Origin 2: Sigma (Part V)

Sigma was surprised to find himself at a Marine Base that wasn't the Doctor's. It was a very low functioning base, probably had no more than a captain or commodore in charge. He was certain he had never been here before, and yet, there was a distinct familiarity that even he couldn't ignore.

"…Where—?"

Before Sigma could even begin to form a sentence, he was cut off: "Oi, Mr. Project-Pirate-Hunter! Wanna know where you are? Then turn around." Sigma was in disbelief for a moment. That voice. It sounded like—but no! It couldn't be. Sigma quickly pivoted only to be faced with what he thought impossible. He had been right about the voice after all, for there behind him was a younger version of himself. The younger Pirate-Hunter was tied to a cross in the middle of a yard. He was wearing an unfamiliar bandana on his head and had three different swords tied to his haramaki. Sigma knew it. Those were his real swords. The katana seemed to call for him in a way that his current swords failed to. Still, he felt extremely wary of the katana in the white sheath.

He looked deep into his doppelganger's eyes, at a loss for words. "Who…H-how…?" The doppelganger smiled.

"Yeah, I guess I'd be pretty confused too." He sighed. "Come here, Mr. Pirate-Hunter," he called, beckoning him closer with a cock of his head. "We need to talk." Sigma couldn't help but be drawn over. His feet were moving on their own.

"Are…a-are you me?" the elder asked. His double smiled sadly, an expression Sigma never thought he could ever make.

"Only in body," the younger replied cryptically. Sigma grimaced. For some reason this was making his head ache terribly. He rubbed his temples.

"Why are you tied up?" he found himself asking. At this, his doppelganger laughed.

"Oh? You mean you don't remember?" the other challenged. His head began to throb. Sigma cradled it in his hands, clenching his teeth.

"No," he grit out, "should I?"

"Well, a person should remember the most important day of their lives, don't you think?" At this, the pain increased tenfold. Sigma fell to his knees, barely able to keep in a moan. Then, his clenched fists were eased from his skull and warm, calloused hands replaced them, gently massaging. "They really did a number on us, didn't they?" Sigma opened his eyes, blearily staring at the other. His copy was no longer tied to the post, but they were still outside the marine base.

"Us?" Sigma uttered weakly. The other Sigma smiled.

"Yeah, us." Pain like a power drill or a lightning strike pierced his skull, and Sigma collapsed onto his double's shoulder.

"Wh-who are…you?" he managed faintly. The other man lightly patted Sigma on the back.

"I'm what's left of us. I'm the only part of us those bastards couldn't kill." Sigma had no idea what he was talking about, and his head hurt far too badly to possibly contemplate it seriously. Instead, he buried his face in the other Sigma's collar. The latter's hand came up to cup the back of Sigma's head, massaging the scalp.

"What's happening to me?" he questioned, unable to keep the pain from reaching his voice.

"That son of a bitch put something in our head to make you forget, to make you obey him. He's got some nerve." The doppelganger's eyes softened. "It's my fault your in pain right now. I'm fighting against it just to be able to talk to you." Sigma nodded weakly. They were silent for a moment.

"Other me," Sigma whispered. The aforementioned raised an eyebrow at being addressed as such; still, he nodded. "What were you talking about earlier?"

"Hm?"

"About the most important day of our life…" At this, Sigma's double had to smile.

"Well, it's the first time we had any real happiness." Sigma's eyes widened.

"W-what?"

"See, it was all lies…for a long time…then, we met him." Before Sigma could even ask who "he" was, a person appeared beside them. He was a scrawny kid, no more than seventeen, with short, shaggy black hair, a familiar straw-hat, and a smile that could make anyone his friend.

"Mugiwara…" Sigma whispered breathlessly. The other shook his head.

"No," the double corrected, "we call him Luffy."

"Luffy," Sigma called softly with so much strangled emotion in his voice.

"We love him," the other Sigma explained. "We love him so much…he and that shitty cook will be coming soon; trust me on this. I don't know how long I can hang on, but always remember, no matter what anyone tells you, you belong with them. You belong with Luffy."

"Okay," Sigma whispered without a second thought, because somehow in his heart, he knew it was true.

"Good," the other replied with a smile. He pulled away from Sigma, to look him straight in the eye. "Give 'em hell, Tiger." With that, he disappeared, and so did Sigma.

