~Hey guys hope y'all enjoyed that last chapter! The beginning section of this chapter was originally the ending for the last chapter but I ended up putting it here since it sounded and looked better here.
In other news, due to both Avengers Infinity War and Avengers Endgame deciding they should show themselves back to back on TV last month...I have been unwittingly been sucked into Strangeiron for practically a solid month and been reading their fanfics nonstop. As of now, it is May 10th while I'm typing this Author's Note here to give you an idea, of how that pairing screwed, no, fucked up my writing/editing schedule for Long Term Hearts. Usually, by the time I post a chapter, I have already written four to five chapters. To give you another idea of this lovely situation I have unfortunately found myself in, I have finished typing up chapter 14 back in October and finished editing it multiple times since then. The most recent having been five days ago just because I wanted to reword a paragraph towards the ending. By now I should've written and finished editing the next three to five chapters sooo... That's my life since October, constant distractions from other anime and whatnot.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy experiencing other entertainment. But by God do I easily get carried away. One month I'm in Middle Earth with the Fellowship due to binging the movies to reading their fanfics, to exploring the fandom mixed in with the wizarding world of Harry Potter (and let me tell you I fricking love this kind of crossover) to finally being able to play Pokémon Sword on my Switch.
I pray for my schedule and drive for One Piece to better itself in the very near future. Please pray for my sanity. Now don't forget guys, wash your hands, wear your mask around other people, stay safe, and most importantly, enjoy this next chapter, and please review! Reviews seriously help with my drive guys!
Long Term Hearts
Chapter 13: Explanations
**********^.^**********
Far away from the first row of old decaying buildings sat a lone house with a crumbling outside wall. Debris and dust slowly settled after being disturbed by a body crashing through the now gaping wall. Buried under more debris at the back of the house, Yukimi groaned heavily as a piece of an old table slid off her back as she shifted. The kitsune managed to get her left arm free from under a board next to her so she could check her head. As Yukimi felt along her scalp, knocking away bits of debris and dirt, she felt her hair was sticky and warm. Without having to see she knew it was blood. Continuing on, Yukimi slowly slid her hand over near the front of her head where it came to a stop at a decent size bump. It was located above her long bangs, but just off to the side where it was closer to her ear.
Finally cracking her red eyes open, Yukimi blinked slowly as she dropped her hand back to the floor in exhaustion. She could definitely feel a warm liquid, her blood, drip down her face. Her white bangs were reddish pink at the scalp while the long strands of hair that covered her eye were patchy due to her lying face down on her left side. All that free flowing blood either stuck to her face or her hair. Of course, throughout this time, a pounding headache racked through her skull, making the reddish albino wince harshly. Yukimi tried to move her right arm but gasped painfully when she felt a sharp flash of pain shoot through her arm. Turning her clearing vision to her arm lying on the floor beside her, Yukimi gritted her teeth in pain. Her arm wasn't really bent out of shape, but she knew it was broken to an extent. She could barely move her fingers and even by doing so, it was very painful. Letting out a long heavy groan, Yukimi managed to knock the remaining debris off her body so she could stand up. As soon as she stood up, the kitsune leaned against the still intact wall next to her for leverage. "Tch..." Not only did she have a broken arm, several cuts and bruises all over her body from her crash, and blood free flowing down her face, but she also had a fucking concussion to boot. This was gonna be fun...
As Yukimi carefully moved through the house back to the gaping hole she had made, the ninja felt her chakra level was just about absolutely depleted. "...I must've...used a lot of chakra to get away after I used my substitution jutsu..." And boy did she feel it. Her body felt like lead as her feet almost dragged across the floor as she walked. Yukimi sure didn't want to use that amount of chakra that fast again. She didn't even know she could do that. By pure self preservation, instinct kicked in, causing her speed to multiply so that she could dodge Kuma's touch. But by doing so, she wasn't able to see where she was going. Which led her into crashing full throttle into an abandoned house not too far from the buildings closest to where the Straw Hats were, or what remained of them anyway. Yukimi panted as she made it out of the entrance of the house. She glanced down at her broken arm, frowning when she remembered even though she had her first aid bag with her, it didn't contain anything that would help secure her arm. Sure she had gauze but that wasn't exactly for holding up a limb and stabilizing it by itself. Okay well, it could, but it would take too long to manage when she had to get back to her friends as soon as possible. The kitsune glanced down at her useless arm as an idea popped into her head. Yukimi took out her kunai from her holster and began to cut into her right sleeve at the seam with her teeth holding it up. After a minute of cutting, Yukimi had her sleeve hanging from her teeth as she slipped her kunai back in her holster. The kitsune then made the painful process of securing her arm with her cut sleeve, finishing the necessary knot. Yukimi couldn't help but pause when she realized that it wasn't the first time she was in this familiar situation. But unlike the last time where she was in a nice beautiful city, she was in the lawless part of the archipelago at the one place where she could easily get caught by people she definitely didn't want to be around.
After taking a deep breath Yukimi managed to start walking back to where her friends were. She could hear various voices coming from everyone ahead of her. All sounded desperate and terrified. "Hold on guys!" But as she got closer, the voices were being cut off, as if they weren't able to finish what they were saying when something happened. Yukimi came to a stop, holding out her left arm to a wall to brace herself as she gazed through an opening through a house next to her.
There in the clearing was Bartholomew Kuma, standing next to Luffy. Yukimi couldn't tell from her vantage point where Rayleigh and Kizaru were but at the moment, all she was able to focus on was how Luffy was crying his heart out. It was then the kitsune felt more tears spring forth, realizing what happened while she was out of it. The entire Straw Hat Pirate crew was gone. Save for her and Luffy. Yukimi wanted nothing more than to run to her captain's side and protect him. And she was about to do just that, when Luffy looked back up at the Warlord, glaring through teary eyes as Kuma reached out toward the boy. Yukimi fell to her knees as a whirlwind replaced her fun, crazy, adventurous young friend.
'This...this can't be true...! I-I must be in a sick nightmare again!' Yukimi tried to rationalize the situation. But the idea that it was all a bad dream failed her as her broken arm reminded her that physical pain didn't exist within dreams.
Yukimi flinched when Bartholomew Kuma began to walk away, Bible in hand. "That's right... I-I gotta get away! I'm nowhere near safety!" Yukimi started to back away quietly when she recalled Shakki's bar was still relatively close by. The kitsune took a minute to gather her strength, before heading off in a slow jog, putting as much distance between her and the battlefield as possible.
Yukimi swallowed dryly as she made it to the bridge that they had taken earlier to get into Grove 12. Now back in Grove 13, Yukimi began to pump her legs into a run. "If I can get back to the bar, I'll be safe and be able to recover. Just gotta avoid the marines..." And just like her luck that day, a squadron of marines just so happened to be in the area. Yukimi quickly hid behind a root, panting from her lack of energy. She was too worn out for this crap! "Can't my day get any better?!" Yukimi hissed exasperated.
"Look over there!" A marine pointed in her direction when he spotted the kitsune poking her head out.
"Tch!" Yukimi quickly slapped a paper bomb against the root next to her before making a run for it. "I just can't catch a break here!" Looking back over her shoulder, the ninja raised her pointer and middle fingers when the men were close enough to the root. "Kasai!"
The first few men were immediately caught in the explosion, while the rest maneuvered around her trap and started shooting. Yukimi ducked as bullets flew over her head. "Shit!" Knowing better than to keep running from the marines, the kitsune stopped in her tracks as she pulled out multiple shuriken. "If I don't dispose of this problem now, it'll only add on when something else crops up!" Yukimi swung her arm out horizontally, flinging her sharp shuriken into the enemy, taking some out. Yukimi then took out an extra kunai after grabbing the one from her thigh so that she was holding both kunai in her grasp, sharp ends sticking out.
