Rika walked up to Zoro and held his hand. "Since you think it's delicious, I'll make some more for you."
Seeing Rika so happy, Zoro didn't refuse harshly.
He looked disgusted at first, but when she left, he still ate the dirty rice ball and said it was good. Sneaky, gentle swordsman, Lock thought, watching with a faint, fond smirk.
When Lock was young, he wouldn't have noticed that kind of subtlety. Now he did — and of course, only handsome readers and Lock himself truly appreciated those small, quiet moments.
Zoro wasn't thinking about any of that. He was wondering why he hadn't sensed anyone creeping up on him. Am I that hungry that my senses betrayed me? he suspected.
"Luffy! Take this kid away from here!" Zoro barked.
Luffy nodded, hands folded behind his head, and sauntered toward the main gate.
(Why the main gate? Because the plot says so. Why were no Marines guarding the execution ground? Ask Oda.)
"Hey! Take this kid with you!" Zoro called after him.
Luffy glanced back, saw Lock giving an OK to Rika, and answered, "My partner will take her." Then he wandered off without another thought.
Zoro watched him go. "Partner? That guy has other companions here?"
Lock crouched and patted Rika's head. "Little sister, anything else to say to big brother? If not, let's go. We don't want him getting slandered by those Marines."
"Then, big brother — I'll go back and make more rice balls for you," Rika chirped.
Zoro gave a short nod.
Lock called over his shoulder with a grin, "The way you said 'delicious' just now? Pretty cool."
Zoro flushed a little, unsure whether to be annoyed or pleased.
Lock didn't wait for an answer. He scooped Rika up and led her away from the execution platform.
"Hey, wait! Come back and explain that!" Helmeppo shouted, but his voice trailed after them.
"Brother, is that big brother calling us?" Rika asked, glancing back.
"Yep — he wants a lot of super-sweet rice balls," Lock told her with a cheeky smile.
"I'm so happy! I didn't expect Big Brother to like my rice balls so much. I'll add even more sugar next time. He'll be so happy!" Rika gushed.
Lock nodded. "Yeah, he'll be so happy he might just die of sweetness." He said it deadpan, which made Rika giggle. If Zoro heard that, he'd be like, 'How can you be so mean!' Lock thought, amused.
Helmeppo muttered as they left, "That long-haired guy's weird." He tried to sound scornful and failed.
They followed Rika back to the little tavern her family ran. Inside, she told them what had happened three weeks ago.
Helmeppo, the spoiled son of Captain "Axe-Hand" Morgan, had strutted into town and brought a wolf to the tavern to make trouble. Rika tried to shoo it off with a mop. The wolf, unsurprisingly, wasn't phased.
Just as Helmeppo raised a hand to beat her, Zoro stepped in: he knocked the wolf out cold and then punched Helmeppo clean in the face.
"My father is Captain Morgan!" Helmeppo howled.
He put a cruel deal on the table: unless Zoro agreed to be exposed on the execution ground without food or water for a month, he would harm everyone in the tavern. Zoro accepted, so the townsfolk would be safe.
Coby spat, "These Marines are inhuman!" Luffy scowled in agreement.
Lock, though, didn't overreact. He already knew the scene — but that didn't mean he liked Helmeppo's behavior. He'd already made a mental note to help in his way once Luffy recruited Zoro. The fish in the harbor would be particularly grateful, he decided.
A while later, Helmeppo swaggered into the tavern with two Marines, propping his feet on a table like he owned the place.
"I'm hungry. Bring me food and wine — free. Hurry up," he demanded.
Nobody dared protest. Nami, sitting nearby, glared at him with thin-lipped disgust. Luffy's fists were dangerously close to unclenching.
Helmeppo smirked and added, "By the way, I've decided to execute Roronoa Zoro tomorrow. You should all look forward to it."
That was the last straw. Luffy launched himself forward and punched Helmeppo right in the face. The boy flew into the wall and left a nasty bump.
"Who do you think you are? Do you know who my father is? Captain Morgan!" Helmeppo wailed, clutching his cheek.
"So what?" Luffy retorted, ready to throw another.
Coby gripped Luffy's arm. "Calm down, Mr. Luffy. Do you want to be enemies with the Navy?"
Luffy turned to Lock. "I've decided. I want Zoro to join us."
Lock stood, dusted off his hands, and slapped Luffy's shoulder. "No problem."
Helmeppo, helped up by the two Marines, shrieked, "You're finished — my father will have you executed!"
Lock walked over with slow, polite steps, his eyes flat as knives. "Why do you bark so much, useless second-generation officer?" he said, voice light and cruel.
Two Marines stepped forward. "What're you going to do, stranger?"
"Make way. I'm not here to speak to you." With that, Lock shoved them both out the tavern door. They tumbled like dolls — a magician's trick blended with a bureaucrat's disdain.
Helmeppo stared, pale. "What do you want to do? If you touch me, my father—"
Lock raised his size-42 boot and planted it on Helmeppo's right cheek. Slowly, deliberately, he pressed down until the rubber left a perfect print.
Hiss, hiss, hiss. The tavern was quiet except for the slight sound of indignation escaping Helmeppo.
Three minutes later, Lock withdrew his foot, grabbed Helmeppo by the collar, and grinned. "There — a custom tattoo. You're welcome."
He tossed Helmeppo out the door like yesterday's trash. The two Marines scrambled to haul the kid away, humiliated, and fled back to the base.
Lock turned back to Luffy and the rest, smoothing his sleeve like nothing had happened. "So? About Zoro."
Luffy's grin split wider than the horizon. "He's in."
Zoro, from his post on the execution platform, glared at them all and muttered something that was almost a yes.
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A/N: Please Leave A Comment Or Drop A Powerstone It'll mean alot to me...