It's been a few weeks, and I've mostly just been resting and trying to think. The path of a writer is to follow whatever story pops into his or her mind at a given moment, and in my case I get several per day, if not dozens. It can be rather irritating sometimes, to the point that it feels ridiculous. Oddly enough my mind doesn't want to work on Changing Tides all that much lately, or Gallade's Arm. Just practice work mostly, some small work on stories I plan to post, but otherwise, just one practice idea after another.

Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and enjoy.

I yawned quietly as I looked out to the sea. Sario was humming to himself at the helm. I didn't recognize the tune, but it was a somewhat happy one. After a few minutes, I slowly got up and yawned into my hand.

"Something wrong, captain?" He asked. I shook my head and turned.

"I'm bored." I said. "There's nothing to do right now. I might take a nap in the crow's nest."

"We don't have a crow's nest." He said. I blinked and looked up the mast.

"Oh yeah." I said quietly. "Well…" I shrugged and sat down before resting on my side. "I guess here will do nicely." I moved my hat as he laughed.

"You sure do sleep a lot." He said. I made a quiet sound as I closed my eyes.

"There's nothing else to do." I said. "I can't exactly practice any of my skills."

"You can do that shapeshifting thing you told me about." He said.

"No point." I said tiredly. "I've mastered all I can of it, and learning anything else requires, just a little too much effort." I moved the hat down a little.

"How does it work then?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I just, think of what I want to look like." I said. "I concentrate on it, control my muscles, and the power that I was bestowed does the rest." I yawned and smiled.

"How long did it take to figure it out?" He asked. I opened my eyes and raised the hat a little so I could look at him.

"A few months." I said. I sat up. "I was on my captain's ship, and I had been trying to figure it out, but I didn't have any real clues."

"So, there's nothing about a fruit called the Henkan-Henkan?" Pops asked. I shook my head.

"Not much." I said. "The only interesting thing is it said that the fruit itself would be an indicator. It kept, changing." He put his hand to his chin. "Other than that, they don't know how to classify it, and any tests they did wouldn't yield any information." I held up the book. It had been 'borrowed' from a Marine science ship a few weeks before I arrived. "The only thing they made primary note of was that the 'test subject' ended up falling over the ship due to an accident that wasn't elaborated on while trying to learn how to control it." I lowered it and he put his hand on the arm of the chair. "But, thank you. I'm sure I'll think of something sooner or later." I put the book in my pack at my side before he laughed.

"Be sure to tell me when you do." He said. "I'm sure whatever it is you can do, you won't fall overboard… Though if you do, someone'll jump in after you." He leaned forward and patted my head a few times, making me giggle before I reached up and hugged his arm.

"Thanks pops." I said. He gently removed me and I smiled as I walked away. Less than half a year in and already I was helping around with various things, like cooking or scrubbing the deck clean, and I even got to help keep the swords and other close quarter weapons sharp. I was learning from everyone around me, and my lessons with Haki were coming along 'darn quick', as pops put it. 'I'd better fix my hair. I don't have to pretend to be a boy anymore.' I opened the door to my room and grabbed a comb, immediately working on the trouble spots, and after that I began brushing it carefully. As I closed my eyes, I started thinking. "I hope I start getting a little more muscular soon. I don't want to look weak." My body started tingling for a few seconds, but it happened from time to time when I said something like that. "Just a little more muscle, and maybe I could look like a real pirate." My body tingled a little more and I opened my eyes, instantly halting my work on my hair. My reflection showed that my muscles were noticeably larger, mostly thanks to the dark gray tee shirt I wore. I finished the last brush stroke and set it down and looked at my arms, flexing slightly. "How did this happen? I was scrawny a second ago." My muscles suddenly shrank back to normal and I stared for a moment before a thought occurred. "I wish, my arms were a little longer." My arms tingled and slowly began growing in length. I laughed quietly as I turned and held them out. "Shorter." They slowly shrank back to normal, or close to it. "A little more, back to normal…" When they were the normal length I laughed. "S-so, I just have to think it? Or, say it? This is awesome." I grinned. "Pops is gonna flip. I can…" I looked at my reflection as I lowered my arms. 'Green eyes and hair…' A few seconds went by and my hair started changing from the roots, turning mossy green while my eyes slowly changed from the outside of the iris, equally green, and my grin grew wider. 'Back to normal.' My eyes and hair changed back, but I noticed something. Each time was just a little faster. Not a very noticeable speed, but from the first time, it was a lot faster. 'Cool.' I giggled into my hand and smoothed my hair. "I gotta show the old man." I turned and quickly jogged out of my room, seeing someone walking away from the captain's chair. As I walked around he let out a yawn before he looked at me.

