Lookout for the Straw Hats!

Chapter 10: Tigers, dinos, and giants, oh my!

The last few days had been boring. Literally, just ocean everywhere I looked, even with my enhanced vision. Fishing with the guys is fun, but you can only do that for so long before you get bored of it. Well, unless you're Luffy and Usopp. I'd tried helping Sanji prepare our meals, but ended up getting shunned away with more care than I think anyone else could pull off. Zoro's napping like 24/7 and I love sleep. Heck, it compliments my devil fruit, but I don't wanna do that ALL the time, so he's out! And Nami and Vivi had been busy keeping us on course for Little Garden, and I am no help when it comes to that sorta thing, so I didn't even offer my assistance.

That would only leave Orion and Atlas, but I know Atlas isn't comfortable around strangers, so I wouldn't bother him with my loneliness. And Orion is just antisocial, so he won't come out unless he's bored too. Plus, I don't feel like going to get him.

Looking up at the clouds, a long sigh passed my lips. "It's okay, Y/n. We shouldn't be too far from the next island. And hey! You can see before the others when we'll be there, so if you wanted to, you could just get up and fly over!"

"Are you talking to yourself?"

Opening my eyes suddenly, I stood up from my seat on the floor of the crow's nest, and looked over the ledge to see Zoro coming up on the rope ladder. This is not the first time I've been caught talking to myself, but I haven't had friends to embarrass myself in front of for a long time now, so this sucks.

"Yeah I was. What about it?"

The swordsman snickered under his breath, before answering, "Nothing. You can talk to yourself if you want. I didn't know you were up here, if I'm being honest. I thought you'd gone and disappeared into your room or something. Now that I see you here, though, I'm gonna just go back down. Later." Without waiting for me to say anything, he began climbing back down the ladder. That must've been a nicey nice way of saying, "I don't wanna be around you, so peace."

"Hey, guys! Anyone care to sample my special drink?"

My eyes lit up at Sanji's words, and without thinking twice, I jumped over the ledge of the nest, falling right into Zoro on the way down. We landed in a jumbled pile of limbs, but I did not hesitate to push Zoro back into the floor and run over to try Sanji's drink. "Thanks, Sanji! I'd been really thirsty, so this is perfect timing!"

The curly-browed man asked concernedly and frantically, "Are you alright, though, Y/n? You just jumped straight from the crow's nest to get down here. You're not hurt, are you?!" Waving him off, I responded casually, "Don't worry! My wings have healed, so they're better now! Plus, Zoro broke my fall, so it all worked out!" He calmed himself down and chuckled at my words, before handing me one of the drinks on the platter he'd been holding. "Just be careful, my dear. I don't want you to hurt yourself." I smiled at him, appreciating his concerns, and gave his drink a try.

"Oooh! This is good! Thank you, Sanji!"

Sanji began spinning around, spouting words of love and affection, making me laugh. Luffy quickly pulled him out of that when he pulled him over to sit with Zoro, Usopp, and Karoo on the deck. Sitting down next to Luffy, I was happy to just enjoy everyone's company, but the captain had something else in mind.

"Hey, you guys want to break out the fishing gear?"

Lord no! No more fishing! Please!

It didn't help to hear Zoro going along with it, as well as Usopp. He was even planning on making the rubber man a new custom fishing rod! I can't do more fishing! I gotta come up with a way to get outta this. Think, Y/n, think.

Just when I'd thought it hopeless, Karoo, Vivi's duck, got the guys attention when he began drinking Sanji's drink faster than any of us could. Yes! Thank you, Karoo! You've saved me from another day of fishing and not catching much of anything.