And ages again. Right guys, I won't be making any more promises as to the regularity of updates. I have weeks where real life just eats me up and spits me out, weeks where I'm more into other fandoms, weeks where I just don't feel like writing and weeks when my brain feels like jelly. I'm sorry that this means awful delays in updates.
All I will promise is that I won't abandon this story. Catnip will be finished some day, even if it takes years to get there. And here's a new chapter to resolve that awful cliff-hanger. Thank you guys for your wonderful support even though I'm too slow to even function. Enjoy the new chapter!
Pillars of smoke rise up into the night sky, the ground is scattered with debris of the former cottage and the heavy rain has slowly started to turn the ground into one massive, muddy pit.
Killer carefully approaches the ruin, glancing left and right, his scythes drawn, just in case. This explosion surely wasn't caused by a gas leak or any other accident. Penguin, walking safely by his side, seems just as alerted. Whoever had caused the explosion might still be close by and with Killer wounded, the Heart Pirate doesn't exactly feel like running into that person. Whoever it is.
Penguin suddenly stops, squinting his eyes underneath the bonnet.
"Over there!"
Something glows faintly blue a few yards ahead, right amidst the ruins. Killer stands confused for a moment but Penguin suddenly breaks into a run, a broad smile hidden well underneath his collar. He knows that blue glow. He'd recognise it from anywhere in the world.
"Oi!"
It hurts and Killer grits his teeth as he rushes after the Heart Pirate. It's odd really. For the first time in his life, he's not sure if he doesn't want to be alone or rather not leave someone else alone. A bit of both probably. A few feet before the glowing dome, they are already met by a familiar voice and Penguin feels his heart racing in his chest. Finally.
"My, my. That was close."
Law dusts off his clothes, watching as the walls of his room slowly shrink around him again. By his feet, shivering and puffed up, cowers Catnip, entirely unhappy with the situation. The dome had protected them just fine, not a scratch on either of them and Law seems somewhat content. He looks up when he hears footsteps approach, ready to draw his Katana but his face lightens up when he recognises the familiar bonnet and jumpsuit.
"Lo and behold, look who we have here! Thought you guys have abandoned me for good."
"Could say the same about you, captain."
Though he can't see it, Killer can hear the smile beneath Penguin's collar. He eyes Law warily for a moment, not sure what to say. He has befriended Penguin but Law is a different matter. Law is a freak. A dangerous one at that, entirely unpredictable.
"Made a new acquaintance?" Law smirks at Penguin.
"Something like that."
"My captain-", Killer mutters beneath his mask. "Is he with you?"
"Huh? Oh you mean that uncivil red-haired git? He was around a minute ago."
Something clatters a few feet away and all three of them crane their necks. Hidden well by the black, charred roof and ruined walls, they suddenly spot a remarkably big heap of metal, messily arranged but thick and completely impenetrable. They find remains of the fridge, the oven and even parts of the doors, the roof and the nails that had held the deals in place.
"That's useful", Law muses and Killer grins underneath his mask.
The door of the former fridge suddenly comes flying straight towards them and Law ducks just in time, before the massive metal could hit him in the face.
"Oi oi! Easy!"
"EASY MY ASS, TRAFALGAR!"
"Oh dear", Killer sighs. "Here we go."
To say that Kid is fuming would probably be some sort of understatement. A deep cut decorates his cheek and his upper body is covered in bruises, slowly turning blue and purple since gathering a whole heap of metal takes an inconvenient amount of time, unlike Law's room. The Captain is fine enough to randomly chuck metal at the Doctor though.
"IT WOULD HAVE FUCKING KILLED YOU TO EXTENT YOUR ROOM A LITTLE, WOULDN'T IT!"
"I'm sorry, alright?" Law ducks again and a massive piece of metal crashes into the remainders of a wall behind him, shattering the bricks entirely. "I completely forgot you were there."
"I WAS STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO YOU, YOU FUCKTARD!"
"Kid, be nice." Another piece of metal buzzes through the air and hits Killer's mask with a dull thud. "Ouch."
"I've had it with you and your fucking 'be nice, be nice' all the fucking time!" Something that might once have been a hinge bounces off one of Killer's scythes, leaving the first mate of the Kid Pirates entirely unimpressed. "Neither of you dipshits deserves 'nice' right now! And speaking of dipshit, where the fuck have you been all the time, eh?!"
"I was busy."
"With what, knitting fucking cardigans for the whole crew?!"
"No, not dying."
"Ah", a sudden, very awkward silence spreads amongst the unlikely companions and Kid clears his throat, pretending to dust off his pants. "Well lucky you didn't, 'cos I would have dragged you from the grave to kill you again."
Law squints, eyeing Kid at first, then Killer and he silently wonders if this is Kid's way of more or less saying 'I was worried about you'. It would certainly suit the blockhead.
"We done here then? I'd recommend we go somewhere else."
The sole reply is a low meow and all eyes are suddenly on the still very distressed looking cat that seems entirely unhappy about being soaking wet.
"You kiddin' me."
Kid's voice sounds way too dry for Law's liking.
