Double or Nothing: Chapter 2

Through Trials and Tribulation

Seasons came and went, bringing with it change to the sleep village of Shimotsuki. New faces, new house, farmlands where once were forest, the village grew before Zoro even knew it. Still, it was the same old village he grow up. Same roads, same people running around, working the fields or practicing their craft, and same old Kuina challenging her old man without fail.

In the same old rolling field of grass and at the same time when the sun was at its highest, the two fought. Sitting by the wayside, he watched as the two Shimotsuki faced off, weapons drawn as they went at it. He had seen them clashed a thousand time yet the two never failed to keep him on his toes.

On one side, his master. The old Shimotsuki patriarch was a sharp as ever. His strikes, smooth, his movement, methodical and without waste. He was a master in all the meaning of the word, someone who had perfected the craft to a fine edge. Despite his peaceful appearance, he made for a striking figure weidling the Wado Ichimonji.

Facing him was his childhood friend, Kuina. No longer was she the gangly, awkward looking girl he once knew, but a slender and deadly figure. With cat like grace and the ferocity of the storm, she was a mirror to her father. While one was calm, she let her emotions run wild. His master refined technique, meeting the rough and raw talent borne from a thousand fights.

Wielding twin bokkens, she faced her father, matching him strike per strike. Their swords singing as they cut through the blades of grass in this deadly dance of theirs. Some would say it was a mismatch with his master wielding a steel sword while Kuina only had her wooden swords to match, but in Zoro’s eyes, it was a testament to Kuina’s skill and guile that she could keep up with her old man.

One strike weaved into the next, setting up those that came after. It was fast, almost too fast for him to pick up, her movement made to overwhelm and confuse. Her tempo erratic, her movement jerky, her strikes unorthodox. It should have not have worked yet together, they made a deadly melody. And like a maddened musician, she did not let up.

Against this storm, his master stood, like a mountain parting the very heavens themselves. He weathered the strikes, turning them aside and pushing her back. With almost practiced eased, he broke through her guard, striking out with deadly intent yet Kuina would no be deterred, she accepted it.

With reckless abandon, she threw herself at her father, weaving into his strikes as she struck back. She did not bother to block, choosing instead to dance around him, flowing like the wind. Back and forth they traded strikes and blows alike. Even mountains can be weathered down and his master was no different.

Finally, his guard broke as Kuina’s sword met his fathers hands. He flinched, his grip loosened as he stepped back. Smelling blood in the water, Kuina rushed forward, her blades screaming as it arced through the air. Twin blades flew, the air rippling across their honed edge.

He gasped, rushing to his feet, his heart pounding as he saw it, the momentary flash as the world itself seemed to break. Time itself came to a crawl as Kuina moved, too fast for even his eyes as she lashed out. Two swords became four, their mirrored strikes converging upon the exposed neck of his master. It was almost too unreal, this momentary transcendence into the divine as Kuina struck like lightning.

His cries of celebration however soon turned to that of horror as his master, once seemingly frozen in time, moved. Reaching out, he tried to call out in warning yet his hands felt like it was moving through molasses, and his mouth to slow to cry out. At that moment of glory, his master showed him just much more she had to grow. Dropping his blade, he lashed out, punching her flush on the face.

Rushing head first, she met his strike, crumpling down to the ground like a puppet whose strings were cut. “Kuina!” He cried out as time finally moved once more. Rushing over to check on her, he shouted as he cradled her in his lap, “Come on, talk to me!” Before reaching out to check for a pulse.

His racing heart would soon calm as he felt some sign of life on her. He sighed, relief washing over him. She was merely knocked out, that’s all. Slinging her hand over his shoulder, he helped her up. Bowing to his master he apologized, “I’m sorry master, I don’t think I’ll be able to attend the afternoon lesson!” He had a friend to carry, he can’t leave her out her.

Looking back up, her found his master looking at his shaky hands; the fingers bruised and swelling up. Clenching his fist, the elder Shimotsuki sheathed his sword, ignoring the damage that Kuina left as he nodded, sending him off, “I understand, take care.”

Without so much of another word, he turned around, leaving him with an unconscious Kuina in hand. Shaking his head, he no longer questioned his master as he left with his friend in tow. Having him leave her daughter in his hands was a testament of just how strained the two’s relationship has grown over the years.

He and Kuina were already fifteen, close to getting sixteen in the coming months, yet two fought without end. The grudge that the held for each other was legendary and unfortunately for him, he was stuck with both of them. “Why do you have to be so much alike,” he grumbled as he dragged Kuina to the forest. If only the two weren’t so stubborn, he lamented as he disappeared into the tickets.