"What's that grin for?" He asked. "Looks like you're pretty proud for, somethin'." I nodded.

"I figured it out." I said happily.

"Figured what out?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My power." I said. I pointed at my hair. "See my hair? Isn't it long and silver?" He laughed.

"I think you've finally lost it, kiddo." He said. I smirked as I felt it changing, and he stopped laughing after a second, his eyes widening a little. "How'd you do that?"

"Same way my eyes turned red and my skin got really pale." I said smartly.

"But they're…" He started. He stared as I grinned a little wider. "Well, I'll be a… You can change what you look like." I nodded.

"Yup." I said happily. "And I think all I have to do is either say it or think it to make it happen, like my muscles are a little bigger." I slowly felt my muscles changing as he laughed.

"How about that…" He said proudly. "My little girl's already figuring out just what she can do. Now all you need is training so you don't get walloped in a real fight." I smirked.

"Well, at least I'll look normal in a few seconds." I said. As we laughed, I stopped when the change didn't happen. "Uh, back to normal." I looked at my body, but I didn't change at all.

"Well?" He asked. "Why aren't you going back to normal?" I shook my head.

"I don't know." I said. "It happened before… Maybe, something's different. Maybe I didn't change back fast enough." I looked at him as he scratched his head.

"Well, you look a little stronger at least." He said. "Not quite a little beanpole anymore." I shrugged.

"Well, I'll figure it out later." I said. "For now, I guess I'll introduce myself around again." He started laughing and I joined in after a second.

"So, you figured it out while you were brushing your hair…" Sario said. I nodded. "And you got stuck?"

"Yup." I said. "Luckily it didn't stop me from growing naturally or I'd look like a kid forever." He shrugged and looked up. "Are we close?"

"I'd say about half an hour if the wind stays with us." He said. He looked at me. "So, you never mentioned what color your hair was. Or, why you didn't just think yourself back to normal."

"Turns out it doesn't work that way." I said. "When I was Zabrisa, I couldn't get stuck like that. You see, from what I figure, the first full body transformation was permanent, like, it was a reset or something. In that move, showing off, I got trapped as a moderately muscled, silver haired, red eyed girl with really pale skin." He nodded slowly. "Any other changes from then on, even full body, are not permanent, nor will they ever be."

"And, your natural hair and eye color?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Does it matter?" I asked. "I can't change back to that look for some reason. But it doesn't bother me." I leaned back. "I like this look. If you hadn't challenged me, and if you hadn't been chased and then rescued by me, would you have remembered me as easily if my hair and eyes weren't silver and red?" He shrugged.

"Probably not." He said. "If I hadn't been chased, we never would have met… And I never would have been beaten by you." I put my hands behind my head.

"What about you?" I asked. He raised his eyebrow. "What's with the feathers? Or, why you've got your sandals tied to your belt? I've shared a little, so, tell me about yourself."

"Well, my sandals are an easy story." He said. "I like walking around barefoot. I can really feel in touch with the earth, and I can run faster without shoes. I slow down at all other times, and I really look where I'm stepping."

"Sounds, nice." I said. He laughed.

"Well, you're the first person to say so." He said. "Most people just think I'm strange or something." I smiled. "And, the feathers… Well, sometimes I write with them, and I have a couple of vials of ink. And I kind of like how they look." He put one hand to the orange feather. "I've got a lot of them, mostly so I can always have two. I think I look good with them."

