Lunarian Cupid

Seperate blog for the romances I wish to blossom

[lunariancupid]

“Between You And Me…” (Zoro x Robin)

A long awaited reunion that she had never expected to happen… A dream she never thought could come true…

But here he was, in the flesh, right in front of her, the kindly giant who was her best friend; Saul.

Knowing the two had a lot of catching up to do, the Strawhat crew decided to give Robin and Saul some time alone to talk, but not before Luffy personally thanked Saul for being such a good friend to Robin.

With Robin sitting atop his shoulder, Saul decided to walk around the wilderness of the country of Elbaf, the land of giants that the Strawhats had found themselves.

“I see you have a great group of friends, Robin. I have heard all about what they have done for you. It sure takes a lot of grit, and just a lot of crazy to pull off the stunts they did for you, dereshishishi!” The giant laughed, as Robin chortled softly with him. “Fufufu, that is just how they are.”

“Now, young lady, when I was doing my research to see just who yer friends really were, I was able to get a clear enough picture of most of ‘em, except for one…” Saul held his chin with a thoughtful hum, which caught Robin’s attention. “Hm, who would that be?”

“The tough looking feller with the swords, pirate hunter Zoro. I find it real strange that a pirate hunter would become First Mate to a pirate crew, an Emperor’s crew, no less!” Saul scratched his head, as Robin chortled once again.

“That is just the charm of our captain,” Robin smiled fondly, recalling the many memories. “As for Zoro… That is an old title that was given to him long ago. It is something that stuck with him.”

“Uhuh… And what’s the deal with him? He looked mighty serious to me! Is he always like that?” Saul inquired, as Robin crossed her legs.

“No, not always, but he is not the kind to be very open about how he feels. He is kind of like me, in that way.” Robin mused with a smile, “We both take care of the doctor of our ship, the little reindeer you saw. Some days, I give him baths, and other days, Zoro gives him baths. I often feel he’s like our adopted child.” Robin’s smile softened at thinking of the little doctor, a smile Saul noted. He also noted that other little detail.

“Yer adopted child, huh?... You wouldn’t happen to… Play mawmaw while he plays pawpaw, wouldcha?...” Saul turned his head fully to Robin, whose eyes widened slightly in surprise at the suggestion. “...I… Suppose it could be seen in that way. Until Jinbe joined us, I felt as if we were the most mature people in the crew. Even still, there were times where I had to save “pawpaw” from himself.”

“Like a real missus, dereshishishi!” Saul laughed, a contagious laugh that Robin couldn’t help but join in with.

Trying to calm her laughter, Robin continued, “Z-Zoro is not all bad, he is just the type to act first in certain situations, like on our trip to Fishman Island. He wanted to escape the bubble our ship was coated in since our ship was in danger of being crushed by boulders. However, if he did that, he would have immediately perished to the oceanic pressure.” She explained. 

“So naturally, I held him back and explained that to him. He wasn’t pleased to be stopped, but he did listen to reason.” She smiled. “That’s… Just the kind of man Zoro is…”

“Ah, he sounds strangely like the passionate type, though you would have never figured by the look of him. He looked quite aloof to me, like nothing matters to him.” Saul thought back to first seeing the swordsman, and especially how he had acted compared to the rest of the crew. During the tearful reunion with Robin, he just had a… strangely serene smile, as if some invisible weight had been lifted off his shoulders, compared to the more emotional reactions of the rest of the crew.

Saul thought such a reaction from the First Mate was… Odd. Based on his research of the Strawhats, Zoro would have known Robin for quite some time. He figured maybe that was just his personality, based on the way he held himself.

But then again, he was the one seated closest to the two…

Something just wasn’t quite adding up to Saul.

“...Tell me more about this Zoro feller, Robin.”

And that was when he noticed the look on Robin’s face; fond recollection.

She recounted when she first joined the crew, how Zoro was the only one not to trust her. She told Saul how it took quite some time to gain even a little of his trust, but how she strangely felt the most safe with him due to his similar personality. She told him of the time he punched a sky shark with his bare hand, a story that made Saul laugh, and how he kicked another one while they were exploring.

Then there were the details that really stood out to Saul; the unexpected emotional outburst when Zoro caught her before she hit the ground, how he gently placed her down on the ground before attempting to attack her assailant. How he later blocked an admiral’s attack to protect her. How he refused to give up on her when she did everything to turn him away. How he fought for the key that set her free.

By the amount of detail Robin would tell Saul recalling all these events, it was clear to him that these moments were all near and dear to her, whether they be mundane or more grave.

Then there was the smoking gun that immediately made it all crystal clear to Saul.

“I… I had him right there, in my hands, but I was powerless to do anything more for him. The admiral had him pinned to the ground, and I-I…” Robin’s eyes began to cloud with tears.

“I-I was so afraid, Saul… So afraid that in that very moment… H-He… Was going to die underneath my very hands… It brought me back to that time where I… W-Where I-”

A comforting finger was placed atop Robin’s head.

“Now, don’t you go worrying about what coulda been, Robin. As we can both see now, he’s fine, and it all turned out okay in the end.” Saul gave her a warm smile, before using that same finger to wipe away her tears. “How about you tell me more funny stories about the feller, like how he couldn’t tell where he was going even with a South bird? That sounded real funny, dereshishishi!” He laughed, causing Robin to forget about that past worry, regathering her lighter mood in the presence of her best friend.

“There are a lot of funny stories including Zoro, but a few of them I have promised to keep a secret.” She seemed to really ponder it over. “How about… Yes, the time he faced a colossal opponent who had a very high voice. It sounds like fiction, but it's true! He even protected me against this colossal man!” She grinned.

“He seems to really be yer knight in shining armor. Funny, since he was the last one to trust you, to boot!” Saul noted, something that made Robin have a rare soft blush of embarrassment. “...He would have done the same for anyone on the crew.”

“But he sure doesn’t seem to do it as much as he has done for you. If I didn’t know any better…” He narrowed his eyes in suspicion at Robin. “...I coulda sworn you two got a little thing going on.”

“N-Not at all! W-Whatever gave you that idea?!” Robin panicked, her eyes as wide as saucers.

Her quick objection only confirmed what he was suspecting to be true, as he couldn’t help but laugh; so that was it!

“DERESHISHISHI! NO WONDER THE FELLER WAS SITTING SO CLOSE! DERESHISHISHI!” Saul began to crack up, even more at Robin’s mortified reaction, as a giant hand then blossomed from some pink petals, and attempted in vain to cover up his mouth.

“Q-Quiet down, Saul, before someone hears you!” Her blush only deepened, practically crimson by now.

Gently removing the extra hand, he continued to crack up. “There is no shame in liking the feller, Robin! If he really protects you so much and is that strong, then he has my approval, dereshishishi!”

Robin immediately shook her head. “Y-You got us all wrong, it's not like that at all!...” But, quickly realizing it might just be pointless in trying to convince Saul otherwise, she softly sighed. “Just… promise not to tell the rest of the crew, okay? We do not want to cause a scene.”

