Chapter 27
A/N
Pic: Young Katou dont know what anime but her names is Yumeki Merry.
Dedicated: madly_mali
I know I said Ace would be the next One Piece character to be introduced but I've changed my mind... I know a couple people will be happy I did this person instead of Ace...This new character will appear a lo later too... Geeee...
This is also a bit longer than usual chapters so if you don't have time to spare wait until you do. Also grab a box of tissues.
Katou's POV
Zoro said that he would take me on a date after the ball... Aish, I'm so nervous... About both things...
He also said he won't see me until then, tomorrow...
I asked what he was doing and he told me it was a secret...
Stupid secrets...
On a good note the warm weathers back!
One thing you should know about Nihoji season cycle is that it's like nothing you've heard of before coming here...
December and January is know as mild winter, no leaves fall of trees but it's still cold enough to snow, what the fuck right?
February, March is true summer.
April and May is spring
June, July and August is harsh winter.
September and October is blank summer (summer with leafless trees, just hot and humid).
November is the most special time of the year in Nihoji... One month Autumn... Our leaves from our trees fall in one week and stay bare for the next week, then start to grow back and finally the cycle is completed.
I've started to think that all legendary swordsmen are born in this time frame though...
Ie, Zoro and Xiou...
Lots of scientist and researchers come to Nihoji to study the strange weather patterns... The conclusion is always the same...
Inconclusive... But recently the world's top notch scientist proved that it was because of the effects of living right next to Reverse Mountain, not in The Grand Line, but not out of it...
Or some crap like that... I don't care so I don't bother.
I just wish to live on an island that's always hot and sunny!
Like tropical weather everyday...
I sipped my cup of coffee and hear the door open loudly.
Which idiot today?
I turn around and my eyes widen.
Usopp?
"Usopp? What are you doing here!" "I need to talk to you about Nami." My eyes widened even more and I nodded my head.
"Sure, coffee?" "No, but thanks."
"So what is this about Nami?" I ask showing him to the receiving room (I've got a room for everything!).
"I really like her." He looked down scrunching his brown overalls in his hands.
"You liked me, you like Nami... Even when we were kids you liked Miss All Sunday who owned the bookstore... She's strange, always wears a mask... It even conceals her eyes... Anyway..."
"Yeah but I only liked you because you are so good at sport and you are like a brave warrior, I wasn't fanatic or anything... I NEVER LIKED MISS ALL SUNDAY LIAR!" "Calling me a liar? Whatever..."
"The thing is... I think I might love Nami... We have lots of things in common too. You, Sanji and Luffy are all super strong but me and Nami aren't... We rely on inventions and luck..." He put a hand on his chin and his face appeared sad
"So what do you want for me?" I ask drinking more coffee.
"Give her hints and stuff... You know... To give me more attention..."
I suddenly laughed, reminiscing about two days ago...
She was so flushed when I confronted her about Ussop...
"She said yes to going to the ball with you... What more do you need? I think she likes you anyway..." His face shone and he hugged me and I pushed him off.
"Get off! Go see Nami, your too bright for this time of morning."
He ran out of the house fast and I sighed.
Stupid people with their sappy emotions, I love Zoro but I don't let the whole world know!
Sanji was still sleeping and Chopper was out looking for things for medicine in the forest.
So I just mindlessly walked around the house...
I stopped at the green door of Xiou's room...
I haven't been in here since he died.
The first week of his death I locked myself in his room, not moving anything... Just sitting on his bed like a statue.
Maybe I should go in there?
You only live nine times right?
I opened the door and quickly walked in, shutting it behind me.
I looked around at the medium sized room, it was dusty... Just sitting here all these years.
I walked over to something that seeked my attention...
A box labeled photos.
I took out the box and started sneezing from the dust, why do I sneeze so easy? Zoro must know this since he dropped a bucket of feathers over my head!
I looked through the photos gently, most were of his family in China, Mihawk and some pirates that were in the Strong Heart pirates...
I stopped at one of the photos which had the whole crew smiling and posing.
I read the names from left to right down the bottom and suddenly I came to a name that shocked me...
For a second everything went blurry and smudged.
I re-focused my eyes and looked closely at the two people.
Roronoa Rozoshi and Roronoa Yoko.
