Re: His Shadow

#15: Exploring Alone

Somewhere in Zhou's Forest 

Seri coughed as she gets out of the water. She looked around the unfamiliar place. She looked behind and couldn't see an image of the town. 

"A human?", she heard something in front of her. 

She watched as some of the people peek in to see her. They're all wearing the same clothing. Something flashed on Seri's mind. She grabbed a stick to defend herself.  "A human woman!!!", they shouted in victory. 

"Wait, why would a human be here?", Bepo remembered seeing Luffy with other minks. "Are you an acquaintance of the Straw Hats?", Bepo went closer. Seri felt better as she saw a better glimpse of the white bear coming out from the shadows. Her heart started to raise.

"Did you hear me?", Bepo tilted his head. Seri ran towards Bepo and hugged it. "A talking teddy bear", she was delighted that she rubbed her head on Bepo's soft and furry chest. "I'm not-", Bepo was cut off when she was surrounded by the other Heart Pirates. "Then, if you're with Straw Hat, you might have also seen our captain?", they asked. Seri, still with her face burrowed in Bepo's chest sighed. "I got separated from my group. I don't know who your Captain is, sorry", Seri apologized. "That's fine. Captain will get to meet us later. For this time, why don't you come with us?", Penguin and Sachi said in unison. Seri observed all of them wearing a boiler suits with Bepo having a different color. The symbol in their clothes made Seri feel it was kind of familiar.

"What's your name, young lady?", Shachi asked.

"Seri".

Viper Cat's Village

Seri rides Bepo's shoulder as they entered the place filled with felines.

Seri's eyes turned teary.

"Cats!", she exclaimed.

The others looked in her direction. They were about to prepare their claws but saw that she was with the heart pirates. "Garichu!", one of the young cat mink jumped on her back and rubbed his face on hers. "So cute", she felt like melting in happiness.

Soon, Seri and the rest were led to a hut. She was welcomed by the older feline minks. She was served with milk, creamy stew, and also some fruits. "Get filled with food. You looked famished", one of the elder cats raised her thin wrist. "You're quite small, how old are you?", Bepo asked while Seri sat on his lap. "I just turned 18 lately", Seri answered. "We're nearly the same age", Bepo finally found someone at least close to his age. "Mr. Bear, if you eat those, it will mess up with your fillings", Seri said with concern so she grabbed the food away from Bepo. The rest of the heart pirates are forcing themselves not to laugh.

She thinks he's a stuffed animal.

"I said I'm not-", Bepo was interrupted by Shachi and Penguin asking more about her. The group was suddenly attracted to how princess-like she is. "Hey! Guys you're crushing m-", Bepo tried to complain but the rest toppled over him.

Forest

"I'm full", Shachi walked beside Penguin and the rest of the pirates followed.

"So you stayed here waiting for your Captain", Seri kind of got their situation. She's still riding n Bepo's shoulder. "He'll come back, right?", Seri said with a worried voice. "Of course. Captain will never abandon us", Bepo said with confidence. "Are you his toy as well? I wonder if he'll let me have you", Seri said with glitter in her eyes. 

"You're liking our white bear too much", Penguin noticed.

"I once have a white bear. It was given by a... given by someone. It was burnt to  crisp so... I don't have it anymore", Seri was remembering quite a painful memory. "Be careful, Bepo. You might be the next", Shachi teased. Bepo felt depressed. "Sorry", he apologized out of nowhere.

After a while, he raised his head and saw a ray of hope. He will no longer be burned alive.

He ran causing Seri to fall off his shoulder. The rest of the Heart Pirates caught the lady. "Captain", Bepo hang around his neck and rubbed his face on the newly arrived captain. "Bepo, you'll be crushing our captain", the rest commented seeing the huge bear clinging to Trafalgar as if he doesn't want to let go.

Seri was assisted to stand up and looked in the direction where the crew is facing. Her eyes suddenly showed a different expression. She was quite surprised to see a familiar face and he was already staring at her. She wasn't sure what part surprised her. Was it the fact that he is a captain of such a caring group or the fact that Bepo is hugging him tight? "I'm back", he said and the crew ran towards him to give him a group hug. It's too obvious that all of them love their captain.

"Straw hat-ya and the rest are looking for you", Trafalgar informed. "I was taken away by the water", Seri explained. Suddenly she felt quite disappointed, it'll be difficult now to get closer to Bepo who kept clinging to him.

"These are my crew. Then, have you decided if you want to join mine?", Trafalgar opened. "Eih?! Captain already invited you?!!!", they all shouted. Trafalgar covered his ears and walked towards her. Seri looked at his eyes and felt intimidated so she looked away.  "I haven't yet thought about it. But then, there's one reason I would be following you", Seri pressed her lips together. 

The rest of the heart pirates gulped.

"Don't tell me she's interested in our captain", Bepo whispered. Shachi and Penguin smacked his head. "Doesn't look like that, idiot", they said in unison. "Sorry for assuming", Bepo was disheartened. "Could it be because of Bepo?", Ikkaku, the only woman in the crew guessed. "Impossible", they shook their head.

"I don't like bread. As much as possible, don't get sick. That's all", Trafalgar towered over the lady who was just his chest level. "That's what the captain says to new members", Shachi said and looked at the crew. They cheered in agreement. "I will not join your crew", Seri said straightforwardly causing Trafalgar to have his eyes twitching."Then, are you going to join Straw Hat-ya, good luck then", Trafalgar turned away from her. "I'm not joining him either", Seri clarified. Trafalgar furrowed his brow. "Then, are you going back to the Marine?", he turned and grabbed Seri's top.

"Captain-", they all have their hands reaching out but they couldn't probably stop Trafalgar with that furious face. He pulled her closer. "I don't know much detail but you're someone being pursued not only by the Marine but also the World Government. What do you have that they desperately chase?", Trafalgar whispered for the rest not to hear.

"No way! Captain, that's too much for us to handle", the pirate crew covered their faces but with a gap to still watch them.

"Sengoku-san will tell the higher-ups that I was kidnapped by pirates. Sooner or later, they will be coming after me. I thought I could take more walks but I guess this is it", Seri gave a weak smile. Trafalgar lets her go and slightly pushes her away. "Was it because of the execution area you saw a while ago?", Trafalgar hit the spot. "You, who's barely surprised, would have a horrified look in your eyes as you see the blood scattered around", Trafalgar continued. Seri grabbed his arm and looked at the ground. "Enough, please", Seri said in a soft voice.

"I'm not strong as Straw Hat-ya but I will protect the ones in my ship", Trafalgar looked at her flustered face she was trying hard to hide.

Seri removed her grip and Trafalgar resumed keeping up with the crew. Bepo looked at Seri's head still bowed down.

"Sorry, he doesn't sound kind but Captain is actually-", Bepo tried to redeem Trafalgar's image. "He's a kind person, Mr. Bear. For the time I have met him, he's a kind..person", Seri raised her head and forced a smile.

Trafalgar will not let his enemies bleed. He would disassemble them but wouldn't let them bleed. That's why he was probably shocked when his sword cut through her skin. Regardless of their painful past, he turned out to be someone who would care for other people as well.

"Right? The first time I met Captain, he saved me from Penguin and Shachi. When those two were in danger, he saved them as well. Oh, did you know he also helped Straw Hat escape from the war two years ago? Straw Hat was barely hanging on but Captain is the Surgeon of death so he was able to save him", Bepo boasted. Seri looked at Trafalgar's back and saw a shadow of someone. 

Chapter end.