Disclaimer: I do not own One-Piece or the original One-piece characters
Dedication: This story is for Meg Lynch, the inspiration for my main character
Pairings: Sanji/ OC
Summary: When a shooting star brings sarcastic and independent Kree to the Straw Hat crew, things begin to change on the Going Merry. With only the tattoo on her shoulder being the clue as to where she has come from, her tight lips and guarded secrets bring no help. Questions are raised in the crew. Who is Kree? What is she? Where did she come from? What does she want? When the secrets unfold, a myth becomes truth and a whole new problem and a new adventure comes to life.
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Chapter 10: Family
:: :: :: :: ::
Kree stood in front of the stoic guard staring the in the eyes. They simply stared back. Everyone watched the glaring contest going onto between the Reapers not sure if they should be worried or not.
"Alec," Kree greeted monotonously. "Roxas."
"Milady," Alec replied.
"How did you find me?" she wondered.
"Your father sent us," Roxas replied.
"Not my mother?" she asked.
"Your mother believes you are dead," they replied.
"You means prefers if I was dead," Kree stated.
"Your father sent us to retrieve you and any…ahmm…friends…you may have brought with you." Alec said.
"Subtle," she told the dark haired man. "Now tell me the truth, was it mother or father that sent you?"
Sanji watched as the shorter blond shifted restlessly beside his dark haired companion.
"Enough games!" Roxas finally groaned. Kree broke into a grin and tackled the blond to the ground. The two wrestled like siblings for a few seconds before Kree was firmly sitting on his chest to the blond's chagrin.
"Kree-chan!" he yelled. "Get off!"
"Papa sent you," she decided. "I guess that means I have to face Her too."
"You and the Master both," Alec replied.
"Alec, you do remember that we grew up together, right?" Kree asked. "All those titles and crap mean nothing."
"Of course…" Alec smirked. "…Milady."
Kree groaned and fell back, landing on Roxas hard, making the army breaking out into chuckles and loud laughs. Finally she sat up and glared at Alec.
"You're a bastard," she stated.
"I try my hardest nii-chan," he grinned.
"Sanji, everyone, meet Roxas and Alec, our oldest friends," Damien introduced the pair.
"Too bad you two aren't sailors," Kree said. "When do we have to see her?"
"After you have spoken with your father," Alec told her. "The sooner we get you to the Manor to see him, the sooner you deal with you mother."
"Let's go then," Kree sighed as she got off Roxas. Sanji instantly wrapped his arm around her waist, marking her off limits.
"Boyfriend?" Alec smirked.
"Lover," she corrected with a hard glare.
"Your mom isn't going to like that." Roxas ginned.
"She can fuck off, can't she," Kree decided. "Not like I am staying when this war is over."
"What do you mean?" Roxas cried. "You aren't staying?"
"I mean when I have played my part, I am leaving, returning to the Blue Sea and never looking back."
"But you can't leave!" Roxas whined. "Who is going to beat me at chess?"
"Alec."
"Who is going to laugh at my expense?"
"Damien."
"Who is going to wrestle me into the ground?"
"Autumn."
"B…But, no!" Roxas whined. "You just can't leave."
"I am." Kree stated. "My mind is made up."
"Let's go," Alec said. "Where is your ship?"
"Docked on Black River, but he isn't sailing anymore," she said.
"Is he unable to sail?"
"He can't sail with only three people," Kree said. "I've promised to let him rest now."
"What do you plan to do?" Roxas cried.
"Hades will go to the sea. Kyuuen will embrace her son, and bring him into the darkness."
"So you mean to truly let him go," Alec stated.
"I made a promise," she said. "Are we going?"
"Of course," Alec bowed. Kree growled dangerously at the man, who just smirked at her. Kree turned to Gaven and sighed heavily.
"I will send a letter to you, letting you know what is happening."
"Be careful," Gaven warned her.
"Had to face them at some point," she replied.
"This needs to end, Kree, soon."
