Author's Note: Aww … I noticed that my phone allowed me to log into my account for … and I thought it would let me post my chapter … but alas … it wouldn't even let me submit the document … It let me put the file on my phone, because I can link from my laptop, and my phone has MSOffice Word. It even let me select the file and name in on on my phone, but then when I hit submit document …. nothing happened! T.T Stupid, useless phone … I still have no internet … I'm still having to seek out internet to post. We won't even get a guy out here til the 11th, and who's to say he can fix it then … Also, to all those who asked in the reviews about what hurricane, yes, it was hurricane Ike that came through here. Anyways, here's chapter 15 for you guys … Please read, enjoy, and review! XD
Genderly Challenged
Chapter 15: Thou Have Lost To A Swordsman
As soon as Zoro and Nami boarded the ship, Sanji went into fit of laughter. He had been holding it in, just so he could throw it into Zoro's face.
"You got rejected because you're a woman!!" He cried as he seemed on the verge of guffawing himself to death.
"Shut it, you noodle headed bitch!"
"Man that must have been really embarrassing for you! Did you go run off to cry?!"
"I'm gonna beat your ass black and blue!!"
"I'm sure you've been looking for an excuse to touch it, asshole!!" Sanji yelled as he turned and rubbed his own ass as he smirked at Zoro, still laughing.
Franky, Usopp, Chopper and Brook were also chuckling a bit at the scene and at Zoro's rejection because he was a woman.
"Alright, alright! That's enough already." Nami said as she frowned at Sanji.
Zoro whirled around on his heel as he ground his teeth in anger before walking off. Nami turned her frown towards him, but then blinked.
"Ah, Zoro, a stitch came undone on your haramaki."
"Mm …" Zoro hummed as he turned to look down at it. "Oh yeah …"
This entire time, Luffy was only gaping at his crewmates. They were all laughing at Zoro, but not once did Nami yell at them. He slowly stood up and watched as both Zoro and Nami walked up the stairs. He clenched his teeth down and bared them slightly.
"Hahahahaha!"
Gasping, Nami's brows furrowed as she turned with a scowl on her face. "Luf …!"
Blinking, Nami only gaped down at Luffy. There wasn't an ounce of humor on his face as he glared up at her, even though he had just laughed. He 'humphed' before slowly closing his eyes, turning away from her and then walking away. Nami only gaped at his back in complete confusion before frowning a bit and turning away. The crew looked back and forth between the two in just as much confusion.
'What was that about?'She thought to herself as she climbed the remainder of the stairs.
'I knew it …'
xxxx
Usopp glanced up at the door. They had both been in there a long time already. Getting up, he walked up the stairs and placed his ear on the door.
"Just take it off …"
"I don't want to!"
"Why not?! I put it on you before … Why is now any different?"
"I-I don't know!"
"Just take it off … It's not like I've never seen a female body … Why are you making such a big deal about this?"
"I-I don't know … It just feels weird!"
"Quit being stupid and take it off!"
"Aah! No! Stop!"
"Stop struggling!"
"Ow … Aah!"
"See? No big deal …"
"B-But … still …"
"Still nothing …"
"What the hell are they doing?!" Usopp yelled in a loud whisper.
"Eh?" The crew questioned as they looked over at Usopp. Luffy only turned a frown on him from his place on Sunny's head.
"I think she's taking his clothes off!"
"What?!" Sanji yelled as they rest of the crew gaped at Usopp.
Then Sanji quickly ran over, jumped over the rail and pressed his ear to the door. Luffy's brows furrowed deeply before he jumped down and went to listen as well as the others.
"Look, see? It's not so bad … Now is it …?"
"I'm naked …"
"… Uh huh …"
"Eh?!" Sanji exclaimed as he looked horrified and his face paled, as well as Luffy's.
"What the hell are they doing in there?!" Usopp exclaimed as sweat beaded down his face.
"I could ask you the same thing!"
Usopp turned to Luffy with his jaw dropped. "What?! What the hell are you talking about?!"
Luffy's lips pursed before he huffed. "Nothing!" He said before turning and stomping off.
"Eh?" Usopp questioned in total confusion as he watched Luffy walk away. Sanji slowly turned and also walked away. However, Usopp just stood in front of it as he blinked at it for awhile. Climbing back on Sunny's head, Luffy then turned to frown deeply at Usopp's back. Closing his eyes, he turned around back towards the sea.
