This is a One-Shot that is taken place during Water 7 but right after the crew defeats CP9. Zoro proves why he is the First Mate.
Warning: Rated M for lots of blood and torturous methods.
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece
The First Day
- Zoro Pov -
I was frustated beyond belief.
It was my fault that half the cre got captured, myself included. I was the only with both my arms and legs chained. Usopp, Nami, Robin, and Chopper were in a different cell looking bruised and bloodied from our captors. I looked down to see my own reflection from the puddle of fresh blood looking right back at me.
A cold bucket of water was poured on me.
I slowly looked back up at the man responsible for all of this. He looked at me smiling smugly seemingly pleased that I wanted nothing more than to kill him right now. Even though he caught us, it was still my fault that we all got captured.
/FLASHBACK/
We were all at Water 7 and we had just beaten CP9 and were taking a little break to rest up and clear the misunderstanding. Nami had forced me and Usopp to go with her and Robin shopping, only to carry their bags, and it was supposed to be only Nami and Robin, but out of nowhere Chopper appeared and he said he couldn't a certain type of medical book that he was looking for. He gave his unintentional 'puppy eyes' to Nami and Robin and they said they would help him. Me and Usopp tried to leave but it seemed like we weren't done yet, courtesy of Nami. I kept noticing the wary glances from the townspeople while some muttered sentences like "Don't they know?""Why are they still here?" I tried to piece it all together but then I bumped into someone wearing a suit of white accompanied by a white cape and mask. 'Weird guy' I thought to myself. I stopped in my tracks when I realized I was alone.
"Tch, those idiots went and got themselves lost" I chrsed under my breathe.
It was then out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chopper being taken.
I moved in the blink of an eye and took the two bastards down who also seemed to be wearing the white suits from the guy I saw earlier. 'Is this some kind of new fashion sense?!' I thought. I looked back at Chopper only to find his eyes were pointed behind me. I quickly turned around and caught their wrist. What I didn't see was the syringe in his hand and before I could react, he injected me with the syringe.
Everything went dark after that.
\\\END OF FLASHBACK\\\
I laid limp as he kicked me in the ribs again.
'I asked for this' I reminded myself again. It was bad enough that Nami and Robin were injured so I would have to deal with the perv-cook later but on top of that, he forced them to watch. They sat there watching everything these bastards did to me. Whether I was being cut open or being burned, they had to watch.
'Better me than them' I reminded myself.
I ignored their pleading cries to take my place but I remained firm in my decision. Nami threw out all her threats of raising my debt while Usopp tried to lie that his army of 8 million would come and show them hell. Robin and Chopper barely had any strength since they were cuffed with Sea Stone cuffs. I heard Chopper's heartwrenching cries about me to stay alive so he could heal me later when the rest of our crew showed up and saved us from this hell. Robin seemed a bit unfazed which wasn't surprising considering her past. She most likely went through many worse things than I ever had to deal with in my past.
Everything stung.
All the cuts and slices that my body has recently acquired stung like hell since they poured alcohol on my wounds. Blood washed over my whole body making my skin red. My breathing hitched when they punched me on the throat causing me to cough up more blood. I looked back at my crew's eyes and saw that they were filled with horror and guilt.
"Had enough?" The man in white questioned.
I blood on his face as my answer.
"If you don't answer my question then I guess I should ask those two lovely ladies over there." He said with venom.
I immediately tensed up as did Nami. I couldn't imagine what kind of horrors they would so them aince they were females. I have seen many things in my life and although I know about the vulgar acts, I can't let them possibly do that to them.
Robin seemed unfazed so I assumed she was used to this sort of thing, but I could never live with myself knowing that I could've and will stop that outcome.
As for Nami, I knew that underneath that confident, cold demeanor of hers, she was still a little girl underneath all that. I can't let these bastards even look at her.
He tilted my head up to force me to look at him. I smiled devilishly through my blood-stained teeth and lips.
"You better keep me chained up, because the moment you don't. I promise I willKILL ALL OF YOU." I said.
- Masked Man Pov -
'What the hell is he?!' The killing intent emanating from this man was so strong that I actually for the first time in my career feared that he was actually going to kill me. I snapped from my dazed self and elbowed him on the face trickling more blood. I continued to swing at his face, ignoring his companion'a pleading cries.
