Chapter Text
~East Blue, 2 years before Luffy and Zoro meet~
Nico Robin walked into the bar. All the patron’s eyes but one man turned to her. Ignoring them, she sits down next to the young bounty hunter ignoring her in favor of his meal. She noted how while he didn’t actively show it, he had already gauged her and was prepared to fight if she provoked. “When Mr. 59 didn’t show back up, I took interest.”
Zoro swallowed and didn’t look up at her, “I’ll tell you the same thing I told him before I killed him: If you want me to join you I’d better be your boss.”
Robin chuckled, “You certainly are interesting. Only 17 and already making a name for yourself as a promising bounty hunter. ...But that isn’t your goal, is it?”
“It gets me money,” he shrugged.
Robin crossed her legs and leaned on the counter, “Your goal is to defeat one of the warlords, correct? A certain swordsman.”
He finally turned to her, “Are you deaf? I already told you, I’m not interested in some weird secret bounty hunter group that doesn’t even know who they’re working for.”
“Crocodile,” she smiled.
Zoro nearly choked on his beer, “Him?!”
Robin leaned back in her seat, “I can’t promise you the boss’s title, but… How about I give you a shot at a top position?”
Looking her up and down, he considered what she was saying, “It figures you’d be high up.”
Robin raised her eyebrow and smiled, “Oh?”
“You’ve been on the run with a high bounty since a kid for what you supposedly know. It’s an old bounty poster, but you’re Nico Robin.”
“And this is why I thought you’d be an excellent candidate for a numbered spot.” Robin folded her hands together. “This is what I can offer you: I can organize a fight between you and Mr. 1. It’s not an opportunity anyone joining gets. If you can defeat him, you will be offered his position. I need a capable partner in my missions. You’re new but already learning fast and show potential.”
Zoro rolled his eyes, “I’m still not interested.”
Robin smiled, “I can get you closer to Mihawk.”
Chewing the inside of his cheek, Zoro finally considered Baroque Works as an employer.
“You’ll be paid, able to travel much more freely,” she looked around at the dinky bar, “and you won’t be having to scrape by with what bounties you can find. All you have to do is accompany me on missions.”
After a moment, Zoro smiled, “That pitch was much better than the other guys.”
Robin stood up and held out her hand, “I’m glad I was able to convince you.”
Gathering his swords, he got up as well and took it, “You said I’ll be Mr. 1. What’s your codename?”
“Miss. Allsunday.”
~Shells Town~
Robin wasn’t always traveling with him when he wandered off to search for Mihawk. She had her own thing she was searching for. Zoro didn’t have all the details of what it was, but he knew it was part of why she was hunted at least. Either way, here he was, short on money again, and eating in a bar on the last of what he got from the bounty he turned in. He was pretty sure he was out of the grand line, but he figured he’d figure out exactly where after he finished his meal. At least that was his plan before the mangy mutt and his pompous master busted down the door and caused a ruckus.
And that was how he was tied to a pole in a Navy base. Not for being a Baroque works agent, but because he stopped a little girl from getting mauled by an untrained dog. He hoped Robin wouldn’t find out about this. She usually did, though.
“Hey mister!” the little girl from the bar had climbed over the fence. “I figured you’d be hungry so I made you some food!”
“Scram kid,” he glared at her the best he could. As good as food sounded, he didn’t want her getting killed.
“...But… you haven’t eaten in days!” and oh no she was using puppy dog eyes.
Hearing the gates open, Zoro turned to see the pompous asshole making his way over with a group of Navy soldiers. “Hey! You! What are you doing here? Kick her out!”
Zoro flinched as he saw her punted over the fence. Zoning out the idiot’s drawling about him and his dad, he told himself only a week left and he could try to contact Robin. Too bad he might have misplaced his snail somewhere on his search.
“You don’t look like a demon.”
Confused, Zoro looked up and found he hadn’t noticed a weird kid with a red vest and straw hat had come over the fence when he was zoning out. Man he needed food. “What do you want?”
The kid grinned, “I’m Monkey D. Luffy and you’re gonna be part of my crew!”
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Zoro had told himself he’d contact Robin the next day, next week, next island, and then, there they were in the grand line and he realized how long it had been. Luffy had recruited another 3 people, they had a ship, and Zoro would genuinely laugh with them as they traveled from island to island. Shrugging it off, he figured she’d find him if they got a mission. They had gotten more infrequent and he had to have another couple months at least.
Then they met the whale. And inside the whale, a Mr. 9 and a Miss Wednesday. They were not subtle at all. After they had their asses soundley handed to them, he sat down in front of them to fish out what they were doing, maybe fuck with them a bit, only to have Nami interupt them. He knew for once which island they’d be too next, though. He wouldn’t tell them who he was. Being higher than them, he knew who they were but they didn’t know who he was. He’d contact Robin, let her know he was fine, make sure Baroque Works left his crew alone, and keep traveling with the Strawhats. He told himself again that he wouldn’t be assigned a mission for a couple more months, at least.
Just another couple months, then he'd come up with his next excuse.