Hey everybody!
Ready for round 2? Let's get this started ;-)
Curse and Blessing – Part 2
-Mihawk-
"Oh, here you are, how unusual." He walked into the library. Roronoa, in his female form, sat at the round table, busily writing. "Have you packed yet? We want to leave early."
"Mhm," the other grumbled absently, "will do it later, I just want to finish this real quick."
Mihawk closed the door behind him and approached the table.
"Did you eat anything? You've been out all day and..."
"In a minute, stop being annoying."
"Roronoa, what are you doing?" He leaned over the table and was astonished to see several sheets of papers filled with detailed notes. Smiling, he put a hand on the other's shoulder. "Is that really necessary? You can expect Jiroushin to train this child for a few days without her..."
"I don't doubt that Jiroushin is a damn good teacher — after all, I've experienced his teaching methods first hand — and he's probably a thousand times better than me," Roronoa grumbled without pausing in his work. "But he also proceeds strictly according to the textbook and... Roshan is still... fragile."
"Indeed, she is," Mihawk agreed, settling down on the table next to Roronoa with a soft sigh. This report was unnecessary, Jiroushin had no need for a dozen pages to understand this child, he had already taught too many different pupils in and out of the Navy for that. But that was not what this was about. Roronoa felt responsible and did not want to avoid that responsibility by being absent for several days.
"I would love to hear your opinion on an idea," he began his next play, letting Roronoa write his unnecessary note. "I think I do prefer focusing on just one student. So, when we get back, I want the two of them to compete against each other, and the loser..."
"Don't do this crap," Roronoa grumbled without even looking up.
"Excuse me?" He raised an eyebrow disapprovingly. Usually, Roronoa would at least let him make his move before unpacking his morale.
Sighing, Zoro looked at him for a moment before he continued writing, shaking his head.
"That's another one of your games, isn't it? As a lesson, because Ray doesn't take sword fighting seriously, yet acts like it's a given right to be taught by you, while showing neither ambition nor discipline. We both know that it won't take long for Roshan to be able to crush Ray. She trains hard and if they were to fight, she would fight for survival, Ray on the other hand... if you've never had to work hard in your life, you can't win against someone who only knows how to win or die."
"Do you know how attractive it is when you flaunt your intelligence?"
Roronoa just rolled his eyes, placing another page on top of the small pile. How much information could he have gathered about this child in those few weeks?
"And do you know how annoying it is when you pull off something like that? I don't care if Jiroushin goes along with it, but I'm not going to let you scare Roshan even more with something like that. Yes, maybe it wouldn't be bad for Ray to lose once in a while and to understand that you don't get everything in life just because you were born with a silver spoon. But Roshan doesn't need that lesson. She deserves some security, and I don't want her to think she has to prove herself all the time. Unlike Ray, she has to learn that you can make mistakes without the world crumbling down, get it?"
"But she will win, so..."
"Mihawk," the other groaned, putting down his pen.
"Alright, alright. I will come up with something else. But you cannot handle her with kid gloves forever just because she was supposed to become a Sainik. She wants to fight like we do, so she has to go the way."
"And how many years have you worn the kid gloves with me? I don't think a few weeks will turn her into a spoiled brat." Then Roronoa looked at him in surprise. "How do you know...?"
"Oh please, that should be self-explanatory. You were in the Calm Belt and of course you could not ignore the unrest at the Parvat Archipelago. Then her stiff and tense posture, her submissive behavior with almost ingratiating obedience. The lack of almost any decision-making will and the fact that she needs a command for almost everything. As usual for a Sainik, the spirit is first broken and then formed, but only when these absolute rules are indispensable world order for them, combat training begins. It is a shame she has not reached this part of the training yet, so at least her awkward behavior would have something good to make up for it."
Roronoa looked thoughtfully at his stack of papers.
"When we arrived in the village... They were... besieged and being starved. Robin says it's common for them to use children, alongside fully trained Sainiks, almost like apprentices, except that they are expected to die for the person being protected at any time. I happened to pass by when these besiegers wanted to take the village, but pretty much everyone in the village had already starved to death, no idea why these idiots waited so long in the first place. Roshan... she defended a corpse. What madness. She didn't even know what she was doing, but she had been ordered to protect this child, so that's exactly what she did, even though she could barely stand anymore."