"Tomorrow you will experience hell like you never felt." I said walking away.
- Chopper Pov -
I couldn't watch anymore
They were monsters. Theywere cutting him up and at the tip of their daggers secreted a type of poison. Zoro flinched everytime a new cut was inflicted on him. They contined for hours and when they finished, they burned his cuts to seal them quickly. He visibly choked back a scream and then their leader brought out a sword, Zoro's Sword. He slashes across Zoro's face with it. Nami let out an ear-piercing scream that even made them flinch. I saw the cut and realized it was deep. Blood came sprouting out like a waterfall and painted his lower face red. The bastards burnt the cut on his face shut and finally, after all this time, Zoro screamed. Looking back I don't ever think I've ever heard Zoro scream before. The scream was worse than anything I've ever felt in my life. It was at this point as well that Robin, began to cry.
His body would have scars beyond a healthy amount at this point. If they were to even escape, would he still be able to treat him? He began to doubt hope and he knew he shouldn't have because at any point Luffy would inevitably find them.
But that didn't stop the fact that Zoro was being tortured to death every single day. Not once did he ever cry out from pain, He merely grunted in what seemed of annoyance. His scabs would appear only to be ripped back open again and again. It was Chopper's fault at the end of the day but, Zoro was taking the punishment on his own free will.
He picked up a scent that was sweet and being the sweet-loving reindeer he was, went off in search of it. He was jumped and cornered on his way by some white masked people but and they injected him with something. The last thing he saw was Zoro appearing but someone was behind him.
"C-Chopper..." A voice said.
He looked to see Zoro after finally enduring his punishment looking back at him with a glare, but it wasn't filled with an accusatory look but instead, guilt.
"Everyone, I am sorry that you have to go through all of this because of me," he said in one breathe.
"Idiot! We are perfectly fine because of you! Drop the tough guy act and let us take the punishment instead!" Nami yelled through tear-filled eyes.
"I will never let that happen. I will take all of your pain until Luffy eventually finds us."
"Z-Zoro...I...I...I'M SORRY!!" I couldn't hold back the twars anymore.
"I-If I never...we would've...I-I'm such an IDIOT!" I said looking down."
"Y-y-you m-might die because-"
"THAT'S ENOUGH CHOPPER!!" Zoro bellowed loud enough to shake the room.
"This...This is no one's fault, we are pirates. We should expect this by now, so just sit tight and wait for our crew to rescue us," and with that, he went silent.
- Zoro Pov -
1 week in
My ankles and wrists were aching from the chains, I had no doubt that they would be purple with rotten and dead skin, but that wasn't even the worst of it. They reopened my scar from Mihawk poured alcohol all over it but never patched it back up. I felt the blood leaving my body from there as it added to my never-ending blood puddle. I was too weak to stand anymore and the crew in here with me had seen everything. The man forced them to watch as he slowly dragged his blade across ny torso to my hip. They thrashed and pleaded, begged to stop, I was asked multiple times if he should stop but, I knew what he was really after. The moment I wanted him to stop would be the moment he turned his eyes on the crew. So he continued on taking the punishments, He was covered in so much blood that his hair turned red. They used many methods on him, drowning, whipping, cutting, beating, starving, poisoning, drugging, threatening, and burning. Throughout this whole experience, he only drank a cup of water. His crew was being fed a meal a day with 2 drinks but they refused to eat until he begged them to eat. I tried to reassure them that I was fine, but the words never came out. I settled for telling them my thoughts through my eyes.
It won't be too long until Luffy came to save us.
- Robin Pov -
It was a gruesome sight to say the least. His body was jarred with a plentiful amount of cuts, bruises, burns, and marks. She knew who these people were. During her time when she was cuffed and with Spandam, she overhead a conversation from Kaku and Lucci. They mentioned something about a brother in CP0. She was well aware ofwho CP0 was. She put the pieces together and came to the conclusion that Kaku had a brother in CP0. It made sense since the presumed leader had a long nose poking out from his mask. It was Zoro who cut down Kaku, but she didn't think that a member of Cipher Pol would have vengeance fuel them. She also didn't understand why Zoro was going through all of this when he can pass the punishment on over to the rest of them. If her timing was correct, that would mean he has gone through a whole week enduring all the punishments he has faced. She hoped Luffy would come soon before it was too late for Zoro because judging from the look in his eyes, he wasn't going to stop anytime soon.
