She couldn't sleep; she couldn't comprehend the information she had seen the day before. Mizumi sat on the clod wood floor, with the necklace in her thumbs. The candle light flickered and danced. Mizumis' tired eyes blinked to stay open. The white night gown rested on her legs as she rested her back on the bed. She held the necklace in front of her and laughed.
Why is this sooo important, I mean it's a fucking necklace? None of this makes any sense. I want to scream but know Zoro will throw me over board. Ha ha; Zoro were do I know you from? That face and those eyes, were those from in this little head?
Mizumi held her head and herd her stomach growl, and she chuckled to herself. She closed her eyes and saw pictures of things she never seen before. The flash started with a ship, a grand ship. She saw a man in a black cloak and a black hat with an orange red color hair. He had a smile and as tall as he was he was intimidating. There was a little girl, about six at the most. She had black hair and hazel lightened eyes and she was climbing down the rope ladder from the crows nest. She was wearing a red bandana around her head, a red bikini top and a pair of light blue jeans. She had a telescope on the waist tie and sling shot.
"Daddy, look, look, look." She held a line from her hands and was smiling.
"A fish, a big one to. Great job!" he swung her around in circles and when she was in her mist of happiness he let it go. Then it flashed to a market and he had her on his shoulders and was eating a sweet treat and was laughing. Then it flashed to a great bon fire and she and he and other men were sing and roasting fish. The most depressing thing to her was when the images flashed to him tucking her into her little bed. He recapped a story. The little girls eyes gently fell and he laughed slightly and pulled up the covers. As soon as he walked out while closing the door Mizumi opened her eyes to her on her side hugging herself.
She closed her eyes again and hoped this was all a bad dream. A tear rolled down her cheek and she was heart broken. She never met her mother, nor her father. Then why was she seeing these images. Mizumi scrunched up her face and wanted to scream, but knew she couldn't. Her lips were sealed and glued shut. She wanted to run but her feet were stone. She whipped the water from her eyes and stood up wobbly with rocking ship. She looked out to see the sun just breaking through the horizon.
The door creaked as Mizumi opened the door for the wash closet. It sounded like an anchor dropped when the hot water turned on. The night gown came of easily and Mizumi put her hair up in a bun and stepped in. the water was so soothing, it washed over her like a water fountain. The steam was like her security blanket. It swirled at t he bottom of the tub around her feet and around her.
The hot water handle slipped as she turned the water off. The drips of the water landed on the floor as she stepped out. She was slightly ticked because she didn't have anything to wear. Then in her little bubble of anger she herd a knock. When s he put her hand on the knob it was already turning and Sanji walked in with hearts in his eyes while holding clothes.
"Mizumi –SCHWAAAAAAAAAAN!" he yelled, and twirled.
"Sanji! I'm not dressed get out, I mean... just wait a sec, or leave. JUST WAIT!" Mizumi took the clothes and raced into the bathroom. The clothes this time were still Nami's, there was a yellow tank top that had an immensely low cut. The shoulder sleeve shirt had a white ribbon that would either make the cut lower or higher by cress cross lacing on the chest, and on the rim of the shirt was white lace. The pants wear nice; skinny jeans. A light blue color and with two back pockets. The shoes were a little weird though. To Mizumi they resembled stilettos. They were a white color with white ribbon on it for decoration, and really hard to put on. When she opened the door Sanji gazed even more thoroughly and vividly. He raised up his arms and hugged Mizumi.
"You look WONDERFUL!" he squished her and Mizumi remembered what Nami did. The thump of Mizumis' hand on his head was loud. The hearts in his eyes were broken and a large pulsing bump was on his head. Mizumi walked away from the annoying chef and made her way up the stairs. The climb seemed to take forever and especially sense she was wearing heels.
The door opened like someone forgot to close it. The waves crashed on the boat and sea spray hit Mizumi in the face. The sail was folded up and the mast seemed to be naked. The grand sun smiled at the sea, inviting adventure. The decks were clean. The ship was well kept in her eyes. There were no holes, barnacles, slugs or insects clinging to the ship.
