Disclaimer: I dont own the characters or one piece. Ta da!

Snowy Duel: part 2

The cold night of air of snowy Winderkil was harsh and windy as the swordsman and swordswoman faced off. Tashigi was the first to make a move attacking with her sword drawn above her head.

Her blow was intercepted by Zoro's blade held in an arched guard stance just over his head with his arms squared off with his muscular shoulders.

The next attack was again made by Tashigi, and the next and the next. "What is he doing?" She started to realize that he was avoiding making any tactical advances. "Is he toying with me?" Tashigi had no time to answer herself. While she had been thinking Zoro had taken advantage of her wondering mind by stabbing Wadou Ichimonji's blade into the ice of the frozen terrain they where fighting on. The sword made a few long cracks and caused some shifting in the ice. Zoro then passed closely by Tashigi as she came down in a full force cut. Then before she could turn and slash at him again the green haired man threw his arms down her shoulders attempting to trap the Marine's arms to her side and prevent her from coming at him again. "He IS toying with me!" Knowing that there was no way to cut at Zoro now, Tashigi, reversed her hold on the swords hilt and used the force that Zoro was applying to her arms to send the blade stabbing downward into the ice. On impact the ice cracked and shifted once again.

She then turned the sword making the cracks in the ice deeper and longer than they had been. Zoro felt the ice shift as pieces of ground started to break away from each other. He released Tashigi and went to reclaim his sword. Tashigi did the same once free of Zoro's grasp. Knowing he wouldn't give up Wadou Ichimonji to anyone, or anything with out a fight. Tashigi had used the moving terrain as a distraction to remove the wanted villain from her. "Now Zoro," She yelled, " Your mine!"

Tashigi ran at Zoro a crossed the frozen platforms with waster sloshing and readjusting the ice with every step she took. Zoro copied the actions of his attacker and the met katanas clashing. As the stood locked in a battle of strength the ice directly below them cracked causing both Tashigi and Zoro to fall into the icy water. Zoro went under but emerged soon after. Looking about as he climbed out of the water searching for his pursuer. Zoro saw the girl's sword and next to it was a hand gloved in lavender that was slowly slipping away into the dark waters below the ice country.

Not even thinking Zoro made his way to that hand and grasped it lifting a still body from the water. He noticed that there was a stream of blood down the side of her face. " She must have gotten cut when she fell. I should get her back to Pearl Port." Zoro told himself as he hoisted Tashigi on to his back and linking his arms under her legs.

Zoro traveled with a quickened pace back to Pearl Port once he arrived It had been some time since the sun had set, so Zoro went to the only person he knew in the town.

"Old man!" Zoro raised his voice. He arrived out side the shop in Pearl and was kicking the door. " Hey! Old Man! I need help!"

The elderly shopkeeper came to the door. He had already closed the shop for the night but when he saw Zoro with an unconscious girl on his back the shopkeeper quickly unlocked his door and let the two in.

Zoro looked over his shoulder at Tashigi in surprise. "Would she really risk her life to bring in one man?" He shook his head, " No time for questions."

"Is there a place we can stay?" Zoro asked knowing that the inn was closed at such a late hour.

The man nodded, "There is a spare room just upstairs. You and your girlfriend can have that." The man smiled.

One of Zoro's eyes half twitched at the old man's second comment.

"She's not my -"

"There are some extra changes of clothes in the dresser in the spare room. Just help yourselves." The man smiled, " It's the least I can do for all the assistance you gave this village."

Zoro nodded his thanks and headed up the wooden staircase. Once in the room he looked about for the dresser, which was easily found to the right of the entryway.

Tashigi had been shivering with cold and Zoro knew what he had to do. "First we need to get you out of these wet clothes." He didn't think too much of what he just said until what the old man had said replayed in his head. " Girlfriend!" He thought with a sour look on his face. "You would rather kill me and kiss me" Zoro whispered to the unconscious Tashigi in a some what sarcastic tone, "Well then I guess if your going to kill me this will give you a reason," and with that he began to strip the Marine of her clothes.

A/n: Hope you are all enjoying this so far. So this is the part where i request that you R&R. So if you dont mind let me know what you think. It cam be about what you want to see happen, my writing style, pros or cons. I wanna know