Chapter 1 - That one night...

It was the middle of the night when Zoro walked down the dusty road to the dojo where Kuina and her father lived. Zoro walked a long way from his home, he had to sneak out of his home cause his mother-like any other mother- would never let him out of the house no matter how strong he was in sword fighting at night. So as she was fully asleep, he finally had the chance to sneak out. He did heisitate to leave at first, he had the feeling she was going to wake up to found he was gone. After that, wake the whole village for that! But it was worth the chance. Gaining more courage, he locked up the front door of his home. He picked up his pair of bamboo swords and headed to the dojo.
> >
He was there finally. He started to hear Kuina. She was practising with her bamboo sword hitting wooden poles. She continued to hit the poles without mercy while she yelled out battle cries as she pounded the poles with her wooden sword. She was huffing and puffing; not to mention, breaking quite a big sweat. She was like an animal attacking its pray at least to Zoro's point of view. Now he was going to battle her right this instant. He watched her smack the hell out of the poles.
He was more determined to beat her.'I'm gonna beat her. I'll have my win!'
Now for a moment, Zoro was gonna fight her with his bamboo swords. But someone unexpectily came around and changed his mind. That certain someone convinced Zoro to fight with real swords instead of just wooden ones. Zoro felted a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see who it was. He gasped.
"Tim?" Tim was one of the students at the dojo who was a classmate of Zoro. Tim was .o.k. at swordfighting, although it wasn't really his talent. Even though he wasn't as skilled, he was extremly clever and witty at what he said. He always conviced people somehow.
"Yo Zoro! I see you're here tonight just as I suspected." Tim cracked a smirk.
"What are you doing here?" Cried Zoro.
"Just here to give you your swords." Tim said as he took out a pair of real swords. Zoro gasped once again. He wasn't suppose to reclieve his real swords until the ceremony the next morning!
"Tim!" Zoro yelled."I am not suppose to get my swords until tomorrow morning at the ceremony!"
"Oh c'mon, sensei will never know! I'll make sure he will never know! Besides I wanna know if Kuina will be scared of fighting with real swords!" Many people mistaken Tim as an menice to society, heck, he even sounded like a lier. But he always kept his word and Zoro knew he could trust him. So he gave into the other boy's words and took the pair of real swords. Then handed Tim the two bamboo swords.
"Alright then. Proceed." Tim smiled and took a step back.
Zoro gave him a glare."How did you get these swords?"
"These are mine actilly,I am letting you borrow them." Tim anserwed.
"And how did you know I was gonna come here tonight?"
"Earlier, you were talking to yourself. And you happen to be talking about coming here."
"I see..."
Zoro hurried though to meet with Kuina.
"I am gonna leave your bamboo swords under this tree, okay?" Zoro turned his head back to Tim. "Okay." He anserwered back.
A few seconds later...
"Kuina! I challenge you to a duel...With real swords!" Zoro held one of his swords in each hand as he felt ready for another battle with her."You're not afraid of real swords are you?"
"Real swords? Okay...It's your furneral." Kuina never before fought Zoro with real swords. So this night was really gonna be fun...
A couple of minutes after that...
"On guard!" Zoro cried as he got into an battle stance. This was it!
"I'm ready." Said Kuina also in a battle stance. Then the duel began!
The two swordfighters charged toward each other, both yelling out battle cries. Their swords pounded each other making an loud clinging sound. Sweat began to drift off Zoro's head. Kuina was just...so hard. And so powerful!
She was so fast and skilled. Again Zoro was having a hard time fighting her! Why couldn't he defeat her? Why did she win every time? Because was she the sensei's daughter?
Kuina was starting to get the better of Zoro. Zoro was now beginning to lose it...Until it finally happen...Kuina strucked full force onto both of Zoro's blades. Zoro had let go of his swords.Kuina then drove at Zoro while Zoro flinced and fell on his back. And at that moment he knew he had lost. Kuina had an little smirk on her face knowing that she was still unbeatable to this day.