"Get ready men! She won't escape from justice today!" The marines with swords charged at the pirate with a battle cry at the sergeant's words.
The ninja leaned to the side before sprinting toward the raised blades. Yukimi felt her adrenaline on the rise again after earlier, and she needed it for the next fight. The kitsune dodged the first sword before she cut the man down, quickly pivoting on the spot to block another attack. Not stopping a second more Yukimi pushed the sword away and stabbed the man, quickly moving on to the next opponent. After a couple of minutes, Yukimi stood panting in the middle of many bodies, either breathing or not, as she stared down the remaining men, kunai dripping with blood.
"Aim and fire men!" the sergeant commanded.
Yukimi quickly dodged the rain of bullets and dashed toward the men. She leaped over the first line of rifles before cutting them down. A bullet grazed her leg, catching her off balance. The kitsune grunted as she ducked and rolled back to her feet. 'Even though I'm taking them down, it's still too much for me to handle in this state! I have to run before I really get hit by a bullet!' Yukimi leaped back as she took out a flash grenade and threw it at the Navy soldiers. The flash grenade split open its paper ball like exterior once it came into contact with the ground, letting out an explosive light. It was like a mini sun, blinding the men around it. The marines immediately started stumbling over each other after being effectively blinded by the grenade. "That'll slow 'em down!" Yukimi grinned slightly before running away. Yukimi put away her kunai before she was able to wipe sweat from her brow. Her headache was making it difficult for her to run in a straight line but she managed. Yukimi raised her hand to her head where she was still bleeding and tried to use her medical ninjutsu to staunch the blood flow. The usual light humming that came with the soft green glow was barely there. Yukimi frowned as she lowered her hand. She couldn't control her chakra very well after getting that concussion. Medical ninjutsu required precise control over chakra after all.
Looking up toward the mangrove trees for her location, Yukimi's eyes widened when she saw she was on Grove 14. That encounter with the marines had pushed her away from her original destination. Yukimi slowed down to a full stop after losing sight of the marines she blinded. The kitsune panted heavily as her knees shook every now and then. "I've...got to circle back...! If I don't...I'll be...caught for sure...!" The bloody albino placed her hand over her knee, leaning over heavily as she tried to regain some much needed oxygen in her lungs.
"There she is! White Fox Ninja's on her last legs! Take her down!"
Startled back into flight mode, Yukimi scrambled into a sprint. She chanced a glance back only to find more marines behind her than before. Yukimi shook her head but immediately regretted doing so when she tripped and fell down, landing on her injured arm. Letting out a pained yelp, Yukimi struggled back on her feet. Losing ground between her and the Navy soldiers from her tumble, Yukimi looked up at the mangrove tree next to her. Nervous at the idea in her head, the ninja quickly ran up the enormous trunk. 'If I can get high enough, I'll be out of range from their weapons. I'll be fine so long as I keep just enough chakra going to my boots to stabilize me. ...Not to mention, that Admiral and Warlord stay away from here...!'
As Yukimi ran up the Hustle Muscle Mangrove tree, the marines below her gawked at her. "How is that possible? Does she think she could get away up there?"
"She will if she gets too far up! Fire at will men!"
Yukimi didn't look down as bullets were fired at her, either missing her entirely or striking the bark underfoot. Her ears lowered back in frustration after minutes of outright running up that damn tree. "You just won't quit!" Yukimi slowed down before turning around and leaned back against the bark for balance. Exhaustion couldn't even begin to describe how the kitsune felt at that moment. There were just too many emotions running rampant as her headache almost became crippling, not to mention how her eyesight was beginning to blur. Suddenly her boots slid down the tree a couple of inches. That shot a whole new level of anxiety through the kitsune. That wasn't supposed to happen. Now Yukimi was finding her situation worsening by the second as her chakra levels began to plummet further. "That's it... If I'm gonna go down without my friends, I'm taking all y'all shit heads with me!"
Yukimi narrowed her eyes as bullets kept getting closer to her as her boots slipped down the tree further and further. What the ninja was about to do was something she would never do with a clear mind, but her concussion was inhibiting her from thinking clearly and making the correct decision. Yukimi pulled out her scroll and opened it up to Zoro's Tatsumaki seal, the rolled up part in her teeth as she placed her bound hand on the seal, the other against the bark of the tree. "Let's see how you like this!" Yukimi channeled her remaining chakra into the seal as it began to glow. But something wasn't quite right. The blue glow was flickering in and out rapidly before fading away altogether.
As soon as the glow faded, Yukimi suddenly felt her entire body stall. Her jaw went slack, letting her scroll drop to the ground far below. Red eyes became unfocused as her vision blurred completely. A ringing sound went through her ears. Yukimi's body tilted forward unsteadily as bullets continued to fly up past her. Then a bullet struck the bark right next to her boot, cracking and destabilizing the wood. Her boot lost traction. Her chakra was gone.
*^.^*
Eustass Kid panted as he glared down at the beaten...he still wasn't sure what the hell they had just fought. A cyborg sure, but it was weird how it looked exactly like the Warlord Bartholomew Kuma. Well, at least that's what Trafalgar said anyway. Speaking of the Surgeon of Death, Kid saw the man from his peripheral vision walking up to him. "I thought I told you to beat it, Trafalgar. I could've handled this without you."
"Oh I'm sure," Law drawled out as he adjusted his hat. "But it's always better to take care of a nuisance sooner rather than later. Especially since there's an Admiral running around here somewhere."
Kid smirked at him. "But there's something we forgot," Kid said making Trafalgar turn his attention toward him with a raised brow.
"What could there be to forget?"
"There's one more nuisance here, and I'm looking right at it," Kid chuckled darkly.
"You think it's wise to make pointless threats right now? Even someone like you should know better than to try something stupid while there's a nosy Admiral around here," Law shot back easily, resting Kikoku comfortably on his shoulder.
"Perhaps, but it'd still be fun to snap you in half like the skinny twig you are."
Law couldn't help but chuckle back. "I'd like to see you try, Eustass-ya. But just because you have more muscle mass than I do, doesn't mean I'm weaker in a fight."
Kid made to step forward in an attempt to intimidate the deadly surgeon when Killer called out to him. "Captain! There are marines over here! We gotta get going!" Killer called down from where he stood on a raised hill.
Penguin wasn't too far from the other first mate. He ran over to see how many marines were coming when he noticed something the Supernova hadn't. "What are they shooting at?" From what he could make out from the distance was that the soldiers were firing at something high up on the trunk of a mangrove. No, not something, someone! "Captain!"
Law instantly placed his full attention on his first mate from the urgent tone he used. "What do you see Penguin? The Admiral?"
"No Captain! The marines...they're shooting at someone on a mangrove tree. I...I think it's that Straw Hat fox girl from before!"
Law stilled from what he heard.
"I don't see the Straw Hats anywhere. I think she's by herself." Penguin turned back to his captain. "Captain, I think she's injured and unable to fight back!"
Law ran over to where Penguin stood so he could get a look himself. And unfortunately, when he spotted Yukimi, that was when she fell. "We'll finish our conversation later, Eustass-ya!" Without looking back at the other captain, Law commanded his men to follow him as he took off.
What happened? Why was she here? Where were Straw Hat-ya and his crew? How did Yukimi-ya end up wounded enough to be unable to fight? All these questions and more raced through Law's head as he closed in on the nearest marines. Opening up his Room, Law quickly diced the surprised marines as his men took on the rest. Law kept his Room up as he teleported himself to Yukimi's side. This definitely was not what he had in mind for the next time they met. Keeping a wary eye on his surroundings, Law took a quick assessment of the kitsune's injuries. Fracture from the looks of the bruising and swelling on her right arm, not to mention it was still in the sling she made out of her torn sleeve. Cuts and more bruising from exposed skin and surely more under her clothing. And of course, the blatant blood flowing from her scalp. Law wanted to assess her state more closely over but not here. Not out in the open.
