Hi! This got a bit longer than intended, hope you all don't mind!
I also updated the previous chapters, because I realized my paragraphs were not included in my uploads
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Back in Foosha Village Zoro went straight to Makino's bar. Makino had developed a quiet understanding, when she visited the boys at Dadan's. Thankfully she didn't mention anything about his reasons for being there. Luffy boasted to her about his Vice-Captain, recounting how Zoro had saved him from the pirates. Even with Ace's obvious mistrusts, it had eased her concerns considerably.
Makino gave him something to eat. They chatted about Zoro's experiences with Luffy and Ace. Her short, occasional visits never filled her in completely, so she enjoyed hearing more about Luffy's escapades. Zoro still found it difficult to open up and talk more, but it had become a bit easier during the last three weeks.
"Have you heard anything about when Shanks is supposed to come back?", asked Zoro after finishing his meal.
"No, he just said about a month, when they left. So, they might be back in a few days or maybe a week", replied Makino.
Zoro nodded thoughtfully. "Would it be alright if I stay here until he returns? I can help out with chores and stuff like that."
"Sure, let me show you the guest room", Makino said, standing up and motioning for Zoro to follow.
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The room was sparsely furnished. It was only had a bed with a nightstand and lamp, and a small closet, but that was more than enough for Zoro.
He settled under the window, attempting to meditate, but only found a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts. Every creak of the floorboards echoed in his restless mind and each flicker of the lamp seemed to cast a shadow of uncertainty. His thoughts ricocheted from his former – now, future crewmates, to Koshiro and Kuina, then to the looming encounter with Shanks, creating a tangled web of concerns that refused to be untangled.
Zoro fought to push the memories about his past and the growing worries about the future aside. He needed to use those last days to make his plan more solid and think about how to get Shanks on his side. He still didn't like how he was now forced to think so much, he preferred to just go by instinct. That wasn't an option now, or else Shanks' reaction might be worse than Koshiro's.
Zoro had wordlessly promised 'his' Luffy to do everything he could. With that resolve he went over everything, in the story that Roger had put in his mind, that connected to Shanks.
He still didn't understand how that even worked. It literally felt like he was flipping through a comic book in his mind, flipping itself to the pages he wanted to look at. Even the pictures in his mind looked like drawings and not like actual memories or photographs. But they depicted pretty much exactly what happened on their journey, and tons of outside events, even things from the past. Zoro settled for using Luffy's strategy, calling it a mystery, and resumed to reflect on his objectives.
Before Zoro could begin his journey with Luffy, he knew he had two critical tasks: finding the Dark-Dark Fruit before Blackbeard and strengthening the entire crew.
The Dark-Dark Fruit was a dark and dangerous power, one that Blackbeard would inevitably use to wreak havoc. If Zoro could secure it first, he could alter the course of history, preventing untold destruction. But he was no navigator, no treasure hunter. On the vast seas and countless possible islands this task was overwhelming, he needed someone who knew these waters like the back of their hand and had friends who could help bringing in information. He needed Shanks' help.
Zoro clenched his fists, frustrated about not being able to this himself. The thought gnawed at him like a persistent itch, reminding him of his limitations and the enormous task ahead.
Perhaps, Zoro mused, he could sail with Shanks for a time. It would be a strategic move, allowing him to meet his crewmates, , and to teach them the fundamentals of Haki. Each member of Luffy's crew was crucial for their collective success, and they all needed to be stronger, sharper, ready for everything that lay ahead. Zoro's heart ached with the memory of their faces. They had to survive!
But for that to happen, Zoro had to be able to protect them no matter what. He needed to become more powerful, hone his skills, push his limits, and transcend his former self. The image of Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, apperared in his mind. If he could persuade Mihawk to train him again, he would stand a chance against the overwhelming threats that awaited.
With a deep breath, Zoro steeled himself. He would seek out Shanks, convince him of the gravity of the situation, and secure his help. The Red-Haired Pirate was his best chance to achieve his goals.
