A/N Welcome back everyone. I sudden have found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I live in a state thats been shut down, and have been writing like crazy. So take your mind off of the crazy world and enjoy this chapter.


Zoro's New Swords, A Showdown at High Noon, and A Burning Culinary Battle?

"Wahoo! This is going to be so fun!" Luffy cried out, throwing his arms high in the air. Still, his hands didn't even make it close to the huge archway that towered in front of us, two large buildings holding it up on either side. It looked rusted and oxidized, sort of like an old penny. In the middle was the town name: Loguetown. Tall multistory buildings stretched in front of us, a lot of it I assumed was housing in the upper levels, and shops on the first floor. There were quite a few people out walking, chatting and enjoying themselves as they went about their day. It gave the town a very energetic vibe.

"Every pirate headed to the Grand Line stops here to resupply." Nami said.

"Stupid ones do." I muttered under my breath, which Nami didn't catch so she just kept talking. "It has everything you could possibly need!"

She even sighed at the end, probably thinking of all the great stuff she could get here. I don't blame her.

"If that's the case, then I'm going to go on a shopping spree." Usopp jumped into the conversation. He too seemed electrified by the excitement in the air. "I bet they have all sorts of stuff here."

"I'll be able to stock up on fresh produce. And fresh women." Sanji drawled. My eye brows squeezed together as I tilted my head.

"I think I'm insulted by that." I said, glancing away from the street in front of us to Nami, who snorted and agreed.

"You'd think there'd be a swordsmith around here." Zoro was squinting down the street, looking at the signs hanging on the shops. He clearly heard nothing any of us just said.

"I thought you were broke." Nami cut in, and in a sickly sweet voice asked, "Are you gonna steal a sword?"

I cut in before Zoro could get himself into mounds of debt. Owing Nami was like paying back student loans. Never ending. Soul crushing.

"I've got it covered, Nami." She gave me a skeptical look, saw Zoro's put out expression, and gave him a sweet smile.

"Well, if you need a loan, let me know! I'd gladly lend any of you guys some money. With interest, of course."

"Of course." I replied dryly. "But not today. Thanks though."

"Well, I'm gonna find out where they kill people." Luffy cut in. His cheerful tone mixed with that phrase just got to me, and I started laughing. Next thing I knew Luffy was running away, trying to find where the King of the Pirates drew his last breath.

Oh well. I couldn't give my Captain any warnings, but I could help the others.

"Hey wait! We have to pick a meeting place!" Usopp yelled after Luffy, who didn't hear or didn't care he he just kept on going. He winced and lowered his arm that had reached out as if to grab him. "Oh that's not good." I waved off his concern.

"Just look for the most commotion later, Luffy's easy to find. Now." I hummed, glancing around at the four people left, thinking of what I wanted to say before we split up. I turned first to the chef.

"Sanji, take a look at the prize before saying no to the competition. You'll want it. Usopp." Sanji seemed curious about my tip, but he would just have to see for himself. I didn't want him worrying about cooking all day, so I just left that tiny detail out of it. He didn't need any prep time anyway.

At being addressed, the sharpshooter stood tall.

"Lots of people here are con men trying to get rich off fake items they claim have some connection to the pirate king. Don't be easily fooled by trinkets when you can build so much cooler things."

Usopp was about to go off on a rant, most likely involving how the great Captain Usopp could tell a good deal from islands away or something but that last bit threw him off long enough for me to move on.

"Nami." I smiled at the girl, who looked expectantly at me.

"Have fun shopping."

She pouted. "I thought we would do some shopping together? Ya know, girl time? Plus, that's pretty lame advice."

"I'm sorry, I have some things I need to do on my own. We will meet up later though, and you find good stuff shopping."

"Things to do? Like what?"

I answered here by turning to the last person of our group. He was patiently waiting, and when the attention turned to him I watched him shift from one foot to the other.

"Let's go get you a curse sword." I told Zoro as if presenting him a prize on a game show. It was my lame attempt at humor to ease the tension.

He frowned at me, unimpressed. "A cursed sword?"

"Yup." I nodded for emphasis and the gestures towards town. "Lead the way."

"Shouldn't you do that since you know what I'm getting?" He asked, now getting huffy with the whole thing. I gave a small shake of my head and a shrug.

"I have no idea where the shop you get them from is in this town." -Just got to find Tashigi, she knows, but also- "You might be able to sense it if we get close enough with your awakened observation haki, but who knows. It will be good training if anything."

Zoro, now mollified with the idea of training, took off and I had to quickly say goodbye before losing him in the crowd.

Sixty minutes later I was nearly in tears at how frustratingly hilarious Zoro's sense of direction truly was. Four times. Four times I saw Mr Omaz's tea emporium, because we walked around the block over and over again before Zoro finally decided to make a left instead of a right somewhere and we got out of that loop, only to find ourselves in a strictly residential part of town. We had passed the same fruit man a dozen times, and on the last go around he finally cracked and asked us if we needed help finding our way. Which Zoro declined. I gave the man a small shrug and a smile, being tugged along by Zoro's hand held in your own, not letting go and not slowing down.

At multiple points of this journey early on, I had lost Zoro, but I always managed to find him by just waiting at some place we already passed multiple times. Every time Zoro would show up again, complaining about how easily I was getting lost.

After a few times of this I got fed up with it and I grabbed his hand and told him not to let go. He tried to refuse, but I squeezed, refusing to give it up, and used my other hand to shoved a finger in his face while I told him off.

"No, no more. You keep wandering off. It's you. Don't deny it." I saw what he was going to do and I didn't even want to hear it.