If I wasn't already surprised already I looked closer at Yoko and I dropped the photo gasping.
I picked it up and looked at it again to make sure what I saw was correct...
If this is Zoro's mother... Wow...
She's a mermaid.
She's sitting in a glass tank holding Rozoshi's hand... They looked about my parents age at the time, maybe a few years older... 3-5 years older I'd say...
Yoko had long green hair the exact colour of Zoro's and Rozoshi had short brown hair like Zoro's... They must be his parents...
But that would mean Zoro's half merman!
'I never knew my parents. An old lady named Harutosan looked after me, she never told me where my parents are, or who she exactly is and why I was with her. When I was nine she died so I went to the dojo in the town over an they took me in. That's how I learnt how to fight.'
Harutosan...
Maybe she's in here too?
I scanned the rest of the names and assuredly she was their.
A middle aged lady with black hair bundled on her head, she had a smirk on her face and a gun in her hand.
This must mean they really are his parents... Explains the weird hair colour...
The next picture I found confirmed my suspicion.
It was Zoro with his parents, Yoko's legs also split... She looks about 35 their...
The picture behind it was of my parents, Yoko, Rozoshi, Zoro... And Sanji and I? All standing in a line, I'm on my dad's shoulder and Zoro is standing half behind his mothers leg peaking out and glaring at the camera and Sanji is blowing a kiss to the camera...
I almost fainted looking at this, my god... We have met before?
The inscription on the back says.
'Reuniting with our best friends, the Roronoa's and their five year old son Zoro.'
The next photo I felt myself choking and I had to run and get a drink of water than return quickly.
The picture was of five year old me and Zoro...
He was bowing to me holding yellow flowers out to me with a very serious face... I'm just giving him the what the fuck stare...
The back says.
'Yoko told little Zoro to give our Katou flowers and he gave her a 90• bow with a very serious face, everyone laughed and remarked on his cuteness but Katou called him an idiot and that those were not in fact purple so she could not except them... Zoro was very upset, silly girl...
Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god...
MY HEAD HURTS!!!
Too much information to take in at once...
Zoro's half merman, we have met before... Ehhh?
I looked at the other photos and there was about ten taken on this day, of Zoro and I and our parents...
One of them shows Zoro in our garden looking for purple flowers.
Another shows me pulling his green hair in interest and him pouting.
I laughed at this one very hard...
I don't remember this day though... I don't remember much after the incident honestly...
There was also one with Zoro and Sanji standing side by side with Sanji glaring at Zoro and Zoro is looking away...
He seemed a lot more... Sensitive? As a child...
This is crazy... How can this possibly be?
Then suddenly a memory came to me...
~FLASHBACK~
"Baka! I know that's purple but you destroyed my pretty lavender patch!" I shouted at the green haired boy. "I'm so sorry! I just wanted to make you happy!" He put his head in his hands. "Katou, don't be ruff with him, he's just being nice!" My mother scolded me.
I poked my tongue at her and looked back to Zoro.
"You want to make me happy?" He nodded and I laughed. "Then tell me why your hair is green! The only person I've seen with green hair is your mother and you!" "Because she's a mermaid!" "A MERMAID! That's awesome! Mrs Yoko are you really a mermaid? Why don't you have a tail?" I walked up to the laughing women and she ruffled my shoulder length purple hair.
"When mermaids get to be about 30 our tail splits and we are able to walk around like humans..." "Ohh! Is it painful? Does that mean your a merman too Mr Rozoshi?" "Hehe, no I'm just a human, mermen's tails don't split... That's why Zoro looks normal." He explained and Sanji stroked his chin.
"Except for the hair..." I snickered sending a glare at Zoro. "My hair is normal!"
"I want a mermaid girlfriend... She's gonna be pretty like Mrs Roronoa!" "If he's like this at five I'd worry about him Hayato... Haha..." Yoko laughed and poked Sanji's nose.
~~
The memory ended and I covered my hand over my mouth.
It's true...
The question is... Should I tell Zoro? He said he didn't feel any connection to his parents because Harutosan told him he was abandoned as a baby... That women must've done something I his memory, what happened to his parents then? Are they still alive? Did they entrust Zoro to Harutosan or did she steal him?
