Chapter 14 - Apis
Looking out at the blue sea from the Going Merry, I couldn't believe we had just seen the mother of all storms two days ago. Everything was so calm now, peaceful even…
Well, as peaceful as it gets on this pirate ship… I thought a moment later, when I heard Ussop chasing Luffy around the deck again. Probably playing tag. Earlier, they had even tried to get Zoro to play too, only for him to growl at them. Not that I blame any of them. It's fine to mess around when your bored, but someone needed to be able to either remain serious, or knew how to get that way fast.
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly. It was nice to be out here, taking a break from sorting everything out, and preparing for when I could start smithing again. For once, I don't have to worry about making as many swords as I can to sell to settle Nami and my agreement with Arlong. So I can now take the time to make some of my better swords, and other things. That way, if nothing else, the ship will have a little bit of money. And with Nami's affinity to save, that shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Bringing myself out of my thoughts, I soon found that I had been surrounded. Funny how that still amazes me about this crew, how I can relax enough around them to let my mind wonder like that.
Apparently, the nice day had become a bit infectious. The majority of the crew had gathered towards the front of the ship, and now everyone; minus Ussop up in the crow's nest, were gathered here around the ram figure head. Luffy sitting in his self proclaimed special captain's seat. Nami off to the side, looking between her map and compass. Sanji was shockingly standing within twelve feet of Zoro without their normal hostility towards each other, smoking contently. And Zoro, was sitting up against the railing, fast asleep; his swords propped up by his side.
Hard to believe he was able to sleep sitting there like that. Don't get me wrong though, first bad thing to happen, he'd be on his feet in no time.
"Nami, how much longer 'til the Grand Line?" Luffy asked, bringing me back to myself in time to quickly look away. Facing the sea, I tried to keep my face from flushing any further. Last thing I need, is Sanji to see it, and go all creepy again. Not to mention he'd say something to Zoro, then things would just get awkward. Something I don't want to happen on this ship. Especially with the guy we all consider the first mate…
Once I was sure I was good, I focused on my sister instead, who was currently giving Luffy a droll stare.
"What do you think?" she asked sarcastically, as she turned back to her map. "Luffy, we only left Lougetown two days ago. It's going to take some time before we get there. With how dangerous it is approaching the Grand Line, they marked its location pretty early out in case other sailors want to avoid it." she explained, as Luffy pouted a bit. "Or in our case, let us know when we're a couple days away."
"'Kay." he said a moment later, with a very monkey like laugh.
Hearing a loud exhale, I glanced over at Sanji who had lit up another cigarette. Meaning it was going to be lunch time soon, seeing as the chef of the ship always smoked two of those cancer inducing things before he started cooking. Which was nice, seeing as that prevented ashes from being near the food. That was just gross…
"Damn… With weather like this, it's like that storm was just a bad dream." he said, as I found myself nodding in agreement.
"That storm was pretty big, seeing as it lasted up until last night." I muttered, as I looked back out at the sea. Nothing more was said for a bit, as we all just enjoyed the peace; even Luffy of all people. Which was good and all, because it wasn't meant to last.
"Hey! I see a flock of bird's starboard!" Ussop called from the crow's nest, as everyone awake looked up at him. "They're surrounding something big, but it's too far out to make out what it is."
Glancing out in that direction, I couldn't really see anything unless I narrowed my eyes. Even then, all I could really catch was slight movement. Something I chalked up to inheriting from my dad.
"Wow… You sure?" Luffy called up at him, as he faced that direction as well. "Maybe it's a fish." He suggested, as Ussop pulled down one of his lenses to zoom in on it as far as he could.
"Maybe… Maybe a fish, or a school of fish, I don't know…" Ussop agreed, as he kept his eyes on it.
"You know… I've heard that sea birds tend to flock above a school of fish, and trail them even." Sanji said, as Luffy began to get excited. Whenever his chef talked about fish or some type of meat, you can always bet that Luffy was in…
"Is it really?" he said, as Sanji smirked around his cigarette.
"Yep… Sounds like lunch to me." he said, as Luffy jumped to his feet.
"You said it!" he shouted, before throwing his arm out in the opposite direction of his target. "GUM GUM… GRAB!" Luffy yelled, as he flung his outstretched limb towards the flock of birds. It took about a minute, but soon Luffy's arm went past it.
As many times as I've seen Luffy's ability, or the side effects of it, it's always been a bit shocking to watch him do this. Not that I'm judging, it's just something I'm going to have to get use to. Nami, Ussop, and Zoro were already use to it by the time I met him anyhow.
"That never get's old." I heard Sanji say.
Apparently, he was still getting use to it as well. Then again, he joined the crew before I did, and before Nami became an official member. However, I was taken out of my thoughts when I noticed Luffy's arm retracting.