Well, those were the stories, Mihawk was neither surprised nor touched in any way. There were plenty of such things in this world, same story, different names. Children who were kept as slaves from an early age and raised to be mindless bodyguards to give their lives for their master. As dependent and loyal as a trained dog, some of the Sainiks could not even speak. They did not need to, they were tools, not people.
"And what did you do?" he asked, mildly interested, knowing the answer, of course.
"I protected her, her and that corpse," Roronoa murmured, "and then I buried all the dead, it was a long day."
"And then you took her with you," he ended this clichéd story.
"No." Roronoa rose. "She bit me when I tried to pick up the child. So I buried the others first and at some point... she mimicked me. In the end, we paid our last respects to the child together and... she asked me if she could have protected the child if she had been as strong as I am."
"What a poor reason," Mihawk remarked, having known that Roronoa had wanted to tell him the story at some point. He had hoped to be spared for a few more months. Now he would be expected to show consideration, extremely bothersome.
"I said no."
"Oh?"
"I explained that she had done her job. No one had attacked or killed the child, simply starved to death." Roronoa met his gaze. "Chopper took care of her and we actually wanted to leave her with the other refugees on the neighboring island. She seemed... They would have taken good care of her. But she followed me around the whole time we were there – like a fledgling, a weak little fledgling – and I didn't know why. She didn't speak, just followed me, looked at me. And at some point, she asked me how she could learn to fight like me. The first time she really showed any emotions, she was so urgent."
Interesting. Mihawk also rose thoughtfully.
"A Saikien with a will of her own," he said his thought aloud. "Your crew really has a knack for strange creatures."
"She's not a Saikien," Roronoa replied coldly. "Robin says Saikien are raised to have no will of their own, not even the idea of doing anything, unless they are ordered to. No one ordered Roshan to bury the bodies. No one ordered her to follow me around, and so she..."
"I know, Roronoa," he remarked with a gentle smile as Roronoa defended this child, as he always did when Mihawk mentioned her shortcomings, "and do you know why?"
Roronoa looked at him suspiciously and shook his head.
"The first thing that is taken away from Saikien is their identity. They are given a number, sometimes not even that."
"So?"
"Oh, Roronoa, did you not notice? She has a name. This child has been able to preserve her identity, presumably the first part of her education had not yet been completed when the village was attacked, but nevertheless a considerable achievement, I admit. As I said, I see that she has a very strong will. I just doubt if that alone is enough. Her body is weak, her mind manipulated. What a hopeless endeavor." He followed Roronoa out of the library. "And why do you rejoice at these words? Shouldn't this damning verdict enrage you?"
"No, not really." Roronoa grinned broadly at him, folded the small stack of paper, and slipped it into the breast pocket of his shirt, far too large on that petite body. "Because you knew all this the second you first saw her, didn't you? And yet you keep an eye her, observing her during training. It's a hopeless case, doomed to fail, and that's exactly why it piqued your interest. Finally, another challenge for the great Dracule Mihawk."
"I admit defeat," he agreed as they strolled into the fireplace room. "Even though I observe her mainly because I want to see what you see in her. But at least it is the more exciting challenge compared to a spoiled brat with a desperate father."
"You must be talking about me," Jiroushin greeted them wearily from the table where he was the only one sitting, the newspaper in his hand, the other plates untouched.
"Where are the children?" Roronoa asked. "We came back together, and I told them to take a quick shower and then eat something healthy."
"They were pretty exhausted after the session. You don't always have to overdo it, you know? I wouldn't be surprised if Ray went to bed straight away."
Roronoa and Mihawk exchanged a look but said nothing.
"Perona and Chopper are in the garden, gathering some herbs, and Robin..."
"... Is too late, sorry." She came into the room just behind them, her soft smile on place. "I was so absorbed in my book, I had to finish it."
"At this rate, you'll have read the whole library by the end of the month," Roronoa remarked with a soft snort as he dropped onto the closest chair.
"I know," she replied, as if that was indeed her intention, before nodding to Mihawk. "Your collection is quite impressive and so diverse. It's been a long time since I've been able to find so many different types of books in one place, many of which I hadn't been able to read before."
"This library serves as a source of information, but I have never been particularly interested in it. I should be glad if you would take care of its management," said Mihawk, sitting down at the headboard. "Some fresh influence certainly wouldn't hurt."
