Baby Robin

Chapter 7

Chopper POV

In the dining room of the Merry, the straw hat crew was having breakfast. The sound of utensils scraping plates could be heard coming from inside the room. As usual, everyone was gulping down their food so it won't be stolen by Luffy once he's finished eating his own portion.

"Sanji! This is delicious! Thank you!" Nami yelled between bite to Sanji over the noise.

"You're welcome Nami-swan!" He replied dreamily, hearts popping out of his eyes. In the time when he was dreaming, Luffy had already stolen a slice of ham off his plate.

"Luffy!" Sanji growled, "That was mine!" With no effect since Luffy had already swallowed it. Whole.

I thought about yesterday's event, about foxy and all. Whew, thank goodness that was over. I sighed, thinking to myself. Just then, something hit me about this situation, the food instantly tasting like chalk.

I didn't feel like finishing the food. I dumped the rest of it into the trash. Jumping half-heartedly on to the edge of the sink, I left the dirty dish in it. Feeling nauseous, I rushed out to the deck.

"Oi Chopper, where are you going?" A voice called out behind me. It was Sanji, walking down the stairs towards me, "What's wrong?"

My vision blurred, tears welled up on the thought of Robin. She was such a nice person, why did this happen to her. I wailed, dropping onto the floor. My hand was rubbing at my eyes as the tears flowed out of my eyes and down my cheek like a waterfall, then finally landing in droplets on the floor. Sanji walked over and bent down, he picked me up. I didn't protest, burying my face into his neck, and sobbing instead.

"There, there, it's all gonna be all right," he whispered into my ear like you would do so to calm a young one and stroking my back in a comforting manner. It felt familiar, from a certain memory, but I couldn't come close to enjoying it. I know this was all my fault.

I've been keeping an insect in a jar in the boys' room starting a few months ago. I was studying it as what was know about it was very limited, but it was said to bring back youth. I wanted to see whether it will help, in any way, my nakamas.

It didn't, it completely backfired, turning one of them into a baby. I found out little about how the bug works, very little, but enough to slightly explain the current situation we are stuck in. Sanji's voice pulled me away from my spinning thoughts. The scent of saltwater wafted into my nose as I got pulled back to the Earth, away from my thoughts. I leaned slightly back to look him in the eyes.

"So, what happened? Was it because of Robin? No-one will blame you anyway." Sanji told me.

"B-but, it is all my f-fault..." I choked out, tears rolling down my face once again. The guilt crashing down on me like a tsunami, "...I-I h-had kept the b-bug."

Sanji was stunned into silence, not knowing what to say. I know he will hate me now, like how other people have done before. I leaped away. Half-stumbled, half-ran towards the mast and jumped down, trying(and failing) to rub the streams of salt away. I crawled to a corner of the room, balling myself up, and cried like there was no tomorrow. They all hate me now. They're gonna kick me off the ship...

Sanji POV

I was just thanking Nami-swan for complementing the food, then growling at and scolding Luffy for stealing mine. Why mine? Grrr...

I felt a tap on my shoulder, thinking it was Chopper or Ussop about to tell me something, but it was marimo. I was just about to snap at him when he turned towards the door leading out and pointed.

I saw Chopper running out, eyes squeezed shut, hooves over his head. Huh? That was weird, the boat was rocking gently, no way can he be seasick(my first suspect), he joined ages ago. What's bothering him?

I trailed behind him, calling out to ask.

"Where are you going?"

"What's wrong?"

He crashed down on the floor and started crying.

My body reacted for me; I walked over and picked him up, saying comforting things. My crewmate was hurt, I need to help him. I started to coax him for the reason he is upset, although I was hit by realization at what came next.

"...I-I h-had kept the b-bug."

Right, that. I finally put one and one together. He had gotten a rare bug with what was said to have "special abilities" from a merchant one day. He believed it, I thought the dude was just trying to earn money by tricking a kid into buying a cheap bug. So no attention paid there.

I didn't feel angry, it really wasn't his fault. Chopper was just curious. He must feel so dreadful right now.

+=+=+=+

When Chopper showed everyone the bug and told them about it, the crew had several different reactions: Nami-swan and I didn't believe it, thinking it was just a joke; Marimo didn't care; Robin just smiled; Ussop and Luffy did believe it, but while Ussop was cautious about it, Luffy wanted to see what abilities the bug had and kept letting it out, even when Ussop told him not to.

So Luffy let out the bug with Ussop last night and forgot to put it back since Nami told them to do something and they all forgot about the bug. A while later, the bug probably found a way out of the boys' room and up to where Robin was, attacking her. I wonder if the bug is still on the ship, that'll be bad.

+=+=+=+

I went to find Chopper, who was in a state where he's crying himself sick, his body wracking from the muffled sobs. Oh no.

I trod over to Chopper, stepping lightly so he wouldn't get frightened. His head turned to me all the same, his eyes filled with fear. Dang, I thought, why does his hearing have to be so sharp?

He backed yet closer towards the wall, pushing his back on it, his whole body shivering with fear.

"D-d-don't h-h-hurt-t m-me..." He stuttered harshly, raising his arms in a defensive position and cowering behind it, "p-please..." He shut his eyes, expecting for me to strike him, he twisted his head to the side.

Why would anyone hurt him? He is so dear and kind. I sighed, cursing those who have hurt him before.

How am I supposed to get him to trust us again?

_______

Dear Readers,

I'm so sorry for updating so late...school started.

Today I shall introduce someone new:

Meh NEW editor(a.k.a. my friend)

wha---ahhh---noooo

Hello my dudes, I am the author's friend and I stole her computer lol. Now she is chasing me cuz she wants her computer back so I gotta run byeeeee!!!

Ughhhh, so anyways, a HUGEEE thank u for reading my story!

Question of the day, what fandoms are u guys in?

Smile,

MsAwfullyShy :3