Disclaimer:

I don't own One Piece

I don't own any other reference

I Don't own anything

I'm broke!

Standing atop a tattered deck, looking at the marvel in front of her, Lara was crying.

She finally felt it again, that thrill she felt years ago looking at Upper Yard.

"Beautiful..."

Her voice was so quiet, Jinbei had hard time listening to it.

Looking at her tear filled eyes, Jinbei was proud of his hometown.

In front of them was perhaps one of the most beautiful island in the world.

A world of color enclosed inside a giant bubble, even he who saw it many times still couldn't find words to describe what he was seeing.

No, he never felt so much serene looking at Fishman island.

Perhaps her words earlier had hit home more than he tought.

"You know Jinbe, no matter if you are the pirate king or the most powerful person in the world, when you look at what mother nature could create, sometimes you can't help feeling meaningless"

He was thankful for those words, and perhaps it was natural for someone who inspired so much in him to have the Conqueror's Haki.

When they approached the entrance, some of the guards made their way toward them warily with raised weapons, before relaxing at the sigh of Jinbe even if they still looked at Lara with apprehension.

"Jinbe-sama, it is our honor to welcome you back, but what is this situation?"

One of them came forward to welcome Jinbe, who nodded in return.

"Contact the king, tell him that the criminal Vander Decken was apprehended."

Then he put a an on Lara's shoulder before continuing.

"As for this lady, she is a friend of mine, so no need for identity check."

"Yo!"

Lara was waving at them cheerfully with a grin.

"Yes, immediately Jinbe-sama."

Replied the bewildered guard before taking off, leaving the others to show them to the entrance.

They disembarked and it didn't take long for Lara to look around while jumping in excitement.

"Hey hey, Jinbe! look, a mermaid."

"Jinbe!Jinbe! look, a shark like you."

"Jinbe! Jinbe! Jinbe!"

...

Looking at the blur going around with stars in her eyes, Jinbe let out an exasperated sigh.

All the passerby were looking at them in confusion and...was that a granny that just flashed him a warm knowing smile?

What was he? a parent in vacation with their kid?

Jinbe never felt that embarrassed before in his life.

Catching her coat by her neckline.

"Can you stop it, this is too embarrassing!"

His reputation must have been ruined by now, what Shishibukai? He is more like a caretaker.

"Buuuut Jinbeeeee..."

She pouted... yes she pouted at him with crossed eyes and an inflated cheek.

Other must think she was adorable like that but Jinbe knows better than to think this little imp is adorable.

But when he was about argue back, a large shadow fell on them.

Looking up, they discovered that a large shark who was wearing a red sweater looking kind of silly, and on top of him stood three people.

One was a muscular shark merman, with a wide chest and large arms. He has a long face, framed by wavy fair blue hair flowing down to his shoulders, a sharp and pointy nose, and a dot of some sort printed on the middle of his forehead. He has gills on his massive neck and a dark blue tail with light blue polka-dots.

Another was an extremely tall and thin merman. He has wide eyes, long wavy dark pink hair, and beaver like teeth.

The finale one was a rotund, stocky and large merman. Like the others, he has a polka dot tail, with a black variation along with white polka dots and red scales. He also has brown hair and red fins on his head.

"Greeting, Jinbe."

"Greeting, so-la-ti-do"

"Greeting, Akkamanbo."

They greeted them respectfully(?).

"Nice to see you are doing fine princes."

"Yo!"

Jinbe nodded in return and Lara waved at them.

"I heard that you apprehended Vander Decken, So we made hast, can we see him?"

The shark merman said, voice a little too sharp, as they jumped down the back of the shark.

"Yes here he is."

Jinbe pointed casually at a charred and tied up miserable fishman to the side, who still had some fume coming out of him.

"As for catching him, it would have been impossible without my friend here."

The three pinces turned to look at Lara, evaluating her for a moment before they bowed toward her.

"Thank you, Vander Decken has been terrorizing our sister for years and we couldn't do anything against him."

"Thank you, so-la-ti-do"

"Thank you, Akkamanbo."

They said with sincerity.

Lara smirked and waved her hand dismissively.

