The Future That Never Was

Summary: The second Pirate King's crew had only gone back in time for an hour. To those left in the new timeline, however, it's amazing how much damage the Strawhats can cause in an hour. Now the infamous crew is about to form but it's already different from the future that never was and now never will be. Inspired by The Patient One's Changing The Future (redone).

Disclaimer: One Piece is owned by Eichiro Oda and possibly Toei. This is just a fanwork and the author is making no money off of it.

Notes: Wow, it's been awhile since I've written One Piece fanfiction. And the first time I've posted any of it to this site. Anyway, I don't own One Piece and never will but this story is mine.

This is inspired by The Patient One's time-travel fanfiction Changing The Future (Redone) and I have their permission to post this. If you want a fanfiction where the Strawhats change their past, I suggest reading that. This story, in comparison, is about dealing with the mess(es) left behind from such a thing. Expect spoilers at least through the Tottoland Arc and probably further if I can swing it.

While romance is not the focus of this story at all, I'm not above ship teasing. Also, I'm queer and like representation, so there will be implied - sometimes heavily - het, queer, and queerplatonic relationships going on in the background, but nothing worse than what the anime itself gets up to. You know, things like Boa Hancock squealing like a school girl over Luffy or Zoro and Sanji declaring nearly being forced to kiss 'scary' but no actual kissing or romance.

I am also going to be using Japanese for certain things. I'm going to try and avoid blatant peppering, however (eg. no calling the the Strawhats Mugiwara, for example), and limit myself to things that don't translate well (like nakama, because there's not an English word that quite encaptures it the way the Strawhats use it), don't have a direct translation because that's what it is (ie. a haramaki isn't a sash any more than a burqa is a veil), involve honorifics (because while English does have an equivalent to -san, it doesn't really have one for -chan, -kun, or nonsense endings like -yoi and -ya), and nonsense words (the den den mushi/transponder snail's purupurupuru noise, for example). The real exception is technique names - and that's at least partially because they're actually in multiple languages (Japanese, Spanish, and French immediately come to mind) and so will be in the original language followed by the English translation in parenthesis as needed. I will also sometimes use random words to imply different dialects and language norms. Everything should be understandable from context but let me know if it's not.

Also, while I've tried to make things different in this first chapter, there are some scenes and dialog borrowed from the Viz manga translations.

Finally, these characters will be swearing like the sailors they are. Since this is a One Piece fanfiction, that really shouldn't be a surprise.

Many thanks to both The Patient One and JED1 for looking this chapter over.

xXx

Chapter One - In Which There Is A Big Change

She dreamt of the sea and sky being rent asunder by a single powerful swing of a sword wrapped in white. For one breathtaking instant, everything seemed to freeze, poised like a path leading to glory. Then she could feel the salt-soaked spray rush past her in a burst of air as the sea slammed back into place with a roar and the wind rushed to fill the void left behind.

In her dreams, she was the one holding the white sword. In her memories, the sword had been held by someone else.

Kuina woke up and briefly wished she hadn't. Everything hurt. Okay, not everything. Her hair didn't hurt. Everything else, however... It wasn't even a good ache, the sort that arose from making oneself better. Of moving, of becoming faster, stronger, more skillful. No, this was the ache of abuse.

She mentally cursed as she took stock of her situation yet again, not having anything better to do. Her back ached from being forcefully pressed against a pole buried deep into the ground, deep enough that her best friend and companion in this rather off-putting situation hadn't managed to pull his out of the ground. Her arms, wrapped around the crossbar of wood parallel to the ground and bound at the elbows, also ached from the awkward position although being able to move her hands was a bit of a relief, even if the binding didn't give her much leeway. It at least kept the blood flow up, even if it did result in pins and needles every time she so much as twitched a finger. The only thing keeping it from being an outright crucifixion was that her feet touched the ground, although that meant everything from the hips down hurt from keeping her upright for so damn long. And letting them relax wasn't much of an option as that forced her chest to support her weight and that was a good way to slowly suffocate herself from the very weight of her body.

Zoro was in a position that was slightly better since the pole was actually a bit short compared to him. It meant he could actually semi-relax his legs without suffocating himself. Just proof these poles had been put in place with a man in mind, damn it all.

Despite everything, the Marine underlings weren't so bad. Absolutely terrified of their boss and his son and she and Zoro would have to beat them for tying them up, of course, but that didn't stop them from sneaking into the yard after father and son were safely asleep and giving her and Zoro water and offering to untie them long enough to use the bathroom. Kuina took full advantage of that time to stretch and then sit, even if it was just for a minute or so. Zoro, she suspected, only went along with it because he didn't want to go through the humiliation of needing to go while still tied to the damn post. Holding it all day long was training enough.

Still, standing in the sun all day long with no food and barely enough water wasn't doing either of them any favors. They weren't going to last the whole month at this rate.

"Eh? There are people over there."

Kuina twitched and looked up through her bangs, not wanting to give any gawkers the satisfaction of her attention but wanting something new to focus on at the same time. She couldn't place the voice - it sounded like a teenager speaking Standard with a heavy East Blue accent thrown in for good measure.

A boy wearing a straw hat decorated with a red ribbon was resting his arms on top of the wall and his chin on his arms, staring curiously. A grunt followed by a head of honest-to-God pink hair followed. The pink-haired kid apparently had some sense because he panicked at bit at the sight of her and Zoro.

"Th-That's them! Those are the most dreaded bounty hunters in the East Blue!" the pink-haired kid exclaimed when his companion expressed a disturbing lack of knowledge about who's who. "'Pirate Hunter' Roronoa Zoro and 'The Heathen' Isshin Kuina. Together they're known as 'The Demons of the East Blue'!"

She missed most of the hissed conversation after that but Kuina was aware of Zoro looking up to glare at the teens that had climbed to look over the wall from under his bandana, not liking gawkers any more than she did, and she felt her lips twitch into a smirk as he shouted at them.

"Oi! Are you going to do something or just sit there gawking?"

"I hate gawkers," Kuina added. "Go stare at something else."

Then she, Zoro, and the teens started when the little girl they'd saved earlier suddenly popped up on top of the wall and made a very loud shushing noise before climbing down into the yard. She marched straight towards Kuina with a big grin while holding two rice balls.

"Onii-san! Onee-chan!" she exclaimed, using the local East Blue dialect - instead of the Standard one would expect this close to a freaking military base - to refer to them as Big Brother and Big Sister. "I made you rice balls! All by myself! Well, Mommy helped a bit. She cooked the rice! It's my first time making rice balls!"

