Title: Horizon
Series: One Piece
Rating: T

Summary: How often does your world collapse? or the people you truly understand leave you? "Maybe if we're lucky we'll wake up tomorrow." If only my hand had cracked the invisible smile off his face before he managed to completely destroy me with this lie. I completely understood that he wouldn't be back by the time the sun would rise tomorrow. Yet again, I would be alone. A story of those saved by their heroes, no matter how unlikely the hero may be.

And the ship was sturdy, almost as eye catching as any of the women or men I had seen.

Years from now I knew I would regret never stepping onto it's timber, enjoying as the wood splintered into the paws of my feet. But I also knew I would regret not moving, not taking the chance to watch it in all it's glory. So I decided the best thing I could do was watch it as it drifted in the docks, locked in place by the taut rope that bound it. It was not uncommon to see the merchants and the fisherman, or even the several boats that clung to the docks.

Somehow, though, I found it incredibly strange.

I never had an obsession with ships of any sorts, from dinghy's to galleons, but this little life boat was peculiar even in my standards. It was indeed a lifeboat, but it was a marine lifeboat. The woods were painted a shining blue, and the marine symbol stood tall and proud. The wood was fine, and the boat was in good shape.

But where the hell was the sail?

"..."

I stared blankly ahead at the ship, attempting to figure out why this ship lacked a sail, and msot importantly why I was so addicted to it. It was somewhat large for one person, and yet I had come to believe it was meant for only one person. If this ship was indeed made for only one person, than they would have to be incredibly large.

"You're right on target."

If it weren't for the serene tone in the voice I would have been startled, I would have jumped. But I had known he was there for a while now, his shadow was warm but intimidating like a bears. I had sensed the immediate change in the atmosphere the minute he just appeared, yet I had completely ignored him. Although most would deny this, I am an ignorant person. Not ignorant as in racist or sexist, but I literally ignore the shit out of everyone or anything except for the few things that temporarily catch my interest. Such as, per say, a sail-less ship or a giant man-bear.

After a good half an hour of just standing I decided that enough time had passed. I had completely forgotten why i was walking past the docks, but judging by the fact that it was the docks I was probably going to purchase some fish. Swirling on the tips of my toes, I faced the bear with little interest. He was indeed tall, but only about a good six feet taller than me. The bear was old, probably about 30 or so. It was quite interesting because he didn't appear to be a giant or even a merman and yet he was immensely tall for a human being my age. Then again, I was rather short for my age so it wouldn't make a difference.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bear. You're in my way." my tone was uncaring yet somewhat direct and offensive. Maybe I should apologize... No, I didn't really feel like it.

"My apologies, Mrs. Cub." Mr. Bear stepped out of my way instantly, answering me in a rather polite tone for such an over-sized brutal-looking human being. But, in the end, I took offense to the nickname.

I do not look like a bear cub...

I glared at the bastard for split second, then I became the stoic young lady I had always been. My feet padded against the sturdy wood of the docks as I headed back in the direction I came from... or where I was going, I couldn't remember. I continued to tread over the wood, and then past the fish market, but I could still feel it. The cold stare on my back was... warming, it was new. It was... friendly despite my harsh and cold attitude. I had never had friends before.

I turned my head, breaking my own sense of pride, to see Mr. Bear one last time. He was still staring. I smirked, and he raised an eyebrow. I, uncharacteristically, waved. He waved back. I stopped again, in a split second, I had flipped him off and went on my merry little way. In then end, my sense of pride had urged me to walk away once again.

That was not the last time I saw Mr. Bear.

Days later I was seated lazily on the cliff on the southern part of the island, my tiny little feet dangling over the edge above the ocean. For some reason on that day I felt particularly sad. I can't remember why, but I wanted to jump. I would descend to the harsh waters below like a boulder, and hopefully smash into the sharp rocks like an egg. Life would end and I would be happy.

"What moral do you perceive from death?" I looked up at the bear as he towered over me. His presence did not shock me, nor did it please me. I hate it when people interfere.

"There is no moral whatsoever in dying, other than cowardice or false justice." I contradicted myself, I had wanted to die.

It was silent for a moment, then he spoke. "What is your perception of justice?"

I was deterred for a while, confused. Why wouldn't he leave me alone? I ended up answering anyway, "Justice... depends on where you stand. Justice is when you perceive to assist your idea of innocent others, or allow those who can change the world to survive until they are strong enough to fight on their own. Justice... is forgiveness."

"Has anyone ever given you such a justice?"

I did not hesitate, "No."

I jumped to my feet and spun on the balls of my heels. His face was unresponsive, contemplative, content. I barked out, "What is your name?"

"Bartholemew Kuma." I liked his name "And yours?"

"Hale Kabu." Once I had offered my name I had realized that we had actually known each others name the whole time. Kuma meant bear, and Kabu meant cub. I chuckled coldly, what a strange turn of events. A foreign feeling had developed in my heart knowing that I had met a person who did not question my answers and asked almost unrelated question. Bartholomew... was trustworthy. I had found a friend, and so I spilt my world.

That day ended in happiness. I was not alone when the sun had set. I was not alone. Not alone, and happy.

