I really think that this has become an ooc, sorry guys. Again, I'd like some comments. This is my first One Piece fic, please be kind.

I could feel the mixture of heat and cold of the ocean breeze as I looked around me. The pathetic excuse for a ship was really getting on my nerves. The creaking and breaking of the wood planks all around, as we fought, flew one by one. I could use some of these pieces for my work out, but that's not what I was here for. I kept on slashing this stupid bunch with Wado; knowing that I don't really need to use all of my katanas.

It had been a long time since I felt this kind of ache. Kuina's death just put the irritation and anger in me, knowing that we'll never know who'll become stronger between us, but this – what happened to Rose – was different, and I can't hold back the rage that I was feeling right now. Looking at the limp body of Rose, I simply wouldn't take it easy on them.

I still don't like girls, but she's still a mystery. She had changed something in me, and I've become fond of her. I carry her to the barrels of whatever, and lied her down behind them. I left her there, and went to join the fight. Steel on steel, the clang of metals were like music to my ears; much better than that of Brook's music. I just missed a body that flew near me, and I looked around and saw that the ero-cook was sky walking, kicking different bodies all around.

"Oy, watch it, Nosebleed!" I shout at him.

"I don't care if you get hit, Garden head!" He yells back at me.

Luffy started off with his haki which made it easy for all of us to get the stronger ones after the weaklings just fell to the ground. I could see the debt witch take down some of the weaker ones with that contraption of hers. On the ship, Franky and Usopp were shooting down the others. Even Robin was using her hands, I can't count how many, to incapacitate the bounty hunters. That finished, we were already aboard the ship with me carrying Rose by her waist when we hear Luffy scream.

"What are you doing?!"

We turned around to see the shackles on Luffy's wrists. He couldn't stretch, so I assumed that it was sea prism. I heard Nami, Usopp and Chopper shout to the captors, "Give us back our captain!"

The leader of the other ship, I presume, answered back with a laugh, "We need his bounty. Do you think we'll give him back to you?"

So that's that. They were bounty hunters. They took advantage of Rose's weakness, and even made her a bait just to get Luffy in their ship. What I hate the most, other than those who think that they were strong enough to beat me, were the people that were to do something as cowardly as this. Using a girl as a lure was really out of the line.

"Bounty hunters!" Usopp yelled the obvious.

Being a bounty hunter before, I knew how to negotiate with some. I had to try to negotiate this one out. I murmured to the others, "I'll deal with this."

Then I turned to the bounty hunters with a death gleam in my eyes. "Give us back our captain or you will suffer consequences."

The leader looked at me with interest. "Roronoa Zoro, the infamous bounty hunter turned pirate. I don't think you understand what's happening here. We want your captain in exchange for money. Unless you can give us something that's worth the same with this one," he pulled Luffy's hair to make his face visible to us, "then you better exchange that one."

Well, that was some negotiation. What has the same value as Luffy? I didn't know. I didn't have care much about money. I turned to Nami. "Do you have the amount that they want for Luffy?"

She looked at me with something that looks like, I'm-not-going-to-give-them-my-money. "No!" Her face showed that intent of kill. If we took her money without her consent that would even cause us a lot of trouble and not to mention a week of bullying. I hate that side of her, along with her girly-girl attitude.

I sighed, defeated. I knew that she has enough loot for us to rescue Luffy, but she wouldn't exactly give her treasures that easily. I think of another way, and then I heard Usopp say something about just giving up and let them get Luffy. That's not exactly what I think of bravery. Usopp's way out was out of the line, and before I could take out Wado, the stupid cook beat me to it and slapped Usopp at that back of his head. Well, that'll teach him a lesson.

Suddenly, I felt Rose stir in her sleep. The noise seemed to have woken her up. I looked down to her and she was smiling at me. That's the way I like it. I like her smile, and it's part of her, and I wouldn't want anyone taking away her smile. She gestured with her finger for me to lean down, I did so and she whispered to me.

"We need to bargain with them at something that they would think might stop us from becoming pirates again. Tell Nami to negotiate with them for a while and then tell the others to have a meeting at the infirmary. I need to be up and about before we battle this out." Her voice was a little bit raspy, but determined.

This was why I like her. She wasn't pushy like most girls, but she has that authority in her eyes that flares up whenever someone in the crew was in danger. I did what she told and we all quickly followed her instructions. We sneaked out to the infirmary, and Chopper immediately dashed to her, and gave her antidote and some medicine that I don't know. Trust Chopper to get her back in shape in no time, I thought to myself.

I looked to her with questions in my eye which she immediately answered. "We need to tell them that we'll give them Sunny in exchange for Luffy."

There were a lot of protests. I particularly heard Usopp and Franky battle this one out with Rose.

"That is not super, Rose sis!"

"That's right, Rose. How are we supposed to be pirates if we don't have a ship?"

She looked at me with that feisty gleam in her eyes. I knew that her plan would work, but we need the others to know this as well; for them to trust her strategy.

