Shivered Timbers
by Kaline Reine
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I do own Shiori, she is my character. I also own a few other original characters in this story (not affiliated with One Piece), which will be introduced as they are needed. c;
WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes, possible violence, gore, cursing, adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do my best to warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. Also, I know this doesn't follow canon but it doesn't have to, that's why it's a fanfic. xD
Also... The beautiful cover image for this story is by my friend, EzariaUmiko on DeviantArt. All credit for the image goes to her. c:
Chapter 16: Colder Waters
At the crack of dawn, the Ice Witch stood in the doorway... Shiori's eyes slowly dragged open, as if something were holding them down. It was impossible to focus. She could tell it was her Captain by the unusual color of her hair. Blue like the sea... That was all she could see, until her eyes had time to adjust.
The lights suddenly flipped on, blinding her even more.
"Wha...?" She rubbed her face, trying to take away the numb feeling she found there. "I can't e-even feel my f-face..." She wrinkled her nose.
"We're already in colder waters," Whitey Bay addressed her casually. "So it's no wonder it's taking it's toll on you already. Are you ready to start your training?"
"What? R-right now?"
"Yep! Rise and shine, cupcake!"
"Ugh..." Shiori groaned, rolling back over on her right side to face the wall. She curled up in several blankets, including the one Ace had given her back when they were just kids. The gentle grayish blue hue was very calming to her, and she'd gotten up in the middle of the night to retrieve it from her duffel bag. And the scent... It was something else. "F-five more minutes..."
"Tsk, tsk... I don't think so!" The older woman grabbed her covers and yanked them away- all of them! There was a terrible ripping sound. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"
The younger girl gasped, sitting up in bed to assess the damage. She'd only wanted a little more time to adjust and now her favorite blanket was torn to shreds... Well, maybe not shreds. But a large tear ran through the familiar blue fabric.
It was the one she'd brought with her from home, and Whitey Bay knew that. It looked worn with age, but it was still a very nice material... Nothing like the sheets and blankets she provided on her ship. For one thing, hers were much fluffier to help better protect her crew from the freezing temperatures on the glacier island where they were headed. But she welcomed them bringing their own things from home, and she knew how much it must mean to the girl.
'Ace-kun...' Her eyes began to water as she thought of him, but she shook away the thoughts before nostalgia could get its claws any deeper into her.
"It's not y-your fault..." Shiori sighed, thinking it was a terrible waste. "I know h-how to sew. And I've b-brought my sewing kit with me... So maybe I c-can still f-fix it up later."
"Even still, I never meant to destroy your property. Did it mean a lot to you?" She leaned in closer, the concern evident in her voice.
"A-actually it was g-given to me by a v-very dear friend. But it's alright, i-it wasn't on p-purpose. Things h-happen."
"That they do... You are a sweet girl. Well in any case, I'll see if I can get you another blanket or two for comfort. Oh, and I have another gift for you, but you won't get it until after your first day of training."
"A g-gift? You really d-don't have to do that, awww! That's s-so nice!" The Valkyrie gushed, genuinely tickled that someone who barely knew her would do something so nice for her this soon.
"It's my pleasure," Whitey Bay took her hand, helping her out of bed. "You should get dressed already! We have a long and busy day coming up..."
"What sh-should I w-wear?" Her voice cracked nervously. She was stuttering much more because she was upset. When her anxiety flared up, it seemed like her speech impediment worsened.
"Oh, anything will do! Just be quick."
The Captain had turned around, waiting for her to grab some things and change. Shiori supposed it was okay, since they were both female... But it still made her feel sort of awkward.
Rummaging through her drawers, she grabbed her only other sweater, a light gray one with dark gray stripes. She also took another pair of black tights and a longer woolen skirt that was purple and gray. It was angled to a point at the bottom, just above her ankles, with little fringes hanging from the edge. She hoped it wouldn't get in the way of her training, but she needed something warm. It was cold down here, even to her.
She finished up by putting on her black tights under it to help protect from the freezing temperatures. Next were her shoes, the pink and white tennis shoes were all she had right now. For something she'd just randomly thrown together, it wasn't too bad. She felt sort of like a beggar though.
