A Time for Healing Part 1

''Hello hello! Rinji here! I'm making these little 1-3 part short stories for in between each journey that is to occur. I'm going to call them Filler stories, but they are not exactly like filler you would see in your normal every day anime. They will actually have happenings that have to do with later adventures! Don't worry about the next journey, it will be coming very soon. Until then, it's best to keep up my momentum, and keep on writing! Thanks a ton for reading, comments are very VERY much appreciated, and good luck on your own journey!''

Previous: A Door that Opens Part 21

''Rinji gazed off into the distance, such a wonderful sight to behold. The New World was even more beautiful than he imagined. The dimming sun shined off in the distance as it was turning into dusk, leaving a wondrous orange and pink tint on the water. The skies reflected this in its clouds, in a beautiful stroke and shading of purple with pink edges. ''

Rinji: Ah, such a poetic sun, the bluest sky blairing like a sapphire on such a beautiful, breezy day. Such a light breeze flowing through the fur, it's a blessing on the entire world. Hmmm, seems to be getting a bit stronger, but such a beautiful sun, which... it kinda hard to see now, through those clouds. But the beautiful... grayish... dark waters... Wait what the hell happened?!

''The weather was getting a bit more bleak, and then it just went straight to hell! The winds began to blitz the air, and almost made Rinji trip up backward. He looked up to their sail, which beared the sky blue patch-eyed cat and crossbones, and saw that it was straining. He quickly got out his whistle and blew as hard as he could.''

Rinji: All hands on deck! MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE!!

''The door burst open and Chio was up on deck, his legs still bandaged up, but he was moving very close to his normal speed when it was urgent. He grabbed hold of the helm and pulled it straight. ''

Chio: What the hell happened? There was barely any wind!

Rinji: Oh, come on, Chio! We've been at sea for long enough to know how the Grandline works! Keep her steady! Usagi! [Seeing her come up from the lower deck]

Usagi: Hai, Teichou!

Rinji: Get that sail down and secure the deck!

''The rest of the crew was on deck as soon as they could be, Nikk got up to Chio's side and brought up her log pose, keeping him on course as best as they could with such a huge typhoon. As soon as Alice was done tying down one of their barrels of fresh water, that was when the lightning came. The sky was filled with chain lightning! Then there came the absolute pouring rain! Within seconds, the entire crew was drenched! ''

Chio: All essentials are tied down?

Alice: Yes, Captain!

Ricky: [Came up from the lower deck] Aye Captain! Cannons are tied with all ammunition!

Nikk: We're maintaining proper course.

Rinji: Alright, all non-essential personnel to the lower decks. Chio! Give the helm to Ricky, and rest your legs.

Chio: What?! There's no way I--

Rinji: Ah ah ah ah! Orders are orders!

''Chio kicked the ground as light as he could, cursing as Nikk put her arm around his back and acted as a crutch, knowing he was in some pain. She passed him off to Usagi, who gladly took him below deck. She had been playing nurse to him for the past week, and he was making a full recovery, little by little he was getting much better. The pain was at a very decent level now. He could only feel vague versions of more serious injuries in his upper hips and lower calfs, ones that caused him agonizing pains when they first occured. ''

''Usagi lied him on his bed, in his room which they shared now, so that she could give him his pain killers when they wore off during the night. He no longer needed them, but she stayed in his room all the same so that she could get him anything he needed, and keep good track of his recovery. ''

Usagi: You're doing so well now, Chio, it's amazing how strong your legs are. [She very gently squeezed his thigh, feeling the rock-solid muscle beneath the skin] Does that hurt?

Chio: Not really.

Usagi: Good, I think you'll be up and walking like normal in another three days or so. [That was when her thumb came across a horrible, bulging scar in his far upper, inner thigh that she had never seen, she looked down and flatting out his pants over it, seeing a graphic outline.] Good God, Chio. What is-- [She saw him get that look again. That look when he did not want to talk about something, which usually pertained to his scars.] Chio...

Chio: Yeah...

Usagi: I know you don't like talking about these, but they are nothing to be ashamed of. Please, tell me. It might do you some good to get it out. [She put her hand on his cheek and turned his head to look at her, and her heart sank some, as his eyes were misty, and ever-so distant. It was clear that he was holding back tears, and that, in turn, made her swallow hard and fight back her own.]

