Note of the author:
This story is the first I post so please let me know if things are a mess or if the writting isn't good.
English isn't my first language so sorry for the miss translation or the grammar.
If you want to take some part of the story or else, please let me know. Don't be shy to let me some reviews and comment if you like it or not. I want to inprove.
I'll post as I feel like it but I have chapters already written so, feel free to ask if you want to know what happens next.
The story will follow the main event from the End of Punk Hazard to the beginning of Wano (more or less)
I follow the story and the events but I twist them a little since the story is based on what my original character is doing while the story that we know happened.
If you have any questions about the story or anything regarding the story, please ask.
I don't own the OP characters, only my Ocs.
Some chapters can contain some language warning and such.
I hope you'll enjoy it as I enjoyed writing it.
The Informer
Second chapter
No one on the crew, or even the two captains, had ever imagined to run into Kate after letting her off on that Island, and no one had ever imagined to see her with the revolutionary. When they had arrived at their destination three days after dropping her off, she had been long forgotten by everybody. So, when her named had been said during the "game" their enemy had put in place to have people chasing them down, everyone had been shocked. Well, everyone was a bit strong since the archeologist had already knew that she was working for, or was in contact, with her former companions. She had even been the first one to meet her, in the underground.
"I thought you didn't want to be part of it." She had joked at the view of kate,visibly unhappy to be here. Kate was looking around, before to turn to the archeologist.
"I wasn't supposed to! When I put my hand on that stupid…"
"Oh, so you two know each other already?" Had cut a man voice coming their way. Tall, blond and wearing a blue costum, Sabo had finally arrived in the mess he had created. Kate had jumped on him the second she saw him, hitting and yelling at him as the other revolutionary girl Koala hide her laughter.
"I could be long gone now! And because of you and your stupid thing that you call a brain, I'm in the middle of this mess! My face had been on the screen! People know that I'm alive!" She had yelled, screamed at the man who hadn't move an inch since the beginning, finding it almost amusing. "I hate you."
"I needed to recover something important to me. But, everything is going according to plan right?" He asked his companions behind him. "Well, not really as according to plan but…" She had punched him one last time before to step back, pissed. But, she would have her revenge on him another time, she had to save herself and get out of this hell as fast as possible. Being caught by the marine or any other people dumb enough to chase after her, wasn't in her option. A plan had been quickly made and everyone scattered. Even thought KAte had agreed to help, she was mostly thinking about herself, the fact thar Doflamingo was involved didn't reassured her on the outcome.
Faith wasn't with her and Kate ended up fighting along side some gladiators and the first mate of the stupid bouncing captain. She hadn't even left the underground for more than ten minutes and she had to join the archeologist. Yet, she had been impressed by the swordsman strength that she had rapidly let him deal with the man with the pitchy voice, moving to her goal. At some point she had caughtup with the archeologist and some weird guy with green hair. Apparently she had met him in the underground but she couldn't remember or wouldn't. They were fighting on a mountain and had to reach to the castle, two level up. Suddenly, a wave of fire had exploded downtown. The green haired man, looking more than a bird than a man, had jumped stars in his eyes, to excited to contain his joy.
"He ate it, when he took the captain place at the colosseum earlier." The archeologist explained to the woman who had froze in shock and fear. She had slowly nodded, eyes still on the fire dancing together below her. She knew those flames, and, it belonged to one and only perosn in her mind. She had stayed still, looking at the fire still burning away, completely forgetting the fight. From what she had understood before, they had to bring a key to the surgeon who had been capture. But, none of that matter now, it was as if she had been consumed. The bird-man had been the one making her come back to reality by protecting her from a bullet. Later, once they had reached the top of the mountain and finally joined the surgeon, they had to go back down once again for reason Kate hadn't listened to. She found herself staying with the surgeon who, ironically, had lost his right arm. He had noticed her lips going up when she looked at it and had rolled his eyes, not even bothering responding to her childish thought. She sat next to him in silence, looking Luffy fight from afar. She had to admit it to herself, the bouncing captain had got stronger that she had imagined. She had been impressed the first time she had met him, wondering how that skinny boy could still manage to fight. But now, after two years, he wasn't that skinny anymore. He was still a child, yes, but he started to grow up into a man and once he would reach his full size he would be one of the few people who could defeat an emperor. She had found herself almost thinking that he could eventually become king. At some point, she couldn't remember how, she had join the gladiators. Their mission was simple: gaining enough time for that stupid captain. She hadn't believe once that their plan to blow up the factory could actually work, and she had totally lost faith when she had learn that they went after the man in the castle itself. She thought that they were all doomed from the started and, with the "Game" happening, their chances of wining were small. But now, she would have never thought to actually believe that they could win, that Luffy could win. So yes, she was going to gain him some time and pray to not die while doing it. Her tactic was simple, let everyone attacked the pink flamingo while she stayed in the back and show herself once he would have eliminated them all, stalling. So, breathing on last time, she had walked to him slowly after the last gladiator felt to the ground.
