He looked behind him, blinking.
Had he just seen someone familiar? He scratched his head confusedly.
"Dude, where have you been?!"
He turned his head towards the voice - a very annoyed friend of his.
"You're late!"
"Sorry,"
He laughed, clapping his friend on the back. He buttoned up his vest and grinned as his friend rolled his eyes.
And before the day was out, he'd completely forgotten about the guy with the long nose.
Her eyelashes fluttering against her cheek, his eyes bright and full of adrenaline, his grin full of happiness and confidence, his skin slightly flushed from excitement, his breath warm and gentle against her lower lip...
"Aaahhh!! Stop thinking about him!!"
Tashigi thrashed herself over the head with her pillow.
"--Impure thoughts impure thoughts impure thoughts--"
She muttered the words like a mantra, forcing her thoughts away from the green-head to another matter.
To Tashigi, last night had been one of the most important events she'd ever have in her life.
Admittedly, it had started like a nightmare - she being a fool to believe and allowing herself to lean on something unstable that had ultimately cracked and crashed down. She had been unable to stop herself from falling, and had ended up going over the last line of defense and self-dignity . And she had ended up unable to stop crying, shamefully exposing her weakness for her enemy to see.
Yet she'd been 'rescued' by someone - someone tied her torn dress back up with ribbons, who had held her hand, helped her up and finally woken her up after so many years.
"It's your fault, you know. You're the one who cowered behind a boy for protection."
The words rebounded around her head.
Strangely enough, Tashigi hadn't been insulted or annoyed. The words had sunk in far beyond her usual wall of pride and defense, and she had found that she had nothing to say. It was completely true.
Well, she wasn't going to back down anymore, and cower behind someone else when the very same person could turn around and stab you... or simply walk away, the shadows that had provided safety through the comfort of its darkness slipping off to leave you standing in the exposure of painfully blinding light. Just like Smoker had... although it hadn't been intentional.
If she thought about it, there was something Zoro Roronoah and Smoker had in common. It wasn't their personality or looks that held any similarity, but Tashigi could feel something in the atmosphere that was identical when she was with these two particular people. Something in her attempted to tug itself out of the deep crevices of her mind, nudging her brain and trying to get her to remember how to free it.
His eyes returned to her; the eyes he wore the moment he held up the metal pipes... His eyes looking right into hers, shooting through her with the confidence and pride she lacked. They had shocked and mesmerised her, and from that moment, Tashigi felt something in her tilt. Something tilt towards realisation... that she only had that sort of pride when she had held her swords.
What had struck her was that he had still had the confidence in him after he had let go of his weapons. While he walked up the stairs with her and left her in her dormitory. And that was something Tashigi was unable to do - maintain pride within herself, and not just her skill. To be proud of the fact she was the one who could wield swords, not the skill itself.
She was thinking about it, and little by little, Tashigi was slowly letting herself wonder what the true meaning of confidence was.
Sighing, Tashigi tossed her pillow away from herself, scooping up her wallet, and headed to the door.
She needed some air, a couple of books from her locker and a soda.
A cold one.
He clapped his hands in delight.
"Thank you!"
He exclaimed, and throwing his money across the counter, he grabbed the double-decker super chocolate cone and happily started to lick it. A few drops of chocolate sauce spilled onto his red jumper, and he groaned, rubbing at it. When it only smeared, the boy gave up and continued to eat his ice-cream. A small alarm bell rung in his head, but he ignored it.
Okay, so he wasn't supposed to be eating double-decker super chocolate cones when he had a job to do, but-- come on, he was a kid, and he wasn't supposed to be heavily burdened with such boring assignments.
He gulped down the rest of the cone and grinned at the man behind the counter, who was straightening his hat and eyeing the kid incredulously.
"Can I have another one?"
The small boy asked, putting on a sweet smile. The man couldn't hide his surprise, but he lifted the glass above the ice-cream tubs, unhooking the ice-cream scooper from the wall. His customer threw money over the counter again, eagerly taking the double-decker super chocolate cone into his small hands.
The warning bell rang louder in the kid's mind. He pouted.
"I'll go after this one,"
He said between licks,
"I promise."
The ringing stopped, and the small boy smiled before finishing his fifth cone. Then he smiled brightly at the ice-cream seller, who was wondering who the boy was talking to.
"Another one?"
Asked the man, looking half hopeful and half disbelieving. When the little boy shook his head, he sighed in relief.
"I was just wondering,"
The boy said with a tilt of his head,
"If you happen to know where the GrandLine university is?"
"Miss Kaya,"
Merii called from the main entrance. Kaya peeked over the top of the staircase.
"Yes?"
"I'm going to confirm your advertisement appointment with Mr. Colin. Will you be okay alone?"
He looked worried. He was the only servant that wasn't out on their holiday, and he didn't want to leave the sick girl alone. But the actress smiled, and gave a small wave. He waved back, turned and shut the door behind him.
Kaya waited for a few minutes, and sure enough, heard the slam of a car door and a screech as it left. Then she pulled on a windbreaker, pulling the hood over her head and putting on a pair of blue shades as she slipped her feet into a pair of sandals.