Ah, that explained why the balls looked a little misshapen.

"What the hell are you doing, kid?!" Zoro roared, struggling a bit against his bonds. "Do you want to get into trouble? Get the hell out of here!"

"I... I thought you would be hungry," the girl whimpered and Kuina cursed the instinct that arose in her.

"Oi. Just let her feed you, idiot. The sooner the rice balls are gone, the sooner she leaves, right?" she suggested.

"Tch. I don't want any. Now scram, kid."

Stubborn ass, Kuina thought disparagingly before feeling her blood freeze when the sounds of the gate opening reached her ears, along with a very unwelcome voice.

"Are you picking on little girls now, Roronoa Zoro? How shameful. I should tell my father on you," the prissy prig that was the reason they were even in this situation called as he walked over, flanked by two men in white uniforms. Grunts, as far as Kuina could tell. Certainly no one with the power to tell this jerk off. Damn.

"Hmph. If it isn't the idiot living off of Daddy's wealth."

And there went Zoro mouthing off. If Kuina could hit him, she would. As it was, she had no doubt blondie would, just as he had every single day thus far.

"Did you just call me an idiot? Someone in your position should watch their tongue if they don't want to lose it," Daddy's boy sneered before turning to the girl and snatching a rice ball while saying, "Oh, did you bring these for me? How thoughtful."

"Hey! Give it back!" the girl shouted because of course she did. Kuina sighed and watched in resignation as the prick took a bite only to smirk when he made a face.

"Blech! Rice balls are supposed to be salty, not sweet!"

"But I like sweet things," the girl explained, "So I thought sugar would be better."

"They're completely inedible!"

Then the jerk-face smacked the other rice ball out of the girl's hands and proceeded to stomp on both of them.

"Please stop! You're ruining them! And I worked so hard on them!"

"Just leave them. The ants can enjoy them," the prick replied with a laugh, shrugging off the little girl's distress, "So stop crying. You're not even supposed to be here or can't you read the sign? You can't, can you, you little baby. It says, 'Anyone aiding these prisoners shall be found guilty of the crimes they committed. -Captain Morgan.' I'm sure you've heard about how scary my father can be! If you were an adult, you'd be put to death!"

Kuina could hear Zoro gritting his teeth even as she glowered at the whiny wimp as he gestured absently at one of the grunts.

"You there. Throw the brat over the fence."

"What? But-"

"I'm giving you an order! Do it or I'll tell Daddy on you!"

"Y-yes, sir. Right away!"

"Wait!" Kuina demanded because that could cause major damage to the kid, even kill her if she landed wrong. Necks were such fragile things.

"Oh? Have something to say, Babycakes? Did you maybe change your mind about that date?" Daddy's boy asked with a leer.

"Go fuck your dead dog!" Kuina snarled. "Like I'd want anything to do with a guy who'd hurt a little girl!"

"Oh? But I'm not the one hurting her. He is," the baby in men's clothing stated before ordering the poor grunt, "Do it."

The child shrieked as she was thrown over the wall, although the distant sounds that followed made it clear she survived. That was something good at least.

"Maybe a few more days in the sun will change your mind, Babycakes."

"Oi, if she goes on one date with you, you'll let us both go, right?"

"Of course! I wouldn't dream of breaking my word. She goes on one date with me and then I'll let you both go."

"Date the bitch," Zoro told Kuina.

"Go to hell!" she snapped back.

"One date is not worth this," Zoro pointed out.

"No, but..." Kuina stuck out her tongue and made a face.

"Oi," Daddy's boy complained.

"You'll keep your hands to yourself and be a gentleman?" Zoro demanded of their captor.

"I won't touch her if she doesn't want me to. Of course, since she'll be begging me to by the end of the night..." He left off with a lecherous giggle. Kuina flipped him off but then sighed.

"If it means no one else gets hurt..."

"Oh, I promise. If you do what I say, I'll let you both go."

"Fine!" Kuina barked.

"Great! Boys, take her to get cleaned up for our date tonight. I need to go make arrangements."

Then the bastard left, his laughter echoing through the yard. Kuina just hoped she'd made the right decision as the grunts untied her and led her away. A gut feeling told her she hadn't. She shot a worried look backward at Zoro until she was dragged so he was out of sight.

xXx

Luffy was smart enough to know that he wasn't. He'd made peace with that fact long ago and decided not to worry about it. So what if he didn't know about certain things? He'd just find someone who did. Besides, he had things he was good at like fighting, surviving, and reading people. The fact all three were related had not escaped his notice but, again, why worry about it?

The language thing was going to be a bit of a problem but, eh, he'd manage. Coby and the pirates Luffy had rescued him from had understood well enough, even if they had looked at him oddly for keeping his language to what little Standard he knew. Really, it was Gramp's fault for going on and on about how all strong Marines speak Standard. Luffy had refused to learn it on principle for years until Ace and Sabo had explained everyone speaks Standard in the Grand Line. It... probably hadn't helped that he and his brothers had formed their own ship-speak combining the local East Blue dialect with Standard, random Noble words that Sabo had tended to revert to when he didn't know the word in any other language, and the ship-speak Luffy had picked up from Shanks and his crew during that year they'd used Foosha Village as a base. It wasn't their fault no one else understood them when they got going.

Anyway, Coby had been going on and on but Luffy had tuned him out and climbed the wall because he only understood about one word in three and those he could understand made it clear it was repetitive and unimportant. If it was important, Coby would find a way to explain it in a way Luffy did understand. What was happening in the yard was way more interesting.

"Eh? There are people over there," Luffy stated more for Coby's benefit than anything.

There were two people tied to poles in the ground. One was a scary-looking guy a few years older than Luffy himself, dressed in white and green and black with a haramaki around his waist and a bandana covering his head, shading his eyes. He looked as relaxed as someone could be while tied to a pole. His companion didn't look nearly as relaxed but that might have to do with the fact that she was shorter and thus couldn't just slide her feet forward like the guy had. She was dressed much like the man, albeit in white and dark blue that matched her hair (Luffy still didn't get why people called that shade navy blue when the actual Navy used a brighter blue). She'd left off the haramaki in favor of a brown belt that was either wrapped around her waist twice or was actually two belts. She also didn't have a bandana to protect her from the sun so she was looking a bit sunburned.

