"You look better already, little sis."

"It would seem I heal faster when I'm not poisoning myself."

"Well no matter what you brought those vials for, I can't say I can willingly let you attack my back." Franky crosses his arms and stares down at her.

"I thought I'd aim below the belt, actually."

"Quill sis, I know you're still angry about what happened to Usopp, but-" Karmen cuts Mozu off by dropping all her poisons on the ground.

"Listen here, tinman. I've spent a whole day listening to mushy poetry and eating sweets with a smile on my face, thanks to a promise I made to our chef. I'm in the mood to spout a little poison." She steps forward and grabs his ear, drawing the surprised man close. "You pride yourself on being freaky, but let me tell you something. I've seen a few freaks where I'm from and you're nothing in comparison. The only freaky things about you are your outdated parts, lack of fashion, and your inability to keep a rhythm." She continues in this way for several minutes. By the time she's done Franky is on his hands and knees in depression and his family stand around shocked.

"That's going too far, Quill sis!" Kiwi cries.

Franky holds up a hand to them and stands, taking a deep breath. "You promised a low blow and you delivered. Is that all you wanted?"

"No, actually." She digs in her bag and tosses him a small sack.

Franky opens it and scowls. "What is this?"

"Sea prism powder I swiped it from the armory in Enies Lobby. Rumor has it you're a wonderful engineer, so I thought I'd ask you to make me something." She hands him a folded piece of paper tied with a red string. He unfolds it and raises an eyebrow. "I'll pay you of course. To be honest, I was impressed with the reports the crew brought me on your battle gear. Something like that shouldn't be any problem for you, right?"

Franky grins and tucks the document into his stomach. "Something like this will be a piece of cake. Yow!" He does a little dance.

"Then I'll leave those poisons there for you. Don't touch them with your hands. They might rust you." She turns to leave.

"Hey, sister. We're even now, right?" He strikes a pose.

"We are," she agrees. "But I can't speak for the rest of the crew."

"I've got something in mind for that. I'll go back with you."

When they return to the Galley-La housing Karmen sees trees being carted towards their building. "My apples!" She takes a flying leap into the cart and hugs the trunks. "Franky, you go on ahead. I'm going to stay here for a while."

"Miss," says the man who had been pulling the cart. "We were going to deliver them to the building for you."

"Here is fine. Nami will love to see her tangerines, so take the rest on ahead."

Franky examines her. "Didn't that jump hurt your stomach?"

"I'm too happy to be in pain from some bullet wound right now. These trees were gifts from people very important to me."

"I can make something out of them, if you'd like."

She glares at him over her veil. "Touch them and you'll wish you were dead."

"I'll go talk to the others then."

Karmen is sitting with her trees when Vice-Admiral Garp breaks down the wall to greet his grandson. Sensing no murderous intentions as she approaches the rubble, she pulls out her log and begins writing down the key points of their transaction, thankful that she wore her battle gear to speak with Franky. "Who are you?"

She turns to see a pink-haired soldier looking at her. "I'm their secretary." She peeks in again at Garp. "He's still just a scary man, right? No new devil fruit powers or anything?"

"Nope. Just his insane strength," the soldier responds cheerfully.

"That's a relief. My weapon isn't ready yet." She jots down a few more notes. "It looks like they're going to be a while. Would you like some tea?"

The Sergeant-Major refuses politely, so she fades and steps inside to pour some for herself. As the conversation continues, she only gives a slight downward tilt of her chin when she hears that Luffy is the son of Monkey D. Dragon the Revolutionary. When the wall is repaired, she lays down in bed.

Usopp shakes her awake a while later, wearing his Sogeking mask. "There's a party happening down at the pool with lots of food. You should come join us."

"Why am I always injured when we celebrate things?" she moans. "Go on ahead. It looks like Chopper left some medicine for me to take." He promises to keep Luffy from eating all the meat and does as he's told. Karmen realizes she fell asleep with her veil on and leaves it on her pillow with the sash and glove. Feeling a chill in the air, she puts her super Plucharon bracelet on and grabs a quill. As expected, she finds Aokiji standing outside. "We've had a rough week and half of it all points back to you."

"You seem angry."

