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𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐃. 𝐋𝐔𝐅𝐅𝐘 𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐄𝐃.

𑁍࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ꒰ 🐚 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ𑁍

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩"
- 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘵

𑁍࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ꒰ 🐚 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ𑁍

| (𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐔𝐅𝐅𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆) |

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗙𝗮𝗿 𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝗚𝗼
Auli'i Cravalho

𝟎:𝟎𝟎 -|•────────────────────────|- -𝟐:𝟒𝟐

♥︎ ▌⇆ㅤ ||◁ㅤ❚❚ㅤ▷||ㅤ ↻ ▌✩

─────────────────────────────

▌𝐋𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐒 ▌

See the line where the sky meets the sea
It calls me
And no one knows, how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I'll know
How far I'll go

─────────────────────────────

𑁍࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ꒰ 🐚 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ𑁍

(𝟎𝟎𝟑) 𝐅𝐔𝐍 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓:

𝘈𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘵.

𑁍࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ꒰ 🐚 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ𑁍

(𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐃. 𝐋𝐔𝐅𝐅𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐊𝐎𝐁𝐘 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐀, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐋 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍)

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𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄༄⋆｡˚𑁍🐚𑁍⋆｡˚༄𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍 (𝐀 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐌 𝐆𝐔𝐌 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋 𝐅𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒).

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(...𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬.)

000.|     ARIELLE, LUFFY AND KOBY WERE SAILING THE SEAS ON THEIR NEW BOAT (WELL MORE LIKE STOLEN), FROM THE PORTLY WOMAN WITH A NASTY ATTITUDE AND SUPERIORITY COMPLEX CAPTAIN ALVIDA, FREE FROM HER VERBOSITY OF HER REIGN AND WERE NOW SAILING ON THE CLEAR VIEW OF THE OCEAN AS THE SUNRISE STARTED TO LIGHT UP THE SKY, SHOWING THE START OF A NEW DAY AND A NEW BEGINNING.

Little did she know, the start of this new journey would bring a lot more trouble as it would bring a lot more good to their ship and their names as pirates.

☾𓇼࿐𑁍ᨒ༄🐚༄ ᨒ𑁍࿐𓇼☽

Koby was laughing with Arielle and Luffy as he could jovially enjoy his freedom from her crew as he rowed the boat out in the ocean. "That look on Alvida's face. I've never seen anyone stand up to her before", the boy with pink hair could only speak excitedly as he looked to the boy with the straw hat as and the girl with the red hair as she was sitting in front him.

Arielle chuckled softly as she smiled pridefully at her successful escape along with Koby, "Well, someone needed to and had to eventually do it, so it had to be all of us", the girl with red hair smiled pridefully.

Luffy couldn't help but mimic Arielle's smile as he agreed with her, "Shouldn't have messed with the both of you", he nodded his head as he continued sailing the ocean.

"How did you stretch like that?", Koby asked Luffy curiously about his abilities.

A mischievous grin stretched his lips, "It's king of a long story", he put his attention onto Arielle.

The girl with red hair chuckled softly as she knew he wanted her to tell the story, so she took her chance, "Well it started after Luffy cut his face", she started this story, this Luffy and Koby had their full attention on her once again.

☾𓇼࿐𑁍ᨒ༄🐚༄ ᨒ𑁍࿐𓇼☽

Arielle sat on her father's lap as she watched how he was stitching Luffy's face, after making the crazy decision to cut himself to prove his toughness to join his crew.

Meanwhile, her mother Ophelia, had grabbed clean water from a bucket with a clean cloth so when her husband was finished with the stitches, she could clean it properly.

"Luffy, what you did was very dangerous and very stupid, you scared me", Arielle scolded her best friend as she pouted at him.

"I'm sorry Arielle", Luffy apologized softly and showed true sincerity as he looked at her, "I just wanted to show I was tough"

Shanks scanned the cut on his face properly as he finished stitching up the wound, "She is right, you scared her and all of us. You're lucky you didn't get your eye", the pirate with the red hair that matched his daughters speculated with relief.

