AN: Spoiler warning, if you haven't watched up to (but not including) The Baratie arc, turn back now. Go watch more one piece instead :)
Chapter one - An unexpected visitor
Luka pressed the handle of his front door down, preparing to leave his house and family behind forever. Taking a deep breath, he stepped through the doorway and scanned the front of the house. A slim figure was sitting in a wooden chair, he could tell she was looking directly at him. Her slender legs were crossed casually, her figure was slumped back in the chair. The fingers of her left hand were gently drumming against the arm rest of her seat, while the right ones were up at her mouth, holding something. A cigarette, he noted, a flash of anger passing through him. No, it isn't my concern anymore.
His fifteen year old sister shifted silently, flicking the butt of her cigarette onto the wooden panelling beneath her and grinding it with the ball of her toe. She looked up at him and crossed her arms, her long red tresses blowing across her face. He stared back at her, painfully aware of how much her face looked like their mothers.
"Cherry... How..." He started, but was promptly cut off by a snort.
"Please, I might be your 'little sister'" She said, rolling her eyes at the title, "but there is no denying that I'm a lot better at reading you then you are at reading me."
Luka stared at his sister, she was tall for her age, he decided when he realised that he no longer had to tilt his head down to look her in the eyes.
"So you really were going to just leave without saying goodbye?" Cherry scoffed, turning to walk down the stairs. It was better if they had this conversation where father wouldn't hear it.
They walked in a burning silence, Cherry was radiating anger and Luka sadness. They had always been close, always been there for each other, but that was about to change. Cherry suddenly turned, deciding that they were, in fact, far enough away from the mansion the resided in.
"So, why now? Why are you leaving now?" Cherry stared coldly at her older brother.
"You know why." Luka said softly.
"I want to hear you say it." She spat. "I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't believe in me."
Luka cringed, "I'm leaving because tomorrow..." he faltered, "tomorrow, there will be nothing left here for me."
"You have so little faith," Cherry sighed. "I'm not a child, not anymore. I can defend myself, I can fight."
"BUT YOU DIDN'T NEED TO DEFEND YOURSELF!" Luka shouted.
Cherry looked at him coldly, an odd flash in her eyes. "No, but as a marine," she curled her lip at the word, "you should understand the desire to protect those who can't protect themselves."
Luka turned away, not wanting to look his sister in the eye, she'll be dead within the week. She turned, walking back to the house, he caught the disappointed look in her eyes, a look that he was going to be haunted by for the rest of his life. He turned to continue walking to the dock. He had nothing left here, no reason to stay, so he would leave and follow his dream.
Cherry flicked her blankets off of her sweaty legs in annoyance, frustrated with the nightmares that have haunted her for the past two years. Lions, ropes, cages and knives all blending together in her mind, causing confusion and fear. It had been two and a half years since she escaped the cells. Well escaped isn't exactly the right word, manoeuvred out of perhaps.
She ran her hand through her thick and wild hair. It was still night time but the full moon lit up her room. Her clock told her it was two in the morning, meaning she only had four hours of sleep. Stretching she rose from her soft mattress and decided to start her day. She hurriedly changed out of her light pyjamas and into a loose shirt and a pair of baggy three quarter pants. She stood for a moment in front of the mirror frowning.
Her fingers brushed at the scar tissue that poked out at the top of her collar. She didn't mind her scars, in fact she liked them, they made her feel like a warrior. Some people though, felt sad when they saw her scars, they reminded them of the sacrifice she had made for them. For her whole town.
It doesn't matter, I have to come back before I go out to town anyway, she thought to herself. Cherry then turned and made her way quietly to the front door, grabbing her knife belt on the way past her dressing table. She slipped on her combat boots and took off at a light jog, warming her muscles before she really began training.
Cherry was fast, she was the fastest person on her island, she was strong too, but speed was her weapon of choice. She had fought many pirates over the years, since the marine base her own father was in charge of was completely useless. Ever since he came, the marines have never really been the marines. And they knew it. But still they follow my father's orders without question, disgusting. Cherry grimaced at the thought of the marines.
She picked up speed, charging to the shoreline that was now within view. When she reached the water's edge she slowed to a walk, wading into the cold liquid slowly. This had been part of her regime for the past five years now, ever since she had mastered the art of sneaking out of the house. Breathing out slowly, Cherry Dipped under the water, letting the icy chill of the sea numb her mind. Then she swam. Cherry loved the freedom she felt whilst gliding through the water, she wasn't afraid of the monsters that hid there, she had already dealt with a few.