"I caught it!" He cheered, as he braced himself for the back lash. Only, like it normally works for Luffy, it was coming on fast…
"Hey, you might want to dial it down a bi-" Sanji tried to say, noticing it too; but his words were cut short when he had to hit the deck to avoid being hit by the rubbery limb. Seeing this as well, I managed to time a well placed jump to avoid it; while Nami practically landed on her side up against the railing, trying to get out of the way in time.
Zoro on the other hand, wasn't so lucky…
"Oh… I'm sorry…" Luffy mumbled, as we heard the splash from Zoro hitting the water.
Being asleep while all of this was going on, he didn't know that he currently needed to duck. Poor guy ended up paying for it when Luffy's catch slammed right into his side, sending him flying over the railing and into the sea. Believing Luffy had managed to catch a fish or something, I ignored it in favor of going to the rail Zoro had flown over, and peering out to see if he was alright.
Thankfully, and despite the stunned look he had on his face, Zoro was currently floating face up where he had landed out there. Sighing in relief, I glanced over my shoulder to look for some rope or something to fish him out of the water with. Only to draw up short when I saw Luffy's catch.
Those birds hadn't been flocking above a school of fish like we had originally thought, but a little girl…
On either side of her were Nami and Sanji, just glancing down at her, while Luffy stood off to the side. He was soon joined by Ussop who had climbed out of the crow's nest.
"That's the strangest fish I've ever seen…" Luffy said, as I moved closer myself.
"It's not a fish, it's just a little girl…" Nami said, as I reached her.
Going to my knees next to my sister, I placed two fingers to the little girl's throat. Feeling her pulse, I sighed in relief.
"She's got a steady pulse, but I think we should still get her inside so I can look her over. Make sure she's not hurt or anything." I suggested, as I took in the little girls' features. She had on a yellow dress, and a strange looking hat I was surprised she hadn't lost when Luffy picked her up. Her face was pale however, where it wasn't sunburned. Poor thing must have been out there for at least a couple of days or so…
"I agree…" Nami said, as she looked at the three conscious boys. "Luffy, Ussop, can you two pull Zoro back onto the ship. Sanji, can you go into the storage area, and grab some extra blankets and pillows." Nami said, as they all moved to do as their navigator asked.
Scooping the little girl up, I then got to my feet to take her towards the kitchen area. We didn't have an extra bed, but I knew there were some crates there we could use to whip up a make shift bed for her for the time being. Following me, Nami got the door for me, and closed it behind us once the little girl and I cleared it. Moving around me, she apparently had the same idea that I did, seeing as Nami then moved two of the huge crates together. Once she was done, I laid the little girl down on them.
While it might not be comfortable, it would at least let me have a chance to look her over for any other injuries before Sanji arrived with the blankets and such. She may be little, but she was still a girl after all.
Thankfully, she didn't have so much as a bruise from where she had hit Zoro. Other than that, and the sunburn I noticed earlier, she seemed to be a bit dehydrated. Nothing a bit of water now, and Sanji's cooking when she wakes up couldn't cure.
"How long do you think she's been out there by herself?" Nami asked after a few moments.
"Probably a couple of days. She's a bit dehydrated, but that's nothing we can't fix in full when she finally wakes up." I said, as I got to my feet, and moved to the cabinet below the sink. Opening it, I pulled out the aloe gel for burns. Closing the doors, I then moved to the place we kept our glasses. Grabbing one, then filled it about a quarter of the way up with water. "However, that could be anywhere from later on tonight to tomorrow at the latest. That part depends on her." I continued, as I moved back to the little girl's side.
Hearing a knock on the door, Nami and I looked up to see the back of Sanji's head out the window. Ever the gentleman at least. Letting Nami get the door, I placed the aloe and water on the table before moving to pick up the little girl once more. Poor thing didn't weight a lot either…
Letting Sanji in, Nami took the blankets from him, and began arranging them on the crates. Remaining silent for once, Sanji just let us do what we needed while he started on lunch. He would have to use what we've got in stock apparently.
When Nami was done, I laid the little girl down, as Nami grabbed the aloe and water from the table. Taking the water from Nami, I then lifted the little girl's head. Carefully pouring a little bit into the girl's mouth, I watched. When she didn't cough, and safely swallowed that small amount, I replaced it. It only took a few minutes before it was gone completely.
It was during this that Ussop walked into the kitchen, followed by Luffy who had a knot forming on his head; and a very grumpy, water logged Zoro. Who walked over to the furthest wall, and sat down against it like he had originally been, propping his swords up next to him as always. The other two, just left him be, and sat at the table.
Handing the empty glass to Nami, I watched as she put it in the sink before sitting down at the table herself. Grabbing the aloe gel, I then began applying it to the burns on the little girl's face. I heard her make a sleepy, sighing noise, but that was about it. Not that I could blame her, now that she felt a bit of relief. When I was done with that, I pulled one of the blankets up over her chest.
