One Piece: The Musician
Chapter 4: Scarred Were The Words He Said
The Straw-Hat pirates were gathered around a large table, ordering food when Arina came, after putting her violin away. No one knows if Arina ever notices that the whole room becomes quiet when she comes in. Or perhaps she just ignores it, but everyone knows that if Arina was coming into the public after her mini-concert, it meant someone important was in the room. (If you are curious, after her concerts every night, she mostly spends her time in the kitchen, cooking)
As the waitress left the table with their orders, Arina pulled up a chair between Luffy and Zoro. She graciously smiled.
"So. The Straw Hat Pirates. What brings you all the way to Rhea?"
"WehwunnhoRauhell," Luffy mumbled, while spraying Usopp with a mouthful of peanuts, he apparently found at the bar.
Laughing Arina inquired, "I beg your pardon?"
"He says we want to go the Rahudell," Nami said with a touch of exasperation.
"Ah, another baby of the Great Age." Arina understood this well.
In most places of the world, the time they were currently living in was called the Age of Pirates. In Rhea, it was simply known as the Great Age. All children born in this Age were destined to be either one of two things. Pirates, or pirate haters. Simple as that.
"Rahudell, huh? Well, congratulations to all of you. You made it to Rhea. A truly impressive feat. About 700 more miles and you'll have the One Piece at your mercy. Of course, that is assuming my father doesn't get to it first."
"So my guess was correct. You really are the daughter of Blackbeard," stated Nami.
No one said anything. They seemed undeterred. Arina was taken aback. Most feared the name Blackbeard.
"You're not running for the hills yet…"
Sanji put his feet on the table and leaned back, lighting a cigarette. "Please, we've seen so much, we practically don't know who Blackbeard is anymore. Plus, who could run away from a face like yours?"
Everyone laughed except Arina. She gazed in a state of admiration, or perhaps it was shock. All pirate crews she had met in the past were kind, but tense. There may have been only seven hundred miles separating them from the One Piece, but those seven hundred miles would be harder to navigate than the entire Grand Line that they had just crossed. Most knew that they probably would not be returning home.
But this Straw Hat crew… They were so eased. Laid-back. Arina wondered if the even knew what they were getting into…
"You're not afraid? The seven hundred miles between you and Rahudell are treacherous. Thousands have made that their eternal tomb. And those that do return are either haunted by the memories or deranged! There are creatures of unprecedented size! Weather that could overturn a ship in seconds! Worst of all, however, are not the monsters or the clouds, it's each other! Sooner or later, one of you will go mad and betray the others!"
The crew all looked at each other and smiled.
"Are you sure you're not the one who just returned from Rahudell?" Robin asked humorously.
Again, laughter. It made Arina's jaw drop. Sanji got up and kneeled down next to Arina. He put an arm around her. With the other hand, he pointed to every person at the table.
"Take a good look, Arina. This is the Straw-Hat Pirate Crew. We've been together for more than three years. Not once have we separated," he gave her a gentle smile, "We're not going anywhere."
"We're the best pirates in the world!" Chopper interjected.
Usopp screamed, "KANPAAAAAAIII!!!!!!!!"
Everyone drank to it, including Arina.
It was twelve o' clock. It was time to tell everyone to scram. She and the waiters herded everyone out. Then the waiters left as well. Then Arina locked the door behind her.
She jumped as she turned around. Zoro was still sitting at the table, staring at her.
"Uh, Zoro. You know your crew already left, right?"
"You carry an awfully large sword for the simple owner of a tavern…"
"It's for protection. Pirates can get rowdy."
"So why not carry a gun?"
"I have a gun. I don't have pockets big enough to carry it, though."
Zoro put his feet on the table and casually pulled out his Wadou Ichimonji (the sword in the white sheath; the other two were in black ones) and pointed it at her.
"Duel me now."
Arina didn't know how to respond. She had only heard those words once in her entire life and the outcome left her scarred, physically and mentally.
"I am going to bed, please leave so I can lock up."
"I know you're a great swordsman. Your father is one of the best. And only a swordsman carries a sword around constantly."
Ignoring him, she walked towards the stairs.
"Whatever, if you want to be locked in here for the entire night, that's fine with me."
As Arina walked passed Zoro, she felt something cold across her throat.
"What are you gonna do, Zoro? Slit my throat? Go ahead. Try it."
"I plan to do it in an actual duel. Outside, now."
Arina mused for a moment. At least this fight would be less personal than the last one. It didn't matter if she hurt him. She fingered her sword.
"Well… all right then… But if I hurt you, it's not my problem."
The two stepped outside. There was a large grass field in front where she chose for them to duel. She watched Zoro place the white sword in his mouth and the other two in his hands. She suddenly, felt smug.
"Security in numbers? That's okay. I suppose for toddlers it's better to have a couple extra so that they can actually hit the mark."
She pulled out her sword and into a stance she knew would perplex Zoro.
Zoro sneered. "What the hell kinda stance is that? You're not guarding any part of your body."
"I don't need to."
"Well, whatever. Your piece crap tin won't do you any good anyways."
In a brief moment, there was a gash across Zoro's gut. The self-righteous look was gone from Arina's face. She was serious.
"Make fun of me. Not my sword."
Zoro was paralyzed. He didn't even see her move to attack. How was this possible? No time to think. Soon the two were clashing swords like a crusade had begun. From any bystander's viewpoint, the two looked equally matched, but Arina was fending Zoro off with one hand behind her back.
"Why can't I hit you?!?!" Zoro thought out loud.
"Your three swords weigh you down. They make your swings heavy and predictable. The power is there. But power is worthless without speed!!!"
And with that, she made a clean cut through his shoulder. The blood poured out and trickled along her sword down to her hand. She pulled back, wiped her sword off with her shirt and put it back in its sheath.
"You've already lost this duel, Zoro. Go home."
"No, this isn't over. Get your sword back out."
Arina looked at him and she finally understood…
"Alright then. Show me what you got."
There was silence. Zoro's face was intense. Arina knew he was prepping for something big. Then he took a stance.
"Secret Style, Three Thousand Worlds!!!!"
The cut was clean and smooth. Arina fell to the ground in a pool of…
"Water?" Zoro stared at her on the ground.
"Why aren't you being arrogant? You beat me…"
"Because right now I trying to figure out why I cut you and you started spewing out water like a fountain!!!"
"Let's just say, I'm really water logged… Go to your ship Zoro. I'm sure your crewmates are worried…"
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Are you just gonna lie there?"
A ponderous frown crossed her face. "Hmm, well you beat me. So I suppose I ought to lie here in shame for the rest of the night. Swordsman's loss does not go unpunished…"
Zoro smirked. Then he walked towards the harbor.
Arina lay in that same spot for the rest of the night. The wounds were excruciatingly painful, but she remained in that grassy field until the following morning when she watched the sun rise over the horizon.