The Kidd Pirates might still outnumber the StrawHats, but there is a such a feeling of loss about them that their numbers feel small standing before Monkey D. Luffy. A crew once over 30, now nothing more than a bakers dozen. And half of them don't look like they should even be allowed standing at this point, but the need for a united front out weighted all else.

Kidd has known since Shabody that Monkey was more than he appeared and had never taken the youngest of the Worst Generation any less serious than he took any of the others.

The bitter pill to take was he didn't want to admit to was that he'd also known since Wano that he'd lost his spot as The Worst. That he'd only had it in the first place because Blackbeard sold out right before Kidd had gotten to the end of Paradise. And now it was Blackbeard or Monkey tying for the top, while he'd been thrown from the race all together.

Now all he could do was force himself to stand tall before the tiny man, to force a grin and pretend his body and pride hadn't been thrashed. Pretend this wasn't the second time in a row he'd been brought down only to be found by fucking Monkey first. At a dark moment, he almost wanted to switch with Killer- his partner could do nothing but smile at the situation, and Kidd would love to hid his face from this humiliation right now.

Unfortunately, Killer's mask was also still fucked; it might have presented a better front for him to have left it behind so the StrawHats didn't see such a blatant weak spot out in the open, the metal ripped apart from Red-Hair's blow to leave the left half of his broken face exposed.

<><>

Kidd could feel Monkey's crew looking - especially Roronoa - and he made a point to step in front of Killer's exposed side, even if his own leg twinged angerly as he did so, knee threatening to give up completely. Kidd's magnetism had always been stronger with his left, and Killer had naturally gravitated to his right to compensate. And other than the brief time right after he lost his arm to Beckman, Killer had trusted Kidd in turn to cover his weaker left.

Twice Kidd had failed his partner in that regard, and now twice Killer would bear the marks of his mistakes. And that didn't even touch the debacle of the Kaido fall out. There was no chance that Kidd was going to lower his guard now. Kidd will eat his leg before he leaves Killer uncovered right now.

Wire steps closer to the gap left on his left, heat behind him. Heat's also putting on a front, Kidd knows. hell at this point, half his crew is running a fever of some kind, broken and sick one way or another. If Monkey was him - they'd all be dead by the afternoon.

Kidd will not beg - but he only just holds back a snarls as he finds himself in the shoes of the crews he once delighted in tormenting in the years before. He certainly doesn't feel humbled - just angry.

And because he's not Kidd, Monkey just smiles at him, not as beaming as usual, but that soft private thing he'd given Kidd in Udon when they'd both been left too battered and tired to even sleep some nights. "Hey Spikes." he greats them, before titling to wave at Killer, "Mask Guy"

"Fucking Spikes now?" Kidd grumbles, forced smile falling away as he groans, batting down Killer's hand as he goes to wave back, "Monkey, I swear to the Four Blues...."

"Oh... did you like Gaizou more? Cause I can stick with that... Was just trying something new..."

Kidd just glared at him, hand still resting on Killer's arm, wondering if it was worth even dignifying Monkey's comments with a response at all. His attention is drawn to the newest person with the StrawHats, "Traded Trafalgar out with Jewelry, huh? Probably an upgrade." he commented idly, locking eyes with the only woman of the worst generation.

They'd crossed paths in Shabody before shit it the fan, and she'd been cool to cruise the archipelago with. And now she was allied up StrawHat. Killer hadn't considered her to ally with just because she seemed to be on her own mission of sorts - sightings of her bouncing around the map in no discernible order and no way to pin down where she'd be next.

"Well," Kidd says finally, "welcome to Camp Kidd. Hope you brought your own booze, because we dun got any."

Killer laughed abruptly, and Kidd glared at the StrawHats, daring them to react as his partner turns away to collect himself. They didn't exactly have food either, but like hell was Kidd admitting that. Killer, Pomp, UK & Papas headed back to what exists of their camp to scrounge something up and to give Killer a moment.

Any thoughts of their assorted group following him where blocked as Kidd firmly stood in place, and the StrawHats were just going to have to deal with that. Monkey took it in stride and let them leave with no comment, instead keeping his focus on Kidd. Roronoa remained at his captain's side, his expression masking any and all thoughts - if he had any to start with - on the situation. Jimbe and Franky looked curious at Kidd - and Kidd could fell the last man eyeing the scraps of arm he'd built for himself over the last few days. It was a poor replacement and the last thing he wanted was judgement from the other man. Mosh stuck to Kidd's side, his larger form a physical barricade between the two groups.

