Chapter 2 Faith of a Runaway

Running is all Allison has known since she ran away from the comforts of home. She managed to stowaway in a trade ship before it left Wano and headed towards the unknown. Keeping quiet and not drawing attention to herself was a challenge itself. She never been out her house much less Wano but here she was on a trade ship heading to who knows where. Getting used to the rocking of the ship was bad enough as she tried not to throw up form the sea sickness. She quickly stole food from the kitchen when she had to and keep quiet in the storage room. It was a total nightmare.

Lucky for her it wasn't long before the ship docked after a week at sea. Quick and quietly, Allison made her way out of the ship just as men began to disembark the supplies, just barely as she tried not to be spotted. Once she was out of sight, Allison run towards the village away from the ship where she arrived. Walking through the crowded of people, she took notice of the different products and people that surrounded her. People were smiling as they walked the streets, children holding there mother's hand, men holding their children over their shoulders, people talking, eating, walking or just playing around. It was a happy village, her first village.

She continue until she came across a small restaurant. It wasn't that big or fancy but the smell of good filled the air as she entered. There were a couple of tables that weren't so full and in the counter there was only one man smoking a cigar. Sitting right next to him, Allison waited for waiter.

"Hello there" asked a young women with light blue hair and brown eyes wearing a simple yellow shirt and brown pants over her white apron. "Would you like something to eat?"

Allison nodded holding out 30 Beri. "Is this enough?"

"Sure, what would you like?"

"Rumen and water please"

"...sure coming right up" the women left as she headed into the kitchen. Looking at the man next to her, Allison took noticed of his strange clothing. He was tall thin man in a black suit with a black fandora smoking his cigar like he didn't have a care in the world. The small restaurant was full of life as people laughed and talked while others were just eating there meals with their families or friends. But the man next to her was all alone just smoking a cigar. She continue to stare at the strange man not making any noise or movement nor did the man as he continued to smoke his cigar like it didn't bother him to have someone looking at him or he just didn't notice it.

Allison would have continued to look at the man but the women returned carrying a bowl of rumen and a glass of water. "Here you go. Enjoy"

"Thank you" Bowing to the waitress who smiled in return before attending to another costumer. Allison began to consume her food taking her time slavering the flavor. While she was eating a large man entered the room. He looked around the room until he spotted his target, a tall and thin man wearing a fandora sitting next to a small girl with dirty clothes and short white hair. Smiling he took out his gun and walked towards his target, only a few feet away from his target. He aimed but just as he was about to fire, the tall thin man with the fandora quickly turned around and shot his gun out of his hands, leaving him with a bleeding hand.

The shots alerted everyone as those close to the doors ran out the door. Those in the kitchen ran out the back door, leaving the room empty with the exception of the two strong man and a young girl who had no way out. She was trapped. The large man in front of her and the thin and quick man beside her. Allison didn't move as she was frozen in fear.

"I underestimated you. But I won't do that the second time." Laughing the large man held his bleeding hand. "I have my crew just outside waiting outside, so the moment you step outside your dead."

The large man continue to laugh despite his pain in his hand while Allison watched in horror and the fandora man made no movements but stood there with a smirk on his face.

"You really don't know why your dealing with, so I suggest you back off before someone dies"

"If it's anyone that going to die its you! Ford, Firstmate of the Whitebeard Pirates with a bounty of 400,000,000 berries on your head." The large laughed as he took out his sword and ran toward Ford who quickly shot the sword out his hand.

"Argh! " the man screamed in pain as his right hand was shot twice. "Men! Kill him !"

Moments later about a dozen armed men stormed into the room. Guns and swords ready at hand as they passed their captain and headed towards the Firstmate.

"Is that how we're going to have it than" Ford took another gun from inside his jacket and with two guns at hand he clashed with pirate crew. Quickly evading there bullets and swords, he quickly killed began to kill them and in matter of seconds, all the men were all dead at his feet.

"Is that all?" Ford look around until he was meet with a unfortunate scene.

"Make one more move and I will kill your friend of your" said the large man as he held a gun against Allison's head. He had one arm around her throat to prevent her moving and another pointed at her head. Ford frowned as the man was getting on his nerve. The man couldn't fight him head on like his men but had to use cheap tricks.

"Are you really that weak that you have to take the kid hostage"

"Say all you want but I know about your weakness against killing children" the man laughed as he held tighter to Allison whose eyes widen with fear. She didn't want to die. She was finally free, she couldn't just die now. Not after all the trouble she went through to escape. But she couldn't do anything, the man held her neck tightly that it began to hurt a lot and there was also the gun pointed to her head. The fandora man may have been able to defeat the dozen men but he couldn't save her from one man.