-x-x-x-

She could feel the wind on face, rushing past her form as she leapt up to her father. The very world itself seemed to narrow down before as all she saw ahead was his form, standing in the middle of a storm. With swords in hand she flew, screaming through the howls of the wind.

All this pain, all the countless hours poured into perfecting her movement, all the blood, sweat and tears finally coming to an end as she poured everything she had into her final strike. Her muscles strained, her right leg cramping up as she pushed herself too far, heart pounding like drums in her ear as she let her emotion run wild as she cried out.

This was here triumph, this was her victory, this was her absolution. As she closed her eyes, she felt a sudden jolt of pain before nothing. She felt nothing as the very earth itself seem to fall beneath her, the air around her coming to a standstill as the sound of silence filled her sense.

There was silence as she opened her eyes, terror gripping her heart as she beheld nothing. No light, no darkness, nothing. There was nothing beyond everything and it scared her. Why was there nothing, why? She’s alone, she’s scared, not a sound coming out from her lungs as she floated there. She screamed into the abyss, time stretching for an eternity until there was light.

With a gasp, she bolted upright, screaming as she felt herself. She could feel her face, smooth and unmarked by scars, her hair almost silken as it flowed through her fingers. Clutching her head, she breathed in, staring at the darkness in front of her; seeing the world before her.

The damp mosy walls dripped with moisture, glistening at the flickering light of the campfire burning beside her. She could smell the scent of smoke drifting in the air along with the tantalizing scent of fish cooking over the fire. Looking down, she saw her shaky, callused hands as they gripped the worn and tattered blanket covering her feminine form, her all too large clothes hanging on her figure. There she was, all alone in a cave, with no recollection of how she got there.

Reaching up for her face, she flinched, letting out a hiss as she felt a large bruise on her face, throbbing with pain. She… she remembered. This was her home, the one place she found solace in the wild, she was-!

“Kuina!” A familiar voice cried out as the sound of rushing footsteps filled the tiny cave. Whirring around, she found herself face to face with a comforting sight.

No longer that tiny little shit who once annoyed her, but a teen at the cusp of manhood. Tall, Broad shouldered, and a deep voice to match, he was the dream of the farmgirls at the village. For her however, he was her closest friend.

“Zoro!” she greeted back, smiling before she winced, reaching for her face. Oh right, she was injured. “Wait, tell me!” She then said, scrambling to her feet on unsteady legs, “Did I win? Tell me I wiped the smile of that son of a bitches face!” she grinned, forcing herself to smile.

“Idiot!” Zoro roared out as he felt his fist on the top of her head, “Stop moving around!” He scolded her, his voice cracking as he forced her to sit back down, “You’re hurt damn it!” He reminded her as he held.

“Woah,” She goggled, feeling the ground sway and move before her, “I take it that I lost,” She asked, wishing for the world to stop moving so much; It made her want to puke. Fortunately, her stomach was empty, an all too apparent fact as it grumbled at its current state.

“No shit,” Zoro grumbled as he helped her ease herself back to her bed, “Almost took your head off with that one but I wouldn’t blame him. You ran right into it,” He told her as he flashed her a teasing grin.

“I almost had him this time,” She pouted before sighing. She really fucked up this time huh? She might be a bit concussed but she knew something that can fix that! “So, what’s for dinner?” She asked, smiling up to her friend.

Her friend paused, mouth agape as he stared back at her before asking, “You just woked up from getting knocked out and the first thing you asked is food?” Seeing her nod, he slowly breathed in before sighed, “God fucking damn it all, why am I stuck with you?

She grinned back as she replied, “Because I’m adorable,” her cheeky answer wasn’t too appreciated as he cuffed her lightly on the back of the head, “It’s true…” muttered.

Zoro snorted as he got up and pat her on the head, “Yeah, yeah, don’t get your panties all on a twist. I caught some fish with your line while you were off to la la land,” He then told her as he gestured at the large juicy fish cooking over the fire. “So stay down while I get it ready for you, ok?”

Kuina held up her hands as she chuckled, letting him handle it. “Fine, have it your way. Oh yeah, I have some pickled cabbages in the back,” She replied as she pointed at the pile of crates she called her storage. Nodding, he went off to get things ready for her.

As she sat there, she found it amusing how little he changed after all these years. Despite being taller and broader than she was now, he was still the same old softie she knew. She really was lucky to have him as her friend.

-x-x-x-

As darkness fell in the forest, they huddled close to the campfire by the caves mouth. Sitting upon felled logs, they ate their fish and pickled vegetables. Stuffing her face with the finely salted fish, she let out a moan at how it melted into her mouth. “Oh god, this is the best!”

“Damn it, can you not?” Zoro grimaced as he stared at her, “You shouldn’t moan out like that, it’s unsightly,” She scolded her.