Zoro's jaw tightened; a cold determination settled in his bones. He would not falter. He would forge a new destiny for his crew, a future where they all stood together, unbroken and undefeated.
None of them would die this time!
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As the silhouette of Foosha Village began to materialize on the horizon, Shanks felt a strong presence, miles before getting there. It was a presence unlike any he had encountered before – intense, yet eerily restrained, not in the way when someone deliberately suppressed the strength of their Haki. It wasn't anything he had ever felt before.
His mind raced through possibilities. Could it be Garp, visiting his grandson? But no, the aura didn't resemble the Vice-Admiral's at all. Luffy, perhaps? No, he was still too young, too inexperienced to have a presence like that. Also, Shanks hadn't felt it when they were there the month prior.
No, this was someone new, someone Shanks was sure he had never encountered before. He hoped the village hadn't been attacked. Where did someone with that kind of aura even come from and why they were in that village of all places?
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His curiosity grew even more when they arrived at the docks. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He told his crew to be careful when they disembarked.
As always when they were here, they headed straight to Makino's bar. Shanks got a bit tense when he realized that the owner of the aura was in there. Shanks braced himself before he entered the bar, even though he was sure that they'd be able to deal with whoever the person was.
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As Shanks stepped inside, his heart skipped a beat and his jaw almost dropped to the floor. Only Makino and a green haired boy were inside. The realization hit him like a tidal wave. Baffled he stared at the kid. This aura belonged to him? A kid? This unassuming kid was the source of that overwhelming aura?!
The boy looked up, startled by Shanks' intense scrutiny. The pirate captain struggled to regain his composure, his mind reeling with questions. Despite that he forced himself to turn to Makino.
"Hey Makino", he greeted with a lopsided grin, masking his inner turmoil.
"Shanks! You're back", she smiled, but her voice betrayed her with a nervous hitch. Shanks forced himself to not let the suspicion show on his face.
"Who is that kid?", he asked as casual as possible, though every fiber of his being screamed for answers.
"This is Zoro", she said slowly, her words weighted with uncertainty, "He's been helping me out a bit."
"Oh…", Shanks tilted his head, turning to Zoro with a scrutinizing gaze, "I've never seen you here before. Where do you come from?"
A flicker of hesitation crossed the kid's face, struggling to decide how to answer. Then he took a deep breath and instead of answering Shanks' question, he said with a grave tone, "Shanks, I need to talk to you."
Shanks' mind continued racing, searching of answers for this bizarre encounter. Had his crew stirred trouble in Zoro's hometown? But how would he have been able to pass them up here? It made no sense.
Frowning, Shanks felt a knot of apprehension tighten in his chest, but he tried to answer in a relaxed tone. "What's up, kid?"
Zoro glanced warily at the crew behind him, then met Shank's gaze with determination, "Could we talk in private?"
Skeptically, Shanks raised an eyebrow, "Why?" The urgency in the kid's voice piqued his curiosity, but his suspicion outweighed it by a lot.
"You should listen to him", said Makino, her voice strained with concern. She chewed her bottom lip.
"Do you know what this is about?", Shanks demanded, his frown deepened when Makino nodded, "If you know, why should my crew not hear about it too?"
As he observed the conflicted expression on Zoro's face, Shanks sensed an undercurrent of desperation. He was clearly fighting with himself about something. He seemed to be reluctant and impatient at the same time. Something didn't add up. Shanks got a bad feeling in his gut, his instincts screamed, something about this kid was deeply unsettling.
The kid sighed and ran a hand through his hair. With a mixture of resignation and determination he steeled his posture. "Okay, doesn't matter. But you all probably want to sit down for this", he said, locking eyes with Shanks, "And fair warning, I might talk about some things that you'd rather keep private."
"I'm taking that risk", Shanks replied, masking his unease with false confidence, his crew couldn't know that this kid made him nervous. How could a kid rattle him so much?
