Chapter Summary: Just because you've seen it all doesn't mean the world can't throw a curveball or two at you every once in a while.

Roronoa Zoro has traveled across all of the Grand Line. Has traversed the entire world. He's been everywhere, from his home of humble East Blue to the awe-inspiring shores of Raftel, from the cold mountains of the Drum Rockies to the desert heat of Alabasta, from 10,000 meters below the sea to 10,000 meters in the sky. He's just about seen it all.

Yet even he cannot deny the jaw-dropping sight of actually traveling in space. He stares out at the window, grinning ear-to-ear as he sees the stars, sees the planet, from a perspective that so very few on his world had ever had the opportunity to so much as seek, let alone succeed. If only the others were here; the smiles, the laughter — sparkles would've been in Usopp's eyes, Chopper's… Luffy's.

It's good, feeling this excitement again. Even before Luffy had been taken from them, the wonder in the world had begun to drop. It wasn't boring — nothing around Luffy was ever boring — but it just wasn't as fascinating or astonishing as it once was when he was a rookie. When he was a rookie, the Grand Line never ceased to amaze him, never ceased to marvel, even if he rarely showed it. Now… well, Zoro's standards have changed over the years, and that joy just isn't as easy to come by anymore.

But this isn't the Grand Line. This isn't his world. This is an entirely new one, and Zoro is a pirate, an adventurer who traveled with the greatest adventurer of all. He feels the tickle of a thrill long-gone, of a delight he has so dearly missed. This is just a taste of what's here. He wants to see this world, and everything it has to offer.

"You're excited."

Hawk-Eyes. Zoro turns to his one-time teacher, forever-rival, and schools his expression into something more subdued. He's still smiling, but it's smaller from the grin he once had. "Like you're one to talk. I can feel your aura too, you know."

Mihawk gives him a single eye but doesn't bother to respond, still leaning back into his chair and feigning sleep. Zoro isn't fooled, hasn't been fooled ever since he awoke his Observation Haki on Kuraigana and started pushing it towards every direction he could find. His old mentor is tense, coiled in a way that screams he's just waiting for the first attack, the first thrust.

Zoro knows why, of course. Mihawk doesn't feel any differently than he did during their fateful duel. The scar on his chest is a deadringer for the massive wound Zoro had dealt him right before taking his life and title with it, and while it's healed properly, it's a little too clean to have healed naturally. And Zoro knows for a fact that Mihawk did die after that duel. He had seen the body, helped Perona bury it, even marked the grave with Yoru, because that blade will only ever accept someone worthy of the title of the World's Greatest Swordsman as a master, and Zoro has no desire to wield it, even if he could.

It lends credence to the idea that this… le Fay, had magically summoned them from their world. Because only magic can explain why this man is here and now, living and breathing in front of him when Zoro had bloodied his own reputation with Mihawk's life in order to take his title. He wonders if Mihawk can tell the same, because the Zoro before him certainly isn't the same Zoro he fought. Zoro is ten years older, with a different sword at his side and maturity that his younger self lacked. The first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates has grown enough to realize that, and enough to even admit it, if only to himself and a select few others.

"We're approaching the Watchtower."

The one piloting the plane, Wonder Woman, is the one who speaks. Flash had told him about the Watchtower, so Zoro looks away from the scenery of space to the front window, and stares.

It's a tall… building? Well, it's tall, and it's silver-gray with several windows and it has a massive halo bursting around the top. And it's rotating and floating. In the middle of space.

"That's impressive," he says, and it's not a lie. It is impressive. He's never seen such a massive structure before, and considering that he's seen Pangea Castle in Mariejois, that's really saying something. The fact that it's hanging in the middle of space only makes it even more imposing.

Mihawk makes a sound that sounds like a grunt or a small hum, which Zoro knows is the closest to agreement that he's going to get. Zoro continues to stare at the Watchtower, taking in every inch of its form, until they near the docking bay (so planes are like flying ships, huh?) and make land. Then the door snaps open, and Zoro has a sinking feeling that this, this is only the beginning.