“As you wish, but I don’t understand why we got to be so secretive about this. It's clear to me you two care a lot about each other, so what's the problem?...” Saul shook his head in disbelief.

(Tiny Skip)

Later on, when the group decided to make camp in the wilderness, Saul decided he wanted to get the other half of the story, though he was not quite sure if he would even be able to get it.

“Excuse me, Mister Swordsman? You mind if I have a word with you?” Saul asked the green-haired man, who was just lounging lazily by the camp fire, before his one good eye went to look up at the man. “Hm? Okay, but what for?” He asked.

“Its about a… private matter.” Saul tried to put it delicately. Luckily the others didn’t seem to pay him too much attention, and Robin was currently away giving Chopper his bath.

Zoro seemed to tense up at his words, before he went to get up, nodding towards Saul as if to gesture to the giant to lead the way.

Once the two were far away from the earshot of the rest of the group, Saul turned to look at Zoro, who seemed to have a look of concern on his face.

“Is this about Robin?” He immediately asked. Inquisitive, just as he picked up from his earlier conversation with Robin.

“...Indeed it is about Robin. But it ain’t nothing you got to be worried about,” He clarified, which seemed to cause Zoro’s body to relax some. “...Okay, but why are we away from the others? Why couldn’t we talk at camp?”

“Do you love her?”

Those words immediately made Zoro choke on the air, his eye widening in utter surprise.

“W…W-What?!”

He couldn't articulate more if he tried; his brain completely froze up at the whiplash he just experienced from Saul’s words.

“...During my talk with Robin earlier, she seemed to talk in quite vivid detail about you, especially compared to the rest of yer crewmates, with the exception of that reindeer doctor.” Saul pointed out, before he was sitting down, to be more at eye level with Zoro, or as eye level as a giant could be to a normal sized human.

“...You mean a lot to her, and it seems like she means a lot to you. She was telling me how you were always coming to her rescue, like a real knight. So, I just had to ask…” He then looked intently at the swordsman.

“Do you love Robin, Mister Swordsman?”

It was a question Zoro never expected he would have to answer, or at least, any time soon. He thought he kept a good leash on his more… sensitive emotions. Their enemies never played fairly, after all, and he didn’t need anyone trying to use his emotions as blackmail.

But… Saul was Robin’s best friend, the one who knew her best, and who knew her before the world had turned against her.

“I…” He gripped the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. 

“Am… In love with adventure. And sake.”

Saul stared blankly at him, before falling backward in a comedic fashion in disbelief. When he sat back up, he glared at Zoro. “THATS NOT A REAL ANSWER!”

“W-Well, it's the best I can give you! L-Look, I don’t even know what you gain from asking me that! R-Regardless of my answer, it doesn’t change a damn thing!” Zoro barked, though the pink on his cheeks told much more to Saul than his bumbling words did.

“He is not the kind to be very open about how he feels.”

“Darn tootin’ he is…” Saul sweatdropped as he recalled Robin’s words, before facing Zoro again.

“Of course it does!” Saul continued to glare at Zoro, before pointing a big finger at him. “I wanna know if I can trust you with Robin’s future!”

“W-With her what?!” Zoro gawked at him.

“That's right! There’s gonna come a time where yall wanna go yer own ways, like what happens with all pirate crews! I wanna know if I can trust you to take care of Robin, for the rest of yer days!”

This was something Zoro didn’t think he would ever have to confront anytime soon, as present from his slackjawed awe. He was more focused on the now, since if they didn’t make it in the now, who cared about the future?

“So, young man… What’s your real answer?” Saul pressed once again, leaning forward towards Zoro, wanting him to be honest.

Zoro was never the type to be flowery with his words, especially right now. Something as important as that… He couldn’t just give any answer; that was not his style.

He had to give a truthful answer. Give Saul an answer that encompasses everything.

“We… Are Wisteria on the Pine tree. And no blade, no fire, no storm… Will ever knock that down…” Zoro spoke, before giving Saul a firm, unyielding gaze. 

“Is that… Good enough for you, Saul?...”

A slow, gentle smile began to appear on the giant’s face, before he closed his eyes in soft glee. “I… see…”

Saul then got up, seeming satisfied with that answer. “That's… All I needed to hear.”

He then gave one last glance at Zoro, before he was turning towards camp.

“Continue taking good care of Robin, Zoro…” Saul began to walk towards camp, “And… Make sure to send me an invite when the wedding happens, dereshishishi!”

[lunariancupid]

You guys are going to love this next one,

Stay tuned! 🏰🏔️💚💜

[kushinauwu]

Chapter 1189.

To avoid spoiling the chapter for those who haven’t read it yet, the main post will be below.

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I'll start with the beauty — Robin and Chopper were shown in this chapter :3

Robin says she needs Chopper in the Library. Why?

I can only see two possibilities.

First — someone is injured, and Chopper is needed to treat them.

This option is ruled out, because it's clearly not Saul — he is shown to be healthy. We also saw Biblo in chapter 1182, and he looked fine.

Chapter 1182.

The second option — Chopper is needed to "translate" what Biblo is trying to say.

After all, this chapter explicitly reminded us that Chopper can "understand" the language of animals.

I still wouldn't rule out the possibility of a "clash" between Robin and Biblo. Because we don't know exactly how he is acting right now or what he wants to say.

Though I admit the likelihood of this outcome is now lower.

I'm very curious about what will happen next, so I'll be waiting for the next chapters.

Upd.

I probably should have started with this, but I forgot…

Chapter Cover.

Nami is scolding Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, who have been turned into monkeys.

This is one of the most famous moral allegories in Japan (or rather, one that came to Japan and became especially popular there) — "The Three Wise Monkeys."

Luffy — covering his eyes → Mizaru (見ざる) — "see no evil."

Sanji — covering his ears → Kikazaru (聞かざる) — "hear no evil."

Zoro — covering his mouth → Iwazaru (言わざる) — "speak no evil."

Most often, they are understood as "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil." However, the original meaning was a bit deeper: "Do not let evil into your heart, and do not spread it further."

Luffy — "see no evil." He often ignores social differences, titles, or backgrounds. He judges people by their actions, not by their appearance or status.

Sanji — "hear no evil." This is most likely a pure gag. There is women's underwear hanging on the clothesline, and Nami seems to be yelling something. Sanji is covering his ears as if he doesn't want to listen to her scolding, completely absorbed in his fantasies (the hearts over his head clearly emphasize this).

Zoro — "speak no evil." This is perhaps the most accurate match. Zoro is a man of few words who prefers actions over speech. His famous "Nothing happened" immediately comes to mind.

In other words, Oda didn't just recreate the composition of "The Three Wise Monkeys"; he also cleverly played into the characters' personalities.

Several weapons were used in this chapter.

Imu used the Axe of Xingtian.

Kirringham received the Spear of Longinus.

Sommers received the Sword of "Wrath and Love" — "Gram."

Fragarach is a legendary sword from Irish mythology and a popular magical item in Japanese media. Its name means "The Answerer" or "The Whisperer."