"Alright", the kid said gravely, his gaze unwavering, "This is going to be hard to believe… I'm from ten years into the future – or more accurately, my mind is from the future, sent back into my younger body." He paused, awaiting Shanks' reaction.
Shanks' eyebrows shot up, but he maintained his silence. While incredulity gnawed at him, his experiences on the Grand line had taught him not to dismiss anything as impossible.
Zoro continued, his voice heavy with the weight of his revelation, "I was on Luffy's crew, we reached Laugh Tale… I was the only one who survived."
Shanks narrowed his eyes, a storm of conflicting emotions raged within him as he tried to grapple with the enormity of Zoro's claim. It would explain the strange aura surrounding the boy, but he was more than skeptical.
If this was a lie, it was meticulously crafted, drawing from a lot of insider knowledge. The implications sent a chill down his spine – someone who had been to the New World, but also knew Luffy, had to have come up with this. The only one who would fit that description was Garp! But why would Garp do something like this?
"Roger's ghost sent me back for a second chance, because Luffy is the one Roger is waiting for", Zoro declared, holding Shanks' intense gaze while speaking solemnly, "I can prove this, because I know tons of things that, that I shouldn't be able to."
Shanks' mind reeled, struggling to process Zoro's claim. Roger's ghost? A second chance? This couldn't be true!
What?, Shanks' jaw clenched, a surge of disbelief coursed through him. In one swift motion, he leapt from his seat, seizing Zoro by the collar in a vice-like grip. "Who the hell came up with that?!", he roared, his voice reverberated through the tense atmosphere.
The kid flinched under Shanks' grasp; his features drained of color as he froze up.
"Who are you working for?!", Shanks thundered, fury and suspicion were written all over his face.
Zoro squeezed his eyes shut, as he struggled to contain the tumult of emotions raging within him. With trembling hands, he grabbed Shanks' wrist with both hands.
"I'm not working for anyone!", he ground out. Zoro's grip tightened; his knuckles turned white with the intensity. He straightened out his posture and he fixed Shanks with an intense, fevered stare. "For fucks sake, please listen to me!", he roared.
Shanks felt the weight of the moment pressing down on him, his muscles tensed as he wrestled with conflicting emotions. This is just a kid, Shanks reminded himself, when he heard Makino gasp and felt the shocked gazes of his crew. He clamped his teeth shut to contain the hard words that were going through his mind. Grimacing he released his hold, his voice dripped with venom as he commanded, "Talk."
The kid lost his balance and stumbled backwards, muttering an almost inaudible curse to himself, as he regained his stance. He planted his feet firmly into the ground, stood tall, resolve sparkled in his eyes. Zoro crossed his arms, squared his shoulders, and locked his gaze onto Shanks' crew with steely determination.
"This is going to be about things from your past and things that are kept secret", he warned again, his voice a low growl, his hands raised in a defensive stance, ready for whatever may come.
"Talk", repeated Shanks with a thunderous roar and an unblinking stare.
The kid swallowed heavily and nodded tightly. He spoke with breathless urgency, "Roger never got caught by the marines, he turned himself in because he was terminally ill and wanted to go out on his own terms. You never set foot on Laugh Tale with Roger, because Buggy got sick, you offered to take care of him and told him it wasn't a big deal because you could come back on your own. When Roger got back you asked him something. His answer made you cry and he gave you the strawhat –"
As his words pierced through the silence, Shanks blanched and froze up as he was shaken to his core from the very first sentence. Finally, he found his voice again and cut him off. "Enough!", he bellowed, a desperate plea to stem the tide of revelations.
Zoro flinched, his eyes widened with a flicker of panic, as he stared at Shanks. His body tensed, unconsciously taking a step back as if expecting the worst and bracing himself for the inevitable backlash.
A deafening silence hung in the air, heavy with tension and uncertainty. Shanks felt like the ground had been pulled out from under him. A grimace twisted Shanks' features as he grappled with the situation and everything that had been unveiled.
