I got my first review last week. Yay! It's exciting seeing a new story get going.

Disclaimer: This story is purely for entertainment. I don't own One Piece or its characters. I only own my original additions.

Warning: Violence

"So am I correct in assuming that what you did earlier was from a Devil Fruit?" Abel asked, not glancing back at the two boys following her.

"That's right," Luffy agreed, proudly. "I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit when I was a kid, and now I'm a rubber man."

"I see..."

"You don't seem all that surprised," Zoro noted, thinking back to his own reaction. He'd accused Luffy of being the son of the devil.

Abel cast him a wry glance. "My home is plagued by a giant demon snake and you're asking why I don't dismiss the concept of Devil Fruits as just a sailor's tale?"

Zoro blinked. "Uh..."

Seeing that Zoro didn't have a valid response, Abel continued, "Only a fool dismisses something just because they've never experienced it. I've spent most of my life learning about things that most people dismiss as legends and fairy tales. So I tend to take even the most outlandish stories with a grain of salt." If giant snakes existed, why couldn't fruits that give the people who eat them super powers?

The trio had been steadily making their way through the forest, up into the mountain that loomed over the town. To anyone unaware of the danger it housed, it would've looked majestic in the dying light of the day. But it only served as a reminder of the danger that lurked to those who'd lived there. Never knowing when and where the next attack would come. Had it not been for the guards protecting them from the worst of the danger, most of the inhabitants would've left a long time ago.

As they climbed higher, the fertile dirt began to give way to shale. "We're getting closer," Abel urged, breaking into a jog. The brittle rocks crumpled musically under her feet.

"Where are we going, exactly?" Zoro asked as he and Luffy followed close behind.

"To the Labyrinthe."

Luffy frowned in confusion. "I thought the island was called Labyrinthe."

"It is, but it was named that because of the Labyrinthe," Abel explained. "It's the ruins of an ancient temple from the first people who inhabited this island. People started calling it the Labyrinthe because what's left of the structure looks like a maze." Abel's foot slipped slightly in the loose shale. "That's where the basilisk's nest is."

"If you know where it rests, why don't you all destroy it there?" Zoro asked.

"We have tried," Abel admitted, frowning slightly. "But you've seen for yourself how resilient it is. Its hide is like metal. The best we've managed is to run it off. We've tried in the past to track it to its lair and collapse the tunnel in with explosives. But the ground is too unstable." She paused and picked up a handful of shale. She held the rocks out to the guys. Closing her fist, the shale crumpled into pieces and fell through her fingers as easily as sand. Shaking the rocks from her hand, Abel continued, "It always manages to make another tunnel." The shale that made up the majority of the ground around the mountain offered little resistance to the basilisk. Collapsing its current tunnel just delayed it for however long it took to dig another one.

"Where did it come from?" Luffy asked.

Turning back to face the top of the mountain, Abel continued on. But they had to go at a slower pace now, thanks to the shifting shale. It would be very easy to fall. "I can't say what its exact origins are, but I do know that the first people who lived here were cultists who worshipped an ancient snake god. And he wasn't the warm and fuzzy sort of god. The cultists practiced all sorts of nasty things: black magic, human sacrifices... all that good stuff. They believed that the snake god was one of wrath and destruction, so they did those things to appease it. Therefore, my guess is that the basilisk is either the cause of or the result of the cultists' worship."

"What d'you mean?" Luffy asked, getting confused again.

Abel thought for a moment how to word her research in a simple way. Eventually, she settled on, "Either the cult arrived here, saw the basilisk and viewed it as some sort of god; or their rituals somehow brought the basilisk into existence. I'm more inclined to believe the latter. Black magic and sacrifices never lead to anything good."

"It doesn't really matter where it came from," Zoro growled. "You don't have to understand it to kill it."

"Perhaps," Abel consented. "But knowing whether we're up against some sort of ancient entity or just a snake pumped full of magic can make a huge difference in how we approach it."

"Why would anyone live here in the first place?" Luffy asked.