"Oh well, well, look who came back from the dead." He laughed. "I really didn't believe it when I saw you." Putting back his pink coat on his shoulders, he paused a moment to look at Kate, not showing any sing of threat. "When I heard that you went missing I was kind sad you know. A talent like yours, spoiled all those years to finally be gone."
"I'm sorry that my supposed death touched you." She responded, putting her hands on her heart for a moment before to change her position, showing him that she wasn't threatening. "Saddly, if you wanted my talents, who could have asked nicely at the time."
"I thought that you wouldn't like nice." He made a few steps troward her. "After all, you like playing with fire, aren't you?" He started to laugh again. "Some little birdy told me that you have almost lost an arm back there. It must have left a mark right? Can I see it?" Stepping on the men on the ground, he came to her, to fast to KAte's liking. "I'm kind in an hurry but for you, I could take my time." He grabbed her by the arm, a develish smile on his face. She had attacked him at that moment, putting out her knife and heading stray for his heart. She had missed from a few inches, inches that would probably end her life right now. He took the knife out slowly, shaking his head, almost schooling her. Then, the smile disappeared, and Kate prepared herself for the worst, Doflaming go grabbing harder on her arms. She saw him vanish in front of her eyes, but, the feeling of his hands on her stayed for a moment. She felt pull to the ground a few seconds before and KAte understood what happened. She looked at the surgeo more in bad shaped that before that just had saved her life, again, by swapping her from the embrace of that monster.
"You know saving me wouldn't always gave you a favor, right?" She told him quietly as he smirked in pain. Doctor or not, a wound like that would kill anyone if not properly taking care of. She reaped on piece of his coat and put pressure on the bleeding wound on his stomach, he had been shot at after all. He didn't say a think but she knew that, he wanted to tell her that there was no point. She couldn't say how long she stayed their, keeping him from bleeding out while he was trying to save people thanks to his power. She didn't know how many time she told him to fix himself first because people needed him more alive than dead. After what seems hours but was in fact, just ten or twenty minutes, everything was over. They had won, Luffy had won.
People were being treated from every where, Kate had refused to be, only a few more cuts won't bother her, so she let other people take her place. The people of Dressrosa were in shock and in panic. Their city had been destroyed, the king they loved was just a dictator ruling as a persecutor on his people, changing anyone against him into toys, making them frogotten by everyone. They needed more that being treated for injuries but for now, it was all. Kate believed that the revolutionnary would have stick around to see that the former King and his family were put in power but, with the marine and the CP0 that just showed up, Kate understand why they went away as soon as they got their proof. For now, Kate needed to go away before the marine found her and everyone else. She needed to find a secured island and hide there for a while, let the marine look after the others. That was what she would do if the marine hadn't been already here. If she went away by herself she would be better turning hersefl in directly to them. They were no way for her to leave that Island by herself on a boat, not one. She would have to stick with the Strawhats again and arriving at that conclusion didn't made her happy. Before that happened, they had to hide away from the city. They had been led to a small little house by the countryside, no marine would think to search their for a while, they were safe until morning, at least. Kate didn't went in with the rest of them, she needed some time alone, watching the clear night sky would let her the time to prosses everything that happened in so little time.