"You're too slow." He mumbled, and it just solidified my resolve.

"I'm holding your hand or you're carrying me piggy back style, so we can't be separated again. Pick one."

And so hand holding it was. And it worked.

It was twenty minutes after being offered directions, Zoro continuing to lead us around town in what was the most baffling way, that we finally came across a sword shop. Katana hung in the window with small price tags next to them.

Zoro paused, and raised an eyebrow at me while giving a sweeping gesture and a cocky smile.

I looked over the shop, but ultimately came to one conclusion.

"Nope." I said, and tried to walk away, but he pulled me back with our hands still being connected.

"What do you mean, nope! We didn't even go in yet!" He threw both his hands and one of mine in the air. I used my free hand to gesture to the price tag.

"Look at the swords- they're way out of our budget."

"You said it was a cursed sword, that's got to be expensive!" He reasoned.

"Quite the opposite, actually."

If we pull this off somehow, it's free. And we really don't have another choice because uh, we broke.

A commotion behind us pulled our attention away from our small argument. Neither of us had even noticed that a crowd was starting to form behind us.

"Monster? How rude!" A woman's voice reprimanded.

I think we found just who we needed.

The large crowd prevented us from seeing what was going on, but we could still hear just fine now that they were yelling.

"Shut up! Our boss is behind bars thanks to you and your idiot of a captain!"

"Haven't you learned your lesson?" I still wasn't sure, but I think that voice is just the marine we needed.

Never thought I'd say that in this world.

"Definitely not. Guess we need you to teach us again!"

"We're supposed to bring your corpse to our boss so he can see that we finished you off."

"If you insist, I will fight you." Yep, definitely Tashigi.

"Thats really funny. You do know you're a girl, right?"

I heard a clank right next to me and knew instantly what it was. Zoro unsheathed Wado just slightly.

I snatched his wrist, holding it down, his livid eyes meeting mine own furious gaze.

First Sanji, now him? Fucking hell.

"She doesn't need you to fight her battles." I tried to use my gaze to drill that into his head, and after a second I let go. He looked back to the fight, Wado still slightly out, and watched Tashigi easily take down two men three times her size in one move.

And then I watched her take a step towards her swords sheath on the ground and trip over absolutely nothing.

Tashigi fell to the ground, sending her glasses flying off her face. She patted the ground, doing an amazing Velma impression.

I can't see without my glasses!

"She's good with a sword, but not so good at walking." someone in the crowd called out, sending snickers all around.

"I'd like to see you take on those two goons with a sword." I yelled back, fully pissed off at that asshole for making fun of Tashigi.

The man started sputtering excuses but I paid him no mind, and neither did Zoro, who picked up the glasses and went to hand them back to the black haired woman still on the ground.

A face caught my eye, one so distinctive and recognizable it couldn't be anybody else. He was supposed to be here, I knew that, but knowing it and seeing him just out in a crowd on the street are two very different things.

It was the unmistakable tattoo that gave him away.

The man had turned and disappeared into the dispersing crowd, and in a split second decision I didn't know if I'd regret, I followed after him, leaving Zoro behind. He would be just fine, but there was someone I had to talk to.

Or yell at.


Zoro cursed Tani for now warning him about this. She told them some stupid thing about the weather and a mentions a cursed sword, sure. But this? Nothing?! This was what he would have wanted warning on! Seeing this face! If he had prepared, he wouldn't have freaked out, wouldn't have broken the glasses, and he wouldn't have to be mopping the floors of a marine branch right now! This was going to take all damn day!


I had lost him, but instinct told me to go down the nearest alley, get away from the people, and the man would find me. Actually he was probably watching me now so he would just...show himself I guess? Whatever. He'd come out. That's the important part.

I refrained from whipping my head back and forth, taking even breaths and I did my best to relax. My heart was the only thing not getting the message, beating hard in my chest even as I let out the tension in my shoulders. I focused on the small things, because if I thought about what I was doing I would realize just how fucking stupid this was.

I stopped. I was in the middle of a quiet secluded alley, and I knew he was behind me a second before he spoke.

"Why are you following me."

I froze. Every bone in my body screamed at me to run, his voice deep and it was unclear if he was anger, suspicious, or annoyed. Every part of my mind screamed at me to turn around, I needed to turn around and face him. It was my heart that managed to speak.

"Because Luffy is my Captain. But you should know that already, Dragon-san."

My fists were balled up, my eyes squeezed shut. I was about to turn around, but something inside me still screamed don't do it. I felt absolutely terrified to be facing this man, the most wanted man in the world.

But at the end of the day he was just a guy who didn't have enough courage to visit his son. Not once. And I know he thinks he does it out of Love and his safety, but honestly that's some fucking bullshit.

I spun around and looked Monkey D. Dragon in the eye.

He somehow looked both younger and older than I was expecting. He didn't seem as angry as I imagined, a big weary but there was amusement in his gaze. That was a good sign.

"You know who I am." He said, waiting for me to reply with how without even having to ask.

"I know who you are. Leader of the revolutionary army. Most wanted man in the word. Father of my Captain. Not even he knows that."

Gone was the sparkle from his eye and standing in front of me was the dangerous man I knew he to be. My breath hitched and i tended as I tried not to let a shiver run down my body.

"Excuse me?" His voice was low, threatening, and if I thought he was scary before this was a whole new fucking level.

But I wasn't doing this for myself. I was going this for Luffy.

"How long do you think you have? Does he have?" I gained a bit of confidence as I gained momentum. "You've got until the government links you and Garp and him together just by printing your full name. And they have it, you know they have it. Saving face because printing it would be admitting the hero's son went rogue, but now there's two of you."

