A/N: hello it's eury again it's been a while since ive posted bc this sem eats all of my time （；´д｀）ゞ but dont worry, i will post updates but slowly ; - ; anw onto to chapter!

Away from the public's eyes, Zoro dragged the other him by the legs in a nearby alley. It would be dangerous if someone saw what he did earlier— well, with the way the two of them had caused a ruckus earlier, of course that had already alerted the authorities. But since this was Zoro, he didn't give a fuck about them. As long as this guy answers his question on why he attacked Robin, all of it would be fine.

Then he will flee away from this city as fast as he can. The impostor was still dazed from the fall. The attacker should be lucky that he was quick enough to push Robin away from harm or else, there will be bloodshed. This guy in front of him? He looks just like him —the Zoro in this world— as he looks closer to this stranger's face.

Even though he wears different clothes— the same clothes Stupid Cook wears— it felt like he was staring at a mirror. From the same cropped green hair to his three golden earrings, there's no doubt he wasn't dreaming. However, what separates them was that: this guy has a scar overlapping his left eye.

His counterpart winced from pain, slowly blinking his good eye. There, Zoro quickly moved his knife close to the impostor's throat.

"Tell me why the hell did you attack Robin?"

"What the fuck— wait, who are you! ? " He said, pointing his fingers at Zoro.

Zoro was getting impatient and shoved him brashly against the wall.

"Look, I don't have all the time to be joking around here. You didn't answer my question: Why did you attack Robin? !" Zoro tightly gripped the man's collar, while his other hand pointed his knife once again on his throat.

This bastard even quickly deflected Zoro's knife with his dagger, "Do you think I will—?"

Without hesitance, Zoro immediately grabbed his knife and maimed the other Zoro's leg, inflicting another wound on his legs.

"I can think of many ways of making you talk aside from slicing your legs. Now, I'm asking you once again, why did you attack Robin?"

"I'm fucking bleeding to death and you're still asking me that?" The other Zoro yelled at him despite wincing from pain. The other Zoro then looked him in the eye, searching for mercy in his eyes. Yet, there was nothing. With the way Zoro's eye glinted with fury, or if that's what it is, he swore that his legs had trembled. Not just from his wounds, but Zoro's glare alone was enough to make him shiver. With the gush of his blood trailing on his legs, the other Zoro heaved.

"Fine! I… I don't know who the fuck was Robin! Happy?!" He whimpered in between his pained grunts as he clutched both of his legs to stop it from bleeding.

Zoro's grip loosened on the man's collar. His answer didn't make any sense to him. Fucking bastard must be definitely hiding something from him. His questions haven't yet been given clear answers. It makes his blood boil, knowing that Robin was almost harmed.

The other Zoro thought he was already finished asking him but he was taken aback when Zoro started to grab him on his legs and drag him across the ground.

"Hey, hey what the hell? Where the hell are you taking me?"

"To the archives."

"H-hey! Let me go! Can't you at least treat my wounds first?"

With one hard look, he was lucky Zoro still had mercy on him or else, Kuraigana would be waiting so long for him as well as his crewmates, and hell would be just one step ahead waiting for him.

What the hell is he even doing? He couldn't imagine doing this— transporting this bastard-look-alike of him all the way to the archives. But for the sake of Robin, all for a woman who he wasn't entitled to protect, he had done this. There's nothing he can gain anything from this, he knows that. Robin didn't even tell him to protect her. But, for all these actions that he had done, was there something he needed explaining? Why would he do all of this? Surely enough no one had urged him to do any of this. He was sure that that was his own will.

But if he needed someone to explain things, maybe Chopper would be the best one that can explain things to him— if he can . Maybe Chopper might know something about what was happening to him. And maybe a little home remedy would cure whatever inside him, whatever was going inside his mind.

If Chopper would be here, he might know what this is, right?

This particular feeling…

" That woman… Who is she to you? Why do you care for her?" The other Zoro asked. Distracting him from his thoughts, Zoro almost crashed into another car.

"Look where you're going! Do you want us to get killed?" The other Zoro yelled.

Zoro scoffed, then pointed his knife once again at him.

"What the fuck? I'm just asking you—"

"Then don't ask questions like that while I'm driving." He said, eyes focused on the road.

The other Zoro opened his mouth to protest, but he didn't respond anymore, and just remained sulking on his seat.

Zoro didn't need this fucking look alike to dictate his thoughts. But with how he lashed out earlier, after Robin was almost harmed, does that mean he really cared for Robin? Sure, he will do that because she was a friend, and she almost killed. But there's this bugging feeling inside him that tells him that there was something more than that. Yet, even his mind couldn't tell what the hell it was. But if he does know it , he just wishes he can do something about what has been bothering his mind and his heart.

Luckily, the two Zoros didn't get lost on locating where the archives were. Also, it's a good thing Ben taught Zoro to drive or else, he would just ram the other Zoro's car along the road. That aside when they arrived, Robin was already waiting for Zoro along with Koala and Sabo in front of the archives.