(He had felt the same way when he had met Luffy, after all.)

Roronoa seems to be enjoying himself. Mihawk is torn. A bored and/or irritated Roronoa is easy to goad into a fight, but at the same time is rather irritating himself. Whereas a more amiable Roronoa tends to take liberties, and with more than a little cheek. The former Warlord does not know which is better.

Even so, even he can't help the curiosity that flares up in him when they reach this 'Watchtower'. It's as Roronoa said — impressive. He can tell just with one glance that the technology built into this one structure is more advanced than all of Vegapunk's greatest creations. He looks around at the sharp lines of metal and the sight of space and the planet and his eyes take on a glimmer of interest.

He wants to go back to their world, of course. Observation Haki might not be his specialty (though for someone on his level, that isn't really saying much), but even he can tell that this world is filled with far too many weaklings to give him a decent fight. Granted, even in the New World good sparring partners are scarce, but Roronoa's generation seems to be more eager for combat judging by Roronoa himself. And Roronoa wants to go back, and that alone is enough for Mihawk to follow. With Red-Hair crippled and now dead, Roronoa is the only swordsman alive that is a worthy enough rival. And now that Mihawk has been knocked off his pedestal, he has something else to look forward to, something else to do — climb back to the top again.

(He's well aware that a second challenge could cost him his life again, but he doesn't mind. To be a swordsman is to live on the edge between life and death, and mercy is the will of the strong. If Roronoa proves himself stronger again and decides that death is his former teacher's fate once more, then Mihawk has no right to disagree.)

So, yes he wants to go back, but he also wouldn't mind staying in this world for a little while. Just because there are few decent fights to be had did not mean this world is any less interesting. No, judging by this first excursion alone, this world has the potential to be very interesting, and he can tell Roronoa would agree.

They're brought to a conference room, one that reminds him of the meeting rooms in Mariejois except without all the garish opulence that secretly made him sick to his stomach. Mihawk would never profess to being a saint, but only the most despicable of people are unable to see the Celestial Dragons as anything less than the horrid blights on the world they are. In light of that, seeing the sparse decorations of this 'Justice League's' conference room is almost comforting. They are powerful and influential for this world, yes, judging by their pretentious name, but it also looks like they aren't ones to lord it over others. Self-righteous, but not sanctimoniously so. Almost tolerable, in a way.

The six of them each take a seat, leaving a specific one empty, and then the one who introduced the team to Roronoa and him, Superman (and Mihawk is grateful that is an alias), gestures to them to take the remaining two seats in front of them. Mihawk draws out Yoru, causing everyone else in the room sans Roronoa, to tense, and sets her against the table before taking a seat. He doesn't kick his feet up on the table like he usually does — this isn't one of those boring Warlord meetings he tried to avoid whenever possible. This is important, and serious, as much as he's not bothering to show it.

Roronoa seats himself next to him, and there is hesitation, as the two sides observe each other. Mihawk can feel their auras, all of their auras. They are apprehensive, even afraid. They are all strong in their own right, the ones called Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman most of all, but they are not sure they can measure up to either Roronoa or himself. Mihawk cannot blame them. Strength does not equate to skill, and he has enough experience to see that in that regard, only Wonder Woman has both enough in spades to be anything resembling a legitimate threat to either him or his former student. The one called Batman is the only one comparable in skill judging by his gait, but he is physically weak just by the feel of him and barely worth a mention.

"We've summoned an ally of ours that specializes in magic to come here and take a look at you both and see if there's anyway to send you back immediately," Superman tells them. "He won't arrive until tomorrow, unfortunately, but you're welcome to stay here until he does. For the time being, why don't you tell us what you were doing before you came here? Any little clue could help with his investigation."

