Josef's POV;

We were now sailing for almost three days and Lia was as grumpy as possible. It is obvious that she missed Lara and that she is angry about her not being with us. So far she hasn't snapped at us but there were obvious signs of her being stressed.

For example, the first two days she has had made Lara's portion for dinner as well and then had a really sad expression when she realized that Lara wasn't with us to eat. Lia also looks tired every day, she wasn't sleeping well and medications don't work very good on her.

I fear what might happen if either of them ever gets separated for a long time or permanently. We all are a little strange in the head, but Lia and Lara are mentally ill without the other. Lia told us that she was never separated from Lara for more than a few hours. She is dependent on Lara.

I think what has stopped her so far from a minor breakdown was our newest member, Inari. The fox mink was a sweet young woman. She told us a little about her background and why she was sold. That she had to leave her people because they couldn't risk a war with the Marines. She glossed over what she had learned under one of the mink leaders but explained that she specialises in speed, sword fighting and infiltration.

The reason why she was helping Lia is that Lia has some strange fixation on Inari's tail. The mink was extremely flustered when Lia grabbed her tail without warning and started to cuddle with it. However, she did not pull her tail away.

Inari was mumbling something about hoping that Lia will be gentle and that it was her first time, but Lia was totally ignoring her. She was in some kind of memory, speaking about a man named Dexter and how much she misses their link or her tails. I don't know what she meant with 'her' tails.

But when I asked who this Dexter is she snapped out of her memory and became guarded. She said something about an old friend of hers and then continued to pat Inari's tail. Ignoring me or anyone else. That happened on the first night and since then Lia has had petted, combed or washed Inari's tail numerous times. She even did something that made it more lustre.

The morning after Inari was having a wide smile and was showing her tail around, showing us how pretty it now was. While Lia was mumbling something about preparing the gift for Lara. Do they have a tail fetish?

Today was the third day since we began our track to Impel Down, we will arrive in two days or so. We could have been there on our first day, but we want to match our attack with that of the start of the war. That's why we are deliberately slow and will only arrive on the same day the war starts.

I was in the middle of sorting and listing my medications and other stuff we need for any possible wound when the door to my office got thrown open with a loud bang.

Nojiko and Yosaku came running inside. Nojiko looked extremely worried and Yosaku had someone in his arms. He laid the easily as woman identified person down on one of the beds and stepped to the side, while Nojiko stayed close.

I hurried over as well and was surprised to see Nami, Nojiko's sister. Nami had abrasions and bruises all over her body, she was dirty and her clothes were torn. She wasn't awake and I was quick to start a medical check.

I quickly came to the conclusion that she was not much harmed physically but dangerously dehydrated. An IV would help her until she regains consciousness, she should be able to eat and drink on her own.

Nojiko was worriedly hovering over her the whole time. “And? Is she okay Josef?” She asked once I had put the needle in her arm and sat back down in my chair.

“She isn't harmed much, most of her wounds are scratches or light bruising. A warm bath will make her look a lot better. However, she is dehydrated. The IV will take care of that for now, but she'll have to eat and drink once she wakes up.

What happened? Why is Nami on our ship and where is the rest of the Straw Hat crew?” I answered and then asked with a lingering look at the silently sleeping Nami.

“We don't know, there isn't a single ship close to us. From one moment to the other she was just there. I think Mrs Chicken Wing looked up into the sky before Nami appeared, but that was all. A Bang came from the greenfield and we found Nami within a strange paw-like hole. Yosaku grabbed her the moment we saw that she wasn't moving and we rushed here,” explained Nojiko what little she knows.

“She is sleeping now and should wake on her own. You don't need to worry, but feel free to stay.” I tried to reassure her that nothing is wrong with Nami but only got a weak thankful smile. Nojiko was in some regards the same as Lia and Lara. Always worrying about her sister, just not as obsessed.

I left my office, sorting the cabinets would make too much noise. Outside on the green deck, I found the mark they had described. It really looked like a paw and Noa was already in the middle of correcting that slight to his baby.

He is really caring about the Raptor and always busy with maintenance or tinkering with Fiara how to make it even better. I watched him for a moment and then decided to read a bit in the shadows of Nojiko's tangerine trees.

Three hours into my reading I heard a ruckus coming from inside the ship. I was just about to stand up and see what was happening when the door that led out was thrown open. It was Yosaku, he looked over the deck and spotted me. “Josef, Nami is awake, she is hysteric.”

I jumped up to follow him back inside and to my office. The door was open and I could hear crying and sobbing. Inside I found Lia who was watching a crying Nami and Nojiko who was trying to comfort her sister.

“It's okay Nai-chan, you're safe. Take deep breaths and tell me what happened,” spoke Nojiko in a soothing calm tone. Nami was clinging to Nojiko, her whole body was shaking and she was crying.

She was whispering a single sentence over and over. “They are gone, all gone.” Nojiko hugged her tighter. Her soothing words were starting to work on Nami and her trembling lessened. Lia and I watched silently and waited for Nojiko to break through Nami's shock.