Getting to my feet, I placed the aloe next to the little girl's head before moving to the sink once more to wash my hands. After that, I grabbed a wash rag, and wet it under the cool water. Ringing out the excess, I then placed it over the little girl's forehead.
"Asuna, will she be alright now?" Luffy asked, as I moved to sit in the free spot next to Ussop.
"For now, yeah." I said, as I glanced back at her. "I'm not exactly sure how long she was out there, but it's had to be a couple of days at the most. She's dehydrated, but it's nothing we can't fix easily. Some food and a good bit of water should help her." I said, telling everyone else what I had told to Nami. "Either way, we won't know until she wakes up either tonight or tomorrow."
"I bet ya it'll be soon." Luffy chuckled, as he took a deep breath. "Yep, she won't be out long with that smell…" he said, as I took a careful sniff of the air. Right away, this rich aroma hit my nose. As usual, Sanji was making something really delicious…
Shrugging my shoulders, I cracked a bit of a grin myself. "Maybe…" I said, not willing to deny the possibility.
Everything went silent again after a while, as Nami went back to examining the map. Luffy sat there watching Sanji cook, drooling as he did so. Ussop, bless his heart, had taken up residence next to the little girl; changing the wash cloth on her forehead every now and then.
Glancing over at Zoro, I saw that he was shifting around a bit uncomfortably.
Oh yeah, he got thrown to the sea didn't he… I thought, as I got up from my seat. Moving over next to him, I sat down on the floor in front of him. Cracking open one of his closed eyes, his immediate glare faded as soon as he saw who had approached him.
"You alright, Zoro?" I asked him, as he opened his other eye. "Besides the obvious I mean." I added, as he sighed heavily.
"Physically, fine. Wouldn't complain if I got to bust Luffy's head one more time though." He replied. Clearly he's still a bit sore about his nap being interrupted. A similarity with my father that was a bit… Weird… To see at least. That was the rumor anyway. And from what I had heard Ussop explain a while back, that was why my father had followed the Don Krieg pirates from the Grand Line. Not that it really mattered, seeing as I'll never say this to Zoro's face.
"Was she hurt from Luffy's little stunt?" Zoro asked a moment later, nodding towards the ships ill guest.
Shaking my head no, I glanced over at her with a small smile.
"Not a single bruise." I answered, as I looked back at Zoro, who nodded his head once before closing his eyes once more. Sensing that he wanted to get some more sleep, I went back to the table with the others.
It wasn't until about thirty minutes later, that Luffy's prediction came true…
Hearing a loud thud, we all looked over to where the little girl was lying. Only to find her sitting up, and Ussop knocked out cold on the floor, hand holding up a dripping wash cloth mid movement. Piecing things together, I figured the little girl must have sat up really quickly, and ended up hitting Ussop on the way. Hard too…
"That hurt!" the little girl exclaimed, as she held her now sore head. Holding back a giggle, Nami smiled warmly over at her.
"So you're finally awake." she said, getting the girl's attention. "That was quicker than we expected." Looking over at us, the girl couldn't help but blink at us like an owl. Like she wasn't entirely sure we were really here or not.
"Don't worry sweet pea, you're really alright now." I told her, as she then looked around the rest of the cabin.
"Yep, nothing some food won't cure." Sanji agreed, as he continued to cook without looking up. "I'm making some soup if you're hungry." he told her, as the little girl continued to look at her surroundings.
"Lucky!" she said, as she smiled sheepishly to herself. And she was right, she really was lucky we had run across her when we did. Granted it wasn't by normal means, but still, she's fine now…
"I'm guessing you were ship wrecked." Nami said, gaining the little girl's attention once more. "If so, you really are lucky. What's your name?" she asked her, only for the girl to give her a disgruntled, nervous look.
"Before asking a stranger so many questions, its only polite to give them your name first." she said, a little bit of sass coming through, bringing a smile to Nami's face. It was really cute to tell the truth.
"You have a point." Nami said, as she smiled and gave her a wink. "I'm Nami." she said, before gesturing towards our knocked out sniper. "The man lying unconscious on the floor is Ussop." she said, before moving on to our cook. "The chef making that delicious soup is Sanji."
"Hi." Sanji greeted, waving at her with the cooking spoon he held.
Pointing next to Zoro, I watched in amusement as the little girl shrank back a bit in nervousness. Had to admit, for a standard look, Zoro was a bit intimidating.
"That's Zoro, but don't let the scary face fool you. He's a nice guy." Nami said, as Zoro grumbled for her to shut up. Ignoring it, my sister gestured towards me. "This lady here is my sister, Asuna." Nami said, finishing her introductions as I waved silently at the little girl, leaving Luffy to introduce himself. As it was only right, seeing as he's our captain and all.
"And I'm Luffy!" he said, leaning around Nami to get a good look at the girl. "And I"m the captain of this pirate ship."