"You're certainly a memorable figure." I said. "Not many people go barefoot, wear a headband with a metal forehead protector and a pair of feathers behind it. Less would do so with a black vest and slacks." He laughed for a few seconds.

"You know, I thought it'd be a pain being your first mate." He said. "But, I think we'll get along nicely. And, now that I'm your first mate, what do you say we go on a date when we get to the island? Now that we're going to be together, I think it'd be a great way to get to know one another." I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, but, I don't like you that way." I said. He sighed. "I'm really sorry."

"So, that's the real reason for before?" He asked. "At the hotel?" I nodded. After a second he shrugged. "Well, like you said, it's for the best. After all, you're my captain now." I nodded.

"Doesn't mean we can't be friends though." I said. He nodded with a small smile. "Hey, I know that look." He laughed. "I won't let you borrow my clothes. They're tailor-made just for me." He stared before laughing loudly. I just smirked before I heard the ship groan quietly. He stopped as I looked down and a section of the deck cracked and water started seeping through. "That can't be good." We looked at each other. "I don't have anything to fix that, and plugging it with our hands won't slow it down enough." I heard it groan and we looked as it cracked a little further. "Any ideas before I climb the mast to avoid ruining my boots?"

"I've got nothing." He said. I stood up and jumped to the mast, climbing it quickly. "H-hey!"

"Lock the wheel toward the dock." I said quickly. "We're going in. Grab my things and toss them up." I got to the top and stepped onto the arm and turned as he tied the wheel off and grabbed one bag, tossing it up. I caught it and slung it over my shoulder before he threw the other up, which I also caught and put on. "Okay, be careful and don't hurt yourself." He nodded and grabbed the chest before the water reached it, but as it reached his feet he yelped and threw the chest right up at me. I managed to catch it and leaned against the mast. "Watch it!" I looked down and laughed as he started climbing up. I set the chest down carefully and put my boot on top of it to get it to stay, and I looked to the dock. "What do you think, ten minutes?"

"Yeah, about." He said as he slowly made his way up. "The boat should be sunk in about fifteen, if we're lucky." I nodded as he climbed up and sat down. I moved carefully and picked up the chest, moving it toward him. "Wh-what?"

"Hold this." I said. "It can float, but if it falls overboard, you'll have to swim out and find it on your own. I can't swim, at all." He sighed and took it. "How we're to dock this, is entirely beyond me at this point." As we drifted closer I saw people looking at us from the docks, and the boat was finally starting to go under.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked. "How do we get onto the dock?" We began closing the last few feet and the dock master walked slowly toward where I planned to get off.

"I don't know about you." I said calmly. "But, I'm going to do this." I could tell he was looking up as we slowed down right at the edge, and I moved seamlessly from the arm of the mast onto the dock.

"H-hey, whoa!" He called as a small crash shook the dock. I smiled.

"H-hello." The dock master said. "Um, there is a, small fee for, docking?" He looked around at the top of the mast as I heard the chest being set on the dock. I looked back to see Sario climbing up, swinging his leg to pull himself up. "Since, your boat has sunk, I can, impose only the initial fee. Would you, like us to try to salvage it?" I turned to him.

"No, I was going to sell it actually." I said with Sario's accent. "If you want to salvage it for your own uses, I suppose I can make a deal." Sario stood up and grabbed the chest.

"As I can't see it, I can only provide enough to, waive the fee, and pay, five hundred?" He suggested. I held out my hand.

"That sounds fair." I said. He nodded and took my hand before he reached behind him and pulled out several bills and handed them to me. "Thank you."

"Before you go, I have to have your name." He said quickly. "For registry purposes."

"My name is Abigail Lynch." I said. I put my arm around Sario. "This is my brother, Fergal." The dock master wrote our names down as Sario nodded.

"Thank you." He said. "I'll be sure to make good use of your boat. Enjoy your stay." I put the money away and smiled.

