Kaede

----

My body shoots up right as sweat slowly slides down my skin. I jab the palms of my hands into my eyes hoping to stop the tears that were forming from falling. I take out the worn brown journal and gently set it against my forehead. Why do I have to remember that now of all times? Is it a warning to not get close to this crew? To get out as soon as I can? I don't know. I think and I shake my head to clear the thoughts. I replace the journal against my forehead and feel myself relax. I put the journal away before lying down and turning on my side. I curl up into a ball before slowly drifting off again.

~~~

Zoro

A quiet whimper, almost inaudible catches my attention and at first I think I imagined it until I hear it again. I set my dumbbells down before moving over to the open window in the crow's nest. I lean out and look up to the roof since the sound had come from above. Not being able to see anything I climb out of the window and the sound of panting now fills my ears. When I can see the onto the roof I spot Kaede sitting there with palms pressed into his eyes and something glimmers in the corner of his eyes.

I blink in surprise when I realize that it's a tear. He's crying? I mentally ask myself as I see him pull out a worn brown journal and he places it against his forehead. A couple seconds later he shakes his head and replaces the journal against his forehead. This time he seems to relax and in the blink of an eye the journal's gone. I try to figure out where he put it but he lies down and he turns away from me. His breath evens out after he curls up into a ball indicating that he fell asleep. I raise my brow in confusion before sliding back into the crow's nest and picking up my dumbbell to continue training. I'll ask Kaede about that later.

----A Couple Days Later----

Kaede

I slouched even further into the couch in the Aquarium Bar. Franky, Robin, and Sanji were also here. We were just casually talking away about unimportant stuff. Over the few days that I've been here I came to realize a couple of things. One, Luffy was still an idiot; two, this crew was crazy; three, they were strong as hell and four; they really cared about their nakama. A splash breaks my train of thought and I look behind me to see a shark in the fish tank now.

"Do those idiots not know a shark's gonna eat the other fish? Better yet do they even have a brain?" I ask no one in particular.

"I'm starting to wonder that myself." Sanji says while the other two nod their heads in agreement.

"Have you seen the shark we caught?" Luffy and Usopp yell as they burst through the door.

"It doesn't get along well with the other fish though." Robin says and I shake my head. I quietly slip out of the room and start climbing up to the crow's nest. I've kinda claimed the top of the crow's nest as mine even though Luffy made sure the guest room was mine. Instead of going through the crow's nest I start climbing around using the outside of the crow's nest.

"You know there's an easier way to the roof." A voice says beside me and I almost let go of the ledge in shock. I send a glare at the green haired swordsman who was leaning on the window sill with an amused expression on his face.

"Don't do that and yes I know there's an easier way. I just prefer this way;" I say and Zoro just raises an eyebrow. "It helps to keep my senses sharp and it also helps strengthen my arm strength." I keep glaring at Zoro and he starts to glare back. We stay like that for a bit just glaring back and forth until Zoro speaks again.

"It doesn't seem to be working too well." Zoro says and I narrow my eyes at him before continuing on my path. I hear Zoro chuckle and I go to kick him when my foot's level with the window but he easily dodges it. I pull myself onto the roof and flop down face first. I hate to admit it but he's correct; I'm not as sharp as I used to be or I just can't seem to sense him which I highly doubt since that's never happened before.

I'm pretty sure that I'm losing my touch since I've almost been discovered while taking a bath or shower. I've been in the shower and I notice footsteps heading towards the door. I somehow manage to get my clothes and get out of there every time without being spotted though which is considerably lucky for me. I roll onto my back and stare up at the blue sky. A couple seconds later something white drifts down from the sky and lands on my nose before melting. I let out a small laugh as the snow starts falling quicker.

"You're a horrible lookout Zoro. If it starts snowing you have to tell us like this." Luffy points to Usopp and he demonstrates how you tell the crew it's snowing. I let out another small laugh and I can hear Zoro grumble about those two idiots.

"Hey Kaede why don't you come inside you'll get a cold otherwise." I jump a bit and turn my head over to where Zoro was looking at me from.

"I'm fine;" I say and turning back to the sky.

"I warned you, don't blame me if you get sick." Zoro says before going back into the crow's nest.

"I never get sick;" I mutter as I continue to watch the snow gracefully fall to the ground and a smile covers my face from the good memories I have with snow.