StrawHats' little doctor - affectionately named ChopDoc by the Kidd Pirate Crew - had a nose for his job and immediately hounded in on Heat, who had - for the most part - managed to keep from hacking his lungs out in mixed company, but was also struggling to maintain the facade. The tinker Usopp followed uneasy along with Chopper's bag, Nico Robin and Brooke behind him. Wire, Jaguar & Boogie filled ChopDoc in on Heat's condition since they arrived and Kidd briefly caught Heat's look of 'help' over the crowed.

Kidd only shrugged back. He didn't like it either, but right now they all knew the couldn't afford to turn away the little doctor.

The last little group consisted of the creepy little cook, Sanji, StrawHats' own red head, Nami, and Bonney herself. They'd folded themselves in with the girls left from Kidd's family well enough, though Kidd would step in with that group if the cook failed to behave himself.

Monkey followed his gaze, but it was Roronoa who piped up in the end - "Nami'll keep him on his leash, don't worry."

Kidd worried none the less.

There's muttering and whispering going on, and he'd too tired to get upset over secrets. Kidd stalks over to the four conspiring off to the side, left leg stiff and angry. Boogie looks at him first, the other three falling quite.

"Well?"

Mosh, Jaguar and U.K. wont look him in the eye. Boogie takes charge, shoving U.K. to get him to leave, dismissing him in a manner that has Kidd's hackles raised. But he bits his tongue.

"We... we decided to stay." Boogie says finally, and it's a blow to Kidd's heart, but after what he just lead them into, Kidd can't even be mad

"I.. Okay, fine. I deserve that - "

"Captain, no. We..-"

"More bodies might wash up still" Mosh interjects. "We .. we still have a few people missing. We're gonna stay and watch for them. Get them resting proper."

Jaguar pipes in then, shooting Boogie a dark look like he blames the other man for the poor way he opened that explanation, "We don't want to stop being your crew; You're still /our/ Captain. But Boss Heat and Boss Killer and you ain't gonna get get better staying here. StrawHats' got ChopDoc after all, and he did good by us back in Wano. Y'all go, get rested up, get a new ship and then you can come back and get us then if you're still going after the One Piece."

"Yeah Captain, we're not leaving you! We're just.... this needs to be done first." Boogie says softly.

"I just... I dun think i can get on a ship again right now." Mosh admits, "But I'll get over it.. just.. Gimme some time. By the time y'all are healed up, I'll be ready."

"I can.. I can't leave you behind..." Kidd states, "I can't split us up like that!"

"Boss Killer can't stay here, You wouldn't do that to him, would you?" Jaguar argues, pulling the best card they had in getting Captain to listen to reason - using Killer against him. "Boss Heat's gettin' sicker the longer we stay, and at least that ChopDoc can probably get cleared up easy. Go with StrawHat, and we'll regroup later."

"You're not leaving us behind," Mosh tried to reassure him, "We're just on a side mission to make sure the rest of us are taken care of, while you focus on the living."

<><>

U.K. walks with him back to the group, having been lurking while the other talked. "Let me guess," Kidd snarled, "You're staying beck too?"

The other man was even with Kidd in height, but had him beat in weight and surprised the Captain by crowding his left side, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him off balance, forcing him to to put his weight on UK instead of his leg. "The fuck!"

"At least until we get back to the others. Your limp is getting worse." Was all he said. And it hurt enough that Kidd didn't immediately argue with him. They went along in silence foe a bit, before UK spoke up again "We thought it best for one of us still to go one with you - for stuff like this. So.. No. I'm not staying behind, unless you don't want me coming with."

"I don't want any of you staying back here alone," Kidd countered, letting UK hold him up as they returned to where StrawHat had invaded their shelter. Sure enough, as they got within ear shot U.K. stopped and get Kidd a moment to collect himself and walking in to the clearing under his own power.

Sure enough, Tony Tony Choppper was set up next to the pallets that Killer and Heat were resting on. Heat was suffering under the doctor's attention at the moment, the tiny reindeer listening to something in his chest with this little stereoscope. Heat nodded at Kidd when he came over, but otherwise his attention stayed on the doctor.