It belonged to the sea god Manannán mac Lir and was later passed down to Lugh, the god of light and the sun. The blade could pierce any armor, no one could withstand it, and wounds inflicted by it were fatal. It also had the power to force people to speak the truth when held to their throat.

The Japanese scans actually feature the name of this axe.

Imu summons the Axe of Xingtian — "Heaven's Punishment."

In Chinese culture, the Axe of Xingtian (the great Yue axe) is a symbol of eternal resistance, unyielding will, and fury. In ancient China, this type of axe was used not only in battle but also for ritual executions, which highlights the punishing and menacing nature of the character.

Xingtian was a giant and a musician at the court of the Flame Emperor (Yan Di). When Yan Di lost the war to the Yellow Emperor (Huang Di), Xingtian held a grudge. He took a massive axe and shield, and marched alone to storm the heavenly palace.

Huang Di and Xingtian clashed in a brutal battle on Mount Changyang. Being the more experienced warrior, Huang Di caught the giant off guard and cut off his head.

Even without his head, the giant refused to die. Through the sheer force of his indescribable fury, he turned his nipples into eyes and his belly button into a mouth. It's not the prettiest sight, so I won't post a picture…

Becoming a headless monster, he raised his axe and shield once more, furiously swinging them in the air in an eternal dance of war against the heavens themselves.

In Chinese culture, Xingtian is the ultimate symbol of an unyielding will, defiance, and fighting to the bitter end — refusing to bow even to the gods! It's a highly iconic imagery.

And this lore of Xingtian resonates perfectly with the concept of "Heaven's Punishment."

I also noticed — whether by coincidence or design — that it is Gaban who stands against this axe. A man who fights with dual axes. Gaban the one who lost his "head" — his Captain, Gol D. Roger!

Incredibly symbolic, don't you think?

The Spear of Longinus (also known as the Holy Lance) is one of the most famous relics in Christian tradition. According to Christian lore, when Jesus was crucified on the cross, a Roman soldier named Longinus pierced His side with a spear to ensure that He was dead.

The spear is considered "holy" because it came into contact with the body of Christ. According to one legend, Longinus himself came to believe in Christ after the crucifixion and was later canonized as a saint. In other words, the very man who pierced Jesus later became a martyr for the Christian faith. This is a very powerful motif of transformation.

In theology, the strike of the spear is sometimes interpreted as the ultimate confirmation of truth. After it, there is no denying what happened. Therefore, the spear is sometimes associated not just with violence, but with revelation.

Over time, numerous myths have emerged around the spear:

The owner of the spear is supposedly invincible;

it grants the right to rule;

and as long as the ruler possesses the spear, their state will endure.

So Oda really does incorporate Christian themes into his work…

You would think that given Sommers' "biblical motifs" and the fact that his opponent is Zoro, the Spear of Longinus would suit him better, right?

But what if I told you — no! The sword "Gram" fits much better, and choosing this weapon against Zoro was likely no coincidence!

Sommers wields the Sword of "Wrath and Love," named "Gram" — one of the most famous swords in Norse mythology.

And this is where it gets incredibly interesting!

Gram (Gramr) is the legendary sword of the hero Sigurd. It is the very sword Sigurd used to slay the dragon Fafnir, which is one of the central plots of the Völsunga saga and the Poetic Edda. Before Sigurd, the sword belonged to his father, Sigmund.

The legend of this sword is very similar to the legend of Excalibur, though the tale of Gram is significantly older!

King Völsung held a grand wedding feast in honor of his daughter.

At the height of the festivities, a strange, tall, one-eyed old man wearing a cloak and a hood entered the banqueting hall — the god Odin himself. He silently walked over to the Barnstokk tree, drove a magnificent sword deep into its trunk right up to the hilt, and announced: "He who draws this sword shall have it as a gift, and he shall see for himself that he has never held a better weapon." After that, the old man vanished.

All the noble guests tried to pull the blade out, but to no avail. Only Völsung's youngest son, Sigmund, was able to do it with ease.

For many years, Sigmund defeated his enemies while wielding the legendary sword Gram. However, in his final battle, Odin himself appeared on the battlefield, taking the form of a one-eyed old man with the spear Gungnir.

When Sigmund struck Odin's spear with Gram, the blade shattered in two. Having lost his weapon, Sigmund was mortally wounded. Before dying, he gathered the shards of Gram and passed them to his wife, Hjördis, instructing her to keep them for their unborn son. He prophesied that one day a new, even more powerful sword would be forged from these fragments, and with it, his son would achieve great deeds.

Years later, the blacksmith Regin reforged the shards, restoring Gram. Sigurd — Sigmund's son — became the new owner of the sword, destined to slay the dragon Fafnir and become one of the greatest heroes of Norse mythology.

Zoro uses his "103 Mercies" attack, which once again links us back to the Dragon, Ryuma, and the battle against King on Onigashima. I actually wrote about this right here.

In chapter 1183, Imu used this exact same sword against the Dragon Loki!

Armed with Gram, Sigurd set out for Gnitaheide (Gnita-heath), the lair of the dragon. The blacksmith Regin was treacherous: he advised Sigurd to simply dig a single pit along the dragon's path, hide inside, and pierce Fafnir when he went to drink water. However, this plan would have doomed the hero to death.

As Sigurd was digging the pit, an unknown old man approached him. He asked what the youth was doing, and after hearing the plan, called it foolish. The old man explained that Fafnir was immense, and once Sigurd pierced his heart, rivers of black, venomous dragon blood would pour from the wound. In a single pit, Sigurd would simply drown and perish.

The old man advised him to dig several interconnected pits and trenches, using the trenches as drains where all the monster's toxic blood would flow away, while staying in the main pit to wait for the strike.

This old man was Odin himself!

In some retellings, Odin also gave Sigurd a second crucial piece of advice:

Right after the victory, Odin advised Sigurd to roast Fafnir's heart for the blacksmith Regin. While cooking, Sigurd accidentally burned his finger, tasted the dragon's blood, and suddenly gained the ability to understand the language of birds. Hearing their conversation, he learned that Regin was planning to kill him to seize Fafnir's treasure. Thanks to this warning, Sigurd preempted the traitor and saved his own life.

Chapters 656/657.

If you remember, back on Punk Hazard, Zoro killed a dragon, and then they ate it!

Why is "Gram" called the Sword of "Wrath and Love"? This is where it gets incredibly interesting!

As it turns out, the sword Gram is deeply tied to one of the most tragic love stories in Norse mythology — the fate of Sigurd and the Valkyrie Brynhild.

Brynhild had been punished by Odin for her disobedience and cast into a magical sleep(!!!). She slumbered within a hall surrounded by a ring of blazing fire, a barrier that only a fearless hero could breach.

Riding his horse Grani, Sigurd managed to pass through the wall of flame. Inside the hall, he found the sleeping Valkyrie clad in enchanted chainmail that seemed fused to her skin. Using the sword Gram, Sigurd sliced through the armor, freeing Brynhild from the spell.

