Chapter 4 - Hawk
Edited: 11/12/2017
Posted: 4/2016
They shot awake when they felt the Hawkeye's presence. They should have felt him long ago, but they had been distracted and exhausted from the Other escaping.
Alpha was still holding them. His hand was gripped tightly around their tail where it circled his chest to hold them in place on his shoulders.
Alpha was tense. Afraid.
They rose on Alpha's shoulders to see Beta and Hawkeye.
Hawkeye had a mockingly small blade blocking Beta's three katana's.
Oh, Beta.
They were too groggy to focus on the words, but they didn't need to. It was written in his body, tone, and aura. It hurt their heart to see Beta breaking under the realization of how very small he was in the world. How far he had to climb.
{Fool. A lesson.}
[The Hawk may kill him for the learning,] they snapped back, growling low as they unwrapped from Alpha's shoulders.
{Deserve it for not acknowledging a stronger predator.}
They thunked to the wood at Alpha's feet with a grumble. They stretched slowly, unwinding their aura at the same time. While human slept so deep they normally kept their presence hidden. Outside the Grand Line such caution was normally not needed, but they were glad of the practice as it meant they could surprise Hawkeye.
They flopped to the wood after their stretch, body sprawled out. They were too tired to be moving like this. It was going to make human sleep longer than the feral already had that day.
They wanted human back. They didn't like being alone with the feral and the wall and its thoughts on their pit.
{You picked these. No self preservation. No haki. No skills for surviving. Beta will impress the Hawkeye or he will die.}
[Shut up. Not like it knows self preservation.]
The feral snarled at them in a rare show of temper, scratching ceaselessly at the crack in the wall in retaliation.
Seas damn it, they couldn't stop Beta's stupidity. And of course Beta's dream would be to become the World's Greatest Swordsman. Why not, with an Alpha who wanted to be Pirate King?
Her pit was a group who did not accept second best.
Trying to end the fight would ensure Beta could never stand before Hawkeye again.
Letting the fight run its course would very likely end in Beta dying, no matter whose protection he was under. Unless he managed to somehow impress Hawkeye despite his loss in the fight-because Beta would lose. That was inevitable. The Hawk wasn't even trying.
Beta was moving his three blades with an unrestrained skill. Clumsy, sloppy, and wasteful. He was like a toddler compared to Hawkeye's economic movements.
Hawkeye was not even out of breath as he spoke to her. "What are you doing hiding here, queen? We assumed you had broken irreparably over the years and were no longer among the living after you left your main hunting grounds."
He parried every one of Beta's swings without moving more than an inch. As he spoke. While he looked at her.
They sat up on their haunches, coming to Hawkeye's chest level where the two swordsman fought feet away.
Beta froze for a split second. They could feel him lost in emotion. Whether it was from his own realization at being outclassed or shock at Hawkeye addressing them, they did not know.
The result was final either way. Hawkeye broke Beta's guard and snapped a flat hand into the back of Beta's neck.
It could easily have been a killing blow with the dagger instead.
Beta had lost.
They tilted their head as they watched Beta fall to the deck. The important lessons left memories in the mind, not the flesh.
"What are you doing with these children?" Hawkeye had crossed his arms over his chest to face her now. He had turned his back to Beta.
They let out a deep growl, letting their teeth drop in half way and an aura of warning fill the air between.
"New pit. Worthy. Purpose."
Hawkeye's expression did not change, but he radiated confused disbelief nonetheless. He didn't bat an eye at their sudden ability to speak.
"Truly? Them? They have no bounties. They haven't seen the world yet."
Hawkeye turned with a frown to face a staggering Beta. Beta lunged with a blade, and Hawkeye fluidly side-stepped the lackluster attack. Beta fell to the deck again.
Hawkeye threw out a mocking hand at Beta as he looked at them. "They can't hope to defend themselves, let alone support you." He uncrossed his arms to stand and radiate disapproval. "I'm going to have to share the news of your continued existence. And I hope you know I blame you for the sulking since you left with no word. I expect to be repaid for dealing with that overgrown child."
