~Hey guys! Ready for another installment of Long Term Hearts? I've got the next three chapters ready to do the last edit and post so they'll be easy to get up sooner rather than later. And better yet, I'm just itching to start on the tenth chapter! Of course, there are other chapters in the future that I'm itching just as much as for chapter ten. Can't waaiiiit! Lord I can't wait, got it all planned out...sort of lol. Okay, so if y'all were wondering if I was gonna go right on ahead and go to Sabaody, well nope! 'Cuz this is better. This is how Yukimi meets the fresh new Straw Hat crew! Please enjoy and please leave a review! ...please...
Long Term Hearts
Chapter 6: The Baratie and the Straw Hat
**********^.^**********
Yukimi sighed as she leaned back against the side of her sailing boat. The kitsune rubbed her stomach as she tried to ignore the fact she was low on food, again. Yukimi pulled her hood a little more over her red eyes to shield them from the bright sun. 'Can't believe it's been eleven years, give or take a few months since I've last seen Doc. I wonder how's he been…'
A shadow passed over the small sailing boat, catching the kitsune's attention. Lifting the brim of her hood, Yukimi spotted a News Coo circling the boat. The kitsune grinned as she stood up. Yukimi waved the bird down before taking out some money for the bird. She walked to where the bird was now perched on a crate she had on board. "Here ya go," Yukimi exchanged the money for the rolled up newspaper. "Have a safe trip!" she called after the News Coo took off. Setting the rolled up paper to the side for the moment, Yukimi readjusted the ropes to the sail as the wind picked up a little. The kitsune pulled out her map of the area as she sat down on the crate. Looking over where she was at, Yukimi rubbed her fingers over the ocarina hanging from her neck. "I should be there soon, around midday I believe."
The kitsune picked up her newspaper and began reading it. Yukimi donned a bored expression as she read an article. "Damn Government, always making up boring bullshit coverups, it's getting old if you ask me. It's better to know what's really going on in the world, especially if it's concerning your area," she grumbled after reading a different section on how the Marines had defeated a pirate crew somewhere, talking about how easy it was to spread 'Justice'. "I bet that pirate crew was just a bunch of newbies if they're saying how easy it was or something like that."
BANG!
Yukimi was just turning to the wanted section when something went off in the distance. She looked up seeing a trail of smoke coming from a large fish shaped ship ahead of her. "Ah, that must be the famous floating restaurant Baratie. Must've been closer than I thought I was. But what's up with those two ships?" Fox ears lowered through hoodie earholes, feeling a wave of annoyance as a marine ship sailed further away from the other ship. "Marines, I bet it was their fault the restaurant was damaged," the kitsune sighed as she dog eared the page she was on.
As she sailed closer to the floating restaurant, Yukimi noticed a rowboat with a few marines and a nicely dressed couple dock at the restaurant. "Great, it looks like I'll be eating lunch with uniform idiots today. Need to remember to ask for a table away from them," Yukimi grumbled unhappily. As the kitsune prepared to dock her sailing boat, she noticed another boat with two boys and a girl coming in to dock as well. And from the looks of it, coming from the ship with a goat head on the front. When Yukimi finally docked her boat to the restaurant, the kitsune overheard the orangette she spotted earlier as she complained about someone called Luffy about not blaming the marines. Shrugging her shoulders Yukimi made sure her boat was secured before walking to the entrance where the three were.
Crash!
"What was that?!" cried out the long nosed boy.
"Sounded like a table was smashed, if you asked me," Yukimi casually commented as she walked up to them pulling her hood down, letting her furry ears flip out.
"Who're you?" asked the orangette.
"The name's Dew Yukimi, and you are?"
"I'm Nami," she gestured to herself than to her friends next to her, "this is Usopp, and-"
"Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro," the kitsune's eyes widened at the swordsman before her. "I've heard you were arrested recently by the marines. How did that happen with someone of your skills?"
"Uh-"
"Wait!" Yukimi raised her hands frowning, "Don't tell me, some idiot framed you or some bullshit? Gah! Marines will believe in anything if it meant jailing someone, and looking like the good guys!" The kitsune finished putting her hands on her hips.
Zoro crossed his arms annoyed as he remembered how he met his captain. "It's a long story."
"Uh pardon me but," Usopp started as he looked at Yukimi's tails, "what are you?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm a kitsune." Yukimi turned around to show them her tails before facing them again.
"A kitsune?"
Yukimi nodded at Nami, "Yup."
"I've heard of your kind back from my village. Aren't you supposed to be rare?" Zoro asked eyebrow raised.
"Well, as rare as seeing a mermaid up close I guess," Yukimi said before blushing when her stomach growled. "Uh, sorry, I've been low on food lately."
"Well that's why we're here," Usopp said as Zoro opened the doors.
Once the doors were opened, all four were surprised seeing the marine lieutenant from earlier, being held by his throat by a blonde in a suit.
"Is this a fight or something?" Zoro asked as he held the doors open for the others.
"That would explain why that table is smashed," the kitsune commented seeing the debris and ruined food scattered on the floor.
"Messing with a cook of the sea is a good way to get yourself killed... Remember that well," the blonde warned glaring down on the marine he was holding up.
"A customer! You're at it again, Sanji?!" A big man walked over to the blonde, obviously angry. "What are you doing to our customer?! Isn't that a marine lieutenant?"
Sanji looked over to his coworker, "Just teaching him a valuable lesson. Gotta problem, you crappy cook? Don't talk to me that way!"
"A crappy cook has no right to call me crappy! To a restaurant, customers are everything! Beating up our valuable customers, what're you thinking?"
