Uta uta no mi, the singing doll
Alright, I'll try to get back in track now. I don't have my own computer yet, but I have some free time until I return to any course, so I can write. I hope you're not angry or anything. In any case, I'll continue narrating this story. I had finished the last part pretty bloodily, didn't I ? Poor Smile, I'll take care of the blood, first.
When Smile woke up, it wasn't because of pain as she had expected. She slowly opens her eyes, analysing what was around her. She was in her own room in the ship. Not wanting to cause a burst of pain again, she slowly lifts a hand to her left shoulder. She feels bandages were covering it, she didn't seem to be wearing anything else than bandages on her upper body, actually, aside from the scarlet red blanket that had been put on her to keep her warm. The wound was still sensible, but if she was being careful, it wouldn't cause much trouble. She had been in much worse than that and still had been able to move around. She sits down, the blanket falling on her laps, not making any swift movement and evaluating the state she was in. She moves her left arm, bringing it in front of her, bending and unfolding it, and didn't give more than one grimace. It should hold alright. She looks down at the bandages, wondering, when a slight shriek resounds. She lifts her gaze towards the sound and sees Meimu hanging upside down on the stand.
«Meimu...»
The bat flaps its wings and flies to her, going to stand on the girl's right shoulder. Her ears twitched a little.
«You seem to be doing well»
Smile looks on the side to see Kan walking inside the room in a soft step. She sits next to the bed, calm as usual.
«How does your back feel ?»
«Slightly numb, to be honest. It would seem that it wasn't ready for a one on one fight, just yet»
Kan's gaze saddens a little:
«I shouldn't have left your side»
«Kan, I'm the one who told you to watch the others instead of myself. It wasn't your fault, but mine. I was the careless one»
She slowly rolls her shoulders, glad this movement didn't cause her any pain. The panther lifts a paw on the bed.
«I know you said you'd talk about all of it later, but your brother intends to ask what this was all about. He saw the scar, Smile»
Smile shivers at that word. She had hoped the day she would have to talk about this would be quite later than this. It seemed like the events were still fresh, even though it had been a month ago. No, a month wasn't long enough. Some things couldn't be passed over even with years.
«I will have to explain after such a failure. I don't think this will pass very well»
She passed her legs on the side, Kan backing up a little to give her some space, and she set foot on the ground, staying sited on the bed. No problems so far. As she was about to stand up, loud footsteps resound in the hallway and the door slams open on Kid.
«DON'T FUCKING MOVE! YOU'RE WOUNDED, DAMN IT!»
She twitches a little, not moving from there as he gets closer. He was about to make her lie down by force, but he stops and grumbles, crossing his arms instead.
«Lie down»
She pulls her legs back on the bed, but doesn't put her back down, lifting her gaze at Kid who glares a little at her. She sighs and lies down completely, looking away this time. No, she didn't like to obey orders, but it's not like she really had a choice. It was her Captain, her brother, and she wasn't in a state in which she could really stand proudly and tall against someone.
She really was stubborn and proud. She had listened to him, but he could fell how she didn't like following orders and all. He still couldn't let her move around after what had happened, though. Loosing blood like that when she was already almost as white as snow and that small, there was no way she was in the state to even get out of bed. Wire said so, anyway. Since he's the doc aboard, he wasn't going to contradict the guy. She wasn't looking at him. Seems like she didn't want to show her face. Kid sighs, discouraged by her attitude. Damn it, what the hell was she ashamed of ?
«Oy, Smile»
She doesn't react.
«Smile...»
She was doing it on purpose, obviously!
«Look at me or I'll fucking make you do so by force»
She turns her gaze at him, keeping a serious front. He could feel the panther glaring at him in a way, but he didn't care. He knew that thing wouldn't attack him unless that was what Smile wanted. The little bat was also staring, standing on the bed's head. Those things were really protective. Well, he wasn't going to get back now. He wanted answers.
«I'm gonna ask you some stuff and I expect you to answer»
She doesn't say a word, but he did saw a slight twitch at the side of her mouth. She knows.
«What the fuck happened on the marine ship? I saw beat a whole group of marines in a second back at that weird manor and at the start of the fight and that guy made you fall all by himself with your back opened up»
She stays silent for a moment, as if thinking whether she wanted to answer or not, but she closes her eyes in a sigh before looking at him again:
«I tried to fight him one on one. He hadn't been affected by my devil fruit the first time I fought that guy, so I didn't know if it would work and you guys were around as well. If my voice had reached you guys, I don't know what would have happened»
Kid frowns at her words. The first time? So she had already met that guy?
«What do you mean by the first time? Who was that guy?»
«I don't know his name. All I know is that he was a Lieutenant Commander when...the last time I saw him»
Huh? Why did she change the sentence all of a sudden?
«And when was that?»
Another twitch. Damn it, what could it be for her to react like that?
«A month ago»
The panther growls, but the bat doesn't report the words. Did it have something to do with the events Smile had talked about the first day? There are others he wanted to know before asking that.
«So, you knew each other and you fought. Was he the one who cut your back open?»
«N-no, but he knew I had it because he was there when I received it. He made it open again»
«So it was a scar? When did you get that?»
«Two months ago»
Wait, she said she saw him a month ago didn't she?
«Two month? And it wasn't completely closed yet?»
Smile shivers, her eyes closing once more.
«No, it wasn't...it couldn't...until a month ago...»
«What, did someone keep it open the whole time?»
When she looks at him again, he saw so much pain in her gaze it was obvious that's what had happened. She looks away again and sits down calmly, certainly annoyed to have to look at him from even lower than usual.
«I knew it wasn't completely safe to fight yet, but I wanted to fight him myself»
Kid clenched his fist:
«Why the fuck did you do that if you knew?! Do you know what would have happened if Wire hadn't stopped that guy?! You would have died, idiot!»
She doesn't answer, but her shoulder fall a little, proving she had heard and knew he was right. Kid takes a deep breath in and sighs, calming down just a little.
«Look at me»
She turns her gaze again, her serious back once more.
«It was stupid, you know it, and I don't ever want to see you freaking fight on your own like that again, you hear me?»
She nods, but it wasn't enough for him.
«Swear it»
She looks surprised, but he crosses his arms. He wouldn't let her put herself in trouble stupidly like that again.
«I said swear it»
She frowns a little and lets a slight sigh escape her lips:
«Fine, I swear I won't go fight someone alone like that again»
«Good, now get some fucking rest. You don't move from there until I said so»
On those words, he turns around and leaves the room, closing the door behind him. At least he was sure she wouldn't get herself in trouble that way.
Sorry if it's short, I wanted to take care of this part before going any further. I'll work on things once more, although not as fast as I used to this summer, but I'll continue, honest! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'm open and always happy to answer. Well, until the next time.