"Because like all cults, they weren't willing to sacrifice their own people, so they lured people here with the town. You'd be forgiven for not knowing this, what with the pest problem and all, but this island has a lot of resources. In particular, the water surrounding us is rich with fish. So they lured people here and picked them off one-by-one. The sacrifices were either disguised as random animal attacks or they just disappeared altogether, so it took a while before people realized something wicked was afoot. That's where we came in."

"We?" both Zoro and Luffy asked in unison. They had to admit, Abel's story had their full attention.

"My ancestors were monster hunters," Abel continued, with more than a little pride. "They heard about what was going on here and came to investigate. The exact details are scarce, but it's clear that they destroyed the cult and tore their temple down. However, there's no mention of fighting any sort of snake-like creatures. In fact, the basilisk didn't start attacking until a few years ago. Up until that point, things were relatively peaceful here. My personal theory is that the evil that surrounds the Labyrinthe twisted the few animals that remained in the area. You'll see for yourself when we get there; that kind of wickedness has a way of poisoning everything. The basilisk probably started as small as a regular snake, but thanks to its powers it became the top predator. With no natural enemies, it could eat and grow in peace, until it became so big that animals couldn't satisfy its appetite. So it had to turn to larger prey."

"People," Zoro finished.

"Correct."

A silence fell over the group as the two pirates digested this. Ultimately, it didn't matter to them where the basilisk came from. Even if it were some sort of demon or deity, they would still kill it. But it was interesting to think about.

Spotting something in the distance, Luffy squinted his eyes. "Look!" he shouted, pointing at the figure.

It was the horse Adam had been riding. No doubt he left it here when the ground became too difficult for the horse to walk on. "We're almost there. Come on," Abel said, breaking into a run with the pirates close behind.

Even without knowing the evil that had occurred here, it was easy to tell that something was very wrong with the area making up the Labyrinthe. It was unnaturally silent, save for the whistling of the wind through the ruins. The air always felt heavy and cold. It weighed over you like a blanket. The remains of what was once a temple protruded from the ground as if they'd sprouted from the rocks. They gave the impression of a decayed skeleton. Tall pillars supporting nothing. Partial walls with carved murals and unreadable symbols. Jagged overhangs hovering precariously just overhead. It wasn't surprising that people quickly became paranoid here. Self-preservation starts kicking in, telling you that this a bad place and to get away.

A rock skittered down a broken wall, echoing unnaturally loudly in the open space. Adam whipped around, holding his katars defensively in front of him. He remained completely motionless for a tense moment. When he realized the sound had been nothing (or at least not the sound of a giant snake trying to sneak up on him), he lowered his weapons.

"What am I doing here?" he asked himself, not for the first time. He honestly didn't know why he'd charged off on his own like this. He knew his odds against the basilisk were slim. But he'd just been so angry at Abel and the rest. Not the first time his temper had gotten him in trouble. "But I can't go back now. I'll show them..."

Adam wasn't entirely sure how to find the basilisk. It wasn't usually a difficult thing, as it was typically tearing down the town. But it always fled when it was injured or when fighting was taking too much effort. Like most predators, the basilisk didn't want to expend too much energy just to eat when there was easier prey around. You wouldn't think something that size could hide so well. But no matter the size, it was still a snake. An ambush predator.

The only sounds Adam heard were his own footsteps as he searched the ruins. He didn't remember this place being as creepy the last time he'd visited. Of course, he refused to acknowledge that perhaps it wasn't as creepy because he'd had Caine and Abel with him. No, it had nothing to do with his not-sisters. It was just having other people with him. It was only because he knew he was alone. But Adam knew he wouldn't be getting any help this time. No not-sister showing up to save him. 'Not like I care,' Adam thought morosely.

Nearing the perimeter, Adam noted a small pool had formed, likely from some runoff further up the mountain. Staring down into the water, Adam considered his reflection. It wasn't the first time that he noted, in spite of the armor, he didn't look like how a monster hunter ought to. Sure, he knew how to use his katar. But in his mind, he was too skinny. He was practically swimming in the armor. He didn't have the same confident stance as Caine and Abel. He looked like a little kid trying to run after his two older sisters. 'Not sisters,' he told himself again, frowning deeply.

