An orange haired kitsune female trotted around her home. Her natural fire blazing orange pelt was sunning the sun's shining rays of warmth. A white mask coated her nose and her mouth going all the way to her underside. The insides of her ears were white as the back of them were a dark chocolate brown. Her arms and back paws were also the chocolate coated brown color as the end of her beautiful colored tail was white. Yes, Kiri was a natural fox with an ordinary life.
She yawned before walking down the path to the docks. A single collar rested on her neck with an emblem of an ancient pirate king. Yes, she was owned by a famous pirate, but he died a long time ago leaving the 17 year old alone. She can only remember her name. Her name is Kiri.
The island was her hometown, and many people respected it since she didn't leave when her kind left. Only the marines hated her guts and some fish mongers since she stole.
Yet, she was getting better at working for her own share! She caught small rats and mice, teaching the other cats how to perfect their style. She also carried small pouches for the farmers contained of rich, rare seeds from another land. She chased off any intruders of the bar, 'May's Merriot.' She was like a guard dog/fox.
Kiri loved everyone in the village no matter what. She HATED dogs a lot. Dogs don't take to kindly to her at all. Well, some dogs are great and nice to her like Olde Jason, the elderly Bull Mastiff, and Mrs. Memoi, the Great Dane.
Only if she owned a human body it would be great, yet she hated their guts. Especially, swordsmen, any of them she despised. Swordsmen killed her owner infront of her own fox eyes so she hates them really badly! She kinda likes a certain one, but she's heard rumors about his dangerous killing streaks and how he was free with the Mugiwara-Kaizoku crew now.
She ran down to the docks, seeing fish mongers about selling fish to people. A lot of travelers were about, including a new ship with a goat head. Goat head?
She quickly turned around to an old tree where a hole was in the middle. A perfect place for storing items it was. Kiri searched inside of the stump to find a small pouch with a lot of gold coins in it. She finally found enough coins, and she worked enough to buy her that mask and this night's meal!
Kiri finally could get that mask her owner owned a long time before he died. She loved it and now she could finally once again obtain it!
She smiled, trotting down the path getting looks from new comers.
"Look at that fox!" A man pointed.
"What's it doing here?" A female asked.
"Mommy that foxes is holding money!" A small girl asked.
Kiri ignored the comments and went down to the antique shop where swords were made. They also held her mask there waiting for her to come and get it.
She ran to the store where she was welcomed. She walked in, brushing off her paws at the door mat. Hey, she had to be polite. She trotted in while browsing for her mask.
"Ne, Zoro, where ya going?" Monkey D. Luffy asked his first-mate, Roronoa Zoro.
Luffy wore his signature Straw-hat on his head with his red vest and his knee length pants. His lucky sandals were at his feet as his obsidian eyes showed confusion as well as curiosity. His short black messy hair hung over his eyes as his left eye had a particular scar, showing his boyish face.
"To the swords shop." He replied, getting off the boat with his Katanas by his side. Roronoa Zoro had on his blue shirt that cut off that his shoulders, showing his muscular arms. He had green short hair and his left ear had three golden rings on it. On his forehead, a pair of goggles was strapped on for some odd reason. A black/green bandana was strapped onto his left arm. A green sash was around his waist, supporting his three Katanas and his black pants. He wore black boots.
"DON'T GET LOST!" Nami screeched. She was an orange-haired female that was a great navigator as well as bad tempered woman. She wore an orange jacket with a blue yellow undershirt, and she wore a black skirt. Sandals were on her feet.
"I WON'T!" He yelled back, walking down the streets to the swords shop. He muttered at that 'she-devil' was stupid. He knew better than to wonder around because of his 'useless' sense of direction!
Given by the gods, he found the store and walked in. He was greeted with a lot of swords and many other weapons as well as some ancient animal masks used for festivals.
He looked around for some swords when he saw a stuffed figure of a fox in the far corner of the store, facing a unique mask that looked like a demon fox.
"Welcome! How may I help you?" the store keeper asked him.
"I'm just browsing. Can you tell me what's with that fox over there?" Zoro asked, now interested as to why that the swords keeper was keeping a stuffed fox in here. It looked very life-like as well as fragile. A collar was on its neck.
"Oh, Kiris not stuffed. She's quite real lad. I don't think she likes it when you stare at her or touch that mask." The man said.
"She's real?" Zoro asked, looking at the fox. He looked hard enough before he felt a stinging pain on his right cheek. "Kuso!" He yelped falling back, not on any anything, and put his hand on his face feeling blood.
"I told you not to stare at her. Kiri thinks you're challenging her for her mask." The old man laughed.
