I felt my heart clench.
"It's too late. Usopp-Bro is dead. He was killed! By Nami-Sis!"
The horrid sentence was stuck on replay in my head. I knew it wasn't true. I knew it wasn't, but it still felt like something made entirely of lead had sunken into my chest where my heart was supposed to be.
Usopp-Bro is dead.
Usopp-Bro is dead.
Usopp-Bro is dead.
My mind tortured me.
I hadn't realized how much Usopp meant to me already. I had just meet him a week or so ago. I hadn't know him that long at all. Apparently he had a way of just inching into your heart like that. To be truthful I had always been irritated by Usopp the most after Nami and suddenly realizing I really cared about him a lot shocked me.
It also made me realize. These guys weren't just characters in my favorite anime anymore. These were real flesh and blood people. Real flesh and blood people who were now my friends and maybe even family in some cases.
Usopp was like an annoying younger brother, sort of like my actual younger brother, but more likeable in some ways. For instance I was positive Usopp would at least listen to me when I talked to him. That and I was positive he would defend me unlike my biological brothers. My brothers had often stood by and watched as their friends tore my self-esteem and self-confidence to pieces. They didn't really care about my feelings, not really. But I could already tell that Usopp wouldn't do the same thing. He was nothing if not loyal to a fault.
Zoro was like the older brother/best guy friend I always wished I could've had. He was somewhat aloft, a little distant, and a lot lazy but he was there. Grumpy disposition and all, I wouldn't trade him for the world.
Luffy was like the insane cousin you didn't really know what to do with but he was hell of fun just to be around, even if he did drive you crazy half of the time.
Nami was like the kleptomaniac little sister that needed to be slapped upside of the head some times, but I wouldn't trade her for the world either.
I hadn't really categorized Sanji yet. He hadn't been around long enough to inch his way into a niche in my heart so I figured I would have to wait and see about him.
Usopp-Bro is dead.
Usopp-Bro is dead.
Usopp-Bro is dead.
I knew it wasn't true, so why didn't the horrible words go away?
Because it hurt. It hurt to hear that one of my precious people was dead even if he wasn't and I knew he wasn't. Precious people. My friends. My nakama. They were my nakama. They all were.
"Is that true?!" Yosaku words drew me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah, it's horrible." Johnny said, sitting down criss-cross applesauce. Oh God, I can't believe I just thought the words 'criss-cross applesauce' that's what I get for going on a field trip with my four year old cousin as a chaperone. Brain bleach please. He sat down Indian Style. Fuck being politically correct. Anything to avoid saying/thinking 'criss-cross applesauce' ever again.
"That woman's a witch." Johnny continued. "In order to obtain some hidden treasure in Cocoyashi Village for herself, she was kissing up to Arlong! And to do so she killed without even thinking about it. She's a rotten heart-ed low-life! We've been fooled all this time!"
"Bastard!" Luffy suddenly shouted hauling Johnny up by his shirt front. Luffy's hat tumbled off his head and he didn't even reach for it so busy with his current threat. "Say that one more time and I'll kill you!" He was practically shaking with pent up anger and energy.
"Stop it Luffy, this has nothing to do with Johnny." Zoro tried to defend his old partner.
"You don't have to believe me, but I saw it with my own eyes. I saw what she did to Usopp-Bro!"
"You're making up crap!" Luffy shook Johnny threateningly. "There's no way Nami would kill Usopp! We're friends!"
"But I..."
"Who's friends, Luffy?" Nami suddenly asks appearing behind our group. I turn to face her.
"Nami." Luffy said surprised dropping Johnny.
"Why did you come here?" she demanded standing with her Bo Staff across one shoulder like a soldier would carry a rifle.
"What are you talking about?" Luffy asked sounding baffled. "You're my companion. I came to get you."
"How annoying." Nami declared sounding uncaring.
"Nami?"
"Friends? Don't make me laugh." She had a bland 'I-don't-give-a-damn-about-anything' look on her face. "You're more like a pathetic group of cooperators, don't you think?"
"Why you... I saw it with my own eyes. How... how dare you kill Usopp-Bro!" Johnny thrust a pointer finger out at her.
"And your point is?" Nami asked bluntly. "You wanna try killing me to avenge him?" she asked.
