Zoro was sitting in a bar, it has been a couple days since he left his village and started sailing in hopes of finding the strongest swordsman and challenging him, but so far he didn't have any clues about his whereabouts.
He downed another beer and sighed at the burn going down his throat and the unfortunate situation he had gotten into, lost and broke without a clue how to find his goal or a way back home, but then a pair of men sat nearby and started talking.
"Have you heard the rumors about her?" one said.
"No" the other replied.
"They say her eyes are colder and more murderous then Hawkeye's"
Zoro normally didn't eavesdrop but once that name came up he paid closer attention.
"What? No way" the other disputed.
"Yes way, I've heard they call her the She Wolf because her eyes are only a warning like the growling of a mother wolf" the other argued.
"A warning? For what?"
"To anyone that pissed her off to run away before she cuts you into pieces" one said dramatically.
"As if, if that's true why haven't the marines caught her?" the other asked.
"It's true, she even kills the marines sent for her but her skills with the blade are too good, no one has been able to catch her" the first explained.
"Seriously? Seems like you definitely want to avoid getting on her bad side" the other said.
"Yeah, we best avoid that island for the time being, i heard she's been staying on it for a while" the first guy said.
"Which island?" the one guy asked.
"Grape Island" the other replied.
Zoro didn't need to hear anymore, he finished off his drink and paid it off before leaving to look for this girl.
~
Just as that man had said he found her at Grape Island, a small island in the middle of East Blue known for their excellent red wine.
After looking and asking around Zoro found her, she had shoulder length black wavy hair, a rather petite figure but long legs fully uncovered by the short skirt she was wearing, on her right hand side hung two sword, both an off white color.
She wore a black shirt with a pirate skull decal and two long necklaces hung around her neck, her face was round with a small upturned nose and thin lips, thin eye brows and her most striking feature yellow eyes that pierced like hawks.
Had Zoro cared much for appearances he would even say she looked beautiful, however he did not, she was sitting at an outdoor table in front of a cafe with a glass of red wine and some kind of sandwich in front of her, her eyes drawn to Zoro as he approached.
"Are you the one they call the She Wolf?" he asked.
She seemed displeased by the name but sighed "That is what i am called yes" she said, pausing to sip her wine before turning her sharp gaze back on him "Why do you ask?"
Zoro smirked "I've heard you have eyes like that of a certain man, i see they were not exaggerated" he said.
"Hm" she huffed a sigh "What about it?" she asked.
"I'm thinking you might know something about him" Zoro said.
"I might, what of it?"
"I'm looking for him"
"Clearly to challenge him" she paused looking him over analytically "Your blades won't reach him"
Zoro gritted his teeth "My blades will be the ones to cut him down, and then i'll be the greatest swordsman" he said.
"Maybe one day, but not today" she replied, standing up from the chair at the table, she wasn't that much shorter than him.
"I will!" Zoro barked out bristling, no one has gotten a rise like that out of him not since ... Kuina.
"We'll see, defeat me and i'll tell you all i know about him" she challenged.
"Fine, i'll show you my blades will reach him" Zoro accepted.
"My name's Nicole" she smirked, he noticed she neglected to say her last name.
"I am Roronoa Zoro, i will be the man who becomes the world's greatest swordsman" he replied.
Nicole smirked again "Follow me Roronoa Zoro, i know where we can duel" she said leading the way.
"Right" Zoro nodded and followed.
~
After the two clashed Zoro finally noticed no matter how hard he had tried he couldn't even get Nicole to move from her spot.
"How?" he panted "How can you still just stand there?!" he asked.
"It's nothing special really, i'm just listening"
"What?" Zoro growled.
Nicole blinked before snorting an amused laugh "Wow, you must have some serious wax in your ears if you can't even hear me, no wonder you can't hear your swords or all the other voices around you" she smirked.
"What are you talking about? You crazy or something?"
Nicole huffed amused "Well maybe a little" she then shook her head "But that's beside the point"
"Which is?"
"You'll never defeat me, let alone him as deaf as you are" Nicole said finally moving from her spot as she started walking away.
"Then teach me to listen" Zoro said.
Nicole turned to look at him, the swordsman was completely serious, she sighed.
"Fine, if you want to learn then follow me, i've got places to be" she didn't really but she did want to leave this place.
"Thank you" Zoro said and together they left the island.
(A/N: Only special chapters to go and i'll finish this book, and then i'll focus on book two, get that caught up, and then the live action if season two is out by then cause i'd have more to work with.)