Killer was dozing at the moment, Wire standing tall in the shelter watching over them tiredly. He approached Kidd before he ducked under the low roof. "Boss Killer's being stubborn, so be ready for that fight"

"Joy..."

Wire smirked, not envying him that conversation. "A wee-Bonney has also stolen Dive and Pomp it seems, and the three of them have been terrorizing Papas for the last hour."

"I'm sure they appreciate the distraction from all this. Maybe I can convince her to rope the other three in all this."

"Apparently, she's actually only 12."

That brought Kidd up short, staring at Wire in muted horror. "Fucking 12?"

Wire let him mull that over.

"She was right up there with Kil' on bounties when we got to Sabaody. No fucking wonder she came out of nowhere like that. Fucking 12..." He was going to have to... reevaluate the way he acted around her. "You think I autta treat her like she's 12, or would that be an insult?"

Wire just shrugged. "Like... the way we got treated? Or do you mean that was stable adults treat 12 year olds?"

Kidd laughed at the absurdity of the day, "Okay, fair point. We'll figure it out... or we wont. "

Wire crossed his arms and looked at Heat, "StrawHat also wants to talk."

Kidd snarled immediately.

"I agree, but we don't have to many other options right now, Captain."

"I'll talk to the damn monkey."

<><>

Wire offered to back him in the meeting, Killer still out at the moment. UK stood watch over the shelter, the other members (back to correct ages) waiting for him there. Closed ranks around Heat & Killer.

"Okay. Lets get this over with."

He owed something for the doctor's aid after all. Boogie wanted him to take the rest of them with StrawHat if help was offered - Kidd couldn't imagine what that would cost them. There wasn't much left Kidd had to exchange, anything of value either in Red-Hair's hands or in Davy Jones' locker.

"Big mom's people fucked up his arm and his confidence. Kaido just drove that deeper, what with that bastard Orochi and that fucking fruit. Fucking Red Hair, twice over now" Kidd's voice cracked, and he turned to look at Luffy. "and then there's you. Four Emperors in a row - what pound of flesh you gonna take from us?"

Kidd would end up loosing his leg. Once the crews started to mingle, Chopper had forced Kidd into his office because of his limp - and if he hadn't been dealing with Zoro for as long as he had, he might have been horrified. Kidd left leg had been horrifically mangled. Kidd admitted that his prosthetic arm had been in such a state he would have lost it already if it hadn't already been amputated. He also acknowledged that dangers of amputating his leg, and had accepted that waiting had been deemed the less risky of the two options. Before the Strawhats had found them, the risk of bleeding out had been too high, and death from infection would have been guaranteed. He knew his crew had been too injured themselves to have been able to care for him in such a state. Rather die of rot later than drain what slim resources his crew had scrounged together at the time.

But the time was now where it could be ignored no further. Kidd knew this. And yet...

"TonyTony, what is my crew supposed to do - drag my useless ass around until it heals? We got no home, no supplies, we're living right now because of stupid Monkey's stupid charity. He gonna keep hauling my ass around until I heal? You want me sit here and watch the bastard find the One Piece in front of me? If I keep my leg, you can ditch us all on the next empty island and sail off into the sunset, no looking back. You take my leg and I'm a dead man the moment I leave this ship. A dead man who can't even be a dead man walking."

"Your leg is rotting, you're already a dead man walking."

"But it wont be your fault, it'll be mine."

Chopper shook his head - absolutely not - and shifted so he was the biggest one in the room and pushed the guest captain roughly back onto the infirmary bed. "If I do nothing, you die. And my inaction _is_ my fault."

"And if you cut, I die - you lose-lose. 'least my way, I die standing."

"Killer already knows my answer" Kidd snarled to the assembly. The StrawHats looked warily between the two men. Kidd's own people just looked tired and subdued.

"And 'Captain' knows mine." Killer hissed, his shoulders shaking in the tell-tale sign that he was fighting his Smile Fruit. His boot-heel hit the ground a few times as he fought himself, breathing harsh and angry.

"Don't you even dare," Kidd threatened, forcing himself upright and in Killer's space.

"It's not mutiny if there's no jolly roger," Heat said, and the entire room froze. Bonney looked at him in horror, turning back to Dive for answers, but even she looked just as resigned.

