"strawberry is red" - talking
'strawberry is red' - thinking
"STRAWBERRY IS RED" - shouting from anything /angry
*swish* - sounds
[Strawberry] - magic word spell
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Author's Note: WARNING!! This might trigger people who got a rough or traumatic life!! WARNING!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! I did try to tone it down. Between me, and my friends, I'm the softie, so all of this idea came from them. Still, be cautious. For those who keep reading this, thank you ❤️
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Recap:
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"Oh my... So you're planning to defeat a warlord? " The whole crew, a princess, and two extra gazes at where the voice came. Lo and behold, an attractive woman with a cowboy hat shadowing her features, an outfit that could drive any man wild, but as of the moment. All the men present on the ship are on guard, not even swooning at her beautiful sight.
"..... Who's that Pokémon?" Zoey chirped behind them all, maybe because of the adrenaline of the night or her mind finally goes mental.
"Wrong anime Zoey..."
"... Either way, I want to sleep..." she yawns big time and freaking proud of it.
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(Enter Zoey's Pov)
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The beautiful woman smiled at them, without any introduction of sorts the princess gasp in realization as to who is the raven-haired woman. "Ms. All Sunday!"
"Who is she, Vivi?" Nami asked concern and caution tinge her voice.
"She's Ms. All Sunday, Mr. 0's partner! She was the only one who knew the boss's identity, we only knew the boss's identity because we followed her..."
"The correct words would be I allowed you to follow me" Ms. All Sunday corrected the princess while her tone is relaxed, her face resting on her right palm while sitting, her legs crossing at each other.
"Oh! So she's good, then" Luffy, without a doubt have a simple mind, I sigh, not even bother hiding it, I'm really tired from all this excitement. Before I could contemplate about life and how I wandered here in this situation, I heard the princess yelled, her tone is accusing the intruder. "I know that! It's because you told him we discovered who he is!"
"That's true, " Ms. All Sunday didn't even bother denying it.
"So she's really bad then.." Luffy said with a pout and childish look on his face.
"Uh, Luffy please make up your mind..." Marc commented beside me from behind all of them. The swordsman is also in the same boat as us. "Pipe down Luffy.."
"What's your purpose for doing this?!" Princess Vivi, all but demand to the agent.
"That's a really good question... Seeing you people being intent and series against such adversity, I can't help but lend a hand... A Princess is doing her best to save her kingdom while making an enemy out of Baroque Works... It was just so ridiculous you see..." without even blinking, she said her piece, the people on the boat were both horrified at her dark thoughts and wary of her, wooow what great humor she got, can you feel my sarcasm? No? Too bad.
"DON'T YOU DARE MAKE FUN OF ME!!!" As the princess shout with hatred and anger. That's befitting of a princess in the face of her enemy, made the whole crew move. Sanji and Usopp, finally awake at some point, aiming a gun and a slingshot at the intruder, Nami, Marc, and Zoro tense and ready to fight, and as for me, for the first time glared with unabashed anger.
"Hey, Sanji... You do know what you're doing right? " Usopp asked his crewmate, a bit groggy from his fantastic blacked out, shocked that he could point a gun at the female population. The chef then confirmed everyone's doubt of the blonde's sanity. "Not at all, the only thing that is clear to me is that my precious princess is in danger"
"I'd appreciate it if you stop pointing such dangerous weapons at me, it's quite rude," the intruder said and in a flash, the whole crew was disarmed.
"Ugh!'
"AH!"
"Can't be!"
"Devi--"
*bohg*
"A devil fruit user?!"
"Which one is her power?!" All of them were shocked not including the two extra and Ms. All Sunday. The cook that was tossed down the lower deck looked up and saw Ms. All Sunday's face. Without further ado, the love hurricane starts... Oh boy...
"OHHH!! Upon closer look, you're actually a beautiful lady! A GODDESS!!" I sigh for the ninth time today, goodness I thought my last life was hectic enough, this world is much more stressful than I thought... And people got the gall to say it's just cartoons, I snort to that thought, ignorance sure is blissful.
