Disclaimer: I don’t own One Piece.

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Guardian Spirit

~Tashigi~

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 Loguetown. The Town of the Beginning and the End. The place where Gold Roger was born… and died. Fitting, when you think about it. Now, every pirate, who wants to go to Grand Line passes through this island… And usually gets caught by a certain Captain Smoker. Must be a ‘cute’ fellow, that one. Probably eats kids for breakfast.

 Currently Zoro has no money, because Nami wouldn’t lend him it, if he didn’t give back 300% of the interest… Or something like that. Well, he has some money… not much, though. He’s been wandering around here for a while and I’m getting bored.

 Ack! I should have learned by now not to say that I’m bored, when I’m bored. Of course whatever will start to happen the next moment won’t be nice… and will probably end in Zoro getting wounded or tied to some pole left to starve or Nami will run off to some fish-freaks, who killed her mother and made deal with her that they let her buy her village for a million berii… Kuina… I seriously wonder what is happening to you.

 Okay. So it doesn’t look that bad. Only some woman getting attacked by two thugs. They don’t even look too bright or strong and she has a sword, so it should be difficult.

 It was less difficult than usual. She kicked their asses… and lost her glasses – pardon the rhyme, it was not intended. So Zoro being a nice guy, picked the glasses up, because the poor thing couldn’t find them.

 “Hey… Looking for those?” Obvio… No. No. No… Tell me it’s an illusion. She can’t look that much like me. Two people that similar can’t exist. She’s fake. She’s a dream. She’s an illusion!

 “Ah. I… I’m sorry. Th… Thank you so much.”

 Crack!

 ***

 

 I don’t believe it! I don’t want to believe it! She looks like me!..

 Now I’m acting hysterical. But, honestly, what would you do in my place? Some woman, who looks identical like me shows up and she even acts similar… at times. What if Zoro forgets me? What if he decides she’s me? So many what-ifs which I can’t answer… I don’t like it. I’d prefer some fight – that’d be more straight-forward.

 Okay. I spaced out. I have no idea what happened and where Zoro is going now. Why to go. Ah, a shop. With swords. Now I know, what… How on Earth does he intend to buy those swords without money?! He really does need a nanny…

 And the shop keeper needs to learn some manners.

 “I’ve got 100,000 berii – sell me two swords.” which will be utter crap.

 “Two swords for 100,000 berii? Are you joking?!” nope, he’s serious.

 “All I need is a makeshift.” I don’t like the way he’s staring at my sword. The shop keeper… Not Zoro. That kid can stare at my sword as long as he wants – technically it’s his sword now.

 “H-he-he-hey!” what’s wrong with him now? “Cuh-cuh-cuh-can I see y-y-your s-s-sword?”

 “What’s with the stuttering?” Exactly what I wanted to ask.

 “Sorry this is junk.” What?! Why, I ought to wring your neck you old fart! My sword! My sword is junk?!

 “What?!”

 “Uh, sorry, just kidding.” That. Was. Not. Funny. At. All. “Now listen – you have no money, but I can make you a proposal, you won’t resist.” Sure gramps. Sure. “This is no junk. It’s an okay blade, not too bad.” Not to bad… “I’ll buy it off for 200,000 Berii. Then you’ll have 3000,000 Berii and you can buy three good swords.”

 “Huh? What the hell are you talking about?!” That bastard wants my sword!

 “Er… Nnuh! 500,000!” How generous of you. “Okay, fine. I’ll buy it from you for 650,000!”

 “Uh… sorry. But no matter how much you’re gonna offer, I won’t…”

 “This sword!” it’s her. Out of all people… “ Can this be?..” Huh? Would you please stop goggling at my sword and speak up like a normal person? What is this – International Stutter Day?! “It’s the Wadou Ichimonji right?” How come she knows that and I don’t?

 “Wadou?..” Yeah, Zoro. That’s what she said… Wadou Ichimonji. Why didn’t my father tell me?

 “What a beautiful edge…” Somebody allowed you to watch?

 “W, w-w-well what I just said… not a bad sword.” Zoro, please get out… If you don’t… Nothing will happen ‘cause I’m a spirit. Damn.

 “Not a bad sword?! Ridiculous!” Hey! Maybe she’s not that bad? “This one of the 21 O-Wazamono! It’s famous! Look at that – it’s worth at least a million Berii!” Whoa! I never knew my sword was that good!

