- Chapter 3 - Hiding the Sunny
Being alone can be a scary thing.
When one thinks of a lonely person, they usually think of someone who is withdrawn. Someone who doesn't know how to make connections with others; who is lacking in communication skills. Someone who may be anti-social. In reality, there is so much more to it than that.
Anyone could have great charisma when it comes to gaining attention or conversing. They could have a keen sense of social awareness or understanding. One does not always fit the generalized appearance of a lonely person. For anyone, loneliness can rear its ugly head while attending even the most social of functions.
Things like hiding injuries and traumas to not become a burden on others. Having to endure toxic relationships. Experiencing rejection from someone they care about. Lying to others for their sake– to keep them safe.
Being unable to reconnect with some of the most important people in your life; dreading the possibility of never seeing them again.
This type of internalized solitude can be soul-wrenching.
She knows this very well.
She'd always found it difficult to hold herself back from wanting to express her anxieties and fears with her family regarding her travels. If she gave in, she knew they would only be concerned and blame themselves for being incapable of aiding her. There were dozens of times when she'd come back home from the Feudal Era, her body wrapped in bandages and covered in dried blood. She'd sneak inside the house as best she could to avoid having her family see her physical state. If they had seen her wounded enough times, her mother for sure would have forbidden her from returning to the past. Her mother, while being one of the most understanding people she knows, would not just stand by while her daughter suffered otherworldly pain. Not even when her daughter would try to reassure her that it was alright, that she was fulfilling her duties.
She didn't want to disappoint her little brother, who looked up to her and her adventures. She'd sugarcoat her travels to him, not mentioning her near death experiences amongst many other traumatic experiences, so he'd not worry for her. She would lie and say her companionship with Inuyasha was healthy, normal– she wouldn't allow the illusion of a heroic figure the half-demon portrayed to break for her brother. It would hurt him. Her mother, brother, and grandfather all trusted the silver-haired boy that she traveled through the well with. If they learned how he treated her, they'd hold themselves accountable.
It wasn't until long after the final battle when they had managed to reform the Shikon completely and destroy Naraku that she learned what true loneliness was like. By that, she had already lost contact with many of her friends, including the three who she deemed to be her closest of friends, during her adventures to the past. When she was forced to return to her time with barely a goodbye to her second family, she felt so lost. Out of desperation, she'd jump down into the well, praying that the magic and blue aura would swallow her up and spit her back out into Edo. Her hopes were only met with hard, compacted dirt at the bottom of the wellhouse. Months went by and her attempts became less frequent, replaced by a depression that gnawed at her day after day.
Everyday, she'd think about them. Think of the people who knew her best, who she could be open and herself with. Her family remained in the dark for their protection, her friends unaware of her abilities or battlescars. She couldn't speak to anyone. This was her life from then on.
Time went by and she continued her education, managing to graduate secondary despite her terrible attendance through her last year of middle school. She contemplated going to college, or getting a degree. She considered what her life had in store for her. She wondered if she even cared anymore. At the age of eighteen, she should have been making plans for her future, however she was constantly lost in the past. Lost in her own past.
She didn't know how to move forward anymore.
Her family had tried their best by helping her take steps forward and staying by her. They gave her advice and allowed her to set her own pace. Even though it pained them, they told her that if she wanted to leave, they wouldn't hold her back. They gave as much as they could, and she felt guilty over it all. She didn't want to hurt the people she loved most. She just didn't know how to handle the pain.
Then one day, she felt it. The feeling tickled her skin and gave her a renewed sense of hope. The overly-familiar sensation of the well's magic activating.
There was little hesitation in her next actions. With little thought against her decision, she packed her yellow bag with essentials and rushed down the stairs, her body colliding with something on her way out the front door of her family house. She almost didn't register the fact that she had practically bowled her own mother over in her haste to get to the well-house. When the realization sunk in she paused, her face stricken, her fists clenched and guilt wracking at her insides. She didn't have enough courage to look back at her mother. Was she just going to abandon them? Was this what she truly wanted? What would happen to them? What if she couldn't come back? What if she lost this opportunity?
She didn't know. She couldn't think.
A light touch on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts as her mother turned her stiff body to face her. Tears welled in her eyes as she took in the expression on her mother's face; it was a mixture of sadness and acceptance. Her mother knew. She knew and was willing to let her go despite the possibility of never seeing each other again. The look gripped her heart and made her choke on a sob.