"Of course I'm angry! How dare you put Robin through all that!" She squeezes the quill in her hand. "I swear if you do anything else…"

"Relax. I just stopped by to make sure you weren't gravely injured. Obviously I have nothing to worry your father over, other than the fact that you've clearly thrown your lot in with them."

"I'll tell father myself."

"Is saving a man who's probably already dead worth all this?"

"If I can survive being shot, so can he."

"Two years is a long time, Karmen."

"It's more than you ever did for him. For any of them. Cause anything a noble does gets swept under the rug and anyone who falls in their path is just an unfortunate casualty that the navy turns a blind eye to. The government's even worse. They practically encourage it. Do you know how many people I've seen die because you and your kind did nothing?!"

"The navy has its limits in those matters, even if we don't agree with them."

"There's your 'lazy justice' speaking again. If justice has its limits, then what about human decency? Or did you lose that a long time ago too?" She sticks her quill into her belt and walks past him. "If I have to be a pirate to save Pierce, then so be it. Next time, I won't offer you tea." She knows she's gambling on the fact that he'll just let her walk away, but when she finally takes another breath she knows it's a gamble she's won.

Calming down outside the walls by listening to Usopp's singing, she puts on a weak smile and enters the crowd. Sanji runs up to her with shish kabobs. "Karmen, did you get enough rest? You look pale."

She smiles more convincingly and takes the food. "I'm fine. I just overexerted myself earlier when I went to speak with Franky."

"Then just sit down wherever you like and leave the entertainment to me."

"You shameless woman! Cover your shoulder!"

What? Paulie? You're upset over one shoulder?" She gives the foreman a slow twirl. "Thanks for fixing my dress. It fits great." He turns red and starts spouting nonsense.

"Quill sis! You're finally showing us your face!"

"I had to wear the red dress to be sure you'd recognize me." She gets drug off to a table near where Usopp has started shooting off fireworks. She observes the giants for a while and leans over to Nami. "We need cups big enough to serve guys like that."

"Don't worry," she says. "We'll go shopping tomorrow. Stop thinking about work and party."

Karmen stands and waivers, still a little dizzy from blood loss and lack of her usual toxins. Her abdomen is sore from walking so far earlier. "Chopper! I need some deadbolt."

"No poison, Karmen!" he calls back cheerfully. She groans loudly. "No alcohol either. It'll give you a bad reaction to the medicine."

"Medicine gives me a bad reaction to medicine." She'd already had a few nightmares. She's glad she hadn't screamed and gone crazy this time. The crew would have restricted her activity even more. Karmen looks to where Zoro is chugging mug after mug with Galley-La guys. "Can't dance, can't drink, can't eat another bite. The next celebration we have, I'm going to go nuts."

The next morning Nami finds nearly all the money spent on the party. Karmen smiles and tells them to go on ahead and spend the remaining money to prepare to leave Water 7. She still has a bit of money left after her last shopping trip and the little she was able to do at the party last night left her pretty sore. She sleeps most of the morning, only waking when Chopper gives her medicine or Sanji gives her food and tea. She has a fever, so Chopper has her stay in bed as much as possible.

By mid-afternoon, Karmen feels rested and bored out of her mind. When Chopper and Sanji aren't looking, she fades and sneaks outside. She retrieves her bag and mask and dons a cloak that she finds in the hallway. She checks to make sure she's got her money on her and rages silently to see that her bag has been emptied of any poison. She wants to yell at Chopper, but that would blow her escape. Feuding silently, she exits the building and makes her way to the shopping district.

Finding a ceramics shop, she steps inside and examines the cups. There is only one cup in the entire store that would suit a giant's hands. The price tag spikes her fever a few more degrees. "50,000 berries for one cup?! You could buy a sword for that price! Hey, shop-keep. I'm the Straw Hat's secretary. Give me a discount on this."

"Nice try. All the reports say there's only seven members," the old man behind the counter says.

"There's only seven combative members. I don't join many of the battles." She takes off her mask. "Don't you recognize me? I was the one in red at the party last night."

"Lady, a lot of people were wearing red."

"Listen, buddy. I got shot at Enies Lobby. I had to sneak away from our doctor and chef so that I could come buy this cup for our larger guests that we run into on our travels. I didn't even get to bring any poisons with me. When they find out I'm gone they'll never let me out of their sight. Work with me here."

"Sorry sweetheart. The price stays where it's at."

