~Okay...I totally meant to post this way sooner than this. But I got caught up in the Kingdom Hearts III hype for about a month, which forced me into bingeing all the games' cutscenes and the walkthroughs for the couple of games I hadn't watched yet. Then I got stuck on Star Fox and watched all of those walkthroughs. So yeah...youtube had me by the throat for a long while. Oh but, low and behold! One Piece was coming back for vengeance on my consciousness by throwing out random things in my everyday life that reminded me of some stuff from One Piece. Like, oh I don't know, FUCKING FLAMINGOS! Stores and early summer crap... Even my laptop finally decided to betray me on the ever-changing wallpaper where I log in...a fucking beach full of flamingos. That was the last straw!

Well, I just came back from a full weekend of enjoying my favorite local anime convention. Let me tell ya'll, being surrounded by multiple Trafalgar Laws in one day, the first day at that while cosplaying as Marineford Luffy was nerve wracking. ...Not to mention I was kinda humiliated by one 'cuz he bought/STOLE a Trafalgar Law wanted poster at a vending booth, RIGHT WHEN I WAS ASKING FOR THE DAMN PRICE! It was the only one they had... Even later after I left the vending room, he came up to me and half apologized to me 'bout buying it. That guy was so in character, I swear it. I take things at face value, so to me, it looked and sounded like he was being cocky/arrogant. I knew he was only apologizing 'cuz he literally saw me fall to my knees at the booth in front of the other One Piece posters and nearly cry in despair. The dude was defiantly amused. I am amused, a bit, now after a few days of recounting that...defining moment of cosplaying Monkey D. Luffy... I swear if this guy actually finds this fic and READS THIS PART, I shall always remember you from Anime Con Arkansas 2018! Well...hope you enjoyed my first horror con story. Didn't mean to type this out on here, but eh, whatever. ENJOY THE NEW CHAPTER AND PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! I LIVE OFF THEM, THEY'RE MY FOOD SOURCE!

Long Term Hearts

Chapter 2: White Death

**********^.^**********

It had been two months since the successful operation and Yukimi was recovering well. The day after the operation she met Law's little sister, Lami. She was the sweetest thing. The little brunette took what Yukimi was in stride. Even cuddling her like a stuffed animal, much to everyone's amusement but the kitsune. But Yukimi liked hanging around the girl when Law was in school or studying on becoming a surgeon like his parents. Lami loved listening to Yukimi telling stories of her adventures, to a lower degree of violence of course.

It was around this time Yukimi was able to take off her cast around her foreleg and finally be able to return to her human form. Everyone's reaction but Law, to her transformation, was different. Though Yukimi found Lami's to be endearing, as she whined about how she couldn't cuddle with her anymore. After hearing that Yukimi promised to be in her fox form when they hung out.

Once seeing the state her clothes were in, Mrs. Trafalgar had her change out of them into some spare clothes she had so she could wash and stitch them back together. Which Yukimi was grateful for once she had them back fresh, clean, and rip free.

Now at this moment, Yukimi was outside behind the hospital. She was practicing throwing her kunai and shuriken at a tree with her freshly mended arm, having been ordered to strengthen her arm by practicing her skills. Yukimi took out two more kunai as she eyed the three-ringed bull's eye she carved on the tree before throwing them at the wooden target. One hit just below the smallest ring while the other to the side of it. The kitsune sighed as she looked at the marked tree. Multiple kunai and shuriken riddled the bark from above, below, and all around the bull's eye. All just missing the very middle. Yukimi then started forming hand signs. She frowned when her fingers missed their positions for the third time. Yukimi let out a groan as she ran her hands through her white hair in frustration. Then her ears twitched hearing a set of feet walking toward her.

"How's your injury doing Yukimi-ya?"

Yukimi looked over her shoulder to see Law walking up to her, "Ah back from school, eh?" She raised her right arm, turning her hand around as she faced the boy. "Yeah it's getting better," Yukimi answered as she fisted her hand in and out.

"That's good to hear-"

"Yukimi!"

Yukimi and Law looked back to see Lami running over to them. "I guess I'll head inside to study then," Law said looking back at Yukimi.

"Awe you study too much, Law. Enjoy your childhood while you can. It won't last forever, ya know. And before you know it, you'll be an adult!" Yukimi frowned slightly as she went over to the tree and began tugging out her weapons.

Law shrugged, "I don't have the time for playing games Yukimi-ya."

