Fallen Skies

All One Piece Character belong to Oda

His vision was blurry when he first opened his eyes, however, after a few blinks he could see the sun's rays and feel the sun's heat on his aching back.

"You're awake?"

He felt a slender hand hold onto his arms and help him sit up, Zoro looked at the person who helped him and saw it was Maya. His eyes widen a little when he saw she had a swollen eye and bruised lips. He couldn't keep looking at her so Zoro averted his eyes and nodded slowly, the pain on his back still stinging horribly, but not as bad as when it was being inflicted.

Maya slowly made her way around Zoro, once behind him she started undressing the bandages she wrapped the day before. She hummed at the back of her throat as she looked over the wound. "This will scar, but maybe not horribly so."

Zoro hissed when he felt Maya apply something to his back, before starting to rewrap the wound. "What time is it?"

"It's six. They should be coming in fifteen minutes." She tied the bandage, applying a little pressure so it would stay. "Please don't move too much, the bandages are not tight and would irritate if they rub against your skin. I didn't want to tie it too tight and hurt you."

"I'm not weak." Zoro huffed while crossing his arms and a small pout following.

Maya brought her hand back in mild surprise, looking at Zoro, a smile formed on her lips. The child was small and cute and his green hair actually made him look adorable. "Of course you're not. But even a man would cry with those kinds of wounds on your back."

Zoro continued to pout as his eyes scanned the room, the children there all had new bruises on them, and he noticed Saga wasn't there. "Where's Saga?"

"He's where you were yesterday. Not everyone gets their punishment at the same time. There are more of us now and they get tired."

"What about you?"

"Girls don't get it as bad as the boys. Plus…" She flickered her one earring.

Zoro glanced at the older girl next to him, she was tall and pretty, maybe she was 6, Zoro could only guess. Since they've met 'all Zoro could see was kindness from her. Zoro wondered how she could be so kind with the life she has. Obviously she also gets beaten, but he still couldn't understand how she could be so caring.

/

It wasn't long until the staff came, lined them up and led them to the cafeteria to eat, and clean the place once they finished. He could live with the oatmeal and bread and even the cleaning on hands and knees, but the beating? It hurts so much.

Once they reached the cafeteria and lined up, a familiar chime stopped all talking and instantly they all straightened their backs, the newbie's a second behind- still not used to it.

In unison they all started: "WE ARE WORTHLESS. WE SERVE NO PURPOSE IN LIFE. WE ARE WORST THAN THE WORMS UNDER THE EARTH, AND WE SHOULD BE LUCKY TO EVEN BE HERE. WE ARE FORGOTTEN BECAUSE WE ARE NOT NEEDED. THE WORLD WOULD BE BETTER WITHOUT US. WE DESERVE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO US BECAUSE WE ARE TO BLAME. BECAUSE WE ARE TRASH, WORTHLESS AND LUCKY TO EVEN BE CALLED HUMAN BEINGS.

Zoro heart clenched when he forced to say those lines. He could imagine Banchina, how she would react to what he was saying. But he had to choice; he knew that if he didn't recite those lines he would get beaten even more.

Maya, who was behind him held on to his hand. Zoro looked up at her slightly, startled by the unsuspecting touch. Maya once again had a smile on her face. "They're just words Zoro, as long as you know who you are and don't let them define you, those words will never hurt you."

Zoro thought over what Maya had said. She was right; words were just words if he didn't let them get to him.

It wasn't long until they were led back; Zoro couldn't wait to just lay down so his back would stop protesting. As soon as the small group were escorted into the room Zoro laid down, Maya sits down next to him. They were silent for a few minutes before Zoro broke it.

"How long have you been here?"

She lifted one of her fingers. "One year. The worst year of my life, I came here right after my grandmother died- when I was six."

"Oh… and Saga?"

"He's been here, around... four months ago." Maya looked down at Zoro. "We were old and no one wanted to take us in. But why are you here, you're three?"

"I'm making four in a couple of weeks." Zoro defended, he glanced away. "Cause I'm a freak."

"Zoro don't say that!"

"But it's true! Just look at my hair!"

A smile formed on Maya's lip. "I don't see a freak. I see a little boy who is going to make four soon, who has a strong spirit and whose hair is black but took a green pigment."

Zoro laughed "You made that up didn't you?'.

'Yes, I did, but at least I got a smile out of you. You have a really cute smile, you should smile more"

"I'm not cute." He huffed with a slight blush, but smiled when he saw Maya laughing.

/

The week went too fast for every child in the orphanage. It wasn't long until it was time for their punishment. This time the newbie's were not carried to the same room they had been the first time for their punishment. Apparently the room was to assign who would be in charge of the punishment.

They were led down the dark hallway they all passed when they first set foot into the building. This time their hands were tied and their feet had heavy chains on them to prevent them from escaping. This hallway was a complete opposite of the other lit one. There were many iron doors, agonizing screams emitting from the other side. The floors were not clean, rats and cockroaches running along the walls and floor, and a foul smell in the air, close that of burnt tire.