"CRAM IT COOK!!"
"WHAT WAS THAT ALGAE!"
"SHUT UP!!" *bonk* Nami delivered a good blow towards the two, it made me happy to see someone with some common sense in this world.
"Now, now, don't be hasty. I have not given any orders yet, I have no reason to fight" with a swish of her hand the strawhat was fling in Ms. All Sunday's directions and she casually put it in her head. "So you're the strawhat captain I've heard all about... Monkey D. Luffy"
"HEY, YOU! GIMME BACK MY HAT!! ARE YE TRYIN' TO START A FIGHT?!" Luffy yelled towards the intruder, clearly pissed because his treasure was easily snatched away from him.
"I DEEM YOU AS AN ENEMY LEAVE OUR SHIP!!"The long-nosed sniper, was now hiding behind the main mast of the ship while yelling, I can see his legs trembling from behind, goodness gracious, I wasn't aware he was this... well a coward, but who am I to say he's all that?
"What the hell are you? A kid?"
"Most likely..." I commented to Zoro, he looked at me and grunted brat under his breath. Dear ghad I know I'm small but damn...
"But how unlucky... With your route, you were bound to die even before reaching Alabasta, works for me... But not for you all" the dark angel said calmly while smiling serenely at them.
"Wh-what do you mean?", I can hear the princess stammered from the nervousness that the intruder causing them.
"What I mean princess, is that you'll be facing unknown danger called Little Garden..."
"Shutup! Gimme back my hat!!" Luffy didn't listen nor didn't care about the intruder's warning.
"Here take this with you all, it's a safe route, unknown to the organization that goes towards Alabasta, just one stop away from your kingdom.." The intruder ignored that rubber-man and toss something to the princess.
"Eh? Is she a good person?" Nami was shocked and confused at what's going on now, and stare at the princess's hand, there lies an eternal pose to an unknown island.
"What are you trying to accomplish??" The princess wasn't convinced at all, so she questioned Ms. All Sunday.
"It could be a trap..." Zoro said his thoughts out loud, warning the others.
"Is it now??..." But the giver wasn't offended at all, she just smiles at us. Sometimes I wonder if her height was given to someone else... ugh shut up brain!
"Trap or not, that's a safe route.." The navigator is very tempted. A route that is safe for them to take.
"WHO CARES ABOUT THAT?!" Luffy grabbed the eternal pose and break it with his bare hands, of course, the enrage navigator swiftly roundhouse kick the rubbery man.
"ARE YOU AN IDIOT LUFFY?! SHE JUST SHOWS A NICER WAY!! AND THAT'S A PRECIOUS ETERNAL POSE! YOU-- "
"She's not the one who decides the ship's course. And I said we don't take orders from outsiders."
The whole crew was shocked to silence, and all of them are evaluating their laid-back captain. Like a signal that no matter what happens a ship's course is solely on the captain's orders. In this case, it's Luffy's decision.
"I see... Too bad then" Ms. All Sunday does seem disappointed but then again I'm already thinking about how to get Oreos...
"Ugh... well that's that" Nami resigned to her faith but still smiling, for once she felt confident she'll live in this ongoing war.
"Captain's orders right?" Marc just smiled when he said this to the others, I just looked at him and thought to myself 'Yep... He wants to be a strawhat, oh vey...' I can see my sleep waving goodbye...
"I hate her because she blew up that curly guy"
"I don't hate high-spirited people, It's a bit disappointing but that's how it'll be I guess... Strawhat pirates, you're an interesting bunch... Let's meet again..."
"NO!!"
Ms. All Sunday chuckles at the rubber captain's disagreement and hopped over the railing, landing on her giant turtle, "Let's go bunchi." A convertible umbrella is put up, and a turtle head starts to move. The crew looked at the giant turtle, flabbergastered at the size.