"Here," Roronoa growled, pushing the pile of paper towards Jiroushin.
"What is...? Notes?" Surprised, the former teacher dropped the newspaper and looked at Roronoa. "But you do remember who spent hours training you?"
"Jirou," Mihawk objected, "she is his first student."
"And what does that mean?" Roronoa grumbled, blushing, while Jiroushin and Nico Robin nodded knowingly. "Tze, I don't even want to know what your first student had to go through."
"Oh, much, so much," Jiroushin sighed, folding the newspaper and skimming Roronoa's notes. "He never understood that not all people can do something directly after just watching it once, and that training sometimes takes time. If it wasn't for Sharak, I probably wouldn't have lasted two weeks."
"You are exaggerating."
"No! You sometimes looked at me like an alien insect when I just wanted to ask something." Jiroushin laughed softly and then put the notes aside, which Roronoa acknowledged with a suspicious look. "But your condescending tone was still better than Sharak's explanations. I never understood what she was trying to tell me."
"What are you talking about? She was very good at explaining," Mihawk objected disapprovingly, filling his plate.
Jiroushin looked at him, somewhere between startled and irritated, shaking his head. "She wasn't. And then you do this hah! And when you feel that pffff, you keep stretching until everything is doing whooo. In my entire life, my body has never done whooo!"
"Is it about the resting position after the first attacking stance?" Roronoa asked.
"What?!" came from Jiroushin while Mihawk just nodded. "You get that?!"
"Sure? Wasn't that hard."
"Difficult," Mihawk corrected, while Jiroushin tore his hair out and explained to Nico Robin that they were freaks and he had suffered a lot under these swordmaniacs.
"You're difficult," Roronoa grumbled, but interrupted his meal and looked thoughtfully at Mihawk. "Hey, how about a training fight tomorrow before we're crammed onto the coffin boat for days?"
"Freaks, as I said," came from Jiroushin.
"I thought you would never ask. But without swords, after all, you still have to pack."
"Killjoy."
-Zoro-
He sat on the ground, panting, and couldn't even rub the sweat out of his eyes, he was so done. Mihawk sat a few steps away on a fallen tree, breathing heavily.
Just mere seconds ago, the sun had crept over the treetops and that had been their time limit. When they'd started the fight late in the evening, Jiroushin, Robin, and the kids had been there to watch, but it wasn't until after they'd left that Mihawk and Zoro had really been able to fight. It wasn't quite as much fun without swords, but Zoro didn't want to complain. Especially because he was the better one. He couldn't move as elegantly and meticulously as Mihawk, but he was simply stronger, and without swords, that gave him a distinct advantage. But that was also what annoyed him a bit. Although he had this decisive advantage, he defeated Mihawk too rarely. Just like the time limit had ended their fight with a draw.
"You still have not packed yet, have you?" came from Mihawk and gave Zoro that condescending grin as he leaned back and stretched his muscles, groaning slightly.
"Why are you so incredibly annoying today?" grumbled Zoro, not thinking about moving his tired body. "Is there anything going on or why are you trying to mother me all the time?"
"Is this not the way our relationship has always worked?" replied the other, standing up with another groan, and walking over to the corner where the others had been sitting and watching.
"Maybe," Zoro said, catching the bottle of water Mihawk threw at him, "but you're usually not that annoying. Besides..." He paused and took a deep sip. "... you fought really shitty today."
"Excuse you? How insolent."
"Yet you don't disagree." He took another sip and then held out the bottle to Mihawk. "There's no way you didn't notice it yourself. Your movements were... uneven, you often blocked instead of dodging. Such mistakes don't usually happen to you. You don't make mistakes, that's why you're so good and that's why I like to fight you so much, because I only have a chance if I make as few mistakes as possible myself."
Mihawk took the bottle from him and rubbed his forearm over the opening before taking a sip as well.
"Then why did you not defeat me?" he put his finger in the wound coldly. "Why did you not take advantage of my bad day?"
Zoro stared at his feet, remorseful that Mihawk had noticed.
"Because you made a lot of mistakes as well, didn't you? You often misjudged your own strength today, and although you are superior to me, you cower on the ground right now, thankful that the sun has ended this fight, otherwise you would have lost. You have overstrained yourself because you haven not managed your energy properly. Why this lack of concentration?"
