(Yup. This guy reminded him way too much of himself at that age.)
Listen.
I do believe one day you will become the greatest swordsman of our world. Most likely whenever I finally die. But I want you to understand something that no one bothers to talk about when they reach that goal.
There is nothing else to do when you get there. Years will pass by in a blur. Once you're at the top, there's nothing to look at. You will only get better. You will be disappointed by every fight you experience.
So, have a hobby or two. Have something outside of it. Otherwise, you will grow insane from boredom.
( zoro doesn't answer for a few minutes, mostly because he's just. ruminating on mihawk's words a little. there aren't many people whose words he takes to heart, but his mentor is one of them. koushirou was his mentor for a while, but even then, zoro barely listened to him, just trained and trained and trained until his arms and shoulders were so sore he couldn't even lift his shinai anymore and he had to crawl to bed on the dojo floor.
it's a strange thing, caring about what people think. stranger, still, is the thought of people caring about him.
especially people outside of his crew. especially the man that almost killed him, that he respects so deeply he doesn't even know how to articulate it. )
that's all i've ever done since i was a kid training
( maybe he scribbles this part a little smaller. )
(In a different way, Mihawk held a similar strange fondness and respect for Zoro. More than he cared to admit to anyone. He had never imagined taking on a student or anything of the sort. He didn't even picture himself as someone generous with advice.
Yet the idea of Zoro winding up the way Mihawk has makes something curl unpleasantly in his stomach. It's not as if he lived a bad life or regretted anything, but...
It wasn't the life Zoro deserved. Zoro who actually connected with people, who bothered with relationships and surrounded himself with people who had dreams as loud as his own.
He's glad this conversation is through the notebook. He can feel something soften in his face.)
I understand. You and I are quite a bit alike. I was the same way when I was your age. It took me a long time to figure it out.
(And he mostly figured it out by not knowing what to do with the places he gained control over after terrorizing and killing a bunch of people oops!)
It's all right to not know right now. You have good friends who would probably be happy to help.
Besides, experiencing new and different things can always help sharpen your mind and give you a fresh way of looking at things. It can make you more creative with your skill which can make you unpredictable.
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(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-08 10:30 pm (UTC)( oh ... )
i guess that's why dinner's been tasting like slightly less shitty cardboard
thanks.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-08 10:32 pm (UTC)(...Squirming...)
You know, it is good to have hobbies. Outside of training.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-10 06:32 pm (UTC)hey
i have other hobbies
( zoro just ... can't think of them right now ....... )
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-11 01:52 am (UTC)Name two.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-11 02:37 pm (UTC)sleeping
drinking
( ......... )
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-11 09:42 pm (UTC)Listen.
I do believe one day you will become the greatest swordsman of our world. Most likely whenever I finally die. But I want you to understand something that no one bothers to talk about when they reach that goal.
There is nothing else to do when you get there. Years will pass by in a blur. Once you're at the top, there's nothing to look at. You will only get better. You will be disappointed by every fight you experience.
So, have a hobby or two. Have something outside of it. Otherwise, you will grow insane from boredom.
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-12 03:07 am (UTC)it's a strange thing, caring about what people think. stranger, still, is the thought of people caring about him.
especially people outside of his crew. especially the man that almost killed him, that he respects so deeply he doesn't even know how to articulate it. )
that's all i've ever done since i was a kid
training
( maybe he scribbles this part a little smaller. )
i don't know how to do other things
(no subject)
Date: 2023-12-12 03:49 am (UTC)Yet the idea of Zoro winding up the way Mihawk has makes something curl unpleasantly in his stomach. It's not as if he lived a bad life or regretted anything, but...
It wasn't the life Zoro deserved. Zoro who actually connected with people, who bothered with relationships and surrounded himself with people who had dreams as loud as his own.
He's glad this conversation is through the notebook. He can feel something soften in his face.)
I understand. You and I are quite a bit alike. I was the same way when I was your age. It took me a long time to figure it out.
(And he mostly figured it out by not knowing what to do with the places he gained control over after terrorizing and killing a bunch of people oops!)
It's all right to not know right now. You have good friends who would probably be happy to help.
Besides, experiencing new and different things can always help sharpen your mind and give you a fresh way of looking at things. It can make you more creative with your skill which can make you unpredictable.