Chapter 9

Everyone gathered on deck as they docked Sunny in the harbor. Nami gave a meaningful look to Franky as she approached Mezumi. Nami laid a hand on her shoulder as she faced Mezumi.

"So, are you ready?" Nami smiled brightly to her.

"Umm... Ready for what exactly?"

"Shopping of course! I told you weeks ago that we would have to go shopping and now we can. So let's go already." Nami grabbed her hand and all but dragged her off the ship toward the island. They were about to pass Zoro on the dock when Nami got a wicked grin on her face. Just as they were about to pass, Zoro she grabbed onto his arm as well.

"Nami? What are you doing?" Zoro had a curious look on his perpetually grumpy face.

"Mezumi and I are going shopping." She continued to walk forward while they tagged along unwillingly behind her.

"So what the hell do you need me for?"

"Well obviously someone has to carry all the things we are going to buy." Zoro was too far in shock to protest further. He was going to be subjected to sitting in some frilly waiting room while while Nami had her fashonista way with Mezumi. He would be forced to carry around cute shopping bags till they were ready to go back to the ship. The look of disgust was replaced with horror with one final thought. He knew Nami was taking Mezumi shopping to distract her from the surprise for her on the ship. Nami was supposed to take her into town ALL...DAY...LONG.

Mezumi looked over at her fellow prisoner in Nami's grip. Zoro had a look of horror on his face as if he just saw all the evils the word had to offer. Unease settled in her stomach as she was dragged into the first shop.

After several hours of Nami using Mezumi as her personal dress up doll, they were still trying on clothes. Zoro had been right. He was sitting on a frilly pink ottoman in a carpeted waiting area as Mezumi stepped in and out of the dressing area. He was surrounded by bags from previous shops containing various shirts, shorts, pants, shoes and a bikini that Nami insisted she buy because "It compliments your eyes perfectly. You have to buy it." They had stopped into a high end shop at Nami's orders that she had to own at least one formal outfit. Zoro, however, didn't think he would have to give his opinion on her formal wear.

"It looks fine. Can we go now?" Surprise or not he wanted to end his torture.

"Obviously not. Zoro We are counting on your opinion as a guy. We need to know what Mezumi looks stunning in. We can't settle for something that is just 'fine'."

"Crazy woman." He rolled his eyes as Nami sent Mezumi in with yet another outfit. A few minutes later Mezumi stepped out. Zoro's eyes widened and hit jaw nearly met the floor.

The dress was a deep olive green. It covered her left shoulder as it flowed down across and down her chest as it wrapped around her back to connect under her arm. Other than the one strip behind her, the dress was completely back less from her neck to her lower back. The sides of the dress were cut away slightly to reveal the sides of her stomach. It laid so gently across her skin as it traveled down her long legs to encircle her feet. The dress was cut up to mid thigh on her left leg enough to leave a tantalizing view. Her white hair flowed down her back in gentle waves. She looked the picture of elegance.

Nami looked over to Zoro to see his reaction. She didn't have to ask as the look on his face said more than he ever would. Finally satisfied, she told Mezumi to change as she grabbed shoes and a few matching accessories. Mezumi changed quickly. She was happy to be done shopping. She had already been burned out in the first hour. But she didn't want to deny Nami when she was having so much fun. Mezumi paid with a gold bar she so conveniently had in her pocket. Seeing Zoro carrying many bags and shoe boxes already she elected to carry the last bag herself. She felt guilty having Zoro carrying all her things but Nami had insisted upon it.

Arriving back on Sunny they saw Sanji and Robin lounging in chairs on deck. Sanji held a cigarette and Robin held a book. Seeing them arrive Robin gave them a smile before returning to her book. Nami addressed Sanji.

"Hello Sanji-kun. Back from shopping already?"

"Of course."

Sanji couldn't help but smirk when he saw Zoro carrying almost all of their purchases. Zoro looked right in Sanji's eye.