"Th- That's them," Coby was saying now that he'd climbed up beside Luffy. "Those are the most dreaded bounty hunters in the East Blue! 'Pirate Hunter' Roronoa Zoro and 'The Heathen' Isshin Kuina. Together they're known as 'The Demons of the East Blue'!"

"Oh? That's them? I could just untie them and set them free," Luffy thought out loud, a habit he'd gotten into with Ace after a few ill-planned adventures as a kid. Ace had always said Luffy's plans were kind of stupid but had insisted Luffy say them out loud so he could stop Luffy from going through with the worst of the bunch or, failing that, at least work around them. Luffy had to admit that the plans worked better when Ace was involved in them although they probably would've been better still if Sabo had been alive.

"Are you insane?! If you untie them, they'll kill us!" Coby insisted which was kind of stupid. Why would they attack the people untying them? It wasn't like they were rabid dogs or something.

"Oi!" the man suddenly called out, looking up at them from under his bandana. "Are you going to do something or just sit there gawking?"

"I hate gawkers," the woman muttered without looking up. "Go stare at something else."

Then a little girl and a mean weirdo showed up and things started to get really interesting. Luffy had no clue what the big deal with the date was. Last he knew, dates were either things like what day it was and thus nothing of consequence unless it was someone's birthday or a type of fruit.

Maybe the weirdo was talking about a Devil Fruit? That would explain the face the woman made in response to it. Luffy knew from experience that Devil Fruit tasted nasty. And if she had one already, then it would be dangerous to eat another according to what Shanks had told him. Although the guy tied up with her seemed to think she'd survive so maybe she didn't have a Devil Fruit yet. Of course, it was odd that the weirdo wanted to share a Devil Fruit with her. Could that even be done? Luffy hadn't thought so but maybe it could. Although, why anyone would want to share one was beyond him. And, yeah, he could understand the woman not wanting to share a Devil Fruit with the weirdo.

Then Luffy got distracted by the flying girl and made sure to catch her before she got hurt. By the time he looked back over the wall, the Marine guys were dragging the lady away, leaving just the man tied to the post, who was watching them go with an expression Luffy couldn't quite read, which meant it was complicated. He was pretty certain there was worry and relief mixed together with something else, though.

Coby was busy making sure the girl wasn't hurt, so Luffy decided to approach the man.

"Are you Zoro or Kuina?" Luffy asked.

The man startled and turned his head before suddenly freezing once he a good look at Luffy. Luffy just stared back, not sure what to make of this man.

"It's you," the man stated.

"Eh?"

"You're... you."

"Of course I'm me. Who are you?"

"Heh. Roronoa Zoro. The woman they just took inside is my partner, Isshin Kuina. And you... you look like someone I met once, a long time ago."

"Really? Were they cool?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Zoro agreed. "He planned on being the Pirate King."

"No way! I'm going to be the Pirate King!" Luffy shot back.

"Oh?" Zoro replied with a smile like a shark. "You'll need the best on your crew if you plan on pulling that off. That woman they took in? One day, she's going to be the best swordsman in the world. And one day I'm going to defeat her."

"So you'll both be the best?" Luffy wondered out loud.

"Ha! Sure, I guess. Having a title isn't any fun if there's no one to properly challenge you."

"Huh. I see."

"So, what do you say to having my partner and me join your crew?"

"No."

"What?"

Oh, that left Zoro looking surprised, so Luffy explained, "I don't know if I want either of you in my crew yet."

Zoro huffed but smiled.

"Figures it wouldn't be that easy. You need us to prove ourselves first, right? Well, Captain Morgan's idiot son promised we'd be let go after Kuina went on a date with him, so we'll be free to pursue our dreams! We'll prove ourselves to you then."

"You mean after she eats the fruit?"

"What fruit?"

"The one you just said she's sharing with the weirdo," Luffy explained because wow, this guy was dumb.

"That's not what a date is, you dumbass!"

"Huh? But I'm pretty certain you aren't talking about a day of the week," Luffy replied with a tilt of his head. Zoro banged the back of his head against the pole he was tied to.

"It's when two people go out to find out if they're romantically compatible," Zoro explained.

"Ah!" Luffy exclaimed, pounding his fist on top of his open palm as he beamed before suddenly wilting. "That's boring."

Zoro laughed and said, "Agreed but that's what the idiot wants. Not like Kuina wants anything to do with him, so it'll be a short date and then we're out of here."

"Oh. Right. I'll see you later, then."

"Wait a minute."

"Huh?"

"Pick that up for me," Zoro stated, gesturing with his chin at the smashed rice balls.

"Eh? You're not going to eat it, are you? I know you're hungry but this is more of a dirt ball than a rice ball," Luffy pointed out. He'd eaten some weird things over the years but even he knew to draw the line at eating dirt.

"Just shut up and shove it in. And don't miss a single grain of rice," Zoro demanded, opening his mouth wide. Luffy shrugged and did what he was asked. Zoro obviously did not enjoy it based on his expression and coughing.

"I told you it was mostly dirt."

"Tell her... tell the little girl I ate it all. And it was delicious."

Luffy blinked and then laughed before going to do just that. The little girl, whose name was apparently Rika, was thrilled when Luffy passed on the message.

"Really?! I wish Onee-chan had gotten to try them too, but I'm really glad Onii-san liked them!"

"I guess he might not be a bad guy after all," Coby conceded.

"Onii-san and Onee-chan aren't bad at all, even if everyone's scared of them! Captain Morgan and his son are the bad ones! They hurt people and kill them if they say anything. And Captain Morgan's son had these bad dogs that went around and scared people! They attacked me but Onii-san stopped them!

"Captain Morgan's son didn't like that but when Onee-chan tried to explain the dogs were attacking, Captain Morgan's son was all, 'Hey, Babycakes, dump the loser and date me,' and a lot of other things Mommy says I'm not supposed to repeat and I'm supposed to run away if someone says them to me. But Onee-chan didn't run! She said, 'You're not good enough for my sword,' and then she punched him! Pow!

"That's when Captain Morgan's son started threatening me and Mommy, saying we should be exe... execusised! So Onii-san and Onee-chan made a deal to be tied up for a whole month! Except I heard Captain Morgan's son say he'd let them go sooner if Onee-chan agreed to go out with him."

"Well, she just did, so they'll be free soon," Luffy informed Rika.

"Really?! I'm so glad!"

"That is good," Coby agreed right before a commotion caught their attention.

"You aren't bowing low enough, peasants! You don't want to make me angry or you'll be executed like Roronoa Zoro will be," Helmeppo announced as he walked down a street of people shivering and groveling, accompanied by his entourage. The lone female in the group still standing, Kuina, took offense to this news.

