What's up Everyone! After a LONG hiatus, this is a LEGIT story now. Leave your thoughts and comments in the reviews.

Summary: 5 years after the Straw Hat Pirates have conquered the Grand Line, Ain, the former hand of Admiral Zephyr, hunts down the elusive First Mate in hopes of answering her hesitation. She got more than she bargained for when a simple meeting turns into the next-defining adventure of the Pirate era.

Chapter 1: This Old Man...

"He Who Commands the Seas, Has Command of Everything"

-Nico Robin, following the "Fall of Mariejois"

One-Eyed Monster. The Wolf Demon. Strongest Man in the World. The Swordsman on top of all Swordsmen.

The man had countless epithets following the events of the "Second Coming of the King." More commonly, this man was known as Roranoa Zoro.

5 years ago, the legendary Straw Hat Pirates climbed to the top of this era. As to mark their ownership of all 7 seas, the band of pirates raided the Holy Land, Mariejois, liberating anyone the Celestial Dragons held captive. In the process, the once almighty symbol of the World Government's strength was burnt to the ground. With no one left to challenge them, this act cemented their status as the most powerful of the era, and that a dynasty was soon to begin. However, it was at the height of their fame that the Straw Hat Pirates suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Speculation arose that they had all perished, serving as a reminder that no strength was unlimited and empires fall as quickly as they rise.

To this day, a lone flag bearing their mark stands at the top of the Red Line, amidst the ruined palace as a monument to freedom and a challenge to those who would seek to extinguish that idea. Legends would say that the ghost of the second pirate king would erase all those who would attempt to remove the flag, ensuring that it would remain until the end of time—or at least until the next era began.

Shortly after, a rumor spread that the legendary First-Mate of the Straw Hat Pirates resided on a isolated island deep within the New World alone. Thousands of brave (or foolish) sailors set out to find him, whether for fame or for for his throne— and Ain was among the numerous who would try.

The former Right-Hand of the infamous Ex-Admiral Zephyr had spent the last 2 years following leads that finally had her arrive at the ship-island of Water 7. The city used to be much easier to reach in the past as it was in the first half of Grand Line. Many of the innovations and infrastructure improvements came only when Mayor Iceberg decided to "sail" the island out of Paradise and into the New World. The "City of Innovation" was now the link between Fishman Island and the rest of the New World.

Whoever it was that lead her here, it better have been worth the journey.

Ain was currently at a tavern in the less developed area within the City of Innovation. In her hand, she held an elegantly written, but anonymous note.

"I know what you're searching for. Meet me at the Beloved Beggar in 3 days. You'll know it's me when you see me. :) "

Ain wisely donned a cloak and hood, hiding herself from the many pirates or bounty hunters that loomed the city. As a developed city in the New World, even some citizens were stronger than Paradise pirates.

She took another sip of her drink as she thought back on what brought upon this search.

"I can see hesitation in your technique."

"Whatever makes you hesitate, cut it off and leave it behind you."

The words rang through her head. And they stung. She had grown immensely in the past 5 years and this time, there was no hesitation in her. She'll prove it to him.

"Another round, mister," she called out as she finished her glass.

"Not so much Miss if you're planning to set sail, lest you fall victim to the roaring waves intoxicated," nodded the bartender as he continued wiping the counter.

"Help me with something..." she trailed off before looking him straight in the eye, "The Pirate Hunter, Roranoa Zoro. Have you heard of him?"

The name silenced all ongoing conversations in the bar. Even the rowdiest patrons stared at her in horror. A few began muttering silent prayers to the sky, as if to ask for protection or vindication from their sins. Even the bartender himself looked at her with fear-filled eyes.

"Not so loud next time, little Violet. That name's cursed," came a voice as the tavern doors opened. The newly arrived patron had a strange taste in clothing to say the least. Her scandalous outfit had her in nothing but a bra, tight leggings, and a long white-furred coat.

But she radiated power.

"The next drink's on me, honey," she said, motioning to the bartender who quickly complied. Her low-brimmed cowboy hat hid her eyes as she took a seat next to the dumbfounded Ain.

The patrons of the bar returned to their previous activities, albeit a lot more quietly with the woman's arrival.

