Nano Rain: Yes! I managed to finish this just in time. I know, it's short. But it was the best I could come up with. I didn't like my original idea for this and only came up with a new one this morning. Also all week I've been packing for a move and I've been sick. But I don't think it turned out too bad. Enjoy, tell me what you think. And just to be deviant I'm not going to put up a disclaimer, it's Halloween afterall, a time for defiance! Muahahaha! By the way I know it's spelled zombie, not zombi. (Randomly said, yes I know. But you'll probably see what I'm talking about.)

I yawn and stretch. I sit up and feel momentarily disoriented. I calm down quickly because I know that despite the fact that I'm a million dimensions from my family and home, I'm in a safe place. The boat rocks gently and I want to just go back to sleep and not wake up. I feel very sad deep inside still. I know I'm in a safe place, I tell myself that every hour I'm awake. But I feel lonely. I am lonely. The pirates are always working, and they do talk to me sometimes but I feel like an intruder. An intruder to this whole stupid world.

I force myself to my feet, bones popping in effort. Robin and Nami have already gotten up and left. I glance out the porthole and the sun shines in. Off in the distance, though, I can clouds. It might just be a stormy day. But hey, what do I know about weather? Let alone weather on the ocean. Let alone the weather of this world. As I look out I notice my reflection in the window. My face is so dirty it's at least two shades darker than normal. My hair is wild and is knotted. My grandmother would say that I have 'rats' in my hair. I smile and shake my head sadly. I quickly run my fingers through my hair to straighten it out a bit before turning to leave.

Something catches my eyes right before I reach the door. A calendar. It's the last day of October. Halloween... I wonder if they celebrate it here. They probably do, this world is so similar to mine. Man, did I wish I had a costume to change into. I know I'm really old to be Trick-or-Treating, but like so many have said before me; "let there be candy!", and "you're never to old to Trick-or-Treat!". Of course my mom wouldn't let me Trick-or-Treat anymore. So I just get in costume to pass out candy. I never liked candy much anyway, I was in it for the costume mostly. I love cosplay.

I walk through the narrow hall leading to stairs. I grab the hand-rail to help myself climb the stairs that lead me to to the deck. I don't see a clock anywhere so I just look to the sun. I just a little before the top the sky. So it's either after lunch or before. I wouldn't know because I never paid attention to witch direction the sun comes up, or even how to tell which direction is which (I could distinguish it on paper but not without a compass when it comes to the 3D world, I mean, what if you turned around then south would be North and... I'm confused). I look around for everyone and since I can't see them I assume they're in the kitchen.

I try to remember where it is and it takes me a few tries, most of the doors I opened were just storage, but one was a bathroom (good for future reference, I note) and another was an aquarium. It was huge. But lacking a lot of fish. As I walk into the kitchen I slip into a seat next to Luffy- I'd been right about them going for breakfast. I only realize my mistake a second to slow. He'll steal my food quicker this way. I grab a fork and make sure to stab his hand as quickly as soon as it comes close to my food- gosh this world was making me so violent. "Good morning Kei-chaaaan!" Sanji greeted. "I was just about to go get yooou!" I wince, that would be a little creepy.

"Well as you can see I'm awake. Thanks though." I turn to look at everyone. "Happy Halloween!" They all look at me strangely.

"What's hallo in?" Luffy asks.

"Is that some holiday you remember or something?"

I start to shake my head but stop and give a short nod. "Yeah. It's one of my favorite holidays. It's all about pumpkins and candy, and scary things. And it's Hallow/een/"

"Candy!"

"Scary things?"

"Pumpkins?"

I laugh and nod. "Yeah, you want to hear more about it?" Almost everyone shakes their heads enthusiastically. Not Zoro, but he does look up curiously.

"Well, people put up decorations around their house like fake gravestones and spiders. Then people carve pumpkins to look like scary faces and put them out. Then, late at night kids- usually kids anyway- get in costume. They can dress up as anything, though it's usually something scary. They dress up as..." I grin. "Pirates." I look at Brook. "Skeletons. Ghosts, wolves, cats, witches. You name it. Even fairy princesses and cows."

"Cows?" Nami questioned, raising an eyebrow.

I shrug and continue on. "And then they knock on people's doors and yell 'Trick-or-Treat'! Then the adults open the door and give the kids candy. But wait! There's more! Some kids, usually teenagers, prank people. Egg houses, knock on doors and run away." I grin some more. Sanji put down the platters of breakfast. Everyone darted to put stuff on their plates. I was pleased to see no fish. I don't like bacon much but I took a few slices just because I was hungry. I also got a fried egg and a pancake. I'm not the type that can usually finish off all this. I take a quick glance at Luffy before I start eating. He's gobbling down all his food like he hasn't eaten anything ever. Does he always eat like this? I can't imagine. But seeing him rushing I know I should be too, cause after the table's cleared of it's food, the crew and I will be next.