'I don't care …'
After awhile, Zoro finally came out of Nami's room, with Nami right behind him. All eyes turned towards them in wide eyed question. Nami pursed her lips at them.
"What?"
Most only shook their heads vigorously and looked away, others just blinked at her.
"What the hell is your problem?!" Zoro yelled as he scowled at them.
"Nothin'!"
"Ugh … Were you guys listening at the door?"
Some faces paled while others blushed, however, Robin only smiled.
"N-N-No! Of course not!" Usopp exclaimed as he waved his hands in front of him.
"You did …" Nami said as she narrowed her eyes at him. "So you heard that, huh?"
Luffy quickly turned towards Nami, his lips in a small gape.
"Na-Nami-san?"
Nami turned to glare at Zoro, who looked away with a slight blush. "The idiot didn't seem to want to part with his haramaki and wanted me to sew it right where it was around his waist. Ever since he couldn't wear it before I sewed it, he said he felt naked without it."
"Shut up!"
"I might have poked you with the needle!"
"And?!"
"Bah!" Nami exclaimed as she threw her hands into the air and walked over to her chair. Then she sat down. "What did you guys think, anyways? Good grief!" She exclaimed as she closed her eyes with an annoyed expression.
Still with a soft frown, Luffy finally turned around back towards the sea, but not before Nami looked up at him. 'What's his deal, anyway?'
Zoro walked over to the rails and looked over the side. Blinking, Nami looked back over at him. "Are you going?"
Without turning, Zoro nodded. "Yeah …"
Standing up, she then walked over to him. "Let me come with you. I can help."
Turning around to face her, he then frowned at her. "You can help?!"
She gave a smile and small laugh. "Help you find him. Otherwise, you will just get lost …"
"I would not get lost!"
"… Uh huh …"
"Fine! Do what you want!"
Nodding in satisfaction, she followed him off of the ship. "Where are you guys going?"
Smiling at Usopp over the rail, she paused in her decent. "We'll be right back." She said before climbing the rest of the way down.
"Eh? Where the hell are they going?" Usopp asked as he scratched his head.
"Don't know …" Sanji replied as he lit a new cigarette.
"Perhaps to find that swordsman from earlier?"
Everyone turned to blink at Brook. "The swordsman?" Usopp questioned as he scratched his chin.
"Ee, I believe so as well." Robin replied as she smiled in the now blank space Nami had been occupying moments before.
"You mean that idiot is actually going to try again?" Sanji asked as he thumbed to the now empty place.
"Why would he do that?" Usopp asked as he tilted his head at the empty place.
"Maybe to regain his dignity?" Sanji said as he began to chuckle.
"Perhaps … but I feel there is more to this than we might know …" Robin said as she turned to look at them.
They in turn, turned to her in confusion. "More to it? Like what?" Usopp asked as he frowned slightly.
"I do not know that …"
Only listening, Luffy then turned towards the town, only barely being able to make out Zoro and Nami now.
xxxx
"We can go back to the same bar, and start from there."
Nodding, Zoro looked around, keeping his eyes open for the swordsman.
"Maybe we can even ask the people inside the bar. They might know something about him, or where he might go." She continued as she also looked around. "I bet he was a bounty hunter … It's a good thing we don't look like ourselves, or he may have caused us trouble."
"He wouldn't have been able to take us …"
"True, but then we would have been exposed …"
"Then we would have had a good work out …"
"Of course you would think that way … I'm sure you all would have …" Nami replied sarcastically as she glared at Zoro's smirking face. Then she looked ahead. "Here we are … Let's ask around inside."
"Right …" Zoro replied with a nod as he followed her inside.
However, no one inside knew anything about a loner swordsman, or for that matter, even remembered him from just an hour before.
"Well, that was useless …"
Frowning, Zoro looked around outside. "Which way did he head in?"
"Mm, that way." Nami said as she pointed to the left.
Nodding, Zoro then headed in the opposite direction. Sighing, Nami snatched his arm as he passed, and then headed in the correct direction.
"Oi!"
"Seriously … you cannot be that bad at directions …"
Puffing out his cheeks, he then yanked his arm from her grasp and then began to follow her. They didn't have to go far. A few streets down, they could hear screaming and a lot of commotion. Breaking into a run, they rounded a corner and finally found the swordsman, in the middle of a fight with what looked to be bandits. However, the swordsman was a bit careless in his attacks.
Sprinting forward, Zoro headed for the forceful winds of the swordsman's attack that was headed straight for some terrified onlookers. Stopping in front of them, Zoro quickly unsheathed his swords and used them to deflect and redirect the attack upwards. Skidding back from the force, he succeeded in the redirection before furrowing his brows towards the swordsman.