"OHHH A TURTLE!!"
"That's a huge ass turtle... SO COOL!!!"
"I can't even read what's on her mind..."
"Well, there's no point in thinking about it now.."
"Princess Vivi it'll be alright" Marc smiled down at the Princess.
Zoey is with Luffy admiring the huge turtle.
"But will it be alright for me to be on this ship? I'll only trouble you all..."
"What are you saying? We know who you are now, and we got two extras on board too."
"O-oi Zoey... come on, wake up..."
"No... I run, talk, and talk, more than I could handle... Lemme sleep..."
"Shishishi she likes her naps huh? Just like Zoro."
"SHE'S A SLEEPING BEAUTY!!"
"We're gonna dieeeee!!!"
".....noisy....."
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After a few hours I finally woke up, the first thing I saw is a wooden ceiling. I must've gone asleep for a bit, Marc probably carries me here, I slowly sit up and stretch my body, the resounding pops satisfies me, no one is in the room beside my lazy ass. I got up completely from the bed and walked to the door.
When I walked out with the grace and poise of a veteran shut-in, I yawn a big one and scratched my head, it's sticking all over the place... Dear me, the secret to all women's beauty might have eluded me, skincare routine... I do them from time to time, but I'm not sure when the last time I put a lotion properly... Ah yes, the day before this mess... I thought about some more... I really should go to a bathroom, I smell my shirt and my face turn to disgust, I need to take a bath like right now, I freaking stink! But where the hell is everyone?? Then I heard some noises from the dining.
"SANJI! LET'S EAT!"
"YOU JUST ATE BREAKFAST A WHILE AGO!!"
"But I'm still hungry~"
"Wow, you do have a black hole for a stomach..."
"Oh yeah, Zoey told us, you're both from another world, sort of? Rebirth right?"
"Ah... She told you?..."
"Is it supposed to be a secret?"
"No, not really, I just don't want to be labeled as crazy..."
"Tough luck, Marc got dragged with us. You got plenty of time to question your sanity"
"Let's talk when Zoey wakes up, I don't know her much from our world, I just knew her more in this world..."
"Alright, that's fine with us"
"Shishishi Marc is already part of the crew, Zoey is the only one left, I'll ask her again!!"
A bang from the door and Luffy saw me, I blinked my eyes, dear ghad what did I just hear?? Before I contemplate my life choices once again, I got pulled in by the rubber captain "SHE'S AWAKE!! HERE!!" with the enthusiasm of a child, I was seated in one of the chairs beside Nami and Marc, mah ghad I look like $h!t!! I quickly turn to Nami and in a low voice but clear enough for her.
"Uhhh I need the bathroom..."
"LUFFY! BE MORE CAREFUL TO OUR DEAR ZOEY!" the blonde cook shouted to his captain in crude behavior.
"Ah?"
"Sure, let's go. I'll show you where the bathroom is"
I looked at Marc. He's wearing casual clothes once again. I would probably question why he turns to casual clothes but not now. I need my shower, so I held out my hand, a sign of asking my things, with a spell [storage] he passed me a bag where my clothes and daily necessities are stored. I turn to the navigator and walked with her to the bathroom.
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The moment I got one, I feel alive. Thank goodness, I finally feel clean!! I'm wearing is the casual clothes I often wore if I ever went outside. Dark blue skinny jeans and a white shirt that has an ice cream cartoon on the front.
I walk back to the dining where everyone was seated for the big revelation of all times, I sigh inside, goodness another tiring day... They greeted me and I smile back while taking the seat Luffy forced me earlier. Then a plate of hot pancakes with syrup butter and fruits at the side was presented to me by Sanji.
"Thanks, this sure looks delicious" I smiled at the chef and start eating while he places a peach juice beside my plate.
"But of course, you must be famished" Is his smooth reply, I just rolled my eyes internally can't be sassy to the one cooking your food, it'll be a disaster, or not? I'm pretty sure he's very lenient to the female population, whatever.
