This story centers around a little girl named Montbatten Eddie, but she is no ordinary girl; she is of the lineage of the Great Kingdom of Ai, a mysterious kingdom that appeared in the New World, and the World Nobles.

As far as she could remember at the age of five, her father never liked her nor did her siblings. They never told her the reason why they loathed her, but it still saddens her that they never loved her. Was it because she didn't own any of her father's traits like her siblings or is it because she didn't look at the world like they do? She'll never know.

The only one who seemed to love her was her mother, Montbatten Lizzie. She was a beautiful woman with long black hair that stopped on her back and she also had bangs, which consistently covered her caring brown eyes. For some reason, her mother was the only who cared for her well-being; her other relatives would have hostile looks on their faces whenever they saw her.

How was she different than them?

Was it because she didn't treat the slaves like they did? Or was it because she cared for someone that was supposed to beneath them?

"Those things are only meant to be our entertainment. They are simply insects in our presence; nothing more than pure sport." Her father's words would echo in her mind. "Remember this, Eddie, they are beneath us; we are born from the royal bloodline and it is their fault for being born as lowly insects."

Why would she think that way? Why would her siblings treat them like they were animals? Weren't they people just like you and me; how could it be their fault to be born from a normal human being?

Because of her different thinking, her siblings made fun of her and bullied her as frequently as possible and no one would stop them, except her mother. She would go to sleep with bruises and cuts on her arms and legs; they wouldn't hurt her face, otherwise it would leave a bad impression on them.

She would cry asking to herself every night that was she not supposed to be born. Is she not supposed to exist?

She was six now and learning from the previous year, she decided not to play by herself at her home any more and took refuge at the Marine Headquarters. No one seemed to mind her as she skipped down the hallways, singing to her mother's goodnight song for her.

"Making a delivery, bringing it across the sea~ Bink's Sake in the hold as we sail through the breeze~" She sang along the lyrics and continued to skip down the hallway with a childish grin on her face. The marines had stayed away from her and made no sound to stop her.

"Far across the eye can see, the sun is shining merrily~!" She continued to sing, "As the birds fly in the sky as they sing out with glee-" She immediately halted blinking at the legs before her. She looked up to see a man with a tobacco sticking out his mouth glaring down at her.

She smiled, "Good afternoon, Mr. Vice-Admiral, sir!" She then imitated one of the marines' salutes though it ended in failure; her shoulders had stuck up too high and she had a hard time keeping her face serious.

The man dropped his guard and he knelt on the ground to look at Eddie eye-to-eye and he noticed that her eyes were heterochromatic. He gave what looked like a smile, "Hey, little girl, what are you doing here?"

"I can't play in the house so I come here. No one seems to mind. Why? What's wrong?"

The man scratched his chin as if thinking deeply, "It's too dangerous for a little girl like you to play alone." Eddie's shoulders drooped and she looked sad. "How about you come and stay at my office? It's better there." The childish sparkle came back to Eddie's eyes and she grinned happily.

"Really?! You wouldn't mind?!" The man chuckles and took the little girl's hand and led her to his office; it was a large room with several desks placed far from each other and each was quite different than the other. There were also ferns placed in each corner of the room and several bookcases by each of the desks.

Eddie hid behind the man when she noticed there were people in the room; usually she wasn't shy, but she felt quite intimidated by how scary these people were.

"Oi, oi, why'd you bring a kid here?" Eddie gulped at the one who spoke; he was wearing an eye mask over his forehead and had curly black hair. His eyes widened and he stood from his seat when he saw what Eddie's clothes. "A World Noble?!" Eddie looked down at her feet feeling guilty.

"What's all the commotion about?" Eddie looked up to see an old, at the same time young, man. He blinked down at her and she did the same.

"What's a World Noble doing in the Marine Headquarters?" He asked as if it was an everyday thing to see a World Noble come visit them. Eddie wasn't scared anymore so she stepped out from behind the man who brought her there and stretched out her hand.

"Hi, my name's Eddie!" The old man smiled at her and shook her small hand.

"Hello, Eddie. My name's Monkey D. Garp, but you can call me Gramps!" His hand was rough, yet warm, on her hand and this gesture made her wonder how her father's hand felt against hers. He never did show physical or emotional care for her and feeling this stranger's hand on her comforted her somewhat.

She gave him a bright smile, "Okay, Grandpa!"

That day, she finally made some friends; though none of them were her age, she was happy that there were people other than her mother who cared for her. She played games with the other Vice-Admirals and even the Fleet Admiral Sengoku joined in the fray. She never felt so happy in her life.

The afternoon quickly turned to night and though she was sad to leave, she had promised to return the next day and they promised as well they'd be there waiting for her.

When she arrived home, she received harsh scolding from her mother for coming home late and worrying her sick.

"I got some new friends at the Navy! They're really nice and they let me play at their office!" Eddie says excitedly, jumping up and down. Seeing her daughter so happy, Lizzie could only smile and listen to her stories.

"How about you tell me what happened while we walk to your room, sweetie?" Eddie nodded excitedly and she told her what she did for the past few hours.

