AN:

Our first future crew member! I hope Zoro felt natural. I'm not all the way happy with their fight, so I might go back and spruce it up a tiny bit in the future but for now I'm ok with where it's at.

Here's chapter 3. Hope it's not too slow for you.

Chapter 3: Upside Down

Zoro and Luffy traveled for the next week waiting for any sign of a new island. Along the way they both swam beside Levi and Zoro was still wondering how in the world Luffy had managed to tame a sea monster. However, being who he was, he eventually decided he didn't care that much and would probably just ask when he felt like it.

The two future crew mates swam beside the sea monster whenever they had the energy to and when they didn't, they rested in the boat. They ate when they needed it but tried to save as much food as possible, not knowing how much longer they might be traveling. It was quite the feat considering who the future captain was.

At first, Zoro had no clue as to why Luffy insisted on swimming with the sea monster as he did, but when he thought about it the answer wasn't that hard to figure out. Endurance. When the realization came upon him, he embraced the so-called 'training' and decided to swim along with him. There was a problem, however... Compared to Luffy, he was slow. Like, REALLY slow. It hurt his pride to admit it but seeing Luffy in the water was something otherworldly. It almost made him think he might be part fishman.

The first time he tried to swim with his future captain and his pet sea monster, Zoro wasn't just struggling to keep up, he physically couldn't. They had to come back and pick him up because Luffy, the idiot that he was, didn't even notice the swordsman had been left behind. Eventually, they came up with a system so he could actually train instead of having to be picked up every couple of minutes. When Luffy was swimming, he would rest or eat in the boat and vice versa.

When Zoro was in the water, Levi swam at a much slower pace, so his master's friend could keep up. It was obvious who the monster liked swimming with more, much to a certain verdet's chagrin. The sea beast liked to swim fast and his master could swim fast. Not as fast as him, but fast enough to make it fun.

Even though Zoro's assumption about the nature of the 'training' was partially correct, he was still missing a crucial piece of it and that piece was all Luffy thought about as he swam. Yes, endurance was a big part of it. But, the reason for building that endurance was what drove the younger boy. While training with Shanks all those years ago, the one thing that he beat into Luffy more than anything else was the fact that using Armament Haki wasn't free.

Using Armament Haki not only took a certain amount of concentration but it also used up energy. By building up stamina, one could increase the amount of time spent using it. If they were to ever run out of stamina from overuse of armament, not only would it be physically taxing, leaving most barely able to walk, but it would also leave them unable to use it again for a certain period. The length of that period, once again, depended on the person. It could be anywhere from ten minutes to the rest of the day if they were fully matured.

To sum it up, even though stamina didn't increase the potency of Armament Haki, it did increase the amount of time one could use it before their body gave out. Therefore, Luffy swam…

And swam…

And swam…

And swam…

And then swam some more…

Luffy could swim at full speed for up to an hour at this point, but he wanted more. He wanted to be able to swim between islands if he had to! He wanted to be able to swim forever! So he always swam as hard as he could and whenever he got tired he'd switch out with Zoro.

Every time they switched, Luffy made it his goal to go for longer than he did when he was last in the water, and while he couldn't always make that happen, there was a steady increase in the amount of time could spend swimming. Just thinking of what he could possibly do by the time he became a pirate made him giddy! Maybe he could just swim to the Grandline! Well, he couldn't leave behind Zoro or anyone else that might be on his crew so that was a no-go, but it would still be cool…

The two future crew mates sat in companionable silence as they ate during one of the few times they were both resting. It had been a week! Surely there had to be an island somewhere close!

"Zoro…".

"Zoro…".

"Zor-".

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!", the swordsman yelled in annoyance.

"I'm borrreeeddd…", Luffy replied, oblivious to the dirty looks his future first mate was sending him. "I want to get to the next island so baaaad. But every time I look out it's just more water and no islands! Make there be an island Zoro! Please!", he begged.

'I really did decide to follow the biggest idiot.', Zoro thought to himself. Taking a deep breath, he tried to give a calm answer, "Luffy, I can't just make an island appear out of thin air, now stop bothering me so I can eat in peace.". To be fair, he was already a little irritable about the fact that he forgot to load any alcohol onto the boat before they left and Luffy's non-stop pestering certainly wasn't helping his mood. "Listen, I'm sure Levi knows where he's taking us so just trust in your friend and next thing you know, we'll be landbound.", he compromised.

At this, Luffy seemed to perk up. After all, Zoro was right. He just had to trust in his friend. Levi hadn't led him astray so far and he trusted that he wouldn't in the future.