"Not. A. Word." Zoro growled out, His eyes barely reaching over the small mountain of shoe boxes. Sanji was more than happy to sit back and take in the scene, trying to burn it into his memory. Zoro followed the girls as they went to their room to put away all of her new purchases. Zoro set all the bags and boxes on the floor before leaving in a hurry. He escaped as quick as he could to his training room in the crow's nest. He immediately started a heavy workout routine in an attempt to fit something masculine into his day.

Sanji saw Zoro climbing the ladder as quickly as possible. He knew the girls would be busy for a while so he headed down to check on Franky's progress.

"Nami and Mezumi are back." Franky poked his head out of the room holding a hammer and nails.

"I'm not finished she needs to be gone a little longer." They both heard a scuffling sound as the door to Usopp's factory flew open.

"What? She's back already? I only just started on the holder!" Without another word Usopp put his head and torso back through the opening and closed the door sharply.

"I think I can be done in a little over an hour. Stall her until then." Franky resumed pounding nails into the wall. Sanji grumbled to himself. How was he supposed to distract her? He didn't have anything to go on as he made his way up to her bedroom. He still hadn't thought of anything by the time he knocked on the door. He figured he would just have to wing it.

"Come in." They were still putting away her new clothes when he walked in.

"Hello, Sanji-kun. What are you up to?" Mezumi asked him politely.

"I was looking for you actually." He really did not plan this out.

"Well, You just saw me a few minutes ago. Did you need something?"

"Uhh... I was just wondering if you could go into town with me." He wanted to smack himself it sounded like the worst pickup...

"Okay." Wow. He didn't think that would work. "Just let me finish putting my clothes away."

"Go ahead. I will finish them." Nami smirked and winked at her.

"Thank you Nami." They left the ship and were on the dock before Mezumi said anything. "What did you need to get in town? I thought you finished shopping today?"

"I... was just hoping we could get something to eat together." He was a five star chef and he wanted to go out to eat... brilliant strategy. He looked away gritting his teeth.

"You wanted to go out to eat... with me? Like on a date?" His head whipped back to look at her. His cheeks turned pink.

"No, no. Not... not a date. It's nothing like a date. I just..." The more he tripped over his words the more she looked hurt.

"You... wouldn't want to go on a date with me?" She turned her gaze to her feet feeling hurt and embarrassed. Sanji had to think quickly.

"Of course I would date you." Her head snapped up at his blunt answer. Her eyes widened. "I was just trying to explain that if I did take you out on a date, you would never have to ask. You would know already."

"Oh." She wasn't sure what to say.

"I was just hoping to get to know you better over lunch."

"That sounds great." She smiled up at him. Sanji was instantly relieved.

"Great. I think there is a restaurant at the end of this street." They walked in an uncomfortable silence till she spoke up.

"Where did you learn to cook?" He looked over at her in interest.

"My mentor Zeff taught me everything he knows. Although he didn't start out as my mentor. He actually attacked the ship I was on. It turned out that he and I shared the same dream to find the All Blue. When both of our ships were caught in a terrible storm I was about to drown before he saved me. It turned out that he saved me because we had the same dream but it cost him his leg when he saved me." She gasped.

"That's awful."

"We were left on an island for weeks with hardly any food. After we were saved he opened up a floating restaurant on the sea, The Baratie. He took me in and taught me everything he knows. He was also the one that taught me how to fight." They arrived at a small diner. Walking in they were seated in a corner by the waitress. They both opened their menus. Mezumi looked briefly before she looked back to Sanji.

"He sounds very important to you."

"He was very tough on me. He taught me values and the importance of food. At sea you cannot afford to be wasteful. You may never know where your next meal may come from. I will never turn down someone in need of food, even at my own expense. I fed a group of pirates right before they attacked The Baratie. I never regretted it."

"That sounds like a hell of a story."

"Enough about me though. I wanted to know more about you."

"There isn't much to tell." The waitress approached them

"Hello. Have you decided what you would like?" Mezumi looked frantically over the menu. She had been too busy listening to Sanji to decide what she wanted.