At that last part, I couldn't help but plant my face into my open palm. I'm not saying hide the fact that we're pirates or anything, but did he really have to just come out and say it so bluntly to a person who just woke up from being ship wrecked like that?
Damn it Luffy! I thought in aggravation. I know she'll learn it sooner or later, now that he's gone and said that so damn soon, I bet she'll refuse to let any of us help her now. She'll probably deny any food we hand her now too, and she's gonna need it to get better…
Glancing over at the expression the girl currently had, it was safe to say that she looked like she just ate something really sour. Meaning my thoughts were more than likely correct on this.
"PIRATES!" she practically screamed, before going still as a statue…
"Yeah, that's right." Luffy said, not missing a beat. "And we're on our way to the Grand Line."
However, the rest of the group didn't realize that she was literally scared stiff until she didn't respond to this.
"Is something wrong?" Nami asked her, only to get no response.
"She isn't moving…" Luffy said, a bit of concern in his voice.
When she stayed like that for a few minutes more, I soon found that look a bit disturbing myself.
"You hold that expression any longer, your face will freeze that way." I simply told her, as life came back to the little girl's body. Thankfully, it got her to change expression. It may just be from that sour look to a scared, then nervous one, but at least it was a change. That other look was disturbing, and not suited to the little girl's face at all.
Sending her a small smile to let her know I was kidding, she threw me a small glare before grabbing the blanket she was under, and burying herself underneath it. She was now officially hiding from the world.
"So what are we supposed to do with her?" Zoro asked from his spot against the wall, as Luffy turned his attention to his first mate.
"I'm not really sure. I'll have to think it over." He said, as Sanji turned off the stove. Knowing what this meant, Luffy put that thought for later. "Eh, I'll decide what to do tomorrow…"
….….
Later that Night…
Scratching furiously at my sketch pad, I flinched when the end of my pencil broke once more. Feeling the need to throw the damn thing across the women's quarters, I put it and my pad down before I could follow through with that plan.
"You need to calm down Asuna." Nami scolded me, from where she sat at the desk, recording today's events into the log book. "She'll eat when she's ready. If anybody should be upset over it, it's Sanji." Nami said, as she finished her entry.
"I know… It's just that, she hasn't eaten in at least a couple of days. She needs to eat to get over her ordeal, but not only did she refuse to eat lunch, she skipped dinner as well." I said, as I laid flat on my back on one of the beds Nami bought a while back. "I'm just worried about her, that's all. She seems like a nice kid."
Turning around to face me, Nami gave me a wistful look.
"You know, if we had stayed back in Cocoyashi village, I bet you'd have adopted a few of the kids Arlong orphaned…" Nami said, catching me off guard as I looked at her in surprise. "You would have been a great mother to them like Bellemere was to us."
Snorting in amusement, I laid my head back to my bed once more.
"Yeah right… They would've been to scared to go anywhere near me, let alone be adopted by me." I said, Nami giggled.
"True…" she agreed, as we both laughed a bit.
However, it was short lived, seeing as their was a loud banging noise, and a high pitched scream that could only come from… You guessed it… A little girl…
"That didn't sound good!" Nami said, as we got to our feet,and made our way to the door.
"No it didn't." I said, as worried filled me. "I just hope that she was startled by Luffy getting caught in our Luffy Trap, and not caught in it herself."
With that thought in mind, Nami and I made our way towards the kitchen. We were just reaching the top of the steps when Zoro and Ussop arrived at the bottom.
"So you guys heard it too." Ussop said, as we glanced down at them.
"Yeah. We're going to go make sure the little girl wasn't the one who triggered the trap. A rubber person would survive being caught in a giant mousetrap, but a regular human would be dead rather quickly." I said, as I went to the door, and paused.
The light was on…
Peering in the window, I saw that the mouse trap had indeed been set off, but there wasn't anyone in it… Looking from it, to the people in the room, I spotted Sanji, Luffy and the little girl. Luffy was currently sitting at the table, eating everything Sanji had placed on it, while the little girl watched silently. And from the look on Sanji's face, I'd say he was currently scolding Luffy from where he stood next to the table.
Staying silent, I slowly opened the door, just as Nami, Zoro and Ussop reached me. Making a sign to stay quiet, we all watched together.
"If you'd said something, I would've made you some food Luffy." Sanji said, as Luffy continued to stuff his face.
"But I'm hungry!" Luffy said around his food. At this, Sanji was about to lay into him again, but was interrupted by a growling stomach coming from his other side.
Giving the little girl an expectant look, Sanji sighed when she remained silent. "What's wrong? Hungry too?" he asked her, as the girl blushed and turned away.
"What is this? A hunger strike? I know you skipped both lunch and dinner." Sanji said, as he stared her down. "You think we big bad pirates are gonna poison you? Is that it?"
