Thank you all who Favorited/Followed, and to imafangirlforever for reviewing! It means a lot to me, all of ya :) I finally was able to get this up. I didn't re-read it a bunch of times cause it was a now or never deal, I hope it came out good! Please give me your thoughts, and enjoy the read!


"Ow… what with all the yelling?" I try and open my eyes but close them quickly. It's really bright. My head hurts so much… what's going on right now? I wait a moment or two before trying to open my eyes again. I flinch, but they open and I scan the area. "Oh wow…"

There's a battle going on, and it's very one sided from the looks of it. One body comes flying towards me and I roll to the side quickly, banging my ankle while doing so. It hurts. The wall caves in a bit and I stare at it in shock. Isn't, isn't that one of the guys who kidnapped me? Am… I at a base?

I look back at the battle and see three obvious winners in the crowd, one being the blonde handsome man who helped me earlier, Sanji was it? He is kicking full grown men yards away! He was so strong? Another…. man? Large and muscular, covered in what looks like fur. I'm sure I've seen that hat somewhere before. The last one though, can't be much older than I am, with short black hair and a straw hat on, but his arm is stretching! How? It's- It's like he's made of rubber!

I'm grabbed by the arm out of nowhere -again- and pulled in front of a body. I look up at the person and it's a face I don't recognize. He's covered in bandages, as if he had been in a fight recently, and I would probably be more intimidated if he didn't have a frantic and scared look on his face. I feel a blunt and cold object pressed against my head and quickly look forward again. It's probably a gun.

"Hey, Straw-hat!" the man yells and pulls my arm tighter. The three obvious winners stop fighting and look at us. "If you don't kneel before me right now I'll- I'll shoot this girl!"

The one that stretched like rubber looked at us, his childish face serious. He looks at the man holding me hostage in the eye.

"Risk your life on it." he says simply, confusing both me and the man.

"W-what? My life? Don't you see what's going on here? I have a gun to this girl's head, you're risking her life!" He stampers out, the hand holding me starts to shake.

"I'm asking you if you're willing to risk your life on that pistol." The rubber one asks again, but it sounds more like a statement then a question. The man is shaking even more, and his grip on me loosens, but is still too tight for me to be able to get out of. My ankle hurts, and my head is throbbing. I'm standing here helpless. Wait, maybe there is something I can do!

I move slightly as rubber one speaks something else, but I don't pay attention. Now, I'm slightly off to the side of the man, my leg directly in front of his two. I muster up all the energy and strength I can in my leg and on the count of three. One. Two. Three!

I kick up and behind as hard as I can. The man lets out a girlish squeal and lets go of me. I jump to the side quickly. I trip but I'm a good yard or two away from him now. I knew reading those comedy adult books would come in handy! The rubber one then sends out an arm, without moving his feet and it reaches the man, knocking him into the wall, and unconscious. I hear steps come up behind me.

"Yuriko, are you alright?" I look up and see the big furry man standing there.

"Yuriko-hime! You're so brave! Kicking that bastard where it hurt!" Sanji came spinning and gushing over. I look at him, and then back at the furry one.

"Um, th-thank you Sanji-san and I'm okay but… uh… are you… Chopper?" I ask, now recognizing the hat up close. The color of the fur, and the blue nose too. Either this was chopper, or, well honestly I don't know who else it could be.

"Yes, it's me," He says, and changes back into his small form, and I just stare at him for a moment. It's just so… weird. I want to learn more about it. I go to stand up, when the world swims around me and I start to fall. Sanji catches me, once again, and picks me up. The small adrenaline rush is over, and add to that my ankle and the headache, I feel quite out of sorts. Sanji just smiles at me.

"Let's take you home princess."

The way home is loud. Luffy, I learn the rubber one's name finally, is hungry, and keeps on trying to sneak off. I also learn the reason as to why I was kidnapped. Turns out Luffy, also the captain of their pirate crew -for some reason them being pirates didn't surprise me, though Luffy being captain did- had pissed off some gang leader in the town, and then beat him in a very one sided fight. The gang knew that chopper was part of the crew, and when they saw him exit my house, they figured they could use me as hostage. Apparently they left a note in my house for when chopper got back with my medicine. I feel bad that I was so easily caught, but after voicing this, they simply said that it was their fault for getting me mixed up in the first place, hence why they came to save me.

After some detours from Luffy successfully wondering off, and having to go get him, we arrived at my place. My door was knocked down, and neighbors walking by whispered like old gossiping women at the sight. Sanji brought me in, and just like earlier in the day, carefully sat me down on the couch, and Chopper once again checked me over.

"Sanji~" Luffy's voice drew out the blonde's name "Food~" Sanji just sighs and kicks the rubber man. Ow, that looks like it hurt, but Luffy ate the… Gomu Gomu fruit was it? Rubber Rubber fruit? Something of the sorts, I was told on the way here. Wow, yesterday I thought devil fruits were fictional, but here I met two people who have the powers of one!

"Wait you shitty captain, I have to fix Yuriko-hime's door that those brutes knocked down. Should have kicked them harder, those bastards." He looks mad. I would tell Sanji not to bother, but he looks so dead set on fixing that door, I think it's better to just let it happen. After all there's no way I can fix it, and asking the doctor for this would mean explaining the pirates, and I don't want to get them in trouble. This is probably just me taking advantage of their kindness though, as I watch Sanji and Chopper fix the door the best they can. I could at least give Luffy something to eat. I have a few vegetables and fruit in the fridge from earlier. The meat would have to be cooked. I turn and look for Luffy, he's lying on the ground of my living room, arms spread out looking at the ceiling.