Zoro was starting to get the impression that this was where the real punishment was held. Once again divided into smaller groups, each staff led their group to where they were to go. Zoro followed the boy in front of him who was following the staff leader, which Zoro recognized as Mr.1,- the man who was talking with Crocodile at the theater when the newbie's first reached.

A loud scream and someone cursing caught the surrounding people's attention. There was a boy; one of the newbie's trying to make a run for it. "Let go of ME!' The boy cried, making a run down the hall, but not getting far as one of the staff aimed a taser and shot him. The boy fell on the ground screaming and twitching with the volts running through his body.

Taking the bat that was leaning on the corner the staff stepped over the paralyzed body on the floor and started to beat the boy senseless, without any mercy. Zoro's eyes widen as he flinched each time the bat connected with the boy on the floor- the boy powerless to do anything but to take the beating.

"Let's go." Mr.1's voice called over the boys pained screams. The small group continued down the hallway, only stopping when Mr.1 pushed each child into a room. Soon Zoro was also pushed into a room, he watched as they closed and locked it behind him.

"If it isn't *Kusa."

Zoro's eyes snap to where the voice came from, only to meet eyes with Sade's. The moment he saw her, his body started to tremble. He wasn't ready for another beating.

Sade was seated on a chair next to a desk, a grin on her lips. "I missed you too much. I had fun with you last week. Did you miss me as much as I missed you?"

Zoro bit his bottom lip, knowing if he answered her with the truth, she was going to beat him worse than last week. Zoro flinched when she spoke again. "Answer me Kusa!" her voice seemed to echo along the walls.

"I…m-missed you…"

A broader smile formed over Sade's lips, she stood up and slowly made her way towards Zoro, who has yet to even take a step closer. Zoro lowered his gaze when she reached in front of him. No matter how hard he tried to stop his body from shaking, it wouldn't obey him. "Kusa, can you guess what I hate about men?"

Not changing his gaze from the floor, Zoro answer with a shake of his head. Zoro felt when she grabbed a fist full of hair; bringing his face to look at her. Her other hand grabbed onto his jaw, fingers and nails digging deeply into his cheeks, her lips slowly turned into a dark frown.

"I hate liars…"

Zoro averted his eyes, not wanting to look at Sade in the eyes. "How's your back feeling?" Zoro opened his mouth to answer, only for her nails to dig deeper. Zoro flinched away before he was able to answer.

"It still hurts."

"I might have gone overboard last week and I'm sorry for that. Once you get older and stronger then we can move to better things. So being the kind person I am, I got something for you."

The small child's eyes slowly met hers. "I hope you like it."

Finally releasing his face, the women grabbed Zoro by his tied wrist and pulled him until in front of a wooden pole, grabbing the extra rope she tied Zoro's rope to it and then wrapped it around the thick pole.

"I have to tie you, I hate when it gets too messy. Don't you hate that too?"

This time Zoro didn't answer, his heart was already starting to speed up once again, and the pained throb on his back seemed to be getting worst. Hearing no answer she kept talking. "This is my room and I can put whatever I want in here and do what I want."

Once the rope was secured she turned around and went to the table behind her. Her hand skimmed through some items that were there, before she picked one up.

Zoro pulled on the ropes seeing if maybe he could get free… But if he got free, where would he go? The door was locked and the room was not big and she would get him sooner or later considering his feet were also chained.

Hearing a slink noise behind him, that could only come from some time of knife, Zoro's body became rigid. Zoro looked back, his eyes growing wide when he saw the knife on Sade's hand. Zoro's gaze went forward again; he closed his eyes tight, willing his mind and body to calm down.

"Don't be scared Kusa, if you stay still it won't hurt."

Zoro jumped slightly when the tip of the cold blade made contact with his bare skin, bringing goosebumps. Sliding the knife down Zoro's back, Sade slowly applied more and more pressure, slowly ripping the shirt and bandages until touching his sensitive back.

Zoro bit his bottom lip, not wanting to cry in pain by the blade that had yet to pierce his skin but was going over his raw flesh. "Zoro, do you love me?" Zoro's breath hitched, his nails digging into the wooden pole in front of him as Sade started to cut into his skin.

It was now a debate if to tell the truth or not.

"Answer me Kusa, if you don't I will keep pressing deeper." She emphasized her point by letting the tip of the blade sink into his flesh.

"No!" Zoro blurted out, tears starting to form at the tip of his eyes.

"You don't love me?" Sade asked, her movement stopping, as if in shock.

"Zoro… you don't love me?" Zoro shivered as her voice became deeper and darker. "How can you not love me!? You hate me?" Grabbing Zoro once again by the hair, she slammed his head to the pole, almost knocking him out. Zoro's feet sagged underneath him as his body used the pole as support to stay standing on his two feet.