Once the marines were dealt with, Bepo walked over to his captain. "Captain is she alive?"
"Yes, she is," Law let out a breath. "I want you to carry her, Bepo. We're going back to the Polar Tang, now!" Law announced as the mink gingerly picked up the kitsune in his paws. Law did not like the way Yukimi laid in Bepo's arms, bloody and limp.
*^.^*
Law leaned against the wall next to Yukimi's medical bed. He frowned recalling how he found the kitsune wounded and unconscious days ago.
As soon as they boarded the Polar Tang, he had his crew move the yellow submarine underwater and relocated to a new area to avoid prying Navy eyes. The last thing he needed was for the Admiral to stumble upon his ship while he was busy operating on Yukimi's arm.
The corner of his mouth twitched upwards at that as his gray eyes slid over to the cast covering her forearm. Funny how it's the same arm that his father had operated on years ago. Thankfully Yukimi was still in her human form to operate on this time. Besides her fractured arm, Yukimi had sustained a concussion along with the laceration near her left ear, cuts, and bruises. Though now her bruises had mostly faded by now. Which was odd. Usually, it took about two weeks for a bruise to fade away completely. Perhaps kitsunes just heal faster? Well at least in minor injuries it seems. It took two months for her arm to heal after his father operated on her. And it looks like it will be the same story for her. At least Yukimi didn't have any kind of life threatening injury, so she didn't require life support besides the IV hooked up to her other arm. Though she hadn't woken up yet...
A few knocks on the infirmary door brought Law's musings to an end. "Come in."
The door opened revealing his first mate peeking his head in from behind the metal door. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
"Yes, I want you to watch over Yukimi-ya for a while. I need to check on something," Law said as Penguin moved away from the door so he could pass through. "Let me know if anything changes."
"Aye Captain!"
Just as Law moved away from the wall to head back to his room, he paused when he heard a quiet murmur next to him.
"...Luffy..." Law faced the medical bed to see Yukimi's face contort into a look of discomfort. Her closed eyelids twitched as her ears rotated back slightly. After a few anxious minutes, Yukimi's eyes squinted as she tried to open them, only to squeeze them shut from the bright lights in the room. "...Ngh...Chopper. When'd you get such bright lights?" Yukimi hissed as she turned her head to the side.
Law and Penguin looked at each other for a moment before Law stepped closer to Yukimi. "I take it this Chopper-ya is your crew's doctor?"
Red eyes slowly opened to find Law looking down at her. "Law? What...? Where am I?"
"You're in my ship," Law answered. "You've been unconscious for the past three days. Do you remember anything?"
Yukimi started to sit up but froze when she realized her right arm was heavier for some reason. She looked down at the white cast covering her forearm to her hand, leaving her fingers out. Her arm was supported in a sling hanging just to the side. At the sight of it, Yukimi gasped as she shot up in the bed, practically yanking her arm out of the sling.
Penguin was startled by the kitsune's sudden movement. "H-hey! Take it easy! You've only just woken up!"
But Yukimi didn't hear the Heart pirate as everything that happened that day flashed in her mind's eye. From being kidnapped, auctioned off, rescued, Roger's story, the Pacifistas, Admiral Kizaru, and finally Bartholomew Kuma taking the entire Straw Hat crew out one by one. Somewhere in the background Yukimi barely heard above her friends' phantom cries Law dismissing Penguin. The kitsune flinched when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.
"Yukimi-ya, what happened?" Law asked calmly as he kept his hand firmly planted on the kitsune's shoulder to ground her.
Yukimi swallowed as she looked through her bangs up at him. "...How long was I out?"
"Three days."
Three days. She was unconscious for three days. Yukimi understood why she was out of it for that long, but the thought of her friends missing for that long...
"Yukimi-ya?"
"...K-Kuma... Bartholomew Kuma..."
Law's eyes widened at the Warlord's whispered name. "You guys fought him?"
Yukimi shook her head as her ears folded back into her hair, nearly disappearing in it. Yukimi stared down at her cast before answering him. "No and yes... We came across something called a Pacifista that looked exactly like him. We barely defeated the guy. Franky figured out the guy was a cyborg, just like him, but for some reason looked identical to Bartholomew. But then this new guy came along with another Pacifista. He called himself Sentomaru while he called the guy we defeated PX-4 and the one he brought, PX-1. We were too exhausted from fighting the first guy. We just couldn't take another fight! Then Luffy did something we'd never thought he would say. He said to split up and run. Luffy took Robin and Chopper with him while Sanji took Nami and Franky. I was in Zoro's group with Usopp and Brook. I think that Sentomaru guy went after Luffy's group while the Pacifista came after us. Then..." Yukimi paused as she shifted in her seat, recalling the terrible scene.
Law's eyes narrowed at Yukimi's sudden shift in her story. What else could've happened? Another Pacifista? Law sat down on the edge of the medical bed as he moved his arm around her shoulders. "Take your time, Yukimi-ya. I'm not going anywhere."
Yukimi relaxed into the surgeon's hold. She took a breath before continuing, "Then the Admiral arrived in time to seriously injure Zoro."
Law looked at the kitsune astonished. 'They had to fight two Pacifistas, this Sentomaru guy, and then the Admiral?! ...Well now I know where that Admiral was when Eustass-ya and I were fighting,' Law thought bitterly.
"Too many things happened too quickly. He was about to kill Zoro but... Thank goodness that Rayleigh arrived just in time to save him!" Yukimi sighed in relief from the memory.
Law wanted to ask questions but stopped himself. He'd have plenty of time to ask them when she was finished.
"Thanks to Rayleigh's intervention, Usopp and I grabbed Zoro and ran. But then..." Yukimi's shoulders shook as a bitter sardonic chuckle escaped her. "The real thing decided to rear his ugly head. Bartholomew Kuma came to finish us off. And it was him alright. We knew it was him as soon as he showed up. He didn't have those shitty light beam holes in his palms. No...he had those forsaken paws!" Yukimi grounded out harshly. Her left hand made a tight fist as she gripped the mattress sheet under her. "I can say this truthfully because we encountered him before coming here."
Law let all of this information sink in and process as Yukimi took a few minutes to seemingly calm down.
Yukimi's fist relaxed as she finally looked over to Law, brows furrowed as a haunted look overtook her features. "...Then...Zoro disappeared... One touch and he disappeared..."
Law didn't like the look she was giving him. "What do you mean he disappeared?" he asked carefully.
"He was there, then he wasn't. I don't know how to explain it but that's how it happened. The weird thing that happened after that... He made the Pacifista that was on our tails disappear too. But then he turned right around and made Brook disappear. Then Usopp!" Yukimi's voice cracked as she looked away from Law, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. "I...I couldn't take it...! I was so pissed! Even though it wouldn't accomplish anything, wouldn't bring them back...I attacked him!" Tears dripped down to her cast as she pulled up her legs, allowing her tails to curl around her ankles. Yukimi faintly realized her boots weren't on. She felt Law's hand rub slow circles over her back as she hiccuped. "I...I'm not sure how I did it, but I dodged him. I...I somehow ended up crashing into some abandoned house not far from everyone. I must've blacked out for a couple of minutes because when I came to, nearly all, like ninety-five percent of my chakra, was gone. I quickly realized the crash did a number on me."
Law nodded even though the kitsune wouldn't see it. "That would explain your fracture, laceration, and concussion."
