Sword

Chapter 43

As Shoko expected, Garp's food poisoning lasted all of one day. Shoko and Coby were only able to buy the Straw Hats one day's time to get a new ship, but it was the best they could do with a leader as hardy as Garp.

A day behind schedule, Garp had the entire crew on board his ship less than an hour after the sun had risen above the horizon. They were set to reach Water 7 before noon.

Helmeppo, still queasy from his food poisoning the day before, stayed near the boat's sides the entire voyage. He didn't have much to say to Shoko the entire time, other than asking "Why didn't you give that sandwich to Coby?"

Shoko shrugged. "No reason, really," she responded flatly.

"You-!" Helmeppo pointed an accusatory finger at her, but the sudden movement triggered another wave of nausea, and he quickly spun back toward the edge of the boat and vomited into the sea below.

Shoko gave him a light pat on the back. "There ya' go. I'm sure you're almost over it."

Around midday, when Garp's ship arrived at the island's harbor, Shoko, Coby, and Helmeppo each did their best to slow the crew's progress. Shoko marched around the ship nitpicking sailors' uniforms, telling them that "the people of this island have seen enough mess from this storm. They don't need your sloppy asses making things look even worse!" The sailors would glare at her indignantly but obediently checked their uniforms for sloppiness.

Coby hurried around the ship misplacing necessary equipment, and green-faced Helmeppo kept his spot at the side of the boat, insisting he was too ill to help anyone with his usual duties.

When they finally dropped anchor, Garp sent scouts around the island to locate the Straw Hats. He directed Shoko, Coby, and Helmeppo to remain on the ship, likely because he suspected them for causing the delay in their arrival.

Helmeppo groaned at having to stay on the water any longer but obeyed along with the others.

"Do you think Luffy and the others were able to leave already?" Coby asked as he anxiously watched for Garp's scouts to return.

"I doubt they would have left yet," Shoko frowned. "As far as they knew, they were safe from the Marines here and wouldn't be rushing to leave." She paused to watch Garp as he waited impatiently for his scouts to return. They had been gone for quite a while now. Perhaps they weren't finding clues to the Straw Hats' current whereabouts.

Helmeppo scrunched his nose. "They have to build an entirely new ship, right? I don't know if they're going to have a way to get out of here."

"You sound like you don't want them to get away," Coby accused.

Helmeppo crossed his arms. "It's not that, I'm just being realistic. Forgive me if I'm not groveling at Straw Hat's feet with you, Coby, but he kinda upended my whole life, not to mention my dad-"

"Your dad's a piece of shit, Helmeppo," Shoko spat. She was not interested in hearing whatever he had to say next.

"You wanna talk to me about shit?" Helmeppo reeled. "I spent all day yesterday-"

Coby clapped a hand over Helmeppo's mouth. "Please don't, Helmeppo. Look, the scouts are back!"

Helmeppo swatted Coby's hand away with a grumble, and Shoko followed Coby's gaze to see a group of soldiers hurrying onto the ship. The highest-ranking soldier in the group was speaking urgently to Garp, surely informing him of what his unit had learned on the island.

"Prepare to set sail!" Garp barked loudly enough for everyone on the ship and then some to hear. "We're heading to the southeast shore!"

There was an immediate flurry of activity. Shoko, Coby, and Helmeppo dutifully followed procedures to get the ship out of port, though they each allowed themselves a moment or two to drag their feet.