Cześć! Rolling right into the next one. Tell me what you think maybe? Possibly? Perhaps? Please? Have fun.


Passage Seven: Unexpected Answer is Accepted

Though the smoke had begun to settle, the stench of fire and death filled the air. It was worse for Kirsi and her sensitive nose. She looked very displeased as she sat on the beach by herself as she tried to avoid the effluvium in the remains of town. Is this what it's really like out there?

"D-Do...do you need...need..."

Kirsi turned her head to see Chopper fail to hide behind a washed up log. "Oh hello there. Do I need what?"

"...bandaging..."

The blonde looked over her body. It was scratched and bruised, more than she initially thought. This was something she could take care of herself, but she might as well let the reindeer doctor help her while he's here. She nodded at Chopper with a soft smile and he hesitantly went to her. He sat down with a little blue bag that he opened, reaching in to pull out gauze and a vial. He made sure to avoid her gaze as he quietly went to work, sterilizing and wrapping or patching the worst of her injuries.

"You're really good at this," she commented which made Chopper flinch.

"D-Docterine taught me."

"Where are you from?"

He didn't reply at first as he gathered his materials back into his bag. "Drum Island. On the Grand Line."

"You're really cute when you get flustered."

Chopper jumped back from her looking angry. Until he started doing a weird wiggle like dance with an awkward grin and calling her an idiot. Kirsi chuckled to herself. Tahgu taught her the basics of first aid, but it was no where near the skill of the little reindeer. He was quite effective and the treatment was painless.

"Thank you Chopper. I really appreciate it."

"S-Shut up! That won't make me happy!"

"You look pretty happy to me."

"Idiot! Dummy head! Moron!"

"Flower Lady!"

The incoming voice of Luffy from above made Kirsi spring to her feet right as the Straw Hat captain crashed into her. The two of the tumbled dangerously close into the ocean, but Kirsi was quick enough to stop herself before she got too near the waters. Luffy on the other hand wasn't so lucky. He rolled right in to the shallows yet didn't come up. Kirsi dipped her head to the side in uncertainty. It wasn't until Chopper came running over to her screaming.

"He can't swim! He's gonna die!"

"He can't...swim? What do you-" It dawned on her. "Oh crap!"

She waded in, ignoring the energy draining power of the ocean and grabbed a hold of Luffy's shoulders to pull him out. It was sad that just a small amount of sea water could render her useless. But she trudged through and safely tossed Luffy on the beach before collapsing in heavy pants.

"He ate...he ate a Devil Fruit..." Kirsi mumbled breathlessly.

Luffy was garbling his words thanks to the water he nearly inhaled, but managed to speak. "T-Tha...thank y-you."

Chopper was running around screaming for a doctor before coming to realization he was the doctor and looked over Luffy. He let out a sigh to see we was just fine. Kirsi rolled over to her back as her breathing and energy went back to normal.

"Did you eat a Devil Fruit too?"

The blonde glanced at Chopper. "I did yes. That obvious huh?"

He nodded and went silent as he watched Luffy. It took a moment for him to stop being dramatic and jumped up, running around in an overly excited mood. Kirsi sat up as well, hearing several voices behind her. The rest of the Straw Hat crew had arrived and the blonde greeted them with a gentle incline of her head. Sanji got extremely emotional seeing her injured which lead to him getting a swift smack to the back of the head by Nami.

"Keep your testosterone in check," Nami grumbled at him, but changed her tone back when she talked to Kirsi. "Are you alright? You look like you took quite the beating."

"It wasn't enough to get rid of me." She paused for a moment before bowing low towards the pirates. "Thank you very much for helping to protect this town. I know you were only doing it to protect yourself. But thanks to you guys, the casualties were minimal."

Sanji came back around with a princely aura and took a hold of Kirsi's hand in both of his. "A beautiful women like yourself deserve protection. Sadly, seeing you hurt means this knight in shining armor failed."

"She can handle herself just fine you dumbass pervert."

Kirsi looked over the now aggroed Sanji's shoulder to Zoro. He was sitting on a pile of rocks and wood with an annoyed expression. The chef marched over to him and they immediately started going at it like stray cats meeting for the first time. Nami ignored them and sat down on a piece of driftwood. Kirsi joined her as Luffy started cheering and somehow both Chopper and Usopp got caught in the dust cloud of a fight. Robin seemed to enjoy the commotion from a distance.

"How did you get all those injuries?" Nami asked Kirsi.

"I joined up with Zoro after having a very heated argument with Tahgu."

The redhead shuddered from his name. "How did you get in a fight with him?"

"I was being childish. Have been childish for too long. Tahgu was always there to help me whenever I was younger. But as I got older, he kept trying to make me do things on my own. I guess it took a while for me to get the hint since I was so use to him being there." Nami went silent, unsure of what to say. Kirsi gave her a bright smile and continued. "I know what I've got to do know. The best opportunity is right in front of and now I just need-"

"Flower Lady!"

The sudden incursion of Luffy made the two girls jump and Nami slap him for scaring her. He dejectedly sat on his knees while Nami berated him, but immediately when back to grinning when he looked at Kirsi.

"Join my crew!"

"Okay."

