PAGE TWO: It's okay, you guys can request again!
ONE PIECE FAN-FOR-ALL
Or, free-for-all-fic, or fic free-for-all, or fic-for-all, whatever phrasing floats your boat.
PAGE ONE | PAGE TWO
Filled | Unfilled (BOTH posts updated to about half of page three, updated Sept 21, 11-something pm, GMT -5 ( Read more... )
On an island three days hence, a youth with straggling dark hair and a body full of healing scars carries Wadou Ichimonji to the doors of a small, well-kept dojo and a master who greets him with puzzlement. It's an emotion that only deepens as the youth tells him he has a meitou to give away and asks to be shown the right student to give it.
"Our best student..." the master mulls, weighing the merits of his flock.
Luffy cocks his head, grins, and corrects him. "Nah. The one with the biggest dream!"
***
When he gets back to the Sunny this time, the funeral atmosphere is palpable. He understands that today was the day they buried Zoro for real.
Sanji has made a special meal, and for once Brook isn't trying to cheer them up with wildly gyrating melodies. As for the rest... Robin has exchanged most of her books on swords at the bookstore in the town. Chopper has restocked on bandages. The Sunny has emerged from the months at anchor even cooler and smoother sailing than it was before. They talk to him again, at last, like they always did, and nobody avoids his gaze.
There is still a gaping absence where Zoro should be, but there is love, and there is memory, and there is freedom. And with those, they have all they need to keep pushing forward.
As the afternoon progresses, the mood starts to lift. He can feel the last of Zoro leaving them, floating free as if into the breeze. It took a long time. Maybe that was the sword's fault, maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was the ghost who muddled his brain... but maybe it was himself.
"I still don't understand why Old Fat Sensei gave me back Kitetsu," Luffy says, turning the sheathed cursed blade over and over in his hands. It's nice to have at least one solid memento of Zoro, and he doesn't feel the uneasiness about the blade that he always felt before, when it belonged to Zoro and not him. But... what's the point, anyway, in having a sword he can't use? Surely Kitetsu deserves better?
"Yo ho ho ho!" Brook laughs, spins across the deck, and draws on him.
The cursed sword is in his hand and he's blocking the strike before he's even had space for thought.
Brook tests him, a jab here, a jab there. It's nothing like fighting the old man.
The skeleton finally spins to a rest. Luffy, breathing heavily, lowers Kitetsu and is relieved to realise he hasn't added any new slices to his finally healing skin. Realises too that they're all staring at him openmouthed, save for that grinning skull-face.
"You'll surely never be the greatest swordsman in the world," Brook declares. "But it would be a great indignity if the pirate king couldn't use a sword at all!"
Luffy feels a shiver travel through his chest -- as though, somewhere in infinity, a green-haired swordsman is laughing at him.
END
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Daaaamn that was good! Made me cry a few times too. And I really really loved the ending ♥
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I was fresh from the shower when I read the first part, dripping water everywhere and knowing that I really should go dry my hair. I kept telling myself I'd take a break after reading just one more part, and then another part, and another, and suddenly I'd finished it and my hair was still wet. That's how good this is!
I was delighted when it turned out that it was Kuina who was talking to Luffy. I was hoping it would be her all along. And the end, while bringing tears to my eyes, left me with this really peaceful feeling. A part of me wants to believe that there's a small piece of Zoro in Kitetsu now. I don't know if that's how you meant it, but that's how I interpreted it.
Anon, I am so thankful. You are full of awesome and I'm so glad you took the time to write this. Thank you!
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When the Kitetsu fic was posted I loved the 'Kitetsu is Zoro's' idea but it hadn't occurred to me before, and I wasn't sure whether it worked with the events of this fic or against them. :)
Anyway, I'm glad it was ok in the end!
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Thank's a lot!
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