Roronoa and him share a look, before the younger man shrugs and takes point. Mihawk allows it, because he prefers not to speak unless he absolutely has to. "I had just gotten back from the bar with a crewmate of mine and was about to take first watch on our ship," Roronoa explains. "I probably fell asleep, and then there was this white light and next thing I knew I was waking up in a room in that castle."

"You fell asleep while on first watch," Mihawk says with no inflection, which is all the inflection he needs.

"You know as well as I do that Observation Haki works perfectly fine when you're asleep," Roronoa retorts easily, with only a touch of heat. "Otherwise you wouldn't spend days on end napping in that coffin boat of yours in the middle of the Grand Line."

Mihawk doesn't bother responding. Instead, he adds in his own two cents and ignores the curious look the 'superheroes' (honestly, how juvenile) are shooting them. "I was dying after a duel with him," he says casually, nodding towards Roronoa and barely acknowledging the horrified looks the five men and one woman adopt. "I fell unconscious and assumed the bright light was my transition into the afterlife. Instead, I woke up in a room in the castle like Roronoa, with my wounds healed and my clothing restored. Even my kogatana," he notes, lifting the necklace. From the corner of his eye, he can see Roronoa blinking, no doubt remembering how he had caused the blade to snap with Enma.

"You… were dueling," Wonder Woman starts, sounding startled. "And he… killed you."

"Yes."

"And you're… okay with that?"

"He would've done the exact same thing if our positions were reversed," Roronoa elaborates. "It was a duel for the title of the World's Greatest Swordsman. Neither of us would've accepted it ending any other way." His silver eye flickers. "I'm more surprised by the fact that he came back at all. That duel was ten years ago for me, and I know for a fact that I killed him."

That breaks everyone out of their trance, as the Justice League latch onto Roronoa's words. Mihawk can tell they're ignoring their feelings about killing (it seems that they are squeamish about the act) in favor of the other disparity in Roronoa's words. "That duel was really ten years ago for you?" Batman asks, his voice harsh and demanding.

"Yes."

"And you're absolutely certain you killed him?"

Roronoa shrugs. "Helped prepare the body for burial myself, after I healed from the worst of my wounds. And nobody has disturbed the grave since then — a friend of ours guards the place like a watchdog and would've told me if someone touched the grave or Yoru."

Mihawk's eyes sharpen at them. "You buried me?"

"Did you honestly expect me or my crew to leave your body rotting, at the mercy of the elements and for the worms to eat?" Roronoa turns to him and demands, looking insulted. "Or Perona for that matter? Give us some credit, Hawk-Eye. We all had more respect for you than that."

He is not touched. But he is admonished, even a bit humbled, not that he would ever admit it. No, he should've expected better from all of them than that. "You did not take Yoru." Even though you would've been the only man in the world left with any right to it.

"It was your sword," the answer comes easily, as if it is obvious, and Mihawk can only suppose that it is, "You deserved to be buried with it."

Mihawk grunts. It's the closest to thanks that he will give, and Roronoa knows it, which is why he doesn't say anything in return. "So that is why you look older." For Roronoa is older. He's still entirely recognizable, not all too different from the man that killed him, but there is a weariness to him that man lacked. The last vestiges of youth have left his young rival entirely, his features sharp and strong. Mihawk knows better than anyone that the harsh trials of the Grand Line do not cease to leave marks on even the strongest of men, and considering Roronoa's captain, his successor has had more than his fair share of troubles even after Mihawk's death.

Roronoa nods, and the one called Batman clears his throat to get the conversation back on track. "We'll be sure to tell Doctor Fate about this tomorrow when he arrives," he grunts. Mihawk supposes this 'Doctor Fate' is the magical ally they were speaking of. "Until then, we'll have you two undergo some testing with some of our doctors to collect data on you and see if that, in anyway, helps return you home. After the testing is done, we have spare rooms for you here that you can stay in."

"Speaking of that, why is it that the six of you have a big place like this for your base?" Roronoa asks, and Mihawk admits it's a valid question. "I doubt you have all this space for show. You don't seem like the types."