"I was aiming for it, but I missed", Luffy admitted, feeling regret for his actions as he upset his best friend while Shanks tightened the stitches around the big cut underneath Luffy's eyes. "Ow", he winced softly.

"Don't worry Luffy, it's almost done and then I have to clean it okay", Ophelia reassured the boy, grabbing some alcohol for the stitched cut so it wouldn't get infected later on.

"I thought you said you were tough", Shanks challenged him softly, this made Arielle frown.

"I am", Luffy countered him.

Davina chuckled as she walked forward, "Well, someone tough would not unintentionally hurt themselves to prove a point, moron", she poked fun at the boy the same age as her youngest sister, as she started to carve patterns into her bow with a knife.

"Hey!", Luffy scowled angrily at the eldest daughter of Shanks and Ophelia, while in the background the twins were training in their combat while Celine was sipping on a jug of water listening to their conversation.

Ophelia was silent as she sat next to him, "Luffy, being tough doesn't always mean enduring pain and making yourself look strong on the surface, it means strength from within and how you use that strength too", the woman with dark hair and sunkissed dark skin bent down to Luffy's level to speak to him, pouring some alcohol on the clean cloth and gently dipping it onto his stitched wound done delicately by Shanks.

"My love is right Luffy, a man is tough for what he protects that he holds within his heart, the scars that he earns on his journey as well as the treasure he seeks", he spoke, as he playfully copied a line from a story his wife told their children one night for a bedtime story, making his wife chuckle softly.

Luffy stayed silent for a moment before he looked at the man that he admired greatly, "I've been practicing what my face looks like on my wanted poster", the boy mustered the scariest face he could, proving his scary appearance but the effort made Arielle laugh lightly.

"Luffy, you look really silly", she playfully and innocently poked at her best friend who pouted in return.

Ophelia continued cleaning the area of his scar with tissue and alcohol making the boy wince lightly, "I don't doubt that face will be somewhere on paper one day Luffy, but you must let the time come and you don't always get to decide what your face looks like on the wanted poster", the woman spoke to him softly as she finished cleaning the wound. "And all done", she enthusiastically told Luffy and put down the cloth.

"Thank you Shanks and Ophelia, for helping with my face", Luffy looked at the man first and then the woman who helped heal his face, he always admired Ophelia for not only her beauty and her beautiful voice when she sang (that also passed along to her youngest daughter), but how she was like a princess in real life with how elegant, graceful, kind, generous and cheerful she was.

"It's no problem Luffy, just don't do anything like that again, okay?", Ophelia knelt next to him, a kind smile gracing her features as her hand gently ruffled his hair.

"I'm happy to help and my wife is right, the day will come when you get your face on a wanted poster and the day you will become a pirate. But you are not ready. My ship already has an anchor", Shanks brought his honesty to Luffy as gently as he could.

The child who was the same age as his youngest daughter looked at him in confusion, "I'm not an anchor"

Shanks extended his finger to Luffy's shirt that had written "ANCHOR" in blue where blood from his cut lightly soaked the neckline and then he brought his hand up, playfully and lightly tapping his chin from underneath while chuckling softly at his little prank.

"Stupid Shanks", Luffy sighed, feeling a bit hurt and sad from the little trick before walking away.

Arielle frowned as she got off her dad's lap and walked alongside him, "that was a bit mean papa", she looked up at her father who had the same red hair as her.

"It was a little joke but maybe I did take it too far, but he's got to make peace with the fact that he's not coming with us on the ship", Shanks replied to his daughter, asking politely for Makino to pour him a glass of beer and a glass of juice for Arielle as he saved her a seat next to him.

"Yes, and I'm not gonna see you or him again until I learn how to sail on my own", the little girl with red hair looked down, feeling sad and heartbroken that her father was going to leave her and her sisters for a very long time after this trip and the one back to their home island but tried to put on a brave face as the youngest so the others wouldn't treat her like a baby.