"Customer or not, it's no different. This guy not only ruined our dishes, but he also insulted its chef!" Sanji dropped the lieutenant. "That's why I thought I should teach him a lesson."
"Tch, marines are marines," Yukimi muttered crossing her arms as the man started ranting on how he'll destroy the restaurant.
"I guess that means I can't let you leave this place alive." Sanji started marching over to the beaten marine when several other cooks grabbed him.
"Stop it, sous chef!"
"Let go of me! He started it!"
"Stop it! Stop fighting, Sanji!"
"Just who do you think you are? Huh?" Sanji growled trying to grab the marine again.
Just then the ceiling broke as a boy and an older man fell through, landing in a pile. The boy sat up looking out of breath, "I can breath again."
"Ch-Chef Zeff? What's going on?" one of the cooks asked.
The head chef looked up at the damaged ceiling, "Damn it, look what you did! You broke my ceiling! It's all your fault, boy!"
"Nuh-uh! You broke it yourself, old man!" Luffy shouted back.
"What are you doing, Chef Zeff?!" one of the cooks asked as he tried holding Sanji back. "Leave him and help us stop Sanji here!"
The head chef looked away from Luffy towards the struggling cooks and Sanji. "Hey, Sanji. Were you fighting in my restaurant again, you ingrate?"
Sanji stopped struggling as he turned to the head chef, "Shut up, old geezer!"
"What?! Who do you think you're talking to?! You wanna destroy my restaurant?! You insolent brat!" The man then kicked Sanji with his pegged leg. Zeff looked over to the grinning lieutenant, "You're another one! Get the hell outta here!" The head chef demanded, kicking the man clear across the floating restaurant, almost knocking him into another table.
"Well this restaurant sure is lively," Yukimi commented as she and the other three moved away from the entrance.
"You got that? The customers are gods!"
"Only the ones who can stand your cooking."
"Patty, Sanji! If you wanna fight, go do it in the kitchen!" Zeff ordered the two arguing cooks.
Yukimi's ears twitched hearing someone running toward the entrance before a marine appeared at the front doors where they were just at.
"L-Lieutenant! Lieutenant Fullbody! We've got a problem! The Pirate Krieg's man has escaped!" the marine reported in a panic.
Fullbody turned toward his subordinate, "What?!"
The marine bowed his head, "We thought he could've given us a lead on Krieg... We've already lost seven of our men."
"That's ridiculous! When we got him three days ago, he was about to starve to death! And we haven't fed him yet, have we?"
Yukimi observed the dining room as various customers started whispering about the Don Krieg Pirates.
"Isn't he supposedly the most powerful pirate in the East Blue?" someone asked another at their table.
"I'm really sor-"
A gun went off from behind the marine, causing the customers to scream out in fright as another man slowly sauntered past the injured marine.
"We have a new customer," Patty muttered.
"He better not cause any more trouble in my restaurant," Zeff replied.
Yukimi warily watched the pirate slowly saunter inside with a smoking gun to a vacant table, taking a seat.
"I don't care what it is..." he started putting his foot on the table. "Just bring me something to eat. This is a restaurant, isn't it?"
Patty walked up putting his hands together with a big grin. "Welcome, ya stinking bastard," he greeted earning a collective gasp from the other customers.
"I'll only say it once more, so listen up. Bring me something to eat," the Krieg pirate demanded.
Patty rubbed his head, "I'm sorry sir, but we'll be expecting you to pay for a meal here. Do you have enough money?"
The pirate looked at him before pointing his gun at Patty, "Will a bullet be okay?"
"So I take it that you don't have anything," Patty deadpanned frowning. Before the pirate could react, he and the chair under him were smashed by Patty's large fists.
"Why that Patty bastard broke one of my chairs!" Zeff grumbled from the sight of his chair in pieces, arms crossed.
"If you can't pay up, you can't eat," Patty declared standing tall, glaring down at the pirate. The other customers and chefs all cheered the chef on. The Krieg pirate's stomach growled pitifully, catching the cook's attention. "Aww, your stomach's growling there, ya filthy pirate," Patty sneered down at the pirate.
Don Krieg's subordinate glared up at Patty, "Shut up, dammit. Hurry and get me something to eat."
"You're no customer, so, get the hell outta here!" Patty all but yelled in his face. The large man then kicked the weakened pirate. Afterward, Patty turned around to the applauding customers. "Alright ya stinking bastards. If you need anything, just ask," Patty said as he curtsied with an accompanying large grin.
Yukimi sighed through her nose as the large chef proceeded to carry the man out. "Well, that was a show," she muttered in a flat tone as she noticed that Fullbody and his injured subordinate had already left.
"Yeah, you're right." Nami hummed before offering a smile to the Yukimi, "So would you like to join us? It'd be nice to have more female company for once."
The kitsune opened her mouth but her stomach answered for her. "Eh heh heh heh, guess my stomach says yes," Yukimi scratched her temple feeling embarrassed. Soon the small group was seated and was served fresh, piping hot food. Yukimi grinned as she ate, "This is great stuff! I can never cook this good!"
"Mmm! This is so delicious!" Nami smiled blissfully as she swallowed some of her salad.
"So," Zoro started as he took a bite out of his lobster leg, "if I remember right, you're supposed to be really old right?"
"You're not supposed to say something like that to a lady!" Nami glared at the swordsman heatedly.