"I'd do it even if we were still a Pirate crew." Killer warned.

"Don't be stupid," Luffy interjected weakly, "You're still a crew-"

"For what ship, StrawHat? What ship are we a crew of? What banner unites us? What goal do we sail together for?" Wire asked him.

Luffy looked stunned; Wire continued, "After all, you're going to be the Pirate King, right? Find the One Piece? We'll never recoup in time to beat you - you're already there in theory. Half the Pirates out there already look to you as King. You're what? One island, maybe two from One Piece and making it official?"

Luffy had loved the idea of competing with the others to find the One Piece to be crowed the king. He's never given any though to what it would mean for the losers. He certainly never thought he'd watch a crew dissolve in real time in front of him because of that.

Kidd looked equally furious and betrayed.

This was the quiet part, finally said out loud.

"What... that about..."

"what about what, Strawhat." Kidd said finally, face fully neutral.

"What about your crew's dream?" Chopper's voiced quietly.

Kidd's flat look stayed in place. "I was a good fucking captain. They can make as many new dreams as they want, but I fulfilled those first ones before I ever asked them to join my crew."

"Boss' was all that was left of the original dreams," Heat added quietly, like they hadn't just been walking about dissolving the crew.

"What do you want from me," Luffy whispered, "to just give up like-"

"No! Be the fucking King, because Blues knows I'd be shite at it. I just want you to leave me the fuck alone to die the way I chose. You never-" he said, turning to his crew, "Should of pulled me out of the fucking sea."

"You don't mean that.." Bonney asked.

Kidd rubbed his hand on his good knee, "yeah I do, Bon-Bon. I lost the race. Time to stop playing and call it already."

"Just let Chopper help you - you can heal up-"

"And what - you'll wait for me?! News flash: Trafalgar, Blackbeard, Red-Hair, fucking BUGGY! They're also chasing the same thing. The HELL 'm gonna call anyone of those assholes King!"

"Torao doesn't want - "

"You gave that prick a second chance. He only wasn't going after it because he thought his story ended with his little revenge plot."

Killer was at his side when he woke up enough to stay awake. His partner as passed out in the chair, feet kicked up on the bed next to Kidd's foot, arms crossed and chin tucked down. His helmet had been replaced with a surgical mask, the healing lacerations and bruises to his own face visible under sweaty blond bangs. He looked miserable but seemed to be sleeping well enough. Kidd propped himself up on shoulder and stump to reach over and run his hand through Killer's hair.

"Hey, partner?"

No response. Good. Killer hadn't been sleeping well for a while now, and Kidd was glad to see him in so deep; He eased himself back down, wary at the pains that came along with just existing these days.

His left arm never stopped hurting and he knew he was going to have to learn to deal with the same pains from his left leg all over again.

Damn Red-Hair and his inability to kill someone properly. And damn Monkey for not letting him just die. Not that Kidd -wanted- to die, but he'd already accepted that before he ever left the South Blue. Get the One Piece or die trying.

Now it looked like he's be getting neither.

Killer's breathing shifted but he didn't wake up. It was enough of a warning that Kidd didn't startle when Usopp opened the door in the next heartbeat, carrying a basket of clean linen, stopping in his tracks when he met Kidd gaze. Then he looked at killer, who slumbered on, before slowly entering the room.

"Just do your damn chores already" Kidd grumbled, leaning back against his pillows and otherwise dismissing him.

"So.... you're awake again-" Again? "-You think you're sticking around this time or...."

What did he mean again? Kidd just gave him a dirty look.

"Well, I'm just going to go tell Chopper then." Usopp squeaked, running out the door. Kidd rolled his eyes.

Not long after little Chopper peaked in, looking boldly back at Kidd's glare. "He still asleep?"

Confused, Kidd looked at his partner, before the small doctor. "Yeah?"

Chopper leaned back outside, talking up at someone, before Zoro followed him into the room. Chopper immediately went to the second bed and pulled the heavy blanket back.

Once he was ready, he signaled to Zoro, who lifted Killer up as if the man was an overgrown child and Kidd sat up in alarm, "Hey! Hey, what'd you do to him?!"

They ignored him as Zoro tucked Killer into the bed and Chopper noted his pulse and vitals. Once satisfied, Chopper dismissed Zoro and turned to Kidd.

"You! Did?! You drugged him!" Kidd accused.