"Hi, Law!" Lami greeted her older brother happily as she came over just as he was leaving, only getting a wave back before he disappeared around the corner of the hospital.

"Hey kiddo, how you've been?" Yukimi asked as she tugged out the last of her embedded kunai.

"I'm doing great! Though I think I might be getting a cold," Lami mentioned as she watched the kitsune put away her weapons into the pouch on her hip.

"Oh? Have you been coughing lately then?" Yukimi asked as she walked over to the girl. She knelt down before linking their foreheads together. "You do feel a little warm," Yukimi muttered as she stood back up. "But I think it's from you running around everywhere you go!" Yukimi said grinning as she poked her forehead lightly.

Lami laughed as the kitsune stuck her tongue out at her. "Yukimi, can you change into a fox now?"

Yukimi chuckled, "Okay." At that a puff of smoke appeared where the kitsune was before, revealing her in her fox form, "How's this?"

Lami giggled as Yukimi hopped onto her shoulder before draping herself around the girl's neck like a scarf. "Yay!"

Yukimi grinned as Lami rubbed her face against her fluffy tails, "You sure seem more excited today. Is it your birthday or something?"

The little girl giggled with a wide grin splitting her face, "No, there's a festival today!"

Yukimi raised a brow, "A festival? Heh, no wonder I've been hearing people cheer all afternoon."

Lami started bouncing in her shoes excitedly, "Yeah! And I want to go with you and Law!"

Yukimi's grin grew, she hadn't been to a festival in a long time. "Well then let's go inside and see everybody. And before your medical textbook loving older brother gets too involved in his studies," Yukimi said as they went inside the hospital.

Once on the correct floor, they headed over to a hallway where it resembled more as one would see from a home. Lami jogged over to a closed door before opening it. Inside they found Law and Mr. Trafalgar at a desk where they had a book open on surgical procedures. "Law let's go to the festival!" Lami said running over to them.

"Yeah let's go Doc Bookworm!" Yukimi laughed as she decided to add her two beris.

Mr. Trafalgar turned toward the two smiling, "How's your arm Yukimi?"

"Getting stronger every day, sir."

"Good to hear."

"No! I'm studying now," Law answered as he continued to write notes in his notebook.

"What?!" Lami started shaking her head from side to side as she shook her fists, almost shaking the fox right off her, "No! No! Come on!"

"Later."

At that moment Mrs. Trafalgar came into the room hearing about the festival, not at all surprised that her daughter was very excited about the event. "Law, studying is good but if you push yourself too much, it's not good for you," their mother explained after she knelt down next to Lami. Yukimi then jumped onto the desk and promptly sat on the paper Law was writing on, getting a frown from the boy. Law looked over his shoulder as his mother continued on. "Sometimes you need to get out and have fun."

"Like I said earlier Law, enjoy your childhood while you can," the white fox said as she tickled his neck with her tails.

Law flinched, quickly slapping a hand where he was being tickled only to miss her retreating appendages. The boy looked at her annoyed.

Lami giggled before an idea popped into her head, "I have an idea! Mother, let's go to the festival together!"

Mrs. Trafalgar blinked before turning to her daughter, "No, I…."

Mr. Trafalgar nodded, "Yeah. Why don't you four go?" he said placing his hand on Law's hat covered head.

"What?"

"To the festival!" Yukimi cheered hopping on Law's shoulder, getting the usual look.

Mrs. Trafalgar smiled at her grinning daughter, "All right. But just for thirty minutes. We have so many patients to take care of."

Lami raised her hands into the air cheering in glee with a huge smile, "Yeah!"

Mrs. Trafalgar turned to Law and Yukimi, "Well then, let's go to the festival!"

Yukimi watched as Law finally broke out a grin before nodding, "Yeah!"

*^.^*

Yukimi looked up at the sky as thousands of different colored petals, or confetti, she couldn't quite tell, floated down in the soft warm breeze as cheering filled her ears. There were firecrackers going off somewhere while people applauded over at a nearby street. The whole atmosphere was overflowing with joy and brimming with energy as the city's people had the time of their lives.

"This way! This way! Hurry up!" Lami said all the while tugging on her mother's hand as she made her jog beside her to a crowd of people lined up at a street.

Yukimi, in her human form, caught up to them, "Careful kiddo, don't wanna spill your ice cream cone."

Lami giggled, "I won't." She turned back around toward her older brother as he calmly walked after them, carrying his own ice cream cone. "Law come on!"