"What?"
"I'll tell you one thing. Right now Arlong wants to kill 'Roronoa Zoro and his posse'. All because Zoro went and did something stupid. You guys may have these monster-like powers, but you're no match for real monsters. Hang around this island long enough, and you guys will be killed for sure. Well... It doesn't concern me though." a smirk stole across her face as she shut her eyes to avoid looking us in the eyes. Lie.
"Her cool look is still so charming!" Sanji gained a creeper grin and weird blush. Then his heart-eye replaced his one visible eye and he started to wave his arm around like a possessed man. "Hi Nami-Swan! It's me, it's me, remember me? Let's go on a cruise together!"
"You stay out of this! You'll just complicate things!" Zoro yelled at Sanji who quickly lost his heart eye to stare at Zoro like he was from another planet.
"What did you say?!" The stare quickly turned into a glare.
"Girls, girls, you're both pretty. Knock it off." I interrupted grabbing both of them by an ear. Sanji with my left hand and Zoro with my right. Hm. Where did I hear that before?... Oh well. If it was important it'll come back to me.
"Ah Hikari-chwan is so pretty when she's insulting us!" Sanji cooed. I felt like face-palming there so I ignored him.
"Where is Usopp?" Zoro turned to face Nami as best he could with his ear still in my hand.
"At the bottom of the sea." Nami stated.
"Why you...Quit your bullshit!" Zoro yanked himself free from my grip as he put his hand on the pommel of his katana and charged toward Nami.
Sanji pulled free too and kicked at Zoro who dodged but stopped moving forward even as he drew his sword in a defensive motion.
"Do swordsmen attack women too?" Sanji demanded, his eyes shadowed as he took another drag on his cigarette. "Roronoa Zoro?"
"What did you say?!" Zoro demanded angrily. "You don't even know what's going on so don't interfere!"
"After such an emotional loss of course you're irritable."
I wondered vaguely if Sanji realized that could be taken another way... After all, Nami was claiming to have murdered one of our friends. Of course we would be irritable towards the murderer if that was the case. I knew he was referring to the fact Zoro had lost to Mihawk but still...
"Oi! You better watch what you say." Zoro threatened.
"Mind your own business, bastard."
"Brothers! Don't be bickering at an important time like this!" Yosaku waved his hands around wildly trying to draw their attention away from each other.
"That's right." Nami interrupted. "If you're going to fight, do it off the island. You outsiders quit sticking your nose into this island's business. You still don't get it? The only reason I got close to you guys is for the money, nothing else. Now that you guys have nothing, you're no use to me. I'll return the ship. So why don't you go find a navigator and head to the Grand Line. Go find One Piece or whatever... Just get the hell out of here! You're a bother!"
Both Johnny and Yosaku ground their teeth at her dismissal.
"Goodbye." She said bluntly.
"Nami." Luffy muttered.
The trench the boat had dug into the ground served as a barrier between her and us.
Luffy suddenly fell backwards. I nearly jumped forward before I realized that the fall wouldn't have hurt him because he was made of rubber.
"Luffy-Bro!" Johnny shouted.
"I'm going to sleep." he answered, moving his arms so they pillowed his head.
"Right now? In the middle of the road?" Yosaku demanded.
"I don't feel like leaving the island... I don't care what's happening here... I'm a bit sleepy..." a yawn worked its way into his speech. "So I'm sleeping."
Yosaku's jaw dropped at Luffy's casual dismissal of what was going on around him. I swear a sweat-drop formed on the back of my head and I had a hard time not reaching back to check and see.
"Brother." Johnny sounded more shocked then I felt.
Zoro put his head in his hand, looking like he was asking for either patience to deal with our odd captain or a reason why he had chosen to go along with said odd captain.
Luffy started snoring eerily fast. Damn he could sleep anywhere.
"Then, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!" Nami suddenly screeched looking like a banshee. "GO AHEAD AND DIE!" she turned and ran away angrily.
I signed and plopped down so I was laying perpendicular to Luffy. I set my head down on his stomach and shut my eyes ignoring the weird looks I got from the rest of the crew and Johnny and Yosaku. I quickly fell into a doze, easily turning out the noise. For some reason I was still exhausted.