Yukimi responded by leaning into his touch as he continued to rub her back. "When I finally managed to get back to everyone...I was too late. Luffy...he looked so defeated. Everyone was gone. ...While I was trying to get back, I was able to hear everyone's voices just before they were cut off." Yukimi began to tremble. She gritted her teeth before suddenly yanking on her ears, causing pain to shoot through them. Not to mention hurting her fractured arm. "IT'S BECAUSE OF THESE DAMN EARS I WAS ABLE TO HEAR THEIR ANGUISH! THEIR FEAR! EVERYTHING!" Yukimi suddenly screamed.
Law quickly grabbed her wrists and pressed the pressure points under her wrists, though harder to get through her cast. Doing so made Yukimi release her grip on her ears. "Calm down Yukimi-ya! Don't blame yourself for what happened! You couldn't have done anything in the state you were in."
Yukimi shook in his strong grasp. She tried to wiggle out of his grip but didn't get anywhere.
Law sighed before he took both wrists in one hand as he sat further on the bed behind her. He then wrapped his free arm around the despairing kitsune's waist and pulled her onto his lap. Lowering her arms to her lap, Law pushed Yukimi's head to his chest where her ear was directly over his heart. "If you were human, you would only be able to clearly hear someone else's heartbeat through a stethoscope. And when you put your ear to someone's chest, the sound would be muffled. But you're a kitsune, Yukimi-ya. With your ears, which automatically have a higher sensitivity than a human being's, you can hear things farther away and much clearer. Can you hear my heart?" Law asked softly.
Yukimi felt her skin become warm, warmer than from her frustrated state, from Law forcing her into that position. Yukimi wanted to get away from him so she could make another attempt at her ears. But then the kitsune stopped struggling when she heard Law's heart crystal clear. Yukimi could hear it as clearly as a human would through a stethoscope. His heart was beating a steady, calm rhythm.
Law felt Yukimi's frantic pulse slow to a calmer rate as she physically sagged into him, relaxing to his heartbeat. "There's nothing wrong with you having your ears like this, Yukimi-ya. You're fine just the way you are." Law let go of her arms so he could gently stroke her other ear where it still laid against her hair. He glided his fingers over the soft fur from base to tip slowly, calming her down further.
The deadly surgeon was thankful to his younger self all those years ago for having discovered this little trick to calm the kitsune down. It just happened one day when he and Yukimi were by themselves. Law was idling sitting next to the fox stroking her back, enjoying her velvety fur while she kept a stern eye out in case any of the irritating Donquixote family members came by. Particularly Buffalo, Baby 5, and especially Corazón. It was when he decided to pet one of her ears, did Yukimi practically fall over from the unexpected touch. Even though her white fur covered her cheeks, he was able to make out a pink blush. She had squawked at him for touching her ear without her permission. He of course apologized but had said that she was way too tense and needed to relax. In the end, Yukimi had allowed Law to touch her ears, albeit begrudgingly at first.
Law took in Yukimi's relaxed state. He didn't want to set her off again. But the Supernova needed to find out how she had ended up cornered by the marines so close to where he and Eustass had defeated the cyborg, the Pacifista, he corrected himself. "Can you tell me what happened next?"
Yukimi opened her eyes from having closed them due to Law's ministrations. Yukimi frowned as she recalled how devastated Luffy looked. "I was going to leave where I was hidden to help Luffy but..." Yukimi paused as she swallowed. "Bartholomew made him disappear before I could so much as take a step. I didn't know where the Admiral was, but I knew Rayleigh was keeping him occupied when everyone started... I just knew I needed to get to safety. And just like the entire day, Lady Luck was not with me."
Law lowered his hand from her head so he could hold her around the waist. He continued to stroke her ear as she started again, leaving her other ear where it was directly above his heart.
"I soon ran into a group of marines where I ended up fighting them with only one working arm. I managed to take some down, but I had to use one of my flash grenades to blind them so I could escape. I didn't get very far before more came after me. The thing was, I knew where I was headed. I was trying to get back to this bar that's owned by a former pirate named Shakki. She's a friend of Rayleigh's, and it was there where we went to after the auction house. Where Hatchi and Camie were recovering at. But during all that fighting with the damn marines, I had lost track of where I was and before I knew it, I was in a completely different grove. I was running on fumes long before that point. There was nowhere to hide and only one place they couldn't reach me...save for the Admiral that is... And that was up," Yukimi said as she looked up at Law. "I knew if I was able to get high enough, they wouldn't be able to touch me. So I ran up the mangrove tree closest to me. The marines couldn't touch me with their bullets as I ran, but I also knew they would just send more reinforcements with some kind of equipment for climbing. I needed to get to the top of the tree where I could hide among the branches, lose 'em in the leaves, and safely travel up there back to the bar. But..."
Yukimi shifted again, looking back down to where her feet were just under the cover. The kitsune could feel her socks still on as she curled her feet closer to her, letting her tails curl below her feet to dangle over the edge of the medical bed, peeking out from the blanket's edge.
"I don't know why...everything's hazy from there on but..." Yukimi narrowed her eyes as she tried to recall what had happened next. "I think I just got fed up. Fed up with the Navy soldiers pointlessly firing at me and just...everything that had happened to me that day. I think I remember turning around to face them, even if it was from several hundred meters up." Yukimi paused as she tried to think about what could've happened next. It was then she remembered why she was in a coma like state for three days. "I don't remember what happened next, but I can safely bet what I did."
Law's brow raised from her annoyed tone of voice. "What do you think you did?"
Yukimi blew at her bangs as she rolled her eyes. "Something a smart shinobi wouldn't have done in the same condition as I was. It was probably because of my emotional state combined with the concussion that made me think it was a good idea. I must've tried using my scroll to send them packing. The thing is, using a summoned attack, doesn't matter how weak or powerful it is, one attack takes up one-third of my chakra. And I can only do it three times a day. So back to that remaining measly five percent of chakra I had, I had to 'ave been stupid enough to think it would work," Yukimi frowned. "So, if someone were to try to force out more chakra than they had reserved, then they without a doubt, essentially knock themselves out. And the less chakra they have when attempting this, the longer their body shuts down."
"Then you fell," Law stated making Yukimi look back up at him. "Eustass-ya's first mate noticed the commotion first before Penguin saw what they were attacking, you. When I looked..." Law paused as he frowned from the image of her falling. "I watched you fall. It's a miracle that fall didn't make your injuries worse. You must've landed on some idiot who didn't think you would land on them."
At Law's suggestion to her landing method made Yukimi giggle, a small smile of amusement appearing. Law relaxed from the sound of her giggle. It was always rare to hear a giggle come from her. The kind of laughter he's more used to hearing from her had always been a chuckle or a full blown laugh. But rare as it was to hear a giggle come from her. He could count the number of times he heard her utter a giggle on a single hand.
"So what were you guys doing with that muscle head?"
Law huffed a laugh himself. "He certainly is one. Well both our crews ended up heading in the same direction after the auction house. We found them facing up against Bartholomew Kuma." Law shook his head at Yukimi's widened rubies. "We thought it was him at first, but the way the guy fought was like nothing from what I've heard. I quickly figured out he wasn't the Warlord. It took a while but we managed to defeat him, with me delivering the finishing blow before Eustass-ya got blasted." Law smirked at Yukimi's chuckle. Oh, he easily recognized that particular chuckle. It was the kind where she was laughing at someone's misfortune. "Thanks to you, now I know there are more of these Pacifistas around. ...Human weapons, nasty business," Law muttered under his breath as he shook his head in disdain.
"Well, our cyborg is no human weapon to us. He may be an eccentric pervert, but he's a good friend. And a damn good shipwright," Yukimi nodded in approval to Franky's skills.