"What?! You said if I went on this date with you that you'd let us go!"

"Don't be stupid. Why would I let my romantic rival live now that you've agreed to date me? Although I might be able to get him a stay of execution... as long as you continue to be mine."

"You rat bastard! I'll-" Kuina cursed, barely held back by the armed Navy grunts on either side of her.

"Watch what you say to me, Babycakes, or a certain green-haired prisoner is going to start losing fingers," Helmeppo interrupted.

Kuina grit her teeth but not for long, because that's when Luffy punched Helmeppo.

"She doesn't belong to you. She doesn't want to belong to you. And you're a liar who doesn't keep his word," Luffy growled. He hated people like this. People like this were why Sabo had run away and died. He debated hitting the weirdo a second time but decided he had more important things to do. So Luffy straightened his hat, ignored the blubbering about hitting and Daddy-something and walked up to Kuina.

"Oi. I've decided to add you and Zoro to my crew."

"Luffy! You can't just make decisions like that!" Coby yelled from where he was hiding like a coward, the coward.

"Eh? Why not?" Luffy asked even as Coby hid again as the Marines looked in his direction. They seemed to be unsure what to do until the fleeing Helmeppo screamed at them.

"Hurry up, you idiots!"

The Marines followed, pulling Kuina with them. This didn't stop her from throwing a smile Luffy's way or calling out, "Sure! See you soon, Captain!"

xXx

"The date's not gonna happen," Luffy informed Zoro.

"Tch! What did Fight Me do now?" the bound man wondered.

"You want me to fight you when you're still tied up?" Luffy tilted his head.

"No, that's not... I call Kuina 'Fight Me'. It's her nickname."

"Fight me, you pussy-willow whipped pansy!"

Both Zoro and Luffy turned to look in the direction of the shout even as Zoro deadpanned, "And that would be why."

Luffy laughed.

"You guys are funny!"

"Yeah, yeah. So, you're untying me?"

"Yep! I've decided you and Kuina are my crew now."

"Is that so? Huh. All right. So, what's taking so long?"

"I'm really bad with knots," Luffy cheerfully explained. Zoro gave him a look.

"Just get my swords and I'll cut them off."

"Okay! Where are they?"

"How should I know?" Zoro demanded before huffing and thinking. "Might be in Daddy Boy's room. Kuina's too."

"Okay! Be right back!" Luffy promised before running off.

xXx

"Daddy! I want you to kill a man for me!"

"Oh? Why should I fight your battles? You're big enough to wipe your own bottom," Ax-hand Morgan replied as he watched his men finish the preparations and start to pull his statue into place.

"What? But even you have never laid a hand on my lovely yet masculine face before!"

"Do you know why?"

"Because I'm your beloved s-Augh!"

"Because you're an idiot not worth hitting! I don't mind if you use my status but I only lay hands on people who defy me. Don't fool yourself. You are nothing. I am the great one.

"For years I labored to achieve my rank and I did it with my own strength and at great personal cost. Rank means everything! And since I have the highest rank here, that means everything I do is right. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" Helmeppo agreed, weeping in pain and fear as he pressed a hand to the cheek his father had just hit.

"Good. Now, why is one of my prisoners not tied to their post?" Captain Morgan asked. Helmeppo practically went blue in the face as he hesitantly started to explain.

"Uh, well, she said she'd go on a date with me-"

"What?!" Captain Morgan roared, smacking Helmeppo with even more force than before. "You would defy me?!"

"No! I'm sorry! She's locked up right now!"

"Hmph! I should have you executed with the prisoners tomorrow! But since you're my idiot son, I'll give you one chance. Go tie her back up to the post again and keep watch all night. Anyone gets in, man, woman, or child, you kill them or I kill you. Is that clear?"

"Crystal!" Helmeppo agreed, sobbing.

"Good. Now get out of my sight," Morgan ordered before turning to the monument of his power, the symbol of his greatness - just in time to see it bump against the top of the stairwell.

"You! Do you know how long I've waited for this moment only for you to scratch it! Attacking this statue is the same as attacking me!"

He didn't get further than that before a blur suddenly grabbed the ropes, turned into a boy, and smashed his statue against the edge of the roof where half of it broke off and fell to the yard below.

"Sorry," the boy said from where he was safe on the roof even as everyone stared in shocked horror at him. Captain Morgan recovered first.

"SEIZE HIM! I'LL HAVE HIS HEART FOR THIS!"

"Daddy! That's the ruffian who hit me!" Helmeppo called from where he was halfway inside the stairwell. Then he screamed as the boy grabbed him and ran down the stairs. Before Captain Morgan could even begin to issue another order involving the miscreant, one of his men pointed down at the yards and said, "Captain, someone's in the parade ground with the remaining prisoner!"

"What?! What's with all these traitors defying me?!"

xXx

"What kind of idiot leaves a girl locked in a room with her sword?" Kuina muttered before shrugging. Best not to question her good luck, she thought as she cut the rope binding her wrists behind her free using Wado Ichimonji now that she'd gotten a sliver of the blade out of the sheath. The idiot had also fled when she'd demanded he fight her earlier, apparently afraid of her even with both hands tied behind her back, the wimp.

She couldn't wait to get out of the painfully pink bedroom he'd left her in. Kuina made a face at the decor as she resheathed Wado Ichimonji and tied it to the belt at her waist. Then she made it clear she was actually wearing two belts by using the second one to secure Zoro's three burner swords at an angle along her back where they wouldn't get in her way.

All right, now to free Zoro, find their new captain, and get the hell of there. Once she was in the hallway, Kuina could hear a commotion heading her way. She grimaced. Best to avoid that. Which is how she missed the sight of Luffy dragging Helmeppo around. Instead, she ran into a large number of Navy grunts who'd come to investigate the noise.

For a long second, Kuina and the grunts stared at each other. Then the lead of the group pointed a finger at her.

"You are under arrest for attempting to escape!"

"Oh?" Kuina replied before smiling her scariest smile. "Good. I've been itching for a fight."

xXx

"What?! Luffy went inside the fortress?! Why is he so reckless?" Coby stated as he worked on the knots to Zoro's ropes. In the interest of being freed as soon as possible, Zoro decided not to mention that he might have had a part in that decision. Instead, he listened with half an ear as the kid grumbled about corrupt Marines and needing to do something about it.

The gunshot took them both by surprise.

xXx

"Oi! Where's Kuina and the swords?" Luffy demanded of his hostage.