They looked at each other and then they both had to grin.
"I think that was our worst fight ever," Zoro judged harshly, leaning forward, rubbing his tense calves.
Mihawk sighed and leaned against a tree beside him. "At least it was my worst performance, I have seen much worse from you."
"Asshole." Zoro accepted the bottle again. "I think I'm a little nervous. I can't wait for us to leave."
"Yes, that explains it."
"And why were you so bad? It's nothing new that I make mistakes, but it is unusual for you."
Mihawk was silent as the sun crept almost completely over the treetops.
"So?"
The other sighed again, then shook his head.
"I was a little distracted, but you do not have to worry about that. It will not happen again that I do not give our fights my full attention." He offered his hand to Zoro. "Come on, you got to pack, and I want to leave before the fog falls in."
Zoro let himself be helped up and they walked calmly back to the castle.
"Sorry with the arm, wasn't planned that way."
"I know," Mihawk replied, unconsciously rubbing his left forearm, which was already showing a fist-sized bruise; it was a miracle Zoro hadn't broken his arm, he had really misjudged his strength. "However, it is my own fault. I should have dodged, tze, be that as it may. You exhausted your muscles too much, they are probably going to over-acidify, you should..."
"That's enough," Zoro grumbled, pressing the half-empty bottle into the other's side. "What's going on? Has something to do with me, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't treat me like a novice from the East Blue."
He noticed the other's sharp eyes. "It is not relevant."
"Well, as long as it has nothing to do with me, I don't care." He emptied the bottle, but looked sternly at Mihawk, who rolled his eyes and finally stopped walking. "So it has something to do with me after all."
Mihawk nodded and placed his hands on his hips.
"And what's it about?" Zoro also stopped and crossed his arms.
"So persistent." The other took a deep breath and examined him as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, how should I explain this to you?"
"How about using words?"
He only received a sour look before Mihawk sighed. "Well, but as I said, it is not something you need to burden yourself with. At the end of the day, it is really just a little thing that bothers me, nothing more."
"It can't be that small when you're fighting so terribly. So, spit it out."
He received another condemning look, then Mihawk nodded over to the castle, and they continued their way.
"You are looking forward to seeing your former teacher again, aren't you? He is certainly very important to you."
Confused by the hard change of topic, Zoro nodded. "Of course, but what...?"
"Mhm," Mihawk agreed, "and you once said that he probably did not approve of your path to piracy."
Zoro had no idea what the other was getting at. "Yes, so? He's just a very good-natured and righteous person."
"Mhm, and after your mother's death, he was the only adult caregiver you had as a child, wasn't he? He is almost some kind of... father figure to you, right?"
"Maybe... No idea. What is this about? What does Master Koshiro have to do with our fight?"
He knew the look Mihawk gave him out of the corner of his eye, uncertainty coupled with superior intelligence, very annoying. "Well, maybe I am just a little nervous about facing him."
"What? Why? You're clearly much stronger than him."
"Excuse me? Oh no, that is not what this is about."
"Then what?"
Mihawk sighed. "Roronoa, you were tremendously uncomfortable when your crewmates and I sought conflict with each other. It is important to you that we get along — and I hope you have noticed how hard I have tried to put up with their presence over the past few years?"
"Well, you still complain about them all the time."
"I said that I put up with them for your sake, not that I put up with them silently. Be that as it may, I remember that tense time was not easy for you, and I... I am afraid it will be similarly difficult for you when I meet your former teacher."
Zoro stopped. "Why? What are you up to?"
"Nothing," Mihawk replied with half a smile and spread his arms innocently, also stopping. "But you know me, Roronoa. I am not a pleasant fellow, and most people simply do not like me - and I like them even less - and I would wish that your reunion with your former teacher would not be overshadowed by such tension that you might be pushed into an unpleasant position."
Oh, now Zoro understood. Once again, Mihawk was worrying about all sorts of things for no reason.
"Well, that may be, but you forgot one thing."
"And that would be?"
"I know what a shitty character you have." He stretched for a moment and then walked on. "I don't expect anyone to like you, but I want you to meet Master Koshiro, so I don't care if there are conflicts. That's his problem, and maybe yours too, but it's certainly not mine."
