Warning: The M rating is just for precautions. I'm not sure how high the rating will go. Don't be surprise when characters die and, I believe everything in this story is not real in the series. It's all a fabrication of my imagination. (e.g. Mihawk's father is named Karel. Of course, that's not true. I made it up.)

AN: I forgot the currency amount per a coin in One Piece. I think it's 500 beli, but it could be less.


Chapter Two – Children

A yawn came out of her small mouth as she sat at the counter polishing silverware. She groaned when she looked up to see her mother smiling at her. Rolling her eyes, she continued polishing until each and every fork, spoon, and knife was sparkling.

"Thanks sweetie," her mother praised, "Now, put them back in the drawers."

"Yes, mother."

The little girl of eight jumped off the stool and grabbed the silverware to place back in the drawers. Today was like any other day, boring as usually with the same guests.

Many wondered why Mrs. Griffin wanted to start a restaurant in their village. The village was small with the population of 100 people. Everyone knew each other well and there weren't many visitors to the village. Tourist always preferred to go to the other island, Lutie, an hour sail away.

The girl continued to do her chores for the restaurant until noon when a large group of men came in. A smiled grew on her face as she finished counting. There were about fifty men and that meant a large amount of beli.

Before she jumped off her seat to usher the men, her mother shouted, "Jacky, come back behind the counter."

"Why?"

"Don't question me. Just do it." Jacky looked up at her mother but bid her wishes. From behind the counter, she watched her mother speak with the captain of the group. He was a large man with a black mustache and a short beard. A large blue trench coat draped over his shirtless chest. His wore black pants with a wide belt that wrapped around his slim waist. A pistol was tucked in his belt.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am." He lifted his three-pointed hat.

"I'm sorry, but we don't serve your kind here." Her mother spoke in a calm voice.

Jacky clutched her mother's skirt when the other men shouted furiously and cursed. The captain calmed them down with his hand before asking her mother kindly, "Why won't you serve us? My men and I are weary. We don't mean to cause trouble."

Her mother bit her lower lip and glanced in to the crowd. Some were gaunt while others were dehydrated. With a small smile, she grabbed her apron, "I'll do what I can."

"Thank you, Ma'am." He tipped his hard and turned to his crew, "Thank the lady."

Everyone bowed and shouted with glee, "Thank you!"

"My daughter will serve you drinks; please sit down at the tables." Her mother told the men, "If you want any wine or beer, you'll have to wait until I finish cooking. She can only touch juice and water." There was a bunch of sighs in the crowd that made Jacky giggle.

The small restaurant became lively within a few minutes. Both mother and daughter had their hands full, but each and every costumer was happy and satisfied. The men showed some manners as she served them. However one of them gave the little girl chills.

"Raz," the captain barked, "Leave the lass alone."

Gradually, the men started leaving and tables cleared. Jacky started to bus tables and wash dishes as her mother waited on them. An hour passed and all the men were gone.

"As I promised," the captain brought out a large bag of beli, "Perhaps next time, you'll reconsider about serving pirates."

"We don't serve pirates… Let's hope I didn't make a mistake." Her mother eyed the captain who laughed.

"I'm a man of my honor. I will not attack your village, but I can't say for all my men. However, he will be punished with death if he goes against my command. Those children want to stay here. They won't cause trouble. I promise." He turned to three small children, "Don't trouble the lady, ya hear me? Or I'll have to whip ya."

They looked up and replied, "Yes, captain."

He tipped his hat at Jacky and her mother and bid them a good day. Jacky began to clean the tables and her mother went to clean the kitchen. One of the children called Jacky to the table. He wore a straw hat and had short red hair.

"Heeey! Come here!"

Jacky went over to them, "Yes?"

"Take these away," the other child with a large red nose and short blue hair under his orange beanie shoved three dishes in her hands with the silverware scattered in between the plates.

"Don't be mean, Buggy." The straw hat kid took the plates from her hands and stacked them properly with the silverware on top.

"Shanks, you're too soft. You'll never become a good pirate."

"At lease I know how to treat girls." Shanks rebutted.

"Thanks," Jacky smiled as she took the plates to her mother and returned with a damp rag. She found that the three moved to another table and began to play cards. Finishing her job with the rag, she quickly returned to see what they were playing.

Shanks looked up from his cards, "Hmmm?"

"Oh, sorry," Jacky held up her hands, "I'm just wondering what you guys are playing."

"Poker," Buggy replied, "Do you know how?"

"No," she replied slowly.

"Then go away." Buggy brushed her off.

"Don't be so mean," Shanks snapped at him and pulled up a chair near him, "Come sit. I'll teach you. Poker will be useful when you're older."

Jacky grinned and sat in the chair, "But you don't look much older than me."

"We're nine and Mihawk is ten." Jacky turned to the third member of their party. He acknowledged her with a nod. She quickly turned away from his gaze and stared off at the floor. His gaze sent chills up her spine.

"Hey," Shanks snapped her from her gaze, "I know he's cute, but I'm cuter." He grinned as Jacky's face immediately grew bright red. "I'm just kidding. Pay attention, I'm teaching you."

"Alright, what does it mean when you have the same suit?"

"WHAT!" Buggy shouted, "YOU HAVE A FLUSH?"

Shanks fanned his cards on the table, "Yup."

"DAMN IT!" Buggy growled.

"Lucky for us we didn't start the real game. Calm down, Buggy." Mihawk took the cards and shuffled them before dealing.

Shanks whispered to Jacky, "Next time don't say my cards out loud. I'll tell you what they mean." Jacky nodded with a smile. "I'll also teach you some useful techniques in winning. Bluffing is one of them."