It wasn't until half my food was eaten that I notice I'm being stared at. Everyone but Luffy and Franky are gawking at me. "Y-you're eating as fast as Luffy! I never would have thought there'd be two of him on this ship," Nami whined. I laughed finished off the last mouthfuls of food.

"I've learned my lesson already." I still feel hungry though. I glance at the table to see if anything's left. Just one fruit, and some toast. I reach towards the fruit, pleased that it's not clear across the table so I don't have to get up or ask someone to pass it to me, and take it. Just a moment later Luffy tries to wrestle it out of my hands. I glare at him and quickly yank the fruit into my mouth. It tastes gross and I want to spit it out, but wouldn't be very lady like. And it would be embarrassing. So I swallow it.

A few hours later I'm doubled over in the bathroom barfing my guts out. I feel terrible, and look it too. As I cease my puking I look in the mirror. My pale skin is deeply tinted green and my eyes are yellowish and bloodshot. I groan and wish the boat would stop swaying. A headache as big as the ocean pounds my brain as if with a hammer. Everything is a little blurry. But I think I'm done puking, I couldn't possible have any breakfast left in my stomach. Too bad I'm going to miss lunch.

Quietly I sneak out of the bathroom (which isn't quiet at all because I whimpering at every movement I make) hoping no one sees me, or smells the bathroom. This was not the newly discovered bathroom, that was outside near the deck. Nope this was the first bathroom I'd been introduced to yesterday, deep inside the ship. Now if I could just get to Chopper...

As I'm crawling around I begin to wonder what made me sick. Could it be delayed sea sickness? I don't think there's such a thing. It must be that fruit I'd had for breakfast. Food poisoning... I suddenly feel light headed so I dive into the nearest closet where I pass out.

When I wake up I clench my teeth from a headache that just won't go away. It's dark in this room. I force myself to my feet and find the door. The hall is just as just as dark, I find, when I've left the closet. It must be late. My stomach clenches painfully, almost bringing me to my knees. I moan and whimper, then continue foreward stiffly. Climbing the stairs to get to the deck was another big challenge. I end up on my hands and knees and climb it on all fours. I used to go up stairs like this all the time, it was only a few years ago I stopped. My fingers curled into puppy paws on memory. I can't help but smile as I go up this way.

I push open the last door and cool, fresh air hits me. It feels wonderful for a moment, then I'm freezing. I shiver involuntarily and clamber out from below deck. Most of the crew is out there, just watching stars or doing some job. I think some were looking for me. Well now just about all their eyes are trained on me. There are lights hung about and the glow of the moon illuminates me. They all jump back. I try to explain to them about my food poisoning but my throat hurts to bad. Instead I cough out the word 'fruit'. It ended up sounding more like "fru- u- u- u tah" because I coughed.

"Fruit?" Nami asked, suddenly worried. "Could it be she ate a Devil Fruit?"

"Oooh! A Zombi-Zombi fruit!" Luffy said. What? What was a Devil Fruit? Did it make people in zombie's or something? Perhaps I wasn't following the conversation correctly. Somehow the crew is in a deep discussion about it. I groan and bite my lip. I spot Chopper and slowly walk towards him. His fur got all fluffy and he took a step back in fear. I blinked. What, they don't really think I'm a zombie do they? That's just absurd. I glare at him, suddenly very annoyed.

I take another step towards him and suddenly almost the entire crew is standing protectively in front of him. "Sigkah," I attempt to say 'sick'. "Dockar." None of my words make any sense. Clouds suddenly cover the moon and it begins to rain. The torches and lamps they have out become wet and the flames die. The whole place is plunged into darkness. I shiver more as it rains. But this is the perfect opportunity to get to Chopper. I push my way through a couple people, which starts a bunch of screaming. (As far as I can tell the only ones screaming are Usopp, Nami, and Luffy) I bend over and start feeling around for a furry lump. Eventually I find it. I grab him and he starts screaming too.

I hear the hiss of mental and the faint reflection of a sword appears at my nose. A hand has grabbed my arm, but I can't see even the outline of a body attached to it. I shiver and want to scream myself. "Put him down," a threatening voice tells me. Zoro. I shiver some more and try to set Chopper down carefully but he just plops. Suddenly another hand appears, this time on my forehead.

"Actually, I think Kei's just sick." Ah the voice of reason. Robin must be the most mature crew member here. I nod as the rain lets up and the clouds begin to go away. I sigh and plop, exhausted from being scared, sick, and all the screaming.

Later when I woke up Chopper was giving me medicine. It tasted horrible, of course, but I managed to get it down. I lay in the bed and then grinned. What a funny day this had turned out to be. "Happy Halloween," I mutter at last.