Then finally, Nami began to notice her surroundings. Her eyes focused and she got aware of Nojiko. It started the next round of crying and sobbing. At my side, I saw that Lia was looking annoyed for waiting this long. I nudged her and gestured for her to leave. “I'll tell you what happened once she is better,” I whispered. Lia turned around and left the room silently.

“Noji, they are gone. My friends, all gone!” Wailed Nami now loudly into Nojiko's chest.

Nojiko rubbed her back in slow circles and gave comfort to her distressed younger sister. I felt as if I was intruding on something personal. “Shh, it's okay Nai-chan, you are safe. Please tell me what happened,” replied Nojiko.

This time Nami managed to calm down enough for her to tell what happened. “We were attacked, by Bartholomew Kuma, but not the real Kuma. On Sabaody Archipelago, the same day we met you. We beat one of them, but there were more. Rayleigh was protecting us from the Admiral, but he couldn't help us against the Kuma's.

Luffy ordered us to run, we did, but the Kuma's gave pursuit, they were so fast.

Then, there was suddenly another Kuma, he did something to a Kuma that attacked Zoro and then he tapped Zoro and he was gone. From one moment Zoro was there and then gone.

We tried to run, but one after the other was tapped and then gone. Chopper, Ussop, Franky, Robin, Zoro, Sanji, Brook, all gone. I was the last one, I don't know what happened to Luffy.” She started to cry again and this time it looked as if it would take time for her to stop.

I gave Nojiko a silent look that asked her if she would be okay, to which she responded with a nod. So I stood up and silently left my office.

I found the rest of the crew sitting in our main room. Yosaku and Jonny were playing cards with Noa. Fiara was reading the news, Mrs Chicken Wing was eating a tomato and Inari was being petted by Lia. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at me when I came inside.

“How is she?” Asked Yosaku, he looked to be the most worried. Maybe he was feeling the most to her because Nojiko told him stories?

I sat down and took a breath, before starting to tell them what I have learned so far and what I could connect with the things I knew. “Their crew got attacked, by Pacifista. I don't know how many there were, but they fought at least three. The old man we saw in the auction house, Rayleigh, he protected them from an Admiral. But was too busy to help them against the Pacifista as well.

Luffy realized that they were not strong enough and ordered a retreat. But before they could run the real Kuma came and sent them away. There are rumours about Bartholomew Kuma, that he can send people away with but only a touch. Who would then fly for three days and three nights, before they land again.”

“These rumours are true, Lara and I researched Kuma after his short visit, didn't want him to come and go as he liked. We called the Revolutionary Army and asked them for an informant. We met the guy on Sabaody, he didn't know much but told us that Kuma has eaten the paw-paw fruit. It allows him to push things away.

He must have 'pushed' the Straw Hats away. It can't have been randomly, the chances that Nami would land with us are too low. He either pawed them to somewhere where he knew they will be safe or somewhere the pawed wanted to be.” Said Lia directly after my explanation.

“Why would he do that?” Asked Noa for the rest of us. Kuma is a pirate that works for the World Government, more than any other pirate.

Lia shrugged. “I don't know, there were also words that he was once part of the Revolutionary Army. And we all know that Luffy is the son of Dragon, maybe he wanted to help the son of his boss? There is not much we can do for now, we have a mission of our own. Afterwards, we can try and help them, when Lara is back.” Her words ended the conversation and each of us got back to what they were doing before. I took a book from the shelf and began to read.

Sometime later Nojiko came inside and told us that Nami was sleeping again. She didn't get anything else out of her and asked Lia if she could make something to eat for Nami. I limited the food to soups and other easy to eat things.

Nojiko and I brought Nami the food, she woke Nami while I placed the tray in front of her. “You'll need to eat, Nami,” told Nojiko her softly.

Nami started to eat, but slowly and without much interest. That was until she tasted the first bite. Her eyes went wide and she was almost drinking the rest of her meal. Once finished she placed the bowl down and looked to be better.

“That was delicious, thank you. Noji, can you tell me what will happen now?” She then asked.

It was me who answered. “First I want to give you another once over, in case I missed something. Then Nojiko and you can take a bath and sleep in a more comfortable bed. You should be good again tomorrow after a long night of restful sleep.

Lia said that you can stay, but we can't help you yet with your friends. We have something to do before and Lara is also not with us right now.”

Nami looked pained when she heard that we won't help her right now, but understood. She nodded and smiled thankfully at Nojiko, who had put her hand on Nami's in silent comfort.

“Most of the wounds were only superficial and light. Is there anything that hurts inside? Headaches, breathing problems or a stabbing pain?” I then continued with my checkup. It was over fairly quickly and the results were the same as my first inspection. She was not wounded seriously and her bruises and light cuts will heal quickly.

I left the two alone again and retreated into my own room. It was getting late and I am tired, too bad that I didn't manage to finish the sorting of my stuff. Something I'll have to do tomorrow morning.