Mizu dreaded going down to breakfast the next day after her tiny verbal accident in his office. She told herself to suck it up charged through the doors.
"Good morning beautiful peach-ya," Law mockingly said as she joined their table at breakfast. "Here we are, at breakfast, with the rest of the crew, in front of people." Mizu seethed silently but angrily at Law. The Captain grinned at her red face, she should have skipped breakfast. Mizu grabbed her toast and ate it slowly in childish retaliation Law took a bite out of his orange. He then placed his dirt shoes on top of the table. The cleaner's eyebrow twitched but she kept her cool as she buttered her second (of four) slice toast with a loud scrapping sound.
"Okay, what the hell happened?" Penguin asked bluntly. Unlike the other members of the crew who found it hilarious to see them dance around each other like a pair of prized peacocks, he did not. He'd never mention it but he was scarily close to allowing the heart pirates to lock them in a room together.
"Oh nothing, Peach-ya, got a little flustered last night in my office." If she could, Mizu would have throttled Captain Creeper.
Thus erupted a round of who can make Mizu blush bright red or get her the angriest. There were also a few catcalls and sly nudges given to Law. Who sat there bold as brass with his body language screaming out cockiness. Mizu took it for a record of 20 seconds before grabbing a bowl of porridge (Shachi's) and throwing it at Law. Most of it missed but he did get splattered. "I want a rematch. Tonight, I want to play you at cards, the winner gets the loser to do anything they want."
"Done. Prepare yourself Peach-ya, I'll show no mercy."
"Fine. I want a half day to prepare."
"No, we're doing this now."
"I think she should have time to prepare Captain, she hasn't played in a while, it wouldn't be a good victory if she's rusty." Penguin spoke up for her. Mizu nodded at him in thanks, she would need time to set up her plan.
"Fine, later then. I'll see you soon little peach-ya." Law smirked taking a bite out of that orange. She was surprised it wasn't a peach.
"As I've got things to plot, I think I'll get started on those chores. Penguin, Shachi meet me in my room in 2 hours." The guys in question nodded, Shachi was a spaced out, most of the crew were. No one challenged their Captain. It would be fun to see the rematch.
Mizu finished her chores double time with a little to spare. Many of the guys offered her their luck, just like last time they gave advice. Some even gave her ways of cheating. Not that she'd ever cheat, if Mizu was going to crush Law, she'd do it fairly. She took a quick shower before meeting the Shachi and Penguin in her room. Mizu was drying her hair when they knocked.
"So, plan?" Shachi asked, he was still sore from when she slapped when he walked in without knocking.
"I need you guys to teach me more than basics, also I need you opinion on something. Something that might give me the edge over that pompous ass." Mizu said cryptically.
"Sure can do. So quick one first, then the fun begins." Shachi cracked his knuckles and pulled out an old fraying deck of cards. "Let's see how much you remember."
It took time but Mizu felt even more confident about going up against Law. They'd been playing for another few hours, as regulars against Law they offered her tips on his tell. They also helped her cover her own and make a false tell. Cheap trick as she called it but damn did it work. She fooled Penguin on their last match, Mizu gladly won that one and just wished they were playing for real. Then the time came to bring out the big guns as she called it. Shachi and Penguin, mostly the former whole heartedly agreed to that it just might give her an edge over Law. It would certainly be a distraction.
"I wonder if little Mizu-ya will turn up?" Law called from the table, most of the crew turned up for the rematch. Shachi and Penguin walked in first taking their seats at the table. "I take there won't be any biased calls Penguin-ya?"
"Not at all Captain."
"Come on, give the lass a chance."
"Yeah, Captain is too good."
"I don't think she'll need any help from me." Penguin eyed Law's expression as the door creaked open.
In the dress she swore she'd never wear, Mizu appeared. The dress hugged her closely, the black and white stripped dress was accompanied by a pair of black heels. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, thanks to Shachi. The guys didn't know that Mizu had a long pair of legs that the dress showed off perfectly. All in all, the dress had the desired effect but not as it seems on Law.
"Nice legs, peach-ya." Law smirked admiring them with his hands behind his head.
"Thanks, glad you like because you'll never be seeing them again." Mizu made sure to give him one last look before sitting down on her chair.
"I think I'll keep that dress for safe keeping." He replied a low rumble that should have been a laugh didn't go unnoticed by Mizu.
She smiled widely at the sound as she knew she'd gotten to him a bit. "It's my dress, I can wear it whenever I want. It's no good for cleaning in but I'm sure I'll be fine going a shore dressed like this, what do you think?"
"Guys, let's start." Penguin interrupted following their plan. Everything that just happened was all part of their plan. Shachi was actually holding it together, when they practiced earlier he had trouble holding his laughter in when imagining their faces.
"Sure, can't wait." Mizu emphasised her words drawing Law's attention back to her.
"Yeah let's do this." Law wasn't so hot anymore, he was angry at himself for getting distracted by the enemy.
It was a long old battle to the end this game doubled the time of the last. Each player made their moves carefully and precisely. Neither wanted to lose a hand. On the final hand both sides thought they had the better.
"Well I suppose I should put you out of your misery peach-ya." Law was a little too smug when he revealed his four of a kind.
Mizu shook her head in a playful way, she knew she'd won. "I suppose I should put you out of your misery, I do believe this is royal flush dear Captain." She revealed her own hand of an Ace-high flush.