All my previous fear was replaced with anger on behalf of Luffy. He deserved better. So I nearly spat out the next question.

"What made you believe he was safe enough, being trained to be strong enough?"

"Garp had him."

The fact that he fully believed that was fine was astounding. I gave a sharp laugh at the notion.

"Garp had him. You had Garp, how did you childhood go?"

He frowned, but doubled down on his defense now. He probably had this argument with himself hundreds of times, or maybe he never did. But he was ready with another excuse so quickly that it led me to believe at least this wasn't the first.

"He was safe on the island, Garp would train him just fine."

"But no haki." If he was surprised by my knowledge he didn't show it. "Nothing substantial. Pure chance getting his hands on that devil fruit. Tossed into the woods and left to fend for himself. And here's the thing, Luffy spoke often about sailing away, Garp knew someday Luffy was going to go explore the world, and to his credit Garp did his best but it wasn't good enough. I won't be good enough. He needed you."

"He did not need me."

"He did!"I was furious now, his casual dismissal of someone I held in such high regard just stoke my anger. "He needed you! You know what it's like to grow up under Garp, and yet you left him to his fate. He is your son, the marines aren't stupid, they know he is your son, and you left him defenseless."

"Garp taught him to fight-"

"Garp taught him to survive against all odds. His brothers taught him to fight." I corrected, and that did seem to surprise him. "But it wasn't good enough, he needed you too. Your help. Your knowledge. Your advice. He needed haki training if he was going to live in the world with the name Monkey D. And you know it."

Now he was truly pissed off, and decided to take the road almost adults go for: You're too young to understand.

"You are a child, and too naive to see the world for what it is. I don't know how you know of Haki, but you don't know what's out there, not like I do."

"There are slaves, and the pigs so cruel to own them, and the men paid to turn a blind eye, and the cowards that protect them." I spat out, and he just kept staring at me but I swear his anger softened.

"Yes. And stopping that is dangerous. No place for a child." For a second I got ready to argue once more, but he held up a hand and I wanted.

"Though you're right. If he was to have my name, he needed more training. But I did go, once. To visit him. He seemed fine, happy, strong. I had planned to introduce myself, but there was an accident and I left to seek medical attention for another young boy."

Sabo.

Dragon's face was showing his years now, the rigged posture falling away as he sagged beneath all the weight he carried.

Honestly him showing remorse for his actions was an outcome I had dreamed but never dared think would happen. At best I was just hoping not to be murdered. So now it was time to really drive the point home. The summary. Conclusion paragraph.

"You were a terrible father, but at least it seems you care. I'm teaching Luffy Haki, he's awakened some of it. I'll help him reach his dreams, which you'd know if you'd asked him. Maybe you should do that before you leave."

Dragon took a deep breath, and by the time he healed he was back to neutral. He tipped his head and gave a small nod.

"Maybe I shall."

I didn't know if I should take that as a yes or a no, but I was leaning towards yes, and because I was awkward and thought I should probably know which he meant I just left it.

But Dragon had mentioned Sabo. So really he brought it up. And while I had him emotionally vulnerable...

"I sent a letter to your second in command. Did you know his past? Did you hide it from him?" I didn't mean to, but I started accusing the man again.

"What? No. If I would have known I'd have told him…" Dragon gave me a look as if he was reading my mind, which he might have been for all I know. "Do you know his past?"

I nodded tentatively. I'd have to find a way to get out of here, end the conversation, and soon. But I needed to talk to stall.

"He was one of Luffy's sworn brothers. They thought him dead all this time. They were devastated, you see a World Nobel was visiting and shot Sabo's boat as he left dawn island, and they assumed he burned or drowned. Luffy and their other brother would love to see Sabo, that he is alive and well. The two will be in Alabasta soon. I hear there's a civil war going on. Perhaps Sabo would be able to find some allies for you there."

When I mentioned Sabos accident, something changed in Dragon. I don't know what, but he seemed more… antsy? Eger?

"And how did you come across this information?"

"When Sabo looks at their photo, his memories should come back and confirm all this." I said instead of answering.

"Let's hope that he does that. But how do you know this?"

I shrugged, sensing this conversation was going downhill quickly and decided to end on what was hopefully a positive note.

"If I were you, Dragon-San, I'd make it a point to get the timing right and stop in at auction house one in Sabaody archipelago when your son does. That is,if we make it out of here. As it stands our only chance is the wind's help, the biggest storm this town has seen in years, and a bolt of well timed bolt of lightning."

He seemed to take a second process everything I'd said and started at the top.

"Why Sabaody?"

"You'll want to see Luffy punch a World Noble." He blinked, and blinked again, and for a second I thought that was it, but then a half smile twitched onto his face.

"Ah. That is something I'd want to see. but you still haven't-"

Screaming interrupted Dragon, and overhead Luffy flew. I used the spit second I had to run, calling back a goodbye and hoping he would just let me go.

I ran for a few minutes until I reached a crowd, and even then I was shooting glances back over my shoulder. I was too frazzled, my mind buzzing, my focus being pulled in five directions.

Which was why I ran into a person, their body hard and muscular, arms of strength sneaking around my waist to catch me, and I nearly had a heart attack.

"Sorry!" I squeaked out. The arm wasn't letting go and for a second I was worried of what I might have to do to escape this one.

"I can't believe you left me with that women! ?" Zoro's very recognizable voice asked, and my body lost its tension as I breathed out. He looked me over once, eyes narrowing. Then he looked behind me, eyes scanned the crowd, and he lowered his voice.

"You good? Someone following you?"