"Pervert?"
Yukimi quirked a brow at him. "The dude doesn't know what a pair of pants is for. That's the extent of it. It's Brook who goes around asking women for their underwear," Yukimi muttered. Then she facepalmed. "Geeze that's three perverts in the crew! How come it never occurred to me before?!" At Law's raised brow, she quickly added on. "That would be our cook, Sanji. He's definitely perverted but he's chivalrous. That and he's one of the top three strongest on our crew."
There was a comfortable quiet minute before Law spoke up again. "Yukimi-ya, who was the Admiral? What kind of Devil Fruit did he have?" Law asked, wanting more information to file away.
Yukimi sighed through her nose before she answered him. "Robin said he was Kizaru. The guy said he ate the Glint Glint Fruit so he was made of light. Explains why none of our attacks worked on him."
"Logia type huh." Law was glad he was receiving all of this important information from a very reliable source. The pirate looked back to Yukimi as she finally looked around the room, taking in all the medical equipment.
"Sooo where's my stuff? My boots, hoodie, bags?" she asked sitting up so she was no longer leaning on his chest. The kitsune gestured to her missing hoodie where it was once used as a sling.
"I take it you made that sling out of your own hoodie back in that house where you crashed, hmm? Some things never change huh, Yukimi-ya?" Law half grinned at her.
"Whatever Doc. Now, where's my stuff?"
"Well unfortunately I ended up having to throw out your hoodie. It was ruined beyond repair. Your equipment, however, is in my room, along with your boots. I couldn't have them cluttering up space here," Law shrugged.
Yukimi understood the circumstance of her white hoodie but her red eyes narrowed at the man all the same. "Clutter?" The kitsune made a pointed look around the spacious infirmary. "Riiiight. You just wanted to peek into my stuff. You damn nosy twerp!"
Law only grinned down at her shamelessly. "Your scroll is very interesting, Yukimi-ya. From what I can recall, you only had that symbol for weapons years ago. You've been busy."
Yukimi grinned back at him. "And so have you, Mr. Captain of the Heart Pirates." She poked pointedly at the smiling virus over his chest. "You think Cora would mind? Using his happy smile as a threatening jolly roger for a highly wanted criminal, a pirate? Oh, may the marine rest blissfully unaware!" Yukimi placed her hand over her heart while attempting to look peacefully dead, but failing miserably due to her snickering.
Law rolled his eyes as a knock came from the door. "Come in."
Bepo opened the door, finding his captain with the Straw Hat still sitting in his lap. "Captain, lunch will be ready in a few minutes. Also, everyone's been wondering if she was going to join us."
"Thank you Bepo, we'll be there in a minute."
With that said the mink closed the door. Yukimi felt Law shift under her as he leaned closer. Law reached over to her left arm where the IV line was still connected to her. He removed the medical tape and IV needle from her. Yukimi slid off his lap back to the bed so he could get up and properly dispose of everything. As he did this the kitsune moved her feet to the edge of the bed where they dangled in the air.
After washing his hands Law looked over his shoulder as he dried them off with disposable paper towels. "By the way, since when did you start wearing mismatching socks?" Law asked as Yukimi hopped off the bed, only to lean back against it suddenly feeling lightheaded.
Yukimi squeezed her eyes shut for a couple of seconds, pressing her hand to her temple where she felt the edge of the bandage covering her head wound. She had moved too quickly with little food in her system. Gently shaking her head, Yukimi reopened her eyes as she dropped her hand. "My socks? Oh yeah," Yukimi glanced down at her feet. "I just started to wear socks like this over the last few years. Started from a laundry incident destroying half the clothes I had. Never went back to matching socks," she shrugged.
"If you say so, Yukimi-ya. Now I'm sure you must be famished, let's get going before my men start getting any ideas," Law said nodding to the door. "Need help walking?"
"No, I'm fine, Doc. Just moved a little too quickly there is all," Yukimi declined. "Think I can have my boots though?"
"Of course," Law said opening the door for the kitsune before closing it behind himself.
Yukimi followed Law down the hall to a steep flight of stairs and headed down to the next floor, all the while glancing around. There were many pipes running along the walls and ceiling, like the grooves on a tree's bark, occasionally overlapping each other. Fox ears twitched and swiveled around at all the new and different sounds coming from the ship. The kitsune could hear hisses and groans coming from certain pipes and at one point, what sounded like water rushing through.
Law looked over his shoulder to see Yukimi taking in the unique environment. Her ears were in a near constant motion as they walked down the hallway.
Yukimi looked back up at Law, noticing his amusement. "It's like it's getting louder the further we walk," she observed.
Law nodded as they started walking past the crew's quarters on each side of the hall. "I figured you would be able to pick up the inner workings of my sub. In fact, the floor below us holds the engine room."
Yukimi nodded as she could clearly hear the machinery. Yukimi glanced around the hall once again. "Sub huh? So this is a submarine, cool. Fancy being different from the other Supernovas?"
Law chuckled as they neared the end of the hall. "If being different means getting the advantage over the enemy, then so be it. No one would expect a ship to rise out of nowhere and attack. It makes for a perfect surprise attack," the surgeon finished as they stopped at a door labeled CAPTAIN. "Here we are, my quarters." Law opened his door before stepping to the side, allowing Yukimi to walk through first.
Yukimi paused at the threshold as she took in the room. It was a spacious room with polished hardwood flooring that connected to a slightly smaller room in the back. The kitsune could make out the corner edge of a large bed with a dark comforter over it. The rest was hidden by the wall separating the two rooms. Back inside the office area, were a few tall oak shelves filled with many books, lining both walls separating the two rooms. Over to the right side of the room sat a dark gray leather couch accompanied by an oak coffee table before it, with a couple of books placed there. To the left side of the room sat a stained red oak desk with what looked like an underwater scene of a coral reef carved on the back of the furniture. The reef was inhabited by many different species of fish and a couple of sea turtles near the top of the beautiful scenery. Behind the gorgeous desk stood a tall leather chair matching the couch across the room. And finally, behind that in the wall, there was a large round porthole letting in sunlight from the outside.
"It's not the best, but I make do with what I have," Law said shrugging nonchalantly as he stood next to her. Law smirked at the slightly open jaw hanging from Yukimi's mouth. He leaned closer and lightly pushed her jaw back up with a single finger. The Supernova was pleased by her immediate reaction by swatting his hand away.
"L-lay off!" Yukimi glared at Law through her bangs in slight embarrassment. Ignoring the light pink dusting over her cheeks, Yukimi stepped further into the room. "'Make do', my ass. It looks great in here, and your desk looks too gorgeous to be yours, Doc McFancy," Yukimi grinned jerking her thumb over to his desk.
Law pocketed his hands as he shrugged off her light jab. "Perhaps, but I had found it to be quite a shame to be wasted on some nobody lieutenant's ship. So I liberated it from its dark prison."
"Hmm, liberated... That's a good replacement for looted, eh pirate scum?" Yukimi grinned back mischievously.
Law let another chuckle escape from him as he walked behind the desk. "Who me? I'm just another law abiding citizen who came across a fine piece of furniture. It looked lonely," he said lightly as he bent down to the floor.
Yukimi snickered as Law brought up her combat boots. "Like how you liberated my stuff? I understand why on my weapons. It wouldn't do anyone any good if one of my paper bombs somehow went off in the infirmary. But why my boots?" Yukimi asked as she took her boots back before leaning her hip against the desk so she could get them on.
"They would've gotten in the way at some point, so I had them removed." Law grabbed his nodachi that was leaning against the wall next to the porthole, resting it against his shoulder.
