Author's note: Hello! Just wanted to say my thanks for all the reviews I've been receiving! We're coming up to one of my favorite Arcs! Thriller Bark! Haha Yosh! I loved that arc so much, I wish I could rewind and watch it all over again Haha. Any who, I'll try my best to keep all characters in character (see what I did there? Haha I'm funny in my mind ^^) and I'll try and make it interesting! Thank you for reading and remember the more reviews the faster I write! Bye for now!
"…Zoro-Kun?" Kuki mumbled as she opened her eyes to a light shade of green. "Gomu Gomu no Pistol!" Luffy's voice rang out, causing Kuki to turn her head towards where she heard her captain. The rubber man just tried to strike Hotto, but without even touching the man Luffy un-stretched his arms and blew on them, "Hot, hot, hot!" Kuki looked around and saw the rest of the crew sitting/standing around not having a concern in the world. "What are you guys doing? Luffy-" she started to say, wondering why no one was helping or worrying. "Can handle it, he is the captain." Zoro cut her off, watching the two guys fight. "Alright…where's Franky?" Kuki asked, raising her head to look. The swordsman's face turned red, a bit jealous as she said his name. "He's fine, sitting over there with Ussop and Chopper." He pointed out, and sure enough there was the cyborg. "Do you…like him or something…?" Zoro wondered, not being able to look Kuki in the face as he waited for the answer.
Kuki looked at the green-haired man, appalled that he would ask such a thing. "No, he's my friend. It's just me and Franky joined around the same time so I guess I feel like we got to stick together…since you guys have known each other for so long." She tried to explain, not understanding why Zoro would even think that. Kuki tried to sit up, only to be pushed back down by the swordsman man. "…what…a…are…you" she tried to say, but the look he was giving her sent millions of goose bumps up her back. Kuki could feel the heat of Zoro's hands threw her shirt, since the doctor had unzipped the jacket to check on her, making the tiny girl blush. "Chopper said rest…so rest." He mumbled taking his hands away, his face too was stained a bit of red. "You can't win Straw Hat, and after I defeat you, I'm going after your crew." Hotto laughed, with only a few scratches on his body from where Luffy had managed to hit him.
"You're not hurting my friends!" he yelled, screaming at the man, "Gomu Gomu no Gatling!" Luffy's fists didn't hit Hotto before he pulled them back, the burns on them worse. "You can't defeat my heat." The white haired guy said. "Tch, it's not even hot." The captain muttered. "What did you say?" Hotto asked. Luffy flung his arms back; stretching them so far away Kuki couldn't see his hands anymore. "I said…you aren't even hot! Gomu Gomu no Bazooka!" FF a couple hours "I can't believe that guy was so weak and I lost to him." Kuki mumbled, sitting up in the crows nest by herself again. Luffy had ended up hurting that guy enough to knock him unconscious, after getting back onto the boat, leaving Hotto there, the Straw Hat's 'Coup De Burst'ed their way out of the Ice circle with the barrels of pop Franky had found. "Why am I so weak…" she wondered, watching as the sun sat right above her, marking it as noon. It would be lunch time soon and she would have to get down. "You know, you're like a stupid cat." Zoro stated, entering the Crows nest carrying many, heavy, looking weights.
"How am I a stupid cat?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest angrily. She didn't need him talking down to her as well. The swordsman dropped all the weights on the ground, they all looked so heavy…Kuki was starting to wonder how strong this guy was. "You know how a cats climb trees and then get too afraid to get down? That's how, why do you come up here when you're afraid of heights?" he asked, wiping his brow as he set up all his equipment to look like a training room. "Oh…I don't really know why…I can think up here and it's away from all the noise…" Kuki explained, looking out to the window again. "So what, every time you come up here you're going to wait for me to come and help you down?" Zoro joked, teasing the girl. "W…what…no…I just…" she started to stutter, blushing so much that her cheeks turned warm. "It's ok, I understand…I like it up here too…" he mumbled back, sitting on the couch as well.
They both sat there in silence, looking out the window, only having the noise of their breathing fill the room. "Zoro-Kun…why…am I so weak?" Kuki asked, making the swordsman stop and look at her face. "You guys are so strong and even when I try I can't do anything, I always need someone to come and save me. I have a Logia type Devil's Fruit and I can't even use it right…I can't turn myself into air to dodge, and I suck at concentrating…" she tried to explain, her eyes watering a bit as she thought of each member and how they all are so strong in their own way. Suddenly Zoro pulled the girl into his chest, wrapping one arm around her head, holding the girl close to him. "You…shouldn't cry, it looks bad on you." The swords man mumbled, pretending to look out the window. Kuki looked up at his face, Zoro, who normal looked calm, looked like he was over thinking each action he did, his cheeks were pink and sweat was on his forehead. "…thanks…" she sighed, breathing in the smell of him, metal and sake, and for some reason that calmed her down.