"I did."

The reindeer was so nonchalant about it that Kidd stumbled in his otherwise understandable anger.

"And I did so with his permission."

Kidd very much doubted that. Chopper must have seen it on his face, because he took the newly vacated chair next to Kidd, clipboard in hand. "He was in pain, he couldn't sleep, and he was starting to have issues breathing. He did not stop laughing once you initially went under, until he finally agreed to be sedated."

It was like being punched. Kidd looked over to where Killer had be tucked in and bit his cheek. He would not let them see him cry over this - but to hear Killer had been that messed up over all this - the man man who'd been pushing for Kidd to let Chopper cut off his leg in the first place.

Chopper studied his notes, giving Kidd a chance to compose himself.

"You said he's in pain?"

"It's to be expected - he's also still recovering from your crew's fight with Shanks. But" Chopper looked at his papers, "His headaches seem to be getting worse. He also had a seizure, even if swears he just zoned out. I don't exactly want to open his skull right now, but I can't dismiss that one day, there may be a need. Possibly sooner that anyone wants."

Intrinsically Kidd was aware Killer's head was kinda messed up after the failure of their first alliance, and then Orochi fucking with him, but to hear it was a physical mess too...

"As his Captain, that's as much as I am willing to share with you. Anything further should be discussed with him first," Chopper concluded, setting the file down to show it was time to stop the small talk. He made eye contact with Kidd. "Now - your recovery."

"I know I know - its gotta fully heal before I go fucking around with prosthetics. You also strongly do not recommend nerve links." He made a blah,blah,blah motion with his right hand Chopper looked, genuinely surprised and dumbfounded.

Kidd waved his arm stump at the doctor, "Not my first rodeo TonyTony."

"Your arm is also in terrible shape!" Chopper argued.

Kidd shrugged him off, "I followed docs orders to the letter the first time around. Kaido's an asshole who ripped the prosthetic out instead of letting me detach it, and I was trying not to be captured a third time, or outright murdered. I was aiming to give it a rest before we built a new one, but I could not /not/ arm myself when we met up with Red-Hair."

"You have been good about not making an improvised new arm since we met back up," Chopper concluded, even if he was aware Franky and Kidd had been conspiring about something recently. Actually, once the surgery site healed better, Chopper was willing to suggest Kidd and Franky collab on a better nervous system interface than the one Kidd had designed for his arm. There was some brilliance to his design, and it was clearly effective, but the fact he used aluminum and copper - both metals he could not manipulate - accidentally or otherwise - with his fruit suggested a drawn out and labor intensive set up. When Chopper had looked after the injury that first time in Wano, he could see the (messy) that inevitably came with a trail-by-error approach Kidd had taken upon himself.

"Most of this" he shrugged "was from the ripping out part. Kil' and me made sure to overwrap it before the onigashimasu raid so the rubbing wasn't as bad, and I didn't actually have anything connected for that - just devil fruit to be safe."

He said it so placatingly as Chopper looked on horrified. Misunderstanding Chopper's reaction, Kidd plowed onward, "there was only skin contact at the shoulder itself!" he promised, "and we only did it so it wouldn't chaff-"

"You used your devil fruit ability to hold your arm on for the whole fight?!"

Kidd looked worried as he tried to guest the correct answer, "yes?"

"No!" Chopper grabbed his face in his tiny hooves, "That's a massive strain on your system! do NOT DO THAT!"

"It was kinda an important fight..."

"Do. Not. So. That. Again"

Kidd nodded.

Chopper sat back, "Usopp and Franky designed you some crutches to use while you're leg heals that shouldn't strain your shoulder too much. No prosthetics ANYWHERE until your leg is ready. Your arm could use the rest. "

"Isn't a cruych just a different kind of prosthetic?" Kidd mussed. chopper looked decidedly unamused. Kidd held up his hand and stub in surrender.

chopper was talking Kidd though the aftercare for surgery when a knock came ofut the door, followed by blackleg Sanji calling though the wood, "I figure the Prince Charmings were up and hungry?"

with a roll of his eyes, Kidd nodded to chopper he was okay with the visitor as chopper adjusted the pillow to let him sit more upright. "Come on in Sanji" chopper called back.

the cook had a try in one hand, peeking in for confirmation that chopper was actually ready. the tray smelled amazing.