"Stop and I'll tell you!"

"Okay." Luffy came to a halt despite the number of men that were now taking advantage of this to catch up. "Now where is it?"

"They're all in my room. We passed it a long time back," Helmeppo replied.

"Eh? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did tell you! Ow! Why'd you hit me again?"

"Because I felt like it."

"Drop the captain's son or we'll shoot!" the leader of the men who'd finally caught up demanded.

"I don't want to," Luffy replied before proceeding to use Helmeppo as a shield and bowling over the men who'd now caught up to him on his way back to the door Helmeppo had indicated. He then blinked at the inside of the room.

"Eh? They're not here."

"What? How can they not be here? Oh, no. I'm dead!" Helmeppo screeched right before finally fainting.

Luffy ignored that in favor of what was happening outside the window.

"What's going on down there?" he wondered before inhaling sharply as he realized what he was seeing. His crew was in danger.

xXx

"Oh, I feel so much better!" Kuina cheered from her position on top of a pile of unconscious bodies. "So much more relaxed. Whelp, best find everyone else. And the exit. An exit would be good."

Reaching down, she slapped a man awake and demanded, "Oi, which way is out?"

Her victim weakly pointed before collapsing back into unconsciousness.

"Thanks!"

Kuina cheerfully made her way to the egress only to pause just inside the door when a wave of men ran past her, all of them carrying guns, and Captain Morgan himself following. For a moment she was grateful they hadn't noticed her. Then she realized what direction they were heading.

"Crap. You had better not die before I can rescue your ass," Kuina muttered as she followed the running Marine grunts. The majority were already aiming at the posts by the time she caught sight of the main body of troops and she knew she wasn't anywhere close enough to stop them when she saw them pull the triggers. All she could do was let out a horrified whisper.

"No!"

xXx

"I'm going to die!" Coby wailed, understandably upset at having been shot in the shoulder.

"Oh, good. You're still alive," Zoro stated with a grin before frowning and ordering, "Now get out of here before they get down here."

"But I have to free you, first! If I don't, they're going to execute you!"

"What?!"

"Helmeppo said in front of me, Luffy, and Kuina that he didn't plan on keeping up his end of the bargain! He was going to have you tortured and executed unless Kuina did what he said! So Luffy punched him and now we're here."

"Stay where you are! Captain Morgan has ordered your immediate execution!"

Coby started crying as he took in all the Marines aiming guns at him and Zoro. Zoro just glared.

"What are you waiting for? Shoot the traitors!" Captain Morgan ordered from the back of the troops. The guns all went off right as a blur landed in front of Zoro and Coby that quickly revealed itself to be a teenager in a straw hat. A teenager in a straw hat who proceeded to be shot. So it was with a sense of amazement that everyone witnessed Luffy's skin stretch and then retract, sending the bullets flying back towards the men who'd shot them.

"No good! Bullets don't work on me!" Luffy bragged.

"Who the hell are you?" Captain Morgan bellowed.

"I'm the man who's going to become the King of the Pirates," Luffy informed everyone with what would soon become a very familiar grin.

"You! You've dared to defy me and commit treasonous acts against my person! If bullets won't work, then an ax will!" Morgan shouted as he rushed forward, swinging his rather dangerous prosthetic. Luffy hit the flat of the blade with a fist that stretched, making Morgan slide back a few steps. Luffy moved to pursue and realized his mistake when Morgan shouted, "Now! Shoot the others!"

Luffy roared in anger as he socked Morgan in the jaw and then blinked when he realized he hadn't heard any of the guns go off. He looked at the Navy grunts and saw them staring at their empty hands and exclaiming in surprise.

"You boys forget about me?" Kuina's voice rang across the parade ground right before a bunch of guns clattered to the ground in front of her. Then she smiled a dangerous smile and offered, "I'll let you have them back if you can get past me."

"Oi, quit showing off and give me my swords, woman!" Zoro shouted from where he was still tied to the post.

"Little boys should know when to keep their mouths shut," Kuina replied cheekily.

"What are you bastards waiting for? You have swords! Use them! Those who defy me must die!" Morgan shouted. His men drew their swords and roared in agreement. Coby let out a scream even as Kuina threw the extra swords she'd been holding. There was a clang of steel against steel. Coby's jaw dropped.

"So cool!" Luffy cheered, grin widening.

"The first person to move dies," Zoro informed the Navy grunts he was holding off with three swords, his murderous aura giving them pause.

"So scary," one of the Marines whimpered. The rest were definitely thinking along the same lines.

"All right, Captain. Looks like you've got yourself a pair of swordsmen," Zoro informed Luffy.

"You both plan on being the best, right?" Luffy stated more than asked.

"That's right," Kuina agreed even as Zoro grinned around the sword in his mouth.

"Good. It's only right that the boss of the World's Greatest Swordsmen is the Pirate King!"

"Why are you hesitating? Hack those brigands into mincemeat!" Captain Morgan ordered.

"Zoro, duck," Luffy ordered. Zoro quickly obeyed even as Luffy called out, "Gomu Gomu no Whip!"

The Navy grunts were sent flying and Coby was looking rather starry-eyed.

"Wow."

"The hell? Are you made out of rubber or something?" Zoro muttered.

"Yep!"

"Huh."

"A Devil Fruit, eh?" Kuina stated over by where she was systematically destroying the guns she'd stolen earlier.

"It's hopeless!" a Marine cried out.

"Captain, there's no way we can stand up to a rubber man and the Demons of the East Blue all at the same time!" another added.

"All of you cowards who were whining just now will kill yourselves! I won't tolerate gutless shirkers in my outfit! On my order!" Captain Morgan commanded.

"Whoa, wait!" Kuina shouted, looking alarmed as the men in question turned their weapons on their own selves.

"The hell is wrong with these Marines?" Zoro added.

Captain Morgan never gave the order, however, because Luffy punched him first.

"I'm your enemy and I won't die so easily," Luffy informed his opponent.

"Go, Luffy! Destroy him!" Coby cheered.

"You? You're a nobody with no rank or standing. I won't be defeated by the likes of you! I'm Captain Ax-hand Morgan!"

"Nice to meet you! I'm Luffy!"

Then the battle was on. Morgan's ax was ridiculously sharp but it didn't matter when he couldn't land a blow. Luffy just jumped, ducked, or dodged each swing and kept hitting Morgan. And the power of said hits showed as they made Morgan stumble and eventually fall. Even as Morgan hit the ground, Luffy kept pummeling the man.