Sigma awoke back in the training room. The doctor had told him to get some rest (rather, rewarded him with rest), but then…that dream. Dream? Sigma could dream? No, that couldn't be right. He was Doctor Vegapunk's emotionless killing machine, wasn't he?

Wasn't he?

The door to the room opened as the doctor stepped in. "Sigma, it's time."

"Mugi…Mugiwara is here?" Sigma asked. The word felt distasteful and strange, like cotton in his mouth. "We call him Luffy," he recalled from his dream. Everything was becoming so strange. What was real? What was a lie? Maybe he had been wrong before. Maybe Mugiwa…Luffy wasn't his enemy after all. He wasn't being tricked; maybe he did belong with Luffy!

Pain radiated throughout his skull, and Sigma collapsed to his knees, nearly ripping his hair out from the white-hot agony.

"Sigma, you heard me. Get up. What is the matter with you?" There was no sympathy in the doctor's voice. There never was.

"Doctor," Sigma managed through grit teeth. "Are you..." he trailed off nearly whimpering but quickly regained his composure, swallowing the excess saliva in his mouth. "Are you sure I've never met Mugiwara no Luffy before?" At this Vegapunk's eyes widened, and Sigma saw shock and rage building behind them. Despite his reservations, the pirate hunter continued, "Are you sure he's even our enemy?" The anger in Vegapunk's eyes deepened.

"What are you trying to tell me, my dear Sigma?" The swordsman gulped at the sheer intensity and implied threat in those last three words. For several moments, they just stared at each other in silence.

Then…

"I'm not going to fight him, Doctor!"

Another poignant silence before the doctor nodded, icily calm. "I see," he stated with a nod. With that, he pulled a small gray box out of the pocket of his lab coat. The simple press of a button…

…And Sigma was in Hell.

He shrieked so loud that he could've sworn his vocal chords burst. Blood streamed down from where Sigma clawed at his body, trying so hard to distract himself from the brutal torture. He rolled on the ground, nearly biting his tongue in half. Sigma was soon reduced to a panting, writhing mess. He shook like mad, barely able to focus his eyes. Blood poured out of his mouth from his injured tongue as he coughed severely from inhaling the viscous fluid.

Vegapunk stepped viciously on the hand curled nearest to his face, but Sigma was in a pain-induced daze and barely noticed.

"I see we still understand level five, don't we, Sigma?" When the pirate hunter didn't respond, Vegapunk switched his target from Sigma's hand to his face.

Sigma let out a few strangled noises before finally managing, "Yes, Doctor…"

"Good," the scientist sneered. He pulled the other up by the hair. "Now then, Sigma, you're going to kill Mugiwara and his crew, and if you fail me like this again, I'm afraid I'll have to bring you to the old part of the lab, where we can keep you in a special tank just for you like all your older brothers." Sigma's eyes widened as the image of his deformed predecessors flashed across his mind.

"No," he gasped out breathlessly.

"That's right, Sigma," Vegapunk continued with a sadistic smile. "We'll just have to dissect your brain to see where it went wrong and replace you with your soon-to-be younger brother, Tau. Understand?" Sigma nodded, his mind somewhere else as he considered the horrible prospects ahead of him. The doctor smiled gruesomely as he caressed the side of Sigma's face. "There's a good boy. And if you fail me, Sigma, you'll never see the outside of a storage pod ever again." Vegapunk dropped Sigma to the floor. The latter managed to weakly brace himself with shaky arms. "Now clean yourself up before that blasted pirate gets here." The scientist left the room, leaving Sigma to do his best not to break down.

—

"Any luck?" asked Chopper as he opened door after door attempting to find a lead on Zoro's medical information.

Robin peeked out from a door across the hallway. "Nothing so far," she replied seriously. It had been at least twenty minutes, and they didn't have much time to search. The faster they found the information, the better.

"Guys! Come take a look at this!" Nami's voice resounded throughout the corridor. Chopper nodded resolutely at Robin, who gave a slight nod in turn. They rushed over to where they were certain the redhead's voice had come from. Upon entering the room, Chopper couldn't help but gasp.

It was a large room, probably recently used. There was a surgical table and instruments on one side and heaps of files on the other. It made Chopper slightly ill to think that this is where his nakama (and favorite big brother) had very recently been operated on. If he concentrated enough, he could smell Zoro's lingering scent, and worse, his blood.

