Hey everyone,
this here is the summary of the sequel, so you don't have to read it (again ;-P)
I know it's a little bit longer, but this way I made sure that all important things (and names) have been mentioned to help you catch up or to refresh your memories ;-)
But don't worry, this here, doesn't count as an upload, in fact there will be two more updates today, so I hope you'll have fun ^^
Thank you for your comments
Greetings
Summary – Protecting Dreams
Shortly after the Straw Hats have left Thriller Bark, they are defeated by the Marines, led by Vice Admiral Hakkai and the best swordsman of the Marines' Homura, and captured at the G-6 Marine base near the Senichi Islands.
After several days Sanji and Zoro try to escape and despite their injuries they manage to free all crew members and the Thousand Sunny, but all of them are battered, Luffy even unconscious.
To prevent the crew from being chased by the Marines, Zoro blows up the base. Sanji manages to escape, Zoro doesn't. The crew has to watch helplessly as he falls together with the burning stronghold.
The following morning, the Shichibukai Hawk Eyes hears of Zoro's death while visiting his home island Sasaki. Searching for answers, he demands his childhood friend Cho Jiroushin, Rear Admiral of the Marines, to steal the sealed Marines' documents, only to stumble upon an unconscious child on his way home.
As it turns out, this girl is nobody else but Zoro himself, although neither swordsmen can explain how he was able to show up at Sasaki from the far away Senichi Islands within less than a day and why he is alive and in the body of a young woman.
Despite all doubts, Hawk Eyes eventually decides to help Zoro finding his crew, who have no clue that Zoro has survived and mourn him. Zoro has no choice but to stick with the Shichibukai, as he is much weaker in his new form.
They find out that within a month the Straw Hats will reach Sarue, a neighboring island of Sasaki, and decide that Zoro should wait until then for them.
Due to recent events and because Zoro doubts that he can protect his crew in his current form, he begs Hawk Eyes to train him. At first, the Shichibukai rejects his plea indignantly, but gives in after learning that Zoro fought and survived against Homura.
In the following days, Mihawk begins to train Zoro and is surprised by him, despite his current form. Over time, both swordsmen enjoy the shared training and get to know each other better even apart from practice.
Through Kanan, the housekeeper of the Dracule mansion, Zoro learns a lot about the Shichibukai's past and in a quiet moment he tells Mihawk about the fairy tale of the first swordsman Hakuryuu, whose books Mihawk's father had collected, although no one can read them anymore.
Over time, more and more people become aware of the young woman in the house of the Shichibukai. But since neither Zoro nor Mihawk want to reveal his identity, not only to protect the Straw Hats, rumors unintentionally arise about the young Lady Loreen, who is said to be in a relationship with the wealthy son of the Dracule family.
Last but not least, a certain Rishou Eizen, an influential politician of the World Government and confidant of the World Aristocrats, finds interest in Zoro's female side and invites him to various events.
Nevertheless, the two swordsmen try to spend their time mainly with their training, which leads to them repeatedly ending up clashing against each other due to different opinions and in particular the Shichibukai questions why he helps the younger one in the first place and why it is so important to him that Zoro improves.
In the end, however, he decides to protect Zoro and offers him Josei, the sword of his late sister, as Zoro had left his own swords with his crew.
But then things change when Homura Nataku, the former fiancée of Mihawk's sister, brings two invitations to the Marine Ball, the prime social event of the year.
Forced by the high nobility to attend, the two swordsmen prepare for the ball with embarrassing dance lessons and even more embarrassing rehearsals together with Kanan and her sister Shakky.
Over the days, they get to know each other better and even have to admit that they like each other. Zoro in particular finds it difficult to accept the other as a friend, after all, he wants to defeat Hawk Eyes one day.
Mihawk, on the other hand, realizes that not only does he get surprisingly easily irritated by Zoro, but also that he is more concerned about the younger one than he ever wants to admit.
In the course of this time, Zoro begins to translate the books about Hakuryuu for Mihawk as payback for his help.
At the ball, Zoro as Lady Loreen is confronted with various dances. At first Homura tries to convince him that Mihawk is not a good match for Lady Loreen, but Zoro silently remembers his lost battle against Homura and brushes him off. He then met Vice Admiral Comil, who turns out to be a reborn in a new form, just like Zoro. After a brief discussion Comil agrees to teach Zoro how to regain his original body, but stresses that Lady Loreen will forever be a part of him.
This small success is quickly overshadowed by Eizen's appearance, who tries to claim Lady Loreen for another time and wants to persuade Zoro to work for him. Zoro refuses to do so, well aware that he will return to his crew within a few days.
Mihawk and Zoro escape from the ball, causing an uproar to their amusement. But only until they have arrived in their respective rooms and have to deal with their thoughts. Zoro understands that he may not be able to return to his crew in order to become himself again and is horrified that his biggest fear isn't only about what his friends might think of him, but what Hawk Eyes might think of him as well.
Mihawk, on the other hand, realizes painfully that he likes Roronoa much more than he ever expected, and that he will lose him to his crew one way or another. He then drowns his unwanted feelings in alcohol.
In the days that followed, both Mihawk and his childhood friend Cho Jiroushin train Zoro, although Jiroushin doesn't know who Zoro is, before the long-awaited morning arrives and Zoro and Mihawk travel to Sarue to finally meet the Straw Hats.
