Chapter 1:
Who's that Pirate?

Nami rubbed her temples softly. "Luffy, are you serious? We have to stop here? This island is off our course, and if we stay too long the log pose will reset. And I really don't want that to happen."

"Just for a while Nami, the guy said the pose doesn't set for three days, so fortunately I am able to run around and find the person I'm looking for, the guy said he was beaten up here by that new Rookie! I want to see if they are looking for a few new crewmates." he said grinning widely. Nami just sighed louder at the statements, ignoring Usopp's shocked gaze. Luffy having noticed Usopp's face, turned to look at him, a wide grin seemingly plastered upon it.

"You... don't mean the new rookie that .. sort of came while we were away for two years, and supposedly is a one man pirate crew?" He asked voice getting higher since he used one breath as he ended. Luffy nodded grinning even wider, great.

"Well...Am I surprised, I was just spying to see what would happen, and you're talkin' 'bout me. I'm quite honored that Mugiwara Luffy would even consider." A voice called out. Usopp gave a shriek seeing that someone was suddenly in front of Luffy, and as Luffy turned around he saw a short figure, of chubby build, and hair that flowed wildly in the wind. Curled and clinging to her face and chin. Light blue eyes stared down at Luffy, who's chocolate ones looked back up in amusement. Simple white blouse and puffy dark blue pants with a lighter blue sash was around the girls waist, and Luffy leaned forward, tipping his hat to her. Then moved aside for her to get onto the ship. She gently jumped down. Landing directly in front of Usopp who made another slightly quieter noise similar to that of a shriek, trembling in his boots. Who wouldn't if a girl had suddenly appeared on a ship? She smiled even more.

"Names Ranko, nice to meet you!" she said as she offered a hand to greet him with. He managed to shake it, which made her laugh even more at that. "Come on now, it's been two years, you must of gotten a little better at not being scared right?" She said smiling. "I saw you in the poster behind Luffy, shaking like a leaf, you're a man of the sea now right?" She questioned, the way she spoke, you wouldn't of known she had a 250 million beri bounty on her head. She spoke simply, in a calm but cheerful manner. Then again you wouldn't know Luffy himself had his 400 million beri either.

"Hey, how did you even get here?" Nami asked frowning as she crossed her arms, not liking this girl one bit, then again, she herself knew when she saw a con, at least that's how she thought.

"I was just floating around on my raft, waiting for something to come and try and eat me so I could turn round and eat it, when I heard ya guys talkin'!" she said smiling, leaning back as she saw more of the pirates begin to turn up since there was a different commotion then per norm on the main deck.

Zoro was the last one, eyeing the girl as he yawned softly, opening his one good eye a bit more than it's usual slant as he tilted his head to stare at her. She smiled giving a polite little wave at the other.
"Heh, where is that accent from?" Usopp asked, warming up to her now that she wasn't freaking him out with appearing out of thin air.
"Ah, I come from the southern islands, everyone' speaks that way there, people often say it's a weird accent." she responded smiling again.

"Luffy!" Sanji stomped over, cigarette half out of his mouth as he shouted. "Did you eat all the me- woah!" He paused staring at the young lady in front of him.
"Goodness, you didn't tell me we had a guest on board, and a wonderful curvy lady no doubt." he said bowing to her giving a kiss on her hand which made her begin to giggle heavily.

"Oh goodness me," she said laughing gently waving at him. "Ya'll makin me have the honey cheeks!" She cried out giggling more.
"Sanji, stop, you're being overly abrasive as usual." Nami gently pulled him away. "Now, go try and make some wonderful lunch for us yes?" She asked giving him a small smile.

"I... right, alright." he nodded and waved them off before he quickly went back, coming back with some champagne and sake for the men and women of his crew, and a small salad to share, making sure Luffy didn't get too much.

"Heh, I can't believe you got a high bounty such as that, you're one of the only girls who do." Luffy said over their small little brunch, Ranko smiled, honored that they would be so polite, saying thank you many times over.
"Well I've been at it for a while, but when you left for a while, that's when things get really fired up on stuff. Everyone was fighting for spots and ranks and the world was a mess for a while... but it's alright. And who cares if I'm a girl? I'm still a pirate, I can still kick butt." she said as she smiled. Luffy gave a nod at that grinning.

"Man I'd love to see you fight, I so want you to join my crew." Ranko giggled behind a hand.

"I'd love to, I really would, I have had so many people ask me to join, but... I watch them, I listen and let them show me their true side that they don't show. I've never liked a crew... maybe yours would be different... who knows, I'll have to see." she smiled a bit Robin sipping her fruity drink smiled a bit.
"You are very peculiar, I wonder... what are your fighting abilities?"

"I ate the Magic Magic fruit, so my weapons and styles of fighting very, I'm not really good with long range yet though."

"So does that mean you can do anything?" Luffy asked eyes wide with delight.
"No! Oh goodness no! I could never do something like that! It varies, and I'm impaired with many things while using it. Such as the drowning thing, and my magic I can only use certain spells at certain times, some require ingredients, or hosts, or runes. It's complicated and difficult. So I stick to weapons I enchant most of the time." She explained as best as she could. "I don't even understand it myself sometimes. Like... you remember your brother right? Well, I was asked by someone to..eh, give him a sliver of a golden dragon, and a quick little chant and that brought his breath to be breathing once more. Which I'm sure helped him enormously and made you quite happy."

"You did that? I didn't even know! All I know is that while training I got word that Ace was ... semi alive."
"Unfortunately I was found out by the government, and had to slip away and put Ace in a safe place before I could fully heal him. I could... attempt to give a potion that may help. I'm sure your doctor has done a marvelous job in the first place."
Chopper flushed and gulped down his apple cider giving a weak smile as he rocked himself back and forth in his chair all flushed.
"Ah, I'm not that good! Hehe, idiot! But, I could use some help, it's complex healing and takes a long time from an injury like that."
"Oh well, I can help you, but... I need to gather a few items from my ship, it's not to far. I'll be back soon." She said giving a salute, before she ran off, and then disappeared in a sort of blinking motion after she did a wave with her hand.

"That's so cool! Can we have her Nami, she's like a magician! We don't have a magician yet!"
"...I don't know Luffy, I don't want to trust her, something seems... off about that girl."
"I don't understand what you mean..."
"Call it a womans intuition."