Book One: Treasure of the Heart (Zoro X OC)

Chapter Nine ~ The Secret Revealed

~Nicole~

I could feel him approaching, won't be long now until i won't be able to keep quiet much longer, he's probably sensed me too as well, and just as i finished my thought there was a noise outside, i could see the whole ship split in two, rather cut in two, we rushed outside to raise the anchor on Merry so she wouldn't be sunk either but as we got there the ship was already gone.

"Hey big bro! Big sis!"Yosaku and Johnny called swimming over, we ran over "What happened to the ship? Where's Nami?"I asked "I'm sorry big sis i don't know how to say this but she's gone"Johnny said "She's gone, big sis Nami took all the treasure and sailed away"Yosaku cried "She did what?!"we yelled.

"Explain what happened"i demanded once we fished Yosaku and Johnny out of the sea, they explained in further detail that basically Nami tricked them and sailed off on the Going Merry "So that's the story of how big sis Nami took the ship"Johnny said "I'm sorry!"Yosaku whined, Usopp and Zoro in particular were kinda mad, i was preoccupied with the fact that my father was getting closer every second and i'll have to face whatever Zoro's reaction might be.

"Wait! I can still see the Going Merry, tell me where your boat is"Luffy said referring to Yosaku's and Johnny's boat "We have it moored to the restaurant"Yosaku said "Zoro, Nicole, Usopp don't just stand there take their ship and go after Nami"Luffy said "Calm down, let her keep the ship, trust me that woman is more trouble the she's worth"Zoro said "She's the only person i'll accept as the ships navigator"Luffy said "So is it an order, Captain?"i asked, Luffy didn't say, he just had this determined look on his face.

"Fine i'll do it"Zoro sighed "You're one high maintenance captain you know that?"he asked "Alright Usopp, Nicole let's go"he then said, Johnny and Yosaku got the boat ready pretty fast and we were about to sail off when Zoro turned to Luffy "What about you?"he asked "I better stay here until the situation with the restaurant is sorted"Luffy said "Alright but be careful, the situation could turn very drastically very quickly"Zoro told him.

Again just as we were getting on the boat we overheard Don Krieg's crew yelling about the man who destroyed their fleet having come back, i sighed, time to face the music, looking over i saw him on his little coffin boat just floating by, for a split second our eyes locked "Hey who's that?" Luffy asked "He's the man i've been looking for Hawkeye Mihawk"Zoro said "So that's Mihawk?" Luffy asked getting all serious, i squeezed my arm biting the inside of my cheek, i wanted to say something and just get it over with but ugh i was scared of Zoro's reaction, i don't even know for sure why.

Zoro walked off towards my father, i decided to follow, like i said, time to face the music, i watched with Zoro as one of the pirates shot at my dad but i knew he wasn't in any trouble, cause he easily diverted the bullets with the tip of his sword, Zoro walked closer but i stayed back and just watched "I've never seen a sword handled so gently or with such grace"Zoro called over to my dad.

He looked over spotting me, now he knew for sure i was here, "There's no strength in swordplay based on force"he said, typical, "Did you also use that sword to slice up this ship?"Zoro asked "I did"dad answered "Then it's true, you're the best"Zoro said grinning "I set sail for one reason to meet you"Zoro said "And your goal?"dad asked "To beat you"Zoro said with a grin tying his bandanna on his head.

"How foolish"Dad said a smirk on his face "You've got spare time so let's do this"Zoro smirked drawing one of his swords "A fight? You're a weak pitiful creature"dad said before jumping over but then he walked right past Zoro and over to me scattering the pirates in front of me "Nicole"he greeted, i glanced over to the very confused looking Zoro and sighed a bit before looking back at my dad "H-hey dad, what brings you to this part of the sea?"i asked a little nervous.

"DAD?!?!??!?!!?"everyone in the area echoed, i looked down in embarrassment as dad put his arm around me "Yes can't you see the resemblance?"he asked "Dad!"i whined, you'd think otherwise but dad took great pride in being a dad, especially my dad, and he wasn't embarrassed to show it, which in turn embarrassed me.

~Zoro~

I wasn't quite sure how to react, i knew Nicole's eyes were similar to the ones i heard from rumors, actually that ties into how we first met, but now that i've seen those eyes for myself and the man they belong to with Nicole standing next to him the resemblance is uncanny.

~Nicole~

"Anyway Nicole you forgot this at home"dad said turning to me and digging out a hair pin (pic) from his coat pocket "I didn't forget it, i thought it would be safer at home cause i could lose it at sea"i said "Well you better not you know how important it is"dad said handing me the hairpin, i sighed "I do know that's exactly why i want to keep it safe"i said handing it back "And i want you to keep it, as a good luck charm"he said handing it back to me, i sighed securely putting the pin to one of my swords for now "Fine, but i'll put it in my hair later"i muttered, he patted my head, i blushed in embarrassment "Good girl"he said.

"Excuse me!"Zoro called and dad turned to look at him "Are we going to do this or not?!"he asked clearly angry, i don't know if it was cause of me or just because he wanted to fight right now, "If you are in fact a competent swordsman you should see the disparity in our abilities even before we cross swords"dad said, "I must ask you though why have you challenged me? Is it your courage? Or simply ignorance? Or maybe for my daughter's hand?"he asked.

"DAD!"i yelled embarrassed, he knew i have been travelling with a man, because of course i sent him letters once in a while, he must have figured Zoro was that man and thinks he has feelings for me or something, but it's not like that, i think? anyway "My ambition drives me!"Zoro replied putting his third sword in his mouth "Also i made a promise i intend to keep"he said.

Dad pulled off the cross around his neck which was actually a small blade "Funny, what do you think you're gonna do with that?"Zoro asked "It'll be more then adequate after all you wouldn't kill a fly with a cannon would you? You might have quite the reputation on the east blue but that doesn't mean much to me this sea is by the weakest of the four, and since you say you don't challenge me for my daughter, i don't have to go serious on you, unfortunately this is the smallest blade i have on hand"dad said.

"You could use a butter knife and still beat him"I muttered, dad smirked a bit having heard me and even chuckled a bit "I've heard just about enough of you, now you die!"Zoro yelled charging forward, i jumped to the sidelines staying out of the way and just watched as dad stopped Zoro's attack.