Oh my god...
I HAVE A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY!
Then out of the blue, like an angel my answer appeared to me.
On the back of a photo of Rozoshi and Yoko was an address... A Nihoji address.
In the town of Leupicha... That's a five hour journey on train.
I've made up my mind. I'm going to visit them... I won't tell Zoro yet though I've got a plan.
I put the photos of that day and the one of the whole crew and a few of them a pirates in a separate box and went into my room and grabbed a couple of photos I've taken of Zoro and me these past three months.
I'll go tonight then I should reach there in the morning. Hopefully they still live there.
💜8:00pm Friday Night💜
I walked into the kitchen with a small suitcase and satchel.
"Oh hey where are you going?" Sanji said looking up from his card game with Chopper.
"I'm going somewhere for the weekend... I won't be back until Saturday or Sunday." I checked I had enough cash in my wallet and put it back in my satchel.
"Not with that marimo right?" Sanji said coarsely.
"No, if he comes here tell him I've gone and I'm looking forward to Monday." "Oh your going to that school ball with him! I wish I could go..." Chopper said smiling. "Whatever, I'll tell him... Have a good trip got a transponder snail I can reach you at?" "Yeah I do. Bye you two! Don't let Luffy eat that wax statue shaped as a cake... When I get back your telling my why you wasted money on it." "Alright... See ya. "Bye bye!"
I walked to the train station that was in the middle of Masakuto and Silcena.
Here we go... I'm actually doing this... I pray they are alive... At least one of us should have parents that are alive.
He said he doesn't remember anything about his parents... But you can't forget everything you knew at five can you? You can't not remember someone you knew for that that long, can you? And how does Harutosan come into the equation.
She must of done something to him... But why and how?
She was a member of the Strong Hearts... Why would she take the Roronoa's son...
Or what if they did die and in their will they entrusted Zoro to her... But wouldn't Zoro go with my family since they were best friends, Rozoshi was the first mate and a swordsman after all...
And in one of the pictures Yoko had a log pose on her arm... So she must've been the navigator...
MY HEAD HURTS FROM THINKING!
I might just sleep and when I wake up I'll be in Leupicha...
Yeah just try and sleep...
💜Leupicha Train Station 💜
I felt a someone gently shaking my shoulder, I opened my eyes to see a man in his early twenties with black hair, a goatee and very dark under eyes like he gets absolutely no sleep (kind of suits him though) he also had a northern style hat on.
"Excuse me miss but the train has stopped, we are here." "Oh arigatou!"
I walked out on to the platform and the guy with the goatee walk behind me.
"Your not from here, need some help?" "Thanks, that would actually be the best. Do you know where 14 Tokayi rd is?" "I do actually know where Tokayi rd is, it's about a fifteen minute walk, I'm heading past there now. Let me take you." He smiled at me and I blushed a little at the gesture. "Oh are you sure?" "Of course... I'm Trafalgar Law, you?" "I'm Kat... Nice to meet you and thank you." I told him my nickname in case he was some sort of psycho. He did look a little peculiar.
"I'm a doctor in Silcena, I'm out here on a call, you live there too?" "Sort of, Masakuto forest... I do my shopping an things in Silcena though." I looked at my surroundings, it was a cozy little town, you couldn't hear much... Just the whistle of birds.
"I think I know you..." He looked closely at me and I got nervous, I don't like people staring at me!
The he claps his hands together and points at me. "I know! Your the girl that visits the cemetery every week! My house is right across from it so I can see you, not being creepy but I hardly close my curtains..." "Yeah... I do go there every week, to visit a friend... That's a little creepy you remember my face though..." He blushed and I laughed hitting his shoulder playfully.
"I'm just kidding!"
NOT!
Some small chit chat conversed back and forth until he announced.
"This is where I leave you, it was nice meeting you formally Kat. Goodbye." "By Mr Trafalgar! Thanks for leading me here!" He turned around and winked at me.
"Just Law."
Lucky Zoro wasn't with me...
I walked around the street trying to find number 12...
Finally I spotted it, it was a light green weatherboard house with a dark blue door.
I knocked on the door and a lady with green hair with dark eyes and in her middle years opened the door.
