One Piece:The Fourth Brother

Aden is seen strolling around the Shells Town after the whole marine base fiasco.

Right now he was chomping on a bag of dried fruits, and thinking about what to do next.

"I will probably just join Luffy after they set off. I'm not really one for the whole goodbye thing." thought Aden, with slight annoyance.

Suddenly, Aden felt a small shift in the air around him. He has long since developed a subconcious ability to tell if something, or someone gets in his personal space, by feeling the air displacement.

Right now, he felt a small hand reach for the wallet in his right pocket. If he was anybody else, he would never notice.

Quickly turning around, Aden grabbed the little thief's hand, and pulled into an alley right next to him. "The same alley this little thief intended to hide away in, after robbing me most likely." chuckled Aden in his mind.

"Eek...!" exclaimed the little thief in surprise, as her back was slammed against a wall of the alley, and a dagger placed at her neck.

"Well, well. You look familiar..." mused Aden

"Oh yes, now i remember. You are that little stowaway from the cruise ship." spoke Aden, amused.

The orange haired little thief didn't respond at first. But after a few seconds of silence, she finally spoke.

"So you caught me." the girls spat "Now what? You gonna kill me?Or have your way with me, like the filthy pirate you are?" she finished with hatred.

"Neither. I do not kill anyone, unless they deserve it." Aden began explaining with a serious look " As to having my way with you? Not a chance. You're pretty, i'll give you that. But i feel insulted you even suggested such a thing." Aden finished speaking with an offended tone.

"So what 'are' you gonna do now?" she asked, slightly confused.

"I'll lower my dagger, and let you go. As long as you don't try anything stupid." Aden spoke threateningly "Believe me, if i wanted to hurt you, you wouldn't even have time to yelp like you did." he ended with an amused chuckle.

"Okay, fine." she spoke with a slight dusting of red on her face, ashamed of the yelp she let out when grabbed, and of getting caught in the first place.

Lowering, and sheathing his dagger, Aden took a step back from the girl.

"Now. Who are you? And why did you try and rob me?" asked Aden folding his arms, and tilting his head in curiosity.

"You looked loaded." came a simple answer "As to my name, why should i tell you?"

"Because i asked? And because you tried to steal from me." replied Aden "But just to make it fair, my name is Aden. Yours?"

"...Nami" she replied looking away.

Observing Aden from the corner of her eye, she noticed his amused smirk and the way he stood. That alone told her he didn't see her as a threat at all. While it did annoy her, she knew he had to be quite strong. She was very confident in her skills, but he somehow noticed her. That alone speaks volumes.

"Well, Nami. It was nice to meet you, even though you tried to rob me." Aden chuckled slightly. "Let's hope, that if we meet again, it'll be a bit more friendly." Aden finished as he turned to leave.

Nami didn't say anything, as she watched him walk away. But then she saw something unbelievable. The man's body began to ripple as a mirage and then disappeared into thin air.

Standing there, with her mouth open in shock, she heard a whisper on the wind as slight breeze brushed past her.

"~See you around, Little Thief.~"

.

Aden appeared some distance away from the alley, and continued on his way towards the docks. Passing a weapon shop, a thought entered his mind.

"I should take a look inside. I am a quartermaster, after all. Maybe some blade care kits for me and Zoro?" thought Aden as he pushed the door open with a chime of a bell.

"Welcome, welcome. What can i help you with, dear customer?" spoke an aged voice of the shopkeeper.

"Hi. I'm looking for some quality sword care kits, if you have those?" replied Aden with a smile.

"Of course. Those over there are the best i have. They go for a five hundred Beri a box." said the shopkeeper, pointing at a shelf on the left of the counter.

"Great. I will take two boxes." said Aden, putting a thousand Beri on the counter.

"Very good, dear customer. Thank you for your business." said the shopkeep, handing Aden the two boxes.

Aden thanked the man, took the boxes, and left the store.

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The marines and Coby stood ashore, staring at a leaving boat, carrying a future King of Pirates and a green haired swordsman.

On the boat the swordsman couldn't help but ask.

"Captain, where is your brother? We leaving him behind?" asked Zoro, confused.

"Nope." chuckled Luffy "He does this often. He waits until i set off and catches up soon after. He'll be here. " answered Luffy with a grin.

"~Scoot over, guys!~" spoke the wind around them, as Aden materialized on the boat.

"We definitely need a bigger boat." said Aden.

"Hey, bro." beamed Luffy.

"I don't think i'll ever get used to that." said Zoro dejectedly.

"You will." assured Aden "Here you go, Zoro. Picked up some stuff for ya. Call it a welcoming gift. Or just me doing my job as quartermaster. Whatever." shrugged Aden as he handed one swordcare box to Zoro.

"A sword maintenance kit?" asked Zoro surprised.

"Yeah. I needed one myself, anyway. So i got you one too." said Aden as he began to clean his daggers. They were still covered in a bit of blood of the Marine variety.

"Okay then. Thanks. Quartermaster." thanked Zoro with a grin.

"Oh please. Just call me Aden." said Aden with a groan.

"Call me Zoro then."

"And you can call me Luffy. Or captain. Or bro." chimed in Luffy with a clueless grin.

"*sigh* Every. Single. Time." spoke Aden with a facepalm.

"What?...Nevermind. i wanted to ask you something." spoke Zoro to Aden.

"Shoot."

