Lessons in Annoyance (Zoro)

[Megara Argyris]

Meg was on a mission, but, judging by her irritated expression, you'd think she was the one being forced into this. She'd been doing a lot of thinking the past few days, especially since Twilight had more or less convinced her that she was actually outside of Hades reach. It was taking everything in Meg's power to keep from allowing herself too much joy over this possibility since there was always a sense that  the hope she was experiencing could be ripped away from her at any moment. Not only that, but it had been so long since she'd last been hopeful that she really didn't know what to do with it. It was like she'd been starving her whole life and then someone put a plate of food in front of her and said "eat up!" out of no where. Not only did she not trust that the food wasn't poisonous, but she'd also forgotten how to eat it. What good was hope anyway if all it did was build up your heart for a let down? Still, it demanded to be felt and Meg was growing wearing of trying to fight it off. So, instead of living in a gray area between wondering if she'll end up back in hell and being glad that she wasn't at the moment, Meg decided to just prepare herself for the inevitable. She could be thankful for where she was right now, but she had to believe this was only temporary, in which case, she should take full advantage of her vacation and learn a few things. Namely: how to defend herself. Hades put her in some awful situations and often didn't help her out if things went south. A few fighting skills certainly would make her life a little less of a big steaming pile of crap.

Clothed in a comfortable pair of stretchy pants and a holy shirt that revealed perhaps a bit too much of her crop top beneath, Meg marched into the gym with the intend on locating none other than that green haired kid she'd fought with in the mall. She'd never actually learned his name, which might have proved helpful in her search, but it turned out that there aren't many muscular green haired dudes about this place. Meg only had to suffer through one conversation before she was informed that he might be found in the gym training. Figure that he was some kind of training buff. He'd told her that he was a pirate or something, but Meg wasn't completely convinced that he wasn't trying to be a hero. Still, he was pigheaded, easily annoyed, and seemed to really hate Meg. Obviously she would want him to teach her over anyone else she'd met so far. See, as far as Meg saw it, she could handle someone hating her a lot better than someone trying to teach her kindness or some other crap. Ugh just the thought of that Henry kid telling ehr to smile as she attacked or some crap made her spine quiver. No thank you. She could have gone to her roommate maybe, but she seemed to focus on hand to hand as far as Meg could tell and Meg didn't want any of that touching. Plus Meg liked Helena too much, she'd rather not ruin it with fighting lessons since Meg was bound to develop a hate for her as soon as she starting telling ehr her punches were off. No, better start with someone she already generally disliked. 

Meg, with her determined stride and combat boots replacing her normal sandals (clothing her was different than Thebes, but she quite liked it), made it to the center of the room and let her gase drift about in hopes of locating him. 

outfit.

[Deleted]

Zoro had lost track of the number of reps he'd done. Honestly, the burn of working out was enough at this point. With all this other crap that had been going on recently, he needed some sense of normality. Training was one consistency that he had. Regardless of where he was, there seems to be some place that involved physical training.

So on the days that Luffy actually went to classes - which was rare - Zoro hit up the school's gym. No one seemed to mind that he wasn't a student, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway. He most likely would have just forced his way in regardless. Apparently, his training regime was a bit unusual, because every time he did anything here, people stopped and stared. He was only lifting 500 pounds when he did weights. It wasn't that impressive. Not for him, anyway. He used to be able to lift more, but apparently the Shifting process, coupled with his injuries, had weakened him slightly. It wasn't really a concern. All he had to do was train back up to his usual.

Today the gym was busy, and Zoro had wanted to practice some sword techniques, so he'd skipped the weights and claimed one of the large side rooms for himself. The walls and floors were padded, and the place was probably used for wrestling or gymnastics normally, but he didn't care. A few bars were set up around the room, and he'd decided that he could do some chin-ups to warm up his arms before getting into any serious exercises. The movement involved was effortless, and he'd lost track of the number of reps he'd done by the time he actually bothered to glance out the window into the main gym.

And that's when he noticed - and recognized - the brunette woman that had walked in the door.

