A/N: Hey there again! I'm back after updating yesterday. Thanks for the reviews! I myself am not too convinced if indeed this story is progressing well or is going towards boredom. Well, that aside now..because nothing can be done except improving myself.

Hope this chapter is up to your expectations.


Zoro scoffed at the men lying in front of him.

Pathetic.

He rolled his eyes.

Not much of an entertainment.

The green haired stood back lazily on one foot, three katanas skilfully balanced at his sides. His jaw trembled slightly as he tried to suppress a yawn. He had not slept much last night. Strange. Usually, he could sleep at anytime and anywhere, regardless of noise or tranquillity. Maybe he was sick?

Nah.

No way was he. Zoro could not even remember the last time he fell sick.

Beep beep. Beep beep. Bee-

Zoro took out the small device from his pocket and plug it into his left ear from which dangled three golden earrings, producing a soft clinking sound as he moved.

"Yeah?"

"ZORO! HOW MANY TIMES DID I TELL YOU NOT TO-"

The man cringed at the yelling and yanked the item out before his poor ear sustained any more damage. He could already feel a faint throbbing inside his head.

That witch!

He let the woman shout out her frustrations a bit more until she eventually calmed down.

"Zoro? Hey Zoro?"

Zoro placed back the device on and answered again after hearing her softer voice.

"Yeah?"

"You dare ignore me when I'm giving instructions?!" she spat out each word angrily.

"You are too slow in giving them!" the green haired protested as he leaned against the wall, contemplating his deeds. "The work is already done."

"Oh really? How much damage?"

"Euh, not much. A bit bloody though."

Zoro could hear her sighed in exasperation.

Serves her right!

Zoro smirked as he played with the locket hanging from a sliver chain around his neck.

"What are you unhappy about? Tell the others that I got him. Mission accomplished."

"Okay, good job. Just get back now. I'll take up the cleaning."

"Yes ma'am."

Zoro detached himself from the wall, eager to finally get home until he realised that he had to drag back a body with him.

Zoro took hold of the man's shirt and decided to pull him all the way to his bike parked outside.

Too much of a pain.

"Oi. Still there? Pull over the van."

"Yes, yes..."

He let go of the man's clothes and went inside one of the rooms of the big mansion.

Lucky!

The first room he went into was the bedroom. He pulled off the light blanket from the king sized bed and spread it on the floor. He then went back to retrieve the body. For a moment he froze on thinking that the man was dead. Checking his pulse, he heaved a sigh of relief when he felt that he was still alive.

The others will kill me if he has died by my hands.

He picked the man up effortlessly from the ground and placed him onto the blanket, wrapping him up in it until he was satisfied. He grinned at the human sausage he formed. It looked as if he had just committed a crime and was getting rid of the corpse. Not that it was that different from it though.

Good.

Zoro then threw the rolled up man over his right shoulder and walked out of the house, passing by a few security guards who were sprawled around on the floor unconscious. Zoro kicked one aside as he was blocking his path.

Finally stepping out of the house, he took in a deep breath of the cool night's air. The night breeze ruffled his dark green cloak as he looked around his surroundings and was glad that his mission took place in a rather secluded area. No need to either hide or walk around stealthily nor mind the screams of his victims.

The door of the van slid open and the passengers gasped at his sight.

"Is he dead?" asked the orange haired woman.

"Tch." Zoro clicked his tongue and ignored her.

"Oh my god, Zoro. You killed him!"

"Shut up, Usopp! I did not! Check for yourself!"

"Nami, help me pull him up."

The orange haired complied and once the body was safely in the van. They removed the blanket to check for his pulse.

"Why did you have to roll him up?" Nami asked.

"It looks more fun this way," Zoro shrugged.

"Geez. Franky!" she called out to the man sitting in front of the van.

"Ow sis!"

"Let's go!" she instructed.

"Ow!" the larger man replied nosily and started the engine.

"You too, Zoro. Get back to the base."

The green haired nodded and turned away towards his bike.

The speedy ride did a great job at cooling his head. He would never get enough of the thrilling sensation as he sped along the roads, zooming past a few vehicles and sharp turning the corners. It was simply intense and Zoro could not help but grinned stupidly all the way back to the base.