Shanks could feel his heart shatter, he wanted to achieve his dreams of finding the One Piece treasure, but leaving his beloved wife and his beautiful daughters made him ache inside. He loved them more than any treasure in the world, he would give them the sun, the moon and the stars and he didn't care how long it would take to do that for them.

"Arielle", his voice was softer and gentler this time as he lowered himself to Arielle's level, "I promise I'm going to come back and while I'm gone, I will write you and your sisters and your mother letters about our travels and when I am back, I will tell you stories and you can sing me the new songs and to them too dance and tell me the new stories that you've learnt, okay?", he tried his hardest to reassure her, his bigger hand taking in her own tiny hands.

"You promise?", she looked at him, her oceanic blue eyes looking into his own dark brown eyes. "Of course, I promise my little princess", he answered her, his bigger hand gently cupping her tiny face as he looked at her smile that he loved seeing, the smile that could melt even the toughest man's heart.

"Good, now eat and drink up, we've had a long boat ride and we all deserve a break", Shanks announced as he chuckled softly, watching as his daughters were coming in to join him and his crew for a drink and some food after their long boat ride to Windmill Village.

As the daughters of the Captain and The First Lady/Songstress of the Red Hair Pirates gathered around the table to eat their food. Azara and Seraphina both helped guide their younger blind sister as they chose a table to sit by while Davina set her sword down and sat down as well while their mother joined them at the table. Arielle sat with her father, enjoying the time they had together while she sipped on her juice.

A member of Shanks crew handed him a bottle of liquor to the man with red hair and the straw hat, "here you go, Captain" and unbothered all the crew members and the family members of the Captain sat down in peace, laughing while they enjoyed a drink and their food together.

Suddenly a scruffy looking man appeared with his lackeys, Arielle's little face scrunched at his appearance and something in him that made her uneasy; taking notice of this Shanks gently put his hand on her back and rubbed it reassuringly. "It's okay Arielle, I'll make sure he won't hurt anyone", he whispered to her, trying to ease his daughters worries as she could sense when a person was no good and most of the time, she was right.

"Bring us your best whiskey", he turned his head to Makino who was cleaning a table. Celine even if she was blind, had an uneasy feeling as well just like her younger sister. She was completely still and was now silent as she awaited for what could happen next but wouldn't act unless it was needed.

Makino's face froze as she faced the man as she walked past them as fast she could in panic, "I'm afraid we're out", she answered the men who arrived at the tavern.

As the leader of the group at on the opposite side of her father, Arielle felt the uneasiness get the best of her as she got off of her seat and started to run quickly to the table where her mother and sisters were sitting.

"That would be our fault, friend. We've, uh, been doing some celebrating. We've drunk the place dry, but", Shanks attempted to make amends with the man, hopefully trying to ease any tension and showing his daughters that as long as he was around they had nothing to be afraid of; as he went out and grabbed a bottle of his own whiskey and handed it towards the man.

Arielle watched on the sidelines as she stood close to her mother, who she felt the safest with at the moment as the older woman held her shoulders in reassurance.

The man took the bottle of whiskey and studied it for a moment grumbling to himself. "What can we do with one bottle?", he asked Shanks, his brow quirking.

"Generally, you drink it", Shanks answered him sarcastically, but the man in front of him chuckled cruelly before he smashed the bottle carelessly onto the counter of the bar.

The sound of the glass bottle breaking caused the crew of the Red Hair Pirates to stay on alert, while Ophelia slipped her hands into the belt of her dress to take out her hand gun or sword to defend her daughters if need be while she used the other hand to shield her daughters. Arielle gasped as she witnessed this, feeling anger bubbling inside of her.

The glass smashing and the man grumbling, Davina bit her tongue to not spout any harsh words as her parents warned her it would get her into trouble one day but she didn't care, the oldest daughter hated it when someone hurt or mocked her family and the twins were angry as well but they knew they couldn't fight against him with their skills and she.

"Now there's glass everywhere. Makino, got a mop?", Shanks asked the head waitress of the tavern politely, she hummed politely in response and walked away to go and fetch it before handing it to the Captain of the Red Hair Pirates.

