The days had been how they had always been. Normal, tedious, and a bit boring. Perona would float around, umbrella or parasol or whatever it was she always carried with her. She'd follow Zoro, bug him here and there all about nothing. It seemed as though time moved in slow motion on the island. Mihawk would make ridiculous demands of Zoro. Do this, do that. That's not enough and you're trying too hard. Zoro held his tongue and pushed through. Whining wouldn't turn him into the world's greatest swordsman.
Everything was as it always was. That was until he arrived on the island.
A tall man dressed in clean but shabby clothes arrived on the island. Zoro thought he looked familiar, but couldn't put a name to the man's face. He had bright red hair. Hair Zoro had sworn he'd seen somewhere.
Mihawk shooed a curious Perona away, and Zoro followed suit. Whatever the man wanted, it couldn't have anything to do with him.
"I wish he'd just tell me who that red-haired guy is," Perona complained. She crossed her thin arms. Pink ponytails bounced as she walked. "He's always so secretive!" Zoro tuned the complaining out. He decided to leave.
Better to spend his time training than be stuck inside all day. After all, what he wanted most was booze, and Mihawk had locked up the cellar when he found out Zoro's weakness. Zoro's hands trembled for weeks afterward.
He went into the jungle, and he trained, and killed and ate well. Try as he might, Zoro could not find any fermented fruits. Mihawk had one this time.
Before long it was midday. Zoro rose from the rock he'd been resting on and stretched his tired arms. He looked out to the ocean and saw nothing but an endless expanse of blue on the horizon. It reminded him of being onboard the Sunny again.
It reminded him of his friends.
"Something wrong?" Zoro had never looked up so fast. The red-haired man. Zoro's face felt a little hot. He hoped he wasn't blushing. "I noticed you'd been looking at the sea for a while."
"It's nothing." The man seemed a little displeased. That wasn't quite right though. No, rather, this red-haired man was intrigued.
"I'm guessing you're a pirate? I think I've seen your face somewhere," the man continued.
"I guess you could say I'm a wanted man," Zoro said. If he was a bounty hunter, Mihawk wouldn't want a thing to do with him. He wasn't the kind of man to send cronies after someone.
Especially when Mihawk himself could take Zoro's life so easily.
So, he and Zoro talked. Zoro wasn't openly hostile but stayed well on his guard. As they spoke, Zoro learned more and more about this strangely familiar guest. Yet he couldn't put a name to the face.
"So, you're training with Mihawk, eh?" The man smiled. "He's pretty uptight, ain't he?" So they knew each other.
The red-haired man couldn't be just any washed-up pirate then. Zoro thought he was right about this, at least.
"He's alright," Zoro said. Wish he'd stop taking away my all damn booze." Mihawk was a strict teacher, but not inherently unfair. Zoro gave the man a lot of respect. Not out of fear but admiration. The scar on his chest was a symbol of that.
"Tell ya what, I'll let you drink a little—he'll never have to know, sound good?" The red-haired man smiled big and wide this time. He was a charming fellow alright. Zoro hesitated at the offer.
An opportunity like this wouldn't present itself again.
On one hand, Zoro was already salivating. On the other, if Perona spotted him, he'd been painting toes and braiding hair for weeks to stop her from stitching.