Within moments, her brother and grandfather filtered through the door, eyeing the yellow bag and the tear stained cheeks of their beloved sister and granddaughter. It dawned on them quickly what was happening. Her mother enveloped her in a hug, holding her close as her body shook from her whimpers. Her brother, wiping at his own watery eyes, went to hug his sister as well. The three clung to each other as they relished in each other's presence for what was likely the last time. Her grandfather stood to the side, eyes misty as he gazed upon his granddaughter. She was strong-willed and fierce, adventurous and dauntless– she no longer fit within this era of relative peace. This place held her back from being her true self. It was time to let her go.
Together, they shuffled towards the old wood doors of the well-house, sharing their last affections with one another. Her mother told her to be careful, to take care of herself. Her brother told her to give them hell, to be happy. Her grandfather told her he was proud of her.
The tears continued to track down her pale skin as she slid open the rickety doors, a yellow glow emitting from the darkness of the well and lighting shadows along the shed walls. She slowly descended the stairs and stood at the lip of the well, looking over her shoulder one last time at her family's smiling, wet faces, before stealing her nerves and jumping in.
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"The Ma-Marines! They're coming!"
The high-pitched voice garnered the attention of the entire pub, belonging to some kind of small anthropomorphic creature as it panted, having crashed through the establishment's doors. Murmurs of a racoon-dog rang through the air as patrons tried to make sense of what they were seeing. Eyes swivelling around the room, it locked onto their table and dashed forward, releasing a loud yelp when a hoof snagged on a raised floorboard and caused it to plant face-first into the grimy surface. A chorus of "Chopper!" echoed from the table behind her as Kagome instinctively stood and rushed towards the bi-pedal animal. Gently, she lifted its small body into her arms and did a quick scan for any injuries. The others crowded around her, their own concern evident in their body language. Despite that, they gave a wide berth, their apprehension detectable as they eyed her and the body in her arms.
Murmurs erupted around the room as others watched, varying degrees of interest taking hold of the townspeople inside the pub. One table in particular began to snicker among themselves and Kagome sent a glare in their direction. They coughed awkwardly and turned away, the wood grains of their table becoming the most fascinating thing all of a sudden. She huffed and rolled her eyes.
Deciding to ignore everyone else, she focused her attention on the little furry body in her arms. She stood to her full height and ran a hand down its back in a soothing manner as it quivered, "My goodness, are you alright?"
As she pet the creatures back, she took notice of a set of antlers protruding from a fuzzy, pink hat atop its head, similar to those of a deer. In spite of its body shape and the fact that it can talk, it appeared very much to be a deer or some sort. The deer's body seemed to melt at the contact for a moment before it seized again, "I-I'm sorry!" It squeaked, using its front hooves to push away from her grasp. She loosened her grip on it, chuckling lightly and adjusting her hold on the small creature.
"It's okay, I hope you're not hurt," she replied. When it looked up at her, her eyes sparkled upon seeing the deer's face and she squealed, smushing her cheeks against its own, "Oh my kami, you are so cute!"
Struggling in her grip, the deer gave an embarrassed whine and cried, "D-don't call me cute! If you think calling me cute will make me happy, then you're wrong!"
Kagome simply giggled in response and reigned herself in, pulling her cheek away from the deer and doing a quick once-over, "You don't look like you're hurt. Still, you came in here in quite the panic. Did something happen?" She asked, her brow furrowing in concern.
The others took that moment to finally approach the duo, Zoro standing behind her and leaning over her shoulder to frown at the pink-hatted furball, "Yeah, what was that about the Marines, Chopper?"
Chopper? That's the name they yelled earlier. They must be acquainted with each other then, Kagome summarized. Nami and Robin drew closer to inspect the deer while Luffy, Sanji and Usopp stood behind said aforementioned women. At the mention of Marines, the two former's faces grew cold, the latters showing a hint of fear.
"Oh, right! I heard from Dr. Gale that the Marines are coming here soon! They're after someone, too. I…" The deer, Chopper, trailed off, "What was her name again? Ka-something?"
Eyes widening, Kagome blurted out, "You must mean Kagura, right?"
Blinking, Chopper opened his mouth to refute, but the look on her face begged him to not say anything, "Uh, ah– Right! Ka-Kagura. They said everyone here calls her a witch, I think. Like the villagers called Doctorine."
Shoulders sagging in relief, she cycled through what the little deer had just told them, focusing on the first portion the most. The Marines were coming back, were they? The thought exhausted her. No matter where she went, it seemed trouble followed her like a magnet. She didn't want to burden the islanders with this issue, the Captain of the Marines involved them all simply because they helped her. The situation reminded her briefly of Onigumo and his obsession with Kikyo after began nursing his burned and battered body. If Inuyasha were here, he'd call her useless. A weak-hearted, stupid wench.