The two finished their meals in companionable silence, Zoro shooting a thoughtful look at the other inhabitant of the boat. Ever since their first spar, he couldn't get the sight of that black substance appearing on Luffy's shoulder and knuckles out of his head. Just what exactly was that? He also had a sea monster under his command, and even though he insisted they were friends there had to be more to it than that, right? Who the hell can just be friends with a sea monster? Having already decided he'd ask later about the sea monster part, Zoro could mostly ignore that.

However, part of him couldn't help but be curious about the metal that appeared on his future captain's shoulder and fist. Not only did it look like metal, it sure as hell felt like it too. It could have been a devil fruit, but even if there was one that made what Luffy did possible, they were supposed to take away the user's ability to swim and Luffy could CERTAINLY swim. Plus, he considered them a myth anyway so that option felt like a long shot. His curiosity getting the better of him, the older boy asked, "Alright Luffy, most of the time I try to stay out of other people's business, but I can't stop thinking about our first 'spar'."

Luffy's head perked up as Zoro began and he nodded for him to continue, staying uncharacteristically silent.

"When we sparred for the first time, every time I touched you with any of my swords it almost felt like I was trying to cut metal, and then there was the black stuff at the end when you blasted me through several trees and into a rock.". He stopped to see if Luffy would say anything, but when he didn't he decided to continue, "At first I thought it might be a devil fruit, but I'm pretty sure those are a myth so that can-".

"Devil fruits are real.", Luffy interrupted, fingering his necklace at the question, its purple gemstone resting comfortably against his chest.

"What?", Zoro asked incredulously.

The straw-hatted teen smirked at the shocked look on his friend's face. "Devil fruits are real.", he repeated. "I almost ate one when I was a kid but...".

Zoro continued to look at the boy in slight disbelief, still not quite believing him, "But what?".

"Secret.", Luffy replied with a teasing smile.

Ignoring that for the moment, the verdet continued his questioning, "So, you ate a devil fruit and that's why your skin seems like it's as hard as metal?... And is that black stuff part of it too?".

"Nope, haven't eaten a devil fruit, I wouldn't be able to swim if I did. Shanks told me that.", he stated with a faraway look. He gently unweaved his fingers from his necklace and smiled as if looking back on a happy memory.

At this, Zoro was even more confused. If it wasn't a devil fruit, which he just found out were real if his future captain was to be believed, then what the hell was it? Also, why did he feel like he'd heard the name Shanks before?... "So...? What? It's magic? Were you experimented on?", asked Zoro exasperatedly. What else could it be? Normal human beings couldn't do stuff like that! At least he couldn't do that... Could he? The laughter that burst from Luffy's lips only irritated the verdet more as he patiently waited for the younger boy's response.

After he got his chuckles under control, Luffy answered and while not the answer Zoro was hoping for, it was enough to satisfy the swordsman, for now.

"Sorry Zoro, but for some reason, those guesses were really funny to me.", he started, still giggling slightly at the scowling teen. Looking at Zoro, he knew he wasn't going to tell him about haki yet. Luffy wanted him to figure it out on his own. Not only was he certain Zoro could do it, but he also just wasn't completely sure he could teach it the right way. He was only sixteen after all. If the concept were easy to grasp there would surely be more people who knew of it and, consequently, more people who knew how to teach it.

However, those people were few and far between and Luffy was not one of them. He could most likely explain what it felt like while he was using it but explaining how to summon haki, especially for the first time, was a different story. For all of the training he'd done with Armament Enhancement and haki in general over the years, Luffy only really had around four months of actual instruction. Plus, most of that time was spent learning to control his Conqueror's Haki. It turned out that seven-year-olds didn't learn very quickly, especially, when their teacher loved to tease them.

With Shanks it was different, he had an understanding of haki that Luffy just didn't have. The man only had time to give him the bare bones when it came to enhancement, everything else Luffy had just figured out on his own. If he knew as much solid information about haki as Shanks did, he didn't think he'd have a problem teaching Zoro. But, at the end of the day, he didn't.

However, that didn't mean he couldn't start him on the right path.

"The reason my skin is so hard and the stuff that appeared on my fist are the same thing, but at the same time, not.", stated Luffy, contradictorily. Before Zoro could interrupt, Luffy raised his hand to stop him and started summoning his hardening to his knuckles. Soon enough the familiar feeling came to him, skin shifting from its usual peach color to a dull grey-black. He immediately noticed the drain it was already having on his stamina. Looked like more swimming in his future… A lot more... Also, from what he remembered, Shanks' haki had looked darker. Weird...