Adam stared at himself a little longer, when he noticed something appear in the reflection with him. He remained perfectly still, waiting. At first, he couldn't make it out. It was just a blurry figure in the water. But as it got closer, the image became clearer, and Adam's eyes got wider. The basilisk peered at him from behind. Adam remained riveted to where he stood, watching as the snake's head disappeared from the reflection. His body was tense, yet he couldn't seem to bring himself to look back. He knew the basilisk was still there. He could hear the hiss of it breathing behind him.

Before he could react, something struck Adam in the back, knocking him down. "Aahh!" Adam screamed as he fell face-first into the pool. Something landed on top of him, holding him down. He could hear the basilisk's cry. Not wanting to let the beast have time to finish him while he was down, Adam scrambled to turn over onto his back. But what he saw was not what he was expecting.

The basilisk was there, all right, but it wasn't what had knocked him down. Instead, it was Abel who was trapping him to the ground. She pushed his body to the ground with one hand while her other arm twisted behind her at an odd angle. Adam paled when he realized why: one of the basilisk's fangs protruded through her arm, exiting through her triceps just below where arm and shoulder meet. Its fang had gone completely through her arm. Although Abel's head was down, Adam could see the grimace on her face. "Abel..." he breathed, unsure of how else to react.

Abel raised her head. "Didn't I say if you wanted me to stop saving you then stop getting yourself in these situations?"

"Now's not the time to be deflecting!" Adam snapped. Abel gave a grin, but she couldn't hide the grimace. Adam couldn't comprehend why Abel had used her body as a shield for him.

She winced when the basilisk started pulling its head back. With the fang still in her arm, that meant it was taking her with it. Adam's eyes widened in horror as the beast pulled his sister off his body. "NO!" he shouted. He reached around for anything to use as a weapon, as he'd lost his katars when Abel knocked him down. His fist closed around a sharp piece of rock. With an enraged cry, Adam wrapped one arm around Abel's shoulders and jabbed the rock into the basilisk's remaining eye. The snake screamed, and thanks to Adam's extra weight Abel's arm slid down the fang. They both landed heavily in the water.

"Gum-Gum Whip!"

A long... leg?... whipped over their heads and slammed into the writhing snake, sending it flying into a chunk of ruins. From under Abel, Adam twisted his head around to see the two men from before quickly closing in. The basilisk let out a screech, turned, and smashed its head into the ground. Twisting its body, it quickly burrowed into the shale.

By the time Zoro and Luffy reached them, Abel was already sitting up and pressing a hand to her wounded arm. The two stood protectively over the siblings for a moment in case the basilisk tried a sneak attack. But when it didn't come back up, Luffy knelt to examine the wound. Blood soaked through Abel's black coat, flowing freely from the gaping wound. "Are you all right?" Luffy asked.

"Oh yeah," Abel ground out, applying more pressure to the wound. "Normally having teeth the size of a sword shoved through someone's arm would hurt. But I'm a masochist, so it just tickles a little."

Luffy stared at Abel for a moment, unsure of how to respond. All he managed was, "Really?"

Abel gave the straw-hatted boy a long look. "No. It feels like my arm's on fire."

"Oh..." Luffy sweatdropped. How was he supposed to know she was being sarcastic when she said it in such an even tone?

"What about the venom?" Zoro asked in concern.

Holding her arm out slightly, Abel replied, "I think I'll be okay. It's a through-and-through wound. I don't think the fang would've had time to inject any venom into my system." As her arm started to ache, she lowered it back to her side. "If not, then let's hope my dad got a jump on that anti-venom."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" Adam screamed at them, interrupting.

"Saving you, obviously," Luffy replied.

Adam glowered at the trio before glaring at the ground. "Why did you save me?" he asked in a whisper.