This was undeniable something that he had no way to know. The circumstances of Roger's death were a fiercely guarded secret. Buggy never talked to anyone about having been on Roger's crew... And the most unnerving part, when Shanks had talked to Roger, after he had been on Laugh Tale, no one else had been present. Only Roger could have told him about this.
Shanks felt a pang of guilt creeping up. If his kid was truly not lying and had his mind sent back from ten years into the future and had been to Laugh Tale, he must have been a truly fearsome pirate. Now he had to fight to be believed, his fear of being dismissed was obvious. Not that Shanks blamed him for that… he might have been called a liar already and since he looked like child, he was reliant on others opinions.
With a weary sigh, Shanks ran his shaking hand through his hair, his lips crewed raw with unease, "How do I know you don't just have a devil fruit that lets you look into my memories?"
Zoro's response was a flash of defiance, his lips curled into a cold smile and shook his head in mock amusement. "Throw me into the sea", he taunted, "I'm not going to drown."
Shanks narrowed his eyes; his gaze bore into Zoro with an intensity born out of desperation. With a resigned sigh, he made his choice. "I'll believe you", he said carefully, his words heavy with uncertainty and lingering doubt, "Why are you telling me about this?"
Zoro's featured went from shock to surprise, then let out a long, breath and slumped his shoulders. Shanks could almost see the mountain that had just been lifted off his weary frame.
"I need your help, if I want to prevent what happened. I can't do it alone", Zoro confessed honestly, his voice was a bit shaky, then frustratedly grit his teeth, as he tried not let his relief show so much.
Shanks nodded thoughtfully, "What do you think I could do?"
"I need you to find a devil fruit. The pirate who got his hands on it and became one of our biggest threats", explained Zoro, stressing each word to convey the gravity of his request.
"Who?" Shanks narrowed his eyes and held his breath; the unspoken fears and looming threats were almost palpable.
Zoro looked directly at his scars as he announced, "Marshall D. Teach."
Shanks swallowed heavily. "What devil fruit?", he said with a low, measured voice, hoping the feeling he had towards Teach didn't show.
Zoro's gaze bore into him intensely and unwavering, "The Dark-Dark-Fruit. Also known as 'the 'most evil' devil fruit in existence'."
Shanks had always known Teach was dark, destructive and dangerous, this fruit seemed so fitting for him, that Shanks felt like he should have predicted that. A cold shiver ran down Shanks' spine at the thought of that power falling into his hands. He silently wished he could attack him without causing a war with Whitebeard.
As he processed the information, Shanks nodded slowly. He longed more information, but he didn't want to continue the conversation in front of his crew. The kid had been right, that conversation was better held privately. Shanks couldn't help but wonder what else Zoro might have revealed, if he hadn't intervened. But if Zoro had continued, he might have talked about things his crew really didn't need to know. They already heard so much that they shouldn't have. He would ask Zoro later.
"I understand", he muttered, "We will discuss this further, but for now, I need some time to let this sink in..." He turned to Makino, with a silent plea for respite, "Please get me something to drink."
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Shanks was careful not to drink too much that night. He wanted to wait until his crew was either passed out or so wasted that they wouldn't notice or care if he snuck away to talk to Zoro alone.
Throughout the night, Shanks kept watching Zoro out of the corner of his eye, while interacting with his crew. He didn't seem to enjoy socializing too much, or just had enough of it after his confrontation with Shanks and withdrew into himself. His stoic demeanor was in stark contrast to the cheerful laughter and drunken antics of Shanks' crewmates.
Despite their attempts to involve him in conversation and their games, he just stayed behind the bar. He mostly helped out Makino, otherwise just sat back as a silent observer in the midst of chaos. Shanks couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. His steely features didn't give much away.
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At some point, Yasopp approached him enthusiastically, launching into his favorite activity: chatting about his son.
Normally this would have gone on for hours, but Zoro coldly interrupted his ramblings, "Why do never visit him?"
Zoro's words hung in the air, building up intensity in the atmosphere. Shanks leaned forward to watch more closely.