"I'm good. Really. Have you found the swords yet?" I asked, diverting the attention from me. My nerves were absolutely shot to hell right now.

It was not the right thing to ask.

"Are you kidding me?! Do you know what I've just had to do instead of find new swords? Of course you probably do!" Like my anger earlier, Zoro's steady grew as he ranted, eventually even gaining an angry tick mark. All I could do was stand there frozen and listen while he yelled. Already frazzled by my talk with Dragon, I felt my chest tighten, my heart beat roaring rapidly in my ears, just barely but not quite drowning out Zoro.

"A little warning would have been nice! I mean, her face Tani! But no, I broke her glasses and to pay her back had to waste time cleaning a marine base! Meanwhile you've been- what have you been doing?"

"That was this island." I barely said out loud.

"YEAH THAT WAS THIS ISLAND!"

"Okay, okay, please just stop shouting." I pleaded. I don't know what got him but he seemed to realize that his yelling wasn't helping. He also noticed that we were being watched by a few different people, some whispering, and a few tougher guys looking like they were about to step in.

Zoro ran a hand through his hair and let out a huff.

"Come on." Zoro pulled me towards a different street, his grip tight on my upper arm.

"I can walk, ya know." I tried to get out of his grip, but he was way to freakin strong.

"Not without getting lost apparently. So we stick together. This was your idea."

"I saw someone I had to talk to." I tried to explain.

"Well next time don't just up and go like that." He snapped. I tilted my head at his words and smiled, a little surprised at his choice of words.

"Awe, were you worried Zoro?" I asked him.

"Shut up." He hissed, and turned his attention back forwards.

He tensed, his body crashing to a halt, and I being dragged along crashed into his side. I looked around, but saw no reason for his strange behavior.

"What does a cursed sword feel like?" Zoro asked me, eyes looking off in the distance. I shrugged.

"Don't know. Best guess? Like darkness. Oppression. Power. Blood."

Zoro took off, and having never let go of my arm I was pulled along quickly. He managed to lead us to a small shop a half hour later that really was only around the corner from where he first felt it.

Before we entered I could feel it, the same aura that Zoro used to lead us here, and I just managed to stop Zoro.

"We can't just go right to it. Waste time. Look at other swords. If you follow my advice, we get you two swords for an incredible deal. You don't and you have no swords."

"I can act, Tani. I'm not Luffy." Zoro grumbled as he led the way inside.

Going inside just made the feeling stronger. But I could also hear something now. Off in the corner, in the third barrel to the left, was a sword that screamed for blood, any blood. Unrelenting. I was surprised there wasn't a personal black cloud over the entire corner.

The interior was bright and inviting despite the dark weaponry it offered for sale. Behind the counter a man slept, unable to hear what I did, or sense what we sensed.

"I'd like to pick up some swords." Zoro called out, making the man jump awake. He seemed startled, but then was overly friendly when he realized he had some customers.

"Of course! Of course! Welcome! Have a look at anything you'd like! We have an extremely large variety to choose from!"

Zoro grunted and moved to make his way over to the barrels of fifty thousand beri swords. To Kitetsu. Except by turning he unintentionally showed off wado to the man, making his eyes widen as he almost jumped across the counter and grabbed it. He actually started sweating, shaking, and stuttering. The three s's of nervousness.

"N-n-n-now hold on a s-s-s-second, I just want to take a look at that s-s-s-word you got there. Is that okay with you, pal?!"

Zoro's eyebrows scrunched together as he watched the man seem to break down in front of him.

"You okay there buddy?" Zoro asked.

"LET ME SEE!" The clerk shouted. Zoro looked at me absolutely befuddled, but I rolled my eyes. This was going to be something.

Seeing me not concerned at all, Zoro handed over the sword, and carefully the shop owner removed the blade by an inch, now freaking out so badly his face was actually all puckered. His eyes were popping out of their sockets, he was hyperventilating, and then suddenly he resheethed the sword and flipped his attitude.

"Wow, that's a pretty nice sword you got. You want to sell it? I'll give you two hundred thousand beris for it, what do you say? That will leave you with three hundred thousand which should buy you some pretty good steal. At a hundred thousand a piece there are bound to be three swords you like in here."

The sword in his hands was extremely upset, and now the shop had two angry swords, but I suspected her anger was more at the lowball offers than the thought that Zoro might sell her. That sword knew Zoro would never. Speaking of which.

"What? Are you kidding me? Is he kidding me?" Zoro looked at me and I gave him my best "What can you do, crazy people- ya know?" look.

"Alright. I'll give you two hundred fifty thousand beris. No wait, three hundred thousand. Final offer for five hundred thousand!" The clerk kept going.

"Just stop. I'm not selling it. The sword is mine."

"TOUGH GUY! I'll buy it from ya for six hundrend and fifty thousand beris. OKAY! FINE! I GIVE UP! How does eight hundred thousand beris sound?"

"I'M BACK!" Tashigi interrupted the quite frankly sort of insulting offer for the swords by running up to the counter, grabbing on in what I figured was an attempt not to trip and fall. "Did you finish polishing my Shiguri?" Before the owner could even answer Tashigi had caught sight of Zoro and let out a happy noise.

"You're okay! I was worried about you! See, some marines had been attacked right where you had been mopping the floors. You were gone though so natural I just assumed that you had been kidnapped. Thank goodness you're okay though. The fact that you're here means you must have run away. Sad, you really must have no idea how to accept love when it comes your way, do you? So heres your stupid money back, I can't accept money from a heartless ingrate. Besides, look, I already got some new glasses." Tashigi paused long enough to put on her new glasses, showing them off, before catching sight of the sword in the shop owners hand and immediately diving right into a new conversation topic.