A long silence settled over them, with only the whistling wind in the background. Finally, Abel slowly asked, "What went through your mind when you stabbed the basilisk in the eye?"

Adam's head snapped up and he looked at Abel in surprise. His mouth hung open as he tried to think of the answer. 'What was I thinking about?' "Getting it to let you go," he answered at length.

"And?"

"That I couldn't believe you were stupid enough to do that."

"And?"

Adam looked frustrated then. "What do you mean, 'And?'!? That was it! I wasn't really thinking anything!"

"Exactly."

Abel's calm, self-assured answer halted any rant Adam may have been about to start. With everyone's attention on her, Abel began to explain. "You were thinking that someone you'd known for your entire life, someone you grew up with, someone you cared about, was in danger. Exact blood relation didn't matter." Her eyes pierced into Adam's. "I bet in that moment you still thought of me as your sister."

This gave Adam pause. For a second he wanted to deny it, but he knew it was true. When her life had been in danger, any thought of their actual familial relationship had gone out the window. All he'd thought about was how she was in trouble and needed him.

Seeing that Adam had realized this, Abel stood slowly. "That's why we never told you when they told us we weren't actually siblings. Not to be mean or to hide anything. It just never matter to us. It didn't change the way we thought of you. Who cares if we're just cousins? We grew up together. We played together. We've shed blood, sweat and tears together. That's good enough for me."

Adam started to tear up. Abel was right. It didn't matter that they weren't blood siblings. They'd been together their entire lives. And Caine and Abel had known they weren't siblings for years, yet not once had there ever been a time when Adam remembered them treating him any different from they always had. "I'm an idiot," Adam admitted.

"Yeah, you are," Abel agreed. "But I've come to expect that." Adam should've been mad, but it was hard to when Abel was grinning widely at him like that.

Luffy and Zoro, who'd been standing by quietly while the two talked, smiled. They might not understand everything that was going on, but they were glad to see that the two siblings/not-siblings had reconciled. "So what now?" Zoro asked, glancing at Luffy.

"Now..." Abel began, beginning to unbutton her coat with her good hand. "Adam is going to go back to town and let them know everything's okay, while the three of us finish the basilisk once and for all." With a flourish, Abel tossed the coat to the side. It was soaked with blood and water anyway.

The guys blinked. 'What is she wearing?'

They weren't really sure what they expected someone like Abel to be wearing under a military trench coat, but a corset was not at the top of the list. But sure enough, a black satin corset garbed her torso. Granted it did have six sets of bronze buttons connected with chains going down the front, like you'd see on a military outfit. Seemingly ignorant of their expressions, Abel unwound her scarf and wrapped it securely around her injury as a makeshift bandage. This revealed the strange garment she wore around her shoulders. It was a sort of modified one-shoulder sleeveless bolero (aka a shrug). It was made from the same fabric as the corset. It covered the right side of her chest and shoulder, looping under her arm and attaching into a choker around her neck. There was also a strap that went to the left, crossing her chest and back, under her right arm and buckling near her shoulder. Overall it didn't seem like the most practical outfit (of course what did the guys know about fashion) but it looked pretty badass, with this sort of steampunk/militant look. It also gave them a better view of what Abel looked like under that heavy coat. Her figure fit that of a ranger: long and slender. She wasn't overly buxom (although she did fill that corset out well), with a narrow waist and was wider around the hips. She had some solid-looking legs, and overall gave the appearance that she wouldn't shatter if you hit her.

Apparently this was normal attire for Abel, as her brother didn't bat an eyelash. "Didn't you say we should regroup rather than trying to finish it off?" he asked.

"I did," Abel agreed. "But the circumstances have changed." As she turned, Zoro noticed she had something attached to the back of her belt. He couldn't say what it was, other than a mess of molded black metal. "Now that both of its eyes are gone, it won't be able to paralyze us. I really do think now we have to finish it before it heals. When's the next time we'll get a chance like this?"

"But none of our attacks have worked so far," Luffy stated.