Yukimi grinned as Usopp looked between the two a little nervous. "That's okay," she waved the cautious air away. "I once scolded this guy I know when he was just a kid when he asked how old I was. You should've seen his face, it was so funny!" The kitsune chuckled at the memory. "Ahh he was fun, but to answer your curiosity Zoro, I'm two hundred ninety-eight."
Poor Usopp choked on his drink. "R-really?!" he asked after coughing quite a bit from across the table from her.
"Yup."
"So what do you do, Yukimi? I see you carry some kind of dagger." Zoro leaned to the side a bit, looking at the holster on her thigh.
The kitsune snickered from Nami's glare at the poor straightforward swordsman. "Here, I'll let you guess," Yukimi smirked as she took her kunai from its holster and handed it over to him.
As Zoro examined the weapon, Yukimi pulled out the newspaper from her hoodie pocket. She opened it up to the dog eared page. 'Now let's see here...' Yukimi flipped through the wanted section until she found a very familiar fur spotted hat. The kitsune grinned happily seeing the lone White Town survivor with a higher bounty than the last time she checked. "87,000,000 beris already eh?"
"Yukimi?"
"Huh?" Yukimi looked up at the three looking at her. "Oh sorry! I uh-"
"You're a ninja, Yukimi," Zoro stated with slightly wide eyes as Usopp's mouth went slack in awe. "Kunoichi right?"
"Uh, shinobi if you will," Yukimi replied as she tore out a page of the wanted section. She then stashed it inside her hoodie pocket for safekeeping. "I really don't like being called a kunoichi because of how they work."
"What were you looking at?" Nami asked with a knowing look.
Yukimi blinked from the look she was receiving from the young woman. "Oh uh, I was just glancing through today's newspaper. Sorry, I guess that was rude of me," the kitsune rubbed the back of her head apologetically while her ears lowered a little feeling abashed.
"It's fine, you're in the company of pirates after all," Nami said with a slight frown as she glanced at the guys as Zoro handed Yukimi her kunai back.
"What? You guys are pirates? Wait! Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro is now a pirate himself?!" Yukimi stared at the swordsman slack jawed.
"Long story," Zoro repeated from earlier, waving her off.
"And I'm Captain Usopp! The brave, the courageous, the mighty-"
"You're not the captain Usopp," Zoro deadpanned, making the sniper sink in his seat.
Yukimi chuckled at Zoro's bluntness. "Have you guys gotten the newspaper yet?"
"No, we haven't. Oh! Thanks, Yukimi," Nami said receiving the paper from the kitsune.
"No prob! So, who's the captain anyway?"
Nami looked up just in time to see Luffy walking down the spiral staircase. She and the others grinned, "Oh chore boy!"
Luffy leaned over the railing, seeing everyone at a table with lots of food without him. "Hey, it's you guys!"
"Hey, we heard that you've gotta work here for a year!" Usopp chuckled.
'Hm? I must've missed something when I was looking at a certain someone's wanted picture,' Yukimi thought.
"Can I redraw the pirate flag?" Zoro asked smugly.
"What's all this?! You guys get to stuff yourselves with all this delicious food while I'm not around?! What kind of crew are you?! That hurts! How could you do this to me?!" Luffy yelled as he walked next to Yukimi's chair, making said kitsune rub her sensitive ears with a grimace.
"Not really, it's our free will," Zoro closed his eyes enjoying himself at the rubber boy's expense.
Luffy picked his nose and flicked his booger into Zoro's glass of water while the swordsman laughed. "Take this," the rubber boy muttered.
"Oh boy! This is gonna be good!" Usopp snickered.
Zoro turned back to his irritated rubber captain, "You know, I have to say the food here is really quite delicious!" The swordsman picked up his glass of water, "Good stuff."
Nami and Usopp turned away as they tried to keep from laughing. Yukimi grinned behind her hand, trying to keep a straight face as Zoro slowly tipped the glass.
"Yes, it is. I'd feel bad for you but..." Zoro suddenly shoved the contaminated glass of water into his captain's mouth. "This glass is not drinking itself!" Zoro laughed.
Luffy sputtered and coughed as he fell to the ground, "I can't believe you did that! Nasty!"
"Yeah? Well, I can't believe you did that!" Zoro countered standing over Luffy frowning.
"So that's your captain Nami?" Yukimi asked laughing.
"Well I'm not really part of this crew, but yes, Luffy's the captain!" Nami laughed before beating the table with her hand.
Elsewhere in the dining room, Sanji straightens up from pouring a glass of wine for a beautiful lady. He looked over to the rubber brat's table, "Man, they're noisy... Are those idiots his crew? Hm?" The cook saw a young beautiful orangette beating on the table laughing and another, equally beautiful albino with fox features laughing with tears in her eyes. Sanji handed the wine bottle to the other customer without looking away from the gorgeous duo, "Here, pour it yourself."
Yukimi was wiping her tears from her cheeks when a rose appeared next to her, taking her by surprise.
"O' mother ocean! Thank you for arranging this encounter with these fine, beautiful ladies!" Sanji announced dazing at the two. Yukimi and Nami straighten up in their seats as Sanji went back and forth between them, expressing his love to them. "Go on, laugh at me. I, who can't bear torture. As long as I'm with you, it matters not if I'm a pirate or a devil..." Sanji covered his eyes before looking back at them with heart shaped eyes and blush. "My heart's ready as can be!" The cook handed them each a rose as he stood from kneeling between them. "Oh, but this is horrible!" Sanji looked up as he placed his fist to his chest. "There's such a great obstacle between us!"
"That great obstacle is me, right? Sanji."
Sanji snapped out of his lovesick daze, "Old geezer."
