Chapter 25

Pic: Her dress but the back is lower in the story... Copyright on Caruseola, I you want to use it you have to ask :P
Dedicated: To a new reader Miss Sanchez! ^.^ thnx!

Sanji's POV

It was Saturday morning and Katou had insisted I tell her everything I did...

So I completely forgot about her Christmas present.

"Here I got this for my lovely sister." I dropped a blood red stone, shaped into a hexagon with a square cut out in the middle.

"Ahh... Thanks Sanji... But what is it?" She tapped it with her manicured finger nail (which I'm quite sure Nami forced her to have).

"Caruseola, you won't believe what it does." I beamed and she raise her eyebrow in question.

"It's counter-attacks sea prism stone," "what! How is that even possible? What do you mean?" Her eyes widened as she looked at the stone.
"There are only two of them in the world, the other was belonged to Gol D Roger... Say if you were to put this to a cage made of sea prism stone like the ones in marine gallows it would crumple is weakness, anything made out sea prism stone it can destroy."

She picked up the stone in awe turning in between her fingers, I lit a cigarette and continued.

"The legend is that there was one rock on the island of Raftel and Gol D Roger found it and had it cut into two stones, one he kept for himself and the other... No one knows what happened to it..." "This is that stone?!" "Yup." I tapped ash into a tray.

"You sure? Have you tested it?" "Well we have a sea prism stone lock in the pantry to keep Luffy at arms length, so I thought we'd try that out on it." "YOU DONT EVEN KNOW IF ITS REAL! THANKS FOR THE FALSE HOPE BAKA!" She hit me on the head. "Ouch! I'm pretty sure it's real..."

We walked to the kitchen and Katou put the caruseola on the lock and it crumpled the lock.
She gasped and looked at the stone.
"This is crazy... So Sanji, care to tell me where you found this?"
"These pirates came to the restaurant and caused a ruckus and in the end didn't pay the bill... So we took there treasure and I found it with that. They probably didn't even know what it was, not many people do. So I thought you'd like it."

She gave me a big hug and said.
"Sanji-nii! Thank you! I think this will come in handy, I have a feeling there will be days a head of us were we will have to bust Luffy out of marine gallows..." She laughed but she was dead right.

That kid will shake the world.

Speaking of guys Katou knows...

I'm going to break that moss head! If he hurts her or I catch him mistreating her... I don't care how many swords that knuckle brain has, he will be soufflé when I'm done with him...

"I wonder how much this is worth..." Katou mumbled tossing the stone into the air and catching it at eye level.
"Well... I took it to a private dealer and payed him to shut up about it and he told me that it was real and something like this you cannot put a price on... You'd have to sell your soul for it to be worth it's use." I lit another seeing as my cigarette had reached the end of it's life.

"Tell me, that marimo baka... You really love him? It's not just a crush?" She narrowed her eyes at me and I prepared myself for the worst.
But instead of being angry ad abusing me (physically and verbally) she smiled and a single tear ran down her face.

My eye widened and she said.
"Without a doubt I love him, I feel that spark Xiou used to tell us about whenever I'm near him... You would call it nonsense-" I cut her off and looked at the photo of Xiou, Mihawk and us.
"But you believed it... You believed everything he said, like it was golden nuggets of wisdom... You can't be sure that this spark you feel is love, it might just be lust or attraction."

Her face fell and she bit her lower lip.
"I know it's not just that! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ITS LIKE BECAUSE YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE LIKE THIS! YOU GO LOVESICK ON EVERY PRETTY GIRL YOU SEE BUT YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO TRULY LOVE AND CARE FOR SOMEONE SANJI!! You don't know! Can't you just be happy for me? When am I ever truly and contently happy?! Never, until I met Zoro!" She yelled and ran off out the door.

She is happy... But does she really love him? He doesn't look like he'd treat a lady properly... Then again I don't know him well, but first impression stick.

Katou's POV

I stormed to the dojo to train out my anger.

I picked up Yuuga and Jikkou and tried to practise the techniques for training in Nitoryu.