A regular fox stood there hissing at Roronoa Zoro in fright. Fear flooded her eyes before him. Her tail was puffed out as her canines were showing.
Great! A swordsman just walked in, and I just attacked him! I better get my mask and flee! Kiri thought before jumping over the green-haired guy, and she paid for her mask. She thanked the man before running off, forgetting her pouch.
Zoro watched the female fox run off, forgetting her pouch. "Who was that!" He said. He got up, still feeling the blood.
"That was Kiri. She lives all the way in the small house near the large trees. It's normal for her to buy stuff. She finally acquired enough money to buy her mask back from the traders. I was keeping it for her. Oh, man… She left her pouch here. She's going to have no money to buy fish now. The mongers send their attack dogs on her for it." The old man worried. "Oi, Swordsman-sama, please bring the pouch to Kiri."
"WHY ME!" Zoro yelled. He had just got attacked by the animal so why would he go and give something back to it? 'She was interesting though.'
"Because I think she will be getting a friend. She needs to learn that swordsmen aren't always vicious and cruel like the way she learned." He said.
"Why does she think that swordsmen are vicious and cruel?" Zoro asked, slightly curious now. Maybe there was a reason for Kiri's sudden attack on the green haired marimo.
"Her owner was a rich and famous pirate in our small town. Some marines called on Mihawk to get rid of him. So, they were at home just playing around after they ate when Mihawk stormed in and killed him right infront of her own fox eyes.
She was 7 when that happened, and now she is 17 years old. 10 years of being alone in that small house made her feel so vulnerable to swordsmen and women alike." The shopkeeper replied, shaking his sad head.
"Mihawk killed her owner right infront of her own eyes?" Zoro was shocked by that answer. He had faced Mihawk and lost. Mihawk was a terrible man, and he killed a small fox's adopted parent infront of their own eye. Man, that's why she's so frightened by my appearance; I thought she was just angry.
"She knows you who are though, Roronoa Zoro. She told me a long time ago when her owner was still around, that she had a distant liking to a green haired swordsman. I never thought it was true until now. Please make her happy and return the pouch." The shopkeeper said.
"Fine." Zoro began as he grabbed the pouch and headed out the door for the kitsune.
'Now, where's the fish…' Kiri thought before seeing her favorite fish store! The owner loved her, but the fisher hated her. She walked over to the store, grabbing her salmon, and put it on the desk waiting for the owner.
"Oh, it's you! You have no money on you so…. HERE'S WHAT YOU GET!" He yelled, revealing 6 German Sheppard's snarling at Kiri. All of them were vicious and hungry for fox. "GET HER!" He yelled.
Kiri yelped when one of the dogs pushed her into the middle of the street where millions of passersby watched the scene. Kids held onto their moms.
"So, you're the fox whom master hates?" The leader dog growled, stalking Kiri. He snapped out. He was a rich shade of chocolate brown, and he had silver streaks in his fur.
"Shut it! Everyone here likes me except for your pathetic master!" Kiri snarled back, showing her fangs. Her mask was on her back. She swerved her ears back to hear a shriek from some child. She looked to see one of the dogs.
He had brownish-reddish fur and a white undercoat. He had on a blood-stained collar with spikes on it. He was aiming at a small child.
Kiri ran without second thought before she felt fangs pierce her back. She yelped. "LEAVE THE CROWD ALONE! I'M YOUR TARGET!" She hissed.
"So be it. Troops aim at the fox only!" The leader yelled.
Every one of the dogs aimed at Kiri's defenseless body in pure delight.
Kiri let out a lot of yelps with pained expressions. She felt her body begin to collapse on her. Her mask was alright, but she wasn't.
The same leader smirked before chomping down onto Kiri's neck, trying to break it. She let out an ear piercing yowl before falling down. "Fine, you got me."
The leader howled before sending all of his allies to attack her once and for all.
SHINK!
Roronoa Zoro saw the scene where the female fox helped the little child, making herself a target. "Wow, she has so much…"
"MOMMY! THE FOX IS HURT!" A little girl yelled.
"Not on my watch." Zoro muttered, running over their pulling out his swords, and he aimed for the dogs. He got them all as the fox looked at him. "It's alright now. I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm here now." He whispered, cradling the small kitsune slowly before running to his ship.
Hm? Where am I? Who're you!
"It has been so long since I've last talked to you, Kiri." A very distance yet familiar voice yelled.
That voice…. Master Dinith, is that you!
"Aye, I wanted to talk to you about the swordsman. He's very nice since I have spoken with him. I decided to peer into your heart. You like him don't you?"
No! I'm a stupid kitsune who really hates marines and swordsman! Anyway, I think he wants to get back at me for clawing his face off.
"He likes you."
