I tried to update earlier this time. I had a hard time thinking about what would happen in this chapter and it was hard to write about all these characters at once. So sorry if it's a little confusing! Oh, and once again, thanks to those who reviewed, favorited, and followed!
It had been three days since the the Straw-hats' grand escape. Kyoko, of course, didn't succeed in her own escape and she still didn't consider herself a part of the crew. Her hate of the cook was reinforced plenty, though.
She glanced over her shoulder to make sure he wasn't still chasing her. On the first day, he kept coming up to her and begging her to join the other girls in their sunbathing. Finding the activity utterly pointless, she declined bluntly.
Instead of discouraging him, however, he continued annoying her.
"Kyoko" seemed to be the only thing that came out of his mouth. After her morning exercises, he would offer her food. Whenever he found her sitting on the rail (where she frequently found herself), he would try to hand her a strangely colored, fruity drink. She was sure he was driving her mad.
It didn't matter how many times she denied his offers or how many glares she sent him, he always bugged her.
And he wasn't the only one.
Chopper would constantly come and ask her questions about her experiences. He didn't seem like much of a threat, but she still answered vaguely. The reindeer, however, didn't seem to notice and fired off question after question, barely giving her enough time to even nod her head.
By the third day, she learned two things. One: She would have to find a better hiding spot from Sanji. Two: This crew was either comprised of the best actors on the Grand Line, or they really were who they said they were. But she still wasn't sure if she could trust them now or not.
They seemed genuine, something she had never seen before in a group of pirates. But then again, they were pirates. It wouldn't surprise her if they pillaged villages or destroyed towns for fun.
She had actually talked (meaning they came and bombarded her with questions) to all of the crew except Zoro. She squinted up at the crow's nest. She knew Zoro was up there. Robin had told her, albeit indirectly when she asked Kyoko why she trained on the deck and not up there. She then proceeded to inquire if it was because Zoro was up there.
Kyoko actually didn't think she saw him come down at all over the three days she was on board. She thought about going up and training there after Robin talked to her about it, but every time she approached the mast, she decided not to. She would be vulnerable to attack if she did.
Currently, though, Kyoko was safely tucked away on top of one of the ship's cabins observing dark clouds gathering ominously from a ways away. Below her, she could see Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper running around, Brook was practicing his guitar, and Robin and Nami laying down, soaking in the sun. Because of the nice whether, Franky was also on deck, working on something mechanical and occasionally shouting "SUPER!"
She saw Sanji run to the kitchen earlier, no doubt working on something else to give the women, including her. From time to time, Robin would glance up at her, but would looked back down at her book with a small smile. Kyoko was used to it though, she had been doing it consistently the since after the Marine attack.
She was about to get up and search for a new place to hide when Zoro jumped down from the crow's nest. It surprised her. She hadn't been paying attention to said place and she cursed herself for letting her guard down. They may not be enemies, but they also weren't her friends.
The swordsman took the towel wrapped around his shoulders and wiped the sweat from his face as he started heading to the kitchen. It made sense. He was no doubt hungry after days without eating anything.
Not long after, however, Zoro went flying back out the door he just walked through and landed heavily near where Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper were messing around. He quickly stood up and started walking back towards the door as Sanji came out shouting something about "That was for Nami."
Kyoko wisely decided to relax back in her spot. She didn't want to get in the middle of one of their arguments. They exchanged heated words for about a minute before they started throwing punches at each other. Well, Zoro was punching and Sanji was giving kicks.
Franky, Brook, and the other women ignored the men, but the three playing stopped and watched. Chopper quickly tried to break them up. Kyoko's eyes widened when Sanji accidentally kicked him. The two didn't even notice when the reindeer sailed through the air and into the water.
She looked at the rest of the crew, hoping one of them saw what had happened. Franky was still absorbed in his work, Brook was still strumming, the women were focused on reading, and Luffy and Usopp were busy cheering on Sanji and Zoro.
She was the only one who saw. She quickly stood up and looked at where the little reindeer had fallen. She watched in horror when she didn't see him.