Mrs. Trafalgar smiled, "Lami, you don't have to rush like that."

"What if the festival ends?" Lami asked as she licked her ice cream, making Yukimi laugh at the child's naivety.

Law smiled at his beloved little sister, "It won't end yet."

Yukimi waited on Law as his sister and mother went further ahead. "How's it going Doc Slowpoke?" the kitsune asked as she walked next to him.

Law rolled his eyes at his ever changing nickname, about to answer when his mother spoke up.

"Lami what's wrong?"

Yukimi and Law looked up to see Mrs. Trafalgar kneeling next to Lami, who seemed to be in a lot of pain.

Law's eyes widened in concern for his little sister, "What? Lami!" He dropped his frozen treat as he ran over to them, Yukimi right behind him. "What's wrong? Are you alright?!"

Yukimi knelt down next to Lami as her mother held the child in her arms. "What's going on?" She then heard Law gasp. She looked up at him, noticing him staring at Lami's right arm. Yukimi looked at the girl's arm before widening her own eyes. 'A white patch? What is that?! And what does this mean?'

"That's…"

Then Mrs. Trafalgar gasped as she too made the connection the kitsune was currently unaware of.

Yukimi looked between the two in growing concern, "Wh-what's that white patch mean guys?"

Mrs. Trafalgar stood up abruptly with Lami in her arms, "Later, we're going back to the hospital!"

*^.^*

It's been weeks since Lami collapsed during the festival. As the days went by, more and more people came to the hospital, varying in ages from the elderly, to the child, with white patches covering their bodies.

Yukimi tried her damnedest best to help around the hospital, even though she only just found out what Amber Lead Syndrome was. She worried for everyone's sake. Yukimi watched how Law's whole family was slowly succumbing to the poisoning.

It was so hard. Watching patients withering away in agony before finally dying and escaping the terrible pain they had to endure for so long. Old, young; it didn't matter where you came from within the city or how you lived or for how long or how healthy you were. It was all the same. White patches, paling complexion, and whatever hair pigment they had before became its own pale counterpart.

At this moment Yukimi was on top of an abandoned building close to a barricaded street where she just witnessed a young couple trying to escape the now quarantined country, only to be mowed down by bullets from men in black military hazard suits with masks. "Damned bastards. They won't listen to any medical reason or proof that this white shit isn't contagious. But apparently, human selfishness and stupidity are!" she growled as her ears went flat against her naturally white hair. "Even after all the doctors Mr. and Mrs. Trafalgar worked together with at the hospital, nobody outside this country will lend an ear. It all only falls on rich and politically powerful deaf ears."

Yukimi suddenly felt a drop of water land on her collarbone. She lifted a hand to feel the spot but stopped when she realized she was crying when more liquid fell onto her raised hand. "I came to this city in need of help, and what I received was a family who helped me without hesitation for what I am. I've come to love this beautiful country and Law's family as if it were my own home and family. Why does this have to happen!"

Yukimi squeezed her eyes shut as more tears ran down her cheeks. The kitsune stepped away from the building's edge she was standing on in anger. The albino sniffled as she rubbed her eyes in despair over the terrible catastrophe happening all around her. Red eyes slowly opened after two fists rubbed away loose tears. Now not only are the irises their natural red color, but the sclera was now red too. Lips curled back as fangs made themselves known to the smoky air as the owner of them slowly returned to the edge, now facing the culprits who fired the weapons only a minute or two before. It was decided. Justice was well overdue for those damned men in black suits. The kitsune leaped down onto the fence below, facing the murderers. "Hey! You want to slaughter innocents? Then how 'bout I slaughter you in exchange for your sins, you damned murderers!" Yukimi shouted furiously.

The men backed up as they raised their guns at her, surprised to find someone else there. Though more shocked that this person was standing on the fence, threatening them, and had two tails swishing about paired with fox ears, that were strained forward in aggression.

Yukimi didn't give them an opening. She jumped into the air, pulled out hands full of shuriken, and deposited them into the men's bodies with precision. The kitsune then took out a kunai in each hand before landing in the midst of a small cluster of men. Yukimi quickly dodged the bullets aimed at her before instantly returning the favor by running past the men encircling her, kunai out, slitting their throats as she passed. More bullets began flying her way, some nicking her cheeks and arms but did that stop her? No. Did it slow her down? No. It only made her faster until she was a white blur to the now very terrified soldiers.

