*peeks around corner*

*hides*

*comes back out in business pantsuit, glasses, and eyebrows so sharp they could cut a man*

*places laptop on business table because suddenly we're in an office in a high rise with all glass walls*

*looks at you*

Hello.

It's me.

I was wondering if after all these years you'd like-

wait never mind that's an Adele song.

HI EVERYBODY!

I'M BACK!

WITH A SHORT CHAPTER!

BUT EXPLANATION!

*goes back to high rise glass office*

Okay so. I have been editing.

For a month.

It has been good. I had finished kind of the first arc of the story, I was looking back and realizing that "holy crap I wrote 26 chapters of this stuff and ya'll READ IT"

I mean like, around a hundred of ya'll read it. Which is enough for me! :D! [I mainly did this for myself because I'm secretly a perfectionist]

I also realized that there were some inconsistencies and general off stuff all over the place. SO! I went on an editing spree.

Now- I definitely didn't fix everything Xb and I mean yeah there's early chapters and other ways I wish I could have started the story differently that I won't touch because... this was an edit... not a remix Xb. BUT! I made some significant changes to a few chapters and generally cleaned up some other stuff and a few grammar things. [Zoro now consistently only has 1 eye through the story. I think. Also messed around with names a bit more and when and what they call each other:) just a bit though.]

All that to say- I feel better and more confident about the direction I want to take this story. I think I've laid some more solid frame work, and I'm REALLY looking forward to exploring these characters and plot ideas I have more! :D:D:D:D:D so no worries. I am BACK and in FULL FORCE. At least until school starts. Then it'll be whatever the heck I fit in Xb

This author note is now officially too long SO-

Chapters with significant changes/rewrites/new scenes that you might be interested in reading: "Diseased" (Tashigi POV), "Planning" (I mentioned Smoker instead of ignoring him until literally last chapter), "The legend" (Tashigi POV), "Little Things" (honestly whole chapter is much improved with 2 new scenes at front and end), "Snore" (Zoro POV), "Oar Strokes" (rewrite! Similar but like, better), "Lost in the Woods" [og 24] (basically took the end of 23, rewrote and added into 24 that has some edits, then deleted 25).

Chapter 25 ("Falling. Literally, not Figuratively") no longer exists. I know everyone loved the horrendously cheesy scene of them jumping off the cliff together but yeah. nixed that. No more Tashigi becoming overtly aware of how she stereotypes Zoro and also totally digs him. That is the ONLY thing that has reeeeally changed with all of this. and like. You don't have to read something new. It's just... gone...

SO YEAH. I'm back. This author note is ridiculous. Here's a short chapter.

.

.

.

Zoro POV:

After Sanji leaves, I stay in my lookout tower till the barest traces of dawn start to compete with the setting moonlight.

I leave hungry.

Climbing down the ladder to the grass deck below, cool wind ruffles my hair, sending shivers down my back as I pause to look at the ocean, one foot a step below the other, as I watch, and listen, and finally let out a content sigh after the waves lapping against the boat pull me in and mesmerize me for a few minutes.

I never wanted to love the sea. It just kind of happened.

Been too long since we just sailed like this. Us and open water for days and weeks on end. With a shake of my head I pull myself from the peaceful scene and finish climbing down. Where's the kitchen?

After a few missed doors (they all look the same when its night and relaxed like this) I finally push into the kitchen and grab the whole plate of rice balls that curly brows left out. Snap these are good. I walk out after a few minutes, food demolished and consumed with a slight pause to glance at the sake storage before my yawn dissuades me.

For once I wanna sleep more than I want my throat to burn- something that happens less frequently in the New World. Stifling another yawn, I head down the main stairs for the men's dorm, quietly pushing the door open and letting the moonlight illuminate and help me find my objective.

There he is. Knew it.

I walk over to Sanji's bunk, silently grabbing a pillow that fell to the floor from Luffy's bed as I come to a stop next to the ero-cook. Chopper is snuggled against his chest, sleeping soundly and never waking as I push the doctor down and out of Sanji's grasp, replacing him with the pillow, and then I quickly pick him up and carry the reindeer over to my bunk. Just as I sit down and am about to collapse, I hear a panicked rustle from cook's bed and glance over my shoulder just as he looks up.

Heh. Told you not to get used to it.

I stick my tongue out and pull my eye down at Sanji before laying down flat on my bunk and nestling Chopper into my side, the radiating warmth from his fur the perfect temperature to ward off creeping chills of the night. With another content sigh, I close my eye and let sleep slowly take over, thoughts calm and random, everything at peace. Well, to the best it was gonna get to right now.

I like Tash.

What's with the cheese aftertaste from those rice balls? Who puts cheese in rice balls?

Not that it really changes anything. Liking Tash. Cheese in rice balls changes everything. But liking Tash?

"crap."

I wince, peeking down as Chopper stirs a bit in his sleep. Didn't mean to say that outloud. Chopper settles, and I start breathing again as I stare at the bottom of Luffy's bunk. Liking her doesn't change anything cause I'm not gonna do anything about it. I've always had tons of reasons to stay single and uninvolved with anyone ever. And even if I wanted that to change, what am I supposed to do? I don't know a damn thing about.. heart.. stuff...

