Hallo everyone,

now you may ask, it's not wednesday, why would she upload today? Well, 1. my semester at university is done so I'm feeling kinda free, 2. I aced this sem's finals, so I'm happy. 3. I got quite a lot of Kudos and follows over the last update, which again, happy and 4. I Just read the latest chapter and even though we still have to wait for Robin in action we got some foreshadowing about Zoro, so...yeah, kinda in a good mood.

Speaking of Zoro in Wano, remember when I said I couldn't wait for some Ronin Geisha smut? I decided to put that in this story sometime… which unfortionately is depending on how fast the story progresses in the manga…. that's not so happy, but it's my birthday so I don't care ;-p

As always a huge thank you to Rexica for beta-ing this chapter, she's a huge help, and like I said before, if you don't have already, check out her story "disinhibition", because it's just sooo hot. I'm beta-ing that one and I kind of got insight and even I can't wait for Zoro and that shitty Ninja to jump each other.

Last time Zoro and Robin had their first playdate and even though Robin is still on her training wheels and still can't really commit to their relationship, she is happier than she'd been for quite some time. Things are looking good, aren't they? Uhh, doesn't that sound foreboding? Nah, for now here is some hopefully fun interlude, we'll get to the mentioned demons of the summary soon enough ^^

"Hi there, stranger." Her voice was familiar although not quite the high pitch he remembered. He turned, greeted by blonde hair and teal eyes glinting mischief. Her hair had been red back then. Not like Nami's hair, more like Nami herself when she was really angry. Didn't dress quite as frilly back then, either… He nodded in recognition, offered the seat next to him. She took it, grinning. "So, what happened to your eye? Three swords maybe one too many?" she teased. He scoffed, "Brat."

She laughed, "And fuck if you didn't like it, Zoro-sa~ma." Her voice lifted at the end, playing cute.

He hummed an affirmative as the barkeeper sat down a glass of milk in front of her. He didn't miss how the man's bushy eyebrow lifted in suspicion at the dubious conversation between that sweet little girl and the big bad pirate… if only he knew…

"What are you doing here?" He changed the topic before they inadvertently added pedophilia to his list of crimes, just because the adult woman had decided to dress up like a little princess. What was it with grown women acting and dressing like little girls? Not that he minded in particular but fuck if it didn't make life complicated for him. Apparently it was a great oddity for women not to dress and act their age, so whenever he was seen with them, he could practically feel the judgement bearing down on him. He really didn't miss the errands Mihawk had made him and Perona do… Not that anybody had the guts to try to save the seemingly poor little girl from his evil clutches, but everybody sure had known how to make assumptions and make him feel like the bad kind of dirty pervert. Hadn't helped that Perona had enjoyed it entirely too much, loudly complaining about his brute strength and lack of restraint ...as if her fucking hollows hadn't been punishment enough. And now her, the cocky spitfire he'd been with shortly before joining Luffy. Was she mad that he hadn't met her at the inn in Shells Town? Had she known that he had been starving on that pole? She hadn't worn frilly stuff like that back then. If she'd run around like that three years ago, he would have seriously questioned his preferences when he'd gotten with Perona. No, back then she had been all leather and silk, metal and scars. Her eyes always dark, lips sinful red not innocent rose. In fact, she had looked older than him by several years, and had they ever visited busy streets, she would have been the one getting judgemental glances, not him.

"My family is here on business, saw your ship in the small eastern port and thought I might find you in one of the bars."

Who was it that had said that nobody ever used the eastern port and the Sunny wouldn't draw attention there? Business with the family explained her frilly getup though, if he remembered correctly. There had been some fallouts between them because they expected their little girl to be more doll than human-no proper man would want a back-talking little brat for a wife, or something like that. True; he certainly wasn't proper, and neither had he wanted her as his wife. Judging by her clothing, that rebellious phase was over now. Then again, since she'd sought him out, maybe not.

"Business must be good then, if it brought you all the way to the New World."

She huffed at him, "yeah yeah, wonderful. Business is why my family is on this island, not why I'm in this bar. I'm- " she stopped, her mouth drawing to a pout when Robin returned from her bathroom break. Recognition hushed over her features, of course. She'd kept tabs on him, knew the flag he sailed under, so of course she'd know the rest of the crew, too. They weren't especially low key pirates, were they?

"Don't worry about her, she knows," he assured the woman before turning to his woman."Robin, that's, uh…" he trailed off with the introduction. She'd never told him her real name, had she?

It didn't seem to bother her. "Emilia," she offered, mischievous grin on her lips, daring him to call her out on yet another alias. Didn't give a single fuck though, was her business after all. Robin's eyes however narrowed in suspicion as she offered the woman a fake smile. She was tense. She wasn't jealous, was she?

"Anyway, I'm here because of you. I still carry your mark, you know. It's fading."

His eye drifted to her upper thigh, and Robin's gaze followed, frown on her face. She was jealous. Why? She knew he had a history…

"Just let it fade," he ground out.