"What?" Law couldn't believe it, all the things that were usually said about the captain was gone, just surprise and shock was left. "How?"
"You can't say I cheated, I clearly have nothing up my sleeves. So I'm looking forward to making you do anything I want. See you all later, I'm going to my room. Be a dear, Captain, and don't disturb me." With all that said she got up and left to get out of that ridiculous dress. She took another quick peek at Law before she completely left, 'I should be thankful he's not pissed.'
Mizu spared no time getting out of the devils dress and into her own boiler suit. The weather was being unpredictable as usual and one minute it was boiling hot then it was jumper weather. Well they were getting close to another island after all. Mizu jumped on her bed and began to read a book wondering when her Captain would make an appearance. It only took until the night shift take over for him to wrench the door open and slam it shut.
"Come right in Captain, make yourself at home, dear." Mizu murmured sarcastically. In all honestly she was scared he was going to make her call off the bet. Or worse. A part of her was unnerved by Law, he was a pirate after all and she was but a humble cleaner from a humble background.
"What do you want?" he asked simply. Mizu glanced over the top of her book for the first time. He wasn't angry, just disappointed in himself which was a plus for Mizu. Mini heart attack was over.
"I don't want anything from you Captain, you already give me for too much." Mizu replied, she questioned how long she could get away with talking to him like that.
"Mizu. Tell me, I always stick to my word, you won. What do you want?"
Mizu put her book down, she sat up straight and looked Law in the eyes. "I told you I don't want anything. There's nothing I want right now."
"Then why challenge me?"
"I wanted the option okay?"
"Then when you do want something from me, you can ask."
Mizu was surprised at Law's sudden generous side. She was a tad suspicious of him. "You're letting me keep it like you owe me?"
"Yes. Last chance or you lose it."
"You promise, I can ask for anything and you promise you'll give it to me?" she questioned more.
"If it's within my power to give then yes."
"You can't be shellfish, if it's possible you'll do it?"
"Yes. Agreed?" He held out his hand to shake on it.
Mizu eyed it before agreeing. "Deal. You're the best Law." When she got up to shake his hand the ship jolted sending her unbalanced state crashing into Law. "Crap!" she squealed as she collapsed on top of Law.
They landed in a heap on the floor. Mizu lying on top of Law with his arms wrapped tightly around her. They must have head butted each other as Mizu's head was pounding. She groaned and tried to push herself up but something trapped her there. There were alarms blaring out their annoying whiney sounds which weren't helping Mizu's head. She heard Law groan underneath her. That was when she noticed his arms around her.
"Law! Let go of me this instant!" she cried out tugging at his arms. He let go and Mizu scampered away to the side of her bed. The pain in her head flared up when she relaxed. "Ouch, sorry the ship hated me at that moment."
"Stay here until I call for you." Was all he said before he ran off to see what about the terrible problem that required loud alarms.
"Fine, it's not like I have anywhere else to go right now."
Mizu waited patiently for any scrap of news, she even poked her head out the door once or twice. The alarms died down after around 5 minutes, so Mizu went back to her book. The front of her body was strangely cold, Mizu put it down to faulty wiring in her brain. She refused to think about what had happened. It took them an hour for someone to come down and summon her to the 'war room'.
"So what's up?" she asked a bunch of serious faces.
"This next island, is another summer island, jungle like terrain too. According to the navigator the island after that is in sight, which is a desert island. Trouble being that this island has marines on it. Judging by the battle ship floating by the shore there are a few marines on the island. They're looking for something." Law explained.
"And?" she sensed there was more, who was she kidding there was always more to it than that.
"Well, what are they looking for and why are they there. Those are the questions." Shachi added, Law was too busy calculating factors to add more detail.
"Besides, we can see the next island, we could make a break for it." The room started to argue amongst each other on the subject.
"Guys are you insane? This is the grand line, we could get lost out there even if we can see the island." Mizu yelled
"She is right. We stay, Bepo and I will go ashore and poke around. Everyone else stay put." Mizu didn't know why but she thought Law was talking directly at her. Like she'd ever go ashore on a creepy island filled with angry marines, she was dense but not stupid. Mizu wanted to punch herself for calling herself dense but the truth hurt. "Right, that'll be all. Cleaner-ya stay back a second."
The other filled out when the last person shut the door panic set in, was Law upset about the event that occurred in her room. Mizu blocked out the memory, it was causing havoc with her mind when she thought about it. "What do you need Captain?"
"We didn't shake hands on our arrangement." Law held out his hand once more to Mizu.
"Yeah, you'll do one thing for me, no questions asked." Mizu shook his hand. "I promise to use this gift wisely."
"You better."
Hey guys, uni started so I'm busy again. Reading so many books and plays it hurts. I'm actually waking up with dry eyes. The things I do for an education. Uni is also the reason I'm updating on a weird day, I should be asleep right now but ssh!
A special award goes to HesperideIsis for quickest review ever. It took a grand total of three minutes for the last chapter to go before I got a little message come through on my phone to say I have a review. Ho-ly crap, that's fast.
I'd want to say thanks to beast4ever for reviewing the previous chapter!
The other coolest people on the internet (so biased) are- BatmanSwim2016, 10th Squad 3rd Seat, geckogal077, YukikoKitamura66, Lucy Jacob, jymmie21 and Shiningheart of ThunderClan! Woo! *confetti falls from the ceiling* yeah!