"Can I help you?" Ain asked her warily.

"Depends," she responded. "With a 500 million berry bounty reward, the only help that I need is choosing what to buy…" the women said nonchalantly.

Ain immediately tensed up. "Damn! She saw through me!"

As Ain ran through her options, the woman held her hands up.

"I'm not looking for a fight, but let me tell you, hun..." she trailed off as the bartender arrived with both their drinks, "I'm for someone as well."

This perked Ain's interest as she recognized her. "You're the informant." The woman smiled in return.

"I have a ship and a map. And if you are willing to take the journey, they are both yours to keep."

Ain couldn't believe what she was hearing. This woman was her final lead.

"Why? What do you have to gain from this?"

"You'll understand soon enough, little Violet," she said as a barrage of cannon fire suddenly blared from outside. "Oh my. It looks like I've been found out."

As Ain and the rest of the patrons began to panic, the women motioned for them to continue sitting. "Relax, dear. No need to thank me for this favour," She said, smiling at Ain. "After all, what is that old Pirate adage? 'You take what you can get…"

"Give nothing back," Ain finished. A quiet gust of wind blew through the tavern as she downed the rest of her drink. When she set her glass down, there was no trace of the woman. On the nearest table, she found her empty glass, some flower petals, a few coins, and a note.

The bar was stunned silent and Ain took the opportunity to leave. "Thanks for the drink, mister," she said as she stood up and picked up the mysterious note.

"Here are the things that humans can't stop: A human's will, his dreams, and the change of an era. As long as human long for freedom, he surely can't stop these things

-Monkey D. Luffy, the King of the Pirates.

P.S. Your ship is on Dock 2. Sorry about the mess."

As Ain walked outside, she could only gasp as she saw a fleet of 20 government warships, all destroyed and floating in the ocean as the island slowly pulled away from the area. She saw the ship that the women had left behind.

As she boarded, she concluded that without a doubt, it was the mysterious woman who sank all those warships. Just who was she.

(A/N: If you can't guess, you're probably thinking too hard.)

The journey she took was largely uneventful as the ship plowed through the New World weather with unnatural force. When she set sail a little over a week ago, she discovered that the ship itself was self-navigated and possessed technology greater than what was known in the current era.

Oddly enough, the only substance required to fuel the behemoth was cola, which the ship had plenty in stock. The coating bubble that had the ship surrounded when she set sail let none of the harsh weather effects enter and the double-barreled cannons that protruded from the bow erased any threat that came its way.

That included typhoons. And tsunamis. And unfortunate pirates.

But the farther she sailed on, the fewer ships there were. In the final days of her journey, there was nothing but Sea Kings and pitch-dark skies. As she got closer to her destination, the normally dark skies were lit up by what seemingly red pillars in the distance. Only when she was at the island's doorstep did she realize what they were. Flaming tornadoes.

Surprisingly, they subsided as Ain drew closer to the shore until only the natural light from the island remained. The ship automatically shrunk down as she disembarked until it was a miniature version of itself in a bubble which she hid in her cloak.

"The Devil's Sunrise, Arrod Island," she said as she disembarked.

The island itself was exactly how she pictured Hell to look. Fire and brimstone, volcanic eruptions, no trees or wildlife, dark clouds and lighting.

"Exactly…" she muttered to herself.

She yelped as another geyser erupted near her, burning a portion of her cloak. "I'm pretty sure I'll die here…" she said muttered again.

Though she had honed her Modo-Modo powers to where the volcanic ground grew grass around her footprints with every step, the foreboding sense of corruption only grew as she trudged closer to the island center. With each step she took forward, the land grew more resistant to her powers and the less able to affect the ground. As she neared the center of the island, she saw the large, volcanic mountain, towering over the landscape like an apocalyptic figure with lightning and lava spewing from its core. The corruption was too great at this point and the ground could no longer be reverted.

He was up there. If not for the cheesy setup that crossed her mind as she walked towards the path, she could feel the immense aura that was radiating on the summit.

"Up there, huh?"

All of a sudden, a fiery creature had charged at her. An angry, fiery, red bear.