Zoro's eyes immediately went to the black substance on Luffy's hand, his question forgotten for the time being.

"This power is something anyone can learn, Zoro, and I expect you to learn it too. I think you'll need to if you plan on being the World's Greatest Swordsman.", said the straw-hatted boy. The swordsman made to interrupt again, but Luffy stopped him once more, "Before you ask, I'm not going to teach it to you. As much as I would like to, I think it'd be better if you figured it out on your own. If by the time we set out for the Grandline you still want me to, I'll try and teach you. Sound good?".

If Zoro hadn't already been baffled by the information that he could also use the mysterious power, he certainly would have been baffled at the way Luffy had just spoken. He'd actually sounded smart for once. "IF I can use whatever it is that this power is… I don't know if I'd want you to help me anyway. I think you're right. It's best if I learn this on my own. My own path to strength.", the swordsman replied after recovering from his shock.

Luffy could only smile at his first mate's attitude. He knew he'd chosen a great person for his crew! "Alright, now that that's settled… ZORO I'M BORED!", the straw-hatted teen yelled childishly.

Tick mark returning, Zoro chose not to reply and instead lay down for a nap, trying to figure out where to start in learning the new and mysterious power he'd just been told about.

"I SEE IT! ZORO! I SEE IT!", Luffy yelled from his position on top of Levi's head.

Zoro abruptly awoke, wiping the grogginess from his eyes, "Luffy… If I open my eyes, all the way, and there isn't an island in front of me, I'll find some way to get past that skin of yours and-".

"SHUT UP AND LOOK!", interrupted the younger boy. "GOSH, I CAN'T WAIT! LEVI! GO FASTER!", the black-haired boy joyously yelled without any regard for the other passenger in the boat.

Just as Zoro stood up to look at the island they would be arriving at, Levi bolted forward on his master's command. The verdet's feet almost slid out from under him, however, he was quick enough to use his sword to stabilize himself. "What the hell Luffy! I could have fallen off!", he tried to scream through the wind now blowing in his face.

Slowly but surely, Zoro was able to make it to the bow of the boat and look ahead, toward the direction they were moving in. Sure enough, quickly coming closer into view was an island with a long curve of beach. Just past the water was a street that seemed to stretch the entire coastline. Looking further was hard at this distance, but from what he could see, it seemed to be the outermost part of a city that began getting denser the further one moved inland.

As the party was approaching, Luffy asked Levi to stop. Zoro had warned him of scaring people and that was the last thing he wanted. "Alright buddy, I think this is where we part ways for a little while, again.", smiled Luffy to his friend. Levi lowered his head so Luffy could step back onto the boat and once he was safely on the vessel, the boy turned to say goodbye. "See ya in a little while, buddy.", he said tenderly.

The sea beast pushed his nose into his master's face, nuzzling him before letting out what sounded like a deep purr and diving to go explore the waters of the East Blue he'd yet to see.

"Zoro… we might have a problem…", Luffy murmured under his breath after a moment of silence, knowing he was about to get in trouble.

Zoro looked at his companion with a dangerous glint in his eye. "Luffy. We haven't even made it to the island yet… What problem could we possibly have?", he deadpanned.

Luffy gulped and cautiously replied to his scary-looking friend, "I don't think he'll be back for a while…".

Zoro was dreading asking the question but he had to, "How long is a while?". However, even as the words left his mouth he realized, in actuality, he hoped it wouldn't be short. He hated to admit it, but he needed time. Time, to sort out his world that had just been turned upside down, not two weeks ago.

"Well… last time I heard him like that he was gone for..", the younger boy started, counting on his fingers, "Uhhh… You know what… Let's just say it was a while, cause… I don't really remember...". Luffy bent and threw his hands over his head, expecting Zoro to be angry.

The verdet only eyed the boy that would be his future captain, "Don't act like you don't know we could probably be off this island in a couple of weeks if we wanted to... You just don't know if I'll stay to wait on your sea monster friend.". Realistically, the two could probably earn the money to feed themselves for another journey in a month, at most. They already had the boat, they only needed more supplies. Not having Levi around would certainly slow them down, but, they could paddle just fine and he was sure the small vessel was sea-worthy enough to make it to the next island.

"But we've got to wait for him! He's my friend! Plus, we wouldn't know where we are going! Your sense of direction is terrible and you probably can't even read a compass!", Luffy pouted, removing his hands from his head and looking at Zoro, childish outrage on his face.