His vision had become blurry, but he did feel when Sade finally took out the knife from his back. Zoro hissed, nails digging agonizingly into the wood.

"AGHHH! How can you hate me!?"

She threw the knife on the floor; Zoro flinching as the knife almost connected with his foot as it landed with a clattering sound. He looked from the knife to the screaming Sade. She was walking up and down talking to herself, shaking her head and then hitting her forehead rapidly.

Zoro hurriedly looked away when she stopped to look at him.

"I should have known you didn't love me." She practically ran to the table, almost spilling everything on it as she frantically searched for something.

"Where is it? Where!? WHERE!? WHERE!?"

She abruptly stopped and slowly picked up a chain, it clattering onto the table underneath as she lifted it. Seeming in a trance, she slowly made her way towards Zoro. She passes him to get to the knife on the floor she threw earlier.

Picking it up, she went to where Zoro was standing and cut the ropes without saying a word. Zoro kept looking at her, not sure what to do, he couldn't run. He couldn't even ask for help.

"Go stand by the door."

"But-"

"Shut the hell up you little piece of shit, you worthless dog. Go to the door now!"

Flinching, Zoro slowly went to the door backwards, not giving his back to Sade not even for a second.

Sade started scratching her head, muttering something underneath her breath. She looked up and locked eyes with Zoro. "If you move, even if you say mercy, I will not stop."

Zoro stepped back a step, his hands in front of him purely in a protective manner. "But Sade-?"

Zoro barely had any time to dodge as Sade used the chain she was holding as a whip. Zoro's heart was threatening to leap out his chest when he lands on his stomach after throwing himself out of the way. The chain making a rattling noise as it hits the floor.

"How dare you move?!" Sade screamed, pulling the chain slowly towards her. Taking the end again, she grinned, her lips curled into another hateful scowl. "You will love me!"

This time Zoro wasn't quick enough as the end of the chain caught him around the throat and started to wrap around because of the impact, until it was choking him. Zoro felt as the chain wrapped around his neck and tighten when Sade pulled.

With a smile, Sade started to pull what she had caught. "I never miss twice."

Zoro clawed at the chain around his neck, his vision starting to go blurry as Sade pulled on the chain, dragging his body as his lungs started to scream for oxygen. "I just love chains, they capture-." Once Zoro's small body was next to her, she dug her knee into his gut earning a silent scream from the child. "-They can tie and…" still holding the other end of the chain she lashed it across Zoro's temple as hard as she could. "-And it can cause pain."

He could feel his body start to numb, the pain was becoming too intense. Zoro watched with half lidded eyes as Sade spun the tip of her chain in a lazy way, her smile growing as she lifted her hand to once again strike with it.

Zoro closed his eyes, waiting for the pain that never came. His eyes snapped open only to see Sade's attention on the door and talking. Zoro's eyes slowly looked to the same direction, he saw Mr.1 by the door, talking with Sade (he thinks) His sense of hearing had left him a while ago, he could only watch as their lips moved but no words came out of them. All he could hear was his pounding heart and own body screaming for oxygen.

His body gasped for air when Sade released the chain. Coughing, Zoro was finally able to hear what Mr.1 was saying. "Get up Roronoa." Zoro blinked a few times, the room seeming to be favoring the right side.

It took him a few minutes, but Zoro forced his body to stand, with aching and trembling hands and weak feet and blood running freely down his mouth and back. Zoro closed one of his eyes as it pained him to open it, where Sade had lashed the end of the chain. The chain finally fully fell to the floor with a loud rattle, as Zoro staggered behind Mr.1.

Sade didn't stay behind, as she followed the two as she muttered about not having her fun. The walk wasn't long; they passed three doors before going into a double door.

Inside the room it was filled with the other children that were being tortured like him. There was a stage where a boy was seated and tied to the chair in the middle of the stage. Zoro recognized the boy as the boy who tried to get free to only get caught.

Mr.1 sat him with the other children that also wore three earrings, all seeming to have had their own share of beating.

Crocodile's voice boomed through the place. "This boy has tried to escape, I feel that we should show you what happens when you try to leave your homes. This you will see, is a reminder of what will happen if you try something similar."

Doublefinger, who was at the side of the stage pulled a lever, the sound of water was heard before it appeared. Above the boy seated on the chair, brownish water started to fall on him, and instantly the boy started to scream and try and pull free from the restraints holding him.

Zoro's looked at the scene with a mixture of horror and confusion. Zoro's eyes widen when he heard the older boy next to him say.

"They're burning him with boiling oil." Zoro's averted his eyes, knowing now the boy's flesh was boiling under that flesh eating water.

The boys screams, the strains in his hands were protesting as the boy pulled on them. It wasn't long until the boy stopped moving that the boiling oil stopped crushing down on the boy's body.

A smile crossed Crocodile's lips. "Let this be a reminder and a lesson to all."

*Kusa Means –grass- in English. And just in case you're wondering, Maya is the girl that appears with Saga in movie 5