When the crew finally made it to the clearing they were amazed but tired, breathing heavily and out of breath. After catching their breath they became shocked. There were people up here, they didn't think there would be. Why would there be? Who lives in the mountains? The people here parted to lead them straight to the middle, where the biggest fireplace was and where there were more than enough seats.
Zoro's back faced them as they got closer to the area. When they stood behind her she turned to them with a smile. "And that's how I got here." Zoro says. The old lady across from her nods.
"I see. So that's why. As years past, and older generations died, the reason to why a swordswoman with two certain swords massacres our island has become unclear." The old woman says. "And also why you want to see Nina's grave." She adds. Zoro nods. The others goe to sit down next Zoro.
Zoro knew they would find her. After she got off the den den and handed it back to the old lady she sat down and meditated to make her haki, her presence, more noticable. She felt Sanji's using his haki to find her. She knew they would get there faster with Sanji. He always knew where to find her, which she liked but didn't at the same time.
Zoro tapped Nami on the shoulder, when the orange haired girl turn to Zoro the swordsman handed her a map. Nami opened it and looked at it. "What's this?" She asks. She knew it was telling her something was there at the X but what?
"That's where Nina was buried." Zoro answers taking a drink from her mug that was offered to her before they came.
"Was?" Robin pointed out.
"Oh right, I was suppose to tell you what I know about this." The old lady remembers. "Yes Nina's coffin use to be buried in that spot but generations before me her body was taken and moved somewhere else. I don't know where. Well not where, there's this," she looks through her fanny pack and pulls out an eternal log pose, she hands it over to Nami. With the log pose on her wrist the lady concluded she is the navigator. Nami took it. "This is where you would find... someone who knows where Nina's body was moved too. At least that was past down from one mayor to the next. I don't know if they have someone who has more information than I do or if the truth was forgotten. It's worth a shot."
"You seem rather calm about this, rather than your granddaughter." Zoro points out as she takes a drink from the mug. The others look confused.
"My granddaughter is scared of the massacre." she says.
"Massacre?" Usopp asks.
"That's what we call it. Where a swordswoman comes and massacres the whole island."
"Is this your hidden place?" Zoro asks.
"Yes. We keep the kids here until they are adults. It's an extra precaution. The kids are never harmed but we could never be too safe."
"So how come you're not scared?" Brook asks. There is a pause in silence as everyone just notices him. They stare at the talking skeleton.
"I've lived through two massacres. The first was when I was a child, my mother was severely injured while my father died. The second was when Cindy, my grandaughter, was a little girl. My husband and both her parents were taken. I was never able to give her a real reason just that our ancestors did something bad and now every couple decades someone comes to kill everyone on the island. I shouldn't have told her that but I didn't want to lie. She doesn't want to see anyone hurt so she tries to sent any female swordsman away from the island." With that they all knew who her granddaughter is.
With this Nami stands up. "All right. We got some informations lets go."
"I hope you find it. If you do you'll be saving a lot of people's lives." The old lady says.
The crew stand up and gather their things but one person. Zoro sat there looking down thinking. "Zoro?" Chopper calls.
"Before we leave." Zoro stands up and looks at her crew. A soft smile on her face. "I want to see my grave." Zoro says.
My grave, Zoro says, no that wasn't Zoro but the look in her eye is soft.
"I'll show you there. My granddaughter might stop you if you go alone." The old lady says standing up.
And she's right. When they made it down the mountain and into town immediately Cindy was on their ass telling, shouting at them to leave. The old lady shouted back about being respectful and being calm. There are somethings we have no control over and it's better to accept that than fight it, sometimes. This is one of them. There is no way a town of ordinary people could fight off a cursed swords, even if the guards are strong.
They did make it to the grave they see the gravestone covered in dirt and overgrown weeds and vines. Zoro leaves for a moment before coming back with a bucket of water. They watch as Zoro carefully and heartfully cleans the grave. She did so with a smile and it didn't shock them, she usually cleaned her swords with a similar smile.
Luffy kept hold of her swords just in case so she moved a lot freely. When she finished Zoro clapped her hands together and closed her eye as she prayed? Is that what she was doing? Then no way was that Zoro. Zoro doesn't pray at all.
Zoro knew what they were thinking with that look on their faces. So she shocked them all and saying it's her again. And that in the village that she grew up it was customary to do this in front of a grave. It was respectful so she did it even thought she knew that Nina was no longer buried here but she felt like she needed to do it and she felt Nina inside her feel happy about it.