"USOPP! DID NAMI DO THIS TO YOU?!" Luffy shouted and I suddenly found myself with my head on the hard ground instead of the mostly soft rubber of Luffy's chest.
"Ouch." I grunted as I got up, dusting the dirt out of my red hair irritatedly. Apparently I got a temper to go with my hair color. I wonder if anything else came with my new appearance...
"Uh no sorry. That was him and me." Sanji chuckled nervously pointing at Zoro.
"IT WAS YOU." Zoro rebutted.
"Luffy you're here." Usopp said turning to look at Luffy through squinted eyes.
"Yeah, a little while back."
"I'm here too, nice to meet you!" Sanji gave a little awkward wave.
"I'll kill you someday!" Usopp declared angrily as he got to his feet and got in Sanji's face.
"Hey, you're still fine even after that?" Sanji grabbed Usopp's shoulder.
"Shut the hell up!" He yelled at Sanji irritated.
"Oh yeah, you were killed by Nami right?" Zoro asked.
"Damn him. Johnny was lying after all." Luffy suddenly said.
"Actually, there is some truth to it." Usopp started. "It's more the opposite. Nami saved my life."
Usopp told the whole story. "So Nami bluffed the 'killling me off' part so I could escape. I think there's a reason for her being with the mermen pirates." he finished.
"Of course." Sanji said.
"So what do we do now? Rush Arlong Park?" Zoro asked.
"Hold on!" Usopp shouted urgently. "Before that we should ask Nami for a better explanation." to me it sounded like he didn't want to go anywhere near Arlong Park.
"Either way, it's useless." A new voice stated.
We turned to see a blue haired lady with a large went from her one arm all the way across her chest to the top of the other arm. "No matter what you guys do, Arlong's reign won't end."
I always wanted a tattoo. I should get one here. It would be good for the pirate's image at least. Not to mention the cuts on my face hurt much more than a needle in my skin ever could.
"Nojiko!" Usopp said shocked.
"Who's that?" Luffy pointed at her even as he turned to look for Usopp's answer.
"Nami's older sister."
Sanji's heart-eye popped up immediately after Usopp said sister. "Nami-Swan's older sister? She's so pretty!"
"What do you mean, 'It's useless'?" Zoro asked.
"Do us a favor. Don't mettle with this village's business anymore. Leave Nami alone. I'll tell you the reason why."
"The reason?" Sanji echoed.
"You mean why she stays with the mermen?" Usopp asked.
"Yes." Nojiko answered. "Once you hear the reason you must leave this place."
"All right, then tell use the reason or whatever." Usopp answered.
"I'll pass." Luffy stated. "I don't care about her past."
"Where are you going?" Sanji inquired.
"A walk." Luffy answered.
"What do you mean a walk? You aren't going to listen to her story?" Usopp demanded.
"Yeah. I'll pass."
"I'm with him." I stated. "I'm staying around whether Nami wants us around or not. She's stuck with us. Luffy doesn't take no for an answer. She's been stuck with the crew since the moment she agreed to team up with us. Might as well get used to it." I shrugged and followed the same path Luffy had went.
I heard their voices pass into the background as I got farther away. I could see Luffy's hat in the distance.
"Oi! Luffy! Wait for me!" I called out.
The hat stopped bobbing through the trees and I easily caught up and we continued walking. It was easy walking with Luffy. He easily slowed to my pace and I smiled at him gratefully.
We walked at a slow pace. Not really in a hurry to get anywhere. We looked up in time to see a trio of mermen in front of us. There was Hachi the octopus one, and then there was one with weird wing-like arms and a long ponytail and then the last one had a weird looking mouth and a permanent pink spots on his face like he was blushing.
"Hm? So those are mermen?"
"Uh huh." I muttered back under my breath.
I put my arm in the crook of Luffy's arm and followed his lead as he walked right past them. They were enormous up close. Luffy's head went to around the stomach area of each of them.
"Hey wait!" Hachi called. "Y-You!"
"Huh? Were you calling me?" Luffy asked turning.
"Y-You... who are you? What are you doing on this island?" Hachi demanded.
"What does it matter to you?" Luffy asked.
Hachi looked almost baffled at that. "W-well, you've got a point there... Just like you said."
"I'm Luffy. This is Hikari. We're taking a walk."