- Zoro Pov -
1 Month In
He felt drained.
His body had no more energy or even blood at that point. He wasn't even chained up anymore since they were very confident that he wouldn't be able to move. It pissed him off that they were right.
He just layed there in his own pool of blood sweat and tears. After about 3 weeks, he finally cracked under the pressure. A man can only endure so much without as much giving a reaction. It happened when they stabbed holes across his back saying his back will be littered with scars once they were done with him.
Scars on the back are a Swordsman's Shame.
Right now, he was the most Shameful Swordsman alive.
- Ussop Pov -
It was heartbreaking.
I was practically in paradise while Zoro went to Hell, stayed for half a day, came back for about 2 hours, and went back.
Except it was always hell coming to get him themself.
Ussop cursed himself for being so weak. Zoro was injured beforehand and couldn't bust out of the chains. He can't do that even now considering all the blood in his ankles and wrists seemed to stop flowing there. He had another scar that mirrored Mihawks's, but it began on the opposite side of where Mihawk's resided. The look in his eyes were filled with dread, guilt, pain, and sorrow. Yet somehow, amidst all of the darkness in his eyes, there was a tiny flicker of a flame that represented hope.
Ussop believed as long as Zoro believed.
- Zoro Pov -
2 Months In
It hurt just to breathe.
He tasted everything through his nose, the smell of rotting flesh, the faint scent of steel covered with his own fresh blood, the smell of the tears that would fall everyday on his behalf. He heard everything as well, the droplets of tears and blood, the sound of his flesh being torn apart with a faint shlink from the blades, the voices that came from them, his friends, and inside his own. He never believed in God, but he wanted any faint sign that hope would be coming. He was reaching his breaking point, and he was sure it would break soon. He sees everything, the sick smiles from those cruel bastards, the red puffy faces on his crewmate's faces, it wasall shaded a good red from the blood covering his vision. He still had hope in Luffy.
- Nami Pov -
She couldn't take it. She became a sobbing mess and it all that swordsman's he made her feel this way.
He was the biggest idiot she'd ever met, that was for sure. He was the toughest guy she knew, that was for sure. Despite being a tough idiot who never seemed to see eye to eye with her, he was sacrificing everything for her and her crewmates sake's. She was broken beyond belief ever since the tortures began, she wailed and pleaded to swap with him but the idiot had too much pride to even consider anyone else's sakes.
She never thought that she would experience a feeling worse than losing Bellemere. Losing Bellemere was traumatic but, she was put down rather quickly and didn't have to go through too much suffering. Zoro on the otherhand is going day in and day out being practically killed alive while remaining alive. You know it's horrible when you wish they would kill them already to that they don't have to suffer anymore. He had the pride of not letting anyone else switch with him, but he is lasting longer than any of them would have in any othee lifetime.
These are the qualities, of the toughest idiot.
3 Months In
It was over.
As soon as I saw that I knew that Zoro was more broken than any of us. I knew how much that meant to Zoro and that to him, it meant hmeverything and his life.
Zoro would no longer be the same after this.
- Zoro Pov -
Why.
Why did I do this to myself.
I don't even remember the purpose or how I even got to this point anymore.
They destroyed my Wado Ichimonji.
I was just a husk of a shell of my corpse at this point. My vision was blurred and blinded from blood. My breathing was improper but either taking or releasing too much air resulted in a jolt of pain. I felt light as a feather, but at the same time, I was being weighed down by a thousand tons. I couldn't even look away or feel anything anymore. I could barely make out a masked man who seemed to be talking to me, but I couldn't hear anything. He was wearing a white suit, but then it got even whiter and brighter. I felt blessed as my body started to forget about the pain and fatigue I've endured here. The light was soothing enough to cleanse my soul and rid me of my weight and sins.
'Luffy'
I snapped awake and looked around quickly but felt immediate pain course all around me.
"Guess you're finally awake Mosshead," a familiar voice called out.