"True, but everything has a weakness. And I have a plan." Reaching around, Abel grabbed the mass of metal at her back and detached it from her belt. With a sharp flick of her wrist, the two largest pieces slid back, revealing it to be-

"A retractable bow!?" Luffy exclaimed, his eyes shining. Indeed, it was a compound bow where the limbs could retract towards the riser (the center part), thus allowing it to be more compactly carried. Luffy looked at Abel in awe. "You have the coolest stuff!"

Abel smirked as she strung the bow with practiced ease. "I'm glad you think so. Because my plan requires you to put your trust in my ability to use my 'cool stuff.'"

After filling the guys in on her plan, everyone took their positions. Adam, with much reluctance, agreed to go back to the town when Abel insisted their father should know that she may have been poisoned... just in case. Abel had perched herself on top of the sturdiest pillar she could find that gave a good view of what would soon become their arena. Luffy and Zoro remained on the ground near where the basilisk had disappeared. Luffy stood in view of Abel with his back to her, with specific instructions to try to remain in that line of sight. Zoro was off to the side, hopefully to aid in getting the basilisk where Abel needed it to be to finish it off.

Abel's arm throbbed as she pulled an arrow from the small, aged leather quiver attached to the back of her right hip. She hadn't been lying when she said she was sure she hadn't been poisoned, but her wound was still serious. Every little twitch of her arm sent another wave of hot, throbbing pain down to her fingertips. Her scarf already felt wet from soaking up the blood. But she had to push that to the side for now. Focus... Nocking the arrow, Abel drew the bowstring back to full, aimed in Luffy's direction, and nodded.

Luffy and Zoro, who'd been waiting for Abel's signal, nodded back. Zoro drew his swords, his bandana already in place, and Luffy cracked his knuckles. "HEY SNAKE!" Luffy screamed as loud as he could. He began punching the ground, sending bits of shale flying about. "COME ON OUT AND FACE ME!" Abel was banking on the basilisk's senses being more or less like a regular snake's. Despite being blind, it should be able to feel the vibrations through the ground. Hopefully it would still be enraged enough from its injuries to attack.

Luffy continued to shout and beat on the ground for a few moments, until the shale started to rattle. Both men prepared themselves. The rattling became louder and louder, until the snake burst forth in all of its hissing, angry glory. With both of its eyes damaged, they could look the snake square in the face this time without fear.

The basilisk's tongue flicked out, trying to smell them out. It turned its massive head in Zoro's direction and, with a great screech, lunged. Zoro met the snake, sword-to-fang. Zoro put all of his strength into his arms to keep the fangs away from his face. But the snake has size on its side. And with the slippery shale underfoot, Zoro felt himself sliding backwards.

But before he got pushed back too far... "Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy punched the snake in the temple again, knocking it to the side. "Why don't you fight me, ya' overgrown worm!?" Luffy taunted.

Clearly the basilisk recognized Luffy's voice, because it immediately forgot about Zoro and charged at Luffy. Watching from above, Abel readied herself. Her arm was starting to shake from the strain of holding the bow back, but she managed to keep her hands steady. 'Get ready,' she told herself.

The basilisk lunged towards Luffy, mouth open wide as it prepared to swallow him in one bite. "Not today, Snakey!" Leaping, Luffy grabbed the snake's upper jaw with both hands while firmly wedging his feet against the lower jaw. With all of his strength, Luffy pried the basilisk's mouth open as wide as possible. But keeping them open when the monster started flailing around was difficult.

The monster bucked and whipped around, trying to either throw Luffy off or throw him into its mouth. Abel concentrated, waiting for the best opening. She only had one shot. If she missed, the basilisk would probably realize their plan and either come after her or go back into hiding. And she certainly didn't want to shoot Luffy in the back.

Then, she saw her chance. If the snake came back around it would line up perfectly. She aimed at where the snake would be, took a deep breath and released the arrow. The arrow flew through the air with a piercing sound, flying a hair's breadth from Luffy's torso, into the basilisk's mouth and pierced into the roof. The basilisk sagged slightly, groaning in pain. "Now, Zoro!" Abel shouted.