They eyed Beta. He was panting, katanas gripped tight between his teeth and in his fists. Coming to terms with his defeat. It was not easy to accept how weak you were when faced with a greater foe you could not hope to beat, even had they been near dead, deafened, and blinded.
They withdrew their teeth as Hawkeye watched them and twitched their upper body in a shrug.
"Fair. But our pit. Ours."
That was a fair trade. Human had left the New World with no warning when they started to slide further into their mind. Red Hair would have been concerned. And Old Beta.
Hawkeye turned back to Beta. "You. Weakling. What is it you wish to achieve by becoming the World's Greatest? What do you seek with that power?"
{Beta will live or die by this answer.}
They were still.
[We know.]
Beta stood through will alone to face Hawkeye.
"I cannot lose."
They could feel the tension in the crowd. Alpha was barely restraining himself. Alpha knew what this meant for Beta. He could not interfere in Beta's attempt at the title, no matter the outcome.
Beta moved in for a final attack.
Three times he had tried...And three times he failed. This time he had a dagger in the chest to show for it. Right over his heart.
And yet Beta did not step back. Did not flinch.
"Do you wish for this blade to pierce your heart? Why do you not step back?"
"I don't know. If I take one step back, I believe that all of the oaths and promises until now will be wasted. And I'll never get to stand before you again."
"Yes, and that's called 'losing.' "
The feral chuffed in amusement.
They lashed their tail.
Beta huffed out a bitter laugh. "That's why I can't step back."
Hawkeye was intrigued. They could feel him assessing Beta. "Even if it means death?"
"Death may be better."
The feral was not laughing now.
Hawkeye was impressed. He pulled the dagger from Beta's chest and stepped back.
They did not relax. Beta was not safe yet.
"Announce your name."
Beta stood tall. "Roronoa Zoro."
"I'll remember that. It's been some time since I've seen such strong will. As a reward-a gesture to a fellow swordsman-I will wield this Black Sword to end your life."
"I appreciate it."
And Beta truly did. Beta knew he faced death if his last attempt failed, and he was strong in the face of defeat. He was sincere in his attempt.
{Ours.}
They hissed out loud at the claim. Hawkeye's gaze flickered to them.
"I will kill him as a swordsman's honor, even if it means dying at your hands, queen."
Their eyes snapped to Hawkeye, and he must have sensed the change. He knew of their problems after the Break. His attention shifted to them completely.
The feral battered at the wall. They felt the echo of the earlier crack with a physical ache, heard the sound of splitting stone and sheared metal in their mind as it expanded.
They dropped to the ground, claws reflexively digging into wood and shredding it like paper. Teeth and spikes slid out as they fought off the sudden wash of possessive anger.
Their aura rolled across the deck. Beta grunted, Hawkeye frowned, and they heard bodies hitting wood behind them as the weaker in the crowd fell to their knees.
{Our Beta. Worthy. Success or death. Ours. Mine. Keepuseprotecthoard.}
Human shifted in their head. Human could not wake. They would all die.
How had the feral cracked the wall so wide?
They shoved back against the emotion spilling forward. Bloodlust, rage, possessiveness.
They had to do something.
[Share. Beta yours. Theta and Omega theirs.]
The feral paused. Thought.
{Alpha. Want Alpha. Feel him.}
Yes, they could feel it. Alpha was barely contained. His will had to be immeasurable because only will would keep him unmoving while he watched his first mate die.
[Fair. Yes. Alpha and Beta. They get Omega and Theta.]
{Yes.}
They did not even bother negotiating with Sigma. Sigma was theirs, human's, the feral's, every fractured piece and part held rights to the Sigma...utterly and completely. Body, mind, and soul.
There was a pleased hiss as the battering emotion withdrew. They sucked in their aura with a deep breath.
As soon as it receded Hawkeye attacked.
Beta's two katanas shattered.
Beta stood with his arms out before Hawkeye.
"Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame."
