Worth Searching For

by yokokuroba

She had lost her shinobi status with a deadly poison. With a dying body and injured pride, she traveled the world to find him for more than one reason, but would he accept her after seven years of searching?

3. Quick Changes X The Real Journey Begins

A/N: This is the revised version of this story. I've doubled up chapters, so what was two chapters have now been combined into one. For instance, chapters one and two have been combined into just chapter one. Chapters three and four are now just chapter two and so on. So now the chapters are longer with between 9,000 and 10,000 words for each. I've also edited all the chapters that were up. I've changed my username and will also be uploading this story onto Archive of our Own under the same username yokokuroba

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece nor do I make any money from my writings.

Chapter Two: Quick Changes X The Real Journey Begins

Sakura woke up with a start, sitting up in the bed in a quick motion and she ignored the protest her head gave her. Quickly scanning the room, her wide eyes landed on the surprised figure next to her. Her heart skipped a beat, and her face was heated while she took in the shocked expression of the little doctor.

"You're crying." he said softly, and her eyes widened even more in alarm.

Her fingers trembled as she lifted her hand up to her cheek, only for her fingertips to touch a wet trail that was no doubt left behind by her tears. She looked ahead of her, placed her hand over one of her eyes, and clenched the cover in her other hand. Sakura gritted her teeth in frustration. Why did everything have to be so complicated? All she wanted was to have her own life back. She wanted to be a shinobi of Konoha again. She didn't want to go through all of this, didn't want to be reminded of the evil side of this world. The pinkette knew that was wishful thinking though. Even as a shinobi, she had to deal with evil people.

Honestly, it was wearing on her sanity. All of it was. Sakura clenched her eyes shut, not even bothering to try to hide her tears from the furry creature beside her. She let them slide down her cheeks in waves, her face flushed, and her eyes swollen. Soft softs left her lips and she didn't protest as the doctor's hoof rested on top of her hand reassuringly. It was a kind gesture, even though he didn't understand what was going on and she was grateful for it. He didn't say anything as she let her feelings be shown for the first time in a long time.

Things had changed so much since she left Konoha, had changed so quickly. She was struggling to keep up with everything. Her past, her situation, her desires. It was suffocating and it threatened to choke the life out of her. Yet, there was one thing she did have a solid grasp on. Him. She had to find him.

It wasn't long until she had stopped crying and the doctor had looked over her to see how she was doing. Her fever had gone down and her life wasn't in danger, but apparently, she was still in no shape to be traveling around as she was still too weak to walk around. He had also told her they had already passed the small island and that she had been asleep for two days now. The news came as a surprise to her. She had missed her chance to get off this ship just like that and it seemed that she would have to take up Nami's offer for at least a little while.

Chopper had left shortly after that, telling her to lay back down, get some rest, and that he would check on her in a little while to see if she needed anything. Sakura stared up at the ceiling. How could she have slept that long? Now she was stuck with this crew for who knew how long. Closing her eyes, she brought her hands up to her temples and started to massage them with her fingers, applying pressure to calm her headache. It wasn't too bad, though she didn't feel right staying with these people when she had no intention of joining their crew. There was also the fact they were being so kind to her when they had no reason to be.

Furrowing her eyebrows and looking up at the ceiling in thought, she figured she might as well make the most of it. She couldn't find Law any quicker by rushing on her own and possibly straight to her death as she had done so closely so many times before. Maybe traveling with them would help her reach her goal. Sakura smiled softly when she recalled the feeling she had right before the storm. She had felt that something was going to happen, something that would bring her closer to her goal. Perhaps this crew was it.

Maybe… Just maybe… It wouldn't hurt to let her nightmares rest and to let the beauty of the world back into her life. Despite all her hardships during her journey, she was still grateful to be alive, to be free, and if she could smile along the way to accomplishing her goal, why not take advantage of it? She would be more than willing to fight for this crew.

Sitting up and throwing the covers off her, Sakura got up out of bed, ignoring the orders the small doctor had given her. She felt she had rested long enough, and she figured it was about time she met the man she had saved and the one that had saved her in turn. Making her way out of the bedroom, she opened the hatch that led to what looked like a storage or work room. Closing the hatch behind her, she calmly made her way to the door in the front of the room. She stood in front of it, her eyes lowered down at the wood slightly as the sounds of yelling and bickering reached her ears.

The pinkette smiled gently, reminded of her younger days where she would argue with Naruto about the most ridiculous of things. Her eyes facing forward, she decided that maybe quick changes were needed every once in a while. She was living on borrowed time, so why not enjoy it more while she searched?

With her mind set and hoping that she wasn't making a mistake, Sakura placed her hand on the door handle and turned it. Pulling it toward her, the door slowly opened, and she stepped through the doorway, letting the sunlight reach her skin. One member after another turned to look at her and though she knew that she was receiving some curious stares, she paid no heed to them. Her gaze had already drifted up to the bright, blue sky above them. White clouds floated in the sky, and it brought a nostalgic feeling upon her, easily reminding her of home with something that Kakashi had told her long ago.

Rather than making her feel homesick, it reassured her that this was what she was supposed to be doing. She had felt warmth from this group even before setting foot onto their ship. How long had it been since she had been so welcomed amongst anyone? Two years. Since she had left that old man's ship to set out on her journey and it had been even longer before that. She had traveled all around the world, but very few times had she met a group of people like this. She was standing on the deck a few feet away from the door, her eyes still glued to the sky above her and a vibe of calmness escaping her.

"Sakura." Chopper said in disapproval, running up to stand by her side and she looked down at him, though her gentle expression didn't change. He stopped beside her and frowned up at her, "You're supposed to be resting."

Sakura smiled softly and said, "A little exercise won't hurt, will it, Doctor?"

The little reindeer furrowed his brow in thought. "Well, no, but you don't need to overexert yourself."

"I won't, I promise." the pinkette replied and the doctor seemed satisfied, but she knew he would be keeping an eye on her. She felt her heart warm at the little animal. He seemed to take his job seriously and enjoyed every moment of it. She couldn't help but wish there were more like him out there in the world. Her being a doctor as well, she knew what kind of people that title could bring along with it.