"What the–" she barely managed to get out before she rolled to the side, dodging its powerful body and the bear crashed into a nearby boulder, but its monstrous strength allowed it to break out just by rearing its head.

"So much for no wildlife…" she thought to herself.

The beast was enormous, about the size of a small boat. It seemed to be made of fire, and that was further confirmed when it breathed a fireball at her. Ain quickly stepped back, analyzing her situation.

It was too dangerous to approach it, so using her "reverse age" on it was not an option. Instead, she took out her twin pistols and aimed it at the bear. Semi-automatic, seastone-laced rounds.

"Let's go." And with that the bear charged. As it approached, she rolled forward so that when the bear jumped, she was able to duck under its belly. The beast fell forward, but before it was able to get up, a pistol was already aimed between its eyes. "Thanks for the warmup," she said as she fired. The beast exploded into fire and ash as Ain finally set her gun down. "What is up with this island?" she muttered to herself as she started to walk up the mountain's trail.

A purple haze surrounded the peak against the backdrop of thunder and lightning. At the center of the volcano, stood a figure on a single pillar of rock as lava flowed around looking out into the horizon. Roranoa Zoro.

"And so she returns…" said Zoro without turning back. A red and gold coat wrapped his shoulders as he paid her no mind. His signature bandanna was still wrapped on his left arm, but most menacingly, was his hair that seemed to flicker between white and green before finally settling down on the latter. "But for what is still uncertain..."

"A question," she said, causing Zoro to turn his head in her direction. His face remained blank, but she felt the gaze that his single eye gave.

"I feel that you came for a lot more than just a question..." Zoro said as he slowly drew his sword half-way out from an ornate red and black scabbard.

"Settle down," he said into the air as he sheathed his sword with the same speed he used to draw it. The island responded as lava stopped flowing from the volcanic crater and the thunder and lightning receded back into the clouds.

The heaviness of the atmosphere dispersed as Zoro fully turned to face Ain. "Shodai Kitetsu" she murmured.

"You haven't changed. Your aura remains the same, and still cling to that cloak..."

Ain was a bit taken back by his statement. "It's… a memento of the past… and my teacher."

"Understandable," he responded. "And now onto your question..."

"Hesitation," she began. "I came–"

"To see if you have overcome your hesitation since we have fought…" Zoro finished. "I know why you came."

"How did–"

"I read your mind? Observation Haki is a useful skill to pick up," Zoro interrupted once again. "In fact, I picked up your aura while you were docked at Water 7 about a week ago…"

"That far away?!" she thought. Shaking the thought off, she continued, "Is there any hesitation left in me?"

"Why must I be the one to answer? You know the only entity capable of answering such a question, and yet you request the opinion of another…"

"You're the only one who recognized it."

A few moments passed by before Zoro finally nodded and motioned for Ain to sit next to him. "Then let's talk." From a compartment within nearby boulder, he took out a small chest. Inside was tea leaves, a kettle, and some water which he began steeping.

"Not sake?" asked Ain.

"A friend of mine once told me: sake is for celebrating, but tea is for conversations." said Zoro.

"It had to be the skeleton," Ain thought as Zoro handed her a cup.

"It's been years since I've had a visitor, not many make it this far in the Grand Line, much less the New World." Zoro said as he took a sip of his tea.

Ain flashed a grin as she reached into her cloak and pulled out the miniature ship, which immediately caused Zoro to raise an eyebrow.

"I see…" he responded as if it explained everything.

"Why are you here by yourself? Where is the rest of your crew?"

"They're… gone…"

"My condolences."

"No, nothing like that. What I meant was… I left the Straw Hat Pirates."

There was a longer silence. Zoro took another sip as Ain did the same.

"And that's why the Pirate King's right hand is alone on the most violate island in the world?"

"Right. After we left Raftel, the crew understood my decision to leave. It was painful, but I needed the time to… meditate. There were some things that I couldn't understand when I was with my crew, but only myself could find."

Zoro finished his cup as he offered more details.

"The rest of the crew as well as our allies are underground for now. The Straw Hat Alliance from years earlier still stands and Law is co-captain of the Armada with Luffy. They're somewhere around the world as we speak…" he finished.

"I think you owe me a round of questions now…" said Zoro, restarting their conversation.