"That sword looks just like the Wado Ichimangi!" Tashigi grabbed the blade right from the shop owners hand and pulled it fully from its sheath.

"It's beautiful!" Tashigi gushed and fawned over the blade, who appreciated the attention very much. "This has to be one of the twentyone O Wazamono!"

Tashigi returned the blade to its sheath and placed it on the table, pulling out a small book from her pocket and quickly flipping through the pages. "See, look at this, it says here this sword is worth no less than ten million beris! But you're broke, how do you have this legendary sword!"

"DAMN!" The shop owner slammed his fist on the table, raging at the women in front of her. "You just had to keep talking, didn't ya? I'm going to sue your ass from obstruction of business!"

"Hey!" I cut in. "She should be arresting your ass for trying to scam and undercut us by millions of beris! Not that we would have sold you this sword at any price! We knew her worth before the good marine here came in, so don't go blaming her!"

Everyone was now looking at me with wide eyes, and though it was uncomfortable it really wasn't fair how mean he was to Tashigi.

The shop owner tossed Tashigi's sword at her, making her stumble. I attempted to steady her, but it just sent us both crashing to the ground in a heap.

"Get out!" He snarled at us, though I wasn't quite sure it was directed at me. He looked back to Zoro who was taking his sword back.

"Did she ever help you dodge a bullet. It is a complete waste to have such a legendary sword attached to someone who has no idea of its true value."

"You're the one who assumed he just didn't know about the sword he has attached to his hip." I said as I dusted myself off.

"Forget it Tani, come on, let's take a look."

Leaving the very grumping man behind, he went over to the barrels, where Zoro actually listened and started grabbing random swords, inspecting them. I first went over to check out some of the staffs on the wall, seeing how much they went for.

Annnnnnd that's a lot of beri's

"You must lose a lot of swords if you think you have to carry three of them around." Tashigi said in a joking tone as she came up behind us to talk some more. "Unless of course you're like that famous pirate hunter."

"Pirate hunter, yeah." Zoro scoffed.

"Who are you talking about?" I asked, coming and joining them by the swords.

"He's quite the legend. His name is Roronoa."

"Oh yeah, him." The man himself said, and I almost blew it by snorting.

"Yeah, he's known through the east blue for his amazing sword skills, but he's not a good person. A swordsman who is just a bounty hunter is no honorable swordsman at all. Everythings backwards. It's really too bad for a real swordsman. Pirates and bounty hunters as swordmasters? It just doesn't make any sense. They have most of the worlds legendary swords too. It's a real strategy."

"Blah." I said, making a face as if I ate something bad at her words before giving her what I hoped was a friendly, encouraging smile. "Who cares what they're called. It's their actions that matter. Why they are fighting, who they are fighting for."

"But if they had the right intentions, they wouldn't be called those things in the first place." Tashigi said with a shake of her head.

"I don't know, I see it as the kind of thing you have to look at on a case by case basis. You never know what people are capable of." Zoro jumped in.

Tashigi looked a bit perplexed for a moment before she threw her shoulders back, her face level and her gaze steady.

"This is my Shigure. I'm going to work as hard as I can to perfect my skills and then one day Ill take back all the legendary swords because the filthy hands that hold them now have no right to weld them. Yes. The twelve top Saijo O Wazamono, the twentyone O Wazamono, as well as the Ryo Wazamono. I'll find them all."

"And this one?" Zoro now looked away from the swords, his grin almost feral as he dared Tashigi to say she wanted to fight. "The Wado Ichimonji?"

"I'm not trying to get the legendary swords back for my sake! I just don't want criminals to have them!" Tashigi cried out, face red and nearly dropped her one sword as she waved off Zoro's concern.

Zoro met my eye with a smirk and I nodded to the barrel. I watched as he pulled out a sword, goosebumps making me shiver.

"I think that's...lets see…" Tashigi pulled out her small sword book again and looked up the sword in Zoro's hand. "Just as I thought! Kitetsu. Kitetsu the third! Its predecessor, Kitetsu the second is an O Wazamono sword. And Kitetsu the first before that is listed as a top Wazamono sword." Tashigi looked over to the shaking owner behind the counter.

"Hey, are you really only selling this one for fifty thousand beris?" She asked him. He forced out a yeah.

"Unbelievable! That's an authentic Wazamono! You have to buy that sword! It's worth at least a million beris or more! You can't pass it up, it's too valuable."

"I CAN'T SELL IT!"
"I knew it. There must have been some mistake-"

"It's not what you think!"
Zoro cut the air with the blade, his muscles tensing as he looked over the blade.

"The swords cursed."

Tashigi gasped, added to the dramatic declaration.

"How do you know?" The shop owner asked. Zoro spared a quick glance to me before he answered with a noncommittal "Just do."

"The Kitetsu swords are superior in all respects, but they've been cursed since their beginnings you have to believe me. There are stories from all over of master swordsmen who have met their death after taking up a kitetsu sword. Nobody is stupid enough to even touch them these days. And you'll fall to its curse as well if you decide to take it. I'm scared to let you buy it, I'm afraid it will curse me too. Just leave it alone."

Next to us Tashigi bowed low. "How horrible. I'm sorry I even brought it up. It would be death to take that sword."

Zoro met my eye with that absolutely feral look, cock smirk and glint to his eye, and I think I know why some called him demon of the East Blue.

It was incredibly attractive.

"Sounds great, think I'll take it." Zoro said.

"I can't sell it you fool! Because if something happens to you with that sword the curse could come back to me!"