"Stop! I said stop, damn it!"

Everyone turned to look long enough to see Helmeppo had taken Coby hostage with a pistol.

"You move and he's dead!"

"I'm sorry, Luffy! Just let him kill me! These guys need to go down!"

"You hear that, stupid son! Coby's not afraid to die for his dream!" Luffy called as he wound up for a punch.

"Luffy, behind you!" Coby screamed, worried not for himself but for his friend. He needn't have worried because as Luffy's fist stretched to smack Helmeppo in the face and save Coby, two swordsmen attacked Morgan simultaneously.

"Oi, stay out of my fights," Zoro demanded as he side-eyed Kuina even as Morgan fell behind them.

"I should say the same to you," Kuina retorted as she turned her attention on the grunts. "Fight me!"

The grunts dropped their swords instead, much to her annoyance.

"Captain Morgan's been defeated! HOORAY!"

"Weird-ass Marines," Zoro grumbled as he put away his swords.

"Yeah," Kuina agreed. Then they both passed out from starvation and dehydration.

xXx

For Kuina, everything started when she went to put away Wado Ichimonji after her first spar against Zoro with live blades and tripped on the stairs only to realize as she fell that there was no way she could get her balance back and her fall was going to hurt. Then a hand snagged the back of her shirt and stopped her fall. For a long moment, she and her rescuer stayed like that, she because she was dangling from her shirt and wriggling out of the grip would mean falling down the stairs she had just narrowly avoided falling down to begin with and her rescuer because they seemed to have frozen.

"Oi! Either get to the top or the bottom of the stairs and then put me down!" she ordered, trying futilely to turn her head to see whoever had rescued her (probably a guy since she was the only female who spent time around and in the dojo). A part of her hoped it was her father but she knew he was asleep or she would never have risked sneaking out with Wado Ichimonji.

Kuina's rescuer quickly complied and set her down at the entrance of the building. Now that she wasn't hanging like some sort of naughty kitten, Kuina could finally look at him, only to pause. It was a man, tall and broad in the shoulders. He was wearing what looked like a hooded cloak except the hood had halfway fallen off, revealing an oddly familiar face, albeit older and with a scar running over one closed and possibly missing eye. As it was, the moonlight nearly washed the green out of his hair.

"Eh? Zoro's dad?" she uttered out loud. She'd never met her rival's family but if his parents had noticed the boy sneaking out...

"What?" the guy asked, startled, before correcting her. "No, I'm not. I... It's complicated."

Kuina wasn't going to take that lame answer.

"If you're not Zoro's father, then who the hell are you? What are you doing here?"

The man made a 'tch' noise and rubbed his head, knocking the hood the rest of the way off even as he made the three earrings in his left ear jingle with the gesture.

"I told you, it's complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it," Kuina demanded, sliding a bit of Wado Ichimonji out with a quiet 'snick' sound.

The man huffed and crossed his arms but he stated, "I am Zoro but I'm from the future."

"Eh?!"

"Told you it was complicated," the man claiming to be Zoro from the future said with a smirk.

"And I told you to uncomplicate it!" Kuina snapped back. "You... how are you from the future? Why would you come back? Assuming you actually are Zoro from the future and not some sort of creep!"

The man sighed before he began to speak and Kuina felt her heart drop into her stomach as he did.

"On this night, you and I fought with live swords for the first and the last time. It was your 2001st win and my 2001st loss against each other. Then you started crying about how it wasn't fair that I'd get stronger than you as we got older. That you wanted to be the best swordsman too. And I told you that my goal was to beat you, that it didn't matter if you were a girl. We made a vow that one day one of us would be the best swordsman in the world.

"The next morning, I found out you had died falling down the stairs. Broken neck. It broke your father's heart. He didn't even understand why you were there with Wado Ichimonji to begin with and I felt... I'm the one who asked you to fight. But he let me have Wado when I asked and I vowed upon it that I would become so great that even the heavens would know my name."

Kuina stared as he pulled out his white blade, sheath and all, and she recognized it as the one she still held in her own hands. A copy, a perfect twin, except not. It felt like the one she held except older, more worldly. It was her Zoro or a future version of him, at least.

"So... I would've died if you hadn't...?"

"Aah," Future Zoro said in agreement. "But not this time. Or in this time. I got kind of confused by that." He turned away and started walking with that.

"Wha-? Bu-? How?!" Kuina inquired plaintively as she fell into place walking at his side.

"I, uh, kind of joined the crew of the second Pirate King in Shells Town when I was nineteen and he tends to make weird friends and go on crazy adventures. As a result, this weird old man offered to send the entire crew back for an hour, one for each of us, to change something in the past we regretted. Won't affect us in any way beyond knowing that somewhere out there, something went right, but it's been an interesting adventure so far," Future Zoro replied with a shrug.

"You became a pirate?!"

"Captain's not the type to take 'no' for an answer," Future Zoro replied calmly. "Besides, they're good people and I've never once done something I've regretted."

Knowing her Zoro's firm sense of honor, that was really saying something.

"If you keep following me, you'll get to meet them," Future Zoro added with a smirk. Kuina huffed.

"Assuming you don't get lost trying to find your way back."

"Hah! She's got you pegged, Marimo!"

Kuina started as several people who actually had managed to keep the hoods of their cloaks up seemed to fade out of the trees surrounding them.

"Shut it, Love Cook," Future Zoro retorted before groaning and twitching when he saw what one of the people was holding. "And put younger me down!"

"Aw, I don't know. Baby Marimo's kind of cute," replied the person who apparently was also the person holding Kuina's Zoro. Her Zoro let out a muffled growl, having been rather effectively bound and gagged. Kuina already had Wado Ichimonji unsheathed and she pointed it at the strange man.

"Let him go!" she demanded.

"Right away!" the man agreed, voice changing to something kind of awkward even as her Zoro hit the ground with a thump. Then Kuina flinched when she realized one of the other people was right beside her, crouched so they were closer in height to her. She caught a glimpse of the face under the hood, dark eyes with a scar under the left and a wide grin that seemed to glow despite his face being shadowed.

"So you're the person who inspired Zoro! Hi! Nice to meet you! I'm- OW!"

"How many times do we have to tell you, no name in the past?!" a female voice hissed as she shook the fist she'd used to hit the guy.

"Stingy," the guy replied with a pout. Chuckles rang out from the others.

"Why is my younger self tied up and gagged?" Future Zoro demanded.