With in a few minutes, Jacky learned the basics of poker but she couldn't play with them.

Buggy scoffed, "You can't play with us."

"Why can't I?" she replied with a pout.

"You have nothing to offer. I'll let you play if you get us some liquor."

Jacky shook her head, "I'm not allowed to touch the alcohol. My mother keeps it locked up. Besides, we can just play for fun. We don't always have to gamble."

"It's only fun when there's beli evolved." He replied harshly.

Shanks shrugged, "He's right on that one. Sorry, miss."

"Well," Jacky looked down at her dress and touched her chest. "I don't have beli."

"You can bet your virginity." Buggy grinned meticulously.

Jacky looked at him, "What's that?"

Shanks busted into laughed when Mihawk whacked Buggy beside the head causing him to fall over. "You dumb ass."

"I was joking…" Buggy replied as he crawled back into his chair. "Who would want something as hideous as you?"

Shanks stopped laughed and glared at Buggy. "Don't listen to him. He's afraid he'll lose to a girl. You can borrow some of my beli." Shanks pushed a stack of coins to her.

"Thanks." She replied as wiped her eyes.

"Don't start crying on us," Shanks stroked her back, "The captain will punish us if he finds out we made a pretty girl like you cry."

Jacky managed to smile, "Let's play some poker."

For the next six rounds, Jacky had an abnormal amount of combos. Soon her one stack of coins became four stacks. Buggy glared in disbelief and hissed, "Beginner's luck." This was true if in every round she won, but the truth was, Buggy lost every round.

"Sweetie," Jacky looked up to see her mother, "Sweetie, look after the restaurant. I'm going home to get something. It'll only take twenty minutes."

"Yes, mother."

The four played for a few more rounds until Shanks deemed it was time to go. Jacky had a straight and was confident in the final round.

"I bet five thousand beli." She pushed a stack in. Shanks followed suit. Buggy, however, placed in five thousand and raised five more. Mihawk placed in ten thousand.

Jacky smiled inside for her straight and placed her remaining beli in the pile.

Shanks sighed, "I fold." He continued to watch them play. "I hope you know what you're doing, miss."

"Hmm," Buggy looked at his cards and took out a bag of jewels. "Let's raise the stakes."

Mihawk pushed his remaining beli in without hesitation.

"Hey," Shanks turned to Jacky, "You don't have to bet anymore. Just fold."

"I know my cards are way better than his." Jacky smirked. From under her dress, she took out a jade pendant. It was tied on a black silk thread. The jade piece was small round slate with an elegant craving of bonsai tree.

"Alright!" Buggy grinned at the trinket, "What do you have, princess?" He mocked her.

"A straight!" Jacky laid down her cards to show an 8, 9, 10, jack, queen.

Buggy laughed out loud, "I beat ya." He also laid a straight, but he his was a 9, 10, jack, queen, king.

Jacky stared down in disbelief. "What are the chances of him getting that?"

"It's a rare chance, believe it or not." Shanks looked comforting at her.

Her eyes were wide open as she stared down at the cards. "You're going to give it back right?" Jacky pleaded with Buggy who laughed. Tears began to form in her eyes. "H-h-he's going to give it back right? This is all just a game."

"Never! You lost and it belongs to me!" Buggy laughed as he reached out for the pendant when Mihawk slapped his hand away. "What did you do that for?"

"On the contrary, I win." Mihawk laid down a full house with kings and aces. He reached for the pendant and looked at it. "This has magnificent craftsmanship."

"Please, my father made it for me. Please give it back. It's important to me. It's all that I have left of him." Tears ran down her face and she quickly wiped them away.

Mihawk looked down at her. She shuddered by the ferocity in his eyes and cowered back. He looked mad, but his voice expressed otherwise. "Next time think twice about offering this pendant. If it's important to you, you should never give it up." He took her hand and placed the jade in her palm.

"Let's go." Shanks stood up and headed to the door. Mihawk followed suit. Buggy stared down at the beli and shouted after Mihawk.

"You're just going to leave the money! Why didn't you just let me win!" He chased after them leaving Jacky alone in the restaurant.

"I didn't even get their names… nor thank him…" She held tightly to her pendant. "I should've never brought this out. Forgive me father." As she placed the pendant over her head and under her dress, her mother returned with an old woman. The old woman was tiny only a few inches taller than Jacky. She had on a full length blue dress with long sleeves and white frills at the hems. She carried a large bag with her.

"Oh," the old woman laughed, "You won yourself a hefty pot there." Jacky's mother looked at the table and laughed alongside the woman.

"Sweetie," her mother said after she finished laughing and introduced the woman, "You remember Grandmamma, don't you?

Jacky jumped out of her seat and ran into the old woman's arms, "Grandmama!" Grandmama was from her father's side of the family. Unlike others grandmothers, Grandmama was a healer. She traveled around the islands taking care of the sick or poor.

"Jacqueline," her mother looked down at her eight year old daughter.

Jacky turned to her mother with fear. Whenever her mother used her full name, there was something wrong. "Yes, mother?"

"Grandmama wants to take you with her and teach you her techniques. I know your still young, but I want you to go with her and study to be a healer… Your father would've wanted it so..."


AN: Isn't it cute? Shanks, Buggy and Mihawk are playing poker and they're, like, nine and ten. lol. What do you think of this chapter? I made a forum. Wohoo! lol. You can ask me questions or answer mine there. . (If no one cares, i might take it down. lol) I'll also post my status there and in my bio. Internet is still unstable.

Would you like to help? I need a design for two pendants. One would belong to a healer and the other would belong to a swordsman. I'm having difficulty thinking up a symbol for them.

Notes:

Healer: also known as doctor.