"It's nothing, stop being stiff and let's relax, OK? By the way, Cadis D. Lara , nice to meet you."

"Ryuboshi, so-la-ti-do."

Said the tall one enthusiastically.

"Manboshi, nice to meet you too, Akkamanbo."

Said the rotund one with even more enthusiasm.

"Fukaboshi, the pleasure is all mine."

Said the older one seriously leaving Lara to stare at him.

"I would like to invite the both of you to the Ryugu Palace on behalf of my father King Neptune in thanks."

Staare...

Suddenly Lara walked forward and patted his shoulder.

"You know, you should learn from your brothers, relax and enjoy life OK?"

She said with a grin and then just like that jumped atop the shark.

Jinbe sighed.

The two younger brother repressed a laugh.

And Fukaboshi was left staring, before looking at Jinbe with a questioning look.

"Don't look at me like that, you'll get used to it soon."

Too soon...he didn't say.

He just proceeded to jump atop the shark, following him Ryuboshi and Manboshi, and lastly Fukaboshi who was dragging a half-dead Decken.

The citizen below were left looking at their retreating back.

"So what is your name?"

Asked Lara while patting the shark.

"His name is Megalo, so-la-ti-do."

"hmm...you look cute, you know that Magelo?"

"Shhaaaaa!"

Megalo looked pleased with her patting.

"So will there be a banquet?will there be meat? will there be music? you know there can't be a banquet without music!"

.

.

.

"I really thank you for catching Vander Decken, my daughter can now live peacefully."

Said king Neptune sincerely.

Neptune is a giant-sized and muscular merman, he is Huge. He has a red nose, small eyes, and long thick orange curly hair and beard. Both his chest and arms are covered with hair. He is bare-chested and has matching black tattoos on both arms, which looks like a spiral with wavy protrusion designs around it.

Accompanying the king are his ministers and his guard who all looked stiff.

In front of them stood Jinbe, the three princes, a still half-dead Vander Decken and finally an excited looking blue haired teenager looking around with glittering eyes ignoring everything.

"Jinbe! Jinbe!"

BAM!

She was greeted by a punch on top of her head.

"Ouch! what was that for?!"

"For being an idiot!"

"What being an idiot?! I was just appreciating craftsmanship!"

"Yes! Like! An ! Idiot!"

"Wonna fight korra?!"

"Bring it on!"

Looking at Jinbe and Lara bumping heads and glaring at each other, everyone sweat dropped.

"Ahem!"

Hearing the caugh, the two of them turned toward the king.

"As I said before, thank you!"

"And as I said to your son before, It was nothing, right Jinbe?"

Lara waved dismissively.

"Yeah, it really was nothing king Neptune."

Jinbe nodded and agreed with her.

"If you say so, as for the banquet it is already being prepared, we are just waiting for my daughter who should be arriving soon."

Lara looked confused at them.

"Arriving soon? Isn't she the one standing behind the door?"

The palace had been filled with air since they were welcoming a human, so her haki was unimpeded.

Everyone looked at the big door.

"Shirahoshi?"

Asked the king with a tilt of his head.

The door opened a little but considering it's size it wasn't that little, and a head full of pink hair and two big innocent blue eyes greeted them.

"Father is it true? can I really come out?"

She was fidgeting around looking cute while getting inside the audience room.

Shirahoshi is a giant-sized mermaid,She has very long, flowing pink hair tied with a hairgrip. Much of her upper body is exposed. Her broadly striped pink tail ends in a ruffle around her waist.

Everyone looked at her and couldn't help their eyes turning warm.

"Yes Shirahoshi, you can come out from now on, there is someone I want to introduce you to, this here is..."

When the king turned around to introduce Lara to Shirahoshi, he only saw a Jinbe massaging his temple in exasperation and no Lara.

"Woah! So cuuuuute! she looks like a doll! how do you take care of your hair?it's so beautiful!"

"Please! sumimasen! sumimasen!"

Turning around again, there was Lara who was jumping around Shirahoshi in a blur of movement touching here and there, and a flustered Shirahoshi apologizing with teary eyes.

"Laraaa!"

The one called, ignored Jinbe who was making his way toward her slowly while cracking his knuckles.

