Meeting Mihawk

It was the middle of the night. Two figures, one large and muscular and the other small and lithe, snuck past all the security, heading towards the docks with as much haste and secrecy as possible. They stopped in front of a small ship, but it would more accurately be called a boat. It had been built for two or three people to man, but they didn't have that luxury. The girl would sail out on her own.

All the belongings she needed were in a bag, and her weapons, daggers, were strapped to her thigh. She had enough food for a week, and all the money in her bank account was in a small chest. With the man's help, she tossed everything on board, before they stood facing each other.

"You already know how to handle a ship and how to fight. Use your devil fruit powers whenever you need to. You're free. Do whatever you want. Just… Once in awhile, make sure to let me know you're alive and well," Smoker told his little sister.

She shouldn't even be leaving home. At fourteen, she was too young. But she had no choice. He had seen her cracking over the past year, and he would let hell freeze over before he watched her break.

And yesterday night she had come too close to breaking. For his own little sister to beg him to sleep with her, to take her virginity just so that man wouldn't get it…

Smoker knew he shouldn't have done it, but…

"Thank you, onii-chan," the girl threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

"Hurry up and go," he said gruffly.

That had been a few months ago. Lorelei, or Lor, was never more grateful that she had taken the extra classes on sailing. And she was grateful for the devil's luck.

The only danger she had to be wary of was storms and waves. Pirates? Marines? Sea kings? Those she could take care of quite easily, once she used her devil fruit powers. She wouldn't even have to fight. And she didn't. Once or twice, she had even gotten a sea king to pull her boat so she could travel faster and replenish her supplies.

As her boat crunched onto sand, Lor hopped off, yanking the boat further in to prevent the waves from carrying it away, and grabbed all her things just in case something happened. She set off into the wilderness of what looked like an abandoned island.

Almost immediately she felt hostile eyes on her. Her mythical zoan type devil fruit came in useful in times like this. Transforming only her vocal chords, she began to sing softly. She smiled to herself when she realized she was gathering quite a following of enchanted humandrills—until she arrived near a castle.

She raised an eyebrow at the humandrills, stopping her song but growing cautious. Whatever was in there was terrifying enough to the monkeys that they would break free of her song's enchantment to flee. Ready to fight at anytime, she knocked on the door and entered. The place was creepy, as if Dracula would pop out anytime. She was wandering around in search for supplies when a door opened and a male figure stepped out.

"I don't taste good," she said immediately, drawing a raised eyebrow from a familiar looking figure. "And I'm not very hygienic either, considering that the only bath I've taken for days is from seawater."

"I am not going to eat you, but I may slay you depending on why you are in my home," Mihawk commented dryly.

"I'm out of supplies, and this was the place I landed," she replied, before cocking her head. "Do you mind if I used your shower and borrowed some clothes? I feel filthy, and I can pay you back."

Still stunned from the unafraid—and bold—child invading his home, he nodded towards the room he just exited. "The bathroom's in there. The clean towels are on the shelves. Don't touch my things."

"Yes sir."

He blinked as his bedroom door shut behind him and the sound of a shower started a few minutes later. He leaned against the wall, deeming it proper to wait for the child to come out. She did so, not long after, but wearing nothing but the towel around her body. Mihawk was not a man easily surprised, but for the second time that day, his brows shot up.

"Have you no shame, child?"

"I think I forgot to pack it," she said, face and voice still devoid of expression. "I probably left it in my drawer along with my dignity and half my pride."

If possible, Mihawk's brows shot higher. He wanted to knock his head against the wall. He settled for sighing and reentering his room to grab one of his shirts. She wriggled into it right in front of him before pulling the towel off from underneath, and wrapping it around her neck to keep her wet hair from soaking the shirt. It was overly large, hanging off her frame and reaching her knees, but she didn't seem to mind.

"You can keep the shirt. I don't need it," Mihawk said.

"So I can see," she said, glancing pointedly towards his shirtless state under the long jacket.

"Come," he ordered before turning and starting to walk down the hall—

But she interrupted, "I don't take orders from anyone."

He spun on his heel to stare at her, stunned. "You come into my home, use my shower, wear my clothes, and you won't even listen to a simple order?!"

"I don't take orders from anyone," she repeated.

Mihawk was beginning to think he should just cut her into pieces now. He probably would have by now, if she was not a female and a mere child. He let out an aggravated sigh and said, "Then would you like some food? If so, you should follow me to the kitchen."

