The Chronicle

Chapter 3

I woke up with a weight on me. I groaned and turn to see what the hell was on me. It was Luffy. Dammit he's so freaking heavy!

"Luffy, get off of me. You're heavy..." I complained.

"You're finally awake!" noted Luffy, happily ignoring me. "Come on, Makino is waiting for you!" Makino was waiting for me?

"For what?" I asked.

"I dunno, she just told me to wake you up. I tried to wake you up twenty minutes ago, but you still didn't wake up until now. Now come on!" Luffy exclaimed, in one action jumping off me and running out the room. I yawned and sat up. Then I followed the seven-year-old's ecstatic example, only carefully. My five-year-old feet weren't as long as they were normally and I was afraid of falling. Also, the injury on my head still hadn't healed yet, so I didn't want to risk hurting myself more.

"Oh, you're finally up! I never thought you'd sleep longer than Luffy!" Makino said as she saw me walking downstairs. I only nodded and rubbed my eyes. She smiled and said, "I made breakfast for you, so you can eat now or later." Makino picked me up and placed me on the tall stool at the counter, right next to Luffy. Then she presented me with a plate of fried rice and a glass of water. Oh man, my favorite food…

"Do you need help, Eri-chan?" Makino asked with a smile, noticing me not eating. I felt blood rush to my cheeks and shook my head. She giggled and patted my head, before walking upstairs. I wondered what she was doing, but when she returned with clothes and a bath towel, I had an idea.

"Eri-chan, after you're finished eating, you can take a bath," Makino told me. "The bathroom is over there, right next to the stairs." She pointed it out. "Call me if you need my help." Makino put the clothes and the towel on the counter. I nodded and continued eating. Even after eating it all, I was still hungry, but I figured it would've been rude to say that.

I took the plate and the glass and jumped to the ground. I walked toward Makino and gave it to her. Makino smiled and ruffled my head.

"Eri-chan, want me to help you take a bath?" she asked me. My head still hasn't healed yet. I should have her help me unbandage it. I nodded and touched the bandage with my right hand. She nodded, understanding my silent sentence, and grabbed the clothes and towel again. Makino led me to the bathroom, her hand holding mine.

Inside the bathroom, Makino slowly stripped me and turned the water in the bathtub on. The green-haired woman tied my hair into an updo style and placed me in the tub. The water was warm, to say the least. I thought it would be cold or something. I guess Makino was really a kind person…

As Makino cleaned my body, I started to play with the water. I didn't know why, but the water suddenly looked interesting enough to play with. There was also a rubber duck in the bathtub, which made me feel like a little kid again. Back home, I wouldn't be caught dead playing with a rubber duck, yet here I am, playing with the duck. Makino giggled as she saw me playing with the rubber duck.

Finally finished, Makino helped me into some clothes that, surprisingly, fit. She untied my hair and brushed through the tangles with a hairbrush.

We walked out the bathroom and into the bar. Luffy was on his usual bar stool, sipping his orange juice. I hopped up on the stool and smirked.

"Hey Lu'-chan, how do I look?" I asked him with a grin. He turned his head and grinned back.

"You look great!" he replied.

I couldn't agree with him more. The clothes Makino had picked out for me was a plain light red sundress with big white ribbon on the chest area. I wasn't actually a fan of dresses, but oh well. I looked around, hoping to find Shanks and his crew, but no avail; they weren't here. Did they leave already? I thought. I frowned, thinking, then shook my head. No, the mountain bandits haven't been here yet. Shanks and his crew are probably at the ship.