"Come on, sis." Sario said. "We'd better find a hotel." He walked past and I followed him. After we left the dock he laughed. "Fergal?"

"What?" I asked with a quiet laugh. "Have you heard your accent?"

"Yeah, I get your point." He said. "Abby." I laughed quietly. "Do you know where we're going?"

"No, but I'm sure there's a hotel somewhere nearby." I said. He laughed.

"Well, maybe I can carry the bags and you take the half-ton weight." He said. I stopped and he looked at me as I removed the bags.

"Okay." I said. He laughed as I set the bags down and took the chest. "Sounds fair." He laughed a bit louder as he picked up the bags.

I set the chest down and stretched as Sario walked in, looking around. The room was fifty Beri a day, but it wasn't as bad as Sario expected, given that he wasn't complaining. He kept saying that he was really doubtful that the room would be remotely nice.

"Not bad." Sario said. I nodded. "So, what's the plan?"

"Well, I'm going to see if there are any Marine bases nearby." I said. "If there is one, I intend to get some maps using Zabrisa… I want you to look for a small ship that won't fall apart. Don't worry about cost, just tell the person you need time to think about it, and tell me how much it is. I'm willing to sell some of my things for it." He nodded and I put my hand to my chin. "And we'll need a small crew, so, perhaps I can look at the tavern and try to find a few people for it."

"Okay, and, we could use supplies." He said. I nodded.

"Yes, we'll take care of that after we own the ship." I said. "Eventually I want a bigger one, but for now, just look for something sturdy. Appearance only matters if it relates to possible damage and wood rot."

"Sounds good." He said. "After lunch?" I smirked. "Come on, we haven't eaten breakfast yet, I'm gettin' hungry." I shrugged.

"Okay." I said. "But you're on your own for that." I pulled out my wallet and handed him a few decent bills. "I might eat at the Marine base. I've always wanted to try their food." He laughed.

"Geeze, you're insane, you know that?" He said. I nodded as I put my wallet away.

"I'd be boring if I weren't." I said. He laughed louder as I opened my bag with my clothes. "So, I think some more clothes might help as well. I like having a lot of disguises, and I'm running low. I can appropriate things from the Marine base if I have to, using my rank, but sometimes it helps to have other outfits for various occasions."

"It's a good thing you're not a rookie." He said. "Your old man must have taught you well." I nodded.

"Eight years." I said. "My entire time as a teenager and young adult were spent on a pirate ship being taught by my new family in anything I wanted to know. I can cook a decent meal, I can fight among the best, and most importantly, I know how to read a friggin' map." He laughed quietly.

"You're obsessed with maps." He said. I turned to him as I pulled the shirt and pants of the outfit out of the bag.

"Actually, I have a different obsession." I said. He was silent for a second as I went back to the bag. "My biggest obsession is finding a way to swim again."

"Why?" He asked.

"Well, mostly as insurance." I said. "Like I said, I'm a Cursed Girl. If I fall into the sea, or any still water for that matter… Have you heard of the stories?"

"No, not really." He said.

"Well, basically, I 'become a hammer' when I come into contact with standing water." I said. I looked back as he sat down. "I won't be able to move very easily. At first, when it is above my waist, I just slow down and can tread water for a few seconds, but I'll sink pretty quickly, and yes, it has happened before. After it gets above my chest, I begin sinking completely." I shuddered. "When Captain Ben's ship got blown up, I was lucky to find a piece of the deck to hold onto. Without that, I wouldn't be here today."

"So, how long can you float before you start sinking?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Probably ten seconds, fifteen at the most." I said. "I've tried using small tanks of water to train, but no matter what, I just, lock up after my shoulders go under. I sink like, well, a hammer. It's very frustrating. I have to be careful when I take a bath, I kid you not. If I sink to my neck, I'm liable to drown. Otherwise, I just can't change my appearance."

"Well, if you ever fall into deep water, I'll jump in after you, no matter what." He said.

"Thanks Sario." I said quietly. "I just hope you never have to."