Ace, Thatch, and Marco where walking down the street when something knocked into them, looking down they where horrified at what they saw. There a young girl no more than six was curled into a ball with her arms over her head. Almost every bone in the little girls body was visible, her thigh length pitch black hair was tangled and matted, Ace knelt down to help her up but she flinched away harshly. "Oh, are you alright?" The boys watched as a woman dressed in a fancy dress walked toward them with worry in her voice, but before the boy's could say anything the woman's face turned harsh and she kicked the child harshly in the side. "You stupid brat, watch where your going." the girl yelped but scrambled to her feet and nodded before running off. "I'm sorry about her. She's been a nuisance to the town ever since her parents where killed." The pirates wanted to kill the woman where she stood but they knew it would only cause problems for the crew. So with heavy hearts the crew returned to the ship, no longer interested in exploring the city. When they got to the ship Whitebeard noticed the sadness and hate that burned in his son's eyes, so that night he called them to his room.
"My son's, what troubles you?" Ace, Thatch, and Marco looked at each other and nodded. "We where walking in town today and... well we saw this little girl." Thatch shook his head, and Marco continued for him. "She's homeless, starving, and she was covered in so many bruises that her skin looked like it was died purple, yoi. This town has been treating her like trash and we're sickened by it." Pop's was surprised to hear so much rage in his son's voice so with out another thought he ordered the boy's to search for the girl first thing in the morning and to bring her to him, However the next day they could not find her no matter how thorough they searched. At least until they walked into town square and found her being forced across a platform and made to kneel. "Today the curse that has plagued the town will die, at high noon Luna D. Blade will be executed by beheadment." The three didn't waist anytime in running back to report to Whitebeard.
When they got there they explained what was going on and Whitebeard stood, "Come, I will not allow the girl to die this day." The three fallowed there father into the town and when Whitebeard saw the girl chain and bleeding, so week she couldn't even call out as a man whipped her over and over again, he narrowed his eye's. "Stop this!" He called, and the people in the square turned around as fast as they could. "This girl deserves to die." The man with the whip yelled, again striking her, and in return Whitebeard took his head. The people ran screaming from the square while the pirates walked forward, and after the girl was freed Whitebeard knelt in front of her, "Child, you do not deserve this, will you take my name and become my daughter?" Eye's filled with pain searched the giant man for any signs that he was lying but when she found none she used the last of her strength to nod. Later the crew was both shocked and saddened when they saw there captain and three commanders returning with the tiny body held protectively in Whitebeards arms.
It took three months for the doctors and nurses to get the girls health back to where it should have been, but even then she acted like she was uncomfortable and refused to speak. Everyone on the ship tried to play with her but the only one's she got near where Whitebeard, Ace, Marco, and Thatch. Then one night, right after the girl was released from the infirmary a piercing scream woke everyone on board. Within a few seconds a hundred plus men stood outside the girls room, some half dressed and some so tiered they could barely stand. They made room for Whitebeard as he walked quickly to his youngest child and scooped her into his arms. "Hush little one, your family is here for you." The girl turned her emerald green gaze to the crowed of men and woman that waited anxiously for word that she was o.k. "Did you have a nightmare little one?" The girl nodded and Whitebeard chuckled "Would you like someone to stay with you tonight?" again the girl nodded so Whitebeard turned to the crew. "Is anyone willing to stay with Luna tonight?"
Every single person there raised there hands and Whitebeard laughed. That night the largest room on the ship was cleared and everyone gave up there nice warm beds to sleep around the large mattress that they had drug to the center for Whitebeard and Luna. The little girl stayed by the door, watching as everyone got as comfortable as they could. Everyone was finally quiet when a new sound pierced the air one they had never heard, everyone sat up and looked at the little girl that stood in the door frame. There hearts sored, because there was Luna, smiling and laughing for the first time since they had met her then in an instant there happiness tripled and that night went down as one of the best nights ever spent aboard the Moby Dick, and it was all because of nine little words. "Thank you brothers, thank you sisters, thank you Daddy."