At this, the little girl shook her head violently in the negative. After that, she just looked down at the table, still refusing to speak to anyone. Glancing back at Luffy, Sanji watched with knowing eyes as our captain stuffed his face with one dish after another. When he was just a few plates away from having eaten everything, Sanji looked back at the kid.
"You know, if you don't get something soon, he's gonna eat it all." he warned her, as Luffy got an evil look in his eye. If I didn't know any better, then I'd say he had planned this from the beginning; but that was a ridiculous notion. Luffy plan for something? Yeah… No…
"That's alright, more for me…" Luffy said, as he reached for the last dish. Some soup by the looks of it. However, he barely got his fingers within an inch of it before the little girl jumped to her feet, and snatched it away from him.
"Get back!" she shouted at him, before pouring the soup down her throat. When it was gone, she put the empty dish back down on the table with and awed look on her face. "Wow… Yummy!" she said, as Luffy gave her a huge grin.
"Yeah, I know!" Luffy said, agreeing wholeheartedly. "I picked Sanji myself."
"Are you kidding! I've never had anything this good." the little girl said, as her smile stayed right where it was.
"That smile suits you a whole lot better than that look earlier." I said, making our presence here at the door known.
"Yeah, it's nice to see you finally smiling." Nami agreed, as Sanji looked at us with surprise.
"Nami… Asuna…" he said, as Nami moved forward. Looking from the little girl to Luffy, she let her face become stern.
"Luffy, are you eating again?" she asked him, as the rest of us moved within the room.
"What's wrong? I didn't have much lunch." Luffy said, trying to defend himself.
"Says the guy that emptied two pots!" Ussop said, telling the honest truth for once. At this, Luffy just scratched at his brow, muttering that he didn't remember.
Ignoring them, Nami sat down next to the little girl.
"You poor girl, did you really think we were bad people?" Nami asked her, as the girl shrugged her shoulders.
"I guess so… But you're rather strange for a group of pirates." the little girl fessed up, as Nami shrugged it off.
"Well, you're not alone in that thought. But it's also a normal and a sometimes wise sentiment these days, so we're kinda use to it."
At this, the little girl became doubtful again, as she shyly looked up at us…
"So… You're not really gonna sell me off?" she asked, as I moved to sit on her other side.
"Of course not. If we were, would we have fed you, or made you a place to rest?" I asked her, as she thought it over. In the end, she nodded her head in agreement at the logic I had thrown at her.
"I guess not…" she answered, as she gave me a small smile…
"I can see why you'd think that." Zoro said from the door way, a teasing edge to his voice. "You do have a pretty scary face."
Before the little girl had a chance to respond, Ussop is grabbing Zoro by the cheek, and pulling it out a bit. Not like he would on Luffy of course.
"You're one to talk! Out of all of us, you've got the most intimidating face!" Ussop said, but barely seeing as Zoro slapped his hand away, only to end up in a scuffle with him.
"Such morons…" Nami muttered, as Sanji and I nodded our heads in agreement. Luffy on the other hand, just laughed it off while the little girl gave a nervous giggle. Clearly, she didn't quite know what to make of our crazy crew.
Thankfully, Sanji remedied it for her.
"There's plenty more to eat, Milady." he said, as the little girl blinked at him in shock.
"He's right, ya know." I told her, as I gestured towards Luffy. "You see how much that knuckle head eats, so we've got plenty stocked up."
"They're both serious too." Nami added, backing me up. "And if you stick around, you'll come to see that this group of pirates is more fun than scary… I promise…"
At our words, that smile we had walked into returned full force. Facing Sanji, she held up her empty plate.
"More please." She asked, as Sanji took the dish from her.
"As you wish." he said, as Luffy perked up at the fact Sanji was about to get more food.
"Me too!" he shouted, as Sanji went from gentlemen to sea chef.
"Get you're own Luffy!"
"But I already tried too…" Luffy pouted, as I felt a smirk cross my lips. Shaking my head, I glanced over at the human sized mousetrap Ussop and I had come up with.
Now that I think about it, we'd better come up with a different approach. That way none of us will be hurt in the future if we stumble into it instead of Luffy. I thought, as the night resumed to normal.
Or, as normal as this crew could possibly get.
….….
The next morning, we were all getting ready to set sail for the day. Luffy and Zoro were pulling up the anchor, and Sanji and Ussop were preparing the sails. In the mean time I was checking our heading and Nami's compass while she changed in our room.
However, all business was interrupted when this huge explosion begins rocking the boat. And if I didn't know any better, then it sounded like it came from the kitchen.
Turning to glance at the door, my unspoken question was answered when the little girl emerged from the cabin, black smoke billowing out the door behind her wobbling little form. Cringing, I glanced up the mast at Sanji, who looked to be a bit worried himself.
"Hey, what's going on down there? What happened?" he called down to the little girl we've yet to learn the name of.
Shaking off the dizziness she must have felt from all that smoke and little air, she held a thumbs up in Sanji's direction.