"Ah, thanks!" One of the men yelled before he grabbed the woman's hand he was with and began to run, the others not far behind him.
Without turning, or replying, Zoro just continued to watch the swordsman finish up his fight and catch his bounty. Once he tied them up, he immediately turned to Zoro.
"Impressive … You actually deflected my attack …"
"Child's play …"
Scoffing, the man then slowly approached Zoro. "All right … I admit you have some skill lady …"
"Look, don't call me lady … or toots, or anything like that. I have a name. It's Zo …. Zosa …" He replied with a deep frown and with some disdain.
"What? Don't like the name your mother gave to you …?"
Zoro glanced towards Nami, but not directly at her as a small humorless smile touched his lips. "Yeah … something like that …" He said with a scoff before looking back at the hunter. Biting her lip, Nami smiled wide, knowing he was referring to her.
"All right … Zosa … Maybe just a small scuffle … I don't want to-"
"You won't hurt me …" Zoro said as he smirked. "Shall we …?" He asked as he motioned towards the outside of town.
Nodding, the hunter then headed in that direction, Zoro and Nami following. They entered the wilderness and came to a small clearing.
"I guess this is big enough …"
Zoro smirked then. "I'm sure it will be cleared up more soon …"
Chuckling, the swordsman then turned towards Zoro as he drew his sword. "Name's Akashi, by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Akashi." Zoro said before lunging into an attack.
Eyes widening, Akashi quickly dodged the superbly dealt and very quick attack, but just barely. The speed and force was not expected as he skidded back a few feet, their swords locked together.
"Not … bad …" He said through clenched teeth as he fought with Zoro in strength, pushing him back as best he could.
Chuckling, Zoro smirked up at him. "You'd be surprised …" He said before jumping back and sending another attack from afar.
Jumping out of the way, Akashi rolled to his feet before lunging towards Zoro. Swinging at his attack, he caused Akashi to back off to evaluate his foe. Already breathing heavily from the exertion, Akashi quirked a brow at Zoro, slightly confused and more than surprised.
"Okay … not bad at all … You're really good …"
"Mm, that's what I was trying to tell you …"
"All right … So I might have been wrong to doubt a woman's ability …"
Zoro quirked a brow. "Might …?"
"Heh … Okay, I was wrong …"
"Now we determine a winner …" Zoro said as he lunged for him again.
Sitting on a rock nearby, Nami calmly watched the duel from a distance. It seemed that Zoro hadn't lost any of his strength or speed from being changed. In fact, his speed looked to have increased slightly from the lighter weight. Using that speed to his advantage, Zoro crossed and uncrossed both swords quickly, sending an incredibly powerful attack towards Akashi. Bringing his sword in front of him to block, it didn't seem to be enough as he was sent flying back into the tress behind him.
After awhile, he finally emerged from the rubble, a more than surprised expression on his face. "You got first hit …"
Zoro smirked at the obvious awe in his voice and eyes. "That's right … I did."
"Well done … but that doesn't decide the victor … It's whoever calls 'Uncle' first …"
"Right …" Zoro said as his smirked widened and he sprinted in for another attack. "Hah!" He cried as he swung his swords down gracefully.
Jumping back and landing on his hands and hind legs, Akashi ground his teeth, realizing he was just a tad bit slower. He was going to have to use his superior strength against his foe. Not taking the chance Zoro would attack first, he took off towards him swiping his sword hard, extending his arm as far out as he could. Ducking down low, Zoro flipped his sword down and thrust up the handle of his sword, catching Akashi's chin and sending him flying up.
He crashed down to the ground hard with a groan. Rubbing his chin, he glanced up at Zoro with one eye closed. "Nice move …"
"Thanks ..." Zoro replied with a smug smile.
"I haven't even gotten a hit off …"
"You're not going easy on me … are you? Because if you are … it's gonna be worse for you …"
"No … I stopped going easy on you the moment you first attacked … I have to admit … this is a little embarrassing for me to lose to a woman, and is one of the reasons I don't duel women …"
"Don't think of it as losing to a woman … Think of it as losing to someone who just had skill, to someone who knew how to use a sword." Zoro said as he approached him and reached out a hand to him.
Smiling, Akashi breathed out in a bit of a laugh as he finally took Zoro's offered hand. "Sounds good … I will." He said as Zoro pulled him to his feet. "You're very skilled with a sword. I've not met anyone with that kind of skill and speed."