"I'm surprised the fighting didn't wake you last night." Her mentor told her, while she changed.
"F-fighting?" She gasped. "What do you m-mean? I d-didn't hear any fighting."
"The crew had to face some nasty Sea Kings last night. They attacked when we crossed over the calm belt. There was lots of commotion, but you must have been really tired."
"S-sorry I didn't h-help out..."
"Nonsense! You haven't even completed a single day's practice yet! There's no way I'd let you out there to fight this soon. You were best off right where you were. And we could more than handle it, no problem."
"F-forgive my ignorance, but... What's the c-calm belt?" Her voice was muffled, as she pulled her sweater down over her head.
"You've probably noticed how calm the seas were yesterday... There are two lines of water on either side of the Grand Line which run parallel to it. There are no waves and no wind, so we have to row to get through. Because the seas are so calm, many vicious predators, like the giant Sea Kings, like to gather in those waters, making it a very dangerous place."
"O-oh, I see..." She felt sort of stupid for not knowing about it. "Sounds s-scary! I'm g-glad we m-made it through."
She turned around, having finished dressing. Before leaving, she ran a brush through her hair quickly, trying to make herself at least somewhat presentable.
The Ice Witch smiled, before clapping her hands together with glee. "Right! Well anyway, we've got a long day of shopping ahead! We should be dropping anchor in the port very soon. I thought we could go together. It would be a fun way to get to know each other better. Call it female bonding, haha!"
Shiori jumped at the sudden sound. "That d-does sound fun. I'm a l-little shy about sh-shopping with o-other people..."
Again, this only brought back more memories of Ace. And it was annoying! She was trying to keep her mind off of that bratty boy. Her favorite blanket being ruined didn't help any, but it was already done. At least the blanket wasn't lost for good, it was only torn. It was a shame that that was all she had to remember him by...
Shaking off the sad thoughts that plagued her, she followed Whitey Bay outside and up the small flight of stairs that led to the main deck. There were many crew members scrambling to do their various jobs. No one seemed to be panicking, but all of them were hurrying. Some of them gave her friendly smiles, while others ignored her presence completely and continued to work. She didn't see anyone familiar, but she was looking forward to getting to know everyone, in due time.
"We're going to one of my favorite boutiques today... I hope you'll enjoy it. You can get anything you want. The sky's the limit!" Her Captain smiled brightly, as they stepped onto a board that led them off the ship.
Shiori followed her onto the docks and then back onto land. She lost her balance a little but righted herself shortly after. "I c-can't wait!" She giggled.
The two got a lot of odd looks as they walked down the various avenues of what appeared to be a sleepy little town. The locals seemed to know that they were Pirates and were acting wary of them. That kind of power alone was exhilarating, and it thrilled her. She didn't know where they were, but it didn't really matter. She could go anywhere and do anything, and she was only just now learning that. It was so exciting!
"Ah, here it is..." Bay walked right into the store without a care in the world. She'd already paused to inspect a rack of stockings. "The first thing I always get are stockings! The ones here are made extra strong to help handle the cold. And they keep them right by the door. I prefer the sheer gray ones, but you can pick whatever suits you."
Shiori looked at all of them. There were so many colors... Before deciding on anything, she checked the size chart that they had posted to the left of the display. It was strategically placed at the front of the store.
"It l-looks like the o-only ones they have that'll fit my f-frame are these blue-ish green ones..." She mumbled, picking out a couple of pairs.
"In that case, you should get way more than that!" Her Captain insisted. "Sometimes you'll get runs in them or they'll get stretched too much and worn out over time. So make sure you get plenty. I'm getting twenty pairs! Might as well, while we're here..."
Twenty pairs seemed really excessive to her... So she grabbed about a dozen or so and placed them into the shared shopping cart. She noticed that Whitey Bay was wearing a pair of gray ones just like the ones she was purchasing, at that very moment.
"Th-this is so nice of you, to h-help me like this..."
"Well don't think you're gonna get off so easily either," Whitey Bay gave her a cheeky smile. "You'll be helping out our crew a lot by the time I'm done with you. And the real work starts tomorrow!" She winked.
