Dear reader, you are now chosen to read my story, use my knowledge and understand that this truth is a truth most hard to keep from telling as much as believing. But I trust you as you decided yourself to read my story and let my life in this single last book with this single last message from where I now am.
Though the story starts at many couple of months in the past when I was still left on the planet of my birth, Earth. Before my transfer to my life of adventure and the supernatural I've only read about in books or manga's. As you might understand I was once a normal girl like anybody else in the world, but one single moment changed all that in the couple of mere seconds that passed me from Earth to that New World I had no knowledge about.
As you might understand this first part here is most likely about the minutes before my transfer to the other world, to the New World. I wish you use this knowledge well and not for the bad or for being selfish. 'Cause that I would not wish for you to do, keep it as much a secret as I myself tried so hard to do.
I trust you to understand my wish and keep it moving. Keep my life in this message in this single book alive. You may proceed to the real story of my life. The story of how I became a part of a world we humans didn't know existed… A world of pirates and devils!
The sun was seating over the still busy streets of Tokyo. Cars were still running and people were still walking on the streets.
"Arigatō!" Said a teen girl as she walked out of one of the stores on one of the busy streets; her long blond hair falling flat down her back with her light blue eyes fixed on a small envelope that she was holding in her hands. It was posted to a 'Mori No Kimiko' and there was no consigner writing to tell who had sent the letter, but she was already sure of who had sent the small envelope.
She flattened her knee long blue skirt out and fixed the corral red small blazer that was placed over a white sleeved blouse. Her black small ballerina shoes was tapping against the ground as her knee long socks glowed legs was pushing against the skirt as she was walking.
Her eyes still fixed on the small envelope in her hands, not sure what do to about it. It was very rare for her to get letters and it was even rarer for her to get a letter from no other then her own father who was never home. He was always somewhere on the globe with his business empire to extend his affairs wider across the round globe. Usually before Kimiko started changing and become more like a woman then a little kid he always took her with him and then they always used to travel by boat because Kimiko was scared of airplanes. It was a very long time ago though and now Kimiko hardly saw her father as he never took her with him to see the world anymore.
He's sending a letter? It must be something important… He wouldn't just take the time to sit down and write to the forgotten daughter back at home. He never does that, only when he has something that he must really have said and that is almost never. But what could it be? I wonder what he want said, sense he wrote a letter and not called over the phone or send an email as other times. Kimiko turned the envelope and looked at the words on the blank peach colored paper that wrote To the dear emperor child. He even took the time of writing down his old nickname for me? He really must want something… But I really don't want to open it, I don't want to know what he want said to me after six months of absence! She shoved the envelope down her brown shoulder bag. The sipper had been broke for a while and Kimiko didn't have the will to get it fixed. But… I really wonder?
She glanced at the peach colored envelope through the open bag and bit her lip a little. She was really curious of what her father wanted said after such a long while of not sending even one message or mail telling if he was fine.
He maybe isn't the best father in the world but I'm still worried about him, he is my father after all. I mean, who wouldn't be worried? It is the person who raised you sense you where only a little baby. Especially if you only had a father and no mother to rely on then you keep a close bond to your father, right? I would understand that, I mean, it is pretty much so my life has been. No mother, just a father. I've told him everything. She looked down on her feet as she was walking through the thick crowd of people on the streets. He was the only one I had so he was my best friend. We did everything together, so why wouldn't I be worried? I just want to get a small message once in a while telling that he is fine and that he maybe will be coming home or will be staying gone for a little longer. Every other has their parents to talk to… But I? I have no one anymore, isn't it a little unfair? Letting me live my life in loneliness? Am I really made to be a disappointment? If so, then why, Kami-sama?
Kimiko had never really wished for a mother in her life. She had of course asked her father if she even had a mother. He had answered yes and told her that she still believed that Kimikos mother was still alive out in the world. As a little Kimiko had never really thought much of a mother, she had then never really known what a mother was. But she knew that all the other children had mothers and she hadn't. Her father had only said that it was because she was special and that she was his little emperor child sent from the above as a gift from the kamigami. She had then believed everything he had told her. She believed in everything he told about the kamgami up in the heavens and how they ruled and created the universe with their unimaginable powers. He sometimes even had taken her to church and Kimiko even went there still because it was one of the few places she felt free; too that she as a child had thought that the churches was really beautiful.
It was some time ago, though… Sense he told me stories about you, Kami-sama. I'm older now, I know that… But you never grow too old to believe, right? I wish he would show his love for me again, if he even have love for me… Kimiko stopped in the middle of a step, which left her some angry comments by some passers who almost walked into her. Is it possible for a person to… just stop… loving someone? Like mother stopped loving father? That is the reason why she left him, isn't it? I mean it couldn't be anything else… she just woke up and stopped loving father. That is why she never wished to see me or father again. So, is it? If it is, then why? Why does someone just wake up without any feelings for someone? Don't they know how much it hurts the person who loves them? That is so cruel! Of course, you don't need to be with a person you don't love, but… just… leaving them? Without even a reason except, I just don't love you anymore? Isn't that a little too cruel?
Kimiko let out a deep sigh as she started walking again; but not home. She couldn't help but glance at the envelope in her bag, that little envelope that had gotten her into deep and confusing thoughts. What her father ever wanted from her had gotten her into deep thoughts. Just because of that little envelope? It was funny in a way of thinking; that such a small thing could cause so much confusion and question from only one person.
Kimiko turned a corner to a street that was leading to a Christian church in the way away from the big alive city. She often went there when she felt confused or misguided by some reason.
Kimiko slowly walked over the cemetery and looked over every grave. On some there were flowers and on others there were candles still burning. And while going there, she couldn't help but wonder where the souls of the people who died went. It was an ordinary question for some and not too much for others.
