A/N: Hey, everyone, I just want to thank you reading and reviewing my story. It means a lot to me. :) Thanks for staying with me till the end. (Yep, this is the last chapter)
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.
(A few days later on the Straw Hat's ship)
It was about three days ago since Tashigi was accepted into the crew, and there wasn't even a question as to why she asked to join. But, it was a pretty good guess that she wanted to join because of Zoro.
Ahh..blossoming love.
And now that everybody was on the ship, they could go to Dressrosa. Except, Tashigi was planning a little pit stop. Oh, and did I mention that Tashigi asked to be trained under Zoro?
Yeah..and of course Zoro accepted, but under one condition.
"ASSISTANT!" Zoro called, and Tashigi ran over to him, tightly holding a rag.
"Yes..sir?" Tashigi asked, her lips curving downward in annoyance.
"I have some sweat on my brow, and I can't seem to reach it." Zoro replied, smirking mischievously.
Damn..he's enjoying this too much.
"Gahhh! When are you going to train me!?" Tashigi queried, angry as she wiped the sweat off Zoro's brow hurriedly.
"Be patient, young one."
"I'M OLDER THAN YOU!"
"And..?"
"Zoro! Please! I need to be trained!"
With a sudden quickness, Zoro grabbed Tashigi's wrist tightly, and glared at her. Tashigi gulped anxiously as he whispered something into her ear.
"I won't train you until you tell me the whole story.."
Tashigi's eyebrow furrowed angrily, her eyes wavering as she glared back at him.
"I..can't.." Tashigi declined, her voice shaking.
"And why not?"
"You know that Kuina girl, right?"
"...Yes..."
"Then it would be too hard to tell you."
"Why?"
Tashigi didn't answer, and walked away, and even said something that made Zoro seriously think for a second.
"If you knew the truth, the way you'd look at me..would change."
And she walked away from him, leaving Zoro stunned.
(In the kitchen)
Tashigi stepped inside the nice-smelling kitchen, and instantly got offered a drink by none other than Sanji. Though, drinks were the last thing on the marine woman's mind, and she quickly declined the drink and she sat next to Nami, whom was drinking a probable alcohol.
"Ah, hi Tashigi-san, how's the training with Zoro?" Nami asked casually and took a sip of her drink.
Tashigi's eyed lowered as she was asked that question. They had a major drama festival just a few minutes ago.. "Not so well," Tashigi replied, and her voice was exasperated. "He won't train me."
"Why not?"
"Because..I need to answer a question to him.."
Nami's eyes constricted, interested in what the question was. "And..what is the question?"
"..Just..my past. That's all."
"I see.."
"Nami.."
"Yes?"
"I have a favor that I must ask of you."
"Uh-huh?"
"I need you to stop at a certain island."
(Back to Zoro)
"That woman..what did she mean by that? I just want to know the truth! I don't care if it will change my life.." Zoro thought to himself, frowning in frustration.
All he could think about was what Tashigi meant by her words, and if she was connected to Kuina. That's all he was really interested about.. Wait a second..why was the ship moving?
"Zoro, sir." Tashigi called tauntingly, and Zoro glared at her.
"What's going on?" Zoro asked frantically and stood up eye-to-eye with Tashigi.
"We're going to Kuina's grave." Tashigi simply replied, and Zoro's eye widened in shock.
"What!? Why?"
"Because..I want to know something as well, Zoro."
"What are you talking about?"
"You will see."
And Tashigi kept silent the rest of the time they were sailing to the island. Zoro however, was clueless as to what she was talking about. What is she plotting? Did this girl just want to see the legendary swordsman, Roronoa Zoro cry or something? Well, that will NEVER happen! Again..
(At the island)
When the Straw Hats docked at the island, Law was clearly pissed off, spouting on and on about Dressrosa this, and Dressrosa that. Jeez, he was obsessed with that place or something. But anyway, he would just have to deal with it.
Hah..just as expected from this island. It gave off a depressing feeling, as if it was a curse placed on Zoro's and Tashigi's heart to not go there ever again. Yet, she still had to know something. Once she found out what she wanted to know, she would tell Zoro the whole story.
