I'm always running away from the pain

the hurt the silence...all the same

always falling in the darkness that I've come to call home

because that's all I've ever known

Dumbfounded, the Strawhat's had landed on their next island only to find they had been welcomed. No one was scared of them or threatening to call the chief of the island Gato and his wife Shana had even invited them to stay with them after they had introduced themselves. Luffy, Usopp, Sanji and Chopper were excited, Nami, Robin and Zoro couldn't help but feel suspicious of the whole thing but none the less went along with their captain.

"SUGOI!"Luffy eyed the food markets in glee, saliva dripping onto the ground

"You've come at a good time, its market time, help yourselves to as much food as you want" Nami grinned, belli signs twinkling in her eyes as she realised that she didn't have to spend any of her precious money and ordered the group to get as much food as they saved food costs after all. Robin watched their team mates attack the food stand but then Zoro finally asked the question that had been plaguing his mind…

"Why exactly are you doing this huh? What's your goal huh?" There was a distinct yelling from Luffy who had yelled with his mouth full telling his First mate not to be rude…Gato chuckled nervously.

"Well your right I suppose, we do have a goal, or more so a favour we would like to ask of you" Zoro narrowed his eyes.

"And what favour would this be Gato-san?" it was Shana that spoke up as she turned her attention to Robin.

"You say there is a terrible monster that has been plaguing our village, and we hoped you would-" Luffy zoomed towards them excited.

"MONSTER?" Nami face palmed knowing by now exactly what was going through her captain's mind.

Shana nodded but zoro couldn't help but notice how she didn't meet their eye, and was acting a little too suspicious

"Yes, it lives in the forest, so we hope you would be able to dispose of it" A tense atmosphere was beginning to set in as Zoro stared at them .It may have been instinct but something didn't seem right about the whole thing.

He didn't like it.

None the less the pirate crew spent the rest of the day generally causing trouble, flirting, gambling and lying (usopp) the crew eventually fell asleep after their partying at the chief's house.

Shana who was tidying the bottles up looked at her husband,

"Are you sure they can get rid of-"

"Yes they can, and then we'll be free of that witch"

The next morning...

"YOSH! AH THAT WAS GOOD MEAT"

"SHUT IT LUFFY, YOU'RE YELLING AND IT'S EARLY!"

"Um Nami you're yelling too."Added Usopp

"URUSAI!"

Despite it being early the market was still bustling, with groups of people trying to get the best deal.

"LETS GO FIND THAT MONSTER!"He grinned in his obvious excitement and Nami was about to hit him when they noticed a woman who had dropped a bunch of apples and was quickly trying to pick them up. No one was attempting to help which they found odd considering the friendly nature of the town. But as they walked they noticed a small hooded figure bend down and pick an apple up. Nothing was particularly strange about this. But then her hood fell down, revealing a very beautiful woman, beautiful enough to make luffy pause. She had bright scarlet locks and ivory skin but what drew their attention were her golden felt his jaw drop and would of gone up to the red head only for the woman who had dropped her apples to look upon the red head screaming.

"IT'S THE MONSTER!"Dropping the remaining apples in her arms. She backed away from the girl who had been smiling hand with the apple in her hand. Her smile slipped from her lips as she lowered her her the townspeople had begun running away in terror.

Luffy frowned.

"This is terrible" his crew turned to him surprised, was Luffy going to say something sentimental? Waiting with bated breath they watched him sigh.

"I wanted a monster to join, and she doesn't even look like one" His crew sweat dropped at their captains idiocy, well most did but Robin as usual chuckled .The red head stood up and slowly attempted to give the apple back to the woman only for her to shriek and smack her hand away, the red apple falling to the ground, rolling away from the scene.

"GET OUT OF HERE YOU MONSTER!" Chopper could only watch with feelings of anger as the villagers began to throw stones at the red head and yelled insults. The woman didn't flinch at her attackers or at their insults and had bent down to pick the apples up. The cowering woman still was crying and refused to take the fruit, so the redhead simply put the apples into her basket and left some money on the floor in front of the petrified apple woman .Once this was done, she simply walked away, ignoring the blood running down her face from the sharp stones that had been thrown at her.

Luffy felt himself shake in anger. his crew with similar responses .Chopper was furious and without warning ran after the girl, hoping to give her medical that his captain was going to do something about what had happened Zoro told Nami to handle luffy before following the reindeer .He wanted answers, and he doubted that the villagers would be honest.