He wasted no time. Zoro lunged with both swords out and sliced down, cutting the basilisk's neck right where the plume began. The swords cut through with surprising ease and the head detached from the body. Luffy was quick to disengage from the snake's mouth, landing safely a few feet away from where the massive skull landed. The body continued to twitch a bit longer before it too fell still.

Everyone stared at the basilisk in silence for a few moments, soaking in the fact that the beast was dead. And then... "WOOOOOOO!" Luffy cheered, throwing his arms in the air. Zoro smirked, pulling the bandana off. A grin split Abel's face as she collapsed her bow and hitched it to her belt.

"That was such a rush!" Luffy exclaimed. "Staring down into that snake's mouth! Knowing that I could die! And then you took him down with a single arrow!" Luffy practically beamed as Abel joined them on the ground.

"My guess what that, no matter how tough its exterior, its insides had to be as squishy as ours," Abel replied. She tapped her temple. "One shot, right through the brain."

Gazing up at the darkening sky, Zoro commented, "We should head back now. I'm sure everyone's worried."

But before they could do anything else, Abel walked forward until she was in front of the basilisk's head and sat down on her knees. "What's wrong, Abel?" Luffy asked as the guys came to stand on either side of her. "Is it your arm?"

"No..." Abel answered softly. She kept her eyes on the basilisk, staring into what was left of its eyes. Abel began to talk, almost in a whisper, as if she'd forgotten she wasn't alone. "I'm just... taking in the fact that we actually did it. Monster hunting is in my blood, and I've been training and studying for years but... this is the first time I've taken down something that I could unquestioningly call a monster. I killed something that was bigger, stronger and older than me through cunning and strategy. I've strived for this moment, and I've always been confident in my abilities. But to have real proof..." Her eyes hardened, shining with resolution. "Now I know I can do this. I can go out and learn about these creatures that terrorize and prey on the weak. I can learn how to hunt them. I am a Monster Hunter."

Seeming to come back to herself, Abel glanced back at the guys. "And I feel I should apologize to you two." Luffy and Zoro looked confused, unsure of what Abel had to apologize for. Continuing, "When we first met, I didn't think much of you. But now..." She gave them a lopsided grin. "Well, let's just say it was good thing to be wrong about." Luffy and Zoro returned her grin. It wasn't like they could blame her, given their first impression. It would probably be happening a lot.

Abel slapped her hands down on her thighs. "All right. Now we can go back." But as she stood, Abel staggered a little. Zoro and Luffy instantly moved in to help, but Abel managed to steady herself by placing her hand against Zoro's (very sturdy, she noticed) chest. Her head swam for a minute. After the bright lights went away, Abel commented, "Okay, that may have been from the blood loss," in perhaps a lighter tone than necessary.

"Will you be able to walk?" Luffy asked.

"Yeah," Abel replied, standing up straight again. "Besides, you two are going to have your hands full as it is."

"Huh?"

To say the trio caused a scene when they re-entered the town would've been an understatement. Of course that's to be expected when you walk into town carrying the corpse of a monster. People gawked in awe and disbelief as the guys dropped the basilisk's heavy body on the pavement. Murmuring rose up as a crowd gathered around them. Clearly they were in shock. A few guards approached Abel cautiously, seeming as if they were afraid it was a dream. Abel glanced around at the faces of her people. For the first time in years, she saw hope beginning to shine in their eyes. Compelled by the gravity of the situation, Abel lifted the basilisk's massive head into the air and declared, "It's finished! The beast is dead!"

There was dead silence for a long moment... but all it took was one person to let out a cheer of pure relief, and the others quickly followed suit. The cheer rolled through the town like a wave as the new quickly spread. The monster that had tormented them for years was finally gone. No more would they have to fear for their lives and homes. Guards and civilians alike pushed close to see the vanquished basilisk, if only to confirm that it wasn't a dream.