Upon waking, Brynhild instantly recognized him as a great hero. Love sparked between them, and they exchanged vows of eternal fidelity, completely unaware of the tragic end fate had in store for them.

Later, under the influence of a magical potion of forgetfulness, Sigurd forgot Brynhild and married Gudrun. Shortly after, he agreed to help his brother-in-law, Gunnar, win the Valkyrie’s hand. Disguising himself as Gunnar through magic, Sigurd once again crossed the ring of blazing fire and spent three nights alongside Brynhild while she believed him to be her future husband.

However, Sigurd did not compromise his honor. Every night, he placed the unsheathed Gram between himself and Brynhild, signaling that he would not touch her. The sword became a symbol of his duty and his word.

Eventually, the deception was revealed. Overwhelmed by despair, love, and a burning desire for revenge upon realizing she had been tricked, Brynhild’s intense emotions drove her to plot Sigurd's death. Yet, she could not bear to live without him. Following his murder, Brynhild took her own life and requested that they be buried on the exact same funeral pyre. According to her final wish, the bare blade of Gram was once again placed between their bodies — just as it had divided their bed during those three nights. Thus, Gram became not only the weapon of the ultimate hero, but an eternal symbol of their tragic love, uniting Sigurd and Brynhild even in death.

In the comments, @wolfbart added a brilliant detail! I love comments like this! Thank you!

Don't you think Brynhild’s story is incredibly similar to Sleeping Beauty? Now you see why I found this so fascinating!

You can even see thorn-like spikes on Sommers' sword, just like a briar thicket!

I will never tire of shouting out the amazing posts by @hapifangurl (and plugging my own reblog just a little bit too~)

Tumblr is a place to express yourself, discover yourself, and bond over the stuff you love. It's where your interests connect you with your

Reblog by @kushinauwu · 2 images

💬 11  🔁 9  ❤️ 21 · Tumblr · @wolfbart @nickgrasl @hapifangurl I really loved reading your comments and, of course, the post itself! Do you

I find it interesting that the Sword Gram was broken, and Sigmund was defeated by the one-eyed man(Odin). And now Sommers is actually fighting the one-eyed man...

Zoro will be fighting against the Sword of "Wrath and Love." Which is strange, because Zoro has never fallen into a rage over love…

Never, right?…

[lunariancupid]

Adding my two beris to this amazing post, I think back on the eyecatcher we just had recently! Consider the details between Zoro and Robin; Zoro is sleeping (nothing unusual), and Robin appears to be taking a breath of fresh air from a distance. Now, when you mentioned the lore behind Gram, the detail about Sigurd and Brynhild being separated by Gram being between them stood out to me. In the eyecatcher, Zoro and Robin are separate, and yet are connected in the same scene… but at a distance. Right now, Robin is separated from Zoro… who is currently dealing with Gram. And, a while back, Sommers literally attacked Robin (or rather, her clone) with spikes in a quite gruesome fashion. Is Zoro getting his get back for that moment, since technically, Sommers hurt Robin, and Zoro has a record for not letting that slide?

Also, correct me if I wrong, but isn’t Elbaf basically the arc of love? Paternal love (the plot line of the guardians trying to save their kids), romantic love, (Gaban and Ripley, Rayleigh and Shakky in the flashback), platonic love, (Harald and Rocks friendship), and sadistic love, which lookie here, Sommers, who Zoro is fighting, represents.

Symbolically, the Elbaf faction against the WG faction symbolizes freedom fighting against oppression. So, with that in mind… What form of love do you think best fits Zoro’s style, against the sadistic Sommers? What ideals are clashing between these two in particular? What will come of all this? I’m very curious to find out!

[lunariancupid]

I was inspired by the Zorobin eyecatcher, so;

I combined their two icons together!

But it was a bit blurry, so then I tried to sharpen it:

Then was like, “Why stop here?” Let me crop out the banner so y’all can use it for your Zorobin projects;

Then, when I did that, I had an idea;

Which one y’all feeling more? This one, or,

This one? AND THEN;

I made a Zorobin flag. We got that Zoro green for the banner, so had to use some Robin purple for the middle. Don’t it look clean, though? In Zorobin, we trust, and we love!

I decided to have the swords up front since who’s always in front of Robin? You already know!

[hapifangurl]

omfg! new zorobin eyecatcher for elbaph arc 💚💜⚔️🌸🍶📚

in toei i trust 😭

husband sleeping under the tree near the library while wifey is smiling adoringly 🤭

thanks to twitter for spoiling the new episode 😁

[lunariancupid]

GUYS, GUYS, LOOK, LOOOKK:

SHE IS DOING THE POSE! TO ZORO! AGAIN!

For those who may not be in the loop, I made a post discussing this very pose and its significance.

This is like a call back to this very panel! I LOVE IT!

[lunariancupid]

Translations

While reading Water 7, there is a particular scene that always stood out to me, and it’s this one;

But, it turns out, One Piece is one of those things where the translation can slightly differ sometimes, because I found this;

And, being extra, I even tried to find the Japanese page of this scene, but haven’t had luck, so, with perhaps some inaccuracies, here’s what Google says the Japanese text says;

Robin: 「今日を限りに… 私達はもう二度と会うことはない」 (meaning "With today as the limit… We will never meet again")

Zoro: 「ロビンが…… そう言ったのか？ チョッパー」 (“...Did Robin really say that, Chopper?”)

Chopper: 「うん…」 (“Uh-huh.” / “Yeah…”)

Zoro: 「ーー今日を限りに二度と会えないって事は……」 (“...She said we wouldn't meet again after today...”)

Zoro: 「今日 これから起きる 何事かを…… 更に悪化させる様な 事態を 自分で引き起こすって 意味じゃねェか？」 (“...Which probably means she's going to do something today that will make matters even worse.”)

Zoro: 「おれには そう聞こえるぜ」 (“That's how it sounds to me.”)

But, when I highlighted the text to see how my device would translate it, here’s what I got:

Robin: As long as today… we will never see each other again.

Zoro: Robin… Did you say that? Chopper

Chopper: Yeah…

Zoro: ーーIt means that we can't see each other again for today…

Zoro: What's going to happen today… Doesn't it mean that you're going to cause a situation that will make it worse?

Zoro: That's how it sounds to me.

Now, my device’s grammar is probably horrid, and google may be wrong, but I believe google’s translation is pretty close to the first translation panel. I find it interesting the little nuances that change depending on how you translate the scene. If anyone has the Japanese page and it’s closer enough translation, that’d be greatly appreciated!

Now, why I’m pointing this out? let’s take a look at the second panel of the translation, shall we? Particularly to how Zoro speaks;

She said we won’t ever meet after “today”.

It sounds like she’s announcing that she’s going to…

(Going to what? Die?!)

Do something to make things worse for us.

The way he trails off in the second translation is very interesting to me, because my mind immediately jumped to “oh no, she’s gonna die”, especially when her goodbye to the crew seemed to be coded in that way, and whadyaknow… she later in Enies Lobby chooses to die if it meant protecting the Strawhats (And in general because she feels that she would be a burden to them later on, which we know is not true, but she’s speaking from trauma-) It’s as if it’s a little hint to the future, but it’s even more interesting that this nuance was delegated… to Zoro. The one who distrusted her the most when she first joined.