But, with further analyzation, Tashigi observed that Zoro was feeling a certain sorrow. He must miss her..
"Everyone, me and Zoro are going somewhere important..we would like you to stay here. Please." Tashigi announced, and everyone nodded in understanding, except for Law who was extremely pissed off at this point.
"Go on, Tashigi. Find out the truth." Nami urged from aboard the ship, smiling down at her.
"I will." Tashigi replied, smiling back and dragged Zoro to a rather familiar Dojo..
(At the town's main dojo)
"Zoro, I want you to stay outside the dojo for a minute, please." Tashigi said, and Zoro's eye seemed completely fixed on the dojo.
It was like he was walking through some kind of hell. But what type? What about the dojo is making the swordsman so skittish? It's kind of weird if you ask me.
"..Yeah.." Was all Zoro uttered and his eye kept wavering. "This is the dojo where's Kuina's father resigns..isn't it?"
And with that said, Tashigi walked into the dojo, leaving Zoro outside. Hopefully, he won't roam around and get lost. But there it went, the nostalgic feeling bursting through her heart. The place where it all happened..
"Oh my..goodness! It's you!" The man exclaimed, and ran to Tashigi, hugging her like crazy.
"..Yes..it's me. Father.." Tashigi airily clarified.
"I missed you so much! What made you come all the way out here!?" Tashigi's father asked, his face beaming with happiness.
"I have a favor to ask you..it's very important." Tashigi answered, her cheeks turning a bright red.
"Well, out with it! I'll do anything, sweetie." The father assured, still smiling.
"..I..I..umm..I.." Tashigi stammered, and her index fingers twiddled around shyly.
"You can ask me anything, okay?" The father reassured, and Tashigi's face turned an even brighter red.
"I..like this guy-" Tashigi finally said, but she couldn't seem to finish speaking due to a hefty man barging into their home.
"ALFO!?" Tashigi and her father said in unison.
(Outside the dojo)
"Man..this place brings me back.. I wonder if the old man still works here.." Zoro thought aloud, and wishes that he could see him again.
But..there's something that has been boggling Zoro's brain for a while now. Why did Tashigi want to come here after she said she wouldn't tell him anything about her past? Jeez, this was confusing.
Suddenly, the door was thrown open, revealing a very buff man in a ninja suit, and he was carrying Tashigi over his shoulder. Zoro's eyes widened due to seeing Tashigi's distressed eyes, and panicked flailing. Was she being kidnapped!?
"Hey." The man greeted simply, and Zoro waved lightly in return.
"Uh..why are you carrying Tashigi?" Zoro questioned, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Oh, I'm kidnapping her and claiming her as my wife." The man answered, and Zoro's mouth gaped open in shock.
"EHHH!?"
And the man swiftly ran off, with Tashigi screaming through the tape on her lips.
Okay..Zoro had finally come to the conclusion that she was being kidnapped, and he ran after the man in full pursuit. But still..this is kind of..sudden. Its just one shock after another.
Just as fast as lightning, the man whom kidnapped Tashigi, came down on Zoro, stomping frantically on Zoro's face.
"WHAT THE HELL, MAN?" Zoro fumed as his face was being brutally upon.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME AND TASHIGI'S LOVE LIFE!" The man yelled out, sobbing afterwards as he ran off.
"ZORO! Please! Save my daughter!" Tashigi's father begged, and Zoro lightly sighed.
"What even happened?" Zoro asked, cocking his eyebrow.
"In short, that man has wanted to marry Tashigi for years, and he heard that she came back to this island, and he threw himself into our house, and kidnapped Tashgi! So, go save her!"
(In town)
"I can't believe this. I lost them. Pfft..if only Tashigi were here..but, she just had to go and be kidnapped. Selfish jerk." Zoro muttered to himself as he was aimlessly walking around the town.
Suddenly, his eyes constricted as he heard a familiar cry.
"Tashigi?!" Zoro called, and looked around just in time to see her being carried off towards a wedding chapel. "OI!"
With a forced quickness, Zoro chased after the man carrying Tashigi, but the thing that puzzled Zoro the most was that Tashigi was wearing a wedding dress. Uhh..why? It made no sense to him.
