Sorry this chapter is so short; this fight scene in the movie was just that, but I tried to lengthen it by elaborating on thought processes. I know I didn't do so hot on this; I realize I suck at writing fight scenes in general. Anyway, please read, review, and enjoy! Much obliged.

And you should all know that I start school tomorrow. I'm a Junior in high school so it's going to be all work and no play, which means updates are going to come less frequently now, however, I promise to update the moment I finish a chapter!

Chapter 6 – The Giant

The Man in Black jogged around a huge boulder, finding himself suddenly in a hilly field dotted with many rocks and large boulders sticky out in various places. He stopped, only staring around him. Something in his subconscious told him to be wary; this was a perfect place to hide and execute an ambush.

He took a tentative step forward, then another, his eyes darting from each boulder as he passed it. There didn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary, but as he took another step forward, something huge flashed in the corner of his eye and he ducked just in time to avoid getting a huge rock to the head. It sailed over him and crashed into the formation behind him. Quick as a snake, his white hilted sword was in his hands, pointing at the large man who had appeared from behind the largest boulder a few feet away.

The man knelt and picked up another good ostrich egg-sized stone. As the Man in Black got a good look at his face, he recognized the giant as one of the Ice Giants from Greenland. His slightly tanned skin and black hair gave him away. Though the Ice Giants were a generally peaceful race, they would not hesitate to kill anyone who gets in their way. The Man in Black also took in his red tunic, identifying him as the Legendary Luffy, a champion wrestler in his country. Only the champions were allowed to wear red; and there was only one recorded champion.

"I did that on purpose," Luffy said, rolling the stone between his thick fingers. "I don't have to miss."

"I believe you," The Man in Black said quickly. His fingers grasped the hilt in a death grip. "So what happens now?"

"We face each other. Sportsmanlike. No tricks, no weapons. Skill against skill alone."

"You mean," The Man in Black summarized. "You put down your rock and I put down my swords and we'll try and kill each other like civilized people?"

Luffy raised the rock over his head. "I could kill you now."

"I think the odds are slightly in your favor at hand-fighting," The Man in Black said, slowly sheathing his sword and unbuckling his belt. He backed up, keeping his front to the giant as he placed his swords leaning against a large rock.

"It's not my fault for being the biggest and the strongest," Luffy commented plainly, tossing his rock away. "I don't even exercise."

The two men faced each other. The Man in Black tensed his legs, charging forward and slamming his entire body into Luffy's midsection. The giant didn't move an inch, grinning down at the confused Man in Black. Grunting with anger, the Man in Black lunged forward again, engulfing the giant in a huge hug, squeezing with all his power.

It was to no avail; he might as well have been trying to bend steel with his bare hands. Still, he persisted, growling low to pump adrenaline into his arms. This didn't appear to work either, so he finally released the giggling giant and glared up at him. "Are you just fiddling around with me or what."

"I just want you to feel like you're doing well." Luffy chuckled. "I hate for people to die embarrassed." Luffy lumbered toward the Man in Black, his arms wide open to embrace him. It was best to avoid those arms at all costs. He leapt forward and tumble rolled through his legs, landing in a crouch behind him. Even without my swords, I'm still a swordsman, he thought, thanking his years of agility training.

"You're quick!" Luffy praised, whipping around faster than he thought possible for a giant.

"And a good thing, too."

"Why are you wearing a mask?" He asked as he lumbered toward him again, swiping those fists toward his face. The Man in Black ducked. "Were you burned by acid or something?"

"No, I didn't get burned by acid." Swipe. Duck. "I just don't want my face to be seen." Swipe. Duck.

"Why?" Swipe. Duck.

"Mind your own business." The Man in Black skittered to the side, landing one foot on a boulder and leaping onto Luffy's back piggy-back style, wrapping his muscled arms around the giant's neck. Luffy's arms waved around wildly, trying to unhook the troublesome tick attached to him.

Luffy began stumbling around blindly. "I just figured… why you'd give me so much trouble," he said as well as he could through the Man in Black's grip on his neck. His ankle caught on a small pebble and he stumbled backward.

Oh crap, was all the Man in Black could think before he was squashed between a huge boulder and a four-hundred pound giant. He let out a heavy grunt. "What do you think?"

"Well, I haven't fought just one person in so long…" Luffy began to pry at the arms slowly tightening around his neck, grunting with every attempt. "I specialize in groups grunt battling gangs for local charities grunt that kind of thing. Grunt."