"I will have this steak meal, Medium-well, please. Mezumi?"

"Uh... Anything is okay with me."

"Two steaks then. Make her's well done please." Sanji smiled at the waitress as she gathered their menus. He turned back to face her. "There are so many things I don't know about you. Just tell me anything." She looked nervous at being put on the spot.

"Well, I like the color green." He smiled at her.

"That's a start. What do you like doing?"

"I like reading. It has always been one of my favorite things to do. When I was a kid I used to sneak into the library in my village and read books under one of the desks..." She stopped abruptly. But she remembered Sanji already knew of her past and he wouldn't judge her for it. "I started to go there so I could learn because no one would teach me anything. The villagers never let me go to school. So I taught myself to read and I read anything I could get my hands on. But I started to hide under the desks because if I could avoid the librarian, I could sleep there at night and be gone by morning. I didn't have anywhere else to go. A few months later the librarian found me sleeping under the desk and threw me out. From then on she started to look everywhere in the library before she closed it for the night. So, I couldn't go there any more." Sanji looked sad for her. She looked down again. "I read through your cook books in the library. I hope you don't mind."

"No I don't mind at all. You are welcome to anything in the library. What else have you read?"

"I looked through a few of Franky's blueprints and books about building. I read all of Chopper's journals and a few of his medical texts. I read some of Usopp's tool and weapon books and a few of his adventure books. I looked at Nami's maps but they were just pictures so I didn't bother with them. I read a couple of Robin's history books but they weren't very interesting." Sanji's eyes widened halfway through her explanation. She must have been devouring books left and right to have finished that many so quickly.

"That's amazing. You must have read through most of our library in the two weeks you have been here." She shrugged. It must have been her lack of opportunity for education that spurned her to learn at such an astounding rate.

"I guess so. I just like learning things." The waitress brought their food out. They sat in companionable silence as they ate.

"Did you ever buy books on your island?"

"No. No one would sell me anything. But I think you knew that from the day you first met me."

"I suppose I was hoping that not everyone was like that."

"It doesn't bother me much any more. I finally found people that care about me and now I have a place where I can belong." She shot him a smile from across the table. He smiled back knowing the truth of her words. They were going to show her just how much she belonged with them tonight. He was happy that such a small gesture could mean so much to her. The waitress delivered their bill. They were done eating but Sanji needed to stall her for at least another half hour.

"Mezumi-chan would you like to go to the book store?" She grinned from ear to ear.

"That would be wonderful! Can we go now?"

"Of course." He laid the money and a tip into the pocket book for their bill. She stood up and nearly ran out of the restaurant. She waited for him at the door, almost bouncing up and down with excitement.

"I saw the book store a few streets over when Nami and I were out buying clothes." He offered her his arm. She took it hesitantly.

"Lead the way." With the force of her enthusiasm, she nearly dragged him all the way to the book store. Holding the door open for her, she rushed inside. She looked like a bee trying to choose the prettiest flower in a meadow. "You should remember you are not on your island any more. They will sell you as many books as you can carry here. Don't forget you also have an unlimited supply of gold." He winked at her. She scanned the shelves with more detail than before and started to pull down books from every other shelf in almost every section. She started piling them in two stacks on both of his hands. Thankfully she stopped at his nose so he could still see. She ran off to the next section to grab more books. He brought the books he was carrying up to the counter. The man started tapping on his register setting the books into a large box he got from the back. She came back with a new stack of books in her hands. Beaming wildly she finally seemed satisfied. She set the books on the counter with the others. The man looked at her skeptically.

"Are you sure you have enough money for all of these?" Mezumi dug her hand deep into her pocket to distract the man from seeing her produce gold out of thin air. She brought out three gold bars as long and wide as her index finger.

"Will this be enough?" The man eagerly rang up the remaining books. Sanji grabbed the over flowing box as Mezumi handed over the gold bars. She grabbed the two extra bags and they started on their way back. "I can hardly believe it. I bought myself clothes and books. It feels like a dream." She was beaming the whole way back to the ship.