A large orange haired woman suddenly appeared, and smacked the shopkeeper upside the head.
"Don't be an idiot. Let him buy that sword, you old fool!"

"Don't hit me!"

"Well, we'll see." Zoro ignored the bickering couple, looking at the blade in his hand. "How 'bout we find out which one is stronger. The swords curse, or my good luck?"

Zoro gave no more warning before he tossed the blade, spinning end over end into the air, and stuck out his arm. It didn't waver, didn't shake, didn't flinch as the blade came down.

All of us were holding our breath, them in fear, me in awe. I couldn't believe I was seeing this with my own eyes, right in front of me.

The back of the blade brushed against his arm, and continued falling so it stuck blade first into the ground at Zoro's feet.

"I'll take it." Zoro said.

First the shopkeeper fell over, then Tashigi fell to her knees.

I barely contained my excitement at witnessing this battle of wills, and had to cover my mouth before a slew of squeals and shouts came pouring out of my mouth while I jumped around. I probably had stars in my eyes.

"Now what about the second one?" Zoro asked, looking at me.

"You! Wait here!"

The shopkeeper ran into the back, and his footsteps faded. A few seconds later his footsteps returned, and he nearly tipped, but just managed to set the large bundle in his hands onto his counter without damaging it.

He threw off the purple cover, revealing a sword in a sheath coated in a shiny black material with gold accents

"It is covered in a black lacquer finish, with an uneven temper pattern. Our shop is small, but this is the finest sword I have. It is named the Ryo Wazamono Yubashiri."

The man didn't even finish speaking before Zoro was shaking his head.
"It's too much. I can't afford it."

"No matter. I'll give it to you free of charge if you'll take it. You're welcome to the kitetsu too, you deserve it. Haven't run across a real swordsman in a while. I'm sorry I tried to cheat you before. You must have some damn good luck, friend."

Zoro nodded his thanks, stepping forward to exam the sword.

"Well I'd like to buy this." I said, grabbing the weapon I was eyeballing earlier. The shop owner seemed taken back by my request, but really it wasn't that odd. "If I'm going to be traveling with a man carrying these swords, I better have a weapon of my own. It'd be foolish not to."

He nodded at my reasoning. "Ten thousand beri."

The assumed wife shouted once again at the man, who quickly defended his actions.

"First you yell at me for giving away product now you're yelling at me for selling it?!"

"You want to leave a girl defenseless out there in the world? You said it yourself, that blade will attract all sorts of trouble. Let her have the simple staff!"

The shop owner begrudgingly agreed, and though a bit uncomfortable not paying, I really didn't have enough for it so instead I bit my lip, bowed low, and thanked the man from the bottom of my heart.

Zoro and I left quickly after that, giving our thanks to Tashigi as well. I twisted apart the staff, making it easier to carry. I'd have to get some sort of harness to carry it later. Maybe Usopp could help design something.

I followed Zoro as he walked around a set of stairs several times before he climbed up and sat down.

"The sword really is cursed. How interesting. You know why?" He asked, admiring his new sword by tilting it this way and that.

"No clue."

He grunted, his attention now solely on the sword. He was so engrossed he didn't notice our captain had found us until Luffy's face was reflected in the sword's metal.

"Hey! That's a really cool sword!"

"Ah!" Zoro lurched back, and I frowned at the man as he sheathed the blade and complained to our captain. "Don't sneak up on me!"
"He wouldn't have if you were strong enough with observation Haki." I said, phrasing my words specifically to challenge him, though it was a bit underhanded to phrase it like that, knowing he would eventually rise to occasion and go far beyond.

"What are you two doing just sitting here?" Luffy cut in, not really caring that he might have surprised his swordsman.

"I'm bored. You?" Zoro told him bluntly. I rolled my eyes. He just got two awesome swords, and the man's bored.

'Oh me? Hmm" Luffy rubbed under his nose and hummed as if thinking about it. "Oh I'm completely lost."

Besides me Zoro had a single sweat drop on the side of his head, and I was sure I had one too. Luffy sounded way too happy about it. Proud even.

"And that's a good thing?" Zoro asked in disbelief.

"It's okay." Was Luffy's honest answer, along with a shrug. "Hey Tani! Do you know where the execution platform is?"

A commotion behind us drew our attention. We turned just in time to see some men run past the bottom of the steps, yelling about a man father down the street. We looked out over the rail of the stairs, and could easily watch as the men surrounded someone wearing a large brown coat that almost looked like a blanket.

"What's up?" Luffy asked.

"Bastard! You sold out our friends to the highest bidder! Now die!" One of the men shouted. Weapons fired, but only two remained standing in the end. The man in the middle, and the youngest man in the group, who soon tripped and fell onto the ground, staring in horror at the man who defeated so many men at once. The man could now be seen, and something made me take a closer look. I think that was… is that the guy Usopp was going to face off with to win his goggles? I thought that happened on the Grand Line.

Well shit.

I wanted to encourage Usopp, help his confidence, but it looks like he was doing this on his own.

The man reached down and pulled out a cigarette from somewhere on the kid. He crushed it in his hand without breaking eye contact, dropped it to the ground and fitting to the mans look a low raspy voice spoke.

"Why don't you run on home kid and see if your mom has supper ready?"

The poor kid looked about ready to cry, but he managed to stumble back onto his feet, and bolted away, screaming a bit before he disappeared around a corner.

"Whoa! That guys totally awesome!" Luffy cheered, his arms waving around in excitement.

"I think that's….yup." Luffy and I both looked to Zoro. "Daddy the Father. Bounty Hunter."

"Oh fucking hell." I groaned. Now that it was confirmed, I was a bit worried about Usopp, for just a second. Then I remembered just what he pulled off.