NO! IT WON'T SAY IT! I'M AN ANIMAL AND HE IS A HUMAN!
"Not anymore. Remember that locket on your collar? Well, when you wake up, go to the swordsman and lick his cheek. It will open and say something dear to you. Something magical will happen. Just be sure to BE FAR AWAY from the rest of his crew when it happens!"
Wait? WHAT! WAII-
Kiri awoke with a start before looking around the wooden room where the place creaked and rolled. 'Great…. I'm on his ship!' She thought before looking around for her mask. MY MASK! WHERE THE HECK IS IT! THAT GREEN HAIRED MARIMO! HE'S GONNA GET IT! She hissed before hearing the door open.
A small reindeer/human walked in to see Kiri hissing. "It's alright! I'm friendly!" He spoke to Kiri.
"Where am I?" Kiri hissed before arching.
"You're on the Going Merry. I'm Tony-Tony Chopper. The ship's doctor! What's your name?" He asked her.
"My name is Kiri. Where's that green haired swordsman?" Kiri asked the small reindeer before looking about.
"You mean Zoro? He's near sleeping near the crows-nest's mast. You can see him after-" Chopper started but stopped when Kiri dashed out of the room. "WAIT!"
Where's that marimo! Kiri hissed when her wounds ached. She ran to the stairs and hopped up, almost knocking over a long-nosed teen.
"FOX!" The kid yelled making Kiri snarl.
"KIRI! YOUR WOUNDS ARE NOT FULLY HEALED!" Chopper yelled.
Man! I have to get to that marimo! Kiri hissed before heading out to the blinding sunlight. She winced but soon started to stop some the mast. She ran to the mast, trying to find her way to the marimo. 'THIS SHIP IS SO CONFUSING!' She thought.
"WHAT'S WITH THE ENTIRE RACKET?" A male voice yelled from the kitchen. He stepped out with blonde hair and a weird curly eyebrow. He spotted the fox. "What's a fox doing on board?"
"SANJI CATCH HER! SHE ISN'T HEALED UP!" Chopper yelled.
Zoro was trying to sleep when yelling was heard and snarling from a certain animal. 'No, please just sleep.' He thought. He looked at the fox's precious mask. Weird designs were on it with some dried blood.
"IT'S HEADING FOR ZORO!" Luffy yelled, catching Zoro's attention before something collided into his face.
A small furry body clung onto his face. It whimpered and began to tremble.
"Get. Off. My. Face." He stated before pulling the kitsune off his face. He stared at the small fear stricken female. Her eyes were round with fear as her wounds were not fully healed.
Kiri whimpered before remembering her old master's words.
"Not anymore. Remember that locket on your collar? Well, when you wake up, go to the swordsman and lick his cheek. It will open and say something dear to you. Something magical will happen. Just be sure to BE FAR AWAY from the rest of his crew when it happens!"
Kiri gulped before leaning into the swordsman's face. She hesitated before licking his cheek. The taste of dried copper ran into her mouth.
Roronoa Zoro was shocked by Kiri's sudden motion. She's licking me? He looked at her collar to see it open. As soon as it opened, Kiri started to glow before something heavy landed on his lap. What the heck!
"Z-Z-Zoro?" Kiri muttered trying to speak human words. She saw herself in his lap before feeling her fox ears twitch. She had orange long hair down to her butt. A long orange fox tail sprouted from her behind. She had orange fox ears as well. Her eyes were orange too. Her kimono was white with red streaks.
Roronoa Zoro didn't expect this so he was flustered. I mean there was A KISTUNE GIRL IN HIS LAP! Her tail was in a place that he didn't want it to be! "K-iri…"
"I-It worked?" Kiri asked curiously before feeling her fox ears and tail. She took a minute to catch her breath. She closed her eyes and opened them to reveal her orange eyes. She stared at the swordsman before hugging him tightly.
Zoro noticed Kiri starting to shake after she hugged him. 'Is she cold?' He thought. It seemed that somehow they were in the crows-nest far away from the rest of the crew. He was going to tell her to let go, but he noticed some whimpers and sobs. "Kiri, are you alright?"
Kiri was crying for the first time in the 10 years of her life. "Thank… you, Zo-oro." She cried before feeling the swordsman wrap his arms around her waist for support. She felt him pull her a little bit away from him only to feel something soft on her forehead. 'What is that soft feeling?'
Zoro pulled her back and kissed her forehead softly to let her know that he was there. "Kiri, I'm here and now it's safe. I promise to protect you." He whispered softly running his hand through her hair before staring at her eyes. 'She needs to know comfort.' He leaned down into her face before kissing her softly on the lips to let her know that Kiri was his, and Kiri was no one else's.