Across the Ocean

        Zoro followed behind everyone as they led the girl to the Thousand Sunny. He had never met a female swordsman that could block his every move. It was only a dual-sword battle, but still it was very impressive. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was different about this girl. That look in her eyes it was the look of a killer. He didn't trust her and planned to keep an eye one her.

        "Come on Zoro!" Luffy yelled.

        "Alright," Zoro yelled back.

        He hadn't realized that he had stopped walking. Luffy was waving at him from the Sunny. Zoro sighed as he jumped on board the ship. He followed everyone into the kitchen where Sanji started cooking. Zoro enjoyed the cook's food, although there was no way in hell he would ever admit it out loud.

        "Hohohohoh," Brook's laugh heard before he opened the door. "My, it would seem we have a guest and a very lovely one at that." Zoro watched as the tall skeleton walked over to the girl. "Might you... show me your panties?" Brook asked with a serious tone.

        "How can you ask that," Nami yelled as she kicked him.

        The girl started to laugh. Zoro's heart picked up some at the sound. It was soft and he couldn't help but want to hear more. He shook his head, what was wrong with him? It was like earlier when Luffy threw her into him. He felt someone staring at him and looked right into a pair of light blue eyes. He saw the blush touch her cheeks as she looked away. Zoro looked down at his beer.

        "So, what's your name?" Nami asked as Sanji placed a plate of food in front of the girl.

        "Suki Mizuka," The girl said. With a smile she added, "This smells amazing!" 

        "What brings you here?" Franky asked.

        "I'm looking for Sabo." she said as she took a bite.

        Luffy froze in the middle of shoving his food in his mouth. Zoro found the behavior odd. His captain's straw hat cast a shadow over his eyes. Something was up. Luffy surprised everyone when he grabbed the girl around her throat and slammed her against the wall. Zoro instinctively reached for his swords, but he had an odd feeling. What was this?

        "What do you want with Sabo?" Luffy said uncharacteristically serious.

        "How do you know my brother?" she said just as serious.

        Zoro watched as Luffy's hand went slack. "Brother?"

        "Who is Sabo?" Robin asked.

        "My brother," Luffy said staring the girl in the eyes.

        "Huh?" came everyone's reply.

        "I thought Ace was your brother." Usopp asked.

        "My brother was the son of a noble, how do you know him?"

        "We ran around Gray Terminal together." Luffy said.

        A new light sparked in her eyes as she asked excitedly, "Do you know where he is now?"

        "You don't know?" Luffy asked.

        "Know what?"

        "Sabo went down with his ship years ago." Luffy explained, "He died."

        Suki's hand went to her mouth in a gasp as tears began to form in her eyes. Zoro watched as she slid down the wall Luffy had her pinned to just moments before. "Dead," she whispered. "Sabo is dead." 

        Nami kneeled next to her. Zoro found himself wanting to comfort the girl. He tightened his grip on his mug in order to keep from moving. All these years his focus has been becoming the greatest swordsman in the world. He is training to defeat Dracule "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk. He admits to having a few girls, but at all of the girls that he had met, none of them made him like this. He wasn't even sure what it was that he was feeling exactly.

        "How?" Suki asked Luffy, almost pleading. "How can he be dead?"

        "I was told it was some noble that shot at his ship shortly after he set sail."

        "How did you not know?" Usopp asked.

        "Yeah, aren't you his sister?" Chopper asked.

        "I was kidnapped when I was six by pirates." She sounded numb. "They wanted a ransom that my father refused to give. The man disowned me right then and there." Suki said.

        "What?" came the collective reply.

        "I have been hitching rides from many different ships, going from one island to the next in the hope of finding my brother, and now I find out that he is dead. I don't know what to do anymore." Suki said as she stared at nothing.

        "I know," Luffy said. "How about you join my crew?"

        Suki looked up at him. "Seriously?"

        "Yeah," he said with a smile.

        "But you don't really know me, and you want me to join?"

        "Yep," he nodded.

        "I wouldn't mind having another woman around." Nami said.

        "Should be interesting." Robin added.

        "Sure, I guess I can for awhile." Suki agreed.

        Zoro finished his beer and left the three idiots with their singing. He stepped outside as the wind picked up, and he closed his eyes allowing the wind to caress his face. He breathed in the sea air before breathing out to relax himself. He jumped over the railing, landing on the grass. He couldn't explain the unease he felt, so he decided to do what he normally did, work out. Zoro dropped to the grass and started doing push ups. He heard the cabin door open then close, but thought nothing about it.

        After he was satisfied with his push ups, he stood on his hands for several minutes before doing push ups that way. He had to work on his balance while he kept his legs in the air. The exertion did wonders to clear his mind, and he loved it. Zoro enjoyed pushing himself to his limits and then beyond them. It made him a better swordsman to overcome any obstacle that came his way.

        "So this is where you ran off to," Suki's voice drifted to his ears.

        Zoro lost concentration and fell landing on his back. He looked up into those light blue eyes. She looked so innocent, and yet he knew they possess the air of a killer. They were so captivating that he found himself wondering if he would be able to overcome this obstacle.