Dramatis Personae.
Roronoa Zoro: A young burly man of 19. He appears to be the typical "weight lifter" muscle training type

Sanji: A young, fussy man around 18 years of age that likes to act older than he is

Elly Sketchit: a pale woman in her early thirties with lavender hair that can transform into a "nekomata" - a demon cat with a split tail

Introduction.
It has been many years since Elly awoke in this new world, fallen from the ashes of the old. She had been an experiment, tortured, kept in secret with men surrounding her that forced her to do their master's bidding. There had been a cataclysmic explosion where she was trapped and she used her powers to teleport away.

Her memories erased, she now traveled with a crew that consisted of these two men and diverse others, gaining respect and friendships. She thought for a time that she was in love with Sanji but he hurt her by his flirting ways. She has since vowed to not become involved with men but her relationship with Zoro has still developed into something different.

Scene.
[The entire area is very dark except for the focal point: a large black leather couch everyone is seated on. There are faint seabird sounds in the background the entire time and wooden squeakings, hinting at their location: a ship on the sea.]

[Enter Zoro, dressed in a plain white cotton shirt with three swords hanging from the green fabric haramaki at his right side. His left arm has a dark green bandanna tied at the bicep and he has an enormous frown on his face. He appears to be very nervous and none too happy because of this. He turns and walks towards the couch. His boots clack loudly, firmly, on the wooden planking. He gets there and runs a hand through his short green hair, staring down at Sanji. The other man is dressed impeccably, in a neat suit jacket and tie. His blond hair covers the left side of his face and he grins back impudently, a cigarette clamped between his whiter than white teeth. Elly looks up and smiles in a very different manner; the clash is not lost between their looks. Zoro slowly sits down on the big couch next to her and puts his hand on the arm rest.]

Zoro: (grumbles, shifting around and looking generally upset)

Sanji: I told you he didn't have anything. (turns to Elly with a derisive snicker) How can he have any money?

Elly: Be NICE! (slaps Sanji)

Sanji: Ow. (does not appear to be discontented by the slap) Oi, marimo, you look scared. (covers his mouth partially with one hand to hide another wicked smile)

Zoro: (snarls angrily and speaks in a clipped tone) Not. Also not going to back off. Never back off from anything.

Sanji: What the hell are you babbling about?

Zoro: (didactically, stoically, as if he's proving a point to Sanji, but is more like to himself) Am. NOT. Scared. (clenches his fist, which had been trembling slightly)

Sanji: (raises his curled eyebrow) Well?

Zoro: (flat) Well, what.

Sanji: Where is it? She won't ask again, you know.

Elly: Stop badgering him. (sounds exasperated and rolls her eyes)

Zoro: Fnf. (puts his other arm around her) I did get you something.

Elly: You didn't have to.

Zoro: (firmly) Did.

Elly: Okay, you do what you want, but I still think whatever you give me is fine, no matter what. Just because you thought of me.

Sanji: (takes his cigarette from between his lips and blows smoke in the direction of the audience) If this gets any more cloying I might throw up.

Zoro: (pulls away from Elly and waves a hand at him) Have something here that might shut even you up, baka chef.

Sanji: I doubt that. (slips the cig back and makes as if to place his own arm around Elly, who snaps her head around to glare at him) Are you embarrassed because your gift has been hyped for so long now?

Sanji: (short pause while he smokes and Elly is still glaring at him) Is it lingerie?

Elly: Sanji! (more exasperated. She turns to Zoro and chokes)

[The focal point is now Zoro, as the light shines pans slowly on him and fades the rest. A red light is cast and he looks comically embarrassed with wide eyes and a visible twitch in one eye]

Sanji: You're probably a kinky one under all that proper bushido bullshit, aren't you?

Elly: (starts laughing at Zoro's expression)

[the light slowly pans off and resumes a normal setting over all three of them again. Zoro appears to be trying to regain his composure. His eyes look wild and large still.]

Zoro: Cat!

Elly: I'm sorry, but your face was so...you looked so ...embarrassed...!

Zoro: (groans, covers face with a large hand) Caa-a-a-aa-aaaat... (spoken through clenched teeth)

Sanji: (makes soft clucking noises with his tongue, looking off to the side)

Zoro: You're such a shit.

Sanji: (innocently spoken) Hmm?

Zoro Since you're all gonna sit there and laugh at me - (thrusts jaw out) -- here.

(hand shaking, he reaches into his haramaki and pulls something out, clenched in his fist)

Zoro: Oi, cat. Look over there. (waves off to the side nearest audience)

Elly: (cheerfully) Where? (she climbs over the couch back, staring)

Sanji: (slaps a hand over his one visible eye)  Really, now, that's just too obvious.

[the stage darkens to black except for Elly, who is gleefully looking around at the people in the audience on that side. In the silence that spins out there is a slapping sound and then muffled cries.]

Elly: Can I look yet? (bouncing a little like a small child) I know something's going on back there.

Zoro: Right.

Elly: Whee, okay. (Elly is all smiles. As she turns around to look at Zoro the light pans back and clears the scene again.)

[Zoro is now in front of her with both knees bent, shaking like a leaf with his head down and his right hand thrust out in front of him. His left hand is placed over Sanji\'s mouth. The blond man is in a ridiculous pose with his hands splayed out in either direction, half risen from his seated position on the couch. He falls back after a long moment]

Sanji: (shocked) ...that idiot.

Elly: (takes the box and picks up what is inside it)

Sanji: (kicks Zoro by stretching a leg out and knocking him on the shin)

Sanji: Say something, man! Or are you still too afraid?

Zoro: (choke) Damned...audience... (looks around wildly) Ano ~ cat?

Elly: (distant, bemused voice) This is beautiful. I don't usually wear jewelry. It\'s pretty because it's simple.

Sanji: (hits himself in the forehead)

Elly: Are the colors supposed to be you and me? I mean, green and purple...of course they are. (holds up a very small item and smiles as the light catches a tiny gleam)

Zoro: Ah...good.

Sanji: (hissing) Say something, man!

Zoro: (looks over to the side where Sanji is frowning at him and twists halfway around, still on his knees)

Zoro: HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO ASK SOMEONE TO MARRY ME WITH A DAMNED AUDIENCE?!

[in the silence that follows the seabirds and the squeaking stop in the background. This freezes the men in place, both looking shocked and/or horrified. In the interminable silence a cricket chirps. The sounds slowly fade back in as the light fades out and all that is heard is the creaking of the ship as everything fades to darkness]