He shot the weather vane, the whale. It was an impressive shot. He did that.

He can do it.


Elsewhere Usopp was grateful for Tani's advice, which allowed him to purchase the goggles right before a little girl came and tried to. He felt bad when she cried, and somehow was conned into agreeing to a duel with her father over them. Suddenly he was being led to a large, burly man who was way more intimidating than Usopp was expecting, this man looked more like what he expected a bodyguard to look like, not this posh girl's father.

Then he opened his big stupid mouth.

Then he was a coward.

Then he heard the story of his father's duel with the same man, and he understood.

He asked for a second chance to put it all on the line, and pulled off the shot of a lifetime by taking out a jewel from the crown of a whale. A moving target meters away. All with a slingshot.

Today he made his father proud.


Across town, a woman approached Sanji, calling out to him as the man walked the streets.

"Sanji! I have searched for you! For ten years."

The women had spiked pink hair, a ladle in her mouth instead of the traditional rose, a thick red dress which she held so that it was as if it had a slit, a leg peaking out with one hand on her hip holding the bottom of the dress up, and another holding a fan above her head.

Upon being shouted at, Sanji had froze, and didn't dare turn around for fear this was all some wonderful to good to be true dream. When men started talking he became more sure this was reality.

"Behold the amazing Carmon!"

"The greatest cook in the East Blue!"

"I am passion. So have called me fiery Carmen!"
All three of them yelled ole! And struck a new pose. Sanji finally turned, glad he didn't interrupt earlier because now he knew her name. Though the two behind her continued to introduce themselves, Sanji paid them no attention. Before him was a stunning woman, claiming to have been searching for him. Ten years. That was when the Baratie first opened. Was she an old customer, wouldn't she know where to find him if that was the case?

Sanji realized the woman was standing there long enough that the crowd he just noticed had formed was murmuring about the women's theatrics. And she was looking a bit put out at his lack of reaction thus far, so to make up for it he reacted on instinct.

He lunged onto one knee, hearts forming in his eyes as he cried out for the women who had searched the seas. All for him.

"You are beauty itself!" The crowd around him screamed collectively, not expecting that reaction from the man. The women didn't expect it either, and stared unimpressed at the chef acting a fool in front of her.

"It is my deepest dream come true." Sanji rose, and moved towards the beautiful lady with arms wide open. Yes, beauty has come searching for me."

Sanji grabbed her hand, got back down onto one knee, and spoke once more "It is truly an honor, wonderful Carmon!"

Sanji moved his face, going in to kiss the back of her hand, when pain erupted over his face. Carmon, furious, brought a cast iron pan she pulled from thin air across his face.

"Oh my." Sanji's face had blood pouring down it from his nose, but he paid it no mind as he looked dazed at the women before him. "You are so passionate. But...tell me Carmon. How is it that you and I know eachother?"

"OH BOYS!" Carmon spun away, leaving Sanji on his knees in the street, allowing her two

apprentices to take over. They served up the explanation on a pizza peel, a stack of pictures of men Sanji had never seen before. They had to explain to Sanji that these were the best cooks in the East Blue, all defeated by Miss Carmon. But then she saw a write up in a the paper about you, and vowed never to rest until she found and defeated the cook known as Blackleg Sanji.

"From that moment until now I have spent every minute of the last ten years searching the entire East Blue for you!"
"Actually it has been ten days." The one apprentice corrected.

"Carmon has a wency bit of trouble with a thing that we call, the truth." The other apprentice explained.

Everything froze for half a second, the two knew they fucked up, and Carmon let loose, hitting both in the face with her frying pan and screaming at them to shut their mouths.

"Now, I challenge you Sanji! If you dare bring your spices to the marketplace cooking competition at one this afternoon you will be minced. Like garlic before heated oil in a pan." She laughed, and dramatically started spinning. Faster and faster she spun, and faster she laughed..

It looked as though she spun into the air, but the illusion ended and Sanji and the crowd saw of Carmon that morning she was being hurried away by her apprentices, who called out that they would see him at one.

"Ah, finally. A woman with a passion like mine."

One of the guys that had seen this all go down asked if Sanji planned to complete, and ordinarily he would say no way. But Tani had told him to get a look at the prize, so whatever it was must be good. He decided to do just that.

And boy was he glad that he did.

An Elephant Blue Fin Tunafish.

A miracle fish.

The fish that led to him finding out about the All Blue. The fish that started his dream.

He would have to thank Tani ten times over.


I parted ways with the boys, off to pick up a few things before shit really hit the fan. The guys were going to a restaurant, and I don't remember any trouble there, so off I went.

I needed some clothes for different seasons, an instrument if possible so Luffy would shut up, a logpose because it was always good to have a back up, and anything else that might catch my eye. I stopped in a soap store and picked up some peppermint scented body wash, my favorite, and I managed to get a cute blue coat and black gloves, scarf, and hat to go with it from a thrift store. Also snagged two cut bikini tops and a pair of boots. A liquor store had some really great sweet red wine, and finally I picked up a logpose.

No instrument though, which was a disappointment. The next place that might have one would be Alabasta, and that's weeks away. Luffy's not going to be happy.

I eventually met up with Nami and Usopp, the latter was very upset with me not warning him about Daddy the Father, and I winced.

"Yeah, I sort of didn't think that happened on This island." I said, but if anything that just pissed him off more. He wasn't usually this angry, and I blamed left over adrenaline from his big showdown more than anything. I was also glad my reaction to Usopp's anger wasn't as intense as earlier, and blamed my encounter with Dragon once again.