The old oak door opened slowly as Kimiko pulled it open through a cold metal ring as a handle. The old church was made out of white, which had turned more of a grey color, stone with black roof. The windows had painted pictures of people that where in the history of the bible.
It's been a while sense I was here, in the house of kami-sama. But I feel so in need of help, I need strength and I need his guidens. I just hope that I'm doing what is best for both me and father. It is not that I'm asking for him to abandon his job and all but, even if that would be best for me… I just want him to be happy. I guess… That ain't wrong of me, right? Kimiko's black ballerina shoes made small 'thap thap' sounds as she walked over the grey stone floor. I don't wish to be selfish and do only what is best for me. I want to make the best decision for everyone! But… what if that decision is making me unhappy? And I wish to be happy? Then I'll have to make a selfish decision, even though that selfish decision won't be well for everyone. I don't want that!
She walked forward through a path between the benches in the long room. She didn't stop till she was in front of an alter made for Kami-sama and his son. "Kami-sama, I'm confused." She started and put her hands together over her chest as she prayed. "I wish for your guidens in this dark time. I need it, with courage as well. I believe I'm losing my feelings of love." Kimiko closed her eyes and swallowed. "I think I'm turning away everyone in my life and everyone that loves me for who I am. I am starting to believe I'm losing my will… to… love."
Kimiko kept on praying and didn't notice the Shisai that came walking up behind her. "Nobody can ever lose their feelings of love." He said as he moved his fingers through his long beard. "What is bothering you, child?"
Kimiko spun around and started at him first in fear but then calmed down when she saw that it was only a Shisai. "My father." She started and looked down on the ground. "I believe I'm turning out like him, loveless."
The Shisai let out a sigh and looked up at the statue of Jesus on a cross hanging over the alter. "Do you want to be like your father? Loveless?"
"No."
"Then I don't believe you'll become like him." The Shisai smiled at the young female standing before him. "Coming from school?"
Kimiko looked confused at him before she looked down on her school uniform she had still on. "Yes, I had cleaning duty today." She smiled at the Shisai. "I never had time to go home before coming here."
"I see." Said the Shisai and nodded at the girl. "Do you often come here to pray?"
"Yes, this is one of the few places I feel home at." Said Kimiko and looked around the old church. "It is a wonderful building."
"Yes, it is indeed." The Shisai nodded and then saw how Kimiko sat down on one of the benches. "Do you stay close to the lord?"
Kimiko was surprised at the question. "Well, it depends on what you mean with 'close to the lord'. I mean, I come here a lot and I pray to him a lot. Sometimes I just talk to him because I have no one else to talk to. But I'm sure there are others that are much closer to the lord then I am. "
"That might be very true…" The Shisai nodded at Kimiko and sat down on a bench as well. "But you seem in very much need of his guidens am I not right?"
Kimiko looked at the cross statue of Jesus. "I guess so. For someone like me, who can get everything, I am not very happy in that matter."
The Shisai massages his chin a little before he gestured for the girl to follow him. "Come with me child, I have something I would like to give you."
Kimiko stood up from the bench and followed the Shisai out of the alter room and up the stairs, to the upper part of the church. A place that Kimiko never thought ordinary people wasn't allowed if they didn't work in the church.
The Shisai opened a door at the top of the stairs with a rusty old key. The door made annoying sounds when it opened and then stopped. The Shisai showed for Kimiko to follow him into the room.
Kimiko looked around the room. It looked like an old office that no one had touched in years, maybe decades even. "Wow, here are books as old as time!" Said Kimiko as she walked over to one of the staples of books in the room. "But, what was it you wanted to show me?"
She turned to the Shisai and saw him take something out of an old box. He turned to her with an old large letter book in his hands. "This is a very old book, it is said to have the power to grant wishes and make your words reach kami-sama."
Kimiko only stared at the large book. "Really?" She asked and took the book in her hands. It was heavy, really heavy and there looked to be a lot of papers in it. "It is really large and heavy…" She complained a little before she put it down on an old desk with her back towards the Shisai. She took a finger between a few pages and flipped the book open on the middle. She stared in surprise at the pages and started changing page after page. "Shisai-san? This book is completely blank…"
She turned around and blinked. "Shisai-san?" The Shisai was gone and she was alone in the room. "Where did he go?" Asked she in no one in particular.
She turned towards the empty book and closed it before taking it in her arms. She turned and walked out of the room and the door closed itself behind her surprising her a lot. She walked down the stairs and searching the church for the Shisai, but it was as if he had gone up in smoke!
She let out a sigh. I guess I'll just have to take the book, I can always give it back tomorrow. But what kind of Shisai just disappears while talking to someone? Isn't that a little rude? I could have been locked in and then I would have to spend the night in this church! Not that I have anything against it, but it would be very scary all alone. Kimiko walked out of the church and out in the cemetery that you had to walk passed if you wanted to get away from the church. It isn't like I'm scared of being alone or anything. I've been alone for so many years that it doesn't really matter much anymore, but… I don't want to be all alone in a church, in the house of kami-sama. I don't want to anger him.
Kimiko's thought wondered of and she couldn't help but wonder why the Shisai had given her the old empty book in the first place. It wasn't as if she wasn't grateful or anything, but it seemed weird that he'd give her a book that seemed so special.
What if the telling is true? What if the book really can connect you to Kami-sama, then maybe… just maybe… NO! I can't do that! It would be a sin to only think the thought! I can't do such a selfish thing! That isn't like me and will never be. I can't just be like that. That selfish like all those others that is granted such powerful items. I can't be like them, my mother would never want me to be like that! Kimiko frowned. Why do I care of what my mother would think of me? She didn't even want anything to do with me… so, I should not care of what she would think of me. I never even meet her. I don't even know what she looks like. What her name is. Or how she is in person, I even think I will never be able to do that.