The crew members began to gather around them, some of them having seen her for the first time awake. Her jade eyes glanced over all of them, not recognizing three of the males and her smile deepened when she saw that they were returning her expression in their own unique ways. "I'd like to thank all of you for helping me."

"Really, we should be thanking you for helping out our clumsy captain." Sakura looked over at the male that spoke and took in his features. Dark skin, long nose, skinny, and dark, curly hair. She couldn't tell what his specialty was, but he clearly wasn't a main fighter.

"Hey." The dark-haired male frowned at the long nosed one, crossing his arms over his chest in a defiant pout, and she recognized his voice instantly as one of the first ones she had heard since arriving on the ship. "Who you calling clumsy, Usopp?"

"Don't start that, you two." Nami frowned at them disapprovingly before letting a sigh pass through her lips.

Sakura continued to glance over the members, looking for the one that had saved her. If she recalled, it was a man that was fairly muscular. That didn't leave much however, seeing as how all of them were on the petite side, other than one. Her eyes landed on Zoro, who stood against the mast with his arms folded over his chest, a soft smirk playing at his lips at the scene the long-nose and captain made, bickering at each other.

The pinkette made her voice known to the male for the first time when she calmly asked, "Are you the one that pulled me from the water?"

Zoro's dark eyes landed on her and his expression turned stoic as everyone looked at them as well. He regarded the supposed child carefully for a few moments. Much like Nami and Vivi previously, he could tell she wasn't what she seemed. He could sense there was something different about her. She didn't give off any evil intent and though she seemed relatively harmless, there was something underneath that and he could tell that it was dangerous.

Sakura had her answer right away and she was able to see him inspecting her eyes, trying to figure out if she was a threat or not, no doubt. She didn't hold it against him. Bringing her arm over her stomach and leaning forward, she dropped her gaze to the ground and bowed respectfully toward him. "I thank you for saving me. You have my utmost gratitude."

He seemed taken aback slightly by her reaction toward him, not used to having someone bow down to him. The swordsman was sure that nobody had ever done it before. It was strange and he knew she wasn't a normal child just from that. He closed his eyes and frowned. "Raise your head."

Sakura opened her eyes in slight surprise, unaware she had closed them to begin with, and listened to his next words, "You don't need to bow down to anyone here." Blinking down at the wood, she let his words sink into her mind and it was then she realized what she had been doing. Furrowing her pink eyebrows, she couldn't help but feel sick at the old habit that had been drilled into her years ago. The female let out a soft sigh and then straightened her back, lowering her arm down by her side. A gentle and grateful smile formed on her lips as she looked at the green-haired man.

"Thank you." The swordsman smirked and the captain grinned, letting out an enthusiastic chuckle. Sakura looked over at the redhead standing next to the cook. "I thought about your proposal, and I've reconsidered." Nami felt her smile deepen at her words and then the pinkette turned her attention to the captain grinning at her. "With your permission, I'd like to travel along with this crew in order to accomplish my goal."

"And what exactly is your goal?" Usopp asked curiously, crossing his arms over his chest and an eyebrow arched skeptically.

Yet again, all eyes were on her while she looked down at the ground. "I've been searching for someone for the past seven years to cure a poison from my body." she stated without any hint of hesitation.

There was a silence that filled the air before there was a simultaneous shouting of; "Poison!" and "Seven years!" from various members of the crew.

The pinkette looked up and met the dark eyes of the captain, who appeared to be calm as he listened to her. "I'm sure this ship's doctor can cure me, but I've already made up my mind for only this man to heal my body. I've already been through hell searching for him and I won't let my efforts be wasted."

Some of the members slumped over upon hearing this, especially Chopper, not exactly thrilled at the fact his help was being so flatly denied.

Sakura dismissed it however, as she continued calmly, "I don't have much longer to live, but I have a feeling that if I stay with this group, I will reach my goal before this poison can claim my life." The pinkette smiled as she added, "I might have the strength and stamina of a normal child, but I can use a number of blades, create poisons, and am very knowledgeable in the medical field."

"If you have knowledge about that, then why couldn't you cure yourself?" Sanji asked, taking his cigarette out of his mouth and drawing her attention to him. "Or is it personal?"

"I don't have any knowledge of the ingredients or mixture of the poison, nor can I gain it." the female replied. It was true in a sense. She couldn't gain it. There were far too many ingredients in this world, for her to gather enough knowledge about them, to isolate the ingredients of the poison, find out the mixture ratio, and then gather the proper ingredients to create an antidote, it would have taken up too much time. Time she wasn't sure she had back then. She had let fate take control of her life to see if she could find Law. "And I suppose you could say that it's personal. At least on my part."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the swordsman asked, and she looked over at him, wondering when she would finally be able to get his name.

"I've never actually met him. I only know his name."

Surprise was evident in her voice when Vivi replied, "That's crazy, isn't it? Searching for someone for that long and you don't even know what he looks like."

Sakura let her gaze drop to the ground, remembering that she had known what he looked like, but had forgotten. The thought sat terribly with her and no matter how many times she tried to force herself to remember his face, she couldn't. The only thing she could make out in her foggy, slipping memory were animal-like, spotted patterns. "Yeah." she said softly, "I guess it is."

~SCENE CHANGE~

"Zoro-san?"

A low grunting noise was the reply the female received to let her know that the green-haired man had acknowledged her presence. Jade eyes watched the movements he made as he stood on the deck at the very back of the ship, a large weight in his hands. He was swinging it downward and then lifting it back up into the air before swinging it down again in a sword-like motion. He was repeating the process many times and his body was coated with sweat, his scarred chest glistening from the sunlight that reflected off the salty liquid.

"I don't suppose you have any spare swords lying around, do you?" she asked curiously. Sakura had noticed that he always kept his swords by his side, and it didn't take a genius to figure out they were precious to him. She doubted he kept any other swords lying around. She hadn't seen him fight yet, but she could tell he used all three in battle and had no need to carry around any more. If one broke, he would simply wait until he acquired another. He seemed like he was that type of man.