Zoro immediately ran to her as soon as he got out of the car.

"Robin, are you okay? Was there any—"

Robin hugged him tightly, clutching his body closer to hers. Zoro might have stiffened for a moment, but he moved his hand awkwardly to pat her back. He didn't know what to do at that time.

Robin's heartbeat was pounding so fast as their bodies were closer. But now Zoro was here with her, slowly, a gentle pounding had matched his. Zoro wouldn't be the type to focus on details, but as close as her body was to his, she was warm to touch and he didn't want to lose that warmth.

Was that being selfish of him?

He even forgot to breathe for a moment when he gazed into her eyes. Was something going on with him? He didn't know but, every time he was with Robin, he couldn't understand why his body stiffened. What could ever be the reason his heart could have that rapid beating? It's just… Robin .

Was he getting sick? —

"Zoro?" Robin was already looking at him, her face was just only inches away from his. All of those thoughts had subsided when she called his name.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Zoro shook his head, "I should be the one asking you that."

Robin just smiled at him, and sighed, "I was just worried, I thought you're not coming back." She muttered.

Zoro winced and, yet smiled faintly, "Don't worry, I'm already here."

He will come back for her but only until the day before he will go back to Kuraigana, he will leave her, and the others. Will he ever be ready for that?

Then realizing that their faces were still in close proximity, he then gently stepped aside and moved away from her. Ben must have been laughing at Zoro right now, knowing that his words were slowly getting true…

"Then who was this?" Koala asked Zoro as she was standing beside his look-alike, making Robin and Zoro glance where she was.

"Ah, that bastard? I'll explain inside." Zoro said before they all head to the archives.

After Zoro explained only the gist of what happened earlier, the attacker agreed to talk with Robin. The attacker, Zoro 2, that's what he called his look-alike. After what he did to him, Zoro was sure that he wouldn't get away with his wounds. He was even holding Zoro 2's dagger so he wouldn't have any reason to escape from them or else his limbs would be severed. It even looked awkward when two Zoros entered the archives, Koala even nudged Robin if there was a Zoro twin, she just politely told that, ' no, there wasn't .'

"You looked like Hancock." Zoro 2 started.

"You mean 'The Empress'? Boa Hancock?"

Zoro wasn't paying attention earlier after finishing his part but, now that they were dropping names, he was now looking at them back and forth. He looked at the two with confusion as he listened to their conversation. Like, who the hell these two were talking about?

Then, Zoro, curious, stood up from his seat to move beside Robin and noticed that there was a photograph handed by Zoro 2 on the table earlier. There were two women: a woman with a black hair together with a turquoise hair—

"Wait, isn't this the turquoise haired woman from earlier?" Zoro stared as he examined the photo.

Zoro 2 looked at him with widened eyes, "You mean Hiyori?"

"Yeah, why?" Zoro raised a brow.

"She was— You saw her? Why didn't you say so?"

"Yeah, earlier she just asked me if I was 'Sir Zo.' Was that you? Sir Zo?"

Zoro 2 slowly nodded his head, "Hiyori was a friend. She used to call me Zo, it's my nickname back in my hometown." He started.

Zo told them that Hiyori was a childhood friend of his back in his hometown, he didn't specify where it was. But what was important, Zo said that seeing the person he was about to kill, was someone important to his friend, he was thinking whether he would kill Hancock or not. This wasn't the first time he had done this job. Sure, he had slain a lot of people paid by rich people, but knowing this was Hiyori— that was his last straw. He was already considering whether he will kill Hancock but when he saw a black-haired woman, he thought that it was Hancock, so clouded by his riddled thoughts, he couldn't stop himself.

He ran towards her and aimed his dagger towards the woman. But to his surprise, someone came in to block his attempt. Only a fool would dare to defy him. But that guy? Zo was bewildered when his dagger was deflected by the same fool. But he was wrong. Seeing the fiery glare from the man had saved the woman, the guy was not only just a mere fool. That's a beast.

And at the same moment that realized that the woman he was about to kill? It was not Hancock. Scrambling for his life, he escaped from that scene. He quickly ran away despite knowing that someone was already following him.

"And that's all… All those years finding a purpose…" He trailed off his words as if he was rambling to himself.

"You're stupid, you know that? Why would an empress casually stroll in the archives without her escorts?" Zoro said.

Zo thinned his lips at that.

"Zo, that's your name, isn't it? What's stopping you from your purpose?" Robin asked, ignoring what Zoro said.

"Like I said, I still don't know what I am supposed to do not until you two came. Someone ordered that, it's all for money. Although—"

"If you don't know any better, then why did you just almost kill Robin?" Zoro interrupted Zo, crossing his arms.

"Aren't you listening to what I was saying? Or are you dumb enough to understand what I just said?"