Yasopp was caught off guard by Zoro's abrupt interjection. He stumbled over his words, chewing his lips uneasily "It hard to keep relationships as a pirate."
But Zoro was having none of it, his voice sharp as he challenged Yasopp's flimsy excuses. "That's bullshit", spat Zoro, his tone laced with venom, "You're in the East Blue often enough. How hard is it to stop by for a few days?"
Zoro's harsh tone cut through every conversation in the bar. Suddenly, it became very quiet; everyone's attention turned to them. Shanks noted silently, Now, that Zoro didn't have to fight to be believed, the fearsomeness and unflinching demeanor was back.
Shanks curiosity was further piqued by the fact, that Yasopp hadn't mentioned that his son lived in the East Blue. Yasopp had noticed this as well. His jaw dropped to the floor and his eyes grew to be as big as plates, "You know Usopp?"
"He's our sniper," Zoro announced, his smile spreading wide and predatory, reminiscent of a beast closing in on its prey — a terrifying expression on a child, thought Shanks. The smile faltered briefly, then Zoro added, "...or will be."
The Red-Hair Pirates' sniper stared back, his initial surprise transforming into a mixture of awe and pride, seemingly oblivious to the menace behind Zoro's grin.
Just as his lips began to form words, Zoro cut him off with a low and dangerous voice, "You should know, he never hated you. But, being abandoned definitely scarred him... especially after his mother died, and he was all alone for years."
The sniper gulped, the dawning realization of the gravity of his situation flickering across his face. Shanks briefly considered stepping in but decided maybe Yasopp needed to hear this.
"So," Zoro continued, his gaze turning into a fierce, unforgiving glare, "I don't know if there is a deeper reason why you never visit him, or", his voice grew cold as ice, "if you're just a coward."
Yasopp looked as if he had been struck by lightning, his face blanched and his body froze.
"Zoro!" Makino's shocked shout cut through the tension. She seemed to think Zoro had crossed a line, and maybe he had, but Shanks silently agreed with him.
Zoro shrugged; his eyes still locked on the sniper. "It's the truth, isn't it?"
Shanks had always asked Yasopp if he wanted to stop by when they were in the East Blue, but Yasopp always managed to wriggle away with cheap excuses. Zoro's words had struck with unrelenting precision, in a way that Shanks wouldn't have had the heart to.
So yeah, Shanks had to admit, while it was brutal to see Yasopp in this position, he was glad he hadn't intervened. He was genuinely impressed by Zoro's ferocity. This intensity suited him far more than his previous panicked demeanor.
While Yasopp struggled to regain his composure, Zoro just rose from his seat and walked away. Stone faced, with an air of indifference, seemingly unfazed by the emotional turmoil he had unleashed on the sniper.
Yasopp slumped down with a drink, looking utterly deflated. The crew's reactions varied—some were impressed by Zoro like Shanks, while others shot Zoro shocked or wary glances. But they seemed to agree that Yasopp needed to sit with his thoughts for a while and resumed their conversations and games. Shanks decided he would talk to Yasopp tomorrow if he seemed too down.
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After his confrontation with Yasopp, Zoro retreated behind the bar, feeling like the biggest idiot ever. Regret and frustration were gnawing at him.
First, he had been so desperate to get Shanks' help, allowing his initial disbelief had echoed Koshiro's reactions so much, that it cut deep. The panic that followed was a blow to his pride, making him feel incredibly weak and stupid.
Normally, he would push self-doubt and insecurity aside, but they had rooted deep, making it impossible to focus on anything else. Zoro knew, he shouldn't let this get to him, and needed to stop thinking so much, but his mind wouldn't listen. He was preoccupied so much that he hadn't been able to talk to anyone from Shanks' crew.
When he finally felt ready to try, Yasopp had approached him - the worst possible person. The only person, he knew enough about, to use as an outlet for his frustration. Zoro just wanted to bang his head against something. While he fully stood behind what he had said, projecting his inner turmoil onto someone else was something he had blamed Ace for… Now he did it too…
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Zoro busied himself, helping Makino, handing out drinks and restocking supplies, and washing used cups. This also meant he was closer proximity to Shanks. Sure, enough Shanks decided to strike up the inevitable conversation.
