Wolfy-tan: Here's the twenty-first chapter! ^^
Disclaimer: I never owned One Piece and unfortunately never will. If I did own it, Luffy would be a girl!
Chapter 21: Mihawk vs. Zoro! Mihawk Decides to Win Over Lucy?
"And that's how she took the ship!" Johnny concluded.
Zoro punched the wall of the Baratie, "Damn it! She's making this crisis worse for us!"
Lucy knelt down in shock. 'I left the journal Kaa-chan gave me there!'
"Kaya gave us that ship!" Usopp seethed.
Zoro looked out at the sea, "I can still see it. That's definitely it."
"Where is your ship?" Lucy asked Yosaku and Johnny.
"We have it here," Yosaku answered.
"Zoro, Usopp! Take the ship and follow Nami right away!" Lucy ordered.
"Forget about it," Zoro said. "Just let her have the ship. There's no need to go after her."
"It's an order!" Lucy said. "I won't accept anyone but her as our navigator!" They paused for a second as Zoro read the desperation and stubborness in her eyes.
"All right," Zoro said, giving up. "Such a high-maintenance captain..." Zoro gave her one last look before turning to Usopp. "Let's go, Usopp."
"Huh? Okay..."
"The ship's ready, Big Bro Zoro!" Yosaku and Johnny said in unison.
"I would go," Lucy said, her straw hat in hand. She had changed after the galleon was sliced, knowing full well she would be fighting. "But I have to set the score with that gorilla." Zoro smiled before ruffling her hair. Lucy giggled and smiled. Her true smile. Not that shitty fake smile she wore to hide her emotion. Her smile made Zoro's smile widen.
"You better be careful," Zoro warned. "The situation here isn't a normal one."
Lucy nodded, "I know."
"It's the man who destroyed our fleet!" they heard one of the underlings of Don Krieg yell from the galleon. Everyone turned. Zoro got a nervous look in his eyes. Lucy put her hat back on and took Zoro's hand in hers again. Zoro instantly relaxed from her touch.
"T-That man!" Zoro muttered. He could feel his heart beat faster and faster. If Lucy wasn't holding his hand who knew just how shooken up he'd be. He could feel a lump rise in his throat, "So that man is..."
"Zoro?" Lucy asked. "Who is that?"
"That's the man I've been looking for," Zoro answered, his voice low. Lucy gave a light squeeze to his hand, sensing his tension. "Hawk-Eye Mihawk!"
"Hawk-Eye Mihawk..." Lucy repeated.
"The world's strongest swordsman..." Zoro muttered. He clutched to Lucy's hand as if it was his only chance of sanity. 'I never thought I would see him so soon...' he clutched his katana with his free hand. 'It's finally time to fulfill my promise.'
"Lucy," Zoro said, grabbing her attention. "I must go." Lucy, understanding fully what he meant, let go of his hand. Zoro immediately missed the warmth from her touch but knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. With that thought in his mind, he snuck onto what was left of Krieg's ship. He once he was on, he saw one of the underlings shoot at Mihawk, only for it to be deflected.
"What just happened?" the shooter asked. "I know I shot straight at him!"
"He averted them," Zoro said. "He gently changed the bullets' course, using the edge of his sword."
"That can't be true!" he said. Zoro began to walk away. "O-Oi! Who are you?"
"Three katanas...could it be...?" another underling muttered.
"I've never seen a sword moved so gently..." Zoro complimented.
"There is no strength in swordplay based on only force," Mihawk retorted.
"I'm guessing you used that sword to slice this ship as well?" Zoro inquired.
"You're correct," Mihawk answered.
"I see...you're the strongest..." Zoro stated nervously. Regaining his composture, he said, "I went out to sea to meet you."
"And what is your goal?" Mihawk asked.
"To become the strongest!" Zoro exclaimed, tying his bandana.
"How foolish," Mihawk said. Zoro drew one of his katanas.
"You have spare time, don't you? Let's fight!" Zoro dared.
"This guy is Roronoa Zoro!" an underling realized. "Roronoa Zoro of Three Swords Style!"
"EH?" the underlings chorused.
"This isn't good, Lucy!" Usopp reported. "Soon the Going Merry will be out of sight! ...Oi, Lucy!" Lucy wasn't listening; she too focused on Zoro and Mihawk.
"Fight?" Mihawk questioned. "Hmph! How pitiful, foolish weak one..." Zoro simply stood with his katana pointed at Mihawk. "If you are confident enough to fight..." Mihawk said, suddenly disappearing from his boat and in front of Zoro. "...you should be able to learn just how different our abilities are, even before we cross swords," Mihawk's eyes darted at Zoro's. "Is it your ignorance, or is it your courage that causes you to turn your sword against me?"