She slams her mask down on the counter. "Do you even know how much giants have to spend on food and clothing alone? How can you charge so much for a single cup, you racist jerk!"

"Karmen, don't kill the salesman." A swordsman steps into the shop. "What are you doing out of bed? I thought you had a fever."

She relaxes a little bit, which leaves her wobbling. "I couldn't kill him even if I wanted to, Zoro. They took my poison."

"You heal faster without it, right?"

"I'm having withdrawals, that's why I'm sick. My body's so used to the toxins that it's going into shock because I haven't had any in three days. It's making me irritable and this jerk is charging too much for the cup I snuck out to buy."

Zoro eyes the cup. "How were you going to carry that thing back with your wounds?"

"I was going to make him deliver it, but he doesn't even believe I'm part of the crew. I know I'm really good at avoiding the navy and I usually end up stuck somewhere while you guys fight, but this is ridiculous." Karmen leans against the counter in defeat. "There probably won't even be a wanted poster for me when the new ones come out."

His large hand presses to her forehead. "Your fever has definitely gone up." Zoro glares darkly at the clerk. "We destroyed Enies Lobby to get back a crewmember. What do you think happens when one of us finds out someone's worked our injured secretary into this state?"

The clerk shrinks behind the counter. "F-Five thousand berries." Karmen still wishes she had a quill to stab him with, but it's much better than it had been. She slaps the money down on the counter.

"Wait here," Zoro orders. Karmen inspects the cup while she waits for him to come back. It is obviously well made, but there is no decoration at all on its white surface. There is no way in Impel Down it's worth anything close to 50,000 berries. She tries to glare at the clerk, but her vision waivers. Zoro comes back in and picks up the giant cup with one hand. "Galley-La's giving us a cart to use. Let's get out of here." He puts the cup on the cart and Karmen climbs into it, laying on her back. Zoro starts pulling them both down the sidewalk. She takes samples from gardens that they pass. Soon her lap is filled with flowers. "You snuck out to buy a big cup?"

"We need at least one. Two would be preferable but that was the only shop in blocks that had one that size."

"Why didn't you send out one of us out to get it for you?"

"All the money went into the party and I was bored to death. Where are you going?"

Zoro turns the corner and finds the ocean. "I thought this was the way back to Galley-La."

Karmen grins. "This is perfect. Keep doing exactly what you're doing. I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when we get there."

"You Onigiri an enemy and nap all day. I think I'm rubbing off on you."

"It works. Leave me alone."

"What's with the mask and cloak, anyway? Did you spill something on your dress last night?"

"Laundry day exists for a reason. I know you guys only wash your own clothes once every two weeks or so, but women prefer it a little more often. Speaking of which, your stomach scarf is due for a scrubbing." She sits up in the cup. "And I was sneaking out. I didn't have time to change while Chopper and Sanji had their backs turned. " She opens the cloak to show him her pajamas. "Besides, red is really noticeable."

"Quill sis! He's finished!"

"Looks like you were noticed without being in red."

"You and the cup kind of draw attention." Karmen lifts a hand and waves at Mozu and Kiwi. "Be a dear and follow them, will you? I asked Franky to make me something."

When they arrive at Scrap Heap Island Franky tosses her the bag of poison she'd left him. Zoro catches it. "Does she look like she's in any condition to catch dangerous things?"

"What's the matter, little sister. You look terrible," Franky calls.

"I made a crappy promise to our doctor." She leans over the rim of the cup, more in dizziness than from pouting. She watches Zoro dig through the bag.

"Karmen, what were the exact terms of your agreement with Chopper?" the swordsman asks.

"I promised that I would not dose myself with any toxic substances for a full week, of which I have four days left."

"That's what I thought." He flicks his wrist and a drop of liquid flies into her mouth. She swallows in surprise. "My hand slipped. No promise broken."

"Scorpion venom, medium grade, concentration level 4, and no delay. Good choice." He gives a satisfied grin as the poison starts to work. Karmen stretches as her vision clears. "For a master swordsman you can be so careless sometimes," she teases. "You're such a dear."

"Oh I get it," Kiwi says. "Poison is her cola."

Flowers rain out on the cart as Karmen climbs out of the cup and walks to Franky. "I wasn't expecting them so soon."