The quick blunt reply was met with a shocked silence. The quietness was powerful enough to stop Sanji and Zoro from fighting and stare in Kirsi's direction. It wasn't until Luffy burst into a gleeful delirium, running around hollering like a monkey. Sanji was the next to fall victim to the happy virus, but he was crying and vocalizing his exhilaration of having another woman on the crew.

"Are you...are you sure?" Nami questioned with obvious uncertainty.

Kirsi nodded with a grin. "It took a little extra convincing from Tahgu to get my head out of my ass and stop being a baby. I realize that now you guys are probably are the only crew that would accept me. Another misfit to join."

"Finally."

The new voice made everyone turn around and there was Tahgu, standing with his arms crossed and his usual glare. His quiet arrival freaked the ever lasting daylights out of Chopper and Usopp who took off running while screaming. Zoro could tell this was a person with many battles under his belt. His gaze was that of an eagle scanning the land before him for his next meal. Built like a bear and presence of a no nonsense man. The complete opposite of the happy puppy, extensional crisis Kirsi.

Nami hid behind Kirsi when Tahgu motioned for everyone to follow. The blonde looked to the scared redhead behind her and quickly followed. She could hear the shuffling of multiple feet as the pirates treaded after her. She glanced behind, seeing them just as confused as her.

"Tahgu where are you taking us?"

"I got bored and some lost little mice decided to wander into the lion's den."

Kirsi was still confused. Then she saw it. What seemed like a small platoon of battered men sitting on their knees surrounded by some of the townspeople. Tahgu had rounded them up when they had nowhere to run after Kirsi blew up their ship. She notice some of the men cower when Tahgu passed by. The mayor Berta was there too. Even she had some bandages. She gave Kirsi a big hug and smiled at the pirates.

"We are in your debt Straw Hats," Berta told them. "I can't thank you enough for protecting the people. The town...not so much. But that can easily be rebuilt."

"Hey you got food lady?" Of course Luffy would ask that.

"Food? Oh yes of course. Thankfully most of our food storage and crops were spared. We also have help coming from the other town to provide for your ship."

"Thanks but I'm pretty sure we got all we need," Nami quickly said, shoving Luffy aside. "We'll be leaving as soon as the log sets and you'll never have to worry about us again."

Kirsi could tell Nami was feeling partially guilty for what happen. The pirates were following them and unintentionally lead them here. If it had been any other island, it probably would have had similar results. No one here seems to be giving the Straw Hats dirty looks or lashing out at them. The pirates inadvertently protected the lives of the townspeople. That's really all anyone cared about.

"I guess we should head back to the ship," Nami stated as she started pushing her crew mates towards the remains of the harbor. The Going Merry was just fine. "You'll be coming too right Kirsi?"

It took Kirsi a moment for her to register what Nami said. "Oh right yes I will. I'll meet you guys at the docks once the course has been laid."

Nami smiled. "It's nice to have another girl you know?"

She left with the others. Luffy was still hopping and whooping about Kirsi being a new member. Sanji too. Usopp and Chopper seem content. Robin looked indifferent. And Zoro could care less. At least that's what Kirsi thinks.

"So you've finally made up you mind."

The statement made Kirsi slowly look over at Tahgu with pursed lips. "I have yes. I know they will be many other crews to follow these guys. But the Straw Hats...they treat me like any other person. They don't care whether I have something to offer or not."

"Loyalty is difficult to find these days," he told her. "People can say what they want, but it's their actions that prove their true intentions. You better be useful to them Kirsi."

She recoiled from his tone. "Alright alright. Maybe my survivalist skills will come into use if they ever get stranded or-ack!"

Tahgu bonked her on the head hard with a closed fist. "There's no maybe. Since you aren't going to join the pirates yet, help me with these deviants."

The old forge master did what he did best. Make people fear him. He gave them two options. Stay here and help rebuild the town and become proper citizens. Or be thrown off the cliffs to the rocky bottom below and turn into fish food. The jarring gruff tone of his voice made the defeated men before him grovel to have their lives spared. Kirsi noticed they all looked like underlings. She wondered what happen to the captain. Did Luffy defeat him? Oh was he the first to scamper off like a dog with it's tail between his legs? Kirsi probably blew him up. She nodded to herself, not feeling sorry in the slightest. Yeah that's what happened.

"Tahgu tells me you are going to go with the pirates."

Berta's gentle voice shook Kirsi from her thoughts. "I am. It's about time I get on with my own life and stop using Tahgu as a lifeline."

"You're always welcomed here. As are your new friends."

"You really don't seem worried the docks and town were destroyed Berta. Any person would be furious."

The mayor chuckled. "Buildings fall and are rebuilt. People are fragile. Lives were saved thanks to you and the Straw Hats. That's the most important thing to me. Besides," she gestured towards the cowering men on the ground, "it looks like we have some new friends."

She did have a point. They just need a proper life course in how to be a civil person from Tahgu. The thought of that made her laugh then shiver. She knows how he can get. It almost made her feel sorry for them. Almost.

"Can I ask why you finally decided to join a pirate crew?"

Kirsi met Berta's gaze then over to the ship with the sheep figure head. "It's time for me to grow up."


Doing me a good tippy tappy on the laptop. Sorry if it's a bit bland. Oh if you would like some more info on Kirsi let me know. Have a weebtastic day you lovely snowflakes o3o/