Nya! I'm baaaack! I hope you've been enjoying the story so far. This chapter is a. . . Zoro chapter, kinda sorta. Well, you'll find out for yourself so go ahead and enjoy reading it!

Zoro: Straw-hat-Writer does not. . . snore

Me: Oi! Damn it, wake up!

Luffy: Straw-hat-Writer does not own One Piece in any way! Niku!

Me: Here. hands a slab of meat

Luffy: Niku... ♥♥

Chapter 13

"What the hell are you doing here?" grunted a certain green haired bully. He stood up from the garbage cans he knocked over and dusted himself off. Luffy ran down to help him, but was shoved away. Terin walked down to join the two men as the backyard door opened.

"That's what I should be asking you. It's 10 am and your in my backyard knocking over my trash cans," she remarked, ignoring his annoyed sneer. Sanji burst out laughing as he saw the sight of Zoro covered in trash.

"What are you laughing at, Curly Brow?" he exclaimed, shifting his left hand to his three swords. Sanji stopped laughing and got into a fighting stance. Robin placed a hand on Sanji's shoulder to calm him down as Terin landed a short and soft blow to Zoro's forehead, sending him staggering backwards and tripping back over the trash can. Luffy, joined by Sanji and Usopp, loudly laughed again as the swordsman tried to get back up. Terin slapped a hand against her forehead and sighed. She grabbed him by the shirt, and pulled him back up.

"Listen up," she began. "We both know I want you out of my sight, but I don't want you causing more trouble by getting lost again." Zoro snorted and lightly slapped away the gripping hand.

"I DIDN'T get lost,"he snapped. Terin, annoyed, sighed and told him to walk three houses north from her house. Trying to prove her wrong, Zoro began walking down the alley, turned a left, and yelled out after tripping over another trash can, making the boys laugh ever harder.

"Why do people say north? Just say up, down, left, or right!," he exclaimed after making it back to her house.

"We're going back in to get ready, and ALL of us are going to take you back to the dojo," she proclaimed. Zoro waited impatiently as the rest got ready for their visit to the dojo.

"Let's go!" yelled Luffy, taking the lead for no apparent reason. Terin, hiding her smile, followed after him with the rest of the company, also trying to keep Sanji from starting another fight.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Here we are," declared Terin. They looked around, seeing several other people, mostly children, training with Shinai. Then, from around the corner came a girl with short, blue hair. She carried a white sword and came out smiling at Zoro.

"Hello Zoro. I see you've brought friends with you," said the blue haired girl. Zoro smiled, which the group found to be very odd, and went to train elsewhere. Terin shook her head and sighed again.

"Everyone, this is Kuina. She's an old friend of Zoro. She used to go to elementary school with me, but soon began home schooling so she could practice swords as well." She bowed at the visitors and left after Zoro.

"Zoro has a friend that's a girl?" asked Luffy, obviously confused. Terin chuckled and nodded. With a motion, the company began their walk back to her house when Luffy caught notice of something. He raced towards it and peered at the big, colorful text.

"What's this?" he asked, pointing a finger at the flyer he had found. Terin and the rest glanced at it and took no interest. Robin gladly answered this one for Terin.

"This is the yearly Fireworks Festival held not too far from here. Everyone wears a kimono, and attends the festival. There's games, food, and prizes to be won." Luffy's eye sparkled at the sound of "food". He raced over to Terin and tugged at her shoulder.

"Can we go to this? Please?" he pleaded.

"It's not till Golden Week, so we'll think about it then." He pouted and let go of her. All of a sudden, a sound of metal clashing was heard. The group ran past the dojo and into the training area to see Kuina sparring with some stranger. There were also three other men with swords.

"What's going on here?" exclaimed Nami. The three men turned around and smirked at her. Sanji turned his head to Zoro, who had all three swords sheathed. He sneered at him, but Zoro let it slide. Usopp stood shaking behind Luffy, who had both hands into fists.

"Care to explain what is going on?" asked Terin, arms crossed. He tilted his head back and blinked once or twice before he answered.

"That guy… challenged her for the dojo while we were training. She denied, but he went ahead and attacked." Luffy, red faced and fists clenched, began charging towards the group, but was stopped short by Terin.

"What are you stopping me for? This is unfair!" he exclaimed, almost glaring at Terin. She returned the glance, her icy look silencing him. She lowered her hand, and he stood still.

"This is a fight of a swordswoman. Having some else be invovled in it would be dishonorable. If this man wants a fight, then Kuina will give it to him herself." He gazed at the sparring two for a moment and gave a short nod. The two jumped back, and charged once again. Kuina went into a series of swings, the man barely being able to block. His hand slipped, and the sword went airborne, and landed right next to Usopp. The tip of Kuina's sword was at his throat.

"You've had enough?" she asked. But, then the three men standing by charged at her, slashing all at once. She blocked two of them, but the thrid sliced into her shoulder. The original opponent grabbed a sword and jabbed it forward. Kuina dodged it just to be slashed at again by another sword.

Zoro unsheathed two swords and began fighting off the remaining fighters. Sanji, and Luffy also joined in the fray. After a few kicks, punches and slicing, there was a pile of unconcious guys sitting out in the middle of the ground as the rest tended to Kuina. She was in bad shape, barely breathing and unconcious. They were lifting her up to leave, ignoreing a rustling sound in the background.

A guy on the top of the pile looked up from his battered position. His eyes gleamed with revenge. Quickly, he pulled out a dagger and threw it, the point piercing into Kuina's back.

"You bastard!" Zoro yelled, slashing out the dull side of his sword onto his neck. When he turned around, it was too late. Kuina laid limp over Terin's arms, the dagger pulled out and lying on the ground.

"Zoro… I'm sorry," she whispered as he came over. He looked down at his friend who had passed on and a memory had come back to him.

Flashback A few years back…

Zoro yelped loudly as he fell to the ground, sliding across the grass. He was breathing heavily as Kuina stood above him, peering down as she held her sword.

"This is… my 2001st win," she whispered. She stood back up, and wiped the sweat off her head.

"Damn!" Zoro sobbed covering his eyes with his hands. "Shit. I can't accept this…" He continued his sustained whimpering, gritting his teeth and still laying on the ground as Kuina looked down at him.

"I'm the one who wants to cry because I can't accept it. My father told me… girls will never become the best at swords. You'll soon grow to be stronger than me, Zoro." She paused to place a hand on her chest, making Zoro blush. "If only I was born a boy." She began sobbing when he yelled out at her.

"How can you say that after beating me? You were my goal the whole time! You make my training look like a waste! It doesn't matter whether you are a girl or boy!" He walked towards her and held out a hand. "Promise me… that one of us will become the greatest at swords!"

Teary eyed, she accepted his promise, thanking him afterwards.

End of Flashback

He knelt down beside her, and picked her up. He stood for a moment, then dashed out into the surrounding woods, the group yelling out to him. But, all they heard was their echoes and the sound of running feet.

I think I made Kuina's death too quick. But i'm not too sure. Note: The flashback Zoro has is quoted and described exactly from a scene in episode 19. I paraphrased the dialouge here and there, but the words belong to Eichiro Oda.