CHAPTER 1:

"You suck old man!" She heaved a sigh as she fell on her back, silently relishing the wooden planks that allowed her to rest. She wanted to stand, but she hated to fall and it always seemed as though whenever she tried to stand, she fell, it was either on her back or on her arse. It didn't really matter, a fall was a fall.

This was an almost daily occurrence on Whitebeard's ship. The young woman would challenge their captain and curse him after he'd win. Sometimes they'd wonder why Whitebeard never commanded respect from the woman. She would tell him how he sucked, how she hated him and how she would kick his behind the next time they fought, but after her annoyed grunts, she would smile and thank him for a reason the crew didn't know why. But there was one thing that was evident through everyone's eyes; Whitebeard had a soft spot for the battle-crazy woman.

An hour later, the fallen woman finally stood up and ran straight to Whitebeard who was currently by the edge of the ship.

Marco grinned as he saw his most troublesome crewmate run towards his captain with that childish smile. She was so much like a child, but in truth she was not. The young woman was all around odd. At times she would act like a naive kid who didn't know what 'grief' meant, while at others, she would look like a warrior that came from the greatest war of the world. She was confusing and the same time refreshing. He could still remember the first time she set foot on their ship... she was 9.

"Blondie!"

And a young girl suddenly emerged from the barrel he just carried. A kid not older than 9 was pointing towards the first division captain, with a look of awe and curiosity.

"Why are you blonde?" She asked, trying to get out of the thing, failing as she tripped and tumbled in front of the said blonde, still within the barrel. Slowly the small mess of red hair grazed over Marco's feet, and as he looked down to face the young girl, he saw her smiling at him. He crouched down to inspect her further and only now did he notice those hauntingly beautiful white eyes that gleamed even through his shadow.

Slowly she reached out her tiny hand and grasped his hair, "Hehehe, now you're going to give me your hair."

And he didn't know why, but he smiled.

"ARIGATOU!" She shouted at the top of her lungs as she bowed her upper body towards the captain. Seconds after, she stood up straight and gave the old man a sloppy grin.

Whitebeard placed his hand on top of the girl's hair and ruffled it up. "Gua ha ha ha, you never change!"

"My hair!?" she puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms, he always treated her like a kid and she was 19 for crying out loud! "I swear, no one takes me seriously around here..."

"Why don't you start acting your age then?" Thatch suggested.

"I always have! I act like a healthy and young teenager."

"Gua ha ha ha ha! Far from it my child!"

"You know what? Whatever! I like acting like a kid, it makes me feel... young, naive and pure. I'm going back to my room now, bye pops!" She walked into the shelter as she waved her hand as a goodbye, her face still looking in front of her.

oOo

She held both blades as they sliced through the lamp.

And she finally realized that she just destroyed her main source of light. She groaned and kicked anything in her way, frustrated that she didn't have a better place for practice. She couldn't practice on the deck... she wouldn't be able to hold back and she might destroy Moby Dick... she didn't want to die an early death.

She sighed as she sheathed her sword at her back, unsatisfied with the result of her training. She walked out of her room and contemplated on going to the deck. It was noisy up there and she didn't want to see her crew members drunk... again. Last time she did, she had nightmares about those naked drunkards, truly horrifying. She could go to the kitchen and well... she wasn't hungry so that was out of the choice.

"I just don't have to look at them and everything will be fine and dandy, right?" Begrudgingly, her feet took steps that led her to the deck, but she wasn't expecting the scene that greeted her.

"To think, I was gone for an hour and something exciting happens! You could've at least called me, Marco!" She puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms in front of her chest, annoyed that she didn't get to spectate the show.

Marco shrugged as he smiled apologetically at the woman, "maybe next time yoi."

"Oh well, no use on dwelling on the past. What happened here?"

"Not much, just an attack, Whitebeard wants him on the crew though."

"Really now?" she walked towards the tied up teen who she assumed to be the captain. The freckled young man wearing the unbuttoned yellow polo and the blue shorts peered over the woman slowly inching towards him. She stood before the man not any older than 18.

"Name?" she asked in a cold tone, a tone that was new from her to every Whitebeard pirate. Some flinched; they had never expected it from their youngest crewmate. Her word was not threatening, but as it came from her mouth, it became a weapon of great intimidation.

The young man felt compelled to tell her his name. He didn't know why, but he just did. "Portgas D. Ace."

She hummed in response, taking note of his obedience. "What crew are you from and what position do you hold."

He scowled, "I have no obligation to answer you."

It was so fast that no one saw her hand move. A knife was now grazing Ace's neck as a bead of blood slowly got out and trailed downwards from the tip of the weapon. "You're right, you have no obligation, but you do have a choice. It's either you tell me what I want to know or you die by my hands. Go on, freckles, decide."

"Gua ha ha ha! I suggest you do as she says, that girl can be scary when she wants to, but she'll really slit your neck if you don't give her what she wants," Whitebeard commented.

Ace smirked, "Who said I was afraid to die?"

The girl's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but smiled the next. Immediately, she withdrew her weapon and thoroughly held the man's cheek. "I like you Portgas D. Ace," she let go of him and stood up. Just like what transpired a little while ago, she swiftly unsheathed her blades and pushed the man down with her leg to his chest. She plunged her weapons to either side of his head, intentionally grazing his left cheek, forming an 'X' as the blades intersected each other. She leaned closer to him until she was only inches away from his visage. "But if you hurt my family in ways I do not approve of, I will punish you, torture you, keep you alive for the pain and when I finally think you've had enough, I will kill you, leaving you with the most bitter death you've ever tasted."

She drew her head back and took back her swords to free the dumbfounded teen. With the sword on her right hand, she cut through his ropes and stretched out her free hand that just recently placed her other blade back into its scabbard.

Hesitantly, Ace took that hand and she hefted him up. "Take my warning young man and perhaps you can enjoy your youth," she said as she walked towards her other crewmates.

And he was free just like that.

But that thought simply passed through his mind as he continued staring at the girl who was in front of him a few seconds ago. She had crimson hair bundled up to form a high ponytail and pale white skin that rivaled snow itself. She wore a black short-sleeved shirt that was tucked in shorts that had the color of dirt. She also wore peculiar black boots that was up to her knees. And the highlight of her back was the two swords that formed an 'X'.

As if feeling his stare, she turned around and smirked at Ace.

And it was then that he finally took notice of those alluring eyes that had white irises…

Was that even possible?

"She's Ada, She's nice once you get to know her," Ace turned to the voice to see a brown-haired man reaching out his hand as a greeting. "Thatch, Fourth Division Commander. Welcome to the crew."

Ace hissed at the friendly pirate, "I'm not joining"

Thatch smiled, "We'll see about that."

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Thanks for reading. Sorry for any grammatical errors. *Edited* Thank you Lacus01 for pointing it out

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