"This is a great opportunity for you. Why don't you just run off and become a pirate just like them?" Zeff asked as the blonde in question turned to him. "I have no use for you here."
"Hey listen, pal. I'm the sous chef in this restaurant. What do you mean you don't need me anymore?"
The old head chef leaned against an empty table across from them. "You fight with customers all the time. You flirt with every woman under eighty that walks through this place. You can't even cook a decent meal either. You're nothing more than a burden to this restaurant! That's what I mean."
"What the..." Sanji stopped as he heard snickering coming from the kitchen, seeing all the other cooks grinning at him.
"Oh and let's not forget about how the other cooks avoid you like some plague. So just run off and be a pirate or whatever. But get out of this restaurant."
"So that's how it is?" Sanji gritted his teeth. "You shoot off at the mouth and just expect me to take it, old man?" The blonde started walking towards the head chef. "I can blow off everything you just said, but I won't listen to anyone who trashes my cooking! I'm staying here as the sous chef and that's final!" Sanji grabbed Zeff's collar, "You hear me?!"
"What do you think you're doing, grabbing your boss by the collar?!" Zeff knocked off Sanji's hand before grabbing the blonde's in turn. "You stupid ingrate!" Sanji was sent flying into the pirates' table, making everyone grab all the dishes just before the table fell over from the impact.
"Dammit..." the blonde grunted as he slid to the floor. "Are you kidding?" Sanji sat up with a heated glare, "No matter how hard you may try...I'm gonna stay right here as the sous chef! 'Til the day you go to hell!"
"Dead? Hah, I got another hundred years of kicking your ass left in me!" Zeff declared as he walked away.
"Damn geezer. He's always gotta have the last word," Sanji muttered.
Luffy patted Sanji's shoulder with a big grin, "See? Isn't it great that he gave you his blessing! Now you can come with us!"
"Hell no!" Sanji then picked up the table and reset all the dishes. "My apologies," he spoke smoothly. "I hope I can make it up to you with this delightful Fruit Macedonia, my princesses." Sanji placed a fresh colorful fruit dish in front of Nami and Yukimi each before pouring wine for them.
"Wow! You're too kind!" Nami smile pleased. "It looks wonderful."
Yukimi grinned at the delicious looking fruit, "I love fruit! It looks so tasty!"
"Good."
"Hey! Don't go forgetting about us, Mr. Casanova!" Usopp said standing on the other side of the navigator. "We better get an apology too!"
"This tea should be more than adequate," Sanji got in the long nosed sniper's face, holding up a cup of tea. "In fact, you should be thanking me."
"What?! You're gonna regret this!" Usopp turned to Zoro while pointing at the cook. "Take him down, Zoro!"
Zoro sweatdropped, "Why don't you do it?"
Nami held her hands together looking up to Sanji, "Stop it. Please don't fight because of me."
Sanji looked back at her with hearts for eyes again, "Of course my dear."
"Who said it was about you!" Usopp shouted.
"By the way..." Nami placed her hands in her lap, putting up a cute front.
"Yes?"
"The food here is great, but...it's a bit expensive for me," she said sweetly rubbing Sanji's chin.
"Of course I won't make you pay..."
"Oh thank you!" Nami hugged Sanji making him drop his cigarette.
Sanji looked over to Zoro and Usopp. "You guys still gotta pay though."
"Whaaaa?!"
"How very generous of you," Zoro sweatdropped more.
Yukimi paused eating her fruit dish, "I don't mind paying for you Nami. As thanks for inviting me to join you guys."
"No, no! I insist! It's free of charge, for both of my beautiful princesses," Sanji said with his heart eyes again.
"Wait, who are you?" Luffy asked after laughing now looking at Yukimi.
"You just noticed her?!" Usopp gaped at his captain in shock.
Yukimi turned to the future Pirate King. "Uh hi, I'm Dew Yukimi."
"Wow, you look cool! What are you?" Luffy asked excitedly.
"Uhm, I'm a kitsune."
"Awesome! ...What's a kitsune?" Luffy asked tilting his head in confusion.
"Well, I'm pretty much a human fox," she answered.
"Really?!" Luffy started getting a gleam in his eyes.
"She's even a ninja, Luffy," Usopp commented as he sat back down.
"Woah! You gotta join my crew!" Luffy exclaimed with stars in his eyes.
"Uh..."
"C'mon you have to-"
"What are you slacking off for?" Sanji kicked Luffy, making his head bend sideways. The cook then began dragging Luffy away, "Stop bothering the beautiful lady and go give the guests towels when they come in!"
"Yes, sir..."
Yukimi blinked confused at what just happened. "What just...how was Luffy not hurt?"
"Oh, he ate some Devil Fruit called the Gum Gum Fruit. Now he's a guy made of rubber," Nami answered as she started on her Fruit Macedonia.
"A Devil Fruit user huh?" Yukimi looked down at her now empty fruit dish as she fiddled with a corner of the paper she stashed in her hoodie pocket. The kitsune leaned back in her seat as she closed her eyes with a growing smirk. "You know what guys, I think I might consider becoming a pirate with you."
"How come?" Usopp asked as he rested his chin in his palm.
"Well, there's a better chance of finding a certain pirate when one is part of a pirate crew, after all," Yukimi explained grinning.
"Is this certain pirate the one from the missing wanted poster in the newspaper, Yukimi?"
The albino opened her red eyes and looked over to the orangette with the newspaper opened. "Huh?"
Nami turned the newspaper around, pointing to where a page in the wanted section was torn out with a knowing smirk.
"Oh."