"Thats 2001 times you have losted." A few seconds had passed; she took noticed that he was crying. He was sobbing because he had been planning to beat her tonight, only to have failed. He felted humiliated. Also to mention a loser."Damn," he muttered under his breath."It's so frusterating..."
Kuina put her sword back into it's case and sat it down on the patio of the dojo. Afterward, she sat down."I'm the one who's frustrated..."
She spoke in a serious tone.Zoro heard this and stood up while wondering what she was talking about.
"When girls get older, they become weaker than the boys. Pretty soon you'll be stronger than me." At that moment Kuina began to get teary-eyed. Her voice became more sad.
"Zoro, you're always saying that you're going to become the world's greatist swordman. Dad says that girls can't be master swordsmen." She was getting more depressed by the moment because a tear escaped from her eye and rolled down her cheek.
"You're lucky that you're a boy Zoro... I wanna become the world's greatist swordman too!" She grabbed her shirt and pulled hard. She was so depressed as she kept thinking that her dream was only an illusion. Just cause she was born a female. "But I'm starting to get breasts...I wish I was a boy..."
Those words she just said...Coming right out of her lips was unbelivable to Zoro. He felt his heart sunk like a rock sinking down to the bottem of a lake. He grew angry; she should'nt have been having those kind of thoughts...
"What are you crying about? You always beat me! That's not fair! Beating you is my dream!" Shouted Zoro from his heart."Someday I'll beat you because you cause I worked hard, not because you had gotten weaker! It's got nothing to do with being a boy or girl!"
Shocked by his words; she looked at him with disbeif. He actilly didn't think that girls couldn't become swordmen. He actilly thought differant then most other men. She felt the pain from her heart go away!
"I'm training all the time to beat you! You're making me look bad!" he continued."Let's make a promise to each other! Someday, one of us will become the greatist swordman ever! We'll fight for the title!"
Feeling happy after hearing that, Kuina wiped her eyes."You idiot. You're too puny."
"It's a promise!" They both said in unison as they grabbed each other's hand; and shooked on it.
> >
A few minutes later, Zoro went home after that both waved goodbye to each other. Kuina, now feeling like she could be the world's greatist swordman anyday, started to walk her way to her room. She needed some sleep, besides that was enough training for one night. As she continued toward her room, she spotted her older brother with his girlfriend who were doing nothing but chatting in his room.
Kuina knew that her father forbidded her brother from going out with her because she was nothing more than a drunk. And a girl who did nothing but party.But she wanted to know what they were talking about and snucked behind the sliding door to her brother's room. Kuina was eaves dropping on the couple but hearing them talk about such boring junk was getting her even more tired. So she had nothing better to do than to brush her teeth and go to bed.But her brother's girlfriend caught Kuina peeking...
"Seiji, you sister is behind that sliding door!" Cried Seiji's girlfriend.
At the moment, Kuina then got spooked, however the young girl stood her ground. Seiji and his girlfriend walked over to the sliding door.All she could do was face them. They both had angry faces and both were glaring at her; glares scary enough to kill a cat.
"Kuina?" Her brother asked in a scary hissy tone of voice."Why were you peeking at Sarah and me?"
"Great, your stupid little sister has caught us. What should we do?" Sarah had her hands across her chest, while also tapping her foot.
"Kuina, you better not tell anyone about this espically to father!" Kuina knew Seiji was serious. He never joked around except he sneaked around. Also to mention lied quite a bit, even to his own parents he lied to get what he desired, except he couldn't lie to get Sarah. Kuina agreed to not tell ether of their parents.
"Alright, you can go now." Seiji tooked his girlfriend's hand and led her to his room. Kuina gave out a sigh of relif. She knew what he would do if she told father or mother about his relationship with Sarah; he would trytake away one of the things she treasured: Her sword. Continuring her way down the hall to go brush her teeth, she saw the sliding door to her parents room open, her mother walked though the door which surprised Kuina.
