Happily ever after...

Tashigi looked at the shredded pieces of cloth in her hands.

'You really believe that a sword is the best solution to all of your troubles?' she asked somewhere between playful and annoyed.

He looked up at her smiling.

'It worked!'

'You could have asked me to undo the clasp.' She teased.

'Now that would just had made things complicated.' He grinned and pulled her down to him.

They were just laying there, together. Tashigi looked around, there were swords all around them on the mat.

She smiled reaching out and carefully touching Shuusui. Other girls might get flower petals, but she was certainly happier surrounded by graceful blades.

'You know, Zoro, this was…I mean I never….' She tried. 'I'm just…'

'I guessed.' He said calmly.' Don't worry. It was my first time too.'

She looked at him perplexed.

'What? I thought…? I mean you was….' She blushed fiercely. And then mumbled. 'I've just been told that inexperienced guys don't know how to…well what we were doing…'

He shrugged.

'My mother was very thorough giving me 'the talk'. She took my swords to make sure I understood what she was talking about.'

'Oh…but you never?'

'Nah, haven't had the time, or met anyone.' He dragged her closer again. 'But we maybe we should go over all the movements and stances one more time, just to make sure we got it right.'

She wriggled against him.

'No, I'm still mad at you for ruining my clothes!'

'It's not that bad.'

'I'd like to see you try running around without pants! Everything bounces with no bra.'

He held her close.

'Heh, that's how we got Franky to join us.' He said.

'What? You running around without your pants?'

'No, we stole his pants. He was running through Water 7 stark naked all the way to the Sunny.' He was grinning, 'Yeah, everything bouncing.'

She started giggling and then they both laughed.

'You are all terrible!' She said when they'd finished laughing.

'Terrible, annoying pirates with no respect for anything.' She kissed him. 'But I've also seen you be honorable, righteous and helping people….and I really like being here, with the crew. And with you.'

Zoro was frowning at her as he caressed her face and played with her hair. Then he caught her head and kisses her deeply for a long time.

'We might go over you footing one more time.' He said as he untangled them at got up to find their clothes.

'Wha…what?' she stammered. He just gave her, her shirt and started getting the swords back to their right places. She got her clothes on and took Shigure when he gave her the sword.

'Zoro, what now?'

'I thought we could go over some movements. We're not getting better just lying around. And we'll reach harbor tomorrow at noon. So you'll leave soon.'

Tashigi felt something harden inside her. Something that had been silly and soft and pinkish got back to their normal perspectives and colors. Her mouth went dry.

'Yes. I know...Nami said that.'

'So.' Zoro continued. 'We have time make sure you're on the right way to correct foot stances.'

'Is everything in your life about being the best swordsman?' she asked in a low voice.

'Well, I promised someone I would be the best. But this is about you getting a little better.'

'You promised someone.' Tashigi echoed bitterly. 'That's about that old friend of yours isn't it? The one I apparently look like…'

Anger burned the last softness away. She forced the tears in the eyes away.

'You've had a nice ride down memory lane and now it's back to work. Right?'

Zoro crossed his arms and looked at her with a blank face.

'Swords and fighting skills with always come first.' He said. 'Now, do you want to train or will you just stand there yelling?'

'So this, this whatever happened means nothing.' Tashigi was trembling. 'Well I should have know better than to think a pirate would care for anyone other than himself.'

He didn't say anything his face was still blank.

Tashigi turned away from him and strode to the door. She stopped.

'Not everything is about you and your goal, Roronoa Zoro!' She whispered. 'And I'm nothing like your dead friend.'

She started down the ladder.

'No, you really are nothing like her.' She heard him saying.


She sat in the bath for more than an hour telling herself she wasn't crying. Then she got out, got into her borrowed cloths and went to bed.

She lay calmly in the darkness listening to the two other girls sleeping the rest of the night.

The next day Tashigi ignored everything to do with swords or any swordsman but busied herself with other things.

She helped Sanji in the kitchen, though it actually did more harm than good, as the cook got too distracted. So she went to Chopper sorting plants with him and talking about first aid. At last she ended up with Robin who asked Tashigi if she would explain the development of double-edged blades.

Around noon they were heading into to the harbor of Wingtown on Pidgin island. It was a beautiful summer island with blooming flowers and birds of very color flying everywhere.

Luffy was ecstatic with excitement expecting new adventures, Sanji started babbling about bird dishes and Brook started telling everybody of the amazing Bird Orchestra in Pidginbay town on the other side of the island.

Tashigi went down to the girls' room and got all her things. Robin had given her a pair of trousers and a shirt so she didn't have to use the ones ruined by blood. But her Marines coat was there and she put it on, even if it was a little too warm for this island.

Tashigi turned to get out again Robins stood in the door.

'I'm going to miss talking to you,' the wanted Archeologist said.

Tashigi smiled. 'I'm going to miss you too. I don't really now anybody else who's that interested in old stuff.'

They hugged.

'Take care.' Robin said. 'And remember you dreams.'

Tashigi smiled. There was a small bump as the Sunny lay in. They went up on the bridge and she started saying goodbye to the rest of the crew. She hugged Chopper telling him he was the best doctor she ever met. She kissed Sanji on the cheek, causing him to faint with an exploding nosebleed. She hugged Nami, Luffy and Usopp and let Franky tussle her hair and Brook place a kiss on her hand. Then she saw that Zoro was sanding down the stairs of the bridge. She went down and they just stood there looking at each other. He opened his mouth as if to say something but stopped himself.

She turned away from the Straw Hat Crew and walked to the rail and jumped down on the quay. The she went to find the local Marine office, not ever looking back.