"I finished it this morning." He holds up a flat wooden box and opens it for her. Inside, resting on a purple velvet lining, are two metal quill pens. The bit arches into a rotating grip that elegantly flows into plumes of silver feathers. "As requested, the alloy is infused with the sea prism dust you provided. Each feather is detachable and holds a different poison or antidote. Pull on a feather to load them into the revolving chambers or toss them like knives. Replacement capsules are beneath the cloth."

Karmen balances one quill on the end of her finger just under the feathers. "They're weighted nicely." Taking both quills, she flips them around her hands and behind her back before throwing one at a dismantled mast. The quill fully buries itself in the wood up to the grip. She pries it out and notes that the sharp edges of the pen are not damaged in the slightest by the impact. Happy, she places her new weapons back in the box. "How much?"

"You already payed for them. I traded the rest of the sea prism dust for the materials." Paying with stolen materials. Nami would be proud. "As for the workmanship, take it as my apology for what happened with your little bro."

"They're perfect." Karmen hugs the box to her chest. "Franky, you are fa-reak-ey."

He grins. "Glad you finally noticed. Yow!" He dances for a few moments with his sisters. "Well, I've got to get back to building the ship. I'll see you in a few days."

"Thanks again, you freak of machinery!"

Zoro tows the cart back into the city with Karmen in the cup. "If they find out those things are loaded with poison, they'll take them too."

Karmen hugs the box tighter. "I won't use them on myself, so I won't tell if you don't."

"What you do is your business. Why do you need sea prism infused weapons anyway?"

"We've run into two Logias in less than a month. The next time I take a wild dive to save a crewmate, I want it to actually count for something. It's the next left, by the way."

"Maybe if you can sneak up on one." Zoro pulls up short and turns down the next street. "What are you going to tell those two when we get back?"

"That I went out for a little fresh air and found the Zoro Express?"

He chuckles as they pass through the gate to their building. "Karmen!" Chopper runs out of the front door. "You're too sick to be outside!"

"Don't worry, Chopper," she grins happily, opening the box and showing him her metal quills. "I found my cherry blossoms."

He looks between her and the box a few times and feels her forehead. "It's true that you're fever's gone down. Are you really feeling better?"

"Yes. Thanks to your wonderful care and Zoro threatening a clerk." She pats the rim of the cup. "Isn't it wonderful? Now we can serve tea to giants."

"Make sure you wash it after you sit in it," Sanji says, carrying a bag of groceries through the gate. "If you had fun, then I can forgive you for sneaking out and making us worry."

"It's not like you could be mad at her anyway, stupid chef," Zoro mutters.

"True, you dumb moss-head." Karmen walks inside as Zoro carries in the cup behind her.

"So that elephant sword Spandam used was made by Dr. Vegapunk?" Robin asks.

"It sounds that way, from what I heard," Nami replies.

Karmen doesn't know she's falling until she hears ceramic clatter against the floor and Zoro is catching her. "Hey. I thought you said you felt better."

Karmen fights back nausea. "Sorry. I was caught off guard is all." She stands with his help and comes up with an excuse. "I got so distracted by our shopping trip that I didn't realize my pain medicine was wearing off. Thanks for catching me. I would have pulled a stitch if you hadn't." She lays down in bed and turns towards the wall, curling into a ball beneath the blanket. Chopper runs to get her medicine. Dr. Vegapunk, she thinks with a sigh, it's so hard not to dislike you on principle, no matter how brilliant you are.

After Chopper treats her, she takes a quill out of the box and removes a feather. Just as it was designed, the feather holds a small capsule of poison and can be thrown as a dart. She removes the capsule and thinks about using the bedpost for target practice. Zoro catches the look in her eyes and takes all the pieces from her. He reassembles the pen and puts it back into the box, setting it on the end of her bed. Sighing, she lays down and looks up at the ceiling and thinks about the call that didn't go through on the train.

"I saw Usopp while I was out," Sanji says. This draws her attention. She hadn't seen him since the party. As the crew discusses their protocol if Usopp does attempt to rejoin without apologizing, Sanji and Zoro observe Karmen's face become pale. "You need to go along with this too, Karmen. I'm sorry."

"No. You're right. It turns my stomach, but you're right." She rolls to the wall again. "I trust him to man up when the time comes." She holds the rubber band he'd given her. He'd better.