Once the kitsune finished slipping her boots back on, Law and Yukimi headed back into the hallway to the galley two floors up. As they neared the galley Yukimi picked up on Law's crew being loud. Bits and pieces of various conversations were more audible than others. Those topics being obvious excitement for the New World, individual ventures on the archipelago, the recent uproar of the Celestial Dragon incident their captain was involved in, and of course the fact that the kitsune herself was finally awake and coming to eat.
"They sure seem excited to meet me huh?" Yukimi tilted her head up toward Law on her left.
"After everything that happened a few days ago, it's no surprise. It's also because they can't resist a new pretty face around here," Law said as they stopped next to the galley door.
"Sure it's not because I'm a kitsune? It's safe to bet you haven't met many others, if any at all, like me," Yukimi said swishing her tails about.
"Then a combination of both," Law replied before pushing the door open.
As he opened the door, the once loud room quickly quieted down as the crew turned to see their captain and the Straw Hat fox girl. Yukimi was immediately bombarded by greetings from the boisterous crew. Yukimi smiled and greeted back as Law lead her to a table in the back where Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo were seated. Yukimi then noticed the massive man sitting with them. It was the former slave Law had freed from the auction house.
"Hey, Captain! So you finally brought her out huh?" Shachi grinned before being cuffed by Penguin sitting next to him. "Hey what was that for?!" Shachi turned on the first mate and best friend.
"Watch it, idiot!"
Ignoring the two crewmates now bickering, Law sat next to Bepo who was across from the two. Yukimi followed suit as the former slave nodded to Law in greeting from Bepo's other side.
Yukimi rested her cast on the table as a smirk quirked at the corner of her mouth. "You two kinda remind me of Zoro and Sanji. You're Shachi, right?" Yukimi asked the redhead who stopped glaring at Penguin.
"That's right, did the Captain already introduce us?"
"Well just you guys, since you were at that...hell hole," Yukimi frowned before a small smile came back. "On the way up here, Law told me you had found my scroll after I fell. I wanted to thank you. That scroll is invaluable in my arsenal."
"It was no trouble! I'm just glad you're okay now after everything," Shachi grinned.
Penguin glanced over to his captain noticing how relaxed he was around her. It seemed whatever happened earlier in the infirmary was resolved and the kitsune had calmed down. "Are you hungry, Yukimi?" Penguin asked wanting her to smile more. "I hear we're having grilled chicken and other good stuff for lunch!"
"Sounds good, Penguin," Yukimi replied. She looked over to the side where the mink sat next to Law. "And you're Bepo huh?" The polar bear mink looked up toward her. "Thanks for carrying me back there. I uh...must've been a mess," Yukimi said as her ears lowered a little.
Bepo shook his furry head at her statement. "You weren't that bad off. And you were very easy to carry."
"Well for someone as big as you and someone as small as me, makes sense," Yukimi shrugged. It was at that moment her left ear twitched before turning to the side where her attention was caught by someone walking to them.
It was a different crew member who walked over to their table carrying two plates full of hot food. The man wore a green beanie over his blonde hair where his bangs almost covered both of his eyes. "Here yeh go Cap'," he said placing Law's meal in front of him before placing the other plate in front of Yukimi, surprising her. "Here yeh go missy, hope yeh enjoy my meal! I heard yeh were injured so I took the liberty of cuttin' yer meat up in case it was too difficult with yer arm," the man smiled at her.
"Oh uh, thank you, I appreciate it," Yukimi smiled back.
"What? You don't ever do anything special for us, Alex!" Shachi complained as the cook turned to him with a smug look.
"Well yeh ain't wearin' a skirt or anythin' of the sort. So quit bitchin', food's comin' right up," the cook, Alex, retorted.
"A wise sous chef once said, 'Going against a cook on the seas, is tantamount to suicide'," Yukimi quoted as she smirked at Shachi as Law dug into his food.
"HAH! Remember that if yeh want food at all!" Alex nodded toward Yukimi. "I like this girl already. Knows what she's talkin' 'bout."
Penguin snickered behind Shachi's back as the cook walked away to open up the kitchen window for lunch. "C'mon before he decides to keep the grub from ya," he said smacking Shachi's back, getting a grunt out of him.
As the two left Yukimi took up her fork in her left hand, her grasp feeling a little awkward. 'Definitely glad that guy decided to cut the chicken for me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to cut very well,' Yukimi thought as she started eating. But after a few bites of the deliciously seasoned chicken, Yukimi slowly stopped eating as the room full of men loudly ate away their lunch.
Law glanced over to the kitsune as she altogether stopped eating. Her fork sat loosely in her grasp as she had a distant look in her eyes. "Everything alright?"
At this point, Penguin and Shachi had returned to the table with their meals, Jean Bart behind them with his. Bepo came back with a large raw fish in his paws. "Hey Yukimi, why aren't you eating?" Shachi asked.
Yukimi didn't really hear anyone speaking to her as she stared at the piece of grilled chicken stuck in her fork's teeth. She hadn't even noticed how her ears had lowered close to her hair. All Yukimi could think about was the last time she had a meal was that fateful morning. Though she ended up not eating with her friends that morning, Sanji had made her a wonderful breakfast wrap she always liked in the mornings. 'That's right, I was so tired that morning because of those nightmares...' She regretted not joining her friends that morning for breakfast. Yukimi jumped slightly when she felt a nudge from her right.
Law frowned as Yukimi quickly wiped away a tear from her eye. "I'm fine, I just need some fresh air," she muttered starting to get up. Yukimi paused recalling where she was. "Uhm..."
"There's a door down the hall that'll lead you to the mid deck. It's not far," Law supplied.
Yukimi nodded as she stood up completely. "Thanks, Law," Yukimi muttered quietly before leaving the galley.
"Hey Captain, what happened?" Shachi asked as he glanced back toward the door the kitsune had gone through. He could hear some of the others in the room wondering where the Straw Hat went off to.
Law didn't answer right away as he eyed the kitsune's plate. She had only eaten a few bites before she stopped. He stood up, taking his empty plate and Yukimi's partially eaten meal back to the kitchen window.
Penguin and Shachi looked at each other curious while their captain briefly talked to Alex, handing the plates over. "Wonder what's up..." Shachi muttered before Law came back over to their table. Law didn't say anything as he grabbed Kikoku and headed out into the hall. "Hey uh...don't you think Yukimi wanted to be alone?" Shachi glanced back to Penguin before he returned his gaze on his retreating captain.
"Yeah but, I trust Captain's judgment. After all, those two have known each other for years before we ever met him," Penguin said leaning his elbow on the table as he looked back at the now closed door.
*^.^*
Yukimi gripped the wooden rail encompassing the deck, turning her knuckles white as pain blossomed within her cast. Teeth gritted together as fox ears pinned back in equally white hair. Yukimi's frame shuddered as she quickly wiped away her tears with her cast, scratching her skin slightly from the rough texture. "No no no..." Yukimi groaned under her breath, shaking her head as those haunting images resurfaced. Yukimi fumbled to get her ocarina out, thankful she had it on her person throughout the entire morning. She sighed at the familiar calming weight in her left hand, silently thanking Law for leaving it with her while she was in her coma like state. Yukimi lifted her right arm up, testing her fingers by curling them. They felt stiff but she didn't care. Yukimi took her ocarina off before lifting it to her lips. Taking a shaky breath, Yukimi started playing her lake guardian's song. The familiar calming effect was immediate. As the kitsune played, her muscles began to relax. Her emotional state calmed.
At the end of her song, Yukimi opened her eyes to watch the archipelago's bubbles float above the yellow submarine. Wet tears dripped down her cheeks as she watched the soapy translucent spheres danced above her. Almost nothing could touch them. Worry free from any danger. Yukimi wished she was like that. Like how she and her friends were when they first set out from Logue Town before heading up Reverse Mountain.