"Wha—"

"And wow, bold of you to say that when you, too, almost killed me." Zo pointed to his finger at Zoro, already pissed off at Zoro.

Zoro, never backing down on this, was about to fight Zo. He was even about to unsheathe his knife but then a hand stopped him.

"Enough." Robin said, stopping the two Zoros on their pointless banter. Robin let out a sigh. It's really hard to deal with two Zoros.

That aside, she asked, "Let me see the photograph again."

Robin then examined the photograph of Hancock and Hiyori. The two women were grinning in the photo. With the way how they candidly posed for the camera with holding hands. Although she didn't even know who this woman was, she knew what a woman would look like if they were genuinely smiling with the someone they wanted to be with.

While Zo hadn't told anything about who was the business man— she didn't want to know who that bastard was, they were powerful enough to hire someone like Zo, but weaker than Hancock— her best guess that he knew something going on between the two women. She didn't want to conclude but…

With a sigh, she looked at Zo, handing him the photograph, "So, that's making sense."

"What is?" The two Zoros asked.

"If I'm not mistaken, you want to kill Hancock because she was linked to Hiyori, right?"

That gave her a nod from Zo.

"I'm assuming that there was something going on between Hancock and Hiyori, and who am I to judge if there was? But I guess, it was Hiyori's choice that's why she was with Hancock. But then as you said, you were hired by a certain business man that hired you to kill Hancock. You know this was 'the Empress', right? She can do anything she wants more than that business man who hired you, are you still willing to do it?"

"I think… not." Zo sighed, averting his gaze, then, "I don't know..." Zo trailed his words.

"So, what are you planning, then?" Robin asked him.

But then, as Zo was about to speak, Robin's transponder snail rang, interrupting them. Robin excused herself for a while to talk with someone— maybe it was Nami and the others, Zoro thought.

"What?!" Robin said in a horrified tone in the middle of her conversation. The others looked at Robin with concern. Robin wouldn't be acting like this except—

"Chopper was missing, and Nami and the others couldn't find where he was." Robin looked at them as her voice was about to crack.

Among the bustling crowded places of the city of Grand Line, police were seen spectating the crowd looking for the culprits that had caused a ruckus after having the alerts of concerned citizens. But among them was the little reindeer, Chopper was also in the crowd. Not because he went there, but he got lost.

"Luffy! Where are you?"

Chopper wailed as he frantically moved his head from left to right, desperate to find where Luffy went. At first, Chopper thought that he was following Luffy where he was walking. Slowly getting away from Luffy, he didn't notice that he was already out of the food court. But now, here he was in the city outskirts where gigantic buildings stood and intimidating people scared him.

Everywhere you look, there are different kinds of mobiles moving on the roads. He wasn't in the mood to admire the mobiles he saw. Unlike in Rustbay, the only mobile he always saw was Robin's and the tractors from the farms. Nothing was familiar to Chopper. With his tiny body squeezing from person to person, he could barely be noticed by the people who walked around him as if they were in a hurry.

Chopper kept on walking. He didn't know where he would go. If he happens to know where the port is located, then he would be there in the first place. He knew where Thousand Sunny was docked in, the only thing he needed was where the port was located. But no, there wasn't someone answering him when he asked them.

He thought of asking someone, as his mother would tell him in case he gets lost somewhere. When he was about to tug on a person's coat, they just shot him a menacing glare, making Chopper him tremble in fear.

"Can I ask—"

"Go away! No beggars allowed!" The stranger shooed him away, ignoring Chopper's whimpers.

Chopper once again attempted to ask someone, but like the other, they shouted at him. Nothing seemed to take notice of the poor little reindeer in the city. He never asked once again. He thought the city of Grand Line was supposed to be cheery, happy, not full of scary people. Chopper never felt like this in Rustbay.

Rustbay was far better than the city, he thought.

Chopper still walked. Where was he going? He didn't know. Wherever his little legs would take him, he just hoped he could find someone that could help him.

But as tireless as he was, lost in the middle of a city he didn't know, he took a seat on the gutters. Chopper's lips quivered, and he couldn't help tears slowly stream in his eyes. He just wished that Zoro or Robin would find him here. How he wished someone could help him…

Not long after, Chopper heard a soft voice in between his cries.

"Hey kid? Are you lost?"

Chopper looked up at the stranger. He couldn't see their face clearly, but Chopper nodded at them as his tears started streaming down his eyes.

"Aww… don't cry! I'm already here! " The stranger wiped Chopper's tears with their handkerchief.

"Come on, let's go find your guardian, shall we?" They gave him a smile as they offered their hand to Chopper. Chopper was still rubbing his eyes from his tears.

Out of sheer panic and desperation, the little reindeer took their hand, wanting to go back with his friends. For a kid lost in the city, he sure would trust someone who would help him find his friends. Chopper would have asked where they would go, but being with this stranger, he never asked them where they were going. He felt safe since this was the first time someone from the city of Grand Line had been nice to him.

end notes: see you next update!