The steering system was superb, and instead of a stick it was an actual steering wheel. Mizumi tapped her heels on the wood floor and decided to hang herself over the edge for the heck of it. The water splashed her in the face and she laughed and felt like a little kid again.
Mizumi then felt hands around her waist and screamed. She struggled and slipped and screamed even louder holding on to her foe. The water grabbed at the ends of her hair. Then she herd a grunt and she was lifted back up into the ship.
"Shut up will yeah! Damn!" Zoro put her down and looked at her.
"ZORO! What are you doing?" Mizumi dusted herself off and Zoro looked angry.
"What am I doing? What were you doing? You could have fell over. Like I care I mean," he shouted
"You care, HA! That's right you don't," Mizumi stormed off and Zoro tried to reason with her but she completely ignored him.
Damn, she has problems. But were did I see that face before; I don't remember much at all. What the fuck?
Zoro looked down to see Mizumis' hand on his shoulder. He looked at her shadowed face and saw she was frowning and her eyes were closed and he saw a tear rolling down her cheek. He shrugged her off and walked away with a blank face and saw her look up and hr hair flew behind her like a bird.
"I just wanted to see if you were okay, I'm going back to bed." He yawned and placed his hand her shoulder and she smacked it off. He walked slowly away and as soon as he was at least two little centimeters from the door Sanji opened the door while hitting Zoro and made Mizumi laugh a little.
"Mizumi, what's wrong!" Sanji folded Mizumi into his arms and he was very serious and she cried into his orange suit,
"ZORO, DID YOU DO THIS!" he pointed to him. Zoro stood up while rubbing his face and shook his head while walking down the stairs.
"Thank you Sanji," Mizumi looked at him. Sanji took her hand and whipped the tears from her eyes and he smiled at her.
"We'll get through this together, understand." Sanji was so tall and handsome to her and kind and sweet. She choked a smiled at him and he pulled her down the stairs to the dinning room. The room made Mizumi laugh alone. There were so many fish and the aquarium surrounded them and felt like you were dinning with the kings and queens of the mermaids and knights that would protect them.
A Mizumi walked to a seat next to Chopper, she past Zoro. He grabbed her hand pulled out the chair next to him.
"Sit," he said with a mouth full of food. Then she herd Sanji yell,
"No, over here beautiful!"
"She's sitting here, plus it's less walking." Zoro stood and eyed Sanji.
"Maybe she wants to sit over here you over grown leprechaun." Sanji laughed at his own insult.
"HA! I said HA! Like that's goanna bug me you curly brow." Zoro put his hands on the table and smirked. Robin sighed with annoyance knowing this may be weird to a new person. Why must the two baka fight.. I mean we have a guest for damns sake! Robin put her fork down and laughed
"Sanji, Zoro; I'll move and you can both sit with her. Or shall we waist this wonderful breakfast on quarrelling." Robin sat up while holding her plate.
"Aye, there is meat on the table," Luffy had crumbs of a ham and cheese toast sandwich all over his mouth. Sanji came over with his and sat down and smiled.
"What do you want?" he handed her a plate.
"Whatever is fine." Mizumi was having a grand time watching the fish move vibrantly with the other fish. Then she saw a plate full of eggs, toast with jam, have with pineapple over it and orange juice being poured into a large glass. She didn't realize how hungry she was until she looked at the food. Mizumi held her grumbling stomach and Zoro gave a bad excuse for a smile. The food seemed to go down hard And hurt her stomach. She pushed the plate away and Sanji looked at her and she smiled.
"Delicious but I'm to full to eat or breath to eat another bite."
"Alright, stay pretty though, we'll be in port soon." He smiled at her.
"Yeah, I shouldn't eat anymore our Sanji may poison me with it." Zoro pushes his plate and stood up and yawned.
"What, how dare you!" He stood up and shoved his head in Zoro face.