“What, can’t handle a bit of teasing?” She asked, batting her eyes at him, “Still chasing after all this years?”

“Nah, I already know you don’t swing that way,” Zoro replied as he stared into the fire, an easy going smile soon finding its way into his lips. Shrugging, he then added, “Besides, you’re too much of a man even for me!”

“Fucker,” She chuckled as she picked up a tiny stone and pelted him with it.

Shielding his face, he then teased her, “You sounded ridiculous early. You sounded like this!” With a grin, he stared mocking her as he mimicked her, exaggerating his moans to match hers.

Faced with such a ridiculous sight, she burst out laughing, tears forming in her eyes, “I do not sound like that!” She laughed, holding on to her side as he grinned at her.

“Then there’s the matter of your hygiene, you’re even worst than I am!” He continued, poking her on the side, “You only bath every three days”

“Every two,” She quickly corrected, wiping the tears of her eyes.

“Which is one bath less than I take,” He fired back.

“Oh give me a break, I live in the woods,” She argued, crossing her arms across her chest. It was hard to live all on her own in the woods.

Still, Zoro was merciless as he pointed at the flowing river just beside her camp. “Off course, how can I forget your appetite. You eat like a pig. Your sense of fashion? Non existent. Your homes a mess, you snore can be heard from my home, and then there is that little thing where you’d punch someone if they get a bit too mouthy,” He pointed out before gesturing to her arm.

She blinked as she gazed at her hand, cocked back and ready to punch. Shrugging, she threw it anyways, making the man flinch back, “See!” He shouted, “Damn it Kuina, you really have to spend some time with the village girls.”

“Don’t want to,” She pouted, “They kept messing with my hair and dressing me up in your clothes,” Shrugging, she then added, “Not that I mind. They’re comfortable.”

“Wait, so that’s why my clothes go missing whenever you come by!” Zoro replied as he rested his chin on the palm of his hand, “I should do something about that.”

“Besides, I’m fine the way I am,” She the said before she stretched, having finally recovered from that nasty blow, “have a place to live, good food, some company from time to time and all the place I can train,” she told him as she gazed at her home. It might just be a small cave with some crates but this was her life.

Zoro shook his head as he continued eating. Silence befall them, only broken by the sound of crickets and cicadas in the distance. With the stars shining above the cloudless sky and the swaying gentle with the soft breeze, she couldn’t have wished for a better; Today was a peaceful night. She could rest easy to night knowing there wasn’t going to be any storm anytime soon.

Glancing over to her friend, she watched as the man stared into the fire deep in thought. Cocking her head, she asked, “Something on your mind?”

Zoro gazed up before he replied, “Have you ever…” before he paused hesitating for a bit until he continued, “Have you ever asked yourself if this is worth it? Is all this preparation, all this training, necessary? All this just to be the strongest,” he gestured at her hovel of a home. Frowning, he looked down, “You’ve always talked about the monster out there but have you ever considered just staying here?”

She frowned as she gazed into the flame, reflecting upon her words. “There isn’t a day in my life that I considered just giving up and accepting what my father wishes for me to be. Just a normal girl living a normal life.” She admitted, her hands shaking as she told him, “I’m scared Zoro, I’m terrified of what’s out there and what they can do. I wished I could just hold my head down and ignore it but… but I can’t.”

“Sooner or later, they’ll come for this part of the world in their thirst for more treasures and ever more power,” She whispered bitterly as she clenched her fist, “I could bury my head in the sand and wait… but I can also become strong, strong enough to face even the meanest, scariest, monsters out there.”

Letting out a shaky smile, she gazed up to the sky, “The world is a beautiful place, it’s a wonderful world and I’d hate to one day find myself in a cage, looking up to the stars and wondering why I let those monsters control my life.”

Memories of days long gone flashed across her mind’s eye. The world government, the war to come, the pirates that ruled the seas, and the figure sitting upon the throne, all these people, capable of ending her peaceful new life. Closing his eyes, she whispered, “I want to be free and to be free, I have be strong enough to do whatever the hell I want.”

Grinning, she then looked back at him, “Maybe that’s why you want to become the strongest swordsman as well. So you can tell anyone that they’re free to take your crown, no matter who they are or what they are.”

Zoro stared at her, wide eye. She turned her gaze away, feeling a bit silly. Maybe she over did it. “Freedom huh…” he whispered as a soft smile stretched across his face, “I like that.”

Grabbing some booze, he tossed one over to Zoro as she cheered, “To freedom,” raising her bottle high.

Catching the offered drink, he grinned as he raised his bottle up high, “To Freedom,” he cheered as the two of them drank heartily

A/N:

And that's the last of it for now. Expect more of these every 3rd Week of the month. Back to Seoul Kitchen I go~