"Sorry, kid." he replied, and Sakura had been expecting that answer. "You plannin' on fighting or something?"

The pinkette frowned slightly, her gaze dropping to the floor while thinking of how little help she'd be to the group she had decided to travel with. "I'd like to be able to help somehow if things were to become serious."

Zoro continued his training, but he didn't miss the depressed tone in her voice when she answered him. "Don't worry about it. You're not expected to fight."

Sakura looked up at the swordsman with her pink eyebrows furrowed and a slight breeze passed by them, blowing the sundress she had on behind her. It was one of Nami's, a white and blue, spaghetti-strap dress with a few flowery designs. It ruffled out at the bottom and stopped shortly below her knees, though it had ended at the redhead's upper thighs and was considerably tighter on her than the pinkette. Sakura didn't have any curves, so it fell loosely around her body, and she had silently dreaded the fact she had lost her womanly curves when she had compared herself to the other two females. Although, she had been called 'cute' by the perverted chef, something that hadn't entirely flattered her.

Her feet were bare against the hard wood of the floorboard, a feeling that she was used to. Her bangs were parted to the left, as that had been her normal hairstyle for the past nine years since the war and her hair was down to the small of her back. Lately, she had let it go untamed, not concerned with its length, health, or which way her bangs were parted. However, Nami and Vivi had dragged her off to the girls' room after they had made sure she was completely cleaned during her shower. They had one hell of a time combing all the knots out of her hair, but it had worked out in the end with a minor headache. She could still see the way they had stared at the seal on her forehead in curiosity. They had asked what it was, and Sakura had replied that at the moment, it was just another mark on her body.

It wouldn't have done any good to explain what it was since she wasn't able to use it. Sometimes she even forgot she had the Byakugou seal on her forehead, but it was a nice reminder of her past as a shinobi whenever she saw it in the mirror. She would often think of Tsunade when she looked at it more than anything and she couldn't help but wonder how her dear Shishou was doing or if anything happened after her selfish departure from the village. Sakura wasn't worried though. Tsunade was a strong woman. She would be fine.

Sakura brought herself back to what the swordsman had told her. 'Don't worry about it?' 'She's not expected to fight?' "That's not very reassuring." she finally replied after moments of silence between the duo.

Zoro smirked softly, "It is what it is."

The pinkette looked up, not realizing she had looked down at the floor again in thought. That was easy for him to say. He was swinging that huge weight around like it was an everyday thing and she had a feeling it probably was. Let him go without his precious strength and see how he felt afterward. Douche.

An amused smile crossed Sakura's features and she mentally berated herself for comparing herself to the swordsman. She knew he couldn't be blamed for anything and her getting jealous over his strength was childish. That was what was so amusing about it though. She hadn't felt jealousy in years and something deep inside her urged her to become stronger.

Sakura didn't reply to the male as she continued to stand a few yards away from him, her jade eyes watching the way his muscles contracted and rippled as he moved the weight back and forth. Sweat continued to drip down his body, running down curves and dips that defined his muscles. The sight sent excitement throughout her body, but not of a sexual kind that most women would be affected by. The pinkette would admit that she had a bit of a perverted side as well and could admire a man's body when it was due, but those kinds of thoughts didn't find their way into her mind when she watched him.

The former kunoichi was eager to start training again, to have her own body move in similar movements, to feel her heartbeat increase rapidly as sweat rolled down her body. Granted she had trained since leaving her village, she found out that the poison was even more complex than she had originally thought. Her body was stuck as a child until she could be cured and that meant her size had remained the same since she was attacked. Not only her size, but also her strength and stamina and no matter how much she trained, it wouldn't increase. That was why she had taken it upon herself to learn how to use multiple weapons and to start meditating more often. On the bright side, her flexibility hadn't suffered, and she was able to move into positions most people weren't capable of.

Sakura lifted her hand up to her right shoulder and her fingertips grazed over the red tattoo there, the proof she was a member of ANBU. She had gotten it with much difficulty trying to persuade Kakashi to let her join the ranks of the Black Ops members. He had declined quite a few times but had relented in the end from her stubbornness. He had told her something about wanting to keep whatever innocence she had left safe for as long as possible, as if he felt that it was still his responsibility to protect her, not just as her former teacher, but also as the Sixth Hokage.

Smiling gently at the memories, Sakura brought her hand down to her side and began to walk away, the swordsman noticing her departure, but saying nothing against it. The pinkette made her way to a higher part of the ship and sat down amongst some tangerine trees she heard Nami had brought along. While sitting down comfortably, she folded her legs in front of her, straightened her back, and laid her arms across her legs, her palms facing upward, and her thumbs connected with her middle fingers. Letting out a calm breath, the pinkette began to clear her mind and focused on nothing in particular.

The scent of the tangerines around her had a soothing effect and her previous excitement had died down to a low hum. Her body began to relax, and the sounds of laughter didn't deter her from letting her mind calm down. Slowly, her breathing began to shorten and slow down almost to a halt. The female didn't focus on anything around her, though she could sense the presence of everything around her.

The wind was gentle and smooth, caressing her skin as it brushed against her. The ocean water was calm, and it split apart for the ship to make its way through, causing it to hit against the side of the ship softly and send up the scent of the salty water. The wind also helped with that, and the scent of the water entered her nose. It was deep, the natural smell overpowering any other around her, taking over her sense of smell so strongly that she began to taste the salt in the air.

The sounds the crew made from down below began to die out and were slowly replaced with the sound of the wind and ocean they were being carried on by. The sound of the waves flowing and the wind whistling calmed her nerves even more so and she let the natural elements take over her senses.

Images began to flash quickly over her eyes, though she paid no heed to them. She didn't focus on anything, allowing her mind to stay open so she could dwell deeper into her subconscious. Flashes of her past made themselves known multiple times, but she continued with her meditation without realizing that she was frowning.