Kimiko stayed quiet in both thought and out loud all the way back to home. She didn't want to think of much anymore. She wasn't in the mood of doing that. Even if she had stuff she would think of.
Kimiko walked up the stone path to the big mansion that she lived in almost all alone most of the time. She opened the large doors to it and shouted out to no one in particular.
"Tadaima!" Her only answer was a silence that creped over the house all day and night. Of course there was maidens and cooks in the large house but they always left for the night and then Kimiko always had the house all for herself.
She let out a deep sigh as she removed her black ballerina shoes and placed them in the shoe wardrobe where there were a lot of other shoes already.
She walked through the empty and silent house to her room. She opened the door and stepped inside. She put the bag and the large letter book on her desk as she started to remove her school uniform and replaced it with a short nightgown that was blue over the breasts and had a light white grey-ish color on the skirt. On her feet she had a pair of white socks so she didn't need do walk barefooted.
She put up her bangs in a small pony tail in the back of her head along with some of the neck hair as well.
She then looked at the large book on her desk. It was as if it was drawing her attention to it, as if it wanted her to open it up. Like it wanted to tell or show her something very important that wasn't written down on the blank pages.
Kimiko sat down at her desk and opened the large book on the first page. On it there was a small note taped. Kimiko slowly and easily removed the note that had almost invisible letters on it.
Thou who read this, are given something in secret, keep it that way. This book hath given me much in life, much I wished. Now it is yours for serve and hope thou will use it for good and nay evil
Kimiko turned the note and turned it again. Some of the letters were too faded to read and others were even gone.
But… What does it mean? Kimiko asked herself and stroke her hand over the blank first page of the book. She glanced at the note and put it beside the book and took out a pen. What should I write? Is there anything that I would want out of my mind? Kimiko sat like that for a while taping the pen on the page leaving black dots over the once blank page. I know!
Kimiko read her words out loud as she wrote them down. "Dear Kami-Sama, I don't know if you can hear or read this. Nor if you will even listen to my prayer, but I as an outcast can't help but ask for your help. I wish for not being along. I wish for friends… I wish to belong somewhere.
I may ask for far too much of you now, Kami-Sama. But I wish for only being sent where I belong. To where I can be free and happy; were people would love and like me for who I really am… So please, Kami-Sama, if this isn't too much for you, would you give me this. I would be pleased and in your dept. Arigatû."
Kimiko looked at the words and then let out a sigh and reached for a gum. She wasn't pleased with the wish, it might be too much. It would never come true if wishing for far too much. She placed the gum over the first word and was about to erase it from the paper when the words started to fade into the paper.
"What the…!" Said Kimiko and dropped the gum on the paper. The words disappeared whole and in its place came other words as if her prayer was being answered. She leaned closer and read the words. "Your prayer is my wish. You are a most kindhearted person and deserve the love of friends. As you wish, I'll bring you where you belong. But be careful for this world might not be as pleasant as you will belive."
Kimiko jumped out of the chair that fell backwards on the floor. She stared with wide eyes at the book and the words with fear in her eyes. The book had really answered her! The book, had really answered her prayer! That wasn't supposed to be possible.
"I'm dreaming, I must be dreamin! This can't be happening." Said Kimiko and who was breathing heavily. "This must be a…"
She stopped as she saw the old letter book starting to glow in a bright light which was blinding Kimiko, making her close her eyes.
She could feel a tingling feeling wash over her body as she felt herself become lighter and lighter. And when she opened her eyes, she was meet by only whiteness. Nothing but a bright whiteness surrounding her.
"What?" Said Kimiko as she looked around her and took deep breaths to calm herself. "Where am I? Is this where I really belong?"
Kimiko bit her bottom lip at the thought of forever having to be alone in this whiteness with no one else around her to talk to or speak to.
"I made a mistake taking that book! I made a mistake of wishing for friendship! I knew that that stupid book would be too good to be true!" She screamed as tears ran down her cheeks from her eyes. "Why does this has to happen to just me? What have I ever done to deserve such a fate as this? Please Kami-Sama, what did I do to anger you so? Please answer me, I need to know! I don't want to be alone, that is all I ever ask! For not being alone, being with your friends and being able to understand the truth of real friendship. But…" Kimiko put her hands over her mouth and nose. "…Is it that I'm born into this world to be alone? Is it my meaning? My meaning of being alone, my fate?"
She fell down on the place she was standing crying into her hands.
She didn't notice how the whiteness around her started to turn darker and darker till it was almost black.
Kimiko sniffled and released her last tears before looking up at the same moment the blackness swallowed her. She screamed as she felt how she fell down into what felt like a bottomless emptiness of misery.
"Help me!" She screamed as she saw a light come closer and closer. Her eyes widened as she landed on something hard that knocked the air out of her lungs.
She was lying there for a while with her eyes closed trying to get use to the pain that ran through her body from the fall and the landing. She was breathing heavily and every breath was painfully hurting her, much! As if her every breath was going to make her lungs explode.
I have to… I have to… I have to get up. I have to stand strong. Kimiko put her hand down flat on the ground that felt like stone and tried to push herself up, but fell once again to the painful stone ground. Stay… strong! Have to… stay strong!
Kimiko pushed herself up once again and managed to at least sit up. She winced as a pain shot through her body as she sat up straight, making her lean back on wooden box behind her. Where… Where am I? She slowlyopened her eyes to look around the place. To her big surprise she was in what looked to be a large, or middle large city. It looked to be in the middle age mixed with the present.
"What is this place?" Kimiko slowly gazed over the wooden buildings and modern restaurants and old shops that looked to be a mix of 1800's and 2000's. "Where is this place?
Kimiko stood up with help of the box she had been leaning against; the pain leaving almost as fast as it had come. She stared at herself for a minute before she looked up at the city. She was pretty sure that she was in a harbor or in the beginning of a harbor as she could smell the familiar smell of sea water and salt.