'Come on, think. Think Allison. There must be a way to get out the of here. I don't want to die.' Allison thought to herself. Thinking of a way to get out of this mess before she remembered something. She quickly grabbed her sword from her side and stabbed the man by the side.

"Arghh" the screamed in pain as he let go of his hostage. Looking down at his wound he found a katana sticking out as blood began to pour out. Raged with his wound he pointed his gun at the girl who had fallen to the floor. "Youuuu! Your going to pay for that !"

Just as the man was about to shot, Ford quickly shot the man in the head thus ending that man's life.

"That enough out of you" Ford put away his guns and walked up to the fall man. Removing the katana from his body. With a cloth from the counter he removed the blood from the blade and turned to the girl, frozen in fear on the floor.

"It's a katana made in Wano isn't Kid " Ford handed the Katana to Allison who nodded in replied before accepting her katana. "Am not a sword expert but I can tell a well made weapon when I see one...it's one of those Meito swords from Wano that were said to have been used by very powerful swords master in the past"

Allison nodded in replied before standing up and putting away her katana. " its one of the 12 Saijo O Wazamono, called Shi no Shinko which means Death's Faith "

"Aren't I lucky, is not every day someone come across on of those" Ford smiled before lightning his cigar. "Best that I leave before more of those weirdos comes back, later kid"

Just as Ford turned around, Allison grabbed his jacket. "Please take me with you"

Ford sigh as he tried to pull Allison off him but was unsuccessful. "Get off Kid"

"No!" Whined Allison as she continue to hold tightly to his jacket." Please take me with you. I will do anything but please take me with you"

"Why should I kid? Now let go" Ford continue to try to shake Allison off him but was failing to do so. "Go back to your parents"

"I don't have parents. I ran away from home. Please you have to teach me how to survive!" Allison cried as tears began to fall. "I have to survive. I just got my freedom but am not strong enough to survive. Please... I want to live!"

Ford stood frozen in shock as the girl cried in front of him while holding tightly to his jacket as if her life depended on it. Bending down her level, Ford placed his hands on her shoulders.

"What's your name kid?"

"Allison" She replied as she wiped her tears from her eyes with her sleeves.

"You say you want to live than. Are you prepared to leave your old left behind to start a new life. A life of a pirate"

"Yes, I will do anything" Allison smiled before she tinted her head to the side in confusion. "What's a pirate?"

Shocked from her response, Ford fell face first to the floor while Allison stared at with confusing. After a few seconds, Ford recovered and stood up facing Allison once again.

"You don't know what a pirate is?"

Allison shaked her head in replied.

"Have you every seen a pirate before or heard about them?"

Again, another shake. Ford sigh. 'What had he gotten himself into'

"What's a pirate?"

"Well...a pirate is person who is free to be who ever they want. They don't have to answer to anyone besides there captain unless your the captain. They are people who fight against others who want to captured them, kill them or sometimes fight for the fun of it. We have parties and search for treasure"

Allison was beaming with excitement as she continue to hear Ford's explanation of a pirate. Being a pirate sounded like something she wanted the be. Someone who is free. Answers to no one. Fight to defend yourself. Party. Treasure.

"Are you a pirate?"

Ford nodded. "Am a member of the Whitebeard Pirate"

"Whitebeard Pirate? Who are those?"

Ford chuckled. "The Whitebeard Pirates are a crew of pirate lead by my Captain Whitebeard"

"So there are other pirates like you?"

Ford nodded. "So what do you say"

"Can I join your crew!"

Ford chuckled. "It's not my crew but you will have to ask Whitebeard himself"

"Take me to him than"

Ford only laughed at her reply. Which only left a upset Allison. "It's not funny! Am going to be a pirate! So am joining the Whitebeard Pirate!"

Ford stopped laughing and frowned. "Life of a pirate isn't all fun and games. Kid. There are lots of people getting hurt or dying. Are you willing to risk that. To live a life were you might have to fight for your life almost everyday"

"Yes" Allison said with a serious expression on her face. "I prefer to fight for my life everyday if it means will be free than not having freedom, not being to fight for my freedom."

Ford sighed before standing up and with a smile he offered his hand to Allison. "I see kid. Than we better hurry before the captain leaves without us"

Smiling Allison accepted his hand. Side by side they left the restaurant leaving a group of lifeless bodies behind.

Ford and Allison walked about an hour before they made it to the other side of the island where a giant whale shaped ship was docked. If anything it was the largest ship, Allison had ever seen the if not her first pirate ship. As the approach, they heard shouting coming from the ship as men came into view. Of the men aboard, only two young men got off the ship to greet them.

"Oi Ford where have you been? The captain has been asking for you" Or not...

"Yeah! Captain appears to have gotten to the stored liquor again and is asking for you to join him" laughed a young man with black hair and brown hair. He was of average height wearing brown pants and a not so white shirt since there were some dirty and spilled liquor. The man next to him was a tall muscled man with a brown shirt with black pants, he had no hair what so ever and did nothing to hide it as his stood out with his blue eye.