"This is it," the little doctor (though he was unsure he could ever refer to himself as one again, after witnessing the madness that was Vegapunk) managed to whisper. "Z-Zoro was definitely here…and o-operated o-on. But—he didn't—it's not even sterile! Zoro could get an infection or—"

Robin pat the reindeer on the head, effectively cutting him off. "It'll be all right, Chopper," she assured, not even sure if she could believe herself. She was a cynic during the best of times, but now was no time to joke (though sometimes, she was positive that her nakama thought her to be serious when she reminded them of the horrible things that could be happening).

Over on one of the walls was a bright light board where various x-rays and other scans could be beholden. Chopper rushed over, but it only took a moment of looking over Zoro's brain scans to notice it…

"W-what…? It can't be!

Sigma wracked his brain for ideas. What could he do? He wasn't sure why, but even knowing he'd be scrapped and locked up for the rest of his existence, he couldn't bring himself to think of "Mugiwara" (Luffy his mind easily supplied) as his enemy. He knew that he couldn't—wouldn't—fight. He didn't want to. His brain kept going in circles. The more he thought about…Luffy…the less he understood. His mind would automatically go blank if he thought too hard. All that he knew for sure was that some part of him would rather die than harm Luffy…Mugiwara…no Luffy…Again, his mind drew a blank.

"Always remember, no matter what anyone tells you, you belong with them. You belong with Luffy."

That's right. His dream! Those words refused to leave his head. He belonged with Mugiwara no Luffy. Some part of him deep down would follow Mugiwara—Luffy—to Hell and back again. Follow him anywhere. Sigma's dilemma resolved. He wouldn't fight Luffy (Luffy!) He would trust this instinct. It felt real. More real than Doctor, more real than the little gray box that caused him so much pain, more real than the fear of being replaced by Tau. In fact, it was the only thing that felt real.

Sigma's head was killing him. He knew the Doctor would come for him soon. In fact, he was probably watching Sigma right now. The pirate hunter wasn't sure where this bout of defiance started and ended, but he suddenly realized that he hated the Doctor with all of his being.

With that he stood, feeling tall and proud for the first time that he could remember. He would fight the Doctor. Fight him even if it meant dying. He'd do anything to get out of this godforsaken lab. So what if it meant death? There were worse things he could think of than death.

"Give 'em hell, Tiger."

"Doctor! I'm done with this! Face me like a man! I won't fight Mugiwara no Luffy! I won't obey you anymore! Do whatever you want with me! I refuse to cower at your feet anymore! You hear me, Doctor!"

"Sigma!" Doctor Vegapunk's voice bellowed from a speaker. "What is this insubordination?! You dare defy me!?"

"YES!"

"This can't be. The surgery was a success. Sigma, you have no life, nothing without me! I created you, and I can eradicate you just as easily!" Vegapunk began threatening Sigma, trying to demoralize him, trying to coerce him back at his side, but Sigma wasn't listening anymore. He burst out of his containment chamber and began running away from the lab.

"AFTER HIM!" The Doctor cried, ordering every pacifista onsite to detain Sigma. Sigma wasn't even the least bit afraid. Sigma was free.

However, it wasn't long before the ex-pirate hunter began to tire, slowing down. What an idiot the Doctor was. Sigma was still recovering from surgery and had been punished at Level Five. Of course, his body was breaking down. Did he honestly think that Sigma would be able to fight a pirate as powerful as Monkey D. Luffy? So much for Vegapunk's unflappable killing machine and supposed genius. He laughed as he collapsed. His body wasn't listening to him. He coughed up blood as he realized how much damage fighting his programming had caused him. Sigma was ready to faint when he heard him.

"ZORO!"

Monkey D. Luffy. Mugiwara no Luffy. Luffy. He was here. Sigma could die happy. How could he have ever considered the owner of that voice to be an enemy? Even for an instant? Sigma realized where he was. He was on a catwalk, pacifistas swarming around him, and Luffy was there, only about fifteen meters below him. Sigma did the only thing he could think of. He jumped. He wasn't sure what he was thinking, but somehow he knew that the pirate would catch him. He wasn't surprised at all when Luffy not only caught him but also pulled him into a crushing embrace.

Sanji thought that he'd gone crazy when he saw Zoro looking cornered on a catwalk above them. Then Zoro and Luffy had met eyes, and without a second thought, Zoro flung himself off of the catwalk and into Luffy's arms. The two were now bowled over on the ground next to the chef. Luffy was laughing uncontrollably, so relieved to have the swordsman back in his arms, and the marimo seemed just as happy. Sanji found himself grinning as well, but knew that they weren't out of danger yet.