"Taking a walk?" he repeated sounding dumbfounded.
"Have a pleasant one!" he called after us waving around a bunch of pale yellow handkerchiefs.
"Smartass, where are you headed?" One of the others demanded.
"How should I know?" He asked back.
"Isn't he kind of amusing? The girl he was with was kinda cute for a human too," I barely heard before we were out of hearing range. I felt a blush rise along my cheeks. That was so sweet! It's too bad we were on opposite sides.
I looked over my shoulder nervously as they faded off in the distance.
We soon made it to what I assumed was Cocoyashi.
A man with a pinwheel on his hat was leading a group of marines. Luffy stopped and stared at them.
"What business do the marines have with Nami?" I heard him ask.
The leader of the marines laughed. He looked like a rat. He had ears and whiskers and all. "You should remain quiet and escort us." his laugh sounding like the nickering sound a rat makes.
"Why does he have a pinwheel on his head?" Luffy asked. "That's TOO cool!" he exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes. "Don't even think about it. It's a bad idea." I told him bluntly.
He gave me an innocent look. "Think of what?" he asked.
We moved over to a palm tree and I sighed as I leaned back against Luffy's side. Luffy moved a bit then pulled me closer so I was settled against him more comfortably.
He stared up at the top of the tree and I yawned again. I wanted to be less exhausted but every time I went to take a nap I was woken up before I could get in the right cycle for actual rest.
"I just thought of a good move."
"Don't you dare." I answered not even opening my eyes.
"Doctor! Doctor!" A different voice shouted. I opened my eyes reluctantly.
"What happened, Gen-san?!" A man demanded. A crowd had formed.
"Nojiko's been shot!"
"By who?"
"The Marines."
"The Marines?"
Luffy sat up with a grin noticing Nami.
"Nojiko."
"I... I'm fine." Nojiko's voice was weak.
"Arlong was collaborating with the Marines." Gen stated, he was the guy with the pinwheel on his head.
"What?!" The doctor exclaimed surprised.
"He turned his back on Nami eight years ago, and never intended to keep his promise."
"What?!"
"What? That means..." A woman in the crowd started.
"That bastard! Our Na-chan...!"
"Na-chan..."
Nami set Nojiko's head down gently then stood up.
"Nami..." The doctor started.
"Yo, Nami!" Luffy said moving to see her. "What's up? Can I help with something?"
Nami turned on him instantly. "You're STILL here?!" she demanded glaring at him. She grabbed him by the front of his vest and hauled him up towards her face. "This is none of your business! Get off of this island!" She threw him to the side before running off.
"What's her problem?" Luffy grump-ed.
"Weren't you listening?" I asked rhetorically. "Arlong lied to Nami. All the money she's been stealing to buy the village was stolen by the Marines by order of Arlong. Plus her sister was shot."
I had the feeling he wasn't even listening to my explanation.
We were there as the villagers came together in a mob. We were there as Nami tried to stop them. And we were there when Nami broke down.
Nami dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face and then she grabbed her tattoo before grabbing her knife and repeatedly stabbing herself with it screaming Arlong's name in agony. I felt bile move up my throat at the sound of flash slicing repeatedly. As Nami drew back for the seventh swing Luffy grabbed her knife arm by the wrist stopping the downward momentum. Blood ran in rivulets down Nami's arm.
She turned to look at Luffy. "Luffy."
Luffy frowned down at her.
She threw the knife down and Luffy released her wrist.
"What do you want?" She asked her posture was slumped. Defeated. "You don't know anything. You don't know what's been happening for the past eight years on this island."
"Yeah. I don't." He agreed easily.
"This is none of your business! I told you to get off this island, didn't I?!"
"Yeah. You told me." Luffy was a master at avoiding the points he didn't like.
"Go away!" Nami demanded flinging a pile of dust at Luffy. I stood off to the side feeling helpless. "You! Go away! Go away!" With each exclamation she threw more dirt at Luffy. "Go away! Go away! Go away! Go away! Go away! Go away..." her exclamations lost their power as she went. She sobbed almost brokenly and moved her dirt throwing arm to cover her mouth.
Luffy watched her solemnly.
"Luffy... Help me." Tears coursed down her face unchecked and unhindered.