As she started walking down the empty stone streets Kimiko could feel how the cold of the night was and that she was only in her nightgown and the white socks she had been wearing.
Only a block away a pair half drunken men with odd looking clothing walked out a bar laughing from the party they just had.
One of the whistled. "Did you see the one with the big boobs?" Asked he his companions. "She was hot!"
"Yeah!" The others agreed.
"If I so could have I would have taken her right then and there." One of them laughed out as they started walking past the silent city.
"Don't think you would have all that sweet by yourself!" Said one of them and punched him lightly on the arm. "I would want some of that ass she had. Did you see how she shook it while dancing?" He clapped his hands and laughed. "I can just imagine how lucky the man who gets her is."
"Speak for yourself, you saw that dark girl?" The men nodded as the fourth men said his opinion. "She was a real pearl! I was sure she was from the sea if she hadn't been so damn rough in the edges. Her, her I would definitely want."
"She was damn hot too." Said the first guy and nodded in agreement. "Sadly she had so much cloth on… She didn't show as much skin as I'd wish she did."
The third man patted the man on the shoulder and smiled. "I'm sure you'll get the chance to see her again, with less clothing." Both of the men smirked.
"Guys?" Said one of them and pointed forward. "Looks like we have found a cute and lost kitten wondering out in the dark."
The other men followed the man's gaze and their eyes landed on a blond girl in her early seventeens dressed in a short white dress with blue over the breasts and a pair of socks on her feet. Her hair falling down her back with her bangs in a pony tail behind her head. All of the men whistled at the sight of her.
"Speaking of pearls…" Said all of them at the same time.
They all looked at each other and grinned. "Hey, hot stuff!"
She turned and looked at them with surprise in her eyes. "M-me?" She asked shaking. They all saw that she was freezing.
"Yeah, you." Said the fourth man who had called for her. "What does someone as hot as you doing out here all alone?"
The girl bit her lip and swallowed. "I-I don't kn-now… I'm l-lost." She said with shaking teeth.
"Well, isn't that bad." He said and smirked. "How about coming with us, you look like you're being a bit cold in that easy piece of fabric."
"I-it is a l-little cold, yes." Said she and nodded but took a step back from the man. "B-but I think I w-will manage on my ow-wn."
"O don't be so scared of us now sweetie. We'll only warm you up a little." He said with a large grin on his face. "It won't be so bad…"
She shook her head towards the man. "N-no thanks, bu-ut I ap-ppreciate it that y-you as-sk." She said and smiled at him.
"O don't such a wimp now sweetheart." He said and reach out to take her arm.
"No!" She said and stepped back some more. "I will manage on my own!"
The man growled and reached out for her arm, but she jumped back. "You little…" He said and started walking after her.
"Leave me alone!" She screamed as she turned around and ran.
Kimiko bit her bottom lip with tears streaming down her eyes as she looked behind her seeing the men following her. Please, leave me alone! More tears fell from her eyes. Help me, someone! Please, help me. I'm scared, I'm so scared!
She turned and in the way pushed some wooden boxes down in the path behind her in hopes that it would stop the men from following her further. But as she took a look behind her the men got passed the wooden boxes even as easy as it would be to walk down an ordinary street.
What the! Screamed Kimiko in her mind and turned her look forward and turned a corner. Please, leave me be! Why does this always happen to me? Why does all the bad stuff happen to me and not someone else? I know that it is wrong of me for thinking that but why does it always have to do with me? What have I done to deserve this? Is this my punishment for making such a selfish wish? Then forgive me! Please Kami-Sama, please help me!
She then screamed as she felt something sharp hit her right under the foot, but she didn't stop because of it. She couldn't stop because of it, she had to keep running.
She turned another corner and made a fast stopped right before she ran into the wooden wall. "No!" She shouted and put her hands on the wood as in trying to push it away and make a path forward for her. "Please this can't be true!"
She turned around and saw the men walking towards her with scary grins on their faces. "Nowhere to go?" Said one of them and laughed.
"No need to be so scared, we won't hurt you…" Started one of them.
"…Very much." Said another once and laughed him to.
Kimiko pressed herself at the wall and closed her eyes. She could even feel how close they were to her by now and she opened her mouth and screamed. She screamed as high as she could in hopes that someone would hear her and come for her rescue.
A large and hard hand was slapped right across her face making her shut up and loose her balance. She had her hand over her cheek that was pounding with a harsh pain. Her eyes were big as she blinked as she was staring at the ground. Was this the end? Was this her end? Ending like this? Was what ran through her head as she was breathing heavily after the slap.
One of the men put a hand on her shoulder and was about to push her down on the ground when a sudden scream came from the man who let go of Kimikos shoulder. He was jumping around screaming 'Hot! Hot! Hot!' and waving a hand over his pant that was about to catch fire.
The men turned around and saw a shadowed man lean against the wall on one of the houses. "Isn't it a little unfair 5 on 1?"
"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" One of them screamed and growled at the shadowed man.
"Just thought I'd even the odds a little." Said a muscular male voice.
"You son of a…" Said one of the men as the others ran towards the shadowed man who looked up and stared at the men running towards him.
The first one threw a punch against him but the shadowed man caught it easily and pulled the first guy's arm over his shoulder and down flat on his back making him scream in pain. He spun the man around and kicked him into the wall.
The second ran up fast after and had picked up a pip. He screamed as he tried to hit the shadowed man but he only stepped out of the way every time. The shadowed man then caught the pip and smiled. The pip started to make a strange sound and the man holding it screamed as the pip starting to melt by the sudden warmth. He blew on his hands and stared at the man who punched him in the face easily sending him after the first one.
The third and fourth just stared at the man who started to walk towards them.
"Come on!" Said the fourth. "What are you? A coward?"