"That was quite harsh", stated Shanks neutrally.
Zoro's jaw tightened, his muscles tensing as he fought to keep his thoughts from showing on his face. "I know," he admitted, his voice low and controlled. "But sometimes it's necessary to be harsh."
In one smooth motion, Zoro leaped up to sit on the bar. If he was going to talk to Shanks, he wanted to do it face-to-face, without having to look up and feel so small the whole time.
Shanks observed him keenly, as if sensing there was a deeper story behind Zoro's words but choose not to pry. Thoughtfully, he took a sip from his cup of sake and remarked, "Usopp is the only person, except Teach, you've named so far. May I ask why you keep all the people and places in your stories anonymous?"
Zoro's gaze flickered, a shadow crossed his face, "I don't want to influence your reactions if you ever visit those places or meet those people... The changes might become too great and unpredictable," he said, silently adding, and it would make all my knowledge useless.
Shanks put down his cup, scratching his chin as he contemplated his words. "That makes sense – If Teach wasn't with Whitebeard, I'd go after him immediately."
Zoro studied his face for a few moments. If he did tell Shanks more, he had to trust him. He knew enough about Shanks to believe he was a good person, but Zoro had always more suspicious of others and was slow to warm up. Now after Koshiro's betrayal, this was even more so the case.
"Since I want you to help me…," he leaned forward, pinning Shanks with a scrutinizing gaze, "I'll tell you more privately, if you swear to keep it a secret."
Shanks bit his lip, visibly unnerved by the intensity of Zoro's stare. He broke eye contact, his gaze lingered on Zoro's scabbards briefly before tearing his eyes away. He looked across the bar, barely registering the cheerful laughter of his crew, as he lifted his cup, murmuring quietly behind the rim, "I wanted to wait a bit longer..."
"It'll be a long night then," sighed Zoro, his voice dripping with resignation. He understood Shanks didn't want his crew to know, that he purposely excluded them from this conversation. It was reasonable but ignited a feeling of restlessness and impatience in him. The tension coiled tight in his chest, intending to occupy himself with something else until then, Zoro turned to jump back down.
Shanks abruptly set down his cup with a decisive clink. "Or you know what, screw it." A grin spread across his face; his eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Zoro smirked and gave him a curt nod. "Let's go to the room Makino lets me use," he suggested, gesturing for Shanks to follow him. Passing by Makino, Zoro whispered, "Please, don't let anyone follow us."
As they made their way out, the lively banter and music of the crew faded into the background.
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With no chairs in the small, dimly lit room, Zoro and Shanks settled on the floor, across from each other.
"I can tell that you're very curious," Zoro smirked, "So, let's start with the questions you have."
Shanks chuckled softly, the absurdity of being told this by a child — albeit a time traveler — was almost comical. Zoro's amused expression suggested he thought something similar.
"There are two things on my mind," Shanks began, his voice steady but edged with curiosity and concern. "One is personal — what were you going to say about me? And the other – what exactly did Teach do?"
Zoro gaze bore into Shanks. "I would have talked about how and where Roger found you," answered Zoro, his voice heavy with implication. A shiver of dread crept down Shanks' spine. Roger had told him even about that?! Shanks' breath caught as Zoro continued with a shrug, "Then I would have talked more about your relationship with Buggy... That's about it."
The memories, though not earth-shattering, it still stung to think about how Buggy and he parted ways. Shanks swallowed hard, as he pushed the memories aside.
"The answer to your second question is a bit longer..." Zoro took a deep breath to psych himself up. "You know that he is on Whitebeard's crew now. The reason he joined is to have better chances at finding the Dark-Dark-Fruit. Before... someone else got their hands on it first and Teach killed his own crewmate to get it..."