But, yet, despite it making sense for that distrust to be vindicated and renewed again, since it seems as if in that moment that she did betray them, and with seemingly pining the assassination plot on them no less, that’s not how Zoro reacts at all, strangely enough. He doesn’t show anger, or immediately distrust her. Instead, he calmly and logical considers all the possibilities, actively maintaining that they can’t lean one way or another, since if they do, they won’t be prepared for the truth of the matter, regardless of what they find.

Meanwhile, in this very same arc, he refuses to have Usopp welcomed back to the crew after him leaving, even threatening to quit (The first mate, the very first member of the crew!) if Usopp didn’t make the correct amends for leaving. Technically, Robin left the group, and actively betrayed them (or so it seemed), and yet, he gave more grace to the newbie than the established crew member. Seems a bit strange on the surface, don’t you think?

But, regardless of the translations, though I feel my device’s felt rather romantically coded (like its owner), the basis stays the same; Zoro didn’t immediately fall for the obvious conclusion that they’ve been had, and why is that?

Could it have been what had happened in Skypiea, her actively trying to pull a fast one on Eneru for their benefit? Could it have been the clear panic at seeing Aokiji (who he was the first to protect her from)? Add it up in your mental calculator, and you’ll see that whether he wants to admit it or not, there was a part of Zoro that was hoping Robin wasn’t through with the crew, which is why he wanted so badly to get to the truth of the matter, as if to get closure one way or another on why she would do such a thing, when with others, he definitely did not take that extra time for them, immediately casting judgement on them.

It’s these nuances, even with language, you have to look out for. Remember, everyone, punctuation makes the difference in how a sentence is perceived. It’s the difference between; “Let’s eat, Chopper!” And “Let’s eat Chopper!”. Same words, completely different meanings, and all because of a single comma.

I don’t think we should take either translations for granted with its use of punctuation. It could be conveying a subtle message we might miss the first time around! That, and the words themselves.

If google’s translation is closer to the first panel, then that means the way Zoro says these words needs to be analyzed as well. Look at his expression; no anger, sadness, disappointment… Just the face of someone trying to keep a cool head and get to the bottom of things. Though the closest meaning of his words, which is shown in following panels, seemingly refers to the assassination plot as what makes matters worse for the Strawhats, it could also be interpreted as Robin doing something personally that will hurt the Strawhats… which would be dying, as we find out later.

[kamijimoe]

I was curious so I looked at the raws.

Zoro's last three speech bubbles do not have the ellipses. Instead they're broken up by (loose translation):

「今日限りでもう合う事はねェつてんだから」 "Because [she] said today is the last we'll ever meet"

※　idk if I wrote "ェつ" correctly bc it's hard for me to tell what is half kana, but it didn't seem to matter to Google translate as it translated it similarly no matter what combination of kana/half kana I used

「今日中に何かまた事態を悪化させる様な事をするつて」 "[she will] do something else today that will make the situation even worse"

「宣言してる様にも聞こえる」 "sounds like a declaration"

In a nutshell, "Because she said today is the last we'll meet, it sounds like a declaration that she's going to do something that will make the situation worse."

Comparing the effect of the Japanese to these two translations, I don't like the use of ellipses. The lack of ellipses in the Japanese showcases Zoro's directness, and understanding of the situation and Robin's mental state; he immediately understands that whatever Robin is about to do will make the situation more complicated [for them specifically? I'm not sure if that's supposed to be implied overall or if it's that's an assumption from the way the Japanese is written, but as far as I can tell, it's not explicitly stated. So I like the first translation you posted the best, minus the ellipses.]

English manga translations seem afraid to have phrases/incomplete sentences hanging out in a speech bubble by themselves. And if it's hard to avoid, they use the ellipses to show the sentence continues into another bubble. But it creates a pause in the mind of the reader which may embue a meaning that was not originally there.

And it's not like they don't also use ellipses in Japanese in a similar manner. In the panel right before this, there's ellipses to show a pause between the small flashback of what Robin said and Zoro speaking to Chopper as he ruminates on the situation. If that rumination in his understanding were continuing in the next panel, ellipses could be used again. But they're not. He's already formed his opinion and gives it with no hesitation. He also has the real world experience to read between the lines of what Robin is saying and come to his conclusion.

As far as your point of how Zoro treats this situation compared to Usopp, I completely agree. Zoro knew it was Usopp's ego that drove him away and he needs to apologize for that, bc Zoro knows Usopp. But Zoro doesn't completely know Robin yet. He wants to hear and understand from her directly what is going on, and then he can make a judgment on whether Robin can continue to be a Straw Hat or what repentance she should make before continuing with them.

[lunariancupid]

Thank you for adding your two beris, it’s very much appreciated in my Zorobin study!

[lunariancupid]

Subtle Foreshadowing?

Checking through my many, many, saved panels of Skypiea, I noticed something that could have been a potential foreshadow;

This series of events where Zoro finds Chopper in pretty rough shape, and his reactions to it. The sheer horror, the concern, immediately dropping everything to get to him… Then, because he is his dad, the sheer pissed expression. But all this aside, take notice of what Zoro says to Ohm, the guy with funky glasses.

“No, I don’t like to fight with a motive.”

“But…”

“I can…”

“…Feel one coming on!!”

Notice the spacing, the punctuation. It’s like when someone is really mad, but they’re trying to steady theirselves so they just do not explode in utter anger. The double exclamation points, the sheer pissed expression on his face. He’s like a keg of dynamite about to explode, which makes sense given the state he found Chopper in.

I mentioned in my last post about how punctuation can make the difference, and it’s clear to read here how it helps convey Zoro’s emotion in this scene.

“But what could this be foreshadowing?”, you’re probably wondering.

Well, guess what the very next panel is;

”That’s just a transition, the two are not connected!”

“Zoro was merely meaning Chopper in that moment!”

I’m a believer that things are not a coincidence, especially because of the details in this very panel that in itself could be foreshadowing.

Robin appears almost lost, navigating the foreign terrain, all by her lonesome. But then… She sees a literal light at the end of the tunnel.

But wait, what does she find at the end of the tunnel? Here’s how it, heh, panes out;

Zoro is paneled right above her, where she is seen seated, at the end of the tunnel, bathed in a light. She discovers Shandora, and is mesmerized. Once again, I don’t think this is a coincidence.

The way this is paneled, and if you’re doing a revisit from Enies Lobby, it foreshadows Zoro basically saying, “I don’t typically like to fight with a motive, but if you push me (Everything that happened to Robin), I will and you will regret it.”

And because of his fighting, Robin is able to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

Beautiful, isn’t it?