The fourth screamed as he as well as the first and second ran towards the shadowed man. The fourth man pulled out a knife and stabbed the shadowed man in the chest, but as the knife went through the flesh flames started to burn around the wound and the blade to the knife melted to goo. The shadowed man elbowed the man in the stomach and then kicked him in the between the legs before punching up his chin sending him flying up in the air before falling down on the ground close to the others.
The third man stared at the shadowed man who had survived the stab and started to move towards the opening of the alley. He then ran screaming out of the alley leaving his fallen comrades behind him in fear of being beaten up as well.
The shadowed man turned towards Kimiko who was still holding her hand over her cheek. "Are you okay?" He asked with his muscular voice and started walking closer to her.
"S-stay back…" She said and pressed herself against the wall. "D-don't come an-ny closer."
He saw easily that she was freezing on the way she was speaking. "You look cold." He said as he ignored what she just said and walked closer anyway. "Come on, if you stay here you will probably freeze to death."
"I-I'd rather fre-eeze to death th-hen go with s-some strange-er I do n-not know." She got out through her shaking teeth.
"Don't be stupid." He said and rolled his eyes at her.
She saw how he got closer and closer to her and she pressed herself closer and closer towards the wall. But it was to no help as the man was already standing before her.
He looked at her red cheek and slowly, really slowly placed his hand over it. Kimiko was taken by surprise of how warm his hand was and couldn't help but let out a deep sigh of pleasure at the warmth that she almost forgot that she didn't know the man and that she didn't know where she was.
"I'll help you ho…" He started but stopped as he caught the blond girl as she fell onto his chest. He blinked in surprise at first and then smiled. "Okay then."
He lifted her up in bridal stile and heated up his body temperature so the girl would not freeze as he walked out of the alley and out on the empty stone streets.
He glanced at the girl in his arms and frowned. He had no idea of who she was, where she lived or even if she was a civilian, marine or pirate. Though she did look more like a lost civilian then both pirate and marine, he was still unsure.
And now what I'm I supposed to do? He asked himself and let out a sigh as the only option came in mind. I guess I have no choose in then to take her back with me. I can't just leave her alone, this town isn't very famous for hospitality.
He started walking down the streets to the harbor where there were a lot of ships in port. He was walking towards the largest one of them were there were men waking stuff on board the ship.
Standing next to the gangway there was a blond man checking all the people going on board and what they had with them to store in on the large ship. Some had food, drinks and sake, others had cloths and other supply, and a few were carrying medical stuff.
The man carrying the girl walked up to the blond man. "Oy, Marco."
The man turned around with a smile and then he looked in surprise at what was in the man's hands. "Ace? Who is that?"
Ace looked in his hands and then at Marco. "Dono."
Marco stared at Ace and let out a sigh. "What are you carrying her around for?"
"She was attacked and when I was about to offer her to help her home she fainted." Ace explained easily and then excused himself. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I'm gonna have Coco look at her."
Marco was about to protest but Ace had already boarded the ship and was out of hearing from Marco. Marco shook his head.
Ace was making his way through the ship towards the infirmary. He knew the way there by heart, sense his first months on the ship he had practically lived in the infirmary.
He knocked on the white metal doors before he pushed them open and walked into a white room with wooden floor.
"Coco?!" He said out loud and looked around. "Coco?"
"Yes?" Ace almost jumped out of his skin as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped forward and turned around staring at the grey heart woman before him.
She looked to be in her late fifties of sixties. Her face had almost no wrinkles at all and her body was up straight as if she was forty years younger than she actually was.
"Coco! What are you trying to do?" He asked as he looked at his shoulder. He was sure that he had felt all his energy almost leave him when she had touched him.
She studied her nails and then the two rings she had on each hand. "Cleaver? Isn't it, Ace."
Ace stared at her metal rings and nails. "Is that…?"
"Kairoseki? Yes, it is." She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled.
"You are one hell of an old lady, you know that right?" Ace said towards Coco.
"And that I'm proud of, but I don't think you came here just for small talk." She was looking at the young girl in his hands. "Who might that be?"
"I don't know, she was in trouble and I helped her, but she fainted before I could get to know anything about her. I couldn't just leave her alone out in the cold." He said and looked at the young blond.
"As polite and kind as always I see." Coco smiled and looked over the girl. "She doesn't have any visible bruises or scraps. You can lay her on the bed over there."
Ace walked over to one of the beds in large infirmary and put the blond girl down on the white sheets. He stared at her for a minute, really curious of whom she was; but long he didn't get to stand there just watching as Coco soon pushed him away from the bed.
"Move it, Ace!" She said as she pushed him away from the bed. She looked over the girls visible skin and made a serious yet funny face. "She does have some scraps on her face, like this little bruise next to her eye. Though it is really small and she has glass under her feet. Except that I think she is fine, physically that is. Mentally, to find that out we need to wait till she wakes up." Coco placed the stethoscope over the blond girls' heart and listened to the only place she could get close to at her sleeping position. "Her heart sounds fine. I think she will recover just perfect. She has just fainted that is all; probably out of exhaustion."
Ace nodded as Coco turned towards him and placed the stethoscope over around her neck. "How long do you think she'll be out?"
"Hard to say, maybe some hours. Why asking?" Coco raised an eyebrow.
"It might be a good idea to introduce her to Oyaji before Marco tells Tatch and Tatch tells the rest of the crew about her. Then I will be in trouble." Ace said and thought of how bad it would be to have a rumor fly around ship involving him. It wasn't very long ago sense he joined the crew actually; two months to be more specific.
Coco raised an eyebrow. "Afraid to get thrown out?" She asked with an amused smile.
"No, I just don't want to think of what Oyaji will think." There was many ways of thinking of what he would do but Ace didn't want to think of any of them and he especially didn't want to have a talk with Oyaji again.
"Afraid to fight Oyaji, are we not?" Coco said as she walked over to a shelf full of medical equipment. "I thought you didn't fear anything."