"It's my ambition!" Zoro exclaimed before putting one of his katanas in his mouth and drawing his other two katanas. "It's also for a promise I made to my dear friend and be able to stand next to my captain as an equal!" Lucy stared with her eyes wide. Equal? That brought tears to her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, but Zoro snuck a glance at her and saw the tears. He smiled to himself.
"There's no one who can beat Big Bro Zoro!" Johnny exclaimed.
Mihawk ripped the cross necklace from his neck and unsheathed it; revealing a small dagger.
"Oi," Zoro said. "What's the meaning of that?"
"I'm not a beast who shall go all out to hunt a small rabbit," Mihawk metaphored. "Even if you're a swordsman whose earned a bit of a name for yourself, the East Blue is the weakest among the four seas. Unfortunately, I don't carry a smaller sharp instrunment other than this one."
"That's enough of making fun of me!" Zoro exclaimed, rushing toward Mihawk. "Better not regret it when I kill you!"
"Frog in the well..." Mihawk chanted. "...know how big the world is."
"Devil..." Zoro muttered. "...Strike!" He struck his swords, only for them to be blocked by the dagger. "W-What?"
"Zoro!" Lucy whispered to herself. She focused on nothing except Zoro and Mihawk.
"Big Bro's Devil Strike was stopped!" Johnny exclaimed, pointing out the obvious.
"Even a huge technique that never fails to blow an enemy away was..." Yosaku said. "What's going on?"
'I can't move them!' Zoro thought. 'What did he do? No one has ever seen through this technique, and he stopped it using a toy like that? This...can't be happening! Our abilities are this far apart? No, that can't be right! It's not possible for there to be such a seperation this far...!'
"The distance can't be this far!" Zoro exclaimed as he retreated his katanas and swung again, each time the dagger blocking him. Mihawk struck Zoro and he tumbled.
"This can't be happening, Big Bro!" Yosaku yelled. "Get serious!"
"Big Bro!" Johnny yelled.
"We can't be this far apart!" Zoro declared, and charged at him again.
"What ferocity your swordplay holds..." Mihawk stated.
'I didn't pursue swordsmanship this whole time to be dealt with by a toy!' Zoro thought. He could feel the memories slowly seep out from his subconcsious, causing him to fall and be hit by Mihawk. He slowly got up, and swung his sword at Mihawk, only for it to miss; he landed on the ground once again, panting hard.
"What weight do you bear on your shoulders?" Mihawk asked. "What do you desire once you obtain power, weak one?"
"You dare call Big Bro weak, you bastard?" Yosaku demanded. His hand was just twitching to draw his sword.
"I'll teach you a lesson! He is...!" Johnny was cut off by Lucy.
"Stop it, Yosaku, Johnny! Don't interfere!" Lucy said as she grabbed both of them by their collars before they could jump off to join the fight. "Have you no faith in Zoro!" she more stated than asked. "Have patience." Though she said that, you could tell by her eyes that she just wanted to rush in their and help Zoro up.
"Lucy..." Usopp muttered, both shocked and amazed at the faith she was putting through to Zoro.
"I can't lose," Zoro said, standing up.
"The world's greatest swordsman, huh? I'd except no less as the Soon-to-be Pirate Queen!"
"Tiger Hunt!" Zoro yelled, but as his attack was about to hit, Mihawk struck him at his heart.
"You're just going to let me pierce you're heart?" Mihawk asked. "You are not withdrawing?"
"I don't know why..." Zoro answered. "I don't know why...but...if I withdrew even a step, I feel like those various important things such as pledges and promises in the past will be shattered, and I won't be able to come back to where I am now..."
"Yes," Mihawk agreed. "That is what defeat is about."
"Then all the more reason I can't withdraw," Zoro added.
"Even if you'll die?" Mihawk questioned.
"I'd rather die!" Zoro answered. Mihawk just stood for a second, as if thinking, and then withdrew his dagger, and covered it back up so it looked like a cross again.
"Kid! State your name." Zoro rearanged his katanas so they resembled a windmill.
"Roronoa Zoro," he said.
"I'll remember it," Mihawk said, withdrawing his main weapon. "I haven't seen anyone like you in a while, strong one. Thus, as a swordsman's courtesy, I'll give you the honor of sinking the world's strongest black sword into you."
"I appreciate it," Zoro responded. 'So this'll be the last hit' Zoro thought. 'Will it be the world's strongest? Or death?'
"Big Bro, that's enough!" Johnny yelled. "Please stop!" Yosaku clashed his palms hastily and prayed. Lucy tightened her grip on the rails and glued her eyes to the fight.
"Three Sword Style..." Zoro began twisting the katanas in his hands to resemble a windmill. "Three Thousand Swords!" Swords clashed and everyone waited in suspense to see who got hit. Blood spattered from Zoro and the katanas in his hands broke, the one in his mouth the only one still intact.
'I lost,' Zoro thought as he took his katana out of his mouth. 'I never imagined I'd ever lose...So this is the power of the world's strongest...' He stood up, faced Mihawk, and spread his arms horizontally.