"Nothing! I've just been cooking." She shouted up at him, as Sanji's eyes became about as big as dinner plates.
"What now…" he muttered, barely audible as the girl turned her attention to the rest of us.
"Everyone! Breakfast is ready!" she called, as I got a sinking feeling in my gut.
And as the entire crew gathered around the table, the feeling only got worse. On the table sat several plates, one for everyone present; and on these plates were this burn mass of charred… Something I couldn't identify…
Glancing around the table at my fellow crew mates, I could see mirroring looks of nervousness. Save for three. The girl, who looked quite pleased with herself. Luffy, who looked happy to have any kind of food. And Sanji, who looked like had swallowed about a dozen lemons. Then again, a quick look at the ruined cook wear in the sink, and the condition of the stove explained why…
"Uh… You made this all by yourself?" Nami asked, trying her best to not look as nervous as she felt. After all, the little girl went through the trouble, and pans and ladles and what not, to make this for all of us.
"The appearance of this, is quite… Unique…" Ussop chimed in, trying to do the same, but through different means.
Smiling even brighter at it, the girl beamed at all of us with that smile.
"Not only did you guys rescue me, but you've given me food and shelter as well. And now I've found a way to thank you, by pitching in to help." she announced, as Nami told her how thoughtful that was.
Glancing to Zoro who stood between Nami and I, I saw him looking at the food in front of him like it was an enemy that had gone freaky on him or something.
"Is this really considered food?" he muttered to himself, trying to keep his voice low.
Giving him a nervous shrug, I went to say something, but Nami had beaten me to the punch. Apparently she heard him as well.
"Oh shut up…" she muttered, as I saw her stomp on Zoro's foot. Using him saying ow as her chance, she tossed a plate full of the burned food in his mouth before popping his jaw shut. "And just eat it already…" she hissed at him, as I cringed.
Having no choice but to eat it, Zoro went still as a statue, and stayed that way.
"Seriously though, is this really safe to eat?" Ussop asked, drawing my attention from Zoro. Hearing muttering from Luffy, I looked over to see him eating it just fine. Then again, I was beginning to suspect that Luffy had deadened taste buds…
"Of course…" Sanji answered, half halfheartedly if I might add. "Food can't be judged by appearance alone." he said, taking a bite from a plate. Following suit, Nami took a bite as well.
"You positive?" Ussop asked, plopping a bite into his own mouth.
Taking a deep breath, I took a bite as well, against my better judgment; that way no one could accuse me of wussing out.
No sooner had I started chewing it, did the ninja spice make itself known. And boy did it burn as it went down. I'd even dare say that cyan pepper would have been mercy compared to this. Sanji, Ussop, and Nami all turned bright red; while Zoro looked like he was about ready to just lie down and die. But despite that, he managed to reach for a glass of water about just as quick as the other three.
Knowing that it would only make it worse, I got up to grab a drinkable yogurt Sanji had made last night, and used that to chase down the spiciness the food had left in my mouth. Leaning back against the refrigerator, I glanced at the four suffering along with me. All of them, looked like they had just run a marathon. Just like I no doubt did as well.
Giving us all a confused look, the girl became nervous.
"It's not really that bad, is it?" she asked us. When none of us were able to answer her, she tried it herself. Right away, she was in the same boat as us.
"SPICY!" she shouted, as she coughed from the intensity. "I must have used the wrong seasoning…" she said, reaching for a glass of water for herself. However, I didn't want her to make it any worse on herself. Being a little kid, she wouldn't be able to stand up to that level of spice just yet.
Placing a hand over hers, I then handed her the rest of my yogurt. Being made mainly from milk, that should sooth it a lot better. Giving me a grateful smile, she pretty much finished it for me. Once it was gone, she was out of breath herself.
"Goodness… My mouth felt like it was on fire…" she panted, as Sanji gently ruffled her hair.
"That's alright… It's a common mistake." Sanji said, recovering faster than the rest of us. Being a chef, and a really good one at that, he must have made that same mistake somewhere down the line. "Next time though, you'll know which spice to avoid using."
Nodding her head, the kid wiped away at the tears that had been forming. With her feelings settled, Sanji turned to address the rest of us.
"She took the time to make this feast for all of us. The least you can do is eat every crumb of it." Sanji said, directing the words as all of the boys. Luffy, no problem. Ussop and Zoro though, threw him a murderous glare.
Returning it with equal intensity, Sanji continued.
"Shut up! This little girl went out of her way for you bunch of bums. She…" Sanji snapped at them, put paused when he realized something. Turning to face the little girl, he asked it. "Excuse me, but I don't think I got you're name."
"It's Apis…" she said, giving a little wave. "My name is Apis…"
Having his answer, Sanji turned back to the rest of us.
"Apis deserves the respect of seeing you eat her meal." Sanji continued. "Besides, as the cook of this ship, I refuse to see anyone waste food." Looking from them, to Nami and I, Sanji promised to make us something later.