I smiled for the first time I had in 14 years.

The last time I met Mr. Bear was on a Friday.

When I awoke that foggy morning the stench of burnt wood plagued my nose. I was nauseous, and my head spun. Sharp pain lingered in my legs, and I could barely make out the forest floor before me. It was strange, usually my forest was cold at night. Usually the animals would murmur soft tunes for me to sleep. Usually I didn't feel like I was dieing from the inside out while fire licked at my skin.

For some reason, my vision was blurred with unhealthy amounts of smoke and metallic spilled sweetly on my tongue. It took moments too long to realize my home, the forest, had begun to burn to the ground. It took too long for me to accept that someone had struck matches with the green timbers of life surrounding me and started a forest fire. It took only seconds to realize a tree had fallen in a fury of flames, and crushed my child-like body.

I was going to die.

I let my head fall to the ground as I listened to the world around me in my last moments. I could hear voices, cold and harsh voices laughing maliciously in the distance. The cruel voices of the villagers echoed through the burning timber.

"DIE, DEMON, DIE!" The chant echoed over and over again. Harsher and harsher. Faster and faster. I wished they would all disappear. I wished I could see them so I could make them disappear.

Out of pure and utter luck, a burning tree fell to the forest floor allowing me sight of their wicked faces. They're smiles were contorted with hate, they're tears of joy that they had managed to 'kill' me. I smirked, and let my eyelids slip closed.

"Kashinki-" My eyelids snapped open, and my pupils dilated as the color of my iris darkened to a silky violet. "Sunappu"

The villagers froze in their moments, and one by one short strings of light evaporated from their bodies and fused with my eye. Unhesitatingly, I slammed the palm of my free hand onto the bark of a tree, and right were my hand had descended was a picture of the villagers I had captured in my sight. The real bodies of the villagers sunk to the ground, lifeless and unmoving. I could no longer see or hear them, but I knew they were alive.

I was going to die.

The wood of the trunk that crushed my back, the cold pool of crimson that boiled in the flames, and the mental burn that pulled at my heart willed me to continue to breath. I didn't know why, but I wanted to live. I wanted to gaze on the shrill waters of the sea. I wanted to fly with the wind while my feet never left the dirt. I wanted to see Mr. Bear again.

Maybe, if I had cried at the moment my tears would have extinguished the fires. I laughed. Hoarse, cold, haunting, as my dreams slipped before my eyes. Dreams, I snorted in realization- I never had any. I never had the will to live until now, either. So my laughter grew, and grew like a jackal victorious in the hunt. I was crying because the laughter burned my lungs, not because I was sad. Not because I had lived a pathetic life either, but because of the pain in my chest.

I hated lying to myself.

"If you were to go on a trip... where would you like to go?"

In my laughter I realized my eyes had slipped beneath my eyelids, and my body had grown cold. The crackle of fire stopped ringing in my ears, and the sounds of the dieing forest had died. Only that whisper, that warming sentence, had broken through the thick silence of death. It would be impolite to answer.

"Somewhere... where I would be happy."

Three Months Later

In the end I did regret. I regretted being a monster. I regretted having a dream. I regretted being human. I regretted being alive.

And yet, I regret never setting my feet on the soft timbers of the marine boat the most. I wonder, would Kuma have taken me with him, or would I be pushed into the sea without a second thought? Would I be abandoned yet again by not only my parents but by a man who saved my life?

Months had passed since I found myself on an abandoned island abundant with animal life. There were no predators, and the island was completely uninhabited by the human species. Quite peculiar for an island in an island filled world. I was completely alone, and yet I was content. I laid on the sandy beach for hours in the sun before I realized I was alive, and not in any biblical afterlife. My chest was covered in bandages, as well as my broken arms and legs.

Shifting on the sand, I held a strong gaze on the flocculent puffs of white that floated in the abyss above. The thick, yet empty veil of white was such a warming sight. Maybe there were reasons that they flew above us so high. The precipitation that drizzled from their puffs, and the reason they flew so high above had to have some reason right? Rain was obviously caused by the rising of hot steam ascending into the skies, and cooling and descending to the earth as water droplets. Yet, I was beginning to think it was immensely possible that the earth was crying as it rained, and the clouds nearly reached the stars because they were so afraid of being judged by people.

If my inference was correct then... I wish I was a cloud. A soft, fluffy cloud that would travel the world free of the spiteful human species. Yes, the humans that had caused me pain despite the fact I was human. How ironic, yet arrogant and painful.

I chuckle to myself. I think I'm becoming bipolar.

But, then again, If I was a cloud I would be able to see Mr. Kuma again no matter where he went.

Yes, I would like that very much. He saved my life after all, and I would know from the endless amounts of nature around me that life was indeed beautiful.

Yes, I have finally completed this first part of my one-shot series. I always thought that there were probably idolize people who were considered 'bad guys' in One Piece so I wanted to make a series about it. This story will contain one-shots on different adventures of people saved by their heroes that happen to be anti-heroes in the actual series. I started it with Kuma because he's mah favorite!

Please, read and reveiw to share you opinion about my story!