Steady, As She Goes (ZoSan)

Chapter 3; Get The Spare

Nineteen years of age delivered a scrawny, ignorant boy into the middle of a war zone; his excitement tangible and his thirst for action unquenchable. Eagerness lit up his soft face as Zoro was still several years from proper physical maturity, a trait that was shared amoungst most of the new recruits. All headstrong without a morsel of humility to the dangerous situation they found themselves and the terrors that lay beyond their base.

A six month tour in a relatively safe sector had him returning with joyous intent before having his world shook as he experienced bloodshed for the first time. Getting caught in a bombing, taking part in a raid, watching as a fellow soldier triggered a land mind; laying face down in the dirt with ears ringing, body shaking, earth quaking as he looked up to see the pieces of what was once his comrade.

War had been hell.

Zoro shifted minutely from where he stood leaning against the wall, one leg propped up behind him as his gaze went hazy while he stared at the ground. Assault rifle held carefully in his still youthful hands, keeping the barrel angled lazily down as there hadn't been a sign of danger for days. Taking his turn stationed outside an entry point to the base with very little excitement.

Hand releasing the barrel, he raised a finger to hook under the strap of his helmet and pulled down with a small jerk in an attempt to adjust it. Months spent out in the desert sun had gifted him with a rather prominent tan where the strap sat, having spent more time in his gear than out of it. Sand sat in every crevasse of his clothing and his teeth were forever marred with grit from the dry air.

"Hey Zoro?" A soft voice echoed in his ear.

Coming out of his daze, he raised a heavily gloved hand to press at the ear piece wired into his helmet before responding, "Yeah?"

"Can you come up to the watch for a second?"

"Roger." Zoro muttered quietly, turning his gaze to the other soldier and giving a small nod to him as he headed inside. They had all spent enough time together the past few months that communicating through physical actions was mostly all they did now.

Weaving his way up the stairs of the make shift watch tower, he eventually arrived at the top and noted another one of his comrades kneeling carefully beside her watch spot. Edging over to where she knelt and taking the same position behind one of the barricades, he grunted softly, "What's up?"

"There's something weird in my scope and I don't want to raise an alarm if it's nothing." Kuina explained quietly, proffering the larger rifle in Zoro's direction, "Could you confirm for me?"

"Sure." Zoro took the gun, sitting the stock comfortably against his shoulder as he ducked down to gaze through the scope as he readjusted his sights in the direction Kuina had been investigating. Hand coming up to support the barrel as the other slowly retracted on the grip, "Where exactly?"

"The third hill; sparse shrubbery." Kuina explained softly, "One large deformed looking bush."

"Yeah, alright." Zoro murmured, centring on the location as he kept himself low and hidden behind the rifle so that he remained out of eyesight of any insurgents, "Got it."

"'Kay, scan to the left." Kuina ordered leaning in towards Zoro so she could look through the opening in the barricade towards the hillside she was talking about, "Doesn't it look like there's som--"

A loud crack echoed out across the hazy desert as Zoro felt the next few seconds pass in terrifyingly slow motion as he blinked heavily before turning his head to look over at his friend. The whistling which lasted less than a second rung out strong it his ears as it got closer and closer, and a solemn moment hung in the air as she turned to look at him as well.