# RECOVER

The moment M/n opened his eyes after a whole day of being treated by Crocus, the sight that greeted him left him amused.

Before him, Shanks and Buggy wept as if he had just died.

"Oh, M/n-- why won't you wake up?!" They cried.

What an entertaining sight.

"Shut it, you two, you're making it seem like he's dead." Rayleigh lectured the two boys. Upon hearing Roger call him from the top decks for something stupid again, the righthand man could only sigh. "I'll be right back." He announced his leave before exiting the room.

Leaving the three apprentices alone.

Shanks sniffed constantly while Buggy blew his nose, they were far too dramatic but M/n was moved.

"Where's the rock you promised me?" He spoke up, noticing how hoarse his voice was. It dried up since he hasn't consumed water lately.

The two apprentices stood up and rushed to his side immediately.

"M/n!" They exclaimed with evident glee, tears threatening to spill at the corner of their eyes. But that's just how they've always been.

"I thought you died." Shanks cried out.

"Silly, why would I die?" M/n slowly sat up, feeling a lot more better than he did the last time he was conscious. He looked at his hands and saw that they were thoroughly bandaged, as well as his exposed chest and back. He was basically covered up like a mummy.

"I heard you faced a wild and large tiger!"

"Tell us all about it!"

"Oh, well." M/n sheepishly scratched his chin with his bandaged pointer, raising his good arm. "There was a tiger, and well. . . It had dripping saliva acid. When it landed on the ground and dissolved several dried up leaves in one go, I was honestly petrified." He admitted shamefully.

"Woah!"

They did not see how it cam be shameful, however. He was basically a hero from what they heard, and they aspire to be like him one day. A person who's brave enough to face a scary monster.

"Well, when I told Momonosuke to run and faced the tiger myself, it flung me a couple yards back and I hit the tree with my back. Hence, the damage." He gestured towards his back. He was honestly enjoying telling this tale since both the usually loud boys were currently in depth interest-- in awe.

It was nice to see their eyes sparkle so comically. It reminded him of life, a great contrast to the tiger's previously dull and empty eyes that still left an impression on him.

"What else?!"

"Continue!"

"And then its tongue went swish, acid went through the barks of the tree and almost hit me too. It was honestly frightening. And then--" M/n suddenly paused as he recalled what happened after that.

That odd phenomenon.

The heat he felt from his body as if he was being possessed and surged with overwhelming adrenaline.

But he can't forget the aftermath after he regained his grasp on reality. The empty void in his chest, the feeling of being completely lost as you walk aimlessly. The feeling of having killed something and took the life of another living being.

It was terrible.

The guilt ate him. Despite knowing that he would have been dead if he didn't kill that tiger-- he still can't help but feel empathy as a human being.

It was just as worse as killing an actual person since as unusual that tiger was, it was still partly an animal.

"And then what?" Shanks blinked blankly at him, wondering why the brunette suddenly stopped and his eyes suddenly became filled with solemn.

M/n forced a smile. "I can't remember. Sorry."

The two were inevitably disappointed as Buggy groaned and sat back. "It was getting good!"

"Hey, be thankful he survived and is currently with us now." Shanks scolded the clown.

And they fell into a bicker.

M/n could only watch them argue, so freely and casual without a care in the world. He was like them too. He wasn't different. But what happened yesterday begged to differ.

He can't help but frown as he looked at them.

If they had known what he did the other day, would they still treat him the same? It may not seem serious, but the way he saw the tiger's dead body-- it was inhuman. A human being wouldn't go that far when killing. Let alone a little kid.

He wasn't any better than that monster. He should have climbed up a tree or something.

Instead, he ripped the tiger's jaw open, split the head from its body with nothing but his own hands. The same hands that feed, write, and clean for himself. Since when did they become so. . . Dirty?

It may not be a big deal to most compared to the larger part of the world. But it isn't something that should be a part of a 12-year-old boy's life.

"What's this for?" M/n stared skeptically at the rock that was placed on his lap.

"My promise!" Buggy exclaimed proudly, wiping the bottom of his nose with his pointer, hands on his hips as his chest puffed out in pride. He must be expecting to be showered in multiple praises.

"Oh, wow." M/n marveled the ordinary rock. "Where'd you get it."

"Well, you see-- I went up the mountain and found a cave. There was a special stone at the end of cave so I went to fetch it. It was so hard to take off! I was suddenly possessed by my inner strength and got it off. Before the cave could collapse, I ran out and flew from the edge of the hill! I was flying then I met up with Shanks in the town again." Buggy dramatically told.

"He picked it up from the street." Shanks said nonchalantly as he picked his ear.

"Shut up!" Buggy was angry.

"Were you really possessed by your inner strength?" Momonosuke looked up at the clown who proudly nodded.

"Yes, I was." Buggy said. (Is lying).

"Yes, me too." M/n said. (Is not lying).

"Wow, so you all are possessed now, huh?" Shanks rolled his eyes. "M/n is believable, but I undoubtedly doubt you, Buggy."

"Why you--!"

"How are you feeling?" Rayleigh entered the infirmary, walking over to M/n's side as he placed a plate of food for him down at his bed side.

"Better." M/n replied shortly.

"Are your hands okay now?" The righthand man asked, concern laced in his tone.

"A lot better." M/n nodded eagerly. "It was the ointment Crocus-san applied earlier."

"Oh, right." Rayleigh was reminded of something. "Since we already parted from the island a while ago, I forgot to give you this." He pulled out something from his inner vest.

And looking closely, it was a sharp and curvy shaped knife with a tough scabbard made of knots.

M/n allowed himself to take in the sight.

"You need a weapon somehow. This isn't much but it's suitable for you size." He said. And indeed he was right-- in his hands, it looked like an average knife. But as soon as M/n received it in his, it was bigger.

Maybe this way, he won't be totally defenseless.