CHAPTER 2: ENCOUNTER
“Land ahoy!” Usopp called from high above the post of the Going Merry.
Everyone gathered at the deck. There it was, right before their eyes, the Logue Island. They have finally reached their first stop. Nami the navigator did say that somewhere at the east-east-west of the island will be the road to the main Marine Force Centre. This was their first step to another dangerous adventure.
Thinking back, it had been a year since they started sail again. After Luffy’s death, the Going Merry crew went on their separate ways: Nami went back to her Cocoyashi Village and carried on with the lime business with her sister Nojiko, who was now married to a decent man from the next village; Usopp went back to his village and helped out with Kaya in her clinic, though he still had the habit of yelling “PIRATES!!” together with his little crew (who were not so little anymore); Sanji went back to the newly-improved restaurant boat and continued cooking for his customers together with Zeff, and surprised everyone in the restaurant boat by eating chewing gum instead of smoking; Chopper returned to his hometown and set up a clinic for the poor; and Zoro was celebrated by his fellow villagers for finally achieving his title as ‘The Greatest Swordsman’. Only after hearing about Shanks and his evil crew being sentenced to death did Zoro left his village again to gather all the ex-Luffy crew.
Before boarding back on the Going Merry after everyone was gathered, they did the swearing-in ceremony again. But this time they didn’t put their foot on the barrel. They had a moment of silence, thinking about the past and about Luffy. They shed their tears for Luffy that day and slit their arms with Nami’s dagger, letting their blood and tears fall on the barrel. There, they swore with their blood and tears that they will do this with no hesitations at all.
Now that they’re reaching Logue Island, they were ready for their ultimate quest. Slowly, they got on to the Logue harbour and scouted around to get themselves food supplies and pricked their ears for any information about the main Marine Force Centre. Zoro looked up at the death sentence stand and sighed. ‘At least he didn’t have to die up there for everyone to see,’ Zoro thought. He went to the shop where he got his recent swords and requested for a polish job.
“Ahh, here you are again,” the shopkeeper said cheerfully. “Word’s been spreading that you’re now the Greatest Swordsman status. How does it feel now you have recognition?”
“OK, I guess,” Zoro replied solemnly. “It wasn’t easy defeating Mihawk, but I succeeded.”
“Thanks to my great swords I gave you!”
“Yeah, I agree to that too.”
“Well, well, well. Look who came back from the land of the dead.”
Zoro turned around towards the owner of the voice. There behind him, wearing a thick leather jacket covering her marine uniform was Tashigi. She has changed the rims of her glasses from black to sky-blue, and was a few inches taller than the last time they met.
“Tashigi…” Zoro said, glaring darkly at her.
“It’s been a while, Zoro. Is that how you greet an old acquaintance?”
“I’ve no time for your cold remark and boyish pretence. If you wanna arrest me, I’m not going.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to arrest you. Not when your captain’s already dead and you have no one else to listen to.”
“Here are your polished swords, young man,” the shopkeeper handed the three swords to Zoro.
“Thanks,” Zoro said, then turned back to Tashigi, “If you’re not here to arrest me, what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to ask you if you want to join the marines.”
“Join the marines?” Zoro asked as he walked towards the shop door.
“Yes, the marines. You have the potential to be a marine fighter,” Tashigi replied, following suite. “That is, if you’re not into the pirate or the bounty-hunting business.”
“I’m neither. But I wouldn’t hesitate to become a pirate again if I have to.”
“Like I said before, it is a disgrace for great warriors like you to misuse the sword for cruel purposes. If you join the marines, those three swords of yours might be able to be put to good use. Come, join the marines. I can vouch for you if you like. I’m sure I can persuade Smoker to accept you.”
“Thanks for the kind offer, but I don’t think I can do that right now. I have unfinished business to take care of,” Zoro said, raising his swords to see if they’re polished right.
“If you’re looking for revenge, you’re too late,” Tashigi replied, looking worried. “I’ve heard about Shanks killing your captain. He’s already sentenced to death. Smoker did the honours.”
“I know that,” Zoro replied, not looking at Tashigi. He didn’t want to shed another tear. Not now.
“Then what are you going to do now? You have no captain and you have no reason to set sail. What else have you not done? Don’t tell me you’re back into bounty-hunting again!”
“No, I’m not. This unfinished business is something you’ll never understand the reason why. It might end my friends and me into serious trouble, maybe even death. Marine people like you will never comprehend what are we going to do. I can assure you that.”
“Zoro…” Tashigi was about to continue asking but was taken aback by Zoro’s sudden sweet smile.
“If I come back alive, I might consider your offer. See you then. Sayonara.”
Zoro walked off, leaving the dumbstruck Tashigi to her own thoughts.
“Hey, guys. Sorry I’m late,” Zoro called, entering the restaurant.
