True Desire: A One Piece Fanfiction

Chapter 10: Promise!

The child softly patted Zoro's head and asked, 'What happened Marimo?'

Without replying the swordsman stood up carrying the child in his left arm. He looked once to his left and started running towards his right.

Sanji: (confused) 'Where are we going Marimo?'

Zoro: 'We're looking for a woman who might be able to help you. She's wearing a green shirt. You too look for her!'

Sanji: (nods seriously) 'Hm.'

They kept looking for a while. Suddenly the child said, 'Look Marimo! There she goes!'

Zoro: 'Where?'

Sanji: (pointing) 'She went into that shop!'

They went into the shop but soon came out disappointed and arguing.

Zoro: (irritated) 'I don't believe it! How could you confuse a man for a woman!'

Sanji: (confused) 'That was not a woman? But she was wearing a green dress!'

Zoro: (shocked tone) 'What part of that thing looked like a woman to you?'

Zoro: (as though recalling a very horrible nightmare) 'That was a middle aged cross dressing bearded man with a wig, pink nails, cakey face and wearing heels!' ( Zoro sits down on a bench outside a stall and buries his face in the palm of his right hand)

Zoro: ' What's worse is because I went over to him carrying you he got the wrong signal and started getting all mushy with me! And everyone else in the shop was eyeing me as though I had weird tastes!' (A shiver ran down Zoro's spine as he recalled the incident)

Sanji: (confused bent his head to a side) 'What is weird in taste? What did you eat? Can I eat it too?'

Zoro: (without looking up) 'They thought I like men!'

Sanji: 'So you like men?'

Zoro: (jerks around abruptly to face the child) 'OF COURSE NOT!' (having said this Zoro gave a sigh and bent his head again)

Sanji: 'So you don't like Luffy onii san?'

Zoro: (facing the child once more) 'He's my captain and an idiot.'

Sanji: 'What about Usopp sama, Franky onii san, Bones san and Chopper san?'

Zoro: 'They are my nakama! Of course I like them all no matter how weird they may be!'

Sanji: 'Then what about me?'

Zoro: 'You're not a man, you're a squirt so you don't count!'

Sanji: 'Then do you hate the big me since you two always fight?'

Suddenly the swordsman was at a loss of words.

Zoro: (internal thought) 'I want to say of course I don't hate him but to go as far as to say I l-l-lik...'

The swordsman looked at the street and got up without replying, leaving the child on the bench. He bought something from a vendor and returned to the child.

Zoro: 'Oi Curly! Open wide.'

Sanji: (obediently opens his tiny mouth) 'Aah'

The swordsman popped a big candy into the chibi cook's mouth.

Zoro: 'No speaking before you finish that!' (he pops one candy into his own mouth and starts walking once more carrying the child in one hand)

As the two walked around the child while still relishing his candy jerked his head in every direction possible taking in the preparations for the festival. From the streamers to the lanterns being hung, the food stalls to the game shops being set up and the children running about excitedly some wearing yukatas, some with friends while others with their parents.