It made Shiori wonder what she meant by that, but she stayed silent. The two of them continued to browse through all of the clothing they found. There wasn't too much that caught her attention, but her Captain seemed to be having a ball.
She did find a few things she liked, including a pair of tall black leather combat boots that reached almost to her knees. They had a slight heel and laced up the front. Whitey Bay had insisted that she buy several pairs, a few that were in bigger sizes, so she could change them out as she grew. It was a habit she had gotten into by now, stocking up on things... She'd made sure to get them with non-slip soles. The Captain mentioned that she would need them for walking across the glaciers that spanned the frozen tundra where they were going. It made sense, so she did as she was told.
She also found a cabinet that contained many different sewing patterns for sale. She picked out some that she thought might be useful, and stocked up on some sewing supplies too. She was so thankful that Ruhi and Michiko had taught her how to sew. She enjoyed it and it was a good way to pass the time. It was a useful skill.
"So about that fight with the green haired girl... What was her name again?" Bay paused to ask her, at one point, while they browsed.
Hearing her sudden question caused Shiori to stop short. She really didn't want to talk about that again. It brought back too many painful memories. Yet, she knew she would have to face it, sooner or later. There were going to be lots of awkward questions that came up.
"Monet..." Was all she said.
Remembering the fight, she began to fidget with her hair, making sure that every strand was in place. She would move the white strands out of her face and then put them right back. It was like she couldn't decide which way felt right to her. She didn't want to think about Monet anymore, or the fight they'd both participated in that had led her here...
"You'll eventually have to tell me the whole story," Whitey Bay paused in her search to poke the meek girl playfully in the stomach, catching her off guard. "Why were the two of you fighting anyway? Did she do something to wrong you somehow? You seemed really upset, but you were fighting for something you believed in. Or it seemed that way to me."
"We were f-fighting because..." She took a deep breath, looking around to make sure no one was nearby. "We used to b-be friends, but sh-she betrayed me... I f-forgave her, but she st-stabbed me in the back again. She k-kept on doing that, a-and I was just sick of it!"
"And rightfully so. No true friend would betray someone they cared about. A real comrade will stick by you, through thick and thin, no matter what happens. Please tell me you've at least had someone in your life who is like that?"
"I do," Her thoughts instantly turned to Ace. Then she remembered the way he'd left... "At least, I d-did... But Chouko-chan is really n-nice too."
She was still getting to know the moth girl, however. At least Luffy hadn't abandoned her, but they were never that close. He struck her as more of a nuisance, than anything, although he was a nice guy and fairly useful. It was just that she had more of a connection with Ace. She'd always felt closer to him than the others, somehow. She wasn't really sure why. It was complicated... And she couldn't even stand to think of Sabo and the terrible fate that had befallen him.
"I see... Well what prompted the fight that day? Did she say something to you?"
"N-not really. She p-pulled a gun on me. And then she t-took some of my blood with a n-needle, I d-don't know why... It a-all happened so fast! She was pulling my h-hair too. She's m-mean..."
"Well yes," The older woman laughed, as she picked up a small dress suit for herself. "Enemies tend to be that way. I wonder what she might have wanted with it... That's really concerning. Hmm..."
"I d-don't know what to th-think about it..." Shiori shrugged.
"Nor do I, I'm afraid. But there is an organization that's rumored to be starting some trouble around Goa Kingdom and they're slowly spreading and branching out to other places. I wonder if it might have something to do with that? Do you think she could have gotten mixed up with the wrong crowd somehow?"
"M-maybe," The girl awkwardly picked up a frilly yellow blouse, but then put it back down when she saw how revealing it was. "She did m-mention that she was t-taken in by this new family or s-something like that..." She trailed off.
"And what's wrong with this one?" Bay raised an eyebrow, picking up the same garment and holding it against Shiori's shoulders. She'd changed the subject at just the right time.
"N-nothing, it's just... Too s-small for me..."
"It looks to be the perfect size! Don't be silly. Are you not getting it because of the low neckline? Don't tell me you're a prude! You should get this one, the color would look just great on you, my dear."
