Luffy had left the ship to check on Nami and Ussop and also to recruit Sanji, so he asked Mihawk to take care of his ship along with Zoro. Mihawk noted that the future King seemed to forget quickly, that he wasn't the Mihawk he knew, but rather his past self, how was he so sure he wouldn't attack his ship? Though, Mihawk himself knew that the D-s were always great character judges. He knew Mihawk wouldn't harm his ship or the swordsman for that matter.

'What an interesting fellow.' Mihawk thought as he was standing beside Zoro's bed, arm crossed, his yellow eyes studying Zoro intensely. Even in his sleep, Zoro looked like he'd be able to strangle whoever as much as tried to touch him. His face was tense, eyes closed tightly, breathing controlled.

'He doesn't afford to relax even in his sleep. Maybe you really are worthy, Zoro.'

When Mihawk said he didn't know Zoro, he was lying. He could recognize that green hair everywhere, along with those deep, black eyes. For a moment, if someone looked closely, they could tell Mihawk's eyes softened and a small smile crossed his face.

He sat on the chair again. Of course Luffy told him about Zoro, too. And Mihawk couldn't deny the fact that he wanted to learn more about him. If in the future he became his student, then did Zoro know?

Mihawk shook his head. There was no way he could know, no one was there that day and Mihawk sure as hell wouldn't tell him.

Mihawk continued to study him. His ambition was to be the best, so why would he ask the man he wanted to surpass to train him?He should have known Mihawk had no reason to take him in, so what could have pushed Zoro so far as to ask him? That would remain a mystery, Mihawk just had the feeling.

All of a sudden, Zoro's eyes shot open and he stood up in a seating position. His eyes scanned the surroundings around him and stopped when seeing Mihawk seated there.

"What are you doing here?" He growled, trying to sound like he didn't want his presence there or like he was sure Mihawk would attack him, knowing neither of the two was true.

"Relax, Roronoa Zoro." Mihawk said, all traces of softness gone. "Your captain told me everything." Mihawk noticed that as soon as words left his mouth, Zoro's shoulders loosened, his face returned calm, almost normal and his eyes weren't glaring at him.

"Good." Zoro mumbled, bringing a hand to rub his eyes, and then a laugh escaped his lips. Mihawk picked up on it.

"What is it?" He asked.

"No, it's nothing. Just," He let a smile show in his face. "Seeing you beside my bed when waking up...For a moment I thought all what happened was a dream." That didn't help at all.

"What do you mean, Roronoa?" He questioned again. Zoro turned at him, his smile turned to a half-smirk.

"Whenever I passed one of your stupid tests while training with you, I'd end up covered in bandages and asleep for days. Hell, even when I wasn't that badly injured, you'd force me to rest and when I woke up, I always found you sitting near my bed. You'd tell me my faults during the fight and how to fix them. Heh. I rarely heard a praise come out of your mouth."

Mihawk wasn't sure of how to feel at that. It was clear now why Zoro felt nostalgia. He had come to respect Mihawk, his teacher.

"Roronoa Zoro, why is it that I take you as my desciple? I can tell that you are strong, but if this was the first timeline, you'd have been dead. Why did I accept?" He leaned closer. "What did you do to convince me?"

Mihawk saw that Zoro flinched. Had he hit a nerve?

"No-nothing, it was y-your whim, nothing else!" He stuttered, and turned his head so Mihawk wouldn't see his faint blush that Zoro was sure was there. Mihawk didn't let it go, he stood up and went over to Zoro's bed. Zoro just frowned, knowing Mihawk wouldn't let it go so easily, but that doesn't mean he would give up either.

"Roronoa." He said, his voice demanding. He had a fear that maybe he knew. Maybe his future self had been careless or stupid enough to tell him. Zoro laid back on his bed and covered his face with his pillow. There was no way he would tell him. It was embarrassing enough the first time and if needed he'd do it again, but this man wasn't the Mihawk he knew. He didn't know Zoro like future Mihawk did.

"It's none of your business." Zoro hissed, wanting to make clear he hadn't any intention of telling him, not really expecting it to work. Mihawk would make him speak, no doubt. Mihawk though, sighed.

"Okay, anyway it doesn't matter." Zoro's eyes widened and he shot up again, staring at Mihawk.

"You're letting it go?" Asked uncertainly Zoro, sure he had misheard it. The Mihawk he knew would have threatened his training to make him speak or something, but he was just giving up! Strange...

"If you don't want to tell it, then it's okay." Zoro barely heard his words, as his vision became blurry, his wound opening up. Zoro brought a hand to his head, his energy leaving his body slowly. He leaned on bed again as his eyes started closing and Mihawk stood there,watching as he drifted to sleep. Zoro silently cursed himself for not caring about his wound as now he was forced to stay in bed. His eyelids finally gave in, his breathing slowed down like before, but his face no longer tense. Thinking about Zoro's words before and being sure he was asleep, Mihawk ruffled Zoro's hair lightly and said:

"Rest up, Zoro. You did good." Then he turned around and left. Little did he know, that Zoro was in fact conscious...