The men screamed as they were cut down by the albino. Some tried rushing in all at once to overwhelm her. But that failed. Others tried using blowtorches. That failed when Yukimi leaped out of their range, roasting each other alive instead. Another group tried grenades. The kitsune batted them back with ease. Finally, when the last man fell dead by the kitsune's kunai, Yukimi stood up straight as her sensitive ears twitched. She could still hear cries for help and agonized screams far behind her, peppered with much gunfire and explosives.

Yukimi gripped her blood soaked hands tightly around her equally soaked weapons. She growled loudly before taking off back to the hell the once beautiful city had become. As Yukimi ran, she infused her chakra into her feet and quickly began running up the side of a large, half obliterated house as a group of soldiers ran underneath her. Once on what remained of the roof, the kitsune jumped from building to building until she reached the hospital she was once hesitant to go to months ago, now like a second home. Yukimi could see many dying citizens at the front locked gates, trying to get in for help.

Yukimi shook her head before jumping down to the gates' wall before landing inside the quart yard and making a sprint to the doors. She could hear the people calling out to her as she closed the door behind her, 'I'm sorry.' Yukimi then quickly ran up to the floor where she knew Lami's room was. Once there she stood before the door, taking deep breaths to slow her breathing down. Then the kitsune opened the door.

"Why is it so noisy outside?"

"There's a festival. Flevance is always so prosperous," Law smiled softly. Yukimi watched as Law stood beside his dying little sister as he held her pale hand. "Get well soon and let's go to a festival together again!"

Lami nodded tiredly with a smile of her own.

"That's right Lami. Once you get better, we'll all go to the festival together. We'll get lots of cotton candy, ice cream cones, and popcorn, and we'll see performers too!" Yukimi listed off with an excited tone as she closed the door behind her. She walked over next to Law, seeing how deathly pale Lami had become, even her brown hair had paled to such a degree.

"...Yu-Yukimi-ya!" Law stuttered as he stared at her in shock.

"What is it Law?" Yukimi asked feeling concerned and tired overall. It was then she realized she was still gripping her bloody kunai in an iron grip. Her hands were still covered in drying blood and shaking. At that, the kitsune dropped her bloody weapons, letting them clatter loudly on the tile flooring.

"Yukimi? What's that red stuff on your face?"

Yukimi jumped in her boots at Lami's weak voice. "Wha-huh? Oh, it's just some paint Lami. You see, uh, I'm painting you a big picture of a rose. And I seem to have forgotten to clean up, eh heh heh," the kitsune fibbed with a small awkward smile of her own. Yukimi was about to grab some tissues to clean herself off when she noticed Law staring at the door.

Before she could ask anything, Law looked back up at her. He looked at the kitsune as if he was thinking of something very important, making her raise a brow at him in question. Law turned back to his little sister. "Lami let me help you up," he said as he begins doing so.

Yukimi wasn't sure what was going on. "Uhm, Law?" She watched the boy move his weak sister into an armoire that was in the room, all the while confused as to what he was planning.

"Lami, stay in here for a few minutes," Law instructed. Lami nodded as she sat against the back wall of the furniture. Law then faced the bloody kitsune, "Yukimi-ya, I want you to stay here with Lami."

Yukimi furrowed her brows together as her confusion thickened. "What are you saying?" she asked quietly as she crouched down next to Law. "What are you going on about?"

Law didn't say anything really, he only gave her a look that he only showed her once before. Back when Law first brought her to the hospital. The boy smirked at her before he started pushing her towards the armoire. "Just stay here for a few minutes with Lami, Yukimi-ya," he said as he gently pushed the kitsune into the furniture.

"Law-!" The door closed on her. It wasn't even five minutes later when Yukimi's ears picked up crying, soon followed by multiple guns firing off and glass breaking.

"...Are those...firecrackers...Yukimi?" Lami asked with a quiet tone. She looked up at Yukimi as the kitsune had her eyes narrowed at the crack between the furniture's doors.

Yukimi looked down at slowly fading brown eyes. Her ears drooped more than ever, "...Yes, those were firecrackers Lami." The kitsune knew Lami didn't have but a few minutes. She then had an idea. Yukimi looked down at the white ocarina looped around her neck. "Would you like me to play a tune, Lami?" She barely got a nod back. Yukimi pulled Lami into her lap so she to be more comfortable. Lami's eyes slowly began closing as Yukimi brought her ocarina to her lips and began playing her song.