..yeah..

and she hates me. Which is impressive cause the damn woman loves everyone. Proves there's no point in trying in the first place. Nothing worth gaining, nothing lost. nothing changes.

...

until she decides to die because she's an idiot.

Then things might hurt like hell.

I face palm myself.

"won't hurt cause I won't care. Cause I don't even know the woman so it's fine. Cut it all off now..." I murmur, eye roaming over the little carvings Usopp has etched into the bottom of Luffy's bunk over the years, content to let the train of thought rest. I can accomplish my goals without getting attached. more. more attached.

"pfft." I chuckle quietly as I see a new drawing depicting Luffy with a mermaid tail being eaten for breakfast by a shark. Our captain must've cheated in Go-Fish again. Wonder what else happened while I've been out not paying attention. I'll have to ask Robin to update me on the important stuff tomorrow.

I turn to look at the door, noting the tiny glow of light starting to filter through the cracks. Er, I guess today. I won't sleep too long. I have other things to do besides hearing crew stories. Training. Should go check on Navy Brat. Figure out when we'll leave. I turn onto my side, pulling Chopper into my chest as I adjust my head on the pillow, looking for the right sweet spot. Because no way I'm letting Navy Brat leave and get that Greatest Challenge all to herself. It's past time I gave my craft and personal dream some extra attention. I owe it to Kuina. To myself.

The thought of Kuina is simultaneously relieving and disturbing, beliefs about how to manage my responsibility to my past rival the one thing I'm resolved to keep unresolved. Instead, I focus on the relief around the name, the hint of a smile pulling at my lips. At least some clarity came from that whack vision. Any.. fEeLiNgS I imagined existed or might have come around for my passed friend... they aren't real. least, not organic. Not like Tash. And definitely not binding. Don't need a ghost as an excuse to stay out of relationships. I can find plenty of reasons all on my own.

My face squishes at just thinking the word 'organic' to describe what I feel towards someone. Navy Brat's definitely her own obnoxious problem. Who's going to get herself killed if she tries to find that challenge thing by herself like she is now. Half dead and weak. But she won't be much use to that home island of hers if she waits too long. That log pose thing said the challenge comes to you, right? We do this right we'll both get back where we need to be soon enough.

"I'll talk to Luffy.. tomorrow..." I mumble again, eye blinking close as I stuff my face in Chopper's fur on top of his head, train of thought truly derailing as I inhale a forest scent, the smell a welcome, calming change to the smell of the sea. Nothing against the sea. I like both aromas. Sometimes it's just nice to have different, and each one has it's own unique qualities. If I have to choose a smell for battle I'll always choose the sea. But, forest helps to calm in a different way.

I don't remember pulling my head from Chopper to look at the ceiling, knowing the sick bay is somewhere above.

Do you like the forest or the sea? Or both?

What kind of irrelevant question is that..

Sleep rests and steals thoughts and light alike.

Tashigi POV:

I blink my eyes open, an attempt to escape the pounding headache pulsing in my brain tissue, everything foggy and distant and strange.

Strange..

I blink again, scrunching my face as pain shoots from my abdomen, hot, searing pain, as I look at the wooden ceiling.

Since when did Navy infirmaries have wood ceilings? That's a health violation. All wall surfaces must be plastered or constructed of material that can easily be sanitized for the sake of-

"THE GREATEST CHALLENGE!" I gasp outloud and shoot straight up in my bed- HOW COULD I FORGET?! "Oh my goodness how long have I been o-ou-ou-owowowowowowow aooaahoohhhowwoo..." I seize up immediately, eyes growing wider at the consuming writhing agony shooting through g.

"Ah! Tashigi! Be careful!" A high pitched voice pierces through the spasming pain as I feel strong hands push me back down to my bed, not even trying to fight them as my head swims and nausea sloshes in places nausea shouldn't be able to slosh.

"Stupid idiot navy brat- what the hell you doing?!" the baritone voice is rough like gravel. But, like small gravel. Rocks still sharp but small for landscape purposes.

"I like landscape," I whisper, trying to be quiet so I don't wake anyone else up. Wake anyone else up? Who else is sleeping? Am I sleeping? What is this pressure on my shoulders? "it really adds to the value of a property. Well maintained landscape shows the owners care. Who are you and why are you touching me?"

I stare blearily at the fuzzy outline of a human being leaning over me, the outline filled in with a bronzy color and, a tuft of green at the top?

I tilt my head to the side in consternation as another outline joins the first, this one big and hairy.

I smile.

"Hnnm," I let out a happy hum as I close my eyes and feel my muscles loosen, content to think about the big hairy thing. Surely it must be cute when I can see it with my glasses. Achy ebbs and waves gently replace the seizing pain from earlier and I let out a sigh as darkness starts to creep up again.. and..

"Oh!" my eyes shoot open as I look straight up at Roronoa Zoro leaning over me, hands pressed against my shoulders in an attempt to restrain. I blink, my mouth a perfect 'O', until I press up a bit against his pushing me down and whisper, eyes wide, "Don't let them keep me under too long! I have to go somewhere!" Sincere belief and wishes fill me as I stare up at his grey iris- how strange to have his full attention trained on me- smiling softly a moment later.

Clarity comes fully only as I'm pulled into the dark. They drugged me up. I've gotta behave next time I wake up if I don't want it to happen again..