Meanwhile Sigma murmured, "Mugiwara no Luffy. Luffy." He frowned. "I don't know who this Zoro is, but I wish I was him. I want so badly to be him. Can I? Can I be this Zoro person you're looking for?" Luffy just grinned.

"Of course you can!"

Then the moment was shattered. Vegapunk appeared with an army of Pacifistas in tow. "A touching reunion," he snarled. "Pity it won't last. Mugiwara you ruined Sigma with your haki. You wasted years and years of research, but I won't let you have the last laugh. If I can't have Sigma, then no one can. Sigma come back here now." Sigma's body began to shake violently as he refused to follow the order. "My dear Sigma, you know you're just hurting yourself to defy my orders. Every time you attempt to subvert your programming, your body breaks down more. If you want to live, Sigma, you're going to have to follow my orders. So I'll say it again, come here, Sigma."

Sigma shook his head. "No, never." The reaction was immediate as he coughed up blood and continued to shiver as if he were lying naked in a blizzard. He choked as he coughed up more blood.

"Zoro!" Luffy glared at Vegapunk with merciless eyes that burned with enough ferocity to shake the scientist to the core. Luffy stood with Zoro in his arms, never taking his eyes off Vegapunk, and handed the limp form to Sanji.

If Vegapunk thought Luffy's stare was frightening, he shouldn't have taken a second glance at Sanji. Those blue eyes were frozen over with pure hatred. He looked to Vegapunk like an avenging angel verging on becoming the devil.

"Sanji, take care of Zoro."

"Kick his ass good, Captain." Luffy gave a thumbs up but never turned away from Vegapunk.

Sigma stirred at the sound of battle. Luffy was fighting pacifistas by the dozens trying to get to Vegapunk, but if Luffy was over there, then who was holding him? He gazed up at the man that he'd apparently been entrusted to. Another member of Luffy's crew? That's right. One of the wanted posters was someone with blond hair. Now that he could see this person's face, he felt déjà vu. One eye covered by thick blond bangs, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and those eyebrows. They ended in a swirl that sort of reminded Sigma of a dartboard.

"Dartboard brow."

"I…I know you." Sigma found himself saying.

"Yeah, you know me."

"My head's pretty messed up right now. I can't even remember your name."

"Don't worry about it, Marimo-head."

"Marimo-head?"

"It's my nickname for you because your hair's so green."

"Is it? I don't think I've ever seen my reflection before. I guess I never thought about it. What do I look like anyway?" Sanji didn't answer but tightened his grip on the dazed and bewildered swordsman.

"That's it, Mugiwara! One more step and I fry Sigma's brain. I'd rather kill Project Pirate Hunter and start over from scratch then let you keep him!" Sanji snapped up eyes wide. He leaned the swordsman against the wall. "Stay here. I'm going to back up our captain." Sigma blinked sluggishly. Was he still Sigma? No, Luffy told him he could be Zoro. He was Zoro now. " 'Our captain'," he echoed in a daze.

Sanji knew that he needed to get that stupid controller away from Vegapunk while he was distracted by Luffy.

"Let's start with Level Five!" Sanji ignored Zoro's screams as best he could. He couldn't—wouldn't go back to the swordsman without that remote control. Between Zoro's screams and Luffy's desperate cries for Vegapunk to stop, Sanji was able to slip by unnoticed.

"Level Six!" He had to stop this for everyone's sake.

"Level Seven!" Sanji stopped in his tracks. It was worse than he imagined. Worse than anyone could imagine. Worse than Thriller Bark, and he didn't think it was possible to be worse than that horrific day. But Vegapunk didn't stop there.

"Level Eight!" Sanji moved faster than ever. He had to stop Vegapunk. Zoro could handle more pain than anyone else on the crew, but even he had limits. Sanji had no doubt in his mind that if Vegapunk were to reach level ten, there would be no going back.

"Level Nine!" Sanji's eyes widened. He wasn't going to make it. But he'd promised Luffy. He'd promised he'd bring Zoro back no matter what state he was in. Sanji was moving faster than he ever had in his life. It was damn near teleportation.

"Level Te—"

BOOM!