The man took it with little to no hesitation and started to mop the grounds, Arielle feeling guilty for only watching on the sidelines, slipped past her mother and went to go and help her father clean up the mess the other man made.

"Thank you my little sea star for helping, that's very nice of you. Although just be careful not to cut yourself", Shanks smiled sweetly to his youngest daughter who helped pick up the bigger pieces of glass while he started to sweep the smaller shards.

"You're welcome Papa", she smiled kindly, helping her father pick up the pieces before she looked up at the man who was staring down at her and Shanks with a mocking gaze and suddenly he took this chance to move his arm across the counter and drag more dishes to the floor, letting them fall to the floor and shatter. Arielle's eyes widened at this man's cruelty, a cheap trick but it was still very unkind but she didn't say anything as she picked up the bigger shards of the broken crockery.

Shanks turned his head, seeing the man lean close to him with a taunting smile cross his bearded features. "Since you like cleaning so much.", he walked away with his lackeys, "Come on, men. Let's find a real bar", he announced to the loyal lackeys that followed him.

As soon as they were gone, light hearted laughter erupted from the pirates of Shanks and Ophelia's crew. Ophelia let out a sigh of relief as she walked up to grab a mop as well, feeling happy that it didn't end in bloodshed.

Arielle felt angry, she didn't know how these men could take such mockery so lightly. She didn't know how her father could just stand there and take treatment from men like that even if he was stronger and more powerful than them.

"He got you good, huh, Captain?", one of the crew members asked.

"You got a mop?", another asked and more laughter came out as Davina, Azara, Seraphina and Celine felt relieved as well, knowing their father wouldn't take it seriously if the man didn't escalate any further violence.

She put the broken glass shards in a bucket that would be discarded and her soft blue eyes turned cold as she stared angrily at her father. "Why did you just take that Papa? He's a bully you can stand up to him right?", she asked her father, feeling the anger boiling up in her heart.

"There are sometimes fights you don't have to be a part of Arielle, you must always know when to pick your battles", he turned to his daughter, trying his best to calm down her anger.

"She is right! Why are you laughing?", Luffy shouted to the men, dumbfounded and angry that they could make their mockery their own laughing stock. "How could you let him insult you like that?", he felt the anger boiling and rising within alongside Arielle, who had to watch her own father just stand there and take the mockery and insults.

"All he did was spill a drink on me", he answered calmly, knowing it wasn't too big of a deal as Arielle and Luffy were making it out to be, despite understanding their anger.

"But you should've fought back! Why didn't you kick his ass?", Luffy countered, feeling himself become disappointed in the Captain and the pirate crew he looked up to take this situation so lightly.

"He is right! That big fat ugly bastard was no man! He was a bully! You know how to put bullies in their places don't you papa! Why didn't you do it now?", Arielle's voice raised as she asked her father, this put her sisters and her own mother in shock as Arielle was never a child to raise her voice as often but often did it when she really felt angry.

"Luffy, not everything can be solved with violence. A man needs to be strong, but he also needs to be good and Arielle, you need to use your strength to defend yourself and others when the time really comes, you must not waste your energy on small fry like him unless it's truly needed"

"You're not a real man. You're nothing but a coward", Luffy spat at Shanks as stomped his way towards him.

"You see? I told you, you weren't ready", Shanks finished cleaning the floor and turned his attention to the boy who was angry with him, but all he got in return was Luffy who gave him the cold shoulder and wanted to walk away but the red haired pirate attempted to stop him as he grabbed his wrist and wanted to talk to him, to speak to him respectfully about his decision however things took a different turn as Luffy's arm started to stretch abnormally.

Arielle's mouth widened in shock while Shanks was stunned into silence, "Um Luffy, what is your arm doing?", with her question, the young boy saw how his arm was stretching and the horror and confusion in his features was evident.