"Are you alright?" Sabo sat next to her, disturbing her quiet time after a while. "I'm sorry if you had to be stuck into this mess. It wasn't the plan and I'm sorry." He said, looking at the stars for a while as well. "I heard that you came with Luffy? He is something else, isn't he?" He chuckled before to pause, looking at her. He knew she was mad at him for screwing their initial plan and forcing her to come here. Kate had join the revolutionnary for a few years a little while ago and, her and Sabo hadn't really got along well, always arguing on how to proced and how to obtain information. Quickly, they both stopped trying to be teamplayer and did their things while the other was doing things his way. Lucky, everything had always happened smoothly. Sabo liked Kate, and Kate liked him too, but, they both were better when the other wasn't here. He had been the one calling her this time, which had intringued Kate deeply.
"When I started to remember who I was, " Sabo said after a long moment of silent, making Kate return to her thoughts; "the only thing that I could see vividly was Luffy's smile. It's so bright that..." And he kept on and on for a few minutes. She listened closely, happy for him to have found who he was after all this time but, she couldn't help herself for hating it. Hating him for talking about a time long gone, about his brothers, about that stupid captain and his stupid hat. She hated him right now, for many reason and probably for wrongs one too but, she couldn't help it. And when finally he talked about what he came for, Kate couldn't stopped herself anymore.
"I couldn't let it belong to someone else Kate. I couldn't." He lit a little flame into his hand, making the flame dance around on his fingers. "I don't know how to explain it, it's like I could never be alone anymore."
"Bullshit." She responded calmly, looking away from the fire.
"What?"
"This is all bullshit. The truth is that you felt guilty. You couldn't live with yourself so you thought that maybe, by taking it, it would bring you back to a time where you were all together, happy. But, you will soon found out that no, eating it won't bring it back, it won't bring him back and it certainly won't make you feel better." She said to him before to stand up, looking at the sky once more, trying to control her breath. "I think someone is waiting for you inside."He could have burn her alive in an instant for the comment she just made but, he didn't moved or even respond. She heard him walked into the house a few minutes later, finally being left alone. She couldn't hear what was said inside but she knew what he would say. She had heard the story just minutes ago. She had been surprised to find out that they were brothers, everything made sense after thinking about it but, it felt wierd. This family was insane and they were no one to help them. God only knew how hard she had tried.
They had escaped the marine. Barely, but they had escaped anyway. She had never witness something like that. She wouldn't believe it if someone told her that the people of the city helped some low life pirate to sail away and escape justice. But, they did. And now, she was sat against a wall, watching some fool asking for being part of some kind of alliance with the stupid strawhat captain, who already refused several time. She wanted to go away and let those moron by themselves. She could asked to join one of the crews here for a while but, seeing how they all behave she would rather stay where she was. Even though his crew and himself were idiots, they had some manners and let her be. The surgeon was in a better shape now, and she knew that he would want to talk to her sometime later, once all this no sense would be over. He had shared with her that their plan wasn't just about overthrown the king and blew up his factory. No, it was far worst that she had imagined. They wanted to overthrown an emperor, and not anyone. Kaido, the beast itself. She thought that they were just idiots but they were all suicidal at this point and they were taking her with them. She had spend two years alone, barging and working with only a few people she trusted to stay out of the radar and in a week, her cover had been blown away by some rookies who didn't know a thing about politic or who ruled the ocean here. They were idiots who were punching everyone on sight and they weren't caring of who they were hitting as long as they had fun and proved that they were the strongest. They all deserved to be put in their place soon or things would become very hard for them and their friends. She didn't care if what they believed in were a good cause or wanted freedom: they had to stick to the rule if they wanted to survive. After what she had understood, they all had dreams to fulfill, but dreams was something that couldn't be reach or achieve by anyone. People always dreams of more until they die, regretting everything they have done because a dream didn't matter in the end.
"Miss Kate will come with us." Had said the surgeon to the other. Everyone had started to protest, looking at the woman half asleep behind them. Their ceremony had been long finished now and Kate had fallen asleep in the middle of it. The uncomfortable feeling of people staring at her woke her up.
"Miss Kate, glad to see you coming back among us." The woman respond by stretching her arms before to stand up and do the same with her legs. She could hear the snipper complaining, saying that their deal were done and that she had nothing to do with them. For once, she agreed with one of them.