I looked over and saw a Blonde with curly-brows looking at me. I looked at his hands and saw that they were bandaged up.
"...who are you?" I asked warily
"Tch, Chopper said this would happen but I can't believe you actually forgot about us." He said sounding annoyed.
"F-food..." I said.
"Hmm? Oh yeah it's on the stand next to you," he said turning his gaze over to the desk.
I saw a whole feast and began to eat what felt like the most heavenly thing to ever happen to me. The man with curly eyebrows got up from his chair and slowly walked out the door while lighting a cigarrete.
I continued to eat.
- Sanji Pov -
"NAMI-SANNNN!!! ROBIN-CHANNN!!! YOUR PRINCE IS HERE TO SAVE YOU!" I said running through the corridors of the hallway.
'That shitty Mosshead better have protected the ladies, even if it kills him' I thought to myself.
I stopped and looked at the door in front of me.
"Room #20 huh? Seems like the right one," I said lifing my leg.
Before I kicked down the door, I got an uneasy feeling pooling up in my stomach and felt scared for what would probably the worst thing I would see in my life.
'Nami, Robin...please be safe'
And with that I kicked the door open.
I looked to my left and stiffened for a moment when I saw that Nami and Robin weren't completely unscathed.
'Bastards, how dare they treat Nami-Swan and Robin-Chwan like this?!'
I unlocked the cell and saw that there were tear stains covering all of their faces.
'I swear if these bastards even layed a finger on them I will-'
"S-Sanji..." Nami choked out.
"Yes my lovely ang-"
"Please... save Zoro" she said in a hushed tone.
There it was.
The uneasiness in my stomach resurfaced and for a moment, I hesitated to turn around. What made me turn around was the fact that Nami asked me too. I turned around slowly and I bit my cigarrete in half.
He was dead.
That was my thought when I saw him chained my his arms with metal rods sticking out from everywhere around his body. His clothes were tattered and ripped to shreds and that mossy hair he was proud of was now completely covered in blood.
I looked at his face and had to fight the urge to vomit as it didn't even represent the shitty swordsman after all. The blood had dried up on his face and he looked so pale and hungrier than when Zeff was forced to eat his own leg off. I noticed that his pinkies were cut off along with his toes, most likely torture but then I saw Wado.
Or what was left of it anyway.
Despite hating Zoro's guts, would never even at my lowest pointwould ever break Wado. I now fully understood what Nami had been through, they tortured Zoro and forced her to watch. I released him from the chains and he fell limp on me as if he were nothing more than a remnant of his past. It was at that point that I had realized that he probably underwent torture for the whole 3 months they were missing. I placed him on my back and hoisted him up, Franky eventually found the room too with the keys to unlock Nami and the rest. He saw Zoro's zombified figure and he began to tear up at the fact that he failed to find and protect his new family. I walked past Franky and when I was out of ear-range, I let it all out.
I placed him slowly on the wall and began to punch a nearby with all my force. I didn't care if I broke my hands doing this, Zoro had to go through an infinetely times' worse experience than some measly broken hands. I screamed and punched until I released some of the anger I was holding in. I heard footsteps approach behind me and saw Franky carrying the shards and remnants of Wado.
"I can try to fix this as best as I can along with Ussop's fault whenever he feels up to it," he said.
"Y-yeah," I said croakily.
He walked past me without saying another word.
- Luffy Pov -
I finished beating up the rest of the white masked men and waited outside their secret base. Any moment now, Franky and Sanji would appear with my crewmates. I heard some banging and screaming from Sanji but I didn't pay too much attention since I knew he could handle it. I saw Franky come out first carrying Chopper in his hands with Nami, Ussop, and Robin walking silently behind him.
"Everyone! You're all safe!" I yelled happily.
They didn't return any words. I felt dread pool up in my stomach since Zoro wasn't in sight.
"U-uhm... where's Z-Zoro?" I asked hesitantly.
I saw them all stiffen up at the mention of his name and that was when I experienced true fear.
I heard footsteps coming from behind the door and slowly heard them open. I slowly turned my head to see Sanji and some kind of dead guy on his shoulders.
It was upon closer inspection that I realized, that 'dead guy' was Zoro.