"He ran into us and got the wrong impression. We decided it was safer after he, uh..."

"He bit shipwright-san," a second female voice offered when the man who'd decided to explain trailed off.

"Right. Surprised he still has all his teeth after that," muttered the one who'd tried explaining. "Anyway, we didn't want to get mauled by mini-you so we made sure he couldn't."

"Fair enough," Future Zoro replied with a shrug before turning to her Zoro and saying, "Oi, if you behave, I'll show you what it takes to become the Greatest Swordsman in the World."

"Hey, I thought- That's what I'm aiming for!" Kuina complained.

"This was just to give you the chance," Future Zoro corrected. "You have to get there on your own. You can still watch alongside him, though."

"Good idea. Maybe it'll stop the two of them from doing some of the stupid things you did," the first man who'd been holding Kuina's Zoro captive jeered.

"You want a go, Shit Cook?" Future Zoro demanded.

"If you're up for it, Marimo."

"Not here. Let's head back to the clearing by the cliff," insisted another male voice. Several voices agreed and suddenly they were all making good time to said open space. Kuina liked it there but had never considered having a battle in such a location. The cliffs made walking dangerous enough. That didn't seem to faze Future Zoro or the man he kept referring to as Cook as they took off their cloaks and handed them to whoever it was that had stepped up as seconds. Kuina found herself staring at Cook because she hadn't expected a pretty boy in a suit. The man with the wide grin bounced in place between Kuina and her now untied Zoro, a hand on each of their shoulders.

"This is going to be good! Just watch!" he assured them.

"Where're that guy's weapons?" Kuina wondered as Cook just stood there, hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face as Future Zoro put his version of Wado Ichimonji in his mouth (ew!) and stood at the ready with three swords. Then Future Zoro moved fast. Kuina didn't even see him move. From her point of view, it looked like he'd disappeared from one side of the clearing and reappeared on the other in front of Cook, who stopped Future Zoro with his foot. Future's Zoro's swords were rattling and she could see his arms straining but his opponent hadn't even removed his hands from his pockets. As she looked, she realized his leg was straining, however, to keep Zoro and his three swords at bay. Then the man flipped back as Future Zoro tried another maneuver, avoiding the blow.

It continued for several minutes, shoes and swords meeting in a clash of steel and sparks. Future Zoro's swords turned black as they continued and his slices cut the air itself, as well as parts of the cliff face, shearing rock so it fell into the ocean, while his opponent's feet burned the grass and left footprints embedded into solid rock.

"Fast," her Zoro muttered as they watched. Kuina made a noise of agreement, unable to look away. She almost missed the bouncy man nudge one of the others who nodded and pulled out a slingshot of all things.

Cook fell back, not even breathless, as the man with the slingshot relentlessly fired at Future Zoro, who cut or redirected each and every perfectly aimed shot, no matter how weird the ammo was. Kuina found herself amazed at the variety even as she stood in awe at the finesse Future Zoro was displaying.

A second swordsman, tallest of the strangers and with a very different style, took the sniper's place. Speed and skill versus sheer power and determination. It was beautiful to watch but even the second swordsman fell back under Future Zoro's onslaught.

"We've got five minutes left. If you want to show them anything else, now's the time to do so," the first woman from earlier stated in warning.

"Right," Future Zoro agreed as he sheathed his blades. Then he moved to stand in front of them. "I don't have the time to teach you properly but I can let you know what you should look into to get a proper head start. Haki's a necessity to reach your goal but you won't find anyone to teach it to you until at least the Paradise portion of the Grand Line, possibly not even until you hit the New World. Just know it involves will power, so make sure your will is as strong as you can make it. With it, you can make yourself and your swords impervious and know what your opponent will do as soon as they do, no matter how fast you're both moving.

"The Marines use a martial arts style called the Six Powers. Don't use the same names or they'll accuse you of stealing government secrets. Soru lets you move at high speed. Tap ten times a second to get started. Tekkai lets you harden your body and is the best protection you can get until you finally figure out Haki. Rankyaku lets you use limbs like swords. Shigan uses fingers like bullets. Geppo allows people to walk on air. Kami-e lets you float around like paper. Even if you don't use them, knowing about them will only help because some of your opponents will.

"Also, try and figure out the Breath of Life. It's what will allow you to cut anything. Or nothing at all if that's what you choose."

"Yeah, right," Kuina's Zoro muttered, even though she could tell he half-believed in what Future Zoro was saying.

"Koshiro-sensei can help with that last one. Finally, the most important thing you need to know is that the limits you think you have don't exist. I've seen a lot of impossible things since joining this crew and I've had to reach impossible heights just keep up with everything the universe threw at us. You will too if you want to be the best. Now watch," Future Zoro ordered.

Then he stood on the edge of the cliff facing the sea. In a single, swift movement, he drew Wado Ichimonji and ripped the sky and sea apart swing before sheathing the sword. For an instant, nothing moved and Kuina could only stare at the path Future Zoro had created. He turned and started back towards them as sea and sky roared back into place. The bouncy man giggled and cheered. Then he turned and looked at both Kuina and her Zoro.

"You guys become strong, okay? Little me's going to need a strong crew when he sets out. After all, he's going to be the Pirate King," he stated, dark eyes bright and penetrating all at once. Kuina nodded and was aware of her Zoro doing the same.

"Good!"

"Come on, Captain," Future Zoro said, grabbing the bouncy man's arm as he pulled him towards the trees where the others were already disappearing, Cook already in his cloak and Future Zoro pulling his on as soon as the man who had to be the Future Pirate King started bouncing alongside him as they walked. Kuina could swear she saw the trees through them before they disappeared into the dark entirely.

Kuina turned towards her Zoro and asked, "Did that actually happen?"

Her Zoro glanced back at the damaged cliff and then looked at her as he frowned and said, "I think so."

"Good. We have a lot of work to do if we're going to be the best, huh?"

Her Zoro grinned in response.

"First things first, though," Kuina continued. "I think we'd better write everything down before we forget about it or think it's a dream. Everything he said, everything about the fight, everything about meeting the Captain and Future Pirate King. Everything."

"Then what?"

"Then we memorize it and then we burn it. Who knows what people would do if we told them we got visited by your future self?" The very idea sent shivers down Kuina's spine.

"Right. Do you have any paper on you?"

"No. Do you?"

"Do I look like I carry paper around?"

"Good point. Come on. I know where we can get some."

