"I'll see you later, then? Send me a PM when you want to meet up," Zoro told Tashigi, getting ready to log off. His muscles were stiff from inactivity, and he was yearning for a good nap.

"Sure. Ja ne."

Zoro wearily pulled off the headset, blinking as he tried to adjust to the light of the dark galley.

Damn, what time is it? he wondered blearily. He stepped outside and found his crew battling under the moonlight. "Hey, why didn't you guys call me?" he yelled, grabbing his swords and unsheathing them. He stopped short as he saw the last Marine fall into the water. The rest of the crew looked at him in surprise.

"We're perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves," Nami said with a scowl. "These were just small fry, anyway. Even Usopp and I could take them on."

"O-oy, Nami, why are you grouping us together?" Usopp exclaimed indignantly.

"Because you're clever, but you're weak. Just accept it."

"Sigh…"

"Don't worry, marimo. You wouldn't have made much of a difference, especially with that paper-cut of a wound that you have," Sanji teased, jumping back onto the ship. "Nami-san, Robin-chan, did you see me? Ah, battling to protect such precious flowers…truly, there is no nobler cause!"

Zoro rubbed the back of his head ruefully, muttering, "Maybe I've been playing that game a little too much."

He tried to stay away from The World for a while, he really did. The next time the Marines stopped by, he took out the entire ship just to make up for his last absence. He couldn't afford to put the crew at risk for a bit of entertainment. But every once in a while, when he was recuperating from this gash or that bullet wound, his eyes would stray back to that innocent little console waiting in the galley. Once in a while, he'd wonder Is Tashigi still playing? and then shake his head, turning to his weights to distract himself. Even training with his swords would remind him of Tash—The World. It had been bad enough when looking at Wado Ichimonji reminded him of Kuina, and therefore of Tashigi. But now Shuusui was just as sore of a reminder. Gradually, though, things turned back to normal; Marines or other pirates would stop by, and they'd get into a grand old scuffle like always. He began to push the game into the back of his mind, where it sat in lonely isolation.

One day, when he was searching for a good bottle of rum in the galley, he heard someone muttering under their breath. He poked a head out of the pantry and saw Sanji sitting cross-legged on the floor, body twitching once in a while in what Zoro could only assume was a fight. His mouth twitched into a slight smile, and he sauntered over with a dusty bottle to join the cook.

"Having fun, Prince?" Zoro joked, popping the bottle open. Sanji's eyebrow gave a spasm at the nickname and the sound of the opening bottle.

"That better not be the good rum."

"It's always the good rum."

"You shitty bastard. I'll get you later."

Zoro drank from the bottle slowly, savoring the liquid as it ran down his throat. Knowing Sanji, the blond would probably hide the bottles and he'd have to search the entire ship all over again just to find their new hiding places. When the bottle was empty, he sighed and plugged an additional controller into the game console.

"I might as well give it another run," he mumbled, cracking his neck as he settled into a more comfortable positon.

He found himself in the City of Chrysanthemum where he'd left off the last time and moved his arms experimentally, getting the feel of the controls again. Satisfied with his movements, he looked up in surprise as a winged envelope popped into the air above him. He grabbed it, only to find it replaced by another.

After grabbing envelope after envelope, he found himself with a small pile of the things. He opened them, one by one, face falling as he read their contents.

"Hey Zoro. This is Tashigi. Up for some leveling up?"

"This is Tashigi. I guess you weren't on in time for my last PM. Been busy?"

"It's Tashigi. I recently reached level 38, so you should start leveling up again if you want to keep up with me…"

The letters continued on that kind of thread, and Zoro groaned at the last letter.

"I've been reincarnated, so you probably won't recognize me the next time you see me. If you ever see me again."

"Crap!" he shouted, storing the letters in his Inventory. "I'm such an idiot!"

"Got that right," Sanji muttered beside him in the galley.

"Shut up. Where are you, anyway?"

"City of Chrysanthemum. Why?"

At that, Zoro began to run around the city. "I need someone to train with. Tell me your coordinates."

