. A breeze caressed her back as he moved away. Her jacket rested on her shoulders, and she pulled the ends of it closer together.

"Whatever." He walked where she pointed. "But pay attention! If you mess this up, we're all screwed."

She sighed and tried to recreate the position. After a few tries, she was confident she'd gotten the hang of it. He wasn't a bad teacher, though she'd still never call him by name. Pirates were free to consort with anyone they wanted, but she had to remain distant. Even though a bit of her wished she didn't have to.

Wait, what?

The two worked together on the task assigned to them and emerged successful. The islanders were grateful, and the Straw Hats threw a huge party. It was around that time that she began to realize she didn't want the Wado Ichimonji anymore. Aside from the museum incident, she and Zoro hadn't fought since then.

"Sensei, we're over here. That's a mirror." One of the children said.

"Oh! Sorry. And you don't have to call me sensei."

Tashigi slowly demonstrated the move again, giving instructions with each step. The children imitated. The boy with glasses appeared to be lost, and she chuckled as she helped him out.


When Chopper arrived in Cocoyashi Village, he immediately started searching for Nami. There was a slight rumble in the clouds overhead, but rain had not started falling yet. Picking up his pace, he followed her scent through town, and it led him to a distant tangerine grove. Some of the fruit began to snap off due to the gathering winds.

Outside of a small house, a woman with blue hair was having a heated argument with some marines. While she was talking, Chopper maneuvered around the far side of the building and was led to a strange old man.

The man had a white mustache, beard and short dreadlocks that smelled strongly of powder. Chopper coughed. The man was hunched over in a wooden chair layered in clothing that was much too large for him, playing with a cane. The poor guy seemed frail and possibly blind. He wore sunglasses even though the clouds were dark. Chopper thought it was peculiar that the man's hands were fairly unwrinkled considering his apparent age.

He was more anxious about the navy's presence, though. One of the marines had a funny looking chin that seemed familiar, but Chopper could not recall where he had seen him. Thankfully, they were leaving.

A loud sneeze startled him. In his alarm, Chopper bumped his head into the man with the ill-fitting clothing. "I'm sorry, sir!"

"Chopper! It's me!" Nami removed her powdered wig and beard and sniffled. "At least now I can get rid of these."

The pile of extra clothes and fake hair reminded him of everyone's disguises in Dressrosa. At that time he had secretly wanted a false mustache and beard too, but was assigned to the ship. When Chopper told Nami of his suspicions about the "old man," she touched the tip of his nose and said his intuition was improving.

With a hand on her hip, the blue haired woman greeted the two in her backyard. Nami introduced her as her sister "Nojiko." Nojiko did not seem surprised to see a talking reindeer and shook his hoof. She even knew his name. Her smile was playful, but genuine. 'Kind of like Nami's.' He thought to himself.

Unfortunately, Nojiko had to cut the conversation short when a baby's cry sounded from inside the house. After her sister departed, Nami explained that she had been playing it safe until either backup came or the marines left.

"We should get out of here fast, though." Nami warned. "I think they'll be back."

At that moment, Chopper heard a marine shout in the distance, "Hey! I think I saw the Straw Hats' transforming pet!"

"I am not!" Chopper protested, and Nami covered his mouth with a protective hand. Unfortunately, several of Chopper's forms now appeared on bounty posters. He still had not managed to shed the title of "pet" either, despite his medical accomplishments.

Once the navy returned, Chopper jaw dropped when he realized just how many soldiers there were. Was all of this necessary for just one woman?


"For aiding and abetting two criminals, I will have to take you in."

Kaya accompanied the marine without struggle. "I understand."

Be safe.

Usopp and Brook darted between trees in the forest overlooking the town. They were guided by Carrot, who was one of Usopp's old followers. Usopp, out of habit, checked behind his shoulder and skidded to a halt. With Observation Haki, he was able to see the arrest from Kaya's doll-sized house in the distance.

He ran back.

He knew that every step was bringing him closer to an enemy he and Brook may not be able to handle. Coby was approximately as strong as Sanji now. Even Luffy had some trouble with him. Fighting would be a last resort. A very last resort. But Usopp couldn't let her get taken either.

Over the years Usopp found that staying alive can feel like more of a curse than a blessing if you do (or don't do) something you truly regret. The best way to make up for past mistakes was to learn, and to keep improving. His father had taught him that.

Usopp halted at the edge of the cliff above Kaya's home. Brook skittered down the side with hollow legs. Carrot finally caught up to Usopp and was bent over, breathing heavily. The young man was about to ask why Usopp had turned back until he noticed the crowd outside of Kaya's door.

"I THREATENED HER!" The navy's attention turned to the bellowing man.

The lie was an old glove, and Usopp slipped into his role. He did not have to strain his imagination for this one anyway. "I used her! I came here for her money and I need her to sign it over to me!" He grabbed Carrot's arm and shook him. "Touch her and I'll kill this boy!"

"Your hands are shaking, Captain." Carrot whispered.

Coby approached the crowd and turned to the blonde woman. "Is this true, ma'am?" She shook her head "no." But her response was not for the marine.

Don't try to protect me, Kaya. Not if you're gonna sacrifice yourself.

Usopp retrieved his oldest slingshot. His arsenal had expanded over the years, but this weapon was partial to him. Especially since he was home again. A man with binoculars spoke to Coby, "He's got a weapon sir!"

Coby commanded his men: "That man is a skilled sniper! Don't let him hit you." He then dashed skyward, swifter than the eye of most normal humans. 'I'll get the boy.'

Usopp could see the men scrambling about, but he could not really hear them. He shifted his attention to Coby. "Why is he coming here so fast-WOAH!" Usopp fled into the trees and left Carrot behind. The young man had never seen him move so quickly before. Captain Usopp had become an even faster runner in his travels.


The transponder snail in her pocket began to ring. Tashigi excused herself from the class and stepped towards the back of the room near a window. She stripped off her collared shirt and wiped the sweat from her forehead with it. She wore a tanktop underneath. When she reached into her pocket for the snail, two envelopes fell to the floor. She ignored them for a moment to answer the call.

"Hello? Is something wrong?" She began to pick up the papers.

"We got Black Leg Sanji, ma'am! According to Miss Hina's report, he practically walked right into her arms."

"…I heard the sound of a woman's tears falling…"

Tashigi swallowed and tried to push the voice out of her thoughts. "What about the other Straw Hats?"

"No other reports have been filed." She realized that she had been clutching the papers while waiting for the response and tried to smooth them out. Folding them properly, she placed them back into her pocket. The snail then asked:

"Have you captured Roronoa Zoro yet?"

As soon as the name was said aloud, she became acutely aware that someone's eyes were on her. The person's murderous intent was almost tangible, and it made her shiver. Careful to avoid sudden moves, she turned and casually placed a hand on her sword as she answered, "No, I still haven't even seen-"

She stopped when she saw someone framed by the window in front of her. They locked eyes for an instant, and then he was gone.