"Hey guys I see a ship." Zoro says a couple seconds later and I look over to see a banged up ship that was just floating along. It had no sails and there are lots of holes in the sides of it, I'm surprised it's still floating actually. I feel the Sunny start moving in a different direction then we were heading in at first so I'm guessing we're heading over to it. I flip onto my stomach and pull out the journal before I start reading. I keep my senses open and am still on my guard. I summon a bottle of sake and take a sip of it as I continue to read. Something in the journal catches my attention and I completely get sucked in so I don't notice anything else that's going on. I read the section over multiple times before reading recounts of my ancestors' encounters.

I hope the holder never figures out that feature. I close the journal and put it away before flipping back onto my back. I stare at the sky and start thinking about what I just found out. If that feature is figured out then many horrible things will happen in the future. I keep rolling as I go through all the scenarios possible and in a matter of seconds I find myself airborne looking down at the deck.

"Great I was too lost in thought to realize I rolled off the crow's nest." I mutter to myself when I spot Franky, Robin, and Sanji confronting a group of people who I believe to be from the banged up ship that was now tied to the Sunny. Nami, Zoro, Usopp, and Luffy were at the door to the kitchen but the two idiots were busy sleeping. I smash into the deck and a dust cloud surrounds me as I sit up.

"He did it again." I hear Sanji say.

"I want to know how he's getting a dust cloud that big every time." Franky says and the dust settles for them to see me wiggling my nose with my hand.

"What are you doing Kaede?" Robin asks as I continue to wiggle my nose.

"I landed on my nose;" I say before lowering my hand and looking at the group of people who were staring at me.

"How are you alive?" Some of them yell as they continue to stare at me.

"Not important at the moment. Retreat;" One with pretty much just a blonde tuff of hair sticking up in the middle of his head says before he jumps over the railing into the water and a second later they rest follow.

"Why you," Franky says getting ready to shoot them but Nami stops him.

"Leave them; we have more important things to worry about like Chopper. I can't find Chopper anywhere." Nami says and I let out a sigh before heading towards the rope that was attaching the two ships. I step onto it and walk across towards the banged up ship where the group was huddling under blankets.

"One of them's coming over here, cut the rope quickly." One of the short one says and one of them rushes forward with a sword in hand intending to cut the rope but it's too late. I step onto the ship and the group surrounds me with weapons out.

"What do you want?" The guy who told them to retreat earlier asks and I continue to walk forward towards the door that'll lead below deck. I slip past their group in under a second before speaking.

"Just came to get the doctor." I say slipping into the doorway and I follow Chopper's scent trail which leads me to a small room where I find Chopper, a kid who wore a polka dot bandana, and a severely injured red haired man. I take a couple steps into the room when everything starts shaking like crazy.

"What the hell are those guys doing?" I mutter to myself looking at the ceiling before turning back to where Chopper was.

"Jiro help me. We got to keep him still or his wounds will open up again." Chopper says and the kid, Jiro, tries to help Chopper hold the man still but it's pretty much impossible with how much the ship's shaking. I walk over to the bed and tap the edge before a bubble slowly appears around it. I see Chopper blink in surprise since his legs can still feel the ship moving like crazy but his upper body doesn't. Chopper slowly backs out of the bubble with Jiro and they stare at it surprised.

"I've got it covered." I say as I sit down against the wall.

"Who are you and how did you find this place?" Jiro grabs a broom that's nearby and points it at me.

"Jiro calm down, he's a friend." Chopper pushes the broom handle down and then turns to me. "How did you find us?"

"I followed your scent; I've got good senses. It's best not to underestimate them." I say tapping my nose before getting more comfortable. "Anyway Luffy's gonna show up soon screaming since we know these guys lied and they think they kidnapped you."

"I have to stay here to treat this man though; Kaede can you help me out?" Chopper asks me.

"Just tell Luffy about this guy. He'll understand;" I say.

"CHOPPER!" I hear Luffy yell and I watch Chopper rush out of the room. Jiro goes to follow but he looks back at the red head.

"I'll watch him. If something happens I'll get you guys. I promise on my life." I say when I notice Jiro's uncertain expression. He gives me a nod before rushing out of the room after Chopper and I close my eyes. A couple seconds later they return with Luffy.

"Nothing happened when you were gone." I inform Jiro after opening my eyes.

"Thank you;" Jiro says while sending me a smile which I return.