The melodic tones began with low notes, then gradually became higher, only to fall, to rise, and rise higher still. All the while like a soft lullaby with sharp notes every now and again. But it was well synchronized when put together. As the beautiful notes rose, they made a descent into a heavy tone but rose once more. It was like listening to the rise and fall of the ocean's tide, almost like it was breathing. It made you picture the sun and moon, rising and falling in perfect harmony as the ocean breathed calming sighs beneath the two individually majestic spheres in the sky. It would be hard to put this beautiful melody into simple words just for description, but for the ears and the mind's eye, it is all too simple to have the peaceful, tranquil musical notes dance around under the blue waves and high up and around the clouds and stars of the endless sky above with no limit. It was like time was nonexistent but for the sharp rise of the sun and the soft fall of the moon. As it would now come to an end as the last notes were blown through the holes of the small white ocarina in the kitsune's hands, red irises falling to closed brown ones. Lami was dead.

Yukimi felt tears spring forward as she saw Lami pulling a soft little smile in her eternal sleep. "I-I'm glad you l-liked it, L-Lami," she hiccupped as she tucked her instrument inside her shirt. Fuzzy ears twitched at more gunfire coming closer. The kitsune growled a low growl as she kicked open the door to the armoire, hard enough for it to slam loudly against the wall before slowly swinging back. But by then Yukimi had already placed a pillow under Lami's head and a blanket over her body, "Rest Lami, you deserve it." Then Yukimi spied her discarded kunai with the blood on it now dry. It was an understatement how she wanted to wash her weapons in more, fresh blood soon.

"I heard something over here!"

And it looked like the very agitated kitsune would get the opportunity very soon. With that in mind, Yukimi walked out of the room before gently closing the door, as if there was a sleeping child in the room she just left. Walking further down the hallway, Yukimi immediately spotted a few men in those black suits.

"There's one-" the man stopped short upon seeing Yukimi. Let's just say, the man was shitting himself where he stood just by looking at the enraged kitsune.

"What are you standing there for? Shoot it!" another man shouted as he realized there was blood on the being in front of them, with bloody weapons to boot.

But before any of them could so much as blink, they were dead before they realized what had happened to them. Yukimi landed on all fours behind the small group of soldiers. As she walked away, the men dropped to the floor as blood spewed all over the walls and floor. A massacre of her own, though not the first that night. The albino soon found the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Trafalgar in a room riddled with bullet holes, blood, and shattered window glass. There were small bloody footprints leading to it. Yukimi made a quick silent promise to them that she'll look out for Law before sending a prayer for them. After that, she jumped out of the shattered window.

Yukimi ran through the streets, killing any and all soldiers who dared to cross paths with her as she searched for the lone surviving Trafalgar. Yukimi ran up the side of a building to the roof, quickly leaping to another building to avoid the soldiers slowing her down.

Yukimi grimaced when she landed on a burning building. Smoke was billowing up out of the windows, causing her to cough from the fumes. Yukimi waved her hand in front of her face to be rid of the smoke from entering her lungs. She looked over the edge, scanning for a familiar spotted hat, finding nothing but bodies littering the street. Yukimi walked over to the other side of the building, still waving the smoke away from her face, and leaned over the edge. "Oh shit...!" A large massacre of children and a young nun had occurred not too long ago. It was horrifying to look at. She then heard screaming and crying coming from the bloodied area. Law was next to the nun, slamming his fists on the bloody ground. Yukimi quietly jumped down before the burning building could collapse from under her feet. "Law," Yukimi called out to him as she walked over to where he stood up.

He slowly looked up toward the kitsune, but not really looking at her. "You're...you're not with Lami…? Where...?"

Before Yukimi could say or do anything, Law suddenly took off back toward the hospital. "Law wait!" She tried stopping the boy but he soon found his home burning. "...The surrounding buildings must've...set it off," Yukimi murmured after she caught up to him.

"No…the hospital…!" Law fell to his knees and started weeping, "LAMI!"

Yukimi felt fresh hot tears stinging her eyes as they too fell. She knelt down next to Law and turned him toward her. The kitsune wrapped her arms and tails around the boy, letting him cry out his tragedy into her shoulder, feeling him twisting the front of her hoodie in his fists for dear life. "I promise I won't ever leave you Law. Not in this hellish crisis, nor anytime soon," Yukimi said in his ear, hoping he heard her through the roaring flames beside them, consuming the once wonderful hospital and home, and his childhood.

*^.^*