(no subject)
Title: Foundling
Theme: Sword, Wanted, Clown, Promise
Claim: Zoro
Words: 103, 351, 172, 179
Rating: G
Warning: None
Disclaimers: Not mine, never was.
#29 sword
No one was really surprised when Merry decided at four that she was going to be "The Best Swordsman Ever." Considering who her papa was, the crew had actually expected it to come sooner.
The look Zoro had given her at the declaration had been so full of fondness that no one would have protested even if they thought it was a bad idea. Not even Sanji, who swore in the privacy of his own kitchen that the next foundling would be a cook.
Nami didn't even charge him interest on the little bit of money he spent buying Merry a practice sword.
#5 wanted
As fate would have it, Merry made her way into a wanted poster before she quite had walking down, still being transported in the most unfortunate baby accessory this side of the Line.
Sanji had taken great amusement from the fact that the swordsman now had a picture nearly as embarrassing as his own, and Zoro mentally prepared himself for the fact that he might have to fight someone over the pink baby backpack. He dearly hoped it would be Mihawk.
There was a good deal more sobriety when Merry got her own bounty poster, as she was only five at the time.
Merry was excited about the fact that she had a picture just like the rest of the crew and didn't quite understand why everyone looked upset over the two million Beri bounty on "Roronoa Merry."
Zoro had stayed disturbingly silent, his face set. He let the cook keep the first one they'd found, even let him pin it on the wall with the rest of the crew's. He'd picked up Merry just as calmly and taken her to the port side of the ship.
There was a long conversation that took place, one that the crew denied knowing anything about.
Zoro taught her about wanted posters, and bounty hunters, and what to watch out for, and how it was more important than ever that she stay near him or one of the other crew members, because there were bad-guys and good-guys, and both sides wanted very badly to hurt the others. Sometimes, he explained, the other side would even pretend to be one of them. So she couldn't really trust anyone, except for the crew.
Merry's very solemn, "But we gotta beat the bad-guys, right? And you won't let them hurt me," had left the entire crew feeling just a little better.
Zoro's equally serious "Yes" had let Merry walk away with a smile on her face.
Zoro made it his new life's mission to destroy as many of the posters as he could find.
The rest of the crew grimly made it their business to help him.
#13 clown
Zoro was officially lost.
And possibly in hell.
Merry was shouting helpful "That Ways!" and pointing every time he paused, but so far that had only put them smack dab in the middle of a parade full of freaks juggling fire.
He wondered if the witch has somehow given the toddler directions.
He wouldn't put it past her, really, or the cook, or the captain.
He wasn't sure what he had ended up in the middle of, but there were a lot of people, crammed into way too small a space, all wearing masks or make-up or silly clothes.
They all wanted to get too close to him, too. Three had already presented Merry with odd little paper flowers and one had produced a little wooden dog out of nowhere and left it with her.
At least they weren't being too pushy.
When another one approached, he mostly ignored it, trying to figure out where they'd ended up.
Up until the clown drew a sword.
No one really had fun after that.
#2 promise
Merry was five the first time a Marine Captain thought it was a good idea to take her hostage.
Zoro took great pains to inform him that this was a Bad Plan all around.
Merry had taken the experience in stride, and when Zoro had appeared in the doorway, had not looked at all surprised to see him, bandanna tight around his head and swords still dripping blood.
It wasn't until that moment, seeing her hop down and run to him, unafraid of the swords, unafraid of the blood or the fact that Zoro had just taken down an entire garrison to get to her, that Zoro realized how attached he was to the little girl.
He sheathed his swords and picked her up, words echoing between them without being said.
He said, with the blood covered swords two tiny scratches on his shoulders where one of the Marines had gotten lucky, 'I'll always come for you.'
And she said, with arms resting around his neck and cheek resting trustingly against his throat, utterly fearless, 'I know.'
Theme: Sword, Wanted, Clown, Promise
Claim: Zoro
Words: 103, 351, 172, 179
Rating: G
Warning: None
Disclaimers: Not mine, never was.
#29 sword
No one was really surprised when Merry decided at four that she was going to be "The Best Swordsman Ever." Considering who her papa was, the crew had actually expected it to come sooner.
The look Zoro had given her at the declaration had been so full of fondness that no one would have protested even if they thought it was a bad idea. Not even Sanji, who swore in the privacy of his own kitchen that the next foundling would be a cook.
Nami didn't even charge him interest on the little bit of money he spent buying Merry a practice sword.
#5 wanted
As fate would have it, Merry made her way into a wanted poster before she quite had walking down, still being transported in the most unfortunate baby accessory this side of the Line.
Sanji had taken great amusement from the fact that the swordsman now had a picture nearly as embarrassing as his own, and Zoro mentally prepared himself for the fact that he might have to fight someone over the pink baby backpack. He dearly hoped it would be Mihawk.
There was a good deal more sobriety when Merry got her own bounty poster, as she was only five at the time.
Merry was excited about the fact that she had a picture just like the rest of the crew and didn't quite understand why everyone looked upset over the two million Beri bounty on "Roronoa Merry."
Zoro had stayed disturbingly silent, his face set. He let the cook keep the first one they'd found, even let him pin it on the wall with the rest of the crew's. He'd picked up Merry just as calmly and taken her to the port side of the ship.
There was a long conversation that took place, one that the crew denied knowing anything about.
Zoro taught her about wanted posters, and bounty hunters, and what to watch out for, and how it was more important than ever that she stay near him or one of the other crew members, because there were bad-guys and good-guys, and both sides wanted very badly to hurt the others. Sometimes, he explained, the other side would even pretend to be one of them. So she couldn't really trust anyone, except for the crew.
Merry's very solemn, "But we gotta beat the bad-guys, right? And you won't let them hurt me," had left the entire crew feeling just a little better.
Zoro's equally serious "Yes" had let Merry walk away with a smile on her face.
Zoro made it his new life's mission to destroy as many of the posters as he could find.
The rest of the crew grimly made it their business to help him.
#13 clown
Zoro was officially lost.
And possibly in hell.
Merry was shouting helpful "That Ways!" and pointing every time he paused, but so far that had only put them smack dab in the middle of a parade full of freaks juggling fire.
He wondered if the witch has somehow given the toddler directions.
He wouldn't put it past her, really, or the cook, or the captain.
He wasn't sure what he had ended up in the middle of, but there were a lot of people, crammed into way too small a space, all wearing masks or make-up or silly clothes.
They all wanted to get too close to him, too. Three had already presented Merry with odd little paper flowers and one had produced a little wooden dog out of nowhere and left it with her.
At least they weren't being too pushy.
When another one approached, he mostly ignored it, trying to figure out where they'd ended up.
Up until the clown drew a sword.
No one really had fun after that.
#2 promise
Merry was five the first time a Marine Captain thought it was a good idea to take her hostage.
Zoro took great pains to inform him that this was a Bad Plan all around.
Merry had taken the experience in stride, and when Zoro had appeared in the doorway, had not looked at all surprised to see him, bandanna tight around his head and swords still dripping blood.
It wasn't until that moment, seeing her hop down and run to him, unafraid of the swords, unafraid of the blood or the fact that Zoro had just taken down an entire garrison to get to her, that Zoro realized how attached he was to the little girl.
He sheathed his swords and picked her up, words echoing between them without being said.
He said, with the blood covered swords two tiny scratches on his shoulders where one of the Marines had gotten lucky, 'I'll always come for you.'
And she said, with arms resting around his neck and cheek resting trustingly against his throat, utterly fearless, 'I know.'