chapter2

The adrenaline crash was inevitable; The red head glared at two of them, but the slump to his shoulders said everything. The boys wont ask for help, but it was clear they'd hit their wall. Zoro scooped the leader of the two, chuckling at the token protests as the child was lugged around as if he was just another bag of supplies. Sanji lifted his own groceries on one shoulder, the little blond tucked up on his other hip - more mindful of the injury on the small child's arm.       The group was swarmed immediately when Sanji and Zoro returned to the Sunny; a maelstrom of activity and even if the boys had started to doze off on the walk over they were fully awake now.     The once captain Eustass Kidd ready to throw down when he believed them to be attacked, a powerful push from the exhausted tiny little boy to clear the way, but the toll was paid immediately. Even as he raised his hand for a more targeted attack, he slumped against Zoro, eyes threatening to roll back, as Zoro dropped his supplies to gently pull the tiny arm back down. The boy's breathing was harsh, working himself up into a panic but nothing like the explosion of violence from the boy in Sanji's arms. He moved like he was possessed, elbow jabbed quick and harsh into Sanji's neck and was kicking to free himself to get to Kidd.   Sanji handed his groceries off to the many sprouting arms of Robin that had bloomed to assist him as most of the rest of the crew took a step back to give them space. Only Luffy remained up front, frozen in place by Zoro's free arm to his face from where he'd been trying to crowd the two. The captain watched as Sanji avoided the worst blows, softly talking down the fearful child. "Look - everyone's okay. Luffy was excited to say hi. No one's trying to hurt either of you..."   Luffy looked back between the duos from arounf zoro's hand in his face - a guilty smile in that disarming grin of his, laughing kindly and sheepishly at the scared children. "Sorry, sorry!" he raised his hands in a mock surrender.   one of robin's sprouted arms remaind lingereing,  a wam steady presence ont he boys back, rubbing it soothingly. many people found her arms unnearving, but the boy either didn't realise it yet or was so overwhealmed with everthing else it didn't register. but it did seem to help and while he was still tense, he stopped fighting and jsut slumped in saniji's hold.   Red seemed to come back aorund a little and was now engaged int he  mild argument starting betwene zoro and luffy, but whose side he was on was hard to tell.   ANother hnad allead to gesutre sanji's attention to see Chopper at the door of his infirmary, nodding he was ready - having smelt the blood before anyone had finished boarding the Sunny in the first place and made to ready the room. Sanji headed over, zoro and luffy not far behind.   the exhustion was clear on both boy's faces as they where set down together on one of the beds, the rest of the crew loitering int he doorway, watching over luffy's shoulder. Zoro playfully shoved thei captain back out the doorway before chopper had a chance to shoo them away, and luffy beamed at them once last time as the door was closed behind sanji   "Sanji! Meat for out freinds!"   and excudse to eat. "mayve we should start with juice and crackers?" sanji offered, not sure when they boys had eaten last. they also looked pale - and with the blood loose - juice would probably go over well.   as soon as the crew disappeared - a staredown was happenign int he infermart.   chopper's nose twitched at the smell fo fresh blood but distrist spoke louder.   ideally, the tiny doctor would see to the paitnet actullay bleeding firer, but hte murderious look Red gave him for even lookign at his freind tolfd him to treed carefully.   "do either of you knwo who i am?"   they might just be tiny look alikes - nothing mroe than a steange coincedence of the grand line - but the nose knows and even small, their change of the other two supernova's remained unchanged   unfortiuanly, it didn't mean they knew him - it didn't suprite him that both boys shook their heads no   "my anme in tonytony chopper. I'm a reinderr who ate the humnhumn fruit. It's nie to meet you, What are your names?"   "I'm eustass kid" the boy declaired, the possessice article catching chopper's attenetion, but he didn't comment - only taking the bou's offered hand in a firm handshake.   after kidd, gestured to the inccreasingly uncertain boy sitting next to him, "This is Kilelr. He's my best freind."   Before CHopper could offer his hoof the Killer - mostly just relieved to confirm the nboys are indead who they where beleived to be - the blond boy had turned to look to Kidd questioningly.   the hurt on kidd face was jarring, and killer looked pannicked, genstuign to himself. as the outsider, the exactly meaning was lost on chopper, but kidd seemed to read it just fine.   he didn't look happy, but at least not hurt anymore. "yeah," was all he said, swallowing thickly. he gently punched his friends shoulder. "i;ll tell you later."   sanji would come by not long after with small snacks and juice cups fro the boys. chopper had checked kiff over - other than over exurting himself with his df he was doign well, but the snake would do well to perk him up.   kilelr wasnt so straight forward - in whatever conflict the chidlren had been in - something had cut his forearm up pretty bad. worse yet was trying to stitch it closed though the thick scar tissies that ran the entire length of his ar,   killer seemed nervouse anout the injiry - giving it much the sam eside eue kidd did with his residual limb. battles they'd yet to live through but scares already ingraved into their bodies.   Kidd sipped on one of the juices as chopper worked - Killer himself still just as quiet as he;d been since hte start - almsot liek he was afraid to make a sound - but seemed more than happy to let Kidd do the talking for both of them. In turn, Kidd seemed to know the other boy well enough to pick up on unspoken questions.   He didn't make a single sound as Chopper stitched and wrapped his arm, not a reaction as the needle pricked his skin over and over. The blond didn't even seem like he was breathing, ramrod straight and still as death. Even after stitching up Zoro - the master of stoicism while hurt - the reaction mad choper uneasy.     "im the doctor for the StrawHAt Pirates under Cptain Luffy - "   the word Pirates certainly got their attention.   "Real Pirtes?" the moment of excitement was met with a forwn as the boy plopped down on the bench, thinking hard for a moment as he studied his freind, voicing for himt he question forming, "are you goign to sel us?"   "pireates, not traffickers, : chopper assured them, uneasy with how fast a child's mind would go to such a thing.   Killer... it was hard to to tell with the smile frozen on his face, but it didn't look like he completely bough it. Kidd however seemd alright with his anser, back up and pearing out the small window int he room, "Are we on the ocean?"   "Still docked at port, but ... i guees so. technically."   Kidd looked back at chopper, the gleam in his eyes almost too much to behind, "Whose your captain? does he have a bountry? where have you sailed?"   "His name is Monley D. Luffy, and yes he has a bountry. ABout 3 million beri now. The crew started in the East Blue, and entered the grand line though revsere - "   "where are we now?" he asked. the excietment gone, and more dread startign to set in. he might be a child but he hadn't survived this long without being quick at putting the pieces together.   "Most of the wasy though the new world section of the grand line. we're probably closer to reverse moutnain at hteis poitn that marigoise."   "THat's... really far from Kutzk..." kidd murmered, adn and colour left in Killer's face drained away.   kidd looked at the stump of his left are with a growing look of dread.   "Is Kutxk your home island. in the south blue?"   killer looekd questionaly at kidd, sitting up straighter ont he bench and the two regarded each other quietly.   Kidd nodded, "Have you been there?"   chopper shook his heada negative, trying no to feel bad when both boys shoulderes slumped, "I've never left hte grandline.:   "Eh, you;re not missing much,' kidd declaied, tearing his gaze from the window even if her clearly wanted to go outside. he joinded killer ont he bench, looking pale himself.