"I made a promise to be the best … and I plan on fulfilling that promise …"
"Well, you're not too far off …"
"No … I am … I need to become a lot stronger if I plan on defeating that man …"
Akashi nodded, seeming to understand. "I'm sure you can accomplish your goal."
Zoro smiled. "Thanks."
Looking over to Nami, Akashi seemed to look thoughtful. "Your man over there took the duel in stride … He didn't even seem worried."
Both Nami and Zoro blinked at Akashi. "Your … man …?" Nami questioned before her lips twitched, and then she burst into laughter. "No, no … You've got it all wrong! We're just crewmates!" She exclaimed as she laughed.
"Crewmates?" Akashi asked as he looked over at Zoro. "You're pirates?"
"Yeah, we are." Zoro replied as he sheathed his sword. "And he had no reason to be worried about me. I can hold my own, as you saw."
"Indeed …" Akashi replied as he smiled. Then he shook his head as he looked away. "You really are somethin' else …" He said before sheathing his sword and walking away. "Maybe I'll see ya around …" He said over his shoulder as he continued back into town.
Grin on her face as she watched Akashi walk back into town, Nami slid off the ground before turning her grin onto Zoro. "I think you've got an admirer."
"Shut up …" Zoro muttered as he looked away from her, a small blush on his cheeks. "That's just disgusting …"
Chuckling, she then motioned her head back into town. "Come on. Let's get back to the ship." She said as she began to walk back towards the harbor. "So, feel better now?" She asked as they began to walk together.
"Mmm … and now I know she coulda done it …" He muttered more to himself.
Looking over at him, Nami watched him for a bit before looking ahead again. She had no idea who he was talking about, but she felt it was probably something very important to him. She wasn't gonna push the issue. As soon as they made it back to the ship, questioning eyes greeted them.
"Where'd you guys go?"
"No where … Doesn't matter …" Zoro replied to Usopp as he made his way to the men's quarters.
"Did you go back and find that swordsman? Did he reject you again?"
Pausing, Zoro turned a frown on Sanji, who was smirking back at him. "Yeah … I went back for him, and no, he didn't reject me … I won the duel …" Zoro replied with his own smirk.
"Awesome!" Usopp and Chopper replied with grins.
"That's great, Zoro-san!" Brook exclaimed as he lifted his arms to his sides.
"Ha! So the poor bastard got beat down by a girl? I feel for the man …" Franky exclaimed with a massive grin on his face.
"That's right! Even like this, I'm still strong!"
"So … you had to go and have a duel to reassure yourself?"
Making a noise in the back of his throat, Zoro looked back towards Sanji's smirking face with a frown. "I wouldn't be saying anything if I were you, Vanity Queen …"
Losing his smirk, Sanji ground his teeth as he stepped towards Zoro. "You wanna make somethin' of it, weeping willow?!"
"Shut it, fettuccine!"
"Hoo, take you awhile to come up with that one?"
"All right, all right, that's enough!" Nami said as she approached both.
Huffing, Zoro turned his back on both as he went to lean against the ship's mast instead of going to the men's quarters. Snorting, Sanji turned to go back to his kitchen. Sighing, Nami rubbed her temple before turning and looking up. Pausing, she found her eyes meeting directly with black as coal orbs, staring down at her intently. Lowering her hand, her brows furrowed a bit as they stared at one another for a long while before Luffy finally closed his eyes and turned away from her. Huffing, Nami turned away with a look of irritation.
"Whatever …" She muttered as she went to sit down in her usually chair.
Having seen the exchange, Usopp sighed as he looked from Nami and then to Luffy. 'I wonder what's wrong with them … I wonder what happened …' He thought to himself as he frowned sadly. 'Maybe I should talk to Luffy …' He continued as he then looked over at Nami, who was glaring at Luffy's back.
'I don't understand …'
To Be Continued …
Author's Note: So, what'cha think? I thought the fight was pretty cool, but I didn't want it to be too long, nor too detailed. So, I went with plain and simple. I hope you guys liked it. Ah, No.5 I did kinda feel that way, but ya know what, it's okay. I'm sorry for lashing. Ah, Hunter … I think the majority of women are like that … even if you aren't. I think you're just an exception! X) I'm not really a typical girl either, but I do tend to get moody and impatient, especially during that time of the month. Nothing says, this sucks like hell, when starting your period … Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed. Please let me know, by reviewing! Ja! X)