[lunariancupid]

Translations

While reading Water 7, there is a particular scene that always stood out to me, and it’s this one;

But, it turns out, One Piece is one of those things where the translation can slightly differ sometimes, because I found this;

And, being extra, I even tried to find the Japanese page of this scene, but haven’t had luck, so, with perhaps some inaccuracies, here’s what Google says the Japanese text says;

Robin: 「今日を限りに… 私達はもう二度と会うことはない」 (meaning "With today as the limit… We will never meet again")

Zoro: 「ロビンが…… そう言ったのか？ チョッパー」 (“...Did Robin really say that, Chopper?”)

Chopper: 「うん…」 (“Uh-huh.” / “Yeah…”)

Zoro: 「ーー今日を限りに二度と会えないって事は……」 (“...She said we wouldn't meet again after today...”)

Zoro: 「今日 これから起きる 何事かを…… 更に悪化させる様な 事態を 自分で引き起こすって 意味じゃねェか？」 (“...Which probably means she's going to do something today that will make matters even worse.”)

Zoro: 「おれには そう聞こえるぜ」 (“That's how it sounds to me.”)

But, when I highlighted the text to see how my device would translate it, here’s what I got:

Robin: As long as today… we will never see each other again.

Zoro: Robin… Did you say that? Chopper

Chopper: Yeah…

Zoro: ーーIt means that we can't see each other again for today…

Zoro: What's going to happen today… Doesn't it mean that you're going to cause a situation that will make it worse?

Zoro: That's how it sounds to me.

Now, my device’s grammar is probably horrid, and google may be wrong, but I believe google’s translation is pretty close to the first translation panel. I find it interesting the little nuances that change depending on how you translate the scene. If anyone has the Japanese page and it’s closer enough translation, that’d be greatly appreciated!

Now, why I’m pointing this out? let’s take a look at the second panel of the translation, shall we? Particularly to how Zoro speaks;

She said we won’t ever meet after “today”.

It sounds like she’s announcing that she’s going to…

(Going to what? Die?!)

Do something to make things worse for us.

The way he trails off in the second translation is very interesting to me, because my mind immediately jumped to “oh no, she’s gonna die”, especially when her goodbye to the crew seemed to be coded in that way, and whadyaknow… she later in Enies Lobby chooses to die if it meant protecting the Strawhats (And in general because she feels that she would be a burden to them later on, which we know is not true, but she’s speaking from trauma-) It’s as if it’s a little hint to the future, but it’s even more interesting that this nuance was delegated… to Zoro. The one who distrusted her the most when she first joined.

But, yet, despite it making sense for that distrust to be vindicated and renewed again, since it seems as if in that moment that she did betray them, and with seemingly pining the assassination plot on them no less, that’s not how Zoro reacts at all, strangely enough. He doesn’t show anger, or immediately distrust her. Instead, he calmly and logical considers all the possibilities, actively maintaining that they can’t lean one way or another, since if they do, they won’t be prepared for the truth of the matter, regardless of what they find.

Meanwhile, in this very same arc, he refuses to have Usopp welcomed back to the crew after him leaving, even threatening to quit (The first mate, the very first member of the crew!) if Usopp didn’t make the correct amends for leaving. Technically, Robin left the group, and actively betrayed them (or so it seemed), and yet, he gave more grace to the newbie than the established crew member. Seems a bit strange on the surface, don’t you think?

But, regardless of the translations, though I feel my device’s felt rather romantically coded (like its owner), the basis stays the same; Zoro didn’t immediately fall for the obvious conclusion that they’ve been had, and why is that?

Could it have been what had happened in Skypiea, her actively trying to pull a fast one on Eneru for their benefit? Could it have been the clear panic at seeing Aokiji (who he was the first to protect her from)? Add it up in your mental calculator, and you’ll see that whether he wants to admit it or not, there was a part of Zoro that was hoping Robin wasn’t through with the crew, which is why he wanted so badly to get to the truth of the matter, as if to get closure one way or another on why she would do such a thing, when with others, he definitely did not take that extra time for them, immediately casting judgement on them.

It’s these nuances, even with language, you have to look out for. Remember, everyone, punctuation makes the difference in how a sentence is perceived. It’s the difference between; “Let’s eat, Chopper!” And “Let’s eat Chopper!”. Same words, completely different meanings, and all because of a single comma.

I don’t think we should take either translations for granted with its use of punctuation. It could be conveying a subtle message we might miss the first time around! That, and the words themselves.

If google’s translation is closer to the first panel, then that means the way Zoro says these words needs to be analyzed as well. Look at his expression; no anger, sadness, disappointment… Just the face of someone trying to keep a cool head and get to the bottom of things. Though the closest meaning of his words, which is shown in following panels, seemingly refers to the assassination plot as what makes matters worse for the Strawhats, it could also be interpreted as Robin doing something personally that will hurt the Strawhats… which would be dying, as we find out later.

[lunariancupid]

Sooo continuing my Water 7 reader journey, and I thought I’d share this as well:

Multiple things. First, he decides on Aokiji for the SBS logo. (Has a connection with Robin) Then chooses to start off by answering an asker who goes by the name of Roronoa Robin. Then refers to the asker as “reader in Parisian garb”. As you can kind of see above the logo, Robin is wearing a peculiar kind of hood. Now, I’m no fashionista, but could what she be wearing possibly fall under Parisian garb? Was this a fun tie in with that?

I just find it very interesting that since he chooses who to answer, he decided out of who knows how many people to actively choose someone with that name… A name Robin would inherit should she marry Zoro, since that is his… family name? I know it technically isn’t his last, but you get my point!

The other question has nothing to do with my agenda, I just found it funny-

Please do not play games with Rob Lucci-

[lunariancupid]

I’m reading Water 7 now, and I found this interesting tidbit:

Zoro and Robin both like fall. Falling in love-

[lunariancupid]

Zorobin Pack: Skypiea- Interactions and more paneling

Hello again, fellow Zorobiners, this is part two to the Skypiea edition of my Zorobin pack, showing some panels I wasn’t able to include in the last post due to the image limit, as well as discussing a very popular dismissing technique, the notorious; “But they don’t even interact!”

As many of you pointed out, and as this post from @kushinauwu pointed out, this is verifiably false, even Post Time-Skip where they try to make their case strongest. When the two are together, they interact quite a lot, though due to their personalities, it may not be as in your face as say Luffy’s shenanigans, especially in Post where lots of things be happening at the same time.

I’m going to start off with sharing more panels of the two, that visually show the two close together. Another technique to shrug this off is by saying, “they’re just standing together”.

This stance doesn’t take into account the whole narrative or the purpose of certain visual choices. For one, why are they so consistently shown close together, especially in the timeframe where Zoro makes it known he “doesn’t trust her”.

Ask yourself this; would you stay close to someone you don’t trust, especially if that person has the power to break your neck and spine with ease? I wouldn’t, especially when it was shown in earlier arcs that Robin could easily slap away Zoro’s weapons should she choose to do so.

And just as we visually see the two together, we are given more subtle visual shows of their actual bond. The man who claims to not trust her, but yet, throws the ship’s doctor at her.