One kick and it was over. Vegapunk was dead. Very few could survive a Diable Jambe at that close range, and Vegapunk was a feeble old man. That's when Sanji saw. It was too late. Vegapunk had turned the dial to its maximum. He quickly smashed the remote underfoot, but looking back at Zoro, it was clear that he was no longer moving. Not even a twitch. He and Luffy both screamed Zoro's name as they ran towards his prone form.

They both knelt beside Zoro, looking him over. He was pale and cold and not breathing. Sanji began doing chest compressions as Luffy looked on, nearly broken. There was an explosion from behind them, and in the ensuing chaos, all nine of the Mugiwara Kaizokudan found themselves in the main lab, watching as Sanji desperately tried to revive their fallen nakama.

Then, after an eternity, Zoro coughed. He was breathing. The world started turning again, and the crew boarded the Thousand Sunny, watching as the whole compound burned to the ground courtesy of Usopp.

Zoro was unconscious for over a month. No one was willing to leave his side for very long. In Vegapunk's lab, the scans showed that Chopper was right in his theory that Zoro had a congenital brain defect, which Vegapunk never even noticed. The reason he device implanted in his brain didn't work as Vegapunk intended was because of this abnormality. Vegapunk's technology was sending signals to all the wrong places in Zoro's brain since nothing was located where it was meant to be. It was a miracle that Zoro didn't end up completely brain dead from the surgery itself. Just as well, it was actually lucky that Vegapunk managed to activate all of the pain receptors in his body. The influx of electricity from the central nervous system overload was enough to short-circuit all of the devices implanted in Zoro's brain and body, including his new cybernetic eye, which was completely useless and eventually removed.

Even after all of these miracles, Chopper still wasn't certain whether or not Zoro would ever wake up again. Everyone on the Sunny made a silent agreement: Zoro was still their first mate and they would wait forever for him to awaken. Even if that day never came, they would never leave him because for better or worse, Zoro belonged with them. To them. But their Zoro was strong and finally woke up after a full six weeks of being comatose. It was another week before he was completely lucid.

At first, he couldn't even remember his own name. He didn't respond to being called Zoro, Roronoa, or Sigma. None of the names seemed to strike him as familiar. "Pirate Hunter" didn't cause a reaction, neither did Koshiro-sensei, Kuina, Isshin Dojo, or even Vegapunk. The first word he seemed to respond to in any capacity was Shuusui. At the time, Robin had been attempting to use key words and phrases to goad a reaction. Everyone had brainstormed together the night before, trying to come up with "trigger words" for Zoro.

Since he had responded to the name of his sword, then perhaps another would do. Wado Ichimonji didn't even cause Zoro to blink. However, when Robin said Sandaime Kitetsu, Zoro met her eyes. "Where's Kitetsu?" he mumbled. Later when Zoro was sleeping with Shuusui and Kitetsu nearby, the strawhats conferred in the galley.

They managed to come to the conclusion that the reason Zoro had responded to the name "Kitetsu" was because Kitetsu was the only sword he truly thought of as his own. Wado belonged to Kuina and Shuusui belonged to Ryuuma. Kitetsu, the cursed sword, was the first katana to respond to him and him alone. Only he was able to tame it.

One thing was clear, Zoro was on the mend, and from there he only got better. He had trouble remembering names and faces. Luffy was the only person he even remotely remembered. Sanji came soon after that. From there, he began slowly recognizing his crewmates. Chopper said that it was (yet another) miracle that Zoro could retain any information at all. The miracles ended there. The green-haired swordsman didn't remember anything. Didn't remember the lab. Didn't remember his time as the first mate of the Mugiwara Kaizokudan. Didn't remember his time with Mihawk. Didn't remember his implanted memories. There was nothing.

It was a fresh start in a way. He was happy to be Roronoa Zoro even though he didn't really know who that was or what that meant. Even though he couldn't come up with any memories of his nakama, he still loved them dearly. That much was clear. Luffy was the first to ask if he remembered anything about Mihawk and his dream of becoming the greatest swordsman in the world. Zoro remembered none of it. It was a shock to everyone. They couldn't imagine having their dreams forcibly ripped out of their skulls. Luffy barely flinched. He asked Zoro what his dream was now. Zoro thought for a long time before saying, "I guess my dream is to watch you become Kaizoku-Ou. After that, who knows?" It was then that the Strawhats understood that the Zoro they once knew was dead. Vegapunk had succeeded in killing him. He was never coming back. They didn't mind the Zoro that had replaced him, but Zoro wasn't really a complete person anymore. How could he be? He had only existed for a few weeks. It was Brook who said that Zoro needed time to grow and develop into the person he wanted to be. He wasn't exactly a newborn, but he was close. Usopp understood. They had both watched Rho die, only about an hour after he had truly been born. Zoro was a blank slate. Tabula Rasa, and eventually he'd find his own way and figure out a new dream for himself.