But at that moment...

"Shirahoshi is mine!"

No one realized that Vander Decken escaped from his ropes, took a spear from a guard and shot it toward Shirahoshi, until the spear was too close to her.

""SHIRAHOSHI-HIME!""

When everyone was watching in horror waiting for the inevitable. Lara appeared in front of the spear with arcs of lightening coursing throughout her body and eyes bright like flames, right hand on the handle of Kurikara.

Leaving a beautiful blue trail, the sword was unsheathed at a speed impossible to follow desintegrating the spear into charred powder.

Before anyone could react, she disappeared again and reappeared behind Decken, standing straight with her sword light up in a beautiful electric blue by her side and coat fluttering with no wind.

Thud!

Decken looked at his right hand that had been cut and fell to the ground.

Both ends of the cut were charred black and cauterized with no blood flowing out.

"AAH MY HAND! MY HAND!"

He knelt down clutching his hand and started crying.

"Shut up!"

Boom!

Jinbe kicked Decken's head, sending him toward the wall, cracking it.

Jinbe was furious, not only was he a Shishibukai, but at one point in time he was a place guard.

For someone to dare threaten the safety of the royal family in front of him and nearly succeeding was an affront to his pride, but more than that, to try and kill someone he himself want to protect, someone he took joy watching growing up...

Looking at the teary eyed, frightened princess...

Yes, Jinbe was furious, everyone there was furious after the fear subsided.

"Thank you Lara!"

If it wasn't for her...

"No, I am sorry, not only I didn't knock him out for good, I didn't tie him up well enough. Perhaps I became too arrogant, I'm truly sorry."

Cadis D. Lara wasn't petty enough to not accept when she did something wrong.

"Don't say that Lara."

Even if Jinbe approve, he can't bring himself to accept her apologize, after all she was only a guest, she had no obligation to protect anyone here, but she still saved the princess, it was enough, more than enough.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, and the king was going to thank Lara again, but was stopped once again.

"Shi... Shira... hoshi... why... why can't you...accept my feelings?"

Asked Vander Decken all bloody and on his last breath.

As for Shirahoshi's reply...

"Sorry! I'm very sorry decken-sama!but!but!"

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath to stop her trembling and...

"You are not my type!"

She opened her eyes looking at him resolutely and declared.

Everyone could tell she looked really apologetic...

"Gah!"

Vander Decken who didn't loose consciousness when he was electrocuted, having his arm cut or his head kicked... was knocked out being rejected by the girl he loved.

Some people even felt sorry for him.

The uncomfortable silence was broken by the sound of boots hitting the ground and the sound of a sword being sheathed.

Lara came before a flustered Shirahoshi, looking up into her eyes and with a smile.

"Shirahoshi right?You're a strong girl you know that?"

Still with teary eyes, Shirahoshi looked at her with confusion and a tilted head.

'Cute.'

Thought Lara.

"Strong?I am not strong, I always cry and I am just a burden to everyone..."

"Shirahoshi..."

King Neptune felt like a failure, for his daughter to say that she was only a burden so naturally...

But Lara just grinned at her.

"What's wrong with crying? I also cry. Hell I bet I will make Jinbe cry in the near future."

"Oi"

Ignoring the outraged and resigned cry she continued.

"As for being a burden, you are just a thirteen years old girl, at that age it is normal for you to be a burden. when you grow up, having your own kids, they will also be a burden; But would you be unhappy with that burden?"

Shirahoshi didn't even pose before replying.

"Of course not."

She didn't say it quietly, nor did she say it with a raised voice, just normally as if it was a simple truth.

Lara's grin became a tad bit more pronounced.

"Then why do you think that all of us here aren't happy to have you as a burden?"

At this Shirahoshi looked confused, people around them looked at them with warm smile, and Jinbe just grinned.

"I'm Cadis D. Lara, let's be friends."

With that she presented her fist in front of Shirahoshi.

Shirahoshi was still confused, perhaps it would take her a long time to gain a semblance of self-confidence.

But when Lara asked her to be friends, she felt it was natural to shyly bump fist with her and say.

"Yes."

She didn't remember ever giving someone else such a sincere smile like she did at that moment.