"What you gonna do you banana head." The two were standing above Mizumis head yelling at each other. Mizumi laughed an evil laugh and stood up and knocked them both in the face.
"Shut up! For gods sake shut the fuck up will you? You both give me a head ace!" Mizumi stood up making the chair scratch across the floor.
"Mizumi SCHWWWWWAAAAANNNNN!" Sanji rose slowly and cried.
"Good riddance," Zoro got up and walked out of the room with his hands folded behind his head and yawned.
"Interesting girl huh Luffy?" Robin was sitting on the lawn chair with a stack of history and sea books with a glass of lemonade on them.
"Aye, she seems very different," he lay on the grass and crossed his leg over one and smiled while tilting his hat down.
"Where do you think she is from," Robin folded her page and put it on her lap.
"Don't know," he yawned again and stretched his legs.
Robin laughed and flipped her hair and continued reading.
But maybe she could be a help. If she can get Zoro to shut up then I like her. Wonder what she does? Humph, ill go ask her maybe she'll talk. Luffy stood up and Robins eyes fixed upon him as he walked up to the higher deck and saw her sitting on the rail holding onto rope. He hair flew behind her and she was singing a tune that Luffy so how remembered, and he smiled.
"Well hi!" Luffy yelled. Mizumi fell on the deck and screamed. Then she looked up at Luffy and was scared. She saw this face before, but where? She remembered the red haired man and him having something in common. She stood up and bowed.
"Hello Captain Luffy," She mumbled with a hint of fear to her voice.
"Captain, ha it's just Luffy," he put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up and she smiled.
"So Mizumi were are you from?" he looked at her while jumping up on the rail looking into the distance.
"I, I don't remember at all. I am sorry," She looked away.
"Aye, don't be." He burst out laughing and Mizumi went along with it and laughed.
"So, what do you like to do? What are your skills?" he got in her face and he smiled.
"Well I know how to fight very well, I can play the guitar, I love to write and read books." She stretched her arms up thinking she was boring him to death and she looked at him laying on his stomach on the rail with in large eyes.
"That's a lot," he rolled over and tipped his hat down to sleep but Mizumi tapped him and he looked up.
"Why do you ask?" She looked down at him and he smiled.
"No particular reason, just want to know a little." He laughed in the middle of his statement making it sounding inhuman.
"Really?" Mizumi looked at him funny.
He fell of the railing and laughed on his back rolling around on the wooden floor.
Mizumi grew mad and madder as the passing moment went with his obnoxious laughing. She slapped him across the face and stood there with her arms crossed. Luffy stood while rubbing his face still laughing as the pain subsided.
"That wasn't very nice." He chuckled.
"What you said wasn't nice either." Mizumi was getting tired of this childish captain.
Luffy looked around to the ocean and he breathed deeply and herd his name being shouted into the heavens. It was Robin, she was waving her hand above her head and now she was yelling in urgency.
"Come on Mizumi," he grabbed her around the waist and stretched his arm to the mast and swung to the spot on the grass were everyone was standing. Mizumi came down gracefully and laughed and held her stomach she was laughing so hard form the fun.
"Alright we are approaching Pompeii," Nami traced her line to an island along the equator and the prime meridian intersecting exactly were the island lay.
"So we are here," Mizumi traced her intricate lines and found there location remembering the sense of direction she learned from her past foster parents.
"Yes... but how... I mean?" Nami looked at her like she was going to hit her.
"…Sorry," Mizumi backed away finding her place behind Luffy.
"Okay we are at least 16.10 kilometers away and the climate at the lowest is 33.8 degrees Celsius. The Mayor of this island is Animi, she is a very young Mayor of the age of seven-teen and it is a tropical island living off of tourism and the many events that happen there," Robin read from a book. We all nodded.
She looked up at the music in the distance and saw it was getting louder. The voice of Robin faded away as Mizumi made my way down to the lower deck.
She was in her room making a small pack and then an knock came on the door.
"come in," she said looking up from her bed.
"It's Nami, I saw you come down here." She said.