Shanks let go of his hand and suddenly his arm sprung back to him, Arielle gasped as she ran towards her best friend who was stumbling down on the stairs. "Luffy", Shanks called his name out in concern while he followed in suit with his daughter and his wife and older daughters came as well to check on the boy.

"Luffy, are you okay?", Arielle asked him, gently pulling and helping him stand up to make sure he wasn't hurt or injured in anyway.

"What have you done?", Shanks whispered to himself, knowing well the boy must've eaten the Devil Fruit he had brought into his treasure to Wind Mill Village, now he would never be able to swim with Arielle again but for a curse is also brought with the blessing of a new enigmatic power.

Arielle lifted the boy up from the ground, her sapphire blue eyes inspecting for anymore injuries or any sign of pain and sadness in Luffy, however her father's voice and face was the one truly that in shock yet this would be the least of his worries later on.

☾𓇼࿐𑁍ᨒ༄🐚༄ ᨒ𑁍࿐𓇼☽

"You ate a devil fruit?", Koby questioned astounded and awestruck even if he had witnessed Luffy's powers in Alvida's ship earlier on.

"I didn't know any better", Luffy admitted honestly with a laidback grin, "But mine was the Gum Gum Fruit. It turned my body into Rubber", Luffy explained and with demonstration, the straw hat pirate pulled the side of his face and it stretched out, displaying his ability of the devil fruit that imbedded in his body.

"Yes. It was quite a shock to my father though", Arielle chuckled softly, remembering his face clearly that day.

Luffy laughed lightly, "Too bad I can't swim anymore, but at least we have you as our best swimmer, right?", the boy with the rubbery powers asked his childhood best friend with a wife and proud grin.

Arielle returned it and nodded her head proudly, "I was known on my island as one of the best swimmers, tree and rock climbers and I can fight as well. So of course", the girl giggled softly in pride as she put her fists on her hips. Her happiness had an impact on Luffy and Koby, making the two laugh lightly in joviality.

However as the pink haired boy turned his head around, they were all stranded in the open sea with no direction. "Now what? We have to be going somewhere, right?", Koby asked anxiously, looking at the boy with the straw hat who was being a little too laid back as he stretched his body out.

"We are going somewhere", Luffy answered calmly, "Next stop, to the Grand Line", with that declaration, Arielle turned her head to her childhood best friend.

"Um Luffy, I know we really want to travel to find the One Piece and I would love to go as well but I think we might need a bigger boat and a few more crew members", Arielle reminded him, the words her father always told her when she wanted to travel overseas as a child was to always have a good boat and a good crew to help out, and that's what they didn't have at the moment.

"And for that, do you know how to get to the Grand Line?", Koby asked him curiously, agreeing with the red haired girl.

Luffy when he was questioned by his best friend and Koby himself, he was silent as his mind was occupied on his next step.

"You can't navigate. You don't even have a map!", Koby exclaimed, his anxiety of the pirate's incapacity of his skill in navigation obvious in this moment.

"I can navigate but I do agree, we'll need a proper and more qualified navigator for this crew", Arielle sighed, thinking to herself on what to do next.

Luffy sat up from his position and thoughtfully gazed out onto the vast openness of the ocean, "Good point.", he agreed and an idea came to his head as he put his attention on both Arielle and Koby. "We should probably pick on up", Luffy favored a way of stealing, despite being honorable in his heart his methods had sometimes been ruled by his stomach or heart without using logic.

"Maybe I've made a mistake. I never should've left Alvida", Koby's voice was shaking in defeat, being left with Arielle would've been fine as she at least grasped the situation but how Luffy was being a little too carefree caused him to be more fearful.

Hearing those words from him, Arielle was shocked. "Koby, do you really want to spend the rest of your life as a prisoner in a lifestyle you don't want?", she asked him, her tone using harshness but also kindness in a mix. "You were absolutely miserable and I could see how you feared her, yet you want to go back because you're a little scared of uncertainty where you're going, don't get me wrong I get scared too, but a life where you're happy and following your dreams is better than just living a life as someone else's prisoner"

As Arielle spoke those words, it not only shocked Koby but Luffy was also quite taken aback. Arielle was also kind and sweet to many but her head strong personality had stayed the same. He couldn't help but smile a bit at Arielle, nodding his head in agreement.

