Woot! Another update from yours truly ;)

So apparently Haruta is in fact a girl ._.Huh. Well thank you angelrider13 for letting me know, I can't really change anything since that would be a rather large plot hole…so let's just say it's M!Haruta, k?

Well anyway, thank you angelrider13, SoraLover987142, camierose, UNICORNSPOORAINBOWS, and Emz for reviewing!

And sorry to anonymous reviewer Surfer Girl…hehe forgot to thank you last chapter ^_^" Well…thanks for reviewing chapter 4!

And special thanks to PortgasDLisanna for her wonderful review! I love reviews like that, where they tell me why it's good and some such (not that I don't love my other reviewers, you guys rock!)

And to one of my most loyal reviewers, MarcoAce, you're questions will be answered this chapter, so without further ado, I present Chapter 6!

Chapter 6

Minako trudged her way into Whitebeard's chambers with Chibi at tow. She knocked on the door cautiously.

"Come in." His voice boomed, Minako flinched slightly, already planning an escape plot if things went bad. Slowly, she opened the door and stepped in.

"Y-You sent me…Whitebeard-Sama."

Whitebeard stared at her for a moment before giving a hearty laugh, "No need for honorifics, Pops is a more suitable title." He chuckled.

Minako blinked for a moment before nodding, "A-Alright…Pops…"

"And quit being so meek. I'm not here to intimidate you."

Minako nodded and straightened her back and saying, "What is it you wanted, Pops?"

Pops gave a pleased grunt before speaking.

"How has you're day been on the ship?"

Minako remembered the encounters she had with her new…siblings? And said, "They're…interesting…"
"They were antagonizing you weren't they? Grahaha! My boys are curious like that. Always gotta see what's going on." He laughed shamelessly.

Minako stood there patiently, waiting for more questions that were sure to come.

"Well, this may be an uncomfortable subject for you but…would you like to talk about your childhood?"
Minako cringed and shook her head; she'd rather just forget the nightmare then relive it.

Pops nodded, seeing her pain, so he brought up another one. "That's an interesting Devil-Fruit. A Zoan if I'm not mistaken. How long have you known how to use it?"

Minako frowned and thought for a moment, "About…three and a half years…" She said, telling him about when she first learned how to morph inbetween forms.

Flashback

A young, ten year old Minako was walking around, messing with her ears, pushing them down as if, maybe if she pushed down hard enough, they'll go right back into her head and leave her alone.

She sighed, "It's useless…" She muttered, collapsing on the ground from exhaustion.

"THERE SHE IS! THAT'S MY SKIRT! THIEF! THIEF!"

Minako groaned and scrambled to her feet, running from the angry horde of citizens again.

She was running so fast she didn't see a small bump on the ground, Minako gasped and tripped over her own feet.

"THERE SHE IS! DON'T LET HER GET AWAY!"

The girl's eyes widened and tried to get up. Ow! She winced, now wasn't the best of time's to be having a sprained ankle.

"HURRY!"

"Ugh!" Minako hissed in pain. Then a villager caught up with her, grabbing her by her collar, he gave a sadistic grin.

"Gotcha."
Minako gasped, fear welled up in her.

And the weirdest thing happened…

Minako suddenly felt herself getting smaller. She felt a fuzzy sensation on her, as if she just put on a really itchy sweater.

The villager's eye widened, Minako blinked, and looked at herself, and screamed as loudly as ever…

…well more like, rawred as loudly as ever.

The villager dropped her and the horde ran away, screaming something about a demonic tigress, Minako just ignored them and landed on all fours, assessing herself in shocked interest.

She was a little tiger, a cub to be specific.

Must be part of the Devil-Fruit…She thought; and ran back to her beach to jump around in tiger form.

Flashback over

"I see..." Pops said, stroking his mustache in thought. "Is that all you can do with it?"
Minako nodded, "It's all I've found out so far…"

Pops smiled, "Minako are you aware of Marco's Devil Fruit?" Minako blinked, "Marco ate a Devil Fruit?" She asked in bewilderment.

Pops nodded, "It's called the Pheonix-Pheonix Fruit. A Mythical Zoan type. I want you to ask him to train you."
Minako gulped, she knew everything about phoenixes….like what they control.

The same thing that destroyed her parents.

She shook her head violently, "I-I'm sorry b-but…" She couldn't find a good excuse to get out of it.

"But what?"
"N-Nothing. Thank you…Pops…" She smiled gratefully, then walked out of the room.

XxXxXx

The years past by, Minako still hadn't asked Marco to train her. She was ashamed of herself for letting her fear get in the way of her training.

Minako: Age 15

"Hey Minako, what can I get for you today?"

Minako grinned at Izo, having got over that incident long ago, she really got to know Izo.

"A Whitebeard tattoo please!"

Izo chuckled, "Pops finally let you get one?"
"Yep! Now I want it right…here!" She pointed to her arm. "And then I want a Yin-Yang right…here! On my ankle! Oh oh! I also want a tiger on my wrist! And-"

Izo laughed, "Let's not go overboard now, three tattoos and that's it."

Minako frowned but nodded.

Minako: Age 17

"You want what?" Haruta blinked in surprise.

Minako grinned, "I want orange highlights to my hair. You take care of those, right?"
"Well yeah, but…are you sure? Your hair is fine I don't want to-"
"Haruta, pleeeeeaaase!" Minako changed into her chibi-cub form and gave him the puppy eyes.

"Baaaaah…" Chibi sweatdropped.

Haruta twitched and finally nodded.

"Fine, go sit right there and I'll get my dye ready."

Minako: Age 19

"Look at that, Marco, Minako-Chan's all grown up."