Knowing that he had a point, and knowing what Sanji would do to him if he refused, Ussop turned a nervous glance back at his own plate. Zoro, grumbled something none of us could make out. However, one glance at the little girl who had identified herself as Apis, and he quieted. Luckily for him, he's already eaten an entire plate via Nami shoving it down his throat.
Seeing all of our looks, Apis became a bit shy.
"I'm sorry…" she apologized. "I just wanted to help out…"
Giving her a gentle smile, I shook my head.
"It's alright Apis. Besides, compared to the worst food I've been made to eat, this is actually quite tasty." I told her, as she glanced over at me. "But as far as helping out in the kitchen next time, don't do anything unless you have Sanji with you. Sound like a deal?" I asked her, keeping my smile gentle.
Apis seemed like a good kid, and like one who wanted to pull her own weight. So I couldn't really be mad at her. From the looks of it, none of us were.
Taking no time to think it over, Apis agreed. Then again, so long as there was a way for her to help out, she seemed happy.
The rest of the meal went by kind of quickly. Seeing as we just ate what couple more bites we could manage before passing it over to Luffy who devoured it. If this upset Apis, she didn't show it.
Once my plate was on its way to being devoured, I got up to go look in the sink. The sight that met my eyes, made me cringe once more. Apis had really done a number on this stuff. In fact, if you didn't know what they had been before hand, then you'd probably wouldn't be able to tell what the pans and utensils use to be. Honestly, I was amazed that Apis hadn't gotten hurt. I was happy about that too, seeing as we've yet to recruit a doctor for the ship yet.
Sure I could stitch up a few wounds, and Nami knew about a few illnesses, and how to treat minor burns. However, had Apis really have gotten hurt, it would have been way beyond Nami's or my skills. Making a mental note to bring this up in the future, I picked up one of the pans.
Seeing a bit of movement out of my peripherals, I glanced over to spy Sanji giving the sink that sour look he had earlier.
"Do you think you can fix them, Asuna?" he asked, keeping his voice low enough to keep Apis from hearing us. She felt bad enough about it as it was anyway.
"Honestly… There's nothing here to fix. The best I can do is melt it down, and remake them. However with the damage done, I don't think it'll hold up the way it did originally." I said, as I did a mental count for the iron ore I picked up in Lougetown. "I believe I have enough iron down in the forge to make a new set of pans for the ship. Knowing how violent our crew is, I'm thinking cast iron might be the best way to go."
"Cast iron, huh…" Sanji repeated, thinking it over. "They are sturdy, and pack one hell of a wallop when I need to hit one of these idiots…"
Chuckling at this, I shook my head a bit.
"Just write down a list of specifications, and I'll work on those some time today. I've got to finish some nails and such to restock our supply for the next storm the Mary gets caught in." I told him, as I saw the hearts beginning to form.
Giving him that look I gave him back in the Baratie, back when I first met Ussop, Zoro, and Luffy, I watched in satisfaction, as he put his hands behind his back and backed away from me. As he moved towards Nami instead, I was a bit impressed that he was able to hold it in that long, but I still wasn't having him fawn all over me like he does Nami. I am a woman, but I'm no lady. No desire to be one.
Feeling eyes on me, I turned to glance on my other side to see Zoro giving me a curious look. Meeting his black eyes with my own amber ones, I watched as he hummed to himself before looking away. Feeling a bit self awkward now that our gazes had parted, I felt my cheeks becoming a bit warm.
Realizing that I had become embarrassed about the whole thing, I shook my head mentally to regain some sense.
Wishing very much to escape the confusing feelings, I turned to look back at the table full of my friends. At the moment, Nami had asked Apis a very important question that's been burning at the back of all our minds since last night.
"So Apis, how did you end up being stranded out on the ocean like that?" she asked her, as Apis became shy again, looking at her own feet.
"I escaped from a marine ship that was holding me prisoner." she answered softly, as everyone gave her a shocked look. "I escaped three nights ago…" She added, as I felt my eyebrows shoot up into my hair line.
"Three nights… Nami wasn't that when-" I began, as I looked back at Apis with awe.
"That was during the storm we went through…" Nami finished, answering my question at the same time.
"Well it's no wonder you were stranded. Your small boat never had a chance in something like that. You're a very lucky little girl." I told her, as she nodded her head once in agreement. After all, that was her first word when she woke up on the ship. Lucky, she had said.
However, Zoro did bring up another valid question. In a gruff, Zoro-ish way of course.
"How did you get into trouble with the marines in the first place?" he asked from where he sat up against the wall he had long since moved to. At her confused look, Zoro continued. "They wouldn't hold you prisoner without a reason, no matter how stupid it might be. Just what could a little girl like you do to get their attention?"
If it was possible, Apis sunk a little lower in her seat, as she visibly became uncomfortable once more.