Luffy's eyes were shadowed by his hat but when he took it off and put it on Nami's head his eyes were determined.
Nami looked up in surprise.
Luffy walked a few steps away before he shouted. "DAMN RIGHT!" rang through the air like a battle cry.
"Luffy..."
Luffy turned to me. "Fix her up." he ordered.
I nodded easily.
"We're going." He told the rest of the crew.
"Right!" they agreed.
I watched them march away in awe before quickly shaking myself. I needed to take care of Nami before she bled out or something.
I carefully pulled her to her feet and moved into one of the nearest house ignoring Nami's protest. The villagers loved her. They wouldn't mind if I used their sink and first aid kit to help Nami.
I moved through the house quickly finding the first aid kit, a couple of wash clothes and a towel. I got the wash clothe wet and carefully wiped the blood away from the slices. I winced at the sight. She had certainly done a number on them. I wasn't sure but I thought they were probably going to need stitches. I grimaced at that.
"This is going to need stitches." I told her. She looked at me with watery eyes. "Do you want some alcohol to dull the pain?" I continued.
She shook her head. "Just hurry up." she sniffled.
I shook my head at her. I hurried around the kitchen and found a wooden spoon and wrapped a spare wash clothe around it and held it out in front of her face. She stared at me in confusion. "Bite this. I don't want to have to re-attach part of your tongue." I grimaced at the thought. I really hate blood.
She gave me a stiff smile before fitting the spoon between her teeth in a harsh grip.
I pulled a needle out and threaded it. It was easier than last time.
"I hate blood. I hate blood. I hate blood." I chanted to myself as I carefully wiped the blood away from the cuts again. I picked the biggest cut and carefully pushed the edges together with two fingers on my left hand and then began to stitch as fast as I could while still being accurate.
"I hate blood. I hate blood. I hate blood." The mantra continued as I moved to the second cut, then the third, and all the way to the sixth. The stitches were all over. They looked almost like a star with the way they overlapped. I carefully tied the last of the string and wiped it gently clean again. I pulled out the roll of gauze and carefully wrapped the stitches. Tight enough so it didn't come off, but loose enough that she didn't lose circulation in the arm.
"There you go. Nami-Sis." I teased gently, remembering how she snapped at Johnny and Yosaku not to call her that. I put the dirty clothes in the sink and ran cold water over them until they came away clean. Then I grabbed the soap and washed my hands until the scent of blood went away. I hated the smell of blood almost more than the sight of it.
"Hikari?" Nami asked after she pulled the spoon that had kept her from biting her tongue off out of her mouth.
"Yeah?" I asked turning to look at her.
"Thank you." more tears were flowing down her face.
I signed. I pulled her into a hug. She looked like she really needed it.
Several minutes later I finally pulled away. "Come on. We have to go help the rest of them. Our Nakama." I ordered pulling her to her feet. She nodded and assembled her Bo Staff then led the way to Arlong Park.
I ran beside her, cursing myself for not thinking to grab a knife or something from the kitchen we were just in. I should at least have a small blade. It's better than going bare handed against these mermen. They were obviously bigger and stronger than most humans. Probably because you needed to be stronger to do stuff underwater like you do stuff above water. There's a lot of resistance added by water. That's why it's easier to swim through water than walk through it.
We arrived in time to see Arlong throw a handful of water at Sanji. The doctor turned to look at us.
"You should just give up. Your lives aren't all that important anyway." Arlong stated loud enough for all of Arlong Park to hear him.
"ARLONG!" Nami yelled. The crowd in front of Arlong Park moved so we could enter.
"Nami-sis."
"Nami-san"
"Nami"
"Nami, Nami, Nami. Don't I get a hello?" I asked teasingly as I stepped up beside her.
"Yo Nami. I was just giving some loser pirates a demonstration of our power. What brings you here?" Arlong inquired chuckling.
Apparently not.
"I'm here to kill you." Nami answered bluntly.
"And I'm here to help. Encase you're wondering." I added on as I pulled my hair back into a ponytail. I'd rather have it out of my way and show my scars then worry about it causing my death and keeping my scars hidden.
I heard a few muffled gasps as my scars were revealed in full. I had nearly forgotten I had them. They no longer hurt and around the rest of the crew no one looked at them odd or gave me a second glance because of them. Most of them were there when I got the damn things and if they weren't they didn't bring it up.
