I hope some of you readers did read the previous chapter even though I warned you that it would be very disturbing.
I think the best I can do is to warn you when I'll upload a disturbing chapter and hope that some will read it regardlessly! Don't worry this one is save!
Chapter 20: Dreams are nothing Shadows
Ace followed Kid with distance while she was putting her guitar together. After some time Kid stopped, sat down and started seemingly thoughtless playing guitar while Ace took cover behind some rocks, listening to the sound of the guitar, it was a slow and slightly melancholic melody but still beautiful. After some time passed Kid started to sing as well:
"I will not make
The same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I will not break
The way you did
You fell so hard
I've learned the hard way
To never let it get that far
Because of you
I never stray to far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side, so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
I lose my way
And it's not to long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I was forced to fake
A smile, a laugh, everyday of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with
Because of you
I never stray to far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side, so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
I watched you die
I heard you cry
Every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same, damn thing
Because of you
I never stray to far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt"
Suddenly Kid played the melody faster and sang with more speed and power in her voice.
"Because of you
I try my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty
Because of you
I am afraid"
Just when Ace started to get into the groove of the melody, it slowed down again.
"Because of you
Because of you"
With the last tone of this song Kid stopped playing guitar and put it down in front of her. Just when Ace was about to leave because he didn't wanted Kid to think that he would stalk her she suddenly said laud enough that he could hear her: "Ace would you mind to sit next to me for a while."
At first Ace eyed Kid suspiciously, did he hear correctly? Since when did Kid address him in such a polite way? "Please, I need to tell you something important." Kid urged after some time past almost desperately, what caused Ace to approach her but he would make sure to keep a bit of distance.
Ace sat three to four meters away from Kid down while she looked almost ashamed at her boots. After some moments of awkwardness Ace broke the silence by asking: "What's wrong?"
"I wanted to thank you properly for earlier." Kid said in a low voice before she leaned towards Ace placing her hand between him and her, so that she would look from below at him with an inquiry look, "but I don't know how I could express my gratitude." Kid asked innocently looking at Ace with big dark blue eyes.
At the first moment Ace thought about to check for other signs, that this would be okay, but all he could do was to let his view shift to her slightly opened lips and all his warning signals turned off. "I guess I know there some things…" Ace murmured with a wolfish grin and leaned towards Kid.
When Ace closed his eyes he could feel Kids breath at his lips while Kid put her other hand at his nape. Their lips were separated by a few millimeters when suddenly a vicious grin on Kids lips appeared. With one yank Kid bashed Ace' face into the sandy ground and pushed him deeper into it. As Kid let go of Aces' head she jumped up to her feet and when Ace glared up to Kid she kicked into the sand in front of him so that it would fly into his face. Ace screamed in pain while Kid said callously: "before you ever dare to get so close to me again you'll better remember this pain, you filthy bastard." Before she picked up her guitar and pass walked him.
"YOU FREAKING BITCH!" Ace yelled spitefully.
How could he have thought that this arrogant and egotistical person could have a soft side? From now on he wouldn't give a damn about her, even if that witch would be burned at a stage, he wouldn't care! After some time the irritation of Ace's eyes stopped and he could see clearer again, so he stood up and walked back to the camp.
When Ace arrived back at the camp Sanji had already prepared lunch and had handed it out to all crew members, even Robin sat next to Chopper, but she still seemed a bit pale. Sanji gave Ace a bowl of his stew with rice while he holdback an invidious commentary, about how Ace had yelled at Kid (even though she didn't care about it). "Hey Luffy what's your brother so peeved about?" Usopp asked his captain in a low voice when he noticed how Ace was ill-temperedly gulping down his food.
"Nah… He'd say if he needs something." Luffy answered blithely before he yelled, "SANJI REFILL… PLEASE!" Luffy added with a grin when he saw Sanji glare at him.
After Sanji refilled Luffys bowl Kid asked in a distant manner. "Robin, how are you doing right now?"
"I am still a bit tiered but thank you for your concern." Robin answered a bit offishly.
"Alright then everyone's packing together their stuff, we'll set out and Sanji's going to carry you farther." Kid announced after she had stood up.