You could just say this is a coincidence since Usopp got Sanji and Robin was the only one with free hands (heh), but why in this arc, and just in general, Zoro and Robin are always the ones taking the most care of Chopper than say any of the other crew members? This visually shows us some form of bond, even if it may not be verbally said.

Robin looks pretty relaxed given the circumstances and being still quite new to the crew, while an older member is clearly nervous. Yes, it’s played for a comedic gag, Ussop is usually cowardly, but multiple things can be true at the same time. Also another interesting thing to note is the doubting bubble is next to Ussop, while the bubble encouraging Zoro is right next to Robin.

Contradictory actions. Zoro claims to not care, yet noticed when Robin left. Also is seen smiling back in her direction. He clearly would not be smiling at Sanji, and behind Sanji is Robin waving. If he is smiling for the thrill of running away, why not look forward to see where you’re going? He is portrayed as kind of a tsundere in personality, so these panels do match that archetype.

Now, let’s get to my favorite section; the interactions.

The ones that apparently do not exist, so you guys might be just seeing a bunch of blank space:

And of course, the famous “She’s a woman” scene, with us getting a frame of it in the latest episode in Elbaf. So much for “insignificance” and “so long ago so it doesn’t matter anymore”.

[lunariancupid]

Zorobin Pack: Skypiea addition- Paneling

Since there is a lot of material here, I’m going to be showing general moments since there is a 30 image limit, with some commentary here and there of my observations of certain things while reading this arc.

This is what I’m going to call; The Paneling Section. Where coincidentally, the two are paneled close together or in relation.

Correct me if I’m right, but I think Zoro said the upper top panel, since his arms are gestured like he’s talking. Also looks like he’s talking to Robin. Also are seen together in the other panels.

Looks like Zoro is looking up at Robin, and Robin is looking at Chopper.

Looks like they are connecting each other sentences. Either way, they are in agreement to flee from the deadly snake.

Nami isn’t shown in these panels despite fitting this category.

This I just found interesting when I was compiling all these images while reading Skypiea. Above Robin’s head, it’s says “Happy Return”. We know later on Robin leaves the group in Water 7, planning to never return due to the agreement she made with the WG to spare her friends in exchange for her life.

Robin mentally was at her lowest in that arc, but there were crumbs in this arc that hinted at the mental turmoil she was going through, and that will reach a hitch in Enies Lobby. I raise my evidence:

Look at Robin’s expression here. It’s… solemn… Despite being surrounded by ancient ruins, learning about the bell tower… She looks… sad here. And her thoughts could be interpreted as someone who thought they set out what they wanted to do before they kicked the bucket. Given everything that happened before this moment, this moment strikes me as… Odd. Until we learn in Enies Lobby what she really feels.

If you read my curious patterns post, this ties back to that in a way. I mentioned how a past event in this arc reflected Robin’s eventual future. Well, here, it’s the same thing, since eventually, Robin does have a “Happy Return” back to the group. Coincidence, or craftily planned?…

Robin carried the most vulnerable in the group first (child and old man), then proceeded to carry Zoro and Wyper, with the panels showing emphasize on Zoro and how she did it. I believe the sky knight and Chopper’s lifts were done off-panel, while the first time we see her do this is shown mostly with Zoro.

Robin immediately notices Zoro wake up, being close to him. Zoro appears to be registering he’s not in the same place in his expression, and there could be very few reasons for that. He held her up when she was struck down, she held him up to safer ground.

I ran out of space, so see you in the next post!

You’re more than free to add your own two beris to any of the panels above; I love interacting with you guys!

[lunariancupid]

The Usual Routine (Zoro x Robin)

Tonight was like most nights. The soft sounds of waves from outside the Thousand Sunny served as the usual ambience, combined with the occasional flipping of pages, the gentle scratching of a quill on paper, the soft clink of a cup being set down on the table after a sip of tea, and of course, the sound of quite sizable metal weights being lifted with exertion, with the occasional grunts from the effort.

It was like a ritual at this point. Robin would quietly read, study her notes from a recent archaeological expedition, enjoy some tea, and occasionally watch Zoro conducting his extreme workouts. A normal man would have surely sprained an arm, leg, or broken their spine performing the exercises he did on the regular.

Given her devil fruit powers, Robin was the ideal spotter should he require one, though it was never necessary.

“So, Robin,” Zoro called out as he was lifting a gigantic weight with his arms, causing the muscles to flex from the action. The veins on his arms looked like they were close to bursting, despite how casually he was acting to such lifting. “What’s the latest?”

Making the occasional short conversation with the archeologist was always pleasant. Robin was always calm, quiet, and kept to herself, so it never felt exhausting talking to her, even when he was training. If anything, it sometimes provided a good distraction when he tried to get through a particularly difficult set of reps.

The tall woman glanced over the tea cup she was currently sipping, before setting it delicately down on a coaster. She uncrossed her long legs, sitting more upright as she recalled her newest discovery out on the field.

“I have discovered that there was a plant in antiquity that was a very popular ingredient in the locals’ cuisine. I found some coins that had a depiction of the plant, as well as some texts that further detail the plant and its usage.” She smiled, her eyes always brightening when talking about her study.

It was that sparkle that Zoro always found fascinating, despite his lack of expertise on the subject. He could respect someone who immersed themselves fully in their craft. After all, he wanted to become the world’s greatest swordsman.

“Before you ask, no, there were no mention of swords in my recent findings.” Robin mused, “But I did find that this plant, which is believed to be extinct, did have the medical benefit of granting more endurance when consumed. If only I could find a fossilized specimen… The drawings on the coins are a bit crude and would not grant me as accurate a depiction of the plant as I would have liked.” She let out a soft laugh.

Zoro hummed at this information as he decided to solely lift the weight with his left arm. “Really? Kind of reminds me of the crap that fishman took to get stronger back on Fishman Island.” He said, slowly flexing his left arm with the gigantic weight. “Imagine if Chopper could get his hands on that plant.” He smiled fondly at the thought. Chopper was always excited every time he found a new plant that he could use for his medicine or rumble balls.

Robin shared his smile, as her usually calm eyes softened. “I’d imagine it’d be very beneficial for his rumble balls.”

Zoro chuckled as he switched the weight to his right arm, continuing to lift it. “That’s what I was just thinking!”

The two shared a soft laugh, before silence fell between them again. This was how their conversations usually went. They either shared something new or interesting, reminiscence on past events, or talk about the rest of the crew. It was never something that was forced, conversation always came very naturally for them.

Several minutes have passed, with the two just doing their own thing in the presence of one another. After one last lift of the weight, Zoro gently went to set it down in his dedicated training equipment corner.

“I’ll be back,” Zoro said, nabbing a towel and swinging it over his broad shoulders. He was absolutely drenched with sweat, taking one of the corners of the towel to wipe his face dry. He let out an exhausted breath, his head dipping back slightly, before he was leaving the Crow’s Nest to take a shower.

Robin would have been lying if she said Zoro didn’t look like absolute eye candy after a workout. From his well defined muscles, to the way the sweat looked on his shirtless body, to the way his handsome face contorted in slight exhaustion from the heavy intense workouts he would do…

She was one lucky woman indeed to be able to bear witness to such a gorgeous sight on the regular.

