Aria took a step back, swinging the bladed end of her glaive down. The marine recoiled, blood seeping through fingers over his face. His visible eye blazed and he clumsily swung his sabre. She knocked him away with the glaive's knobbed end before he could land a hit.

He crashed back as a shout rose behind her, the words indistinct in the sounds of the battle. Turning, she neatly jumped back to the Scarlet Storm just as the ship started pulling away.

Running footsteps sounded, then nothing, and she moved out of the way as someone landed just behind her, letting out a loud laugh. "I always forget how fun fighting them is!"

Aria grinned at the large man as she faced him. "You haven't fought enough to know how annoying they are, Gab." A fresh taste of citrus came from him. Above them, the sun beat down and made the air almost stifling were it not for the breeze.

Gab grinned back. "How could they be annoying when they can't even beat us?" Still grinning, he joined Bonk and Monster near the bow. The other two looked excited and there was blood in Monster's fur, but he didn't look bothered. Maybe it wasn't his; he certainly wasn't acting hurt.

Aria watched him for a moment. Gab, the newest crewmember, did not lack enthusiasm, that was for sure. He'd been with them only a month now, and only been in three fights, but she wondered how long the excitement would last for him. Even halfway across the ship's length, the citrus-excitement from him was strong, completely blotting out most of the other tastes.

More of a fighter, he had quickly fallen into the routine of the ship and was one of the first to help with any heavy lifting. Roux especially had been happy with his help in the ports when they bought new supplies. But he quickly attached himself to Aria after he heard her humming one morning.

"Why is it you're always bleeding after every fight?" She turned at Shanks' voice. The captain was standing behind her with his arms crossed, a slightly annoyed look on his face as his eyes looked at something just above her eyes. "Seriously. You've got a cut on your head." A sour taste exploded out, a subtle taste of cloves that she still couldn't identify under it.

Aria touched a spot above her brow, surprised when she spotted blood on her fingers. "I didn't realize it. I'm fine, I swear." She hadn't tasted it, or at least that it was coming from her. But this was so common now that she wasn't bothered.

His brows lowered, and he made an annoyed sound through his nose before grabbing her arm. She didn't resist as he pulled her to a back corner of the fantail. "Stay," he ordered before leaving.

Aria didn't protest, knowing he would track her down and possibly bring Hongo. Almost a year and a half later and she had yet to not nearly panic when he came near. He never complained, but she knew it was bugging him by this point. Especially when she managed to get hurt in every fight lately.

Whether it was because of her, or the fact he was a doctor, she wasn't sure. But it didn't matter. She never missed the war in his eyes when he spotted her with a wound, obviously torn between wanting to help her but knowing how she would react if he got anywhere near her.

Shanks quickly reappeared with a small kit in his hands. "You're lucky he's started keeping these kits ready for you, or this would be more difficult." He forced her to sit on the rail and she closed her eyes when the taste of sterile cloth puffed out from the kit. A small amount like this no longer sent her heart racing thankfully.

Aria didn't flinch at the sting of the peroxide-soaked cotton ball this time, nor when he wiped the blood away. She waited until he had fixed a bandage over the cut, then opened her eyes when the kit snapped closed. Her hands were clenched in her lap; the only sign that she still had some issues.

Shanks leaned against the rail next to her, his eyes narrowed. "Seriously. Even though you've improved, you still get cut every time. How is that?" He tilted his hat back, looking at her from the corner of his eye and crossing his arms.

Shrugging, Aria pulled out a piece of cloth and wiped the blood from her glaive. "You know I have a much harder time using my observation to dodge than anyone else on the crew. And I got surrounded by at least four marines early on." At his glare, she shook her head. "Seriously, I was fine. I didn't even know I had a cut until you said something."

Groaning, he tipped his head back, one hand on his hat. "Aria, please. At least try to be careful next time? I know you've still got issues with the surgery, but the last thing I want to do is force you there." The sourness faded to his usual cedar taste.

She winced. "Really, I am sorry." She grabbed her braid, twisting her fingers around it. A habit by now, she was trying to break herself of it, but it still happened when she felt nervous or guilty.

Shanks let out a long breath. "I know, and you're good at fighting now. Just…I really don't enjoy having to patch you up every time." Despite his light-hearted words, she observed the unease in his shoulders as they fell, and didn't miss the taste of cloves that echoed his words.