"Let's go Alec, Roxas," she grumbled. "Best not to keep them waiting."
::Eternity::
"You live here?" Nami cried.
"Lived, there's a difference," Kree replied. "If you want to steal, then do it in the East Wing."
Nami looked at Kree curiously.
"That permission?" the navigator asked.
"Permission, Full go ahead? Whichever," she shrugged.
"You are aware the East wing is your mother's private Wing, right?" Roxas chuckled.
"Completely," she replied pushing open the main doors to the Manor's grand Entrance Hall.
"What about West and North Wing?" Alec smirked.
"North Wing is off limits, they'll be staying with me in the West Wing and I hope she wouldn't steal from a friend." Kree replied slinging her bag over her shoulder. Sanji tried to wrap an arm around her waist, but she shrugged it off. As much as she wanted to feel the comfort she got from such a simple touch, she couldn't bring herself to enjoy the feeling of his arm.
"Kree! Darling!" Kree winced at the sound of the high pitched voice. She thought she was prepared for this moment, but when a woman in her mid-forties decended the staircase, dressed in an elegant rose colored gown, Kree just shuddered.
"We have missed you dearly, my child," the woman smiled sweetly. Kree just glared as she pulled the young woman into a hug and kissed both her cheeks.
"Mother," Kree greeted. "You haven't seemed to change."
"Oh Kree-chan, always the bitter one I see,"
"I wouldn't be so bitter if you actually gave a shit," she snapped.
"Now dear, we have been away from each other for so long, let's not fight today," her mother said.
"Okay, then maybe we should leave," Kree replied.
"No need for that, how old are you now darling?"
"It is impolite to ask a woman's age," Kree scoffed. "Unless you would like me to inform my nakama how old you really are."
"Not I don't believe that is really necessary, have you just arrived."
"Stop acting like you are some attentive loving mother," Kree snapped. "I am going to take the crew to my Wing, you will of course remember the rules."
"Now dear, there is no need to be so rude," her mother said. "We will talk again at dinner when you have all had a chance to settle into your rooms."
"Maybe we should allow them to rest," Roxas suggested, earning a cold glare from Lady Kurogari.
"They can do so after dinner," she replied. "Thank you for fetching my daughter, you and your companion are dismissed."
"You do not command them, Mother," Kree snapped. "Stop treating them like inferior beings. They are Reaper Soldiers under my command."
Lady Kurogari grabbed Kree's jaw tightly and attempting to intimidate her young daughter. "I expect you to have manners when you come for dinner, and I expect to see you dressed appropriately."
"I will be dressed as I see fit," Kree promised. "Now get your hand off of me."
"Tomorrow, I will expect you in the tea room at 10 o'clock sharp."
"Good for you," Kree said starting up the stairs.
"That wasn't a request." Her mother replied.
Kree stopped and took a deep breath.
"If you have to command me to see you every day, then what makes you think I would come? You want a perfect daughter, then look elsewhere. I am not some bitch that is going to sit around and talk fake politics with you when there is a war happening outside our doors."
Slap!
The sound resounded throughout the Entrance Hall. No one dared to move after what had just happened. Kree's jaw was set tight and her eyes watering lightly in pain, were filled with defiance. A mark of bright red thrummed on her cheek, bleeding lightly where nails had scratched the surface.
"You will not speak to me in that manner again. Are we clear Kree'arre? Never again."
"I believe you have made your point clear enough," Kree hissed angrily and turned up the stairs. "We will come to dinner by six, as for tomorrow morning, fuck off."
Kree's mother clenched her fist, refraining from hitting the girl a second time. The girl's father saw a kind hearted girl with a mind for politics, but all she saw was an insolent, rebellious young woman who needed a strong hand to control her.
"Dress appropriately Kree'arre, we have a guest."
"They can go to hell for all care," Kree growled, her entire body shaking in anger. "Any guest of yours is sure to be just another greedy, controlling man to shove down my throat. That is the only guest you have introduced since I turned fifteen. I am nineteen years old…"
"And the heir to this estate, the next ruler to this land!" her mother screeched.