Hawkeye smirked. "Well said."
The Black Sword descended, cutting deep across Beta's chest. Blood sprayed into the air as Beta's body tipped into the sea.
Their Alpha and crew shouted. The sounds were drowned out under the keen of the feral's rage in their mind.
They slid into the waves without thought.
[He lives. Not fatal.]
They chanted the words over and over, trying to calm the flood of ragehatehurtprotectshelterhealhide from the feral in their mind.
Human tossed restlessly in the sleep.
They caught Beta's shirt in their claws carefully, bringing him back onto the deck with a shove. Alpha had attacked Hawkeye while they were under the waves, and he stood near the swordsman now.
"Ryuko, Other, you got him!"
They did not realize they were standing between Hawkeye and Beta, a subvocal growl a constant warning, until Alpha spoke. They had their tail coiled protectively around Beta's wrist.
They looked up and trilled at Alpha, demeanor shifting completely. Their claws and teeth retracted as Alpha dropped to his knees at Beta's side.
They watched Hawkeye observe them.
"You, boy. What do you wish to achieve."
Alpha barely glanced at Hawkeye. "I'm going to be the Pirate King."
Hawkeye laughed. "Your dream is even loftier than your friend's."
Alpha stuck his tongue out at him in childish anger. "Let me worry about that."
Hawkeye looked at Beta, and they growled audibly. "Ours," they bit out.
Hawkeye stared at them. "I did not kill him, queen. You know this." He paused to watch them stand coiled between him and Alpha and Beta.
"You will make it up to that drunk for leaving. I'll expect ten cases of my favorite wine delivered."
They would have commented on who was the drunk there, but let it go.
"Red Hair's gamble is ours. Nothing to owe him. Have wine. Leave." They snapped their teeth at Hawkeye and turned away from him. A clear dismissal.
They did not gut him in retaliation for Beta.
He was lucky old Theta viewed him as a mate and he still carried Red Hair's scent or the Other would have anyway.
Beta came back to consciousness and they shut their eyes against the dull thud of pain. The bond was already forming, deepening once the feral had accepted their new pit completely.
They did not miss Hawkeye's parting words.
"I was wrong in my judgement, queen. You have chosen well. I look forward to seeing how they grow under your care. We will be meeting again."
When Alpha placed them in the small boat with Beta to find Loud Woman they tucked themselves into Beta's side to rest their head next to his own.
An Alpha who dreamed of being King and a Beta who dreamed of being the World's Best. They had certainly chosen well.
{Ours.}
Zoro ignored the burning pain in his chest.
And the warm blood dripping down his stomach.
And the cooling blood at his sides where he lay on the deck of the small boat.
This was too important.
He focused on the weight of Riyo's or Ryuko's or whatever-Luffy-wanted-to-call-her's tail where it lay on his thigh, holding him still. Her head was on his shoulder, away from the slash but protective of the wound as she intently watched Usopp stitch his insides back where they belonged. For all the intent, though, she looked like she was barely conscious.
That made two of them at least.
He had understood that there was something off about Riyo as soon as he saw her change back at the marine base. Someone that looked like a child-sized walking skeleton shouldn't have still been breathing. But to see how she handled the old geezer at the restaurant, and the infamous Hawkeye-it brought a new perspective.
He wasn't on her level. He wasn't on the same playing field. He wasn't even on the same planet as her...or Hawkeye.
She had threatened Hawkeye. Hawkeye had believed her.
Hawkeye, the World's Greatest Swordsman-and what did that make Riyo?-, had only been toying with him.
No, Zoro was a big fish in the small pond of East Blue and he needed to work harder than ever in order to protect the crew. He would make sure Luffy became the Pirate King. He'd need Riyo for that; he'd need her to train him. He needed to push himself more than ever to train his body harder.
He would earn the right to protect Luffy and the crew and his own dream to be the World's Greatest through this new humility and a greater dedication.
He grit his teeth as Usopp hit a tender spot across his ribs.
As soon as he could move again.