Shit. Zoro didn't want to deal with this right now. Maybe if he ignored her, she would go away. Adjusting his grip on the bar, he continued his exercise, praying that his good luck would protect him from another encounter with her.

[Megara Argyris]

It was no more than a second after he looked her way that Meg must have felt his gaze and and flicked her eyes to the window of his room. She was just in time to catch his head turning away and she hesitated. Between the conflicting emotions behind amusing herself with his torture and having to learn from him and the idea of being alone in a room with a man, Meg struggled to conclude that this was a good plan after all. She really did have to learn how to defend herself, but she also despised learning things. Being taught generally involved admitting that you didn't know how to do something and feeling incredibly weak and vulnerable. Seeing as Meg despised both of those particular things with all her heart, it was no wonder that she felt planted in her place in the middle of the gym. She realized she couldn't leave, but could she really go through with this? After running through a list of all the other possible teachers in her life and making a face at each one, Meg recalled that this was her best option and she better just suck it up. Not to mention that she now had new orders that she was forced to follow and this guy was certainly involved in this "C.A.U.S" plot, but that was another story.

With a sharp exhale Meg locked her eyes on the door to the strangely padded room and marched until she reached it. With a quick tug she was almost to find it not locked. His mistake, obviously he was asking to be harassed. She folded her arms and turned to face him with an expression that fell between stress and distaste. Her deep purple eyes seemed unimpressed by his little training exercise, though she certainly could not do such a thing herself. Meg was perhaps a bit stringer the the average girl, but most of her battles either relied on her wit or her ability to use her body as a way of persuasion. Just imagine how unstoppable she'd be if she would both outsmart someone and stab them with a sword. She could sure use the extra help with things got gritty in the underworld. Sos he had to do this, no going back. She was here now anyway. The door shut and Meg's stomach clenched as her whole body rejected the fact that it was now just her and him in here.

Hey, kid. She said, hoping to inspire a rash reaction to replace her uneasiness with enjoyment. She noticed he had his swords. Well that was lucky. She took a breath. You can do this Meg, just say it. Just ask! Teach me-ugh She though she might vomit, the idea of asking for help bothered her so much. This paired with her anxiety with men was a bad combo. She blinked a few times and flexed her jaw before trying it a second time. How do you sword fight? she decided, trying to sound as confident as possible, though she looked as though she'd just eaten something rotten.

[Deleted]

He had almost forgotten about the woman, but the minute he heard the door open and shut, Zoro froze. It flashed through his mind just a moment too late that he probably should have locked the door. When the woman addressed him as 'kid', he gritted his teeth and bit back the impulsive, angry retort. Releasing his grip on the bar, Zoro dropped a good 3 or 4 feet, landing on the balls of his feet on the mat below. Glancing in the woman's direction, he couldn't help the immature scowl as he grumbled, "I have a name, you know."

He wasn't going to waste his time with this person, though. He needed to be training. Trotting over to where he'd dumped his things, he leaned casually against the wall, taking a swing of his water bottle and pointedly ignoring the brunette.

He was doing a fairly good job too, at least until he heard her utter the words "Teach me" and "How do you sword fight?"

You've gotta be kidding me.

Zoro turned his gaze, emerald eyes boring into violet ones as he tilted his head slightly. What the hell was she playing at? Why would she ask something like that, unless she was trying to mess with him? He sized her up, quickly glancing at her physique, only to conclude that she'd probably never had to throw a punch in her life. "You don't look like you could lift anything over fifty pounds, much less wield a sword."

Still. Maybe it would be an interesting exercise. They said that teachers learn just as much as their students, so maybe he could perfect his form, and get that much closer to his dream. He wasn't just going to bow down to this woman's wishes, though, and he wouldn't teach her, at least not without a good reason. "Why do you care, anyway? Nobody here wields swords. And there are other ways to defend yourself."