"Arielle is right, Koby". With how the boy with pink hair was now quiet, his silence confirmed she was right. He didn't want to be a prisoner of Alvida anymore but he was terrified right now about the new direction he was going in.

"Sorry Koby. I was a bit harsh but maybe I should ask this question instead", Arielle rephrased her words, "If you could be doing anything or be anything you want in the world right now, what or who do you want to be?", she asked the question this time with a softer smile, asking the timid and anxious boy with pink hair yet he remained silent for a moment.

"I guess, there is one thing but... it's dumb", Koby muttered softly, feeling ashamed of his dream as he deemed himself not worthy to be of it due to the kind of person he was now.

With Koby's answer, the goofy grin had disappeared from Luffy's face and was replaced with a more serious expression as he stood up from the boot, taking a few steps towards Koby. "Wait Luffy-", as Arielle attempted to stop the boy with the straw hat, Koby had received a sharp slap to the face from Luffy's hand, she was too late to stop him.

Koby held his cheek that was slapped, stunned and dumbfounded from Luffy's sudden action. "You being dumb and not answering Arielle's question. Now spit it out", Luffy answered more seriously this time, Arielle stayed silent this time as she understood now what he was trying to do.

After his short lecture, Luffy took his seat back down next to Arielle and they both awaited patiently for Koby to give them both a proper answer with a kind smile on each of their faces.

The answer came out of Koby slowly as he gathered the courage to speak of it, "I've kind of... I've always wanted to be... a Marine", the boy with pink hair slowly stuttered out his answer as full sentences delayed themselves but it didn't matter, Arielle and Luffy got their answer.

The girl with red hair looked at Koby attentively as she and Luffy listened closely. "Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to protect people that can't protect themselves", Koby's answer made Arielle smile even more. Hearing this, she could tell truly what kind of person Koby was in his heart and how he if he became a Marine, he would become the person that others would need and look up too.

"Wow, Koby. That's a very honorable dream", Arielle sighed, the smile never fading from her features.

Koby couldn't help but feel a blush creep up his cheeks momentarily as he turned his face away for a second. "She is right, Koby. If that's what you want, I think you should do it", Luffy encouraged Koby, smiling proudly at hearing Koby's dream and how honorable it sounded and in exchange, Luffy slapped his arm lightly and offered his help, "Hey Arielle, you wanna help me assist Koby?", he asked the girl with the red hair.

Arielle nodded her head enthusiastically and smiled brightly, "Of course, where's the nearest Marine base? We can go there for now", the girl with red hair suggested.

Koby could barely comprehend how two strangers were being kind enough to help him, even helping him escape from the wretched portly Captain Alvida. "You two don't even know me. Why are you helping me?", his voice cracked slightly as he asked the question.

"We shared a meal, Koby. And if being a Marine is your dream, that's good enough for me", hearing Luffy's kind words to Koby, Arielle couldn't help but feel happy knowing her Luffy was the same as always. He was still the kind, caring, ambition, head strong and brave hearted boy turned man that she always knew, so much had truly changed over the years she never saw him until now.

"Okay. So you plot a course to the next marine base", Luffy affirmed, standing up again on the boat as he attempted to figure out a quick plan for himself, Arielle and Koby. "Arielle and I get the map, and you can join up. Yeah", feeling satisfied with his plan, Luffy nodded to himself.

Arielle tilted her head curiously, "Luffy, I think we should probably think more on a plan. We can't just waltz into a Marine base", the First Lady of the apparent pirate crew tried to tell her captain but he wasn't too focused in the moment.

