Re: His Shadow

#27: Yesterday's Recall

"Tama, he won't come back", Luffy said in a serious tone.

Once I come back, we'll fetch you. By that time, we're already a huge and strong pirate.

"How can you say that Ace died so casually?!", she cried out. She coughed and covered her mouth.  Seri flinched hearing his name. "I can't see any herb available. Let's make it fast", Seri stood up and could see the edge of the forest.

"Wahhh! He said he would come and get me!", Tama couldn't accept it. Seri froze for a moment and held unto Tama's hands. 

"Luffy-san is telling the truth. Sorry, Tama-chan. Ace-san will never come back. Neither to you nor me... not even to Luffy-san", Seri bowed her head.  

Waste Land 

"There are so many animals here. You could just have killed them and made them your food", Luffy suggested. 

"We can't. They are also contaminated with poisons", Tama answered. They went further into the wasteland. Suddenly, some bandits appeared. Meanwhile, Zoro also appeared in the same place. 

"ZORO!!!", Luffy ran towards him and hugged his head. He clung to the man's neck. He gave Tama to Seri and told them to stay in the dog. 

On top of the Dog

"Big Sis, who is Ace to you?", Tama asked. 

Seri gulped. Trafalgar said not to tell anything about herself. She breathed deeply. "He's a very important person to me", she gave a weak smile. One day, she could talk about Ace with a big grin on her face. This time, it was just like she felt the impact recently when the thing happened 2 years ago. 

"Serima, you're here. I've been looking for you", Tsuru suddenly appeared from the tail of the dog. They heard an explosion where Luffy and Zoro are fighting. 

"Sorry, I got lost looking for an herb. I fell on the cliff", Seri apologized. 

"Ace is... also an important person to me. He gave us food and helped us make some hats to sell", Tama grabbed into Seri's kimono. "Why does a kind person like him needs to di-", Tama couldn't say it properly. "I know", Seri looked into Tama's tear-stained face. "I know but Tama-chan. The pain we feel is nothing compared to Luffy-san's", Seri was about to say that Ace is Luffy's older brother but Zoro and Luffy already rode the dog. 

They were running away from a supernova, Hawkins. 

"What a huge straw doll", Seri looked at the scary-looking strawman running after them. 

"Why don't you help us? There are still some small fries on the way", Zoro threw a bow and arrow at her. Seri shoot arrows in front of the horses which made the animals run away leaving the enemies falling on their butts. 

"Why don't you just hit the riders? They'll keep coming back", Zoro said in annoyance. "I don't want to hurt anyone", Seri protested. "Yeah, whatever", Zoro slashed the huge straw doll and their eyes widened. 

How can he improve in just a short matter of time?

Left Over Village

"Serima, go and look for the herb", Tsuru ordered.

Seri ran right away as soon as Tsuru said it. She stepped on her kimono and fell on her face.

"I'll be heading there right away", she said while massaging her face. Somehow, she's quite clumsy in walking and doing so. She's never been out of the ground for almost 10 years so walking was something she was not used to. "Are you alright?", Kiku offered a hand. She took it and was able to stand. 
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