Disclaimer: Eichiro Oda owns One Piece. I (sadly) do not.

"I'm perfectly able to walk sir," she said, her voice carrying its usual steadiness. He'd almost be fooled if it weren't for the splintered wood sticking out of her thigh.

"You weren't walking fast enough," he said, paying no heed to the rain the beat down on both of them as he walked toward the town's hospital, his sergeant major carried in one arm and his shinai in his other. "And if that leg doesn't heal, my ship won't have a sergeant major. Things will get out of order."

"That is true," she conceded eventually, gripping his jacket a bit for balance as he climbed a small hill toward the hospital. "It would be a hassle for everyone on board."

He nodded, banging the door three times with the end of his shinai. He was answered almost immediately by a frantic-looking doctor, who became more frantic (if that was even possible) once he saw the wood sticking out of Tashigi's thigh.

"Good gracious! What happened to you?!" the doctor cried, ushering them in before hearing their answer.

"Cannon blasts," Smoker said, lowering Tashigi to the floor.

"I got some wood stuck in my leg. Honestly, it doesn't hurt that badly," she said to the doctor with a smile. Smoker only glared down at her.

The doctor looked at Smoker in question, disbelieving of Tashigi's answer, but then stepped closer to her. "Alright, well, this way. I'll take you into the surgery and get this thing out."

The doctor was about to take her by the arm and lead her in, but Smoker was already ahead of him, about to walk ahead with Tashigi still gripping his arm by the fabric of his coat. Her lack of movement stopped him.

"Sir, please let the doctor handle it. The pirates are still out there."

"PIRATES?!" the doctor almost screeched.

His response went unheard by both of them. When he still failed to move, Tashigi gave a small nod to confirm she'd be alright, her eyes steely with determination. After a moment's pause, Smoker gave a nod back. She slowly let go of the fabric of his coat and allowed the doctor to help her walk, and Smoker sped out the door, charging back toward the docks where his marines were still faithfully fighting the rag-tag group of pirates who'd made landfall at the same time he and his men had.

He made quick work of them, surprisingly. Beating the captain to a near pulp gave him a very satisfying feeling.

Especially that blow he sent squarely into the guy's face when he remembered that piece of wood lodged in his sergeant major's leg.