"Um… Luffy-san?" I call out to him from my spot on the couch. He looks at me, only moving his head.

"Yeah?" and I freeze for a moment. It was easy to talk to Chopper, and awkward but relatively okay when I talk with Sanji, but something about Luffy intimidates me. His carefree attitude is a puzzle and I don't understand him. I can't get a hold on what he's like. So I just stare at him for a moment.

"W- Would you uh... like some fruit or s- something? I have some in the fridge…" I trail off as he frowns.

"But I want meat~" he whines, and I cringe slightly. He's like a child.

"Well, I have a stake but it would have to be cooked." I tell him and his eyes light up.

"SANJI! She has meat! Cook it for me!" Luffy jumps up and flings himself over to Sanji, who with the help of Chopper just got the door back on its hinges. The blond put his foot against the rubber man's face and pushed him back. Is Luffy really the captain?

"Shut it you idiot. I'm not taking food from a beautiful young lady just to feed your bottomless-pit ass. You can wait till we get back to the ship." he looks over to me "I apologize for his repulsing manners Yuriko-hime." I shake my head.

"He's just fine. Are you sure though? I don't have much but you did save me…" I said tentatively. Maybe they might stay longer too. I haven't had a meal with someone in such a long time. But Sanji just shook his head.

"We saved you because we got you mixed up, please don't worry about it!" he smiles at me. "But I had better take this guy back to the ship so he can get some food and stop bothering you." I shake my head again, but I understand. They probably have to go before they are noticed…

"I understand… well… um... th-thanks for uh, fixing my door too. It was never a bother." I do my best to smile at them. I feel awfully sad though. Chopper walks up to me and holds out a hoof. In it he has a small bag.

"I almost forgot to give you this, it's that medicine I told you would help with fatigue, and some of the pain." I gingerly take it and look inside. There is about two handfuls of small round blue pills, very unthreatening and they look easy to swallow. "Take one in the morning with breakfast, and one about 12 hours later with dinner or a snack. But make sure you eat with it. And no dark leafy greens." He sounds just like a doctor, but still very soft. It's comforting. I smile at Chopper. It hurts my cheeks though. So much smiling and talking today.

"Thank you so much Chopper, really. This should make my time left more enjoyable." I clap my hands a bit, and smile a bit wider. I know what I say sounds depressing, but I honestly don't think it is! I don't want chopper to get sad. He sighs and gives me a small smile. I look over to where Sanji is still fending off Luffy, unaware of the conversation me and chopper are having. I wonder if chopper told them or not about my sickness? Chopper does the same.

"We really should get going. Nami probably things we got into even more trouble, she'll probably charge us for taking so long" The little reindeer sighs again, and walks to the door, "Bye bye, Yuriko!" he waves "Make sure you take the medicine like I told you!" My smile falters but I nod my head.

"Ah! Yuriko-hime! It was an honor to meet such a beautiful young lady, and I'm sad to leave you but the time has come! Good bye!" He spins over to kiss the back of my hand and then spins off. Why does he treat me so differently than the other two? My smile falters even more and it's hard to keep it on my face, my eyes are starting to burn a bit. I don't want them to leave. Luffy looks at me this time.

"See ya!" Luffy calls out with a wave and turns to leave with the other two. Is this really it? Am I just going to go back to my everyday routine? To my quiet house? To the glares and pitiful stairs of neighbors? To relying so much on my doctor? To being alone? I look at my front door closing.

"Wait!" I hear a voice yell. Its mine. The door opens back up and my three saviors look in. I get off the couch and bow my head to the ground. "Chopper, Sanji-san, Luffy-san," I practically yell.

"Take me with you!" my voice is flowing out with no filter, I don't take them back "Please, I'm tired of spending my time alone. I'm tired of the quiet everyday life, meeting you guys showed me that. I know I'm sick, I won't be alive but for another month, I'll do my best not to be a burden until then! I'll clean and I'll do other stuff, I'll stay out of the way. You guys are pirates right? I'm sure I can be useful in some way. I've always had one goal in life, to live life in content until it ends, but now I want to have a dream, to live life to the fullest, surrounded by people who like me! People who are willing to be my friends! I'm just- I don't want to be alone anymore!" my throat is dry, and my face is wet from tears. I keep my head to the ground. I didn't even know I felt these things. Since when was I not okay with being alone? I thought I came to accept it. My quiet like, and my death. But I don't want to do that anymore. I don't expect Luffy to say yes. But at least I tried. I can take this moment and cherish it.

"Sure." Luffy's voice interrupts my thoughts. I look up in shock. He's grinning at me, laughing slightly.

"W-wait, you said yes? Are you sure?" I ask, not sure if I heard right. Both Chopper and Sanji look ecstatic, and are saying something similar to Luffy, but I'm not paying full attention. I'm focusing solely on Luffy.

"Why not? It's interesting! Now let's hurry up and go, I'm hungry!" He laughs out loud and his contagious grin slowly spreads to my face. I let it take over and it's so big my teary eyes, now wet from a different feeling, and forced closed. A wave of something washes over me like a large warm blanket. I'm only able to get one word out.

"Yeah!"