He looked into her eyes as she felt each word sink into her soul.

"Why must you insist on another's opinion to an answer you already know, under the guise of something completely foolish such as hesitation?

Ain was speechless, and Zoro continued.

"Stop lying to yourself. It's not hesitation that holds you back, it is doubt. Confusion. Fear."

"I—"

"You are embarrassed by the fact that, deep down inside, you doubt every decision that you ever make." Ain gritted her teeth as she felt every word tear into her. The lava around the volcanic crater began flowing as lighting and lightning once again streaked across the sky. "That is not hesitation—That. Is. Fear. You may be bold, confident, and prideful, but you are still a coward who hides from herself!"

Ain physically felt the heat rising as lava threatened to burst from the ground.

"I am none of those things!" she shouted, only for Zoro to stand up. The heavy, dark aura on the island intensified as lava geysers erupted all around them as Ain huffed from her outburst. Zoro picked Shodai off the ground and unsheathed it, as the ground rumbled in response.

"Now let us say that it is hesitation after all. How willing are you to overcome it?"

Zoro brandished Shodai, pointing it towards the north shore of the island where several marine battleships were approaching.

"It seems you have attracted a few tails on your way here," he said. "A CP0 Squadron. Marines specifically trained for exterminating devil fruit pirates. 25 ships. 800 highly skilled personnel."

Ain pulled back her black cloak revealing her twin pistols, but before she could leap off the cliff onto the ground below, a hand was on her shoulder.

"There we go. That's the first step…"

Ain smiled before leaping off the cliff, but as she did, she swore she heard the words: "Kids can't help but to be a little reckless these days…"

That damn pirate! Things were not going as planned. She thought she could use her Modo-Modo powers to reverse the terrain to her advantage, maybe the island had some rock pillars before it became a volcanic piece of slab in the middle of the ocean. Converting a whole field of pillars into lava would end the battle quickly.

"Dammit!" she cursed again as she tried to use her devil fruit powers. "The pirate should take better care of the island! The corruption here is so strong, I can't even revert the ground into anything useful!"

Immediately, Ain was off her feet and a knife was at her throat, and her dagger was knocked out of reach. Soru.

She was face-to-face with a man in what looked to be a gas mask. She could hear the wheezed breathing as the man continued to stare at her.

"500 million berry head. 'Reversal' Ain. Right hand of the ex-admiral Zephyr, rear-admiral," an orderly said calmly as he assessed her. The man on top remained silent.

"Shit," Ain cursed. These marines knew who she was and her Modo-Modo powers weren't working and she was helpless against the marine forces.

As if sensing her thoughts, the orderly responded, "Rear-Admiral Corbin is wearing a seastone necklace. It dampens the devil fruit powers of others, but not of the wearer."

Rear-Admiral Corbin motioned for all troops to retreat, seeing as their objective was complete. Ain felt a pair of seastone cuffs being put on as she continued to struggle.

"Operation successful," Corbin said with a deep, wheezing voice.

The island volcano suddenly erupted as the air grew thick and heavy. The tornadoes of fire, which were previously dormant, roared to life both annihilating the fleet of ships that waited offshore and cutting off any hope of retreat.

"One sword style: Demon Saw."

An enormous red line sailed across the sea, crushing the battleships more than it cut.

"He easily cut through our seastone hulls!" an operative shouted in shock.

"I needed some exercise, anyways..." yawned a voice that Ain recognized from the top of a cliff.

"It's him!" shouted an operative. "He's here!"

"The strongest man in the world…" responded another.

Zoro took a simple step forward off of the cliff only to land with the force of a meteor. Entire platoons were launched into the air from the impact.

"Rear-Admiral!" cried some of the marines.

"This is the Pirate King's right hand…" muttered one of the marines, shaking as Zoro calmly walked over to the bound Ain.

"Don't move," was all he said before gripping the seastone cuffs and breaking it in 2.

"H-He tore the seastone handcuffs in 2!" shouted a marine shakingly. From the lava geysers erupting all around him to the way his cloak blew in the wind, Roranoa Zoro truly looked like a pissed off god of destruction, hellbent on unleashing carnage to anything in his way.