"We can drop her off in the nearest island." Said the bird man. "If mister Luffy doesn't want her to stick around I'll kick her out myself." She eyed him until he hided behind his man, showing him that she wouldn't even let him touch her. She sighed before to turn to the surgeon. "I agree with the snipper, I have nothing to do with you. If I'm here its only because I needed to go off the island, that is all."
"So, we drop her off and everyone is happy!" Said the snipper as Kate took place in the circle they had made on the ground. Why were they always sitting in cirlce, Kate couldn't understand.
"Miss Kate, I believed that, dropping you off won't be a problem of us. I'm sure that with what happened if you're asking to be drop off is because you have a plan to…"
"What do you want now?" She had cut him annoy. He smirked a bit before to grab the bottle of sake near him before to hand it to her, as an offering maybe bur Kate doubted. She took the bottle anyway. "It better be a good deal or I swear I'll hand all of you to the marine to buy my freedom." She claimed before to empty the end of the bottle that just been offered to her.
"As I told you, our plan wasn't just…"
"I know what you all wanted to do. It won't work." She said pointing at the other bottle of sake near the swordsman. He looked at her, holding his bottle like it was the most precious things in the word, not moving to pass it. The archeologist had to take it from him before to pass it to Kate. She rolled her eyes at him before to pour half of the bottle into the one empty, sliding it back to the grumpy man who had to share his alcohol.
"You know what I want." The surgeon said to her as she drank, finishing the bottle once again. She put the bottle down, took a deep breath and looked at him.
"I don't." She responded. "I may know a lot of thing but reading the mind of asshole isn't in my power yet." She added while looking around for something else to drink. "So tell me what the fuck do you want, I don't have the energy to deal with your fucking mind games."
"You should watch your mouth Miss Kate." Kate turned her head to him, seeign his finger tapping his sword. It was true that he could easily decapetated her if he wanted but, knowing that she wouldn't die, Kate didn't took the threat seriously and kept looking for some booze.
"I'm not afraid of you. So don't threaten me. It will just piss me of more. I have dealt with people like you before." She said to him finally eyeing some bottles. She stood up and walked to her prize, cutting the circle without care. She took four bottles with her before to go back to her place. She opened one and drink half of it before to put it down. She grabbed another on and throw it at the swordsman who caught it perfectly, rather surprised but nodded at her as a thanks. She smirked before to take a sip again. "So," She said after ending another bottle in not even twenty minutes. "What the fuck do you need this time Trafalgar?"
"You." He said simply. "I need you and your knowledge." She glared at him, wondering if he was joking or not. He was so hard to read that she had stopped trying rather quickly. He had so many walls built around him that she hadn't even been able to put one down. And, making people trust her was her best abilities. That is how she was able to have so much information on a lot of things rather touchy. She knew the right persons and a lot of other people who trusted her. She trusted only a few of them but having contact was the best things in case of problem. She was the girl who knew everything on anyone even though no one knew anything about her. So, not been able to crack the surgeon open and read inside him was frustrating for a bit.
"I pass."
"Let me rephrase it." Grabbing the bottle she was about to open again, the surgeon stopped her. "You are dead if you think that the marine won't chase you down. We both know why you are wanted Only Alive."
"What's your point? You think that I can't handle myself?" She took back her bottle from his hand too rapidly for someone who had drank almost three bottles in less than half an hour. "Are you scared for me captain? Or even better, Are you worried about me?" She asked smirking, putting out the cap of her bottle. "Who thought that you could care for people other than yourself." The people around watched as the deadly surgeon was getting angrier as the minutes the conversation pass. Some were even surprised to see that the woman had her head still on her shoulder. Kate leant on one of her hand while drinking from the other, rather relax by the whole situation.
"Don't forget who stole your heart. I took it easily from you, I bet Strawhat won't bother if I ask him to hand it to me." He smirked.
"You didn't stole or took my heart, I gave what was left of it willingly." She corrected putting the bottle down. "If you think that I'll follow you around like a fucking puppy just because you have my heart , you need to improve your negotiation skills. You are going after Kaido, you won't even survive a minutes against him. Moreover, I gave my heart to that moron over there." Without looking at him, she pointed to Luffy, who, by miracle, hadn't said a word since the conversation started. "I know that he won't go handing it that easily or you would already had it in your possession. But you are right, I need to lay low for a while and being by myself will be difficult." She explained before to take a sip. "I'm not going to join your alliance just because I need some protection or some bullshit like that. If I decided to help you by giving you some information that might help you, I need something valuable from you."
