Chapter Four
Nighttime Meeting
Summary: Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing. Kim discovers this when she's torn away from all she knows and thrust into a world where danger and death is an every day occurrence. Now she has to find away back to her family and there's only one way she can do that. Travel the Grandline in search of some answers.
Disclaimer: One Piece and its characters are copyright to Oda-sama and Funimation (plus all the other companies who have the rights, lucky bastards). OCs are copyright of me along with anything else the general public doesn't recognize, apart from certain characters that have been borrowed with explicit permission from the creators themselves.
Beta'd by Omicron the IceQueen (now, go give her praise and affection because she always reminds me to add stuff in!)
True to her word, Kim returned at dawn the next morning, her eyelids sagging with exhaustion and her pockets full of Beli. The pillow case of jewelry had been sold for quite a price (Kim had gotten a strange look from the guy behind the counter, but she simply smiled innocently) and Kim currently had a new backpack full of clothes and dried fruits. She was ready to head out on the sea, maybe on a ship or something as a stowaway, or as a paid consumer but felt obligated to visit Zoro again before she left.
The courtyard hadn't changed much at all since she left the base earlier, except in lighting. It was rather dark now, but fairly easy to see around. She made her way over to the green haired man, her footsteps carefully placed so that they would make very little noise.
"You still alive?" she muttered, crouching next to Zoro's prone form.
He jerked awake with a grunt, glaring at her sleepily, "You again? What do you want now?" the man grumbled at her.
"So rude," Kim sighed, pulling out a handkerchief and pouring some water from her water bottle on it before rubbing it across his cheek harshly.
"Ouch!" he hissed, glaring at her fiercely. "What the hell was that for?!"
Kim fixed him with a stern look. "You should be nicer to those who're trying to help you. I could leave you now!"
"Just leave." Zoro argued, "I don't need any help. I'll get out of here on my own. You'll just get in trouble if you're caught. Besides, you don't even know me, why the hell would you try to help a stranger?"
"You remind me of someone." Kim said shortly trying to scrub at the blood on his face as Zoro jerked away, reminding her of a small child. "Now stop moving! The faster I get done with this the faster you can eat! Do you want these cuts to get infected?"
Zoro eyed her speculatively. "You brought food?"
"Yep," she replied, digging around her back pack. Kim pulled out a small paper bag and retrieved a couple of rolls from it. They were still fresh, just bought from an early opening bakery down the street from the Marine base. Kim had stopped by there on her way to visit Zoro. The roll's sweet scent drifted up, making Zoro's mouth water with hunger and anticipation.
"Well, if you'd said that when you got here..." he trailed off, pinning the buttery rolls with a ravenous stare. Kim snickered and held one of the rolls up so he could eat it. The swordsman devoured it in less than a minute, reminding Kim of her neighbor's German Sheppard whenever she graced it with a treat. She hurried to give him the rest of the rolls, glancing at the brightening sky with anxiety. They had to hurry before the Marines showed up.
Once Zoro finished with the last roll, he grudgingly looked Kim in the eye, feeling a little embarrassed. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." She told him, standing up and brushing her legs off. She now wore a pair of gray shorts with a line running down their sides and a form fitting shirt in pale orange. It looked good on her. Her sandals were white, showing her repainted toes. The white polish made her feet look tan. Her cloak was tied around her neck by it's sleeves, hanging loosely over her shoulders. "It was nice meeting you. I hope you'll get out of here soon. I'd let you go myself if I wouldn't be interfering with destiny."
"Wait, you're just going to leave like that?" Zoro snapped, irritated that she was just going to walk away and not help him because of some 'destiny' crap. "You can't just go after that!"
"Why not?" Kim asked, putting her hands on her hips, "I haven't done anything wrong, morally if not legally that is. Why can't I just leave?"
"Because you've already done too much to just leave!" The swordsman growled.
"Exactly, I've done too much. If I don't get out of here now I could end up like you. And no one in this world would come to save me. I don't intend on being stopped by the Marines before I reach my goal."
Zoro frowned, but let the issue go. Who was he to stand between someone and their dreams? He'd just have to get out of here some other way. "Fine," he grumbled, not looking at her. Kim felt her spirits drop, seeing him so depressed.
"If I'm still here, I'll come back later today and tomorrow." she said, patting him on the shoulder and being careful not to hit any tender spots caused by Helmeppo, before heading for the exit. After all, what were the chances that she'd find a ship to stow away in on such short notice?
