Ameliorate ✦ One Piece

15

Even though Akira doubted that their permission to stay the night also gave them permission to snoop around Kaya's house and move through it as they wished, she still ended up finding herself doing just that after multiple failed attempts at going to sleep. Although, considering what she'd managed to find, even if she got caught, she'd have considered it worth it.

The library in Kaya's home was as enormous as the closet, if not even more so, filled to the brim with books on all shelves and some even piled up into stacks on the floor, so high that some seemed like they might tip over if she merely breathed in their direction.

Pulling book after book from the shelves every time a title written out on the spines piqued her interest, she continued to search for something with which she might occupy her time. And she was having no difficulties, having already found more titles than she could ever hope to read within one night.

Pulling yet another leatherbound edition from the shelves while balancing three more books in her other hand, Akira nearly dropped all of them when the sound of the door creaking open made her jump in surprise. Spinning on her heel, she was ready for Klahadore's scolding or for one of the staff to kick her out despite Kaya's initial wishes. So, when she discovered it to only be Nami, she let out a small breath of relief.

"What are you doing?" She asked curiously, making her presence known and relishing in the small form of vengeance as Nami jumped in surprise too, only then realizing the library wasn't as empty as it seemed at first glance.

"Exploring." The smirk on her face let Akira know that the answer was rather far from the truth.

"With a pillowcase?" She asked in a knowing tone, eyebrow raising as she reminded them both that Nami hadn't been too secretive about her intentions for Kaya's home from the moment they stepped foot onto the grounds.

"Oh, come on, it's her birthday."

The answer made Akira fix Nami with a confused look. How did that make it any better? "So, you're robbing a kindly sick girl on her birthday. How lovely." She said sarcastically. If anything, the fact that it was her birthday just made it seem even worse.

"Whatever I take she'll probably be able to replace by the time she opens all her gifts tomorrow." Nami elaborated on her logic, making Akira shake her head in disapproval as she began to return some of the books in her hands back to their original places on the shelves.

"Well, I'll leave you to your criminal activity." Akira announced, heading for the door with only one book in her hands now, her final pick being a collection of stories from sailors and travellers who claimed to have been to the Grand Line. She thought it might be useful for what was ahead, after all. "I want no part in it."

And she decided it was a wise choice to make as, before walking out the door, she spared one last glance at Nami when the woman called out a short goodbye, watching her as she eyed a rather expensive letter opener. With a shake of her head, Akira stepped out into the hall, making sure to quietly draw the door closed behind her before she was walking.

And she didn't make it far before the sound of voices nearby caught her attention. This time, she easily recognized the one speaking in what he probably hoped was a hushed whisper, but in reality, was far from it. "Where are you going, anyways?" Luffy questioned whoever else he'd run into in the halls as it seemed all of them were more keen on exploring than actual rest.

"I'm looking for a drink. This place is a maze." It was Zoro's voice that offered up a reply as Akira began to head in the direction from which their voices were coming from. "How about you?"

"Midnight snack." Even though she came into the hall where they'd stopped from the opposite direction, capable of only seeing their backs, Akira could still imagine the smile on Luffy's face, which could also be heard in his voice, as he answered the question.