"You want money?" Asked the bird man, not pleased about the situation. After all, they were on his ship, as wierd as it was, and, even though he saved her from a bullet, it was clear that he didn't liked Kate. Fanatic of Luffy like he was, it was even surprising that he let her come.
"I'm not that greedy."
"We won't give you anything." Said the surgeon. "You need us."
"Need you? Who the hell do you think you are!" Her voice had raised a bit as putting her bottle down once more, a little bit harder than the first time. "I had never needed anyone in my life, why would I need some assholes like you! You can drop me in the middle of the ocean, I don't care, I'll manage to survive, I always do. So don't hope to win me over with bullshit like that! If I ever agree to go with you it's because I'll be in charge and you will listen to what I say! I refuse to follow orders from crybabies that don't even know who they are trying to overthrown. You might have won this battle but you have been lucky. No one in their right mind will follow you into this non sense and if they do, God protects them, they are as much suicidal as you are!" She yelled before to stand up, grabbing her bottle ready to leave.
"It's bold of you to say that with what happened two years ago. Weren't you the one ready to take dow…" The surgeon didn't even had the time to finish his sentence that the bottle of alcohol had shatter on the ground. He had been tackled, Kate holding him by the throat with her left hand while her right on was holding his sword, out of his reach. Two people had jumped to their feet when she had attacked: the swordsman and his captain. Strawhat stood up next to them, a hand on her left arm, ready to hit her if necessary. But she stayed still, hatred in her eyes. "Touchy subject I see." The surgeon said with the few air he was able to breath, a little smile on his face. The atmosphere was deadly. At any moment, things could end badly for anyone of them. Luffy eyed his first mate, and he sat back down, letting go of his swords, knowing that if a fight would happen his captain would take care of her.
"Next time…I will kill you." Kate took her left hand off his throat, not moving from on top of him. She looked like a predator, hungry for blood. She was testing him, if he would summit or not. It was a fight for power, to know who would lead. "I will come with you." She finally said before to stand up from him. She looked around her and stopped on the swordsman, quietly drinking. With her left hand she pointed at the bottle still half full at his feet. He looked at her for a moment before to reach for the bottle throwing it a her. She grabbed it, drank half of it before to let it fall at her feet. She glanced at Strawhat still too close to her. The surgeon hadn't moved from his spot, taking slow breath. "I will helped you as the best I can, but don't count on me for fighting in a war like that. Or to even save your ass. I'm not your babysitter." Kate took a few steps back, looked at them again before to turn her heels, ready to find a place to rest. But, the surgeon called afte her, making her stopped in her walk.
"My sword." The young woman looked at her right hand still holding his nodashi. She looked at him, seeing that he had stood up. She handed it to him, not moving, she wasn't going to move just to give it back. So, the man walked to her, grabbed his sword without breaking eyes contact and let her leave. Once the woman had been out of sight, he came back at his place, grabbing the bottle that she had let spil on the floor and drink a few sip.
"So, the plan is…" The surgeon said as if nothing had happened, taking back his place in the cirlce.
The journey was tense. No one had dared talk about what had happened between the surgeon and the woman. They had barely been seen interact with each other. The woman had hardly talked to anyone despite the archeologist. She would stay on top of the mast almost the entire day, only jumping down to eat and drink, mostly drink. Her and the swordsman had started a routine, the first one who would empty his bottle would have the other to gave his last one of the night. She had won almost every time, enjoying seeing him giving up on his little pleasure. The first time, she had even called him by his name, surprising everyone when he had gave her the last bottle. She had even surprised the swordsman one day by sharing a bottle she had hidden somewhere on the ship. They had drunk in silence, sat side by side, passing the bottle to one another, watching the others being loud, as always. She had even let him finished it, returning to her hiding place when everyone had gathered to lunch. Then, a few days later they arrived, finally reaching their destination. She was standing on the desk, waiting to be close enough to jump on the lion ship anchor. The captain of the ship was jumping around, yelling his comrades names as if they would heard him. He kept going, almost crying from happiness to see them again. If the archeologist hadn't stopped him, Kate would have took the problem in her own hands. Thing that would have cause problem, if she touched the captain, his crew would fight back before to let her to their captain for revenge. The surgeon would even helped them, she could sense him eyeing her, the need to slice her open. She couldn't blame him, after what had happened she would want him dead too. The truth was that even though she had agreed to "join" them, she was still doing as she pleased and if she decided to leave them, she would without any second thought. She had let him being in charge of the alliance but they were no way that he would ever boss her around. And that, he didn't liked it. Knowing that he wasn't in total control of the situation was frustrated him.
