"Zoro!" The moment Luffy saw his miniature swordsman his face lit up.
He stormed towards him. In two big strides, he was where he was supposed to be - right by his side. Grinning from ear to ear, he pierced through the child's personal space. Neither wavering nor uncertain, but in the straightforward way Luffy always possessed, he lifted him off ground and into the air.
"So tiny," he laughed, playfully spinning him round and round.
"Who are you?", was the question the rubber-boy was greeted by.
Instantly the smile fell from his lips and reluctant he released the little guy. With his hands firmly placed on way too small shoulders, the captain of the straw hats searched his eyes for something only he knew. Finally, he realized…
"Amnesia!" Luffy yelled in panic.
"Idiot," Nami pinched the bridge of her nose, not at all willing to deal with this moron's cranked up drama.
"Chopper! Do something!" Luffy switched between ugly crying and shaking the poor kid rapidly. "Don't worry everything is going to be okay!" He wailed. A stream of snot was dripping disgustingly from his nose. "I am Luffy, you're Zoro. We'll fix this no matter what!"
"Un-der-stood," Tiny-Zoro choked out confused, while slowly losing the concept of up and down.
"Luffy, let go!" Chopper managed to pull him back, hence saving his patient from his captain's assault.
"Huh?" Zoro looked at Chopper.
"Huh?" Chopper looked at Zoro.
The reindeer's left ear twitched as their eyes met for a prolonged time. They were almost the same high, the boy was barely a head taller.
"It speaks?" Zoro muttered perplexed. "Uahhh! A talking reindeer!" He pointed his finger at him and stumbled a little backward in surprise.
"I am not a -" the doctor of the Straw Hats cut himself off and paused. "Well, yes." Chopper answered, raising his chin. "I also have a blue nose. Got a problem with that?" He crossed his arms and puffed out his chest, posing as deviant as possible.
Franky chuckled at Chopper's gangster impression - it was the most adorable thing ever. The real Zoro would have been proud, the alternate version just shook his head speechless. Apparently embarrassed by his outburst a faint blush covered the kid's cheeks and Franky decided he liked the rosy tone. Cute was normally nothing he'd associate with their fierce swordsman, but well, you never know.
"Jeez," Nami sighed, guessing that she would have to step in soon. For now, everything was still in good fun, but Nami could read her crewmates almost as well as the weather. The sea was a fickle mistress and the wind was about to turn in 3, 2, 1.
"I am glad you are with us again." Behind Zoro a wiry hand replaced Luffy's. It felt like a spider sitting on his shoulder with its long pointy digits ghosting over his skin. Click-clack, it rattled in his ears. Out of the corner of his eyes, the young boy could see the white of stripped bones. Slowly he turned his head, his gazed fixed firmly on the fleshless extremity. Some lovers try positions that they can't handle, it shot through his head. His mouth hung open and the color fleeing his face left him yet again deathly pale.
Click-clack, it rattled once more. "My name is Brook," the skeleton loomed over him, now fully entering the child's field of vision.
Zoro flinched as the skull came closer and closer. His breath quickened and Brook could feel the small body tremble. He didn't run though, didn't move an inch. Rooted on the spot the boy licked over his dry lips. "N-nice to meet you," he panted, however, the stammer in his voice seemed to ruin the bravado he was aiming for.
Brook drew himself up to his full height. He could sense the child's caution. It had been a very long time since one of his friends looked at him like that.
"My, my. What a well behaved young man you are," he praised, while deliberately slow backing away.
Luffy raised his brow at the straight lines of Zoro's shoulders. There was fear in them.
"He-he, are you scared?" Subconsciously Usopp must have noticed it too and made a spooky face of his own to join the scary charade.
All it got him was another nod. The boy had lowered his gaze, stubbornly avoiding direct eye-contact and abandoning words altogether now.
Nami winced. Facing the whole craziness of the Straw Hat crew was for anyone a challenge, and tiny Zoro was no exception. It appeared to be a bit too much for him. "Enough," she intervened sternly. "Stop teasing the poor kid!" Without mercy, she tugged at the sniper's earlobe to get him out of the boy's face. The last thing she wanted was Zoro tearing up. She wasn't sure if she could stomach that particular picture.
"Get a clue, moron." Annoyed the woman released the sniper and knocked him upside the head for good measure.
"You're so kind!" It cooed next to her.
She rolled her eyes at the flattery and reflexively ignored the love-cook. Her attention returned to the small figure in front of her. With her hands put on her hips, she studied him, before running her fingers through his short hair.
"Don't worry nobody will hurt you," she told him, trying to sound upbeat and reassuring and failing miserably if the expression of the boy was anything to go by. He didn't seem convinced and she couldn't blame him. Nami looked down at his bandages - now clean and white, and her heart felt heavy.
A sudden growl emerged from the kid and Sanji smiled surprisingly gentle at the familiar sound.
"That's my signal. I bet you have lots of questions, but how about we eat first?" There was a professionally politeness in the tone he used, Nami wasn't sure she liked.
"Yeaaaahhh! Food! Sanji is the best!", Luffy cheered and Zoro carefully nodded.