Set after Chapter 301
This story is after the end of the Battle against Enel.
Kuina and the Past
The feared Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro had awoken to a fierce punch to the face. He could tell who it was. That witch.
"Nami, what the hell is up with you?" Zoro stammered, on the deck of the Going Merry. The ship had been battered hard after the ships arrival to Skypeia.
"Baka, you can't start sleeping during the celebration."
"Don't I need some rest? I got electrocuted by Enel for goodness sake." Zoro argued. "How's the party going then?" He smirked with a menacing grin.
"Luffy, the absolute clown, decided to start mocking Usopp for his long nose. Called him Pinnoc-" She was abruptly interrupted by a Zoro in hysterics. "Then Usopp said Luffy was as smart as that guy who got trapped in a treasure chest, then Luffy hit Usopp with Gatling punches." Zoro started coughing from his laughter. He somehow felt good for the first time in a while.
"Zoro, I haven't seen you laugh in ages." Nami interjected.
"Nami, I'm not a robot." Zoro responded and went back to his usual face.
"Anyways, when I see you sleeping, I hear you talk about this Kuina person."
"Yeah riii-" Zoro stopped abruptly in his tracks. His face, sweating and frozen, showed trauma and years of pain and suffering.
"Zoro, are you okay?"
Zoro, with the look of pain on his face, quickly left towards the Mens Quarters.
That witch... Knows nothing about Kuina. Then barges into the topic like
Why Kuina?
You said you would become the World's Greatest Swordswoman, and then died from something as simple as stairs.
Why did you have to die?
If I could trade your life for mine, I would do it.
He remembers the pain that was given to him after they said Kuina had died. He looked right towsrds his coveted sword, Wado Ichimonji, and sighed.
Kuina's memory...
Lives on in him.
Kuina was better than him. He wondered how she would fare against him now if she was alive. She was older and more experienced. Kuina would likely beat him now if she had maintained that level of capability. Kuina made him stronger, especially after her death. Kuina was why Zoro was Zoro, and not some middle aged man in the East Blue. He was on the Grand Line. He was feared by many. All because of a promise. He recounted having 1000 battles with Kuina and losing all of them. How he would've wished for thst to happen now. But life has its twists and turns. He wished he could tell her that he had fought the greatest swordsman Mihawk, the feared Mihawk, and lived to tell the tale and even be complimented by Hawkeye himself. But life does not give you that pleasure.
He remembers what he did after he had left the Dojo, Pirate Hunting, with Johnny and Yosaku. Both were people he considered as brothers, who had helped him through his early years in his art. He remembered that time where they captured a person with a 6 Million Beri bounty. Now he had 60. How he had a fun journey getting that 60 million bounty. With Kuina's legacy. With his nakama. With Luffy. It was fun.
He smiled.
Luffy might be an idiot, as Usopp said, but he is the right leader for the Straw Hats. He chose the right nakama for the mugiwara pirates. Zoro remembered when Luffy invited him to the crew. He thought he was a dumb idiot. But no, he was the right man for Zoro to be lead by.
It was that Marine Base where he was scheduled to be executed by Morgan and Helmeppo. He recounted the little girl who he had sacrificed his life for had given him the onigiri. It was still etched in his memory. He couldn't lie, it tasted great. Maybe after his sails, he would go there again.
Orange Town. That moron Buggy trying to execute Luffy. He recounts they met that witch there. She saved Luffy, then he saved h-
A knock on his door.
He opened it, expecting it to be Luffy or Sanji, talking about the idiot marimo he is. Last time they had talked Sanji was talking about his dreams with his beloved Nami-Swan. Zoro had told him to shut up out of pure annoyance to his womanizing abilities.
"Sanji, I will beat the living crap out of you if yo-" Zoro abruptly stopped in his tracks.
No, it is Nami. Zoro, wanting to hide the utter shock in his face from the wench actually being considerate from once, startes plainly at her.
Zoro also recognises she seems regretful for what she may have said.
"What do you want." Zoro, clearly annoyed, states.
"What did you think I wanted?" Nami considered. "Anything perverted and I will increase your debt tenfold!" She triumphantly cried.
"Gee, I'm not like another person on this ship..." Zoro sighed, then with a mischevious and cheeky grin created a curly brow and bowed to Nami.
"My dear Nami-Swan! How may I be of help! Only you, my fiery goddess, can be so deserving of my love." He did that impression with weeks of raging anger that overcame him. He made it so the voice was so low that he sounded like a addict.
"Luffy would've done better." Nami calmly stated, trying to hold back the laughter that nearly overcame her. Zoro caught wind of this and quickly simulated Sanji passing out from a nosebleed from Nami's prescense, finally causing her to burst out in laughter. Zoro actually laughed too, him too actually appreciating that his joke was actually funny.
"Anyways, are you ok? You seemed upset." Nami curiously asked.
"Yeah.." The Santoryu Master hesitated for a moment but then continued. "I was thinking about our Past Adventures. Do you want to talk about them with me and Luffy?"
"Why not the rest of the crew?" Nami interrupted.
"Sanji is doing his perverted crap to some women and Usopp is probably telling some lie to the people. Robin is doing her archeologist stuff and Chopper is treating people." He quickly clarified.
"Well, I was going to talk to Robin..." Nami hesitated before relucantly accepting, probably to cheer him up.
"Want me to bring Sake?"
"Sure, and bring that idiot Luffy as well."
"Baka, I'm not your servant. Go bring that rubber idiot yourself." She said with her usual cockyness.
Zoro only responded with a "Hmmph." which probably meant "Go stuff yourself." Luckily Nami didn't know the meaning otherwise he would be in for a major headache.