"You just passed me, baka. There you are. Why are you training all of a sudden?" Sanji asked.

Zoro rubbed the back of his head ruefully, noting the new equipment that Sanji had obtained. "There's this other player I need to catch up to. What level are you?"

"Level 38," Sanji said coolly, taking a puff from a virtual cigarette. He'd finally managed to find a way to smoke on the game.

"We're only two levels away from reincarnation. Want to train together?" Zoro asked desperately.

Sanji checked his fingernails nonchalantly, leaning against the wall for good measure. "I don't know, Zoro-chan, you haven't been very nice to me lately. You did drink the good rum, too."

"If you don't train with me, then I'll just kill you right now and get some experience," Zoro snarled.

"My, my, what a violent marimo," Sanji drawled. Zoro sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to get anything done this way. Zoro drew Sukenari and aimed at Sanji for a warning slash. Sanji dodged it with ease, one hand still on his cigarette. "Going against your swordsman code, eh?"

Zoro shrugged. "I'm a ninja here, too. I do what I have to do."

Sanji grinned. "Good policy." He immediately struck out and hit Zoro square in the chest, knocking the air out of the swordsman.

"Ugh…!" Zoro groaned, trying to reestablish his skill in the game. He had no idea what skills to use with these weapons, and he wished he had the familiar touch now that he had with the Blood Sakura. He drew all three, placing the heavier Shuusui in his mouth when he found that wielding it with either the lighter Sukenari and Sukenobu threw off his balance drastically. He moved in for an 'Oni Giri' but blanched as he saw a shiny black shoe whizzing at his face.

"'Roronoa Zoro' has been defeated."

"Damnit!" Zoro growled, rubbing his face in irritation as he sought Sanji out again. "Since when did that guy get so strong?" He found Sanji where he'd left him, still smoking. Sanji waved lazily with a smirk.

"I thought you'd have more in you than this, marimo. Your swords look better now, too," Sanji noted, nodding in approval. "It makes me glad to know that my class doesn't use weapons. I don't have to fumble around with class-specific weapons, like you seem to be doing. 'Roundhouse kick,'" he muttered, one long leg swinging in a blurred arc. Zoro just barely managed to dodge it, and he grinned as he began to grow more accustomed to the new swords.

The two of them fought for a long time, attracting admiring and intimidated stares from the other players. They moved through the streets, brawling wherever there was room for a good kick or swing of a sword. Other players began to follow them cautiously, watching in excitement. A girl would occasionally squeal at a particularly lethal combination, and the men would nod in approval.

---

Tashigi walked glumly along, her sword swinging at her hip in time with her steps. A pale robin's-egg blue cape billowed behind her as she walked down the street, throat tightening with slight nostalgia. She remembered the last time she'd walked down the streets of Chrysanthemum, waiting patiently for a certain green-haired swordsman to join her. She had sent the first PM almost shyly, wondering and hoping that he would reply. She'd never admit it, but she rather enjoyed spending time with the crotchety swordsman. When he hadn't replied to her first PM, she sent the next one timidly, wondering if she was using the right user name to send it to.

After the third or fourth unanswered message, she stopped asking him to join her and merely sent letters whenever something major happened to her.

Once in a while she would join Smoker to play—the Logia user had finally reached level 25—and they would form parties with other Marines while they were stationed for long periods of time at islands where the higher-ups would insist on their presence. She trained, both on the game and in the real world, refusing to think about Zoro. She would find pleasure in leveling up, so she continued to do so until she reached his level. She stopped, waiting, hoping that he would return and send her a message so they could move on together. She had traveled to other cities and met other players, other swordsmen and even the occasional ninja. They were strong, to be sure.

But they weren't Zoro.

They didn't need her to tell them when they were going in the wrong direction or what equipment was best for what stat. They didn't tease her cat ears, and while a few wore earrings, none of them had the three piercings that would tinkle in just the right rhythm when they moved.

Eventually, she gave up. She trained until she reached level 40 and beyond—admittedly, halting her training in a last-ditch attempt to wait—and then finally reincarnated.