Chopper is a devil fruit user. He can't swim.
She jumped in after him. They not be her friends, but she would not just watch someone die. It would be the same as killing them, and she'd made a vow to never kill another person again.
The sudden coldness of the water made her pause. It had been a long time since she had felt the smooth sleekness of the sea. She pulled a piece of fabric away from her neck as her lungs expanded, the gills at her neck opening and allowing her to breath. She felt strength surge through her. She may only be half, but a part of her was fish-man. And the sea welcomed her.
She felt Chopper flailing around, desperate to be able to breath again. She easily cut through the water, but Chopper had sunk farther than she though he would. She watched as bubbles floated past her. Chopper was running out of time.
She moved her arms and legs faster. She was a fast swimmer, but she didn't have the fins that pure-blooded fish-men had.
More bubbles passed her.
I can't be too late, I have to go faster!
Chopper had finally come into sight, but he was still too far for her to reach. She desperately tried to reach him. His death would be on her hands if she didn't. He saw her and waved frantically. She didn't miss how his eyes were wide with fear.
She reached him just as a large amount of air escaped from the reindeer's mouth. He had blacked out.
No, no, no, no, no!
She grabbed him and swam as fast as she could back to the surface. He had to make it. He had to.
She felt herself gaining speed, her desperation pushing her. It wasn't just her own morals at stake anymore. Chopper couldn't be older than twelve. He had his entire life ahead of him. At this point, she could care less if he raided islands in his spare time; he was a child. He had been nothing but kind to her. Now that she thought about it, the entire crew had.
It was funny how it took Chopper drowning for her to see it.
They finally broke through and soared out of the water with Kyoko's speed. She landed on her knees heavily and set Chopper gently on the deck. She quickly rested her head on the young reindeer's heart. It was beating, but it was very weak. And it was getting slower.
She took Chopper back into her arms and ran to the kitchen. It was the only place she could think of where she could get a fire. She pulled the door open and rushed inside, placing the reindeer as close to Sanji's oven as she dared. She frantically turned knobs at random until the fire inside the appliance lit after opening its door.
She ran to an adjoining room and grabbed the first blanket she found, whipping around and skidding to a stop next to Chopper. It was only when she had the blanket firmly wrapped around the small, shivering body that she noticed people in the room with her. At the door, Robin, Nami, Franky, Brook, Usopp and Luffy stood, looking between her and Chopper with varying levels of emotion. Outside, she heard the sounds of the other two of the crew still fighting.
Kyoko's eyes darkened. They were still fighting? After what they caused, they were still fighting? She stormed past the people in the doorway. She saw the crew surge forward and surround Chopper from the corner of her eye.
She walked onto the deck, almost slipping from the amount of water dripping from her. In front of her, Zoro and Sanji were on the ground rolling around, trying to hurt the other. She couldn't even hear them arguing. She angrily strode over to them, fury rolling off of her.
She jerked Sanji off the swordsman and chucked him at the mast. He hit it with a satisfying thump. Both men glared at her.
"You are both the lowest of the low," Kyoko started with building rage, "Where do you think everyone is?"
That seemed to catch their attention. They looked around, as if just realizing that everyone was gone.
"Oh, did you just notice? Did you notice Chopper going over board? Surely you heard him scream as he fell in." The men paled at her words.
"No? Then it must be that you just didn't care that one of your crew almost died because of you both," Kyoko ranted, her entire body shaking with barely bridled rage.
"I-" she didn't even know which one began to talk, but she didn't hesitated to cut them off.
"You didn't know? You didn't mean to? Or maybe, your excuse would've been it's not your fault. You both almost caused the death of Chopper and you're making excuses? You really are scum of the earth. Just looking at you guys makes me feel sick."
The silence that followed was heavy. The two men just stared at Kyoko in shock. Her body began shaking more and she felt her fingers and toes begin to go numb. Her teeth began to click together at a rapid pace and her body felt ridged.
The last thing she remembered before she collapsed was feeling a drop of rain hit her cheek.