It's actually harder than it looks, especially with swords that are completely different lengths.

Yet with that aside they work completely in-sync with each other, most likely because they are both made by Rāida.

I trained for a while gathering a sweat, even though it was cold and frosty outside I was really hot.

Suddenly the doors of the dojo bursts open causing me to drop a weight (narrowly missing my left foot), surprisingly it was Nami.

"Katou! Have you heard? About the ball?! I'm so excited!" "Unfortunately..." I grumbled reaching for a towel.
"Hurry up and clean yourself we are going to buy dresses, jewellery and make up!" Nami jumped up and down.
"Today is a bad day."

💰💰 IN SILCENA SHOPPING DISTRICT💜💜

"Nami! Why are you dragging me around to these places! I'm tired!" I whinged as Nami pulled me into what feels like the eight hundredth store today!

"I'm still not satisfied with these prices mister, this dress is so beautiful, don't you agree? It has a very... Low cut hemline... Don't you think I'd be gorgeous in it? So why not drop the price?" Nami flirted with the man at the counter, that's Nami, trying to haggle her way through life.
She's so tight with money, I'd give her the money if she didn't hoard it up like treasure, to her it is though I suppose

I looked at the fancy formal dress that weren't even helping to kill my bordem...
They all look ridiculous anyway, lots of frills, bows and sparkles.

I was about to give up until I saw a shiny silver and purple dress the exact colour of my eyes and hair, with a tight curve hugging physic, draping out into a flowing skirt and heart shaped neckline.
Most of dress was silver with a portion of it on the right side purple, with vines decked in leaves swirling around the bodice, it was also backless so perfect for showing off my tattoo.

"Ahh miss, I see you've found one of our more high end items, this one was the last piece that the great Alejandro Cincerè designed... Easily the most expensive dress we have, may I show you something more likely within your price range." The snobby nosed man said with his nose turn up.
"Well, I am a millionaire and I can easily buy your store out of stock so I don't think price is a matter sir, I would like to be fitted." I made my tone of voice seep authority.
His eyes widened and he said.
"I do apologise madam, right away of course... My deepest apologises I'll get our finest tailor out to see to you."

I rolled my eyes at the idiot and a tall man built like a spider scuttled out of the back of the shop and walked over to me, he looks kind of familiar... Hmm...

"And here I expected to see a snobby nosed brat, but it's little miss Natsumi, Ayami's and Hayato' daughter." My eyes widened.
"Pedro? How come your this side of Nihoji? Last time I saw you it was way back in Kurojoshou... I'd ripped a huge hole in my best dress so I came to you... What a surprise!" I reminisced hugging the frail old man.

"Yes, quite a tore you put in that beautiful dress... I moved here when my business went bankrupt, I chose Silcena because they have a high demand for tailors... I never knew you lived here though!"
"I live in a forest called Masakuto, fifteen minutes from here." I spotted Nami being taken to be fitted with a light blue dress with white, shiny beading all over it.

"Oh how very nice. I see you've found The Graceful Strident... You've always had an artist eye like your mother." He said taking the dress from me. "I never knew dresses had names." "Only some." He beckoned me to the one of the little rooms in the back.

"You've grown up so much since I've seen you, still look just like your father though." He chuckled taking my measurements, I smiled and took off my clothes putting the dress on.

"Your scar still complete your look, Natsumi-Chan, oh and you have a tattoo, you rebellious attitude never changed. " "You think so? They've grown on me you could say." I joked and he laughed.

The dress fit almost perfectly... The bust was too small though... How embarrassing...

He said he'd take out a few stitching's and make some adjustments and it should be ready in half an hour.

So I waited for Nami and when she came out we went looking for accessories, she did at least, I just want some gloves.

We walked into a little boutique shop that held various accessories.

I went to their glove display and found a silver pair of gloves that went just below my shoulder, with a kink at the end with small diamond.

It matched perfectly with the dress so I went to purchase it but before I could I saw something in a display that I never thought I would have the desire to buy... But it was just...