Two things felt natural to this new Zoro: fighting and Luffy. He was as good as ever when it came to his swordsmanship. It was muscle memory at its finest. Even more so. He had been created to wield swords. Literally. He was quite literally a fighting machine. It was what he was made for, and the crew was happy that he was still able to enjoy sword fighting even after everything that happened.

Then there was Luffy. If Zoro had been fiercely loyal before, he was something entirely new now. Something damn near indescribable. It was like an instinct: he loved Luffy. He seemed to love Luffy with his entire being. The mere thought of his captain made him happy. He was almost like a dog. A hard to win over dog that chose to follow Luffy and no other. The dog comparison didn't bother Zoro much, even when his nakama teased him about it. Sanji was beginning to get frustrated that Zoro no longer reacted to his fighting words. Mostly they just left the swordsman confused.

The captain couldn't help but respond to Zoro's obvious affection. During peaceful times, it wasn't unusual to find the two of them cuddling somewhere. True puppy love. In those first weeks while Zoro was still recovering, Luffy had expressly forbidden his first mate from any serious fighting. Though it came as a huge shock when Zoro actually listened to him. But all Luffy had to do was give Zoro his hat and say, "Not this time," and Zoro would sit out a fight, waiting obediently for Luffy to return.

Sometimes Zoro would notice Luffy looking sad, and he didn't understand. Zoro was so happy to be with him, but sometimes, Luffy would look at his first mate and cry. Confused and cowed, Zoro would apologize to Luffy. The first time this happened, Luffy had asked what Zoro was apologizing for. Zoro had said, "I did something wrong, didn't I?" This only made Luffy cry harder, clutching onto Zoro like a lifeline as he told the swordsman that he did nothing wrong. That he was perfect and his and everything would be okay. Zoro would hold Luffy as the captain cried himself to sleep, and then he would torture himself with thoughts that it was entirely his fault that Luffy was sad. That he wasn't good enough. That he would never be good enough.

Zoro began to realize that he would never be the Zoro that his nakama needed him to be. He would never be the Zoro that Luffy fell in love with. And it hurt. He was some bastard imitation of the real Roronoa Zoro. He had taken over his body. He had killed him. Fake Zoro (which he began to think of himself) killed the original Zoro and took his place. He was a monster. A murderer. A fraud. And he was making Luffy, his life, his love, his everything, cry. The rest of his crew was crying over him too, weren't they? Crying because of him. Because he had replaced something irreplaceable. He was no first mate. He was a parasite, and all he could do was hurt these wonderful people who had taken him in and treated him like family.

Tension grew like wildfire, and ran rampant through the halls of the Thousand Sunny.

One day, Sanji had called Zoro by one of his usual nicknames, "Moss-head." Zoro had felt his entire being grow cold. He'd been found out. They knew what a parasite he was and were going to get rid of him. They should get rid of him. Exterminate him. He immediately fled from the room, ran to the edge of the ship, very near tears, and vomited. His nakama had followed him out, but Sanji was the one to kneel next to him and ask what was wrong. He immediately jumped to the conclusion that he had fed Zoro something that had gone bad and started apologizing. This left Zoro even more confused.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing," Zoro replied desperately. "You're right! I am moss. I'm a parasite!" At this, Sanji had gone stock-still, gears turning in his mind. Then he understood. He nearly began to cry himself as he pulled Zoro into his arms, nearly crushing the other with the force of his hug.

"Idiot. You idiot. That's not what I meant at all! You're not a parasite! You're just an idiot. Our idiot." Zoro sobbed out his fears and frustrations on Sanji's shoulder. No one dared disturb them. This had been building for a while. Zoro needed this. They needed this. Catharsis.