"Here to...kill me?" Arlong burst out into laughter. "You still haven't given up. How many times have you tried to kill me, these past eight years?" The villagers look astounded at that little piece of info. "Murder, poison, assault. Has it ever worked? You should know better than anyone else, that we can't be killed by you humans so easily. Listen you can never kill me. And you can never run away from me. Nami. You'll remain as my cartographer. Besides, you know I've been good to you. I really hope that you'll continue the map-making, if possible. So how does this sound? Because of what happened, normally I'd kill all of these people, except you. But if you make a decision now to return to the Arlong Pirates, and continue to draw maps for me... I'll spare the people of Cocoyashi." He offered like he was granting Nami a great boon. "But these guys won't be spared. They were too foolish." He kicked Sanji, who had made his way onto hands and knees, over so he was on his side once more.
"So it's your choice. If you choose me, the people of your village will be safe. Or you could choose to fight against me with these fools. But, these guys you hope to count on are in such bad shape right now... I don't think there's any way to avoid this ending in tragedy. Nami. Are you my nakama. or... Are you theirs?" Arlong finished his long winded rant.
"You bastard!"
"No matter what you say, you just want to keep her!"
"But...Luffy..." Nami muttered under her breath, barely loud enough for me to hear standing right beside her. "I can't doubt what he said!" She turned to face the villagers. "I'm sorry everyone. Will you die with me?"
"YOSH!" the whole village roared.
"So, you wish to be slaughtered."
A huge plume of water appeared to the side. Luffy.
Zoro rolled to his feet, as well as Sanji.
Zoro grabbed his swords. "Thirty seconds.I can't hold any longer than that." He stated to Sanji.
"That's more than enough!" Sanji said as he dove into the water.
"I don't remember a fountain there. Could it be that rubber bastard?" Zoro took a slice at Arlong and managed to get him under his right eye.
"That's not what you should be worried about right now..." Zoro claimed around the sword in his mouth. "You half-fish bastard."
"Didn't I tell you to never say that word again? Looks like you're about finished, Zoro!" Arlong licked the blood off of his cut. Ew gross.
Does he even realize how unsanitary that is? A dog's mouth has less germs than a human's mouth, or at least less germs that will kill you. It's more dangerous to be bit by a human if the skin is broke than if you're bit by a dog and the skin is broke. Since he's a merman, he's like half-human so the composition of saliva must be similar...
"Those with the power of the Devil's Fruit lose all strength when they're in the sea. He should be dead by now. If he's still alive... Then someone must've been messing around with my little game." Arlong stated.
"Messing up your game?" Zoro asked rhetorically. "I thought it was messed up to begin with, bastard."
"Whatever, I'll find out who's doing it. Move." He ordered. Zoro barely reached Arlong's chest, that's how tall the merman was. Zoro was like 5-foot-10, 5-foot-11. He's not a short man. Which shows just how large the mermen were.
"Egg Star!" Usopp's voice comes from somewhere off and an egg flies towards Arlong but Arlong stops the egg with his hand even though it splatters all over.
Both Arlong and Zoro turn to look for Usopp.
"I've got you covered Zoro!" Usopp called.
"Usopp-Bro! Are you alright?" Johnny and Yosaku ask.
"How brave! He's facing him without fear!"
"Oh yeah! I fight with no fear!" Usopp claimed from a hole in Arlong Park's wall.
"Why are you over THERE?!" Yosaku and Johnny demand.
"Usopp!"
"Hey Nami, check it out!" He calls pointing at himself with a thumb. "One of their guys, one of 'em was finished off by ME! Me, of all people!"
That actually sounded like a truth. He usually brags more if it's a lie.
"A guy with a face like this." He used his hand to pull his mouth out and managed to imitate the blush that seemed to be permanent on that merman's face. "These mermen are NOTHING!" Well that sounded more like a lie.
"Chew! You bastard..." well he got Arlong's attention at least.
"You betcha. My appearance signals the climax of this battle! Get ready fore the big finale!" Usopp was getting to far ahead of himself now.
I noticed Hachi getting up and hurried to stop him from interfering with Zoro and Arlongs' fight.