"Yep, we better watch out for any guys out there, thinking they can take her. You got the rifle ready?"
"You guuuyys!" Minako pleaded in embarrassment.

"Baaaaah…"
"How come that thing's not dead yet?"
WHAM!

Thatch stood there in a bloody heap, Marco laughing his butt off.

Minako: Age 20

Minako sighed, putting her newspaper down.

She was all grown up now. Her jet black hair now had orange highlights like Haruta promised long ago, her Whitebeard tattoo resting on her right arm, a yin-yang on her foot, and a tiger on her wrist.

She was wearing a bright orange tankini with blue jeans, an orange hair band rested on her head and flip-flops under her feet.

"Minako! Come quick!" Thatch's voice rang out.

"Baaaaah," A full grown Chibi complained. Minako patted his head and walked out.

"What is it now? Another pirate rai…" She blinked at another pirate ship. She walked over to the end and looked at the Jolly Roger.

"Oi, Minako, do you think you can tell what ship that is?"

"Those are the Spade Pirates, a rookie pirate crew. They're captains is 'Fire Fist' Ace, user of the Flare-Flare Fruit." She shivered, "He's once even been asked to be Shichibukai.

Marco nodded, "Their captain just beat the shit out of Jimbei." Minako's eyes widened.

"WHICH ONE OF YOU SAID YOU'D TAKE MY HEAD?! IF YOU WANT IT SO BADLY, THEN HERE YOU GO!" Pops shouted, jumping on the ship and sending the captain's men flying.

Fire Fist's eyes widened and created a wall of fire to protect his men. Minako's eyes widened and she let out a little shriek, bolting behind Jozu.

"Men! Leave now! I'll take on Whitebeard!" Fire Fist yelled, facing Pops.

"B-But Captain-"
"I SAID GO!"

Minako shook her head, already knowing what was happening without having to turn her head.

1. Pops is laughing, a sign of mock gloating to taunt his opponent

2. Fire Fist glared at him

3. Fire Fist used his signature move

4. Fire Fist failed

"CAPTAIN!" His men cried, Minako frowned, feeling a little bad for them.

XxXxXx

Minako rolled her eyes, to think just a few minutes ago she thought this guy was attractive!

First he gave a solemn vow to take Pops' head. (Yeah right. Like that'll happen)

Then he had the nerve to try to attack Pops from behind. (Yup. That worked…not)

Finally Pops got tired of him and told Minako to take him to his new room; Minako grimaced at Fire Fist's reaction of their being a woman on the crew (gasp! A sexist maniac!)

"Uhh hope you don't mind my asking, but what's you're occupation on this ship?" Fire Fist asked.

Minako raised her brows, "Excuse me?"
"Well, from the stories I've heard, Whitebeard only had men on his ship. Not woman. So I'm guessing you're the nurse or barmaid or something?"

Ohh that did it.

Chibi gave Fire Fist an angry baa while Minako whirled on him

"I don't know about the stories you've heard, Mister Fire-Fist, but I am an official Whitebeard," She flung her arm out and showed him the tattoo, "And second, if you even imply that I look like a barmaid or a nurse, I will personally hunt you down and rip out your throat." With that said Minako turned around and stomped her way to Fire-Fist's new room.

The way there Fire-Fist was silent, good. Minako thought, Maybe next time he'll think twice before he speaks.

"Um…sorry about that." Fire-Fist said, surprising Minako, "I didn't know that know that would offend you."

Minako turned her head to look at him, analyzing his face for any signs of sarcasm, what surprised her was when she didn't find any. He was genuinely apologetic.

"I…guess I overreacted." Minako mumbled. "My name's Minako, this is Chibi and this is your room." she motioned to the door, "You will be sharing with Marco and Thatch, Marco I'm sure you won't have a problem with, Thatch…just needs some getting used to."

Fire Fist nodded, "Good to know."

Minako continued, "If you have any questions just ask Izo, he's sort of the infomercial of this ship." Minako nodded and walked off. Leaving Fire Fist to his new room.

XxXxXx

Minako walked into the dining room where she was supposed to meet up with Haruta, Jozu and Izo. She walked over to what seemed like their official table.

"Hey guys." She said, sitting down and helping herself to Izo's steak. Izo, being a vegetarian, just watched her in mild disgust.

"So, Minako-Chan, when are you going to start finding a boyfriend?" Haruta asked, looking at her anxiously.

Minako glanced up at him and wiped the fat and juice off her face, "What'dya mean?" She asked.

"Well, you're twenty years old…you're pretty attractive, and every time you step foot on an island there's some random pervert leering at you."

Minako raised a brow, "I'm not interested in anyone." She said simply, wiping her mouth with a paper towel, "Besides, I'm a pirate; it's not like a have a wide variety of men to choose from."

"Well no…but maybe you can find one that is a pirate…mainly one that cares about his looks…so he doesn't look like a dog all day…" Izo said slowly. Haruta scowled at him.

"Or you can choose one who's been with you from the start, who's guided you through the rocky paths of your life…" Haruta pointed out.

"What are you guys getting at…"

Haruta scowled while Izo face-palmed. Jozu just sat there, "I told you guys."

Minako's eyes narrowed and looked at Jozu, "What's going on…"

"They're trying to set you up with either Marco or Thatch. Haruta says Marco and Izo says Thatch."

Minako crossed her arms and glowered at the two, "Really, guys? I thought we were over this after you tried to set me up with Vista. Besides, I'm not into those two; they're like brothers to me." She continued with her meal, feeding Chibi a piece of bread every now and then.

Izo and Haruta sighed on defeat, and continued on with the rest of their meal as well.

WHAM!

They all looked up to see Fire-Fist flying through the door. Haruta winced while Minako muttered, "This is gonna be a loooong year."

End of Chapter 6