"What are you..." Mihawk didn't finish when he saw Zoro's smirk.
"Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame..." he said. Mihawk smirked as well.
"Admirable!" he said before slicing Zoro's chest once more, Zoro not moving an inch. Blood spurted out.
"Zoro!" Lucy cried.
"Zoro!" Usopp cried after Lucy.
"Big Bro!" Yosaku and Johnny cried in unison. Zoro fell back into the ocean water.
"Damn you, damn you...damn you!" Lucy screamed as she lunged at Mihawk with the help of her rubber self. Yosaku and Johnny dove into the water in hopes of finding Zoro. Mihawk merely moved aside and Lucy crashed into the wood.
"You are that young swordsman's comrade?" Mihawk asked. "You impressed me as well, waiting until the very end!" She got up from the broken wood around her. You could see a tear running down both of her cheeks.
"Don't worry; I didn't kill the man." She turned and saw Yosaku and Johnny lifting Zoro from the water.
"Zoro!" Lucy exclaimed. Her face held an overflow of worry and helplessness.
"It is too early for you to die," Mihawk said. "My name is Dracule Mihawk! Learn about yourself! Learn about the world! And especially become strong! No matter how many years it takes, I will hold this seat as the strongest and wait for you. Surpass this sword, surpass me, Roronoa Zoro!" Mihawk turned to Lucy, "Young maiden, what is your goal?"
"I will be the Pirate Queen!" Lucy stated.
Mihawk smirked, "Pirate Queen, huh? That'll be harder than surpassing me!" He turned his attention to her wrists and ankles. "Remember young maiden, you won't get far without telling your nakama everything."
Lucy's eyes widened. 'He knows.'
"Also, take care of that young man. I can see the strong bond the two of you have formed."
Lucy looked into his eyes. 'Is it possible he's suggesting...?'
"He's alive!" she heard Usopp exclaim. "Just unconscious." Zoro lifted his katana.
"Big Bro!" Johnny and Yosaku exclaimed.
"L-Lucy..." he managed to say. "Can you hear me?"
"Yeah!" she yelled.
He started panting heavily, "Did I worry you? You except no less than the world's strongest swordsman, right?" He started coughing badly.
"Please don't say anything more, Big Bro!" Yosaku pleaded.
"I...I won't ever be defeated ever again!" Zoro declared. Tears began running down like a waterfall as his remaining katana pointed toward the sky. "Until the day I beat him and become the strongest swordsman...I'll never be defeated again! Got any problems with that...Queen of the Pirates?" Lucy smiled a warm smile.
"Not at all!" Lucy answered.
"The two of you make a good team," Mihawk complimented. "I want to see you guys again." He walked over and lifted Lucy's chin, their eyes meeting, "Zoro and I shall be rivals in more than one way, it seems. A lovely maiden like you is rare to find. I will win you over when the time comes," he brushed his lips over Lucy's cheek. Lucy could feel her cheeks turn red. 'EH?' Lucy thought to herself. Her heartbeat had quickened when she saw his smirk. He turned to walk away.
"Oi, Hawk-Eye!" Krieg yelled. Mihawk stopped. "Didn't you want to take my life, the life of the East Blue's ruler, Don Krieg?"
"I had been planning to," Mihawk said. "But I've had enough fun for today. I'm going home to rest."
Krieg smirked, "You may have had enough, but I'm tired of being beaten." Multiple guns appeared out of his armor. "Die before you leave!" he yelled, shooting his guns. Mihawk drew his sword. Smoke appeared everywhere. Lucy launched herself at the Baratie, knowing that if she didn't, she would've drowned. The chefs freaked out at her rubberness as she struggled to keep herself clinging to the rail. Sanji rushed over and helped her up.
"Usopp!" Lucy yelled.
"Lucy!" he yelled back.
"Go! I'm leaving Nami to you!" she said, smiling her warm smile. It caused Usopp to blush a small bit.
"Got it! Zoro and I will bring Nami back for sure!" he responded. He waved his hands, one holding her straw hat, frantically. "Make sure you get that cook to join us! Once all five of us are reunited, let's head to the Grand Line together!" he threw her straw hat to her.
Lucy's smile widened, catching her straw hat, "Yeah!" she turned to Zeff, "Old man, if I drive them away, can I stop doing chores?"
"Go ahead," Zeff answered.
~.~
I'm done! ^^ How was it? Like it? Hate it? R&R for more of Lucy! I'd like to thank TheBlackSeaReaper for the amazing idea as of Mihawk flirting with Lucy. XD Peace out, viewers!
THANKS FOR REVIEWING THE LAST CHAPTER:
Pen-Woman
Mimi522
TheBlackSeaReaper
supersaiyan3goku
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"A man without ambition is dead. A man with ambition but no love is dead. A man with ambition and love for his blessings here on earth is ever so alive."
-Pearl Bailey