"Roronoa Zoro! I won't forgive you. Watch me kill your nakama in the water!" He called out.
I quickly moved to stand in front of him. My back was to Arlong and to Zoro but they were obviously busy with each other. I would hear him before he turned to take me out. Hachi launched himself forward aiming a punch at my chest.
He moved a lot faster than I thought he would. I could practically feel my eyes widening as the fist came flying towards my chest. A hit from him would be sure to break a few ribs at least. I moved my arms into a cross guard in front of my chest clenching my eyes closed to wait for the pain. A broken arm or two was better than a few broken ribs. At least the bones in my arms didn't have a chance of puncturing a lung if they broke.
The pain didn't come though. I could feel the pressure of the hit. It shoved me backwards, my heels digging two long trenches as I was pushed back. But my arms held steady as if I hadn't been punched at all. My eyes flew open at the shock of it.
Hachi looked shocked too. Apparently he expected me to be injured just as I much as I had.
I uncrossed my arms and opened and closed my fists a few times to check the feeling in my arms. They opened and closed smoothly. There was absolutely nothing wrong with them. They weren't even numb.
No one was paying attention to Hachi and I though. They were all more interested in Zoro's fight. I filed that particular incident away. Probably my improved Haki powers. It probably made a sheild automatically.
'Thanks Rai.' I thought passingly.
"No problem. You'd be useless with two broken arms. The Haki will work almost automatically to defend until you learn to use it yourself. There's no point in you being injured to uselessness. Not yet anyway." Rai stated.
'Gee thanks. I'm not aloud to be injured to uselessness, "yet".' I thought quoting the key word there.
"That's right." Rai answered.
'When it comes time to trade in voices, I'm going for a less sarcastic, nicer one. I'm just warning you ahead of time.' I stated before turning my attention back to Hachi.
"Consider me warned." He just had to get in the last word. Ass.
"Done already? By the way what's with this huge bandage did you fall somewhere?" I heard Arlong mock Zoro.
"Hey watch it! I just sewed that up!" I threatened angrily.
As I was distracted Hachi slipped by me and dove into the water.
"I'M BACK!" Luffy shouted as he flew through the air.
"That rubber bastard." Arlong started.
Luffy stretched his arm and grabbed Zoro and flung him out of Arlong Park. I quickly got my ass out of the way. Luffy didn't need any help currently and I didn't feel like flying. Plus, Zoro probably needed stitched up...again.
Luffy hurried up and kicked Arlong's ass into the building.
And I got my ass out of there and retrieved Zoro.
"Oi Zoro? You alive?" I asked half teasingly, half seriously.
"I'm am currently."
"Good. Stay that way." I ordered as I rolled him onto his back so I could see his chest.
I couldn't see what was going on between Arlong and Luffy but I could hear the mummer of their voices as they bantered with each other.
"Hm. That don't look good." I mused out loud. And it didn't the skin around the stitches had nearly torn away.
"Can you fix it?" Zoro demanded.
"I don't know if I'm really the right person for the job. They do have an actual doctor in town you know." I told him.
"Fix it. The doc will check your work afterwards." Zoro stated.
"But if he's not satisfied with it he'll have to tear all the stitches out!" I objected. I didn't want to even imagine what getting stitched twice in a hour or so period would feel like.
"It'll be fine." Zoro stated stubbornly.
"Idiot." I muttered fondly. I hauled him further away from the water and snuck away to get my kit. "Be right back." I told him quickly.
"Hurry up." He muttered back.
It took me five minutes to get my kit and get back to him. I growled at the sight of his chest. It was a mess. I frowned in thought then sighed. "This is going to hurt." I warned before dumping the whole bottle of peroxide on his chest.
He howled in both shocked pain. He wasn't expecting it to hurt even though I warned him.
I tried to shut out the numerous bangs and crashes as Luffy and Arlong's fight continued. I knew Luffy won. I didn't need to know anymore.
"I'm the man who'll be the Pirate King!" I could hear Luffy's catchphrase over everything else.
I heard Arlong's return answer of "you can't even save yourself in the water, you can't do anything."
I paused to listen.
"And when I can't do anything, I have others to help me!"
There was the sounds of blades swinging through the air for a few seconds before the sounds of swords breaking then Luffy's voice loud again.
