The Straw Hat crew's arrival at the winter island was a bit of a let-down. Luffy had been so excited when Zoro called down from the crow's nest about the approaching land that the captain had spent the hour it took to reach said land bouncing around the ship excitedly and generally annoying the crap out of his nakama. So yes, it was a let-down when they reached the shore and had to spend the remainder of the day, and the following night, buckled down against a nasty blizzard rather than exploring. The captain certainly had the energy to spare.

However, the next morning brought with it beautiful, if freezing, weather. Fresh snow blanketed every inch of visible land and Luffy was so ecstatic that he grabbed Usopp and dragged the sniper unceremoniously off the ship while shouting something about exploring and coming back later. Zoro had wandered off the ship as well, mostly ignoring shouts of "Don't go too far, you might get lost!" lest he do something the vocal cook would regret.

Luffy and Usopp spent the next few hours scouring the frozen landscape for signs of human life, then for animal life, then supplying the apparently-deserted island with a population of increasingly fantastic snow creatures when they failed to find said life.

After building a monster-sized snow dragon complete with tree branch antlers and and dark stone eyes and claws, Luffy had decided he was bored and it was time to do something else. Usopp had been the one to suggest their newest game...

Luffy clamped a hand over his mouth to ensure silence as Usopp packed a handful of snow into a tight ball. It simply wouldn't do to have a stray giggle alert their prey.

Usopp gave the snowball a quick check for flaws and then nodded shortly. It was done.

Thus armed, the pair snuck through the snow toward their target, using sparse foliage and the naturally hilly landscape to cover their presence.

Belly-crawling up a rise, the pair peered over the hill's crest into the clearing a short distance ahead of them. There, foolishly minding his own business was Zoro, training in the snow.

Luffy had to lock both hands over his mouth to silence even the slightest peep as Usopp gave his snowball a final once-over. Then the sniper peeked over the rise, raised his arm, took careful aim and let fly.

The snowball sailed through the winter air in a smooth arc, a soundless and deadly weapon.

Okay, maybe not deadly. But it was still satisfying beyond reason when the ball of tightly-packed snow connected with the back of Zoro's head and burst, showering the swordsman with ice.

Zoro took a startled step and lifted a hand to the back of his head as if he couldn't believe that had just happened.

How had he not noticed them sneaking up on him? Had he been too distracted training? Or maybe it simply hadn't registered as a threat, so he failed to react?

Well, no matter the reason, someone had pegged him. And judging by the shrieking laughter from not too far away, it was his captain and their sniper.

Oh, it was so on.

Atop the hill, Luffy was rolling in the snow, his and Usopp's raucous laughter shattering the silence of the white landscape. Their plan had gone off without a hitch! And Zoro's face was priceless!

An odd noise caught Usopp's attention though - a sound like snow being crunched together - and he got himself under control enough to peek over the hill's crest to find the source. Luffy's post-snowball-frag high was interrupted when his partner in crime tugged on his coat sleeve, and the captain blinked and turned over to follow the sniper's gaze to the clearing.

Oh, Luffy thought as he took in the scene, Zoro had spotted them.

This wasn't what alarmed the captain though. You see, Zoro wasn't charging up the hill after them with blades drawn and murder intended. They could easily run away from that. No, in fact Zoro seemed set to return fire. Fight snow with snow, if you will.

This would have been fine and dandy save for the fact that Zoro's snowball was the size of the Thousand Sunny's figurehead and Luffy looked over just in time to see him throw it.

At them.

Oh shit.

Needless to say the two snowball assassins made a tactical retreat which consisted of turning tail and running like bats out of hell back down the hill again. Oh, and screaming. Can't forget the screaming. Very dignified, the screaming.

This quick retreat saved their skins... or so they thought. Sadly the Demon Snowball (as Usopp had immediately dubbed it) disagreed. It reached its apex at the top of the hill and grazed the snowy ground, slowing to a near stand-still. It seemed to hesitate, just long enough that Luffy and Usopp slowed their pace to look back at it, wondering if it would move, then the monster ball of snow tipped that last necessary inch and came careening down the hill after the pair, growing in size as it rolled.

Luffy and Usopp, being the hardened winter warriors that they were, shrieked and fled.

Back in the clearing, Zoro listened with a satisfied smile. Voices really carried in this bleak landscape, he thought.

~ ;3 ~

There was like, ZERO dialogue here. XD

Okay. EXPLANATION TIEM!

This was another idea that just sort of jumped on me, kind of like Once Upon a Time.

I was sitting at this theme park with my sister between rides, and it was EFFING COLD, and she said something that made me think of snowballs, and then I thought, "pfft, Luffy would be AWESOME at snowball fights."
THEN I thought, "and he'd prolly try to attack Zoro. And Zoro would get mad. But Zoro could make like, HUGE snowballs 'cause he's freakishly strong."

AND LOLOLOL my sister agreed and so she told me I had to at least write a little one-shot because the visual was awesome. And... now it has turned into a multi-chapter story. XD Should span the course of a whole day.

This story's meant to be an easy read, for the sake of comedy and general ridiculousness. XD I hope you like it. :'D