"Kuina, why are you still up?" Asked her mother.
"I was just practising sword fighting, mom. Was I making too many noise?" Kuina knew this was going to go quick; her mother was not a loud chatter box.
"A little, not enough to wake up the dead." Her mother answered quickley."Now go to bed!" After that, her mother went back to her room leaving Kuina alone in the hallway unaware that someone was listening. Kuina was about to leave to brush her teeth, until she heard the swift sound of footsteps. And a sound of giggling followed as well. Kuina thought she saw a shadow leave the hallway.
All of a sudden, her heart began to race faster, beating faster and faster.She began to grow scared. She inmeditly began to feel that was Sarah just now. A whisper came into Kuina's ear at that moment. Then another whisper. A man's whisper...Footsteps came walking down the hallway and headed toward Kuina.
"Oh no..." Gasped Kuina with fear. There stood Sarah and Seiji! Seiji glared at his sister like he did earlier while Sarah was smirking and gave Kuina a dirty look. Sarah also made a giggle."Little stupid sister of yours could'nt be trusted. You need to be a little more harsher." Next Sarah gave a kiss to Seiji right on the cheek.
"You little piece of trash. Thats it!" Seiji wasted no time walking toward Kuina. He was going to make her pay...
"But Seiji...I didn't tell mom or dad about your secret!" Seiji didn't listen. Infact, he was not even going to let her explain. Sarah, on the other hand was enjoying herself, she loved it when Kuina gave off an aura of fear. She never like Kuina one bit.Seiji always made her life miserible one way or another.
"C'mon Seiji, don't waste your time on her just yet. She treasures her sword, right?"
"Oh thats right." Seiji turned away from Kuina. They walked away from her. Kuina knew where they were going. They were headed for the dojo!
The couple were planning to sell her sword! Kuina only stood there, knowing that her sword was not in the dojo. But she lefted it on the patio.
That sword was a gift from her grandfather. She remembered the last day he lived, when he was giving her family certain gifts meant for them. Her father and mother reclieved the dojo. Her older brother reclieved a few antigues. And Kuina was given her grandfather's special sword. He had given her the sword because for one thing, she loved swords; another reason for giving her that sword was he knew she would take such wonderful care of it. And he would never leave such a valuble sword in the hands of his irresponsible grandson; infact the sword was worth more than half of his antingues. Besides his grandson would sell it off for a huge price. Kuina was the one he trusted with the sword. He only wanted Kuina to have it. No way would he let his grandson have it!
Now all she had to do was get it before Sarah and Seiji discover that the sword was not in the dojo. She ran to go after it. No way would she let them take her treasure away!
Meanwhile, back at a certain young boy's home. Zoro was having preasent dreams of being the greatist swordman in the world; he dreamed of defeating any other swordman. Then he dreamed of defeating of Mihawk. And after that, he and Kuina were dueling for the title of being the world's greatist swordman. They fought againest each other,only to end in a draw...Then over and over, he and Kuina kept fighting each other only to end in a draw. That night, Zoro thought he and her were going to be rivals until one of them would archieve that title. He seriously thought that.
But he was wrong.
That night, Kuina had finally gotten to her sword and grabbed it. Soon her brother and his girlfriend found her and started chasing her. Kuina mangage to get rid of them, only not for long.
Kuina's plan was to reach her parent's room to reveal all of Seiji's misdoings and tell them how he theatend her to sell their grandfather's sword.
Only her plan was not going to work on that fateful night. For she didn't know that she was going to be departed from the earth before the sun was even going to rise...
Before she was able to get to her parent's room, Seiji was already standing before the sliding door."Oh no!" She said to herself. Seiji knew of her plan and knew where to go. Sarah soon came along and told him Kuina was not in her room. Seiji shrugged. Sarah went back to looking for Kuina leaving Seiji guarding the room so his little sister couldn't come in and spill all the beans. Kuina hid in one of the hallways.