"Don't worry Arielle, we'll figure out a plan once when we get there", he assured her, sending her a soft smile. "All right. Well, I'm gonna take that nap now", he groaned softly to himself before taking his seat next to Arielle and laid down on the seat of the deck. Arielle sitting at the same spot was almost about to move to give him space but strangely he laid his head on her lap just like they did as kids in the old days, where he was tired and she would sing him songs and tell him stories just like her mother did to her and her sisters.

Koby, flabbergasted at the words and lack of a plan, gasped out his words. "Arielle is right, Luffy. You can't just waltz into a Marine base and ask for a map to the Grand Line!", the aspiring Marine panicking made his voice stutter as he could barely comprehend how this man could barely have a plan in mind.

Gently lifting his head off of Arielle's lap, Luffy gave a lopsided smile to the frail looking pink haired boy, "Don't worry. I'm stealthy", he sounded confident in his skills, but behind the boy that was rowing away from Alvida's wrecked ship an explosion occurred.

The sound of the explosion made Arielle gasp loudly and her body jolted, almost catching Luffy off guard and even when Koby was caught off guard from the explosion, seeing how the girl with red hair and skin colored sun kissed golden brown who had now helped him had become frightened beyond normal at the sound of an explosion, even though she went against the frightening woman to defend the pink haired boy bravely.

"Yeah. Super stealthy", Koby remarked sarcastically as his attention was on the explosion first but when he was about to turn his attention back into course, he noticed how Arielle was physically present as her hands were gripping the sides of the boat but her expression was firm yet blank, her eyes blue as the ocean once holding sparkles were now distanced and mentally, she was now present in the moment anymore.

"Arielle?", Koby called her name out soflty, yet all Arielle could hear was how it was so distanced.

"Arielle".

She could hear her mother calling out her name, how fire surrounded her body as she cried for help, how these men dressed in black dress suits and armor had taken everything away from her and destroyed almost everything she deemed precious to her heart.

"Arielle".

She could hear her sister's voices, she could hear panic and agony. Death, destruction and despair wreaked every sense of her being, everything had been taken by the hands of the cruel gods of death and destiny above.

"Arielle", her name was called out and it was even louder, she managed to snap out of it as she felt a gentle yet firm grip hold her wrist and it was from Luffy who was supposed to be taking his nap.

Koby looked at her in concern, "Arielle, are you okay?", he asked her, not understanding how this sweet, kind and cheerful girl who possessed a naturally brave and curious nature that made her stand out to many in his life, now had suddenly become silent from an explosion.

Arielle nodded quickly, "Yes. Yes of course", she attempted to tell her friends to make sure they didn't bury themselves in unnecessary worry for her, she was the youngest of her sisters and the one who always kept the strong smile to keep everyone happy and their worries gone, she wanted to the same for her friends as well.

Luffy didn't really quite buy it, but something in him told him not to ask just yet even if he was persistent at first, it just wasn't the right time now and he was one to follow his gut at all times, especially in these times where he was going to become the King Of The Pirates.

(𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧, 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞...)

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QUESTION FOR CHAPTER:

ARE YOU GUYS EXCITED FOR HER TO MEET ZORO?👀

DO YOU WANT MORE CHAPTERS OF LUFFY AND ARIELLE'S FRIENDSHIP?🥹

EXTRA NOTES ON THE CHAPTER (ANA RANTS):

I'M SO FREAKING SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO BE PUBLISHED!😭

LIFE WAS BEING A BITCH AND A PAIN IN MY ASS AND I WAS WORKING ON MY OTHER FICS TOO!🥲

BUT THIS IS HERE FOR THE NEW YEARS AT LEAST! SO THIS IS A LITTLE BELATED CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM ME ON THIS ACCOUNT!🫶🏻

AHHHH I CAN'T WAIT FOR HER TO MEET ZORO IN THE NEXT CHAPTER AND FOR ALSO SEASON 2 OF THE ONE PIECE LIVE ACTION TO BE RELEASED THIS YEAR!🤩❤️

SEE YOU GUYS IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! BYE FOR NOW!❤️

LEAVE A REVIEW (OF THE CHAPTER OR BOOK IN GENERAL) HERE:

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