"So, that is Zo?" Kate asked, turning to the archeologist. The two women had stepped of one ship to the other one, happy to be in a know environment. Kate rolled her eyes at the tearful goodbye, they won't survive long with their plan if they were crying that much. Hours later, after climbing under the freezing wind, they had reached the top of the mountain, finally stepping on the land. She rolled her eyes again when they started crying once more after the "death" of the drawing. She didn't even sticked around to watch it. She was walking in front, looking around, senses in alert for any enemies ready to defend their home against the intruders. The main village was ruined, as if a war had happened years ago. Yet, once she had looked more carefully inside the crumbled home and walked around the street, she knew that a few days ago the city was still glorious and full of life. Something had happened, something bad. She wondered of by herself for a good hour, leaving the city for the jungle. After walking for a good moment she stopped in the middle of the wood. She put her bag on the ground, stretched and closed her eyes. The silence that was offered to her was enjoyable. She hadn't been able to be by herself since they had come to get her. Thinking about it, it seemed like it had been months ago now. So much had happened that she didn't know how she had been able to take that many information in so little time. She sat down, took her notebook out and started to write as many thing as possible. She had lied when the captain had asked her if the notebook had the information they were looking for, everything was written in it, every detail she had found or be given. Yet, if anyone were to steal it, they wouldn't be able to read anything. Only one person had read her notebook, and he hadn't understood a thing. She was writing thing in a way that only a few people would be able to decrypt, and she knew that the archeologist was one of them. She had a long conversation with herself about it. Since she had met the archeologist she had been caught herself thinking that she was a trustable person. The two of them were very similar in many ways, so Kate had asked herself if she was right or not to truth someone so similar to her. Then, she became to the conclusion that, Kate wouldn't trust herself, nevertheless, the archeologist wasn't Kate and she had decided to trust her. If anything were about to happened, she would give the archeologist her notebook and only at her.
"You need to be more aware of your surroundings Miss Kate. I could have killed you if I wanted to." She had dropped her pen, her head up, feeling the blade of the sword against her skin. She didn't move or even responded, knowing that he was right. He took his sword away, letting her be. She rapidly put her things into her bag before to stand up, turning to him.
"Why didn't you do it? We both know how much you dreamed of it lately." She asked, looking how amused he was.
"It wouldn't have been fun." He simply responded, walking beside her, continuing his route. She followed him. "When I'll kill you, I hope you will fight back a little."
"You want some challenged, I respect that" She saw him nodded, the beginning of a smile on his face. "If you are here I'm guessing that he had found his annoying crew."
"I don't know. I have something better to do."
"Wondering by yourself in the forest? Strange thing to do."
"Weren't you doing the same?"
"I needed a quiet place. I don't know if you have notice but, they are loud." He laughed a bit. The next thing she knew, a bear had jumped on the surgeon, crying, suffocating him. Kate had jumped, surprised to see a bunch of people, running to them, all wearing hideous jumpsuit. She thought of an attacked at first but soon realized what was happening. She turned to the deadly surgeon, buried under the pile of bodies on top of him. She caught herself smiling, a little nostalgic. Soon after, the surgeon was now sat on the ground, his crew sat in front of him, asking questions after questions. Some were crying of joy to have found their captain again. Kate rolled her eyes before to sat against a tree, putting some distance between them, not wanting to disturb the reunion.
"Babies." She said to herself. "They all are babies."