The Justice League exchange looks amongst themselves, and Mihawk can feel them silently debating how much to impart to them. After a moment, a decision is made, and this time it's Superman speaking. "A few months ago, our world was subjected to an alien invasion," he explains. "The aliens, Thanagarians, came under a peaceful banner but in truth were planning to use and destroy our world to their own ends. We barely managed to defeat the threat, but it cost us much, including our original base, the original Watchtower. In the process of building a new one, we've decided to expand our team into a full-fledge organization by inviting the other superheroes on Earth to join us. So we greatly expanded the size of the Watchtower and filled it with a full-time staff to man its various facilities. We're still working out the kinks, but we should be ready for the full transition in about two months or so."

It is a sufficient explanation. Not a single lie has been told. But it doesn't take a genius to figure out there is more to this story, and from the corner of his eye, Mihawk can tell that Roronoa has noted it as well. They don't say anything, though. If the Justice League does not want to tell, then they are in no position to pry. Besides, chances are they'll be gone tomorrow and there will be no point in knowing at all.

(Mihawk will look back at those thoughts one day, and laugh.)

Wonder Woman guides them to the doctors and sticks around for the tests. Zoro doesn't really care much about that part, so much as the fact that Hawk-Eyes keeps a hand on his sleeve and is tugging him around under the excuse that he'll get lost. Zoro does not get lost. It's not his fault everyone else has weird directions and stuff, or that the world just tilts and shifts like that. His sense of direction is perfectly fine.

(When he says that out loud, Mihawk snorts, and it takes all of Zoro's patience not to challenge him to another duel then and there. He's on a hair-trigger without his crew here, sue him.)

They're taken to different rooms, while she waits outside. The doctors are nice enough, and the tests are hardly anything different from what Chopper regularly conducts after a major battle. Nothing too invasive, nothing that tempts Zoro to cut someone up. The worst of it is getting his blood drawn, and Zoro has gone through worse than a needle. Before either of them know it, they're done.

Wonder Woman is waiting for them outside, and she gestures to them to follow. Mihawk grabs his sleeve again, and Zoro develops a twitch that he struggles to keep under control. Even after all this time, the man still treats him like a child.

Their host leads them to an elevator, indicating a floor number for them to remember. After that is a hallway, down a corridor with some numbers on it and then to a pair of rooms, side-by-side. "This is where you'll be staying for the time being. Just type in the passcode — 009 for the one on the left and 010 for the one on the right — and they will open for you," Wonder Woman explains, gesturing to the doors and the odd intercom-like things next to them, "You can decide on your own who gets which room. If you need anything, my room is down the hall in the other corridor, as is J'onn's. Breakfast begins at seven a.m. tomorrow in the cafeteria, on the top floor."

"Thank you," Zoro says politely. Mihawk doesn't say anything, but the short nod he gives is plenty enough gratitude from him. Wonder Woman gives a nod in turn, and departs.

Once she's gone, the two swordsmen exchange another look. Almost instinctively, they decide that Mihawk will get the room on the left, in the corner, while Zoro gets the room on the right. Giving him a final nod, Mihawk shuffles away and disappears into the room, door sliding shut behind him. Zoro stares at the door for a moment, before mirroring the action.

He observes the room long enough to take note of where everything is: the bed, an attached side-table with a lamp on it, the dresser and closet, a desk with some kind of device on it, the windows (showing a rotating view of space and the Earth, which he still can't help but find impressive), and the bathroom. Once that's done, he sets his katanas down next to his bed, takes off his coat and haramaki, hangs them up in the closet, and goes inside the bathroom to clean up.

As he kicks off his boots and lays his head down on an unfamiliar pillow on an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar world, Zoro closes his eyes and tries not to dream.

Well, we're at the Watchtower. Zoro and Mihawk are getting a taste of what the DCAU is like, and are intrigued, but aren't trying to get too used to things because they're convinced they might be leaving soon. Boy, are they in for a surprise…