But, he quickly shook it off and chased after them into the wedding chapel.
(In the Wedding Chapel)
After getting lost trying to go straight, Zoro had finally concluded which direction to go to, and he made it to the wedding chapel. Yes, he was right in front of the chapel, but during that time, he got lost going straight. Classic Zoro.
But now, the swordsman made it inside.
As soon as he walked in there, he saw Tashigi standing before the man, and smiling? Why the heck was she smiling? Then, he finally realized that they were getting married. His eyebrows cocked instantly, confused by the suddenness of everything. It just didn't add up.
But then..
"Will you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest asked Tashigi, and Tashigi looked over t the man, smiling brightly.
"I do." Tashigi replied, looking at Zoro with the corner of her eye.
"TASHIGI! WHAT THE HELL!?" Zoro asked, fuming incredibly and trudged over to her.
"Excuse me, uhh, hefty boy, that woman is my wife-oof!" The large man protested, but instantly got K'OED by Zoro.
"Then you're getting divorced!" Zoro retorted, still as angry as hell.
"Z-Zoro, calm down." Tashigi said in a sweet vocie.
"I WON'T! HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK TO MARRY A GUY LIKE HIM?! IF ANYONE DESERVES TO MARRY YOU IT'S ME!" Zoro yelled, his face red with fury, until he had realized what he just said.
"H-huh?" Tashigi stuttered, blushing madly.
"I-I-I.." Now it was Zoro's time ot stutter like an idiot as his face turned a bright pink.
"Now, now..not...hah..so fast." The man managed to utter out, finally waking up from a mild concussion. "Tashigi..hah..is mine!"
The man swiftly picked up Tashigi, and put a katana to her neck.
"Even if we must die together to be truly together forever, then so be it!" The man exclaimed as he was about to cut her head off.
"NOO!" Zoro bellowed as he rushed over to stop the bloodshed, and he instinctively shoved the man over, but in turn fell on top of Tashigi.
As both their eyes slowly fluttered open, Zoro was the first ot realize the ugly truth. Tashigi was cut, badly.. Her mouth gushing out blood, and her pulse weakening, as well as her breath being rugged and loose.
"..Z-Zoro...hah...ha..." Tashigi huffed out, more blood coming out of her mouth.
"Tashigi! Stay awake! I'll get you out of here, okay?" Zoro assured, but Tashigi weakly grabbed Zoro's hand, and said some haunting words.
"..It's too late, Zoro. The..hah..nearest hospital is..ha..hours away. I'm sorry.." Tashigi stated, her lungs begging for air.
"..I can do it, Tashigi! I]ll just go really fast, and we should make it!" Zoro reassured, but Tasigi once again said, with a weakness in her voice.
"You can't make it. I can't make it. Zoro..please..hah..it's..time..ha..I say good-bye.." Tashigi said, tears slowly appearing from out of her eyelids.
Zoro glared down at her, his lips clenching back, as well as his teeth gritting in anger and frustration. And you wouldn't believe the next thing that happened. Yes..the great, tough and buff Zoro, cried.
"..T-Tasihigi...Tashigi.." Zoro kept repeating as he shakily held my hand. "I don't want to say good-bye!"
Tashihi's eyes widened, and soon narrowed as tears continuously fell down her cheeks. It was working..but..would he still love me after this? And with that thought floating around in her mind, she decided to speak once more.
"Zoro..I..hah..have a confession..t-to make.." Tashigi weakly said, and Zoro stared into her eyes, still crying. "You..hah..were right all along..ha..I-I never..hah..wanted to be a swordsman.."
Zoro's eyes constricted with that statement, and he listened closely to the rest of her words.
"I did it for my sister, whom died from falling down the stairs. She always wanted to be the best swordsman, and so I wanted to be the best..for her. And now..I can't." Tashigi sobbed, blood still falling from lip.
"Wait...Kuina..she.." Zoro said silently as his eyes widened more immensely.
"Yes..ha...s-she..ha..is my sister.." Tashigi confessed, and Zoro backed up a bit and he couldn't seem to speak.