The Valkyrie turned her head away, her cheeks reddening at the suggestion of actually wearing such a thing. It wasn't that she was stuck up... She just never felt comfortable in that kind of clothing. Even when it was warm out, she still wanted to hide as much of her body as possible. She was used to always being bundled up. And going from wearing a Nun's habit to normal clothing was a big enough transition for her anyway. Even what she had on felt too revealing for her shy taste.
"I've just a-always dressed l-like this, that's all... I don't mind when people d-dress like you do either. It's p-pretty. But just not for me."
"Nonsense! It's fine not to show cleavage, but... If you aren't going to get it, then at least get some patterns to make some cute clothes like these." She gestured to a rack of even more revealing clothes behind her.
"I a-already did... I just don't g-get it though... I mean, wh-why would you wear s-something like that? What's the point?"
"Watch this..." Having gotten pretty much everything she would need, the Pirate Captain walked to the front of the store, taking their purchases with her.
"Hello there miss," A blonde man behind the counter greeted her with a friendly smile. "I'll be happy to ring up your purchases for you."
"No need to call me miss," She leaned on the counter haphazardly, resting only inches away from him. "You can just call me Bay. Fine store you run here, sweetie..."
The man stared at her, as her breasts were practically held up by the counter. But it wasn't enough to provoke a reaction. Most sales clerks and cashiers were trained to be professional, after all.
"Thank you." He said, but seemed to be getting a little hot under the collar. He licked his lips, trying not to look at her.
He was unsure of how to take her behavior, so the man rang up her clothes, but he missed several. Shiori watched on in silent awe. He was really distracted. Whitey Bay proceeded to chat him up while he worked. Many more clothes made it into the bags without being rung up than she was actually charged for. Then she managed to clumsily knock several pens onto the floor, along with some sheets of paper and old receipts. He didn't even ring up Shiori's clothes, he just stuffed them into bags along with hers.
Then the Captain did something no one saw coming. She bent over to pick up the pens from the ground, making sure to bend at the hip. It was not an easy feat in her high heeled boots, but she managed to pull it off. Her short skirt rode up, not quite enough for anyone to actually see anything, but damn close...
His jaw seemed to drop. It took him a moment to compose himself.
"Can I perhaps offer you a discount, Bay-chan? I recognize you as one of our regular customers. I think all regulars deserve a little something, am I right?"
"Oh, for me?" She actually pouted. "Are you sure? I mean, I don't know if I should accept such kindness or not..." She'd taken to leaning on the counter again.
"Oh no, I insist!" He rang up everything and then used a card that was hanging from his neck to give her a huge discount.
"Well, only if you're sure... Thank you very much."
The cash register made a chinging sound when the man opened the drawer. Whitey Bay handed him several hundred Beri. While she still had to pay, the total was less than half of what it would have otherwise cost.
"No problem at all." He smiled, handing her the bags from her purchases. "Would you like some help with all of these bags and boxes? I'd be happy to carry them for you, if you wanted..."
"I think we can manage. Thanks."
"Have a lovely day!" The sales clerk called after her.
After a friendly wave in parting, the two girls gathered their purchases and left the building, without a care in the world. Shiori had a huge smile on her face, although seeing that kind of behavior had made her considerably nervous. She knew it was unethical, but part of being a Pirate was following your instincts and using things to your advantage. She knew that all too well... She'd been slowly descending into a life of crime ever since she'd moved in with the mountain bandits. It had seemed like the perfect solution at the time, but it had caused her to be a little less morally upright, over time.
"You see? That is how it helps!" Whitey Bay shot her a wink, as they walked back toward the ship.
Shiori might as well have been a tomato, she was so red. She'd never seen a woman behave so boldly.
"I would n-never have the nerve to do s-something so bold..." She admitted, although it wasn't easy for her to do so.
'If she's going to be my teacher, then I'll have to be honest with her.'
The crew greeted her warmly when Whitey Bay walked back onto her ship, with her new protégé in tow. They were both carrying so many bags it was hard to even see where they were going.
"Got some shopping done, I see..." One young man said.
