Tashigi

"Listen up," Zoro said looking at Coby, Johnny and Yosaku. "I've got a bounty on me now, and while I don't really care about that, we don't need people challenging me in the street because they heard you say my name. You got that?"

"Oke-doke big bro Zoro!" Johnny and Yosaku said at the same time, saluting like soldiers.

Earning a glare from the pirate hunter.

"I don't think we should call him by his name around here." Coby whispered, warily looking around. "This island is crawling with marines… so we should be careful."

"Um… okay, only big bro then?"

Zoro nodded.

Unaware of the town's layout, they had no choice but to wander and hope they found a decent weapon store. Time passed in something of a blur, but Coby was pretty sure they'd passed that man selling hats three times now, and his suspicions weren't helped by the confused look he turned on them.

They turned yet another corner, one Coby was certain was not there the first two times, and began walking down another alleyway. Someone screamed down the way, a crowd of people quickly forming where the sound had originated.

Though they couldn't see over the heads of the crowd, Zoro could tell the mass of people had formed around a black-haired woman in glasses carrying a bundle, said woman being harassed by a couple of thugs.

"Hey, what's happening?" Johnny asked.

"We should check it out." Yosaku said, while Zoro and Coby tried to figure out what was happening.

"Those guys are going to kill that poor girl," a woman in the crowd fretted.

"Nah," the man beside her laughed. "I bet she'll give them a good pounding!"

"I think we have to help her…" Coby insisted, his claws already started popping out from his knuckles. With great practice and some Semi-Kikien technique, he was now able to produce claws without bleeding himself.

The two bounty hunters also got ready, though Zoro looked completely uncaring. Even though Zoro couldn't see her face, the way she held her blade, and her movements… all made her look like a trained individual that didn't need any helping.

The woman in question unsheathed her sword, the sword inside catching Zoro's attention. He grabbed Coby by the neck of his shirt, before he could jump in.

"Just watch."

There wasn't much to watch, all in all. The fight was over within a second of the woman unsheathing her blade, both of the men who had been assaulting her crumpling to the cobblestones. Not dead, but not in good condition either.

Some in the crowd laughed and clapped for the woman who only them seemed to notice she was the center of attention. Her cheeks colored as she sheathed her sword, her rush to get away from the attention causing her to trip over her own feet. Her red glasses clattered over the cobblestones, skidding to a stop at the feet of the Straw Hats.

"My glasses!" she called, feeling around in her immediate area for them. "I can't see without my glasses!"

"Here," Coby told her, bending down to pick up her glasses. She smiled in their direction, accepting them. But after seeing the face, almost all of the strawhats had their jaws dropped.

"Thank you," the woman said. "May I ask your name?"

"I-It's Coby." The young one was the first one of the break out from the shock.

But seeing such reactions, the girl in question raised an eyebrow at Zoro and the rest. "Um… is something wrong?"

"Your face…" Zoro said, unintentionally.

"Something wrong with my face?" the woman then touched her face several times. "Eh… but I can't feel anything wrong?"

"No… it's just that your face is very similar to one of our friends." Coby cleared. "You both have similar faces…"

The woman blinked, before smiling. "Well, that's unexpected… but then again there's a bounty hunter turned pirate that looks similar to me." she said with some heat in her voice. The amount of questions she had to face because of that was getting on her nerves.

She was an orphan damn it, it doesn't mean anyone that looked like her was related.

The heat in her voice, made all of them flinch and a bit tense.

"Oh, no no… I'm no pirate." She cleared, chuckling, thinking the group of gentle man had assumed it. "I'm Tashigi, by the way. A marine here in Logue Town, so you guys won't have to worry about any nasty pirates." She said puffing her chest proudly, "Do you need any help…"

All four of the men looked at each other and shrugged. Sure it was a marine, but with how bad Zoro's sense of direction was, it was better to ask for help than spend the whole day on the streets.

"Okay, then can you tell us of a sword shop?" Johnny asked, while Yosaku nodded.

"We're looking for a swordsmith since we came from a different island." Coby said, "Could you help us?"

"Of course! Follow me."

With that the group of four started following him, Zoro still couldn't believe what he was saying. But where was Kuina anyway? She had left for the bakery to check out the sweet food around the island, but in a way, it was good that she wasn't here.

Tashigi turned down the street quickly, marching back the way the pirates had come from. Zoro was fine letting Tashigi prattle on about sword techniques she had seen in the past.

She didn't stop to turn at any point, leading them to a shop called the Kotetsu Ryuu, its name stenciled onto a hanging sign with a dragon motif. Tashigi pushed the door open, causing the tinkling of a bell to ring.

The person Coby assumed was the owner of the shop, a balding man sitting behind the counter, looked up from his newspaper. The store was otherwise empty.

"What do you want?" he began before blinking, recognizing the foremost person in the trio. "Oh, Tashigi. I've finished polishing your sword. Have you brought me, new customers?"

"Hey," Zoro grunted, walking up to the counter while pulling out the four swords they had stolen from the Arlong Pirates, and dropping them on the counter. "We need some swords, two for each of us… well, except him." Pointing at Coby who was looking into the sword just out of curiosity, "…We can trade you these swords… What have you got?"