"You aren't weak, just train a bit…I guess." He continued, desperately trying to find the right words that didn't sound awkward and that would actually help her. Kuki reached out and hugged him, hiding her face in her neck. Zoro's arms were out, hovering inches above Kuki's body, not knowing what to do. "Thank you…" she whispered. The girl's breath tickled the swordsman's neck, making his face blush harder as he slowly placed his arms around her as well. "…you're welcome…" FF an hour or so "Awesome!" Luffy and Chopper praised together, as Ussop landed his jump from the swing. "Yosh, my turn!" the captain yelled, jumping on the swing as he rocked back and forth to gain momentum. Then, feeling that he had enough force, Luffy jumped, flying into the wall. "Perfect landing!" Ussop and Chopper screamed, throwing their hands/hooves into the air. The captain then sat up and joined the other two in laughing
Kuki laid on the grass, taking a break as well as napping, or at least trying too. The weather had gotten warmer, allowing her too change into a pair of blue, jean shorts, her black, tank top, and a pair of lime green suspenders, which weren't over her shoulders. Her eyes were closed, but her mind was reeling. After the hug Zoro had indeed, helped her down the same way as before. Did this mean that everything was ok between them? Was he not mad at her for leaving him in the bath? And why did it seem that he was jealous of Franky? Nothing was or ever would happen between Kuki and the cyborg, she was positive about that, but why would Zoro care either way? "You seem like something's on your mind." Robin said, watering her flowers. Kuki opened her eyes and sat up, staring at the back of the older women, how did she do that all the time? "I guess you could say that." The tiny girl answered, standing up and walking over to the mini garden.
"What's wrong?" the archaeologist asked, not even looking at her. Kuki turned her head, seeing who was all outside, only the three guys. "It's about…" she tried to say, but didn't really know how to put it. "The swordsman?" she offered, watering the last of her plants. Kuki's face blushed, "Ya, I guess so…" The older women turned, finally meeting Kuki's gaze. "Men are really hard to figure out, especially his type, but don't worry it'll be alright." Robin offered, giving the girl a close-eyed smile. "Especially his type…?" Kuki asked, not quite understanding. "Let's just say he doesn't quite understand his own feelings." And then the women walked off, leaving Kuki's mind with more questions to answer. "She knows everything…I don't know if I should be impressed…or just creeped out…" the blonde muttered under her breath.
"Oi, there's something floating out in the water!" Zoro said over the intercom. The entire crew looked out, trying to figure out what the swordsman had seen. "It's over there." Kuki pointed, seeing something bobbing in the water. "A barrel?" Chopper asked, sticking his head threw the railings to get a better look. "Oi, it says treasure right on it!" Ussop pointed out, reading the flag that was attached to it. "Yosh, let's bring it up!" Luffy ordered, wanting to open the barrel. After Kuki steered out of the way to pick up the barrel, Franky placed it in the middle of the lawn. "Treasure, treasure, we found a treasure!" Ussop, Chopper and Luffy sung, dancing back and forth while they held each others shoulders. "Sorry, but it's just alcohol and some food." Nami stated, walking out of the dinning room. "How do you know if you didn't look?" the captain whined, not liking the way the navigator was trying to ruin their fun.
"See how the flag reads, 'Gift to the Sea God' on it?" Robin asked, pointing at the words. "Ya…and?" Franky asked, just as excited as the other three for treasure. "People send out those barrels when they ask the 'Gods' for a safe journey, filling it with food and alcohol." Kuki explained, still sitting by the garden where Robin had left her. "So what was the point of picking it up?" Ussop asked, depressed that there was no treasure. Zoro stood up and walked towards the barrel, patting the top, "It has drink in it, let's have some." Ussop glared, "Do you want to be struck by some God?" he asked. "If we fill it up after then it should be fine." Nami added. "Alright then, let's open it." Sanji smiled, wanting to see what type of food would be in it. Luffy stepped forward and untied the knots holding the lid on, after that he lifted the lid completely off, releasing a flare that shot up into the sky, so bright that it blinded each member momentarily.
Kuki had a bad feeling as she watched the flare explode into a large, red, circle. She wasn't the only one, Zoro, Sanji, Robin, Nami, Ussop, and Franky all had the same look on their face, a look of distrust. After a minute of two the flare dissipated, leaving the Straw Hat crew to think. "What was that?" the captain wondered out loud. "A flare." Zoro answered, still looking up at the sky. "Why would a flare be in there?" Chopper asked, looking at everyone. "What's a flare used for?" Robin pointed out, giving the crew a rhetorical question. "To find people."