“What took you so long? Your lunch is getting cold!” Nami said.
“What did you get me?”
“Beef stew, fish curry soup and two pints of beer,” Sanji replied.
“Ahh, beer. Just what I need. Guess who I came across. That marine girl Tashigi.”
“Nani?! That tomboy Smoker’s girl?” Usopp was surprised. “What the heck is she doing here?!”
Zoro told them about their conversation. The rest of the crew was quite taken aback. Usopp whispered, “You didn’t tell her about our mission, did you?”
“Of course not, bakero! I wouldn’t want to risk us getting arrest before we even started now, would I? What is the atmosphere situation on this island, Nami?”
“Seems OK,” Nami said, looking her thermometer compass. “Air pressure is good, and the wind is blowing fine. I guess we’ll expect good weather today. We might still have time to gather more supplies for Going Merry.”
“Good!” Chopper beamed, “I can get more medicine and medical equipment for my kit. Don’t wanna go unprepared!”
“I thought you got enough the last time we went to see you,” Sanji asked, surprised.
“To you maybe, but not me.”
“Zoro! Is that really you, Zoro?”
Zoro searched around and was surprised to see Cobby and Hermeppo sitting at a table opposite his. Cobby waved happily at Zoro and Hermeppo looked at him grudgingly.
“You’re pretty famous today. Who’s that?” Sanji asked.
“An old friend of Luffy and I,” Zoro smirked and gestured them to come over. Cobby gladly obliged. Hermeppo hesitated before following suite.
“So, Cobby, you made it to the marines! You look so different now. Both of you look more muscular than the last we saw you. Don’t tell me Hermeppo is also in the marines!” Zoro grinned cunningly at the used-to-be-pampered-rich-boy Hermeppo. Hermeppo glared at him.
“If it weren’t for you and that rubber boy, I wouldn’t end up like this!” Hermeppo growled at first, then softened his tone, “Then again, I would’ve been as corrupted as my dad if you guys hadn’t appeared.”
“So you’re thanking me?”
“Not in a million years!”
“I knew it,” Zoro laughed. “What are you guys doing here?”
“We came to send a message to Colonel Smoker. Orders from the Marine Force Centre actually,” replied Cobby.
“The Marine Force Centre?!” Everyone exclaimed delightfully. “We’re so glad to meet you!!”
“Uhh…who are your friends? And…where’s Luffy?” Cobby asked, curious.
Zoro introduced the crew to Cobby and told him about what happened to Luffy. Cobby was downcast for a moment when he heard that Luffy was dead.
“So that’s what the Centre has been talking about Shanks. I’m sorry. Poor Luffy. Now I couldn’t thank him for the strength he gave me to enter the marines.”
“It’s already a year now,” Sanji said, “No point grieving about the past. We have to learn to let bygones be bygones.”
“How’s life in the Marine Force Centre? Is it cool?” Zoro tried to ask for info as inconspicuous as possible.
“It’s a top secret place! You’re not supposed to know!” Hermeppo snapped but Cobby stopped him.
“No need to be so harsh to our friends, Hermeppo. But he’s right. I’m not supposed to give away anything that has to do with the Force. I can say only one thing though: security there is really tough and there are guards at every door. There are about more than 1000 people just in the Force, not including the outside branches like the ones in Hermeppo’s hometown. You don’t want to mess with the Force, believe me. They have more than just laser movement sensors, I can tell you that. Apart from the grim and strict background of the Force, everything there is just fine.”
“Thanks, Cobby. You’re being really generous enough. You’re a good man. No wonder you fit in well with the marines,” Zoro replied.
“I sort of fit in well too!” Hermeppo exclaimed. “I’m now practicing sword-fighting using double blades like you! One day you and I are gonna have a serious duel!”
“How encouraging. We’ll see then,” Zoro said as he got up to leave. “Come on, people! Time to go. We’ve got much work to be done.”
“Zoro,” Cobby suddenly called out before they stepped out of the restaurant door, “are you doing something that I fear you’re going to do? You didn’t just ask me about the Force out of curiosity now, did you? You’re just as reckless as Luffy was, and I think I know what you’re up to.”
“Think whatever you want to think of,” Zoro replied without facing Cobby. “You’ll understand it sooner or later.”
Cobby and Hermeppo watched as the Going Merry crew left the restaurant completely. Hermeppo looked at Cobby questioningly and asked, “I don’t get it, Cobby. What do you mean by him doing something you fear he’s gonna do?”
“Keep your heads up, Hermeppo,” Cobby replied solemnly. “We have a Marine Force to protect.”
“Looks like we’ve got another enemy in our hands besides that tomboy Tashigi,” Sanji said as they boarded the Going Merry. “They sorta have a clue about what are we gonna do. What now?”
“Leave them be,” Zoro replied, smirking. “Like our Luffy would say: ‘This proves to be interesting’.”
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