Zoro continued, his words painted a grim picture of a great war, Whitebeard's death, and Teach's rise. How Blackbeard claimed Whitebeard's power, ascended to Yonko status, wreaked havoc on Hatchinousu, and the chaos that followed.
"Blackbeard was one of the biggest reasons why our journey ended the way it did", concluded Zoro gravely.
"Damn", breathed Shanks. There were no other words to describe the actions of the pirate. Shanks had always known he was dangerous, but this was WAY worse than he had imagined.
"So, um, would you help me find that devil fruit that basically caused all of this?", asked Zoro carefully.
"Of course!" exclaimed Shanks, his resolve hardening. "Let's hope I can do it faster than Teach."
"Thank you," smiled Zoro relieved.
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Then, Shanks' curiosity piqued, and he asked about Zoro's other plans.
"I want to teach everyone Haki early... or at least as many of them as possible. I already showed Luffy how to learn it." Zoro explained that he knew he couldn't get to everyone early, because it would probably be suspicious if he had coincidentally met every single one of them. He continued, "But for example, our cook. Him and I used to fight constantly. I'm pretty sure that if I met him early, he'd start to dislike me so much that I'd be the reason he'd not join when Luffy asks."
"Are you sure you're not exaggerating? I mean if you make sure it doesn't come to a fight or anything, wouldn't that make a difference?"
Zoro sighed, shaking his head, "I really don't see it going well. He isn't very easy to approach as a guy. Especially, because he's very indebted to the person he's with now... But Usopp would be easy…", he hesitated sheepishly, "If you'd let me sail with you for a bit, then he wouldn't suspect I intended to meet him."
"Is that why you called out Yasopp?" laughed Shanks.
"Partly," Zoro shrugged. "I couldn't stand him bragging about his son but never visits, when he's basically already there."
"I've tried telling him that too, but I think you've done it more effectively," Shanks admitted, then grinned. "I think that meeting with Usopp can be arranged. Is there anyone else you think you could meet now?"
"Maybe our navigator, I'm worried about her but I'm not sure... and...", Zoro scratched the back of his head, biting his lips, as the tips of his ears turned red, "This might be a huge favor to ask, but is there any way you could ask Mihawk to train me?"
Shanks looked surprised, then burst out laughing. "I can't guarantee he'd even listen to me long enough, but I can try."
"Thank you," Zoro grinned widely, "And thank you for taking me to Usopp."
Shanks waved him off, "Enough with all that thanking me, we both want to see Luffy reach Laugh Tale."
Zoro grimaced at the reminder of the last island but nodded determinedly.
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Their stay at Foosha Village ended a few days later. Makino had been visibly relieved about Shanks verifying Zoro's claims and was sad to see him leave now. She even apologized for not believing him at first.
"No worries. It'd be stranger if you hadn't doubted my story," Zoro replied, dismissing her concerns with a wave. After all, time travel isn't exactly easy to swallow.
The time here had been intense, but finally things seemed to go in the right direction. As he walked to Shanks' ship, the Red Force, Zoro felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Getting Shanks' help was invaluable.
The day after Zoro confronted Yasopp, the sharpshooter reluctantly admitted that Zoro was right. The confrontation had weighed heavily on Yasopp, stirring emotions he had tried to bury. Overcome with longing and guilt, Yasopp finally asked Shanks if they could stop by his home village to see his son. Shanks decided not to tell him that he had already planned that with Zoro and simply agreed without hesitation.
Once the Red-Hair Pirates had replenished their supplies, they said their goodbyes and set sail. The crew was in high spirits, the sea breeze filled the sails as they embarked. The horizon stretched out before them. The sea was vast and unpredictable, much like the future he was striving to change.
Zoro watched from the deck as the ship cut through the waves, feeling a surge of anticipation. Zoro's thoughts drifted to his crewmates. The path ahead was clearer now, a new sense of determination solidified within him. He would not let his friends down. This time, he would protect them! He would make sure they were stronger. Then, they could face anything coming their way, together!