"YOU IDIOT! MY DIRECTION IS JUST FINE! IT TAKES ME WHERE I NEED TO GO!", Zoro yelled with shark teeth. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Hear me out, at least.", he started and Luffy immediately sat straighter, hope blooming in his eyes, "I don't mind staying, all that much. However, I do have a condition.".

Luffy was curious, however, he let the green-haired swordsman continue without interruption.

"I want to be alone… For our entire stay on this island.", Zoro said, eyes gauging his companion for his reaction.

"… What the hell am I supposed to do then?!", Luffy groaned falling onto his back and stretching out across the floorboards.

"I don't know. But, can you blame me for needing time by myself?", the swordsman asked seriously. "The conversation we had a while back made me realize that there's more to this world than I'd come to believe.", he explained, "You say there's power inside all of us. You even showed it to me. And now I want to find it. I want to figure this out on my own and you saying Levi will be gone for a while gives me time to do it.". He looked Luffy in the eyes. "There's something here for me to learn. I can feel it.", he finished, casting his gaze to the coast before him.

The straw-hatted teen saw the look in his friend's eye and knew he couldn't argue, "Fineee, I guess I'll have to find something to do.". He sighed and laid his head back down. What was he supposed to do by himself?... Well, he could figure that out later, right now, he was too excited about the new island. A laugh rose to his throat and he jumped to his feet. He would finally be doing something fun that wasn't swimming. Well, when he found that something at least. "That's alright with me Zoro, I'll figure something out!", he said jumping onto the older boy's back and interrupting the swordsman's staring match with the coastline.

"Get offa me!", he yelled, swatting at a laughing Luffy hanging on his shoulders. After receiving several smacks to the face, the younger boy released his hold on the swordsman and grabbed an oar, Zoro following suit.

Still a ways off from the beach, Zoro noticed something interesting. It seemed as if they were getting closer to the water... It was weird... They couldn't be sinking... Right? He looked down at his feet and all he could do was sigh, saying nothing as he stopped paddling and crossed his arms with look of resignation on his face.

On the other side of the boat, Luffy was paddling like mad. He was ready to see the island. The closer they got, the more he had an idea of where he wanted to go. The trees looked to be a hard line for where the city stopped and he could see why. Toward the westernmost side of the city, was what looked to be a massive forest. It had to be. The trees he was looking at were huge. From the distance, though, all he could see were pale grey trunks that carried their way up to dark green canopies hanging high above the ground below.

Looking at such a large and dense gathering of nature, Luffy couldn't help but be reminded of how much fun hunting and exploring the forest of his home was. He and his brothers had explored all there was to explore in the mountains back when they were just kids. So, at the sight of the trees, the teen was excited. Big trees meant big forest and big forest meant big animals. He loved big animals. Hunting and befriending them.

So entranced by the sight, Luffy failed to notice the boat beginning to move considerably slower and, coming out of his thoughts, turned to look at Zoro. "Why the heck aren't you paddling?! We will get there faster if you jus-", the straw-hatted teen cut himself off when he realized something odd. His sandals felt a little wet. Looking down, he sighed much the same as his companion.

The boat that had carried the two thus far had not come out of the journey unscathed. The speed at which Levi had pulled the small craft left almost all of the hull practically gone. It was a miracle they were even still floating at this point. The water could be seen through the bottom of the boat. How neither of them noticed until now, the world may never know.

Luffy stopped paddling as their faithful vessel sunk into the water and once the two were completely submerged he turned, addressing his friend. "Well I'm not waiting on you 'cause you're slow and you want to be alone.", he said, childishly sticking out his tongue. Neither of them were going to address the fact that their boat had just sunk. "But, I'll see you in a while, Zoro! I'll know when Levi's back, for sure!", exclaimed the younger boy, smiling his signature smile.

Just as the black-haired boy was preparing to turn toward the island, Zoro spoke up. "I'll be stronger when next we meet.", the swordsman stated, holding his future captain's eyes with his own.

It was a statement that made Luffy grin. And that was exactly what it was... A statement. He could hear the conviction in his friend's voice. The straw-hatted teen smiled to himself. He very much believed the words. "Well I'm gonna get stronger too!", he replied, "Next time we see each other, let's leave this island and find someone strong to fight! It's been way too long since I've fought against someone all out!".

"I couldn't agree more.", smirked Zoro, watching the boy turn toward their destination, "You better still be capable of beating me when we meet again."

Luffy, however, didn't hear his reply. He had already bolted towards the island.

The swordsman sighed one last time. Time for the long swim to port.

End Note:

This was a shorter chapter but I want this story to flow, if that makes any sense, and I feel like chapters like these are necessary for that. Not much else to say besides that. See you in the next one.