"Of course I'll carry Robin… but I wanted to make a dessert for my Nami-swan, Robin-chan and you Kitty-Kid!" Sanji said gaily.
Kid approached Sanji with grand strides and seized him by his collar and pulled him a bit closer towards her face: "I said we set out!" she hissed before she let go of him and he sunk a bit disturbed to the ground.
`I could almost feel sorry for that Ero-cook… but only almost.` Zoro thought to himself and started to grin mischievously.
"What are you grinning about?" Kid growled glaring at Zoro when she took the scoop and started to clean it before she put it into Sanjis backpack while the others started to follow her example by starting to tide up the camp.
Half an hour later the group set out partly groaning and moaning to fallow Kid who was already waiting for them at the top of a sand hill. When the entire group started to walk upwards the hill Kid was standing on, she turned around and walked ahead.
Kid paced her way onward but she waited for the rest of the group from time to time while she looked around to make sure that they wouldn't get attacked. During the long way through the desert Kid had enough time to think about the past few days and her current situation; she came eventually to the conclusion that she'd might been a bit to harsh to everyone. When Eqrado came in sight the sun was already some time down. Kid stood on top of a hill and looked down to the peaceful shining lights of some houses before she turned around, walked back to the bottom of the hill and saw that all of the group were exhausted, even though some of them tried to hide it, especially Ace. "We'll make a break for today and go tomorrow late in the morning to Eqrado… that was a stiff job to come this far in half a day… well done everyone!" Kid said in a less stern way when the group was about to climb up the hill Kid just returned from.
"That was nothing…" Chopper said self-consciously (after the sunset he walked by himself) while grinning like a Cheshire cat just as Sanji did while he let Robin at her request down.
While Luffy, Zoro and Nami grinned in approval of Kids acknowledge of their hard work Usopp just laid on the ground as he was huffing and puffing. Ace just grunted despisingly before he started to build up his tent while Kid approached the group. "I don't need your help…" Ace answered dismissively when Kid offered to help him.
"fine…" Kid responded annoyed and stuck out her tongue before she went to Usopp to help him up to his feet and to build up his tent.
Just when Sanji had supper ready and called for the group everyone came to eat immediately. After the first turmoil because of handing out the food and most of the group was sated Kid pieced together her guitar and started to play while Luffy and Ace finished the rest of the food off.
"You're exactly what were missing in my crew… I'm sure we're gonna have lot's of fun with you as our musician!" Luffy said happily while Usopp and Chopper were nodding keenly.
"What? I've never said I would join your crew." Kid protested immediately without stopping her guitar play.
"You'd fit into my brothers crazy crew pretty well… even though you're rather a psychopath!" Ace said sarcastically he was pretty sure she would do the opposite from what ever he would suggest.
"Just shut your mouth!" Kid responded annoyed to Ace's commentary.
"But Ace is right… I believe that you would fit in too." Nami tried to encourage Kid to stay with them, since she saw her plans for bringing her and Ace together shatter.
"I don't think that she'd fit in at all!" Zoro stated suddenly.
"WHAT! Say that again into my face!" Sanji yelled offended when he stood up ready to jump at Zoro's throat.
"Really think about it, we all are led by our dreams but she never even mentioned it and therefore she doesn't fit into our group but that's…" Zoro explained but just when he wanted to say that he wouldn't interfere with Luffys will Sanji jumped at his throat and tried to fight him down.
"Well Zoro's got a point there…" Luffy said while Zoro and Sanji were grappling, "so what's your dream!?" Luffy added happily.
"Dreams are shadows." Kid said after she stopped playing guitar.
While Luffy sat there in shock Kid got up to her feet and left the campfire.
"Oi Luffy, are you okay?" Usopp asked
"Dreams aren't just shadows." Luffy mumbled before he jumped up to his feet and yelled to Kid, "Everybody needs a dream!"
"Don't get to upset about that!" Chopper and Usopp tried to calm down Luffy but all they got to hear was an offended grunt from him.
The song is from Kelly Clarkson: Because of you.
I would appreciate some reviews also I'd like to know how many people actually read the last chapter.