"So who is this pirate?" Nami asked as she rolled up the newspaper. "And don't deny anything, I saw you staring at the page with a longing look."
"'Longing look'?" Yukimi repeated. "Well, I guess I could've had a look like that. I haven't seen him in eleven years."
"That's a long time," Usopp commented.
"Eleven years..." Zoro crossed his arms thinking. "How old would he be now?"
Yukimi hummed in thought. "I believe...he'll be turning twenty-four in a few months."
"Oh, so is he the guy you talked about earlier that asked your age?"
Yukimi gave Usopp a mischievous look as she grinned, "Yes, yes it was him."
"Well come on, show us this guy's wanted poster," Nami grinned.
"Well," Yukimi shrugged, "it wouldn't hurt to show you, I guess." The kitsune pulled out the folded up paper before she smoothed it out on the table. "Uhm, just to give you a heads up," Yukimi started as she covered the paper with her hands. "He's got a high bounty, so don't freak out."
When the kitsune removed her hands, Usopp let out a yelp at the sight of 87,000,000 beris. "Look at the size of this guy's bounty! It's huge!"
Yukimi's ears twitched, hearing Nami mumble about how the bounty was over twice as much as someone else's. She glanced over to her but saw Nami shaking her head before looking at the information the marines had below the picture.
"Trafalgar Law? Never heard of him," Zoro said as he leaned on the table.
"I'm not too surprised at that, Zoro. After all, Law's from the North Blue. He's pretty infamous there," the kitsune shrugged as she grinned mischievously.
"'He's called the Surgeon of Death. He's known to be sadistic, cruel and very cunning.'" Nami looked back up after reading the paper.
"Sounds scary." Usopp's voice cracked making the kitsune chuckle at the sniper's look.
The navigator raised a brow in Yukimi's direction. "Why are you looking for a guy like him? He doesn't sound like a very friendly guy if you ask me," Nami commented with disapproval.
The kitsune chuckled again at Nami's unimpressed tone, "Don't judge a book by its cover."
"Wait, North Blue? How did you get to the East Blue then?" Zoro asked raising his brow at her.
Yukimi shrugged, "There are many strange tales out there in the world and that's another story for another day." Yukimi leaned back in her seat, briefly looking up at the ceiling. "Anyhow, when I met him, he was just a kid who was training to become a doctor." Yukimi's ears lowered before continuing. "Under certain...circumstances...he's gained the power of a Devil Fruit called the Ope Ope Fruit."
"What's the Ope Ope Fruit?" the swordsman asked.
"It's uh, oh how did Cora describe it..." Yukimi muttered under her breath looking away. After a minute or so she looked back up, "The Ope Ope Fruit is a fruit that can give you the power to modify the human body." The kitsune gave a short laugh before continuing. "This power, adding onto his not-so happy-go-lucky attitude and medical knowledge...makes helluva since to be called the 'Surgeon of Death'!"
"Sounds better than Luffy's Gum Gum Fruit," Zoro half grinned thinking of what his captain's reaction would've been if he heard his comment.
"What do you mean by modify, Yukimi?" Nami asked.
She shrugged, "Beats me. Just shortly after Law ate the Devil Fruit, we were separated and haven't seen each other since. Separated within the day..." Yukimi sighed as she planted her elbow on the table, resting her chin in her palm with a faraway look. "He was only a child at the time, so I took it upon myself to stick by his side through thick and thin. We were separated during a really bad time. I miss him. And I hope to see him again soon." Yukimi's voice grew soft, "I sometimes wonder if he's still searching for me, or thinks I'm dead or if I'd been cau-" Yukimi stopped herself as her eyes widened at a thought. She stood up abruptly, "Excuse me!"
The group watched the kitsune quickly walk out of the Baratie. They didn't know what to say about the matter or how quickly Yukimi's mood had changed as she talked about this man.
Nami soon stood up and walked out to find Yukimi, leaving the boys to themselves. Stepping outside, the orangette quickly spotted the albino with her hood up, sitting at the edge of the wooden walkway. As Nami approached Yukimi, she saw the kitsune's furry ears twitch through her hoodie earholes as she walked up to her. The navigator sat next to the ninja. "I think you forgot this, Yukimi."
Said kitsune blinked as Nami held out Law's wanted poster. "Oh, thank you Nami." Yukimi numbly took the newspaper back, feeling a little better.
Nami placed a hand on her shoulder, "Do you want to talk about it? You seem on edge from something."
Yukimi stared at Law's face as she grew tense. "It's...a sensitive topic."
"I'm all ears, Yukimi. You look like you need some girl time." Nami pulled on Yukimi's wrist and dragged her to the Going Merry, despite the kitsune's protests.
*^.^*
"Ugh... We've been sitting around, twiddling our thumbs for four days now! How long do you think we'll be here anyway?" Usopp complained turning to a lazing Zoro.
"Who knows."
"He said he'll stay a year, but I'm already so bored," the sniper whined some more.
"Why not? We've got free food, a cozy atmosphere..." Nami smiled at the calm water below them.
"I don't mind waiting around for a bit, even if it does get a tad boring." Yukimi sat on the rail in her fox form, letting her tails swish about lightly.
Zoro glared at the two. "You're the only ones who get free food."
Usopp leaned over the Going Merry's rail, spotting his straw hat wearing captain carrying a big load of trash. "Hey, Luffy."
The rubber boy looked up at the resident long nosed sniper, "Yeah?"
"What's up with you? Hurry up and get out of this mess!" Usopp complained.
"Ah, can't you guys wait just a bit longer? I'll try talking to the boss again."
