HEART OF THE SWORD
By: Iczer6
[Authors note: Hello this is first foray into One Piece fanfiction. As always I do not own OP but I would sure like to.]
Summary: Zorro's thinking about Kuina, Tashigi and life in general. Based more on the anime flashback. Spoilers for Zorro's past and vol. 12 and 13.
She had her eyes. Her resemblance to Kuina wouldn't have bothered him so much if hadn't seen her soul peering out at him through her eyes.
He'd loved Kuina. It had taken him many years to understand that.
Enlightenment comes to us at the oddest of times. For him it was in a seedy bar, watching a waitress fight off a persistent customer. It came to him like a flash of light. What she was, what she had been, what she would've become...
He'd have wept if it wasn't for his pride.
Tashigi and Kuina. Two great swordswomen. Both who hated their femininity, viewed it as weakness.
He wanted to hate Kuina's father. The man who had taken him in, taught him, feed and clothed him. The man who has also crushed his daughters dream like and unwanted insect. A part of him realized he didn't deserve the kindness he had shown him. Especially when he had shown up unannounced, full of arrogance and pride. Convinced he was the best swordsman this side of East Blue.
And he hadn't lasted five seconds against his daughter.
It was when he left the dojo and asked for her sword as a parting gift did he realize that he had truly loved his daughter. That his harsh words were not spoken out of jealousy of spite. He wanted to protect her. From a profession that is exceptionally cruel. And world that would not accept her.
But in trying to protect her he ended up losing her. His unintentional cruelty had ended up building a wall between father and daughter. And she had died without it being torn down.
He knew he carried a piece of her soul with him. In the blade in the white sheath. The blade that had not broken when he took Mihawk's blow. The blade that he had kept throughout this wild adventure with a boy who made of rubber.
When he saw her eyes he knew he had found another piece of Kuina. He also knew that as she was she would never be able to defeat him.
For if he had learned nothing else on this journey it was that the heart decides all. It does not matter whether you are male, female, pretty, ugly, short, tall or have blue skin. What does matter is faith. In yourself and those who come with you. If you don't have that you'll never achieve anything.
He hoped she would learn that too.
OWARI.
By: Iczer6
[Authors note: Hello this is first foray into One Piece fanfiction. As always I do not own OP but I would sure like to.]
Summary: Zorro's thinking about Kuina, Tashigi and life in general. Based more on the anime flashback. Spoilers for Zorro's past and vol. 12 and 13.
She had her eyes. Her resemblance to Kuina wouldn't have bothered him so much if hadn't seen her soul peering out at him through her eyes.
He'd loved Kuina. It had taken him many years to understand that.
Enlightenment comes to us at the oddest of times. For him it was in a seedy bar, watching a waitress fight off a persistent customer. It came to him like a flash of light. What she was, what she had been, what she would've become...
He'd have wept if it wasn't for his pride.
Tashigi and Kuina. Two great swordswomen. Both who hated their femininity, viewed it as weakness.
He wanted to hate Kuina's father. The man who had taken him in, taught him, feed and clothed him. The man who has also crushed his daughters dream like and unwanted insect. A part of him realized he didn't deserve the kindness he had shown him. Especially when he had shown up unannounced, full of arrogance and pride. Convinced he was the best swordsman this side of East Blue.
And he hadn't lasted five seconds against his daughter.
It was when he left the dojo and asked for her sword as a parting gift did he realize that he had truly loved his daughter. That his harsh words were not spoken out of jealousy of spite. He wanted to protect her. From a profession that is exceptionally cruel. And world that would not accept her.
But in trying to protect her he ended up losing her. His unintentional cruelty had ended up building a wall between father and daughter. And she had died without it being torn down.
He knew he carried a piece of her soul with him. In the blade in the white sheath. The blade that had not broken when he took Mihawk's blow. The blade that he had kept throughout this wild adventure with a boy who made of rubber.
When he saw her eyes he knew he had found another piece of Kuina. He also knew that as she was she would never be able to defeat him.
For if he had learned nothing else on this journey it was that the heart decides all. It does not matter whether you are male, female, pretty, ugly, short, tall or have blue skin. What does matter is faith. In yourself and those who come with you. If you don't have that you'll never achieve anything.
He hoped she would learn that too.
OWARI.