Fox ears twitched. Yukimi looked over her shoulder back to the door she left open from her near sprint to get outside. The hallway was lit up a little from the outside sunlight, but beyond that was too dark for Yukimi to make out from where she was.
Yukimi turned a bit more to face the doorway when something unexpected happened. Her right hand was suddenly and harshly yanked up and out toward the archipelago, causing pain to erupt from her arm. Yukimi gasped painfully before she realized her ocarina shot out of her grasp, brass chain pulling the ceramic instrument toward the soapy shore. "What!? No! My ocarina!" Yukimi shouted before bolting after it. The kitsune hopped onto the rail before leaping off the Polar Tang to the archipelago shore. Yukimi chased after her flying instrument. But every time she was within reaching distance, the chain would suddenly yank the ocarina out from her fingertips. Getting frustrated Yukimi picked up the pace as her ocarina seemingly led her deeper into the groves, further away from the safety of Law's sub. But Yukimi wasn't thinking about any of that. All she could think about was getting her precious ocarina back. She had to! No self-respecting kitsune would be caught dead without it!
Yukimi stumbled, almost falling over a chunk of rubble as she rounded a mangrove root. Because of that, the kitsune lost sight of her ocarina. Around her were broken down, crumbling buildings. Glancing around for her instrument, Yukimi pinpointed that she was in the lawless area of the archipelago. Made sense for Law to have moored his sub in the area away from any nosy marine. But at the moment the kitsune didn't care about any of that. "Where is it?! Where is it?!" Yukimi hissed beginning to feel panicky. Yukimi jogged further into the area where the buildings stood, hurriedly glancing around for any sign of it. She continued past a few busted houses finding no sign of her ocarina.
Yukimi made a full three-sixty degree turn before something grabbed her around her waist, yanking the kitsune inside a house. Yukimi let out a cry before being shoved up against a wall. Yukimi coughed from the harsh impact as it had knocked the wind out of her. She hissed in pain as her wrists were yanked up and pinned against the brick above her. From within her cast, her fractured arm protested against the abuse as Yukimi was dangled off the ground.
A deep voice chuckled above her, making Yukimi lower her ears at the smug tone. "Well well, look what the fox dragged in."
Yukimi opened her red eyes from her pain to glare up at the redhead above her. "What the fucking hell do you want, Eustass Kid? I'm busy!" Yukimi could already tell she wouldn't be able to move her arms from his tight grip. So she instead kicked at the man to get him to let go. Or at least she attempted to.
"Hey now, that's no way to greet someone," Kid grinned quickly grabbing the kitsune's ankles when she kicked out. Now Yukimi was completely immobilized in his hands. "So what happened here? Get into trouble with the marines the other day?" Kid asked glancing at her injuries.
Yukimi's tails flicked about under her in irritation. "It ain't your business, now let me go, Eustass!" she demanded.
Kid was tempted to let go of the kitsune's wrists and just let her dangle from her ankles. "Oh nothing really, I just happened to be in the area when I heard a pretty little tune nearby," Kid said as he dropped Yukimi's ankles, letting her swing back against the wall where he still had her wrists pinned to. With his freed up hand, Kid pulled from his pocket her ocarina, making Yukimi's eyes widen at the sight of her precious instrument in his grasp.
"You-! Why?! Give that back before I kick your ass ya bastard!" Yukimi shouted as she tried again to kick him in anger.
Kid halted her struggling by a simple squeeze around her wrists, threatening to do more harm to her busted arm. "Hah! You've got some nerve there, White Fox Ninja. You, with a 28,000,000 bounty? Don't make me laugh!" Kid's grin grew in amusement. "And this?" He dangled the ceramic instrument tantalizingly near her face teasingly. "Was just an easy way to lure you out here to me. I wanted to have a little chat with ya," the Supernova said as he tossed the ocarina over his shoulder carelessly.
"Hey watch it!" Yukimi yelped at the sight of her ocarina nearly hitting the archway to the outside. Yukimi couldn't see past Kid but was able to pick up a soft thud from it landing safely in the grass, not damaged. Letting out a relieved sigh, Yukimi returned her attention back on the pirate looming over her. "Fine, you want to talk? Then spit it out already."
Eustass Kid never lost his grin from her attitude toward him. "Trafalgar seemed pretty concerned over you the other day. What's your relationship with him? What happened with you and your crew after the auction house? And how come you were alone when Killer spotted you running from the Navy?"
Yukimi's ears drooped from the still raw emotions accompanied by the memory of her friends disappearing. Then Yukimi glared at the large man above her. 'This brat! He's trying to get dirt on Luffy and Law!' Her lip curled up revealing her fangs at the pirate. "That's confidential."
"Heh fine, doesn't matter to me what happened to you guys. Whatever happened, must've been something," Kid shrugged nonchalantly. "But, what about you and Trafalgar, huh?" The redhead then touched the kitsune's waist where her tank top had ridden up due to her forced position, revealing pale skin. "He was pretty eager to get you back after shit hit the fan. Just how close are you guys anyway?"
Yukimi flinched from Kid suddenly feeling her up, a blush blossoming across her face. "H-hey! What're you doing!? Don't touch me!" Yukimi's voice quivered nervously.
"Ya know, if it weren't for those Celestial Dragons, I was gonna bid for ya." Kid smirked at the kitsune in his grasp. He idly wondered if all kitsunes were as small as her. She was definitely shorter than five feet, somewhere between four and five feet in height.
Yukimi bit her lip and squinted her eyes shut trying to ignore what was happening to her. She reopened her eyes and glared heatedly in an attempt to compose herself. "What...what for? Because you saw my worth as a pirate? A shinobi?"
Kid reached up under her shirt to feel her small breasts, his large hand easily covering both. He chuckled at her squirming under his touch as he leaned over to one of her ears. "To be honest, you just look like a fuckable little vixen, Dew Yukimi," Kid chuckled into her ear as he pressed his body against hers, further preventing her from lashing out with her feet.
"You perverted bastard!" Yukimi hissed through her teeth, cringing from his invasive hand wandering around her body. Yukimi's breath hitched when she felt something hard press against her thigh.
"Come now, wouldn't a cute little thing like you want someone like me?" Kid leered at the flustered kitsune, enjoying her pale cheeks turning hot.
"You're delusional if you think I'm enjoying this! Someone as vulgar as you...couldn't even scratch my top hundred list for hot guys to bed with!" Yukimi denied vehemently. "Let alone top thousand!" Then Yukimi gave Eustass a mean grin, showing off her sharp canines in a clear warning. "You're not my type. In fact, I just can't see you as anyone else's type for that matter," she chuckled insultingly.
Kid's smirk disappeared into a frown. He grabbed her throat non too gently, shoving his thumb directly under her chin, and pushed it up, forcing her head back. He glared right back into her eyes as she started to struggle for air. "Wanna bet?" Kid slammed his lips over Yukimi's, quickly and successfully shoving his tongue inside her mouth.
Yukimi gagged from his invasive tongue as she began to feel lightheaded. She was disgusted as Kid's tongue shoved against her's. The kitsune's lips pulled back in a snarl. She then bit down, immediately tasting red iron.
Kid pulled back with a grunt, letting go of her throat. "Got more fight in ya huh?"
Yukimi spat his blood back at him, easily hitting his cheek. "Damn right I do! Didn't anyone ever warn you about kissing a kitsune? We have fangs for a reason!" The kitsune grinned menacingly back showing off the blood covering the tips of her canines.
Kid leaned back a little but kept the Straw Hat pinned up by her wrists. "Careful, or you might end up with another injury," Kid threatened.