"And why would that make such a –" Luffy shuffled back into another rock. The Man in Black's breath was forced from his lungs and he let out another forced cough. "Difurunce?"

Luffy's breathing was becoming strained, and slowly he dropped first to one knee, then the other. "Well you see… you use… different moves… when you're fighting…" He fell to his hands. "A dozen people… then when you only… have to… be worried… about… one…" The giant stopped fighting and he collapsed to the hard earth, unconscious.

The Man in Black crawled from his spot and stared at Luffy's motionless body. He had never known the Legendary Luffy to be so heartwarming. Fighting off gangs for charities? It seemed a little farfetched for a wrestling champion… ex-wrestling champion. Maybe he had been a little bit prejudiced but that was for another time.

The victor grabbed Luffy's arm and rolled the huge man onto his back, pressing his ear to Luffy's chest. The slight thumping of a heartbeat met his ears, and the Man in Black pulled back, staring at Luffy's relaxed face. "I don't envy the headache you'll have when you wake up," he said. "Have a good sleep and dream about giant wo –" He leaned down giving a sniff. "Dream about giant pieces of meat."

He jogged to the outcropping on which he had laid his three swords. He buckled them once again to his hip, smiling at the familiar weight as he stared once again at the ground to locate footprints. Finding a pair similar to those of the smaller ones he had followed to this point, joined now by a daintier pair, he gave a low chuckle and resumed his chase.

~X~X~X~

Prince Lucci placed one leather boot carefully into the footprint grained into the ground, followed by the other. He shuffled forward, twisting and finally coming to a stop next to a dilapidated building at the end of the ruins which stood at the top of the Gates of Justice.

"There was," he said. "A mighty duel." He glanced at the thousands of prints scattered around him. "It ranged all over. They were both masters." He climbed a large pile of mossy stones back to where his horse stood teathered to a wall.

Prince Lucci had been doing paperwork in his royal study when a servant had rushed to report his beloved Princess Robin's horse had been recovered with the Enies royal seal strapped to the saddle. Enraged, the prince immediately set sail for Enies with his ten best soldiers and his advisor and head of the guard, Jabra.

Count Jabra was a tall dark-skinned man with a Fu Manchu moustache and goatee. His long black hair braided into a thick queue that somewhat resembled a scorpion's tail. A thick scar ran across his left eye. He wore an off-yellow long sleeve shirt with a steel breastplate over his torso as well as leather trousers and boots. "Who won?" Jabra asked, a small pulling at his lips. "How did it end?"

"The loser ran off alone," Prince Lucci deduced, kneeling and examining a particularly large disturbance in the dirt as if a body had lain there. He followed a single pair of footprints heading off away from the ruins. "And the winner followed those footprints toward Enies."

"Should we track them both down?" Jabra asked, glee filling his voice at the thought of the hunt.

"The loser is nothing," Lucci said, glaring at his subordinate. "Only the Princess Robin matters." He now addressed all of his gathered men, taking on an princely air. "This was all planned by warriors of Enies! We must all be ready for whatever is ahead!"

Lucci mounted his black stallion, adjusting his reins to fit snugly in his hands. Jabra leaned over. "Do you think this could be a trap?" he asked.

Lucci stared at the Count. "I always think everything could be a trap. It's why I'm still alive."

That being said, the Prince spurred his horse into a strong canter, out of the ruins and in pursuit of the princess. Jabra motioned for his men to follow, and soon all twelve Oharans were on the trail of their missing princess. Jabra's veins boiled at the thought of another hunt, and he smiled widely, revealing two pointed canine teeth.

Everything about the Ice Giants and the champion wrestler stuff is made up. I had to make the Man in Black somehow recognize Luffy so I wouldn't have to continuously call him "the giant" or "the man" since it's in the Man in Black's POV and he wouldn't know his name either way.

Anway. The race is on for the beautiful princess Robin! Reviews get you the next chapter so you know what to do!

Next Time:

The Man in Black races after Spandam, the only remaining kidnapper left until Robin is finally liberated. However, Spandam doesn't prove as easy to defeat as the other two, and the Man in Black could be in trouble if he doesn't play is cards right. Meanwhile, Prince Lucci and Count Jabra are closing in quickly. Who will reach the Princess first? Chapter 7 – The Battle of Wits