 “You stupid bitch! You told him everything!” Why you poor thing… You can’t cheat now. How sad. “I’ll sue you for obstruction of business!”

 “Obstruction of business? Did I say something wrong?” No dear. You just stopped that guy from cheating, you should be glad. “I’m sorry. It’s the first time I saw such a great sword… so… I just…”

 “You came for Shigure, didn’t you? I finished polishing it.” Why is he glaring at Zoro like that? Weird guy, that shop keeper. “Damn it! A weenie swordsman carrying a sword like that!” Weenie swordsman? That’s quite insulting. Doesn’t he know, who Zoro is? “There’s a bunch of identical swords for fifty thousand Berii over there, take two and leave.”

 “What is he so pissed about?”

 “Huh? Aren’t you the person I run into earlier?” Aren’t you Miss Observant? “You must like swords too!” Well, duh! “Carrying three swords makes look like s certain bounty hunter!” You don’t say!

 “A bounty hunter, you say?..” No more! No more! I’m serious and composed – I do not start laughing at things like that.

 “His name is Roronoa Zoro.” Yeah? She snickered. We didn’t know…

  “I hear the name a lot.” Sure, you do.

  “Yes, he’s a swordsman known all throughout East Blue, but he’s infamous!” I love when people talk about the things they don’t know or don’t understand. They always know best. “Using a sword to acquire money is unforgivable! Why is evil so strong now?! All well-known swordsmen are pirates or bounty hunters!” Silly, silly girl. You should look around… Not every bounty hunter or pirate is evil – like not every Marine is good. Life isn’t just black and white. “Every Meitou rests in their hands!” The might deserve it more than some oh-so-‘good’ Marines.

 “Yeah, but aren’t there other things to consider? Occupations are based on the needs of time.” She won’t understand yet – she probably was never forced to do something morally questionable in order to survive… Maybe later?

 “I’d love to have some villains here.” Wonder why? “A long time there was a lot of pirates hanging around here, wanting to head for Grand Line. But when that monster cleaned up the town, all my customers disappeared and it’s killing my business!” Monster?

 “Captain Smoker is not a monster!!!” Well, well…

 “He ate one of those Devil Fruit, it’s enough for me.” Another one… Those Devil Fruits must be a fashion statement these days.

 “Devil Fruit?..” you’re not the only one, who’s wondering. That Smoker sounds troublesome to me.

 “I swear upon my life that with Shigure I’ll be a swordsman and improve my skill, and I will go around the world to retrieve all the Meitou from the hands of scum!” Heh… She’s a brave one, but how can she tell, who deserves a one of those famous swords and who doesn’t?

 “Will you take this sword too?” Zoro, don’t provoke her!

 “Huh? Ah, no, not at all. It’s not that I want the Meitou. I just can’t stand that such fie swords are in the hands of evil.” I am so relieved.

 “Oh…” Kid, don’t stare.

 Why is she gaping at those barrels like that? Those swords there are cheap stuff, nothing special.

 “That sword?! I’ve seen it in a book! The Sendai-Kitetsu! You should take this one.” Thanks for the advice, sweetie. Wonder what such a good sword is doing with the cheap junk? “Hey mister! Is this sword really worth fifty thousand Berii?”

 “Yes.” Okay. That’s weird.

 “Amazing! It should be worth at least a million Berii!”

 “I cannot absolutely sell that sword!!!” Oh? I knew there was something more about that sword.

 “Why not?”

 “It’s a cursed blade.” You sure about that kid?

 “You knew?” so it is cursed… Well, Mr. Shop Keeper, Zoro here tends to act like a moron, but he knows lots of strange things and can have some smart ideas… when he wants to.

 “No… I can tell.” It’s called intuition, I think.

 “It’s like you said. All the Kitetsu swords were entirely cursed. All the swordsman who fought with them suffered a tragic frightening death. And now there’s not a single man, who’d use one of those.” I wonder why it doesn’t surprise me? Fighting with such a blade is a challenge not everyone can accept. “I’d love to get rid of that cursed thing, but I’m afraid I’ll die if I do.”

 “I’m sorry! I didn’t know. I shouldn’t have tried to talk you into buying it!” To late girl, the damage has been already done.

 “Stupid little girl! You act as if knew really much about those swords!” You are such a lovable creature, Mr. Shop Keeper.

 “I’ll take it!” Why did I complain Loguetown is going to be boring?