By the time they arrived, Eddie was still in the middle of her story but she kept yawning showing how exhausted she was from her trip. Lizzie giggled at this and carried her daughter into her room and placed her on her bed, tucking her in.

Eddie snuggles in and gives her mother an exhausted smile, "Good night, mommy… Please tell daddy good night for me…" Lizzie nodded and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, my darling Eddie Jr." Lizzie stood by her side until she was sure that Eddie had fallen asleep. Her hand caressed Eddie's cheek and she shook as the tears she held back earlier start to cascade down her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry, Eddie… But I've waited too long…"

XxX

Eddie woke up to the sun shining through her balcony and she groaned throwing the blankets over her head. Typical for a 6-year-old child. Eddie lied in her bed and let the sleep took over, but for some reason, she had a very funny feeling in her stomach; it was a gross kind of feeling where your stomach did the flips. She ignored it and rolled over, going back to sleep.

The sounds of people running about and yelling woke Eddie up a few hours later and she grumbled under her breath, still wanting to sleep. And even though she didn't want to listen to the yells going on about outside her room, she couldn't help but listen.

"She committed suicide?!"

"You were supposed to be watching her!"

"I was just standing outside doing my job! How would I know she'd do that!?"

"HOW DARE YOU?! YOU PATHETIC INSECTS, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING YOUR JOBS!" Eddie peaked out of the blankets to stare at her door when she heard her father's yelling.

"Daddy…?" Eddie got out of the bed and opened the door to see her father being held back by her uncles and the guards just staring at him in pure terror.

Her father noticed her form and snarled at her, "You-! It must've been you!" Eddie blinked at him in confusion and shook at his heated glare.

"Get her out of Saint Will's sight now before he says anything he regrets!" One of her uncles barked at a shaking guard and she was carried far, far away from her enraged father.

"What's wrong with daddy? Why is he angry?" Eddie asked when the guard finally stops. She looked up at him in confusion and fear and he looked at her with a sympathetic gaze.

"Your mother is dead." She turned to see Fleet Admiral Sengoku staring at her in pity. Eddie's world started to crumble and her tears welled up in her eyes.

"You're lying… M-Mommy wouldn't leave me…" Sengoku knelt on the ground and gave her a hug.

"I'm sorry." She hugged him back and cried in his chest, the tears never ending. The little girl lost someone so important to her that all she could do was cry.

Even at Lizzie's funeral which was held a few days later, she was the only one who shed tears for the woman; her father and siblings just stared their eyes shadowed as her body was let down under the hole.

It was cruel. How could fate be so cruel to her? She finally found some friends and the next day her mother dies. Was she not meant to be happy?

The tears kept rolling down her cheeks even as the people dispersed back into their homes. Alone. She was all alone again.

Eddie caressed the ground where her mother was buried. "Mommy, why didn't you tell me you were hurting too…? You said we shouldn't keep secrets from each other so I tell you everything I feel… all the times when the others would hurt me or when daddy says he hates me… why'd you break your word, mommy? Why did you leave me alone?" The tears rolling down her cheeks were then replaced by the drizzling rain. She didn't move though-her thoughts were only of her mother. She didn't feel the pouring rain or the wetness of her clothes, she only felt the pain throbbing in her chest.

Garp walked into the desolate room-only a dresser and a queen-sized bed occupying the huge space. The smell of blood still wafted in the air, but he didn't mind it as he surveyed through the dresser. He was looking for something, but the room was already squeaky cleaned by the maids as ordered by Saint Will. He didn't want to see the blood or any of the stuff Lizzie had thrown around the room. Garp looked under the dresser and saw a crumpled paper ball. He, of course, took it. He looked back at the entrance and seeing that the coast was clear he opened up the wrinkled paper. The words were almost un-describable, but Garp was able to read it nonetheless.

After a few minutes of silence and only the pitter-patter of the rain outside the window, both his jaw and hands clenched-a flash of fear seen in his eyes. He looked back at the entrance then at the paper and quickly tore it to pieces and putting it into his pocket. He cannot let anyone know what he read. He can-

"Grandpa, what are you doing in Mommy's room?" Garp's head snapped to the dripping little girl standing at the doorway. Her eyes were red and puffy, but she had her eyes narrowed suspiciously at him.

He smiled. "I didn't mean to come here for no reason. Your daddy told me to look for a letter your mommy might have left." Eddie tilted her head at the sight of ripped pieces of paper on the ground, but nodded.

"What did mommy say in the letter?" She saw Garp's eyes widened and she looked around the hallway before zipping her mouth. "Don't worry, I won't tell daddy you tore the letter up."

Garp sighed, running his hand through his hair. Should he tell her? She had a right to know about what her mother just wrote specifically for her. He looked at the dripping little girl once more and smiled, showing his teeth.

"I'll tell you… but first, change into some warm clothes then we can talk." Eddie was quick to sprint to her room with a jump in her step. Garp looked at the ripped pieces on the ground and picked them up before walking out of the room to follow the little girl.

A lone piece lied by the dresser, barely seen.

Only one word written on it:

Pirate