"You don't have to, you know," she pointed out. "I can do it myself if someone gets me a kit." The mirror in the crew's quarters was sufficient for her to see any facial wounds, and most of the cuts she got were on her arms or legs. She already had two scars from where she had patched herself up months ago.

"You could get it yourself if you tried," he mumbled, glaring at the deck.

She didn't think she was meant to hear that though and ignored it.

Turning to her, he frowned. "At the next port, which we'll get to in a week, try talking to Hongo off the ship. See if that makes a difference."

Her hand froze around her braid. Closing her eyes, she forced her breath to stay even. A steady metallic taste rose, but faded as she got her heart under control.

"Sorry, I just think you need to at least try, so if you need his help in the future, you don't panic again," Shanks explained quietly. When she looked at him, he was giving her a small smile.

Aria sighed but relented. "Okay. I can try at least." It was a bad idea, but she also knew Shanks was right. If she got really hurt and was forced into the surgery, it would be a lot better for everyone if she didn't freak out.

Shanks nudged her playfully and smiled. "Now that you're patched up, take the watch in the crow's nest, okay?" He joined Snake at the helm and was quickly lost in a conversation about their course.

Tucking the rag away and slinging her glaive across her back, she made her way into the crow's nest. She had gotten used to climbing the ratlines, and had helped with almost every duty on the ship by now. But when the rest of the crew realized how good her observation haki was, she was unofficially made the crews scout when at sea.

Settling herself against the mast, she closed her eyes and let her haki stretch out as she kept watch.

"Aria, get Shanks! We need more hands out here!" Benn's voice was weak against the raging wind, but she caught most of what he said. Drenched, her minor braids almost like a wet weight on her head, shivering, and desperately wishing the storm would end, she slowly made her way down the mast-line.

The temporary netting against the mast served as a more secure way to move up and down in storms, but it still fluttered wildly where it wasn't as secure against the wood. Her heart in her throat, Aria clung to it every time a wave crashed over the ship, or the wind threatened to pull her away. Her fingers ached as she reached the deck and she flexed them in an effort to bring back blood flow.

She braced herself against a box as the ship lurched before moving. A second later, the ship lurched and sent her skidding. Pain exploded in her temple as she hit the deck, warm blood trickling down her forehead. The sharp taste of metal mixed with the storm's salt.

Before she could move, someone was picking her up, slinging her arm across their shoulders. "Yasopp, take charge for now!" It was Benn. There was a bang, a muffled curse, and the rain disappeared. The hallway? She stumbled; another mumbled curse shot out. Another bang as a door opened.

"Shanks, you need to get out there!" Why was Benn bringing her to Shanks' cabin? She groaned at the pain in her head. Her legs shook and she tried to keep her grip on Benn's coat.

"What happened?" The captain's voice was loud, making her ears ring.

"She slipped, but I couldn't take her to the surgery. Grab Hongo, then take a few people outside to help." Benn rarely ordered Shanks, but when he did, it was only in times like this.

Aria flinched at Hongo's name, but the motion made a swell of nausea rise through her stomach. Her legs gave out, but she felt Benn catch her before she hit the floor.

"Right." Surefooted footsteps dashed away as the ship moved, and the cedar smell faded instantly. She was barely aware of Benn laying her down, her head pounding.

The door opened a few heartbeats later and the taste of medicine flooded the room.

"Benn, I'll need your help." Hongo.

"Just tell me what I need to do." A creak and Aria felt someone cradle her head in their lap.

A hiss from Hongo made her jerk. "That's going to need stitches…" A tense pause. "Just…try to hold her steady."

She felt Benn lift her, laying her head against his shoulder and an arm around her chest. "I wish she'd be okay with the surgery enough for this…" he grumbled quietly.

Hongo sighed. "I wish she'd be okay enough with me for this." The taste of peroxide and cotton; she jerked as it touched her forehead. "Damn! I'll work fast." It wasn't just the taste and smell, it was the stinging it brought.

She drifted in and out of consciousness, twitching at almost every touch. When the taste of metal reached her, she jerked violently and internally cursed. Although she was somewhat conscious, she felt awful that she couldn't even attempt to manage her reactions. It felt like her mind was swimming through fog; aware of what was there, but nothing substantial enough to grab or work with.