"What?"
"You saved the fucking cat with your room but you forgot about me."
"She's innocent and helpless. You can take care of yourself."
"Keep that in mind next time you faint in the fucking forest. I won't be dragging your sorry ass anywhere anymore."
With that, Kid stomps off down the path that leads to the little village further downhill. Law takes his time, gently picks up the cat and wraps her into his sweater before he follows with a few feet between him and the Captain. Penguin and Killer stay behind for a while, pretty much confused and at a loss for words.
"Do you know what just happened?"
"Wish I did."
The owner of the small Inn that Penguin and Killer had occupied the previous days nearly suffers from cardiac arrest when Kid barges through the door, bleeding, soaking wet and quite grumpy, to say the least. Penguin invests his last coins in some more hush money and Killer spends some belly on booze after politely turning down Kid's offer to simply kill the poor man and get some drinks for free. Law, seemingly content with the situation, tightly holds on to Catnip, occasionally stroking the wet fur and whispering soothing words to the miserably meowing kitten.
"Why did you keep that pestilence anyways? That furry little shit betrayed us."
Kid slumps down on the double bed, making the frame creak and the mattress sinks down to the duckboard.
"More important question", Killer cuts inn, preparing a drink for each of them and prepping his own glass with a straw. "What was all that about?"
"Thank you", Law breathes, relieved to finally have a more or less reasonable person around. "It seems like the Government has us noted on a bucket list."
"The Government is behind this?"
"Most likely. I guess someone is worried about us entering the New World."
"Little late to worry about that now though."
Kid eyes the broken window for a second before downing his drink once more, slowly pissing the Doctor off a little with his irresponsible drinking.
"The one planning and carrying out the attacks is not a marine though."
"What makes you think that?" Law blinks, surprised that – for once – the Captains seems to have done a little thinking himself.
"It's too snaky. The marines would waltz in with about a hundred men and declare us captured. Or try and kill us. Whoever attacked us works for the Government but they are not part of the Government."
"Hm. Not so dumb after all."
Kid feels like smacking Law around the head.
"What are you gonna do then?" Killer's voice sounds hollow as usual, his whistling breath occasionally cut off by the slurping of the straw. That sound probably drives Penguin even further round the bend than the whistling.
"Find the rest of the crew and rebuild that fucking ship first of all."
The Captain flinches a little when Law slumps down next to him and casually leans against his broad shoulder while taking a sip from his drink. This touchy-feely attitude still highly confuses him.
"So you plan on leaving this place in about three months?"
"Why would I?"
"Rebuild a ship?"
Kid doesn't bother with a reply. Instead, he peeks at Killer and grins, eliciting a low chuckle from his first mate. It almost seems as if rebuilding an entire ship is a daily business for the Kid Pirates.
Law and Penguin share a confused glance and for some reason neither of them feel like asking any further questions. "Maybe we should try and find the rest of the crew as well", Penguin mutters after a minute of silence.
It would be tedious. The New World is a vast place, chances are that their crew is largely scattered, some maybe arrested by the Marines, some possibly not alive anymore. It's a prospect that Law doesn't like. It bothers him, makes him feel jittery and he silently prays that the moronic redhead doesn't notice. To keep his own mind off those thoughts and to distract Kid a little, he wraps Catnip into the Captain's fur coat to keep her warm, entirely ignoring the low snarl coming from the Kid Pirate.
"What do you think? Rebuild the ship first and then start searching?" For once, Killer is thankful for the mask covering his entire face. There is no way in hell that he would have survived if Kid could see that smirk on his lips.
"No, you travel ahead and look for the crew. I'll repair the ship and catch up with you."
Law squints a little. It's unusual to see Kid thoughtful, brooding even and it makes him feel somewhat more nervous. If even that overly self-confident bastard seems concerned, they might be in deeper shit than he had originally anticipated.
"I propose a temporary alliance."
All eyes are suddenly on Law who, still leaning against Kid with Catnip safely tugged between them, takes a sip from his drink.
"You what?"
"The Government's obviously after both our crews. If we stick together, their chances decrease. Simple as that."
"I don't do alliances", Kid snarls yet again.
"He's right though. Might be something to consider for once. With our forces combined, we might be able to take out whoever is after us."
Killer doesn't flinch at the glare shot into his general direction, obviously used to it already. While Catnip curls up in the thick fur of Kid's coat, Law feels like he's about to doze off. Though the Captain smells of wet dog and copper, a comforting warmth oozes off the massive body and the broad shoulder suddenly seems quite appealing to lean against and take a nap. Busy day after all, nearly blown to bits and all.
"Stop being so fucking reasonable all the time."
With that, Kid hands Killer his glass for a refill and Law considers the matter settled.
Penguin though remains awfully quiet, his gaze fixed on his captain. Besides the bandaged leg and the strange situation they're in, there's something odd about him. Usually, Law isn't the touchy-feely guy at all. Especially not around someone who'd – under different circumstances – be considered an enemy. He takes a sip from his drink, incidentally digging the heel of his boot into Killer's toes when the slurping gets a little too noisy.