Kate must have fallen asleep while the surgeon and his crew where talking since it was almost dark now. She saw that the crew was now closer of their captain, especially the bear that was being used as a pillow . She didn't know what they were talking about but, it must have been funny since she noticed the captain laughed at the story two men were telling. She watched them from afar for a while, trying to remember what was it like to share a moment like that with a crew. She hadn't done it in years, sitting under the night sky, a bottle in one hand, food in the other, laughing and sharing stories that had happened at sea, warm by the fire. She missed it all, dreaming about that time more often that she admitted. She had never been in a crew but, she had something better, something that she had cherished with all her heart, she had somewhere to go to when she was lost, almost calling it home. If she had to describe how being at home felt like, she would have describe that time. She knew, no matter where she was, that some people were there for her, that someone was waiting for her. Now, that time seemed so far away, almost unreal, it was a place impossible to find. She had nowhere to go to, no one to see, nothing to say, no one to laugh with or to fight with. She had lost not only a place or people, she had lost what made her who she was and who she had wanted to be. Seeing them so alive and happy ached where her heart should have been. How was it possible to feel so much pain without her heart in her chest? She should have crushed it herself when she had had the occasion. She wouldn't have to seek refuge with them, she wouldn't have to help them or to even care for them as little as she did.
"We should go." She said after hours of silence. When the crew and their captain looked at her, it was like they had forgotten that she had even been here in the first place. "The strawhats are waiting and you have a plan to establish." She simply reminded the surgeon. At the mention of the other crew, a cheer filled the air, happiness too, at last, meet their ally. Kate rolled her eyes several time during the walk, annoyed by the childish behavior of some crew member. The surgeon and her had been led through the forest by noisy and hyperactive people. She didn't thought that his crew would have been like the other one, or it was just because they met again after long months of separation? She didn't know or care, she only wanted to be over with everything and find her freedom again. But, faith wasn't with her, and it had never been with her. The plan had been simple, they had to reunite their crews and be gone to fight Kaido. Yet, the cook was gone to another emperor, the samurai and the little dragon ,that Kate hadn't bothered to ask about at the time, weren't father and son, the beast was already at war with the not father and son country, the people of this island was hugging everyone every time, Strawhat had decided to go found his cook, and the surgeon agreed with him, splitting his plan into two separate plan and, the first mate of the beast had attacked the island a few days ago and had attacked again. The only thing that hadn't been a lie was that the ninja was a real ninja. Kate was cursing herself for her own stupidity. She knew that she shouldn't have agreed to anything. And here she was, listening to a non sense plan with non senses people explaining some non senses which would lead to death no matter what. She was about to pull her hairs out when someone said something right. They needed help or they were doomed. They all talked for another minutes, deciding the final plan before to turn to her. She had note the plan on a piece of paper, making sure to understand what they had said, she looked at them before to talk.
"So, you have decided that, the best plan was to let him go after is cook, who decided to join Big Mom. And meanwhile they are sailing to their death, you, your crew and his best fighters, are going after Kaido, and hoping for the best? I'm right or am I missing something that would make sense into all of this?" She asked them but especially the surgeon.
"We are not going to die!" Yelled Luffy at her.
"I didn't ask you, shut up!" She yelled back at him. "Please tell me there is something else?" She almost begged the surgeon.
"There is." Said the cat. "I'm going to recruit someone."
"Brilliant! Another dumbass." Thought Kate, putting her head into her hand. She sight before to ask: "Who is it?" ready to write another name in her paper.
"The first commander of the Whitebeard pirate." Kate looked up from her piece of paper, her pen falling on the ground. She heard the navigator and some others yelled in shocked while Luffy asked who he was. She zoned out for a few minutes, barely hearing what the Cat was explaining to the others.
"Oh, you mean pineapple head?! He saved my life during the war." Exclaimed the captain to his crew. She watched as everyone were talking about it, wondering why he would even consider helping them or just let them near him. Yet, having him would be a game changer and they might have a chance.
"Do you know where is he?" Asked Kate the Cat, picking up her pen.
"I might have an idea. With what is happening to them right now it's a bit complicated to be sure."
"I'll go with you." She said, writing things down. No one responded to that, astonishment by her statement.
"You are going with us." Intervened the surgeon immediately.
"No." She responded firmly. "I have decided to go with him, so I'll go and you have nothing to say about it."