"Fuck…" Benn's arms tightened. "Will you be able to do this?"

The taste of metal lessened slightly as Hongo leaned back. "I'm not sure. I know she trust Shanks, but I know he's not good enough to handle this." The pain in his voice was palpable.

Benn shifted her again, laying her head in his lap. "Let me try."

A taste of something cold, like ice, filled the air. Without an answer, she knew Hongo had handed Benn the needle and thread before backing off and sitting somewhere to the side.

Mentally she braced herself, but the jerk she gave when Benn started the stitches wasn't nearly as bad.

Strange.

"I think you should help her until she gets used to me," Hongo said after several heartbeats. The tug of the needle stopped and she let out a quiet whimper.

Benn chuckled. "I'd much rather her get used to you." His hand sat on her shoulder and she couldn't tell if it was him trembling or herself.

The taste of medical supplies faded as Hongo packed up his kit. "Can you stay with her for now? She shouldn't be left alone with a concussion like that, and she seems a lot more comfortable with you."

Benn asked, "How long?"

Hongo hummed for a second. "Give her an hour to wake up before having me come back, or three hours once she's awake. Unfortunately, I'll have to check her regardless, but I would much rather face her awake than not." She couldn't miss the pain in his voice as he spoke, and a fresh wave of guilt washed over her.

Aria felt Benn shift her onto the bed before he got up; from the feel, he had propped her up some. "If you see Shanks, let him know."

"Of course." The door closed and the medical taste faded almost completely; now it was just from the work on her forehead, which she could handle easily.

She wasn't sure how long it had been when she opened a bleary eye. The ship was still rocking in the storm, thunder crashing outside and a flash of lightning light up the room briefly. Her back had the uncomfortable feeling of being half dry and her braids were digging into it.

A tired voice called out, "Aria?" She flicked her gaze to see Benn sitting against the wall across the small room. When her gaze met his, he quietly moved to the edge of the bed.

"Benn." Her voice cracked and she tried to lift her head, but at the pain that shot through it, she closed her eyes with a groan. She twitched her hand.

The bed creaked and he laid his hand on hers, stilling it. "Easy, try not to move. You hit your head."

Slowly, the memory trickled through her mind and she gave a quiet groan. "I should've been more careful."

A small huff. "Yes, but you can't always predict what the ship will do in a storm. I'm just glad you weren't by the rails."

A wave of exhaustion hit her out of nowhere and she felt her mind being pulled into it almost immediately.

Benn's voice turned sharp, jerking her to awareness. "Don't fall asleep. You need to stay awake for a little while, alright?"

She wanted to nod, let him know she understood, but just twitched her hand. She could see his outline, barely, from the thin light through the windows.

He squeezed her arm, just enough to keep her awake. "Try to talk or something, that might help."

"About what?" she asked tiredly.

"Tell me how you got to Sabaody." Benn suggested, surprising her.

Shanks had been the curious one, asking about her occasionally, and sometimes Yasopp did, and she always deflected the questions. But Benn never had.

Outside of teaching her the duties in the beginning and training her how to use a few different weapons, he rarely spoke to her. Once she came back with the glaive, he had her work with the others more often, until she didn't need the practice anymore. After that, she only talked to him in small snippets, like in the jungle or when he told her the duties she had for the day.

Not that they avoided one another, just he was the first mate and his duties kept him busy.

"Why would you want to know that?" She heard herself ask.

Benn propped his ankle over his knee and shrugged. "Talking will keep you awake, and I'm curious."

Maybe he just never had the chance to ask before, then. After a moment, he squeezed her arm again and she sighed. "I was aboard a slaver before Sabaody."

She didn't miss the way he tensed, and wasn't surprised at the anger she saw in his eyes or the sour taste that filled the cabin.

"It was either that or kill me," she explained tiredly as thunder boomed and lightning lit up the room again.

"Kill you? Why would they have done that?" Anger simmered under his words. His grip made her wince and he removed his hand.

Aria closed her eyes briefly. "I was…discarded-," If she had the strength, she would've spat the word, "-from where I can from. The marine given that task couldn't bring himself to do it, so he snuck me aboard a ship at Punk Hazard. I don't think he knew what kind of ship it was. I think he meant to send me somewhere I could've escaped."