"Of course I don't know a damn thing about swords, you dumbass! I don't know how to navigate, either. I can't cook. I can't see something happen before it happens. I can't even lie. I know I need others to HELP me if I want to keep on living!"
How did he know I could see things before they happened? Was he paying attention during those fights? More than the rest of the crew? More than me?
I heard a loud cheer raise up for Luffy.
"If you get yourself killed I'll kill you." I heard Zoro mutter and I privately agreed.
I quickly got back to sewing Zoro's wounds back up.
I could barely concentrate over the sound of castanets. Who was playing castanets at a time like this? I mean there was a huge fight going on. Who was cheerful enough to play castanets?
I could hear Luffy yelling in both pain and anger repeatedly.
What the hell was going on over there?
I concentrated on doing Zoro's stitches the best I could. I didn't want him to have to have them done again after the battle. I mentally counted as I worked. 41...42...43... How many did it take last time? It was over a hundred right? 44...45...46...47...
Loud crashes and booms continued to echo from Arlong Park distracting me slightly. The booms and crashes were followed by shouts, then more crashes and booms then even more shouts. It seemed to be a circle effect.
68...69...70...71...
I could barely concentrate on my stitches with all the noise.
82...83...84...85...
Breaking wood. Crushed tiles. Shattering glass.
91...92...93...94...95...
Eerie silence. The calm before the storm.
120...121...122...123...
How many stitches was it last time anyway? Couldn't be too many more could it?
135...136...137...138...139...
"You ever get another wound like this I'm going to kick your ass." I warned Zoro sounding more irritated than anything else.
He blinked at me. "If I get another one like this, I'll let you." He answered easily, obviously understanding the irritation was from worry.
150...151...152...153...154...
175...176...177...178...179...
190...191...192...193...194...195...and 196. I quickly tied off the last stitch. I looked down at my work. It looked good to me. Even around all the gore. I winced at that.
I tried to shake that thought away. I quickly wrapped the wounds as best I could with the small amount of gauze I had left. It was left smudged with blood and I winced again.
I looked down at my hands and winced a third time at the sight of all the blood that covered my hands. In fact, it was all down my front. I looked like I had just performed surgery or committed a murder.
I felt myself begin to tremble. The smell was getting to me. It was nasty. I could practically taste it. It was horrid. My hands trembled.
Arlong Park collapsed.
But I was still staring at the blood on my hands and on my shirt and I was still smelling it all around me and I could taste it on the back of my tongue and it tasted like copper and salt and everything felt wrong.
"Hikari?" Zoro's voice sounded faint and far away to my ears.
"Hikari?!" His voice was louder but not by much. I felt his arms pull me to his chest. Then I was out. The world went black and I didn't see anything else.
I woke up to the gentle, cool pressure of a wet cloth on my face.
"Hikari? Are you awake?" A soft, familiar sounding voice demanded. I groaned softly and pried my eyes open to look at Zoro's face looking down at my face from off to the side of me.
"She's awake!" he turned to yell to everyone else.
"Hikari!" Multiple voices shouted out loud as they hurried to where I was laying.
"I faint too much don't I?" I asked rhetorically.
"No." Usopp stated firmly.
"Why'd you faint this time?" Zoro asked.
"Hemophobia. It felt like the blood was everywhere." I said looking down.
"You're afraid of blood? But you managed to stitch me up twice and Nami up too." Zoro stated.
"You're my nakama. You guys' health matters more than my stupid fears." I said looking away embarassed by said stupid fear.
But it was impossible to face away from all of them at the same time. I turned away from Zoro and Nami but managed to turn towards Usopp, Sanji and Luffy. I could see a huge grin cover Luffy's face. Sanji got his usual stupid heart-eye. And even Usopp was grinning widely.
"And that's why we don't care if you faint every once and a while." Zoro stated grabbing my chin gently and turning me to face him. "You put our needs in front of yours when we need it. So we'll put yours in front of ours when you need it." he stated like it was as easy as 1+1=2.
And I suppose for them, it was.
I feel this is an okay place to stop. I guess the bounty isn't going to be put in until next chapter. So everyone review and tell me what you think please. I just got on a sort of roll with the last page or so, so I'm probably going to keep writing after I post this.
Review please!