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Summary:
Inspired by Alia Inverse's 'How to Save an Overprotective Brother'. A ZoLu pairing (female Luffy). Random OOCness and some other fluff.
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A Pirate's Diary (The Hitchhiker's Guide to One Piece)
By: Zelga Lim Li
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Chapter 6 - Dracule Mihawk
He always lives by the way of the sword. He wouldn't even wonder if he dies by one.
He just needed to wait for a very worthy opponent.
At first he thought it was Red Hair Shanks. But the said pirate is not interested in his title.
So he waited once more.
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It was just another fine day, sailing silently along the calm seas of East Blue while taking another nap.
But someone came and was brave enough to irritate him. And then after a few moments with these insects… Well, in other words, he started to get bored.
So he decided to be productive with his time.
After what he did to Krieg's pirate fleet earlier for disturbing him, who knows what fate have in store for him that day which his guess, as what his gut always told him, that he won't have a peace of mind.
He only hopes that whatever or whoever he will meet later that day, it or they will be more interesting than those useless insects.
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As usual, a certain redhead has escaped his radar and for whatever miraculous intervention by the higher beings of the sea disappears without a trace.
Dracule thought that he can have a more satisfying duel with the said Yonko than anyone else. He also knew for a fact that despite losing a limb, the said pirate will give him a good and meaningful fight.
Another impromptu lesson to the one armed pirate to strengthen his skills. You can call it charity from the World's Greatest Swordsman.
Well…
He just couldn't help himself seeing such potential go to waste.
And holding on to that thought, he met another interesting candidate, though Shanks never became one in the first place.
He met this certain pirate hunter that challenged him into a duel. Just like everyone else.
However, he is different from the others.
Why?
Maybe because he is foolish.
And his strong will accompanied by a brave heart.
Behind him, someone stands firm by his beliefs, willing to stay by his side no matter what.
If he is not mistaken, the straw hat that Red Hair used to wear is on top of its head.
Could it be?
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After the Pirate Hunter has fallen, his companion cursed out loud and attacked him relentlessly trying to avenge his comrade.
The said person was very furious. He could feel his anger. It was like nothing he had ever encountered before.
His hand stretched and tried to kill him. A devil fruit user?
However, he of all people knew how dangerous it could be to succumb to your own emotions.
The boy missed, but he was quick enough to stand up and attacked him once more.
Smiling to himself, Dracule lets him comes close. It was brief but when he saw his attacker's eyes, he remembers the stories that man use to tell about a child he and his crew are so fond of that lived in these seas.
'Now I know why you seem so familiar…'
The 'boy' did not notice the obstacle that hinders his path, so when he took another step to avoid his attack, the straw hat wearing kid almost fell to the ocean.
Clumsy.
Hawk Eyes sighed and grabs his opponent's vest and drags the kid to the safety of the wreckage he himself had destroyed earlier.
"Don't worry, little one. The swordsman is still alive…"
The 'boy' gasps in surprise and looks at him questioningly, anger forgotten.
Well, almost.
"What did you just called me?" The 'boy' suddenly growled and glared murderously at him. The pitch in 'his' voice a notch higher.
The famed Warlord chuckled amusingly. "It's too soon for your friend to die as he has to learn more about the world. He needs to discover his true self…"
From the background, they heard the other two bounty hunters who jumped at the ocean to save the Pirate Hunter.
"Zoro!"
Indeed he is still alive, but wounded. Blood dripping from his left shoulder to his right hip when his rescuers managed drag him out of the water.
"Is Zoro okay? Answer me?" The straw hat wearing kid asks the two who immediately went to work saving the Pirate Hunter's life and stop the bleeding caused by Yoru. Another boy approaches the trio with a first aid kit probably handed by someone from the floating restaurant.
"No matter how long it will take… I will always be the World's Greatest Swordsman…" Dracule said out loud as he crossed his arms. "And I will be waiting for you…" He walks away and taps the kid's shoulder that looks at him confusingly. Dracule smiled at 'him' charmingly and turn his back and went over to his coffin shaped raft.
"Make sure that you practice both your skills and heart to become stronger. And when the time comes, dare to challenge me again, Roronoa Zoro."
Preparing to set sail, he turned for the last time towards the young pirate who is crazy enough to attack him heads on with his or rather her bare hands.
"And as for you, 'Straw Hat'," Dracule said as he looked at the kid with his strangely colored eyes. "It would be best to keep your true self hidden… Others would not be too kind if they knew what you really are…"
"So what?! I know what I'm doing and I can perfectly take care of myself…" The young pirate said with that determined look in her eyes.
"Very well…" Nodding to himself, he sat on the lone chair of his raft, crossing his legs and stared back at her. "And your goal?"
"To become the greatest pirate…" She said with conviction.
"What a stupid dream…" He commented drily, placing his chin over his right hand, totally oblivious to everything surrounding them. "It only means that you have to become stronger than me, you know?"
Like a child that she is, the young lass stuck her tongue out at him. "I don't care what you said. I will become one, just wait and see."
She turned away from him and asked the others about her fallen comrade when he raised his sword, the Wado Ichimonji. The only sword powerful enough to survived his Black Sword.
Interesting.
"Lu-luffy… C-can you hear… me?" The swordsman who challenged him earlier finally spoke after his defeat.
Could his spirit be broken already?
"Yes. I can hear you…" Straw Hat replied. She manages to hide her anxiousness from the swordsman, Dracule noted with slight interest.
"I am sorry… for making you worry." Zoro started, he could hear the strain in his voice.
What a truly remarkable guy to stay conscious after meeting his blade.
"If I can't be the strongest swordsman, you will always worry about me, right? And you will always do reckless things in return…" The other two bounty hunters tried to stop him from saying anything more but he was persistent.
"From now on…" Their spectators held their breath, surprised and astonished, just like him as he waited for his final declaration. "…I promise not to lose to anyone ever again! Until I defeat that man, and become the World's Greatest Swordsman… I won't lose again!"
"Do you have any problems with that, Pirate King?"
The straw hat wearing pirate smiled widely upon hearing his words. Dracule couldn't help but smile as well.
"Nope. Of course not!" The she-pirate answered contentedly.
Truly exceptional.
"The two of you… Both of you make a good team… I hope that I will see you again, someday…"
After a brief encounter with Don Krieg's idiocy, he left with a good disposition.
Finally.
After so many years of waiting, he found someone worthy of his time.
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