Robin continued to quietly leaf through her journal for a half hour, making the occasional notes with her quill, before she was greeted to a fresh out the shower Zoro. He wore just shorts as he ruffled his short hair with a towel, still slightly damp from the shower.

She casted him a glance, giving him a knowing smile, before she resumed her reading. “The usual?”

“Yeah,” He nodded.

As Zoro went to lay flat on his stomach on a mat, pink flower petals began to appear around him.

”Dos Fleur.”

Two arms sprouted from his back, and as he settled on the mat, Robin used those extra hands to massage his shoulders.

Zoro sighed in bliss. “Damn, that feels great… You sure you weren’t a masseuse before you joined the crew?…” Zoro asked as he closed his eye in relaxation.

Robin giggled. “I’m quite sure. I merely improved from persistent practice.”

“Do you still deny Sanji your massages?” Zoro asked with a smirk; he already knew the answer.

“Yes.” Robin answered immediately.

An amused chuckle rumbled from his chest as he continued to enjoy the massage Robin was giving him with her extra limbs. She would always start off with his shoulders, then work on his shoulder blades, then his arms, and then his lower back. She would also massage his legs and feet on his leg days, as well.

How could her hands, that so thoroughly massage out the soreness of his muscles, be such deadly weapons that snapped necks and spines? During these massage sessions, she was always so careful with his body.

“Robin… Why do this for me for free?…” He couldn’t help but ask, as he lifted his head to look at the raven-haired woman. One day, after he was feeling quite sore from a workout, she offered him a massage, and ever since then, he requested them on the regular, with her easily obliging him.

Robin went to cast him a sly smile, holding her head up with a hand. “Because,” She turned her body more towards him from her seat.

“The view I get when you workout is payment enough.” She playfully gave him a wink.

Zoro’s face immediately burst to flame from that comment, as his jaw dropped in disbelief, before he glared at her teasing. “O-OI!”

Robin’s shoulders shook as she began to laugh, trying to hide it in vain with one of her hands as Zoro began to scold her. “W-What kinda crap is that?! You’re just messing with me again, aren’t you?! Well, it’s not funny!… A-Are you even listening to me, Robin?!”

She couldn’t help herself; Zoro was too much fun to tease.

Robin knew his words were all bark and no bite, though, since it’ll still be the usual routine tomorrow, just like always.

~Hope you fellow Zorobiners enjoy this one!~

[lunariancupid]

Since y’all seemed to like the first edit

Have another one

[lunariancupid]

Oh, and here’s the transparent with just them should you want it,

[lunariancupid]

Since y’all seemed to like the first edit

Have another one

[lunariancupid]

The way of the tsundere

Zoro:

Also Zoro:

Notices when she left.

Also Zoro:

He clearly isn’t smiling at Sanji, but look at who Sanji’s waving at… Robin…

If Zoro was just enjoying the thrill of running away with treasure, why not look forward to see where you’re going, unless you’re smiling at seeing someone… Like Robin

Zoro really would be the kind of dude to pretend if you aren’t fast enough, he’s going somewhere without you… Only to wait by the door anyway until you’re ready. Bet beris he would have gone to the ship, but still have waited there, pretending not to care, when he cares too much.

Need I present this?

Let me just stand in front of the woman I’d “abandon” and start a fight with an OP guy, just for funsies.

[lunariancupid]

The curiosity of patterns

I have came across something interesting that I feel is worth noting, (and if there are other posts who have made this observation, please feel free to share them to me, I love reading them)

Mont Blanc Noland

What was it about his character I noticed? That his character not only parallels a later event, but that he himself is strangely an amalgamation of what would happen if you fused Zoro, Robin, and Chopper together; let me explain.

We get a flashback to the Shandians facing a bout of tree fever, and they believe in order to put an end to the disease, or evil spirit as they believe, they had to make a sacrifice.

We are introduced to the character Musse, who is selected to be the sacrifice that would save the Shandians, as per their tradition. She has to forfeit her life in a ritualistic sacrifice to their Kami, the Kashigami (huge venomous snake), and she appears to accept such a grim fate if it meant saving the villagers. She seems to appear to accept this fate graciously… Only for it to be very clear later on she was terrified and only doing what she thought was right in their culture.

Noland ends up killing the Kashigami, and saving Musse.

Does this sound familiar to you? About a certain woman who made an agreement to forfeit her life to save others she cared about, and appeared to not care if she died in the process, only for the dam to break and show her true feelings?

And look here, a guy with a sword is the one responsible for rescuing her.

Now, don’t get me twisted here. I’m not implying romance between these two characters, only pointing out that this scenario had happened before in the past of One Piece, and that One Piece has an odd habit of showing us that the past tends to repeat itself, though not in the exact same way, of course. Some factors may be slightly different, but the overall theme remains the same.

A clear example of this is the clear parallel between Zoro and Rayleigh. Both first mates to the pirate king, (Luffy eventually will become it), and they even have the same scar on their eye, and use swords to fight. Though Rayleigh obviously doesn’t use the three sword style like Zoro, the two are still very similar. This is the kind of thing that I mean when I’m pointing out this parallel between what had happened to Musse, and what eventually happens in Enies Lobby with Robin.

I feel as an interesting aside, the characters in Skypiea that were brought to the same sacrificial altar Musse was on were Nami, Zoro, Chopper, and Robin.

All these characters, in their own ways, have made “sacrifices” for the good of the crew. Zoro when “nothing happened”, Chopper when he risked himself using monster point when he still didn’t have full control of it, Nami when she defends Luffy’s honor, and of course Robin in Enies Lobby.

But the one Noland best represents out of the four, are strangely a combination of the three; Zoro, Robin, and Chopper.

He fights with a sword, has a problem with the way the Shandian gods do things, is a botanist that uses his knowledge to cure the villagers, and is a researcher who’s an explorer. All these traits are pretty much an amalgamation of Zoro, Robin, and Chopper’s characters… Noland even kind of looks like a human Chopper in some frames,

You can’t tell me this isn’t basically Chopper… Just like you can’t tell me this isn’t basically Zoro:

And that this isn’t basically Robin:

Zoro in this same arc clearly isn’t too keen with the “god” that is Eneru, and Robin in this same arc is furious by what she views as barbarism when one of Eneru’s surbordinates, Yama, destroys ruins.

And in general, Robin never sought to use her ability of reading poneglyphs for destruction, and in fact turned on Crocodile when he tried to use her ability in that way.

So, there exists a character that is basically the trinity of this trio that often is seen as a family, due to how frequently they care for Chopper compared to the other crewmates… That’s very interesting. And in the arc that is Skypiea, which is a critical arc in the development of Zoro and Robin’s relationship. The scene with Musse, that happened in the past, will soon be Robin’s future… In the arc where a relationship starts to build between two aloof characters… in the arc where the two are basically taking turns caring for an injured Chopper. It’s almost like a prelude of what is to come in a way, isn’t it?