We've been talking for a while until I reckon Kaya yawned a lot. "Well, would you look at that. It's that late already. I think we all should catch up on some sleep before we're heading off tomorrow morning." We all get up, while Kaya makes her way back to her bed. "Why don't you join me for breakfast tomorrow? Your friends too. We can discuss a deal for the caraval." She smiles at us gently. "I'd like that," Nami answers just as gently. "Already looking forward to it." I smile.
Kaya went under the covers, and I turned to leave for the door. "This may not be my place to say, but don't let Klahadore, or anyone else for that matter, run your life. You are stronger than you think." Nami says, and she means it. "Thank you, I appreciate it." I love how Nami has turned so quickly. Look at these two interact. "Good night you two," Kaya says. "Good night." Nami says."Sleep well." I add. We make our way to the door. "Don't forget your pillow," Kaya says, chuckling. I laugh . "Hmm," Nami humms.
We are out in the hall. "See? Making friends isn't that hard, after all?" I whisper at her smiling smugly. "She pushes my face away laughing. " I am proud, though. I want you to know that." She turns to say something nice but takes a golden ornament she stole out of the bag. She looks at it and bites her lip a little. She puts it back to where she had taken it from earlier. I smile widely. "So proud!" I whisper scream after her.
I fold at a pain shooting through my stomach. I grab a hold of the nearest cabinet. I growl quietly but filled with pain. "Nami looks back shocked, "Everything alright?" She asks. Well, clearly not. "We have to find the others." I stand up, walking towards the guest suites. "NOW!" I whisper-scream, which makes Nami released from being frozen and run after me.
No one opened their doors. I didn't hear Luffy and Zoro snore, that's how I knew they were not sleeping. My pain has released a little. We are all still alive. We ended up downstairs, where the kitchen was located. Nami went in first and started making her way to the big table in the middle. Luffy is lying all across it. "Luffy." No reaction. "Luffy?" She shakes him a little. I see a little blue at the corner of his lips, then I see the pot at the other end of the table. That was Kaya's special soup. She didn't eat any of it at dinner earlier, so now Luffy went for it. Nami and I share a scared look. Even Luffy wouldn't just fall asleep on the table. "What's with him?" "Remember my theory?" I pressure my fingers on his wrist and put my head over his chest to check for a heartbeat. "But why would they do that to her? She is so nice." I lift my head to look at Nami. "Luckily he is still breathing, his heart rate is just severely slowed down. It's Luffy, he'll be okay. It would have certainly brought Kaya's heartbeat to a stop, though." Nami put a hand over her mouth as she gasped aloud. I smell the pot left with only a few little scratches of the thickening soup. My nose riffles up at the smell. "He should have known something was wrong with that soup."
We hear footsteps approaching and Klahadore speaking. Nami and I look shocked at each other but instantly start to scan the area for a safe hiding spot. Nami rushes for the pantry where pots and pans are stored. She just about fits in. I make a run for the sink, usually, there is plenty of storage under the sink. And to my luck, there is. I close the doors inaudibly and curse to myself. On one hand, I am glad to not have brought my Katanas. I would have never been able to hide with them attached. On the other hand, if things go south and we'll fight, I only have my daggers. Or I might make a use of one of the pans. Why do we always end up in shit like this?
Klahadore and the two staff came to the table. I am not able to see, but I have to rely on my hearing and sensing on this one. They wonder about Luffy lying around but soon enough realize the cause.
"You are not a cook, Buchi. And I am not a maid. We're pirates." SHam says. My eyes widen. Zoro was right. We did know Klahadore. It is Kuro after all. That's why Buchi and Sham have such weird hairstyles, they have never changed them. They are part of Captain Kuro's Black Cat Pirates! Why didn't I put that together before? I didn't catch Kuro because of the new outfit, the missing claw gloves and glasses. I mean, it must have been at least three years since I have seen his photo last and I must say, that man did age a good bit. I have to apologize to Zoro later on.
Klahadore has stopped the bickering between the crew. "How much of the soup has he eaten?" "All of it." "Wonderful. Throw him in the well with the green-haired oaf" GREEN-HAIRED OAF? Not a single soul in the world is allowed to speak of him in that way except for me. I wish I could just jump out of the pantry and attack all three of them. I'll slit them up real good.
Unfortunately, it would be no use. Kuro is standing too far up the stairs. On top of that was, uhm, is Kuro said to have incredible reflexes. My daggers would certainly take too long to hit him. I have to wait this one out. To calm my nerves, I tell myself Zoro is going to be fine. I know that he is alive. I can feel it. He isn't dealt with just that easily...
I wonder where Usopp has gone off to... Just then, there's a ring at the doorbell. Is that maybe his way of a distraction? I wonder if they are here to help.