"Please do!" Usopp whined as Luffy walked away.
Yukimi turned to Nami, "Thanks again for letting me stay here these past few days."
The navigator smiled, "Of course! Us gals have to stick together after all."
The fox nodded as she remembered their girl time together. The talk with the orangette helped her calm down from her near panic attack during that day. Yukimi hated bringing up her phobia to anyone she didn't know, but with Nami, it was somehow easier. Maybe it was because she needed to get it off her chest when she started recalling the last time she saw Doflamingo. Shaking her head to be rid of that grinning maniac, Yukimi relaxed as the waves rocked the ship gently, further easing her mind off of what almost caused her attack.
"Aaah! Look!"
Yukimi snapped out of her train of thought from Usopp's outcry. She looked up spying a huge ship sailing towards the Baratie.
"Guys don't panic but I think that's our cue to leave right now-ha-how!" Usopp said already starting to panic himself.
"Look at the sheer size of that galleon!" Nami stared in shock at the approaching ship.
"Eh heh heh heh...size right...I feel like an ant..." Yukimi's ears lowered as she watched the large ship anchor next to the smaller fish themed restaurant.
The ship was so damaged, it looked like it went through a hurricane or something of the like. It was barely staying afloat as it was. Undeniably a hazard to stand upon or even being near it. The group on the Going Merry watched a large man who had to be Don Krieg, heavily supported by the pirate from the other day, slowly walk into the floating restaurant.
"Was that really Don Krieg?" Yukimi asked feeling the thick tension in the air.
Zoro stood next to the white fox, "Yeah, he looks like his wanted posters. But he looks weakened."
"To be supported by that guy," Nami observed.
"He's still Don Krieg guys!" Usopp started searching for Luffy. "Where's Luffy?! We gotta get outta here!"
The kitsune's ears twitched hearing a woman scream from inside before all the customers came running and screaming out of the restaurant. "What...?"
"Hey, see that? It looks bad. What do you think is going on in there?" Usopp started to shake nervously.
"Donno, let's go check it out and see."
"What?!" Usopp turned to the swordsman shocked. "Are you serious?!"
"Sure am. You sound kinda scared," Zoro smirked at the sniper.
"I am not scared!" the liar sniper defended.
Yukimi switched forms as she walked up next to Usopp, making him jump from her sudden transformation. "Yeah let's see what's up. Nothing ventured nothing gained, I always say."
Zoro's smirk widened into a grin at her words. The swordsman looked up at the huge galleon, "So strange. The ship looks abandoned."
Yukimi crossed her arms. "Want me to take a lil' peek?"
"Are you sure, Yukimi?" Nami asked turning to her.
"Sure I'm sure. I'm a shinobi, remember? I'll be back in a flash." The small group watched in amazement as the kitsune jumped off the ship. Their jaws dangled open as Yukimi ran across the ocean's surface as if it were only a puddle on dry land.
Yukimi leaped onto the side of the damaged ship. She kept the chakra fused on the bottom of her boots as she ran up the side of the ruined ship. Once on the torn, and unstable deck, the kitsune scanned the area for pirates. Not finding any so far, she walked further on. Yukimi moved her ears back and forth, left, and right, listening for anything. After jumping over a large hole in the deck, and turning a corner, Yukimi stopped dead in her tracks. Before her, there were starving, and most likely dead pirates everywhere. Many leaned against each other, and empty barrels but mostly laid sprawled out on the deck. "What...happened here?"
Yukimi jumped in her skin when a nearly dead man weakly grabbed her ankle. His voice was so dry she barely made out the man begging for food and water. Yukimi watched him pass out after that, letting her go. She took a step back from the possibly now dead man. "What a...tragic mess." Yukimi quickly returned to the rail she climbed over earlier, spotting everyone still on the Going Merry waiting for her. "There are starving, and dead pirates everywhere guys!" she called down.
"Seriously?!" Usopp squeaked.
Just as Yukimi jumped back down to the ocean's surface, she looked over to the Baratie when she heard more noises coming from the restaurant. "...Gunfire."
"C'mon Yukimi!"
Yukimi looked over to Zoro as he dragged a terrified Usopp to where a back door was. "So I take it that Nami's watching the ship with Johnny, and Yosaku?" Yukimi asked when she caught up to the guys.
"Yeah. Yukimi, how did you do that?" Zoro raised a brow at her as he prevented the poor sniper from running back to the Going Merry as he opened the back door.
"Chakra, I infused it on the bottom of my boots and it allows me to walk on water, and up vertical objects," she explained patting the wall next to her.
"Huh cool."
Yukimi closed the door behind them before they headed up to the second floor. "I heard gunshots earlier, did you?"
"Yeah we did," he replied in a low tone.
The kitsune nodded as the swordsman finally let go of the shaking sniper.
"D-Do we have to be here?" Usopp stuttered as he looked around nervously.
"Course we do, gotta help out, right?" Yukimi grinned, "Plus, it could be fun. I for one haven't been in any decent fights lately."
Zoro chuckled, "You said it." The swordsman then started the quiet descent down a spiral staircase until they could see the commotion they've been hearing since they set foot inside.
"What happened out there... Unfortunately, I don't find your smartass remarks very amusing. If you insist on this foolish behavior, I'll crush you right here and right now," said a man's voice on the first floor.
Luffy grinned as he pulled back his arm. "Go ahead if you think you can," he dared.
"I can and I will. It would be my pleasure to send you to an early grave, you cocky little runt!" Don Krieg's shoulder guards noisily opened up revealing guns, ready to open fire. There was a moment of silence as everyone stood stock still in anticipation. Waiting for the large pirate to shoot the chore boy.
