Queen of the Pirates

Aboard the Polar Tang

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My eyes shoot open as I'm torn from my fitful sleep. My heart is pounding against my ribs, and I am gasping for each breath that I take to try and fill my lungs. There's a sweat covering my body, but I feel like I'm teetering between freezing and burning up. I can't decide if I've woken from a nightmare or into one.

And then my eyes break through the darkness to see there's a ceiling above my head, and I realize that I'm in a bed that feels too soft against my body. Before I can stop myself, I shoot up into a sitting position, feeling pain sparking through my entire body. My mouth opens to call out, but I don't get the chance as the bandages around my throat stops me. I have no idea if a single word can damage my throat more, or if I can even say a single word.

Then the haze breaks free in my mind and the horrors that I witnessed come rushing back at me. My breathing stalls as I witness once again the death of my brother mere steps away from me. The mental break that it caused Luffy and me. The scream that left my body is the reason for the bandages around my throat. I barely remember being picked up by Ivankov and whisked away from the war still being waged. Him telling me that Luffy was in Jinbei's arms to be rushed to safety. I passed out from whatever hormones he jabbed into my body not long after, so I have no idea where I am at the moment. I have no idea if Luffy is okay. I have no idea if the war at Marineford is still being fought, but I know that I felt death hanging over that place before I crashed into unconsciousness.

The door to the room slowly opens, snapping me back to reality and getting my breathing started once more. I don't feel any anxiety from the person that has come to see me because I assume wherever I have ended up means that I am surrounded by allies of some kind. Someone that wants to help after everything that happened.

My head turns to see Nellie, the memorable girlfriend of Trafalgar Law that I never thought I'd see again after leaving Sabaody Archipelago. She's carrying a tray with a teapot, two cups stacked together, and a bowl that must be holding some soup. Her hair is pulled back into a high ponytail, and she's wearing an oversized dark blue sweater like a dress, black tights, and white high-top sneakers. She's clearly just brining me something to eat, but there's something about the way she's walking into this room that makes me feel a calm that I haven't felt in a long time.

Her head turns to see me sitting up in bed, and her red eyes light up with such a pure joy that I know I couldn't be in better hands for whatever recovery I'm going through. "Oh, this is wonderful. I was afraid that I was going to come in here again and you'd still be sleeping, but I can give a report to Law now that you are awake. I'm sure that you're hungry, and probably thirsty, so I've brought some items to tackle both those needs. The color has come back to your face too, but not a redness that is an indication of a fever. I guess I could just ask you how you feel, and you can ask me anything that you're curious about. I can't say that I'll have all the answers, but I'll do my best." She sets her tray down on the empty side table before pulling over a chair to take a seat at my bedside. "And before you ask, your pouch full of belongings is over there," she points to a small settee on the other side of the small room with my shuriken pouch and tattered clothes placed upon it. "You're wearing some of my clothes since yours were all torn and bloodied. I tried to keep with the colors you were wearing though, so it's red sweatpants and a black t-shirt once Law was done making sure your throat was okay and bandaging you up." She plops down in the seat she pulled over. "Oh geez, I've just been rambling with no chance to let you say a single word. My apologies. I guess I've been more eager for you to awaken than I thought. I'm sure you have plenty of questions for me, so ask away."

I open my mouth to ask a multitude of questions, but the bandages around my neck stop me before a single word passes my lips. With no other way to communicate, I reach up to touch the bandages, hoping that Nellie understands what I'm trying to get across.