Hello everyone! Hope your summer has been great! Here's Chapter 15! I don't own any One Piece characters, settings, or plot. It's all Eiichiro Oda's. Please enjoy chapter 15!
Kigen was in a foul mood. Both the captain and the navigator stood in front of him, looking like errant children.
"How in the name of all that you hold dear could you leave your stations in the middle of a storm? That is the time a captain and a navigator are needed the most!"
Kigen allowed them a moment to digest his statement, just waiting for them to excuse their behavior. He would pounce on them so fast that their heads would spin if they tried. The silence stretched uncomfortably, both men sweating profusely in their nervousness but remained silent. Finally, Kigen sighed, giving voice to his inner frustration.
"Alright, that issue is already in the past but why aren't we heading towards Water 7?"
"The Aqua Laguna is fierce. It'll affect the currents for several islands even far away from Water 7. It will be dangerous for a while to come. I won't risk my ship or my crew," the captain's voice trembled.
"You won't risk your ship or crew? Sounds admirable, Captain. Only you already endangered both when you left your command post!" Kigen's patience was quickly fraying. What hypocrisy! He had no right to say such a line when he had already endangered every life on 'his' ship! He had a mission to complete. He couldn't stand another delay!
"We appreciate your help with the storm, valued passenger, but we can't do the impossible," the captain said stubbornly, though there was a sheen of sweat at the man's temples.
Kigen knew when pushing more would start producing the opposite result. He smiled tightly.
"All right, can you at least tell me how long before we can approach Water 7?"
Both men thought with obvious difficulty.
"Well, it changes yearly. It will depend on how large the Aqua Laguna is and how far reaching the effects are," the captain scratched his head.
"Last year, I don't think we could approach for three weeks after the storm passed!" the navigator supplied helpfully.
Kigen barely kept a lid on his temper. Three weeks! Who knew what kind of trouble Princess Mimi could get into…or cause for the Strawhat Pirates in that time!
"I will be in touch regarding this matter," Kigen finally growled and stalked off to his cabin. He bent all his concentration on hearing Magina's song or Princess Mimi's.
…
Zoro was gloating a little.
"I told you, siren. You should have stayed behind and rested."
"You've never experienced sea-sickness on Merry. It's strange for it to affect you now," Chopper frowned, wringing a wet rag to place on Magina's forehead.
Magina groaned in response, her left arm covering her eyes, her right hand holding her stomach. The ceiling of the train bounced and swirled erratically. She closed her eyes in an effort to stop the wild spinning. It still felt like she was falling off the makeshift bed that the others quickly constructed for her.
"Zoro, stay with her and change the cloth when it dries. I have to shovel more coal," Chopper commanded him.
"I'm not good with fast things…" Magina replied weakly after Chopper left. Ships normally didn't travel at these speeds. She never once thought that she would get sea sick. She had been on the sea since she was a child after all.
Zoro grunted, sounding annoyed once again, "You always push yourself too much, Magina. You're not going to be able to fight if you're like this."
A curtain was suddenly pulled back and Luffy poked his head through. "Hey, Zoro! How's Magina doing? Did she need some of my meat?"
Magina groaned again at the mention of food. She couldn't think of eating anything right then.
"She might want it later, if it can last that long," Zoro replied for her dryly.
Luffy laughed boisterously, "Okay. Magina, feel better!"
Silence descended on the small space. Magina swallowed repeatedly, trying to settle her nausea by the constant action.
"The Franky Family has a ship. Maybe we should move you there," Zoro tried suggesting into the silence.
"No, I'm fine and I don't want to owe anything to that man," Magina replied, her voice strained. Zoro's presence suddenly moved closer. She opened her eyes a slit. He leaned against the train seat that she was borrowing.
"You're thinking too much. Whether you like it or not, we are going to rescue him as well as Robin. Luffy let the Franky Brothers come along. If Luffy says it's okay, then it should be okay. He's the Captain after all," Zoro remarked.
Magina made a noise in between a snort and a grunt. She was still unhappy but she wasn't going to argue. She just didn't understand what Luffy was thinking. Talking with Iceburg while they worked on Rocketman, she felt like she was finally up to speed on the Robin front. She was still partially confused on the Merry, Usopp, and Franky situation, but what she did know was that the Franky Brothers beat up Usopp and stole the money from him. It was Franky himself that stole the money afterwards from her. How could Luffy just forgive that so instantly? Magina's stomach dropped suddenly as the sea got rougher. She moaned, glad that her stomach was empty.
"I don't think I've ever seen you sick, siren. Should I get you some water or something?" Zoro's deep voice soothed some of her rattled nerves.
"The waves are…getting bigger," she replied weakly.
Magina could pick up the strains of panic from Chopper and Nami. Things were getting noisier outside as well.
"What the hell is going on?" Zoro mumbled.
Magina tried to smile though it came as more of a grimace, "They're probably going to need you out there."
Zoro growled but went to check it out. Magina was left alone with the wet cloth and darkness. She hoped that soon her stomach would stop complaining.
Hi again everyone! Hope you liked it! I realize it's a little shorter than my usual chapters but this was the best place to stop for this chapter. Please review if you wish to. I really enjoy hearing what you think. Thanks for continuing to be patient with my slow updating. See you for Chapter 16!