True Desire: A One Piece Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Marimo Ride

'Why don't you leave all your money here if you don't want your son to be harmed?', snickered one of the thugs.

Zoro felt Sanji's grip on his hair tighten.

'They are just small fry but I don't like it that the chibi cook's so scared of them!', thought Zoro.

Zoro saw some empty crates stacked nearby and walked towards them. He then took Sanji off his neck and made him stand atop the crates.

'Wait here. Don't be afraid I'll be back in no time', said Zoro with a smile.

The chibi cook gave a nervous, tiny nod.

Zoro was wearing a scarlet jacket over a white vest and black pants. His three swords remained at his waist held in place by his green haramaki which he wore over the vest. As usual he hadn't bothered to zip up his jacket.

As long as Zoro had the small child on his neck and was smiling it was easy to confuse him to be a very gentle, adoring, down to earth father. The thugs had made this horrible mistake. For as soon as he put the child down and looked at the thugs they realized that his aura, his stance and even the look in his eyes had changed. He was no longer the doting father they had seen walk into the alley. He was like a demon waiting to make a kill.

With a sword in each hand Zoro looked at the group.

'I was getting really backed up, you'll do just fine to help me let off some steam!', smirked Zoro.

Before the thugs could comprehend anything several of them were sent flying by one hit from Zoro's sword. They landed unconscious on the ground. Fear and panic broke out as Zoro landed another swing of his sword. The thugs scattered in every direction to try and save themselves.

Zoro was fighting in a daze but was brought to his senses by a sharp cry from Sanji. He looked back in fear to see one of the thugs holding a knife at the chibi cook's throat. Sanji's hair clutched tightly in his other hand. Zoro could not bear to see the chibi cook's tearful face twisted from pain and fear.

In that single moment that Zoro had his guard down one of the thugs hit him squarely on the back of his head with a huge hammer and a second one hit his legs with a metal rod making him stumble to the ground. Zoro fell on his knees clutching a sword in one hand and with the other he touched the back of his head.

Zoro was mad. He heard the thugs coming towards him shouting, weapons in their hands from all sides. He got ready for an attack but it never came. Instead a familiar voice shouted, 'Diable jambe!'

All the thugs had been sent flying off. Then a man with a slender figure came languidly walking towards Zoro. Zoro finally looked up at the cook as he came to a halt. Then the man spoke in a snickering tone.

Sanji: (provocatively) 'Oi idiot! Have you become so rusty that even these vermin can bring you to your knees?'

Zoro: (confused look) '.....................'

Sanji: (speaking while instinctively looking for his cigarette but soon realizes that he doesn't have it) 'You can't even protect yourself and a child, maybe you should just retire from being a pirate!'

Zoro: (still a blank look) '.......................'

Sanji: (now very angry) 'Jerk don't you have anything to say?'

Zoro: (still staring at Sanji, finally finds his voice) 'H....how did you change back?'

Sanji: (very irritated, veins sticking out on his forehead but still forcing himself to stay calm) 'I don't know, I just thought that if I didn't do something this idiot swordsman would end up getting severely injured!'