Still, it was Nami that eventually got him to back off, and we decided to go check out the market before returning to the ship.

We eventually made our way towards a huge crowd to see just what was going on. Nami was first to spot Sanji on stage, flirting with some women I vaguely remembered.

"HEY!" Usopp screamed right next to my ear, waving his hands all around. "OVER HERE!"

Nami joined in, so I did too, and finally Sanji looked over to us. As soon as he saw us girls, his eyes turned to hearts and he tornado spun quickly over to us.

"Nami! Tani! You came to watch me compete!"

"Heck no. We were just walking by." Nami said with a laugh. Sanji's hopeful eyes glanced at me and I couldn't help myself from trying to encourage him, rather then disappoint him, especially right before a competition. After all, that's what friends do!

"Speak for yourself. I've been waiting to watch this since before we docked." Unfortunately I attempted humor again, and his now slightly uneasy smile told her that maybe he wasn't ready for future jokes yet. Thankfully Usopp swooped in.

"So what made you want to compete in a cooking contest, Sanji? Wait, was this the contest from earlier, Tani?"

Sanji blinked, looking adorably confused by the man's appearance.

"Usopp. When'd you get here?"

Usopp, still hyped up from earlier I guess, started shouting again, this time at Sanji.

"I'm the one who called out your name first you asshole!"

An announcer interrupted us, introducing the judges, one of which was a drunk man from the crowd which I can only imagine would go great. Notice the sarcasm.

There was a bracket elimination, and the announcer introduced the first contestants, ringing a bell to start them off.

"You really want to be known as the best chef in the East Blue, Sanji?" Usopp asked, understandably confused by the man's sudden desire for recognition

"No. Don't be stupid. I'm just after one thing, and that's the fish." Sanji pointed over to the prize table where a large blue fish was set up, the Bluefin Tuna or whatever.

"A fish?" Usopp asked, and he looked at me. "The prize was a fish?"

I grinned. "Yep."

"Yeah. That looks like a nice fish." Nami said, probably appreciating how if Sanji such a large item it would mean he didn't pay for it.

"It sure does, but the confusing part is figuring out exactly how I can get that fish to talk."

All three of us gave a Sanji a half confused, half concerned look but he didn't have time to explain, he was called to compete and off he went.

It was surprisingly fast, and I would chalk that up to the physics in this world being somewhat bendable because no way some of these meals could be prepared in ten minutes. If I was back home most of these dishes would have taken an hour, and I would have left the kitchen a mess to do it.

"Now, it's the final round!"

The crowd around us exploded into cheers, so loud that I almost covered my ears.

"Wow, these people are really excited." Usopp could barely be heard over the cheers.

"With his instinctive skills and sense for food, we have in the finals SANJI! Facing him with her gorgeous presentation and culinary acumen, CARMON! Who will be the winner of the glorious Elephant Bluefin Tuna? Start your cooking!"

Carmon laughed in what I found to be a bit of an obnoxious manner as she washed and chopped carrots.

Sanji meanwhile was serious as he worked, flipping knives between his hands with confidence, putting on a show for the audience while making it look effortless. The announcer was a great commentator, but he faded into the background as my eyes watched Sanji cook. While Carmon's moves were dramatic, his were precise.

Both moved to plating, and both laid out an amazing looking feast.

While the judges ate, the two contestants sat by their tables and got to try their competition dishes as they waited for the results.

"Here it goes. The winner of this years cooking contest is Sa-"

"WAIT!" Carmon screamed. All eyes now on her, she stood from her spot and walked over to Sanji.

"I can't forgive myself. I can't believe I thought I could beat you." The crowd gasped, but Carmen pushed on, holding back her tears. "I watched you cook when you were young. You were driven, even back then. They wouldn't let me in the kitchen like you, and It made me so resentful. Ive trained so hard, for so many years, that's why I wanted to find you and show you what I'd learn, but after all this time you've only gotten better. I don't know what made me think I could beat you. The truth is you beat me fair and square. You are the number one cook in the East Blue."

Sanji put out his cigarette and stood, throwing his hands wide. I was surprised his eyes didn't turn to hearts.

"Carmon! That's the best compliment anyones ever given me. I'm so happy I could kiss-

"DON'T YOU DARE!" One of Carmons sidekicks or apprentices or whatever came out of nowhere and smacked Sanji's face with a frying pan.

Sanji's face turned red as he kicked the man, but not from pain, from anger.

"Why'd you do that?!" Sanji screamed at the man, who already was crashing into a workstation.

"I'm forfeiting this round, but be ready for the next time we meet. I won't lose to you again."

"Well, if it's a challenge from you Carmen, I'll definitely accept.

"AND THE WINNER IS SANJI!"

Sanji was given his prize, and the crowd dispersed surprisingly fast. We decided that we better take everything back to the ship, so we were making our way through the streets with Nami in the lead.

"Wow, that was fun. I don't know why, but I just love competitions." Nami said.

"How did I get stuck carrying the heavy end of this thing?!" Usopp yelled out, but Sanji was lost in his mind thinking about how exactly he was going to cook the fish.

Nami came to a stop, I almost bumped into her but she didn't even notice, she was too focused on the sky.

"Nami?" I carefully proded.

"Its...the air."

"The air?" Usopp asked.

"It's going to rain." Nami said, and I straightened. Looks like things were about to kick off then.

"But it looks so nice!" Usopp said, looking towards the sky.

"If Nami says rain, then it's going to rain." I insisted. She gave me a smile, and then called out "Let's hurry." setting off at a fast pace towards the ship.

I really hope that saying about lightening never striking twice isn't true!