Before she was aware of how much time had passed, she found herself opening her eyes to the sounds of yelling and the harsh vibrations of the ship rocking back and forth. The sun burned her eyes when the bright rays settled on her pupils, causing her to close them temporarily. She had been meditating for a few hours at least and the time seemed to have flown by. Standing up, she stretched her arms above her head and a groan vibrated in her throat at the sensation after having sat in one place with absolutely no movement for so long.

Turning her attention toward the back of the ship, she saw a curious sight, one that had one of her pink eyebrows arching. A giant, white cat had come up out of the water, its torso covered by something that looked like green scales, and a singular, gold, hoop earring attached to its left ear. Its paw was raised up to its torso and Sakura had a feeling that it wasn't raised as a type of greeting.

The crew members commented on the creature while Sakura calmly made her way down to the stern, listening in amusement at the shouts about the cat and she couldn't help but chuckle when Luffy shouted to put the boat in reverse when the sea creature began to back away from them. She stopped near the end of the steps and sat down on them, watching Sanji run up the stairs beside her and to the back of the stern, shouting as well.

Jade eyes watched the group in interest, thinking of how lively the crew was, especially the males. She folded her arms over her knees, and she didn't even wince when she saw Vivi grab a broom and smack it across the heads of the captain, cook, and swordsman, causing them to fly face first into the railing. Sakura smiled at the scene it had created as the cat retreated back into the water and swam away while the three supposed victims fell to the floor.

Luffy and Sanji had their arms slumped over the railing, Luffy facing out toward the ocean with half of his body draped on the ground while the blonde was facing the blue-haired woman. Zoro, on the other hand, was laying on the ground, his arms sprawled out and his swords beside him. He looked more defeated than the rest of them.

"Vivi, what are you doing? I'm hungry." the captain complained, a whine to his voice and his teeth seemingly sharper than before as if to suggest a starved beast.

"Why? Just why? It was food." the cook added on, a similar pouty tone to his captain's.

The blue-haired woman wasn't deterred by their depressed demeanor however and with her arms outstretched to the sides, she replied strictly, "Because you can't eat a sea-cat. I just can't let you. Sea-cats are sacred animals in Alabasta."

Sakura's body tensed when she heard the name of that Kingdom, her mind instantly setting off images of her past. Was that where they were headed? To Alabasta? Goosebumps rose on the female's skin, fear settling into her body. Her eyes were wide and were facing downward. She was told the simple details of what the crew was planning on doing, but she wasn't told the name of the Kingdom they were headed to. Nami had mentioned that Vivi was a princess trying to get back to her country in order to stop a civil war and that there was a Warlord involved.

Jade eyes slowly moved upward toward the blue-haired woman, who currently had her back turned toward her. They were all looking at something in the distance, ships, but the pinkette didn't notice them. She was too in shock to focus on anything else and it had to take everything she had to keep her breathing under control so not to panic. 'Then this woman is…' Her mind reeled from the revelation and her hands began to tremble in her lap. She had slept near this woman, had stood beside her, and had looked her in the eyes.

Pink eyebrows furrowed and she looked down at the floorboards again, sweat beginning to drip down her cheek. She struggled to keep calm, but the thought of one of 'them' around her was beginning to cause her to panic. All she thought of doing at that moment was escaping. It didn't matter where or how, she just wanted to leave. To get away from this woman.

Sakura lowered her head more and brought her hands upward, cupping her ears in a vain attempt to block out the noises in her head. The sounds of screams echoed throughout her mind and the sight of blood crossed her vision. The female gritted her teeth as the feeling of a burning sensation being pierced into the flesh of her back made itself known to her once again. The sound of a loud gunshot rang through her ears, causing her body to flinch without her permission and it was accompanied by the feeling of something piercing her throat.

Suddenly, Sakura found that she couldn't breathe and the good cheer she had felt moments ago was nowhere to be found in her demeanor. Her entire body was trembling, and her mind seemed to shut down for a moment in an attempt to cut out the noises and find a place that gave her comfort. The screaming wouldn't stop though, and her body felt like it was on fire. Something was curling around in her throat, and she felt as if she were going to vomit at any moment.

'Think about something else!' she would scream at herself during moments like this, where her body was left victim to people that couldn't even be considered human. She wasn't even aware someone was calling out to her, her mind too wrapped up in her memories. Why was she living? She would ask herself. What did she have to live for? She would wonder. She had wanted to die so many times, but she had never allowed herself that. One thought would always return to her mind that urged her to live, to endure everything they threw at her and made her do.

Soft hands were placed on her shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. It was that caring gesture that broke her out of her thoughts, so different from the torment she was used to receiving and it reminded her that what she was experiencing now wasn't real. Blinking back tears she hadn't realized escaped her eyes, Sakura looked up to see Vivi standing in front of her.

The pinkette furrowed her eyebrows and she couldn't stop herself from leaning back away from her out of silent fear, though the teenage female continued her grasp on the smaller woman's shoulders. Concern was spread across her features as she looked over her expression and Sakura could feel the eyes of everyone else on her as well. "What's wrong?"

Sakura didn't answer right away, not sure how to process the situation she was in. She knew Vivi was one of them if she was the princess of Alabasta, yet she didn't act or dress like them. Then again, neither did her former 'master'. The pinkette immediately cut those thoughts off before they had time to fully process in her clouded, yet racing, mind as a form of defense. Hot tears slid down her cheeks as jade looked into grey, searching for something that would let her know where she stood, anything solid. She needed to know if it was true.

"You are a Nefatari." the former kunoichi stated and Vivi appeared confused for a second before another comment was quietly added, "Of the Celestial bloodline."

The blue-haired female frowned before she pulled her hands from the pinkette's shoulders, and she noticed the way the other had visibly relaxed with the lack of contact. Vivi felt a rush of guilt flood her chest. She hadn't thought anybody remembered her family's lineage and it broke her heart, thinking of what this child had been through.

"I saw the mark on your back." the princess said, guilt and remorse in her voice, causing Sakura's expression to soften a bit while the others looked on in curiosity and confusion. "I didn't want to say anything about it since I didn't want to worry you."