No, Kagome shook her head, her heart rate spiking at the memory, don't think about it. Don't think about him. Focus on the problem at hand. A large hand cupping her shoulder broke her from her thoughts and she looked back to see Zoro's hard gaze on her, a brow raised in question. She sent him a strained smile in return, turning away and releasing a slow breath as she rejoined the conversation taking place around her.
"– it begs the question of why they are so eager to have some random healer," Sanji grunted, lighting up the cigarette that was perched between his lips. He took a long draw and exhaled the toxic plumes, "I think Robin's right in thinking something bigger is happening here."
Nami nodded in agreement and planted her hands on her hips, "No doubt, but what does that have to do with us? We have no dealings with this witch, even if it would be interesting to meet her once. I say as soon as the logpose resets, we get the hell out of here," she gazed at everyone within the vicinity, eyes settling on Luffy, "I don't want to take any chances."
Usopp vigorously bobbed his head, "Me neither. After what happened a few weeks ago, who knows what they will do if they find us. Or who they might send after us."
Silence fell among them as they all contemplated their next actions. Kagome eyed them all, taking in the details regarding her new acquaintances. So they had trouble with the Marines, too? That could be problematic. Her gentle hold on Chopper tightened as a realization dawned on her. She quickly whipped her head towards Nami, "Did you say something about a logpose?"
Curious, Nami nodded and raised her logpose-adorned wrist into view, "Yeah, do you know something about them?"
Shrugging, Kagome pursed her lips and frowned, "Not especially. I know a little from what the dock-workers have told me, but not enough to use one," she paused, trying to figure out how to word her next question, "How long did you guys say you planned to be here for, again?"
Nami tilted her head in confusion, her eyes darting between the brunette holding her crewmate and the logpose, "As soon as it resets to another magnetic field," Nami said slowly, her tone bordering on suspicious, "Why do you ask?"
Biting her lip, Kagome glanced at everyone nervously, "I suppose no one told her how long those things will take to reset on this island, huh?"
She was met with silence, yet the looks on their faces told her enough, "It usually takes upwards of two weeks to reset. Maybe a little over a week if you're lucky," Kagome winced at Nami's exclamation of 'what!', sighing, "Yeah, I thought as much."
"So we'll be stuck here for two weeks? What if the Marines come by then?"
"How can we avoid them on a small island like this?! It's over!"
"Woohoo! Sounds like fun!"
"Nothing about this situation is fun, you idiot!"
"Ahem!"
At the clearing of a throat, a hush fell among them and they looked over at Kagome, who was now holding Chopper on her hip with one arm like a mother and holding their infant. Nobody mentioned anything about it and neither Kagome nor Chopper seemed to be fazed by their current positions. If nothing else, the reindeer appeared very comfortable, "It's clear you want to avoid any dealings with the Marines," the noirette commented, her gaze turning serious, "If you leave your ship at the port, they will see you right away. I have no idea when they'll arrive, but I think it would be best to move your ship to another location until more information comes to light."
The crew silently deliberated on her words; she wasn't wrong. If they were found at the harbour, their hip would get pummelled with cannons before they could blink. They would be a sitting target. Luffy looked at their new acquaintance and grinned, "Hahaha! You're pretty smart!" Kagome's cheeks warmed at the simple compliment and she averted her gaze. He turned to face his crew, his grin never diminishing, "What are we waiting for? We gotta move the Sunny!"
"And just where are we supposed to relocate a big ship, exactly? If you haven't noticed, this island is smaller than some of the others we've stopped at. There aren't many places to hide anything on the water," Sanji protested, gnawing in his cigarette.
Lifting her free hand, Kagome spoke up, "Actually, I may know of a place that may be large enough to shroud a decently sized ship from view. I haven't had a need to test it out yet, however. It also depends on how large your guys' is though."
Clapping her hands together in delight, Nami didn't bother waiting to hear the girl's opinion on the matter and grabbed her free arm, pulling her out of the pub and towards the gravelled streets, "Perfect! Let's head to the ship and you can show me where to go."
The crew briskly followed the girls– and Chopper– out of theTartufo Bianco, though some fell at a more leisure pace. Zoro grumbled to himself and raised his hands to rest behind his head, closing his eyes against the glow of the evening sun. He could feel the beginning throbs of a headache coming on.
The shuffling of feet alerted him that someone had fallen back with him. He opened one eye to see Robin keeping step with him; neither said a word and continued down the path after the others, though Robin did manage to keep the swordsman from veering off course a couple of times.
So that was why she stayed behind… Damnit.
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Kagome stared in awe at the Thousand Sunny, her mouth agape as she took in the design of the ship. She'd never really set foot on a ship before, not to mention one such as this. If she had to describe it, it felt fairly cartoony. Yet despite the outward appearance, it also had a homey vibe to it as well. Plus, who has ever seen a garden on a ship before? Fruit trees, flowers, and grass turf?