"Yes please, Mihawk-san. Thank you," she said politely, following him.

He nearly shook his head with disbelief. Once she was seated and consuming a quickly made sandwich, he asked, "What is your name?"

"Rhine Lorelei. But you can call me Lor."

Hmmm… A noble family. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but the front door slammed open before slamming shut, interrupting him.

"We're back!" A male voice yelled, the sound echoing a bit as it travelled through the stone halls to reach their ears.

A group of footsteps grew louder as a group approached the kitchen, Lorelei continuing to eat calmly.

The door opened, the two females and three males chattering about what supplies they purchased before they caught sight of the stranger and froze.

"Captain," the oldest female—probably in her early thirties—growled. "What in the world were you thinking?"

"I didn't know you had those kinds of hobbies," the dark haired boy commented, eyeing the girl.

"Disgusting," the younger female said, nose scrunching.

Mihawk sighed, aggravated.

"I thought it was just rumors, but I suppose you really are his crew," Lorelei said, putting down the rest of her sandwich and standing to bow to them. "I am Lorelei, 14 years old. And regarding your misunderstanding, no matter how handsome and sexually appealing he is, Mihawk is too old for me, therefore I have no intention of having sex with him. Also, he has a reputation of being a gentleman. A lazy and very dangerous gentleman, but a gentleman nonetheless, therefore he would not have sex with someone he sees as a child, such as me."

This time the entire group stared at her, shocked at what had just spewed from her mouth as calmly and lightly as if she was speaking about the weather.

"Well…" the dark haired male said, before clearing his throat and repeating, "Well, she's telling the truth. She's also teasing you, captain, but still telling the truth."

"D-do you have any idea whose presence you're in?" The red haired girl asked.

"Of course, "'Red Witch' Cornelia, 'Firebrand' Stanfield Karin, 'Point Blanc Assassin' Halton Rolo, 'Black Prince' Landen Leo, and 'White Knight' Kimura Sho," Lorelei answered. "And of course, 'Hawkeyes' Dracule Mihawk, Shichibukai and the greatest swordsman in the world. Also formerly Akagami no Shanks' rival. Known as a Shichibukai to skip meetings and choose missions. Usually only does Shichibukai work to kill time. Most important things to Mihawk are naps, killing time, rival swordsmen, and his swords."

"How does a noble's spoi—child know all this?" Mihawk questioned.

"I was a marine for four years, not including two years in the Academy," she replied, once again picking up her sandwich and biting into it.

"Was?"

"I ran away from home because my father wanted to marry me off to the highest bidder, and he was, if you'll excuse my language, an asshole."

They all glanced at Leo, to see him nod. She was telling the truth.

"And your plans?"

She paused at the question, glancing at Mihawk. "Can I join your crew?"

"Why should we let you join?" The woman interrupted.

"I can be useful," Lorelei shrugged. "I can cook, clean, sew, sail, and fight." Raised eyebrows from all but Mihawk. "You don't study to become a perfect wife for a year without learning anything useful," she shrugged again, polishing off her meal. "Oh, and I ate the Siren Siren no Mi."

"Fine. Why not?" Mihawk said.

"Captain?!" Karin exclaimed.

"She managed to arrive here alone, proving that she has a certain degree of strength. And if she proves too much trouble or a traitor or tries anything, I can easily turn her into rust on my sword," Mihawk replied.

At that, Lorelei finally gave a reaction beyond her blank expression. She raised her eyebrows, smiling.

"You find that funny?" Mihawk glared threateningly.

"Of course. Because you would never do that."

"Oh?"

His crew knew the voice to mean they should step away, and in fact, the whole world knew they should stay away from him with that tone and glare. But the green haired girl didn't move, didn't even flinch.

"For one thing, cleaning the blood and guts off your floor is troublesome. But that wouldn't deter you from killing me. You simply wouldn't turn me into rust on your sword, because you care too much about both Yoru and that kogatana of yours to let anything rust on them. You'll simply cut me into pieces, clean off any blood that could have gotten onto your precious blades, and had someone shovel my remains to feed the sea kings or the humandrills outside."

Mihawk stared at her for a moment before he burst out laughing.

Cornelia sighed, then smiled at the girl. "Welcome to the crew, Lorelei."

"Looks like you're crew now, Renren," Leo smiled.

Lor blinked. "Renren?"

"Short for Siren!" Rolo grinned, getting the nickname immediately.

Lor felt herself smiling. She liked them.