Tashigi POV:
The Thousand Sunny skims over the waves, practically flying as the wind gusts from behind. I lean out over the rail, mid-morning sun beating down on my neck as I watch the last of the marine ships drop out of sight- lost in a sudden fog we just broke free of.
"We made it," I whisper, every tense muscle relaxing as I let out a relieved laugh. Strands of loose hair whip into my face, the Jolly Roger flag snapping crisply above.
"WE MADE IT!!" Usopp bellows from the crow's nest, and the rest of the crew bursts into wild cheers and whoops of victory. The sails billow, skull n cross bones stretching and grinning to match the glee underneath.
I laugh as I turn away from the sea, hands gripping the rail as I lean against it; I did it. I can save my home. I'll finally make it to Rieno! and then I'll beat this legend and Haomzen will live and everything will be wonderful and the birds are singing and the sun is shining and is this what victory-
...
The Jolly Roger snaps a little bit louder.
Below, a cha cha line forms with Brook chanting "I say screw, you say the marines! Screw-!"
--
I'm, on a pirate ship.
"THE MARINES!"
Voluntarily.
"SCREW!" "THE MARINES!"
That's me.
I'm the marines.
For a second I just stand there.
"Dear God what have I done." I mumble out, dazed.
Like creaking wood, I turn and watch the last tip of the lead warship disappear in the mist miles behind us.
Kind of like my navy career.
and every ideal I've sworn to live by.
just floating away in the mist.
"like a little sad cloud," I say, head tilted, eyes blank.
...
"is it too late to swim back?" I whisper, unmoving.
Someone sputters right above me, and I look up to see Roronoa balanced on the main sail boom, giving me an incredulous look. "What?" he spits out.
Down below, the chanting changes-- piercingly clear.
"Wait Brook let me let me! I say a billion, you say belli," Nami shouts. "BILLION!"
"BELLI!"
"BILLION!"
Roronoa and I watch the celebrating crew below, then turn slowly to look back at each other.
I blink.
Twice.
Then point at the ocean with my thumb.
"I'm just gonna-"
"DON'T-"
I leap over the rail
In the distance, the entire crew screams.
"AAAHHHHHH!!"
- and a rubber arm promptly wraps around me.
.
.
.
FLASHBACK: 14 YEARS AGO
YOU ARE READING
The Greatest (Zoro x Tashigi)
RomanceHe grins. "Hey Pirate." I glare back, cheeks red and a thousand emotions swirling at the title forced on me. "What did you do to that poor man's Hydrangeas?" There are no such thing as "good" pirates- Tashigi firmly believes this. She also will do a...