My brain shortcircuited as I tried to process the sight in front of me. My first initial thought was Chopper.
"E-e-e-EVERYONE!!!! LET'S FIND A HOSPITAL AND TRY TO SAVE ZORO!!!!!" I yelled to the world.
We ran until we found a hospital and immediately left Zoro on a bed for Chopper to take care of him. I was next to him the whole time as was everybody else, but that didn't last long when Chopper pushed us all out so he could try and save Zoro.
I was ashamed of myself.
I had to be the worst captain to ever exist. I had to take 3 months to find my crew and when I did, they were all broken, especially Zoro. I couldn't hold it in, it was completely my fault and nobody could tell me otherwise. I sat there patiently, holding onto it desperately but, I gave in.
"...I need some air," I said suddenly.
No one said a word.
--
I made my way until I found an alleyway. It was filled with barrels and crates that were empty along with some broken bottles on the floor. I picked up a bottle smashed it on my head. Blood slowly started to trickle and I balled my fists.
- Narrator Pov -
Luffy began to smash the crates to wood and even began to destroy the nearby walls with hus fists. He screamed as hard as he could and kept doing so even when it was starting to crack.
"AUGH!!"
'Crack'
"AAHK!!"
'Smash'
"NNNNNGRAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!"
'Creesh' 'Crash' 'Bam'
Luffy was on a rampage and scared off everybody around him. He was losing it. Seeing Zoro with so many black cut marks, a gigantic 'X' like scare on his front body. Luffy failed as a captain, but he failed his First Mate.
- Chopper Pov -
I was nervous, it's been about a week ever since we were freed but Zoro hasn't even shown a sign of waking up. He was alive by the thinnest string and that needle was being held together by two hands trying to break it apart. Sanji had set up a full course meal and the craziest thing was that Luffy didn't even touch it. Ussop and Franky were still cooped up in their 'factory' desperately trying to 'revive' Wado. Luffy was most likely dealing with it the worse considering he couldn't help us.
I just hope Nami would come out soon.
- Ussop Pov -
I couldn't get the image out of my head. This was Zoro we were talking about. He was everything Ussop aspired to be, except for the green-haired part. To see his role model lying on the floor hopeless, broken,...lifeless. It made Ussop lose hope in his own dream. If a man like Zoro is capable of being broken, then everyone else is just a coward. He thought about this as he tried piecing the last bits of Wado together. It was pretty much broken into a million little pieces but if this would revive Zoro, he would gladly spend his lifetime doing so.
- Franky Pov -
This was it. After 2 long weeks, we finished fixing it. I high-fived Ussop and just when we were about to tell everyone the news, I heard tiny bouncy footsteps approaching our door. Chopper bursted in with tears in his eyes. I was about to ask what's wrong but I never got the chance.
"USSOP!! FRANKY!!" The little reindeer yelled out.
"Zoro is...is... ZORO'S DEAD!!!" He said.
Me and Ussop froze at the words. We both clenched our fists and gritted our teeth.
"...you're wrong," I heard Ussop say suddenly.
I turned to see Ussop's eyes being shadowed as his lips trembled. He was shaking and even I could feel the anger emanating from him despite my body being mostly made of steel.
"You're...YOU'RE WRONG!!!!" He said at last.
He charged at Ussop but I restrained him from doing so. He was surprisingly very strong in his enraged state. It took both of my hands to hold him back. He was spitting everywhere and he wasn't even speaking clearly anymore. After about 5 minutes, he calmed down and was reduced to a broken crippled Ussop.
I left shortly after and walked away from the ship.
--
After I thought I was deep enough in the forest I let out all of my pent-up anger and began striking at nearby trees. I was screaming at the top of my cyborg lungs and it wasn't until after I finished that I noticed someone else was here with me.
I turned around to see none other than Sanji lighting a cigarrete but threw it away to a growing pile of burnt cigarretes next to a sitting stone. I looked at his face and saw the large purple bags under his eyes, his eyes told me the complete story. He was just as affected by this as everybody else was. I was hesitant to say anything for a while, 'Has Chopper told him already?' I found myself asking.