"Oh, I was looking for…um my…um swim suit," she said blushing and then I saw that she was handing me a brown bag.
"What's this?" Mizumi opened it and found a green bikini. It was strapless and had many different greens in the design of vertical stripes in it with the same type of bottoms with light green strings in a bow on the side of the bottoms.
"It's perfect for you," Nami clapped her hands and then she got up.
"Thank you, so much." Mizumi jumped up and hugged her from behind.
"You're welcome," she said sweetly.
She ran into the bathroom to put it on. She undressed and slipped it on and it looked amazing on her. But to keep some of her integrity she put a pair of shorts that came in the bag as well. She smirked at the shirt that was in there. It was a shirt that ended at her ribs and tied like an old fashion country styled shirt. It was a super dark, jungle green that went with the bikini. And then there was a pair of long pair of light green and dark green knee high socks with black high heel boots that went just below the knee so you could see the socks. She twisted in the mirror and went topside. Everyone gazed at her, especially Sanji. There were hearts in his eyes and Zoro immediately looked away and Nami nodded in approval.
"Alright, back to the subject at hand," Nami pointed to a small building on the map of the island and it wasn't far from the dock.
"Here is the inn, and everything like food, water and the major clothes shopping district is here." She circled the whole area with a black pen and everyone nodded.
We docked, and the anchor dropped heavily and Mizumi ran off in delight. She was so happy to be on land. The rest of the crew took there sweet time too walk off. The music was festive and cheery, and it annoyed Zoro to the bone with all the people staring at him and the crew. Were they the only people there, whole didn't wear some type of flowered shorts or shirt. Zoro shook his head and followed Nami and Mizumi. They were talking and laughing and looking at all the clothes in the window, gazing at the colors. Sanji was right on the heels and followed the new Mizumi like a lost puppy. Luffy was walking in the middle of everyone and Frankie was laughing at the clowns dancing on a platform. The inn was visible now, it had a buoyancy in each room and flowers were everywhere with lively colors.
"I'll check us in," Robin and Luffy went in together as the crew waited inside. They stood on a marble floor with a red carpet coving the reflecting stone. Palm tree's and flowers were everywhere you looked. And there was a waterfall and a river flowing through the lobby. The crew looked around in amassment and then there were four keys hanging from Luffy's hand.
"Two per room," he handed a key to Sanji and Nami, a key to Robin and chopper and Frankie and him were going to share.
"Mizumi, Zoro, here." Zoro caught the key and sighed. "Why the heck do I have to be with her," he pointed at Mizumi
"What the heck, me!' Mizumi nearly tackled him.
The manager nodded. "Alright I will switch you rooms with him,' he pointed to the blonde guy. The two looked at each other and screamed, "WE LOVE OUR ROOMS!"
"Lets go kid," Zoro took Mizumi by the arm and they climbed the stairs to the fifth floor and opened the white door and it said "Welcome!" in cursive letters. The room was bright in color but still, it was nice. Mizumi beat Zoro to the bed by the window. The beds were queen sized, with a golden comforter and five pillows arranged in a pyramid style with little sliver ones and a white soft blanket was folded on the corners on the bed.
"This is nice," Mizumi lay on the bed and Zoro was in the bathroom and he was splashing water on his face.
"Yeah, it is." He sat there with his head in his hands.
"What's wrong?" Mizumi came over to him and touched his shoulder. He grabbed her by the arms and flung her on his bed and came on top of her nose to nose touching distance. She looked so scared that it made Zoro laugh and he said in a whisper.
"Don't touch me." He touched her face and tilted his head.
"Does this feel weird to you?"
"Yes," she mumbled and he smiled.
"Then I won't touch you, and you don't touch me. Got it?" he got up and she immediately stood up and walked out into the hallway and sat there with her back against the wall.