 “You idiot! I’m not selling it!” Yes, you are. Resistance is futile. “And if you die, it’ll look like I killed you.”

 “You fool! Sell it already!” Who’s that?!

 “Mom?!” The poow wittwe shop keepew is afwaid of his mommy?

 “Well, how about this – my luck against its curse.” I am not going to like this. “Wanna see what’s stronger?” We will anyway. “If I lose, then I’m just that much of a man anyway.” This is a serious moment. I am not having dirty thoughts. I. Am. Not. Having. Dirty. Thoughts.

 “Wha-? Cut that out!” I never knew a moment can last that long. Isn’t fascinating how the blade whirls in the air? It’s higher and higher… “You’re going to lose your arm! It’s really sharp!” Now it’s falling. Nearer and nearer to Zoro’s arm. Almost there. It didn’t even touch his arm. There, it’s stuck in the floor.

 “Wha-?” If you knew him, you’d know he does things like that quite often.

 “I’ll take it. You pick the second sword for me.” Poor guys, you sure must have scared them…

 “Eh?.. Y… Yes.” There’s nothing left to pick from, unless that guy has another cursed sword hidden here.

 “Hey, hold on! Wait a second!” Where did he go? Does he really have another cursed sword, or what? Oh. He’s back and oh! he’s holding something. A sword? “It’s a black lacquered sword the Ryou-Wazamono “Yukibashiri”! I guarantee it’s sharp! It’s the most valuable sword here.”

 “I don’t have enough money to buy it!” That’s one important point.

 “I don’t care about money!” You don’t? That’s new… A shop keeper who tries to cheat and yet doesn’t care for money. “Of course, I don’t need money for the Kitetsu either. I’m sorry for trying to fool you earlier. It’s been a long time since I saw a real swordsman.” No wonder. This place isn’t swordsman-friendly with this Smoker-person around. “I saw that this sword chose its master! I believe in your luck.”

 ***

 

 Oh the incredible joy! Something is happening. ‘Something’ means that there’s going to be one hell of a storm, Luffy nearly got executed by Buggy and some Alvida, whoever she may be and now we’re being chased by Marines. Did I mention Miss Big-Me is one of them? And Going Merry is already on sea. How are we going to get there is beyond me.

 “Roronoa Zoro!” She doesn’t seem too pleased.

 “Sergeant Major Tashigi!” Nice of those Marines to yell so loudly, now I know what Miss Big-Me name is.

 “You tricked me!” This sounds so cliché. “You’re Roronoa Zoro! And you’re a pirate.” Well, he didn’t really trick you, he just didn’t tell the whole truth. “You’re despicable!”

 “What did you do to this girl!?” Nothing Sanji, you woman-crazy dolt!

 “And you’re a Marine?” Go Zoro! Don’t pay attention to Sanji!

 “I’ll recover the Wadou-Ichimonji!” Really?

 “I’d like to see you try. Go ahead.” She might, you know.

 “How can that moronic swordsman attack a lady!..” She wants to fight with him you idiot.

 This wasn’t that difficult. She’s an okay fighter… But not as good as Zoro.

 “Let’s go!!!” How are you going to get on the ship, Straw Hat? It’s quite far away.

 “I won’t hand this sword to you no matter what happens.” You’d better keep it away from her.

 “S… Sergeant Major Tashigi lost! Impossible!” Since it happened it’s possible.

 “I’m in a hurry, so bye!” Is this psychological warfare-Roronoa stile?

 “Why didn’t you kill me?!” Uh… “It’s because I’m a woman?” No. No. No. “Because ‘girls are weaker than boys’?” Shut up. “It’s humiliating to have someone go easy in a swordfight! But I doubt you’d know what it feels like when you wish you were born a boy!” Shut up! “I didn’t pick up the sword to play with it!” Shut up!!!

 “I can’t stand the fact that you exist!”

 “What?!”

 “Your face! You look exactly like my friend who died years ago! And all you said is exactly the stuff she would say! Quit imitating her, you copycat!”

 “What?! I live exactly the way I am! I don’t even know what kind of a person that friend of yours is! Isn’t she copying me?!” I’m dead. I never copied anyone. I did what I thought was right. Just quit talking about things you don’t understand!

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A/N

 *Sighs* Geez, I like Tashigi really a lot and Kuina obviously doesn’t… I hope I got the names of the swords right.

Miss Big-Me – who watched Austin Powers? Remember Doctor Evil?