"Well… I… Um…" she squirmed, trying to find the right words to say.
"What's wrong? Are you hiding something?" Luffy asked her bluntly, as she started to freak out.
"No! It's nothing like that, you have to believe me!" she said, as she looked back at her shoes. "I'm innocent… They…" trailing off, Apis then looked to the side. "I'm sorry… But I just can't talk about it…"
The look on her face was very familiar to me. While Luffy had been right on his instinct about her hiding something. Then again, the moment Zoro asked that question of his, it became obvious. However, from the look on her face, that I've worn on my own before, I can tell that she's protecting something. What, is the question though. A question for another time.
"What? You can't tell us!" Ussop said, a bit of disappointment in his voice.
Smacking his arm, I caught his attention.
"Leave her be, Ussop." I told him, as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Clearly she doesn't want to say. If she's not ready to tell us, then we shouldn't press her. After all, it's probably personal, and none of our business to start with."
Ussop looked like he wanted to press the topic anyway, but he caved in once he thought about my logic.
"I agree." Nami said, as she turned a kind smile towards Apis. "However, it would help us out a lot if you tell us where you're from."
At this, Apis looked up at my sister in shock. Clearly, she wasn't expecting us to ask about her island. Then again, she probably wasn't expecting to find a nice group of pirates willing to take her back home either.
"I… I'm from a place called Warship Island." she answered, as Luffy's eyes got wide.
Chuckling at my captain's attitude, I mentally set myself back for the ride. I knew that look, and it meant we're going no matter what. Then again, this far out, I doubt it's too far from the Grand Line.
"Warship Island…" Nami repeated, racking her brain for any familiarity.
"Have you heard of it Nami?" Ussop asked her, as she reached for the map sitting off to the side.
"No, but it should be here on the map." she said, rolling it out and taking a look. While she searched, Luffy began dropping questions.
"Sound's cool, but why is it called Warship island?" he asked her, as Apis perked up a bit.
"Well… It's called that because it's shaped like a war ship." she answered, as Luffy's smile widened.
"Ha… I like it.." he said, as that gleam in his eye only got brighter. He looked like he was about to ask his usual question about the islands food, when Nami found the island on the map.
"Here we go." she said, as she pointed it out for the crew and Apis to see. The island itself was relatively close to the Calm Belt. Moving her finger, Nami pointed to a different spot out on the open water.
"We're right here, so the distance between us and the island is reasonable." Nami said, as we all nodded our heads in understanding. Seeing that we understood, Nami turned back towards Apis.
"How about it Apis? We're headed to the Grand Line, but it won't be a problem for us to drop you off at your island." she said, as Apis became hopeful for about a second, before she was looking at her shoes once more.
"Thank you…" she muttered, as she kept her eyes locked on anything but all of us. "You all were nice enough to save me, and I feel bad about having you go out of your way just so I can go back home. But it's what I want more than anything…" she said, her voice becoming stronger at the end.
"Apis…" I called to her. Once she looked up at me, I continued. "Look sweet pea, we're on no ones time schedule but our own. My sister's one of the best navigators I know, and if she thinks we can do it, then I think we can too." I told her, before I gestured towards Luffy. "Besides, I think you've got our dear captain hooked on seeing this Warship Island of yours. But in the end, it's up to you."
When Apis remained quiet as she absorbed my words, Nami glanced over at Luffy herself.
"Well, I'm fine with it either way… And you, captain?" she asked, as Luffy brightened his signature grin.
"Sure… Sounds great to me." he said, as he looked over at Apis. "And it's shaped like a war ship."
Giving Apis a non creepy smile of his own, Sanji looked down at Apis.
"Hear that? Sounds like a yes to me." he told her, as she jumped up from the barrel she had bee sitting on.
"REALLY!" she shouted with the happiness she was feeling. "You really don't mind changing course and taking me back home?!" she asked, hope filling her features.
"Nope." Luffy answered, as Apis began jumping up and down in excitement, shouting thank yous left and right at us.
Seeing this, I couldn't help the full on smile that crossed my face. Apis was happy she was going home, and I for one, was happy for her.
"Thank you guys so much, I'll prepare tons of dishes in thanks!" she shouted, forgetting our deal from earlier in her joy.
"No, that's okay!" I shouted with nearly everyone else. Luffy on the other hand…
"What, why not? That food was good!"
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Next Chapter - Chapter 15 - The Whisper Whisper Fruit
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I'M STILL ALIVE! See, a new chapter just for you guys. I'm slowly, but surely working on my fan fictions, and moving them forward. I know I write slow, and you don't see anything new for months at a time, but that doesn't mean I've abandoned my stories. I just work on the ones for the shows I'm currently obsessed with. And as you can see, it's been One Piece recently.
Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'm off to disappear for a bit again to work on the next chapter for… Something…
So… Thanks for reading!
Bugg18.