There was a sharp intake of breath and the air filled with spice under the sourness; it was harsher than when it came from Shanks and she winced. His hand came back down on hers and it faded.

"The people in charge found me, but decided to take me with them. I'm glad they did, because otherwise I would've been thrown back to the doctors." She curled her free around her braid. "I was 14 then."

"14?!" Benn hissed and she felt the spice come back stronger, almost gagging her. "How long were you with them?" His eyes blazed in the darkness, bright steel surrounded by a dark form.

Struggling to speak against the taste in the air, she sighed. "Three years. They knew they couldn't just sell me anywhere, so they kept me until they reached Sabaody. I was there for barely a night when Rayleigh rescued me."

A strong taste of clove shot through the air as the spice faded. Benn's hand tightened around hers. "Can I ask…how old were you when you were on Punk Hazard?"

She bit back her groan, knowing she was about to be overwhelmed with taste the moment she said it. "I don't know," she said. "I was an infant when I arrived."

His eyes closed and though his expression didn't change, the wave of spice, clove, and a bitter kind of sour rage almost knocked her out. He turned away after a moment, but she could see his fist clenched on his knee.

"What did Rayleigh tell Shanks?" She had wondered this before, but never asked.

It was several minutes before Benn responded; she was almost asleep when his voice jolted her awake. "He recognized your tattoo as a sign you were a human experiment, and warned us that you had probably never been free before. He didn't know anything concrete, but Rayleigh's smart. He might've guessed more than what he said, but if he had, I'm glad he didn't tell us."

He guessed more than she expected.

"It explains why you weren't eager to take a new name, though," Benn said quietly after a heartbeat.

There was a knock on the door a second later, then a wave of medical smells breezed into the room as Hongo came in. "Sorry. I heard Aria was awake." His gaze flicked from Benn to hers and she forced herself not to flinch. "Do you think I could check your head?" His expression wary, he stopped just inside the room.

Her heart thudded, but she clenched her fist around her braid, wincing. "Um." It was obvious he needed to, but she wasn't sure she could. Even though she was awake, talking with Benn had brought back some very unpleasant memories.

"Aria?" Benn's voice was soft and she looked at him. "I know what happened the last time Hongo spoke with you, but unfortunately there's no one else who can check your head."

She hesitated, her eyes wide.

Benn exchanged a glance with Hongo, then helped her sit up before she could protest; her head spun, but he kept a firm hand on her shoulder. "If it makes it better, I can sit right here." He moved until he was behind her, an arm loosely around her waist. "I'm sorry, but he really does need to make sure you're fine." In any other circumstance, she wouldn't laughed at the awkward look on his face.

Breathing through her nose, she gritted her teeth and flicked her gaze to Hongo for the first time. She even avoided looking at him directly usually, but she forced herself to stay still. Down her back, she can feel her braids just barely drying. Thunder boomed again, though it was more faded before, and it was a little longer until lightning flashed; the storm was ending.

Taking her stillness as permission, Hongo set to work. His hands were quick and light, and she bit her tongue as the urge to jerk away rose. The sharp scent of medical supplies filled the air, overwhelming her. She covered the end of her braid to block some of the taste, trying not to flinch away from every touch.

The tastes were muffled more as Benn's hand wrapped over hers after a moment, almost making her jump. The taste of ash and iron were overwhelming now, but it almost completely blocked out the others in the room. Unsure of what to make of that, she just focused on breathing and the slowly lessening rocking motion of the ship.

Hongo hesitated for a moment, a penlight in his hand. "I need to check your eyes. Is that okay?"

She blinked and kept as still as she could while he used it.

Stepping back, he quickly packed away the supplies he brought. "I think you'll be okay, but stay below for the next day. You can sleep if you want now, but let…Benn know if you experience any dizziness." He looked at Benn, who nodded, then left the room.

Benn let go of her and the taste of the room rushed back; cedar, faint medicine, sterile tools, and the general woody taste of the ship. "Do you think you can make it down to the crew's quarters or the mess okay?"

Aria tried to stand but the world spun and she felt Benn catch her as she fell back, setting her back on the bed. She leaned over carefully, hands on her head.

"I'm guessing not." He glanced at the door, then back at her, giving her an odd look. "Can you wait here for a minute?"

Aria gave a small nod and he left, leaving the door cracked. Looking at it, Aria blinked a few times as she realized what had just happened.