Yukimi's ears twitched as Zoro's sword slid open an inch. "What's going on Luffy, need a hand?"
Usopp stroke a "brave" pose with his chin up. "If you don't need help, that's okay too."
Yukimi snickered at the sniper as his knees shook. She hopped onto the railing and squatted with a kunai in hand with a grin. "I wouldn't mind getting in on the fun. That is to say," the kitsune flipped her weapon to where it pointed down, "if there's a fight."
Luffy looked over his shoulder at his crew, "Oh hey guys. I appreciate the offer, but I think I can handle this clown."
"Oh well, if you say so." Usopp's knees kept shaking like dead leaves in a cold winter gale as he continued. "Buuut if you say you don't need any help, who am I to argue? Us awesome fighters are just gonna sit this one out. Holler if you need us-thwa!"
Yukimi laughed as Zoro tripped Usopp off his pathetic pedestal.
"What did you do that for, Zoro?!" Usopp rubbed his sore head as he yelled at the swordsman.
"Shut up already you weirdo!"
Don Krieg burst into a small laughing fit. "Are those guys and that weird looking dog your crew?"
Yukimi flinched at that. Her ears disappeared into her white hair as she bared her canines almost snarling at the insult. "Who're you calling a dog?! I'm a kitsune, ya piece of shit!"
Don Krieg still laughed at her response before turning his attention back on Luffy. "That's a pretty small group you got there kid!"
"Nuh-uh, that's not all. I have two more!" Luffy pouted holding up two fingers.
"I'm not a part of your crew!" Sanji yelled irritated at the straw hat wearing boy.
There was a minute pause before Krieg closed his shoulder guards. "I'll take care of you guys later. Right now, I need to feed my men." The large man slung a large bag of food over his shoulder. "For those who don't wish to die, you'd better not be here when I return. The only things I want are the logbook and this ship." Don Krieg started for the door but paused at it, "However, if you really want to throw away your lives, I'll have to go out of my way, but I'll be happy to send you to the bottom of the ocean! Keep that in mind."
Yukimi narrowed her eyes as Don Krieg left the restaurant. The kitsune let out a sigh as she got off the rail, put away her kunai, and sat down on the steps.
"I'm so sorry, Sanji. I never thought it would be this way..." Gin apologized with his head lowered as he gripped his hurt shoulder.
"You have nothing to apologize for, sailor."
Patty's jaw dropped at Zeff's words, "Huh?!"
"Every cook at this restaurant did what they thought was right. That's all there is to say about it," Zeff said as Gin stared at him in surprise.
"But Boss! Why are you siding with Sanji? What's going here?!" Patty gripped his giant fork in anger.
"Yeah! This is all his fault!" another cook said behind Patty.
"He's going to destroy your precious restaurant!" a different cook further back shouted.
"Shut the hell up, you stupid ingrates! Have you ever had to experience starving to death? Can you imagine how horrible it is? Having no food, and water in this vast ocean?" Zeff asked his cooks knowingly.
"What? I don't know what you're talking about, Chef Zeff," Patty said lowering his weapon.
The head chef looked around his cooks. "A difference between all of you, and Sanji, is that Sanji knows."
"What does he mean?"
"Sanji knows what?"
"Rather than just standing idle with petty talk, you'd all better leave this place now!" Zeff raised his hand over his head indicating for everyone to leave.
Every cook stared at the head chef as his words sunk in. It was a logical choice. To leave the floating restaurant was to live. To stay, was to die. But nobody moved an inch.
"I'm staying right here to fight! I can't simply let them trample over me!" Patty slammed the butt of his large fork against the floor for emphasis.
"Me too! This is where I work!" another cook said raising his weapon.
"I have no other place to work anyway!"
Yukimi grinned as all the cooks stood back up, ready to kick ass, and face death.
Gin stared in shock as all the cooks stood ready to fight. He shook his head before slamming his hands on the floor, "What are you doing?! Don't you see how strong our leader is?"
"Hey Gin." Sanji stood up and began walking to a table on its side. "Feeding the hungry is what a cook is all about. However..." the blonde placed his foot on the table's leg before pressing down, making the whole furniture stand up again. "Now that your captain's all filled up, he's nothing more than a plunderer. Whatever I do to your pals, don't come bitchin' to me. I'll kill anybody who tries to take this restaurant! Even you!" Sanji gave the pirate a deadly glare when he finished. "Got it?"
Gin gulped in response.
"Heh! You're a real headcase Sanji. Letting him live then threatening to kill him?" Patty questioned the blonde's sanity.
"Can it, you fatass cook." Sanji glared at Patty as he placed his cigarette back in his mouth.
Luffy looked back up to where his crew was with a big smile, "See? This guy's awesome!"
"Who cares how awesome he is?! We gotta get out of here right now!" Usopp said gripping onto the staircase railing.
"Take it easy there Luffy. He is Don Krieg, but he's in pretty bad shape," Zoro warned Luffy.
"Hmm..." Luffy turned toward the pirate still kneeling at the entrance. "Hey Gin. You said once before that you knew nothing about the Grand Line, right? But you have been there, haven't you?"
Gin looked at his hands as he recalled the traumatic experience. "The truth is I don't know anything. What happened at the Grand Line on the seventh day... Was it a dream...? Or reality...? It's still so fresh in my mind... It was unbelievable... Just one man..." Gin started to sweat as he placed a hand on the side of his face. "Destroyed a whole fleet of fifty ships!"