[Megara Argyris]

Well of course he had a name, Meg just didn't really care about it. On the other hand, however, she might need something to call him other than nasty nicknames if she was really going to go through with this. She was certainly not going to call him teacher or master or some crap like that. The very idea made her skin crawl. Maybe nasty nicknames were her best bet for now, is he wanted her to call him something else he'd have to introduce himself. Meg was in no mood to make small talk. She was here to learn how to sword fight in the quickest and least painful fashion. She had walked into this conversation on the defensive, which was never were she wanted to be, but she got the feeling she was going to have to get used to it if she was insistent on learning. She couldn't handle this position when she was talking to Henry, but he was trying to be nice to her. If this guy stuck with the grumpy, childish act, she could totally deal with his instructions. Just so long as this conversation stayed within the realm of a fight, where Meg was most comfortable, she could handle it. Thankfully, he seemed to pick up on the vibe and his first words after her request were an insult to her ears.

I don't need to lift fifty pounds to kick you in the balls, hot shot Meg grumbled back without thinking. She smirked while she said it then lowered her face into a scowl when she realized that that might not have been the best thing to say when she was trying to get him to do something for her. Oops. At least she was standing in front of the door to both conveniently block his exit and provide an easy escape for herself. She somehow couldn't believe that this guy would actually hurt her, but the idea that men were bad was so deeply burned into her brain that she almost unconsciously took extra measures to ensure her safety. How firmly could she stand her ground against him if he really wanted to leave anyway? She better answer his next question quick.

I don't like... She rushed then trailed off, clenching her fists and looking at the ground as she tried to force herself to speak. She was traveling down a road that provided too much vulnerability in her mind once again. Ugh how was she even supposed to explain it to him? How was she supposed to make him understand that she hated the idea of touching so much that she preferred the barrier of the steel? Listen, I can't explain it okay?! she shot at last. Other ways wouldn't work for me, is that good enough for you? She growled, placing her hands on her hips and casting her eyes on the ground. Wasn't it obvious how hard this was for her? She just wanted to stab some people, damnit.

[Deleted]

Zoro's immediate response to the woman's threat was to bristle and growl "I'd like to see you try." He hadn't intended on responding to an insult like that, but something about her tone and the wording had felt familiar, and the words were out before he could stop them. He'd almost added on an insult on the end, but somehow he knew that "curly brows" or "sea witch" were reserved for different people.

Green eyes narrowed as the woman struggled through an explanation - and really, you couldn't even call it that. As much as he would have loved to make a point of picking apart how terrible of a reason that was, the swordsman stayed mercifully silent. Crossing his arms over his chest, Zoro stared for a moment, trying to figure out what this woman's game was.

Oh, forget it.

Without further ado, the swordsman shoved off the wall, stomping over to an equipment closet. He knew the school had a kendo club - if only because Luffy had mentioned it in passing - so there should be at least one or two shinai in there. And sure enough, there were. Grabbing two, he stalked back over toward the center of the room, tossing one of the bamboo swords in the woman's direction as he did.

"Let me make myself perfectly clear," he growled as he gripped the shinai. "Kenjutsu is not a joke. If you treat it like it is, I will kick your ass faster than you can blink and walk out that door. I'm only doing this because, like it or not, some weird shit is going down around here and people should be prepared." Plus, the fact that she was a woman who wanted to learn the sword reminded him of Kuina.

[Megara Argyris]

Her purple eyes slowly raised as the silence stretched between them; her confidence building itself back up as she internally kicked herself around until her unusual hostility rose up to act as a barrier to her heart once more. With a smoldering glare, she watched him with folded arms as he seemed to dave and head for the closet. Her heart jumped a beat when she though for a moment that there was a second exit and panicked. She was not about to be walked out on, her self esteem probably could take it, despite popular belief. Still, she kept her expression stone and was rewarded with his return along with two....what the hell were those? It looked like a bunch of sticks bound together to form some type of...practice sword? Megara felt herself heat up with rage, but swallowed hard and clenched her fists instead of reacting harshly. What did she think she was just going to start cutting things apart on the first day? He's not belittling you. You should just be thankful that he even agreed the help after all your kind a loving gestures, Megara thought. Suck it up and pick up the stupid bundle of sticks.