I gasped and put my hand to my mouth. Zoro has so many of this lady's features..
This has got to be Yoko.
"Hello sweetie, how can I help you?" "Hi, by any chance are you Roronoa Yoko?" Her husband walked over to see who it was and I gasped again, the exact copy of Zoro but older and brown hair... At least I know Zoro will still be good looking when he is old.
"And Roronoa Rozoshi?" "Yes, this is." Yoko said and Rozoshi nodded his head.
"You may not remember me but I'm the daughter of Akemi and Hayato Natsumi... Katou, it's nice to meet you." Now it was their turn to gasp and instead of shock smiles bloomed on their face.
"Wow, you've grown to be a beautiful girl Katou, last time I saw you you were about five!" Yoko clasped her hands in excitement and Rozoshi chuckled.
"You look exactly like a female version of your father, the question is if you inherited his crazy and outgoing personality or your mothers calm and soothing one... Those two balanced each other well... Please come in, we'd love to share stories with you."
We sat down at a small table in their kitchen and Yoko poured me some coffee.
"Here, your trip must've been tiring." "Oh thank you, I love coffee."
"So how's your parents doing?" My smile faltered and I began to explain what happened to my parents and how Xiou took Sanji and I in.
Yoko bursted into tears and quickly wiped them up using tissue, Rozoshi's face looked sad and stricken.
"They were such good people and our best friends... That's very good of Xiou to take you and Sanji in though... We heard about his death, the whole world did... But they must kept your parents a secret because there was no public execution... I'm so sorry Katou, how insensitive of me to say such things, forgive me."
"It's okay, it's been a long time. I brought some photos, here." I passed them the nakama pics but not the ones I've recently taken of Zoro and I, also I only gave them the ones of the day they came to my house without Zoro... It's too early, I need more information.
I let them smile and reminisce for a bit until I started asking questions.
"Tell me... Besides the world government obviously... Is there anyone that would want to harm you?" I leaned closely to Rozoshi over the table as Yoko stood standing and looking through photos.
"What a strange question... I can only think of one person though... Her name was Rui Harutosan, she was a new recruit of your parents nakama until she killed a fellow crew mate we found out she was a spy from the government... She realised she couldn't beat us alone so she ran away and we never saw her again... We tried hunting her down to seek revenge but it's like she erased herself from the world... Why?"
"Oh my god..." I covered my hand over my mouth and I could feel tears stinging at my eyes.
"What's wrong? You look upset? You know we had a son once... His name was Zoro, you might not remember but he once came with us to meet you when he was five... A year later he just vanished... There was an investigation but there was no sign of him so he was presumed dead... We still don't know if he's dead or alive." Rozoshi said looking down and Yoko looked out the window trying to hide her tears.
"Actually... Your son is the reason I came here today... Those photos I showed you of the crew weren't the only ones..."
I placed the photos on the table and Yoko sat down and when she saw it she screamed.
I excepted no other reaction...
"Zoro? Is this really him? Is this my son?" Rozoshi held up the photo of him holding Wadō Ichimonji in his mouth with Kitetsu pointed at the camera cheekily.
Yoko was crying uncontrollably but she looked at the photo of him sitting next to me glaring at Luffy who is taking the photo, I'm eating a rice ball.
"Is this really Zoro?" She said in a shaky voice.
"Yes, this is Roronoa Zoro, when I saw Rozoshi you may have noticed I looked shocked and I gasped, he looks just like you."
I explained to them about how we met then told them my thoughts on how he disappeared.
"He told me an old lady name Harutosan brought him up and told him he was abandoned at birth, he said she was a mean old witch that deserved what she got in the end, a heart attack." "This explains a lot... Harutosan ate the memory memory fruit, she's able to take a period of up to five years memory... She just stole all the memories our son had of us... I hope she rots in hell." Rozoshi explained and I nodded my head.
"How he has grown so much... My little baby, so strong... But what's the point of a weight in the mouth." Yoko ran her hand over a photo of him training with weights.
I laughed and said. "Please let me fill you in on sixteen years of your sons life as best as I can."
I explained as most as I could, even about when Harutosan died how he trained in a dojo school and met Kuina and vowed to be to strongest swordsman in the world.
Everything up to today.