"I'm not afraid of fighting Oyaji! Your memory seems to fail you if you don't remember the first nine months I was on this ship." Ace said and looked away from Coco, angry of having his pride picked at.
"O of course I remember. I know you better than any other of the crewmembers, Ace." Coco looked through some bowls and cans. "Here…" She mumbled and took down a can together with some bowls and other things from the ledges in the room. "You practically lived in here. Now sit down!"
She pushed Ace down so he sat on one of the beds. "Coco, I'm fine. You don't have to examine me anymore. I hardly get any bruises."
Coco shook her head at Ace and took out a bowl with some cream. She took some on her fingers and started moving it over an area on Ace's arm making him wince. "You still have invisible scars and wounds, Ace. Don't think I'm just going to ignore those."
"You act like a mother…" Grumbled Ace towards Coco which left him with a large bump in the head from Coco.
"I'm just doing my job. Don't question that." She said and moved from his arm to his left knee where he had a large blue purple bruise. "I can't believe these aren't gone yet. What is it with you and fighting, Ace?"
"Not my fault." Ace said and let out a sigh as Coco took and mixed two different creams together with some powders and then started to massage it into his knees large bruise. "You know, usually you let bruises heal by themselves and…" He winced as Coco pressed his knee hard. "Stop that!"
"Then be quiet and let me do my job, you big baby." Coco was pleased to hear Ace let out a frown and then just kept quiet. "That's more like it."
Ace sat quiet and still most of the examination, but when it come to Coco was going to take his pulse and check his heartbeat he started to get more nervous. "Coco, I'm fine really." He said before he jumped of the bed and moved away from Coco. "You don't need to check my heartbeat every now and then you know."
He smiled at her and was walking towards the exit but was stopped as all his energy suddenly left him. He let out a sigh as he fell down on one of the beds.
"Don't think I will let you leave without finishing the examination." Coco said and took out her stethoscope.
"Coco, just because my father…" Ace started but stopped as Coco shot him a glare.
"Your father was deadly sick! Family heritage and it is most likely that you have it as well." Coco said and Ace let out a sigh.
"I'm perfectly fine, I don't have some stupid sickness that will kill me slowly you know." Ace said but let Coco do the usual when she examined him for anything that would show that he had inherited his father's sickness.
Coco was at the moment the only one that knew the truth about Ace father. Don't get it wrong, he didn't tell her himself, she found out all on her own. As you see Coco served Ace father as well and she knew all of that mans sickness. She had been his personal doctor for years and after his death she became a doctor on the Moby dick. But she sure had been surprised when she was Ace the first time, but she had figured it out fast and ever sense she had checked him for the same deadly sickness that his father had.
"Your father said the same thing, he maybe wasn't killed by sickness but he sure did decide to die because of it." She said and moved the stethoscope over Ace chest; it felt weird he thought. "Your fine for now." She finally said and let Ace move from the bed.
"Thank you, Coco." He said and then shot a glance at the blond girl. "Will you tell me when she wakes up?"
Coco nodded and put her stethoscope around her neck. "Yes, you'll be the first to know."
"Thanks again, Coco." He said before he left the infirmary and walked towards deck to see if he would help carry something or see if there was something else he could help with.
He didn't even get up on deck before and arm was thrown over his shoulder. "So, what is this about you carrying some strange girl?" Said the man and looked at Ace.
Ace looked at the light brown orange heard man and almost felt like to growl. This was going to be a long chat. "I just helped her and then she fainted."
"Really, you made a girl faint? I wonder if it is out of fear or not?" The man said and smiled.
"I did not make her faint out of fear." Ace said and removed the man's arm. "There is nothing else to it then I helped her and she fainted, probably out of exhaustion. Nothing to do with me, Tatch."
Tatch looked after the slightly angry teen. "You sure of that" He asked and raised an eyebrow walking after the teen. "You never know, do you."
"Coco said it was out of exhaustion, I can live with that." Ace said as he walked down the gangplank down the harbor to help with carrying supplies on the ship.
"I wonder how Oyaji will react when he find out you took on a free passenger." Tatch said laughed at Ace expression. "Don't worry, I'm sure he won't kill you. Probably just have a talk or something."
"O boy, I'm doomed." Ace said as they stepped down on the stone ground of the harbor. "I'm so damn doomed."
"Hey you survived this long, did you not?" Tatch said and clapped him on the shoulder. "You'll probably survive a little longer as well."
They walked over to the large boxes that were to be carried on board of the ship. Both of them took one box each and started carrying them up on deck. "Yeah, I survived this long by good luck!" He said sarcastically.
"Hahaha, then I guess your good luck is over." Tatch said as they walked up the gangway along other crewmembers.
"If I ever had any luck." Ace said as they both put down the boxes among the others and then turned to get some others.
Not long after the ship parted from the harbor and left out for sea. The sky almost completely dark with only the half full moon and stars to light up the sky; on the ship there were only some lanterns that lit up the ship's deck. The day watch switched with that night's night watch.
Not much really happened on the Moby Dick on the nights, unless someone got into a fight or if there was a party in the galley. But tonight was quiet, really quiet and the night was clear as the calm sea and the too weak wind that hardly could move the ship by little.
In the infirmary there was still light and at a desk in the office was Coco sitting and looking through some reports and looking through all the new medical equipment that was bought that day. Almost everything was on the list, but there was a little of some that was missing and that wasn't good. There was hard to tell how many days that they would be out a sea and if it was by long then it wasn't very easy to be low on supplies.
A soft grown took Coco away from her worries of the low supplies and looked into the dark infirmary where all the beds was. There was another grown and Coco slowly stood up and walked towards the half open door and opened it up completely letting light from the office fall into the dark infirmary. She scanned all the beds and her eyes fell on one bed where a young girl was now sitting up.