After Zoro had calmed down, Sanji had looked him in the eye and said, "You're so stupid. Moss isn't even a parasite. It grows on trees and rocks, but it doesn't feed off of them. Moss is a plant that can make its own food and stand on its own, but it just likes trees. It thrives on trees without hurting them. Understand?" Zoro finally relaxed allowing himself to be shepherded back to the galley for breakfast that had already gone cold. No one even thought about mentioning it. There was a heartwarming exchange at the table as Sanji explained the concept of nicknames ("When I call you moss-head or marimo, it's me pointing out that your hair is green. Nothing more than that. If you ever get confused by something I say, tell me, and I'll set you straight.") Franky fervently denied that he was crying at the beautiful scene he had just witnessed. Zoro's immediate response of, "But you're crying," led to an immature squabble between the swordsman and engineer. Everyone laughed as Zoro attempted to logic out why someone would be crying and say they are not, which only seemed to annoy Franky and left both parties arguing childishly as Zoro got progressively more confused as the conversation went on. Luffy laughed the most, holding the green-haired swordsman as close as he could.

Later that day, Zoro grew pale and clutched at his head. He collapsed on deck. After Chopper's usual hysterics about needing a doctor and realizing that he was the doctor, the reindeer pressed a hoof to Zoro's forehead. "He's a bit feverish. It's probably nothing, but we should move him to the infirmary just in case." There was immediate consensus. No one wanted to take any more risks in regards to Zoro, which was a strange and disturbing new feeling.

Later that night, Zoro awoke feeling odd and dizzy. Waking up in the infirmary only meant one thing: he'd worried his nakama again. Feeling uncomfortably warm, sick and plagued by so many anxieties and insecurities, he wandered into the galley. He took a seat at the table and watched Sanji put away the dishes. When he was finished, Sanji turned to face Zoro. He'd never seen Zoro look so lost before (well emotionally lost at least). Sanji decided that this definitely warranted a cigarette. "Oi, Marimo, did you get lost?" Zoro looked up.

"Maybe. I'm not sure. It's weird. I never get to the place I'm trying to get to, but somehow I always end up where I need to be. I wonder if Chopper was right about the brain damage." Sanji laughed.

"No, that's not brain damage (at least not recent brain damage). You were always like that. Though, this is the first time I've ever heard you admit it." Zoro sighed.

"Sanji?" The aforementioned was still getting used to hearing Zoro call him by his real name and not one of his nicknames.

"What is it?"

"Maybe everyone would be better off if I left." Sanji nearly dropped his cigarette upon hearing this.

"What the hell makes you think that?!"

"It's…I think I make everyone sad. I look exactly like your old friend Roronoa Zoro, and I might be him in body, but I don't think I'm anything like him. I don't remember anything about being him, and I don't think I ever will. All I am is a reminder of everything they've lost—you've lost." Sanji took a long drag, thinking how to best respond.

"So what if you're not who you used to be? Who says you have to be like him? It's not like you stole his identity. You're Roronoa Zoro just as much as he was. Everybody's still getting used to you, but it won't be long before you feel like you're part of the crew again. No one here expects you to be anything other than you. You're you. Everyone already loves you, baka marimo. So just be you." He didn't mention that he thought of Zoro as his best friend and always would. That was a conversation for another day. "What about you? How do you feel about everyone?"

"You're all the best," Zoro replied not even stopping to think. "If everyone already loves me, then I guess I already love them too." Sanji shook his head in slight disbelief. This Zoro would definitely take some getting used to. He always thought of Zoro as all action and no words, but it seemed like he'd have to change that thought.

"Yeah? Tell me about them." Sanji felt like he was taking advantage of Zoro's new willingness to talk about his feelings rather than just acting on them, but he'd accepted all of Zoro's recent changers in behavior so far, and he didn't plan on stopping any time soon.

