The twin fruit of the cherry blossom princess Zoro FF

Chapter 20

According to Chopper, Yukiji's condition had improved so much that she no longer had to stay in the cabin or in bed. At his next examination, Yukiji apologized to the reindeer and took the cook's words to heart. She should leave the past behind her and try to come to terms with everything.

Although Yukiji had not been thrilled about the injection, Chopper had been so careful and sweet about it that she had been able to get over it. The antibiotic had hit relatively quickly and Yukiji had to admit that not all injections were dangerous or gave her pain.

"I think your hair is very pretty." Nami spoke behind her back, which she could now really get to know after Robin. She didn't count the visits from Chopper and the cook, whose name she didn't know yet. Well, Yukiji hadn't bothered to ask for names either, nor had she shown that she wanted to know them.

Apparently, the other members were simply waiting for her to introduce herself. Just like the cook had said. "Thank you..." Yukiji said honestly, accepting Nami's offer to let her wash her. Well, mainly her back and hair. With Crocodile, Yukiji had never really been given time for that. Maybe less than five minutes.

"I think I have some suitable clothes for you, too." Nami thought about it and poured warm water over her head, which was homemade here. Nami also didn't want anyone to be able to stretch here. Especially not the cook. He must be quite a lecher or something.

Finally left alone by Nami, Yukiji took some time to get dressed in the clothes the orange-haired girl had laid out. It was a white-grey top, loose old pink pants and black shoes which she really liked. Next to it was a simple hairband, which Yukiji used to tie up the top part of her hair and let the bottom part fall loose down her back.

Satisfied with herself, Yukiji ran up the stairs, opened the door and was greeted by Nami's enthusiastic gaze. "It suits you!" she said honestly. Her brown eyes shimmered at the sight, making Yukiji blush slightly. It had been a long time since she had received any compliments.

"Come on, let's eat. I'm sure the others are already waiting." The young woman grinned and ran up another flight of stairs from this part of the ship. Yukiji didn't have time to look at everything and simply followed her.

"Luffy! You could have waited!" Nami could already be heard grumbling. "I...was...hungry...", Luffy replied with his mouth full and looked in her direction. "You're impossible!"

It was quite amusing, Yukiji thought, and looked at Robin to smile gratefully at her. After all, she had known her here the longest. "Thank you for helping me." she thanked them and bowed a little in return.

"Not for that. " said another young man, who must have been Usopp. He had often seen Yukiji at the hole she had made. "Sit down and eat with us!" grinned Luffy, who had swallowed his food and sat down at the end.

From here, Yukiji could see everyone quite well. Not the cook, though, as he was probably very busy cooking more food. Slightly diagonally opposite her was a really handsome young man with green hair. There were three swords on his hips, which made Yukiji wonder. That must be Roronoa Zoro, a pirate hunter, just as the marines had said.

Yukiji had picked up this information with her cherry blossoms, but had never passed it on to Crocodile. What was the point? He just needed to know who was on his tail so that he could forge ahead with his plan. By now Yukiji knew all the names except that of the cook.

"Here, eat up." Nami, who was sitting opposite her, smiled. "Robin meant...", Yukiji began to say and was immediately interrupted. "Imagine when you've eaten." Nami grinned immediately. Yukiji didn't deserve these people. They were all so nice to her.

"Okay..." the pink-haired girl breathed and grabbed a fork to eat some vegetables and meat. After all the soups, she really had had enough of such broths.

"Are you alright?" Usopp called out as the tears were already coming out of Yukiji's gray eyes. "What's wrong? The food always tastes...good...," Luffy grumbled with his mouth full and leaned forward slightly to look at the equally new member.

"S..sorry...", Yukiji cried during the meal. "It's...just, this...food." , she tried to say and immediately shoveled some into her mouth again because it had touched her so emotionally.

"Always tastes like...my brother cooked it." the young woman finished, causing the cook to interrupt his work and his hand to start shaking.

"So your brother is a cook?" asked Zoro, who had intervened for the first time. She was a thorn in his side. After all, no one knew what she could do, who she really was.

"But the way you're reacting, something must have happened." Nami said, causing Yukiji to sob and nod. "What's your...name now?" asked Luffy, who had his mouth full again.

Yukiji swallowed briefly before collecting herself and exhaling. "Y..Yukiji." she replied and heard a clatter from the kitchen. A moment that not only confused her and made everyone look at the cook.

"N...Never..." stammered the blond-haired man, who had placed his hands on the counter and tightened his fingers. "Oii, lardass! What's wrong?" Zoro asked and didn't even get close to a response.

"She..she's dead..." the blond mumbled around, biting his lower lip. "Hey..." Luffy mumbled. "Sanji, what's wrong?"

"Sanji!?" came loudly from Yukiji, who had shot up, causing the table to vibrate. Another moment of confusion for those present and this time for Sanji himself, who had turned around slowly and continued to tremble.

The moment the grey eyes met the blue eyes and they could see the whole appearance of the other person, everything they had believed for the last nine years was destroyed in one fell swoop.

"You...are alive..." they both breathed at the same time.