She was looking over the room and when her eyes fell onto Coco she jumped and fell of the bed with a loud crash as some of the things on the nightstand fell with her.
"My dear!" Said Coco and ran to help the girl up from the floor. "Are you alright?"
The young blond girl was lying with her knees on in the floor and her face right on the floor as well with her bum up in the air. She slowly moved to sit on the floor and winced a little in pain as she did so. "Aow!" She screamed out and rubbed her now red nose. "That hurt."
She had tears in the corners of her eyes and she was red on more places than just the nose. "You alright my dear?" Asked Coco and looked at the girl on the floor.
"My nose hurts." She said in a wining voice and swallowed as if trying not to cry.
"Well, you did just fall of the bed. I would understand that it hurts." Coco said and put her hand out for the young girl to take. "You shouldn't make so much noise in the middle of the night."
The girl took Coco's hand and stood up. "It wasn't my fault, you scared me." She said still rubbing her red nose. "Wait, how late is it?"
"I think it is passed midnight, maybe close to one." Coco said and looked at the girl. She sure was weird dressed. "Now back in bed with you. You need rest and nothing else."
She blinked at the sudden demand and then blew up her cheeks a little before mumbling. "You are no one to command me." She thought that Coco did not hear her at all, wrong she was.
"You may not be physically hurt but you are lying back down in bed and nothing else." Coco said and pointed towards the bed.
The girl blinked and with a hint of fear in her eyes she sat down on the bed, but didn't lie down. "May I get to know where I am?"
Coco just stared at the sudden change of subject. "Of course, you may. My apologize." Coco said as she realized that she had spaced out. "You are onboard the pirate ship Moby dick and are currently in the infirmary. I am one of the ship's doctors Coco and then there are of course a lot of nurses as well on board that help me."
The blond girl just blinked. "Pirate… ship?" She asked and blinked some more before she screamed again out of panic. "What! PIRATES AREN'T SUPPOSED TO EXIST ANYMORE!"
"Quit that!" Said Coco and hit the girl lightly in the head. "There are people sleeping you know."
"Gomenasai." The blond said and blushed.
"Now, who might you be then?" Coco asked and sat down next to the girl.
The blond looked at the older with a careful and unbelieving look in her eyes. She wasn't sure if she could trust Coco yet. She had a hard time to trust anyone actually.
"No need to be worried, I'm not going to hurt you." Coco said and smiled at her.
"You're not?" Asked the teen and still glanced in disbelief at Coco.
"O of course not! Why would we hurt someone that has done us nothing?" Coco asked and frowned at the stupid question from the girl.
"I'm Kimiko." She said then and smiled at Coco. "Pleasure to meet you."
"You are clumsy aren't you." Coco asked straight out.
Kimiko blinked and then nodded slightly. "M-my friends say so… and my father used to say so as well."
"A simple yes would be much easier wouldn't it?" Said Coco and raised her eyebrows at the youngster.
"W-well, yes, I guess." Kimiko said and nodded.
Kimiko looked at Coco and saw her shook her head with a smile towards her. I must look like an idiot in her eye. I confused teenager who doesn't know right or wrong! I'm sure she has seen most in her days thought, shouldn't be so weird, yes? There are probably people who have been in worse condition then I. If I am in a bad condition that is… She looked down on herself and started to study her own body for any possible bruises. Hmm… isn't that weird? I thought that I was hit hard when I fell. A fall like that must have at least left some scraps, right? It wouldn't just show nothing, some bruise? Purple or blue? A scrap that is wrapped? A broken hand or foot? Kimiko stared at the parts of her body that she could see but that had no visible scraps or wraps or broken bones. I'm… perfectly… healthy? Not even the smallest of scraps?
"What may you be looking for?" Coco asked and studied the girl. She looked as if she was searching for something, but failed to find it. "You dropped something important?"
"No it is just…" Kimiko started and looked up her arms and her hands. "…I fell and…" She moved her hands over her neck and shoulders. "…That it must have left a scrap or a bruise of some sort." She let her hands fall down on the white sheets of the bed as she didn't find anything. "But it seems s if I survived just fine."
Coco laughed at Kimiko and smiled shaking her head. "No, you got some scraps alright. Like here is one…" Coco said and put her finger next to Kimikos eye which made Kimiko let out a small gasp of pain. "…And there is one here next to the corner of your mouth as well, but there ain't anything to big if you are looking for any broken bones or something like that."
"So I'm practically whole?" Kimiko let out a small 'hmm' and looked down on the floor. "I would have expected a fall like that to leave at least some more marks then just some small scraps."
"What fall are you talking about?" Asked Coco curious to what the youngster was talking about as she most currently had forgotten that Coco was there next to her. "Did you maybe fall of a building or out your window? It could be possible to leave some minor scraps but nothing that would hurt you so very serious. You are in no need to worry."
Kimiko was about to open her mouth to tell that it wasn't what she was talking about but she couldn't remember where or why she had fallen in the first place anymore. It was like a large blank paper. She knew who she was and where she came from, but she couldn't remember the reason to the fall. "Weird…" She just mumbled.
"What is weird?" Coco looked at the girl who was still watching the floor.
"Nothing, just… nothing." Kimiko said and smiled towards the female doctor. "So you say I'm onboard a pirate ship, right?"
"Yes, you are." Coco nodded. "Onboard the famous Moby dick."
Kimiko blinked and then asked: "Like the large white whale?"
Coco just stared at her before she laughed. "I know that the ship looks like a large whale from the front but I've never heard it being called that before."
"No I didn't…" Started Kimiko but was cut off.
"But yes, you can say it that way I guess." Coco said with a smile and was still laughing a little towards Kimiko.