"Need some help with those bags, ladies?" An older man piped up. "I'd be happy to carry them for ya!"
"No thanks," The Captain headed back toward her cabin. "We're good. Shiori-chan, why don't you take your stuff to your room and then meet me in my cabin?"
"A-alright..."
Shiori hurried down the metal stairs, her old pink sneakers hardly making a sound as she descended. They were worn and she was glad she'd gotten so many new pairs of shoes. She was always more comfortable in boots anyway.
Once she made it to her room, she dropped half of the bags onto the floor. Only the other half actually made it to the bed where she'd intended.
'I'm so clumsy...' She thought, irritated with herself. 'How am I ever going to become as graceful as someone like Whitey Bay? Oh well... Now I have to put all this stuff away. That's going to take forever!'
She was overstimulated and her thoughts were going a million miles a minute. It had been such a rush just going shopping with a notorious Pirate Captain! She couldn't wait until her training started. Shiori was ready to grow. She wanted to keep getting stronger and learning more. It was an exciting time... And she was sure she would find some way to squeeze in a bit of time for the other things she wanted to do, like sewing and making friends with the crew. It was important to make a good impression, since she was going to be here for the next several years.
The Valkyrie looked fondly at the outfits she'd chosen for herself, as she pulled them out of the shopping bags, one by one. She picked up the remaining bags that were scattered across the floor and put them on the bed too. She put some of them in the dresser against the wall, and others were stashed in the drawers that were hidden under her bed. That was what she did with the boots that currently fit her, and still others were stashed in the floor of the small closet. Sorting through all of them was a hassle, but she managed it.
Afterward, she made her way back upstairs to join Whitey Bay. She'd been certain to lock the door to her room. When she walked out onto the deck, she realized that many of her crew mates were staring at her. It was probably normal, since none of them had gotten to know her yet. They were probably curious... But it still made her feel really self-conscious.
She reached the big cabin and paused to knock at the door.
"Come in!" Her Captain called, in a relaxed manner.
"You s-said to come back when I was f-finished... Well I-I'm done!" Shiori fidgeted with her shirt, pulling it down around her waist nervously.
"No offense," Bay leaned in closer to her and lowered her voice. "But we really need to work on that stuttering problem of yours. That has to be one of the first things to go."
"Huh? B-but why? I mean, I've h-had it all my l-life and I c-can't seem to stop..."
"Why do you do it? Have you ever thought about it?"
Shiori blinked, confused. "Wh-what do you mean 'why'? I g-guess it's just when I'm n-nervous... But I'm nervous a-all the time..." She rubbed her cheek, rubbing her hand over the poignant beauty mark that remained just below her left eye.
"We'll have to fix that," Her mentor smiled then, seeming to become more pleasant. "Any problem you have can be mended through willpower. You'll see what I mean. You just need to overcome your shyness first, and realize that you are capable of doing anything you've ever dreamed of."
Shiori didn't see how that was possible, but she wasn't going to question her teacher already. She simply nodded, waiting for her to continue...
"Anyway, for the next few days," Bay went on, sitting in her chair and crossing one leg over the other. "You'll be paired up with Chouko-san. She'll teach you a little about navigation. And after that, once we reach an even colder climate, I'll start teaching you about using those powers of yours. Sound good?"
"It s-sounds really o-overwhelming, but... It also sounds like f-fun."
"Good. That's what I like to hear!" The Captain gave a hearty laugh. She crossed the room and peeked her head out the door. "Chouko-chan! Are you ready?!"
"Sure am!" The perky blonde ran up to her, entering the cabin. She waved to Shiori. "Hey! Looks like we're gonna get to hang out! I can't wait!"
"M-me too..." The young Valkyrie agreed. She was ready to accept anything they threw at her. She'd decided that when she'd made the decision to come along on this voyage. But she was momentarily relieved to be given such simple tasks to start out with.
"There's nothing I really need you to do today," Their Captain explained. "You can just hang out and get to know the rest of the crew a bit. I trust you to introduce her to everyone, Chouko-chan... And I have something special for you!"
"F-for me?" She looked on with curiosity.