Kuina was Tashigi's sister, and that meant that..
"Oh..." Was all Zoro could think to say.
"See..?" Tashigi said bitterly, looking away in disappointment. "T-the way you..hah..look at me..has changed.."
Zoro didn't speak, and kept his mouth shut as Tashigi frowned at him.
"Y-you're just like everybody else..ha.. L-looking at me with..hah..hah..d-disgust, because I'm n-not as great as my sister..hah.. Do m-me a favor and..ha.. go away-."
"No." Zoro interjected, and Tashigi glared right at him, slightly shocked. "Tashigi, I'm looking at you differently, yes, I admit. But, not for that reason. You gave up your dream for your sister..right?"
"...So what if I did?" Tashigi bitterly admitted.
"You idiot!" Zoro exclaimed, and smacked her across the face. "You gave up your dream! How could you even possibly imagine to be a swordsman, not to mention the world's best swordsman if you have no real drive for it!? It makes me sick. People like you who drive on someone else's dream with no real want for it! While there are people who work their ass off for that title!"
Tashigi just laid still, ignoring the pain in her cheek, and now reminding herself of the pain in her heart.
"..But..you did it for your sister, I know. But, Tashigi, you don't have to worry about taking over your sister's dream, because I am. With her katana in my hand, it will be just like she's there. Don't worry about it, all right? You have your own dream to fulfill. And I'm not going to let you die before you can even enjoy that dream." Zoro preached, and then gently picked her up.
"Z-Zoro.." Tashigi stuttered, sniffling horribly. "Thank you..."
And with that said, Tashigi planted a kiss on the swordsman's neck and let him carry her away.
(In the hospital room)
Tashigi's eyes fluttered open, a blinding light making her flinch. But then her eyes soon adjusted to the brightness, and she looked around the room. Oh..wow..she made it to the hospital? Blinking a few times, Tashigi pinched her cheeks and arms, and she finally concluded that she was indeed alive.
"That swordsman..did it.." Tashigi happily sighed in relief. "Nn..where is he anyway?"
Quickly, the hospital door to her room opened, and a nurse came in with a glass of water.
"Ahh, the doctor said you'd be awake by now, so I got you a glass of cold water." The nurse stated, and handed me the glass.
I swiftly gulped it down, rushing to ask the nurse a question.
"Before you go, can you tell me where a green-haired swordsman is?" Tashigi asked, and the nurse tilted her head for a second and then "oh'd".
"Oh! You mean Roronoa! He carried you in, and paid ahead of time for your procedure. He exited though..but also left you a note." The nurse answered, and Tashigi frowned, upset.
"Thank you..would you mind leaving? Please?" Tashigi asked politely, and the nurse sadly nodded and left the room.
Tashig looked around the room again, and finally located the note conveniently on the desk next to her. In an instant, she opened it, and read the words so messily written on the piece of paper.
'Dear Tashigi,
I hope by the time you read this, you'll be okay. Don't overdo anything! Rest, please. Ah, and don't bother looking for me, I left with my crew. Don't worry about carrying your sister's dream, I'll be doing that, so go on and do your OWN dream. Oh..and I know it's not a lot, but here's some money to start your dream.
..By the way, I know it's selfish, but could you stay here, on this island? I want to be able to find you when I come back. But even if you don't stay here, I'll find you. Because by the time I'm the best swordsman, I'm taking you as my wife. So please, wait for me.
Love, Zoro.'
"You selfish idiot!" Tashigi said to herself, and tears fell off her cheeks. "Of course I'll wait for you.."
Saying that as a happy smile began gracing her lips, she held the note, and the money tightly in her hand.
(On the Straw hat ship)
Zoro watched the sea crash against the ship, and looked rather sorrowfully at the sky. He missed hearing that marine woman's bickering and nagging. But..he would soon see her again.
"Hey, Zoro, don't forget about the berri you owe me." Nami reminded as she passed by.
"I won't." Zoro assured as he held a black, square-box tightly in his palm. "It was worth every berri..Tashigi."
A/N: Welp, that's the last chapter. I hope all of you guys enjoyed it thoroughly.