“Blue.”

Skie nodded. “Yeah.”

“Blue.” Zoro said again.

Skie nodded again. “Yes, Zoro. It was blue.”

“…Blue.” He repeated the word the way someone would say the name of a book title or a very long and complexly spelled word. It was as if the word ‘blue’ had taken on a totally different definition. “That means it was positive…right?” he asked. There was a very faint hope that maybe blue didn’t mean positive.

“Yes.”

“And…I’m…?” He pointed at himself, growing paler by the second.

Skie nodded yet again.

“Probably I should lay down.” Zoro said. He blinked once, and then his eyes grew cloudy and he fell, landing heavily on his back.

“Ah! Zoro!” Skie was silent for a moment, contemplating on whether or not she should ask the others for help. “…Screw it,” she grumbled. “Chopper! Chopper, c’mere!” she called.

“Why?” Chopper’s little form appeared as he opened the door to the galley. “What’s wrong? AAH! What happened to Zoro?!” he demanded as he rushed down the stairs. “We need a doctor! Quick, Skie, don’t just stand there! Call a doctor!”

Skie stared at him.

“Oh…right! I’m the doctor!” Chopper nodded. “Okay,”

“Whoa, what happened?” asked a curious Usopp. The crew had funneled out of the kitchen and they were now looking down at the goingson from behind the railing. “Didja punch him, or what?”

“I didn’t punch him,” Skie said indignantly. “The sissy fainted.”

“’M not a sissy,” Zoro grumbled from the deck.

“Hey, he’s awake!” Chopper said cheerfully.

“Yes you are! Sissy!” Skie told him.

“Am not.”

“Are too!”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

Nami shook her head as she and the others watched their argument that consisted of a masterful total of four words. Something glinted in light of the galley’s open door on Skie and she raised her eyebrows at something that was sticking out of Skie’s back pocket. A thermometer? “You all right, Skie?” she called.

“Huh?” Skie looked up at Nami. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Is that a thermometer sticking out of your back pocket?” questioned the navigator.

Skie went pale. “Y-yeah.” she stuttered. “It is.” Pull yourself together, she told herself, she thinks it’s a thermometer. “I thought I had a fever earlier today. I guess I forgot to put it away after I was done using it…”

“Funny.” Nami said, nodding. “But I don’t remember Chopper having a white thermometer. Chopper, what color is yours?”

“Gray. Why, Nami?”

The navigator was silent for a moment. Her eyes slid from Chopper back to the girl. “Skie-”

“Leave her alone.” Zoro growled, still sprawled on his back. “She bought a new one, all right? Leave her alone.”

“I’m not feeling too well. I think I’ll turn in early, all right?” Skie gave them a fake smile before turning and heading back to the safe retreat of her room.

“Skie, wait up.” Zoro got to his feet and trotted after her. “I need to talk to you.” He stopped behind her as she paused in the doorway. “Skie, we need to talk about this,” he said quietly. She only nodded and continued into her room, and Zoro closed the door behind them, leaving the rest of the crew in confused silence.