Abel'd barely had time to set the beast's head on the ground before she was engulfed in a tight embrace. Twisting her neck around, she saw the culprit. "Daddy," she managed, as her father seemed intent on crushing her lungs.

Josiah Bastion didn't look anything like the rest of his family, with his dirty blonde hair always combed back neatly and tired blue-gray eyes. He was tall and wiry, with persistent bags under his eyes due to long days healing people and even longer nights doing experiments and research. He pulled back from crushing his daughter, and Abel could see the tears of relief in his eyes. He always tried to be so professional, but he really was a big softie. Josiah grabbed Abel's face and held it gently, tilting it from side to side, no doubt examining for any injuries. When his eyes landed on her scarf, he began to pull her away from the growing crowd. He didn't need to say a word for Abel to know he was taking her to treat her wound.

But before they left, she turned to see where Luffy and Zoro were. She grinned when she saw them being similarly dragged away by some of the townsfolk, most likely to a celebration meal. Catching Luffy's eye, she mouthed, "Come find me when you're done." Luffy gave her a thumbs-up before they lost sight of each other in the crowd.

"A book of monsters?"

Abel nodded, not look up from where she was scribbling rough but precise notes. "Yes. It's been my dream since I learned of my family's heritage. It's not enough just to be a Monster Hunter. I want to study them, catalogue them, and learn their strengths and weaknesses. It's not enough to just randomly stumble upon the best way to kill them. Too many people die that way. I want to learn about my enemy so not only can I better know how to fight them, but so I can train others as well. To bring back the Monsters Hunters."

It had been well into the night before Luffy and Zoro had been able to rejoin Abel at her family's home. Between all the celebrations and congratulations, it'd taken a while for them to get free from the grateful townsfolk. When they arrived, they found Abel still wide awake and working fervently on sketching and examining the basilisk's body (the head had already been mounted and posted on the tallest building in town for everyone to see). She'd set up several lanterns around the yard so she could see. Her wound had already been tended to. Her father'd sutured and bandaged it with professional ease. Now her scarf had resumed its rightful place around her neck.

"Sounds ambitious," Zoro mused, trying to glance over Abel's shoulder to see what she was writing.

Abel nodded. "I might never see every type of monster that exists before I die, but so long as I'm able to leave my insights for future monster hunters, I'll consider it a success. And hopefully it will inspire others to continue my work until there's not a single monster that exists that we don't know how to handle."

"Then you should totally come with us!" Luffy exclaimed, causing Abel to look up at him. He grinned winningly at her.

"He's right," Zoro agreed. "I'm sure there are all sorts of monsters in the Grand Line." The place wasn't known and Sailor's Graveyard for nothing.

Luffy giggled. "Plus, how cool would it be to have a Monster Hunter in the crew?"

Abel hid her face behind her journal. "I'm glad you asked," she stated cryptically.

"Oh?"

Raising her head, Abel smirked at the two. "Saves me the awkwardness of begging you to take me." Zoro and Luffy returned the look, glad that she'd decided to join before they'd even asked. "Now then..." Abel placed her journal on the table she'd set up, keeping it open. She reached for a pair of latex gloves. "You two might want to head inside," she warned, pulling the gloves on with a snap. It wasn't really necessary, but sometimes it was fun to be dramatic.

"Why?" Luffy asked curiously.

"Because..." Abel began, picking up a scalpel from a nearby surgical kit. She held the thin blade in a surprisingly menacing manner and she smirked wickedly at the guys. "The dissection is about to begin and I'd hate you to get squeamish."

The next morning was bittersweet for Abel. She was finally setting out to fulfill her dream, confident not only in herself and her goals, but that she was traveling with capable (if crazy) companions. But she was also leaving her home. For the first time, she'd be leaving Labyrinthe Isle with no intention of returning. Sure, she'd gone to some of the surrounding islands with her father on some of his trips, learning a bit about science in the process. But she'd always known she'd be coming back. Now, assuming she'd even live long enough to make it back, it would be a very long time before she saw her friends and family again. And while it did make her sad, Abel was also very excited. She was finally doing it. She was finally taking the first major step towards her dream. And she was certain she'd have all sorts of amazing adventures along the way. Especially if Luffy had anything to say about it.