After roughly twenty minutes, Zoro slowed down as he recognised his surroundings. After a few more turns, he stopped in front of a large building with a noisy tavern on the first floor with THE STRAW HATS written atop. Zoro cut off the roaring engine of his bike.

Pushing open the large doors, he was welcomed by a strong smell of alcohol. The tavern was packed and the bartender with his wild rocker hair style was busy moving here and there to serve the customers alcohol.

"Good evening, Zoro!" he greeted cheerfully.

"Hey."

"Want me to pour you a glass?"

"Thanks Bartolomeo, but I'm needed up there." Zoro pointed upwards.

"Oh!" the bartender nodded.

Approaching the kitchen, Zoro's stomach growled as he smelled food.

I'll grab a bite later.

Casually walking up the stairs, the noise slowly faded away. It was a really great idea from Franky to insulate the walls upstairs with a soundproof material or whatever thing he used.

Unlike downstairs, the atmosphere up there was a quiet and cosier one. Zoro immediately felt at ease. Reaching the end of the corridor, he turned the handle of a wooden door and instincts told him to dodge and he did.

Looking at what crashed onto the floor, he saw a person instead of an object lying ungracefully on the floor behind him.

It was his captain.

Zoro sighed and pulled him up.

"What did you do this time?"

"Ah Zoro! You're back!"

"Yeah, I am."

"L-U-F-F-Y-" growled an angered Nami.

Zoro frowned.

Since when did she get back?

"Zoro, you are late!" the orange haired turned her attention towards him as she came forward to grab her captain by the front of his shirt to drag him back in.

"It's you who's early," he muttered under his breath.

"You got lost again, didn't you?"

Zoro's frown deepened as he did not remember to have gotten lost. He was about to retort back but she cut him off.

"Anyway, sit down."

Zoro looked up for a brief moment in disbelief. He could never understand why she was the one acting so bossy when she was not even the captain of this group.

"Hey Zoro!" The others inside the room greeted him, namely Usopp and Franky.

As Zoro made way to his seat, he nodded to the slender, yet athletic looking woman with jet black hair sitting across of him. Robin was her name and she gave him her usual smile as he sat down.

"Okay, let's start the meeting!" announced Luffy with his serious face on. Everyone straightened in his seat as they listened to what their captain had to say.

The young looking man held the gaze of each and everyone present in the room for about five minutes until he eventually broke into his signature grin.

"Now that Zoro has come back, it's PARTY TIME!" he shouted childishly, hands thrown up in the air.

Zoro sweat-dropped at his captain's sudden change in attitude. It was so like Luffy.

"IDIOT!" smacked Nami on the back of his head. "BE SERIOUS FOR ONCE!"

"Owwie~" Luffy whined.

Robin chuckled amusingly while the others laughed out loud, the heavy tension previously in the room broken.

A small smile even crept onto Zoro's face.

Concluding that nothing serious was going to be discussed, he excused himself and went up to the third floor to where his room-more like apartment- was. He passed by similar looking doors until finally reaching his.

Inserting the key, he clicked open the door and once in, he locked it again. Without bothering to switch on the lights, he made way to his small kitchen in which he opened the small fridge and took out a plate of frozen onigiris (rice balls) and put them into the microwave to heat them up.

He then went inside his bedroom and from under his bed he pulled out a long and rather thin rectangular box. He untied the three katanas he had at the side of his waist and sat down cross legged in front of it. Turning the small wheels of the locking mechanism, the lock clicked open after putting the right number combination.

Zoro carefully placed his beloved katanas in it side by side and sat back to admire them a little. Suddenly remembering something, he lifted up the fabric and cushion on which his katanas slept on and he smiled at the item he hid under. Taking it out, he caressed the old picture book lovingly.

Warm memories filled him up until his heart clenched and sadness engulfed him.

"I'm sorry." Zoro choked out.


A/N: I could not wait any longer to have this chapter out xD finally i'm getting to the serious part. However, i wonder if ever the contents of this chapter was too sudden?