A/N:

Anyone else feel that I'm updating way too much lately? XD Don't get used to it. I just had to get this bit out because it's related to the black-haired Sanji that confused many people. I feel like this chapter is sort of answering quite a few of the prompts from before, but strictly speaking not really... Feel free to associate it with your past prompts.

After this I think I'm back to taking prompts because my most immediate ideas are all done. So as always, all prompts/guesses welcome!

Sanji Kitetsu Chapter 20

The next time Zoro sees the curly blade is in the castle on top of the mountain. Everyone else is in a celebratory mood for the riddance of the former tyrant named Wapol, except for Luffy, the apparent hero of the day. The rubber boy, who's wearing Nami's winter coat with one sleeve missing, is uncharacteristically sheepish as soon as he sees the swordsman.

"Sorry Zoro. Your sword, it became a guy, and he tossed me over the rabbits, and he crashed. I went to find him, but he was back to a sword, and... and... Well this way!"

He leads Zoro into the castle, up a flight of stairs, into a small room with a single patient's bed. He points to the far corner where the usually loudmouthed cursed blade is quietly leaning on the wall.

"Oi Curly."

The swordsman calls as he takes a tentative step forward. After a few seconds of no reply, Zoro rushes to kneel beside the blade, lays it down on the floor, and carefully unsheathes. His heart pinches at the sight of the first faint crack, but the full view of the blade has his guts twisted into a tight knot.

The entire length of it is covered in a web of large and small cracks. The deepest one is about half way down, right across the back side of the blade.

"Oi pervy sword!"

He tries again. Again the blade remains silent.

"Just answer me already, idiot! You're still there, right?"

Nothing.

This is his fault. He has failed as the master. He should've tagged along even if his feet would fall off. What was he thinking letting his own blade go on a dangerous mission like this with someone else? He wouldn't let anyone even touch Wado, so why did he think it's ok to let the curly sword go off on his own? Just because this one's more stubborn and disobedient? Or because this one's more attached to other people? Or because this one claims he can fight like a human? He even told the blade to make himself useful. What did he expect a sword to do without his swordsman? Zoro's such an moron.

"Sorry, Zoro..." The captain puts a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault." The swordsman shakes his head. His voice sounds a little choked even to himself. "But I need a minute alone."

Luffy nods and leaves, closing the door on his way out.

With trembling hands, Zoro takes the blade onto his lap and runs an apologetic finger lightly down the marred blade. The tip of his finger catches a sharp corner made of two deeper cracks, and a trickle of blood begins filling one crack after another.

That's it, blood! The cursed blade has always been whining to get more blood, so if he's alive at all, some blood could do no harm. Zoro draws Kuina from her sheath, makes a quick slash on his exposed wrist, and let the blood spill freely onto the blade below.

I think you hit a vein, Zoro. Kuina whispers, but the swordsman pays her no mind. Hitting a vein is all the better. Then for sure there will be enough blood for him.

But the blood from the swordsman's wrist simply follows the cracks down to the tip and then drops onto the floor. The cursed blade is not drinking any of it like he normally does. Zoro sheathes Kuina and slides his palm under the hilt, wrapping his fingers and thumb over the blue gem and the golden swirls. He lets his bleeding wrist drape over the back of the blade, as if cradling the sword, and bows his head to press the gem to his forehead.

I'm sorry. Zoro closes his eyes. I'm sorry I failed you, but you can't leave yet. You promised you'd make me a meal, remember?

A vision flashes across the back of his eyelid, a blurred figure of a man holding a cigarette in his mouth. Zoro's eyes snap open. His heart pounds with renewed hope.

"He's in there." The swordsman looks to the white sword.

Do you want to try tuning?

"You think it'll work? He's not responding to me at all."

Still worth a try.

Zoro readjusts his posture. With one hand on the hilt and the other over the back of the blade, he begins counting his breaths. One. Two. The small castle room slowly dissolves from his view.

The swordsman finds himself face to face with a man who has midnight black hair and blood red eyes. His one visible black eyebrow swirls into the exact shape as the golden design on the hilt of the cursed blade. A cigarette dangles from his lips. It is when the man exhales a puff of smoke that Zoro realizes he's looking at a mirror, and the swordsman's hand moves on its own accord to fix the black bangs to cover one eye just as the mirror image does.

Oi Curly! After confirming that he's unable to move his lips, Zoro resorts to their normal mode of communication, but the man shows no indication of noticing his existence.

"... Shambles." Zoro hears a voice, distant and faint, and a figure appears in the background through the mirror.

"... respect... doctor..." The man with the cigarette speaks, his voice equally faint, but Zoro recognizes it to be the one he's been hearing everyday from the cursed blade. The muffled conversation continues, and the swordsman is unable to pick up enough words to make out the content. The man in the background grips his shoulder. Then he wraps an arm around the cigarette man, and they shake hands.

"... kidding, Captain..." is the last thing Zoro hears before his host turns back to the mirror. The swordsman finds himself locking gaze with the one visible piercing red eye, which for a moment seems to see right through the man's shell to the inside of Zoro's soul.

Zoro jolts awake with a thin layer of sweat all over his skin.

What's wrong? Did you see him? Kuina urges.

"Something's wrong with his space." He answers.

A/N: Sorry this one is a bit heavier than the others. I try to keep this story light, but it's Zoro and guilt, so... XP