Megara didn't advance at first, however, distracted by the sudden intensity that came with his words. She blinked when she had finished, which most would guess was meant to be some kind of acknowledgment. After a pause and a pointed stare, Meg sauntered forward and scooped up the relatively light piece of equipment. Several things conflicted in ehr mind as she straightened herself and shifted her gaze to the thing in her hands. She spun it around a bit, as if inspecting, though her mind had drifted to the last bit of his rant. She was reminded of the C.A.U.S. and her...obligation. Still, there was time for that later.

Meg slowly raised her eyes again to meet his, a little smirk appearing on her pretty lips. This is what she had been looking for when she had sought him out. Someone tough and determined, who wasn't likely to give up when she threw insults his way. She knew full well that she wasn't going to like this, so the only plausible way she was actually going to learn was with someone who would fight back when she was insolent and difficult. She only had one thing to say.

Good.

[Deleted]

Zoro saw the anger flicker over the woman's posture at the prospect of using a practice sword, and while a wave of irritation threatened to overtake him, he heard himself laughing. "There's no way in hell that I'm letting you lay a finger on my swords - or ANY for that matter - until you learn the basics. The only thing more dangerous than a person who knows how to use a blade is one who has no clue what they're doing." And really, that was true. He's seen people who thought they could use a sword, and they ended up hurting themselves instead of their opponents.

The swordsman waited, tapping the bamboo sword against his shoulder as the woman seemed to take a moment to think things through. He was... surprised that she was here. It wasn't like he was the only swordsman in town. There had to be others, or at least somebody she wasn't going to be pissed at constantly. But maybe that was the point. He didn't know - or care to know, honestly.

The smirk she shot his way was met with a wide, almost malicious grin. "Good," he repeated back, spinning the shinai in his hand almost tauntingly. He wasn't going to enjoy teaching this woman, but getting to be better than her at something and tell her she was wrong? He could get used to that.

Might as well start then. "First thing is stance. You need balance, so a stance that supports your weight evenly is best." Without further ado, he slipped into his usual stance, setting his feet just a bit wider than usual. "Next is the shinai." He waved the bamboo sword to indicate that was what he was talking about. "Technically it's a two-handed sword, but it can be used with one or two hands. We'll start with two since that's easier. Your dominant hand goes just under the guard, and the other goes toward the end of the hilt." Again, Zoro held the sword the way he had just instructed her to, holding the practice blade directly out in front of him.

The grin returned to his face, and he decided that it would be best to see just how little she knew. "Now that you have that, come at me."

((OOC: So I know like... nothing about swordfighting and this stuff ahahaha. ALL OF THIS IS PROBABLY WRONG BUT OH WELL.))

[Megara Argyris]

(LOL it is TOTALLY fine!! xD <3 )

His mad grin and dark echo of her own word sent some kind of strange sensation through her body and she had to take a quick breath to steady her heart beat. What the hell was that about? Was she actually nervous about learning how to sword fight? Well she was obviously uncomfortable with the whole 'learning' concept in general, but she'd never admit to being nervous. Anyway, this wasn't a sensation she generally attributed to nerves. This was something strange and extremely rare. Something about the way the word sounded and the way he'd looked while he said it...ugh better not dwell on it too much, she had more importantly things to worry about. He'd moved on anyway, and she figured she'd better pay attention unless she wanted to feel like even more of a fool than she already did.

Stance, okay, she could handle that. Meg mimicked his movements with a deadbeat expression. She pressed her lips together to hold back any biting comments she wanted to through out to make herself feel better about taking instruction. She placed her hands like her said, putting her right hand under the hilt and her left one below her right. Easy enough, well as easy as she had figured it would be listening to someone tell her what to do. She didn't appreciate the comment about starting with two hands since that was 'easier,' but she held her tongue. She had let her eye drift down to her sword as she positioned it, but her head jerked upward to fix her purple eye back on her teacher when he suddenly insisted she attack him. She focused on his grin and clenched her teeth.

Excuse me? She shot without thinking. That was a step too far over the line for her. Did he think she was some kind of idiot? She'd advance on him and he's make some kind of fool out of her. The very idea made her either want to vomit of kick him in the unmentionables. I'm not stupid She articulated with fiery eyes. How dare he think she was just going to walk into something like that. She was thinking about coming at him alright, just not with a sword. She was thinking more along the lines of her fists.