One hand covered in small plate armor trembled as she walked up to Munetoshi's bar and ordered a few SP restoratives.

Munetoshi looked her over and grinned cheekily. "You've been working hard, eh?" he observed. He had seen her come by often as she waited for Zoro, clicking his tongue in disapproval and then pity. "It's a shame your man couldn't see you now. He'd be raring to go for a battle with you, I'm sure."

Tashigi shrugged, drinking glumly. "Well, I'm only at level 43 right now. We had some trouble with some pirates out in the real world, so I haven't had time to play much lately."

"Ah, so that's why you haven't been around." Conversation was cut short as mage ran up to the bar, jabbering excitedly.

"Munetoshi, you've got to come see this! There are two insane players out there who've been fighting forever, and neither of them has been defeated yet. We're taking bets on who's going to fall first. Do you want to place any wagers?" the man said excitedly.

Munetoshi shrugged, heaving his body out of the chair he had previously occupied. "Might as well. This lady's probably the last customer of the day. P'rhaps you should come along for the ride, missy."

Tashigi nodded silently and followed.

They found the location of the battle fairly easily, due to the large crowd that had gathered. There were even players hanging out of the windows of the buildings, hoping for a better view. Tashigi gaped at the sight. She hadn't seen such a high concentration of players since that tournament she had participated in with Zoro. They pushed their way through the crowd, at first with difficulty and then with relative ease as the other players spied Tashigi. Then, the crowd parted willingly as whispers followed her.

Tashigi ignored them, following Munetoshi until they found the middle of the crowd. She could see the two players fighting at furious speeds, and she saw that they had not reincarnated yet. She nodded in admiration at the blond's speed. With such skill, he's probably close to reincarnation, she noted. Her eyes widened as she caught a flash of green and saw three swords at work, trying to wear down the other man.

"Zoro…?" she mouthed, not quite saying it aloud. She saw Zoro's eyes widen and, for a split moment, she wondered if he had seen her. Her heart rose against her will in hope, but then she saw him grin wildly.

"'Clover spike!'" Zoro growled, his arms and swords glowing as he used the skill. "Finally, I'm learning how to use these damned swords."

Sanji flew back as a small, satisfied smile played across his face. "Looks like we're both at level forty now, then," he groaned, disappearing as he hit the ground.

"'Sanji' has been defeated."

The crowds cheered as Zoro stood up straight, putting his swords back into their sheathes and looking around in surprise.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed, blinking owlishly. "Where did all these people come from?" He shrugged, light and warmth enveloping his body as he leveled up. "Oh well, I might as well find that ero-cook so we can reincarnate." He turned and walked off through the crowd of people.

"Wait!" Tashigi cried, beginning to run after him. She found herself surrounded by other people as the clearing in the middle of the crowd began to collapse. "Zoro!"

He was gone.

---

Zoro looked around as he heard someone call his name. He didn't see anyone that he knew, so he simply kept walking.

He found Sanji walking down a narrow alley, smoking a new cigarette.

"Do those things actually do anything for you?" Zoro asked curiously.

Sanji looked at the cigarette in his hand and shrugged. "In terms of nicotine, no. But they gradually replenish HP and SP. So, uh, where do we go now?"

They looked at each other, stumped. They had no idea how to reincarnate now that they had reached level 40.

"Let's ask Nami-san!" Sanji exclaimed excitedly. "She knows a lot about the game. Or, maybe Robin-chan will know."

Zoro was suspicious of Sanji's intentions, but acknowledged the suggestion as valid. "Sounds like a good idea. Let's sign off, then." The two of them logged out, and Zoro could have sworn that he heard his name called again.

Maybe they're just trying to talk to us in the galley, he concluded.

---

Tashigi struggled to get out of the crowd, nudging past the other players as she tried to find where she'd last seen Zoro. When she was finally in the open, she looked around and saw a green-haired man disappear down a narrow alley. She forced herself to walk calmly, but then gave in and began to run as her armor clanked with her movement. She skidded to a halt and saw Zoro talking to Sanji.

"Zoro!"

They disappeared as they logged off.