I cut them off. "She's not saying this for us to give up the ship, morons. She has a plan. Can't you at least listen to her first?"

This was her strategy, and given the stress the bounty hunters had given her, I couldn't believe that she would be well enough to think this one through; she's really something. As she gave out instructions to the shipwright, Franky was able to understand that she wasn't really giving the ship.

"I see, Rose sis. That idea is super!"

We got ready for another battle, and Chopper was instructing Rose not to join the fight since she was still not recovered. She protested, saying that she was responsible for Luffy; that she was the reason why they were able to get Luffy in the first place. Chopper realized that I was looking, so he took this chance to make me talk some sense to Rose in which I knew wouldn't happen. Just with her protests, I already knew that I couldn't make her back out from the fight.

"They're not that strong Chopper. I know she wouldn't just sit this one out. I will back her up."

I got my swords at the ready, and I could feel Kitetsu's death wishes to the bandits, and I just had to stifle my excitement.

Chopper looked at me like he wanted to kill me for letting Rose's hopes up. Still, he just groaned and told Rose to take it easy. Rose jumped up in glee, and hugged Chopper. I reached for Rose's hand, and she calmly accepted it and we went back to where the fight would commence again. I could hear Nami negotiate with the bounty hunters.

"We'll give you our ship which is worth just as much as our captain!" Nami said confidently, but I sense her doubt.

"Meat!" I heard Luffy scream. Of course, he'd be hungry already, during the time when he's always in danger.

Unknowing that there was danger lying ahead for them, Rose and I sneak in back to the bounty hunters' ship once more, as we were, we saw that they were getting really annoyed with the negotiators. I see the barrels that were hanging around, and I point to it. Rose understood my gesture and we hide there for a little while. I see that the stupid Dartbrow was backing Nami up with the negotiations. At least he got to do something right.

I noticed that Chopped had changed into his round and fluffy kung-fu form. I guess he's going to fight, too. Chopper's really not that of a fighter, but with his determination to save his nakama, he's always there. I heard Rose mutter softly a cheer for Chopper and I had to smile at that. She's really something.

It seemed like that they took the bait. It's time that we pay back what they did to us; for underestimating us. Using my haki, I glided around and made sure that Rose could get the keys from their deck. There were only four hunters left which made it easier for us to get the keys. That's when I heard Brook play his music.

"Yohohohoho!"

It was not the usual upbeat on, but a slower one which sounded like a lullaby. I guess it was for the bounty hunters, but it took effect on me as well. My eyes were slowly turning droopy and not to mention that I almost yawned loud if it weren't for Rose who immediately came back to my side and kissed me. It wasn't really a kiss, I presume, but more of a peck on the cheek. I was embarrassed, not thinking that she'd shamelessly do it to me.

When I glanced at her, she winked at me and hushed me with her forefinger. She was going to release Luffy already, and in a flash she was gone from my side once again and I see her creep into where Luffy was chained. Since the hunters were still negotiating stupidly with Nami and Dartbrow, they didn't even realize that Luffy was already ready, and in heat, to get them one by one.

"We have a lot of special things that you can do with our ship." Nami called out.

"This ship is worth more than all of our heads." The cook cooed.

"I don't really care, but if I get all of you, then we'll be richer than that of the other hunters." The leader retorted.

"But you don't know what you're missing."

Nami's rebuttal was a sight. I couldn't catch on to the rest of what she was saying, but it seemed to me like the stupid leader was almost in the palm of her hands. At some point, her bossy attitude does well – just like today.

"Alright, we'll get that stupid ship of yours along with all of you there in exchange for your stupid captain."

I knew that we had to sit this one out since we already went into action and it was Luffy's turn to get even. We all got off the ship and watched aboard Sunny. I noticed that Chopper was a little sad that he wasn't able to fight, but was glad as well knowing that he'll not get hit hurt. I grinned. Then we saw Luffy.

"Gomu gomu no, Gatling gun!"

The hit of his punches on the leader was definitely a surprise, and even though he was burly and stocky built, he was older than all of us, and he didn't have a devil fruit. How in the world did he think he could even beat us?

The rest of the bounty hunters tried to fight back, but they all just ended up like dust on the floor as we all watched Luffy get to all of them. We cheered on Luffy, and even Rose who was beside me was laughing herself off at the reaction of the bounty hunters when they realized that they were defeated.

When we were finished tying them all, the debt witch went in and asked if she could loot the ship. Even the ero-cook asked if he could check some food supplies. Luffy let them do what they wanted. Knowing that I had no more business, I went back to the crow's nest and went to take a nap. I don't bother waking up when Franky used the Thousand Sunny's canons to blast the enemy's ship into half before we went back on sail.

By the time I woke up, they already started the festivities. I knew right then that we've left that part of the seas. I went down to join, looking for some sake or beer. Brook was playing some rock song about some journey, and Luffy, Usopp, Chopper and Rose were singing along. The cook, I imagine, was in the kitchen to get some more food of his. Nami and Robin were sitting just a little bit farther than the others; maybe talking about something private that I don't care about.