The fur on Yukimi's tails bristled as her ears faced forward, trying to make herself look bigger. "Tch whatever, fuck this shit." Having enough of his assault, Yukimi swung her legs up, trying once again to catch the redhead with her combat boots.
Kid leaned away out of range of her feet. "You'll have to do better than that to get away from me shorty!"
Yukimi grunted from Kid squeezing her wrists again. "Ngh! Fuck you!" Fox ears twitched. There was a low humming sound suddenly surrounding them. The next thing Yukimi knew, she wasn't in Eustass Kid's grasp but in Law's, outside the house. "Law!?"
Law glanced down at the disheveled kitsune in the crook of his arm. "You alright?"
"Y-yeah," Yukimi muttered cradling her cast.
"What are you doing here Trafalgar? I'm in the middle of something if ya hadn't noticed," Kid growled in displeasure as he walked out of the house eyeing the two who stood away from the crumbling building. The redhead threw a pebble to the side that had somehow switched places with the Straw Hat.
"I'm taking back Yukimi-ya, Eustass-ya. And I'm only going to give you one warning, don't touch her again," Law stated firmly, almost slamming the end of his scabbard down on the soapy grass.
"Yeah? What if I say I still want the fox chick?" Kid grinned daring the deadly surgeon.
Yukimi's eyes narrowed as she stepped out of Law's hold. "Oh fuck off already, Eustass. You're lucky I don't have my weapons with me. And by the way, your kissing could use some work. It was the shittiest kiss I've had in my life!" Yukimi finished, spitting out any remaining blood toward the Supernova's feet.
Law's grip tightened around Kikoku before he grabbed Yukimi's left arm and pulled her back to him, pushing her behind him. "Yukimi-ya, you're in no condition to fight right now."
"Fight or no fight, I need my ocarina back Law," Yukimi said pointing to her discarded instrument near Kid's feet.
"What? You want this?" A magnetic like current surrounded the brass chain connected to the ocarina, tugging it over to the large pirate where it landed in the palm of his hand. "Then come and get it foxy," Kid sneered.
Yukimi's eyes narrowed even more as Kid dangled her instrument out to her mockingly. She visibly gritted her teeth. All Yukimi wanted to do at that moment was to strangle the bastard before feeding him to a bunch of seakings.
"This is a waste of time," Law said as he held up his hand, palm facing down. "I know what you're wanting, and you're not gonna get it. I don't feel like fighting you right now. Perhaps another time."
"Chickening out Trafalgar?" Kid dared as he lowered his hand to his side. "That's not very manly in front of a chick."
Law only rolled his eyes at the obvious taunt. He simply didn't want Yukimi to be dragged into a fight right now. "Not manly?" Law asked as he reactivated his Room. "An intelligent man knows when to pass up a confrontation when it's pointless. It's called being mature, Eustass-ya," Law smirked. "You should try it sometime."
Kid's eyes narrowed as he barred his teeth at the other Supernova. "What'd you say?!" He shifted his stance, ready to pummel Trafalgar for pissing him off.
"Shambles," Law said, replacing Yukimi's instrument with another small rock. At the same time, he switched both Yukimi and himself with rocks in another area, effectively ditching Eustass Kid behind.
"Damn!" Kid crushed the rock that replaced the kitsune's instrument in his hand. He looked around for Trafalgar and the Straw Hat but they were nowhere to be found.
*^.^*
Yukimi blinked noticing their new surroundings. There were no buildings in sight and no magnetic hot heads running about. They were now in a different grove. "Ah! But Law! My ocarina!" She turned to Law only to come face to face with her beloved instrument. Law didn't say anything at first as Yukimi reached out to grab the ceramic, but the pirate snatched it away at the last second. "Wha-?! Law, what the hell? Give it back!" Yukimi frowned as she tried taking it back but Law kept it out of her reach above her.
"I know you're very attached to this, Yukimi-ya. But why on earth would you go running headlong into danger when you're injured as you are?! You didn't even have your basic kunai on you and yet you ran off! What do you think would've happened if I hadn't come to check on you?!" Law glared at the recovering kitsune before him. He was not pleased with her actions.
Yukimi's ears lowered taken aback from Law's anger. The kitsune knew she screwed up. But she just couldn't stand the thought of losing something so valuable, so precious to her. Especially after recent events. Yukimi turned away from Law as she hugged herself. Yukimi couldn't help feeling like she was being scolded like a kit, even though that was exactly what Law was doing. "...You just wouldn't understand, Law."
After a few tense silent moments, Law sighed. He lowered his hand grasping the ocarina to her. Yukimi glanced at her instrument then back to Law. Her gaze searching his as he looked back into hers. Before Law could say anything, she looked away again. "...Keep it, if that'll make you feel easier."
Law looked at the ocarina before shoving it in his pocket. "How's your arm?" Law asked as he started walking back in the direction of his submarine.
Yukimi followed after him. "It's fine, just sore." Yukimi held her arm closer to her chest. Eustass Kid was not gentle.
Law nodded before hearing her stumble. He turned back to find Yukimi had stopped and was holding her head with her left hand. Her skin was paler than usual. Law walked back to her before kneeling in front of the kitsune, his back facing her. "Here get on."
Yukimi blinked owlishly at his gesture. "Wha-! N-no I'm fine! I can walk just fine on my own. I'm not some damn damsel, Law," Yukimi half grumbled between her teeth as she stepped around him. It was just a damn dizzy spell, it wasn't anything to worry about!
Before the kitsune could get any further, Law grabbed her and pulled her onto his back. Knowing a fight was coming, Law immediately stood up with his nodachi under Yukimi's rear, keeping her in place. "If you don't want to look like an idiot falling off, then I suggest you hang on," Law pretty much ordered, looking over his shoulder at the embarrassed kitsune behind him.
Yukimi bared her fangs at his borderline smug look, even though she had already instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck when he quickly stood up. "Damn you, you damn twerp. Who do you think you are anyway?! You can't just order me around!"
"Doesn't matter what you think, Yukimi-ya. You're weak and in recovery. You're not even supposed to be out here right now. So why don't you sit back, relax and hang on. We're not far from the Polar Tang," Law said as he started walking again.
"And why should I listen to you?" Yukimi argued back just for the sake of it.
Law turned his head toward her slightly with a taunting smirk. "Because I'm your doctor. And as your current physician, you have to follow my instructions, my patient."
Yukimi's eyes narrowed at him as she rested her chin on his shoulder, nearly cheek to cheek. "Doc Wisecrack, that's what you are, ya know that right?" Before Law could make another comeback, the kitsune's stomach growled, prompting Yukimi to bury her face in his hood.
Law chuckled deeply when he felt her stomach announced itself against his back. He faced forward again as the kitsune's grip tightened around his throat threateningly. "Hmm, I think I'll prescribe a meal for you when we get back. How does that sound, Yukimi-ya?" The surgeon only got a groan in reply. "Don't worry about asking for a new meal from our cook. I had him save your lunch from earlier. I'll have him warm it back up for you when we get back."
"...Thanks Law. For earlier and everything else."
Law walked in silence before replying as the Polar Tang came into view. "Don't mention it."
*^.^*
~This is later than I had planned to post... Anyway, I've got good news guys. I've just made a discord account and it's gonna be a place where y'all can convene and share with each other what y'all think on things and stuff. I'm new to it so I hope I don't fuck anything up. ;p So here's the link to my discord channel, just get rid of the spaces: discord. gg/ FFRrNUV dmZ So here ya go, guys! Hoped y'all enjoyed the chapter, please leave reviews and I'll be on the chat whenever I can. I got work after all... Go have fun on there and hope y'all had fun and stayed SAFE over the Fourth of July!
~P.S. I would most defiantly love fan art, guys. Just a lil' something there for ya to think on lol