What am I getting myself into, this is crazy! She thought to herself and then she saw a man with a black fedora hat and a feather stuck out from the side. There was a smile in the shadow of the face. he was wearing all black and a cape. Then I looked the other way and a girl with brown long hair that to her shoulders with bangs over her eyes. She wore a pair of white shorts with a yellow low cut t-shirt and a white and yellow skinny scarf. Her style of boots and socks were pretty similar. But she had pure white socks and her boots were flat, no heel and were white as well. She was a long way down the hallway like the man and then she began to run at her and she got up and ran the other way, but then there was the man. He was running at her too. But for some damn reason she thought him not dangerous.
She ran harder and the man smiled even more. She looked behind her and saw the girl slowing down. She had big eyes and ran off the other way and then Mizumi thought she was home free but then a net was around her and she saw the girl bending down with her hands behind her back smiling with her eyes closed.
"Think I would let you get away from me that easy huh?" she stood there, her voice high and squeaky with the hint of annoyance to it; and a deep voice said, "Well done Miss eight."
"She was too easy, you said she was dangerous." She stood there and twiddled with the necklace she was wearing
"Well, she is but she doesn't know her power yet."
"Funny girl," the girl poked her nose threw the net and Mizumi spat at her.
"Let me out now." She said struggling.
"The more you struggle, the faster you die." The girl laughed and then the man picked up the net and slung her over his back.
"Zoro!" I yelled and then she felt as if she was being crushed and then there was nothing but the laughs of the girl.
Zoro sat on his bed wondering what the crew was going to do and what we were here for. He looked down at his sword and saw he was truly bored. He closed his eyes for a nap and then realized that this would be incomplete without a bottle of whisky. He smiled and pulled the cork on the glass bottle of whisky and poured it into his mouth. He closed his eyes and then he smiled to himself and tried to dream. He mumbled to himself when herd foot steps and then the door smashed open.
"Zoro you lazy baka! Come on we are going shopping!" Zoro fell off the bed in surprise and Nami stood there with her bag and was putting her white sunglasses on her sun hat.
"Mizu-," she stopped in her sentence and looked around the room and only saw her pack.
"Were is Mizumi?" she eyed Zoro.
"Like I know," he yawn and stood up and brushed himself off.
"But I was going to buy her everything her little dainty hand desired," the hearts in Sanji eyes widened.
"Not with my money your aren't!" a kick to the shin followed and Sanji hopped on his one foot humming in pain.
"Were did she go?" Nami go in Zoro's face and poked his forehead.
"She went out into the hallway about fifteen minutes ago, alright. Let me sleep! Damn!"
"Well, she is gone now oh so stupid one," she flicked him.
"Good, maybe she will leave us alone now," he laughed and Nami narrowed her eyes and then she came over to him.
"We are going to find her, I don't care if you want to sleep or sit we are going now…" she flicked him and he stood up. He looked at her and she was wearing a white bikini with purple flowers on it and a white sun hat and her sun glasses on top of the hat. A purple skirt tied at her waist with white flip flops.
"I don't have to deal with this." He sat back down and she smacked him
"Yes you do, nakama is nakama and you are part of it." She dragged him out of the room and into the hallway. A man, leaned up against the wall shadowed. He wore his hat tilted down.
"Hey, you yah you!" she pointed to the man and he looked at her.
"Have you seen a brown haired girl wearing green and about yay high?" She put a hand up indicating Mizumis' height.
"…she and these two people; a man and a girl. Walked out of the inn north towards the docks." He walked away.
Nami nodded and Sanji yelled saying he herd the directions and Nami and Zoro ran out of the inn.
The colorful crowd was going to make it harder for the crew to find the girl.
"Come on Zoro," she looked back at him and he was standing there with his face glued to the ground smiling deviously.
"What is it Zoro?" she walked next to him and looked down to the ground. There was a flyer of a man with a fedora hat on and a bandana covering his face and a blackish brown trench coat with brown hair visible. A girl dressed in yellow was next to him. The word "WANTED" was printed below boldly. A small bounty of 400 was next to the name of Iki Jakinaw (E-key Jack-E- gnaw)
"Little shit, he his here now," Zoro mumbled to himself and Nami looked at him
"What do you mean?"