"So while Zoey is eating, you go first Marc" Nami started her words and direct her eyes to Marc, the boy smile and nod at her.
"Yeah sure, where do you want me to start? I don't know where hehe" He scratched his head with an awkward smile, true I can't even know where to begin either...
"How did you two come here?" Nami just went and asked.
"You mean how we went through rebirth?" Marc clarified to the orange-head.
"Yeah, so how??" this time it's Usopp who asked, leaning in with Luffy, curious about this mysterious phenomenon.
"We were given a second chance to live in another world of his own choice and the people were chosen randomly by an Entity we can't determine if it's a God or the devil himself..."
"That's pretty suspicious, both of you might have been desperate huh?" Zoro pointed out a fact that made Marc and I winch. It is true we are desperate at that time.
"To accept an offer you're not even sure of" Usopp made a thoughtful face while looking at us. I pouted from how uncomfortable the stare is.
"Well it's pretty generic for us, I've read countless of those stories from rebirth to transported, it's pretty fun, I was really into it when I was a kid" My otherworldy colleague finally takes the attention from me and back to himself. I sigh and continue to shovel my face with food, it's freaking good, fluffy and all, after this piece of heaven I can't eat normal food anymore, this tastes heavenly.
"OH! OH! I wanna know what your world is before here!!" Luffy shouted eagerly at Marc and that question made the both of us freeze. The crew notice is right away, it's really hard to miss when our faces were clear about our own emotions, despair, horror, the look of helplessness...
The princess that's only quietly seating, with her duck behind her spoke to break the tense atmosphere, "It's alright if you both don't want to share with us...", I just looked down to my plate, my face devoid of emotion, years of being in that hell thought me more than surviving.
Marc besides me sigh and shake his head, "No... This has to be said, or we won't move on, I know you people are the right ones to share it with", He must've been gauging my reaction or he won't say any of those fancy words... I sigh as I looked up at them, and said, "I agree with him..."
The crew grew serious. Surprisingly Luffy is the most attentive even though he was the loudest and craziest in this crew. I reach for the peach juice to wash down the pancake in my mouth, I finished those pancakes already. Marc proceeds to tell our story.
"The world we live in was pretty normal, instead of four seas, we got seven. The landmass is greater than here in your world, and the pirate era was long gone, in our world, all of you are famous because of this show called
"The Apocalypse started, I was 13 that time. The people who survived the first 3 days refer to that day as Doomsday. Zombies or undead roam around the cities, not many humans that were trying to get away was spared, because of that humanity is the last thing humans think about, there's nothing or no one you could trust, if you're weak, you'll die, eat or be eaten, quite literally." He inhales deeply and exhales, trying to contain his emotions.
"Kindness is a luxury you can't afford, water resources and food became scarce so does the bullets and guns and anything that could be useful in combat. I survive in that era for about 4 years, but because I wasn't that proficient in battle I was a burden to the team, one day I became a bait for the others so they could save themselves... " he choked on air while telling his piece, his hands were shaking in the table.
"But that was also the day I met Zoey. I was saved, and she took care of me. But we were killed by a horde of zombies after a month. Because of my stupidity..." By this time Marc was already a crying mess, he's still a crybaby after all these years huh?...
I sigh when he finished his own story, I already knew about it because I asked him before, hard not to when you saw a 17-year old cowering in fear. I know it's my turn to explain myself, So I did.
"I was 19 that time when that day happened, I was supposed to be coming home from the college's dorms. When I became aware of the news it's already too late, I can't go home because there's no available transportation, chaos, fire, and death, it's 2 hours away, I never saw my family again in the last 4 years, I didn't give up tho.."
"I keep wandering around the country and to the town my family lived but there's no one there when I finally did. For the past 4 years before I saved his ass, I keep searching for them in another part of the province, there are times I can't sleep for fear that an undead might slip past my defense and eat us both."