Sakura looked away to the side, her body still trembling, and her eyebrows furrowed. Vivi saw the doubt and fear in the pinkette's posture, and she clenched her fists slightly down by her sides, disgusted at how humans could be so cruel to each other. Perhaps the members behind her didn't know what was going on, but Vivi understood completely. She knew what kind of people the Celestial Dragons were, and she was ashamed her family was a part of them centuries ago.

"I want you to know that I'm not like those people."

Sakura glanced up at the woman before her, her eyes skeptical and questioning. She had thought the same of that other one also. She was foolish to believe he was any different from the man that had first 'purchased' her and then left her for dead. Just because they didn't have their title anymore didn't mean anything.

"I know you don't have any reason to trust me," Vivi continued before she outstretched her hand toward the smaller female, a small, hopeful smile on her lips. "But please give me a chance to show you that I'm not like them."

The pinkette regarded the other for a few moments, debating on what to do. It was true that the princess had shown nothing but kindness to her since she joined them, and she didn't share the same disgust with normal people as the other 'godly' nobles did. Turning her head to the side, Sakura continued to think over her proposition. She knew there were rulers and such that could care for their people, but it was rare from what she had seen. Glancing back up at the taller female standing before her, she saw the same kindness in her eyes as before, concern and genuine care for her showing through.

Frowning, Sakura lifted her hand up to her face and covered her left eye with her palm while lifting up her right hand. She hesitantly grasped Vivi's hand and she was feeling very much like the vulnerable and weak child she looked like. She knew she had to give the princess a fair chance, to prove herself to her, and that if she didn't then she would be no better than the real monsters that haunted her nightmares. She would be showing prejudice toward someone that had shown her no harm or disrespect, someone that seemed to have at least a shred of humanity.

Sakura was pulled up to her feet by the taller female and the pinkette was surprised when gentle arms wrapped around her petite form, pulling her into another chest. Jade eyes were wide and trembling, threatening to spill tears all over again as her arms hung limply by her sides. It was so warm. The pinkette began to close her eyes and let the feeling seep into her trembling body, into her aching mind and heart. She was so warm, and it was quickly melting the barrier she had previously set up between herself and the woman embracing her. A quick change.

Everything was changing so quickly and without being able to stop it, the thought of whether or not Law would be this warm crossed her mind. It was then she realized she wasn't broken. She wasn't weak. She just needed what every human needed, something else that had been taken from her. The warmth of another being.

She had only known this crew for a few days and yet the aura they gave off was changing something within her. It was tearing down the walls she had set up around her heart, one layer after another, but she knew it would be a long time before she was healed completely. Even though it was a quick change, it was a welcomed one.

~SCENE CHANGE~

Sakura held up her left arm in front of her, looking down at the bandage wrapped around her arm with a hidden X-shaped marking underneath it. It was a smart plan to say the least. Simple, yet effective. Lowering her arm, the pinkette set her gaze forward. They were about to dock at Alabasta Island, and she was eager to finally be able to set foot on land after weeks at constant sea. She also wanted to take a look at any weapons that were available. Problem was…

Walking over to the redhead that was standing at the bow of the ship a few yards away from her, Sakura stopped beside her and looked up at her. "Nami-san."

Nami and Vivi, who was standing beside the navigator, turned their attention down to her. Damn, she hated being short.

"What is it?" Nami asked curiously.

The pinkette tilted her head to the side slightly in thought before asking, "Other than supplies, will there be any shopping done?"

The redhead placed her hand on her hip. "I suppose." she answered calmly, "I'm sure Chopper will want to look for some medical books or something. Why? Is there something you're wanting?"

Sakura nodded her head in confirmation. "I'd like to take a look at some weapons, but I don't have any money."

A sly smile made its way onto the navigator's lips, and she held up a hand to her chest and waved it dismissively. "That's alright. Whatever you spend will come out of Zoro's allowance."

"Oi!" the swordsman yelled in response from his leaning position against the railing overhanging the middle deck. He was scowling at the redhaired woman, and she turned a challenging scowl at him in return while Sakura had her eyes closed, a sheepish smile on her lips. "You can't just decide that on your own."

Nami closed her eyes and waved him off, "It's not like you use it for anything besides booze anyway."

"I get to decide to use it however I want!"

Sakura faced the irritated green-haired man and raised both of her hands in front of her, still smiling sheepishly. "It's alright. I don't need to take your money."

The navigator frowned down at her and arched an eyebrow. "Then how else are you going to pay?"

"I'll figure something out." the pinkette replied, smiling up at the woman with her arms lowered down by her sides.

The redhead nodded while Zoro grumbled to himself. It only took a few more moments before they got ready to land anchor and they each made their way off the boat individually. Nami had advised them all to stay under control and to Sakura's mild surprise, the captain had run off before the navigator had even warned them. Sanji had jumped off the ship first with Zoro following him down the ladder.

Sakura made her way to the side of the ship with Chopper beside her, the little creature crawling up onto the railing the same time as her. The doctor jumped off before her as she threw her legs over the side and pushed herself off. The loose sundress she wore flew up to her upper thighs, exposing the majority of her legs on her short trip down. She was expecting to land on the ground but was surprised when a pair of arms caught her.

"You do realize there was a ladder there, right?" Zoro asked as he held the small pinkette in his arms, almost cradling her. His expression was stoic, but his brows were furrowed in what could have been annoyance.

"Yeah." she replied, causing his eyebrow to twitch and his teeth to grit before he placed her down on the ground carefully. "Thank you." Sakura smiled up at him. His assistance wasn't needed, but she appreciated it nonetheless.

"Just be careful when you're doing stuff like that." he stated before turning his head, causing the pinkette to close her eyes and chuckle under her breath.

The ex-kunoichi turned her attention back up at the ship, listening to Vivi tell them she wouldn't be able to go into the city with them and that her and Karoo would be easily recognized. Noticing something out of the corner of her eye, Sakura turned to her left and was met with the sight of an odd-looking ship. Purple, with a blue and white striped sail, a large figured '3' at the front, the back sail containing the letters 'BW' on it, and on the side was written 'Mr3'.

