Ikigai (A Naruto One Piece Crossover)

18

Megumi animatedly stepped out of the tub, her pale arms reaching the towel and robotically dries herself. Memories of the past drifts in her mind whilst her concerns of the future occupies her thoughts.

As she's about to tie her robe, she stops. With a slight shift, the fabric falls off her shoulders an unto the floor, revealing a body countless women envies yet none of them sees the scars that littered across the soft skin. To others, the scars destroys her beauty. But to fighters, they're trophies of their battles, which didn't matter whether they won or lost, but the importance was that they survived.

Her onyx orbs stares at her reflection at the mirror, watching as droplets of water from her hair drops down her chin and flows down her neck, pooling on her clavicle.

The mirror misted, much like her eyes are clouded. The reflection, an ironic representation how blurry she envisions herself at the moment.

Megumi pondered for her next step. How is she going to face her crewmates, the people who accepted her (with doubts), but believed in her nonetheless.

She grips both sides of the sink, her hold tightening; wishing it was her brain she's squeezing for she's ran out of ideas. Probably even her heart, as she's just so done with her life.

However, her mind replayed what happened just awhile ago. When her so-called "captain" was to put his most precious treasure on her filthy hair, and the smile he showed her afterwards despite the trouble she caused.

Her heart throbbed in guilt-- a familiar pain she's been enduring for eight long years. Her shoulders sagged from the additional weight, but she raised her head. She lifted her arms, setting it on the side of the mirror. In one swift stroke, she wiped it horizontally, revealing the upper part of her face.

Bloodshot scarlet eyes stared back to her. Three tomoes, she worked hard to achieve, swirling.

The sharingan. Her esteemed clan's seeked out Kekkei Genkai.

Rosy lips curled to a tired smile.

She will have to rely on its power once again.

-

-

The crew, including Vivi, gathered at the dining table. The atmosphere was intense, filled with depressing aura and tension.

Zoro was the only one not sitting. Being forced by their furious ginger navigator to kneel and reflect. His knee hurts due to Nami coercing Sanji to contribute to his punishment. Despite hating wasting food, Sanji took out a bag of dried beans and laid a few cups of it on the floor where Zoro was told to kneel. The beans dug into his skin and he can't even complain.

It wasn't only his knees that hurt, his ears too. For an hour nonstop, the crew scolded him one after the other. Each time he retorted, he earned a smack. And now, his head is covered in bumps. Another part of him that's hurting.

Even so, he harbored no anger against them, aware he deserved this. So, he willingly accepted the punishment and their berating.

"Zoro." Luffy spoke up, the others immediately turned silent, giving the captain the opportunity to speak. "What will you do if Meg leaves the crew because of this?"

Everyone was struck by his question, not expecting to hear it from him. Still, that's the most logical question. All eyes turned on Zoro, awaiting for his answer.

Zoro bit his lip, unsure how to answer the complicated question. He thought long and hard, yet unable to come up with a response.

His shoulders slumps as he replies, "I don't know." he says honestly, torn in confusion on what to do.