Mihawk had left after he told Zoro those words. Zoro now had his eyes wide and his mouth open in shock. Sweating bullets, he was working his brain to comprehend what just happened. He brought a shaking hand slowly at his head, where Mihawk had just ruffled his hair.

'What...Just happened?' Was it a dream? A nightmare rather? Firstly, Mihawk had never ever called him by his name, let alone ruff...r-ruffl..Arrgh! That was plain creepy! Really, Zoro was never going to live it down. Since when had Mihawk been emotional?! He turned to the side and hid his head with the blankets, trying and failing to convince himself that it was just a dream. Had Luffy let him drink too much booze?...

...Mihawk was waiting at his little boat in his famous position, waiting for the future Pirate King. In his hand he held two pieces of paper.

"YOSHA!" The voice of Luffy reached Mihawk's ears and the man turned to the door of the restaurant, which was soon burst open by Luffy. Following him was a long nosed kid,an orange haired female and a blond who was smoking. Upon falling his eyes on him, Mihawk stood up and approached the kid.

"Huh? What are you doing here, Hawky?" Mihawk pretended to not hear the nickname while the others looked wide eyes at Luffy, who was not the slightest bit worried. "Weren't you supposed to guard Zoro?"

"The kid can watch himself well and he has gotten better." Informed Mihawk coolly. "And I'm here to hand you what you asked." He then held up his hand and Luffy took the two papers, grinning the whole time.

"Phew! You really saved me there! I don't want to think what would have happened if I didn't get your help." Mihawk just nodded, still not getting why he wanted that info.

"Why do you need that?" Oh well, he thought he might just as well ask. "From what I know, nothing of the moment involves him." Luffy in response, laughed. But not his usual happy laugh, it was the kind of laugh you have when you're about to get revenge. The kind of laugh you have when you're about to prank Marco the Phoenix. That kind of laugh.

"I want to ask him a favor and also give him some advice on a certain matter. Or rather, you will."

That was enough for Mihawk to know. Something told him it was going to get even more interesting. He smirked.

"By the way Luffy, why is he being so...cooperative with whatever you're planning?" They all turned at the long nosed kid. "I mean, a Warlord known in the four blue seas going out of his way to associate with a no name pirate is..." Well, they had to admit he had a point. Luffy considered for a moment before turning half his face at Mihawk, who noticed the amused expression the teen was wearing.

"Because...He was bored." His crew's eyes widened along with Mihawk, before the latter started laughing. It was a strange sound, but being known for his skills and thus becoming bored easily...that was a great excuse for big pirate shots. Really, if he told Whitebeard that, he'd believe it and say: 'So that was it, huh?'. The moment was stopped by Zoro joining them.

"Yo." He said before hearing Mihawk laugh. He stared dumbfounded. "Okay, the hell is going on here!" He practically shouted, looking at Mihawk and then turning at Luffy.

"What kind of poison did you give him?" He asked, seriously alarmed. Mihawk laughing?! Yeah, and the Celestral Dragons released all their slaves. Luffy shrugged.

"Maybe some of Ceaser's." He replied and Zoro rubbed his temples. Why did he agree to follow Luffy again?

Mihawk returned to his boat and was ready to start sailing. "See you in the Grand Line." He saluted the crew and went his way. Zoro sent another glance at Mihawk, what he did in that room before still fresh on his mind. He'd be sure to ask him later. Luffy waved his hands in the air, yelling.

"Thanks again Hawky! See you!" Mihawk smirked, but they couldn't see him. After some time, the Warlord was out of sight. Luffy giggled still.

"He's just a big softie."

Nami sighed tiredly. "If we were to ask how the hell you know him, you wouldn't answer, right?"

"Shishishi! Nope!" Nami sighed again. Zoro looked at the pieces of paper on Luffy's hand. Curious, he asked.

"Hey Luffy, what are those?" Luffy smiled and separated the papers.

"This" He gestured at the paper in his right hand. "Is Hawky's vivre card." Zoro nodded in understanding while Sanji looked confused. "Vivre card?"

"It symbols the life of the owner. If it starts crumbling or disappearing, it means the owner is injured or is sick, and when it grows back, it means the owner has overcome the danger." Zoro explained as simply as he could.

"But is that all?" Nami asked, her thief sense telling her there was more. How would something that only tells you how the person is be of any use?

Luffy shook his head. "It also can lead you to that person even if he is in the other part of the world." When seeing their confusion, he held his hand up, letting the paper loose on his palm.

"Look." The paper started inching closer at the direction Mihawk had left.

"That's...That's pretty neat." Replied the sniper. The other two nodded. "Why did he give that to you?"

Luffy blinked at the unexpected question and, discreetly, sent a quick glance at his first mate.

"Reasons." And he was willing no other information.

"Oi Luffy." The captain turned to Zoro, who pointed at his left hand. "What is that other paper?" He asked.

"Oh this," His captain's look told Zoro that Luffy was going to give them a heart attack. Zoro took a step back and urged the crew to do the same. Luffy smiled, the sunlight shined his eyes and face, making them look golden.

"This is Red-Hair Shank's Den Den Mushi number." Zoro face palmed, not in the least bit surprised while the others blinked, they blinked twice. Before...

"EEEHHHH?!"