"I don't care," Kree stated calmly. "When this war is over…"
"When this war is over? It never ends," her mother stated. "All you can do is crush the rebellion, show them their place."
"This is why you will never rule Kyuuen and why I will never allow any hand to touch me that is under your control. I won't see this place in ruin."
With a deep breath, Kree turned on her heels and moved down the West Hall. Alec and Roxas, their eyes cold when they looked at Lady Kurogari, led the Strawhats up the stairs and down the hall to Kree's room. Sanji knocked on the simple storm gray door trimmed in black and silver that Alec had said was Kree's. All he heard was the click of a lock. Upon trying the doorknob, he found the door opening easily. He entered the room to find it elegantly furnished. There was a small desk off to the side strewn with books and notes. The Queen size bed was made of a dark red almost black wood and dressed in various shades of grays and silvers. A deep strom gray rug dominated the floor. The room was painted a soft silver and trimmed in more of the black wood. Beside the desk, on the left wall, was a black wood door that was open, showing it led to a large personal bathroom. Across from the desk, on the right wall was a black wood wardrobe to the right of a matching vanity.
However, it was Kree which caught his eye, pacing back and forth, swearing under her breath in a fashion he had never seen.
"Kree?" he sighed. She turned and flung herself in his arms, pulling him tight against her. Her entire boy was shaking in rage as she struggled to control her emotions.
"Kree?" he tries again. Her grip loosens as she calms down. She finally pulls back and Sanji sees how badly the mark on her cheek really looks. The scratches were an angry red, and starting to swell while the redness form the open palm her mother had used had gotten more intense since she had left the Hall.
"Does it hurt?' Sanji whispered touching her cheek gently.
"No, just my pride. I can't believe I allowed you to see me like that."
"We've seen you at your very worst…"
"Not Damien and Autumn, they never knew how bad she really is." Kree said sitting on her bed. "And she doesn't even know about you."
"What about me?"
"She thinks your Reapers, as you could see, she blames the Reikon for the war. She has always hated them, thinking Kyuuen was a land for Reapers. She doesn't understand that Kyuuen has her own heart, that she has opened her heart to any that wish to reside her in peace."
"You should get changed," Sanji said. "The sooner dinner gets done, the sooner we can come back here."
"Just you and me?"
"Chopper can stay with Usopp tonight," Sanji agreed.
"You and me, no one to bother us," she sighed, a small smile finding its way to her face. "Sounds perfect."
::Eternity::
Ten minutes later, the entire crew was sitting at the dinner table. Kree had dressed in a dark gray tunic trimmed in black with a dark pair of pants and black gladiator sandles. The chair at the head of the table was left open, yet no dishes were set in front of it.
"Father is not joining us?" Kree asked her mother as she sat between Sanji and Chopper.
"No, he said he had some work to finish," her mother replied. "Please switch with your friend."
"No," Kree replied. "Your guest is late for dinner."
"And you are not dressed," her mother spat. "He will be down in a moment. He is merely dressing for dinner as you should have."
"I am dressed perfectly adequetly for dinner," Kree stated as a young man walked into the dining room. He held himself with an air of arrogance.
"Another aristocrat, how original," Kree observed. "If you truly want to sell me, at least pick someone who can fight back."
"Where is your brother?" her mother asked, ignoring the girl's comment.
"I am here mother," Damien replied as he and Autumn Shuffled through the door. "Just dressing for dinner."
"I see, and who is your friend?"
"My wife, Autumn," he replied.
"It is a pleasure to meet you madam," Autumn curtsied. Kree scowled at the sight, but understood that Damien must have warned her.
"I was unaware you were courting anyone," his mother said. "Though you have seemed to pick a Lady."
"We met on the Hades," Damien replied. "She was our navigator and a dear friend of Kree's."
"Yes, now you look familiar, Lady Autumn Cole,"
"Yes ma'am," Autumn replied as the young Lord sat beside her mother.
