Opavia

7.

"Vitani!" Luffy suddenly yelled, looking back at the pile of rocks. He turned to Arlong in rage.

"You crushed her!" He snapped, Vitani shaking violently. A rock had impaled her left shoulder, the weight leaving her paralyzed.

"Luffy!" She coughed weakly, inaudible. She lay in silence, breathing softly as the blood dribbled down her arm. The ground shook once more and Vitani groaned as more rocks collapsed atop of her. She screamed out in pain, coughing weakly.

"Help!" She sobbed in a jargon. "Help, I'm stuck! I can't move, please!" She froze, realizing she was speaking her native language. "Zoro!" She cried. "Sanji! Luffy!" Their laughs of celebration were stopped and Zoro dove forward. He pulled on the rocks, Luffy quickly joining him alongside the other Straw Hats.

Vitani's tail was revealed first, her limbs following. Finally her face was revealed, bruised and cut.

"Vitani!" Luffy pulled her out, Zoro looking down in concern.

"Luffy..." she whispered. "You....you...." she slammed her fist into his cheek. "You forgot about me!"

Usopp yelled and stepped back as she sat up, gripping her impaled shoulder.

"I could have died you scalm! How dare you forget about me-" she stopped, feeling an arm wrap around her and enclose her in a hug.

"Nami?"

"Guess we are friends, huh?" She smirked, Vitani weakly falling against her shoulder.

"Always were." She whispered. Nami helped carry her to the doctor who removed the piece of rock from her shoulder and wrapped it.

"Guess I look like you." She nudged Zoro as he pushed her cheek. Vitani puffed out her chest and straightened, mocking his muscular stature so he scoffed and pushed her.

"I don't look like that!"

"Blah blah blah!" She stuck her tongue out and blew raspberries, scoffing and exiting the room. His chest wrappings had been torn and his wound reopened, blood staining the seat he sat in, awaiting the doctor.

The Straw Hats attended the celebratory feast the following evening, Vitani eating beside Sanji.

"I bet it isn't as good as your cooking." She nudged him gently, laughing. Zoro was yelling and straining in the doctor's office a few houses down,  Vitani looking to her left.

"He seems very stressed." She hummed and stood. "'Maybe we should go and check on him."

"Go ahead and look after that bastard." Sanji mused, Vitani smirking. She walked into the office and looked down at him on the bed, raising an eyebrow.

"I Thought I heard singing." She mused at his yell before she sat down at the foot of the bed. "Stop whining."

"shut up." He snapped, Vitani raising an eyebrow.

That evening, the party continued. Vitani hung out with the adults, laughing loudly and dancing. She'd had one drink but that was enough alcohol in her system. She danced, locking arms with a human woman and dancing gleefully. Zoro watched, smirking.

From their days spent with Vitani, it was established she wasn't very social nor active amongst others. Seeing her dance and interact was enough to draw the other's attention.

"Roronoa Zoro!" She stumbled over, leaning on him. "May I have this dance?"

"Vitani, you had one drink." He hummed as she rolled her eyes.

"It was amazing!" She laughed as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Get some rest." He yawned, holding her in place.

"But I want to dance." She whined, pushing against him. "Zoro...!"

"Shh." He hummed, Vitani grunting. She moved to sit down beside him, Zoro still having an arm tight around her to hold her in place. She leaned back and sighed, closing her eyes. The two drifted off into sleep, Vitani waking up the following morning tipsy

She staggered to the boat, attacking Johnny and his brother in a hug.

"Bye bye!" She smiled, pushing them closer to her cheek. Zoro took her arm and dragged her forward, tying her to the boat.

"Let me go!" She cried out. "Zoro!"She whined, tilting her head back. She proceeded to call out things in her native language, making an odd, throaty noise. She stopped as Nami leapt onto the boat, looking up.

"Nami!" She laughed excitedly. She lifted her shirt, purses and wallets falling out.

"Take care, everyone!"

"Yeah!!!!" Vitani laughed excitedly, her tail flickering. "Nami, you're back! Now untie me, please!"

"Don't!" Sanji lurched. "She's still drunk from last night."

"Still?!" Nami laughed, squatting down.

"Wouldn't this be the perfect time to get some information out of her?" Sanji hummed. "She seems...out of it."

"That's dirty." Usopp crossed his arms although leaned down. "do you think i'm handsome?"

"What do we need to know about her?" Luffy asked, Zoro turning.

"She went on a rampage earlier about her sister..." he trailed off as they sat around Vitani.

"What's going on?" She laughed nervously. Luffy sat before her, smiling reassuringly.

"Vitani" He started. "Where's your family?"

"My...family?" She cocked her head. "Ah! Kierra! And Oboiye and Kendrick! mícē y masetno le va!" She tilted her head back and sighed. "I have not seen them in so long!"

"Where are they?" Usopp asked. Her face twisted and she looked away.

"Vitani...?" Nami asked as she sobbed softly.

"Don't cry!" Luffy fretted.

"You made her cry!" Sanji shoved Usopp.

"Kierra is...some pirates took her as a slave but...I don't know where Kendrick or Oboiye or my parents are. We got separated and well..." she stopped. "It's all my fault." She shook her head. "If I hadn't been so weak I could have saved everyone!" She placed a hand over her chest. "I'm no leader to my people, nor a princess. I can't lead my people." She shook her head, sobbing. "I couldn't even keep my family together."

"Your parents, do they have devil fruits too?" Zoro asked, trying to change the subject.

"They're not devil fruits to us. We call them our oblaid, powers we are gifted when we are born. All of my family does. My father is able to control that." She looked up at the sun. "And my mother is able to move and rebuild cells on the body of people and things." She beamed. "Kierra's got earth control and Kendrick's air. Oboiye can control shadows!" She rambled, her tears drying.

"They were pirates?"

"We all were. We had hundreds of crews whose members were our people. We inhabited a large island but the Navy came. We entered war and..." she paused. "A-and we hid. All of my people are in hiding." She choked. "I must find them." She bucked forward. "I must find them!"

"We'll find them!" Luffy knelt down infront of her. She looked up, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Promise me." She whispered.

"Promise."