This was certainly not what she was expecting.
"We're back!" Luffy yelled out, his arms stretching out so he could catapult himself onto the ship. Seeing this, Kagome's already agape jaw dropped lower in astonishment, having never seen anything quite like that before. She knew he was human, however there was this little niggling sensation she could feel in his aura, one that she could tell made him different from regular humans. The same could be said about their brunette companion, Robin, and the cute little reindeer, Chopper. She wasn't sure what it was, but she was well aware that something was different about them.
Composing herself, she glanced down at the furball still in her arms. To her surprise, he never tried to get out of her hold save for the initial time back in the pub. He didn't even seem to notice that she was holding him like a mother held her toddler. Admittedly, this closeness was reminiscent of her time with her kit. The remembrance sent pains to her chest and she couldn't help the downturn of her lips as she recounted the times she'd travel with Shippo. He'd always hang off her shoulders or cuddled into her arms as they traversed the forested landscapes of the Feudal Era. She'd have him snuggled up to her chest as they lay beneath the stars, taking comfort in each other's presence as they slept.
She missed her kit so much.
"Hey, are you okay?" Chopper's voice worried broke her out of her reverie and she peered down at him, forcing a smile on her lips. She took a large inhale of the sea airand let it out slowly, nodding her head in affirmation to the small reindeer.
"Yeah, I was just remembering someone I miss dearly," she murmured. She shook her head, humming to herself, "I just realized, I never had the chance to introduce myself to you, have I?"
Chopper's eyes widened and he laughed, "Oh, I don't think so either! That's so silly," he covered his mouth with his hooves to cover his giggles.
Eyes softening, Kagome lowered her voice so only Chopper could hear her. It was fortunate that Nami went to go search for a map of the island, or paper was it? She couldn't recall as Nami's words were drowned out by the bantering of a certain swordsman and cook as they had arrived at the Thousand Sunny. Everyone else found things to do and left Kagome and Chopper to their own devices, so she didn't really have to worry about them overhearing her. Still, she didn't want to run the risk.
"Chopper, right? My name is Kagome," she held up a hand when his jaw dropped and he began stammering, "I figured you've heard of me already from Dr. Gale. I'm sorry to make you lie to your friends, but…" she trailed off, her expression darkening and she rambled off, "I don't want to involve other parties into our problems. It's not fair to you, and the islanders have enough on their plates as it is. I've made things worse just being here–"
"That's not true!"
Kagome stared at Chopper for a moment, trying to formulate a response. Chopper took this as an opportunity to continue, "I heard a lot from Dr. Gale and Zephyr. They said you have been an incredible blessing on this island," she looked away as he spoke, unsure if she should take his words at face value. His face looked resolute as he saw her turn away, "I also heard how much the people care about you here. You're not a burden."
At this, she stared off into the distance, the ocean waves hitting the ship's hull the only sound in her ears.
"Thank you, Chopper."
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"Turn a bit more to the left and it should be there. Be careful not to collide with some of the rocks in the bay– they can be fairly shallow."
The crew did as she said, Nami giving orders according to Kagome's directions and they slowly sailed into the bay, anchoring a little off from the short, rocky cliff. Nami looked around at the little bay and smiled to herself; Kagome was right, this was perfect! Now all they had to do was lay low and they could evade the Marines whenever they arrived.
If her crewmates didn't screw it up, that is.
It was getting late as the sun had fallen below the waves long ago, the night sky twinkling above them in black, purple and blue hues. It had been a long day, and it was obvious that everyone was more than a little tired. Looking at their new friend, Nami thought for a second before offering for her to stay with them in lieu of returning back to town in the dark. The noirette rejected the invitation at first, not wanting to intrude in their space more than she already had, but Nami insisted. Robin backed her up, as did Chopper and Usopp. Sanji went heart-eyed at the idea of another female on the ship and agreed enthusiastically. Franky, whom she'd met earlier and was astonished at his larger than average frame, grinned at her and welcomed her aboard. Luffy had no issue stating how he'd be fine with her staying on the ship.
The only one who didn't speak up was their first mate. He remained in the crow's nest after they had anchored, stating he would take first watch. She felt a light tug in her chest at the thought of him not wanting her around, but she brushed it off. If they were so insistent, who was she to refuse?
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Hello lovelies! Here's another chapter :) I hope you enjoyed it, let me know if anything feels off or doesn't meld well with the canon (there will be divergence, but I still want it to feel like the story and characters)
Please review! Thanks in advance!