That pout again. Then realisation as she looked from Robin, to him, and smiled, head cocked to the right. "Pity, I'm up for sharing, if you're interested."

"No, thank you," answered Robin before Emilia had even closed her mouth. Oh yes, she was definitely jealous.

Emilia laughed, not condescending but in genuine amusement. "Sure, no problem, good luck you -"

The pub's door banged open. "Roronoa!"

"Oh, fuck." He'd have to have a word with Nami about her definition of 'nobody'; the town had been quiet, so it wasn't like Luffy had given them away.

Emilia laughed again, looking at the seething marine captain scrutinizing the patrons in search for him. Had she entered every bar here like that? "Another former playmate of yours?" Emilia asked as he ducked out of sight to reach the exit in the back. Just barely, he could make out Robin's signature laugh as she explained that no, Tashigi was something else entirely. At least she seemed to be alright with Tashigi, because run-ins with her would happen a whole lot more often than some freak, chance meeting with an old acquaintance of his. Her jealousy was oddly flattering if he was being honest, although it was kind of worrisome to leave the two behind like that. If memory served him right, Emilia could be quite the handful, teasing and prodding… hopefully Emilia would get out of that conversation with all her bones in the right place. There'd be a conversation, he was sure, because the damn woman wasn't in a rush to get out. And why should she? Even without the noisy entrance, they both knew that Tashigi was there for him and him alone.

Had taken them long enough to catch up after their run in with that fleet a week ago. He'd expected them sooner.

He ran through town like a madman with Tashigi hot on his heels. There was nothing left of the terse yet easy camaraderie they had shared during both the battles and the celebrations on Punk Hazard, their old dynamic of running, chasing and shouting back in place. Had to admit though, she was infinitely easier to handle now that she didn't look like Kuina anymore. Easier, but not less dangerous. She'd become even better than on Punk Hazard, and he'd fucking love to check her progress with his own blades, but this was neither the time nor the place. Should plan a date just the two of them, and not the hordes of pesky marines set on sinking the Sunny and chopping off their heads. G-5 he could live with, actually, if they weren't so god damned attached to their captain that he'd have to fear they'd interfere every fucking second.

What the actual fuck?! He almost tripped over his own feet, barely caught himself in time to deflect a deadly strike of Shigure. She seethed at him, fire in her eyes as she pushed all her weight into the attack. He didn't care though, eye fixed on Usopp's ugly-ass, 5-foot high mug grinning down at him from the town hall's wall.

"Aren't you just about done finding new stretch marks every time you had to run a few meters in beautiful yet skimpy lingerie?"

She glared at him, face screaming fuckig murder. "What the hell did you just say, Roronoa?"

Oh shit! He hadn't meant to read the ad out loud...

"How dare you speak to our captain-chan like that!"; "Yes, yes, they may be big but they are softer and perkier than a dirty pirate would deserve to see!";"Neuter him!"

Her face turned bright red at hearing her goons defend her like that. She jumped back, screamed at them that they hadn't seen either, a truth they didn't care about because they were sure that their captain-chan was absolutely perfect underneath her clothes.

He studied the mural further. 'Put an end to that predicament with Usopp's custom made reinforced awesome-bras!' Paint was still wet, dripping down the bricks. 'Send in your measurements today and receive a free pair of panties for only 800Bs!'

What the fuck had that shithead been doing here? Hadn't he been busy with a special errand for the weather witch? 'The strawhat ladies approve (And they have to run a lot!)' Of fucking course, she was in this. Wherever you could get money, she sure as hell wouldn't pass up that opportunity! Fuck!

The G-5 soldiers were still arguing with their captain-chan, and while he was very much aware that it was a seriously bad idea, he decided not to just quietly take his leave while they were preoccupied. Their meeting just didn't seem right if he wasn't chased off by her. "Yeah, about that," he interrupted one of the soldiers reassuring Tashigi that it was absolutely no big deal if she had some, because they'd love her either way, "apparently I know a guy who could help you out with that," he finished, jerking his thumb in the mural's direction. He waited long enough for her to see, to get even redder, before he turned tail and made in the direction of the Sunny. At least he hoped it was in that direction.

"Rorona!" she bellowed after him as he rounded the next corner - or the one after that, who took count, really? - and sure enough, the Sunny was there with an exasperated redhead tapping her foot and dramatically lifting her arm to check the time on a watch she wasn't wearing. Behind her, curly brow was waving like an idiot and the hearts in his eyes showed clearly that he wasn't the one addressed. Their captain too waved at his pursuer as he asked her to 'say hi to Smokey' for him. Damn shitheads should be happier to see him instead of their fucking enemy.

That's it for now, the next one goes up on March 6th if you were wondering how I'm going to continue after this stray chapter.

Please let me know what you think about this one. Like in the manga, Tashigi will be playing a recurring role in this story.