She couldn't stay at home alone doing nothing. Kaya knew for a fact that Merii wasn't searching for Usopp at all; she knew he disapproved of her going on a mad-search for a boy she couldn't even name properly.
"Sorry Merii,"
She murmured, picking up her purse, and clutching her coat to herself, she stole through the side-door.
The sun filtered through her shades, and for a moment she allowed herself to bask in the warmth of the sunlight. Then, with her face set in determination, she stepped away from her house and joined the crowds of people on the streets.
She swept the lock of hair that leant against her left cheek behind her ear, waiting quietly when she heard footsteps behind her. A familiarly warm feeling spread through her, and she turned her head to see a certain green-head. He had his blue bandanna on, but a few strands of green touched his brow.
"Hey Zoro,"
She greeted with a smile. The green-head looked up, his expression of mild surprise. She noticed his lips tugged in a grin that she had never seen on his face... yet it suited him so well, she was sure she must have seen him with that sort of brimming confidence before.
A subtle sense of recognition and content filled Zoro, and he relaxed in his position.
"Nami."
He replied. He was holding a can of orange-juice in a hand, which Nami swept off him and drank, savouring the coolness of the orange flavour. Zoro gave a small scowl.
"You're welcome."
He said sarcastically. Smirking, she handed the empty can to Zoro. His scowl deepened as he realised the lack of juice, and he dropped it to crush it flat with his heel. She took a step back, rolling her eyes.
"Whoa, calm down, cowboy."
"I was thirsty."
He picked up the mash of metal to toss it into a trashcan.
There was a pause - but it held no awkwardness. They stood there quite comfortably, and they both sensed this had something to do with the other's presence... and that was strange. It was as if they had known each for such a long time, they were fine with silences. But they had only been acquainted for four days.
Zoro wondered when he had told Nami his name during those brief moments they had talked, when just then, the sound of someone pounding up the main staircase sounded. Both Zoro and Nami glanced up to see Usopp, his glasses slipping down his long nose as he attempted to push it back up. He kept missing, though, and went on jabbing his eye. Nami blinked in surprise.
"Hey, didn't know you wanted to see me this quick,"
Nami joked. Usopp paused to catch his breath before looking up.
"Listen, I have got loads to tell you,"
He said. His eyes darted from Zoro to Nami as he spoke.
"We have to talk!"
"What's so urgent?"
Zoro asked curiously.
"I think I saw someone I know!!"
Usopp said with the air of someone announcing a wonderful scientific discovery.
"Oh really, Usopp? Guess what? I think I'm seeing someone I know right now."
Zoro said with a smirk. Usopp opened his mouth to retort, when he rolled his eyes.
"I give up. You're impossible to communicate with, Zoro. Anyways, Nami, as I was saying--"
"Hang on,"
Nami interrupted, holding her hands up to emphasise her words. She gave them both incredulous and questioning looks.
"You two met each other before?"
Zoro arched an eyebrow as Usopp looked at Nami in surprise.
"Of course we met,"
Usopp said easily,
"You both helped out at my village when it was--"
A sudden pang of shock shot through Usopp as he realised what he was saying, and his eyes rounded and widened. Nami stared at Usopp.
A hazy image flashed at Usopp's eyes - black bandanna, green hair, striped waistband - and he stared at Zoro.
"What?"
Zoro asked as Nami and Usopp stared at him as though he had just popped out of the ground,
"He's right, we both helped him when his village was attacked, right?"
This made Nami and Usopp's jaws drop simultaneously. However, Usopp still managed to repeat,
"My village?"
"That's right,"
Zoro said nonchalantly,
"It was attacked, remember?"
As soon as the words fell from his lips, Zoro felt something strongly ripple through him. He realised. His eyes widened as he said confusedly,
"Wait a minute. I don't know you, do I, Usopp?"
"I don't know you either."
Usopp answered slowly.
"But you know each others' names. I never told any of you the other's names."
Zoro and Usopp turned to look at Nami, who looked just as confused as they did.
"How did you know about my village?"
Usopp asked. Zoro frowned.
"I-- I honestly don't know."
Zoro said truthfully, still frowning,
"But I--"
Vivid images cut through his mind, flickering like a candle flame. Flashes of colourful clothes, glints off swords and knives, malicious smiles and a swarm of them running up a slope towards him - Zoro continued,
"I-- I remember Usopp's village being attacked by-- by pirates."
"Pirates?"
Nami whispered. The word shot through all of their minds, and all the content, warmth and anticipation they had been feeling swelled and burst, filling each of them with a flood of emotion.
Shock impended on all of them as they saw that there was recognition amongst them, recollections of unknown memories, familarity beyond grasp. But most of all, the greatest shock was the fact that they realised they definitely knew each other without mistake.
A/N: Sorry for the delay! XP But I'm over my writer's block, I think, so I hope the next chapter rolls out smoothly. ^_^; Thanks for bearing with me uptil now! ^^*
::note:: Please understand that there are TWO people being mentioned - one OLDER person around Usopp's age, and a KID. DO NOT THINK THEY ARE THE SAME PERSON. THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE. I know it's confusing because I never mention names until someone calls their name out, but try not to get confused. ^^;;