Zoro recited a familiar line he was on the receiving end of almost a decade ago. "You may believe that you are the sharks who hunt down pirates, but that is all relative." Redrawing his sword, he continued. "There are always going to be bigger fishes in the ocean…"

He dashed and diced in between the thousands of marines, cutting each down with precision. In minutes, the shores of Arrod Island became bathed in red. Logia, paramecia, zoan.

"One left…" said Zoro as he brandished Kietetsu towards the only combatant left. Ain watched as the last two combatants glared at each other.

"Corbin."

"Vergil."

Zoro remained calm, Corbin steadying himself.

"I thought the battle we fought years ago demonstrated the difference in strength between us, crow man. Weakness does not get you far in this world," Zoro simply said as he drew Shodai, the island shaking as he did so.

Ain's eyes grew wide while Zoro's remained apathetic as Corbin began to surround himself with crows.

"Take cover," Zoro told her as Ain nodded and fled behind some obsidian formations.

Corbin's body began to sprout crow-like features. His skin blackened, his gas-mask grew into a beak, and wings sprouted from his back.

"Meeting you here, Vergil, is truly unfortunate for myself. I was only assigned to track and capture 'Reversal' Ain." said Corbin. He paused. "What business do you have in protecting the girl?"

Zoro's answer came in the form of a lightning-quick sword slash sent towards him, quickly ending the fight.

"That's not for you to know," Zoro said as he sheathed Shodai, finally calming the chaotic weather. "Come here, Ain," he said as Ain left cover.

"Rear-Admiral Corbin originally came for your bounty, and followed your route towards my island." He met the downed Rear-Admiral in the eyes as he continued. "I've fought him in the past and since I have no business left with him, his life is no longer in my hands."

He then turned to Ain. "However, you were his target and now with him on his knees, his life is now within yours." Her seastone revolver was handed to her by Zoro.

Corbin merely grunted as he hung his head low.

Ain stared at her dagger as she contemplated the situation. There was no question of what the marines would do to her if she was captured and they definitely would have if Zoro did not step in.

This wasn't a hard decision. When she was hunting pirates with Zephyr as her mentor, she could count hundreds who have died by her hand. But what was it about this situation that made it so different?

"I wonder…" Zoro spoke up, "I wonder if you still have the resolve to kill? The human life is complicated when emotions are introduced. Are you still Fearful? Do you still hesitate?"

This all came down to whether Ain would continue following Zephyr's teachings or whether she could make her own. Killing for revenge would make her no different than Zephyr, and will forever keep her trapped under his ideals. She needed to follow her own path. She was no longer Zephyr's student. She was his successor.

All of these thoughts passed within the span of a minute. Both Zoro and Corbin waited for her answer quietly.

"He leaves unharmed," Ain spoke, causing both to look in surprise. "As does his men." Zoro nodded and Corbin sighed.

"This is twice that I have let you live, remember that if we ever meet again."

Rear-Admiral Corbin nodded as they embarked. "So as justice exists, we will pursue you to the ends of the earth." The battalion had left within the next hour.

"So you have finally overcome your doubt in the end." Ain nodded. "Keep going down that path, and your resolve will carry you towards the end of the journey, whatever it may be," spoke Zoro as he began to walk towards the sea.

"Your resolve today has inspired me to once more set out to sea and look for my Captain. I think I found what was searching for in the end. Wherever you go, I wish you the best and hope we will cross paths once again."

This was a crazy idea and the chances that Zoro would agree were low, but she wanted to take the gamble. This was her one chance to finally realize where her convictions lie.

"Roranoa Zoro…" she began as she watched him toss the model ship that took her here in the beginning. The waters bubbled as the ship regrew to its original size.

"Would it be alright if I-"

"Just climb on board…" he said as he held out his hand, earning a bright smile from Ain as she took it.

"It's time for an adventure," she thought, smiling as Zoro took the helm. This was a chance to test her new-found conviction against the world.

"Raise anchor and set sail!" shouted Zoro as the two pulled away from the volcanic island and began their journey.

A/N: Take your time to review and give me your thoughts on this story. Yes, I know the quote is by Themistocles. I don't need to be nagged.

Until next time! *Cues exit music*