Turning around, Bay opened a case that was lying on her desk. It contained a large book, thick and full of pages. She opened it to reveal that they were all empty. It had a lock on the side of it, with a hinge that sealed over the front, holding both covers together. She held a small key that looked like it might fit into it. She handed both to Shiori. It was a generous gesture, but she didn't feel worthy.
"This is a gift from me and my crew, just for you... It's a diary. You can use it to write whatever you want, even your greatest secrets. I want you to be able to keep track of your progress, and you can use it for years to come, and probably even long after that. Best of all, no one else can see what you've written unless you let them."
"W-wow!" Shiori was in awe.
Her ruby eyes lit up for a moment, as she inspected the book, finding the pages to be lined with silver edges. The covers were bound in a light sky blue, with lots of decorative bits and bobbles attached to them that looked like shimmering jewels and raindrops. There were little white kittens etched onto the front and back cover as well. It was very nice.
"How d-did you know I l-like cats?"
"I told her." Chouko was quick to speak up. "I remember when we talked about that, one of the nights I stayed with you in the junkyard."
"Awww, that's s-so sweet! Thank you b-both!"
She hugged her Captain and her friend at the same time, looping an arm around each. Shiori was so happy to be here, surrounding by people who genuinely cared for her in such a way. She really wanted to contribute more and return the favor someday.
"You're very welcome," Whitey Bay beamed with pride. She was really glad she'd been able to get their newest recruit something worthwhile. "I hope you'll take care of it and use it often."
"I will! D-definitely!" Having locked the precious book and closed it, she held it close to her chest.
"Oh and here's your welcome kit. It's a box we give to new people. It has your extra blankets in it, an alarm clock so you can be up at the right time each day, and some other stuff that may come in handy."
"Wow, th-thanks!"
"Cool," Chouko giggled. "Now are you ready to learn about navigation? Go put that in your room and meet me out on the main deck. There's a lot I want to show you today!"
"O-okay, I'll be r-right back..." Shiori hurried off to do just that.
"I can't believe you did so well!" The moth girl was still all smiles, even after several days had passed.
She'd done a good job of teaching Shiori how to read charts and how to navigate just by the stars and moon alone, if need be. The girl was still a little rusty, but it would come with experience, she supposed. It was late at night and they had just finished a long day of training. Many of the other deck hands were getting ready to retire to bed soon.
"I c-couldn't have done it w-without you..." Shiori admitted truthfully, following her friend out of the small cabin at the front of the ship.
"Oh that is such bullshit, and you know it!" Chouko stuck out her tongue at her in a playful manner, before giving her a pat on the back. "How'd you like to have a few drinks with me and the rest of the crew tonight? You've earned it!"
"W-well I..." She hesitated. "Drinking? As in a-alcohol?"
She struggled with her own muddled, confused thoughts. 'I'm not sure how I should handle this... I really shouldn't give in to anymore peer pressure. Just coming along on this voyage was brave enough! Surely they can't expect anything more of me right now...' Shiori was conflicted.
"Don't look so serious! It's not even a big deal..."
"It's n-not that... I just... I j-just... I've never d-drank before!" She blurted, spilling the beans without intending to.
'No... I'm just not ready to cross that boundary yet.'
Chouko actually stopped dead in her tracks and gasped. "Shiori-chan! You can't expect me to really believe that! Everyone who's anyone has gotten shit-faced... We drink all the time! How have you been around Pirates this much and still never gotten plastered with them?"
"I dunno..." She shrugged, uncaring. "But I d-don't really f-feel comfortable doing that, so... I'll s-sit this one out, o-okay?"
Shiori was already shying away from this odd new challenge. She'd never cared about being social or fitting in before, so why start now? Was she even old enough to drink? She doubted a bunch of Pirates cared much about the laws anyway.
She liked it here on the Icebreaker and Whitey Bay's crew was nice to her and all, but... She couldn't allow herself to give in on her strong morals. She was raised in a Monastery and taught never to partake of alcohol. If she gave in, it would be like the very last bit of innocence that remained with her was taken... She couldn't get drunk. The very idea was absurd!