"Chopper's like a little brother…who's also a reindeer doctor? He's very cute, but I feel like I shouldn't tell him that. He wants to be a man just as much as you or me, so I don't want to hurt his pride. I know I'd have died if it weren't for him. I'm lucky he's around. Thanks to him, my brain is only a little damaged…ok, a lot damaged, but I can still walk and talk. That's gotta count for something. He's been taking good care of me since I woke up, so I guess I'll take care of him on the battlefield. Or if he gets thrown overboard. That too. Franky's completely insane, but in a good way if that makes any sense. I don't think I'd know what to do if he started acting normal. He's got guts. That's for sure. Well, actually he doesn't…because he's a cyborg, but you know what I mean! I don't know; I guess things just feel better when he's around. More fun. I feel very close to Brook, almost like we went through something serious together. Though, if we did, I don't remember it. It feels like he's watching over me, but I'm not sure why. He can play any instrument! Isn't that nuts? It'd be like if I could use every kind of sword in the world and fight halfway decent with each of them. Aside from that, he's very silly. Usopp's really good at telling stories, and I know he'll always come through for us even if he's so scared that his knees are knocking together. He showed me some of his gadgets the other day. I was impressed but also decided I wanted nothing to do with it. Too many weird plants. He's a good friend, and he makes me feel strong, even when I don't feel strong. It's because he says he looks up to me. Nami's…great. She can be very kind when she wants to be, but she's also really tough. It's crazy how she keeps the ship running. She's been easy on me since I woke up, but I hope that changes. I don't want her to think twice about bashing me upside the head if I deserve it. It feels like I've known her forever. Like, we were childhood friends or something, but I know we weren't. Well I was technically four when I met her, but I thought I was nineteen…I shouldn't think too hard about that. It actually makes me dizzy when I try to put everything together. Even if I pretend it's happening to someone else. My brain just can't go there anymore. Guess I'll just have to get used to that. Then there's Robin. I know I was created in a lab and everything, but if I did have…a mother…I'd want her be something like Robin. I don't know why…but she makes me feel safe. And no matter what I do or say, I know she'll never judge me for it. It's strange, but that's just how it is with her. Everyone's been saying that I'm basically a newborn, so I guess in a way she kind of is my mom…or at least the closest thing to a mother I have."

"That went pretty much how I expected it to go, until you got to Nami and Robin," Sanji said deadpan. Zoro had always had a hard time interacting with women; at least, that's what Sanji had always thought. But it seemed like Zoro liked the girls more than he ever let on. Good thing it seemed strictly platonic. "And what about me and Luffy?"

"It's a little hard to put into words with you two, but I'll try. I know if you and I ever fought for real, it'd probably end up in a draw. I know you're my equal, and I know you look out for me. If the crew ever got split up, you'd be the only person I wouldn't have to worry about. You always keep your word, and you always have my back. Actually, if we ever fought back-to-back, I think we could take on pretty much anyone. All-in-all, I'd say you're the best friend I've ever had." Sanji buried his face in his hands trying to hide his enormous smile. "Did I say something wrong?" He laughed.

"No, no, it's just…the feeling's mutual. That just leaves…"

"Luffy. Luffy is…the best thing that's ever happened to me. Don't know why I know that, but I do. I'd follow him anywhere. I'd do anything for him. After all, I love him. I'd go crazy without him. I don't think I could live without him—"

It was just then that the door burst open revealing all of their nakama. Sanji decided that he didn't want to know how every single one of them figured out they were having such a serious conversation in the galley. If he had to guess, it was probably Robin. Sanji had noticed she had quite literally been keeping a close eye on Zoro even when he was still unconscious. Guess he had a point about that whole mother thing.

He smiled as he saw his nakama all over Zoro. Luffy had latched onto him and was laughing, never happier. Usopp, Chopper, Franky, and Brook were all crying and attempting to hug Zoro. Nami had a bit more restraint, but she shed a tear or two, and Robin…Sanji had never seen Robin look that happy before. Sanji debated whether or not to get involved or just laugh as Zoro shouted, "It's not that big of a deal! I was just telling the truth! Why are you guys getting so worked up over this?!" They all ended up in a dog pile, eventually falling asleep in close proximity to everyone that mattered in that moment.

Zoro couldn't fall asleep, still feeling out of place. Luffy came over with a blanket and snuggled close, holding Zoro as close as possible. The captain yawned before sleepily murmuring, "Maybe you're Roronoa Zoro. Maybe you're not. It doesn't matter. I love you, whoever-you-are! And you're not getting rid of me anytime soon. Shishishishi!"

All was right with the world.

*Ok, the end was really sappy, but I only had two endings: one sappy and one horrible for everyone, so I decided on sappy. That was an ordeal! I can't believe how much I wrote and how long it took me to write it. Well. I'm going to go do some primal scream therapy. It's exactly what it sounds like. So, last thoughts: Zoro is pretty OOC at the end there, but well, I figure he has literally every reason to be. Irreparable brain damage can do that to a person. Um, I think of Sanji and Zoro as vitriolic best friends. Someone once used that term to describe them, and I've been all fort it since. So, now that I've finally posted this, I'll start getting to all of you lovely reviews! So if you left a review or plan on leaving one, you'll hear from me very soon! Thanks for reading everyone I love you all!