Sakura blinked curiously at the boat before asking, "Does anybody else think that ship is odd?"

"A ship?" Sanji asked and they all looked over at it, each having their own surprised reactions.

"That's Mr. Three's ship." Vivi stated.

The pinkette arched an eyebrow and listened while the other crew members talked about him being on the island. Sighing and closing her eyes, she knew that she had no idea what the hell they were talking about.

~SCENE CHANGE~

"Uh, Usopp-san?"

"What is it, my dear?"

"This plan of yours. It's, uh…"

"Ingenious? Please, you don't need to flatt-"

"Stupid."

Sakura could hear an offended gasp come from underneath the blanket that covered the sniper, swordsman, navigator, and princess as they walked through town. The pinkette walked between Sanji and Chopper and she felt a little perturbed that the reindeer was just as tall as she was in his so called 'walk point'. She was sure he had used that term when referring to it, but nonetheless, he looked like an actual reindeer, wearing pants, a hat, and a backpack. On the other hand, he didn't stand out as much as the other four and everywhere she looked, there were people staring at them, giving them odd looks and she couldn't blame them.

"I told you it was stupid." Zoro agreed from behind the sniper.

"Well, your opinion doesn't matter to me. None of you can appreciate the genius I used to come up with this plan."

"If this is your genius showing, I sure don't want to see you at your worst." Sanji added.

Sakura snickered as she heard Usopp grumbling underneath the blanket, and they quickly made their way to a secluded area behind some buildings. Stopping at some ruins that looked like it was once part of a building, they began to shred off the cloth over them. The pinkette looked around at the desert, standing beside a broken pillar that Sanji decided to lean against. It had been close to nine years since she had last entered a desert. She wondered if her body was still accustomed to the harsh changes in temperature the sandy landscape provided.

The pinkette figured that Vivi would be heading to the capital or the palace, neither of which were in this city, so it was likely they would be heading across the desert. An excited smile formed on her lips at the thought of all the creatures they would run into. Scorpions, spiders, lizards, whatever animal or insect this land had to offer. Which meant poisons and possibly weapons and equipment depending on how large they were.

Although, before she thought about weapons or even crossing the desert, she needed to find a tavern to see if they had any wanted posters up. Her memory loss was troubling her, but if she could find a picture of Law and somehow keep it on her, then she didn't need to worry about that. She could also ask if anyone had seen him, though she knew the response she would probably get.

Sakura turned her attention back to the group when they began discussing how Sanji and Chopper would get supplies. "I'll go as well."

They turned to look at her, and though a few were surprised, Chopper's face expressed concern. "Are you sure you want to do that in your condition, Sakura?" Vivi asked, her eyebrows furrowed and a worried frown on her lips.

"It's alright. We can handle it." Sanji added on, blowing smoke out of his mouth from his cigarette.

Sakura shook her head from side to side before setting her gaze on the blue-haired princess. "There's something I want to check out in this city. There are wanted posters in the taverns, right?"

"That's right." Vivi nodded.

The pinkette looked over at Sanji and with her brow furrowed in determination, she replied, "I'd like to go there if you don't mind."

"So, you're wanting to find the wanted poster of the man you're looking for. Is that it?" the blonde cook replied, and Sakura nodded her head in affirmation. He smiled before adding, "I don't have a problem with that. Do you, Chopper?"

Jade eyes looked ahead of her to meet the eyes of the doctor and he seemed to contemplate it for a moment. They both knew she was still recovering, and she didn't nearly have as much energy as she should, but the reindeer had a feeling she was incredibly stubborn. She would do what she wanted, with or without his permission.

"Just don't be afraid to hop on my back if you get tired, okay?"

Sakura smiled gently at him in return. "Aye, aye, doctor." Turning, she began to walk off and she was a few yards away before she turned around and saw them smiling at her. "Let's get going then."

Sanji had his hands in his pockets, and he began to calmly walk after her, Chopper following behind him. "After you, miss."

The trip to the town was a short and easy one and Sakura kept her eyes open for any building that would look like a tavern. She ignored the glances that were sent their way, many of them directed at her, no doubt toward her unusual appearance. She supposed she did make for an odd sight, especially with her lack of footwear. Surprisingly, the heat from the sand that would normally scorch the skin of any tough man didn't bother her. The pinkette tried not to think that it was probably because most of the nerves on the bottom of her feet were already dead, so how could they feel pain?

After a few minutes, jade eyes widened in mirth as a sign with a mug on it came into view, hanging over the entrance to a building that had two, swing-in doors at the front. Letting out a soft, joyous laugh, the female began to jog toward the sign, leaving her two crewmates behind to watch her.

"Where is she going?" Chopper asked.

"She must have found what she was looking for." Sanji replied and it only took one glance upward to see that his suspicion was right.

"We should go after her."

"Probably."

Sakura felt the sand move between her toes as she ran toward the tavern, her pink hair flying behind her and a bright smile on her face. She hoped they had a picture of Law inside. She needed to see what he looked like again. To have that bit of clarity that he did exist and that she wasn't crazy, that she wasn't losing her mind, and that she hadn't been chasing after a lie this entire time. Although she knew he was real, otherwise certain events in her past wouldn't have taken place. Her having lost her mind? That was definitely a possibility. That would explain her wandering and contradicting thoughts about the man she was chasing after.

Stepping inside the tavern, a few sets of eyes settled on her, but she dismissed them as she glanced around the room quickly. Her jade eyes settled on a large board against the wall to the left of the room. There it was. Sakura began to run toward it, being careful not to knock into anyone's chair or table while she made her way toward it.

"Excuse me." she said when she almost collided with someone and she twisted her body around in between two tightly squeezed chairs, getting through easily with her lithe body. She stopped at the board right as Sanji and Chopper walked into the building.

They looked over the crowded bar before blue eyes locked onto her. "There she is." Sanji pointed out and the doctor looked over at her as well, raising his neck up slightly while trying to peer over everyone in the room to get a look at her short form.

