One Piece: The Deadly

The noon sun beamed down on the Thousand Sunny as Franky put the finishing touches on Kikidori's new room. With a dramatic flourish, he stepped back and struck a pose. "Alright, kiddo! Your SUPER room is ready!"

Kikidori's face lit up as he ran inside. The room was compact but cozy, with a small bed, a desk, and even a little storage chest for his belongings. On the wall hung a poster of a pirate ship, and the wooden panels gleamed as if freshly polished.

"This is awesome!" Kikidori said, bouncing on the bed. "Thanks, Franky!"

Franky wiped a tear from his eye. "It's what I do, little bro. Enjoy it!"

Kikidori flopped onto the bed, relieved. "Finally! No more awkward situations at night! No more boobies in my face! Yay!"

Nami, passing by the door, overheard and groaned. "You're lucky you're a kid, or I'd throw you overboard."

As Kikidori unpacked his meager belongings into his new room, he felt a warmth in his chest. For the first time in forever, he had a place to call his own.

---

After lunch, Kikidori wandered onto the deck, his shinai tucked under his arm. He turned a corner and bumped straight into a wall of muscle and green hair.

"Oh! Sorry!" Kikidori said, looking up. His eyes widened as he realized who he'd bumped into. "You're… Zoro!"

Zoro grunted, arms crossed, and stared down at the boy with his usual gruff expression. "Watch where you're going, kid."

Kikidori stepped back, his heart pounding—not with fear, but with awe. Zoro's swords gleamed at his side, and his confident aura made him look like a living legend.

"You're so cool!" Kikidori blurted out, grinning.

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Cool? What's cool about me?"

"Everything!" Kikidori said, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. "The swords, the scars, the way you stand… It's all so awesome!"

Zoro groaned, rubbing his temples. "Listen, kid, I don't do babysitting. Go bug someone else."

But Kikidori didn't budge. He stood there, grinning up at Zoro like a puppy meeting its hero. "I wanna be like you someday!"

"Trust me, you don't," Zoro grumbled, turning to walk away.

For the rest of the day, Kikidori followed Zoro around like a shadow. Whether Zoro was training, napping, or just sitting in the crow's nest drinking sake, Kikidori was there, watching intently.

"Why are you still here?" Zoro asked at one point, glaring at the boy.

"Because you're cool," Kikidori replied simply.

Zoro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Go swing that shinai or something. Stop following me."

"Can you teach me?" Kikidori asked, his eyes sparkling.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

Zoro's eye twitched, but he said nothing, hoping the boy would eventually give up.

As the day wore on, Zoro's patience wore thinner and thinner. He muttered under his breath, "I can't slice him in half… He's just a kid… He's just a kid…"

Chopper, passing by, tilted his head. "Zoro, are you okay? You look like you're about to explode."

"Fine," Zoro grumbled. "Totally fine."

By evening, Kikidori was still tagging along, chattering about how he wanted to be the world's greatest swordsman someday, just like Zoro.

Finally, Zoro turned to him with an exasperated sigh. "Kid, if you're serious about being a swordsman, stop talking so much and start training. The swords won't swing themselves."

Kikidori beamed. "So… you'll teach me?"

"No," Zoro said, walking away.

Kikidori laughed, undeterred. "You're the best, Zoro!"

Zoro groaned, muttering, "This kid's gonna be the death of me…"

As the sun set over the horizon, Kikidori finally retreated to his new room, leaving Zoro to enjoy a rare moment of peace. But even as he sat alone on the deck, Zoro couldn't help but smirk a little. The kid's determination reminded him of someone.

End of Chapter 8