"Whose the kid" Asked the bold man as he took notice of a little girl with dirty clothing, a brown satchel on her back, sword tied to her side, short snow white hair and rudy red eyes. If anything she looked like your average runaway.

"Boys, meet Allison" pushing her in front of them so they could get a good look at her. "She is our new cabin boy...I mean cabin girl in this case. Say hi, kid"

"Hi, nice to meet you" Allison bowed before turning her attention to Ford. "Who are they?"

"That's Chad, the tall muscular man and the man next to him is Jim. Both of them are members of the Whitebeard Pirate. Not your average men."

Chad and Jim said nothing as they stood shock from the news. Ford had recruited someone. And not just someone. A small girl to be exact. Sure they were looking for a cabin boy and here Ford presented them one. That was made it more shocking. Ford never recruited anyone before or inspired anyone to join, so when he comes back with a new recruit it's something to see. Looking at Allison again, they noticed that she didn't look working kind much less the fighting kind. But there was a long sword tied her side. So she could use a sword which is useful in battle.

"Welcome to the crew Allison."

"Have you told the captain yet"

"No, I just got here but am sure he will be fine with her joining. We better present you to the captain, come kid" Ford walked toward the ship with Allison right behind him. Chad and Jim soon followed after they had gotten over there shock.

Once aboard the ship, Allison found herself surround by lots of men. All different with there own way of dressing, some wearing hats, one man had only one eye, but all of them had some sort of weapon on them. Some had sword, others guns, and a few had daggers tucking under there coats. If anything made her uncomfortable was that they were all staring at her and the fail presence of a women made it worst. Making their way through the ship, they came to the kitchen where they were greeted by a very tall muscular man in your average pirate clothing with long blond hair and light grey eyes. He held a large container with some liquor.

"Ford were have you been? I was about to sent a search party for you" the captain laughed.

Ford only chuckled as he took a seat next to him. "Just walking around. I don't like being stuck in a ship for so long and I wanted to see the village"

"You have no sea legs, Ford. Makes me wonder what a land lover like you is doing aboard a ship" The captain continue to laugh as he offered some liquor to Ford who accepted.

"You know I been asking myself that same question for the last 13 years since I first joined you" chuckled Ford before he drank his liquor.

The captain only laughed even more at his replied. Until he spotted Allison.

"Whose the brat"

"Edward I want you to meet our new cabin girl, Allison" replied Ford as he signal her to come forward. "I found her in the village. She is pretty handle with that katana of hers so she will be a excellent addition to the crew.

"You don't say" lifting his eye brows as turning his attention to Allison.

"Allison, meet the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, Edward Newgate." Ford introducing Allison to the captain.

"So what made you want to be come a pirate girl?"

"I... want to be free Captain. Ford told me that pirates are the people with most freedom, that what I want to be"

"Is that all he told you"

Shaking her head Allison continued. "He told me the dangers and that I might die. But I don't care. I want to live and if it means that I will be able to fight for it, that I will."

The captain laughed as he placed his right arm on her shoulder. "You got spunk brat. I like you all ready. Indeed we pirate are free and we fight for our freedom. Welcome aboard the Moby Dick, Allison. Home of the Whitebeard Pirate"

As the captain of the Whitebeard Pirate continue to laugh, Ford and Allison could only smile on her acceptance into the crew and how silly the captain was acting.

"Round up the crew! We're having a pirate tonight to celebrate your new cabin girl" Whitebeard raised his large cup of liquor.

And so it was done. That night, the Moby Dick was having one of the best party of their life. Singing, dancing, joking, drinking, and fun all around. Allison was having the best time of her life and the awkwardness that she felt when she first aboard the ship disappeared. She was really enjoying herself as she danced, laughed, joked and singed with the rest of the crew. She didn't drink since she couldn't trust herself to be drunk in a ship full of men.

"Nice voice you got there, Sonny" laughed a member of the crew.

"Sonny, that a nice name for you. Allison is kind of long" laughed another.

"It's not long!" Allison shouted childish at her new nickname.

"Don't get mad, Sonny is nice name" the whole crew had begun to laugh even Whitebeard and Ford joined in. Enjoying seeing the childish reaction they were getting with the new nickname they had given their new crew member.

"It's not!" Allison shouted clearly embarrassed as the crew laughed harder.

"You look so cute when your mad, Sonny" one crew member said as he broke to another laugh.

"It's not funny!"

"You really do look cute when your upset Kid" Ford laughed as he teased Allison.

"Not you too Ford!" Allison comically shouted.

The whole crew broke into laughter once again. As the party continue all night as they welcomed the new crew member into the crew.