"I came here during your little rampage after Chopper told me," he said letting out a puff of smoke from his new cigarrete which he discarded just as quickly as the rest. I looked behind him and saw a perfect clearing of burnt trees behind him leading back to the Sunny which was too far to be visible at this point. I looked down to see that he wasn't wearing any socks or shoes and the bottom of his pants had been singed off. 'Diable Jambe huh?'
"...I'm starving," I said bluntly.
He let out a large drag of smoke and squished the cigarrete in his hands before heading back towards the ship.
I followed him.
- Nami Pov -
I couldn't handle it. I kept myself holed up in my room crying the whole 2 weeks until I felt comfortable coming back out. I come back out and the first thing I see is everyone slouched over and a path of ruin that came from the Sunny and lead to a forest nearby. I saw Robin sobbing quietly and I felt it in my gut that it had to do with Zoro. I was only able to come up with one explanation but I didn't want to believe it. I looked at Chopper and the look he gave me told me that my theory was correct.
"D~does..." I couldn't stop my voice from cracking.
"D~d~does L-Luffy know?" I found myelf asking.
I saw Chopper shake his head 'No' and I went immediately went back to my room and let everything out.
"IDIOT!!" I screamed in my pillow over and over again.
I stayed there pouring my eyes out at the realization that the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, was no longer in this world.
- Zoro Pov -
I woke up to a flowery field all around me.
"What the hell?" I said out loud. The first thing I noticed was that wearing a white robe and all my injuries were gone. So I guess death got my ass after all huh?
I was smacked to the ground by a fist that felt oddly familiar. I was ready to give that Witch an earful, but it never came. Standing above me was Kuina holding Wado Ichimonji in her chest. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying. I felt guilt ring around in my heart and stomach as the weight of my death actually sinked in.
I got up and embraced in a hug that felt better than any other feeling in my life. She pushed me away and mumbled something under her breath that I cpuldn't interpret. She looked back up at me and raised Wado to point it at me. She unsheathed it at some point without me noticing and then she stabbed through my heart. There was no words, pain, or feeling put into that strike. There was something though. Right after she stabbed me, my body began to glow and particles danced around me as my vision whitened. I took one last look at Kuina since I figured I wouldn't be able to see her again after a long time. She met my eyes and with a smile she said,
"Come back after you've fulfilled your promise to me."
--
I woke up to a deafening pain loud ringing in my ears while being blinded by sun itself. After the ringing stopped, so did the blindness. I was able to make out 2 figures standing over me, well one was lying on me but that was besides the point. 'It's Nami and Chopper' my head told me. I tried to move but quickly stopped when I felt a jolt pf pain course through my body. My movement went unnoticed by both of them so I tried to let out a cough which resulted in me spitting blood, it got their attention though.
- Chopper Pov -
I felt something move underneath me but I chose to ignore it since I figured it was just my brain giving me false hope again. I felt a 'thump' of a heartbeat and cursed my brain for bein so cruel. It wasn't until I heard a raspy cough and blood that caught my attention. I looked at Zoro who looked back at me with an annoyed expression that said 'Well are you gonna just sit there or what?' I felt the tears forming in my eyes as I blinked 100 times and pinched my blue nose to make sure that this wasn't some kind of cruel dream.
It wasn't.
"But how?" I found myself asking.
"Well, I sorta got lost on my way so I decided to just come back here instead," he said scratching the back of his head.
Nami through watery eyes smacked him upside the head while shouting "THAT'S NOT HOW DEATH WORKS MORON!!!!!"
The door opened suddenly and it was Luffy who came in
There were no exchange of words, instead, they both nodded their heads in understandment.
- Nami Pov -
After hitting him, I couldn't restrain myself and threw myself on top of his body forgetting that he was heavily injured. I shivered as he put a struggling arm on my back to reassure me that he was indeed alive. I shivered against him as I let my tears pour out and it didn't take long until the rest of the crew came into the Medical room.
- Robin Pov -
After I heard some mumbling coming from the medical room, I used my powers to put an eye there and it was then that I saw Zoro was alive. At first I was in denial and din't to get my hopes up, that until I saw Zoro move his arm aroun Nami's back that he confrimed that he was alive. Tears formed in my eyes and I made a mouth in the kitchen to let Ussop, Franky, and Sanji know that Zoro was alive. I quickly got up from my bes and made my way pver to the medical room only to find the 3 boys fighting to get inside. I giggled at the mere sight and when wouldn't relent, they ended up making a hole in the medical room where the door used to be.
