CHAPTER 8

THE LONG-EXPECTED ENCOUNTER

"Tell me what happened that day."

"Why are you here? You should rest as Chopper recommended. Get the hell out of here!"

"I don't think that you're the one to tell me that, Kenshi-san. I'm finding myself unable to recollect any memory of you doing what Chopper instructs you" said Robin mockingly knowing that the stubborn green-haired boy would be infuriated, but still wanting to talk back.

Today was the day. Today she was finally getting what she wanted, what she yearned for all those desperate years of her life.

"Well, Miss-know-it-all, that's none of your business"

"Then why is it yours whether I follow Chopper's…" she started saying but stopped abruptly in the middle of her sentence "Anyway, I'm not here to argue with you about anything."

"Nice then. Leave me alone now."

Zoro wasn't a fool. He might not be so eloquent and articulate as the older historian was, but he had understood what she wanted to find out by asking that question.

"That day" .That goddamn day when Kuina died and left him alone to fulfill their promise. But obviously he wasn't in the mood to talk to Robin about all those things.

"Of course I'll leave you alone" Robin said reassuringly.

"Really? I m-mean, perfect." Now Zoro was really confused for a moment. "This time was way to easy to get rid of her" he thought.

"But"

"That's the onna I know" he thought and cursed silently.

"I'd be delightful to hear your answer to my previous question" when she finished her sentence she saw Zoro's face stiffening "To think that I would give up so easily" she internally chuckled with her own thought.

"What question? I don't remember it" he said pretending to be totally ignorant "What a lame excuse. I'm making a spectacle of myself in front of her of all people."

"Oh it's ok! I can repeat myself" she said smiling. She had to be nice with him. Sarcasm and irony wouldn't do any good now. "I asked you to tell me what exactly had happened that day" she made a pause but before Zoro could speak up she continued more resolutely "And by saying that day I mean the day that our beloved friend Kuina had this accident."

A minute passed after Robin stopped talking. Zoro couldn't move, couldn't speak or even yell at her. He couldn't turn his back at her and say that he doesn't know what she's talking about. As much as he hated to admit it, Robin really had the right to know the truth even if she betrayed them and left them without a word.

He didn't know what to do so he kept staring right into her beautiful eyes. He wanted to tell her but he didn't know how. The mighty Samurai was feeling helpless.

Robin however, found this silence unnerving and, also, she was dying to learn the truth so she started talking again, more sweetly and smoothly this time. She also took a step forward to get closer to him, like if she didn't want to miss anything of what he was about to tell her.

"Zoro, I know that this is difficult…" she said but she never had the chance to finish her sentence.

"Don't say anything else."

Zoro finished his sentence and the next thing he knew was that he had fallen into her embrace. Their chests touching, their hands intertwined, his head on her shoulder while crying his heart out.

"Kenshi-san! Can you hear me? Are you ok?"

"What? Yes, of course." Zoro hadn't realized that he was daydreaming "I'm sorry" he scarcely said and then thought "Is that what I really want? To hug her and try finding solace in her embrace? Oh wake up, Zoro! You're not a weakling."

"Kenshi-san…" she managed to utter. She was really confused. Did it hurt him so much to talk about this? Was it so bad what Kuina had to endure?

"I've decided to tell you everything. I really want you to know" he said sternly.

"Really? Oh my god. You can't imagine how I appreciate that!"

"I can tell. But, give me some time. Go back to your cabin and I'll come there to find you and talk this over."

"As you want. Thank you, Ken…"

"It's Zoro, for god's sake" he said angrily but she didn't answer.

She headed straight to her cabin. She then opened a drawer and drew out a book that Koshiro-sensei had given her the day before she left Shimotsuki Village. There she had hidden the letter that was announcing Kuina's death and, also, a nice picture the little girl had painted for her. It was the view of the sea as one could admire it from the top of the village's mountain.

Dear Robin,

I hope my letter will reach you. It was really difficult finding you, but I'm very glad you're doing well.

I'm afraid that I have bad news. In fact, all these days I couldn't find the courage to write about what happened, but I felt the need to tell you and share my pain with you, as if it would go away.

Our beloved Kuina, my dear daughter, had an accident while trying to get her katana's whetstone. Unfortunately, no matter how strong she was, she didn't make it. She didn't…

Zoro is very sad and angry with both you and Kuina. That's the first time that I saw him showing such emotions. I'm trying to help him but I have to cope with my pain, too. I hope that things will go well for him, at least.

Please take care, Robin-san!

The moment she finished reading the letter, she heard a knock on the door. She hadn't expected Zoro so early.

"Can I come in?" Zoro's rough voice was heard .

"Yes, of course."

Zoro opened the door reluctantly, took a chair and sat beside Robin who was resting on her bed and after an awkward minute of nothing but silence, Zoro decided to speak first.

"So you wanted to know…"

"I want to know why Kuina was searching for a sharpening block! She had nothing to do with something like this. Why would she want it?" she tried to compose herself but she found it impossible. All those years she was craving for these answers, like they would bring Kuina back.

