Cześć! How are you? You're here again? Been awhile! No there still aren't any cookies. My bad. Oh I have forgotten to add a disclaimer. I mean all us weebs by now should know we don't own any of the series on here but still. Just to be safe I don't own One Piece. Have fun!


Passage Four: Childish

"You seem to be in a chipper mood."

Kirsi was bobbing her head from side to side as she hummed a happy tune and hammered away at the burning red iron she was forming into a horseshoe. After she finished the beginnings of repair work, she went back to the forge for a few requests that needed to be done. She was in a good mood. Merchant crews were the only people that were kind and always told great stories. Meeting a pirate crew that weren't full of angry looking people was like finding a peaceful island rich with unknown flora.

"How often do you meet pirates that are actually decent?" Kirsi asked as she set the shoe back into the fire. "They all seem really nice."

Tahgu scoffed. "It could be a guise. Pirates are clever bastards. Like the mermaids and sirens of lore, they like to lure people in and strike."

"You don't like pirates do you?"

"I don't like people in general. You should have had those horseshoes done yesterday. Enough talking."

Kirsi grumbled under her breath and started hammering away again, sending bright yellow sparks darting around. Tahgu stood from his corner seat and left her alone. Kirsi's thoughts were screaming at her, calling her a moron and a coward. She could have asked them. She could have swallowed her insecurities and asked them. She could have voiced her want to join them. She left out a frustrated growl, slamming the hammer down harder than she wanted and shattered the horseshoe.

"Oh...oops."

She pulled on her heat resistant gloves and picked up the burning pieces to place back into a crucible. That's enough for today. She quenched the forge fire and left it to cool before going outside. It was darker than usual thanks to the heavy clouds above. There wasn't any rain yet, but it smelled wet. It was a nice smell. She sat down at the outside table next to the water wheel and laid her head on the wood. What is she doing?

"What the hell are you doing?"

Kirsi looked up to Tahgu holding two metal steins. He set one done in front of her before joining her at the table. It stayed quiet between them. The blonde eyed the stein for a moment then grabbed it and started chugging the liquid down, discovering it was a dark beer. She didn't stop until the mug was empty and she slammed it down with a loud satisfied sigh.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What the hell are you doing?" Tahgu questioned her again, this time more stern than his usual tone.

Kirsi immediately avoided his gaze like a dog that had done something wrong. "What does it look like? I'm enjoying the outdoors before it starts to rain."

"Bullshit. You've always acted like this whenever pirates show up. You got rejected from joining crews several times before. So what? Quit being a little bitch about it."

"Easier said than done. I don't have the confidence to go up to their captain and flat out ask."

"You said yourself they're different. Having second thoughts now?"

Kirsi laid her head back down with an angry pout. "No it's not-"

"Then what are you doing?!"

Him suddenly shouting and slamming down the stein made Kirsi jump. She'd been yelled at several times before. Yet there was something in his voice this time that scared her. She didn't reply. How was she suppose to answer that? Maybe she was being a bit of a bitch about it. Maybe she was reeling from the previous rejections from other pirate captains. Maybe she had gotten too use to living on this island as an apprentice blacksmith.

"You have to grow up eventually Kirsi." The softer tone made her meet his gaze. "No one here is stopping you from doing what you want. No one but yourself. Why is that so hard for you to understand?"

She didn't answer.

"To be honest I don't give two shits if you want to go out and be a pirate. That's just one less person I have to deal with."

"Then why did you raise me? Why did you agree to be my guardian when my mother left? Why did you convince me to stay when my brother left?"

It was Tahgu's turn to fall silent. Kirsi and her brother were just babies when their mother showed up, frightened and clutching two little bundles. She had only stayed a few months before leaving. She told Tahgu she feared for her children's lives and didn't want them to be involved in the darker side of the world. She was a pirate with a bounty. Not exactly an ideal profession to raise kids in. Nineteen years later, Kirsi was still here. Her brother left five years ago and haven't been heard from since.

"Did you want me to deny your mother's request? Leave you two out in the woods to die?" Tahgu knew he was pushing the wrong buttons, but he wanted Kirsi to start thinking for herself. If she got angry then she got angry. "Your mother didn't have a choice and whether you like it or not, she came to me for help. She wanted the two of you to try and have a decent life. But I'm not going to stop you from doing what you want. If you want to stay here fine. If you want to be a pirate then go be a fucking pirate and stop moping dammit!"

That did it. She slammed her hands down and left irritated. She half-stomped, half-marched down the forest path towards town. Her anger wasn't geared towards Tahgu. It was towards herself. Kirsi knows he was right. She knows she had been childish for years. She knows she had been relying on Tahgu since her brother left and when she was denied multiple times by pirate captains.

Pathetic. That would be the best word for her right now. Pitiful, immature. She stopped in the middle of the path and crouched down. She needs to cool her head. It wasn't like her to get worked up over stuff she already knew. She looked up to the dark sky. There was a faint drizzle now. Kirsi closed her eyes and enjoyed the cool mist on her face. She needed more alcohol too.

She stood up, slapped her cheeks and jogged the rest of the way down the path. The tavern was closer to the docks on the far end and becomes rather lively at night. Mainly from the miners and dock hands off work for the day. That's where she goes for her stories when pirates or merchants are here. Stories of haunted islands, massive galleons of old at the bottom of the ocean, sea monsters that can swallow ships whole. There really was more to this world. But what does Kirsi have to offer to it?

When she reached the tavern, she stopped before the entrance to slow her breathing. It was quieter than usual here. It's been months since the last pirate ship arrived. It was a two story cobblestone building that offers rooms to travelers only. She entered inside and glanced around. Most people were at the tables, talking among themselves while eating. One person caught her attention. Light green hair and three swords.

