Whispers of the Heart's Blade (ONE PIECE LAW & FEM & ZORO)

1

The tavern bustled with drunk men, a symphony of clinking glasses and boisterous conversations. Amidst the crowd, Lila Mirage sat at the far end of the bar, her features hidden beneath the folds of her cloak. Her gaze was fixed on the rowdy newcomers who had just entered—an energetic young man with a straw hat and a swordsman who exuded an air of silent strength.

Lila's attention, however, was not solely focused on them. Her eyes narrowed as she listened to the crude remarks and jeers emanating from a group of men at a nearby table. Their laughter was laced with arrogance as they exchanged lewd comments about her appearance.

"I'd love to see that cloak on the floor baby." Chirped a drunk man from the table behind her.

As the minutes ticked by, the taunts grew louder, reaching a point where Lila could no longer ignore them. Her fingers tightened around her glass, her knuckles turning white as her irritation simmered beneath the surface.

"Hey there, sweetheart! Why don't you ditch the cloak and show us what you've got?" one of the men called out, his voice dripping with insinuation.

Lila's jaw clenched, her patience wearing thin. She had always been selective about her battles, but the audacity of these men left her with little choice. With a deep breath, she rose from her seat, leaving a handful of coins on the bar to cover her tab.

As she headed towards the exit, the crude comments followed her like an unwelcome shadow. Ignoring the men's laughter, she pushed through the door and stepped into the cool night air, her heart pounding with a mixture of anger and frustration.

Meanwhile, Luffy and Zoro had settled at the bar, their laughter and chatter filling the space. Luffy's eyes were trained on a plate of meat skewers, his appetite insatiable, while Zoro nursed his drink with a distant look in his eyes.

Unbeknownst to Luffy, a scuffle had broken out outside the tavern. The crude group of men had followed Lila, emboldened by liquid courage and arrogance.

"Where you going sweetheart?" Yelled another drunk man. Five of them followed Lila as she headed back to her boat. Lila ignored every last one of the lewd comments the drunk men made towards her.

Back in the bar, Zoro's attention was drawn to a series of hushed murmurs and muffled chuckles from the men behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted Lila's empty seat and the lingering leers of the group.

"Hey, what's got you all riled up?" Zoro asked, his voice carrying a dangerous edge.

The leader of the group snickered. "Oh, just a pretty little thing we saw earlier. She thought she could escape our attention."

Zoro's grip on his drink tightened, his gaze narrowing. "Leave her alone."

The men laughed, clearly intoxicated by their bravado. "Relax, swordsman. We're just having a bit of fun."

Zoro's fingers twitched, a precursor to the swift action he was prepared to take. However, his senses were interrupted as a sudden commotion erupted outside. The sounds of a struggle and harsh voices carried through the open door, the urgency of the situation impossible to ignore.

As Zoro's eyes met Luffy's, a silent understanding passed between them. Without a word, they left their drinks behind and stepped outside, just in time to witness the scene unfolding before them. Luffy placed his straw hat on top of his head as Zoro pushed his swords up with his thumb ready for action.

In the moonlit darkness, Lila fought with the men who had followed her, her cloak billowing like a shadowy dance. The clash of fists and the grunts of her attackers echoed in the still night, a stark contrast to the tavern's earlier revelry.

Zoro's brow furrowed as he watched, his instincts urging him to intervene. Luffy's hand shot out, gripping Zoro's arm and stopping him in his tracks.

"Wait, Zoro," Luffy said quietly, his gaze fixed on the fight.

Zoro's confusion was evident. "Why are we waiting? She's outnumbered."

Luffy's eyes gleamed with intrigue. "Let's see what she's got."

As the fight raged on, Zoro's frustration grew. "Luffy, we can't just stand here."

Luffy's grip tightened, his voice steady. "Trust me."

"Whatever you say, Captain." Zoro's voice calmed knowing he should have trust in the random cloak wearing women in the dark.

In the midst of the shadows, Lila's movements were a blur, her strikes precise and calculated. The attackers were swiftly incapacitated, their jeers silenced by the reality of their defeat.

Zoro's eyes widened, his hand itching to draw his swords. "Who is she?"

Luffy's grin widened, his curiosity piqued. "Let's go find out."

Approaching the boat, Luffy and Zoro exchanged glances, their steps silent against the wooden planks. Lila turned to face them, her features obscured by the darkness of her hood. Drawing her sword as quickly as she could she was met by Zoro's sword stopping her before she could point it in Luffy's neck.

"Hey," Luffy began, his voice carrying a mixture of warmth and intrigue. "You're pretty strong." He flicked both the swords away and stepped closer towards Lila.

Zoro added, "Watch yourself there, I was just about to complement you."

Lila regarded them both, her eyes guarded yet wary. The connection she had felt earlier, the fleeting moment when Zoro's gaze met hers in the bar, was now mirrored in the intensity of their stares.

"I don't need a man's compliments. I think you saw what happens when a man's opinion does to him. I'd hate to see such a pretty boy like you get hurt." Lila's eyes darted towards Zoro as he lowered his sword to his side.

Luffy bursted out in laughter, his grin widen as he held his stomach bending over.
"Haha Zoro did you hear her?!" Luffy continued his laughter as Zoro's glare shot at Luffy and Lila. "She's funny. I like you. You wanna join my crew? I think we could use someone funny like you, plus you got some moves"

Lila's hand instinctively went to the concealed sword at her side, the encounter having taken an unexpected turn. The two strangers before her held an air of mystery that was both captivating and unsettling.

"I don't even know your names, let alone know who you even are? For all I know you could be slave traders." Lila's grip on her sword tighten as the words fell from her mouth.

"Oh right! Haha! I'm Luffy and this is Zoro. I'm going to be King of the Pirates."

**To be continued...**