Too Far Gone (Zoro-centric) COMPLETE

"Mutiny? I left long ago."

But here he was, right in front of them, within an arm's reach. Their lost first mate, swordsman, nakama, strength, brother.

Roronoa Zoro was alive...

...the Strawhats didn't know what to feel.

xxxxxx||==============>

"Zoro?"

The swordsman looked up, catching Luffy's gaze. It was quiet, understandably so, but still, the tension remained thick, and grew even thicker as silent seconds ticked by.

"Ah, Luffy?"

"Is this...real?" The strawhat-ed boy-no-man mutters, his quiet, disbelieving voice carrying great distances.

"You of all people know that answer, Luffy."

Zoro, in an instant, felt a firm grip around him, rubbery limbs winding around his torso, his arms, and he can feel them trembling.

Monkey D Luffy was afraid he would disappear again, so he held tight. He felt warmth, sturdiness. He smelled the familiar scent of sweat and steel, and one other indescribable scent that was just Zoro. He buries his face onto the older man's torso, eyes shadowed, mouth in an unstable line, trembling.

Zoro looks down at his Ex-captain's messy hair, and the Strawhat. He doesn't see the Form of a Yonko, instead, it was just Luffy. The same childish, idiotic Luffy. And he felt moisture on his robes and chest.

'Tears...?' Zoro thought. "You shouldn't be crying. The Pirate King shouldn't cry over another's decision."

"But...it was because I couldn't fight that you had to make that decision!" Luffy sobbed quietly.

"If you think like that, then you might as well blame the world for spinning." The swordsman reasoned, a soft smile on his face.

"Roronoa..." Akainu growled. "...fight him. This is a waste of time!"

Zoro saw the Fleet Admiarl's had slip into the folds if his suit, and immediately left Luffy's embrace. Gritting his teeth, he drew a katana, black as night. Shuusui.

Healed and ready, the shibukai and other Admirals charged, and clashed once more with members of the Strawhat Crew.

Zoro drew another katana, Sandai Kitetsu had broken in his duel with Hawkeye Mihawk. A greenish blade with hints of neon near the edge, the hilt in a mix of different emerald patterns.

Henka no Kaze. Wind of Change.

Luffy activated Gear Fourth, which he had mastered and had no more drawbacks. He could use it for a maximum of five hours, now, before getting tired.

Zoro drew his final blade, and placed it between his teeth, his strong jaw clamping it in place.

It was a blue katana, with a detailed, and simple hilt, and the blade itself had a smoke-like pattern. Its sheath was a simple mix of faded blue swirls that intwined with one another. It was a beautiful blade, one of the 21 o Wazomono grade swords, like...like Wadō Ichimonji was. It's name...

Shin Seikatsu, or...New Life.

'Some new life.' Zoro faced his ex-captain and best friend.

Neither of them wanted a reunion like this. But Luffy knew there was more to it than Zoro's loyalty. He knew Akainu was somehow forcing his swordsman to do this. He can't do anything now, however, because he doesn't know. They both leaped forward, rocketing towards the other. Fists and katanas clashed, and drew back. The shockwave pushing anyone else further away.

"Is this mutiny you're doing, Zoro?" The rubber man asked, before charging forward again. Zoro brought his coated swords up just in time to block the Haki-infested limbs. The two caught each others gaze.

"Mutiny? I left long ago." Was the swordsman's response.

Each following blow was laced with fatal precision, and to Luffy's despair, the blade was always going for a finishing blow.

It was decided then. No holding back. It was a fight to the death, probably. But it wouldn't matter who would survive.

None would be the victor, in the end.

By the end of this duel, someone would die, and the other would break.

There was a smug and dangerous grin, and a finger cautiously lingered on the button of a golden Den-Den Mushi.