Cherry swam for hours, she estimated four, when she saw the sun begin to peek over the horizon. Her legs were aching, so she began to head back to shore, her arms lazily pulling her through the water, when she heard an unexpected sound. A voice.
"I'm so hungry!" a voice whined.
Cherry turned around, sculling water. How did I not notice this ship beforehand?! She scolded herself. She swam towards the ship, noting the Jolly Rogers skull and crossbones. I don't have time for pirates, she ground her teeth together in frustration, tilting her feet to the outside of her shoes to hit the small mechanism she had built into them two years ago. She felt the embedded knives spring out through the slits in the soles of her shoes as she reached the side of the ship.
Pulling her two knives from her belt she pierced the wood of the ship, carefully so as not to put unnecessary holes in the unknown pirates ship. She did after all want them to sale out of here. She climbed swiftly and peeked over the railing.
There were four members on deck. The first a green haired man napping just opposite her, he had three swords resting on the railing beside him. The second one a young man with a long nose in overalls was mixing together odd chemicals, he was facing away from Cherry, towards her towns port. The other two members were in the middle of an argument.
"WELL YOU WOULDN'T BE HUNGRY IF YOU DIDN'T EAT ALL OF OUR FOOD!" A young woman with orange hair yelled at a man with a straw hat (which, judging by the Jolly Roger, was the captain of the pirate crew.)
Cherry pulled herself up onto the railing and quickly flipped her knives back into her shoes, none of the pirates noticed her as they were too caught up in their own doings. It was amusing to think that this was a group of pirates. Not because of their appearance, Cherry knew better than to judge by that, but because of their behaviour.
The young captain continued to whine, and after a few more minutes of yelling the Orange haired girl calmed down. "This will be a quick stop, we will pick up some supplies and go, it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours." She sighed, "as long as you stay out of trouble." She poked her captain in the chest.
Cherry stood up, "I don't think so," she said, causing the three wakeful pirates to jump and look at her. Cherry was not expecting the reaction she received. The long nosed boy practically burst into tears, screaming something about his demise, and the orange haired woman shrieked and dove behind the mast. Only the captain was left, he looked at her with a confused look on his face.
It was at this point that Cherry realised she did look quite imposing, she was quite tall and the extra inches from the railing she was standing on increased her height. Her eyes were a light green and resembled a cats, her long hair was wild and whipped around her head in the gentle sea breeze. The two thick scars that were visible near her neck weren't the only ones showing either. Each of her wrists had jagged scars around them.
Even the way she held herself was threatening and proud, but that was a part of who she was. She lightly hopped down from her perch and held her hands up in a peaceful manner.
"Relax, that isn't what I meant." She said, "the shops aren't open for the next three days, that's all."
The two panicked members of the pirate crew calmed down slightly. "However, if you cause any trouble." She flashed a glare at all three of them, "I'll take time out of my busy schedule to... solve any problems you may have caused." She looked around darkly, before smirking. "Well that's all I had to say. Enjoy yourself at Johiro." She turned, lightly jumping back onto the railing and somersaulting gracefully into the ocean.
"I'm telling you Zoro, she was eight foot tall and each of her fingernails were as long as daggers. Don't worry though because captain Usopp scared her away." Usopp was helping Zoro catch up on what he had missed while napping.
"Sure Usopp," Zoro said offhandedly. But stopped when he saw Nami glaring at him. "What?"
"I don't want you causing any trouble either!" She had just finished telling Luffy to behave and felt that Zoro was practically as bad as there moronic captain. "We have to stay here for three days. Though I'm not sure if you two can manage to stay out of trouble for that long."
"Hey look a castle, I bet they have lots of meat." Luffy said.
The rest of the crew looked in the direction their captain was pointing. The castle he was pointing at was impressive, it's grey stone walls were sturdy and draped with large gold and white banners. As the ship sailed past they noticed that there seemed to be hundreds of banquet tables, all draped with fancy tablecloths.
Just past the hoard of tables were a sea of chairs split into two groups, a white streak lined with pink and purple flowers separating them. At the end of, what the crew assumed to be a roll of white carpet. An arch with golden streamers wrapped around the beams stood.
"A wedding? That must be why the stores are closed." Nami pondered out loud.
"Will there be lots of food at the wedding?" Luffy asked, already drooling.
The others all shook their heads and steered the ship to an abandoned cove.
A/N: Hey guys, so this is my second one piece fic, I've been writing this one for ages but I keep changing my mind about things and I've finally decided to make a decision on where it is going. Please leave a review :)