"I worked with his type before. He is a bounty hunter and probably went after some stupid pirate again. He has never be good." He crumbled the flyer and dropped it.
"Come on lets go find her, before I get to tired to stand."
"Right," Nami followed Zoro running through the crowd.
Mizumi opened her eyes to the dark room. She was under a single spot light and she blinked, vaguely remembering what happened.
"Where am I," Mizumi tried to get up and she was pushed back down.
"What the," She looked to see two pairs of shoes standing in front of her. She rolled over and was grabbed by the throat and a man was standing there with a bandana covering his face from the nose down. He had brown straight hair down to his eyes and dark brown eyes. He wore a black long sleeved shirt with black pants and pistol at his side.
"Well, well what do we have here? A small girl, pathetic, and helpless." He looked in her eyes and his eyes were like a spinning puzzle interlocking at some points. The colors ranged from gold to red and silver. She tried to fight back and move but he pushed her to the wall.
"No, no. we have business to take care off." He pulled out a knife and dropped her. She was sitting below him and he pulled up her hand to his face and ran over her palm and blood ran down her arm.
"What the hell are you doing?" She grabbed her arm and a few choice words came out of her mouth along with tears out of her eyes. The blood dripped from her elbow to the floor, the man pulled out a vile and a few drips fell in the vial.
"You are my latest project, so I need samples." He put the cork in the vial and in his pocket.
"Project, what are you talking about. I'M NO FUCKING RAT!" She stood up and upper cutted him in the jaw ran to the door. She put her hand on the door and then the girl in Yellow was in front of her.
"No, no, bad rat." She smiled and grabbed her arms and twisted herself behind her and kneed her back. The wind escaped her and she looked up and a foot met her glance. The pain was flawless and the noise was silent.
"Stupid girl. Now you see Ms. Eight, we cannot underestimate her what's so ever." Ms. Eight nodded and the blood from Mizumis hand and mouth dripped on the floor.
"Now we have a boat to catch, my little girl." He grabbed Mizumis' face and she ripped it away. Before the man could hit her there was a knocking.
"Hey! Open up in there. Come on open up damn it!" Mizumi looked up painfully smiling.
"Nami," she whispered.
"Open up damn it, just open the fucking door!" the voice echoed through the dark room.
"Zoro will you please." Nami yelled and then to bright lines came in a X form across the door and it fell.
"Nami!" Mizumi screamed as she felt the blow of the man knock her on both knees in dreadful pain.
"Eight, lets go, Now!" the girl ran to the man without Mizumi and they were gone in the mist of the girls laughter.
"Mizumi," Nami whispered as Mizumi slowly stood.
"Thanks Nami, you came at the right-" Mizumi stopped in her sentence and coughed up blood and looked at Nami and Zoro.
Nami sighed and walked to her. "You okay, can you walk?"
"I'll be fine," she whipped her mouth and held her stomach.
"No you wont be." A older woman's voice came behind Zoro.
"Robin," Mizumi tried to walk to her but Robin came to her quickly and held her in her arms, cradling her.
"God damn it! Luffy were is Chopper!" Robin tried to keep Mizumi warm and she looked behind her seeing Luffy standing there with his head down and he was serious.
"Robin is she alright."
"She will be, captain" she picked her up and Luffy came over to her and took Mizumi from her and looked down at Mizumis' face and began to walk back to the inn.
The whole crew watched him, wondering were this serious Luffy came from and how he was always like this around her.
"Zoro,"
"Luffy," Zoro looked at him and Luffy was just barley turning his head back.
"This man, while we are here, we kill him if w see him right?" he yelled with the frustration and anger in his voice.
"Yes, Luffy we will." Zoro nodded in agreement.
"Robin watch over Mizumi from now on." Luffy kept on walking.
"Of course Captain."
"Nakama is Nakama, and she is apart of it." With those words everyone looked at each other and smiled.
"Lets go we have work to do…" Robin put a hand on Luffy's' shoulder and the crew walked back to the inn un knowing that there were eyes following them.