It was a small tiara comb that would sit in front of an up-do.
It's style was tiny jewels ascending up and outwards and that's it. Simple yet delicate and beautiful.
The jewels are polished amethyst and emerald, ironically the colours of Zoro and I's hair...

So I brought the gloves and the comb next to Nami's hoard of jewels and decoration.
"I'll pay." I insisted and Nami smiled. "Thanks!"

~~

On walking back to the dress store Nami asked.
"So who are you going with? Sanji?" "Who are you going with." I answered childishly.
"... Fine, let's say it at once." She compromised and I nodded.

"Zoro." "Usopp."

"Woah! Your going with Usopp! Really?" I said shocked and her cheeks coloured.
"Well, your gonna marry that Roronoa guy!" "I damn hope so!" I poked my tongue out, her eyes widened and I giggled.
"I defiantly wasn't expecting that... You guys... Are together?" "Uh huh, love Nami, it feels awesome, you should try it."

I looked at Nami and she seemed if she was about to faint.
"Woah, Nami are you okay?" "I never ever ever thought you'd be the first of us to find love, I kind of thought you'd always be solo... This is a shock."
"I know, I felt the same way."

Then Nami smirked and put her hand out, I raised my eyebrow at her and she answered.
"I win, the bet from when we were eleven, your going to marry a guy with green hair, cough up a thousand berri please." I rolled my eyes and smacked a one thousand berri note in her hand.
"I never said I WAS going to marry him... But hopefully one day... I haven't really thought about it until now, Zoro probably doesn't want marriage though... I don't think he's that kind of guy."
"You never know."

~

I picked up the dress and tried it on once more...
It it perfect, everything clung to me perfectly, like it was made just for me, well Pedro's adjustments probably help.

"It's defiantly your dress, you wear it like a second skin. Good bye Natsumi-Chan, say hello to that Sanji of yours okay?" He said wrapping the dress in tissue paper and putting it in a protective bag.
"Alright! By Mr Pedro!"

💜💜

It was a couple hours after Nami brought me (forced me) to go shopping and I was so tired.

I lay down on my bed and I just can't help thinking about marriage.
I'm only eighteen I shouldn't think about this stuff... I will admit when I was younger I was one of those girls that planned out their future wedding...

Zoro standing at the end of the alter in a suit, looking devilishly handsome...

Mihawk walking me down the aisle, actually bad idea, Sanji walking me down- also a bad idea... For now we will be safe and say Luffy...

Standing across from Zoro completely full of butterflies, then he slides the ring on my finger and the priest pronounces us married and he kisses me with all his heart.

Then I throw the bouquet and Nami catches it and she cried in triumph...

Then everyone saying congratulat-

STOP FANTASISING ABOUT GETTING MARRIED!!

Zoro probably thinks marriage is stupid... Yeah... Exactly! So I shouldn't be dreaming about this stuff...

Zoro's POV

I just came back from training in Katou's dojo, no one was home but Chopper so I went up alone.

Her lips, so soft and perfect... I've gone one day without seeing her and I'm already going crazy, I keep... Fantasising about her... In many different scenarios...

I keep thinking about Katou in one of the elegant dress they have at these school ball's...

I wonder what she would look like in a wedding dress?

Beautiful, graceful, elegant, stunning, amazing, out of this world... I could go on forever...

But she's probably one of those girls who are too independent and strong for marriage...

One day I'll convince her to marry me.

I will see her in a wedding dress.

A/N woah woah woah! Already thinking about marriage you two? Slow down, lol. It was a page short but that's because I'm busy and I'm in the middle of moving houses so as you could expect I'm SUPER busy! When do you have time to write in a situation like this? NEVER!
What did you think? Sorry not much happened in this chapter but that's because I'm rushing it, two more chapters till the school dance/ball and next chapter something... Interesting will happen *rolls moustache evilly* (I DONT HAVE A MOUSTACHE!) if I was a guy I would though... OFF SUBJECT!
Anyway hope you enjoyed this!
Soz for late update and a boring one (depends on you) at that.
My phone has like 4% battery left so ciao!

Gomeni xoxo