"The swordsmen blood runs through his veins... His grown up so much." Rozoshi sighed but I saw a small smile appear on his face.
"My baby... How did he get that scar running across his chest." Tears ran down Yoko's face and I laughed sheepishly.
"He fought Dracule Mihawk... What else?" "Ah good old Mihawk, we had some good days him, me and Xiou... I lived near them when I was sixteen... That's how I joined the crew and met Yoko, on Fishman Island, I fell in love at first sight..." Rozoshi said and his eyes shone.
"That's awesome! Oh and Yoko, you could expect my reaction to find out my boyfriend was half merman... Explains his freakish strength and hair colour." Her eyes widened and she laughed.
"Yes I suppose it would be! You two are such a good couple... He was really sweet to you when you first met but you just teased him! Hehe... He wouldn't stop talking about you after that day..." She looked down drying her tears once again.
"Will you take us to see him?" Rozoshi and Yoko said at once.
"I was just about to say... I don't know how he would react thought... He is very... Unpredictable... But I'll show him the photos and we can do it together! I would offer to go tomorrow because it's so sudden but would you mind catching the train tonight with me? It's just important to be back ASAP... You will also get to see Sanji..." "That's fine we can leave at nine pm tonight... I'd like to see what kind of man that cheeky Sanji has turned into." Yoko said beaming.
She must be ecstatic to see her son again...
"I can't wait to see Zoro, my son..." Rozoshi said with his head in his head smiling like crazy.
"Neither can I... My little boy is man now... We missed everything... His sixteenth and eighteenth birthdays, the most important ones... All his achievements... I feel so terrible for not being there." Yoko sighed running her fingers through her green hair, looking at all the photos.
"Yoko! Do not blame yourself! Harutosan is to blame! She failed her mission therefore being fired by the marines, ruining her life, all because of the Strong Heart pirates, then she figured out how to get back at you where it really hurts... The important thing is that Zoro is alive and your going to see him tomorrow!" "Yes and we thank you so much Katou Chan for bothering to track us down as soon as you found out." She ran her smooth hand down the side of my face, smiling.
"Yes, we thank you so much, I just can't believe this is happening... My lost son..." "He isn't anymore, he is your strong and caring son. He's been the best person he could possibly be to me... He's helped me with so much... This is my repayment to him." "I'm sure he feels the same about you Katou. You haven't properly slept... Please go take a nap in the spare room... Get some sleep sweetie..." Yoko ushered me to the hall way and Rozoshi added. "Yes, thank you and please rest."
I walked down the hallway with Yoko and suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" She asked. "I have your jewellery box... Zoro gave it to me... It was the one thing he had that was yours..." She held a hand up to her face and began crying, I pulled her into my arms and comforted her... This must be a huge shock... All in one day... Finding out her best friends are dead, her sons alive and healthy and that she was erased from his memory.
"Thank you for taking care of him... I knew that when he first met you that he was in love, I just never thought it was so powerful that it would bring you two back together." Now I started crying.
"He has done so much for me... He acts like a gentleman and takes care of me, protects me and is honest with me about everything. I'm so happy that I decided to walk into uncle Xiou's room and look at those photos... He deserves to know you exist... He told me that he didn't care about his parents because he never knew them, he said that they were probably bad people if they just leave their son as an infant... He doesn't know the truth and it breaks him... On the outside you would think he tells the truth about not caring but I can tell his heart is hurting... Hurting so bad... Please fix it." I cry into her shirt and she strokes my hair.
"Thank you for loving him. You tell me to fix his heart but I look at those photos and I believe it's already mostly fixed, you fixed it... Of course their will be a hole in his heart for his father and I but I'll fix up that part, you don't need to worry anymore. Now go get some sleep." I nodded and walked into the room and fell asleep in five seconds.
💚💚Silcena-Masakuto Train Station💚💚
I helped Yoko off the train and Rozoshi looked around.
"I'm about to see my son..." A couple of tears flowed down his eyes and I held both of their hands and walked to Zoro's.
When I reached his cabin I said to them.
"Listen, I know when you first see him you will scream and cry and all that stuff but don't say anything until I say so... He will freak out if you walk in and start preaching 'I am your father!' Okay?" They nodded and I opened the door.