"Aww, come on, we-"
"No!" Shiori stated, more firmly this time. She even stamped her foot for emphasis. "I said I'm not c-comfortable with that! And I don't w-want to."
"Okay, okay, jeez..." Chouko pulled back, as if burned. "Take a chill pill! No one said you had to... Personally, I think it'd really help you loosen up though. Will you at least come with me?"
"I g-guess it can't hurt... But I'm not d-drinking, so f-forget it."
"Already forgotten." The moth girl smiled at her, reaching out for her hand.
Shiori took it, happy that her friend was no longer pressuring her. She knew how to say no when it was something she really didn't want. There was no logical reason for her to partake of such a dangerous substance. Especially when she'd been warned over and over about how awful it was. Deep down, she still wanted to make Chiaki proud of her, even if she wasn't around anymore.
"I'll g-go to hang out, b-but I'm not having a-anything to drink, other than m-maybe a soda. Got it?"
"No worries. You can do whatever makes you comfortable. I'll make sure the others don't pressure you either. I never knew you were so-"
"S-so what?" The albino girl raised an eyebrow, as if in challenge. But before the blonde could call her bluff, she'd already backed down.
The two walked into the mess hall, and Chouko was immediately bombarded with greetings by her fellow crew mates. It took the focus away from Shiori and her adamancy on not drinking with her. It seemed she was surrounded by alcohol, however... Upon looking around, she noticed there were drinks in most of their hands. Some had mugs of beer, some had mead, others had ale... A few even had wine or champagne.
Not that Shiori knew much about how to distinguish between them, other than what she'd picked up from hanging out at Party's Bar with Ace and Luffy. She did know, just from spending so much time around Shanks' crew, the Redhair Pirates, how silly it made some people act. As much as she was loathe to admit it, she missed them all.
"Can you go grab the drinks for us, then?" Chouko decided it would be best to let her get her own. "I'll have a rum and coke to start with, and you can get whatever you like. It's on me!"
"Aww th-thanks, but you r-really don't have t-"
"Here, just go on..." The moth Devil Fruit user handed her a couple dozen Beri. "That should be enough to keep us going for most of the night."
She winked at her with those big brown doe eyes, and Shiori just couldn't resist... She wandered up to the bartender at the back of the galley and ordered what she'd been asked to. When she was given a large glass for Chouko, she asked for a glass of lemonade, just to be different. She didn't even feel like having a soda tonight. She crept back toward the group, doing her best to blend in and remain unnoticed...
"Uh huh..." Chouko was sitting on a table with her bare feet resting on the long bench that ran alongside it. "Shiori-chan is doing just great, and she's a really fast learner! I think she'll fit in great around here, but she's really shy, so make sure you're nice to her."
Shiori flinched when she heard that Chouko was talking about her. She froze, drinks in hand, the moment she heard her name. The only way anyone had ever spoken of her in her absence was badly or when something bad was about to happen. But when she listened to what her friend actually had to say, she was pleasantly surprised. She sat the glasses down on the table with a demure smile.
"Oh, here she is now! Thanks for getting the drinks."
"No p-problem..." Shiori smiled, sitting down at the table like a normal person and sipping her lemonade. It was surprisingly sour, but she liked it that way. "T-this is really g-good..."
"Relax," Chouko muttered to her, noticing how nervous she was. "Everyone here is really nice. You'll fit right in, so don't be shy."
She just nodded. She knew she'd always been a misfit... But most of these Pirates were misfits too. They were all here because things weren't working out wherever they were before. Each probably had their own story to tell. She would do her best to enjoy the night, and get to know the rest of her crew mates. Even if she didn't talk a lot, she was a remarkably good listener.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I kept getting stuck at certain parts. I know it's shorter, but that's because it had to be split into two chapters because the next part made it way too long for just one. This was a somewhat lighthearted chapter and for some reason, those are always harder for me to write. I'm not going to have her training last for too long, so don't worry. There's a biiiiig secret revealed in the next chapter! And thanks to my friends Sierra and Dayna for helping me figure out her outfit and stuff when I got stuck! xD
-Kaline