Kimiko closed her mouth again before she was about to say against Coco and bring the older to think she was suspicious. "Moby dick, the large whale ship? I think I understand." She mumbled to herself and nodded at herself as if she was correcting herself in a test from school that you had to be right on. "You said it was pretty late right?"
"Yes, probably past midnight by long ago now." Coco nodded.
"So everyone is asleep?" Coco nodded again to correct the girl.
"Well isn't that a bummer." Kimiko said and let out a sigh. "I assume there ain't too much to do here right?"
"Well, sadly on the night, no." Coco answered the girl correct once more. "But on the days there is usually at least something to do. Well, much actually. This ship never gets boring with the crew we have here." Coco laughed. "It is a nice variation of people from across the entire Grand Line and New World!"
"Grand Line? New World?" Asked Kimiko and looked a little strange at Coco.
"You don't know about the Grand Line?" Coco asked surprised. "Or the New World?"
"Well… I… um… it is… I guess…" Started Kimiko and blushed as she felt really stupid in front of Coco.
"I can't believe there are those who don't know about the Grand Line!" Coco said and stood up. "It is almost impossible to never have heard of it."
"How come?" Asked Kimiko.
"The Grand Line crossed the entire glove in a circle. The first half is called the Grand Line and the second half across the Red Line that goes in the middle of this large circle and parts it in two pieces, is called the New World." Coco hoped to see something in Kimikos eyes showing that she remembered by now but found nothing. "And on the outside of each side of the Grand Line there are waters called the calm belt, it is completely calm there. No wind. No storm. Nothing. Well, except the giant sea monsters called Sea kings that exist in those waters."
"S-sea Kings?" Asked Kimiko and gulped.
"They exist of course here in these waters as well, just not as much as in the calm belt." Answered Coco calmly not noticing that Kimiko was about to freak out.
"Do… Do… Do… Do they appear often?" Asked Kimiko who was sweating out of fear and nervousness.
"It depends on the weather and on the current and of course how close we are to an island, as we just left an island I'm sure there are a lot of sea kings in the waters." Coco kept going without noticing, still, how much Kimiko was about to freak out. "But of course it isn't every day that you get a sea king or see a sea king. And it is of course rare to see them so they don't appear so horrible often." She turned around seeing Kimiko had fallen on the bed, half passed out. "Oy, are you okay?"
"I'm doomed. I'm going to be eaten by a sea king." She said as tears fell from her eyes. "I'm going to die and that is my fate. Just accept it Kimiko, no need to cry over it."
"Hehe, don't take it so hard, honey." Said Coco and shook her head towards Kimiko. "You aren't going to be eaten by a sea king. The people on this boat aren't going to allow that, I'm sure. You are going to be perfectly safe from harm here."
"Really?" Asked Kimiko and looked with hope in her eyes at Coco.
"Yes I'm very sure of that. You are safe here." Kimiko let out a sigh.
Looks like I'm safe for now, at least. I hope just that these pirates aren't like the once I'm thinking about. Those who kill for money and just pillage and plunder to get money for alcohol and girls; which is disgusting! But what if they are like that anyway? What if they are those kind of pirates? Then I'm doomed for sure! Kimiko swallowed at the thought. Then I'd rather get eaten by one of those sea kings Coco is talking about. Yes, I'd rather die like that then in the hands of some perverted pirate that doesn't have any self hygiene or common manners or knows how to behave around woman. What am I going to do then? What am I going to do if I'm never getting out of here?
Coco watched as Kimikos face went pale and her eyes large with fear and discomfort. She swallowed and just stared in front of her as if she was lost deep in her thoughts. A little unsure of what to do Coco slowly waved her hand in front of Kimikos eyes in hope for a reaction – it failed thought.
"Kimiko? Kimiko, are you alright?" Asked Coco and started shaking her gently in hopes of getting the young back to herself or at least back to reality. "Kimiko?"
Kimiko blinked a little and then shook her head before looking into the eyes of a worried old, or middle aged, woman. A pair of eyes that belonged to Coco; wait did she space out? "Sorry, if I sacred you." She mumbled and massaged her neck a little.
I must have spaced out or something… But it can't really be my fault, what would you expect if you find out you are on a pirate ship! Of course you should expect the person to get a slightly hint of shook at least. Coco would at least understand what I'm mean in that. She is a doctor, or she said so herself. I can trust her words, I hope. Kimiko shook her head again and smiled at Coco with a bright smile. She must not think I'm scared, I'm sure they can smell fear! Wait that is animals… But they can surely realize when someone is afraid or not! They are pirates and surely they have seen a lot of scared people before in their days of pillaging and plundering villages.
"You okay? You feeling sick or anything?" Asked Coco in suspicion at Kimikos weird behavior. "If you do feel strange, you need to tell me."
"I'm fine, I'm just… a little overwhelmed I guess." Kimiko took some of her long blond hair in her hands and played with it. "It is a lot of information to take in, I mean. It isn't everyday you run into pirates. It is a very new thing for me. I'm not use to this all information and all and it just… It isn't very healthy for me I think and…" Kimiko kept going on about what was on her mind trying to make sense in some small point.
"You maybe should take a rest and think things through, I don't want you to overwhelm yourself more then you say all this already have." Coco smiled a warming smile. "I'll be in the room over there."
Coco pointed towards the way of the open door that took in light in the dark infirmary. Kimiko nodded and took a deep breath as she saw Coco stand up.
"Good night, Coco." Kimiko said and smiled at the doctor before she laid back down on the bed to rest. I wonder if I'm going to get at least the slightest of sleep in this place.
As might as well seen my first reaction wasn't very… how to say… positive to the thought of pirates. As in my birth world pirates where people who was heartless and killed for the fun of it. I did not know the kindness of pirates yet and there were things that I had yet to learn of the world I'd fallen into.
Coco was the first one I meet on Moby dick and she was I guess the nicest person I'd meet in my days, all of my days except my father then. As he was before I mean..