Kim pulled the cloak on correctly with arms through the sleeves and stuffed her hands in her pockets, fingers closing tightly around her wad of Beli. She didn't want to leave him there. Not like that. Yet what choice did she have? Zoro was a member of Luffy's crew, or will be soon. Had it been anyone else, she would have thrown caution to the wind and helped them escape. What kind of person was she to just leave a guy to his death? After telling him about it no less! She shouldn't have talked to him more, helped him more.
However, in her eyes, it was wrong to just leave someone when she could help them. She couldn't help but want to go back and untie him. Her fists clenched. But what if she did? What would happen then? How many lives would it cost if Zoro never joined Luffy's crew? What kind of effect would her actions make on this world? Were lives worth her going back and changing the future just because her heartstrings were being tugged on? The young woman hesitated, looking back at the Marine base. Could she live with herself if people died because of her?
No, she decided. She wouldn't be able to deal with something like that.
Besides, it wasn't like Zoro was going to die if she didn't do anything, right? Luffy would show up and save him, just like he was supposed to. Then Kim could leave the island and the issue behind. She wouldn't get involved in this, at least, not anymore than she was now.
Kim rubbed her eyes wearily and raked a hand through her hair. Damn she was tired. A hotel sounded nice about now and there was no way she was leaving until Luffy and Coby arrived. There was no other option now.
"I didn't know such a small city could be so busy," Kim commented to herself as she leaned out the window of her hotel room. In order to conserve as much Beli as possible, she had purposely bought a cheap room in a questionable looking hotel. Fortunately, the sheets were clean and the carpet was just slightly stained. Perfect considering its location in the more rundown part of Shells City, "It's nice here. Too bad the Marine captain is a corrupt bastard." The sounds of city life floated through the open window and the smells of fresh foods waiting to be sold filled her nose and made her mouth water. Kim's lips twisted into a scowl as she saw Helmeppo walking down the street, flanked by his men like some sort of bully walking down the halls at school. Asshole.
She sighed and moved away from the window, stretching as she went. Her hair flew around her face as she flopped ungracefully onto the bed, curling around a pillow and burying her face into it. The young woman had barely gotten two hours sleep before the sounds of this new type city woke her. She wasn't used to them, having lived most of her life just outside the city, away from the hustle and bustle. On the upside, there were no outrageously loud horns blaring outside the window, but there were vendors trying to sell their wares, attempting to outdo each other in terms of loudness.
Maybe I can sleep a bit more before going to see Zoro, she thought with a yawn.
Kim slept until noon, safely tucked away beneath her warm blankets and happy dreams. At least, until a scream rang out through the village below Kim jerked up with a jolt, amber eyes opened wide and her long hair plastered to her face. She had woken to screams before, though those were mostly angry insults directed at the stove (Kaine was just as hopeless at cooking as she was and he tended to burn himself whenever he touched the stove. However, that didn't stop him from trying to cook breakfast.).
What on earth just happened?
Kim rose sleepily, unable to help herself as she stretched leisurely, and padded over to the window, shoving her hair out of her face and yanking the curtains out of the way. What she saw made her eyes pop wide open, all traces of sleepiness gone.
Monkey D. Luffy had arrived with Coby in tow. Probably startled the people by talking about Zoro and Morgan, she thought, watching the two head for the Marine base.
"Thank God, I can leave now. I'll just go say good-bye to Zoro and be on my way then. Maybe piss off the Marines while I'm down there and get the future pirate King's autograph. Sounds good. First things first though, I need a shower and a change of clothes."
A/N: Yesh! The action starts next chapter.
Poll update: 1st place with 11 votes is Sanji (I'm very happy about thisJ)! Zoro, Luffy and Ace are tied for 2nd with 9 votes each. And Akane is still in 3rd with only 1 vote. Usopp still hasn't made it onto the poll, poor guyXD
SBS!
Thanks for Favoriting and Alerting: The Three Kings, Black Wolfang, 10th Squad 3rd Seat, Monkey D Jericho, Demeter13909, and Kine X.
Guest: I'll be sure to add your voteJ
dartya: Yes, apparently our emails weren't getting to each otherXD lol, yes, she's wearing his socks.
Miki Naomi: Guess who's in first~! :D
10th Squad 3rd Seat: Eh? I don't even know if Marco will be in this story! I know Law and Ace will though. But I have stuff planned for Law. . . J And thank you!
Igreg01: If I wasn't such an UsoKay shipper, I'd be tempted to write an OC story just for him.
Monkey D Jericho: Thanks!
Demeter13909: Thanks!
mamc97nolongeranymous: Thanks!
thakidisbac: Personally, I'm leaning towards Sanji, but that's just me.
Kine X: Thanks!