Zoro was staring speechless at her. He knew it was his fault and a moment hadn't passed all those years without blaming himself for it. After the tragic accident he wanted to talk to someone who could understand him and the only one that was able to offer him that was "the woman". But she wasn't there. She had already left them.

Ironically, now that the same woman was in front of him, literally demanding to hear about that day, he couldn't utter a word. Was it because so much time had passed and memories hurt too much? Was it because Robin was the first time to be seen so angry and out of herself?

He didn't know. He felt like knowing nothing at all.

"Why was she looking for the damn thing?"

Robin's loud voice woke him up and he found himself staring at Koshiro's letter, which Robin was waving in front of his inexpressible face, that was in utter contradiction with Robin's. She had changed into a real demon. No doubt why her victims are dying with an expression of sheer terror on their faces.

"Are you even listening at me?" she yelled again, but that moment the unfortunate doctor of the crew came inside the room.

"Robin, calm down! You should be resting."

For a moment, only her heavy breathing could be heard.

"Zoro, let's leave her alone. She's been through a lot recently."

"No! You leave us alone" she said not even a little more calmly.

"Robin" said the little reindeer while tears started trickling down on his fury face "Why are you so mad at me?"

The historian looking at her friend's cute and sad expression realized that she was overreacting all this time. Her emotions took a good grip of her. Even the mighty ex-bounty hunter was staring at her speechless and frozen.

"I'm sorry, Chopper" she sighed "It's not your fault. It's just that we need to finish an important discussion."

"It's ok. I'll leave you alone" he muttered and swept his tears.

"Will you forgive me for losing my temper and yelling at you?" she sweetly asked.

"Of course. I'm just really concerned of your current state."

"You shouldn't be. I promise you that I'll sleep right after my little talk with Kenshi-san."

"Alright. See you later" he waved his hand at them while closing the door.

When they were left alone and before she could even utter a word she heard Zoro's voice.

"It was all my fault." His voice wasn't trembling, it just had an apologetic tone. His eyes were focused on hers not flinching even a bit. Robin couldn't understand what those words' meaning was but she could say that it took a lot of courage to spit them out. And Zoro had plenty of courage.

The swordsman didn't gave her a chance to answer. He had finally found the strength- God knows how- and couldn't afford this chance of talking slipping through his hands.

"The day before Kuina's accident… The night that our last battle ended with me losing again…"

Flashback

"I'll definitely beat you in tomorrow's battle" said little Zoro while panting. He was convinced that he could make it. It was obvious that he was becoming as good as she was.

"It may not be tomorrow, but someday you'll definitely will" replied Kuina sadly.

"Of course I w… What did you say?"

"That I'm a girl and you're a boy."

"So what?"

"You fool, you don't understand? Boys grow up to become stronger. My grown female body won't grant me the abilities to become stronger than a man. That's exactly what my father said. I remember every single word."

"That's nonsense! Skills matter more than strength. Wouldn't your father agree with that?" said the little boy all in one breath "You can't back off now. One of us will be the greatest in the world."

Kuina didn't know what to say. She really wanted this but deep inside she had a feeling that she wouldn't make it that far.

"From now on we'll be training to become the best" Zoro continued unconcerned about her doubts "Promise me, Kuina, that one of us will someday be the greatest swordsman in the world. It's either you or me!"

"It's a promise!" they both said in one voice.

End of Flashback

Robin was listening intently at him but she was confused when he stopped his narration of the events so abruptly.

"What happened after that, Kenshi-san? How all these has to do with the…"

"We agreed that we should fight with real swords" he said and the next he heard was a deep gasp and Robin's eyes widening in shock.

"Oh my…" she was trying to talk but her voice was denying to come out of her mouth.

"I know it's all my fault and I hate myself for that and I will always feel like this. If I hadn't asked her that nothing would have happened."

"Stop saying that, please" she literally begged him while sitting on her bed again. Her legs had suddenly become numb and weak.

"Even if I stop saying it or not it doesn't change the fact that…"

"I said stop it. How could you think it was your fault?" she took a deep breath and continued explaining what she meant by saying all these "I know that you feel the need to apologize to someone after all this time of keeping it inside you and that you took all the blame because you like to feel that you're in control, but you can't always be in control, Zoro. Not even you. Things happen. Life happens!"

When she stopped talking she let a tear trickle down her face. It was painful just trying to imagine in how much pain he was after that.

Seeing him vulnerable like this her heart told her to stretch her hand and reach his in order to hold him tightly.

She was so close in touching him but suddenly she felt a strong hand hitting hers quiet violently in order to avoid contact. That was when she saw how angry he was.

"You know, woman, if you were there to tell me all these back then, I might have believed you. Unfortunately, you were too late. I can't stop blaming myself and the best I can do for her is to fulfill our shared dream" he made a little pause and then continued talking more bluntly "Your heard what you wanted to know. Now leave me alone" when he was done he left a speechless Robin seeing him shutting the door behind him.

She learned everything she needed to know. She saw how much she hurt them by leaving them and she managed to make Zoro berserk once again.

But Kuina didn't came back to life…