But before any adventures could be had, the trio had to leave Labyrinthe Isle. Which was proving to be slightly more challenging than expected. "No, please," Abel was currently pleading, holding her hands up to halt the townsfolk lining the dock. "We can't carry that much food." It would seem that nearly everyone in town wanted to send their saviors off with barrels and baskets of food. And while the gesture was much appreciated, it was just impractical.

"Aww..." Luffy pouted from the boat, eyeing all the free food with hungry eyes. "Why not?"

"Because all that food would capsize the boat!" Zoro snapped. Luffy just continued to pout, unconvinced that was a bad thing. Hitting his captain lightly on the back of the head with a sword, Zoro commented, "If you want to carry that much food then we need to get a bigger boat."

Turning back to the townsfolk, Abel decided to compromise. "Please, we appreciate all this, but we can't carry that much. And I'd hate for your gifts to just spoil. So please, just decide on an amount that can be compactly carried and won't spoil." This seemed to appease the townsfolk, as they set about figuring out what foods they had would last on a boat voyage.

Sighing in relief, Abel turned and tossed her duffle bag to Zoro. It hit him heavily in the stomach. "Oof! What's in here?" He rubbed his stomach where something had poked him.

"Just some clothes, tools and a few journals," Abel replied. Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye, and she turned. It was her family. "Hey, give me a second," she told the guys and she headed over to her family. Silently, Zoro and Luffy left Abel to say her goodbyes.

As she approached them, she gifted them with a small, slightly sad smile. "I guess this is it," was all she could lamely say, her wit leaving her.

Sara had tears in her eyes as she pulled her daughter into a hug. "My daughter, the pirate. Not something I ever thought I'd be saying." She gave a tearful chuckle, and Abel had to fight from tearing up as well. Pressing her face deeper into Abel's neck, Sara said, "You'd better write to us when you're able." She kissed Abel on the cheek as she pulled away.

"I'll keep an eye out for a mail bird," Abel assured before moving on to her father.

"You know, when I said I was looking forward to you moving out, I didn't mean leaving the island," Josiah said in a half-joking manner.

Abel grinned. "You know me; I never do anything half way."

Casting a glance toward the boat she'd be leaving on, Josiah admitted, "I'd be more comfortable if the crew you were leaving with had a doctor... but I know you can look after yourself." He then pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead.

As Abel stood before Adam, she noted he didn't have his armor on. Noticing her expression, Adam quietly admitted, "I don't think I'm cut out to be a monster hunter. I think I was just trying to be like my big sisters." He looked up at Abel, eyes clearly showing fear of her reaction. "Are you angry?"

Abel gave Adam a gentle smile. "No," she said, being completely honest. "I'd only be mad if you weren't true to yourself." Abel surprised Adam with a hug. "I know you'll find your own path." Adam hesitated before returning the embrace just as vehemently.

Stepping back, Abel gazed over her family for what may be the last time. She took a moment to memorize everything about that moment. From the way they looked to how the weather felt in that moment. She wanted to always remember this. And when there was nothing left to say, Abel turned away. "I guess this is goodbye. And if I run into Caine out there on the sea, I'll be sure to let her know everything she missed." With one final wave, Abel boarded the boat.

"Ready?" Luffy asked her.

"Yeah," was all she could say. And with that, the ever-expanding Straw Hat crew set off for the open sea again.

The townsfolk waved until they couldn't see the boat over the horizon anymore. But the Bastion family remained a while longer, gazing out at where another child had disappeared to. "Do you think she'll be all right?" Sara asked.

"I'm sure she will," Josiah answered, sad but confident. "Even from the beginning she's never let anyone dictate where her path should take her or when it should end. Not even Death."

So that's it. The end of Abel's introduction. The story will pick up next time with Buggy's arc.