Kuina relized all she needed to do was scream and began to do so. Of course as expected her parents woke up. Neither of them were too happy about it.They woke up very angry. Kuina's father walked out with a bang while her mother rubbed her eyes asnd remained in bed.
"What is going on?" the man shouted before he reached the sliding door. Sarah commance running upstairs after Seiji gave her a command to do so. Then something grabbed her shoulder and started pulling her. Kuina tugged at her long like shirt.
"And where do you think you're going?"
" Little miss trash." Sarah slapped a good one to Kuina in the cheek."Give me that sword."
Sarah grabbed Kuina's sword and tried to take it away from Kuina. But Kuina held on her treasured sword even though Sarah scrathed her in the face, or punched and slapped her. Kuina treasured her grandfather's so much. She would'nt go down without a fight. Durring their fight, Sarahand Kuinanow and then turned each other around.Kuina landed a punch to Sarah's stomach. Sarah felt the pain amd screamed.
SuddenlySarah began to fall backwards on the stairs. Her back leaned back toward the stairs more and more.
A chain of banging sounds came down on the stairs which spooked Kuina's parents nearly to death.
"What was that?" Asked mother.
"I don't know, I just came out to see what was all the racket." Seiji lied. He was fightened of being caught by his parents and getting thrown out of the house.He tried acting cool and innocent; making sure he didn't get any blame out of what has happen.
"Lets check it out." Seiji continued urging his parents to go see what had happen.Sure enough, the three went to the starcase to see what tumbled down and made all that noise.When the reached the staircase; their spines went cold, including Seiji's. Because what they saw was horriflying; Sarah had falling down the staircase, she now had a pool of blood surrounding her skull. Her eyes were glassy. But she wasn't the only one.
Kuina came tumbling down the stairs as well.
That morning Zoro expected a reguler day of training with his classmates. He expected seeing reguler happy faces. He also expected seeing Kuina's happy face. Instand he had to see her lifeless. That morning when he heard the words 'Zoro!Theres been a accident! Its Kuina! She fell down the stairs and shes dead!' He could've sworn he was frozen in a block of ice.
She's dead?
There she was: lifeless with a cloth covering her eyes. Zoro stared hard at her and kept shouting at her."You made a promise last night!" The young boy didn't want to believe it. But yes, she was gone. He had to admit it."You can't run away from your promise!" Zoro was about to yell in Kuina's face, but Tim and another man held Zoro back."Stop it!" Tim yelled. He was as badly heart broken as Zoro. He, too, lost a good friend.There was also something brothering him.
"Where's Seiji?" Tim asked Kuina's broken hearted father while struggling with Zoro. The father who was also sensei of the dojo, didn't say a word for a few minutes. But finally mangaged the strength to talk,
"He is being thrown in prison."
Pure Silence
The whole dojo was in shock after hearing the news. Even Zoro lost the will to yell at Kuina for dying on him. Tim and the man that were holding Zoro, let go of the now calm boy, allowing him to walk over the sensei for one question that he needed to ask. He sat on his legs and bowed down. Sensei took notice that Zoro was going to ask something or perhaps
"Sensei," He heisitated to ask but he got though it."May I have her sword?"
The sensei was shocked that Zoro ask for Kuina's treasured sword. One thought that went though his head was that sword was so presious to his departed daughter and to him; another thought he had was the sword that Zoro requested for now had been haunting him ever since he saw his daughter laying lifeless on the floor. To tell the truth, he never wanted to see that blade again! It had seemed that from last night when Sarah had began to fall backwards she grabbed Kuina's shirt and took her down with her as well. So the sensei gave Zoro a 'yes.'
"I suppose so..." Sensei took the sword that was laying by Kuina's side and gave it to the young boy. Zoro took a look at the blade that he held in his hands, he walked over to Kuina; he had a message to tell her."Kuina," He said as tears began to form."I have to keep the promise for both of us! I'm going to become such a great swordman that even my name will be known in Heaven!"

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