A/N: Hey, guys! Welcome to "Angel of Shadows"! This is my first chapter and story, so it'll be kind of short... I hope you'll understand. I won't keep you waiting, so please enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. Eiichiro Oda-sensei owns everything One Piece-related in this story except for some of my future plots and Mitsukai-chan. Why do you think I wrote fanfiction in the first place? ;)

She could see the pirate with a straw hat joking around with a grinning boy of her age, along with his whole crew, from the window at the side of the small shop they were in. Her sky blue hair swayed gently with the breeze, yet contrasted greatly with the large black bruises that marred her small body. She was used to the beatings she got every single day, so she didn't mind at all. In fact, it didn't even matter to her anymore. Wasn't that how monsters were supposed to be? She was definitely no exception to this rule.

"So why...?", she thought, biting her lip, her eyes focusing on the legendary pirate known as Red-Haired Shanks.

Why did that man say otherwise when they had met earlier that day?

"P-Please don't hurt me... I-I didn't mean to, I promise!"

Soft sobs and pleas could be heard from the darkest corner of the alley, where a small figure was huddled against. The child's attacker was unconscious in front of her, his eyes blank and dull. Lifeless.

"Now why would we hurt an angel like you, little one?"

Shanks' voice was soft, gentle, as if he had been doing the exact same thing for years. He had heard rumors about the "Demon of East Blue", but he had never expected a young girl to be the beast that so many pirates wanted to add to their collection, or so they said. The one before him was fragile, he knew that much. The fact that the child's first kill had been a drunk villager trying to kill her first was enough to crack the glass halfway all in itself. One more mistake and she could shatter into a million pieces. He needed to be careful.

He had knelt down on one knee, beckoning the child to come out of the darkness that surrounded her. She was shaking badly, her eyes squinted shut, her hands gripping her hair like it was her only lifeline. She refused to open her eyes even as she answered him.

"Y-You're wrong! I... I'm not an angel... I killed that man! Everyone calls me a freaking monster for a reason! I know what they mean now! Can't you see I'm a demon? How can I be the angel you speak of?"

As soon as her words had escalated to shouting, the whole crew had taken a step forward, ready to interfere... but their captain made sure that that was not to be the case with a hand blocking their way. Shanks was taking small steps toward the girl, inhaling sharply upon taking in her bloodied dress and a deep gash on her left arm that continued to pour her life fluid out onto the ground. She seemed to be oblivious to the physical pain, but a sudden wince made him erase that thought completely. A minute later, he was face to face with the sobbing child, raising his hand, making the young girl cringe slightly. She knew he was a pirate. Pirates were strong. She was sure this was going to be her worst beating yet.

What she never expected was the hand making contact with her sky blue hair, ruffling it like a father would do to his child. Her eyes snapped open, locking onto the man's black orbs. A flicker of shock crossed his features for a moment before returning to the happy-go-lucky expression he previously wore, smiling genuinely and comfortingly at her. He offered her a hand and led her to the light outside the alley, revealing her wide carnation pink eyes for his crew to see. Thus, he spoke the words that would very well change her life... as well as the life of a black-haired boy silently observing the scene with wide onyx eyes.

"You were named Mitsukai for a reason too, weren't you?"

A/N: Read and review, please and thank you! :) Also, please keep the criticisms kind, ok? ^^

~ Hoshiakari Mitsukai