Despite their best efforts to keep what had happened hidden, it was obvious Kuina's father knew something had happened. Koshiro also wasn't thrilled with Kuina's new-found determination to defeat everything and everyone who came her way but Kuina wasn't about to let that stop her.

When they left home nearly a decade later, it was with a white sword, the knowledge they'd meet their future captain somewhere in Shells Town when Zoro was nineteen, and with a few extra skills under their belts.

xXx

"Ah, I'm stuffed! That was good," Zoro cheered as he patted his full stomach. Kuina made a noise of agreement even as she stared in consternation at the bottomless pit that was Monkey D. Luffy.

"Thank you for feeding us, ma'am," Coby politely said to the woman who owned the bar.

"Of course! After all, you four saved this town."

"Well, I, uh, didn't exactly do much," Coby stated as he looked down at his lap and twiddled his fingers.

"So, you're our only other crew member?" Kuina asked Coby, breaking into his morose.

"Uh, sort of but not really. Luffy's just letting me tag along until I find a way to achieve my dream."

"Oh."

"So what can you do?" Zoro wondered as he gave Coby a pointed look.

"Um, I can sort of navigate?"

"Sort of navigate? The hell does that mean?" Zoro demanded.

"I... I'm not very good at it but I can usually get to where I mean to go!"

"Ha! That's better than this guy," Kuina stated with a large grin, hooking her thumb at Zoro. "I once saw him get lost in the dojo. He's even worse in a boat."

Zoro scowled at her and barked, "You're not much better! Who missed Boing Island by miles?"

"Hey, at least I'm capable of pointing the boat in the right direction!" Kuina growled back as she got into Zoro's face.

"As if that's hard!"

"More than you can do!"

"YOU WANNA FIGHT!"

"HELL, YES, I DO!"

Luffy burst out laughing even as Coby sweatdropped.

"You two are funny!"

"You're not very ladylike, are you, Kuina-san?"

"Huh? Why would I want to be a lady? They're boring. Now, fight me, Zoro!"

"Gladly!"

"Oi, not in the bar," Luffy ordered with a glance at the alarmed lady behind the counter.

"Yes, Captain."

The two had barely stood, however, when a contingent of Marines entered the bar. The two swordsmen paused, hands on their swords.

"Excuse me," the lead Marine started, "but you lot are pirates, correct?"

"That's right! I'm the captain and this is my crew!" Luffy stated with a bright grin.

"I'm... grateful for what you've done for us but we're Marines and we can't harbor pirates. We won't report you but you have to leave."

Luffy stood as well, adjusting his hat so it shadowed his face.

"Come on. Let's go," he ordered before walking out of the building. Kuina and Zoro loped along right behind. Coby paused, bowed at the owner with a quiet thanks, and then scrambled to follow. He caught up while Zoro and Kuina stared at the dinghy he and Luffy had arrived in.

"That's it?" Zoro asked, eyebrow twitching.

"I'm not sure why I was expecting more," Kuina admitted with a sigh.

"It's just until we get a bigger one. Now come on! Let's go!"

So everyone piled in and were treated to the rare sight of Marines saluting pirates as they drifted off.

It was a rather cramped space, which seemed to be the thing that irritated three out of four of the boat's occupants. Coby, on the other hand, was more dismayed by the fact that no one had thought to pick up any supplies in Shells Town.

"Sorry," Kuina apologized, looking truly regretful. "I thought you were doing it or I would have. I certainly don't trust the two idiots to have thought about it."

"No, it's all right," Coby reassured even as he used the rough map he's thankfully kept on him to make sure they were heading in the correct direction. By the time he'd realized Luffy and Zoro had them floating aimlessly, they were far enough out into open water that Coby had decided to try for Orange Town. It wasn't the closest island by any means but it was the closest town. They would definitely be able to get proper navigation equipment and supplies, possibly even a boat. Although, Coby had no clue how they would pay for any of that. He hoped they wouldn't have to steal it.

"So, what's yours?" Zoro asked where he was lazing about. To be fair, there wasn't enough room to do much more than that.

"Huh?"

"We know he's planning on being Pirate King and we're going to be the Best Swordsmen in the World," Zoro elaborated, gesturing at the other people in the boat as he did. "And you mentioned tagging along until you fulfilled your dream back on the island. So what is it?"

"Find a way to do it, actually," Coby corrected, his hands clenching the fabric of his pants at the knees and bunching it. He screwed his eyes shut even as he tried to bring up his courage.

"I... I want to join Migo!"

xXx

Occam's Razor roughly states that things should not be multiplied needlessly. Or, basically, that if there's an easy way and a hard way, the multiverse is going to choose the easiest route. It's lazy like that. What it means for our crew is a bit more complicated.

The crew of the Second Pirate King in the future that now never would be had been told that each time they went back, an hour for each crew member, it would result in a different world. From their point of view, that was true. Nothing they did would affect their own pasts. However, the multiverse doesn't like spawning off unnecessary new worlds. If Jack choosing a different meal at a restaurant doesn't affect whether or not Jane gets a promotion at her job, then why would there be a separate world for each? Sure, it's possible - quantum butterflies flapping their wings in one place and causing storms somewhere else and all that - but why bother? As stated, the multiverse is lazy. So if a group of time travelers spends an hour for each person in the past to fix something they regretted happening, why would the multiverse spawn off a new world for each hour spent back in time as long as nothing they did interfered with what they messed with elsewhere?

This isn't true for each and every time the crew from the Future That Never Was went back, mind. Quantum mechanics are still a thing, after all, and changing some things are bound to change others so the exact situation any given crew member wanted to change might not have happened or happened in a different way. No, not all of the times the crew from that future went back changed things in this particular world. Only about half of them did.

But consider this: For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe, the horse was lost. For want of a horse, the rider was lost. For want of a rider, the message was lost. For want of a message, the battle was lost. For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. The Strawhats can add, remove, and scatter an awful lot of nails in the course of an hour. Imagine what they could do with six.

xXx

Author's Notes: As stated above, this is loosely inspired by Changing The Future (Redone). However, the fact I wrote my own version of Zoro's time in the past should be a pretty big hint that things are not going to be exactly the same as in that story. And there's definitely going to be some repercussions from that.

Isshin is the name of Kuina's family's dojo so I decided to borrow it for her family name. If it ever turns out to be different, I'll have to see about changing it.

I know replying to reviews in story is a thing on ffn. If you want me to reply in story, put 'IN' at the end of your review. If you prefer a PM, put 'PM'. If you leave it blank, I'll assume you don't want a reply. However you do it, I look forward to hearing from you!