"Miss Kate, you are needed on th…" He tried to argue before to be cut by her.
"I will give you the information before you leave don't worry."
"That is not what I…"
"I will give my information to Robin. She is more capable to understand it." Kate stated before to stand up. "Now, I thought that I made myself clear on the term of this alliance. I do what the fuck I want and I help you since you are my best chance to survive right now. But, I can walk away now and let you die. It will be fine by me and you know it." The surgeon had rose to his feet too, sword out, ready to cut her. Everyone was waiting for it to happened, everyone was ready to see her head be cut out as the rest of her body and roll oon the ground. Yet, she stayed whole and his sword had been put back against his shoulder. "It's what I thought." She said watching him leave. The groups started to walked away again, only the navigator and the swordsman had stayed sat, one of them was napping.
"Kate?" The navigator voice had been uncertain for the first time around her. So, Kate had actually raise her head to her, showing that she was ready to answer whatever her question will be. "Why do you want to go? I mean, you are more needed with the other." She asked."I know that deep down you care a little about them, or else you would be long gone. And it's not because you need us for your survival."
"You're to curious." Kate anwsered. "My reason doesn't concern you or anyone but me. I made myself clear with the others before we came here. I help you with my information and I stay here for a while, laying low. End of the alliance. What I'm doing otherwise is my business and mine alone." The woman stood up after responding to the navigator.
"You say you need to lay low but you are helping us with something so much bigger now. How making an alliance with us is making the marine forget about you? They know you set sailed with us, and they are aware that you helped them fight. By sticking here you are doing everything else than staying hidden. So, what is your point in all this? Why are you staying? Why are you helping us? It's not because you like us, you clearly hate Luffy for some reason and he shared the same feeling. You might know Law but with how you are behaving around him I doubt you are friends or even acquaintance. We know nothing about you whatsoever and you are wanted Only Alive by the marine with a reward higher than any of us."
"I see that some of you can use what I call a brain." Kate smirked, actually impressed by the girl. She had rapidly understood that she was the one making the decision around in their crew and explaining things to their captain. God, she was probably the only reason they were all still alive. Yet, something were still unclear for Kate. She could survive on her own, she had did it before and she could do it again. So, why was she still here? She thought because it was her only option, her only way to survive but the navigator was right. She was putting herself in the front line again.
"Answer me. What are you hiding?"
"Why do you think I'm hiding anything. We are partners not friends, I don't have to tell you about me or my life."
"Alright." She said, knowing that she won't discover the truth. "Just answer one question. Why do you want to go after the first commander then?" Kate looked at her for a moment before to sight. She could tell her after all, it wasn't that big of a deal and it won't matter anyway. But she knew that it would trigger so many other questions and she wasn't ready for that.
"I just want to."
"No one in their right mind would go after that man. Not what is happening to his crew. So, why would you go after a man like him?"
"Because she knows him." They both turned to the swordsman. He might have been napping during the meeting but he had awoke a moment ago. Enough to know about the first commander and their conversation. "You know him, right?" He asked, looking at Kate from his place under a tree. Kate eyed him for a moment before to turn to the navigator.
"Indeed." She sighed. "I have some information that I need to communicate to him." She started to explain. "I received them shortly before you came to found me." She added.
"You could have say it to Law." Said the navigator, rolling her eyes, annoyed.
"I didn't have to tell him anything. This is my business." She looked at the both of them before to make her leave. The navigator walked to the swordsman right after, placing herself in front of him, blocking the sun.
"She's lying."
"Maybe." He said before to yawn.
"I don't like this. She is hiding something. Something big."
"Even if she was. It's not our problem."
"It is!" What if she's going to screw us over!"
"She won't or she would have done it already. She won't have fight with us and she wouldn't have stick around."
"Or, she is just waiting for a better occasion."
"No." He simply responded to her paranoiac friend. "I just think that whatever happened or is happening in her life, it is not relevant to us. So, why bother telling us. I didn't share my life with you all yet you trust me." The navigator didn't have anything to respond to that. He was right, for once. Yet, she couldn't stop worrying about it. She knew something was up. Maybe her only female crewmate would understand. She might even had some information to share, the two women had been rather close with one another.
End second chapter.
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