"Kree, sit beside Lord Favan," her mother demanded.
"I am happy where I am," she replied feeling Sanji's hand on her thigh. It was still, just a comforting touch to let her know he was there.
"That wasn't a question, Kree'arre," she replied. "You will switch with your blond firnd and sit beside Lord Favan."
Sanji tightened his grip on her leg, but stood up and moved to stand behind her. Kree looked up, pleading with him to sit back down, but he looked down sadly.
"It is only for dinner," he reminded her. She took a deep breath and moved to sit beside the Lord her mother had invited. Sanji took up her now empty seat and waited for the cooks to bring out the food before replacing his hand on her leg. Kree ignored the touch, even though it helped to calm her.
Half way through the frst course, Sanji felt Kree jerk and a light slap was heard from under the table before she glared at Lord Favan. It seemed only Damien and himself saw the look, so he went back to his dinner, keeping half an eye on the young man. Kree looked incredibly uncomfortable through the first two courses. As the third was being served, Kree growled and dug her nails into Sanji's hand before looking at Lord Favan.
"Lord Faven, kindly remove you hand from my leg of I regret to inform you that you will lose it before dinner is over." She growled dangerously.
"Why should it bother you?" he smirked, his voice husky as he spoke to her. "We will be married one day."
"Over my dead body," she hissed removing his hand, which had drifted uncomfortably close to her crotch.
"Kree-chan?" Chopper muttered.
"I'm fine Chopper," she replied. "Enjoy your dinner."
The reindeer didn't seem quite convinced, but did as she asked. He was already agitated by the wound she had received from her mother only an hour before, now this man seemed to be trying to take her away from Sanji.
"Now Kree, you don't…"
"Kree'arre, to you," she growled. "Only my friends call me Kree."
"I am going to be far more than just your friend, Kree-ch…"
Before he could finish his sentence, Kree was out of her chair and had knocked him into the wall behind him. She glared threateningly at him as she drew a knife hidden up her sleeve.
However, she never got the chance to draw it as her mother back handed her. The wedding ring on her left hand left a deep scratch under her eye as Kree fell backwards. Sanji caught her before she hit the ground, but the impact of hitting anything jarred her and she let out a violent cough.
"You never attack a guest," her mother growled. "And most definitely not one that is to be your husband."
"Fuck off," Kree growled, her body shaking violently. It hadn't yet been six hours since she had pulled the starw hats from their bodies and frozen them in time. Still weak from that, she had opened the Gate and navigated the Hades through some kind of awful storm. She had hidden her weariness well, but after the past hour, she was fully drained. Chopper was a doctor, but no one hurt his nakama when they were in that state, especially Kree, his friend that comforted him no matter what.
"Leave Kree-chan alone!" He roared in full human shape. "She isn't a doll you can control or sell!"
"Chopper," Kree coughed. Sanji pulled her close, supporting her weight as the reindeer-man screamed at Lady Kurogari.
"Sanji," she rasped. "Hurts, hurts so bad."
"What's wrong?" he asked her as Lord Faven glared at all of them.
"Seki, finally catching up with me, it takes a lot out of me, to pull you out of your body, I overtaxed myself." She rasped.
"Let's get you to bed," Sanji said as Roxas and Alec came and helped her up.
Kree just nodded sleepily and allowed Sanji to curl his arm around her.
"I will see her at 10 o'clock sharp in the tea room. If she is not there, I will send someone to fetch her." Her mother stated before leaving the dining hall followed quickly by Lord Faven. The cooks looked very put out at having only half their food tasted. Robin smiled gently at them and suggested they take it to the West Wing. While the young Lady Kurogari was not awake enough to enjoy it, robin assured them that the food would be enjoyed by the strawhat Captain. The cook graciously agreed and swept down the hall with trays upon trays of food.
Upon inspection the next morning, every single tray would be found sitting on the dining room table, picked clean of food, only bones and dishes left.