The hope had died down in Sakura and was quickly replaced with a deep disappointment. They didn't have his wanted poster. Figures. Letting out a distressed and almost exhausted sigh, the pinkette carefully made her way to the bar. She was relieved when she made it through the crowded tables and appeared unscathed at the bar. Standing in front of it and looking up, she met the eyes of the bartender while he cleaned out a glass mug with a cloth.

"What can I do for you, little lady?"

He was an old man, his back was slouched over and she could see that he wasn't really tall to begin with. His eyes were covered by his thick eyebrows, the hair having gone grey from his old age, but he still had a head full of thick hair, having it slicked back and falling on both sides of his head. The grey hair from his head seemed to come down and merge with the hair from his beard and mustache before stopping shortly under his collarbone. If he had a mouth under that bush, he was hiding it pretty damn well.

"Is that all the wanted posters you have?" Sakura asked, a slight hope finding its way back up into her chest, before it came crashing back down into her feet and seeped through the floorboards with his next answer.

"Afraid so."

The female slumped over in silent defeat. "Oh." she mumbled.

"Who was it that you were looking for?"

Sakura's ears perked up at that and she looked back up at the old man while Sanji and Chopper made their way to her with much more difficulty than she had while moving through the room. They reached her side while the pinkette frowned. She wasn't exactly eager to be laughed at again, but if it would help her find him, then she supposed she would just have to endure it again.

"His name is Trafalgar Law." she replied, and the man hummed in thought. She lifted her hands a bit and added, "He's said to be a devil fruit user and can cure any disease."

"Really?" Chopper asked from by her side, surprise and awe evident in his voice, "That's amazing."

Sakura lowered her arms down by her side and stared at the man, her pink eyebrows furrowed and a frown on her lips. She watched him raise his hand to his beard and begin to run his fingers up and down it, caressing the light-colored strands while he thought. She hoped he would be able to tell her something, anything.

"So, what you're looking for is a miracle doctor." he said after a few moments, his voice calm and collected and in no way mocking her.

A nod was her reply, "That's right."

It was then that a group from beside them that had overheard their conversation began to burst out laughing. Sakura immediately scowled down at the ground and gritted her teeth, her fists clenched tightly by her sides. Chopper and Sanji looked back at them, the doctor showing surprise at the sudden noise and the cook looking at them with his brow slightly narrowed, clearly not amused.

A group of about seven men sat at the table, all were incredibly muscular with tattoos all over their bodies. Sakura could tell what kind of group they were without having to look at their ugly and smelly mugs.

"A miracle doctor?" one laughed loudly, "Come on, old man. Don't fill the kid's head like that!"

Another spoke up, "That's right! Ain't nothin' like that exist in this world."

More laughter began to break out throughout the room and the pinkette's two companions were visibly tense with their heads lowered. She could feel the tension that rolled off them, but as to why they were so upset, she couldn't say for sure.

"Don't tell me you actually believe someone like that is real!" a different man shouted, mirth and amusement clear for everyone to hear.

"I do."

The room slowly died down their laughter, having taken in the female's soft, yet confident words, but the two standing beside her were more surprised than anyone. Not only by her reply, but by her entirely. There was something rolling off her in waves that sent chills down their spines, and it was a hint at something dangerous underneath her soft and small façade. Her body was tense, and she was clenching her hands so tightly that the scent of fresh blood found its way into Chopper's nose, and it could be seen dripping to the floor on either side of her feet. Her fists were trembling in silent anger, but otherwise, her body was motionless, controlled.

"It doesn't matter what any of you say." she began, her voice low and deeper than usual, showing her sour mood. "I know for a fact he is real, and I will find him."

Her two companions watched her turn around and head for the doors that led to the outside, her head facing downward, and Sanji could tell that she was struggling to control herself. It was like looking at a bomb ready to go off.

Sakura could control herself. She could endure the stares and laughter like she had done so many times before. She would walk out of the bar without another word like she had done so many times before. She was a mature person, and she knew that some fights could be won without retaliating. Nami had told them to control themselves so she couldn't let her temper get the better of her, especially not now.

She was convinced she could make it out of this bar without throwing a fit. At least, she thought that was the case until she heard the deep voice of someone saying, "The man you are looking for is a monster."

Bare feet stopped dead in their tracks as jade eyes stared down at the ground, slightly widened. Those words seemed to vibrate off the walls and it left Sakura's body feeling numb.

"The man you are looking for is a monster."

"You're like some kind of monster."

Pink eyebrows narrowed and the gritting of her teeth could be heard throughout the quiet room, Chopper and Sanji watching her curiously with worry written across their features and they couldn't help but wonder what would happen next. Sanji knew he should do something to stop this from escalating any further, but the air was thick and heavy, making it difficult to breathe, and sweat began to gather on his forehead. Something was stopping him from grabbing the small female and leaving this damn building, but it wasn't the man that had spoken. It wasn't the crowd watching the scene in anticipation. It was her…

The entire room was silent, and the same feeling spread across everybody in the area. They were expecting something to happen, and no one dared to make a move, almost as if some invisible force was holding them all back. Perhaps it was the feeling that if any one of them made a wrong move, their very lives would be forfeited to some greater power that none of them were aware of. Their skins prickled and a cold sweat broke out into the room. It was as if it were the calm before the storm and all hell was about to break loose at any moment.

Sakura clenched her fists down by her sides harshly and with her eyes dark with anger, she tilted her head to the side and looked over to her left. Her eyes settled on a tall, muscular man sitting at a table by himself next to her while she stood in the center of the room. He had a French-braided strip of hair going from his crown all the way down to his back and a beard that was braided as well, going down to his chest. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes staring back at her, scrutinizing her from top to bottom. Multiple scars adorned his chiseled body and rough features, showing that he was an experienced fighter.

That fact didn't scare off the pinkette though and it was as if something fragile deep inside of her had snapped, her rage clear for all to sense in the room and venom dripped from her voice as she asked lowly, "What the hell did you just say?"

