One Piece (Love Story) [Part One]

Chapter Two [Rewritten]

-Chapter Two-

-Flashback-

Running through the woodlands, Sora and Skylar laughed as they chased one another. Stumbling through the foliage, they squealed as they pushed and pulled at one another. Leaves clung to their unruly hair, their green color stark against the brown strands as dirt and grass caked the bottom of their soles. Pulling ahead, Sora laughed as he bolted through the nearby brush. Calling back with a shout, he disappeared further into the undergrowth. Completely unaware of his sister's slowing steps as she turned her head.

Seated not that far on a log was a young boy. Sniffling, he harshly wiped at his teary eyes with balled-up fists as he angrily choked back frustrated sobs through clenched teeth.

"Hey!" she called out as she made her way over to him. Normally, she avoided others—past experience has taught her that people were dangerous, no matter their age. Adults, other children, they were all cruel in their own ways. But...the idea of ignoring someone in possible distress didn't sit right with her. It made her stomach churn as she recalled the countless times she was left to wallow on her own in absolute agony.

"Gah!" the boy jolted at her sudden shout as he whirled around. "Don't go sneaking up on people like that!" he snapped. Frowning, his cheeks warmed at the realization he had just been caught crying, much to his further frustration. He had come out here to be alone.

Slowly, his anger faded, though, once he realized that he didn't recognize the young girl approaching him.

"Hey...who are you, anyway? I don't think I've seen you 'round the village before" he remarked as he eyed her...

She was small.

So much so that her clothes didn't hang right on her person, looking far too big for someone her size. Hemline tattered and frayed, the dress she wore looked ragged as it fell to her bruised and knobby-looking knees. Dirt and scrapes streaked her arms and legs as grass and mud clung to the bottoms of her bare feet. Looking at her face, he started at the cold eyes that peered back at him through a curtain of dark, unruly hair. There was something intense about the pale color of her eyes and the way they glowed beneath the shadows of her hair.

"Oh, right, my name's...Skylar—Skylar Strife, it's a pleasure to meet you" she said, tone automatic as she introduced herself in a manner that felt far too formal for a simple greeting. Her tongue squirmed in discomfort at the bitter taste her own name left inside her mouth. "And who might you be?" she curiously asked, head tilting as her eyes flickered upwards. "Also, why's your hair green? Is something wrong with it?" she inquired as her gaze zeroed in on his oddly colored hair.

"There's nothing wrong with my hair!" he snapped, cheeks flaring once more at the annoying inquiry. "Anyway, my name's Zoro—Roronoa Zoro" he answered.

"There isn't...? But it looks like moss..." she muttered, flopping down beside him as his blush darkened and his scowl returned. "Well...what are you doing all the way out here?" she asked before he could further snap at her. "Are you lost?"

"No!" his scowl deepened. "Besides, that's none of your business" he huffed, crossing his arms as he turned away.

"Why were you crying earlier?" she suddenly asked, causing him to tense. "Are you sad? Did something happen?" his ears now burned as she continued to prod.

"I-I wasn't crying!" he denied as he whipped around with a glower.

"You weren't?" she tilted her head. "There's nothing wrong with crying, you know—everyone does it" she assured, unsure why he seemed so embarrassed by the prospect. "It's normal, it's healthy..." she murmured, lips twitching as she looked down...