She hesitated to take a step. Would it be awkward to ask to join him? Would he disregard her? Would she do something stupid to upset him?

"Evening there Kirsi!"

The cheery voice of the bartender snapped her from her thoughts and she felt several pairs of eyes turn on her. Including the gaze of the pirate swordsman. His gaze was indifferent yet there was a faint glimpse of familiarity. She nodded her head towards those that greeted her as she sheepishly made her way to the bar and sat a couple seats away from Zoro. The bartender set a large glass of golden amber liquid before her with a smile. She could smell the spiced honey of mead. She took a sip, enjoying the smooth taste that slid down her throat.

"Your leg seems to be fine."

Kirsi jumped, making her almost choke on the mead. She wiped her mouth on the back of her sleeve and looked over at him. "Excuse me?"

"Your injury. Kind of surprised you aren't limping and moving around just fine."

"Oh that. Let's just say I have a high pain tolerance. Where's the rest of your crew?"

He shrugged. "Doing their own thing. There really isn't much to do here. At least the booze is good."

Kirsi chuckled softly. "That it is. Oh I'm Kirsi."

"Zoro."

"How did you end up on the crew?" she asked him as she slide over a seat. "You seem to be more of a captain than Luffy."

"That's what everyone says. He's the reason why I'm on the crew. I was locked up by Marines and made a deal with them. Luffy found out they weren't going to keep their end of the deal," he replied then took a drink from his nearly empty stein." So he broke me out and here I am. That's all there is to it."

"All the way from the East Blue?"

He nodded.

"I bet you've seen some interesting things. The other pirates that come here always have such wonderful stories to tell."

"It's not some fairy tale kids are told. It's dangerous, filled with people that won't hesitate to kill you."

They way he spoke made a shiver race down her spine. "I know that. Every rose has it's thorns. It's just...I want to see all those things they talk about."

"Then why don't you?"

Kirsi sighed. "You sound like Tahgu. What use do I have to a crew when even I don't know what I'm good at?"

"Do you have to have a reason to do what you want?"

Something about that question resonated with her. It was such an obvious question. Maybe it was the very thing Tahgu had been trying to tell her. She guzzled half her drink. Does she really have to have a reason to go out to sea?

"What about you then Zoro?"

"I made a promise to someone."

"And that led you to Luffy?"

"Something like that." He looked over at her with an vexing gaze. "Why are you asking so may damn questions?"

Her head tipped to the side. "Is it wrong to be curious about something new?"

"That can get you into a lot of trouble. Not to mention it can be annoying."

"It's good to be curious. It's being curious without understanding of what you're doing that's dangerous. Besides you already attack me before. I doubt you'll do it again."

His eyes narrowed. "Anyone in their right mind would engage an intruder. You defended yourself well enough to still have your head."

"Yeah well if we had kept fighting, you probably would have killed me. Or at least injure me worse than you did."

"With reflexes like yours, you would have managed. You talk to much by the way. I'm tired."

He dropped a few coins on the counter and walked passed Kirsi, bringing the faint scent of the ocean and blood. She watched as he vanished into the night, wondering where he was going if the rooms were upstairs. She shrugged and went back to her drink, noticing a small plate of crispy fish skins.

"I think you might have scared him off," the bartender joked as he cleaned the swordsman's empty mug.

"You aren't going to start griping at me too are you?"

"No why would I do that? I've known you just as long as Tahgu has. After all, he knew nothing about raising kids. He said so himself that I was one of the few that he could tolerate."

"That's because you provide him alcohol," Kirsi muttered under her breath as she crunched on a fish skin. "What do you think of these pirates?"

"To be honest, they're more like a band of misfits traveling together for fun rather than actual pirates. Only two of their members have bounties."

"Only two?"

The bartender nodded and reached behind the counter, pulling out a couple of wanted posters. One belonged to their captain Luffy with 100 million berries and the other was Zoro's at 60 million berries. Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy and Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro. That's why his name was familiar. She's heard a few pirates talk about a man with a haramaki and three swords at his side. They described him as a beast in human form. She had that same feeling from him before when they were fighting. Yet they always seemed to paint him as an untamable bloodthirsty demon. He was more controlled and calculated with his strikes though he certainly meant to kill with his blades.

"They really don't seem like much do they?" Kirsi said, pushing the posters back towards the bartender.

"It's the quiet ones you should worry about the most. They'll slip through the grips of the Marines easily while they are busy going after higher bounties. It'll probably be a matter of time before these pirates become worrisome."

"Why do you think that?"

"The Will of D lives on."

That was all he said as he placed the posters back behind the counter and went to service some patrons. She's heard Tahgu mention the Will of D. a few times before. What it really means, no one knows yet. Many secrets died with Gold Rogers years ago. There only seem to be few that want to discover the secret of the former Pirate King when the New Age of Pirates kicked off. Most just want the treasure left behind and the title of the King of the Pirates. It's that obsession and lack of care for the treacherous seas that get them killed. Kirsi herself could care less about titles and hidden treasure. She'd rather study the hidden islands from the legends and stories.

"Shouldn't you be heading home Kirsi? I hear you have some repairs to do."

"Yeah I guess. Night then."

She left a tip for the bartender and exited the tavern right into rain. There was a distant rumble of thunder echoing through the now hushed town. This'll make repairs difficult, but not impossible. She stayed where she was for a few moments, deeply breathing in the scent of rain. She felt her mind clear. The soft pitter patter of the droplets were calming and she felt better. With a steady breath, she ran back to the forge to ready herself for the upcoming work.

Little did she know, the storm was bringing more than just rain and thunder.


Yeah new chapter finished. Thank you for taking the time to read this. If this chapter seems a bit repetitive there's a good reason for that. Tell me what you think if you'd like. Have a weebtastic day you lovely snowflakes owo/