Chio: My true father was a Marine Lieutenant, one who saw potential in me to be a man, but be a normal child in the mean time. He was strict, but he also gave me as much attention as I needed to feel loved, along with his wife, Kia. I loved Kia with all of my heart. But that was after...

Chio paused, and Usagi braced herself for what was said next.

Chio: A pirate by the name of Runagai Kamlyn. First, it began with the slaps, and he decked me when he felt strongly about how I misbehaved. But then there came a period when his drinking took its toll, and he began to grab things around him to make sure that I understood what he said. [He rolled up one of his sleeves, showing the scars that ran up the back of his forearms.] He used broken pieces of glass to discipline me first.

This caused Usagi to gasp, and hold her mouth with both hands.

Usagi: My God...

Chio: Then there were the cigarettes, clubs, knives, and the boots. He decided that sitting down and using me as a foot stool was a good way to teach me patience, usually he would kick me in the ribs to get me quiet.

Usagi: Chio... [She leaned forward and embraced him, basically tackling him onto the bed and holding him tight.] Please, no more. I cannot bear to hear such horrific stories. I'm sorry I ever mentioned them! Please, forgive me. [Her shoulders began to shake as her breath became short, and tears began to trail down her face.]

Chio: It's okay [He held her tight] I don't mind telling you.

''That's when she held quiet suddenly and looked at him, her face very close to his. Her breath regulated some, but it was still deep, and hot against his chin. She gazed so deeply into his sky blue eyes, and she wanted to feel them for herself. Her chest began to tingle, and all of her sadness washed away in a wave of warmth that filled her body. ''

Usagi: Chio...

''Rinji burst through the door in that moment, both of them were five feet away from each other and twiddling their thumbs as if they were just daydreaming. ''

Rinji: Guys! You NEED to see this, right now!

''Both of them looked at him, wanting to question him, but instead, Usagi helped Chio to his feet and they all went onto the deck. Both of their eyes went completely wide, and their mouths went as far down as they possibly could.''

Rinji: Mewhahahahaha! What'd I tell you? Incredible, right?

Chio: What the hell am I seeing?

''The ocean they were on was momentarily calm, but not 2 kilometers away, the sea rose up to at least 40 feet, making it look like a hill, but with no land. Through a looking glass, they could even see schools of fish swimming around in it, like a bubble above the water that held its own water, and did not flow like a waterfall, it was just... there.''

Chio: Wait... that doesn't....

Usagi: Make any sense, no, no it doesn't.

''Chio's heart still throbbed a little. He was back inside, laying in bed, and his mind was suddenly flooded with a whole lot of Usagi. He wasn't about to admit it out loud, but she was really some other kind of girl. He started to think back, every single time she was in trouble, he behaved so irrationally. He could have snuck around the execution platform Usagi was being held on in the DreamWorld, but no, he came rushing in, drawing everyone's attention to his location, and ended up getting far more injurred than he should have. Still, the mere though of her on that platform made his blood boil over. ''

''That was when he clenched his legs tight, and he gasped in pain, cringing, but something happened at that one point. He clenched his legs, and they kept on clenching. Harder and harder they flexed, until the pain was gone entirely, and his legs felt like they could take down a giant by kicking it in the shin.''

Chio: What is this feeling? [He whispered to himself]

''He got up, and still, there was no pain at all. That's when the blood really flowed, and he bent his knees in a squatting position, and he clenched his legs even harder. Sweat began to form in his forehead as his legs reached a level he had never felt before. He stopped, and then he looked at looked over at a large wooden table in the middle of the room. He slowly walked toward it, making sure he didn't move too fast, but it was hard to control. He lifted his right leg, and flicked his ankle, making just his foot kick the table top on its own.''

''The table top flicked right off of the legs, causing it to rip out the nails that led to the stand, and the top itself flipped like a coin straight into the wall. Chio looked, dumbfounded at it. He quickly unclenched his legs, and while they ached a little bit, he felt that they had relieved some of his former pain from his injuries. ''

''Chio looked at his legs, and tried bouncing a little bit on his left leg, the pain was manageable now, and he felt that he didn't even need to walk with even the slightest limp. He grinned. Part of him knew that such an ability was potentially very dangerous, but the other half of him wanted to cultivate it to its highest degree. ''

It was time to train.

A Time for Healing Part 2