- Ussop Pov -
I couldn't believe it. When Chopper came and told us that Zoro had died, I was fairly calm about the whole situation but was a little adamant in believing he was still alive. I, the great Captain Ussop was correct once again. Other than my intellectual theory, I was absolutely ecstatic when I finally saw Zoro with alive open eyes. I immediately started bawling joining in the crying trio of Chopper and Franky. I saw Nami and Robin wipe tears away from their eyes. Sanji was turned around lighting a cigarrete but he was shaking a bit and even cracked a tiny smile. The one who Ussop thought would be the most ecstatic would be Luffy, but where was he? As it turns out, Luffy was already here and didn't glance back when he saw Zoro alive and well. Although Ussop was absolutely thrilled to see Zor back on his feet, he couldn't but wonder how this was possible. When Chopper said he was dead, he wanted to see for himself and felt that Zoro's heart had indeed stopped. Ussop couldn't figure it out but those thoughts were thrown out the window since Zoro was back. Ussop almost threw himself at Zoro but restrained from doing so since he remembered Zoro's injuries and how he got them. For now he would just continue crying from happiness.
- Luffy Pov -
I understood.
I knew exactly what Zoro's eyes told me.
But I didn't care.
No matter how many times those eyes told me that it wasn't my fault, I couldn't help it. Even though his eyes practically begged for me to not blame myself, I couldn't. I still felt like I failed them, especially Zoro. I heard them all celebrating since I told Sanji to make a feast in celebration of Zoro's recovery. I ate slower and made sure to not take any food from Zoro's side.
--
I had my elbows on the railing of the Thousand Sunny feeling the cool breeze through my face. I was still thinking about the events up to today with the images of Zoro's lifeless corspe flashing through my head.
"Oi"
My daydreaming stopped at the gruff voice calling out. I heard his heavy footsteps approach me leaving a creak on the wooden tiles. It got louder and louder until it came to a halt. I lnew it was Zoro, I also knew what he came here to talk about.
"I knew you would have trouble grasping the idea that it wasn't your fault Luffy but, how were you supposed to know? It's not humanly possible for you to know where we were. I assume you went out looking for us after a whole day of our dissappearance?" He said waiting for me to respond.
"Zoro...why?"
"Why what?" He said raising an eyebrow.
"Why...did you let yourself go through all that torture by yourself?!" I said looking him in the eyes.
"You of all people should know Luffy," he said darkening his gaze.
There was a long pause of silence.
...
After a while I finally broke down.
I sobbed against the railing as the images of Zoro's body flashed through my head. I remembered all the fun times and rough times we had with each other. It brought me so much pain knowing that while Zoro was suffering, I was being optimistic. I don't care if Zoro saw me like this, I had to get it out.
"Luffy, raise your head Captain," he said.
I looked back up at him trying my best to glare. He didn't give me a look of guilt or pity, instead he raised his Wado.
"I swore on this blade my allegiance to you and the crew Luffy, although it broke, it was our crew that fixed it together. As long as this blade is intact, I will never break my word Captain." He said solemnly.
I wiped my face and didn't try to resist the upcoming smile on my face.
"Shishishi, you're so stupid and cool sometimes Zoro!" I said grinning.
"YOU'RE NOT ONE TO TALK!"
- Zoro Pov -
Sometimes I wondered why I even joined this crew. My'Captain' was in front of me laughing after I reminded him of my promise. I wanted curse him for his happy-go-lucky nature but I never could.
Because eventually I let out a chuckle.
We both stayed there staring at the moon in silence, wondering what our journey would be like at our next stop. Fishman Island was what it was called, it was supposed to have mermaids or something. I looked back at Luffy and he smiled at me.
I returned the smile as well.
Author's Note
Just a little One-Shot of what I thought would be a pretty cool story based around Zoro. I wanted to make sure that I captured everyone's Pov's and their character's right. I like my idea of the story but I feel like it isn't fully complete. I am very sorry if there are some grammar mistakes. I will try to get one more chapter done on my OC story before 2021. Until then, Peace.