"As often the case, you have a very unique view of things," Mihawk remarked, catching up with him. "So you are not worried that it might burden us if he discourages you from having any further contact with me?"
"No," Zoro replied bluntly, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, Master Koshiro isn't like you. He's friendly and good with people." He looked up at the other. "And you're racking your brains over something so unimportant? It doesn't matter if he likes you or not, one foe more or less doesn't really make a difference on your list."
"Do you really not understand, or are you just trying to fool me?" Mihawk sighed. "Roronoa, I could not care less whether some third-rate swordmaster" – "Hey!" – "from the East Blue likes me or not. But he is someone whose opinion you value, and I..."
"Oh," Zoro murmured, and he could feel Mihawk's gaze on him. "So what? Jiroushin wasn't too keen on finding out who I was, and he certainly didn't approve of the other crap. But that didn't stop you, did it?"
Now the other showed a small smile. "Of course not. Roronoa, I am well aware that..."
"It's true, you can definitely be exhausting at times, and we see many things differently. But I don't care whether Master Koshiro likes you or not. You are my partner and that is only my business and at most yours. I couldn't be less interested in what others think of it."
Mihawk had stopped, so Zoro did the same. Such annoying conversations had become rare, but they still happened from time to time. At least Zoro knew how to handle them by now, but that didn't make them any less annoying.
"Ah, sometimes I forget how you see the world. But I am relieved by your words and must confess that..."
"Zoro! Uncle Hawky! Have you fought until now?"
Mihawk behind him groaned softly. "Annoying brats."
Ray and Roshan were rushing towards them, both in training clothes, Ray yawning but waving widely, Roshan half a step behind, reserved.
"What are you up to?" Zoro remarked. "Are you getting ready for the morning rounds? Very..."
"No," Ray waved it off, a little too quickly. "Roshan here wanted..." Ray fell silent and looked over at Roshan, who lowered her head. "Come on, I got up so early just because of you, so..."
"Do you want to tell me something, Roshan?"
...
Ray got silent and looked back and forth between Roshan, Zoro, and Mihawk a little helplessly, tilting the head from left to right as Roshan still couldn't speak up. But Zoro knew that Mihawk certainly wasn't going to help her, and he... wouldn't either. A little embarrassed, Ray made an unintelligible noise.
Finally, Mihawk sighed and put a hand on Zoro's shoulder.
"We should hurry, Roronoa, after all, you have not packed yet. If we do not leave in the next hour, we will get into the midday current of the Cross Islands." Then he looked down at Roshan, who shrunk even more. "If it is not that important, you may tell Roronoa when we return. But since you are already up, you should use the time. Jiroushin will appreciate your commitment."
"Yes, of course!" beamed Ray enthusiastically, but Zoro doubted that this enthusiasm would survive the first quarter mile, but Mihawk ignored his godchild and just nodded to Zoro and after a second glance at Roshan, Zoro followed his partner.
"Master!" She jumped around and bowed. "I... I will wait for your return and train to your complete satisfaction until then!"
Zoro stopped and watched her, no one said a word, Ray even more tense than before. Several seconds passed.
"I... I meant..." Hesitantly, she peeked up before slowly straightening up, her shoulders hunched up. "I hope... y... y... you and Master Mihawk have a... have a good journey?"
It reminded him of Chopper back then, and as then, it filled him with a warmth and pride to see her growth. She shuddered as he stepped forward, but he ignored it and brushed through her untamable hair.
"Thank you very much, we will. I hope you'll have a lot of fun and don't let Ray boss you around too much." Ray met his wink with a grin. "Train thoroughly, but also take breaks, understood?"
Roshan nodded, barely perceptible under his hand, not daring to look up.
"Well, if something happens, Jiroushin knows how to reach us. See you soon."
"See you... soon," it came softly.
"See you soon! Come back safely!" it came loudly.
And then they left, leaving the two kids behind, who would hopefully go running for a few laps.
The castle loomed in front of them.
"Ah, what a proud teacher," Mihawk teased him.
"Oh, shut up," he growled as they climbed the stairs. Then he looked at Mihawk. "Thank you."
"Hm? What for?"
"That you put on the kid gloves with her."
Mihawk returned his gaze and showed that faint smile. "Come on, hurry up now and go pack so we can leave soon."