Zoro was sleeping on the couch and I rolled my eyes.
I didn't look back at Yoko and Rozoshi because I know their faces will make me cry.
I crouched down to Zoro and hit his head.
"Wake up baka!" Zoro opened his eyes and groaned.
"I have a hangover, Luffy and Usopp came over and ate all my food and we drunk every- who's that and what wrong with them?" Zoro looked over to Yoko and Rozoshi.
They were crouched together I the floor crying and looking at Zoro in awe.
"Okay, listen to me Zoro, stay calm and when you hear what these people have to say listen and don't doubt them it's one hundred percent true." "Okay... Your creeping me out... Your not-" "SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" I went red because I knew what he was about to say.
I made Zoro sit at his table with Yoko and Rozoshi across from him.
I can't believe he can't recognise how much he looks like them!
"Z-Z-Zoro sweetie... My names Yoko, this is my husband Rozoshi, we knew Katou's parents, we were apart of their pirate crew, Rozoshi was the swordsman and I was the navigator..."
I knew I was right!
Rozoshi continued Yoko's steady transition into the inevitable.
"Zoro, our names are Roronoa Rozoshi and Roronoa Yoko." Zoro's eyes widened and he opened his mouth and his voice was shaky.
"What do you mean?" Yoko took his hand as tears poured down her eyes even though she was smiling.
"I'm your mother and this is your father."
Zoro snatched his hand back and I could see perspiration on his forehead.
His eyes went blank and I grabbed his hand and he squeezed it so tight I swear my circulation is being cut off.
"Zoro! Let go! Your hurting me!" By saying this he snapped back into presence and let go.
"How? What? I don't understand!" He stood up but I forced him back down.
Rozoshi and Yoko began to tell him what I told them with extra parts about his childhood.
They even spoke about how we met, originally.
Tears were running down his face and this is the first time I've ever seen Zoro cry, it made me cry too just looking at the emotion on his face.
Yoko took out photos of him as a child and he looked at them hard.
"My handsome son... You've grown up so much, you've turned into a lovely person... Katou told us all about how you are polite and nice with her... I'm so proud of you..." Yoko's tears ran heavy and Rozoshi added.
"Yes I agree, I'm also that even if you didn't know it you have lived on the swordsman blood in our family... To hold your own against Mihawk is an accomplishment to be proud of..." Zoro bit his lip and he put his head on the table hiding his emotions, probably because I'm here.
"Now is the really hard part..." I said. "Yoko, would you like me to tell him?" "Yes, thank you."
"Zoro, what I'm about to tell you doesn't change anything okay? You just need to know... Your mothers a mermaid, your half merman, hence the green hair, hence your freakishly strength... Have you ever wondered why you swam so well? Why you could hold your breath underwater for longer than an average human? Or why absolutely no one else has green hair... You are half fishy!" I said the last part childishly and the look on his face was priceless.
"What," he said bluntly, "you heard me baka. Don't worry your not a freaky Fishman, your a merman! Which is cooler and more sexy..." I patted his bicep in appreciation "This is too much to take in at once... Not to mention I have a blistering head ache from those idiots." He rubbed his forehead.
"DONT DRINK SO MUCH SAKÈ IF YOUR GONNA COMPLAIN IN THE MORNING!" Rozoshi laughed and said to Yoko.
"Well she certainly keeps him in line."
"Zoro, you should spend more time with your parents and get to know each other better and try and remember... Maybe because Harutosan died you might be able to rekindle some memories..."
I stood up and he grabbed my hand.
"Thank you for finding them... I may seem sad and overwhelmed but I'm really happy... Thank you so much." He said quietly and I saw Yoko smile at her sons emotion.
I waved to them and walked out the door.
I couldn't stop smiling because if Zoro's that happy then I'm five times more...
This guy deserves all this and more... I love him so much it hurts... But seeing him happy like that makes me feel like sky high, no further... Then heavens.
Because that's what he makes me feel like, I'm in heaven.
A/N *cries* I can't explain the emotion I had to channel to write this... It's important to comment on chapters like these emotional ones, I need feedback to learn, I want to be and author so I need to LEARN! Yeah that bloody word...
Thanks for 2K, mwah! Love ya guys!
I hope everyone is well.