Cassidy sat in front of Zoro and placed a large bottle of liquor on the table.
"And that?" the swordsman snapped with a big smile.
"I played a bet with an old man there, he lost and I won a bottle of liquor," she shrugged, uncovering the bottle.
"Oh, and Nami?" he asked confused, pouring the alcohol into the small shot glasses.
"She said he would go for a drink," she replied without much importance, bringing the small glass to her lips, downing the liquor in a single sip.
"It's very strong."
Cassidy laughed, drinking too.
"You're a complete drunk, Roronoa," she mocked.
"I bet you too."
"You're wrong, I know how to control myself, dear friend," she assured, raising her shot of liquor.
"You know nothing about me."
"I bet I know more about you than you know about me," he mentioned with a confident smile.
"Yes, of course," she responded sarcastically.
"Do you want to bet?" he smiled mockingly.
"If I guess something about you, you drink," he poured the liquor into three tiny glasses.
"If you guess something about me, I drink," he explained.
"I accept, swordsman," she smiled, crossing her legs.
"Tell me everything you know about me. I still don't know myself completely."
"I bet your mother pampered you so much as a child that now you're a real madam and drink water with ice cubes," he mocked, receiving a dirty look from the brunette."
"You must be thirsty."
"Was I wrong?"
"The truth is that my mother disappeared when I turned seven years old, I have always taken care of myself," she extended the little shot.
"Come on, drink, moss-head baby."
The green-haired man smiled and drank the alcohol in a quick sip.
"It's your turn, madame."
"Okay, but I've been reading you since you crossed the doors of that locker room," the brunette warned.
"I bet you didn't have any friends growing up."
"I had friends," the swordsman assured.
"Swords don't count," she interrupted, making the green-haired man laugh.
"I had a friend," he confessed, staring at her.
Cassidy wiped away her teasing smile
"Just like me," she smiled again and looked at him.
"Your drink."
"Your drink."
They both took their shots at the same time, and then looked at each other with a wide smile.
The minutes passed and Nami joined their conversation, in an attempt to get to know each other a little more. When Usopp interrupted them.
"Hey, we have a new best friend," the dark-haired man spoke, it was clear that he drank too much alcohol.
"What do you say your name is?"
"Which one of you is Monkey D. Luffy?" the stranger asked, getting straight to the point.
"Who wants to know?"
the navigator spoke.
"You are Dracula Mihawk," Roronoa revealed, staring at him.
"Do you know him, moss?" Cassidy asked in a whisper.
"I have pending issues with your captain," he ignored the swordsman.
"If you know what's good for you, give him to me."
"We don't know anything about this Luffy guy. Right, guys?" the orange-haired woman assured, receiving a quick nod from Cassie.
Zoro ignored the navigator and stood up instantly.
"Zoro?" Cassidy spoke confusedly.
"I've followed your career since I was a child," the green-haired man spoke.
"It's an honor to finally meet you."
"Thank you."
"That's why I'm sorry to inform you that tomorrow. . ." the swordsman approached Mihawk threateningly. "You're going to die."
"Wait, what?" both girls snapped in unison, straightening up.
"I, Roronoa Zoro, challenge you to a duel. To death," the green-haired man asked.
Mihawk looked at him with an air of superiority.
"I've never heard of you."
"They call me the Pirate Hunter. But my biggest dream is to surpass you in combat," he explained seriously.
"And to be the best swordsman in the world. Accept my challenge."
"Well, very good," the Shichibukai accepted.
"Tomorrow when the sun rises. After when I finish you, pirate hunter, I will finish your captain," Dracule Mihawk assured.
He himself turned around and gave Cassidy a look, who was looking at him with a frown and crossed arms.
"Your father is looking for you," he said as his last words, walking away from the tiny crew.
All eyes were directed towards the brunette, who had an expression of confusion and curiosity.
"M-My father. . . did he say. . ." she murmured, perplexed.
"My father is-is alive. . ." she stood up suddenly.
Cassidy eliminated all thoughts of her father and approached Zoro, grabbing his shoulders roughly.
"How do you think of that, animal?!" she shook him, reproaching him for the previous scene.
━♡
Cassidy had her arms crossed as she watched the swordsman clean his swords.
"Maybe you can convince him not to do it," Nami said, just as Luffy entered his crew's ship.
"It's not going to happen," Roronoa assured.
"What if you saw the size of his sword?" the navigator was surprised.
"That guy is going to make you sashimi."
"It's going to make you pure!" Cassidy exclaimed alarmed, circling the corner.
"What is happening?" the captain interrupted, oblivious to the situation.
"I'll be happy to tell you," the orange-haired woman responded.
"Your big, bad marine grandpa sent a warlord to take you with him. And instead of running away when we could, our beloved Zoro challenged him to a duel."
"Which he accepted," he said simply.
"You're a fly for that guy, moss head," Cassidy assured him, positioning herself next to him.
"Not if I win."
"You won't win," the navigator assured.
"You don't know," he narrowed his eyes and then looked at Cassidy.
"What do you say?"
"One percent probability and ninety-nine percent faith," Cassidy raised both thumbs, receiving a dirty look from Nami and a half smile from the swordsman.
"Hey, hey. Maybe we need more drinks," Usopp suggested, getting a dirty look from everyone.
"Tell your first mate that he is going to kill him," Nami asked towards Luffy.
"Tell your navigator not to get involved," the swordsman grumbled.
"Tell the waiter to be our cook," Cassidy followed the chain, getting strange looks from her companions.
"Hey. . . Zoro, think again," Cassidy drastically changed the topic, while she smiled nervously.
"Maybe this is not a good idea, Zoro," the captain finally said.
Nami looked at him and crossed her arms, completely agreeing.
"When you met me tied to that cross, what did I tell you?" the swordsman interrupted.
"What makes you think I wanna play pirates with you?" Luffy repeated.
"No, the other thing," the green-haired man denied.
"I kill your kind for a living," he spoke this time completely confident.
"No. . ." he let out a frustrated sigh.
"Oh! That you promised someone, a long time ago, to be the world's greatest swordsman," the brunette finally got it right.
"The only way to achieve this is to defeat Mihawk in a duel and take away his title," the swordsman explained.
"And that is exactly what I will do," he assured the navigator.
"Even if you die in the process?"
Everyone was silent.
"Could you tell him something, please?" Nami asked towards the captain.
"It's his dream, Nami," Luffy smiled.
"I can't get in the way of someone else's dream."
"Zoro, you are already the best, in my little heart, please don't die, okay?" Cassidy begged, taking him by the shoulders.
"But you are not better than him. If you fight tomorrow, you're going to lose," Nami interrupted, making Cassidy sigh.
Roronoa ignored her and continued walking. Cassidy snorted and kept up with her companion.
"I'm not saying to give up on your dream, but you could get stronger before this, don't you think it's too soon?" the archer spoke, following the steps.
"It has to be now," he assured.
"Also, why do you care so much?" he spoke without looking at her.
"Because you're my friend, moss-head," she mentioned obviously.
The swordsman turned to look at her and tapped her head lightly with the handle of his sword.
"I will not die. I promise you," he smiled and Cassidy sighed, totally surrendered.
"If you die, I will take you out of the grave and kill you myself," she warned.