"How good are you with those daggers of yours." asked Zoro, cleaning his swords.

"Why, that almost sounded like a challenge." said Aden with a smile.

"It was. While you may not use swords, i think there is worth in facing you. I saw how you use those things. I know you have some skill. I'd like to test my own skills against yours." ranted Zoro a bit.

"Sure, why not. While flying to the boat, I spotted a small rock island nearby. Should work for a duel well enough." said Aden casually.

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Standing on a rock platform of the small island, Zoro faced Aden.

"Only blades. I will not use my Devil Fruit."

"Okay with me." spoke Zoro with a feral grin, drawing two swords.

"Very well... So. First hit wins?" said Aden, drawing his daggers in a normal grip.

"Sounds good!" shouted Zoro as he charged at Aden.

His first strike came from his right blade. A horizontal slash at Aden's right side.

Aden blocked the strike with his right dagger, using the force of the clash to be pushed to Zoro's right side. Using that opportunity, he took a swing at Zoro's exposed back, only for him to jump forward with a spin to face Aden again. This time Aden attacked. Running towards Zoro in a zigzag pattern, Aden closed the distance. He attacked with his left dagger, going for a stab only to be blocked by two crossed swords. The force of the hit broke Zoro's guard though, and Aden capitalized on that and slashed at Zoro with his right dagger, going for a diagonal hit to his left shoulder.

Zoro let himself be carried by the force of Aden's previous stab, causing the slash to barely miss, only catching his shirt.

"Damn. You're good." spoke Zoro with a grin, drawing his third sword. Aden didn't respond. He waited as Zoro bit down in his sword and got ready to attack again.

Charging at his opponent, Zoro became a flurry of movement.

While Aden blocked or dodged all of them, he was forced on a back foot. Until a strike from all three swords came at him. Aden crossed his daggers in front of him, but was thrown back by the force of the strike.

"Use your powers, Aden. I want to see your full skillset." grinded Zoro through the sword handle.

"As you wish." replied Aden with a sigh.

Zoro charged at Aden using all three sword to slash at his midsection, only for Aden to slip to the side at the last second. Turning towards Aden, Zoro was shocked at what he saw. Aden was zipping around the area, at speeds that were hard to follow, with wind blowing everywhere, creating a sort of mirage blur behind Aden. Zoro barely reacted in time, as two dagger strikes came from the flurry of movement. Blocking the strikes, Zoro noticed Aden was moving all around him, and closing in. A stab towards Zoro's left shoulder, a slash at his torso, twin slash towards his back, a stab towards each leg, four attacks seemingly at once towards each limb.

Zoro barely blocked and dodges all of those attacks, his clothes getting cut up with each one.

Aden stopped his flurry and stood in front of Zoro.

Zoro was breathing heavily, as he barely avoided all of Aden's attacks.

"You are an amazing swordsman, Zoro," admitted Aden with a warm smile "but letting me use my powers was a bit much. Don't you think?" he finished with a chuckle.

"Yeah. But we still have to decide a winner."

said Zoro with a grin.

"Let's call it a draw, yeah?" Aden suggested

"Without my Devil Fruit, we'd have been here for a while. You're strong. As am i, but my skills with blades would eventually fail me against you. My true strength lies in my Devil Fruit abilities." explained Aden with a serious look.

Zoro looked at Aden, unsure of what to think.

He felt the strength in every dagger strike, and seen the speed at which Aden moved even without using his Devil Fruit. "He was holding back" thought Zoro with widening eyes, looking at Aden with growing frustration. But seeing the honest look of respect on Aden's face, he calmed down again. "I see. He's not looking down on me. He is telling me to get stronger. Faster. Not out of disrespect, but because he felt my resolve. As i felt his. When we clashed, he could have ended the duel multiple times. He waited for me to draw my third blade, and ASK him to use his powers, of my own volition. He's a demon. In the class of his own." thought Zoro as he sheathed his blades.

"Sure. Draw it is." responded Zoro, and headed to the boat.

"Yeah. I think he got it.... Frog in a well and all that." thought Aden to himself, thinking back on the silent conversation of each clash of blades. He held back while using his powers. When he was using only his daggers, he felt Zoro's will. The will of a true sword master. Meanwhile Aden's true powers lay in his Devil Fruit and ambush tactics. By most measures, he would be called an assassin. Even though he is powerful in a direct fight as well. Their duel was unfair from the start.

"I'm stronger than anyone in the Blues right now. But i myself am still a frog. I feel my power grow everyday. ..But i have no idea why or how.... Well, i have time to figure it out. In the meantime, i'll have fun messing with the story. I'll see if Zoro can become stronger faster. I don't recall much, but i know he will have a close call soon. Wonder if i can change that."

Thought Aden as he headed for the boat.

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Zoro has reached the boat first and spotted Luffy fishing.

"So. That answer your question?" asked Luffy with a grin.

"Yeah. That and more." replied Zoro, lost in thought.

(Okay that's it for this one. That was my first attempt at writing an actual fight scene, so please let me know if its okay, or if it reads weird.

I also know i make the characters a bit different in personality. Especially Luffy. There is a reason. As Luffy lived for years with Aden, he changed a bit. Ultimately this is meant to be a fanfic and not a retelling of a story, right?

Once again, please let me know of any mistakes, or if anything sounds weird. Thank you and i hope you enjoyed.)