Everyone in the room gasped in shock.
"It all happened so suddenly. He showed up out of nowhere and started sinking our ships, one after the other. If a storm hadn't come along, our maiden ship would've been destroyed too. I have no idea how many of my mate's ships survived. But it was too scary for me to accept it all. I don't even want to think about what had happened! That man... His stare pierces through you, like the eyes of a hawk!"
Yukimi heard a gasp next to her. The kitsune looked at Zoro as he trembled at the description.
"Well then, that can only be the one known as Hawkeye," Zeff said crossing his arms.
Gin looked up confused, "What?"
"The fact you noticed his eyes, leads me to believe it was him. It all sounds like something he would do."
Zoro's eyes were wide as his knuckles turned pale from gripping the rail so hard, "Hawkeye Mihawk!"
Luffy looked up at the swordsman, "Hm? You know the guy, Zoro?"
Zoro let go of the railing as he smoothed out his breathing. "That's the man I've been looking for. I've sailed across the ocean to find him."
"Maybe he had some kind of grudge to settle against you guys?" Sanji speculated.
"Not that I know of!"
"Perhaps you disturbed his nap," Zeff offered.
"Stop the bullshit! Why in the world would he destroy our fleet for something that trivial?!" Gin shouted.
Zeff chuckled, "Don't get so worked up. I'm just making assumptions. Stuff like that happens on the Grand Line."
"Just what kind of place is that?" Usopp asked making Yukimi glance at him.
"The kind of place anything can happen," Zoro forewarned.
"And where your worst nightmares come true~," Yukimi added for kicks, loving the pitiful sniper's reactions.
Usopp whimpered at their words. "Hey, Luffy! Stop this right now! We can't go there!" the sniper yelled scared for his life.
Luffy's shoulders started to shake, ignoring Usopp's pleas. "Gah! I'm so pumped up!" he shouted excitedly. "I was hoping the Grand Line would have all this! This is gonna be a blast!"
"Do you even understand the concept of danger?!" Usopp yelled angrily.
"But with all this talk, now my destination will really be on the Grand Line." Zoro leaned back against the wall, eyes closed. "That man...I can definitely meet him there!" the swordsman said opening his eyes with excitement.
"Are you morons? You must be those who are eager to die," Sanji commented looking away from the three on the staircase.
"You're right. But it's none of your business," Zoro replied making the sous chef look back up to him. "When I decided to become the greatest swordsman in the world, I threw away the rest of my life. I'm the only one who can say that I'm an idiot."
"Ooh me too! Me too!" Luffy laughed raising his hand.
"As the man of the sea, same here!" Usopp said with a stupid grin.
"Shut up, stupid," Zoro rebuffed as he poked the sniper in the head with the end of one of his scabbards.
Yukimi chuckled at Zoro's reaction to Usopp, finding it very amusing. "I've only met you guys a few days ago, so I have no comment here."
Sanji turned away again, "What idiots."
"Sanji, you wouldn't have included me in being an idiot by any chance, have you?" Yukimi asked leaning against the rail with a raised brow and sly grin.
"Of course not my beautiful sweet!" Sanji exclaimed with a smile and heart eyes.
Zoro rolled his eyes at the kitsune annoyed.
"Enough! Do any of you maggots understand the current situation? That enormous galleon moored in front of our dear little restaurant is none other than Don Krieg's flagship. So why don't we check back into reality, and deal with this!" Patty jabbed his huge fork towards them.
Yukimi stood up straight as a loud roar from outside resounded into the small restaurant. "It's Don Krieg's crew..."
"Hear that?! They're gonna be here soon!"
"The restaurant's ours! And I'll fight to the death to keep it that way!"
Suddenly there was a slashing sound in the air. Fox ears twitched at it as the kitsune leaned over the rail, trying to see what was happening outside through the open entrance. All she could tell was that something was cut, and it was a powerful cut. Then the fish themed restaurant started swaying roughly through the waves as Krieg's flagship was breaking apart in the water just outside. Yukimi leaned too far forward and was flipped over the rail from the sudden movements in the water. She let out a startled yelp before landing in someone's arms.
"Gotcha!" Sanji tightened his grip around Yukimi as the restaurant leaned too far to one side again, resulting in the blonde falling down on his rear with the kitsune in his lap.
Yukimi sat up as best she could under the circumstance, "Are you okay Sanji?!"
"What matters is, are you okay?!" the blonde asked her as he tried staying in one place with the kitsune in his grasp.
"Raise the anchor! Or we'll be dragged down with them!" Zeff ordered one of the cooks.
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"Wait! Nami and the guys are still out there on the ship!" Zoro leaped over the rail as he followed behind Luffy out the entrance.
Usopp bumped his head on the rail before running after them along with the cooks, "Wait! I hope it's not too late!"
After being helped up by Sanji, Yukimi ran through the open doors where she nearly collided with Luffy as he and the other cooks stared at the wreckage in front of them.
"Hey! Big bro!"
Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Yukimi ran over to the rail where Zoro's friends were swimming towards them. "Yosaku! Johnny! Are you guys ok?" Luffy asked as the two came closer.
"Where's the ship? Where's Nami? Is she okay?!" Zoro interrogated his friends.
"She's... I'm sorry big bro! She's left!" Johnny replied.
"Big sis Nami... She...she took off with all the treasure!" Yosaku said in turn.
"W-What did you just say?!" Everyone shouted in mixed emotions.
"Hm? That man is..." Zeff murmured under his breath as he gazed out to Don Krieg's shredded ship, noticing someone new.
*^.^*