The man opened his mouth, possibly going to repeat himself or come up with some remark but didn't get the chance before Sakura ran over to the table he sat at and kicked the edge of it toward him. The large man let out a loud grunt as the round object went straight into his abdomen, knocking the breath from him. Everyone could only stare on in shock as the seething female then ran over to the man and grabbed a fistful of the hair at the nape of his neck. She yanked it back while grabbing the closest chair to her and she let go of the man's hair. Not a split second after, she had the legs of the chair gripped in her hands. Her mind was black as she slammed the wooden structure into the man's face and the chair cracked at the impact, easily breaking and sending wooden pieces flying around the room.

Sanji blinked at the scene as Chopper held one of his hooves over his hat and mumbled, "Sakura's lost it." Seeing that the situation was growing even further as Sakura knocked the man's chair out from underneath him and kicked an area that had all men in the room flinching, the blonde cook decided it was time to get the hell out of there before the authorities were called on them. Even if fights happened in bars all of the time because of reckless pirates and bandits, he didn't want to take that chance. Running over to the female while she practically snarled at the man underneath her as she stomped on his ribcage repeatedly, Sanji quickly threw his arms around her and pulled her to his chest before running off.

"Come on, Chopper. Let's get out of here!" he called back as he headed toward the door, hoping that nobody would stop him.

Sakura thrashed around in his arms, still glaring at the man on the ground that sat up before spitting out a patch of blood. "Let go of me!" she shouted, "I'm gonna kick his ass!"

Chopper blinked at them before nodding his head and he set off on a full run, chasing after them and the pinkette still hadn't calmed down even after they exited the tavern. After rushing down the street for a few minutes, Sanji was relieved when nobody seemed to be following them or looking for them, meaning they hadn't been called on. It was a miracle, though he supposed the man didn't want to make a big deal out of it. A grown man having his ass kicked by a little girl wasn't something that should be spread around, after all.

The trio had made their way down a few streets by the time Sakura had finally calmed down and it was a relief to the two males of the group. Neither of them had imagined that such a cute and gentle girl could give off such a deadly vibe or be so scary. It was a real shocker to the both of them to say the least. The only good thing that came out of that confrontation was the knowledge not to piss her off. She might not have been as strong as most of their members, but she knew how to fight and use her surroundings to her advantage. There was no denying that and those facts almost made her just as deadly and scary as their main fighters. Almost.

Sanji glanced down at the girl in his arms, a frown on his face as he saw her slumping form. Her body seemed almost limp in his grasp, and she was incredibly light, his other arm not even needed now that she had calmed down and his free hand was resting comfortably in his pants pocket. Her previous bright demeanor had been reduced to an almost lifeless mush of body parts.

Sighing, the cook removed his hand from his pocket and switched her to his other arm before lowering her down onto the reindeer's furry back that was beside him. They both allowed it, Sakura not in the mood to protest and Chopper knowing she wasn't going to be walking on her own at the moment. "Stay there for now. Until I say otherwise, you're on restriction."

If her spirits had been normal, she would have found his statement comical, but she wasn't in the mood. She felt defeated, having lost to her rage and lashed out at that man. The pinkette had thought she had more control than that and the fact she had lost her ability to think straight made her feel weak and vulnerable, but most of all, defeated. There was also the fact she wasn't able to find anything about Law or his whereabouts. Again. What made it worse was that she had attacked the only man that seemed to know anything about him. "Aye." she replied, not even bothering to talk back or resist as she lay down on the doctor's back, her arms hanging downward by his sides and one leg threatening to roll off the side of him.

Sanji felt a soft smile tug at the corner of his lips, and he couldn't help but think she was kind of cute when she was pouting like this. Though scary at first, it was adorable how upset she got over someone else and he found that he was getting slightly jealous over this Law character. Even if the pinkette had never met him, she was traveling around the world in order to find him. He was sure Chopper could help treat her if she only let him. Which brought on an interesting question, one that he was sure she hadn't answered.

"Tell me, Sakura." he began and received a grunting noise in response before he continued, "Why is it that you have to be cured by this specific person? Why not get looked at by someone else if you can?"

He was looking down at the female and for a few moments, there was nothing but silence between them and he knew Chopper was curious about her answer as well. Setting his gaze in front of him, he let the topic drop, deciding she wasn't going to answer after a few more seconds had passed with no reply from her.

Sakura turned her head to the side toward the cook, but her bangs covered her eyes from view even though her frown was visible for all to see. "Because they called him a monster."

The two males glanced back at her, each frowning at her reply and though it didn't entirely answer the question, they had a slight understanding on why she would go so far for this person. They turned their heads forward to watch where they were walking, not expecting her to continue, but with a soft tone, she added, "They told me he didn't exist."

Pink eyebrows furrowed as she recalled all of the places she had been to, trying to find something about the male doctor. "They had always laughed at me, called me crazy, but I didn't believe them. I know he's alive out there somewhere and I'll find him. Whether he cures me or not doesn't really matter to me anymore."

A hot tear escaped her eye and slid over the bridge of her nose before traveling across her cheek and into Chopper's fur. "I want to live more. I didn't even realize how beautiful this world is until I started searching for him and I want to see more of it." Sakura paused, knowing that the duo was listening closely to her, and she closed her eyes. "But if I can't be healed by the person that so many judge so thoughtlessly, then I don't want to be healed by any other."

Sakura would leave out the rest of the details on the reasons she had gathered for wanting to find Law. It was far too complicated, even for her to understand. It was all a jumbled mess of obligations and emotions. Though, despite everything, she knew one thing was loud and clear and it was the same thing she had just said. She wanted Law to cure her and no other. Without fail, she would find him, even if she had to travel to the ends of the world and back while pushing herself in a wheelchair across it. She would find him, and this was the beginning of her real journey toward him. A journey with new comrades by her side, ones that reminded her of home, and she knew that thanks to them, she would reach her goal sooner or later. She would just have to hold out until then.

~END OF CHAPTER TWO~

Thank you for reading!