He blocked the Bokken aimed at his head with two of his, he felt hers pulling back and dodged backwards. Taking advantage of an opening Kuina managed to smack both bokken out of his hands, before he could get the third into his hands he felt his feet swept out from under him. Kuina stood over him holding the wooden blade against his throat, grinning. Dammit he'd lost again, he scowled, he could beat everyone at the dojo except her.
He accepted her hand and pulled himself up.
'Again?' he asked hopefully.
'Look one of your friends is here let's call it' she pointed across the field.
Zoro glanced over, it was Sanji. His dad must have let him out of the kitchen earlier than normal.
'Want to spar?' he asked as the blonde reached them.
'Yea' the blonde's face lit up with excitement.
'Can I have a shot first?' Kuina asked, Zoro knew she was heading off soon to her own friends.
'Ah' Sanji looked uncomfortable 'I don't fight girls'
'But I'm better than him' Kuina sounded irritated.
'I just can't hit a girl' Sanji wouldn't look Kuina in the eye.
Zoro couldn't understand Sanji's problem Kuina was as good a fighter if not better than the pair of them.
He saw Kuina storm off and after one last glance at the cook he ran after her.
He caught up to her one field over, he was still small for his age so she was a faster runner too.
He grabbed her arm to stop her and when she spun round to him he was stopped dead.
She was crying, his big sister was crying….
'Kuina what's wrong?'
She looked at him dead in the eye.
'Do you have any idea how easy you have it Zoro?' she demanded
He stared at her confused.
'Your a boy, you'll become stronger than me soon. I won't be able to keep up and I'll have to stop being a swordsman' she looked angry 'Do you know you're the one inheriting the dojo? I'm sick of being treated differently just because I was born a girl'
'It's not about strength you're the better fighter. When I beat you it's because I'll be better than you not because I'm stronger' he wasn't just saying this to cheer her up 'Don't give up just because they don't believe in you. Prove to them that you are the strongest'
He was angry, angry at his dad for not seeing her talent, angry at the adults who believed strength was everything and angry at Sanji for treating Kuina differently than him.
'Promise me that one day, one of us will be the strongest swordsman in the world' he grinned at her.
She laughed 'Ok' she ruffled his hair 'Give me your bokken I'll take them home with me. Go play with your friends'
He handed them over, glad his sister had cheered up. She gave him one last smile and headed off home.
He started walking back to the field, his head filled with what his sister had said.
He didn't want to inherit the dojo, as far as he was concerned it belonged to Kuina just as Wado did. She was the first born and an incredible fighter, he'd never once questioned her inheritance.
As for the adults they were just jealous that an eleven year old girl could beat them, when they had been training most of their lives.
He reached the field and walked towards his friends, he spotted Sanji walking towards him.
Sanji who had made his sister cry….
He didn't even think about it, as soon as the blonde was close enough he punched him in the face.
The next few minutes was a tangle of feet and fists before his friends dragged them apart. It had been a short fight but both had taken damage. Zoro could feel blood trickling from his lip but he could see the cooks eye swelling up already. He was going to have his fair share of bruises tomorrow and could guarantee that blondie would be the same.
'Zoro what were you thinking?' Nami was staring at him in surprise.
He just glared at the ground.
'Sanji any idea?' Nami turned on him.
'I...I don't know' he heard the cook answer
Zoro got up and walked off, he knew he was going to be in trouble when he got home so he decided to wander around for a while.
About an hour later boredom hit and he decided it was time to face his dad, he was probably going to get grounded.
When he arrived home he discovered he'd been beaten there by Zeff and Sanji, great.
'Care to explain?' Koshiro asked as he walked into the room.
Zoro shook his head.
Koshiro sighed.
'Sanji?' Zeff asked
The cook shook his head as well.
'Damn kids' Zeff stared at the pair of them but neither broke 'We need to talk you two go with Kuina and no fighting'
The pair left and went upstairs with Kuina who had been standing in the doorway.
Once they had reached his bedroom Kuina took charge.
'Sit down the pair of you' she sounded annoyed.
They both quickly sat on the bed shooting glares at each other.
'Did you do this because of what I said Zoro?' she asked him.
He nodded, he heard her sighing.
'So what are you going to do? Fight dad next?'
'No it's just you got upset by what he said and I guess I just took it all out on him' he stared at the floor rather than look at sister.
'I didn't mean to upset you' Sanji interrupted 'It's just I could never hit a woman, it's goes against everything I know' he could hear how upset he sounded.
'I know Sanji, my little brother wasn't thinking straight were you?' her tone made it clear there was only one acceptable answer.
'No' he felt a swift kick to his leg from Kuina, dammit she was going to make him apologize.
He glanced up at her looking for a way out but one look and he knew he didn't stand a chance.
Zoro shifted in his bunk shaking loose the memory, ever since he'd left Luffy's house it had all came back. As though remembering that one hellish memory had opened the floodgate, each memory fighting for his attention.
He remembered his spars with Kuina, over two thousand and he hadn't won once. He wondered what she would have done in his position, would she have stayed with Luffy or would she be on a boat heading back to Doflamingo like he was.
He closed his eyes trying to ignore the aching loneliness that was growing with each fresh memory of his family and friends.
Will update when I work out exactly what I'm going to do about Sanji. If he's dead I can wrap this all up in a couple of chapters, if not this is going to take a while.