Always live on

Group meeting

Zoro was alone in the medical room. He was waiting on the others to enter to show his....pain. He'd talked to Robin about it, assuring that he's making the right decision to go with this. It was strange. Strange for him to ask for someone for their opinion on what he should do. Out of the crewmates, it was Robin that could point him to the right direction, both literally and figuratively.
He had a thought of her, having that smile, those dark jokes that makes her more menacing, and those beautiful blue eyes that could reflect the blue sky. He had small smile, thinking about her can make him feel...happy. But how long will that happiness will continue and so their relationship? What is it? It is just friends or just....more than that? 'What are we?' He thought to himself. 'I let her sleep with me. I let her know my secret. She checks on me and have conversations from time to time. That woman is making this so confusing.' The thoughts that been interrupted by the door.

Luffy changed at the swordsman, colliding with him and falling onto the floor. Of course the captain was babbling and having tears coming out his eyes. "ZOROOOOOOOO!!" Said the crying Luffy. "W-we thought you were gonna die!" His arms were getting tighter and tighter, making it hard for Zoro to breath. "Luffy.....can't........breath." pleaded the struggling swordsman, when suddenly been released by the fist of the navigator. The huge bump on the captain was sizzling and it was hurtful towards the captain. "Will you just let him go, you rubber idiot?! Can't you see he's isn't well!?!" Yelled the irritated navigator. "Well, if he isn't well, then he'll better with some sake with him." He turned to look at Zoro. "Wouldn't it, Zoro?" The swordsman grinned happily at the suggestion of alcohol as a healing process. "Sure, it's not gonna kill me or anything." He started to get up, but the small reindeer transformed into his human form to set Zoro down again, not letting go nowhere. "No, Zoro! You shouldn't be walking around right now until we find out what's wrong with you. But until then, no alcohol. You should be drinking water from now on." Ordered the small doctor. Of course Zoro wouldn't be willingly to accept this decision. "I can't even have one?" Asked the swordsman. "Not even one, Zoro. Including training." Zoro was now irritated because of this decision. It made him limited his action upon the ship.

"Tch, that will be a pain in the ass." Said Zoro.

"But it'll be for your own good, green idiot." Said Sanji, sitting on the desk.

"Nobody was talking to you, curly bastard."

"Mosshead."

"Dartbrow."

"WHAT'D YOU SAY!!" They both said at the same time. Both were about to attack each other, but a groan was coming from Zoro. Sanji lowered his foot as he heard the swordsman's groans. Zoro started to take some deep breaths to let the pain pass. All eyes were on the Zoro now. They're were in shocked about his collapse on the deck.
They know now something was wrong, but of course, he wouldn't even say anything. Chopper was the one that wanted to ask the questions.

"Zoro, can you tell me what's wrong with you? You had a fever when I checked on you." Said Chopper. It made the crew members flinch after that Zoro was sick. Nami immediately started nagging at the swordsman with his arrogance. "Wait, he's sick?! What the hell is wrong with you, you blockhead? If Chopper said that you're sick, then you're sick." Zoro gotten irritated and response to Nami. "For your information witch, I thought it was just a fever. But I know it's obvious what's going on with me." They were slightly confused on what he was saying. Zoro looked over to Robin knowing that he will revel his body, which she nodded ready for the reveal. He looked towards them and started to get up again . The little doctor was about to protest again, but Zoro hand went up to stop him. "Wait Chopper. I need to tell you all something." Said Zoro. "What? That you have finally a brain in that thick skull of yours?" Joked Sanji, but nobody was in no mood for a laugh. "Shut up and listen Dartbrow. No, rather I'll show what's happening."

They were confused by his statement. What is going on with him? What is he going to show them? The swordsman sighed and started to remove his top. The archaeologist knew what was going to happen, so she closed her eyes not wanting to see the nightmare again. He'd whisper the words "do it" to himself and let the red form to take on upon themselves. It was there, the cuts, the bruises, the stab wounds that were there. Like before, the substance flowed freely down his muscled body, the inexperienced stitches doing absolutely nothing to ease it. There were gashed on his forehead, arms, torso, everywhere, even his usually bright green hair was toned down and dulled by layers of crusted blood. There was a particularly eye-catching one curving down his body from shoulder to hip, almost like it was purposefully tracing the long, thin scar that he had received from Dracule Mihawk. Another was a straight up stab into his broad chest just inches away from his heart, where she could see an infection setting in. One more made its way from his temple all the way down to his collarbone, tearing open the delicate skin on his neck but just shallow enough so that he would survive.

Luffy's eyes were widened after seeing this...this wounded crewmate. He was angry and sad at the same time, how could this happen? How did he endure this wounds? He'd lower his hat down covering his eyes reimagining the condition that his first mate was in. Usopp was jaw dropping seeing Zoro like this. Nami covered her mouth in shock, wanting to know what happened to him. Sanji's cigarette dropped on the floor. The cook was devastated by the sight he was seeing, he knew that something was wrong with him but he just brushed it off. 'Damnit you mosshead!' He thought. 'We suppose to get stronger from that two years separation. He'd barely escaped death before, and now he wants to play with it again. This reckless idiot!' Chopper was staring, analyzing the wounded body on how he's still alive. 'The infections look like it was there for months. The internal bleeding is getting worse and worse. The bruises.....how?' The tears were coming out of the reindeer's eyes. He covered them with his hoofs, trying not to let anyone to see him feeling useless. It felt like he couldn't do anything to help him. That he'd failed him. Suddenly, he felt something on top his head. A warm one that felt comfortable. Chopper looked up to see the wounded swordsman, rubbing the head of the reindeer, assuring that he's alright.

"Hey," said Zoro in a gentle tone. Tears were still coming out of the little reindeer. "Hey fuzzball. It's not your fault." "B-but look at yourself! Why you didn't say anything! If I know that you were like this, I would have help you! I'm the ship's doctor, Zoro! I'm the one that treat your wounds!" The doctor was livid, and he has the right to be. Zoro shouldn't be alive with the condition that he's in.

"I'd agree with the doctor, Zoro-San." Said Brook.

"Yea man, like we're worry about you." Said Franky

He looked up at the two crewmates. He looked so miserable, hanging on a thread of his life. He nodded knowing that they were right. He shouldn't be have keep this as a secret nor hold it in all this time. Luffy started to talk again, asking the serious question.

"How did you get like this?" Asked Luffy in a serious tone.

This will be difficult for Zoro to explain all his pain.