Changes

Yellow Submarine

  Athena was starting to flag as she continued to swim just under the surface of the ocean, her arms and legs growing tired. It had been dam near ten hours since she had jumped ship.
  The strain on her body from not only taking the blow from Kizaru and having to use the hand cannon, but dealing with weird ass monsters and sea kings, which looking like over sized animals with fish tails, with no food or rest was taking its toll, draining her of the energy it took to use the nanos. She could feel her pace slowing with every minute that passed.
  She didn't know how much longer she could hold out. She hadn't been this active in years, only doing short work outs and training every other day or so. Her tech was no longer used to the intensive training from her childhood. Her nanos and body having adapted to her mundane life as an office worker, no longer storing the extra energy needed for prolonged exercise. It was like trying to swim a marathon in monster infested water with no training. No pun intended.
  She had maybe an hour before she blacked out if the computer interface was right in its readings, and it normally always was. If she didn't come up on a boat or land, she might just fry a sea king and eat the bastard, and use the carcass as a bed.
  But that was another issue, she hadn't seen one of the big beasts in over two hours.
  It wouldn't even be an issue if she wasn't stuck out in the water like this. Her nanos would keep her alive even if she sunk, thanks to one of the nano implants she'd gotten on a whim. They wouldn't protect her from carnivorous fish if they decided she looked like a yummy snack.
  Not to mention this passing out thing was getting old real freakin fast.
  She continued to swim, her legs and arms getting heavier as time slipped by.
  Twenty minutes passed.
  Another ten.
  Slowly her body came to a stop, floating to the surface to drift on top of the water. Her lungs burned, rattling with every breath she now took. Her clothes felt like weights, but she didn't have the strength to take them off.
  Athena knew she shouldn't close her eyes, but they where getting heavy.
  Fatigue battering at her, her eyes shut, darkness taking the reins.

  Trafalgar Law ordered the sub to surface. Him and his fifteen crew mates had been under for over two days, they needed fresh air and a break from being cooped up.
  He headed for the hatch leading outside, trying to get rid of the nagging feeling things where about to change. He just wanted to get to the New World and set his plans into motion.
  He made it to the deck hatch as the sub emerged from the water, Bepo right behind him.
  Bepo stepped in front of him opening the door looking back at Law, his furry bear face looking puzzled. "Why did we come up so soon captain?"
  "Just needed a break"
  Bepo shrugged opening the door and following Law outside, the part of the crew that wasn't working, tagging along.
  Heading to the railing he leaned against it, looking out at the vast blue expanse before him. It was so peaceful out here, something he cherished, something that didn't happen much anymore.
  A slight quiet sound reached his ears over his loud crew and the sounds of the sea. Cocking his head, he listen intently for it to happen again.
  And there it was. What the hell was it?
  Finally getting tired of not being able to pinpoint where it was coming from he yelled. "Will you loud asses shut it."
  They fell silent.
  A few moments pass by as he listened.
  There it was, a slight whisper of noise, but he couldn't make it out.
  He strained his ears listening harder.
  And there it was again, almost to quiet now to hear.
  "Bepo-ya get over here, your hearings better then mine."
  Quickly the bear made his way over and tilted his ears forward to listen.
  Law watched the bear for a reaction when he heard the whisper again.
  Bepo gasped looking towards the nose of the sub, Law mimicking him.
  Law sucked in a breath between his teeth as he ran.
  Right there floating on the side of his vessel was a woman, entirely water logged, and pale.
  Her raven hair was tangled and matted to her face. Black button down t shirt and a pair of blue shorts clung to her frame, a big grey bag floating next to her.
  Was she even alive?
  "She's saying help me." Bepo said, panicking, looking at Law.
  Turning he started barking orders to get her out of the water. He'd do it himself but his power didn't work well with salt water.
  Finally getting her to the deck, Law checked her pulse, finding a strong heartbeat. She looked almost lifeless laying there, small body tinted a slight blue.
  He moved her matted hair out of her face and sucked in a breath, his heart stuttering before starting to race.
  She was beautiful.
  Her eyes slid open half way and his heart nearly stopped.
Mismatched golden and brown eyes met his.
It took him a second to realize he was staring.
He cleared his throat. "You got a name?"
"Athena." Her quiet raspy voice answered
"Well Athena-ya it's your lucky day. I'm a doctor."
  She quietly chuckled and started coughing.
  Putting an arm behind her back he lifted her to a sitting position, rubbing between her should blades for comfort.
  When the coughing fit stopped, she looked up at him from beneath her long lashes. "Thank you." She whispered, eyes closing once again.
  Picking her up, he looked at the crew.
"Get some food and water ready for her. I'm taking her inside to check her vitals."
  "Yes captain." Followed him as he headed through the door.
  Setting her down on his operating table, he checked her over methodically, short of taking her clothes off.
  Once he knew her life wasn't in danger he called Ikkaku, his only female crew member.
  She walked in the door ten minutes later. "Yes captain"
"Bathe and change her, when you're done let me know." He turned, leaving the room.
His reaction to the woman unnerved him, just checking her over had fucked with his head.
  This turn of events disturbed him greatly.
He wasn't privy to flights of fancy, didn't get involved with woman, short of one night flings and whores. That's the way he liked it, it didn't get in the way of the things he needed to do.
  He'd seen and been with scores of beautiful woman, none had ever affected him. So how was it this little slip of a woman, who showed up out of nowhere, had him feeling off-kilter? Even in her water logged and raggedy state he felt a pull to go back to her.
  Walking out the double swinging doors, into the hall, he leaned against the wall, listening as Ikkaku went about her task.