"I sleep less, the only saving grace I have that time is my cautious nature and the basic military lifestyle my family trained us for, it's kinda ironic because I'm the laziest one in the family but while I was living in that hell I could practically hear my father's teachings in survival, I can't shoot for the life of me but I can outsmart and be fast enough to gain food or escape"
"I searched for my food and shelter like anyone, skip meals like everyone. I did join a team once, but I was betrayed by them. Since then I go on solo, he's the only one I didn't abandon. The kid got a heart of gold despite his circumstances" I chuckle while looking at my hands. I close them when my memory flashed, the day I killed a living human for food, blood on my hands, red and warm.
"When we got killed, I was more relieved than sad, I can't find my sisters nor brothers, I didn't even see their undead bodies, I was on the verge of killing myself, the only thing that kept me going is this brat and... The regret of not being able to protect them..." By the time I finished my own, I was looking down closing my eyes hard, thinking of the family that I can't even remember properly, I wanted to shoot myself from frustration, I should've been there... I feel so f*cking ARGH!!
The moment we finished our story, everyone was quiet, you can practically hear the ocean waves outside. Nami was looking down horrified, imagining our world, Zoro gritted his teeth from the horrid phenomenon. Sanji even stopped smoking, his hands balled into a fist, the Princess is on the verge of crying with Carue, Usopp was both horrified and scared, and Luffy was looking down overshadowing his features with his hat.
"I'll get us something to drink..." The cook turns to his kitchen and starts to prepare some drinks to calm everyone down. The swordsman just said sake to the chef without his usual rude remarks. While everyone was thinking about it, the drinks arrived, and the tension started to lessen by how delicious the liquid is. Now it's just plain awkward.
"...Sorry about questioning you two..." Nami finally broke the awkward atmosphere and turn her attention to us.
"It's alright, it feels great! getting off that our chest." Marc just smiled widely, happy, at ease, and content, emotions that are hard to come by in our last world.
"I agree, I finally feel at peace somehow..." I agree with Marc and smile comfortably in my seat, the things that burden me lighten up, talking to someone about your worries does feel good.
"Hey Zoey, JOIN MY CREW!" Luffy said to me with a beaming smile on his face, it doesn't contain anything but determination, the kind of determination to make me part of his crew.
"Luffy! Don't be so reckless! Learn to be tactful will you?" Nami berated Luffy's lack of tact, but the captain ignored her and turn to the blonde cook.
"YOSH! ANOTHER NAKAMA!! SANJI!! LET'S PARTY!!!" Luffy shouts while grinning, jumping to his seat, and start a party.
"She doesn't say anything yet!!" was the furious response of Ussop.
"....I'll be happy to join captain" I smiled at Luffy, and the rubber man only grins wider.
"YAHOOO!!!"
"Sure thing Captain!" Sanji willingly obeyed his captain, this needs to call for a celebration.
I smiled at their antics, they're trying to make us comfortable and happy, they sympathize with us, I finally understand why my best friend loves this crew so much to the point he wants me to join his imaginary pirate crew... I looked at Marc to see him crying and laughing, his body wasn't tense as before, his hate was gone from his face, helplessness wasn't present, the brat finally opened up...
They never judge and always welcome to be your friend. I slowly teared up shocking myself, I laugh merrily when I finally realized that I'm so happy to be alive, to be able to witness this, to finally feel the human warmth of others, I am finally free, at last, I found something to hold on to.
My idiotic best friend, if you're seeing this from heaven's above or hell below, and if somehow you're alive... Let's be friends again alright?
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Author's Note: I had a hard time writing this chapter, not because I got overwhelmed by the people who like this.....mess I'm making, but because my grammar is so bad I'm surprised people can read this. And finally, I am lazy and inactive in real life, and now I saw myself explaining!! EXPLAINING!! typing excuses and spouting pro nonsense! oh vey...
Status: Edited
The next chapter would be: May 10, 2021. I have classes and midterms are near, afterwards the latter half would be hell for me.